Marathon seeks end to Mexican domination
March 17, 2010
There will not be an all-Mexican CONCACAF Champions League semifinals if Marathon coach Nicolas Suazo has anything to say about it.
Penalty kick goals by Walter Martinez and Carlos Mejia have given the Honduran squad has a 2-0 lead heading into the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals against Pumas UNAM on Thursday. The winner faces either Cruz Azul or Arabe Unido in the semifinals.
“I am aiming to keep advancing in the Champions League, because our goal is to reach the final,” Suazo said.
Suazo adjusted his lineup for Sunday’s match at Platense, using three more junior players to give his regulars rest. Marathon still came away with a 1-0 victory – courtesy of Milton Palacios’ 77th-minute goal and now heads into the Champions League clash in Mexico City’s Estadio Olimpico Universitario with even more confidence.
“The victory gives us great courage to travel to Mexico,” Palacios said. “We want to go there to win because we have the capacity. We are in a good time and we must seize it.”
Marathon was ousted from last year’s Champions League quarterfinals by the second-division Puerto Rico Islanders and are looking to make amends.
After a disappointing result in the opening leg, Pumas returned home and played Chivas de Guadalajara to a goalless draw on Saturday night, extending its winless streak at Estadio Jalisco to 28 years.
Pumas are tied with Cruz Azul for second in Group 3 with 17 points, four behind leader Santos Laguna. They face an uphill climb, but veteran Paco Palencia is confident his squad will battle.
“We are a team who play and play, and will look to do the same for the institution,” he told reporters. “Our commitment is to the club, to try to do our best to achieve qualification.”
Concacaf
Tags: carlos mejia, champions league quarterfinals, champions league semifinals, chivas de guadalajara, concacaf champions league, cruz azul, estadio olimpico universitario, Guadalajara, marathon coach, Mexico, mexico city, Milton Palacios, minute goal, Nicolas Suazo, Paco Palencia, penalty kick, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, pumas unam, Santos, santos laguna, uphill climb, Walter Martinez, winless streakRelated posts
Uruguay denies Costa Rica World Cup trip with 1-1 draw
November 19, 2009
Uruguay held Costa Rica to a 1-1 draw Wednesday night, claiming the last berth in the 32-team World Cup field and denying the Ticos a third straight trip to the quadrennial championship.
Uruguay enjoyed the majority of possession and chances and advanced with a 2-1 aggregate victory in the two-leg playoff.
Sebastian Abreu put Uruguay ahead with his 28th career international goal in the 70th, but Walter Centeno restored the Ticos’ hopes only four minutes later.
Costa Rica, which led the United States by two goals with 18 minutes remaining on October 14 in a match where a victory would have earned it a fourth appearance at the World Cup, was 30 seconds from a berth but surrendered a goal 4½ minutes into injury time to settle for a 2-2 draw.
The result finished Costa Rica behind the United States, Mexico and Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Wednesday’s result extended Costa Rica’s winless streak against Uruguay to eight with only its second draw.
Uruguay dominated with Nacional midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, whose two goals helped his country into the second round at last month’s Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Lodeiro started in the fourth minute, bending a free kick from 35 yards that bounced just wide of the post, and twice more driving down the middle of the field setting up chances for Luis Suarez in the 34th and one of his own a minute later.
Uruguay’s best chance before Abreu’s goal came in a blast from distance by Diego Forlan that had to be tipped over the bar by Costa Rican keeper Keilor Navas in the seventh minute. Cristian Bolanos had a similar chance for Costa Rica in the 36th that forced goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to dive to his right to push it around the post.
Abreu, who replaced Suarez only five minutes earlier, put Uruguay ahead by out-leaping his marker at the edge of the six-yard box and driving Andres Scotti’s cross past Navas. Centeno finished his chance from just inside the area in the 74th to quiet the crowd at Estadio Centenario.
Alvaro Saborio had a chance in the 87th to give Costa Rica the lead, but his left-footer from inside the area struck the near-side netting.
