Snak

Underwhelming but predictable El Tri in a scoreless friendly

Although the El Tri fans filled the Georgia Dome with a chorus of "boos" and patronizing whistles after a scoreless match against Nigeria, there were a few positives to consider after the 90 minutes in Atlanta.

Mexico started off the game very sluggishly and had difficulties holding onto the ball throughout the first 15 to 20 minutes of the match. Nigeria were given plenty of space to roam and had little difficulty with the back three of Diego Reyes, Hector Moreno and Rafa Marquez. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was an early-on inspiration and was able to make a couple of vital saves that kept El Tri in the game. Yet, as time progressed during the match, Mexico became more and more confident and were also able to control possession. A watershed moment in the momentum of the game occurred after Marquez almost scored a beautifully placed header off a corner kick. Vincent Enyeama did an excellent job to block the opportunity but El Tri were then the more convincing side after the chance on net.

Hector Herrera and Oribe Peralta were able to spearhead a more offensive-minded squad with the latter taking a couple of much needed and risky long shots on net. The score remained 0-0 at half but El Tri were beginning to govern the match in the Georgia Dome. During halftime Javier Aquino was brought on for Luis Montes and Alan Pulido for Chicharito Hernandez. Chicharito had apparently banged up his knee during the first half and had an early exit on his only opportunity with El Tri before the World Cup rosters are to be announced.

The second half for El Tri was much more positive as they were able to control even more of the possession and continued to have opportunities going forward. The eventual inclusion of Carlos Pena boosted the attack even more and for most of the half, Mexico appeared to be the ones more likely to score. Mexico continued to press but after the full 90, they found themselves goalless.

As mentioned, many fans will be angry with the 0-0 score after becoming accustomed to easy friendly wins during the past few months. El Tri at times lacked cohesion, especially in the middle, but they have the potential to do very well given some time. Some bright spots from the game were the dominance of Ochoa in net, the chances that Oribe was able to take, Moreno eventually taking control of the back and Hector Herrera inspiring some movement forward as well. Chicharito’s lack of influence during the first half won’t look good and neither will the quiet games from both Juan Carlos Medina and Javier Aquino.

Either way, given what could have happened with the squad, El Tri were underwhelming and predictable but showed plenty of potential for the next few months and hopefully the World Cup.

Dibben, jeg tror sgu Costa Rica sagtens kan lave en 90´er igen, England og Italien imponerer på ingen måder :-)

Man kan heller ikke ligefrem sige at Costa Rica har imponeret på det seneste med nederlag til Australien, Chile (ja ja okay) og Sydkorea.

Det var dog kun mod Sydkorea, hvor holdet spillede med noget der minder om et ordentligt hold.

Det var dog kun mod Sydkorea, hvor holdet spillede med noget der minder om et ordentligt hold.


men nu slog Sydkorea også Grækenland i Athen igår, tror ikke de er så tosset igen :-)

Englænderne er blegfede, primitive og kan ikke klare varmen..easy win...Italienerne gamle, slidte og/eller middelmådige - de kan sagtens lave en en 2010 slutrunde igen...så spiller los ticos frisk til kan der sagtens ligge min 4 point der...problemet bliver uruguayanerne som kender dem i forvejen - der er intet element of surprise der....

Germany clings to Götze winner as Chile both dominates and frustrates


Vibrant Mario Götze scores the only goal in World Cup warm-up as ‘La Roja’ promises much and delivers little.

Few sports can generate an atmosphere when a winning side leaves the arena to a chorus of boos. Yet soccer — and the home crowd — delivered that ignominy on Germany in Stuttgart on Wednesday night.

To all those jeering and the 5,000 traveling supporters at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Chile had defeated the “Mannschaft” in this World Cup warm-up in every aspect of the game but the solitary one that matters, the scoreline — 1-0 Germany. The objective aspects — shots, shots on goal, possession, time in the final third, corner attempts — as well as the subjective — passion, determination, indefatigability — all went to the visitors.

And yet, as the German media inevitably descends on Joachim Löw and Germany’s reputation among the elite contenders for this year’s World Cup in Brazil, “La Roja” left Europe with the same sense of uncertainty.

