Nigeria sack Amodu, draw up Hiddink-led shortlist

February 6, 2010

Nigeria football bosses on Friday announced the sacking of coach Shuaibu Amodu, publishing a short-list of coaches they hope will lead the ‘Super Eagles’ through the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Amodu had been under pressure even before Nigeria’s third place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, which ended with Egypt’s third consecutive victory last week.

The Nigeria Football Federation’s short-list is topped by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal, Frenchman Bruno Metsu, former Ratomir Djukovic and former England caretaker coach Peter Taylor.

Hiddink is currently the coach of Russia, Metsu led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup and Djukovic guided Ghana to the 2006 World Cup.

According to an official statement after the marathon meeting, the NFF technical committee headed by Taiwo Ogunjobi will recommend one of three of these coaches for immediate employment before the end of this month.

The federal government of Nigeria will pay the new foreign coach, according to officials.

Amodu and his assistants will now train Nigeria’s second team for the 2011 Championship of African Nations (CHAN), meant for African players featuring in their respective domestic leagues.

In November, Amodu qualified the Super Eagles for the 2010 World Cup to be staged in South Africa in June.

However, the performance of the team under Amodu, who also qualified the team to the 2002 World Cup, was widely criticised by the press and the public.

LAGOS (AFP)

Tags: Africa, africa cup of nations, african nations, Bayern, Bruno Metsu, caretaker coach, Chan, coach peter, consecutive victory, dutchman guus hiddink, eagles, Egypt, England, federal government of nigeria, football federation, frenchman, ghana, government of nigeria, LAGOS, louis van gaal, marathon, nigeria, nigeria football, peter taylor, russia, Senegal, shortlist, South Africa, Taiwo Ogunjobi, technical committee, World Cup

Columbus-Toluca to open CCL quarters on March 9

November 26, 2009

Columbus will host Toluca on Tuesday, March 9 to open the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, kicking off the tournament’s knockout stages.

Marathon will be home against Mexico’s Pumas in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the following day in the first leg of their two-game series while Comunicaciones will host Pachuca of Mexico in Guatemala City later that night.

Panama’s Arabe Unido will be home against Cruz Azul on Thursday, March 11 to complete the first leg matches.

Pachuca will host the second leg against Comunicaciones in Hidalgo, Mexico, on Tuesday, March 16, the only game that day. Toluca will play Columbus and Arabe Unido will travel to Mexico City to take on Cruz Azul on Wednesday, March 17.

Pumas will complete the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 18.

The winners will advance to the semifinals March 30-April 1 and April 6-8 with the finals set for April 20-22 and April 27-29.

Quarterfinal Schedule
(Home teams listed first; times U.S. Eastern, local time in parentheses)
First Leg
Tuesday, March 9
Columbus (United States) vs. Toluca (Mexico), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 10
Marathon (Honduras) vs. Pumas (Mexico), 8 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Comunicaciones (Guatemala) vs. Pachuca (Mexico), 10 p.m. (9 p.m.)

Thursday, March 11
Arabe Unido (Panama) vs. Cruz Azul (Mexico), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Second Leg
Tuesday, March 16
Pachuca (Mexico) vs. Comunicaciones (Guatemala), 10 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 17
Toluca (Mexico) vs. Columbus (United States), 8 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Cruz Azul (Mexico) vs. Arabe Unido (Panama), 10 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Thursday, March 18
Pumas (Mexico) vs. Marathon (Honduras), 10 p.m. (8 p.m.)

NEW YORK

Concacaf

Tags: april 1, Arabe, arabe unido, COLUMBUS, concacaf champions league, cruz azul, game series, Guatemala, guatemala city, hidalgo mexico, Honduras, knockout stages, m cruz, marathon, march 11, march 17, Mexico, mexico city, New York, pachuca mexico, parentheses, san pedro sula, san pedro sula honduras, toluca mexico, U.S, United States

Toluca earns fourth Mexican spot in CCL quarters

October 21, 2009

A second-half penalty kick by Israel Lopez forged a 1-1 draw for Toluca against D.C. United on Tuesday and clinched the Mexican squad’s berth in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

Los Diablos join fellow Mexican sides Cruz Azul, Pachuca and Pumas in the knockout stage, as well as the Columbus Crew. Meanwhile, D.C. United, which became the second Major League Soccer team to earn a point on Mexican soil, will have to wait for Thursday’s Group B finale between Marathon and San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad to know if it will advance.

Marathon needs a victory to advance, or D.C. will claim the second berth from Group B.

D.C. United jumped in front six minutes after the opening kickoff on Chris Pontius’ second goal of the Group Stage. Luciano Emilio latched onto a long punt from goalkeeper Steve Cronin and, after one bounce, headed back to Pontius. The rookie took the ball off his chest and unleashed a blast inside the near post.

