Angry Ronaldo: ‘This is not a red card here or in anywhere in the world’

January 25, 2010

On Sunday, Cristiano Ronaldo guided Real Madrid to a victory over Malaga. But the Portuguese star won’t look back in joy.

Ronaldo was shown a straight red card in the 70th minute of the match after his swinging elbow caught Malaga defender Patrick Mtiliga in the face.

The former Manchester United winger has insisted that he did not mean to hurt his opponent and Real Madrid will appeal against the booking.

“It was not my intention to injure Mtiliga,” Ronaldo said after the match. “I’m very sad for what happened but calm.

“This is not a red card here or in anywhere in the world.”

The Portugal international said that it wasn’t an intentional elbow. “I didn’t mean to injure the lad.

“It was bad luck to hit him on the nose because he’s only 1.70m and if he had been taller I would have struck his chest.”

The challenge left the Danish defender with a broken nose which will sideline him for a couple of weeks. After the match, Ronaldo visited Malaga’s locker room to apologise to Mtiliga.

“I’ve spoken with Mtiliga and he told me that I didn’t need to apologise because he doesn’t believe I hurt him intentionally and he’s right about that,” Ronaldo added.

“Those who understand football know that my intention is always to play the ball.

“I wouldn’t want to injure anybody. I’m not that type of person. I’m not a bad person. I only want to shine by playing football.

“Now I’m going to be angry when I get home because I won’t be able to play through suspension.”

Ronaldo, as a minimum, will now sit at next week’s trip to fifth-placed Deportivo La Coruna and might be banned for a longer period.

Tags: bad luck, bad person, broken nose, cristiano ronaldo, elbow, la coruna, lad, locker room, MADRID, Malaga, Manchester, match, Patrick Mtiliga, portugal, portuguese, ronaldo, sideline, victory

Hamstring injury rules out Higuain

January 12, 2010

Real Madrid will be without Gonzalo Higuain for the next three weeks. The Argentine striker suffers from a hamstring injury.

Real’s top scorer played the full 90 minutes on Sunday against Mallorca but tests have revealed he has sustained a left foot injury that will sideline him around three weeks.

Higuain’s injury comes as a big blow to Madrid, with the youngster having scored 11 goals in his last 10 matches. It should see more playing time given to Karim Benzema, who admitted on Monday to feeling somewhat frustrated with his current role as substitute at the Spanish giants.

Real, who will also be without injured playmaker Rafael van der Vaart, are two points behind leaders Barcelona at the top of the league.

Tags: Argentine, Barcelona, foot injury, giants, Gonzalo, Karim Benzema, left foot, MADRID, Mallorca, playing time, Rafael van der, rafael van der vaart, Real, real madrid, sideline, striker, top scorer, Vaart, van der vaart

Assou-Ekotto out of Cameroon squad for African Cup of Nations

January 1, 2010

Tottenham Hotspur defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto has pulled out of Cameroon’s squad for the African Nations Cup. Assou-Ekotto suffered a groin injury that will sideline him for three weeks.

The 25-year-old was substituted after 88 minutes of Spurs’ 2-0 Premier League win over West Ham United on Monday. Tottenham later informed the Cameroon FA of his injury.

Cameroon coach Paul LeGuen has called up Neuchatel Xamax defender Gilles Augustin Binya as Assou-Ekotto’s replacement for the tournament which will take place in Angola, starting January 10.

Assou-Ekotto now joins Egypt’s Amr Zaki, Ghana’s John Pantsil and Angola captain Andre Makanga, who have all been sidelined with injuries for the tournament.

Tags: 88 minutes, african cup of nations, african nations cup, amr zaki, Angola, Augustin, Augustin Binya, benoit, Benoit Assou-, binya, cameroon, captain Andre Makanga, coach paul, Egypt, ghana, gilles, groin injury, john pantsil, Neuchatel, Paul LeGuen, premier league, sideline, spurs, west ham, west ham united, Zaki

Chelsea´s Kalou out for two weeks

December 4, 2009

Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou has been ruled out for “around two weeks”, the Premier League leaders said on Thursday, after sustaining a thigh tear in Wednesday’s League Cup loss to Blackburn Rovers.

Chelsea’s statement said the 24-year-old Ivory Coast star had “sustained a minor tear to his upper left thigh” and that the injury would sideline him for “around two weeks”.

The Blues, five points clear at the top of the table from champions Manchester United, are away to Manchester City in the league on Saturday.

Kalou, who played all 120 minutes of Wednesday’s match at Ewood Park, where Blackburn eventually won 4-3 on penalties to go through to the League Cup semi-finals, now seems set to miss the trip to City’s Eastlands ground, Tuesday’s Champions League game against Apoel Nicosia and the league match against Everton a week on Saturday.