Uruguay, which lost in a World Cup qualifying playoff four years ago to Australia, will be making its first appearance in the championship since 2002.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay
Tags: aggregate victory, centenario, diego forlan, Fernando Muslera, five minutes, four minutes, free kick, injury time, international goal, luis suarez, midfielder, navas, scotti, Sebastian Abreu, straight trip, ticos, Walter Centeno, winless streak, world cup fieldRelated posts
Zola looks for hammer blow against struggling Everton
November 8, 2009
Gianfranco Zola may be a relative novice in the managerial trade, but already the Italian has experienced more dizzying highs and stultifying lows than many of the most grizzled veterans.
In the space of just over a year, he has led West Ham to a top-half finish in the English Premier League, been forced to contend with myriad off-field financial problems and, most recently, negotiated a slump in form which put his own job prospects on the line.
That Zola has met all these scenarios with equanimity speaks volumes for his character and serves as confirmation of why he is still considered one of the brightest managerial prospects in the top flight.
Even during the most recent crisis – a nine-match winless streak which dumped West Ham in the relegation zone – Zola remained unflappable, insisting his team’s fortunes would take a turn for the better, sooner rather than later.
His faith was justified by a last-gasp victory over Aston Villa last Wednesday and the former Chelsea striker can now confront Sunday’s meeting with Everton, who are locked in their own dangerous downward spiral, with genuine enthusiasm.
“Football is about confidence,” he reflected.
“We know we have been playing well but not picking up the points we needed. That victory (against Villa) will give us a lot. The rest is all there.
“We know we have the qualities, we know that we can compete at high levels. The mood has been very positive and everybody has been lifted.”
Zola’s squad might be on the thin side but at least he can call upon genuine quality along the spine of his side in Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole, all England internationals.
There were signs before the Villa victory that West Ham were a team on the rise.
Arsenal were held to a draw courtesy of a stirring fight-back in the dying minutes and the Hammers raced into a two-goal lead at Sunderland before flaky defending cost them two points in the second half.
A three-match unbeaten run might not be cause for jubilation in east London but Zola believes it could be the start of a more sustained recovery.
“The team needs some personalities and they need those personalities to step in at the right moment, which is what they have been doing recently,” Zola added.
David Moyes’ Everton team are in the midst of an appalling run, having not tasted victory in seven games in all competitions thanks to a combination of a crippling injury list, nose-diving confidence and poor form from key players.
The gloom enveloping Goodison Park is a far cry from the halcyon days of spring, when Everton achieved a second successive fifth-place finish in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final.
Moyes’ meagre squad appears to be struggling to cope with the gruelling schedule provided by the Europa League where they have suffered back-to-back defeats against Benfica.
“As a manager it is down to me to put things right, to find a winning formula from the ranks that I have here,” Moyes said.
“In the past I have tended to do that, I feel it is probably one of my strengths. I have tried not to have any regrets about it (playing in Europe).
“But the more and more games you play in it, the more and more times you realise that some other managers have talked a lot of sense about the number of games in the Europa League.
“With the squad we have got it is very difficult to win Premier League games when you have got so many midweek games.”
LONDON (AFP)
Tags: aston villa, Carlton Cole, CHELSEA, David Moyes, downward spiral, east london, england internationals, English Premier League, Europe, genuine enthusiasm, genuine quality, Goodison Park, grizzled veterans, hammers, jubilation, last gasp, london, matthew upson, premier league, relative novice, relegation zone, robert green, Sunderland, thin side, top flight, west ham, winless streak, ZolaRelated posts
United edge Wednesday in Sheffield derby thriller
September 19, 2009
Sheffield United ended a three-year winless streak against city rivals Sheffield Wednesday with a 3-2 English Championship victory in a pulsating Steel City derby here on Friday.
Hosts United looked home and dry after racing into a 3-0 half-time lead but Wednesday struck twice in the second period to set up a frantic finish in front of a raucous sell-out crowd at Bramall Lane.
United lost their unbeaten start to the Championship season when they went down to Coventry in mid-week, but victory over Brian Laws’s men sends them up to fourth in the table ahead of the weekend’s matches in the English second tier, two points behind leaders West Bromwich Albion.
