After taking the lead early on through Santiago Gimenez, Ajax hit back in the first half through another Mexican in Edson Alvarez and then Dusan Tadic.
Feyenoord fought back in the second half though with Sebastian Szymanski levelling the tie with Geertruida then getting the winner in the 84th minute.
This victory will come as no surprise to fans of the Dutch game though as Feyenoord have been rising steadily across the last couple of seasons through revered coach Arne Slot.
Slot inspired his side to third place last season as well as an impressive run to the inaugural final of the UEFA Conference League where they were unlucky not to beat a stern Roma side led by Jose Mourinho.
They had numerous chances in the final to get a result but just could not find the back of the net in what was a superb display.
The spine to that impressive team was dismantled in the summer with the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Marcos Senesi, Bryan Linssen, Tyrell Malacia, Frederick Aursnes and Cyries Dessers all moving onto pastures new.
Feyenoord decided to invest the money they recuperated for these outgoings in a range of unearthed talent with the likes of Danilo, David Hancko, Quinten Timber, Javairo Dilrosun and Oussama Idrissi all joining. Smart business indeed.
This makes it all the more impressive that Slot has taken his side to new heights this season. The tactician puts an emphasis on keeping the pitch as wide as possible in attacking situations while making sure every player is ready to work for the team out of possession.
Slot also likes his midfield players to push as high as possible when attacking and suffocate the opponents backline. This has led to Szymanski and influential captain Orkun Kokcu’s goal outputs drastically increasing.
Although they play a pleasing brand of football, Slot demands his players work for each other and don’t give up in tough situations which is why they have been so difficult to beat this term.
Slot is also a man manager expert as he has brought in out of form players in Idrissi, Dilrosun and Jahanbakhsh and has given them confidence which has led to brilliant on field results.
This emphasis on quick transitions was evident to see in Feyenoord’s recent dismantling of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League. The midfield and front line wreaked havoc as they put seven past the Ukrainian side.
Now in the quarter finals, Slot has his chance to take revenge on last season’s Conference League winners Roma. This could be a cagey affair but Slot will aim to get a positive result at home where the hostile environment at De Kuip could give his side that extra push.
Domestically Feyenoord sit top of the pile, six points clear of Ajax. With a relatively easy run in, slot may just bring that elusive Eredivisie title back to the club since a Dirk Kuyt inspired side won it in 2016/17.
The success Slot has achieved both domestically and continentally has led to rumours that he is being courted by a number of top European clubs. Don’t be surprised to see Slot in the dugout of a Champions League side next season if he successfully brings the title to Feyenoord.
Although it will be difficult to achieve, Slot and Feyenoord are still on for a treble this season with league, cup and the Europa league all up for grabs. If he manages to bring home even one or two of these trophies, Slot will live long in the memories of the Feyenoord faithful. Only time will tell.
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Source: ANP/Imago Images
FIFA ranking: 8
How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group G winners
2018 World Cup performance: Did not qualify
Previous World Cup appearances: 10
Best result: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
Background
Source: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
The Netherlands are back at a World Cup after missing out on the tournament in 2018 and they will be hoping to make up for lost time after a disappointing absence from Russia following a silver medal in 2010 and bronze in 2014. The Oranje qualified for Qatar with relative ease, winning their qualifying group after a shaky start when they lost 4-2 against Turkey in the opening round. Today’s Netherlands squad might not feature world beaters of the past Dutch squads such as Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert or Johan Cruyff, but in Virgil van Dijk they have arguably the best centre-back in the world, paired with a highly experienced coach in Louis van Gaal. The Netherlands were tipped to be the big comeback kings of Euro 2020 but they exited the tournament in the round of 16 after a surprise loss to the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands fans will be hoping there won’t be a repeat of that during their return to the big stage this winter.
The Coach – Louis van Gaal
Source: Getty Images
Louis van Gaal is back leading the Netherlands in his third spell as boss, after guiding the Dutch in 2000-01 and 2012-14. The now 71-year-old boss will be one of the most decorated coaches at the 2022 World Cup, having collected seven league titles, four domestic cups, one Champions League trophy, and two UEFA Super Cups during a managerial career with Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United. Van Gaal first took over as coach of the national team in 2000 but following a disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which ended in the Netherlands missing out on the tournament for the first time since 1986, the Dutchman resigned in January 2002.
A second spell at the helm of the Oranjes proved to be much more successful, with the Dutch qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and going all the way to the semi-finals where they fell short against Argentina, but they ultimately managed to beat Brazil on home soil to clinch bronze. Following a less-than-successful spell at Manchester United, it looked like van Gaal will retire from management, announcing this in January 2017, but he quickly reiterated that this was only a ‘sabbatical’. However, this sabbatical turned into full retirement in 2019, following which the now 71-year-old was convinced by the Dutch FA to return for his third and final spell and lead the Netherlands to glory in Qatar.
