Tag: Temperley

’10 to Track’ Globetrotting Friday soccer matches – spanning the globe for soccer-ness

Fridays are a little light on the world scheds, so Fridays here at Noob we steal Samsonite’s luggage and head off to see the world!

As always, the Track will start at or close to home, then it’s off to footyball hinterlands of wonder.

Please don’t forget to check back for results, follow on Twitter at SoccerNoobUSA.  And in the name of all that’s holy, stop assuming the drink cart carries absinthe.

  1. Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit – National Women’s Soccer League

Just top the four from the NWSL make the playoffs.  Washington are long-since eliminated.  7th-place Houston is just four points behind 4th-place Orlando.  That’s a lot of teams to have to leapfrog, but hope lives.

The Dash have been winning and losing every other match like clockwork for weeks.  If pattern holds, they’re due for a loss today.  But the Spirit have lost seven in a row.  And they score only about goal every other game on average.  And they’re really bad.  And they won’t win today.

But Noob roots against you, Houston Dash?  Why?

RESULT:   Houston   4-0

Image result for daft to build a castle in a swamp

 

You can’t build cities on swamps and expect good things.

B.  Atlas vs. Monarcas Morelia – Liga MX

Little Billy Donovan from Springfield writes:

Dear Mr. Noob,

I’m in grade school and I can count.  Well. 

So, what is up with never using a Number Two and putting in Number B instead?

First of all, Little Billy, thanks for being a great Noobite.  No questions are dumb here, because Noob doesn’t anthropomorphize sentences.

Depending on how one chooses to look at it, Number Two has been the victim or instigator of problems people have when listing off points for time immemorial.   Say someone’s having an argument and trying to logically list points.  So often, things spin out of control:

“Why am I leaving your sorry ass??  One!   You always leave the toilet seat up.  B!  You never answer my texts within 0.45 seconds when you’re at work.  Three!  You –

     — Ha!   You can’t even make a list right.  You went ‘One’ and then ‘B’ as if you’d labeled your first point ‘A’.  So fine, leave!  You’re a dysfunctional albatross around my neck anyway.”

See the issue, Billy?  So Noob says, “Why not just replace Number Two with Number B In all lists, permanently and forever?”  More, Noob doesn’t likely need to tell a grade schooler of all people about the negative connotation of “Number Two”.  So –

1, B, 3, 4, etc. when it comes to lists.    But Noob’s not crazy.  Still count normally in non-list contexts.   You would still say, “I have two apples in my Grizzly Adams lunchbox”.

RESULT:   Morelia   0-1

Image result for grizzly adams lunch box

  1. Birmingham City vs. Swansea City – English Championship

No English Premier League matches today doesn’t mean we can’t get our British footyball fix.  Though this is equal part Welsh, thanks to Swansea.  They were Relegated after last season.  They couldn’t kick a ball and hit the broad side of a barn.

Birmingham City was on the fringe of Relegation discussions last year themselves.  Opposite problem.  Second-worst defense in the ECL.

But it’s a new season, and everyone will dream of climbing back up to the Premier League and the bajillions of tv dollars that come with it.

Fun Fact:   Birmingham were the first English club to play in European competition, losing to Barcelona in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup of 1956.

RESULT:   0-0

  1. Schweinfurt 05 vs. Schalke 04 – Germany FA Cup

Most anywhere else Noobites will find this game written about, the tournament will be referred to as “DFB-Pokal”.   The tournament participants are of a strange makeup to me.  All the clubs from the top two leagues.  That makes sense.  Only four from the third-tier league.  But then 24 teams come out of lower, regional divisions.

Schweinfurt is one of the last group.  They play out of the Bayern Regional League, which is fourth-tier.  They finished second in it last season.  They qualified for this event by winning the Bayern Cup tournament.

And today they get last year’s #B team from Bundesliga.  At least they had enough luck to get to host the match.  Minnows are fun to root for, but Schalke by two today.

RESULT:   Schalke   0-2

Willy Sachs Stadion 001.jpg

 

Schweinfurt play at Willy-Sachs Stadion.

Sometimes jokes are too easy.  Noob chooses to exercise a little grace.

  1. Wydad Casablanca vs. Mamelodi Sundowns – CAF Champions League

Africa’s CL is in it’s Group Stage still.   The 16 remaining teams are divided into pods of four, in which they play double-round robins.  All winners and runners-up advance to the Knockout Stage.

