US to host Turkey in World Cup tuneup

February 17, 2010

The United States will host Turkey here on May 29 in the Americans’ last tuneup before departing for the World Cup in South Africa.

The match will be held at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles and one of the sites included in the US bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Turkey, who reached the 2002 World Cup semi-finals, failed to advance to this year’s tournament, finishing behind Spain and Bosnia-Herzegovina in their European qualifying group.

The United States are preparing for their sixth straight World Cup appearance. They host El Salvador in a friendly in February 24 in Tampa, Florida, and will add their European-based players to the squad for a Marc 3 match in the Netherlands.

The Americans will face England on June 12 in their opener in South Africa and also face Slovenia and Algeria in the first round.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AFP)

Tags: 2022 world cup, algeria, El Salvador, England, Florida, herzegovina, Lincoln, Marc, national football league, netherlands, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, philadelphia eagles, philadelphia pennsylvania, qualifying group, semi finals, slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Tampa, tampa florida, the Netherlands, Turkey, U.S., United States, world cup appearance

Mowbray welcomes back Celtic´s walking wounded

October 17, 2009

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has been handed a fitness boost ahead of Saturday’s game against Motherwell as the Scottish Premier League prepares to get under way again after the international break.

The Hoops’ gaffer had an injury headache before his previous fixture against Rangers at the beginning of the month with a number of first team regulars sitting out the 2-1 defeat at Ibrox.

But the international fixtures have afforded his stars a two-week break allowing many to recover from their knocks and strains and take their place in the squad to face Motherwell.

Midfielder Scott Brown was forced to pull out of Scotland’s friendly with Japan last weekend due to a niggling injury on the ankle on which he underwent surgery in May.

But after a consultation with a Harley Street expert the 24-year-old has rested the ankle for the past fortnight with the Celtic medical team optimistic this has alleviated the problem.

Another player close to a top team return is striker Marc-Antoine Fortune.

The summer signing has been missing for the past seven weeks after picking up an ankle injury in the Champions League defeat to Arsenal.

However Mowbray hopes both players will soon be firing on all cylinders as the Hoops aim to keep their one-point advantage at the top of the SPL.

Rangers have the chance to put pressure on their rivals by going top if they win against St Johnstone in the early kick-off game so Mowbray knows he needs his best players available.

“I hope Scott is going to be okay for the Motherwell game,” Mowbray said.

“We’ve been nursing him through the last few weeks and he needed a break. We wanted to give him a rest and the specialist felt that would benefit him too.

“That’s why Scott didn’t go to Japan and hopefully it will help him over the coming weeks.

“Marc-Antoine Fortune is another player that we’re assessing closely and we hope he isn’t too far away,” Mowbray added.

“Marc had some rehab to do, but he’s been back running on the grass and things seem to be fine with him.

“He’s looking fit and strong, but we’ll move him on to twisting and turning this week and then contact football before too long.”

Australian international Scott McDonald had to pull out of the Socceroos squad to face the Netherlands but should be back to face his former club while full-backs Andreas Hinkel and Danny Fox are responding well to treatment on hamstring injuries.

However, Mowbray won’t face a dilemma over which central defensive partnership will face Motherwell.

Glenn Loovens’ appeal against a one-match suspension was rejected so Gary Caldwell will return to partner Stephen McManus against Jim Gannon’s side, who are aiming to break into the top four with a win at Parkhead.

In the early kick-off game Rangers travel to Perth to take on St Johnstone. Walter Smith, too, will welcome back several players with Lee McCulloch and Kevin Thomson both back in training.

Madjid Bougherra returned unscathed from international duty with Algeria and Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty are expected to be fit as Rangers aim to build on their Old Firm victory.

The game has come too soon for American international Maurice Edu as he continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.

