Seven Sisters Love Football

Man United stage incredible comeback to draw at Chelsea

2012-02-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Javier Hernandez celebrates with team mates after equalizing against Chelsea.

London: There were some numbers to be crunched before this game and the pressure was surely on Manchester United to win it after Manchester City’s victory at Fulham on Saturday. But the way this match was played was reminiscent of the fact why the English Premier League is touted as the best in the world.

Chelsea took a healthy 3-0 lead before Wayne Rooney inspired his team to 3-2, scoring two penalties before Javier Hernandez headed in an equaliser from Ryan Giggs’ cross.
“We dug in, we fought well and maybe that point could win us the league at the end of the season,” said Wayne Rooney, being interviewed by Sky Sports after he won the man-of-the-match award.
The referee was at the centre of the proceedings as early as the 10th minute, when he turned down a penalty shout from Danny Welbeck who was clearly felled by Gary Cahill on the edge of the box.
United controlled proceedings for the first half hour, patiently probing and passing it around in midfield before Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge decided to carry the ball past the right hand side and into the danger area. His pull-back hit Jonny Evans’ body and it went in past David De Gea for the hosts to take the lead.
If the first half was exciting, then the second half was simply thrilling. Fernando Torres delivered a sumptuous cross from the right wing and Juan Mata showcased his brilliant technique, scoring straight off it in an unstoppable manner. Chelsea were 3-0 up within four minutes of the second half as David Luiz headed in Mata’s free-kick from the right wing.
There was a hint of luck for the Brazilian defender as his header deflected off Rio Ferdinand in what looked like an attempt which might have gone wide.
Manchester United looked as if they were down and out but a penalty decision in the 56th minute went their way and Wayne Rooney scored in the top corner.
With their tails up, United attacked from all sides and Danny Welbeck was brought down in the box by Branislav Ivanovic as Hernandez teed him up. It was a debatable decision but Rooney sent Cech the other way and brought the scoreline to 3-2.
With that sort of motivation, United went all out and Hernandez was at the centre of all the action. It was therefore fitting for the little Mexican to head in the equaliser from a glorious Ryan Giggs cross.
It was all or nothing for both sides after the comeback but David De Gea still had one moment to assure United fans that he has something in him which must have forced Sir Alex to pay so much money for the youngster.
Juan Mata took an absolutely sensational free-kick, which was perfectly heading into the top corner, but it was to be De Gea’s night as he stopped it at full stretch, certainly giving his team a valuable point.
Post match, Ferguson admitted that he saw the result as two points dropped rather than one point gained, but he was still impressed with his players. “To be honest, I should have played Chicharito straight from the second half. He just changed the match. Welbeck was also really good and will turn out to be a top player and De Gea showed us that he has talent and we will trust that talent.”
With Manchester City now two points ahead of their local rivals in the title race, every match is worth winning. And every point, is worth fighting for.

Langsning beat Threads, United Sikkim too register win

2012-02-02T16:53:00.001-08:00

NEW DELHI: Three goals in ten minutes from Meghalaya outfit Langsning helped them beat Kerala's Golden Threads 3-1 in the 2nd division I-League match played at the Ambedkar Stadium on Thursday.

In another match, Simla Youngs and Luangmual FC played out a goalless draw.

In Silchar, Baichung Bhutia's United Sikkim FC beat Bhawanipore FC 3-2, Gauhati Town Club beat Quartz FC 4-0 in Cuttack while Kalighat MS beat Techno Aryan FC 2-1 at the same venue.

Golden Threads scored in the 15th minute when Shemeer AJ's shot had Langsning custodian stranded.

Golden Threads had a better time on the field in the first half but failed to capitalise on the chances that came their way.

The start of the second half saw Langsning dominating the game and Shin Ho Jun restored parity for them in 59th minute off a free kick from outside the top of the box.

Aliad K Kynta helped the Meghalaya side take the lead in the 65th minute as his sizzling right footer had Jennesh Thomas diving in vain.

Langsning didn't have to wait much to make it 3-1 as four minutes later Shin ho Jun found the back of the net to seal the fate in his team's favour.

In the match between Youngs and Luangmual FC, till full time, both the teams failed to break the deadlock. The best chance of the match came in the 35th minute when Young's Ravi Jugde tripped Malsawm Tluanga in the penalty area.

But Denghming Thanga muffed the opportunity, when he kicked straight into the hands of Youngs custodian Varinder Singh.

Man United join beaten City at Premier League summit

2012-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

Manchester United's Javier Hernandez celebrates after scoring during their English Premier League match against Stoke City at Old Trafford in Manchester on January 31, 2012. (Reuters Photo)

MANCHESTER: Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov each claimed a penalty as Manchester United's 2-0 victory over Stoke drew them level with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

With injury and illness to Anders Lindegaard and David de Gea, respectively, forcing United to hand a league debut to 21-year-old deputy Ben Amos, the penalty decisions ensured the defending Premier League champions enjoyed a comfortable evening.

United took the lead after 38 minutes when Jermaine Pennant was judged to have tripped United's South Korean international midfielder Park Ji-Sung in the area.

In the absence of regular penalty taker Wayne Rooney, who has failed on four of his last eight attempts, Hernandez strode up and calmly beat Thomas Sorensen with a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

Seven minutes into the second half, Antonio Valencia surged into the area with Jon Walters tugging at him from behind, a move which referee Mike Jones instantly deemed worthy of a penalty.

This time, surprisingly given Hernandez's earlier success, Berbatov strode up to the mark and scored just as convincingly as his team mate had, low into the bottom right.

The opening goal was inevitable in a game in which Stoke's primary aim appeared to be to test United's rookie goalkeeper with long-range shots.

Walters chanced his arm from 25 yards and Kenwyne Jones volleyed wide from outside the box inside the opening 10 minutes.

But the bulk of the first period was spent with United patiently trying to break down Stoke's dogged resistance.

Paul Scholes teed up Michael Carrick for a promising early shot which was charged down by Ryan Shawcross and another Carrick strike won a 21st minute corner.

That resulted in Scholes shooting from outside the area sending a fierce strike just wide of the post and into the advertising hoardings.

Patrice Evra appealed in vain for a penalty after his run into the area was halted by slight contact from Dean Whitehead and Berbatov's telling pass then freed Valencia down the right but his cross was too close to Sorensen who parried the ball to safety.

Carrick then linked intelligently with Park and Berbatov before rolling a left-foot shot inches wide, a miss followed moments later by the opening goal.

Even after taking the lead from the penalty, United might have had a second spotkick when a Hernandez cross struck Shawcross's hand although referee Jones clearly viewed the infringement as accidental.

After Chris Smalling created an early second half opening for Berbatov, which was charged down by the visiting defence, Jones finally decided United merited a second penalty and, thereafter, the game looked well beyond Stoke.

Pennant's free-kick almost presented Jones with a chance and the Stoke winger also crossed well for substitute Cameron Jerome whose header was first fumbled, then saved on the line, by Amos.

Amazingly, it appeared that United should have had a third penalty decision after Evra appeared to be brought down by Whitehead after 70 minutes following another flowing passage of play.

With Jeje possibly ruled out of the Challenge Cup, which striker could replace him in the starting lineup?

2012-01-25T20:23:00.001-08:00

With the Pune FC striker injured for up to eight weeks, Ayush Srivastava has a look at the options Savio Medeira has upfront to replace the Mizo striker....

By Ayush Srivastava

AIFF

The moment it was revealed that the injury Jeje Lalpekhlua suffered in the clash against Air India might leave him out of India’s squad for the Challenge Cup to be held in March in Nepal, it left the Indian fans sweating over the options that the national team has to replace the Mizo striker.
While concern over the Pune FC player’s injury speaks volumes about the progress the forward has made over the last year, it also exposes the fact that the Indian cupboard is bare of options upfront.
Behind Sunil Chhetri and Jeje in the pecking order is Shillong Lajong’s new recruit Sushil Kumar Singh. The Manipuri striker has not exactly lived up to the promise he showed in his earlier years, and while successive Indian coaches have kept faith in the striker, his performances on the pitch have shown their confidence in him as being misplaced. As much as the coaches claim that he is a class act in the training sessions, the number of chances he misses only goes to highlight the lack of finishing skills in the player.
He often completely disappears in vital games and needs to beef up both physically and mentally if he is to be considered as a viable option upfront in the long-term. Hopefully for him, playing regularly for Shillong Lajong in the coming few weeks might help him regain his form and confidence.

Abranches Has The Talent, But Is In Dreadful Form....

The other two strikers who have featured in Savio Medeira’s recent plans are C.S Sabeeth and Joaquim Abranches.
The former has not really had a vintage season for Pailan Arrows this campaign, having signed from Chirag United Kerala in the summer with the club management hoping he would be an effective replacement for Jeje this season.
However the Keralite, who was so impressive for the erstwhile Viva Kerala last season, has often been marooned upfront all alone for the Arrows. With the ultra defensive tactics employed by the club, even when Sabeeth does manage to hold on to the ball, he is often several yards away from the nearest team-mate and ends up losing possession. With the Arrows not able to create enough chances, Sabeeth has scored a paltry 4 goals this season, which seems to have dented his confidence. And if he continues to play for Arrows, his confidence in front of goal shall go further down.
That though, is twice as many goals as Joaquim Abranches has managed this season. The Goan is known to have the quality to play at the highest level, but form and fitness seems to desert the player at key moments during the season.
The above mentioned duo definitely have the talent to represent India on the international stage, but with their struggles this season, it is debatable whether they can take Jeje’s place in the starting line-up.

Baljit And Robin Singh Have Been Too Inconsistent...

Two other strikers who could and perhaps should be part of the Indian caravan are Baljit Sahni and Robin Singh of East Bengal. While they have the talent, they are equally frustrating to watch as they often mix the brilliant with the ridiculous. Who can forget Sahni's bicycle-kick against Churchill Brothers on matchday one when he cleared the ball for the opposition after Robin had flicked it for him inside the box!
This has especially been the case this season, where lack of form and injuries has seen them score a measly five goal between themselves, which makes it difficult for anyone to project them as starters for the national team.
The most promising striker on the Indian scene at the moment is perhaps Air India’s promising young striker Manandeep Singh.
The youngster was a part of the Indian Arrows setup last season and has hit the ground running with his new employers Air India this term, scoring six goals and impressing with his all-round game.
He is rated highly by fans and pundits alike, and with his former Arrows team-mate being injured, Manandeep might be given a chance to prove his mettle at the highest stage, provided he continues in his present rich vein of form.

Victorino Fernandes Could Be The Wildcard Up Medeira's Sleeve....

Other players who might have an outside chance of a call-up are Sporting Clube de Goa’s Victorino Fernandes, who has been impressive upfront for the promoted Goan outfit and Ashim Biswas, who once broke through onto the international scene with much promise, only to lose his way. He has chipped in with four goals for Mohun Bagan this season, but it would be a real surprise if the striker got re-called into the national team after more than half a decade out of the reckoning.
Jeje’s club colleague, Subash Singh too might be in with an outside chance, if he manages to grab the opportunity that shall be handed to him thanks to his team-mate’s injury with both hands.
Two other players who have prior experience with the national team are Mohammed Rafi of Churchill Brothers and Abhishek Yadav of Mumbai FC. However neither player has produced anything of note for their respective teams this season and it seems highly improbable that either would get the call to board the flight to Nepal in March.
So what is abundantly clear is, that while the country has enough number of strikers at the top level, the quality that Jeje brings into the team is clearly missing amongst his likely replacements. So the fanatic Indian supporters will have to hope for a miraculous recovery for the Mizo striker, or for another domestic talent to rise to the forefront, pretty much like the Pune FC lad grabbed the limelight at this time of the season last year, for the country to have any chance of qualifying for the 2015 Asian Cup.

Liverpool hold on to beat City 3-2 on aggregate

2012-01-25T17:57:00.001-08:00

Spurred by goals from Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy, Liverpool came back twice from behind to earn a 2-2 draw (3-2 agg) against Manchester City to take them to the final of the Carling Cup against Cardiff City.
Nigel de Jong had put City ahead on the half hour mark with a superb curling effort from 25 yards out after David Silva had teed him up. But Micah Richards’ handball in the box allowed Steven Gerrard to score from the spot for the second time in the two-legged tie.
Roberto Mancini was furious with the referee’s decision to give a penalty when the ball struck Richards’ arm.
“It was impossible that it was penalty. Micah can’t cut off his arm because the ball touched his leg before. It’s impossible to concede a penalty like this and not give one with Edin Dzeko. For Edin, I am 200% sure it was a penalty.”
It looked like Edin Dzeko had done enough to take City to Wembley on away goals after he tapped in Aleksander Kolarov’s cross on the back post, but ex-Citizen Craig Bellamy had the final say with a cracking goal following a quick exchange with Glen Johnson.
The Welshman was in fantastic form all match, troubling the City defence with his raw pace.
“The omens were not looking good going into tonight. Last night I saw Cardiff go through and I was pleased for them. It couldn’t be a better final for me. It’s funny how football can work out at times. To get to the final is big for us,” he told the BBC.
Maybe the gap could have been a lot more if it wasn’t for Joe Hart in the City goal. The English international was the only difference in long spells of Liverpool‘s dominance.
The match could have been well before the final whistle if the goalkeeper had not made brilliant saves to deny Jose Enrique, Martin Skrtel and Stewart Downing.
The victory also means that Liverpool will play a final at Wembley after a 16 year wait and its importance was plain at the final whistle when Dalglish couldn’t hide his joy with a fist-pump.
The Reds will take on Cardiff City in the finals on 26th February.

Lajong keen to sign on N-E players

2012-01-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Shillong, Jan 25 : Shillong Lajong FC is working towards making the team a formidable side “of the Northeast and by the Northeast” to compete in the national circuit and the latest soccer biggie to join the outfit is India striker Sushil Kumar Singh of Manipur.

Singh, 26, who had also featured in the recent friendly against Bayern Munich in Calcutta, was signed on today and is expected to strengthen the conversion rate of Lajong, which has so far squandered several opportunities in the ongoing I-League campaign.

Singh had also played for Mahindra United from 2008-10 and East Bengal during 2010-11 before joining United Sikkim last year.

He has been a member of the Indian squad from 2008 onwards.

With 10 more matches remaining in the current I-League season, Singh is the latest player to be recruited by Lajong.

Last week, the outfit signed in two strikers — India vice-captain P. Renedy Singh of Manipur and Mathew Osvaldo Mayora of Australia.

Lajong can also sign on one more player to complete the 30-player squad.

“I am very happy to join Lajong and I will definitely give my best to the team,” the striker told a press conference today in the presence of Lajong general secretary Larsing M. Sawian and coach Pradhyum Reddy.

The Lajong coach said the last week has been very positive for the team.

“Our aim is to bring in the best players from the Northeast to play for the team,” Reddy said.

On Singh, he said a player of his calibre should be given the opportunity to showcase his talent. “We are very fortunate that he (Singh) preferred Lajong over other teams. His presence will provide more balance to the side,” Reddy added.

He also said while the midfield and forward lines of the team have been well balanced, the only worry for the team has been the defence line.

“But we are trying to improve our defence as well,” Reddy added, while refusing to disclose whether Singh would feature in the Saturday home clash against Pune FC.

Spelling out the vision of the team, Sawian said, “We will work towards strengthening the team as the Northeast deserves a better representation in the I-League circuit. We are not leaving any stone unturned to build the team, and in the next season, more big names will be engaged by the club.”

Man United overcome injuries to thump Fulham 5-0

2011-12-21T22:03:00.001-08:00

London: Manchester United earned their biggest win in three months on Wednesday, routing Fulham 5-0 to keep the heat on leaders Manchester City in the Premier League title race, but saw two key players pick up injuries.
Dimitar Berbatov rounded off the victory with an audacious backheel in stoppage time after goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.
"We played some superb football in the first half," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "It's not an easy place to come. We have experienced that in the last three years. We have got one point from nine here so that shows you the difficulties."

Getty Images

The victory came at a cost, with defender Phil Jones forced off injured in the 20th minute after being caught by Clint Dempsey's arm while dueling for the ball.
And his replacement, Ashley Young, came off injured while tackling Dickson Etuhu at the start of the second half with an unspecified injury that Ferguson said will rule him out for two to three weeks.
"The tackle on Ashley Young was a very aggressive tackle and I will have to see that again," Ferguson said. "Fulham were very aggressive in the second half and Ashley Young has paid the price for that. He has got a sore one so will be out for two to three weeks."
"On Phil Jones it was an elbow from Dempsey, but I don't think it was intentional. But he caught him with an elbow. We are sending him for an X-ray tomorrow and it doesn't look great. We are picking up injuries at the moment."
United, though, are only two points behind neighbours City, who beat Stoke 3-0 at Eastlands.
Having failed to win on their past three visits to Craven Cottage, the Red Devils never looked in danger of extending that run on Wednesday.
Manchester United made one change to the side that defeated QPR in West London on Sunday, with Anders Lindegaard coming in to replace David de Gea. Meanwhile, Rooney astonishingly became the youngest-ever player in the Premier League to make 300 appearances at the age of 26 years and 58 days, eclipsing Gareth Barry's record of 26 years and 247 days set in 2007.
Danny Welbeck capitalized on lax defending to break the deadlock within five minutes. Patrice Evra fed the ball to Nani on the half-way line, and the Portuguese winger was allowed to run unchallenged to the byline before sending in a pass to an unmarked Welbeck to slot home, a soft, soft goal for the home side to concede so early in proceedings.
The hosts almost got back level after 20 minutes as Bryan Ruiz played a neat one-two with Dempsey on the edge of the area before bearing down on goal, only to be thwarted by a fantastic last-ditch tackle from Phil Jones who sent the ball out for a corner. It was to be the young defender’s last action of the match as he was substituted straight afterwards.
It didn’t seem to phase United, and the visitors extended their advantage when Nani nodded home a cross from Ryan Giggs.
The 38-year-old midfielder's performance in the capital belied his years and he extended his streak of having scored in all 20 Premier League seasons when he saw a drive deflect off Philippe Senderos and loop in two minutes before the break.
The home side were booed off the pitch at half-time, but looked resurgent after the restart.
Anders Lindegaard was forced into his first real stop of the match as he got down well to prevent a header creeping over the line, and a minute later Moussa Dembele went close, his shot drifting an effort just wide. John Arne Riise then saw a free-kick fade just wide after Danny Murphy’s lay-off.
Still, Antonio Valencia shot at David Stockdale as United pressed for a fourth goal, before Chris Smalling blocked former teammate Dempsey's goalbound effort at the other end.
Play swung from one end to another as the match entered the final 20 minutes, before Rooney capped a fine performance with a superb 30-yard effort two minutes from time that left Stockdale with no chance..
Substitute Berbatov finished the rout with a nonchalant backheel from Valencia's cross in the 90th minute.

Churchill lose to Pune FC

2011-12-21T21:46:00.001-08:00

MARGAO: Table-toppers Churchill Brothers' campaign suffered a jolt as they went down to Pune FC 0-2 in their 11th round I-League match at the Nehru Stadium on Wednesday.

Keita Manjdou (62nd) and Gurjinder Kumar (84th) scored for the visitors.

Earlier, both the teams fought on an even note in the barrren first half as the hosts made clear their intention to extend their lead on top of the table through an aggressive display.

Lanrindika Ralte came up with a fierce shot from the top of the box only to see his shot hitting the bar in the second minute. Five minutes later rival custodian Abhara Mondal had to come and thwart Henri Autchouet from scoring off a cross from Lalrindika.

Mondal came to his side's rescue again when he blocked the ball off a freekick taken by Roberto Silva.

The visitors slowly settled into the groove and launched a series of moves and had three clear chances to surge ahead but Karma Tsewang failed to find the mark from close and later defender Chika Wali failed to convert twice.

After the change of ends, Churchill Brothers were unlucky when Lalrindika's shot hit the bar off a long pass from Denzil Franco from the right.

Thereafter, the momentum shifted in favour of visitors who controlled the midfield and kept on having better ball possession and took the lead in the 62nd minute.

A quick build up on the right which saw Srikant Ramu send a measured cross into the rival box which defender Naveen Sudhakaran allowed to get past. Striker Keita Manjdou, who was following the move, met the ball with a glancing header to find the back of the net.

Lester Fernandes, who played a dominant role in the midfield, played a one-to-one pass with Keita Manjdou on top of the box and the former, on entering box, took a shot which Churchill's keeper Felix D'Souza managed to block.

Pune FC made the issue safe when they scored again in the 84th minutes to seal Churchill Brothers' fate of any comeback.

Following a build up in the middle, Keita Manjdou took a crack at the goal from inside the box but Churchill custodian Felix, who left his charge, managed to block the shot.

However, defender Gurjinder Kumar found the net with a stiff grounder off the rebound.

The win takes Pune FC to fifth place with 18 points from 11 matches.

Churchill Brothers remained on 23 points from as many matches. Dempo, who are two points behind them, have a good chance to regain the top spot if they beat Sporting Clube de Goa on Thursday.

Luis Suárez's £40,000 fine and eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra angers Liverpool

2011-12-20T22:05:00.001-08:00

Liverpool have accused the Football Association of engineering a witch-hunt against striker Luis Suárez after the striker was suspended for eight games.

Flashpoint: Suarez and Evra clashed at Anfield in October Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Chris Bascombe
Suárez was hit with the hefty ban and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra in the Premier League fixture between the clubs on Oct 15.
The Independent Regulatory Commission acting on behalf of the FA ruled Suárez was guilty of misconduct and issued the severe penalties, pending an appeal.
However, there was an instant and enraged response from Anfield to the commission’s announcement.
A Liverpool club statement deemed the findings of the panel “extraordinary” and alleged “the FA were determined to bring charges against Luis Suarez, even before interviewing him at the beginning of November”.
The severity of the punishment has effectively led to open warfare between Liverpool, the FA and Manchester United, with the Merseyside club also suggesting Evra should be charged with racially abusing Suarez during their incendiary confrontation.
Evra claimed Suarez racially abused him “at least 10 times” in an interview conducted immediately after the game with French television station Canal Plus. Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, defended his player from the outset and personally attended the hearing in Manchester last week.
He argued that the word “negro” – which Suarez admitted using once – does not necessarily have racist connotations in the player’s homeland in Uruguay. Liverpool also claimed Evra had used racial language to insult their striker.
But an FA statement confirmed the commission found Suarez had contravened rule E3 (2) of their regulations and issued the severe penalties. The statement read: “An Independent Regulatory Commission has today found a charge of misconduct against Luis Suarez proven, and have issued a suspension for a period of eight matches as well as fining him £40,000, pending appeal.”
Liverpool are considering whether to appeal against the decision, which would keep Suarez out of football for over a month and have a serious impact on the club’s top four and trophy ambitions.
They have 14 days in which to lodge an appeal, which means the South American will be available for tonight’s Premier League game at Wigan, but there is a dilemma for the club as they consider their next course of action.
An appeal will force Suarez to miss both legs of the Carling Cup semi-final with Manchester City, the second leg of which is played on Jan 25.
Liverpool will believe protecting the tarnished reputation of their star striker is of more importance than the games he might miss by challenging the FA’s decision.
It is clear that Suarez retains the full support of everyone at Anfield, including the club’s owners, who are perplexed by the harshness of the punishment.
While Manchester United were making no comment on the findings, Liverpool issued a damning statement attacking the judgment and querying the validity of the commission’s conclusions.
They also suggested Evra should have faced race abuse charges of his own, suggesting there were further incidents in the fixture which the FA have refused to investigate.
“Liverpool Football Club is very surprised and disappointed with the decision of the Football Association Commission,” read the club statement.
“We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone when no one else on the field of play – including Evra’s own Manchester United team-mates and all the match officials – heard the alleged conversation between the two players in a crowded Kop goalmouth while a corner kick was about to be taken.”
Liverpool also accused the French defender of lacking credibility in his evidence, a public criticism which is sure to rile United and may prompt more recrimination.
“It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible – certainly no more credible than his prior unfounded accusations,” said the Liverpool statement.
“We do not recognise the way in which Luis Suarez has been characterised. We would also like to know when the FA intend to charge Patrice Evra with making abusive remarks to an opponent after he admitted himself in his evidence to insulting Luis Suarez in Spanish in the most objectionable of terms.”
Dalglish released a statement on Twitter stating: “Very disappointed with today’s verdict. This is the time when Luis Suarez needs our support. Let’s not let him walk alone.”
Suarez, too, expressed his disappointment, saying: “Today is a very difficult and painful day for me and my family.”
A three-man panel, consisting of Paul Goulding QC; Brian Jones, chairman of the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA; and former Sunderland manager Denis Smith, knew they were dealing with one of the most inflammatory cases in English football history given the rivalry between the clubs involved.
It took five days of deliberating to decide Suarez’s fate, but a saga which began last October is likely to run on with Liverpool refusing to willingly accept the conclusions.

Churchill Brothers beat Shillong Lajong 6-0

2011-12-18T22:12:00.001-08:00

Goa, Dec 19 : Churchill Brothers surged to the top of the I-League ladder for the first time after securing a comfortable 6-0 victory over Shillong Lajong FC in a tenth round I-League encounter at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.

The comfortable victory helped Churchill take their tally to 23 points, two more than Dempo Sports Club, who have a match in hand against Air India on Sunday.

Gabonese striker Henri Autchouet scored a second half hat-trick, his first in the competition. Brazilian midfielder Roberto Mendes da Silva had earlier opened the scoring with a penalty in the 29th minute before Lalrindika Ralte made it 2-0 almost immediately.

After the change of ends, ND Opara added his name to the scoresheet before Henri joined the party with a hat-trick of goals.
Churchill were a far superior side and it was evident early in the game, when the hosts controlled the proceedings amicably and Lajong gave away the ball far too easily.

After Beto and Henri had missed in quick succession, Churchill surged just before the half hour mark, when Beto won a penalty after being tripped inside the danger zone by Wailadmi Passah. Beto made no mistake from the spot.

If Churchill’s opening goal was fortunate, there were no doubts about the second. Lalrindika grabbed a ball just outside the box and majestically curled a shot into the top corner of the nets.

The opening session saw Churchill add two quick goals. At first, Opara played a nice one-two with Henri before finding the back of the net and then Henri got on to the right end of Lalrindika’s through ball to make it 4-0.

What seemed bad going for Lajong got worse in the 62nd minute when Churchill won another penalty and goalkeeper Soram Anganba was flashed the red card for a tackle on Lalrindika. Substitute goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte stood confidently between the posts and saved Opara’s subsequent penalty.

A few minutes later, though, Lalthuammawia could do nothing as Henri was allowed a free run inside the box to hammer Churchill’s fifth goal.

The Gabonese striker completed his hat-trick ten minutes from the end after he gave finishing touches to a through ball from Steven Dias.

Main focus is on tapping local talent, says Baan

2011-12-13T20:21:00.001-08:00

Bangalore, Dec 14 : The man who has been handed the unenviable task of changing the face of Indian football, Robert Baan, paid a visit to the upcoming FIFA Academy at the Bangalore Football stadium here on Tuesday.

Baan, who was appointed the technical director of the All India Football Federation, said encouraging young footballers will be vital to improving the quality of Indian football, adding that he was targeting 30-35 youngsters for each of the four FIFA Academies. The other three academies are coming up in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi.

“The first aim is to tap local talent from each of these academy centres. But kids from footballing areas like Mizoram will also be given a chance to be a part of the system,” the Dutchman, who was accompanied by AIFF National Academies Manager Scott O’Donell and Academies and Development Manager Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, said.

Baan also emphasised the importance of improving the standards of the under-19 teams of I-League clubs. “Each I-League team is supposed to have a full-fledged under-19 squad, but for a lot of the teams, it just remains so on paper.”

Man City suffer first league defeat at Chelsea

2011-12-12T20:56:00.001-08:00

London: Chelsea blew open the Premier League title race by ending Manchester City's unbeaten start to the season, defeating the leaders 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Monday thanks to a late penalty by substitute Frank Lampard.
City were down to 10 men after Gael Clichy's sending-off in the 58th minute when fellow defender Joleon Lescott blocked Daniel Sturridge's shot with his hand, giving Lampard the opportunity to smash home the winner from the spot in the 82nd.
It was City's first league loss since May last season - a run of 17 games - and trimmed their lead to two points from Manchester United, with resurgent Chelsea now back in the title hunt a further five points back in third after their third straight victory.

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"It's a gratifying win," Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "Seven points behind, with so many teams challenging for the title, is nothing."
City had taken the lead after just two minutes through Italy striker Mario Balotelli's eighth goal of the season and were unfortunate not to add a second goal amid a dominant opening half hour, when Spain playmaker David Silva was denied a penalty after appearing to be fouled by Jose Bosingwa.
Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles equalized in the 34th as Chelsea fought back, tightening up their midfield to stifle the effervescent Silva and Yaya Toure, and then took charge after Clichy's red card for two bookings in a 12-minute span.
"We didn't score enough in the first half and then the game changed after the sending-off. It became difficult," City manager Roberto Mancini said.
With Tottenham level on points with Chelsea and fifth-placed Arsenal only two further back, the top five are separated by nine points after 15 games. It sets up an exciting second half of the season.
City, with their expensively assembled team of stars, will still be regarded by many as the title favorites but will rue losing control of a match they started so well.
"Chelsea were really lucky in this game," Mancini said. "We are disappointed with this defeat but we have time to recover."
Having already dispatched Manchester United 6-1 and Tottenham 5-1 on their travels this season, City's commanding start suggested another title contender was going to be on the end of a hammering by Mancini's free-scoring team.
Barely 105 seconds had been played when Balotelli- just about onside despite Chelsea's protestations - ran onto Sergio Aguero's through-ball, rounded goalkeeper Petr Cech with ease and slotted into an empty net. Chelsea's high defensive line, which has been the subject of much focus this season, was again found out as City made it 49 goals in 15 games.
Chelsea responded through Meireles, again selected ahead of Lampard, as he made the kind of late run into the box his teammate has produced so often down the years to meet Sturridge's cross with a side-footed volley.
Clichy's recklessness then turned the match Chelsea's way.
The France leftback had already been booked for hauling down the dangerous Sturridge at the start of the second half when he clipped Ramires as the Brazil midfielder charged through, giving referee Mark Clattenburg no option but to brandish a second yellow card.
Aguero, who wasted a golden chance to make it 2-0 in the 11th minute, and Silva were withdrawn as City looked to protect their point, but some good defensive work by captain Vincent Kompany especially was undone by Lescott's blatant handball as he tried to block Sturridge's curling shot.
Lampard, who had replaced Meireles in the 72nd minute, stepped up to ram home the penalty down the middle and City had no time to react.
"I had a feeling in the second half that it was going to be our night," Lampard said. "You've got to be big enough to stand up and take them (penalties) and I was very relieved when it hit the back of the net."

India thrash Afghanistan to retain SAFF Championship title

2011-12-11T07:47:00.001-08:00

The seven minutes of drama preceding the kick had seen Afghanistan's goalkeeper Captain Hameedullah Yousufzari given marching orders and Djelauldin Sharityar shown the yellow card.

NEW DELHI: India dominated the last 20 minutes of the SAFF Cup football final against a 10-man Afghanistan at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Sunday, thrashing them 4-0 for their sixth title.

The vastly-improved Afghanistan were very much in the game till the 68th minute but a contentious penalty and a controversial red-card to goalkeeper Hameedullah Yousufzari by Singapore referee Sukhbir Singh ended the gritty Afghan's fairy-tale journey in the tournament.

Sunil Chettri converted the penalty in the 71st and helped India to add two more through Clifford Miranda (79th), Jeje Lalpekhlua (80th) to crush Afghanistan. Substitute Sushil Singh (90+) struck in the injury time to end the game in style for the defending champions. Chettri emerged the top scorer with seven goals.

