December 4 to 31, 2019 (Physico Championships and Asian Cup Pre-Friendlies)A Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2019. December 4 to 31, 2019 (Physico Championships and Asian Cup Pre-Friendlies)
Friendlies The United Arab Emirates began their preparation for hosting the Asian Cup in January when they played against Indonesia. In spite of ten shots on target, the Middle Eastern side were unable to ruffle the back of the net. The front three in Ismael Al Hammadi, Omar Abdulrahman and Ahmed Khalil all had two to three shots on target each, only for Indonesian goalkeeper, Muhammad Ridho, to keep them at bay. Al Hammadi was substituted at the break, and his replacement Jassim Yaqoob Salman also struggled to sneak the ball around the keeper. In the end, Player of the Match Ridho made fourteen saves in total and gave Indonesia the boost of confidence needed to tackle the better Asian sides.
Australia played the first of their five preparation matches against Palestine in Sydney. However, the Socceroos looked tired after their win over Denmark, and Palestine capitalised on an early chance to score the opening goal via Sameh Maraaba. Palestine should have had two, only for a combined Mathew Ryan save and the post keeping the ball out of the goal. Australia soon settled into a rhythm and dominated the rest of the match, particularly when Mathew Leckie headed an equaliser. Jackson Irvine then made it two goals five minutes later after the pass from Adam Taggart found him free right in front of goal. From there, Australia continued to attack, only to not gain another score. Still, they were content with the result.
Uzbekistan’s Sardor Sabirkhodjaev scored twice in seven minutes with his head to give the hosts the early lead over Afghanistan. After the break, Uzbekistan continued to dominate as Eldor Shomurodov shot from close range to make it three goals, before substitute Sanjar Kodirkulov finished off a header as he leant back from the corner kick, looping the ball over every player and into the net.
Son Heung-Min scored in the twelfth minute against Malaysia for South Korea, chipping the goalkeeper in a one-on-one battle. The Malaysians were still arguing over their defensive errors when Kim Min-Jae rushed up the ground and scored two minutes later with his left boot. Straight after the break, Nam Tae-Hee scored off the left-hand post to give the Koreans a three-goal lead. Brendan Gan powered home one goal when the match lulled, giving his side a sliver of hope. Instead, the Koreans sought a fourth, and should have had it, only to miss key shots. Aside from that, the Koreans started their five-game preparations well.
Brunei flew to Iraq for their friendly match, and the hosts soon had an opener via Amjed Attwan’s head. Iraq should have had a second goal before the break, only for shots to fall to the Brunei goalkeeper, or to hit the post. Finally, Safaa Hadi headed home the second in additional time of the first half. Iraq continued to attack, though it was not until Alaa Ali Mhawi caught defenders unawares and snagged Iraq’s third, setting up momentum for next month’s tournament.
Saudi Arabia, like Australia and South Korea, played their first of five matches in December against the Philippines. Stalemate befell the match as neither side could get enough purchase on a shot to bypass the goalkeepers. Saudi Arabia had the better chances, particularly at the death, only for the Philippines’ defence to hold firm.
Japan scored twice in each half to overcome Bangladesh in their friendly. Kensuke Nagai opened the scoring with a cool header in the fifteenth minute. Musashi Suzuki then found the back of the net late in the half, turning his defender and shooting with his right. Keita Endo then bagged Japan’s third soon after the break with a brilliant solo effort, before substitute Hotaru Yamaguchi had to header the ball twice to gain Japan’s fourth.
Kuwait hosted Middle East neighbours Oman in a match poised to be tight. However, once Kuwait found their balance, Faisal Al Harbi scored either side of the break to set up the solid victory. Oman did have the better of the midfield early in the match, only to not have a chance on goal until they were two goals down; they hit the post on the first and the second fell straight to the Kuwaiti goalkeeper. Kuwait held firm with the win and will hope to carry the momentum into next month.
India hosted Syria in a tight friendly, where Syria looked the more deadly in attack, only for India to dominate possession throughout much of the first half. Their patience paid off as Brandon Fernandes nibbled a goal home when found free right in front of goal; Sunil Chhetri won the ball and pulled his shot into a pass to Fernandes. In the 70th minute, Anirudh Thapa guided his header to the right of the Syrian goalkeeper to make it two goals. However, the visitors were not overawed, scoring first via Omar Al Somah before a penalty from Mohammed Osman drew them level. India’s substitute Manvir Singh should have won the match at the death, only to hit the right-hand post, and the game ended all square.
Thailand flew to China in the hope of gaining crucial minutes for their players and show their talent against a solid side. China was millimetres away from scoring early, only for the post and the goalkeeper to keep the ball away from goal. From there, neither side could gain an advantage in their attacking third, while China had the slight upper hand in midfield. In the end, the scoreless draw worked in the favour of the visitors, while China will rue their chances early and late in the match.