Northern Irish striker Jamie Ward spun to fire United into a seventh-minute lead following a left-wing corner and Darius Henderson doubled the Blades’ advantage in the 15th minute.
Lewis Buxton headed past his own goalkeeper three minutes before the break to put United further ahead but Marcus Tudgay dispatched a crisp volley from the edge of the area in the first minute of the second period to spark hopes of an Owls fightback.
It was Tudgay’s third goal in five Sheffield derbies but he then blazed over the crossbar after half-time substitute Etienne Etajas’s free-kick was diverted into his path.
The visitors continued to press and Dutchman Etajas struck a wicked 35-yard free-kick past Blades goalkeeper Mark Bunn in the 65th minute to pile further pressure on Kevin Blackwell’s side.
Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant kept his team in the game with a tremendous save from Henderson’s 74th-minute header, with Etajas fizzing a long-range effort narrowly over at the other end shortly after as Wednesday pushed for an equaliser.
Wednesday recorded their first league ‘double’ over United in 95 years last season, but in the end they were indebted to Grant for preventing first Ched Evans and then Blades captain Chris Morgan from extending the home side’s lead.
The two Sheffield clubs are two of the oldest in English football, but United are beginning their third season at this level following relegation from the Premier League in 2007 and Wednesday have not appeared in the top flight since 2000.
SHEFFIELD, England (AFP)
Tags: bramall lane, Brian Laws, captain chris, captain Chris Morgan, championship victory, ched, chris morgan, city rivals, crossbar, derbies, England, equaliser, free kick, Goalkeeper, Henderson, Jamie Ward, lee grant, Marcus Tudgay, Mark Bunn, minute header, northern irish, Sheffield, sheffield united, sheffield wednesday, steel city, substitute etienne, west bromwich albion, winless streakRelated posts
Pachuca tops 10-man Dynamo 2-0
September 17, 2009
Edgar Benitez and Paul Nicholas Aguilar gave Pachuca a goal in each half and helped defeat a 10-man Houston Dynamo 2-0 in a much anticipated CONCACAF Champions League match between the U.S. and Mexican powers Wednesday night.
Pachuca, unbeaten in five straight, moved into second place in the group, one point behind Panama’s Arabe Unido. Houston, which stretched its winless streak to five games in all competitions, fell to third alone with three points from three matches.
After sustained pressure in the offensive third, Pachuca took the deserved lead in the 26th minute. Benitez received a long ball, turned on Houston defender Bobby Bowell and ran to goal. With Dynamo defenders closing, the Paraguayan striker beat Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall low inside the far post from 16 meters.
Houston’s hopes worsened in first-half stoppage time when Dominic Oduro was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for a tackle from behind on Christian Gimenez.
Pachuca attacked from the outset, putting Hall under pressure immediately. In the eighth minute, Benitez cut inside of Ryan Cochrane and fired a low shot that Hall got a piece of before it deflected out for a corner kick.
One minute later Benitez got an open shot off a second corner, but he fired well over the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box.
In the 22nd minute, Gimenez forced Hall to dive to his left to grab a long distance attempt.
Nine minutes after Benitez’s goal, Hall was forced to make a double save, first denying Gimenez by getting his left arm on a first-time attempt from eight meters and then stopping Juan Carlos Chaco’s rebound.
On one of Houston’s rare scoring chances came when Craig Waibel’s chip from 35 meters went off the back of the top netting three minutes before halftime.
With the man advantage, the Tuzos dominated possession and Aguilar added an insurance goal in the 74th minute. Gimenez played the ball to Aguilar near the top of the 18-yard box and was able to turn and make a run along the edge of the area before putting his deflected left-footed shot inside the near post.
The loss was the 17th in 18 games (with one draw) by Major League Soccer teams when playing in Mexico sides in competitive play. That draw came a year ago when the Dynamo tied Pumas 4-4 in Champions League group play. MLS teams have been outscored 60-14 in Mexico.
Both teams return to Champions League play Tuesday night when Houston returns to Robertson Stadium to take on Arabe Unido, while Pachuca heads to El Salvador to take on winless Metapan.
