MAN CITY PREPARES FOR STOKE
While their records may be the same lately, Manchester’s offence far out-performs goal-starved Stoke
Manchester City has inched its way back to the top of the Premier League table, but it’s very tight, with only two points dividing the top four sides. City faces a tough test on Saturday, as they visit Stoke in the early match. Coincidentally, both these teams have just advanced to the League Cup semifinals, where Stoke will face Liverpool and Man City will take on Everton next month.
Though Stoke is in 12th place, the team is in fairly good form, and in fact has the same record as City in the last 10 league games — five wins, two draws, and three losses. Stoke also has one of the best defences in the league, back-stopped by towering young England goalkeeper Jack Butland.
He made his first competitive start for his country back in October, and in 2012 became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play for England when he started in a friendly against Italy at the age of 19.
Stoke’s problem this season has been scoring. The team has managed only 11 goals, lowest in the league. Even dismal Aston Villa has done better.
City, meanwhile, comes into the game with their three most efficient attackers all available to play, which has rarely been the case. According to Opta stats, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, and Kevin de Bruyne are all in the league top five in terms of goals scored or created per minute. In fact, Silva leads the league in that category, recording a goal or assist every 62 minutes. Butland will need to be on his toes.
IT’S FINALLY HERE
The MLS Cup is Sunday, as the Columbus Crew hosts the Portland Timbers. Both teams finished on 53 points, the same as Vancouver, so this is a very evenly matched game.
Portland is well-organized, good defensively, and has a balanced attack with no one obvious superstar.
Midfielders Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe, and striker Fanendo Adi are the main players to watch for the Timbers.
Columbus, meanwhile, is more explosive. The Crew relies on big target man Kei Kamara, who was joint top scorer this season with 22 goals. The game could be decided by the quality of service from the Columbus attackers, and how well the Portland defence, led by big bearded veteran Nat Borchers, is able to contain Kamara.
DO OR DIE
The Champions League group stage comes to a close next week. Nine teams have advanced, while 13 others are fighting for the last seven spots. Tuesday’s big game is in Group B, where leaders Wolfsburg host Manchester United. The Germans need only a draw to advance, while United is in need of a win to be sure, as they have PSV Eindhoven just a point behind them. PSV has the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over United, should the teams finish level. PSV hosts last-place CSKA Moscow.
The biggest battle in Wednesday’s action is in Group G, where Chelsea hosts Porto, with both teams on 10 points. Dynamo Kyiv is just two points back, and is expected to win at home to Maccabi Tel-Aviv, who has yet to earn a point. If top spot ends in a three-way tie, then Dynamo and Chelsea would advance, while Porto would be out.
In Group F, meanwhile, Arsenal needs a big win away to Olympiacos in order to overtake the Greek side. Any victory, other than 1-0 or 2-1, is needed for the Gunners to advance.
PRESIDENT’S CHOICE
In the West African nation of Mauritania, fans were left angry and perplexed after the annual Super Cup match was stopped in the 63rd minute with the score level at 1-1, and sent directly to penalty kicks. League champions Teyragh-Zeina went on to defeat cup champions ACS Ksar on penalties to take the trophy.
The match was allegedly stopped at the insistence of the country’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who apparently had got bored watching the game, and just wanted it over!
The head of the Mauritania football federation has denied the president was involved, saying that the decision to stop the game prematurely was made due to “organizational issues” and was agreed to by both teams. That’s not a very good explanation.