Spanning the Globe: The Weekend Wrap

By: Bob | March 12th, 2007

We’re getting into the good part of the football season with league races tightening up, derbies nearly every week, domestic competitions reaching their final stages and leagues in other parts of the world kicking off new campaigns. It is hard to keep track of it all, but try we must. Here is the quick and the dirty recap from a few randomly selected leagues.

Germany – If their poor form continues it will only be a matter of time before Schalke 04 are passed in the Bundesliga. The league leaders made it four matches in a row without a win, drawing 1-1 against Hanover 96. Meanwhile, both Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich failed to gain ground after they played to a 1-1 draw. On the other end of thing, Borussia Moenchengladbach won at home for the first time since October beating Hertha Berlin 3-1 but they still are in last place.

Top 4: Schalke 04 50 pts, Werder Bremen 47, VfB Stuttgart 46, Bayern Munich 44

Spain – El Clasico turned out to be a classic with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi putting on a masterful performance. The Argentine scored all three goals for Barcelona including a dramatic last second goal to pull his club even with Real Madrid 3-3. Real have only won once at the Nou Camp in 24 years during league play. Sevilla are kicking themselves after losing to Gimnastic 1-0 and blowing an opportunity to regain the top spot.

Top 4: Barcelona 50, Sevilla 50, Valencia 47, Real Madrid 45

Belgium – It is a two-team race in Belgium and those two teams met this weekend. Racing Genk remain in the lead after drawing 1-1 with second place Anderlecht. It would have been a good time for Standard Liege to win and close the gap with the top two but alas they laid an egg in their 1-0 loss to Ghent.

Top 4: Racing Genk 57, Anderlecht 55, Standard Liege 49, Ghent 46

Brazil – Romario trotted out for his nine millionth game and in a mere span of 13 minutes he scored a hat-trick to raise his career goal total to 995. His Vasco de Gama side beat Madureira 4-1. In the Paulista, the top dogs Santos could only muster a 1-1 draw against second place Sao Paulo, who are a mere point back in the race. Teenage fullback Carlinhos scored for Santos and is a player you might hear about in the coming years.

Japan – They won the league last season but you wouldn’t know it from the play displayed by the Urawa Reds early in this campaign. The Reds blew a two-goal lead late to gift wrap a 2-2 draw for Albirex Niigata. Meanwhile, Gamba Osaka won on the road against Kashima Antlers for the first time in seven years.

Italy Serie B – For only the second time this season Juventus lost. They were handily beaten 3-1 at Brescia. Second place Napoli failed to take advantage of the Juve lost and were held 1-1 by Rimini. Serie A recap

Top 4: Juventus 49, Napoli 48, Bologna 44, Piacenza 44

Russian League Recap

International – It was a heroic and brave effort by my beloved Snow Leopards of Kazakhstan against those evil doers from Uzbekistan at the Ortalyk Tsentralnyi Stadium, but in the end they could only manage a 1-1 draw. They must be saving themselves for Euro 2008 qualifying and the 2010 World Cup. The referee also stunk in the match. Here’s hoping that his fermented mare’s milk tastes even more rotten than usual.