Something From The Weekend: Glorious goal from Giovani; Song plays the wrong note; The never-ending season
The Good, The Bad and The Odd
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Your support makes all the difference.The Good
Glorious goal from Giovani
Given the number of their compatriots living in Los Angeles, Mexico must have felt like their Gold Cup victory over USA at the Rose Bowl took place on home soil. Indeed, El Tri had huge support in the 93,000-strong crowd and they went mad when Giovani dos Santos's (pictured) exquisite chip sealed a 4-2 win and a sixth Cup.
After gathering a through-ball on the right-hand side of the six-yard area, Giovani evaded the goalkeeper's sprawling effort and brought the ball further away from goal before unleashing his audacious chip. Sending the ball over the hapless heads of three American defenders, he astonishingly found the top left-hand corner. Take a bow, Giovani, you've made your country very happy.
The Bad
Song plays the wrong note
We had Wayne Bridge's acrimonious falling-out with John Terry. Now it's the turn of Alex Song and Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon.
The Arsenal midfielder has been fined around $2,000 by the national football federation for exuding an "attitude of contempt" after rowing with Eto'o, whose unpopularity appears to be locked in perpetuity.
Song refused to shake hands with Eto'o when the pair met before the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Senegal earlier this month, following their falling-out during the latest World Cup.
Eto'o escaped punishment, while Song, along with his fine, has been ordered to attend three days' training with young players within the next year. Way to get your knickers in a twist, chaps.
The Odd
The never-ending season
Who says there's a break in the football calendar? If there was, there isn't one any more. Less than three weeks after the league campaign had concluded, the spotlight was the Under-21 European Championships. Observers may have been excused for thinking that was it, after those classy young Spaniards prevailed on Saturday. But no. Fulham start their Europa League qualifying campaign on Thursday when they take on NSI Runasik of the Faroe Islands. It's non-stop. Well, at least Joey Barton had a few days off last week, muddying himself at Glastonbury. As did Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, who was clearly happy after tweeting: "Me and col chilling at Glastonbury ooosssshhhh".
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