The best action to follow this weekend
Saturday
? The final round of groups games at the Women’s Euros continues on Saturday with Group B coming to a head. Germany face Finland but are already assured of their place in the quarter-finals thanks to two contrasting wins. They dominated against Denmark, running in four unanswered goals but were forced on to the back foot by Spain, before eventually beating them by two goals to nil despite having just 30% of possession.
The other game is therefore a direct play-off for the second qualification spot with both Spain and Denmark level on three points thanks to their respective wins over Finland. Spain are famously without star player Alexia Putellas at this tournament but Denmark should be able to call on their no.10, Pernille Harder, who was substituted following a clash of heads shortly after scoring the winner against the Finns.
? Pre-season is now well and truly underway for Europe’s top clubs and we can therefore bring you coverage of friendly games being played all around the world as part of lucrative overseas tours. Saturday’s highlights include Sevilla vs. Spurs in South Korea, Chelsea vs. Club América in Las Vegas, Everton vs. Arsenal in Baltimore and FC Köln vs. Milan in well, Köln.
???? MLS’s Rivalry Week has been keeping us entertained in recent days and the derby-day action continues in to a second weekend.
Austin moved top of the Western Conference thanks to their midweek win over fellow Texans Houston and they now face the third club from the Lone Star State – FC Dallas, on Saturday. Elsewhere, there’s the Canadian Classique featuring Montréal (4th in the East) and Toronto (13th).
?? The 2. Bundesliga, one of Europe’s most keenly fought second-tier leagues returns this weekend, meaning we’ll be treated to a number of headline clashes between sleeping giants, or big sides who for whatever reason find themselves at this level.
St. Pauli were top of the table for long periods last season and looked nailed on for automatic promotion only to fade and finish fifth. Having no doubt regrouped in the summer, they begin the new campaign at home to Nürnburg, a side with nine top flight titles to their name but who are now looking at their fourth-straight season outside the Bundesliga.
??Another league returning to the app is the Swiss Super League. And here, the FA are kicking things off with a bang as last season’s surprise winners FC Zürich travel to Young Boys – the title winners in each of the four seasons prior to that.
Sunday
?? The MLS Rivalry week continues in to Sunday with the Hudson River Derby between New York Red Bulls and New York City. With both clubs battling at the right end of the Eastern Conference, this should be a significant fixture. The two last met in June with Red Bulls pulling off a convincing 3-0 win in the quarter-finals of the US Open Cup.
Elsewhere, there’s the cross-border Cascadian rivalry between Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps plus a meeting between second and third in the Western Conference as LAFC travel to Nashville.
?? Back in the 2. Bundesliga and perhaps still smarting from their defeat in the promotion play-offs last season – Hamburg start at Eintracht Braunschweig. Eintracht themselves are another of the sides in the division with a German title to their name but they have been yo-yo’ing between the second and third tiers for the last few seasons and will be hoping to consolidate now they’re back at this level once again.
? Group C wraps up at the Women’s Euros on Sunday and it’s a group where, mathematically, any of the four sides could still go through.
Defending champions Netherlands are on four points having drawn with Sweden and overcome Portugal – despite that is, injuries and positive Covid cases affecting key players such as goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal and Vivianne Miedema. They now face a Swiss side who only have one point but have proved dogged opponents in the tournament so far.
The Swiss lost to Sweden last time out, with Barcelona’s Fridolina Rolfö key to the Swedes’ success. They’ll be looking to her to perform well again in their meeting with Portugal. Similarly to the other game, Sweden start on four points to Portugal’s one and there will no doubt be someone on both benches tasked with keeping an eye on the scoreline in the other game to ensure everyone knows exactly what result they need to progress.
?? Unlike other Nordic countries, Denmark doesn’t play its main football season over the summer months. Instead, it just feels like that due to the shortness of the gap between one Superliga season ending and the new one beginning!
So, less than two months after winning the Championship – FC København will kick off their title defence with a game against Horsens, at home, on Sunday.
?? Football also returns in Belgium with the country’s Super Cup set for Sunday. Club Brugge, who won their third successive league title during 2021/22 play Gent, who overcame Anderlecht in last season’s Cup final.
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Cover Image from IMAGO