Arsenal showed they could be serious Champions League contenders this season when they crushed FC Porto 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

Despite recording the big win, the Gunners were close to conceding the opener in the 13th minute when Porto launched a counter attack resulting in a driving header from Rodriguez which just skimmed the top of the bar to let the home side off.

On the half hour however it was the Gunners who picked up the first goal of the evening when Emmanuel Adebayor went charging down the right. The Togo international managed to cut the ball back to Robin van Persie who beat his marker to drive it in from close range.

The pair then combined again as Adebayor produced the second just five minutes from the break when he rose above the Porto defence to header van Persie's corner into the back of the net.

It took just three minutes in the second period for van Persie to score his second as he showed blistering pace to round the defender and tap in from six yards. Theo Walcott should have made it 4-0 just minutes later as Kolo Toure made a run up the left and crossed to the England international who only needed to tap it in from five yards. However, the teenager only succeeded in mistiming his shot wide.

The fourth did eventually come with 19 minutes remaining when substitute Nicklas Bendtner was brought down in the area. The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty which Adebayor coolly converted.

The win completed a great comeback for the Gunners who lost to Hull City at the weekend.

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson intends to learn from past mistakes and unleash all his big guns on Aalborg on Tuesday night.

It is only two years since Manchester United last came to Denmark to tackle FC Copenhagen in the fourth game of their Champions League group.

With qualification virtually in the bag, Ferguson fielded a weakened team and promptly lost in the Danish capital. United then lost to Celtic in their next match and ultimately scraped into the last 16.

Having drawn their opening game against Villarreal at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, Ferguson knows his defending champions cannot afford another slip-up.

So Aalborg can get ready to face Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.

"I don't have any fears about complacency with this side," said Ferguson.

"But a couple of years ago we made a mistake with the team against Copenhagen because we were in a comfortable position and ended up scrapping to qualify. This time I will play my strongest team.

"The players know how important qualifying is.

"We need to get to February because that is when the tournament really takes off.

"If we get to that stage then we have as good a chance as anyone."

In their compact little ground, Aalborg intend to ruffle a few United feathers.

The sheer magnitude of the game has come as a surprise to home skipper Thomas Augustinussen, who confirmed he had never seen as many journalists as the throng that came to hear him speak ahead of the game.

It provides the perfect stage for Berbatov to announce his arrival as a United player.

The Bulgarian has hardly had a chance in his three games as a Red Devils since a club record £30.75million switch from Tottenham.

Berbatov is convinced it will not be long before he breaks his duck and Ferguson can already see signs of the 27-year-old's quality.

"He only played one game for Tottenham before he joined us, followed by two tremendously difficult away games at Liverpool and Chelsea," observed Ferguson.

"Once the other players understand how good Dimitar is, both in terms of his movement and ability to run the line, we will get the best out of him.

"I saw that in periods on Saturday. He was very influential during a period in the second half.

"His passing, balance and control were fantastic, so I was very satisfied with that."

Ferguson will make changes from the side which beat Bolton in such controversial circumstances, with one inevitable as skipper Gary Neville has remained at home to rest a thigh strain.

After so long on the sidelines, Ferguson now expects his captain to only be available for one game a week.

The position regarding Owen Hargreaves is less straightforward as the former Bayern Munich man is still troubled by a knee injury which first bothered him before his £18million move from Germany.

"We are trying to manage his situation in a different way," said Ferguson.

"He has had all the treatment but now and again it still flares up.

"There is nothing we can do about it.

"The specialist says it will go away in time and we hope that is correct because he is a very important player to have."

In dismissing any suggestion of retirement with his usual declaration that provided he remains healthy and still enjoys the job there is no need to even think about it, Ferguson prepares to meet an old foe in Bruce Rioch, still recalling his fellow countryman's marvellous achievements at Middlesbrough.

"Bruce must have been disappointed at how things worked out at Arsenal but for me his biggest managerial success was the job he did at Middlesbrough," said the United boss.

"At the time they were in receivership. I was up there quite a lot trying to buy Gary Pallister and together with Colin Todd, he resurrected a whole club with young players, which was a fabulous achievement."

(source: Soccer365.com)

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Aston Villa keeper Brad Friedel has taken the academy system in America to task for charging players to join prestigious clubs.

Aston Villa keeper Brad Friedel has taken the academy system in America to task for charging players to join prestigious clubs.

The World Cup 2002 hero has his own youth soccer school in Ohio, with one graduate already linking up with a European club - keeper Patrick Lane at Club Brugge - with expansion to other American sites and a Mexican campus planned.

"The system is broken in the U.S.," Friedel told the Daily Mail. "Columbus Crew are the only club who don’t charge their under 18 and under 16 players. - some kids are paying as much as $5,000 a year just to play for a decent club team."

"So I decided to build my own academy and it’s the first academy in the U.S. that is free of charge," added Friedel, who has put up for the $10.5 million non-profit facility. "We recruit kids for their talent rather than their ability to pay."