This was supposed to be the game in which Chile tested itself against the elite, as 2010 finalists Spain and the Netherlands guard the gates to the knockout stages in Brazil. But on Wednesday, Chile both lost and lost out on a festival of chances against a German side that struggled to keep the ball on the field, much less mount a sustained offensive.

In the 16th minute, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Özil authored a passage of play in the opposition technical area that was finished off by Mario Götze. The Bayern Munich man was his team’s biggest threat on the night, though failed to raise others to his level.

Chile meanwhile bombed forward with mounting disregard for the opposition’s reputation. Two early attacks up the right flank were met with little opposition and, smelling blood, Chile set about pummeling Marcell Jansen’s territory until the shattered left back was substituted in the 24th minute for Marcel Schmelzer.

Twice Arturo Vidal met corners following sustained Chilean pressure and twice the Juventus man was denied — once by a goalline clearance and once through inaccuracy. But for an improbable block from Per Mertesacker, Charles Aránguiz would have tied the score following great build-up pay between Alexis Sánchez and Eduardo Vargas.

Following the match, Löw lamented his team’s failure to recognize Chile’s quality before and after his halftime teamtalk.

Seconds after the restart, Chile’s night was summed-up in one move. Sánchez retrieved the ball in the center of the pitch, blew past two and eliminated a third marker with a nutmeg to find Vidal. The latter squared a poor pass just behind Aránguiz, whose struggled attempt to find Vargas was extinguished by keeper Manuel Neuer.

On the hour mark, Vargas rattled the crossbar with a beautiful fadeaway strike, to put paid to the theory that the final delivery was all that lacked. Chilean chances were abundant, and Chilean deficiencies paved the way to German victory.

After the match Sampaoli admitted he didn’t know who to substitute in the second half, such was Chile’s dominance. Germany had made three changes before the Argentine replaced the brilliant Aránguiz with Jorge Valdivia. Immediately “El Mago” cut Germany’s backline to ribbons with a through ball and Sánchez wasted the chance.

At the full time whistle, both Sampaoli’s opinion of the opposition and “La Roja’s” deficiencies were apparent. Two out-and-out strikers — Mauricio Pinilla and Fabian Orellana — walked off a top-heavy Chile side that failed to produce a goal.

“If we played the World Cup today, we’d have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages,” Sampaoli said to press after the match. “To waste so many chances against a team like Germany is heartbreaking. We could have won a game that we dominated start to finish.”

Such was the bizarre nature of Wednesday’s clash of nations. A win for one and a loss for the other left no fan satisfied — and both teams were found wanting.

Englænderne er blegfede, primitive og kan ikke klare varmen..easy win...Italienerne gamle, slidte og/eller middelmådige - de kan sagtens lave en en 2010 slutrunde igen...så spiller los ticos frisk til kan der sagtens ligge min 4 point der...problemet bliver uruguayanerne som kender dem i forvejen - der er intet element of surprise der....

Italien skal have lov til at lave en "2010" igen. Ende sidst i en gruppe med New Zealand, Slovakiet og Uruguay siger alt.

for lige at melde tilbage fra i går, så kan man med fordel smide et stykke ost på en riskiks.

Dejligt med sejr til Costa Rica og Honduras i går og fedt at Jerry Palacios scorede. Jeg håber virkelig at Los Catrachos har nosser nok til at stille med 2 angribere mod de store hold til VM.

Jep - en spiller fra costaricansk fodbold. Det er ikke så ringe, men han har også været god for Alajuelense ellers var han nok heller ikke blevet kaldt op til landsholdet.

Hvorfor var Costly ikke med i truppen i går?

José Sand se entrenó en Argentinos

BUENOS AIRES -- Con seis fechas del Torneo Final disputadas, Argentinos Juniors sumó a José Sand para afrontar los 13 partidos restantes en los cuales el equipo de Claudio Borghi se juega la permanencia en la Primera División.

El delantero llega desde Tigre, club en el cual rescindió su contrato, llega a La Paternal ocupando el cupo que se habilitó por la lesión del defensor Nicolás Freire, quien sufrió una rotura de tres ligamentos del tobillo derecho.