Key Player – Virgil van Dijk
Source: Getty Images
Today’s Netherlands squad does not boast the attacking talent of previous tournaments, with Barcelona forward Memphis Depay perhaps the only player capable of scoring regularly. This means that the Dutch will rely on their defensive quality, with captain Virgil van Dijk crucial to this. The Liverpool centre-back missed out on Euro 2020 due to injury, meaning he will be making his major international tournament debut at the age of 31.
The Dutchman is equally crucial for his country as he is for his club, perhaps even more so, with the lack of world-class replacements in the Dutch squad. Van Gaal prefers to play with a three at the back, meaning that van Dijk is the general in defence, who can also play precise diagonal balls forward, a quality that makes him perfect for such a system. With young defenders such as Matthijs de Ligt, Jurrien Timber and Sven Botman waiting in the wings of the Dutch squad, van Dijk also plays a key role as a leader and teacher, with the 2022 World Cup perhaps the last World Cup where he can lead his nation to a meaningful finish.
Predicted Line-up
World Cup Chances
Source: Fansided
The Netherlands are not considered one of the immediate favourites to lift the World Cup trophy this winter, but again they were not the favourites in 2010 or 2014 when they finished second and third respectively, and they will be going into the Qatar World Cup as one of the most in-form teams, last tasting defeat in June of last year in the round of 16 of Euro 2020. The Dutch can always surprise opponents and with an experienced coach such as Louis van Gaal back to lead them, they will certainly be the dark horses in Qatar.
While the Netherlands team is stacked in the centre-back position, with experienced heads van Dijk and de Vrij complemented with up-and-coming stars Matthijs de Ligt and Jurrien Timber, and potential future world beaters Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, they truly lack a reliable goalkeeper and a finisher beyond Depay. Long gone are the days of van der Sar and Robin van Persie, and with the added tournament-ending injury to midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, the Dutch will have to come up with a miracle to lift their first-ever World Cup this winter.
]]>The Champions League gets back underway this week following the international break with several sides in desperate need of victories to spark their European campaign into life.
Group A
Napoli will travel to Amsterdam looking to maintain their perfect start against an Ajax side smarting from their late defeat against Liverpool. The Italians have arguably been the standout side in the competition so far and can take a giant leap towards qualification with a victory in the Dutch capital.
Elsewhere it will be a first ever meeting of Liverpool and Rangers at Anfield with both sides needing wins for different reasons. Liverpool will look to Europe to gain some form after stuttering in the league while Rangers are yet to get off the mark in their return to the top table.
Group B
Club Brugge have arguably been the biggest surprise package in the tournament so far and will look to claim another scalp when they host Atletico Madrid.
The Belgians have made a perfect start and another victory would open a big gap between themselves and third place in the group.
Porto will be aiming to get off the mark after two defeats in their first two games when they host Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans are struggling domestically but did defeat Atletico last time out so they’ll have some belief travelling to Portugal.
Group C
Bayern Munich have once more made an impressive start to a Champions League group stage and will get the action underway on Tuesday when they host Viktoria Plzen in the early kickoff.
The German champions defeated their two biggest group rivals in September and will be expecting to dispatch of their Czech visitors to maintain their lead in the group.
Inter Milan meanwhile will host Barcelona in what is the biggest game of the week.
Both sides came up short when facing Bayern and both defeated Plzen so they’ll view these two upcoming games as the key to deciding who will follow Julien Nagelsmann’s side into the last 16.
Group D
Sporting are another side who have impressed, taking six points in what looked the most open group on paper.
They travel to Marseille on Tuesday who desperately need a win if they are to stand any hope of reaching the next round. The French side have started well in the league but have struggled badly in Europe in recent years and will be desperate to give the home support something to cheer.
Tottenham will visit Eintracht Frankfurt in the other Group D clash looking to bounce back from their weekend defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal and take steps towards qualification. It will be far from easy against the Europa League winners who will also have their sights on the latter stages.
Group E
AC Milan head what has been a very tight and unpredictable Group E and will host Chelsea on Wednesday night with injuries to key players disrupting their preparation.
French pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez will miss the clash against Graham Potter’s men who needs points themselves having stuttered in their opening two games.
Salzburg are unbeaten thus far but have also yet to win but a victory over Dinamo Zagreb at home would put them in good stead heading into the turn in the group. The Croatians will be aiming for another surprise victory having stunned Chelsea last month.
Group F
Holders Real Madrid have made a serene start to their title defence and host Shakhtar on Wednesday looking to maintain their 100% record.
The visitors have also made a good start to the group and look favourites to join their hosts in the next round.
