Ronaldinho hat-trick puts the heat on Inter

January 17, 2010


Hat-trick hero Ronaldinho inspired AC Milan to a crushing 4-0 thumping of 10-man Siena to close the gap on Serie A leaders Inter Milan to just six points with the Milan derby to come next week.

Milan also have a game in hand meaning they could potentially draw level with the four-in-a-row champions if they were to win next weekend’s crunch clash.

Playing the league’s basement sitters Milan hardly needed a helping hand but they got exactly that as Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Curci was harshly sent off on 10 minutes.

Ronaldinho despatched the resulting penalty and Marco Borriello scored on 28 minutes to put the game to bed before half-time before the Brazilian rounded off the scoring in the second period.

Milan coach Leonardo paid tribute to his Brazilian compatriot and looked forward to the derby.

“It’s normal when someone feels the love, he responds. He’s entertaining everyone, he’s a great player,” he said of Ronaldinho.

“He’s having a great season, he’s rediscovered his taste for playing well and scoring goals.

“It’s a great time in a great title race (for the derby) and it will create interest because we are closer (to Inter).

“There will be a lot of expectation and attention and I’m delighted to be a part of that.”

Milan started in determined mood following Inter’s 2-2 draw at Bari on Saturday night and Ronaldinho took an Alessandro Nesta cross on his chest on three minutes before sending a spectacular overhead bicycle kick just off target.

But on 10 minutes the referee took the decision that essentially ended the game as a contest.

Jardim Brandao dithered on the ball in his own box and Borriello dispossessed him before trying to round Curci.

There was minimal contact between the pair and Borriello crumpled to the ground but the striker’s last touch had been too heavy anyway and left him no chance of reaching the ball before a back-tracking defender.

Even so, the referee pointed to the spot and showed Curci a straight red card.

Substitute goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo’s first task was to pick the ball out of his net.

Siena battled on gamely and on 26 minutes Massimo Maccarone someone escaped from a crowd of three defenders on the edge of the Milan box to bundle through before firing over on the stretch as Thiago Silva came across to put him under pressure.

Yet just two minutes later the lead was doubled as Andrea Pirlo curled a cross into the near post and Borriello hooked a brilliant volley over his shoulder and into the top corner.

Ronaldinho proved a constant menace and had two early second half chances, flicking the ball over the bar with the first and being denied by Pegalo with the second.

But 18 minutes from time he rose unmarked in the box to head home a David Beckham corner.

Then, having tricked his way into the area Ronaldinho flicked the ball wide of the far post, but the Brazilian finally sealed his first Milan hat-trick with a rocket into the top corner from outside the area a minute from time.

Juventus slumped to their seventh defeat in 10-games with a 1-0 reverse at Chievo that is sure to increase the pressure on under-fire coach Ciro Ferrara.

Juve dropped to fourth but will tumble out of the Champions League places if Napoli avoid defeat at home to Palermo in the day’s late game.

AS Roma moved up to third as on-loan striker Luca Toni scored his first goals for the club in a 3-0 win over free-falling Genoa.

Simone Perrotta opened the scoring on 17 minutes after a scramble at a corner and then Toni turned home Mirko Vucinic’s cross on the stroke of half-time.

And on the hour mark Vucinic turned provider again for Toni to head home his second.

ROME (AFP)

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Five-star Gomez hoping to fire Bayern top

December 19, 2009


Germany striker Mario Gomez is hoping to score his sixth goal in seven games for Bayern Munich against Hertha Berlin on Saturday as his side aim to enter the winter break as Bundesliga leaders.

The 24-year-old started his purple patch in the 1-1 draw with league leaders Leverkusen on November 22.

Since then he has scored in all of the last three German league games plus a top class effort in the 4-1 win at Juventus which put Bayern in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Bayern have risen up the Bundesliga table from eighth and go into the weekend third in the league, just two points behind leaders Leverkusen.

A win over Hertha, who have failed to record a single league success since their victory on the opening day of the season, would give them a chance of finishing the year on top of the league.

Leverkusen would need to lose at Borussia Moenchengladbach and second-placed Schalke would have to fail to beat Mainz on Friday night, but Louis van Gaal-coached Bayern have a chance to claim the lead.

“I am not only scoring goals, I am creating them too,” said Gomez who is hoping for his sixth consecutive goal at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

“I had a chat with the coach (van Gaal) and he explained what he expects of me, since then everything has worked well and I feel liberated now.”

