Schwarzenegger joins US World Cup effort

June 3, 2009

NEW YORK (AFP) – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the bid committee trying to bring the World Cup to the United States in either 2018 or 2022.

“Soccer is the world’s most popular sport and California has been home to some of its most exciting games, and I am proud to be a part of bringing the World Cup back to the United States,” the former Hollywood star and bodybuilder said.

California venues have traditionally been used for major international matches in the United States.

The Rose Bowl in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena hosted the 1994 World Cup final and the 1999 Women’s World Cup final.

The 2003 Women’s World Cup final was held at the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson.

Six stadiums in California are among 58 venues in the United States under consideration to host World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022: the Rose Bowl, Stanford Stadium, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Memorial Stadium in Berkeley and Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.

No other state has that many venues in the hunt.

“The millions of fans from around the globe that will travel to the United States to cheer their teams will prove a great benefit for our state, our nation and the world of soccer,” the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger said.

The United States is one of nine countries that have put their hats in the ring to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia, with joint bids proposed from Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain.

Qatar and South Korea have applied only as candidates to host the 2022 tournament.

All candidates must have their formal bid applications to FIFA by May 14, 2010. FIFA will award the tournaments in December of 2010.

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Ronaldo´s best ´can fire United to quintuple´

April 16, 2009

MANCHESTER (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo insists the best goal of his career will provide Manchester United with a springboard to complete their bid to win five trophies in one season.

Ronaldo’s stunning long-range strike clinched a 1-0 quarter-final second leg victory at Porto on Wednesday to set up a Champions League semi-final meeting with English rivals Arsenal.

Now Ronaldo wants United to use the momentum of their 3-2 aggregate win to help see off Everton in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final and then Portsmouth in next Wednesday’s crucial Premier League clash.

United, who have already won the League Cup and Club World Cup this season, remain on course for an unprecedented haul of five trophies. And Ronaldo is convinced the Old Trafford outfit can add the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League to that haul.

“We have an opportunity to win everything and we are very confident that we can,” he said.

“We did not play fantastic in the last five or six games but we expect the next ones will be better because of what we did against Porto.”

Such was the power and accuracy of Ronaldo’s 40-yard effort at the Dragao Stadium that the Portugal winger was unable to think of a better goal in his illustrious career.

“It is the best goal I have scored,” he said. “It was a fantastic strike and I can’t wait to see it again on DVD. I am very happy with it.”

Meanwhile, United and England striker Wayne Rooney admits his side’s semi-final showdown with Arsenal will be a substantial test of their quality.

The Gunners have the advantage of playing the second leg at the Emirates Stadium and Rooney said: “It will be a difficult game. They are a good team of course. Hopefully it will be two exciting games.

“Rretaining the trophy is something we are really focused on. It is a great opportunity for us to do that, having reached the semi-finals.”

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Arsenal still outsiders in Chamionship: Wenger

April 16, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are still “super outsiders” to win the Champions League even though his side brushed aside Villarreal 3-0 to book a semi-final showdown with Manchester United.

The Gunners were at their majestic best in Wednesday’s quarter-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium as goals from Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie dispatched Manuel Pellegrini’s Spanish club in resounding fashion.

After spluttering through the first half of the season, Arsenal appear to be hitting peak form at just the right time. They are unbeaten in 18 Premier League matches and now have a European semi-final to look forward to as well as Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

With Walcott, Adebayor and, perhaps most importantly, Cesc Fabregas all back from injury and showing few signs of rust, Arsenal look capable of ending their four-year wait for silverware.

Wenger’s side also have the advantage of playing the second leg against United at the Emirates, where they have already beaten the European champions 2-1 this season.

But the Gunners boss admits knocking out United will be the sternest challenge his young side have faced.

“I wouldn’t like to speculate about any weakness of Man United. We expect them to be strong when they play us and that should encourage us to be at our best,” Wenger said. “That is how we will prepare the game. We are still super outsiders.

“It is difficult to play an English team in Europe because they will have quality, but I believe if you want to go far in the Champions League you have to play an English team at some stage.

“It is a test but I think it is a challenge you relish and we are excited about that.

“The teams always produce very exciting games so it is a promising semi-final. We are up for the challenge.”

Wenger has had a long and sometimes bitter rivalry with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The Gunners boss acknowledges that the prize of a Champions League final could reopen old wounds, but he is more concerned to keep his players in peak physical condition going into the first leg at Old Trafford on April 29.

“The history is always a little part to play,” he said. “But we are in a cup competition with 180 minutes to play. What is more important is the form of the day.

“We are both in the semi-final of the FA Cup and have a game in hand to play. How we are physically will have a big impact.”

Wenger is keen to keep the focus on this weekend’s Wembley date with Chelsea before planning for the Old Trafford clash.

But he could be forgiven a moment to reflect on the way his team showed a tenacity and belief few thought they possesssed to answer the critics who wrote them off.

“I was never worried about the quality of the players, more about the confidence and belief of a very young side,” he said. “It is always more difficult when they don’t win. They are a bit more fragile than guys who have a big history and have gone through difficult periods.

“I was more worried about the mental side of what happened at the start of the season but they coped very well. This group is mentally strong.”

Walcott gave Arsenal the perfect start on Wednesday when he punished a mistake from Diego Godin to loft a sublime chip over Diego Lopez.

Villarreal, badly missing injured Spain midfielder Marcos Senna, never recovered.

Adebayor swept home the second on the hour after good work from van Persie, who buried a penalty nine minutes later after Gordin’s foul on Walcott.

Villarreal’s Sebastian Eguren was sent off for protesting the penalty decision but the Spaniards were already buried, as Pelligrini conceded.

He said: “We wanted to get through to the semi-finals but they were better than us even before the sending off, so we have no complaints. The second goal made it very difficult to come back.

“It is hard to predict a winner of their semi-final, but Manchester United will be very difficult for them.”