Velázquez leads Libertad to Libertadores group phase

February 3, 2010

Two Pablo Velázquez goals put Paraguay’s Libertad in the 2010 Copa Libertadores group stage after a 3-1 second-leg win over Venezuela’s Deportivo Táchira gave them a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

Despite Libertad firmly controlling the proceedings early, Táchira snatched the advantage completely against the run of play on the half-hour mark.

A corner kick to the center of the area was headed on twice, first by Armando Maita and then José Villafraz, to Pedro Boada, whose half-volley eluded Libertad goalkeeper Bernardo Medina.

Libertad kept up the pressure got their deserved goal in the 40th minute when, after Sanhouse vacated his goal to chase down a loose ball, Rodolfo Gamarra did well to control and fire in from a tough angle on an overhead kick.

In the 68th minute, an attempted clearance by Sanhouse led to Libertad taking a 2-1 lead.

After making the stop on a close-range shot by Rodolfo Gamarra, his kick away deflected off defender Harold Viáfara. Velásquez took full advantage and slotted home to level the tie at 2-2, though Libertad still trailed on away goals.

That situation lasted only until the 82nd minute when Velásquez took fired a phenomenal drive from 25 yards out that beat Sanhouse low to the right post.

Roberto Gamarra could have made it four for Libertad, but missed from the spot late on.

Libertad now advance to play in Group 4 with their first match on 16 February at home against Blooming of Bolivia.

Tags: 16 february, Armando Maita, boada, bolivia, close range, Copa, corner kick, gamarra, Goalkeeper, group phase, group stage, half hour, half volley, Harold ViÃ, libertad, loose ball, maita, Medina, overhead kick, Pablo VelÃ, paraguay, Pedro Boada, proceedings, Roberto Gamarra, Rodolfo Gamarra, triumph, venezuela

Costa Rica earns first trip to U-20 Women’s World Cup

February 2, 2010

Costa Rica earned its first trip to the Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Canada in Saturday’s third-place game of the CONCACAF championship.

The result sent Costa Rica to Germany in July with the United States and Mexico, who were to play in the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship final later Saturday, and denied the two-time and defending champion Canadians their first trip in five tries.

The Ticas become the first team from outside North America to earn a berth at the World Cup from CONCACAF. Katherine Alvarado’s goal in the 19th minute was the difference, despite Canada enjoying slightly better possession and chances.

Alvarado lofted a free kick from 35 meters on the left that Canadian keeper Cynthia LeBlanc appeared to have covered. But LeBlanc drifted three meters off her line and then had to retreat, flailing unsuccessfully with her outstretched arm as the ball carried over her and under the bar into the goal.

It was only the third goal in five games allowed by Canada, and the second straight that LeBlanc appeared to flub.

In Thursday’s semifinals, she allowed a corner kick to slip through her hands, bounce off her face and into the goal in the 104th minute, enabling Mexico to win 1-0.

It also was the second straight game Canada was held without a goal and extended its goalless streak to 232 minutes.

Canada started quickly, creating its first chance 93 seconds after the opening kickoff when Christabel Oduro’s header off a cross from Bryana McCarthy was headed just wide at the right post.

Costa Rica had a goal disallowed a minute later for offside when LeBlanc was able to block Raquel Rodriguez Cedeno’s initial shot from outside the area, but wasn’t able to corral the rebound and Carolina Venegas tapped in the rebound.

After leaving Adriana Leon, who had two of Canada’s six goals, on the bench to start the match, coach Carolina Morace inserted her to start the second half. The Canadians had the majority of possession in the final 45 minutes, but were largely limited to chances from distance with Costa Rica often committing 10 players behind the ball.

It swarmed around the Costa Rican net for much of the final 15 minutes, forcing the ball into the Tica area in the 84th before it was finally cleared.

GUATEMALA CITY

Concacaf

Tags: adriana, canadians, cedeno, concacaf championship, corner kick, first chance, five games, free kick, mccarthy, offside, opening kickoff, place game, rebound, straight game, World Cup

Costa Rica earns first trip to U-20 Women’s World Cup

January 31, 2010

Costa Rica earned its first trip to the Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Canada in Saturday’s third-place game of the CONCACAF championship.

It was only the third goal in five games allowed by Canada, and the second straight that LeBlanc appeared to flub.

In Thursday’s semifinals, she allowed a corner kick to slip through her hands, bounce off her face and into the goal in the 104th minute, enabling Mexico to win 1-0.

It also was the second straight game Canada was held without a goal and extended its goalless streak to 232 minutes.

Canada started quickly, creating its first chance 93 seconds after the opening kickoff when Christabel Oduro’s header off a cross from Bryana McCarthy was headed just wide at the right post.

It swarmed around the Costa Rican net for much of the final 15 minutes, forcing the ball into the Tica area in the 84th before it was finally cleared.