And for his partner up front Ivica Olic, who scored twice in last weekend’s 5-1 win over Bochum, Gomez is justifying the 30 million euros Bayern paid Stuttgart for him last summer.

“The combination works well,” said Olic. “I always have fun playing with a striker like Mario. He is showing why Bayern paid so much money for him.”

Bayern, who have gone 11 home games without a Bundesliga defeat, should have few problems against Hertha.

A 70th minute goal by Gojko Kacar was enough to see Berlin reach the last 32 of the newly-formed Europa League against Group D leaders Sporting Lisbon last week, but they are six points adrift at the foot of the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen have announced they will loan striker Theofanis Gekas to Hertha as they look to consolidate their place at the top of the table and victory at home to ‘Gladbach will see them finish the year on top.

Stuttgart coach Christian Gross will be without banned Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann who picked up a three-match ban after being sent off in the 1-1 draw against Mainz last Sunday.

Gross replaced Markus Babbel as coach earlier this month, but is still chasing his first Bundesliga success since taking over at Stuttgart as his side, who are 15th in the table, host Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Friday

Schalke 04 v Mainz 05

Saturday

Bayern Munich v Hertha Berlin, Borussia Dortmund v Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia M’gladbach, Hanover 96 v VfL Bochum, Eintracht Frankfurt v VfL Wolfsburg, VfB Stuttgart v Hoffenheim

Sunday

Hamburg v Werder Bremen, Cologne v Nuremberg

BERLIN (AFP)

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Early bird Bowyer deepens Wolves woe

November 30, 2009


Alex McLeish paid tribute to veteran Premier League midfielder Lee Bowyer for his match-winning role in an important victory over local rivals Wolves that keeps Birmingham City on course for top flight survival.

Bowyer, a free signing from West Ham in the summer after he spent the second half of last season helping City win promotion from the Championship, claimed the game’s only goal with a superb finish after just three minutes.

McLeish paid tribute to the role played by the club’s former owner David Sullivan in the signing and clearly feels that after the 32-year-old’s career appeared to be in terminal decline due to injuries and controversies on and off the field, Bowyer still has an important role to play in keeping his club in the top division.

“Bowyer’s goal was amazing,” said McLeish. “There were a few people who criticised signing him last season.

“A lot of people were suggesting that his legs had gone. But he is answering that. He has five goals already and he is like the Bowyer of old. He has matured and he controls himself much better these days. His goals are a bonus.

“(Former owner) David Sullivan was always obsessed with midfield players scoring goals. Whenever I mentioned anyone to him he would always ask about the number of goals they score. Bowyer gets goals. We thought he would be good for us in the Championship, but he is getting back to his days when he was at Leeds.

“Five goals is an unbelievable return at this stage. But I never had any doubt about him like others did. I did my due diligence and knew that he is the right type. The biggest concern about players when they get older is do they still have the legs and he still has the legs.

“David Sullivan trusted me and we got it right. To get him on a free transfer was a great bit of business.”

Bowyer’s goal means that Birmingham have won three of their last five games, a run which also includes draws against Manchester City and Liverpool, and the victory, against a dishevelled Wolves side, was far easier than the scoreline suggested.

“It was not painless for me watching, it even looked painless for the players out there,” claimed McLeish. “But I thought it was a terrific performance. It was a fantastic performance from all the players. We were awesome from start to finish. We passed it well. We showed great composure and our defending was magnificent.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy, meanwhile, has now seen his team play eight Premier League games without a victory but, after four-goal defeats by Chelsea and Arsenal in successive games, this was a far more worrying result for the former Ireland manager.

“It is a hugely disappointing experience. It was certainly not the way I was intending it,” he said. “I never expected us to play as poorly as that in the first half. We did not compete like we normally do.

“Today is worrying. I am not worried about losing to Arsenal and Chelsea. That was expected. But we were playing Birmingham at home and we were expecting to win and we did not.

“Birmingham deserved their win. They were better than us. We did not start the game very well and it was hard after that. It was about character after that and it was hard.

“I can’t lay the defeat at the door of losing to Chelsea. Getting beaten by Chelsea is not the issue. We are at home against Birmingham and we needed a performance and we did not get one.

“Losing 1-0 at home to Birmingham is always hard to take and bound to give me some discomfort – whether we have been brilliant or not.”