Instead of following China’s missing pattern, Bahrain scored in the second minute against Kyrgyzstan. Abdulla Hardan slid in the box, reaching the ball before the Kyrgyz goalkeeper and sneaking the ball over the line. Jasim Al-Shaikh followed up by stealing the ball and shooting from long range, hitting the inside of the left-hand post and into goal. The visitors’ defensive skills stepped up for the remainder of the match, though Bahrain eased up the pressure, knowing they had the game firmly won. Late attacking from Kyrgyzstan saw great defence by Bahrain to ensure the two-goal lead remained intact.
Iran dominated across the park against Tajikistan, fuelled by an early Mohammad Mohebi goal. However, poor shots on target kept the visitors in the match. It took substitute Karim Ansarifard to make the most of his teammates’ hard work and score twice late, giving Iran a three-goal win and a solid performance in preparation for the Asian Cup.
Physico Championships The inaugural Physico Championships reached its group stage after two years of qualification and changes to the original makeup of how the game is played to the traditional ninety minutes, eleven versus eleven formats. Each team were to play six matches before the top two in each side would progress to the last sixteen.
Group A In Group A, the first half between England and the Ukraine resembled a basketball match with multiple rebounding goals. Ross Barkley started with a header after the ball rebounded to him alone in front of goal from a Player of the Match Raheem Sterling shot. The Ukraine immediately replied via Yevhen Konoplyanka finishing off a quality piece of teamwork. Callum Hudson-Odoi restored the lead, again gaining the rebound off the post before slotting the ball home. Sterling scored the first of his brace soon after, before Marcus Rashford made it four goals for England in the first half. Late in the match, Ukrainian substitute Viktor Kovalenko outsmarted the English defence and snagged a goal back. Sterling, however, replied in the next phase after the kick-off and maintained the three-goal lead, which England held until the end.
France opened their Physico Championship campaign in hosting Greece. Olivier Giroud scored the only goal of the match in the 41st minute with a header from a corner. France dominated much of the match, but they did not pressure in the final third as much as their coach desired. The French back three held firm with some desperate defending, ensuring the Greeks could not score (Raphaël Varane was Player of the Match). In the end, the solitary goal was enough to get the French underway, though they would have liked another goal or two.
In the second Match Day, France hosted England, hoping to change things around. England swapped Mount in for Henderson, and France removed Dubois and brought in Anthony Martial, as well as Sissoko to give Griezmann a break. England had early chances go missing, particularly from Rashford. Down the other end, France also missed key opportunities, until in the 38th minute, Lucas Digne kept charging down the ball until he won it in the box and pocketed the opener. Rashford quickly replied via a brilliant team goal full of one-touch passes. After the break, France could have taken the lead, only for Kylian Mbappé to hit the post with his header and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to make a double save when all seemed lost. The game ended in a draw, leaving England on top of the group and France behind them on goal difference. Varane again gained Player of the Match status, followed by Digne.
The Ukraine gave Ruslan Malinovskyi a break, bringing into the starting eleven Viktor Tsyhankov. As for Greece, Dimitris Kourmpelis made way for Andreas Samaris. The Greeks had the upper hand in the first half, thanks to the home ground advantage. However, the break still had the score at 0-0. After halftime, the Ukrainians came out to attack. From a corner, however, it was Greece who caught the visitors on the counter, with left back Dimitris Giannoulos winning the ball, streaking down the wing, and sending a perfect cross to Efthymios Koulouris. Left midfielder Taxiarchis Fountas made it two goals as he cut back into an open field and curled with his right into the bottom corner. Charalampos Mavrias then scored in additional time as he caught the rebound off the Ukrainian goalkeeper, gifting their opponents a second loss by three goals.
Harry Kane returned to the English side, as did Jadon Sancho for their third match. For Greece, Giannis Fetfatzidis was swapped out for Mavrias and Anastasios Bakasetas had a break to give a chance to Dimitris Limnios. Greece had the early chance on goal, but from there, England dominated across the park in all aspects. The only issue was finding the back of the net. England’s tactic was to cross from the wings, though each of their crosses could not find their attackers in the box. The. hosts had key chances in the second half, with Rose hitting the bottom of the post as their closest opportunity. However, with the defiance of Greek goalkeeper Vasilios Barkas, the away side were able to keep the match scoreless.
Blaise Matuidi returned to the starting eleven at the expense of Layvin Kurzawa and the Ukraine withdrew Konoplyanka for Marlos and Serhiy Kryvtsov left the defence for Eduard Sobol. Marlos had two shots on goal in the first half, with the first requiring a Hugo Lloris save with his right hand and the second a save with his right leg. Matuidi had a shot for France in the first half, only to miss wide of the mark. In the second half, the Ukraine spent most of the match in their attacking third, with Marlos nearly setting up a long-range assist. However, the French defence held firm and were able to also come away with a scoreless away draw, much like the Greeks. At the halfway stage, England and France hold the top two spots, though Greece are knocking closely on the door with four points.
