Top 10 Performances from Around the World for Weekend of Jan 1-4
Welcome to our first look around the football world of 2015, as we separate the good results from the great, the top performers from those who simply did enough.
Due to the reduced amount of games on offer and the nice, neat cutoff point of the new year, we're considering any matches played from Thursday, January 1 up until Sunday night.
La Liga returned, English football enjoyed both league and cup action, the Turkish league continued, and there were even some international games to take in. Here's our first top 10 performances for 2015!
10. Grenoble
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We start off with Grenoble and quite possibly the only time they'll feature on the series, even if we run it for another five campaigns.
The fourth-tier French side play in the CFA—the Championnat de France amateur—and took on the current top side in France, Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Marseille, in the Coupe de France at the weekend.
Despite Marseille leading early on, then again before half-time, Grenoble twice pegged them back to take the game to extra time. Another Marseille goal then should have sealed matters, but a last-minute equaliser took the tie to penalties, where Grenoble won 5-4 on penalties to seal a famous and unexpected win.
9. Dundee United
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Up to Scotland and the Premier League next, with the SPFL continuing over winter and seeing a derby fixture played on New Year's Day.
There, Dundee United trounced rivals Dundee by a 6-2 scoreline, with Gary Mackay-Steven central to much of the home side's greatest work, scoring two goals himself.
Dundee United remain in the hunt for a top-three place, despite drawing their next game on Sunday.
8. Hull City
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Hull City's season has been pretty much diabolical so far, but they got their act together on New Year's Day to pick up just a second home win of the season, defeating Everton 2-0.
Ahmed Elmohamady and Nikica Jelavic—scoring against his old club—did the damage for the Tigers, bringing them three long overdue points and helping them escape the crowded relegation zone...for now, at least.
With a big away game at West Bromwich Albion to come next, they need to continue this better form further into 2015.
7. West Bromwich Albion
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West Bromwich Albion themselves have tried to forge their own improved fortunes, dispensing with manager Alan Irvine and appointing Tony Pulis in his stead.
They picked up a point in the Premier League on New Year's Day, but it was their performance in the FA Cup third round which really caught the eye as they smacked seven goals without reply past non-league Gateshead.
Sure, it was opposition they should be handily beating anyway, but as Grenoble showed, cup competitions have a way of upsetting the odds, and a job still has to be done. Saido Berahino was the big hero with a four-goal haul in the match.
6. Atletico Madrid
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It was certainly advantage Atletico Madrid this weekend in Spain as La Liga got back underway, with the reigning holders taking three points with a composed, impressive and deserved 3-1 win at home to Levante.
Antoine Griezmann scored two headers before Diego Godin added another late on, putting an end to a brief comeback from the away side. Other than a 15-minute spell after a surprising consolation strike around the hour mark, Atleti were by far the better side and could really have gone on to win more comfortably.
Add in Barcelona and Real Madrid both losing and Fernando Torres returning, and it was a good weekend all-round for fans of Atletico.
5. Sheffield United
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Back to the FA Cup now and the biggest upset certainly came at Loftus Road, where Premier League side QPR continued their miserable showing this term by losing to League One outfit Sheffield United.
The Blades were the better team, they showed more creativity and ingenuity and certainly a keener eye for goal as they ran out 3-0 winners away from home.
While Sheffield United will hope it signals an upturn in fortunes for league games to come as well, the defeat for QPR is all the more embarrassing as the third-tier side had not won in six league games before this fixture.
4. Southampton
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Southampton's top-four status and ability to stay there all season was supposed to be put under the microscope when they faced Arsenal in the Premier League on New Year's Day.
All it really did was show that yes, they did have the quality to remain in the top four if this is the level of quality they need to be better than. Saints were the superior team, and they ran out 2-0 winners and could even have scored more.
They remain two places and three points ahead of the Gunners as a result.
3. Galatasaray
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Over to Turkey's Super Lig now, where there were two top-of-the-table clashes to get excited about this weekend. Fenerbahce beat Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday, before Sunday's big match saw Galatasaray overcome Besiktas away from home to signal all change at the top.
Felipe Melo scored the opener and Burak Yilmaz made the points safe late on, while the home side, who had been top going into the weekend, finished the game with 10 men.
Galatasaray move to within one point of the top two as the Turkish league heads into its own winter break.
2. Tottenham Hotspur
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Back to the Premier League now and the late fixture on New Year's Day saw Chelsea have the chance to go three points clear if they could beat Tottenham away from home. In truth, after Diego Costa scored the opening goal, few would have bet against that being the case.
Spurs came back brilliantly though, and two Harry Kane goals were the highlight of a 5-3 win in the end, sending Spurs above rivals Arsenal and into fifth place in the table, their fourth win in the last five league games.
Tottenham certainly deserved the win for the ambition, the attacking urgency and the quality they showed during the game.
1. Valencia
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Top of our rankings this weekend is Spanish side Valencia, who finally put an end to Real Madrid's 22-match winning streak by beating the league leaders 2-1 on Sunday.
Valencia started well and looked the better side, yet fell behind to a penalty in the first half. It is testament to their character as much as their quality that they rallied from that to finish the opening 45 minutes the stronger team—then came out after the break to equalise and take the lead.
Antonio Barragan and Nicolas Otamendi were the scorers as Valencia opened up La Liga's title race and put themselves in a strong position for a top-four finish in the process with a brilliant all-round display.
