“We can be okay with this point” – Enes Alic on St Johnstone 1-1 draw against Falkirk
Enes Alic expressed his delight at scoring first St Johnstone goal and believes he has adapted well to life in Scotland. Enes Alic on his favourite free kick he has scored in his career: “Yeah, maybe. I also scored one for my previous club, but yeah, this one is so good and the first one for this club. On if he had to fight anyone to take the free kick: “No, Ruari said you can take and if it’s for another side, that’s for right foot. I think that this side is for me. I saw the position, and then I score. On the game as a whole: “Yeah, we expect a very hard game. We know that Falkirk come here and play football, and they are a tough team, and I think we deserve the draw, because in the first half they shot two times and the goalkeeper saved good, and then we get an unlucky red card, and of course, in the end, we scored the goal, and for us, now, in that moment, it’s a big point. On if the draw felt like a win: “The coach said before the game we always go to every game to win, so, like I said before, with the red card, we can be okay with this point. So now we’ll go rest and prepare for the Aberdeen game. On his start to life in Scotland: “Yeah, it was hard; we played in ten days four games, and then we rest, and now we play this game, it was hard, but I feel good physically. On playing so many games in a short period: “I’m always working hard; I’m prepared for high level, so, for me, it’s good, because I think that I’m physically good and I’ve adapted good here. On how he’s finding Scottish football: “Yeah, I enjoy it. I know that Scottish football is hard physically and it’s always up and down, strong duels everything, but I think for me it’s good to come here, in this league, this club. On the competition for free kicks: “Yeah, it’s big. Jamie (Gullan) has good free kick, but he’s right foot, and I’m left so I think we have good free kick.”
Scots Abroad Watch week five: Gilmour on scoresheet for Napoli
Sebastien Pocognoli’s 11 players abroad took part in their final matches before representing their country this month. Here’s how each of them got on over the weekend. Angus Gunn: San Jose Earthqaukes drew 2-2 at home to LAFC. Ryan Porteous also played the full match whilst Hueng-min Son was on the scoresheet. Scott McKenna: The Scotland defender’s Dinamo Zagreb defeated Lokomotiv Zagreb in the derby as McKenna was on the bench. Luis Binks: Following a week on the sidelines suspended, Binks returned to action to captain Brondby. His side were defeated 1-0 at home to Copenhagen in a fixture dubbed the ‘New Firm’ in Denmark. Jack Hendry: Al-Ettifaq broke up early for the international break, meaning the defender did not play over the weekend. Josh Doig & Kieron Bowie: Sassuolo were defeated 2-1 away to Serie A strugglers Monza on Friday night. Doig played the whole match whilst Bowie, whose header hit the post in stoppage time came on after the hour mark. Lewis Ferguson & Nathan Patterson: Bologna’s new manager Raffaele Palladino got off to a winning start as they clinched their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory against Torino. Ferguson played the full match and captained the side as Nathan Patterson played the second half while he settles into life in Turin. Billy Gilmour: The Champions League winning midfielder scored his first goal of the season as Napoli drew 1-1 away to Fiorentina. Gilmour was awarded man of the match for his performance on Sunday. Lennon Miller: The Udinese midfielder started his fourth consecutive match and played just under an hour as Udinese were defeated 1-0 at home to Cagliari on Saturday. Robbie Ure: Sevilla were defeated 3-1 at home to Barcelona on Saturday. Ure returned to the starting line-up after two matches on the bench, playing the full 90. The striker has only provided one assist in his first seven Sevilla matches. The Scotland squad have now met up for training camp as they travel to Slovenia on Saturday for Pocognoli’s first game, before hosting Switzerland on Tuesday.
Football creates a safe space for children as two new FIFA Arenas open in the West Bank
Two new FIFA Arena mini-pitches have opened in the West Bank, giving children and local communities in Marah Rabah and Qusin a dedicated place to play football, exercise and come together. The new facilities, developed by FIFA in partnership with the Palestine Football Association and co-financed by FIFA and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, are now open for community use. The opening comes at a difficult time for communities across the West Bank, where restrictions have disrupted everyday life and limited access to schools, services, sport and other activities. The two pitches are intended to provide something practical for local children: a safe and accessible space where they can play football, meet friends and take part in organised sport. More than 150 children from 14 local Palestinian teams are taking part in the Unite for Peace: Kids’ Cup, which is being held across the two new facilities. The five-day tournament features group-stage matches followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, alongside additional football activities for children and members of the surrounding communities. The tournament is being held as part of FIFA’s Unite for Peace campaign, with the initiative promoting friendship, inclusion, teamwork, mutual respect and fair play through football. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the long-term value of the facilities would be measured by what happens on the pitches every day. “For children living in communities where life is often disrupted by restrictions and uncertainty, having a place where they can play football, meet their friends and take part in organised sport matters more than ever.” The Unite for Peace: Kids’ Cup will conclude on 25 September, when the final and awards ceremony will take place alongside the formal inauguration of both FIFA Arenas. One of the new facilities is located in the Thaher Al Thour area, opposite Marah Rabah’s girls’ high school, while the second is situated in the north-western part of Qusin village, next to the main road connecting Qusin and Deir Sharaf. Rather than simply being ceremonial projects, both pitches are designed to become permanent community football facilities, supported by football equipment to help ensure they continue to be used after the tournament. The projects form part of FIFA’s wider FIFA Arena Programme, which aims to create safe, durable and accessible football spaces in communities around the world. For the children taking part in the tournament, however, the significance is much more immediate: two new pitches, a chance to play, and somewhere to come together through football. SNN Sports will continue to highlight stories from across the football world where the game is making an impact beyond the pitch.