Costa Rica routs 10-man Suriname 7:0 to take control of World Cup qualifying
September 7, 2008
Froylan Ledezma scored twice in the first half and Costa Rica routed Suriname 7:0 Saturday to take firm control of its group in the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Alejandro Alpizar, Armando Alonso, Celso Borges, Alonso Solis and Brian Ruiz added second-half goals for Costa Rica, which improved to six points from two matches _ both at home, and extended its lead atop Group C.
The Ticos controlled from the outset, winning numerous corner kicks and taking the lead in the ninth minute. Ledezma, whose club career has included nine teams on three continents in 15 years, knocked a Freddy Fernandez header past Surinamese goalkeeper Ronny Aloema.
With four minutes remaining in the first half, Ledezma took advantage of confusion between Marlon Felter and Aloema to register his second goal.
Suriname’s Rinaldo Lupson drew a second caution from Canadian referee Steven DePiero in the second minute of first-half injury time, ending the 30-year-old’s night end effectively eliminating any hope of a Suriname comeback.
Saprissa’s Alpizar, who leads Costa Rican first division in scoring, made it 3-0 in the 47th minute, while other goals followed by Alonso (78th), Borges (79th), Solis (86) and Ruiz (88th).
Next up for Costa Rica is a visit to Haiti on Wednesday, while Suriname, which has one point from a pair of away matches, will host El Salvador on the same day in Paramaribo.
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Pair of goals by Nunez rallies Honduras past Canada 2:1
September 7, 2008
Ramon Nunez scored twice in a 10-minute span to rally Honduras past Canada 2:1 Saturday, severely damaging the Maple Leafs World Cup qualifying hopes.
The two goals silenced the near-capacity crowd of 12,338 and Stade Saputo in Montreal and gave Honduras three points, moving it into second place behind Mexico in Group B of the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
The result left Canada with just one point from two of its three home matches and tied with Jamaica. Both are five points behind Mexico, and two behind Honduras. Canada, however, must play with three of its four remaining games away from home.
Canada came close to tying the match after Honduras took the lead, but couldn’t get the ball by Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares.
Nunez, who did not start in his country’s 2:1 loss to Mexico in August, was the beneficiary of Honduran forays deep into the Canadian end and lax play by Canada’s defenders.
He tied the match in the 47th minute from 15 yards after taking a cross from striker David Suazo and sending a low drive past goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld. Nine minutes later, he struck again redirecting a pass from Osman Chavez.
“I think (coming from behind) was a good example of the character of a Honduran,” Honduras coach Jorge Rueda said. “It was a demonstration of our football players’ ability to come back.”
Canada’s most notable change was coach Dale Mitchell’s decision to use Hirschfeld ahead of Pat Onstad in goal. Hirschfeld last started for Canada in a 2:0 friendly loss away at Estonia on March 26.
The atmosphere at Stade Saputo was electric all night with support almost evenly divided thanks to thousands of Honduran fans, some coming from as far away as San Diego.
Canada quieted them in a hurry, scoring four minutes after the opening kickoff. Adrian Serioux headed Patrice Bernier’s corner past Valladares to give Canada the early advantage.
“After the goal, we sat back,” Mitchell said. “We should have given more pressure. The goal came from our lost possessions.
While Canada must play three of its next four matches away, Honduras has three of its last four matches at home starting Wednesday against Jamaica at San Pedro Sula.
Canada leaves Sunday for Tuxtla Gutierrez to face Mexico that same day.
“There are four games to go,” Mitchell said. “We have to show what we’re made of.”
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Three goals by Zelaya pace El Salvador to 5:0 victory over shorthanded Haiti
September 7, 2008
Rodolfo Zelaya scored three times to lead El Salvador to a 5:0 victory over a 10-man Haiti on Saturday, reviving its campaign in the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Zelaya, who plays for local club Deportivo Chalatenango, delighted the crowd in San Salvador’s Estadio Cuscatlan with two goals in the first 24 minutes. He added another in the 53rd minute as El Salvador improved to three points and second place in Group C, three behind Costa Rica, which won 7-0 at home against Suriname.
Zelaya gave El Salvador the lead in the seventh minute and the Central Americans were in form control after Haitian defender Pierre Bruny was sent off in the 13th minute with a red card.
Haiti, the 2007 Caribbean champion, fell to third in the group with one point, ahead of Suriname only on goal difference.
Cesar Larios added a goal in the 58th minute, and William Torres completed the scoring in the 79th.
El Salvador next travels to Paramaribo to play Suriname on Wednesday while Haiti will host Costa Rica.
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USA win 1:0 in first visit to Cuba in since 1947, claims control of World Cup qualifying group
September 7, 2008
Clint Dempsey scored five minutes before halftime to the give USA a 1:0 victory over Cuba in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying Saturday night, the first match by a Stars & Stripes’ senior team in the island nation in 61 years.
The result was the USA’s second victory in as many road games, giving it six points atop Group A and putting it in good position to advance from the semifinal round of qualifying. Four of the Stars & Stripes’ six remaining games will be at home, including Wednesday’s match against Trinidad & Tobago in Chicago.
“I thought once again we dealt well with some difficult conditions and came away with a good result,” U.S. manager Bob Bradley said. “We’ve played in two tough games on the road now and have six points, putting ourselves in a very good position going into the match against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday.”
Cuba remained in last place with zero points and in need of a victory when it travels to Guatemala on Wednesday. Trinidad & Tobago is in second place in Group A with four points, after a 1:1 draw earlier Saturday with Guatemala in Port of Spain that left the Chapines in third with one point. Two teams advance from each of the three semifinal round groups.
With the match played in a steady rain, the United States had the better of play early, but neither team produced many seriously threatening chances. Dempsey broke in behind the Cuban defense in the 15th minute only to shoot wide, and DaMarcus Beasley sent a promising ball through but was too far for Landon Donovan in the 34th.
Oguchi Onyewu started the USA scoring play, sending a long ball from the back into the area. It deflected off Dempsey’s back ahead to Brian Ching, who touched it back to Dempsey for a right-footed strike just inside the near post.
Cuba had the better of play to start the second half, getting a shot from distance by striker Roberto that went over the bar in the bar in the 46th and a shot by midfielder Alain Cervantes in the 58th that US goalkeeper Tim Howard did well to hold without giving up a rebound.
The Stars & Stripes had its chance to double its advantage and add some insurance in the 62nd, but after drawing Cuban keeper Odelin Molina off his line, Beasley curled his right-footed shot wide of the far post.
The Leones del Caribe had a chance to equalize in the 88th minute when defender Yeniel Marquez headed a free kick that deflected off US defender Carlos Bocanegra, but Howard reacted to stop it at the left post.
The victory avenged the result from the USA’s last and only other visit to Cuba, a 5:2 loss in Havana in 1947.
The game was delayed briefly with about five minutes remaining when several of the flood lights went dark, leaving the field dimly lit. It resumed despite the darkness and finished while some lights gradually returned.
Photos from AP
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Late goal by Gallardo rallies Guatemala to 1:1 draw with Trinidad & Tobago
September 7, 2008
Carlos Gallardo scored in the second minute of injury time to rally Guatemala to a 1:1 draw with Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday, giving the Chapines their first points in the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Keon Daniel scored in the 84th to give Trinidad & Tobago the lead. The draw dropped the Soca Warriors in second place in Group A with four points, two behind the USA, which beat Cuba 1:0.
Guatemala climbed into third ahead of pointless Cuba.
Only two from each of the three semifinal groups advance to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying.
Trinidad won its first match at Cuba and next travels to Chicago on Wednesday to face the USA. Guatemala returns home on Wednesday to play Cuba.
Photo from AP
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Early goals send Mexico to comfortable 3:0 victory over Jamaica
September 7, 2008
Andres Guardado and Fernando Arce scored first-half goals to lead Mexico to a comfortable 3:0 victory over Jamaica on Saturday, consolidating El Tri’s lead atop Group B in the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Guardado put Mexico ahead in the third minute, curling a left-footed free kick from 19 yard inside the near post. The goal was an early reward for Mexico and put it in control of a match it dominated before a home crowd at Azteca Stadium.
