EPL 2015 : United, Arsenal draw 1-1 at Old Trafford

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Old Trafford witnessed a draw today between the classic Premier League rivals – Manchester United and Arsenal. A brilliant goal by Ander Herrera put United in the lead but then an own goal by Blackett and Victor Valdes’ sheer inability at doing the one job he has, helped Arsenal equalize.

Smalling captained the Reds today in place of Wayne Rooney. The first few minutes saw both sides just passing the ball around. United gained an edge and, typical to Van Gaal’s tactics, looked to maintain possession. Young had an inswing cross flicked away by Koscielny, but the ball wasn’t cleared fully and Mata got onto it and played in Falcao, but the striker’s effort was blocked away for a corner. The ball reached Smalling at the far post, but Bellerin stopped his attempt. A follow-up corner was played short but Young’s flat delivery was cleared away by Koscielny.

Mata’s freekick was easily saved by Ospina. United impressed with their defence today, with Arsenal unable to find any pass to break through. United dealt comfortably with a sudden possession for the visitors — the first time they have completed a pass in the opposition half, almost — and got back on the attack.

Players struggled with their footing in the game today. Phil Jones slipped and Giroud was almost through on goal but a rather unusual header from the defender avoided any danger for United. Meme-makers will no doubt start capitalizing on that very soon, so brace yourself for them!

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Half an hour into the game, Manchester United clinched the lead. Ashley Young put a cross to the far post. Ander Herrera was absolutely unmarked and made no mistake as he shot it past Ospina. Herrera has been missing quite a few of those chances in the last few games, and he got it absolutely right today. Frustration began to set in for Arsenal after that goal. Ozil had the ball on the edge of the United box and played in a very deft pass for Giroud, but he couldn’t anticipate it at all and the chance went futile. Ozil made no attempt to hide his irritation at that missed chance.

Arsenal needed to make some changes if they wanted to win. United looked extremely strong at that point. Only the offside flag denied Fellaini a clear shot on goal, and then subsequently Mata broke the offside trap before putting in cross that Falcao nearly turned in. In the 42^nd minute, Giroud flew into the hoardings, thanks to a clumsy Phil Jones tackle. The resulting free-kick doesn’t fall to anyone however, and United clear.

At half time, United were deservedly leading by one goal. The quality of their attack today was simply splendid and Arsenal failed to impress much up until then and needed to step up their game post half time.

They did start off well in the second half, but seemed to be struggling with the same issues as in the first half.  Sanchez was pushed off the ball before he could get his shot off, and at the other end, Falcao nearly created a good chance for the hosts, but it was cleared by Ospina. In the 51^st minute, Sanchez went for the volley shot but missed the goal. A small spell of pressure ensued from Arsenal, with Bellerin taking the ball in from the right. Arsenal just couldn’t get the ball into the dangerous areas inside the box, however. Arsene Wenger looked on in frustration.

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Van Persie replaced Falcao in the 61^st minute. Falcao went out with full applause from the crowd and his wave signaled that it was goodbye and that he wouldn’t be signing on permanently, which is the best thing for him. He has had a disappointing season here at Manchester United, despite having so much of potential. Hopefully, he will go back to being the brilliant player he used to be at his old team.

There was a close chance for Arsenal as Ozil got behind the defence and passed to Giroud, who went past Rojo very well. He tried to shoot it in but a save from De Gea prevented the potential equalizer.

In the 73^rd minute, De Gea limped off due to an injury which lead to Victor Valdes’ debut at Old Trafford. Also, Blackett came on for Marcos Rojo. Arsenal made changes as well and got in Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott to replace Cazorla and Bellerin respectively. The game got boring at this point as United just played around with the ball and Arsenal lacked any threats whatsoever. Walcott’s attempts resulted in nothing, so far.

However, the 82^nd minute saw Arsenal equalize. The ball shot across the pitch to Walcott on the edge of the box. The winger beat Blackett and hit a low shot that deflected off the defender, over Valdes and inside the far post. That unfortunate goal seemed to give Arsenal the boost they desperately needed. There was a chance for Arsenal as Ozil beat Jones and cut the ball back for Giroud at the near post, but the Frenchman got his angles fractionally wrong and his first-time shot went straight into the side-netting. Suddenly it was all Arsenal, as another delightful Ramsey ball found Giroud between his defenders, but Jones forced him to play his shot wide and averted an Arsenal lead.

