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Topic: Football World 2020 [S4 - COMPLETED] |
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Lower League BOT Round-Up - Matchday 4
UEFA
In the largely pointless 6th/7th place play-off, where really you are only playing to avoid being dubbed the "worst team in Europe" it is Kazakhstan who compound Moldova's woes and ensure they earn that unfancied title - though they are still ranked higher than Gibraltar as it stands. That is due to the fact that Gibraltar fail to overcome Malta in the Preliminary final, as the Maltest triumph 1-0 to enter the group stage, where they will take on Armenia, Andorra and Azerbaijan to try and claim the 3 Lower League Play-Off Final spots for the UEFA division.
Americas
In the 2nd Preliminary Round three of the four matches proceed as anticipated, with Barbados, Cuba and Grenada dispatching Montserrat, Belize and Puerto Rico without too much difficulty - though in the final match it is St. Vincent who spring a shock thanks to their 1-0 away victory over Guyana to put the unfancied island nation into the next round...
...speaking of the next round a tougher test lies ahead for St. Vincent as they must travel to take on early favourites Barbados, while an exciting match-up between Cuba and Grenda will provide the other participant to advance to Round 1 with the other Lower League favourites.
Asia
In the Preliminary Semi-Final, Samoa will take on Tonga in what should be a fascinating grudge match between the evenly matched island nations - while Sri Lanka will hope their favourites tag does them a favour against the resilient American Samoans!
Africa
In the Preliminary Round 2, there are shocks in both the matches as eSwatiti fail to make their possession against the Seychelles pay, as the visitors take a late chance to advance 1-0! Chad also win away from home, though are a good deal more comfortable in their 3-1 win over Djibouti. That means eSwatini and Djibouti will contest the Preliminary 3rd/4th Place Play-Off nex time out.
Though both Chad and the Seychelles will enter Round 1 of the Lower League tournament proper, with Chad away to one of the surprise packages of last season Benin and the Seychelles facing a tough trip to Zambia, who are considered by many as very likely to make their way back into the Nations League for next season...
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Japan come out of the traps quickest, as a fluid attacking move puts them 1-0 up thanks to Minamino's excellent give-and-go on the edge of the box that he flicks past the despairing Ryan in the Australian goal.
However, the Aussies are experienced campaigners in the Nations League and manage to launch a series of attacks that almost draw them level, as both Leckie and Arzani manage to glance headers straight at the keeper from a series of excellent Mooy balls into the box. Mooy therefore elects to go it alone the next time and strikes the ball from fully 30 yards out and is promptly mobbed by his team-mates, as the ball flies into the top right-hand corner!
@Tom Byrne (R101)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Scotland know that if they want to keep Luxembourg in sight that they need to get something out of this game. However they get the worst possible start, as Luxembourg swarm forward and despite a series of stops - including one on the line by Captain Robertson - the Scots cannot prevent Joachim from stabbing home the opening goal of the game!
Another period of resilient play by Scotland keeps them in sight, though they offer precious little going forward...until the 42nd minute when they commit men forward for a corner, which is headed clear by Jans with a big Captain's header to set Luxembourg off on a counter attack that is initially led by Thill from Midfield - with the ball ultimately ending up at Joachim's feet, who hits it with such force that the Scottish keeper falls over backwards as he tries to keep it (unsuccessfully) out of the net!
@Andrei Ciuchi (Ret)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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South Sudan start this top of the table clash strongly, as they dominate the early exchanges to retain possession strongly and set up a series of chances for Omer, who spurns opportunity after opportunity - in fact when they do finally score a goal it's thanks to that same forward playing a dummy and letting the ball run through his legs to Majak behind him...and the midfielder makes no mistake to put them 0-1 up.
However, Algeria have some quality in their ranks and Slimani manages to win a free-kick in a dangerous position courtesy of a rash challenge by Mathiang. Mahrez steps up and smashes a delightful shot over the wall and manages to make it dip JUST beneath the cross-bar to level this match 1-1 at half-time...
