Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts

Ukraine, Latvia, Croatia win at Euro championship

Ante Tomic made a layup with nine seconds remaining to give Croatia a 77-76 victory over Georgia at the European championship on Thursday.

Also, Ukraine and Latvia won their second games in two days. Ukraine beat Israel 74-67 behind 17 points from Sergii Gladir, while Latvia edged Montenegro 73-72 on a jumper by Kristaps Janicenoks with six seconds on the clock.

Finland also won its second straight by beating Sweden 81-60.

Croatia bounced back after a big loss to Spain, with Dontaye Draper leading the Croats with 16 points. Viktor Sanikidze made a 3-pointer for a one-point Georgia lead but Antic then scored the winning basket.

George Tsintsadze led Georgia with 25 points but missed a last-second layup.

Janicenoks scored five points in the last 20 seconds to deny Montenegro, which beat Macedonia by a point a day earlier.

American-born guard Tyrese Rice had converted a three-point play to put Montenegro up by one with 11 seconds remaining, before Janicenoks sank the jumper. Rice then missed a final layup despite leading Montenegro with 24 points.

Ukraine had a balanced team effort and never trailed after opening the match with a 13-2 run. Viacheslav Kravtsov contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. Afik Nissim was the only Israeli to score in double digits with 12.

Ukraine now has a 2-0 record in Group A, while Israel is 0-2.

Latvia is 2-0 in Group B and Montenegro 1-1. Croatia and Georgia are 1-1 in Group C. Finland is 2-0 in Group D and Sweden is 0-2.

Three teams from each group advance to the second round of the 24-team tournament.

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Eric Abidal angry at Barcelona, claims lack of pay

Eric Abidal is angry at how his Barcelona career came to an end and claims he was not even paid by the club when he was seriously ill.

The 34-year-old Abidal had a liver transplant last April, ruling him out of the 2012 European Championship and keeping him away from football for one year. He returned to make a few appearances for Barcelona before leaving to join Monaco in the offseason.

"The problem was that my contract was coming to an end. In that case, either it's renewed, either it ends. I was prepared for both," Abidal said in an interview with sports daily L'Equipe published Friday. "It was hard to accept but you don't have the choice. The adventure with Barcelona is over, but I'm very happy to have started another one with Monaco."

But Abidal said he was disappointed at how his departure was announced.

"What was hard to understand was what Barcelona said during my last press conference. By saying that it was a professional choice, it made other clubs doubt," Abidal said. "It wasn't even a question of money. The proof being that all the months I was ill, the club didn't pay me. Now I'm lucky to have the trust of the Monaco coach and president. Touch wood, everything's fine. But it's true that there was a time when I doubted myself."

Abidal has played 90 minutes for Monaco in every league game and was expected to play for France later Friday in its World Cup qualifier at Georgia.

After joining from Lyon in 2007, Abidal played 125 league games for Barcelona, helping the Catalan club to win four league titles and two European Cups. He forged a close bond with former coach Pep Guardiola, who is now in charge of Bayern Munich.

"He's someone who appreciates me enormously and I'm still in touch with," Abidal said. "He was a great coach. He's the one who gave me my chance. If he was still there, I may have continued (with Barcelona)."

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Suarez Pleas for Liverpool to Let Him Go

London - Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has accused the club of not honoring a clause in his contract which would let him leave Anfield, in comments published in Wednesday’s Guardian.

Suarez repeated his desire to join a club in the Champions League and said that Liverpool had gone back on an agreement written into his contract, signed last August, which obliges them to sell to any club offering more than £40 million ($60.7 million).

“Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I’d be allowed to go,” he told the paper.

“Now all I want is for Liverpool to honor our agreement.”

Arsenal are reported to have bid £40,000,001 for the controversial Uruguayan in a bid to trigger the release agreement.

Liverpool maintain the clause only obliges them to negotiate with clubs offering more than £40 million, but Suarez disagrees.

“I have the club’s word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case but I do not want it to come to that,” he told the Guardian.

“I’m 26. I need to be playing in the Champions League. I waited one year and no one can say that I did not give everything possible with my team-mates last season to get us there.”

Suarez arrived at Liverpool in January 2011 after a £22.8m transfer from Ajax, but his time at Anfield has been marred by accusations of racism against Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and a biting incident against Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has urged Suarez to repay the support of the club and its fans by staying at Liverpool.

