Posts of septembre 2015

Mata shines as United beat Wolfsburg

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Manchester United battled back after conceding a fourth-minute goal to grind out a hard-fought 2-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg. ||| Manchester, England - Manchester United battled back after conceding a fourth-minute goal to grind out a hard-fought 2-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg at Old Trafford on Wednesday, the English side's first Champions League win of the season. There was huge pressure on United after they lost to PSV Eindhoven in their opening Group B match two weeks ago and their night got off to the worst start when Daniel Caligiuri opened the scoring for the well-drilled visitors after some poor defending. United, who came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 2-1 exactly six years ago to the day, followed the same script with Juan Mata equalising with a 34th-minute penalty, while defender Chris Smalling proved to be the unlikely match-winner when he slid in to score his first goal of the season after 53 minutes. United manager Louis Van Gaal, who said before the match United...

Wenger in the firing line

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger found himself attacked from all sides after his selection decisions backfired spectacularly. ||| Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger found himself attacked from all sides on Wednesday after his selection decisions backfired to leave his team facing an embarrassing group-stage exit in the Champions League. Wenger elected to pick David Ospina instead of first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech at home to Olympiakos on Tuesday, but the Colombian committed a first-half howler, palming a corner into his own net, as Arsenal lost 3-2 to register a second consecutive Group F defeat. “OOPSPINA” was the headline in British newspaper the Daily Mirror, while the Daily Express said the former Nice goalkeeper had committed a “calamity” and The Sun said Wenger's men had been “humiliated”. Wenger claimed afterwards that Cech had been left on the bench due to a “slight (fitness) alert” prior to Saturday's 5-2 win at Leicester City, but Arsenal great Ian Wright said the Frenchman...

Sturridge rested for Merseyside derby

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who scored his first goals of the season last weekend, will be left out of Thursday's Europa League tie against FC Sion, manager Brendan Rodgers said. ||| London - Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who scored his first goals of the season last weekend, will be left out of Thursday's Europa League tie against FC Sion, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Wednesday. The aim is to hold him back for Sunday's Merseyside derby at Everton, who are four places above their neighbours. But Rodgers will be happy with England naming him on Thursday for their final Euro 2016 qualifying matches in a week's time. “He won't be involved in the (Sion) game,” Rodgers told a pre-match news conference. “We'll keep him fresh for the weekend. He's still building his way towards fitness.” The England striker missed six months of last season in all with calf and thigh injuries and then the first five league matches of the new campaign. In his second game back last weekend...

Terry absence remains a mystery

John Terry has been sitting impotently on the sidelines for half of the new campaign as Chelsea stutter to one of their worst starts in years. ||| London - When Chelsea captain John Terry signed a new one-year contract last May he could hardly have envisaged sitting impotently on the sidelines for half of the new campaign as his beloved club stuttered to one of their worst starts in years. In the wake of another poor defensive performance by Jose Mourinho's team while losing 2-1 away to Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday, pundits and supporters alike are questioning how long the manager can continue to ignore a player he once described as 'untouchable'. Before meeting the Portugese club where he made his name, Chelsea's manager was forced to admit that none of his players came into that category now, which he proved by leaving out Player of the Year Eden Hazard, the previously reliable Nemanja Matic, Brazilian midfielder Oscar and Terry. After playing for every minute...

Lack of discipline cost Arsenal

Per Mertesacker says Arsenal were punished for a lack of discipline and concentration in their Champions League loss to Olympiakos Piraeus. ||| Arsenal were punished for a lack of discipline and concentration in Tuesday's loss to Olympiakos Piraeus in the Champions League and must regroup ahead of the weekend's game against Premier League leaders Manchester United, said defender Per Mertesacker. Arsenal's hopes of advancing from the Champions League group stage for a 16th straight season are dangling by a thread after their 3-2 defeat to the Greek side. The Gunners have now lost their opening two group matches for the first time following a 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb two weeks ago and are bottom of Group F, six points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who they have to play twice. Arsenal were shaky at the back and goalkeeper David Ospina's awful mistake gifted Olympiakos a 2-1 lead five minutes before the break when he failed to collect an inswinging corner and allowed the ball...