(source: Soccer365.com)

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Ronaldinho picked the ideal time to open his AC Milan account as his first-half goal gave them a 1-0 win over city rivals Inter on Sunday.

The Brazilian powerfully headed home a cross from compatriot Kaka in the 36th minute as Jose Mourinho tasted his first defeat as Inter boss.

The Nerazzurri finished the game with 10 men after Nicolas Burdisso was sent off in the 77th minute, while Marco Materazzi was also sent to the stands from the Inter bench for protesting too strongly in a fiery end to the derby.

Carlo Ancelotti's side look to have banished their woeful early-season form though after their third straight win lifted them up to sixth in the Serie A table.

Inter's first defeat of the season leaves them fourth, two points behind leaders Lazio.

(source: Soccer365.com)

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AC Milan's title aspirations will be put to the test on Sunday when they meet pre-season favorites and city rivals Inter Milan at the San Siro.

Three wins in four games have put unbeaten Inter at the top of Serie A, a position many people predict Jose Mourinho's side will occupy for the duration of the championship.

Milan, whose main aim this year is the Scudetto after failing to qualify for the Champions League, have endured a difficult start to the campaign.

The Rossoneri lost their opening two games but a convincing 4-1 victory over Lazio at the weekend and a 2-1 midweek triumph at Reggina has got them back on track.

"We suffered but we won and that is what we need at this time," said AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose team are four points behind Inter.

"We needed a victory to climb up in the standings and things have gone our way.

"With regards to the game against Inter, we have played many in the past and on many occasions we have come out with a smile.

"I am not worried about the derby. In a week we have taken many steps forward."

Inter go into the derby della madonnina on the back of a midweek triumph against Lecce, their third straight league victory.

"We want to prove our strength on Sunday," said Argentina striker Julio Cruz, whose goal handed the Nerazzurri three points.

"The derby is a special game and we are really eager to be in good form.

"We are first in the standings and I believe it will be an exciting encounter."

(source: Soccer365.com)

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was impressed by the performance of his youngsters and feels they can make it all the way to the Carling Cup final at Wembley.

The Gunners crushed Sheffield United 6-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday with 19-year-old Carlos Vela scoring a hat-trick.

The average age of the London side was just 19 and Wenger is confident the club's future is looking good.

"I was not surprised because I see them every day, but you never know on a big stage how they play," he said.

"They did that with the belief we want them to have and the spirit we want them to have."

Wenger added: "Now for us the biggest challenge is to keep them together and slowly integrate them into the first team. Some have done that already.

"When you are under immense pressure to buy in every transfer window, you know that you have these players behind and it would be killing the work we have done.

"These players do not play like kids. They play with intelligence, talent and with spirit.

"They can beat many teams and I would not be scared to play any individual in the Premier League."

(source: Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sir Alex Ferguson has told Cristiano Ronaldo to establish himself as a Manchester United hero before eventually making the move to Real Madrid.

Ronaldo got off the mark for the season with a trademark bullet header in a 3-1 Carling Cup third round win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

The game represented the winger's first start following a summer transfer saga involving Primera Liga giants Real.

Ronaldo had looked set to depart for the Spanish capital until Ferguson convinced his most potent attacking weapon to remain at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old may have seen his iconic status in the eyes of the United faithful slip slightly as a result of his summer dalliances with Real, but he appears to have been welcomed back from ankle surgery with open arms following a disappointing start to the campaign by last season's Premier League champions.

Ferguson is understandably delighted to have Ronaldo back among his ranks and, while he accepts the Latin star may head for pastures new in the future, he is backing the precociously gifted playmaker to etch his name into Red Devils folklore.

"I think Cristiano has come to accept that at this stage of his career, United is the place for him," said the Red Devils boss.

"Southern Europeans want at some point to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, so I understood what was going on in Cristiano's mind when he declared he wanted to join Real.

"But once we had talked he accepted it was a move for the future.

"I pointed out to him how much better it would be to leave like Eric Cantona, with the fans loving and appreciating him.

"The crowd still chant Cantona's name and I told Cristiano 'Leave a hero like Eric' and one day he will. But not yet."

(source: Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Fresh off a hat trick on the weekend, Los Angeles ace Landon Donovan has reacted favorably to a persistent transfer link with Bundesliga kings Bayern Munich.

FC Hollywood appears prepared to wave goodbye to Lukas Podolski in January, and could return with a new enquiry for the Galaxy man should that attacker slot become vacated.

Donovan, who had two unhappy stints with Bayer Leverkusen, had often spoken of playing in England or Spain - but it appears the thought Bayern have reopened the doors to Germany.

"That's one of the best teams in the world," he told Soccernet "As of now, I've got to worry about what's going on here, but if January rolls around and there's interest, and the league is willing to discuss it, I would be excited to talk about it."