PACHUCA, Mexico
Tags: arabe unido, bowell, christian gimenez, concacaf champions league, corner kick, craig waibel, dominic oduro, Edgar Benitez, eighth minute, El Salvador, far post, Houston, houston dynamo, insurance goal, Juan Carlos Chaco, man advantage, Mexico, Panama, paul nicholas, Paul Nicholas Aguilar, robertson stadium, ryan cochrane, stoppage time, tally hall, time attempt, U.S., winless streak, yellow cardRelated posts
Celtic make history, Shakhtar crash out of Champions League
August 6, 2009
Scottish giants Celtic brought to an end an unwanted record on Wednesday when they overcame a deficit away from home in European competition for the first time beating Dynamo Moscow 2-0 to progress 2-1 on aggregate in their Champions League third preliminary round clash.
Substitute Georgios Samaras was their hero in Moscow as the Greek international’s late goal edged the former European Cup winners to within one round of making the lucrative group stages and also ended a 22 match winless streak away from Glasgow in European competition.
However, there was to be no such joy for Shakhtar Donetsk – Ukraine’s first ever European club trophy winners when they won the last ever UEFA Cup title earlier this year – as they were held 0-0 by unheralded Romanian outfit Timisoara in Romania and went out on the away goals rule as it ended 2-2 on aggregate.
Samaras was not the only late goalscoring hero.
Sheriff, giants of Moldovan football but minnows in European terms, moved to within 180 minutes of an historic appearance in the group stages as Jose Nadson struck in the fourth minute of time added on in Prague to force a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague.
The Moldovans progressed on the away goals rule – the tie finished 1-1 on aggregate – and wrapped up a dreadful two days for Czech football.
On Tuesday Sparta Prague had seen a first leg 3-1 advantage overturned by Greek side Panathinaikos, who won 3-0 to qualify 4-3 on aggregate and leave the Czechs without a representative in the Champions League.
Celtic – for whom Australian striker Scott McDonald was their other scorer – will face a tough draw in the final qualifying round with potential opponents being Arsenal, deposed seven-time French champions Lyon or Italian side Fiorentina when the draw is made on Friday.
However, their new manager Tony Mowbray while delighted at the result in Moscow refused to get carried away with coming through successfully his first competitive assignment since he replaced Gordon Strachan.
“I always believed we could score in Moscow but no-one is getting carried away,” said Mowbray, who played for Celtic from 1991-95.
“If you get beat then you are not a bad side and if you win then you are not a brilliant side.
“There is a lot of hard work ahead of us and we need to keep going.”
His Dynamo counterpart Andrei Kobelev – whose team are fifth in the league four points adrift of leaders Kazan after 16 matches – conceded Dynamo had not played at their best.
“Today we looked tired and lacked confidence,” he said.
“Celtic looked more fresh and the more experienced team tonight (Wednesday).”
On Tuesday former England manager Steve McClaren saw his debut as a manager in the Champions League brought to an end in the cruellest fashion as Sporting Lisbon scored an injury-time goal to go through on the away goal rule with the tie with FC Twente finishing 1-1 on aggregate.
To make matters even harder to take for McClaren – who guided unfashionable Middlesbrough to the UEFA Cup final in 2006 where they lost to Sevilla – it was an own goal by Peter Wisgerhof, who deflected Sporting’s goalkeeper Rui Patricio’s header from a last ditch corner, which saw the visitors progress.
Dynamo Moscow, Slavia Prague and Twente may curse their luck but Sporting Lisbon, Celtic and Sheriff demonstrated it ain’t over till the fat lady really has sung.
