Your MacKenzie junior correspondents break down two teams that took their 2020 bow this month: Emelec and FK Vazdovac
Tag: FK Vozdovac
Week 8 Recap: From the Boot Room With Love
Scores and Recaps
Hibernian 3 v. Ross County 0
The Staggies’ poor road form continued in a total dismantling at Easter Road in Edinburgh.
East Bengal Club 1 – Punjab FC 1
The comeback draw was good for team spirits, but more dropped points means that Mohun Bagan’s lead is still 9 points
(M) Grenoble Foot 38 3 – Niort 1
Grenoble scored! Early! And then…often!!! The decider, scored on a late and smug chip from Moussa Kailou Djitte might make Niort fans seethe, but the breathing room is appreciated.
(M) Augsburg 1 – SC Freiburg 1
A late strike helped Freiburg get a valuable road point in the battle to stay close for European spots
Ross County 1 – St. Johnstone 1
A late strike helped Ross County salvage a draw at home. Given the Staggies’ abysmal road results, every point matters to their chances of staying up in the premiership.
Mladost Lucani 2 – FK Vozdovac 1
Serbia’s SuperLiga is back after a lengthy winter break (to be fair, Belgrade in January isn’t exactly a holiday makers dream). The rust was apparent when a clumsy Vazdovac challenge gifted the hosts a penalty and a crucial edge they wouldn’t surrender.
Legon Cities FC 1 – Great Olympics 1
If twitter feeds are anything to judge by, this will be the most meaningful derby for the Royals. A contentious first match with penalty appeals and chippy defense will only entrench the enmity.
(M) Orense 2 – Emelec 2
A late strike started Emelec’s 2020 campaign on solid footing. Despite conceding twice, Los Bombistas fought back to get a valuable point against the newly promoted Orense.
Zacatepec 1 – Alebrijes de Oaxaca 0
Give up a penalty in the first minute and things might seem grim. But a tremendous save by Jose Canales kept the score level….for a while. Zapetec took the lead about 20 minutes later, and even when a red card left the hosts a man down, Oaxaca couldn’t capitalize
Punjab FC 1 – Real Kashmir 0
Asier Dipanda remains one of the great difference makers around the world. Here again, without him, the Warriors may have ended up with a goalless tie. With him the keep their advantage in second place.
SC Sand 0 – SC Freiburg 2
The Bundesliga returned for women this weekend and with it Freiburg phenom Karla Bühl who, at 19, followed up her World Cup coming out party with 8 goals so far (a third of Freiburg’s total)
News & Notes
Rosenborg BK Announces Women’s Team
Norway’s legacy of greatness in the women’s game is without doubt. But the most decorated club in the country hasn’t been much involved…until now.
Rosenborg’s new women’s team is still in the planning stages, but the promise of Toppserien seasons is a blessing. (It’s currently unclear whether existing local women’s side Trondheim Ørn would join the club or be a ready made rival).
What’s Next
Wednesday, February 19
Thursday, February 20
4:15–Emelec v Blooming (Copa Sudamericana 2nd Leg)
Friday, February 21
1:00–(M) Grenoble v Châteauroux
Saturday, February 22
8:30–(M) Freiburg v Fortuna Düsseldorf
9:00–Aberdeen v Ross County
10:00–FK Vazdovac v FK Spartan Subotica
Sunday February 23
7:00–(W) SC Freiburg v MSV Duisburg
3:30 (M) Emelec v Guyaquil City
7:00–Jaibos v Alebrijes de Oaxaca
Monday February 24
Week 2 Recap: And the Band Played On
Scores and recaps
Punjab FC 1 – Real Kashmir 1
The first game of a busy back-to-back weekend for the Warriors saw them pay a visit to one of the hottest regions in India on rather cold day.
Makan Winkle Chothe capitalized on an early attack that swirled around the Snow Leopards’ box. The young striker hammered a low cross home to give the Warriors the lead, but the team then sat back trying to keep Kashmir at bay. The persistence of Kashmir’s foriegn imports, particularly Englishman Kallum Higginbotham and Ivorian Ghnore Krizo eventually overcame Nepali keeper Kiran Kumar Limbu (who had an otherwise sterling performance)
SC Freiburg 1 – Borussia Munchengladbach 2 (in both friendlies)
In gearing up for the second half of the Bundesliga season, Freiburg ran out two different squads to take on the 2nd place team in the table. The result was a pleasingly palindromic pair of matches, with Munchengladbach scoring the first two, Freiburg the next two, and Muchengladbach the last two of the day.
Sitting just 2 points off of the European league spots, Freiburg will be looking to steel their defense from a league worst 8.1 tackles per match, but Munchengladbach’s attack didn’t help them find any answers.
AC Ajaccio 3 – Grenoble Foot 38 1
As Ligue 2 returned to action, Grenoble was in dire need of an offensive jolt. There were a pair of lightning strikes, but they came from AC Ajaccio’s Gaetan Courtet who left fans reeling with a brace of beautifully struck goals.
Bright spots were few and far between for Grenoble though Jessy Benet’s first half corner was perfectly placed for a player making a run. (That it was AC Ajaccio’s Cyrille Bayala who made the run and scored the own goal is a minor note). Most frustrating was a trio of close range shots from Benet, Arsene Elogo, and Florian Raspentino that were deflected by Benjamin Leroy to stymie another attack.
Legon Cities FC 0 – Dreams FC 0
Another week, another wait for fans of the Royals. While there was strong support from fans in the stands, the team on the pitch couldn’t quite connect. Despite a strong showing from Sadick Sulley and a penalty cry from defend Ahmed Rahaman.
On the plus side this video is now my son Alex’s favorite song.
News and Notes
Grizzlies Don’t Brag, They Gasconade
The Lady Griz are back in training, including using squash courts to practice volleying (which is pretty clever use of resources given most Montanan winters). They’re also back in the classroom where, well, let’s just show the domination shall we?
Reunited and it Feels So Good
While a few teams are still in regular action, most others came back from their winter breaks this week with a little bonding and a lot of practice.
Aleksa Jankovic joins the Dragons
I know what you’re thinking: “I thought Aleksa Jankovic died in the 19th century after serving as prime minister before the start of the Kardordevic Dynasty, how is the reanimated corpse of that Serbian leader going to help the defense?!”
(You weren’t thinking that? Well…you should have been.)
This Alksa Jankovic is actually a 19 year old winger fresh from Belgrade rivals Partizan’s training grounds. He mostly figured in cup ties and is eager for some first team action.
Staggies Welcome 2 More
Seeking to shore up the defense, Ross County have brought in two more players including English Defensive Midfielder Jordan Tillson, and Scottish Center Back Coll Donaldson.
Tillson moves north after a series of loans out of League 2 Exeter Town, while Donaldson will switch sides in the Highland Derby, leaving Inverness CT for the boys in Dingwall.
What’s Next?
Tuesday, January 14th
2:30 AM Punjab FC v Mohun Bagan
Wednesday, January 15th
1:00 PM Legon Cities FC v Ashanti Gold
Saturday, January 18th
8:30 AM Mainz v Freiburg
9:00 AM Ayr United v Ross County (Scottish FA Cup)
Sunday, January 19th
10:00 AM Aduana Stars v Legon Cities FC
MacKenzie's Boot Room 