Everton ride luck to snatch win at Wigan

January 30, 2010

Tim Cahill’s late goal earned in-form Everton a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory at Wigan on Saturday that extends their unbeaten run to nine matches in the Premier League.

The visitors were indebted to off-colour finishing from a string of Wigan players, with Hugo Rodallega, Jason Scotland and substitute Paul Scharner all unable to convert presentable chances before Cahill struck in the 84th minute.

The Australian international midfielder, who also scored in the 2-0 mid-week win over Sunderland, was allowed to run unchecked onto Leighton Baines’s corner and he beat Vladimir Stojkovic with a powerful header.

Everton’s crossbar was rattled deep into injury time when Charles N’Zogbia crashed a rising drive against the woodwork, giving Everton their final let-off on an afternoon of close shaves.

Victory allows David Moyes’s side to edge to within two points of eighth-placed Birmingham, while Wigan remain 14th.

The visitors saw most of the ball in the game’s early stages but Wigan soon began to find gaps at the other end and their forwards Scotland and Rodallega both spurned chances to put the hosts in front.

First Rodallega was denied by Tim Howard in the Everton goal after Scotland set him free and when Rodallega returned the favour moments later, the former Swansea man blazed well over.

Everton handed a first start to on-loan Arsenal centre-back Philippe Senderos and his timely touch prevented Rodallega from putting Wigan in front just short of the half-hour as the Colombian prepared to pull the trigger.

Louis Saha had a strong penalty appeal waved away after tussling with Wigan new boy Gary Caldwell shortly before half-time, while Wigan old boy Baines tested Stojkovic from a free-kick early in the second period.

Controversy ensued shortly after when N’Zogbia was bundled over by Jonny Heitinga right on the edge of the Everton area.

The Wigan players appealed for a penalty but Alan Wiley gave a free-kick and the home side were unable to take advantage.

In their push for a breakthrough Wigan introduced Scharner, who has scored four of his 13 Premier League goals against the Toffees, and he twice went close, volleying over the crossbar and then shooting straight at Howard with 18 minutes to play.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: alan wiley, Birmingham, Charles, crossbar, David Moyes, forwards, free kick, Gary Caldwell, hugo rodallega, injury time, Jason Scotland, leighton baines, london, louis saha, midfielder, Paul Scharner, philippe senderos, premier league, second period, Sunderland, Swansea, tim cahill, tim howard, vladimir stojkovic, Wigan, woodwork

Fiorentina beat Lazio to reach Cup semis

January 21, 2010

Romania captain Adrian Mutu scored a brace as Fiorentina beat holders Lazio 3-2 at home in the Italian Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

With a place in Europe on offer for the winners, both teams picked a full strength side, a rarity in the much-maligned Coppa Italia.

The hosts were off to a great start as Mutu gave them the lead on nine minutes and they seemed to have one foot in the semi-finals when he doubled their advantage a minute before the break.

Mauro Zarate then pulled a goal back five minutes after the restart.

Dane Per Kroldrup restored La Viola’s two-goal advantage on 59 minutes before Tommaso Rocchi ensured a grandstand finish when he reduced the arrears midway through the second period.

The other three last eight ties will all be played next week with Inter Milan against Juventus at the San Siro the pick of the games.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: adrian mutu, arrears, captain Adrian Mutu, cup semis, Dane Per Kroldrup, Europe, five minutes, full strength, goal advantage, inter milan, italian cup, kroldrup, lazio, Mauro Zarate, Milan, quarter finals, rarity, rocchi, Romania, ROME, san siro, second period, semi finals, viola

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)

Tags: ac milan, Bari, bicycle kick, compatriot, crunch, gianluca curci, hat trick hero, helping hand, inter milan, Marco Borriello, referee, ronaldinho, scoring goals, second period, Siena, striker, three minutes

Milan edge minnows Novara as Juve bounce back

January 14, 2010

Mathieu Flamini scored the winner nine minutes from time as a second-string AC Milan team beat third division Novara 2-1 at the San Siro on Wednesday to reach the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

The rossoneri were joined by Juventus and Catania after they recorded victories over Napoli and Genoa respectively.

