Uncategorized – Page 3 – Ben Evans Portfolio

City Get Huge Away Win Against, European Kings, Real Madrid

Manchester City won 2-1 against Real Madrid in a tight affair at the Bernabeu. Goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne meant that City would go into the 2nd leg with the advantage.

It was the home side who started stronger. Their first chance came 16 minutes into the half. A ball into the box by Isco was headed out but fell to the feet of Raphael Varane who blazed a shot over the bar.

City‘s best chance of the half came minutes later, on the counter attack. De Bruyne was given some space to run at the defence and in typical fashion played a brilliant through ball to Jesus who cut inside and found his shot saved well by Thibaut Courtois from close range.

Madrid continued to create chances and their best came through Karim Benzema. Ferland Mendy’s pinpoint cross into the box was met well by the Frenchman who headed the ball low but Ederson was down quick to save. His save was however pushed into Vinicius who just couldn’t control it in time and instead fell over the ball giving City the chance to clear.

Pep Guardiola was later forced to make an early change as star centre back Aymeric Laporte was unable to continue through injury, in which he was replaced by Fernandinho in the 33rd minute.

The last chance of the half came again from Manchester City. A corner came in, which Courtois came out to punch clear, but didn’t get the contact he wanted and allowed Jesus to get a shot towards goal but thanks to the number of players on the goal line, Madrid were able to clear. The half time whistle came soon after.

Both teams picked up where they left off in the first half. City with the first chance. A powerful run by De Bruyne through the middle led to him playing in Riyad Mahrez, who could’ve passed, but instead he saw as his curling shot went wide.

Another shot by Mahrez is saved well by Courtois, who had to get down quick. Madrid found themselves on the counter once again but City dealt with it, with Ederson saving a simple header in the box.

The home side found themselves ahead in the 60th minute after a mistake by City. An intercepted pass by Luka Modric gave them the chance to pounce. The midfielder played in Vinicius who spotted Isco free in the middle. He picked him out and Isco, who took a touch before shooting, expertly fired Madrid ahead making it 1-0.

Both sides were clearly amped up by the opening goal. Sergio Ramos had a chance to get their second later on after a pass back into the box by Isco but he couldn’t direct it on target.

Substitute Raheem Sterling got immediately involved. He picked the ball up outside in the Madrid half and passed the ball to De Bruyne who looked up and saw Jesus running into the box. The Belgian dinked a ball towards the far post and Jesus was able to get there ahead of Sergio Ramos and headed it past Courtois in goal. City had their vital away goal.

Sterling involved again. Just minutes after their equaliser City were awarded a penalty after Dani Carvajal took down Sterling with a lunging challenge. The penalty was scored by De Bruyne who sent Courtois the wrong way, making the score 2-1 to the away side.

Madrid found themselves in even deeper water after their captain Ramos was sent off for taking down, the last man, Jesus, outside of the box. The resulting freekick was saved simply by Courtois.

The full time whistle meant Pep Guardiola would be the happier of the two managers. Madrid will travel to City in two weeks time 2-1 down with two away goals conceded. All eyes on that game.

Cardiff Met 3rd Win 2-0 Against USW 2nd in Scrappy Affair

Cardiff Met 3^rd beat the USW 2^nd team 2-0. Goals from Isaac Atherley and Effy Kazard were enough to take all three points at the USW Sport Park.

USW started quickest with a couple early warning shots from outside the box but it was Cardiff Met who were the first to test their opposing keeper. A freekick from distance by Atherley required saving by the keeper.

Shortly after, Cardiff Met were up and running. Atherley picked up the ball on the edge of the box, he was able to dribble past two USW defenders and blast the ball past a diving keeper and into the top corner to make it 1-0.

A mistake by Cardiff Met keeper, Steff Rhys Jones, gave USW the chance to equalise but he recovered and put the striker off before the shot could be taken.

The away side went in at half time the happier of the two sides at the break.

Approaching the 60^th minute, Cardiff Met found themselves on the counterattack. Forward, Kazard, was through but before he could take the shot, he was brought down and gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

The penalty was taken and scored by Kazard who placed it under the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner. USW clearly unhappy with the decision to give the penalty by the referee.