It seemed like both teams were low on energy in the added time, and nobody made an effort to try and score a winner. The first yellow card of the game came just before full time and was given to Herrera for trying to trip Flamini.

A draw served Arsenal better than United, although United will feel they were somewhat hard done by here. Ander Herrera’s close-range finish had given them a deserved first-half lead, but Theo Walcott’s deflected late strike eventually gave Arsenal their equalizer. That means Arsenal will stay in the third place, with two games to go.

EPL 2015 : Manchester City win 4-2 against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium

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Manchester City defeated Swansea 4-2 at the Liberty Stadium earlier today. Swansea, currently 8th in the league, were expected to go into this game full of confidence, while Manchester City need to give their fans something to cheer about after losing the Premier League title to Chelsea. City looked to lock the second spot and an easy Champions League qualification, which they managed to do.

The home side started off looking eager to attack with Sigurdsson pushing up as they looked to get the ball in behind the Manchester City defence. Joe Hart was immediately tested as he had to save a strike from Gomis. A great through ball by Shelvey found the striker and he made his way through the visiting defenders but there was not enough power in his shot to go past Hart. Also, this threw the weak City defence into the limelight. City must ensure that Toure is at his best if they wish to pressurize Swansea today. He was involved, with a few simple passes that led to nothing initially.

The home team definitely appeared more positive, with their defenders pushing up high as City tried to get past them. The first 20 minutes were dominated by them and the home crowd saw to it that their team received all the motivation they needed. Hart rose to the occasion by saving a lot of attempts by the Swansea strikers.

Toure did do well for City and provided them with the first goal in the 20^th minute. Silva played in Toure on the edge of the box and the midfielder shot through a crowd of players. The keeper did get a hand to the ball, but was thwarted by the deflection off Williams’ shin pad.

Swansea were still attacking as they looked to make something out of their dominant possession. Shelvey side foot the ball to Gomis just outside the box but he couldn’t control it. City broke and Kolarov sent the ball across the goal for Lampard, but Taylor sent it over the bar.

Shortly later, City upped their score as Milner scored the second goal. Lampard’s long pass found Aguero down the left and he played in Milner on the edge of the box. The midfielder shot across Fabianski and the ball went in at the far post. Swansea’s thunderous first 20 minutes were all in vain as City now held the lead by 2 goals.

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Right before half time, Swansea scored their first goal and that brought life back to the crowds at the Liberty Stadium.  Montero cut in from the left and Sigurdsson was there at the edge of the box to shoot it right past Joe Hart.

At half time, it was 2-1 with Manchester City in the lead. It was indeed an exciting first half with both teams attacking relentlessly.

The second half started off and the first yellow of the game was to Milner after he abruptly halted Montero’s run. The resulting free-kick fell perfectly for Hart. Shelvey sent a shabby cross into the box and although Zabaleta got a head to it, it wasn’t cleared. It fell to Lampard who head it towards the Swansea goal but his shot was easily saved by Fabianski. Shelvey was on the hunt for a goal, as his 25 yard effort had Hart shouting at his defenders as he pushed it around his far post. The home side seemed to be getting back into the game, thanks to City’s sloppy passing.

Swansea managed to equalize in the 64^th minute. Gomis scored the equaliser after terrible defending from City. He played the offside trap perfectly after latching onto Richards’ long ball to beat Hart in the net. However, the elation was short-lived for the home ground as Toure scored the third goal for City ten minutes later. Fabianski was beaten by Toure as City got the lead again. The shot flew under the goalkeeper’s arm.

With around 15 minutes to go, Swansea desperately tried to get back into the game. Fernandinho received a yellow card for hanging his leg in the way of Barrow’s run. Hart was exceptional today and that statement was proven by his amazing blocks on the consecutive attempts made by Barrow, Fernandez and Gomis. It clearly showed that the Swansea strikers were no match for the English goalkeeper.

Bony came in to play for Toure against his former club. He provided the fourth goal for City but the striker didn’t really celebrate much.

At full time, City won 4-2. It was a good game as both teams attacked on. City might have won the game, but Swansea ensured it wasn’t an easy win for them. Both teams remain at the same spot in the table – City in the second place and Swansea in the eighth.

UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Juventus vs Barcelona

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After the exciting semi-final matches, it is ultimately Barcelona vs Juventus at the UEFA Champions League 2015 final on June 6^th. Barcelona managed to triumph over Bayern Munich with the aggregate goals, and Real Madrid lost to Juventus, thanks to former player Alvaro Morata’s goals in both legs. With most of Bayern’s top players suffering from injuries, it was indeed questionable as to whether they would qualify or not. As far as Real Madrid is concerned, Juventus simply emerged to be the better team.

Barcelona put up a good game even in the second leg, clearly riding high on the success in the first leg. Messi, Neymar and Suarez – or MSN, as they are known – were the frontrunners in the second game, even though they lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich. They did have a strong hold over the game, what with marvelous goals by Mueller and Lewandoski. It was a good victory of 3 goals. However, it just fell short of the aggregate total and that lead to Barcelona qualifying to the finals with considerable ease.

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Coming to the Juventus vs Real Madrid match, it was delightful to watch Juventus qualify for the finals for the first time since 2003. It was quite a feat to qualify to the finals, against Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabeu with thousands of fans cheering on the home team. The fans were in tears and so was James Rodriguez, but that night solely belonged to Juventus. They did struggle in the first half, especially after Ronaldo’s penalty. But they bounced back effectively in the second half and played sublimely. Their defence was very strong and I wonder how Buffon is 37. He still plays like a dream. Vidal, Pogba and Marchisio were full of energy and were determined to win it for Juventus. Tevez was unstoppable in his attack. Although it was a draw, Morata’s stunning equalizer put them through to the final. At this point, it is indeed ironic since, well, it reminds everybody of how Florentino Perez claimed that Morata wasn’t “good enough” for Real.

Everything said and done, congratulations to both Barcelona and Juventus. It will be exciting to watch the final. With MSN’s attacking firepower and Buffon’s strong defensive plays, the final will be one hell of a match.

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Luis Enrique did have a shaky start, with the embarrassing 3-2 loss against Paris Saint Germain. However, that changed once Suarez made his debut for Barcelona and they haven’t looked back ever since. MSN have formed a formidable trio and share a good understanding that leaves even the best of defenders baffled. Enrique will need to capitalize on them and find out a way to develop this trio further, as they could actually go on to be the best attacking trio the world of football has seen in a long time. Luis Enrique has managed to turn things around and even Pep Guardiola seems to think so.  Pep Guardiola, in an interview, said, “I’ve seen all the players, they are so thin, so sharp, so fast” and this is definitely what is helping Barcelona.”

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Juventus, on the other hand, have not tasted European victory in years. They may not have looked impressive against Atletico, Olympiakos and Malmo, but after preventing an El Classico final, Juve have shown that substance can sometimes be more effective than glitz. Morata managed to score the equalizer against Real Madrid, but now it remains to be seen if he can repeat the same magic against Barcelona, who are incidentally his former rivals. With a 1-0 aggregate win over Monaco in the quarter-finals, Allegri’s side played at their stiffest, something that may have worked to effect against the French giants—but it won’t do for Barca. But then there was the 5-1 aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund before that, proving that this Juve team can be a strong attacking team as well.

As far as Italian teams are known, Juventus might attempt to restrain Barcelona and hope they make out their own chances, as something similar worked against Real Madrid. However, Barcelona are in the kind of form able to push through any defence, so it will be an interesting match for sure.

Personally, I’d love for Juventus to win. My prediction would be a 2-1 or 3-2 victory for Juventus. It might not be a high-scoring game because, well, Buffon. However, finals are always unpredictable and Barcelona have all the talent they need to win. June 6^th will witness a new champion lift the trophy and nothing could be more exciting than that!

UCL Semi Final : Bayern Munich lose 3-0 to Barcelona at Camp Nou

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Pep Guardiola returning to Camp Nou – the ground he once ruled – was one of the most interesting things about the first leg of the UCL semi finals between Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Unfortunately or fortunately, his former team proved that they continue to rule their home ground as they beat the visitors 3-0 on home turf.

During kick off, Bayern had an overloaded side wih seven players. As far as Bayern’s strategy was concerned, it seemed like they were going for a man-to-man marking with Schweinsteiger right behind Busquets. However, in the next few minutes, Bayern were actually playing three at the back with Thiago as a right-sided midfielder and Bernat on the left in a 3-4-3 formation. Guardiola stumped Barca with this system and at that point, they looked a little flustered, what with the high line and this man-to-man marking, and three at the back retreating when Messi, Suarez and Neymar raced forward. Shortly after, Lewandowski’s shot from 25 yards was blocked and Suarez tried to get in a low shot from 18 yards that Neuer saved with ease.

The tempo of the game was really high in the first 15 minutes. Barcelona were all over Bayern after that, with Suraez breaking out of the right of the box, tackling Boateng and Lahm, to get to the byline and cross for Neymar who burst into the six-yard box to tap it in but Rafinha’s toe ensured no damage was done. It settled down, as Bayern attempted to tighten their defence, but still Messi could go through on the right by a quick run, the ball being completely under his control, and eased past Xabi Alonso and Bernat. He tried to get a shot in, but the ball just went past the far post.

Bayern reformed into a 4-3-3 and that helped them get a foothold back in the game but Barca’s defence was really strong, with Xabi Alonso sweeping up after Messi got through but he was harrassed at speed by five players and lost possession. Barca lose 10 yards but win a free-kick, 25 yards out to the right of centre after Xabi Alonso fouled Messi and got booked. In the 38th minute, Rakitic fouled Xabi Alonso, with his studs down his shin after they came together. Almos immediately, Suarez got fouled about 20 yards from the goal. The free-kick was wasted but they won a throw and Messi went on a typical Messi dribble, and eventually passed it back to Iniesta who passed it over to Boateng for Alves’s run in from the right. The full-back controlled it on his chest and shot as he fell and Neuer saved the ball brilliantly.

At the end of the first half, the score was still 0-0. The match was quite entertaining so far, and changes were expected in Bayern as their first half was just about okay.

The second half started off with a Bayern free-kick after Dani Alves brought down Lewandowski to the left of centre, 22 yards out. Bayern looked a lot better at this stage, as Schweinsteiger charged through the Barca defence. The first goal of the match was by Messi and it came after a few more failed free kicks from either side. At the 76th minute, Bernat lost the ball to Dani Alves, who rolled the ball inside to Messi. Messi made no mistake, and shot the ball past Neuer at the near post before he could even move. The second goal came quickly after that, and by Messi again. That goal was truly spellbinding. He took the ball on the right from Rakitic, slid into the box, nutmeg-ed Boateng, then with Neuer coming out to try to save the anticpatory shot, Messi dunk it over him with his right foot. A beautiful dribble, and an even more beautiful chip shot from Messi.

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Barca received a free kick in the 90th minute due to Suarez getting shoved, and it was taken by Xavi. However, Bayern managed to clear it. The third goal for Barcelona came in the added time. It was a poor display by Bayern Munich who piled forward in search of the away goal. They lost the ball on their left, and the ball was passed up to Suarez got fouled by Schweinsteiger to stop the break, but the ball rebound over to Messi. The referee signalled an advantage and Messi crossed the ball over to Neymar.The break was so quick that Neymar drews Neuer out and slot a shot past him and that was that.

Barca won the first leg in style, and Bayern need to pray for a miracle at the Allianz Arena, to keep their Champions League dream alive. Good game by the home team, as they capitalized on Bayern’s poor defence today.

EPL 2015 : Everton pull emphatic win over Manchester United

Everton maintained their record of beating Manchester United at home. Whether it is Sir Alex Ferguson, or David Moyes, or even Louis Van Gaal, all of them were unable to beat Everton at home. The match started off with a tribute to Sir Philip Carter and everybody who lost their lives in the Bradford City Fire around 30 years back.

Luke Shaw got a free kick 3 minutes into the game. Typically Van Gaal, United dominated the possession from early on in the game. The first goal for Everton came in the 4^th minute. The ball came onto McCarthy’s path and United had their defenders there, but McCarthy managed to cut in and shot the ball past De Gea. Subsequently, Fellaini had a really good chance of equalizing. A clean pursuit of Barry and he muscled the ball off him. He did go through but the shot went over the bar. United did not seem frazzled despite the early Everton lead. Fellaini received a yellow card in the 12^th minute.

After a United corner and a failed attempt from Blind, United tried a counter attack of sorts from an Everton corner. Shaw got another chance and tried to get the ball in but Howard was there just in time to ensure no damage was done. Shortly after, Howard saved another shot on target that came off a Chris Smalling header.