He could also be ruled out of the match against Premier League strugglers Portsmouth on December 16.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: champions league, CHELSEA, coast star, Eastlands, Ewood Park, five points, Ivory Coast, league game, league leaders, london, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, match, Nicosia, Portsmouth, premier league, Salomon Kalou, semi finals, sideline

Injury blow for Van Persie

November 15, 2009

Robin van Persie could be sidelined for weeks after injuring his ankle during the Netherlands’ 0-0 draw with Italy this weekend, the Dutch press reported on Sunday citing sources close to the player.

The Arsenal striker was stretched off the pitch after being tackled by Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini 14 minutes into the game at Pescara.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk believes the player has torn ligaments, which the ANP news agency estimated could sideline the player for weeks or even months.

“It’s a hard blow for him because he was in the form of his life,” said van Marwijk.

THE HAGUE (AFP)

Tags: AFP, citing sources, coach, dutch press, hague, injury blow, Italy, netherlands, news agency, pitch, robin van persie, sideline, striker, torn ligaments

Benayoun and Riera out for weeks

November 12, 2009

More problems for Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera were diagnosed with torn hamstrings that could sideline them for a month.

Benayoun and Riera suffered their injuries during the match against Birmingham City on Monday (2-2). Riera made his return against the Blues after he had been out for three weeks with hamstring problems. The Spanish midfielder was substituted half way through the match.

The injured duo are set to miss the important matches with Manchester City and Debreceni and also the first Merseyside-derby of the season, against Everton.

Liverpool should today discover the full extent of the calf problem that forced Glen Johnson’s withdrawal from the England squad to meet Brazil in Doha this weekend.

The right-back has been hindered by calf and groin injuries in recent weeks, and Daniel Agger withdrew from Denmark’s squad for friendlies against South Korea and the United States after suffering a reaction to a persistent back problem against Birmingham.

Liverpool are hopeful, however, that the Dane’s complaint will not cause another long-term lay-off.

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are continuing to receive daily treatment on their on their respective hernia and adductor problems.

Paul Haring

Tags: adductor, albert riera, Birmingham, birmingham city, daniel agger, Debreceni, Doha, England, england squad, everton liverpool, Fernando Torres, friendlies, glen johnson, groin injuries, hamstrings, hernia, manchester city, Merseyside, merseyside derby, Paul Haring, rafael benitez, sideline, south korea, Steven Gerrard, United States, yossi benayoun

Inter in trouble after Dynamo draw

October 21, 2009

Inter Milan’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knock-out rounds suffered a blow as they were held to a 2-2 home draw by Dynamo Kiev.

The point leaves them bottom of Group F following Rubin Kazan’s win at Barcelona but with only one home match left.

They are without a win but still only one point off top, the position Dynamo share with both Barca and Rubin.

But that will be scant comfort for Inter boss Jose Mourinho following a pulsating contest that could have gone either way.

Dynamo were off to a flying start and Amdriy Yarmolenko should have given them the lead on three minutes but from a yard out at the back post he couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough to turn in Artem Milevskiy’s flick-on from Gerson Magrao’s corner.

But just two minutes later they were in front as Javier Zanetti failed to clear a Magrao free-kick and Taras Mikhalik turned smartly on the edge of the box and rifled a shot in off the near post.

Inter were struggling early doors and a mistake by Cristian Chivu on the sideline let Milevskiy in behind him but Lucio was alert and diverted away his dangerous cross.

On 26min former AC Milan star Andrei Shevchenko almost got the goal he craved against his old foes but he headed just wide from an inviting Roman Eremenko cross.

Inter’s main threat was coming from Dejan Stankovic, playing alongside Wesley Sneijder behind frontman Samuel Eto’o.

Having sent one shot wide and had another beaten out by goalkeeper Stanislav Bogush he equalised on 35min, thanks to a rush of blood to Bogush’s head.

Inter hit Kiev with a quick counter as Sneijder fed the rampaging Lucio who played in Stankovic but the Serbian was still a long way from goal and Yevgen Khacheridi was in a posititon to cover his run.

Yet Bogush charged fully 10 yards from his area only to lose the race to the ball with the Serbian, who flicked it past the keeper and into the unguarded net.

But parity lasted only five minutes as Lucio headed Magrao’s corner past his own keeper after his mistake had resulted in Dynamo winning the corner.

Mourinho wasted no time in trying to fire up his team, bringing on Honduran striker David Suazo for Ghana midfielder Muntari Sulley at halftime.

And two minutes after the restart they were level again in simple fashion as Walter Samuel lost his marker and headed home Sneijder’s corner.

Inter were clearly on top and on 63min Bogush had to block a close range Eto’o volley before up the other end Lucio just nicked the ball off Milos Ninkovic’s toe to prevent him from surging through one-on-one with Julio Cesar.