Wydad are the defending champions and lead their current Group.  They are a Noob-fave because of their unique name, being for a famous Egyptian actress-singer.  Which is odd, given that the team is in Morocco.

Mamelodi are out of South Africa’s Premier League.  They’re tied with a Guinean team for #B in the Group right now, though they lead on away-goal tiebreaker.  By rating (footballdatabase.com), this would be a very even matchup on a neutral pitch.  The defending titlists have to be favored on their home pitch today.

RESULT:   Wydad   1-0

  1. Martizburg United vs. Kaizer Chiefs – South Africa Premier

So let’s move cross-continent in our Globetrotting!   South Africa’s Premier is 5th-rated on the continent.  It’s also getting the 2018-19 season started.

These two finished 4th and 3rd in last year’s edition, narrowly missing out on the two CL berths afforded the country.  It will be especially interesting to see if Chiefs can stay near the table’s top again.  Based on goal differential, they overachieved, and only had an average offense at best.

RESULT:   0-0

Please enjoy this musical interlude from the U.K.’s Kaiser Chiefs.

  1. JS Saoura vs. MC Oran – Algeria Ligue 1

Algeria’s top flite ranks 4th in Africa, so we’re still seeing major quality on our trek today.

JS Souara may also get Tracked sooner or later for being in the current CAF Champions League, as they finished #B in this league last season.  MC Oran came in at fourth, but never truly threatened.  They score almost at will, but Noob’s not sure they play a goalie based on the numbers.

Fun Fact:   Saoura are based in the town of Meridja.  That’s Arabic for “little swamp”.

Didn’t we just cover how we feel around here about Swamp Cities.  Bad urban planning!  Down with them and the teams that inhabit them!

RESULT:   Saoura   2-0

  1. Deportivo Maipu vs. Temperley – Copa Argentina

It’s the Round of 32 now in this single-match Knockout FA Cup.  Maipu play in Torneo Federal A, one of the nation’s two third-tier leagues.  Temperley got mercifully Relegated out of the Premier last year.

Maipu host today.  They’ve also already beaten Chacarita Juniors, another team that got booted down to second-division last season.  Minnow watch!

RESULT:   Temperley   0-4

Image result for Argentinian wine rack

 

Maipu are known as “los Botelleros” – “the wine racks”.

Weird.  But Noob likes malbecs ok, so ok.

  1. Skenderbau Korce vs. Partizani Tirana – Albania Superliga

The 34th-ranked league in UEFA, really Noob?  Oh yes.  There’s a special reason for this inclusion.

Skenderbau, in March, was banned for 10 years from international UEFA competitions.  They had to forfeit their spot in the current Champions League to Kukesi.  This is the stiffest penalty ever handed out.  Match-fixing was the issue.

Applying mathematical algorithms to gambling patters is a or perhaps THE big new way match-fixing is discovered now.  Skenderbau are fighting the ban, and it will be fascinating to see just how accepted the methodology is.

RESULT:   S.K.   1-0

  1. Buxoro vs. Lokomotiv – Uzbekistan Super League

We take out rest from jet-setting at last in Asia.  This is the 10th-best league there.  As such, they will receive two berths into the next AFC Champions League.

Lokomotiv aren’t quite in line for one, but they’re threatening – tied for 3rd.  Buxoro are in 5th, not likely to make a big move.  Negative GD, and they have particular trouble putting the ball in the back of nets.  In the table, they’re problem is a lack of draws.  They actually have more losses than most teams in the entire league.

RESULT:   Lokomotiv   0-1

Image result for buxoro funny

 

So long from the “old town” of Buxoro!

(As if the whole town isn’t ancient.  People living there for 5000+ years.)

’10 to Track’ Globetrotting Friday soccer matches – double-dipping in Mexico, then spanning the planet!

Friday’s, world leagues’ schedules tend to run a little lighter.  So Noob takes the opportunity to dust off his passport and visit soccer leagues hither and yonder!

As always, we’ll start close to home.  Then it’s off to exotic footyball hinterlands!  You may not always be able to drink the water, but Noobites can safely drink in these sweet match previews.

OK, that was lame.  Onward!

  1. Cruz Azul vs. CF America – Liga MX Femenil

Welcome to the Track, mujeres!  Noob’s been long overdue to feature a match from your league.  Wish it hadn’t been because I had to dash a preview of a women’s International Champions Cup game.  Noob thought North Carolina Courage was playing Paris Saint-Germain today, but NCC won that on Thursday.