An awkward bounce later allowed Met’s Will Tucker to be one on one with the keeper, but he rushed his shot and dragged it wide of the post.

The away side continued to look for a third with Rhys Thomas and Harrison Price both coming close, but the score finished 2-0 with Cardiff Met coming out on top and stealing all three points.

A disappointed USW 2^nd team travel to Cardiff University 3^rd for their final game of the season and will hope to bounce back.

Royal Agricultural 2nd ’s Demolish USW 2nd ’s 0-7, to Send USW Crashing Out of the Cup.

GOALS from Lucy Anthony, Lucia Yates and Daisy Moore were enough for RAG to book their place in the next round of the cup as the dominance of their midfield seemed all too much to handle for the home side.

A quick start to the encounter payed off, when Jenna Emmerton’s shot rebounded off the USW keepers’ foot and straight into the path of Daisy Moore, who calmly slotted home to make it 0-1.

The away side shortly followed up with another goal to make it 0-2 after 8 tough minutes for USW. Moore was controlling the midfield area, and slotted through a neat pass that found the stick of Lucy Anthony who turned the ball past the keeper.

After 10 minutes of play, it was obvious that USW were being dominated in the middle of the park.

Another case of bad defending from the home side allowed RAG to take the game further from USW’S grasp, as Anthony tapped the ball home at the far post.

Two goals on the stroke of half time seemed to have killed all of USW’S momentum, before Anthony secured her first half hat-trick and helped RAG extend their lead to 0-5.

USW came out in the second full of energy, and it didn’t take long for them to create their first chance. After a penalty corner, the ball fell nicely and was shot well, but it was excellently saved by a diving Eliza Nelstrop.

Soon after, USW had another opportunity to get their first goal. An effort from just inside the box unfortunately hit the post and bounced back for RAG to counterattack.

Despite their chances, USW conceded their sixth goal of the game late on after a scrappy bit of play in their own D. The home side were unable to clear the danger which resulted in Emmerton netting from close range.

Just before the full-time whistle, RAG wrapped up the game by securing their seventh goal. The keeper rushed out to clear the ball, but Emmerton was on hand first to score the game’s final goal.

The game finished 7-0 to the away side with USW rueing their missed chances. The heavy defeat sees USW exit the competition while RAG advance to the next round.

Premier League Matchday 25 Results

Leicester City 2-2 Chelsea (LEI: Barnes, Chilwell, CHE: Rudiger x2)

Bournemouth 2-1 Aston Villa (BOU: Billing, Ake, ASV: Samatta)

Crystal Palace 0-1 Sheffield United (SHU: Guaita og)

Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (LIV: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Salah x2)

Newcastle 0-0 Norwich City

Watford 2-3 Everton (WAT: Masina, Pereyra, EVE: Mina x2, Walcott)

Manchester United 0-0 Wolves

Burnley 0-0 Arsenal

Tottenham 2-0 Manchester City (TOT: Bergwijn, Son Heung-Min)

Premier League Matchday 24 Results

Aston Villa 2-1 Watford (ASV: Douglas Luiz, Mings, WAT: Deeney)

Bournemouth 3-1 Brighton (BOU: H.Wilson, Gross og, C.Wilson, BRI: Mooy)

Crystal Palace 0-2 Southampton (SOU: Redmond, Armstrong)

Everton 2-2 Newcastle (EVE: Kean, Calvert-Lewin, NEW: Lejeune x2)

Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City (MCI: Aguero)

Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal (CHE: Jorginho, Azpilicueta, ARS: Martinelli, Bellerin)

Leicester City 4-1 West Ham (LEI: Barnes, Perreira, Perez x2, WHU: Noble)

Tottenham 2-1 Norwich City (TOT: Alli, Son Heung-Min, NOR: Pukki)

Manchester United 0-2 Burnley (BUR: Wood, Rodriguez)

Wolves 1-2 Liverpool (WOL: Jimenez, LIV: Henderson Firmino)

Who Should England Select in Their Euro 2020 Squad?

Gareth Southgate’s England Team are under 6 months away from their opening game of the 2020 European Championships and therefore, we’re getting to the point where he and his coaching staff will need to decide who comes with them and who will be left behind. Here’s who I would take and who I believe, won’t have a seat on the plane.

