Football checkmate

A wise football blogger once wrote "A team's top scorer is like its king in chess,"-- it was this blogger by the way. Well, checkmate to Marseille after selling Michy Batshuayi; checkmate to Napoli after selling Gonzalo Higuain and checkmate to Paris Saint-Germain after selling Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

That's all the kings who left their teams so far this summer. Stop thinking about that tall guy with the fancy hair. No, Paul Pogba is not Juventus' king. Not even with the 132 million U.S dollars Manchester United will pay for him.

Paulo Dybala is the Old Lady's king, the kid led Juventus in scoring  with 19 goals. It's a little hard for Pogba to call Dybala king:

While Pogba and Dybala work this thing out, let's take a look at how the teams who lost their kings will be affected this coming season and what they're doing to recover. We're going to start with Marseille.

Marseille

Batshuayi scored 17 goals for Les Phoceens last season in Ligue 1, that's 35% of Marseille's goals, including three goals that were essential in victories and three game-tying goals. That's 12 points right there, if Marseille finished twelve points lower last season they would've been relegated.

Marseille got 50 million dollars for the 22-year-old forward. They didn't use any of that money to get a new king, although they got Bafetimbi Gomis on a season-long loan deal. Gomis scored 13 goals in the past two premier league seasons out of 62 matches.

He scored less goals in two seasons in England than his last season in France with Lyon, netting 14 goals for the French side in 2013-14-- one goal shy of being his team's topscorer: almost king. If Gomis performs how he always performed in Ligue 1, Marseille isn't going to miss Batshuayi much.

But that's asking a 30-year-old to get back to the form he had three seasons ago, can you win the lottery again with the same number you played with three years ago? Keep an on eye on Gomis this season for the answer to that question.

Napoli

Okay, let's get this straight here, we're not going to try to sugar-code it, Napoli lost big. Big! They lost the king of kings. Higuain scored 36 league goals last season, the second top scorer, Dybala, tallied half of that. How ridiculous is that?

The worst part about Higuain leaving is not Higuain leaving but is the team he left Napoli for.  He went to the team that's been winning the league since 2011-12: Juventus. Higuain's 36 goals for Napoli was the best effort in trying to knock Juve to second place but it still was far away-- 10 points short to be exact. Now the best weapon to steal Massimiliano Allegri's side's throne is joining force with them. You can go ahead and cry at this if you're a Juventus hater:

Napoli will get Arkadiusz Milik and made a bid for Mauro Icardi in seek of a new king. These are two terrific young strikers, they both topped their teams in scoring last season but their goals put together is only one more goal than what Higuain scored. And without an Higuain-last-season like performance, it will be easier for Claudio Bravo to score as a keeper for Barcelona than for Nap to win the Scudetto over Juventus.

Not impossible, though:

 

Paris Saint-Germain

And for PSG, they lost big too. They lost one of the biggest kings, literally and physically, in the football world. But whatever, I've never been a big Zlatan fan so let's end this blogpost right here. 

Whoa! I'm just kidding, Zlatan, chill out.

PSG are in the market for Ligue 1's second topscorer, Alexandre Lacazette-- that's the best move you can do after losing the league's topscorer-- and Real Madrid product Jese Rodriguez. Even if they don't land either one of them, it's not unlikely for them to win the league again. Why? Because they got the third and the fourth topscorer from last season, Edinson Cavani and Hatem Ben Arfa respectively.  

So if the French champions do get Lacazette, they will have last season's second, third and fourth topscorer. Now that's how you get back up after you get checkmated. Give it up for PSG! No Zlatan, no problem for them, the only thing they will miss after Ibra's exit is the money from his jersey. Ibra's jersey is the sixth most sold jersey in the world for two reasons; 1) you pay for each letter of the player's name when you purchase a jersey.

And 2) he scores sandwich goals like this:

Campbell scores vital brace as Jamaica flies past Trinidad 3-0

#17, Goal Scorer, Miguel Ricketts (Jamaica)-- Caribbean Cup Soccer Images

Jamaica coach Arthur Mikes uses a "secret" tactic to guide his side to a well deserved victory against Trinidad and Tobago, thanks to a double by Romario Campbell and Miguel Ricketts' finish.

