Al-Hilal beat Zesco in CAF Champions League

August 1, 2009

Sudanese club Al-Hilal Omdurman moved into first place of their CAF Champions League group thanks to a 1-0 win over Zesco United of Zambia.

Al-Hilal had drawn their opening game 0-0 with local rivals Al-Merreikh, but one goal at Khartoum Stadium was enough to earn their first victory and move top in Group A.

The goal that led the hosts to victory was scored by defender Usama Altawon, whose powerful shot from a corner left the opposing goalkeeper beaten.

Kano Pillars of Nigeria and Al-Merreikh face on Sunday, with possibly the top spot at stake.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: Al Hilal, Al-Merreikh, CAF Champions League, champions league group, first victory, game, Goalkeeper, hosts, Jonathan Roorda, Kano, Khartoum Stadium, nigeria, omdurman, pillars, rivals, stake, sudanese, usama, Zambia

SKorea´s Lee Young-Pyo to join Al Hilal: agency

July 11, 2009

Top Saudi club Al Hilal has signed South Korean footballer Lee Young-Pyo, according to his agency.

The 32-year-old defender, currently playing for Germany’s Dortmund FC, signed a one-year contract with Al Hilal, his agency said.

Lee played a leading role in South Korea’s 2002 World Cup run when the team made the final four in a competition staged jointly in South Korea and Japan.

He made his European debut with PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands in 2003 and won the Player of the Year Award in the Dutch league in 2004.

SEOUL (AFP)

Tags: Al Hilal, CAF Champions League, dortmund, dutch league, Eindhoven, european debut, final four, footballer, Germany, Japan, Lee, lee young pyo, Lee Young-, netherlands, seoul, skorea, south korea, south korean, the Netherlands, top, World Cup

Iraq wins first home match since 2003 invasion

July 11, 2009

Iraq won the first international football match in the country since the US-led invasion in 2003, beating the Palestinian national football team 3-0 in a friendly on Friday.

The opening goal in the game at Francois Hariri stadium in the northern city of Arbil, in Iraq’s autonomous region of Kurdistan, was let in by Palestinian player Hussam Fadi in the 20th minute.

Yunus Mahmud struck Iraq’s second in the 55th minute and Luay Falah completed Iraq’s evening with a 90th minute goal.

The two sides will meet again on Monday in Baghdad’s al-Shaab stadium.

ARBIL, Iraq (AFP)

Tags: al shaab, arbil, arbil iraq, autonomous region, baghdad, CAF Champions League, fadi, falah, football match, Francois Hariri, game, hariri, home match, international football, invasion, Iraq, kurdistan, minute goal, team 3, US-led, Yunus Mahmud

Angola on track to host African Nations Cup – CAF

July 8, 2009

LUANDA (AFP) – Angola will be ready in time for the 2010 African Nations Cup, the continent’s top footballing boss said on Tuesday, at the end of a six-day visit to the host country.

Issa Hayatou, president of the African Confederation of Football (CAF), told reporters as he was leaving Fourth de Fevereiro Airport in Angola’s Luanda that he was optimistic that everything would be ready.

“Almost everything is done, I believe that in the six months that remain, everything will be ready. We are leaving here with a good impression at all levels,” he said.

Angola is spending an estimated 1billion dollars in preparation for CAN 2010 and is building four new stadiums from scratch in Luanda, Cabinda, Lubango and Benguela, as well as creating training pitches and support sites.

The southern African nation, which spent three decades fighting a bloody civil war that only ended in 2002, is using the competition as a springboard for the country’s much-needed physical and logistical reconstruction where two thirds of people live on less than two dollars a day.

Apart from the stadiums, built by Chinese companies, a large tranche of the investment is in revamping airports to help teams and fans coming into and travelling around the country.

High costs due to a reliance on imported goods and a lack of services, such as 250 dollars for a basic hotel room, are likely to put off many visitors who will be saving their cash for South Africa’s World Cup later in the year.

And obtaining visas for the Portuguese-speaking country can also be a long and complicated process and there are regular raids by immigration police arresting people without the correct paperwork.

However, sports minister Goncalves Muandumba who met Hayatou this week, gave a public assurance there would be no problems in getting visas for January.

“We just need for people and groups to get organised and co-operate,” he said.

Tags: african confederation of football, african nations cup, basic hotel, bloody civil war, cabinda, CAF, CAF Champions League, chinese companies, correct paperwork, goncalves, host country, Luanda, lubango, new stadiums, obtaining visas, pitches, Portuguese-speaking, reconstruction, South Africa, southern African, southern african nation, spent three, springboard, three decades, tranche, two dollars

Japanese, Korean clubs remain on course for glory

June 25, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese clubs remain on course to continue their AFC Champions League success after two J-League clubs booked quarter-final berths despite defeat for defending champions Gamba Osaka.

Osaka crashed out of the competition 3-2 to fellow J-League outfit Kawasaki Frontale Wednesday while Nagoya Grampus beat South Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2-1 to book their place in September’s quarter-finals.

South Korea’s K-League also has two teams through to the last eight with victories for FC Seoul and Pohang Steelers.

The Japanese and Korean sides will battle it out against west zone teams Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, Umm Salal of Qatar, and Pakhtakor and Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan.

Kawasaki Frontale coach Takashi Sekizuka was delighted with his team’s result.

“Winning such an important game today will bring us good confidence, and we?d like to move on and keep fighting hard as a representative of the J-League clubs and Japan,” Sekizuka said.

Dejected Osaka coach Akira Nishino said: “Key players came back from injuries and we played better than I had expected. But we lost goals when my players slowed down in the second half.”

“But it was our best eleven. I was really disappointed, because we cannot play in the Champions League any more while we are regaining our best form,” he added.

Following his side’s clash against Suwon Bluewings, Nagoya’s Serbian coach Dragan Stojkovic said his side had come through a hard battle.

“It was really a tough game but we ended with a win. It gives us a lot of confidence to reach the last eight in Asia.”

Seoul’s Turkish coach Senol Gunes, who oversaw a 5-4 win for his side on penalties after a 2-2 draw against Kashima Antlers, predicted that the winner of the game would go on to lift the trophy.

“It was an exciting game between the top teams from the K-League and the J-League,” said Gunes. “I said before that the winners of this game will reach the final. I still think so.”

“We are going to take game by game to challenge further. It will be good for the team to have a dream (to win the Champions League),” he said.

“In this Champions League, I think Kashima Antlers and FC Seoul are the two strongest teams, so I don’t expect us to have a tougher game than today’s game,” he added.

South Korean side Pohang Steelers thumped Australia’s Newcastle Jets 6-0, with a hat-trick for midfielder Choi Hyo-Jin.

Pohang boss Sergio Farias was full of praise for his midfielder.

“We prepared well and I am happy to see a lot of goals tonight. Our aim was to proceed to the next round and that mission has been accomplished,” he told the AFC Champions League website.

Gamba Osaka won the 2008 Champions League after victory for fellow J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds in 2007.

Tags: AFC, afc champions league, Akira Nishino, Al-Ittihad, antlers, Asia, Australia, berths, CAF Champions League, dragan stojkovic, j league, Japan, k league, Kawasaki, kawasaki frontale, Key, league clubs, Nagoya, nagoya grampus, NEWCASTLE, nishino, Osaka, osaka osaka, pakhtakor, pohang steelers, Qatar, quarter finals, saudi arabia, senol gunes, seoul, Sergio Farias, south korea, suwon bluewings, suwon samsung bluewings, Takashi Sekizuka, tokyo, Umm-Salal, west zone

Vietnam federation bans Denilson team´s fans

June 13, 2009

HANOI (AFP) – Vietnam’s football federation said Friday it had banned fans of the football club that recently signed former Brazilian international star Denilson from attending away matches.

The Vietnam Football Federation blamed “public disorder” by supporters of Hai Phong Cement Football Club, who were already infamous in Vietnam for their aggressive behaviour.

The federation said it was “banning fans of Hai Phong Cement to come to guest stadiums to cheer” for their team.

Citing the explosion of firecrackers, it said the fans’ misbehaviour was “systematic, extremely dangerous and undermined the international image of Vietnamese football.”

The fans’ latest outburst came in Hanoi Wednesday night when police used dogs and electric batons to disperse the visiting Hai Phong supporters after their side’s latest loss, VietnamNet news website reported.

The report said fans fired flares during the match and later fought with the police.

Denilson, signed this month by Hai Phong, did not play Wednesday night and has reportedly said he is injured — even before starting for his new team.

