Tevez treble guides City into fourth place

January 12, 2010

Carlos Tevez scored a hat-trick as Manchester City moved up into fourth place in the English Premier League table with a 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Eastlands here on Monday.

Victory meant City maintained their perfect record under Italian manager Roberto Mancini with their fourth straight success even if they did concede their first goal under the former Inter Milan boss when Morten Gamst Pedersen scored for Rovers to make it 3-1.

But the match belonged to Argentina’s Tevez who was in brilliant form as he made it 11 goals in his last nine games.

The former Manchester United striker opened the scoring in the seventh minute and, after Micah Richards’s superb second, Tevez struck two expert curling shots, the second in stoppage time, to seal City’s win.

City are now just seven points behind leaders Chelsea and the big-spenders, backed by their billionaire Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour, could yet have a big influence on the destiny of this season’s title.

By contrast, defeat left Rovers just three points above the relegation zone with all the teams below them having games in hand.

As new signing Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal midfielder who signed from Serie champions Inter Milan last week, watched on from the stands, City wasted little time in giving the home crowd something else to cheer.

Rovers and England keeper Paul Robinson’s poor punch from Martin Petrov’s corner fell to City striker Benjani Mwaruwari and the Zimbabwean’s mishit shot went into the net off Tevez’s thigh.

Rovers looked as if they might go in at half-time just a goal behind until, six minutes before the break, Richards started and finished a fine move with Benjani again involved in the build-up.

Richards ran some 50 yards from the heart of City’s defence, beating several retreating Rovers players, before passing to Benjani inside the box.

Benjani’s shot hit the post but Richards, who’d continued his run, slotted home the rebound.

Rovers manager Sam Allardyce sent on strikers David Hoilett and Nikola Kalinic at half-time but it was City who scored next, just four minutes into the second-half.

Tevez started the move from inside the City half before finding Benjani, a rejuvenated figure under Mancini, who gave a return ball to his fellow striker.

Then Tevez raced towards the Rovers area before unleashing a magnificent 20-yard curling shot past Robinson.

Tevez might have had a hat-trick in the 57th minute but his header from eight yards out was off-target.

Rovers pulled a goal back 19 minutes from time when Pedersen made the most of a poor first touch by Vincent Kompany to beat Shay Given from 16 yards.

City fans then had to endure a few nervous moments but, importantly, their defence held firm for the remainder of the match and then, in the first minute of injury time, Tevez wrapped things up with a sublime finish.

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: abu dhabi, Argentina, benjani mwaruwari, big spenders, carlos tevez, CHELSEA, David Hoilett, Eastlands, England, English Premier League, english premier league table, home crowd, inter milan, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, martin petrov, micah richards, Milan, Morten Gamst, morten gamst pedersen, Nikola Kalinic, patrick vieira, paul robinson, premier league, relegation zone, roberto mancini, Rovers, Sam, seven points, Shay Given, stoppage time, straight success, zimbabwean

Benjani told to stay as Mancini eyes United

January 3, 2010

Benjani Mwaruwari has been told he still has a future at Manchester City after scoring for the first time in more than a year during the 1-0 FA Cup third round win away to Middlesbrough.

Victory extended new manager Roberto Mancini’s 100 percent unbeaten record since the Italian replaced the sacked Mark Hughes as City geared up for next week’s eagerly-awaited League Cup semi-final against Manchester United in impressive style at the Riverside here on Saturday.

Zimbabwe international Benjani made the most of a rare start with the only goal to see-off Championship side Middlesbrough as Mancini displayed the strength in depth at his disposal by making five changes and leaving more than 30 million pounds of talent on the bench to keep his side fresh for Wednesday’s first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

Asked immediately after the game if he was close to signing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba, Mancini replied: “No, not for now.

“At the moment, what is important is this game and Manchester United.”

Benjani has been linked with a move away in the January transfer window after falling down the pecking order at Eastlands, especiallly as Mancini is expected to bolster his squad with at least two new signings this month.

But the 31-year-old provided a timely reminder of his predatory goal-scoring instincts with a first strike since he appeared on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Premier League in December 2008.

The goal, carved out by midfielder Martin Petrov in first-half stoppage time, settled a contest fought-out in near blizzard conditions.

Mancini insisted the African could play a significant role in the second half of the season, with City aiming to make it to Wembley on two fronts.

The former Inter boss, whose job prospects beyond this season may hinge on ending the club’s 34-year wait for a major trophy, said: “Benjani came in and took his goal really well.

