More work needed for US to taste South Africa success

October 14, 2009

Landon Donovan likes what he sees from the US football squad after qualifying for the World Cup, but knows much more work is needed to make the most of their chances next June in South Africa.

Donovan, the all-time US scoring leader and a Los Angeles Galaxy teammate of English star David Beckham, said Tuesday it was difficult to compare US levels at this stage to the 2002 Cup quarter-finalists or the 2006 first-round flops.

“We’re pretty satisfied with where we are now and the hard work we’ve put in but I think we realize if we want to be ultimately successful in South Africa we still have some work to do,” Donovan said.

“OK, we’re there. Now how do we do everything we can to have success once we get there?”

Donovan will spark the Americans in Wednesday’s final North American hexagonal World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica in the US capital. He feels he has made improvements on and off the field in the past three years.

“I’ve done a lot of that work already,” Donovan said. “I’m comfortable knowing I’m a different player and person than I was the last two hexagonals.”

The Major League Soccer standout said the North American league has already shown it can develop competitive talent.

“Our league can produce players that can play in the biggest tournaments in the world and I think we’ve shown that in the past two World Cups and this one,” Donovan said. “There’s not a vast difference.”

The next step is to win such a showdown. US coach Bob Bradley sees finishing first ahead of Mexico in the CONCACAF regional qualifying as a potential key to boosting the US seeding position for December’s World Cup draw.

“We don’t know for sure it will affect seeding but we believe that it could so in that regard it is important,” Bradley said. “We take a great deal of pride of being the best team in CONCACAF.”

So much so that Bradley is willing to risk top players even with a chance of injury or a red card that would bring a World Cup opener suspension.

“There are risks in the final game but this game is important,” Bradley said. “Of late, we’re very pleased with the way we’ve handled ourselves.”

Costa Rica qualifies for the World Cup with a victory but a draw or loss opens the door for Honduras, which must win at El Salvador to have a chance for the last automatic berth on offer from North America.

The same Hondurans who lost to the US team last weekend will cheer for the Americans against Costa Rica.

“We’ve got a job to do to put our best team out there,” US captain Carlos Bocanegra said. “It’s not fair for us not to go out there and give our best effort. If the situation was reversed we would be pretty angry.”

Costa Rica comes off a 4-0 blanking of Trinidad and Tobago in the first match under new coach Rene Simoes, a Brazilian who once guided Jamaica’s World Cup squad.

“Costa Rica is a talented team that hit a tough stretch in qualifying,” said Bradley. “Costa Rica’s big win has given life to their effort. We expect another big effort and we will prepare accordingly.”

WASHINGTON (AFP)

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Korea too strong for Paraguay at Under-20 World Cup

October 6, 2009

Korea Republic are the second quarter finalists at the 2009 World Youth Championship following a 3-0 win over Paraguay. All goals were scored in the second half.

The score at Cairo’s International Stadium was opened through Bo-Kyung Kim in the 55th minute, and Min-Woo Kim added a second five minutes later.

Things got even worse for Paraguay when they had midfielder Rodrigo Burgos sent off with a second yellow card in minute 61, and Min-Woo Kim went on to net a third goal nine minutes later.

The Asians play their quarter final on Saturday, against the winner of the match between Ghana ans South Africa.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: asians, bo kyung kim, Bo-Kyung, burgos, Cairo, five minutes, ghana, International Stadium, jonathan, Kim, Korea, korea republic, match, midfielder, Min-Woo, paraguay, quarter finalists, rodrigo, Rodrigo Burgos, score, second half, second quarter, South Africa, World Cup, world youth championship, yellow card

Scolari takes over Uzbeki flagship side Bunyodkor

June 10, 2009

TASHKENT (AFP) – Former World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari took over Uzbekistan league leaders and AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Bunyodkor, local media reported on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, and was sacked by Chelsea in February, signed an 18-month deal with the Uzbeki flagship side, which was earlier managed by his compatriot Zico.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed.

“Uzbekistan’s football is now creating its successful history,” local media quoted Scolari as saying.

“Bunyodkor as a part of the country’s football has performed impressively in the last four years,” he added. “The side is directed by very responsible people and it definitely has bright prospects.”

The Uzbeki football federation also announced that they were expecting Scolari to coordinate the management of the national youth football academy, which was recently founded in Tashkent.

