Posts

World Cup moments: 98 World Cup Final

Image
It's time to explore some iconic World Cup moments. First up, it's a flashback to the 1998 final Background to the final  The 32 teams competed in a group stage, from which 16 teams qualified for the knockout stage. En route to the final, Brazil finished first in Group A, with two wins and one defeat, after which they beat Chile in the round of 16, Denmark in the quarter-finals and the Netherlands in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals. France finished top of Group C with three wins, before defeating Paraguay in the round of 16, Italy in the quarter-final, and Croatia in the semi-final.  The match itself The final took place in front of 75,000 supporters, with an estimated 1.7 billion watching on television, and was refereed by Said Belqola from Morocco. Before the match, speculation surrounded the fitness of striker Ronaldo, who was originally left out of Brazil's starting line-up, only to be restored to the team before kick-off.  Frnce dominate the early stages

Transfer Rumour: Ashton United are looking to sign Erling Haaland on loan

Image
Could Northern Premier League side Ashton United really sign Erling Haaland on loan? This is a story that has captured the attention of media across the world Ashton United have submitted a 28-day loan approach to #ManCity for @ErlingHaaland , the club have confirmed in an official statement. @AshtonUnitedFC are yet to receive any response from @ManCity . — City Xtra (@City_Xtra) November 14, 2022 The Robins said in a statement: 'Ashton United can confirm that the club has submitted a 28-day loan approach for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland." Ashton United are currently in 11th place, eight points off league leaders and local rivals Hyde United, with two sides to be promoted to the sixth-tier National League North at the end of the season. They play at the Hurst Cross stadium has a capacity of 4,500 people. Many more might squeeze in if they do manage to sign Haaland. BREAKING: Ashton United have submitted a 28-day loan approach to Manchester City for @Erling

World Cup: Is it coming home?

Image
Is it coming home for England or will Qatar mean more years of hurt? They were so close in both World Cup 2018 and the Euro 2020/2021 tournaments. They lost out to Croatia in the last World Cup, this was followed by a devastating penalty loss to Italy last year in the Euro 2020 final. Their female counterparts brought football home this summer by beating Germany in the final of Euro 2022. A repeat of that success will be crucial for the men's team. There is no doubt that the squad is talented and motivated. They just need to make the final step and get the trophy. Read a report on how England's female football talent won a major trophy -  Women's Euro 2022: England win after dramatic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The final squad has been announced after a lot of debate. Do you agree with the England manager's picks? Video credit -  The Telegraph - YouTube Reaction to the squad announcement Before we explore England's chances, let's explore the reacti

FA Cup: First round highlights

Image
 Let's explore some match reports from across the country as the FA Cup reached the first round Wrexham 3 - 0 Oldham Athletic Wrexham advanced to the FA Cup second round with a comfortable win over their fellow National League side Oldham Athletic.Sam Dalby's second goal of the season set Wrexham on their way. Leading scorer Paul Mullin then scored in either half to seal Wrexham's place in the second round for the first time since 2018. Video credit -  Wrexham AFC - YouTube One YouTube user commented: "The passes over the last few games have been on point, it just shows that talent takes time to work together." Another was a big fan of the stream from Wrexham's official account: "Excellent highlights and superb, interesting, passionate commentary. More of that please." Cheltenham Town 1 - 2 Alvechurch There's still magic in the FA Cup. Danny Waldron's double saw seventh-tier Alvechurch stun Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup. The Southern Premie

Premier League: Brighton win but positives to take for Wolves

Image
Wolves 2 - 3 Brighton & Hove Albion There was an absolute Premier League cracker in the Midlands. On the day former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui was announced as their next manager, Wolves showed battling qualities as they played the second-half a man down following Nelson Semedo's red card just before half-time. A pulsating opening period saw Wolves respond to falling behind to a rare Adam Lallana goal with Goncalo Guedes and a Ruben Neves penalty putting them 2-1 up. However, they then conceded an equaliser a minute from Japan international Kaoru Mitoma before the break. Semedo's dismissal for a foul on Mitoma shortly afterwards then drastically changed the dynamic of the contest. Winger Mitoma was a pivotal figure in the game and it was his run into the box that created the opportunity for Gross' winner.  After often being accused of wastefulness in front of goal, Brighton have now scored 7 goals in two matches and they look a threat every time the

UEL reaction: Arsenal clinch top spot

Image
 Arsenal 1-0 Zurich Let's look at all the best reaction as Arsenal clinched top spot in their Europa League group Kieran Tierney's stunning 20-yard drive into the bottom right corner ensured the Gunners finished top of Group A on 15 points, two clear of PSV Eindhoven. It was their 10th victory in 12 matches in all competitions. This was the reaction of  ArsenalVision Podcast - YouTube What did the papers say? The Guardian's match report said: "In this uniquely concertinaed season, matches played every few days, squads in permanent rotation, results are probably all that matter. Though performances remain important, too, and as Arsenal lost focus against opponents who grew in belief, it appeared their minds had drifted to Sunday, and Chelsea. Three matches remain before Arsenal sign off for the World Cup, two in the Premier League, and still being leaders when football turns its focus on Qatar is clearly top priority. "  Arsenal seal Europa League top spot after

UCL: Spurs qualify after a dramatic night

Image
 Marseille 1 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur It was a dramatic night in France Tottenham went through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners. They scored in stoppage time to beat Marseille. Our European adventure continues 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FokdjBO56R — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 2, 2022 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg struck in the 95th minute to seal Tottenham's progress to the last 16 on a night when they were once heading out of the competition. Spurs only needed a draw to qualify for the knockout stage but at one point on the night, they were going out. Marseille took the lead through defender Chancel Mbemba on the stroke of half-time. European Super Football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Clement Lenglet equalised early in the second half to put Spurs in a decent position. Towards the end of the match, Tottenham were holding on desperately late on. As Marseille pushed for the winner they needed to go through, they were caught on the break and Hojbjerg sealed