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Marcus Tulio Tanaka Anchorman?
2007-12-12 03:38:00
Like the teams at the World Club Cup I have now adjusted to my surroundings, having arrived in Japan last Friday lunchtime, after an 11 hour flight and nine hours time difference.This gave me enough time to check in at my hotel and have something to eat before collecting my tickets for the tournament and attending the opening game.Initial frustrations over my inability to understand the language and even more frustrating being unable to read the signs are overcome by familiarity on my third trip to the country. At least they drive on the left over here.The purchase of a rail pass is a necessity for any foreigner contemplating travelling in Japan as with a couple of trips you will have paid for it.Having done just that, I set off for Kobe on Saturday morning. It is just under 600km away, but only 3 hours by the Hikari Super Express Shinkansen.During the day I managed to take in the 5th Round Emperor's Cup game between Vissel Kobe and Kawaski Frontale, before heading to Chinatown and...
More About: Tokyo , Urawa Reds

No Way, Jose: Mourinho says no to England
2007-12-12 03:16:00
"I firmly believe that the England squad will soon be back to their usual great results"Not the words of a stand-up comic, but the actual testimony of a certain Jose Mourinho , ruling himself out of the England job, while throwing the expected sardines from the trawler, which doubtless kept his PR men happy.'Usual great results'? England..! You can't fault Jose for his sense of fun. To any seasoned observer, the former Chelsea and Porto coach was never a true contender for England manager anyway and was merely using his alleged interest as leverage for a real top job.Mourinho has far bigger fish to fry, and will in all probability pitch up by February at the helm of one of Italy or Spain's top teams. Milan, for one, are said to be ready to dispense with Carlo Ancelotti and then offer his post to Mourinho early in 2008.Now that the opinionated Portuguese has finally ruled himself out of the running for the FA's top job once and for all, can we have an apology from The News of the...
More About: Jose Mourinho , English Football

A question of profile
2007-12-11 07:11:00
After a whirlwind start to summer down under, nobody has been left in any doubt the capacity for football, the world game, to make Australia ns scratch their heads in befuddlement.From the celebrity to the downright unknown, from David Beckham to new Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek say, it's been a confusing time for many.Some of the reactions to Beckham's outings in a pair of exhibition games against local sides can only be likened to the way an old timer might view the uprising of the internet.Over 80,000 people turned out in Sydney to watch Beckham's LA Galaxy side lose 5-3 to Sydney FC in what proved to be a perfect snapshot of the former England captain's career.A curling free-kick into the top corner, a second-half booking, some old-fashioned finger wagging and a final shirt-swap with Brazilian World Cup winner Juninho made the crowd's day, their smiles second only to those on the faces of FFA bigwigs.But there were countless others who wore a permanent look of perplexity at a...
More About: Question , Profile , A-League , Profil

Weekly Soccer News Roundup
2007-12-09 17:10:00
Weekly soccer newsfor week of December 9thOzren PodnarDrug lords helped Argentina in 1978?Drug cartel from Cali bribed the Peruvian national team in order to help Argentina qualify for the 1978 World Cup, claims Fernando Rodríguez Mondragón, the son of the jailed drug lord Gilberto in his forthcoming book.At that World Cup celebrated in Argentina, the home team had to beat Peru by at least four goals in order to reach the finals on goals' difference ahead of Brazil.The final result of the match in Mendoza was 6-0, for which Mondragón claims the Argentinians should thank his father and his uncle, who had paid off the Peruvians.One of the Argentinian stars, Leopoldo Luque, said he and his mates did not spot anything strange in the Peruvia players' approach, except that they were very bad."Soccer players are not actors. When they are up to something weird, it becomes obvious very soon. In that game, we noticed nothing of the sort. We were just so much better," remembers Luque, who sc...
More About: News , Chelsea , Football , Roundup

