Solihull Moors keep unbeaten start going with win over Boreham Wood

By Sports Desk August 16, 2023

Solihull Moors continued their unbeaten start to the Vanarama National League campaign with a 2-1 victory at Boreham Wood.

The visitors broke the deadlock six minutes before the interval when forward Mark Beck rose highest to head home.

The points were secured when Jamey Osborne fired home the other side of the break after Jamal Fyfield had missed a decent chance to equalise.

David Agbontohoma’s last-minute goal for the hosts – his first for the club – was no more than a consolation as Solihull moved to seven points from three games, with Wood three points further back.

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    Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.

    Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.

    "I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.

    "Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."

    Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.

    Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.

    "I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.

    "This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."

    Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.

    "It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.

    "We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."

    Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.

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    Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.

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    Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.

    Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.

    "I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.

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    New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez

    Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.

    Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.

    New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg

    Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.

    No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.

    MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN

    This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.

    The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.

    NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).

    The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    New York City FC – 46.5%

    Draw – 26.5%

    New York Red Bulls – 27%

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