Tag: Racing Club

’10 to Track’ soccer matches for Sun. (10/7) – MLS playoff hunt, and an EPL doozy!

The ten most important matches to follow, for us – the newish American fans of the global game.

And today, introducing the efforts of a new staff member,  sort of.  🙂

  1. D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire – Major League Soccer

Saturday, #6 Montreal clubbed Columbus.  This leaves 7th-place D.C. United five points in back of that last Eastern Conference playoff berth.

But as late as the season is getting, this is in no way a done deal.  Montreal may have only two matches left now, but D.C. have five.  And speaking of five, that’s how many in a row DCU haven’t lost.   Chicago are down in 10th.   They haven’t won on the road since June.

But the Fire pulled a home upset last match out against the West’s #3, LAFC.  If they want to make it two surprises in a row, Serbian international Nemanja Nikolic needs to follow up on his super September.  He’s their scoring leader.  The star last in the last win was American Djordje Mihailovic.   (1:00 PM EST, ESPN)

RESULT:   D.C.   2-1       Wayne Rooney strikes again.  And then again.

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In Amuricuh, Nemanja, we keep the pants on to play the footyball.

B.  Liverpool vs. Manchester City – English Premier League

6-1-0.  The last two undefeated clubs in England face off.  Raspberry scones for everyone!   It’s a watch party.

Defending champs Man City have to be licking their chops though.  Undefeated in the league Liverpool may be, but they’re just 0-1-2 across all competitions in their last three.  The offense has stagnated badly.

Man City have one four in a row.  They’re scoring like the pitch is a pinball machine.  That said, they haven’t faced a difficult league team mid-August.   (11:30 AM, NBCSN)

RESULT:   0-0

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SoccerNoob’s six year-old daughter — PersonNoob! –thinks this bee is licking it’s chops and about to eat Number B.

  1. Toluca vs. Pachuca – Liga MX

Top eight will make the Liguilla (postseason).  Toluca are tied for 5th, while Pachuca lead a four-way tie for that eight-spot.

Toluca should be in better shape, but they just handed Atlas their first win of the season.   When each half-season tournament is just 17 matches long, can’t give up “easy” points.

Pachuca do look like the best of their clump of four, but Noob thinks their margin for error is extremely thin.  I don’t expect them to climb any higher than 8th.  Tigres lead them by three for 7th, are better on both sides of the ball.   (1:00 PM, Univision)

RESULT:   Toluca   2-1

  1. Panama vs. U.S.A. – CONCACAF Women’s Championship / World Cup qualification

Earlier this week, the American women pummeled Mexico 6-0 to open the Group Stage.  Noob’s primary source site still doesn’t list that match on the correct date.   But mea culpa.  No excuses, only reasons.  Part of my learning journey is where to get the raw info.

So!  The top two from each Group of four will advance to Knockout Stage, where three of the teams will earn their World Cup berth.  The Americans are the #1-ranked team in the world and will advance easily.

Panama is ranked just #66.  They did pull a minor upset in their opening match of this stage, taking down Trinidad and Tobago.  But the US are a whole different deal, even without being the hosts (the match will be in Cary, NC).  Noob favors them by 9.5 goals.   (5:00 PM, FS1)

RESULT:   U.S.A.   0-5          Wow, they held up better than Mexico

For your mid-Track listening pleasure – Panama!   But covered by Foo Fighters, so as not to be entirely cliche.  (FFW to 0:40 if you like)

  1. Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago – CONCACAF Women’s Championship / World Cup qualification

So if either of these teams loses the nightcap in Cary, that’s about all for them.  A draw would give both a little hope, presuming Panama doesn’t pull off an all-timer miracle in the above match.  They are ranked #24 and #52.

Given the lack of parity in the women’s game, that should mean Mexico is a two-goal fave.   (7:30 PM, FS2)

  1. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lyon – Ligue 1

No one has beaten or earned a draw against PSG.

Lyon are in 5th.  Noob thinks they’re at least the third-best team in the league, but it’s hard to see them proving that today.  Both teams allow just under a goal per match, so defense hypothetically gives the visitors a shot.  The problem?  PSG average’s 3.5 per of their own.

