Sunday 29 November 2015

Europa League Matchday Five Review

Alike the Champions League, the Europa League group stage reached the penultimate set of games with a number of sides having already secured qualification and a fair few more just on the fringes going into matchday five.

A
Celtic hosted Ajax knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated while the Dutch side hoped to keep in the hunt to advance to the next stage. The Scots made a stunning start as McGregor gave them a 1-0 lead inside the first three minutes but were pegged back in the 21st minute by a leveller from Milik. The visitors ensured they would remain in the hunt to advance going into the final game as they sealed a late 2-1 win with an 87th minute winner from Cerny.

Already qualified Molde FK hosted Fenerbache with their unbeaten run under threat against the Turks who looked to edge closer to qualification with a victory. The hosts suffered an early blow as Rindaroy was sent off after just 10 minutes but despite the numerical disadvantage, they went into the interval on level terms at 0-0. However, the extra man did pay off for the visitors in the 68th minute as Santana struck the opening goal for 1-0 before the win and the end of Molde's good run was ended by Tufan's 84th minute strike for 2-0.


B
Rubin Kazan played host to FC Sion looking to remain in the hunt to advance while the Swiss side had hopes of confirming a place in the next stage. However, the hopes of the visitors were dented on 34 minutes with the sending off of N'Doye but they held on long into the second half at 0-0 before opening up to a 72nd minute strike from Georgiev for 1-0. The Russians were searching for their first win of the group and confirmed their first success with a 90th minute strike from Devic for 2-0.

Liverpool hosted Bordeaux knowing a win would guarantee their place in the next stage while the same result would see the French side eliminated having failed to register a win so far. The visitors were gifted a chance to open the scoring on 33 minutes as Reds 'keeper Simon Mignolet was penalised for holding on to the ball for too long and Henri Saivet fired in from the resulting set-piece for 1-0. The lead was short lived  as Liverpool levelled from the penalty spot with James Milner slotting in on 38 minutes for 1-1 and the hosts gained the lead just before the interval as Christian Benteke fired in for 2-1 which was enough to seal the points and a place in the last 32 for the Reds.


C
FK Krasnodar played host to already qualified Borussia Dortmund looking to join the Germans in the next stage with a win. They did just that with a narrow 1-0 win which they achieved with a stunning start as Mamaev slotted in a penalty in the second minute. The solitary goal was enough to hold off the visitors for the remaining 80 odd minutes and saw the Russians seal their place in the next stage.

The other game in the group saw PAOK Salonica hosts FC Qabala with both sides looking to register a first win in the group stage and avoid finishing bottom below the two qualifying teams. The sides seemed to cancel each other out as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw leaving them both to hope for a last chance win in the final round of games.


D
Already qualified FC Napoli travelled to face Club Brugge looking to extend their 100% record to five wins and deny the Belgians the chance to close in on qualification. The two sides battled well in the first half with the only dent in the armour coming for the hosts as Vlad Chiriches put the Italians ahead on 41 minutes. The solitary goal was enough to claim a 1-0 win and put Napoli just one win away from a perfect 18 point haul.

Legia Warsaw hosted FC Midtjylland looking for their first win of the group while the Danes hoped to seal qualification to the next stage. The hosts opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a strike from Prijovic and the single goal proved to be enough to seal a first success for the Poles. The result leaves both sides in the mix with Brugge for the final spot in the next stage.


E
Dinamo Minsk hosted Viktoria Plzen in the group's early kick-off with the Belarusians still searching for their first win after four losses and such a result potentially eliminating their opponents. The two sides seemed destined to share the points in a 0-0 draw as the game went on but a strange final minutes saw the hosts seal their first success. However, firstly they went down to ten men with the late dismissal of Veretilo before sealing a 1-0 win with a strike from Adamovic in added time.

After Plzen's failure to win, Villarreal hosted already qualified Rapid Vienna safe in the knowledge that they had secured qualification due to their superior points total but with the Austrians yet to suffer defeat, they looked to retain top spot. Both sides boasted strong defensive records ahead of the meeting so it was no shock that they remained level late into the second half before the hosts broke the deadlock on 78 minutes via Soriano Llido's strike which sealed a 1-0 win and put them atop the group standings.


F
Marseille played host to already eliminated Groningen with hopes of edging towards the next stage while the Dutch side looked to secure a first win of the group stage. The hosts opened the scoring on 28 minutes as Mdiba made it 1-0 but they were pegged back shortly after the restart as Maduro levelled for 1-1 after 50 minutes. The win went to the French side though as Batsuyahi sealed the 2-1 success in the 88th minute.

Already qualified Sporting Braga hosted Slovan Liberec with hopes of continuing on top of the group while the Czechs looked for a win which would edge them towards the next stage. The visitors pursuit of a shock win gained pace in the 35th minute as Efremov put them ahead only for his effort to be cancelled out just before the interval by a 42nd minute equaliser from Ferreira for 1-1. The hosts sealed the win late on with a strike from Sousa for 2-1.



G
After securing qualification in the previous game, Lazio hosted Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk looking to extend their unbeaten run and in doing so eliminate the Ukrainians from the competition. The Italians made a stunning start with a fourth minute opener from Candreva for 1-0 but were pegged back just after the hour mark by Gama's equaliser for 1-1. The sides were level for less than three minutes as Parolo made it 2-1 to the hosts before a late strike from Djordjevic confirmed a 3-1 victory.

St Etienne travelled to face to Rosenborg knowing a win would secure a place in the next stage and thereby eliminate the Norwegians from the competition. The hosts opened the scoring just before the interval as Søderland struck in the 40th minute for 1-0. However, the French side managed to salvage a point with an 80th minute equaliser from Roux who slotted in a penalty and due to Dnipro's loss, the visitors secured qualification to the next stage. 


