A superb late goal from Fernando Torres gave Liverpool a 1-0 Premier League win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
It was one bright moment in an ordinary game and, after their Euro 2008 triumph, it was fittingly an all-Spanish affair.
The goal was created by a player that boss Rafa Benitez wants to sell, but that Liverpool fans want to stay - Xabi Alonso, who turned in a man-of-the-match performance despite only playing the second half. Read the rest of this entry »
SAMIR Nasri ensured Arsenal made a successful, if unconvincing, start to the new campaign as his debut goal secured a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
The French playmaker, who signed from Marseille last month, took just four minutes to open his account for Arsene Wenger’s side as he converted Denilson’s pass from close range.
But Arsenal failed to build on that flying start and Albion, making their return to the Premier League after winning promotion last season, might have caused their illustrious opponents significant embarrassment had they applied a finish to some promising possession. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: admin
- Filed under: Olympic
- Date: Aug 17,2008
Argentina required extra time to edge the Netherlands 2-1 in a thrilling quarter-final in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring and then created the game’s deciding goal for Angel Di Maria as Sergio Batista’s side booked a date with Brazil in the last four.
The match began at a frenetic pace, which was to continue throughout the first half.
The Netherlands registered the first shot on goal through Urby Emanuelson, but Argentina responded swiftly and, as is often the case, Messi was at the core of most of their purposeful advances. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: admin
- Filed under: Olympic
- Date: Aug 17,2008
NIGERIA won the battle of Africa 2-0 against Côte d’Ivoire in Qinhuangdao to book their place in the final four of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.
These two African teams knew each other incredibly well and, as a result, both sides cancelled each other out in the opening 45 minutes.
The midfield battle was a stalemate which made chances difficult to come by and, indeed, there were only three genuine opportunities in the first half for the fans to get excited about. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: admin
- Filed under: Olympic
- Date: Aug 17,2008
PLAYING with a man down for most of the match, Belgium twice came from behind to beat Italy 3-2 in Beijing on Saturday, setting up a semi-final with either Nigeria or Côte d’Ivoire.
The match ended with both sides reduced to ten men as the full moon in Beijing seemed to take an effect on one of the most incident-packed games of these Olympic finals.
The Italians began the contest in lively fashion with their diminutive creator, Sebastian Giovinco, leading the way. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: admin
- Filed under: Olympic
- Date: Aug 17,2008
BRAZIL were made to work hard by their numerically-inferior opponents, but they eventually prevailed to beat Cameroon 2-0 and reach the semi-finals of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.
A tight, chance-shy 90 minutes failed to separate the two sides, before extra-time goals from Rafael Sobis and Marcelo earned the Seleção a meeting with either Argentina or the Netherlands.
Dunga curiously left Thiago Neves and Alexandre Pato out of his starting line-up and without them, Brazil appeared shorn of their usual spark during the first half, with the mercurial right-foot of Ronaldinho from set-pieces their only genuine source of opportunities. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: admin
- Filed under: Friendly
- Date: Jul 30,2008
ENGLISH Premier League giants Chelsea wrapped up their Asian Tour in style after carving out a 2-0 win over a Malaysia Selection in front of some 50,000 fans at the Shah Alam Stadium last night.
The stadium was a sea of blue as Chelsea fans came out in droves to catch a glimpse of their favourite team ahead of the new EPL season.
The Malaysian had little to offer but can still hold their heads high after conceding just two goals, compared the thrashing Chelsea’s previous two opponents – Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals (4-0) and Shengdu Blazers (7-0) – received last week. Read the rest of this entry »
RONALDINHO transferred from FC Barcelona to AC Milan, the Italian club announced late Tuesday, ending several days of furious negotiations in which the Brazil playmaker appeared eager to avoid a move to Manchester City.
Milan said Ronaldinho would arrive in Milan on Wednesday for a medical exam and sign a contract through June 2011. Read the rest of this entry »
PELE today joined in the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga debate by insisting the Portugal international should see out his contract with Manchester United.
And the Brazil legend also suggested that Sepp Blatter’s view that there is ‘modern slavery’ in the game was wide of the mark. Read the rest of this entry »
INTER Milan president Massimo Moratti claims it is now down to Frank Lampard whether he leaves Chelsea for the San Siro.
New Inter coach Jose Mourinho, Lampard’s former boss at Stamford Bridge, has made no secret of the fact he would like the England midfielder in his squad and club director Gabriele Oriali claims the Chelsea man wants to join the Italian champions this summer.
Lampard is under contract with the west London club for another year and Chelsea have so far been adamant they will not sell him, despite being unable to convince him to sign a new deal. Read the rest of this entry »
