Milner pushes Villa up to third

December 16, 2009

A James Milner-inspired Aston Villa followed up their weekend win at Manchester United with a 2-0 win at Sunderland that underlined the credibility of their challenge for a top four finish.

Milner made Villa’s opener for Emile Heskey then found the net from fully 30 yards to enable Villa to leapfrog Arsenal into third place in the table ahead of the Gunners’ trip to Burnley on Wednesday.

Unsurprisingly, Villa boss Martin O’Neill kept faith with the line-up that had secured victory at Old Trafford while his opposite number Steve Bruce restored winger Kieran Richardson to the side at the expense of Fraizer Campbell.

Sunderland started brightly and Villa were fortunate that Andy Reid’s second-minute corner cleared the goalmouth without anyone getting a touch.

Teenage midfielder Jordan Henderson then almost opened the scoring for the home side, snapping a shot inches wide from Darren Bent’s lay-off.

Sunderland were winning the early 50-50 balls, not always legally. Skipper Lorik Cana and George McCartney both picked up yellow cards, with the latter conceding a free-kick for a trip on Emile Heskey that resulted in Stewart Downing hitting the crossbar from the resulting free-kick.

That was a sign of Villa asserting themselves and the visitors took the lead midway through the opening period. A fine ball from Milner released Heskey into the Sunderland box and the England centre-forward beat Martin Fulop with a confident finish.

Sunderland had not generated a single clear chance by that stage and it was not until ten minutes before the break that they did, Kenwyne Jones heading wide after being picked out by a McCartney’s fine cross.

Reid finally got an effort on target with a right-foot volley two minutes later but Brad Friedel blocked with his legs.

Sunderland should have equalised four minutes after the restart, when Bent flicked McCartney’s long ball into the path of Reid, who sliced his attempted finish wide.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure but Villa, as ever, looked dangerous on the break and only the woodwork denied Ashley Young a goal four minutes before O’Neill’s men doubled their lead.

Sunderland lost possession from a throw-in and the ball fell to the outstanding Milner 30 yards out. The winger, operating in central midfield, steadied himself and unleashed a shot that found the top right corner of the net to seal the points for Villa.

Any chance of a late rally by the home side was extinguished with 13 minutes left when Cana was ordered off after receiving a second yellow card for a late challenge on Milner.

SUNDERLAND, England (AFP)

Tags: andy reid, aston villa, brad friedel, Campbell, crossbar, Darren Bent, Emile Heskey, England, foot volley, fraizer campbell, free kick, fulop, George McCartney, gunners, James Milner, James Milner-inspired, Jones, jordan, kenwyne jones, kieran richardson, Manchester, Martin Fulop, martin o neill, Martin O'Neill, old trafford, opposite number, Reid, right foot, stewart downing, Sunderland, target, yellow cards

Late Napoli show stuns Milan as Juve hit five past Samp

October 29, 2009

Napoli scored two goals in injury time to hold 10-man AC Milan to a draw in Serie A on Wednesday and end the seven-time European champions recent winning run.

Juventus went second in the table as they thrashed high-flying Sampdoria, who drop to third, 5-1 in Turin.

But the real drama came in Naples where late goals from Luca Cigarini and German Denis earned Napoli a richly deserved point after Ignazio Abate was sent off four minutes from time.

Having developed a habit of starting slowly this season, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had promised president, and Italy Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi that they would stop torturing him.

The team seemed to heed the advice and came flying out of the blocks, only to then collapse late on.

After 6min they were already 2-0 ahead as Napoli’s defensive line was ruthlessly exposed.

Filippo Inzaghi ran onto Clarence Seedorf’s chip over the top on 2min before finishing left footed.

And four minutes later he flicked on a long ball for Alex Pato to run onto from a suspiciously offside-looking position before outstripping the defence and finishing with aplomb.

Thereafter, though, it was all about goalkeeper Dida and some profligate shooting from the hosts, in particular Cristian Maggio who failed to beat a stricken Dida from six yards out early in the second period.

But after Abate earned a second yellow card Napoli finally found the finish they had been lacking as Cigarini lashed home a left-foot volley.

And then deep into injury time Denis headed home a cross from the right to send the San Paolo crowd into delirium.

In Turin Juventus rediscovered their form in a stroll against the only team that stood between them and leaders Inter Milan.

Juve leapfrogged Sampdoria into second and just one point behind Inter, who host Palermo on Thursday, thanks to goals from Amauri (two), Giorgio Chiellini, Mauro Camoranesi and David Trezeguet.

Amauri opened the scoring on 26min when the ball fell kindly to him, after his initial header hit team-mate Momo Sissoko, to shoot home.

He then turned provider on 42min as a marauding Chiellini, up from the back, found himself between Sampdoria’s centre-backs when the Brazilian’s deflected cross landed at his feet five yards out.

The game was soon over as Diego sent Sebastian Giovinco free down the left and he picked out Camoranesi to side foot home from the penalty spot.

Camoranesi then sent in a delightful curling cross from the right for Amauri to head home his second as Sampdoria crumbled.

Giampaolo Pazzini pulled a goal back for the visitors before French veteran Trezeguet rounded off the scoring late on.

Newly-promoted Parma moved up to fourth, and a Champions League position, as they beat fellow Serie A newboys Bari 2-0.

AS Roma lost for the third game in a row as they fell 2-1 at Udinese in a game in which both teams had a player sent off.

Lowly Livorno won their second match in a row since new coach Serse Cosmi took over as they beat Atalanta 1-0.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, adriano galliani, alex pato, amauri, aplomb, Bari, clarence seedorf, david trezeguet, defensive line, dida, european champions, filippo inzaghi, foot volley, giorgio chiellini, Ignazio Abate, injury time, inter milan, Italy, mauro camoranesi, Milan, naples, napoli, Paolo, prime minister silvio, ROME, silvio berlusconi, team mate, yellow card

Bologna´s Adailton denies Juventus return to top

September 27, 2009

Bologna’s veteran Brazilian forward Adailton scored an equaliser deep into injury time to deny Juventus a return to the top of the Serie A table following a 1-1 draw in Turin.

The draw left Juve one point behind leaders Sampdoria, who beat champions Inter Milan 1-0 on Saturday.

Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi salvaged AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri’s unbeaten league start in charge of the giallorosso as his injury-time strike earned a 1-1 draw at Catania.

Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik eased the pressure on former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni as his brace gave Napoli a 2-1 home win over Siena.

In Turin it was a game of two halves as former France forward David Trezeguet rolled back the years and came close to a first-half hat-trick before Bologna laid siege to the Juve goal after the break to snatch a dramatic late share of the spoils.

Trezeguet came close with a left-foot volley that Emiliano Viviano tipped around the post.

He then gave the northern giants the lead on 24 minutes after Jonathan Zebina’s storming run into the box and shot came back off Viviano and a defender to present Trezeguet with a close range tap-in.

Returning playmaker Diego then set up the former Monaco man for a left foot finish that flashed just past the upright.

In first half stoppage time Andrea Raggi had the ball in the net for Bologna but it was chalked off for a narrow offside decision.

If Juve had looked comfortable before the break, they were anything but after it with former striker Marco Di Vaio terrorising their back-line. Table

He escaped to bear down one-on-one against Gianluigi Buffon but put the ball wide and moments later got free again, rounded the Italy stopper only to see Giorgi Chiellini get back to clear his shot off the line.

Buffon then came to the rescue to keep out a Giacomo Tedesco shot at full stretch before Adailton thrashed the rebound over the bar.

But three minutes into stoppage time Tedesco sent a long, high cross into the box and Adailton arrived at the back post to stab a volley into the ground that bounced up and beyond Buffon’s despairing dive.