Milan coach Leonardo made 11 changes to the team that won 3-0 at Juventus on Sunday with Ronaldinho, loan signing David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Nesta not even included on the bench.

Veteran striker Filippo Inzaghi opened the scoring on 12 minutes but in the first minute of the second period Pablo Gonzalez stunned the San Siro by drawing Novara level.

Flamini had the last word, though, and Milan will play Udinese or Lumezzane in the next round.

Eight people, amongst them two children, were taken to hospital after 20 people were injured in a motorway crash between a lorry and a coach carrying Novara supporters to the game – Novara lies just 40km west of Milan.

Juventus bounced back from their weekend humbling as an Alessandro Del Piero brace, one from the spot, helped them to a 3-0 victory in Turin.

Diego scored the first as a full-strength and attacking Juve blew away Napoli’s 14-match unbeaten run under coach Walter Mazzarri, although he did rest many first team regulars in a competition few teams take seriously in Italy.

Catania recorded an impressive 2-1 win away to Genoa to reach the last eight. Inter Milan and AS Roma had previously also qualified for the quarters, with the final three qualifiers to be decided on Thursday.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Del Piero, Alessandro Nesta, andrea pirlo, catania, coppa italia, David Beckham, Diego, filippo inzaghi, full strength, genoa, inter milan, Italy, juventus, leonardo, lorry, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, milan juventus, milan team, napoli, pablo gonzalez, quarter finals, Roma, ROME, ronaldinho, rossoneri, San, san siro, second period, second string, turin, veteran striker, Walter Mazzarri

Buoyant Boyd greedy for more goals

December 31, 2009

Kris Boyd broke Henrik Larsson’s Scottish Premier League scoring record with five goals in a 7-1 mauling of Dundee United on Wednesday but the striker says he is greedy for more.

The Scottish striker – who only on Tuesday said he was interested in playing for Scotland again after retiring from international football under the George Burley regime because he was not happy with the time he spent on the bench – scored his 160th league goal in 283 appearances since making his league debut for Kilmarnock in May 2001 as a 17-year-old.

Boyd had gone into the game against United three goals short of the former Celtic striker’s record but a hat-trick in ten first-half minutes soon had him level.

His chances of breaking the 158 total looked to have been dealt a blow when United pulled one back through Damien Casalinuovo and strike partner Kenny Miller was sent off in the first five minutes of the second period.

But Rangers rallied and a late double from the goal-machine, in between strikes from Steven Whittaker and Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra, landed him the SPL record.

And the 26-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer and has attracted interest from French First Division side Sochaux, said he was still hungry for more starting with Celtic in the Old Firm derby on Sunday.

“I think this was my best night in a Rangers shirt and I’m delighted to get it over with and pass Henrik Larsson,” Boyd said.

“To get past someone like Henrik Larsson is a great achievement and one I’m proud of doing.

“But as I have said before I’m greedy and I want more. The next target for me is getting the three points on Sunday. If I manage to get on the score-sheet it’s a bonus but the most important thing is the three points as that’s what brings trophies home.”

It was the second time in his career that Boyd has netted five past United after achieving the same feat while a Kilmarnock player in 2004.

“There is always a team you seem to score more against and I am fortunate enough that Dundee United has been mine and I have managed to do that again,” Boyd added.

Boyd has been criticised in the past for his lack of goals against Celtic with only one of his 160 strikes coming against his Glasgow rivals.

The sides meet in Sunday’s Old Firm derby and a win could send Rangers ten points clear at the top of the SPL. While the striker said he would love to score against the Hoops he didn’t care as long as Rangers collected the league trophy at the end of the season.

“I look forward to the game with confidence and hopefully we can go there and get the three points,” the striker said.

“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who scores as it’s just about the three points.

“It doesn’t bother me who I score against as the most important thing is winning.

“If it was that easy to score against everyone else then everyone would be doing it so I must be doing something right.”

Rangers manager Walter Smith singled out Boyd for praise for his performances this season.

