Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes combine for a world class display

Roma were leading and at one point, Manchester United unleashed the beast that devoured Roma as if it was hungry for many years – hungry for goals, hungry for success. The Red Devils ended the night with an unassailable advantage that all but places them in the Europa League final next month.

It was the night where the Uruguayan legend Edinson Cavani reminded the world of his class and why he deserves a place among the best footballers in the last ten years – surely the tall and strong Uruguayan is a part of the country’s list of great footballers and even at this age he has not lost the hunger and creative prowess that made him the most feared forward over the last ten years.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer surfaced a strong lineup that featured Cavani up front, Pogba wide left, and David de Gea in goal, against Roma – who are placed seventh in the Italian Serie A.

Paulo Fonseca’s lineup included Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – the stars of Manchester United’s Europa League triumph against Ajax in 2017. Roma’s plan was disrupted when Jordan Veretout pulled a muscle inside three minutes, with Gonzalo Villar replacing him. 

Manchester United started brightly – Luke Shaw pushed one to Pogba, who rolled Smalling and discovered Cavani and he passed to Fernandes and, as Pau Lopez advanced, he dinked over the goalkeeper.

The tempo was with the home team, but the setback was around the corner! 

When Rick Karsdorp skipped along the right he was chased by Pogba; his cross hit the arm of Pogba and the referee called for the spot-kick.

Lorenzo Pellegrini, the Roma captain, smashed in to De Gea’s right.

United responded with an attacking intent - Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Cavani, and Aaron-Wan Bissaka put Roma on the back foot.

Pogba threatened with a curling 25-yard effort that had Lopez flying left before he became the second visitor to be replaced after he injured a shoulder. Antonio Mirante took the gloves in his place.

Then Pogba won a free-kick that was driven in by Fernandes from the left - Smalling headed it away.

A smart pass by Mkhitaryan found Pellegrini in the space and despite Harry Maguire and Shaw trying to sandwich Dzeko, they could not stop him sliding home.

Against the run of play, United were trailing and it reignited the unit.

After the break, Pogba passed to Cavani and his lay-off went to Fernandes and his return ball to Cavani was instant, who smashed the ball past the Roma keeper for the equalizer.

United switched to the fifth gear - Pogba and Shaw combined for an opportunity for Cavani whose strike was not accurate enough, but his intent was clear – Cavani wants to rule the roost.

After an hour, Cavani made no mistake when he bagged his second goal: the ball went from Shaw to Pogba to Fernandes to Wan-Bissaka, left to right and Bissaka offloaded- Mirante saved but Cavani was there to beat him.

The floodgates were open and Manchester United added three more.

Cavani scored twice and provided another two assists, while Pogba controlled the show and Fernandes aided the two. 

The combination of Pogba, Cavani, and Fernandes have been like a fireball combined with all the elements of the earth to crush the defence when they are in a mood.

Roma experienced the heat of the United fireball, but they are not unknown to comebacks and perhaps, the comeback of Partizan Belgrade against Queens Park Rangers at Highbury in 1984. 

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 30/04/2021 Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes combine for a world class display

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Manchester City take the upper hand in Paris

 

The transformation of a setback into a comeback requires patience, composure, and tactical tweaks. Even though, the examples of a moment of individual brilliance exist; but without the above-mentioned criteria, it is quite hard to essay a comeback within 90 minutes.

It’s never too late for a comeback; rather, it is all about exploiting the right moments. This is what Pep Guardiola did in Paris and took the upper hand in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal.

Successive exists in the quarterfinal stages of the Champions League have roasted Guardiola and his tactical where he was heavily criticized for over-thinking in crucial matches and perhaps that is why he opted to keep things simple last night.

The center-backs of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) dropped deeper and stayed beside Keylor Navas that allowed the full-backs to push high-up the pitch. The intention was to attack and dominate through the flanks but the attempt made the midfield of PSG stagnant.

During this phase, City switched to a 4-4-2 formation and pressed forward with Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne pairing up front – Silva pressed the center-backs while de Bruyne was tracking Leandro Paredes.

The wing-backs of City sat deeper and the advancement of City led by Silva and de Bruyne left spaces in between the center-backs and the two pivots – Ilkay Gundogan and Rodrigo. The center-backs were reluctant to push high because of the pace of Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, Marquinhos exploited the pocket of space on the right and moved confidently through that route.

Those acres of space in between the backline and pivots allowed Neymar to wander freely and he was always a constant threat along with the experience and skill of Angel Di Maria.  

Idrissa Gana Gueye checked Gundogan and Neymar dropped deeply to receive the ball and mobilize the stagnant midfield and form the connection with Di Maria and Marquinhos – the build was solid and PSG put City on the back foot.

Silva was often caught in his halfway position between pressing high and playing the role of a midfielder – Marco Veratti checked his movement.

When City was pressing, there was a warning sign – notably the chance Phil Foden drove straight at Keylor Navas – PSG probably should have been more than one up at half-time. City had rushed their moves for most of the first half, wanting to get forward too quickly – PSG had the upper hand.

Marquinhos struck gold when he rose unchallenged to head Di Maria’s corner inside the far post. The delivery was marvelous, flat, and quick and Marquinhos quickly outweighed Gundogan and City’s zonal marking and gave the home side the lead.

Neymar was at his best in the first half – he was a cocktail of balance, quick foot movement, and explosiveness.  He had a second-minute chance after Rodri was baffled and Mbappe released him only to shoot at Ederson while it was his shot that forced the corner that led to the breakthrough. Among Neymar’s many other moments before the interval was the corner that Leandro Paredes glanced narrowly wide at the near post.

After the break, pep set free his wing-backs and City started to regain control over the game.

They started to overload the flanks – especially the left region: Silva stayed narrow dragging Bakker, Veratti went in a narrower position with Joao Cancelo ready for the exploitation of the players upfront.

