News sport : Meet the Denver Broncos' new MVP

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Denver Broncos are a running team.They’re not going to turn Peyton Manning into a game manager like Alex Smith or anything, and there might be a day or two left this season when the temperature is above freezing and Manning throws for 400 yards, but after a small slump the Broncos understand who they are. And that’s as a team that can win by relying heavily on running back C.J. Anderson, which the Broncos did again in a 29-16 win at Kansas City.You probably didn’t know Anderson a month ago, unless you’re a Cal football fan. He was sitting on your fantasy football waiver...
Read More

News sport : Sunday Scene, Week 13: Johnny Manziel finally joins the fantasy party

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
On a day when three different quarterbacks threw five or more touchdown passes, our headliner is a rookie reserve whose team just lost 26-10. Such is the power of Johnny Manziel.Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine pulled starter Brian Hoyer early in the fourth quarter on Sunday, his team trailing at Buffalo, 20-3. Hoyer had just thrown his second interception of the game and fifth in the past two weeks. Manziel's first series was crisp eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive, punctuated by this 10-yard touchdown scramble by Johnny himself . His second series was ... um ... somewhat less impressive. It...
Read More

Clinical City crush Southampton

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, Frank Lampard and Gael Clichy scored in the Premier League clash against Southampton.||| London - Champions Manchester City galvanised their pursuit of Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday with an emphatic 3-0 victory over a Southampton side who have surprisingly come between the leading title protagonists.With table-topping Chelsea held to a 0-0 draw against Sunderland on Saturday, victory for City at fortress St Mary's took them above Southampton into second place with 27 points from 13 matches, six behind Jose Mourinho's pace setters.Tottenham Hotspur came from a goal down to beat Everton 2-1 with goals from Christian Eriksen and Roberto Soldado moving Spurs up to seventh with 20 points.After a less than convincing start to the defence of their title, City's display against Southampton saw them back to their free-flowing best as goals from Yaya Toure, Frank Lampard and Gael Clichy condemned Ronald Koeman's high-flying side to a first home...
Read More

News sport : Titans receiver Justin Hunter hospitalized with lacerated spleen

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Tennessee Titans receiver Justin Hunter was shaken up on a first-quarter interception, and while it was a pretty hard hit, it didn't seem out of the ordinary. When Hunter returned to the game, it didn't seem like anything to worry about.But it was obviously not routine, as Hunter started complaining of stomach pains in the second half. He had a lacerated spleen.Hunter will remain hospitalized overnight in Houston, according to The Tennessean. The newspaper reported that surgery is not being considered, but it's still a scary injury."It was a surprise to us that he was taken to the hospital," Titans receiver Nate Washington said, according to The Tennessean. "This is a situation where football goes out the window. He has internal bleeding. … Any time a guy is spitting up blood you have to be concerned. This is bigger than football. I just hope that everything is all right. ... Justin is like a brother to me, and I want to make sure he is OK." Hunter stretched out for a pass, and...
Read More

News sport : AFC and NFC races tighten with Packers' win over Patriots

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Come on, it’s more fun this way.Who really wanted to watch the New England Patriots run away with the NFL this season? The Green Bay Packers’ 26-21 win over the Patriots makes the AFC more interesting. It makes the NFC more interesting too.And, it’s possible we’ll be revisiting this matchup after both conference championship games in January. That would be fine, because the teams played an entertaining game that lived up to the "Super Bowl preview" hype.The Patriots fell to 9-3 with the loss. They’re still in great shape to win the No. 1 seed in the AFC, thanks to wins over the Bengals, Colts and Broncos, but it doesn’t seem like such a lock anymore.The Packers improved to 9-3 and with Arizona looking very vulnerable after a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the race for playoff positioning in the NFC is wide open. The Packers are tied for the best record in the conference and obviously nobody wants to come to Lambeau Field in January.The Patriots found out how hard it is to win in...
Read More

News sport : Tom Brady's on a literal short leash

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
We're not quite sure what's going on here, but there is very clearly someone on the New England Patriots sideline leading Tom Brady around via a leash. We presume this is a training aid of some sort, but we prefer to think of it as the way that Bill Belichick keeps Brady housebroken.Your theories, quips, and one-liners are welcome.____Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.Follow @jaybusbee And keep up with Jay over on Facebook, too. from Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/tom-brady-s-on-a-literal-short-leash-234343730.h...
Read More