Celtic will travel to Leipzig looking to build on their credible draw against Shakhtar last time out and will need to get something to keep their qualification hopes alive as will the bottom side from East Germany.
Group G
Erling Haaland has been in utterly sensational form this season with 17 goals so far and the visit of FC Copenhagen will offer the Norwegian another chance to add to his tally.
The Danes picked up a draw against Sevilla three weeks ago but will be up against a Manchester City side brimming with confidence after sticking six goals past their local rivals Manchester United.
Sevilla have made a terrible start in La Liga and need to get something at home to Borussia Dortmund to avoid being cut adrift in terms of qualification. Victory for the Germans will see them move five points clear of their hosts with just three games to play.
Group H
Benfica have been another surprise outfit this season, winning nine of ten games in all competitions and two 100% records will go head to head in this group when they host PSG.
The Lisbon side claimed a stunning victory away at Juventus last time out and even a point here at home to the French champions will boost their chances of repeating what they did last year when they knocked Barcelona out in the group stages.
Juventus will be looking to avoid the same fate as the Spaniards and nothing less than three points against Maccabi Haifa in Turin will do, with manager Max Allegri under all sorts of pressure.
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At the culmination of a hectic and heroic run of games, Robert Page’s Welsh history-makers have shown the world that, despite some last-gasp defeats and disappointments, they fully deserve their place at the top table of the world game.
Following promotion in the last edition of the Nations League, Wales have found themselves in League A amongst the best teams in Europe.
They line up alongside Belgium, The Netherlands, and Poland. The four group winners in League A will progress to the knockout Finals in June 2023, whilst the teams who finish fourth, in their respective sub-groups, will be relegated to League B.
Manager Robert Page rang the changes for these games, which came either side of that momentous victory over Ukraine which sent Wales to the World Cup Final for the first time since 1958.
A much-changed Wales side prepared for that World Cup play-off final with a creditable display in defeat in Poland in the first of these Nations League encounters.
Page rested his big guns such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey for the clash in Wroclaw but the replacements second-string applied themselves well in a goalless first half against a full-strength home side. With Ipswich Town’s Wes Burns making his Welsh debut in this tie.
Piotr Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski missed chances for Poland, while Daniel James of Leeds United was a threat for the Welsh throughout.
Jonny Williams gave the visitors an unexpected lead with a fine low strike early in the second half, before Jakub Kaminski equalised. Fellow substitute Karol Swiderski bundled in a late-winning goal from close range to deny the Welsh a deserved share of the spoils.
Wales had never beaten the Netherlands and Page further shuffled his pack for the visit of Louis Van Gaal’s side to Cardiff. The impressive Brennan Johnson featured up front for Wales. Ben Davies who had been in such fine form in repelling the Ukrainians, captained the side. Bale sat on the bench amidst speculation that he could be on the brink of an amazing move to Cardiff City.
Wales gave a good account of themselves against the Dutch Masters and, on another night, could have grabbed the lead as first-half headers from Harry Wilson and the impressive Rhys Norrington-Davies went close. Visiting €75 million, left-back Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus had a busy first half keeping tabs on Johnson.
Wales fell behind to a strike from the Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners after 50 minutes as the constant Dutch pressure took its toll.
Page introduced exciting Cardiff City prospect Rubin Colwill for the last half hour, but, despite some neat touches from the Welsh-speaking youngster, the classy visitors continued to hold the upper hand.
A late appearance from Gareth Bale lifted the crowd of 23,395 and in the dying moments Norrington-Davies headed in an unlikely equalizer before the towering Wout Weghorst of Burnley blasted in a header to bring the victory that the Dutchmen probably deserved.
The fixtures continued to come thick and fast for Wales, as former Swansea City boss Roberto Martinez returned to Wales as manager of the highly-fancied Belgian national side.
Belgium were without Romelu Lukaku for this tie as the Chelsea striker continues to struggle with an ankle injury. Wales duo Kieffer Moore and Joe Morrell were ruled out with injuries but goalkeeper Wayne Hennesey returned in goal. Bale captained the home side while Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne led the visitors.
Wales made a terrific start with a rasping drive into the net from Ethan Ampadu only for French referee Benoît Bastien to rule the effort out after a considerable delay and the consultation of VAR. Visiting goalkeeper Koen Casteels, who plays his club football for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg was left helpless by the strike.
Arthur Theate of Bologna was prominent at left-back for the Belgians while Bale went close for the hosts in a lively and spirited opening to the game before an enthusiastic crowd of 27,188. Bale in particular was in sparkling form, with James too causing problems.
The visitors grew into the game despite the impressive form of the Welsh. A brilliant Thomas Meunier ball released Yannick Carrasco but the chance was wasted. At the other end, Connor Roberts flashed over a header and later chipped over the bar in a remarkably entertaining game. Leandro Trosard shot clumsily wide for Belgian. It had been a breathless opening 45.