India bagged the winner's purse of $50,000 while Afghanistan were richer by $25,000. All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel also announced an additional Rs.1 lakh for the Indian players.

The nippy Afghans were clearly the better team and had the match in control till the 68th minute. But the penalty and the red-card to Yousufzari, for pushing the referee, proved the turning point.

For India the penalty was lucky as Jeje was fouled on the edge of the box by defender Faisal Safa. The decision infuriated the Afghan goalkeeper, who pushed the referee. Play was held up for three minutes as Yousufzari and coach Mohammed Yusuf Kargar furiously protested but their efforts were futile.

Chettri had to retake the penalty after his first attempt was cancelled for intrusion by Nirmal Chettri in the penalty box. The goal pepped up India and they went all out against Afghanistan.

In the next nine minutes, India added two more through Miranda and Jeje while Sushil Singh struck in the injury time as India retained the title.

India were even lucky to double the lead through Miranda as Afghanistan were playing with nine men since left-back Safa was receiving treatment on the sidelines. The Dempo midfielder was well set-up on the right with a good pass from Chettri and unleashed his right-footer that crashed into the net. In the next minute, Jeje was on target after being set-up by a precise pass from Chettri.

India, however, were under tremendous pressure in the first half as Afghanistan breached their defence right from the start. Afghanistan came close to open the scoring in the first minute after their Norway-based striker Belal Arezou ran into the box dispossessing Anthony Pereira but a good tackle by Gouramangi Singh saved India the blushes.

The Indians struggled to keep pace with the lively Afghanistan team with Arezou ripping apart the India defence. Afghanistan lacked finishing, or else they would have been the deserving champions.
India: Karanjit Singh; Syed Rahim Nabi, Mahesh Gawli, Nirmal Chettri, Gouramangi Singh; Clifford Miranda (Lalrindika Ralte, Climax Lawrence, Rocus Lamare 90+), Anthony Pereira (Steven Dias, 72); Sunil Chhetri (Sushil Singh, 84) and Jeje Lalepkhlua

Afghanistan: Hameedullah Yousufzari; Faisal Safa, Haroon Fakhrudin, Mohammad Esrafil, Yousef Mashriqi; Ata Yamir Ali, Djelaludin Sharityar, Ghulam Hazrat Abdul, Moqadar Faizullah; Belal Arezou and Sanjar Ahmadi (Masood Hashmi, 75)

Referee: Sukhbir Singh (Singapore)

Barca stunned by Getafe for season's first defeat

2011-11-26T21:19:00.003-08:00

Getafe: Getafe ended Barcelona's 27-game unbeaten streak, shocking the Spanish champions 1-0 as Juan Valera scored in the 67th minute with a header off a corner kick at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Saturday.
Barcelona had not lost since April 30, starting this season unbeaten in 21 matches, and the overall unbeaten streak was one shy of the club record set from September to January last season. Getafe's defensive plan to stifle Barcelona's vaunted attack succeeded where so many others had failed, before Valera powered in a corner in the second half in his team's only shot on goal.
Barcelona pressed for the equalizer and grew more dangerous as the game approached the final whistle. Lionel Messi had a goal disallowed for offside in second-half injury time, then hit a post in stoppage time just before the final whistle as the the Catalans' title hopes were dented.

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"We suffered to win this one but we deserved it," Valera said. "They are so good. We worked hard today and happened to have that bit of luck you need to beat them."
With all the action taking place in Madrid, Barca saw title rivals Real come from behind to thrash Atletico 4-1 in the derby just before this match and needed a win to close back to within three of their fierce foes just two weeks ahead of the clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But it was a less-than-impressive performance from Pep Guardiola's side, so slick against AC Milan in a 3-2 win at San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Getafe stunned the visitors as Valera headed home mid-way through the second half.
Guardiola welcomed back Gerard Pique and Dani Alves in a strong side, with Alexis Sanchez chosen on the right, David Villa on the left and Lionel Messi in the centre as Barca began their second successive match in their third kit. But while they had looked in superb touch in Milan, it was a subdued showing this time around.
Messi sent an early free kick just wide and was later thwarted as Getafe goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya saved at his feet, but the hosts were lively as well and Miku came close on two occasions in the opening 45 minutes.
Barca attacked higher up the pitch in the second half, but Alexis was particularly disappointing and Thiago was no match for the missing Andres Iniesta.
Moya saved again from Messi and Valera shot wide at the other end as Getafe looked to do damage on the break. And incredibly, the home side took the lead after 67 minutes, when Varela headed home from Pablo Sarabia's corner.
Barca rallied after that and pressed forward in search of a late leveller.
And they thought they had got it when Messi converted right at the end, but the flag was raised for offside and the Catalans were left frustrated.
Messi, who scored an added-time equalizer in Barcelona's last away game at Athletic Bilbao, almost snatched another point for his team when he diverted a Pedro shot onto the post deep into injury time, but there was no way back for Guardiola's side, who suffered their first defeat of the season and are now six points behind Real Madrid just two weeks ahead of the clasico, which is now surely a must-win affair.
"They played very well in defence and we failed to break through," said Guardiola, whose team host Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday to make room in the calendar for the upcoming Club World Cup.
"Until the end we created chances, so I have nothing to reproach my team. Within three days we have to try again."

Man Utd held to controversial draw by Newcastle

2011-11-26T21:19:00.001-08:00

Manchester: Manchester United conceded a contentious penalty after the linesman intervened to draw 1-1 with Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday, dealing a blow to their bid to retain the Premier League title.
United defender Rio Ferdinand was judged to have brought down Hatem Ben Arfa in the 61st minute, although replays suggested the England international had made a perfectly legal tackle. Referee Mike Jones appeared happy to award a corner but linesman John Flynn indicated a penalty should be awarded, causing several angry United players to surround the match officials. Demba Ba kept his composure to convert the spot-kick after a two-minute delay, drawing Newcastle level after United striker Javier Hernandez's 49th-minute goal.
"I didn't think anyone in the ground thought it was a penalty apart from the assistant referee. The referee thought it was a corner. He was nearer to it. He was only eight yards away," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "The problem is that the referees are full-time and the linesmen are not, and whether he ever gets a game again, the assistant referee, is not for me to decide, but it was an absolutely shocking decision."

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"I know what everyone's view was, including the referee's. He said he thought Ferdinand touched it and won the ball and he gave a corner kick. But he let the linesman overrule him. You knew that right away. We had a situation a few weeks ago when the linesman gave a penalty kick for handball but the referee knew what to do and overruled him. That's what the referee should have done today."
Newcastle played the last 12 minutes with 10 men after Jonas Gutierrez was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Patrice Evra.
Hernandez had a goal disallowed for offside in the fourth minute of stoppage time, ensuring second-placed United are four points behind Manchester City, having played one match more. Meanwhile, Tottenham won 3-1 at West Bromwich Albion to rise to third, two points behind United with one match in hand on the defending champions.
At Old Trafford, there had been little indication of the drama to come following an open, if slightly pedestrian, first half. Three minutes after the restart, however, United were in front following a foul by Steven Taylor on Hernandez just outside the Newcastle penalty area. Wayne Rooney's free kick hit the opposition wall and his second shot was blocked Steven Taylor, but the ball struck Hernandez and ricocheted into the back of the goal.
That appeared to inspire United and the hosts started to create chances. Fullback Fabio powered forward but shot over the crossbar, then Ashley Young's corner was helped on by Nani for Rooney to head over from six yards.
But there were warning signs from the visitors. Yohan Cabaye's corner was well kept in by Taylor at the far post, and Fabricio Coloccini's downward shot drew a spectacular block from goalkeeper David de Gea.
Then came the contentious penalty, although United responded impressively with Rooney making room for himself before shooting over. Nani then strode away from Cabaye to cross the ball into the area. Young appeared about to score before a desperate covering tackle by Taylor.
Gutierrez clumsily fouled Nani in the 78th and was sent off, having already been booked 14 minutes earlier for a foul on Hernandez.
Ryan Giggs' resulting free kick found Nemanja Vidic, whose header was superbly kept out by goalkeeper Tim Krul, who did even better in the 83rd minute when he used both hands to turn Patrice Evra's 18-yard shot around the post.
The pressure continued late into the game with Nani crossing to Young, who steadied himself before shooting against the foot of the post. Four minutes from time, Newcastle defender Danny Simpson somehow managed to clear Hernandez's header off the line.
Hernandez looked to have scored the winner but the linesman waved the Mexico international offside, further infuriating manager Alex Ferguson and his players.

For the first time in 17 years, American Samoa win

2011-11-24T21:17:00.001-08:00

Having won an official match for the first time to end a losing streak of 30 games in 17 years American Samoa, the world’s joint lowest-ranked international team, now aim to achieve “something special” in Oceania’s World Cup qualifying competition.
The Polynesian chain of islands who in 2001 lost 31-0 to Australia — the heaviest defeat recorded in international soccer — famously beat Tonga 2-1 in the first round.
They next play the Cook Islands knowing a win would put them in a strong position to emerge from their four-team group.

American Samoa finally broke their losing streak. AP

“This is going to be part of soccer history, just like the 31-nothing against Australia was part of history,” American Samoa coach Thomas Rongen said after they beat Tonga.
“I’m so proud of the players. We’ve got two more games to play; maybe we have a chance to do something special here beyond this one game.
American Samoa are 204th in FIFA’s world rankings, sharing bottom spot with Andorra, Montserrat, Samoa and San Marino.

Indian football needs proper backing: Man Utd CEO

2011-11-24T21:13:00.001-08:00

Mumbai: Indian football faces the challenge of putting the right infrastructure in place if it is to excel in the sport, feels Manchester United chief executive officer David Gill.
"The challenge in India is to do things - to get the right infrastructure in place, to build it from the bottom to get the youngsters playing, get the right coaches in place - you need to get everything.
"You just can't have just one good coach without players willing to play, you can't have good players without coaches, you can't have infrastructure without coaches. It sounds simple but it is not," Gill told PTI on the sidelines of the launch of the Manchester United Soccer School here.

The Western India Football Association has partnered Manchester United to set up the football academy, the English Premier League club's first in India, where kids between 8-17 years would be coached much like the way the Red Devils train.
The soccer school has produced superstars like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Danny Welbeck in the past.
Asked about the investment for the academy, he said, "I don't have an answer for that because we don't put numbers on it. These pitches don't come cheap, the stands don't come cheap.
"We make sure that through some of our programmes some of the players get scholarships to give the youngsters a chance.
We set the goals but you have got to set realistic goals so that you can get the money, get the return and get the following and it all comes together.
"The goal should be to get Indian football sorted and getting the Indian team up. In time you should see India in top of the world game... that's our goal. It's a very exciting venture and we are looking forward to it," he added.

Churchill Brothers hold Salgaocar SC 1-1

2011-11-24T05:02:00.001-08:00

Margaon, Nov 24 : Salgaocar Sports Club and Churchill Brothers were locked 1-1 in a seventh round I-League clash at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Thursday.

ND Opara drew first blood for Churchill in the 49th minute only for Chidi Edeh to pull it back for Salgaocar in the 71st minute.
Churchill now move to 3rd spot with 14 points from 7 matches while Salgaocar move to 8 points from 7 matches.
Both the teams started on a fast track mode and seemed eager to draw first blood. There was plenty of goal-mouth action but the final touch was missing at either end.
Salgaocar, in particular, had more attempts on goal in the first session and had it not been for an alert Churchill goalkeeper Felix D’Souza, the defending champions would have been at least two goals ahead.
Felix was at his best early in the game when he dived full-length to block Edeh Chidi’s header. A few minutes later, Chidi again found himself with some space, but Felix proved to be equal to the task again.
And much to Salgaocar’s agony, even when Felix was soundly beaten by Chidi’s rasping drive, Salgaocar had no luck: the goalpost stood in between.
Churchill also had their fair share of chances. Most of the chances were being created by the crafty Lalrindika Ralte.
The young left-footed midfielder, at first tested the rival goalkeeper with a long ranger that sailed inches past the post.
A couple of shots also went close but the closest Churchill got to the Salgaocar goal in the first session was when ND Opara mistimed his header with only the goalkeeper to beat and Henri Antchouet should have done better than an extremely weak left footer.
Churchill Brothers surged ahead in the 49th minute when ND Opara collected a ball from midfielder Lenny Rodrigues just outside the danger zone and unleashed a fierce shot that crashed into the top corner of the net.
Salgaocar took the setback in their stride and true to form did not have to wait long for the equaliser. Chidi, easily the most dangerous player on the field, brought Salgaocar level in the 731st minute when he headed home a cross from Rocus Lamare.
Churchill had two chances to score the match winner towards the fag end but substitute Bineesh Balan’s volley was tipped to safety by goalkeeper Karanjit Singh and then another substitute, Jerry Zirsanga, aimed at the sky from close range.

Man Utd progress in CL halted by Benfica draw

2011-11-22T22:03:00.001-08:00

Manchester: Benfica clinched their place in the last-16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, holding Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford to threaten the English champions' chances of qualifying for the knock-out stages for the sixth year running.
Argentinian playmaker Pablo Aimar's equalizer for Benfica on the hour mark ensured the Portuguese side a top-two finish in Group C and left United needing at least a draw in their final match, at Basel in a two weeks' time.
United goalkeeper David de Gea was at fault for Aimar's goal because of his poor clearance, and the hosts only had themselves to blame for falling behind in the third minute when England defender Phil Jones deflected a shot into his own net to gift Benfica a perfect start.

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After a shaky first 20 minutes, United recovered and Dimitar Berbatov equalized with a downward header from Nani's cross in the 30th, the Bulgarian's first Champions League goal in three years.
A sustained barrage of pressure then culminated in Darren Fletcher putting United ahead for the first time in the 59th, tapping home a rebound after his initial shot was saved. But Aimar's leveler barely 60 seconds later was enough for Benfica to return home with qualification sealed.
The draw lifted Benfica above United to the top of the group by virtue of the head-to-head record between the teams. No matter what happens at home to Otelul Galati, the Portuguese side are through.
It's a different story for three-time winners United, who could be one of the group stages' biggest casualties if Basel can beat Alex Ferguson's men in Switzerland. The sides drew 3-3 at Old Trafford in September.
Since a 6-1 derby-day drubbing by arch-rivals Manchester City in the Premier League last month, United have had a heavier focus on defence, winning their last five games without conceding. That stingy run came to an abrupt end against Benfica - and it was one of the team's own players that did it.
Nicolas Gaitan's shot from an acute angle deflected off the leg of Patrice Evra toward Jones who, reacting late, could only turn the ball onto his own net from inside the six-yard box.
Rather than sting the hosts into action, it only served to rattle them. They were ponderous on the ball and misplaced many of their passes, frustrating the crowd and giving confidence to a quick-passing Benfica team.
United managed to recover their poise and soon the chances came. Chopped down after a mazy run, Portugal international Nani sent the free kick at goalkeeper Artur Moraes, who then saved a weak, left-footed effort by Young.
The breakthrough came when a free kick was shipped out to the left to Nani, who crossed for Berbatov to head down and into the corner.
United's sudden bout of sustained pressure continued into the second half and after Ashley Young and Fabio Da Silva wasted good chances, Fletcher put the team into the lead.
The Scotland midfielder met a cross from Patrice Evra with a shot that was well saved by Moraes, but Fletcher was on hand to tap home the rebound from close range.
Barely seen as an attacking threat for the previous 40 minutes, Benfica managed to reply almost immediately.
Again United were the architect of their own problems, with goalkeeper De Gea sending a sloppy clearance straight to Bruno Cesar, who collected the ball and drove into the area.
His fierce cross was only half-cleared by Rio Ferdinand, allowing Aimar to slam in from four yards out.
Berbatov squandered the best chance of either side to win the match, volleying over when all alone 10 yards out, although Rodrigo almost snatched the win for Benfica by flashing a low drive wide in the 89th.
In the other group match, FC Basel kept their Champions League hopes alive after holding out for a 3-2 victory over Otelul Galati after squandering a three-goal lead.
Basel raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time after Fabian Frei opened the scoring in the 10th minute, Alex Frei added the second and Marco Streller completed the scoring for the Swiss side in the 37th. Otelul's players showed more determination in the second half and their efforts paid off in the 75th minute when Gabriel Giurgiu fired home and Liviu Antal found the net just six minutes later.
But Basel held on for a point which leaves them in a position to qualify for the knock-out phase from their final Group C game - if they can beat Manchester United in Switzerland. Group leaders Benfica and United both have nine points, while Basel have eight, with Otelul on zero points.

Man City's CL hopes dented after loss to Napoli

2011-11-22T21:59:00.001-08:00

Naples: Edinson Cavani ended his scoring drought in style with two goals in Napoli's 2-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday, putting a big dent in the Premier League leaders' chances of qualifying for the knock-out phase of the Champions League.
Cavani, who hadn't scored since October 29, gave Napoli the lead with a glancing header off a corner in the 17th minute. Italy forward Mario Balotelli then took advantage of a defensive error to equalize for City in the 33rd. But Cavani restored Napoli's lead in the 49th, taking a cross from Andrea Dossena and firing past goalkeeper Joe Hart from the center of the area. In a furious finish, Napoli forward Marek Hamsik hit the post in the 76th and Balotelli wasted four chances to equalize.
Bayern Munich lead Group A with 13 points after beating Villarreal 3-1. Napoli are next with eight, City seven and Villarreal zero.

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In the final group round on December 7, City host Bayern and Napoli visit Villarreal. Napoli control their own destiny, and can advance by winning their final match no matter what City do.
"We still haven't done anything," said Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri. "We've got to go beat Villarreal in Spain, and don't think that's going to be easy. But let's enjoy this for now. Advancing in this group would be a real achievement. You've got to remember that Napoli haven't won matches at this level for 21 years."
City need to beat Bayern and hope Napoli don't win in Spain.
"You never know. We'll see what happens," said Roberto Mancini, City's Italian manager manager. "We didn't deserve to lose, but in the Champions League you can't allow your opponents certain types of chances. Napoli are a sneaky Italian side. We had our chances and it just didn't go in."
"I'm upset over the result but not anything else. I was pleased with our performance. But we conceded two goals that we shouldn't have allowed."
Mancini said there was "no explanation" for the difference between City's results in the Premier League - having beaten Manchester United 6-1 last month - and in Europe.
"This is a strong unit that plays good football and plays to win but occasionally you can lose matches, especially in the Champions League," he said. "I'm not angry and I'm not disappointed. This can help us grow."
For Cavani's first goal, the ball also touched City defender Aleksandar Kolarov and Hart before going in, and Cavani nearly scored again when he hit the side of the net two minutes later.
Cavani scored 26 goals for Napoli in Serie A last season, managed a hat-trick against AC Milan in September and also found the net in his opening two Champions League games this season. But he had struggled in recent weeks, with his last goal coming against Catania in the Italian league last month.
"Let's enjoy this beautiful moment. We knew we could do it from the very first day," Cavani said. "We always prepare to give our maximum and today we were at our best."
City's equalizer was the product of a poor clearing attempt from Salvatore Aronica. The ball went directly to David Silva, whose shot was deflected by goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis directly to Balotelli, who sent it into an empty net.
"(Aronica) made a mistake but otherwise he played great," Mazzarri said. "You've got to remember that most of this squad is playing the Champions League for the first time and this was only our fifth match."
Balotelli was playing his first club match back in his home country since leaving Inter Milan and he now has two Champions League goals to go with his six Premier League scores this campaign.
Mancini revealed that Balotelli had a fever on Monday, but said he felt better before the match.
The scene at the San Paolo stadium was electric, with about 60,000 fans filling the stands for one of the biggest crowds since Diego Maradona led Napoli to Italian titles in 1987 and 1990.
However, there were only a couple of thousand City fans, leaving the visiting supporters cage - which features double sets of Plexiglass barriers and netting stretching up to the stadium roof - half empty.
Before kick-off, Napoli fans put on a fancy display, as fans held up cards in the squad's blue-and-white colors nearly all the way around the main ring of stands, and formed the outline of the letter 'N' with lines of flares on one end.
During the second half, fans held aloft a banner mourning the recent death of Maradona's mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco de Maradona. It read, "Lay in peace the mother of football, ciao Dona Tota."
City began with Balotelli and Edin Dzeko in attack - leaving Sergio Aguero, their most productive scorer this season and Maradona's son-in-law, on the bench. Aguero came on for the final nine minutes.
Napoli countered with their "Three Tenors" of Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Cavani.
In the 63rd, Balotelli couldn't quite reach a cross with only the goalkeeper to beat, and he then was denied by De Sanctis in the 78th, headed high in the 82nd and failed to redirect a corner in the 84th.
After the final whistle, fans stayed inside the stadium to sing along to the old Neapolitan folk song, "O surdato 'nnammurato," while fans elsewhere in the city poured out onto the streets and celebrated with fireworks.

Adebayor double takes Tottenham up to third

2011-11-21T23:35:00.001-08:00

London: Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice on Monday as Tottenham beat Aston Villa 2-0 to rise to third in the Premier League after extending their unbeaten streak to nine matches, including eight victories.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp made his first appearance on the bench since undergoing minor heart surgery three weeks ago, and he witnessed a vibrant attacking display in which Gareth Bale and Adebayor combined to devastating effect at White Hart Lane.
Adebayor was unmarked inside the box when he acrobatically arched his body to kick the ball into the net in the 14th minute from Bale's miscued shot after Villa had failed to clear the danger from a corner.

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It was the first goal in two months for Adebayor, the Togo international who is on loan from Manchester City after a previous spell at Real Madrid.
Adebayor's fifth goal of the season came from close range in the 40th minute following a cross whipped in by Bale and missed by Villa defender James Collins and goalkeeper Shay Given.
Tottenham haven't lost in the league since the 5-1 thrashing by Man City in August. In fact, the team has been beaten only once in the past 14 matches in all competitions - and that was a second-string line-up which went down 1-0 at Rubin Kazan in the Europa League. Spurs were also knocked out of the League Cup by Stoke in a penalty shootout.
Tottenham moved past Chelsea and Newcastle to lie nine points behind leaders City and four back from second-placed Manchester United, but with a match in hand on both of them. Villa stayed eighth, 19 points off the pace.
"I enjoyed the way we played tonight. I think the fans enjoyed it as well - they've seen lots of great teams over the years and they're enjoying the way this team's playing," Redknapp said. "It's great to be back tonight. I wouldn't want to watch it at home again, that was nerve-wracking."
Villa couldn't rein in Bale despite often double-teaming him, with rightback Carlos Cuellar being given a torrid time by the Wales winger until he was replaced with almost 30 minutes left.
That substitution came only moments after Bale and Adebayor had combined again to create a great chance, however the Togo striker's side-footed finish curled wide of the post.
Given made a great stop in the 77th minute to deny Adebayor his first hat-trick in more than three years, bravely diving at the striker's feet as he struck the ball.
Adebayor had earlier missed a one-on-one chance after being played in by Luka Modric, who was increasingly influential in the second half, and he headed wide from Aaron Lennon's chipped cross from the right flank in the 11th minute.
"I love Luka. I love the way he plays his football," Redknapp said.
Tottenham had 17 shots at goal compared to only six from Villa.

Churchill scrape past Mumbai FC

2011-11-20T21:22:00.001-08:00

Fatorda (Goa), Nov 21 : Henri Autchouet scored a first half penalty as Churchill Brothers registered a solitary goal victory over Mumbai FC at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Sunday.

The Gabon striker won and scored the penalty in the 29th minute and that proved to be the essential difference between the two sides in a tight game.

Mumbai FC have now lost all five of their matches since that opening win against Air India, but the visitors had opportunities at the start to capitalise and put Churchill Brothers under pressure.

Nicholas Rodrigues was the first culprit for Mumbai FC as the midfielder failed to tap the ball inside an empty net after Churchill goalkeeper Felix D’Souza had managed to block Cavin Lobo’s effort.

That move proved costly as Churchill took the lead almost immediately. Henri, who had the rival defenders on their toes throughout, controlled a Lalrindika Ralte ball from the centre, cut past several defenders and in an attempt to block the striker, Keegan Pereira found himself handling the ball while being on the ground. The referee was close by and lost no time in awarding a penalty which Henri gleefully converted.

Churchill saw more of the ball in the first session but their strikers, particularly ND Opara, was guilty of missing sitters. The Nigerian striker, in fact, missed two easy chances much to the chagrin of his coach Manuel Gomes and the supporters.

Mumbai FC did not have much strength upfront and whenever there was a move launched, their strikers came a cropper. Cavin Lobo’s save in the second session was saved by Felix and once Ebi Sukore also went close. The fault largely was with the midfield which failed to combine effectively or create openings for the strikers.

For Churchill, two of their goals, both scored by Henri, were ruled to have been scored from an off-side position. Substitute Jerry Zirsanga also had a good chance for the home team to increase the lead in the closing stages of the match but his shot was blocked by the rival goalkeeper.

Air India beat HAL Bangalore 4-2:

Displaying an attacking game of football, the airmen rally from a one-goal deficit to win 4-2. Air India was down by 2-1 in the lemon break. The second-half was altogether a different story, when they pumped 3 more goals.

The hosts were quick enough to open the account, thanks to a great combination from the flank from Bijoy Das and Vinoth Kumar, the later put up a cross for Malamnganba Meitei, and Malamnganba header made a right connection to the goal.

Air India equalised in the 8th minute through a Manadeep Singh free kick.

HAL again took the lead in the 20th minute from an attack from striker Abdullah Hamza-Aleksandar Sujdovic duo. With a one-on-one situation, Aleksandar beat the keeper and gave his team a 2-1 lead.

After changing half, both the team started playing attacking football. Airmen were quick enough to equalise, again from an excellent set-piece free kick from Indian international Manadeep Singh. Nigerian striker gave them the lead in the 75th minute from a corner.

It was Sandesh Gadkari, who came in as a replacement put the final nail in the host’s coffin in the dying minutes of the match.

East Bengal have tough task on hand against Mohun Bagan

2011-11-19T20:27:00.001-08:00

Kolkata: Notwithstanding their last season`s success against bitter foes Mohun Bagan, a depleted East Bengal will have a tough task this time around when the two teams clash for the first time, in a round six I-League fixture on Saturday.
It`s a triple blow for last year`s runners-up East Bengal who will be without their inspirational playmaker Mehtab Hussain, Australian forward Tolgay Ozbey and Khangtang Paite.
In red hot form with four wins from five matches, Mohun Bagan have in their ranks the season`s top signing Odafa Okolie and India`s star forward Sunil Chhetri.
That East Bengal had an all-win record against Mohun Bagan last season is likely to matter little.
It remains to be seen how Trevor James Morgan goes about it in the season`s first derby with about 100,000 crowd expected to turn up at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Mohun Bagan too appears to miss India stopper Anwar Ali but the signing of Australian central defender Daniel Zeleny has brought smiles to the fans.
It will be an exciting contest on the cards with Zeleny vs East Bengal`s Scottish midfielder Alan Gow who has been in fine form with his setpiece movements.
In the absence of Hussain, Gow will be the key for East Bengal and they have two more foreigners in Orji Penn and Uga Okpara.
Hussain is yet to recover from a groin injury that got aggravated in his two-minute forced appearance during the Federation Cup final.
Hussain this time does not want to take any chances.
"Playing in the Federation Cup final was a mistake and I don`t want to repeat it. I`m not fully fit and I don`t want to take any risk," Hussain said.
East Bengal`s leading striker in the last season, Ozbey, on the other hand, has been suspended for the match.
But East Bengal coach Morgan put up a brave face saying they were ready for the challenge.
"There`s no point crying over what we have and what we don`t have. My team is ready to face any challenge," Morgan said.
Beside the goalmaking skills of Odafa, Mohun Bagan will also have the experience of Brazilian Jose Ramirez Barreto and India international Syed Rahim Nabi.
Having led India to a 3-2 win over Malaysia, Nabi, a former East Bengal captain, will for the first time play against his former side.
"Being a professional, I am fully committed to Mohun Bagan now and eager to give my best shot," he said.
Mohun Bagan coach Prasanta Banerjee said, "We are currently in the 2nd spot of the I-League so there is no pressure on us and nothing to worry about. We have been winning the last few matches.”
"I think we will have to play a more constructive game, working the ball upwards with many passes starting right from the defenders." he said.

Rooney nominated for FIFA's goal of the year

2011-11-18T21:44:00.001-08:00

Manchester: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been shortlisted for FIFA's goal of the year award for his spectacular overhead kick against Manchester City last season.
Rooney's goal, which came from a Nani cross against United's fierce rivals in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, left Joe Hart with no chance as it flew into the top corner.
Tottenham's Giovani dos Santos, Barcelona's Lionel Messi and AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as well as Santos and Brazil starlet Neymar, have all also been nominated for the prestigious Puskas award.

Dos Santos' floated chip scored for Mexico against the United States ensured he was part of the elite 10 nominated, Messi for his finish against Arsenal in the Champions League, Ibrahimovic for a goal for AC Milan against Lecce in Serie A while Neymar secured his position with a solo goal for Santos against Flamengo.
FIFA's 2011 Puskas award, which is named in honour of Hungary legend Puskas, will be announced on January 9 and was last won by Hamit Altintop.

City, Newcastle put unbeaten records on the line

2011-11-17T21:35:00.001-08:00

London: The two-week international break provided no respite for Manchester City from the saga involving Carlos Tevez.
The last two unbeaten records in the English Premier League go on the line when City host third-place Newcastle on Saturday, and the leaders must ensure they aren't distracted by the striker's dispute with the club.
Tevez flew to Argentina during the international break despite City expecting him to stay in England to train. The club has already fined and suspended him for an act of disobedience during a Champions League match.

AP Photo

"As a team, we just keep moving forward," City winger James Milner said. "There always seem to be things going on off the field at Manchester City and people wanting to knock you down with distractions. All we can do is concentrate on what we're there to do, and that's play football and work hard in training."
After 11 matches, Newcastle and City are the only teams yet to be beaten in the Premier League. But while City have embarked on the biggest spending spree in world football in recent years, Newcastle have been offloading star players to help cut their debt.
Newcastle will discover whether their unexpected start to the season is a fluke or a sign the team can maintain a credible push for Champions League qualification.
"They have started the season very well," Milner said. "I don't think many people expected it because there have been a lot of changes up there. But all credit to them; they're playing really well."
But the harmony at Newcastle was disrupted during the international break by owner Mike Ashley announcing that their 119-year-old stadium, St. James' Park, was being renamed as Sports Direct Arena, the sports retail company owned by Ashley.
"For the traditionalists amongst our fans, I think it's something they are upset at," manager Alan Pardew said in his first public comments on the row. "But it is still in the same place and it's still the Gallowgate End and we still have your tradition of walking to the stadium from the centre of town. It's there where it is.
"On the other side of the coin, of course, commercially, it will attract a big sponsor, we hope, and give us extra revenue to go forward."
If Newcastle do inflict City's first loss of the season, Manchester United will go two points behind their neighbour with a victory over Swansea.
The south Wales club has collected 11 points from 33 since gaining promotion to the Premier League for the first time.
"It's a new experience for us all. They're the first Welsh team in the Premier League and going there will be a great experience," United midfielder Darren Fletcher said. "Swansea have been applauded for the football they've played this season. When I was on international duty, I spoke to a couple of my Scotland team-mates who have played against them and they told me how well Swansea keep the ball."
In Sunday's only match, fourth-place Chelsea host Liverpool, who are three points behind in sixth after a mixed start to the season.
Liverpool have been rocked by striker Luis Suarez being charged on Wednesday by the Football Association with racially insulting United's Patrice Evra after a month-long investigation.
Despite the ongoing controversy, Suarez became the first Uruguay player to score four goals in an international in a 2014 World Cup qualifying victory over Chile last week.
"That will not have done his confidence any harm whatsoever," Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said. "It's great for Luis to get four goals — I wish it was for us rather than his country. Maybe he's kept some up his sleeve for us in the coming weeks.
"He is a fantastic footballer and has been, as we have said, fantastic ever since he has come here and we are just fortunate to have him."
Fifth-place Tottenham will hope to have manager Harry Redknapp back in charge for Monday's match against Aston Villa after more than two weeks of recovery from heart surgery.
"It will depend on his conversation with the medical people who are giving him advice," Tottenham assistant manager Joe Jordan said. "He's feeling good and sounds good. There's a possibility he'd be back for the Villa game and maybe he'll pop in during the lead up to that match. He's very keen and is optimistic there's a chance of that happening."
In Saturday's other matches, Arsenal are at Norwich, Everton host Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stoke take on Queens Park Rangers, Fulham are at Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion face Bolton and Blackburn visit Wigan.

