Vieira set for home debut as City aim to revive campaign

February 9, 2010

Manchester City are set to hand home debuts to Patrick Vieira and Adam Johnson as they look to revive their faltering Premier League campaign against Bolton on Tuesday.

A surprise 2-1 defeat away at struggling Hull on Saturday has dented City manager Roberto Mancini’s hopes of sealing a top four Premier League finish and a spot in next season’s Champions League.

But City entertain relegation-threatened Bolton at Eastlands knowing a win will see them leapfrog Tottenham and Liverpool into fourth spot.

Mancini is set to make changes to his team after suffering the second league defeat since he took over from Mark Hughes in December.

Former Arsenal midfielder Vieira, who joined from Inter Milan last month, got his first taste of Premier League action for five years when he came on as a substitute against Hull.

Johnson, a 7-million-pound signing from Middlesbrough last week, also climbed off the bench to make his first appearance in a City shirt, and Mancini hinted that both could have handed bigger roles to play against Bolton.

“Patrick will start as long as he doesn’t have a reaction in his calf and there was no indication he had one immediately after the game,” said the Italian.

It was Craig Bellamy who made way for Vieira just after the hour mark at Hull on Saturday. Despite not scoring in his last 10 appearances, Mancini said the Welsh international remains an important part of his plans at the City of Manchester stadium.

“Craig is an influential member of the team,” added the Italian. “He is very strong and quick and always gives the team one hundred percent each time he plays for us.”

“It’s not hard to understand why the City fans love him so much. “He gives me a number of options and he has the kind of pace defenders fear. He is a vital part of my team and I’m very happy he’s here.”

Bolton, hovering just one point above the relegation zone, face a defensive crisis as Gary Cahill, Andy O’Brien and Gretar Steinsson are all out on the sidelines.

Cahill was a shock absentee from the side that drew 0-0 with Fulham on Saturday, and it has since emerged that the influential defender picked up a shoulder injury in training on Friday.

Iceland international Steinsson was included in the side to face Fulham but felt ill in the warm up and had to be replaced by Paul Robinson.

O’Brien, who stepped in to replace Cahill, also had to leave the field after picking up a knock midway through the second half.

With no other recognised defender on the bench, midfielder Chris Basham was forced to play in central defence.

It is a headache that Bolton boss Owen Coyle could have done without as he desperately attempts to steer the club, who have picked up just one win in the past seven games, away from trouble.

It means Danny Shittu could make a rare start in central defence with Jlloyd Samuel also in line for a recall.

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

Tags: adam johnson, Andy O'Brien, Chris Basham, CITY, city fans, city of manchester, Craig, craig bellamy, danny shittu, Eastlands, England, first appearance, first taste, fulham, Gary Cahill, HULL, Iceland, inter milan, league campaign, Liverpool, Manchester, manchester city, Mark Hughes, Milan, o brien, Owen Coyle, Patrick, patrick vieira, paul robinson, premier league, relegation zone, roberto mancini, Samuel, sidelines, tottenham, welsh international

Inter Milan head to Atalanta with injury worries

December 13, 2009

Serie A leaders Inter Milan face a trip to struggling Atalanta with some injury worries as both Walter Samuel and Dejan Stankovic, who limped off against Rubin, are set to miss the clash on Sunday.

However, Ivan Cordoba should deputise for Samuel while coach Jose Mourinho can bring Esteban Cambiasso or Muntari Sulley back into the midfield or even push Javier Zanetti into the middle and bring Cristian Chivu back in at left-back.

Elsewhere, AC Milan host Palermo and are looking to extend their 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

They have won their last five league games to close to within four points of Inter in second place.

Sunday

AC Milan v Palermo, Atalanta v Inter Milan, Catania v Livorno, Chievo v Fiorentina, Lazio v Genoa, Parma v Bologna, Sampdoria v AS Roma, Siena v Udinese

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Bologna, cambiasso, catania, chivu, cristian chivu, dejan stankovic, Esteban Cambiasso, fiorentina, four points, genoa, ivan cordoba, Javier Zanetti, jose mourinho, lazio, livorno, midfield, Milan, Palermo, Roma, sampdoria, Samuel, udinese, walter samuel, zanetti

Costa Rica rallies for 1-1 draw with New Zealand at U-17 World Cup

October 26, 2009

Joel Campbell rallied Costa Rica with a goal in the 35th-minute, giving the Ticos a 1-1 draw Sunday in their opening game at the Under-17 World Cup.

Campbell capitalized when a pair of defenders stumbled over one another and finished easily, negating an 19th-minute tally by Michael Built. Andrew Mine was able to hold the ball and feed Built, who finished from near the penalty spot.