News sport : Auburn parts ways with DC Ellis Johnson

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Auburn has fired defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson.According to AuburnSports.com, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn informed Johnson of the decision on Sunday."At this time I felt it was best for our program to make a change with our defensive coordinator," Malzahn said in a statement. "Ellis is a true professional and I would like to thank him for his contributions at Auburn."The Tigers' defense gave up 55 points to Alabama on Saturday night in a 55-44 Iron Bowl loss. It was the fifth straight SEC game that Auburn had given up more than 30 points to an opponent.Auburn, 8-4, ranks No. 57 in total defense,...
Read More

News sport : Janay Rice on Goodell: 'I can't say he's telling the truth'

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice won his disciplinary appeal against the NFL earlier this week, making him immediately eligible to play football. In the wake of that reinstatement, his wife Janay has begun speaking to the press about the chain of events that led to Rice's suspension and release, as well as what may lie ahead for the couple. Most tellingly, Janay Rice has denied NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's version of the discussion that led to Rice's suspension.Rice had knocked his wife unconscious in an Atlantic City casino elevator in February. Speaking to the Today Show in...
Read More

News sport : A feisty Kevin Garnett pretends to bite Joakim Noah's hand (Video)

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Basketball legend Kevin Garnett and Chicago Bulls All-Star Joakim Noah have a marvelous history. Since Noah was drafted into the league in 2007, the same summer Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics, the two have gone back and forth as combatants, fueled equally by f-bombs and sharp elbows.A relatively anonymous Sunday afternoon game between KG’s Nets and Noah’s Bulls wouldn’t seem to bring out that sort of back and forth once again, not with it still being November and with the Nets underperforming, but that didn’t stop Noah from endlessly jawing and Garnett from, well, pretending to bite the...
Read More

News sport : Ohio State's Kosta Karageorge found dead

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Ohio State defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge was found dead.Karageorge was reported missing on Wednesday by his family. A body was found Sunday afternoon near his apartment and Columbus (Ohio) Police confirmed it was Karageorge. He was 22.Police confirm body found is OSU player Kosta Karageorge. Spokesman says appears he died of self-inflicted gunshot wound. — Clay Hall (@claywsyx6) November 30, 2014 Karageorge died of a single gunshot wound that appears to be self-inflicted. Tattoos aided in identifying him. — Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) November 30, 2014 The gun was found in a dumpster with...
Read More

News sport : Report: Harbaugh could be traded

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been an undeniable success, taking his team to one Super Bowl and three NFC championships. But he's also a grinder who wears down his team, his fans, and most likely his own molars with unparalleled intensity.So it's not surprising that Harbaugh and the 49ers may not be long for one another. What's surprising is that the Niners may well trade their head coach. ESPN's Adam Schefter offered this possibliity:One NFL source convinced Raiders are the favorite to trade for HC Jim Harbaugh, but Jets also known to be keeping a close eye on situation. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 30, 2014 Going from a team with both a recent history and a lineage of success like San Francisco to either of the NFL's true compost plants would be quite the fall-off for Harbaugh. The Jets seem a long shot, but Harbaugh has roots in the Bay Area. Both teams would be in position to draft impact players next year, but would they have to give up those...
Read More

News sport : SMU to introduce new head coach on Monday

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
SMU will introduce its new head coach in a press conference on Monday afternoon, the school announced on Sunday. Though the school did not specify who has accepted the position, multiple outlets are reporting that the Mustangs’ new coach is Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris.Morris denied that he had finalized an agreement with SMU following Clemson’s win over South Carolina, but TigerIllustrated.com and the Dallas Morning-News reported Sunday morning that Morris will be introduced by SMU on Monday.“I have not agreed to anything with SMU,” Morris said Saturday. “When the time comes, we’ll...
Read More

News sport : UAB reportedly set to shut down football program

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Not long after becoming bowl eligible for the third time in its existence, the UAB football program may be shutting down.Per USA Today, the school "has given indications the program will shut down this week and that (athletic director Brian) Mackin is working on a separation agreement from the university."SI.com also reported that Mackin is parting ways with the school and that an announcement would be made about the (lack of a) future of the football program on Thursday. Coach Bill Clark told ESPN that he feared the program would be shut down."I think it's going to happen," Clark said. "Unless...
Read More

