IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 24
IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 24
LEWANDOWSKI BETWEEN MESSI AND RONALDO !
Robert Lewandowski with Manuel Neuer : IFFHS Awards 2015 !
The statistics of the last five years (2015 – 2020) give the opportunity for Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern München) to show his fantastic qualities of Goal Scorer ! He scored 206 goals in 227 official matches, that means 0,90 goal in a match. Lionel Messi (215 goals in 236 matches) is the only one to make a better score (0,91) and Cristiano Ronaldo (190 goals in 213 matches) is at the third place with 0,89 ! In the season 2019/20, Lewandowski has already scored 45 goals in 43 official matches, the best score in Europe and in the World for the Top Divisions.
MLS IS BACK
Major League Soccer announced its return to play on Wednesday, June 10 with the MLS IS BACK TOURNAMENT, a cup-type competition at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney world resort in Florida that will run July 8 – August 11, 2020.
TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
All 26 MLS clubs participating with all matches being played in Orlando
54 matches will be played in all (39 group stage and 15 knockout round matches)
26 match days
Group stage followed by knockout rounds
Group stage counts toward the 2020 regular season standings
Group stage consists of 26 teams split into 6 groups
Eastern conference has 3 groups, one of six teams and two with four teams
Western conference has 3 groups, each consisting of four teams
The top two teams from each group along with the four best third-place finishers will move on to the knockout stage, beginning with the round of 16
Clubs can make up to 5 substitutions per match per the new protocol set by the IFAB
Winner earns 2021 CONCACAF Champions League Spot
Regular Season continues after Tournament
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
July 8: Group Stage begins
July 25-28: Round of 16
July 30-August 1: Quarter finals
August 5-6: Semi finals
August 11: MLS is Back Tournament Final
CANADA SOCCER WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH STEPS DOWN
A Surprising news came out of the Canada soccer on Wednesday, June 10 when it as announced that head coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller will be leaving his role after August 2020.
Canada soccer have immediately begun search for a replacement to lead the Women’s national team to the Olympic Games in July and August 2021, which was postponed from this year because of the covid-19 pandemic.
Heiner-Moller was hired as Canada Soccer Women’s national team head coach and national excel program director in January 2018 after which he recorded an international record of 20 wins, 5 draws and 10 defeats in 35 matches.
During his reign, he qualified Canada for both the FIFA women’s world cup France 2019 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as well as finishing second-place at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
He will be returning to his native country, where he will serve as the Head of Coach Education in the Danish Football Association.
“Canada soccer wishes Mr. Heiner-Moller al the best in his return to the Danish football Association and thank him for his contributions to our women’s national team program”, said Steven Reed, Canada soccer President. “He is a highly regarded coach who gained the respect of the Canadian soccer community in his time with our organization and we thank him for his genuine approach with both players and staff.”
NEWS IN QATAR
The Qatar Stars League ( QSL) announced the schedule of matches in Weeks 18, 19 and 20 of the 2019-20 season QNB Stars League, after co-ordination with the authorities concerned. The matches will be played at three stadiums having cooling technology - Education City, Al Janoub and Jassim bin Hamad.
It may be noted that the kick-off timings and venues of matches in the last two weeks (21 and 22) will be finalized later based on the results and standings of teams in the table, as the QSL is keen to provide all clubs with equal opportunities.
Aligning with the arrangements for teams’ training ahead of the resumption of 2019-20 season QNB Stars League and according to the general plan and protocol, developed by the Qatar Stars League in co-operation with the Ministry of Public Health and Aspetar hospital, Coronavirus (Covid-19) tests for players as well as technical and administrative staff continued at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium on Saturday, 13th June, 2020.
Tests were scheduled for Al Sadd, Al Gharafa, Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Qatar SC and Al Wakrah clubs. After completion of tests, they would return to their homes under self-quarantine until the test results come, taking into account the health and safety of everyone.
In the event of a positive case (let it not happen by God’s grace), he will undergo the procedures of Ministry of Public Health. If the test result is negative, he will join the team at their hotel as per schedule.
FASTEST WOMEN’S SCORER YET ENGANAMOUIT HANGS BOOTS AT 28.
Cameroonian female forward player, Gaelle Deborah Enganamouit has celebrated her 28th birthday June 9th, saddening fans with her decision to hang her boots, although slim hopes for a future return to the game still linger.
Virtually wandering in the wilderness after quitting Spanish side Malaga in April, 2019, following a four-month stint therein, the player who is credited with arguably the fastest goal yet in world women’s football, a third second goal with Spartak Subotica in 2012, has had an injury-riddled career. She was ruled out of the 2016 season when she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Gaelle Enganamouit began her football career in 2009 with domestic league side, Lorema Yaounde, before moving to the Serbian First League in the colors of Subotica with whom she made a UEFA Champions League appearance. From 2014-2015 she played 41 games with Eskiltuna United, scoring 24 goals ; made barely 4 appearances with Rosengard in 2016 with 1 goal; never found the net with Dalian Quanjian during the 2017-2018 season ; scored 4 goals in 15 games with Avaldsnes in 2018 ; and scored no goal in 2 appearances with Malaga last year.
In the colors of the Cameroon National Team, The Lionesses, she scored 5 goals in 43 appearances from 2010 to 2020, a high point being her hat trick in Cameroon’s 6-0 routing of Ecuador during the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
ADA HEGERBERG IN HISTORY !
A source told AFP the contract was worth upwards of 1m euros (£890,000) to the Norwegian player. "It is yet another massive step in my career," said Hegerberg. "Nike and I have common goals to elevate women's sports in the years to come." She added: "My performances brought me here, and I sure want to keep writing history with the help of Nike, on and off the field. I am thrilled to be part of this team."
Victor Bernard, Hegerberg's agent, said: "This is an historic contract and a true commitment both to Ada and women's football." Hegerberg was the first winner of the women's Ballon d'Or in 2018 and was also named BBC Women's Footballer of the Year in 2017 and 2019. Her goals have helped Lyon win their domestic title for five consecutive seasons and claim the women's UEFA Champions League in each of the last four seasons ! Ada scored 220 goals in 182 official matches with Olympique Lyon, trusting all records and Goal Scorer rankings ! At 24, she scored already 282 goals in 272 matches, having also realized 38 goals in 64 matches with Norway !
However, she did not take part in last year's World Cup in France because of a long-standing disagreement with the Norwegian football association and was succeeded as Ballon d'Or winner in 2019 by USA star Megan Rapinoe.