Wolves now face a home game with fellow strugglers Bolton on Saturday that could define both clubs’ seasons.

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AFP)

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Ronaldinho says smile is back on his face

November 3, 2009


Ronaldinho said on Tuesday that he is finally happy again playing for Brazilian compatriot Leonardo at AC Milan.

The Italians tackle Real Madrid in the Champions League at the San Siro on Wednesday as the two most successful clubs in European competition go head to head for the second time in two weeks.

The 29-year-old has endured a difficult last two seasons, proving to be a shadow of the player he once was when he inspired Barcelona to Champions League glory and won successive world player of the year awards.

But he has been improving lately, and proving decisive for Milan by creating many crucial goals recently.

“With Leonardo (the coach) I’m happy. Football is like this, right now I feel good and I’m happy,” Ronaldinho said.

“And when I feel like this, things work better. What’s the secret? I’ve worked hard and I’ve had the time to do so.

“The coach and the physio are helping me, I’m going onto the pitch at 100 percent and my body is responding, things are coming easier to me.

“Last season I didn’t play much, now I’m playing more and the coach has confidence in me.”

Ronaldinho actually made a pretty good start to his Milan career last season, scoring the winner in the Milan derby with a rare header.

But injury and some ill-discipline during the winter break affected the second half of his season, in which he struggled to earn a place in the starting line up and rarely bristled even when he did play.

All he wants now is to start adding goals to his repertoire.

“I’m delighted to help my team-mates, I’m providing assists but I want to do better by scoring goals,” he added.

“I’m expecting a great night for the whole team and I want to give my all.”

Leonardo has been trying to boost his player’s confidence by claiming he would go down in history as one of the greatest of all time.

“Surely we have to insert Ronaldinho in the list of the top 10 players of all time,” he said before turning attentions to Wednesday’s game.

“These matches between Milan and Real have a history all of their own. Our results have been good, we’ve got a good atmosphere and it’s always the right time for a game like this.”

Milan are sweating over the fitness of centre-back Alessandro Nesta while Leonardo will have to decide who out of Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello will partner Ronaldinho and Pato in his three-man attack.

While the game is probably the biggest in Europe this week, it is not a winner takes all clash for these two.

Whatever the result in this Group C match they will both come out of it still in a good position to qualify for the Champions League knock-out stages.

They both have six points with Marseille and FC Zurich three points back and Real’s Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini is thinking more about top spot than qualifying.

“Both teams are aiming for first place in the group and will be trying to win,” he said.

“We’ll have a go from the first minute and we’ll see what happens but I’m sure we’ll play a great match.”

Pellegrini also insisted his team had not taken Milan lightly in their first match in the Bernabeu, where the Italians scored a shock 3-2 win.

“We weren’t over-confident, until they equalised (at 1-1) we had controlled the game,” he said.

“Then we lost our shape and with the great players they have, Milan made the most of that.”

Despite not scoring in six matches, France forward Karim Benzema looks likely to start alongside Argentine Gonzalo Higuain in attack with Raul dropping to the bench.

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

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Goals a priority for Gomez

October 30, 2009


Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez has promised to fight to win back the faith of coach Louis van Gaal, letting his goals speak louder than words.

Gomez, signed for 30million euros in the summer, has failed to emulate the success he had over the past three years with his former club Stuttgart, but he knows the only way to prove the critics wrong is by hard work.

“I will do my best and continue to give it all I have got in training and convince the coach that way,” he said.

“I am a striker who is synonymous with scoring goals, and that will also be the case in the future.”

Gomez has sat on the bench for Bayern’s last seven matches and admits it has been harder than he first imagined getting used to a new way of playing in Munich.

Furthermore, he has struggled as opponents set out to frustrate Germany’s most successful club.

“Our opponents play against us in a different manner,” he told the Bild newspaper.

“Against Bayern, they all play so defensive, like I remember earlier only from cup games against smaller opponents who would stick every man behind the ball.

“Of course I have got to adapt my game, but I won’t become a completely different type of player.”

And the Germany striker insists Van Gaal is helping rather than hindering his progress.

“He has explained to me that the positions I run into are not right,” he added. “I have certainly understood him very well.

“I don’t need any sympathy, no 100,000 pats on the back to say that I am a great striker.

“To score goals, you need to feel wanted and I have now got to try and win that back.

