Match story
- USA fired more attempts (17 vs 6 shots).
- USA was more accurate in front of goal (29% on target vs 0%).
- USA held more of the ball (63% possession).
USA defeated El Salvador 1-0 in the World Cup - Qualification CONCACAF. The fixture is part of the Final Round - 9 stage in the 2022 season. The match was played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. B. López officiated the match. The full-time result capped a USA vs El Salvador meeting in World Cup - Qualification CONCACAF 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 USA and El Salvador. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Recorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
USA defeated El Salvador 1-0 in the World Cup - Qualification CONCACAF. The fixture is part of the Final Round - 9 stage in the 2022 season. The match was played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. B. López officiated the match. The full-time result capped a USA vs El Salvador meeting in World Cup - Qualification CONCACAF 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 USA and El Salvador. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Recorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
With Cristiano Ronaldo set to compete in his third edition, Al Nassr's 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite roadmap, with their respective rivals and dates, has been unveiled. Cristiano Ronaldo has made the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite one of his defining targets in what could potentially be his final season as a professional soccer player. With the Portuguese icon still awaiting his official season debut, the continental roadmap has officially been set after Al Nassr learned their group stage opponents and fixture schedule. After missing out on the tournament last season due to a third-place finish in 2024-25, Al Nassr are back in Asia’s flagship club competition. While they competed in the AFC Champions League Two last term, where they finished as runners-up, capturing the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title punched their ticket straight to the top tier. The draw for the expanded 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite took place on Tuesday, August 18, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Al Nassr’s path was detailed alongside three other Saudi Arabian representatives in the competition: Al Hilal, Al Qadsiah, and reigning back-to-back champions Al Ahli. This campaign marks the first edition featuring 32 clubs across the Asian continent. The AFC adopted a single-league format similar to the UEFA Champions League for the opening phase, with every participating club playing eight matches against eight different opponents while competing in a unified standings table. A moment where paths are mapped with the essence of hope and desire! #ACLElite League Stage is set in stone! pic.twitter.com/0ZvNcgOp9o— #ACLElite | #ACLTwo (@TheAFCCL) August 18, 2026 Once the eight-match league phase concludes, the top eight teams in the overall standings will advance to a two-legged round of 16 set for March 1 to 17, 2027. From the quarterfinals onward, the tournament transitions to a centralized knockout stage hosted in Saudi Arabia between April 23 and May 1, 2027. Following Tuesday’s King’s Cup victory against Al Diriyah, Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou addressed the continental draw: “I watched the AFC Champions League draw, but we had a difficult match. If we hadn’t done what was required, we would have been knocked out of the King’s Cup. From tomorrow, we’ll start planning for the AFC Champions League, but my priority right now is the match against Al Riyadh (on Friday).” When is Al Nassr’s debut in the AFC Champions League? Since joining Al Nassr in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has competed in two AFC Champions League campaigns, suffering a quarterfinal exit against Al Ain in 2022-23 and a semifinal heartbreak against Kawasaki Frontale in 2024-25. The 2026-27 tournament marks his third run leading the Saudi club, with attention now focused on their opener. Al Nassr will kick off Matchday 1 of the AFC Champions League Elite against UAE side Al Ain FC on Tuesday, September 15, at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. The Saudi club hold a 2-3 all-time record against Al Ain, giving Ronaldo and company an early chance to level the head-to-head series. Al Nassr’s complete AFC Champions League Elite schedule With four home fixtures at Al Awwal Park and four away trips, Ronaldo’s full schedule for the AFC Champions League Elite league stage breaks down as follows: Matchday 1: Al Ain FC (UAE) vs. Al Nassr — Tuesday, September 15, 2026.Matchday 2: Al Nassr vs. PFC Neftchi (UZB) — Monday, October 12, 2026.Matchday 3: Al Nassr vs. Al Wasl FC (UAE) — Monday, October 26, 2026.Matchday 4: Pakhtakor (UZB) vs. Al Nassr — Monday, November 2, 2026.Matchday 5:Al Nassr vs. Al Sadd SC (QAT) — Tuesday, November 24, 2026.Matchday 6: Al Gharafa SC (QAT) vs. Al Nassr — Tuesday, December 8, 2026.Matchday 7: Al Nassr vs. Al Shamal SC (QAT) — Monday, February 8, 2027.Matchday 8: Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) vs. Al Nassr — Monday, February 15, 2027.
