Weekend Guide 5.12.2015

The weather is not an issue for the Weekend Guide, as we have some great matches from all over the globe to help keep you warm - a relegation battle in Brazil, interesting names in Georgia and historical issues in Iraq.

(All times are in CET local time)

Amateur (Like this goal)

What? Coritiba – Vasco da Gama (Campeonato Brasileirão)

When? Sunday, 20:00

Where? Estádio Couto Pereira, Curitiba

Why? Vasco de Gama have spent some time in the second division during recent seasons and they are once again trying to avoid relegation. They are ranked 18th with 40 points, the same as the team in 17th place and a single point from the safety of 16th place. Coritiba are in 15th place with 43 points and only crazy  multiple thrashings can relegate them to Serie B.

Key Players: Coritiba’s star is Henrique, who won the U-20 World Cup with Brazil, as well as the Golden Boot and Golden Shoe of the tournament. Vasco da Gama’s key player is Nenê, the former Monaco and PSG player, who played abroad for 12 years.

Part of History: Everyone knows that Pelé's 1,000th goal was a historical moment, but not many people know that it was scored against Vasco. Edgardo Andrada was Vasco's goalkeeper in that match.

Professional (like this goal)

What? Dinamo Tbilisi – Sioni Bolnisi (Georgian Umaglesi Liga)

When? Sunday, 11:00

Where? Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Why? The most decorated team in Georgian football history, Dinamo Tbilisi, haven’t won a title in the last 4 seasons. Now they are top of the ladder with 34 points. Sioni Bolnisi is well-known team that can  any opponent problems and they are in the 3rd spot with 29 points.

Key Players: Sioni Bolnisi will try to stop Dinamo's players with Davit Svanidze, a 36-year old defender who has played for the club since 2005. Dinamo Tbilisi's Giorgi Kvilitaia is one of Georgian football’s future prospects and the league’s current top scorer with 10 goals.

Yes, Prime Minister: Kakha Kaladze is remembered as an AC Milan player, but in recent years he has become a politician. Nowadays, he is the Minister of Energy and the Prime Minister’s Deputy of Georgia.

World Class (like this goal)

What? Naft Al-Wasat – Al-Zawraa (Iraqi Premier League)

When? Monday, 12:30

Where? An-Najaf Stadium, Najaf

Why? Naft Al-Wasat, the reigning Iraqi title holders, are in 2nd place of group A with 19 points, just one point behind Al-Zawraa. Al-Zawraa have had a few bad seasons in recent years, but are still is the most decorated team in the league, with 12 championships.

Key Players: You can't talk about Naft Al-Wasat without mentioning Noor Sabri, the veteran goalkeeper who was part of the legendary 2007 Iraqi Asian Cup winning squad. Alaa Abdul-Zahra, known as the Iraqi Kaká, has had a long career in Jordan, Iran, Qatar and Sudan and now he is leading Al-Zawraa.

Perfect Debutants: Naft Al-Wasat won the title in their first ever season in the league. They are the second team to do so, after Al-Zawraa in 1976.

Weekend Guide 28.11.2015

There are people who like to travel the world and see new places; the Weekend Guide is here to make your travels even more interesting.

This week we will visit the derby of Sofia, a high profile match in Qatar and finally, a glorious final in Africa.

Amateur (Like these dancers)

What? Levski Sofia – Slavia Sofia (Bulgarian A Football Group)

When? Sunday, 16:45

Where? Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia

Why? The biggest team in Bulgaria, Levski Sofia, didn't win a title since 2009. They are currently leading the table after 16 matches. Slavia will try to hold them back, even though they are just in 5th place.

Key Players: Levski's Radoslav Tsonev is one of the hot prospects of Bulgarian football, as he is just 20 years old and already has an important role in the team. Don't miss Slavia's Ivaylo Dimitrov, who played for years in the lower divisions of Bulgaria and now is a rising star in the league with 5 goals.

In the name of the hero: Slavia is a common name for Eastern European clubs, but Levski is a unique one. The club is named after Bulgaria’s national hero, Vasil Levski, who was one of the Bulgarian liberation movement leaders from the 19th century.

Professional (like this goal)

What? Al Rayyan – Al Jaish (Qatar Stars League)

When? Saturday, 15:30

Where? Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan

Why? Al Rayyan opened the season with an insane record - 9 consecutive wins. Al Jaish will try to stop them and close the gap while they are in 2nd place, 4 points behind.

Key Players: The Qatari league always produces unstoppable scorers, and Al Rayyan has the Brazilian-Qatari of Japanese background Rodrigo Tabata, who scored 10 goals in 9 matches. Al Jaish has a much younger star than the 35 year old striker -  Abderrazak Hamdallah, a 24 year old Moroccan who came in a free transfer from China, and scored 8 goals.

International Coach: Al Rayyan's manager, Jorge Fossati, won the Qatari title in 2007, after he triumphed at 3 other countries – Uruguay, Ecuador and Paraguay.

