Looking for Soccer News?

Blog Posts and Articles that give you up to the minute news and information about the world Leagues, Teams, Players and Updates.

Moses Simon strike helps Nantes stun Paris Saint-Germain

The Nigeria international found the back of the net as Antoine Kombouare’s men secured victory over the Parisians

Moses Simon scored to help Nantes stun Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on Sunday at Parc des Princes.

After scoring in his last game for Antoine Kombouare’s men against Reims, the Super Eagles winger was handed his 19th league start of the season against the Parisians.

The forward delivered a five-star performance in the encounter to help the Canaries return to winning ways after a three-game winless run.

PSG dominated the first half of the match and were rewarded for their effort when Julian Draxler opened the scoring in the 42nd minute.

Nantes returned for the second half with new vigour and pushed for an equalizer which came in the 59th minute when Randal Kolo Muani fired home his effort.

Simon then scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the 71st minute when he calmly tapped home the ball after a through pass from Muani.

The Nigeria international featured for 84 minutes before he was replaced by Kader Bamba while Mali international Charles Traore lasted for the duration of the game.

Senegalese centre-back Abdou Diallo played for the entirety of the game but could not help Mauricio Pochettino’s men avoid defeat.

Despite the victory, the Canaries remain in the relegation zone after gathering 27 points from 29 outings.

Simon has now scored four goals and provided one assist in 24 league appearances this season for Kombouare’s men, amid other dazzling displays.

The forward will hope to continue his impressive performances when his side takes on Lorient in their next league game on March 21.

Simon has been with Nantes since the summer of 2019, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent in 2020.

The forward will be expected to replicate his fine club form for Nigeria in their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

Simon has made more than 30 appearances for the three-time African champions since he made his debut in 2015.

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

'Now is not the time' - Tuchel dismisses transfer talk amid Haaland links during Chelsea's striker struggles

The Blues have been misfiring despite their unbeaten run and are looking for answers to their woes in front of goal

Thomas Tuchel insists that he isn't dreaming of a new striker coming into Chelsea in the summer and he believes that focusing on the basics can ensure the club's current stars find their scoring touch.

Kai Havertz started as a false nine and missed the Blues' biggest chances in the 0-0 away draw with Leeds on Saturday to join the likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic in struggling with his finishing.

Though Chelsea are on a 12-game unbeaten run under Tuchel, they have scored just 13 goals, with Olivier Giroud the top-scoring forward with two strikes. Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland is understood to be a top target to improve Chelsea's forward line. 

What has Tuchel said?

"It is not time to reflect for the summer and other solutions, other than what we have," Tuchel said about the transfer market. "We have guys that we are happy with and are looking for more solutions; we will try to help them.

"In general, I am happy because we don't only look at the output in how they score and assist. Of course, this is a statistic in which every striker is attached to and everyone has to have the mentality to cope with the statistic. It is like this at high-level football.

"We are still waiting for a breakthrough for the guys to be on a run to score consistently, it is not the case. We will never stop pushing and looking for solutions to create even more clear chances for them. That's the way it is."

Is there more Tuchel can do to help his forwards?

Chelsea's recent success has been built on a solid defensive approach while they are waiting for their forwards to click with a new tactical outlook.

At Elland Road, six of their eight forwards featured and Tuchel doesn't believe that there's much a coach can do to find goals from out-of-form strikers.

"It is not so much about the coaches that they have but it is in their blood [to score]; it is in their approach to this game," he added.

"Timo is clearly one of these guys who has always scored a huge amount of goals and defined himself as the guy who has the last touch on the field. This is a very unique character and position. It is a sensitive position.

"I believe it is not important who is coaching them to shape their goalscoring mentality but we are here to help everybody and at the moment for us it is important to keep them focused on the process and help them.

"It is not just to look at the result, whether the ball is in or not in, it is the process that matters and it can help you escape the pressure that they put on themselves. They should ask themselves is my decision making good, is my technique good, is my vision clear enough.

"If you focus on these points, hit the ball well and the result will take care of itself. That means you will find the back of the net soon. If you hit the ball, close your eyes and hope for the love of God, then that's what we try to implement and help.

"Of course, we have some exercises in training for finishing but it is clear you can train, show videos but, in the end, a striker just has to score. That's what you need for confidence and there's no substitute for that."

Further reading

Original author: Nizaar Kinsella

Manchester United given Pogba boost as five players expected back for Milan clash

Solskjaer is expecting a big lift for his squad ahead of its Europa League clash away to Milan on Thursday

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping to have up to five players back from injury for Manchester United’s trip to AC Milan on Thursday.

Paul Pogba, who has not played since he came off during the 3-3 draw against Everton at the start of February, is also in contention ahead of a crucial week for United.

United are hoping to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and the semi-final of the FA Cup and the additions to their squad will come as a boost.

What was said?

Solskjaer confirmed they should have more players available for Thursday’s second leg against AC Milan at the San Siro.

He said: “Injury-wise I hope we have four or five players back for that game, very likely that Edinson (Cavani) and Anthony (Martial) are fit, Donny (van de Beek) hopefully as well, Paul (Pogba) even might make the trip and David (de Gea) is back from isolation, that's more numbers, today we had two goalkeepers on the bench so we need them back.”

How long has Pogba been out for?

Pogba was in fine form when he picked up the thigh injury, which has seen him miss nine games for United in all competitions. Cavani has missed the last four games with a knock.

Goal view

If Solskjaer can get all of those players back and playing well, then it would give United a real boost heading into the final weeks of the campaign. The knockout games this week against AC Milan and Leicester are season-defining fixtures. Solskjaer wants and needs silverware and could be boosted by yet another semi-final and a quarter-final if they navigate the next two games well enough.

Pogba was key to United’s unbeaten run at the start of the year which saw them go to the top of the table. If he can find that form again, then they have a real chance in the coming weeks of having a strong end to the season.

Similarly, the forwards have been woeful in front of net, so a fit Cavani for the final few weeks of the season - possibly his last at Old Trafford - could also prove to be beneficial.

Further reading

Original author: Charlotte Duncker

'We like to make it hard for ourselves!' - Solskjaer says confidence will come for Manchester United after West Ham win

The Red Devils came away with the three points in a top-four tussle thanks to an own goal off Scott McTominay's header early in the second half

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joked that Manchester United like to make games harder for themselves after they snatched a slender victory against West Ham at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Red Devils came away with the three points in a top-four tussle thanks to Liam Dawson's own goal off Scott McTominay's header early into the second half, to lift them back into second above Leicester at the expense of old manager David Moyes.

With a pair of crunch clash knockout games to come in the next week - including a Europa League last-16 second leg with Milan and a FA Cup quarter-final tie with the Foxes - Solskjaer admitted that he had hoped to claim a bigger margin of victory but was nevertheless pleased with his side's result.

What has Solskjaer said?

"As expected, they are always going to make it hard for you," the Norwegian told Sky Sports after the game. "We could have been more comfortable towards the end as we had a few decent chances to finish it off. We like to make it hard for ourselves!

"It's about not giving them turnovers all the time. In the first 15 minutes, we gave the ball away every time we attacked. You have to not open up stupidly as you know [West Ham] are a threat on the counter-attack so we kept composed and organised.

"We created massive opportunities but the final pass or shot wasn't good enough. We could have [scored] two or three easily. But then it could have ended up in our net at the end as they are a threat.

"We know West Ham are challenging to get in the top four so it was a big result and we kept a clean sheet again. The experience and confidence will come. [It's a] big week - Europa League and FA Cup - so we're looking forward to it. Hopefully [we'll] get a few players back and put a good performance in."

The bigger picture

With Manchester City's win over Fulham this weekend, the title race is all but over for United, who nevertheless are on course to nab a second-place finish.

But having missed out on a shot at the Carabao Cup final against Pep Guardiola's side earlier this year, they will be even more driven to compete for remaining silverware at home and abroad.

Their second leg clash with Milan in midweek will be a tougher task than hoped for after the Serie A side seized a vital away goal with effectively the last play of the game at Old Trafford earlier this month.

Three days later, they will look to seal a semi-final berth in domestic competition too when they face off with Leicester, very much their main rivals for the runners-up spot in the Premier League too.

Further reading

‘He deserved the three goals’ – Leicester City’s Rodgers lauds hat-trick hero Iheanacho

The Foxes’ manager heaped praise on the Nigerian striker following his maiden treble against the Blades on Sunday

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers claimed Kelechi Iheanacho deserved his goals after the striker powered the Foxes to a 5-0 win over Sheffield United.

The Nigeria international found the net on three occasions as the King Power Stadium giants continued their march towards a place in next season’s Champions League.

Having scored in his last two league games, the former Manchester City prodigy gave the hosts a 39th minute thanks to Jamie Vardy’s assist which ensured he scored in three English topflight fixtures at a stretch for the first time.

With Ayoze Perez doubling his team’s advantage in the 64th minute, the Super Eagles star completed his brace with Vardy supplying the assist, before finding the net for the third time with less than 12 minutes to the end of the tie.

Thanks to his brilliance, he has now scored his first career hat-trick and has now been directly involved in 51 goals (37 goals, 14 assists) in 76 starts in all competitions, for Manchester City and Leicester City combined, since his move to England on the back of an impressive outing at the 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup.

Assessing the Nigerian’s performance against the Blades, the Northern Irishman showered encomium on the 24-year-old for settling the English affair.