H
Besiktas played hosts to Skenderbeu Korce with both still in the hunt to reach the next stage but with the Turks knowing a win would eliminate their opponents from the competition. The hosts opened the scoring in a tight first half with Tusan striking for 1-0 in the 35th minute and he struck again in the second half making it 2-0 on 78 minutes to seal the points and leave the visitors bottom of the group.

Lokomotiv Moscow hosted Sporting Lisbon with both sides firmly in the hunt to reach the next stage but with the Russians knowing a win would seal their place in the last 32. They started superbly with an opening goal inside five minutes form Bitencourt before being pegged back by a 20th minute equaliser from Montero before going 2-1 behind after Ruiz's 38th minute strike.  The visitors opened up a two goal lead before the interval as Martins made it 3-1 and the win was sealed on the hour mark as Pereira made it 4-1 to leave both sides in the hunt to advance going into the final game.


I
Belenenses hosted Lech Poznan with both hoping to remain in the hunt to advance going into the final game but depending on the other game, a win for either could eliminate the other. However, both sides remain in the fight to advance after sharing the points in a 0-0 draw.

They aforementioned duo can still advance after Fiorentina failed to secure a win away to FC Basel who had the chance to guarantee qualification with a win. The Italians opened the scoring on 23 minutes through Bernardeschi before going down to ten men with the dismissal of Roncaglia just three minutes later. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they doubled their lead to 2-0 on 36 minutes as Bernardeschi struck again but the Swiss side pegged them back through Suchy in the 40th minute. The extra man did pay off for the hosts though as they secured a 2-2 draw with a 74th minute leveller from Elneny which secured their place in the next stage and left Fiorentina in a three-way battle to advance.  


J
Tottenham Hotspur made the long trip to face FC Qarabag knowing a win would seal a place in the next round while the hosts looked to remain in the hunt to advance with a victory. A tight game saw both sides look destined for a share of the points as the score remained at 0-0 deep into the second half but the visitors struck a winner as Harry Kane sealed a 1-0 triumph and a place in the last 32 with a 78th minute strike. 

After Tottenham's success in the early game, Monaco hosted Anderlecht knowing that a win would see them join the EPL side in the next stage while the Belgians looked to force the fight for the final qualification spot into the final game. They did just that as they sealed a 2-0 win with strikes in either half with Gilet's 45th minute opener followed by a 78th minute strike from Acheampong.



K
Schalke 04 hosted Apoel Nicosia with both still in the hunt to advance but in the knowledge that a home win would sent the Germans through and eliminate the Cypriots. A tight game saw the sides remain level at 0-0 deep into the second half but a late strike from Choupo-Moting in the 86th minute sealed qualification for the hosts with a 1-0 win.

Sparta Prague also had the chance to advance into the next stage as they hosted Asteras Tripoli who needed a win to prevent being eliminated from the competition. The Czechs struck the opening goal in the 33rd minute as Brabec scored for 1-0 and the slim lead looked to be enough as the game entered the final ten minutes. However, Asteras were given a lifeline as the hosts were sent down to ten men with the dismissal of Krejci on 82 minutes but they were unable to draw level as the hosts secured their place in the next stage.  


L
AZ Alkmaar hosted Partizan Belgrade knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated while the visitors hoped to remain in the hunt to advance with success of their own. The hosts opened the scoring just after the interval as Dos Santos made it 1-0 on 48 minutes but the visitors battled back to equalise on 65 minutes through Oumarou before sealing the win late on as Zivkovic struck for 2-1 in the 89th minute. 

Athletic Bilbao travelled to face FC Augsburg knowing a win would guarantee them a place in the last 32 while success for the Germans would set up a three-way fight for qualification in the final game. The visitors started the better of the two sides and took the lead inside 10 minutes through Susaeta before being pegged back by an equaliser four minutes ahead of the interval from Trochowski for 1-1. Bobadilla gave the Germans a 2-1 lead just before the hour mark before a late brace from Aduriz in the 83rd and 86th minutes completed the comeback for the Spanish side who sealed a 3-2 win and a place in the next stage.   

Saturday 28 November 2015

Champions League Matchday Five Review

As the festive period grows ever close, the Champions League reached the penultimate round of matches in the group with the future of the majority of the 32 teams becoming fairly clear be it advancing or exiting European competition altogether.  The group halves switched nights so Tuesday saw the sides in E-H begin matchday five.

E
BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen faced off knowing that regardless of the result, they would go into the final game with qualification still a possibility with them both in reach of second spot. The sides had only managed a win each so far so it was no surprise that they played out a 1-1 draw. BATE made a perfect start with the opening goal coming inside two minutes from Gordeychuk but their joy was soured on 68 minutes as Mehmedi levelled to secure a point for the Germans.

Despite being already guaranteed top spot in the group, Barcelona fielded a strong lineup as they hosted AS Roma who hoped to open up a gap on the chasing two ahead of the final round of games. However, Barcelona put the dampeners on such hopes inside the first 18 minutes as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi created a 2-0 lead. Suarez added his second and the Catalans third just before the interval to leave the visitors needing a miracle to avoid defeat but that task was quickly hardened as Gerard Pique struck on 56 minutes followed by Messi's second and Barca's fifth just before the hour mark. Adriano added a sixth for the hosts on 77 minutes to complete a stunning rout but Roma did have some small consolation as Edin Dzeko made it 6-1 in the final minute.
 

F
Arsenal looked to keep up their hopes of advancing to the next stage as they hosted Dinamo Zagreb and the Gunners knew a win would ensure at the least they would drop into the Europa League. Their pursuit of a vital win saw a tight first 25 minutes before two goal in four minutes either side of the half hour mark as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez struck for 2-0. Sanchez claimed his second and the hosts' third on 69 minutes to wrap up a comfortable 3-0 win.