But we’re all here now, and better for it!  Like the men’s league, this one is just getting started.  Unlike it, they are divided into two separate Groups for the season, with the top two in each making the Liguilla (postseason).

CF America won their Group last Clausura (half-season) on the strength on scoring half again as many goals as the next-best club.  Cruz Azul finished in 6th, unable to hit even double-digit goals in 14 matches.  Woof.

RESULT:   America   0-3

B.  Monarcas Morelia vs. Santos – Liga MX

The 2018-19 season is just getting underway.  Santos finished 4th in least year’s Clausura (second half-season and then won that Liguilla (postseason).  Morelia finished in 8th, the only team to make the postseason with a negative goal differential.  Watch this one to see if Santos is still scoring like it’s pinball.   (8:00 PM EST, ESPN Deportes)

RESULT:   Morelia   3-1

Image result for letter B crown

 

 

Number B – looking royal and ready to root for Morelia

  1. Etoile du Sahel vs. Mbabane Swallows – CAF Champions League

They’re halfway through the Group Stage in Africa’s top league tournament.  Remaining are four pods of four playing double round robins.  The top two in each will advance to the Knockout Round.

Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel are unsurprisingly the leading their Group.  Mbabane from Swaziland are not expected to advance – or weren’t!  They’re #B in that table.  du Sahel won the first matchup between these two 0-3.  Little reason to believe the runner-up in the second-best league in Africa won’t crush again today.

Fun Fact:   One of du Sahel’s nicknames is Jawharat Sahel, which translates to “Jewel Coast:.

RESULT:   EdS   2-0

  1. Lokomotiv Moscow vs. CSKA Moscow – Russia Super Cup

This is a standard Super Cup, two top teams facing off in a glorified friendly as a lead-in to the league season.  What isn’t standard is who is playing and why.

Most often, these events pit the reigning league champs against the defending FA Cup winners.  Last year, the latter was a club named FC Tosno.  But they went belly-up, despite their success.  And Premier League runners-up CSKA fill the slot.   This is being played in Moscow, though not at the home pitch of either club.

RESULT:   CSKA   0-1   AET

Image result for belly-up funny

 

 

 

One of these adorable kitties could be named Tosno.

  1. Temperley vs. Estudiantes Caseros – Argentina FA Cup

This Knockout tournament is in its Round of 64.  Temperely were demoted to the second division after last season.  Estudiantes Caseros play in one of the two third-tier leagues.  They were the runners-up least season.  The winner will play third-division Deportivo Maipu next Round.  A Caseros upset would guarantee a Minnow in the Round of 16.  Muy bueno.

On a side note, why do both my MS Word and iPhone autocorrect voice feature try to capitalize “bueno”.  Is it now common to think that things in Spanish can only be a little better than just regular-good?  Inquiring Noobites should want to know.   (4:10 PM, TyC International)

Fun Fact:  Caseros is a town in the province of Buenos Aires, which is why the club is just as commonly cited as “Estudiantes Buenos Aires” or just “Esudiantes (BA)”.

RESULT:   Temperley   1-0

  1. Atletico Pantoja vs. Moca – Dominican Republic Liga Mayor

CONCACAF me!  Noob loves to get to know our continental/regional neighbors on Fridays.

These are the 3rd and 5th-place teams in the D.R.’s top league.  The top four will have a Championship Playoff at regular season’s end.  All the top teams here play about the same level of defense.    Pantoja has the superior offense, if not by leaps and bounds.  At home, one would think this is enough.  If Moca can pull the upset, they will climb into a 4th-place tie.

RESULT:   Pantoja   1-0

Image result for pantoja neighborhood dominican republic

 

 

 

Peace Corps party in Pantajo – a neighborhood in Santo Domingo.

  1. Mlada Boleslav vs. Sigma Olomouc – Czech First League

Would it surprise you to know this is a top-15 league in Europe?

M.B. were 9th last year.  Olomouc finished in fourth, qualifying for the current Europa League.  They’re about to get to play, entering in at the Third Qualifying Round.  They don’t play nearly the offense that other top Czech clubs do, so Noob thinks the hosts have aa coin flip-chance today.

Fun Fact:  Mlada Boleslav was called Bumsla at one time by the Jews, for whom this city had become an important center.

