September 2012
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The latest world's stats review features a record-breaking scoreline in Romania, assists aplenty from Szabolcs Huszti, the goalscoring feats of two South American strikers, and notable milestones for a Manchester United duo.
1000
league matches in charge of Manchester United was the landmark reached by Sir Alex Ferguson against Southampton on Sunday, and the Red Devils marked the occasion with their 599th top-flight win under the veteran Scot. The 3-2 victory was secured in fittingly dramatic circumstances, with Robin van Persie – Fergie’s marquee summer signing – helping United come from behind to win with the 1,864th, 1,865th and 1,866th league goals of his manager’s reign. The former Arsenal striker’s treble took him on to a milestone of his own, as he became only the second Dutchman after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to score 100 Premier League goals. There was as much relief as joy though, with Van Persie having been guilty of a poor penalty miss earlier in the match – his first failure from the spot since he missed against his current employers in an 8-2 defeat for Arsenal in August of last year.
609
minutes without a goal was the run that came to a long-awaited end for Diego Forlan on Sunday. The Uruguayan striker had endured a difficult start to his Internacional career, and was even booed by the Brazilian club’s fans prior to opening his account with the equaliser against Flamengo. By the time the match finished, with another Forlan goal having helped secure a 4-1 win, those fans were giving the same player a standing ovation. The 33-year-old will certainly hope that this morale-boosting brace represents a turning point. After all, prior to Sunday, he had scored just twice on club business since returning from inspiring Uruguay to glory at the Copa America 2011.
31
unanswered goals handed CS Buftea the biggest defeat in Romanian football history last week. Making matters even worse, the second division team, who gained promotion at the end of last season, were humbled by their former third-tier rivals ACS Berceni. The Buftea outfit paid the price for fielding a team of U-19 players in the Romanian Cup clash, with 19 goals conceded in the second half leaving them facing up to this new record scoreline. Even Stephen Stana, president of the victorious Berceni side, said later: "I'm ashamed to tell you the score."
4
assists was the colossal contribution made by Szabolcs Huszti to Hannover’s 4-0 derby win at Wolfsburg on Sunday. No player has ever made such a potent creative input to a Bundesliga match since assists were first collated at the start of the 2004/05 season. The Hungarian’s set-up play inspired his team to a thumping success against their Lower Saxony rivals – their biggest away win in the German top flight, in fact, for more than 39 years. Joining Wolfsburg in enduring a weekend to forget, meanwhile, were Hamburg, beaten 2-0 by Werder Bremen. Thorsten Fink’s side have now failed to score in their last four successive Bundesliga matches, equalling the club record.
3
goals against Chelsea on Friday saw Radamel Falcao become the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Super Cup final since Liverpool’s Terry McDermott in 1977. Atletico Madrid’s Colombian striker achievement in emulating the Reds legend was all the more impressive as all three of his goals came from his left foot – supposedly his weaker side. Falcao’s goals, his second treble in as many matches, gave Atletico their second Super Cup triumph in Monaco – a tally only Barcelona, AC Milan and Liverpool can match – and established Spain as the tournament’s most successful team, with ten titles to Italy’s nine. They made for a miserable night for Chelsea though, who became the first European champions to concede four or more goals in a Super Cup final since Bayern Munich crashed 4-1 to Anderlecht in 1976.
Falcao shines as Atletico reign in Monaco
Chelsea suffered UEFA Super Cup humiliation as Radamel Falcao put on a masterclass with a devastating hat-trick to help Atletico Madrid to a 4-1 win.
The Blues looked anything but European champions in what was one of their worst performances since Roman Abramovich first began his quest for the greatest prize in club football. The Russian also spent £80million this year in a bid to ensure he would not have to wait another eight years for more UEFA Champions League glory.
But it was the one who got away who came back to haunt him on transfer deadline day as former target Falcao took advantage of some inept defending and tactical mistakes to plunder a first-half treble, with Joao Miranda piling on the misery before Gary Cahill grabbed a consolation.