Tevez fails to report for Man City training

2011-11-15T00:10:00.001-08:00

Manchester: Carlos Tevez has failed to report for training with Manchester City and is still in Argentina, after flying to the country last week without the club's permission.
City say that Tevez was not granted leave last week and should have stayed with the club during the international break, and they have now instructed their lawyers to take action following the absence.
There had been reports that the player had obtained a medical certificate stating that he is unable to train or play, though this has gone unconfirmed by his spokespersons. They did confirm, however, that the player is still in Argentina.

AFP

The 27-year-old was also due to take part in a meeting on Monday arranged by the club between high-ranking City officials and the Argentine's representatives.
Manchester City have so far refused to comment on Tevez's failure to return to the country.

Nabi's strike helps India hold Malaysia

2011-11-13T21:14:00.001-08:00

India salvage a draw in their international friendly football match against Malaysia. (PTI Photo)

GUWAHATI: Syed Rahim Nabi's last-gasp equaliser helped India salvage a draw in their international friendly football match on Sunday.

With time running out, Nabi struck in the 88th minute to ensure that new coach Savio Medeira's tenure at the helm does not start on a wrong note at the Indira Gandhi national stadium.

Playing under floodlights, Malaysia, ranked nine places above the hosts at 151st, drew first blood when Rahim Saffique scored after receiving a square pass from Abdur Razaq in the 38th minute.

The match started with the visiting side making attacking moves but Indian goal keeper Paramjit Singh thwarted their efforts with some brilliant saves.

India's star striker Sunit Chettri also made some threatening moves but the alert Malaysian defenders ensured that the scoreline was 1-0 at half time.

After the breather the Indian team went for the kill and, in the 43rd minute of the second half, Nabi utilised a miss-pass from Razzak to score the equaliser.

The match was confined to midfield for most of the time, with the payers affected by mist, which engulfed the stadium midway through the match.

England beat World Cup winners Spain 1-0

2011-11-13T05:13:00.001-08:00

Wembley: Frank Lampard scored on a header four minutes into the second half to lead England past Spain 1-0 on Saturday, the fourth loss for the Spaniards since they won the World Cup.
Lampard struck after Darren Bent's header came off the post, giving England a victory at Wembley Stadium after being outplayed most of the way.
"The fact England only got near the goal with that chance from the free kick did show we dominated the game," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said through a translator.

AP Photo

"But I'm a bit disappointed, almost angry, that we didn't manage to win," he added. "At key moments in the game, perhaps, we lacked a bit of speed."
After Lampard scored, Spain squandered their chances. David Villa hit the post and Cesc Fabregas twice came close twice towards the end.
Spain have also lost to Argentina, Portugal and Italy since winning the 2010 World Cup, although the European champions won every Euro 2012 qualifier.
"I don't think it's a case of us approaching these four games in too complacent a manner," Del Bosque said. "We lacked that skillful, defining moment. England carried out the manager's orders to the absolute letter."
Beating the European champions will give England a boost leading to Euro 2012. England missed out on the 2008 tournament and then played dismally at the World Cup.
"It's great to beat them now — they are the best team in the world," Lampard said. "We won't get carried away over the fact we beat them. Let's be realistic, they dominated the game... We are not quite where we want to be just yet."
Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas played his 126th international game, matching his country's record for appearances. He equalled the mark set by goalie Andoni Zubizarreta from 1985 to 1998.
"We didn't deserve to lose today," Casillas said. "It's a pity I couldn't celebrate with a victory."
Lampard was designated England's captain after John Terry was benched, a move coach Fabio Capello insisted was not tied to the ongoing police investigation over his alleged racism.
England played without star striker Wayne Rooney. Capello tested Danny Welbeck and Bent in preparation for Rooney missing the three Euro 2012 group stage matches after his ban by European soccer's governing body.

International Friendly: India v Malaysia

2011-11-12T21:33:00.001-08:00

INDIA

v

MALAYSIA
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Match 1: Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Guwahati -13th Nov ’11, Kick-off 5:45 PM
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Match 2: Yuvabharati Krirangan, Kolkata – 16th Nov ’11, Kick-off 5:45 PM

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Even though the I-League club owners and the coaches are unhappy about this international break just before a few crucial top of the table League encounters, including the eagerly anticipated Kolkata derby, common Indian football fans are appreciating AIFF’s effort to leave no stone unturned in providing the national players much-needed international exposure. Indian national football team is all set to lock horns against their Malaysian counterparts in two friendly matches scheduled to be played on 13th and 16th November at Guwahati and Kolkata respectively.
Malaysia national football team is ranked 151st worldwide, 9 places above their Indian rivals, who dropped to 160th position in the latest FIFA rankings. This will be the very first assignment for the newly-appointed India coach Savio Medeira and he reckons that facing Malaysia will be a tough test but his boys have the capability to notch up winning results if they are able to perform to their true potential. Incidentally Medeira’s Malaysian counterpart, K. Rajagopal, is of Indian origin, although he played professional football in Malaysia and after successfully managing their U-23 national team, he has been promoted to manage the senior squad for last couple of years.

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Team News and Tactical Brief
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India
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Savio Medeira has named a tried and tested 25 member squad, which formed the core team during Armando Colaco’s tenure as well, except for goalkeeper Subrata Paul and midfield maestro Mehtab Hossain – both of whom are nursing injuries. In his first pre-match media release, Medeira stated, -

“Though the boys have arrived at a very short notice but they all are raring to go and are looking forward to play the match against Malaysian team. The absence of Subrata (Paul) and Mehtab (Hossain) will surely be felt, but this is an excellent chance for the youngsters like Gurpreet (Sandhu) and Jewel (Raja) to prove their mettle”.

Team India is expected to line-up in a traditional 4-4-2 formation and continue their experiment of getting accustomed to short passing game, which Armando Colaco initiated during his regime. In the absence of Subrata Paul, experienced Salgaocar ‘keeper Karanjit Singh is expected to guard the Indian citadel, while Dempo’s Subhashish Roy Chowdhury and East Bengal’s Gurpreet Singh Sandhu will serve as Karanjit’s deputies.
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The goal-machine - Sunil Chhetri
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The four defenders pick themselves up for a place in the starting line-up. Mahesh Gawli and Gourmangi Singh are expected to take up the responsibility of managing central defense, while Samir Naik and Syed Rahim Nabi will most probably start as the right and left wing backs. Debabrata Roy, Anwar Ali and Jashpal Singh will be the reserve defenders and can be used if required.
Climax Lawrence will most definitely feature in central midfield, but Mehtab Hossain’s unavailability would mean that either of the two youngsters, Rocus Lamare or Sheikh Jewel Raja will get a chance to showcase their potential. If Medeira wants to employ a safety first approach, then either Baldip Singh or Mehrajuddin Wadoo might get in to the starting line-up as a defensive screen. Steven Dias is expected to resume his duties on the right wing, while Anthony Periera will most probably partner him on the left flank. Young Lalrindika Ralte, who was impressive in last couple of matches for India playing as a replacement for Dias, will also be used, but mostly as a second-half substitute.
Star striker Sunil Chhetri and young Jeje Lalpekhlua, who has scored 5 goals in 8 matches donning the national colors, will form a two-pronged Indian attacking line-up. Joaquim Abrahanches, Baljit Singh Sahni and Sushil Singh are the other three strikers in Savio Medeira’s armor.
Probable Starting Line-up: Karanjit (GK), Samir, Mahesh, Gourmangi, Nabi, Steven, Climax, Rocus, Anthony, Sunil, Jeje.

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Malaysia
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Under the guidance of K Rajagopal, Malaysia is steadily progressing to become a force to reckon with at the continental level. The morale of the team got a major boost when they won the prestigious AFF Suzuki Cup crown for the first time in the history in 2010. In their bid to qualify for 2012 London Olympic Games, Rajagopal insisted Malaysian Football Association to arrange for at least one practice match every month and that has proved to be one of the major ingredients of their recent success at the Asian continental level. In their last three international friendly matches, Malaysia outclassed Hong Kong by 2-0 margin before narrowly losing to Thailand by 1-2 and then bounced back to beat Singapore by 2-0 margin.
For this tour to India, Malaysia is travelling with a full strength 24 member squad. Attacking midfielder Mohd Safiq Rahim, who plays for defending League Champions Selangor, will be wearing the captain’s armband. Rahim came to limelight by scoring a spectacular goal from free-kick against Liverpool in the English Giants’ pre-season tour match against Malaysia XI in July 2011 and he will be a player to watch out for. Besides, veteran defender Zamani Misbah, and Pelita Jaya FC‘s star striker Mohd Safee Mohd Sali have loads of experience playing for the national team and they will be more than a match for the Indian players.
Rajagopal is expected to deploy a 4-4-2 strategy, quite similar to India’s tactics. Negeri Sembilian FA goalkeeper Mohd Farizal Marlias is expected to get the nod under the woodwork. Zamani Misbah and Abdul Radzak, who have played more than 100 games for Malaysia together, will be their first choice central defense combination. Mohd Azmi Muslim and Aziz Ismail will be used as the side-backs.
Captain Safiq Rahim will be the creative force behind Malaysian attacks and he will be supported by S Kunanlan at the heart of the midfield. Muhymeen Zambri and Amar Rohidan, both from Kedah FA Club, will have the responsibility of spreading the game wide on the wings. Malaysia will look forward to Mohd Sali and Abdul Hadi Yahya for finding the back of Indian net. Joseph Kalang Tie, another very talented prospect, who had a two month stint with English Championship side Hartlepool United, will look to cement his place in the national side if provided with enough playing time in this tour of India.
Probable Starting Line-up: Marlias (GK), Zamani, Radzak, Muslim, Ismail, Kunanlan, Safiq, Zambri, Rohidan, Mohd Sali, Abdul Hadi

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TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For
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Sunil Chhetri (India): Chhetri is in red-hot form in the domestic League and has been on target for Mohun Bagan in their last couple of matches. After the retirement of Baichung Bhutia, it’s time for him to take up more responsibilities and lead from the front. So far he has scored 24 goals for India in 52 FIFA approved international matches and Savio Medeira will expect him to keep up the good work when team India will take on Malaysia in Guwahati on 13th Nov.
Safiq Rahim (Malaysia): Rahim is an exceptionally talented and creative player. He will be used by Rajagopal as an attacking midfielder playing behind the two strikers in a flexible 4-3-1-2 formation which can be moulded in to a 4-4-2 if required. He is a set-piece specialist as well and can prove lethal if he gets a chance to unleash his venomous deliveries from the edge of the box.
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Safiq Rahim - the Malaysian creative force

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TheHardTackle’s Predictions
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At Guwahati : India 1-1 Malaysia
At Kolkata : India 2-1 Malaysia
It will be a battle of equals and the team which utilizes the opportunities on a given day will come out victorious. However playing on the familiar home territory, along with the support of football crazy North East crowd gives Indian team a slight edge over the visiting side. Also the astro-turf at Salt Lake Stadium, where the second match is scheduled, may prove to be difficult to adapt to for the Malaysian brigade.

I have struggled to settle at Chelsea: Torres

2011-11-10T02:37:00.001-08:00

London: Chelsea forward Fernando Torres has admitted he has struggled to settle at Stamford Bridge following his £50 million switch from Liverpool in January of this year.
The 27-year-old scored just one goal last season following his move to west London, with his debut strike coming in April against West Ham on his 14th appearance for the club.
Whilst Torres has been in relatively better form this season, the former Atletico Madrid player has suggested the switch from Merseyside, and the lack of fellow Spaniards at Chelsea, all contributed towards his barren period following his move.

Speaking to Esquire Espana, Torres said: "They have no similarity, neither in their past nor in their present. My adaptation process for each has been completely distinct.
"Chelsea is in London, a huge city. I come from Madrid, also a great European capital, but this is much more of everything, for good and for bad.
"It's been difficult for me to adapt here compared to when I arrived in Liverpool, a more comfortable place, smaller, where I was surrounded by Spanish team-mates.
"In the end, the important thing is to try and organise yourself as quickly as possible. That's what I'm doing."
The Spanish international also insisted his £50m price tag is 'just a number', and that Xabi Alonso's departure from Anfield to Real Madrid was a key factor behind his decision to leave Liverpool.
"That's just a number. The only thing I know is that opportunities such as the one Chelsea offered me cannot be turned down. The important thing is the confidence they have in me."
"Liverpool was going down a strange path. Personally, I believe the departure of Xabi Alonso to Madrid was a clear message that something was changing.
"I have the ambition to improve and Chelsea could offer me what every footballer desires: titles."

East Bengal beat Shillong Lajong

2011-11-06T20:38:00.001-08:00

New Delhi: After their mid-week demolition of Mumbai Football Club, Kingfisher East Bengal put in another sterling performance on Sunday, beating Shillong Lajong by a solitary goal. The Red and Gold Brigade were playing with intent from the first whistle, consuming most of the possession relegating Shillong to just the odd counter attack.
KEB’s Tolgay Ozbey had an opportunity to put the hosts ahead within the first ten minutes. Finding himself in a one on one situation, Ozbey fired wide. Five minutes later, a free flowing move from the right- KEB’s live wire winger Naoba Singh’s cross across the box finding Penn Orji, only for the ball to be skied over the crossbar. Midway in the first half, Lajong’s Zohmingliana Ralte brought Ozbey outside the penalty box, a second caution reduced Lajong to ten men.
Taking advantage, KEB tightened their hold on the match. KEB captain Sanju Pradhan’s lung bursting run from the left flank, followed by a powerful shot from outside the box put KEB up by goal in the 29th minute. The score line remained the same till the end of the half.
The second half saw KEB stamp their dominance on the pitch, the advantage of possessing an extra man allowed for more chances to be created. Lajong managed to keep attacks at bay with the help of disciplined defending. Trevor Morgan threw in Robin Singh, Alan Gow and Paite into the mix, adding some height up front.
KEB had several opportunities to increase their lead, but managed to waste chances galore. In the 82nd minute a cross found Paite with plenty of space on the right flank, a cross which required just a tap in was squandered wide by Gow.
In the 88th minute, a mistimed clearance in the Lajong penalty box found the right boot of KEB’s Uga Okapara. The Nigerian’s thunderous right foot shot threatened to rip the net apart put the hosts two nil up. The goal was much to the relief of Trevor Morgan’s men who have moved up the table to fifth with seven points.

Shillong school wins CBSE soccer title

2011-11-05T21:57:00.001-07:00

GUWAHATI, Nov 6 - Army Public School, Shillong has won the CBSE Cluster 1 soccer tournament by defeating St Clarets School, Borjhar 2-0 in the finals today at Miles Bronson Residential School playground. In an all round display of superlative football, the Shillong team dominated proceedings right from the word go. Babidor Dorphang, captain of the Army Public School netted the first goal in the 17th minute via a penalty kick. Albert Paite of the same team made it 2-0 in the 47th minute by converting a penalty kick.

Earlier in the day, the Shillong team edged out Kaziranga English Academy via tie breaker while St Clarets stunned Don Bosco, Panbazar in the penalty shootout. Babidor Darphang of Army Public School, Shillong was declared the Best Player, Anuj Das of St Clarets School was adjudged as the Best Goalkeeper and S Guite of Kaziranga English Academy received the Best Striker Award. South Point School, Guwahati was declared as the Best Disciplined Team.

In the play-off for the third position, Don Bosco defeated Kaziranga English Academy 5-4 to claim the second runners-up position. KK Choudhary, regional officer of CBSE, North East Region was the chief guest and gave away the prizes.

Don’t get too used to midfield, Fergie tells Rooney

2011-11-03T22:13:00.001-07:00

Manchester: Alex Ferguson is not about to make a habit of playing Wayne Rooney in central midfield even if the Manchester United striker excelled in the unfamiliar role this week, the manager said on Thursday.
Rooney pulled the strings in a disciplined performance in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Otelul Galati but if he is picked for Saturday’s home Premier League match against Sunderland, he can expect to resume his normal duties.
“When you’ve got a player who I think has scored 10 goals so far, you want him to be in positions where he will get even more goals and I think that position is in his normal place,” Ferguson told a news conference.

Wayne Rooney was playing out of position because of injuries to Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher and could well be called upon if they are ever short again. Karel Delvoye/Getty Images
The England striker was playing out of position because of injuries to Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher and could well be called upon if they are ever short again.
“It’s conditional in the sense of what midfield players I have available,” Ferguson added. “We decided why not play Wayne there because he’s got the appetite for it, he’s got the energy levels for it.
“Last night his awareness of people around him was really good. His first touch of the ball was excellent. I’m not putting any marker down for that position really because it depends what is available elsewhere.”
Cleverley has been ruled out of Saturday’s match against the 14th-placed visitors but Carrick is back in training and Fletcher is fit, meaning Rooney might have to return to being a striker despite his belief he can play anywhere on the pitch.
“He says his best position is centre-half but I’m not about to try that,” Ferguson laughed.
Ferguson’s fairytale
Captain Nemanja Vidic should return for second-placed United, who trail leaders Manchester City by five points, after sitting out the Galati game due to suspension.
Midfielder Anderson is doubtful after picking up a knock against the Romanians, while winger Ashley Young and defender Chris Smalling remain sidelined with foot injuries.
Striker Michael Owen, who limped off with a thigh injury after just 11 minutes on Wednesday, was having a scan and Ferguson did not know how long he would be out for.
The United boss will come up against familiar faces against Sunderland, with manager Steve Bruce, defender Wes Brown and midfielder Kieran Richardson having served him during the 25 years he is marking at the club this weekend. Sunderland’s former United defender John O’Shea, however, will miss the match through injury.
Ferguson has kept talk of his Old Trafford quarter of a century low-key, putting the “fairytale” down to the quality of the players he has been lucky enough to be in charge of.
“It’s been a really fantastic spell for me and something you don’t think is going to happen,” he said. “It’s been a bit of a fairytale to last so long and I appreciate that.
“I’ll continue as long as I feel healthy enough to do it,” the 69-year-old added. “In management, things change as the years go on. It’s different now even to seven or eight years ago. A lot of things have changed.”

AI ground Salgaocar, Churchill held

2011-11-01T22:45:00.001-07:00

Minnows Air India shocked defending champions Salgaocar 3-1 in what has to be the biggest upset in the I-League till date. Two quick goals from Manandip Singh almost put an end to Salgaocar’s chances in the match. But Sueoka Ryuji’s strike in the 35th minute kept alive hopes till Shafi Muhammedscored Air India’s third goal and sealed a famous win in the 57th minute. Salgaocar now have three points from three matches while Air India opened their account with three points from Monday’s match.In the second match of the day, United SC managed to salvage a appoint against Churchill Brothers riding Shankar Oraon’s 85 minute strike in their I-League match at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Monday. Lalrindka Ralte scored for Churchill in the early stages of the match.United SC were not allowed any space to maneuver by a defensively better organised Churchill Brothers. United SC goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal’s untimely goof-up only added to their woes, letting through Ralte’s grounder from the edge of the goalline in the early stages. But had it not been defender Bello Rasaq giving up on trying to challenge Ralte after ND Opara backheeled the ball to him, Mondal wouldn’t have had to face the ignominy.Oraon was introduced in the 76th minute. And it clicked for United SC. With five minutes to go for the end of first-half, Churchill custodian Felix D’souza fisted away Chinta Chandrasekhar Rao’s cross, only to find Oraon trapping it smartly and slotting it home.

HSA FC ousted DMZP to enter the semi-finals at Tamchon Football Trophy

2011-10-31T07:07:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Oct. 31, 2011: At the quarter-finals played between defending champion of North East Tamchon Memorial Football Trophy - Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl (DMZP) and last year first runners up Hmar Students' Association (HSA), the HSA FC defeated the DMZP today at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi by scoring a goal in a penalty shot in the second half of the match. The match was a close call with the DMZP trying to even the score and the HSA FC vying for another goal. The HSA FC won the match by 1-0, entering the semi-finals of the tournament.

In the second quarter-finals played between the the Siamsinpawlpi (SSPP) and FC UH-NAI (Kom) at the same venue, the SSPP outplayed the UH-NAI in the field but missed many chances to score a goal. At the very last minute of the match, SSPP defender fouled a UH-NAI player in the D-Box area, and the UH-NAI were awarded a penalty. Taken advantage of the God-sent chance, the UN-NAI scored the penalty shot winning the match by 1-0.

The HSA FC and the UH-NAI will play the semi-finals on November 03, 2011 at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi.

East Bengal-Prayag draw, Churchill win

2011-10-31T00:06:00.001-07:00

Prayag United and East Bengal played out a 1-1 draw in Kolkata while Churchill Brothers beat Air India 2-0 in the I-League on Saturday.

East Bengal vs Prayag United
Both teams were looking for their first win of the I-League 2011-12 but Prayag United started off as the better side with a flurry of attacks from the word go. They looked dangerous on a couple of occasions in the early part of the first half. Snehashish Dutta of Prayag United also headed the ball against the post midway through the first half off a Kayne Vincent cross.
Kingfisher East Bengal, on the other hand, starting with Alan Gow and Tolgay Ozbey upfront, had their best chance of the half when Alan played a through ball to Tolgay, but his shot went straight to the goalkeeper, Abhijeet Mondol.
Prayag United's Tulunga also had a shot well saved by East Bengal goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the first half.
Prayag United were rewarded for their attacking play early in the 2nd half when Yusuf Yakubu opened the scoring with his 121st goal in the National League/I-League. It was a well taken goal off a long ball headed to him by Arnab Mondal. Yusuf Yakubu is currently the all-time highest scorer.
East Bengal, however, attacked much more in the 2nd half as Trevor Morgan made 3 changes with Penn Orji, Baljit Singh Saini and Gurwinder Singh coming on. Alan Gow was pushed forward to play a more attacking role with Tolgay Ozbey.
Sanju Pradhan missed a goal-scoring chance off a rebound in the box but made up for it late in the match when he played a through ball to Baljit Singh Saini who had no problem in converting with a left-footed shot in the 85th minute.
With both teams getting one point each, neither were able to register their first win of the tournament and will have to wait until the next round of matches. Prayag United is currently on two points while Kingfisher East Bengal has registered just one point till now.
Churchill vs Air India
Churchill Brothers Sports Club relied on opportunistic strikes from Henri Autchouet to get the better of Air India 2-0 at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa.
Churchill Brothers dominated from start to finish but the inability of their strikers to convert the chances into goals meant they had to survive some anxious moments, most particularly towards the closing stages of the match.
Gabonese striker, Henri, scored once in each session, the last coming in the final minute of play.
Churchill was without doubt the better team and it showed in their strong start to the game. Henri and Nigerian striker, Ndubisi Opara, combined well upfront but the final touch that translates a good move into a goal was missing.
Opara had the first look at the rival goal in the eighth minute itself, but his snap shot from close range was saved on the goal line by Nepoleon Singh.
Air India goalkeeper, Pawan Kumar, was then pressed into action to stop Antun Kovacic’s grounder. Henri went close to scoring twice in quick succession and Lalrindika Ralte’s shot hit the crossbar.
The Air India citadel finally crumbled in the 24th minute when Henri picked up a ball from Ralte and picked the nearest post from an acute angle.
Air India seemed content in doing the defending but they did manage to create scares on a couple of occasions. Striker Henry Ezeh had the best chance of the match but, when picked out by Allan Das, he failed to beat Churchill goalkeeper Felix D’Souza in a one-to-one situation. Nepoleon Singh’s long ranger seemed destined for a goal until Felix managed to get his fingertips to the ball.
There was no end to Churchill’s tale of missed chances in the second session as well until Henri slipped a ball past the rival goalkeeper in the final minute of play.
With this win, Churchill have gained 6 points from two matches while Air India is languishing at the bottom of the table without a win and a point so far in the tournament.

Churchill down Air India in 2nd round of I-League

2011-10-29T09:04:00.001-07:00

Margao, Oct 29 (PTI)

Churchill Brothers scored a goal in each half to down Air India to register their second straight win in the second round of the I-League, played at Nehru Stadium here today.

Churchill Brothers scored through Henri Arnaud Autchouet(25) and N D Opara in the second minute of the stoppage time of the second half.

The Goan team who beat East Bengal in their opening encounter, started right in earnest with short passes from the middle followed by long overheads from the flanks putting the rival defence virtually under seige for the first half an hour and could have led by at least three goals in the first quarter of the match but for execellent saves from keeper Pawan Kumar.

They hardly felt the absence of Roberto Silva who is nursing an knee injury.
Lalrindika Ralte who worked hard on the left which earned him the Man of the Match kept Air India team under pressure with his looping crosses and was first to test keeper Pawan when he stretched him to punch the ball over the bar in the 2nd minute.

Few minutes later, Opara shot was saved on the goal line by defender Collin Abranches. Thereafter, Henri and Lalrindika Ralte shot in turn but failed to beat keeper who effected smart save.

With pressure mounting and Air India pushed on the defensive, their citadel finally fell in the 25th minute.

Ralte worked his way on the left flank and relayed the ball to Henri Arnaud Autchouet who beat the keeper with a firm left footer that found the corner of the net.

Churchill could have doubled the lead five minutes before the first half but defender Bijoy Basfore made a goal line save off a header from Antun Mathew Kovacic After the goal, Churchill failed to maintain the same momentum and Air India came out from the shell and tried couple of long rangers which lacked the direction.

After the change of ends, Air India put up a better performance and matched their rivals and nearly found the equaliser in the 47th minute but Henry Ezeh was blocked by keeper Felix.

Air India again came close to find the equaliser midway in the second half when Nepoleon Singh's 35-yard shot nearly found the net but Churchill's keeper Felix D'Souza rose high to punch the ball away to safety.

Churchill made a counter move and Lalrindika nearly found the net but his try from the left hit the bar and went out.

Thereafter the play was confined to midfield and Churchill who came close to scoring on couple of occasions, scored in the second minute of the stoppage time of the second half.

Substitute Jagpreet Singh from the right sent a cross to N D Opara who beat a rival defender on the top of the box with a body feint and on the turn uncorked a left-footer that found the far end of the net.

Churchill Brothers who scored their second win now have six points from two matches while Air India who lost their second match are still to open their account.
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Lajong edge past HAL 1-0 in I-League match

2011-10-28T21:37:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL, Oct 29 – Mizo defender Lallchhuanmawia scored the all important goal as North East India’s only I league team Lajong FC, Shillong beat Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL), Bangalore 1-0 in the round 26 match of I -League to climb top tally, at Khuman Lampak Main stadium here today.

It was in the 71 minute of the crowd pulling I-League match, being held here for the first time in the football history, Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s flag kick was converted into a score of the match by Lallchhuanmawia who came in all of a sudden from their wing.

With today’s win, Lajong got 4 points from two matches and managed to climb up in the team tally. They got one point from their previous match wherein they draws with Pune FC (1-1).

Now Lajong will play against Sports Clube de Goa at Goa on October 31 while HAL, Bangalore against Pailan Arrows at Kolkata on November 2 next. Reacting to the day’s defeat, HAL, Bangalore’s Coach R Thyaharaj said, “We’ve certain factors. We landed here yesterday afternoon so we don’t have enough time for practice”. Team captain Nigerian Joseph Femi Adeola sharing a similar sentiment said it’s quite difficult for us to control the ball in such ground. Echoing a similar view, experienced Liberian striker John D Menyongar of Lajong speaking to media after the winning match, said “We also faced a similar situation due to the unusual playfield but managed to do it being the home ground”. On the other hand both Lajong FC coach Pryadhyum Reddy and Operation Manager Andrew Suting were well impressed with the Manipur crowd in their maiden match here which coincides with the state’s greatest festival-Ningol Chakkouba today.

'Any Match In The North-East Is A Home Match For Us' - Shillong Lajong Coach Pradhyum Reddy

2011-10-27T10:03:00.001-07:00

Ahead of a crucial I-League clash against HAL, Goal.com caught up with the head coach of Shillong Lajong...

By Debjit Lahiri

Shillong Lajong SC website
Shillong Lajong's second season in the I-League started off in a rather competitive fashion as the boys from the North east played out an impressive goal-less draw against a fancied outfit of Pune FC in the first match-day.
Having reached the semi-finals of the Federation Cup, prior to the start of the I-League, it was quite evident that the newly promoted side are a lot more than a mere push-overs. In fact, the side boasting of some of the most exciting talents in the country, Shillong Lajong is a team to watch out for. And so it proved to be last weekend!
Reflecting back on the match, coach Pradhyum Reddy spoke to Goal.com, revealing his immense satisfaction following the draw in a tough away match in Pune.
"We were carrying injuries from the Durand Cup and had a lot of key players missing in our team. Yet we went to Pune and managed to get ourselves a point. The fact that the opponent goalkeeper was given the match of the match award, quite goes to show how our boys played. It was a very positive result for us.

Next up for the Reds is a rather tricky clash against a HAL side, that played out a disappointing loss against Chirag United Kerala in the opening match-day. Although, the match will be officially a home match for Shillong, it will be played in Manipur, instead of Lajong's regular home stadium in Meghalaya.
However, Reddy was quite confident that the home support will not be missed as he is expecting similar enthusiam for the team in Manipur as well.
"Any match in the North-east is a home match for us. Be it Manipur, Meghalaya or Mizoram. Although, the turnout might not be same as in Meghalaya but we are still expecting around 7,000 fans to be rooting for us."
"I had been following the Dempo Vs. Mumbai FC match today and I was quite disappointed with such low attendance. So, the 7,000 figure might be less for Shillong Lajong (The side generally boasts of 30,000 vociferous fans in their home stadium), it is quite BIG for Indian Football."
However, in the midst of the euphoria surrounding the team playing in the I-League, there has been certain unwanted off-field happenings relating to the team and the Goan outfit Vasco that has gone around for a while now.
Reddy was, however, least bothered about it.
"We are not bothered at all. These things never affect the players and they do not think about it."
"They are all very much focused on the job in hand for them."- he concluded.

Man United hit back after City drubbing

2011-10-25T22:12:00.001-07:00

Manchester United's Brazilian player Fabio Da Silva (C top) collides with Aldershot Town's Danny Hylton during the Carling Cup fourth round football match – AFP
Manchester United beat League Two Aldershot Town 3-0 in the League Cup fourth round on Tuesday to begin the road to recovery after their humiliating 6-1 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday.
Nicely-crafted first-half goals by Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen underlined the visitors' dominance and Antonio Valencia's stunning strike on 48 minutes put the result beyond any doubt.
"The laughter and the jokes have quietened down a little bit. It was a big kick in the teeth as everyone knows," former Real Madrid striker Owen told Sky Sports of how his team mates have reacted to Sunday's humbling.
"We were a little bit under pressure after the result on the weekend. Although no one here started on the weekend we had United's reputation to look after. Roll on Everton now," added Owen.
Manager Alex Ferguson was visibly relieved and will hope for a similar performance against Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
"I think we tried to play the history books on Sunday. That's the nature of Manchester United, we try and win whether it's with 10 men or nine," said Ferguson.
Elsewhere in the League Cup, Arsenal withstood a late Bolton Wanderers onslaught to overcome their Premier League rivals 2-1.
Goals from Andrei Arshavin on 53 minutes and Park Chu-young (56) came in quick reply to Fabrice Muamba's 47th-minute opener.
In the two all-Championship (second division) matches, Cardiff saw off Burnley 1-0 and Crystal Palace beat division leaders Southampton 2-0.
In Wednesday's League Cup matches, Manchester City visit Wolverhampton Wanderers, third-placed Chelsea travel to Everton, Liverpool play away at Stoke City and Newcastle United go to Blackburn Rovers.
The quarter-final draw takes place on Saturday.

