Top 10 Performances from Around the World for Weekend of September 19-21
Another weekend of football action has come and gone, bringing with it a collection of majorly impressive performances from some teams as they picked up big results in their respective leagues.
We've scoured the globe for you to bring you the best of the team displays, from the Premier League and La Liga, to the Americas and everywhere in between.
Here are our Top 10 performances of the weekend. As always, feel free to discuss and leave your own choices in the comments section below.
10. Marseille
1 of 10
We start in Ligue 1, where Marcelo Bielsa's reinvention of Marseille continues to take shape.
A perfect second-half performance saw OM overcome Rennes 3-0, with Andre-Pierre Gignac scoring twice to help take Marseille to the top of the table after six matches.
With PSG not yet firing on all cylinders, Marseille's good start has given hope that the title race may not be as foregone a conclusion as it first appeared.
9. Villarreal
2 of 10
Into Spain for the first of three sides, where Villarreal staged a remarkable comeback at home against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
An offensive and exciting side in their second campaign back in the top flight, Villarreal would have been expected to comfortably beat the worst defence in the league from last season, but they found themselves two goals down after just half an hour.
One goal before half-time and three after the break saw them comeback for a 4-2 win, though, with Luciano Vietto notching the two decisive strikes in the final 15 minutes.
8. River Plate
3 of 10
Over to South America and Argentina's Primera Division, where River Plate put in a first-class display to see off Independiente in a top-of-the-table clash.
The league leaders held a one-point advantage over their rivals heading into the game, and they saw Independiente off by a 4-1 scoreline, with their top scorer, Colombian striker Teo Gutierrez, adding another to his tally.
River now lead by three points ahead of Lanus, with Newell's Old Boys and Independiente a further point back.
7. Zenit St. Petersburg
4 of 10
The Russian Premier League had a controversial end to last season, with CSKA Moscow winning after Zenit St. Petersburg had points taken off them for crowd trouble, but Andre Villas-Boas and his team look determined to make sure there is no chance of a repeat this term.
Zenit are absolutely flying and have won all eight of their games this season, continuing their great form with a 5-0 away win over Rostov this weekend.
Salomon Rondon hit a hat-trick, with two own goals making up the scoreline.
6. Portland Timbers
5 of 10
As time runs out to secure top-five positions and ensure participation in the MLS Cup, points and wins over rivals mean everything.
Portland Timbers did everything right at the weekend—they won and stopped a key opponent making progress by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps—who were one place above them in the Western Conference—3-0.
The big result saw Portland leapfrog the Whitecaps into fifth with just five games to play.
5. West Ham United
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Into England now and the Premier League, which saw many of the division's biggest teams fail to secure wins over the weekend.
West Ham United were one of the benefactors there, putting in a polished and positive first-half display to secure an early 2-0 lead over Liverpool, last season's runners-up, before a resolute defensive performance after the break—and a late goal on the counter-attack—saw them emerge as 3-1 winners.
It was the Hammers' second win of the season and sees them move into the top half.
4. Wolfsburg
7 of 10
Bayer Leverkusen had managed an impressive start to the new Bundesliga season, but it was totally ruined by a rampant Wolfsburg side, who made full use of having an extra man for almost the entire match.
Die Wolfe dominated possession and chances and ran out 4-1 winners, showing a relentless edge to keep attacking after an early red-card-and-penalty combination put them ahead and in control.
Ricardo Rodriguez was the big hero, scoring twice and claiming one assist from left-back.
3. Real Madrid
8 of 10
Into La Liga again, where the big two put in two big performances.
Real Madrid were hit and miss for a little while against Deportivo La Coruna and briefly looked as though they may allow their rivals back into the game, but Carlo Ancelotti had all his awesome firepower available and saw his team trounce Depor, 8-2.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored three, big-money signing James Rodriguez scored a beauty, an otherwise-unimpressive Gareth Bale still managed to score twice and late sub Chicharito scored his first two Real goals.
2. Barcelona
9 of 10
Barcelona travelled to Levante and racked up an equally polished 5-0 scoreline, dominating throughout and keeping yet another clean sheet to maintain their perfect start to the season.
Lionel Messi was in irrepressible form, dragging defenders all over the show to find space, laying on two assists, winning (and missing) a penalty and scoring the final goal himself.
Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic continued their impressive partnership in midfield during a game in which Barca were hugely dominant and could easily have taken Levante for seven or eight had they the inclination.
1. Leicester City
10 of 10
Our top performance of the weekend, though, has to go to the newly promoted side who trailed by two goals at home and went on to beat one of the world's biggest clubs regardless.
Manchester United led 3-1 at Leicester City before the home side scored four unanswered goals in a tremendous 20-minute spell full of the self-belief and excitement that remains following their promotion season.
The 5-3 victory means the Foxes move into seventh place, with just one defeat from five, having already played Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