GUATEMALA CITY

Concacaf

Tags: adriana, Adriana Leon, berth, bryana, Canada, canadians, Carolina Morace, Carolina Venegas, cedeno, Christabel Oduro, concacaf championship, corner kick, Cynthia LeBlanc, defending champion, first chance, five games, guatemala city, Katherine Alvarado, leblanc, mccarthy, Mexico, North America, opening kickoff, place game, Raquel Rodriguez, United States, World Cup

Juan Aurich down Tecos in Libertadores qualifier

January 28, 2010

Peruvian side Juan Aurich put themselves in good position to qualify for the 2010 Copa Libertadores on Wednesday evening with a 2-0 victory of Estudiantes Tecos of Mexico in the first leg.

The Peruvians got off to a flying start in the 10th minute when Panama international striker Tejada got his head on the cross of Roberto Guizasola for the opening goal.

Aurich continued to play strong through the first half, rarely allowing Tecos a decent look at goal.

Tejada then doubled the Aurich advantage in the 58th minute when he latched on to Juan Carlos la Rosa’s long ball from the back and sent a shot low beyond goalkeeper Mario Rodríguez.

It should have been 3-0 with about three minutes to play when Gianfranco Espejo shot wide of the gaping goal off a corner kick, but the Aurich defense held firm to preserve a solid win for the home side.

The two sides contest the second leg next Wednesday in Mexico with the winner earning a berth in Group 3 alongside reigning Libertadores winner Estudiantes of Argentina, Bolívar of Bolivia and fellow Peruvians Alianza Lima.

Tags: alianza lima, Argentina, berth, bolivia, copa libertadores, corner kick, fellow, Goalkeeper, Juan, juan aurich, Juan Carlos, Lima, mario rodriguez, Mexico, Panama, peruvians, Roberto Guizasola, Rosa, striker, tecos, tejada, victory, wednesday evening

Sevilla, Racing Santander into Copa semis

January 28, 2010

Sevilla and Racing Santander booked their spots in the 2009-10 Copa del Rey semifinals on Wednesday with aggregate victories over Deportivo La Coruña and Osasuna, respectively.

Sevilla dropped a 1-0 result at home to the Galician side on Wednesday, but won 3-1 on aggregate thanks to a strong performance in last week’s opener at the Riazor.

Needing a strong performance to overcome the deficit, and they managed to open the scoring a minute before halftime as Rodolfo Bodipo got on the end of Pablo Álvarez’s cross for the finish past a helpless Javi Varas.

Bodipo missed another chance in the second half when the striker’s header missed the target, but he was forced off due to injury in the 67th minute, giving Depor no chance at the comeback.

While Sevilla coasted into the semis, Racing stormed into the last four with a 3-0 victory at Reyno de Navarra, completing a 5-1 aggregate thrashing of Osasuna.

Xisco bagged the opener after just six minutes when his sliding effort against Nacho Monreal beat goalkeeper Roberto.

The lead was doubled in the 23rd minute when Monreal was again beaten, this time by a Henrique header at the far post off a corner kick, and recent Real Madrid super signing Sergio Canales completed the rout with 12 minutes go with a phenomenal free kick.

Sevilla will play Mallorca or Getafe in the semifinal round, while Racing await the winner between Atlético Madrid and Celta de Vigo. The second legs of those quarterfinal ties take place on Thursday.

Tags: atletico madrid, celta, corner kick, del rey, deportivo la coruna, legs, MADRID, Navarra, Pablo Alvarez, racing santander, real madrid, Rey, reyno, riazor, Roberto, Rodolfo Bodipo, rout, santander, second half, Sergio Canales, SEVILLA, striker, target, Vigo, Xisco

U.S. wears down Mexico 2-1

January 26, 2010

Sydney Leroux scored for a third consecutive match and the United States completed a perfect first round with a 2-1 victory over Mexico on Monday at the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship.

Vicky DiMartino scored the other goal for the United States, which finished atop Group B with a third win in as many games and earned a semifinal match against Group A runner-up Costa Rica on Thursday. Mexico finished with six points and will play Group A winner Canada in the other semifinal.

Leroux, which had a pair of goals against both Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica, volleyed a rebound after second-half substitute Kristie Mewis launched a left-footed shot across the face of the goal and struck the far post. Leroux, streaking down the middle of the field, lunged and touched the ball at the six past an out-of-position Mexican keeper Aurora Santiago in the 65th.

DiMartino put the United States ahead in the 13th minute, running onto a backward ball from Teresa Noyola, taking one touch and hitting a 30-meter blast across goal and out of the reach of Aurora.

The United States had the better possession from the start but Mexico frustrated the Americans, catching them offside frequently and forcing shots wide and high.

Twice the Americans beat the trap in the first half, but Leroux and Tiffany McCarty both shot wide.