Etoile du Sahel stun Pachuca at the FIFA Club World Cup
2007-12-09 11:58:00
Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel stunned Mexican outfit Pachuca, beating their more fancied opponents 1-0 at the FIFA Club World Cup in Tokyo .Just under 35,000 fans turned out at the National Stadium to witness CONCACAF representatives Pachuca dominate possession on a blustery afternoon in Tokyo, but Pachuca ended up on the wrong side of the scoresheet against their African opponents.21-year-old Ghanian midfielder Moussa Narry scored the crucial goal in the 85th minute with a low drive that took a deflection off defender Leobardo Lopez and left Pachuca keeper Miguel Calero wrong-footed.It was no less than Etoile deserved, with the Tunisian team absorbing constant bouts of Pachuca pressure before hitting their opponents with a classic sucker punch.Etoile coach Bertrand Marchand praised his young side while admitting that Pachuca out-played his charges for long stretches of this match. Nevertheless Marchand admitted that his team was elated to have advanced to the semi-finals of the comp...

FRIDAY NIGHTS AND THE GATES ARE LOW
2007-12-09 02:40:00
On Friday 7th December the opening match of the FIFA World Club Championship was played between Waitakere United of New Zealand and Sepahan of Iran. In this the third tournament to be held in Japan FIFA decided to alter the format slightly in order to boost attendances. Having attended in 2005, I would agree with their idea of the league winners from the host nation competing, as surely all games they play would be sold out. So with the opening game moved back to a Friday I decided to alter my schedule in order to attend such a game.In the meantime the winners of the six confederations were playing out their own cup competitions to decide who would be there in Japan. In the Asian Cup Urawa Red Diamonds beat Sepahan 3-1 to qualify in their own right. But then I realised that Sepahan had been awarded a place at the tournament as only one team from the host country were allowed to compete. At the time Urawa held a ten point league, with four games to go and so the decision seemed fair...
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Korea Follow England's Bad Example
2007-12-08 14:47:00
It is a situation that is familiar to all English fans. The FA starts looking for a high-profile foreign coach for the national team, gets its fingers very publicly burnt, looks to home for a safe choice and then appoints a man with success in cup competitions but a mediocre league record.Steve McClaren?s England didn?t qualify for the 2008 European Championships but will Huh Jung-moo?s Korea make it to South Africa in 2010? For the sake of the Korean Football Association (KFA), it better.It hasn?t been the best of weeks for the KFA. It started with the expectation that, by Friday, a high-profile foreign coach would be appointed. The first choice was former Liverpool, France and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier and the back-up was the English ex-Ireland manager Mick McCarthy. Instead, a man who took Chunnam Dragons to tenth place in the 2007 K-League is in the hotseat.The story is a sorry one. For weeks, the authorities had remained tight-lipped about who was in line to take the job, admit...
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Sepahan advance to the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals
2007-12-07 17:09:00
Iranian side Sepahan beat New Zealand outfit Waitakere United 3-1 to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup .Iraq-born striker Emad Mohammed got Sepahan off to a dream start, scoring twice inside the opening four minutes to set up a comfortable win for the Iranians.Sepahan were recently defeated in the 2007 AFC Champions League Final by J-League side Urawa Reds , but their win here sets up a rematch with Urawa just a month after the west Asian team lost to the Reds in their continental decider.Sepahan made light work of semi-professionals Waitakere, with Emad Mohammed heading home the opener after Waitakere goalkeeper Simon Eaddy could only parry Jaba Mujiri's shot.Sixty seconds later Mohammed produced a neat finish to flick the ball passed Eaddy with the Waitakere defence caught square, although there was a suspicion of handball in the build-up to the goal.After totally dominating the first half the onslaught continued immediately after the restart, as forty-n...
More About: Finals