"He was outstanding, not just in his goals, but his overall work-rate," Rodgers told the club website.

"He had a big responsibility today, in terms of dropping into the space, finding that pocket that was just on the back of the midfield, and I thought he did that very, very well.

"He’s a great guy. He deserved the three goals. He had one or two other opportunities, but we’re all delighted for him."

The former Liverpool and Celtic boss was also full of praises for his team for their tactical intelligence.

"We worked very, very hard in the game," he continued.

"You have to play with an intensity, and we were able to do that. Organisationally, we defended well.

“We were aggressive. We got in contact with them and that’s always the foundation for any good performance.”

Before hosting Manchester City in their next league outing, they face Manchester Unite in a FA Cup quarter-final showdown on March 21.

 

Original author: Shina Oludare

Onuachu scores 27th goal of the season in Genk’s victory over Anderlecht

The 26-year-old Nigeria international continued his spectacular performances for the Blue and White at Lotto Park

Paul Onuachu scored his 27th goal of the season to help Genk secure a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in Sunday’s Belgian Cup tie.

The centre-forward has been in blistering form for the Blue and White this season and against the Purple and White, he increased his tally.

The Nigeria international was handed his 31st appearance across all competitions this campaign and helped his side continue in the winning ways.

Onuachu opened the scoring in the 17th minute of the encounter with a fine finish after receiving a timely assist from Daniel Munoz.

The 26-year-old centre-forward came close to double his side’s lead in the 34th minute but his strike missed the target.

Matt Miazga then turned the ball into his own net moments before the hour mark to help John van den Brom’s men increase their lead.

Genk were reduced to 10 men in the 71st minute after Jhon Lucumi was shown a straight red card for a serious foul play and Anderlecht capitalized on their numerical advantage to reduced the deficit through Adrien Trebel.

Onuachu has now scored two goals in the Cup competition and has 27 goals this season for the Luminus Arena outfit.

The centre-forward will be expected to continue his eye-catching displays when Genk take on Standard Liege in their next league game on March 19.

Onuachu teamed up with the Blue and White in the summer of 2019 from Danish club Midtjylland and has been delivering impressive performances.

Genk are currently third on the Belgian First Division A table and the Super Eagles forward will hope to help his side finish the season on a high.

Onuachu was recently omitted from Nigeria’s 24-man squad that will take on the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

The in-form attacker was named in the Super Eagles standby list to the surprise of many fans, who took to social media to express their displeasure on the decision by Gernot Rohr.

The 26-year-old has, however, struggled to make an impact with the three-time Africa champions, having only scored one goal since his debut in 2019.

 

 

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

Southampton will 'never give up' after Brighton & Hove Albion loss – Djenepo

The 22-year-old made a timely return to action on Sunday after he limped off with a suspected injury against Manchester City four days ago

Moussa Djenepo has assured that Southampton won’t give up in the Premier League fight after they suffered a 2-1 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

Che Adams' equaliser was not enough for Ralph Hasenhuttl's side as goals from Lewis Dunk and Leandro Trossard handed the Saints their 14th league defeat of the season.

Southampton have struggled to win just two Premier League matches since the start of 2021 (vs. Liverpool and Sheffield United).

On Sunday, Djenepo came off the bench eight minutes after the hour-mark to replace Nathan Tella, but his contributions were not enough to save Hasenhuttl’s side from defeat.

However, he has urged his teammates to shift their attention from the setback to their upcoming FA Cup quarter-final clash with AFC Bournemouth which is scheduled for Saturday.

“It’s difficult for the team, for everybody but now get ready for the next game. We never give up, head up and we go again,” the Mali international told the club website.

"Every Premier League game is a tough game, it’s never easy.

"It’s football – sometimes you play very well and lose and sometimes you play very bad and you win. We keep our good mentality to play again.

"Now we try to forget [today] and to prepare, to give our everything for the Cup game – it’ll be good for the team, for everybody."

Last Wednesday against Manchester City, Djenepo had to limp off at half-time because of a suspected injury.

The 22-year-old quickly shook off the pain and he has reinstated his commitment to help the Saints who currently sit 14th in the league table.

“Against City I had some problem but it’s OK, I will continue to work hard and stay in the picture and try and help the team," he added.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Ronaldo promises 'the story is far from over' after smashing past Pele goal record

The Portuguese has implied he has many more chapters to write in the impressive book of his career after taking the Brazilian's unofficial record

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence after exceeding Pele's record for the most goals in a professional career, assuring fans that his story is "far from over" after notching up another major milestone.

The Portuguese notched up a first-half hat-trick for Juventus against Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday, to further his lead at the summit of the league's goalscoring charts.

The feat has taken the 36-year-old to 770 goals in all competitions across a trophy-laden career - but he has only now opened up on breaking Brazil legend Pele's disputed record of 767, having exceeded his official number of 757 earlier this year.