“There’s been a lot of speculation over the course of the close season but the reality is that he’s a player who is very much valued at Liverpool and unless there’s any sort of offer that comes in that’s anywhere near his value, there’s nothing to consider,” he said, adding: “We haven’t had that.”

Agence France-Presse

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Ronaldinho sets up Atletico victory

Rio de Janeiro: Ronaldinho set up both his team’s goals as Atletico Mineiro opened their 2013 Copa Libertadores campaign with a 2-1 victory over Brazilian rivals Sao Paulo.

Playing in South America’s leading club competition for the first time in 13 years, Atletico dominated the first half at their Estadio Independencia in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday.

The first goal came when an unmarked Ronaldinho pounced on a long throw-in before crossing for former Manchester City striker Jo, whose first-time finish left goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni with no chance.

Rever made it 2-0 when he headed in another Ronaldinho cross from the right in the 72nd minute before Sao Paulo’s Aloisio gave his side a flicker of hope late in the match when he struck with a low shot after Luis Fabiano’s defence-splitting pass.

Atletico coach Cuca lavished praise on Ronaldinho, who returned to Brazil’s national team for the first time since February last year in the Selecao’s 1-2 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium earlier this month.

“Ronaldinho made the difference with his two crosses,” Cuca said. “He is intelligent. You can’t expect him to do some things, like track back in defence, but his quality makes him a match winner.”

In other Libertadores matches on Wednesday, Boca Juniors suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Mexico’s Toluca, Fluminense overcame Caracas away 1-0 and Penarol defeated hosts Iquique 2-1.

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Everton on the road to Moyes’ first silverware

Match to catch
After shocking Liverpool 3-2 at home in the previous round of the FA Cup, Oldham Athletic are back in the spotlight again this weekend. The Latics, who are in the relegation zone in English football’s third tier and who will be managed by caretaker boss Tony Philliskirk following the resignation of Paul Dickov earlier this month, this time get to take on the Reds’ Merseyside rivals Everton at Boundary Park. The Toffees always take this competition seriously as it gives them a realistic chance of winning the first silverware of David Moyes’ 11-year reign — the closest they have come previously is FA Cup runners-up to Chelsea in 2009 — and they can be expected to learn from their bitter rivals’ mistakes. Prediction: Everton.

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We’re stronger than in 1999: Ferguson

Manchester: Sir Alex Ferguson believes the 1999 treble-winning squad was not nearly as strong as his current Manchester United group, and said he could have played a different XI at Real Madrid on Wednesday and achieved the same result.

United drew the opening leg of the Champions League last-16 tie 1-1. With Reading on Monday at Old Trafford in the fifth round of the FA Cup, and a 12-point lead in the Premier League, United’s tilt at winning a second treble is on course.

Asked about similarities between the 1998-99 campaign and the current one, Ferguson said: “We lost to Middlesbrough in December and we never lost again. It was a tough FA Cup run that season, really tough. We were up against Premier League teams in every round. It’s nice to look back at these things and how it was done with the squad of players I had, which is not nearly as strong as the one I have now.”

Ferguson believes the current group has more depth than the squad in 1999. “Yes, numbers wise,” he said. “When we went to the final, [Roy] Keane and [Paul] Scholes were suspended, but Henning Berg was the only injury and I had to pull in Jonathan Greening, who had only played once or twice, and he actually got a winner’s medal for sitting on the bench. That gives you an idea of the respective strength of the squads.

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From shy guy to leader, Ronaldo reaches 100 caps

Lisbon: When Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo picks up his 100th cap against Northern Ireland today, he will reflect on a career which started in central defence and was marked by early shyness before an explosion of attacking flair made him one of football’s greatest players.

“It was on August 20th, 2003, against Kazakhstan, that I put on our national shirt for the first time. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life and a path which I am proud of,” Ronaldo wrote on his Facebook page.

He came on as a substitute for Luis Figo in what was, in retrospect, a symbolic handover from one Portuguese hero to another.

Ronaldo, the future 2008 world player of the year, took 2001 world player Figo’s mantle and helped inspire Portugal to third place in Fifa’s world rankings even if a first major international trophy is still elusive as he struggles to shrug off accusations he goes missing in really big games.

At 27, he will become one of the youngest European footballers to reach 100 caps behind Germany’s Lukas Podolski and Estonia’s Kristen Viikmae.

He is Portugal’s third most capped player of all time behind Figo with 127 and centre-back Fernando Couto with 110.

