Monday, October 31, 2011

Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer overjoyed with leading Molde to historic Norwegian first division title

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The 38-year-old is jubilant after winning MFK the first championship in their history on Sunday and believes that it was a “well deserved” success for the club



Molde coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has expressed his delight at leading the Norwegian club to their first ever Tippeligaen title during his debut season at the club.
The club, established in 1911, accomplished their triumph on Sunday following their 2-2 draw with Stromsgodset, a result which was enough to hand them the title after Norwegian giants and second-placed Rosenborg suffered a 6-3 home loss to Brann.


The results mean that Molde are now eight points clear at the top of the first division table with two more rounds of matches remaining, leaving Solskjaer overjoyed with his team’s achievement in his first season in charge.
"The club has waited 100 years for this," the 38-year-old told VG. "We have been close several times so this was well deserved.
"When Brann went 4-1 up, I realised we had done it. It was a good atmosphere in the dressing room and we will enjoy ourselves tonight."
Solskjaer became Molde coach in January 2011 after two and a half years as manager of Manchester United's Reserves.

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Villarreal's Marcos Senna ruled out of Champions League clash against Manchester City - report

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The veteran midfielder won't take part in this week's European encounter at El Madrigal after having picked up a hamstring injury against Rayo Vallecano

Villarreal coach Juan Carlos Garrido will have to make do without the services of experienced midfielder Marcos Senna in Wednesday's Champions League game at home against Manchester City after the former Spain international picked up an injury.
 
The 35-year-old picked up a hamstring injury in his side's 2-0 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday and was forced to leave the pitch after 49 minutes of play due to the knock.

Senna underwent further examination on Sunday and uefa.com reports that the hamstring problem will keep the midfielder out of his side's fourth Group A game.

The first meeting between Villarreal and City ended in a 2-1 win for the English side. Wednesday's match at El Madrigal kicks off at 19.45GMT.

Villarreal have yet to pick up their first point of the group stage, while Roberto Mancini's side have so far collected four points from three games.


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Manchester City's Edin Dzeko believes Manchester United are still Premier League title favourites

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The Bosnian insists that "United are United" despite the Blues being five points clear at the top and attempted to clear up his negative reaction to being substituted in Germany

Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko believes that Manchester United are still favourites for the Premier League title despite Roberto Mancini's side holding a five-point advantage over the Red Devils after 10 games.
 
Following City's 6-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford last weekend, the Blues preserved their five-point cushion with a 3-1 victory over Wolves at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Despite their position at the top of the table, former Wolfsburg attacker Dzeko admits "United are United" and that they are still favourites to retain their crown.

"I still don't think we are favourites," the Bosnian said, as quoted by the Guardian.

"There are still a lot of games to play. We have played 10 matches and are five points clear of Manchester United but for me they are still favourites for the title. We are first and want to stay there but United are United, although we are growing up with every game."

Dzeko was embroiled in controversy last month after his negative reaction to being substituted against Bayern Munich in the Champions League but the 25-year-old insists that he apologised after the game and that it was normal for him to be angry after failing to score.

"I apologised afterwards," he added. "Sometimes, it is hard when you play badly and don't score goals. Sometimes, you are angry and that is normal. I played for two and a half years in Germany. I wanted to win and maybe score a goal. In Munich we played well for the first 30 minutes and then nothing." 


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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Pele celebrates 71st birthday: Premier League is best in Europe, Sylvester Stallone was my toughest opponent & Lionel Messi is an incomplete player

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'The King' was in the English capital to launch his new sports lifestyle collection, bringing out the stars and a number of eye-catching quotes in the process

Brazil and Santos legend Pele celebrated his 71st birthday in London in typical outspoken style this week, hailing the Premier League as Europe's top division and branding Lionel Messi an "incomplete" player.
 
The three-time World Cup winner, who is in the UK for the global launch of his new sports lifestyle collection The Beautiful Revolution, told Goal.com: "I would love to play with Lionel Messi. But Messi is an incomplete player because he can't use his head. Also I played football for 20 years, Messi has only played for several years."

He added: "If there is one player in the world today I would love to play with it is Neymar."

Pele was speaking at a special drinks reception held in London's Covent Garden to mark his 71st birthday, with guests including Rio Ferdinand, brother Anton, ex-Bayern Munich and Barcelona defender Patrick Andersson and Pele's 1970 World Cup opponent Terry Cooper, formerly of England and Leeds United.

Brazil's leading all-time goalscorer said he was delighted to be in England and hailed the country's top-flight division: "The English Premier League is the best league in Europe, better than La Liga."

When asked about who his toughest opponent was, Pele, who faced the likes of Bobby Moore and Giacinto Facchetti in his playing days, joked: "Sylvester Stallone during the filming of Escape to Victory. He was very strong."

The Rocky star played an American POW-turned-goalkeeper in the World War Two film in which he co-starred with Michael Caine and Pele amongst others.

As a birthday present, Pele was presented by PFA deputy chief executive Bobby Barnes and Arsenal youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a special lifetime award: a glittering 18-carat gold-plated football boot.

Barnes said: "Alex is one of the best young players in the English Premier League. He made his debut at 16, and if he achieves a fraction of what Pele did he will have a fantastic career.

"Everyone remembers Pele's Brazil teams from 1957-70, and the World Cup victories of '58, '62 and '70.

"Only a few things are memorable from my childhood: the Apollo moon landings, Muhammad Ali's boxing fights... and Pele. On behalf of the PFA, we are delighted to present this award as a symbol of our esteem."

Guests at the London event were then shown the Pele sport brand's Spring Summer '12 collection, featuring the launch of three distinct ranges - Pelé Story, Pelada and Performance.

The most heralded and eagerly-anticipated from these collections is the "revolutionary, ground-breaking, ultra-light" Trinity 3E football boot, which promises to "maximise a player's game and speed potential by training your muscles as you play."

Check out all of Pele's new sports lifestyle collection at www.pele-sports.com


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AC Milan's Daniele Bonera: Our position in Serie A now better reflects our quality

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The defender feels the Rossoneri are on the right track again after a sluggish start and is eagerly anticipating this weekend's game against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico

AC Milan defender Daniele Bonera has voiced his opinion that the reigning Italian champions are closer to where they belong after moving up to fifth position in Serie A following three consecutive wins.
 
The 30-year-old is pleased to see his side in the top half of the league table again after wins over Palermo, Lecce and Parma.

And he says he and his team-mates are now looking forward to attempting to extend their winning streak in this weekend's away game versus Roma.