The English Premier League’s Crystal Palace has finalized its acquisition of 19-year-old winger Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake for a RSL club record transfer fee reported at $15 million. The Utah native, who joined the Real Salt Lake academy in 2021 at age 14, will team up with U.S.World Cup defender Chris Richards. Gozo […] The post AMERICANS ABROAD: Zavier Gozo, 19, joins Crystal Palace from Real Salt Lake appeared first on Soccer America.
The 19-year-old US youth international has turned heads in MLS this year, and is on the cusp of a USMNT breakthroughFor much of the past year, the story of American starlet Zavier Gozo has been one of realizing potential – even in failure. Speaking with the Guardian the day after he and Real Salt Lake teammate Diego Luna learned they wouldn’t be on Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for this summer’s World Cup, the 19-year-old Gozo admitted the rejection made him realize how close he’d gotten to earning a spot.“I thought I would be less disappointed than I was,” Gozo said in May. “Obviously, it wasn’t like I was supposed to go. I feel like I was disappointed, but I also think it just gave me so much more motivation to be able to make the first team, whenever that is.” Continue reading...
After an injury-hit summer and a difficult second half of last season, Pulisic now has a fresh opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a coach who appears determined to get the best out of him. Christian Pulisic is heading into a pivotal new chapter at Milan, with Ruben Amorim already making it clear that the American remains central to his plans. After an injury-hit summer and a difficult second half of last season, Pulisic now has a fresh opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a coach who appears determined to get the best out of him. The 27-year-old has yet to make his competitive debut under Amorim, having missed much of preseason while recovering from the bone bruise and microfracture suffered during the United States’ World Cup defeat to Belgium. Yet rather than questioning Pulisic’s place in the squad, Amorim has repeatedly emphasized his belief in the forward and hinted at a role designed around his strengths. Pulisic’s versatility has always been one of his biggest assets. He has played on both wings, operated centrally and even featured as a false nine, but the Portuguese boss appears to have identified a specific position where he believes the American can be particularly dangerous. Speaking during Milan‘s preseason preparations, Amorim explained that he already knows how he wants to use the USMNT star. “I have a clear idea of where I want him [Pulisic] to play. Especially with the right foot on the left side, it is the perfect position for him. He can play the other side also, inside too and not on the line,” Amorim said. View this post on Instagram That points toward Pulisic playing as the left-sided No. 10 in Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system, operating behind the striker rather than staying permanently on the touchline. The position would allow him to cut inside onto his stronger right foot, combine with the wing-back and attack spaces between defenders. Pulisic has already played in similar role The idea may actually feel familiar to Pulisic after his experience with the United States at the 2026 World Cup. Although officially listed as a winger, he frequently started from the left before moving into central areas, while the left-back provided width on the outside. That setup gave Pulisic freedom to receive the ball in dangerous positions and attack defenders from different angles. His best performance of the tournament came during the opening half against Paraguay, when he helped create two goals and completed four dribbles despite playing only 45 minutes. Christian Pulisic vs Paraguay 45 minutes played pic.twitter.com/1F5pq8XzHR— – (@heruarchives) June 13, 2026 Amorim’s system could therefore give Pulisic a similar platform at club level. The major difference is that he will have more freedom to operate centrally from the beginning rather than constantly being asked to function as a traditional winger. Amorim remains firmly behind the American The tactical plan comes at an important moment for Pulisic, who endured a frustrating second half of the previous campaign. After scoring 15 goals in his first Milan season and 17 in his second, his total dropped to 10 in 2025-26, while he failed to score for the club after December. His World Cup campaign then ended in disappointment, with injuries restricting him before a second injury against Belgium forced him out of the tournament. Despite the criticism that followed, Amorim has made it clear that he does not believe Pulisic’s best days are behind him. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026. “Pulisic is a really talented player,” Amorim said. “I know the strengths of Pulisic. I believe in him; he will be supported in our club.” The Milan manager added, “We believe a lot in him, have a clear plan to use all the qualities that he has, so I can say to you that Pulisic is really important for us.”