In Sicily Japan forward Takayuki Morimoto gave hosts Catania a first half lead and that looked to be enough for the win until De Rossi’s late leveller.

Brazilian centre-back Juan flicked-on a corner that went to birthday boy Francesco Totti who’s mishit finish bounced off De Rossi’s thighs and over the line.

In Napoli Hamsik headed home from close range four minutes into the second half before former Middlesbrough forward Massimo Maccarone equalised for Siena.

But Hamsik sealed the three points, blasting home the rebound after his penalty had been saved by Gianluca Curci.

In other games Serie A top scorer Antonio Di Natale continued his hot streak as he netted in Udinese’s 2-0 win over Genoa while Atalanta climbed off the bottom of the table with a 1-1 draw at Chievo.

Livorno, who lost 1-0 at fourth-placed Fiorentina on Saturday, are the new basement dwellers.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: Bologna, Claudio Ranieri, coach claudio, daniele de rossi, david trezeguet, foot volley, gianluigi buffon, high cross, injury time, italy coach, Japan, jonathan zebina, Juan, marek hamsik, Monaco, playmaker, raggi, Roberto Donadoni, Roma, ROME, serie a table, slovakian, stoppage time, time andrea, time strike, viviano

Sensational Sampdoria down Inter to go top

September 26, 2009

Giampaolo Pazzini scored the only goal as Sampdoria beat champions Inter Milan to return to the top of the Serie A table on Saturday.

Sampdoria lost the league lead on Wednesday when they were well beaten 2-0 at Fiorentina, allowing Inter to take over at the summit following four successive victories.

But in inflicting the first defeat of the season on Jose Mourinho’s Inter, Sampdoria emphatically cemented their own title credentials, even though they could lose the lead again if Juventus beat Bologna on Sunday.

Although competitive and lively, the first half produced few genuine goalscoring opportunities as two capable teams largely cancelled out each other.

Mourinho had switched his midfield around, bringing in Mario Balotelli and Patrick Vieira while leaving Dejan Stankovic on the bench.

He also preferred young full-back Davide Santon to experienced Romania international Cristian Chivu at left-back — a move that would later prove costly.

Inter enjoyed more of the ball and created the first real chance when Esteban Cambiasso’s pass released Diego Milito in space down the left and he pulled the ball back to his Argentine team-mate who forced a full length save from Luca Castellazzi.

Lithuanian Marius Stankevicius tried his luck from long-range and his swerving shot proved too hot for Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar to hold, although the Brazilian beat the ball away.

Antonio Cassano was pulling the strings for Sampdoria and after his cross from the left caused panic in the Inter box the ball seemed to be dropping invitingly for Angelo Palombo 15 yards out but the Italy midfielder fluffed his attempted left-foot volley.

The second half began with a flurry of action as Balotelli’s strike from outside the box took a deflection and wrong-footed Castellazzi.

The goalkeeper just managed to get his hands on the ball and pushed it past the lurking Milito.

Up the other end Pazzini turned smartly in the box and swept a shot just wide of the far post.

But the decisive moment came due to a mistake from from Santon who belied his inexperience by trying to play a risky short pass while deep inside his own half.

He gave the ball away to Palombo who teed-up Daniele Mannini for a shot and while he scuffed his effort it fell to the unmarked Pazzini 10 yards out whose hurried and shanked effort left Cesar rooted to the spot.

Inter had the ball in the net six minutes from time through substitute Ricardo Quaresma when his long range effort deflected off fellow sub Chivu and in but the Romanian was standing in an offside position.

Inter piled on the late pressure but Castellazzi beat away a vicious Lucio free-kick and Samuel Eto’o flashed a volley wide as Sampdoria deservedly held on for the victory.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: Angelo Palombo, antonio cassano, Argentine, Bologna, brazilian beat, capable teams, Cesar, cristian chivu, decisive moment, diego milito, Esteban Cambiasso, foot volley, giampaolo pazzini, inter milan, Italy, Jose, julio cesar, Mario Balotelli, Marius Stankevicius, Milan, patrick vieira, pulling the strings, ricardo quaresma, Romania, romania international, ROME, samuel eto, santon, serie a table, space down, team mate, title credentials

Arshavin inspires Gunners fightback

April 12, 2009

WIGAN, England (AFP) – Andriy Arshavin inspired Arsenal to a late fightback at Wigan on Saturday, but a 4-1 victory for Arsene Wenger’s men was marred by another injury to their already-depleted defence.