@Gary Harding (R57)
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The US Virgin Islands are clearly aware of the importance of this match and field a full-strength side to counter the threat posed by a resurgent Paraguay (unbeaten in the group thus far). After the early encounters on the pitch, it is clear that the US Virgin Islands have the upper hand - and they make that advantage pay, with a well-worked team goal that falls to Humphrey to stroke home and give the away side a 1-0 advantage.
Paraguay are in decent form right now though, so before long they produce a period of sustained pressure of their own and - despite seeing a couple of clear cut chances go begging - they find an equaliser through a sweetly struck Almirón free-kick from fully 30 yards out.
Not to be outdone, the US Virgin Islands ramp up the intensity on the pitch and manage to move ahead thanks to a 1-2 between Dennis and Christean that allows the former to go in 1v1 with the keeper - and he slots the ball into the net to give the US Virgin Islands a 1-2 lead heading into the 2nd half...
@Greg Tierney (P16)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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A tight game sees both Croatia and Romania trade blows in the opening minutes, though despite exerting some decent pressure and having a couple of half-decent chances - one of which Hagi manages to hit the post with - Romania are unable to get a foothold in the game...
...and worse is to come, as their old defensive frailties are yet again exposed by Kramarić's quick thinking - the forward picks the ball up 35 yards out from goal and chips it over the heads of the advancing defenders to volley home his own pass and give Croatia a 1-0 lead!
@Liviu Sandu (A72)
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Ireland start the match with real gusto and immediately put Spain under pressure, with a series of corners that eventually see the ball nodded down to the feet of Long - who looks offside, though he tucks the ball away anyway and turns disconsolately away...before seeing that the referee has signalled for a goal! The Spanish players crowd around the ref but he will not be moved and the goal stands!!!
That spurs the Spaniards on to launch attack after attack in retribution - until finally Torres (who is grasping his opportunity with both hands!) makes good on one of those attacks and puts the ball past Randoph to equalise for Spain. Asensio then manages a spectacular flying header from a Sarabia cross, which gives the keeper no chance and allows Spain to lead 1-2 going into the break...
@Claudio Laguna (P20)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Both sides adopt a very different strategy going into this match, with the Welsh setting up to attack the French and put them under pressure from the get-go - while the French use their patented 3-6-1 formation to pack the midfield and dominate proceedings from the middle of the park.
Initially, France are clearly taken aback by the Welsh's high-pressing game that puts the defensive trio of Pavard, Varane and Umtiti under serious pressure - and they make their first mistake with Pavard being dispossessed by Lawrence after dwelling for a moment too long on the ball, which allows the Welsh forward to sprint through on goal and tuck the ball underneath the diving Lloris.
The backlash from France is profound however, as they immediately start to deny Wales any sniff of possesion throughout the pitch - other than the initial kick-offs as they get the game back under-way after France score a trio of quick-fire goals. First Giroud heads home a Kante cross, before Griezmann runs past both Gunter and Davies to smash home a brilliant rising shot that utterly baffles the goalkeeper! The third is a result of a brilliant Pogba free-kick, which Hennessey can only stand and watch fly past him!
However, with the mood in the Welsh camp deteriorating their passing inter-play is breaking down and giving the French more and more possession. As such, it falls to Captain Bale to take matters into his own hand - as he receives the ball from Allen on the halfway line before surging into the French half with a winding, twisting run that the French defenders simply cannot stay with - and he finishes the move by slotting the ball through Lloris's legs to make it 3-2 and give Wales some hope for the 2nd half...
@Romain Lebreton (A36)
@Keith Partridge (A22)
2nd half whenever you're ready gents...
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This 1st half is a tale of both sides defending strongly and preventing the other from managing more than a single shot on target - with Iceland going close first of all, as Finnbogason manages to get 1v1 with Olsen but the Swedish keeper does brilliantly to tip the shot over the bar!
Sweden create a chance of their own shortly afterwards, as Quaison takes a snap-shot from the edge of the box that Halldorsson makes a flying leap to save and keep the score level at 0-0 as the game reaches half-time.