Group B Group B saw Algeria fly to the Czech Republic for their opening Physico Championship encounter. The Czechs missed key shots in the first half as well as the second; completely missing right in front to hitting the woodwork. Algeria waited for their own chances to attack, and they came few and far between. Still, their defence held firm as the Czech Republic attacked down both wings. It looked as though Algeria would gain a vital away draw when the Czech’s Patrik Schick took on the Algerian left back. His cross found a teammate’s head, and as the ball sailed toward goal, Schick cut into the box and slotted home the rebound with only seconds left in the match.
For Ireland and the Netherlands’ first match, Georginio Wijnaldum should have opened the scoring for the Dutch early. Instead, it was Ireland that worked into the game, and on the stroke of halftime, Player of the Match James Collins curled a left footer into the net. Ireland should have increased their lead, but instead, substitute Myron Boadu equalised with his first passage of play. Quincy Promes then backed up a flurry of shots and rebounds to give the Dutch the lead. Ireland had chances to equalise, but between the post and Jasper Cillessen, the Netherlands gained a crucial away victory, on equal points with the Czech Republic.
For the second Match Day, Algeria rested Islam Slimani for Andy Delort. Marten de Roon traded places with Kevin Strootman, while Memphis Depay swapped out for Luuk de Jong as the main striker. That decision paid off as de Jong scored in the second minute with a great victory in a one-on-one against the Algerian goalkeeper, before scoring again in the 34th minute with a killer shot into the back of the net. Wijnaldum made it three by the break as the Algerian defence looked vulnerable in the centre. Promes joined the scoresheet names after the break, shooting as he was wedged between two defenders. With the game safely tucked away, the Dutch won a penalty, only to have de Jong to miss the opportunity for his hat trick as he slipped, and the ball sailed over the bar. Algerian substitute Mehdi Abeid gained a consolation goal with his header aimed at the bottom right-hand corner. The north Africans needed to start with greater intent in their next game.
Michael Krmenčík came in for the Czech Republic, while James McClean made way for Robbie Brady. Ireland looked the better team early and had the better chances in the first half. This culminated in a goal right before the break as Collins scored for the second time in as many games. Ireland maintained their edge on the match, before Brady scored off the rebound from Glenn Whelan’s post-hitting shot. The final five minutes saw Ireland keep their two-goal lead and gain their first win for the tournament.
The Czech Republic only changed their left back for their third game, facing their rivals the Dutch with an unchanged line up. The two sides, having face each other in Euro 2020 qualification, knew this would be a tough contest, and the western Europeans wanted to have three wins from three games. The visitors, however, had other ideas, as Schick scored his second in the tournament in the ninth minute. Wijnaldum levelled the score with his deft touch, but it was Vladimír Darida who snagged the winner, and the Netherlands could not equalise at the end, losing a significant game.
The Irish and Algerians made changes to their midfield for their third match, but it was the change up front in Alan Judge that got the scoring underway for the home side. After the break, Jeff Hendrick then doubled the lead as he was found in the box free from a header pass that initially came from the right wing. However, Algeria quickly scored twice via Delort and Ramy Bensebaini to draw level with only minutes left. It came down to substitute Josh Cullen to head home from a corner and give Ireland the win and stay in the contest of Group B with three away matches to follow. Ireland are wedged between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, and who will progress in the group is anyone’s guess. Algeria will likely remain bottom of the group.
Group C In Group C, Malta hosted Argentina, and in spite of fielding a back five, attacked first with the opportunity of scoring. However, Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero both scored in the first twelve minutes, easing beyond the Maltese defence. In what would be their last tournament up with the top nations thanks to their 2014 World Cup win, Malta brought themselves back into the game, and newcomer Kyrian Nwoko inserted himself as a regular in the side with a header to drag back a goal. Argentina should have scored a third, were it not for wily defensive blocks and brilliant saves from goalkeeper Henry Bonello.
As for Andorra, they started with a bang in the first half, scoring twice against Switzerland. Cristian Martínez opened the tale with a precise, slow left-footer that found the gap needed to hit the back of the net. Marc Vales then received the ball from a cutback and doubled the lead with his right boot. However, the Swiss knew they could bounce back. Firstly, Remo Freuler scored from long range, followed by substitute Cedric Itten. However, a third goal eluded them as the woodwork and Andorran goalkeeper Josep Gómes kept the ball out of the net (fifteen shots in total). It took until the 90th minute for Steven Zuber to score the winner, also from long range. In the end, Switzerland won 3-2, but Andorra had a renewed resolve they would ruffle feathers in Group C.
Malta swapped Jurgen Degabriele for Shaun Dimech, while Andorra kept their same line up. Nwoko scored as he had done against Argentina, nailing home a header as the ball crossed in from the right wing. Malta could have had a second goal, only for the Andorran defence to hold firm. Andorra did produce a late charge, only to have the Maltese defence hold firm and gain their first victory.
