Flying Kiwis – May 3
Jake Gleeson – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
When this is a trending poll on the official MLS site, you must be doing something right. As of last check he was leading the poll with almost 50% but that’s hardly surprising given the poll was made for him. Not exactly impartial, ya dig?
So when Adam Kwarasey was ruled out for a month, Gleeson knew that he was getting his chance. First game was a trip to New England for a 1-1 draw with the Revolution. Jack Barmby’s second half goal seemed to have won the defending champs the points on the road but then with less than two minutes of regulation time remaining, defender Jermaine Taylor turned the ball into his own net to deny his Timbers. Gleeson made a couple of saves but for the most part the NER couldn’t strike a shot on target so he didn’t have that much to do and there wasn’t much he could have done about the equaliser although he'll wish he got more than a fingertip on the pull-back.
Ah but the second game was a real announcement. Gleeson got an early break when Toronto couldn’t bundle in a chance at the far post, allowing him to dive across and smother it. Ten minutes and change later Fanendo Adi put Portland in front. It was a really smartly worked move too, Diego Valeri setting it up. But in the 40th minute, ex-Timber Will Johnson took advantage of some scrappy defence to plunder an equaliser home from the edge of the area. The home fans didn’t care for that so much.
The second half though… the second half was Gleeson’s half and it began with this simply fantastic save, tipping this onto the post from close range. Incredible athleticism there, hooray for the All Whites.
Adi then screwed up a great chance to put Portland back on top. Which meant more Gleeson at the other end. Here was great save #2:
Crucial stuff because Diego Valeri then curled in a wonderful free kick to make it 2-1… but the score was hardly safe. Which means here comes great save #3:
Aaaand #4 as well, into stoppage time:
So yeah, 2-1 to Portland was the final score and the kiwi with the gloves was a real hero – along with that dude Valeri. It’s been a tough season so far but they’re undefeated in the Gleeson Era and this was the first time that they’d been able to field the spine of the team (plus Gleeson) that won the title last time out with Liam Ridgewell returning to health.
Portland Mercury: “At 1-1 going into the second half, the game would become — but for a single moment of magic — Jake Gleeson's. The backup goalkeeper, in for the injured Adam Kwarasey, came up with a series of unconscious saves. His first effort was his best: denying Drew Moor from four yards by kicking the ball onto his fingertips and pushing it onto the bar.”
Toronto manager Greg Vanney: “I thought our finishes were in his wheelhouse. I don’t think it had anything to do with the ’keeper. (Gleeson’s) a big guy. We put every finish right around his shoulder area.”
Timbers coach Caleb Porter: "It’s his job to do that. Like I told him, even though those are very good saves, that should be routine."
Up Next: Vancouver vs Portland, 9.00am Sunday (NZT)
Winston Reid – West Ham United (English Premier League)
Looking at the scoreboard you’d think West Ham had it easy against West Brom but that sure wasn’t the case. Winnie and the lads were lucky not to go behind in the first 10 mins as Michail Antonio had to clear a shot from Craig Gardner (Tottenham’s Bane) off the line, with Adrian hacking away the follow up.
Gardner didn’t seem to be able to buy a trick in this one, missing another chance soon after and the Hammers took full advantage by going 1-0 up. Gorgeous cross from Dimitri Payet for yet another assist but it all started with a certain kiwi centre back diving in with a block/through ball (see it for yourself) to put the Frenchman through. Yes son. Get in.
Right at the end of first half stoppage time Mark Noble made it 2-0, poking in after Cheikhou Kouyate’s strong run. Basically, the Baggies had blown their chances and the Hammers had taken theirs. Saido Berahino shot wide under pressure from Reid which was as close as they got and with 12 minutes left Noble added a second to make it 3-0. It was a great goal, not sure about some of the defending but so it goes.
3-0 was pretty comprehensive, but it had been close at the beginning. 17 year old WBA winger Jonathan Leko looked super dangerous in the early stages – he became the first player born in 1999 to start a PL game. Winston was quiet for long stretches and emphatic in others. 6 interceptions and 9 clearances, both were game highs and maybe the best indication of how well he (and Angelo Ogbonna) played was that Salomon Rondon only had four touches in the penalty area all game.
That’s 10 league games without defeat. The result briefly took them ahead of Man Utd into fifth but the Red Devils went back ahead with their draw against Leicester City. Both those two have a game in hand on Arsenal and Man City and it isn’t impossible that one of them can still make a run at the Champions League – specifically if Arsenal is able to beat City next week. But only one of them, because that game in hand is against each other. It is already West Ham’s highest points total for a PL season.
Hey and WHU Best Individual Performance for 2015-16. Winston Reid vs Manchester City. Get voting:
Also, David Gold has thrown out any twitter banter suggesting that Winston Reid may be sold.
Up Next: WHU vs Swansea, 2.00am Sunday (NZT)
Chris Wood – Leeds United (English Championship)
It looks like dead-midtable is about where Leeds are going to end up. With one game remaining they sit 12th and can finish anywhere between 11 and 14. It’s about where they deserve to be at the end of a crazy season that’s seen a managerial change, all sorts of drama in the boardroom, fan protests, wildly differing streaks of form and whatever other drama they can squeeze in before their final game.