After a poor start of the New York Caribbean Cup Soccer 2016, Jamaica is looking more like last year's champions as they go on a two game winning streak after a comfortable 3-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday evening at Thomas Jefferson High School Field.

Former Jamaica international Romario Campbell netted the first two goals for Jamaica in the second half before Miguel Ricketts put himself in the score-sheet as well in the 82nd minute as the Reggae Boyz put on an exquisite passing display for the spectators.

This win sends the reigning Caribbean champions to second place in the Eastern Zone with seven points--only one point shy off first place Grenada-- meanwhile Trinidad remains fifth in the table with three points.

Jamaica coach Arthur Mikes is content that his team was able to overcome one of their worst start ever in the Caribbean Cup with this win-- they only bagged one point from their first two games, scoring one goal.

"I'm very pleased," Mikes said about the win over Trinidad, "because this is the first year Jamaica team ever got four points in the regular season [early in the season] so we needed this game to step up, now we got seven points, we're looking very good.

"We're looking very good to either win the division or come in second place."

After a scoreless first half, Mikes' side got their first goal of the game shortly before the hour mark. The Jamaicans were rewarded a free kick from midfield as Trinidad's Dwane James picked up the first and only yellow card of the encounter.

After a step of hesitation Makesi Lewis launched the setpiece towards Ricketts, who passed the ball to an open Campbell in the penalty area. Campbell took a couple of touches before firing the ball past T&T  keeper Marcus Maurice.

Romario Campbell @ goals for Team Jamaica-- Caribbean Cup Soccer Images

Campbell found himself open again and scored a second goal twelve minutes later. Andre Farlone hit a magnificent through ball to an unmarked Campbell. The 26-year-old was one-on-one with the opposing keeper, whom he dribbled around before rolling the ball in the net.

The midfielder spoke of his brace after the game. "I must say congratulations to the team, it's always a positive thing when you can get two goals in a game."

Campbell failed to score a hat trick but Jamaica did put a third one in the net. Andre Farlone found a free Ricketts in the six-yard box with a low cross. Ricketts scored one of the easiest goals he will ever score in his career as he faked the keeper and kept his shot on target from close range eight minutes from time.

Ricketts ended the game with one goal and one assist but doesn't think that was his best. "I'm pleased by my performance but it could've been better," the Jamaican said after the game.

All the three goals TNT conceded was because a defender failed to stay on his man. This is Trinidad's third consecutive loss this season after they had won their opener against  Dominica 5-3.

On the other end, Jamaica moves to a two game wining streak, outscoring their opponents 7-0. The 12th times champions' coach revealed the secret behind his latest win.

"Motivation." coach Mikes said. "You tell the guys on the bench to start warming up, so when the players on the field see guys on the bench start to warm up, they know that their games are in jeopardy. It's up to them to stay on for 90 minutes or go on the bench.

"That's the trick, motivate the players."

Coach Mikes will try this "motivation" tactic again as they face their next opponent Dominica on July 24th at 3:15 p.m. And for Trinidad they will look to turn their season around when they go against Antigua and Barbuda on July 31st at 1:30 p.m.

Statistics

Jamaica

Shots (on target): 18 (6)

Saves: 5

Fouls: 10

Offsides: 3

Yellow cards: 0

Red cards: 0

Corners: 5

Trinidad and Tobago

Shots: 12 (5)

Saves: 3

Fouls: 9

Offsides: 1

Yellow cards 1-- Dwane James

Red cards: 0

Corners: 1


Also available on caribbeancupsoccer.com. 

Nelson's penalty grants St. Kitts a 2-1 win over nine-men St. Lucia

St. Kitts and Nevis mounts on top of the Western Zone of the Caribbean Soccer Cup as Viceroy Nelson's penalty gives them a victory against St. Lucia in a fast tempo and physical game. 

Viceroy Nelson's 88th minute penalty was the decider as St. Kitts and Nevis edged a physical St. Lucia team, who had two men sent off, 2-1 Sunday evening at Thomas Jefferson High School Field.

St. Kitts' Nathaniel Brown and St. Lucia's Rashid Duncan exchanged goals in the first and second half respectively before Nelson converted the game winning penalty.

The 20-year-old is delighted about scoring a goal of this importance for his country, but had to overcome a bit of a nerve-wreck to send the St. Kitts fans happy.

"It's always a good feeling," Nelson said, "playing for your country and scoring the winning penalty in a game like this, it's a great feeling-- never felt better."

He later added: "For me, this is the first time I'm playing in this tournament so to look at the St. Kitts fans, it was a little nervous feeling but once I put the penalty in the net, it felt good."

The Kittians (2-0-1) top the Western Zone of the Caribbean Cup after this win with seven points, while St. Lucia (0-1-2) remains to fifth position with two points.

St. Kitts looked as if they were going to take an early lead when Lucia's Tariq Hippolyte was dispossessed by Nelson in the middle of the pitch. Nelson charged forward before cutting diagonally across the goal and curling a shot just outside the goal in only the seventh minute of play.

Coach Roy Charles' side did find the lead later in the 22nd minute. Kadeem Innis was well marked by a couple of St. Lucia defenders and was forced to pass the ball back to Brown in midfield. The forward whipped one from outside the 18 and saw his effort shake the bottom right corner of the net.

On the other hand, St. Lucia failed to put a shot on frame in the first period. They first tested opposing keeper Malik Liburd two minutes into the second half when Daran Fedee curved a beauty from the left side of the 18. Liburd performed an outstanding one-hand save to keep his team on top.

The game was interrupted by brutal fouls from time to time. Indeed, Kerwin Edwin clashed with Brown with a fierce standing tackle in the 26th minute, which granted him a yellow card. This resulted into a quarrel between the two sides, in which Edwin received a second yellow: an expulsion.

20-year-old Brown spoke of the physicality of the game. "The game was very physical," Brown said, "but I had an injured groin so that's why I looked a little weak on the field."

Although they were down one man, the Helen of the West Indies fought and fought until they found an equalizer four minutes left in the game. Delorn Theodule passed the ball across the top of the 18 to Duncan, who kept his shot hard and low and beyond keeper Liburd.

It wasn't all that was written in the game. Devonte Fahie hit a long ball to Alister Warner inside the box. As Fahie was about to fire a shot, John Joseph brought him. Joseph forced a penalty and was ejected as he received a second yellow.

The second youngest St. Kitts player on the field, Nelson, was called on to take the spot kick and made no mistake in doing so. The youngster sent the ball right as Chad Phillip dove left.

The two-island country's assistant coach Ivan Walters is content of his players' performance but still believes that his side can improve.

"I'm expecting us, St. Kitts, coach [Roy Charles], the team as they get more chances to play to together, I think we will see a better performance."

Next up for Lucia is Barbados on July 17th at 1:30 p.m., meanwhile St. Kitts takes on Panama July 24th at 1:30 p.m. as well-- a game that Walters is "confident" that his side will come out victorious.

Statistics

St. Kitts and Nevis
Shots (on target): 22 (12)
Saves: 3
Corners: 1
Offsides: 1
Fouls: 10
Yellow cards: 1-- V. Nelson
Red cards: 0

St. Lucia
Shots: 10 (3)
Saves: 12
Corners: 7
Offsides: 1
Fouls: 7
Yellow cards: 5-- L. Marcellin, G. Valcin, J. Joseph (2), K. Edwin
Red cards: 2-- K. Edwin, J. Joseph

Fun Stats

• St. Kitts committed more fouls than St. Lucia but received less cards.
• St. Lucia keeper Chad Phillip had 12 saves in a losing effort.
• St. Lucia had more cards than shots on target, seven bookings but only three shots on target.

Man of the Match

Viceroy Nelson: 1 goal (game winning penalty kick).