RESULT:   PSG   5-0        Mbappe with four goals

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Sorry, Edward Norton.  The number is what it is.

  1. Zenit St. Petersburg vs. Krasnodar – Russia Premier

Noob was surprised to see Krasnodar helping headline a #1-#B match.   But upon further review, I see they’ve finished 4th in the league three straight years.  That doesn’t put them in the league leader’s class, but not far out!   The #6-ranked league in Europe deserves and will keep getting more of our attention.

Could it be Krasnodar’s time?  They’ve won seven straight over all competitions.  Meanwhile, Zenit just lost to bottom-feeder Makhachkala before sneaking out a home win over a Czech team in the Europa League.

  1. Benfica vs. Porto – Portugal Primeira Liga

Portugal’s top domestic league is just a notch behind Russia’s, but it means they only get two into the CL.  These two perennial powerhouses are #B and tied for #3.

Despite being behind two teams, Benfica are undefeated.  #1 Braga and their guests today have each been just a touch better on offense to date.  But – stunningly to Noob – Porto haven’t lost to Benfica in seven consecutive matches.   (12:30 PM, GOL TV)

RESULT:   Benfica   1-0     the streak is ended!

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Noob does speak Portguese.

But I’m pretty sure “inscrever” is a foul, foul verb…

 

 

Noob?  That means “register”. 

Fine, The Management.  Spoil all my fun.

  1. Kashima Antlers vs. Kawasaki Frontale – Japan J1 League

The Management puts in long hours keeping Noob’s inanity in check.  Solid job today.  Bet ya’ sweated off five pounds.  Our Japanophile’s reward?   J1 match stays just above the honorable mention-line.

And this is an important match.  With just a half dozen matches to go, Kawasaki have pulled into a tie with suddenly-spiraling Hiroshima.  They’ve not lost in four straight matches.  But the two matches before that?  0-1-1 in the League Cup, with both matches against Kashima.

The Antlers just won the first leg of their AFC Champions League semifinal tie.  But even winning that whole shebang doesn’t get them entry into next year’s.  They’re #3 in the league and need to finish at least that high to get in.   They’ve won five consecutive domestic matches, peaking at exactly the right time.  They haven’t even allowed a league-goal in two weeks.

RESULT:   0-0

Honorable Mention:    Canadiaian Soccer League (non-FIFA, Ontario-nased)- two playoff Semifinals;  #2 Vega Real vs. #3 Atletico de SF – Dominican Republic Liga Mayor ligulla;  #1 Racing Club vs. #6 Boca Juniors – Argentina Primera;

#3 Stumbras Kaunas vs. #1 Suduva – Lithuania A Lyga;  #4 Muang Thong United vs. #2 Bangkok United – Thai League 1;  #3 Ulsan Hyundai vs. #1 Jeonbuk – South Korea K-League 1;  #1 Al-Sadd vs. #3 Al-Sailiya – Qatar Stars League

  1. Verdes vs. Bandits – Belize Premier

No mere honorable mention for Belize – we finish the track with more CONCACAF-feination!

Even just eight games in, these two are about finished with the rest of the league.  It’s #1 versus #B and the rest of the back is eight points back of the latter.  Bandits haven’t lost, but two draws have them a point behind the pacesetters.

Both score three times a game on average and give up about jack squat.  Hard to think there will be an internet streaming of this match, but let’s all try to find one.  Pirate it if you must!  Yaaaargh.

RESULT:   Bandits   0-1       And we have a new #1!    (Oh, and for the record, this match may well have been played Saturday it turns out.)

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So long from Benque Viejo, home of Verdes!

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church.

’10 to Track’ soccer matches for Tuesday, 4/3 – Champions Leagues galore

Midweek schedules are all about the Cups, and this one is going to be a humdinger.   Champions Leagues on three continents are repped today

0.  Toronto vs. CF America – CONCACAF Champions League (posted day of, edit)

Noob truly lives up to his name.  I knew this match was today, but inadvertently deleted it from some notes.  Mea culpa, Noobites.