For a while it appeared Los Diablos wouldn’t solve D.C. goalkeeper Steve Cronin, who was pressed into action early and often.
In the 37th minute, the recently acquired keeper dived to his right to snare Issac Brizuela’s low, hard shot from distance and in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Raul Nava headed Brizuela’s cross off the crossbar.

Toluca equalizeD in the 62nd minute after Trinidadian referee Geoffrey Hospedales pointed to the spot for a clumsy challenge by Lawson Vaughn that sent Lopez tumbling to the ground near the end line.

Lopez, who came on for Vladimir Marin just three minutes earlier, put a low shot past Cronin, who dived to his left in vain.
Two minutes later, the visitors had their best chance to regain the lead, but Devon McTavish’s diving header from 10 meters was wide of the net.

Toluca was safe to advance with a draw, but the hosts still pressed for the winning goal. Diego De La Torre’s bouncing shot in the 66th minute was wide to Cronin’s left and then Cronin came up with a diving save at the edge of the six-yard box on Nava in the 73rd minute.

Toluca completed the group stage with a 4-1-1 record atop Group B with 13 points. D.C. United was next with 10 points, one better than Marathon. But while Toluca is through, D.C. United must wait until Thursday to learn its fate.

TOLUCA, Mexico

Tags: B. D.C. United, brizuela, champions league quarterfinals, columbus crew, concacaf champions league, cruz azul pachuca, Devon, devon mctavish, Diego De La, diego de la torre, estadio nemesio diez, Geoffrey Hospedales, israel, knockout stage, Lawson Vaughn, luciano emilio, Major League Soccer, marathon, Mexico, nemesio, Nemesio Diez, penalty kick, Raul Nava, san juan, san juan jabloteh, steve cronin, stoppage time, Toluca, Trinidad, Vladimir Marin

CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal draw set for November 17

October 16, 2009

Quarterfinalists in the CONCACAF Champions League will learn their knockout round opponents on November 17 when the draw at the confederation’s New York headquarters will set the pairings for the final eight.

The group winners will be drawn against one of the four teams that finished in second place, with no team playing another that it faced in the Group Stage in the two-leg series.

The teams that finished second will host the first leg of the quarterfinals the week of March 9-11, with the group winners hosting the second leg the week of March 16-18.

The potential pairings for the semifinals, to be played the weeks of March30-April 1 and April 6-8, also will be set with the winners advancing to the finals April 20-22 and April 27-29.

Three of the eight quarterfinalists already have been determined with Pumas, Pachuca and Cruz Azul of Mexico already clinching their berths. Ten clubs still remain in contention for a place in the knockout round and will be determined next week in the final round of the Group Stage.

Houston and Arabe Unido are fighting for the last berth from Group A; Toluca, D.C. United and Marathon all are still in contention for the berths in Group B; the last place from Group C will go to either the Columbus Crew or Saprissa; while Real Espana, Comunicaciones and W Connection are still in contention for the second spot from Group D.

NEW YORK

Source

Tags: april 1, arabe unido, berth, columbus crew, concacaf champions league, confederation, contention, cruz azul, d c united, group stage, knockout, marathon, Mexico, pumas pachuca, quarterfinals, saprissa, Toluca, york headquarters

FIFA says Honduras is safe to host US in Cup qualifier

September 30, 2009

Chaos in Honduras has not created such safety risks as to force the movement of a scheduled World Cup qualifying match against the United States, FIFA officials said here Tuesday.

Hours after Honduran officials protested any notion of moving their October 10 home qualifier against the US squad, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said the crisis would not force relocation of the crucial match.

FIFA does reserve the right to revisit the issue should conditions change.

The issue became a concern after Mexican side Toluca announced Monday it would not travel to Honduras for a CONCACAF Champions League match, citing safety concerns in the wake of riots and military crackdowns.

But Toluca made a reversal on Tuesday and said it would travel to San Pedro Sula for the weekend match against Marathon.

With two matches remaining in the hunt for three North American berths at the 2010 South Africa World Cup, the Americans top the table on 16 points, one ahead of Mexico and three better than Honduras with Costa Rica on 12.

The fourth place team will face South America’s fifth-place team in a playoff to determine another trip to South Africa.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP)

Tags: africa world, berths, concacaf champions league, Costa Rica, FIFA, honduran officials, Honduras, jerome valcke, marathon, match, Mexico, North American, relocation, rio de janeiro, riots, safety concerns, safety risks, san pedro sula, secretary general, South Africa, South America, Toluca, U.S., United States, World Cup

Early goals, pair by De la Torre lifts Toluca 7-0

September 18, 2009

Isaac Brizuela and Diego de la Torre scored goals just over a minute apart early in the first half to pace Toluca’s 4-0 win over Marathon on Thursday in a clash that gave the Mexican side the undisputed lead in Group B of the CONCACF Champions League.