Manager Roberto Di Matteo pulled no punches in his post-match assessment, telling ITV: "In the first half we were very poor and they were very sharp. We started very slow and sloppy and they penalised us. They were much better than us in the first half."
Falcao's hat-trick was his second in four days and saw him completely outshine Fernando Torres, who endured a nightmare reunion with his boyhood idols just 24 hours after declaring his 18 months of hell was a thing of the past.
The outlook had certainly looked rosy for him and Chelsea at the start of a season which has seen him score three times and storm to the top of the English Premier League. They did lose the Community Shield to Manchester City, however, and another defeat with a trophy on the line cast doubt on their chances of success this season and Di Matteo's reshaping of the side.
The game was the last Super Cup match to be played at the Stade Louis II, with the fixture touring the continent from next year. Chelsea had been involved the first time it came to Monaco in 1998, Di Matteo playing in a famous 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
The stadium held bad as well as good memories for Chelsea, whose eight-year Champions League heartache under Abramovich began there in the 2004 semi-finals. There were certainly plenty of empty seats in the blue half of what is only an 18,000-seater ground, perhaps not surprising with a FIFA Club World Cup trip to Japan on the horizon.
Falcao finishing show
Those who stayed away were doubtless glad they saved their money as UEFA Europa League winners Atletico were allowed to create chances almost at will. Falcao served a fourth-minute warning when his sliding finish hit the crossbar, but he made no mistake three minutes later when he raced clear, waited for Petr Cech to commit and dinked the ball beyond the lunging David Luiz on the line and in off the post.
Chelsea did briefly look a threat at the other end, Eden Hazard drilling over, but their midfield had almost no structure and Adrian Lopez and Arda Turan both went close before Falcao struck again in the 18th minute. Unbelievably, the Blues defence simply stood off one of the world's most lethal finishers as he curled a delicious 15-yard shot into the top corner.
Chelsea now needed the kind of comeback that helped them secure European glory last season, but there was no discipline to their attacking and Cech saved from Gabi after Atletico found themselves five on three.
Cahill consolation
Falcao hit the woodwork for the second time when he threw his head at Lopez's air-shot only to see it hit the post, but he completed a deserved hat-trick moments before half-time when Turan was allowed to run 60 yards unchallenged and square for the unmarked striker to finish.
Torres' first real attempt of the game in the 50th minute was almost laughable by comparison as Chelsea brought on Oscar for Ramires at the restart. The change failed to have the desired effect as Atletico made it 4-0 on the hour mark, Miranda poking Mario Suarez's lay-off home.
Jorge Koke's crossed free-kick almost went straight through but was saved by Cech before Cahill drilled home after Atletico failed to clear Frank Lampard's corner. The Spaniards looked more than capable of restoring their four-goal cushion and Luiz even turned Emre Belozoglu's cross against his own post in stoppage time.
The Blues looked anything but European champions in what was one of their worst performances since Roman Abramovich first began his quest for the greatest prize in club football. The Russian also spent £80million this year in a bid to ensure he would not have to wait another eight years for more UEFA Champions League glory.
But it was the one who got away who came back to haunt him on transfer deadline day as former target Falcao took advantage of some inept defending and tactical mistakes to plunder a first-half treble, with Joao Miranda piling on the misery before Gary Cahill grabbed a consolation.
Manager Roberto Di Matteo pulled no punches in his post-match assessment, telling ITV: "In the first half we were very poor and they were very sharp. We started very slow and sloppy and they penalised us. They were much better than us in the first half."
Falcao's hat-trick was his second in four days and saw him completely outshine Fernando Torres, who endured a nightmare reunion with his boyhood idols just 24 hours after declaring his 18 months of hell was a thing of the past.
We started very slow and sloppy.
Chelsea boss Di Matteo
The outlook had certainly looked rosy for him and Chelsea at the start of a season which has seen him score three times and storm to the top of the English Premier League. They did lose the Community Shield to Manchester City, however, and another defeat with a trophy on the line cast doubt on their chances of success this season and Di Matteo's reshaping of the side.