Third Ruck from the Son
2007-12-06 12:22:00
A great book does not necessarily make a great movie. Catch 22 is probably the seminal piece of literature of the twentieth century (if we choose to overlook Derek McGovern on Sports Betting); yet the film was a major disappointment. Somewhat conversely, I found George Orwell?s tale of Soviet totalitarianism quite heavy going, but I must have watched Animal Farm 17 times.One story that is absolutely crying out for the transfer to celluloid is the life and times of Harry Redknapp. Harry has unrealistically named Ray Winstone as an ideal candidate to play the leading role; i?d have cast Timothy Spall. I have it on good authority that Spall would consider any offer, so I?m knocking up a script entitled ?The buying, the twitch and the hoard probe.?Harry is still understandably seething after the police raided his home at the crack of dawn. Harry can consider himself fortunate that it wasn?t the West Midlands filth who were on the case, as he?d probably have been charged with 47 crimes. ...
More About: Premiership , Football , Soccer , Third

Reds manager Osieck magnanimous in defeat
2007-12-02 17:45:00
It?s been a rough week for the Urawa Reds to say the least. Last Wednesday the two time defending Emperor?s Cup champions were sent packing from this year?s tournament by second-division club Ehime FC, an embarrassing 2-0 loss that was followed by an even greater disappointment on Saturday?-failure to repeat as J-League champions.The Reds crashed to defeat to last-place Yokohama FC on the final day of the season, allowing the Kashima Antlers to spirit the title away thanks to a 3-0 victory over Shimizu S-Pulse.The Antlers finished the season with 72 points, two more than Urawa, who only five rounds earlier had led Kashima by 10 points and looked to be a shoo-in for their second major title of the year following victory in the Asian Champions League in November.Having lost both trophies that predecessor Guido Buchwald had captured a year earlier, current Urawa manager Holger Osieck had every right to be in a glum mood afterward. But much to his credit, the 59-year-old German took the...
More About: Japan , Manager , Williams

Euro 2008 Groups
2007-12-02 13:11:00
Group ASwitzerlandCzech RepublicPortugalTurkeyGroup B AustriaCroatiaGermanyPolandGroup C HollandItalyRomaniaFranceGroup DGreeceSwedenSpainRussiaBet with Bet 365World Soccer NewsSoccer betting tipsSoccer Books & DVDsTagsSoccer News soccer football Euro 2008 Eurocup Betting
More About: Football , Groups

Kashima Antlers the unlikeliest of champions
2007-12-02 05:36:00
Kashima Antler s are the unlikeliest of J-League champions. On a day of drama in Japan, Kashima beat Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0 in front of 31,384 fans at Kashima Stadium on December 1. With referee Yuichi Nishimura blowing full-time at Kashima Stadium, the video screen switched to a live broadcast from Yokohama, and desperate Antlers fans watched in amazement as bottom-placed Yokohama FC clung on to beat Urawa Reds 1-0 in front 46,697 fans at Nissan Stadium. Urawa's shock loss propelled Kashima to their fifth J-League crown - but first since 2001, and sparked wild celebrations inside Kashima Stadium. The win was savoured by Kashima's Brazilian coach Oswaldo de Oliveira, who had come under heavy criticism for his team's poor start to the season. De Oliveira paid tribute to midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara, whose return from Serie A side Messina during the summer break rejuvenated the Antlers. The win capped a remarkable run for Kashima, who won their last nine league matches in a row, includi...
More About: Champions , Kashima Antlers

Capello For England
2007-12-01 08:44:00
According to the Italian sports daily Gazetto dello Sport quoting an interview with the BBC, ex-Real Madrid, Juventus, Roma and AC Milan boss, Fabio Capello , would like to take on the vacant England manager's job.Capello is quoted as saying that he does not understand why England "never win" with so much talent available.The 61-year-old, no-nonsense Italian has won league titles both in Italy and Spain and was David Beckham's coach at Real Madrid when the club won the Spanish championship last season and then was promptly sacked.The job is vacant following the sacking of Steve McClaren following England's dismal 2-3 loss to Croatia at Wembley in Euro 2008 qualifying.Bet with Bet 365World Soccer NewsSoccer betting tipsSoccer Books & DVDsTagsSoccer News soccer football England Fabio Capello Betting
More About: Football , Apel