United can conquer Europe - LVG

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has suggested that they are capable of winning the Champions League. ||| The Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal, who is buoyed by his club going top of the Premier League, has suggested that they are capable of winning the Champions League. Van Gaal never required much encouragement to issue reminders that he won the trophy in 1995, with Ajax, and at a time when he is making comparisons between Anthony Martial and Patrick Kluivert - his prodigy who played a match-winning role against Milan in that final - said the club, who entertain Wolfsburg tonight, can do it again. “I think we can, because I've done it,” he said. “It's not [just] quality but it's also luck. For me as a manager when you reach the final you have done fantastic. I think in the Champions League you need to win all your home matches otherwise it will be very difficult.” His side, who will be without Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera tonight, will need to defend...

We had bit of ‘bad luck’ - Wenger

Arsene Wenger refused to take the blame for Arsenal's Champions League crisis after his selection gamble backfired against Olympiakos. ||| Arsene Wenger refused to take the blame for Arsenal's Champions League crisis after his selection gamble backfired in a humiliating 3-2 defeat against Olympiakos. Wenger's side had never before lost their opening two Champions League games, but they have imploded twice against Dinamo Zagreb and now Olympiakos to leave their Group F campaign in turmoil. And it is Wenger's curious decision to make a host of changes for both European fixtures that has played a major role in the defeats which leave Arsenal in danger of failing to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in 16 years. After making six changes for the loss in Zagreb earlier this month, Wenger threw caution to the wind again and made another five alterations for Olympiakos's visit to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Crucially, he opted to leave Petr Cech on the bench and...

Jose left to rue ‘ridiculous mistakes’

Jose Mourinho lamented Chelsea's defending from set-pieces after they lost 2-1 at Porto in the Champions League. ||| Porto, Portugal - Jose Mourinho lamented Chelsea's defending from set-pieces but was otherwise satisfied with his team's display after they suffered a fifth defeat of the season on Tuesday, 2-1 at Porto in the Champions League. Porto, the club Mourinho led to the Champions League title in 2004, scored in each half through Andre Andre and Maicon while the 2012 winners replied through Willian on the stroke of halftime. “It was a good performance with two ridiculous mistakes,” the Chelsea manager told reporters. “Sometimes you make those mistakes and you are not punished, we were punished. “With the second goal it's a ridiculous mistake. We watched dozens of repetitions of Porto taking corners, I thought we were completely ready for that and at a moment when the game was under control and were preparing to make a change we conceded that goal. “We had another similar...

Arsenal in danger of early CL exit

Arsenal lost their second successive Champions League game, leaving them bottom of their group after losing to Olympiakos Piraeus. ||| London - Arsenal's hopes of advancing from the Champions League group stage for the 16th straight season were left dangling by a thread after they lost an astonishing clash 3-2 to visiting Olympiakos Piraeus on Tuesday. The Gunners have now lost their opening two group matches for the first time ever following their 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb two weeks ago and are bottom of Group F, six points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who they have to play twice. Olympiakos, whose 12 previous visits to England since 1965 all ended in defeat, scored as many goals in this match as they had managed in the last 50 years in England, and have three points along with Dinamo, who were beaten 5-0 at Bayern. The defeat left Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in a tetchy mood when he faced the media at the post-match news conference. His team selection was criticised when...

Lewandowski bags another hat-trick

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski continued his remarkable scoring run with a hat-trick in a 5-0 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb. ||| Munich - Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski continued his remarkable scoring run with a hat-trick in a 5-0 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday to snap the Croats' 45-game unbeaten run and put the German champions in firm control of Champions League Group F. In an explosive first half in which Bayern were 4-0 up inside half an hour, the Poland striker, who has notched a staggering 10 goals in their last three matches, including five in nine minutes against VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, struck twice in seven minutes. “He is having an amazing run and an unbelievable week behind him,” Bayern captain Philipp Lahm told reporters. “A striker like Lewandowski doesn't need any prodding. He could be even more dangerous than last season.” Brazilian Douglas Costa had put the hosts ahead with a fine low shot after 13 minutes and Mario Goetze added...