Second-half goals from Theo Walcott and Mikael Silvestre — both created by Russian star Arshavin — overturned Mido’s first-half opener and secured victory for the Gunners before Arshavin and Alex Song completed the scoring with two goals in the final minute.

But an injury to Swiss defender Johan Djorou now leaves Arsenal running out of options ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Villarreal at the Emirates.

Arsenal arrived at the JJB in search of a fifth successive league victory as they attempted to put further distance between themselves and Aston Villa in the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot.

But with the Champions League quarter-final against Villarreal well poised at 1-1 ahead of next Wednesday’s second-leg at the Emirates, Wenger chose to start with the attacking threat of Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench.

It was risky tactic by the Frenchman. Wigan have proved themselves to be a tough team to beat at the JJB this season and Steve Bruce’s team remain in contention for surprise qualification for next term’s Europe Cup.

And despite a bright start by the visitors, with Cesc Fabregas and Arshavin linking well behind lone striker Nicklas Bendtner, it was Wigan that carried the greater threat.

That threat was rewarded on eighteen minutes when Egyptian striker Mido put the home side ahead after the Arsenal defence had failed to deal with Ben Watson’s corner.

Titus Bramble’s far-post header met an Arsenal head in the six yard box, but the ball dropped to Mido and the former Tottenham man beat goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with a left-foot volley from close range.

Having been taunted by the visiting fans as a result of his Tottenham past, Mido clearly enjoyed celebrating his second Wigan goal in front of the 6,000 travelling Arsenal supporters.

Fabianski, in for the injured Manuel Almunia, could have done better with the goal and the Pole was exposed again moments later when he nervously dealt with a Hugo Rodallega cross that nearly resulted in a Paul Scharner goal.

But for two poor attempts by Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal were struggling to threaten the Wigan goal and things got worse on 35 minutes when Djorou was carried off with a leg injury.

With William Gallas out for the season with damaged knee ligaments, Arsenal now have growing injury problems as they prepare to face Villarreal and then Chelsea in next Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

It could have become much worse for Arsenal on the stroke of half-time had referee Alan Wiley sent off full-back Kieran Gibbs for a foul on Antonio Valencia.

As the last man, Gibbs should have been red carded, but Wiley showed only a yellow. And from the free-kick that followed, Wigan midfielder Watson rattled the foot of the post.

Wigan continued to dominate early in the second-half and Mido had a header cleared off the line by Gibbs after Fabianski had raced off his line in a vain attempt to clear a long ball.

Mido came off worst in the challenge with Fabianski and was replaced by Olivier Kapo. The change unsettled Wigan and Arsenal took advantage on the hour when Walcott equalised with their first effort on target.

Mario Melchiot’s failure to clear allowed Arshavin to thread the ball to Walcott and the England striker scored from 12 yards to claim his first goal since October.

And Silvestre settled the game for Arsenal when he side-footed past Chris Kirkland from six yards on 71 minutes after Fabregas had teed him up from Arshavin’s free-kick.

Arshavin and Song merely rubbed salt into Wigan’s wounds with their last minute strikes.

Tags: alan wiley, Ben Watson, close range, emirates, emmanuel adebayor, England, English Premier League, Fabianski, fabregas, far post, fightback, foot volley, gunners, jjb, kieran gibbs, league victory, Manuel Almunia, Nicklas, Paul Scharner, robin van persie, Steve Bruce, theo walcott, Titus Bramble, tottenham man, Villarreal, wigan england, William Gallas