Japan reign supreme in AFC Champions League
May 6, 2009
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Nagoya Grampus became the fourth Japanese team to make the last 16 of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, while Newcastle Jets kept Australian hopes alive.
Yoshizumi Ogawa scored twice as Nagoya beat South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai 4-1, ensuring they secured top spot in Group E with 11 points from five games, five ahead of Ulsan and Newcastle, who eased past Beijing Guoan 2-1.
Defending champions Gamba Osaka, who kept their 100 percent record intact with a 1-0 win over China’s Shandong Luneng, have already qualified for the knockout stage, along with Kawasaki Frontale and Kashima Antlers.
Saudi Arabia’s Ettifaq and Uzbek giants Pakhtakor are also through.
Ogawa set the wheels in motion for Nagoya with a header after 14 minutes, with Yuki Maki and Davi also on target before Ogawa completed the rout 18 minutes from time.
In Australia, Newcastle Jets stayed in contention for the last 16 with two goals in the final six minutes to sink Beijing Guoan.
The Jets squeezed home with goals from striker Sasho Petrovski and substitute Sean Rooney after the Chinese Super League team had looked poised for victory following Ryan Griffiths’ strike in the 69th minute.
But Petrovski equalised in the 88th minute with Rooney netting the winner with just 30 seconds left of the four minutes stoppage time.
The win means Newcastle, who are now second in Group E behind Nagoya, can go through to the playoff stage if they earn a point in their final group match against Ulsan in South Korea on May 20.
Gamba are the form team of the tournament and a strike by Yasuhito Endo just before half-time against Shandong means they have won all five of their matches so far.
It leaves the Chinese side on seven points alongside Korea’s FC Seoul with one match to go in Group F.
In west Asia, Group A leaders Pakhtakor host bottom-placed Al Ahli of the UAE as they bid to secure top spot in their group.
The Uzbek side have already secured a place in the next round after picking up 10 points, two more than Saudi Arabia?s Al Hilal.
Hilal have one foot in the next stage, but will be eager for victory against Saba Battery in Iran as they seek to overtake Pakhtakor.
Group B remains a three-horse race despite a shake-up of the table following the withdrawal of Sharjah this week.
The UAE club, who pulled out to focus on escaping relegation in their domestic league, were on zero points and all their previous results are considered null and void.
Saudi Arabia?s Al Shabab have four points and host Al Gharafa, on three points, later Wednesday.
The top-placed team in each of the eight groups will play at home against one of the second-placed sides in the one-leg round of 16, which will be held in the west zone on May 27 and the east zone on June 24.
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Van Basten out as coach at Ajax
May 6, 2009
THE HAGUE (AFP) – Marco van Basten has stood down as coach of Ajax after failing to guide the Dutch giants into next year’s Champions League, the club announced Wednesday on its website.
The former star striker for the Dutch national side “had reached the conclusion that he had failed to achieve the goals he had set at the start of the season and that he would be unable to do any better next season,” a club statement said.
The 44-year-old Van Basten took over at his former club last July after being Dutch national coach for four years, notably at the 2006 World Cup finals and Euro 2008.
The former European club champions are currently lying third in the Dutch first division behind unfashionable AZ Alkmaar and FC Twente and with just one game to go cannot grab one of the two spots available for next season’s Champions League.
The final straw was a 4-0 defeat away at Sparta Rotterdam last weekend.
Their last game of the season on Sunday against FC Twente will see assistant coach John van’t Schip in charge on an interim basis.
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Holosko’s Goal against Fenerbahce “Goal of the Week” In Europe
May 6, 2009
Besiktas’ Filip Holosko (2nd R) fights for the ball with Fenerbahce’s Brazilian belligerent Roberto Carlos (R) during their Turkic Super League soccer correct at Inonu structure in Stamboul May 3, 2009.(REUTERS)
Besiktas strength forfeited the Derby correct but, Holosko’s exclusive content against Fenerbahce was picked by IMS scheme site(http://www.imscouting.com/) picked as “Goal Of The Week” in the Europe….
I hit mentioned this terminal hebdomad he is earnestly looked at by Premier League aggroup in England.
Holosko reason digit content in the terminal digit matches in The Turkcell Super League.
The 25 assemblage older International player, has not been utilised aright by Besiktas railcar Mustafa Denizli.
In his prototypal life when he took over the work duties , Denizli did not modify move this enthusiastic teen individual in Besiktas team….
And I was rattling grave of him, because of this!….
If Besiktas poverty to be Champions of Turkey, they hit to conceive in this teen prospect. And they should physique his confiedent in the terminal quaternary matches in the league
Because, Besiktas requirement him to reason goal…..
