DOMESTIC CUP FOOTBALL THROUGHOUT EUROPE THIS WEEK.
A few games away from the finale for the domestic cup competitions across European top leagues. It’s the fifth round in England and a quarterfinal in Germany. There are semifinals in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
While the title holders of the KNVB Cup and the Coppa Italia are still active contestants, the Copa del Rey, Coupe de France, DFB Pokal, FA Cup, and the Taca de Portugal have all confirmed to be producing new winners this season.
IN THE TACA DE PORTUGAL,
March 2, 2022
Sporting CP 1-2 Porto
March 3, 2022
Tondela 3-0 Mafra
Porto wins the first leg of the semifinal in Lisbon after coming from a goal down to beat Sporting CP 2-1.
As expected, Tondela made home advantage count with a comfortable 3-0 win against second division side Mafra.
IN THE COPPA ITALIA,
March 1, 2022
AC Milan 0-0 Inter Milan
March 2, 2022
Fiorentina 0-1 Juventus
The Milan derby produced a goalless draw in the Coppa Italia.
Inter Milan and Juventus will go to the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal with a slim advantage.
A goalless Milan derby leaves a lot to play for in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal between AC Milan and Inter Milan. AC Milan has the ‘away goal’ advantage after a goalless draw.
Fiorentina shot themselves in the foot in the final minute of added time. Lorenzo Venuti knocked a cut-in pass into the penalty box to his own net to give Juventus a win that was arguably not deserved.
IN THE COUPE DE FRANCE,
March 1, 2022
Nice 2-0 Versaille
March 2, 2022
Nantes 2-2 (4-2) Monaco
Nice are through to the Coupe de France final for the first time since 1997 after getting through Versailles.
Nantes joined Nice in the Coupe de France final after winning 4-2 in the penalty shoots out against Monaco after playing out to a 2-2 draw.
Both teams have won the competition 3 times in their history; with their last title coming in their most recent appearance in the final.
A 20+ year trophy drought will end for one of the two.
Nice and Nantes are in the final for the first time in 20+ years.
25 years since Nice was at the final.
22 years since Nantes was at the final.
The 2001 Trophee des Champions (French Super Cup) was the last title Nantes won but their last major title will be the French Ligue 1 a few months before. For Nice, the 1997 Coupe de France title was their last major title.
2022 Coupe de France FINAL: Nice vs Nantes
Scheduled: May 8th, 2022
IN THE DFB POKAL,
March 1, 2022
Union Berlin 2-1 St. Pauli
March 2, 2022
Hamburger SV 2-2 (3-2 pens) Karlsruher SC
Hannover 0-4 RB Leipzig
Bochum 1-2 (aet) Freiburg
RB Leipzig is still on track to win their first major title in the DFB Pokal.
Union Berlin came from a goal down to get to the DFB Pokal semifinal at St. Pauli’s expense.
Christopher Nkunku’s first-half brace was enough to seal the deal for RB Leipzig against Hannover. Konrad Limer and Andre Silva doubled the lead in the second half.
Robert Glatzel’s goals brought Hamburger SV came from two goals down to a draw that extended their match against Karlsruher SC to extra time and eventually to a penalty shootout. Hamburger SV won the 3-2 in the shootout.
Roland Sallai scored in the final minute of extra-time to avoid a penalty shootout and hand Freiburg the win to the semifinal at Bochum.
FINAL FOUR:Union Berlin, RB Liepzig, Hamburger SV, and Freiburg
Hamburger SV is the last remaining of the teams that are not in the first division. And despite their last title coming in 1987, Hamburger SV is also the only club left in the tournament that has won the DFB-Pokal.
Hamburger has 3 titles while Union Berlin, RB Leipzig, Freiburg have none.
IN THE KNVB CUP,
March 2, 2022
Go Ahead Eagles 1-2 PSV Eindhoven
March 3, 2022
AZ Alkmaar 0-2 Ajax
Ajax is on track to defend their title.
PSV Eindhoven hasn’t won the cup in a decade.
PSV Eindhoven and Ajax scored two goals on the road to get book a cup final meeting.
PSV Eindhoven got the win against a 10-man Go Ahead Eagles, while Steven Berghuis’s goal in the 11th minute got Ajax success against AZ Alkmaar.
2022 KNVB Cup FINAL: Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven
Scheduled: April 17, 2022
IN THE COPA DEL REY,
March 2, 2022
Valencia 1-0 (2-1) Athletic Club
March 3, 2022
Real Betis 1-1 (3-2) Rayo Vallecano
Valencia and Real Betis book the place in the final of the 2022 Copa del Rey.
Real Betis last title was in 2005.
Valencia’s last title was in 2019.
Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal of the game before the break to get Valencia to the Copa del Rey final with a 2-1 aggregate win over Athletic Club, while Borja Iglesias scored in the second minute of the final added time to save Real Betis a home defeat and secure a 3-2 aggregate win over Rayo Vallecano.
2022 Copa del Rey FINAL: Real Betis vs Valencia
Scheduled: April 23, 2022
IN THE FIFTH ROUND OF THE FA CUP,
March 1, 2022
Peterborough 0-2 Manchester City
Crystal Palace 2-1 Stoke City
Middlesbrough 1-0 Tottenham
March 2, 2022
Luton 2-3 Chelsea
Southampton 3-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Norwich City
March 3, 2022
Everton 2-0 Boreham Wood
March 7, 2022
Nottingham Forest vs Huddersfield
Manchester City needed an hour to break down Peterborough and advance to the quarterfinals through a 2-0 away win, Jairo Riedewald scored in the 82nd minute to restore the lead for Crystal Palace to advance through a 2-1 win at home over Stoke City, and Middlesbrough eliminated Tottenham in extra time.
Chelsea advanced to the FA Cup quarterfinal by coming from a goal down on two occasions before getting the winning goal through Romelu Lukaku.
It was closer than anticipated but Takumi Minamino’s goals in the opening half were enough for Liverpool to advance against Norwich City.
James Ward-Prowse restored Southampton’s lead from the penalty spot nine minutes after losing their first-half lead.
Salomon Rondon’s goals got Everton the win in the second half against Boreham Wood.
FA Cup Quarterfinals draw.
Crystal Palace vs Everton
Middlesbrough vs Chelsea
Nottingham Forest/Huddersfield Town vs Liverpool
Southampton vs Manchester City.
Nottingham Forest vs Huddersfield will be played on Mondon (March 7th).