RESULT:   Olomouc   0-4

  1. KI vs. Skala – Faroe Islands Meistardeildin

Would it surprise you to learn this league is rated #9 in all Europe?   It should.  They’re ninth from the bottom.  Hey, teeny tiny country.   And they’re playing.

Only the winner will get into Champions League, of course.  The next two will both make Europa League.  KI are #B in the table, five points out of first.  Skala is in 6th, the best of the bottom half.  There’s a massive gulf between the two halves, too, to this match may not be close.

RESULT:   KI   3-1

Image result for Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag 2018

 

 

Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag

Noob’ll just stick with “KI”.

  1. Al Merreikh vs. Hay Al Arab – Sudan Premier

This was a two-horse league last year, and Al Merrikh missed wining the title by a nose.  Still, that’s good enough in Africa’s 7th-best league to make the CAF Champions League.  But they got knockout out of that before the Group Stage.

If Hay Al Arab – last year’s 11th-place club – pull an upset, it will be with a very low score.  All last season, they did nothing but take the air out of the ball.

Fun Fact:  Al Merreikh was formed by students at former Gordon Memorial College, now part of U. of Khartoum.

RESULT:   Al Merreikh   2-1

  1. Dwangwa United vs. Civil Sporting – Malawi Super League

This league is not ranked in Africa’s top 25.  Perfect for Friday excursion!  Dwangwa are in 14th, just one spot above the Relegation line.  Noob couldn’t even quickly find the name of Malawi’s second division-league.  It is unworthy and perhaps not spoken of.  Civil are in 4th place, eight points out of 1st (Big Bullets).

This may end up a high-affair.  Neither team stops anyone.

RESULT:   Dwangwa   1-0

Image result for nkhotakota wildlife reserve

 

 

So long from Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (near Dwangwa Utd’s home town)!

’10 to Track’ soccer matches for Relegation Monday! (4/2) – Embrace the suckitude

Noob’s greatest joy is to filter and bring to light the ten most important matches for new-ish American fans every day or week-part.  Mondays, in the afterglow of superhot action around the world, the schedules get a bit thinner.

Instead of taking respite, no!  We primarily put our focus on teams possibly about to get Relegated, booted to lower divisions, perhaps never to see the light of Premier day again.  Enjoy the likely end of these clubs’ halcyon days, embrace their suckitude.

  1. Sunderland vs. Sheffield Wednesday – English Championship

Sunderland aren’t out of time, but they’re getting there.  Seven matches left to go in the tier-two league season and they’re in second-to-last, five points deep in the Relegation Zone.  Hosting a below-average SW team (17th place) is a great chance for them to pick up three points.

Fun Fact:   Sunderland’s “black cats” nickname may be a reference to an artillery base from Napoleonic times – “the black cat battery”.

RESULT:   Sheffield Wednedsday   1-3     SW moved to 9th, just a couple points out of the last Promotion Playoff slot.

Image result for janet jackson black cat gif

 

 

Janet Jackson, getting perhaps a bit too into that fellow’s guitar playing during a performance of “Black Cat”.

B.  Asteras Tripolis vs. Platanias – Greek Super League

Platanias are so deep in last place they can’t see the sun.   They’ve only won or drawn in six matches all season, less than half of the next-worst club.  Tripolis is pretty average, but should handle business at home.

Fun Fact:  Platanias are from Chania, one of the four regional areas of Crete, informally and simply referred to locally as “western Crete”.

RESULT:   Tripolis   4-0

Image result for Greek letter Beta

 

 

 

Iconographic, Greek Number B.

  1. Olimpo vs. Temperley – Argentina Premier

These two are the better of the four in the multi-year Relegation Zone, could actually climb out.   But neither is playing like they will, being in the bottom three this season.  (6:00 PM Easterm TyC Sports International)

Fun Fact:  Olimpo’s home city of Bahia Blanca is the leading city in the country in basketball.

RESULT:   1-1

  1. Pogon Szczecin vs. Slask Wroclaw – Poland Ekstraklasa

Poland’s top league soon divides into title playoff and relegation-playout divisions.  These two are far enough down that they cannot avoid the latter.

Fun Fact:  OK, not “fun”, but interesting perhaps: Szczecin was founded by Poles who were moved west in the country after the Soviet Union took over eastern parts of the country in 1945.

