Brandao double fires Marseille into final

February 4, 2010

A double by Brazilian striker Brandao saw Marseille come from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 after extra-time and move to within sight of their first silverware since 1993 as they reached the League Cup final on Wednesday.

Brandao – a six million euro signing from Ukraine’s UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2009 transfer window – struck with a header in the 85th minute.

He then delivered the killer blow in the 104th minute to cancel out France international Andre-Pierre Gignac’s opener for the hosts.

Both sides had played out a relatively cagey first-half with Brandao going down in the ninth minute with a head wound, which required him to go off and return some six minutes later with the cut bandaged.

Strike partner Lucho Gonzalez was the only one of the visiting team to trouble the Toulouse goal going closest with a 25-metre effort which fizzed past the post in the 18th minute.

The hosts’ most effective player going forward in the first 45 minutes was their recent signing, England-born Turkish international Kazim Kazim, who had scored at the weekend after coming on as a substitute.

He made several incisive forays down the flank but his efforts were wasted on Gignac.

However, Gignac was to make no mistake in the second-half when he got free of his marker to head home Albin Ebondo’s inch-perfect cross from the right.

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps – who was part of the Marseille side that won their last trophy the 1993 Champions League – reacted immediately by replacing Mathieu Valbuena with Hatem Ben Arfa to give them more attacking edge in midfield.

This paid off handsomely five minutes from time as Ben Arfa knocked in a great cross to the back post where Brandao was waiting gleefully to head home.

Brandao’s joy went into overdrive in the 104th minute when the ball fell to him on the edge of the box and he deftly touched the ball onto his left foot and shot home into the far corner.

On Tuesday Bordeaux booked their place in the last four with a 1-0 win over second division strugglers Sedan, who had knocked out the French champions of the competition at the same stage in 2008.

A second-half goal from Yoann Gouffran was enough to see Bordeaux – who showed 11 changes to their starting line-up from last Saturday’s 0-0 draw in the league with Boulogne-sur-mer – book a last four meeting with Lorient, a repeat of the 2002 final.

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc said that contrary to what the critics thought he and his side treated every trophy seriously.

“Last year people said that Bordeaux didn’t care about the domestic cups (though they did win the League Cup),” he said.

“This year they can’t say that. Of course there is a price to pay for success and that is a heavier fixtures schedule, which will be the case this month,” said the 44-year-old, whose team are in the hunt for four trophies.

Bordeaux are away to Lorient – who last week stunned Lyon in their quarter-final – on February 17.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Albin Ebondo, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Ben Arfa, Bordeaux, Boulogne, brandao, champions league, didier deschamps, England, extra time, far corner, flank, forays, France, france international, Gonzalez, hatem, head wound, kazim, killer blow, laurent blanc, left foot, Lorient, lucho gonzalez, Lyon, Marseille, Mathieu Valbuena, overdrive, PARIS, silverware, six minutes, Toulouse, uefa cup winners, ukraine, valbuena

Late Cheyrou strike checks 10-man Bordeaux

January 18, 2010

Benoit Cheyrou struck an 81st-minute equaliser to earn Marseille a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux on Sunday that kept his side in the title race, albeit 11 points behind the league leaders with a game in hand.

Defending champions Bordeaux led through a contested Steve Mandanda own goal on the cusp of half-time but lost goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso to injury and then had centre-back Marc Planus sent off.

The numerical advantage allowed Marseille to boss the match for the first time and they snatched a point when Cheyrou chested down a knockdown before volleying past substitute keeper Ulrich Rame, after Bordeaux’s defenders had been sucked towards Brandao at the defence of a free-kick.

The visitors came close to victory in the closing stages, but Rame saved superbly from Lucho Gonzalez’s instinctive toe-poke and Mathieu Valbuena flashed a low, right-footed shot narrowly wide.

Bordeaux now lead the French top flight by seven points from Lille, while Marseille climb above Lyon to fourth.

The opening goal went down as a Mandanda own goal but it owed everything to a superb cross from advancing centre-back Mickael Ciani and the single-mindedness of Marouane Chamakh, whose strong aerial challenge forced the France international goalkeeper to divert the ball into his own net.

The away side protested fiercely about the legitimacy of Chamakh’s leap but referee Laurent Duhamel turned a deaf ear.

It was shortly before the hour-mark that Bordeaux lost Carrasso to an injury apparently sustained taking a free-kick deep inside his own half.

Rame took over between the sticks and quickly found himself exposed when Mamadou Niang earned a free-kick right on the edge of the Bordeaux area, having been felled by Planus, who was promptly dismissed.

Planus’s expulsion was harsh given the presence of a covering defender in the form of Ciani, but Cheyrou could not capitalise with the dead ball.

Laurent Blanc had deployed Chamakh as a lone central focal point and Bordeaux’s attacking midfielders pressed high up the pitch, pinning Marseille deep inside their own half and cutting off Marseille’s own forward trident of Niang, Brandao and Fabrice Ariel.

The tactic gave Bordeaux control of proceedings in the first half but clear-cut chances were scarce.

Ciani had a shot deflected over the crossbar following a neat turn in the Marseille penalty box in the fifth minute, while Wendel and Yoann Gourcuff both drew straightforward saves from Mandanda.

In Saturday’s action, in-form Lille stretched their winning run to eight matches in all competitions and galvanised their grasp on second place by beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-1.

On the first weekend programme of fixtures after the winter break, Lyon got their season back on track with a 2-0 win at Nancy while Montpellier beat Nice 1-0 to hold onto third place in the table, a point shy of Lille.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: benoit cheyrou, Bordeaux, bordeaux area, brandao, Cedric Carrasso, central focal point, ciani, deaf ear, equaliser, Fabrice Ariel, France, france international, free kick, Germain, Gonzalez, knockdown, laurent blanc, Laurent Duhamel, lucho gonzalez, Lyon, marc planus, marouane chamakh, Marseille, Mathieu Valbuena, Montpellier, Nancy, niang, Nice, PARIS, rame, Steve Mandanda

2009: Costa Rica carries CONCACAF flag to U-20 World Cup semis

December 19, 2009

Reaching the semifinals of the Under-20 World Cup doesn’t make up for Costa Rica’s inability to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. It might take some of the sting out of it – especially for the future.

While its senior team fell 30 seconds short of making the World Cup finals next year, Costa Rica’s youngsters garnered the soccer world’s attention with a run to the final four in Egypt, and signaled the Ticos could be a significant CONCACAF power for years to come.

A second CONCACAF title run in Trinidad, capped by a 3-0 victory over the United States, continued in Egypt. After escaping group play on goal difference, Costa Rica upset host Egypt 2-0 before a partisan host crowd of 70,000 and then beat the United Arab Emirates in the quarterfinals.

A semifinal loss to Brazil ended the run, which would provide hope to the Central American nation for the prospects of its national team.

“I’m very happy with how my team responded – they were compact and tenacious, just as we’d planned,” Costa Rican manager Ronald Gonzalez said. “It’s a performance that gives us great confidence for the future.”

The loss on penalties to Hungary in the third-place match didn’t do anything to dampen the mood of a squad which represents an “excellent new generation of Costa Rican footballers,” Gonzalez said.

Marcos Urena, who led the team with three goals and an assist, Josue Martinez (two goals), Diego Estrada and David Guzman were the keys in helping Los Ticos improve on their first-round exit from the World Cup two years ago in Canada.

Gonzalez’s men advanced while CONCACAF’s other three representatives – the United States, Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago — all were eliminated in the group stage.

Costa Rica’s CONCACAF title was its first since 1988, sealed in the final with a pair of goals by Martinez and another by Estada.

It advanced to the final with one-goal victories over Canada and Mexico – which failed to get out of the group stage and was sent home without a victory – and a draw against Trinidad.

The United States dominated a first-round group including Honduras, Jamaica and El Salvador, winning twice and outscoring its opponents 5-0. Both the Americans and Costa Rica needed penalties to get past the semifinals after being held to goalless draws.

The United States prevailed over Trinidad, and Costa Rica outlasted Honduras. While its semifinal appearance assured the United States of a CONCACAF record 12th appearance in the World Cup, the Americans once again failed to claim the confederation crown at the U-20 level.

It was their first chance at a title since 1996, the last year CONCACAF conducted its finals as a championship at a single venue. Brian Perk was the U.S. hero, recording four shutouts before allowing three goals to Costa Rica in the title match.