Some slick play by the Belgians allowed Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans to fire the visitors ahead early in the second half.
Both managers made a series of changes with around 20 minutes as Bale and others were replaced by Colwill and others for Wales. Eden Hazard of Real Madrid joined the fray.
The second half had lacked the verve of the opening 45 but with only one goal in it, there was every chance that the plucky hosts could still ruffle the feathers of their highly-ranked visitors – second only to Brazil. James, Johnson, and most of the attending crowd did their best to make it happen.
On 86 minutes, Brennan Johnson swept home for Wales after a sparkling Ramsey pirouette, and – following a seemingly endless VAR check the goal stood. Delirious scenes around the stadium.
Wales held on to achieve a result that felt like a victory against their illustrious opponents. An emotional week had received a fitting climax.
Wales complete their current run of Nations League games with a trip to Stadium Feijenoord, Rotterdam for the return clash with the Dutch on 14 June 2022.
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Ajax are close to securing their 36th Eredivisie title as they are four points ahead of PSV with just three games left in the campaign.
Manager Erik ten Hag has already been announced as the next man in charge at Manchester United, and it seems many players could follow him out of the club this summer. Here are a few of the Ajax players who could leave in the next window.
Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch has attracted interest after impressive displays for both club and country over the past two years. The 19-year-old’s current contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, and it is likely that the club will sell him this summer after he revealed that he will not sign a new contract.
The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Liverpool both showing interest. Still, reports have stated that Gravenberch favours a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Bayern have reportedly already placed a bid worth £12.6 million, but Ajax rejected it as they want a minimum of £21 million.
The Dutch international has made 30 league appearances, scoring twice and assisting his teammates five times. He has won the league title twice with Ajax and won two Dutch league cups. He was also part of the Dutch under-17 side that won the U17 European Championship in 2018.
Noussair Mazraoui
With the 24-year-old’s contract set to expire this summer, Mazraoui has been on the radar of many teams across Europe.
Bayern are once again favourites to sign to right-back on a free transfer, but he has also been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Barcelona, who signed their current full-back Sergino Dest from the same club.
Bayern have either played Benjamin Pavard at right-back or opted to play with three central defenders to accommodate their right-hand side. Julian Nagelsmann wants the deal to be secured sooner rather than later as Mazraoui is yet to choose his preferred suitor.
The Morrocan international has played in 23 league games this season and played in all of Ajax’s Champions League fixtures. He has nine combined goals and assists this season and has also shown he can play in central midfield.
It seems like Antony could be Ajax’s big cash cow for the summer as the Brazilian winger continues to excite fans with his silky performances on the pitch.
Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern, and Manchester United have been battling for Antony’s signature, with Juventus rumoured to have joined the potential bidding war in recent days.
The 22-year-old has scored 12 times and racked up eight assists in all competitions this season. His impressive performances in the Champions League helped Ajax win all their six group games, with big wins over Sporting Lisbon and Borussia Dortmund.
He has been integrated into the Brazil squad after manager Tite admired his club performances. Antony played in nine of Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers, starting in the final two, and scoring twice. He was also part of the Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo last summer.
Despite openly wanting a move away from the club in January, Tagliafico has played an important role in Ajax’s domestic campaign this season.
The Argentine had his heart set on a move to Barcelona to join Xavi’s revival at the club, but the move could not be completed before the deadline. He expressed his disappointment in his current side for not doing more to get the transfer completed, and he will likely once more seek a move away in the summer.
It is unclear whether Barcelona are still interested in the left-back, but Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have been linked with a move for the 29-year-old.
Tagliafico played five times in Argentina’s recent Copa America success but only made nine appearances in the World Cup qualifiers due to various injuries.
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]]>Manchester United last won the Premier League title back in 2013, and their progression since then has been way below-par by their standards.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure from the Red Devils after 26 years in charge would prove to be a big wake-up call for the Red Devils, with the Scotsman winning 38 trophies during his tenure. His fellow countryman David Moyes was the man appointed to take the reins, but he left after just nine months.
The managerial appointments that followed would have some form of success, with both Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho winning silverware during their time, but they will now go their fifth season in a row without a trophy. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time as boss ended just under three years after his return to the club, with Ralf Rangnick filling in as interim until the end of the season.
However the German has been unable to change their fortunes before the end of the campaign and United are now searching for their next permanent manager, with Ajax’s Erik ten Hag being the highly speculated name to be the next in line to take charge of the second most successful team in English football.
Ten Hag is a former centre-back who spent most of his playing career at FC Twente. He took charge of Dutch giants Ajax towards the end of 2017, with de Godenzonen reaping the rewards ever since.