World Class (like these fans)

What? Étoile du Sahel – Orlando Pirates (CAF Confederation Cup)

When? Sunday, 19:30

Where? Stade Olympique de Sousse, Sousse

Why? After a 1:1 tie in the first leg, the tension is high in the CAF Confederation Cup final. Étoile du Sahel won the tournament in 2006, and a year later won the CAF Champions League. They wish to continue the Tunisian dominance in the tournament with 5th title for their country. Orlando Pirates was the first South African club to win the CAF Champions League in 1995 and now they can be the first South African club to win the secondary club tournament in the continent.

Key Players: Aymen Mathlouthi is Étoile du Sahel’s goalkeeper since 2003 and one of the indispensable players of the club. In Orlando Pirates you should look at Thamsanqa Gabuza, the player who scored in the first leg, and has 5 more goals in the tournament, making him a real contender for the Golden Boot award.

Lost and Found: Orlando Pirates' all-time league top scorer Benedict Vilakazi played for some interesting clubs during the past years. He played in Swaziland, Botswana and his current club is Botswana Meat Commission F.C. Sounds like it is BBQ time!

Weekend Guide 20.11.2015

The international break is over, and it's time to go back to some local league football. A small and sensational team in Poland, a great Colombian derby, and a ‘guest’ team in a title chase in Singapore.

(All hours are in CET)

Amateur (Like this guy)

What? LKS Nieciecza – Piast Gliwice (Polish Ekstraklasa)

When? Friday, 18:00

Where? Stadion Termaliki Bruk-Bet, Nieciecza

Why? Piast Gliwice never played in the top tier before 2009 and they have a tremendous opening with 34 points in 15 matches, leading the table by 8 points. LKS Nieciecza is already making history, as they are ranked in the 9th place in their debut season.

Key Players: One of the interesting players in LKS Nieciecza is Wojciech Kędziora, who played in 3 clubs in the city of Gliwice and spent 10 years in Piast. One of the guys to watch in Piast Gliwice is Radosław Murawski, a 21 year old home grown player and the team’s captain.

The Village People: LKS Nieciecza holds the European record for the smallest ever village to play in a first division with 750 inhabitants. The previous record was held by the Cezch club Chmel Blšany with 900 people in the village.

Professional (like this commentator)

What? Millonarios – Independiente Santa Fe (Colombian Categoría Primera A)

When? Sunday, 23:00

Where? Estadio El Campín, Bogotá

Why? There is nothing more exciting than a derby in the decisive moments of the season.

El Clásico Capitalino (Bogotáno) between Millonarios and Independiente Santa Fe.

Key Players: Millonarios’ top gun is Rafael Robayo, one of the biggest legends in the club’s history with 384 appearances since 2005. At Santa Fe’s squad you can find Luis Manuel Seijas, a Venezuelan international midfielder who returned to the club after years in Belgium and Ecuador.

Foreign Dominance: From 1948 to 1987, during the first 40 seasons of the Colombian league, only one Colombian player was named as the seasonal top scorer. In 34 out of these 40 seasons, the top scorer was Argentine.

World Class (like these fans)

What? Brunei DPMM – Balestier Khalsa (Singapore S. League)

When? Saturday, 13:15

Where? Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Bandar Seri Begawan

Why? It's the last matchday in Singapore, and Brunei DPMM are one step away from their first ever title. The team, who previously played at their own national league and the Malaysian league, is now leading the Singaporean league by 2 points. Balestier Khalsa is just trying to finish the league with a decent result.

Key Players: Brunei DPMM leader is Rafael Ramazotti, a Brazilian striker and the league’s top scorer with 20 goals. Belastier’s goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam, one of the most dominant players in the team, is also an interesting figure.

Be Our Guests: Except from Brunei DPMM, the S. League has many of guest teams. At the moment, those are Japanese side Albirex Niigata and the U-23 national teams of Singapore and Malaysia. In the past there were also Korean, Chinese, and even a French team.

Weekend Guide 13.11.2015

The 2018 World Cup kick-off is less than a thousand days away, and our Weekend Recap is all about the qualifiers. Three games, on the road to Russia, with love!

(All hours are in CET)

Amateur (Like these guys)

What? Colombia – Argentina

When? Tuesday, 21:30

Where? Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Baranquilla

Why? Two of the most talented teams in South America will play each other in a passionate match. Colombia will try to qualify again, while Argentina hopes to avoid a huge failure, as they gained only one point and didn’t score in their first two matches.

Key Players: Let's forget for a bit about Gonzalo Higuaín and James Rodriguez, and instead take a look at some other great players. Edwin Cardona is just 22 years old and has already scored for Colombia in this campaign. At the Argentinian squad, there is one young player that one day may lead the team, Tottenham's Érik Lamela.