Dazzling Porto sink Chelsea

Jose Mourinho fumed on the sidelines as Chelsea suffered at the hands of Porto in a Champions League clash. ||| Porto, Portugal - Jose Mourinho suffered a nightmare homecoming as Porto, the club he led to the Champions League title in 2004, inflicted a 2-1 defeat on his woefully out-of-sorts Chelsea side in Group G on Tuesday. Manager Mourinho sprang a surprise before the game by leaving out Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic and Oscar and the Londoners went behind after 39 minutes when Yacine Brahimi produced a surging run down the left and Andre Andre scored. Brazil playmaker Willian equalised with the last move of the first half, curling a delightful free kick into the top corner of the net from 25 metres. Porto then went back in front seven minutes after the break when Maicon stooped low at the near post to head a left-wing corner past keeper Asmir Begovic. Diego Costa was agonisingly close to a second goal for Chelsea when his wicked drive from 25 metres hit the underside of the...

Lamela gets Argentina call up

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Erik Lamela has been called up by Argentina for their opening 2018 World Cup qualifiers. ||| Buenos Aires - Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Erik Lamela has been called up by Argentina for their opening 2018 World Cup qualifiers after captain Lionel Messi and Ever Banega withdrew with injuries, the Argentine FA said on Tuesday. Lamela, who shone in Spurs' 4-1 Premier League win over Manchester City last weekend, has been drafted into the squad named by coach Gerardo Martino last week for South American qualifiers at home to Ecuador on Oct. 8 and away to Paraguay five days later. Messi has been ruled out for up to two months with left knee ligament damage after being injured playing for Barcelona against Las Palmas on Saturday while Sevilla midfielder Banega is nursing a right knee injury. Lamela, who was part of the squad that reached the Copa America final in Chile in July, last played for Argentina in their 7-0 rout of Bolivia in a friendly on Sept....

United banking on Martial

Anthony Martial has scored four times for Manchester United, helping them to the top of the Premier League. Can he replicate his form in Europe? ||| London - Manchester United will bank on the dazzling form of Anthony Martial in Wednesday's Champions League game against VfL Wolfsburg as Louis van Gaal's men look to bounce back from their opening defeat in Group B. The 19-year-old Frenchman, initially seen as a panic buy on the last day of the transfer window this month, has been a revelation, netting four times since leaving Monaco to help United top the Premier League for the first time in two years. The Old Trafford club lost their first Champions League match 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven in a game overshadowed by the broken leg suffered by Luke Shaw but have since won 3-2 at Southampton and beaten Sunderland 3-0. Wayne Rooney scored his first league goal of the campaign against Sunderland and with Martial providing pace and composure up front, Van Gaal's attacking worries are receding. “He...

Rooney denies Fergie’s transfer claims

England captain Wayne Rooney has opened up about his clashes with former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. ||| London - England captain Wayne Rooney has opened up about his clashes with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, how having children calmed him down and why he should not have gone to the 2006 World Cup for a new BBC television film. Rooney denies that he put in a transfer request just before Ferguson retired in May 2013 but admits that he broached the possibility of leaving the club he had joined from Everton nine years earlier. “I went in to see him and just said, 'If you are not going to play me, it might be better for me to move on',” Rooney said. “Then, all of a sudden, it was all over the press that I had put a transfer request in, which I never did.” Three years earlier Rooney did request a transfer and questioned the club's ambition. “Wayne let himself down,” former team-mate Gary Neville told the programme of that incident. “Me and Ryan Giggs had...

Bucs have a plan to counter Al Ahly

Orlando Pirates will take a one goal lead into their Caf Confederation Cup semi-final, second leg tie against Al Ahly. ||| Eric Tinkler clearly spoke too early. After his team’s 1-0 Caf Confederation Cup semi-final, first leg defeat of Al Ahly, the Orlando Pirates coach waxed lyrical about Zamalek being the “favourites” to win Africa’s second tier competition. But it is highly unlikely to be the White Knights the Buccaneers will face in the final should Tinkler’s men overcome Ahly in Suez this weekend. It is rather Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel, who produced a shock result of epic proportions on Sunday, that Pirates may have to overcome to add a second continental title to their cabinet. Etoile’s 5-1 mauling of Zamalek was the greatest upset in the competition’s 12-year history and it will take a miracle for the Egyptian double champions to overcome the deficit in the second leg in Cairo on Saturday. Yet having put four past Pirates in their final group match before the semi-finals,...

Paulse is carrying Ajax - De Sa

Ajax Cape Town coach Roger De Sa has lauded striker Nathan Paulse who has been on a great run of form for the Urban Warriors. ||| Cape Town - Ajax Cape Town coach Roger De Sa has lauded striker Nathan Paulse who has been on a great run of form for the Urban Warriors, scoring in each match played in the last week. “He is 30-something and getting better and better, this is probably the best he has played in a long time,” said De Sa. “He is carrying the team, but unfortunately now he is suspended and will miss out on the next game. Paulse will, however, face a suspension for accumulating too many yellow cards. De Sa's men gear up for the start of the Telkom Knockout Challenge with the recent pressure they have been under set to continue. The Urban Warriors beat Chiefs 1-0 to lift the 2015 MTN8 trophy last Saturday, thanks to a Paulse strike. On Wednesday Ajax stumbled to a Mamelodi Sundowns side, determined to bounce back from their recent bad run of form. Then, finally Ajax hosted...

Jose warns under-performing stars

Jose Mourinho has told his under-performing Chelsea players that they have an attitude problem which, if not addressed, will force him to replace them with youngsters. ||| Jose Mourinho has told his under-performing Chelsea players that they have an attitude problem which, if not addressed, will force him to replace them with youngsters for the rest of the season. The Chelsea manager delivered the damning verdict on the ambition of his squad who, after strolling to the Premier League title last year, have taken eight points from seven games this season. The Portuguese diagnosed a damaging “attitude perspective of some individuals” and challenged them to prove that they are “serial champions” - as he is - rather than happy to sit on their laurels. Chelsea are away at Porto in the Champions League this evening but the main focus is a run of league form that was, before their last two games, the worst of Mourinho's career. Speaking very frankly about their poor start, he put their...

Pressure is mounting on Igesund

SuperSport United coach Gordon Igesund may be skating on thin ice. ||| SuperSport United coach Gordon Igesund may be skating on thin ice. Prior to the start of the season, Igesund impressed everyone with his performance in the transfer market. He made good signings with the likes of Dean Furman, Bongani Khumalo, Phumelele Bhengu, Michael Boxall and Isaka Cernac joining the side. The names on Igesund’s roster led many to tip the three-time PSL champions for glory this season. Even opposition coaches, Mpumalanga Black Aces’ Muhsin Ertugral chief among them, have punted SuperSport as one of the teams that will contest for the Absa Premiership title and other pieces of silverware in the PSL. However, it has not been all rosy for Igesund and his men. SuperSport have been blowing hot and cold. In fact by their standards, Matsatsantsa a Pitori have been punching below their weight so far this season. Under the tutelage of Igesund, Matsatsantsa have managed one win. This doesn’t augur...

Stern ‘Gladbach test for City

Manchester City face Borussia Moenchengladbach following back-to-back Premier League defeats, and a losing start in the Champions League. ||| Berlin - Manchester City already have their backs to the wall when they travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday, with injuries piling up and a losing start to the competition threatening to derail their Champions League campaign. After starting the English Premier League season with five consecutive wins, a jolting home defeat by Juventus in their Champions League opener was followed by consecutive beatings by West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. Saturday's 4-1 defeat by Tottenham also saw midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure suffer a hamstring injury, while keeper Joe Hart missed that game with an injury and both are doubts for the clash in the Rhineland. With pressure mounting to stay in the running for a top-two finish in Group D, City's coach Manuel Pellegrini is also likely to be without captain Vincent Kompany who is nursing...

Jose claims Costa ‘witch-hunt’

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho complained about a “witch-hunt” by the footballing authorities against Diego Costa. ||| Porto, Portugal - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho complained about a “witch-hunt” by the footballing authorities against Diego Costa ahead of Tuesday's Champions League Group G match at Porto. The Spain striker was banned retrospectively for three domestic matches by the English FA after being found guilty of violent conduct in the 2-0 win over Arsenal earlier this month. Costa was unavailable for Saturday's 2-2 draw at Newcastle United but will be back for Chelsea's Champions League meeting with Mourinho's former club Porto. Asked by a reporter where his team would be if they had 11 Costas, Mourinho replied: “I think we would lose every game because the desire to suspend him is so big that you wouldn't have enough players to start the game. “I am happy to only have one and let him play until they decide to suspend him again. There is a witch-hunt going on against...

Everton rally to sink West Brom

Romelu Lukaku scored twice and set up another goal as Everton clawed their way back against West Bromwich Albion. ||| London - Romelu Lukaku scored twice and set up another goal as Everton rallied from two down to sink West Bromwich Albion 3-2 in the Premier League on Monday. Everton's away victory took their unbeaten run to four games in the league and lifted manager Roberto Martinez's team up to fifth in the table with 12 points from seven games. “The first half was not too good and at halftime the manager woke us up and the experienced players spoke up,” Lukaku told Sky Sports after his side had trailed 1-0 at the interval. “I knew the first goal was crucial. I knew that we could win the game.” West Brom opened the scoring four minutes before halftime at The Hawthorns when James Morrison pounced on a misplaced pass by Gareth Barry and slipped the ball through for Saido Berahino to beat keeper Tim Howard. Craig Dawson made it 2-0 for Albion nine minutes after the break when...

Blatter to remain president until February

President Sepp Blatter, under criminal investigation by Swiss authorities, plans to remain in his job until February. ||| New York - President Sepp Blatter, under criminal investigation by Swiss authorities, plans to remain in his job until February and told staff at the world soccer governing body on Monday that he had done nothing illegal or improper, Blatter's lawyers said. An emailed statement from Blatter's personal lawyers, Lorenz Erni of Switzerland and Richard Cullen of the United States, also defended payments that Zurich-based Fifa made to Michel Platini, president of the UEFA soccer confederation, as “valid compensation” for Platini's work as an adviser. Swiss prosecutors said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation into Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds. Authorities interrogated Blatter at Fifa headquarters and seized unspecified data from his office. The prosecutors said Blatter was suspected of a “disloyal payment”...

‘Frenzy to get me out’ - Rodgers

Liverpool’s manager Brendan Rodgers felt the time was right to highlight the campaign he feels is being waged against him. ||| Brendan Rodgers would not name names but that did not dilute his point. Rather than slipping away quietly at the end of a difficult week, his message was clear. Having been pilloried for much of the past month, with his work being dissected on a daily basis, Liverpool’s manager felt the time was right to remind people of his abilities and, more than anything, highlight the campaign he feels is being waged against him. ‘There has been a frenzy, there is no doubt about it, to get me out of here,’ said Rodgers. ‘There is no question about that. Whether that’s a Liverpool hysteria or big club hysteria I am not so sure. The scrutiny here is obviously greater, for me, than any club. ‘But it is a huge club. As a manager you know that and deal with it. It’s not about proving people wrong. I think I’ve shown in the early stages of my management — without being...

Mourinho left scratching his head

Jose Mourinho says he could have taken off six of his players at half-time in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle. ||| Jose Mourinho spoke of his confusion and concern at the end of another troubled afternoon. He admitted he could have taken off six of his players at half-time in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle, such was the woeful nature of a first-half performance he said was the worst he had experienced as manager of Chelsea. These are crucial times at the club. Mourinho is walking into managerial mortality, where defeat is regular, criticism of your own players standard practice. It is not his way, but then his team are no longer playing the Mourinho way. They were rocked back for an hour at St James' Park, by which time they trailed Newcastle by two goals and the Premier League leaders by nine points. The turnabout took inspirational substitutions and the execution of Mourinho's game-changing plan, which brought Ramires' stunning goal in the 79th minute and a free-kick from Willian that...

Kane hits back at critics

Harry Kane says scoring his first Premier League goal of the season will silence the critics who have tried to saddle him with a “one-season wonder” tag. ||| Scoring his first Premier League goal of the season will silence the critics who have tried to saddle him with a “one-season wonder” tag, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has said. The England international broke his season-long drought for his club when he clipped in a rebound after Christian Eriksen's free kick struck the crossbar in their 4-1 drubbing of Manchester City on Saturday. The 22-year-old Kane was one of the revelations of last season finding the back of the net 31 times but, before the City game, had failed to score in eight appearances in all competitions for Spurs this campaign, leading some pundits and fans to question whether his feats last term were a one-off. “Maybe I shut up a few people who have been talking over the last few weeks,” Kane was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “Only seven games (in...

Liverpool players rally behind Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers still has the support of the Liverpool dressing room and criticism of the manager has united the squad, midfielders James Milner and Lucas said. ||| Brendan Rodgers still has the support of the Liverpool dressing room and criticism of the manager has united the squad, midfielders James Milner and Lucas said after their 3-2 win over Aston Villa eased some pressure on their beleaguered boss. Rodgers lashed out at his critics after Saturday's game, claiming there was a conspiracy to oust from his job and condemning the “hysteria” over his future after a poor run resulted in managers such as Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp being tipped to replace him by sections of the media. “There is a group of people that don't want me here,” the Northern Irishman told reporters after the Villa win, which sent his side up to seventh in the Premier League table and five points behind leaders Manchester United. “I am talking about people outside of here. I think it is pretty clear....

Pellegrini left raging after defeat

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was fuming after his side lost 4-1 to Tottenham at White Hart Lane. ||| While Bacary Sagna was earnestly reflecting on Manchester City’s inability to be ‘killers’, Manuel Pellegrini was in another part of White Hart Lane and about to throw a tantrum. The City manager had been asked about his post-match address to the players when he snapped. ‘What happened, we lost 4-1,’ said Pellegrini. ‘That is the most important thing, I am angry, I am not angry. No more questions? OK.’ He stormed off only to be told he was going the wrong way down the corridor and would have to return past that same group of reporters. ‘If you want to talk about football, we talk about football,’ he said on his way back. ‘But if you want to talk about stupid things then I do not answer stupid things.’ Except it is not stupid to wonder how he would talk to his players after a game like this, which City led through Kevin De Bruyne before being blown away by goals from...

Pardew restoring his reputation

As a manager sacked three times in four years, Alan Pardew has had plenty to do in restoring his reputation. ||| London - As a manager sacked three times in four years and then regularly abused by his next club's supporters, Alan Pardew has had plenty to do in restoring his reputation. He has achieved that in a matter of months since returning to his first professional club, Crystal Palace, lifting them from the Premier League's bottom three on his arrival in January to a mid-table finish last season and now the top six. Clean sheets have been rare but by fielding a team blessed with pace Palace have been particularly effective on the counter-attack, which has led to an outstanding away record. Sunday's 1-0 success at Watford meant that in 12 matches on the road in this calendar year they have won nine times. It was a first clean sheet of the season, which particularly pleased Pardew. “The back four were terrific and the goalie,” he told Sky Sports. “They didn't really give...

Aces show Maritzburg no mercy

Black Aces showed the struggling Maritzburg United no mercy, thrashing them 4-1 on Sunday. ||| Nelspruit – Mpumalanga Black Aces showed no mercy when they demolished the struggling Maritzburg United 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at Kanyamazane Stadium to move to second spot on the Absa Premiership log standings. A brace by Collins Mbesuma and two goals by Bhongolethu Jayiya and Dennis Masina made life difficult for the visitors who came into the match with a new coach in Clive Barker who was formerly with AmaZayoni. Coach Muhsin Ertugral’s men were motivated by their 2-1 victory over Lamontville Golden Arrows and their confidence was high as they took the match to their visitors, but couldn’t create chances to trouble the Namibian goalkeeper, Virgil Vries. However, in the 29th minute Jayiya broke the deadlock and handed the hosts the lead when he received a pass from Tshidiso Tukane finishing with his right foot. A few minutes later, Ashley Hartog cancelled out Jayiya’s strike when...

Pelembe brace puts Celtic in charge

A Helder Pelembe brace helped Celtic beat Tuks 2-0 in Pretoria on Sunday. ||| Pretoria – A Helder Pelembe brace helped Bloemfontein Celtic to a 2-0 win over the University of Pretoria in their Premiership match at Tuks Stadium, in Pretoria, on Sunday. Pelembe was lethal either side of half-time to notch up the two-goal advantage for the visitors, and a stranglehold on the contest they would not relinquish. Though the hosts eclipsed the number of chances on goal from the visitors by more than double, they could not find the elusive strike in their effort to salvage something from their home fixture. With the result, Celtic moved up to 13 points from six matches and third place on the log. Tuks, meanwhile, remained on four points from their six outings as they languish in 14th place on the table. Lyle Lakay took the first corner for Celtic in the 12th minute which found a teammate in a menacing position just inside the area, but the Tuks defence were quick to snuff out the danger...

Sundowns desmolish Cosmos

Sundowns turned in a clinical performance to dispatch Jomo Cosmos 2-0 on Sunday. ||| Potchefstroom – Mamelodi Sundowns turned in a clinical performance to dispatch Jomo Cosmos 2-0 in their Premiership match at Olen Park, in Potchefstroom, on Sunday. With genuine chances during the encounter far from plentiful, it was The Brazilians who dominated possession and territory and ultimately converted two of their few opportunities to wrestle the win. Keagan Dolly struck midway through the first period, and then completed his brace deep in second-half injury time to wrap up the contest. The first shot on target for either side fell to Jomo Cosmos in the 17th minute. Running into the area at pace Brice Aka reeled off a sharp strike, but Sundowns keeper Dennis Onyango was alert to the danger as he made the save. With their first real chance of the encounter, Sundowns were ruthless in taking the lead in the 22nd minute. Themba Zwane whipped in a cross for Dolly whose header had the beating...

Pellegrini turns focus to Europe

Manuel Pellegrini switched his focus to Europe on Sunday after his City’s latest Premier League blow. ||| London – Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini switched his focus to conquering Europe on Sunday after his side’s Premier League ambitions took another dent at the weekend. City’s barnstorming start to the English soccer season, producing five straight wins, is in danger of becoming a fading memory after consecutive defeats by West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur allowed Manchester United to knock them off the top of the table. Those two defeats were preceded by a jolting home loss to Juventus in City’s Champions League opener, but Pellegrini is convinced the club will recover and soon triumph in Europe’s blue riband competition. “I am sure that Manchester City will win the Champions League in the future because the whole club works well,” the Chilean was quoted as saying in the Manchester Evening News. “We are younger than the teams who normally win the Champions League...

Messi blow a relief for Leverkusen

Barca’s loss of Lionel Messi will bring relief to Bayer Leverkusen ahead of their Champions tie on Tuesday. ||| With Barcelona’s squad already stretched, the loss of talisman Lionel Messi is a major blow but for the Bayer Leverkusen players there will no doubt be sighs of relief ahead of their Champions League tie on Tuesday. Among the Argentine’s vast list of exploits he became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match when Barca hammered Leverkusen 7-1 at the Camp Nou in 2012, but the treble winners will have to cope without him for the next two months. Messi suffered knee ligament damage in Barca’s La Liga victory over Las Palmas on Saturday and they take on Leverkusen in their Champions League Group E clash with limited options to replace him in attack. The Fifa transfer ban for signing underage players that prevented Barca bringing in reinforcements over the last two transfer windows along with the sale of Pedro to Chelsea and the long term injury...

Bucs have one foot in Cup final

While the Al Ahly win ensures the Bucs have a foot in the Caf final, they know the next one will to take some doing. ||| Johannesburg – The celebrations were somewhat muted, Eric Tinkler merely shaking hands with the bench and a few of the players going down on their knees and giving thanks to the one above – and with good reason, too. For while this victory ensures Pirates have one foot in the Caf Confederation final, they know only too well that getting the second one over the line is going to take some doing. Keeping a clean sheet in Egypt next weekend will require much more than the good saves Filipe Ovono pulled off here, and the last-ditch tackles that saw the likes of Rooi Mahamutsa and Ayanda Gcaba stop Ahly attacks in their tracks. In their own backyard, Ahly are unlikely to be as flat as they were in the first half here but will rather force Pirates on to the back-foot as they did in the second stanza – and they will probably do so from the onset. But having kept the...

Blatter probe misery for Safa

News that the Swiss are probing Fifa president Sepp Blatter is set to give Safa bosses sleepless nights. ||| Johannesburg – News that Swiss prosecutors have opened proceedings against outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter after searching his office and seizing data on Friday is expected to give Safa bigwigs Danny Jordaan and Molefi Oliphant sleepless nights. Swiss prosecutors opened the investigation on suspicion of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation relating to a contract Blatter signed with Caribbean football chief Jack Warner in 2005. The Swiss attorney-general’s office said Blatter was suspected of having signed a contract that was “unfavourable to Fifa” and of having “violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of Fifa”. He is also suspected to have made a “disloyal payment” to European football chief Michel Platini. The 79-year-old Blatter, who has led Fifa since 1998, has consistently denied wrongdoing. Fifa says it is co-operating with the investigation. The...

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