U.S. U-17s fail to exploit early advantage, fall 2-1 to Spain

October 27, 2009

The United States failed to exploit an early tally and a man advantage for 88 minutes, surrendering a pair of first-half goals and losing its opening match at the Under-17 World Cup 2-1 to Spain on Monday.

The United States appeared to be well on its way after Sergi Gomes was red carded in the second minute for kicking the back of Jack McInerney’s legs as he approached the penalty area with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The Americans capitalized two minutes later when McInerney challenged Edgar to a high ball in the area. The Spanish keeper failed to grab it, allowing it to slip through his hands and toward the goal where McInerney added a final touch to score.

But Spanish manager Gines Melendez inserted Jordi Amat for Isco in the seventh minute, and the Europeans created a pair of chances that gave them the lead by the 30th minute. Borja, who appeared to be offside on the initial pass, finished a low cross from Pablo Sarabia in the 22nd and eight minutes later, Sarabia settled Borja’s looping cross with running one touch and left foot past U.S. keeper Earl Edwards.

The match twice was halted by lighting failures in the second half, delays which added to 14 minutes of stoppage time in the game.

The loss by the United States left CONCACAF with only one draw in four games in the first round of matches at the U-17 event. The United States next will face Malawi on Thursday.

KANO, Nigeria

Tags: 88 minutes, amat, earl edwards, early advantage, Edgar, europeans, four games, Goalkeeper, gomes, isco, jack mcinerney, Jordi Amat, kano nigeria, left foot, Malawi, man advantage, nigeria, offside, Pablo Sarabia, running one, S. U-, sarabia, Spain, stoppage time, two minutes, U.S, United States, World Cup

Ferdinand ´not to blame´ for England defeat: Capello

October 11, 2009

Fabio Capello insists England defender Rio Ferdinand should not be held responsible for his side’s 1-0 qualifying defeat against Ukraine.

Capello saw England’s unblemished record in Group Six come to an end on Saturday as Serhiy Nazarenko’s deflected first half goal in the Dnipro Stadium sunk his 10 men.

The turning point of a fiery encounter, which was marred by Ukraine fans repeatedly throwing flares onto the pitch, came when Ferdinand made a woeful misjudgement that led to England goalkeeper Robert Green being dismissed.

Ferdinand allowed a long ball to bounce past him to Artem Milevskiy, who was brought down in the penalty area by Green as he tried to save.

After initially appearing to send off Ferdinand, Slovenian referee Damir Skomina showed Green a red card, making him the first England goalkeeper to be sent off.

Andriy Shevchenko missed the penalty, but England never really recovered and Ukraine pushed home their one-man advantage through Nazarenko’s strike.

Ferdinand’s blunder wasn’t the first by the Manchester United centre-back in an England shirt recently. He was also at fault for a goal in England’s friendly draw in Holland in August.

But Capello preferred to point the finger of blame at the referee rather than Ferdinand, who has also been below-par for United during an injury-hit start to the season.

“He made one mistake, that is all, and that was for the penalty,” Capello said.

“Normally I don’t speak about referees. This time I am changing my mind. It was a big mistake.

“Rio was running, the goalkeeper is diving. I need someone to explain to me how he can get that wrong.

“I spoke with the fourth official when the referee showed Rio the red card. He said he would tell the referee it was not Rio.

“The referee thought Rio had fouled the player but it so obviously was not him.”

Capello confronted Skomina after the final whistle heralded his first defeat in a competitive game as England coach.

But the Italian’s frustration didn’t extend to his team despite their spluttering display.

In the first half they could have been several goals behind as the defence creaked after Green’s dismissal.

Wayne Rooney led a more spirited second half effort but England rarely went close to an equaliser as their eight-match winning run in qualifying came to an end.

At least Capello could take heart from the fact that his team’s place at next year’s World Cup in South Africa had already been secured in convincing fashion.

“I am proud of my team. In the second half we played very well and created a lot of chances, right until the very last minute,” he said.

With Green suspended for Wednesday’s final qualifier against Belarus at Wembley, Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, who came on for the West Ham stopper when he was sent off, is likely to regain his position between the posts.

Capello may also have to pick a replacement for Steven Gerrard after the Liverpool midfielder was substituted at half-time with a groin injury.

Ukraine coach Alexiy Mikhailychenko saluted his team’s performance as they defeated England for the first time.

The victory moved them above Croatia into second place and a victory in Andorra on Wednesday should guarantee a play-off place.

“I am really pleased to get this result,” Mikhailychenko said. “We still have a game to win but we have given ourselves the best possible chance.”

DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine (AFP)

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Pachuca tops 10-man Dynamo 2-0

September 17, 2009

Edgar Benitez and Paul Nicholas Aguilar gave Pachuca a goal in each half and helped defeat a 10-man Houston Dynamo 2-0 in a much anticipated CONCACAF Champions League match between the U.S. and Mexican powers Wednesday night.

Pachuca, unbeaten in five straight, moved into second place in the group, one point behind Panama’s Arabe Unido. Houston, which stretched its winless streak to five games in all competitions, fell to third alone with three points from three matches.

After sustained pressure in the offensive third, Pachuca took the deserved lead in the 26th minute. Benitez received a long ball, turned on Houston defender Bobby Bowell and ran to goal. With Dynamo defenders closing, the Paraguayan striker beat Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall low inside the far post from 16 meters.

Houston’s hopes worsened in first-half stoppage time when Dominic Oduro was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for a tackle from behind on Christian Gimenez.

Pachuca attacked from the outset, putting Hall under pressure immediately. In the eighth minute, Benitez cut inside of Ryan Cochrane and fired a low shot that Hall got a piece of before it deflected out for a corner kick.
One minute later Benitez got an open shot off a second corner, but he fired well over the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box.

In the 22nd minute, Gimenez forced Hall to dive to his left to grab a long distance attempt.
Nine minutes after Benitez’s goal, Hall was forced to make a double save, first denying Gimenez by getting his left arm on a first-time attempt from eight meters and then stopping Juan Carlos Chaco’s rebound.

On one of Houston’s rare scoring chances came when Craig Waibel’s chip from 35 meters went off the back of the top netting three minutes before halftime.

With the man advantage, the Tuzos dominated possession and Aguilar added an insurance goal in the 74th minute. Gimenez played the ball to Aguilar near the top of the 18-yard box and was able to turn and make a run along the edge of the area before putting his deflected left-footed shot inside the near post.

The loss was the 17th in 18 games (with one draw) by Major League Soccer teams when playing in Mexico sides in competitive play. That draw came a year ago when the Dynamo tied Pumas 4-4 in Champions League group play. MLS teams have been outscored 60-14 in Mexico.

Both teams return to Champions League play Tuesday night when Houston returns to Robertson Stadium to take on Arabe Unido, while Pachuca heads to El Salvador to take on winless Metapan.

PACHUCA, Mexico

Source

Tags: arabe unido, bowell, christian gimenez, concacaf champions league, corner kick, craig waibel, dominic oduro, Edgar Benitez, eighth minute, El Salvador, far post, Houston, houston dynamo, insurance goal, Juan Carlos Chaco, man advantage, Mexico, Panama, paul nicholas, Paul Nicholas Aguilar, robertson stadium, ryan cochrane, stoppage time, tally hall, time attempt, U.S., winless streak, yellow card

Oliver scores two, Jabloteh reaches Group Stage

August 7, 2009

MARABELLA, Trinidad – Marvin Oliver scored a pair of second-half goals and San Juan Jabloteh beat San Francisco FC of Panama 3-0 on Thursday to advance to the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Jabloteh will join Toluca of Mexico, Marathon of Honduras and D.C. United in Group B, opening at home against Toluca on August 20.

The victory gave Jabloteh a 3-2 aggregate victory and assured Trinidad & Tobago two clubs in the 16-team group phase. W Connection beat the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday to advance.

San Francisco beat Jalapa of Guatemala to advance past the Preliminary Round last year, but then went winless in its six group matches.

Oliver scored the winner in the 76th minute. Elton John’s free kick bounced in front of San Francisco keeper William Negrete, who wasn’t able to corral the rebound. Oliver put one shot that Negrete blocked, but another rebound enabled Oliver to virtually score into an open net.

San Francisco was reduced to 10 men in the 23rd minute when defender Carlos Rivera was ejected to kicking a ball into the head of Marvin Oliver.

Oliver was challenging Carlos Vilarete for the ball at midfield approaching the near touchline when both fell. The ball dribbled only meters away to Rivera, who ran at the ball and hit a left-footed clearance attempt into the side of Oliver’s face.

With the man advantage, it took Jabloteh only six minutes to capitalize. Hector Sam found space down the left side and worked his way into the penalty area before striking a falling, left-footed shot that hit the far-side netting for a 1-0 lead.

Jabloeteh’s manpower advantage was negated in the 57th when Devon Jamerson drew a second yellow card, this one a lunging tackle that caught the ankles of San Francisco’s Victor Suares.

