• Home
• Archives
• LiveScores
• LeagueTables
• Trophies

News Feed

Bellamy back in Wales squad for Russia clash

Craig Bellamy has been recalled to the Wales squad for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Russia.

The Manchester City striker missed Wales’s 2-1 defeat in Montenegro last month in circumstances which caused controversy because of his club’s failure to inform the Football Association of Wales (FAW) of his non-availability.

Bellamy, who captains his country, has since reiterated his commitment to the national cause however and manager John Toshack has drawn a line under the incident.

Two other senior players, Jason Koumas and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, are also back in the fold after missing the Montenegro defeat, while uncapped Doncaster midfielder Brian Stock is included for the first time in almost a year.

Skipper Bellamy, Koumas and Myhill were all out of the squad that lost 2-1 in Montenegro last month.

Wales have little chance of reaching next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa but could boost Finland’s chances of a play-off spot if they can beat the Russians, who currently occupy second spot in the group, behind leaders Germany.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Wolves), Boaz Myhill (Hull), Lewis Price (Brentford)

Defenders: James Collins (Aston Villa), Neal Eardley (Blackpool), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham), Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest), Craig Morgan (Peterborough), Lewin Nyatanga (Bristol City), Sam Ricketts (Bolton), Ashley Williams (Swansea)

Midfielders: Jack Collison (West Ham), David Cotterill (Sheffield Utd), David Edwards (Wolves), Jason Koumas (Wigan), Joe Ledley (Cardiff), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Brian Stock (Doncaster)

Forwards: Craig Bellamy (Manchester City), Simon Church (Reading), Ched Evans (Sheffield Utd), Robbie Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest), Sam Vokes (Wolves)

CARDIFF (AFP)

Tags: Aaron Ramsey, ashley williams, aston villa, Boaz Myhill, brian stock, bristol city, cardiff, Chris Gunter, craig bellamy, craig morgan, Danny Gabbidon, david cotterill, david edwards, Doncaster, eardley, Finland, football association of wales, Germany, jack collison, James Collins, jason koumas, Joe Ledley, john toshack, Ledley, lewin nyatanga, Lewis Price, manchester city, Montenegro, Neal Eardley, Nottingham, nottingham forest, Robbie Earnshaw, russia, Sam, Sheffield, sheffield utd, South Africa, Swansea, vokes, Wales, Wayne Hennessey, west ham, world cup finals, world cup qualifier

Related posts

• Minnows share spotlight with Man Utd in Cup drama (0)
• Youthful Wales see off Estonia (0)
• Wales ease with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein (0)
• Neville aims for England milestone (0)
• McCarthy plays down promotion fanfare (0)
• Loew recalls Enke and Gomez back for Germany (0)
• Koumas calls time on Wales career (0)
• Hammers´ hitmen banish memory of Bellamy (0)
• Everton land Heitinga, Spurs sign Kranjcar on deadline day (0)
• Southgate demands Boro response after Albion rout (0)
• Romance of the FA Cup takes on harder edge (0)
• Germany´s Ballack ´all-clear´ for Moscow clash (0)
• Dunne deal for Aston Villa (0)
• Dominance is the key for Germany says Ballack (0)
• Chelsea aim to make good first impression on Hiddink (0)

Webb holds his hands up over United penalty

LONDON (AFP) – Top English referee Howard Webb conceded on Tuesday he had been wrong to award English Premier League leaders Manchester United a crucial penalty against Spurs last Saturday.

Spurs were leading 2-0 at the time when Webb – who only last week was appointed referee for May’s FA Cup final – pointed to the spot after judging Spurs ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes to have fouled Michael Carrick.

That proved to be the turning point as Spurs folded completely to end up on the wrong end of a 5-2 defeat.

“I’ve looked at it again and I think it was a mistake but we make these decisions honestly,” said the 37-year-old, who last year received death threats from Polish fans for awarding Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria a late penalty in their group game which they converted to force a 1-1 draw.

“It’s not always easy to see the way the play pans out from pitch level,” he told the BBC.

“I could see the Manchester United player touch the ball and saw him get clattered by the goalkeeper but didn’t see the extra deviation from the goalkeeper’s fingers touching the ball.

“I’m disappointed as I always strive for perfection. I’ll look at the tape in detail later in the week and try to avoid it happening again in the future.

“I never want to have a negative impact on a game and I get no pleasure from not reaching the high standards we set ourselves.

“But show me a man who’s never made a mistake and I’ll show you a man who’s done nothing.”

Webb admitted in January he had experienced the lowest moment of his career when during the Birmingham Wolves FA Cup third round tie he inadvertently deflected a pass by Birmingham’s Radhi Jaidi to Wolves striker Andy Keogh which led to Sam Vokes scoring – Wolves won the match 2-0.

“You want the world to swallow you up at that moment,” he said at the time.