RESULT:   Szczecin   3-2

Image result for pogon szczecin

 

 

They must be good guys, looks like they got chosen for House Gryffindor to Noob.

  1. Poli Timisoara vs. Sepsi OSK – Romania Liga I

This league as divided as well.  The bottom two get Relegated, while the next team up has to play another playoff with a second-tier team.  Timisoara hold the latter position.  Sepsi are in last.

Fun Fact:  Timisoara is co-owned by the local university, city and county governments.

RESULT:   2-2

  1. Septemvri Sofia vs. Etar – Bulgaria First League

Bulgaria’s league goes an extra step for Relegation.   Right now, the bottom eight teams are playing in two four-team divisions.  The bottom two from each will then play a bracketed Relegation playout toiurnament.  Septemvri are high enough up in 2nd place that they should be safe.  Etar is in last in their Group, definitely bound for the Playout.

Fun Fact:  Septemvri’s home pitch isn’t good enough for official matches, so those get played at fellow league team Bistrista’s field.

RESULT:   S.Sofia   1-0

Image result for new septemvri stadium sofia

 

 

New Septemvri Stadium is being built.  This is an artist’s rendering.

  1. Sport Boys Warnes vs. Aurora – Bolivia Premier

Aurora were promoted to Bolivia’s top division this year.  It’s early, but they’re in position to get possibly booted right back down.  The last-place finisher will go automatically, second-to-last (Aurora, right now) will have a playoff with a second-tier team.

Fun Fact:  Aurora are from Cochabamba, a mountain valley city where it’s springlike all the time, and so is known as “the City of Eternal Spring”.

RESULT:   Aurora   1-2    It’s a Relegation Monday miracle!  Aurora jump to 8th in the aggregate table, well out of danger.  For now.

And now for your non-Relegation pleasure —

  1. Esteghlal vs. Al-Rayyan – AFC Champions League

The Group stage of qualification continues for Asia’s premier club tournament.  The top two from each Group of four will qualify out of this round.

These two teams are tied for first, but with two matches to go at least one could be caught by 3rd-place Al-Ain.  The Iranian hosts today are probably as good as the best MLS teams, to give an idea of quality.  Qatar’s visiting side should be about a goal underdog today.

RESULT:   Esteghlal   2-0

Image result for underdog cartoon meme

  1. Young Boys vs. Basel – Swiss Super League

Young Boys of Bern are running away with the title.  But the league is strong enough that it gets two berths into next year’s Champions League.  Basel are #B, but ahead of 3rd-place St. Gallen by only three points.  This match is best offense versus best defense.  YBB should be able to control the pace.

RESULT:   2-2

  1. Wacker Innsbruck vs. Weiner Neustadt – Austria First League

For a change on a Monday, Noob had some solid choices for featured matches today.  But I’m still 12 years old in some ways, couldn’t help but include this one.   It’s the Weiner-Wacker derby!

OK, they almost certainly don’t call it that in Austria.  Still, enjoy.  Weiner is tied for 1st and in line for one of the two auto-promotion slots for their Bundesliga.  Wacker Innsbruck is in 3rd, which would have them playing a bottom-rung top-tier team for a chance at promotion themselves.

RESULT:   Innsbruck   2-0    Wacker tops weiner.

Image result for immature humor

 

 

Truth?  Maybe.

Depends on the admission price.

 

 

Honoroable mention:  Qabala vs. Sumqayit (Azerbaijan Premier, #B vs. #3), Ismaily vs. El Zamalek (Egypt Premier, #B vs. #3), Al Ahly vs. Tanta (Egypt Premier, #1 vs. Relegation candidate #16), Racing de Casablanca vs. Wydad Casablanca (Morocco Botola Pro, last place vs. #7 and defending CAF Champions League winner), Sport Huancayo vs. Academia Cantolao (Peru Premier, #B vs. #3 in league Group B)

’10 to Track’ for Relegation Monday (1/29): Drop Zone daisies try to see some sun

The ‘ten most important games to follow for us, the newish American fans’, takes it weekly turn to the Dark Side.  Nine teams trying to claw their way to some daylight outside their leagues’ Relegation Zones get featured.

Let’s get to know them before they get the boot.  They must be crap, since match #10 and out only non-Relegation match today is Scottish.

