FC Slutsk defeated Dinamo Brest 0-2 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Relegation Round - 6 stage in the 2014 season. The match was played at Stadyen DASK Brestski in Brest. The full-time result capped a Dinamo Brest vs FC Slutsk meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Dinamo Brest and FC Slutsk. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueRecorded meetings: 3 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
FC Slutsk defeated Dinamo Brest 0-2 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Relegation Round - 6 stage in the 2014 season. The match was played at Stadyen DASK Brestski in Brest. The full-time result capped a Dinamo Brest vs FC Slutsk meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Dinamo Brest and FC Slutsk. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueRecorded meetings: 3 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Here we go again. And, no, we are not talking about the start of the new Scottish Premiership season or the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup – although that Tranmere v Rochdale shootout was a cracker. Yes, after a week of talk about money, greed and Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, the hot topic around the water cooler on Monday was again Gianni Infantino and, more specifically, the English and Welsh FAs’ decisions to row back on their support of a stalling ship. Along with Finland, they’re the first of Uefa’s 55 members to withdraw their letters of support for next year’s Fifa overlord elections.I write to you with my deep regret on hearing about the death of the heroic and granite-made Franco Baresi. Two moments stand out to me, both off the pitch, and show what a great man he was. The first was when Arrigo Sacchi, the Milan manager, dropped his intensity in training, fearing he was overworking the players; Baresi convinced Sacchi to up it instead for the sake of the team, with spectacular results. The second was an older Baresi reflecting on his 1994 World Cup final loss to Brazil, which he appeared in 25 days after knee surgery. Rather than lamenting his lot, having missed a penalty and lost the final, Baresi instead recalled watching the 1970 final between Italy and Brazil, only the second game he had seen on TV. The first game was the West Germany v Italy semi-final, where he recalled watching the players who ‘to me, they were Martians’. He said: ‘I would never have thought 24 years later, at 34 years old, I would have the possibility to play in that same game, the final, against Brazil, the same team. It was a dream that came true.’ Rest in peace” – Nick Kinsella.I was wondering if Gianni Infantino might revist his Big Sale Opportunity by allowing smaller, club-level contestants from less lucrative leagues to participate in a seriously revamped World Cup, replacing their boycotting national sides. For instance, from the lower leagues of Scottish competitions. Mainly to render possible the wonderful hypothetical headline result of the last match of the (?) 2038 edition: Fifa Forward Final fiasco … East Fife 4, Forfar 5” – Russell Richardson.Steve Bennett’s comment on Newcastle United’s new kit (Friday’s Football Daily letters) made me think of West Bromwich Albion’s similarly ‘bar-coded’ Premier League strip from the 2020-21 season, at the end of which they were relegated. Newcastle may have to hope that isn’t an omen” – Derrick Cameron.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Having been linked with a move to the Premier League, Zion Suzuki is set for a switch to European champions Paris Saint-German instead. It marks the completion of the 23-year-old Japanese goalkeeper's rise to the game's summit after a stellar World Cup.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Al Hilal are already looking to strengthen the squad to compete for every title. However, Karim Benzema could lose a teammate, as Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. After failing to win the Saudi Pro League title last season, Al Hilal have already decided to strengthen their roster, signing Crysencio Summerville for the wing. However, they remain open to bringing in more players, looking to reinforce Karim Benzema in attack. To do so, the Saudi side is preparing key departures, opening up foreign-player slots. With this in mind, Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. According to Arriyadiyah, a well-known Saudi media outlet, Darwin Núñez is very close to leaving Al Hilal on loan, heading to the Portuguese league. Both FC Porto and Benfica are closely monitoring his arrival, with negotiations already underway. Despite having played in LaLiga and the Premier League, the Uruguayan striker produced his best version in the Primeira Liga, so a return there would be key. With Benzema’s arrival, Darwin was left out of Al Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad, leaving him available only for the AFC Champions League Elite. With the veteran Frenchman and Marcos Leonardo, the Uruguayan striker appears to have no place in the team, making his departure almost mandatory. With this, Núñez seems set to end his spell in the Saudi Pro League without playing a single minute alongside Karim. Darwin Núñez has gone from being one of the best strikers in the Premier League to becoming a marginal player in the Saudi Pro League. In the 24 matches he has played, he has scored only nine goals and provided five assists, disappointing many. Because of this, a return to the Primeira Liga would be key to rediscovering his best form, as he is only 27 years old and is looking to relaunch his professional career. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal controls the ball during the Saudi Pro League match. Jader Duran’s arrival to Benfica could shut door to Darwin Núñez Recognizing Darwin Núñez as a great talent, SL Benfica are looking to bring the Uruguayan striker back for the 2026-27 season. Head coach Marco Silva faced him on numerous occasions in the Premier League and could look to relaunch his career. However, the 27-year-old striker will not have an easy path to earning a place, as they have just signed Jhon Jader Durán on loan, which would leave him out of the rotation. Head coach Marco Silva not only has Durán, but also Vangelis Pavlidis, Franjo Ivanović, and Anísio Cabral. Therefore, Darwin Núñez would be the fifth option or adapt to the left wing. In his spell at Benfica, the Uruguayan striker scored 48 goals and provided 16 assists in 85 games, but he is not coming in his best version and needs continuity. With this in mind, FC Porto seem to be his best option to have continuity.
According to SPORT, FC Barcelona are becoming increasingly concerned that Ferran Torres could leave the club this summer.What initially appeared to be a straightforward contract renewal has become far...
In the middle of a very tight match, Ferran Torres led Spain to victory over Argentina, firing a superb shot. Following this, the 26-year-old striker is reportedly moving closer to a transfer to PSG, which is looking to complete his arrival within the next two weeks. Ferran Torres arrived at the 2026 World Cup with his future very much up in the air, as his contract expires in 2027 and he has not renewed it yet. Despite being a substitute in several matches, he cemented his place in Spain’s history by scoring the winning goal against Argentina. After this, the 26-year-old striker has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, which is looking to complete his signing from Barcelona in less than two weeks. According to Luis Miguel Sanz, via Diario Sport, Ferran Torres is an absolute priority for PSG, at the express request of head coach Luis Enrique. After the sale of Gonçalo Ramos, the 26-year-old striker would occupy the role of backup striker, alternating with Ousmane Dembélé. With a higher salary offer, he is tempted to leave, and the French side hopes to complete the deal in less than two weeks. Despite PSG’s interest in signing him, Barcelona are reportedly already pushing to complete Ferran Torres’ contract renewal. With his contract running until 2027, he is entering the final year of his deal. However, he is reportedly not very happy with the way he has been treated, as they had promised to renew his contract alongside Jules Koundé. Therefore, he would be looking to leave the club, either this summer or as a free agent. Ferran Torres could be tempted to leave Barcelona not only because of the salary increase. Luis Enrique’s presence is essential to his decision. During his time as Spain head coach, the 26-year-old striker was the first-choice option up front, filling him with confidence. Therefore, he would be willing to play under him again, looking to reach his best version and fight for a starting spot. Ferran Torres #7 of Spain celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal. Not only PSG: Ferran Torres is reportedly on Liverpool’s radar After his major impact off the bench at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ferran Torres has further established as a world-class player. Both Barcelona and PSG are battling strongly over his professional future. However, the 26-year-old striker has attracted the attention of Liverpool, which is looking to strengthen its attack. Therefore, he could make a return to the Premier League, aiming to become a starter in the immediate future. Neither PSG nor Barcelona seem able to guarantee Ferran Torres a starting role, leaving the financial aspect as the main difference. Therefore, Liverpool have expressed interest in securing the signing of the Spanish striker, reports Loïc Tanzi, via L’Equipe. With this in mind, the 26-year-old star could decide his future based on the level of prominence he is offered, as he has been a substitute for several years. Ferran Torres is coming off a very solid 2025-26 season with Barcelona. Beyond his performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he managed to score 21 goals and provide three assists. Therefore, his arrival at Liverpool would be key to strengthening the team’s goalscoring output, as Hugo Ekitike will be sidelined for several months. In addition, he can play on both wings, which would make him a key player for head coach Andoni Iraola.
