I know it’s already been said, but Spain’s Xavi is the best soccer player we’ve (the soccer-apathetic North Americans) never paid attention to. He flies under the American fans’ radar because he’s more known for setting up goals than scoring them. I can’t recall the exact stat at this time, but the World Cup telecast for the final said that Xavi had set up 25 shots on goal, eight more than any other player.
Ghana defeated Serbia 1-0 to log the first win for an African nation. In a match that saw plenty of Serbian opportunities in the early going, it was a Serbain blunder that led to the game winning goal. Asamoah Gyan scored on a penalty kick in the 84th minute.
Speaking of deflections, Nigerian golakeeper Vincent Enyeama did all that he could to stop the offensive juggernaut of Argentinian scorers. It was his outstrectehd hand that stands out for Nigeria, who was otherwise out of sync until late in the game. The Nigerian offense managed 12 shots with only 1 shot on goal. Enyeama finished with 6 saves in a game that the broadcasters said could have easily been out of control without the valiant efforts of the Nigerian goalkeeper.
Despite its affluent footballing history, England has arguably had more disappointment on the international level, although much of that could be accredited to its own lofty expectations. They failed to qualify for the 2008 UEFA European Championship. The fallout involved bringing in Italian manager Fabio Capello to turn their fortunes in time for this year’s World Cup. But with the Americans serving as the only true threat in their 2010 group, the English have to be prepping for success during the knockout rounds.
An injury can occur at anytime, in any form, and on the most innocuous athletic circumstance. Prevention, however, should come with some logical preparation. Maybe the logistics of Didier Drogba’s situation is lost on an American soccer fan. This past Friday, one week from the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Ivory Coast striker suffered a broken elbow. Not in training, not in a freak accident. No – Drogba suffered the injury during a friendly match against Japan as a final warm up for the World Cup.
It’s no surprise that when one looks worldwide for the game of soccer, no amount of inclement weather or debilitating playing surfaces can keep the beautiful game from engaging a community, nation or continent.
by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell >Carlo Ancelotti newest Chelsea manager, already seeing transfer strain of EPL financial woes Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti left AC Milan to become the most recent manager at Stamford Bridge. This is Chelsea’s fifth manager since hiring Jose Mourinho away from FC Porto in 2004. While Mourinho brought the club two Premier […]
Six months away playing for one of Europe’s elite teams, David Beckham made his return to the Los Angeles Galaxy for practices earlier this week. His return did not come without media attention thanks to teammate Landon Donvan. Apparently Donovan bashed the beloved international star in an upcoming book questioning Beckham’s commitment among other things.
by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell The 2009 FA Cup, to be played on Saturday May 30 at Wembley Stadium in London, pits a battle of the Blues, Chelsea and Everton. Each makes its return to the final game since its last FA championship. Chelsea returns after a one year absence from its 2007 win over Manchester […]
by Patrick ‘Rey’ ReynellThe question arises every sports season. When is the best time of year in the sports world? Football fans, January and February probably seems like heaven. The BCS bowls and National Championship followed by the pinnacle of the pigskin: The Super Bowl. Maybe you’re a baseball fan. The best times of year […]