"The league table is now a better reflection of our quality. It simply wasn’t right that we sat in the lower half of the table," Bonera is quoted as saying on the Milan website. "Now we have to stay focused because the game against Roma will be tough.

"I think Roma are still looking for their identity and we’re going there with lots of motivation."

Bonera realises that it will not be an easy game, though, as Roma will be keen to secure a positive result after their defeat in midweek.

He added: "However, they’ll be determined to put in a good performance, especially after the loss against Genoa on Wednesday evening. It’s always tough at the Stadio Olimpico."


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William Hill open market on Manchester City to win everything this season at 250/1

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Rampant Citizens are favourites for the Premier League title with the bookies offering generous odds on the amount of silverware they will end the campaign with.

Manchester City's stunning start to the season has prompted British bookmaker William Hill to open a market on the unbeaten club to scoop all before them.

Hill's are offering a price of 250/1 that Roberto Mancini's team will win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League. The big spenders went top of the league after thumping Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford and are now favourites to end their title drought at 11/10 with the Red Devils at 15/8.  

 

City ended their trophy famine last season with an FA Cup triumph and they are 6/1 to scoop the domestic double. A treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup is trading at 22/1. Emulating their city rivals' treble of 1999 of the Premier League crown, FA Cup and Champions League is priced at 80/1.

"City's current form is red hot and many punters have backed them to make a strong bid to win all four major trophies," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

No English club has ever won the domestic treble or an historic quadruple. Manchester United came close to landing an English treble in 1993/94 but were denied by Aston Villa in the League Cup final before going on to win the Premier League and FA Cup.

In more recent years, Chelsea were in contention for all four trophies in 2006/07 but fell short after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup. The Blues exited the Champions League at the semi-final stage and finished second behind Manchester United in the title race.

Manchester City trophy specials (William Hill)
No trophies @ 13/10
Premier League/Carling Cup @ 7/2
Premier League/FA Cup @ 6/1
FA Cup/Carling Cup @ 10/1
Premier League/Champions League @ 16/1
Premier League/FA Cup/Carling Cup @ 22/1
Carling Cup/Champions League @ 25/1
FA Cup/Champions League @ 40/1
Premier League/Carling Cup/Champions League @ 66/1
Premier League/FA Cup/Champions League @ 80/1
FA Cup/Carling Cup/Champions League @ 150/1
Premier League/FA Cup/Carling Cup/Champions League @ 250/1


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Real Madrid's Angel di Maria determined to maintain impressive form

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The Argentine winger says he is confident again and that he hopes things continue to go well for him after scoring in his side's victory against Villarreal

Angel di Maria was delighted to score in Real Madrid's 3-0 La Liga win over Villarreal on Wednesday - and says he is hopeful of maintaining the level of performance he demonstrated in the game.
 
The Argentine winger scored his first league goal of the season, and Madrid's third of the night, on the half-hour mark after previously providing assists for his side's first two goals.

And he has stressed that he is full of confidence again following his recent impressive showings.

"I'm happy with the victory and also with my goal because I hadn't scored for a long time. I had a chance to score tonight and it was a beautiful thing for me," Di Maria was quoted as saying on the official Madrid website.

"I'm very happy because things are going well for me. I'm confident again, which is important to me. I hope things continue to go well for me."

Di Maria has already set up seven La Liga goals in the 2011-12 campaign and tops the assist chart after nine games.


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Manchester United defender Chris Smalling wants to play at both Euro 2012 and the London Olympics

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Former Fulham man hoping to feature at both tournaments but insists his focus will be on the Red Devils' title challenge for the rest of the Premier League season

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has revealed he hopes to feature at both Euro 2012 and the London Olympic Games next year.

Smalling would see little time off during the summer if he did feature in both tournaments but pointed out that chances to play in major international competitions do not come around very often, though he admits club matters are his priority at the moment.

"I have to say that England is not my first target at the moment and neither are the Olympics," Smalling told the Manchester Evening News.

"United is what I am thinking about. But towards the end of the season I will be looking towards that and hopefully I might get into the England squad. Obviously I'd love to go there [Euro 2012].

"There is also the Olympics as well. A lot of the lads who went to the [Euro] Under-21 Championships last summer will be able to play in it.
"Whether it is the Euros, the Olympics, or both – you would like to be involved because these opportunities do not come around too often."
For now, though, Smalling is focusing on United's defence of the Premier League title and the former Fulham player admitted his delight at his rapid ascent from non-league football to the top flight and the Champions League.
"Everybody's career is not plain sailing," he said.
"I have been very much enjoying how it has gone over the last couple of years and hopefully it will stay on course. But I will be ready if there is a setback and I will work hard.

"When I was younger I stopped playing for a professional club after being at Millwall's academy. I was at school and I thought the chance in the pro game might not come again.
"But I was always going to give it a go and keep at it and worked hard. I never gave up and the reminder of that will always help me in the future.
"That will be the same response if I get a setback in the professional game. I learned from that.

"You cannot take anything for granted."

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Inter's Javier Zanetti: We are capable of doing great things

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The Argentine was pleased with his team's victory over Chievo on Sunday, and feels the Giuseppe Meazza side will still be a force to be reckoned with this season

Inter captain Javier Zanetti has voiced his opinion that the Coppa Italia holders can still achieve great things this season in the wake of their 1-0 Serie A win at home over Chievo on Sunday afternoon.
 
Claudio Ranieri's men have been struggling to find their best form in the opening months of the 2011-12 campaign, but are slowly getting their confidence back after wins over Lille in the Champions League and against the Verona-based side at the weekend.

"This a group that is capable of doing great things, and we think this every game. We're working on our solidity, and we must prevent the opposing teams from doing damage to us," Zanetti told Sky Sport Italia.

"The victory was important in not letting the standings weigh on us too heavily. Inter deservedly won, although we had to suffer until the end against a Chievo team that attacked.

"We still hadn't been able to win at Giuseppe Meazza, so this match was also important in that regard."

Inter have climbed to 16th spot in the Serie A table following the weekend's results. They have collected seven points from as many games.