The victory gave Mexico six points atop Group B, three more than Honduras and five better than Canada and Jamaica.
Arce doubled the advantage in the 33rd, pouncing on a loose ball and driving a shot from the middle of the penalty area. Jonny Magallon added extra insurance in the 63rd, converting off a corner kick by striking a left-footed shot while leaning backward 10 yards from goal.
The match was originally scheduled to be played in Jamaica but had to be moved due to the damage in the Caribbean nation caused by Hurricane Gustav. The return leg, originally scheduled to be played in Mexico, now will be played in Jamaica.
Mexico will host its third straight home match on Wednesday, in Tuxtla Gutierrez, against Canada.
Jamaica will be on the road for a third straight match on Wednesday when it travels to San Pedro Sula to face Honduras.
The result was the sixth straight victory for Mexico over Jamaica, all in World Cup qualifying or the CONCACAF Gold Cup™, since Jamaica managed a 0:0 draw in 1997 in qualifying for the World Cup.
It was the 14th win in 16 meetings against the Caribbean side dating back to 1963, the only victory for Jamaica coming in 1996.
Photo from AP
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Who’s in better form?
September 7, 2008
Nessuno. (And the next qualifier is in Udine!)
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Tags: Serie A
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Benvenuto a…
September 7, 2008
Right, so Curbs is out. The man never stuck me as particularly brave, and though our board is horrible he seemed to blame perhaps too much on them as a whole, and certainly did not take responsibility when it was called for. What actually happened behind the scenes, we will never know. In this case, however, I am inclined to believe that our exodus was indeed out of Curbs’ hands, and I’d be well angry as well if the board went over my head and sold the squad’s only designated left back and a promising academy product. It’s hard to hate him or anything, he was just always…there.
Now the board are pursuing a host of Italians and a Croatian as new manager. Upcoming will be an analysis of each one, and a transfer roundup, depressing as that shall be.
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Tags: English Premier League
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Champions League hunt: Amkar Perm’
September 7, 2008
In our ongoing series of the hunt of Champions League we’ve looked at Rubin Kazan, Dynamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow. With only three spots available for Champions League the competition will be tight and it’s time to turn our attention to clubs presently outside of the top three.
While Spartak Moscow faces a torrid schedule, Amkar Perm’ likely has the easiest as in their final ten matches they face five clubs at the bottom of the table. With respectable performance, Miodrag Božović could see his club make it through to the Champions League. However recent performance has been sluggish and they’ve been unable to threaten in the attack with only three goals in the last six matches. Defensively they are highly disciplined and capable of shutting down most clubs but to move into third place they will need Georgi Peev to raise the attacking side. If that occurs, the spot will be theres, however I haven’t seen them show the ability to win on a consistent basis and it will take a radical turnaround to do so.
Amkar Perm’remaining schedule
Sep 14 @ Shinnik Yaroslav
Sep 20 Samara Kryliya Sovetov
Sep 28 @ Saturn Moscow
Oct 5 Terek Grozny
Oct 19 @CSKA Moscow
Oct 26 Lokomotiv Moscow
Nov 2 @ Luch-Energiya Vladivostok
Nov 9 Zenit St Petersburg
Nov 16 @ Tom’ Tomsk
Nov 22 FC Khimki
P W D L GS GA Pts Rubin Kazan 20 12 6 2 30 15 42 Dynamo Moscow 20 10 6 4 27 20 36 Spartak Moscow 20 8 9 3 33 27 33 Amkar Perm’ 20 9 5 6 21 15 32 CSKA Moscow 20 8 8 4 27 15 32 Samara Kryliya Sovetov 20 7 9 4 28 17 30 Zenit St Petersburg 19 7 7 5 32 24 28 Spartak Nalchik 20 7 4 9 19 22 25 Terek Grozny 20 7 4 9 18 27 25 Lokomotiv Moscow 19 6 7 6 23 21 25 Goto Source
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