Short and fat, with a Terry on the top
2007-11-29 12:54:00
Sigmund Freud was nothing but a hairy quack. My cantankerous nature is not the result of a repressed Oedipus complex; I only feel hostility towards my father because he?s really annoying.Before senility kicked in, the old fellow would try in vain to act cool around my friends. I genuinely sympathise with anyone who has had to endure a similar ordeal; so naturally I have plenty of time for Shaun Wright-Phillips.I must defend Shaun after allegations that he left a female guest in tears at his recent birthday bash. It?s been reported that the young lady broke down when Wright-Phillips allegedly snatched her camera. All she had to do was hold it up in the air.I can?t be as forgiving in regard to the disgraceful behaviour of John Terry . I have no problem with the England captain publicly urinating in a cup; but hitting the dance floor remains a strict social faux pas for any self-respecting male.Frank Lampard was on his best behaviour at the party, as he?s completely focused on his perso...
More About: Premiership , Football , Soccer , Short

Final day fight as the J-League goes down to the wire
2007-11-29 03:33:00
For the third season in a row, the J-League title race will be decided on the final day of the season.That's because Urawa Reds lost 1-0 to second-placed Kashima Antlers in front of 62,123 fans at Saitama Stadium on November 24, thanks to midfielder Takuya Nozawa's solitary strike.Kashima had defender Toru Araiba controversially sent off for a second bookable offence after just forty-two minutes, and referee Kenji Ogiya again grabbed the headlines when he sent off Kashima substitute Yuji Funayama for "spitting" with just seconds remaining. Urawa fans claimed that Funayama had spat in their direction, but television replays suggest that Funayama simply spat on the ground before attempting to take a throw-in.The shock loss leaves Urawa one point ahead of Kashima in the J-League standings going into the final day of the season.In Round 34 action, Urawa travel to Nissan Stadium where they will take on rock bottom Yokohama FC. Tens of thousands of Urawa fans are expected to make the tr...
More About: Japan , Football , Fight , Final

World Soccer News
2007-11-28 02:46:00
Weekly soccer newsfor week of Nov 28thRaúl: I want to play at the European Championship!Real Madrid's skipper Raúl González still hopes for a return to the national team in order to participate at the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland. The most distinguished Spanish player is not in coach Luis Aragonés's plans, possibly because he is a hard-core Atlético man who, also coached Barcelona. But, since Raúl has been playing great soccer after a brief slump for a long time now, so the fans are right to expect the coach to moderate his unreasonable position towards the all-time top scorer of the national team with 44 goals. "I still believe I'll return to the Spain's team. Specially if I keep on playing well this season. But, I am aware I've been out for quite some time now and that other players have done a great job in the country's shirt during my absence. This certainly makes my return less likely," said the golden boy of the Spanish soccer. Asked about the possi...
More About: News , World , Football , Soccer , J-League

World Cup draw brings England and Croatia together
2007-11-27 23:38:00
Disturbing Durban Draw:Oh no, England vs Croatia again!?An unpleaseant realization for England and Croatia: these teams will meet each other again in the European zone of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers! The whimsical Lady Luck decided that competing alongside England and Croatia in the Group 6 will be Ukraine, Belarus, Kazahstan and Andorra. The draw has not amused the English fans, with the wound inflicted by Croatia very fresh, but the trips to Kiev, Minsk and Almaty cannot be pleasant either. Ukraine, the quarterfinalists of the last World Cup, have had a meagre Euro qualifying campaign, but cannot be easily dismissed, specially in the early stages of the new qualification cycle. The odd Belarus side proved capable of losing at home to Luxembourg, winless for ages, but also of defeating Holland on the last day of the competition. Kazahstan offer more of the same uncertainty: the Asians kicked out Serbia from Euro by beating them 2-1 last March. They will also naturally want to ave...
More About: J-League

Clough story wins Sports Book of the Year 2007
2007-11-27 17:09:00
"Provided you don't kiss me: Twenty years with Brian Clough" has scooped the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year award, beating off five shortlisted challengers. Duncan Hamilton's fly-on-the-wall account of England's most remarkable coach becomes the fifth book about football to win the accolade in its 19-year history, joining classics such as Nick Hornby's 'Fever Pitch', Simon Kuper's 'Football against the Enemy', Tom Bower's 'Broken Dreams' and Gary Imlach's 'My Father and other working-class football heroes'. Soccer phile sat down with Hamilton earlier in the year to discuss his remarkable book. Read the interview in full here (c) Sean O'Conor & SoccerphileBet with Bet 365World Soccer NewsSoccer betting tipsSoccer Books & DVDsTagsSoccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting
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Korea Closing In On New Man
2007-11-27 01:38:00
It has become an almost annual event, one which is loved by journalists all over South Kore a - trying to guess the identity of the next national team coach.No official candidates have been announced by the Korean Football Association (KFA) as yet. The task of hiring and firing belongs to the body's Technical Committee. It has been busy with many meetings over the last month.Since the resignation of Pim Verbeek at the end of the 2007 Asian Cup in July, the ten men on the committee have been fairly casual about getting a new man in place but pressure is mounting. The start of qualification for the 2010 World Cup starts in February and the next coach should be firmly settled in place by then. One thing is for sure, he will be foreign. That issue was settled fairly quickly despite a debate of some ferocity that raged for a time in soccer circles. Much of the media wanted an import while, perhaps unsurprisingly, Korean coaches argued that it was time for a Korean coach to be given the jo...
More About: South Korea

No rush for England's poisoned chalice
2007-11-25 16:48:00
"There are not many candidates because it looks a bit like a crocodile that opens the mouth and says: 'Jump into that.' Once he's in there, he's eaten. And once you have eaten four, five says: 'No, maybe I don't jump in there.'"So went the words of Arsene Wenger, the best coach working in England at present.In the old days, before the savaging of Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor by the tabloids and the realization that the real money and chances of success were to be found in the Premier League and not the international game, the nation?s best coach would have leapt at the chance of managing England.Not any more. In the aftermath of Steve McClaren?s quick exit from Soho Square, the candidates for the top job have been scurrying into the shadows. Like schoolkids desperate for the teacher not to pick them to answer a tricky question, the candidates are doing their best to look at their shoes instead.Aston Villa coach Martin O?Neill could probably have signed a contract the day af...
More About: Manchester United , Chelsea , World Cup 2010 , Real Madrid

England all played out again
2007-11-24 02:05:00
The Emperor has no clothes and it?s official.For the first time within the walls of the awesome citadel that is the new Wembley Stadium, the English national team has come a cropper in a big way, and this time there can be no hiding from the naked truth.Now let these sombre words ring out across our green and pleasant land: England are a mediocre football nation and it?s high time we accepted it.One final appearance in 57 continuous years of international football competitions tells its own story and cannot by any logic justify the perennial Mount Everest of expectations heaped upon the Three Lions.As the 3-2 victory over England by a competent yet not exceptional Croatian eleven on Wednesday proved once more, there is simply no case for believing we deserve a place at the high table of the world?s football nations, so please don?t try to make it.After such a miserable and humiliating surrender, can anyone seriously believe we can win the 2010 World Cup? Will the patriotic punters b...
More About: Arsenal , Euro 2008 , Italy , Beckham

When winning isn't enough ?
2007-11-23 03:38:00
The past week has bought victories for Australia 's senior side as well as its under-23s who booked a berth at next year's Beijing Olympics on Wednesday with a hard-fought 1-1 draw in North Korea. The Young Socceroos, the country's under-20s team, also won three out of four AFC qualifying matches to guarantee a spot in the 2008 Asian Youth Championships earlier this month.But the heavy shadow darkening Australia's dreams of reaching the 2010 World Cup refuses to lift.Australia's search for Guus Hiddink's long-term replacement has been rather like watching an English League One relegation scrap. Lots of running through mud chasing endless lost causes only for your star striker to miss a stoppage time penalty with seconds remaining.This week, after a year-and-a-half's worth of wild goose chases around the major European cities, Dick Advocaat reneged on his agreement to coach the Socceroos.Depending on who you believe, a written contract to take charge of Australia from February...
More About: World Cup 2010 , Winning , A-League