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AC Milan’s Mario Yepes thrilled with winner in seven-goal thriller against Lecce & hails side's mental strength

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The Colombian centre-back is jubilant after scoring vital goal at the Stadio Comunale Via del Mare for the Rossoneri but admits that their opponents made it “tough” for them


AC Milan defender Mario Yepes believes that his side’s 4-3 comeback victory over Lecce in Serie A on Sunday was due to their “personality”.
The Rossoneri were 3-0 down at the Stadio Comunale Via del Mare after just 37 minutes, but bounced back strongly in the second period, thanks largely to a 14-minute hat-trick from half-time substitute Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Yepes himself scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute as Milan emerged victorious in their third successive competitive fixture, and was overjoyed with the dramatic victory in Lecce.
"I’m very happy," the Colombian centre-back told Milan’s official website. “It’s my first goal for the club.
“We couldn’t have imagined a game this tough. We did well because we managed to turn the result around from a 3-0 loss to a win.
“We showed personality and the ability to react. We got three important points."
Massimiliano Allegri’s side are currently seventh in the league standings with 11 points from seven matches, four behind leaders Udinese. They welcome Parma to San Siro on Wednesday in their next Serie A game.

Chelsea captain John Terry 'saddened' by claims of racial slur against QPR's Anton Ferdinand

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Blues defender claims he did not hurl racist abuse at the Hoops defender during his side's 1-0 defeat at Loftus Road, and says there are "no problems" between the two


Chelsea's John Terry has denied that he made racist comments towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to the Premier League new boys.
The Blues had plenty of problems to deal with as Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba were both sent off and Heidar Helguson's penalty condemned the visitors to defeat.
But there was a further fall out as internet videos of Terry seemingly shouting at Ferdinand circled the internet, with some claiming the England defender hurled racist abuse at the Hoops man.
But Terry said in a statement: "I've seen that there's a lot of comments on the internet with regards to some video footage of me in today's game.
"I'm disappointed that people have leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying to Anton Ferdinand.
"I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively, saying that I never used that term.
"I would never say such a thing, and I'm saddened that people would think so.
"I have known Anton for a long time and spoke to him about it after the game and there was no problem between us.
"I congratulated him on their win. He has not accused me of any wrongful remark.
"It was clear it was all a misunderstanding at the time.
"After the result today, I am saddened to be dealing with these wrongful allegations.
"I am the proud captain of one of the most internationally diverse teams in the Premier League and I absolutely believe that there is no place for racism in sport and indeed in any walk of life."

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits 6-1 hammering by rivals City is his 'worst ever day in football'

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Red Devils manager is devastated by the margin of his side's defeat but is adamant they will return stronger after an embarrassing day at Old Trafford against their rivals


Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted his side’s 6-1 defeat at the hands of neighbours Manchester City will mark the worst day in his football career.
  The incredible defeat is the first time since the 1930s that United have conceded six at home and marks their worst home defeat since losing 5-0 to City back in 1955.
The United boss was under no illusions at the impact of the result, admitting it was the worst defeat in his career and in the club's history.
“It was a bad day, our worst ever day,” Sir Alex told Sky Sports. “But we’ll come back from that, that is the challenge.
“The thing that concerned me the most was the goals, for and against. The difference was 10 goals, so that was a big blow for us because you never know if goal difference will count.
“Most years it’s in our favour, but at the moment it’s not.
“We will react. There is no question about that. It’s the perfect result for us to react to because there is a lot of embarrassment in the dressing room today and that will make an impact.
“I feel disappointed. It’s my worst defeat in history, even as a player, I don’t think I’ve ever lost a game 6-1, but that’s a challenge for me too.
“They are all disappointed in there; that will make a difference.
“By January we will be okay, we usually get a shot along the road and then usually do well in the second half of the season and that will have to be the case again.
“At the moment we’ve played all the teams that are around us, so we can’t really make a difference.
“They have all got to play each other obviously, but the second half of the season is usually very important for us.”
Sir Alex’s men went down thanks to two goals each from Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko, whilst David Silva and Sergio Aguero also added a goal each, with Jonny Evans receiving a red card early on in the second half.
The Ulsterman received a straight red card for pulling down Balotelli when the Italian got in behind him, but referee Mark Clattenburg had no option but to send the defender off, with Sir Alex believing it played a massive part in the match.
“I think the sending off did play a big part,” rued the 69 year-old. “You can’t believe that scoreline if you see it for the first time.
“For the first 25 minutes we were outstanding and dominated the game. Of course they scored the first goal and that was a blow to us, but the win was still achievable in that situation.
“The sending off was certainly the killer for us and after that, we just kept attacking. In the nature of Manchester United that is all well and good, but once it gets to 4-1 the defenders should just say ‘that is it for today’.
“But we just kept attacking, with full-backs bombing forward and they were effectively three against two – it was crazy, crazy football.
“I thought with the experience we have got in the side, particularly with Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra, they would have realised, but they all just kept attacking.
“It is okay playing like the history and tradition of the club, but sometimes you’ve just got to have a bit of common sense.
“It could have been even more for both sides - it was so open, we just kept attacking - unbelievable.”

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Corinthians confirm talks over transfer of Manchester City's Carlos Tevez

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The Paulista institution's director of football admitted that he had made enquiries to sign the controversial forward, adding that a transfer was far from complete

Corinthians have increased speculation that they will attempt to bring Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez back to Sao Paulo, with director of football Edu Gaspar revealing that he enquired about the Argentine while in Europe.
 
The Brazilians, along with Boca Juniors, have been strongly linked with Tevez since his relationship with the English club soured in September, when he seemingly refused to come on as a late substitution during a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Gaspar added fuel to those rumours on Wednesday afternoon, when he affirmed that on a recent trip across the Atlantic Ocean he spoke with sources close to Manchester City in order to gauge the possibility of a transfer.

"It is part of my job to know what is happening in different countries, looking for players who are free and who want to return home. I cannot deny that [Tevez] is one of those athletes," the director told reporters at a press conference.

"I have a great friend who works in City, Patrick Vieira. I ask questions, I want to know. Everything I did is now known by Andres [Sanchez, club president], the important people, the contacts."

The Brazilians hope to close the transfer by the middle of December, in order to welcome Tevez to the club for the start of the new season in 2012. Gaspar, however, pleaded caution from fans; also declining to give the transfer value of a prospective approach.

"He is a player who, disregarding his state of mind, has his own value. It is difficult to talk about a price to say if he is worth it or not," the club official stated.

"City have said that Tevez must stay out of the club for a month. Mancini said that he does not want him back. We will hope to resolve his situation, but at the moment there is nothing too concrete."

Tevez appeared for Corinthians between 2005 and 2006, lifting the Brasileirao championship in his first year at the club.


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Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas full of praise for striker Fernando Torres after a double against Genk

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The manager believes the strikers game for Spain did him a lot of good but thinks the his performance shouldn't overshadow the 'collective' effort of the team


Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas praised striker Fernando Torres for his impressive performance against Genk which saw him net a double on his return to the side.
 
