Toby Wildgoose - Sports Blog: November 2013

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Match Report: Bayer Leverkusen 0-5 Manchester United

Manchester United booked their place in the last-16 of the Champions League with a convincing 5-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

Goals from Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Nani were more than enough to sink the Bundesliga side and all but secure top spot in Group A.

Following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff, David Moyes made four changes to the United side, including the return of Ryan Giggs who made his 138^th European appearance just days before his 40^th birthday.

Phil Jones and Shinji Kagawa also came back into the starting XI to play alongside Giggs, and were looking to impress after missing recent games in the Premier League.

The visitors were not injury free though, and both Robin van Persie and Nemanja Vidic were deemed unfit to play.

The game started in a good manor for United, and it appeared Wayne Rooney was in on goal after a brilliant through ball from Shinji Kagawa left him one-on-one with Leverkusen ‘keeper Bernd Leno. The chance was not to be though, and the linesman correctly raised his flag to signify offside against the United number 10.

The away side weren’t disheartened though, and they continued to press during the first 15 minutes of the match.

As the pressure continued to build, a chance soon fell to Nani on the inside of the 18-yard box. The Portuguese winger stepped onto his favoured right foot before firing a dipping effort just over the crossbar - much to the agony of the away crowd.

Minutes later, it was the home side who were on the front foot, as Stefan Kiebling pushed forward into the United area. A last ditch tackle from Jonny Evans, however, ensured the score would stay level for a little longer.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 22^nd minute though, as Antonio Valencia slotted home his second goal of the group stage.

Wayne Rooney again lofted a dangerous ball into the box and, after dipping over Shinji Kagawa, the cross fell perfectly for Valencia to side foot against the post and into the back of the net.

The first-half scoring wasn’t done here though, and bang on the half-an-hour mark, United doubled their lead over the Bundesliga side.

A free-kick was won on the edge of the Leverkusen box, and Rooney yet again fired a swirling cross into the box for Chris Smalling to attack. The right-back was beaten to the ball by Leverkusen defender Emir Spahic though, who agonisingly watched his header fly into the top corner of his own net.

A number more chances followed for the away side, however, the score stayed at 2-0 going into the break.

Half-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Manchester United

The second-half was a far more one sided affair, and it only took 20 minutes for the visitors to all but end Leverkusen hopes of a comeback.

From a United corner, Patrice Evra rose highest to nod the ball down to the feet of Wayne Rooney. The forward couldn’t quite force the ball home though, and the chance instead fell to Jonny Evans. The defender simply couldn’t miss and the ball was scrambled home to make the score 3-0 in favour of the Red Devils.

The scoring wasn’t done here though, and as the game looked to be fizzling out, Wayne Rooney was once again involved in a United goal.

This time, the England international picked up the ball just outside Leverkusen’s six yard box after a wonderful pass from Shinji Kagawa. Unselfishly, he played the ball back across the box and through the keepers’ outstretched arms for Chris Smalling to tap home.

The scoring was finally completed in the 88^th minute, when 27-year-old Nani rounded Bernd Leno before audaciously chipping home to add extra gloss to an already emphatic scoreline.

The win sees United secure qualification to the knockout round and tightens their grip on top spot in Group A.

Full-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-5 Manchester United

Bayer Leverkusen: Leno, Spahic, Omer Toprak, Donati, Reinartz (Hegeler 70), Rolfes, Bender (Kohr 81), Can, Castro, Son (Derdiyok 70), Kiessling

Unused: Lomb, Stafylidis, Wollscheid, Kruse

Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra (Büttner 70), Giggs, Jones, Valencia (Young 80), Kagawa, Nani, Rooney (Anderson 80)

Unused: Lindegaard, Cleverley, Hernandez, Welbeck

Attendance: N/A

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Match Report: England 0-1 Germany (Friendly)

England slipped to successive defeats at Wembley Stadium for the first time since 1977 after Per Mertesacker scored the only goal in a close encounter which saw Germany end the international season a high.