News sport : Maybe Bengals-led AFC North isn't so amazing after all

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Entering Week 13, the AFC North was everyone's darling division and the NFC South was everyone's dumpster division.So what happened Sunday?Entering the week, the AFC North had been 1-10-1 in games this season vs. the NFC South. But Sunday, the North looked quite ordinary — and in some cases bad — with the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers all losing and the Cincinnati Bengals barely escaping Tampa Bay with a win.The Steelers and Ravens lost at home. That's twice now this season the Steelers have lost at home to an NFC South team with a sub-.500 mark, dropping this one to a New Orleans Saints outfit that had lost three straight (two at home) coming in. The Steelers grabbed an early 6-0 lead, but the Saints made it 21-6 and never looked back, leading by three scores in the fourth quarter.The Ravens lost to a good San Diego Chargers team that has started to reassert itself, but blowing a 10-point lead at home with five minutes left really hurts in such...
Read More

News sport : Troy announces Neal Brown as its next head coach

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Former Kentucky offensive coordinator Neal Brown is Troy's new coach.The school announced Brown's hire on Sunday and will host a Monday press conference to introduce him.When Brown was asked after Kentucky's season-ending 44-40 loss to Louisville on Saturday, he said it wasn't his place to speak about the news. Well, because he knew it'd be official a day later.Brown, 34, has been an offensive coordinator at 2008 and has served as an assistant previously at Troy. He was the Trojans' OC from 2009-2009 before spending three years at Texas Tech with Tommy Tuberville and two years at Kentucky."I...
Read More

News sport : Astronaut watches NFL in space

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
So this is pretty sweet: NASA Capt. Barry Wilmore, on board the International Space Station, managed to get a feed of the Texans-Titans game sent up into space:“Watching the game on live uplink” http://pic.twitter.com/tr5EmRcbEc — NASA Astronauts (@NASA_Astronauts) November 30, 2014 The ISS orbits at about 260 miles above the earth, and circled the globe twice during the three-hour game length. Wilmore, a Tennessee resident, had asked earlier about getting NASA to arrange for an uplink of the SEC Network so that he could watch the Tennessee Volunteers play football.Unfortunately, Houston proved to be a problem for Tennessee, defeating the Titans 45-21. On the plus side, though, Wilmore may be the only human being out of reach of JJ Watt.____Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.Follow @jaybusbee And keep up with Jay over on Facebook, too. from Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/astr...
Read More

News sport : Fantasy owners have spoken: Make J.J. Watt a tight end already!

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Houston Texans defensive end/tight end/pizza delivery man J.J. Watt is bored again.He's still not cool with just terrorizing quarterbacks; in order to stave off ennui, Watt has insisted his coaches use him in every way humanly (or inhumanly) possible.Watt sacked, stripped and — of course — recovered a fumble against Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker, running it back 14 yards and setting up the Texans' offense in great shape at the Tennessee 24.So naturally, Watt was rewarded on offense for his fine defensive work. The Texans brought him in on their goal-line package, sent him in motion, had him run an out route, and he beat tight coverage from Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard.Wait, you put a linebacker on this guy?!It was Watt's fifth score of the year and his third receiving touchdown of the season. It Watt had been designated as a tight end, only 15 NFL tight ends had more than that entering Sunday.If fantasy owners get their way, Watt will become the first known...
Read More

News sport : Johnny Manziel enters, immediately leads Browns to TD

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Finally, the Cleveland Browns let Johnny Manziel play.Manziel, the Browns' first-round pick and the talk of the NFL through the offseason, had barely played through the first 12 weeks. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner had seen a handful of snaps in special situations, but Brian Hoyer's play and the Browns' winning ways with Hoyer had kept him off the field.But with 12:01 left in the fourth quarter and the Browns in serious need of a spark on offense as they trailed Buffalo 20-3, Manziel got the call. The Browns benched Hoyer, who had just thrown an interception, and Manziel entered.He didn't disappoint.His...
Read More