The Blues were odds-on favourites to beat the Belgian side at Stamford Bridge and won convincingly 5-0.
Villas-Boas was pleased with the way his team handled the match and believes Torres has seen a revival in his confidence.
“He [Torres] wanted to play," Villas-Boas told Sky Sports. "It was important for him to play for the Spain national team and he has been keeping his form well and got into positive positions.
“I think it was a very good display by the team. It’s very decisive when you play a game of this dimension. We kept the rhythm high, in the second half we wanted to keep the rhythm high but I think here and there we missed a couple of passes.
“We increased the tempo in the last 20 minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net. But it was a good result and puts us in a good position. If we get ten points it will be very good.
"We felt confident from the beginning. We stayed focused and motivated together. The goal in the first 15 minutes gave us stability.
“I don’t think it’s about individual objectives but collective objectives.”

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AC Milan 2-0 BATE Borisov: Ibrahimovic & Boateng ease Italian giants to comfortable Group H Victory

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The home team took all three points at San Siro with a dominating display against the Belarusian side, as they forgot their Serie A woes to equal Barcelona on points in the table


The home side missed a host of chances but still emerged the victors courtesy of two great goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin Prince Boateng.

The Italian champions started the match brightly, putting the visitors under heavy pressure early in the game, and in the fourth minute Alberto Aquilani was handed a great chance to open the scoring but the midfielder's close-range effort sailed just over the bar.
Then moments later and Ibrahimovic tried one from just past the halfway line but like Aquilani before him, the giant Swede’s drive flew over the top of the goal.
The hosts were still controlling the game with Aquilani looking particularly lively, as the Italy international saw one effort crash off the post before forcing Aleksandr Gutor into a good save with a drive from the right side of the box.
Just after the half hour mark and against the run of play, the away side should have taken the lead, when a lack of concentration from Mark van Bommel gifted Renan Bressan a great opportunity to open the scoring, but the Brazilian was denied by a great save from Christian Abbiati.


Ten minutes before the break, Milan took a deserved lead through a great finish from Ibrahimovic. A dangerous cross from Ignazio Abate wasn’t cleared properly, which left the Sweden international with space to drive the ball past Gutor from the just inside the area.
The second half began and the home side were still dominating the game, creating a host of chances before Ibrahimovic missed a good opportunity to get his second of the night, instead blazing his effort into the stands.
With 20 minutes to go Milan doubled their advantage with a thunderbolt from Boateng, as the Ghana international controlled the ball beautifully after an Aquilani corner before unleashing a ferocious drive from the edge of the box that left Gutor with no chance.
Following tonight's victory Milan will now travel to Belarus in November, knowing a win would all but seal their qualification to the knockout stages while BATE will be looking for their first win of the campaign.

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Manchester United's Javier Hernandez to score last & three Champions League Tuesday goalscorer tips

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Jim Knight has flagged up Miralem Sulejmani as a potential scorer for Ajax, goal machine Mario Gomez for Bayern Munich and the Red Devils' gifted Mexican

 

 

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Tuesday Bet of the Day extra: Real Madrid's Karim Benzema tipped to score against Lyon

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The French forward likes to rendezvous with his old club, netting in both games between the sides last season, and is a fine price to do the same at the Bernabeu tonight

Whilst a resurgent Real Madrid host Lyon in Tuesday Evening's Champions League clash on the back of three consecutive victories, the Spanish side have a surprisingly poor record against their French visitors.  
 

Having met eight times since 2005, the Madrid giants have only won once, a 3-0 victory earlier this year. Lyon have the advantage over the Merengues, with the equivalent of 13 points to the Spaniard's seven.

With this in mind, the 1.20 for a home win is far too short as an outright bet. The value, therefore, resides in the other markets, and, as a thoughtful punter, it is your duty to look elsewhere for a quality bet with profit potential.

In the goalscorer markets, there is an immediate temptation to go for the current form man in Gonzalo Higuain. His goalscoring exploits recently have taken the breath away, with three hat-tricks in four games for both club and country, making him one of the most feared marksmen on the planet.

Jose Mourinho has indicated he may now play Higuain alongside Karim Benzema, given the Argentine's impressive form only came along due to the French forward's injury. This will be a big game for the former Lyon player, and, in three games against his old club, he has found the net twice.

Having not played at the weekend it looks most likely that Mourinho (returning from a touchline ban himself) has earmarked this game for the French striker's comeback. Backing the Benz each way at 4.0 to open the scoring looks an attractive bet given that he's almost certain to start.

If you are confident in Real's ability to win, then consider backing them to win without conceding at 1.90 - and do so knowing that they've only let in one goal in their last seven home games in this competition.

Agent claims Roma, Udinese & Palermo are interested in Nacional's Nicolas Lopez

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The talented teenager has made no secret of wanting to leave Uruguay and his representative claims that there is no shortage of potential suitors

Interest appears to be heating up around wantaway Nacional starlet Nicolas Lopez, as the youngster's agent has revealed Roma, Palermo and Udinese are all interested in signing his client.  
 

The future of the 18-year-old striker has been in doubt ever since August, when his father revealed that he was in Italy to decide Lopez's future without the permission of the Uruguayan club. Nacional were furious and threatened to report the case to Fifa in order to avoid the exit of one of their most promising talents.

A move did not materialise before the summer transfer window closed, but Lopez's representative, Pablo Betancourt, revealed on Thursday that certain clubs were hoping to make a move sooner rather than later.

"Not just Roma are interested in Nicolas. Palermo and Udinese want him too," the agent told Mediagol from Italy.

Lopez has made five appearances for the Uruguayan champions since making his debut in April 2011, scoring three times.


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Manchester United forward Mame Biram Diouf believes another loan move would benefit his Old Trafford career

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The Senegal international has had loan spells at former side Molde and in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers and is now after more first-team action

Manchester United youngster Mame Biram Diouf believes that a further spell on loan would benefit both himself and his club.
The forward arrived at Old Trafford from Norwegian outfit Molde in 2009 and was immediately loaned back to the club currently managed by Red Devils legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Diouf then secured another temporary move to Blackburn Rover last season where he featured 26 times, scoring on three occasions.
The 23-year-old believes he may need to depart from United once more on loan to gain more first-team action, instead of fighting it out with more experienced figures such as Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen.
"It is not easy for me, but to be honest unless you are [Lionel] Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo you are not going to get in the attack of Manchester United," he told Sky Sports.
"Sometimes you have a winner of the Golden Ball [Owen] or last season's top scorer (Berbatov) not even on the bench, in the last game the striker substitutes were Rooney and Hernandez.
"I will keep on fighting and see, going on a loan to play regularly would benefit both parties."

