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Ignition point

Sometimes the most important goal is not the winner. Six minutes left, 3-1 behind. All heads down. Except one. Scholes rose high to nod in the cross, instill belief in his team and ignite the comeback. Minutes later, they were level and through to the knockout stages of Europe’s prem ...

Can you stand it?

Pressure. It changes everything. On Sunday, Fernando was only 80% fit, burdened with expectation and desperate to end a four-game losing streak for his club. But when your back’s against the wall, there’s only one way to go. El Niño burst into the box, shrugged off his man and fired int ...

Expect surprises

One side invented Total Football. The other invented Aussie Rules Football. One's consistently labelled as under-achievers. One's billed as a surprise package. Can Australia take the next step and cause some damage in South Africa? Will Holland finally fulfill their potential? It was goall ...

Keep believing

You’re deep into injury time and you’re drawing. Not a bad result. Your legs are heavy and you’ve given it everything. Do you settle for what you’ve got? Not if you’re Wesley Sneijder. The Dutch star fired in the winning goal deep into injury time to give Inter a vital three points in th ...

Defenders: read it and weep

Four league hat-tricks in three seasons. Five goals in his last two league games. Fernando’s got his eye on the 2009-2010 golden boot. Be warned.