FOOTBALL: Review of weekend actions

Emmanuel Alfred 

… Kane grabbed a hattrick, Lewandowski grabs a brace as Fernandes scoreds

La Liga

Polish forward, Robert Lewandowski got a brace as Barcelona got a 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo in La Liga.

Barcelona were 2 goals down as at the 75th minute after Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tasos Douvikas both scored ho Celta in front.
But Lewandowski scored twice in 4 minutes to level things up before Portuguese right back, João Cancelo scored late to grant victory for the defending champions

Moratta ends Madrid’s winning streak

Former forward, Alvaro Moratta scored twice as Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid to end their 100% start to the campaign.
Morata scored after Samuel Lino made a dangerous cross into the box. Antoine Griezmann doubled the advantage with another header, before Toni Kroos drilled a low shot to half the deficit.
But Morata restored the two-goal cushion and give Atletico a victory with another header courtesy of Saul Niguez’s cross.
This was Atletico’s 2nd win in 15 games over their cross town rivals
Madrid are now third on the log behind leaders Barcelona and Girona. While Atletico are now fifth.

Bundesliga: Kane scores three as Bayern hit 7

England forward, Harry Kane was on fire on Saturday as he got a hattrick when Bayern Munich thrashed Bochum 7-0.
Kane, who has been on song since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in August also provided 2 assists in the game.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Matthijs de Ligt, Leroy Sané and Mathys Tel also got their share of goals.

His goals now takes him past Gerd Müller, Miroslav Klose and Mario Mandzukic, who all scored five times in their first five games.

Reus steals three points for Dortmund

Last season’s runners-up, Borussia Dortmund got a slim victory over Wolfsburg.

The goal was scored by Marco Reus in the second-half winner to take his team two points behind the Bavarians.

Serie A – Juve lose first game and Inter continues flawless campaign

Juventus were shocked against Sassuolo as they lost 4-2 on Saturday.

Wojciech Szczesny had a forgettable game as he made a couple of errors that proved costly for the Old Ladies.

The Poland goalkeeper failed to handle Armand Laurienté’s long-range shot and it deflected off his gloves and into the net. Szczesny also parried a rebound into the path of Andrea Pinamonti, whose header made it 3-2 to Sassuolo.

But that wasn’t all as he mistakenly tapped the ball into his own net. An own goal from Matías Viña and a deflected shot by Federico Chiesa were the goals scored by Juventus.

Juventus are now 5 points behind League leaders Inter Milan

Milan returms to winning ways

A lone goal from Rafael Leão was all AC Milan needed to win against Hellas Verona in a game that was delayed by 25 minutes due to a hailstorm.

Milan were humbled 5-1 by Inter last weekend in the Derby De La Madonina and were held to a goalless draw in their Champions League group game by Newcastle United. They are now 3 behind league leaders, inter.

Inter maintains perfect start

Inter Milan beat recorded a 1-0 victory over bottom-club Empoli at Stadio Carlo Castellani to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.

Simone Inzaghi’s men who have won five from five in the league games got the goal from a Federico Dimarco stunner to hand Empoli to a fifth straight defeat.
They are top on the log with three points clear of city rivals AC Milan.

Osimhen misses penalty as Napoli draw

Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen missed a penalty as the defending champions, Napoli played out a stalemate against Bologna.
Napoli, who are now winless in three games, are now seven points behind Inter Milan.

Ligue 1 – PSG routs Marseille as Mbappé gets injured

Paris St Germain thrashed Marseille with goals from Achraf Hakimi, Randal Kolo Muani and a brace from Portuguese forward, Goncalo Ramos.
Luis Enrique’s side who are now third had lost their previous Ligue 1 game 3-2 at home to Nice last weekend.
Hakimi opened scoring with a free kick before assisting Muani for his first goal since joining from German side, Eintracht Frankfurt.
Ramos came from the bench to devastating effect as he grabbed a brace to put the game to bed.
There was however a concern for PSG as star forward, Kylian Mbappé was forced out of the game with a suspected ankle injury.

