Flying Kiwis – March 11
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
“I don’t know how this ageing thing works. I’ve never been this old before. I’m waiting for when all the young young people are just running past me. I’m still waiting.”
Michael Boxall, aged 36, is laying down bars in interviews. There’s no stopping the bloke. It only took him two attempts to waltz into an MLS Team of the Week selection and now he’s done it twice in a row after another standout performance, this time in a 1-0 win away to San Jose Earthquakes. This was a game in which Minnesota had just 28% of possession and Boxy himself only completed eight passes. The Loons were starved for the ball but they defended like legends with Boxall completing nine clearances and winning two interceptions in the midst of the drama. Their new German-born CB Morris Duggan had a blinder next to Boxall as well. However, Duggan didn’t assist the winning goal. That was Michael Boxall’s terrain...
Yeah righto. Eight completed passes and one of them was a match-winning assist. Boxall does usually pop up with a goal or two per season but this was only the third assist in his 243-game Major League Soccer career. One for the scrapbook. Nice finish from Kelvin Yeboah as well, let’s be fair to the bloke (who has 9 goals in 12 games for a Loons side that has struggled for goals in recent times). Three games in, Yeboah is the only player to have scored for Minnesota United so far.
But it was the organised, composed, and immovable defensive trio led by Michael Boxall that took them from a 32nd minute lead to a full time victory, even if they were a little unlucky not to add a second on the break at the end when the game got stretched. They might have already iced that cake if Duggan’s volley had not been fantastically saved from ten yards after Boxall had nodded a cross back over to him. Could have been two assists in the one game for the brother. Nevertheless, the clean sheet took care of matters, making it consecutive 1-0 wins for the Loons after they did a similar thing to Montreal a week ago. They’ve only conceded once in 270 minutes.
Quality stuff from Boxy. Those Team of the Matchday things can be a little frivolous but there were no New Zealanders picked in any of them last year so to have Boxy already is good business. He had three of them in 2023 so at this rate he’s on track to surpass that number before Anzac Day.
Up Next: Sporting KC vs Minnesota United on Sunday at 1.25pm (NZT)
Finn Surman - Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
It’s also been pretty solid from Finn Surman who has now made it three starts in a row for Portland Timbers. Coach Phil Neville stuck with the Surman/Zac McGraw/Ian Smith back three that worked so well in week two. It didn’t work so well away against Nashville SC though. Even with Tyler Boyd out injured as he continues his recovery after ACL repair surgery (no timeline for his return yet but it shouldn’t be more tha a couple more months), Nashville were far too good for a Portland side that just couldn’t stop them from getting shots away.
It began barely four minutes into the contest when McGraw bundled a bloke over trying to recover a ball over the top. Penalty and a yellow card. About a dozen minutes later, Portland did it again when an extended arm from a wingback gave away a second penalty. But Finn Surman must have felt like he was playing with Alex Paulsen again because Canadian gloveman James Pantemis saved both spot kicks. One from Hany Mukhtar and one from Sam Surridge. It was Surman who hacked the rebound away to safety with the second. The Timbers failed to take advantage of the double reprieve though, conceding in first half stoppage time when Andy Najar smashed one past Pantemis from an angle that the keeper could’ve done better with and then a good low header from Ahmed Qasem on 68’ made it 2-0.
Portland subbed on Eric Miller for McGraw at half-time (part of a triple HT change), taking off by far the most experienced of the back three while Surman and Smith stayed out there... albeit McGraw was also the lad on a yellow card who’d given away a penalty. But that didn’t seem to help. Nashville won 2-0 and they also hit the crossbar and missed two penalties so it could have been way worse than it was. Still, Surman looked at home at this level as he logged another ninety. There are some blatant teething issues across the wider backline as the Timbers keep getting caught scrambling, especially when it comes to their positioning with the ball in midfield. Nashville made it tough picking passes through and over the back three all evening but Surman coped as well as he could by making seven clearances, a tackle, and blocking a shot.