By Vijay Setlur

Tags: brazil, brian perk, Canada, Central American, central american nation, concacaf, Costa Rica, david guzman, Diego Estrada, Egypt, egypt 2, El Salvador, final four, footballers, goal difference, Gonzalez, group play, group stage, Hungary, Jamaica, Marcos Urena, Mexico, new generation, quarterfinals, Ronald Gonzalez, semifinal loss, soccer world, South Africa, sting, ticos, Trinidad, trinidad and tobago, U.S, united arab emirates, urena, Vijay Setlur, world cup finals, youngsters

Marseille start lucky, but end with romp over Zurich

November 4, 2009

Marseille made the most of early fortune before romping to a 6-1 win over FC Zurich here on Tuesday that add hope to the French side’s dreams of qualifying from Champions League group stages.

Marseille started the match without injured Argentine international playmaker Lucho Gonzalez, prompting Didier Deschamps into a shake up that saw Hilton replace Taye Taiwo at left back and Baky Kone join Brandao and Mamadou Niang in a three-pronged attack.

That decision paid off handsomely, with Niang, Hilton and Brandao adding their names to a scoresheet that was loaded with goals in the latter stages.

However Marseille’s eventual dominance of their fourth encounter in Group C, with their final two games against Real Madrid and AC Milan still to come, was initially not all their own doing.

Marseille started with punch but when the opening goal came on three minutes the head of Zurich midfielder Silvan Aegerter turned the ball past Johnny Leoni in the visitors’ net.

Marseille continued to dominate the early stages and, again, another free kick from the left led to their second goal.

This time a more cohesive Zurich defence held their line firmly as Niang, Brandao and Kone all pushed towards goal.

But all three players appeared blatantly off-side when Fabrice Abriel’s free kick rose then dipped dangerously close to the Zurich net before beating the Zurich ‘keeper.

Marseille had two chances to pull further ahead, the first when Bruno Cheyrou’s angled shot, after some nice play by Abriel then Niang, was shot straight at Leoni.

On 25 minutes Brandao, unmarked barely 10 yards from the goal, then fired a first-time effort over the crossbar after Niang had provided the pass after pouncing on a poor clearance by the Zurich defence.

When Zurich reduced the deficit six minutes later it came without any external assistance.

Frenchman Alexandre Alphonse picked up a pass just outside the area, turned and held off defenders Stephane Mbia and Gabriel Heinze to beat Steve Mandanda with a great left-foot drive.

His goal had Deschamps up out of his seat, and gave the visitors a much needed zest that, for the remainder of the first half, had Marseille at sixes and sevens and edged them closer to scoring the equaliser.

Despite brief flashes of attacking play from Zurich, the second half seemed to be all about Marseille showing their first half advantage was no fluke.

A Heinze drive that flew just over the far top corner signalled their intentions early on, and soon the hosts were 3-1 up after Kone returned Niang’s pass and watched the Marseille striker pounce to beat Leoni from close range on 52 minutes.

Zurich had a convincing claim for a penalty waved away in the 65th minute, and their misfortune was compounded in the 80th minute when Hilton drove home their fourth goal after a loose ball fell to his feet inside the area.

Seven minutes later Cheyrou carried the ball from the right flank before unleashing a superb drive that had Leoni flapping at thin air and left the ball in the net.

At the death Brandao took their tally to six after latching on to a solid cross-goal Niang pass to beat Leoni from a yard out.

MARSEILLE, France (AFP)

Tags: AC, Alexandre Alphonse, Argentine, bruno cheyrou, champions league group, didier deschamps, external assistance, Fabrice Abriel, fc zurich, french side, gabriel heinze, Gonzalez, group stages, Johnny Leoni, latter stages, MADRID, mamadou niang, Marseille, mbia, Milan, playmaker, pronged attack, real madrid, scoresheet, silvan, stephane mbia, Steve Mandanda, Taiwo, ZURICH

Comunicaciones completes CCL quarterfinal field with 2-1 win over Pumas

October 23, 2009

Comunicaciones completed the quarterfinal field for the CONCACAF Champions League Thursday night, using a pair of first-half goals to hand Pumas its first loss of the competition 2-1 and give Central America a third team in the final eight.

Comunicaciones joined Marathon of Honduras, which earned its place earlier Thursday, and Arabe Unido of Panama as well as Pachuca, Toluca, Cruz Azul and Pumas of Mexico and the Columbus Crew of U.S. Major League Soccer.

The match finished the Group Stage and showed a marked improvement for Central America, which last season advanced only one of 12 teams that qualified for inaugural Champions League into the knockout rounds.

An own-goal by Pumas’ Humberto Gonzalez and a second goal of the tournament by Transito Montepeque was enough to give the Guatemalan side the victory and edge it past Trinidad’s W Connection for the second and last berth from Group D.