This was Marseille’s first league defeat of the season.

Premier League – Newcastle, London derby, Fernandez and Nunez

Newcastle delivers a thumping to Sheffield United

Newcastle United were incredible as they destroyed Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The Magpies recorded an 8-0 victory over Sheffield with eight different goalscorers on Sunday.

The goals were scored by Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak. Captain, Kieran Trippier had a hattrick of assist on the night.
Newcastle United are the first team in Premier League history to have eight different players score in a single game excluding own goals.

Arsenal and Spurs play out entertaining draw

Son Heung-Min was fired up in the first North London derby of the season between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium.

The South Korean and skipper got a brace to equalize after the Gunners had taken the lead twice.

Premier League Young Player of last season, Bukayo Saka was also very active for the home side as he scored from the spot and also forced Cristian Romero to score an own goal.
In the end both sides had to settle for a draw in a game that begged for more goals. Both sides are still unbeaten this season with Tottenham place 4th and Arsenal 5th but only on goal difference.

Spurs Coach, Ange Postecoglou is the fourth manager in Premier League history to see his side score at least twice in each of his first six games in the competition, along with Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Craig Shakespeare (Leicester City).

Villa compounds Chelsea’s woes

Aston Villa striker, Ollie Watkins scored the only goal in the second half to give Aston Villa a victory against 10-man Chelsea 1-0 in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea faled to capitalize on superior possession in the first half as the forward players were guilty of not converting some of their chances.

Chelsea had a goal disallowed before half-time after a header from Axel Disasi, but he was adjudged to be offside by VAR.

French defender, Malo Gusto saw red after a dangerous tackle on Villa defender, Lucas Digne before Watkins scored to deliver Chelsea’s 2nd home defeat of the season.

Chelsea have officially failed to score in 13 Premier League matches in 2023, more than any other side. It’s the most times they have failed to score in a single year in the league since 1995 14 games.

Fernandes volleys United to three points
Captain, Bruno Fernandes scored a sensational volley at the stroke of halftime to see Manchester United return to winning ways.
United had suffered a spate of defeats to Arsenal, Brighton and Bayern Munich before facing Burnley at Turf Moor.
Eric Ten Haag brought in Johnny Evans after a last minute injury to Lisandro Martinez and it was the defender who gave a pinpoint pass to the Portuguese midfielder.

The win takes United to 9th position.

Liverpool overcomes spirited West Ham side

Liverpool gave a solid performance to continue their fine start to the new Premier League season as they saw off a spirited West Ham United side in a 3-1 win at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah converted a penalty after new was fouled by Hammers defender Nayef Aguerd to put the home side infront .

West Ham equalized after Jarrod Bowen scored a diving header in the corner of the Kop end goal.

Things got really cagey but the Reds went ahead again courtesy of Darwin Nunez who tapped in from Alexis Mac Allister’s sumptuous dink.

Portuguese forward, Diogo Jota extended the scoreline as he scored from close range following a corner.

Mohamed Salah is the fifth player to either score or assist a goal in each of his team’s first six games of a Premier League season, after David Beckham for Man Utd in 2000-01, Thierry Henry for Arsenal in 2004-05, Sergio Agüero for Man City in 2019-20, and Erling Haaland for Man City in 2022-23.

Liverpool are now second on the table and just 2 points behind Manchester City

City maintains 100% start as Rodri sees red

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both were on the score sheet as Manchester City defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 and ensure a 100% start to the season.

Foden scored from a low drive into the bottom corner after being teed up by Kyle Walker. That goal was scored after City completed 45 passes.

Haaland goal came after another fine passing move that saw him head from Mattheus Nunez’ cross to take his tally this season to 8.

Rodri was sent off for grabbing an opponent around the neck inna very heated second half, meaning he will not available for the next three games including the trip to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.