by Aleks V |

There's a soccer app for just about everything, from keeping track of scores to the latest news from your favorite leagues and clubs. Until recently, though, there wasn't one for groundhopping. So Geir Florhaug and Lars Erik Bolstad of mobile apps developer Kepermat decided to make it themselves. “The idea came about a few years ago when we looked for an app to keep track of football matches we'd attended,” Bolstad recalls. “We launched the very first version in 2012, initially just for iOS, with a small subset of the functionality that's currently in the app.”

Type in “groundhoppers” in the Google search bar, and the eponymous app is one of the top results, after the Wikipedia entry explaining the popular hobby which involves attending as many soccer stadiums, or “grounds”,  as possible.



Available on Google Play and the iTunes app store, the app currently has over 20,000 monthly downloads, and made the Ten Best Sports Apps on German tech news site iTopNews. It features more than 700 leagues and various cup competitions around the world. One can locate nearby fixtures, register stats, and collect badges for hitting milestones, such as attending a certain number of games. A season summary displays your personal numbers, including games and countries attended and your most visited ground.

The app is free, but offers a monthly and yearly premium subscription for additional features.

The product has garnered “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from fans, which makes the effort worthwhile for its creators. “We have a lot of very enthusiastic users and seem to have really hit a nerve among those who enjoy watching football live,” Bolstad notes.

Lars Erik Bolstad (left) and Geir Florhaug

The community around the app is what keeps him and co-creator Florhaug going when the going gets tough. “Apart from finding time to work on the app besides full-time jobs and family commitments, the main challenge is to keep all the information in the app 100% correct at all times,” the former explains.

An ever-evolving beast

Like soccer itself, the app is an ever-evolving beast. Recent updates include the addition of women's national teams, right on time for the FIFA Women's World Cup in June. The number of languages has also expanded. “We just added the Greek translation and will soon have Czech, bringing the number of languages up to 13,” Bolstad notes.

Expect more updates, but don't count on it becoming the next Pokémon GO. At least, not until AR and VR “evolve beyond just gimmicks.” But do expect the Groundhopper app to attempt to “catch them all” by listening to users' appeals for more leagues and competitions.

In the meantime, Bolstad and Florhaug will keep spreading word. “In terms of growing the user base we're still trying out various ways to make more people aware of it,” says Bolstad. “Recently we have started cooperating with clubs, who promote our app in the form of competitions with prizes for those who attend the most matches during a season. In return we create special club badges that users can earn in our app.”

“So far our user base has mostly grown by word of mouth and we haven't really spent too much effort (or money) on marketing it, but based on the popularity in our core markets in Northern Europe, there should be a whole world out there waiting to discover the Groundhopper app.”

Download the Groundhopper app via Google Play or iTunes.

By Richard Murray |

Photo: UEFA Women's Champions League

When the North Carolina Courage defeated Olympique Lyonnais in the 2018 Women’s International
Champions Cup final, some opined the soccer in the NWSL is better than in UEFA, specifically the Women’s Champions League. Here are five reasons I disagreed.

1. Quality is getting better and better.
I remember when the Women’s Champions League was dominated by Frauen-Bundesliga side FFC Turbine Potsdam. At the time, French, English, Spanish, and Italian women’s football was underdeveloped. The Women’s Champions League grew to where all the top teams in UEFA are not only competing against each other, but also showcasing the growth in top clubs.

I recall when Chelsea Ladies did not have the quality from a Ji So-Yun. I remember when
Atlético Madrid Femenino was not captained by Amanda Sampedro, and when being the champions in Italy, like Brescia Calcio Femminile (acquired by AC Milan earlier this year) were, did not warrant a place in the tournament. 

The Champions League participants grow in competitive power every year. That means each successive champion has to overcome more. Any team can lose – OL lost to North Carolina Courage. But the glory of winning the title constantly pushes OL to grow, or it will become like FFC Frankfurt – a team whose past glories have begun to fade.

2. Competitive entry is harder.
The post-season playoffs in the NWSL determine the champion. But the challenge to enter the Women’s Champions League is harder. I am not speaking to the players, but rather the structure in the competitive environment. Imagine if the NWSL playoffs were played while the regular season commenced, using the prior season's standings to determine entry. Now imagine if this season’s final standings were used for next season’s playoffs. Is that not harder than the current setup in the NWSL?