On home ground in the port city of Hai Phong Sunday, fans burned stadium seats and threw objects on to the pitch, in displeasure at Denilson’s absence from the match, in which the team suffered another defeat.

Tags: aggressive behaviour, CAF Champions League, cement, denilson, disperse, displeasure, dogs, electric batons, explosion, firecrackers, flares, football, football club, Hai, hanoi, international image, international star, outburst, pitch, stadiums, Vietnam, vietnam football federation, wednesday night

Scolari takes over Uzbeki flagship side Bunyodkor

June 10, 2009

TASHKENT (AFP) – Former World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari took over Uzbekistan league leaders and AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Bunyodkor, local media reported on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, and was sacked by Chelsea in February, signed an 18-month deal with the Uzbeki flagship side, which was earlier managed by his compatriot Zico.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed.

“Uzbekistan’s football is now creating its successful history,” local media quoted Scolari as saying.

“Bunyodkor as a part of the country’s football has performed impressively in the last four years,” he added. “The side is directed by very responsible people and it definitely has bright prospects.”

The Uzbeki football federation also announced that they were expecting Scolari to coordinate the management of the national youth football academy, which was recently founded in Tashkent.

Tags: afc champions league, brazil, bright prospects, Bunyodkor, CAF Champions League, CHELSEA, coach, compatriot, felipe scolari, financial details, flagship, football academy, football federation, history, league leaders, local media, Luiz Felipe, quarter finalists, Tashkent, Uzbeki, uzbekistan, World Cup, youth football

Chile and Belgium draw in Kirin Cup

May 29, 2009

CHIBA, Japan (AFP) – Midfielder Kevin Roelandts scored his first goal for Belgium, but his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Chile in the three-nation Kirin Cup football tournament on Friday.

Seven-time World Cup participants Chile kept the initiative by exchanging short passes and sending effective long balls to the front, while Belgium played rather defensively at the beginning.

But it was Belgium who opened the scoring in the 15th minute after forward Mujanji Bia sent a heading pass to the front, where Kevin Roelandts fired a shot that hit goalkeeper Miguel Pinto and went into the net.

Chile retaliated soon afterwards. In the 20th minute, forward Esteban Paredes hit a shot, which Belgian goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen saved, and then Edson Puch hit the rebound, forcing Stijnen to save again.

But three minutes later, forward Fabian Orellana failed to hit a shot and then defender Gary Medel struck the rebound home. Stijnen touched the ball but it landed in the net.

Belgium, who have played 11 World Cups, started to play better in the second half with forward Maarten Martens hitting the first shot on goal.

After midfielder Marco Estrada missed several shots, Chile keeper Pinto was kept busy saving shots off midfielder Ritchie De Laet and Bia in the 68th and 70th minutes.

But neither side could score a decider and the referee’s whistle sounded soon after a shot from substitute forward Jose Fuenzalida went wide.

“It’s wonderful. I’m really happy that I scored my first goal for Belgium soon after I was called up for the first time. We have a chance to win this tournament. I want to play well against Japan as well,” said Roelandts.

Belgium coach Franky Vercauteren said: “I’m satisfied with the result. We had some tough times but we played a good game. I’m looking forward to the game against Japan, I expect it to be a tough game.”

On Wednesday, Japan defeated Chile 4-0 to take three points from the win, while Belgium and Chile have one point each.

Belgium and Japan will face each other at the national stadium in Tokyo on Sunday in the last of the warm-up games for next month’s World Cup qualifiers.

Tags: Belgium, bia, CAF Champions League, CHIBA, chiba japan, Chile, cup football, de laet, decider, Esteban, fabian, football tournament, franky, Franky Vercauteren, fuenzalida, Gary Medel, Goalkeeper, good game, Japan, Jose, Kevin Roelandts, kirin cup, Marco Estrada, midfielder, Miguel Pinto, orellana, Ritchie De Laet, stijn, three minutes, time world, tokyo, tough times, world cup participants, world cups

Rivaldo rolls back the years on soccer pitch

May 28, 2009

SINGAPORE (AFP) – Brazilian legend Rivaldo rolled back the years as he kept his nerve to score a penalty and put Uzbek side Bunyodkor into the AFC Champions League quarter-finals.