Bayern Munich hoped to secure qualification as they hosted second placed Olympiakos but the Greeks knew that a shock win would seal their place and leave Arsenal needing a miracle. However the Germans had other ideas and raced into a 3-0 lead inside just 20 minutes as Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller all fired in for the hosts. The visitors only joy in the first hour came on 52 minutes as Bayern were reduced to ten men after the dismissal of Badstuber but the numerical disadvantage seemed to spur the hosts on as Coman added a fourth on 69 minutes. Olympiakos were unable to open up the ten men as they slipped to a 4-0 defeat but go into the final game with a three point lead over third placed Arsenal.


G
Unlike most groups, this one saw three sides in contention to end the night on top or as low as third but as leaders FC Porto faced third placed Dynamo Kyiv, the group swung even closer. The Ukrainians struck an opener on 35 minutes as Yarmolenko slotted in from the penalty spot and they were two to the good just after the hour mark as Gonzalez made it 2-0 on 64 minutes. The hosts were unable to pull one back and in turn missed on on securing qualification.

Chelsea hosted Maccabi Tel Aviv in the hopes that a win would take them level with Porto at the top and in turn leave the Israelis facing elimination as they were yet to earn a single point so far. The Blues started their pursuit of a win with an opener on 23 minutes from Gary Cahill before seeing former Blues defender Tal Ben Haim sent off five minutes before the interval. The extra man took a while to make a difference but in the space of four minutes, the EPL side were in control as Willian and Oscar struck on 73 and 77 minutes for 3-0. The gloss on a fine away win for the Blues came in the final minute as Kurt Zouma completed the rout at 4-0.


H
After sealing qualification with a fourth win in a row, Zenit St Petersburg hosted Valencia knowing a victory would put them just one away from a perfect record while the Spanish side needed a win to keep up hopes of advancing themselves. The Russians have been in great scoring form so far in this group and continued ther streak with an early opener from Shatov inside 15 minutes. The majority of their success had come through Dzyuba and the Russian forward extended his scoring streak on 74 minutes before Vezo was sent off on 80 minutes for the visitors whose 2-0 defeat puts the hosts at least five points clear of the rest.

Olympique Lyonnais hosted KAA Gent knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated from the competition and adrift at the bottom of the group while Gent had the chance to move up into second ahead of the final game. Lyon had yet to win in their four games and had only scored twice so it was likely a shock when they stormed into an early 1-0 lead through Ferri's seventh minute strike. However, the Belgians drew level on 32 minutes through Milicevic for 1-1 before sealing the three points with a 2-1 success after Coulibaly struck late on. 

Wednesday night saw the remaining four groups from A-D take the focus with all but one side still in contention to reach the next stage but some surprise results saw the lineup of the next stage become clearer.

A
Due to a vastly superior goal difference to those below them, Paris St Germain travelled to face Malmo FF with qualification all but wrapped up while the hosts hoped to edge closer to the Europa League spot. However, the hosts were dealt two rapid blows as PSG raced into a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes with Rabiot's third minute opener followed by a strike from Angel Di Maria. The visitors extended their lead through former Malmo forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 49 minutes before a second from Di Maria and the French side's fifth goal on 68 minutes wrapped up the points. The night go even worse fr the hosts though as Lucas Moura completed a 5-0 rout with eight minute remaining.

Shakthar Donetsk hosted group leaders Real Madrid hoping to stage a shock win that would all but secure a spot in the Europa League and end Madrid's unbeaten streak. Real started well and opened the scoring inside 18 minutes through star striker Cristiano Ronaldo but from there the game was pretty tight up to the interval. However, the visitors kicked into gear with two strikes within seven minutes of the restart as Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric made it 3-0. The points looked to be wrapped up on 70 minutes as Ronaldo struck his second for a 4-0 lead but Shakthar staged a stunning comeback to ensure a tense finale. Teixeira began the charge with a 77th minute penalty before making it 4-2 just six minutes later but when Ferreira made it 4-3 on 88 minutes, the visitors' hold on the game was on a knife-edge but they managed to just about hold on to secure the win and move clear at the top.

B
Ahead of their hosting of VFB Wolfsburg, CSKA Moskva knew a win would keep them in the hunt to qualify for the next stage in a group where all four teams were in contention. The sides looked to be locked in a tight game as the score remained at 0-0 well past the hour mark but the Russian's were unfortunate to fall behind on 67 minutes as a shot deflected in off goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev for 1-0. However, the CSKA keeper was pulling the ball out of the net again just before the end as André Schurrle sealed a 2-0 win in the 88th minute to send the Germans second at the very least.

As the group was so tight, Manchester United knew that qualification for the next stage would go down to the final game regardless of the result of them hosting PSV Eindhoven. The Red Devils have been short of form in front of goal recently and this game was no different as they and the Dutch side were unable to break the deadlock as the points were shared in a 0-0 draw that ensured Wolfsburg sit one and two points clear of the two sides in the standings.


C
After being eliminated in the previous matchday, FC Astana hosted Benfica knowing a Europa League spot was their best hope while the already qualified Portuguese side hopes to go clear at the top in an early kick-off. Astana had yet to win in the group so it was a surprise when they opened up a 2-0 lead inside 30 minutes with an opener from Twumsi on 17 minutes followed by Anicic's strike. However, Benfica battled back and pulled one back just before the interval through Jimenez Rodriguez before he added a second to level the score at 2-2 in the 72nd minute. The hosts waste of a strong lead saw them denied a first win as Benfica moved three points clear ahead of the later game.

Atletico Madrid hosted Galatasaray with both sides still in the hunt to qualify but with the hosts knowing a success for them would guarantee a spot in the next stage and leave the Turks with just the Europa League spot to fight for. The hosts started the better of the two sides as they took an early lead through Antoine Griezmann's 15th minute effort and the French forward sealed the win and qualification with a second goal for 2-0 in the 65th minute.