"There have to be teams interested, so there's a lot of ifs - but if a team like Bayern Munich came calling, you don't really turn them away without thinking about it."

"I would love for it to happen," he declared. "It's up to the league, it's up to the Galaxy and it's up to me."

(source: Soccer365.com)

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Former Los Angeles coach Ruud Gullit says MLS could easily be at a level on par with leagues like the Eredivsie if it alters the league system a bit.

While conceding that the summer heat and travel will affect quality of play, the Dutchman is far more concerned with things like scheduling around FIFA dates and and player acquisition constraints.

"I'd liken it more to the leagues in Holland, Belgium and Norway," Gullit told The Daily Mail. "The players can play - I watched the All-Stars against West Ham in the summer and the All-Stars outplayed them."

"We could have a game the day after a round of international matches," he said of the much-maligned league scheduling. "That was ridiculous, and so was the draft system."

"I could have players I wanted to promote from the Under-21's, but they were no use to me because they weren't actually mine; they could go into the draft system and end up elsewhere."

"It all became very frustrating and it has to change," concluded Gullit.

(source: Soccer365.com)

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(Soccer365.com) Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari believes the English game is on track to match the style of Brazil by playing with flair as well as power.

Scolari believes this weekend's clash against Manchester United will be an exhibition of "beautiful" football, with the Premier League improving standards every year.

"English football is fantastic and they have very good players," Scolari said.

"They play now and I think in two, three, four or five years in the future the players could be, like you say, playing like Brazil.

"Before in Europe just one national team played like Brazil. Now it's many countries do but before it was Yugoslavia. I think in England in a few years they play the same as Brazil and the Brazil national team."

Part of the learning process for English clubs has been keeping hold of possession.

Scolari has been known to stop training sessions after just 10 minutes if he feels his players are not passing as instructed.

"I don't want to put the ball 40 metres in front and lose it," Scolari said.

"I want the ball at my feet. I spend 50% of my training time on this every day.

"Now the game has changed. After the last 10 years it has been changing well.

"Coaches have come from other countries and given more and mixed ideas. Arsene Wenger is French, I'm from Brazil, Juande Ramos for Spain, and Rafael Benitez.

"In Spain they play football and they do not like the long ball. This is what I think they changed in England. If the football is there with the power then it will be very good."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Soccer365.com) Manchester United's star winger Cristiano Ronaldo has fired a warning to Chelsea ahead of the vital Premier League clash between the English giants on Sunday.

The Red Devils have failed to show the form of last season which earned them the Champions League and Premier League double. However, Ronaldo - back from an ankle injury - says the team will be ready to lift their performances against the club which came second in both competitions. "There's no problem at all with our form. Last year we started like this, look how we ended up," the 23-year-old told The Sun.

The Portugal international is expected to start at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after he made his first appearance off the bench against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Ronaldo admits he is likely to be targeted by the Chelsea players, but feels he will be up to the task as he is regularly given plenty of attention by opposition. "I know that the attempts to intimidate me on the pitch will start again immediately - but everyone finds sooner or later that it is difficult to make me lose my rag," he added.

"I'll be booted again but I will not kick out when it happens. I'm tough and, again, it's all just part of the spectacle.

"I'll do my damage as usual by paying them all back with my goals."

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(Soccer365.com) A late goal from William Gallas saved Arsenal's blushes as they came back from a goal down to record a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kiev at the Valeri Lobanovski Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Gunners took just two minutes to create their first real chance of the match as Emmanuel Adebayor threaded through Robin van Persie, but after beating the off-side trap the Dutch international could only smash his effort straight at goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovsky who parried the ball out for a corner.

Arsene Wenger's men looked increasingly threatening coming forward and really should have taken an 18th-minute lead as Adebayor was gifted possession 20 yards out from goals, but after breaking through the defense the Togo international sent his curling effort just wide of the up-right.

The hosts looked livelier in the opening exchanges of the second-half and almost snuck into the lead as Manuel Almunia fumbled Eremenko's stinging effort, but the Spaniard managed to smother the ball at the second attempt as it rolled tantalizingly close to the goal-line.

But just a few minutes later and Kiev did manage to take the lead as Bacary Sagna was adjudged to have brought down Vukojevic inside the area, and Bangoura calmly slotted home the resulting penalty.

The Londoners began to completely dominate possession in the closing stages of the match and were rewarded with just two minutes remaining as captain Gallas managed to bundle his effort over the line following a scramble in the Dynamo area.

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(Soccer365.com) Chelsea got their Champions League group stage campaign off to the perfect start as they saw off French outfit Bordeaux 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

The Blues wasted no time at all in taking the lead as Bosingwa made space for himself on the wing before delivering a pin-point cross to Frank Lampard, and the England international made no mistake to head the ball home from just six yards out.

And Luiz Felipe Scolari's men doubled their advantage on the 30-minute mark as Joe Cole stormed to the near post and, after leaving Ulrich Rame for dead, the playmaker smartly flicked home from Lampard's corner.