IMS Scouting scheme place is the of the sites that follows the teen sport players around world.
IMS scheme place has caretaker sort of coaches that are member to his site.
Most of the coaches and Turkic writer who could feature arts are member of this place too…
AHMET TURGUT
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DID GALATASARAY HIRE A NEW COACH?…
May 6, 2009
We every undergo tending taker, Bulent Korkmaz’s life numbered with Galatasaray team.
That is ground Galatasaray aggroup officials are laboring hunting around for coaches in Europe..
If this inform is truth, they subscribed a care with a past Real Madrid railcar Bernd Schuster who is from Germany.
According to Barcelona-based regular Sport,and Goal.com, He subscribed digit assemblage constituent with Galatasaray with the choice of added flavour if he crapper secure the edifice a locate in dweller competition.
Schuster is due to intend around €2 million, a amount that module process with bonuses if he crapper pass the aggroup to the association denomination and fittingness to the Champions League.
AHMET TURGUT
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futbol, soccer, fussball, football, gol, goal, springy scores, canl, live, puan durumu, puan cetveli, standings, results
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For Sale: Thousands of nearly new Arsenal flags
May 6, 2009
Don’t be surprised if you see this message on eBay in the next few days: “FOR SALE: 57,000 red and white flags as good as new — only waved for eight minutes. Apply Arsenal FC, Emirates Stadium, North London.”
For Arsenal’s fans not only stopped waving their freebie flags after eight minutes, but they also stopped believing in their side after an hour as thousands of them trooped away from the stadium no longer able to watch as Manchester United demolished their young team.
It ended 3-1 as United reached the Champions League final for the second successive season 4-1 aggregate.
What was fascinating about Tuesday was what was going on off the pitch as well as what happened on it.
Arsenal fans have never exactly been noted as the most vociferous in the country, earning their old ground Highbury the nickname of “The Library” because it was often so quiet.
But on Tuesday, Arsenal, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, needed all the help they could get and the club left thousands of free flags on every home seat in the stadium to help create an atmosphere that manager Arsene Wenger believed would help intimidate United and boost the confidence of Arsenal’s youngsters.
Wenger had been talking up Arsenal’s prospects of victory all week, and they started the match like a whirlwind with the fans creating a frenzy of noise and colour.
But it went very quiet indeed after eight minutes when Park Ji-sung put United 1-0 ahead and what hopes Arsenal still harboured were detonated three minutes later with an explosive freekick from World and European Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo which made it 2-0, leaving Arsenal needing four goals to win.
United wrapped the match up with one of the goals of the season after an hour when Park, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney all exchanged passes in a sweeping counter-attack move that went from one end of the pitch to the other in 13 seconds culminating in Ronaldo making it 3-0 and completing what Wenger called, “the worst night of my career”.
In some ways United’s two early goals ruined what was a hugely anticipated contest between two of England’s biggest clubs, because as Wenger also said: “The match was over before it really started.”
United were delighted and marched on imperiously to the final. Most Arsenal fans were long gone by the time it ended, but many who did stay to the painful finish had the grace to clap United off the field.
They could do that quite easily as their flags had long been put to one side.
PHOTO: Arsenal fans wave flags ahead of their second leg Champions League semi-final soccer match against Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
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Are UEFA’s rules on red cards too harsh?
May 6, 2009
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher will miss the Champions League final in Rome later this month after UEFA said there was no chance of overturning the red card he received against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Fletcher conceded a penalty in United’s 3-1 semi-final second leg win in London after he brought down Cesc Fabregas, but replays showed he touched the ball first.
UEFA spokesman Rob Faulkner said: “Manchester United have the right to protest the decision within 24 hours of the match. However the protest is only admissible if the referee made an error and mistakenly identified and cautioned or sent off the wrong player.
“There cannot be an appeal against a factual decision taken by the referee, and there is nothing to indicate that the referee made a mistake in identifying Fletcher as the player he penalised last night.”
Sending offs can be appealed in the Premier League, so why not in Europe? Can it be classed as a factual decision if someone thinks it was wrong?
On the other hand, goals can not be rescinded if they turn out to be offside on replays.
There’s a school of thought that players should not be banned for finals. If they do something really awful then ok, but otherwise it may be better to carry the ban over to the next season if it is really necessary.
If Fletcher did foul Fabregas, he hurt Arsenal, not Chelsea or Barcelona.
A final is the pinnacle of a player’s career and to rob him off playing on the greatest stage for something minor seems a shame to some.
Paul Scholes and Roy Keane missed out in 1999 while there have been many others, but it looks like UEFA will not budge.
PHOTO: Darren Fletcher (L) of Manchester United is shown the red card by referee Roberto Rosetti as team mate Rio Ferdinand (C) reacts during their Champions League second leg semi-final soccer match against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium in London May 5, 2009. REUTERS
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Victoria Beckham Looking Very Retro in New York
May 6, 2009
Fact! Victoria Beckham wears very cute sixties ensemble in New York!
I’m not usually all that taken with Victoria Beckham’s wardrobe it’s all a bit too stiff and samey. But this outfit she wore in New York today, I really like!
The fitted sweater with the A-line skirt is just like something from the sixties and it really suits Victoria.
The WAG didn’t make such a good impact at the Metropolitan Gala 2009 at the weekend, where she wore a very blah polka dot dress. The gala is known as the fashion Oscars so you’d think the fashion queen would have been more daring.
Madonna and Rihanna certainly were, but that wasn’t a good thing!!
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Danielle Lloyd Assulted Over New Beau
May 6, 2009
Uh oh, there’s trouble in WAGville! Danielle Lloyd was attacked by her new beau Jamie O’Hara’s ex-girlfriend at the weekend.
The WAG was attacked as she left the Funkymojoe bar by a friend of O’Hara’s ex-Sade Metcalfe on Sunday night.
Metcalfe has reportedly accused Danielle of stealing her Spurs player, which is why her pal decided to punch the model in the face leaving her with a cut lip.
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police investigating the case said: ‘No arrests have been made and inquiries are continuing.’
Danielle Lloyd’s spokesman added: ‘She has taken a cut to the inside of her mouth after being punched. There was no argument. She fully intends to press charges.’
You’ve messed with the wrong WAG here Sade, Danielle Lloyd is not silly, she’ll take you to the cleaners over this!!
And actually I hope she does, there is no need for violence especially over ‘ballers. I mean come on, desperation is not an attractive quality.
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UEFA rule out reprieve for heart-broken Fletcher
May 6, 2009
NYON, Switzerland (AFP) – UEFA on Wednesday ruled out a reprieve for Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher over the red card that means he will be suspended for the Champions League final.
Fletcher was sent off in United’s 3-1 win over Arsenal on Tuesday for a challenge on Cesc Fabregas inside the penalty box. Television replays showed that the United player had played the ball before Fabregas tumbled over him.
But even if referee Roberto Rosetti accepts he made a mistake, UEFA’s rules allow for red cards to be rescinded only if the official acknowledges that he punished the wrong player, a spokesman for European football’s governing body confirmed.
“A club can file a a protest against a caution or a sending off but under our rules it is only admissible if there is a case of mistaken identity by the referee,” he said.
Although Scotland international Fletcher is not an automatic first-choice player for United, he has been a regular this season in the club’s biggest matches and would almost certainly have featured in the final in Rome.
Fletcher was bitterly disappointed to be an unused substitute during last season’s final win over Chelsea in Moscow and United boss Ferguson admitted he felt for his compatriot.
“Darren is disappointed and he should be disappointed,” Ferguson said. “He’s one of the most honest players in the game and to miss the final, it’s a tragedy. He was distraught.”
Fletcher was consoled after the match by Paul Scholes, who, along with Roy Keane, missed United’s victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 final because of suspension.
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Goalkeeper Gordon fears worst after knee injury
May 6, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon was consulting with knee specialists on Wednesday amid fears that his season could be over due to another injury.
The 26-year-old Scotland international, who joined the northeast club from Hearts in a 9million pounds deal when Roy Keane was manager, has missed his side’s last two games after sustaining the injury to his knee.
He had already missed six months of the season because of a knee injury and had just battled his way back into the first team.
“It’s automatic to fear the worst. There might be an operation and we will find out whether that is required,” Gordon said.
“It’s a possibility that it is the knee cartilage, but I’m trying to remain positive.
“It’s been the worst season of my career for injuries. I have never had anything like this at any stage.
“I have hardly missed a game in my career, so to have two lengthy injuries back to back is disappointing.
“When you come to a new club in the first couple of years, you want to stamp your authority on things and I have been in and out, which has not been ideal.
“So let’s get this season over and done with, stay in the Premier League and look forward to next season to come back stronger.”
Gordon’s first setback came on the eve of the the derby clash with Newcastle back in October when he suffered the ankle injury which limited him to just two appearances in a run of 26 games as Marton Fulop took over.
But his latest absence just three games into his comeback sparked suggestions he had been dropped after 49 appearances to avoid triggering a 300,000 pounds payment to Hearts for playing 50 matches, something chairman Niall Quinn has angrily denied.
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