Tag: Football

Chelsea kept quiet by Sevilla in goalless stalemate

manager

Chelsea are still waiting for a £220 million ($284 million) spending spree to pay off as Frank Lampard’s men began their Champions League campaign with an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sevilla at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have now won just two of their opening six games of the season and the only consolation of a cagey encounter for Lampard was a rare clean sheet. With Champions League debutants Rennes and Krasnodar making up Group E, both sides were happy to settle for a point against what they will perceive as…

Read More

Selangor aim to regain glory days

manager

It has been five years since Selangor last tasted glory in domestic competitions. Their 2015 Malaysia Cup victory, under coach Mehmet Durakovic, was the last time the Red Giants were on the podium and have since failed to challenge for honours. However, Selangor hope to end their drought when the Malaysia Cup, which they have won 33 times, starts on Nov 6. The Malaysia Cup will offer an added incentive to the 16 qualifiers as the champions will earn an AFC Cup ticket. The Red Giants have not played in…

Read More

Safawi's debut put on hold

manager

Safawi Rasid will have to wait a little longer for his Portimonense SC debut in the Primeira Liga. The 23-year-old, however, played his first match on Portuguese soil in Portimonense’s 3-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in Friday’s Revelacao Liga (under-23 south zone league) match at the Dois Irmaos Stadium in Portimao, Safawi, who is on a year-long loan from Johor Darul Ta’zim, was named in the starting line up. “I still have a lot to learn about Portuguese football. It is so different here. “There is no time to think…

Read More

Ronaldo-less Portugal down Sweden to maintain Nations League control

manager

Portugal made light of Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence due to a positive coronavirus test to see off Sweden 3-0 on Wednesday and stay top of their Nations League group. A Diogo Jota brace and another strike from Bernardo Silva were enough to stay level on 10 points with France and hold onto first place in League A Group 3. Ronaldo, who was pictured watching the match on television wearing a Portugal top, was forced to leave the national team camp after returning a positive test for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The Juventus…

Read More

Another virus kick for Malaysia Cup

manager

THE virus is kicking the M-League fixtures upside down yet again. After Covid-19 forced the M-League to be abandoned for five months since March, it is playing havoc with the prestigious Malaysia Cup competition. The Malaysian Football League (MFL) have already postponed it once, from Oct 16 to Oct 25 but to no avail as the contagion has not been contained. Even before kickoff, the Malaysia Cup had to be diluted, with MFL “cutting corners” by scrapping the group stages and making it a direct knockout involving 16 teams because…

Read More

Dortmund's 15-year-old star to make Champions League history

manager

Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko, who turns 16 on November 20, could make Champions League history next month by becoming the competition’s youngest player ever. Dortmund’s sports director Michael Zorc told German daily Bild “we will enter him on the B list” for the group stages of the Champions League, with Dortmund having drawn Zenit Saint Petersburg, Brugge and Lazio in Group F. The 15-year-old Moukoko, already a prolific scorer in German youth football, is not on the club’s ‘A’ list of players registered for the Champions League competition. However, he…

Read More

Super League teams: Let's stop the demotion

manager

Ten Super League teams have proposed that the Malaysian Football League (MFL) put a stop to “demotion” for this season. That means the last two teams in the top tier Super League don’t have to drop to the second tier Premier League. The proponents, who have signed a letter calling for a “freeze in demotion”, argue that the relegation of teams from the Super League should not take place because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is because the season has been reduced by half, from 22 games to just 11…

Read More

Messi to put Barca drama behind him as Argentina seek fast start

manager

Superstar footballer Lionel Messi will take a break from his Barcelona soap opera as he bids to fire Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar and what will probably be his last chance to try to win the coveted trophy. The 33-year-old, a record six-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, has won everything in the club game with Barcelona several times over but his international trophy cabinet looks bare in comparison. “The only goal I have now is to win the World Cup with the national team,” he has said.…

Read More

Kuching FC are eager debutants

manager

KUCHING FC are eager to make an impression in their first-ever Malaysia Cup appearance. The Sarawak-based club confirmed their Malaysia Cup spot by edging Johor Darul Ta’zim II (JDT II) 2-1 in Sunday’s Premier League match at the State Stadium in Kuching. Bryan Anicezio (22nd minute) and Yuta Suzuki (57th) netted for Kuching while JDT II replied through Fernando Rodriguez (49th). Kuching are sixth in the standings with 13 points with one match to go and will join champions Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan in the Malaysia Cup. The fifth…

Read More

Selangor a 'Super' hurdle in Fighters' survival

manager

THEY say lightning never strikes twice in the same place. However, it has struck Felda United yet again as the relegation-threatened club will be fighting for Super League survival when they play Selangor in their final match of the competition this week. Felda were in a similar situation last year but maintained their top-tier status on the final day of the Super League when they beat Kedah 5-1. PJ City FC also lent a helping hand by edging PKNP FC (now known as Perak II) 1-0. On Saturday, Nidzam Jamil’s…

Read More