“He looked good throughout the game and I was pleased with his display. He’s shown me what he can do and that can only be good for the club and log may it continue.”

Mancini intends to watch Manchester United when City’s local rivals face Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Sunday.

City’s latest manager has won his three games in charge without conceding a goal, but knows he faces by far the sternest test of his short reign in the first-leg at Eastlands as injuries begin to hurt even a squad with his club’s strength in depth City.

After introducing Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy from the bench in the second-half against Middlesbrough, Mancini said: “We’ve got a big problem at the moment because we have a lot of players injured so I made changes today because I can’t play my players all the time.

“We’re pleased to get through this test because the FA Cup is an important competition for us and it’s something we want to pay our full attention to.”

Mancini hopes to have England midfielder Shaun-Wright Phillips in contention to face United after a four-game injury absence, but defender Micah Richards is unlikely to figure because of a thigh problem.

MIDDLESBROUGH, England (AFP)

Tags: 30 million, benjani mwaruwari, blizzard conditions, carlos tevez, craig bellamy, England, fulham, Gareth Barry, impressive style, instincts, ivan cordoba, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, middlesbrough, Milan, new signings, pecking order, premier league, roberto mancini, scoresheet, Shaun Wright-Phillips, stoppage time, timely reminder, Wembley, Zimbabwe, zimbabwe international

Let’s hear it for the World Cup’s 33rd team

November 23, 2009

While a lucky pool of soccer millionaires can now get down to some serious daydreaming about World Cup glory in South Africa next year, there’s another group of equally well renowned and respected players who will be spending the summer sprucing up the gardens (or getting their agents to buy them fridges).

Here at the Reuters Soccer Blog we’re a little bit saddened by this fact and, doing some daydreaming of our own, we’ve come up with a plan for a 33rd team at the World Cup, made up of players whose countries have failed to qualify.

I’m nominating Sven-Goran Eriksson for the job of coaching them, provided he will agree to swap his plush office at League Two Notts County for a month whipping our World Cup ‘unfortunates’ into shape.

Here’s my stab at a starting XI for the opening game, with a few standbys for the bench.

Sven’s unfortunates (4-3-3): 1-Petr Cech; 2-Yiri Zhirkov, 3-Thomas Vermaelen, 4-Josip Simunic, 5-Christian Chivu; 6-Andrei Arshavin, 7-Luka Modric, 8-Mohamad Zidan; 9-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 10-Eduardo da Silva, 11-Emanuel Adebayor.

Subs: Shay Given, Razvan Rat, Robbie Keane, Martin Petrov, Dimitar Berbatov, Edin Dzeko, Adrian Mutu.

Razvan Rat makes the cut purely because of the headline grabbing potential of his name, while Shay Given and Robbie Keane deserve something to go right for them.

Bulgaria’s new record goal-scorer Dimitar Berbatov also makes the squad as one of a ridiculous amount of strikers, another is Edin Dzeko who has taken the Bundesliga by storm this season and the last for VfL Wolfsburg.

Have we missed someone obvious? How far could this side go? And, removing tongue from cheek for a second, is this an idea FIFA should consider?

MAKE SURE THIS MAN ISN’T STUCK DOING THE GARDEN: Barcelona’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his second goal against Zaragoza during their Spanish first division soccer match at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona October 25, 2009. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

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Tags: adebayor, adrian mutu, Christian Chivu, da silva, dimitar berbatov, division soccer, edin dzeko, goal scorer, gustau, josip simunic, lucky pool, luka modric, martin petrov, Petr Cech, plush office, reuters, Robbie Keane, spanish first division, world cup glory, zlatan ibrahimovic

Fulham fight delights Hodgson

October 26, 2009

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was delighted by his side’s resilience after they came from two goals down against Manchester City to draw 2-2 here at Eastlands.

Mark Hughes’s side threw away a two-goal advantage, handed to them by Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov as impressive finishes from Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey helped the visitors gain a remarkable point in an enthralling encounter Premier League on Sunday.

All the action and talking points were condensed into one 20 minute spell after the break when firstly Bobby Zamora missed a staggeringly simple chance before City took their two goal lead – and then immediately squandered it.

Diomany Kamara had worked his way into the box to find Dempsey and although Shay Given did well to save his shot, the ball bobbled free to Zamora who somehow blasted over when he had the goal at his mercy.

But Hodgson was keener to discuss the positives of the result, despite admitting Zamora’s error will grab the headlines.

