The USMNT’s future looks brighter than ever, especially after a promising 0-0 draw against Wales and a 6-2 thumping of Panama. A young squad with overflowing potential has fans ready for the new era of Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest and other American stars playing among Europe’s best clubs.
In this episode of Raise Your Game, The18’s own Grant Conybear shows you how to correctly hit a knuckleball. The general technique of a knuckleball starts with aiming to strike the ball directly in the center. Using the knuckle part of your foot, about where your laces are, approach the ball straight on and use a short backswing while striking the ball with a locked ankle and locked leg.
Early goals by Youri Tielemans and Dries Mertens earned Belgium a comfortable 2-0 victory over England as they strengthened their grip on top spot in Nations League Group A2 in Leuven on Sunday.
England needed a win to put themselves back in the frame for a place in the Nations League finals, but Gareth Southgate's side found themselves chasing the game after Tielemans put the hosts in front after 10 minutes.
Así entraba el primero para Bélgica
It’s one of those types of goals you see all the time in the youth game but hardly ever see in professional football, and we just love to see it. As soon as we saw this Ajax indirect free kick goal, we knew we had to share it with you, our dear readers.
In the 12th minute with Ajax already up one, FC Midtjylland was penalized for the goalkeeper handling a pass back. Referees know this is a rare instance where the offensive team is awarded an indirect free kick in the box, not a penalty kick. Here’s what ensued.
A pair of sublime free kicks by midfielder James Ward-Prowse, between a Jannik Vestergaard header and a Danny Ings pile-driver, gave Southampton an entertaining 4-3 Premier League win at Aston Villa on Sunday. It was Villa's second successive home defeat as they were beaten by Leeds United 3-0 in the previous round of matches after winning their opening four league games, including a 7-2 drubbing of champions Liverpool.
It would be fair to say that Martyn Waghorn has waited a long time to become Derby County's primary free kick taker. Waghorn joined from Ipswich in 2018 but has had nary a sniff of a free kick during his three years in Derbyshire.
Manchester United produced its fair share of footballing legends during Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure in the north west of England, but few can lay claim to Ryan Giggs' idyllic exit in 2014.
(Paul Scholes did lift the Premier League trophy after his final United match, but after he was subbed on, United allowed West Brom to overcome a three-goal deficit and salvage a draw — not exactly flawless).