Spanish La Liga: Matchday 2

Atlético Madrid's Raúl Ñíguez (R) attempts a shot on goal against Rayo Vallecano.

       Spain's famous La Liga Santander, known as a house for legends, has underwent the second Matchday. Though it only started a week ago, it is already looking like a promising season for the fans, managers and the players themselves.

       The first match was played between Getafe and Eibar, with the former winning 2-0 as Ángel Díaz and Jorge Vidal scored for them at 18' and 90' respectively. Getafe have now got their first win, while Eibar are at the second-to-last spot on the table, having lost their second game now after losing to Huesca last week.

       In the second match, Leganes played against Real Sociedad at Butarque. David Zurutuza opened for the visitors at 11' and Asier Illaramendi added another at 17'. But two goals from Leganes' Nabil El Zhar at 54' and 88' meant the match ended as a 2-2 draw. 

       Alavés then drew with Real Betis , and though the latter dominated the playfield, they, like their opponents, could not net the ball and the match ended 0-0. Both teams are now in the bottom quarter of the table and should look for a win in their upcoming matches.

       Atlético Madrid eased past Rayo Vallecano 1-0 at Wanda Metropolitano, with Frenchman Antoine Griezmann, being in great form after winning the World Cup, scoring at 63' and handed Atlético their first win after they were held to a draw by Valencia last week.

       Valladolid lost to last year's champions Barcelona 0-1, as Ousmane Dembélé, who was also part of France's World Cup winning squad, scored the sole goal for Barça at 57'. Barcelona are on second place in the table, while Valladolid are now at the 14ᵗʰ spot.

       The other team from Barcelona, Espanyol, defeated Valencia with two great goals by Esteban Granero and Borija Iglesias at 62' and 68' respectively. Espanyol are now at the fourth spot on the table, while Valencia have retreated to the 15ᵗʰ place.

       Girona faced defeat against Real Madrid at Montilivi. Though Borja García opened for them at 16', a penalty each by Sergio Ramos at 39' and Karim Benzema at 52' put Real in the lead. Gareth Bale made it 3 at 59' and Benzema topped it off with another brilliant goal at 80', thus securing the top spot for Real Madrid.

       Sevilla drew 0-0 with Villareal, with neither team producing a goalscorer despite a total of 8 shots on target. But overall, it was an equal match-up with two almost equal teams making almost equal stats. The draw meant that Sevilla dropped down to the third spot on the table, while Villareal are lagging behind at the 13ᵗʰ place.

       Levante faced off against Celta Vigo at Ciutat de Valéncia. Pione Cisto of Vigo opened at 10' and Maximiliano González added a second at 35'. Levante's only goal came from José Morales, who took a great penalty at 78'. The teams are now at the number 10 and 8 spots respectively.

       Lastly, newcomers Huesca surprised everyone again, after their first win over Eibar, by holding Athletic Bilbao to 2-2 draw. Markel Susaeta of Bilbao opened the scoring at 47', while teammate Yuri Berchiche made it 2-0 at 63'. But Huseca came back and goals from Jorge Miramón at 71' and Ezequiel Ávila at 87' leveled the scorboard again and the match ended as a draw.

French Ligue 1: Matchday 3

Lyon's Martin Terrier refuses to celebrate his goal against former club Strasbourg.

       The French Ligue 1 is now back in action, as we head down Matchday 3 of this amazing league that has so far seen the many goals and the drama necessary for any football season.

       The opening match was played between Lyon and Strasbourg, which the former won with ease. Martin Terrier and Bertrand Traoré scored for Lyon at 42' and 64', clinching their second victory in three matches.

       Paris Saint-Germain then faced Angers at Parc des Princes, and beat them 3-1, with Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, the most expensive trio in the world, scoring goals at 12', 51' and 66' respectively. Angers' only goal came from a penalty taken by Thomas Mangani at 21'.

       Montpellier drew with St-Étienne 0-0. Only 3 shots were taken on goal in the match, and none of them found the back of the net. With a pretty equal matchup, the game was bound to end in a draw. The hosts have now lost, won and drew a game each, while the visitors got their second draw of the season.

       Toulouse beat Nîmes, with the only goal of the game coming from a well-taken penalty by Toulouse's Max-Alain Gradel at the 80' mark. Both teams are now equal in terms of wins, but Nîmes, due to more goals scored, are higher up at the 5ᵗʰ spot in the table, while the hosts are two spots below.

       Amiens SC defeated Stade Reims at their home ground Stade de la Licorne. Eddy Gnahoré opened for the hosts at 22', and Saman Ghoddos added another at 58'. Two goals from Pape Moussa Konate at 67' and 73' made it 4 for the hosts. A late goal by Reims' Mathieu Cafaro at 84' ended the game 4-1, as Amiens secured their first win after two losses, and Stade Reims their first loss after two wins.

       Nantes then drew 1-1 with Caen, with Enzo Crivelli scoring for Caen at 37' and Emiliano Sala for Nantes at 80' on a penalty. 

       OGC Nice lost to Dijon 0-4, with goals coming from Naif Aguerd at 67', Oussama Haddadi at 83' and Jules Keita at 86' and 90+3'. This four-goal win meant Dijon climbed up to 2ⁿᵈ spot on the table, just behind PSG.