PARIS (AFP)
Tags: Andrei Kobelev, club trophy, czechs, donetsk ukraine, dynamo moscow, England, european cup winners, fiorentina, Glasgow, gordon strachan, greek side, group stages, italian side, Jose, Lisbon, Lyon, minnows, Moscow, panathinaikos, PARIS, Patricio, Peter Wisgerhof, PRAGUE, Romania, scott mcdonald, SEVILLA, shakhtar donetsk, slavia prague, sparta prague, Steve McClaren, Timisoara, tony mowbray, trophy winners, twente, UEFA Cup, ukraine, winless streakRelated posts
Italy rallies, subdues 10-man USA 3-1 at Confederations Cup
June 16, 2009
PRETORIA, South Africa – A 10-man United States surrendered three goals in the second half and fell to reigning World Cup champion Italy 3-1 on Monday in both teams’ opening game at the Confederations Cup.
USA-born Giuseppe Rossi scored in the 59th and 94th minutes and Daniele De Rossi added another in the 72nd to lead Italy. The result extended the Americans’ winless streak against Italy, having never beaten the Azzurri in seven tries dating back to their first match in 1934.
The United States played the final 56 minutes down a man after Ricardo Clark was ejected for a two-leg sweeping tackle on Gennaro Gattuso.
Despite the disadvantage, Landon Donovan converted a penalty in the 41st minute came after Jozy Altidore drew a foul from Giorgio Chiellini. Altidore dribbled into the penalty area, cut left and was dragged down by Chiellini with both his right arm and a trip.
The Italians had the better of early play, creating their first serious chance in the 21st when Nicola Legrottaglie headed an free kick unmarked just wide. But the U.S. recovered and generated two chances in quick succession only to be wasted by weak shots by Michael Bradley and Altidore.
The U.S. had an own-goal by Jonathan Bornstein waived off due to an offside call on Italy in the 39th before Chiellini’s foul on Donovan.
But with the man advantage, Italy dominated the United States in the second half, repeatedly threatening the U.S. goal and finally converted when Rossi capitalized on a giveaway by Benny Feilhaber at midfield. Rossi quickly turned on goal and fired from 30 yards that beat American keeper Tim Howard just inside the left post.
De Rossi scored similarly, driving toward the area before unleashing a shot that skipped once and again just inside the right post. Rossi added his second four minutes into injury time. Andrea Pirlo dribbled around Feilhaber on the American left, and sent a cross into the middle of the area where Rossi converted with the volley.
The United States will look to recover in its next game against Brazil on Thursday while Italy will face Egypt in the other Group B encounter.
The Confederations Cup is one of three major tournaments the United States is committed to this summer, just finishing the first half of the final round of World Cup qualifying a little over a week ago and heading into next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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Tags: andrea pirlo, Benny Feilhaber, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, daniele de rossi, Donovan, Egypt, free kick, gennaro gattuso, giorgio chiellini, Giuseppe Rossi, injury time, Italy, jonathan bornstein, landon donovan, man advantage, man united, Michael Bradley, Nicola Legrottaglie, offside, pretoria, pretoria south africa, Ricardo Clark, South Africa, tim howard, time andrea, U.S., United States, USA, winless streak, world cup championRelated posts
Atlante not making room in display case for Champions League trophy just yet
May 12, 2009
His team has a two-goal edge on Mexican rival Cruz Azul and will be playing the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final in the friendly confines of Estadio Quintana Roo in Cancun.
However, Atlante manager Jose Guadalupe Cruz hasn’t already picked out a place in his office to display a medal.
“Nothing’s defined yet, that’s why we will take the second leg as serious,” Cruz said after the first leg. “The rival is hurt but not dead. We can not underestimate Cruz Azul because they are a big club.”
Rafael Marquez Lugo, whose injury time penalty completed a 3-1 victory over Santos and a 4-3 aggregate win in the semifinals, set up goals by Fernando Navarro and Christian Bermudez in the 17th and 24th minutes to give Atlante the 2-0 win on April 22 at Estadio Azul in Mexico City.
“I am happy with what we did in the first half, we played a serious game where could have gone up in the score line even more,” Cruz said. “I was not satisfied with the functioning and stamina in the second half. We kept up with them for a good 15 to 20 minutes, but after that they were all over us.”
The second leg was originally scheduled for April 29, but was postponed because of concerns over the swine flu outbreak.