“I thought he played exceptionally well tonight, never mind his goals,” Smith said.

“He has always managed to get us a level of goals but his performance tonight, as it has been for the last two or three months, has been very good with some exceptional finishes.

“I am very pleased for him. He has been working hard this season and to break Henrik Larsson’s record in the manner in which he did do was fantastic.

“The manner in which he scored the goals sum him up. There are very few players who can score the goals that he does.

“This season alone he has improved a lot and I think that he had the realisation that he had to do more.

“He has been doing that. It’s not affected his level of goals so he’s been doing fantastically well and it’s a great achievement to break that record.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: 17 year old, dundee united, first five minutes, george burley, hat trick, Henrik Larsson, international football, kenny miller, kilmarnock, kris, league debut, league goal, score sheet, Scottish Premier League, second period, sochaux, striker, target, trophies, whittaker

Early goals take Hull away from drop zone

November 26, 2009

An early three-goal salvo gave Hull City three vital points in securing a 3-2 win over Everton in the English Premier League on Wednesday.

Stephen Hunt snatched the opener after nine minutes and Andy Dawson netted a free kick in the 20th minute before Dean Marney grabbed a third just before the half hour mark to leave Everton, themselves too close to the drop zone for comfort, shellshocked.

After the break the Merseysiders fought their way back into the contest and a comical own goal from Kamil Zayatte four minutes after the restart gave David Moyes’ men a sliver of hope.

Louis Saha converted a spotkick which Zayatte conceded by fouling the French striker midway through the second period but the Tigers then battened down the hatches and held on for a win which takes them to 15 points, level with the Toffees.

Everton now have just one win in their last 10 games while Hull boss Phil Brown’s gamble of resting experienced veteran Jimmy Bullard owing to a minor knee problem paid off.

Everton had won a League Cup encounter between the sides 4-0 at the KC Stadium earlier this season but were a pale shadow of themselves by comparison.

The win takes Hull up a notch to 15th level on points with Wednesday’s rivals and one clear of Wigan, trounced 9-1 at Spurs at the weekend.

Also on Wednesday, Fulham saw off Blackburn 3-0 as the Londoners moved into the top half of the table with goals from Erik Nevland just before the interval and a second-half brace from Dempsey.

Blackburn dropped back to 12th as their conquerors leapfrogged them.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: conquerors, David Moyes, dean marney, drop zone, English Premier League, Erik Nevland, everton, hatches, HULL, hull city, Jimmy Bullard, Kamil Zayatte, knee problem, Louis, pale shadow, phil brown, premier league, second period, shellshocked, Stephen Hunt, toffees

Rangers suffer calamity as European dream ends

November 25, 2009

Rangers’ Champions League hopes were extinguished for another season here on Tuesday as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Stuttgart at Ibrox.

The loss combined also with Romanian side Unirea Urziceni’s surprise 1-0 win at home to already-qualified Sevilla means the Glasgow side cannot even qualify for the Europa League as the third-placed side.

Sebastian Rudy fired the Germans into a first-half lead before Kris Boyd, in his first Champions League start, missed a golden chance to head the hosts level.

Zdravko Kuzmanovic’s header in the second period condemned Rangers to a third consecutive home defeat in the competition after 4-1 thrashings at the hands of both Sevilla and Unirea Urziceni in their previous run-outs.

The result, combined with Unirea’s surprise win against Sevilla, leaves Rangers isolated at the bottom of Group G on just two points from five games.

Rangers manager Walter Smith conceded that his side’s woeful home record had cost them dearly – they lost all three matches.

“That has been our biggest problem over the three home matches we’ve had considering the fact we’ve taken points and looked comfortable away,” Smith said.

“We have never looked that way at home.”

His Stuttgart counterpart Markus Babbel was delighted after his side won for the first time in 11 matches.

“Defensively and offensively we were very good,” Babbel said. “The only little hitch was that we maybe could have scored more.”

He had sprung a surprise before kick-off when he dropped captain Thomas Hitzlsperger to the bench whilst Smith named a virtually unchanged side from the one which defeated Kilmarnock at the weekend with Kyle Lafferty replacing Steven Naismith due to injury.

Smith set his side up with three at the back and the Rangers players looked uncomfortable as they tried to get used to their new formation.

Brazilian-born German international Cacau was the first to test Allan McGregor with a fierce shot from 20 yards which the keeper did well to turn round for a corner.

The Germans were dominating possession and took the lead in the 16th minute through Rudy. Alexander Hleb got to the by-line and Pavel Pogrebnyak’s miscued effort from his cut-back fell kindly for Rudy at the back post to slot it low past McGregor.

Things could have been worse for Rangers two minutes later when Kuzmanovic thought he had scored direct from a free-kick which evaded everyone in the box but the linesman had flagged Matthieu Delpierre offside.

Rangers, who had reverted to a back four, started to get a foothold in the final 15 minutes. Boyd had their first shot after 32 minutes when he spun on the edge of the box and sent in a low drive which Jens Lehmann watched go by his post.

Boyd then missed a golden chance to level things in the 37th minute. Miller cut out a Stuttgart break on the right and swung over an early cross to the penalty spot where Boyd, normally lethal from that range, headed harmlessly over the bar.

Rangers threw men forward in the second-half as they chased an equaliser and Stuttgart exploited this to double their lead in the 59th minute.

Lehmann cleared a Rangers attack to Rudy and his cross found Kuzmanovic at the back post who had the simple task of nodding home.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: bench, cacau, captain thomas, champions league, counterpart, five games, germans, Glasgow, golden chance, kyle lafferty, markus babbel, mcgregor, rangers, rudy, sebastian, second period, SEVILLA, walter smith

Henry handball ends Irish World Cup hopes

November 19, 2009

A “saddened” Giovanni Trapattoni hit out at match officials but refused to blame Thierry Henry for the handball which helped France controversially dump the Republic of Ireland out of World Cup qualifying here on Wednesday.

Trapattoni’s Irish squad had forced the second leg of their playoff to extra time at the Stade de France after Robbie Keane’s 32nd minute opener levelled the tie after France’s 1-0 win in Dublin last Saturday.

But despite an overall dominant display by the visitors their hopes were crushed when defender William Gallas scored from close range in the eighth minute of the first extra-time period to level the scores and send France on their way to South Africa.

The decisive pass had come from Henry, who had blatantly handled the ball a fraction of a second earlier to the right of Shay Given’s goal as the Irish fought to clear the ball.

Immediate Irish protests were waved away by Swedish referee Martin Hansson, and after the match a relieved France coach Raymond Domenech would not get drawn on the issue.

Domenech’s “congratulations” to the spirited Irish team rung hollow as he said: “I haven’t had the benefit of seeing the replay, all I know is the referee gave the goal and we have qualified.”

Trapattoni directed his ire not at Henry but at the officials who he believes had the power to decide whether the goal was valid or not.

“I’m not only disappointed, I’m also saddened,” said Trapattoni, who after the second period of extra time went on to the park to talk to the referee.

“I told him that I’d known many Swedish players and I know the Swedish people, but that it’s possible you’ve made a great mistake.

“I think he should have at least consulted with the linesman.

“I don’t want to say it’s Henry’s fault. It’s all about the notion of fair play.

“But I’m sure if the referee had asked, Henry would have admitted it was a handball.”

Later, Henry did admit the handball mistake.

“Yes, I handled the ball but I’m not the referee,” said Henry.

It was a sad end to a promising night for the Irish, who to ran the 1998 World Cup winners over the park and had at least two good chances after Keane’s opener to score the second goal that would have virtually secured their qualification.

In the end, the first period of extra time — and an opportunity to turn their own fortunes around — ended Irish hopes of making it back to football’s biggest stage since their second round showing at the 2002 World Cup.

Domenech paid tribute to the visitors from the Emerald Isle but was unrepentant for Henry’s blatant handball or the referee’s mistake.

“I want to pay tribute to the Irish team and their fans, what they did over two matches – they gave us a lot of problems and I want to congratulate them,” added the Frenchman.

