Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo robbed

At Belgrade, Portugal logged horns with Serbia for the World Cup Qualifiers. With the kind of players Portugal have and the kind of form they are in at the moment, a victory was expected, but the match ended in a 2-2 draw and in a controversial manner.

Cristiano Ronaldo left the pitch fuming second before the final whistle after he was denied a clear winner. He chased down a linesman and even threw his captain’s armband away in disgust at one point.

Complaints about VAR are usually related to players being millimetres offside or how it's killing the charm of the game - however on last night's match was shrouded in controversy for precisely the opposite reason: the lack of VAR technology.

The fallout from Portugal's 2-2 draw with Serbia in qualifying for Qatar 2022 has been massive, after Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a stoppage-time goal which clearly crossed the line and would have given his side all three points. It's a decision that would have almost definitely been altered by VAR or goal-line technology.

The involvement of goal-line technology and VAR are everywhere at the top-level football, but why it was absent at Belgrade raised questions.

 Due to the fact that not all stadia involved in the qualifiers are equipped to use VAR or goal-line technology, it was deemed unfair to use it in some stadiums and not others, so the decision was taken by football's governing bodies to not use it in any qualifiers to ensure a level playing field.

Even the Spanish side faced a similar situation against Greece, where they were halted by a 1-1 draw the other night.

Greece were awarded a controversial penalty which was enough for them to take a point from the match.

A Diogo Jota double had given Portugal a 2-0 lead in the first half but Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic became his country's all-time top scorer on 39 goals from 63 international appearances after he pulled one back in the 46th minute.

The Serbians, who ended the match with 10-men, bounced back when Filip Kostic levelled and when the referee denied Ronaldo the winner, one can feel, Portugal and CR7 were robbed.

The anger was obvious and CR7 expressed his feelings on Instagram where he posted that he’s proud to captain the country and he will continue to give everything, but he just struggled to deal with that situation but he’s vowing that the team will bounce back.

Frustrated Portugal head coach Fernando Santos has demanded that VAR be used in qualifying matches following his side's draw on Saturday.

“The referee apologized and I have great respect for him, but it is not permissible that, in a competition like this, there is no VAR or goal-line technology,” Santos told A Bola.

“The ball was half a metre inside the goal, there was no obstacle between the goalkeeper and the goal line. It was very clear.”

Having both won their opening games in the group, Serbia and Portugal move on to four points each in World Cup qualifying.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 28/03/2021 Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo robbed

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Well played West Indies and Sri Lanka

Just have a look at the West Indies Test unit. Well, for the modern-day fans, who actually think that the Caribbean Cricket is all about turning beat on in the Twenty20 Leagues, then, there is nothing much for them – this is an inexperienced unit who loves to play Test cricket rather than taking those Twenty20 leagues too seriously and when they play out there, they actually curb their whims and perform as a unit – they fight for the Maroon Cap.

During the Test series against Bangladesh, the fighting spirit was evident and because this is West Indies, the expectations always remain low – the West Indian Test train can derail in the very next series. Thankfully, the eagerness to fight for the Maroon Cap exists.

On the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at North Sound, Nkrumah Bonner displayed the character of a Test batsman – occupied the crease hours after hours, faced 274 balls, blunted the Sri Lankan pacers, negotiated the left-arm orthodox bowling of Lasith Embuldeniya and held one end firm so that West Indies does not collapse.

Obviously, he was well supported by the skipper Kraigg Braithwaite, Kyle Mayers, and Jason Holder. He finished the day unbeaten on 113 and it was never easy out there because the Lankan bowlers were disciplined and hardly gave the West Indian batters to breathe easily – patience and determination are the keys to survive and for many years, West Indies, plagued by the Twenty20 leagues, have rediscovered the stability through these boys.

Despite the historic runs chase of 395 at Chattogram last month, the intent of West Indies on Day 5 was different – curb the adventurous thoughts and focus on occupying the crease.

The deck had lost its pace a lot and run-scoring was never easy against the doughy bowling of the visitors.

When Dimuth Karunaratne decided that no result was possible and called off the rest of the match, West Indies had 236 for four.

Mayers was the only other batsman to pass fifty, but Brathwaite had batted out 124 balls in the innings.

It had been an outstanding effort under the given circumstances and it would have never been possible if the Sri Lankans had not dished out a fantastic batting effort in their second innings.

In the first innings, their story was quite familiar.

17 for 1 became 29 for 2 then it turned out to be 54 for 3 and after a while, it was 74 for 4 and 92 for 5.

Man, the Lankan collapse was annoying – they were bundled out for 169 with Lahiru Thirimanna notching up a fighting 70-run.

169-all-out was their second-lowest first-innings score in the Caribbean. The lowest had also been recorded by this team, essentially, in 2018, though the fast bowlers had gone on to rally and win that game in Barbados.

They did spend 69.4 overs out there, largely because of Thirimanne who faced 184 balls for his sturdy 70.

Jason Holder picked up 5 wickets and his nagging line and incisive length seem to get sharper and sharper day by day.

In reply, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando Dusmantha Chameera, and Embuldeniya had West Indies on the mats until Rahkeem Cornwall joined Joshua Da Silva at the crease.

