Leeds face Spurs in FA Cup fourth round

January 4, 2010

Leeds’s reward for eliminating Manchester United from the FA Cup on Sunday was another away tie against Premier League opposition after they were drawn against Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round.

Third-tier Leeds, 43 places below English champions and record 11-times FA Cup winners United, produced the shock of the third round with a 1-0 away win at Old Trafford thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s 19th minute goal.

Now Simon Grayson’s League One leaders travel to White Hart Lane for a fourth round clash that will take place on the weekend of January 23-24.

Meanwhile holders Chelsea, who cruised through with a 5-0 win over Watford on Sunday, travel to second-tier Preston, who beat Colchester 7-0 on Saturday.

There is, as yet, only one guaranteed all Premier League fourth round tie after Arsenal, who came from behind to beat top-flight London rivals West Ham 2-1 on Sunday, were drawn away to Stoke.

Liverpool will be at home to fellow Premier League side Burnley if they can get past Reading in a third round replay while Merseyside rivals Everton, last season’s losing finalists, will face the winners of the replay between Birmingham and Nottingham Forest.

Roberto Mancini’s in-form Manchester City are away to second-tier Scunthorpe, Aston Villa face League One Brighton while Championship side Ipswich play third-tier Southampton.

Managerless Bolton are at home to either Sheffield United or QPR while Sunderland travel to Premier League basement club Portsmouth or Coventry.

Fulham must face the winners of Accrington’s tie against Gillingham, while Wigan are away to either Notts County or Forest Green – the last non-league club in the draw.

Premier League Wolverhampton, who won 1-0 away to third tier Tranmere in Sunday’s late kick-off, will be at home to Championship side Crystal Palace.

West Brom will play Plymouth or Newcastle while another all-Championship contest sees Bristol City or Cardiff face Leicester.

The other fourth round tie pits Millwall or Derby, who must replay at Pride Park, against Brentford or Doncaster, likewise League One and Championship clubs respectively, who couldn’t play Saturday because of a frozen pitch.

4th rd draw:

Southampton v Ipswich

Reading or Liverpool v Burnley

Millwall or Derby v Brentford or Doncaster

Bristol City or Cardiff v Leicester

Stoke v Arsenal

Notts County or Forest Green Rovers v Wigan

Scunthorpe v Manchester City

West Bromwich Albion v Plymouth or Newcastle

Everton v Nottingham Forest or Birmingham

Accrington Stanley or Gillingham v Fulham

Bolton v Sheffield United or Queens Park Rangers

Portsmouth or Coventry v Sunderland

Preston v Chelsea

Aston Villa v Brighton

Wolverhampton v Crystal Palace

Tottenham v Leeds

Ties to be played on the weekend of January 23-24

Playing Tuesday, January 12

Postponed 3rd rd ties (1945GMT)

Accrington Stanley v Gillingham

Brentford v Doncaster

Bristol City v Cardiff

3rd rd replays

Birmingham v Nottingham Forest

Coventry v Portsmouth

Derby v Millwall

Playing Wednesday, January 13

3rd rd replays (1945GMT unless stated)

Liverpool v Reading (2000GMT)

Newcastle v Plymouth

LONDON (AFP)

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‘Special One’ makes few friends in China

August 11, 2009

If Inter Milan were intending their trip to Beijing for last week’s Italian Super Cup to be a China charm offensive, coach Jose Mourinho was obviously not kept in the loop.

The accepted form for European club officials on pre-season trips to China is to politely praise everything local and talk up the footballing potential of the world’s most populous nation.

After Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Lazio in the traditional Italian season curtain-raiser between the Serie A champions and Cup winners, Mourinho departed from the script.

The post-match news conference got off to a bad start when the local interpreter expressed his delight at Lazio’s victory and invited Chinese media to ask Mourinho difficult questions.

Matters did not improve when Mourinho, who earlier in the week had described the Bird’s Nest stadium — China’s pride and joy — as “so-so”, arrived on the podium.