Atlante scored a pair of goals in the first 15 minutes to defeat Santos 2-1 in their Mexican Clausura finale Saturday night in Cancun. Luis Carrillo scored in the fourth minute and Andres Carevic struck in the 15th minute as Atlante jumped in front 2-0.
Daniel Ludueña scored early in the second half for Santos, but Atlante claimed another win against los Guerreros, after a Champions League semifinal victory last month, snapping a seven-match league winless streak.
Meanwhile, Cruz Azul have been busy off the field, sacking manager Benjamin Galindo and replacing him with Robert Dante Siboldi on Tuesday.
“I am ready for these upcoming challenges; Saturday at Jaguares and the [CONCACAF Champions League] final against Atlante,” Siboldi said at an introductory press conference. “We’ll have to rely on everything we’ve done over the last four years, as well as the previous work done by the manager since we do not have time to make major changes.”
In Siboldi’s debut, Cruz Azul played with passion in a wild 3-3 draw with Chiapas Saturday at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna. Alejandro Vela, Julio Cesar Dominguez and Javier Orozco scored for Cruz Azul, which was denied a victory when Adolfo Bautista converted a penalty five minutes from full time for his second goal of the game.
This isn’t the first time Cruz Azul is facing a deficit entering the second leg. La Maquina trailed 2-0 in the opening leg of the semifinals, but rallied to beat the Puerto Rico Islanders on penalties to advance to the final. This time, though, Cruz Azul, which failed to win any of its final 10 Clausura games, needs to get a result away from home.
Atlante will have to play the second leg without defender Miguel Martinez, who drew a second yellow card since the start of the knockout quarterfinals and will be suspended for the home match. But back will be Luis Venegas and Giancarlo Maldonado from suspension, while Gerardo Torrado and Cristian Riveros will return for Cruz Azul.
The winner on aggregate advances to the Club World Cup in Dubai in December.
“We dream of going to Dubai, but reality tells us that there is one more game to go,” Cruz said. “We have to go back home and play a good game. We are very close, closer than Cruz Azul.”
By Dylan Butler
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Tags: Alejandro Vela, Andres Carevic, Benjamin Galindo, Cancun, carevic, christian bermudez, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, cristian riveros, cruz azul, Dubai, Fernando Navarro, flu outbreak, friendly confines, gerardo torrado, injury time, Javier Orozco, jose guadalupe, los guerreros, luis carrillo, Maldonado, miguel martinez, Puerto Rico, quintana roo, rafael marquez, rafael marquez lugo, robert dante, Robert Dante Siboldi, Santos, score line, semifinal victory, serious game, swine flu, time penalty, Victor Manuel Reyna, winless streakRelated posts
Hoffenheim’s Cinderella story turns sour
May 1, 2009
Having seen the changes at the top of the Bundesliga in the past few months you cannot help but feel sorry for newcomers Hoffenheim, who have played some of the most exciting football this season.
They won promotion last year and halfway through the season they topped the standings in a sensational run. They shared the top spot at the halfway mark with Bayern Munich but were ahead on goal difference and style of play.
But that is where their Cinderella debut season with their free-flowing, attacking football ended; the clock struck 12 and the golden chariot turned into a defective Trabant.
The league’s top scorer at the time, Vedad Ibisevic, who netted 18 times in 17 matches, tore his ligament during the winter break. Out for the rest of the season.
Then came midfielder Carlos Eduardo’s five-match ban after fighting with Hamburg’s Ivica Olic during a friendly match.
As if that was not enough they also missed striker Chinedu Obasi — twice through injury — before the tranquillity of the team was again shattered by a weeks-long doping affair involving Andreas Ibertsberger and Christoph Janker.
The two defenders were 10 minutes late for a doping test but they did avoid punishment with the blame placed on club officials.
But that was not the last of Hoffenheim’s woes. Newly-signed keeper Timo Hildebrand has managed only a handful of appearances after being plagued by minor injuries.
Then came the ongoing 11-match winless streak, though many of those matches should have clearly been won.
In their 0-0 draw at home against Werder Bremen, striker Boubacar Sanogo alone hit the same post three times. “At the end I was laughing. I could not believe it,” he said.