Jabloteh tied the game on aggregate in the 61st minute when Oliver headed Noel Williams’ left-sided cross, redirecting it just inside the far post and past San Francisco keeper William Negrete.

San Francisco seemed very content to protect its two-goal advantage, really only challenging Jabloteh’s goal in the first five minutes when Rolando Algandona worked his way to the right touchline, but shot into the outside netting.

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Tags: carlos rivera, Carlos Vilarete, concacaf champions league, D.C., Devon, elton john, free kick, group phase, group stage, Guatemala, Hector Sam, Honduras, jamerson, man advantage, marabella trinidad, marvin oliver, Mexico, negrete, New York, new york red bulls, Noel Williams, Oliver, Panama, Rolando Algandona, san juan, san juan jabloteh, space down, suares, team group, Tobago, touchline, Trinidad, Victor Suares, William Negrete, yellow card

Mexico tops Guadeloupe 2-0

July 13, 2009

GLENDALE, Arizona – Goals in each half were enough Sunday to give Mexico a 2-0 win against short-handed Guadeloupe and finish it on top of Group C in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

A partisan crowd of 23,876 at the University of Phoenix Stadium watched an El Tri squad without manager Javier Aguirre rake in a much needed win thanks in part to Gerardo Torrado and Miguel Sabah.

Torrado scored in the 42nd minute and Sabah sent one into the net five minutes after coming in as a substitute in the 80th minute.

Both goals and a spectacular save by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa helped relieve some pressure off El Tri and its officials.

Mexico was coming off a 1-1 draw against Panama where it had Aguirre ejected, leading to a three-match suspension.

Aguirre watched the match in a luxury box sitting between Mexican federation president Justino Compean and director of national teams Nestor De La Torre.

A place in the quarterfinals was guaranteed for Mexico prior to the match but Aguirre’s team wanted to avoid a third-place finish in the group and a match against the two-time defending champion United States in Philadelphia.

Instead, Mexico will travel to Dallas to face Haiti in one of two quarterfinal matches to be held at the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium next Sunday.

Guadeloupe, who had Alain Vertot (72nd minute) and Ludovic Gotin (79th) ejected, is slated to take on Costa Rica in the first game of the doubleheader in Dallas.

Mexico capitalized on the two-man advantage with a barage of in the second half but the damage already had been done.

Torrado’s goal made the early difference.

Torrado sent a right-footed blast from about 25 meters to the lower-right corner of the net. Guadeloupe goalkeeper Marius Fausta got a piece of Torrado’s shot but couldn’t keep it out.

That marked Torrado’s fifth goal with the national team and his first of the tournament.

The scoring play was set up by the wing play of right-back Efrain Juarez, who made his first start for El Tri in the Gold Cup.

Juarez floated a pass from right to left to Torrado, who stood unmarked. The Mexican captain loaded and fired his shot to open up the score.

Sabah scored via a header off a Pablo Barrera corner kick.

Ochoa’s save was just as important. He kept out a Larry Clavier header with a diving save to his right, redirecting the shot over the crossbar in the 79th minute.

That was Guadeloupe’s only shot of the match, while Fausta faced 16 from Mexico.

A motivated Mexico came out pressuring Guadeloupe’s defense early in the match. El Tri sent its lines forward looking for an early score.

Mexico created a couple of early scoring opportunities.

It’s first came 35 seconds into the match.

Forward Alberto Medina sent a shot that looked more like a cross from left to right, but Fausta slapped the ball away for the save near the mouth of the goal.

Omar Bravo sent a blast from about 25 meters zooming just left of Fausta’s left post in the 11th minute. Mexico midfielder Israel Castro sent a similar shot 10 minutes later.

Mexico controlled possession for most of the first half. El Tri outshot the Gwada Boys 10-0 in opening 45 minutes.

Guadeloupe couldn’t generate any form of offense.

But perhaps Guadeloupe was not looking for many goals. It often kept at least eight players behind the ball , perhaps playing for the draw.

After all, Guadeloupe had already secured at least a second-place finish in the group.