The Londoners looked likely to score at any time in the second half and almost did just that as Joe Cole turned inside the area before laying off Nicholas Anelka, but the striker could only slam his effort into the side netting.

But it was only a matter of time before the hosts added a third as Lampard again proved a vital component of the Chelsea squad, audaciously flicking the ball into Florent Malouda's path, and the France international fired a low rasping effort into the bottom corner of the net.

And the Blues rounded off their glittering performance in style as Anelka was on hand to slot home after Julian Belletti's rasping effort had been tipped onto the crossbar and bounced back into play.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Steven Gerrard showed all his European experience to bring Liverpool back from an early goal down to eventually record a crucial 2-1 over French side Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday night.

OM had a golden opportunity to take an early lead as Mamadou Niang beat the off-side trap, but after taking his run through into the box he wastefully fired his shot well over the crossbar to the relief of the Reds defence.

But the hosts soon made up for that miss as Lorik Cana burst into the area before neatly squaring his effort low past Pepe Reina and into the back of the net.

However, the lead lasted just three minutes as Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard made space for himself on the edge of the area before unleashing a glorious curling effort which left Steve Mandanda no chance.

And the Merseysiders soon stole into the lead as Ronald Zubar was adjudged to have up-ended Ryan Babel inside the area, and, after having to retake the penalty, Gerrard grabbed his second after sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to calmly place his effort in the corner.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 05:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Former Real Madrid star Ronaldo says he will join Manchester City and is excited about what he and fellow Brazilian Robinho can achieve together.

The 31-year-old has been a World Football of the Year on three occasions but has been hampered recently by injuries, the most recent of which is a knee problem from which he is still recovering.

Having left AC Milan in the summer, the World Cup winner is currently without a club but says he is definitely considering a move to Eastlands.

"I like the project that Manchester City have presented me.

"They want to make the club one of the best in the world and I feel that I can help.

The player himself says he is confident of returning to his best and believes City would see great success from linking him up with English record signing Robinho.

"It is the best offer I've received and it will be very interesting to play with Robinho.

"Me and him, together, we can score more than 50 goals."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Manchester United could soon be boosted by the return of star winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been out for two months after undergoing ankle surgery.

Ronaldo is rumored to be ready for an early return against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday, as well as against Chelsea in the League on Sunday.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "He's been making great strides in the direction towards first-team football.

"Ronaldo is training now, he's with the first team and he's aiming to be a substitute at Chelsea on 21 September. He's come on leaps and bounds.

"I think we mentioned a couple of weeks ago he was making rapid progress in terms of overcoming the injury problem he had and the training he's been doing with the physios and Tony Strudwick the fitness coach."

United will be without Nemanja Vidic for the Chelsea match after he was sent off against Liverpool on Saturday, and Michael Carrick is also likely to be out after injuring his ankle in the same match.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Soccer365.com) Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres have both been passed fit to face Manchester United at Anfield on Saturday.

Torres had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Gerrard underwent minor groin surgery last month, but both completed a light training session at Melwood this morning and have been included in the squad.

"They are both much better," manager Rafael Benitez told the club's website.

"They came through a full training session this morning. It wasn't a very hard session, but they will both be in the squad.

"It's important for us to have these two players of quality who can change a game.

"I'm not surprised they are available because the medical staff have done a good job and the players have been working really hard with the physios to get fit."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Soccer365.com) Chicago Fire ace Cuauhtemoc Blanco has announced his retirement from international soccer, effective with his cameo appearance in a 2-1 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying win over Canada on Wednesday night.

The 35-year old, who netted 34 times in 101 caps, says he still has plenty of gas left in his club tank.

"It was my own decision," Blanco told reporters. "I've always said that you have to retire on time, and I'm leaving with the love from the fans."

"I made this decision and I'm not changing it for anything on the world."

"There is still more from me," he declared. "I want to play a few more years in the U.S., and as you know, I want to come back to play six months with (Club) America."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

(Soccer365.com) Miroslav Klose struck a hat-trick to salvage a 3-3 draw for Germany following a lackluster display against Finland.

Klose has struggled at club level this season with Bayern Munich but he put his woes behind him to draw his side level three times in this Group Four World Cup qualifier.

Jonathan Johansson (32), Mika Vayrynen (43) and Daniel Sjolund (53) all put the Scandinavians ahead - only for Klose to return the favour in the 38th, 45th and 83rd minutes.

Despite the draw Germany remain top of the group with four points from two games, while the match was the Finns' first of the qualification campaign.

The home side began with greater authority with Vayrynen firing wide after just 60 seconds.

Germany had to wait until the 10th minute for their first sight of goal when Piotr Trochowski tested Jussi Jaaskelainen with a free-kick.

After Johansson and Klose both wasted scoring opportunities with misplaced headers, the Finns eventually opened the scoring in the 32nd minute.