City did not play a striker and used de Bruyne as the false number 9 and he struggled against Mauricio Pochettino’s 4-4-1-1 compactness.

But when the wing-backs advanced and kept PSG occupied – de Bruyne and players like Riyad Mahrez had space to cash in.

City pinned the home side back inside their own half, which in turn panicked a settled defence and forced them into aimless balls that ensured Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were kept well away from Ederson's goal.

Kevin de Bruyne reminded Neymar of Kazan - substitute Oleksandr Zinchenko passed the ball to the Belgian on the left-hand side of the PSG area which he bent at the far post, hoping that Ruben Dias or even the late-arriving John Stones could meet it – rather – it did more than enough – beat Navas and brought City back into the contest – of course, it should have put chills down the spine of Neymar because he experienced such three years ago and when de Bruyne is in a mood, it would certainly not be your night.

A few moments later, Mahrez took a snapshot from the free-kick spot: His effort flew straight at the wall and then straight through it! The wall was breached, Paredes and Kimpembe allowed the ball to whistle between them and into the bottom left – Navas had no time to react.

PSG panicked and it led to the red card of Gueye.

Well, PSG remain poor on home soil and better away – Pep knows this very well and he is well aware that they can turn things around in Eithad; but at the moment, he would relish but keep his feet on the ground, while thinking about the night in Paris – City has the upper hand at the moment.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 29/04/2021 Manchester City take the upper hand in Paris

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Dull end at Pallekele: Test cricket does not deserve dead decks

 

“Dead decks kill Test cricket”

The first Test match played at Pallekle was way back in 2010 where the West Indies managed to post 303 for 8 in three days in the third Test because of the continuous interruption by inclement weather and in the end the match and the series ended without any results. In the following year, Australia visited Sri Lanka and the second Test at the same venue ended in a draw while in 2012, the 3^rd Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka faced the same fate.  

Three years later in an exciting Test match and series, Pakistan broke the deadlock by chasing 382 runs in the fourth innings and forced a result for the first time at Pallekele. Then the Australians visited in 2016, which was one of the glorious Test series in the history of Test series, Pallekele produced not only a result but one of the magnificent comebacks by the home side. It produced result in the 2017-18 series against India and 2018-19 series against England and thus, the same was expected in the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2021.

But what we witnessed was a dull end to the affair that was evident from the word go.

On the first day, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella was collecting the ball at knee height. In the first hour, the ball bounced and moved because it was hard and new and with the progress of time, the lack of movement off the pitch and in the air, that diminished.

The Sri Lankan bowlers, trying to exhibit their aggressive intent, struggled to maintain their discipline and the visiting batsmen cashed in big time.

By mid-morning, the Bangladeshi batsmen were confidently pulling and hooking Lahiru Kumara’s fast and aggressive bouncers in front of the square and with ease.

The under-fire Nazmul Hossain was able to execute shots early with minimum technical efficiency and Mominul Haque enjoyed the deck better than anyone because he is an absolute beast on such impotent tracks. Even if the ball was on a length or back of a length, short or full, it was very easy to play shots all around the park by being on the front foot more often - so easy! 

It was a hard time for the bowlers and picnic mood for the batters - The Bangladeshi batsmen, at least, maintained their composure on this impotent deck and scored runs by curbing their poor temperament and spent time at the crease – Nazmul Hossain chipped in with a hundred while skipper Mominul Haque notched up his first-ever Test ton outside the home – Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to be specific. The tempo was set by Tamim Iqbal and the rest followed.

Neither there was any evidence of turn on the deck – the pitch was held itself well like a modern-day impotent Twenty20 or 50-over deck, where only the runs galore at the cost of the extremely hard work for the bowlers from both side.  

While the response of the Sri Lankan batsmen was the same – they batted out Bangladesh by taking a lead more than a hundred where the skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhanajaya de Silva smashed daddy hundreds to make the Bangladeshi bowlers toil hard under the hot sun.

Other than boosting the personal records Pallekele witnessed nothing.

Perhaps fortunes might have tilted here and there if the rain did not visit on Day 5 and bad light interfered on the other days, but otherwise, the impotent deck completely killed the Test at Pallekele.

Cricket is already a world for the batsmen and at least one format deserves a bit more for the bowlers and that is Test cricket. For the sake of business and the so-called modernization of cricket, the bowlers are like a bowling machine that runs in and bowl only to get hit and left stranded with a Parkinson-face.  

There was a time when the critics, journalists and players themselves criticized when the tracks were dead - the majority backed the sporting decks and never complained if the ball bounced, swung or turned.

Today it's different. If the ball bounces, swings or turns; immediately the quality of the deck is questioned, but if runs galore like Pallekele, it is termed as a good track. The conception of a good wicket means run-scoring should be easy and people come to see boundaries and sixes have paved the way for the shortest formats to rule.

Dead decks kill Test cricket.

Sri Lanka has a history of producing some of the death decks ever but in the meantime, they produced some of the testing decks as well which offered some outstanding Test matches. The batsmen are needed to be tested and as usual, only then a contest would become fascinating. Surely, Sri Lanka would not disappoint in the second Test.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 25/03/2021 Dull end at Pallekele: Test cricket does not deserve dead decks

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

 

European Super League collapse, victory for the passionate football fans

The match between Chelsea and Brighton ended in a 0-0 draw, but it was not just about the match – rather the brutal backlash by the Chelsea fans dominated the proceedings.

Chelsea were portrayed as the super-villains, who undermined the 125-year old history.

 The t-shirts worn by Brighton during their warm-up summed up the feelings of the outraged majority: “Earn it; football is for the fans.”

The Chelsea supporters made it very clear before kick-off that they shared that sentiment. Even owner Roman Abramovich wasn't spared their backlash. They called on him to give Chelsea back to the fans, despite 17 years of titles and trophies under the Russian.

Fittingly, the protest took place outside the Butcher's Hook pub - formerly The Rising Sun - where Chelsea Football Club was established in 1905.