“On Tuesday [today], I will reach my 100th cap next to my people and only with a victory in mind. I would like to thank all of those who helped me reach this point and will pack the stadium cheering for us,” Ronaldo wrote.

Indeed he has many to thank, starting with his first coach, Madeira primary school teacher Francisco Afonso.

“He took his chances and always had the desire to learn and go further,” Afonso was quoted as saying by Portuguese daily o Jogo. “Curiously, he started playing as a centre-back. But, because he wanted to organise everything his way, he eventually went up field and became a forward.”

Ronaldo’s club record with Manchester United and Real Madrid speaks for itself. He won Spain’s La Liga last season and the Copa del Rey the campaign before after collecting three Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and an FA Cup with United.

Former Sporting coach Laszlo Boloni, who brought Ronaldo to public attention by giving the teenager several first-team starts at the Lisbon club, ranks the forward above other Portuguese idols from football to music.

“I was asked how could I say that Ronaldo was going to be better than Eusebio after he had played just five matches. I answered that Cristiano was exceptional, better than Eusebio and [Fado singer] Amalia, who are part of Portugal’s heritage,” he told o Jogo.

Ronaldo is now world renowned for his confidence, some would say arrogance, but most of those around him in his early years mention his humbleness and hard-work ethic.

“I remember his shyness in the first practice with Portugal’s senior team,” Portugal sports director Carlos Godinho said.

“He was very young, 18, and he integrated very well in the Portugal squad. He wanted to show everything he had, he would not stop. So much so that the older guys would tell him to breath a little. He’d get really tired because of his lack of experience.”

At Euro 2004, Ronaldo came agonisingly close to glory but Greece shocked the hosts in the final. Young Ronaldo was left in tears but Figo, captain at the time, said those events strengthened Ronaldo’s resolve.
“The 100th cap is a round number, behind which many sacrifices are hidden, many joys, and also the constant desire to always move forward,” Figo said.

Ronaldo will captain Portugal at home to Northern Ireland today as they try to bounce back from Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Group F leaders Russia.

The Portuguese are second in the group, three adrift on six points from three games, and in need of more match-winning magic from their proud leader.

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Gerrard defends young guns’ desire

London: Steven Gerrard has rejected Patrick Vieira’s claim that young English players lack the pride and hunger to represent their country and pointed to a new-found strength in depth within the national set-up which is serving to “raise performances” under Roy Hodgson.

Vieira, now Manchester City’s football development executive, had pointed to a lack of coaching quality as one explanation for why England “don’t produce enough talent” and suggested young players “are not as proud as they used to be”, citing the number of them who withdraw from international duty through injury between the ages of 16 and 21.

Yet Gerrard, who was set to gain his 99th cap in Tuesday evening’s awkward World Cup qualifier against Poland, insisted he has seen no evidence to back up the Frenchman’s assertion.

“It surprised me to read that and the impression I get, certainly from seeing the young players every day at Liverpool, is that they’re desperate to get into this set-up,” said the England captain.

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Indonesian inter milan supporters welcome champions cup

Tangerang, Banten - Some Indonesian supporters welcomed the arrival of Inter Milan officials carrying Champions Cup at Soekarno-Hatta airport here on Tuesday.

The Italian football club officials arrived at 8.25 a.m. local time and were welcomed by tens of Indonesian supporters that had been waiting for their arrival since 7am.

The Inter Milan officials who also carried logistics to be needed by the players in the matches and stay here later greeted the yells-shouting Indonesian supporters.

They also held up the Champions Cup for "the internisti" (supporters) to see.

Afterward the officials numbering in tens proceeded in two buses to the hotel where they would stay in Jakarta with a police escort.

Muhammad Anung, one of the supporters, said he was glad with the arrival of the big team in Indonesia hoping Indonesian players could learn from the team`s success in winning various champion titles.

"We hope all football players in Indonesia would be motivated by Inter Milan`s arrival and the arrival could also help advance football in the country," he said.

Anung said Inter Milan supporters would again come to the airport to welcome the arrival of Inter Milan players scheduled on Wednesday at around 10am.

"We will come again in a bigger number to welcome our favorite team and show that the number of internisti in Indonesia is huge," he said.

The Italian club will bring 20 players to conduct friendly matches in Jakarta on May 24 and 26. Football is the most popular game in the country. (H-YH/f001)

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Inter Milan beat Indonesia Selection 4-2 in friendly match

Jakarta - Inter Milan defeated Indonesia Selection 4-2 in a friendly match at the Bung Karno main stadium here on Saturday attended by thousands of fans.