Heiko Westermann and Philipp Lahm failed to clear a seemingly harmless long ball from Roman Eremenko, allowing Johansson to slip in and knock the ball past Robert Enke.

Westermann almost made up for his blunder soon after when he got close with a header before Klose restored parity.

Klose, who has come under fire in the German media following some lacklustre displays with Bayern, controlled a pass from Trochowski before shaking off one defender and firing the ball past Jaaskelainen.

The first half came to a spectacular end with Vayrynen volleying home a left-wing cross from Sjolund from just inside the penalty area.

Klose then caught the whole Finnish defense napping when he got onto the end of a right-wing corner from Thomas Hitzlsperger. His initial header was parried by Jaaskelainen but Klose quickly bundled the rebound over the line.

Finland turned it on early in the second half with Sami Hyypia's header flying inches over and Johansson forcing Enke into a spectacular save with his legs.

From the resulting corner Vayrynen found an unmarked Sjolund, who had replaced striker Mikael Forssell after 40 minutes, to nod the ball home.

Another blunder from Westermann almost gave Finland their fourth goal but Clemens Fritz came to the rescue and blocked Johansson's shot.

Germany began to increase the pressure when Simon Rolfes curled a 25-yard shot inches past the left post.

A left-wing cross from Bastian Schweinsteiger then found Klose on the far post and when he chested it down Mario Gomez made a hash of the close-range finish allowing Petri Pasanen to clear the ball off the goalline.

Germanys dominance finally told in the 83rd minute after Jaaskelainen parried a shot from Trochowski. Gomez tried to hack in the rebound and although his effort was blocked, the ball fell to Klose who scored from close range.

Finland's charge, however, was not over and they almost stunned their guests when a defensive mix-up forced Enke into action - the goalkeeper jumping on a loose ball to save his defence from further embarrassment.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The U.S. Men’s National Team earned their fifth consecutive shutout in World Cup qualifying with a 3-0 win Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago.

First half goals from Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey were complemented by a second half strike from Brian Ching to keep the U.S. in first place in Group 1 with nine points after three matches. With the shutout, the U.S. increased their streak to 551 minutes without allowing a goal.

The victory marked a trio of records for the U.S. history books, including the first time ever the U.S. has earned six consecutive shutouts, going back to the team’s 0-0 draw against Argentina on June 8 at Giants Stadium. The victory was also the sixth straight victory in World Cup qualifying dating back to the final match of the 2006 campaign, setting a team record. The five straight victories in one cycle also ties a team record set during the Final Round of the last qualifying run.

“It’s good to have gotten this round off to such a good start," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "We found a good rhythm and did a good job moving the ball and finding the little seams in their defense. I think that set the tone for the game. It was a good win, and halfway through this round I think we continue to improve and that’s what it’s all about.”

Back on home soil for the first time in this Semifinal Round, the U.S. came out aggressive from the start. Trinidad & Tobago were content to put numbers behind the ball, deploying a defensive formation with 10 players looking to stifle the U.S. attack. The team had the perfect answer to that approach, scoring before 10 minutes had passed from another textbook set piece.

After DaMarcus Beasley won a foul on the left side about 20 yards from goal, Landon Donovan swung a free kick into the six-yard box. With several players crashing, Bradley cleverly re-directed the cross off the outside of his right foot and to the far post past Marvin Phillip, who was rendered helpless. The goal was Bradley’s second in World Cup qualifying, and the third of his international career.

Clint Dempsey doubled the U.S. lead eight minutes later. A string of passes put the T&T defense on their heels, beginning with Oguchi Onyewu winning a ball and knocking it to Sacha Kljestan, who then played into Dempsey. The midfielder delivered a ball to Beasley, who had roamed into the center of the park. As Dempsey sprinted forward, Beasley held the ball before sending a through ball that was misplayed by Keyeno Thomas allowing the Fulham midfielder in on goal, and he wasted no time by firing a low shot past Phillip. The goal was Dempsey’s second in as many games and his fourth in four World Cup qualifiers he has played in this cycle.

The waves of U.S. attacks continued, the smooth surface allowing for crisp passes and long-flighted balls to change the point of attack. Both Donovan and Beasley were effective in getting behind the T&T defense and slipping dangerous crosses into the box.

The U.S. nearly got their third goal on the half hour mark, Donovan racing in behind the T&T defense and looking to pick out Ching at the penalty spot. His curling ball arrived at an awkward height for Ching, and he was unable to get a clean shot on goal. By the end of the first half, the U.S. held a 6-1 advantage in shots.

Trinidad & Tobago showed a little more life to start the second stanza, earning two corner kicks in the first five minutes. The U.S. got a scare in the 53rd minute, first when a cross from Cyd Gray was deflected by Onyewu just outside the near post. On the ensuing corner, a header that appeared pegged for the far side netting was cleared off the line by Steve Cherundolo.