Their stunning 1-0 win away to Iranian powerhouse Piroozi late Wednesday came on a night when one of Rivaldo’s former clubs Barcelona captured Europe’s equivalent trophy with a 2-0 victory over holders Manchester United in Rome.

Rivaldo, world and European footballer of the year in 1999, made light of his 36 years to command the match and converted the penalty four minutes from the break after he went down under a challenge from two Iranian defenders.

Piroozi’s exit left no Iranian teams standing in the competition and prompted their Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada to confirm his departure.

“This was my last match with Piroozi,” said Vingada.

“I wrote a letter giving notice of my resignation two days ago. If you’re looking for someone to blame (for the elimination) then blame me.”

It was a red letter day for Uzbek clubs as Bunyodkor — last year’s semi-finalists — were joined by domestic rivals Pakhtakor who also enjoyed a notable away success with a 2-1 victory over Saudi side Ettifaq.

Ettifaq’s prolific Ghanaian striker Prince Tagoe opened the scoring but while they dominated they suffered from wayward finishing and Pakhtakor stormed back with two late goals to secure their place in the last eight.

Indeed, they left it almost to the final whistle with a stoppage time freekick by substitute Alexander Geynrikh keeping them in the competition.

Their coach Victor Djailov conceded that things would only get harder from now on.

“The quarter-finals will be harder because there will be strong teams from Qatar and Saudi Arabia as well as the quartet from the eastern zone,” he said.

Al Ittihad also came from behind to win an all-Saudi clash as they beat Al Shabab 2-1. They too had to rely on a late winner — this time Moroccan substitute Hicham Aboucherouane scoring three minutes into time added on.

Al Ittihad coach Gabriel Calderon claimed he had never feared his side would lose.

“Even after Al Shabab scored the first goal, I had a feeling that we would win the game,” said the Argentine, whose side avenged a humiliating 4-0 defeat by the same opponents in the King’s Cup which placed a question mark his position.

Calderon sought to clear the air over his future.

“We had a good season in terms of performance and results and our final match in the King’s Cup was the worst game that we played during the season.

“Now Al-Ittihad can look to my achievements with the team and decide if they want me to continue.”

It will not be the same for his compatriot and coach of Al Shabab, as Enzo Tressero announced he would be stepping down.

“I am leaving the team. It was my last match and I have made my decision,” said Tressero.

“I think I have presented Al Shabab with a good young team. We enjoyed two good seasons and won cups and competitions.”

A bad night for Saudi Arabian sides was capped as Qatari outfit Umm-Salal prevailed 4-3 on penalties away at Al Hilal, who will have no-nonsense Belgian Eric Gerets in charge next season as he is leaving Marseille to join them.

The eastern zone round of 16 matches, which feature defending champions Gamba Osaka of Japan, are played on June 24.

Tags: AFC, afc champions league, Al Hilal, al shabab, Al-Ittihad, Alexander Geynrikh, Argentine, Barcelona, CAF Champions League, clubs barcelona, eastern zone, eric gerets, ettifaq, Europe, european footballer of the year, former clubs, freekick, Gabriel Calderon, Japan, last match, Manchester, manchester united, moroccan, Nelo Vingada, Osaka, Prince Tagoe, Qatar, quarter finals, rivaldo, ROME, saudi arabia, saudi clash, semi finalists, SINGAPORE, stoppage time, Umm-Salal, Victor Djailov

AFC lauds 1 mln spectators for flagship tournament

May 25, 2009

SINGAPORE (AFP) – The Asian Football Confederation said its flagship club competition, the AFC Champions League, attracted more than one million spectators during the group stages — a new record.

A total of 1,037,702 fans packed stadiums across Asia to watch 94 group phase encounters as 32 teams slugged it out to make the round of 16.

This year?s milestone overhauled the numbers achieved in the five previous editions of the competition.

“The numbers show that Asian teams are popular in the continent and their game has attained the professionalism required in this modern era,” said AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam.

“I hope that the knockout stages of the competition will throw up interesting battles and the spectators will keep going to the stadiums to cheer their favourite teams.”

The round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday with west zone matches. East zone matches are played on June 24.

The tournament has been expanded this year from 28 to 32 teams with stricter participation criteria imposed in an effort to raise the level of play.

At stake is 20 million dollars in prizemoney, dwarfing the four million available for the 2008 event as the AFC looks to push the competition to another level.