“It was a horrific miss,” he said. “But it’s a pity because Bobby played so well and unfortunately people who watch the match on TV will see the miss.

“But what they won’t see is the other 96 minutes and 45 seconds in which he was absolutely magnificent for us.

“His target-play was magnificent, he held the ball up well, he brought people into the game.

“You know when we come here that you have to work hard defensively and we did that,” Hodgson added.

“Full credit to the players, we came back again, scored two good goals and I think we can say that after the 97 minutes, which was a long match, we worked hard enough and deserved our result.”

Soon after Zamora’s error Lescott nudged home from less than a metre out before Petrov provided City?s second to seemingly end this match as a competitive fixture.

But Duff then intervened with a fine drive past a helpless Given from the edge of the box just two minutes after Petrov’s goal and then Dempsey brilliantly guided a Jonathan Greening delivery into the back of the net to truly stun City just 90 seconds later.

Both sides went frantically looking for a winner but it would not arrive.

City will see this result as a huge opportunity missed because a win would have sent them third in the Premier League whereas Fulham will just be delighted they managed to salvage anything from the encounter at all.

“At 2-0 we should see the game out comfortably but we have allowed them back into the game,” Hughes said. “But credit to them. Probably the two games we have had the most difficulty here have been against Fulham.

“They get everyone behind the ball and make it difficult for the opposition.

“We started really well [this season] in terms of defensive work but we have conceded goals and we are working hard on that.

“There are always areas and elements of our that we need to focus on and we do that as a matter of course,” Hughes added. We will hopefully learn from the mistakes we made.”

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

Tags: back of the net, Clint Dempsey, Damien Duff, encounter, England, fulham, goal advantage, joleon lescott, jonathan greening, Manchester, manchester city, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, premier league, remarkable point, roy hodgson, shay, Shay Given, talking points, target, two minutes

City sweat on Bellamy

October 17, 2009

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will give Craig Bellamy as much time as he needs to prove his fitness ahead of the Barclays Premier League match against Wigan on Sunday.

The Wales striker has not trained for the past two days because of the discomfort of a groin strain.

With Robinho absent with a stress fracture of the ankle, Bellamy has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks to become an influential player.

He secured a point with the equaliser in the draw against Aston Villa before heading off on international duty.

Hughes said: “Craig is a bit of a doubt but we will give everyone maximum time to help their chances of playing. There is still time before the game for these things to be resolved.

“He has been outstanding and you want two outstanding players for every position. In most positions we have the quality we need.

“If Craig is not available it means someone else will have to step up and be an influence on the game.”

Hughes could be down on numbers at the DW Stadium with Kolo Toure (heel), Joleon Lescott (calf), Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring), Martin Petrov (knee) and Nigel De Jong (knock) are all struggling with injury.

City have already taken seven points on the road this season after amassing only 11 in the whole of last campaign.

Hughes said: “We have more more players with Premier League experience, who have an understanding of what is needed to win games at this level.

“We look more solid. Sometimes you have to dig in more when you are away in the Premier League and we have been able to do that. We are pleased at how this are going in that respect. It is a marked improvement.”

Meanwhile the City boss is adamant that Robinho will stay part of the club after the Brazilian was linked with a move to Barcelona.

Hughes said: “There is always speculation and noise surrounding Robinho. That has been the case since he came to the club.

“He is a great guy. We are not in the process of taking outstanding players out of the team.

“We want to complement the outstanding players at the club. We are looking to build not dismantle.”

Robinho could make his comeback in the Carling Cup match with Scunthorpe in a fortnight.

Hughes said Robinho is anxious to return and added: “The only frustration he has at the moment is that he is not fit and well.

“Hopefully that will be resolved in the next week to 10 days and he will be back on the pitch.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Barcelona, barclays, barclays premier league, Carling Cup, CITY, city boss, Craig, craig bellamy, DW Stadium, equaliser, groin strain, joleon lescott, kolo toure, last campaign, league experience, manchester city, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, maximum time, nigel de jong, Pablo Zabaleta, premier league, Robinho, seven points, stress fracture, striker, Wales, Wigan

Does Petrov deserve more of a chance at City?

October 9, 2009

Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov’s days with Manchester City may be coming to an end. Rigsby, as Petrov is known among City fans, has once again expressed his frustration to reporters back home about the lack of opportunities he is getting.

When Petrov joined Bulgarian giants CSKA Sofia they called him Hristo Stoichkov’s successor as he was fast, greedy for the ball and produced a memorably angry look when ending up on the losing side.

