Pirates complete season sweep of Marlins, 3-1

 PITTSBURGH --Bailey Falter threw 7 1/3 shutout innings to help the Pittsburgh Pirates complete a season sweep of the visiting Miami Marlins with a 3-1 win on Wednesday afternoon. Falter (8-7) allowed just two hits after carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The left-hander struck out five and walked three.

Jared Triolo homered and Bryan Reynolds had two hits and scored a run for the Pirates (70-76), who have won four in a row and all seven against Miami this season. Jonathan Bermudez (0-1) made his first major league start after two relief appearances and went two innings, allowing three runs and three hits with no strikeouts and one walk for the Marlins (54-92), who have dropped three straight. Bermudez surrendered a one-out double to Reynolds in the first inning and then hit Joey Bart with a pitch.

Nick Gonzales reached on an infield single to load the bases for Oneil Cruz, who drew a walk to force in a run and give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. Connor Joe followed with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-0. Triolo pulled a 2-0 fastball into the seats in left for a solo homer with one out in the second to extend the lead to 3-0. Falter retired the first six batters before walking Kyle Stowers to begin the third, but he was quickly erased by a double play grounder from Javier Sanoja. Falter issued another leadoff walk in the fifth to Jonah Bride, but he retired the next three hitters. Falter then walked Otto Lopez to start the seventh. One out later, Bride collected Miami's first hit when he dropped a soft single into left.

Lopez was thrown out trying to go from first to third and Jesus Lopez grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Colin Holderman relieved Falter with one out and a runner on first in the eighth and got the final two outs. Miami put its first two runners on base in the ninth off David Bednar and Cristian Pache came through with a two-out RBI single to make it 3-1. But Jalen Beeks got the final out with the bases loaded to cement his 10th save.

Germany rally to draw 2-2 with Dutch after conceding early

 Netherlands' Quinten Timber and Jurrien Timber in action with Germany's Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz during their Nations League, League A Group 3 match at Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam.

 AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Germany conceded a goal after 100 seconds but forced their way back to share the points as they drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in an entertaining Nations League Group A3 clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday. Deniz Undav scored on his first start for Germany and captain Joshua Kimmich netted the second for a 2-1 halftime lead after the Dutch grabbed an early goal through Tijjani Reijnders.

But the hosts recovered to equalise through Denzel Dumfries early in the second half in a game played at a quick tempo and with occasional flashes of temper to make it a spicy derby. Germany top the standings, level on four points with the second-placed Netherlands, after both won their opening group games on Saturday. Bosnia, who are third, and Hungary in fourth place have a point apiece after they drew 0-0 in Budapest. Netherlands, who beat Bosnia 5-2 in their opener, got off to a dream start as a perfect through ball from Ryan Gravenberch set Reijnders away to storm down on goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and expertly tuck the ball into the net. The Dutch had two more clear-cut chances to extend their lead but Dumfries headed wide from Xavi Simons’ 15th minute free kick and five minutes later Simons had a chance of his own, with only the keeper to beat, after another accurate pass from Gravenberch, but hit his effort straight at Ter Stegen.

But while the home side created opportunities, the Germans dominated possession, moving the ball around quickly, and soon had the Dutch on the back foot. Germany's Jamal Musiala intercepted an errant pass from Matthijs de Ligt, who had a similar defensive lapse against Bosnia, to set up the 38th minute equaliser for Undav. The visitors were ahead on the stroke of halftime after stretching the Dutch defence, who had by then lost Nathan Ake to a suspected hamstring injury that saw him carried off on a stretcher. Robert Andrich’s long pass to the left wing was hooked back across goal by David Raum, who showed resolute determination, and the unmarked Kimmich had an easy back post tap-in.