Countinho scored the first goal in the fifth minute while the second one in the 42nd minute also by him. Giampaolo Pazzini scored other goals in the 60th and 73rd minute.

The goals from the host team meanwhile came from Patrich Wanggai in the 11th minute and Yosua Pahabol in the 92nd minute.

FC Internazionale who played full team had shown its class from the beginning. All players played in earnest unlike when they played against Liga Selection on Thursday. (Uu.H-YH)

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Can Lionel Messi Become the Greatest Football Player of All Time?

Paris. Lionel Messi became only the second man to win three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards on Monday and the question now begging to be asked is: could he become the greatest player of all time?

The 24-year-old from Rosario, Santa Fe is not short of silverware but what really sets him apart is the effervescence of his dribbling, the inventiveness of his team play and the extraordinary regularity of his goalscoring.

In 2011, Messi scored 59 goals in 70 club games for Barcelona. It was a figure bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo (60), but Messi also contributed 37 assists to the Portuguese’s 21.

Only Michel Platini had previously won the Ballon d’Or for three years running and Messi now belongs to an elite group also featuring Dutch legends Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten to have been honoured with the award on three occasions.

“Messi will be the player to win the most Ballons d’Or in history,” Cruyff predicts.

“He will win five, six, seven. He is incomparable. He’s in a different league.”

Messi has also proven himself capable of rising to the occasion when the sport’s biggest prizes are on the line.

His influence echoed long and loud over the closing stages of last season’s Champions League, after he netted twice in Barca’s semi-final defeat of Ronaldo’s Real Madrid and found the target against Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

Barcelona’s trophy haul in 2011 meant that Messi now has three Champions League winners’ medals and five La Liga crowns to his name.

He has also won the FIFA Club World Cup twice and it is a matter of time until he surpasses Cesar Rodriguez’ record of 235 goals for his club.

In terms of pure ability with a football, Messi bears comparison with any player who has ever played the game, but his one Achilles heel is his inability to reproduce his Barcelona form in the light blue and white stripes of his country.

Messi’s goalscoring record with Argentina is a disappointing 19 goals in 66 games, and he was unable to prevent his country from crashing out in the quarter-finals at both the 2010 World Cup and last year’s Copa America in his homeland.

Traditionalists contend that, for all his astonishing exploits at club level, he cannot be compared to Pele or his feted countryman Diego Maradona until he has left his imprint on a major international tournament.

His next opportunity will arrive at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when -- at the age of 26 -- he should be in prime position to showcase his gifts on the game’s most prestigious stage.

“I still have this dream and that is to be a world champion and lift the Copa America with the national side,” said Messi recently.

“And I know I’ll do it, I’m convinced I will.”

Away from the sport, Messi cuts a far more bashful figure than his great rival Ronaldo, but that has not prevented him from amassing a huge personal fortune through several lucrative endorsements, notably with Adidas.

He was named one of Time magazine’s people of 2011 and is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, but it is through his dazzling dribbling, his carefully weighted passing and his artful finishing that he has earned his global fame.

Typically deployed by Barca coach Pep Guardiola in a roving forward role, he roams the pitch with seemingly boyish abandon and few things hush a stadium more quickly than the sight of Messi embarking on one of his gambolling runs towards goal.

“There are no words left to describe him -- he is interplanetary,” said Real Zaragoza coach Jose Aurelio Gay in March 2010.

“We could have beaten Barcelona but we could never have beaten Leo Messi. If we had scored four, he would have scored 12.”

The terrifying thought for Barcelona’s rivals is that he is still getting better.

Agence France-Presse

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Al Kass Int’l Cup U-17: Vasco, Kashima Antlers win

Action from the Group C game between Aspire International and Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in the ongoing Al Kass International Cup U-17 tournament held at the Aspire ground in Doha yesterday. Vasco won 3-1 to go top of the group, which also include Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam. In the day’s other match, Japan’s Kashima Antlers stunned Italy’s Juventus 3-1 to join Aspire Qatar at the top of Group A on three points. Today, the Antlers will play UAE’s Al Jazira while Egypt’s Al Ahly take on Barcelona.

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Mixed Reception for Beckham in Indonesia

Jakarta - David Beckham got a mixed reception as a Robbie Keane strike earned the LA Galaxy a 1-0 win over a spirited Indonesian All Stars on Wednesday in front of a disappointing crowd in Jakarta.