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Otelul Galati - Manchester United Preview: Sir Alex Ferguson's side looking to make up for lost ground with first Champions League win

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

OTELUL GALATI
 

Otelul Galati


Grahovac
Skubic, Perendija, Costin, Salageanu
Antal, Filip, Ibeh, Giurgiu, Bus
Pena

MANCHESTER UNITEDManchester United
De Gea
Fabio, Smalling, Vidic, Evra
Valencia, Carrick, Anderson, Young
Rooney, Hernandez

The Romanian side have not been in the best of form this season, as they are currently in a mid-table position in their local standings.

Their maiden tryst with the Champions League has not yielded any fruit either, as they look for their first ever points in the group stage against a club that has tasted the ultimate triumph in the competition three times in their history.

The wide array of attacking talent that the Red Devils possess might prompt the hosts to stick with a 4-5-1 line-up in the hope of snatching a point from the encounter.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made a few changes to his line-up in the recent 1-1 draw with Liverpool, keeping Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Michael Carrick on the bench. All three could make a return to the starting line-up, considering the gravity of their current situation in the group.

The champions of England have drawn their opening two games and playing catch-up for the top spot may prove to be a sticky task if three points are not secured in Romania.

Tom Cleverley (foot) and Darron Gibson (ankle) are the only fitness related concerns that Sir Alex has ahead of the trip, though Rio Ferdinand hasn't travelled, with an otherwise strong squad available to the Scot.

DID YOU KNOW?
  • Otelul Galati won their domestic league last season and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history. They are yet to register their first points in the competition, having lost to Benfica and Basel in their first two games in Group C.
  • They have not won a match on the European stage since a 2-1 second leg victory - 4-2 on aggregate - over Turkish side Trabzonspor in the third round of the 2007 Intertoto Cup.
  • The hosts will be playing an English club for the first time in their history, while Sir Alex's charges have played a Romanian club only once before - Dinamo Bucharest in 2004-05.
  • Manchester United have conceded four goals so far, drawing both their games in Group C. Ironically, Otelul have shipped in three but have lost both their games.
  • The Red Devils began their legendary 1998-99 European campaign with two draws, but eventually ended up conquering Europe.
  • Sir Alex has guided United to two European triumphs in his long and distinguished career at Old Trafford. Should his team taste glory again, he will have equalled Liverpool's legendary former boss Bob Paisley's record of three European cups. No other manager has won as many. 

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Celtic midfielder Biram Kayal signs new four-year deal

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The Israeli arrived from Maccabi Haifa last summer and impressed the club's fans and staff in his first campaign with the Bhoys, making 40 appearances and scoring twice

Celtic midfielder Biram Kayal has signed a new deal with the Scottish outfit that will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2015.
The Israeli made a great impression on the Bhoys’ fans in his inaugural season at Celtic Park after arriving at the Glasgow club last summer from Maccabi Haifa.

Kayal has so far made 40 appearances in a Celtic shirt, scoring twice in the process and is delighted to be staying on with the side for the long-term.
"I'm very happy to sign this new contract with Celtic," Kayal said on the club’s website.
"I came to Celtic last season and I've enjoyed it very much. I feel at home here and I want to be at the club for a long time."
"The fans have been magnificent and I want to thank them all for their support. I will do everything for the club and the manager to achieve success," he added..
"It was the manager who wanted me here and I want to achieve things for him, the club and all our supporters."

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Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is even more ambitious than last season, says Iker Casillas

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The club captain believes the Portuguese is keen to build on last season's Copa del Rey success as he looks to claim the big prizes at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2011-12

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has revealed that head coach Jose Mourinho is even more determined to win silverware in the 2011-12 campaign than he was last term.

The Santiago Bernabeu side triumphed in the Copa del Rey last season, but were eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals and had to settle for second spot in La Liga.

And Casillas insists that Mourinho is determined to do better in his second year in charge of Madrid.

"I still see Mourinho as the same person he was last year, but he is even more ambitious to win trophies now," Casillas was quoted as saying by AS.

"That's a good thing in my opinion. His ambition will brush off on the rest of the team. We want to improve on last year's performances.

"We won the Copa del Rey last term and want to retain that trophy and take it one step further in other competitions.

"The coach has said more than once that he's always more successful in his second season, and the players share his ambition."

Real Madrid currently sit third in the Primera Division table and top Group D of the Champions league. Their next game is the European match at home against Olympique Lyonnais on Tuesday. 
 
 
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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Andre Villas-Boas backs Chelsea's new stadium plans

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The Portuguese boss understands the fans' dismay at leaving Stamford Bridge but likens the situation to that of Porto's relocation in 2003

Andre-Villas Boas has backed Chelsea's initial plans to move from Stamford Bridge into a new stadium.

Club owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly proposed to purchase shares from Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the freehold for Stamford Bridge, in order to push forward a move into a new ground away from their current plot.

 
In light of Abramovich's move, there has been growing unrest amongst fans, who are against the idea of leaving Stamford Bridge - Chelsea's home for the last 106 years.

But while Andre-Villas acknowledges fans' dismay at the idea of leaving Stamford Bridge, he maintains a move into a bigger stadium would only serve as an aid to the club's running.

"The most important thing for us it to position ourselves regarding our future. The club has made a wise decision in that sense," said Villas-Boas.

“What we are living through now is an initial fans’ reaction. The disappointment regarding the possible loss of an historical site can mean something."

"But eventually, if we move or not, things will be for the best for sure."

Villas-Boas likened Chelsea's current situation to that of his former club Porto, who moved to the Estadio do Dragao in 2003.

"When Porto left the old stadium to go to the Dragao, nobody liked the name or the stadium. The historic presence of the old stadium on that site was important for the fans," he said.

“But go back to Porto now and no one remembers the old stadium. Everybody now talks about the new stadium.

"Because it took us into the future, brought us more revenues in the end, and made us play in a magnificent stadium.

"That's my experience of the past. I'm not in a position to say how the fans will react, and how they are reacting."

Ivory Coast & Ghana seeded for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations

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The top seeds for Group B and D would be the Black Stars and the Elephants respectively while co-hosts Equatorial Guinea and Gabon lead groups A and C

Two west African giants Ghana and Ivory Coast have been seeded for the draw of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) being held October 29. Also making the cut for the top seeded teams Gabon and Equatorial Guinea given that they will be co-hosting the tournament.

According to the continental football governing body, Caf, the west Africans were selected based on their previous records and qualifying performances.

The remaining 12 teams will be categorised have been placed in three other pots based on their results in the last three editions of the Afcon.

