Costa Rica, Panama win to earn rematch for Central American Nations Cup title
January 31, 2009
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Andy Furtado scored his third goal in as many games and Costa Rica beat El Salvador 1-0 on Friday to get within one victory of its fourth straight Central American Nations Cup title and seventh overall.
The game was abandoned in the 60th minute by Panamanian referee Roberto Moreno when El Salvador was reduced to six players. Moreno had red carded Alexander Escobar and Eliseo Quintanilla in the first half, and, after El Salvador had already made three substitutions, Deris Umanzor, Rodolfo Zelaya and goalkeeper Juan José Gómez were injured and had to leave the game.
Panama defeated host Honduras 1-0 in the other semifinal, and will play Los Ticos in Sunday’s title game in a rematch of the 2007 championship which Costa Rica won on penalties.
All four teams already had earned themselves berths in the CONCACAF Gold Cup along with Nicaragua, which beat Guatemala 2-0 on Thursday to claim the fifth and last place in the 12-team field.
Costa Rica beat Panama 3-0 in the Group B opener, which Furtado scoring twice. Panama will have to play Sunday’s final without goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, who was instrumental in its semifinal victory but drew a yellow card for the second straight game and will be suspended.
Furtado’s goal in the 18th minute gave him the tournament lead, taking over the scoring chores for a side missing many of its first-team regulars.
Ricardo Phillips accounted for Panama’s goal on a counterattack in the 39th minute, only the second goal for the team in three games. Honduras dominated much of the game, generating 15 corners to Panama’s two.
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Rangers victory cuts Celtic´s lead
January 31, 2009
GLASGOW (AFP) – John Fleck’s first ever goal for Rangers and a late Kyle Lafferty strike secured a 2-0 win over Dundee United at Ibrox to cut the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League to one point.
With Celtic not playing Inverness Caledonian Thistle until Sunday the Ibrox side took the chance to put pressure on their Old Firm rivals at the top of the league by taking all three points.
It was 17-year-old Fleck, nephew of former Rangers and Norwich player John Fleck, that won and converted a penalty with just over ten minutes remaining to light up what was otherwise a dull affair.
Substitute Lafferty then scored the easiest of chances in injury time to double the Ibrox side’s lead.
In the opening stages Rangers had United, whose midweek League Cup defeat against Celtic went to penalties, on the back foot but the Ibrox side couldn’t create any chances.
It was United who had the first opportunity to take the lead in the ninth minute when David Robertson raced into the box to stab a long throw-in from the right towards goal but Allan McGregor got down well to save it.
In the 25th minute Nacho Novo carved out Rangers first chance when he went on a rampaging run through the United defence and laid the ball off to Kris Boyd in the box but his curling effort went wide of the post.
Five minutes later Barry Ferguson connected with a Fleck free-kick from the right but his low drive was blocked by the United defence.
With 32 minutes gone Boyd chested down the ball to Fleck, whose powerful effort on the half-volley was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Lukasz Zaluska.
United had the first chance of the second-half when Warren Feeney’s cross from the right was missed by David Weir and the sliding Francisco Sandaza was inches away from connecting with it.
It took until the 65th minute for Rangers to have any sort of meaningful effort. Madjid Bougherra went on a run down the right and found Boyd with a cutback but his midair downward volley was saved by Zaluska.
A minute later Fleck tried his luck from the edge of the box but his curling effort went wide of the post. Lafferty, on for Boyd, thought he had opened the scoring in the 75th minute when he slipped Steven Davis’ chipped pass under Zaluska but it was ruled offside.
And it was Fleck, in only his third start, who gave Rangers the lead in the 77th minute. The 17-year-old went on a darting run down the left-wing before being hauled down in the box by Mihael Kovacevic.
Fleck picked himself up and calmly placed his spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, sending Zaluska the wrong way, for his first senior goal.
Deep into injury time Zaluska rushed out of his box to tackle Ferguson and the ball broke to Lafferty who stroked the ball into an empty net.