HSA FC thrash Tahamzam FC

2011-10-25T21:12:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Oct 26 :In their second match of the 5th NE Tamchon Memorial Trophy held at Dr.Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi today, the Hmar students team – HSA FC defeated Tahamzam FC by four goals to nil.

The HSA FC scored two goals in the first half.

The first goal was scored by Tluanga, and the second goal by Ramngailien.

In the second half, the HSA team was given a penalty shot.

Taking advantage of the chance, Tluanga scored another goal helping the HSA FC to lead the match by three goals to nil against their opponent.

Tluanga beautifully netted another goal before the referee blew the final whistle of the match.

Player row threatens I-League kick-off

2011-10-19T05:49:00.001-07:00

19 October 2011

Legal action threatens to derail the new Indian I-League season with second division Vasco SC filing a lawsuit days before the season opener.
Vasco SC, currently plying their trade in India's second division, have decided to take the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to court, claiming second division champions Shilliong Lajong fielded an ineligible player during their promotion campaign.
The saga could prove divisive for a league that has struggled constantly, both financially and logistically, since its inception in 2006.
The Goa based club want to be instated as second division champions at the expense of Shillong - and take their place in the I-League - following the Indian FA's acknowledgment that Shillong fielded Seikhohao Tuboi for four second division matches, despite him being registered for at least three state associations.
The Indian FA suspended Tuboi as a result but no punishment has been levelled at the club even though they clearly broke second division I-League regulations, which state: "Any team refusing to play or does not turn up for the match at the scheduled time or refuses to start or complete a match or fields an ineligible player shall be scratched from the competition."
"The match shall be forfeited and the opponents present at the venue shall be declared winners by a three-goal difference and three points shall be awarded to them."
Tuboi was also reportedly registered with the state associations of Meghalaya, West Bengal and Manipur with the Indian FA declaring, through a Player Status Committee meeting, that Tuboi was the guilty party and not the club.
Former Indian captain Bhaichung Bhutia openly criticised the decision believing it is not the player's sole responsibility to ensure player eligibility, but the club's.
"Tuboi is one of the greatest talents in Indian football and he has been made a scapegoat and suspended," Bhutia said.
"If action needs to be taken it must be against all the parties involved, why only the player has to suffer?"
"You mean to say that the Meghalaya Football Association or Shillong Lajong weren't aware that their player was playing for another club?"
Vasco opted for arbitration with the matter unresolved but were told by the Indian FA they had little chance of mediation.
On behalf of Vasco the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) sent out a notice to Shillong Lajong, the AIFF and the Goa Football Association (GFA), who have been summoned to appear in court on Thursday.

Barca’s talent scouting project to look for India’s Messi

2011-10-19T04:49:00.003-07:00

New Delhi: World’s premier football club FC Barcelona today announced its foray into grassroot development of the game in India with an ambitious talent scouting project which will start early next year.
In its first sporting venture in India, the European and Spanish champion side will conduct a week-long football camp in the National Capital Region in January next year for youngsters of 6-14 years of age by FC Barcelona coaches.
The camp will be open to all interested children on first-come-first-serve basis. FC Barcelona coaches will also train Indian coaches so that the method of training and style of play of the famous club is imparted to the youngsters in the country.
“We are offering world-class training under the same successful methodology that has produced leading football stars like Pique and Victor Valdes. India is an important and strategic country for FC Barcelona given their growing interest in football,” Xevi Marce, Director of FCBEscola, the feeder school to the club’s world famous youth academy La Masia, said at a press conference.

Messi made his way to the Barcelona team after joining the youth system as a youngster. Getty Images
“The training offers participants a chance to live and experience the FC Barcelona way for a week under the expert guidance of our coaches. For the India camps, the FCBEscola technical team of four-five coaches will travel from Spain to oversee participation and execution of the camps.
“The training camp will serve as a major stepping stone for the participants to move to higher training. It will provide youth access to highest level of football training and development,” he added.
Marce refused to make tall claims but said that depending on the response and success of the camps, an official FC Barcelona school could be set up in India, which may lead to talented players making their way to La Masia.
“We will not make tall claims. We will see the progress of the camps. We will bring 4-5 coaches from Spain for the camps and will also coach 15-20 Indian coaches every week so that they can continue the camps,” Marce said.
“The natural progression from the camps will be to set up FCBEscola, the official football school of FC Barcelona. This is the trademark after school intensive training programme that trains players year round, three times a week. It caters specifically to players aged 6-14, prepares them for the rigours of professional football and is a major feeder school to the club’s world class academy La Masia,” he said.
Asked why FC Barcelona decided to make foray in India where football profile is low and that too after other major European sides like Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Chelsea had done the same, Marce said, “We respect the initiative of other clubs. We thought this is the moment to develop football in India so we are here.”
“We are not crazy about quick expansion and we will go step by step. We would like as many children as possible to take part in the camps. After that we will see what to do and how to expand. That will also depend on the sponsors our Indian partners can bring,” he said.
Manit Jain, a representative of the Heritage School Gurgaon, a partner in the project, said that in the first year they would aim to train 10,000 students in the NCR region and than think of expanding in other regions of the country.
“We are going step by step. Our aim is to train 10,000 students in the first year in Gurgaon and NCR. Next year, we are aiming to expand in all the other metros and the third year we will spread to all A-class cities,” Jain said.
Anu Jain, Director of Conscient Football, one of the partners and a grassroot football initiative, said that the project has a long-term vision and tournaments will be conducted after the camps.

Vasco SC File A Suit Against AIFF And Shillong Lajong

2011-10-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

The Goan side have decided to take the Indian FA to court after they claim their appeal fell on deaf ears…

19-Oct-2011 3:01:00 AM

With the I-League kick-off just days away, Vasco SC have decided to take the legal route in order to bring themselves justice as they have filed a suit against the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Shillong Lajong looking to seal their berth in the I-League as second division champions.
The bone of contention being that the Indian FA acknowledged that the north eastern club had fielded an ineligible player in Seikhohao Tuboi, which Goal.com had exclusively revealed, and suspended him thereafter after he had already played four matches in the crucial final rounds of the second division I-League.
The player was apparently registered with at least three state associations, namely Meghalaya, West Bengal and Manipur, and hence as per the ruled fitted under the term ‘ineligible.’
In the Art IV of the Second Division I-League regulations, point 3 states,” Any team refusing to play or does not turn up for the match at the scheduled time or refuses to start or complete a match or fields an ineligible player shall be scratched from the competition. The match shall be forfeited and the opponents present at the venue shall be declared winners by a three (3)-goal difference and three (3) points shall be awarded to them. If the goal difference was higher at the time the match was abandoned for the team’s refusal to continue to play, that goal difference shall remain. The team may be further penalised by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee.”
The Indian FA called for a Players Status Committee meeting who declared that Tuboi was indeed the guilty party and not the club which was further ratified by the AIFF Executive Committee.

AIFF Being Dragged To Court
Former Indian skipper Bhaichung Bhutia criticized the decision and questioned as to why only the player was targeted and not the state associations and the clubs involved as doing the paperwork isn’t the player’s prerogative.
“Tuboi is one of the greatest talents in Indian football and he has been made a scapegoat and suspended.
“If action needs to be taken it must be against all the parties involved, why only the player has to suffer? You mean to say that the Meghalaya Football Association or Shillong Lajong weren’t aware that their player was playing for another club?," he told Goal.com.
It is learnt that thereafter Vasco had opted for arbitration to which the Indian FA allegedly replied with an opinion of a certain high profile advocate that the Goan club didn’t stand a chance for mediation.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Vasco sent out a notice to Shillong Lajong, the AIFF and the Goa Football Association (GFA), who are being “summoned to appear in this Court in person, or by a pleader duly Instructed, and able to answer all material questions relating to the suit, or who shall be accompanied by some person able to answer all such questions, on the day of 20th day of October, 2011 at 10.00 a.m. to answer the claim to answer the claim; and further you are hereby directed to file within 30 days from the receipt of this summons a written statement of your .defence.”
It further adds that if the concerned parties fail to turn on the said date, they would lose their right to defend their case.
“Also take notice in default of your filing an address for service on or before the date mentioned you are liable to have your defence struck off,” the letter signed by the Superintendent stated.
While the AIFF top brass stated that they would take the "appropriate measures," Shillong Lajong preferred to remain mum on the issue for now.

East Bengal win in sudden death to lift Super Cup

2011-10-18T21:53:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Saikat Saha Roy kept his nerve at undoubtedly the most crucial moment of his life on a football turf as East Bengal prevailed over Salgaocar 5-4 in sudden death to lift the Super Cup on Tuesday.

After Irungbam Meitei's attempt hit the crosspiece, it was Roy's strike that helped East Bengal extract revenge of their loss to the same opponent in the final of the Federation Cup last month.

The match went into the tie-breaker after both teams failed to break the deadlock in regulation time.

Edeh Chidi, Ryuji Seoka, Rocus Lamare and Rahul Kumar found the net for Salgaocar in the tie-breaker, while Tolgay Ozbey, Alan Gow, Robin Singh and Sanju Pradhan did the same for East Bengal to take the match into sudden death.

Thanks to Tuesday's triumph, East Bengal became the first team to win the tournament on three occasions.

Barring the miss by Meitei, the script remained pretty much the same in sudden death, as skipper Luciano Sabrosa, Meharajuddin Wadao, Francis Fernandes and Tomba Singh scored for the Goans, while Saha along with Sushant Mathew, Khangtang Paite, Nirmal Chetri and Uga Okpara struck for the winners.

This was the third instance of a Super Cup match going into tie-breaker.

East Bengal beat JCT in 1997, before losing to Mahindra United in 2003.

While the climax turned out to be an eventful one, the time before the referee blew the final whistle to signal the end of regulation time, was far from impressive.

What was expected to provide the much-needed entertainment after a drab Durand Cup, the match instead proved to be a damp squib with both teams not being their usual self.

Salgaocar, especially, disappointed as they rarely showed the urgency needed to take a stranglehold of the match at an almost empty Ambedkar Stadium.

The sporadic moves were there, but the likes of Alan Gow and local Robin Singh from East Bengal and Salgaocar's prolific poachers Ryuji Seoka and Edeh Chidi were, for a change, found wanting when it came to finding the back of the net.

While Karim Bencherifa's Salgaocar could not create a single opening of note, East Bengal were a wee bit unlucky as rival custodian Karanjit Singh denied them twice with two acrobatic saves.

First was when he smartly blocked East Bengal's Scottish recruit, Alan Gow's power-packed freekick in the 13th minute and then, 10 minutes later, effected another brilliant save by palming away a Penn Orji attempt with his left hand.

As Orji set himself up for the shot after receiving a reverse pass from Gow, it looked like the deadlock would be broken, but Karanjit did not let that happen.

Eight minutes after the change of ends, East Bengal's Uga Okpara had a chance but his header off a Robert Lalthumuana corner went over.

After the reverse in the Federation Cup at the hands of the same opponent, the match was a chance for East Bengal to erase the painful memory and coach Trevor Morgan, in his quest to draw the first blood, replaced Orji with Ozbey, but to no avail.

There was Gow's curling freekick, which missed the target by a whisker, in the 83rd minute.

FA investigates Suarez comments on Evra

2011-10-15T22:31:00.001-07:00

Liverpool: The Football Association has announced it is investigating allegations made at the end of Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
United's French left-back Patrice Evra has told reporters in his home country that Liverpool's Luis Suarez made continued racial slurs towards him, claims the FA are now looking into.
The FA has confirmed that referee Andre Mariner was made aware of the allegation at the end of the game before reporting the incident.

According to Darren Tulett, a Canal Plus journalist, Evra claimed the Uruguayan made comments "at least 10 times in a bid to wind me up" during the clash at Anfield.
"There are cameras, you can see him say a certain word to me at least 10 times. No place for that in 2011."
"The referee is aware of what was said."
Liverpool, meanwhile, are denying the claims, a club spokesman telling the Daily Mail: "The first we knew about these allegations was 20 minutes after the final whistle when the manager was asked to go into the referee’s office and told about them.
"The first thing we did, as you would expect, is ask the player and he has categorically denied using any language of that nature."

Franco breaks tie as Churchill Brothers win Durand Cup

2011-10-15T21:59:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: It was slow and painful as the Durand Cup final trundled its way to sudden death on Saturday.

The crushing tedium was broken - most frightfully, at the very end - when Prayag United's Yusuf Yakubu, till then the most sure and capable of 22 very uncertain men in the middle, fluffed his final lines with a weak penalty shot that left Churchill Brothers' Denzil Franco needing to score to ensure the title was theirs. He did.

It was the final penalty shot before the affair would plunge into the freefall of sudden death, and the prospect of inflicting further boredom on themselves and the rest at the floodlit Ambedkar Stadium made Franco all the more determined to put the ball past Prayag's substitute penalty-stopper goalkeeper Sankararan. The 124th Durand title was the bonus.

It all began with much promise, though, with the lanky, loping Prayag midfielder Denson Devadas crashing a superb header off a James Singh corner against Felix D'Souza's crosspiece. Mere minutes after kick-off, it looked as if further gifts would unfold. Instead, it quickly petered down to one of the most drab affairs in recent Durand Cup memory.

Prayag seemed intent on establishing the early domination, coming out at Churchill -- who looked content to soak it in -- by not losing their shape for most part of their rivals' sporadic attacking. Josimar, the burly Prayag centre forward with the faulty first touch, had the largest share of the missed chances -- once failing to make most of a defensive lapse by Gourmangi Singh and Co. in the Chruchill's back four, early on in the encounter.

Josimar was soon joined - at the other end - by his opposite number Opara Ndubuisi who matched the Prayag front man in profligacy sweepstakes.

Over halfway into the first session, with either side failing to make any breakthrough, Yakubu took it upon himself to drop deep and help out Devadas in the playmaking, who seemed to fade away after the initial promise. And, it was Yakubu's 39th minute swerving attempt with the outside of his foot that drew the lone gasp of the half, perhaps even the game; because what followed was stifled yawns.

A Beto-less Churchill chose to sit deep and attack on the break - if any - and along the wings. But Steven Dias and the little Mizo, Jerry Zirsanga, didn't seem to have too much in their tank and soon, the contest slipped into a stalemate.

In the second half, it worsened, though Felix, under the Churchill bar, would contest the idea. He made a couple of last-ditch saves denying Josimar and Mohammad Rafique - the saves making the attempts look very good - but that was all the rest of the game could muster.

Till Franco, the Churchill midfielder, did what was simply refusing to happen for the entire duration of playing time. He settled the issue with the final penalty shot of the day. Only, it came some 120 minutes and more minutes too late.

Rooney banned for three Euro 2012 matches

2011-10-13T21:34:00.001-07:00

Nyon, Switzerland: Wayne Rooney will miss the entire group stage of the 2012 European Championships after being given a three-match ban by UEFA on Thursday for kicking a player in England's final qualifier.
UEFA's disciplinary panel announced the verdict after examining the England striker's kick at Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic in a qualifying game last Friday.
UEFA's rule book calls for three-match bans in cases of assault, and the panel added two extra matches to a mandatory one-match ban for receiving a red card.

Getty Images

"The striker will now be suspended from playing in his country's next three UEFA national competition matches for which he would be eligible," UEFA said in a statement.
Rooney, who did not attend the hearing, can appeal and appear in his own defence at a later date.
England's Football Association said it would study the detailed verdict from UEFA before deciding whether to appeal.
"The FA await the full reasons from the disciplinary committee, and will give full consideration to the decision internally, before deciding on any response to UEFA," it said in a statement.
The expected appeal is likely to be heard before England find out their Euro 2012 opponents on December 2 when the draw is made in Kiev, Ukraine.
Rooney and England's Football Association wrote mitigation letters to the 10-man UEFA panel, which also weighed German match referee Wolfgang Stark's report.
Stark had praised Rooney for showing no dissent after his dismissal, and England hoped UEFA would see the offence as resulting from frustration rather than malice.
England and Rooney also hoped UEFA would impose the same two-match ban it gave Russia forward Andrei Arshavin ahead of Euro 2008.
Arshavin was sent off for violent conduct in the 84th minute of a decisive qualifier against Andorra in November 2007. Russia won 1-0 to advance ahead of England.
Arshavin sat out Russia's first two matches before leading the team to the semi-finals.

Lajong shown the door by Churchill

2011-10-13T20:59:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: A spirited Churchill Brothers put up a dominating show to rout Shillong Lajong 4-1 to make it to the finals of the 124th Durand Cup played here at the Ambedkar Stadium here. Churchill Brothers who made it to the finals of Durand Cup for the fifth time are eyeing their third Durand Cup title.

Churchill with players like Steven Dias, Bineesh Balan, Henri Arnaud and Roberto Silva in its quarters, started to put pressure on Lajong from the initial moments of the game. Churchill got a real chance to score in the eight minute of the game when their midfielder Zakeer Mundampara could not convert a neat pass from the left within the box from his striker Henri, as he was tackled by Lajong’s right winger Aibor Khongjee.

Five minutes later Roberto had a good chance to score of a free kick after he was fouled by central defender Zohmingliana Ralte, but his shot was wide off the right corner. Again in the20th minute they got a real chance of scoring when Roberto passed it to the striker Bineesh who in turn set it up for Zakeer, but he could find the target.

Churchill drew the first blood of the match in the 25th minute, when an unmarked Steven Dias’ shot of Roberto’s kick from the left went pass Lajong’s custodian Lalthuamawia Ralte via a deflection off their central defender Aibor.

Three minutes later Churchill doubled the lead after Roberto sped down to the left and passed it to Henri who dribbled past the defenders and put in past the charging Lajong’s custodian Ralte.

Lajong however pulled one back in the 43rd minute of the game when Eugenson Lygdoh’s corner kick was headed in by John Menyongar who outjumped his huge marger Antun Kovacic. The first half ended off on a rather entertaining and drew cheers from the decent crowd that was in attendance at the stadium.

After the change of ends, Churchill kept the pressure on and in the 48th minute got their third goal of the match Dias’ free kick from the right was guided in by a diving header by Bineesh Balan. Seventh minute, Churchill’s striker was sent off after he received second yellow card of the match when he kicked Aibor in the face when both of them were went for ball. The decision was rather too harsh and the Churchill players argued with the referee and demanded to revoke the decision, but no to effect.

Even after going down by one man Churchill did not stop their domination and they finally sealed the match in the 76th minute when Roberto converted a well taken free kick by Zakeer from the right.

Churchill would now face the defending champions Prayag United on Saturday who are looking very formidable and had already beaten the I-League champions Salgaoncar FC.

Churchill’s coach Manuel Coach was very happy with the win and felt his team a very good job. “It is a fantastic win and our counter attacking was excellent. It was good to score so many goals as it kept the crowd interested throughout the match,” added Manuel

Lajong’s coach Pradhyum Reddy admitted that Churchill were the better team of the night and played some well coordinated football. “Lajong played very well and by all means emerged as the better team of the night. Churchill took full advantage of the flaws that were exhibited by our defenders. Churchill scored three goals off set pieces and apart from these goals, on field both the teams were same,” said Reddy.

Pune FC, Churchill enter Durand Cup semis

2011-10-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

Pune FC have written history again. This time it is for making it to their first major national tournament semi-finals.
Click here!

On Monday, Pune FC, needing a win against Air-India to log the historic moment, did just that and entered the last four stage of the 124th Durand Cup at the Ambedkar stadium, in New Delhi.

Goals by substitutes Paresh Shivalkar (74th minute) and Rollingson Hyungyo (84th) helped them score a 2-1 victory and etch another landmark since their existence in 2007. They rallied from a goal down-situation, when their own player Sandesh Gadkari self destructed by nodded home from a corner-kick in the eighth minute of play.

The victory was a major achievement for Pune FC who fell short in a similar situation in the IFA Shield 2010-11 season -- the only difference then was they needed a point to qualify from the last match against Shillong Lajong but ended up losing.

Incidentally, for Pune FC a semi-final berth in the third oldest tournament of the world comes in its third attempt after exiting in the qualifying stage in 2008 and failing to make it past the group stage after finishing second last year.

The win helped Pune FC top Group-3 unbeaten with four points. They now run into defending champions Prayag United (formerly Chirag United SC) on Friday.

Churchill down Mohd Sporting for place in semis

Former champions Churchill Brothers beat 10-man Mohammedan Sporting 2-0, on Monday, to advance to the semi-finals.

Churchill scored through Roberto Mendis Silva (9th, penalty) and Lalrindika Ralte (88th) in their last Group IV league match at Ambedkar Stadium.

The Goan side topped the three-team group with six points from two wins and they now play Shillong Lajong in the second semis on Wednesday.

Giggs, Lampard, Del Piero: Why football needs its old guard

2011-10-10T01:22:00.001-07:00

Gautam Viswanathan

Manchester United's Scholes and Giggs celebrate scoring during Scholes' testimonial soccer match against New York Cosmos in Manchester. Reuters
On the 6 March 2011, Ryan Giggs became Manchester United’s most capped player ever, surpassing club legend Bobby Charlton’s record of 607 appearances. In May of the same year, Liverpool Centre-back Jamie Carragher made his 666th appearance in a Liverpool shirt, putting him second in line for the most number of first team appearances for the Merseyside Club, only behind Ian Callaghan, who played a staggering 857 times for the Reds.
On October 2, Frank Lampard’s hat trick at the Reebok Stadium against Bolton Wanderers meant he had marked his 350th appearance for Chelsea with more than a flourish. And while Lampard was cracking open the champagne on reaching this milestone, Alessandro Nesta, on his 568th competitive appearance, was marshalling AC Milan’s defence in a crunch match at the Juventus Arena against a team which boasted of veterans Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Toni, Gianluigi Buffon and Nesta’s former Milanese colleague Andrea Pirlo.
And on the 16th of this month, Francesco Totti, who has been capped 617 times for AS Roma and is currently the highest active goalscorer in Serie A, will pit his wits against his German counterpart in Miroslav Klose, who has featured more than 400 times for various clubs throughout his career, when Lazio meet Roma in what promises to be a thrilling game.
While these numbers sound impressive, there are several reasons as to why these footballers have been able to amass a whopping number of caps. Read on, and you will know why:
1) They get the job done
Time and time again, these footballers are called upon when their teams are in need of a breakthrough which their colleagues are unable to find. They know how to create that special pass, spot a run with their eagle-eyed vision, and turn a game on its head with one moment of magic. Remember Henrik Larsson who put Barcelona level and then played a hand in creating Juliano Belletti’s goal in the 2006 Champions League Final against Arsenal? How many times have Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry bailed Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal out of sticky situations?

Chelsea's Frank Lampard walks off with the match ball after their English Premier League soccer match against Bolton Wanderers in Bolton. Reuters
The perfect example to illustrate this would be when Manchester United took on Portuguese side SL Benfica at the Estadio da Luz – by no means an easy place to get a result – in a Champions League game on the 14th of September, and were trailing 1-0 to Oscar Cardozo’s first-half strike. United were struggling to get past the hosts who were defending staunchly, until the ball was played into the path of Ryan Giggs.
The Welsh wizard cut inside from the right and fired a 20-yard piledriver into the Benfica net in the 42nd minute to put United on terms and come away with a share of the spoils. In doing so, Giggs broke his own record as the oldest goalscorer in the Champions League, and it also meant he’d scored in sixteen consecutive seasons of the Champions League, moving one ahead of fellow veteran Raul.
Time and time again we’ve seen the likes of Jamie Carragher, John Terry, Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini and Carles Puyol weather wave after wave of attack. Scoring a goal from twenty yards out brings with it a thrill like no other, but these defensive stalwarts always see their team through when it comes to the business end of the game. A title winning team is always built on a solid defence, and veterans like these are what tip the scales in their team’s favour.
2) They’ve been there, and they’ve done that
Old Warhorses such as Carragher, Totti and Co. have been playing top flight footballs for decades, and have amassed huge amounts of experience which has enhanced their ability to read the game. Players of the ilk of Lampard, Gerrard and Klose have the can do in seconds what others would be able to do in minutes, while playmakers such as Xavi Hernandez and the recently retired Paul Scholes can do in inches what less experienced players would do in yards. The vast experience these veterans have gained over the years means their game is of the highest standards and has been refined time and time again to make them the best at what they do.
The reason AC Milan were able to clinch the Scudetto last season was due to the presence of Alessandro Nesta at the heart of their defence. Nesta was an integral cog in a Rossoneri defence that conceded just 24 goals in 38 top flight games and formed what turned out to be the meanest defence in Italy. The ability of a defender to perceive weaknesses in an attacker’s style of play where none are overtly visible may be the difference between a title winning side and an also-ran that despite providing competition for much of the season lacks that cutting edge that only an experienced player can provide.
3) They inspire those around them
Due to the age factor, someone like Totti, Del Piero or Giggs isn’t going to play week in week out. When they do play, however, they bring that extra something to the team that makes those around them play better than they do when these warhorses aren’t playing alongside them. This presence may be the difference between restoring the flagging morale of a side and rejuvenating them, providing them with belief and self-confidence, and imploding, throwing away a vital win in the process and getting run over by the opposition.
The reason these players improve the performances of those around them is because these individuals, over time, have become natural leaders, and that is why other players gravitate around them. This phenomenon is evident in any football team. At United, where Gary Neville marshalled United’s defence through leading by example, where play was directed through Giggs and the recently retired Paul Scholes.
At Juventus and Roma, where Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti play in the trequartista or playmaker position, just behind the main strikers, where play is directed through them and inspiring those around them to deliver more than a hundred per cent with their performances. Gerrard and Carragher inspire those around them at Liverpool, Thierry Henry and Dennis Berkgamp used to wow not just audiences but their teammates as well with the quality of their performances at Arsenal, and despite Frank Lampard’s recent exclusion from the starting eleven at Chelsea, his teammates always give a hundred and ten percent when he’s on the pitch.
But the best example to highlight the above would be with the case of the French national team in 2004. France had been knocked out by eventual winners Greece in the quarter finals of Euro 2004, and stalwarts Zinedine Zidane and Lilian Thuram had decided to call it quits on the international scene. Then Coach Raymond Domenech persuaded them to return to the fold for one last hurrah to help them qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, halfway through their qualifying rounds which Les Bleus were making heavy work of. The return of these two legends of the game inspired the rest of the team to perform and France ultimately qualified for the World Cup as Group Winners.
4) Their loyalty to the Club and Manager
In the modern day world of football where players swap clubs on the basis of the number of zeroes in their payment cheques, finding players who are loyal to the Club are rare. Yet, these players have developed an emotional and psychological bond to the Club, giving their all for the Club which has invested so much in these players.
Fergie’s fledglings felt that bond with United, and so did Gerrard and Carragher with Liverpool. Despite the constant rustle of paper notes from cash-rich Real Madrid, and in the current scenario, Manchester City, these players did not sell themselves out for a bigger bank balance. These players understand that they owe it all to not just the Club, but the manager, who has guided them through every stage of their development, and the fans, who’ve come to love and adore their heroes. Ricardo Carvalho may have swapped smoky London for sunny Real Madrid, but his loyalty to Jose Mourinho was unquestionable.
Tony Adams, who was at Arsenal, stated many times during his playing career that it was his chronic drinking problem. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have been courted many times in the past by Real Madrid, but to them, the loyalty for the Spion Kop and the Shed will always be put before the lure of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero celebrates after scoring against Brescia in their Italian Serie A soccer match at Olympic stadium in Turin. Reuters
Footballers are paid thousands every week. Tottenham Hotspur’s Benoit Assou-Ekotto was very succinct about it saying, “If I play football with my friends back in France, I can love football,” he says. “But if I come to England, where I knew nobody and I didn’t speak English. Why did I come here? For a job. A career is only 10, 15 years. It’s only a job. Yes, it’s a good, good job and I don’t say that I hate football but it’s not my passion. Is there one player in the world who signs for a club and says, Oh, I love your shirt?’ Your shirt is red. I love it. He doesn’t care.”
Despite what Assou-Ekotto might have said, players such as Giggs, Buffon and Gerrard value what their shirts represent. To them, the name on the front of the shirt is more important than the name at the back, and that underlines their loyalty to the club.
5) Their dedication and love for the beautiful game
There is no doubt that these players have talent. But to prolong their careers for so long means they’ve had to sacrifice a lot along the way.
Ryan Giggs once said in an interview “Nothing could have prepared me for the limelight I was thrust into at 17. I was in newspapers, magazines, on TV, and everyone in the street knew me. It was strange for me and I dealt with it by trying not to create a fuss. I’ve just tried to keep it that way ever since. The high-profile relationship I had with the TV presenter Dani Behr was the turning point for me”, said Giggs. “Before I knew it, we were being photographed outside my house and cameramen followed us everywhere. It was very uncomfortable. At that point I decided the celebrity lifestyle wasn’t for me. Around that time I felt my commercial work was affecting my work, too. I thought, no, football is my bread and butter. It has to, and always will, come first.”
It’s easy to retire after plying your trade for a few years and fall back on your wealth, but these players go beyond that. It is their love for the game that makes them play the way they do, and their love for the game that has made them the footballers they are today, and continues to inspire people around the world.
What makes these players special is the passion with which they play the game week in week out, their innate loyalty towards a Club where they’ve spent the majority of their adult lives, growing up as people, and their love for the sport of football which can be seen every time they take to the football pitch. These players are a special breed, one of the highest class of sportsman to have graced the beautiful game.

Man City plan January exit for Tevez

2011-10-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

Manchester: Manchester City are planning an exit route for their former captain Carlos Tevez following his refusal to leave the substitutes' bench in the Champions League game in Munich which Bayern won 2-0.
Tevez seemingly has no future at Manchester City following his recent suspension, and it is believed the club will be looking to sell the 27-year-old in January - but will insist on a sell-on fee as they look likely to make a loss on the costly Argentine, according to The Daily Mail.
Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian dismissed the claims that the player had refused to play – putting it down to poor translation.

"If you don't have a very professional interpreter you have a problem," said Joorabchian.
"I speak Spanish and English and both of the questions were interpreted incorrectly and both the answers were interpreted incorrectly.
"One of the biggest problems is that in a situation right after a game questions are asked and things are taken out of context."
Where Tevez's future lies remains unclear after Brazilian giants Corinthians, who saw a bid rejected during the summer, said they no longer have any plans to try and sign the player.
However, Roberto Mancini has made it clear that as long as he is Manchester City's manager, Tevez will have to pursue his career away from the Etihad Stadium.