By: Ivan Orozco

Tags: Alain Vertot, alberto medina, Arizona, barage, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Costa Rica, Dallas, dallas cowboys, dallas cowboys new stadium, doubleheader, el tri, fausta, federation president, fifth goal, gerardo torrado, Glendale, glendale arizona, guadeloupe, guillermo ochoa, Haiti, israel, Ivan Orozco, Javier Aguirre, Justino Compean, Larry Clavier, Ludovic Gotin, man advantage, Mexico, Miguel Sabah, Nestor De La, New Stadium, omar bravo, Pablo Barrera, Panama, partisan crowd, Philadelphia, quarterfinal matches, Sabah, time defending champion, Tri, United States, university of phoenix, university of phoenix stadium

Italy rallies, subdues 10-man USA 3-1 at Confederations Cup

June 16, 2009

PRETORIA, South Africa – A 10-man United States surrendered three goals in the second half and fell to reigning World Cup champion Italy 3-1 on Monday in both teams’ opening game at the Confederations Cup.

USA-born Giuseppe Rossi scored in the 59th and 94th minutes and Daniele De Rossi added another in the 72nd to lead Italy. The result extended the Americans’ winless streak against Italy, having never beaten the Azzurri in seven tries dating back to their first match in 1934.

The United States played the final 56 minutes down a man after Ricardo Clark was ejected for a two-leg sweeping tackle on Gennaro Gattuso.

Despite the disadvantage, Landon Donovan converted a penalty in the 41st minute came after Jozy Altidore drew a foul from Giorgio Chiellini. Altidore dribbled into the penalty area, cut left and was dragged down by Chiellini with both his right arm and a trip.

The Italians had the better of early play, creating their first serious chance in the 21st when Nicola Legrottaglie headed an free kick unmarked just wide. But the U.S. recovered and generated two chances in quick succession only to be wasted by weak shots by Michael Bradley and Altidore.

The U.S. had an own-goal by Jonathan Bornstein waived off due to an offside call on Italy in the 39th before Chiellini’s foul on Donovan.

But with the man advantage, Italy dominated the United States in the second half, repeatedly threatening the U.S. goal and finally converted when Rossi capitalized on a giveaway by Benny Feilhaber at midfield. Rossi quickly turned on goal and fired from 30 yards that beat American keeper Tim Howard just inside the left post.

De Rossi scored similarly, driving toward the area before unleashing a shot that skipped once and again just inside the right post. Rossi added his second four minutes into injury time. Andrea Pirlo dribbled around Feilhaber on the American left, and sent a cross into the middle of the area where Rossi converted with the volley.

The United States will look to recover in its next game against Brazil on Thursday while Italy will face Egypt in the other Group B encounter.

The Confederations Cup is one of three major tournaments the United States is committed to this summer, just finishing the first half of the final round of World Cup qualifying a little over a week ago and heading into next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

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Tags: andrea pirlo, Benny Feilhaber, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, daniele de rossi, Donovan, Egypt, free kick, gennaro gattuso, giorgio chiellini, Giuseppe Rossi, injury time, Italy, jonathan bornstein, landon donovan, man advantage, man united, Michael Bradley, Nicola Legrottaglie, offside, pretoria, pretoria south africa, Ricardo Clark, South Africa, tim howard, time andrea, U.S., United States, USA, winless streak, world cup champion

W Connection beats Cavaly 3-1; Jabloteh needs late goal to topple Inter Moengo Tapoe 2-1

April 15, 2009

MARABELLA, Trinidad – Christian Viveros and Andre Toussaint both scored for a second straight game in the tournament and W Connection beat SA Cavaly of Haiti 3-1 on Monday to claim a first-leg victory in the second round of the Caribbean Club Championship.

Fellow Trinidadianc club San Juan Jabloteh also beat Suriname’s Inter Moengo Tapoe 2-1 in the second game of a doubleheader at Jabloteh’s Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, giving it the advantage for a semifinal berth in the event that will determine the Caribbean’s three teams for next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.

The second legs will be played April 20.

Viveros scored in the third minute to put W Connection ahead early, and Toussaint added his in the 49th. Toussaint had three goals and Viveros one in W Connection’s 12-1 victory over Bath Estate of Dominica on March 25, a first-round, second-leg win that completed a 17-1 aggregate triumph.

Hughton Hector, who had a goal in W Connection’s 5-0 first-leg victory over Bath Estate, completed his team’s scoring in the 53rd. Jean Millen scored for Cavaly in second-half injury time.

In the nightcap, Marvin Oliver scored with four minutes remaining to rescue San Juan Jabloteh, which received a bye into the second round. Jabloteh finally converted on a man advantage it had since the 32nd minute, when Cavaly’s Stefano Banetti drew a pair of yellow cards and was ejected.

Jerol Forbes put Jabloteh ahead in the 18th minute before Claudio Pinas equalized for 10-man Jabloteh in the 71st.

