Winless

I’m a few days late with a post about this past weekend’s matches, but can you blame me if not one of my three teams won? There was at least a draw in there, so it could have been worse. The games were spread out over the weekend with Nurnberg on Friday, Newcastle on Saturday, and Oxford on Sunday so the disappointment was spread out. Well, let’s get to it then, going chronologically.

FC Nurnberg vs. Hannover 96 – I wasn’t able to follow this that much as I was still at work on a Friday afternoon, but the bits I could see on the match tracker was just a disappointment. Hannover got a goal in the 18^th minute and Der Club did basically squat in the first half to respond managing only two shots. Nurnberg fared better in the second half getting nine shots off but of course at that point Hannover could move their formation back, sit back, and protect their lead. With Nurnberg only getting one shot on goal for the whole match, they wouldn’t work Hannover’s keeper much, and Hannover would indeed hold onto a 1-0 win.

Der Club only move down one spot in the table with the loss, down to 13^th from 12^th last week. However, they now are only three points away from the relegation playoff spot and only five away from automatic relegation. Worse, they also have a big game against 2^nd place Borussia Dortmund this Friday. I’ll be wearing my Nurnberg jersey at work on Friday in hopes of a win for bragging rights with my Dortmund following coworker.

Newcastle United vs. Brighton and Hove Albion (4^th Round, FA Cup) – I only followed this on a match tracker and I’m kind of glad that’s all I did. For the Magpies it was a case of squandered chances throughout. For the game, they had fourteen shots, with ten on goal. Brighton only got six shots in the game with three on goal. However, those few shots and a bit of luck would be all Brighton would need to take the lead. Skipping ahead to the 76^th minute, Brighton midfielder William Buckley made a break on goal and hit a strong shot. The strike looked likely to go wide, but it took a hard deflection off Newcastle defender Mike Williamson, faked out keeper Krul, and went into goal. Newcastle should have gotten a handball call in the box and gotten the subsequent penalty, but I’ll be the first to say that didn’t deserve to win the game with all their wasted chances. They would get knocked out of the cup with a 1-0 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion, a Championship league side (the league below the Premier league).

Oxford United vs. Burton Albion – After the two losses in the two previous days, I really wanted a Yellows win. I knew the game would be a close battle with Burton Albion close to Oxford in the standings. Oxford got off to a bad start playing from behind early. Burton Albion got a goal in the 13^th minute and from then the Yellows would try to find a leveler. It wouldn’t come in the first half though with only three shots.

Oxford though would have more drive in the second half managing eight shots before the final whistle. Luckily one of those, a shot from Alfie Potter in the 59^th, would find the back of the net. Although another Oxford goal and a win would have been nice, the match would end in a 1-1 draw. Drawing for the second week in a row, Oxford fall down a spot from 7^th to 8^th in the table. That also puts them out of a promotion playoff spot. A good showing against Barnet, who sit in the bottom half of the standings, will put the Yellows back on the right track.