The U.S. put their third goal on the board in the 57th minute on another service from Beasley. After Cherundolo was fouled 40 yards from goal, Beasley drove an in-swinger to the top of the six-yard box. Onyewu rose above his mark and headed the ball towards goal, with his effort saved by Phillip. The rebound fell to Ching, who easily deposited his third goal of the 2010 qualifying campaign and his fifth overall in qualifying.

T&T nearly got one back three minutes later when a shot by Cornell Glenn was saved by Howard. The rebound was finished off by Anthony Wolfe, but the linesman’s offside flag was correctly held high.

Kljestan nearly got on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute, when Ching sent in a cross that Donovan hustled to collect. Donovan passed it back to Kljestan, who tried his luck on goal, forcing Phillip to make a point-blank save.

The U.S. made a double-substitution in the 67th minute, replacing goalscorers Bradley and Ching with Eddie Johnson and Ricardo Clark. The U.S. made their final substitution in the 78th minute, with Eddie Lewis replacing Dempsey. Lewis has appeared in nine of the USA’s 11 matches in 2008.

Two minutes after coming in, Lewis made his presence felt as he possessed the ball up the left flank and sent in a cross to a wide open Donovan, who skimmed the ball with his head wide right of the right post.

Lewis earned the team a corner kick in the 81st minute, sending in a cross to where Onyewu was rushing into the center. Onyewu and a defender both slid toward the ball and the backspin caused it to stop dead in front of the goal, where Thomas did well to clear it out of danger.

The U.S. created another dangerous opportunity in the 82nd minute, when Beasley sent a corner kick back to Kljestan at the top of the area. Kljestan passed it out to Lewis on the left and Lewis sent it into the middle for Johnson, but his final shot was blocked by a defender. The rebound bounced right back to Johnson who sent it back towards the goal, only to have is second attempt also stuffed by the Trinidadian defense.

The Soca Warriors continued to pressure in the waning moments of the match, getting dangerously close in the 87th minute. Gray controlled the ball just outside the area on the right side, firing a shot past a cluster of red and white jerseys and just wide of Howard’s goal. With the shutout, Howard has now posted five shutouts in six career World Cup qualifying appearances.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will get a break from qualifying until the second leg of games begins for the Semifinal Round. The U.S. will face Cuba at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 11 at RFK Stadium in Washington.

courtesy of ussoccer.com

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Theo Walcott hit a stunning hat-trick and Wayne Rooney grabbed the other as England beat Croatia 4-1 in their World Cup qualifier in Zagreb.

Theo Walcott hit a stunning hat-trick and Wayne Rooney grabbed the other as England beat Croatia 4-1 in their World Cup qualifier in Zagreb. Walcott justified Fabio Capello's decision to keep faith in him - and jettison David Beckham - as Croatia suffered a first ever defeat in a competitive game at home.

An equally impressive Rooney added a fourth for good measure as Slaven Bilic's side finished in a demoralised state after the 53rd minute sending off of Robert Kovac.

All Croatia could manage in reply in this Group Six clash was a late consolation effort from substitute Mario Mandzukic.

It was all so different to two years ago in the same stadium, when then England coach Steve McClaren opted for an ill-fated 3-5-2 formation and saw his side lose 2-0 in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

But England appear a different animal under Capello and, although this was only the second step on the long road to the 2010 finals in South Africa, the signs are encouraging after one of their most convincing displays in living memory.

Capello showed positive intent with the line-up he sent out in the Maksimir Stadium and his players backed him up with a performance of grit and commitment harnessed to their attacking abilities.

Walcott will attract all the headlines and rightly so more than two years after being the shock inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad.

He only made his full debut for his country in Saturday's 2-0 win over Andorra in Barcelona but did enough to again keep Beckham on the bench until the closing stages.

But he showed great composure in netting England's first competitive hat-trick since Michael Owen's treble against Germany in Munich seven years ago in another World Cup qualifier.

Now a question mark will inevitably hang over whether the 33-year-old Beckham will start another game for his country after this Walcott show.

Capello opted not to man-mark midfield play-maker Luka Modric and the Tottenham player saw plenty of the ball during the early stages as the focal point of his side's attacks.

David James needed two attempts to grasp a shot drilled straight at him by Danijel Pranjic and then failed to hold on to a deep corner from Darijo Srna and would have been relieved to see Vedran Corluka drill the loose ball into the side-netting.

The pressure steadily mounted on England although resolute defending denied the home side any clear-cut opportunities.

The visitors went ahead through Walcott in the 26th minute - but they were given a helping hand by the Croatian defence.

Pranjic's clearance rebounding off Josip Simunic into the path of Walcott but the teenager made the most of his fortune as he drilled a fierce low shot across Stipe Pletikosa into the corner of the net.

Walcott could have added a second from a similar position soon afterwards but this time Pletikosa was able to tip his effort around the post.

Mladen Petric had a fierce low drive blocked but the Croatians failed to cause any major problems in the opening 45 minutes.