3. Players’ choices don’t lie.
Former NBA star Rasheed Wallace once said, “Ball don't lie.” Neither do players’ choices. Most female players, coaches, and fans adore the environment in the U.S. They speak well to the country as a destination on or off the pitch. By contrast, the global player pool in the NWSL is not dominant while having every advantage to be. First, the NWSL is one league. Unlike the Women’s Champions League, which accepts champions from Frauen-Bundesliga, Division 1 Féminine, or other leagues in UEFA, the NWSL does not have a team pool as large. The NWSL clubs, all safe from relegation, offer any player a chance to play in one of the top three domestic media markets, absent from relegation fear.

But have most top players in UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, or the Confederation of African Football clamored to play in the NWSL?  

I recall an interview where Carli Lloyd stated how she loved being in the training facilities at Manchester City. Similarly, English forward Lianne Sanderson marveled at the Juventus facilities. Both players, who featured in the top flight in the U.S., spoke to a sense that UEFA, specifically Champions League teams, is where a player needs to be. I can use Nadia Nadim, who left the very popular Portland Thorns to Manchester City WFC, as another example of players’ preferences. 

Women the world over like the community or money in the U.S., but the NWSL is not attracting enough high-quality players. Players’ choices don't lie.

4. MLS shows the future.
According to Sporting Intelligence, Major League Soccer “will imminently become one of the world’s top 10 soccer leagues by average revenue per team.” MLS is 24 years old. I expect the NWSL to grow financially the same way MLS did. I also expect the NWSL to stagnate the same way. MLS has not competitively grown because it was designed to mimic the NFL, the biggest sports league by revenue while the least competitive in internal athletics. The proof is MLS teams’ results in the CONCACAF Champions League. MLS never shook the dominance Liga MX has on the tournament, despite having significantly more revenue. 

The NWSL has no similar tournament to the CCL, nor can women's leagues elsewhere in
CONCACAF relate to the MLS scenario. But they share the same model (a closed league) and show signs of similar results.

5. Hype never convinced the informed.
Many fans, players, and coaches, both in and outside of England, suggest the English Premier League is the best league in the world. But revenue aside, the athletic results don’t always match the praise. The EPL may be farther ahead than any other soccer league in media outreach or manipulation to maintain a certain view. But the EPL is not the best league in UEFA based on results in the men's Champions League. Hype can be stronger than the truth, especially in modern media. But the truth is not undone when hype is present.

If you like women's soccer, tune in to the NWSL, especially the playoffs. And not because women are playing the beautiful game, but because the drama one may find lacking in the modern male game is definitely present. Case and point: The NWSL playoff between Portland Thorns and Seattle Reign on September 15 which the Thorns won 2-1. It was a fiery display from beginning to end, worth a
watch and replays. But I enjoyed and will continue to enjoy the Women’s Champions League more. 


Richard Murray’s work has appeared in The Botafogo Star. Read his blog at AALBC and follow him on Twitter at @thetenner10.

By Richard Murray |


Over 10 years ago, I became enthralled by professional women’s football. I saw the French women’s team and thought, “They’re good.” Many of the players were recent transfers to the Ligue 1 side I follow closely, Olympique Lyonnais. While I support OL, it is originally a men’s team that developed a women’s side through sharing resources with the former. Chelsea; Atlético Madrid; Borussia Mönchengladbach; Olympique Lyonnais; Santos; at one time, Botafogo; AC Milan (which recently absorbed Brescia Calcio Femminile): All are men’s teams that share or shared infrastructure with a women’s team.

Two clubs I support, Turbine Potsdam in the Frauen-Bundesliga and INAC Kobe in Japan’s Nadeshiko league, are standalone women’s clubs. They have no straight or dis-connectable affiliation with a men’s club, though behind-the-scenes relationships exist.

Photo: turbine-potsdam.de

In the National Women's Soccer League in the U.S., a regional problem exists. The Northeast, home to New York City, Boston, and most of the highly rated colleges in the U.S., such as Colombia University, Harvard, Yale, and NYU, is unable to maintain a women’s soccer team.

The annually poor-performing Boston Breakers finally folded. The Western New York Flash, who achieved great success at times, were sold to North Carolina FC and rebranded as the North Carolina Courage. A new version of the Flash plays in the second-division United Women’s Soccer league and is still owned by the Sahlen family which sponsors the stadium the Courage play at.

Meanwhile, Sky Blue FC replaced the Boston Breakers as the Northeast’s bottom club that has no sign of getting better.