       LOSC won over Guingamp 3-0, with Xeka scoring at 7' while Jonathan Bamba netted two at 10' and 73'. LOSC are now behind Dijon on the table, while Guingamp have retreated to the last spot.

       Bordeaux stunned Monaco by defeating them 2-1 at home. François Kamano opened for the hosts at 48' with a penalty, but Pietro Pellegri's equaliser came at 63'. But Kamano struck again and scored an extra-time winner to hand Bordeaux their first win of the season.

       Lastly, Marseille were held to a draw by Rennes at Stade Vélodrome. Benjamin Bourigeaud opened for Rennes wit a penalty at 38', while Ismaïla Sarr made it 2 at 45+1'. Marseille came back and Lucas Ocampos' goal at 54' and Ranny Bensebaini's own-goal at 72' leveled the playfield again. No further goals by either side meant the match ended 2-2.

Italian Serie A: Matchday 2

Juventus' Miralem Pjanić (centre) celebrates his goal against Lazio with teammates.

       The Italian Serie A started last week, and their has been no drop in the action as Matchday 2 gets underway. With gasps, screams and tears, the fans have surely been enjoying the scene as much as the players themselves.

 

       Juventus faced Lazio in the opening match, but Ronaldo was yet to score in Turin as Juventus beat the Romans 2-0, with Miralem Pjanić scoring at 30' while Mario Mandžukić added the second at 75'. Juventus, winners of Serie A for the last 7 years, are now again at the top of the table with 2 wins.

       Napoli faced Milan at Stadio San Paolo, and though goals from Giacomo Bonaventura at 15' and Davide Calabria at 49' gave Milan a 2 goal lead, the Neapolitans climbed back and Piotr Zieliński scored two goals at 53' and 67' to level the playfield once again. Dries Mertens won the game for the hosts with his brilliant goal at 80', securing the second win for them and handing Milan their first loss.

       SPAL then beat Parma 1-0, with the only goal coming from Mirco Antenucci at 49'. SPAL are now one of the three teams who have won their first two matches, behind Juventus and Napoli.

       The other team from Milan, Internazionale, faced the other team from Turin, Torino, at San Siro but could only manage a draw. Inter's Ivan Perišić opened  at 6' while Stefan de Vrij made it two at 32'. But goals from Andrea Belotti at 55' and Soualiho Meïté at 68' eqaulised the hosts' hard work, and the match ended 2-2.

       Fiorentina demolished Chievo 6-1, with goals from Nikola Milenković at 8', Gerson at 42', Marco Benassi at 49' and 90', Fedrico Chiesa at 71' and Giovanni Simeone at 90+3'. Nenad Tomović scored the lone goal for Chievo, as they suffered a huge defeat in the hands of the Florentines.

       Cagliari drew 2-2 with Sassuolu, with Leonardo Pavoletti scoring the both for the hosts at 10' and 73'. The first away goal came from Domenico Berardi at 53', while Kevin-Prince Boateng scored the equaliser with a penalty at 9 minutes past normal time, to ensure that Cagliari do not get their deserved win.

        Returning to the top tier of football in Italy, Frosinone suffered defeat at the hands of Atalanta last week, and still could not win against Bologna, instead drawing the match 0-0. Neither the side produced a goalscorer, but Frosinone dominated the statistics with more shots on goal, possession and passes.

       Udinese defeated Sampdoria 1-0, with the only goal, scored by Rodrigo De Paul, coming in the first 10 minutes. Though Sampdoria had 67% possession, they could not net the ball and the rest of the match went pretty uneventful, with Udinese remaining on top till the end and getting their win.

       Genoa played Empoli at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, winning 2-1. Krzysztof Piątek opened for Genoa at 6', and Christian Kouamé made it two at 18'. Empoli's Samuel Mráz netted one at 90+4', but it was too late and not enough to secure them a draw or a win.

       Roma then went against Atalanta, and Javier Pastore opened for them at 2'. Timothy Castagne equalised at 19', while Emiliano Rigoni scored two at 22' and 38'. Roma were lagging behind two goals, but Alessandro Florenzi and Kostas Manolas filled the gap with goals at 60' and 82' respectively, thus ending the match 3-3.

        

English Premier League: Matchday 3

Tottenham's Lucas Moura celebrates his goal against Man United.

       The Barclays Premier League has now progressed to Matchday 3, bringing the necessary action, drama, shockers and stories to please the fans, and all the teams are now one step, however small, closer to the deciding day.

       The Matchday started with Wolverhampton hosting Manchester City and drawing 1-1, as Willy Boly scored for the Wolves at 57' while Aymeric Laporte netted the ball for Man City at 69'. Last year's champions, City, have now drew their third match after winning the first two, whereas the hosts have now drawn 2 matches with 1 loss.

       Southampton faced Leicester City at St Mary's Stadium, and opened with Ryan Bertrand at 52'. Damarai Gray equalised four minutes later, while at 77', Pierre-Emile Højbjerg received a red card after a rash challenge. But Harry Maguire was the star as he netted the winner for the Foxes at two minutes past normal time, handing them their second consecutive win.