So from first they are now down to eighth, their dreams of European soccer at their brand-new Rhein Neckar Arena dashed as fast as striker Demba Ba’s surging runs.
Coach Ralf Rangnick admits there is no point in talking about a European spot anymore but refuses to change his young team’s attacking style.
And for the football fans out there, that is great news.
PHOTO: TSG Hoffenheim’s coach Ralf Rangnick awaits the start of the German Bundesliga first match against Hamburg SV in Hamburg April 4, 2009. REUTERS/Morris Mac Matzen
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Tags: Andreas Ibertsberger, bayern munich, boubacar sanogo, Bundesliga, carlos eduardo, Christoph Janker, club officials, debut season, european soccer, friendly match, goal difference, golden chariot, Hamburg, hildebrand, Hoffenheim, ivica olic, ligament, minor injuries, Morris Mac Matzen, obasi, Ralf Rangnick, rhein neckar, Timo Hildebrand, top scorer, winless streakRelated posts
Santos, Atlante seek redemption for domestic woes in Champions League semis
March 17, 2009
Mexican Primera League coaches Daniel Guzman of Santos Laguna and Atlante’s Jose Guadalupe Cruz both understand their quest for Champions League glory could help ease their current domestic woes.
A victory in the first leg of their semifinal Wednesday night at Corona Stadium in Torreon, Mexico, will not only move one coach closer to a confederation championship, but also help them forget about a miserable 2009 Clausura campaign.
"Certainly there have been instances where things haven’t always turned out the way we wanted during this season,” Cruz said. “But if we continue to work hard and enthusiastically, the results will come.”
Winner’s of last year’s Clausura title, Guzman’s Warriors are tied for fifth place Group One on 11 points with Cruz’s Atlante, which captured the Apertura title in December 2007.
Cruz remained upbeat after Atlante’s 4-1 quarterfinal victory over Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo on March 3, and a 3-1 victory over America in Primera league action five days later.
“The recent successes really show that we are getting better step by step,” Cruz said.
The Iron Colts’ have relied on Colombian striker Luis Rey, who has scored five of the team’s 11 goals.
But they’re coming off a 3-1 loss to Pumas on Sunday, with Argentine midfielder Gabriel Pereyra scoring the lone goal for the Colts.
Atlante will be looking to end a winless streak against Santo, having lost 3-0 a year ago in February and having to settle for a 0-0 draw in their last meeting November 16.
Guzman also feels the Champions League semifinals is a chance to turn things around.
"We [Santos] have a strong desire to transcend internationally and put the name of Torreon and this club on the world soccer map," Guzman said. "It will be a very arduous road forward, and the players also will pay a strong price physically to make our international dreams come true."
Santos once potent attack has struggled this season, scoring only nine goals in as many matches.
Carlos Quintera rescued Guzman’s Warriors from elimination against the Montreal Impact in the Champions League quarterfinals on March 5, scoring twice in injury time to give Santos a 5-4 aggregate victory.
The Colombian striker appears to be peaking, having also scored twice in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Toluca in Torreon.
The Warriors will be without striker Daniel Luduena, who injured his thigh in training last week, did not play Sunday and isn’t expected to be a factor in Wednesday’s match.
Mexican international goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez returned to the lineup in Sunday’s game after suffering a muscle strain in the second leg of their win over Montreal.
After Wednesday’s first leg, the semifinal series moves on to Quintana Roo Stadium in Cancun on April 8 for the deciding match, with the winner advancing to the final next month and a shot at a berth in the Club World Cup in December.
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Tags: America, arduous road, Argentine, atlante, Cancun, Carlos Quintera, champions league semifinals, clausura, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Corona Stadium, daniel guzman, Daniel Luduena, domestic woes, gabriel pereyra, Houston, houston dynamo, jose guadalupe, Jose Guadalupe Cruz, Laguna, league coaches, lone goal, Luis Rey, Major League Soccer, Mexico, Montreal, move one, quintana roo, rsquo, Santo, Santos, santos laguna, strong desire, Torreon, torreon mexico, winless streak, world soccerRelated posts
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