A Deadspin article by Erica L. Ayala and RJ Allen goes into a little detail about Sky Blue FC’s troubles, citing former players and staff, as well as former US. international goalkeeper Hope Solo.

But the article missed a key point – in its early stages, men’s football was no different. One of the problems people have concerning sport is they forget or ignore the time to grow the infrastructure some revered sports clubs use today. Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and even PSG, which was founded in 1970, did not have the infrastructure they do now.

I saw photos of early men’s football and read some biographical info; their pitches were like the many women complain about all throughout women’s soccer. The players’ relationship to owners or salary was less positive compared to many at Sky Blue FC.

Earlier this year, OL Féminin won its third straight Women’s Champions League title. But it does not fill up the stadium like the men’s team, which has never won the men's CL, not even after becoming Ligue 1 champion and having held the spot consecutively for seven seasons (from 2001-02 to 2007-08). It still does not get sponsors or fan attention superior to the men’s team.

RENVERSANT. FANTASTIQUE. HISTORIQUE. ⚡⚡⚡
Notre équipe remporte pour la 3ème fois consécutive la Women’s Champions League ! La #TeamOL s’est imposée 4 à 1 face grâce aux buts d’ @amandinehenry6, d'@ELS_9_FRANCE, d'@AdaStolsmo et de @cam10abily23 !
Bravo ! 😍😍😍 #UWCLFinal pic.twitter.com/ed5L0Aa9pk

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) May 24, 2018

Women’s-only football clubs have to survive. Those that do will have a great story. They will be able to say they survived not only the early years where fiscal absence or organizational neglect were more common, but will also be able to state the competition in their environment to fellow clubs who are benefiting from already existing infrastructures was a large mountain, one men’s clubs did not have.

When I first watched the Frauen-Bundesliga, Turbine Potsdam and FFC Frankfurt were the top clubs. Then Wolfsburg came in, as well as Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Essen, Gladbach, and others. However, Frankfurt and Turbine are the sole standalone women's clubs in the top flight, part of a small number of similar clubs in the top flights throughout UEFA.

Is that a bad thing? No. I have nothing against affiliation with men’s clubs, but I do not think women’s football must have them, and that is where the surviving has value. Not every men’s football club has an affiliated women’s club. Many men’s clubs thrive well in finance or fandom without them. Why can’t women’s clubs do likewise?

Richard Murray’s work has appeared in The Botafogo Star. Follow him on Twitter at @thetenner10.

The first in a series on the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Illustration: Aleks V | Photos: Listas en 20minutos.es, MUFC, Atlético Madrid

by Aleks V |

On this day in 1972, Rangers FC won their sole European trophy, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, in a dramatic 3-2 battle against Dynamo Moscow at Camp Nou in Barcelona. In honor of the 45th anniversary of the historic final, here are some lesser-known facts about the game:

1. The first Soviet team in a European final

Dynamo Moscow in the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final. Photo: fcdynamo.ru

Dynamo Moscow became the first team from the Soviet Union to compete in the final of a European competition.

2. The managers met again

Rangers FC manager, Willie Waddell, played against Dynamo Moscow manager, Konstantin Beskov, in Dynamo's 1945 tour of Britain. In the post-war friendly vs Dynamo, Waddell's penalty kick was saved by goalkeeper, Alexei "Tiger" Khomich. Dynamo Captain, Beskov, contributed to both of his team's goals against Rangers, earning the free kick for Kartsev's 3rd minute opener and assisting his second goal. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.

3. The managers' records still stand

As manager of Kilmarnock in 1964-65, Willie Waddell led the club to its only championship in Scotland's top tier to date. Konstantin Beskov led Dynamo Moscow to victory in the 1994-95 Russian Cup, the club's last trophy while playing in the Premier League.

4. The lone foreigner

Rangers only had one foreign player on their roster in the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final - goalkeeper, Gerry Neef, who was on the bench for the duration of the game.

5. 45 years later, the Captains still support their clubs 



Both Captains remain active for their clubs. Rangers defender, John Greig, is the club's honorary life president. He's also on the board of the club's Youth Development Program. Dynamo Moscow defender, Valeri Zykov, attended the Blue-and-Whites' game against Shinnik on May 14, performing the ceremonial kick-off in honor of the 45th anniversary of the match against Rangers.