       Arsenal went against West Ham, who opened the scoring first as Marko Arnautović found the back of the net at 25'. However, he was equalised by Nacho Monreal five minutes later, and an own goal by Issa Diop at 70' meant that the Gunners had two goals now. Danny Welbeck topped it all off with an amazing extra-time goal.

       Arguably the most eventful match was played between Bournemouth and Everton. Theo Walcott opened for the latter ar 56' and Michael Keane added the second ten minutes later. But a great penalty by Joshua King at 75' and a superb goal by Nathan Aké at 79' drew the match 2-2. Meanwhile, two players received a red card, Richarlison of Everton at 41' and Adam Smith of Bournemouth at 61'.

       Huddersfield drew 0-0 with Cardiff, with the only highlight being Jonathan Hogg receiving a red card at 63'. Both teams are still longing for a win, having lost or drawn their three matches so far.

       Liverpool eased past Brighton 1-0 at Anfield, with Mohamed Salah scoring the sole goal at 23'. This was Liverpool's new keeper Allison Becker's sceond home game with the new club, and he was able to keep a clean sheet for the second time.

       Watford then beat Crystal Palace, with their goals coming from Roberto Pereyra at 53' and José Holebas at 71'. Wilfried Zaha struck once for the visitors at 73', but could not equalise the match and Watford got their third consecutive win so far.

       Fulham hammered Burnley 4-2, in a match that saw the lead switching back and forth. Jean Michaël Seri opened for Fulham at 4', and was leveled by Jeff Hendrick at 10'. Then Aleksandar Mitrović struck twice for the hosts at 36' and 38', while James Tarkowski scored the second for Burnley at 41'. André Schürrle made it four for the hosts as he ended the match with a brilliant goal at 83'.

       Chelsea were in luck in their match against Newcastle, and though Eden Hazard opened late at 76' with a penalty, he was equalised seven minutes later by Joselu. But an own goal by Newcastle's DeAndre Yedlin at 87' handed Chelsea their third win on a silver plate.

       But it was a different story at Old Trafford, where Manchester United were humiliated again as Tottenham Hotspur beat them 0-3, with goals from Harry Kane at 50' and Lucas Moura at 52' and 84'. This result will surely not suit José Mourinho's current mood, but the Spurs' fans will be partying tonight as Pochettino's side, too, got their third consecutive win.

Bundesliga starts off with dramatic Matchday 1

Dortmund's Axel Witsel celebrates his goal against Leipzig.

       The German Bundesliga has now started after much waiting, with fans, who are looking forward to a better season, looking pretty satisfied with the events of the dramatic Matchday 1.

       Bayern Munich, winners of Bundesliga for the last 6 years, started this edition with a home win against Hoffenheim. Thomas Müller opened at 23' but was leveled by Ádám Szalai at 57'. Lewandowski added the second for the hosts at 82' with a penalty, while Arjen Robben topped it all off with a neat finish at 90', securing a 3-1 win for the Champions.

       In the second match, Wolfsburg defeated Schalke 04 2-1. John Brooks opened for Wolfsburg at 33', but was equalised at 85' by Nabil Bentaleb's well-placed penalty. Daniel Ginczek won the game for hosts as he netted an extra-time winner 4 minutes past normal time.

       The Berliners Hertha then faced Nürnberg and scored only one goal through Vedad Ibešević at 27' and won the game 1-0. Nürnberg have returned to the Bundesliga after four years in the second tier, but they could not start afresh this season as they didn't get a win.

       Werder Bremen drew with Hannover 96 1-1, with Hendrik Weydandt scoring for the visitors at 76' while Theodor Selassie equalised at 85'.

       Fortuna Dusseldorf, returning to Bundesliga after five years, lost to FC Augsburg 1-2 at home. Though Benito Raman opened for the hosts at 39', away goals from Martin Hinteregger and André Hahn at 57' and 76' respectively ended hopes of a starting win for them.

       SC Freiburg hosted Eintracht but lost 0-2 to them, as Nicolai Müller scored at 10' while Sébastien Haller added the second goal at 82'.

       Mönchengladbach eased past Bayer 2-0, with two goals scored in three minutes, one from Jonas Hoffman at 55' with a penalty and the other at 58' by Fabian Johnson.

       Mainz defeated VfB Stuttgart 1-0 at home, with the only goal of the game coming from Anthony Ujah at 76'. 

       Borussia Dortmund hammered RB Leipzig 4-1, denying the Saxons an opening win. Leipzig opened first with Jean-Kévin Augustin scoring in the first minute, but goals from Mahmoud Dahoud at 21', Axel Witsel at 43', Marco Reus at 90+1' and an own-goal by Marcel Sabitzer at 40' meant that Dortmund netted four in their first game of the season.