In Saturday’s other fixtures Aberdeen host Hearts, Dundee United face Hamilton, bottom club Falkirk take on St Mirren while third-placed Hibernian welcome Kilmarnock to Easter Road.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Hearts

Celtic v Motherwell

Dundee United v Hamilton

Falkirk v St Mirren

Hibernian v Kilmarnock

St Johnstone v Rangers (1230)

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Aberdeen, ankle injury, champions league, Danny Fox, Dundee, Easter Road, firing on all cylinders, fortnight, Glasgow, Hamilton, harley street, hoops, jim gannon, kick off game, Marc, marc antoine fortune, Marc-Antoine, Maurice, medical team, midfielder, motherwell, Perth, point advantage, premier league, regulars, rivals, scotland, Scott, Scott Brown, scott mcdonald, Scottish Premier League, seven weeks, st johnstone, Steven Davis, strains, striker, tony mowbray, walter smith

Fortune signs for Celtic

July 9, 2009

Scottish giants Celtic have signed Marc-Antoine Fortune from Nancy on a three year contract, confirmed the club website.

The 28-year-old French Guiana-born striker joins for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of £3.8m.

Fortune, who is Tony Mowbray’s first signing since he became Celtic manager, with the pair reunited after the forward spent the second half of last season on loan at West Brom.

The Frenchman told his new club’s website, celticfc.net: “This is where I want to be.”

“Having met the people at the club and knowing all about the club’s fantastic pedigree and support, this is where I saw my future.”

“I am looking forward to the challenge of winning the league title, competing for the cups and playing in Europe, in front of the Celtic supporters.”

“I am also looking forward to working with my manager, Tony Mowbray, once again.”

“I had a great experience with him, Mark Venus and Peter Grant in the Premiership last season and I am looking forward to now working with him at one of Europe’s biggest football clubs.”

And Mowbray was equally delighted to be resuming the pair’s relationship.

He said: “Marc is a quality player and, at West Brom, he was a privilege to work with.”

“Some of his play in the second half of the season was phenomenal and, if you look at our goals ratio as a team after he joined, you can see the impact he made.”

“He is a team player, we were delighted with the way he performed in the Premiership and are looking forward to working with him at Celtic.”

Fortune joined up with the first-team squad today and will be officially unveiled tomorrow ahead of Celtic’s trip to Australia for Sunday’s opening pre-season friendly against Brisbane Roar.

He is set to be joined on the trip by former Nancy team-mate Landry N’Guemo, with the French club announcing the midfielder has sealed a season-long loan to the Glasgow club, with the option of making the transfer permanent.

Celtic have yet to confirm this but N’Guemo, 23, has already expressed his excitement about a switch to Parkhead.

He said in the Evening Times: “I’m ready for a move. I’ve two years left on my contract, but I’m ready for a new challenge and Nancy know that.

“If Celtic want me, I would love to talk to them. They’re one of the biggest clubs in European football and the prospect of going there excites me.”

Fortune arrived in Glasgow for talks on Monday and declared himself “happy to be here” as he posed with fans outside Celtic Park yesterday.

The signing is a significant coup for Mowbray, who made the striker his first priority when he became Celtic boss last month.

Fortune netted five times in West Brom’s unsuccessful battle against Barclays Premier League relegation after being drafted in at the start of the year.

His form alerted a number of English clubs but he has snubbed the likes of Hull, Fulham and Portsmouth to agree a move to Glasgow.

The decision is likely to have come at a financial cost to the player, with Mowbray admitting last week he could not match the wages on offer down south.

Putting the chance to join Celtic and work again with Mowbray above purely financial motives will give Fortune a head start in his attempt to win over the Parkhead faithful.

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Australia, brisbane, celtic park, celtic supporters, celticfc net, Europe, football clubs, french club, french guiana, frenchman, fulham, Glasgow, landry, Ligue 1, Marc, marc antoine fortune, mark venus, midfielder, Nancy, old french, peter grant, Portsmouth, quality player, Scottish Premier League, striker, team mate, team player, tony mowbray, undisclosed fee, west brom

N’Guemo exicted about Celtic link

July 8, 2009

Celtic target Landry N’Guemo has expressed his excitement at the prospect of joining the Parkhead club.