D
After Juventus and Manchester City had secured qualification in the previous matchday, Borussia Monchengladbach hosted Sevilla knowing a Europa League spot was the best prize to hope for and for the visitors a win would give them the unique chance of chasing a Europa League treble in as many years. The Germans struck first as Lars Stindl made it 1-0 inside 30 minutes in what was an otherwise close first half. Gladbach had yet to win in the group so far but furthered their push with two goals in ten minutes from Johnson and Araujo on 68 and 78 minutes to open up a 3-0 lead. Perez pulled one back for the visitors on 82 minutes but saw his effort instantly cancelled out by Stindl's second a minute later for 4-1. Sevilla had the last mark on what became a six goal game as Banega slotted in a 90th minute penalty for 4-2.

Juventus hosted Manchester City with both sides safely in the next stage but with the illusive top spot in the group to battle for and with the Blues a point ahead going into the game, the pressure was on the Bianconeros. They dealt well with such pressure by taking an early lead as Mario Mandzukic made it 1-0 in the 18th minute. City pushed and pushed to draw level as they looked to bounce back from the 4-1 humiliation to Liverpool at the weekend but to no avail as Juve held on to their slim lead to secure all three points and go two points clear at summit of the group.

Thursday 26 November 2015

Foxes Go Top as Reds Hammer City

After yet another International break in what has been a short season so far, the Premier League resumed with the top four all having the chance to end week 13 on top but the results saw some real surprises with three sides scoring four goals in comfortable wins. In a fitting tribute to those lost in the recent terror attacks in Paris, every game was preceded by the French national anthem - 'La Marseillaise'

Saturday's early kick-off came from Vicarage Road as Watford hosted Manchester United with the visitors knowing a win would see them move to the top above Man City. The Hornets fell behind early on as Memphis Depay put the Red Devils 1-0 up inside 11 minutes and the lead continued long into the second half until a frantic finish. Troy Deeney levelled for the hosts with an 87th minute penalty for 1-1 but had the horror of connecting to a Bastian Schweinsteiger cross to hit into his own net in the final minute to give United a 2-1 win.

In the first of six 3pm games, Chelsea hosted fellow stragglers Norwich City at Stamford Bridge with the Blues and Canaries both desperate to move clear of the bottom three. However it was to be a good day for Jose Mourinho's men as they sealed a 1-0 win courtesy of a 64th minute strike from Diego Costa.



Everton hosted Aston Villa at Goodison Park with the in-form Toffees eager to close up on the top four while Villa searched for a first success under Remi Garde. However, Villa's hopes were dented as early as the 17th minute as Ross Barkley fired in for 1-0 before Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead on 28 minutes. Everton were in firm control as the interval neared as Barkley struck his second and the hosts' third on 42 minutes before Lukaku followed suit just before the hour mark to complete a 4-0 rout.

This time last year, Leicester City propped up the league table but as they travelled to St James' Park to face Newcastle United, they had the chance to go to the top. Foxes striker Jamie Vardy went into the game knowing a goal would bring him level with Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in 10 successive games and he did just that just before the interval to put the visitors ahead at 1-0.  The Magpies fell further behind on 62 minutes as Leonardo Ulloa struck for 2-0 before the points and top spot were secured for the visitors in the 83rd minute as Shinji Okazaki made it 3-0.


Southampton and Stoke City have both had a mixed first third of the season with them both around mid-table ahead of their meeting at St Mary's. Stoke started the better of the two sides with an early opener from Bojan Krkic in the tenth minute and in a battling game, the effort from the Spanish striker proved to be enough to secure a 1-0 win and the three points for the Potters.

Swansea City hosted AFC Bournemouth at the Liberty Stadium with both sides desperate to boost their flagging seasons with the Swans on the fringes of the bottom three and the Cherries sitting one place off the bottom. The Cherries made the better start of the two sides and took a lead inside ten minutes with a strike from Joshua King before a Dan Gosling strike on 28 minutes put the visitors in control at 2-0. However, Swansea were far from out of the contest as André Ayew pulled one back just two minutes later for 2-1 and the Swans would go into the interval on level terms after Jonjo Shelvey slotted in a 39th minute penalty for 2-2. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half but had to settle for a point each which the hosts will surely be the happier about. 


West Bromwich Albion went into the weekend on the fringes of the bottom three so the prospect of high-flying Arsenal visiting The Hawthorns would be a tough test. A close first third of the game was ended by the opener for the Gunners on 29 minutes as Olivier Giroud struck for 1-0 but his effort was cancelled out in stunning style just six minutes later as James Morrison rocketed a shot past Petr Cech to equalise. The Baggies' joy extended into the interval as they went ahead on 40 minutes after Mikel Arteta deflected the ball into his own net for 2-1 and that was how it remained until the final whistle as the Gunners wasted the chance to top the table.

The evening kick-off saw a huge clash between the day's original leaders Manchester City and in-form Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium with City sitting third after Leicester and rivals Unites leapfrogged them. Both sides were boosted by the return of their star strikers with Sergio Aguero starting for City while Reds' pair Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge were named on the bench.

The Reds were gifted the lead inside seven minutes as Eliaquim Mangala deflected past Joe Hart for 1-0 after Roberto Firmino's cross and Liverpool were two goals to the good on 23 minutes as Philippe Coutinho fired in a stellar effort past the helpless Hart. City were in serious trouble just after the half-hour mark as a spectacular combination between Emre Can and Coutinho saw Firmino seal his first goal for the Reds for 3-0. The hosts remained in the hunt though as the interval neared with Sergio Aguero firing in a stunning strike for 3-1 but his return lasted just an hour with the Reds introducing Christian Benteke soon after. The Belgian was influential in the last say on the score as he headed on for Martin Skrtel to volley past Hart to complete a 4-1 triumph.