      

Recent Confirmed Transfers (23-Aug-2018)

• Tom Ince:                          Huddersfield → Stoke City
• Richarlison:                       Watford → Everton
• Robert Green:                   Huddersfield → Chelsea
• Allison Becker:                  Roma → Liverpool
• Malcom:                            Bordeaux → Barcelona
• Aleksandr Golovin:            CSKA Moscow → Monaco
• Aleksandar Mitrović:         Newcastle → Fulham
• Andre Moreira:                 Atlético Madrid → Aston Villa
• Lucas Digne:                     Barcelona → Everton
• Gonzalo Higuain:              Juventus → AC Milan
• Ashley Williams:                Everton → Stoke City
• Leonardo Bonucci:            AC Milan → Juventus
• Ahmed Musa:                    Leicester → Al Nassr
• Aleix Vidal:                       Barcelona → Sevilla
• Artuto Vidal:                     Bayern Munich → Barcelona
• Calum Chambers:              Arsenal → Fulham
• Joe Hart:                          Man City → Burnley
• Kepa Arrizabalaga:           Athletic Bilbao → Chelsea
• Adama Traoré:                 Middlesbrough → Wolves
• Thibaut Courtois:             Chelsea → Real Madrid
• Mateo Kovačić:                 Real Madrid → Chelsea
• Yerry Mina:                      Barcelona → Everton
• Michy Batshuayi:              Chelsea → Valencia
• Kurt Zouma:                     Chelsea → Everton
• Islam Slimani:                   Leicester → Fenerbahçe
• Steven Nzonzi:                 Sevilla → Roma

La Liga begins with an exciting Matchday 1

 

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho celebrates his goal against Alavés.

     The Primera División, or La Liga, the highest tier of Spanish football leagues, has now begun with goals, action, drama and stories in sight of the 2018/19 edition. With the first Matchday being this high in quality, the whole season now is expected to be the same.

       Girona went against Real Valladolid in the opening match, who have returned to La Liga after 4 years in the Segunda Division, while the hosts themselves have appeared for the second time in the league. The ball went back and forth the whole game, with neither team scoring and ending the match as a 0-0 draw.

       Levante then beat hosts Real Betis 3-0, as José Morales netted two goals at 54' and 90+5' while Roger Martí scored at 38'. The hosts, having had a great season last year, started this season with a loss.

       Celta Vigo drew with Espanyol 1-1, with both goals coming from the visitors. Mario Hemoso scored for Espanyol at 45', while David López committed an own goal at 51' and the match ended 1-1 at normal time.

       Villareal hosted Real Sociedad but suffered a defeat, even though they dominated the stats and scored first with Gerard Moreno at 16'. But the visitors came back and goals from Willian José at 40' and Juanmi at 71' earned them an opening win.

       Barcelona eased past Alavés in a heavily one-sided match. Lionel Messi opened for Barça at 64' with an under-the-wall free kick, which was Barcelona's 6000ᵗʰ goal in La Liga. Philippe Coutinho added another from his famous angle at 83', while Messi made it 3-0 with an easy goal at 90+2'.

       Eibar hosted La Liga newcomers Huesca, who started their maiden season with a win over the hosts. Alejandro Falguera opened for Huesca at 5' and added a second at 40'. Gonzalo Escalante scored the only one for Eibar at 69', which ended the match 1-2.

       Last year's Copa del Rey finalists Sevilla demolished Madrid's Rayo Vallecano, as they started their season with a bang after losing to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. Franco Vázquez opened for them at 15' while André Silva clinched a hat-trick with goals at 31', 45+1' and 79'. Vallecano's only goal came from a penalty by Adri Embarba at 85', and the score ended 1-4.

       Real Madrid beat Getafe 2-0 at Santiago Bernabéu, with the goals coming from Dani Carvajal at 20' and Gareth Bale at 51'. This was the first match of Los Blancos in La Liga since Ronaldo's departure, and they are trying to show that they have not toppled down due to that.

       Valencia held Atlético Madrid to a 1-1 draw, who, having opened first with Ángel Correa at 26', were equalised by Rodrigo at 56'. The European Champions could not bag a win in their first match of the season, and will now look to perform better in the upcoming weeks.

       Lastly, Athletic Bilbao hosted Leganes, who are now playing their third season at La Liga. Bilbao's Peru Esnal opened at 27', but was leveled 6 minutes later by Jonathan Silva. After much wait, Iker Muniain broke the tie with a brilliant goal at 90+3', thus ending the match 2-1.

  

       

Italian Serie A gets underway with a glamorous Matchday 1

Roma's Edin Džeko scores against Torino.

       Italy's highest football league, the Serie A, has now started and the drama and action point to a promising season. With breath-taking moments and nail-biting finishes, the 2018/19 edition will surely be a banger.

  

       The first Matchday started with Chievo hosting Juventus, who have recently signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. Sami Khedira quickly opened for Juventus at 3', while Mariusz Stępiński equalised him at 38'. Emanuele Giaccherini added another for the hosts with a penalty at 56', but an own goal by Mattia Bani at 75' leveled the score again. Federico Bernardeschi won the game for Juve as he netted one 3 minutes into stoppage time, while Ronaldo failed to score on his Serie A debut.

       Lazio then faced Napoli in the second match, and Ciro Immobile opened for the hosts at 25'. But goals from Napoli's Arkadiusz Milik and Lorenzo Insigne at 45+2' and 59' respectively meant that the match ended 2-1 in favour of the latter.