Annoyingly, the MLS doesn’t break for the international window so Surman got stuck in a situation where he had to withdraw from the All Whites World Cup Qualifying squad. Portland have got Kamal Miller and Zac McGraw alternating through the middle (one’s had a red card already, one’s given away a penalty). They’ve got Ian Smith coming in and winning plaudits. They’ve got Miguel Araujo dealing with visa issues. Dario Zuparic is injured. Finn Surman has gotta stay locked and loaded if he’s going to hold that onto his spot so skipping the All Whites stuff made sense.
Michael Boxall is still going because he’s captaining Minnesota United and playing awesome so he can miss a week and it won’t affect his situation. Also, you probably don’t need to be told that Bill Tuiloma was an unused sub for Charlotte FC as they lost 1-0 to Inter Miami (no Lionel Messi in the team), unable to take advantage despite Inter Miami having their goalie sent off in the first half while it was still scoreless. Tuiloma’s got no chance of getting near the national team while he’s chilling on the subs bench.
Up Next: Portland vs LA Galaxy on Monday at 9.45am (NZT)
Tyler Bindon - Reading (English League One)
This week in freakish Tyler Bindon things...
That was with less than ten minutes to go in a midweek game against Exeter City. Weird match because Reading seemed to be well on top through most of the first half but they failed to convert that into any goals. And while they mostly continued on that way in the second spell, Exeter began to repeatedly find chances of their own against the run of play (in as much as it can be against the run of play if it keeps happening). But Exeter couldn’t hit a barn door with their shooting so Reading kept getting away with it.
Exeter’s shocking finishing meant that Tyler Bindon might not have needed to worry as Sonny Cox broke through on goal in the 83rd minute... but ‘tis better to be safe than sorry. Not only did Bindon whip out one of the finest last-man challenges you’re ever likely to see, risking a red card and penalty if it went awry, but he also reacted quickest to get back to his feet and clear the ball straight after. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. Wouldn’t exactly say that Reading were holding on but Bindon certainly was...
That wee grappling incident was almost the last act of the game, perhaps just winding down the clock so that Exeter couldn’t muster one last counter attack. Or maybe he was simply being a pest. Either way, it was really funny.
It’d be nice to say that Reading followed that up with a win away to Crawley Town on the weekend. They almost did, after Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan gave them a 29th minute lead that looked pretty comfortable for most of the way. But then they conceded in the 90th minute when Panutche Camara diverted a low cross in under the unsighted keeper (from the right edge of RFC’s defence so Bindon had nothing to do with any of it) and had to settled for a 1-1 draw.
That was Crawley Town’s only shot on target in a game of very few chances in either direction. That’s two game in a row which Reading should have won yet didn’t. Not ideal for trying to climb up into the top six, even if this does extend the Royals’ unbeaten streak to eight games (five of those results have been draws). They’re five points out of the playoff spots with 11 fixtures left. Probably not coincidentally, Bindon’s usual centre-back partner Amadou Mbengue missed the Crawley match with a knee injury that could sideline him for up to a month. Michael Stickland debuted in his place from out of the team’s U21s side. Ironically... Stickland was the oldest player in Reading’s back four at 21yo.
Meanwhile, it was not a good week for Max Crocombe’s Burton Albion who lost 2-0 to Wycombe and 2-1 to Bolton to fall six points beyond safety having allowed the teams directly above them to expand the gap. One of those teams is Northampton Town who drew 1-1 with Stockport then won 2-1 against Leyton Orient but Nik Tzanev didn’t play either match. That’s three benched dates in a row so we can sadly deduce that Lee Burge has regained his starting spot. No idea what Tanz did wrong and Cobblers fans seem similarly surprised about the decision. NTFC manager Kevin Nolan recently had this to say as an explanation...
