Underdogs

From Alcorcón To Pordenone: The Biggest Cup Upsets In Footballing History

Soccer is one of the very few sports that boasts competitions where small, local sides are able to face off against the best teams in the country. These matchups capture the imagination while providing a sense of hope and magic to a small group of supporters.

Domestic cups have long provided smaller clubs with the opportunity to prove their mettle by facing nationally recognized sides, and while major upsets are rare, just the slightest hope of an improbable win is enough to cause local pandemonium and stir significant interest among neutral supporters.

Meet José Juan, The 41-Year-Old Keeper Who Knocked Real Madrid Out Of The Copa Del Rey

Something incredible happened last week: Alcoyano, a team from Spain's Segunda B (third division), eliminated Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey in extra time against all odds. 

The hero of the night was José Juan, a 41-year-old goalkeeper who had a great night defending his net, stopping absolutely everything. 

As The Underdogs Fade Away, Can Non-League Chorley Yield One More Moment Of FA Cup Magic?

The FA Cup is one of football's most prominent cup competitions due to the tournament's proclivity for surprise upsets and underdog stories. Despite the absence of fan support, this season's FA Cup has still seen its share of upsets.

Four non-league clubs reached the FA Cup Third Round, but only one progressed to the next step in the competition 

Third-Tier Alcoyano Proved That Spirit Is No Myth By Knocking Out Real Madrid

By slaying Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, Alcoyano lived up to a past reputation which saw their name enter Spanish folklore as a byword for fighting spirit and the capacity to overcome the odds.

The third division, semi-professional side have rarely had much to shout about but their renowned capacity to endure suffering and humiliation led to the coining of the phrase "You have more spirit than Alcoyano" which is still heard in everyday conversations, even when football is not being discussed.

Iñaki Williams’ Extra Time Screamer Sinks Barcelona In Super Cup Final

After finishing entirely trophyless last season, Barcelona’s players emphasized how important this year's Supercopa de España was, even if the timing and circumstances surrounding this year’s edition were less than ideal for all four competing clubs. 

Game Of The Century Is Won By Spurs, But Marine Made Believers Of Us All

Sunday’s FA Cup Third Round meeting between Tottenham Hotspur, fourth-place in the Premier League, and Marine AFC, sixth-place in the Northern Premier League Division One North West, represented a record gap of 161 places in the English football pyramid.

The prospect of the greatest giant killing of all time — and the spectacle of José Mourinho’s side visiting Rossett Park in Merseyside — allowed Marine to compensate for the potential loss in revenue of playing the match behind closed doors by selling 20,000 virtual tickets.

Newcastle Has Quietly Assembled The World’s Best Stable Of Keepers

Newcastle United held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at St. James’ Park on Wednesday thanks largely to the play of goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who recorded four saves in his third clean sheet of the season. 

The 30-year-old Englishman has started all of Newcastle’s 15 Premier League matches with usual No. 1 Martin Dúbravka recovering from an ankle injury, but Darlow has been the Toons’ early player of the season with only West Brom’s Sam Johnstone recording more saves in England’s top flight. 

Meet The Young Zimbabwean Who Has Lyon Dreaming Of Toppling PSG

As we approach the New Year and the halfway point of domestic seasons, it’s become evident that the resources and depth boasted by Europe’s top clubs should be enough to weather the wildest of campaigns. Bayern Munich and Liverpool are favorites to defend their respective titles, while Real Madrid’s only genuine challenger appears to be Atlético.

West Brom Defies Expectations To Earn Deserved Point At Liverpool

A tale of two halves at Anfield on Sunday — one in which Liverpool controlled 81% possession; one in which West Brom landed more shots on target — ended in a 1-1 draw between the sides of a clearly frustrated (and booked) Jürgen Klopp and a triumphant Sam Allardyce. 

West Brom made the first managerial change of the Premier League season on Dec. 16 when sacking Slaven Bilić in favor of Big Sam, and the Baggies are now the first team to take points off Liverpool at Anfield — although the club remains five points from safety after 15 matches.    

Tomáš Souček Is West Ham’s Tower Of Power

Ben Johnson and Tomas Soucek scored second-half goals as West Ham United twice came back from a goal down to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday.

Brighton created the early chances at London Stadium and deservedly took the lead just before halftime when striker Neal Maupay pounced on a loose ball in the box to score his first goal since October.

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