And they became increasingly wary of the pace of Walcott who was cynically sent crashing to the ground off the ball by Simunic after one lightning run - a challenge which earned him a 38th minute yellow card.

England looked composed and Pletikosa did well to get his body behind a low, skimming free-kick from Frank Lampard.

Then after 53 minutes Croatia were reduced to 10 men when Kovac was sent off for an aerial challenge which left Joe Cole bloodied - and replaced by Jermaine Jenas.

England almost instantly made their numerical advantage count - with Walcott striking for the second time.

Heskey and Rooney were involved in the build-up before the overlapping Walcott had time to pick his spot and send a low shot across Pletikosa, mirroring his effort for the first goal.

England were now rampant and in the 63rd minute Rooney ended his 11 month international scoring drought - all that he deserved after a marvellous display.

Ashley Cole won the ball off Srna, picked out the run of Jenas and his low cross from the left flank was clinically despatched by the Manchester United star.

Lampard had an effort ruled out for offside before Mandzukic beat James from close range with 12 minutes remaining.

But Walcott ended any hopes of a late Croatian revival as he collected a Rooney pass and clipped the ball wide of Pletikosa for his hat-trick.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Soccer365.com) Croatia star Luka Modric has warned England to prepare for further heartache in Zagreb.

The Three Lions slumped to a 2-0 defeat on their last visit to the Croatian capital, during Euro 2008 qualifying, while they were also humbled 3-2 at Wembley by Slaven Bilic's men.

With the two nations once again paired together on the road to the 2010 World Cup, revenge is the word on everyone's lips.

England know that victory over their biggest rivals in Group Six would make them favourites to take top spot and the automatic place in South Africa which would follow.

However, Tottenham playmaker Modric insists confidence is high among Bilic's squad following an impressive showing at this summer's European Championship, and fully expects to send Fabio Capello's men crashing to another morale-shattering defeat.

"England will want revenge and they will be better prepared then before but I believe that, yet again, we will win," Modric said.

"We are full of confidence and have faith in our ability. Before a wonderful audience we will once again be ready for another great triumph.

"I can't talk about the tactics we will employ or whether we will play the same way as we did in 2006 and 2007.

"We will see but maybe we will have a surprise for them.

"England have dangerous players but we have to worry about how we play, not them.

"It is down to us. We have beaten them the last two times."

Meanwhile, Croatian keeper Stipe Pletikosa thinks England's desire to right the wrongs of the past could count against them.

"What we did to them here and at Wembley will be in the England players' heads because nobody has allowed them to forget about it.

"But if they arrive looking for revenge then that will be a disaster for them.

"We just want to play against England and are looking forward to it. That is an advantage for us. They will be wound up."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 01:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

(Soccer365.com) Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has been ruled out for the rest of the year after he struggled with a knee injury while away on international duty with Ghana.

The midfielder will need surgery on his knee and the Blues will have to do without his services for several months, possibly until the new year.

A Chelsea statement read: "Michael has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo an operation as soon as the majority of the swelling has subsided. We expect this to happen in a week's time.

"In the meantime, Michael has started rehab in the aqua therapy center at Cobham which will improve the condition of the knee prior to surgery. A return to full fitness is not expected for several months."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In their first trip to Havana in 61 years, the U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Cuba, 1-0, to move into first place in Group 1 in the Semifinal Round of FIFA World Cup qualifying.

Clint Dempsey provided the game-winner with an opportunistic strike in the 40th minute to give the U.S. the three valuable points.

Facing Cuba in Cuba for just the second time in history, the U.S. had to quickly get accustomed to a bumpy and uneven field that was also slick from rain that started a few hours before kickoff. Despite the tough conditions, the U.S. was solid defensively, while controlling possession and finding moments to get forward and create chances on goal.

Defender Oguchi Onyewu started the play that led to the game-winning goal, hitting a long ball from the midfield stripe into the penalty area towards Dempsey and Brian Ching. Carlos Domingo was able to win the challenge in the air with Dempsey, but his header hit the back of the U.S. midfielder and deflected to the feet of Ching. Holding off a defender on his back, Ching one-timed the ball back to Dempsey who had turned to face goal, and he took one touch across the goal before slamming a low drive from 15 yards out inside the left post. The goal was Dempsey’s third in 10 qualifying appearances.

The U.S. backline and goalkeeper Tim Howard were solid once again to give the U.S. their fourth straight qualifying shutout, and record third straight road qualifying victory. Howard made three saves on the night, including a fantastic game-saving effort in the 88th minute to push aside a Yeniel Marquez header that had deflected off the shin of Carlos Bocanegra and looked destined for the lower right corner.

"Cuba did a good job of responding after their first game. It meant a lot to them and as a result it was a tight game,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “I thought once again we dealt well with some difficult conditions and came away with a good result. We’ve played in two tough games on the road now and have six points, putting ourselves in a very good position going into the match against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday.”

courtesy of ussoccer.com

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Soccer365.com) Valencia forward David Villa has spoken of his delight at remaining with Los Che this summer, and insists he "would never do to Valencia what Robinho has done to Madrid".