Both teams got a point in the first ever match at the new St Mirren Park. Kilmarnock took the lead through a first-half goal from debut boy Kevin Kyle but substitute Dennis Wyness got a late equaliser for St Mirren in a 1-1 draw.
Derek Riordan and David Clarkson scored as Hibs and Motherwell drew 1-1. A Simon Mensing double earned Hamilton a 2-0 win over Hearts to end a run of 19 consecutive defeats in matches against the Edinburgh side.
A Michael Higdon goal was enough to seal a 1-0 win for Falkirk over Aberdeen.
Written by: AFP
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West Brom battle back to snatch point at Hull
January 31, 2009
HULL, England (AFP) – West Bromwich Albion twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Baggies went into the game off the back of a 5-0 thumping by league leaders Manchester United in midweek, but the point earned at the KC Stadium means they are now just a point from safety at the bottom of the table.
It was a far cry from Hull’s 3-0 victory when the sides met at The Hawthorns in October – a result which briefly took Phil Brown’s top flight newcomers joint-top of the table, before their recent alarming slide set in.
The home side took a deserved lead in first-half injury time here when French midfielder Bernard Mendy burst into the visitors’ penalty area before coolly rounding England international goalkeeper Scott Carson and tucking the ball into the empty net.
Carson was called into action twice as Hull started the second half strongly, first saving from Dean Marney and then keeping out a header by left-back Michael Dawson.
But with Hull pressing forward they were hit by a devastating counter-punch, as on-loan Arsenal striker Jay Simpson finished crisply after an enterprising run by James Morrison.
As the game opened up, Richard Garcia almost converted a cross from Mendy, before the Frenchman centred for Craig Fagan to head home with just over 20 minutes remaining.
West Brom, though, refused to lie down, and Chris Brunt equalised four minutes later from the penalty spot after Kamil Zayatte was judged to have fouled Robert Koren.
The result brought an end to Hull’s six-game losing streak but means they are still without a win since a 2-1 triumph over second-bottom Middlesbrough in December.
Written by: AFP
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Forlan mulling move from Atletico: media
January 31, 2009
MADRID (AFP) – Atletico Madrid’s Uruguayan international star Diego Forlan intends to leave the club in the summer, AS daily reported Saturday.
Forlan, 29 and top scorer in La Liga in 2005 while with Villarreal, is seeking a final big contract at a club which can land silverware, AS said.
Forlan, who had a brief, generally unproductive spell with Manchester United before finding his feet anew at Villarreal, joined Atletico in 2007 for 21 million euros and has a contract until 2011 with a release clause of 36 million euros.
Atletico are still in the Champions League but are only sixth in La Liga, hampering their chances of another tilt at top European competition next season.
Spanish media have also been speculating on the future of the club’s gifted Argentine striker Sergio "Kun" Aguero and Atletico’s Mexican coach Javier Aguirre ahead of Sunday’s league match against Valladolid.
written by: AFP
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Give me a break, Strachan tells Nakamura
January 31, 2009
GLASGOW (AFP) – Celtic boss Gordon Strachan says Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura can return to his homeland at the end of the season if he wishes – in the hope a holiday in the Land of the Rising Sun could be a perk of any deal.
Nakamura, 30, is thinking of going home after four years at Parkhead to raise his children there and has also been finding round-trips for internationals a strain.
The star is now believed to be mulling a possible return to his first club Yokohama Marinos.
"Naka’s never said he’s going back," Strachan said.
"But if he said to me, ‘I want to go home to play in Japan and show everybody what I’ve learnt playing at Celtic and overseas’, we would just have to say, ‘Thank you very much, it’s been a great experience’ – and hopefully get a holiday in Tokyo out of it."
Written by: AFP
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Rams to bag Motherwell´s Porter
January 31, 2009
GLASGOW (AFP) – English Championship strugglers Derby were Saturday set to complete the signing of Motherwell striker Chris Porter, who had been in line for a move to Cardiff before the Rams expressed interest.
Derby are believed to have agreed a fee of 400,000 pounds (450,000 euros) with Motherwell.
"He’s been a terrific player for us and I told him that," Well boss Mark McGhee told the Scottish Sun of the 25-year-old. "It’s been a pleasure having him here. He has got a great attitude, he’s a good pro and he is ambitious.
"The move’s not been fully processed yet, but we’ve agreed a deal with Derby and he’s agreed his personal terms and had his medical."
Porter joined Motherwell from Oldham on a free transfer in July 2007 and netted 18 goals in his debut season to help his new club finish third in the league.
This season, he has hit the target nine times.
Written by: AFP
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Hammers loan Julien Faubert to Real
January 31, 2009
MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid confirmed Saturday they had taken French midfielder Julien Faubert on loan to the end of the season.
Real said they had an option to buy the 25-year-old if he impresses between now and June, adding he would be officially unveiled on Monday.
Faubert, who has one French cap to date, played for Cannes and then Bordeaux before heading to East London in 2007 – but an Achilles tendon rupture kept him sidelined shortly afterwards and he has not featured this season.
West Ham said the Spaniards would pay 1.5 million euros for the loan deal while AS sports daily put a future transfer fee at six million, around two million less than they paid Bordeaux for his services.
Real boss Juande Ramos has also been tracking Wigan’s Ecuadorian star Luis Antonio Valencia.
Written by: AFP
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Beattie takes Stoke out of the relegation zone
January 31, 2009
STOKE (AFP) – James Beattie lifted 10-man Stoke out of the relegation zone as his first-half header clinched a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday.
Tony Pulis’s side looked up against it when Rory Delap was sent off following a clash with Shaun Wright-Phillips at the Britannia Stadium.
But Beattie struck soon after Delap’s departure to end Stoke’s miserable run of 11 games without a win stretching back to November and provide a timely boost in their battle for Premier League survival.
It was a familiar story for City, who once again failed to turn their possession into goals and remain without an away win since August.
The vistors were on top for long periods and Robinho, who scored a hat-trick against Stoke earlier this season, was quickly into his stride with a delicate angled chip that almost deceived Thomas Sorensen.
Mark Hughes’ team should have taken the lead when Stephen Ireland, unmarked in yards of space, volleyed wide from the edge of the box.
A flowing move from the visitors cut through Stoke’s defence with ease midway through the half, but Robinho belied his status as City’s leading scorer with a woeful scuffed shot that trickled straight to Sorensen.
Stoke worked hard to get the visitors onto the back foot and a long throw from allowed Ryan Shawcross to get in a header that just cleared the bar.
Another trademark rocket throw from Delap brought Joe Hart into action as he rose to pluck a Shawcross back-flick from under the bar.
The match seemed to have swung in City’s favour in the 38th minute when referee Martin Atkinson sent off Delap following an ugly clash.
Wright-Phillips started the melee when he lunged in on Etherington. As Wright-Phillips moved away with the ball, Delap chased him and tripped the winger from behind, compounding the offence by appearing to kick the ball at the England winger.
Furious City players rushed to remonstrate with Delap, while Wright-Phillips appeared to kick out at Delap. Atkinson finally brought an end to the chaos by dismissing Delap, but Stoke made light of their numerical disadvantage to snatch the lead in first half stoppage time.
Matty Etherington looped a cross over from the left wing and Beattie was able to pull clear of Wayne Bridge and bury a header past Hart.
It was the first time Stoke had scored at home since late November and they were determined not to surrender the advantage.
Hughes sent on Brazilian midfielder Elano early in the second half but Stoke managed to frustrate the visitors with some resolute defending.
With Robinho an increasingly subdued figure, Craig Bellamy tried to lift City but his shot on the turn drifted wide.
City appealed for a penalty when Micah Richards fell under Andy Griffin’s challenge but Atkinson said no and Stoke survived.
Written by: AFP
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Raul admits Champions League is realistic target
January 31, 2009
MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Raul is looking for the goal that will take him level with the great Alfredo di Stefano as the club’s all-time leading scorer when Real travel to Numancia on Saturday.
Raul scored his 306th goal last weekend and has the chance to equal di Stefano’s mark and help Real cut Barcelona’s lead at the top to 12 points.