The outrage was all over the globe and the football community was united against a devilish concept.

What a tumultuous 48 hours it had been!

The elite clubs in Europe unleashed the idea of a breakaway football league known as the European Super League and triggered a Football War that almost threatened to tear the game apart. The concept of the Super League is all about money and football is not all about money, rather it is known as the game of the people that unites the world and even stops a war.  

The Super League started to brand the concept by playing the victim card, blame game, modernization of football, young fans need something new and so on – the similar way once upon a time England branded Twenty20 Cricket and later on, a thug named Lalit Modi created the demon – Indian Premier League and completely disturbed the balance of world cricket.

The concept of Super League was almost heading that way, but the good thing is that in football the fans are much sensible and most of the players, experts, ex-footballers and journalists are not the puppets of the cash-thirsty souls. In football, one can try hard to become the BCCI – but still cannot be such because the majority of the people in football have the spine, courage and true love and passion for football.  

And for which, they never accepted the Super League concept and the protest was huge across the globe.

Guess what, the passion of the fans won!

The U-turn of the Big Six of Premier League

Bayern Munich, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, already expressed their lack of interest in the concept while Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund followed the path and as the protest gathered momentum outside Anfield, Eithad and Stamford Bridge; the Super League experienced premature death.

According to the Guardian, “The Premier League’s Big Six clubs were forced into humiliating U-turns after a day of intrigue and outrage to leave the proposal of a European Super League in tatters.”

“Chelsea were the first to brief their withdrawal and, after Manchester City announced they were following suit, the final four – Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham – read the final rites over the breakaway competition just before 11pm with statements that ranged from the terse to the shame-faced.”

“There was a broad acknowledgement that the rebels had listened to their fans or, in Liverpool’s case “key stakeholders, both internally and externally”, although only Arsenal actually apologized for behaviour that, collectively, has been widely condemned as brazenly self-serving. The Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, did “regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal”.

“The Football Association had taken a key stand earlier on Tuesday when it warned that any club involved would be banned from the Premier League and all domestic competitions. Before Liverpool’s statement, to which nobody at the owner, Fenway Sports Group, put their name, two key figures from the club had voiced their opposition to the plan.”

“The captain, Jordan Henderson, said on behalf of the squad, “We don’t like it and we don’t want it to happen. This is our collective position,” while Kenny Dalglish urged the owners to “do the right thing”.

“The FA’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham, emboldened by the UK government’s pledge to do whatever it took in legislative terms to block the breakaway tournament, said his organization would take an uncompromising line with the rebel clubs.”

“Bullingham articulated the FA’s stance in a meeting with Premier League officials, including the chief executive, Richard Masters, and the division’s other 14 clubs, who were united in their opposition to the big six’s scheme. The FA is empowered to license clubs to compete – or otherwise. Bullingham and Masters had come off a separate call with Boris Johnson, who had reassured them that the government would move to support them if they encountered any issues with competition law. Put simply, Johnson said they would introduce new laws, if needed.”

“Bullingham also told the meeting the FA would refuse to grant governing body endorsements – essentially work permits – for overseas players at clubs that participated in the Super League. The meeting, which began at 11am, was marked by a sense that each of the 14 clubs wanted the same thing – which is not always the case – and, as the day wore on, there would be a growing optimism that the breakaway had lost its impetus.”

“The Premier League had said in a strongly-worded statement after its meeting that the 14 clubs “unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans” for a Super League. It went on that it was “considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those shareholders involved to account under its rules.”

“Everton had earlier been fierce in their condemnation of the six English clubs involved in the Super League, accusing them of preposterous arrogance, subversive practices and disenfranchising their own supporters. Everton’s owner, Farhad Moshiri, told TalkSport: “This is six clubs attacking the very heart of the Premier League, and I think they should be disciplined.”

Unity is strength

The Super League was not just the abandonment of UEFA and its cup competitions; it was a threat to the competitiveness of the Premier League, La Liga and Italian Serie A.

It was a threat to the tradition and legacy for which a fan of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool or AC Milan held his or her head high and spoke about his club proudly.

The Super League was nothing but an attack on the sporting merit, and an affront to the fans who invest so much time and money in their beloved clubs.

For now, the Super League has been laid to rest. But one should not sit back and relax because the attempt to kick start this passion-killing idea would try to show their ugly face once again.

And, if they try to show up again, the fans across the globe would reunite.

Unity is strength and the majority of the football community showed those power-hungry people what football is all about.

Never forget, football is the game of the people.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

European Super League: Don’t embarrass the fans who love football

 

The drumbeat echoing across Europe isn't one of celebration or football glory but of discord and division, threatening the very essence of the beautiful game. What was once the heartbeat of the common people is now at risk of being consumed by the greed and ambition of a select few. The love and unity that football cultivates are under siege, as the game faces an unexpected and unwelcome disruption—a breakaway Super League that seeks to defy the traditions of European football and fracture the harmony that fans cherish.

As Reuters reported, “Twelve of Europe’s top football clubs launched a breakaway Super League on Sunday, setting the stage for a bitter battle over control of the game and its lucrative revenue streams.” The creation of this exclusive competition is not just a reimagining of the football landscape, but a declaration of war against UEFA’s long-established Champions League—a competition that has given countless fans unforgettable nights and moments of pure passion. The Super League, championed by elite clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, has been met with fierce opposition from UEFA, political leaders, and even the fans themselves.

The proposed Super League promises staggering sums of money, with €3.5 billion ($4.19 billion) earmarked for infrastructure and pandemic recovery. Yet, this financial windfall is a hollow promise, as none of it will be directed toward players, and its true cost may be paid by the soul of the sport. No German or French clubs have signed up, a decision that speaks volumes in a time when football needs unity more than ever.