In his first full season in charge of the club he led them to their first Eredivisie title in five seasons, having previously fallen short of PSV and Feyenoord. They also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League thanks to wins against the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus, but they failed to reach the final as a result of Lucas Moura’s dramatic 96th minute winner for Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
The following season was ended early due to the Covid-19 pandemic and despite Ajax finishing first before play was halted, they were not awarded with their 35th title. However they were able to reach such an achievement last season when they stormed the league once again, and they are on course to win it once more this year.
It has been heavily reported in recent days that ten Hag is soon set to be announced as the new permanent United manager, thus ending his four and a half year spell at the Dutch side. A huge job lies ahead of him, with the squad seemingly showing a lack of spirit and desire throughout much of their campaign.
It remains to be seen just how successful an appointment it could be for the Red Devils, but Prost International’s Alex Jones has followed his and Ajax’s progress for many years and has a good idea of how his tenure in Manchester could pan out.
“Erik ten Hag is one of the most intense managers you’ll find. He’s only focused on performances and results. He can’t have one without the other. Even if Ajax win a game 8-0, he’ll point out what his side did wrong before highlighting what they did well.
“He’s not at all emotional. He’s very much focused about the here and now. From Go Ahead Eagles to Bayern Munich II, then back to Holland with Utrecht and then to Ajax. It’s been a form of continuous progression. He’s done that with Ajax too, taking them from a side that have always competed at the top end domestically but fallen short in Europe, to a side that have totally dominated domestically and been a regular threat in the latter stages of the Champions League.
“When thinking about his progression, moving to Manchester United makes a lot of sense. But in a lot of other ways, it doesn’t.
“There are a lot of similarities between Ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick. They’re both pretty dry personalities with very intense ideas about style of football, pressing, tactical shapes, etc. Rangnick has flopped at Manchester United. Will Ten Hag be different?
“Possibly, but it involves a total overhaul of the squad. The board, advised by Rangnick, have to do what Ten Hag wants. This involves sensible spending, rather than marquee, “PR signings”. The squad needs to be full of hard workers, rather than personalities. That’s crucial to any success he’s going to have.
“Tactically, it makes sense. Ten Hag prefers an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, which is a system that suits the players at Manchester United. But they’ll have to become a possession heavy side, and their running stats will need to be through the roof.
“To summarise: yes, this appointment could be a masterstroke. But the same could’ve been said with José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær. They’re now trying a totally different formula of football to those two, one that they’ve tried in the last few months under Rangnick and hasn’t worked. So the board have to adapt to Ten Hag rather than vice versa, or it’ll just be a repeat of previous appointments.”
A huge summer transfer window awaits United, but then again you could have said the same about previous campaigns. The signings of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane last year brought optimism to the fans, but they have failed to have had as big of an impact as many would have expected.
There is no doubt that ten Hag has the ability to help turn United back into a force to be reckoned with but his first season in English football will be a big step to overcome. League success may also be more of a long-term target for the 52-year-old, with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool dominating the Premier League in recent years and showing no signs of slowing down.
The Ferguson years brought constant success, so fans are far from used to a lack of trophies and therefore frustrations have been showing for some time now. It may be a slow process should he arrive, but such patience may prove to be incredibly worthwhile if he is able to deliver a league title or cup triumphs.
Only time will tell if he is the man to lead their resurgence but should the appointment fail to work, then United may soon run out of options, and their wait to compete at the top of English football once again could be extended even further.
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]]>There are now 232 days until the opening game of the World Cup and we learned on Friday who would face who as the group stage draw took place in the Qatari capital.
Delegates from around the world flew in as former players such as Cafu, Tim Cahill and Ali Daei took part in the draw ceremony that saw 29 confirmed nations discover their fate while three play-off contenders also discovered what could potentially be ahead for them.
The draw threw up plenty of exciting and intriguing groups and while there probably is not a ‘group of death’ as such, almost every country will fancy their chances of having some sort of success in November.
Group A
Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
So we finally found out what the opening game will be and it is the hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador. It won’t look like a thriller on paper but it will give the debutants some belief that they can get off to a decent start.
African champions Senegal taking on the Netherlands looks like one of the group stage highlights and both will fancy their chances of reaching the knockout stages. A final game clash between Ecuador and Senegal could well decide qualification.
Group B
England, Iran, USA, Wales/Ukraine/Scotland
Well, this was certainly the group for lovers of narrative.
On paper, it appears to be quite a nice draw for England but without knowing who will come through the play-off in June, it is hard to draw too many conclusions.
The USA and England have played out some memorable World Cup games in the past while Iran famously saw off the States in 1998 for a first-ever World Cup victory.
The prospect however of a battle between two home nations on the biggest stage is mouth-watering and with it being the final group game, there could be a lot on the line.