After a bumper Saturday, Super Sunday saw just one game but what a game it was as Tottenham Hotspur hosted West Ham United in a five-goal thriller of a London derby at White Hart Lane. The hosts made the first mark on the game as Harry Kane scored a 22nd minute opener for 1-0 before Toby Alderweireld added a second on 33 minutes to put Spurs in control at 2-0. Kane added his second and the hosts' third just five minutes after the restart to leave the Hammers needing a miracle to avoid defeat but such a feat seemed impossible as Kyle Walker made it 4-0 with just seven minutes left. West Ham did have some slight consolation in their afternoon as Manuel Lanzini struck in the 87th minute for 4-1 but it mattered little as their rivals moved clear in fifth place.

The week's action came to an end with the Monday Night Football feature from Selhurst Park as mid-table Crystal Palace hosted struggling Sunderland with the visitors looking for their first away win of the season. A tight game on a cold London evening saw the sides remain level as the game entered the final third but Sunderland boosted their hopes of ending their travelling hoodoo as Jermain Defoe struck in the 80th minute and the strike proved to be enough as the Black Cats claimed a 1-0 win.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Gunners Join City on Top While Eagles Defeat Reds

Ahead of the final International break of the year, gameweek 12 of the Premier League saw a fairly low scoring programme with just only three sides scoring twice while seven secured shutouts.


Saturday's opening game saw Bournemouth host Newcastle at the Vitality Stadium with both sides looking to improve on poor runs of form that put them both in the bottom four. The game was a tight affair overall but the Magpies came out on top with a 28th minute winner from Ayoze Perez securing a narrow 1-0 win.

In the first of five 3pm games, high-flying Leicester City hosted Watford at the King Power Stadium with the chance to close up on the top two. They did just that by moving joint on 25 points with a 2-1 win over the Hornets with the first goal coming on 52 minutes from N'Golo Kanté before Jamie Vardy slotted in a 64th minute penalty to score for the ninth game in a row. Watford remained in the hunt with a penalty of their own in the 76th minute from Troy Deeney but it was only a consolation as the hosts held firm.



Manchester United hosted West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford looking to end a run of three consecutive defeats to the visiting Baggies who themselves hoped to move into the top half. A tight first half from both sides meant the Red Devils had now gone three and a half games without a goal but that ended just seven minutes after the break as Jesse Lingard made it 1-0. The lead remained a narrow one until the final minutes as the visitors suffered a double blow with the sending off of Gareth McAuley which saw Juan Mata seal a 2-0 win with the resulting spot kick.

Norwich City and Swansea City met at Carrow Road with both eager to move away from the fringes of the bottom three. A tight encounter saw the Canaries come out on top with the crucial strike coming on 70 minutes as Jonny Howson secured a 1-0 win.


Sunderland played host to Southampton at the Stadium of Light looking to bounce back from their thriller at Everton which left them just above bottom spot in the table while the Saints hoped to climb up the top half. The visitors came out on top but left it late to secure a 1-0 win with the vital strike coming just four minutes from the end as Dusan Tadic scored an 86th minute penalty.

West Ham United and Everton have both had mixed form this season so it was no surprise that in their meeting at Upton Park, they both came away with a point each. The Hammers struck first with a 30th minute strike from Manuel Lanzini but the Toffees struck back just before the interval as Romelu Lukaku slotted in on 44 minutes to make it 1-1. Both sides battled in the second half for a winner but it proved elusive in a close draw.


The evening kick-off saw Chelsea travel to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium but due to suspension, Jose Mourinho was missing from the Blues dugout as they looked to gain revenge for their recent cup exit to the Potters. The game was a tight one as is always expected in Stoke but what came as the biggest surprise was Marko Arnautovic's stunning 53rd minute strike which he volleyed past Asmir Begovic to secure a 1-0 success.

Super Sunday began with Remi Garde's first game as manager of Aston Villa as they hosted Manchester City at Villa Park. City looked to open a gap at the top but were halted by a superb defensive performance from Villa as they held the league leaders to a 0-0 draw. The point moved City top overall but leaves Villa still languishing at the bottom.



The second installment came from the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal and Tottenham faced off in the North London derby with the Gunners knowing a win would see them leapfrog Manchester City at the top. However, their pursuit suffered a blow before a positive as Harry Kane fired the visitors ahead on the half hour mark. Arsenal drew level in the second half as a rare strike from Kieran Gibbs on 77 minutes secured a point in a 1-1 draw.

In the other 4pm game, Liverpool hosted Crystal Palace with the Eagles looking to extend their hoodoo over the Reds who had former captain Steven Gerrard watching on keen for his former side to exact revenge for the Eagles defeat in his final game. However, it wasn't to be as Palace went ahead as early as the 21st minute through Yannick Bolasie whose opener was then cancelled out by a clever equaliser from Philippe Coutinho on 42 minutes. The Reds had yet to suffer defeat under Jurgen Klopp but the usually excitable manager had to deal with a first blot on his record as Scott Dann secured a 2-1 win in the 82nd minute.

Friday 6 November 2015

Europa League Matchday Four Review

Alike the Champions League, the Europa League traditionally sees its first qualifiers for the next stage at matchday four and this time around, four sides secured a place in the next stage.


A
Ajax's wait for a first win of the group continued after drawing 0-0 at home to a Fenerbache who remain just above them in second with a two point gap between the two sides.

Molde secured their spot in the last 32 with a 2-1 win away to a Celtic side who remain bottom of the group without a win. The hosts opened the scoring on 21 minutes through Elyounoussi only to be quickly pegged back by Kris Commons' 26th minute leveller for 1-1. However, Molde regained the lead on 37 minute with Helstad's effort which proved to be the winning goal on a night which only got worse for Celtic who had Bitton sent off in the 76th minute. 