Shevchenko again had the chance he craved on 73min after another Lucio blunder but this was not the clinical Sheva of old and he blasted his effort high and wide with only Julio Cesar to beat.

The goalkeeper then parried a fierce near-post Sheva free-kick on 76min.

Five minutes from time Suazo had a gilt edged chance to be a hero but he fired wide from six yards after Zanetti teed him up, before netting in injury time only to be flagged offside.

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: andrei shevchenko, artem milevskiy, Barcelona, Cesar, chivu, cristian chivu, David Suazo, dynamo kiev, eremenko, free kick, ghana, Goalkeeper, home match, inter milan, Italy, jose mourinho, Julio, julio cesar, Kiev, knock out, lucio, magrao, Milan, old foes, rubin kazan, samuel eto, samuel eto o, sideline, Stanislav Bogush, taras, Taras Mikhalik, walter samuel, Wesley Sneijder, zanetti

US adds Hejduk to training camp lineup

October 7, 2009

Veteran defender Frankie Hejduk was added to the United States training camp roster on Wednesday for two last qualifying matches for the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

One day after the Americans announced veteran midfielder Clint Dempsey would not play Saturday against Honduras and was questionable for next week’s home match against Costa Rica. Hejduk will start US team workouts on Wednesday.

Hejduk, 35, has seven goals in 84 caps, the second-most appearances of any US player on the Honduras match roster.

Columbus Crew captain Hejduk has played 17 times for US teams in World Cup qualifying, including scoring the equalizer in a 2-2 March draw at El Salvador.

A shoulder sprain will sideline Dempsey, who ranks second in US 2010 World Cup qualifying with five goals.

The Americans face Honduras on Saturday at San Pedro Sula, where the hosts are 8-0 in World Cup qualifying, and face Costa Rica on October 14 at Washington. A victory in either match would ensure a US trip to South Africa.

MIAMI (AFP)

Tags: africa world, caps, captain Hejduk, Clint Dempsey, columbus crew, Costa Rica, El Salvador, equalizer, frankie hejduk, home match, Honduras, hosts, Miami, san pedro sula, shoulder sprain, sideline, South Africa, training camp, U.S., United States, victory, Washington, workouts, World Cup

Late goal keeps Saprissa alive, denies Columbus

September 30, 2009

Alexander Robinson headed in a dramatic equalizer in second-half stoppage time and Deportivo Saprissa drew 1-1 with Columbus Tuesday night, keeping alive the Costa Rican club’s hopes of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

The late goal denied the Crew of a place in the quarterfinals, sending Group C to the final match day on October 20.

Robbie Rogers converted a first-half penalty kick to give the defending MLS Cup champions the lead and until Robinson’s goal, a berth in the knockout round. Two points ahead of Saprissa, Columbus still has the advantage.

Having won 1-0 at Saprissa two weeks ago, Columbus will need only a draw in its final game at the Puerto Rico Islanders to advance, while Saprissa will need to win at home against Cruz Azul and hope Puerto Rico can beat Columbus.

The Crew attacked from the outset and led after Walter Centeno slid over the ball and caught Guillermo Barros Schelotto with a tackle in the box in the 24th minute.

Centeno was cautioned for the rash challenge and Schelotto was sent to the sideline because of a bloody shin. The Argentine legend attempted to return to take the penalty, but was forced to remain off the field. Instead it was Rogers, the young American international, who stepped to the spot, slotting his low attempt to Keilor Navas’ right in the 27th minute.

Moments later, Emmanuel Ekpo made a spectacular darting run, but both Rogers and Alejandro Moreno had their attempts blocked.
Saprissa nearly equalized in the 34th minute as Kendall Watson got in behind the Crew defense and latched onto Centeno’s free kick just inside the six-yard box. But Watson could only get a touch on the ball and it rolled wide of the net.

Just before the half, Rogers played a deep cross to the back post, but Schelotto and Moreno both went for the ball and Schelotto’s header sailed wide of the net.

Ekpo made another dangerous run and forced Navas to make a kick save. The Nigerian forward collected the rebound, but headed wide of the net in the 57th minute.

Both teams appealed for penalties in the final 21 minutes as Moreno went down in the box in the 69th minute and Saprissa sought a handball call on Columbus defender Gino Padula, who cleared Watson’s header off the line in the 76th minute.

Just moments from being eliminated, Saprissa found the elusive equalizer in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. Robinson got onto the end of Centeno’s free kick and his downward header from the edge of the six-yard box went through Columbus goalkeeper Will Hesmer’s legs to give El Monstruo Morado a share of the points.