It?s Wayne in Cats and Dogs
2007-11-22 17:13:00
I?ve never really saw the point in children. I can appreciate their usefulness when they?re big enough to nip down to the off-license, but I?m not sure if that justifies the £10 a year it costs to clothe them.My little Goliath has been playing up recently. The wife has the cheek to say he takes after his father, although that does boil down to guesswork on her part.I?ve gone out of my way to try and bond with the lad in an attempt to curb his misbehaviour. I even tried to connect with my feminine side; but I had to call it a day when my phone bill went through the roof.I guess the problem lies in the fact that we have very little in common. The only sport that interests the little man is wrestling; as the sight of a horizontal 20 stone freak reminds him of his mother.I just wish we had a relationship where we could share more with each other; like the Allardyces.Big Sam must be regretting his claim that Rafa Benitez should be sacked as a result of poor Premiership form. You don?t ha...
More About: Dogs , Cats , Football , Soccer

ENGLAND v CROATIA
2007-11-22 15:24:00
HEARTBREAK FOR ENGLAND, AGONY FOR SPORTINGBETAfter Israel handed England a massive lifeline on Saturday online company Sportingbet were pretty certain England were on their way to Austria and Switzerland next summer. So in a bid to drum up some business on this tie they decided to offer all their customers full refunds on all single bets of up to £200 on the England v Croatia match if England somehow failed to qualify.We?ll we all know what happened next? Chris Graham, Sportsbook Promotions Manager explains all:I'm afraid we failed to realise how bad England and Steve McClaren really were and have caught a massive cold here as we shovel back most of our turnover to our eager customers. Thanks to Croatia winning 3-2 we have refunded almost £100,000 on this promotion and the office is like a morgue as we all contemplate England not playing in Euro 2008 next summer and the nightmare scenario of this payout. Steve McClaren you have a lot to answer for!Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News...
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World Soccer News
2007-11-22 13:32:00
World Soccer News for week of November 22thTradition smashed as England exit EuroEngland's elimination from the European championship was the top story around the world: foreign fans and the media respect English soccer far more than those at home and the failure of the Three Lions has been greeted with as sense of shock and awe.In Croatia, the fans celebrated the triumph with crackers and fireworks, seeing the 3-2 win at Wembley as one of the three greatest ever in the 16-year history of the national team. The other two are the 3-0 thumping of Germany in the 1998 World Cup quarter finals and the 2-0 defeat of England last year in Zagreb. Although England is not at their finest hour, beating them away from home will guarantee a place in the national soccer history for the Croatian team that achieved that.The result will no doubt be long remembered as well in Russia, who scraped through with a shameful 1-0 win in Andorra. It was the case of the smallest of the qualifying nations help...
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Euro 2008 - Croatian squad for the Wembley game
2007-11-20 01:49:00
Know England's next rivalsThe chequered squad - Pride of Croatia By Ozren PodnarManager Slaven Bilic, the former West Ham and Everton defender, usually deploys a 4-4-2 system with Pletikosa on goal, Corluka and Simunic as full backs, Simic and Robert Kovac as central defenders, Srna and Kranjcar as wide midfielders, Niko Kovac as a defensive midfielder, Luka Modric as an attacking midfielder, Petric or Olic as the second striker and Eduardo as the main striker.In the current Euro qualifiers Croatia have won eight, drawn two and lost only one game, on Saturday to Macedonia, after learning that they had already qualified thanks to the Russian defeat to Israel. It will be interesting for Steve McClaren to learn that their next rivals have never lost two qualifiers in a row, but then again a draw at Wembley would be just fine for both teams.Since coming on to the international scene in 1994, Croatia has lost just six out of 67 qualifying games, none of which have been at home. The men i...
More About: Football , Euro 2008 , Game