News sport : Colts' Mike Adams hits DeSean Jackson with fairly obvious cheap shot

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson caught a pass against the Indianapolis Colts, went out of bounds and that should have been that.But Colts defensive back Mike Adams highly exaggerated being hit by Redskins running back Alfred Morris on a block and flung himself into Jackson after the 18-yard reception near midfield. After being hit by Adams, Jackson grabbed his lower left leg and came off the field.Although replays showed Morris touching Adams, it did not appear that he pushed him hard enough for Adams to react the way he did. Simply put: It looks intentional.Jackson's return is listed as questionable.- - - - - - - Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm from Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/colts--mike-adams-hits-desean-jackson-with-fairly-obvious-cheap-shot-201804907.h...
Read More

News sport : Ben Roethlisberger hits throwing hand on Saints player's helmet

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit his throwing hand on the helmet of New Orleans Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton in the first quarter and was seen shaking his hand thereafter several times.Roethlisberger connected with Antonio Brown on a 21-yard pass on 3rd and 8 in the first quarter but hit Lofton on the helmet on the play with his right hand. On the successive five plays, Roethlisberger handed off.Although he remained in the game, Roethlisberger appeared affected by it. He completed 3-for-8 for 52 yards prior to getting hit on the hand, and 5-for-14 for 63 yards and an interception after it through halftime.Roethlisberger also threw two passes that easily could have been picked by the Saints' Patrick Robinson, with both going off his hands — one that could have been a pick-six and one in the end zone.The Steelers trailed the Saints at half, 14-6.- - - - - - - Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com...
Read More

News sport : Vikings, without a blocked punt for TD since 1986, do it twice vs. Carolina

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
You probably didn't know the bit of trivia that the Minnesota Vikings, entering this week's games, had the NFL's longest streak since their last blocked punt for a touchdown. Yep, people track such things.It had been 459 games. Fox Sports North's Brian Hall reported that the player who last did it for Minnesota was cornerback Issaic Holt. It came against the 49ers on Oct. 12, 1986.And after going 28 years without one, the Vikings had two in the first half against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.Adam Thielen broke the long drought. He came free and blocked the Panthers punt, then recovered it...
Read More

News sport : Rams raise hands in Ferguson message

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Several St. Louis Rams entered the field for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders with their hands raised in a "don't shoot" fashion. The hands-raised stance is a message of support for Ferguson, a St. Louis suburb wracked by violence in recent months.According to observers, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Chris Givens, and Jared Cook all raised their hands. Ferguson, located just 12 miles from the Edward Jones Dome, was the site of an incident this past summer when police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed teenager Michael Brown. When a grand jury declined to indict Wilson earlier this week, riots broke out across Ferguson.Several athletes and teams have taken public stances on Ferguson, to varying effect. The Washington Redskins offered a similar early-season message of support. Adrian Peterson, meanwhile, made the ill-advised decision to compare his situation to that of Ferguson. Earlier this fall, the Rams offered several Ferguson-area high school football...
Read More

News sport : Throwing Darts: Can Jacksonville's defense steal a game?

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Meet the Week 13 Darts: Cleveland +2.5, Minnesota -2.5, Pittsburgh -4, Jacksonville +2.5, Atlanta 2.5. All lines drawn from Yahoo Pro Football Pick'Em.-- The Jaguars defense has played well for two months, masked somewhat by the offense giving the ball away so often. Did you see all the duress Andrew Luck was under last week? Eli Manning is going to make some mistakes.[Join FanDuel.com's $1.75M Week 13 fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 14,530 teams paid] -- Mike Zimmer's done some nifty things with his defense as well, and when's the last time Cam Newton looked healthy to you? So long as Teddy Bridgewater doesn't give the game away, Minnesota should win.-- The Steelers are known for two splits: better performances at home, and better performances against better teams. Okay, that second point may or may not apply to the Saints, but I expect the Steelers to be on full alert after the bye.-- Cleveland has an emerging back, a star receiver back in form, one solid cover ace in the...
Read More

News sport : Dennis Wideman politely instructs Karri Ramo to bend over (Video)