COLUMBUS

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Tags: alejandro moreno, alexander robinson, Argentine, berth, COLUMBUS, concacaf champions league, cruz azul, deportivo saprissa, Emmanuel Ekpo, final game, final match, free kick, Guillermo Barros, guillermo barros schelotto, knockout, match day, mls cup champions, outset, penalty kick, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, Robbie Rogers, Robinson, rogers, sideline, stoppage time, Walter Centeno, watson

Inspired Mexico defeats Costa Rica

September 6, 2009

SAN JOSE – Mexico moved closer to earning a berth in next year’s World Cup in South Africa with a 3-0 win against Costa Rica Saturday at Ricardo Saprissa stadium.

What is normally a loud and hostile environment in San Jose, Costa Rica, was mostly a silent venue after Mexico’s Giovanni Dos Santos, Guillermo Franco and Andres Guardado scored for El Tri.

Costa Rica fans made their way to the exit after Guardado sent in the final score of the night in the 68th minute, putting the match out of reach for the Ticos.

Guardado took a pass from Dos Santos during a two-on-one situation, broke away on a counter attack and beat Costa Rica goalkeeper Keilor Navas for the goal.

It was a score that ensured a needed three points for Mexico. The win helped El Tri move past Costa Rica, the previous leader in the group standings, into third place in the hexagonal round of qualifying.

El Tri sits behind Honduras and the United States who lead the group with 13 points. Mexico has 12 points with three matches remaining. Costa Rica also has 12, but stands behind El Tri with a minus-three goal differential compared to Mexico’s plus-two.

The top three teams receive an automatic berth, while the fourth-place team faces the fifth-place team from South America in a home and away playoff.

Mexico has won three qualifying matches in a row since losing to El Salvador in June to come out of a slump when it appeared El Tri would have trouble qualifying.

Coach Javier Aguirre’s team since has beaten teams considered to be the powerhouses of the region (the United States 2-1 last month and Costa Rica Saturday).

Aguirre can thank in part the fluid brand of soccer against Costa Rica for his team’s latest outing.

Mexico sealed the win – it’s first on the road in the hexagonal- with Guardado’s goal which came on a counter-attack.

Efrain Juarez helped create the play after breaking away from two defenders near the sideline. He sent a long pass from left to right across the field, finding a wide open Dos Santos.

Dos Santos added another assist in the 63rd minute when he fed Franco a soft pass to his left, beating Nava. Franco tapped in the ball with his left foot for a 2-0 lead.

Dos Santos not only added an assist but a goal of his own.

He gave El Tri a 1-0 halftime lead with a left-footed blast from about 25-yards out.

The 20-year-old striker sent a Cuauhtemoc Blanco cross-field pass from left to right into the lower-left corner of the net seconds before the halftime whistle.

Navas didn’t have a chance at a save.

Dos Santos’ score was his fifth with the senior team. He was part of the Under-17 World Cup championship team in 2005.

It was a goal that gave the match some life after a physical first half in which five players received yellow cards.

Both teams vied for control of the midfield with Mexico winning possession. But El Tri had three veterans shown yellow cards by referee Neal Brizan.

Mexico captain Gerardo Torrado, Ricardo Osorio and Blanco were booked.

Costa Rica ’s Cristian Oviedo and Armando Alonso also received yellow cards.

Alonso was booked in the 44th minute for elbowing Osorio in the face while both men fought for a ball in the air near Mexico’s penalty area.

Alonso got enough of Osorio that the Mexican defender’s right eye began to swell.

While some players exchanged blows and hard fouls, Mexico tried to find a way to break the scoreless tie by feeding forward Guillermo Franco the ball.

Franco, who was subbed by Guardado in the 68th minute, couldn’t find the back of the net despite a handful of looks at goal.

Perhaps the clearest came in the 21st minute when Franco failed to get a comfortable shot via a header off a Blanco floating pass in the penalty area.

Blanco found Franco sneaking behind the Ticos backline with the lobbed pass, but Franco’s soft header went straight into the hands of Navas.

Mexico ’s first chance at goal came in the 12th minute. Franco sent a header wide right off a Blanco corner kick.

Franco took another shot at goal four minutes later, sending a left-footed shot just inches wide to the left of Navas.

Blanco had a shot on goal of his own in the 25th minute. He took a Juarez pass from about 20 yards out.

Blanco, who helped generate most of Mexico’s attack, will miss El Tri’s next World Cup qualifier Wednesday against Honduras for yellow card accumulation.

Saturday’s match was also a rematch of a dramatic Gold Cup semifinal in July where Mexico squeezed past the Ticos on penalty kicks in Chicago .

Costa Rica has lost two qualifiers in a row. It also dropped a 2-0 decision to Mexico at Estadio Azteca in March in the team’s first meeting in hexagonal qualifying.

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