In FIFA.com’s latest weekly stats review, the championship triumphs of Carlos Tevez and Norrkoping feature alongside a historic Dani Alves feat, an epic shootout and Chelsea’s continuing woes.
400La Liga appearances was the landmark reached by Barcelona’s Dani Alves on Saturday. The Brazilian full-back duly became the first foreigner in the division’s history to reach this impressive milestone, and only the third active player of any nationality – after Deportivo La Coruna's Alberto Lopo and Real Betis's Joaquin – to do so. He marked the occasion with a victory and clean sheet too, as Barçawon 2-0 away to Getafe. Luis Suarez and Neymar were both on target and, between them, this deadly South American duo have shared out all of Barcelona’s last 14 Liga goals, with seven apiece. Real Madrid continue to lead the table though, albeit after finally conceding their first home goal of the season. Las Palmas’ Hernan was the man responsible, with his consolation strike in a 3-1 Real win tarnishing the only such unblemished record that still existed in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
26years without a league title was the wait that finally came to an end for Sweden’s Norrkoping on Saturday. This unexpected success for a team that finished 12th last season maintains the Allsvenskan’s reputation as one of the most open in world football, with eight different clubs having claimed the championship over the past decade. Norrkoping have topped the standings in 12 previous seasons but all but one of those triumphs came within a 20-year period between 1943 and '63, during which they were represented by legendary figures such as Gunnar Nordahl, Nils Liedholm and, latterly, Ove Kindvall. Nonetheless, in the history of the league, only Gothenburg and Malmo – both 18-times winners – have won the title on more occasions. And with 1989 now replaced by 2015 as their most recent success, Norrkoping will go into next season aiming to further narrow that gap.
22penalties were required to settle the longest shootout in the history of the MLS Cup last Friday. The drama was served up by Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City, with the former’s keeper, Adam Kwarsey, deciding the outcome by slotting home his spot-kick before saving from his opposite number, Jon Kempin. The most remarkable moment in this record-breaking shootout had arrived earlier though, when Sporting KC’s Saad Abdul-Salaam saw his potentially match-winning spot-kick strike both posts before rebounding to safety. And all this after a heart-stopping 2-2 draw in which the Timbers twice equalised as the final whistle drew near: first three minutes before the end of normal time, then two minutes from the end of extra time. With such excitement on show, it is no wonder that MLS have been able to reveal new regular-season attendance records, with average crowds up 12.7 per cent to an all-time high of 21,574, and ten of the league’s clubs now averaging 20,000 or more.
8league championships in four different countries is the impressive haul that Carlos Tevez topped up on Sunday. The 31-year-old claimed his second national title with Boca Juniors 12 years on from his first, with these successes sandwiching triumphs with Corinthians (1), Manchester United (2), Manchester City (1) and Juventus (2). Tevez has certainly proved influential since returning to Buenos Aires, with Boca’s win ratio with him on the field this season standing at 83 per cent – a marked improvement to the rate of 59 per cent when he has not featured. Yet it was team-mate Fabian Monzon who scored the only goal against Tigre on Sunday to secure the club’s first title since 2011 and 31st national championship overall, cutting to five River Plate’s lead in the historical standings.
6defeats in their opening 11 league matches have given Chelsea their worst start to a season since 1978/79, when they ended up being relegated. Across all competitions, the London outfit have already lost eight out of 17, doubling the number of defeats they suffered in 54 games last season. The problem, exacerbated by a 3-1 reverse to Liverpool on Saturday, is particularly marked at Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho, a coach who lost just once in his first 99 league matches at the stadium – and who famously went nine years without a home top-flight loss – has now seen his side beaten in three of their last five league appearances there.