“I don’t have a guaranteed starting berth just because I cost so much money – that’s ridiculous.

“I am responsible for what happens to me, nobody else. Of course I am not happy at the moment and people are certainly not enjoying Gomez very much, but I have got to win back their faith.”

Gomez scored 24 times for Stuttgart last season, but has found the back of the net only three times since joining their Bundesliga rivals Bayern.

Abhimanyu Rajput

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Wolves boss backs star striker to get goals

October 24, 2009


Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has backed Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to score goals in the Premier League. The double Golden Boot winner went into today’s derby against Villa without a goal this season.

But the 23-year-old looked sharp in the 1-1 draw at Everton last weekend as he made his first start since the opening game of the season. And he was determined to make up for lost time at his sixth time of asking today after a hamstring injury.

“Sylvan’s a goal threat and he’s getting closer,” said McCarthy. “He had two or three good attempts at Everton – not clear-cut chances – but good attempts he made himself. He’s had one real chance – against Portsmouth – but even then there were loads of bodies in his way and it came at him really quickly.”

“He’s not had a clear-cut opportunity when he was nailed on to score. He’s getting sharper and I thought he and Kevin Doyle were excellent at Everton.”

McCarthy believes £6.5m record signing Doyle has already proved value for money. “I knew what I was getting with Doyle and he’s been every bit as good as I thought he would be and more,” he said. “He’s a great lad around the place. I’d agree with Steve Bull – he could be our most value for money signing.”

“I can see why he’s developed a rapport with the crowd because he’s played well and he’s scoring goals.”

And with Doyle in hot form having hit three goals, McCarthy believes Wolves have an added goal threat with Michael Kightly and Chris Iwelumo also fit again.

Abhimanyu Rajput

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Goal machine Ronaldo seals another Real victory

October 1, 2009


Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo made it nine goals in seven games by bagging a brace as Real Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’ defeated 10-man Marseille 3-0 on Tuesday in their first Champions League match in front of their Santiago Bernabeu crowd.

It means Real have now won all seven of their matches this season, two in the Champions League and five in the league, and sit top of Group C with a maximum six points.

Real blitzed Marseille with three goals in six minutes; Ronaldo, who now has four Champions League goals in two games, scored two and won the penalty that led to the other.

“Cristiano is a player that can make a difference at any moment and is always capable of scoring a goal,” said stand-in captain Guti.

“We want to try and get through this group as soon as possible by winning it. For now we have a big league game on Sunday against Sevilla who are on a roll but then so are we.”

Marquee summer signing Ronaldo opened the scoring on 58 minutes and then won a spot-kick three minutes later which saw Marseille centre-back Souleymane Diawara dismissed for a second yellow card.

Kaka converted the penalty kick and Ronaldo struck again in the 64th minute to show why Real paid a world record 94 million euros for his services.

Ronaldo went off shortly after his second goal with a knock to his right ankle which makes him a doubt for Sunday’s match with Sevilla.

AC Milan’s shock 1-0 defeat at home to FC Zurich gives Real a three-point lead in the group and Madrid now have a double-header against Milan starting at home on October 21.

“We are scoring goals and not conceding them, which is always good,” said Xabi Alonso. “We have two games against Milan now which will test us. The first game is at home so we have to make that advantage count.”

Captain Raul, the all-time top-scorer in the Champions League, had to be content with a place on the substitutes’ bench as new French star Karim Benzema started against his compatriots.

Ronaldo and Kaka joined Benzema in an attacking trident with Xabi Alonso and Fernando Gago employed in defensive midfield.

There were familiar faces to the Real fans in the Marseille line-up as Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze and veteran striker Fernando Morientes returned to their old stomping ground.

Heinze spent two seasons at the club before being let go by incoming coach Manuel Pellegrini in the summer while Morientes won three Champions League titles with Real and was given a warm welcome from the home fans.

Off the pitch there was a beefed-up police presence, after Marseille’s last visit to Madrid saw them clash with baton-wielding riot police at the Vicente Calderon during a group match with Atletico Madrid.

There was no repeat of those ugly scenes, though, and the match took centre stage although it was a low-key opening from Real, who only had a half-chance from Sergio Ramos to show from the first 20 minutes.

Marseille, fourth in their domestic league, had a chance of their own on the quarter-hour mark but Iker Casillas was on his toes and raced out to swipe the ball from visiting captain Mamadou Niang.