The reactions have been swift and fierce. FIFA expressed its "disapproval" of this closed competition, while UEFA, in collaboration with domestic leagues and federations, warned that any participating clubs could face bans from both domestic and international tournaments. This warning carries the weight of history, for football has always been more than a game; it has been a bridge connecting nations, communities, and fans across the globe.

The outrage isn't confined to governing bodies. Football legends and pundits have weighed in, decrying the breakaway league as a betrayal of the sport’s principles. Sir Alex Ferguson, a titan of European football, reflected on the rich history of the game, recalling how provincial clubs, like his Aberdeen, once defied the odds to achieve European glory. Gary Neville, another voice of reason, condemned the Super League as a scandal, particularly given its timing amid the COVID-19 pandemic—a time when clubs are struggling, and fans yearn for the solace that football brings.

Football has long been the sport of the people, a source of unity and joy in even the darkest of times. The Champions League, with its iconic European nights, has become a symbol of that unity. To dismantle it in favour of an exclusive league would be to tear apart the fabric of what makes football beautiful. The thrill of underdog victories—Lyon overcoming Manchester City, AS Roma stunning Barcelona or Shakhtar Donetsk defeating Real Madrid—is the lifeblood of the competition, stories that inspire fans from South America to South Asia.

To many, the Super League represents a disturbing shift in priorities—away from the fans and toward the pockets of the powerful. It threatens to turn the game into a commodity, stripping it of its authenticity and connection to the people who have sustained it for over a century. There is a comparison to be made here with cricket, where the rise of cash-rich franchise leagues has eroded the sport’s soul, and the controlling power of one cricket board has left others as mere puppets.

Football must not follow this path. The Super League’s exclusionary vision—a competition of the elite, by the elite, for the elite—runs counter to the essence of the sport. Football’s charm lies in its unpredictability, openness, and belief that any team can rise to greatness, no matter how small. To concentrate that power into the hands of a few would be to deny the joy that football has always brought to millions.

The Super League’s architects may claim that their vision is one of progress, but in reality, it threatens the destruction of the game’s greatest traditions. If these clubs truly value their fans and the passion that football ignites, they will abandon this plan before it’s too late. Otherwise, they risk creating a system driven not by love of the game but by unchecked greed and power—ultimately consuming the sport itself.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Zinedine Zidane tames Liverpool at their own backyard

 

“On the 109th anniversary of the maritime disaster, Real Madrid, with their patched-up unit, defended by dropping the anchor and would not let Liverpool’s heavy-pressing-intent destroy their plan. Zidane has galvanized a fragile unit that was down and out six months ago and has achieved success with those players who have spent the season on the fringes”

 It was another stern test for Zinedine Zidane at Anfield. He had in his mind the dramatic comeback of Monaco back in 2004 and the famous choke by Barca in 2019 at Anfield. Liverpool might be having a bad time in the Premier League, but in the Champions League, they have been better. The opponents were Real Madrid, who, like the Reds, are bruised and cornered – but in the battle of tactics and mental strength, Zidane showed everyone, who the real boss is!

Like Barca, the Royal Whites took a lead to Merseyside, a 3-1 first-leg advantage and they did not choke as Real Madrid are on their way to the 2020-21 Champions League semifinals thanks to a 0-0 draw with Liverpool in their quarterfinal second leg on Wednesday night at Anfield.

The Los Blancos soaked up all the pressure from the Reds thanks to some top goalkeeping from Thibaut Courtois and strong defending from centre-backs Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao, superb display from the make-shift right wing-back Fede Valverde and obviously the destroyer in the midfield, Casemiro.   

With his side suffering from a slew of injuries and absences, Zidane had to reshuffle in the defence, so Valverde was picked over Alvaro Odriozola to start at right-back, joining Militao, Nacho and Ferland Mendy on the back-line. Meanwhile, up top in attack, Marcos Asensio was back in the mix alongside Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema.

Zidane stuck to the 4-3-3 formation and Jurgen Klopp opted for the same.

Liverpool came out howling at the Los Blancos after building from the back – they were aggressive and searched for goals, even if it was at the cost of taking risks.

Real Madrid did not press immediately, rather stayed composed enough to weather the storm.

As soon as the Liverpool wing-backs moved higher, Benzema was seen to press the two centre-backs only to cut the horizontal passing lanes and Real started to press higher with the intention to exploit the spaces left by the advancing Reds.

Now, this ploy made Andy Robertson drop deeper only to collect the ball in the wider region and outweigh Benzema, but in turn, this ploy forced the Reds to stay deeper enough to the benefit of the visitors – because the more they stay deeper, the more they would not be able to attack.

Fabinho dropped himself in between the centre-backs to outnumber Benzema so that the wing-backs can push higher.

With Benzema left alone, Luka Modric joined the press backed up by the rest of the team.

Benzema and Modric stayed in between the 3-men backline and it allowed one of the forwards – Marco Asensio to win back the ball.

At the centre of the park, Toni Kroos and Casemiro stayed firm and that meant Roberto Firmino dropped from his centre-forward role to outnumber them in the midfield.

Upfront and in the midfield Liverpool made it 3 vs 2 situations and made the pressing difficult for Real Madrid.

It turned out to be a well-set trap by Liverpool and attract the centre-backs of Real Madrid switch to a highline defence and left spaces.

But they did not fall into that trap, rather stayed focused and disciplined.

Militao, Nacho, Valverde and Mendy were rock solid and their composure hardly let the Reds break the resistance.

The Reds pressurized and Real Madrid switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation with Kroos sitting on Fabinho and Gini Wijnaldum.

The Real Madrid defenders minimized the spaces in between the lines led by the destroyer Casemiro, who showed the Reds who the best defensive midfielder in the world is – in one of the defining moments of the night, he scythed James Milner down to the ground – a reply to what he did against Benzema. There was an altercation between him and the Reds with Zidane laughing at the background – the boss knows what his boy is up to.

Casemiro aka The Tank not only guarded the defence but provided key passes and won duels like a boss.