@Rocco Stallone (R20)
@Christer Andersson (M2)
2nd half whenever you're ready gents...
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American Samoa are put to the sword in this opening 45 minutes, as Sri Lanka barely let them have a sniff of a chance (other than one long-range effort that is comfortably saved by Perera) with goals from Zarwan - a header and a half-volley, Madushan - an acrobatic overhead kick, a tap-in from a De Silva cross and a header of his own and finally Rahuman.
The latter scores a rare goal by taking charge of a free-kick that American Samoa give away thanks to a scything challenge on Zarwan around 35 yards from goal. Rahuman steps up and smashes the ball low and hard underneath the jumping American Samoan wall to totally fox the goalkeeper and complete an excellent half for Sri Lanka that surely has already booked their place in the Preliminary Final!
@Shannon Fuerte (R60)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Mexico look tired and leggy here, though for a concerted period of time they hold on and make Peru work for every ball (whilst conserving energy - which is definitely a good move for them!) - though the lack of fitness really shows as the half wears on and Peru gain more and more space in the Mexican half...
...and that finally makes the difference, as first of all a counter-attack led by Flores sees the ball slipped through to Tapia, who taps home the opening goal of the game. That is followed almost immediately afterwards by another expansive attacking move that sees Polo run through one v one with Ochoa and despite the Mexican keeper saving the first shot, the Peruvian forward manages to smash in the rebound to give Peru a strong 0-2 half-time lead.
@Tolis Nasios (M2)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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The Faroe Islands have been the driving force in this group and are starting to show the kind of dominance that took them all the way to the World Cup Quarter Finals last season - this match looks one-sided from the get-go, as Vatnhamar and Edmundsson dominate the ball and create chance after chance for each other...
...the opening goal comes from Edmundsson playing a sublime through ball into Vatnhamar's path that the striker takes on first time to open the scoring, before he repays the favour by lofting a cross over for Edmundsson to power home using his head.
Northern Ireland briefly disrupt the attacking play by winning a free-kick outside the box that McGinn manages to strike home to make it 1-2, though this is a mere blip in the Faroes' dominance, as Vatnhamar grabs his 2nd of the game with a long-range strike from comfortably 30 yards out before he again crosses in for Edmundsson to score a diving header and make it 1-4 in what already looks like another Faroe Islands victory!
@Peter Willmore (P8)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Have I sent my first half yet? I thought I had but I'm starting to doubt myself...
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According to post 362 you haven't
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I thought I'd done it after that, but perhaps not!
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Quote ( Matthew Standen @ September 20th 2020,14:17:53 ) Have I sent my first half yet? I thought I had but I'm starting to doubt myself...
Yes you did - I have it twice now :)
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Turkey start quickest here, as they know the importance of victory against a Serbian team, who look to be one the three sides vying for top spot in the group. Turkey look to mirror the tactics of Croatia in their opening game - as they swarm all over the Serbian defence and deprive them of both time and space.
That creates the opportunity for Kahveci to seize upon a loose ball and fire past Rajković to give the away side a 0-1 away lead. That lead is doubled by Tosun, who lurks in the box and manages to lose his marker Rodić before firing home an excellent volley that puts Serbia under real pressure. However, Serbian manager Popa reshuffles his pack and they start to create chances of their own (while still dealing with the Turkish pressure that calls Rajković into action several times further).
Mitrović is the fly in the ointment for the Turks, as he manages to pick the ball up in the 6 yard area, hold it up and then play a cheeky back-heel that catches Bolat out completey and opens Serbia's account for the day. Not long later the equaliser arrives thanks to Mitrović's power and heading ability, as he diverts a Radonjić cross goalbound and beats Bolat at his near post!
2-2 looks to be the half-time score until a wayward backpass by Miletić gives Tosun an opportunity to intercept and guide the ball home to give Turkey a shock 2-3 lead at half-time...though this could be anyone's game!!!
@Adrian Popa (R131)
@Alihan Zor (P12)
2nd half whenever you're ready gents...
