Windsor Park was the perfect stage for the Italians to correct the errors of 2017 and bag a place in the World Cup. Or so it seemed. Mancini’s maneuvers in a 3-1-3-3 shape backfired, leaving his...

How do you crack a disciplined, determined 4-4-2 block? In the ultimate form of attack versus defense, Sweden forced Spain to grapple with this task once more. What followed was a low scoring but intr...

In a grim year for a gifted outfit, qualification for the World Cup would have been consolation for the Portuguese. But Serbia had other ideas. Stellar names made the hosts the favorites, but they fel...

The road to qualification prioritizes results over performances: a stumbling block for Spain in the past. But the visitors rose to the task that awaited them. Breaking down a deep 5-4-1 block, they he...

Dogged deep blocks and rapid breakaways are chief ingredients for a shock victory, but West Ham are no longer your classic underdog. In a duel where the favorites pushed them to offer more, they rose ...

A two goal lead and a red card did not signal comfort for Liverpool in Spain, but with the backing of the Anfield crowd, this contest turned out to be one-sided. On a nigh-on perfect night for the hos...

On the holy ground of the Gewiss Stadium, the divinities graced this duel with their presence. Under the aegis of Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta's back five trumped that of their visitors, setting the...

PSG are making a habit of faltering over the line, but here it came with an added twist. Lille’s 4-4-2 setup set the tone for the first half, only for Mauricio Pochettino to make several adaptat...

A chaotic crowd produced a raucous atmosphere befitting the tradition of Le Classique, but the action was much milder. Marseille may have had a cuter approach to their play on the ball, but neither si...

Recent contests between the two royal red houses of English football have failed to produce the spectacle neutrals crave. This duel was an exception, but it came at the cost of one side’s dignit...