Never Forget: The 1994 qualifying campaign was a bitter one for Argentina, and Colombia is responsible for that. Argentina had to win the last match in order qualify, but they were thrashed at home by Colombia 5:0 - sending them to play in the playoffs.

Professional (like this guy)

What? Jamaica – Panama

When? Saturday, 03:00

Where? Independence Park, Kingston

Why? The two surprises of the previous two Gold Cups, Jamaica and Panamá, will face each other in their opening match of the qualifying campaign.

Key Players: Jamaican Darren Mattocks, who scored at the Gold Cup semifinals against the USA and plays regularly for Vancouver Whitecaps, will look to shine. Veteran Panamanian Luis Tejada, who plays for Peruvian club Juan Aurich, will lead his team on their quest to Russia.

CONCAGOL: In two out of the last three qualifying campaigns, the top scorer came from the CONCACAF tournament. Mexican Jared Borgetti was the leader of the 2006 scorers with 14 goals. In 2014 Deon McCaulay from Belize scored 11 goals.

World Class (like this guy)

What? Equatorial Guinea – Morocco

When? Sunday, 16:00

Where? Estadio do Bata, Bata

Why? It takes one golden generation to enter the main stage of world football. Morocco had it during the 90's, when they qualified to the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. Now they have another aspiring generation that wants to end the 20 year absence from the tournament. Equatorial Guinea also has a golden generation, but it is based on naturalized players and not local talents.

Key Players: Equatorial Guinea is all about Emilio Nsue, the captain from Middlesbrough, who is one of the Spanish naturalized players. Don’t sleep on Napoli’s Omar El Kaddouri, who scored 4 goals in 11 international caps for Morocco.

If you won’t, I will: The real conflict between the teams happened before the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. Morocco was the original host of the tournament, but they decided to withdraw due to the Ebola crisis. In a dubious decision, Equatorial Guinea, which was eliminated in the first qualifying round, hosted it instead.

Weekend Guide 6.11.2015

In these rainy cold days, only football can keep you warm and cozy. This weekend we have the Asian Champions League final, a close race in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the start of the Lebanese league.

(All hours are in CET)

Amateur (Like this guy)

What? Al Ahly – Guangzhou Evergrande (AFC Champions League)

When? Saturday, 16:45

Where? Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Why? It's time to decide which team is the best in the Asian football. Al Ahly will host the first leg of the final, while Guangzhou will host the second leg two weeks later. Al Ahly can be the first Emirati club to win the title since Al Ain in 2003, while Guangzhou Evergrande will try to win their second title in three years.

Key Players: Despite all the Brazilian expensive players on the squad, the best Al Ahly player in this campaign was the local Ahmed Khalil, with 6 goals and 4 assists, including some decisive goals in the knockout stages. Guangzhou Evergrande’s top player is Ricardo Goulart, the tournament’s top scorer with 8 goals and the main figure in Guangzhou’s last Chinese title.

Last Train to the Final: Al Ahly was almost eliminated in the semi final second leg, as the result was 2-2 and Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia was about to qualify by away goals. A dramatic goal in the 95th minute by Korean Kwon Kyung-Won led Al Ahly all the way to the final.

Professional (like this guy)

What? Sloboda Tuzla – Zrinjski (Premijer liga, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

When? Sunday, 13:30

Where? Stadion Tušanj, Tuzla

Why? Take a look at the Bosnian league table. Zrinjski leads the table with 30 points, and behind them there are three teams, all with 28 points. Sloboda is among them. While Zrinjski knows how it feels to win the title, Sloboda will try to make a step towards their first title ever.

Key Players: Sloboda has the league’s top scorer, Mersudin Ahmetović, who came back to his former team after 7 years in Russia and Belarus. Zrinjski conceded only 4 goals in 14 matches, and they will thank Goran Karačić, the 19 year old goalkeeper who already played for the U21 Bosnia national team.

Lucky Losers: Zrinjski has a similar story to the one we had last week. In the 2008 UEFA Cup campaign, they met Partizan Belgrade and were defeated by an aggregate score of 11-1. Zrinjski still qualified, as UEFA decided to expel Partizan after crowd troubles in Mostar.

World Class (like this guy)

What? Al Ahed – Racing (Lebanese Premier League)

When? Sunday, 15:30

Where? Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut

Why? The Lebanese league started just few weeks ago, and every team wants to have another win. Al Ahed, the reigning champions, already lost their opening match, but won their next two games. They are holding 2nd place currently. Racing wants to have a close title race, all the way to first title since 1970. They are in 4th, equaled to Al Ahed by points.

Key Players: One of the greatest players in Al Ahed is Abbas Ali Atwi, who plays for the team since 2005 and made 42 international caps. In Racing you can find Octavian Drăghici, which left the lower leagues of Romania for the first time after 12 years.

Lebanese Diaspora: While the Lebanese players are not well known in football history, there are still some players with Lebanese roots such as the legendary Faryd Mondragon and current Mexican superstar, Miguel Layún.