Pune FC takes on Blackburn Rovers today

2011-10-07T00:46:00.001-07:00

Pune: Close on the heels of the Lionel Messi-led Argentine side's match in Kolkata, English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers will make a maiden appearance in their owner Venkys' backyard as they take on local side Pune FC in an exhibition match here on Friday.
Puneites are in for a treat as the likes of New Zealand and Blackburn skipper Ryan Nelsen, former England international David Dunn, former Spanish international Michael Salgado and Nigerian striker Ayegbeni Yakubu will showcase their skills against Izumi Arata and co at the Shiv Chatrapati stadium at Balewadi on Friday.
The match though not as high-profile as the one between Argentina and Venezuela at the Salt Lake stadium last month, will nevertheless be important for both the teams.
The visitors are having a torrid time of late as they are languishing in the relegation zone in the English Premier League, having won just one match of their first seven ties.
This has ruffled the fans as the team had barely managed to save itself from relegation last season, and calls for removal of chief coach Steve Kean have only gained momentum.
Though a win here may not silence their vexed supporters, anything less than it will give the voices a new reason to dissent.
Meanwhile, for Pune FC, who begin as underdogs, the match is a great opportunity to show that irrespective of its failure to reach the knockout stages of the recently concluded Federation Cup, its steady improvement since promotion to the I-league, including a third place finish last year, was not a fluke.
While a victory would surely surprise the team itself, a spirited performance against a technically superior side will give the hosts great confidence ahead of the new I-League season commencing later this month.
Veteran India player and Pune FC midfielder Shanmugam Venkatesh will lead his team in the absence of regular skipper and goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who along with striker Mandjou Keita is out of tomorrow's game due to injuries.
"We are ready for history and to unfold a good game for our fans who will be turning out in numbers for the game. Our fans know us and on their behalf we need to keep our reputation by playing well which will be our mission in the game," he said.
"The result does not matter. Everybody is aware of Blackburn's credentials. For Pune FC, fans matter," they said.
Pune FC coach Derrick Pereira too echoed Venkatesh's views.
"It is a huge game no doubt but above all it presents a very great opportunity for us to learn. I have been telling all that they have to just enjoy the game and put up a good show for our fans," he said.
"Yes the spirit of the team is good and the players are looking forward to the game tomorrow. We have one of the most passionate fans in the country and we want to put up a good show for them," he added.
About the absence of Subrata Paul and striker Mandjou Keita due to injury, he said, "As a coach you will always want to have the entire squad at your disposal. Subrata and Keita are key players for us, but this provides an opportunity for the younger players to step up. I look forward to the youngsters stepping up and giving a good account of themselves."

Tevez to learn his fate in next 48 hours

2011-10-04T22:10:00.001-07:00

Manchester: Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez will learn of his fate in the next 48 hours following his showdown talks with the club, and has been given permission to travel home to Argentina to serve his suspension, according to reports.
The 27-year-old man was questioned on Monday by City officials over allegations that the player refused to come on as a substitute in the loss against Bayern Munich last week, and the focus will now shift towards manager Roberto Mancini’s view of events in Germany.
It is understood that Tevez did not alter his original claim that rather than refusing to play as a substitute, he instead ignored instructions from Mancini to resume his warm-up.

With members of the club's coaching staff as well as team-mates being interviewed as part of the process, City are looking to draw a line under the episode and officials are hoping to bring the investigation to a conclusion no later than Thursday.
Tevez's future has been hanging in the balance since handing in a transfer request halfway through last season and has struggled to earn himself a place in the team during the current campaign, with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko having moved about him in the Etihad Stadium pecking order.

Soccer Player Passes To Himself For Stunning Bicycle Kick Goal

2011-10-04T00:47:00.001-07:00

Eren Derdiyok Goal: Bicycle Kick Score For Bayer Leverkusen Striker Against VfL Wolfsburg

As a rule, goals scored from bicycle kicks are highlights. Even those bicycle kick goals that aren't match winners like Julio Baptista's injury-time stunner for Malaga or Wayne Rooney's amazing effort in a Manchester derby still rack up views on YouTube years after they bulge the net.
The overwhelming majority of those strikes come when a player leaps and contorts his body to connect with a pass from a teammate that is too high, or behind, to be dealt with in a straightforward manner.
But this was not the case when Bayer Leverkusen striker Eren Derdiyok latched onto a long pass as he made a run into the Wolfsburg penalty area. Derdiyok's run bisected the defense and he reached out with his left leg to control the ball as it came in about waist high and a stride ahead of him. With his second touch, the Swiss national flicked the ball straight up into the air with his right foot. The pair of green-clad defensemen rushed past him, expecting that he'd continue bearing down on the net. Derdiyok then elevated for a picturesque right-footed bicycle kick that arced over the frozen goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net. The strike broke a 1-1 tie in the match. Leverkusen would go on to win 3-1.
Having conjured this goal with a pass to himself, perhaps Derdiyok has created a new variation on the bicycle kick. Perhaps it's a "unicycle" kick?

Baichung plays exhibition match in Kohima

2011-10-03T21:14:00.001-07:00

Football lovers and fans of Bhaichung Bhutia had crowded the gallery of Kohima Local Ground yesterday to witness the exhibition match between United Sikkim Football Club and Life Sports Football Club, presented by YouthNet and organized by the Synergy Group. In the match the United Sikkim FC won the match by 2-0 against Life Sports FC with the first goal scored by Shansha Ansari in the 12th minute and the second goal by M D Lepcha in the 68th minute respectively. The Life Sports FC boys failed to score a goal despite several attempts made by them including missing a penalty. However, Haolengou Kipgen of Life Sports was declared Man of the Match in the exhibition match. The match also featured Renedy Singh, who is the Vice Captain of the Indian National Football Team. Earlier, declaring the match open, MLA and Chairman Nagaland Village and Khadi Industry Board Nicky Kire thanked the Sikkim United FC for coming and said it is not only the exhibition match but further invited them to come and participate in other tournaments organized in the state in the near future. The MLA also lauded the organizers for taking the initiative to hold the exhibition match. The Director General of Police of Nagaland K Kire was among those present. The initiative of social networking site Facebook groups - The Naga Blog and Nagaland Open Online Barter or Sell (NOOBS), to garner funds towards Sikkim Earthquake Relief generated a huge response in a short span of time. Contributions nearly a thousand individuals, including some groups, poured in at designated points in Kohima, Dimapur, Wokha and Mokokchung. Donations were also wired through banks from Nagas outside the State. The fund drive which began on September 26 and ended on September 30 managed to generate an impressive amount of Rs 1,59,455. The people behind the fund drive said donations came from individuals, schools, offices, groups and even a football club with touching messages on paper and envelopes for victims of the devastating Sikkim earthquake which claimed many lives, injured scores of people and rendered hundreds homeless. The Cheque of the relief fund and messages from contributors were handed over to soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia and P Renedy Singh.

AIFF signs regional broadcast partner for I-League

2011-09-30T22:41:00.001-07:00

The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body of soccer in India, has announced television broadcaster Brand Value Communications Ltd (BVCL) as a regional broadcast partner for the 2011/12 season of the country’s top soccer competition, the I-League.

Under the terms of the deal, brokered by IMG Reliance, a joint venture between Reliance Industries and IMG Worldwide, the broadcaster will screen 75 league matches via its News Time Bangla and News Time Assam channels in West Bengal and Assam respectively.

"After our association with BVCL for the Federation Cup, IMG Reliance is pleased to have signed Brand Value Communications Ltd as regional broadcaster across West Bengal and the North East for the I-League's 2011/12 season," said an IMG Reliance spokesperson.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said: "It is an extremely encouraging trend that regional broadcasters are taking such initiatives so that football becomes visible in the regions and hoped that more such channels come forward in other regions.”

The 2011/12 I-League season, the fifth since its establishment in 2006, kicks off with a number of fixtures on the 21st October.

Delhi’s campaign ends, United lose

2011-09-28T23:20:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: Delhi's campaign in the Durand Cup came to an end after Delhi United, the last remaining state team exited in the second round of the qualifying tournament after suffering a 4-2 defeat against Assam Rifles. Delhi United were playing without both their foreign nationals whose contracts were only until the end of the DSA Senior Division. While their midfielders created chances aplenty, Delhi United's strikers Deepak Mehra and Obed Kahmei failed to convert.

Assam Rifles on the other hand made the most of their opportunities. They were helped significantly by United goalkeeper Raj Kumar, who had a horror day on the field. Consistently wrong footed, his panic was palpable every time he had to clear a high ball while under pressure from the opposition. Eventually Assam Rifles took the lead through a strike by Devender in the 16th minute. They would add another through Meikingai Kamei just before the stroke of half time.

Delhi United though weren't state champions for no reason. Almost immediately after the break the reduced the margin through Saurav Patra who seized his opportunity after a goalmouth melee. Deepak Mehra scored the equaliser in the 69th and it appeared that a turnaround was on the cards. However despite playing almost the remainder of the match in the Assam Rifles half, no goal came.

Instead, against the run of play, it was the Army side that took the lead. Once again it was United's defence and particularly custodian Kumar who was in error. Captain Rishi Kapoor gave away a loose ball and with plenty of space it was Haokip who put his name on the scorers list in the 86th minute. Desperate to find their own equaliser United committed almost all their players up front. With such a field there was no margin for error, and when Kapoor once again failed to clear a ball in the 89th minute he allowed Ajit Kumar Singh to deliver the coup de grace. Assam Rifles next play I-league club Sporting Clube de Goa in the third round.

BSF triumph

Seven times champions Border Security Force (BSF) also entered the third round of the Durand qualifying tournament. They overcame spirited Bhawanipur FC of Kolkata 5-3 in the penalty shoot out after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. BSF will now meet Tata Football Academy (TFA) in their third round tie on Friday September 30.

East Bengal rally to make the final

2011-09-26T20:49:00.001-07:00

Calcutta: Khangtang Paite struck the winner as East Bengal rallied to beat a nine-man United SC 2-1 in the Federation Cup semi-final at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday.

Snehashish Dutta gave United the lead in the 17th minute but East Bengal fought back after Alan Gow equalised via a penalty in the 37th minute. The teams were locked 1-1 at the breather. The victory took East Bengal to the Federation Cup final for the third consecutive year.

There was drama in store during the second session after referee Magho Singh showed two red cards to United’s Joshimar and Deepak Mondal in the 69th and 79th minutes, respectively. These incidents had a huge impact on the match as a wayward East Bengal regrouped and went all out in search of the winner.

They finally found it in the 82nd minute. Penn Orji initiated the move, getting past two defenders and passing the ball on to Baljeet Sahni. The striker, in turn, back passed to Paite, who substituted Reisangmi Vashum in the 80th minute. Without showing any signs of rustiness, Paite’s thunderous left-footer from the edge of the box found the net.

Earlier, after several attempts, United broke the deadlock in the 17th minute. Malsawamtluanga, who was operating on the left flank, lobbed the ball to a surging Joshimar. But both Joshimar and East Bengal goalkeeper Sandip Nandy, who had rushed out of his charge, missed the flight. The ball landed near Snehashish, who found the mark with ease.

East Bengal levelled the scoreline in the 36th minute when Gow was tripped by Bello Rassaq inside the box. The Scot did not disappoint.

It was, however, disheartening to see the standard of refereeing. If the decision to award a penalty in favour of East Bengal was justified, the referee messed it up on other occasions.

In the 59th minute, Naoba Singh pushed Yusif Yakubu inside the box. United players appealed for a penalty but the referee overruled.

Joshimar went charging towards the referee and pulled his shirt. Immediately, the referee flashed the yellow card. The Brazilian saw his second yellow in the 79th minute when he tripped East Bengal defender Saumik Dey intentionally.

United was again at the receiving end of the referee’s wrath a little later. Having already been cautioned for a foul on Tolgay in the 45th minute, Deepak Mondal’s second yellow was completely uncalled for. The referee could have overlooked the incident since he fouled Saumik Dey in a not-so-dangerous position.

After these setbacks, United lost the zeal to fight as the red-and-gold brigade romped home. East Bengal, in fact, could have added another one to their tally. Penn failed to score with only United goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal in front during injury time. His shot ricocheted off the right post. Off the rebound, the ball went to Baljeet, who too found the bar in the way.

United did impress at the start. East Bengal were found wanting for most part of the match. They were without the services of Mehtab Hussain, who has held their midfield together. His replacement, Harmanjyot Khabra, was a disaster as he failed to block most of United’s forays.

United could have taken the lead as early as the first minute. Joshimar showed great presence of mind as he got past Nirmal Chetri before passing it on to a surging Lalkamal Bhowmick. The captain’s right-footer was saved by an alert East Bengal goalkeeper Nandy. Then in the 50th minute, Joshimar’s header went straight to Nandy.

It the end, though, it was East Bengal who scored when it mattered most.

TEAMS

East Bengal: Sandip Nandy, Nirmal Chetri, Uga Okpara, Saumik Dey (Robert Lalthlamuana, 86), Harmanjyot Khabra, Naoba Singh, Reisangmi Vashum (Khangtang Paite, 80), Sanju Pradhan, Tolgay Ozebe (Penn Orji, 66), Alan Gow, Balji Sahni

United SC: Abhijit Mondal, Arnab Mondal, Deepak Mondal, Bello Rasaq, Sukhen Dey, Denson Devadas (Kayne Vincent, 86), Lalkamal Bhowmick, Malsawamtluanga (Chinta Chandrasekhar Rao, 84), Snehashish Dutta (Gourango Biswas, 77), Yusif Yakubu, Josimar Dasilva

Referee: Magho Singh

Robin van Persie puts contract talks on hold

2011-09-26T02:34:00.001-07:00

London: Arsenal captain Robin van Persie says he has put off talks over a new contract in order to concentrate on helping the Gunners recover from their dismal start to the season.
Boss Arsene Wenger was forced to disrupt his pre-season preparations this summer and sanction the sales of Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy to Manchester City as the duo had only a year left on their contracts – a situation Van Persie too will be in at the end of the current campaign.
As a result, Wenger is keen to tie his star striker down to a new deal as soon as possible, but Van Persie, who reached 100 goals for Arsenal in Saturday’s 3-0 over Bolton, revealed he has bigger priorities right now.

"I still have almost two years until 2013," the Dutchman told reporters. "So for the moment that's fine, but I don't know. We will have to look.
"I'm happy with my contract, I'm good. That's how it is, I can't say much more. I can't look into the future.
"The main thing for me is the team and that we play well. I do believe you have to look for a right moment to sit down and speak about your own stuff. It's not only about me, it's about the team.
"I don't want to give the wrong message to speak about my own stuff while the others are a bit more important.
"I can’t say we are talking now because we are so busy – we have games every three or four days."

Salgaocar pip Lajong FC, Chidi the matchwinner

2011-09-25T22:06:00.001-07:00

Kolkata, Sep 26, (PTI): Reigning I-League champions Salgaocar rode on a late strike by Edeh Chidi to pip Shillong Lajong FC 1-0 and advance to the final of the 33rd Federation Cup at the floodlit Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Sunday.

Chidi scored the goal in the last minute of the regulation time to take the three-time winners into the final after a gap of 14 years. The Goans, who won the Federation Cup last time in 1997, will take on the winners of tomorrow's match between East Bengal and Prayag United SC in the final, on September 29.

It was a dull first-half as both teams showed no signs of urgency but in the second period the match gained momentum as there were a couple of sparks of brilliance from Shillong Lajong.

But full credit to Salgaocar goalkeeper Karanjit Singh, who thwarted two fine chances to keep the hopes of the Goans alive. Salgaocar had the better of ball possession but Chidi and Sueoka were eluded of their usual flair, missing as many as three clear chances between them.

When it all seemed that the match was going for a stalemate, the former Mohun Bagan forward Chidi earned Salgaocar the winner to their seventh final appearance. In fact, it was Karim Bencherifa's strategic move of brining Elijah Junior in place of Sueoka that yielded the results.

Junior, who replaced an off-colour Sueoka in the 87th minute, immediately made his presence felt as his long lob found a surging Chidi. Lajong goalkeepr Lalthuammawia Ralte missed the flight and failed to grab the ball before falling down, while Chidi made good use of the opportunity to slot it home without any fuss.

Salgaocar had their first chance in the 12th minute when Sueoka shot over the post. There were more tricky issues with the Goans when their defender Luciano Sabrosa almost scored an own goal in the 24th minute but his header hit the post, in the two high points of a drab first 45 minutes.

The Shillong outfit, who made the semis from a strong group boasting Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers, had their first chance in the 59th minute. But Johny Menyongar's powerful right-footer on top of the box was saved by the Salgaocar custodian.

Salgaocar then had their poor run of mispasses with Sueoka failing to use Chidi's supply. Sueoka's best chance came in the 83rd minute when from a Chidi centre he missed a one-on-one situation.

In two back-to-back counter attacks, Lajong almost had the lead but Salgaocar goalkeeper Karanjit stood tall under the bar. Johny had a fine chance in the 85th minute while three minutes later a powerful left-footeer by Boithang was brilliantly saved by Karanjit. But the Goans lost the momentum in the last minute, just before the injury time.

Dalbir Football Academy hold SAS Mizoram goalless

2011-09-22T20:41:00.001-07:00

Dalbir Football Academy of Patiala and SAS Mizoram played a goalless draw and split points in a Group C match of the 9th Administrator s Challenge Cup Football Tournament for Under-17 being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department at the Sector 17 Football Stadium here today. Three Dalbir Football Academy players -- Lovjot, Robert and Shailender have been declared overge by the medical examinations, including ossification test at Sector 16 Government Multi Speciality Hospital today. Both teams were evenly balanced and exhibited football skills in the rough and tough play. Daljit Football Academy had an opportunity to score but Amanjot shot wide with Mizoram goalkeeper Eddie Zoramnamia advancing to foil him. Mizoram had two golden opportunities to score but Lalvendong muffed these chances. On the first occasion, his angular shot from close just sailed over the bar. In his next move, Lalvendong got the better of two DF Academy players before missing an open chance. C Lalhlipuia (17th), MS Damngliana (33rd), PC Vanlolremrvatpuia (87th) of SAS Mizoram and Jobanpreet Singh (50th), Mohd Sagar (82nd) and Mohd Javed (87th) were cautioned and show yellow card for indulging in rough play.

East Bengal, Lajong in Fed Cup semis

2011-09-22T19:56:00.001-07:00

KOLKATA/PUNE, Sept 23 (IANS): Title holders East Bengal and Shillong Lajong Football Club carved out similar 1-0 wins to move into the semifinals of the 33rd Federation Cup football tournament on Wednesday.

After an unproductive first half, striker Robin Singh scored the all-important goal for East Bengal in the 68th minute of the Group C match at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.

In Group A, Lajong rode on John Meyongar’s 43rd-minute strike to put it across state rivals Royal Wahingdoh in Pune’s Balewadi Sports Complex.

East Bengal finished their engagements with seven points from three matches while Dempo remained on three points from the same number of outings. Both teams went in the attack mode from the kick-off giving the sparse crowd at the galleries their money’s worth.

East Bengal came close to scoring in the 12th minute but Reisangmi Vashum’s long-ranger was narrowly off-target.

Soon after, Dempo’s Ranti Martin failed to slot it in off a Clifford Miranda cross.

East Bengal, who are eyeing a hattrick of Fed Cup titles, broke the goalless deadlock as Robin, receiving a pass from Australian forward Tolgay Ozbey, went past the rival goalkeeper to bulge the net. Dempo’s best chance came in the 90th minute when they received an indirect free-kick inside the penalty box but failed to capitalise on it.

After their victory over Wahingdoh, Lajong have to wait for the next group match between Goa’s Churchill Brothers and Mohun Bagan. While victory would have carried Churchill to the last four, Mohun Bagan made Lajong a big favour by holding the Goans 2-2.

Both Lajong and Wahingdoh finished their engagements on 6 points but Lajong went through to semis on head-to-head count.

Needing just a draw to make it to the semis, Wahingdoh went on the offensive from the opening minute, but failed to utilise the chances which came their way.

Lajong could have won by a better margin had not striker Iyikwobe Chizoza muffed up a penalty in the 63rd minute. The spot kick was awarded after John was brought down in the box by Kareem Nurian, who gto marching orders.

Wahingdoh came closest to scoring in the 77th minute, but Chenco failed to beat rival custodian Lalthuammawia Ralte in a one-on-one.

Playing at the same venue, Bagan came back from behind to hold Churchill.

Henri Arnaud put Churchill ahead in the 23rd minute, but Bagan seized the initiative with two goals within a span of three minutes. First Jose Ramirrez Baretto headed home Jewel Raja’s corner in the 41st minute and then Sunil Chhetri blasted it home a minute before the interval.

Manipur lifts School Games Football Championship

2011-09-22T03:06:00.001-07:00

Basit Lone
Srinagar,Sep 20:
Manipur defended the title successfully by defeating Orissa on Tuesday in a sudden death stage in the final of the 57th National School Games Football Championship at Bakshi Stadium Srinagar.
Milan scored a goal while the goal keeper of the Manipur managed to save the goal in the sudden death stage clinching the contest in a nail biting thriller.
Both the teams were unable to score any goal in the stipulated time. Later in the extra-time also the match was leveled by no goal. In the penalty shootout both scored 4-4 goals.
In the closing ceremony Chief Guest Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said that the state is hosting national level tournaments which are encouraging youth to sports.
“We have successfully hosted national tournaments giving a clear message that Kashmir is peaceful,” said the minister.

Man Utd edge spirited Chelsea 3-1 in thriller

2011-09-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

Manchester: Manchester United continued their 100 percent start to the Premier League with an enthralling 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday. Chris Smalling, Nani and Wayne Rooney, who later missed a penalty, did enough to overcome Fernando Torres' reply, in an end-to-end match that was tumultuous, thrilling and frequently baffling.
Alex Ferguson followed through on his vow to restore David de Gea between the sticks, having given Anders Lindegaard a run-out against Benfica in mid-week. Darren Fletcher also started despite only having played 60 minutes since returning from a long lay-off with a mystery virus. Chelsea, meanwhile, stuck with the misfiring Torres up front.
After just two minutes, Ashley Cole volleyed over the area to the back post, finding Ramires free to shoot, but the under-pressure de Gea produced a good save with his outstretched leg.

Getty Images

The home side, though, took their first opportunity - after Jose Bosingwa brought down Ashley Young on the United left, the winger swung the free-kick into the box, and the anonymous Chelsea defence allowed Smalling acres of space in which to head home, although TV replays suggested he was slightly offside.
The Blues' heads did not go down, though, and they pushed forward in search of a quick response. Under pressure from Bosingwa, Anderson lamely gave the ball straight to the onrushing Torres, who got around the last defender before slicing wide, de Gea having closed the angle well.
There were half-hearted shouts for a United penalty when, in trying to clear from the box, Frank Lampard nodded the ball against his own shoulder on its way into the ground, but Phil Dowd ignored it.
Chelsea were dominating the attacking play in search of an equaliser, but a relatively rare United foray forward was nearly decisive when Nani clipped a cross into the centre of the box towards Rooney, but Raul Meireles made a crucial interception.
The Blues should have equalised immediately after, as, on the break, Juan Mata fed Torres through the inside-left channel, who pulled it across the box into the path of Ramires, but the midfielder made a mess of a shot he should have buried and de Gea snatched it.
With Chelsea still on the attack, Torres attempted an overhead kick on the edge of the area from Daniel Sturridge's cross, but it sailed harmlessly wide of the post. Sturridge himself then had an opportunity having brilliantly controlled an awkward headed flick in the box, but his shot was picked up by de Gea.
And sure enough, Chelsea were made to pay for their variety of squandered chances, when, out of nowhere, Jonny Evans brought Nani into play with a long cross-field pass. The winger moved slowly and deliberately inside a compliant Mata before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards to throw Andre Villas-Boas' plans into further chaos - and again, technology intimated that Nani was offside when he received the ball.
A few minutes later, just as Chelsea considered regrouping at half-time, Phil Jones drove relentlessly forward into the penalty area and, as he fell to the floor, the ball popped up out of the mess of players into the path of Rooney, who could not have missed, and so Chelsea, for long periods the superior side, perplexingly reached the break 3-0 down.
Villas-Boas reacted by bringing on Nicolas Anelka for Lampard, and it brought immediate results as the Frenchman played Torres through precisely from the left, and the Spaniard finally scored his second Chelsea goal, a beautiful chip over the helpless de Gea.
Suddenly, with Chelsea pouring forward, United broke and Nani rattled the crossbar with a monstrous shot, but any disappointment was erased when he was awarded a penalty, Bosingwa judged to have brought him down, although it appeared that he got as much of the ball as the player. But, to shock, Rooney's comical slip from the spot saw him launch the ball skywards, with the watching John Terry reminded of one night in Moscow.
The Blues kept pushing but stuttered a little and the next real chance fell again to the hosts, as Jones rose to meet Young's cross from the short corner, but the ex-Blackburn man's header was weak and wide. A corner at the other end then saw substitute Romelu Lukaku look for a second as if he had broken free from Patrice Evra to poke home, but the left-back somehow got back in time to block him.
The visitors knocked on the door again as a rejuvenated-looking Torres spectacularly evaded two defenders and let off a vicious shot, but de Gea was equal to it, with the striker then blasting the rebound over the bar.
With Chelsea coming ever closer, they might have been killed off once again when, as Terry missed his interception on Evra's low cross, Rooney looked certain to score from close range, only to see his effort bobble off the post in a huge let-off for the Blues. As Javier Hernandez pounced on the rebound, firing wide, he was scythed down by Ashley Cole. No penalty was given as the shot had already been dispatched out of play, but the left-back was lucky only to garner a yellow card.
And suddenly, the moment came. Ramires removed the entire United back line from the equation with a brilliant through-ball for Torres, who rounded de Gea and had to score, yet somehow contrived to shoot unacceptably wide in the face of an impossibly easy open goal.
As the match moved into stoppage time, Dimitar Berbatov seemed certain to bury a fourth, fed by Rooney on the break, but a heroic last-ditch run from Cole was enough to reach the ball in time. But Chelsea could not summon enough after that to find a comeback before the game's end.

Champions League: Barca and Arsenal hit by late equalisers

2011-09-14T01:22:00.001-07:00

This combo image shows Barcelona's coach Josep Guardiola and Arsenal player Robin Van Persie after their respective matches which ended in draws - AFP
Holders Barcelona and English side Arsenal both saw victory elude them in their opening matches of the Champions League group stages on Tuesday as late goals left them with draws.
A superb second-half freekick by David Villa looked to have secured Barca the three points after they had dominated the match with AC Milan, despite Alexandre Pato's early goal, only for Thiago Silva to head home in the third minute of time added-on to make it 2-2.
Arsenal looked to have secured a much-needed morale boosting win away against German champions Borussia Dortmund until a stunning volley by Ivan Perisic two minutes from time saw the match end in a 1-1 draw.
Arsenal's Premier League rivals Chelsea had no such problems as they won 2-0 against another German side Bayer Leverkusen - for whom Michael Ballack started against one of his former clubs.
Pato showed that the extra rest he'd been permitted by Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri after returning from the Copa America had paid off as he opened the scoring virtually from the kick-off.
The Brazilian - who is engaged to AC Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's daughter - broke the Barcelona offside trap to run on and slot the ball past goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
His 24 second strike was the fifth fastest gola in Champions League history.
Barca, though, forced an equaliser late in the second-half as Lionel Messi somehow managed to outstrip two Milan defenders in the box and get in his low cross, which Pedro put away after running in unmarked at the far post.
The hosts, though, suffered a blow in the 39th minute as Andres Iniesta had to go off injured to be replaced by the in-form Cesc Fabregas.
But it didn't stop their domination of the match and Villa's sublime freekick gave them a deserved lead only to be pegged back right at the end.
Arsenal struck just before the break after an evenly fought first-half as van Persie played a neat 1-2 with Theo Walcott and finished it off in style but Dortmund got a deserved draw thanks to Perisic.
Chelsea and Leverkusen both had goals ruled out in the first-half but the London side got on the board in the second-half through David Luiz with a brilliant effort.
Recent Spanish signing Juan Manuel Mata added a second in time added-on.
Chelsea boss Andres Villas-Boas's former side Porto, the club he guided to the Europa League trophy last season, came from behind to beat last season's Champions League quarter-finalists Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1.
Shakhtar, winners of the now defunct UEFA Cup, took an early lead away with Brazilian Luiz Adriano scoring.
Porto, though, fought back and leading striker Hulk levelled before half-time while Pinheiro Kleber stroked in the winner in the second-half.
Marseille have yet to win in the French league this season but they shrugged off that form to win away 1-0 at Olympiakos, a goal by Argentinina star Lucho Gonzalez proving the difference.
Czech Republic side Plzen marked their first appearance in the group stages by taking the lead at home to Belarus outfit BATE Borisov, Marek Bakos scoring in the first-half, but Renan Bressan equalised in the second period to force a 1-1 draw.

Benfica eye special plan for rampant United

2011-09-12T23:47:00.001-07:00

Lisbon: Manchester United are in such rampant form that Benfica coach Jorge Jesus says he will have to deploy cautious tactics to salvage even a point from Wednesday's Champions League Group C opener against last season's runners-up.
Twice European champions Benfica face a stern test at home against a United side who have burst out of the blocks in their Premier League title defence with a 100 percent record and lead the table on goal difference.
Still, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus believes his team can grab points if they are able to adjust their attack-minded tactics to counter United's flowing attack.

"We want to be stronger tactically, if we manage that, we will balance out the match. There are three points on the table but in the Champions League every single point is important," said the Portuguese coach.
Benfica, knocked out at the group stage last year, will be confident of progressing this time given the other teams in the group, Switzerland's FC Basel and Romanian debutants Otelul Galati, look very beatable.
"We have to approach this game differently in terms of tactics and objectives. United is one of the best in Europe and has top players but we also have them," Jesus added.
MATURE ROONEY
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will be looking to translate his rampant domestic form into Champions League goals. The England forward has scored back-to-back hat-tricks in Premier League games, the latest coming in Saturday's 5-0 thumping of Bolton Wanderers.
"It's down to maturity," manager Alex Ferguson said of Rooney, who has notched eight league goals.
"He's in his mid-20s and I always think when players get to this age they get more authority in their game, their timing is better and their control of games is better. His presence is getting bigger in every game. He's looking fantastic."
Benfica's backline, much-improved from last season thanks to the signing of centre back Ezequiel Garay from Real Madrid and goalkeeper Artur from Braga, will have to be at the top of their game to stop Rooney and deny room for Nani and Javier Hernandez to inflict damage.
Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel has also arrived to make Benfica's midfield more compact, freeing playmaker Pablo Aimar to assume a more attacking role,
Up front, the Portuguese's side's main weapon remains the efficient Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo, while Spanish forward Nolito has brought added speed and mobility.

Shillong Lajong Football Club - The Hope Of The North-East

2011-09-11T22:59:00.000-07:00

The Shillong based clubs have bounced straight back into the I-League Division I after relegation in 2009-10. Can they stay up? Goal.com's Ayush Srivastava has a look....

LAST SEASON
Shillong Lajong bounced straight back into the I-League after being relegated to division II in 2009-10. Playing in front of their home crowd and in conditions which were to their benefit, The Reds took full advantage and ran away as the division II Winners.
The I-League division II champions will hope to have a better season than the one they had the last time they got promoted to the premier division of Indian Football.
Last season, the club also failed to replicate its heroics of 2009 in the Federation Cup, as after qualifying for the group stage, the Shillong-based club crashed out with 2 points.
The club did however reach the IFA Shield semi-final, where they lost to Mohun Bagan.

Tuboi's Registration With Army XI Caused A Furore....
During Off-Season
The club’s participation in the I-League was in jeopardy for a while as an issue over the registration of forward Seikhohao Tuboi reared its head. Tuboi was said to have represented two clubs during the same season as along with Shillong Lajong he also played for the Army XI in the Kolkata League. However Lajong conclusively proved that the player was registered with them since two seasons and played for the Army team as he was also an army jawan. Eventually the matter was sorted out and Lajong’s place in the first division was secured.
The Shillong based club’s stadium also was given a grant of Rs. 5.5 Crores by the Meghalaya Government and work is underway at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium which means that Head Coach Pradhyum Reddy’s boys might have to play some of their earlier home games at Imphal, Manipur.

