Latest news with #clean sheet
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'I know I need to make a decision'
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank spoke to the media in Hong Kong on Thursday, after his side's 1-0 victory against reaping the rewards of intense training, he said: "It feels very pleasing of course. It's clear that this was not a friendly, it felt like a competitive match. If you saw it, it was competitive and if you played in it, it was very competitive. But some of the bits we've been working hard on is the combination of the defensive organisation - so high pressure, middle and low - so there's clear principles. "As well as the desire to keep a clean sheet because that gives you a big opportunity to win football matches."On acclimatising to the role as head coach during pre-season, he said: "You think you have a good idea [about working for Spurs] but you don't really know. You come here and see how important it is to the fans and you understand more and more how big of a club Tottenham is and also the importance of the club."On deciding the captaincy, he said: "That is to be confirmed. I haven't taken a decision yet, I'd like to understand the group and the players a little bit more. I know I need to make a decision before the first official game against PSG in the Super Cup and I will do that."It was natural for [Cristian] Romero and Son [Heung-min] to be captains so I kept it how it was."
CTV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Vancouver Whitecaps blank struggling Sporting Kansas City 3-0
Vancouver Whitecaps' Jean-Claude Ngando (26) celebrates his goal against the Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Yohei Takaoka isn't sure if this is the best soccer he's ever played — but the Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper believes he and his team are on the verge of something special. Takaoka stopped all three on-target shots he faced on Saturday and backstopped the 'Caps (13-5-6) to a decisive 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City (6-12-6). The result marked his Major League Soccer-leading 11th clean sheet of the season and came just days after he represented Vancouver at the league's all-star festivities in Austin, Texas. Asked whether this season marks the best of his career, the Japanese 'keeper hedged. 'It's tough to say. I hope so,' he said, noting that he and his teammates won the J-League title the league playing back in 2022. 'So I think that's one of the best in my career. But this season might be a new one.' Takaoka was quick to credit those around his success, though. 'I think it's the group, a group performance,' he said. 'I'm in the goal, but the other 10 players are working really hard. Not just the players, but the staff. Everyone's working hard.' Vancouver's group clicked on Saturday, controlling 54.2 per cent possession and outshooting Kansas City 22-12 with a 5-3 edge in on-target shots. The visitors challenged the 'Caps early, repeatedly stripping the home side of the ball through the first 10 minutes before Vancouver settled in and took control of the match midway through the first half. The Whitecaps opened the scoring in the 35th minute when Jayden Nelson sliced a ball across the top of the six-yard box to Emmanuel Sabbi, who slid and poked a shot in past SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp to make it 1-0. The goal was Sabbi's sixth across all competitions this season. He came close to adding to the tally before the halftime whistle. The American striker sent a shot up and over the Kansas City net in the 38th minute, then sent a low ball sailing just wide of the post in the 41st. A rebound helped double Vancouver's lead in the 43rd minute. Sebastian Berhalter nodded a shot toward the net but his attempt was blocked and the ball popped out to J.C. Ngando, who put a right-footed shot in just over Pulskamp's outstretched arm. His second goal of the season gave the 'Caps a 2-0 lead. Kansas City pushed to get on the board early in the second half and got a solid chance in the 55th minute. Left winger Daniel Salloi snuck through the Vancouver defence and unleashed a rocket from the top of the penalty area, but Takaoka dove to make the save. The 'keeper has been 'very, very good' this season, said Vancouver's head coach, Jesper Sorensen. 'It just gives confidence to the players in front of him. He gives the defensive players a lot of trust in him and there's not a lot happening around him,' Sorensen said. 'So I think he gives a very calm and he has a very calm demeanour, and I think that it spreads to his teammates in front of him.' The 'Caps appeared to go up 3-0 in the 68th minute when striker Brian White touched a shot into the back of the SKC net, but the goal was quickly ruled offside. Laborda put away Vancouver's third goal of the night in the 87th minute off a corner kick. Berhalter floated a ball into the six-yard box and Laborda nodded it in under Pulskamp's arm for his third goal of the campaign. The Whitecaps are now unbeaten in their last three outings (2-0-1) and sit a single point behind San Diego FC for top spot in the West. It's been a busy year for Vancouver, which has played 35 games across all competitions. 'Right now is a tricky part of the season, because we are in a good spot, but we also used a lot of energy so far, played 35 games,' Sorensen said. 'And players, now they will get a week off because they need a break. Some of them have played Gold Cup, some of them played Austin this mid-week. So they need some time off also.' After the break, the 'Caps have 10 games to go on their regular-season schedule, and will look to defend their Canadian Championship title. 'I think that now it's a good time just to get a little bit of rest and then come back fresh,' Sorensen said. 'And then we're ready to really attack the last bit of the season.' This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published July 26, 2025.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Chris Brady makes it back-to-back clean sheets in Fire's 1-0 win over Red Bulls
CHICAGO — Hugo Cuypers scored a penalty late in the first half, Chris Brady earned his second consecutive clean sheet, and the Chicago Fire defeated the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Saturday night. Brady, who stopped four shots in a 2-0 win over Montreal before the All-Star break, had three saves against New York. He last registered back-to-back shutouts in 2024 against New York City and Cincinnati.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Very important for us to get back into the rhythm'
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says pre-season preparations are going "really well" and his team are "on track" following their 3-0 win over League Two side Crawley Town on Friday Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Daniel Munoz were all on the scoresheet as the Eagles made it two wins and two clean sheets from two pre-season fixtures."Pre-season is going really well," Glasner told Palace TV, external after the friendly. "The players are doing really well. They are being very ambitious and showing great work-ethic."I'm really pleased with the performance. The players did well, scored nice goals, created many chances and we got another clean sheet - so we are on track."It is very important for us to get back into the rhythm and into the pattern of how we want to play."All of the players are arriving on different days. Chris Richards will join us for the Austria camp because he played in the [Concacaf Gold Cup] final with the USA. Marc Guehi has a small injury but will train with us on Sunday. Eddie Nketiah is the same."We don't want to take any risks."The Eagles are heading out to Austria next week to continue their pre-season preparations and Glasner is looking forward to the squad "spending time together" after a lifting the FA Cup trophy and setting a club-record Premier League points tally last season."It's not like everybody goes on vacation and then after six or seven weeks you come back together and you snap your fingers and everything is back again," Glasner added. "You have to invest, work and spend time together - then the bond will be there again."Therefore it is good to have time together, have training sessions, have video meeting with the players - as a team and individually - and also enjoy the time."Unfortunately, the weather in London will be better than the weather in Austria, but no problem! We are looking forward to having a very intense week."
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sam Surridge scores his 18th goal and Joe Willis earns 9th clean sheet as Nashville beats Toronto
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sam Surridge scored his 18th goal of the season, Joe Willis earned his ninth clean sheet and Nashville beat Toronto FC 1-0 on Saturday night. Nashville (14-5-5), which won its ninth home game this season, set a franchise record for wins during the regular season, topping 13 set in 2022 and '23. Nashville is unbeaten in its last six matches against Toronto (5-12-6), outscoring the Canadian side 8-3. Nashville is also undefeated (3-0-0) against Toronto when Surridge scores. Surridge scored in the 28th minute. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson made a diving save of Hany Mukhtar's left-footed shot outside of the box but it spilled to Surridge for an easy finish. Surridge became the 10th player in MLS history to score at least 18 goals in his team's first 24 games of a season and the first to do so since Carlos Vela and Josef Martínez in 2019. The shutout victory marked Willis' 76th career MLS regular season clean sheet and his 101st career MLS regular season win. ___ AP soccer:
