Liverpool keep it interesting, but United are sitting pretty
February 2, 2009
Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea will at least keep the Premier League interesting for the time being but it probably said more about the decline of this Chelsea team than it did about Liverpool chances of actually beating United in the title race.
Before Torres snuck in to head Liverpool back to within two points of United and Ashley Cole gifted the Spaniard a second goal, it was a case of same-old same-old for Rafa Benitez’s men.
There was lots of pressure but little inspiration. Oodles of possession, but few chances apart from the long-range shots.
Can Liverpool match United’s form and take 29 points from their next available 33? Can they turn over a side as comprehensively as their rivals did in last week’s 5-0 pummeling of West Bromwich Albion?
It’s doubtful, but at least Liverpool can say they’ve put that crazy January behind them and look forward to the next few games. Even the Robbie Keane situation will be resolved one way or the other by Monday.
So what do you think? Do Liverpool still have a chance? Is that it from Chelsea? And can anything stop United?
PHOTO: Liverpool’s Fernando Torres celebrates a goal against Chelsea in their Premier League match at Anfield, Feb. 1, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Panama prevails over Costa Rica on penalties to win Central American Nations Cup
February 2, 2009
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Panama won its first international title on Sunday, outlasting Costa Rica 5-3 on penalties after a goalless draw to win the Central American Nations Cup.
The victory avenged Panama’s loss to Costa Rica in the 2007 final, when the Ticos prevailed on penalties 4-1 on Panama in El Salvador.
It was the third straight time the final of the Copa de Naciones Digicel de UNCAF was decided on penalties, and ended Costa Rica’s six-year reign. It has won the most Central American titles, six, including the previous three.
Amilcar Henriquez converted the winning penalty, shooting into the roof of the net. Paolo Jimenez opened the door for Panama’s victory, pulling his penalty attempt wide left and leaving Panama ahead 3-2.
The victory avenged Panama’s only loss in four games, 3-0 to Costa Rica in the tournament opener. Costa Rica allowed only one goal in four games. Both teams will lead Central America’s five-team contingent to the CONCACAF Gold Cup later this year, joining Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Earlier Sunday, Honduras claimed third place, beating El Salvador 1-0.
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Benitez coy over Keane´s future
February 2, 2009
LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) – Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez remained coy about the future of Robbie Keane after the striker was left out of his side’s crucial 2-0 victory over Chelsea.
Although Benitez said that he believes Keane will still be at Anfield after Monday’s 1700GMT transfer deadline, there were suggestions on Sunday that the Republic of Ireland international is on the verge of returning to his former club Tottenham in a 15 million-pounds deal.
Keane, who only joined Liverpool in pre-season, was forced to watch from the main stand as Fernando Torres struck twice in the dying moments to reduce Manchester United’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to two points and keep Liverpool’s title hopes alive.
Even if Keane doesn’t leave on Monday, his long-term future must be in doubt but the Liverpool manager appeared irritated having to answer questions about the former Leeds star’s future after Sunday’s win.
"I think so," Benitez said unconvincingly when asked whether Keane would still be at the club after the transfer deadline had passed.
Pressed for an explanation as to why he left Keane out of his plans for Chelsea, Benitez said: "You have to decide on all the players you have.
"We have some good players and we were thinking about the best way of approaching this game. I haven’t received any offers (for Keane). Has the club? I don’t know.
"I spoke to him before and after the game. He was pleased after because the team had won."
Pressed further about Keane’s future, Benitez added: "I will not talk about if, if, if. He’s here, he’s our player and that’s it. I want to enjoy this win. The situation is we have won three points."
Keane has played just six minutes of Liverpool’s last three games and has now failed to feature in four of the last seven outings.
He has not completed a full 90 minutes for the club since the 3-1 Champions League victory in Holland against PSV Eindhoven on December 12.
Keane cost 20 million pounds when he moved to Anfield from Tottenham but reports on Sunday suggested that Harry Redknapp is ready to bring him back to White Hart Lane.
Benitez, who has turned down the offer of a new contract, also refused to discuss his long term future after watching his side reclaim second spot in the table.
Co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gilllett flew from America to watch Sunday’s game and are due to hold talks with Benitez about his contract in the next few days.
"It doesn’t matter who is in the stands, I’m always happy to win," added Benitez. "We remained strong and had more control. We didn’t score until the end but we deserved to win.
"It was a long title race before and we were in a very good position. It is a long race now and we are in a better position."
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari blamed Frank Lampard’s red card for contributing towards his side’s defeat.
The visitors were left to play the final half an hour down to 10 men after controversially being shown a straight red card for a foul on Xabi Alonso.
"The red card changed things one hundred per cent," said Scolari. "I only ask for the referee and the FA to look at the video. If they agree that Lampard did not make a foul for the red card maybe they change it."
Scolari refused to write off his side’s title chances, even though Chelsea remain five points behind United having played a game more.
"It’s more distant after this result," he added. "It’s clear it is not in our hands but we need to play game by game and we’ll see what happens."
Written by: AFP
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Fenerbahce held by Gaziantepspor
February 2, 2009
Fenerbahce had their Turkish title hopes dented by a rather disappointing 1-1 draw with Gaziantepspor in Istanbul.
Gaziantepspor were in fact close to winning this game as Erman Ozgur put the visiting side ahead with just eight minutes left in regular time.
But Fenerbahce at least secured a point thanks to Alex, who levelled two minutes later. Nevertheless, ‘Fener’ are in fourth place at four points from leaders Sivasspor and Trabzonspor.
Besiktas, currently placed sixth, beat Antalyaspor 1-0 thanks to a 32nd-minute goal from Rodrigo Tello.
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Porto back on top in Portugal
February 2, 2009
FC Porto moved back into first place in the Portuguese league following a 1-3 victory at Belenenses in Lisbon. Leixoes were held to a goalless draw at Nacional Funchal.
Hulk gave Porto a 0-1 lead after 20 minutes and Cristian Rodriguez immediately added another three minutes later.
Saulo then got one back for the home side but Argentinian Lucho Gonzalez decided the match with four minutes to go, 1-3.
Uruguayan defender Jorge Fucile conceded a needless second yellow card in the 89th minute and will be suspended for Porto’s next game.
Porto are now one point ahead of Benfica, and Sporting follow at another two.
Fourth-placed Leixoes trail by six points following a disappointing scoreless result at Nacional Funchal.
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Olympiakos too good for AEK Athens
February 2, 2009
Olympiakos Piraeus remain on course to win the Greek title following a 0-1 win at local rivals AEK Athens. PAOK Saloniki and Panathinaikos won as well.
The Athens derby between AEK and Olympiakos required only one goal for the away side to add another three points to their account, and it was Argentinian Luciano Galletti to make the difference after only five minutes.
PAOK beat Ergotelis Heraklion 2-0 thanks to two second-half goals. Stefanos Athanasidis broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute and Ilias Anastasakos added another six minutes later.
Panathinaikos struggled their way past Levadiakos, opening the score through Cleyton on 41 minutes. Patrick Dimbala equalised in the 50th but Antonios Petropoulos decided the clash three minutes after the hour.
Olympiakos have a 11-point advantage over PAOK, and Panathinaikos follow at another point.
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AZ Alkmaar extend Dutch lead
February 2, 2009
AZ Alkmaar extended their Eredivisie lead to nine points while PSV Eindhoven easily won their first match without manager Huub Stevens.
AZ travelled to Rotterdam to face Sparta and Moussa Dembele opened the score after 65 minutes. The second and final goal came from Mounir El Hamdaoui with five minutes to play.
Thanks to this win, AZ are now nine points ahead of Ajax who lost to Heerenveen on Saturday.
PSV Eindhoven, without manager Huub Stevens who resigned earlier this week, easily beat De Graafschap 0-3. Ibrahim Affelay scored twice and Finnish Ola Toivonen took care of the remaining goal.
Feyenoord Rotterdam crashed to a 1-0 defeat by NEC Nijmegen, led by future Feyenoord manager Mario Been. The defeat was extra painful as Milano Koenders scored the only goal in the 93rd minute.
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French league in table-topping shake-up
February 2, 2009
PARIS (AFP) – A shake-up at the top of the French league this weekend saw reigning champions Lyon retain top spot, but five points separate the top six spelling a European qualification dogfight if the situation lasts.
A Juninho freekick equaliser for Lyon cancelled out Kevin Mirallas’s opener for St Etienne in a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s late match though Paris Saint Germain were the major winners of the weekend.
Paul Le Guen’s PSG beat Caen 2-0 to jump three places to third as they were the only team in the top six to win, boosting morale before a new club president is due to be named in the next few days.
Lyon have 43 points, one point ahead of second-placed Bordeaux who drew 2-2 at home to Lille, four points in front of third-placed PSG, with Marseille, who lost 1-0 at struggling Sochaux, and Rennes and Toulouse, who had a goalless draw, all on 38 points.
With three teams set for Champions League qualification and the fourth-placed team set for the UEFA Cup, the run-in looks like it will be a close-run affair.
A manic four-minute spell at the Gerland stadium saw both Lyon and St Etienne’s goals and Lyon’s Frederic Piquionne sent off.
After being fed by St Etienne’s Brazilian Araujo Ilan, Dimitri Payet in turn got the ball to Mirallas on the left and the former Lille player managed to fire a right-foot shot over Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris in the 50th minute.
Three minutes later Lyon scored from a freekick on the left by Juninho who managed to wrongfoot keeper Jeremie Janot, a minute before Piquionne received his marching orders for a second yellow card on tackling Mouhamadou Dabo.
In a match-day footnote, St Etienne coach Alain Perrin was making his return to the Gerland stadium having been at the helm of Lyon last year.
Marseille lost 1-0 at third-from-bottom Sochaux after a 24th minute Mevlut Erding goal for their second loss in just a few days following their midweek French Cup defeat to Lyon.
Marseille coach Eric Gerets said: "I’m not happy this evening. I don’t think we deserved to win this match but we did not deserve to lose either. We had been controlling the match pretty much until Sochaux’s goal. This was not a glorious day.
"To lose twice in the same week is hard but sometimes you have to accept things."
Written by: AFP
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French international defender Sagnol quits
February 2, 2009
PARIS (AFP) – French international defender Willy Sagnol on Sunday announced his retirement from football after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury he suffered at Euro 2008.
"The evidence is there – it’s an injury which won’t heal. Surgery is not possible. The only solution is to stop," said the 31-year-old Bayern Munich player who hadn’t played at all this season.
Sagnol was part of the French team which finished runners-up to Italy at the 2006 World Cup.
The right-back won five league titles with Bayern Munich, four German Cups and also a Champions League winner’s medal in 2001.
Written by: AFP
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Given braced for City roller-coaster ride
February 2, 2009
MANCHESTER, England (AFP) – Goalkeeper Shay Given left Newcastle for cash-rich, but success-starved, Manchester City on Sunday and admitted he was braced for a roller-coaster ride at the Premier League club.
The 32-year-old played 450 times for Newcastle over 11 years and has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Mark Hughes’s misfiring team.
"The profile of the club has changed dramatically and there are already some fantastic players here," Given told the club’s website, mcfc.co.uk.
"It looks like some good players will come here in the future as well, and I am sure the fans must be on the edge of their seats to see who comes here.
"There is already the nucleus of a very good team here and I hope I can add to that. I am just delighted that they have chosen me to strengthen their goalkeeping department as well.
"It’s exciting times at Manchester City with the new owners and this manager. I have a lot of friends at Newcastle and the supporters are fantastic. They have been great to me for so many years and I thank them for that.
"But I just felt that this was an opportunity for me to come to a club that, in my opinion, is really going to be going places."
Given is City’s fourth signing in the transfer window, joining Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong at Eastlands.
Manager Mark Hughes added: "I have said for a long time that we need the experience of a keeper like Shay.
"I am delighted that we have been able to acquire such an accomplished keeper, and one so highly-regarded by everyone in the Premier League."
Written by: AFP
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