Toronto would be doing well to even get a draw at home against CFA.  I;ll be pulling for the Canadiaian club, sure, but going to Mexico tied with a puncher’s chance of winning and moving on to the tournament Final would be cool.  (8:00 PM Eastern, Univision Deportes)

RESULT:   Toronto   3-1

  1.  Juventus vs. Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League

Juve haven’t loss a match in any competition since last November.  Still, the Serie A title race has been and remains close.  So it will be interesting to see how much they have in the tank for this first leg-Quarterfinal match.

Real Madrid might be in better shape.   They’re in 3rd in La Liga now, have opened up a huge gap between themselves and any challengers for one of the league’s four Champions league slots for next year (and have no shot at 1st).  It’s easier to imagine they’ve paced themselves in preparation for a title run here.  (2:45 PM, FS1)

RESULT:   Real   0-3     Noob posted in multiple places on the Tweeterbox(@SoccerNoobUSA) that Real would win 0-6.  Half right!

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B.  Sevilla vs. Bayern Munich – UEFA Champions League

Did you watch Bayern throttle Borussia Dortmund 6-0 this weekend?  Dortmund’s near the top of the Bundesliga table.  Bayern will lay waste to Sevilla, who aren’t much about average in La Liga this year.   (2:45 PM, ESPN Deportes)

RESULT:   Bayern   1-2

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German Gothic font, Number B – so edgy

  1. Libertad vs. The Strongest – Copa Libertadores

These two each won their first and only game of the Group Stage so far in South America’s Champions League.  The Paraguayan home side is better on paper.  Will the power of Bolivia’s super-douchey club name carry them through?  Here’s to hoping not.

RESULT:   Libertad   3-0

  1. Universidad de Chile vs. Racing Club – Copa Libertadores

The top two from each group of four will advance to the Knockout Stage.  These two also won their first Group matches.  Argentina’s Racing Club is the most accomplished of these four featured today.  UdC would be doing well to get a draw, even at home.

RESULT:   1-1

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Back in ’67, Racing Club stars had hot dog thighs.

  1. Al-Garrafa vs. Al-Jazira – AFC Champions League

They’ve played four of the six matches of the Group Stage in Asia.  The top two from each four will advance to the Knockout Stage.  These two are tied for #B.  Al-Jazira (UAE) won the first match with Garrafa (Qatar) 3-2.

RESULT:   Al-Jazira   2-3     High drama!   Someone for Garrafa got a second yellow (and so a red, and booted) in the 90′.  Then someone from Al-Jazira got the go-ahead goal that same minute.

  1. Crusaders vs. Coleraine – Northern Ireland Premier

This league is a two-horse race, and these are the steeds, heading down the home stretch.  Only one can advance from here to next year’s Champions League.  Crusaders lead by two points.  Best offense vs. best defense.  A win here at home and they can perhaps begin chilling the champagne.

RESULT:   1-1

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Umm…

  1. Gornick Zabrze vs. Legia Warsaw – Poland FA Cup

This is the first leg of a Semifinal, pitting the 4th and 3rd-place top-league teams.  Zabrze can score in bunches, should head to Warsaw with a lead in the tie.

RESULT:   1-1

  1. Gorica vs. Aluminij – Slovenia FA Cup

This is also the first leg of a Semfinal.  Aluminij could be forgiven for not putting all their eggs in this basket, as they’re only one slot above having to play in the league’s the Relegation Playout.  Gorica are a middling, 6th-place side.

RESULT:   Aluminij   1-2

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Umm, Part Two…

  1. Ruzomberok vs. Zilina – Slovakia FA Cup

Not even sure if this is a one-off or a two-legged tie.  But it is a Semifinal.  These are the 6th and 4th-place teams form the country’s top league.

RESULT:   Ruzomberok   2-1

  1. Debrecen vs. Budapest Honved – Hungary FA Cup

4th and 5th-place teams from Hungary’s top-flight league.  This is the second match of a two-legged Quarterfinal tie.  Leg One went scoreless.

RESULT:   Debrecen   3-1

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Debrecen – come for the footyball, stick around for the Bela Bartok Choir Competition