6. An artist is present

Fans hold up posters for the Rangers vs Dynamo Moscow game. Photo via cenotaph on forum.followfollow.com

Although there was no official match programme for the game, the famous match poster remains a favorite among collectors. The artwork used for the poster is by Spanish artist José Cros Estrems, who was known for his bullfighting illustrations.

7. The NASL connection

Willie Johnston playing for the NASL's Vancouver Whitecaps, 1980. Photo: John Denniston

Rangers' Willie Johnston, Alfie Conn, and Dave Smith all left their mark in the North American Soccer League. Johnston, who scored two goals in the Cup Winners' Cup Final against Dynamo, had two spells for the original Vancouver Whitecaps. The Scot made 59 appearances, tallying three goals and 19 assists. After a successful year playing indoor soccer at the Pittsburgh Spirit (15 goals and 8 assists in 21 games), Conn joined the NASL's San Jose Earthquakes, making two appearances in 1980. Smith played 15 games for the Los Angeles Aztecs and five for the Seattle Sounders during the 1976 NASL Season.

8. One-club men

Rangers manager Willie Waddell. Photo: rangers.co.uk

Rangers skipper John Greig homecoming & fans celebrate 1972 ECWC final win pic.twitter.com/800xyHcBgk

— RetroScotsFitbapics (@RetroScotsFitba) August 3, 2015

Rangers manager, Willie Waddell, was a one-club man during his playing career. Rangers captain, John Greig, was a one-club man both as a player and manager. His involvement with the club continues to this day.

9. A record still stands

Rangers and Dynamo Moscow have played each other on six occasions - three friendlies and three official games. The Gers have never lost to Dynamo, winning five matches and drawing one (the 1945 friendly). The teams last met in 2001, in the UEFA Cup Round of 16.

10. Success for both teams

The 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final remains both Rangers and Dynamo's greatest success in European competition. Rangers came close to a second European trophy in 2008, but lost to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Final of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup.

by Aleks V |

Fans climb trees to watch a friendly between Belgium and the Netherlands. Photo: Nationaal Archief / Spaarnestad Photo via Flickr

On this day in football 104 years ago, Belgium and the Netherlands drew 3:3 in a friendly match. Fans took to the trees to catch a glimpse of the game at Beerschot Stadium in Antwerp, Belgium. Leo Bosschart, who opened the score for the Netherlands, netted in his only goal for the national team.

The Low Countries derby, as the rivalry has come to be known, has roots at the start of the 20th century. Although the Dutch currently dominate the head-to-head record, their last win against the Red Devils was in a 1997 World Cup Qualifying match.

Belgium vs Netherlands - 3:3 (3:2)
Sunday, March 9, 1913
International Friendly
Beerschot Stadium (Olympisch Stadion), Antwerp, Belgium
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Frederick Thomas Kirkham

Goals:
0:1 Leo Bosschart (1')
1:1 Robert De Veen (17')
2:1 Robert De Veen (29')
3:1 Fernand Nizot (30')
3:2 Jur Haak (44')
3:3 Mannes Francken (63')

Belgium XI:
Emile Andrieu
Adolphe Becquevort
Louis Bessems
Oscar Bossaert (captain)
Prosper Braeckman
Robert De Veen
Gaston Hubin
Jules Mayne
Fernand Nisot
Louis Saeys
Joseph Thys

Netherlands XI:
Leo Bosschart
Piet Bouman
Nico Bouvy
Bok de Korver (captain)
Nico de Wolf
Mannes Francken
Just Gobel
Jur Haak
Jan van Breda Kolff
Jan Vos
David Wijnveldt

Managers:
Belgium: FW Maxwell | Netherlands: Fred Warburton

Trivia

British Bosses
Belgium coach Maxwell was born in Scotland. Netherlands coach Warburton - in England.

Belgium's B's
Belgium's Bessems, Bossaert, and Braeckman were also teammates at Daring Club de Bruxelles, established in 1895 and dissolved in 1973. The three were champions of the Belgian First Division in the 1911-12 season. Bossaert later became the club's president.

Off the Pitch
Outside of football, Belgium captain Oscar Bossaert was an industrialist and ran the Victoria biscuit-chocolate factory. After hanging up his boots, he became a politician, serving in the Belgian Senate and as mayor of Koekelberg. The Edmond Machtens Stadium was previously named after him.

The Netherlands roster boasted a variety of professions: shipyard director, civil servant, architect, medical physician/cardiologist, math/physics instructor.