He was successful enough — at Servette, Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, all of them famous teams but none of them part of the European elite – but the great expectations have proved hard too fulfil.

He made a promising start at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s City but under Mark Hughes they are aiming even higher these days and there’s much tougher competition for places.

Hughes decided to leave Petrov on the bench for the game at Aston Villa on Monday, despite his goal and assist against West Ham.

Petrov’s frustration could only have when he was asked to get ready to go on at Villa Park, only for Hughes to change his mind when Craig Bellamy swept home the equaliser.

PHOTO: Manchester City’s Martin Petrov (R) and Shaun Wright-Phillips celebrate a goal against Barcelona during a friendly at the Nou Camp, August 19, 2009. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

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Tags: atletico madrid, Barcelona, CITY, competition, craig bellamy, frustration, goran eriksson, great expectations, gustau, manchester city, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, nou camp, reuters, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Sofia, Sven Goran Eriksson, villa park, west ham, winger, Wolfsburg

Manchester City´s apologetic Tevez sinks West Ham

September 29, 2009

Carlos Tevez refused to celebrate as his double-strike inspired Manchester City’s 3-1 win over his former club West Ham on Monday.

While Tevez won’t win any popularity contests at Manchester United after his acrimonious switch to City, he is fondly regarded at West Ham after almost single-handedly keeping them in the Premier League during a loan spell three years ago.

The Argentina striker acknowledged that the Hammers still have a place in his heart as well as he waved an apology to West Ham’s travelling supporters after opening the scoring at Eastlands.

Carlton Cole equalised for Gianfranco Zola’s team but Martin Petrov restored City’s lead before half-time and Tevez settled an entertaining encounter with his second goal after half-time.

Again he hardly acknowledged the goal that left West Ham stuck in the bottom three and lifted Mark Hughes’s side, who have won five of their six league matches, into fifth place.

Hughes handed Petrov his first start of the season after Stephen Ireland was ruled out with an illness.

Just as significant from West Ham’s point of view was Matthew Upson’s absence with a calf injury.

With their England centre-back out of action, West Ham were unable to stem City’s early onslaught and the hosts took the lead after five minutes.

Petrov was played in down the left wing and his low cross found Tevez in acres of space four yards from goal. Tevez easily converted the chance to claim his first league goal for City but there was no celebration in front of the West Ham fans at that end of the stadium.

Unlike his team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor, who had raced the length of the pitch to taunt Arsenal’s fans when he scored against his old club earlier this month, Tevez held out his arms in apology to the Hammers supporters and they responded by clapping their former idol.

City were rampant and Wayne Bridge forced a smart stop from Robert Green before Tevez turned onto a wayward effort from Gareth Barry and sent his shot narrowly wide.

Tevez threatened again as he fizzed his strike just past a post. He then picked out Petrov with a superb pass but Green was equal to the winger’s shot.

Remarkably, just as a second City goal seemed inevitable, West Ham punished slack defending from the hosts to snatch an equaliser in the 24th minute.

Alessandro Diamanti’s free-kick was only cleared to Radoslav Kovac and his shot was deftly flicked in by England striker Cole with his back to goal.

Parity for Zola’s team was short-lived however as Petrov marked his return to action with a clever strike eight minutes later.

Luis Jimenez fouled Nigel de Jong and Petrov stepped up to drive a low free-kick around the West Ham wall and past Green.

The Hammers had an equaliser ruled out when Cole barged Joleon Lescott before setting up Scott Parker for a tap-in, but Green had to be alert to keep out Craig Bellamy and Petrov before half-time.

But Tevev put the result beyond doubt in the 61st minute. Bellamy, another former Hammer, curled over a free-kick and Kovac played Tevez onside, allowing the Argentina star to head past Green.

There was still time for Barry to bring a fine save from Green before Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz came on for his City debut after a lengthy spell on the treatment table following his move from Blackburn.

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: calf injury, Eastlands, emmanuel adebayor, gianfranco zola, hammers, left wing, manchester city, manchester united, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, matthew upson, onslaught, robert green, team mate, west ham fans

City deny Bentley move

September 1, 2009

Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur’s David Bentley will not be joining big-spenders Manchester City before the transfer deadline, according to reports on Tuesday.

It had been suggested Eastlands club could make a move for the midfielder before 5pm. While, further reports have also claimed a swap deal involving City’s Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could be in the offing.

But City have confirmed they have no intention of making any further signings this summer.

