Higuain keeps Real’s Galacticos on their toes

November 2, 2009

Gonzalo Higuain reminded Manuel Pellegrini of his worth at the weekend, scoring both goals for 10-man Real Madrid in their 2-0 victory over Getafe.

The Argentine youngster was Real’s top scorer with 22 league goals last season, but was making only his third start in nine league games on Saturday.

Higuain has found his chances limited with the arrival of president Florentino Perez and his new batch of Galacticos including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

He also has to compete with the experienced heads of Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“We’ve had to integrate Benzema, Ronaldo and all the others into the team,” coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the Getafe game.

“I am sure that this season Higuain will have a major role to play again. For me he is a fundamental player.”

Higuain has pace, loves to run at defenders, and is not afraid of shooting from distance, but against Getafe he showed one of his most valuable assets which is a gutsy ability to score important goals in high-pressure situations.

The Getafe game was a tense affair at the Bernabeu where defeat could have signalled the end for Pellegrini, and the team had to endure a disgruntled home crowd after their humbling 4-0 King’s Cup defeat to third-tier Alcorcon.

Last season, in the same fixture, Higuain scored a screamer in time added on to give Real a 3-2 victory. His strike came as scuffles broke out all around him following Pepe’s spectacular loss of control that led to him getting a 10-match ban.

In 2008 he scored the goal that delivered Real’s 31st league title, when Bernd Schuster’s side came back with 10 men to beat Osasuna 2-1 away.

The year before that, he completed the remarkable comeback from 3-0 down against Espanyol, netting in the last minute for a 4-3 win that proved to be a psychological turning point in Fabio Capello’s title winning campaign.

After being overlooked by Argentina, Diego Maradona finally threw him on for his first cap against Peru last month and Higuain rose to the challenge scoring the first in a 2-1 win.

Higuain may not sell as many shirts around the world as the players in front of him at Real Madrid, but his fighting spirit should keep them on their toes.

PHOTO: Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain (R) fights for the ball with Getafe’s Cata Diaz during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid October 31, 2009. REUTERS/Dani Cardona

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Tags: Argentina, Argentine, bernabeu, Bernd Schuster, cristiano ronaldo, diego maradona, Espanyol, fabio capello, first cap, florentino perez, home crowd, kaka, Karim Benzema, league games, league goals, MADRID, manuel pellegrini, peru, pressure situations, raul, real madrid, remarkable comeback, ronaldo, Ruud, ruud van nistelrooy, Santiago, screamer, team coach, top scorer

Argentina beat Russia in a friendly clash

August 12, 2009

Two-time world champions Argentina battled from a goal down to clinch a 3-2 friendly win over hosts Russia here on Wednesday as the two countries met for the first time in the post-Soviet era.

Atletico Madrid marksman Sergio Aguero, Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez and Napoli midfielder Jesus Datolo were all on target for the guests after Zenit St Petersburg halfback Igor Semshov put Russia into the lead.

Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko rounded off the scoring with a late consolation.

Argentina manager Diego Maradona said he was happy with the result but added that he was worried with his defence performance.

“Russia is now among the strongest teams in the world but we looked very good against them. We scored three times and won. It’s a good result,” Maradona said.

“But I’m worried with our playing in defence as we allowed Russia to score two goals. We need to analyse our defensive playing to strengthen this line and avoid even more serious troubles in the future.”

The hosts, supported by a capacity 28,800 home crowd, started brightly but striker Alexander Kerzhakov’s unopposed shot from just inside the box after a breakaway 30 seconds into the match flew wide.

The visitors, weakened by the absence of several star players, including Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, replied with a 10-metre shot by Aguero also on a breakaway, but he was denied by Russian ‘keeper Igor Akinfeyev.

In the 17th minute Russia netted the opener, when Konztantim Zyryanov fed Semshov with a razor-sharp pass to the edge of the box.

Semshov dribbled into the danger zone and fired the ball home with a sharp-angled shot through Argentina ‘keeper Mariano Andujar’s hands.

Argentina replied with a set of threats through Aguero, who missed several chances before he levelled with a 22-metre screamer past the outstretched hands of Akinfeyev just before the break.

Lopez, who substituted Diego Milito in the interval, put the Argentines 2-1 up just 30 seconds after the restart, firing in from close range between Akinfeyev’s legs after a short cross by Emiliano Papa.

Another of Maradona’s super subs, Datolo, then clinched it with Argentina’s third goal barely 30 seconds after he entered the fray at the Lokomotiv stadium in the 58th minute, blasting home a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Pavlyuchenko reduced the arrears, firing home through the defensive Argentine wall with a well-struck 20-metre freeekick after a foul on Semshov with 12 minutes to go but the effort was not enough to save the day for Russia.

