Higuain keeps Real’s Galacticos on their toes
November 2, 2009
Gonzalo Higuain reminded Manuel Pellegrini of his worth at the weekend, scoring both goals for 10-man Real Madrid in their 2-0 victory over Getafe.
The Argentine youngster was Real’s top scorer with 22 league goals last season, but was making only his third start in nine league games on Saturday.
Higuain has found his chances limited with the arrival of president Florentino Perez and his new batch of Galacticos including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.
He also has to compete with the experienced heads of Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
“We’ve had to integrate Benzema, Ronaldo and all the others into the team,” coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the Getafe game.
“I am sure that this season Higuain will have a major role to play again. For me he is a fundamental player.”
Higuain has pace, loves to run at defenders, and is not afraid of shooting from distance, but against Getafe he showed one of his most valuable assets which is a gutsy ability to score important goals in high-pressure situations.
The Getafe game was a tense affair at the Bernabeu where defeat could have signalled the end for Pellegrini, and the team had to endure a disgruntled home crowd after their humbling 4-0 King’s Cup defeat to third-tier Alcorcon.
Last season, in the same fixture, Higuain scored a screamer in time added on to give Real a 3-2 victory. His strike came as scuffles broke out all around him following Pepe’s spectacular loss of control that led to him getting a 10-match ban.
In 2008 he scored the goal that delivered Real’s 31st league title, when Bernd Schuster’s side came back with 10 men to beat Osasuna 2-1 away.
The year before that, he completed the remarkable comeback from 3-0 down against Espanyol, netting in the last minute for a 4-3 win that proved to be a psychological turning point in Fabio Capello’s title winning campaign.
After being overlooked by Argentina, Diego Maradona finally threw him on for his first cap against Peru last month and Higuain rose to the challenge scoring the first in a 2-1 win.
Higuain may not sell as many shirts around the world as the players in front of him at Real Madrid, but his fighting spirit should keep them on their toes.
PHOTO: Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain (R) fights for the ball with Getafe’s Cata Diaz during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid October 31, 2009. REUTERS/Dani Cardona
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United States advances to U-17 knockout round again
November 2, 2009
The United States advanced to the knockout stage at the Under-17 World Cup for the fourth straight time on Sunday, beating the United Arab Emirates 1-0 with Jack McInerney’s second goal of the tournament.
McInerney converted a rebound in the 35th minute of a game the United States had three times as many shots on goals as the Emirates but struggled to finish several prime opportunities.
The result left the United States second in Group E and headed to a second-round match on Wednesday against the winner from Group F, likely Italy. The victory sent the Americans along with Mexico to the single-elimination phase, giving CONCACAF two of its four teams berths in the knockout round.
The United States, the only country to qualify for all 13 U-17 World Cups, created several chances before McInerney put the Americans ahead.
Luis Gil dribbled across the top of the penalty area before sending the ball with outside of his right foot to Nick Palodichuk.
Palodichuk volleyed a low shot with his left foot from the edge of the area that UAE goalkeeper Ahmad Shambih was able to block but not hold. McInerney, lurking near the goal, pounced on the loose ball and poked a left-footed shot past Shambih.
The Americans quickly pressed for an insurance goal with Shambih needing to produce saves to thwart Gil, Stefan Jerome and Alex Shinsky over the next nine minutes.
The United States continued to test Shimbih in the second half, with Gil driving a shot from distance that the goalkeeper hat to leap and stretch across his body to tip away in the 63rd.
U.S. goalkeeper Earl Edwards had a relatively lighter match, but had a handful of saves including one to deny Mohammad Sebil in the 61st.
IJEBU ODE, Nigeria
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Troubled Sporting fail to beat Maritimo
November 2, 2009
Sporting Lisbon continue to struggle in the Portuguese league. Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Maritimo leaves the Lions in seventh place.
After a goalless first half at Lisbon’s Jose de Alvalade XXI stadium, Mati Fernandez put the home side in the lead in the 54th minute.
But Sporting failed to successfully defend that lead and conceded an equaliser from Maritimo midfielder Manu in minute 62.
With just 13 points from nine games, Sporting are currently in seventh position at no less than 12 points from leaders Braga. Maritimo have just one point less than Sporting, and are to be found in eighth place.