When the Reds advanced with a 2-3-5 formation, Casemiro along with Kroos stayed narrower to cut off the threats from Milner while Militao and Naco had been outstanding in neutralizing the ground and aerial threats.

Liverpool crowded the Real Madrid penalty area and threw everything and which left spaces for Vinicius Junior during transitions – he looked dangerous and his pace outweighed the Liverpool defenders.

 Then, Thibaut Courtois had to produce two top-drawer saves in the opening stages, as Liverpool tried to take advantage of Uruguay midfielder Valverde’s inexperience in defence.

The Belgian reacted well to deny Mohamed Salah after he was set up by Sadio Mane and then clawed away a James Milner curler which was ducking into his top corner.

Valverde produced a crucial block from Firmino in the second half to maintain Madrid’s two-goal advantage and stop any wobbles before Courtois denied Salah again in stoppage time to kill Liverpool’s last hopes.

On the 109th anniversary of the maritime disaster, Real Madrid, with their patched-up unit, defended by dropping the anchor and would not let Liverpool’s heavy-pressing-intent destroy their plan. Zidane has galvanized a fragile unit that was down and out six months ago and has achieved success with those players who have spent the season on the fringes.  

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 15/04/2021 Zinedine Zidane tames Liverpool at their own backyard

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

It’s that man Neymar again

“Neymar dropped to the midfield again and received the ball – whenever the defence pushed up they created spaces in behind them and Neymar pulled the strings from the midfield by releasing Mbappe to exploit those spaces. Angel Di Maria followed the runs of Mbappe down the right flank – the counters were orchestrated by Neymar”

The photo of Neymar holding the Man of the Match award after the match might not have impressed his critics because at present the performance of a player is judged more on the basis of how many goals he scored and assists provided, but one of the best performances can come even without those and when a player does such, you have to realize the greatness of that player.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) may have lost the second leg but ultimately triumphed from a thrilling duel thanks to the three goals they had scored in the first leg and a second leg display which possessed a lot of character.  

Neymar was the leader of the men once again!

 Both Mauricio Pochetttino and Hansi Flick opted to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation and Bayern Munich started to build from the back and when they were progressing after the first phase, PSG pressed higher.

Now, what did Neymar do during this press?

Neymar was tracking down the dangerous Joshua Kimmich and sat on him – this is not his job, but he decided to track him with the intention to lessen his versatility at the centre of the park.

But Bayern Munich are a smarter unit and when Gortezka witnessed Neymar tracking down Kimmich, he progressed further and at one point formed the double pivot with David Alaba operating deeper – at this point, Neymar positioned himself in between Gortezka and Kimmich.

It was a 2 vs 1 situation and Neymar swapped his position and joined Kylian Mbappe to press with Bayern centre-backs and the PSG midfielders stayed narrower to cut off the passing lane – the change of Neymar’s position led to a 4-4-2 formation and PSG stayed compact.

To break the compactness, Bayern centre-backs stayed disciplined and tried to outnumber the press of Neymar and Mbappe by forming a 3-men backline with Alphonso Davis moving to the wider of the left-flank.

Bayern witnessed the advancement of Davis and Thomas Muller – whose role was as an attacking midfielder, moved high up, joined Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting as the second forward to create a 2 vs2 situation in the midfield and 4 vs 4 in the final third – the shape of Bayern changed to 4-2-4 against PSG’s compact 4-4-2.

PSG were forced to drop deeper and the space created in the midfield helped Muller to move in between the forward and midfield region – in the midfield, he often created a 3 vs 2 situations, which allowed Kimmich to receive the ball in between the lines.

Muller’s movement could have encouraged a more centrally oriented attack, but Bayern chose the flanks, especially the left flank with Davis being more proactive.  

Alaba moved wider with Kingsley Coman and created 2 vs 2 situations and allowed Coman with a 1 vs 1 situation against Dagba. The crosses came in the central zone and it proved worthy.

Bayern Munich attacked and created a lot of chances, but credit goes to the discipline and grit exhibited by the hosts.

PSG were positive from the start - Kylian Mbappe nearly extended it after less than three minutes. But after being released down the right by Neymar, rifled a low shot wide of the far post.

PSG proved to be tighter than expected, regularly preventing Coman and Leroy Sane from finding teammates despite frequent raids down the wings.

For all Bayern’s pressure, PSG looked far more menacing on the counter. Mbappé bamboozled Benjamin Pavard in the area and cut the ball back for Neymar, whose shot was blocked by Manuel Neuer.

Bayern had a clear plan to subdue Neymar by ambushing him in numbers every time he had the ball at his feet - found ingenious ways to wriggle free whenever PSG broke.

Neuer had to rush out to deny him in the 27th minute after another counterattack led by Mbappe. Then Neymar struck the frame of the goal twice in three minutes – at first, he curled an outrageous shot against the crossbar from over 20 yards after duping Coman skillfully; then he nudged a shot against a post from eight yards after being set up by Mbappe at the end of a lovely move.

It was from that first effort against the post that Bayern broke down the other end and got themselves ahead.

Keylor Navas' initial stop looped into the path of Choupo-Moting who converted from close range – a change in shape to 4-2-4 did the trick.

But it was time for Neymar to lead from the front.

Bayern were desperately searching for a goal and in turn, this attacking intent led their defence to be on a highline – Neymar and Mbappe were in 2 vs 2 situations.

Neymar dropped to the midfield again and received the ball – whenever the defence pushed up they created spaces in behind them and Neymar pulled the strings from the midfield by releasing Mbappe to exploit those spaces. Angel Di Maria followed the runs of Mbappe down the right flank – the counters were orchestrated by Neymar.

Neymar knew that among the pivots of PSG – Idrissa Gueye was not as brilliant as Leandro Paredes and thus, he stayed deeper and in front of the pivots because the Bayern players always tried to win the ball back from Gueye whenever he received it – that required protection and for which Neymar more often tried to connect with Paredes aided by Di Maria staying closer to them in the midfield.