Several big-name Aston Villa players have been linked with exits, but they have now completed a club-record deal to bring in Johan Manzambi. The post Villa beat Newcastle to club-record signing of £59.5m midfielder Manzambi appeared first on SoccerNews.
After a positive loan spell with RB Leipzig during the second half of 2025-26, Brajan Gruda will continue with the club for another year. The post RB Leipzig extend Gruda loan deal from Brighton for 2026-27 season appeared first on SoccerNews.
Amid Switzerland's heroic performances, Johan Manzambi emerged as the team's biggest star. Following his breakout displays, he is reportedly close to completing a €70 million transfer to Aston Villa. Switzerland surprised at the 2026 World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals and putting in a highly competitive performance. While most of the players produced their best form, Johan Manzambi was the team’s standout performer, excelling both as a goalscorer and a playmaker. Following his impressive performances, he is reportedly close to completing a €70 million transfer to Aston Villa, after the club hijacked the deal from Newcastle United. According to Keith Downie of Sky Sports, Newcastle United were quite close to an agreement with SC Freiburg to sign Johan Manzambi. They made a €47 million offer, agreeing everything with the player for his arrival in the Premier League. However, the German team was asking for a slightly higher transfer fee, so negotiations were paused. Because of this, Aston Villa entered and hijacked the deal. After making an impressive €70 million offer, including add-ons, Aston Villa clearly lead the race for Manzambi’s signing. The English side already have an agreement with SC Freiburg, and the player has already informed of his desire to join the team, ruling out Newcastle United. Because of this, Johan will have a long-term contract, arriving as a great prospect. However, the deal has yet to be officially completed, Fabrizio Romano reports. Johan Manzambi starred for Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup Before the 2026 World Cup, the leadership of Switzerland’s attack was centered around Breel Embolo and Noah Okafor. Johan Manzambi was not coming off his best season at SC Freiburg, as he scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists in 47 matches. However, he produced the best version of himself at the anticipated tournament, becoming the national team’s best player. Johan Manzambi #9 of Switzerland celebrates scoring his team’s third goal. Manzambi scored three goals and provided two assists in the four matches he played at the 2026 World Cup. Beyond his productivity, he was the focal point of the attack, with the entire game revolving around him while also shining collectively. However, his impact was limited by a minor knee injury, which ruled him out of action for about two weeks. The Premier League will be Manzambi’s biggest test yet Johan Manzambi is one of Switzerland’s most promising players. At just 20 years old, he has already spent two years playing with SC Freiburg’s first team. However, he has not yet managed to show his best version on a day-to-day basis, as he is a regular starter but does not stand out in terms of goalscoring or creativity. After his outstanding performances at the 2026 World Cup, he seems to have earned a place in the Premier League, but he will face a huge challenge. Unlike the Bundesliga, the Premier League is one of the most physical and competitive leagues in the world. With Morgan Rogers playing in his position, he would have to adapt to another role, such as the wings, or compete with him to become a starter. His biggest challenge will continue to be maintaining his high level, as he has not yet managed to shine in European leagues the way he did at the World Cup.