With the Serie A opener against Torino approaching, the American forward's progress has become one of the biggest talking points around the club. Christian Pulisic has finally taken an important step toward returning to competitive soccer after an injury kept him out throughout Milan’s preseason preparations. With the Serie A opener against Torino approaching, the American forward’s progress has become one of the biggest talking points around the club. Pulisic has spent the past several weeks working away from the main group after suffering a serious setback during the 2026 World Cup. Now, with the new campaign only days away, there is growing optimism that he could have a role to play sooner than initially expected. Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture to the right tibia and fibula during the United States’ World Cup round-of-16 defeat to Belgium. The injury occurred following a strange collision, and although he attempted to continue playing, he eventually had to leave the match. After the game, Pulisic explained what happened in his own words, saying, “I twisted my ankle and my knee in one play.” The injury forced him into a lengthy rehabilitation plan and ruled him out of Milan‘s entire preseason schedule. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts after challenged by Youri Tielemans #8 of Belgium The 27-year-old had continued his recovery at Milanello while the rest of the squad travelled for preseason commitments in Australia and Indonesia. His return to the training complex also allowed him to begin working toward a comeback under new head coach Ruben Amorim. Pulisic returns to group training The biggest development arrived on Tuesday, August 18, when Pulisic completed the opening portion of Milan’s team training session with his teammates. MilanNews reported that the American was able to participate in part of the session, marking a significant milestone 41 days after suffering the injury. That development immediately raised the possibility of Pulisic being involved when Milan travels to face Torino on Sunday. View this post on Instagram While his return to full fitness is still being managed carefully, the forward is now much closer to competitive action than he was only a few weeks ago. Earlier reports had suggested that the American was targeting a return toward the end of August, with the Torino fixture viewed as an ambitious target. Could Pulisic feature against Torino? The latest developments suggest Pulisic now has a realistic chance of being included in Milan’s squad for the Serie A opener against Il Toro on Sunday, August 23. His partial return to team training is an encouraging sign, although the club will have to determine whether he is physically ready for competitive minutes. Even if he makes the squad, however, a starting role is considered highly unlikely after such a long period without competitive soccer. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan warms up before the Serie A match. The priority will be avoiding another setback after such a long rehabilitation process. Even a short appearance from the bench would represent meaningful progress for Pulisic and give Amorim another attacking option as the Rossoneri begin the new Serie A campaign. For now, the expectation is that Pulisic will continue his personalized work alongside his gradual integration with the squad. His return is getting closer, and the Torino match could provide the first opportunity for Milan fans to see their American star back in action.
The competition, which has since its inception been backed by the likes of KSI, Gary Lineker and Ian Wright, sold out the O2 Arena for last season's final, which was won by KSI's Prime FC.
LEWIS STEELE: Two weeks ago, it was probably fair to say Liverpool had a crisis in their defensive department and risked going into the new season incredibly undercooked.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!A senior Fifa blazer held in such rare high regard that the prescient synth-pop duo Erasure named a single after him long before he entered the intoxicating world of football administration, Kevin Lamour was a lone dissenting voice inside Fifa’s lair when Gianni Infantino’s plot to flog part of the World Cup to private investors – potentially on the cheap – was rumbled last month. A plan so half-baked it succeeded only in ruining the holidays of Proper Journalists who naively hoped they might enjoy some leisure time after weeks of being studiously ignored by Gianni in the foyers of various luxury hotels dotted across North America, the then chief operating officer of Fifa had witheringly described the sell-off proposal as “the project of one person”. Refusing to sign off on the deal, Lamour said the administration had been “deceived” by Gianni, adding that if speaking up against his boss “means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”Upon reading the final article in Monday’s missive [full email edition – Football Daily Ed], I noted the final sentence of Memory Lane commenced with “(insert name of whoever is in the news as being on the end of a bad foul, bad behaviour, etc, here)”. I may be doing you a gross disservice but I couldn’t help feeling this was a Wizard of Oz moment where the curtain was momentarily drawn back, revealing (insert witty denouement here)” – Anthony Brady.Further to Monday’s letter about players’ wages. To put things into perspective, if we estimate the average Premier League player’s wage to be, say, £5m per annum, or £100,000 per week, this works out that in one week such a player gets (hardly earns) more than the likes of Jimmy Greaves earned in his complete football career. If we go back to players like Finney, Milburn and Lofthouse the difference is even greater” – Stewart McGuinness.I’m glad Rob Smyth was dissing a lousy movie and not the Gigli, Beniamino, the Italian tenor, in my humble opinion the best there ever has been. Well, I needed something to take my mind off the football!” – Bob Cushion.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...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