Tags: andy keogh, Austria, bbc, Birmingham, death threats, English Premier League, euro 2008, fa cup final, Goalkeeper, group game, Howard Webb, last saturday, league leaders, london, Manchester, manchester united player, match 2, Michael Carrick, negative impact, pitch level, polish fans, referee, Sam, spurs, turning point, vokes, wolves

Related posts

• Webb appointed FA Cup final referee (0)
• Wolves devour Saints to bolster promotion bid (0)
• Liverpool in search of Arsenal revival (0)
• United close in on Liverpool (0)
• Tottenham test for stuttering Manchester United (0)
• Spurs in ten-million pound bid for Palacios (0)
• Spurs get Palacios in 14 million pound deal (0)
• Schwarzer sets sights on Europe (0)
• No complacency as Hodgson celebrates first year at Fulham (0)
• New deal for Chelsea´s Ballack (0)
• McCarthy plays down promotion fanfare (0)
• Liverpool beach ball boy says sorry (0)
• Hiddink urges Chelsea to stop United juggernaut (0)
• Drogba want to make amends for Barca ref rant (0)
• Disallowed goal drama as Newcastle face relegation (0)

Webb appointed FA Cup final referee

LONDON (AFP) – Howard Webb achieved a lifetime’s dream on Tuesday when he was appointed referee of the FA Cup final on May 30 between Everton and Chelsea.

The 37-year-old – who last year received death threats from irate Polish fans for awarding Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria a late penalty which they converted to force a 1-1 draw – said it was hard to believe he had been chosen.

“When I started out as a referee 20 years ago the FA Cup final was the absolute pinnacle even though it was a very distant dream,” he said.

“It was very unlikely to ever happen, but that it has is the realisation of a dream and I’m thrilled to bits.”

Webb – who has handed out just five red cards this season in 39 matches – was fourth official at the 2007 final and took charge of the semi-final between West Brom and Portsmouth last year.

Webb admitted in January he had experienced the lowest moment of his career when during the Birmingham Wolves FA Cup tie he inadvertently deflected a pass by Birmingham’s Radhi Jaidi to Wolves striker Andy Keogh which led to Sam Vokes scoring – Wolves won the match 2-0.

“You want the world to swallow you up at that moment,” he said at the time.

Tags: absolute pinnacle, andy keogh, Austria, Birmingham, CHELSEA, death threats, distant dream, euro 2008, everton, FA Cup, fa cup final, hosts, Howard Webb, lifetime, london, match 2, polish fans, Portsmouth, red cards, referee, Sam, vokes, Webb, west brom, wolves

Related posts

• Webb holds his hands up over United penalty (0)
• No complacency as Hodgson celebrates first year at Fulham (0)
• Man United look to stretch Premier League lead (0)
• Howard the penalty hero as Everton stun United (0)
• Wolves devour Saints to bolster promotion bid (0)
• Saha scores fastest ever Cup Final goal (0)
• Romance of the FA Cup takes on harder edge (0)
• No regrets as Hiddink prepares for final curtain (0)
• New deal for Chelsea´s Ballack (0)
• Moyes sweats over Pienaar, Neville for Cup Final (0)
• Minnows share spotlight with Man Utd in Cup drama (0)
• Martinez backs Liverpool to meet top four target (0)
• Liverpool in search of Arsenal revival (0)
• Leeds face Spurs in FA Cup fourth round (0)
• Lampard´s FA Cup winner gives Hiddink the perfect send-off (0)

Wolves devour Saints to bolster promotion bid

LONDON (AFP) – Championship leaders Wolves gave their promotion bid a boost on Friday and deepened the gloom for cash-strapped Southampton with a 3-0 win at Molineux which leaves Saints on the brink of the drop.

The win, achieved with goals in the opening 20 minutes from teenager Sam Vokes, Jody Craddock and David Jones, took Mick McCarthy’s side five points clear of a Birmingham side which had beaten them on Monday to take them to the brink of a place in the elite.

Southampton, second bottom of the table and already with a poorer goal difference than several of their rivals strugglers, were behind inside a minute after Vokes headed home from a David Jones scorner and then Craddock made it two with less than six minutes on the clock, his first in two seasons.

The opening double salvo meant Wolves were making light of injuries to top scorers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo.

Mark Wotte’s visitors were undone again in the 18th minute after Marek Saganowski tripped David Edwards and Jones smashed in the resulting penalty.

Southampton are now two points from safety with only four games left.

Tags: Birmingham, brink, chris iwelumo, david edwards, David Jones, ebanks, English Premier League, five points, four games, gloom, goal difference, jody craddock, Jones, london, Marek Saganowski, mark wotte, mick mccarthy, molineux, rivals, saints, Sam, six minutes, Southampton, two seasons, vokes, wolves

Related posts

• Wolves sign ´Saint´ Surman (0)
• Webb holds his hands up over United penalty (0)
• Hammers give Wolves a rude awakening (0)
• Wolves snap up record signing Doyle (0)
• Webb appointed FA Cup final referee (0)
• Ten-man Birmingham overcome the Wolves (0)
• McCarthy plays down promotion fanfare (0)
• Keane savours winning start with Ipswich (0)
• Birmingham add Bowyer to promotion push (0)
• Wolves target Doyle (0)
• Strengthened Spurs set for Stoke (0)
• Scolari rings the changes at Chelsea (0)
• Saints future secure after Swiss magnate buys them (0)
• Redknapp set to strengthen wasteful Tottenham (0)
• Redknapp set to strengthen wasteful Spurs (0)