Sluggish Pitch Conditions Force Relocation Of Training Camp To Mizoram...
PRE-SEASON
In a recent interview with Goal.com, the Reds coach Pradhyum Reddy revealed that he wasn’t totally satisfied with the club’s pre-season, which he described as “disjointed”.
Due to sluggish condition of the ground in Shillong, the team had to move its camp to Mizoram in order to avail better facilities. The team also took part in a pre-season tournament there, which helped fine-tune their preparations.
Lajong then returned to Shillong, where again due to the ground conditions, they had to make use of an alternate training ground.
The club has now moved base to Guwahati, with their British coach revealing that the prime reason for their decision to move to Assam was the need to acclimatize to the warm weather prevalent on the plains of India. This was largely done as the club had struggled to deal with the heat in places like Goa and Kolkata, due to which they had an abysmal away record in their first stint in the I-League.

Former Liberian Captain Joins The Pride...
TRANSFERS
The Shillong based outfit have been busy strengthening their squad for the upcoming I-League season during the transfer window.
The most high profile signing of the club has been the signing of Liberian attacker Johnny Menyongar, who has joined the club from United Sikkim. The forward brings a wealth of experience to the side and should add some bite in the attack.
His possible strike partner could be former Mohammedan Sporting striker Christopher Chizoba, who was the third highest scorer in the Kolkata League last season.
Chizoba alongwith former Ar-Hima Captain Eugeneson Lyngdoh, who is an attacking central midfielder by trade, could prove to be one of the smartest signings of the transfer window as both have shown a lot of potential last season and should prove useful in the I-League.
BMFC midfielder Henry Gangte and defender L. Romenjit Singh should add depth to the squad. Similarly Ex- JCT defender Lalchuanmawia and Southern Samity’s Tuishim Mashangva will give more options to Reddy at the back.
Nine players have also been released, including Anil Gurung who has returned to Nepal and Marcus Basumatary, Keleche Okoye who have joined Ar-Hima.
Meanwhile, a player from Korea, Yu Chul Won is under trial as the club look to complete their quota of foreign signings.
KEY PLAYERS
Shillong Lajong had managed to retain most of their players when they were relegated in 2009-10 and most of them have stayed with the squad this season. Many of those players, like keeper Rime still form the core of the team while new signings like Menyongar and Lyngdoh should help improve the squad. Here are some of the players who might have a decisive say in the fortunes of the Shillong-based club this term.

J. Menyongar: The Liberian attacker is the biggest signing Lajong have made this transfer window and the attacker will have to fire in goals all through the season if Lajong are going to have a chance to survive this season.

Subhas Singh: Called up to the national camp by Colaco, the wingback will hope to catch the national team coach’s eye again this season with his forays forward. Although he might need to tighten up defensively against teams in the top tier, Singh could well prove to be the answer to India’s problems at left back, and in solving them he might well save Lajong from relegation.

Gumpe Rime: The veteran in goal for the Reds is still a mainstay at the back. A brilliant shot-stopper, he also commands his defence well and his organizational skills will be as vital as the saves he makes for the Shillong-based club this season.

B. Haokip: The 20 year old Manipuri had a great season for Lajong last year. The width and quality he provides to the club is a very crucial to Reddy's tactics. Capable of turning up on either wing, Haokip could well be the next star from the North-East.
COACH
Coach Pradhyum Reddy took over the team after they were relegated from the I-League in 2009-10. The 35-year-old British national, who holds a UEFA ‘A’ License, has done well to hold on to the core of the squad which represented the club in their first stint in the I-League.
His tactics and methods of ensuring his players acclimatize to away conditions, something which was their Achilles heel in 2009-10, show his eye for details and thorough research.
With some smart signings having been made in the transfer window, Reddy seems to be a safe pair of hands who should lead Lajong to safety, which is their aim for this season
TACTICS
35-year-old Pradhyum Reddy likes to play a fluid attacking system. However with survival being Lajong's main aim for the season, one can expect variations from the coach in tactics throughout the season.
The Shillong based club have four tremendous strikers on their roster and would like to make the full use of such an enviable strikeforce.
The presence of so many versatile midfielders certainly gives the gives the coach enough options to choose from.
Source: Goal.com

Man Utd crush Bolton with Rooney's hat-trick

2011-09-10T23:32:00.001-07:00

Bolton: Manchester United eased to a 5-0 win at Bolton on Saturday with Wayne Rooney bagging his second hat-trick in as many games.
United were really in the mood in the first half as they romped to a 3-0 lead inside 25 minutes with a goal from Javier Hernandez and a brace from Rooney, whilst Bolton struggled to cope with their visitor’s attacking ability.
In the second period, both strikers grabbed another goal each, but could have added several more as the match neared the heights of United’s last league match, the 8-2 victory against Arsenal.

Reuters

It didn’t even take Javier Hernandez five minutes into his first start of the season before he opened his account for the year as he flicked the ball home from the near post, but a lot of credit should be given to Nani who delivered a brilliant low cross from the right.
The hosts almost hit back a minute later as Martin Petrov crossed from the left, but United failed to clear it properly and Chris Eagles got a shot away, but the combination of Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand saved it on the line.
United came close to extending their lead in the 12th minute as the visitors hit Bolton on the counter-attack, but Rooney couldn’t quite reach Hernandez’s cross from the right and Gary Cahill conceded a corner.
They did, however, extend their lead just shy of the 20-minute mark as Wayne Rooney got on the end of a Phil Jones cross, poking the ball out of the reach of Jussi Jaaskelainen into the bottom far corner.
Minutes later, United had their third, owing much thanks to a sublime run from Phil Jones as he skipped past several tackles as he charged down the right before eventually having a shot blocked, but Rooney was on hand to smash home the rebound from six yards.
Despite just a few minutes after, Hernandez thought he had added a fourth; however, he was flagged offside and the score remained as it was until the second half with Bolton barely registering a shot on the United goal in the first period.
The second half started with Bolton actually looking to pressurise David De Gea in the United goal, but at first he was equal to Mark Davies’ shot from just outside the box, and soon after he rose well to catch a Kevin Davies header.
Hernandez should have got his second of the day as he gambled on Jaaskelainen to make a heavy first touch from De Gea’s clearance, but after getting the ball, instead of hitting it first time, Chicharito opted for a touch and when he eventually got a shot away, it was tame, allowing Bolton to find safety.
However, two minutes later, he did get his second as Michael Carrick shot from the edge of the box, but a deflection took it straight to the little Mexican, who was left with the simplest of finishes.
Still with 23 minutes to go, Wayne Rooney claimed his hat-trick, smashing a Nani pass into the bottom left corner after the Portuguese winger received a brilliant pass from Ryan Giggs and picked out the England international in the 'D' of the penalty area.
That goal consolidated a remarkable feat with Rooney becoming the first player in Premier League history to score eight goals in four matches.
United came close to adding a sixth five minutes from time as Nani found Hernandez in the box with a clever pass, but when through on goal, the Mexican tried to square the ball to Anderson, but the pass was just too far ahead of him.
In all honesty, Bolton were never really in the game with United's lightening quick start effectively ending the match as a contest minutes after starting as the Premier League champions completely outclassed their hosts.

It's 'club vs country' in football again

2011-09-09T01:01:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: Top European clubs are heading for a collision course with FIFA and other stakeholders in international football.
In a move that is bound to renew the long-running 'club vs country' debate in football, the European Club Association (ECA) - an independent body which directly represents the clubs at a European level - has called for a drastic reduction in the number of international fixtures held every year.
The current calendar provides for 12 internationals. FIFA wants to increase that to an unreasonable 17, while the clubs - already incensed - want to bring it down to just six.

Getty Images

The clubs have also asked for a raise in the compensation paid to them by FIFA and UEFA for releasing players to compete in international competitions. On the face of it, that seems to be a fair demand. After all, it is the clubs who own the players, pay their wages, train them for the best part of the year and suffer the most should their 'assets' get an injury.
However, on the flipside, clubs are well aware of the perils of bringing top international stars on their rolls. In fact, one might argue that the bigger teams deliberately want players good enough to represent their countries at the highest level, to improve quality. So, like any other business, they must accept the risks that come with their constant quest for success.
It is difficult to believe that international football has no place any more. Glory at the club level might have taken precedence for many players and fans alike, but there is still a certain prestige attached to wearing the national shirt that many footballers yearn for. The World Cup is perhaps the most-viewed sports event worldwide, and the biggest honour a player can hope for in his career. After all, isn't it held against Lionel Messi that he isn't still as great as a Pele or Diego Maradona, mainly because he is yet to win the biggest prize of them all and lead his national team to glory?
On another level, internationals are a lifeline for smaller national associations, for whom matches against the big guns can provide vital financial gains, in addition to valuable experience for their players. In countries where club football isn't as strong, international football can be used to promote the game. Even the 'meaningless friendlies' provide a platform to mould future stars, apart from offering national coaches a rare chance to try out strategies before the matches that count.
Although a final resolution is unlikely to be ever reached, it is essential for the players' sake that a compromise is worked out. A top-level player, who appears in almost every game for club and country, can play 70-odd games in a season that also includes a major international tournament. Such a strain can only have an adverse affect on their quality and fitness, despite the advances of modern science. It is no wonder, then, that players like Jamie Carragher and Ryan Giggs chose to retire early from international football, in order to prolong their careers.
To start with, the timing of the internationals definitely needs to be reviewed. Holding matches at the start of a domestic season, in August, is hardly beneficial, with the players still away from full fitness at the time. Summer friendlies - which take place after a season is over - are similarly futile. Also, the group stages of the Euros and World Cups can also be trimmed - 16 teams will compete in the Euros next year, with the number set to rise to 24 from Euro 2016 onwards - A change in the format will also reduce the number of one-sided games, bringing the added advantage of making the tournament more competitive and exciting.
As for the tussle over the players, careful management through close collaboration between the domestic league and the national set-up can help players give their best in the games that matter. For instance, if a club expects a recuperating player to be rested ahead of a cup final, then they too must return the favour when an important international qualifier is around the corner.
In fact, perhaps the final decision should come down to the player alone, for if a player isn't fully committed to playing for his country, then there may be no point in picking him in the first place!
The ECA plans to meet FIFA soon, to work out a suitable arrangement to balance both interests. Meanwhile, with the existing agreement over internationals running out in 2014, the debate is just getting started!

Shillong Lajong FC: Team Analysis And Season Preview 2011-12

2011-09-08T02:55:00.001-07:00

When Indian fans discuss about the hubs of Indian football across India, it will be really surprising if the north-eastern states stay out of the mix. The I-League cocktail last year definitely missed the vibrant flavors from the North-East, but Shillong Lajong FC, from Meghalaya made it sure that the upcoming season will not deny Indian football and its fans the vibrance the club offers.

Shillong Lajong FC, traditionally known as the Reds, among faithfuls, flaunt a huge fan base across the seven sister states of the beautiful North-East. They controversially qualified for the I-League in May, after they were blessed with home conditions to sustain their challenge in the final round of the fixtures of I-League second division. The team cruised past most of the challengers and emerged as table toppers in the final round, after securing as many as sixteen points from seven games.

There was huge controversy after league 2 side Southern Samity filed an official complaint with AIFF regarding Shillong Lajong’s fielding a striker, namely Saikhohau Tuboi, who was registered with two states’ football associations. AIFF decided to ban the striker for 3-4 months and Shillong Lajong FC was given a clean chit. Putting the controversy aside, the north-eastern representatives get ready to mingle with best in Indian football. TheHardTackle takes a look at their squad, transfers for the upcoming season.

Summer Transfer Activities

ARRIVALS	POSITION	FROM
John Menyongar	Striker	United Sikkim FC
Christopher Chizoba	Striker	Mohammedan Sporting Club
Henry Gangte	Midfielder	Bengal Mumbai Club
Eugeneson Lyngdoh	Defender	Ar Hima FC
Romenjit Singh	Defender	Bengal Mumbai Club
Lalchuanmawia	Defender	JCT FC
H.Lalmuamkima	Midfielder	Sport and Youth Service, Mizoram
Soram Porei Anganba	Goalkeeper	Pune FC

DEPARTURES	POSITION	TO
Marcus Basumatary	Defender	Ar-Hima FC
Keleche Okoye		Ar-Hima FC
Marlanki Suting	Striker	Royal Wahingdoh SC
Ochei Emeka Michael		George Telegraph SC
Thanggoulal		AIM, Manipur
Jonathan Mgochukwu Kingsley		Nagpur FC
Anil Gurung	Striker	Manang Marshyangdi Club, NEPAL
Million Mwenge Butshire

Squad Analysis

Goalkeepers: Gumpe Rime, Lalthuammawia Ralte, Sorum Anganba

Veteran stopper Gumpe Rimpe was instrumental in Shillong Lajong victories during division 2 final round matches last season. As the team would now be locking horns with more professional outfits in the I-League, Mr. Larsing Ming has left no stone unturned in strengthening the bench. The Reds have signed back Soram Anganba from Pune FC and have Lalthuammawia as the other option. With a long season ahead for the club from Shillong, injuries might get the better of many players; hence the moves reflect prudence on the part of the club.

THT Verdict: Shillong Lajong’s custodians look impressive with experienced Gumpe Rimpe leading the way. The shrewd signing of Sorum Anganba from Pune FC could turn out to be vital as the season progresses.

Pradhyum Reddy

Defenders: Aibor Khongjee, Wailadmi Passah, Zomingliana Ralte, Rodingson Sangma, L. Romenjit Singh, M. Subhas Singh, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, C. Lallawmzuala, Lalchuanmawia, Ronald Zothanzama.

Clearly, Shillong Lajong has strengthened their side, starting from the defence. The Reds pounced on former JCT defender Lalchuanmawia, after the disbandment of the club from Punjab. Lajong recently announced the signing of rival club Ar-Hima FC’s dominant captain, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, in a bid to improve their defense, which will be up against the best of the strikers in the country. The opportunity of playing in the premier football division in India has helped the Shillong club to lure in another performer from Bengal Mumbai Club, Romenjit Singh.

THT Verdict: The defence looks very interesting for Shillong Lajong. On one hand they have experienced defenders like Aibor Khongjee, who has faced the music against top teams, and on the other hand they have ambitious new joiners, looking to make an impact. Some of the defenders parted ways with the club, but most of them were retained; the defense will be looking to put in consistent performances albeit a few unconvincing ones can be expected as well.

Midfielders: Mashangva Genius Zenith, Samson Ramengmawia, Boithang Haokip, Lalramluaha, James Gbilee, P.C. Lahlimthara, Samuel Shadap, Racy Khiangte Lalrengmawia, Henry Gangte and Lalmuamkima.

Shillong Lajong was successful in retaining most of its playmakers. In addition to that, Henry Gangte too has been added to the squad from the Bengal Mumbai Club. Many influential players like Mashangva, Samuel and James will be expected to put in gritty performances to present their claims for the national team berths. Under the tutelage of coach Pradhyum Reddy, the young turks will be looking to make an impact in I-League with their skillful short passing game.

Shillong Lajong’s James Giblee

THT Verdict: The midfield looked very impressive against league two sides and the only blemish was a single loss in the whole tournament. With additions to the squad, who are capable of orchestrating moves on the pitch, the agility of the North Eastern team can surprise a handful this season.

Strikers: Christopher Chizoba, John D. Menyongar , Saikhohau Tuboi and Lalnunmawia.

The striking department is the area where Shillong Lajong has spent the most this summer. The addition of experienced Liberian international John Menyongor will certainly bring some extra teeth to the attacks. The Reds have also managed to secure the signature of Christopher Chizoba, another prolific striker from Mohammedan Sporting Club, known for his consistency in Calcutta Football League. Saikhohau Tuboi, after all the controversy, has served his ban and will be raring to go, come October. He was sensational in the final round and scored important goals to clinch the I-league 2 title on home turf. Lalnunmawia, on the other hand, would be providing a robust option to Pradhyum and can be dangerous coming off the bench.

THT Verdict: Clearly the striking department of the Shillong club, with an exciting mix of youth and experience, can pose a threat for many quality defenders in the upcoming season. Scoring goals away from home or perhaps the lack of it, was the main reason for Shillong Lajong’s exit from the premier division, in their inaugural season, two years back. As of now, the Reds have a good striker force with Tuboi, Christopher and John looking to synch and score goals.

The fans from Shillong will once again come out in large numbers to support the team

Five Key Targets

1. I-League: After being knocked out in their debut season, the main target this season for Pradhyum Reddy will be to stay afloat this season. Regular oscillations between I-League 2 and I-League doesn’t help in generating revenues, which in turn influences the fan base. Without a shadow of a doubt, Shillong Lajong has the most powerful fan base in North East and hence the club should try to avoid the drop in order to maintain the representation of North East on India’s football map.

2. Federation Cup: Lajong participated in the 2009-10 version of the Federation Cup, which is an Indian Football season curtain raiser. Under the mentorship of Stanley Rozario, the Reds surprised a lot of teams and reached the finals and eventually lost to East Bengal. The surviving members of that team will be having those memories fresh in the mind, as they take the field against Churchill Brothers SC in Pune on 17th. It would be a great platform for Pradhyum Reddy to explore options, test players and subsequently announce the arrival of his team.

3. Subroto Cup: In a massive revelation for the club, four juniors from Shillong Lajong FC – Ram Chettri, Suman Rai, Donborlang Nongkynrih, Jacob Lalrawngbawla were selected in Allianz, Adidas, Lufthansa, Audi, and FC Bayern talent hunt programme. They trained at the FC Bayern Munich headquarter’s training ground at Sabener Strasse 51 in the Munich suburb of Harlaching. With such talented youngsters up their sleeve, the team should look forward to groom these youngsters for future and certainly, winning the coveted Subroto Cup will do no harm.

4. Shillong League: In order to stay consistent at the top, the Shillong team, like all the other giants in Indian football, need to have a pool of good back up players from where the coaches can pick up players. The SLFC reserve team is all set to participate in the Shillong League and will try to garner good results there. Exceptional performers from the Shillong league might find a place in the senior team, which in turn will enhance their chances of staying afloat in seasons to come. As always, the local league is very important for a club to keep things going, especially at the top.

5. Consistency, away from home: No, this one is no competition. This is one aspect of their game, perhaps one of the most important ones, which should be dealt with. It’s no rocket science that Shillong side was relegated last time because they just couldn’t score enough on the road. The reason was that the team couldn’t acclimatize to the conditions in Kolkata, Punjab, Mumbai, Kerala and Goa. This led to a string poor away results, which were rued by the team after they got the boot. Pradhyum Reddy has already set up camps for his team in Guwahati to minimize it in this season.

The word “Lajong” means Our Own. Indian Football, at the top level, has certainly been denied the northeastern flavour. With Shillong Lajong FC finally crawling up, among the creme de la creme of Indian football, certailny the club has to make the league it’s own. With a lot of competition spurring up within the seven sister states, as Bhaichung’s Sikkim United, Ar-Hima FC and Royal Wahingdoh SC are quickly finding their roots, the mighty club from Meghalaya will have it’s work cut out against the best, as they shoulder the burden of the entire North East – perhaps one of the major cores of Indian Football.

Venezuela keen to test Messi-led Argentina

2011-09-01T06:06:00.001-07:00

Argentina take on Venezuela in a FIFA international friendly at the Salt Lake stadium on September 2

Kolkata: Undaunted by the "underdog" tag, Venezuela were all keyed up to test their strength against Lionel Messi-led Argentina here Friday ahead of the soccer World Cup qualifiers between the two sides on Oct 14.
Venezuelan head coach Cesar Farias underlined the importance of the FIFA official international friendly stating that a high profile opponent like Argentina always intensified the desire to perform.
"A game like this involves lot of prestige. That makes it important. This friendly match is not a friendly for us. Everytime you play against Argentina, you want to see the team in very good form," Farias said.
"We will play the game on Friday with the intention to win because we intend to use the game for preparation... This is an opportunity to check where the team stands before our Oct 14 qualifier," he added.
The Venezuelans finished as the surprise pack in the recent Copa America tourney, where they took the fourth spot and even beat formidable Brazil.
"We are traditionally known as the Cinderella team back in South America. But now the scenario has changed. Our soccer is growing at a good pace," Farias said.
The 38-year-old Farias said his team would pay attention to the strengths of star-studded Argentina, but emphasised that soccer was more a team agame than one of individual heroics.
He also cautioned Argentina - world number nine team - that they should also be worried of the class of Venezuelans.
"You can't hide the fact that Messi is a great player. But football is a team game, we have been working to be a cohesive unit. We have our attention on the strengths of Argentina. But we are focussing more on our strengths."
"And yes, we do have to worry about the Argentine players, but they also have to worry about our (Nicholas) Fedor, (Jose Salomon) Rondon and (Hector) Gonzalez."
While the Argentines seemed a bit apprehensive about the Salt Lake stadium's artificial turf on which they have never played, Farias seemed unperturbed.
"We have played on artificial turfs before. We did play Colombia in New York seven months back and Mexico too on artificial turf. So it won't be a problem," asserted a confident Farias.
Farias is expecting a good and entertaining match on Friday.
"The match will be a good one and enjoyable for those who turn up in numbers on Friday," he said.
Farias has retained his job since 2007, very unlike other Latin American coaches who are sacked after every poor performance.
"Coaches of football teams always keep their luggage outside the door. The deal is unless you show results, you can't continue. Fortunately we had good results the four years this coaching team has been in the job. Correct behaviour allowed us to retain our place," he said.
Source: IANS

Beginning of a long trip: Sabella
Kolkata: New Argentine soccer coach Alejandro Sabella on Wednesday said the country's campaign for the 2014 World Cup will start with the Sep 2 FIFA official international friendly match here with Venezuela but mentioned the team's inexperience of playing on the artificial turf at the Salt Lake stadium.
"Yes, this is my first game in command of the Argentinean national side. Yes, it is the beginning of our journey," Sabella said when asked if the much-anticipated match can be called the starting point of Argentina's World cup campaign.
Sabella also said it was very important for the team to show good results as it would instill confidence among the players.
"Because really it is the beginning of a long trip which I hope would finish with the qualification for the World Cup," Sabella said. The countdown has already begun for the first-ever FIFA official international friendly match between Argentina and Venezuela in India with Lionel Messi in town.
Soccer superstar Messi will make his debut as full-time captain of the star-studded Argentina team that will take on Venezuela at the Salt Lake stadium.
When asked about the issue of artificial grass in Salt Lake Stadium, Sabella said: "We are not used to playing on artificial grass...for us it is not normal, that is the truth. Such turf is seen in only two or three places."
Sabella also said that neither the team formation nor the strategy has been decided for the September 2 game.
"I can't say now. We have not decided any strategy yet. After the training session tomorrow, I will see. I need one or two days to decide," said Sabella.
Asked about the absence of Carlos Tevez in the team, Sabella said: "He is fat and so he is not in the team. But he will be eligible for selection now that he is playing for Manchester United once again."
Source: IANS

Why the EPL title will stay in Manchester

2011-08-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: Manchester 13, London 3.
On a weekend when Samir Nasri finally made his debut for Manchester City, the gulf between the club he left and the one he chose could not have been highlighted more starkly.
Manchester City may be trying to buy their way to the top, but if a team can afford to leave Carlos Tevez on the bench and still rack up five goals with ease against a side that played in the Champions League last season, the signs are ominous for their rivals.

City have addressed some of the problems they faced last season, adding the creativity to go with manager Roberto Mancini's surprisingly new attacking mindset, while increasing the depth of an already-formidable squad. David Silva continues to impress, Edin Dzeko is starting to show the form that persuaded City to pay 27 million Pounds for the Bosnian striker, while Sergio Aguero and Nasri seem to be showing none of the troubles usually faced by players settling into a new team. Against Tottenham on Sunday, Nasri provided the assists for two of Dzeko's goals, while Aguero also got his third goal in just his third league game.
More significant, though, was their impressive attacking display in the 5-1 victory - City's biggest-ever win at White Hart Lane - following their convincing wins in the first two games of the season. They have the wealth, they have the players, they have the manager who led Inter Milan to three league titles in a row - City are certainly going to mount a real title challenge this season and Alex Ferguson knows it.
But anything their 'noisy neighbours' can do, Manchester United can do better. As if the 8-2 demolition of Arsenal was not enough, Ferguson will derive even more pleasure from the fact that the astounding victory took the limelight away from a real statement of intent by City.
The Scot has time and again built winning teams at Old Trafford, combining astute buys in the transfer market with young talent coming through the ranks. Ashley Young, Tom Cleverely and Danny Welbeck represent the success of that policy, while one could be forgiven for not realizing that United were missing first-choice defenders Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Javier Hernandez started on the bench, while last season's topscorer Dimitar Berbatov stayed on it - United are only going to get stronger.
In contrast, Arsene Wenger left Manchester facing the biggest crisis of his 15-year career at Arsenal. "I'm comfortable with where we are," said the Frenchman before the start of the game. After seeing his side mercilessly torn apart by the team they are supposed to challenge, one suspects even the normally-stubborn Wenger will be forced to accept the increasing gulf between the erstwhile rivals.
Even injuries and suspensions cannot justify the bare bones to which the Arsenal squad has been reduced. None of the back four that started against United deserves a place in an Arsenal side, while Wenger has just three days left to find acceptable replacements for Cesc Fabregas and Nasri. The rethinking and rebuilding will have to take place soon though, or else Arsenal could be in real danger of finishing out of the top four this season.
It's been a tough start to the season for their local rivals Spurs, with resounding defeats to the Manchester clubs in their first two games. Harry Redknapp has his own injury problems to deal with, while Chelsea's prolonged and public pursuit of key man Luka Modric has not helped matters. Even with Emmanuel Adebayor and the possible additions of Scott Parker or Lassana Diarra though, Spurs face a tough battle to return to the Champions League next season.
The only London side that can reasonably think of breaking the Manchester charge is Chelsea. However, the Blues have been unimpressive in their first three games against relatively weaker opponents, with much of the problems of last season still in evidence. At least new signing Juan Mata got a goal on debut though, which already equals the tally of a certain other Spaniard in the squad after 11 league games. He might also add some much-needed inventiveness to an ageing squad that is in urgent need of a creative injection - It might be too much to expect Andre Villas-Boas to win the title in his first year.
It's early days yet, but if the first three games are anything to go by, the Premier League title will stay in Manchester this season.

Lionel Messi wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award

2011-08-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

The best player in Europe, FC Barcelona's Argentinean forward Lionel Messi, left, who holds his trophy poses with UEFA President Michel Platini, during the UEFA Champions League draw, at the Grimaldi Forum, in Monaco - AP
Lionel Messi has won the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the 2010-11 season.
Messi beat his Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid in a poll of journalists from across Europe.
Argentina forward Messi scored 53 goals as he and Xavi led Barcelona to the Champions League and Spanish titles.
A panel of 53 journalists drawn from each of UEFA's member nations voted ahead of the draw for this season's Champions League group stage.
UEFA created the honor after "France Football" magazine combined its traditional European award with FIFA's world player prize.
Messi won that award in January when Xavi placed third.

Alex Ferguson ends BBC boycott

2011-08-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Manchester: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has finally decided to lift his ban on the BBC.
The Scot began to snub the broadcaster in 2004 over some allegations that were made against his son, Jason, who was at the time working as a football agent.
The Premier League had also released a statement to the effect that they would offer any help necessary towards an amicable resolution between Sir Alex and the BBC.
The Scot began to snub the broadcaster in 2004 over allegations that were made against his son.
But following a meeting with the organisation's director general, Mark Thomson, and BBC North director Peter Salmon, the 69-year-old has ended his boycott.

"Sir Alex Ferguson and the BBC have decided to put behind them the difficulties which led to Sir Alex feeling unable to appear on BBC programmes," reads a statement on the club's official website.
"This follows a meeting between Sir Alex and the BBC’s director general, Mark Thompson, and BBC North director Peter Salmon, and the issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
"Sir Alex will now make himself available to the BBC for Match of the Day, Radio 5 Live and other outlets, as agreed.
"No further comment will be made by either party on this issue."

Baichung, thank you for the memories

2011-08-24T02:16:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: I once worked with a senior British journalist, who assumed that as a sports buff I will also be an English Premier League fan. 'What's your team?', he asked me at our first meeting, expecting to hear Liverpool as an answer. It was pretty evident he was a Liverpool fan. In fact, it was difficult to guess whether you were sitting in his office in a media house or at Anfield. I thought for a minute and then said, 'East Bengal', much to his surprise, even a touch of anger as if I was mocking him.
But truth be told, my club was East Bengal and my player was, is, and will remain Baichung Bhutia. But Bhutia is not just my player, he is 'my player' to most Indians who have followed him and seen him guide Indian football for the past two decades. Arguably one of the greatest footballers India has ever produced, Bhutia was one of the torchbearers of Indian football in the international arena and his decision to call time on his international career makes me sad.
I first read about Bhutia in the papers when he was making waves in the 1992 Subroto Cup, but saw his game only when he had signed up with East Bengal in 1993. Those were the days when you could catch the domestic tournaments like the IFA Shield, the Durand Cup and the Santosh Tropy on Doordarshan. He was a player who gave you hope. His enthusiasm shone through, so much so that our evening sport of choice in a city like Delhi shifted from cricket to football. After all, he was a 16-year-old we could connect with.

Getty Images

When in 1995 he quit East Bengal to join JCT, there was heartbreak. How could Baichung leave my team? Seeing your favourite player not play for your favourite team is a difficult thing to see. And for two years I had to live with it. And what a season he had. Not only did he win the National Football League with JCT, he was the top scorer of the League and was named the 1996 Indian Player of the Year.
But soon enough in 1997 he was back at East Bengal for his second stint. In 1999, he left to play in the second division club in England, Bury FC. With no access to their live games, the papers were the only source of information. His stint with them lasted three years and by the time he returned to India in 2002, I was already a sports reporter and was eagerly waiting to meet with Bhutia and do my first interview with him.
And then disaster struck. Bhutia signed up with Mohun Bagan.
If the move to JCT in 1995 had left me with a heartbreak, his signing up with Bagan in 2002 was like an unbelievable blow. It was almost a betrayal. He too must have realised that and he came back home to East Bengal in 2003. On the sports desk that year, I tracked the ASEAN Cup as Bhutia found the back of the net on nine occasions, five of them in a 6-0 rout of the Philippine Army FC. East Bengal won the final against Tero Sasana 3-1.
Thereafter, Bhutia and East Bengal had a golden run. He scored 12 goals in the 2003-04 season, nine in the 2004-05 season and then 12 again in the 2005-06 season, a performance that won him the 'Player of the National Football League' award.
But in 2006, he went back to Bagan. But after three years at the club and scoring goals by the dozen for them, the Club questioned his committment when he took time out to participate in the television show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. A six-month suspension was followed by a legal wrangle and despite his "homecoming" to East Bengal in 2009 on a one-year contract, injury laid him low for the season.
During all these years of following the game and the man, I never had the opportunity of meeting him. I was not a football reporter, I was only a follower.
But on August 13, 2008 all of that changed. It was the final of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. India took on Tajikistan at the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi and hammered them 4-1. It was a stupendous victory and for a country devoid of much success at the international level, it was a huge success. After the presentation ceremony, the players were waiting just outside the foyer and I walked up to Baichung Bhutia, shook his hand, spoke a few words, and then went into a complete tizzy as he gave me a hug.
It was a moment from a script I never had thought I would be part of. But I was. And I was there as a fan. It was a moment that will stay with me forever, along with all his on-field exploits. And now with Bhutia calling time on his international career, a lifetime of Indian football is coming to an end. True, he will continue to play for his club, but with injuries taking a toll there's no knowing how long that stint will be.
But for now, Baichung Bhutia thank you for giving the game hope in India. Thank you for the memories.