Both sides had second-half opportunities but Costa Rica had significantly more possession and twice as many chances, outshooting New Zealand 21-9 in the match.

“I think that every first game in a World Cup is a good game,” Costa Rica coach Juan Diego Samuel said. “Without thinking of winning or losing all the players are very anxious. I think we did a good job. We had a good game, we could have won the game but we are satisfied with the tie.”

Costa Rica next plays on Wednesday against Turkey, which won its opener 1-0 over Burkina Faso.

ENUGU, Nigeria

Source

Tags: Andrew Mine, burkina faso, Campbell, coach, Costa Rica, enugu nigeria, first game, good game, good job, Joel Campbell, juan diego, match, Michael Built, New Zealand, nigeria, possession, rallies, Samuel, tally, ticos, Turkey, World Cup

Trinidad earns point against Paraguay, heads home from U-20s

October 2, 2009

Trinidad & Tobago played Paraguay to a 0-0 draw at the Under-20 World Cup on Thursday, earning its first point of the competition but returning home along with Italy from Group A.

Trinidad, which didn’t get a shot until midway through the first half – Khaleem Hyland’s attempt wide — and didn’t put one on frame throughout the match, lost its first two games against host Egypt and Italy and was outscored 6-2 in its three matches.

Paraguay, already assured of a second-round berth, made six changes to its lineup and also struggled to create opportunities. But the Guaranis outshot the Soca Warriors 21-12 and created nine corners to Trinidad’s one.

Trinidad goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel had to make five saves, including his last in the final minute, thwarting Celso Ortiz.

CAIRO, Egypt

Source

Tags: A. Trinidad, amp, Cairo, cairo egypt, celso, Egypt, glenroy, guaranis, Italy, match, midway, paraguay, returning home, Samuel, soca warriors, Tobago, Trinidad, two games

WYC: Paraguay clinch second place in Group A

October 2, 2009

Paraguay needed just a draw against Trinidad and Tobago to secured second place in Group A of the FIFA World Youth Championship and advance to the next round.

The South Americans dominated throughout most of the match, played at Cairo’s Al Salam Stadium, but couldn’t put much pressure on Glenroy Samuel’s goal.

Trinidad and Tobago did create a small number of chances in the first half but failed to take advantage of any.

In the second half, it was again Paraguay to keep most of the possession but Adrian Coria’s men already knew that a draw would be good enough for them. Trinidad and Tobago on the other hand, realized that even a win in this case wouldn’t be enough to survive the group phase.

As Egypt beat Italy 4-2 in the other Group A game, Paraguay finish second behind the tournament hosts and play their round of sixteen match against Group C’s runners-up on October 5.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: Adrian Coria, al salam, Cairo, coria, Egypt, fifa world youth championship, game, glenroy, group phase, Italy, jonathan, Jonathan Roorda, match, paraguay, possession, roorda, runners, Samuel, second half, South Americans, tournament hosts, trinidad and tobago, world youth championship, wyc

Hosts Egypt beat Trinidad and Tobago at U-20 World Cup

September 25, 2009

Over 84,000 fans watched as hosts Egypt won the opening match of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, beating Trinidad and Tobago 4-1.

The first goal of the tournament came after 30 minutes at Alexandria’s Egyptian Army Stadium. Mostafa Afroto found a way past two defenders and his following shot beat keeper Samuel for 1-0.

T&T equalized six minutes later however, as Jean-Luc Rochford received a ball from Jack Thomson and easily finished for 1-1.

But Egypt restored their advantage six minutes after the break. Samuel failed to properly clear a corner kick and allowed Arafat to strike home from the edge of the box. Mohamed Talaat then made it 3-1 in minute 59 after Samuel had only managed to parry an Ahmed effort.

The fourth and final goal came in injury time, when Arafat’s curling shot left Samuel beaten once again. At this point, both teams had already hit the woodwork on earlier occasions.

The other two teams in this group, Italy and Paraguay, face off on Friday.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: Ahmed, alexandria, arafat, corner kick, curling, Egypt, egyptian army, fifa u 20, fifa u 20 world cup, Italy, jack thomson, jean luc, mohamed, mostafa, paraguay, rochford, Samuel, six minutes, t amp, talaat, trinidad and tobago, u 20 world cup, woodwork

Mourinho banking on born winner Eto´o

September 16, 2009

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho insisted on Tuesday that striker Samuel Eto’o would have no more motivation to beat former team Barcelona than he does anyone else as he is already a born winner.

Inter host the holders in their Champions League Group F opener in a match that immediately pits Eto’o and Barca’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic against the teams they left only a couple of months ago.