Argentina, in their second match on European soil, brought in Guido Rodríguez for Giovani Lo Celso. Switzerland shifted their side around to ensure they had all bases covered. And it was the home side who looked stronger early, only for the Argentinian defence to ensure any shots were from long range. Instead, Messi scored off a corner as he had done in the previous match, giving the visitors the edge. Switzerland worked in vain to equalise, only they could not gather enough shots on target, including a late effort by substitute Mario Gavranović. In the end, Argentina gained their second away victory.
Ángel Di Maria came into the side for Argentina, while Andorra made changes up front. Instead, it was the Argentinian front three who all scored goals. Lautaro Martínez got the ball rolling with an easy snag. German Pezzella doubled the lead with a header from a free kick. Messi then made it three goals in three games as he pocketed before the break. Four minutes into the second half, he had his brace as he finished off an initial goalkeeping save. Agüero then made it five goals for the visitors as they came away winners from all three European-based matches. Andorra’s substitute Cristian Martínez did gain a consolation goal.
Renato Steffen came into the side for Switzerland, while Malta maintained their same line up. Switzerland came out with all guns firing, including a Xherdan Shaqiri free kick hitting the crossbar. Eventually, the match evened out, before Switzerland attacked again in the second half’s opening minutes. That culminated in a Haris Seferović goal. Shaqiri then quickly doubled the lead, effectively ending the match in favour of the visitors. However, Kyrian Nwoko scored his third goal in as many games, heading so hard that no one had time to react. Nwoko nearly set up the equaliser, but Switzerland held on in the final minutes to take the full three points and slot easily in behind Argentina, who with three home games should take top spot in the group.
Group D Slovenia first hosted Italy in Group D, hoping to gain an advantage on their neighbours. Italy, with their back three and five in midfield, took an early lead as Ciro Immobile weaved through poor Slovenian defence and powered home the ball. Slovenia were unperturbed and equalised twelve minutes later, after attacking relentlessly down the left wing. Player of the Match Jaka Bijol managed to raise his 190cm above everyone else and head into the goal for the hosts as the ball sailed from the left wing. A tight match ensued, with both sides having chances. Slovenia eventually gained the upper hand, and striker Andraž Šporar won a penalty after being taken out when the ball was heading in the direction of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Substitute Josip Iličić stepped up to take the kick, and though Donnarumma leapt the correct way, the ball still found the back of the net. Slovenia held on for a 2-1 victory, a game that showed why they remain in the top 20 in rankings.
Both Sweden and Ecuador lined up with a 4-4-1-1 formation in their opening match, and it seemed it would be tight in the middle of the field as the first half deepened. In the 43rd minute, Player of the Match Kristoffer Olsson sat out to the left, waiting for a through ball deep into the 18-yard box. The midfielder hit the ball first time into the back of the net as he received the ball. In the second half, Olsson stepped up again, this time collecting the ball right in front of goal about 25 yards out and shooting beyond Alexander Domínguez. Robin Quaison made it three goals when he led onto a ball and fired with his left. Ecuador looked poor throughout the match and only attained three shots for goal after the game was already lost.
In Match Day 2, Miha Zajc came into the side for Slovenia, as did Roman Bezjak. Sweden switched out Emil Forsberg for Gustav Svensson, as well as Marcus Berg out for John Guidetti. Both inclusions nearly combined to open the scoring for Sweden. Instead, it was Quaison, whose first attempt hit the post before being available for the cross from the left wing in the following passage of play. Bezjak found the Swedes napping just after the half hour mark and equalised. After the break, Sebastian Larsson headed home a corner, only for Bezjak to equalise again. Svensson then found Quaison alone in the box, giving Sweden what seemed the match winner. However, Player of the Match Bezjak repeated his equalising pattern and gained his hat trick, and the match ended three-all.
Ecuador made three changes after their poor effort against Sweden, while Italy’s Lorenzo Insigne was removed and given his place in the side to Moise Kean. That paid off as the striker combined with Immobile to hand each other shots on goal. Eventually, Kean did score as he took on three defenders and shot from long range. Carlos Garcés, who also came in for his first starting eleven in the Physico Championships, equalised with his head two minutes later. However, Italy restored their dominance as Kean scored his hat trick seven minutes after halftime. Italy stepped off the gas, giving Ecuador a slim chance for a late consolation goal via substitute Leonardo Campana. In the end, the score finished 3-2.
Xavier Arreaga came into Ecuador’s starting eleven for their third match, as did Jefferson Orejuela. Slovenia rested two midfielders and brought in Iličić and Kurtić, while injured defender Miha Mevlja gave way to Nemanja Mitrović. Orejuela scored in the 25th minute after the Slovenian goalkeeper went to clear the ball, hitting the back of his defender. From there, Ecuador attacked, before the ball came to Orejuela, who pocketed into the net where the goalkeeper had no time to return and cover the whole goal. Slovenia tried altering the match’s momentum by mimicking Ecuador’s fast pace play. Eventually, the hosts equalised via Kurtić after a few attempts, including hitting the post. Slovenia sought a late winner, only for their hearts and heads to drop as Romario Ibarra scored in additional time to gift Ecuador their first win for the tournament and capping off their three European games in style. With three homes games ahead of them, they will be set to do well in the group.
Muamer Tankovic and Ludwig Augustinsson entered the fray for Sweden’s third match, while Domenico Criscito came into the starting eleven for Italy to take Player of the Match honours. Italy had the better chances in a scoreless draw in the first half. However, it was more shooting off target that kept the ball away from goal. Both sides could have won the match late, only for defence to be the winner on the day. Sweden sit on top of the group, having drawn two matches and won one, while Italy lie precariously in third place. Ecuador have three home games ahead, and will look to reach second place.
Group E In Group E, Jamaica hosted Austria in what would be a cracking match on paper. Austria had the better chances early, requiring multiple blocks and saves from the Jamaican back four. Eventually, Jamaica gained the upper hand and used their momentum to create chances. In the second half, Jamaica nearly had the lead, before Austria could have scored. However, a poor defensive choice by Austria saw Jamaican striker Chavanney Willis steal the ball and pocket the only goal of the game to gift his side a solid start to the Physico Championships.
In a twisted game between Saudi Arabia and Mauritania, it was the away side who came out on top. Saudi Arabia, having drawn in a friendly to the Philippines, had one eye on the upcoming Asian Cup. The first half was full of Mauritanian defensive prowess against a range of attacks from the Arabian side. However, both nations went into the break without a goal. That changed in the second half. Hattan Bahebri opened the scoring for the hosts, cutting back into the box and shooting with his left. Mauritanian defender Abdoul Bâ quickly replied as he first headed, then shot from a free kicking cross. Mauritania then took complete control as Saudi Arabia looked lethargic in defence. Ismaël Diakité gave the visitors the lead as his shot thudded off the bottom of the right-hand post. Substitute Abdoulaye Gaye then scored twice in quick succession, with his first a header off a corner and the second from just in front of the penalty spot. Saudi’s Abdullah Al Hamdan came off the bench and snagged a consolation goal, but it was evident at the end of the match that Mauritania have the capacity to go deep in this tournament.
For Match Day 2, both Saudi Arabia and Jamaica made multiple changes to their sides. Jamaica scored twice against their opponents, in spite of having to travel the furthest to come play in Riyadh. Lamar Walker and Chavanney Willis managed to gain the goals for the visitors, while Saudi Arabia had plenty of chances, only to be halted as they were about to shoot. In the end, Jamaica won 2-0.
Austria brought in Thomas Goiginger and Louis Schaub to have an impact on their match against Mauritania. This helped them score three early goals to set up a solid win. Karim Onisiwo, Julian Baumgartlinger and Konrad Laimer all contributed to the scoresheet. As the half neared its end, Mauritania hit the right-hand post twice in quick succession, with the ball spinning across the face of goal and out of play both times. Near the end, that same post came into play to deny the hosts a consolation goal. Austria left knowing they had gained a brilliant victory and a crucial one in Group E.
Mauritania and Jamaica kept their same line ups for their encounter, with Diakité scoring early for the hosts, his second for the tournament. Jamaica scrambled to keep the Mauritanians away from goal, before they settled with Shamar Nicholson’s netter right before the break. From there, neither side could gain the upper hand as the match went to-and-fro, ending in a 1-1 draw.
Similarly, Saudi Arabia and Austria kept their same starting eleven as they needed to reach the halfway stage with a win. In a lively match, Salman Al Faraj opened the scoring when he ran between the defence into the box, met a through ball and ensured its path to goal before the Austrian goalkeeper could reach him. Saudi Arabia continued to attack, though a second goal was not forthcoming. Instead, Austrian substitute Florian Grillitsch equalised with a cornered header too strong for the Saudi keeper. However, the hosts restored the lead, scoring twice more via Haroune Camara and substitute Abdullah Al Hamdan. In the end, the 3-1 scoreline gave the Saudis the boost they needed as they finalise preparations for the Asian Cup.
Group F In Group F, Serbia hosted Guinea in a tight group, hoping to start off with a solid win. That came about via intense pressure from the home side, forcing Guinea to make some last-gasp defensive blocks. Eventually the floodgates opened, but not from the typical goal scorers. Instead, defensive midfielder and Player of the Match Aleksandar Katai scored twice in quick succession; his first a right-footer that curled back and into the net, while his second was using his left after stealing off a Guinean defender about to clear the ball. His midfielder brother, Luka Milivojević, joined in the scoring right before the break, firing in similar fashion to Katai’s first, only with more defenders surrounding him. Aleksandar Mitrović made it four goals before the hour mark when he capitalised on a defensive mix up. From there, Serbia held firm in the knowledge of the best start possible, while Guinea needed to make changes to have any impact on Group F.
Portugal took on Mexico in a match that ended three-nil in favour of the hosts. The European side look solid in the first half, only to be thwarted by constant offsides. Down the other end, Mexico tried the fast counterattack approach to keep Portugal on their toes. Instead, the home side scored either side of the break to set up their victory. Player of the Match João Félix raced onto a through pass from the right wing and pocketed the opener, before Cristiano Ronaldo made it two goals when he was found alone in front of goal. João Félix bagged a second with the coolest of headers from a left-wing cross. From there, Portugal should have had a fourth, but the three goals were enough to gain the three points.
For Match Day 2, Serbia swapped out Branislav Ivanovic at right midfield for Filip Đuričić. Portugal gave Bernardo Silva and André Silva a breather for Rúben Neves and Bruma respectively. João Félix scored early as he and Ronaldo swapped wings, exploiting the weakness found in the Serbian left back defensive structure. João Félix pocketed an easy goal after Ronaldo’s initial shot was saved. After the break, Bruma doubled the lead when he stole the ball off the Serbian defence and easily leant the ball into the back of the net. Newcomer Serbian Saša Zdjelar pegged a goal back for the visitors, though they could not do enough to gain a point as Portugal ran out winners.
Guinea and Mexico both made changes to their sides, with the inclusion of Orbelin Pineda helping as he finished off the shot after the ball ricocheted off the bar and the Guinean defenders. Sixteen minutes earlier, defensive midfielder Mady Camara had opened the scoring as he single-handedly unravelled the Mexican defence and bagged a goal with his left boot. Mexico, though, had the better opportunities for the remainder of the first half, starting with Pineda’s goal and then having multiple chances in taking the lead. Somehow, the Guinean defence held firm. After the break, Naby Keïta caught onto a perfect cross from the right wing and gave Guinea the lead again. Mexico would not be perturbed, and substitute Hirving Lozano scored in additional time to level the match, a result that seemed fair given Mexico’s dominance in their final third.
For Match Day 3, Mexico’s Lozano came back into the starting eleven, while Serbia reworked their right-hand side of formation, with Branislav Ivanovic and Zdjelar into the team, while Matić entered into a defensive midfielder role. Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa made three early saves in quick succession to keep the Serbians at bay. Mexico then had a chance to score in the first half after miscommunication in Serbian defence saw the ball end up at the feet of Lozano, only for him to miss wide. Mitrović then backed up his fellow teammates, finishing off into an open goal in the 50th minute. From there, Serbia were able to stave off any Mexican attacks, and played for the 1-0 victory to round their year off on a high note.
For their third match, Portugal brought in João Moutinho for Rúben Neves, while Guinea trialled José Kanté up front. Portugal came from behind with a Ronaldo brace in the second half. In the first, Ibrahima Traoré gave Guinea the lead when he cut back from the right to power with his left into the goal. Guinea seemed to have control of the first half, but that changed after the break. Ronaldo’s first was a header after the ball rebounded to him as he faked to take a free kick, kept running and was first to the rebound off the crossbar. In the 88th minute, Ronaldo was found with a lovely cross and he made no mistake. João Moutinho then finished off the win with a diving header after Ronaldo’s initial shot came off the bar. Portugal look at ease on top of the group, and Serbia are likely to be the side that joins them in the Round of 16.
Group G In Group G, South Korea could not find a way to goal against Hungary in their opening match. It was the visitors who instead had a clear chance, thanks to Ádám Szalai’s 38th-minute winner. The Koreans were relentless in their attacks in the second half, but failed to score, and thus gave Hungary the ultimate start.
Three goals inside seventeen minutes set up a solid win for Brazil over Gabon, who never looked in the game. Gabriel Jesus scored twice rapidly; the first with his right as he ran toward goal, and the second a sliding shot with his left to reach beyond the Gabonese goalkeeper. Neymar then won a penalty, which Player of the Match Roberto Firmino slotted to the left with ease. Though Brazil had chance after chance, they squandered them as the score remained 3-0 for the rest of the match.
South Korea and Brazil made minor changes to their starting eleven for Match Day 2, and with that, attacked with genuine intent. Brazil found a way to goal first, with Firmino’s shot deflecting off a Korean defender and into goal. However, the hosts quickly replied right before the break with Nam Tae-Hee’s header off a corner finding the back of the net. Neymar restored Brazil’s lead three minutes after the break with a counterattacking goal. However, South Korea were not fazed as Nam Tae-Hee scored his second goal as his shot was too strong for the Brazilian goalkeeper. Both sides had chances to win the match, only for the 2-2 scoreline to remain.
Gabon made changes up front, while Hungary brought two different players into their midfield. However, it was the Gabonese front three that had the early impact, with Jim Allevinah scoring early in the piece. Mario Lemina then backed it up with a killer goal five minutes after the break as Hungary scrounged to cover Roland Sallai’s injury early in the match. From there, Gabon held firm with a two-goal win, setting up a potential charge as they hoped to reach second place in the group.