⚽️ World Cup kick-off: 4pm EDT/9pm BST/6am AEST⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | And email ScottPre-match postbag. “Writing from Ecuador, I can say people are understandably disappointed with how the World Cup has gone so far. After finishing second in qualifying, there was a feeling that this group could achieve something, but we were ignoring the unequal distribution of talent in the team: in the back, you have Pacho, who has won two Champions League titles, and Hincapie, who won the Bundesliga and the Premier League, and in the middle, you have Moises Caicedo. Up front, we still have 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who couldn’t really do it at Everton 10 years ago. There’s an exciting generation of Ecuadorian strikers, including the 16-year-old twins currently at Arsenal, but they’re not yet ready. The country was hoping Germany would field their second string of players for this match; turns out they didn’t. On another note, many attribute Ecuador’s success in qualifying to Quito’s altitude, but this overlooks the fact that most of Ecuador’s players come from abroad, so they also have to adjust to the altitude. Also, under the current coach, Ecuador started playing home games in Guayaquil, which is at sea level” – Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo“As well as some underdogs have performed this World Cup there hasn’t really been a big upset victory. Maybe today will be the day for that and if it happens, there would be no better occasion than Ecuador in front of a crowd which is likely to be majority Ecuadorean due to the huge population living in New York and surrounding region” – John in New York Continue reading...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Here we go again. And, no, we are not talking about the start of the new Scottish Premiership season or the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup – although that Tranmere v Rochdale shootout was a cracker. Yes, after a week of talk about money, greed and Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, the hot topic around the water cooler on Monday was again Gianni Infantino and, more specifically, the English and Welsh FAs’ decisions to row back on their support of a stalling ship. Along with Finland, they’re the first of Uefa’s 55 members to withdraw their letters of support for next year’s Fifa overlord elections.I write to you with my deep regret on hearing about the death of the heroic and granite-made Franco Baresi. Two moments stand out to me, both off the pitch, and show what a great man he was. The first was when Arrigo Sacchi, the Milan manager, dropped his intensity in training, fearing he was overworking the players; Baresi convinced Sacchi to up it instead for the sake of the team, with spectacular results. The second was an older Baresi reflecting on his 1994 World Cup final loss to Brazil, which he appeared in 25 days after knee surgery. Rather than lamenting his lot, having missed a penalty and lost the final, Baresi instead recalled watching the 1970 final between Italy and Brazil, only the second game he had seen on TV. The first game was the West Germany v Italy semi-final, where he recalled watching the players who ‘to me, they were Martians’. He said: ‘I would never have thought 24 years later, at 34 years old, I would have the possibility to play in that same game, the final, against Brazil, the same team. It was a dream that came true.’ Rest in peace” – Nick Kinsella.I was wondering if Gianni Infantino might revist his Big Sale Opportunity by allowing smaller, club-level contestants from less lucrative leagues to participate in a seriously revamped World Cup, replacing their boycotting national sides. For instance, from the lower leagues of Scottish competitions. Mainly to render possible the wonderful hypothetical headline result of the last match of the (?) 2038 edition: Fifa Forward Final fiasco … East Fife 4, Forfar 5” – Russell Richardson.Steve Bennett’s comment on Newcastle United’s new kit (Friday’s Football Daily letters) made me think of West Bromwich Albion’s similarly ‘bar-coded’ Premier League strip from the 2020-21 season, at the end of which they were relegated. Newcastle may have to hope that isn’t an omen” – Derrick Cameron.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Having been linked with a move to the Premier League, Zion Suzuki is set for a switch to European champions Paris Saint-German instead. It marks the completion of the 23-year-old Japanese goalkeeper's rise to the game's summit after a stellar World Cup.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Al Hilal are already looking to strengthen the squad to compete for every title. However, Karim Benzema could lose a teammate, as Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. After failing to win the Saudi Pro League title last season, Al Hilal have already decided to strengthen their roster, signing Crysencio Summerville for the wing. However, they remain open to bringing in more players, looking to reinforce Karim Benzema in attack. To do so, the Saudi side is preparing key departures, opening up foreign-player slots. With this in mind, Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. According to Arriyadiyah, a well-known Saudi media outlet, Darwin Núñez is very close to leaving Al Hilal on loan, heading to the Portuguese league. Both FC Porto and Benfica are closely monitoring his arrival, with negotiations already underway. Despite having played in LaLiga and the Premier League, the Uruguayan striker produced his best version in the Primeira Liga, so a return there would be key. With Benzema’s arrival, Darwin was left out of Al Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad, leaving him available only for the AFC Champions League Elite. With the veteran Frenchman and Marcos Leonardo, the Uruguayan striker appears to have no place in the team, making his departure almost mandatory. With this, Núñez seems set to end his spell in the Saudi Pro League without playing a single minute alongside Karim. Darwin Núñez has gone from being one of the best strikers in the Premier League to becoming a marginal player in the Saudi Pro League. In the 24 matches he has played, he has scored only nine goals and provided five assists, disappointing many. Because of this, a return to the Primeira Liga would be key to rediscovering his best form, as he is only 27 years old and is looking to relaunch his professional career. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal controls the ball during the Saudi Pro League match. Jader Duran’s arrival to Benfica could shut door to Darwin Núñez Recognizing Darwin Núñez as a great talent, SL Benfica are looking to bring the Uruguayan striker back for the 2026-27 season. Head coach Marco Silva faced him on numerous occasions in the Premier League and could look to relaunch his career. However, the 27-year-old striker will not have an easy path to earning a place, as they have just signed Jhon Jader Durán on loan, which would leave him out of the rotation. Head coach Marco Silva not only has Durán, but also Vangelis Pavlidis, Franjo Ivanović, and Anísio Cabral. Therefore, Darwin Núñez would be the fifth option or adapt to the left wing. In his spell at Benfica, the Uruguayan striker scored 48 goals and provided 16 assists in 85 games, but he is not coming in his best version and needs continuity. With this in mind, FC Porto seem to be his best option to have continuity.