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Brazil look an entirely different proposition this season, with a resilience and spirit that so often seemed lacking last time around as they only just managed to scrape into the World Cup before losing out in the group stages and then again in the World Plate Round of 16. Though despite their improved movement and communication, it is Chile who strike first here - Vidal manages to jump highest from a corner and nod home the opening goal of the game.
The response is almost immediate though, as Arthur receives the ball from Firmino in a dangerous area of the pitch and lets fly with an instinctive snapshot that totally beats the goalkeeper! A 2nd follows within minutes, as Firmino is once again the difference-maker. The Brazilian forward plays the ball into the path of Neymar, who strokes home a firm shot into the bottom left-hand corner that gives the keeper no hope whatsoever - and means Brazil lead heading into half-time...
@Igor Augusto (M5)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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South Korea dropping points against China opens the door for both of these teams to move top of the group with a sufficient victory here - and the pace starts at an absolutely frenetic level here, with Saudi Arabia opening the scoring after packing the box at a corner and seeing Al-Hamdan rise highest to glance in a header that beats Marlias in the Malaysian goal all ends up!
However, Malaysia are playing with an intensity and desire that Saudi Arabia simply cannot match for long - and the home side level the match up before long. Ahmad strikes from distance with a forcefulness that the Saudi Arabian defence can only stand and stare at - and he repeats the feat from the other flank shortly afterwards to make it 2-1.
Bakhtiar gets far closer to goal for his 1st of the game, with a toe-poke to divert home a Fazail cross before Rasid makes it 4-1 with a half-volley that evades the Saudi Arabian goalkeeper's grasp - and before long it becomes 5, as Ahmad completes his hat-trick with a jinking run that the Saudi Arabian defence cannot get close to! 5-1 at half-time then...and it looks like Malaysia are heading top of the B League...
@Lyee Chong (A61)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Hong Kong continue to play with the same expansive style that almost secured them promotion last season and has them top of the group this time around! Iraq struggle to match that same fluidity of movement and passing inter-play, which allows Giovane to drift into the box unmarked and convert a relatively simple Huang pass without being challenged!
Law adds a 2nd with 5 minutes of the half remaining, as he too manages to arrive in the box unmarked - though his goal is courtesy of a Wong cross that he controls with a fantastic header that gives the keeper no chance whatsoever!!!
@Jun Ho (A78)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Russia recorded their 1st victory for a long time in their last match vs rivals the Ukraine - and you can see the positivity in the side early on, which is summed up by Cheryshev's determination as though he loses possession to Koutris, he wins it back and sneaks home a finish that keeper Paschalakis fails to keep out.
However, Greece are top of this group for a reason - notably their ability to find a final ball that makes it easy for the forwards to tuck home a goal. That is shown once more, with Masouras the willing recipient of a great Zeca cross that the forward is able to control and strike home to equalise for Greece.
Another ball over the top, this time by Limnios, again reaches Masouras unmarked in the penalty area - this time a simple flick is enough to beat Guilherme in the Russian goal. Limnios then goes from provider to goalscorer, as he plays a neat 1-2 with Zeca to allow him to burst into the box and fire home a 3rd for the Greeks to make it 3-1 at half-time!
@George Togas (P8)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Denmark more than hold their own in this 1st half vs Portugal, as they put the Portuguese defence under serious pressure from early on. Cornelius ultimately makes that pressure pay thanks to being one of a trio of attackers (alongside Braithwaite and Poulsen) that give the Portuguese defence no way to contain all of them - and that is the key to their goal, with Poulsen drawing the attention of two of the Portuguese defenders and allowing Cornelius to ghost into the box and slam home a Delaney cross that gives them the lead.
However, despite being under concerted pressure, Portugal have CR7 in their ranks - and with him on the pitch there will always be an outlet, which he exploits late in the half by nutmegging Larsen and then producing a sublime chip that Schmeichel can only watch soar over his head and glance off the underside of the cross-bar to make it 1-1! This is evenly poised for the 2nd half now...
@Matthew Standen (A10)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Amidst rumours of in-fighting in the Argentina camp and a lack of fitness there seems to be some confusion around the positioning of some of their key players, which despite the clear talent on show for the away side leads to a series of errors that only Armani prevents from causing disaster for Argentina!
Though there is nothing that the Argentine keeper can do about the USA's opener, as Zardes rises highest from a corner to power home an irresistible header that gives the keeper no chance whatsoever! Argentina need a new strategy in the 2nd half, as the workload they are putting in is not producing any meaningful results right now...
@Javier Nicora (A12)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Germany look dominant for much of this 1st half against Poland, though are unable to make that pressure tell as chance after chance seems to fall to the wrong players as a rare off-night for Gnabry sees him miss a series of chances that he cannot seem to keep on target (including one that could not have been more than 5 yards away from goal!), while the likes of Hector, Kimmich and Goretzka have chances to convert corners - but a few tame efforts in a row make it comfortable for the goalkeeper to maintain the deadlock at 0-0.
However, just as Lewandowski looks to be exerting some pressure on the German backline, the deadlock is broken by Werner's excellent run across the box and finish, which he powers past the keeper to give Germany a narrow 1-0 lead heading into half-time...
@Tim Wagner (P6)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Samoa were always heavy favourites for this game, though Tonga do keep the scoreline at parity for a significant period of the 1st half...that is until Laloata manages to poke home a Sauiluma cross to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 advantage.
That lead is doubled shortly afterwards thanks to Mobberley's industrious efforts in the attack, which allow him to intercept a wayward back-pass and slot home Samoa's 2nd of the game! However, thereafter Tonga do exert some pressure of their own that does give Matagi and his defenders a bit of work-out before half-time...
@Matthew Coldhill-smink (R51)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Estonia know how important this game is, with the knowledge that the loser here will be 6 points off the Swiss in 1st place with only 3 games in the Nations League remaining after today's fixtures. They make the perfect start though, as Sorga sprints clear with the ball at his feet and manages to convert an excellent chance to give Estonia a vital 1-0 lead.
After the game flows backwards and forwards for a while, it is again Sorga that is able to make the difference after an audacious 1-2 with Liivak involving a flick and a back-heel opens up the space for a shot on the turn that the Estonian forward takes with real aplomb! 2-0 at half-time then, with Estonia ruling the roost as it stands...
@Mairo Toom (R13)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Uzbekistan have looked like heavyweights in their group so far, as they look to cement a 100% record from their opening three fixtures. They look odds-on to maintain that record initially, after Abdukholiqov drifts into the box on a diagonal run and takes the pass from strike partner Sergeev in his stride before hitting it low and hard past the UAE goalkeeper.
A second goal follows not long afterwards, with Abdukholiqov once again losing his marker to chest down a Masharipov cross before volleying in a peach of a shot! However, complacency starts to creep into the Uzbekistani play and they pass it across the back-line once too many times, which the UAE Captain takes advantage of - as Al Hammadi claims possession, takes one touch to control and then another to let fly and beat Lobanov at his near post! 2-1 at half-time then, with all still to play for here...
@Lucas Holmes (A56)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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Liechtenstein look competent up front and use that confidence to gift Salanović an early opportunity, which he grabs with an excellent header to power the home side 1-0 ahead! Hasler then makes it 2-0 after an excellent solo run-and-shot that stings the keeper's hands, who fails to prevent what looked a saveable shot from the Liechtenstein forward!
However, the old defensive frailties are being papered over by that excellent attacking play - and that is soon exposed by some neat passing from Slovakia that allows Boženík to drift into the box and lay the ball off to Kucka, who slams home their opening goal of the game. Manager Morris is shaking his head at the lackadaisical defending by his team, which Boženík again exploits - though this time uses the run of Kucka as a mere decoy to give him more space to work an opportunity that Büchel fails to react quickly enough to!!!
2-2 at half-time then, as both sides look capable of going on to win this in the 2nd half...
@Kyle Morris (P14)
2nd half whenever you're ready mate...
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