The draw will take place in Equatorial Guinea's capital city of Malabo in two weeks time. The 28th edition of the continental showpiece will be played from January 21 to February 12.

Below are the pots in full:

Pot 1:
Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire

Pot 2:
Tunisia, Angola, Zambia, Guinea

Pot 3:
Mali, Senegal, Morocco, Burkina Faso

Pot 4:
Sudan, Libya, Botswana, Niger



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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Joachim Low: Euro 2012 will not just be about Germany & Spain

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The DFB coach has warned not to underestimate England, France and Netherlands in Poland and Ukraine next year, as he sees difficult opposition en route to potential success

Joachim Low has rejected suggestions Euro 2012 will be dominated by Germany and Spain, with the current DFB national team boss also listing England, France and the Netherlands as contenders for the title.
 
Germany finished their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent win record after beating Belgium 3-1 on Tuesday, form which has put them amongst the favourites to taste success in Poland and Ukraine next year.

Spain enjoyed similar success in Group I as they won all eight of their qualifiers, with Vicente del Bosque's side also tipped to retain their European title.

However, Low has warned that the other contenders who have qualified should not be written off before the competition starts in 2012.

Speaking to Ansa, Low said: "There is no certainty that it will all be just Germany and Spain during the tournament.

"The Netherlands, England and France are also among the favourites. We will have to clear many hurdles, not just Spain."


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Javier Hernandez signs new five-year contract with Manchester United

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Mexican forward bagged 20 goals in his debut Premier League season, and becomes the 13th player at Old Trafford to sign a contract extension over the past year


Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has signed a new five-year contract at Old Trafford, which will see the Mexico international join the top earners at the club.
The 23-year-old bagged 20 goals in his debut Premier League season after arriving from Chivas Guadalajara last year and becomes the 13th player to sign an extension in the past 12 months at Old Trafford. 
 

The striker had been linked with a move to Real Madrid during the summer but Hernandez's agent maintains his client was likely to remain at United following a promising first term and will now receive a salary on a similar level to that of Nani and Wayne Rooney.

"We have renegotiated Javier's contract and he is now committed for five years with Manchester United," said Hernandez's agent, Eduardo Hernandez.

"The initial contract was good for Manchester and for Javier because it enabled them both to see if they could fit together and if he could achieve what was expected of him. Both sides have met their expectations and United were happy to reward Javier after his very good performances last season.

"I will not talk about numbers, but it is a five-year contract. It is a fixed salary with incentives based on the team's success in each of the different tournaments.

"Javier was not badly paid with his initial contract, but it was his first contract and, with respect, not comparable with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Nani. But today I can say that the contract has just been signed and everyone is satisfied.

"It was never likely that Javier would leave. Talks began some time ago and United came up with a very good offer and I have nothing but praise for the way they have recognised Javier's performances."


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‘I don’t think about retirement’ – Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson

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The Scot suggests working with a youthful squad has maintained his hunger for success at Old Trafford as the 69-year-old celebrates 25 years in charge


Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed he has no plans to retire from the Old Trafford hotseat anytime soon, and is instead focusing on heralding a further period of success at the club.
 
Despite initially planning to retire in 2002, Ferguson went on to win a record 19th Premier League title with United last season, and the 69-year-old has alluded he will remain in charge as long as his health allows him too.
Ferguson celebrates 25 years in charge of the club this year, and has suggested that being able to work with the new influx of youth into his squad has maintained his hunger for the game. Speaking to reporters, Ferguson said: "I just don't think about retirement any more.
"We've got a good young team and a lot of youth at the club as well as some tremendous staff. The future is good.
"When you've been on the treadmill for so long, 25 years in my case, and my health is good at the moment, it's just a matter of looking forward to being the manager of Manchester United, rather than worrying about Alex Ferguson.
"The great part for me is still to be out on the field with the players and coaching them. As the game has changed, I have had to change with it. For example, sports science in the last decade has seen a phenomenal improvement and that has become a major development in the game."

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Inter's Diego Forlan concerned after suffering muscular injury with Uruguay

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The former Atletico Madrid forward will return to his club in less than perfect shape after suffering a blow on international duty

Inter striker Diego Forlan is waiting to discover the extent of his injury after coming off with a muscular problem in Uruguay's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Paraguay on Tuesday.
 
The former Atletico Madrid forward scored for his team but was forced to come off after feeling a sharp pain to his leg as celebrations were cut short.

Forlan is now expected to have further tests with his club side and they will try to diagnose the extent of the problem amid reports claiming he could be out for a month.

"I felt strong pain in my leg and I had to stop playing. Now we have to see what the doctors say," Forlan is quoted as saying on Il Corriere dello Sport.
"I do not know what the problem is yet, but I just couldn't continue playing.

"We have to wait. Once I go back to Milan I will have further tests."

Inter play Catania on Saturday evening and Forlan is likely to miss the game with early reports suggesting he could be out for approximately two weeks.

However, there is some good news for Claudio Ranieri's side as Giampaolo Pazzini is expected to play in Sicily after he returned to training on Wednesday and midfielder Wesley Sneijder is also closing in on a comeback from a groin problem.

The Netherlands international revealed he will rejoin his team-mates in practice via Twitter: "I have good news!!! Tomorrow I will start to train with the team... I'm happy!!!!!!!!" 


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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

AC Milan & Italy's Antonio Cassano: I will quit football in three years

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The experienced striker revealed he will not keep playing much longer and thanked Cesare Prandelli for his loyal support

AC Milan and Italy striker Antonio Cassano claims he has plans to put an end to his career after the 2014 World Cup.
 
The 29-year-old attacker netted twice for his country in their comfortable 3-0 victory against Northern Ireland in the last Euro 2012 qualifier.

Cassano played an important part in Italy's Group C victory, as he netted six goals and finished as the country's top scorer during the qualifying campaign.

The former Roma and Sampdoria star confessed he is happy that the spotlight is on him after being a target of the media in recent years.

"I am happy to receive such compliments, it was about time," he told Rai Sport. "After 13 years in which I was criticised, a few nice words every now and then feel good.

"I feel fine, now I want to continue in the Italy team. Three years, I want to have three great seasons. Then I can stop.
I think I will play football for only that time, have a good Euro 2012 finals and a good World Cup, then at the age of 33 call it a day so I can enjoy my family.

"After the 2014 World Cup? That is my idea, I want to leave when the time is right.
"

Cassano then expressed gratitude to Italy coach Cesare Prandelli for his suport.

"I have to thank Prandelli, he gave me a helping hand when I had everyone against me. I am thankful to him," he said.