Pumas, which has won only one of its last six Mexican league games and is 17th in the 18-team Apertura championship, still finished atop the group with 13 points, four better than Comunicaciones.

Comunicaciones, winless in its last five including four losses, has fallen to seventh in the Guatemalan league, but pushed from the opening against Pumas.

It went ahead in the fifth minute when a throw-in was deflected to the top of the area and Fredy Thompson struck a right-footed shot toward the left post. But midway through the box, it clipped Gonzalez, changed direction and rolled inside the right post past fallen goalkeeper Odin Patino.

Montepeque, who leads Comunicaciones with 11 goals in the Guatemalan Apertura, doubled the lead in the 23rd. A seemingly harmless header out of midfield was inadvertently flicked on by Diego de Buen and Montepeque raced on to it, taking two touches before bending a right-footed shot around Patino from just outside the 18.

Gonzalez atoned for his gaffe to pull Pumas within a goal in the 36th, extending his right foot to poke Luis Fuentes corner kick – which had been flicked on – past hapless goalkeeper Juan Jose Paredes.

GUATEMALA CITY

Source

Tags: arabe unido, atoned, Central America, columbus crew, concacaf champions league, corner kick, cruz azul, D. Pumas, Diego de Buen, fredy thompson, gaffe, Gonzalez, group stage, guatemala city, guatemalan, Honduras, humberto gonzalez, Juan Jose Paredes, knockout, league games, luis fuentes, Major League Soccer, Mexico, Odin Patino, pachuca toluca, Panama, pumas, right foot, S. Major, thursday night, Trinidad, W. Connection

Metapan wins first of Group Stage, denies Houston return to quarters

October 22, 2009

Emerson Umana scored with a deflected 35-meter free kick to give Metapan its only victory of the Group Stage, 3-2 over Houston on Wednesday, a result which denied the Dynamo a place in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

Metapan already had been eliminated but was able to play spoiler, preventing Houston from returning to the knockout stage and sending through Arabe Unido. The Panamanian side lost 2-0 earlier Wednesday but advance with 10 points, three more than Houston.

Houston rallied after falling behind 2-0 by the eighth minute, equalizing with a goal by goalkeeper Tally Hall in first-half injury time, and appeared to have the better of play and chances.

But Umana’s goal ended an eight-game winless streak for Metapan, which won for the first time since since a 3-1 victory over Firpo in the Salvadoran Apertura on September 12.

Houston would have advanced to the quarterfinals with a victory, but allowed goals by Elias Montes in the seventh minute and Anel Canales a minute and a half later on two defensive gaffes.

Ryan Cochrane tried to head a high ball at the top of the defensive third to defensive partner Eddie Robinson, who couldn’t control it, and Montes pounced on the loose ball. He one-touched to the top of the penalty area and sent a ball that Hall was able to get a piece of but not stop.

Another lapse enabled Canales to dribble through the middle of the Houston defense unmarked and again beat Hall from the edge of the area.

Houston began to dominate and capitalized in the 28th when Wade Barrett and Brian Ching combined, with a final through ball to Geoff Cameron, who hit a low roller inside the far post.

The Dynamo tied the match a half minute into injury time when Hall launched a free kick from 70 meters. Ching and Metapan goalkeeper Jose Luis Gonzalez collided as both leaped for the ball, allowing the it to bounce behind Gonzalez and into the net.

Gonzalez reportedly was taken to the hospital for precautionary X-rays and was replaced by regular keeper Alvaro Alfaro to start the second half.

Houston manager inserted U.S. national team midfielder Stuart Holden to start the second half, and the Dynamo had several chances. Alfaro had several saves to thwart Houston, including a 60th-minute stab that pushed away a header by Ching.

METAPAN, El Salvador

Source

Tags: arabe unido, brian ching, champions league quarterfinals, concacaf champions league, eddie robinson, El Salvador, Elias Montes, Emerson Umana, far post, firpo, free kick, game winless streak, Geoff Cameron, Gonzalez, group stage, Houston, houston houston, injury time, jose luis gonzalez, knockout stage, loose ball, pounced, ryan cochrane, tally hall, U.S, wade barrett, x rays

Newcastle ordered to pay Keegan`s costs

October 22, 2009

Newcastle United have been ordered to pay all of Kevin Keegan’s costs after their former manager’s victory in a constructive dismissal case – a total which could reach 1.5 million pounds (2.5 million dollars).