Group C
Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
A nice group appeared for Lionel Messi on what will probably be his last shot at winning the tournament. Argentina will be hopeful of topping the group with none of the other three sides having much success in recent editions.
Mexico and Poland will know their opening clash will go a long way to who will advance while Saudi Arabia would appear unlikely to get anything in what is quite a daunting group for the Middle Eastern side.
Mexico’s quest for a fifth match at a World Cup would most likely see them up against France in the last 16 in what would be an enormously difficult encounter for the North Americans.
Group D
France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
Should Peru or Australia make it through the intercontinental play-off in June, Group D will see three-quarters of the participants in Group C from 2018 in the same group once more.
France came through that group en route to winning the tournament back then and Les Bleus and Denmark will be feeling confident of a repeat result four years on.
Tunisia will be looking to cause an upset somewhere and build on their victory over Panama in 2018.
Look out for the matchday two clash between France and Denmark where a Danish win would throw everyone’s knockout predictions up in the air and open up the draw. It always happens somewhere and that could be the game that does it.
Group E
Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
Spain against Germany on November 27th is the standout fixture of the group stage draw but it has the look of a clash that will decide first place in the group, rather than knock a giant out.
Both sides will be confident of seeing off Japan and whichever of Costa Rica or New Zealand come through in June.
Japan may seek inspiration from neighbours South Korea however, who knocked the Germans out in 2018.
Group F
Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Two of the semi-finalists from Russia in 2018 will come together in the group stages as Belgium and Croatia lock horns in Group F.
The pair will face off in the final group game and should either slip up in advance of that, we could well see one of the more fancied European sides going home.
Morocco impressed in 2018 without winning while Canada will face Belgium in their first World Cup match since 1986. They may just believe their fairytale run could continue into the knockout stages.
Group G
Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Another group that is almost a carbon copy from 2018 only this time Cameroon will take the place of Costa Rica.
Brazil came out on top on that occasion while Serbia and Switzerland played out a controversial clash that saw the Swiss come from behind to win 2-1 thanks to a late winner from Xherdan Shaqiri.
They will meet in the final group game which could essentially be a winner-takes-all clash.
Cameroon are not going to make up the numbers though and will make for dangerous opponents after their dramatic late win over Algeria to qualify.
Group H
Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
Uruguay will have the face up to the ghosts of World Cups past in Group H.
The South Americans knocked South Korea out in the last 16 in 2010 while they did the same to Portugal in Russia four years ago.
But the real battle for revenge will take place on matchday two when Ghana seek redemption after Luis Suarez and the handball controversy from the 2010 quarter-final.
This has the appearance of quite an open group and while Portugal will back themselves to win it, history has shown that they could just as easily finish bottom.
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Memphis Depay quietly went about his business this weekend as Barcelona cruised past Valencia with a 3-1 victory.
Ansu Fati’s performance took the headlines but it couldn’t have been done without the help of Depay.
Despite Valencia taking an early lead from Jose Gaya’s smashing effort, Ronald Koeman’s side did not let their heads drop and they soon found their equaliser.
Fati cut in from the left-hand side and played a ball into Depay on the edge of the box. The Dutchman returned the ball first-time with a perfectly weighted pass and the youngster finished the chance venomously into the far corner.
This was Depay’s second assist of the season and Barcelona began to look stronger as the game went on.
He then got a well-deserved opportunity to find the scoresheet as Fati won a penalty in the 39th minute.
Jasper Cillessen was left flat-footed as Depay thundered the ball into the corner of the net after a short run-up.
The forward now has four league goals this season, being directly involved in six of Barcelona’s 14 goals.
Depay also had a good game apart from his two goal contributions. He had more touches on the ball than any other attacker on the pitch (62) and had a pass completion of 81.6%.
The former Manchester United man also made two key passes, completed 100% of his long balls, won seven of his 11 ground duels, and succeeded in 75% of his attempted dribbles.
The 27-year-old has been one of the better players for Barcelona this season in what has been a very difficult period for fans both on and off the pitch. Even with the rise of youngsters like Fati, Pedri and Gavi, it is clear Depay will be an important player for Barcelona over the coming seasons.
Coutinho scored the third goal to put the game to bed as Barcelona move up seventh in the table, five points behind leaders Real Sociedad.
The next league game for Depay and his teammates will be a huge fixture against Real Madrid as bragging rights are up for grabs in El Classico.
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Ajax put Sporting CP to the sword in their opening game of the Champions League group stages, coming out as 5-1 winners at the Estádio José Alvalade.
The hosts qualified for Europe’s top competition after winning their first league title in 19 years, ending the duopoly of FC Porto and SL Benfica in Portugal’s top flight. As a result, Rúben Amorim’s side returned to the Champions League group stages for the first time since 2017/18.