What has Ronaldo said?

“The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the world’s top scorer in football history, overcoming Pele’s 757 official goals," the forward wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.

"Although I’m thankful for that recognition, now it’s time for me to explain why I didn’t acknowledge that record until this moment.

“My everlasting and unconditional admiration [for Pele] led me to take into account his 767 score, assuming his nine goals for Sao Paulo State Team, as well as his single goal for the Brazilian Military Team, as official goals.

“The world has changed since then and football as changed as well, but this doesn’t mean that we can just erase history.

“Now I can’t wait for the next games and challenges! The next records and trophies! Believe me, this story is still far from being over. The future is tomorrow and there’s still a lot to win for Juventus and Portugal!"

What does Ronaldo's future hold?

The player's promise that he is yet to close the book on his career will only add further fuel to the fire surrounding his future, as his time with Italian giants Juventus continues to remain the subject of intense speculation.

The Bianconeri's underperformance in Europe following Ronaldo's arrival has led to rumours that he may be allowed to exit Allianz Stadium, or even moved on to make way for fresh blood.

But CEO Fabio Paratici has shot down suggestions he will depart following their Champions League exit in midweek and the player himself took to Instagram earlier this week to reaffirm his commitment to the club.

Further reading

Arteta offers Saka injury update after Arsenal star limps out of Tottenham clash

The Spaniard has confirmed that the England international midfielder has suffered a hamstring problem

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provided an update on the fitness of Bukayo Saka after the Gunners star failed to emerge for the second half in the north London derby.

Saka managed only the opening 45 minutes of the encounter, which Arsenal won 2-1, before being replaced by Nicolas Pepe.

As one of the Gunners’ outstanding players over the course of the last year, there has naturally been some concern over his condition.

What did Arteta say?

“We don't know. He was feeling his hamstring, so we will monitor that,” he said after the game.

Saka previously missed a Europa League trip to Molde with a hamstring issue but was back the following weekend.

How important to Arsenal is Saka?

Saka has played 34 matches for Arsenal this season, scoring six goals and laying on a further seven. Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Pepe have scored more.

He has missed only nine games in all competitions.

What’s next for Arsenal?

Arsenal face a defining few matches in their campaign over the coming weeks, and they will hope that Saka’s injury does not prove significantly serious to keep him out of many of these fixtures.

Next up is a home Europa League encounter against Olympiacos, with Arsenal holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg in Greece.

Following that, Arsenal make the short trip to West Ham next Sunday before the international break, which they hope will allow Saka sufficient time to recover to face Liverpool at the Emirates on April 3.

The Gunners presently find themselves 10th in the Premier League table, with their priority the Europa League given their chances of finishing in the top four are slim.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

'I've been waiting for this day' - Iheanacho dedicates maiden Premier League hat-trick to mothers

The Super Eagles forward led the Foxes' rout at the King Power Stadium with his goalscoring heroics

Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has dedicated his long-awaited Premier League hat-trick in their 5-0 hammering of Sheffield United to mothers in the world.

The Nigeria international opened the scoring for the hosts in the 39th minute and he later scored two goals in the second half to compound the Blades' woes as they remain rooted to the bottom of the league table.

It was the first time Iheanacho scored three goals in a Premier League match since he made his debut in the competition back in August 2015, a feat which sent him into cloud nine.

He also joined the rest of the world in celebrating Mother’s Day by dedicating the match ball to motherhood.

"I don't know how to express this, I've been waiting for this day to come. I'm grateful to God, my teammates and my manager for helping me grow,” Iheanacho told Sky Sports.

"I wish everyone a happy Mother's Day. I dedicate this match ball to all the mothers in the world.

During the game, Iheanacho who had earlier spoken of his relationship with Jamie Vardy benefitted two assists from the English striker and one from his compatriot Wilfred Ndidi.

The 24-year-old is currently the second highest scoring player for the Foxes this season with 10 goals in all competition, behind Vardy who has 14 goals to his name.

He also disclosed how important the result was for Leicester City who moved up to second in the Premier League table with 56 points from 29 matches.

He continued: "Playing with him is a joy, he makes so much space for me. I'm really happy, I'm delighted. Even when he's not scoring he's helping the team to win.

"It was the first win at home for a while and it's a clean sheet as well so we're all really happy.

"The gaffer made it clear when he came in that we need to keep going. We're getting very near to the top, hopefully we [can] finish near there."

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Oshoala returns to league scoring form in Barcelona victory

The Nigerian forward is back on the scoresheet after failing to find the back of the net in her last four outings

Asisat Oshoala found the back of the net for Barcelona as they maintained their incredible winning run in the Spanish Primera Iberdrola with a 5-0 victory over Valencia on Sunday.