Tags: afc champions league, brazil, bright prospects, Bunyodkor, CAF Champions League, CHELSEA, coach, compatriot, felipe scolari, financial details, flagship, football academy, football federation, history, league leaders, local media, Luiz Felipe, quarter finalists, Tashkent, Uzbeki, uzbekistan, World Cup, youth football

Is Grandad Aragones set to leave Fenerbahce?

May 19, 2009

Turks have nicknamed Luis Aragones “dede” or “granddad” since he became Fenerbahce coach last July – at first to convey the respect they’d show a wise and experienced elder, but nowadays to express their fury at a man they view as an incompetent geriatric.

Calls for his resignation have increased since Fenerbahce lost the Turkish Cup to bitter Istanbul rivals Besiktas last week. A victory could have sweetened Aragones’ severance package from his contract, but would no longer have saved his job, Turkish media said.

The 70-year-old Spaniard arrived in Turkey on a high, having just led Spain to victory in Euro 2008, their first major title in 44 years.

But his spell at Fenerbahce has gone from bad to worse. The Istanbul side, Champions League quarter-finalists in 2008, failed to reach the knockout stages of this season’s competition and finished bottom of their group with just two points.

With two matches left of the Turkish league, Fenerbahce languish in 5th, 10 points behind leaders Besiktas, and heading for their lowest league finish since 2003.

Aragones’ gruff manner and often lethargic mood pitchside have won him few friends in Turkey.

Club president Aziz Yildirim has acknowledged fans’ despair and pledged sweeping changes to restore the team’s spirit, and get them back into the Champions League. Aragones’ fate has not yet been officially announced but among rumoured replacements are former coach Christoph Daum, who won two league titles with the club.

PHOTO: Fenerbahce’s Spanish coach Luis Aragones waits for the start of their Turkish Cup final against Besiktas at the Ataturk stadium in Izmir, western Turkey, May 13, 2009. REUTERS/ Murad Sezer

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Tags: ataturk stadium, aziz yildirim, Christoph Daum, club photo, club president, daum, fenerbahce, granddad, Istanbul, knockout stages, league titles, Luis Aragones, pitchside, quarter finalists, severance package, Spain, spanish coach, Turkcell Süper Lig, Turkey, turkey club, turkish cup, turkish league, turkish media, western turkey

Syria puts China on the spot

January 15, 2009

ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) – China faced more footballing woe here on Wednesday as they were beaten 3-2 by Syria in their opening 2011 Asian Cup qualifier with captain Maher Al Sayed scoring two of the goals.

China’s caretaker coach Yin Tieshing had been hoping for some sort of revival in his country’s fortunes after crashing out of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers last June but they were already 3-0 down by half-time.

Two of Syria’s goals came from the penalty spot with the inspirational Al Sayed converting the first of them in the sixth minute when Du Wei brought down Ali Diab.

Al Sayed was ruling the roost and it was no surprise when he added to his tally in the 24th minute with a shot from outside the area that beat Song Zhenyu all hands up.

Du’s nightmare first-half performance reached its nadir in the 39th minute as he clumsily brought down Raja Rafe and the referee had no option but to point to the spot – Firas Al Khatib converting to give the Syrians what seemed an unassailable lead.

The Chinese to give them their due didn’t give up the ghost completely with Wang Xiao’s freekick two minutes after the restart being well saved by Syrian guardian Radwan Al Azhar.

However they did hit the back of the net four minutes later as Qu Bo rifled the ball home after good work by Jaing Ning and they were to get a late consolation effort when Al Azhar completely misjudged Liu Jian’s cross and it went into the net.

Syria’s neighbours Lebanon fared less well as they crashed 3-1 away to ASEAN champions Vietnam even though the 2007 Asian Cup quarter-finalists were reduced to 10 men shortly after the beginning of the second-half when the scorer of their second goal Le Cong Vinh was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

In another match Singapore hardly lived up to their nickname of the Lions as they were walloped 6-0 in Tehran – their cause hardly helped as Ismail Nunos was sent off shortly before half-time.

Indeed Iran scored five of their goals following his dismissal for a straight red card with Mohammed Nouri scoring a double.

The day’s final game saw Jordan fail to score for the third game in succession as they drew 0-0 with Thailand – coached by former Leeds United and Everton manager Peter Reid – at home to extend their winless streak to five.

Written by: AFP