Bas Dost: Vfl Wolfsburg’s unlikely goalscoring machine

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If you’re watching a Wolfsburg game then you will probably hear the phrase ‘Dost scores’ more frequently. The Dutch strikers form has been incredible lately as he managed to score 11 goals in his last seven league games, 13 overall this season and third in the goalscoring leaderboard behind Alexander Meier and Arjen Robben.

Most notable of his performances was against Bayer Leverkusen when he found the net on four occasions to help his team grab all three points with a hard fought 5-4 win at the Bay Arena. The player who started the season as a third choice striker is now one of the high flying attackers in Europe. Born on the 31st of May in 1989 in Deventer, Netherlands, Dost started his footballing career in the youth team of CVV Germanicus and then moved to with FC Emmen. Before the start of the 2007-08 season he was offered a chance to play for the senior squad of FC Emmen which he took and put in to good use with a remarkable performance. And in the summer, he moved to Heracles Almelo.

And about two and a half years later he moved to SC Heerenveen. In his first season for his new team, he finished as their top scorer with 13 goals. On the 10th of December 2011, Dost scored all five goals in Heerenveen’s 5–0 win away to SBV Excelsior, taking his tally to 14 goals in 16 Eredivisie games and subsequently finished as the top-scorer in the Eredivisie with 32 league goals in 34 matches.

Dost joined Vfl Wolfsburg on the 1st of June, 2012. He made his Bundesliga debut on the 25th of August 2012, scoring the winner against VfB Stuttgart. On the 18th of November of that year Dost netted Wolfsburg’s second, and the eventual winner, in a 3–1 defeat of Hoffenheim , lifting die Wölfe out of the bottom three.

Despite proving himself as a top mark finisher on several occasions, Dost has just recently started to regain his golden touch in front of the goal with the German side grabbing the attention of the media in the process. Well, at least with Wolfsburg. His ability to put almost every ball along his path at the back of the net has played a crucial part in his team’s good run of form.

Despite a disappointing 1-0 loss to Augsburg in the weekend, Wolfsburg still sit comfortably in second 11 points behind Bayern with Dost having firmly established himself as the first choice striker to lead the front line of Dieter Hecking’s side.

 

Written by Brook Genene

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Italian football: A reflection of the nation’s rich, dramatic history

1982 World Champions

Italy is a beautiful, complicated, passionate country filled with a rich and dramatic history. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the country’s favorite sport of Italian football, or “calcio”, would be steeped in rich history… and drama, as well.

 

History of Italian Football

In 1898, the Federazione Italiana Giuco Calcio was started in Turin, Italy. It was created to serve as the governing body for Italian football.

With Mario Vicary at the helm as the first president, the budding organization provided Italian football with the structure it needed to be taken seriously. In fact, according to FIGC.IT, their first championship, the “tri-colored championship”, was won by Genoa in Turin in 1898.

Having won the title for four World Cups in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, today’s Italian National Football Team – the Azzurri - is the second most successful national team in the world. They are second only to Brazil, who has just one more World Cup trophy under their belt.

They also won the UEFA European Championship in 1968; took first place for the gold medal in the 1936 Olympic football tournament; and was a two-time winner of the Central European International Cup in 1927.

 

Game of the Century

One of the most notable and hard-fought games in Italian football history is the “Game of the Century” that took place between Italy and West Germany during the semi-finals of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Played in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City in the company of more than 100,000 fans, Italy won that game 4 – 3, after five goals were scored in extra-time. That was the first – and only - time in World Cup history that has happened.

Unfortunately, after such an exciting game, Italy fell to Brazil in the finals of that World Cup competition.

 

Scandal rocks Italian football

Over the years, Italian football has had its share of scandal. The most recent of which is the news of the betting scandal that broke at the end of June, 2011. Also, in that same month, a match-fixing corruption scandal hit the headlines, overshadowing the 2006 Calciopoli match-fixing case.

 

Italian National Football Team gets new management

Former Juventus manager Antonio Conte recently replaced Cesare Prandelli as the manager of Italy’s National Football Team, following the team’s disappointing elimination in the first round at the 2014 World Cup competition in Brazil. Another disappointing World Cup campaign for the Azzurri, which doesn’t match up and hold a candle to its glorious and memorable history in the game.

Here’s hoping to better times for Italian football.

 

Written by Ann Tiller

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Football Tips: How proper nutrition helps a beginner turn into a future star

Most amateur football players recognize the value of dedicated work on the field. They understand that only through an incredible amount of practice and repetition can they transform from young beginners into future stars. As a result, it is not uncommon to find thousands of young football fanatics performing an impressive number of drills on the turf with the intention of becoming a better athlete. They also tend to actively seek out the aid of coaches and teammates to help improve their game. Yet, few of them recognize the importance of nutrition within the sport. In fact, a strong work ethic in the kitchen will often accelerate the improvements made from all the work on the grass.

Before explaining the benefits of proper nutrition, it is important to define what the term implies. Having a solid nutrition plan consists of a first consuming a healthy diet that is high protein in nature, with moderate fats and carbohydrates. The type and quality of the foods eaten is also crucial; organic and grass-fed meats are from healthy animals and thus provide better nourishment. Fresh fruits and vegetables deliver high levels of antioxidants to the bloodstream, which boost many of the everyday functions in the body.

But there are also certain categories of foods that should be avoided or minimized— these products may prove detrimental to an athlete’s progress in the long run. Most importantly, consumption of foods high in sugar and trans fat need to be monitored. Additionally, alcohol in the form of beer and liquor should be held to a two-drink daily maximum to maintain solid health. Usage of common sense will prove to be the most effective technique in the long run when deciding what and how much to consume.

There are a wide variety of reasons to emphasize how crucial proper nutrition is. The first significance is its effect on body composition. Like most sports, football is a brutal test of a youngster’s physical abilities. Powerful leg strength and speed, cardiovascular stamina, and flexibility are some of the traits found in these athletes. Eating a healthy diet consisting of a wide variety of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables encourages the improvement of one’s body composition.

When a football player’s muscle to body fat ratio is lowered, their fitness levels will increase in coordination. In addition, their overall health is improved. Another much neglected component of the sport is the psychological aspect. One’s concentration is sharpened within the player. If the football player is feeling great, he will have more confidence in his skills and thus be able to focus on the game with greater intent.

The importance of nutrition also runs on the cellular level. The thousands of yards run, hundreds of balls kicked, and numerous opponents battled with can be damaging to the cells of the human body. Proper nutrition with the intake of numerous necessary vitamins and minerals replenishes the body for future growth and repair. Making healthy eating choices gives the body the building blocks it needs to build muscle, strengthen bones, and heal overworked organs.

Of course, you cannot neglect proper hydration. Water is a huge component of adequate nutrition, especially for amateur football players. After spending hours performing tough physical activity in the hot sun, these athletes are the most at risk of succumbing to dehydration. Consequences of the condition range from sidelining a player for a few games to requiring hospitalization in extreme circumstances. It is recommended that an athlete drink about a gallon of water a day. Though this seems rather radical, amateur football players lose a lot more water during a regular day than average humans and thus should adjust their water intake accordingly.

Good nutrition, along with hard work on the field, will lead to success in the sport. Note that it is not difficult to eat healthier, and does not have to be time consuming. Rather than having burgers and fries at fast food restaurants, eat a salad. Precook lean meats and vegetables in bulk so you can quickly heat up meals.

In addition, take a multivitamin every morning with breakfast—it only takes a second. Adequate nourishment of the body will not only make one a better football player, but also a happier and healthier person.

 

Written by Jun Zhang

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