The next few minutes saw a few surges here and there from United. At one point, Everton did slow up the tempo, but United managed to pry the ball away. From the 30^th minute on, Lennon, Barry, Rooney and Coleman were engaged in a struggle to snatch the ball away from each other. Everton’s second goal came in the 35^th minute. Baines whipped in a decent flag kick which Fellaini headed out for a second successive corner. A second inswinger is cleared this time by Rooney and then Stones connected it this time and it flies in off the underside of the bar. Young couldn’t jump enough to block it. It was pathetic defense from Manchester United and they made it just too easy for Everton.

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At half time, United made a big change by sending in Falcao in place of Fellaini. Ross Barkley played exceptionally for Everton, especially with his articulate passes.

United passed around the ball well but they were unable to break through the solid Everton defence, even in the second half. Falcao, however, barely got a touch of the ball. Agreed he is a brilliant player, but like everybody has been stressing, he is just not meant for the EPL. In the 65^th minute, Everton had  a great spell as Osman took advantage of a McNair slip-up. Falcao got a chance to score in the 70^th minute and the effort was good enough, but Howard was just amazing today with the way he saved all the shots on target.

The third goal for Everton came in the 74^th minute. United’s defence fell weak again and although Lukaku was offside, Mirallas wasn’t. He took the ball from McCarthy and shot it past De Gea quite easily.

When the final whistle blew, Everton had won against Manchester United by 3 goals, with a well-deserved clean sheet for Howard. Fellaini struggled majorly today. This match contrasted greatly from the one against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. This also brings out flaws in Van Gaal’s tactics. A good share of possession is admirable, but it seems to be ending at that.

United now sits at 4^th position in the league table and they really need to set their strategies straight if they wish to do better.

EPL 2015 : Hazard goal propels Chelsea win against United

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The mass of blue supporters at Stamford bridge were delighted as the final whistle blew, and Chelsea won 1-0 against United. Manchester United have certainly come a long way after a disastrous start to this season.
United started off really well. They dominated possession through out the match and maintained a whopping 70% possession. They did get some great chances, but they just couldn’t get it past the strong Chelsea defence or past Courtois. Chelsea, on the other hand, played classic Mourinho style. They defended really well and attacked every United player with the ball. However, United’s passes were good enough to allow them to keep up the possession. Although United were unable to win, they have managed to put up a stellar performance against the league leaders, and that in itself deserves appreciation.

It could’ve been a big day for Falcao. With a strong functioning United team, he desperately needs to prove his worth. No doubt, he was a brilliant player at Atletico. But now, he’s at the EPL and it seems like he’s just not able to adjust. He did have a few good chances now and then today, but he failed to get anything out of it. Within the first 5 minutes of the game, De Gea and few United fans thought Rooney had scored, but his shot went wide and hit the back of the net. He could’ve played it better and that miss proved to be bad for the Reds.

McNair’s surge in the 14th minute, saw him go past 3 Chelsea players and attempt at scoring from the long range. It was blocked the keeper. Post that, there were signs of frustration from Fabreas, possibly due to not getting enough of the ball.

In the 37th minute, luck favoured De Gea. Chelsea broke with speed and the ball was kicked into the area and De Gea looked like he handled the ball outside his area, but the linesman’s view was clearly blocked. A minute later, the first and only goal of the match came off Eden Hazard.

Falcao got easily dispossessed by Terry (which actually was a definite foul) on the halfway line, and Oscar’s back heel put Hazard through on goal, as the immensely talented Hazard made no mistake to shoot it under De Gea.

United looked like they were in control initially, but if it’s one thing Chelsea have proved, it’s that they know exactly how to defend a lead, and they did just that. Falcao did get a chance off a Fellaini knock down right before half time, but a good save from Courtois ensured no damage for Chelsea.

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At half time, Chelsea were up against United by one goal. Van Gaal should be pleased by the way his team performed in the first half. Save the goal, United managed to play head to head against Chelsea. Special mention for Oscar, Hazard and Fabregas as they combined together really well.

Mourinho’s decision to play Zouma turned out to be a good one. Fellaini struggled a lot to get involved with the ball and that is all thanks to Zouma.

In the 53rd minute, Chelsea found an opportunity to score another goal. Drogba’s effort deflected off Smalling, and over De Gea, as Hazard attempted a karate kick style that came off behind the post.