       Roma dominated Torino as 6 shots were taken by them on goal, with only Edin Džeko finding the back of the net at 89'. No other goals were made, and Roma took a simple 1-0 win over the Turinese club.

       Parma drew with Udinese 2-2, with Roberto Inglese and Antonio Barilla scoring for the hosts at 43' and 59' respectively, while for the visitors, Rodrigo de Paul bagged a penalty at 65' and Seko Fofana netted one at 69'. 

       Empoli defeated Cagliari in front of a home crowd, as they scored two goals from Rade Krunić at 14' and Francesco Caputo at 51'. No goals from Cagliari concluded the match as 2-0 for the hosts.

       Inter Milan were hoping for a good start to the season, having been in good form lately, but they were denied an opening win as they lost 0-1 to Sassuolo. The sole goal came from a penalty by Domenico Berardi at 27', while Inter suffered defeat, having failed to produce a goal-scorer in the match.

       Being absent from the Serie A for almost half a decade, SPAL kicked off their first Serie A season in 49 years with a win as they triumphed 1-0 over 10-man Bologna. Jasmin Kurtić was the goalscorer at 71', while Ádám Nagy received a red card for his rash challenge at 89'.

       Atalanta eased past Frosinone, bagging 4 goals for themselves. Alejandro Darío Gómez opened at 14', Hans Hateboer added a second at 48' while Mario Pašalić made it 3 at 61'. Gómez struck once again and the match ended 4-0 for the hosts.

Ligue 1: Matchday 2

Dijon's Júlio Tavares celebrates his goal against Nantes with teammate Sliti.

       The French Ligue 1 2018/19 started off last week, and there has been no decline in the quality of action as teams faced each other on Matchday 2.

       The Matchday started as Stade Reims stunned Lyon in front of a home crowd, defeating them 1-0. Pablo Chavarría headed the ball home at 32', bagging a win for the home team.

       Paris Saint-Germain eased past Guingamp 3-1, as Kylian Mbappé shone brightly. Guingamp opened first with Nolan Roux at 20', but Neymar equalised with a penalty at 53' and Mbappé added two more at 82' and 90' to seal the win for the Parisians.

       Caen drew with OGC Nice, with Yacine Bammou scoring for the home team with a penalty at 52' while Ignatius Ganago equalised at 82'. Neither team could produce another goal, and the match ended 1-1.

       Montpellier beat Amiens 2-1, as Florent Mollet and Ellyes Skhiri scored at 52' and 71' respectively. Moussa Konate netted one for the visitors, but it no further goals meant that the latter received another loss.

       Dijon defeated Nantes 2-0, both goals coming from Júlio Tavares at 8' and 73', while Nantes' Abdoulaye Touré received a red card for his challenge on Tavares just outside the box.

       Monaco vs LOSC was the second draw of the Matchday, as the game concluded 0-0 with both sides failing to get a man on the score-sheet. Monaco's keeper Benaglio made some great saves, while the opposing keeper Maignan saved a penalty from Radamel Falcao, denying them an easy win.

       Rennes won over Angers with the only goal coming from Ismaïla Sarr at 81'. Rennes dominated the playfield, and one goal was enough to get past Angers as they clinched victory in their first match of the season.

       Strasbourg and St-Étienne, having both won their first games, drew each other in their second match. Anthony Gonçalves opened for the home team at 55', but Makhtar Gueye equalised at 88'. Neven Subotić of St-Étienne earned himself a red card at 18' as he brought down Nuno da Costa by the shoulder.

       Toulouse defeated Bordeaux 2-1 at home, not a great start for the visitors who have now lost their first 2 matches of the season. Iseka opened for the Violets at 44', but François Camano leveled it up at 50'. Mathieu Dossevi struck at 67' to bag the win for the home team.

       Nîmes stunned last year's Europa League finalists Marseilles, as they beat them 3-1 at Stade des Costiéres. Denis Bouanga opened for the home team at 34', but Florian Thauvin equalised at 49'. Then Sada Thioub and Renaud Ripart scored at 62' and 86' respectively to shock the visitors in an incredible game.

       

English Premier League: Matchday 2

Man City's Sergio Agüero celebrates his hat-trick against Huddersfield.

       There has been more action, incredible plays and spectacular stories as the second matchday of the 2018/19 Barclays Premier League went underway. Loaded with goals and surprises, shockers and anger, the teams have performed well and are on their way to give the fans a more action-packed season.

       

       The first match was between Cardiff and Newcastle, which was the only 0-0 draw of the second matchday, with the only highlight being the red card received by Newcastle's Isaac Hayden at 66' when he performed a slide-tackle from behind Josh Murphy. 

       Tottenham beat Fulham 3-1, with Lucas Moura opening for Spurs at 43' with an 18-yard shot. Aleksandar Mitrović equalised shortly at 52' with some quick reflexes, but a spectacular free-kick by Kieran Trippier at 74' and a great finish by Harry Kane at 77' concluded the win for the home team.

       West Ham faced Bournemouth next, and though Marco Arnautović opened for them with a penalty at 33', a goal each by Bournemouth's Callum Wilson at 60' and Steve Cook at 66' meant that the home team have to wait another week to get a win for themselves.

       Leicester vs Wolverhampton was an exciting match as both teams looked equally aggressive and greedy for goals. Wolves hit the woodwork twice before an own goal by Matt Doherty at 22' conceded one for them. James Maddison added a second for the Foxes at 45', which also came from a deflection. To top it all off, a rash challenge by Jamie Vardy at 66' earned him a red card.

       Everton glided past Southampton 2-1 as Theo Walcott and Richarlison netted one each for them at 15' and 31' respectively, while Jordan Pickford guarded their post well. Danny Ings scored one beautifully at 54', but it was not enough to get the win.

        London's two most successful teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, faced each other in this season's first London Derby at Stamford Bridge, as both stepped into new eras with new managers and new tactics. Chelsea opened first as Pedro scored at 9', while Morata added a second at 20'. Goals from Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi at 37' and 41' respectively leveled the field again, but Marcos Alonso's quick-action goal at 81' sealed the win for the West London club.

       Manchester City hammered Huddersfield as Sergio Agüero clinched a hat-trick with goals at 25', 35' and 75'. Gabriel Jesus and David Silva scored at 31' and 48' respectively, while an own goal by Huddersfield's Terence Kongolo at 84' added the sixth goal for the Champions. Jon Gorenc-Stanković scored the only goal for Huddersfield, and the score ended 6-1 for the Sky Blues.

       Hosts Burnley lost to Watford, slightly staining their last season's brilliant performance. Andre Gray opened for the visitors at 3', and James Tarkowski equalised shortly at 6'. But Troy Deeney and Will Hughes snatched the win from the hosts as they scored at 48' and 51' respectively.

        Brighton shocked José Mourinho's Manchester United as they defeated them 3-2 in front of a home crowd. Glenn Murray opened for the hosts at 25', and Shane Duffy made it two at 27'. Lukaku bagged one for United at 34', but Pascal Groẞ added the third for Brighton at 44' with a penalty. Paul Pogba scored the second for United at 90+5' with a penalty, but the latter were unable to score further and suffered a humiliating defeat.

       

Atletico Madrid win UEFA Super Cup

Atlético Madrid pose with the UEFA Super Cup trophy.

       Atlético Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup last night with a nail-biting match against Real Madrid held in Tallinn. The UEFA Super Cup, played between winners of Champions League and Europa League, has been won by a Spanish side for the last 9 out of 10 years, and this year's edition was no different, as both the finalists were from Spain.

       

       Diego Costa opened the scoring for Atlético as he netted the ball from a tight angle in the first minute. Karim Benzema equalised at 27' with a header from near post, and captain Sergio Ramos added the lead with a penalty at 63'. But Diego Costa struck once again at 79' and took the match to extra time as 2-2. Saúl Ñíguez bagged another goal for Atlético at 98' and Koke added a fourth at 104' to make Atlético Madrid the champions of European club football.

French Ligue 1 starts with goal-ridden Matchday 1

 

PSG's Neymar scores in the match against Caen.

     Ligue 1, the highest tier of French football league system, is underway and there have been many goals, much drama, and a whole lot of action on the first matchday of the 2018/19 season.

       The league kicked off as Marseille went against Toulouse, winning 4-0 on the first match. Goals were provided by superstar Dimitri Payet at 45' and 62', Valére Germain at 89' and Florian Thauvin at 90+2'. 

       Monaco faced Nantes in the second match, scoring with Rony Lopes at 69', Stevan Jovetić at 80' and "El Tigre" Radamel Falcao at 83'. Nantes' Emiliano Sala scored one at 90+2', but no further goals meant the match ended 3-1.

       St-Étienne played Guingamp in a match that, although it was more sided with the latter, ended 2-1 in favour of the Greens. Tunisian star Wahbi Khazri opened for St-Étienne at 45', but Marcus Thuram equalised at 56' with a well placed penalty. But Loïs Diony won the match for the Greens, scoring from a header at 80'. 

       OGC Nice lost to Stade Reims 0-1, with Moussa Doumbia scoring a spectacular bottom-corner goal in the second minute.

       Montepellier hosted Dijon, but the match did not end in favour of the hosts. Though Pedro Mendes scored for them at 5', Júlio Tavares equalised at 51' and Senou Coulibaly sealed the win with an extra time goal.

       Angers vs Nîmes was a lively match, as both teams fought hard for the win. Sada Thioub opened for the visitors at 4', but the hosts scored three consecutive goals, Pierrick Capelle at 33', Angelo Fulgini at 51' and Ismaël Traoré at 55'. The visitors then opened fired, Clément Depres at 76' and Renaud Ripart at 85'. An own goal by Romain Thoman at 88' sealed the win for Nîmes.

       Lille faced Rennes and won 3-1. Rennes' Clément Grenier opened at 43', but the hosts scored three goals; Lebo Mothiba at 45', Nicolas Pépé at 54' and Jonathan Bamba at 68'; to open their season with a win.

       Lyon then went against Amiens, winning 2-0 as Bertrand Traoré and Memphis Sepay scored at 24' and 75' respectively.

       Bordeaux lost to Strasbourg 0-2, as the visitors goals came by Ibrahima Sissoko at 68' and Nuno da Costa ten minutes later.

       Paris Saint-Germain then defeated Caen 3-0, with Neymar, playing his first full season for them, opening at 10' while Adrien Rabiot and Timothy Weah added goals at 35' and 89' respectively.

Barcelona win the Spanish Supercup

Winners of the Spanish Supercup 2018, Barcelona, posing with the trophy.

       The Spanish Supercup, or Supercopa de España, is held every year in Spain and is contested between the winners of La Liga and Copa del Rey. In the case that a team wins both these tournaments, then the match is played with runners-up of the Copa del Rey. This year's edition was played between Barcelona, winners of La Liga, and Sevilla, runners-up of Copa del Rey. The match was held with one leg and in neutral territory for the first time, and Barcelona proved to be the best in Spain by beating Sevilla 2-1.

       Sevilla opened first as Pablo Sarabia scored an amazing goal at 9'. Barça did not catch up until Gerard Piqué netted the ball when Messi's free kick hit the post at 42'. Ousmane Dembélé then added another at 78' from a brilliant strike from long range, and thus winning Barcelona their 13ᵗʰ Sanish Supercup title.

International Champions Cup: Match Update 6

Inter's Lautaro Matínez celebrates his goal against Atletico Madrid.

       The International Champions Cup has concluded and Tottenham Hotspur have won a rare trophy, as they finished first on the table.

      

       Lyon faced Chelsea in both their last matches of the tournament, and while both teams tried hard to score, none of them could net the ball and match went to penalties, ending 0-0 at normal time. Chelsea came in favour of the penalties and won it 5-4.They ended their US tour with a win under their new manager Sarri.

       Real Madrid played Roma in New Jersey and completed the tournament with a win, as they defeated the Italians 2-1, with Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale scoring at 2' and 15' respectively. Kevin Strootman netted one for Roma at 83', but it was not enough to save them. Real totally dominated the match, and ended the pre-season friendlies on a high note.

       The last match was played between Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid. Inter had to win the match by a goal difference of 3 to claim the title, but they only managed a 1-0 win and the trophy landed in Tottenham's lap. As usual, it was Lautaro Martínez who scored, netting the ball brilliantly at 31'.

       Tottenham Hotspur won the tournament due to greater goal difference, and this win will surely raise their hopes for the 2018/19 season, as they become the first team in the Premier League to not make a single transfer in the pre-season transfer window.

       
       
       

English Premier League kicks-off with action-packed Matchday 1

 

Man City's Bernardo Silva celebrates his spectacular goal against Arsenal.

     Fans were hoping to see lesser 0-0 draws this season of the Barclays Premier League, and the goal-laiden first matchday has raised their hopes for an action-packed season.

       After Pogba-led Manchester United got past Leicester 2-1, Tottenham, being the first team in Premier League history to not make a single transfer in the pre-season transfer window, also got over Newcastle with the same score, with goals from Vertonghen and Alli for the Spurs and Joselu for Newcastle,all coming in the first 18 minutes.

       Chelsea eased past Huddersfield 3-0, with goals from Kante, debutant Jorginho and Pedro, while Bournemouth beat Cardiff 2-0, Fraser and Wilson scoring for them.

       Watford and Crystal Palace defeated Brighton and Fulham respectively, both matches ending 2-0, with Pereyra scoring two for Watford while Schlupp and Zaha scored for Crystal Palace.

       Wolves drew with Everton 2-2, Neves and Jimenéz scoring for Wolves while Richarlison netted two for Everton. Southampton vs Burnley saw the first 0-0 draw of the season.

       Liverpool hammered West Ham 4-0, two goals from Mané while Salah and Sturridge got one each. Meanwhile, champions Manchester City showed that they still have dominance of the last season as they beat Arsenal 2-0, with Sterling and Bernardo Silva scoring incredible goals.

       

Things to get excited for in the 2018/19 Premier League season

       The 2018/19 Barclays Premier League season is finally here, and there are many players, managers, stats, tactics and records to look out and get excited for, as the top 20 teams in the UK battle again for the trophy.

• Chelsea and Arsenal's new managers: Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery are the new managers of two of the best teams in the League. Sarri replaced Antonio Conte as the manager of Chelsea, and fans are waiting to see what he will do for the Blues. The longest serving and most succesful Premier League manager Arsene Wenger left Arsenal after 22 years with the club, handing the reins to Unai Emry, who will be a sight to see in the following season.
• Salah's second season in England: Mohamed Salah won the Golden Boot last season with a record-breaking 32 goals in a 38-game season. Salah impressed everyone with his pace, accuracy and goal-scoring feats. It will be interesting to see if he keeps up this pace for his second season at Anfield, so he can be comparable to global stars.
• Tottenham's new stadium: Tottenham Hotspur played the last season at Wembley, as White Hart Lane was undergoing an upgrade to a much bigger 62,000 capacity stadium. The first match played here will be the Spurs' second home game against Liverpool on 15 September. The stadium will have facilities for football and NFL matches. Fans have had a great time joking around, some saying the stadium will still be empty while others comparing its design to a toilet seat. Nevertheless, we will see how it effects the next season for the Spurs.
• Wolves joining the action: Wolverhampton Wanderers have been promoted into the Premier League, finishing 1ˢᵗ in the Championship last season. Their recent financial dominance and relationship with Jorge Mendes means that an immediate relegation would be extremely disappointing. Their manager, Nuno Santo, took them out of the Championship and will look to advance up the BPL table.
• Mourinho's changing mood: José Mourinho has been Manchester United's manager since 2016, and fans are still unclear if he will survive the whole 18/19 season, as his outspoken complaints and lack of satisfaction with the side during the pre-season tour of USA may lead to and early exit.

