Top 10 Performances from Around the World for Weekend of September 4-7
Welcome back to our latest roundup of the top performances in world football, where we scour the global game for the most impressive selection of results and displays.
In a change from our usual routine, we're mixing club and country performances this time due to the international break, with competitive qualifiers, friendly matches and national league games all taken into account.
Here is our top 10 selection; feel free to leave your own suggestions below.
10. Ecuador, International Friendly
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We'll kick off with one of our two friendly fixtures, with South American side Ecuador impressing against Bolivia in a 4-0 victory. The match took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—otherwise an "away" win would have been even more of a surprise margin.
Ecuador were impressive at times at the World Cup despite not making it out of their group stage and continued that forward momentum in victory in the USA.
Christian Noboa, Enner Valencia, Juan Cazares and Junior Sornoza were on the scoresheet.
9. Northern Ireland, European Championships Qualifiers
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Northern Ireland managed an extremely rare feat at the weekend: an away victory in a competitive match.
Hungary might not be the mightiest opponents around but N. Ireland had gone a full four years without a victory on the road. After more than an hour of play, Michael O'Neill's side were the better, but it looked as though they'd be leaving empty-handed again, after conceding with just 15 minutes left.
Two late goals turned the game around, though, and Kyle Lafferty scored the winner two minutes from time to give his nation a great start to their qualification campaign.
8. Italy, International Friendly
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Our second friendly performance of the weekend goes to a changed Italy side, now under the management of Antonio Conte, for their 2-0 win over the Netherlands.
Two early goals put them in control, and they rarely looked particularly troubled thereafter, with Ciro Immobile and Daniele De Rossi both scoring inside 10 minutes, the latter from a penalty, and the Netherlands down to 10 men from that point too.
The likes of Salvatore Sirigu, Davide Astori and Simone Zaza all were handed starts as Conte begins his rebuild.
7. Figueirense, Brazilian Serie A
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Into club football now and to Brazil's Serie A, where Figueirense staged a mighty comeback against third-place Internacional.
The high-flying club were 2-0 up and cruising in their own stadium by half-time, looking for all the world as though they would pick up an eighth home victory in 10 matches, but their defence, previously the second-best in the league before the weekend, fell apart in the second half.
Three times 12th-place Figueirense managed to breach them, including twice in a minute to equalise and take the lead with 15 to play in a breathtaking comeback and turnaround.
6. Congo, Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers
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Back to competitive action for the rest of our list now, and we head straight to Africa for the group stages of the AFCON qualifiers.
Nigeria won the tournament last time out and began their group-stage run with a home match against Congo—but suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat.
The top two qualify from each group of four, but Nigeria will have to improve quickly to turn around their own hopes. Congo, meanwhile, have picked up a massive three points and will have hope of beating Sudan at home on Wednesday to make it a perfect start.
5. Romania, European Championships Qualifiers
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Back into Europe momentarily, Romania will have looked at their Euro 2016 qualification group and believed they have a good chance of making the finals, with Greece perhaps the most established of their rivals.
An opening-game victory in Piraeus, then, gives Romania a perfect start to the campaign and early hopes of not just qualification, but perhaps even topping the group.
Ciprian Marica scored the only goal in a 1-0 win, though he also later got himself sent off.
4. South Africa, Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers
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Back to the AFCON qualifiers, South Africa suffered a big disappointment by failing to qualify for the 2014 World Cup after hosting it themselves four years earlier but have made a good start to qualification for next year's finals in Morocco.
South Africa picked up three points on the road with a convincing 3-0 win in Sudan, with Sibusiso Vilakazi scoring twice.
They face holders and wounded losers Nigeria on Wednesday in a match that could shape the future of the group.
3. LA Galaxy, MLS
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Our last two domestic teams now and both from the same competition: MLS.
LA Galaxy gave a timely reminder of their form and their trophy credentials with a thumping 6-0 victory over Colorado Rapids on Saturday, helped by a first-minute red card for goalkeeper Joe Nasco, true, but still showcasing why they have won five on the bounce.
Landon Donovan, Baggio Husidic and Gyasi Zardes all scored a brace apiece.
2. New England Revolution, MLS
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New England are the in-form team in the Eastern Conference, taking a place higher than the Galaxy by virtue of their win over more impressive opposition.
They closed the gap on second-placed Sporting KC on Thursday with a 3-1 comeback victory, taking the three points despite going a goal down inside 10 minutes. New England followed that up with a 2-1 win—another comeback win—over Chicago Fire at the weekend, while KC went down 2-1 to New York.
That six-point swing means New England are suddenly just three points behind KC, with a game in hand.
1. Albania, European Championships Qualifiers
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For perhaps the only time this year, Albania are our No. 1 pick for the weekend.
The 70th-ranked side in the world managed to pull off a shock 1-0 victory in Euro 2016 qualifying, away to Portugal, on Sunday night.
It might be a result that is as notable for Portugal's demise under Paulo Bento as it is for Albania themselves getting the three points—they won just three from 10 in World Cup qualifying—but it also opens Group I up early on, with four or maybe now all five teams there probably thinking they can take a top-three spot.