United looked vulnerable then, but they started to get the ball more, and there were close chances by McNair, Rooney, Falcao, but none of then worked. They were saved either by Courtois or the Chelsea defence, or they turned out to be too wide.

United’s best player today was undoubtedly Luke Shaw. He was very quick and displayed admirable pace. He passed the ball like a dream, and was unstoppable.

The above statement was proved in the 78th minute again, as a smooth ball from Shaw found Falcao, but his strike hit the outside of the post. He really should’ve scored that one. United fans are particularly dejected about his lack of form in the EPL, especially after expecting so much from a player of his calibre.

Herrera majorly let United down in the added time. He received a yellow card for diving at a pathetic bid to win a penalty for his team.

At full time, Chelsea won against Manchester United. Mourinho’s tactics and game plan was right on point. United might have dominated possession, but they rarely threatened with the ball. The Reds have certainly improved, but they remain 1 point behind Arsenal at the third position, while Chelsea get further ahead at the very top.

Champions League 2015 : Barca pull 3-1 victory over PSG

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Barcelona emerged the better team today as they beat PSG 3-1. PSG were largely outplayed by Barcelona and that fact reflected largely as the game progressed. Luiz Suarez helped Barcelona to almost get to the semi-finals with two beautiful goals in the second half. In fact, some PSG fans were also cheering for his goals, as they were simply stunning. It was a fair result. PSG was unable to contain Suarez and he was totally on fire tonight.

Barca started off with dominating the possession. Alba went down under Silva’s tackle but the referee did not pay attention to the appeals. It felt like PSG were the away team as they were struggling to settle in and were trying to soak in the pressure and counter attack. Alba and Messi passed the ball around really well and almost got to score, but a strong Silva tackle put an end to it. Pastore was just all over the place.

Messi got many chances to score, and one of the closest ones was the attempt off a cross from Suarez that hit the post. The pressure was building up greatly on PSG and that is just what Barca needed to do.
Neymar scored the first goal for Barca in the 18th minute. A poor pass from PSG defence allowed Messi to get the ball. He found Neymar and Neymar made no mistake as he slid the ball effortlessly into the goal. Things became worse for PSG as Thiago Silva had to go off and David Luiz came on to play despite a hamstring injury.

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At half time, the score was 1-0 to Barca. Things were difficult for PSG as they seemed to be in a dilemma as to whether push forward or look for the equalizer. Their defence was weak today, especially with David Luiz’s condition.

Initially in the second half, PSG looked like they were more into it. Pastore attempted a goal but it was saved by Ter Stegen down the left. In the 54th minute, Iniesta was stretchered off as Xavi came on for him. Messi received a yellow card for kicking Marquinhos. Cavani displayed a really poor show today by yelling at a linesman. He stopped running through Matuidi’s ball thinking he was offside, and apparently in Cavani world, that is a fault of the linesman.

Suarez scored the second goal for Barca in the 67th minute. A nutmeg on Luiz, charged down the front, got into the box, cut inside Marquinhos and got a low shot past Sirigu. PSG did try a few attempts after that second goal, but unfortunately for them, they were either miscalculated or saved.

The third goal came in the 79th minute. It was the same magic from Suarez. He nutmegged Luiz, sprinted towards the goal and kicked it right in. It was beautiful for Suarez, but really poor from David Luiz. One can’t really blame him though, considering the fact that he is still suffering from the hamstring injury.

PSG finally managed to score a goal in the 82nd minute. Van der Wiel volleyed it down the edge of the box as Mathieu sliced it into his own net past Ter Stegen. It was on target, so it went down as the defender’s goal.

Finally at full time, Barca won 3-1. Barcelona were clearly the better team and maintained the same right from the beginning. PSG meanwhile need to work really hard on their defence in time for the upcoming matches. Barcelona ended the match on a high as they are almost into the semis. Only time will tell what happens next!

Champions League 2015 : Well-deserved win for Porto against Bayern

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Bayern Munich vs Porto started off on a very high note. Neuer got booked (yes, you read that right) for taking a player out and Porto received a penalty. Ricardo Quaresma took the penalty and succeeded in putting the ball right where it belonged, as Neuer dived to the other side. Frustration was clearly writ over the Bayern players. With most of the key players like Robben, Ribery, Schweinsteiger out due to injuries, it was a challenge for them. For Porto, however, the story was entirely different. The Quaresma goal put them up in a position of domination over the strong visitors and it was the perfect start they could have hoped for.