Firstly, when I say plane, I mean that metaphorically because, as we know, each of England’s group stage matches will be played at Wembley Stadium, as well as both semi-finals and the final itself. So, England have home advantage during the group stage and depending on how far they get, the semis and the final.

Southgate certainly has plenty of players who have a good enough reason to go and that, therefore, means that some players who, some may say, deserve to go, will not be included. There are also players who, at the start of the season, you may have said definitely should be going, or definitely shouldn’t go but as the season has gone on they have shown enough quality and passion to get their names on the squad list.

Firstly, the goalkeepers. Straight away, I’d put, England regular, Jordan Pickford in. Whether he starts I’m not sure yet but, for me, he’s been in the fold for England for some time now and he makes it in. The other keepers that could be included are: Tom Heaton, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and Jack Butland.

Immeditately, I’m going to eliminate Butland, I believe he can be a good keeper but I think his time in the England squad may be over. That means that one of the other three mentioned will not be included. All of which play in the Premier League and all have had a decent start to the season. However, Heaton’s recent injury which has ruled him out for almost the whole of the remaining season, makes it an easy decision. So my keepers are; Pickford, Pope and Henderson.

On to our defenders. I’d first like to discuss the right-back situation as, it seems as if England possess almost all of the world’s best right-backs currently. There’s Alexander-Arnold, Walker, Wan-Bissaka, James and Trippier. All of which are good enough to get in to most teams but if we are only taking two, I believe that Southgate should take Trent and Walker.

Trent needs no explanation as to why he should be going but perhaps Walker does. Walker is very reliable and is still one of the best fullbacks in the world, in my opinion, but the reason I think he gets in over Wan-Bissaka, Reece James and Trippier, who have all had good seasons, thus far, is because he’s the most experienced and that’s something that the current England squad are perhaps limited on. The other three would feel disappointed not to be picked.

As for the other defenders I would bring, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Michael Keane, Tyrone Mings, Joe Gomez and Ben Chilwell. All of which have been in the squad before and I don’t think it would be a surprise to anyone of all of these players would picked. Arguably, Danny Rose and Fikayo Tomori should be in the squad but it’s just about whether they should get in over those I’ve included. If I were to swap anyone though, it may possibly for Tomori for Stones.

This is where it gets far more difficult. The midfield options. England aren’t short of midfielders, so who are some of our options. There’s: Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Barkley, Mount, Maddison, Rice, Winks, Foden, Lingard, Grealish, Loftus-Cheek, Alli and I could go on. I’m going to get rid of Foden, who just hasn’t played enough, Lingard, who is clearly under performing, Grealish, who I simply don’t think makes the England squad just yet, but could be starting by the time of the 2022 World Cup and Loftus-Cheek, who, again, hasn’t played enough recently.

Therefore, that means that I would take, Henderson, Alli, Maddison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mount and Winks. I have left out both Rice and Barkley, both of whom, might make many other people’s Euro squads, but for me, the others are slightly ahead of them in the pecking order. I believe James Maddison could be on of England’s stars at the Euros and I’m looking forward to seeing him get more international minutes.

Finally, we’ll asses our forwards. It’s recently been announced that captain, Harry Kane, is most likely going to miss the rest of the season and perhaps even the European Championships, which would be a massive blow for England but for the purposes of this, I will be going, with the assumption that he will be fit enough to travel.

At the start of the season you may not have thought that some players would be in the limelight to potentially make the Euro squad, such as; Tammy Abraham, Danny Ings and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Players like: Kane, Sterling, Sancho and Rashford will certainly be making my squad.

This means that there is two spots left in our 23-man squad. I’m going to give the first to Tammy Abraham, who has been Chelsea’s top scorer this campaign and if Kane was not to get into the squad, could be a suitable replacement. The final person that makes my England squad is actually going to be Callum Wilson. It was between him, Ings and Calvert-Lewin.

Ings, who already has 14 goals in the league this year, one more than Abraham, could’ve been a great option but I just don’t see him getting in to that final squad, even if Kane is injured. I believe that Calvert-Lewin is actually more likely to be included. There were also rumours that Jamie Vardy could be included, but that’s now looking unlikely.