Hungary and Brazil made one change apiece for their third match. Hungary’s change, Máté Vida, had a hand in winning his side a penalty, only for Gerg�' Lovrencsics to gift it straight to the Brazilian goalkeeper. In the 21st minute, Brazil showed their strength as Neymar scored a brilliant one-on-one goal. From there, Hungary struggled to recover, and Brazil did enough defensively to ensure the 1-0 victory.
Major changes took place for South Korea and Gabon, with left midfielder Guelor Kanga surprising the hosts with an early goal. South Korea fought back and eventually Na Sangho equalised. Effort after effort saw the hosts draw closer to the win, with Son Heung-Min heading the winner in the 82nd minute. 2-1 was the final score. While Brazil look to have first place in Group G, it will be interesting who takes charge in their final three matches to take second place.
Group H In Group H, Germany hosted Belarus, wanting to keep in front of Brazil in the rankings and solidifying key results prior to next year’s Euro. An early goal came for Germany after Leroy Sané’s head reached the ball before the Belarus goalkeeper, and caused the ball to hit Vladislav Klimovich as he retreated, and thus trickle over the line. However, Germany struggled to gain a goal on their own terms, until in one of his final matches, substitute Mario Gómez stole the ball off the Belarus defenders in additional time and kicked with the outside of his right foot to gain a second for the Germans.
Australia hosted Chile in a tight contest, where Gabriel Arias kept the Socceroos’ multiple shots out of goal, save the equaliser by Player of the Match Tom Rogic. Earlier, Jose Fuenzalida scored for the visitors straight after the break with his left foot. Australia did not give in and Rogic’s shot was too powerful for Arias, even though the goalkeeper did touch it However, neither side could find the finishing blow, and the match ended all square.
Chile, having flown to Australia, then flew to Belarus to take on the European side, with a couple of changes to their starting line-up. Alexis Sánchez scored in the second minute in the only goal of the game as Belarus tried in vain for the rest of the match to equalise and should have in additional time when the ball smacked against the crossbar. Still, Chile came away with the three points, poised and ready to take on Germany.
As for Germany, they made changes to their right wing make up, while Australia rested Leckie and Irvine. Timo Werner, though, scored twice for Germany as the away side took charge of the match. Werner’s first was a solid through ball with a little dink around Ryan, while the second was a penalty that did hit Ryan’s arm as he stretched the correct way, only for the sheer power to see the ball in the back of the net. Australia immediately responded, as the ball came from the right wing to Taggart, who won the initial header and was the first to recover from lying on the ground to shoot between two German defenders and lift the spirits of the home ground. However, the second half saw Germany keep the upper hand, though it was their defensive players that kept the Socceroos from equalising as the final whistle approached.
Chile, after playing in Belarus, then took on the might of Germany. Kai Havertz scored early for the Germans, hitting a through ball with his first touch in the fifth minute. Fourteen minutes later, Nicholas Castillo did something similar to level the match. However, right before the break, Suat Serdar restored the lead as he headed home from a corner. From there, Germany dominated, as Havertz scored twice more to bring up a hat trick and gift his side a solid 4-1 victory.
Australia needed to defeat Belarus and brought Leckie and Irvine back into the fray. Leckie and Taggart combined up front, first with Taggart crossing to Leckie for Australia’s best chance in the first half, and then Leckie searching for Taggart with a cross from the right wing. Both Skavysh and Rogic then missed key opportunities, with the two teams going into the break all square. However, Belarus opened the second half with a goal from Pavel Nekhajchik. Australia quickly replied, with Leckie’s cross a symbol of perfection to find Taggart in the middle of the box. Australia then came from behind to take the lead when Leckie himself fooled his marking man and cut back into the box, shooting home with his left foot. From there, Australia held on for a vital victory, and may yet keep a top two spot of the group. Chile and Germany, though should progress to the Round of 16.
Friendlies (again) The United Arab Emirates drew another friendly at home in preparation for the Asian Cup, this time against Palestine. Both sides had chances in the first half hour to score, only to miss the mark. Offsides then became the order of play, before on the stroke of halftime, Walid Abbas gave away a cheap penalty as Palestine ran rings around the UAE’s defence. Yashir Islame made no mistake from the spot. The hosts tried to wrestle back control of the match, eventually equalising with a cross from the right wing, then a cross back from the left wing to Amer Abdulrahman, whose volley bounced off defender Musab Al-Battat and looped over the goalkeeper into the back of the net. More attempts, though, failed, for the UAE, and the match ended 1-1.
Australia scored early against Afghanistan via Taggart, with James Jeggo assisting for the easiest of goals. From there, though, Afghanistan found chinks in the Australian defence, particularly along right back. However, the Socceroos soon fine-tuned their coverage of that area, especially when Afghanistan continued to attack down that wing. After the break, Australia continued to have chances, only to be denied by the Afghani goalkeeper or the woodwork. Still, the Socceroos looked solid across the park and will go deep in the Asian Cup next month.