Entire sections of the 88,000-seat Gelora Bung Karno stadium were off-limits and organisers said only 20,000 tickets had been sold to see the newly crowned Major League Soccer champions in action.

Beckham, 36, was a given a warm reception from the sparse crowd, but cheers when he touched the ball were mixed with boos and the former England midfielder endured a patchy night with some misplaced passes and set-pieces.

He was coy about his future afterwards, with speculation rife that the Galaxy’s week-long Asian tour could be his last showing with the team. “I’ve said it before. Right now I play for LA Galaxy, as I have done for a while. I have a big decision to make,” he said.

“I think tonight was a very difficult game for us. The Indonesian select team are very good,” he said. “They were very quick, they know how to play the game.”

Former Spurs man Keane scored the only goal of the night in the 14th minute. The match was played at the stadium where a stampede last week at the Southeast Asian Games football final left two people dead.

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Jonas quick off the mark in vital Champions League win for Valencia

Madrid - Valencia striker Jonas Goncalvez scored the fastest goal in the history of the Champions League to give his side a lifeline in the competition as they defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the Mestalla stadium on Tuesday night.

Jonas needed just nine seconds to open the scoring against the Germans in what was a must win game for Valencia, who went into the game with just two points from their three previous matches and with a four-point disadvantage in the group that also includes Bayer.

Anything other than a win was simply not enough for Valencia and Jonas' goal got them off to a perfect start against a side that had defeated them 2-1 just a fortnight earlier.

Bayer reached after that early shock and they drew level and Stefan Kiessling equalized after 31 minutes as he headed home a pinpoint cross from veteran midfielder Michael Ballack.

That goal caused problems for Valencia as their fans had begun to get nervous before Roberto Soldado put the home side back in front. The supporters had begun to whistle their side and there was audible criticism of coach Unai Emery for his decision to replace Sophiane Feghouli with Pablo Piatti just before the hour.

Central defender Adil Rami assured the win with a powerful header with 15 minutes remaining and although it was not a vintage display from the home side, it was enough to give them a win and the chance to make it into the last 16 of the competition.

The win did come at a price, however, Valencia's influential midfielder ever Banega was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after just 24 minutes of the game. The Argentinean fell badly and looked to have seriously hurt himself and was in tears as he left the pitch to be replaced by Tino Costa.

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UAE senior football team start training camp

Dubai: The UAE senior national football team start their domestic training camp in Dubai Friday ahead of their return match against South Korea in the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup on Friday, November 11.
The UAE, led by local head coach Dr. Abdulla Misfir, has almost lost all hope of reaching the final stage of the qualifiers as they have lost their first three matches in a group that also features Kuwait and Lebanon.

South Korea leads with seven points, followed by Kuwait with five and Lebanon on four.

Honour
"We have no real hope of featuring in the finals of the World Cup but we will do our best to honour our country and its game," Misfir told Gulf News.

Misfir was appointed after the UAE FA sacked Slovenian Srecko Katanec after the team lost 3-1 to Lebanon and led them against South Korea in Seoul last month, when they played their best match in the qualifiers but went down 2-1.

"We have to be at our best to achieve a positive result against the Koreans, who are one of the best and strongest teams in Asia. I have great confidence in the fighting spirits of my players and their determination not to lose at home," Misfir added.

The team will train at the Al Ahli club's Rashid Stadium, the venue of the match, while the South Koreans are expected to arrive in Dubai today, Friday to start their preparations for the match.

Debutants
Misfir has added debutants Abdulla Qasim, the wingback of Al Jazira, and Eissa Obaid, the striker of Al Shabab, to his squad after their brilliant performances for their club teams in the etisalat Pro League this season.

The full list of players includes: Majed Nasir, Al Wasl. Khalid Eissa, Abdulla Mousa, Khalid Sabeel, Subait Khater, Abdulla Qasim and Jumaa Abdulla from Al Jazira. Yousuf Al Zaabi, Ahmad Khalil, Amer Mubarak and Esmail Al Hammadi, from Al Ahli. Frais Jumaa, Ali Al Waheebi and Abdul Aziz Fayez, from Al Ain.