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
WARNING: NSFW VIDEO We’re living in an age of near-total access to the sights and sounds of the NHL, depending of course on how much the League and its broadcast partners want us to see.Of course, there are times when candid moments are out of their control. Like when Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman has the puck behind his own net at the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night, with the crowd slightly quieter than mouse flatulence.He needed his goalie, Karri Ramo, to bend down so he could better see the play developing.So he exclaimed: “Bend over Ramo … I can’t $@!%! see!”Ramo, by the way, is listed at 6-foot-2. One can only imagine what Lightning defensemen say to Ben Bishop from behind the net. Well, outside of Hedman.from Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/dennis-wideman-politely-instructs-karri-ramo-to-bend-over--video-162942655.h...
Read More

News sport : Nebraska fires head coach Bo Pelini

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Nebraska announced on Sunday morning that head coach Bo Pelini has been dismissed by athletic director Shawn Eichorst, effective immediately.The news comes two days after Pelini’s Huskers closed out his seventh regular season at the helm by coming back from a 24-7 deficit to beat Iowa in overtime on the road. The win gave Nebraska a 9-3 (5-3 Big Ten) record, but it was not enough for Pelini to keep his job."Earlier this morning, I informed Coach Bo Pelini of our decision to move forward in a new direction," Eichorst said in a statement. "Coach Pelini served our University admirably for seven...
Read More

News sport : Report: Marshawn Lynch could retire, or follow Tom Cable elsewhere

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,
Marshawn Lynch could save the Seattle Seahawks a few dollars.NFL.com's Ian Rapoport is reporting that people with a direct knowledge of Lynch's thinking said that the 28-year-old running back could opt to retire this offseason.[Join FanDuel.com's $1.75M Week 13 fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 14,530 teams paid] Why? Back pain certainly is one issue, as it's something that has plagued him consistently the past few seasons. But the report seems to suggest that Lynch still loves football and would need to fill a void in his life if he were to walk away.The Seahawks are expected to part ways with Lynch in the offseason, according to multiple reports, because of his salary (a minimum of $5 million) and because of his personality and what the Seahawks wanting to build in the locker room being at odds. If Lynch retired, the Seahawks would not be on the hook for his salary.One other interesting nugget: Should Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable land a head-coaching job elsewhere,...
Read More

Fan’s death mars Atletico win

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Atletico’s 2-0 win at home to Depo on Sunday has been marred by the death of a fan after violent clashes.||| MADRID – Atletico Madrid climbed above Barcelona into second in La Liga thanks to a 2-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday in a match overshadowed by the death of a Deportivo fan in violent clashes near the stadium.A 43-year-old supporter of the Galician club, who was not identified by name, had to be fished out of the freezing Manzanares river near Atletico’s Calderon stadium after dozens of rival fans battled in the streets a few hours before kickoff.He suffered cardiac arrest, hypothermia and head injuries and hospital sources later said he had died shortly after 2 pm after failing to respond to efforts to revive him.Earlier, midfielder Saul Niguez had put Atletico ahead two minutes before halftime and playmaker Arda Turan made it 2-0 10 minutes into the second half to lift Diego Simeone’s side to 29 points from 13 matches, four behind leaders Real Madrid.It...
Read More

Dialysis halted as Pele improves

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Doctors say Pele’s condition is improving and they have suspended kidney treatment for the soccer great.||| Sao Paulo – Brazilian doctors say Pele’s condition is continuing to improve and they have suspended kidney treatment for the soccer great.The Albert Einstein hospital says the 74-year-old remains in an intensive care unit but is no longer undergoing the hemodialysis that had been needed to help support his only kidney.Doctors said Pele’s condition will be “reevaluated” in the next few days to see if they need to put him back on hemodialysis.Pele was hospitalised on Monday after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection that stemmed from a surgery to remove kidney stones on November 13.The hospital says Pele has been responding well to antibiotic treatment and shows no signs of the urinary infection. – Sapa-APfrom Soccer Soccer Extended RSS http://www.iol.co.za/dialysis-halted-as-pele-improves-1.1788...
Read More