I have also left out 19-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi who has made more than one appearance for England’s senior team already and although he is beginning to pick up minutes in the Chelsea team, under Frank Lampard, he hasn’t done enough to get in over, Rashford, Sancho and Sterling.

There we have it, our 23 man squad looks like this:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley), Dean Henderson (Sheffield United).

Defenders: Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Michael Keane (Everton), John Stones and Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Ben Chilwell (Leicester), Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool), James Maddison (Leicester), Dele Alli and Harry Winks (Tottenham).

Forwards: Jadon Sancho (Dortmund), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Tammy Abraham (Chelsea), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).

England’s Strongest Starting 11: Pickford, Trent, Maguire, Stones, Chilwell, Henderson, Maddison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sancho, Kane, Sterling.

Premier League Matchday 23 Results

Watford 0-0 Tottenham

Arsenal 1-1 Sheffield United (ARS: Martinelli, SHU: Fleck)

Brighton 1-1 Aston Villa (BRI: Trossard, ASV: Grealish)

Manchester City 2-2 Crystal Palace (MCI: Aguero x2, CRY: Tosun, Fernandinho og)

Norwich 1-0 Bournemouth (NOR: Pukki)

Southampton 2-3 Wolves (SOU: Bednarek, Long, WOL: Neto, Jimenez x2)

West Ham 1-1 Everton (WHU: Diop, EVE: Calvert Lewin)

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea (NEW: Hayden)

Burnley 2-1 Leicester (BUR: Wood, Westwood, LEI: Barnes)

Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United (LIV: van Dijk, Salah)

CARDIFF WIN 4-1 AGAINST STRUGGLING ABERYSTWYTH TOWN

Cardiff City Women came out on top, as they won 4-1 against league strugglers Aberystwyth Town Women at the Cardiff International Sports Campus.

The first chance came for Cardiff when Lisa Owen made a run through the middle and played in Kate Joanna Jeremiah but the defender was able to put her off and it rolled out for a goal kick.

A couple minutes later, Aberystwyth winger Tania Wylde found her self with space to shoot and, from range, fired a fierce shot towards goal but it was superbly saved by the diving Amelia Forkings in goal and Cardiff were able to clear.

The first goal of the game came in the 9th minute after a great bit of play. Owen made a sprinting run of the wing and was able to get a low cross into the box which fell to the feet of Jeremiah who simply tapped it in to make it 1-0 to the hosts.

The chances continued to come for the home side. A shot from Jeremiah was just over the bar and a minute later they had a shot cleared off the line.

Zoe Atkins’ run from the halfway line resulted in her low driven shot to be saved well by the feet of Aberystwyth’s Ffion Ashman and Owen was unable to finish the rebound, putting it over for a goal kick.

Despite having very little of the possession, Aberystwyth found themselves on level terms at the 34 minute mark. A sublime ball over the defence was latched on to by a fast Emily Thomas who, one on one with the keeper, dispatches it expertly in to the corner.

It wasn’t long until Cardiff had a chance to take the lead again as a good passing play gave Jeremiah the chance to play in Atkins at the far post but she scuffed her shot and missed the open goal.

Just before the half time whistle, Cardiff had their final chance of the half when a cross in to the box by Owens fell to Jasmine Simpson who volleyed over the goal, the whistle was blown after the miss.

The sides came back from the break and it was Cardiff who had the chance to take the lead first as Jeremiah has her shot blocked.

In the 56th minute, Cardiff took the lead through an absolute rocket. After an attempted clearance from the defender but it comes to Kanisha Underdown and she fires a shot in to the top corner leaving the keeper stranded.

The home side had more chances to extend their lead but were unable to until the 73rd minute of the game. Substitute Danielle Green, running towards goal, finished it past the keeper to make it 3-1.

It wasn’t long until Cardiff got their fourth.

After a number of chances to finish it off, forward, Alana Murphy, expertly placed it into the bottom corner. Stamina levels began to show from the away side.

Cardiff had chances to score a fifth but the game ended 4-1 with the home side coming out on top. Aberystwyth remain without a win in the league.