B
Sion missed the chance to secure qualification but remain top of the group after salvaging a draw against third placed Bordeaux. The French side took a 1-0 lead on 67 minutes with a strike from Touré and looked set to secure a win only to be denied late on by an own goal from Chantome for 1-1.

Liverpool secured their first win of the group and their first away win in Europe for three years as they claimed a 1-0 win away to Rubin Kazan with the crucial strike coming on 52 minutes from Jordan Ibe who scored his first senior goal for the Reds.



C
Borussia Dortmund secured qualification and remain unbeaten at the top after a comfortable 4-0 win at home to FC Qabala who remain without a win at the bottom. Marco Reus opened the scoring on 29 minutes before Pierre Aubameyang doubled the lead just before half-time. The visitors night got worse with two further goals in the space of three minutes as Zenjov scored an on goal on 67 minutes followed by Mkhitaryan on 70 minutes as the Germans strolled through to the last 32.

FC Krasnodar sit second after opening up a four point lead over opponents PAOK after a 2-1 win which leaves PAOK winless after four games. Ferreira put the hosts ahead on 33 minutes before a penalty from Dos Santos on 67 minutes doubled the lead to 2-0. PAOK set up a tense finish with a 90th minute strike from Mak for 2-1 which is how it ended.


D
Napoli strolled into the next stage with a fourth win in a row as they demolished FC Midtjylland 5-0. The Italians started their charge after only 13 minutes with El Kaddouri's strike before going to 3-0 ahead after two from Gabbiadini's on 23 and 38 minutes. The Danes night got even worse as Maggio struck a fourth on 54 minutes and Callejon rounded off the win on 77 minutes.

Club Brugge remain in the hunt to qualify after claiming their first win with a 1-0 win at home to Legia Warsaw who remain bottom. The crucial strike came on 38 minutes as Meunier scored for the Belgians.  




E
Villarreal sit second and firmly in the hunt to advance to the next stage after a 2-1 win away to Dinamo Minsk who as a result cannot qualify after suffering a fourth successive defeat. Despite their poor form, the hosts actually struck first with an opener on 69 minutes from Vitus but their joy was short lived as Roberto Soldado levelled within three minutes with a penalty. The visitors secured the win with four minutes left as Politevich scored an own goal for 2-1.


Rapid Vienna continued their perfect run of wins to secure their spot in the next stage with a 2-1 win  away to Viktoria Plzen. The Austrians went ahead as early as the 13th minute through Schobesberger before deep into the second half, Plzen drew level with a 71st minute equaliser from Holenda. The win was secured just six minutes later by a slip and flick goal from Schobesberger to claim the points and qualification to the last 32.


F
FC Groningen are unable to qualify after slipping to their third defeat from four games after a late slip up at home to Slovan Liberec. The unfortunate strike came just nine minutes from the end as Padt scored an own goal to give the Czechs a 1-0 win.

After a bizarre robbery saw the boots stolen from the Braga camp, the Portuguese side's night got even worse as the slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Marseille. The crucial strike came on 39 minutes from Mbdia but despite the loss, Braga remain clear at the top.





G
Lazio remain unbeaten atop the group with qualification firmly in their sights after a 2-0 win away to Rosenborg who remain without a win from their four games. A first half brace from Djordevic in the ninth and 29th minutes opened up the 2-0 lead before the Italians were reduced to ten men late on with Diao's dismissal but the seven minutes was too short for the hosts to avoid a defeat.

St Etienne sit second after a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk who despite the loss remain in the hunt with the French side for qualification. Monnet-Paquet set the hosts on their way on 38 minutes before a second from Beric on 52 minutes and third from Hamouma on 65 minutes sealed the points.  



H
Lokomotiv Moscow remain clear atop the group and unbeaten after salvaging a 1-1 draw away to Besiktas who sit just behind them in second. Ricardo Quaresma put the hosts in front on 58 minutes but their joy was curtailed by a leveller from Niasse on 76 minutes who ensured a share of the points.

Skënderbeu Korçë claimed their first win of the group with a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to Sporting Lisbon. The hosts went ahead on 15 minutes with a strike from Lilaj before the visitors suffered a heavier blow just two minutes later as Rui Patricio was sent off with Lilaj slotting in the resulting penalty for 2-0. The gloss on the win came on 55 minutes as Nimaga completed the rout.  


I
Basel sit comfortably at the group's summit after a 2-0 win away to Belenenses with the Swiss side taking the lead on 45 minutes with a penalty from Janko before Emobolo added a crucial second for 2-0 in the 64th minute.

Fiorentina moved above opponents Lech Poznan after a 2-0 away win which puts them three points away from Basel at the top. The Italians opened he scoring late in the first half with a 42nd minute strike from Ilicic and the win was confirmed late on by a second from Ilicic in the 83rd minute.  


J
In the group's early game, Monaco kept top spot after salvaging a 1-1 draw away to FC Qarabag. The hosts went ahead on 39 minutes with a strike from Armenteros only to be denied by an equaliser from Cavaleiro on 72 minutes. However, their stay at the top would depend on the second game later on.

Tottenham Hostspur left it late to move above Monaco in the group as they won 2-1 at home to Anderlecht. Harry Kane put Spurs ahead on 29 minutes but the lead was cancelled out on 72 minutes by Ezekiel's leveller. The win and the three points were sealed with just three minutes left as Moussa Démbelé struck for 2-1.


K
In a battle between two sides without a win in the group, Asteras Tripoli claimed the glory as they sealed a 2-0 win against Apoel FC. The hosts made a stunning start by taking the lead inside two minutes through Bertoglio before sealing the win just before half-time with a strike from Giannou.

Schalke 04 remain clear at the top and alike opponents Sparta Prague are still unbeaten as the sides shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Lafata put the Czechs ahead inside six minutes but their lead was cancelled out before the 20th minute as Geis slotted in a penalty for 1-1.


