Netherlands hosted Italy in the second round of the League A Group 1 of the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on Monday evening. The home side entered the match on the back of a 0-1 triumph away to Poland three days earlier, while the Italians had managed only a 1-1 draw at home against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the opening round.
Despite the game seeing only one goal, it was a lively affair with plenty of attacking intent from both sides, even if there weren t too many clear-cut chances.
Physical approach pays off for Italian defenders
The efforts of Memphis Depay, Quincy Promes and Georginio Wijnaldum, who constituted the Dutch front three, to cause worry for Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, always seemed too tame to achieve t…
Luis Enrique claimed Spain are among the top teams in the world, but insisted they have to improve if they want to be the best.
La Roja defeated a plucky Kosovo side 2-0, making it consecutive wins to top Group B after Sweden ended their 66-game unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying that stretched back to 1993.
Pablo Fornals was on target for his first international strike, while Ferran Torres scored to become the first player to score six goals in a calendar year for Spain since David Silva (seven) in 2017.
Second-place Sweden slipping up against Greece opened a four-point gap but Luis Enrique implored his team to improve if they are to challenge to be the world s number-one outfit.
We have made many mistakes, we have had many inaccuracies and we have …
Jurgen Klopp is excited by Ben Davies potential following his surprise switch from Preston North End, but concedes the move only happened due to Liverpool s injury problems in the centre of defence.
Davies joined the Premier League champions on Monday in a long-term deal reportedly worth £1.6million.
The 25-year-old made his Preston debut in January 2013 before spending time on loan at York City, Tranmere Rovers, Southport, Newport County and Fleetwood Town.
His arrival goes some way to resolving the Reds issues in the heart of defence.
Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are long-term absentees, while converted midfielder Fabinho and Joel Matip are struggling with injuries.
That led to Jordan Henderson and the inexperienced Nat Phillips pair…
Happy anniversary, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In his two years and one day in charge, Manchester United s manager has made a habit of coaxing out big performances against stronger opposition. It s one common trait his maddeningly inconsistent team has: it s why he has only lost two of six games against Pep Guardiola but lost back-to-back home games to Crystal Palace.
It also explains why Leeds United left Old Trafford on Saturday having lost 6-2 and feeling fortunate it wasn t even worse.
Leeds last visit to this ground was in the FA Cup nearly 11 years ago, when Jermaine Beckford caused an upset for a team that started the day 42 places behind their fierce rivals in the football pyramid.
This time, the gap before kick-off was six points; few would have consi…
Leicester boss Dean Smith knows he will have fulfilled a “big ask” if he can guide his side to Premier League survival on Sunday.
The Foxes must beat West Ham at the King Power Stadium and hope Everton do not win against Bournemouth if they are to avoid relegation to the Championship.
Smith was parachuted into an eight-game SOS mission following Brendan Rodgers’ sacking at the beginning of April but has recorded just one victory from his first seven games and accepts that his side have not done as well as he thought they would.
The 52-year-old has experience of producing the great escape as he led Aston Villa to seven points from their final four games of the 2019/20 season to beat the drop and says something similar would be required.
Smith said: �…
The excitement is building ahead of the opening round of fixtures in the 2022-23 Premier League season this weekend.
Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City look the teams to beat in the title race once again, while a number of clubs will fight it out for Champions League qualification and all the riches that come with it.
Newcastle United fans are excited after a brilliant end to what was once a relegation-threatened campaign, as they start as one of a number of clubs who will be hoping they can sneak into the European places.
Nottingham Forest are returning to the Premier League for the first time since 1998-99 and will fight it out for survival alongside the other new boys Bournemouth and Fulham.
Ahead of an action-packed first weekend o…
It wasn t particularly certain we would arrive at Kylian Mbappe s five-year anniversary at Paris Saint-Germain.
For well over a year, it was widely expected the superstar forward would swap the French capital for the Spanish and join European heavyweights Real Madrid.
But, lo and behold, an eye-watering new deal that runs until June 2025 was agreed back in May, much to the fury of Madrid and the joy of the PSG faithful.
A lot has changed since 2017, not least the fact Mbappe is now a World Cup winner with France.
And yet, there is a feeling that the PSG mission is very much not accomplished, so just how do we judge Mbappe s success at the Parc des Princes thus far?
DOMESTIC DOMINANCE
Mbappe has won Ligue 1 in four of his five seasons w…
Wolfsburg hammered Fiorentina 5-0 on Wednesday to secure their spot in the group stage of the Women s Champions League.
The two-time Champions League winners, who won 7-0 away from home in the first leg, completed a 12-0 aggregate rout to qualify in emphatic fashion.
Fenna Kalma needed just three minutes to get the ball rolling, with Vivien Endemann grabbing a double before substitutes Jule Brand and Tabea Sellner got in on the act.
The match facts were bleak for Fiorentina, who allowed 21 shots on goal, nine on target and 4.23 expected goals against (xGA).
Abpfiff in Wolfsburg! Die Wölfinnen gewinnen mit 5:0.
— VfL Wolfsburg Frauen (@VfL_Frauen)
Swedish side Hammarby, meanwhile, shocked Benfica to win 2-0 in Portugal and secure a…
Chief executive Neil Doncaster has hailed the Scottish Professional Football League’s multi-year extension to its partnership with Loch Lomond Group.
The partnership between the SPFL and Vodka brand Glen’s owner, The Loch Lomond Group, started in 2020.
Glen’s Vodka, as well as several other of Loch Lomond’s Scotch whisky brands, will continue to work closely with the SPFL and many of its clubs across both league and cup competitions.
Doncaster said: “It is fantastic news to be able to announce this extension to our relationship with Glen’s Vodka and Loch Lomond Group.
“This partnership, with a growing and much-loved Scottish brand, will continue to see us working with our friends at Loch Lomond to provide new commercial opportunities, includ…
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were on target as Paris Saint-Germain kept alive their hopes of retaining the Ligue 1 title with a 4-0 victory over Reims on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino s side will go into next weekend s final round of the season against Brest one point behind leaders Lille, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Saint-Etienne.
PSG will only get their hands on the title if they better the result Lille get against Angers next weekend, needing Christophe Galtier s team to slip up.
Neymar opened the scoring early on with a penalty after Yunis Abdelhamid had been dismissed for handling an Mbappe shot. World Cup winner Mbappe, Marquinhos and Moise Kean wrapped up the most routine of victories.
A big-time showing! Four goals, three points and some momentum…