DE LIGT SUBSTITUTED

De Ligt was replaced for the second half amid several tweaks by coach Ronald Koeman that served to get his side back into the game. Striker Brian Brobbey’s strength saw him hold off defenders and get the ball square for Dumfries to make it 2-2 six minutes into the second half to the delight of the Amsterdam crowd. Germany then squandered three good opportunities to retake the lead as Kai Havertz missed from close range, Undav then unsuccessfully tried to chip keeper Bart Verbruggen and finally Raum headed wide at the back post. A late German penalty appeal was turned away by the Italian referee, who was given an earful by visiting coach Julian Nagelsmann at the final whistle. "He didn't blow well for either side," he complained. But Dutch skipper Virgil van Dijk was pleased with how things turned out. "At times it was very good. We created chances, the guys who came on showed themselves well. That is what we want, that gives positivity," he told reporters.

Sint Maarten hope to continue bright start against Haiti today

Sint Maarten's Chovanie Amatkarijo is seen dribbling while his teammates Ties Kerssies (Left) and Ilounga Pata look on during their final training session to prepare for the match against Haiti, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on Sunday.

 

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico—After a convincing 2-0 victory over Aruba on Friday, the Sint Maarten national football team hope to continue their bright start to the CONCACAF Nations League Group B against Haiti today, Monday.

With both teams winning their opening matches – Haiti crushed hosts Puerto Rico 4-1 – the encounter is likely to decide who will take sole possession of top spot in the group.

Although coach Piet de Jong described the coming match against the Caribbean football giants as a David vs Goliath matchup, he is quietly confident his boys can pull off a surprise. “We believe we are capable to accomplish superhuman results,” he said.

“Most of our team are really young boys who still have so much potential. I see them grow every game,” de Jong told The Daily Herald during a video call from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. “Last year we made things really difficult for Guadeloupe.”

It is all a question of adjusting your organization, to know where to put pressure to hurt your opponent, he argued “We will have to transition even faster from offense to defense and keep the lines tight,” he said. “That way we hope to frustrate them because we saw in the game against Puerto Rico that they have a short fuse.”

In essence, Haiti play with five strikers, three actual strikers and two offensive midfielders. “The trick will be to utilize the space between the five attackers and five defensive players,” noted de Jong.

He has also cautioned his players not to give up easy freekicks around their own box. “Haiti have a really tall centre forward and both their centre backs are also physically strong,” agreed team captain Kay Gerritsen.

If Sint Maarten can manage to keep a tight defense, De Jong believes his team can hurt Haiti. “We have players who athletic and technically proficient. Some can take on and dribble past several players at once if the situations requires it. We create chances and can score in every game.”

..Especially the left side of Sint Maarten is tough to keep in check for any opponent. Midfielder Quinton Cristina earned himself CONCACAF’s player of the match against Aruba with his quick dribbling and darting runs, while Chovanie Amatkarijo was equally elusive on the left wing.

Should Haiti proof to strong, De Jong hopes his team will keep the score line tight and not give up too many goals. Last year they gave up too many goals in the first games and had to fight hard to accomplish a comeback. “I told my players they don’t want to let it come down again to the last 10 minutes of the last game.”

His team have come out of the Aruba game unscathed and are all fully fit to play. With the exception of Gerwin, “Smally“ Lake. The team’s leading scorer is still trying to regain full fitness after recovering from an injury and is not yet ready to play a full game. That, however, did not stop him from scoring a brilliant goal from 25 meters out to put his team ahead in the 80th minute against Aruba.

That Sint Maarten left it so late to put the result beyond doubt came down to wasting a hatful of chances with especially Elmer de Vries and Shawn Illidge coming close. Left center back Ronan Olivacci would eventually determine the final score in injury time when he recovered a ball in midfield before setting up his own goal with the help of Amatkarijo after a 60-meter sprint.

Aruba had surprised Sin Maarten at the beginning of the game with their early press. Goalkeeper Tyrell Richardson was forced to make a couple of important saves, the most outstanding of which was with his right foot when a Haiti striker was out through on goal.

Sint Maarten made use of the water break after 20 minutes to change things around with the center backs, choosing to switch the ball form side to side faster and forcing the Aruban defense back with deep offensive passes.

