FOOTBALL WORLD

donderdag 25 augustus 2011

Real Madrid 2-1 Galatasaray


           Sergio Ramos and Benzema clinch Santiago Bernabeu Trophy for Whites



The Turkish side proved they wanted a victory from the very beginning, scoring the opener in the first ten minutes through Inan, who finished off a great effort by Eboue. The locals gradually had more chances to score. Goalkeeper Muslera cleared a shot following a good combination between Xabi Alonso and Di Maria (16'), and the defence later cleared a shot by Kaka (19'). Sergio Ramos scored the equaliser from a header following a cross by Alonso on the 33-minute mark.

This marked a turning point in the match, which the Whites started to control. Higuain came close to netting his team's second goal, but Muslera again saved the day for Galatasaray (41'). At the end of the first half, the crowd gave Real Madrid a standing ovation.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Carvalho, Ozil, Benzema and Albiol came on for Callejon, Pepe, Higuain, Varane and Kaka after half-time. Benzema scored on the 49-minute mark, but the referee disallowed the goal due to a non-existent offside. No matter: one minute later, the Frenchman easily defeated Muslera in a one-on-one and gave his side the victory goal. Cristiano Ronaldo nearly scored the third in the 64th minute with a shot outside the box, but the goalkeeper strained himself to clear his shot. Jose Mourinho then decided to bring on youth teamer Alex Fernandez for an exhausted Di Maria (66').

Coentrao nearly sealed the game, but his shot went straight down the middle into the keeper's hands. The locals had more chances on goal, but converted none of their shots. Academy player Morata received a standing ovation when he substituted Coentrao on the 76-minute mark. Sadly, Marcelo was forced to leave the pitch due to twisting his ankle a few minutes later and had to be replaced by youth player Mendes. Mourinho gave two other academy players, Nacho and Mandi, a chance to play with the first team before the end of the match.

Source: realmadrid.com

woensdag 3 augustus 2011

Manchester United Transfer News

How Will Landing Wesley Sneijder Impact United?


Manchester United's chase for Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder is finally coming to an end, again. 
After two months worth of stops, starts, ups and downs, United appear closer than ever to landing the attacking midfield playmaker that manager Sir Alex Ferguson has sought all summer long and makes this club even more of a force on the international scene than it was previously. 
According to a Mirror Football report, Inter Milan have accepted United's formal bid for the playmaking Dutchman, meaning all that is left to do is get Sneijder to agree to personal terms. 
The deal isn't quite done as of yet. Sneijder is reportedly less than keen on taking a straight pay cut from his current £250,000 per week wages to United's current £190,000 per week offer.
But according to the report, United are hoping that a deal can be reached by the end of the week thanks to the sliding pay scale they're incorporating into the deal.
In it, Sneijder is paid a large base salary with incentives and signing bonuses spread throughout the contract to bring the total wage close to what he was paid at Inter. From there, he can also get better funding for his image rights, which are more lucrative in English football than they are in Serie A. 
If United can seal the deal, it will bring an end to one of the longest, strangest transfer battles of the summer.
The 27-year-old Dutchman was at or near the top of Ferguson's wish list all summer, but it was never clear whether Inter wanted to sell, Sneijder wanted to leave or United was willing to pay to get him. 
At one point several weeks ago, it appeared that Sneijder was bound for Old Trafford, only for the report to be scuppered by Inter and Sneijder. Now however, it appears that Ferguson is actually close to bringing his dream midfielder into the fold. 
By landing Sneijder, Ferguson has filled the final need in his club's lineup. The 27-year-old midfield maestro is a playmaker extraordinaire, with a balanced game predicated on ball control.
He's incredibly skilled at beating his man off the dribble, and his work ethic is fantastic. He's a skilled passer who will immediately boost United's ability to create and take chances out of the midfield, and his nose for goal will make him a fantastic addition to the club. 
Sneijder is the perfect fit for United's midfield. He's capable of filling the playmaking role that has been vacant at Old Trafford over the last couple of seasons and delivers fantastic passes and crosses with regularity.
His shot is as formidable as that of many strikers, and he's been known to hit goals from distance, as well. 
Even the Dutchman's defense figures to bolster United's efforts. He's a surprisingly solid tackler and is skilled at dispossessing opponents. He's a leader on the pitch and should contend for the captain's armband as soon as he gets onto the pitch. He's a true midfield maestro and orchestrated the attack at Inter brilliantly. 
Sticking him in United's midfield makes the unit much more dangerous and versatile.
Suddenly, the club can throw Sneijder and Ashley Young into the central midfield, with Antonio Valencia and Nani on the wing to ramp up the attack or use Sneijder, Michael Carrick, Valencia and Young for a slightly more defensive look, with Ryan Giggs and Nani ready to step in as energizers off the bench. 
There's nothing wrong with adding Sneijder to United's fold. His temperament is perfectly suited to United's locker room, and his drive to win should fit perfectly with that of Wayne Rooney and company.
He's a fantastic player who is at a world-class level, and he'll be capable of making a serious impact at Old Trafford if United finish the deal off.
He's the perfect player to stick in United's midfield, and while he won't come cheaply (his fee is believed to be in the £35 million range), his world-class skills make him well worth the price tag.
Source: Bleacher Report

maandag 1 augustus 2011

World Cup 2012 in Brazil first round is ready!


UEFA

The European qualification games will start in August 2012 after Euro 2012.

All 53 national associations affiliated with UEFA will take part in the qualification process, with thirteen qualifying places up for grabs. There will be eight groups of six teams and a single group of five teams. The nine group winners qualify, while the eight best runners-up play-off for the four remaining spots.


Current stage (first round)

Group 1
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Croatia00
 Serbia00
 Belgium00
 Scotland00
 Macedonia00
 Wales00
Group 2
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Italy00
 Denmark00
 Czech Republic00
 Bulgaria00
 Armenia00
 Malta00
Group 3
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Germany00
 Sweden00
 Republic of Ireland00
 Austria00
 Faroe Islands00
 Kazakhstan00
Group 4
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Netherlands00
 Turkey00
 Hungary00
 Romania00
 Estonia00
 Andorra00
Group 5
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Norway00
 Slovenia00
 Switzerland00
 Albania00
 Cyprus00
 Iceland00
Group 5
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Portugal00
 Russia00
 Israel00
 Northern Ireland00
 Azerbaijan00
 Luxembourg00
Group 7
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Greece00
 Slovakia00
 Bosnia and Herzegovina00
 Lithuania00
 Latvia00
 Liechtenstein00
Group 8
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 England00
 Montenegro00
 Ukraine00
 Poland00
 Moldova00
 San Marino00
Group 9
Teamv · d · e
PtsPld
 Spain00
 France00
 Belarus00
 Georgia00
 Finland00