Premier League goal of the fortnight
It was not a worldie or a Puskas award nomination by any measure, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal against Everton was significant for more than one reason.
Nowadays when the talk is about goals in the Premier League, the name that crops up is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who has already bagged 15 goals in the competition. However, Ronaldo grabbed the headlines after scoring his first Premier League goal of the season against Everton which was a landmark as it was the 700th club goal of his illustrious career.
Not only was the goal a personal landmark, but it also turned out to be the match-winner in United’s 2-1 win against Everton. In a lovely counter-attack, Casemiro found Ronaldo with an accurate pass down the left flank and the Portuguese scored with a solid grounded finish in the 44th minute.
Premier League save of the fortnight
Brighton and Hove Albion has always been a tricky opponent for the top teams of the Premier League and it was no different for Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur, which scraped to a 1-0 win against the Seagulls. Harry Kane’s goal in the 22nd minute had put the London side ahead but it was Hugo Lloris’ save in the 44th minute that turned out to be crucial in Tottenham getting the precious three points. Moises Caicedo pickpocketed Rodrigo Bentancur at the edge of the Spurs box to slide a good pass to Welbeck at the near-post who thundered a shot at goal. But Lloris used his experience well and got down to make the save to maintain Tottenham’s 1-0 lead.
Gunners’ supremacy
It is still early days but Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, has been a revelation this season. With a 3-2 victory against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, the Gunners built on their good start and reclaimed the top position in the Premier League table. Bukayo Saka was the star with his two goals and Gabriel Martinelli’s wizardry on the left flank was too much to deal with for the Reds.
La Liga goal of the fortnight
Valencia’s 2-1 win against Osasuna saw two red cards and two penalty misses but it was Justin Kluivert’s deft finish that was the highlight of the match. With the scores locked at 0-0, new-signing Edinson Cavani showed his playmaking ability and slipped a good pass to Kluivert who had timed his run perfectly to beat the two defenders around him. Once he got the ball, Kluivert kept his calm and lobbed the ball over Osasuna keeper Sergio Herrera who had ventured off his line.
La Liga save of the fortnight
Real Sociedad might have clinched a 1-0 win against Unai Emery’s Villarreal courtesy of Brais Mendez’s strike in the 33rd minute but it was keeper Alex Remiro, with his reflex save to deny Benat Turrientes in the 92nd minute, who kept the score in Sociedad’s favour. Villarreal was pushing hard for the equaliser and Turrientes had a great chance at the near-post late in second-half stoppage time as he blasted a shot at goal. But Remiro showed lightning reflexes to get down and knock the ball out of immediate danger.
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Timely momentum for Barcelona
Barcelona had to work hard for its 1-0 win against Celta Vigo as Pedri’s goal proved to be enough for three points. The win took Barca to the top of the table with 22 points ahead of its El Clasico clash against Real Madrid on October 16.
Bundesliga goal of the fortnight
Moussa Diaby of Bayer Leverkusen marked the newly-appointed manager Xabi Alonso’s era with a stunning finish to open the scoring in the 4-0 hammering of Schalke. In the 38th minute, Diaby, well outside the Schalke box, lashed a left-footed shot and the ball flew into the top corner giving keeper Alexander Schwolow no chance.
A Der Klassiker to remember
Goals by Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane proved futile as Bayern Munich could not hold on to its lead against rival Borussia Dortmund in the Der Klassiker. Youssoufa Moukoko pulled one back in the 74th minute and to the Bavarians’ dismay, Anthony Modeste scored in the 95th minute with a back-post header to clinch a point for Dortmund at the death. The draw stopped Dortmund’s run of eight-straight defeats against Bayern.
The match also saw Bayern’s Alphonso Davies suffer a skull contusion after his head made contact with Jude Bellingham’s boot. Bayern did not give a timeline on his return but said he was “doing well under the circumstances.”
Bundesliga save of the fortnight
Robin Zentner made himself big to deny RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku, when he anticipated the danger and came off his line and blocked Nkunku’s shot with his leg to maintain Mainz’s 1-0 lead. Nkunku eventually scored later in the 80th minute to make it 1-1 but Zentner’s excellent save earlier saw Mainz earn a point against a superior Leipzig.
Serie A goal of the fortnight
AC Milan clinched a confident 2-0 win against Juventus but it was Brahim Diaz’s goal that made headlines in Italy. With Milan already 1-0 up after Fikayo Tomoris’ goal, Diaz capitalised on a loose pass by Dusan Vlahovic to clinch the ball in midfield. What followed was a brilliant solo run by Diaz from the middle of the park to the Juventus’ box, followed by a brilliant finish past Wojciech Szczesny in the bottom corner.
Serie A save of the fortnight
Edin Dzeko’s brace guided Inter to a 2-1 win against Sassuolo but it was Andre Onana’s save at full stretch in the fourth minute that proved to be crucial in deciding the momentum of the match. In a swift Sassuolo attacking move, Davide Fratessi dispatched a low shot at Onana’s near-post but the keeper made a great stop with his right foot to get the ball to keep the score goalless and deny Sassuolo from taking the lead.
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Ligue 1 goal of the fortnight
Ajaccio’s 2-1 win against Marseille came as one of the shocks in French top-flight football. Marseille’s Dimitri Payet had already put the home team in front with a successful penalty but it was Bevic Moussiti-Oko’s equaliser in the 25th minute that stood out. Fed by Vincent Marchetti, Bevic made a run along the Marseille box and lashed a low but powerful shot at goal. Marseille keeper Ruben Blanco dived but could not reach the ball as it nestled in the bottom left-corner.
Ligue 1 save of the fortnight
LOSC Lille had goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier to thank for his heroics between the sticks that earned his team three points against Lens. Chevalier put in a brilliant save to deny Florian Sotoca from the spot. Lens substitute Alexis Claude-Maurice had a chance to score a stunner in the second half but Chevalier almost flew to get his fingertip to the ball and make a save to keep the 1-0 score in Lille’s favour.
PSG blanks against Reims
Reims pulled of a surprise when it held Paris Saint-Germain to a 0-0 draw. It wasn’t PSG’s night as Sergio Ramos saw his 28th career red card and was sent off. With Lionel Messi absent and Neymar starting on the bench, the French champion found the going tough against a determined Reims which held on despite the barrage of attacks thrown at it.
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