latest articles by julian delicata
Uruguay
/ 1098 days agoVAR fails Uruguay after late penalty appeal dismissed
Uruguay left it late to join the party in Qatar, producing its only noteworthy performance in the final group game. On the back of the miserable loss against Portugal, Diego Alonso ditched his oversized hipster white trainers and three man defense. In its place, he opted for an old fashioned pair of formal brown leather […]
Portugal
/ 1102 days agoPortugal-Uruguay penalty decision ends in controversy
The Portugal-Uruguay penalty controversy was one of many talking points out of Monday's World Cup game, but there were other issues for Uruguay to worry about. No width and no wits. That pretty much sums up Uruguay's performance against Portugal in the first 60 minutes. Despite the security of an experienced three man central defense […]
Uruguay
/ 1106 days agoUruguay fails to inspire against South Korea
It was not a great match. Uruguay and South Korea locked horns for Group H's first match, and it was a dull affair. Well done if you managed to sit through it all. Uruguay lined up with a strong midfield of Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde but lacked pace and width. Starting Martin […]
Uruguay
/ 1115 days agoValverde and Bentancur: Uruguay's star duo in midfield
The elegance and talent of Alvaro Recoba and Enzo Francescoli. The nastiness and pragmatism of Paulo Montero and Diego Godin. The ruthlessness and dynamism of Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani. This is how Uruguay have been portrayed in recent decades. The back line and the forward line – that's were Uruguay have been […]
Uruguay
/ 1119 days agoUruguay name experienced World Cup squad
Experience is very much the name of the game in the Uruguay World Cup squad. Manager Diego Alonso named six players aged 35 years or over for the FIFA World Cup 2022. The squad contains both Uruguay's most capped player and top scorer. The former is Diego Godín with 159 caps. The nation's top scorer […]
Eriksen
/ 1119 days agoWhy are soccer players having cardiac arrests?
As an eleven-year-old, I was shocked when Marc Vivien Foe collapsed in the midst of an intense soccer match between Cameroon, the darlings of the 2003 Confederations Cup, and Colombia. Foe had the physique of a titan and was arguably one of the best African midfielders of the time. He was just 28 years old. […]
News
/ 4097 days agoGabriel Agbonlahor Form Means An England Recall Could Be On The Cards
When Gabriel Agbonlahor first stepped on the grass of Goodison Park at the age of 19 for his Aston Villa debut against Everton great things were expected from the Birmingham-born striker. His lightning pace and direct runs coupled with his physique and agility made him a nightmare for opposition defences. Impressively, Agbonlahor featured in all […]
News
/ 4133 days agoMost Instrumental Players at Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Burnley
Soccer is far from being a one-man game. However having instrumental players in-form in key games surely increases the chances of winning any match by any team against any opposition. The following is part one of a four-piece feature where I choose one player from each English Premier League team who I believe will be […]
News
/ 4163 days agoCan Argentina be the Spain of World Cup 2010?
The scorelines 2-1, 1-0, 3-2, 1-0, 1-0, 0-0 — these are hardly the results of world beaters especially when the opposition includes Iran (ranked 43rd in the FIFA ranking), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria and Switzerland. However, “world beaters” is exactly what Argentina will be if they get past a Germany team whose morale is sky-high after […]
News
/ 4167 days agoTop 15 Stats From Brazil 1-7 Germany World Cup Semifinal
0 is the number of games lost by Germany in which Miroslav Klose has scored. 1st: Germany were the first team to score seven goals in a World Cup semifinal. 5 is the number of saves made by a hapless Julio Cesar. The 10th German shot was their first effort to go off-target as Mesut […]
News
/ 4167 days agoArgentina’s Top Five Players Not Named Messi
Argentina have been labelled as a one-man team well before the start of the World Cup but how true is this? Messi's critics have long said that his impressive performances for Barcelona are only possible due to the brilliance of the surrounding cast, namely Iniesta, Xavi and co. However, why does this not apply to […]
News
/ 4176 days agoGraham Zusi a Vital Force for the USA
These days, Graham Zusi is widely regarded as having one of the best right foots in MLS but his journey to the international stage has been far from straightforward. The Sporting Kansas City wide midfielder, who was drafted into MLS with the then-named Kansas City Wizards at the age of twenty-two, reached a new pinnacle […]
News
/ 4186 days agoJapan vs Greece Preview: Both Teams Face Must-Win Scenario
Ever since the World Cup was expanded to 32 teams for the 1998 edition, only four teams have managed to qualify from the group stage after losing the opening game (Turkey in 2002, Ghana & Ukraine in 2006, and Spain in 2010). Natal, the City of the Sun, thus will host a must-win contest for […]