“I’m disappointed for them and their public. But bravo to them.

“Ireland really stepped up and forced us into a situation, and that meant we had to play them at their own game.

“I knew what Ireland were capable of. I knew that trailing by a goal they would come at us with everything they had. And that’s just what they did.”

When pressed, Domenech swerved deflty around the handball issue.

“Sometimes things that go around come around in football. Against Serbia (earlier in qualifying) we had our goalkeeper red carded for nothing and we were unlucky but didn’t go making a big meal of it.

“Football’s like that.

“We’ve qualified because we’ve achieved our objective. I’m happy to have qualified, the past two months we’ve been hanging on, been criticised and gone through a lot of tough times. Now, we’ve made it.

“My job is to qualify the France team, they’ve done the job on the pitch, they worked hard, they suffered and I just want to savour that if I can.”

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: close range, eighth minute, extra time, fair play, france coach, great mistake, irish squad, irish team, linesman, martin hansson, raymond domenech, republic of ireland, Robbie Keane, second period, shay, stade de france, swedish players, thierry henry, William Gallas

Costa Rica drops third straight at Beach Soccer World Cup

November 19, 2009

Richard Sterling scored Costa Rica’s second goal of the tournament but Italy overwhelmed the Ticos 3-1 on Wednesday and sent them home from the Beach Soccer World Cup with a third straight loss.

Costa Rica was joined by CONCACAF champion Honduras, which was beaten 7-2 by Japan and also returned home with a third loss.

Sterling equalized at 8:41 of the first period after Simone Feudi put Ialy ahead a little more than a minute earlier. Pasquale Corotenuto restored Italy’s lead by converting a penalty with 2:08 remaining in the first and Paolo Palmacci added an insurance goal with a minute and a half to play.

The result finished Italy in second place in Group C and sent it to the quarterfinals while Costa Rica completed its stay in Dubai having been outscored 14-2.

El Salvador, which jumped ahead in its first two games before allowing its opponents to rally, fell behind early and was overwhelmed the Asian champion.

Japan scored four times in the first eight minutes and cruised past los Catrachos, who already had been eliminated from quarterfinal contention before the match. Second-period goals by Masakiyo Maezono, his second of the game, and another by Hiofumi Oda extended the lead to 6-0 before El Salvador’s Tomas Hernandez scored his third goal of the tournament with 2:25 remaining in the period.

After Japan restored the six-goal advantage, Walter Torres scored his second of the tournament with five seconds remaining to complete the scoring.

Dubai United Arab Emirates

Source

Tags: asian champion, beach soccer, catrachos, contention, dubai united arab emirates, first period, goal advantage, insurance goal, oda, opponents, pasquale, period goals, quarterfinals, richard sterling, second period, soccer world cup, tomas hernandez, two games, united arab emirates

El Salvador falls again at Beach World Cup after taking early lead

November 17, 2009

CONCACAF champion El Salvador surrendered an early lead for the second straight game and lost 7-3 to Spain on Tuesday, endangering its chances of reaching the quarterfinals at the Beach Soccer World Cup.

Elsewhere, Costa Rica struggled again offensively and was beaten 6-0 by Argentina to leave it in last place in its first-round group.

Agustin Ruiz twice gave El Salvador a lead, first 6:44 after the opening kickoff and again 1:43 into the second period. But Amarelle equalized two seconds after Ruiz’s first goal and Javier Torres tallied a dramatic overhead kick five seconds after the second to tie the game 2-2.

Spain took its first lead on a goal by Nico but Israel Garay equalized once more before the end of the second period, this time for El Salvador. The Spanish then scored four unanswered goals, including a second by Javier Torres to secure the victory.

In the other game, Costa Rica was able to hold Argentina without a goal through the first period but then allowed two each by Federico Hilarie and Agustin Dallera to drop its second in as many days, losing both by a combined 11-1.

The results left El Salvador last in Group B with no points, five behind group leader Japan which it faces in its final match on Wednesday. Costa Rica is last in Group C behind Russia, Argentina and Italy. The Ticos will conclude their group scheduled against Italy on Wednesday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

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