The Bhoys were today set to complete the signing of the 23-year-old’s Nancy team-mate Marc-Antoine Fortune.

Midfielder N’Guemo is expected to follow in a season-long loan deal.

He said in the Evening Times: “I’m ready for a move. I’ve two years left on my contract, but I’m ready for a new challenge and Nancy know that.

“If Celtic want me, I would love to talk to them. They’re one of the biggest clubs in European football and the prospect of going there excites me.”

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: bhoys, celtic, celtic link, contract, Evening, evening times, excitement, exicted, Guemo, landry, Marc, marc antoine fortune, midfielder, Nancy, new challenge, parkhead club, prospect, Scottish Premier League, target, team mate

San Juan Jabloteh advances to Caribbean club championship semifinals with 3-1 victory

April 22, 2009

NEW YORK – Cyrano Glen scored 13 minutes after the opening kickoff and Devon Jamerson and Robert Primus added second-half goals to give San Juan Jabloteh a 3-1 victory over 10-man Inter Moengo Tapoe of Suriname on Monday, sending it to the semifinals of the Caribbean Club Champions Cup.

The result in Paramaribo, Suriname, completed a 5-2 aggregate victory and advanced the Trinidadian club to the single-game semifinals May 15 in Trinidad & Tobago. Jabloteh moved within one win of advancing to the CONCACAF Champions League. Three teams qualify from the Caribbean championship to next season’s confederation championship.

It becomes the first team to reach the semifinals along with Puerto Rico Islanders, who were given a bye to the final four by having reached the semifinals of the last Caribbean club championship and being only one of two teams that returned to this year’s tournament.

Tempete FC of Haiti moved closer to the semifinals with a 4-0 victory over Antigua’s Greenbay Hoppers, getting a pair of goals by Cadet Eliphene. Eliphene tallied in the 43rd and 71st minutes after Charles Herrold opened the scoring in the 28th and Amius Thompson added another in the 35th at the Antigua Recreation Groun in St. John’s.

Tempete will host its home leg in Saint-Marc on May 1.

In Paramaribo, both Jamerson’s and Primus’ goals came after Sirano Amoeferie was ejected in the 41st minute after drawing two consecutive yellow cards from referee Mark Forde. Marlon Bron had given Inter the lead with a goal in the third minute, but Glen equalized 10 minutes later and Amoeferies ejection further hampered the Suriname clubs efforts.

One other series has yet to be completed. W Connection will travel to Haiti to face SA Cavaly on Wednesday for the second leg of their second-round encounter, with the Trinidadian club leading 3-1 from the first leg.

Once the four semifinalists are decided, a draw will determine the pairings. The semifinal winners will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League and advance to the title match on May 17 in Trinidad. The third-place match will proceed the title game and determine the final Champions League qualifier.

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Tags: aggregate victory, Antigua, Caribbean, caribbean club, champions cup, charles herrold, club champions, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Devon, final four, Glen, Greenbay, groun, home leg, jamerson, Marc, Mark Forde, Marlon Bron, New York, opening kickoff, Paramaribo, primus, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, Robert Primus, saint marc, san juan, semifinal winners, semifinalists, St. John, Suriname, tempete, thompson, Tobago, Trinidad, W. Connection, yellow cards

Nancy’s Marc-Antoine Fortune targeted by West Bromwich Albion

January 8, 2009

Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune has told the French press that he is aware of the interest shown in him by England Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

Fortune also said that his agent informed him that he had been targeted by West Bromwich and is excited about that interest shown in him.

He added that it would be a challenge to try to assist West Bromwich move away from the bottom of the Premiership and it has always been his desire to play in the English Premier League.

Written by: Dave Cohen