The game was the last Super Cup match to be played at the Stade Louis II, with the fixture touring the continent from next year. Chelsea had been involved the first time it came to Monaco in 1998, Di Matteo playing in a famous 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
The stadium held bad as well as good memories for Chelsea, whose eight-year Champions League heartache under Abramovich began there in the 2004 semi-finals. There were certainly plenty of empty seats in the blue half of what is only an 18,000-seater ground, perhaps not surprising with a FIFA Club World Cup trip to Japan on the horizon.
Falcao finishing show
Those who stayed away were doubtless glad they saved their money as UEFA Europa League winners Atletico were allowed to create chances almost at will. Falcao served a fourth-minute warning when his sliding finish hit the crossbar, but he made no mistake three minutes later when he raced clear, waited for Petr Cech to commit and dinked the ball beyond the lunging David Luiz on the line and in off the post.
Chelsea did briefly look a threat at the other end, Eden Hazard drilling over, but their midfield had almost no structure and Adrian Lopez and Arda Turan both went close before Falcao struck again in the 18th minute. Unbelievably, the Blues defence simply stood off one of the world's most lethal finishers as he curled a delicious 15-yard shot into the top corner.
Chelsea now needed the kind of comeback that helped them secure European glory last season, but there was no discipline to their attacking and Cech saved from Gabi after Atletico found themselves five on three.
Cahill consolation
Falcao hit the woodwork for the second time when he threw his head at Lopez's air-shot only to see it hit the post, but he completed a deserved hat-trick moments before half-time when Turan was allowed to run 60 yards unchallenged and square for the unmarked striker to finish.
Torres' first real attempt of the game in the 50th minute was almost laughable by comparison as Chelsea brought on Oscar for Ramires at the restart. The change failed to have the desired effect as Atletico made it 4-0 on the hour mark, Miranda poking Mario Suarez's lay-off home.
Jorge Koke's crossed free-kick almost went straight through but was saved by Cech before Cahill drilled home after Atletico failed to clear Frank Lampard's corner. The Spaniards looked more than capable of restoring their four-goal cushion and Luiz even turned Emre Belozoglu's cross against his own post in stoppage time.
| Tournaments | Editions | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Y | 2YC | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA U-20 World Cup Final | 2005 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIFA World Cup™ Qualifier | 2010, 2014 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Edition | Venue | Date | Match | Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Emmen | 22/06/2005 |  COL | 1:2 (0:0) | ARG  | Round of 16 |
| 2005 | Tilburg | 18/06/2005 | COL | 2:0 (0:0) | SYR  | Group matches |
| 2005 | Tilburg | 15/06/2005 |  CAN | 0:2 (0:0) | COL | Group matches |
| Edition | Venue | Date | Match | Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Quito | 10/06/2012 |  ECU | 1:0 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2014 | Lima | 03/06/2012 |  PER | 0:1 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2014 | La Paz | 11/10/2011 |  BOL | 1:2 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2010 | Asuncion | 14/10/2009 |  PAR | 0:2 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2010 | Medellin | 10/10/2009 | COL | 2:4 (1:2) | CHI  | League round |
| 2010 | Medellin | 05/09/2009 | COL | 2:0 (0:0) | ECU | League round |
| 2010 | Medellin | 10/06/2009 | COL | 1:0 (1:0) | PER | League round |
| 2010 | Buenos Aires | 06/06/2009 | ARG | 1:0 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2010 | Puerto Ordaz | 31/03/2009 |  VEN | 2:0 (0:0) | COL | League round |
| 2010 | Bogota | 28/03/2009 | COL | 2:0 (1:0) | BOL | League round |
| 2010 | Bogota | 06/09/2008 | COL | 0:1 (0:1) | URU  | League round |
| 2010 | Bogota | 17/11/2007 | COL | 1:0 (0:0) | VEN | League round |
| 2010 | Bogota | 14/10/2007 | COL | 0:0 | BRA  | League round |
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