Mexico scored a consolation goal in the second minute of second-half injury time. Unmarked defender Alina Garciamendez leapt to head in Natalia Gomez-Junco’s corner kick, leaving Mewis behind the play.

Until that point, Mexico’s best chances came when Natalie Lagunas drove a right-footed shot from 22 meters in the 10th minute that U.S. keeper Bianca Henninger had to slap over the bar with one hand, and when it hit the post in the 73rd.

But for the most part, the United States played in Mexico’s end. Mexico played without Charlyn Corral, who was carrying a yellow card and was relegated to the substitute’s bench. Lydia Rangel, Mexico’s captain in the first two matches, did not enter until the 54th minute.

It was the fourth time the United States and Mexico have faced each other in the CONCACAF championship, with the Americans winning all three previous by a combined 12-0.

GUATEMALA CITY

Tags: Alina Garciamendez, aurora, bianca, Bianca Henninger, Canada, concacaf, consolation, corner kick, Costa Rica, dimartino, gomez junco, guatemala city, henninger, injury time, Jamaica, Kristie Mewis, lagunas, leroux, lydia, Lydia Rangel, Mexico, Natalia Gomez-, natalie, Natalie Lagunas, offside, rebound, semifinal match, six points, SYDNEY, teresa noyola, Tiffany McCarty, Tobago, Trinidad, U.S, United States, vicky, Vicky DiMartino, yellow card

Quick Report: Nigeria (w)0-0 Zambia

January 26, 2010

Nigeria are through to the semi finals of the Africa Cup of Nations following a 5-4 win on penalties against Zambia. No goals were scored in regular or extra time.

The first chance fell the way of Nigeria in the 15th minute when Dickson Etuhu fired a drive from the top of the area, but Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Mweene then stopped another long drive on the half hour when Jon Obi Mikel’s powerful effort was nicely denied from 30 yards away.

But the best chance of the first half fell to Zambia with just 90 seconds to play in the opening period. Emmanuel Mbola crossed in low from the left side, but James Chamanga scuffed his first-time shot well wide of the first post with a lot of the goal to shoot at.

Zambia then nearly went in front in the 66th minute when Hichani Himoonde’s shot off a corner kick was cleared off the line by Mohamed Yusuf.

The best chance for Zambia came in the final minute of normal time when a corner kick by Felix Matongo found the head of Emmanuel Mayuka, but the substitute’s header went just narrowly over the top of Vincent Enyeama’s goal.

Extra time went by without goals, and a penalty shoot-out was required to determine which of the two teams would advance to the semi finals.

Apam Onyekachi of Nigeria could not take part in that shoot-out after conceding a second yellow card in the 107th minute.

After three converted penalties from each side, Zambia’s Thomas Nyirenda had his attempt saved by keeper Enyeama. The keeper himself went on to take his team’s final spot kick to take Nigeria to a semi final encounter with Egypt.

Tags: Africa, africa cup of nations, corner kick, Dickson Etuhu, Egypt, Emmanuel Mayuka, Emmanuel Mbola, extra time, Felix, Felix Matongo, final encounter, first chance, Goalkeeper, half hour, James Chamanga, Jon Obi, jon obi mikel, mayuka, Mikel, mohamed, nigeria, Vincent, vincent enyeama, yellow card, Yusuf, Zambia

Costa Rica beats Cuba 3-1 to reach semis

January 25, 2010

Costa Rica became the third team to reach the semifinals at the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship on Sunday, capitalizing on uncharacteristic gaffes by Cuban goalkeeper Lucylena Martinez to win 3-1.

The result gave Costa Rica six points and tied it with Canada atop Group A, pending the unbeaten North Americans’ later game against Guatemala. The United States and Mexico secured their places on Saturday.

Raquel Rodriguez Vasquez scored in the 18th minute, and Daniela Cruz and Ana Aguilar were the beneficiary of Martinez’s errors in the 44th and 83rd to give Las Ticas enough to prevail over Cuba, which lost its third straight and was eliminated. Cuba joined fellow Caribbean sides Trinidad and Jamaica, which were eliminated from contention in Group B on Saturday.

Cruz ran onto a ball 25 meters from goal after a corner kick pinged in the penalty area and was eventually deflected out. Her low strike bounced on the way in, and as Martinez went low to her left to grab it, she misplayed the ball as she was able to get her hands to it but let it slip through.

The goal gave Costa Rica a 2-1 lead and the Ticas spent much of the second half withstanding several thrusts by Cuba.

Costa Rica took the lead when Cruz’s ball into the area deflected off the head of Yoana Calderon, was headed on by Maria Moreira and bounced once in the penalty area. Rodriguez Vasquez beat a late arriving Martinez to the ball and headed it over her.

Cuba’s Yezenia Gallardo three times in the first half broke free down the right side on balls out of the back, and was able to convert the second one into a goal.