With Cristiano Ronaldo set to compete in his third edition, Al Nassr's 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite roadmap, with their respective rivals and dates, has been unveiled. Cristiano Ronaldo has made the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite one of his defining targets in what could potentially be his final season as a professional soccer player. With the Portuguese icon still awaiting his official season debut, the continental roadmap has officially been set after Al Nassr learned their group stage opponents and fixture schedule. After missing out on the tournament last season due to a third-place finish in 2024-25, Al Nassr are back in Asia’s flagship club competition. While they competed in the AFC Champions League Two last term, where they finished as runners-up, capturing the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title punched their ticket straight to the top tier. The draw for the expanded 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite took place on Tuesday, August 18, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Al Nassr’s path was detailed alongside three other Saudi Arabian representatives in the competition: Al Hilal, Al Qadsiah, and reigning back-to-back champions Al Ahli. This campaign marks the first edition featuring 32 clubs across the Asian continent. The AFC adopted a single-league format similar to the UEFA Champions League for the opening phase, with every participating club playing eight matches against eight different opponents while competing in a unified standings table. A moment where paths are mapped with the essence of hope and desire! #ACLElite League Stage is set in stone! pic.twitter.com/0ZvNcgOp9o— #ACLElite | #ACLTwo (@TheAFCCL) August 18, 2026 Once the eight-match league phase concludes, the top eight teams in the overall standings will advance to a two-legged round of 16 set for March 1 to 17, 2027. From the quarterfinals onward, the tournament transitions to a centralized knockout stage hosted in Saudi Arabia between April 23 and May 1, 2027. Following Tuesday’s King’s Cup victory against Al Diriyah, Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou addressed the continental draw: “I watched the AFC Champions League draw, but we had a difficult match. If we hadn’t done what was required, we would have been knocked out of the King’s Cup. From tomorrow, we’ll start planning for the AFC Champions League, but my priority right now is the match against Al Riyadh (on Friday).” When is Al Nassr’s debut in the AFC Champions League? Since joining Al Nassr in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has competed in two AFC Champions League campaigns, suffering a quarterfinal exit against Al Ain in 2022-23 and a semifinal heartbreak against Kawasaki Frontale in 2024-25. The 2026-27 tournament marks his third run leading the Saudi club, with attention now focused on their opener. Al Nassr will kick off Matchday 1 of the AFC Champions League Elite against UAE side Al Ain FC on Tuesday, September 15, at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. The Saudi club hold a 2-3 all-time record against Al Ain, giving Ronaldo and company an early chance to level the head-to-head series. Al Nassr’s complete AFC Champions League Elite schedule With four home fixtures at Al Awwal Park and four away trips, Ronaldo’s full schedule for the AFC Champions League Elite league stage breaks down as follows: Matchday 1: Al Ain FC (UAE) vs. Al Nassr — Tuesday, September 15, 2026.Matchday 2: Al Nassr vs. PFC Neftchi (UZB) — Monday, October 12, 2026.Matchday 3: Al Nassr vs. Al Wasl FC (UAE) — Monday, October 26, 2026.Matchday 4: Pakhtakor (UZB) vs. Al Nassr — Monday, November 2, 2026.Matchday 5:Al Nassr vs. Al Sadd SC (QAT) — Tuesday, November 24, 2026.Matchday 6: Al Gharafa SC (QAT) vs. Al Nassr — Tuesday, December 8, 2026.Matchday 7: Al Nassr vs. Al Shamal SC (QAT) — Monday, February 8, 2027.Matchday 8: Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) vs. Al Nassr — Monday, February 15, 2027.
The English Premier League’s Crystal Palace has finalized its acquisition of 19-year-old winger Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake for a RSL club record transfer fee reported at $15 million. The Utah native, who joined the Real Salt Lake academy in 2021 at age 14, will team up with U.S.World Cup defender Chris Richards. Gozo […] The post AMERICANS ABROAD: Zavier Gozo, 19, joins Crystal Palace from Real Salt Lake appeared first on Soccer America.