"We’ve been working hard with Burgey. Tans has been fantastic since I’ve come in. You speak to people and before it seemed like Burge was the number one and Tzanev was the number two but I don’t see it that way. I had a chat with Burgey about his training and everything else and he’s responded. You saw with the save he made in the first half. It’s an unbelievable save. I spoke to Tans when I picked the team. I don’t normally pull players to the side but I wanted to thank him for what he's done, but I need to see Lee and I need to see what we can do and what he can produce and I thought he was really good today in terms of his handling and everything else. I’ve got two good goalkeepers and what I’ve said to Tans is that it’s about him pushing Burgey and making them both better game by game.”
Lame. But Tzanev did earn plenty of fans during his 17 consecutive starts so he’s ready to rock if Burge blows his opportunity. As for Mansfield Town, they had two draws: 0-0 against Wigan and 1-1 against Stevenage. Ben Waine played five minutes in the first game and none in the second. It’s been ten games since he last got more than ten minutes. Mansfield Town have not won any of them so you’d think they’d have learned their lesson by now.
Up Next: Reading vs Wrexham on Weds at 9am; Reading vs Stevenage on Sun at 4am (NZT)
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)
The prospect of Chris Wood in the Champions League has never been closer to reality than it is right now. This after Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 1-0 to further consolidate themselves in third place in the English Premier League. Consecutive defeats against Fulham and Newcastle had introduced a bit of a wobble but then a 0-0 draw against Arsenal and now victory against Man City has them four points clear of the cutoff with ten matches left. Top four is all it’ll take and they won’t even need qualifiers since that’s how many automatic entries England has to the UCL League Phase. Actually, there’s a very good chance that fifth place will get a Champions League spot too – that’s due to the new UCL format involving 36 teams rather than 32, so they’re going to give an extra spot to the two nations with the best seasonal coefficients, which as it stands would be England and Spain.
To be honest, NFFC probably have settled for a draw to keep them one point ahead of Man City (though that outcome would have dropped them to fourth after Chelsea’s win) and for most of the match that’s exactly what it seemed would happen. City had 70% of the ball but they really struggled to create chances against a rugged Forest defence. That meant lots of Chris Wood dropping deep and helping out for the cause. Mostly from set pieces, though there was a moment early on when he tracked back to collect a loose ball just outside his own area then air-swung at his clearance to allow Erling Haaland to get a shot away. Luckily, old mate Erling fizzed it wide. Other than that, City were pretty toothless against an adjusted approach from Forest who defended with a flat four up top when out of possession, setting up a high-mid block against the City build-up which clearly worked a treat.
Wood had one major moment late in the first half when he dashed onto a ball over the top and tried to lob Ederson with a first-time lefty effort on the half-volley. But he didn’t get under it enough and the save was a simple one. Into the second half, he showed off some patient hold-up play to feed Elliot Anderson on the edge of the box. Anderson chose to pass instead of shoot and the beneficiary was Callum Hudson-Odoi whose shot was tipped onto the post by Ederson. Then eventually it was CHO who got open on the right wing for Morgan Gibbs-White to whip a magical switch of play out towards him. Hudson-Odoi charged infield. Chris Wood burst forward for the early cross, then jagged back for the second option. CHO took neither. Instead he smashed in a great finish at the near stick to win the game for Nottingham Forest with 83 minutes on the clock.
This does mean that Chris Wood has failed to score in three consecutive matches for only the second time this season. But he did get an assist during that span and he scored a hat-trick a couple games before that so no dramas. Someone else gets to have the spotlight this week, it’s a team sport after all. If anything, this match highlighted why Chris Wood is far more than just a mere poacher of goals. His discipline in that OOP shape was massive, bringing a massive and unselfish workrate for 87 minutes before they subbed him near the end. Ten games remain with which to earn that Champions League qualification... and Woodsy might even get to bring Tyler Bindon and Marko Stamenic along with him.
Pep Guardiola: “I think the numbers speak for themselves and with strikers the first you see is always is how many goals, and that fact is there. But it’s not just that. They link with him many times and from there create something. He’s a very strong striker and when they live close to the box, good finishing is so dangerous. He did really well at Burnley. The impact in the beginning at Newcastle was good. He’s a pure, pure striker. The movement at the far post, the long balls from the keeper and central defenders. Always effective. No doubts about that.”