Olympic Ode
Netherlands coach Fred Warburton guided the team to bronze at the 1920 Summer Olympics, beating Maxwell's Belgium 3:0 in the semi-finals. Multiple players on both teams became Olympic medalists.

Outstanding Official
The referee, Frederick Thomas Kirkham, was considered one of the best in the world at the time. He also had a stint as manager of Tottenham, though it wasn't very successful.

Remarkable Records
At 16 years and 19 days old, Fernand Nisot was both the youngest player to appear for Belgium (April 30, 1911 vs Netherlands) and the youngest goalscorer (March 10, 1912 vs Netherlands). His records still stand to this day.

Remarkably, the Netherlands' Jan van Breda Kolff also holds the record for youngest player and goalscorer for his national team (17 years and 74 days). Both records were achieved in games against Belgium and remain unbeaten.

Louis Saeys, a one-club man at Cercle Brugge, became the club's second-ever coach at 26 years old.

Mannes Francken was all-time top scorer for the Netherlands in 1913, a record he held for 22 years.

--
Data: 11v11.com

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

The 2014-15 UEFA Europa League knockout round begins on Thursday, February 19th, and so far, it looks like it'll be a thriller. Most of the teams in the first leg of the Round of 32 will be meeting their opponents for the first time. Belgian Pro League champions RSC Anderlecht will host the group stage stars FC Dynamo Moscow at Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. Kick-off is at 21:05 CT (3:05pm EST).

Anderlecht

The Belgian club comes out of an unlucky Champions League group, where they faced the likes of Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, and Galatasaray. With that in mind, they still managed to draw in one leg against each opponent. Anderlecht have been shaky at home in European competition, losing six games in a row before their 2-0 win against Galatasaray. Their domestic record tells a different story. They recently made the final of the Belgian Cup and are set to face Brugge in March. Their last Cup win was in the 2007-08 season.

Key Players

Mitrovic, Vanden Borre, and Mmemba, who all scored two goals in the UCL group stage, will be instrumental in the attack. Steven Defour will bring his experience in UEFA competition, and will likely make his 50th appearance in a UEFA club competition.

Record vs Clubs From Opponent's Country

Anderlecht last faced a Russian club in Europe in 2012, when they beat Zenit St Petersburg 1-0 in the 2nd leg of the Champions League group stage. They are 5-1-6 in Europe against Russian sides with 21 goals for and against, so a game against Dynamo can either make or break their hopes for the next round.

Dynamo Moscow

Dynamo are unbeaten in their last 15 games in all competitions, and recently took home The Atlantic Cup, ending a trophy drought of nearly 20 years. The blue-and-whites are also unbeaten in this season's Europa League from the third qualifying round onward.

Key Players

Mathieu Valbuena never ceases to amaze; he's a universal player who can be instrumental anywhere on the pitch. Be on the lookout for his set piece deliveries. Alex Buttner has stepped up his game, contributing both in the defense and attack. William Vainqueur played alongside Anderlecht's Defour and Cyriac while at R. Standard de Liege.

Record vs Clubs From Opponent's Country

Dynamo haven't played a Belgian club in an official match since 1997, when they won 3-2 against KRC Genk in the group stage of the UEFA Intertoto Cup. They've lost three of their seven games in Europe against Belgian sides, with a goal difference of 8-10.

The Managers

Neither Besnik Hasi or Stanislav Cherchesov have won a European cup as a player or manager.

In his first ever season as head coach, Hasi won the Belgian Pro League and Super Cup while leading Anderlecht to their first UEFA knockout stage in 3 seasons.

Cherchesov led Dynamo to the UEL group stage and knockout round for the first time in the club's history. In the Russian Premier League, he established Dynamo as a top 4 contender.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Although the Round of 32 in this season's UEFA Europa League will feature mostly new match-ups, three of the 16 games that will be played on Thursday, February 19 will be a blast from the recent - and distant - past.

All games below kick off at 21:05 CET (3:05pm ET).

Villarreal - Red Bull Salzburg

Salzburg's Andreas Ulmer in 2009. Photo: weltfussball.at

The only sides in the Round of 32 to have previously met in the tournament, Villarreal and Salzburg last clashed in the group stage of the 2009-10 Europa League. Salzburg won 3-0 on aggregate, but both teams went on to the Round of 32. One Villarreal and three Salzburg players remain from the sides that played the 2nd leg that year. Villarreal midfielder Bruno Soriano has an unspecified injury. Salzburg defenders Christian Schwegler and Andreas Ulmer are fit, while Christoph Leitgeb is doubtful due to a knee injury.