Getting back to Neuer’s yellow card, it was actually lucky on his part that he didn’t get a red card since Martinez was clean through. Martinez was all over the place, following the first goal. He got a free-kick off Dante on halfway.

The second Porto goal came within the first 10 minutes, and it was Quaresma again. Dante got caught 40 yards from the goal and Quaresma picked up the opportunity and charged through. He neatly deposited the ball inside the net and there was little Neuer could do to stop it. The pressure was building up immensely on Bayern as Porto were up 2-0. This was the second time that Bayern conceded twice within the first 10 minutes in CL history.

Bayern did receive two free kicks after that, but it lead to nothing. Porto’s strikers were making life very difficult for Bayern’s defence. Bernat received a yellow card for pulling back Quaresma as he tried to charge past him.

From the 25th minute, the visitors did start cranking up the pressure on Porto. And in the 28th minute, Bayern scored their first goal. Subsequent corners were taken and a cross from Boateng to Thiago enabled him to lightly tap the ball into the goal and finally the Bayern players could celebrate. From then on, Bayern started dominating the game completely. Porto barely got any possession.

Neuer seemed to be frazzled today. He almost ended up tipping a Sandro cross into his own crossbar that could’ve resulted in an own goal. Luckily though, he managed to get it out in time.

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Lahm also received a yellow card for bringing down Casemiro, but replays showed that there wasn’t any contact. Unfair decisions, sigh. The first half ended with the same 2-1 score.

The second half was a little boring. It included more of tumbles, drama, accusations, yellow cards and close goal attempts. There were free kicks and corners that both teams received, however, nothing worked out.

Bayern’s defense was absolutely terrible today, and Neuer was just not himself. Having said all that, hats off to Porto’s performance. Their game plan was on point and they worked incredibly well as a team. In every aspect of the game, they were remarkable, be it strikers or defenders or mid-fielders. Even the goal keeper saved quite a few shots from the visitors. It was a true team performance from them and if anybody deserved to win, it was them right from the start.

Porto scored a third goal in the 65th minute. A clumsy moment from Boateng enabled Martinez to get the ball who rounded Neuer and drove it home.

Guardiola’s style seems to work more if Bayern plays against smaller teams, where they can restrict the opponents inside their box. They really need to work on their game plans ahead of the following matches.

The second leg with Porto will be at the Allianz Arena and Bayern are expected to turn things around majorly at their home ground.

EPL 2015 : Manchester United stun City, win 4-2 at Old Trafford

Photo Credits : www. theguardian.co.uk

What a game! The Manchester derby turned out to quite the adrenaline-rushing match as the Red Devils won 4-2 at Old Trafford in front of a delighted home crowd.

City started the game with some clean passes. Clichy played a foul as Young tried to cross the ball in. The atmosphere was electrifying as the fans were all geared up to cheer on the home team. The first goal for City came in the 8th minute. Silva charged down the left as Milner prompted and fed him perfectly and a reverse pass from Milner with Silva back on it and a low cross to Aguero, who simply tapped the ball inside. It looked like City would dominate the game from then on.

The 14th minute changed that notion completely. A cross from Herrera, as Young gets in front of Clichy and gets something on it. It’s a good thing that he had the presence of his mind to shoot it inside. That was the equalizer that United desperately needed and from that point on, United went back to playing a great game of attacking football. Exactly the way they used to, and exactly the way they were known to play. It was indeed a treat to watch them play today.

City did make it hard for United and did not hand them the victory over a silver platter. They were good competition and it was a well-balanced, nail-biting derby. In the 19th minute, Silva put immense pressure on United by making into their area, but he was hacked clear. The first yellow card went to Milner for hauling Herrera down. Phil Jones played beautifully today and Manchester United put up an extremely strong defence. It is a solid improvement from their previous matches.

The second goal for United came in the 27th minute. It was a header from Fellaini and there were doubts if it was offside or not. A really close call, but United got the point. Ashley Young was absolutely on fire today, and one of his best performances till date. A battle erupted in the midfield between Silva and Mata, which resulted in a tackle on Mata and Silva getting booked. In the 35th minute, there was a chance for United to score, but Fellaini was clearly offside this time. City should have focused more on trying to hold back Ashley Young. Kompany took a high tackle on Blind and it should’ve been a red card but the referee simply held up a yellow card instead.