On 26 minutes the Senegalese star skipped past Pepe but had to shoot from an acute angle and Casillas was on hand again to save with his chest.

It was a warning that appeared to spur Real into action and Benzema went agonisingly close twice.

First of all the ex-Lyon striker saw a brilliant overhead kick go just over and was then thwarted in a one-on-one by goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

In the second half Real found their stride and took the lead through a route-one goal, with Pepe’s long ball finding Ronaldo who carefully placed a low shot beneath the advancing Mandanda.

The former Manchester United man then drew a foul from Diawara which earned the defender a second yellow card and allowed Kaka to put Real 2-0 up with a confidently taken penalty.

Ronaldo continued his rich vein of form in front of goal with an easy tap-in to wrap up the game after slick inter-play between Benzema and Kaka.

MADRID (AFP)

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Belief delivering Liverpool goals: Benitez

September 25, 2009


Rafael Benitez has brushed off a suggestion he has switched to a more attacking system, insisting greater confidence is behind Liverpool’s high-scoring start to the season.

The Spaniard’s success as a coach has been founded on his skill at making his teams hard to beat but the Reds have appeared a little shaky defensively this season — nine goals conceded in six league matches — while displaying a sharper cutting edge at the other end of the pitch.

“It is similar to last season – we are creating more or less the same situations but now we are scoring more goals because the accuracy is better,” Benitez said ahead of struggling Hull’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.

“It is true we score a lot of goals. It’s funny because people were talking before about us needing to score more goals because we were good in defence.

“Now they are saying we are scoring goals but conceding goals – so we can never win. Maybe it is because we are more offensive – but it is not because we are changing the system.”

That said, Benitez does accept that the 18-million-pound acquisition of England right-back Glen Johnson has given his side an added dimension going forward.

“Glen Johnson likes to go forward all the time,” he said. “Alvaro Arbeloa defended a bit better so he had more balance.

“Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are all going forward, maybe it is more than last year but they have confidence and are playing well.

Benitez also feels the players have grown in stature after pushing Manchester United to the wire in last season’s title battle.

“It was very important for us. We won a lot of games in a row at the end of the season because we had a lot of confidence and we wanted to be as close to them as possible.

“You can take it as a positive because we were so close.

“This season it has almost been a problem because from the first day people were expecting us to win and score five goals in every game.

“Now, despite not starting well, we are in a good position and everyone has more confidence to play better.

“We know the teams at the top of the table will not make too many mistakes so we have to keep winning games.”

Jamie Carragher has been blamed for Liverpool’s defensive frailty this season but Benitez insists the former England defender has not slipped past his sell-by date.

“We have conceded some goals and he has made some mistakes but Carra is okay,” he said. “It is a question of the team defending better, not just one or two players.”

LIVERPOOL (AFP)

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Adriano happy with Braga switch

August 26, 2009


Sporting Braga’s latest acquisition Adriano is thrilled to have made the switch to the Estadio AXA and is looking to re-pay the club for the faith that they have shown in him.

The Brazilian took to the training grounds with his new team-mates and he could not hold back his gratitude for Braga who went out of their way, taking a chance on him.

“The expecations are very big. I would like to take this opportunity to show my style of football and my characteristics, which is scoring goals” said the 30-year-old. “I want to help Braga and my new companions achieve the club’s objectives.”

“I have been very well received from everyone. It was impressive and I am very happy to be here.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

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Crouch admits World Cup gamble at Spurs

August 7, 2009


Peter Crouch insisted on Friday that his move to Tottenham will not torpedo his hopes of playing in the World Cup finals.

The 28-year-old beanpole striker will compete with Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko for a starting place in Harry Redknapp’s Spurs line-up.

At previous club Portsmouth, he was a guaranteed starter.

“I have confidence in my own ability and that, when given the opportunities, I will take them,” said Crouch who has scored 16 goals in 34 England appearances.

“I’ve been in and out of the England side but when I’ve played I’ve always felt I’ve done well and scored goals. I’m confident that I’ll be playing every week and doing all I can to make sure I’m on that plane to South Africa (for the World Cup).

“If you want to play for England and a big club like Tottenham, you’ve got to make sure you’re scoring goals and playing well. I’ve been under that pressure however long my career has been going.

“I impose most pressure on myself. I have high expectations and I’ve got to make sure I do the business.”

LONDON (AFP)

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