"When I retire, you can have fun with Mario Balotelli. He is another good character for you." 


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Spain 3-1 Scotland: David Silva scores twice in first-half rout as spirited Scots miss out on play-off spot

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A display of quality and class from Vicente Del Bosque's side sees hosts into Euro 2012 with a 100% record in Group I and Tartan Army without a major finals appearance since 1998


Scotland have failed in their bid to reach the Euro 2012 play-offs after they were methodically beaten 3-1 by a Spain side which oozed quality in every department.
 
A pair of first half goals from Manchester City’s David Silva and another in the second half from David Villa put Vicente Del Bosque’s side through top of Group I with a perfect record and left Scottish hopes of reaching Poland and Ukraine in tatters.

A penalty from David Goodwillie in the seond period was no more than a conselation as the hosts cruised to victory and looked a class act in the process.

To compound matters for Scotland, a convincing win for the Czech Republic against Lithuania in the other match meant that only victory in Alicante would have been enough for the Tartan Army.

Craig Levein’s side were unchanged after the win in Liechtenstein on Saturday with Craig Mackail-Smith operating as a lone striker, whilst Spain dropped Fernando Torres to the bench but still had Silva, Villa and Pedro up front.

Thousands of Scottish fans took the opportunity to head to the Costa Blanca to cheer on their side but they were soon forced to marvel at the brilliance of Spain.

They were given a display of their talents swiftly when Silva finished off a smooth passing move which involved Villa and debutant Jordi Alba after neat work on the left wing. Silva’s clever finish, which he slid under Allan McGregor was testament to the gulf between the two sides.

Scotland did manage to show moments when a breakthrough could have come, a cross to the far post was casually defended by Spain and Steven Naismith was the beneficiary as his darting run beat Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique but his finish wasn’t quite there.

As was predicted, Spain held the ball for huge amounts of the game leaving Scotland with no reply as they chased the game with Barcelona’s Xavi at the centre of the carousel. The midfield focal point was directing traffic from the heart of the team and his passes were distributed to every area of the pitch.

Spain could have doubled the lead within 20 minutes when a cross aimed for Puyol was headed wide - the Barcelona captain was displeased with his effort.

Naismith was the most effective of the Scottish forwards early on as Mackail-Smith was doing a lot of chasing but getting little in front of goal for his tireless work. The Rangers man could have earned a penalty as his run in from the left was effective but a clean tackle from Pique snuffed out the danger with little fuss.

As the half drew towards its end, Silva showed his wonderful talent again when a solo run in from the right required a simple one-two with Pedro to continue it and the City man smashed home to double the lead. The Scottish defence were helpless as Silva's spread them enough to allow the jinking run through the resulting gaps.

With the result no longer in doubt Spain were back to moving the ball with ease and comfort and this resulted in the third goal after the break.

Silva's runs were still causing chaos and he turned provider when his pass across the box was hammered home by Villa - his 50th in international football. The movement off the ball from all involved was key in the goal and was an example of how easy Spain can make passing football look.

Scotland fans were given something to cheer after Levein changed the approach, brought on a second striker and instructed his side to apply some pressure.

A Scottish corner led to Mackail-Smith being brought down by Victor Valdes, who astonishingly was making his competitive debut for the hosts. Substitute Goodwillie was chosen to take the kick and the cheekiest of chips beat Valdes and gave Scotland faint hope.

Spain reverted to their usual ploy of ball retention and eventually saw out victory after an end-to-end closing phase of the match resulted in half chances which were wasted by both teams.

The visitors will now look to make a better fist of their efforts to reach the next World Cup, while Del Bosque's team look towards defending their European crown.


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Denmark 2-1 Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo strike not enough as Nicklas Bendtner condemns Portuguese to Euro 2012 play-offs

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The hosts were never really troubled in Copenhagen, and wrest top spot in Group H from Paulo Bento's men to qualify automatically for next summer's showpiece in Poland and Ukraine


Denmark recorded a comfortable 2-1 home win over Portugal in their final qualifying game to seal top spot in Group H and force the visitors into the Euro 2012 play-offs.

Michael Krohn-Dehli and Nicklas Bendtner struck the decisive goals for the hosts, who earn automatic entry into the tournament next summer, despite a superb free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo in stoppage time.
Denmark were quick off the mark, and had a goal questionably disallowed four minutes in, when referee Nicola Rizzoli ruled that there was an infringement in the area on a set-piece opportunity that was bundled home.
However, the hosts were rewarded for their strong start in the 13th minute with a deflected effort by Krohn-Dehli. The Brondby winger let fly from just inside the area, and his effort nicked off Rolando before nestling into the back of the net.
The tempo of the game died down shortly after, with a series of sloppy passes halting the Portugese attack on more than a few occasions.
Denmark threatened mainly from set-pieces, while Ronaldo and Carlos Martins sent efforts into the arms of Thomas Sorensen. The Stoke keeper also had to be alert to palm away a dangerous cutback from a quick free-kick as the first-half fizzled out.
Portugal had a chance 10 minutes after the restart when Nani split two Denmark defenders and squared for the unmarked Martins at the edge of the box, but the Benfica man’s shot was saved by Sorensen with relative ease.
Paulo Bento’s men could not find a way past the Danish rearguard, and were made to pay for their inefficiency when the hosts grabbed a second with a well executed move.
Christian Eriksen released Dennis Rommedahl with a fantastic through-ball, and the veteran winger squared for Bendtner, who finished from inside the six-yard area.
Denmark amost added another in the 73rd minute after another impressive charge on the counter-attack. Eriksen showed brilliant quick feet and awareness to first link with Krohn-Dehli then create space for himself in the area, but his finish at the end of the move bent wide of the far post.
Ten minutes later, Bendtner had a glorious chance for a second, but Rui Patricio tipped over his header from point-blank range.
Portugal managed to pull a goal back two minutes into injury time with an outstanding free-kick from Ronaldo. The Real Madrid man sent a trademark 25-yard effort into the top corner, but the goal ultimately came too late for the visitors to rescue anything from the match.
Denmark finish Group H on 19 points, while Portugal end on 16 points, and must now win a two-legged play-off to determine whether they will be in Poland and Ukraine next summer.


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Germany 3-1 Belgium: Joachim Low's men finish top of Group A with perfect record as Georges Leekens' side miss out on play-off spot

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The DFB-Team showed ruthless efficiency as they dispatched the visitors in Dussedorf to finish their Euro 2012 qualification campaign with maximum points

Belgium proved to be no challenge for Germany on Tuesday night as Joachim Low's men recorded a 3-1 victory to finish top of Group A of the Euro 2012 qualifiers with 10 wins from 10 games.