Loew has masterplan for Germany

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Coach Joachim Loew is devising a masterplan to put Germany’s Euro 2016 campaign back on track.||| Berlin – Germany head coach Joachim Loew has revealed he is drawing up a masterplan for the world champions in 2015 to get their Euro 2016 qualification campaign back on track.Since winning the World Cup in Brazil in July, Germany have struggled in their European qualifiers to recapture the form which swept them to their fourth world title.They are third in their qualifying group after a shock defeat to leaders Poland and a home draw with second-placed Ireland, when they conceded a last-minute equaliser last month.Loew said he now wants to freshen things up in the Germany camp before their next round of qualifiers in March as he rebuilds his squad after retirements and injuries.“Up until the World Cup, we exhausted all our options, now we need to introduce new things and develop a masterplan,” said Loew, with Germany to host Australia in a friendly before a Euro qualifier against...
Read More

Atletico leapfrog Barca in La Liga race

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Atletico leapfrogged to second in the La Liga race after a 2-0 home win over Depor on Sunday.||| Madrid – Atletico Madrid climbed above Barcelona into second in the La Liga when Saul Niguez and Arda Turan fired the champions to a 2-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.The match at the Calderon was marred by a street battle between dozens of rival fans a few hours before kickoff in which emergency services said one Deportivo supporter had been critically injured.Saul put Atletico ahead two minutes before halftime and Arda made it 2-0 10 minutes into the second half to lift Diego Simeone’s side to 29 points from 13 matches, four behind leaders Real Madrid.It was Atletico’s fifth victory in their last six La Liga outings as they seek to defend the Spanish title they won last season for the first time in 18 years.“We came into the game after two wins and we wanted to continue the run,” defender Diego Godin told Spanish TV.“Our opponents respect us and they know we are a...
Read More

Depor fan hurt in street clashes

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
A Deportivo fan was critically hurt in clashes before the club’s La Liga match at Atletico Madrid on Sunday.||| Madrid – A Deportivo La Coruna supporter was critically injured when dozens of rival fans clashed near the stadium before the club’s La Liga match at Atletico Madrid on Sunday.A 43-year-old man, who was not identified by name, had to be fished out of the Manzanares river near Atletico’s Calderon stadium and suffered cardiac arrest, hypothermia and head injuries, emergency services said.A total of 12 people were treated for mostly minor injuries, including one female police officer with a fractured hand.Atletico and Spain’s professional soccer league (LFP) condemned the troublemakers and the LFP said it had wanted to suspend the game.Spanish media reported they had been unable to do so as it had not been possible to contact the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) in time. – Reutersfrom Soccer Soccer Extended RSS http://www.iol.co.za/depor-fan-hurt-in-street-clashes-1.1...
Read More

TKO triumph redeems Igesund

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Gordon Igesund has taken three months to complete his redemption with a stunning United TKO win.||| Johannesburg – It has taken Gordon Igesund only three months to complete his redemption-mission after steering SuperSport United to Telkom Knockout triumph.United clinched the cup championship in a captivating final after beating Platinum Stars 3-2 at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.Having been ridiculed during his time as Bafana Bafana coach, the 57-year-old found refuge at Matsatsantsa after his contract was discontinued.Igesund has credited the team for their hard-work and praised management for providing him with a group of quality players.“The players have been brilliant since I took over at the club. They have bought into what myself and my assistant coach Serame Letsoaka have been trying to do,” Igesund said.Having come from a desolate state, United gave Igesund a new lease on life and gave the tactician a chance to prove the naysayers wrong.During his tumultuous time with the...
Read More

Phala hailed as United bask in glory

♠ Posted by channel-top-news in ,,,,,,,,,,,
Thuso Phala is being heaped with praises after powering Matsatsantsa to a stunning TKO victory.||| Johannesburg – When SuperSport United needed him the most, like a one-man wrecking crew Thuso Phala contributed a penalty and a winning wonder goal as Matsatsantsa powered to the Telkom Knockout championship.With the clock winding down in extra-time, a dramatic Phala side-footer clinched the title for United when they trumped Platinum Stars 3-2 in the final at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.“I just found myself in the box and I put my head down, took the chance and the rest is history,” Phala said after the game.“We play good football as a team and we are enjoying ourselves at the moment, which can be seen on the pitch.”Extra-time was required in what was an action-packed final that saw three penalties awarded and scoring opportunities aplenty.The pulsating encounter could have been won by either side as was the case when Stars’ Eleazar Rodgers missed a penalty before the winning...
Read More