Former England boss Keegan left the north-east club in September 2008 after they signed Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez against his wishes.

This month an arbitration tribunal found in Keegan’s favour and on Wednesday ordered the club to pay costs and interest on the two million pounds compensation award dating back to September last year.

It was another success for Keegan over Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, who claimed the former Liverpool, Newcastle and England striker had breached his contract.

The tribunal added Newcastle had also made “entirely unfounded allegations” against Keegan and rejected Newcastle’s claims they should not be liable for costs because they had offered to settle the case before the hearing.

A tribunal statement said: “We direct that the club should pay all of Mr Keegan’s costs.

“Moreover, we reject the club’s attempt to rely on the various offers which it made both prior to and during the hearing to settle the claim since none of them involved the club’s acceptance that he had been constructively dismissed and all of them involved a condition of secrecy or confidentiality.

“We direct that the club should pay Mr Keegan’s costs on an indemnity basis given the manner in which it conducted this litigation: its defence on the primary liability issue was, in our view, wholly without merit and it chose to make entirely unfounded allegations against Mr Keegan.”

The tribunal said if Newcastle and Keegan were unable to agree on costs they would decide the figure.

Newcastle, after Keegan’s exit, endured a torrid season which saw them go through four managers in total, including fans’ favourite and former Magpies striker Alan Shearer, before being relegated from the elite Premier League.

They are currently second in the second-tier Championship under Chris Hughton, who has had several spells in caretaker charge of the club.

Hughton is currently in talks with Newcastle to become their manager on a permanent basis.

NEWCASTLE, England (AFP)

Tags: 5 million, alan shearer, arbitration tribunal, Chris Hughton, compensation award, confidentiality, constructive dismissal, England, favour, Gonzalez, indemnity, Keegan, kevin keegan, liability issue, Liverpool, magpies, mike ashley, million dollars, Mr Keegan, NEWCASTLE, premier league, secrecy, striker, torrid season, two million, unfounded allegations

Mexico qualifies for fifth straight World Cup with 4-1 victory

October 11, 2009

Mexico qualified for a fifth straight World Cup on Saturday, using a first-half own-goal and second-half tallies from Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Paco Palencia and Carlos Vela to beat El Salvador 4-1 and end the visitors’ slim hopes.

The win gave Mexico 18 points, moving it atop the standings in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying pending two matches later Saturday.

Marvin Gonzalez’s misdirected clearance attempt in the 26th minute put Mexico ahead, but Blanco’s finish in the 71st, Palencia’s tally in the 85th and Vela’s finale in injury time assured Mexico of being the first team to clinch a berth out of CONCACAF.

El Salvador remained with eight points, four points behind fourth-placed Costa Rica with one match to play. The top three sides are guaranteed places in the 32-team World Cup field while the fourth-placed team faces the fifth-placed side from South America for the last berth in South Africa.

Gonzalez’s own goal came after Andres Guardado fed Guillermo Franco at the top of the area. Franco was closed down but managed to get the ball to Cuauthemoc Blanco as he came through the area. Gonzalez made a lunging left-footed tackle and then while on the ground tried to kick the ball away with his right, but only dribbled it past goalkeeper Miguel Montes.

With Mexico repeatedly threatening, Blanco finally converted to give El Tri insurance. Ricardo Osorio drove a long ball to Blanco, who backheeled to Carlos Vela, who returned with a backheel to Blanco.

Blanco fed Franco, who drove on goal until he reached the top of the area and then sent the ball wide to an unmarked Blanco, who finished past an approaching Montes. Palencia scored in his first national team appearance since March 28, 2007 and Vela finished the celebration.

The match was delayed after the start for about 8½ minutes when a swarm of flying insects began to nest along the crossbar of the El Salvador net at Estadio Azteca. Montes complained to Guatemalan referee Carlos Batres as both swatted away the pests.

Batres halted the match in the second minute and grounds crews fumigated the goal area and another area that included television sound equipment. The effort appeared to work although players and others could be seen swatting a stray insect from time to time.

Mexico had the better of quality chances including Carlos Vela’s bicycle attempt that Montes had to dive to block with both hands eight minutes into first-half injury time, and a left-footed free kick by Andres Guardado that skipped off the crossbar in the 56th.

Montes kept the game within a goal in the 68th, extending fully to get his fingertips to a header by Franco that skipped just wide of the the right post.