Neymar contributed to another marvellous attack in the 53rd minute but, after sumptuous skill from Di María, came millimetres short of prodding the ball over the line.

Bayern attacked, PSG counterattacked led by Neymar, while Navas and the defenders remained disciplined.

It was a blistering game from start to finish at the Parc des Princes with multiple chances at either end.

PSG advance to the semifinals, courtesy of the discipline by the shot-stopper, backline, Paredes as a pivot and the leadership qualities of Neymar. 

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 14/04/2021 It’s that man Neymar again

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

PSG beat Bayern Munich: The impact of Neymar

 

“Mbappe bagged a brace, Marquinhos scored one, but the man who led from the back and front was Neymar”

It was a night in Munich where one would wish to sleep at home because the condition was cold and chilling and the snowstorm was having its moment. For the players from Bayern Munich, the hosts, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) there was no time to enjoy the moment, rather, go out there and fight it out at the Allianz Arena to take the upper hand in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

It was the repeat of the final of the last season, where Bayern Munich triumphed by a solitary goal and the kind of form Bayern have been in since Hasi Flick took over – obviously at the Allianz Arena – they had been the ultimate favourites. Well, the night ended in favour of the visitors. The PSG of Mauricio Pochettino became the first team to beat the German Giants under Flick for the first time and that too at their own backyard.

Then there was a player from Brazil named Neymar whose impact was evident once again.

Bayern were without their goal machine Robert Lewandowski and charismatic winger Serge Gnabry while PSG missed the services of Marco Verratti and Alessandro Florenzi. Danilo started in place of the suspended Leandro Paredes, Dagba replaced Kehrer in the full-back position while Julian Drexler was on the wide left instead of Moise Kean.

Both the managers opted to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

For PSG, Neymar was given the role in that central position.

Bayern started the match at a brisk pace.

Lucas Hernandez broke down the left flank and linked up with Thomas Muller and surged into the inside channel – Hernandez blasted a shot, but Keylor Navas saved it for the corner. Choupo-Mouting rose above the rest to head the ball – it clipped the top of the bar.

Such a start from Bayern was nothing unknown and for which PSG remained disciplined enough while Bayern advanced. Neymar covered the dangerous Joshua Kimmich by dropping deep into the midfield. Goretzka had to push higher up the pitch, thus, there was no alternative for progression.

PSG switched to 4-4-2 when on possession and Neymar swapped positions with Angel Di Maria – who dropped deeper and Neymar would become the supportive striker along with Kylian Mbappe – both of them exploited the space between the Bayern pivots and two centre-backs.

Neymar and Mbappe pressed the centre-backs, while Di Maria remained on that channel where the progression of the ball between Hernandez and the pivots and player on the wide right became tough.

But Neymar and Mbappe not being natural defenders – the Bayern centre-backs were able to reduce the pressure and overloaded the left side channel with the intention to outnumber Di Maria – Alaba advanced and passed the ball to Coman who fed Hernandez on the left flank to create a 1 vs 1 situation. In the 1 vs 1 situation Coman completed more dribbles – 5 in total – than any other players on the pitch.

Kimmich found space and more often attempted to dictate the game and break the passing lanes. He attempted more passes down the left than his other teammates as for example – Alphonso Davies and Hernandez.

Kimmich was very good at attempting the long balls as well because the PSG midfield stayed deep to counter the pressure.

Leroy Sane moved right and Muller exploited the half-space - connected with Kimmich via long balls.

Despite the overload on the left, Muller and Sane swapped positions quickly to orchestrate attacks that made the German Giants extremely dangerous and Navas had to come in action.

The pressure and more control over the ball meant, PSG would have to exploit the chances to the maximum and Neymar was leading the way.

With Bayern in an attacking mood, the Brazilian superstar – pressurizing the spaces in between the pivots and centre-backs – led a charge through the middle of the Bayern defence, offloaded to Mbappe in space in the right inside channel, who hammered a strike towards goal that was straight at Neuer as the ball travelled through the keeper and into the bottom-right corner.

The pass in between the defenders of Bayern to Mbappe by Neymar was a pure class – it seemed that with delicate footwork he ripped through the heart of the Bayern defence and it was that last-minute composure that created the moment.

Ten minutes later Neymar was seen in action again - Draxler converted from close range after being teed up by Mbappe. However, the goal was ruled offside against  Mbappe earlier in the move as he latched on to Neymar's through ball.

In the twenty-eighth minute, Neymar went deeper and positioned himself on the right side of the channel as Bayern cleared a PSG threat from the corner. Neymar received the ball, watched the view from deep – witnessed that among the sea of red shirts, Marquinhos was making a run. Immediately, the long ball master class of Neymar showed up who bypassed the Bayern defence and floated the ball to Marquinhos who controlled the ball and finished like a striker.

Two Neymar moments – two goals talk about impact, vision, precision and playmaking – for PSG Neymar was all about class at Munich!

Bayern struck back and the pressure led to two goals by Mouting and Muller before and after the break respectively and the game turned out to be a classic one.

It was between the aggression of Bayern and the composure of the PSG backline and the leadership qualities of Neymar.

Bayern’s over-attacking intent left spaces between that pivot and centre-back position, where Neymar and Mbappe waited.

Neymar dropped deep and received the first pass from the back and remained more central allowing Mabppe, Di maria and Drexler to move high.

Neymar occupied the middle of the pitch and after picking up the ball he rolled the ball to the centre and on either flank and during the break he was always alert to utilize the moments.

Eight minutes after the Muller equalizer,  Neymar was running decoy that released Di Maria who released Mbappe into space down the left flank on the counter. He ran at Boateng to break into the box before hammering a right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner giving Neuer no chance.

PSG restored the lead and despite the Bayern attacking intent, PSG left the pitch smiling with an important away win.

