FOOTBALL WORLD

donderdag 31 januari 2013

Premier League - January 30th report

Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
Walcott stunner completes outstanding Gunners comeback


Arsenal came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 against Liverpool in a thriller at Emirates Stadium.

Jordan Henderson had added to Luis Suarez's 17th league goal of the season to put Brendan Rodgers’ team in control at the hour mark but, just when it looked like the Reds were going to shed their flat-track-bully tag, the Gunners produced a storming revival, scoring two goals in three minutes through Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott.

In a grandstand finish, Arsene Wenger’s team went all-out for the winner but Liverpool remained resolute through a combination of grit, fortune and poor finishing from the hosts.

The draw means that Arsenal remained four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the race for the Champions League positions and it will agitate Wenger that they have mustered only a single point in league fixtures against Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in January after some more abject defending on a marquee occasion.

The hosts recalled Jack Wilshere, Walcott, Santi Cazorla, fit-again Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Santi Cazorla and Kieran Gibbs to the team that began the 3-2 FA Cup win at Brighton.

For Liverpool, Rodgers also rung the changes, with skipper Steven Gerrard returning to the team alongside fit-again pair Pepe Reina and Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Lucas Leiva, Jamie Carragher and Stewart Downing.

It was like football in fast-forward in the early exchanges as the two teams traded lightning-quick attacks and clear goalscoring opportunities.

Suarez, starting on the left of the three attacking midfielders behind centre forward Daniel Sturridge, caused havoc with his uncanny ability to find space and also for some spectacular passes from out wide.

The Uruguayan's goal owed much to some calamitous defending from the home side. Sagna's slip allowed Johnson to run clear on the left and, after a hashed clearance from Vermaelen and a smothered shot from Sturridge, Jordan Henderson tapped the rebound to Suarez, whose shot deflected off a defender and in.

Arsenal responded by carving open Liverpool’s defence seemingly at will with some excellent combination play. The menacing Walcott (twice) and Giroud both coming close to scoring an equaliser.

Somehow, Liverpool held firm, although they had Gerrard to thank for an excellent last-ditch clearance that followed another zippy Arsenal attack.

Rodgers’ pre-match sermon appeared to have fired up the visitors, who were incisive in possession and pressed the hosts’ jittery defence into making mistakes as they ended the opening period the better team.

The one let-down was Henderson, who made a series of wonky passes when well placed. Yet the midfielder kept getting in good positions and came close to doubling the visitors’ advantage with a chipped shot on the cusp of half-time that landed on the roof of the net with Wojciech Szczesny stranded.

Following 15 minutes of second-half dominance from Arsenal, Henderson made another excellent run and finally made it count with a fine solo goal.

After turning past Per Mertesacker and outmuscling the substitute Andre Santos, the midfielder collected a lucky rebound after his first shot was saved to pass the ball into an empty net.

Arsenal were momentarily demoralised but were soon back in the game following two goals in three minutes.

The comeback began when Giroud headed in Jack Wilshere’s right-wing free kick for his fifth goal in three games and his 14th of the season.

But the best goal of the night came after 67 minutes, when Walcott, who had been lively all game on the wing, received a lay-off on the right side of the box and sent the ball flying into the far corner of the net with a shot of tremendous speed and precision.

Arsenal threw bodies forward as they went all out for the winner with some wonderful attacking play.

Giroud got in some excellent positions but was guilty of missing a hat-trick of chances late on, including a sitter with only a few minutes left on the clock.



Reading 2-2 Chelsea
Benitez on brink after injury-time collapse
A superb cameo from Adam Le Fondre sparked a remarkable late fightback as the Blues let a two-goal lead slip and saw more pressure piled on their interim manager


EPL, Reading v Chelsea, Juan Mata, Fernando Torres, Ryan Bertrand and Ashley Cole (L)


Second-half substitute Adam Le Fondre scored an injury-time winner as Reading staged a stunning comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Chelsea at the Madejski Stadium on Wednesday night.

Juan Mata grabbed the opener, driving home from close range after a superb through-ball from Fernando Torres, before Lampard belted a header into the top corner halfway through the second half only for Le Fondre to hit twice in three minutes to stun the London side.