Villa became one of the most sought-after signings of the summer following his performance with Spain at Euro 2008, with Real Madrid in particular becoming strong candidates to land the 26-year-old.

However, he put an end to speculation over his future on August 27 by putting pen to paper on a deal which ties him to Valencia until 2014.

Madrid tried again to sign him at the 11th hour on transfer deadline day following the shock departure of forward Robinho to Manchester City.

But 'El Guaje' insists he could not leave his club in the same way Robinho left Madrid.

He told Spanish newspaper AS: "I would never do to Valencia what Robinho has done to Madrid, because I'm grateful to the club for everything they have done for me.

"I don't want to criticise Robinho because I don't know his situation, but I wouldn't have done it."

Villa also claimed he never had any intention of leaving Valencia despite the list of big names being linked to him.

He insists he left the club to deal with the entire transfer saga, and says the fact they chose not to sell him in spite of their financial difficulties showed him how much he was worth to his employers.

"I was never going to force Valencia to let me go," he explained.

"I feel great here, I owe so much to Valencia and it was always the club's decision. I stayed out of the way.

"I was really happy when Valencia rejected the offer, not for not going to Madrid, but because it was a sign of the confidence they had in me and I felt very valued.

"They chose to keep me instead of taking the money. Valencia valued me more.

"On the Wednesday at 1pm I accepted the offer over the phone. Then at 6pm I signed and for me that was that.

"I never asked for a pay rise, nor a contract extension. It was the club who offered these things to Silva and me after Euro 2008.

"It makes you feel important and loved and for me that's very important."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski has admitted it was a mistake to move to the Bundesliga champions two years ago.

The Germany international joined Bayern from Cologne in 2006 after being unable to prevent his hometown club from a second relegation to the second division in three years.

He had previously proved his pedigree with 10 goals in his first 19 Bundesliga games and a further 24 in the second division which earned him a place in the Germany national team - a place he has not since relinquished.

However, he has not managed to hold down a regular starting berth in the Bayern first team over the past two years and, despite impressing in pre-season, does not seem set to do so this season either.

"Obviously, it is not so much fun at Bayern right now," he said.

"If things go on like this then I will have to consider my options.

"I would be a bad footballer if I were to be happy with a place on the bench. I am not moaning, I am just angry not to be starting games."

The 23-year-old was the focus of intense transfer speculation this summer with Cologne eager to bring him back home.

In the end, no offer was actually put to Bayern, whose coach Jurgen Klinsmann had promised the slate had been wiped clean and Podolski was on a par with Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni in the battle for two places in his side's attack.

But after starting against Hamburg, when Toni was injured, Podolski has had to watch the last two Bundesliga games from the bench.

"I feel like I am on a big wheel - things keep going up and then down again," he explained in an interview with the Bild newspaper.

"I am disappointed with the situation. If I had known that it would go like this, then no, I would not have signed (for Bayern)."

Podolski's affection for Cologne remains strong, though, and should they be able to accumulate enough funds to buy him in January, the Germany striker would not think twice.

"Cologne would always be an option for me and everybody knows that," he added.

"If I were to receive offers, it would be negligent of me not to consider them.

"I have no fear of moving abroad either - anything is possible."

Bayern's next game is against Cologne and, should Podolski score, he has promised not to celebrate - like when he scored against Poland, his family's home country, at Euro 2008.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Soccer365.com) Carlos Tevez believes Manchester City must now be considered title contenders following their billionaire takeover and capture of Robinho.

City have received a major cash injection from their prospective new owners and are now regarded as the richest club in the world.

The Abu Dhabi United Group signalled their ambitions by splashing out a British record fee of £32.5million on Robinho and Tevez believes the Brazilian will make City a better side.

"Robinho will greatly improve the quality of Man City. They will be much closer to the top this year," the Manchester United forward is quoted as saying in The Sun.

"He's one of those great players that people want to go and watch because he has a lot of fun playing.

"Robinho is one of the game's best entertainers but the Premier League defenders won't see it that way.

"The players who have to mark him will be very uncomfortable this season.

"City's squad is looking so strong now. With Robinho, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Petrov and Elano they have real quality."

Tevez is also looking forward to the Manchester derbies, with United keen on gaining revenge after losing both games against their bitter rivals last term.

And the Argentina star admitted City defender Micah Richards was the most difficult opponent he came up against last season.

"With all their impressive new signings, the two Manchester derby games could be really significant this season. They are now even more important to win," added Tevez.

"We lost to City twice in the league last year but, even though they are stronger now, we look forward to gaining revenge.

"They have quality and they also have the defender who marked me the best last season - Micah Richards. Well-built, fast and strong, he is a very good defender."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:48 AM | Permalink |