Jonathan Roorda
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Turkey: Galatasaray win, Fenerbahce drop points
November 2, 2009
Galatasaray close on Turkish Super Lig leaders Fenerbahce thanks to a 2-0 win over Sivasspor, while their local rivals drew 1-1 at Kayserispor.
Shabani Nonda put Galatasaray ahead after just 11 minutes against Sivasspor, and Harry Kewell made it 2-0 just before the half time whistle.
Leaders Fenerbahce initially had things going according to plan, with an opening goal from Cristian in the 20th minute.
But Kayserispor didn’t give up and equalized from the penalty spot in the 70th minute, with Franco Kangele directing the spot kick past keeper Volkan Demirel.
As a result of Sunday’s games, the gap between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray is reduced to just three points. Bursaspor are third at five points from the leaders.
Jonathan Roorda
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Panathinaikos win in Greek Super League
November 2, 2009
Panathinaikos rejoin Olympiakos at the top of the Greek Super League table following a 2-1 win over Panionios on Sunday.
Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse was of great influence for ‘Pana’, scoring the first goal from the penalty spot in the ninth minute. The penalty was caused by a foul from Souleiman Omolade, who was given a direct red card for the offense.
The Frenchman went on to find the target again just two minutes later, handing his side a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Sito Riera pulled one back for the visiting side in the 53rd minute, but Panathinaikos held on to their lead to collect the three points.
Panathinaikos and Olympiakos share the lead with 25 points each. The two rivals face each other on November 29th.
Jonathan Roorda
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Brazil: Ronaldo goals hold Palmeiras
November 2, 2009
Palmeiras dropped two valuable points in Sunday’s match with Corinthians, as Ronaldo scored twice to hold the Brazilian Serie A leaders to a 2-2 draw.
Following Sao Paulo’s 1-0 win over Gremio Barueri on Saturday, Palmeiras needed a win to stay ahead of their principal rivals.
But Corinthians caused Palmeiras some serious trouble with Ronaldo opening the score after 39 minutes. Danilo leveled nine minutes after the break, but Ronaldo restored the away side’s lead on 64 minutes.
Mauricio had the final say, finding the target for 2-2 with seven minutes to go.
Palmeiras now have to share their lead with Sao Paulo, but do have a slightly better goal record.
Atletico Mineiro remain in third place thanks to a 2-3 win at Goias. Ricardinho, Eder Luis and Diego Tardelli scored for Mineiro, Julio Cesar and Leandro Euzebio did so for the hosts.
Jonathan Roorda
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Valencia ride luck to down troubled Malaga
November 2, 2009
Valencia reclaimed fourth spot from Real Mallorca thanks to a fortunate 1-0 win over bottom side Malaga on Sunday with defender David Navarro’s first goal of the season clinching the points.
Centre-back Navarro jumped highest at the back post to head in a Pablo Hernandez cross for the winning goal on 68 minutes as Valencia moved a point behind third-placed Sevilla.
“No games are easy and this one against Malaga certainly wasn’t,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery. “It was a tough game in which we had our chances but so did Malaga and we needed a big save from Cesar (Sanchez) towards the end.”
Malaga continue to prop up the table having not won since the opening day of the season when they thrashed Atletico Madrid 3-0.
David Villa, the league’s joint top-scorer with seven goals, almost scored for Valencia in the third minute when his cross crashed against the post to safety.
Juan Mata then had a goal ruled out for offside and Pablo Hernandez went agonisingly close with a drive as Malaga were over-run.
Albert Luque had the hosts’ best first half chance sliding in at the back post but could not get a foot on the devilish cross.
Villa went close with a lobbed effort in the second half but the goal was to come from a surprising source as Navarro capitalised on some slack defending to head home.
Malaga spurned several chances to equalise with Valencia goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez in fine form.
Real Mallorca are a point behind Valencia after maintaining their 100 percent home record with a 1-0 win over Racing Santander on Sunday.
Cameroon striker Pierre Webo scored the decisive goal to make it a perfect five wins for Mallorca at their fortress-like Ono Stadium.