Before the encounter, the Nigeria international had failed to find the back of the net in her last four league outings for Barcelona, since her brace in a 4-1 victory over Real Madrid on January 31.

She brought an end to a 266-minute goal drought in the colours of the Catalans against Fortuna Hjorring in a 5-0 victory in the Champions League Round of 16 earlier this week.

In a quest for a 19th win of the league campaign, Alexia Putellas gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot after just seven minutes on Sunday.

Aitana Bonmati set up Caroline Graham Hansen to double the lead in the 25th minute for Barcelona before Lieke Martens assisted Oshoala to end her league barren run three minutes later.

Two minutes from half-time, Patri Guijarro grabbed a fourth of the match to put Barcelona far ahead against their struggling visitors.

After the break, the visitors managed to hold on strongly to avoid conceding another, but could not stop the fifth courtesy of Hansen's second thanks to Melanie Serrano assist one minute from full-time.

So far this season, the Super Falcons captain has scored 18 goals in 27 matches across all competitions, which include 14 league goals, and played the duration of an encounter for the sixth time.

After finding her goalscoring boots on Sunday, Oshoala will aim to build on her recent good form and help Barcelona maintain their superb winning run against Rayo Vallecano on March 20.

Lluis Cortes' side enjoy a nine-point lead on the Spanish top-flight table with 57 points after 19 games, with two games in hand.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

USWNT prospect Rodman letting 'tremendous talent' shine through during first pro preseason

The 19-year-old rising star is wowing Washington Spirit coaches as she preps for the 2021 NWSL season

Despite not playing a minute in college at Washington State because of the pandemic, top USWNT prospect Trinity Rodman became the second-overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft earlier this year and has encountered the overwhelming expectations that go along with being the league's youngest-ever selection.

But the Washington Spirit's 19-year-old forward has so far demonstrated her "tremendous talent" during the club's preseason and offered direct attacking play, according to head coach Richie Burke.

Rodman, along with fellow Spirit rookies Anna Heilferty, Sydney Schneider and Mariana Speckmaier, signed new contracts this past week, with Rodman's deal set to last three years.

What has been said?

“Expectations can be burdensome for some new professionals, especially when you’re the youngest player taken in the draft and selected very early at the second pick,” Burke said to the club's official website.

“Trinity has shown already in training that she is a tremendous talent and the pressure to meet those high expectations has not affected her in any way during this preseason period.

"We have seen glimpses of her speed and directness in match-play situations and I’m really excited to see her playing at the NWSL level to see what she can do against some experienced pros.”

Added Rodman in a video posted to the Spirit's Twitter account: "It's an extremely high level, and I think it's awesome to be able to play with such intense players."

When is the next Spirit preseason game?

The Spirit will face the Orlando Pride next Saturday in another exhibition.

Their first Challenge Cup game will be on April 10, when they take on the North Carolina Courage.

Further reading

'No post-match interviews for referees? A pity!' - Mourinho takes aim at officials after north London derby defeat

Alexandre Lacazette's penalty earned Arsenal local bragging rights but the Tottenham manager was not happy with the decision making

Jose Mourinho aimed his ire at the quality of officiating in the wake of Tottenham's north London derby defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, saying that it was "a pity" referees did not face post-match interview scrutiny over their decisions.

The Portuguese was quick to admit that his Spurs side, who took a first-half lead through Erik Lamela's superb rabona strike before the Argentine was sent off late on as the Gunners roared back to claim victory, were under-par and acknowledged his culpability.

But Mourinho was left less than impressed by referee Michael Oliver and the VAR with their call for Alexandre Lacazette's winning penalty just beyond the hour mark after Davinson Sanchez was ruled to have fouled the Arsenal forward.

What has Mourinho said?

"No post-match interviews for referees? That is a pity," Mourinho told Sky Sports . "We played really bad in the first half. The 1-1 was not a fair reflection of the first half. We were poor.

"In the second half, we only had space to improve which we did. [But] then it is a question - but an impossible one as they don't speak - for the referee Michael Oliver to answer. Probably Paul Tierney too as he was the VAR [as to why they gave the penalty].

"The game was under control in the second half so we recovered. We made changes to try and win, [but] then it is a penalty and after that a second yellow for Lamela.

"What I see from the bench is just a feeling at first. I am 40 to 50 metres away. I saw it on the iPad. Referees have a difficult job sometimes. I did not complain but when I watch back on the iPad it is what it is.

"If somebody has a different opinion [to me], it has to be one of the big Arsenal fans with a season ticket. It is the only one I accept as it is the passion speaking. Other than that I don't accept a different view as it is obvious.

"If the players don't do better it is because they can't do better. I belong to the team so I am as guilty for the first half as the players but the best thing is we improve in the second half.

"Players get tired, coaches get tired, maybe referees get tired too. My record with Michael Oliver on penalties with Chelsea, United and Tottenham is unlucky."