The 19-year-old US youth international has turned heads in MLS this year, and is on the cusp of a USMNT breakthroughFor much of the past year, the story of American starlet Zavier Gozo has been one of realizing potential – even in failure. Speaking with the Guardian the day after he and Real Salt Lake teammate Diego Luna learned they wouldn’t be on Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for this summer’s World Cup, the 19-year-old Gozo admitted the rejection made him realize how close he’d gotten to earning a spot.“I thought I would be less disappointed than I was,” Gozo said in May. “Obviously, it wasn’t like I was supposed to go. I feel like I was disappointed, but I also think it just gave me so much more motivation to be able to make the first team, whenever that is.” Continue reading...
After an injury-hit summer and a difficult second half of last season, Pulisic now has a fresh opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a coach who appears determined to get the best out of him. Christian Pulisic is heading into a pivotal new chapter at Milan, with Ruben Amorim already making it clear that the American remains central to his plans. After an injury-hit summer and a difficult second half of last season, Pulisic now has a fresh opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a coach who appears determined to get the best out of him. The 27-year-old has yet to make his competitive debut under Amorim, having missed much of preseason while recovering from the bone bruise and microfracture suffered during the United States’ World Cup defeat to Belgium. Yet rather than questioning Pulisic’s place in the squad, Amorim has repeatedly emphasized his belief in the forward and hinted at a role designed around his strengths. Pulisic’s versatility has always been one of his biggest assets. He has played on both wings, operated centrally and even featured as a false nine, but the Portuguese boss appears to have identified a specific position where he believes the American can be particularly dangerous. Speaking during Milan‘s preseason preparations, Amorim explained that he already knows how he wants to use the USMNT star. “I have a clear idea of where I want him [Pulisic] to play. Especially with the right foot on the left side, it is the perfect position for him. He can play the other side also, inside too and not on the line,” Amorim said. View this post on Instagram That points toward Pulisic playing as the left-sided No. 10 in Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system, operating behind the striker rather than staying permanently on the touchline. The position would allow him to cut inside onto his stronger right foot, combine with the wing-back and attack spaces between defenders. Pulisic has already played in similar role The idea may actually feel familiar to Pulisic after his experience with the United States at the 2026 World Cup. Although officially listed as a winger, he frequently started from the left before moving into central areas, while the left-back provided width on the outside. That setup gave Pulisic freedom to receive the ball in dangerous positions and attack defenders from different angles. His best performance of the tournament came during the opening half against Paraguay, when he helped create two goals and completed four dribbles despite playing only 45 minutes. Christian Pulisic vs Paraguay 45 minutes played pic.twitter.com/1F5pq8XzHR— – (@heruarchives) June 13, 2026 Amorim’s system could therefore give Pulisic a similar platform at club level. The major difference is that he will have more freedom to operate centrally from the beginning rather than constantly being asked to function as a traditional winger. Amorim remains firmly behind the American The tactical plan comes at an important moment for Pulisic, who endured a frustrating second half of the previous campaign. After scoring 15 goals in his first Milan season and 17 in his second, his total dropped to 10 in 2025-26, while he failed to score for the club after December. His World Cup campaign then ended in disappointment, with injuries restricting him before a second injury against Belgium forced him out of the tournament. Despite the criticism that followed, Amorim has made it clear that he does not believe Pulisic’s best days are behind him. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026. “Pulisic is a really talented player,” Amorim said. “I know the strengths of Pulisic. I believe in him; he will be supported in our club.” The Milan manager added, “We believe a lot in him, have a clear plan to use all the qualities that he has, so I can say to you that Pulisic is really important for us.”