  1. Tucumán vs. Temperley – Superliga Argentina

Argentina’s premier division Relegates four of their teams annually.  That feels like a lot until you consider the league is 28 teams deep.  Rather than just booting the lowest-performing ones each season, they consider results going back three more years.

Temperley is 24th in the table this season, but third-to-last on that Relegation table.   They could still save themselves, but need a turnaround toward at least a mediocre 2018.  Unlikely, given they don’t even average one goal per game.

RESULT:   Tucuman   3-0

Image result for mediocre funny

 

 

 

The Buddha wishes to help Temperley with their quest for mediocrity.

B.  Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Karabukspor – Turkey Super Lig

Could last place-Karabukspor end up with less than zero goals in a match?  They aren’t even close to having the second-worst league offense, and #2 Istanbul sports the best defense.

Fun Fact:  The city of Karabük’s name translates to “blackbush”.

RESULT:   Istanbul   5-0

Image result for Turkish letter B

 

Everybody’s loves you, Number B!   

Just have to get used to it.

  1. Smouha vs. Wadi Degla – Egypt Premier

Smouha sits in 4th place, good for a berth into Africa’s version of Europa League, five points out of their Champions League.  Who will be more motivated, them or 16th-place Wadi Degla?  If they can climb just one more spot in the table, they’ll be out if the Drop Zone.

Fun-ish Fact:  Wadi Degla is nicknamed “The Community of Champions”.   Maybe it sounds cooler in Arabic…

RESULT:   Smouha   2-1

  1. El Antag El Harby vs. El Raja Marsa Matruh – Egyptian Premier

8th place hosts dead last in our Egyptian double-dip!  Worst defense and worst offense, Raja is eight points in the table from safety.

RESULT:   El Antag   2-1

Image result for egyptian ice cream

 

 

Streamed date pudding, with a double dip of ice cream.

  1. Al Batin vs. Al-Ettifaq – Saudi Arabia Premier

Second-to-last place Ettifaq actually has a mediocre offense.  If they can shore up their shoddy defense even a little, they should survive the season.

Mid-pack Al Batin have trouble scoring, and so Noobstradamus is calling this one for the underdog “Commandos”!

RESULT:   1-1      Noobstradamus miss

Image result for Noobstradamus

 

 

I’m also calling Alyssa Milano’s performance opposite Ah-nold in “Commando” underrated.

  1. Al Quwa Al Jawiya vs. Karbala – Iraqi Premier

Karbala has yet to win a match and has only three goals in 11 games.  Second division-bound.

Not That Fun, But Interesting-Fact:  “Saddam’s Killing Fields” documents the 1991 destruction of Karbala.

RESULT:   Al Quwa   4-1

  1. Ternana vs. Salernitana – Serie B

Ternana can’t quite get over the hump in Italy’s second division.   They have 12 draws in 21 games.  They’re 20th of 22 teams.  Should they climb even a spot higher, they won’t be automatically Relegated, though the next two teams in the table have to play a Relegation avoidance event.   Salernita are 7-7-7 on the year.

RESULT:   2-2      Make that -13- draws.

  1. Sporting CP B vs. Real SC – LigaPro

The hosts are the reserve side for Portuguese legend FC Porto.  They are in 1st, but ineligible for promotion out of the second division.  Real SC is at the opposite end of the table.  They can score, but playing defense eludes them.   The table is tight enough that they could climb, but this isn’t the match where that starts.

RESULT:   Sporting B   2-1

Image result for you will lose now funny

 

 

For now, Real SC, you’re the fat chick with the hula hoop.

  1. Gil Vicente vs. Varzim – LigaPro

GV are in a three-way tie in the table with two team in the Relegation Zone.  Varzim is one of those two.  These two have identical records.  This should be the most competitive match of the Tracked games today.

RESULT:   Varzim   0-1

And our one glorious, non-Relegation match to care about today —

  1. Albion Rovers vs. St. Johnstone – Scottish FA Cup

This event has reached its Fourth Round, in which just 32 teams remain.  Our minnow today is Albion Rovers.  They’re from the Coatbridge (Glasgow area), and about the economically most dismal town in the country.  This hard-times blue collar town could use something to cheer about.

St. Johnstone is in 8th this year, after a Scottish Premiere 4th place finish last season that had them miss Europa League by only one slot in the table.

RESULT:   Johnstone   0-4

Image result for coatbridge scotland pollution

 

 

Coatbridge, back before it was more air-polluted than almost anywhere.