FIFA.com’s latest stats review takes you through the host cities of four former FIFA World Cup™ Finals and one future one, as well as the Big Apple.
80
years is what Dynamo Moscow’s reign as a top-tier team came to an end at on Saturday. The White-Blues were the inaugural winners of the Soviet Top League in 1936, and while the likes of CSKA, Lokomotiv, Spartak, Torpedo and Zenit have all been relegated from that competition or the Russian Premier League, Dynamo seemed destined to preserve their status as the only Russian club to have never been relegated from the elite as they entered April. Thereafter, however, Lev Yashin’s former side ended the season with just one point from a possible 27, with their 3-0 defeat at home to Zenit freefalling them three places and into the automatic demotion slots in the final round.
29
matches is what has given Vasco da Gama the longest unbeaten run in their 100-year footballing history. Jorginho’s side beat Tupi on Saturday to make it 21 victories and eight draws since a 1-0 loss to Fluminense almost seven months ago – a run during which the O Gigante da Colina were relegated from the Brazilian top flight, won the Campeonato Carioca, and have taken six points from six in their bid to return to the national elite. Vasco’s previous best undefeated streak was 27 matches, which Barbosa, Augusto, Alfredo, Danilo, Chico, Jair, Maneca and Friaca – members of Brazil’s 1950 FIFA World Cup™ silver-medal winning squad – helped them achieve two years before the club became the maiden South American champions in 1948.
7
goals without reply is what New York Red Bulls registered against New York City FC to record the joint-biggest victory in MLS history. Braces apiece from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Dax McCarty propelled the Red Bulls to a victory – their first on the road in almost seven months – that equalled LA Galaxy’s 8-1 defeat of FC Dallas in 1998 and Chicago Fire’s 7-0 reverse of Kansas City Wizards three years later. Surprisingly, all three of those thrashings were achieved away from home. Alex Muyl, Gonzalo Veron and Gideon Baah all rose from the bench to grab the Red Bulls’ other goals at Yankee Stadium, making it the first time that three substitutes have scored in the same game. The loss dropped Patrick Vieira’s side from the Eastern Conference summit, and saw Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Villa involved in the heaviest defeat of their long careers.
5
goals is what El Tanque scored in a must-win game on Sunday, yet they still lost and were consequently relegated. Never before in Uruguayan top-flight history had a team netted more than four times – or been involved in an 11-goal game – in the match that condemned them to the drop. El Tanque’s chief hangman was 19-year-old Maxi Gomez, whose four goals within 40 minutes had Defensor Sporting 5-1 up just after half-time in Montevideo. El Tanque fought back valiantly but went down 6-5 to record their eighth consecutive loss – the worst run in their 75-year history.
0
clubs had managed back-to-back Italian doubles until Juventus bucked the trend in Rome on Sunday. Serie A and the Coppa Italia had been won by the same side in the same season on eight previous occasions, by Torino (1942/43), Napoli (1986/87), Lazio (1999/2000), Inter Milan (2005/06 and 2009/10) and Juve (1959/60, 1994/95 and 2014/15). Only two minutes after coming off the bench, midway through extra time, Alvaro Morato bagged the only goal with his third touch to ensure Juventus and Milan have won eight games apiece from their 22 meetings in the tournament.
Quick hits 114years had passed without Hibernian lifting the Scottish Cup until their dramatic, come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Rangers on Saturday. Now, for the first time in 32 years, three consecutive editions of the competition have been conquered by non-Old Firm clubs after St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle triumphed in 2013/14 and 2014/15 respectively.
50 years after they last won the Taca de Portugal – and following four defeats in its final – Braga upset Porto on penalties to repeat the feat.
32 years and 11 matches: that is how long it took Turkey to finally score against England, who had netted 32 without reply until Hakan Calhanoglu beat Joe Hart at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.