“A defeat at the hands of a strong team may be much nore useful than a series of wins over minnows,” Russian manager Guus Hiddink said.

“We played well from the start and scored a good goal but lost concentration before the break and right after the restart and Argentina, an experienced team, punished us for it. We could have saved the day but missed too many chances.”

MOSCOW (AFP)

Tags: aguero, alexander kerzhakov, andujar, Argentina, Argentine, breakaway, carlos tevez, close range, danger zone, diego maradona, diego milito, halfback, home crowd, Igor Akinfeyev, Igor Semshov, Jesus, lisandro lopez, Lyon, MADRID, manchester city, Mariano Andujar, marksman, Moscow, napoli, Petersburg, russia, score two, screamer, Sergio Aguero, star players, target, zenit st petersburg

Fiorentina boost Champions League hopes

April 25, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Fiorentina eased past Roma 4-1 on Saturday to take another confident step closer to Champions League qualification.

Victory moved them into fourth place in the table – the last qualifying spot for Europe’s premier club competition – on 58 points although they could be displaced by Genoa, who are a point behind and tackle struggling Bologna on Sunday.

For Roma, however, their Champions League hopes are fading fast with defeat leaving them in sixth place, six points behind Fiorentina with just five games left.

“It’s going to be very hard for us,” admitted Roma coach Luciano Spalletti whose side faded badly in the second half.

Fiorentina were in front after just six minutes through Juan Manuel Vargas who fired in a 30-yard, left-foot screamer after escaping Roma defender Marco Motta.

The home side added a second just two minutes after the break when Alberto Gilardino headed in a cross from Franco Semioli.

Roma’s misery was compounded when midfielder David Pizarro was sent-off for a second yellow card on the hour with Gilardino taking full advantage by scoring his second and his team’s third after 67 minutes.

Massimo Gobbi made it 4-0 in the 73rd minute before Julio Baptista scored a consolation for Roma, four minutes from the end.

Tags: alberto gilardino, Bologna, champions league, club competition, consolation, david pizarro, Europe, fiorentina, five games, four minutes, franco semioli, genoa, Juan Manuel Vargas, julio baptista, luciano spalletti, Marco Motta, massimo gobbi, misery, premier club, Roma, ROME, screamer, Serie A, six minutes, six points, yellow card

Is it possible for Barcelona to lose the Primera Liga?

February 10, 2009

Barcelona look unstoppable this season but did Sporting Gijon coach Manolo Preciado tempt fate when he said it was crazy to think La Liga was not already in the bag?

Pep Guardiola’s team swept aside Sporting 3-1 on Sunday to make it 10 consecutive league wins.

After Sunday’s game, when Samuel Eto’o’s double took his tally for the season to 21 and Barca’s right-back rapier Daniel Alves scored a screamer of a third, Preciado was full of praise.

“We came (to the Nou Camp) with the idea of frightening them a little, but it was them that frightened us,” he said. “When you are in the stadium you see the true significance of this team. They are the best in the world. They have everything — fighting spirit, physical strength, attitude, play etc. They were far superior to us.

“It’s madness to think they will not win the league. They are a side completely different to any other and I only hope they continue like this.”

With 16 matches left to play, Barca need more than a wobble to lose the top spot in the league. They still have to meet Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on May 3, but could the champions really make a late burst on the rails?

Real have put on an impressive run of form to win seven matches on the trot, and have only conceded one goal along the way.

Under Juande Ramos they have climbed to second from sixth and their 1-0 win over Racing Santander on Saturday has moved them nine points clear of third-placed Sevilla. But the 12-point gap on leaders Barca has not budged an inch.

In the King’s Cup, Barcelona are 2-0 up after the first leg of their semi-final against Real Mallorca. With a domestic double on the cards, what price a treble?

They face Olympique Lyon in the first knockout round of the Champions League later this month, and must be considered favourites to progress to the next stage.

European champions Manchester United, who have completed 13 league matches without conceding a goal, look like the team most capable of threatening a side who have netted 68 goals in 22 league outings.

Guardiola is in his first season as a top flight coach…they have not been unduly affected by injuries ….could it still all go wrong?

PHOTO: Barcelona’s Dani Alves (R) and Lionel Messi celebrate a goal against Sporting Gijon during their Spanish first division match at the Camp Nou, Feb. 8, 2009. REUTERS/Albert Gea

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