The Lisbon-based side were placed in Group C alongside Borussia Dortmund, Beşiktaş and Ajax, the latter of whom were the first team to make the trip to the Portuguese capital in this year’s competition. De Godenzonen were placed in pot three despite winning the Eredivisie title in convincing fashion last season, setting up a mouthwatering champion versus champion tie.
After an underwhelming performance in their 2-0 win at PEC Zwolle over the weekend, Erik ten Hag was desperate to see his side improve ahead of their first European game of the season. This was evident right from the off, with Ajax looking to assert their dominance as soon as the referee blew his whistle.
It took just 64 seconds for the visitors to take the lead, with Antony’s deflected shot bouncing off the post, allowing Sébastien Haller to head the rebound into an empty net. This was just the start of a historic night for the 27-year-old, who was finally given the chance to make his Champions League debut.
Goalkeeper Remko Pasveer was keen to keep his side playing on the front foot, launching a pinpoint long-ball to Antony on the right flank. The Brazilian winger sped in behind Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Rúben Vinagre, squaring the ball to Haller for a simple tap-in to double Ajax’s lead.
The goalkeeper position at Ajax has come under scrutiny in recent months. The club opted against signing a replacement for André Onana, who continues to serve a suspension for his doping violation. As a result, Maarten Stekelenburg and Jay Gorter stepped into the first-team picture in his absence.
However, both were injured and unavailable to be named in the squad, forcing 37-year-old Pasveer to make only his second-ever Champions League appearance.
It was his error that allowed Sporting back into the game, as a mix up with Lisandro Martinez allowed Paulinho in to place his effort underneath the shot-stopper from a narrow-angle. This was the hosts’ first shot on target of the game and seemingly presented them the chance to mount a comeback in front of their expectant fans.
While an Ajax side of old may have crumbled under the subsequent pressure, ten Hag’s current squad went up another gear instead. Antony breezed past his man to set up Ryan Gravenberch in the middle of the park, with the youngster threading new arrival Steven Berghuis through on goal to restore Ajax’s two-goal advantage five minutes before half-time.
Haller went on to complete his hat-trick just six minutes after the break, once again dispatching a low cross from Antony to make it 4-1. He wasn’t satisfied with just three goals, however, picking up Noussair Mazraoui’s pass into the box to fire Ajax’s fifth goal of the night past a helpless Antonio Adán in the Sporting net.
This was exactly the performance that Haller needed, joining Marco van Basten as the only other player to score four goals on his Champions League debut.
The Ivory Coast international has struggled for form since moving from Frankfurt to West Ham in 2019. His subsequent return to the Eredivisie with Ajax hasn’t seen him produce the attacking returns that were expected of him, and the club’s fans have called for him to be dropped from the starting line-up.
This isn’t necessarily his fault. De Godenzonen aren’t used to playing with a target-man striker, and he doesn’t fit the club’s mantra in regards to their transfer business. Haller is in the prime of his career, and should theoretically be playing at the top of his game but this hasn’t been the case in the last three years.
Ajax fans don’t expect that level of performance on a weekly basis, especially in a division where their side can comfortably win league games without moving out of first gear. However, his increased presence up front could see the Dutch champions become a real threat on the continental stage.
Of course, Haller will take the plaudits for his astonishing Champions League debut but he was far from the only standout in the visitors’ team.
Antony was heavily criticised for his showing against Zwolle, with Ten Hag telling the press that “maybe he forgot how to play for Ajax on the plane back from Brazil”. His pace and dribbling proved impossible for Vinagre to handle, and his two assists were the least he deserved for his incredible performance on the right flank.
Davy Klaassen’s injury has been a colossal blow given his form for club and country, but it has presented Berghuis with a chance to play in a new central position. His controversial move from arch-rivals Feyenoord was a huge risk, but his link-up play with Gravenberch, Dusan Tadic and Antony is further evidence that it will pay off.
Ajax’s league and domestic cup performances are a formality at this stage, despite the increased pressure from PSV Eindhoven. Their results on the international scale are what the fans are focused on. The club has only progressed from the group stages once since 2006, and there is a genuine belief that they can replicate their run to the semi-finals from 2018/19.
While they might not get quite as deep into the tournament as they did that season, the expectation is for them to improve their status on the international stage. The four-time Champions League winners want to be a regular in the knockout stages of Europe’s top competition, and performances like that will go a long way to making that a reality.
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Memphis Depay continued his productive start to the season with another fine display for the Netherlands, as his hat-trick helped guide Louis Van Gaal’s men to a 6-1 victory over Turkey.
It appears that for sometime, Depay has been seriously underrated by the footballing world, whether that was due to his underwhelming spell in England clouding people’s judgement or the stigma surrounding the quality of opposition in France, it remains unclear.