Hamdan Al Kamali, Basheer Saeed, Eissa Ahmad, Khalid Jalal, Mohammad Al Shehhi and Esmail Matar, from Al Wahda. Waleed Abbass, Mohammad Ahmad and Eissa Obaid from Al Shabab. Yuouf Jaber and Mohammad Fawzi from Bani Yas and Ali Abbass from Al Nasr. (Yasir Abbasher)

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Ten-man Iron hold Blades

Substitute Ched Evans preserved Sheffield United's unbeaten record with a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Scunthorpe.

The home side, still looking for their first win of the season, were forced to play with a numerical disadvantage for over an hour after winger Andy Barcham was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Blades skipper Michael Doyle in the 25th minute.

But it was Scunthorpe who bossed the first half, and they should have been in front after just seven minutes when striker Chris Dagnall shot against the crossbar from close range with the goal at his mercy. However, Dagnall made amends in first-half stoppage time when he fired the Iron in front with a brilliant solo effort, taking on the Sheffield defence in a run from the halfway line before picking his spot past goalkeeper Steve Simonsen.

Following a disappointing first half, the Blades came back strongly after the interval and were unlucky not to be on level terms when a shot from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came back off a post. Richard Cresswell then missed two golden opportunities to bring his side back on level terms.

Scunthorpe defended in depth with good debuts from goalkeeper Sam Johnstone of Manchester United and centre-back Shane Duffy from Everton. But the Blades` pressure was finally rewarded with a 72nd-minute equaliser from Evans, who scored with an overhead kick after the home defence had failed to deal with a cross from full-back Matthew Lowton.

The Blades almost snatched a winner after 83 minutes when Doyle headed against the crossbar from a corner.

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Bahrain soccer team expected in Jakarta Saturday

Jakarta - The national soccer team of Bahrain is expected to arrive in Jakarta on Saturday (Sept.3) night or earlier than the Indonesian senior team which was scheduled to arrive here from Iran on Sunday night.

The Indonesian team will play against the Bahrain team in the second leg of the Pre-World Cup 2014 round Group E on Tuesday (Sept.6) at the Bung Karno main stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, the official website of the All-Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI), reported on Saturday.

As the host, the Indonesian team which was scheduled to arrive here at 10.25 pm western Indonesia standard time (WIB) would have a short time of rest before playing against Bahrain.

Indonesia lost 0-3 (0-0) to Iran in the third round of Pre-World Cup 2011 round group E at Tehran`s Azadi Stadium early on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Bahrain team that shared a 0-0 draw against Qatar, was scheduled to arrive in the Soekarno-Hatta international airport on Saturday at 09.45 pm local time by Qatar airlines (QR 670).

The game devices will arrive here on Sunday (Sept.4).

In addition, the match supervisor is Salman Al Namshan from Saudi Arabia.

While the referee who will lead the game, Min Hu Lee from South Korea, will be assisted by two referee assistants namely Choi Min Byuong and Young Ha Kim and the referee reserve Jo Hyung Jin, all are from South Korea.

In the Group E standings, Iran for the time-being leads with three points after beating Indonesia 3-0 in the first leg. The second position place is Bahrain (1), followed by Qatar (1) and Indonesia (0). (*)

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RI expected to win against Bahrain on tuesday

Jakarta - Indonesia`s senior soccer team is widely expected to win its upcoming match with Bahrain at the Bung Karno main stadium on Tuesday (Sept.6) evening to compensate its loss against Iran.

Indonesian striker Christian Gonzales and other members of the Indonesian team would have the psychological advantage of facing Bahrain on their own turf where they are assured of the moral support of tens of thousands of domestic soccer fans.

Indonesia lost 0-3 (0-0) to Iran in the third round of the Pre-World Cup 2011 round in group E at Tehran`s Azadi Stadium early on Saturday (Sept.2). Bahrain at the time played Qatar and their match ended in a 0-0 draw.

Indonesia`s senior team that had returned in Jakarta from Tehran, Iran, on Sunday (Sept.4) night is expected to show its best performance on Tuesday against the Bahrainis who arrived in Jakarta on Saturday (Sept.3) or earlier than the Indonesian team.

The Indonesian team will play against Bahrain`s eleven in the second leg of the Pre-World Cup 2014 round in Group E.

In a tossup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, recently, the Indonesian soccer team was put in Group E along with Iran, Qatar and Bahrain.

Bahrain and Qatar meanwhile played to a 0-0 draw at Bahrain`s Manama National Stadium on Friday evening local time or early on Saturday Western Indonesia Time.

