Midweek Action - Serie A, DFL Super Cup, Carabao Cup - Review!

Serie A

Benevento vs Inter

Marc:

Conte's side strolled through their match against Benevento who was too weak for them. Lukaku grabbed a brace and is running neck and neck with Cristiano for the Serie A golden boot. Hakimi also grabbed a goal and an assist to continue his brilliant form under Conte. Gagliardini and Martinez were also on the scoresheet and had a great game. Caprari grabbed a brace for Benevento but they were hardly consolations against a strong Inter.

Videep:

Inter continue their dominance in the Serie A with another thrashing; this time at the cost of Benevento. Romelu Lukaku scored from an Achraf Hakimi cross before the first 30 seconds! Roberto Gagliardini scored in the 25th-minute. Lukaku scored again three minutes later only for Hakimi to add another before half-time. Lautaro Martinez scored in the 71st-minute to complete Inter's Five. Gianluca Caprari scored both for Benevento; his first coming in the 34th-minute and his second came in the 76th-minute. Pressure already on Juventus.

Udinese vs Spezia

Videep:

It's a great result from Spezia's point-of-view, as someone who just got promoted into the Serie A against a team that achieved a comfortable mid-table finish. Despite a 3rd-minute disallowed goal and a 65th-minute red card, Spezia steered clear of Udinese, who were always a threat in the attacking third. Spezia took the lead in the 29th-minute and ended up scoring the winner late in the 90+4th-minute. A great result for the underdogs.

Lazio vs Atalanta

Videep: 

Atalanta, too, piled the pressure on Juventus by scoring four against fellow Europe targeters,

Lazio. Hans Hatebore and Robin Gosens scored and assisted for each other's goals. Captain Alejandro 

Gomez scored a brace to complete Atalanta's four. Felipe Caicedo scored the only goal for the home team.

Carabao Cup - Round Of 16

Tottenham vs Chelsea

Marc:

The North West London derby was full of action and surprises as Tottenham got the better of Chelsea in the penalty shootout. Werner scored his first-ever goal for the Blues and gave Chelsea the lead, with some sweet skill from Azpilicueta to get past Reguilon. The Spanish left-back made up for it by assisting late for Lamela's goal to make it 1-1. All the players were on target in the shootout except Mount who missed the target. It was shocking to see Werner declined to take a penalty which could've been crucial.

Sid:

It was the North West London Derby in the Carabao Cup this week and although both teams had their advantages and disadvantages, Chelsea took the lead through Timo Werner's first goal for the club but the game became more interesting when Eric Dier left the pitch to go to the bathroom and was followed by Jose Mourinho who later revealed that he followed him to make sure that he washed his hands. Classic Mourinho. Reguilon, who was at mistake for the first goal, assisted Lamela's late equaliser to take the game to penalties where Mason Mount missed his chance and sent Spurs to the next round. Eric Dier was crucial for Spurs and ended up winning the man of the match which he later decided to give to the toilet he had gone to. Classic Mourinho player. 

Videep: 

Tottenham came from behind to win in penalties against Chelsea. Timo Werner scored his first Chelsea competitive goal in the 19th minute. Before Tottenham equalised, Eric Dier raised a few eyebrows by insisting on using the bathroom in the 77th minute. He was seen rushing to the dressing room, followed by an enraged Jose Mourinho; the duo returned a moment later, during which Tottenham almost equalised. Eventually, Erik Lamela did equalise after which Tottenham won in the penalty shoot-out where Mason Mount missed the decisive penalty.

Burnley vs Manchester City

Sid:

Manchester City travelled to Turf Moor after a disaster against Leicester City to face Burnley who had also lost their last Premier League game but with a stronger than expected squad, Manchester City put up a much better and composed performance which saw them score a brace by Raheem Sterling followed by Ferran Torres's first goal for his new team as they managed to edge past Burnley to get through to the next round of the Carabao Cup, a tournament they have won for the last three years.

Videep:

A typical Manchester City result that was much required after the disappointing slump against Leicester 

City on the weekend. Raheem Sterling scored a brace and new signing Ferran Torres got himself on the

scoresheet, too.

Brighton vs Manchester United

Marc:

This was a different game as compared to when they faced off in the weekend fixture. Easy win for United with Mata assisting Mctominay for the first and then scoring the second. Pogba returned to the scoresheet with a deflected free-kick goal. Strong win for United to progress.

Sid:

Manchester United and Brighton had clashed just last week in the Premier League where United scored a winning penalty is probably the most controversial VAR decision but United did not need VAR this time out as Brighton were hoping to cause an upset and get their revenge had to eventually bow out of the competition after a good game where Mata assisted and then scored as new signing Donny Van De Beek grabbed two assists as well which saw Pogba score as well to take United right to the next round.

 

Videep:

Another Manchester team winning comfortably against an upcoming Brighton team. Scott McTominay 

opened the scoring for United in the 44th-minute - just before half-time. New signing, Donny Van de Beek 

assisted the second which was scored by Spaniard Juan Mata before Paul Pogba scored in the 80th-minute.

Newport County vs Newcastle United

Sid:

Newport County could almost see themselves hand everyone a shock after going up in the 5th minute itself but Jonjo Shelvey saved Newcastle once again by equalising late and take the game to penalties where Brandon Cooper missed the sixth penalty for Newport as Newcastle were the ones to walk into the next round of the tournament after surviving quite a scare.

Videep:

Newcastle United was saved some blushes as Jonjo Shelvey equalised late in the 87th-minute against 4th tier Newport County, who scored and took the lead in the 5th-minute. However, the penalty shoot-out saved their backside as they ended up winning, anyway.

Everton vs West Ham

Sid:

Simply put, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on fire. Another hat trick for him along with a goal from fellow striker Richarlison saw Everton triumph over West Ham who had just one goal coming from Robert Snodgrass in Round of 16 matchups of the Carabao Cup. James Rodriguez had another great performance out on the pitch as he grabbed an assist as well as Sigurdsson and Keane grabbed assists for Everton as well. It will be great to see how far up do Everton go this season as they are a serious underdog team this year.

 

Videep:

Everton is on their best ever run of form under visionary manager, Carlo Ancelotti. He has revived the forms 

of strikers, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, who both scored against West Ham; and new signings have really

boosted squad morale. Calvert-Lewin scoring goals like a Premier League Golden Boot doesn't hurt, really.

Brentford vs Fulham

Sid:

After continuous defeats in the Premier League, Fulham looked to ease some pressure off by having to play Brentford in a comparatively easier and less important game but Brentford capitalised on Fulham's misery to hand them a shock 3-0 defeat. Brentford may have gone to the next round but they are now the probably the smallest team to remain in the tournament. Benrahma showed his worth by scoring a two second half goals for Brentford and if things go well, he might as well be playing in a bigger team as well. 

Videep: 

Fulham had been already humiliated from the past weeks in the Premier League and the last thing that they needed was suffering from a Championship side. Marcus Forss scored first in the 39th-minute to give the home team the lead. Said Benrahma showed once again why he deserves to play for a top Premier League club by scoring a brace.

Aston Villa vs Stoke City

Sid:

After winning comfortably in the Premier League last week, last season's Carabao Cup runners up Aston Villa looked to get an even bigger win against a travelling Stoke City but Stoke City came to the Premier League side along with a shock as one goal by Sam Vokes in the first half was enough for Stoke to kick Aston Villa out of the tournament and go through the next round of the Carabao Cup themselves which might be where their journey ends or can also be where they continue to stun bigger teams.

Videep:

Another game where the Championship side got the better of the Premier League team, Aston Villa had finally seemed in control of their team with new signings and a good result on the weekend. However, Sam Vokes scored in the 26th-minute to get the only goal in the game.

Liverpool vs Arsenal

Sid:

The FA really seems interested in the Liverpool and Arsenal game as they face each other for the 4th time in less than two months and twice in the same week itself. After Liverpool managed to win at Anfield after losing two times before, they could not get the result at Anfield this time out as the game went to penalties yet again where Arsenal won the penalties by a 5-4 score yet again after both teams pulled up a below par performance but it might as well be what Klopp wanted as Arsenal now will face reigning champions Manchester City in the next round of this tournament.

Videep: 

A dull, dreary game, nothing like the game on the weekend, both teams played their youth sides as the game ended 0-0 in the 90 minutes. Liverpool missed two of their six and Arsenal missed only one of their six penalties to go through to the Quarter Finals and set up a game against Manchester City.

DFL Super Cup - Final

Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

Sid:

What a game it was. Both teams had ended up losing their previous fixtures which made this game quite unpredictable yet Bayern got an early lead through goals by Tolisso and Thomas Muller, who is now the most decorated German player in history but Dortmund pulled back right on track in the second half with goals from young German Julian Brandt and wonderkid Erling Haaland who scored with a wonderful finish to get the game back on level terms but eventually Bayern took their fifth trophy of season home as Kimmich scored yet another winner against Dortmund in the 82nd minute to end this Der Klassiker match in his team's favour.

Videep:

Dortmund head coach, Lucian Favre caused his own team's downfall and in a way, gifted their main rivals the trophy. 

 Bayern were 2-0 up in the 32nd-minute with a Corentin Tolisso goal in the 8th and Thomas Muller scoring in 

the 32nd. Julian Brandt pulled one back in the 39th-minute before Erling Haaland equalised in the 55th-minute.

Peculiarly, Favre substituted both his goal-scorer and five minutes after he subbed Haaland off, Joshua 

Kimmich scored the winner. Bayern has now won 5 trophies and is just on the verge of equalling Barcelona's 

record of 6 trophies in a calendar year by winning the Club World Cup.