L
Atletic Bilbao moved clear at the top after a stunning 5-1 win at home to Partizan Belgrade. The hosts opened the scoring on 15 minutes through Williams before an instant leveller from Oumarou for 1-1 but Williams struck again just two minutes later for 2-1.A third from Urkiaga made it 3-0 just before half-time and the hosts made sure of the points with two goals in the 71st and 81st minutes through Zubeldia and Urkola for 5-1.

FC Augsburg kept in the hunt for qualification by thrashing AZ Alkmaar 4-1 in a result that leave the Dutch side at the bottom of the group. A nine minute brace from Bobadilla in the 24th and 33rd minutes created a 2-0 lead but the visitors pulled on back through Janssen just before half-time for 1-1. However, the hosts sealed the points in the second half with Ji slotting in on 66 minutes before Bobadilla completed his hat-trick with on 74 minutes for 4-1.

Champions League Matchday Four Review

Matchday four of the Champions League traditionally starts the list of qualifiers for the next round and this year is no different with three sides safely advancing to the last 16.


A
Real Madrid became the first side to qualify for the next stage as they secured a 1-0 win at home to Paris St Germain who remained second after falling to a 35th minute winner from Nacho but they remain in the hunt to qualify with a four point gap over third place.

Shakthar Donetsk sit third after claiming their first win of the group with a comfortable 4-0 win over Malmo who slip to the bottom of the group on goal difference. The Ukrainians opened the scoring on 28 minutes through Gladkiy before doubling the lead just after half-time with a penalty from Darijo Srna for 2-0. The Swedes seemed to be on the way to defeat as Eduardo added a third for the hosts on 56 minutes and the win was confirmed with a 73rd minute effort from Teixeira who made it 4-0 but the miserable night for Malmo was added to late on with the sending off of Arnason on 89 minutes.


B
Manchester United moved to the top of the group with a narrow 1-0 win at home to CSKA Moscow with the crucial strike coming in the 78th minute as Wayne Rooney ended his side's run of three games without scoring.

PSV Eindhoven also move up the standings by displacing opponents Wolfsburg with a 2-0 success which saw a tight first half at 0-0 broken on 55 minutes by Locadia's opener and hopes of the Germans salvaging a point were dashed late on by an 86th minute strike from De Jong.


C
FC Astana remain bottom of the group but still in the hunt to qualify as they secured a surprise 0-0 draw at home to second placed Atletico Madrid who wasted the chance to go clear at the top in the day's early kick-off.

Benfica took advantage of the group's other result to move to the top of the group with a 2-1 win over Galatasaray. A closely fought first half saw the sides remain level at the interval but it took just seven minutes of the second half for the hosts to open the scoring as Oliveira made it 1-0 but the visitors were soon back on level terms ad Lukas Podolski levelled on 58 minutes. However, the points would go to Benfica as Luisao made it 2-1 on 67 minutes and the hosts even managed to hold on with ten men after Gaitan was sent off five minutes from the end.


D
Juventus missed the chance to extend their gap at the top of the group as they drew 1-1 away to Borussia Monchengladbach who remain bottom of the group on two points. The Germans opened up an early lead through Johnson on 18 minutes but they went into the interval on level terms as Liechtsteiner equalised on 44 minutes for the Italians. The visitors were dealt a blow as Hernanes was sent off on 55 minutes but the hosts were unable to capitalise with an extra man and had to settle for a point.

Manchester City secured their spot in the next stage with a comfortable 3-1 win away to Sevilla who remain third as a result. City raced into a 2-0 lead inside 11 minutes with goals from Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho before being pegged back by a 25th minute effort from Trémoulinas. The points were sealed in the first half as Wilfried Bony added a third on 36 minutes.


E
Barcelona edged towards the next stage with a comfortable 3-0 win over BATE Borisov who remain bottom of the group. A 30th minute penalty from Neymar saw the hosts go ahead before a second on the hour mark from Luis Suarez left the visitors with a mountain to climb to avoid defeat but the defeat was confirmed in the final ten minutes as Neymar slotted in his second and the Catalan's third on 85 minutes.

AS Roma came out on top in a five-goal thriller at home to Bayer Leverkusen with the 3-2 win allowing them to leapfrog their opponents in the group. A perfect start from the hosts saw them open the scoring inside two minutes through Mo Salah before Edin Dzeko added a second for 2-0 on 29 minutes. Bayer took just six minutes of the second half to draw level at 2-2 as Mehmedi and Hernandez struck in the 48th and 51st minutes before a double blow for the Germans saw Toprak sent off on 79 minutes  before the resulting penalty from Pjanic secured the win for the Italians.  


F
Bayern Munich remain top of the group after a 5-1 demolition of Arsenal who now face a huge task to qualify. Robert Lewandowski continued his stunning scoring run with the opener inside ten minutes before Thomas Muller added a second on 29 minutes for 2-0 and David Alaba added a third just before half-time. Arjen Robben looked to have sealed the win for the Germans as early as the 55th minute as he struck a fourth but Olivier Giroud gave the Gunners hope with a 69th minute effort. The gloss on the win for the hosts came in the 89th minute as Muller struck for a second time to make it 5-1.

Olympiakos sit second but level on points with Bayern after a 2-1 win at home to Dinamo Zagreb 
who were denied a point by a late strike. The Croatians opened the scoring with a 21st minute effort from Hodzic before being pegged back on 65 minutes by an equaliser from Pardo. The visitors suffered a blow in their pursuit of regaining the lead with the sending off of Pivaric on 79 minutes but their despair got worse in the final minutes as Pardo struck for a second time to secure the three points.