Ahead of the game, England boss Roy Hodgson made a number of changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Chile on Friday night. The most significant change came in the form of Joe Hart returning to the side after recent criticism over his goalkeeping performances for Manchester City.

Daniel Sturridge also came back into the starting-XI after missing Friday’s friendly with a foot injury, and was looking to impress after his recent good form in the Premier League.

Another notable name in the side was Southampton forward Adam Lallana, who started his second successive game after making his international debut at Wembley on Friday.

The opening exchanges of the game were dominated by an attack-minded England who looked positive from the outset. It was Germany who had the first chance of the match though, when Heiko Westermann’s curling cross was headed wide of the post by Marco Reus in the 13^th minute.

England’s first clear cut chance of the game didn’t come until the 19^th minute, when Tom Cleverley picked up the ball on the left before whipping in a delightful ball for Wayne Rooney to attack. The striker, however, saw his looping header dip just over the crossbar, much to the despair of the home crowd.

Another chance soon followed when Steven Gerrard, making his 108^th cap for England, picked up the ball just outside the 18-yard box. The Liverpool midfielder watched his right-footed volley fire high over the crossbar though, despite a good touch and control before the shot.

The only goal of the game came against the run of play in the 39^th minute. A German corner was bravely met by Per Mertesacker, who saw his header wonderfully saved by an outstretched Joe Hart. The ball was then cleared straight to Toni Kroos who played a first time ball into the box. The cross once again fell to Mertesacker and this time the Arsenal defender didn’t miss as his towering header looped into the net to make it 1-0.

Steven Gerrard then had another chance to score just before half-time but his dipping, 25-yard drive fired just over the crossbar leaving the home side undeservedly trailing at the break.

Half-time: England 0-1 Germany

The second-half started very much as the first had left off, and a frantic phrase of play led to chances for both the home and away side. It was first the German’s chance to strike as Mario Gotze somehow weaved his way through the defence, before setting up Marco Reus, whose shot was well saved by Joe Hart. A swift counter attack from Andros Townsend then led to a chance for England, however, neither Daniel Sturridge nor Adam Lallana could provide a sufficient finish.

Andros Townsend then had a chance of his own in the 57^th minute of the game, when the ball fell to him 30 yards from goal. The Tottenham winger may have had the German ‘keeper Weidenfeller beaten, but his swirling shot fired back off the post leaving the score at 1-0.

The away side had another chance to extend their lead later on in the second-half when Mario Gotze once again broke through the England defence, only to see his shot well saved by Joe Hart low down to his right.

With the game finely poised, yet more chances fell the Germans’ way, with shots from Sidney Sam, Andre Schürrle and Gotze all firing just past the post.

However, England would have one last chance to equalise late in the game.

The ball fell to the feet of Andros Townsend just outside the box, who cleverly turned and shot towards debutant Weidenfeller’s goal. It wasn’t to be though, and the drive fired wide of the right-hand post.

The result sees England slip to their second friendly defeat at Wembley in five days.

Full-time: England 0-1 Germany

England: Hart, Walker, Smalling, Jagielka, Cole (Gibbs 53), Townsend, Gerrard (Henderson 56), Cleverley (Wilshere 64), Lallana (Lambert 76), Sturridge, Rooney (Barkley 71)

Unused: Ruddy, Johnson, Baines, Cahill, Milner, Lampard, Defoe, Rodriguez, Forster

Germany: Weidenfeller, Schmelzer (Jansen 45), Westermann (Draxler 67), Mertesacker, Boateng (Hummels 45), Sven Bender, Kruse (Sam 56), Lars Bender, Kroos, Reus (Schürrle 82), Gotze

Unused: Adler, Howedes, Muller

Attendance: 85,934

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Scunthorpe United Programme Work

At the start of the 2013-14 season, I was offered the job of writing the away day preview in the Scunthorpe United programme. This section is for fans who are looking to know a little more about the grounds they'll be visiting and how to get there. I began writing for the programme back in August and have continued to do so throughout the season.

Here are some examples of my work: