⚽️THE OLYMPICS
The men's and women's tournaments have kicked off for all you sickos still thirsty for international football this summer.
In the spirit of summertime, here’s a transfer story to warm the heart and a Scotsman’s skin: 28-year-old Oli McBurnie was born in Leeds, represents Scotland at international level, and has forged a fairly middling Premier League career with Swansea City and Sheffield United. This week he reportedly sealed a move to Las Palmas, a largely unremarkable club in Spain’s La Liga—except that it’s based on Gran Canaria, the second-most-populous member of the Canary Islands archipelago located about 150 miles off the coast of Morocco. It’s not quite Mallorca, but the Canaries in February are a long way from Sheffield. Let’s hope Oli—unlike most Brits traveling southwards—brings some sunscreen.
The pod is off this week as there just isn’t a major match to preview, though as you’ll see below, the Olympics are up and running and that’s not all…..
SATURDAY
ARGENTINA vs IRAQ
9am ET, 2pm BST
One of these teams is top of Group B, and it ain’t Argentina. The World Cup and Copa América champions fell 2-1 to Morocco on Matchday 1, though head coach Javier Mascherano—a legend in his own right—has only a few members of the senior squad in this under-23 team. That contest was also one of the madder matches you’ll see, as the Argentines snagged a 2-2 equalizer on 115 minutes only for the game to be suspended due to a pitch invasion and—when play finally resumed—for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
The Iraqis came from behind to defeat Ukraine in their opener, with Ali Jasim bagging the winner. The #7 signed for Cesc Fàbregas and Como the day before, and he could be the standout star for them at this tournament.
NEW ZEALAND vs UNITED STATES
1pm ET, 6pm BST
The Americans suffered a bruising 3-0 defeat to hosts France on Wednesday, though they clattered the woodwork a couple of times while the match was still competitive. The hit they took to their goal difference could come back to bite them, though they still have every chance of qualifying out of this group if they can hand out a couple of Ls to New Zealand and Guinea. U.S. Soccer needs something to cling to in this men’s tournament after an abysmal Copa América.
ARSENAL vs MANCHESTER UNITED
8pm ET, 1pm BST
Far be it for me to recommend tuning in for a preseason friendly, but these two played this fixture last summer and things got a bit chippy. (That was outside New York, while this one will kick off in Los Angeles.) United coach Erik ten Hag seems to have a particular distaste for the Gunners, and he’ll want to secure a result here to prove it’s truly a new era now that he’s won the FA Cup and signed a new contract.
On the other side, many of Arsenal’s key players are still on holiday after representing their nations at this summer’s major tournaments, though there are some bright young players on this preseason tour and others desperate to secure a place in Mikel Arteta’s plans for the coming season.
SUNDAY
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN vs LECCE
9:30am ET, 2:30pm BST
Honestly, this one isn’t even televised, it’s just the most random fixture I’ve seen in some time. Huddersfield of West Yorkshire will journey to Jenbach, Austria to face Lecce, who hail from “The Florence of the South” in Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot. Football is about cultural exchange!
BRAZIL vs JAPAN
11am ET, 4pm BST
Here are two bigshots in women’s international football, though Brazil have yet to win a major international tournament outside of South America. They’re led by the legend, Marta, who at 38 years old notched yet another assist in the opener against Nigeria when Gabi Nunes latched onto her clever reverse through ball and smashed it in off the bottom of the crossbar. The captain has said this will be her last tournament, a final opportunity to take gold after two silvers in 2004 and 2008 that sandwiched a second-place finish at the 2007 World Cup.
On the other side, Japan are one of just five nations to have won the Women’s World Cup, though they fell to reigning world champions Spain on Matchday 1. Group C is highly competitive, then, with Spain and Nigeria kicking off right after this one at 1pm ET/6pm BST. The Barcelona stars Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Salma Paralluelo, and more will be on show.
USA vs GERMANY
3pm ET, 8pm BST
There are two more Women’s World Cup winners in the mix after that, with the four-time champion USWNT meeting 2003 and 2007 victors Germany. Alexandra Popp remains a force for the Fußballnationalmannschaft der Frauen and captains the side, but it’s a fresh look for the Americans under new coach—and former longtime Chelsea boss—Emma Hayes. They’re looking to set the record straight after a shock Round of 16 exit to Sweden at last summer’s World Cup in Australia.⚽︎