With the Serie A opener against Torino approaching, the American forward's progress has become one of the biggest talking points around the club. Christian Pulisic has finally taken an important step toward returning to competitive soccer after an injury kept him out throughout Milan’s preseason preparations. With the Serie A opener against Torino approaching, the American forward’s progress has become one of the biggest talking points around the club. Pulisic has spent the past several weeks working away from the main group after suffering a serious setback during the 2026 World Cup. Now, with the new campaign only days away, there is growing optimism that he could have a role to play sooner than initially expected. Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture to the right tibia and fibula during the United States’ World Cup round-of-16 defeat to Belgium. The injury occurred following a strange collision, and although he attempted to continue playing, he eventually had to leave the match. After the game, Pulisic explained what happened in his own words, saying, “I twisted my ankle and my knee in one play.” The injury forced him into a lengthy rehabilitation plan and ruled him out of Milan‘s entire preseason schedule. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts after challenged by Youri Tielemans #8 of Belgium The 27-year-old had continued his recovery at Milanello while the rest of the squad travelled for preseason commitments in Australia and Indonesia. His return to the training complex also allowed him to begin working toward a comeback under new head coach Ruben Amorim. Pulisic returns to group training The biggest development arrived on Tuesday, August 18, when Pulisic completed the opening portion of Milan’s team training session with his teammates. MilanNews reported that the American was able to participate in part of the session, marking a significant milestone 41 days after suffering the injury. That development immediately raised the possibility of Pulisic being involved when Milan travels to face Torino on Sunday. View this post on Instagram While his return to full fitness is still being managed carefully, the forward is now much closer to competitive action than he was only a few weeks ago. Earlier reports had suggested that the American was targeting a return toward the end of August, with the Torino fixture viewed as an ambitious target. Could Pulisic feature against Torino? The latest developments suggest Pulisic now has a realistic chance of being included in Milan’s squad for the Serie A opener against Il Toro on Sunday, August 23. His partial return to team training is an encouraging sign, although the club will have to determine whether he is physically ready for competitive minutes. Even if he makes the squad, however, a starting role is considered highly unlikely after such a long period without competitive soccer. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan warms up before the Serie A match. The priority will be avoiding another setback after such a long rehabilitation process. Even a short appearance from the bench would represent meaningful progress for Pulisic and give Amorim another attacking option as the Rossoneri begin the new Serie A campaign. For now, the expectation is that Pulisic will continue his personalized work alongside his gradual integration with the squad. His return is getting closer, and the Torino match could provide the first opportunity for Milan fans to see their American star back in action.
The competition, which has since its inception been backed by the likes of KSI, Gary Lineker and Ian Wright, sold out the O2 Arena for last season's final, which was won by KSI's Prime FC.
LEWIS STEELE: Two weeks ago, it was probably fair to say Liverpool had a crisis in their defensive department and risked going into the new season incredibly undercooked.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!A senior Fifa blazer held in such rare high regard that the prescient synth-pop duo Erasure named a single after him long before he entered the intoxicating world of football administration, Kevin Lamour was a lone dissenting voice inside Fifa’s lair when Gianni Infantino’s plot to flog part of the World Cup to private investors – potentially on the cheap – was rumbled last month. A plan so half-baked it succeeded only in ruining the holidays of Proper Journalists who naively hoped they might enjoy some leisure time after weeks of being studiously ignored by Gianni in the foyers of various luxury hotels dotted across North America, the then chief operating officer of Fifa had witheringly described the sell-off proposal as “the project of one person”. Refusing to sign off on the deal, Lamour said the administration had been “deceived” by Gianni, adding that if speaking up against his boss “means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”Upon reading the final article in Monday’s missive [full email edition – Football Daily Ed], I noted the final sentence of Memory Lane commenced with “(insert name of whoever is in the news as being on the end of a bad foul, bad behaviour, etc, here)”. I may be doing you a gross disservice but I couldn’t help feeling this was a Wizard of Oz moment where the curtain was momentarily drawn back, revealing (insert witty denouement here)” – Anthony Brady.Further to Monday’s letter about players’ wages. To put things into perspective, if we estimate the average Premier League player’s wage to be, say, £5m per annum, or £100,000 per week, this works out that in one week such a player gets (hardly earns) more than the likes of Jimmy Greaves earned in his complete football career. If we go back to players like Finney, Milburn and Lofthouse the difference is even greater” – Stewart McGuinness.I’m glad Rob Smyth was dissing a lousy movie and not the Gigli, Beniamino, the Italian tenor, in my humble opinion the best there ever has been. Well, I needed something to take my mind off the football!” – Bob Cushion.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...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.