According to SPORT, FC Barcelona are becoming increasingly concerned that Ferran Torres could leave the club this summer.What initially appeared to be a straightforward contract renewal has become far...
In the middle of a very tight match, Ferran Torres led Spain to victory over Argentina, firing a superb shot. Following this, the 26-year-old striker is reportedly moving closer to a transfer to PSG, which is looking to complete his arrival within the next two weeks. Ferran Torres arrived at the 2026 World Cup with his future very much up in the air, as his contract expires in 2027 and he has not renewed it yet. Despite being a substitute in several matches, he cemented his place in Spain’s history by scoring the winning goal against Argentina. After this, the 26-year-old striker has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, which is looking to complete his signing from Barcelona in less than two weeks. According to Luis Miguel Sanz, via Diario Sport, Ferran Torres is an absolute priority for PSG, at the express request of head coach Luis Enrique. After the sale of Gonçalo Ramos, the 26-year-old striker would occupy the role of backup striker, alternating with Ousmane Dembélé. With a higher salary offer, he is tempted to leave, and the French side hopes to complete the deal in less than two weeks. Despite PSG’s interest in signing him, Barcelona are reportedly already pushing to complete Ferran Torres’ contract renewal. With his contract running until 2027, he is entering the final year of his deal. However, he is reportedly not very happy with the way he has been treated, as they had promised to renew his contract alongside Jules Koundé. Therefore, he would be looking to leave the club, either this summer or as a free agent. Ferran Torres could be tempted to leave Barcelona not only because of the salary increase. Luis Enrique’s presence is essential to his decision. During his time as Spain head coach, the 26-year-old striker was the first-choice option up front, filling him with confidence. Therefore, he would be willing to play under him again, looking to reach his best version and fight for a starting spot. Ferran Torres #7 of Spain celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal. Not only PSG: Ferran Torres is reportedly on Liverpool’s radar After his major impact off the bench at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ferran Torres has further established as a world-class player. Both Barcelona and PSG are battling strongly over his professional future. However, the 26-year-old striker has attracted the attention of Liverpool, which is looking to strengthen its attack. Therefore, he could make a return to the Premier League, aiming to become a starter in the immediate future. Neither PSG nor Barcelona seem able to guarantee Ferran Torres a starting role, leaving the financial aspect as the main difference. Therefore, Liverpool have expressed interest in securing the signing of the Spanish striker, reports Loïc Tanzi, via L’Equipe. With this in mind, the 26-year-old star could decide his future based on the level of prominence he is offered, as he has been a substitute for several years. Ferran Torres is coming off a very solid 2025-26 season with Barcelona. Beyond his performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he managed to score 21 goals and provide three assists. Therefore, his arrival at Liverpool would be key to strengthening the team’s goalscoring output, as Hugo Ekitike will be sidelined for several months. In addition, he can play on both wings, which would make him a key player for head coach Andoni Iraola.
Several big-name Aston Villa players have been linked with exits, but they have now completed a club-record deal to bring in Johan Manzambi. The post Villa beat Newcastle to club-record signing of £59.5m midfielder Manzambi appeared first on SoccerNews.