Eldor Shomurodov pocketed an easy goal for Uzbekistan against Malaysia when he was first to a goalkeeping parry. This set a good trend for the Uzbeks as they dominated long periods of the match. After the break, Javokhir Sidikov doubled the lead, dribbling between two defenders and shooting from the edge of the 18-yard box. Malaysia did get a consolation goal, via Nor Azam Azih’s head, and had semi-chances to equalise late in the match, but the 2-1 scoreline fell in favour of Uzbekistan.
Nam Tae-Hee scored the only goal between South Korea and Brunei. The tiny nation, up against the Asian giants, were the first to attack, hitting the woodwork. From there, though, South Korea dominated across the park. Nam Tae-Hee, also scoring against Malaysia, had the easiest of goals. Late in the match, the Koreans should have added to their tally, only for key shots to miss the goal. Still, a 1-0 win was enough after a tough Physico Championships, readying them for a long Asian Cup campaign.
The Philippines surprised 2018 World Cup side Iraq with a single-goal victory thanks to the volley of Ángel Guirado. Iraq had the upper hand of the first half, though their four shots all missed wide of the mark. In the second half, as both sides maintained their back five structure, it was the Philippines who looked more comfortable on the park, leading to Guirado’s goal from a Stephan Schröck run and cross. From there, the Philippines were able to hold on the win, and will look to ruffle feathers next month.
Abdulmalek Al Khaibri was the lifesaver for Saudi Arabia after Bangladesh were able to hold off for 87 minutes before a goal was scored. At the start of the match, the Saudis hit the woodwork, but then Bangladesh looked the slightly better side. After the break, Saudi Arabia worked hard without reward, until finally Al Khaibri managed to lift above the defenders and head home a late corner. Perhaps tournament fatigue is holding back the Saudis, which will go against them in the Asian Cup when they first face Iran.
Midfielder Gaku Shibasaki scored in the first half for Japan against Oman after a strong performance across the 45 minutes. Shibasaki should have scored again, only to be on his left side and was unable to gain enough purchase on the ball. However, straight after the break, Oman fought back into the match, with Ahmed Mubarak dominating in the midfield and having chances himself at scoring. Finally, with fifteen minutes remaining, substitute Abdulaziz Al Muqbali stepped up and headed home the equaliser, and from there, neither side could produce the winning goal.
In the match between Kuwait and Syria, Syria’s Ward Al Salama needed three shots before he found the back of the net. Kuwait worked back into the match and equalised via Faisal Al-Harbi before the break. However, missed chances in the second half kept Kuwait away from winning the match, and the game ended 1-1.
Thailand scored early in their match against India with striker Teerasil Dangda curling the ball with his right boot between the post and the Indian goalkeeper. India pegged the goal back after the break via an own goal from Sarach Yooyen, who was unable to keep the ball from crossing the line. Dangda then set up Manuel Bihr with a perfectly timed cross to his head, and the midfielder made no mistake. In the end, Thailand held on for a 2-1 victory. Thailand will be high-spirited for their match against Malaysia.
China came from behind against Kyrgyzstan to win 3-1 in their final friendly before the Asian Cup. Akhlidin Israilov needed two attempts on goal to score right before the break after his first just flew over the bar. After the break, China worked for an early equaliser, with Nico Yennaris finishing off a pinball-like field of play from a corner. Zheng Zhi then gave China the lead eight minutes later with a right footer. Xie Pengfei capped off the win as he out-jumped two defenders in the 89th minute and gifted China a 3-1 scoreline.
Abdulla Hardan scored for Bahrain in the third minute, curling with his left as he ran from the right wing to claim a through ball. Their opponents, Tajikistan, needed to knuckle down in defence for most of the game to ensure no other goals were scored. The Tajiks then tried in vain late in the match to equalise, but poor shots and steely Bahraini defence kept the Middle Eastern side ahead until the final whistle.
In the match between Iran and Indonesia, Iran attacked without relent for the first eight minutes, nearly scoring a goal. Indonesia turned the momentum around and also almost scored. Eventually, that pressure culminated in a goal for the South-East Asians, with David Maulana opening the scoring. Iran ramped up their attacking prowess, though it took until the 57th minute to equalise via Mohammad Mohebi. From there, they scored three more to take full control of the match. Masoud Shojaei shot from long range with deadly accuracy, and right back Ramin Rezaeian volleyed home a cross from his left back teammate. Mohebi polished off the win with a brace, leaving Indonesia slightly frustrated at the loss, but with the knowledge they can face any Asian side with confidence.
Asian Cup matches commence on January 2nd.
© 2020 Steve Clark |
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Added on December 20, 2020 Last Updated on December 20, 2020 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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