The Greenbay Hoppers of Antigua will face Tempete FC of Haiti in the remaining first leg match of the second round on April 20. Tempete will have the second leg on May 1 to complete the semifinal field.

The three second-round winners will advance to the single-game semifinals on May 15 with the Puerto Rico Islanders in Trinidad. The championship and third-place match will be held two days later, also in Trinidad.

CFU Club Champions Cup

Results and Schedule

First Round

First Leg

Wednesday, March 18

Bath Estate (Dominica) 0, W Connection (Trinidad) 5

CSD Barber (Netherlands Antilles) 1, Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 3

Saturday, March 21

Alpha United (Guyana) 1, Tempete FC (Haiti) 1

Sevilla FC (Puerto Rico) 3, Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) 3

Sunday, March 22

SA Cavaly (Haiti) 5, SV Britannia (Aruba) 0

Second Leg

Wednesday, March 25

W Connection (Trinidad) 12, Bath Estate (Dominica) 1

(W Connection advances on 17-1 aggregate)

Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 0, CSD Barber (Antigua) 1

(Inter advances on 3-2 aggregate)

Sunday, March 29

Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) 2, Sevilla FC (Puerto Rico) 0

(Greenbay advances on 5-3 aggregate)

SV Britannia (Aruba) 0, SA Cavaly (Haiti) 1

(Cavaly advances on 6-0 aggregate)

Sunday, April 5

Tempete FC (Haiti) 2, Alpha United 0 (Guyana)

(Tempete advances on 3-1 aggregate)

Second Round

First Leg

Monday, April 13

W Connection (Trindad) 3, SA Cavaly (Haiti) 1

San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad) 2, Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 1

Monday, April 20

Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) vs. Tempete FC (Haiti)

Second Leg

Monday, April 20

Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) vs. San Juan Jabloteh

SA Cavaly (Haiti) vs. W Connection (Trinidad)

Friday, May 1

Tempete FC (Haiti) vs. Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua)

Semifinal winners and the Puerto Rico Islanders will be drawn for single-game semifinals after the second round is complete. The semifinals will be played May 15 in Trinidad, which also will stage the final and third-place match two days later.

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Tags: Alpha United, Andre Toussaint, Antigua, Aruba, caribbean club, CFU, champions cup results, Christian Viveros, Claudio Pinas, club champions, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, doubleheader, Haiti, injury time, Jean Millen, man advantage, marabella trinidad, marvin oliver, moengo, Netherlands Antilles, nightcap, pinas, puerto rico islanders, Ramjohn Stadium, san juan jabloteh, second game, semifinal berth, Stefano Banetti, straight game, Suriname, Trinidad, viveros, W. Connection, yellow cards

Ten-man Lyon hold nerve to sink Marseille in Cup

January 28, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Lyon took another step towards a successful defence of their French Cup crown with a narrow 1-0 home victory over rivals Marseille on Wednesday that took them into the round of 16.

The reigning French champions will face fellow top-flight side Lille in the next round, with the tie set to take place on the weekend of March 3-4.

Claude Puel’s side enjoyed a perfect start to the tie at their Stade Gerland home thanks to some calamitous play from visiting defender Ronald Zubar.

With less than two minutes on the clock the Marseille centre-half’s attempted pass was cut out on the edge of the penalty area by Lyon’s Argentine midfielder Cesar Delgado, who squared for top-scorer Karim Benzema to tuck home unchallenged from close range.

Zubar almost made amends minutes later when he met Karim Ziani’s corner with a firm header that drifted narrowly over Hugo Lloris’s crossbar.

Marseille were then dealt a further blow when their Ivory Coast striker Bakary Kone had to be stretchered off after being kneed in the head in an accidental collision with Lloris.

Benzema came inches away from extending Lyon’s lead in the opening exchanges of the second period when his sweet left-footed effort struck the outside of Steve Mandana’s right-hand post before bouncing to safety.

Marseille were toiling, but the momentum swung in their favour shortly after the hour mark when Lyon’s Kader Keita was shown a second yellow card for flinging a hand in the face of Marseille’s Brazilian forward Brandao.

Lyon captain Juninho almost made the game safe when he crashed a free-kick against Mandana’s crossbar with 10 minutes to play, as the hosts continued to threaten on the counter-attack.

But Marseille finally began to make their man advantage count in the game’s final stages, with Nigerian full-back Taye Taiwo twice testing Lloris with trademark strikes from distance.

The visitors then spurned a superb chance to equalise deep into injury time when Lloris sprang from his line alertly to deny substitute Sylvain Wiltord after he had been teed up by Brandao.

Written by: AFP