The result gave Toluca nine points with three games remaining and within sight of the quarterfinals. Toluca, playing with a core of its regulars that lead the Mexican Apertura, controlled from the start and rarely let Marathon enjoy any extended periods of possession – especially after Jerry Palacios was sent off in the 37th minute with his second yellow card.

Marathon, which lost for only the second time this season in all competitions, remained in second place with six points, three points ahead of third-placed D.C. United. Two teams from each group advance to the knockout round.

Brizuela scored in the 13th minute after settling a cross by Antonio Olvera that was flicked to the far side of the penalty area by Raul Nava. Brizuela twisted defender Juan Carlos Garcia into the ground and then squeezed a shot between goalkeeper Juan Obelar and the near post.

Sixty-three seconds later, Vladimir Marin launched a left-footed cross that De la Torre ran through the six-yard box to head in unmarked.

Toluca, which is unbeaten in eight games in the Mexican league including six victories, continued to dominate and nearly added to its lead in the in the 23rd when Marin was able to break in on Obelar after trapping a long ball with his chest. He continued to close on Obelar, who came off his line and managed to block Marin’s left-footed try with a flick of his right hand.

Marathon managed a pair of corners in the first half, which midway through appeared to be handling the Toluca attack. But Palacios, who earned a first yellow card from Guatemalan referee in the 22nd for a late challenge on Edgar Duenas, received another in the 37th for shoving Marin in the back, reducing Marathon to 10 men and ending the Honduran side’s hopes.

Toluca capitalized on a pair of defensive mistakes to double its lead in the second half. Nava pounced on a loose ball at the right post in the 47th after Marathon center back Erick Norales chested down a cross from Moises Velasco in front of the Honduran goal.

And Mario Beata allowed a long ball out of the back to bounce in front of him and De la Torre reacted by volleying the gift from inside the six past Obelar.

Toluca will remain at home next week to host pointless San Juan Jabloteh, while Marathon will travel to Washington to face D.C. United.

TOLUCA, Mexico

Source

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Costa Rica awarded third berth in Champions League, given Nicaragua’s place in 24-team field

June 9, 2009

NEW YORK – The CONCACAF Emergency Committee has awarded Costa Rica a third berth in the 2009-2010 Champions League, re-assigning the spot from Nicaragua’s Real Esteli, which did not meet the stadium standards required under the tournament regulations.

Herediano will take the berth based on its runner-up finish in the Costa Rican Verano championship and having a better record than Invierno runner-up Alajuelense over the two seasons.

Under tournament regulations, Nicaragua’s berth was to be granted to Panama based on their clubs’ performances this past season in the Champions League. But a nation needs two available stadia to accommodate three teams, and Panama has only one.

With Honduras already granted a third berth, made available by the forfeiture of Belize’s berth for the same reasons as Real Esteli, the remaining Central American teams: Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala all had equal performance co-efficients. The Emergency Committee therefore decided to award Nicaragua’s berth to Costa Rica based on its teams’ better historical performance in international competition.

Last season, teams that did not have an adequate stadium to stage games where allowed to travel outside their home country but within their region to play home matches. The CONCACAF Executive Committee in November decided to end the one-year grace period, require all teams meet the stricter stadium standards for 2009-2010 and devised a formula based on performance to re-allocate the berths.

Honduras, which had Marathon reach the quarterfinals in February, had the best performance co-efficient of any Central American and received Belize’s berth when it was determined the latter did not have an adequate stadium. Real Espana was the beneficiary, claiming the berth to join fellow Honduran clubs Marathon and Olimpia.

The decision leaves only two berths unclaimed in the 24-team field, a second berth from both Guatemala and Panama.

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Tags: alajuelense, beneficiary, berths, best performance, Central American, champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, decision, El Salvador, emergency committee, executive committee, forfeiture, giv, grace period, Guatemala, Honduras, international competition, marathon, New York, Nicaragua, Panama, quarterfinals, real esteli, stadia, verano

More teams begin to fill in Champions League field

May 19, 2009

NEW YORK – Two-thirds of next season’s CONCACAF Champions League berths already have been claimed, leaving only eight places remaining in the 24-team field.

Trinidadian clubs W Connection and San Juan Jabloteh qualified along with the Puerto Rico Islanders from the final rounds of the Caribbean club championship over the weekend, while Real Espana and Olimpia assured themselves of the remaining two berths from Honduras.

Real Esteli has earned the chance to represent Nicaragua and could become the 17the team to qualify if its stadium meets the tournament standards when it is inspected next week. If the stadium is not approved, the berth will be awarded to a third Panamanian side.