Indian Football: Profiling The Future – Pune FC Wonder-Quartet

2011-08-23T02:39:00.001-07:00

In the sixth edition of “Profiling The Future” Series, TheHardTackle brings you an interesting feature, not only on a single player but on four young footballers from the Pune FC Youth Academy. The “Awesome-Foursome:, as they are commonly referred to as in the PFC Youth circle, can make it big not only for their club but also for the nation as well. When TheHardTackle’s correspondents, Chetan Zawar and Amod Kulkarni, visited the PFC Academy at Mamurdi in Pune on a refreshing Saturday Morning to profile the future, they got an opportunity to watch these kids live in action in a practice game and the talented kids did show some glimpse of their potential to mesmerize them.

1) F LALREMPUIA
Position : Central Midfielder
Age : 17 years
Birth State : Mizoram
Coming from a very modest family background, this 17 year old lad from Mizoram is touted as the next big thing from the Pune Football Club Youth Academy. If his coaches, Ranjan Choudury and Gift Raikhan are to be believed, then Lalrempuia is ready to step up into PFC senior team and can also play straight up in the I-League this season. His ball control and dribbling skills are unbelievable according to the coaches. Lalrempuia was spotted by PFC scouting team during the Subroto Cup last year and he is seizing the opportunity to train under the able guidance of Mr. Ranjan Chowdhury since then.
Lalrempuia’s favorite footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo and he is a supporter of Manchester United Football Club.
*****

2) KARTHIK G
Position : Central Midfielder
Age : 17 Years
Birth State : Tamil Nadu
Chennai born Karthik G began playing football at a young age of six after watching his cousin brothers play in the colony. Having then represented Karnataka U-16 team, he was selected by the scouts to be trained at the PFC academy. His composure on the ball and the ability to open up the defense are quite incredible. The Pune FC coaching team believes that if he can continue developing at the same pace, Karthik will be donning the national jersey sooner than the later.
Karthik idolizes Pune FC and former India captain Shanmugam Venkatesh and is a true Red Devil at heart.
*****

3) DAVID LALBIAKZARA
Position : Midfielder / Left Winger
Age : 18 years
Birth State : Mizoram
Eighteen year old David, a versatile talent, is a product of Mohun Bagan-SAIL Academy. Although he is a midfielder, he has the ability to double up as a left winger as well. He hails from Mizoram and started playing football at a tender age of five. David has represented school, district and then state age group team before he was spotted by Shillong Lajong recruiters. He represented Shillong Lajong at age group level and then went to the Mohun Bagan Academy to fine tune his skill-set. David’s expertise in delivering inch-perfect set-pieces is one of the best qualities of his game.
He is a supporter of English Premiership club Chelsea and his favorite player is Brazilian Neymar.
*****

4) NIKHIL KADAM
Position : Left Winger
Age : 18 years
Birth State : Maharashtra
Kolhapur born Nikhil Kadam is almost a local lad studying in Krida Probhodini Pune. Having been spotted during the Subroto Cup, Nikhil was immediately recruited by the Pune FC academy. He is one of the most hardworking youngster in Pune FC youth squad. Nikhil prefers to play on the left wing, although he is equally competent to step in a left back’s role as well. According to PFC Academy coach Ranjan Chowdhury, his pace and crossing ability are the hallmark of his game.
His favorite player is Lionel Messi and he supports Spanish giants FC Barcelona.
*****
Coming from different parts of the country, F. Lalrempuia, Karthik G, David Lalbiakzara and Nikhil Kadam have one thing in common – all of them want to play football for India more than anything else. We hope these young guns make it large and live their dream of playing for the Indian National Team soon.

source: http://www.thehardtackle.com

Bhaichung to Call Time on International Career

2011-08-23T01:20:00.000-07:00

Former India captain and the poster boy of Indian football for the major part of the last two decades, Bhaichung Bhutia is set to announce his international retirement on Wednesday bringing to an end an illustrious 16-year career.According to reliable sources, the 34-year-old Bhaichung, known as the 'Sikkimese Sniper' for his shooting skills, will announce his walk into international football sunset during a press conference at the AIFF Headquarters here.Speculation has been rife on the imminent retirement of the talismanic striker, who pulled out of India Under-23 side's tour of England where they will play against Pakistan and England Under-23 next month.He has been struggling with injury in the past one year and could only play for just 15 minutes in the Asian Cup in Qatar in January, the most prestigious event India has ever taken part in the last 27 years.He was dropped from the Indian squad selected for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and the preparatory matches, a move which he took into his strides but to complain for not showing the courtesy of at least informing him of that.Bhaichung, however, is likely to continue to play for his club United Sikkim FC which he founded with an aim to make it become a top side in the country. The club failed to qualify for the I-League this season but he will be keen to take the side to the Federation Cup main round, the qualifiers of which will begin on September 8.Bhaichung had captained India for more than 10 years and has scored 43 international goals, more than any other footballer of the country. He is also the only Indian and one among few international players to have played more then 100 matches for his country.Under him, India won the South Asian Football Federation Championships thrice, two Nehru Cup titles (in 2007 and 2009) and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup which gave India the right to play in the Asian Cup this year for the first time after 1984.

Classy Mancheter United beat Tottenham 3-0

2011-08-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

Manchester: Manchester United secured a 3-0 victory over Tottenham in their first game of the season at Old Trafford, thanks to second half goals from Danny Welbeck, Anderson and Wayne Rooney.
Welbeck repaid the faith shown in him by Sir Alex Ferguson since the start of the season, with the 20-year-old influential in both United's first two goals, whilst Rooney grabbed his second of the campaign to cap off a fine evening for the Premier League champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to name a new look backline following injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in last week's clash at West Brom, with Phil Jones and Jonny Evans slotting in at centre-back, whilst Patrice Evra returned to the team at left-back in an otherwise unchanged starting line-up.

Brad Friedel was handed his competitive debut for Tottenham, replacing Heurelho Gomes in goal, as Harry Redknapp stuck with the same outfield XI that demolished Hearts 5-0 in Thursday's Europa League tie, with Croatian midfielder Luka Modric once again a notable absence.
The home side got off to lively start, with Younes Kaboul called into action to prevent Danny Welbeck latching on to Ashley Young's low cross, whilst Rafael van der Vaart’s casual loss of possession in the middle of his own half led to an early chance for Wayne Rooney, only for the striker to tamely header Nani's cross into the arms of Friedel.
Indeed the American was forced into action first in the battle of keepers, diving agilely to save Tom Cleverley's well struck effort from the edge of the box that had seemed destined for the bottom right hand corner of his goal.
Not until just before the half hour mark did United threaten again, with Rooney's dinked cross finding Ashley Young in the box, who peeled off Benoit Assou-Ekotto well, only to see his looped header just evade the top right hand corner of the Tottenham goal.
The visitor’s were limited to shots from distance, with David de Gea overcoming the barrage of mid-week criticism and dealing comfortably with efforts from Gareth Bale and Van der Vaart, as the Spaniard instead shifted the focus onto his impressive distribution.
Referee Lee Probert did well to calm a potential flash point between Nani and Kaboul after the winger caught the Frenchman with an outstretched leg, before bringing to a close a half which was void of any real moments of note.
Vedran Corluka replaced Kyle Walker at half time reportedly due to illness, although the 21-year-old had been consistently exposed at right-back throughout the first 45 minutes.
Harry Redknapp's side enjoyed a dominant spell of possession early in the second half, but again lacked the vision and incisiveness to make it count in the final third, with United instead once again peppering the Spur’s goalmouth with shots from Young, Anderson and Rooney in succession.
The deadlock was finally broken after 60 minutes, when Tom Cleverley's fierce cross was met in the air by Welbeck, who drifted in between the Tottenham centre-backs unmarked and guided the ball into the left hand corner of Friedel's goal.
Rooney then went close to doubling the host's lead five minutes later from a free-kick on the edge of the box, before Welbeck audaciously attempted an over head kick as the ball bounced loosely in the area, only for Friedel to be on hand twice to thwart both attempts at goal.
Phil Jones was then on hand to stifle Bale as the Welshman looked to pull the trigger in the opposition box, before De Gea's quick distribution found Young as United were straight back onto the counter-attack.
The ball eventually found its way to Anderson, who fed the ball through to Welbeck in the box, who in turn played a delightful back heeled pass into the path of Anderson that wrong-footed both Michael Dawson and Friedel, with the Brazilian sweeping the ball into the back of the net to give the home side a two-goal advantage.
Spurs were then unlucky not to take advantage of a questionable moment from De Gea, who failed to collect Corluka’s cross whilst under pressure from substitute Roman Pavyluchenko, with Defoe lashing his effort off the left hand post after the ball landed at his feet.
Rooney was on hand to add a third after 87 minutes, rising well to meet Ryan Gigg's cross and nod the ball into the back of the net to cap a convincing display from the current Premier League champions.
The victory puts Ferguson's side level on points with Wolves and rivals Manchester City, with all three sides enjoying a perfect start to the season.

Depleted Arsenal face tough Liverpool

2011-08-19T23:31:00.001-07:00

London: Grappling with injuries, suspensions and departing players, Arsenal faces a tough early challenge in its Premier League campaign with the visit of Liverpool on Saturday.
A disappointing draw in its first league game has been coupled with captain Cesc Fabregas finally moving to Barcelona and the expected departure of midfielder Samir Nasri to Manchester City. Arsenal's chase for a first trophy since 2005 has also taken an early hit with defenders Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou joining midfielder Jack Wilshere on the sidelines by picking up hamstring injuries in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Udinese in the first leg of their Champions League playoff.
Against Liverpool, Arsenal also has to cope without striker Gervinho and midfielder Alex Song after they were suspended over offenses committed in the opener at Newcastle.

While Arsenal was held to a 0-0 draw on Saturday at St. James' Park, Liverpool also had a disappointing start to the season with a 1-1 home draw against Sunderland.
But it is Arsenal's resources that are most stretched after an offseason outlay of barely 20 million pounds ($33 million) on Ivory Coast striker Gervinho and teenage winger Alex Chamberlain.
By contrast, Liverpool, which has American owners like Arsenal, spent around 50 million pounds over the offseason on top of an outlay of almost 60 million pounds in the January transfer window.
But Arsenal's players are expecting owner Stan Kroenke to strengthen the squad in the final two weeks of this transfer window.
"The players sometimes think, 'What's going on?' We've had a couple of injuries and we have to hope they are not too bad," winger Theo Walcott said. "We have got a fairly big squad but we don't want the squad to get lower and lower. ... I'm sure the boss has got players coming in.
"I don't know, but if you sell one of your best players, I'm sure he's got some options coming in."
After five years at Arsenal, Walcott can be considered a veteran of the team.
"I was the oldest player on the table for dinner at Newcastle at 22 years old," the England winger said. "This team has always been known for being so young but we cannot use that excuse anymore. We need to win something and that's the most important thing.
"It is important to have a mixture of experience and young players but the boss knows what he is doing. He has some great players that he has picked up and we didn't know where they came from."
It was not only Arsenal and Liverpool that experienced a lackluster start to the season, with Andre Villas-Boas' reign as Chelsea manager starting with a 0-0 draw at Stoke.
The 2010 champions will host West Bromwich Albion in Saturday's late match without goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has been ruled out for three to four weeks after injuring his knee in training.
"He fell awkwardly with his weight on top of him," Villas-Boas said.
Hilario is set to play in Cech's absence.
The only expected title contenders to start the season with wins were Manchester rivals United and City.
City's victory was the most emphatic, with Sergio Aguero scoring twice on his debut as Swansea was routed 4-0 on Monday. City makes the short trip on Sunday to Bolton, which also started the season with a 4-0 win at Queens Park Rangers.
"The start was really good and I want to keep like this. It was nice," Aguero said. "I had a chance to play a little bit and I enjoyed it."
United also brought in a player from Atletico Madrid in the offseason, but goalkeeper David de Gea has experienced a more troublesome start to life in England.
The Spaniard was criticized after conceding twice in the Community Shield against City and he was also considered to be at fault for West Bromwich's goal on Sunday, although Alex Ferguson's side recovered to win 2-1.
"Alex will work his magic and the staff will work their magic, and he will be one of the great players by the end of the season," said former United great Bobby Charlton, a club director.
De Gea's next test is in the Monday night match against Tottenham, which is yet to play this season after its opener against Everton was canceled due to security issues following the London riots.
In Saturday's other matches, Newcastle is at Sunderland for a northeast derby, Aston Villa hosts Blackburn, Queens Park Rangers travels to Everton and Swansea faces Wigan in the first Premier League match to be played in Wales.
On Sunday, Norwich hosts Stoke and Fulham is at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Messi’s late winner helps Barcelona win Spanish Super Cup

2011-08-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

Barcelona: Majestic Lionel Messi volleyed a late winner as Barcelona beat arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-2 in a fiery Spanish Super Cup second leg on Wednesday to secure a 5-4 aggregate victory after the match ended with a mass brawl that saw three players sent off.
The Argentine World Player of the Year capped another marvellous performance with an unstoppable volley to claim the first silverware of the season before the trouble erupted.
Tempers boiled over on the touchline after debutant Cesc Fabregas was hacked down by Marcelo and the Brazilian defender, Mesut Ozil of Real and Barca’s David Villa were all dismissed.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored the winning goal against Real Madrid. Andres Kudacki/AP Photo
Messi had set up Andres Iniesta for the first goal in the 15th minute and, after Cristiano Ronaldo had quickly equalised, he scampered through to grab the second just before the break. Karim Benzema put Real level again with nine minutes remaining but the irrepressible Messi guided Barca to victory with another piece of magic that had the crowd in raptures.
Pep Guardiola fielded the side that won the Champions League final last May, which meant new signing Fabregas from Arsenal started on the bench, but Real bossed the opening minutes.
The visitors pushed up on Barca from the start and Ronaldo stung Victor Valdes’s hands inside the first minute as they harried and hustled their hosts all over the pitch.
Frightening Pace
The game was being played at a frightening pace when Messi picked up the ball in midfield and played the darting Iniesta straight through the middle with a perfectly weighted pass.
The Spanish international dinked the ball past the advancing Iker Casillas in a one-on-one to open the scoring, but Real quickly levelled when Barca struggled to clear a corner and Karim Benzema’s shot was diverted in by Ronaldo.
Casillas and Valdes each pulled off impressive saves on two occasions but it was Messi again who proved the difference.
When a corner was not properly cleared on the edge of the Real area, the Argentine chested the ball down to Gerard Pique.
The Barca defender back-heeled a delightful return pass to his flying team mate, who picked his way past two defenders and deftly lifted the ball over Casillas.
The second half failed to live up to the first as petty niggles interrupted the flow of the game, until Benzema pounced on a loose ball in the Barca area and struck the equaliser.
Guardiola then threw on Fabregas but it was Messi who provided the final breakthrough, feeding Adriano Correia out wide and then connecting with his low cross to smash home the winner inside the near post.
For Cesc Fabregas, meanwhile the victory means he has joined the club on a winning note, just three days after completing his move from Arsenal.

Barcelona after winning the Spanish Super Cup. AP
The 24-year-old Spanish World Cup winner came on for Pedro in the 82nd minute, just after Real had equalised at 2-2. ”I’m very pleased. It’s a great start winning and with such positive sensations,” Fabregas told Spanish state television as Barca’s players paraded the trophy around the Nou Camp.
Fabregas returned to the club he left in 2003 on Monday after one of the most drawn out transfer sagas in recent years, when he completed a move which could cost Barca up to 39 million euros ($56 million).
Having only won two trophies in his eight years with Arsenal, the 2004 league title and the 2005 FA Cup, Fabregas has now won his first piece of silverware in a Barca shirt after only three days.
At the end of Wednesday night’s game, Fabregas, who had not had much chance to contribute to the action, was hacked down by Marcelo near the two dugouts.
A huge touchline melee between the Barca and Real Madrid squads ended with Marcelo, his Real team mate Mesut Ozil and Barca’s David Villa all being sent off.
“Football is very competitive, they are two of the biggest teams in the world, and the rivalry is great,” he added with a shrug.
“These are things that always happen in football.”
Reuters

Is Arsenal a second-rung club now?

2011-08-16T02:32:00.001-07:00

By Ashish Magotra

Almost no one was surprised to see Cesc Faberegas leave Arsenal and join Barcelona; mainly because the transfer saga had gone on for so long that it was starting to edge into soap opera territory. At some point, you expected it to happen.
But like a soap opera, just before something important was about to be said, Arsenal and Barcelona would take a break and leave us hanging. This went on for a long time and which is why, when it finally happened, most of us just said, ‘Thank God, it’s over,’ yawned, and moved on.
Now, we can get on with life. And with the English Premiership in full swing, Febregas should soon be forgotten. But at Arsenal that seems unlikely because past great are only forgotten when the current lot performs consistently and wins games. The Gunners, the current lot, will face a struggle doing that.

Barcelona's Fabregas kisses the Barcelona emblem on his jersey during his presentation at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona. Reuters.
The Arsenal management wasn’t even able to extract the right price for Fabregas, a fact that was acknowledged by manager Arsene Wenger. Vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu said Barca paid 29 million euros (25.19 million pounds) for the 24-year-old and that five million more would be payable if the side won two La Liga titles and one Champions League with him in the squad. To put things into perspective that’s lesser than what Manchester City paid for Sergei Aguero.
They still have talent but they don’t have the men to bring that talent together as a cohesive unit; as a unit that can strike fear into the opposition. Fabregas is gone, Nasri is on his way out and for perhaps the first time in years, there is talk that Arsene Wenger will be on his way out as well… all going out, nothing of any real quality coming in.
They’d like to believe that a new era is beginning at Arsenal but the truth of the matter is that the prospects aren’t very good. Manchester United have got stronger in the off-season, as have Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham. Arsenal, on the other hand, has regressed.
Beautiful football, without sense or purpose, can also be useless football and expect Arsenal to play a lot of that this season. They don’t have the right men to pull the strings.
Arsenal, right now, isn’t a team that wins trophies. It is a team that pick players young, recognises their talent, polishes them and then watches them conveniently make their way to greener pastures. One of the main reasons for that happening is that you cannot be recognised as a big club unless you win trophies.
Arsenal hasn’t won anything recently and looks unlikely to break that drought anytime soon. So why would any world class talent want to make his way to the Emirates Stadium? Why?
Wenger’s got almost 30m Euros more at his disposal and he needs midfield reinforcements fast. Most Arsenal fans would like to see some decisive action now – big deals and quality players. Wenger has been admired for his ability to get young, talented players but right now, he needs to spend all the money he has at his disposal.
This isn’t time to rebuild; there isn’t enough time for that. This is the time to go out there and make your presence felt. Do it now or be prepared to settle into the second rung of the Premiership. The other clubs are ambitious and if Arsenal don’t show that same quality, they will be left behind.

Manchester United hot favourites for EPL title

2011-08-12T23:59:00.002-07:00

Manchester United legend Roy Keane is convinced that Sir Alex Ferguson’s team will retain the Premier League “comfortably”

London: With EPL new season starting soon, former stars are convinced Old Trafford remains the hot place to be once again. ManU legend Roy Keane is convinced who starts as favourites again. " Sir Alex Ferguson said the other day the league's getting tougher. But I don't think so. If United are really at it, which they will be, they'll win it comfortably," the Sun quoted Keane, as saying.

"Even last year when United were slipping up, no team was strong enough to take advantage of it," he added.

The 40-year-old further dismissed talk of United lacking enough experience following the retirements of Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

"United have bought well. People talk about losing experience and I appreciate that Van der Sar, Neville and Scholes have all retired. But they have good young players coming through -- and Wayne Rooney can play better than he did last season," Keane said.

"When you look at the players they have left behind, they have Vidic, Rio, Darren Fletcher -- these are all international players. And Giggsy is still there, too. United don't let players go unless they know they have players coming through to replace them," he added.
Ex-Manchester United star Gary Neville has told old rivals Liverpool that their desperate 21-year wait for the title is set to continue. Neville knows all about the longing, as Manchester United took 26 years to secure its first title in 1992-93.

Neville, 36, who hung up his boots last season, said: "Liverpool are getting to that point where they need that success now. The club demands it. Going back to 1992-3, you just become very desperate and very wanting. You become needy."

The Sun further quoted him, as saying: "You feel like it's a goal, it's a challenge, rather than something to get excited about. You can see exactly what Kenny Dalglish is trying to do there. He has brought an identity back to the club. Whether they can go on and win the title... I''m not sure whether that will happen this season." (ANI)

Chelsea step up their hunt for Neymar

Chelsea has stepped up their pursuit of Brazilian strike ace Neymar. Blues coach Roberto di Matteo watched the 19-year-old play for his country against Germany in Stuttgart. Chelsea are long-term admirers of the Santos star, who has a 40-million-pound release clause in his contract.

But they face stiff competition from former Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho, now in charge of Real Madrid. Manchester City, Barcelona and Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala are also Neymar fans. Di Matteo''s report will determine Chelsea's next move, the Sun reports.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are ready to sign Italian winger Alessio Cerci if they fail to land Arsenal's Samir Nasri. According to the Sun, coach Roberto Mancini has confirmed he wants a right winger and central midfielder to complete his summer spending.

Nasri is City's top target with the transfer deadline in three weeks'' time. But talks are progressing slowly and City are aware Gunners have registered Nasri for their Champions League qualifier against Udinese.

The FA Cup winners would be happy to call Arsenal's bluff knowing they could get their man much cheaper in January - or for nothing next summer.

If both players do join City it would push Shaun Wright-Phillips closer to the Eastlands exit as Bolton, Wigan, Stoke and Sunderland are queuing up to sign the winger.

City are also keeping a close eye on developments at Inter Milan with Carlos Treves's future still up in the air. The Italians are weighing up an offer to sell striker Samuel Eton's to ambitious Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. That could help them finance a serious bid to sign Tevez.

Source: ANI

Barca players believe Fabregas is on his way

2011-08-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

Barcelona: Barcelona defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol believe Cesc Fabregas' transfer to the Spanish club from Arsenal is imminent.

They both sent messages on Twitter saying the deal is almost done, while goalkeeper Victor Valdes said in a news conference he expected it to be finalized later Friday.
Puyol tweeted "welcome home ... great to have you here," while Pique wrote: "We have him here!"
"I think that the deal is practically confirmed -- I'm certain he will come and he will be with us," Valdes said in a news conference. "I can't imagine (Barcelona without Fabregas) but as you know anything can happen in football. I think he will be signed in a matter of hours."
Arsenal is currently considering an offer for the 24-year-old Fabregas from the Spanish and European champions, who have tried to bring the Spain midfielder back to his boyhood club since 2009.
Spanish reports put the last offer at about C40 million ($57 million) including variables.Fabregas left for Arsenal in September 2003 and became the Gunners' youngest ever starter one month later at age 16.
Fabregas, who won the 2010 World Cup and 2008 European Championship with Spain, has scored 57 goals in 303 appearances and won one league title and the FA Cup with Arsenal.

Indian football team to leave for West Indies tomorrow

2011-08-12T22:24:00.001-07:00

New Delhi/Kolkata, Aug 12 (PTI) The Indian football team will leave for the West Indies tour tomorrow with a stopover in riot-hit London where the Indian High Commission will make arrangements for their security, a top national federation official said today. The All India Football Federation had deferred the departure of the team by a day due to security concerns at the British capital which has been engulfed in riots for the past few days. The team was earlier supposed to stay overnight in London but under the revised travel schedule they won't be staying at the British capital and would be transported from one airport to another with the Indian High Commission making security arrangements. The team leaves Delhi tomorrow for Kolkata where they board a flight to Dubai at 8.30pm en route to London. In London, they will be transported from Heathrow to Gatwick Airport from where they will fly to the Caribbeans. "Indian team will leave tomorrow and they will land in Heathrow from where they will go to Gatwick to catch a flight to Barbados. Indian High Commission will oversee the security arrangements there in view of the prevailing situation," AIFF Vice-President Subrata Dutta told reporters in Kolkata. India are scheduled to play three friendlies against Caribbean Island countries from August 17 to 24 but the AIFF made changes in the schedule as well as the opponents. Earlier, the AIFF had said that India would open their tour with a match against Barbados but in a release today it said the first friendly will be against St Kitts and Nevis on August 17. The second and third matches will be against Guyana (Aug 21) and Trinidad and Tobago (Aug 24). According to earlier statements, India were to play Trinidad and Tobago on August 21 and Guyana on August 24.

Dynamo tame FCI 3-1

2011-08-11T00:06:00.001-07:00

A moment from the match between FCI and Dynamo at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos
Super League
Guwahati, Aug. 10: Dynamo Club battled the slush to outplay FCI Sports Club 3-1 in a match of the RG Baruah GSA Super Division Football League at Nehru Stadium here today.
Having already booked a berth in the championship leg, Dynamo would have pumped in more goals had the ground been dry, as the FCI forward line looked relatively weak and short on firepower. A heavy afternoon shower had rendered the ground slushy.
Dynamo opened account in the 10th minute after agile Akhil Baroi headed a through pass from Onyebi Nandos Ogbonna into the goal. Seven minutes later, a deft pass from Akhil was connected to perfection by striker Tarak Das, who was a tad fortunate to catch the goalkeeper off-balance as the latter slipped and helplessly saw the ball roll into the net.
After dominating the first half, Dynamo started afresh after the lemon break. However, the FCI men combined well and were apparently desperate to reduce the margin. After synchronising in the midfield, the FCI men however could not utilise the chances that came their way. But luck finally smiled on them as a long ranger by Lanjik Rongmei caught Dynamo goalkeeper Mantu Mallik unawares in the 66th minute.
The match finally livened up but Dynamo kept the heat on near the opposition goalmouth and in the 70th minute, the fleet-footed Akhil showed his class as he connected a pass from captain Abraham Goodluck for a decisive 3-1 lead. In the 85th minute, FCI suffered another setback when they were reduced to 10 men as Teker Hmar committed a foul on Ezekiel Sunday and was shown the red card.
Meanwhile, favourites Navajyoti Club thrashed Chandmari Sports Club by 5-0 goals in a match of the Jibeswar Goswami ‘A’ Division Football League here today.

East Bengal introduce players with much fanfare

2011-08-08T22:05:00.001-07:00

Tolgay Ozebe with a model, at the CC&FC, on Monday. A Telegraph picture
Calcutta: Rivals beware! East Bengal striker Tolgay Ozebe promises to net more goals than he scored last season. “I have become more lethal. Mark my words…” the Australian said during the introduction of the players at the CC&FC, on Monday.
The gala function had a liberal doze of glamour too but it was the dapper Australian, who was the cynosure of all eyes.
No sooner the eemcee announced the name “Tolgay Ozebeeeee”, there was a staccato of whistles and deafening applauses all around.
And as he walked onto the stage with a model, the man seemed to be enjoying every bit of the attention.
“I took my time to adjust. But once I got into the groove, there was no stopping me. Now, I know the Indian style of football. So, this season, people can expect more goals from me,” said Tolgay.
The Australian is without doubt the best signing by East Bengal in recent years and is extremely popular with the fans. Why not? After all he scored 38 goals in his 27 appearances and played a stellar role in the red and gold brigade’s success last season.
According to Tolgay he owed his goals to his teammates. “I have a brilliant understanding with the teammates. The goals I scored was all because of my colleagues,” the striker said. East Bengal, for the record, retained most of the players. And Tolgay feels this is a huge plus for the team.
“This is a positive sign for us. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This is one of the vital aspects in building a team,” he said.
The new faces who will don the East Bengal colours are Branco Cardozo (Chirag United) and Khangtang Paite (Churchill Brothers) while Raju Gaikwad, Gurpreet Singh and Abhishek Das will return from Indian Arrows.
East Bengal coach Trevor James Morgan sounded happy with the side. “I have total faith in my team… I hope the new recruits will get accustomed quickly,” the British coach said.
Meanwhile, Morgan will get a new assistant in Alvito D’Cunha. The club’s ambassador Alvito, who was bogged down by injuries for the last couple of seasons, will also play if the situation demands.
“I am very happy to work under Morgan. He is a great motivator and a tactician. We owe much of our success to him,” the Goan said.
The Squad
Goalkeepers: Sandip Nandi, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Abhra Mondal (captain), Jayanta Pal, Debjit Majumdar
Defenders: Ravinder Singh, Saumik Dey, Robert Lalthlamuana, Uga Okpara, Gurwinder Singh, Nirmal Chetri, Sunil Kumar Thakur, Raju Gaikwad, Sunil Kumar, Naoba Singh, Abhishek Das, Saikat Saha Roy
Midfielders: Alvito D’Cunha, B Beokhokhei, Khangtang Paite, Milan Singh, Mehtab Hossain, Penn Orji, R Vashum, Charan Rai, Subodh Kumar, Sushant Matthew, Sanju Pradhan, Harmanjyot Singh Khabra
Forwards: Tolgay Ozebe, Robin Singh, Branco Cardozo, Baljit Sahni, Biswarup Deb, Budiram Tudu.
Coach: Trevor James Morgan
Assistant coaches: Ranjan Chowdhury and Alvito D’Cunha
Goalkeeping coach: Atanu Bhattacharya.

Nani strikes twice in Man U’s Community Shield win

2011-08-07T23:20:00.001-07:00

Wembley, England: Manchester United beat Manchester City 3-2 in the Community Shield on Sunday, rallying behind Nani’s two goals in the traditional opener to the English soccer season.
Nani completed the Premier League champion’s great comeback by scoring the winner in the fourth minute of injury time. The Portuguese winger stripped City captain Vincent Kompany of the ball near midfield, ran unchallenged into the penalty area and rounded goalkeeper Joe Hart to score.

The victorious Manchester United team with the trophy. Sang Tan/AP

“We all believe until the last minute, and the attitude of the lads in the second half was that everyone believed we could score,” Nani said. “It is good to play against Man City and win like that. I think our fans today will be so proud of us. It is a beautiful day to enjoy.”
United trailed 0-2 after goals by Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko despite dominating possession. United got back in the game when Chris Smalling tapped in Ashley Young’s 52nd-minute free kick. Seven minutes later, Nani lifted the ball over goalkeeper Joe Hart.
City seemed happy to settle for a penalty-kick shootout until Nani struck again before a Wembley crowd of 77,169.
“I tried to chip it but the keeper stayed on his feet,” Nani said. “So at the last second I changed my mind,” Nani said.
Lescott was perhaps City’s best player in a game littered with yellow cards and rash tackles. He blocked a close shot by Smalling on the line and deflected a free kick by Nani past the post before he headed in David Silva’s free kick in the 38th minute.
City manager Roberto Mancini made sure his players returned to the field to applaud their victorious opponents.
“It is correct,” Mancini said. “It is right because they won. But we are happy because we played this game and we want to play this game every year if possible.”

Leap of faith

2011-08-07T21:27:00.001-07:00

A line began to snake its way out of the Ambedkar Stadium. For 71 minutes, these fans had endured a non-stop downpour and packed the roofless stands almost to capacity, despite knowing that India had little chance of upturning a 3-0 first leg deficit and pipping UAE to the third round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. With the home side 2-0 down and 5-0 behind on aggregate, they finally lifted their sodden selves off the concrete steps. Just as the queue began to disappear into the darkness of the staircase landing, however, it stopped and wavered. On the pitch, Jeje Lalpekhlua hovered in mid-air, leaping to meet a cross from Lalrindika Ralte. The striker’s glancing header rippled the net at the far corner. The line turned back.

Maybe — the fans now thought — we can still get something out of this. In the end, India did: a 2-2 draw achieved in injury time. The celebrations on the marsh-like pitch weren’t those of a side exiting the World Cup qualifiers at an early stage and on the verge of slipping six places down the FIFA rankings to 153. Instead, they seemed to reflect a realisation among the players that they could compete with a side like the UAE, ranked 44 places above them.