The past couple of years haven’t been plain sailing for Barcelona’s new talisman, as towards the back-end of 2019 he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which kept him on the sidelines for 198 days. Even though this type of injury seems to be more common in the modern game, not everyone comes back from it stronger than before.
Many of football’s elite have struggled to find their prior form, as although their bodies may make full recoveries, the mental side of such a traumatic experience can affect performances in the long-term.
However since his comeback Depay looks to be an anomaly to that theory, as the forward’s numbers have gone up to another level, with his 42 goals and assists in 38 games during 2021 firmly putting him in the conversation when speaking about the top attackers in Europe.
On Tuesday night, that was no different. The 27-year-old once again showcased his refined skill-set as the Netherlands went top of Group G, above Norway on goal difference, in the hunt for World Cup qualification.
“I’m happy, but I expect more from myself. People think that I’m always floating and that everything is going well,” Depay said after the game.
“I’m important and threatening, I always will be, whatever happens. I thought it was a great evening with a great atmosphere, I hope everyone enjoyed it.”
This was Depay’s verdict from an evening which saw him contribute to four goals in the form of his first international hat-trick, that took him above Wesley Sneijder in the goal scoring charts, and level with the legendary Johan Cruyff.
Not to mention the clever flick which provided the assist for the opener, most strikers would be delighted with that in one night’s work, however it gives an insight into the mentality of a player gunning to gain the recognition he deserves.
Vision, dribbling, link-up play and finishing were all on display throughout the game and frankly the Dutchman looked a level above his opposition from the first whistle.
Under a minute into proceedings, the hosts won the ball back high into Turkey’s third, with Steven Berghuis having the composure to lift his head and find the unmarked Davy Klaassen in the area. The midfielder found Depay with a clever back-heel flick, in which he returned the favour with his first-touch, to create an opening for a shot.
With little room to operate in and with his back to goal, the weight of pass from the striker was sublime as it allowed Klaassen to pick his spot in the far corner, all without breaking stride. With the home support behind them along with an early lead Van Gaal’s men could smell blood and quickly went chasing the second goal.
One feature of Depay’s game which was apparent throughout, is his willingness to drop deep in order to influence the build-up, which is how the second goal came into fruition. All elite attacking players have to be aware of their surroundings on the pitch, to utilise the spaces so they can create overloads, and that’s an aspect he excels in.
One quick glance over his shoulder allowed him to receive the ball in the pocket and play a first-time flick into the path of Klaassen. The pairs understanding during the game was key, as they appeared to possess the same level of innovation in their play, which in turn led to the latter returning the ball back into the path of Depay with an astute through pass.
In one motion, he controlled the ball and swept home his effort low down to the keepers left-hand side, to double the Dutch’s advantage. It was a move that boasted such fluidity along with a composed finish to match and highlighted just how confident he is in his own ability.
That confidence slowly turned into an air of arrogance for the third goal, after Klaassen broke into the box and was fouled by Caglar Soyuncu for a penalty. Depay stepped up to the spot, as he always does for the national team, and audaciously executed a panenka penalty to claim his second of the night.
Matters went from bad to worse for a Turkish team undoubtedly in turmoil after their poor showing at Euro 2020, when the hosts’ talisman was involved again, spinning Soyuncu on the half-way line which forced the centre-back to bring him down for a second yellow card.
Quickly after the break, it was clear to see that the Dutch weren’t finished there, as they looked to improve upon their goal difference. In the 54th minute they did just that, when Berghuis found Depay in the six-yard box for a simple tap-in.
A cross field switch from Steven Bergwijn to his counterpart on the right allowed him to head the ball back into the six-yard box for Depay to cushion home for his hat-trick. The first two strikes flaunted his imagination, flair and quality, however this goal was the definition of a poachers finish.
With little time to assess the situation, Depay was able to identify the space and time his run into the six-yard box without straying offside, which is a quality that shouldn’t be underestimated when attempting to find the back of the net.
The top forwards in the world pride themselves off these type of goals, as although they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing, they require intelligence in and around the box to execute. His movement is another facet to his game that is constantly evolving and could be seen as one of the main factors as to why his numbers have improved so drastically in the past 12 months.
Although his goal involvements were done for the evening after this, it didn’t stop his teammates from getting in on the act. Young midfielder Guus Til got his name on the scoresheet for the first time for his country and substitute striker Donyell Malen rounded off proceedings with a clinical finish two minutes from full-time.
Cenzig Under was able to give the 10-men of Turkey a consolation goal after an awful mix-up at the back from Virgil Van Dijk and goalkeeper Justin Bijlow allowed him to roll the ball into an empty net to make it 6-1.
If Depay’s performance against Turkey has taught us one thing, it’s that he is currently one of the most underrated players in Europe right now.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
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