Deportivo La Coruna can move above Mallorca and join Valencia on 18 points with a home win over Sporting Gijon later on Sunday.
Earlier Villarreal powered out of the bottom three thrashing promoted Tenerife at El Madrigal where three of the hosts’ five unanswered goals came in a magical six-minute spell.
“We won 5-0 but it was far from easy and in fact Tenerife were the most difficult team we have faced,” said Villarreal coach Ernesto Valverde.
“The big difference was that on this occasion our strikers were clinical and killed off the game especially at the start of the second half.”
An action-packed start to the second half saw veteran French midfielder Robert Pires put Villarreal 2-0 up 60 seconds after the break before Giuseppe Rossi (51 min) and Jose Llorente (52) put hapless Tenerife to the sword.
Llorente had opened the scoring after 14 minutes and Ruben Cani ended the goal-scoring rout in the 88th minute.
After going seven games without a win Villarreal have now recorded successive victories and move up five places to 13th in the table.
Villarreal’s win sees Atletico Madrid, who face Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday, fall into the bottom three with just one win from nine games.
Tenerife hover just above the relegation zone after failing to collect a point on their travels.
MADRID (AFP)
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Inter march on as Sampdoria stumble
November 2, 2009
Inter Milan continued their inexorable march towards a fifth straight Italian Serie A title with a 2-0 victory away to lowly Livorno on Sunday.
There may only be 11 games gone in the championship but Inter have already opened up a seven-point lead over second-placed Juventus after the Turin giants were beaten 3-2 at home to Napoli on Saturday.
Sampdoria also failed to keep pace with Inter as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to newly-promoted Bari on Sunday, leaving them third on goal difference behind Juve.
Inter were far from their sparkling best against a team who had won their previous two matches under new boss Serse Cosmi, but they always looked capable of doing enough to win.
Livorno, who lost on-loan Inter centre-back Nelson Rivas to injury in the warm-up, had the best chance of the opening period as Antonio Candreva brought a fine save out of Julio Cesar from a free-kick.
The opener came just four minutes into the second half as Diego Milito, restored to the starting line-up after making a substitute appearance in midweek on his return from injury, twisted and turned on the edge of the box before shooting low through a crowd of legs into the bottom corner.
Brazilian full-back Maicon then set the seal on the victory 10 minutes from time as he burst forward from his half, played a one-two with Patrick Vieira and reached the edge of the box unchallenged before slotting home left-footed into the bottom corner.
This relatively comfortable stroll in the park was ideal preparation for Inter ahead of their midweek trip to Ukraine to face Dynamo Kiev in a crucial Champions League match.
Coach Jose Mourinho gave rare starts to young Slovenian midfielder Rene Krhin and Brazilian misfit Mancini whilst leaving the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Walter Samuel and Esteban Cambiasso on the bench, although all three came on as substitutes.
But Mourinho was counting the cost of more injuries to his team after the game as Muntari Sulley limped off during the first half.
“Unfortunately we’re a team that always has injuries, I can never play the team I want,” said Mourinho who was already without Thiago Motta, Mario Balotelli, Cristian Chivu and Wesley Sneijder.
“Muntari can’t walk and I don’t think 48 hours will be enough (to recover), I think it will be difficult as well for Thiago Motta to be ready for Wednesday.”
In Genoa Sampdoria were in uninspired form as they failed to break down a stubborn Bari.
Sampdoria playmaker Antonio Cassano, playing against the club where he began his career, had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes from time in an otherwise anonymous performance.
It could have been worse for Sampdoria, though, as Bari’s Paulo Barreto put an injury-time penalty wide while Leonardo Bonucci then had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside.
AS Roma ended a three-game losing streak as they came from behind to beat Bologna 2-1 in the capital.
Brazilian Adailton gave Bologna the lead on 32 minutes but Mirko Vucinic benefited from a kind ricochet to equalise three minutes later before Simone Perrotta scored the winner in the 52nd minute.
Marco Marchionni scored a brace as Fiorentina got back to winning ways after two straight defeats with a 3-1 success at home to Catania in a match that ended 10-men apiece.
Alberto Gilardino scored the third goal for ‘La Viola’ while Giuseppe Mascara netted for Catania.
ROME (AFP)
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