The latest was one of the lower points of the campaign as the Whites inexplicably lost 2-1 at home to relegated Charlton.
So here’s what happened. After both teams had come close to opening the scoring (like Johann Gudmundsson ripping one off the post for Charlton), it was Gudmundsson that made it 1-0, a sharp run to the near post beating the Leeds defence six minutes before half time. It was pretty crap from the home team who were booed off into the sheds but it got worse a few minutes after the restart when Ademola Lookman stroked one in from the edge of the box.
Leeds finally got going after that and Woody, who’d earlier been thwarted by a diving header from the keeper on the end of a long ball, almost got them back in it. He rose high to flick on a header from a few yards out but not high enough and it came back off the crossbar. Sol Bamba did eventually make it 2-1 when he scored a header on the end of a free kick but that was all. Wood nearly equalised as he was slipped in by a clever ball but the goalie again rushed out to save. Quite a stupid game but they’ll get one last chance against Preston.
Meanwhile Woody’sgoals so far weren’t enough to get him on the club honours board. Their Player of the Season was announced this week and it was fullback Charlie Taylor that got the gong. Stuart Dallas was the players’ player of the year while Lewis Cook was both the fans’ player of the year and young player of the year – in keeping with winning the Football League’s young player of the year award. Lots of players of the year.
It’ll be interesting if the club will be able to keep a hold of those dudes because it’s shaping up to be a summer of many changes, with manager Steve Evans unlikely to have his contract renewed and several players probably on the outer. Striker Mirco Antenucci is one off contract, he carried the goal load while Woody was injured.
Up Next: Away to Preston North End, 11.30am Saturday (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Ipswich Town (English Championship)
It should have come easier than it did but a 3-2 win over MK Dons means that Ipswich can finish no lower than eighth as they close their season out next weekend away to playoff-bound Derby County. MK Dons, on the other hand, are long since relegated but still put up a fair fight.
Town made several changes to their team for this one, their two fullbacks out with injury and a few others rested to give a few kids a chance. Like Teddy Bishop, their young midfield prospect who made his first start of the season after being injured most of the way. Myles Kenlock made his career league debut at left back (and was superb), while Tommy Smith was joined again by his usual bro Christophe Berra at CB.
16 minutes in, Town took the lead. Smart work from Freddie Sears and Dave McGoldrick had his first goal since August – again, blame the injuries. It was a deserved one as they turned the screws following a typically slow start. It took a smart save from a Bishop shot to keep it at 1-0, while Berra nodded wide from a corner too. All this before the Dons had had a single shot. But they found a goal all the same, McGoldrick chopping down a dude in the box and Alex Revell put it away from the spot for 1-1 at the break.
After that it was MK Dons playing the better footy but a nice save or two kept it even before Brett Pitman had Town back in front with twenty to play thanks to his glancing header. That lead lasted almost five minutes before they threw it away with some poor marking on the end of a lovely free kick and Alex Revell had two. But then right at the end, a minute to play, Kenlock curled in a ball which Luke Varney got to first, nudging it in off the forehead for the winner. 3-2 the final score and Ipswich finally win another game after five draws and two losses in the team’s past seven. Can’t say it was Smithy’s best game when he only won one tackle and committed two fouls, picking up a late yellow card as well.
Up Next: Away to Derby 11.30am Saturday (NZT)
Marco Rojas – FC Thun (Swiss Super League)
Other leagues are beginning to wrap up but in Switzerland there is still another month to play, which in Rojas’ case is important because a forgotten factor with him is that he’s only in Thun on loan. These last few games could be his last for the club, although it is unlikely that he gets a go in Stuttgart even with one more year on his contract. Could be back for a third stint in Thun, maybe? Don’t hold your breath on a Phoenix return or anything.
This week Marco found himself on the bench again but this time he did get a run in the second half. Thun hosted FC Zurich and to be fair they were already 3-0 up when he came on with 15 to play but there was still a decent impact from Rojas. It was his devilishly whipped cross that eluded all other takers to find Ridge Munsy at the far post for the goal. 4-0 was the final score, take a look at the final goal here (or click here for full highlights):
It was Munsy’s second goal of the game, Sven Joss and Dennis Hediger also scored in the first half. Big win that, snapping a streak of one point from their last four games.
Up Next: Thun vs St Gallen, 6.00am Sunday (NZT)
Jeremy Brockie – SuperSport United (South African Premier Soccer League)
It’s been a week, probably time for another Jeremy Brockie goal, right? Well, funny you should say that because 57 minutes played in their game away at Maritzburg and SSU were 1-0 down. Michael Boxall had already been booked. Things weren’t ideal.
But then Bradley Grobler beat his man to make it 1-1, assist to J.Brockie. Two minutes later a stunning cross from Grant Kekana was volleyed in first time by Jeremy Brockie. Wonderful finish. 2-1 to SSU who claim three big points as they look to hold on to the eighth spot they currently inhabit. With three games to play and two of them at home, SuperSport can still finish as high as fourth and that’s with a cup semi-final to play as well.
Also, those Nedbank Cup semis have been confirmed for two weeks’ time:
- Free State Stars v Orlando Pirates (Goble Park)
- SuperSport United v Baroka FC (Lucas Moripe Stadium)
Up Next: SSU vs Polokwane, 1.00am Monday (NZT)