"At the moment maybe it is easier to win a tenth European Cup than the league when you consider that Barca’s form is not dipping," explained Raul.
"It’s not impossible to overcome a deficit of 12 points, but if they (Barca) don’t lose points it is not going to be possible to catch them."
While Raul has iconic status at Real, Dutch winger Roysten Drenthe is finding out how demanding the fans can be after being jeered when he came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna last Sunday.
"Sunday was the worst day of my career so far," confessed the 21-year-old Drenthe.
"I understand the fans to a certain extent because I am not playing to the same level I was before but I am trying."
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is another Dutchman finding the going tough at Madrid and is still waiting for his first Real goal since joining from Ajax for 20 million euros in January.
Barcelona travel to face Racing Santander on Sunday targeting a ninth consecutive victory to fend off Real who have put some pressure on with five straight league wins.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently accused Real of using the media to try and unsettle the pacesetters with reports about Lionel Messi switching to Madrid.
Messi seems unperturbed by the rumours and scored twice in the 4-1 thrashing over Numancia last time out.
"He should be left in peace, so he can focus on training," said coach Pep Guardiola.
"He looks better than ever. He’s the owner of his future, he just needs to know that this is his home and we’ll give him whatever help is necessary."
Barcelona’s firepower has blown away teams this season and their three-pronged attack of Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry has scored a combined 45 goals – more than the entire Real Madrid team.
Barcelona need just two goals to make it 5,000 in the league but they are playing a Racing team that defeated high-flying Sevilla 2-0 last time out.
Serbian target-man Nikola Zigic has revitalised Racing since rejoining them on loan from Valencia and his 6ft 8in presence could cause Barcelona’s backline a few headaches.
Valencia slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Real Mallorca prompting coach Unai Emery to admit that he was to blame for the loss rather than the players.
Valencia sit fourth, four points behind Sevilla, with Emery hoping for a boost when his old side Almeria visit the Mestalla Stadium on Sunday.
Sevilla, three points behind Real, are at Sporting Gijon and Italian midfielder Enzo Maresco says his team are sometimes too worried about the threat posed by the opposition.
"You have to have respect for your opponents but it is them that have to watch out for us," Maresca explained.
Atletico Madrid have yet to win in 2009 but are still only two points off the final Champions League spot going into Sunday’s home match with Valladolid.
Atletico coach Javier Aguirre desperately needs a win to ease the growing pressure but Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan says the players must take responsibility for the slump.
"It is the players out there on the pitch," said Forlan. He (Aguirre) doesn’t play in the match."
Fixtures
Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Malaga, Numancia v Real Madrid
Sunday
Atletico Madrid v Valladolid, Real Betis v Getafe, Deportivo La Coruna v Villarreal, Espanyol v Recreativo Huelva, Racing Santander v Barcelona, Sporting Gijon v Sevilla, Valencia v Almeria, Osasuna v Real Mallorca
Written by: AFP
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Ferguson backs Ronaldo to break 20-goal barrier
January 31, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to break the 20-goal barrier for a third successive season.
The Portuguese star, who racked up 42 last time round as United romped to a Premier League and Champions League double, has 13 to his name so far.
"People are saying Cristiano has not had a good season but he has got 13 goals and 11 assists," said Ferguson.
"If you dismiss last season altogether they would be saying it is incredible for a winger to score 13 at this stage. I am absolutely certain he will end up with over 20 again."
Ferguson added that it was impossible for Ronaldo, now one of the most heavily-marked players in the Premier League, to repeat his "miracle season" of 2007/2008 when he was also named world player of the year.
"It’s hard to replicate a season like that but I am not sure that Cristiano understood it was a miracle season," said the United manager.
"He had the belief it was normal for him and I think he just expected to carry on. But one of the situations he had to face was that this year couldn’t be as good as last season.
"Now he has started to come to terms with the whole thing, we will see more goals from him."
Ronaldo suffered an ankle injury at the start of the season and was at the centre of a long-running controversy caused by Real Madrid’s attentions.
Written by: AFP
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