Mbappe bagged a brace, Marquinhos scored one, but the man who led from the back and front was Neymar.

Note: This article has been posted at Crikcetsoccer on 08/04/2021 PSG beat Bayern Munich: The impact of Neymar

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

The Vinicius Junior show

 “The ability to finish poorly was laid to rest. This should be his night to relish”

Florentino Perez, the dynamic boss of Real Madrid, loves the young talents from Brazil – he tracked Neymar long ago and wanted him to don the white shirt, but somehow, it did not happen. Perez knew that he missed a great opportunity and the world witnessed how shabbily the Brazilian was treated in Barcelona. In Real Madrid, the story might have been different.

Since then Perez might have decided that Real Madrid would be the new home for the young talents in Brazil. The project started when the Los Blancos entered a transition phase. Perez signed Brazilian talents and it was Santiago Solari who gave them the breakthrough during that disastrous 2018-19 season. Zinedine Zidane returned to fix things at Real Madrid and he kept the faith in Brazil.

Vinicius Junior was the rising star of Flamengo and Brazil. Perez sent scouts to Brazil to track him and he was satisfied. The dynamic boss did not waste time and on May 23, 2017, Real Madrid signed a contract to acquire Vinícius, effective after his 18th birthday on July 12 2018 because age 18 is the minimum age for international transfer.

He transferred for a reported fee of €46 million, which was at the time, the second most expensive sale of a player in the history of Brazilian football - behind only Neymar - the largest amount received by a Brazilian club for a transfer, and the highest amount ever paid by a club for a footballer under the age of 19.

On July 20 2018, Madrid officially presented Vinicius as a Real Madrid player. He made his debut on September 20 2018, coming in as an 87th-minute substitute in a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid becoming the first-ever Madrid senior player to be born in 2000.

In Real Madrid, the journey of Vinicius has been a topsy-turvy one, but one of his qualities is that he never gives up and that is what impressed Perez and Zidane. Despite the criticisms, Zidane persisted with him and gradually his talents are transforming into deeds.

 With Sergio Ramos out injured and Raphael Varane unavailable due to COVID, coach Zinedine Zidane was forced into some defensive adjustments and settled on a four-man back-line instead of three centre-backs, with Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy as full-backs and Eder Militao and Nacho as centre-backs. Meanwhile, in attack, Vinicius was selected to join the in-form Asensio and centre-forward Karim Benzema.

As for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Thiago Alcantara was a surprising omission in midfield, as Naby Keita got the nod from the German.

The intent of Real Madrid was evident when Alisson was made to flex his muscles and stop a Karim Benzema effort with the match just two minutes old. Three minutes later Benzema offloaded into the left inside channel for Asensio to chase, but he earned a corner off the legs of Kabak in close pursuit.

Two minutes later Vinicius was in action – Asensio attempted to thread the needle and released the Brazilian in the final third – but he moved too soon and was caught offside.

Eleven minutes later a move by Benzema sent Vinicius down the left inside channel with an incisive pass, but Kabak covered well.

Vinicius was gaining momentum.

Nine minutes later the marvellous Kroos,  who dropped deep to the right, inside his own half, floated an eye-catching long ball over the top for the run of Vinicius, who positioned himself beautifully and scripted a wonderful finish on the half-volley after bursting behind Kabak and Kalvin Phillips. He controlled the ball with his chest and it sat up nicely for him to get past Alisson.

Vinícius (20 years, 268 days) became the 2nd youngest scorer ever for Real Madrid in the knockout stages after Raul Gonzalez (18 years, 253 days).

The ability to finish poorly was laid to rest.

This should be his night to relish.

Five minutes later Phillips had to be on his mettle as Vinicius collected a cutback from Benzema. The Brazilian fires at goal, but the under-pressure Phillips negotiated it.

Marco Asensio provided to make it 2-0 nine minutes later. Again, Kroos’s delivery started it but the assist this time came from Alexander-Arnold, who headed into his path. Asensio coolly lifted the ball gently over Alisson.

Asensio almost got another, Liverpool again facilitating things for their opponents. Beyond Kabak, his shot slipped past the post.

In the first half, the brisk temp and complete domination at the centre of the park along with absolute precision in the final third undid Liverpool.

They could hardly dominate.

After the break, Mohamed Salah pulled one back, but it was never going to be enough.

Fourteen minutes later Benzema worked one to Modric on the right edge of the box and he sent a slick pass to Vinicius Junior who shot first time and his strike travelled through the legs of Phillips. Alisson got a hand to the ball, but he can only palm it into the net.

Zidane added some muscle in midfield with the two-goal advantage, with Fede Valverde on for Asensio as the first substitution of the night, followed later by Rodrygo for Vinicius.

From there, Madrid saw out the final minutes camped out in their own half to ensure the two-goal advantage stayed intact.

The two goals Vinicius scored last night matched his Champions League total from 17 previous outings in the competition and comprised 13.3 per cent of his total Real Madrid strikes.

“It’s very nice to win, at the best moment of the season,” Vinicius said post-match in comments carried by MARCA.

“The outsiders speak, I keep working. It gives me the strength I need to get to the important moment and score the goals we need. I work a lot, I’ve always dreamed of playing for Madrid and I think that because of the desire I’ve had all season, at the club and with my family, I always want the best for our fans.”

 “I'm happy for him because he needed to score, like Marco [Asensio] or Karim [Benzema] do," Zidane said on Vinicius.

“He's playing well, he's helping the team and he gets a boost by scoring a goal.”

“Vini was lacking goals and he's going to gain a lot of confidence from today.”

“He deserves it.”

“I don't know if it was his best game [at Real Madrid], but two goals in a quarterfinal is something very important.”

