Top 10 Performances from Around the World After Weekend of Jan. 16-18
Another weekend of top-level football action has come and gone, with a number of quality performances yielding big, impressive or unexpected results in the various competitions taking place.
Our weekly rundown of the best performances hails those who put together a complete show to overcome their opponents in a variety of ways, triumphing either against expectation or in such an impressive manner as to befit attention and praise.
We have a mix of club and country games to take in this time, with the Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations both underway.
10. Feyenoord
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We start in the Eredivisie, where Feyenoord took advantage of the first week back after the winter break to record an impressive win over FC Twente.
The away team could have gone level with Feyenoord with a victory, as the Dutch league is tight in the European places after the first two sides, but Feyenoord impressed throughout and took a 3-1 win to solidify third place in the table.
Feyenoord are away to Ajax in their next league game, with eight points between the teams.
9. Gabon
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The only win of the opening weekend of AFCON 2015 came for Gabon in Group A, as they swept aside Burkina Faso by a 2-0 scoreline.
Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opener, with Malick Evouna scoring the second to wrap up the win.
They play Congo next before facing hosts Equatorial Guinea in the final group game.
8. Atalanta
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Struggling Atalanta picked up a vital win at the weekend as they beat AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro.
Just Atalanta's fourth league win of the season, it moved them from just outside the relegation zone up to 15th place, thanks to German Denis' first-half strike.
While Milan have now failed to win any of their last four league matches, Atalanta are unbeaten in the same streak. Next time out in Serie A, they face Hellas Verona.
7. Crystal Palace
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To the Premier League in England now and a big comeback win in a relegation-struggle battle—though the victors are now most certainly upwards after a good run of form.
Burnley took an early two-goal lead in the match, but Crystal Palace rallied and fought back to win 3-2, thanks to a brace from Dwight Gayle, with his second, the winner, coming just two minutes from full time.
Two wins in succession have pushed Palace up to 12th, four points clear of the relegation zone now, and they face Everton—the side below them—at home in their next league game.
6. Villarreal
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To Spain and La Liga next, where Villarreal had a potentially difficult test against Athletic Bilbao to get through at the weekend. The Basque side have been in poor form but still possess some terrific players; however, Villarreal made light work of them in the end.
A 2-0 result was deserved and impressive, with Denis Cheryshev spectacular once more with his first-half display and well-taken goal. A late penalty from central midfielder Bruno wrapped up the win.
Villarreal remain in the hunt for the top four with the win, sitting in sixth, four points behind Sevilla in fourth. Next up in league, 19th-place Levante.
5. Korea Republic
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Our second international representatives are South Korea, or Korea Republic, who silenced the home crowd at the 2015 Asian Cup to beat Australia 1-0.
The result meant Korea topped Group A ahead of Australia, who only needed a draw, which will ease their path through the knockout stages.
A nod of acknowledgement also to the performances of Uzbekistan (3-1 vs. Saudi Arabia) and Jordan (5-1 vs. Palestine, with four goals from Hamza Al Dardour) in the group stages.
4. Juventus
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Back to club football for the top four, and firstly to Serie A, where Juventus extended their lead at the top of the table. With Roma only having drawn the day before, Juve knew a win on Sunday would send them five points clear—and they delivered in style.
A rampant 4-0 win over Hellas Verona was richly deserved, starting with Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez both netting in the opening 10 minutes.
It was comfortable throughout, and Tevez added another after Roberto Pereyra scored.
Juventus play Chievo, down in 17th, next week.
3. Barcelona
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Barcelona were the last of the top three to play this weekend and knew that both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid had already taken three points, but they didn't let pressure affect them to record another impressive win of their own.
Manager Luis Enrique named an unchanged XI for the first time this season—and Barca responded with a 4-0 drubbing of Deportivo La Coruna, thanks largely to an all-round display from Lionel Messi, who bagged a hat-trick.
Barcelona remain one point behind Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Next week in league, the Catalan club play Elche.
2. Chelsea
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Back to the Premier League, and Chelsea put in what manager Jose Mourinho called a "perfect game," per BBC Sport, to blow Swansea City away in the opening half-hour or so.
The league leaders were four goals up after 36 minutes, with a combination of stellar passing, clever movement and awful Swansea defending seeing Oscar and Diego Costa net a brace apiece in that time.
Andre Schurrle scored one in the second half to leave the final scoreline at 5-0, with Chelsea now five points clear. They play second-place Manchester City at home on Jan. 31.
1. Arsenal
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Top billing for this weekend goes to another Premier League side, Arsenal, after they put in an assured, disciplined and clinical performance to defeat Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
After riding a few waves of early pressure, Arsenal took the lead from the penalty spot, with Santi Cazorla netting the goal. An Olivier Giroud header in the second half doubled the lead, and despite having to see out some late City pressure, Arsenal were never really terribly troubled by the title holders and fully deserved the win.
Arsenal stay in fifth, a point outside the top four, and they play Aston Villa next week.