The first question from state broadcaster CCTV, suggesting he had been forced into letting new signing Samuel Eto’o play a full 90 minutes, was answered politely.

The second, from a local newspaper reporter, asked why Lazio, playing on the same pitch and in the same searing heat that Mourinho had previously complained about, were able to win.

“After the first two questions, I know why Chinese football is so rubbish and why China has won gold medals in so many sports but not football, because the journalists are so unprofessional,” the Portuguese replied.

Later, a reporter from state news agency Xinhua asked whether the match had further convinced Mourinho of the need to strengthen his midfield with a playmaker.

“After your questions it seems that my team played a horrible match,” said the former Porto and Chelsea boss. “The conclusion is that you don’t understand a thing, because all the questions are based on the result. This is not football. If we talk about the result, it was 2-1 to Lazio. If we are talking about the match then we have to say one team played, the other was lucky. This is football.”

Mourinho, who got his break in management after working as a interpreter for English coach Bobby Robson, was unsurprisingly lambasted by the Chinese sports media.

Web portal qq.com was typical, listing “Mourinho’s seven sins in China”.

“1. Losing the match, 2. Being arrogant, 3. Insulting journalists, 4. Sneering at Chinese football, 5. Despising the Bird’s Nest, 6. Refusing to attend a charity dinner 7. Losing his temper at the Silk Market,” it said.

Mourinho would not be the first tourist to lose his cool at the Silk Market, the central Beijing shopping centre famous for its faked goods where scores of shop assistants aggressively vie for custom, but he denied accusations of an eighth sin.

A statement posted on Inter’s Chinese language website on Monday read: “Jose Mourinho today firmly denied the reports that he refused to meet China’s coach Gao Hongbo.

“After Inter’s training in the Olympic Sports Centre in the afternoon of Aug. 5, Gao met and talked to Mourinho … The two coaches agreed to meet again the next day but because of the preparations for the Super Cup, they did not meet in the National Stadium.”

The journalist who had asked the second question in the press conference was not impressed with Mourinho. “I don’t think he’s the special one,” she told me as we left the stadium.

Picture by David Gray

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Tags: charm offensive, chinese football, chinese media, club officials, cup winners, curtain raiser, difficult questions, gold medals, inter milan, italian season, italian super cup, jose mourinho, match news, midfield, playmaker, populous nation, pride and joy, samuel eto o, state broadcaster, xinhua

Ticket sales slow for Premiership Asia Cup: report

July 15, 2009

Slow ticket sales for a tournament involving three English Premiership teams and China’s Beijing Guoan are causing concerns among sponsors, according to state media.

So far only 20,000 of the 120,000 tickets available for the July 29 and 31 knockout tournament at Beijing’s Worker’s Stadium have been sold, with most fans buying the cheap seats, the Beijing News said.

Reports that Guoan will field a team of substitutes as it rests its best players for a crucial China Super League match against rivals Chongqing on August 2 are also hampering sales, the paper said.

The pre-season tournament, backed by Premier League sponsors Barclays, has previously been staged in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Hong Kong and is becoming a regular showcase for the world’s most popular league.

The Beijing tournament pits Guoan against Hull, while West Ham face Tottenham, with the winners and losers to face off against each other two days later.

Beijing sponsors are asking China’s Super League to postpone the Beijing-Chongqing match until later in August so that Guoan can field its top players, the newspaper said.

Meanwhile about half of the 70,000 tickets available for a match between Serie A champions Inter Milan and Cup winners Lazio at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium on August 8 have been sold, the newspaper said.

The match is intended to mark the first anniversary of the Beijing Olympic Games.

BEIJING (AFP)

Tags: Asia, asia cup, august 8, BANGKOK, barclays, Beijing, beijing guoan, cheap seats, China, Chongqing, cup winners, English Premier League, english premiership teams, face off, Hong Kong, HULL, inter milan, knockout tournament, kuala lumpur, lazio, Milan, Nest Stadium, olympic games, pits, premier league, rivals, ticket sales, tottenham, west ham, winners and losers

Injury rules Egypt striker Zaki out of Confed Cup

June 12, 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – A hamstring injury has ruled Egypt striker Amr Zaki out of the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa from Sunday.