Of the 13 players who took the field against UAE, four — Jeje, Ralte, Raju Gaikwad and Jewel Raja Shaikh — had also played for India’s under-23s against Qatar a month before. They had lost 4-2 on aggregate, but came closer to going through than the scoreline indicated. The 1-1 draw in the second leg at Pune’s Balewadi Stadium could have been 3-1, if not for a missed penalty in the first half and a spurned one-on-one in the second.

Signs of progress

Like the seniors — who played with nine men for over two-thirds of the first leg — the kids too had excuses to fall back on. This might not sound like much, but having excuses after defeat separates Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to provide a cricketing analogy, from associate nations like Canada and the Netherlands. Becoming the footballing equivalent of Test cricket’s whipping boys is, at this point, the extent of India’s ambition. While even that remains a distant dream, there are signs of progress.

The attitude of the younger players — most of them toughened by a year at the Indian Arrows, the AIFF’s developmental squad in the I-League — has impressed a number of seniors.

“Some wonderful young talents like Raju Gaikwad, Laxmikant Kattimani and Jewel Raja have arrived in Indian football and their biggest plus point is that they don’t have any inferiority complex,” says goalkeeper Subrata Paul. “Seniors like me, Sunil Chhetri, Climax Lawrence, Samir Naik are always there to guide them. They are all good listeners and quick learners.”

It also helps that the Indian team prepares much better for competitive matches than before. Prior to the two-legged tie against UAE, India had a three-week camp at Delhi followed by friendlies against Maldives and Qatar.

“Going abroad for training and practice matches was almost unthinkable even five-six years ago,” says Chhetri. “We lost all our group league matches in the Asian Cup, but playing against some of the world’s best players certainly helped. And more international matches mean we can now take on any top Asian team without fear.”

A lot more exposure

Over the next few weeks, India — despite not having any competitive fixtures to look forward to for a while — will travel to the Caribbean to gain more exposure. “We will play four matches there against quality sides like Jamaica, Barbados and others,” says Paul. “These are sides that provide players to European leagues. So it would be a real opportunity for us to make a mark.”

Things were quite different a decade ago. When India — a talented side containing the likes of IM Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri and Baichung Bhutia in his prime — defeated UAE 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Bangalore in 2001 with minimal preparation. “We didn’t play any international friendlies then,” says Deepak Mondal, a mainstay of India’s backline for over a decade. “We just had a camp of around 15-20 days. It was under coach Stephen Constantine (2002-05) that we started playing friendlies. And after Bob Houghton arrived, we did it more often. It was totally different then compared to now. Even the facilities we had weren’t as good.”

Not that the current lot enjoy world class facilities, of course. Two days before their home leg, the Indian team trained on a school ground, with a cricket pitch in the middle. Chhetri’s time at the Kansas City Wizards showed him the gulf that still remains to be bridged. “There is no comparison. In Kansas, they have their separate training ground, top-class gym, and everything that footballers need,” says the 26-year-old striker. “Here in India, we barely have a proper football pitch. Most I-League clubs don’t have their own grounds.”

It isn’t just infrastructure that needs a makeover. It took the formation of the Indian Arrows for talents like Jeje and Jewel Raja Shaikh to get regular playing time and show their wares. A reserve or youth-team league would be an ideal stepping-stone for young talent, but only a handful of clubs have invested in youth development.

“Pune FC, Salgaocar and Vasco — these three clubs have a good youth development programme for players aged from 12 to 20. They look after the boys well,” says Brazilian playmaker Beto, who recently switched allegiance from Dempo to Churchill Brothers. “Otherwise, a lot of Indian players tend to start between 16 and 18.”

Two years ago, Beto and compatriot Barreto, the Mohun Bagan striker, started the Brasil Futebol Academia in Goa, where children under 12 develop their skills and awareness by playing futsal, before graduating to the football pitch. “We’ve been here for a long time, and seen a lot of talent go waste,” says Beto. “We didn’t want to leave without making a contribution.”

But even the combined contributions of all the major academies in the country — including the Tata Football Academy, the Sesa Academy in Goa and the Mohun Bagan-SAIL Academy — are barely plugging the gap. “It isn’t enough,” says Beto. “In Brazil, there’s an academy in every village.”

Big hurdles

The biggest hurdle that prevents investment in youth development or in better infrastructure is a lack of belief that there is a big enough fan-base for Indian football — it is this, in the long term, that will help generate returns.

There isn’t any lack of love for football as such, as evidenced by the proliferation of replica Barcelona and Liverpool jerseys on the streets, or the sheer numbers of Indian fans who watched the 2010 World Cup. And so, there’s little doubt whether stadiums would fill up if Argentina plays a friendly or if Blackburn Rovers come visiting. But can Indian football fill stadiums, or generate significant TV audiences?

There is one theory that non-stop access to the Messis and Rooneys on TV has drawn audiences away from their local stadiums. Some, however, believe that there’s a certain amount of reverse-osmosis in play as well.

“People sometimes blame European football for taking the attention away from the I-League and the national team, but the global game has helped local football tremendously,” says Atishay Agarwal, the editor of 90 Minutes, an Indian, football-only magazine launched last month. “Although fans usually become fans by following the international game, at some stage they do get curious about Indian football and where our country stands in the sport, and things begin from there.”

The turnout for the India-UAE game — or for most other India matches in recent years — would support Agarwal’s theory. But the I-League has struggled to draw crowds, except in a few centres. It isn’t clear how much of this is down to apathy, and how much has to do with scheduling — who would watch afternoon matches on weekdays? — and poor marketing on the part of clubs and the AIFF. Last season, the league went without a broadcast partner. At the end of the season, JCT FC disbanded.

Exciting times

Amidst this gloom, a couple of interesting developments showed the existence of a sizeable fan-base waiting to be tapped. Pune FC and Shillong’s Lajong FC launched their own channels — the former on YouTube, the latter on free-to-air television — to broadcast highlights and feature shows on their clubs. Since its launch last October, PFC TV has generated over 30,000 upload views. “Last year, PFC TV was among the hundred most subscribed YouTube channels in India,” says Chirag Tanna, Pune FC’s director of operations. “This season, we’ve made it fully HD.”

Pune FC have also made an effort to reach out to the local community, organising tournaments at the inter-school and inter-corporate levels. They also invite schools to attend their matches. “On average, I’d say we have around 700 schoolkids coming to watch each of our games,” says Tanna. These efforts have certainly helped attract a new generation of fans. At the time of writing, Pune FC’s official Facebook page has generated 26,080 ‘likes’, the highest among I-League clubs — East Bengal (15,544) and Mohun Bagan (12,975) are distant second and third.

It’s quite a triumph for a club with no history, from a non-traditional football centre. Somewhere in these defiantly out-of-the-box methods lies a clue for Indian football.

(With inputs from Shamik Chakrabarty)

FCI hold ASEB to goalless draw

2011-08-02T01:07:00.000-07:00

A moment from the match between FCI (in yellow) and ASEB at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Super League

Guwahati, Aug 2 : FCI Sports Club held favourites ASEB Sports Club to a goalless draw in the RG Baruah GSA Super Division Football League, 2011 at Nehru Stadium here today.
The powermen were lacklustre in the first half.
FCI gained the upper hand in the first 45 minutes, though ASEB made the odd moves that didn’t threaten goalkeeper Gobinda Boro.
The fleet-footed Teker Hmar came close to scoring one for FCI in the 30th minute, as he dribbled past three defenders only to stumble at the goalmouth.
The second half saw the powermen lift their game somewhat but paid the price of holding on to the ball for too long. Their best chance came in the 51st minute, when Chayaram Basumatary headed one airborne straight on to the woodwork while Sibra Narzary shot one wide four minutes later.
In the 78th minute, ASEB goalkeeper Daoga Brahma brought substitute David March Goyari down in the danger zone to concede a penalty. Goalkeeper Gobinda Boro, however, blocked N. Momocha Singh’s shot, as he dived to his right.
The powermen, who lost their first game, survived a scare but have their backs to the wall in the league.
In a match of the Jibeswar Goswami A-Division Football League, Nabajyoti Club outclassed City Police 2-0.

Nagaland Football Assn inks MoU for Premium Football league

2011-08-01T00:08:00.001-07:00

Kohima, Aug 1 : The Nagaland Football Association (NFA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Sports Management Company 442 Management to conduct the Nagalands first State Premium Football League.

The MoU was signed by NFA president Atuo Mezhur and the Managing Partner of 442 Management Asalie Peseyie here this evening. Addressing a press conference after signing of memorandum Mr Mezhur informed that the terms of the agreement (MoU) is for one year. However, if both the parties satisfactorilly agreed, the MoU will be extended for another year.

The 442 Management will arrange formation of new football clubs, associations and unions in various districts to participate in the Nagaland State Premium Football League.

He said when the proposal had come from 442 Management, the delighted NFA accepted, however, it took months to study properly and as a result the MOU was signed today. Mr Mezhur said that football is a very popular game in Nagaland.

However, there is not a single professional footballer in the state. He hoped that with the introduction of State Premium League, Nagaland will be able to produce professional football players to compete in the national and international arena.

Replying to the query, 442 Managements Managing Partner Yudang Ao informed that the 442 Management was a concept some of the sports lovers and organisers of Nagaland with their past experiences for years.

However, it came to existence only last year and had taken up various Sports Management Events to develop sports and games among the younger generation and make the state a sport tourist destination.

He hoped that they will able to begin the State Premium Football League sometime in November next after completion of registration of the new clubs and unions and it will able to attract a good number of teams from every district of the state.

Baichung Bhutia confident of winning Independence Cup

2011-07-29T07:14:00.001-07:00

Gangtok, July 29 : Ace football player Baichung Bhutia has expressed confidence of winning the Independence Cup.

"Major plan, first thing is to qualify for the I-League that's our biggest plan and than another major (plan) is to win the Federation Cup. So, these are the big two targets. I think we've got Independence Cup coming that will be a big tournament for us," he told mediapersons at a training session in Sikkim on July 23.

About seven players from Sikkim including Bhutia are expected to take part in the Federation Cup and the I-League tournaments.

Bhutia would be playing for the United Sikkim Football Club (USFC) for which a new player Nim Tshering Lepcha has been selected as the captain.

Three foreign players Bidemi Daniel, Quantum Jacob and Baba Tundey have been chosen in the USFC team along with three national players from Manipur - Sushil Kumar Singh, Gobind Singh and Thor Singh.

Meanwhile, Nim Tshering Lepcha, the newly appointed skipper of USFC expressed gratitude to the club members and Bhutia for choosing him and assured to give best shot in both the tourneys.

"He (Baichung Bhutia) has trusted me as a captain of this team and also gave me captain band with an opportunity to play for the I- League. It's a big achievement for me and I am very much happy for his trust on me. My team and I will give our best performance than last year and am highly thankful to him (Bhutia)," he said.

The chief coach of USFC, Stanley Rosario, also praised the performance of new players.

"Am very much happy with the team also, because it's better than what we had done in last match, three months back. So we took some talented boys and the team looks very strong," he added.

Colaco praises players for 2-2 draw against UAE

2011-07-28T21:06:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: India coach Armando Colaco lauded his players for showing tremendous fighting spirit on a virtually unplayable Ambedkar Stadium turf despite the home team bowing out of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-2 draw against UAE on Thursday.

A spirited India came back from a two goal deficit to hold a fancied UAE 2-2 in the third round of the qualifiers but it proved too little too late as the home team crashed out of the race for a place in the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.

By virtue of their 3-0 win over India in the first leg at home, UAE moved into the third round of the qualifiers on 5-2 aggregate.

"Today we played well no matter what the scoreline says. The ball wasn't moving because of heavy water on the ground. So we had to resort to plan B, which is playing the long ball. So, all the kudos to the boys for their spirited display," a satisfied Colaco said at the post-match press conference.
"We also played well in Al Ain and the credit should be given to the boys as it is difficult to play in these conditions," he said.
"As I have said earlier it's the beginning of a new era for Indian football," Colaco added.
Defender Gouramangi Singh found the equaliser for India in the 92nd minute from a goalmouth melee after the home side were trailing 1-2 in the second round match played in a virtual muddy and watery Ambedkar Stadium pitch.
Mohamed Al Shehhi and captain Ali Al Wehabi scored for UAE in the 39th and 71st minutes before Jeje Lalpekhlua pulled one back for India in the 74th minute.
For India, who are 44 places below UAE in FIFA rankings at 153rd, it could be considered a good result after their 0-3 loss in the first leg at Al Ain on July 23 though the playing conditions today were far from being conducive for top-class encounter.
With heavy rain lashing the Ambedkar Stadium pitch since half an hour before the start of the match and throughout the game, ground passing was impossible as the ball stopped at the water puddles all over the place.
And understably, both the Indian and UAE camp were not happy with playing surface.
"The playing condition wasn't good because of rain but if the match was stopped today then (according to FIFA rules) then we would have to wait for one more week, and the players actually wanted to go home," India coach Colaco said.
Colaco made two changes during the course of the match, bringing in Lalrindika Ralte for Steven Dias in the 66th minute and Jewel Raja for Clifford Miranda towards the end.
"Steven Dias had a cough problem while Miranda was struggling, so we had to replace them," he said.
He also said that had it not been for Samir Naik's small error at the back, India would not have conceded the first goal.
"Samir Naik made a mistake (in the first goal). He had open space to cut off the ball but he couldn't."
Colaco also asked for support from all and sundry in the wake of fierce criticism from his detractors for dropping some senior players, including former captain Bhaichung Butia.
"There might be a lot of flaks because I have dropped a few seniors but I didn't do that purposefully.
"You can criticise me but I would request all for constructive criticism not destructive criticism. Playing more and more friendlies is going to help us," he said.
Meanwhile, UAE coach Srecko Katanec seemed contend to have qualified for the next round but was far from being impressed with the playing surface.
He said if not for the unplayable ground conditions, UAE are a far better team than India.
"It's important that we have qualified. I don't know how many times our boys have played in these conditions. They scored two goals in these crazy conditions. This wasn't football but waterpolo. My boys showed fighting abilities and team spirit.
"We wanted to stop the game at the beginning but the referee wanted to finish it otherwise it becomes a problem. But the condition was the same for both teams," he said.
"We are any day a better team and have better players. India has two dangerous strikers (Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua), but honestly India is not in that level like Japan, Iran, South Korea," Katanec added.

India Vs UAE : India draws 2-2 Match Report

2011-07-28T10:07:00.001-07:00

India win hearts, hold UAE
India 2 (Jeje Lalpeklua – 74th, Gourmangi Singh – 90th)
d/w
UAE 2 (Mohamed Al Shehhi (38th); Ali Al Wahabi (70th)

Gaurmangi Singh in Action

The afternoon humidity promised a heavy shower and the Heavens opened up four hours prior to the kick-off. And then again, half-an-hour prior, the Heavens opened up once again. Playing at their ‘fortress,’ – the Ambedkar Stadium, it was Advantage India, especially with the rain continuing for most part of the match.
Team India didn’t disappoint. Spurred on by the Full-House who braved the downpour, Team India came back from two goals down to hold UAE 2-2 in the second-leg of the World Cup Qualifier at the Ambedkar Stadium.
It was a morale victory for India.
But despite winning the battle, India lost the war as UAE made it to the next round winning 5-2 on aggregate. India’s Road to Rio ended at the ‘Fortress.’
Team India Coach Armando Colaco said: “This is the beginning of a new era in Indian football. When I backed the juniors, many had raised eyebrows. But the boys played a spirited game.”
He wasn’t wrong. The Lalrindika Ralte-Jeje Lalpeklua combine brought loud cheers to the crowd when Jeje headed in best pal Dika’s cross in the 74th minute for his eighth International Goal and India’s first goal of the match.
And then in 90th minute, Gourmangi Singh blasted in off a melee to draw level.
“Jeje is a strong boy. He just needs to make some minor adjustments to his game. And he is learning fast,” Colaco added. “11 vs 11 could have been different,” he lamented, referring to India’s 3-0 loss in the first-leg.
Earlier, much against the run of play UAE took the lead in the 38th minute. Ahmed Khalil, who had his free-kick tipped over by goalkeeper Karanjit Singh ran past Samir Naik down the right flank, ran into the box and centered for striker Mohamed Al Shehhi to head it in past Karanjit.
In the second half, Ali Al Wahabi volleyed it in to make it 2-0.
“We always had a Plan B in place. The boys adopted fast to the conditions. We needed to run all over. The boys did that and that entertained the crowd,” Colaco maintained.
UAE’s Slovenia’s coach Srecko Katanec paid tribute to the Full House at the Ambedkar. “In UAE, we hardly get any crowd in a match. But here, the crowd inspired Team India to play to their potential. It’s a positive sign no doubt.”
India: Karanjit Singh; Samir Naik, Gourmangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Raju Gaikwad, Rahim Nabi; Steven Dias (Lalrindika Ralte), Mehtab Hossain, Climax Lawrence (C), Clifford Miranda (Jewel Raja); Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpeklua.
UAE: Al Khaseif; Walid Abbas, Hamdan Al Kamali, Yousef Jaber; Amer Abdul Rahaman, Ali Al Wehabi, Amir Mubarak; Khalid Sebil, Mohamed Al Shehhi, Ahmed Khalil, Ismail Hammadi.

India face uphill task against UAE in World Cup qualifiers

2011-07-27T09:25:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Their new-found confidence having suffered a huge beating after their 0-3 loss in the away match, India face an uphill task to advance to the next stage of the 2014 World Cup football qualifiers as they take on United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

India had beaten Qatar in an international friendly 2-1 in Doha just before the World Cup qualifiers second round, raising hopes of a strong performance against the UAE in their away leg on July 23 at Al Ain. But, unfortunately, that was not to be.

To be fair to Armando Coalco's boys, they were a tad unlucky as their two players were given marching orders by the 24th minute and they conceded just one goal in 75 minutes with nine men on the field.

A candid Colaco admitted that it would now be tough even on home conditions though he is not giving up hopes.

"After the 0-3 loss it is no doubt a difficult situation for us. But you never know in football and we will go for a win tomorrow," Colaco said.

Number one goalkeeper Subrata Paul and central defender Debabrata Roy were shown red card by a Qatari referee in the away leg, forcing India to make changes in the starting lineup.

Karanjit Singh, who did well after Paul's dismissal in the 24th minute at Al Ain, will start under the bar behind Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik and Syed Rahim Nabi who will man the left back area, replacing Debabrata Roy.

Captain Climax Lawrence and Mehtab Hossain will start at the center as in the first match, and Steven Dias at the right flank.

Clifford Miranda will be the new man at left flank while Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua will play upfront in Colaco's 4-4-2 formation.

Veteran goalkeeper Sandip Nandy and Harmanjot Khabra have been named as replacements for Paul and Debabrata but they will not start.

UAE, on the other hand, had come with almost the same team that played at Al Ain, except star striker Ismail Mattar.

The Gulf side are high on confidence after their home win and the coach said they are at advantage.

"We respect the Indian team and the Indian players. In football you take your opposition lightly at your peril. But surely we are at the advantage," said UAE coach Srecko Katanec.

They had beaten India twice in eight months - the first one in November last year with UAE winning 5-0 in an international friendly before the Asian Cup.

India need a win on Thursday by a 3-0 margin, which will take the match to extra time, for keeping their hopes of progressing to the third round alive.

It seems difficult as of now but at least a win would be good for the country, which is trying to show that it can compete with the top sides in Asia.

India though can draw inspiration from their 2002 World Cup qualifiers performance in Bangalore where they had beaten UAE 1-0.

Indian Sqaud: Karanjit Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik, Syed Rahim Nabi, Climax Lawrence, Mehtab Hossain, Steven Dias, Clifford Miranda, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandip Nandy, Harmanjhot Khabra, Laxmikant Kattimani, Lalrindika Ralte, Sushil Kumar, Mahesh Gawli, Robert Lalthlamuana, Jewel Raja, Lal Kamal Bhowmick, Baljit Sahni, Valeriano Rebello, Rowlinson Rodrigues.

MEG crowned champs

2011-07-25T23:06:00.001-07:00

Bangalore, July 25, DHNS:
Madras Engineer Group strolled past BEML FC 2-0 to clinch the BDFA Super Division League title in emphatic fashion at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Monday.

Going into the game needing just a draw, after Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club could only pick up one point in their match against Karnataka State Police earlier in the day, the Armymen barely put a foot wrong and pretty much sealed the tie in the first 45 minutes. Ramu V scored the opening goal in the 10th minute before Vineeth made it 2-0 seven minutes from halftime. MEG, who have a match left to play, are in an impregnable position with 28 points from ten matches while ASC are six points behind in second position. Defending champion HASC have 17 points from nine games with each team playing a maximum of eleven matches. “This feels really great. The title was our target right from the start and I’m thrilled to have achieved it,” SP Shaji, MEG coach, said. “Now we can look forward to participating in next year’s I-League II Division and hope to carry on the form,” he added. Right from the opening whistle, MEG looked every bit like the team that has dominated and gone unbeaten in the the league this year, controlling possession and constantly threatening the BEML goal. The deserved and expected opener came in the tenth minute. A corner from Vineeth to the far post was headed back cleverly by Nguernilal Hmar to Ramu who headed it into the back of the net from five yards out. The goal was roundly celebrated by a partisan MEG crowd, knowing that the title was as good as theirs. If any doubts lingered, it was put to bed in the 37th when midfielder Vineeth, who had an outstanding game, made a searing run down the left, leaving two BEML defenders for dead and slotted the ball calmly past goalkeeper Edwin with the outside of his right foot. Lokeshwar Singh could have swelled the lead further but missed the target by inches, having beaten the goalkeeper just before half-time. The second half was academic with BEML hardly threatening and MEG happy to move the ball around and control the pace of the game as they comfortably held on for their first title triumph since 2007. In the earlier match, Pradeep Kumar’s equaliser from the penalty spot ended HASC’s title hopes. Malemngamba Meitei opened the scoring for the Aircraftmen in the 17th minute, but Pradeep’s strike in the 65th, after a handball by defender R Karthik, ensured a share of the spoils. Other result: ‘B’ Division: Universal: 2 (Murthy 42nd, Sunder 44th) bt Minerva: 1 (Jiten Haldar 33rd).

Uruguay win record 15th Copa America title

2011-07-25T00:45:00.001-07:00

Montevideo Uruguay have won their first Copa America since 1995 after a comprehensive 3-0 win in the final over a toothless Paraguay at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
La Celeste hit Gerardo Martino's side with a first half double salvo, courtesy of strikers Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan. The Atletico Madrid man completed his brace moments before the final whistle to ensure Uruguay's triumph for a record 15th time, one ahead now of their bitter rivals Argentina.
Oscar Tabarez' men made their intentions known right from the start as shortly after the opening whistle, Suarez nearly forced a goal with a shot from inside the six-yard box, but the ball hit the side-netting.

Controversy ensued moments later when Diego Lugano powered a header from inside the penalty area, and Nestor Ortigoza stopped the ball with his hand only for the referee to wave play on, evoking protests from the Uruguayan camp.
Justice was served in the 11th minute when Suarez made his way down the right flank and unleashed a stinging shot, which deflected off Dario Veron before trickling into the left corner and past the goal line.
The game became scrappy as emotions were getting the better of the players. In the space of 18 minutes, the referee showed no less than four yellow cards in an effort to prevent further offence from both teams.
Uruguay had a wonderful chance to double their lead near the half-hour mark when Suarez released Forlan with an excellent through-ball, but the Atletico striker was denied by Justo Villar in a one-on-one.
Minutes before half-time, Uruguay did make it 2-0. Egidio Arevalo stole the ball in midfield, and found the unmarked Forlan, who made no mistake this time as he powered a scintillating finish in the right corner to double la Celeste's lead.
Paraguay tried to claw a goal back after the restart, but were struggling to bypass Uruguay's resilient defence and midfield.
Gerardo Martino's men were leaving plenty of open spaces, and la Celeste nearly capitalise in the 55th minute when Suarez threaded a pass for Forlan near the penalty spot, but Veron made a vital interception and deflected the shot.
Just before the hour mark, Paraguay went close to scoring when Nelson Valdez's powerful drive from outside the box was tipped onto the bar by the flying Nestor Muslera.
The Hercules striker had another chance moments later when Cristian Riveros found him with a very good ball from the right wing, but the striker failed to convert from close range.
Substitute Edinson Cavani forced a wonder save from Villar with 11 minutes to go as Oscar Tabarez' men were growing increasingly dangerous on the counter. And they put the icing on the cake through a fast break as Forlan completed his brace with a superb finish in injury time, following a cushioned header from Suarez.
The victory gives Uruguay their 15th Copa America title to become the most successful team in the tournament.

9-men India go down to UAE in controversial pre-WC qualifier

2011-07-24T01:18:00.001-07:00

India's Jeje Lalpekhlua challenges UAE's Amir Mubarak during their 2014 World Cup Asian zone qualifying football match in Al-Ain - AFP

Two red cards in four minutes dashed India's hopes as they went down 3-0 to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the controversial first-leg of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup here Saturday.
India lost two men by the 23rd minute after defender Debabrata Roy and goalkeeper Subrata Paul picked up red cards and for the rest of the match, the nine men were left defending. Hamdan Al Kamali (20th) and Mohamed Al Shehhi (29th) converted the penalty strikes while Abdulrahman Al Hamadi added a third in the 81st minute.
India's fate was sealed within 23 minutes during which two needless fouls by Roy and Paul, who picked up his second consecutive red card in a World Cup qualifier, saw the hosts lose the two within a gap of four minutes. Roy was guilty of pulling down Mohammed Al Shhehi in the 19th minute while Paul was red carded by Qatari referee Banjar Al Doasri for an infringement on Al Hammadi in the 23th minute.
Paul's marching orders infuriated the Indian players and the game was held up for almost six minutes and it resumed only after the intervention of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officials.
India coach Armando Colaco had to make structural changes in the team by replacing a rusty Steven Dias, much to his displeasure, with Salgaocar goalkeeper Karanjit Singh, who did a great job in the remaining sixty minutes. Striker Sunil Chettri also fell back in the mid-field behind striker Jeje Lalpeklua.
UAE, however, couldn't take much advantage of India's miseries and never looked like a side that drubbed the visitors 5-0 in an international friendly last November.
Indians were unable to create any goal bound moves and went into the break 0-2.
In the second half India played a compact game as they were not left with much options. Colaco replaced an aggressive Mehtab Hussain, who picked up a yellow card, with crafty Jewel Raja Sheikh but fighting against an 11-man team was an uphill task for India.
The expected happened in the 81st minute after Al Hammadi scored the third from defence splitting a back heel by Abdul Rahman.
India now have to win the return-leg in Delhi, slated for July 28, by a margin of four goals or more to move to the second round.

Arrows are in a crisis

2011-07-22T01:03:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: The Calcutta-based Indian Arrows plunged into crisis, on Thursday, when All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to release 11 of their players to other I-League teams.

The AIFF developmental side, which have just roped in a Calcutta company as their sponsors to the tune of Rs. 6 crore, are now left with only 14 players. With the transfer season already on, no one is sure how the federation will fill up the rest of the 16 slots to play the I-League beginning in October.

According to sources, the AIFF decision came after the clubs, mainly East Bengal, Churchill Brothers and Pune FC, refused to release the footballers. These players were originally signed by clubs last season but were allowed to play for Indian Arrows in the I-League on special request from federation president Praful Patel.

While players like Gurpreet Sandhu, Raju Gaekwad, Milan Singh, Subodh Kumar, Deepak Devrani and Manandeep Singh would now be released for East Bengal, Pune FC and Churchill would get back Jeje Lalpekhlua and Lalrindika Ralte. Three more players – Jewel Raja, Shilton D’Silva and Sabeeth – could also desert the ship in the next few days. “Poor and chaotic planning by AIFF has broken the backbone of the team,” said an official. “They knew these players were crucial for Indian Arrows, yet they sat on it before succumbing to clubs’ pressure,” he added.

The AIFF is now planning to induct players from Indian under-19 team to strengthen the side.

Copa SF: Paraguay beat Venezuala on penalties

2011-07-21T01:05:00.001-07:00

Mendoza, Argentina: Paraguay rode its luck through another penalty shootout to beat Venezuela on Wednesday and set up a Copa America final against Uruguay.
Paraguay, which has not won any of its five matches in the tournament, booked its place in the final following a goalless draw and a 5-3 victory on penalties.
The only miss in the shootout came when Justo Villar stopped Franklin Lucena's shot. Dario Veron held his nerved to net the final spot kick and set up Sunday's final against Uruguay, which beat Peru 2-0 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

AP Photo

Venezuela, known more for its baseball, twice hit the post in extra time but came up just short of reaching its first ever final in the South American championship.
Paraguay advanced to its first Copa America final since 1979 despite its mediocre record. It eliminated Brazil in another penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.
"Today we played bad, we played good," said Paraguay's Nestor Ortigoza. "The important thing is we won."
After the shootout, a brawl between the teams started as Paraguay celebrated, prompting police to intervene. That came after a game in which Paraguay had its coach and assistant coach expelled from the sideline for arguing decisions.
Nestor Ortigoza, Lucas Barrios, Cristian Riveros and Osvaldo Martinez also netted for Paraguay in the shootout.
Giancarlo Maldonado, Jose Rey and Nicolas Fedor scored for Venezuela, but Lucena — taking his team's third kick — saw his low shot to the bottom left corner comfortably held by Villar.
"We came convinced we could advance," Venezuela coach Cesar Farias said. "We did everything humanly possible. Our team never lost its focus. ... We're not content because we worked to go farther."
After a lackluster 90 minutes, Venezuela twice hit the woodwork in extra time and had some good scoring opportunities.
Maldonado fired a cross shot that was deflected by Fedor onto the post in the 93rd minute. A couple of minutes later, Juan Arango's long-range free kick struck Villar's far post and the Paraguay defense just barely cleared the rebound. Fedor came close again in the 96th, but his shot from close range was saved by Villar.
Venezuela was able to pressure even more after Jonathan Santana was sent off in the 102nd minute for receiving a second yellow card.
Villar had to make another stop on a shot by Salomon Rondon from near the penalty spot, and Gabriel Chichero shot wide from the top of the area in the 114th.
Venezuela had made it through to the Copa America semifinals for the first time in its history by beating Chile 2-1 in the quarters.
With the 45,000-capacity Malvinas Argentinas stadium less than half-full on a cold night, those fans on hand saw a game of few scoring opportunities before Venezuela's extra time flourish.
The most significant chance in regulation time came in the 42nd, when Venezuela's Alejandro Moreno headed onto the crossbar. On the rebound, Rondon's close-range shot required Villar to make a difficult save.
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino was ejected early in extra time for complaining and got into a verbal altercation with his Venezuelan counterpart, Cesar Farias, who signaled with his hands for the Paraguay coach to leave.
Paraguay was again without striker Roque Santa Cruz, who had already missed the quarterfinal against Brazil because of a muscle injury in his right leg. The powerful striker came on as a substitute in the 73rd, but only lasted seven minutes before having to go off.
Santa Cruz earlier in the tournament became Paraguay's all-time leading scorer with 25 goals, along with Jose Cardozo.
Wednesday's stalemate was a contrast to the group-stage clash between the teams, which was a thrilling 3-3 draw after Venezuela had trailed 3-1 in the 89th minute.

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International Friendly: India v Malaysia

INDIA

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MALAYSIA-

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Match 1: Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Guwahati -13th Nov ’11, Kick-off 5:45 PM-

Match 2: Yuvabharati Krirangan, Kolkata – 16th Nov ’11, Kick-off 5:45 PM

-Team News and Tactical Brief-

India-

-Malaysia-

-TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For-

-TheHardTackle’s Predictions-

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MALAYSIA
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Match 1: Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Guwahati -13th Nov ’11, Kick-off 5:45 PM
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Team News and Tactical Brief
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India
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Malaysia
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TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For
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TheHardTackle’s Predictions
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