The second Champions League will kick off with the first leg of the Preliminary Round the week of July 28.

W Connection and the Puerto Rico Islanders claimed their berths Friday with victories in the CFU Club Champions Cup semifinals in Macoya, Trinidad. W Connection defeated Jabloteh 2-1 and the Islanders subdued Tempete FC of Haiti 2-0 in extra time.

Jabloteh then capitalized on its second chance in the third-place game on Sunday, beating Tempete 2-1 while W Connection went on to win the Caribbean club title for a second time in three years, defeating the Islanders 2-1.

In Honduras, Marathon already had claimed one of the country’s berths by having won the Apertura title last year and have been joined by Espana and Olimpia, which drew 2-2 on Saturday in the first leg of the Clausura championship final.

Which team will get the berth directly into the Group Stage is still to be determined. Espana has the most points over the two seasons and a victory Sunday would assure it of bypassing the Preliminary Round. An Olimpia victory would advance Marathon automatically to the Group Stage.

Honduras received a third berth in the Champions League from Belize, which did not have a stadium that met tournament standards and was disqualified.

Berths still undecided include two from Mexico and one each from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama, which should be decided in the coming weeks. Canada also has its qualifier up for grabs with the Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps facing off in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.

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Tags: Belize, berth, berths, Caribbean, caribbean club, champions cup, club champions, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, cup semifinals, El Salvador, extra time, final rounds, group stage, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, macoya, marathon, Mexico, Montreal, New York, Nicaragua, olimpia, place game, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, real esteli, san juan, second chance, second time, Trinidad, trinidadian, two seasons, Vancouver, W. Connection

Victoria Beckham Working Out Six Times a Week

May 11, 2009

Victoria Beckham has gone from anti-exercise to a gym addict and admits to now working out six times a week!

Since signing a lingerie modelling deal with Armani the WAG has decided to get toned.

A source from the LA gym said: ‘She’s naturally thin but says she is eating more now because the workouts have fired up her metabolism.’

‘She’s become a real gym bunny and says if she misses a session she can feel it.’

Of her new fitness regime, Victoria has said: ‘I get up in the morning, drop the kids off at school and then go to the gym. It helps me think properly for the rest of the day.’

‘David puts music into my iPod for me, so I listen to that while I work out, and Gordon Ramsay bought me trainers that have a little chip allowing you to clock how far you’re running.’

It’ll be the marathon next Victoria, oh how I would love to see that!!!

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Tags: addict, Beckham, David, fitness regime, gordon ramsay, gym, lingerie, marathon, metabolism, music, new fitness, rest of the day, running, six times, Victoria, victoria beckham, wag, WAGS, workouts

Puerto Rico Islanders brace for another Champions League showdown against latest Goliath

March 17, 2009

His team is the feel-good story of the CONCACAF Champions League, the minnow from a second-tier North American league in a pool with three sharks from the Mexican Primera Division.

And while Puerto Rico Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette appreciates his team’s magical run to the semifinals, now is not the time to rest.

“We’ve got this far and we don’t want to be happy with that,” he said. “We’ve got a great opportunity to advance, but we have a big club in our way in Cruz Azul. We know it’s going to be a tremendously hard game, both here and in Mexico City, but we’re here to get a result.”

While Cruz Azul is one of the most decorated clubs in Mexico, Puerto Rico has confidence ahead of Tuesday’s first leg in Bayamon.

“We’re one of four teams that have a chance,” Puerto Rico coach Colin Clarke said. “We respect Cruz Azul. They’re a great team and I’ve watched them a number of times. It’s going to be a very difficult game, but we believe we can beat anyone in our own stadium. That first game is going to be very important for us.”

A positive result at home is important in any international club competition, but when the second leg is played at altitude in Mexico City, those points are absolutely vital.

“They’re the best team we’ve played so far, but we feel having got through CD Marathon, our fitness is getting there, and we’re getting sharper every day,” said Clarke, whose team won’t open its United Soccer Leagues season until April 18. “We hope to give a good account of ourselves. And then from there, if we get the positive result, who know what happens in three weeks time after that?”

Puerto Rico will face a Cruz Azul team that lost 3-1 at home to America on Saturday in Estadio Azul. America, which extended its unbeaten streak against Cruz Azul to 14 games dating back to 2003, scored three first-half goals to sink La Maquina at halftime.

Cruz Azul, which dropped to 12th in the overall Clausura table, played better in the second half and took the game to America, but could only muster a 79th-minute penalty kick by Pablo Zeballos.

“Unfortunately we haven’t been strong on the attack and we have given up lots of goals,” Cruz Azul manager Benjamin Galindo said. “We need to keep moving forward. We can’t disappoint ourselves. It’s a painful game, but we can’t hang our heads because we have a game coming up on Tuesday.”

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