The organisers said his place in the 23-strong ‘Pharaohs’ squad will go to veteran Ismailia goal poacher Mohamed Abougreisha, one of five stand-by players.

He got the nod ahead of Ahmed ‘Mido’ Hossam, a talented but temperamental striker not popular with coach Hassan Shehata since their touchline showdown after his substitution during the 2006 African Nations Cup semi-final.

Zaki, released by English Premiership outfit Wigan last month after a topsy-turvy one-year loan from Cairo club Zamalek, was injured last Sunday when Egypt slumped 3-1 away to Algeria in a 2010 World Cup qualifier.

His absence is a serious blow to the six-time African Nations Cup winners already missing Saudi Arabia-based striker Emad Moteab because of a long-term injury.

It leaves Mohamed Zidan from German club Borussia Dortmund as the sole international-hardened striker in the 23-strong squad that faces Confed Cup holders Brazil Monday in the opening Group B match.

Egypt later face world champions Italy and the United States hoping for better luck in their second Cup appearance after a 5-1 hiding from Saudi Arabia in Mexico 10 years ago.

Tags: african nations cup, Ahmed, algeria, amr, better luck, borussia dortmund, brazil, Cairo, cup appearance, cup winners, Egypt, english premiership, face world, fifa confederations cup, german club, hassan shehata, Italy, johannesburg, last sunday, Mexico, mido hossam, mohamed zidan, pharaohs, saudi arabia, South Africa, striker, United States, world champions, World Cup, world cup qualifier, Zaki, zamalek

Dull Israeli season dawdles to a close, improvement in doubt

June 4, 2009

One of the dullest Israeli soccer seasons for many years dawdled to a quiet close this week with newly-crowned champions Maccabi Haifa and cup winners Beitar Jerusalem sharing the honours in a 1-1 draw that changed nothing.

It was a microcosm of an entire season almost bereft of “champagne moments” and prospects for improvement next season look doubtful.

The Israeli FA hopes next season will herald a change for the better as the top two professional divisions increase in size from 12 to 16 clubs.

There are many critics who think the opposite and say that more thinly spread TV rights money and club funding from the football pools will actually wreak disaster.

“The league expansion is complete lunacy,” said Haifa owner Yaakov Shahar.

Other critics pronounced that it will make no difference as the same clubs — such as Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv — will vie for honours with the only difference visible in a larger contingent of mid-table also-rans who will pretty soon have little to play for.

Certainly, there do not appear to be enough talented players to maintain an expanded league at a satisfactory level but other pundits have suggested that it might inspire clubs to increase investment in growing talent at home through their youth programmes rather than fritter away scarce funds on second-string foreigners who rarely bequeath a legacy of improvement.

The number of adequate stadiums to host big matches is also a problem, as at least half the additional clubs in the top flight do not have appropriate facilities and will have to share with other clubs at more distant locations.

In the campaign just concluded, Haifa did the bare minimum to wrest the championship from Beitar, the title-holders in the past two seasons, and all that can be said to their credit is that they were the most consistent team.

The current Haifa outfit was a fairly ordinary group compared to those of previous championship years when the likes of Eyal Berkovic, Yossi Benayoun and Croatian international Giovanni Rosso blazed a trail to glory and every match began with a buzz and anticipation of great performances that materialised regularly. Such excitement was clearly lacking just lately.

Beitar, who over the past four seasons were supported by Russian-born billionaire Arkady Gaydamak, fielded the most talented side in the league but severe doubts over their future funding in the wake of Gaydamak’s decision to stop bankrolling them from next season has already taken its toll.

The enigmatic Gaydamak made his intentions clear after being trounced in the Jerusalem mayoral elections last November and it immediately led to inconsistent results which clearly indicated that a hat-trick of titles would not materialise for Beitar. If they don’t find a “white knight” in the next few weeks, Beitar’s future looks bleak.