At Tuesday night`s event the referee who will lead the game, Min Hu Lee from South Korea, will be seconded by two assistants, namely Choi Min Byuong and Young Ha Kim with Jo Hyung Jin, also from South Korea, as reserve referee.

In the Group E standings, Iran for the time being is leading with three points after beating Indonesia 3-0 in the first leg. In second place is Bahrain (1), followed by Qatar (1) and Indonesia (0).

The Indonesian team`s coach, Wim Rijsbergen, said he hoped his charges can forget their defeat from Iran and instead focus on their encounter with Bahrain on Tuesday night.

Speaking to the press here on Monday (Sept.5), Wim said that the team`s target in the home-match is to achieve full points.

"We have to forget the defeat from Iran and raise our spirit in the face of Bahrain. Raising the players` morale for the upcoming match is very important ," Wim said.

Wim expressed optimism that the Indonesian players would be in top condition when entering the field of Tuesday`s match.

He also hoped the Indonesian team would win the game and thereby lift the country`s name in the international arena and also raise its position in FIFA`s ranking.

In addition to strengthening its rear guard, Wim said, he would instruct the Indonesian team to maintain an aggressive tempo.

Wim also said remaining in an attacking position was the right formula to ward off the opponent`s attacks. Players from Middle Eastern countries were adept at capitalizing on dead balls as shown by the Iranian team when they defeated Firman Utina and his friends.

"In addition, we have asked our players to avoid violating the rules in the ​defense area because the consequences will be quite harmful" said Wim who comes from Holland.

In the meantime, the captain of Indonesia`s team, Bambang Pamungkas, said his team was ready to perform to the best of its capabilities in the match against Bahrain although its members were now not in their best physical condition after playing Iran in the the first match.

"Although the present situation is not favorable because the Bahrain team arrived earlier in Jakarta than the Indonesian team, we will show our maximum performance," Pamungkas said.

In Tuesday`s match, two Indonesian team members, namely

Zulkifli Syukur and M Ilham, would be absent as they were given several yellow cards in the match against Iran.

However, Boaz Salossa, Ahmad Bustomi and Ricardo Salampessy who were not in the Indonesian team in Tehran on September 2, 2011, would also be fielded in the match with Bahrain.

Both (Boaz Salossa and Bustomi) have very vital role for the national team because Bustomi is able to balance the team in the middle and Boaz has a high skill to break down the opponent`s defense, Wim said.

In addition, back player Muhammad Nasuha who was absent in Teheran due to a yellow card accumulation, was also ready to be fielded against Bahrain.

The national team coach Wim said that his team was committed to grab the full points on the Tuesday home-match.

Meanwhile, one of Indonesian soccer fans in Jakarta Indra Ifani (Ifan- 188 cm high) when speaking to Antara here on Monday expressed optimism that the country`s team can beat Bahrain 3-0.

Ifan, one of Budi Sudarsono`s friends (Budi the country`s wellknown soccer player) also hoped Gonzales and his friends can achieve full points on the Tuesday night match. (*)

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Paraguay beats Brazil on penalties in Copa America

Paraguay advanced to the Copa America semifinals on Sunday by defeating defending champion Brazil 2-0 in a penalty shootout after the score was level at 0-0 following extra time.

Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar stopped Thiago Silva's shot and Elano, Andre Santos and Fred also missed for Brazil, which was eliminated from the South American competition a day after host Argentina lost to Uruguay.

The Argentines also lost on penalties after Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera played well in regulation and then stopped Carlos Tevez's penalty in the shootout.

Similarly, a great performance by Villar ensured Brazil failed to capitalize on its scoring opportunities despite dominating from the start.

"After the way we played today, I've never seen a more unfair result in my entire career," Brazil midfielder Ramires said.

Paraguay hasn't won any of its four matches so far. The team will face either Chile or Venezuela, which will play later Sunday. Uruguay and Peru, which eliminated Colombia on Saturday, will meet in the other semifinal.

Brazil was trying to win its third straight Copa America title after having won four of the past five tournaments, and coach Mano Menezes brought a mixed squad of veterans and promising young stars to also prepare for the 2014 World Cup at home.

"It's important to keep our calm after a loss and avoid thinking that it was all negative," Menezes said. "We improved after the (tough) start in the competition and we will continue working hard so we can reach the positive results in the future."

Brazil leaves with only one win in four matches. The team drew with Venezuela and Paraguay before beating Ecuador 4-2 in the group stage.