Mesut Ozil and Andre Schurrle hit the Belgians with a three-minute double midway through the first half to give the Germans a two-goal cushion at half-time.

Shortly after the restart Mario Gomez put the cherry on the cake as he added a third goal with a fine strike, which left Simon Mignolet with no chance.

Marouane Fellaini scored a consolation for the visitors just before the final whistle as his team missed out on the playoff spot in the group.

Belgium started the game very well as they tried to pressure Germany's back four right from the beginning. The hosts, however, defended valiantly as they managed to contain their opponents, whose desperate attempts to break the German rearguard were leaving them exposed on the break.

Schurrle tried his luck but narrowly missed in the 15th minute, and moments before that the lively Laurent Ciman had a couple of shots fly over Manuel Neuer's bar. Germany were looking increasingly dangerous on the counter, and soon took the lead.

In the 30th minute Gomez was released in a one-on-one with Mignolet, but was denied by the goalkeeper. However, the ball made its way to Ozil, who powered a superb shot from outside the box, which hit the bar before nestling in the net.

Germany did not stop there as three minutes later a quick break saw Gomez release Schurrle on the left flank. The Bayer Leverkusen attacker made a superb 20-yard run before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

Belgium tried to fight back in the remaining minutes to half-time, but the closest they got to scoring was forcing a superb save from Neuer just before the break through Jan Vertonghen.

In the second period the hosts picked up right where they left off as Gomez struck a third right after the restart. The striker was picked out by Ozil on the edge of the box, superbly managed to neutralise Vincent Kompany, and finished off with a powerful shot in the right corner.

Belgium, visibly disgruntled by the result, lacked incisiveness in attack and rarely threatened to claw a goal back. Germany were content to sit back and soak up the pressure, waiting for a chance on the counter.

Substitute Romelu Lukaku nearly netted in the 70th minute as he managed to shake off Mats Hummels, and sent a magnificent left-footed shot, which Neuer parried superbly.

Belgium did get a goal in the 86th minute through Fellaini, who headed in at the near post, following a corner on the left. This strike, however, proved to be a mere consolation as the game ended 3-1.


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Panpel Berharap Tidak Ada Petasan Di Laga Timnas Indonesia

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Panpel akan meningkatkan jumlah personel dan kualitas keamanan pada laga timnas Indonesia menjamu timnas Qatar di Gelora Bung Karno hari ini (11/10).


Badan Pengelola Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) meminta PSSI selaku panitia ajang Pra-Piala Dunia 2014 meningkatkan keamanan di areal stadion sehingga suporter tidak dapat membawa masuk petasan atau benda berbahaya lainnya dalam stadion.

"Kami selaku pengelola tidak terlibat langsung dalam penyelenggaraan. Tetapi panitia atau federasilah yang langsung menangani keamanan pertandingan tersebut sehingga pertandingan dapat berjalan lancar," kata Direktur Operasional Badan Pengelola GBK M Nigara.

Nigara menyatakan, luasnya areal stadion GBK membuat banyak celah untuk para suporter memasukkan barang-barang yang dilarang. Oleh karena itu, ia berharap kerjasama antara PSSI dengan pihak pengelola GBK diintensifkan agar dapat meminimalisir kesalahan.

Sementara itu, koordinator panpel laga Indonesia-Qatar Mursyit WK menyatakan panitia akan meningkatkan jumlah personel dan kualitas keamanan pada laga yang akan digelar hari ini tersebut.

"Kami akan libatkan sekitar 2.000 personil keamanan. Kami konsen agar petasan dan kembang api tidak lagi masuk ke dalam stadion. Kami harapkan pertandingan tidak ada gangguan. Kami berupaya seminimal mungkin, hal yang mengganggu pertandingan tidak masuk ke dalam stadion," tegasnya.

"Kami mendapat teguran karena hal itu. Maka untuk selanjutnya kami sudah merencanakan pola keamanan untuk pertandingan Indonesia-Qatar."


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Cristiano Ronaldo aiming for Portugal win in Denmark to book guaranteed Euro 2012 spot

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The Real Madrid forward is feeling confident about the positive mentality in the camp, and is looking to secure all three points even though a draw would be sufficient

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo insists that his side will aim for a victory against Denmark in their final Euro 2012 group qualifier on Tuesday evening.

The Euro 2004 finalists need just a draw in Copenhagen to progress directly to next summer’s finals in Poland and Ukraine, as they currently lead Group H on goal difference.
Both Portugal and Denmark have collected 16 points from seven matches, and Tuesday’s clash at the Parken Stadion will effectively decide who between them will qualify automatically as group winners. And even though a draw will be enough to seal top spot for Portugal, Ronaldo wants his team-mates to give their all for a victory on Danish soil.
"Portugal are going to Denmark to win the game, that's our thinking," the Real Madrid forward told Spanish sports daily AS.
"We know there are conditions but we want to win the game for direct qualification. That is always the mentality of the team and I am sure we will make it a good match."
Ronaldo, though, concedes that they needed to tighten up at the back following their 5-3 defeat of Iceland on Friday.
"We very much need Pepe," stated the 26-year-old. "But those who are here now are the most important.
“We can talk about Pepe, but Ricardo Carvalho did not come to Portugal."
Third-placed Norway are three points behind both Portugal and Denmark, and need to register a big win against Cyprus at home to remain in contention for a play-off spot.

Inter’s Sulley Muntari open to Napoli move, claims agent

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The Ghana international is entertaining the idea of playing outside Serie A but could be convinced to remain in Italian football, explains his representative



Sulley Muntari’s agent has revealed that the Inter midfielder would be interested in joining Napoli but has stated that no “official” approach has yet been made by the Naples outfit.
Muntari’s current contract with the Milan giants expires at the end of this season and the 27-year-old has been heavily tipped to leave San Siro during the January transfer window.
Napoli are one of the clubs reportedly eyeing the Ghana international, and the representative revealed that the former Udinese midfielder would be open to playing for Walter Mazzarri’s Serie A title contenders.
“I’ve received nothing official up until now,” the agent, Marco Odisio told Radio CRC. “However, it’s certainly nice to hear that a club like Napoli are interested in Muntari. He would certainly positively evaluate such a possibility.

“At the moment the player is considering some foreign offers, where he wants to go and play, but Napoli would really be an important alternative.

“Muntari’s contract is running out at Inter and it would certainly suit Napoli to sign him on a permanent basis.”
Muntari joined Inter from Portsmouth in 2008 and played on loan for Sunderland during the second half of the 2010-11 campaign.

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