The manner of their departures was wildly different, though, as Ibrahimovic left in search of the European success that eluded him during five years in Italy while Eto’o was forced out of Catalonia against his will, as a make-weight in the deal to bring the big Swede to Spain.

But Mourinho said revenge will not be on the mind of the Cameroon forward.

“I think Samuel is one of those types of player who is always motivated, he was born to win, someone who likes to play with a ball,” said the Portuguese boss, who like Eto’o has previously won this competition.

“He left Barcelona with the team in his heart because he felt no negative sentiments towards them.

“I don’t think this match will be anything special for him, I think he’ll play with the same stimulus he has every other match.

“He has absolutely nothing to prove, we all know what his qualities are and he owes nothing to Barcelona because he has already given them a lot.

“He seems normal to me and let’s not forget, he’s not a child, he’s a player with a lot of experience.”

Eto’o won two Champions League titles with Barca, in 2006 and 2009, scoring the decisive goal in both finals.

Last season he was part of a team that dazzled both at home in Spain and in Europe, culminating in a sensational performance in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final in Rome in May.

And Mourinho admits that Wednesday’s opponents are the benchmark for his team.

“We’re building a team here, Barcelona is a football school, a team that has kept the same philosophy over many years,” he said.

“We’re not a school, we’re a team beginning a period in which we’ll try to play in a certain way with a different philosophy.

“But we also want to become a school, with our own characteristics obviously adapted to the reality of Italian football but also that of European football because we crave success in the Champions League.

“But tomorrow’s game is one rich in quality players.”

Regardless of what happens, though, Mourinho insists there will still be a long way to go after the match.

“Inter-Barcelona is one game in a group of six matches, it’s not a question of life or death, neither team can be knocked out of the Champions League and hence there won’t be the drama, the tension or the stress of a knock-out match.”

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: barca, born winner, cameroon, catalonia, champions league group, decisive goal, departures, Europe, football school, former team, home in spain, inter milan, Italy, jose mourinho, league titles, Manchester, manchester united, Milan, negative sentiments, ROME, Samuel, samuel eto, sensational performance, Spain, stimulus, striker, swede, zlatan ibrahimovic

Honduras and T&T confident ahead of WCQ

September 4, 2009

The climb is still steep, the odds long, but Trinidad & Tobago is confident ahead of Saturday night’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras in San Pedro Sula following a critical 1-0 victory against El Salvador on Aug. 12.

The Soca Warriors are tied with El Salvador at the bottom of the final hexagonal stage, but are just four points behind fourth-place Mexico.

The top three teams from the group automatically qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while the fourth place team faces the fifth place finisher from South American in a playoff.

“I expect it to be a difficult game, but no game is an easy one,” Trinidad coach Russell Latapy told reporters at Ramón Villeda Morales Airport in San Pedro Sula. “Honduras has some good players and they are coming off a good result as well. We have some work to do because there is a game to be played on Saturday.”

The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in Port of Spain in March, with Khaleem Hyland striking for the equalizer two minutes from full time after Carlos Pavon put the visitors in front on 50 minutes.

Bolton Wanderers defender Jlloyd Samuel is one of 10 overseas players in contention for the Soca Warriors, including Fulham striker Bobby Zaomora, who will undergo a fitness test.

“It’s obviously going to be a difficult game, but I expect it will be the same for the two teams,” Trinidad & Tobago veteran Dwight Yorke said. “We haven’t lost to them in this campaign and they haven’t had much success at home in World Cup football. But I think it’s going to be a very exciting game and a tough one for either team.”

Honduras is buoyed by the return of Inter Milan’s David Suazo, who has been sidelined since the spring after suffering a knee injury playing for Portugal’s Benfica.

“I am very pleased with the confidence that [Honduran coach Reinaldo Rueda] has given me,” Suazo told reporters. “I tell you I have been good and committed. I come in good condition and I hope that the professor can count on me.”

Los Catrachos celebrated a historic and stunning 4-0 victory against group-leading Costa Rica at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano on Aug. 12 and move into a tie for second place with the United States in the standings, two points behind the Ticos.

“The patience in us will be important and we should handle this game as we did against Costa Rica,” Honduran captain Amado Guevara said. “The goal is near and we must continue to strive to achieve the goal.”

By Dylan Butler

Tags: bolton wanderers, captain Amado Guevara, Carlos Pavon, coach russell, David Suazo, dwight yorke, El Salvador, fifa world cup, fitness test, four points, fulham, Honduras, hyland, inter milan, jlloyd samuel, knee injury, Milan, place finisher, port of spain, portugal, reinaldo rueda, russell latapy, s david, Samuel, san pedro sula, san pedro sula honduras, soca warriors, South American, Tobago, Trinidad, world cup football, world cup qualifier

Mourinho fires parting shot at Ibrahimovic

July 25, 2009

Jose Mourinho has fired a parting shot at Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, claiming he was never loved by the Inter Milan fans.

