THE COLD END - WORLD FOOTBALL WEDNESDAY

SAN MARINO STILL ON THE HUNT FOR THEIR FIRST WIN 

I've written about San Marino before and their quest for their first victory. It'll be game 186 and 187 for La Serenissima in this International week. They travel to Denmark on Thursday before a home game at The Olympic Stadium of Serravalle against Slovenia on Sunday - both games are in Group H of the Euro 2024 Qualification. So far in the Group they've played four and lost four with no goals scored and thirteen conceded. Slovenia beat them 2-0 in their second game in the group with RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko netting along with a Roberto Di Maio OG. 

Denmark, FIFA ranked 19th, haven't made the best of starts to their qualification campaign drawing in Slovenia and losing in Kazakhstan with wins over Finland and Northern Ireland. BET365.COM make Denmark 1/125 the favourites for the game on Thursday with a San Marino win 100/1!!  

San Marino last scored an away goal in a competative game on 4/9/2017 in a Euro Qualification match against Azerbaijan which they lost 5-1. Defender Mirko Palazzi was the scorer - The 36 year old played for Cosmos in the Europa Conference League qualfying round this season and is in line for his 74th cap if he plays against Denmark. 

So the form and odds suggest even if San Marino get a goal against Denmark it'll be cause for celebration - Good Luck to Fabrizio Costantini and his squad.

LET'S GIVE SOME SUPPORT FOR THE PLAYERS OF DYUSSH-POLESGU 

Dyussh-Polesgu joined the Belarusian Vysshaya Women's League for the 2023 season and haven't had much luck as yet. So far in their 24 games they have 2 draws and 22 defeats with 4 goals scored and 229 conceded. Their only two points came against FC Gomel Women which ended 1-1 and 0-0. FC Gomel are perched just above Dyussh with their only two points coming from those games too! 

Dyussh have a very young side indicated in their goal scorers being two for Anastasia Ogievich (18 years old), one for Anastasia Kobelchuk (16) and an own goal. 

Their next game comes on Saturday 16th September when they visit Dynamo Brest. 

JONG AJAX BOTTOM OF THE DUTCH SECOND TIER 

In the Dutch football system reserve sides are allowed up to the Second Tier and this season sees Jong Ajax, Jong AZ Alkmaar, Jong PSV Eindhoven and Jong FC Utrecht in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. 

After a few weeks of the season Jong Ajax find themselves bottom of the table with four defeats to Groningen, De Graafschap, Cambuur and MVV Maastricht. 

Goalkeeper Charlie Setford, 19, has played in three of those games. He was born in The Netherlands and has represented both England and Holland at u15, u16 and and u18 level. His Dad is English and his Mother is Dutch. 

Jong PSV are the best performing reserve side at present at they are in second place behind Roda JC. 18 year old attacker Jason Van Duiven, a Dutch International with caps at u15 and u17 level, has scored twice in those four games. He scored 15 goals in 34 games for Jong PSV last season and is certainly a name to look out for in the future. 

Jayden Addai, 18, is also a centre-forward to look out for as he has scored six times for Jong AZ already this season.  

BRAZILIAN SERIE D SEASON COMING TO A CONCLUSION 

The 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série D season is coming to a conclusion in the next few weeks. The Fourth Tier is made up of 64 teams who qualify by finishing highest in the 2022 state leagues and state cups with the the Serie A, B and C teams, who also contest, not counted.  Four relegated teams from Serie C are also included. 

For example three teams for the Rio De Janeiro state are in this season's Serie D. They are Resende (7th), Nova Iguacu (5th) and Portuguesa (6th) from the Cariocão Betfair 2022 aka the Rio De Janeiro state league. They finished behind Botafogo, Vasco Da Gama, Flamengo and Fluminense who in 2022 were Serie A clubs aside from Vasco Da Gama who were in Serie B.

Serie D is made up for 8 regional groups of 8 teams and is now down to the semi-final stage played over two legs with the first leg being played this weekend. 

Caxias v Ferroviario Atletico Clube 

Ferroviaria v Athletic 

Caxias finished in 2nd place of Group 8 

Ferroviaria finished in 4th place of Group 7 

Athletic finished top of Group 6 

Ferroviario finished top of Group 2 and are unbeaten in the league this season after 14 group games against Princesea Do Solimoes (1-1 and 3-0) in the Round of 32, Nacional De Patos (0-0 and 3-1) in the Round of 16 and Maranhao (1-1 and 1-1 win on pens) in the QF. 

The two clubs have very similar names but Ferroviario (relegated from the 2022 Serie C) are based in Fortaleza with Ferroviaria playing in the City of Araraquara.  There is only around 1,830 between them! 

The two games are due to take place on Thursday. 

Many Brazilian clubs do change coaches and managers at a very quick rate - An Example of this can be Roberto Fonseca who Ferroviaria Head Coach in 2022. He started his Managerial career in 2003 has been with the following clubs below including five spells with Londrina. I beleive he is still head coach at Figueirense who finished just above the relegation zone in Serie C. 

1) Oeste 

2) Botafogo-SP 

3) Francana

4) Barretos 

5) XV de Piracicaba 

6) Mirassol 

7) Sertãozinho 

8) Bandeirante 

9) Londrina 

10) São Bento 

11) CENE 

12) ADAP
13) São Raimundo-PA 

14) Londrina 

15) Ituiutaba 

16) Guaratinguetá 

17) Rio Branco-SP 

18) Oeste 

19) Botafogo-SP 

20) Criciúma 

21) América de Natal 

22) São Caetano 

23) Guaratinguetá 

24) Botafogo-SP 

25) Caldense 

26) Paraná 

27) Itumbiara 

28) Ituano 

29) CRB 

30) Brasiliense 

31) Santo André 

32) Linense 

33) ABC 

34) São Bernardo

35) Botafogo-PB 

36) São Bernardo 

37) Oeste 

38) Cuiabá 

39) Bragantino 

40) Caldense 

41) Sampaio Corrêa 

42) Londrina 

43) Novorizontino 

44) Londrina 

45) Guarani 

46) Novorizontino 

47) Londrina 

48) Paysandu 2

49) Ferroviário 

50) CSA

51) Figueirense