Trinidad and Tobago Kevin Molino says playing with better quality players at Columbus Crew will help him raise his level of play as he eyes a successful career and a championship title with the 2020 Major League Soccer champions.
The 30-year-old midfielder signed with Columbus Crew for the 2021 season following a four-year stint with Minnesota United for whom he scored 21 goals in 67 appearances. He said, however, that any improvement on his part will also be dependent on him.
“It all depends on me. I am going to be putting in the work and I will have more quality players playing with so I am looking forward to the challenge,” he told Sportsmax.TV Friday.
He said the move all came down to the fact that he needed a new challenge after six seasons with Orlando City in the United Soccer League (USL) and the afore-mentioned Minnesota.
“It was the perfect time now to have a different challenge, different environment, new coach and change of scenery as we try to win a championship,” he said.
Meanwhile, Columbus Crew SC President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko believes Molino will bring important qualities to the team.
“Throughout his time in this league, Kevin Molino has been one of the most talented and explosive wingers in Major League Soccer, and he proved that not only throughout the 2020 regular season but most recently when it mattered most, in the playoffs, on a team that was minutes away from an MLS Cup final,” Bezbatchenko said.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Nagelsmann impressed after biggest win of Germany tenure
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann was impressed by his team after they inflicted a heavy 7-0 defeat on Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Nations League.
The thumping win in Freiburg secured top spot for the Germans in Group A3, with Nagelsmann's side now five points clear of second-placed Netherlands with one game to go.
Florian Wirtz and Tim Kleindienst netted two each, while Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane were also on target in the victory that was Germany's biggest win since Nagelsmann took charge in September 2023.
The former Bayern Munich manager, who replaced Hansi Flick, failed to take hosts Germany past the quarter-finals in the summer's Euros, but his side now have a chance of securing their first silverware under the 37-year-old.
"We have no injuries from the game and our counter-pressing was extraordinarily good," Nagelsmann said after the game.
"And then to score seven goals against an opponent sitting so deep is something.
"We wanted to win possession and then quickly play the ball forward, be quick in transition and find those runs, something we did not do often enough at the Euros [in June]. We did it well," he said.
Glenmuir outclass STETHS 5-2 to maintain daCosta Cup dominance; McGrath, Garvey Maceo, Ocho Rios also into semis
Glenmuir High continued their dominant march in the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup with an emphatic 5-2 victory over St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in their final Group A quarterfinal match on Saturday.
In a display of clinical finishing and cohesive play, Glenmuir, through goals from Orel Miller (12th), Conroy Nicely (32nd), Orane Watson (45th and 67th), and Ricardo Binns (90+1), overwhelmed their opponents at home in Santa Cruz to further solidify their status as title favourites. Justin McPherson (80th) and Shemmar Smith (83rd) got STETHS consolation.
The win saw Glenmuir finish atop the group with maximum nine points, five points ahead of McGrath High, who blanked Frome Technical 4-0 to also book a semi-final berth. They finished ahead of STETHS on goal difference after both ended on four points each.
Glenmuir’s Head coach, Andrew Peart, was again pleased with how his team went about business.
“Every game you play, you try not to concede but we can live with it. We were 4-0 up when we conceded so we can work on those. I thought today was one of the displays that you’re really proud of; at the start we weren’t really in control but we managed to settle and play our game and score some goals so again, I am really proud of them,” Peart said in a post-game interview.
Though a bit slow out the blocks, Glenmuir quickly gathered momentum and broke the deadlock inside 15 minutes when Miller capitalized on a perfectly weighted cross from Tajaun Cummings, rising above defenders to power a header into the net.
STETHS had a chance to respond shortly after but Deandre Barnett’s header struck the upright.
That was all STETHS would get at that point as Glenmuir extended their lead two minutes past the half-hour mark with a goal that showcased their set-piece prowess. A weighted corner kick from O’Neil Headly was cleverly flicked on by Dusting Cohen, allowing Nicely to tap in at the far post.
Watson added his name to the scoresheet just before halftime, when he slotted into an empty net after STETHS’ goalkeeper Johnoi Steadman advanced and failed to get a hand on Okeem Saunders’ perfectly measured cross. caused confusion in the STETHS defense, with misjudging the delivery as Glenmuir went 3-0 up at the interval.
Glenmuir maintained their attacking intensity at the restart, with Watson again proving troublesome.
In the 67th, Saunders once again played provider, delivering a precise pass that Watson controlled expertly before unleashing a powerful drive from the edge of the box. With that, his second goal of the game, Watson took his tally to 31 for the season, a testament to his exceptional form.
Despite trailing by four goals, STETHS showed resilience in the final 10 minutes. McPherson pulled one back in the 80th minute, finishing from close range to bring the home crowd to life.
Just three minutes later, McPherson turned provider, delivering a pinpoint cross that Stewart headed home for his fifth goal of the season.
However, Glenmuir had the final say as Binns found himself unmarked in the penalty area and easily headed home a perfectly floated cross from Cohen to complete the rout. It was Binns’ seventh goal of the season and a fitting end to a commanding performance.
STETHS’ Head coach Omar Wedderburn and his troops will now have to look to the Ben Francis Cup for redemption.
“We weren’t focused enough in the first half and three goals scored from the service. We tried to make some adjustments in the second half but it barely bore fruit but that’s how it is; it is a hard one to digest and we just have to do what we have to do,” he noted.
Saturday’s Results
Glenmuir 5, STETHS 2
McGrath 4, Frome Technical 0
Munro College 3, Central High 1
Ocho Rios 2, Garvey Maceo 0
Red Force hammer Pride by nine wickets on the back of 173-run second wicket partnership from Ottley and Jangoo
Defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force comprehensively beat the Barbados Pride by nine wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday to secure their spot in the semi-finals of the CG United Super50 Cup.
A delay to the start of proceedings due to some wet spots on the field from rain the night before meant the game was reduced to 45 overs per team.
Leniko Boucher and Raymon Reifer hit fifties to lead the Pride to 258-9 from their 45 overs after being put in to bat by the Red Force.
Boucher top scored with 81 off 72 balls including 10 fours and a six while Reifer hit 70 off 94 balls including three fours and two sixes.
Yannic Cariah took 4-53 from nine overs and was supported well by Mark Deyal who grabbed 3-32, also from nine overs.
An unbeaten 173-run second wicket partnership from Kjorn Ottley and Amir Jangoo then led the Red Force to 259-1 in 43.3 overs.
Ottley led the way with 112* off 132 balls including 11 fours and two sixes while Jangoo finished not out on 93 off 96 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.
Tion Webster had earlier made 41.
The Red Force ended their league phase campaign with an impressive 64 points from seven games and will be one of the favorites to lift the title when all is said and done.
Despite the heavy loss, the Pride, with 46 points from their seven games, should still find themselves in the last four.
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