Ibrahimovic is due to wrap up a switch to Barcelona when he agrees personal terms with the Spaniards, with Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o heading in the opposite direction.

But Mourinho clearly feels let down by the big Swede and told Saturday’s Gazzetta dello Sport that the club’s fans would have more affection for Eto’o.

“I thought he would stay because only Real Madrid — and they weren’t interested in him — could spend such crazy money, but then Barcelona did too,” said Mourinho of the deal which will see the Italians also net Belarus winger Alexander Hleb on loan and 50 million euros.

“If, as his agent said, this deal has been in the pipeline for a year, then there’s something strange going on.

“If it was a recent thing, that’s ok. He gave everything he could for me and for Inter, always.

“Even though he was never loved by the fans, who aren’t crying over his sale and are ready to love Eto’o.

“Inter had two possibilities, tell Ibrahimovic: ‘we’re not selling you’, or take Eto’o, plus Hleb on loan for a year for free, plus 50 million euros.

“To me that seems like an incredible deal, a deal worth 100 million euros, the deal of the summer.

“Kaka 70, Cristiano Ronaldo 96. For me this is worth 100 million because Eto’o is worth not even one euro less than Ibra.”

Mourinho also explained why the deal for Chelsea pair Ricardo Carvalho and Deco fell through.

“We were supposed to exchange Carvalho for one of our defenders and to have Deco for free, then Chelsea asked for 15 plus five million euros.

“From zero to 20 million, that’s a bit too much and I’m not blaming my club.”

Instead of Carvalho, Inter signed Brazil centre-back Lucio from Bayern Munich.

“He wasn’t second choice but a great surprise,” admitted Mourinho. “He doesn’t have great feet but he defends well, he’s quick and he’s knows how to push the team up the pitch. He doesn’t talk much but he knows how to get himself heard.”

ROME (AFP)

Tags: 50 million, alexander hleb, Barcelona, Bayern, bayern munich, belarus, brazil, cameroon, CHELSEA, crazy money, cristiano ronaldo, great feet, inter milan, italians, Jose, jose mourinho, MADRID, Milan, milan fans, parting shot, personal terms, real madrid, ricardo carvalho, ronaldo, Samuel, samuel eto o, second choice, spaniards, swede, Sweden, winger, Zlatan, zlatan ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic edges closer to Barca move

July 17, 2009

Forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks to be headed to Barcelona after Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti admitted he was in talks with the Spaniards about the Swede.

Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o could be heading in the opposite direction while Brazil full-back Maxwell and Belarus winger Alexander Hleb could also switch between the two.

“We’ve finalised a transfer for Maxwell and now we’re trying to do likewise for Hleb,” Moratti told Sky Sport 24.

“Obviously we spoke about other things because they were interested in knowing something about Ibrahimovic and talking about Eto’o — two players of the same level — to see if it would be possible to do something with these two players.”

Moratti also confirmed reports in both the Spanish and Italian press that the swap would include hefty compensation for the Italians.

“Eto’o is not worth as much as Ibrahimovic but there is a big offer there,” he added.

Spanish dailies AS and Marca, as well as Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, said the deal would be worth 40 million euros (56.5 million dollars) to Inter.

Spanish radio station Cadena SER added that the transfer could be nailed down in the coming 72 hours following talks on Thursday in Milan between Barca president Joan Laporta and Moratti.

Laporta told Spanish media late on Friday that he had reached an “agreement in principle” with Inter to sign Ibrahimovic and send Eto’o to the Italian side.

The deal depends on Barcelona reaching an agreement with Ibrahimovic and Inter reaching a deal with Eto’o over the terms of their contract, he added.

Laporta said any deal to loan Hleb to Barcelona would not be related to this deal. Barcelona is still interested in signing David Villa from Spanish side Valencia even if it succeeds in signing Ibrahimovic, he added.

Ibrahimovic, who has been with Inter since 2004, is considered one of the best strikers in European football but has hinted on several occasions that he was ready for a move to Spain from Italy while Barca have long made it clear they want to be shot of Eto’o.

Maxwell, meanwhile, fell out of favour with Inter boss Jose Mourinho last season and was replaced in the starting line-up by teenager Davide Santon.

That led to the Brazilian publically stating he wanted to leave, while Hleb failed to make an impact in Catalonia following a transfer from Arsenal a year ago.

ROME (AFP)