All the specialist batsmen had been dismissed, and the second new ball was around the corner, with West Indies leading by just two runs.

ESPNcricinfo stated, “But Cornwall, intent on proving he is a better batsman than his Test stats suggested, began to free his arms midway through the third session, hitting thumping blows down the ground, cracking seamers on the up, pulling ferociously, cutting on occasion, and generally imposing himself on the match in a manner that no batsmen had previously managed on this pitch. By day's end, he was not out on 60 off 79 balls - 48 of those runs having come from boundaries (nine fours, two sixes).”

 “His 90-run eighth-wicket stand with Da Silva, who contributed only 29 to the partnership, broke the match open for the West Indies. Where before Cornwall's arrival it seemed as if the teams were in for a second-innings scrap, West Indies had achieved a commanding position by stumps - a triple-figure lead almost in hand. Cornwall had Kemar Roach for company at stumps, the team score at 268 for 8.”

West Indie stretched the lead to 102 and it was time for Sri Lanka to dig deep and correct the mistakes of the first innings.

Pathum Nissanka was the debutante and he lit up the domestic cricket with a brilliant show. But he was thrown into the limited versions where he did not flourish, still, featured in the first Test and after failing in the first outing, he was shining brightly in the second.

Thrimanne’s patience was on show again, Oshada Fernando got things going and DHanajaya de Silva was among the runs, but the most vital part was the knocks played by Nissanka and Niroshan Dickwella.

Dickwell did not lose his cool and batted sensibly – faced 163 balls to swell the lead and support Nissanka, who faced 252 balls for his Test hundred on debut – the last time a Lankan batter had notched up a hundred on debut was Thilan Samaraweera and it was 20 years ago. Since then, the Lankans have not experienced such a feat – the widening gap between the standard of domestic cricket and international one has always been under the scanner, but at least, this hundred by debut would a boost to the system.

In that effective sixth-wicket stand of 179 between Nissanka and Dickwella, the debutante looked matured enough was never bogged down by the different line of attack applied by the West Indian bowlers.

From 169 to 476 had been a huge improvement and a morale-boosting one, and the same old thing can be stated about faring well – keep the basics right, the success would come and never lose the fighting spirit.

The West Indians followed the same and in the end, it turned out to be a very enjoyable Test match.

Well played West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/03/2021 Well played West Indies and Sri Lanka

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Cricket in the Shadow of Upheaval: Tumultuous Times in Bangladesh During Pakistan Era

 

The domestic cricket season in Pakistan traditionally unfolds during the cooler autumn and winter months, offering a respite from the searing summer heat. However, the 1970/71 cricket season was anything but ordinary, unfolding against the backdrop of political upheaval that would forever alter the nation's trajectory. As the nation grappled with epoch-making events, cricket too underwent profound changes, reflecting the turbulent winds of the time. 

Politics Meets Cricket: A Nation at a Crossroads

In December 1970, Pakistan held its first national and provincial elections based on universal adult suffrage, heralding a new era of political accountability. Yet, the aftermath of these elections unleashed a tempest of discontent, particularly in East Pakistan, where the political and cultural divide between the two wings of the country reached a breaking point. Amid this turmoil, cricket, often seen as a unifying force, became a stage where the broader currents of change played out. 

The Ayub Trophy, a staple of Pakistan’s cricketing calendar, was rebranded as the BCCP Trophy under the administration of a new government in Islamabad. Cricket tournaments, like the inaugural National Under-19 Championship, were introduced, fostering talent from both wings of the country. Divided into East and West Zones, this competition mirrored the duality of a nation already straining under its internal divisions. 

East Pakistan’s Moment in the Sun

In East Pakistan, the National Under-19 Championship showcased Dhaka as the hub of cricketing activity. The East Zone’s final was a dramatic affair, with the East Pakistan Sports Federation Under-19 side, led by a young Raqibul Hasan, defeating the Dhaka Education Board team. Tanvir Mazhar Tanna’s extraordinary all-round performance—107 runs and 8 wickets—underscored the talent brewing in the region. 

The national final, hosted in Dhaka, saw East Pakistan's champions take on Lahore’s formidable Under-19 side, captained by Wasim Raja and featuring future luminaries like Imran Khan. Lahore's batting prowess, highlighted by centuries from Afzal Masood and Imran Khan, overwhelmed the East Pakistan team, handing Lahore victory based on a commanding first-innings lead. While this marked a significant moment for cricket in East Pakistan, it also underscored the stark disparity between the two regions, both in cricket and beyond. 

The BCCP Trophy and East Pakistan’s Struggles

In the senior BCCP Trophy, East Pakistan fielded two teams: East Pakistan Whites and Greens. The Whites, representing the more seasoned players, managed a respectable performance against Dhaka University, with young opener Rauf Ansari impressive with scores of 74 and an unbeaten 150. Yet, when pitted against the powerhouse PIA team, boasting Test stalwarts like Zaheer Abbas and Mohammad Ilyas, both East Pakistani teams crumbled under the weight of superior opposition. 

The disparity in cricketing infrastructure and talent between East and West Pakistan was glaring. While West Pakistan fielded teams brimming with international experience, many players from East Pakistan found their solitary brush with first-class cricket in these matches. 

An International Match Turns into a Political Flashpoint

February 1971 brought an international XI led by Mickey Stewart to Pakistan. The second “Test” of the tour, staged in Dhaka, held special significance as it featured two East Pakistan-born cricketers in the Pakistan lineup—Raqibul Hasan and Tanvir Mazhar Tanna. For the Dhaka crowd, Raqibul, a symbol of East Pakistan’s cricketing aspirations, was a focal point. 

As Raqib walked out to bat, he carried a subtle yet defiant message: a sticker on his Gray-Nicolls bat declaring freedom for Bangladesh. The thunderous protest from the Bengali crowd underscored the rising tide of Bengali nationalism. Sadly, Raqib’s innings was short-lived, and Pakistan’s batting faltered against a disciplined international attack. 

The match, however, was overshadowed by an announcement that sent shockwaves through the stadium. President Yahya Khan had postponed the inaugural session of Pakistan’s National Assembly, triggering widespread outrage in Dhaka. Protesters stormed the stadium, setting fire to marquees and forcing the abandonment of the match. The chaos that engulfed Dhaka marked a grim turning point for the nation and its cricket. 

The Curtain Falls on East Pakistani Cricket

The players, trapped in the stadium amid the unrest, were eventually escorted to safety. For the Pakistani team, the journey out of Dhaka was fraught with danger and uncertainty, reflecting the larger collapse of order in the region. As they departed, Raqibul Hasan’s poignant farewell to Zaheer Abbas—“The next time I visit Karachi or Lahore, I might have to come with a new passport”—resonated as a haunting prophecy. 

Within weeks, East Pakistan descended into violence and chaos, culminating in the Liberation War and the eventual emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. The events of the 1970/71 cricket season, while seemingly peripheral, mirrored the fractures within the country. For East Pakistan, this was not just the end of a cricketing chapter but the prelude to a new national identity. 

Legacy of a Divided Season

The 1970/71 cricket season serves as a poignant reminder of the intersection between sport and society. Cricket in Pakistan, once seen as a unifying force, became a microcosm of the divisions that tore the nation apart. The talent and potential of East Pakistani cricketers like Raqibul Hasan and Tanvir Mazhar Tanna highlighted what might have been, while the dominance of West Pakistan teams underscored the structural inequalities that defined the era. 

In retrospect, the cricketing contests of that fateful season were more than games; they were a reflection of a nation on the brink of transformation. As the curtain fell on cricket in East Pakistan, it marked not just the end of an era but the dawn of a new chapter in the region’s history.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Tottenham Hotspur collapse in spectacular fashion

It was unexpected. It was shocking. It was spectacular. And, it was annoying for the fans of Tottenham Hotspur. Jose Mourinho was left fuming. Dinamo Zagreb celebrated in front of the Spurs players on a night where the North London side collapsed and crashed out of the UEFA Europa League.

Dinamo Zagreb had given their all whereas the visitors cut a sorry figure.

They turned around a two-goal deficit to dump Tottenham Hotspur out of the tournament.

A hat-trick from Mislav Orsic was enough to give Dinamo the victory on the night, sending them into the quarter-finals.

 Dinamo were excellent throughout the match.

They fought hard and exhibited the ideal determination, restricted the chances of the visitors, and when they opened the scoring, it felt inevitable that they’d level the tie soon after.

Quite how the Croatian side managed it given the events of this week – including the jailing of manager Zoran Mamic – is anyone’s guess.

Still, they pulled the rabbit out of the hat.

And naturally, most of the praise must go to Orsic. His hat-trick was absolutely fantastic, particularly the first and third goals, even though, the backline of the Spurs should come under scrutiny.

Mourinho surfaced a strong side, but quite astonishingly, they malfunctioned.

Zagreb built the pressure and whenever they pressed the Spurs, they continue to melt and ultimately lost in a tie where they should have won.

On the only previous occasion that Mourinho, who is more accustomed to the Champions League, had taken part in this tournament, he lifted the trophy with Manchester United. He had high hopes of doing the same with Spurs, who hired him for his prize-winning pedigree. But his team has been ousted by a club going to the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first time.

 In the 35th minute, Dinamo worked their way, aided by a slip by Davinson Sanchez, but Lovro Majer drilled wide from the edge of the box. One minute later Sanchez slid into Spurs’ rescue, hooking the ball away from Arijan Ademi in front of goal after a cute pass by Majer.

Zagrev grew stronger by each passing minute and after the break, they looked even sharper - Ademi was left free from a corner in the 52nd minute but sent a downward header bouncing into the arms of Hugo Lloris.

After an hour, Majer burst through Spurs’ pedestrian midfield and passed to Orsic on the left. The winger duped Serge Aurier by cutting back onto his right foot and curling a shot from the corner of the box into the far corner of the net.

With eight minutes remaining, Dinamo substitute, Iyayi Atiemwen, made a bigger impact. He joined in an intricate move to feed Orsic, who darted into the box as Moussa Sissoko dawdled and then swept the equalizer into the net from 10 yards.

Spurs had to rally to save their campaign. They nearly did so in the 89th minute but Kévin Théophile‑Catherine cleared a Kane header off the line to force extra-time.

In the first minute of extra-time, after receiving the ball more than 30 yards out, Orsic zigzagged between Aurier, Sissoko, and Ndombele and then crowned the run with an explosive finish, thrashing the ball past Lloris from 20 yards.

And that was it.

Mourinho brutally criticized the attitude of his players and apologized to fans after the disgraceful defeat.

“I’m disappointed with the difference of attitude between one team and the other,” Mourinho said after the 3-2 aggregate defeat.

“I feel sorry that my team – I belong to that team – is the team that didn’t bring to the game not just the basics of football but, I believe, the basics of life, which is to respect our jobs and to give everything.”

“I don’t need external critics because I feel deeply hurt with what happened with my team. I don’t want to say much more than that. On behalf of my team, in spite of some of them may be not sharing my feelings and emotions, I can only apologize to the Tottenham supporters.”

“[Dinamo] played with a lot of desire. I can also call it professionalism because for me professionalism starts with the attitude,” he said, adding he felt “more than sad” that his players “did not look like they were playing in an important match.”

This has been a terrible season for the Spurs. They were right at the top a couple of months back, but at the moment, the future of some players and the manager seems bleak.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 19/03/2021 Tottenham Hotspur collapse in spectacular fashion

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Real Madrid: Quarterfinals, here I come!

Okay, no more hiccups in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. No more heavy hearts. Enough of all those harsh critics. Enough of the past. It is always better to move on and back what we have at present and improve. Of course, the great Zinedine Zidane has been doing such in his second stint, and whatever the situation is – he is helping the Los Blancos pass through the troubled sea.

Led by the pace and skill of Vinicius Junior, the outstanding command over the ball in the midfield of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, the leadership of Ramos and the finishing of Karim Benzema Real Madrid progressed to the Champions League quarterfinals on a windy night at Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium for the first time in three seasons with a 3-1 win over Atalanta in the second leg of their last 16-tie. 

After suffering defeat at this stage to Ajax and Manchester City in previous campaigns, the 13-time European champions go through 4-1 on aggregate.

Zinedine Zidane chose to stick with the system of three center-backs that he trialed for an hour against Elche on Saturday, while Luka Modric and Toni Kroos started in midfield.

Vinicius Junior was the surprise selection in Zidane's starting line-up but he repaid his coach's faith with an outstanding performance.

The at the back, Nacho Fernandez understands Zidane's formation better than anybody and contributed both in defence and attack – another Los Blancos who is heavily underrated and deserves the accolade for immense contribution in Zidane’s new formation.

It was Atalanta who came close to scoring and it might have been different if they scored first.

Luis Muriel pulled back to Robin Gosens but with a weak wave of the foot on the edge of the six-yard box, his shot went straight at Thibaut Courtois.

Real Madrid – shaky at the start - discovered themselves at the back foot with Ramos having to stick in a toe as Muriel slipped the ball through for Mario Pasalic, Cristian Romero seeing a volley blocked and Berat Djimsiti’s effort going over -  Courtois kicking the ball straight out of play, was at least the sensible thing to do – and how Marco Sportiello would wish he had followed suit at the other end.

And that was it – the Los Blancos started to regain their mojo and take full control over the match.

The leader was the brilliant Modric.

The marvelous Croatian made sure that Real Madrid does not lose the upper hand in the midfield and along with his partner – Kroos, Modric broke the lines of Atalanta, essayed silky passes, produced moments and it was his night to remember.

Modric had a great influence on the game. He pounced on Marco Sportiello’s error to set Benzema up for the first goal to set the hosts on their way.

Upfront – the velocity and dribbling skill of Vinicius Junior broke the resistance of the Italians and with the progression of time, it vanished. The Brazilian kid is more often criticized for not scoring but his critics would realize that in football everything is not about scoring rather, skills can create a huge impact.

Madrid might have scored when Vinicius and Benzema combined, only for Djimsiti to dive in front of the Brazilian. His pace was too much for Rafael Toloi.

Sportiello hit the ball straight at Modric.

The pass was dreadful, the control superb, and Benzema was in support to put Madrid ahead.

While Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe make the headlines, Benzema keeps scoring. The striker has 21 goals in all competitions this season, including five in the Champions League. In fact, after goals against Borussia Monchengladbach, Inter, and now Atalanta, he's just one behind Raul's tally of 71 in the competition.

The visitors were denied what might have been another when Muriel was found just outside the area only for the chance to be curtailed by the clock and the referee’s whistle for the break, which arrived bang on time.

After the break Vinicius had almost scored the glorious second, evading defenders only to nudge fractionally wide. And if that run did not yield a goal, the next one did  Ilicic lost possession and Vinicius was away again, Rafael Toloi bringing him down as he headed into the area. From the spot, Ramos scored his 20th consecutive penalty for Madrid.

The tie should've been wrapped up not long afterward, with Benzema hitting first Sportiello and then the post when he connected with Lucas Vazquez's cross.

Now needing three goals to go through, Atalanta sought to find a way past Courtois, but the Belgian stood firm for two strikes from Duvan Zapata.

 The Italians awoke late - Muriel bending in a brilliant free-kick but the substitute Marco Asensio beating Sportiello at his near post to net a third for the host and ensured that the night belonged to Real Madrid.

The Los Blancos are back in the quarterfinals!

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 17/03/2021 Real Madrid: Quarterfinals, here I come!

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Another night of records for Erling Haaland

It was a match where one did not expect enough twist in the tale when Borussia Dortmund were leading by 2-0, but in the 68th minute and injury time, Dortmund had their hearts in the mouth when Youssef En-Nesyri struck twice and raised the hopes for Sevilla. But in the end, no remarkable resurrection was done; rather, it became another night of records for the marvelous Erling Haaland.

 Haaland beat Bono from the penalty spot to put Dortmund 2-0 up, in the process taking his own tally to 20 in the competition. It took Haaland just 14 games to reach the mark, meaning he made it quicker than any other player in history.

He opened the scoring 35 minutes into the first half, extending his run in front of the goal to six consecutive Champions League games. At 20 years and 231 days of age, he is the youngest player to achieve such a feat in Europe's top tournament at club level.

In the second half, he extended Dortmund's aggregate lead to 5-2 with a penalty and set a new benchmark with his 20th Champions League goal.

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur was the previous owner of the record, reaching the figure in a comparatively sluggish 24 games.

He is also Norway's top scorer in the Champions League, overtaking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who netted 19 times in the competition.

Haaland's second strike triggered hot heads. 

He had three opportunities to score before finally getting back on the score-sheet.

First, he raced his way to goal before shooting past Bono, only to see referee Cuneyt Cakir bring review the action for suspected foul play.

It was deemed that Haaland had committed an infraction on Fernando on the way to the goal, but VAR brought play-back even further to spot a previous push on the forward by Jules Kounde.

He took the penalty himself and saw Bono save both his first effort and the rebound, although the goalkeeper's joy was short-lived as Cakir ordered a retake as he had strayed off his line.

Haaland scored from the penalty spot and finally claimed the record - also earning a yellow card for his troubles due to squabbling with Kounde in the aftermath of the initial passage of play.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 10/03/2021 Another night of records for Erling Haaland

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Thomas Tuchel is making the Blue machine work

Another Premier League roster, another full point earned, and with that, the lean-patch of the past is becoming a distant memory for Chelsea. The whole unit is functioning brilliantly and Thomas Tuchel seems to have found the formula to run this Blue Machine – tactical tweaks are doing the tricks.

In the match against Everton at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel used Kai Havertz as a false 9 between wide forwards Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The German, making his first start since 27 January, had his best game in a blue shirt and was involved in both goals as Chelsea cruised to a commanding win in the race to finish in the top four, dismissing passive Everton with ease.

Tuchel is bold and not afraid to experiment and when he offered the thought of using Havertz as a central striker last week, eyebrows were raised but the ploy worked against Everton, whose defenders were left clueless by the craft, movement, and easy way of finding space in dangerous positions of Havertz.

“He is a unique player,” Tuchel said last week while injury held back Havertz's chances to start games.

“It’s not so clear where he needs to settle, does he need to settle on one special position? Or is he kind of a hybrid player. Today, I would say he’s in between a nine and a 10, something in between.”

It is a position he thrived in during his final weeks at Bayer Leverkusen, scoring eight goals in 11 games for Peter Bosz's side in a run that convinced Chelsea to splash out £70 million ($97m) on the 21-year-old over the summer and Tuchel realized very well that in this position, he would be able to bring the best out of the young lad.

And, Havertz enjoyed the best game in a Chelsea shirt last night.

“I’m very happy with his performance,” Tuchel said after the match. “There is no doubt about his talent. He needs to adapt to the Premier League. He needs to adapt where we play to win every game.

“We have the highest standards. This is a normal process. Today he was excellent. He showed up between the lines and used his potential to accelerate. He took responsibility to finish.”

The Blues controlled the game last night.

Everton tried the low-block but Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic pulled the strings from the midfield, winning the ball and using it wisely. With James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure missing, the visitors lacked ambition and the focus on containment left Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison struggling upfront.

A beautiful move, starting with Callum Hudson-Odoi discovering Marcos Alonso with a gorgeous pass on the left, finally had room and his inviting cutback reached Havertz, who timed his run well, and his side-footed shot deflected off Ben Godfrey for an own goal.

Tuchel drilled his unit well since taking over who even under pressure built up from the back with confidence and rotated the possession – fast but neat passing and even without the ball their intent was always positive to win the ball back and neutralize any sort of threats – there has been a huge improvement at the backline – well-focused, solid and composed.

Andreas Christensen was unflappable in defence again and Kurt Zouma was strong on the left of the back three.

Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy only faced one shot on target.

Alonso released Havertz, who rounded Pickford before being fouled by the goalkeeper.

Jorginho stepped up to send Pickford the wrong way from the spot and the game was done.

The Blues are unbeaten in 11 games under the German, while the 2-0 shutout of Everton saw him become the first manager in Premier League history to see his side keep a clean sheet in each of his first five home games in charge in the division.

And while Tuchel secured a personal piece of history last night, not conceding meant Chelsea have now kept five clean sheets in a row at home in the league for the first time since 2015.

“It is about desire,” said Tuchel.

“Defending is about effort. Sometimes it is necessary to defend midfield. It is about reliability, trust, courage, bravery.”

“The guys around you must help you, principles, reliable, having your backs covered.”

“I truly believe this is a team squad and I can feel the strong bond between the players,” Tuchel said. “They live it in every day of training. I feel it on the sidelines. I feel the support. We need this to have a run and to have results like this.”

Certainly, under Tuchel the blues are rejuvenated.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketosccer as CSdesk on 09/03/2021 Thomas Tuchel making the Blue machine work

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Only if England exhibited resolve, the outcome might have been different

 

After winning the first Test it was thought that India might face a sterner challenge from the visitors, who have landed on the Indian soil with a certain purpose and which are to repeat the feat of that amazing winter of 2012. The Test series against Sri Lanka was supposed to serve as the perfect platform for the big series – well, despite having the advantage, the English melted as the series progressed.

 After winning the first Test in Chennai by the margin of 227 runs, England were put in their place over the course of the next three matches, India turning up the intensity with consecutive wins by 317 runs, 10 wickets, and an innings and 25 runs.

The last two Test matches in Ahmedabad spanned less than five days between as they managed fewer runs across four innings (533) than they had made in more in the first innings of 578 at Chepauk.

The results were embarrassing and quite unexpected.

One reason for this embarrassment could be the lack of resolve among the English batters.

There had been a lot of debate about the nature of the tracks in India and the debate regarding the pitch especially that of the third Test, masked the shortcomings of the English batters.

To be honest, England lacked the patience to spend time at the crease and the technique to counter the spinners. Obviously, there exists a school of thought, and which is, the English batsmen are not well-equipped against the spinners, and on rank-turners, they succumb. Still, over the years, they seemed to have overcome the fear-factor against the turning ball – because, even if short-in-technique, still, by exhibiting resolve, the English batters overcame the battles against the spinners.

Resolve is very important in Test batsmanship when a batsman has chinks in his armory against the pace or spin.  In such cases, occupying the crease becomes the most important component of batsmanship because the more time you spend at the crease, the more adapt to the conditions and bowlers and figure out how to tackle the bowlers.

Joe Root should have played that role since that outstanding knock at Chennai.

Sadly, after that, he was nowhere near that temperament and technique displayed in Sri Lanka and Chennai in the first Test.

Still, he managed 368 runs in this Test, courtesy of that knock in Chennai, at an average of 46 while Ben Stokes’ 203 runs at 25.37 fell way short of the levels that his side needed to stay in touch.

The rest of the batters had been shoddy – especially Jonny Bairstow experienced an absolute nightmare of a series - in his most recent nine Test innings against India, he had failed to score on six occasions, with a top score of 28 and an average of 5.77.

Since May 2018, Bairstow has averaged 23.17 in 22 Tests. For a man who averages 50.74 in first-class cricket for Yorkshire –this performance had been utterly frustrating. Perhaps, he would be replaced, and to don the white shirt again, he needs to fight back.

 “It was disappointing,” Root said afterward. “Credit does have to go to India, they've generally out-skilled us. They showed us how to bat on that wicket, and similarly today with the ball they were excellent.”

“We've just got to keep working together to try and find ways of being better in similar conditions in the future,” he added.  

This England team has the quality to conquer testing conditions but it is very important that they realize how good they are and work on the basics.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 07/03/2021 Only if England exhibited resolve, the outcome might have been different

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Faisal Caesar 

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola is a master tactician

 

“Pep rotated his players in this formation and his idea was not to run too much with the ball, rather, pass to the teammates, then adjust the respective positions and open up space and thereby contribute productively”

It was 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium with just ten minutes remaining. And in those ten minutes, the Wolves experienced the City of Pep Guardiola at their ruthless best. With a relentless thrust, they bombarded towards the goal of the Wolves and struck thrice to make the score-sheet look like a thumping victory.

First, Jesus turned home Kyle Walker’s cross from the right, then Mahrez was set up by Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling before Jesus turned home a Rui Patricio parry in added time as City powered 15 points clear at the top with a 4-1 win.

Manchester City’s record sequence of victories now stands at 21.

They also equaled a club record 28 matches unbeaten, can dream of surpassing Bayern Munich’s record mark of 23 straight wins for Europe’s top five leagues. They are leaving second-placed Manchester United way behind with 11 games left and even if Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s team wins the upcoming Derby, it would not bother Pep at all.

In this season, till now, Pep and his boys have been invincible and despite the scratchy start to the season how the genius transformed the whole team into a brute force remains a matter of interest to many.

 Pep tweaked his tactics and such sort of changes is nothing new from the master.  

Pep started the season with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Kevin de Bruyne started at the number 10 position and operated with a false nine because of fitness issues with Kun Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. Either Mendy or Joao Cancelo would operate as the left-back and Kyle Walker as the right.

Mendy and Cancelo are full-backs who moved higher up the pitch and switched to the more central areas leaving spaces, which was shielded by Walker with the two central defenders – John Stones and Ruben Dias – a 3-men defensive line would be created and in front, Gundogan formed the second pivot along with Rodri.

Now with Walker – the full-back know for advancing higher, lying alongside defence, Riyad Mahrez had to cut back inside the right and position himself behind the false nine and aid. This move would shape the midfield in flat 4-men standing in front of 3-men defence: Mendy or Cancelo on the left, Gundogan and De Bruyne at the center of the park and Walker guarding the right zone with Rodri joining the defenders to form the 3-men defence.

City lost the creative power upfront.

Raheem Sterling, positioned on the left, would wait for the ball from the flanks – Mendy or from the deep – Gundogan and move out and inside the opposition penalty area. The movement of Sterling forced Bernardo Silva- often played as the false nine – drop deep and allow De Bruyne to advance higher.

Players moved in between the lines during the final third but lacked the cutting edge because the there was a bit of disharmony during switching the positions and breaking the defensive lines became tough – which allowed the opponents to regain possession and counter during the break.

Yes, such a tactic did bring results, but to win the title during this hectic schedule and season of injuries and COVID-19 setbacks, Pep thought about boosting the consistency level and become untouchable.  

He switched back to the 4-3-3 formation – to be specific it was a 4-1-2-3 formation.

Cancelo moved to the right-back position and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left.

The likes of De Bryune and Gundogan were given the roles at which they are more comfortable and started with the wingers staying wide. Rodri was like a genuine pivot and allowed Gundogan to advance higher.

The number nine in the form of Gabriel Jesus stayed a tad deeper to cope with the movement of his teammates.

The advancement of Gudogan higher up the pitch added a new dimension to the City shape.

His presence positively impacted the team’s ability to overload the horizontal zone upfront.

This was vital to the team to play the ball behind the opposition midfield by creating decisional dilemmas.

It was never easy for a defensive midfielder to switch to an offensive role, but Pep is well aware of the attacking intent of Gundogan and when given the role, he adopted it beautifully. Especially, his utilization of half-spaces paid rich dividends.

But before this, comes the build-up: as soon as the City keeper releases the ball and the center-backs start building the full-backs moved to the midfield and stayed firm in their respective positions with the pivot in the middle.

This position allowed the wingers like Phil Foden, Sterling, Silva, or Mahrez to stay wider – interestingly, Sterling is used as an inverted winger; while Foden’s strong left-foot was exploited more.   

When the wingers came under pressure, the full-backs advanced for the shield act and ensured the wingers to orchestrate the inswinging cross from the angle to the center. If the left-back’s fluid movement allowed inswingers then the right-back’s one would ensure the teeing up between Gundogan and the winger, which would draw the players towards them and open the half-spaces to exploit for the number 9 and players like De Bruyne.

And when the left-hand side is overloaded, the pivot gains the passion and passes the ball to the free winger on the right, who creates havoc and vice versa.

When the opposition regained possession and pressed – Pep did not defend with the previously used 4-4-2 where four players stayed firmed in the midfield, rather, the shape was changed to 2-3-5, where the center-backs stayed back firm and three players – two full-backs and the pivot shielded the back from the midfield – they have contributed more in tackling and an interception.

2-3-5 is a shape with which the teams attack more often, but Pep is using it to ensure solidity when the ball is lost.

Pep rotated his players in this formation and his idea was not to run too much with the ball, rather, pass to the teammates, then adjust the respective positions and open up space and thereby contribute productively.

This has instilled the rhythm, which is becoming hard for the opponents to overcome.

Pep is a master tactician and under pressure, his plans have reaped a rich harvest for Manchester City.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 03/03/2021 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola is a master tactician

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Vinicius Junior earns a face-saving draw for Real Madrid

Real Madrid are in a position where dropping points would prove costly let alone a defeat. Before the meg-clash against the neighbours Atletico Madrid, a victory against Real Sociedad was much-needed. Sadly, the Los Blancos dropped points and at one point it seemed, they would lose until Vinicius Junior stepped up to salvage the face-saving draw.

Despite avoiding defeat, it is a result that leaves Los Blancos further behind in the title race after league leaders Atletico Madrid won over the weekend, making for a five-point gap going into next week's Madrid derby.

Zidane made just one change from the team that triumphed in its last outing in Champions League action last week against Atalanta, with Mariano coming in for Vinicius in the attack, meaning Isco received a second consecutive start.

Zidane persisted with the 4-3-3 formation against Real Sociedad’s switch to 4-2-3-1 from 4-3-3.

After Sociedad’s European outing in Manchester, Imanol Alguacil opts for four changes - Monreal and Le Normand came in at the back, while further forward David Silva and Portu were the other two additions to the starting eleven.

Real Madrid had won 10 of their last 11 home matches against Sociedad in La Liga, including three wins in three home games against them under Zidane - scoring an average of 3.7 goals per game.

Real Madrid, in between, were one victory away from equaling their best winning streak in La Liga this season - they won their first five games in December - while they are enjoying their best streak of games without conceding this season in the competition - three, going 312 minutes without conceding since a goal by Javi Galan for Huesca.

As the match commenced, it appeared that Real Madrid were playing with a 4-3-1-2 formation - Modric sitting behind Mariano and Isco, who are acting as split strikers up top.

Sociedad pressed higher up the pitch and the backline of Real Madrid started to melt - dispossess Ferland Mendy deep inside the half. Monreal went venturing forward after a short passage of play but opts to, rather sensibly, play backward in the end. A few minutes later, Monreal got bundled over in the area after latching onto an Oyarzabal pass, but the offside flag was up.

After the opening ten minutes, the Real Madrid backline started to settle down.

Lucas Vazquez found space, while La Real were advancing forward and reached the byline crossing towards the far post where Isco mistimed his run – the possession fell to the feet of Casemiro and La Real discovered that it was tricky to get out of their own half.

Vazquez made another run down the right a few minutes later before crossing towards the head of Isco, who miscued his effort slightly, and that allowed the ball to trickle into the hands of Remiro.

Casemiro joined the center-backs and which allowed Mendy to advance forward – the cross from the left put La Real in sorts of trouble but Asensio was on his heels and couldn’t capitalize at the back post.

Toni Kroos went deep and Modric advanced forward as he produced a right-footed effort at the La Real area.

Real Madrid showed their authority over the ball from side to side and appeared content to remain patient in their build-up play. The ball was on the feet of the players at the center of the park, who neatly passed it to the flanks.

Sadly, the cutting-edge upfront was hugely missing.

Mariano's effort hit the bat off a razor-sharp cross from Vazquez and then Asensio missed one courtesy of a weak volley from the set-piece.  

Isco made a run from the center of the park and opted to pass to his right instead of shooting from range. Casemiro was in space, took one touch, and unleashed a low, driven right-footed shot towards the bottom left corner, and it was not enough.

Mendy latched onto a diagonal pass before playing to Isco, who rolled in Kroos with his first touch, who made it into the area to the left of goal but his left-footed effort was saved by the feet of Remiro.

Just before the break, Modric rolled one through the legs of Zubimendi and weighed up his crossing options inside the area. Instead of passing, however, Modric opted to whip a right-footed effort from the edge of the area towards the far post, where Remiro parried away to safety.

It was a dominating first half by the hosts and much more was expected after the break.

After a fairly dominant first 45 minutes from the hosts' point of view, Zidane opted to switch to a formation with three center-backs. It proved counteractive for his team, with Ferland Mendy's more advanced position causing them to leak a goal to Cristian Portu. The formation was changed after just 15 minutes of the second half.

Portu's opening goal was his third in his last eight appearances in LaLiga Santander. The Spaniard gave Mendy a tough evening at Valdebebas and didn't stop running until an injury forced him off in the second half.

After clean sheets against Getafe, Valencia, Real Valladolid, and Atalanta, Thibaut Courtois conceded his first goal in five games when Portu's header found a way in. The hosts still didn't give away many clear chances, though.

But the change of shape certainly disturbed the rhythm and with time running out for the Los Blancos, Zidane decided to substitute Mariano and Asensio – Vinicius Junior, Hugo, Fede Valverde, and Rodrygo Goes were summoned.

Real Madrid worked a set-piece short to Vazquez, who picked out the head of Casemiro inside the area. Despite being inside the six-yard box, Casemiro somehow managed to head wide to the left of the goal.  

Duro dragged himself towards the far post, getting on the end of Vinicius' cross, which he could only head wide of the target from a fairly tight angle.

The La Real penalty arena was busy but  Remiro brought some calm to the situation by diving on it before Duro could capitalize inside the six-yard box. Initially, Rodrygo had scuffed his shot and then Le Normand made a mess of his right-footed clearance to add to the confusion.

Rodrygo and Vinicius added pace, Duro injected a bit more intent while Valverde gave the composure; still, the game looked lost.

With just a minute left for the normal time to finish, Vazquez – the continuous threat last night, ventured a run to the byline and orchestrated a low cross to the front post where Duro miscued, but Vinicius was behind his fellow substitute, however, to turn home with his right foot into the bottom left corner.

Certainly, the right-foot of Vinicius came to play and rescued the hosts.

“I changed it because I wasn't happy with our pressing,” Zidane told the media after the match.

“It was those 10-15 minutes and we changed it again and we were better playing a 4-3-3. Our substitutes did well after coming on. If you've asked me and that's now three times, then yes, maybe.”

“We had to change things because, after an hour, the team was a bit tired. Sometimes we have to change things.”

“In the end, you try to find things to change the dynamic.”

With Atletico Madrid slipping up against Levante, Zidane missed the opportunity to gain some ground on their league-leading rivals.

At least, the consolation was that Real Madrid did not lose the full points, but earned one point.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 02/03/2021 Vinicius Junior earns a face-saving draw for Real Madrid

Thank You

Faisal Caesar