Boca Juniors’ control didn’t guarantee victory as they had to fight back their way into the game. Instituto’s approach to cede control gave Boca momentum but this didn’t stop them from putting the ball in the back of the net. Tactical analysis and match report by Ebuka Ogoegbunam. The home side sat top of the league […]
Arsenal received a brutal reminder before the international break that there is an increasingly fine line between being great and good in the most competitive of Europe’s top leagues. There was no relenting of the challenge for the Premier League champions in their early kick-off on Saturday, and it took their strength in depth to […]
Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 1–0 in a match that exposed Madrid’s difficulties in building from the back before José Mourinho’s second-half adjustments transformed their attacking structure. Diomandé’s goal secured the points, but the game also highlighted the problems in Madrid’s double pivot and the risks of relying on individual quality to compensate for a lack […]
Often being praised for their offensive credentials, Como and AS Roma have been held to a gold standard for Serie A attacking. So, it would only be right for them to deliver the first goalless draw in the league after six matchdays, in a game poised with threatening dynamics but neither flourishing in two locked game states. […]
Manuel Neuer gifted Augsburg a goal in the opening minute after a careless mistake. The momentum, along with the game plan, offered Augsburg a platform to frustrate Bayern Munich in the first half. After the break, Bayern piled on the pressure and scored two goals but conceded another, which stemmed from a defensive lapse in […]
Tottenham Hotspur dominated for the majority of the first half with their 2-3-4-1 possession structure against Manchester United’s low-intensity zonal 4-4-2 shape but were unable to take their chances. United went ahead in the second half but eventually conceded late against a ten-man Spurs side. Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Manley. Both of these […]
RC Lens and their captain Florian Thauvin, who provided two assists, handed Olympique Lyonnais their first defeat of the season. Lyon were unable to match the intensity for half the game, and only Mathieu Udol’s late sending-off allowed them to reduce the deficit, without managing to snatch even a draw. Tactical analysis and match report […]
They say that pressure bursts pipes or make diamonds… and Croatia came away from this battle with some belief that jewels might be forged out of the next generation of their players. Spain stole all three points, but the hosts produced a performance that contrasted with a dismal defeat only days prior, forcing the favorites […]
By the final whistle, a ten-man Portugal saw off Norway 2-1 in their UEFA Nations League game at the Estadio Dragao. A stunning first half goal from Kristoffer Ajer was cancelled out by an equally stunning strike from Joao Cancelo and a late goal from Goncalo Ramos gave Jorge Jesus and Portugal the victory on […]
The last game of France in the international break saw Zidane’s side struggle to unlock the sternest Belgian low block. Van Bommel’s side exploited France’s central and behind-the-backline gaps to open the score and exacerbate the situation for the French national team. After substitutions, Zidane’s side kicked into full gear to turn the game into […]