If there are two things I know about Denmark, it’s that Nicklas Bendtner is a knucklehead and Christian Eriksen is really damn good.
Both of those truths were on display on Sunday.
Manchester United and England defender Luke Shaw carried his fine form into England’s friendly against Spain today while delivering a truly gorgeous assist to the put the Three Lions up early, but the 23-year-old was subsequently stretchered off in the 53rd minute after being knocked unconscious following a collision with Spain’s Dani Carvajal.
Shaw has started all four of Manchester United’s Premier League matches this season, and it was his finely taken goal that gave the Red Devils all three points against Leicester back in August.
Spain begins a new era today under the direction of former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. After completing seven million passes against Russia without ever moving forward during La Furia Roja’s shock World Cup Round of 16 exit, these are exciting times for the federation with Enrique promising an attractive evolution of the nation’s playing style.
Enrique is a coup for the federation on the back of being named the FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2015 and due to the respect he commands as one of the few footballers to ever successfully bridge the El Clasico divide.
With Argentina in flux under interim manager Lionel Scaloni and this international break containing only two inconsequential friendlies being played in the United States, Lionel Messi’s absence from the squad directly following his exertions in Russia came as no surprise, despite the myriad of hot takes that are attempting to read between the lines.
As I watched the U.S. friendly against Brazil, a fly kept buzzing around my living room. It would fly in circles, occasionally getting near enough to me so I could try to swat it out of the sky, but it always fluttered away out of my reach. That’s pretty much how most of the USMNT vs Brazil highlights looked, with the Brazilians dancing around their hosts for a 2-0 win on Friday night in New Jersey.
Brazil racked up well over 60 percent of possession and at times dazzled with tricks and flicks. It didn’t look great for a lot of the young USMNT players in defense and midfield.
The U.S. and Brazil men’s national teams have clashed 18 times dating back to their first meeting in 1930. Brazil has won 17 of those. The USMNT vs Brazil 1998 match was the lone outlier, a wild win in a fairly major competition.
The USMNT vs. Brazil matchup on Friday will be the 19th time the two titans clash. Although the U.S. has only won one match and lost 17 against the Sambas so far, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is moments away from witnessing one of the most historic New World soccer spectacles — and I’m not referring to Neymar flopping about like a fish.
Lost amidst the scratched Frenchmen and bashed Irishmen during the opening day of the UEFA Nations League on Thursday was the start of the Concacaf Nations League. Kind of.
There are a few unstoppable feats in sports, like an Allen Iverson crossover, a Barry Sanders sweep or a Nolan Ryan fastball. You know it’s coming, but you still can’t beat it. This Gareth Bale goal vs Ireland fell into that category.
It was supposed to be the best matchup of the first match day of the UEFA Nations League, the last two World Cup champions going at it on the first day of the new competition. Unfortunately, aside from a few lively moments from Kylian Mbappé early and Germany late, the match was mostly tepid, finishing in a 0-0 draw.