Haifa will play in the later qualifying stages of the Champions League next season and hope to re-enact their famous run in 2002 when they became the first Israeli club to participate in the group stages, during which they registered a memorable 3-0 win over Manchester United.

But Shahar is a hard man to please and as the most experienced of Israeli club chairmen he has realised that soccer in the Jewish state is a far from profitable business.

In outlining Haifa’s slightly reduced budget for next season, Shahar said the club “will spend 35 million shekels (about $9million) and not one penny more”.

PHOTO: Beitar Jerusalem players react after scoring against Wisla Krakow during their Champions League second qualifying round, first leg match in Jerusalem July 30, 2008. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

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Tags: Arkady Gaydamak, bare minimum, benayoun, berkovic, cup winners, entire season, football pools, Giovanni Rosso, haifa, hapoel tel aviv, israeli soccer, jerusalem, Krakow, league expansion, maccabi haifa, Manchester, mid table, professional divisions, satisfactory level, scarce funds, second string, soccer seasons, talented players, Tel Aviv, tv rights, World Cup, Yaakov Shahar

Sylvinho to leave Barcelona

June 3, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Sylvinho is leaving Barcelona after the European champions failed to offer the Brazilian international defender a new contract.

“FC Barcelona have informed Sylvio Mendes Campos ?Sylvinho’ that his contract will not be extended when it ends on 30th June,” the Spanish league and cup winners announced on their website.

“FC Barcelona would like to publicly acknowledge and thank Sylvinho for his contribution and commitment over the last five seasons, during which he has won two Champions League trophies, three Spanish leagues, one Kings Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.”

The 35-year-old former Arsenal player joined Barcelona from Celta Vigo in 2004.

His last appearance for Barca came in the Champions League final victory against Manchester United in Rome a week ago.

Tags: AFP, appearance, arsenal player, Barcelona, champions league, cup winners, european champions, final victory, five seasons, kings cup, LA Liga, leaving barcelona, MADRID, manchester united, new contract, ROME, spanish league, spanish leagues, sylvinho, trophies, Vigo

Kaizer Chiefs choose unknown Serb coach

May 19, 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Leading South African football club Kaizer Chiefs named little known Serb Vladimir Vermezovic as coach on Monday.

A terse Chiefs statement said the club had discussed the position vacated by Turk Muhsin Ertugral last week with several coaches and appointed Vermezovic, but gave no contract details.

The selection of a foreigner was expected after club chairman and former national star Kaizer Motaung said only two South African coaches were capable of fulfilling the role and neither was available.

Vermezovic has coached Spartak Trnava of Slovakia and Partizan of Serbia after a playing career involving clubs in his homeland, Spain, Greece and Germany.

He faces a huge task in South Africa as the most popular club in the country have underachived for several years, finishing third behind SuperSport United and arch rivals Orlando Pirates in the 2008-20009 Premiership.

Finishing third entitles Chiefs to play next year in the African Confederation Cup, a competition for national cup winners and selected third placed league teams that South African sides have shown little interest in.

Tags: African, african confederation, arch rivals, club chairman, confederation cup, contract details, cup winners, football club, foreigner, Germany, greece, johannesburg, Kaizer, kaizer chiefs, kaizer motaung, muhsin, Orlando, orlando pirates, partizan, South Africa, south african coaches, south african football, Spain, spartak trnava, supersport, Vladimir Vermezovic

Perez to spend 200m euros on new ´Galacticos´

May 15, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Former Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will spend at least 200 million euros on players if he is re-elected to the post, reports claimed here Friday.

Perez led Real from 2000 to 2006, when it earned the nickname “Los Galacticos”, winning the Primera Liga twice and European Champions League with such stars as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Beckham.

If he is re-elected following elections on June 14, Perez, a hugely successful businessman, would look to spend at least 200 million on new talent.

Some media outlets, including El Mundo and ABC newspapers, speculated that Perez would invest 250 million euros in the team.

On Tuesday El Pais newspaper said that 2008 World Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United had both signed agreements with Real regarding the Portuguese winger’s transfer to the Spanish side at the end of this season.