Mourinho's history with Oliver

This is far from the first time that Oliver has been on the receiving end of the Portuguese's ire.

He was the subject of a sarcastic shout-out from the manager ahead of the latter's Europa League triumph in 2017 with Manchester United, with Oliver's earlier dismissal of Ander Herrera two months prior having contributed to an FA Cup exit for the Red Devils.

Oliver also overturned a Harry Kane finish against Sheffield United last July near the end of the delayed 2019-20 campaign, a goal that could have helped Spurs ultimately seal a fifth-place finish and avoid a lengthy qualification campaign for this year's Europa League.

Mourinho, who has now equalled the worst single-season record of his English top-flight career following this weekend's result, is unlikely to hold out an olive branch to match officials any time soon, however, with the former Chelsea boss having clashed with several over his career.

Further reading

Barcelona vs Orense: How to watch Ecuador Serie A matches

The Guayaquil side sit at the top of the table after recording three consecutive victories at the start of the season

Serie A is the top level of football in Ecuador, with 16 teams from across the country fighting it out in the 2021 edition which started Friday. 

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

The new campaign will be divided into two stages, with a winner crowned at the end of each phase.

The two victors will then advance to the finals in order to dispute the title of champion at the end of the year.

How to watch Barcelona vs Orense

Barcelona beat out Guayaquil arch-rivals Emelec in the Second stage of the 2020 season to book their place in the final against LDU Quito, who ran out winners in the first half of the year. 

Both legs of the finals ended in stalemate, and Barcelona eventually triumphed 3-1 on penalties to lift their first Serie A crown since 2016.

They seem to have picked up where they left off this term too, sitting joint-top alongside Emelec with maximum points from their opening three matches.

Orense are also unbeaten so far in 2021, having started the season with victory over Independiente del Valle before recording back-to-back draws in their last two outings.

Barcelona vs Orense is available to stream worldwide on Fanatiz , where you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

You can watch all of the 2021 Serie A season live on  Fanatiz .

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
March 14 4pm/7pm Barcelona vs Orense Fanatiz

What other Serie A matches are available on Fanatiz?

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
March 14 1:30pm/4:30pm 9 de Octubre vs Olmedo Fanatiz

Watch Serie A live on Fanatiz.

Original author: Goal

Aina: Fulham raring to bounce back from Manchester City defeat

The Nigeria international has expressed his frustration with their loss against the Citizens but is confident his side will put the defeat behind them

Ola Aina has revealed Fulham are raring to bounce back from their defeat to Manchester City in Saturday’s Premier League game.

The 24-year-old played for the duration of the game as the Cottagers suffered a 3-0 loss against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Fulham frustrated the Citizens’ effort to score in the first half but after the restart, they let down their guard as John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero struck to fire the Premier League leaders to victory in the encounter.

With the defeat, the Craven Cottage outfit remain in the relegation zone after gathering 26 points from 29 games

Aina is confident the loss will not affect Fulham when they take on Leeds United in their next league game on March 19.

“We’re raring to go, if we had Leeds in an hour we’d be ready to go. We’ll just recover well and get ready for that one,” Aina told the club website.

“The position we’re in, we have to just take it game by game. Good or bad results, we have to take it and move on and look forward to the next one, because ultimately there’s a goal that we need to achieve at the end of the season, so we can’t dwell on bad results.”

The 24-year-old Nigeria international also believes his side’s mistakes against Manchester City cost them three points.

“First half I felt like we really made it tough for them. We gave them a tough first half. I felt like we shut off their options, and we created a few openings of our own," he continued. 

“And obviously in the second half, it was a few mistakes that end the game for us really. We haven’t had mistakes like that for a long time, since the beginning of the season.

“It’s frustrating that we made them because it’s not in our character, but these things happen. We’re only human.  

“We have to take it on the chin and just move on. The mistakes have happened and it killed us a bit, but I feel the team still gave a good fight.

“Everyone knows about Man City, everyone knows they’re such a good side and they’ve got good depth in their squad, but we felt like we could’ve definitely got something from the game.

“If we don’t make the mistakes then we do give them a run for their money, in my opinion. But we have to just take it as it is and move onto Leeds.”

Aina has made 27 appearances across all competitions for Fulham since joining the side on loan from Serie A club Torino last summer, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

 

 

 

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

Albrighton overtakes Kanu in Premier League’s assist charts with only Giggs and Walcott ahead

The English winger came from the bench to help the Foxes for their second strike in the rout of the Blades on Sunday

Leicester City star Marc Albrighton moved to third in the ranking of players who have registered most assists as a substitute in the English Premier League.

Having replaced Ricardo Pereira at the beginning of the second-half, Albrighton assisted Ayoze Perez for the Foxes’ second goal against Paul Heckingbottom’s men in the 5-0 rout.