G
Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualification with a 2-1 win at home to Dynamo Kyiv who the leapfrogged in the group. The Blues went ahead on 34 minutes via an unfortunate own goal from Dragovic but the defender redeemed himself in the second half with a 77th minute equaliser for 1-1. However the spoils were to go to the Blues as Willian secured the win with an 83rd minute strike.

FC Porto remain clear at the top of the group after a 3-1 win away to Maccabi Tel Aviv who as a result cannot reach the last 16. The visitors took just 19 minutes to strike the opener as Tello scored for 1-0 and they were two goals to the good after a 49th minute effort from André. Layun added a third on 72 minutes to seal the points but the hosts had the final say as Zahavi slotted in a 75th minute penalty to make it 3-1 with their first goal of the group itself.


H
Gent secured their first win of the group stage win a narrow 1-0 win at home to Valencia who missed the chance to secure qualification had they had won. The crucial strike came on 49 minutes as Sven Kums slotted in a penalty that keeps the Belgians in the hunt for the last 16.

Zenit St Petersburg secured their spot in the last 16 after extending their perfect record to four wins with a 2-0 win away to Olympique Lyonnais who remain without a win . The Russians opened the scoring on 25 minutes as the in-form Dzyuba continued his scoring streak but he went one better by scoring a second for 2-0 on 57 minutes. The sides both ended the game with ten men after Lyon's Gonalons was dismissed on 72 minutes with Zenit's Anyukov following on 88 minutes.

 

Wednesday 4 November 2015

City Deny Canaries While Reds Stroll Past Chelsea

Ahead of the return of the European competitions, the Premier League reached gameweek 11 with two games featuring no goals while one saw an eight goal thriller in a schedule that saw three other sides seal a shut-out.

Saturday's early kick-off saw Chelsea host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge with the Blues keen to turnaround their flagging season and thereby deny Reds manager Jurgen Klopp a first league triumph. Chelsea started superbly by taking a lead inside four minutes through Ramires but were pegged back just before the interval by a leveller from Philippe Coutinho for 1-1.

The Brazilian struck again in the second half as he put the Reds in front on 74 minutes and the win and three points were sealed with seven minutes remaining as Christian Benteke fired in for 3-1.

In the first of six 3pm games, Crystal Palace hosted high-flying Manchester United at Selhurst Park with both keen to move up the table. However, the sides had to be happy with a point each as they cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.


Manchester City looked to continue their stay atop the table as they hosted struggling Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium. A tight first hour saw the sides remain level something the Canaries would have been proud of given they were 4-0 down at that time in their last visit. However, City soon broke the deadlock as Nicolas Otamendi struck on 67 minutes but Cameron Jerome's equaliser with seven minutes remaining set up a tense finish. City were given a boost though as Russell Martin was sent off on 88 minutes with Yaya Touré slotting in the resulting penalty to claim a 2-1 win.

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park with both sides looking to boost their mixed run of form which sees them bottom six. However, they had to settle for just a point apiece as they cancelled each other out in a tight 0-0 draw.


Swansea City hosted high-flying Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium with the Swans keen to boost their mixed run of form and deny the Gunners from closing up at the top. A tight first half saw the sides remain level at 0-0 into the interval but the visitors wasted no time in making a good start to the second half as Olivier Giroud struck on 49 minutes for 1-0.

The three points were wrapped up by a five minute double as Laurent Koscielny and Joel Campbell struck to confirm a 3-0 win.

High-flying West Ham United travelled to Vicarage Road for a London derby against Watford who had hopes of moving up the table. The Hammers have had great away success this season but saw their good form under threat after the hosts took the lead on 39 minutes via Odion Ighalo. The Hornets' striker made it 2-0 just three minutes after the interval and whatever hopes the Hammers had of staging a comeback were dashed in the 84th minute by the dismissal of James Collins as they slipped to a rare defeat.


West Bromwich Albion hosted high-flying Leicester City with the Baggies keen to stem the Foxes charge towards the top. The hosts took the lead on the half hour mark as Salomon Rondon struck but in what has become a tradition so far this season, the Foxes came from behind to lead as Riyad Mahrez scored twice either side of the hour mark to turn the game around at 2-1 before in-form Jamie Vardy extended his scoring streak to eight games with a 77th minute effort. The win was far from sealed though as Rickie Lambert slotted in an 84th minute penalty for the hosts for 3-2 but to their despair that was how the game ended.

Super Sunday opened with Everton hosting struggling Sunderland with the sides sharing eight goals in a thriller at Goodison Park. The Toffees struck first with Gerard Deulofeu scoring on 19 minutes before Arouna Koné added a second on 31 minutes before a late effort from Jermain Defoe made it 2-1 into the interval. The visitors were soon level though as Steven Fletcher equalised five minutes after the restart. However, the equality lasted just five minutes as Seb Coates hit into his own net for 3-2 before two goals in as many minutes on the hour from Koné and Romelu Lukaku put the hosts in control at 5-2 and the gloss on the win came on 76 minutes as Koné completed his hat-trick as the Toffees strolled at 6-2.


The second part of Super Sunday saw a South Coast derby as Southampton hosted Bournemouth with the Cherries keen to move away from the bottom four and deny their rivals from closing on the top four. The hosts struck first as they took the lead on 31 minutes through Steven Davis before Graziano Pellé doubled the lead just five minutes later for 2-0.

The Cherries received a boost with 12 minutes remaining as Victor Wanyama was dismissed but they were unable to utilise their numerical advantage as they slipped to defeat.

The weekend came to an end with Monday Night Football which saw Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa with Villa's newly acquired manager Remi Garde hoping for a good start as he watched from the stands. Tottenham has other ideas as the raced into the lead inside three minutes with an effort from Moussa Dembélé and they were two goals to the good at the interval as Dele Alli struck for 2-0. Villa got off the mark on 79 minutes through Jordan Ayew but it was to be a consolation goal as Harry Kane sealed the win for the hosts in the 90th minute.