Premier League starts with a bang

   

Man United captain Paul Pogba scores the first goal of the 18/19 BPL season.

   The much awaited 2018/19 season of the Barclays Premier League has kicked-off with Manchester United winning over Leicester City at Old Trafford. 

       José Mourinho made the recent World Cup winner Paul Pogba the captain of the Red Devils, as Antonio Valencia was missing from the lineup. Pogba led beautifully, scoring the first goal of the season on a penalty at 3'. Leicester had a little edge on the stats, but they could not get the ball near the box. This continued throughout normal time, with United getting another goal with a great precision shot by Luke Shaw at 83'. But Fantastic Mr. Fox Jamie Vardy had one last trick up his sleeve, and at 90+2' on the clock, a ball by Ricardo Pereira struck the sidebar. He headed in the deflected ball and scored a  last-minute goal to end the match 2-1.

International Champions Cup: Match Update 5

   

Andre Silva celebrates his goal against Barcelona with teammate Franck Kessié.

   These past few days in the International Champions Cup have seen some great play by the stars, warming up for the upcoming 2018/19 season while recovering from the hype of the World Cup.

       

       Inter Milan faced Lyon at Lecce, which was the second match of both teams. Inter had lost their first to Chelsea while Lyon had won over Benfica. While Handanović guarded the Inter-goal well, Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal of the match at 52' with a decent ball from Dalbert. Inter won the match 1-0 and handed Lyon their first defeat.

        Real Madrid played against Juventus at Landover and after the defeat by Man United, they got over Juventus, who still haven't played Ronaldo and are saving him for the season. Dani Carvajal scored an own goal at 12', giving Juve an early lead. But Gareth Bale leveled at 39', and Marco Asensio added two more at 47' and 56', enough to get a win for the Madridian club.

       AC Milan's match against Barcelona was the most tense, as both teams were unable to score for 90 minutes. Many fumbled chances and near misses were seen, but André Silva at last netted one, 3 minutes into stoppage time, and last year's champions Barcelona dropped down to the last spot on the table.

International Champions Cup: Match Update 4

 

Postolachi scoring the spectacular long range goal against Atlético Madrid.

     The International Champions Cup, a series of pre-season friendlies, is now reaching its end, but the action-meter has not dropped down, as we see more goals, spectacular comebacks and a whole lot of action.

       Paris Saint-Germain face Atlético Madrid on Monday, in one of the most dramatic matches of the week. PSG lead first, Christopher Nkunku scoring at 32' from close range. Moussa Diaby added another, later at 71' when the young Atlético defence lost the ball by lack of coordination. Atlético regained one when Mollejo struck one from near post at 75', and levelled at 86' when Antoine Bernede's deflection went in. But PSG were to win that night, and Postolachi scored the winner from long range at 90+2'.

       José Mourinho's soul was finally satisfied when Manchester United beat Real Madrid in Miami. Real looked lopsided from the beginning, and it was this that lead to an early United lead by Chilean star Alexis Sánchez at 18'. Ander Herrera added another 9 minutes later, from an amazing head-pass by Sánchez. Karim Benzema netted one for Los Blancos at 45+3', but it wasn't enough to overcome the United.

       Tottenham vs Milan saw many missed chances and faults, but the Spurs got out front at 47', with a spectacular strike by N'Koudou from long range. Milan could not level the score, and the match ended in favour of the Spurs.

       Last year's winners Barcelona were handed defeat by AS Roma, who got their first win of the tournament. Barça lead first, Rafinha scoring at 6'. Roma star El-Shaarawy equalised at 35'. Barça lead again at 49', with a goal by new-signing Malcom. Florenzi started the brawl of goals at 78', with Cristante adding at 83' and David Perotti scoring the fourth at 86' on a penalty.

       Arsenal vs Chelsea saw the perfect comeback, as the Gunners clinched victory over their London rivals. Both teams went with strong lineups, Arsenal playing Aubameyang, Özil, Mkhitaryan and other stars, while Chelsea started with Morata, Pedro, Fabregas and other strong players. Antonio Rüdiger opened for Chelsea, with a bullet header from a corner by Fabregas. Arsenal, however, equalised at 90+3', when Lacazette netted from close range. The penalty shootout went in favour of the Gunners, and they bagged a win in this London derby.

       Lyon played their first match of the tournament against Benfica, and got their win as the Portuguese side came just short. Marcelo scored first for Lyon at 40', ans Traoré added another at 45'. Benfica came back, with a goal by Pizzi at 59' and an own goal by Marcelo at 64'. Martin Terrier, however, scored the winner for Les Gones, netting one on a cross by Traoré at 83'.