De Rosario Rallies Houston Dynamo For Repeat at MLS Cup 2007
2007-11-19 15:40:00
Down a goal with less than a half hour remaining in their 2007 campaign, the Houston Dynamo rallied behind the relentless play of Dwayne De Rosario to defeat the New England Revolution, 2-1, at RFK Stadium in Washington DC on Saturday (11/18) and capture the team's fourth MLS Cup title in seven years.De Rosario, 29, set up teammate Joseph Ngwenya, just in front of the opposition goal in the 62d minute. Ngwenya took two point blank shots on keeper Matt Reis, the second slipping past for the equalizer.Moments later, the Canadian born De Rosario scored the winning goal himself, heading home a cross from about 12 yards out in the 74th minute. "I would normally volley it," De Rosario said, commenting on the goal after the match, "but I decided to head it in and luckily it went in."Just 3 minutes from full time, Houston keeper Pat Onstad rescued his team's victory with a stunning save of Jeff Larentowicz' blast from inside the 8 yard line.The win marks the second straight title since...
More About: Rallies , Laurell , Houston Dynamo

A Kingdom United in hope and grief
2007-11-19 02:32:00
Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson will tell you otherwise, but it if anyone in the UK thought club international football was no longer the best, they only needed to follow this weekend's relevant Euro 2008 qualifiers.The fact remains no one club's Champions League success can inspire a country like their national team can on the edge of glory.After a week of nationalistic hyperbole at the prospect of making the finals ahead of the Sassenachs (their derogatory term for the English), Scotland failed heroically by losing 2-1 at home to Italy and will stay on the Eurostar platform, while England advanced to within a point of qualification without playing a game, thanks to Russia's equally calamitous 2-1 loss to Israel.You can have all the confidence in the world but that's not enough if you don't have the quality was the painful lesson of the Scots' narrow loss to the Italians in Glasgow.The gods had done their best to help the home team, chilling the air and opening the heavens to...
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Euro 2008 qualifiers: England to qualify after all
2007-11-19 01:35:00
European qualifiersGreatest day for the English soccer. And England did not even play.Ozren Podnar reports...What a wonderful Saturday for the English soccer! England did not play, though, but Israel did, and Macedonia too. Not only one result went England's way on that glorious day, but two! Israel achieved an unimaginable feat of beating Russia by 2-1, when even a draw seemed unassailable; an hour later, the unbeaten Croatia finally succumbed to lowly Macedonia, who so rarely win a game at home (four in the last seven years, to be precise). Any of these unlikely scores would have saved the Three Lions from an instant ignominy of elimination from the forthcoming Euro. In the end, both results came out just as if Steve McClaren himself had designed them. McClaren has been subject to thousands of abusive articles stemming from his less than brilliant performance as England coach, but the stick he's got may eventually prove quite unjustified. It turns out that the despised and revil...
More About: Euro 2008 , Euro , J-League

Starless Steelers Return To Glory Days
2007-11-17 05:51:00
2007 K-League champions Pohang Steelers have no stars. That is the official line in South Korean football but it is one that it is only partly true.The south-eastern outfit may have lacked a big-name player since Lee Dong-gook left for Middlesbrough at the start of the year but there have been some big performances from those in red and black in recent weeks as the team powered through the play-offs to take the title.?We have no stars but now we have one more star on our shirt. Today we proved that you need effort and determination, not star players to win the championship,? Pohang?s beaming Brazilian coach Sergio Farias told the press after the win at Seongam last week. ?For a year, the players gave their all through some difficult times. I am highly satisfied with the success.? The 40 year-old is not alone is welcoming a return to the top table of Asian football for the Steelers, formerly known as Posco Atoms. The club?s loyal followers have waited 15 long years to taste domestic ...
More About: Days , Return , Glory Days