Liverpool - Besiktas 
Liverpool last met Besiktas in the 2007-08 Champions League group stage, winning 9-2 on aggregate. After losing the first leg 2-1, the Reds, under then-coach Rafael Benitez, pummeled Besiktas 8-0 at Anfield. The loss remains not only Besiktas' biggest European defeat, but the biggest loss in any stage of the Champions League. Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is the only returning player from that historic match.

Liverpool went on to the semi-finals of the 2007-08 UCL, losing 4-3 to Chelsea in extra time.



Celtic - Inter
Perhaps one of the biggest match-ups in the Round of 32, Celtic and Inter have waited over four decades to face each other in European competition. They'll play the first leg at Celtic Park, which hosted the semi-final of the 1971-72 European Cup (Champions League), a showdown that ended in a victory for Inter after a penalty shootout. The Italians went on to lose 2-0 to Ajax in the final. Celtic beat Inter at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon to win the final of the 1966-67 European Cup, becoming the first British club to win the tournament.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Photo: desporto.sapo.pt

It's all come down to a classic clash between the favorites and the underdog. In their first ever meeting, Dynamo Moscow and Orebro SK will play for the 2015 Atlantic Cup on Saturday at 17.30 MSK (9:30am EST). Many are quick to look over a friendly tournament, even one with a trophy. For Dynamo and Orebro, however, it's an opportunity to make history. Dynamo last won a trophy in 1995, taking home the Russian Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout against FC Rotor. The blue-and-whites have also won a friendly tournament, taking home the Ciutat de Barcelona trophy in 1976. Orebro, a club that was founded in 1908, have yet to win a Cup tournament. The closest they came was the 1987-88 Svenska Cupen (Swedish Cup), in which they were runners-up to IFK Norrkoping. Unlike Dynamo, who are newcomers to the tournament, Orebro are in the running for a second year in a row. Last year's Atlantic Cup was bittersweet for the Swedes, who finished second to FC Copenhagen on goal difference. Orebro's Alexander Axen will try leading the team to a different result this time around, all the while looking for his first silverware as head coach. It won't be an easy task, however. Dynamo have a 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions stemming from last November. Axen won't be alone in his quest - Dynamo's Stanislav Cherchesov has yet to win a trophy in his managerial career. Tomorrow's game will see one manager lifting their club's trophy drought while adding a prestigious award to his resume. The Estadio Algarve awaits.

Road to the Final

Dynamo Moscow - Wins over Copenhagen (2:1) and Goteborg (2:0).


Orebro SK - Defeated Midtjylland in penalties. Won 2:1 against Brondby IF.


Record vs Clubs From Opponent's Country
Dynamo Moscow vs Swedish clubs: +8=2-1 | GD: 36-11
Orebro SK vs Russian clubs: -2 | GD: 1-6

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

The fourth edition of The Atlantic Cup kicks off on Friday, January 30 at Algarve, Portugal with reigning champions FC Copenhagen playing Europa League contenders Dynamo Moscow. The tournament, organized by former Sweden and Arsenal midfielder Stefan Schwarz along with ex-Millwall keeper Brian Horne, attracts teams whose domestic tournaments are on pre- or mid-season break during the winter months, providing a chance to get some valuable playing time in a competitive environment. Eight teams from four countries, including two previous winners, will vie for the trophy. This year's Atlantic Cup is the second to feature a team from the Russian Premier League. Dynamo Moscow come off a victorious UEL group stage run, and are the only participating club currently vying for a European Cup. Spartak Moscow finished in 3rd place last year, winning two of their three games and losing 5:0 to the eventual champions.

Unlike last year's tournament, the 2015 Atlantic Cup will feature a group stage and a final contested by the group winners. FC Copehagen won the 2014 Altantic Cup on goal difference after both the Danish side and Swedish runners-up Orebro SK finished with 9 points after 3 games. The Danes did not concede any goals.

Coverage will be provided by TV3 SPORT.

Participating Teams by Country
3 Danish: FC Copenhagen, Brondby IF, FC Midtjylland
2 Swedish: IFK Goteborg, Orebro SK
2 Czech: Mlada Boleslav, Baumit Jablonec
1 Russian: FC Dynamo Moscow