After darting down the right wing, the 31-year-old showed great awareness to pick out the Spaniard, who drove at the visitors’ backline before drilling a low shot into the far corner of Aaron Ramsdale’s goal post.

It was his 13th assist as a substitute in the English elite division, putting him above Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu into third place.

Only Manchester United great Ryan Giggs and the Everton loanee, who hav 14 assists to their names from the bench, has done more than the former Aston Villa and Leicester City man.

Ex-Cardiff City and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey is tied in fourth place with the former Nigeria international, with 12 assists as a substitute.

Kanu teamed up with the Gunners from Serie A outfit Inter Milan for a reported £4.15 million fee in 1999 and instantly established himself in Arsene Wenger’s squad.

During his five-and-a-half years at the North London outfit, he won two Premier League titles, two FA Cup diadems, one FA Charity Shield Cup, before joining West Bromwich Albion.

Notably, the lanky striker came off the bench to make a significant impact in first few outings for the Gunners with goals against Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa as a substitute.

He also bagged a 15-minute hat-trick against Chelsea in October 1999, which helped Arsenal turn around a two-goal deficit to claim a 3-2 win. In addition, the two-time African Player of the Year winner was part of the Invincible team that won the 2003-04 Premier League title without losing a game.

Thanks to their latest win, Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes moved up to second in the Premier League after accruing 56 points from 29 fixtures. They square up against Manchester United in their next game as they hope to beat the Red Devils to a FA Cup semi-final place.

Original author: Shina Oludare

Umotong goal inspires Lewes to victory at Blackburn

The Nigerian was in superb form as her effort led her English side to a first win in three games in the Championship

Ini Umotong scored the opening goal for Lewes as they secured a 3-0 triumph over Blackburn Rovers in Sunday's Championship game.

Following a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic, the English side were gearing up for a return to winning ways at Sir Tom Finney Stadium.

Having rescued Simon Parker's side at Charlton, Umotong was handed her fifth appearance for Lewes and continued with her fine form in front of goal against Gemma Donnelly's side.

Lewes started the contest on a high when they were gifted a scoring opportunity from the penalty spot and Umotong stepped up to convert in the 13th minute, to give the visitors a lead.

Some 13 minutes later, the visitors consolidated their slim advantage over Blackburn when Rhian Cleverley doubled the lead before Danielle Lane netted a 69th-minute third to guarantee the victory.

Umotong featured until the 85th-minute when she was replaced by Emma Jones and has now hit her fourth goal in five for Lewes.

With her latest, she has now found the back of the net in three straight games for Lewes since she broke her duck with a brace against London City Lionesses exactly a month ago.

The former Vaxjo striker will aim to continue her fine showings upfront when Lewes host London Bees at the Dripping Pan on March 28.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

LIVE: PSG vs Nantes

PSG have won 17 of their last 18 Ligue 1 meetings with Nantes, with the only defeat coming away from home in April 2019.

Following the 1-1 draw with Barcelona, Pochettino makes five changes for this encounter. Diallo, Dagba, Danilo Pereira, Rafinha and Di Maria replace Florenzi, Kurzawa, Gueye, Paredes and Icardi in the starting XI. Nantes coach Antoine also makes alterations to his side after the 2-1 defeat to Reims, as Corchia and Louza drop out for Pallois and Coco.

SUBS: Quentin Merlin, Abdoul Kader Bamba, Imran Louza, Kalifa Coulibaly, Denis Petric, Batista Mendy, Abdoulaye Sylla, Renaud Emond, Anthony Limbombe.

NANTES (4-4-1-1): Alban Lafont; Nicolas Pallois, Andrei Girotto, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Charles Traore; Moses Simon, Pedro Chirivella, Abdoulaye Toure, Marcus Coco; Ludovic Bias, Randal Kolo Muani.

SUBS: Leandro Paredes, Idrissa Gueye, Mitchel Bakker, Timothee Pembele, Pablo Sarabia, Sergio Rico, Thilo Kehrer, Mauro Icardi, Layvin Kurzawa.

PSG (4-3-3): Keylor Navas; Abdou Diallo, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Colin Dagba; Marco Verratti, Danilo Pereira, Rafinha; Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe, Julian Draxler.

While PSG are aiming for another Ligue 1 title, Nantes are desperate for points at the opposite end of the table. They are 19th at present and three points from safety after a run of three games without success.

Mauricio Pochettino's PSG are unbeaten in four ahead of kick-off, thanks to their midweek draw with Barcelona in the Champions League. Confidence should be high in their camp as they booked their place in the quarter-finals of the competition. 

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes. PSG will be able to reclaim top spot with a victory this evening after Lille played out a goalless draw with Monaco earlier this afternoon.