"It's always disappointing when things don't go our way," Menezes said. "We lost to a team which hasn't won a match yet and now has reached the semifinals. But that's football and we have to learn how to live with that to avoid compromising the work that we've done so far. And at the same time we have to understand what we need to do to improve from now on."

Marcelo Estigarribia and Christian Riveros scored for Paraguay in the shootout after Villar capped his great performance by diving to his left to stop Thiago Silva's shot.

Brazil midfielder Elano started the shootout by missing badly over the crossbar, and Andre Santos and Fred also missed the goal.

There was an altercation 11 minutes into extra time after a dispute between Brazil defender Lucio and Estigarribia near the sideline. Players from both teams were involved in the confrontation, shoving each other. Referee Sergio Pezzotta of Argentina sent off Brazil's Lucas Leiva and Paraguay's Antolin Alcaraz.

Brazil controlled possession and outplayed Paraguay from the start. The Paraguayans stayed back and relied mostly on counterattacks, but couldn't get nowhere near the Brazilian goal for most of the match.

Paraguay's first shot on target came in the 88th, when Edgar Barreto's long-range strike was deflected to allow goalkeeper Julio Cesar to make an easy save.

Paraguay forward Nelson Haedo Valdez had the only chance in extra time, just missing the far corner with a first-time shot from inside the area following a long pass by Estigarribia in the 112th.

Brazil, which outshot Paraguay 16-4, had at least five clear scoring chances in regulation, most from young striker Neymar. Villar's great performance caused Paraguay's fans to chant his name on several occasions during the match.

Villar denied Paulo Henrique Ganso in the 66th, and made another terrific stop with his feet from a close-range strike by Alexandre Pato.

The Brazilians thought they had scored when Paraguay's Barreto cleared a header by substitute striker Fred in the 82nd, but the linesman said the ball didn't cross the line. (VIncente L. Panetta)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
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Surprising Venezuela reaches Copa semifinals

Venezuela reached the Copa America semifinals for the first time as Oswaldo Vizcarrondo and Gabriel Cichero scored either side of halftime to beat Chile 2-1 on Sunday.

Humberto Suazo equalized briefly for Chile in the second half.

Venezuela is unbeaten in four games at the Copa America and has been the surprise team in a surprising tournament.

Venezuela will face Paraguay on Wednesday, while Peru plays Uruguay in Tuesday's other semifinal.

"We played when we had to play, and suffered when we had to suffer," Venezuela coach Cesar Farias said. "And we had luck when we needed to have luck."

Throughout the tournament Farias has been pleading for respect, trying to cast aside the image of a country far better known for its baseball talent. Venezuela is the only country of the 10 in the South American confederation that has never played in the World Cup.

"We beat a rival who was in the World Cup," Farias said of Chile, which reached the second round last year in South Africa. "Chile's players were the revelation of last year's World Cup qualifying, and they confirmed it at the World Cup."

Tournament favorites Brazil and Argentina were knocked out in the quarterfinals. Paraguay defeated defending champion Brazil on penalties Sunday, and Argentina lost to Uruguay on Saturday, also in a shootout.

Cichero scored the winner in the 81st minute after Chile had almost all the play in the second half and seemed headed for a late victory. Cichero found the net after Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo failed to control a free kick and let the rebound fall free in front of the goal.

Venezuela took a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute with Vizcarrondo's header. Vizcarrondo cut across the area and headed in a cross from Juan Arango from a free kick. The shot beat Bravo just inside the post to his left.

Chile leveled the match in the 70th minute when Suazo drove in a shot off the underside of the crossbar following a pass from Alexis Sanchez.

Chile, which had the best record in the group stage with seven points from nine, goes the way of Brazil and Argentina and leaves the tournament with Uruguay as the slight favorite. Uruguay has won the title 14 times, the same as Argentina.

"I am leaving sad," said Chile coach Claudio Borghi, who replaced Marcelo Bielsa after the World Cup. "But I don't feel cheated. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet all the expectations people had."

Chile had several chances in the second half.

In the 54th, Alexis Sanchez's header was cleared off the line by a Chile defender. Seconds later, Suazo hit the post. Chile pressed on with Jorge Valdivia hitting the post in the 58th. Ten minutes later, Gary Medel's short-range header was stopped by keeper Renny Vega.

Both teams finished with 10 players. Chile's Medel was sent off for his second yellow ard in the 83rd, and Tomas Rincon was shown a red card in second-half injury time. (Diego Graglia)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
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