El contrato se firmó por un año, aunque tendrá una cláusula para ser rescindido cuando finalice el Torneo Final. Un dato a tener en cuenta es que, en lo económico, Sand cobrará un contrato netamente inferior al que tenía en Tigre, aunque en esta oportunidad priorizo la posibilidad de ser titular.

De esta manera, el nacido en Corrientes vestirá su novena camiseta en el fútbol argentino, pasando por Colón, Independiente Rivadavia de Mendoza, River, Defensores de Belgrano, Banfield, Lanús, Racing y Tigre. Cabe recordar que, además, pasó por Vitoria de Brasil, Al Ain de Emiratos Árabes, Deportivo La Coruña de España y Tijuana de México.

Mientras tanto, el plantel realizó tareas físicas y aeróbicas en el gimnasio y ejercicios con pelota en espacio reducido. Trabajaron diferenciado Gaspar Iñiguez y Leonardo Pisculichi. Este último está en duda para jugar el fin de semana, por una distensión en el gemelo.

Argentinos recibirá a Lanús desde las 17:00 hs. del sábado con el arbitraje de Mariano González. Justamente José Sand podría debutar ante el equipo en el cual mejor promedio de gol tuvo ya que convirtió 53 goles en los 71 partidos que jugó entre 2007 y 2009.

Racing pierde a Ortiz por dos meses

BUENOS AIRES -- Una nueva mala noticia para Racing. En las últimas horas Fernando Ortiz se sometió a una serie de exámenes médicos que arrojaron una osteocondritis en la rodilla izquierda que lo mantendrá fuera de las canchas al menos por dos meses.

El defensor, ausente por lesión en el partido ante Lanús, no trabajó a par de sus compañeros ya que las dolencias en su rodilla izquierda continuaban y se sometió a los estudios que confirmaron la baja para los próximos 60 días.

Mientras tanto, el plantel trabajó en la cancha Auxiliar realizando movimientos regenerativos, posteriores al partido ante Lanús. Trabajaron de manera diferenciada Diego Villar, Gabriel Migliónico y Luis Ibáñez, quien podría reaparecer ante Boca.

Quien es un hecho que no jugará el próximo domingo es Francisco Cerro quien ante Lanús vio su quinta amarilla en la temporada y deberá cumplir una fecha de suspensión.

Racing recibirá a Boca el próximo domingo a las 21:30 hs. y con el arbitraje de Silvio Trucco. La "Academia" intentará volver a sumar de a tres tras cinco fechas, ya que, luego de su victoria en el debut ante Colón, perdió cuatro partidos (San Lorenzo, Tigre, Arsenal y Lanús) y empató el restante (ante All Boys).

Independiente: ensayo sin Morel y con Vidal

BUENOS AIRES -- Si bien aún restan más de 48 horas para el partido que Independiente disputará ante Huracán en la noche del sábado, Omar De Felippe comenzó a delinear el probable equipo, con varias sorpresas.

Durante la mañana del jueves, el entrenador programó una práctica de fútbol y los once que puso en cancha fueron: Diego Rodríguez; Alexis Zárate, Cristian Tula, Samuel Cáceres, Lucas Villalba; Hernán Fredes, Marcelo Vidal, Federico Mancuello; Matías Pisano, Daniel Montenegro; Sebastián Penco.

Dicha formación tiene cuatro variantes con respecto a los que cayeron ante Independiente Rivadavia de Mendoza, el pasado lunes.

La gran novedad estaría en los laterales ya que ingresarían los juveniles Alexis Zárate y Lucas Villalba en lugar de Gabriel Vallés (suspendido) y Claudio Morel Rodríguez (por decisión táctica).

Además, regresaría Matías Pisano por Martín Zapata y se produciría la esperada vuelta de Marcelo Vidal, quien no tuvo rodaje oficial en 2014 por una tendinitis.

Independiente recibirá a Huracán desde las 20:30 hs. del sábado, con el arbitraje de Sergio Pezzotta. Justamente el "Globo" fue el primer rival ante el cual el "Rojo" obtuvo su primer triunfo en el Nacional B, cuando lo venció 1 a 0, el pasado 9 de septiembre.