After a positive loan spell with RB Leipzig during the second half of 2025-26, Brajan Gruda will continue with the club for another year. The post RB Leipzig extend Gruda loan deal from Brighton for 2026-27 season appeared first on SoccerNews.
Amid Switzerland's heroic performances, Johan Manzambi emerged as the team's biggest star. Following his breakout displays, he is reportedly close to completing a €70 million transfer to Aston Villa. Switzerland surprised at the 2026 World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals and putting in a highly competitive performance. While most of the players produced their best form, Johan Manzambi was the team’s standout performer, excelling both as a goalscorer and a playmaker. Following his impressive performances, he is reportedly close to completing a €70 million transfer to Aston Villa, after the club hijacked the deal from Newcastle United. According to Keith Downie of Sky Sports, Newcastle United were quite close to an agreement with SC Freiburg to sign Johan Manzambi. They made a €47 million offer, agreeing everything with the player for his arrival in the Premier League. However, the German team was asking for a slightly higher transfer fee, so negotiations were paused. Because of this, Aston Villa entered and hijacked the deal. After making an impressive €70 million offer, including add-ons, Aston Villa clearly lead the race for Manzambi’s signing. The English side already have an agreement with SC Freiburg, and the player has already informed of his desire to join the team, ruling out Newcastle United. Because of this, Johan will have a long-term contract, arriving as a great prospect. However, the deal has yet to be officially completed, Fabrizio Romano reports. Johan Manzambi starred for Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup Before the 2026 World Cup, the leadership of Switzerland’s attack was centered around Breel Embolo and Noah Okafor. Johan Manzambi was not coming off his best season at SC Freiburg, as he scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists in 47 matches. However, he produced the best version of himself at the anticipated tournament, becoming the national team’s best player. Johan Manzambi #9 of Switzerland celebrates scoring his team’s third goal. Manzambi scored three goals and provided two assists in the four matches he played at the 2026 World Cup. Beyond his productivity, he was the focal point of the attack, with the entire game revolving around him while also shining collectively. However, his impact was limited by a minor knee injury, which ruled him out of action for about two weeks. The Premier League will be Manzambi’s biggest test yet Johan Manzambi is one of Switzerland’s most promising players. At just 20 years old, he has already spent two years playing with SC Freiburg’s first team. However, he has not yet managed to show his best version on a day-to-day basis, as he is a regular starter but does not stand out in terms of goalscoring or creativity. After his outstanding performances at the 2026 World Cup, he seems to have earned a place in the Premier League, but he will face a huge challenge. Unlike the Bundesliga, the Premier League is one of the most physical and competitive leagues in the world. With Morgan Rogers playing in his position, he would have to adapt to another role, such as the wings, or compete with him to become a starter. His biggest challenge will continue to be maintaining his high level, as he has not yet managed to shine in European leagues the way he did at the World Cup.
⚽️ World Cup kick-off: 4pm EDT/9pm BST/6am AEST⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | And email ScottPre-match postbag. “Writing from Ecuador, I can say people are understandably disappointed with how the World Cup has gone so far. After finishing second in qualifying, there was a feeling that this group could achieve something, but we were ignoring the unequal distribution of talent in the team: in the back, you have Pacho, who has won two Champions League titles, and Hincapie, who won the Bundesliga and the Premier League, and in the middle, you have Moises Caicedo. Up front, we still have 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who couldn’t really do it at Everton 10 years ago. There’s an exciting generation of Ecuadorian strikers, including the 16-year-old twins currently at Arsenal, but they’re not yet ready. The country was hoping Germany would field their second string of players for this match; turns out they didn’t. On another note, many attribute Ecuador’s success in qualifying to Quito’s altitude, but this overlooks the fact that most of Ecuador’s players come from abroad, so they also have to adjust to the altitude. Also, under the current coach, Ecuador started playing home games in Guayaquil, which is at sea level” – Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo“As well as some underdogs have performed this World Cup there hasn’t really been a big upset victory. Maybe today will be the day for that and if it happens, there would be no better occasion than Ecuador in front of a crowd which is likely to be majority Ecuadorean due to the huge population living in New York and surrounding region” – John in New York Continue reading...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