At half time, United was 2 and City was 1. It was a hugely entertaining first half, just the way a derby should be.

City started off the second half by making an advance down the left when Clichy fouled Valencia. The game started getting a little nasty there as Rooney got fouled and subsequently Navas fouled Mata. Rooney looked furious but cooled down shortly after. Fellaini went up for a header and elbowed Dimiechellis right on the face, and the latter pulled a Sergio Busquets by crying in agony but then leaping up a little too quickly to complain to the referee. Jones should’ve gotten booked in the 63rd minute for clattering Milner, but it seemed to be his lucky day.

Photo Credits : http://www.theguardian.co.uk

The third goal for United came in the 66th minute. Rooney passed to Mata, who raced into the area and Hart came out but Mata slipped it right under his body. Pellegrini, at this point, looked defeated already. The 73rd minute saw United’s fourth goal. It was a freekick from Young and City are all over the place with their pathetic marking and it was a sad sight. They left Chris Smalling unattended, who wasted no time and deposited the ball inside the net. Carrick limped off in the 87th minute, so United were down to ten men. Shortly after, City scored their second goal. It was a simple finish from Aguero again and that was the 100th goal for City.

At full time, Manchester United won 4-2 against Manchester City. It was reminiscent to watch United play this way. Fans could witness glimpses of the old United and it was wonderful. They are now 1 point behind Arsenal and remain in the third place. City, on the other hand, did gain momentum now and then but failed to carry it through. They played poorly today and Pellegrini needs to do a lot of thinking ahead of their next game.

EPL 2015 : Chelsea vs QPR, Fabregas saves the day!

Photo Credits : http://www.telegraph.co.uk

From the time the game started and till the final whistle was blown, every Chelsea player to touch the ball was booed by the QPR fans. Loftus Road was full of jeers for the neighbours. Chelsea’s formation was a classic Mourinho 4-3-3.

Bobby Zamora started the QPR scoring attempts in the 2nd minute itself, with a chip shot from 30 yards that was blocked by Courtois. Chelsea came really close to scoring twice. Green saved the corner kick and the rebound struck the post and bounced clear. QPR were literally hounding Hazard and had a strong man-to-man marking. Zamora and Austin made it difficult for John Terry and Cahill today. They attacked with force and gelled extremely well together.

Jose Mourinho’s facial expressions in the first half pretty much summed up what he thought of the game. It was indeed a slow start, with both teams playing it safe. The crowd at Loftus Road put more pressure on Chelsea with their taunts and jeers. They seemed to display extra fondness for John Terry. Chelsea just moved the ball along in the QPR box. Both teams played it long whenever they possibly could and tried majorly to get the strikers to put pressure on the defenders. QPR did get a chance to score after Azpilicueta took out Isla.

The Austin/Zamora vs Terry/Cahill tiff was perhaps the only entertaining aspect of the match. Right before half time, Terry mildly touched Austin and the latter threw him onto the floor. A red card seemed very likely given the way the match progressed between the two strikers and the two defenders.

Photo Credits : http://www.telegraph.co.uk

At half time, the score was still 0-0 and a QPR win did not seem unlikely. The match could’ve gone either way in the second half. Terry and Cahill looked very frustrated with the way things had been going.

Immediately after half time, Philips crossed the ball brilliantly but Zamora was too slow to get there and a good opportunity went wasted. Terry and Austin exchanged words again. In the 55th minute, Ramires was replaced by Oscar, which was a rather unusual change. But then, knowing Mourinho, it’s always the best to expect the unexpected. And that lead to a change in Chelsea’s demeanour. They started playing a lot more attacking and that lead to chaos among QPR.

In the 63rd minute, Courtois magnificently saved a Philips strike. QPR started dominating agai. Philips and Zamora failed to connect yet another chance to score.

Finally in the 87th minute, Hazard fed Fabregas the ball on the edge of the area. Fabregas slid it right through three QPR defenders and straight into the net. It was a good thing that Mourinho did not replace him.

QPR did not get close to equalizing even in the added time and Chelsea won 1-0 at Loftus Road against QPR and stand very strong at the top of the table now.