France back to winning ways with 2-0 success over Belgium

 LYON, France-- France overcame a slow start to beat neighbours Belgium 2-0 on Monday as Randal Kolo Muani’s close range strike and Ousmane Dembele’s left-foot drive handed them their first points of the Nations League campaign. It was a positive response by the French, who changed eight of the starting team, including Kylian Mbappe, after being beaten 3-1 by Italy in Paris last Friday in their opening League A Group 2 fixture.

But they had to weather early attacks by the visitors before settling into a rhythm and imposing themselves on the contest. Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco acknowledged before the game that his side were too timid and wary of France when they lost 1-0 in the last 16 at the Euros in Duesseldorf 70 days ago. They came out fighting this time, setting up chances for Lois Openda in a sparkling opening before France found their form. Kolo Muani gave the hosts a 29th minute lead after Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels scooped a one-handed save from Dembele’s scuffed shot straight into the path of the Paris St Germain striker who fired home from close range.

Dembele always looked dangerous and got his reward in the 57th as he skipped sideways along the edge of the Belgium box before finding space to fire a superb shot past Casteels. Belgium hardly threatened until Charles De Ketelaere came on in the 69th minute and quickly got a shot on goal, followed soon after by a pair of tame efforts from skipper Kevin De Bruyne, who had a largely frustrating evening. Mbappe was brought on in the 67th along with Bradley Barcola, whose move to PSG from Olympique Lyonnais last season has not been forgotten and who was jeered by the locals.

Mbappe looked bright as he tried to add his name to the scoresheet, missing narrowly from a tight angle 10 minutes from time and having an effort saved by Casteels in the 86th minute. Italy won the other Group A2 fixture 2-1 against Israel in Budapest on Monday to open up a three-point advantage. Belgium, who last Friday beat Israel 3-1, also in Hungary for security reasons, are level on three points with second-placed France.

Dutch score five against Bosnia in start to Nations League campaign

 EINDHOVEN, Netherlands- - The Netherlands endured some nervy moments but in the end proved too strong for Bosnia as they began their Nations League campaign with a 5-2 triumph at the Philips Stadion on Saturday. Joshua Zirkzee scored on his first start for the Dutch to give the hosts a 13th-minute lead in their League A Group 3 encounter but they were caught by a swift counter-attack 14 minutes later that saw Ermedin Demirovic equalise.

Tijjani Reijnders restored the home side's lead on the stroke of halftime and Cody Gakpo made it 3-1 some 11 minutes into the second half. Veteran Edin Dzeko pulled one back 17 minutes from fulltime to offer Bosnia hope of getting something out of the game but Dutch pinch hitter Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons scored in the closing stages to wrap up the victory. It was the first game for the Dutch since reaching the semi-finals of the European Championship in Germany in July and coach Ronald Koeman refreshed his side with an eye on the 2026 World Cup. Zirkzee, who made his debut as a substitute at the European Championship after a late call-up to the squad, grabbed the opportunity for a place in the starting lineup with Memphis Depay absent.

UNORTHODOX He found the net with an unorthodox header, with his back to goal, as he steered a looping ball into the net after Xavi Simons’s shot had been blocked and spun high into the air. Bosnia’s equaliser was expertly finished by Demirovic and came from two passes from deep in their defence, cutting through the middle of the Dutch line-up. Reijnders struck the crossbar with a sweeping shot in the 42nd minute and then found the net two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half with a left-footed finish after a pass from Zirkzee put him in on goal.

Reijnders turned provider for Gakpo’s goal, with a cutting pass across the face that Gakpo slid home in the 56th minute. It looked an easy assignment for the Dutch after that until Bosnia’s teenage substitute Esmir Bajraktarevic, who has switched his international allegiance from the U.S. to Bosnia, provided a long, and inch-perfect, pass for the 38-year-old Dzeko to score his 66th goal on his 136th appearance for Bosnia. Suddenly Bosnia looked dangerous and the Dutch were under pressure but home nerves were settled when Weghorst reacted quickest to a rebound in the 88th minute and then Simons scored two minutes into stoppage time.

The Daily Herald

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