The Catalans put in yet another outstanding shift on Saturday, blowing Elche 3-0 at the Camp Nou in La Liga. 18-year-old Alejandro Balde, playing at left-back, left his manager Xavi Hernandez impressed yet again and even racked up two assists during the game. The youngster has started in all of Barcelona’s Spanish top-flight fixtures since the opening day draw against Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou. As a result, he has relegated Barcelona veteran Jordi Alba to the bench and even new summer signing Marcos Alonso seems to be behind Balde in the pecking order for Xavi. Handed his fifth league start against Elche on Saturday, Balde…
Author: 1X Team
Bottom side Elche made their tasks defending against a free-scoring Barcelona much more difficult by going down to ten men just 14 minutes after kick-off – captain Gonzalo Verdu receiving his marching orders after tripping Robert Lewandowski as the last man in defense. The Pole made the strugglers pay by tapping in Alejandro Balde’s cross from close range to give his side the lead 34 minutes into the match. Balde was involved again in Barcelona’s second goal. The left-back passed the ball into Memphis Depay’s feet, which the Dutchman shielded from his marker superbly before turning and slamming it into the roof…
Bayern Munich extended their winless Bundesliga streak to four games with a loss at Augsburg on Saturday, their record now reflecting three draws and a loss. The Bavarians slid down in the rankings after falling to a Mergim Berisha goal in the 59th minute, the forward finishing the champions off with a strike from close range following a cross from left-back Iago. Bayern’s loss puts them at risk of falling out of the top four at this early stage, provided TSG Hoffenheim win their game in hand. Furthermore, the Bavarians’ reverse means Union Berlin are the only unbeaten side left in the competition; Union…
The Citizens leapfrogged Arsenal for the time being to go top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Wolves; Tottenham Hotspur would go level on points with the Citizens later on in the day with a 6-2 success over Leicester City. Jack Grealish gave City the lead seconds after kick-off, turning in a cross from Kevin De Bruyne past Jose Sa from close range. Fifteen minutes later, Bernardo Silva played the ball into Erling Haaland’s feet. The Norwegian charged at the Wolves defence before firing in his shot at the near post from outside the box, his eleventh goal in just seven league games. Phil Foden added gloss to…
Gareth Southgate has left Manchester United pair Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford out of the England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League double-header against Italy and Germany. The Three Lions are bottom of their group but can still mathematically qualify for the final if other results go their way. Injury to Jordan Pickford, Southgate’s preferred goalkeeper, means that one of Dean Henderson, Nick Pope, or Aaron Ramsdale will get to keep the goal in the upcoming games. In defence, the Englishman has called upon Tottenham’s Eric Dier, who returns to the senior England set-up after a prolonged absence – his last appearance came two years…
Manchester United bounced back from a defeat against Real Sociedad on matchday one of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the season as Erik ten Hag’s side beat Sheriff Tiraspol 2-0. The Red Devils took the lead 17 minutes in through Jadon Sancho. The Englishman combined with teammates Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen before taking the latter’s pass in his stride inside the box, dummying onto his left foot, and scoring with a low shot into the corner. Shortly after, Cristiano scored his first goal this season – and his first goal ever in the Europa League – from…
The Hammers recorded consecutive wins in their 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League campaign, their second success a narrow 3-2 win over Danish side Silkeborg. David Moyes’s men fell behind to a fifth-minute goal by Kasper Kusk, the winger smacking his shot past Alphonse Areola at the first time of asking. But, their lead lasted just eight minutes as Manuel Lanzini brought the English side level with a goal from the spot after Maxwel Cornet had been shoved inside the box. Cornet was instrumental in the Hammers’ second goal, too, intercepting a loose pass and playing the ball to Gianluca Scamacca, who slammed it into the roof of the…
New Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly proposed the idea of a Premier League All-Star game akin to ones that already take place across the Atlantic. However, not everyone is a fan of the idea. Premier League All-Star North versus Premier League All-Star South, a game, the likes of which have never been seen before in the United Kingdom, but one which could have a huge impact on the British football pyramid – that is the idea Boehly proposed in his most recent public appearance. The American claimed that hosting an All-Star weekend, akin to the ones that are held annually in…
Both Lionel Messi and Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed a milestone night in the UEFA Champions League, the pair breaking and creating new records on the second group stage matchday. The Argentine scored again for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night – his strike, a timely equalizer that helped the Parisians rally back and beat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 despite falling behind to an early Tjaronn Chery goal. There was a stroke of luck about how the goal came about, Mbappe’s fizzed low ball taking a deflection and landing right in front of the striker, who had the whole of the goal to aim at from close range. His goal…
Erling Haaland and John Stones scored a stunner each in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, the former’s old team. The Norwegian welcomed his former side to the Etihad, his new stomping ground, eager to show how quickly he has settled into his new surroundings. Instead, it was an Englishman on the other side who announced himself to the raucous stadium; Jude Bellingham gave Dortmund the lead in the 56th minute, glancing his header past Ederson off a Marco Reus cross. City equalized through the unlikeliest of sources – John Stones. The English central defender picked the ball up in the right half-space, outside…