From here, one can expect, Vinicius to score more and more goals and create an impact.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 07/04/2021 The Vinicius Junior show

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Keep up the good work West Indies and Sri Lanka

In the end, the second Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka at North Sound witnessed no results. But there were plenty of positives to take from the series for both sides. Sri Lanka, recently, have been in a slump in white clothes whereas, the West Indies have been more about just Twenty20-performers. Thankfully, in this Test series, both teams raised the hopes of improvements in the 5-day format in the coming days.

On the final day, the deck turned slower and lower providing little help for the West Indian pacers, who were hamstrung by the injury to Shannon Gabriel, rather, it provided help for the spinners as there was a substantial turn for the spinners and the deliveries misbehaved after pitching on the rough.

The West Indian pacers found the edge, but the slowness of the deck never let the ball carry to the slip cordon or the wicketkeeper even though there was a straightforward leg-side chance against the bowling of Gabriel in the third over the day. Joshua Da Silva dropped Lahiru Thirimanne when he was just 17.

Otherwise, both the openers – Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne were well-poised at the crease and exploited the gaps with ease. But they were cautious as well because an aggressive approach might hit back in turn rather than proving productive. Thirimanne, Karunaratne, Oshanda Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal only soaked up the pressure and occupied the crease to see off the day.

Before that, the previous 4 days had been all about handling grit like the previous Test.

Suranga Lakmal dished out an outstanding opening spell in the morning session of Day 1 where the West Indian top-order decided to be adventurous and invited quick fall of wickets. The situation demanded Kraigg Brathwaite fix things with a gritty knock of 99 not out off 239 balls kept West Indies in the fight on Day 1.

Then on the second day, Rahkeem Cornwall enjoyed a productive knock to swell the total. Brathwaite hit a century as the hosts were all-out for 354- a very good score given the fact that the deck would demand more patience and technical efficacy in the fourth innings.

Chandimal and Thirmanne led the fight, still, on a rain-hit Day 3 West Indies struck through by claiming 5 more wickets costing 114 runs.

At the end of Day 3, Sri Lanka’s 250 for 8 did not give a very good picture, but the batting of Pathum Nissanka was very inspiring.

West Indies were in total command with the bat in their second innings as half-centuries from Brathwaite, Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder helped set up a target of 377 for the Lankans.

Well, the Lankans came out to avoid the defeat and their intention was clear.

It is very important to keep the confidence going rather than dent it by digesting a defeat in the name of winning hearts.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 04/04/2021 Keep up the good work West Indies and Sri Lanka

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

North Macedonia create history by stunning the Germans

 

They dispatched Iceland and held-off Romania – the next roster against the 65th ranked North Macedonia should have been an easy one. Well, it ended up as a nightmare for Joachim Low and Germany. It is the madness of March and like the Dutch, Germany tasted it last night at the MSV-Arena.

 North Macedonia scored an 85th-minute winner through Eljif Elmas to stun hosts Germany 2-1 in their World Cup Group J qualifier on Wednesday as the Balkan country celebrated their greatest international victory.

 Low started with a three-man defence against North Macedonia last night which consisted of Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rudiger and Emre Can.

The three-man system works fine when you have wing-backs that allows you to change the formation from 3-5-2 to 5-3-2 as and when needed.

However, Leroy Sane and Robin Gosens are not exactly wing-backs and that proved costly for the Germans – the backline was exposed.

 It was the same problem last night as both Gosens and Sane looked threatening while bombing forward but had little defensive awareness or positioning sense without the ball.

 The duo failed to track back and help out their defence. This allowed North Macedonia to run at gaping holes down the channels.

 Moreover, Emre Can struggled for the entirety of the game and it clearly showed that he is not a natural centre-back.

Timo Werner, who came on for Kai Havertz in the 56th minute of the game, had a poor outing.

To make matters worse, he squandered a pretty big opportunity to give his side the lead.

Werner only had a single attempt throughout the course of play and even that was not on target. He needs to step up big-time if he is to maintain his place in the team going ahead.

The Germans played a very boring brand of football whereas everyone expected them to steamroll the opponent.

 But that does not undermine the efforts of North Macedonia, who showed character.

 Despite Germany’s 70% possession in the first half and Leon Goretzka’s shot onto the crossbar, it was the visitors who scored when 37-year-old Goran Pandev was left unmarked in the box to tap home in the first-half stoppage time.

 The Germans had their opponents boxed in their own half but apart from a Serge Gnabry effort had little to show for it until Leroy Sane was brought down in the box.

Ikay Gundogan’s 63rd-minute penalty drew the hosts level but despite late pressure and a golden chance for Timo Werner 10 minutes from time, Germany could not find a winner.

 They were lucky not to concede a penalty for an Emre Can handball but were still punished for not making their dominance count when Elmas found space in the box to turn in a cutback for the winner.

 “These lads have made North Macedonia proud against the winners of four World Cup titles and three European championships,” North Macedonia coach Igor Angelovski said.

 “We’ve never beaten a team with so many titles. Now we have to get some rest as what we have accomplished still hasn’t sunk in.”

 “We couldn’t find a way to break down a deep-lying North Macedonia team,” Low said afterwards.

 “Our organization inside the box wasn’t good.”

 “We’re thoroughly disappointed. We simply looked too tired today. There wasn’t energy about our play and we made too many mistakes going forward.”

 “When we moved the ball around quickly, we looked dangerous. Our opponents sat deep and we couldn’t find a way to break them down. All in all, it was disappointing.”

 “We cannot allow that to happen,” Gundogan said in quotes on the German national team’s official website.

 “North Macedonia were more or less in our box twice and we made it easy for them. We tried to work chances, but we only managed to score once. The way we conceded both goals was poor.”

 Germany suffered a loss in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time in 20 years. The last time they lost a qualifier was to England in 2001.

The Germans now sit in third position behind Armenia and North Macedonia in the FIFA World Cup qualifying group.

The qualification chances for Germany for Qatar 2022 look thin and it is simply unbelievable!

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 01/04/2021 North Macedonia create history by stunning the Germans

Thank You

Faisal Caesar