After shooting wide in the 20th minute, she outraced Marianne Ugalde, before attempting the lay the ball back into the area for an onrushing and unmarked Calderon. But Yocxelin Rodriguez was between them and the cross hit her ankle at the near post, deflecting past goalkeeper Priscilla Tapia for an own goal.

While Costa Rica had the better possession in the first half, Cuba was the more dominant team in the second half until Aguilar ended the threat. Katherine Alvarado sent a 23-meter free kick into the area that Martinez punched upward. The ball fell at the right post, where Aguilar raced in and touched into the goal.

GUATEMALA CITY

Tags: aguilar, Ana Aguilar, beneficiary, calderon, Canada, Caribbean, concacaf, contention, corner kick, Costa Rica, Cuba, gaffes, gallardo, Goalkeeper, Guatemala, guatemala city, las ticas, Maria Moreira, Marianne Ugalde, moreira, North Americans, possession, raquel, Raquel Rodriguez, six points, tapia, three times, Trinidad, ugalde, United States, win 3

Mozambique 2-2 Benin: Keeper errors doom Benin

January 13, 2010

A pair of costly errors by Benin goalkeeper Yoann Djidonou helped Mozambique earn a 2-2 draw on Tuesday in the nations’ Group C opener at the African Cup of Nations in Angola.

Benin started the better of the two sides and took a deserved lead in the 15th minute. Mozambique goalkeeper Kapango hauled down Razak Omotoyossi in the penalty area, and the striker slotted home up the middle from the spot for a 1-0 lead.

Six minutes later, Mozambique gifted Benin a second goal when Dário Khan slotted into his own net during a scramble in front of goal.

The east coast side, though, were resilient and pulled a goal back on the half hour after an error by Benin goalkeeper Yoann Djidonou. A corner kick from the far side was punched high into the air, but with Djidonou caught out it gave Almiro Lobo the chance to send a looping header into an open net.

Djidonou then was guilty of another horrible error in the 54th minute that led to Mozambique nodding the match at 2-2.

After coming well out of his area to clear the ball, Djidonou was caught out on a quick throw in. The ball was crossed into the center of the area, where Fumo slotted home into an open net.

Both sides pressured after the equalizer, but neither was able to come through with the decisive goal.

Tags: african cup of nations, Angola, Benin, corner kick, costly errors, decisive goal, doom, east coast, equalizer, far side, Goalkeeper, half hour, horrible error, lobo, match, Mozambique, nations group, six minutes, striker

Atlante fails to hold early lead, overwhelmed by Barcelona 3-1

December 17, 2009

Atlante failed to hold an early lead and was overwhelmed by Barcelona 3-1 Wednesday in the semifinals of the Club World Cup.

Lionel Messi scored in the 54th, a minute after entering the match, to give Barca the lead and send it to Saturday’s final against Estudiantes of Argentina. Atlante will play the Pohang Steelers o Korea Republic earlier in the day in the third-place match.

Guillermo Rojas capitalized on a defensive lapse to put Atlante ahead in the fifth minute, but Barcelona quickly gained control of the match and dominated to the end.

Sergio Busquets equalized in the 35th minute, and goals by Messi and Pedro in the 67th assured the victory as the CONCACAF champion struggled to create chances.

Barcelona started with eight of the 11 players that began Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Xerez in its most recent Spanish league contest. But Atlante exploited the early nonchalance when goalkeeper Federico Vilar launched a free kick from deep in his own half and Rojas outraced Xavi to a ball that bounced once.

With the Barcelona defense chasing, Rojas got around keeper Victor Valdes at the right post and touched it past with the outside of his left foot.

The goal motivated Barcelona, which immediately began to control the possession and pin Atlante in its own half. Keeping eight players in its own defensive third, Atlante largely limited the European champ to shots from distance.

At times the defense was desperate, with Vilar coming off his touchline to the far touchline to challenge for the ball in the 24th minute.

Barcelona equalized when Xavi’s corner kick was redirected by Yaya Toure’s head to Busquets, who from the back top corner of the six-yard box one-touched the ball under Vilar.

Barca, which is unbeaten in 15 games in the Spanish league this season, continued to dominate at the start of the second half, but took the lead immediately after manager Pep Guardiola inserted Messi for Toure and Gerard Pique for Mexican national team defender Rafael Marquez.

Andres Inestia began Messi’s scoring effort with a wide ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who moved central before feeding the diagonally darting Argentine. Messi one-touched past Jose “Chepe” Guerrero before beating Vilar from 10 meters with a left-footed shot.

Inestia set up Pedro for his goal 13 minutes later, sending a short ball between the Atlante defense for an unmarked opportunity.

Rafael Marquez Lugo had a rare opportunity to pull Atlante within a goal in the 75th, running in unmarked against Valdes, but his shot from the right side was knocked away by the Barca keeper.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates