Few sides have been as consistent in the history of the Indian Super League as FC Goa. Last season was no exception either as the Gaurs managed to qualify for the semi-finals once again. They finished fourth in the league table with seven wins to their name. FC Goa drew 10 matches and lost only thrice. Goa’s run in the ISL came to a heartbreaking conclusion as they lost 6-5 on penalties to Mumbai City FC in the second leg do the semi-final. The Gaurs have been among the best teams in the ISL since its inception in 2014. Although…
Author: 1X Team
Bengaluru FC are synonymous with success and a distinct philosophy in Indian football. Therefore, their forgettable campaign in ISL 2020/21 came as a shock to many. Their lack of efficiency in front of goal and a leaky defence were major contributing factors in poor results last season. With five wins, seven draws, and eight losses, Bengaluru finished seventh in the table with 22 points to their name. Only three clubs – East Bengal, Kerala Blasters, and Odisha FC – conceded more goals than Bengaluru’s 28 last season. Ever since they became an Indian Super League club in 2017, Bengaluru have always managed to qualify for the playoffs, with last…
European Champions Italy were pushed to the play-offs by Switzerland’s big win over Bulgaria, in what can be classified as the biggest upset of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification process – so far. In one of the biggest upsets of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification process so far, European champions Italy were held by Northern Ireland and pushed down to the playoffs as a result. The Azzurri – months after lifting the Euro Cup – finished second in their group behind Switzerland. They will need to survive a tricky elimination process in March, if they are to secure a berth in Qatar. …
Harry Kane netted a first-half quadruple as England hit San Marino for 10 in their final FIFA World Cup qualifying game. The Three Lions booked their place in Qatar with a comprehensive win, while Poland secured the play-off berth in the group. A point against lowly San Marino would have sufficed following England’s big win over Albania a few days earlier, but head coach Gareth Southgate decided to leave nothing to chance for the Three Lions’ final FIFA World Cup qualifier. Kane was chosen to lead the line for England, flanked by Phil Foden and Emile Smith-Rowe, the latter making his competitive debut for the senior side…
Kerala Blasters had an extremely underwhelming campaign in the Indian Super League last season. Having appointed I League-winning coach Kibu Vicuna, the Kochi-based outfit failed to meet expectations in the 2020-21 season. They finished a lowly 10th last season in the league and managed to win only three matches. KBFC drew eight games and ended up losing on nine occasions. Only Odisha FC conceded more goals than The Yellow Army (44 compared to KBFC’s 36). Kerala Blasters have been a dominant force in the Indian Super League since its inception in 2014. They qualified twice for the final in 2014 and 2016 and…
Barcelona are expected to go after Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling in the winter transfer window despite their unclear financial situation. Meanwhile, reports have also added Thiago Alcantara to the shortlist of potential signings. On November 6, Barcelona have appointed Xavi Hernandez as a new head coach. Their next target, naturally, is signing some players for the new boss. The Spanish giants have had their share of financial troubles this year, but those haven’t stopped them from bringing bodies in. It has been reported for a while that Manchester City star Raheem Sterling is of interest to Barca. Sky Sports state that the Englishman is a legitimate…
Sevilla defender Jules Kounde has revealed that summer’s failed transfer to Chelsea affected him mentally; the Frenchman was thought to be on his way to London before late complications arose between the two clubs. “Did my failed transfer to Chelsea this summer affect me? Yes, a little bit, but now it’s digested,” the Frechman told Telefoot. Reports during the summer indicated a breakdown in talks between Chelsea and Sevilla over Kounde’s price tag. The Blues tried to include players in any potential deal for the Frenchman and were thought to have struck an agreement with Sevilla for a relatively lower fee. …
Last season belonged to Mumbai City FC who enjoyed instantaneous success following their tie with Manchester City and influx of influential players. These players ended up making the difference for the Islanders who continued to stack up wins and ended up winning 12 of their 20 matches in the league stage during the 2020/21 season. The Sergio Lobera-led outfit also scored the most number of goals (35) and conceded just 18. Although Mumbai were tested in the semi-finals against FC Goa, they saw fortune favouring them in the penalty shootout in the second leg. In the final against ATK Mohun Bagan, the…
Serbia booked their place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the expense of Portugal, who will now have to navigate the play-offs. Meanwhile, Spain and Croatia beat Sweden and Russia, respectively, to qualify for the tournament. Renato Sanches gave Portugal the lead with just two minutes on the board. The midfielder was the beneficiary of Bernardo Silva’s excellent pressing on Nemanja Gudelj, who gave the ball away to Silva on the edge of the box. Silva played Sanches in with the simplest of passes, and the Lille star slammed a shot into the back of the net from inside the box. Dusan Tadic restored…
The most successful team in the history of the Indian Super League, ATK Mohun Bagan, have been a stellar force in the tournament right from the opening game of the tournament. They are a consistent presence at the business end of the tournament, always fighting for top honours and making business calls that are worthy of putting them in the top tier. How do things stack up for ATKMB this time? They are as star-studded as ever in the current edition of the ISL. Having missed out on the league shield and also the ISL trophy to Mumbai City FC…