Bentley has endured a difficult time at White Hart Lane, with manager Harry Redknapp criticising him after his recent arrest for drink driving.

The 25-year-old has played just five minutes of Premier League football this season.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: 5pm, bentley, big spenders, bulgaria, CITY, David Bentley, five minutes, Harry Redknapp, Hart Lane, Hotspur, intention, manchester city, martin petrov, midfielder, premier league, premier league football, s david, swap deal, transfer deadline, white hart lane, winger

Barca coach satisfied despite loss to Man City

August 20, 2009

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said he was happy with his young team’s performance despite losing 1-0 to Manchester City, and appealed for patience from fans over new star signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov scored in the 28th minute against the run of play to beat the Spanish and European champions and take the annual pre-season Joan Gamper Trophy for the big-spending English Premiership side on Wednesday.

Guardiola brought in a lot of young reserve team players and left many of his big stars on the bench.

“I am very happy with their performance, young players facing a quality team like Manchester City. We are fortunate to have a good pool,” he said.

“I made many changes, and the youngsters responded very well.”

The most anticipated moment came in the second half, when Ibrahimovic and Argentine Lionel Messi, two of the top-rated strikers in the world, came on.

The Swede almost scored in the 74th minute, but his shot lacked force.

It was his first match for the club since his transfer from Inter Milan this summer and since undergoing surgery on a broken hand last month.

Guardiola appealed to fans to give him some time to adapt.

“He has come for four or five years, not for one day,” he said, adding that combining with his teammates “takes a bit of learning.”

The player himself said he is just trying to find his “rythmn” in the new team.

“I played 45 minutes and I tried not to think about the injury to my hand. It bothered me a bit, but I play with my feet not with my hands.”

The Catalan giants, who won a unique treble of Spanish league, Cup and European Champions League last season, face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in the return leg of the Spanish Supercup.

On August 28, they play Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk in the European Supercup.

The Spanish league season begins on the weekend of August 29-30.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Argentine, athletic bilbao, Barcelona, Bilbao, english premiership, european champions, european supercup, inter milan, Joan Gamper, joan gamper trophy, lionel messi, MADRID, man city, manchester city, martin petrov, Milan, new star, premiership side, quality team, return leg, rythmn, shakhtar donetsk, spanish league, spanish supercup, strikers, ukraine, winger, zlatan ibrahimovic

Debutant Adebayor fires blank as Man City lose final

July 26, 2009

Emmanuel Adebayor failed to score on his debut as Manchester City fell 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs Saturday in the Vodacom Challenge final.

The 25-million-pound signing from Arsenal came closest early in the second half at Loftus Versfeld when he pounced on a clearance and rounded a defender only to fire over.

Other new strikers Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz were not used by City while ex-Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry was the only player from the big-spending English Premiership outfit to have a first-half shot on target.

Chiefs won a lively match through a 42nd-minute goal from defender Jeffrey Ntuka with some City players claiming he controlled the ball with a hand before firing home.

City manager Mark Hughes gave starting places to goalkeeper Shay Given and defender-cum-captain Richard Dunne for the first time on the eight-day tour to the 2010 FIFA World Cup host nation.

Republic of Ireland international Given was hardly troubled before Ntuka struck while Dunne was substituted by Pablo Zabaleta after 37 minutes on a chilly, clear winter afternoon in the Highveld city.

The first half looked set to end goalless until Chiefs went ahead after Given dived low to his left and pushed away a Nkosinathi Nhleko shot at the expense of a corner.

City failed to clear the third corner forced by the South Africans and the ball took a deflection off a head to Ntuka lurking at the far post and he drove the ball into the opposite corner of the net.

After forcing their only corner of the half a minute before the break, City substitute Ben Haim headed wide while Togolese Adebayor committed a stoppage-time foul when he battled for possession in the goalmouth.

In the second half it took City just two minutes to force a corner as they sought an equaliser and Adebayor should have done better on 55 minutes than blazing over from an acute angle when a rebound fell into his path.

Hughes brought on Brazilian Robinho for Bulgarian Martin Petrov, but Chiefs held their own as they sought to end a Premiership dominance of the trophy after Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur won the last two editions.

Reigning African Footballer of the Year Adebayor had a half chance 12 mintues from full-time when he connected with a deep cross, but his timid header was comfortably held by well positioned Itumeleng Khune.

The Premiership club lost 2-0 to Orlando Pirates in Polokwane and won 1-0 against Chiefs in Durban in earlier matches on their first visit to South Africa in 16 years.

PRETORIA (AFP)