LIVE: AC Milan vs Napoli

10' Napoli are still pushing forward and keeping Milan penned back deep in their own half. Zielinski plays a throughball into Mertens on the left of the box, but his first touch is too heavy and Tomori sees it out of play.

8' Insigne has drifted into the middle of the field to try and get on the ball more and he spots that Donnarumma is off his line. He's a very long way out when he goes for goal and his shot flies well wide of the near post.

6' Castillejo just ran into the back of Mertens in his attempts to win the ball back and the forward has gone down holding his knee. Milan put the ball out of play when he stays down, but he gets back to his feet without needing treatment.

4' SAVE! It's a great throughball from Hernandez to pick out Leao's run through the middle of the box and he hits his shot across goal. Ospina is quickly off his line to smother the shot though and it's brave goalkeeping that earns him a free-kick.

2' Insigne plays a good one-two with Demme to open up more space for himself to run into down the left. He tries to pull it back for Mertens in the middle, but his cross is blocked by Dalot.

1' Mertens gets the game underway for Napoli!

The teams are coming out onto the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away.

Napoli are winless away from home since January 10th, when they beat Udinese 2-1 (D1 L4). They last had a longer run without a single away win in all competitions in September 2015 (seven).

Gennaro Gattuso makes just two changes to his side after their win over Bologna last weekend, but they're both enforced. Amir Rrahmani and Faouzi Ghoulam miss out through injury, so Maksimovic and Hysaj come in for them.

Stefano Pioli makes five changes to the team that started against Manchester United on Thursday, bringing in Gabbia, Hernandez, Tonali, Calhanoglu and Castillejo. Kjaer, Meite, Diaz and Saelemakers drop to the bench, while Davide Calabria misses out after going off injured in that game.

NAPOLI SUBS: Nikita Contini, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Alex Meret, Davide Costanzo, Stanislav Lobotka, Eljif Elmas, Mario Rui, Antonio Cioffi, Karim Zedadka, Victor Osimhen.

NAPOLI STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): David Ospina; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nikola Maksimovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Elseid Hysaj; Fabiam Ruiz, Diego Demme; Matteo Politano, Piotr Zielinski, Dries Mertens; Lorenzo Insigne.

MILAN SUBS:Pierre Kalulu Kyatengwa, Antonio Donnarumma, Brahim Diaz, Simon Kjaer, Soualiho Meite, Jens Hauge, Ante Rebic, Alexis Saelemaekers, Ciprian Tatarusanu.

MILAN STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Diogo Dalot, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Sandro Tonali, Franck Kessie; Samu Castillejo, Hakan Calhanoglu, Rade Krunic; Rafael Leao.

Milan come into this game nine points behind Inter, but a win would see them close the gap to the top spot. They're unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions (W2 D3) but haven't won at home since the beginning of February when they beat Crotone 4-0. Napoli are unbeaten in their last four in all competitions (W3 D1) but have struggled on the road recently failing to win away in any of their previous five.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Serie A meeting between Milan and Napoli at San Siro!

Mourinho equals worst losing season as a manager after Spurs beaten by Arsenal in north London derby

The last time the Portuguese coach lost so many matches he was fired by Chelsea halfway through the season

Tottenham suffered their ninth Premier League defeat of the season as they went down 2-1 at Arsenal on Sunday, matching Jose Mourinho's worst record in a single season.

Despite taking the lead through Erik Lamela in the first half of the north London derby, Spurs were bested by their rivals as Martin Odegaard struck just before half-time and Alexandre Lacazette converted a penalty.

The visitors' afternoon became more difficult in the final 15 minutes when Lamela, who came on to replace the injured Son Heung-min in the first half, was sent off with a second yellow card.

Tottenham rack up league losses

With nine losses in the English top-flight in 2020-21, Mourinho is suffering his worst season since his last spell at Chelsea.

Everton, Liverpool twice, Leicester, Brighton, Chelsea, Manchester City and West Ham have all beaten the north London side this season.

They are seventh in the English top-flight and sit six points behind Chelsea, who occupy the final spot that guarantees a place in the group stage of next season's Champions League.

Mourinho's terrible season at Chelsea

The only other time Mourinho has lost so many times in a single league campaign in his career was in 2015-16.

Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Southampton, West Ham, Liverpool, Stoke, Bournemouth  and Leicester all beat the Blues that season.

Mourinho was subsequently sacked after the defeat to Leicester in December 2015 and Chelsea ended up finishing 10th in the league that year.

What's next for Tottenham?

Tottenham will look to get back to winning ways when they face Dinamo Zagreb in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

Spurs won 2-0 in the first fixture through goals from Harry Kane.

Three days later they will face Aston Villa in the last round of Premier League matches before the international break. Then on April 3 Spurs will visit Newcastle. 

Further reading

Original author: Peter McVitie

FutPost.com