FC Dallas has been in a free fall in recent months. The club has won just once since a 2-1 win over Montreal on July 22 saw FC Dallas briefly move to the top of the Western Conference, a span of 12 matches that included more than bad losses. It could get even worse after an apparent illegal substitution late in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Orlando City.
Borussia Dortmund had a strong first half on Saturday against Augsburg, taking a 2-1 lead into the break on the back of two gorgeous goals and expecting to stretch out its lead in the second half in the same way that saw them score 19 goals in their first six matches. Instead, Augsburg hung tough and stayed in the match until the match ended 2-1 thanks to some questionable decision making from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
There’s a lot to like about this match-winning goal for Coventry City in their 1-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra on Saturday. Some nice pressure administered high up the pitch from Coventry’s Jodi Jones sees Zoumana Bakayogo’s attempted clearance blocked, and that triggers a fantastic, flowing move for the Sky Blues.
What a one-two with the corner flag. Jones hardly even needs to break stride after that delicious layoff from the inanimate object. The cutback with the outside of his right foot is brilliant as well, and it finds Duckens Nazon!
Crystal Palace has played six, lost six, conceded 13 goals and scored none. That’s 540 minutes of English Premier League football without scoring, a record for longest goalless streak to start a season. In other words, one epic dry spell. But even if Crystal Palace manages to score this weekend against Manchester United, the Eagles will still hold the record for longest EPL scoreless streak.
If you pay $1 for a cheeseburger, you don’t expect a gourmet experience. If you buy a $600 car, you shouldn’t be surprised if it dies before the next oil change. If you spend $30,000 on a house, it’s probably a fixer-upper. If you put down $5 million for a striker, you won’t win the Premier League.
If you spend $20 on match fixing, you can’t expect to win the match. Nchalo United in Malawi found that out the hard way.
Languishing near the bottom of the Portuguese Primeira Liga table, heading into the break at 1-1 with S.C. Braga would’ve represented an exceptional 45 minutes of football for C.D. Tondela on Sunday. However, just on the stroke of halftime, Braga struck the crossbar before Tondela defender Ricardo Costa smashed the rebound into his own net.
There was a time, in the mid 2000s, when the sight of Samuel Eto’o running in behind your defense was just about the scariest thing imaginable. The Cameroonian scored more than 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona. He won two Champions League titles with Barca and another with Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. His pace was terrifying, his runs incisive, his finishing clinical.
Valencia maintained their unbeaten start to La Liga play with an impressive 3-2 victory over Real Sociedad at the Anoeta on Sunday. With the score level at 2-2 and both sides down to 10-men, Italian striker Simone Zaza hit the game-winner in the 85th minute with the assist provided by 20-year-old Portuguese attacker Goncalo Guedes.