Latest news with #unbeaten
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'A breath of fresh air' but 'we shouldn't get carried away'
We asked you to sum up Cardiff's start to the season after the Bluebirds maintained their unbeaten start in League One with a 3-0 victory against are some of your comments:Harry: "BBM has transformed the way we play. We are positive and controlled. I am extremely excited about the future and what BBM and his staff can do with the academy prospects we provide "They have started well but will face many challenges this season as the season progresses. We do need a real experienced central midfielder and a left footed winger."Andy: "It's very promising how so much young talent has been on display this season so far. They'll grow into a very useful championship side under Brian Barry- Murphy playing a style of football that suits the skills of the players and is very pleasing to watch too. I know it's League One but a season of this side playing together will help them gel and improve with the experience."Csider: "A great start. Three games against sides that are unlikely to feature in the top 10 means that we shouldn't get carried away. Encouraging to see the young players getting results and playing with purpose and energy. The manager appears to have a system that scores goals, hopefully he develops a more robust defence than previous managers. A long way to go, but good start."Rhiannon: "We couldn't have started the season any better but we have to fix our away form if we want to go straight back up. We need a few more signings, preferably experienced players as this is a relatively young squad. The only negative thing about the style of play is that we seem to be focusing all of our attacks in the wide areas. Alan: "It's been a breath of fresh air so far. The youngsters have stepped up and it's great to see home grown talent - keep it up."Jamie: "The first three games have shown that our home form is going to be imperative this campaign; BBM has us playing some of the best football I have seen in many years at the Cardiff City Stadium. The issue is going to be away games; a rough away game against Port Vale where we were lucky to walk away with a point is going to be the story for most away games I fear. Teams are going to be overtly physical to put our young guns off their game. A seasoned signing or two would be the cherry on top of a very exciting upcoming team."Bluewibbo: "Very early days for the City yet. The sides they've played have been pretty poor. Get an experienced centre half, full back and winger in, then we'll see how they look."Russell: "It is refreshing to see Cardiff playing possession football albeit against substandard sides . Hopefully they will get into the habit for our return to the Championship."Steve: "With the best crop of young talent in living memory, Brian Barry-Murphy could prove to be the best signing in many years. We need to keep the more experienced players and make a couple of quality additions in central defence and on the wing. It's a positive time to be a Cardiff fan, even with the continuing controversies at higher management levels of the "Really pleased. Can't argue with second in League, unbeaten, scoring and playing good football. Still feel we need some players in before end of window."Ellen: "Cardiff under Brian Barry-Murphy look a different side. Apart from the flat goalless draw which was 0-0 at Port Vale, we've dominated games, scoring five and conceding just once in the first three matches. Thankfully the defence hasn't been tested much yet, but with an inexperienced back line and no defensive signings yet, better sides like Stevenage could challenge us. Murphy's possession-based style is there, and players like Colwill and Kpakio are improving. Cardiff are a transformed side compared to Riza's regime."Lee: "Very happy with the start we've made. Solid defence, clear structure. I like what BBM is building off the pitch too, with some shrewd additions to his backroom staff. A few more quality and/or experienced heads in the first team wouldn't go amiss, "It's a good start, unbeaten in all comps IS good, but there are points where Cardiff have struggled with teams willing to sit in and defend. The young team has done well, but we need not just quality signings but also experience to supplement the youth."Russell: "An encouraging start, much more desire in the team than last year. A couple of players before the window shuts, absolutely essential - a right full back, creative centre midfield, and a striker that can hold the ball up!"