El Salvador relied on the counter and had its best chance in the 13th minute on a 25-meter free kick by Eliseo Quintanilla that skipped wide of the near post. Julio Martinez scored a consolation goal for El Salvador in the 88th, driving a 30-meter free kick past goalkeeper Memo Ochoa.

Besides winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, Mexico has won five straight World Cup qualifiers since a 2-1 loss at El Salvador on June 6. The loss was El Salvador’s fourth in its last five games, with its only victory at home against Costa Rica on September 9.

MEXICO CITY

Source

Tags: Andres Guardado, batres, berth, Carlos Batres, Carlos Vela, Costa Rica, crossbar, cuauhtemoc blanco, El Salvador, el tri, flying insects, four points, Gonzalez, guatemalan, Guillermo Franco, injury time, julio martinez, Marvin Gonzalez, Mexico, mexico city, Miguel Montes, misdirected, montes, Paco Palencia, ricardo osorio, South Africa, South America, straight world, swarm, tallies, world cup field

Roberto: We need to win

September 25, 2009

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Roberto has urged his team-mates to dig deep and produce a result at Valencia as they try desperately to turn their season around.

Los Rojiblancos are in something of a crisis following a dreadful start to the season and coach Abel Resino is clinging on to his job by an ever-thinning thread.

There were calls for his dismissal during Wednesday’s home draw with Almeria which left them second from bottom of the Primera Division table.

Atletico travel to Valencia, for a match which is a must-win affair for both teams, looking for their first away points of the season and Roberto knows just how much the three points would mean.

“The team really needs a victory,” he said.

“We had it in the match against Almeria until they levelled in the final moment.

“We didn’t expect that goal and it affects you in the hours after the game.

“Then, you get home, you go to sleep and you wake up with a different attitude, with a desire to train and move on.

“All of the team members look forward to coming to work and we’re aware that we have the chance to win and resolve this situation every three days.

“Now we have to grit our teeth and fight to achieve our goals.”

Raul Garcia, Mariano Pernia and Ignacio Camacho are injured, while Sergio Asenjo, Alvaro Dominguez and Leandro Cabrera have been called up to the Under-20 World Cup and are also missing.

Valencia have hit a bit of a slump of late following an impressive start to the season.

Los Che were one of four sides to win the opening two games and looked certain to make it three on the trot last weekend until surrendering a late goal at home to Sporting Gijon.

That disappointing 2-2 tie was then followed by a miserable 3-1 defeat at Getafe and Hedwiges Maduro is desperate to get back to winning ways at the Mestalla.

“Against Atletico we have to show intensity and motivation,” he said.

“It’s a good game to do that because we have to give a victory to our fans at home.

“We’re all working to the maximum to achieve the three points.

“The only answer is to win, showing our qualities.

“Winning a game is not easy. But we have only just suffered our first defeat and it’s not a problem.

“Now we all have to improve and learn from our mistakes. Wednesday’s was an odd game but we have to face the next one and we will do it with great desire to win.”

However, Unai Emery will be without Ruben Baraja, Angel Dealbert, Manuel Fernandes, Asier del Horno, Nacho Gonzalez and Vicente, who all look set to miss out through injury.

The Mestalla fans will be hoping David Villa continues his fantastic start to the season, with the Spain striker having scored five goals in four matches.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abel, Abel Resino, almeria, Angel Dealbert, atletico madrid, Che, DAVID VILLA, getafe, Goalkeeper, Gonzalez, good game, hedwiges maduro, ignacio camacho, manuel fernandes, mariano pernia, Primera Division, raul garcia, Roberto, ruben baraja, Sergio Asenjo, slump, Spain, sporting gijon, team mates, team members, two games, Valencia, Vicente, winning ways, World Cup

Sint-Truiden stay on top in Belgian league

September 20, 2009

Sint-Truiden remained in first place in the Belgian league thanks to a 0-1 win at Kortrijk, while Standard Liege climbed to second after beating Lokeren 1-3.

The only goal of the match between Kortwijk and Sint-Truiden, who beat Anderlecht a week ago, came from Ibrahim Sidibe in the 43rd minute.

Sint-Truiden played the last ten minutes with a man less following Dennis Odoi’s second yellow card in minute 82.

Reigning champions Standard needed 11 minutes for Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez to make it 0-1 at Lokeren. Sulejman Smajic equalized in the 16th minute, but Dieumerci Mbokani immediately restored the lead, 1-2. Felipe added a third goal eight minutes later, for what turned out to be the final 1-3 result.

Jonathan Roorda