It said Perez has already discussed an 80 million euro (109 million dollars) fee with Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes.

Perez, 62, Thursday declined to discuss possible signings until the campaign for the June 14 elections officially begins.

But he has already hinted at the return of Zidane and former coach Jorge Valdano of Argentina, both mentioned by the Spanish press as possible advisors to Perez.

Zidane said he had been in touch with Perez, but “for the moment” had received no call to join him at Real.

“The most important thing is that he (Perez) returns,” said the 36-year-old French star, who retired in 2006.

With three games remaining in the current campaign Real are second in the table, eight points behind arch-rivals, Spanish Cup winners and Champions League finalists Barcelona, who are virtually assured of the Liga title.

Tags: arch rivals, Barcelona, Cristiano, cup winners, european champions, florentino perez, french star, jorge mendes, Jorge Valdano, LA Liga, los galacticos, luis figo, MADRID, Manchester, primera liga, real madrid, ronaldo, spanish cup, spanish press, spanish side, successful businessman, table eight, three games, world footballer of the year, zinedine zidane

Leverkusen into German Cup final

April 22, 2009

BERLIN (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen booked their place in the German Cup final on May 30 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium having needed extra-time to beat second-division side Mainz 4-1 in Tuesday’s semi-final.

Having last won the competition in 1993, Leverkusen are hunting their second chance to be German Cup winners and although it finished 1-1 in normal time after Mainz forced a late equaliser, Bayer hit three goals in extra time.

With little to choose between the sides in normal time, Germany striker Stefan Kiessling had a goal disallowed with less than 15 minutes left, but Leverkusen made the pressure count.

Bayer’s Renato Augusto had his shot saved by Mainz’s Dimo Wache on 82 minutes and Greek striker Angelos Charisteas pounced on the rebound to tap the ball home.

But Mainz, who are challenging for promotion from the Second Division, hit back just two minutes from time when striker Aristide Bance headed home to hit the equaliser and take the game into extra-time.

Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal restored the advantage for Leverkusen with an early strike in the first period of stoppage time and Simon Rolfes made the result safe when he tapped a header from Germany defender Manuel Friedrich into the back of the net in the 104th minute.

And Czech defender Michal Kadlec completed the rout with a fourth goal in the 117th minute.

In Wednesday’s semi-final, Hamburg host Werder Bremen in the first of four meetings between the sides in the next month – twice in the UEFA Cup and again in the Bundesliga.

Tags: aristide, Aristide Bance, arturo vidal, back of the net, bance, berlin, Bremen, Bundesliga, bundesliga leverkusen, Chile, cup winners, dimo wache, equaliser, extra time, german cup, Germany, Hamburg, Manuel Friedrich, olympic stadium, pounced, Renato Augusto, simon rolfes, stefan kiessling, stoppage time, time germany, UEFA Cup

Chelsea stay unbeaten under Hiddink with Cup win

March 7, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea made it five wins out of five under temporary manager Guus Hiddink as they became the first team to reach the semi-finals of this season’s FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Coventry on Saturday.

Didier Drogba, who scored the winner in the midweek Premier League win over Portsmouth, put the visitors ahead in the 15th minute when he made the most of some hesitancy in the Championship side’s defence.

Chelsea, whose team included Ashley Cole after the England defender was arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour on Thursday, were made to work hard by 1987 Cup winners Coventry.

It was not until the 72nd minute that Brazil defender Alex finished off a sweeping move to make it 2-0 to Chelsea and even then it still needed a fine save by Petr Cech to deny Coventry striker Clinton Morrison a late goal.

Manchester United continue their quest for five trophies this season when they are away later Saturday to Premier League rivals Fulham in the day’s other FA Cup quarter-final.

Everton are at home to Middlesbrough in another all top-flight last eight clash on Sunday when Arsenal, who are a round behind, face Championship side Burnley who knocked the Gunners out of the League Cup in December and also beat Chelsea and Fulham in the same competition.

Written by: AFP