Up Next: Sunday at 4am away to Ipswich Town (NZT)
Katie Kitching - Sunderland (English Championship)
Sunderland were the last remaining team from outside the Super League in this season’s FA Cup... and their quarter-final reward was to play reigning holders Manchester United. Needless to say, Sunderland lost. They were beaten 3-1 by a Man United side that was a several levels beyond them. But they did make them work for it.
Things could have gotten ugly after Leah Galton scored with a header for MUFC after only eight minutes however the Black Cats restrict any further damage until 1H stoppage time when Maya Le Tissier doubled the deficit with another headed goal, this time from a corner kick. Sunderland then made it frisky by pulling back a goal with twenty to go after Louise Griffiths’ hard running was rewarded as a defensive clearance rebounded off her and into the net. However, United tightened up from there and eventually put the seal on the win with an Ella Toone goal right at the end (also a header).
Being the type of game that it was, Katie Kitching wasn’t as involved as she usually is in Championship fixtures. Only got two chances to whip in her dangerous corner kicks and most of the play happened behind her. So it wasn’t a great surprise when she was one of those subbed after an hour... a great experience nonetheless, getting to go up against one of the stronger WSL sides like that. Sunderland got a taste of what the top flight is like and now they go back to their regulars to try and get promoted into it. Plus it’s always a valuable thing when Football Ferns get to experience this level of competition since the international arena is full of such games too.
Up Next: Portsmouth vs Sunderland at 3am on Monday (NZT)
Indiah-Paige Riley - Crystal Palace (English Super League)
There was one other FA Cup quarter-final of note and that was Chelsea vs Crystal Palace. Good to see Indi Riley once again included in the starters, a new manager hasn’t changed that situation – although it has meant she’s now playing fullback in a four rather than wingback in a five. Not exactly her preference but it beats sitting on the bench. Palace are stuttering towards relegation from the WSL whereas Chelsea are perennial title contenders so it was all about trying to keep the match as close as possible for as long as possible as far as the Eagles were concerned. And for the 53 minutes that Riley was out there, that’s what they did. Plenty of hard work and graft from the kiwi winger-turned-defender... while marking the likes of Lauren James and Catarina Macario. There were a few lucky escapes for Palace but the game was nil-all when IPR took a bib and a seat on the bench.
They ended up losing 1-0. James, freed from Riley’s shackles, smashed a low strike into the net, reacting first to a loose ball just inside the area after 63 minutes. Decent work from Palace to keep the score down, although they barely offered anything in attack themselves. It’ll be Chelsea vs Liverpool and Man City vs Man United in the semis. No more kiwi representation which means that Maureen Jacobson remains the only New Zealander to win the Women’s FA Cup (1991 with Millwall). As for Palace, they’ve got an enormous game at home against Aston Villa next week – the team directly ahead of them in the standings. Lose and they’re basically relegated already. Win and they’ll only be one point from safety.
Up Next: Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa at 3am on Monday (NZT)
Andre De Jong – Stellenbosch (South African Premier Soccer League)
Two things that are true about Stellenbosch in recent times:
1) They’re a very good cup team, winning the Carling Knockout Cup in 2023 and making the final of this season’s MTN8 cup as well as making it to the Nedbank Cup semis in each of the past two seasons
2) Andre De Jong is a menace in cup competitions and his goals/assists have had a lot to do with that recent success
So, naturally, who else by ADJ was going to pop up with an 86th minute equaliser against Kaizer Chiefs in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup? Mint glancing header. Expertly guided inside the far post. With that goal, De Jong has now scored in five different competitions this season (Premiership, Confederation Cup, MTN 8, Nedbank Cup & Carling Knockout). His league form hasn’t been quite as flashy. He starts most games and is an important dude in linking the midfield with the attack... but he only has one goal and one assist in over a thousand minutes of footy in the PSL. He’s been unstoppable in the cups though. Across those other four comps he has 7 goals and 3 assists in 18 appearances.
ADJ came off the bench against Chiefs, this after he’d missed the previous league match due to yellow card accumulation, and he entered a game in which his team had been trailing since conceding from a 20th minute penalty. He then scored the goal that seemed destined to send the affair into extra time... until controversy occurred. What happened was that Kaizer Chiefs retook the lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time via a goal seemed to include both a handball and an offside and possibly even a foul on the keeper. The linesman flagged it at first but then the referee decided to award it anyway. Chiefs then scored again to rub salt into the wound with a 3-1 victory. Suffice to say that go-ahead goal has been a massive talking point in South Africa ever since.
The main scandal was how it nullified a great Andre De Jong moment but oh well. Stellies are still in the quarters of the CAF Confederation Cup where they’ll face Zamalek (Egypt) over two legs, and they’re third in the PSL seeking to consolidate that spot. Plenty left to play for.
Up Next: Stellies vs Orlando Pirates at 6.30am Weds (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PEC Zwolle (Dutch Eredivisie)
Say would you look at this...
It’s been slow going for Ryan Thomas this season as he works his way back from yet another season-ending knee surgery last year. It wasn’t until the eighth game of the Eredivisie season that he finally got any minutes at all and he missed most of November with a minor setback. But more recently he’s begun to offer a more consistent presence for PEC Zwolle. Thommo’s gotten on the pitch in seven of the club’s last nine games and the most recent three were all 20+ minute cameos. This week he took that further with his first start of the season – in fact, it was his first start in any competitive context since December 2023. He lasted a smooth 55 minutes before being replaced and he wore the captain’s armband as he did.
The game was against Ajax so not the simplest of situations for Thommo to be making his first start for 16 months. But there was a lot to like about what he got up to. Workrate was high. He completed 21/25 passes, including a couple longer ones accessing the space out wide. He nearly set up a goal when a cutback of his was deflected by a defender, this after he’d won the initial turnover in midfield and carried the ball forward. He also got a yellow card for arguing with the ref. It was roughly two minutes after RT got subbed that a Kenneth Taylor shot struck the arm of a Zwolle defender and, one extended VAR check later, a penalty was awarded which Taylor scored himself. It proved to be the only goal of the game. 1-0 to Ajax... but Zwolle were bang even with them during Thomas Time.
As for Matt Garbett, he’s been away in Dubai for the past week. Nothing transfer related, just a holiday since he’s got nothing else to do at NAC Breda except to train with the U21s. No word on whether he went to the Blackcaps game or not. He did still get selected for the All Whites so at least he’ll get some game time there. NAC Breda drew 1-1 with Sparta Rotterdam to extend their winless streak to six matches... perhaps the master plan is to simply wait for the manager to get fired.
Up Next: Sparta Rotterdam vs PEC Zwolle at 6.45am on Sunday (NZT)
Moses Dyer - Galway United (League of Ireland Premier Division)
Moses Dyer is off the mark in the LOI. Sneaky wee finish at the back post after a long throw, putting Galway United into the lead late in the opening half away to Derry. He’s been a regular starter since signing with the club, the only exception being last week when he was on the bench in a more defensive set-up against Shelbourne, but even then he still played 37 mins as a sub. This week he was in the starting team again and he responded with his first goal. Only problem was that his team never found a second so they ended up drawing 1-1 with last-placed Derry City... keeping themselves undefeated with four draws and one win. Galway have both scored and conceded in every game so far.
The same prominence hasn’t been there for Oskar Van Hattum at Sligo Rovers. He got an assist playing as a wingback in the starting eleven for game one but since then he’s been stuck on the bench, getting 21 minutes, 8 minutes, 30 minutes, and then this week he didn’t play at all in a 1-1 draw with Cork City. Seems he’s going to have to be patient and carve out a space. Down a division, Norman Garbett missed all of preseason with relegated Dundalk due to a hamstring injury suffered late last season. But he’s back in the mix now and has gotten a couple of sub cameos as Dundalk have begun their revival with 10 points from four games.
Up Next: Galway United vs Waterford at 8.45am on Saturday (NZT)
Marko Stamenic – Olympiacos (Greek Super League)
It’s about time we saw Marko Stamenic in a starting line-up again. We’re not quite at Ryan Thomas extents here but it had been three months since Stamenic last made the eleven for a Super League fixture. He has started a couple of cup games in that time but it’s been pretty sparse outside of that. Stamenic has only gotten 35 minutes across four appearances in the Europa League despite having been in all nine matchday squads and, prior to this start against OFI Crete, he’d only played 10 minutes (two appearances) across the previous 12 league matches. He was injured for three of those and suspended for another but that still leaves six instances of being an unused sub.
All of which is to say that it’s been a difficult campaign for Stamenic so seeing him get ninety in the Crete match was a lovely development. It also happened to be a special day for the club as Olympiacos celebrated its 100th anniversary. Happy to say they won 1-0 thanks to a 44th minute penalty from Rodinei – an incident that also led to a red card for Crete’s Kevin Lewis. This was only the second instance of Stamenic getting a full game for Olympiacos and the first time it’s happened in the league. Nothing major to say about his performance although he did throw himself about. Three tackles won, three fouls conceded, and two offsides is a hell of a stat line for a central midfielder. He actually scored from one of the offsides, poaching a goal right before it crossed the line... but it wouldn’t have counted either way because both he and a teammate had strayed too deep from the original cross...
Marko Stamenic: “Yeah of course, I’m doing this for the club and nothing else. It’s important to win. I played and I’m happy but as long as the team wins and achieves what our goals are then I’m happy for the team. That comes first.”
Olympiacos had a shocker in the Europa League knockouts, getting dropped 3-0 by Bodø/Glimt in their away leg to put them on the brink of elimination. But they smashed AEK Athens 6-0 in the first leg of their Greek Cup semi-final and this Super League win against Crete has them seven points clear at the top of the standings. A third consecutive League & Cup Double, in a third different country, is very much on course for Marko Stamenic. Realistically, this match was a convenient chance to rotate some players amidst a very busy schedule which is why Stamenic played. Hopefully he was able to show the coach something that’ll keep him in a bigger role the rest of the way. If nothing else, he at least got to enjoy the fireworks.
Up Next: Friday at 6.45am is the second leg of that Europa League tie vs Bodø/Glimt (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Empoli FC (Italian Serie A)
It was back to the attack for Libby Cacace against Roma following a bunch of games in the central defensive line. It was also back to some bad habits for Empoli who conceded after 22 seconds and then went on to lose 1-0. Matias Soulé scored the goal. Possibly the longest any team has ever trailed for to only lose by one. Roma had some very decent chances to add to the lead which they wasted, hitting the woodwork a couple times, while Empoli did nothing much themselves. A half-time substitution saw Cacace revert to left centre-back where he did some good work for what was a much more assured Azzurri side the rest of the way... but they still lost. Their winless streak in Serie A rises to 13 games and they remain two points adrift in the relegation zone.
Speaking of Roma, their women’s team also had a 2-1 victory beating Inter Milan. Inter scored in the sixth minute through Tessa Wullaert but a Manuela Giugliano penalty midway through the second half (68’) was followed by a very late Lucia Di Guglielmo winner (90+5’) for the points. What was odd about that is how Internazionale brought right-sided defender Elisa Bartoli into the back three at the expense of Katie Bowen who was an unused sub. Not sure what’s doing there – maybe a response to not being able to hold onto multiple leads in a 4-4 draw against Lazio the last time they played. Well, they conceded another stoppage time goal this time so obviously Bowen wasn’t the problem. Bring her back, please. This loss allows Roma to jump over Inter into second place. Kiara Bercelli’s Sampdoria didn’t have a game this week.
Up Next: Torino vs Empoli at 8.45am on Sunday (NZT)
Ronan Wynne - Atlanta United 2 (American MLS Next Pro)
Ronan Wynne: “Yeah, [I’m feeling] really good. It’s been a great experience so far playing between both teams, with players that I’ve never played with before and who have been in the professional ranks for awhile. Really looking forward to it and I can’t wait for what’s to come. The speed of play [is the toughest adjustment], easily. Especially with the first team, it’s crazy how quick the decisions are made... I was saying to one of the assistant coaches, training with them for six weeks and now coming down and playing in the second team games I feel like it’s prepared me so well. I’m already into the game and can play at this speed because those guys playing at MLS are a different level.”
This week saw the beginning of the American lower leagues and those things always have a bunch of kiwis involved. One of those is Ronan Wynne who, as expected after being an MLS draft pick, went straight into the Atlanta United 2 team and did ninety minutes at right-back. AU2 lost 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls reserves but Wynne did impress with his workrate and ruggedness. He won a bunch of challenges, whipped in some good crosses, carried the ball confidently, passed the ball accurately. Even flexed some long throw ability. There was apparently some worry that he might not get his visa in time for this match but clearly that wasn’t an issue in the end. Annoying result but based on what he showed here, RW should be one of the better players in this team which’ll bode well for an occasional MLS call-up along the way.
We didn’t get anything else happening in the Next Pro league. James Bulkeley was an unused substitute for North Texas as they lost 3-0 at home to St Louis FC2. Not too flash from the back three so fingers crossed it’s JB’s turn next time. Also, no Finn Linder for the Vancouver Whitecaps ressies. He wasn’t in the squad at all so probably injured.
As for the ol’ USL Championship, a few goals in preseason didn’t get Riley Bidois a start for Loudon United although he did play 26 mins off the bench with a yellow card in a 3-1 victory (goals all scored before he entered). Kyle Adams also got a yellow card for Louisville City in a 2-1 win away to Charleston. Adams captained the side. And Alex Greive debuted for San Antonio with a couple late minutes in a 1-0 win against Monterey Bay. Indy Eleven didn’t have a game in week one so no James Musa or Elliot Collier quite yet.
Up Next: Orlando City B vs Atlanta United 2 at midday on Monday (NZT)
Ollie Whyte - Muaither SC (Qatari Second Division)
Translation: “Muaydhir Sports Club has announced the signing of New Zealand midfielder Oliver Edward Whyte from the Finnish club FC Haka until the end of the current season, as part of efforts to strengthen the team's ranks in the upcoming period. This signing comes within the framework of the club’s board of directors’ efforts to support the team with distinguished players, aiming to achieve positive results in the remainder of the current season. For its part, the club welcomed the new arrival, wishing him success in his journey with the team, hoping he will contribute to achieving the desired goals.”
If you were wondering what Ollie Whyte’s been up to since he left FC Haka then here you go. Had to wait a little bit but he’s popped up again at Muaither SC in the Qatari second tier. The transfer was announced last week although he seems to have already been on the bench for a game prior to that. Anyway, he made his club debut with 25 mins as a sub in a 2-1 defeat against Lusail SC this week to begin the new journey. This was Muaither’s 11th game of the season and they’ve only won two of them, however a bunch of draws is keeping them in sixth place (out of eight clubs).
Up Next: Saturday at 7.30am away to Al Kharaitiyat (NZT)
Ben Old - AS Saint-Étienne (French Ligue 1)
He’s been back in limited capacity for quite a while but now, finally, Ben Old has returned to team training. Oldie hit that milestone a week ago so he’s getting closer and closer. There was even talk about whether he might travel with the team for the 1-1 draw with Le Havre. That obviously didn’t happen and it’s unlikely he’ll be involved when ASSE face Montpellier on Monday... but a visit from league leaders Paris Saint-Germain after the international break sounds like a genuine possibility if all goes to plan. Old made six appearances for ASSE, five of them from the start, prior to suffering a torn lateral knee ligament in October. The team was pretty sketchy back then (remember the 8-0 loss to OGC Nice?) and they remain pretty sketchy in second-last place with 20 points from 25 games. Defence is the main issue but a Ben Old injection won’t go astray as they endeavour to stay in the French top flight.
Up Next: We shall see, we shall see...
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