Soccer

Fantasy Focus: James jags 17

FIFA

29, Jun

There’s something about the James family and the biggest of stages. Just as little sister Lauren had done for England two years earlier at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, big brother Reece James ($5.8m) lit up a global showpiece with a moment of magic.

With more than an hour having eclipsed and things still tight and tense in Charlotte, Chelsea FC's right-back stood over a free-kick adjacent to the top of the penalty box but only a couple of feet in from the left touchline. It was seemingly a near impossible angle from which to beat Anatoliy Trubin.

Yet beat him he did. An exceptional piece of skill that would hand the Blues a lead upon which they would eventually build, in a 4-1 win over SL Benfica that sends them through to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup™.

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That goal, a clean sheet (due to an early substitution) and both the free-kick and scouting bonus saw James end with a mammoth 17-point return, one of the highest for a defender at the tournament so far.

In the day’s earlier outing, it was a profitable match for those that had invested in SE Palmeiras defensive assets as they edged fellow Brazilian outfit Botafogo in Philadelphia.

Defenders Bruno Fuchs ($4.7m), Agustin Giay ($4.4m) and Richard Rios ($5.3m) all ended with nine points, as well an additional two apiece for those that had opted to the play the Qualification Booster.

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SE Palmeiras 1-0 (a.e.t) Botafogo

Star players

DEF Bruno Fuchs (Palmeiras, $4.7m) – 9 points
DEF Agustin Giay (Palmeiras, $4.4m) – 9 points
DEF Richard Rios (Palmeiras, $5.3m) – 9 points

Low returns

FWD Jefferson Savarino (Botafogo, $5.8m) – 2 points
FWD Igor Jesus (Botafogo, $4.1m) - 2 points
GK John (Botafogo, $4.6m) – 3 points

SL Benfica 1-4 (a.e.t) Chelsea FC

Star players

DEF Reece James (Chelsea, $5.8m) – 17 points
DEF Benoit Badiashile (Chelsea, $4.6m) – 9 points
MID Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Chelsea, $5.0m) – 9 points

Low returns

FWD Vangelis Pavlidis (Benfica, $7.8m) – 1 point
FWD Liam Delap (Chelsea, $6.0m) – 2 points
GK Robert Sanchez (Chelsea, $5.3m) - 3 points

Next up (Sunday 29 June) - Round of 16

Paris Saint-Germain v Inter Miami CF
CR Flamengo v FC Bayern München

Highest owned players in action

DEF Achraf Hakimi (PSG, $6.5m) – 60.4%
MID Michael Olise (Bayern, $9.4m) – 53.4%
MID Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG, $9.2m) – 37.0%
DEF Nuno Mendes (PSG, $6.2m) – 36.1%
FWD Harry Kane (Bayern, $11.0m) – 34.5%

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Differentials

With both Achraf Hakimi ($6.5m) and Michael Olise ($9.4m) now well beyond 50 percent ownership, there has been heavy investment in both Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern München assets in matches those teams are favoured to win.

As the first of the knockout stage outings showed though, things could be very tight at this stage of the tournament and there are plenty of options to ponder for those that consider an upset or two possible here.

As it was during the group stage, it’s remarkable to think that one of the all-time greats is something of a differential but at 16.1 percent ownership that’s almost where Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi ($10.5) fits.

Fellow Miami forward Luis Suarez ($8.0m), at less than two percent ownership is another to consider while CR Flamengo sting-puller Giorgian de Arrascaeta ($6.2m) has finally ticked over the scouting bonus line – now at 5.1 percent – but is still a savvy investment for the impressive looking Brazilian side.