latest articles by Julian Delicata
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/ 4261 days agoBBC Announces New Pundits For Match of the Day
A new Premier League season is upon us and that can only mean one thing...BBC's Match of the Day is back and this time round we are being treated to a fresh new line-up of pundits. Liverpool legend and MOTD veteran Alan Hansen will not be on the television screen of households and pubs all […]
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/ 4261 days agoTop 4 Tactical Innovations in Soccer
Following the impressive performances – most notably the 5-1 victory over the defending champions Spain – of Louis van Gaal’s Dutch side in the World Cup, a new formation seems to be in vogue…the 3-5-2. In reality, many sides have utilized a back four in the last decade with Marcelo Bielsa’s Chile, Roberto Martinez’s Everton […]
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/ 4288 days agoHow Sabella's Tactical Changes Played Right Into the Hands of Germany
And so it finally happened! 120 minutes on the 13th of July 2014; 120 minutes in the famous Maracana Stadium; 120 minutes to determine the World Champions; 120 minutes to change soccer players into legends. ...and what a tense 120 minutes it turned out to be as a total of 36 fouls were made. With […]
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/ 4289 days agoArgentina vs. Germany: By The Numbers
The winners of the 20th FIFA World Cup will be decided in a mouth-watering clash between two giants of international football in the historic Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Between them, Argentina and Germany have won 5 World Cup tournaments and both teams make part of the relatively short list of 8 nations that […]
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/ 4289 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 […]
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/ 4293 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 […]
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/ 4294 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 […]
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/ 4302 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 […]
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/ 4303 days agoCosta Rica vs Greece Preview and Predicted Lineups
Greece and Costa Rica have a combined total of just seven victories in the history of the World Cup, with the Central American side qualifying for the first time in 1990 and the Europeans in 1994. Not many expected either one of them to reach the quarter finals but after today’s match in the Arena […]
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/ 4304 days agoPredicted Lineups for Brazil vs Chile
Hosts Brazil and fellow South Americans Chile will be kicking off the knock-out stage of the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte with the Selecao being the favorites to qualify to the quarter-finals. However, La Roja will prove to be a tough opponent to beat as Head Coach Jorge Sampaoli promised to set his team […]
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/ 4307 days agoSamaras Scores Last Minute Penalty to Send Greece to Round Of 16
Georgios Samaras scored a late penalty in stoppage time to send Greece through to the Round of 16, while Ivory Coast will feel demoralized after being so close to advancing. Controversy surrounded this nerve-wrecking game in Group C as Greece snuck through to the second round of the World Cup finals after facing a more-fancied […]
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/ 4309 days agoWATCH USA 2-2 Portugal Match Highlights [VIDEO]
This is the World Cup that just keeps on giving. Seconds from qualifying for the next round, U.S.A. were struck with the cruelest of blows as Silvestre Varela headed in Portugal’s equalizer from a magical cross by Ronaldo. The Americans more than matched their European opponents and deservedly took the lead ten minutes from time […]
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/ 4311 days agoPredicted Lineups for Argentina vs Iran, World Cup Group Stage
Whilst Iran will be looking for only their second victory in World Cup history, Argentina are being widely regarded as hot favorites, along with Brazil, to land their third World Cup title at the Maracana on the 13th of July. It was also in the famous Maracana stadium where Alejandro Sabella, the Albiceleste coach, decided […]
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/ 4312 days agoJapan 0-0 Greece: Feisty Ten Man Greece Salvage Draw; Match Highlights [VIDEO]
The second 0-0 result of the World Cup will be seen as a massive chance blown to get three points by Japan, who enjoyed a one man advantage for the best part of an hour and dominated possession. Greece defended resolutely but could have easily snuck away with a victory had they converted their chances. […]
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/ 4312 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 […]