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Belgian Pro League Review: Matchweek 4
Four weeks already gone in the Belgian Pro League and four teams remain unbeaten to start the campaign. One of these is certainly a surprise after four games, while the league leaders are a familiar name nowadays. Here is our review of all the action from the top flight of Belgian football. Friday fun for Zakaria El Ouahdi Genk's Moroccan right-back continued to impress as the side beat OH Leuven 2-1 to grab their first three points of the campaign. Zakaria El Ouahdi scored a brace as Genk took control of the game midway through the first half. However, a mistake from goalkeeper Tobias Lawal gave Roggerio Nyakossi a chance to pull one back. The Swiss defender finished well, but the same cannot be said of the rest of his teammates. David Hubert's side took 22 shots, with only seven on target and only one going into the back of the net. Their poor start to the campaign continues, and their lack of a goal scorer upfront remains evident. Saturday's games: South African magic and Ecuadorian buses It took a wonderful goal in added time for Club Brugge to overcome newly promoted Zulte Waregem. Nicky Hayen must have been wondering if the side were ever going to score, despite dominating the ball and chances. Young South African Shandre Campbell was introduced with a few minutes to go and struck late to win it for Club Brugge and announce his arrival in the Belgian Pro League. Gent will be wondering how they only managed to draw away to KV Mechelen. Bilal Bafdili had given the hosts the lead, only for Omri Gandelman to equalise just after the hour mark. An injury in the warm-up to Mechelen goalkeeper Ortwin De Wolf saw Nacho Miras thrown into the action instead. The goalkeeper was in fine form, making 10 saves to earn his side a point. Kevin Rodriguez scored his first goal for a year last weekend, and the Ecuadorian forward followed that up with another great performance. Like London buses, the goals are starting to flow for the 25-year-old who grabbed a brace. Thomas Henry's red card for Standard Liege certainly didn't help things, but the side gifted a goal to Promise David late on to give the league leaders a comfortable 3-0 win. Adem Zorgane was exceptional in central midfield for Union St Gilloise. Sunday's matches: Cercle finally score, Sint Truiden keep up their fine start Anderlecht headed into a tough clash with AEK Athens off the back of a 2-0 victory over Dender. Goals from Cesar Huerta and Thorgan Hazard were enough for three points. A special mention once again for Nilson Angulo, whose two assists capped off another fine display. The Ecuadorian has started the season in fine form. On loan Anderlecht striker Keisuke Goto grabbed his first goal for Sint Truiden as the side beat RAAL 2-1. Goto's goal came late on, with Robert-Jan Vanwesemael having given the side a 1-0 lead in the first half. Oucasse Mendy had equalised for the newly promoted side in the second half, but Goto came off the bench to keep Sint Truiden level at the top with Union. Charleroi are still searching for their first win of the season after a 1-1 draw with Antwerp. Their opponents remain undefeated and took the lead through teenager Farouck Adekami, making it two goals in two games for the Ivorian youngster. Another Ivorian, Parfait Guiagon, grabbed his first goal of the season to equalise for the Zebras and grab a point. Cercle Brugge went into their clash with Westerlo having not scored a goal yet this season. By half-time, they were 3-0 up. Pieter Gerkens, Alan Minda and Steve Ngoura all struck to all but end the game. Josimar Alcocer did pull one back, but on loan Burnley man Oluwaseun Adewumi came off the bench to grab a debut goal for Cercle and earn the side a 4-1 victory. Table Top scorers Images courtesy of FotMob GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Saints can 'go a long way' with Still
Southampton's Ryan Fraser has heaped praise onto new boss Will Still and feels they can "go a long way" if the players stick by are unbeaten so far this season, with an opening-day win over Wrexham and on a competitive point away at Ipswich has featured in Still's side throughout pre-season and started in both of the first Championship games."I have to praise the manager because he told us to forget everything from last season," Fraser told BBC Radio Solent. "We're doing it his way now and his way is really good. If we stick by each other and we stick by him then we will go a long way for sure. "Having a pre-season under this manager and him trusting me is massive. Wherever I play I will do it to the best of my ability. "He and his staff have been top so far. They have ingrained good spirit and a real good feeling here and I think that translates to the pitch."Fraser provided an assist for his side in Sunday's draw at Portman Road. The 31-year-old cut in and send a quality ball into the box, where youngster Jay Robinson was on hand to head into the net for his first senior goal."Jay has been unbelievable," Fraser added. "As a young player he is playing without fear and he's bedded into the team so good. "First and foremost he is a great lad away from the pitch and if we keep him fit he will be a massive player for us this season. "Seeing him come through is nice for me to see. He reminds me of when I was that young, but he's probably better than me!"
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rafael Navarro has 2 goals, 1 assist for Rapids in 3-1 win over Atlanta
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Rafael Navarro had two goals and an assist, Darren Yapi scored a goal for the second consecutive game and the Colorado Rapids beat Atlanta United 3-1 on Saturday night to extend its unbeaten streak to 10 games. Colorado (10-11-6) snapped a three-game winless streak. Navarro drew a foul in the penalty area, conceded by Juan Berrocal, and then converted from the spot in the 64th to give the Rapids a 2-1 lead. Navarro, who has 11 goals and two multi-goal games this season, capped the scoring in the 71st with a first-touch finish from the edge of the area. Atlanta (4-12-10) is winless since a 3-2 victory against Orlando on May 28. Zack Steffen had a save for Colorado. Yapi, who scored two second-half goals in Colorado's 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday, opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Yapi skipped a volley, off a centering header played by Navarro, into the net from near the penalty spot. Alexey Miranchuk bent a shot from outside the penalty arc inside the left post to make it 1-1 in the 20th. Atlanta had 56% possession and outshot the Rapids 13-8. ___ AP soccer:
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'We were really slick and clinical'
Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire he was pleased with the 2-1 victory over Leicester that keeps his side unbeaten this campaign."I thought it was very good. I thought we should have been more in front than one when they equalised but I don't want us to settle, so if we are brave and we go for it and they get the second then we lose a point, but if we are brave and go for it and we get it then we gain two."It's those nudges and shifts in mentality. We've come away with the points and that's the big difference. We had to be good without the ball and we were with one blip being the goal."All their shots were from 20 yards. With the ball we were really positive. We had to make sure we kept the right mentality. We were really slick and clinical and I'm really pleased."