Brian McDermott made seven changes from the FA Cup win over Sheffield United, with Pavel Pogrebnyak returning to the starting line-up after being rested. Ryan Bertrand replaced the suspended Eden Hazard for Chelsea, Cesar Azpilicueta and Juan Mata also coming in at the expense of John Terry and Marko Marin.

The away side started to control the flow of the game after a turgid start, keeping possession for long periods, but were unable to make a quick impact on the Reading defence.
Ashley Cole blasted a long-range effort over the bar in the visitors’ first half-chance of the game, before Torres was shut out by Adrian Mariappa and Federici after a looping ball caused problems for the Reading defence.

Frank Lampard had a shot blocked as Chelsea continued to press, but Torres was penalised later on for clipping Mariappa after the defender sliced a simple clearance. 

Gary Cahill then wasted a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock from a Lampard free kick, failing to connect with the ball when unmarked inside the penalty area as the missed chances started to mount up.

Cole blasted another speculative effort way off target, with Chelsea looking thoroughly out of idea heading into the break but, with with practically the last kick of the half the away side took the lead.

Torres collected the ball and scooped a delightful pass into the path of Mata, who fired the ball first time low past Federici.

Oscar should have made it two just five minutes in the second  half when he sprung the offside trap to meet Lampard’s floated ball, but the youngster opted for an acrobatic finish when he had plenty of time to take a touch in the box.

Chelsea were not to rue the missed opportunity for long though as Lampard rose highest to meet Mata’s corner delivery to double his side’s lead and seemingly confirm all three points.

As the half went on, Reading continued to spurn their own rare opportunities with Ross Turnbull untested heading into the final 10 minutes.

But that record was not to last long as second-half substitute Le Fondre latched on to a through-ball from Hope Akpan to notch what looked like a consolation with the hosts first shot on target.

Ramires then forced a fine stop from Federici 30 yards out, before Le Fondre was there to equalise with a first-time volley from the edge of the area to send the home crowd into raptures and pile further pressure on Chelsea’s interim boss Rafael Benitez.



Manchester United 2-1 Southampton
Rooney fires twice to extend league lead
The Red Devils move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League while a first defeat in six games leaves the Saints only three points above the relegation zone

EPL, Manchester United v Southampton, Wayne Rooney

Manchester United came from a goal behind to take a seven point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Southampton at Old Trafford.

Jay Rodriguez capitalised on a mistake from Michael Carrick to give the Saints a shock early lead but a double from Wayne Rooney had the hosts in front by half-time.

The Saints improved in the second half, with Rickie Lambert testing David de Gea on a couple of occasions, but the league leaders were worth their win despite a nervy end.

Sir Alex Ferguson reinstated Robin van Persie back into his attacking-looking starting line-up, with Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa and Rooney supporting the Dutchman while Nemanja Vidic returned in defence. 
Mauricio Pochettino made two changes from the draw against Everton, Danny Fox and Rodriguez replacing Luke Shaw and Guly do Prado.

The hosts got off to an awful start when Carrick's backpass put De Gea in all sorts of trouble in the third minute. Rodriguez pounced, taking a touch to beat the United keeper before passing it into an open net.

The Saints' lead didn't last long, however, as Rooney fired the hosts level five minutes later when he timed his run on to Kagawa's lobbed pass and stroked the ball easily past Artur Boruc.

The Japan international was involved again moments later, getting down the left flank and cutting inside before striking a shot on to the near post.

Southampton were pegged back in their own half from then on and could only hold off the Red Devils' attacking onslaught until the 27th minute. 

Van Persie drifted a deep free kick towards Boruc's back post, where Evra was on hand to head the ball back across the box for Rooney to turn into the net from a yard out.

The Saints started the second period brightly, with Lambert forcing De Gea to make his first save with a tame volley.

Pochettino's men continued to apply pressure and could have gone ahead on the hour mark when Lambert hit the target with a fierce free kick. De Gea spilled the initial effort but cleared before Adam Lallana could pounce on the loose ball.

United weathered the Saints' storm and then created some chances of their own with Rooney and Kagawa combining to drive Sir Alex Ferguson's side forward.

Van Persie thought that he had added his name to the scoresheet in the 75th minute when he headed past Boruc at the second time of asking but the Dutchman had his celebrations cut short by a harsh offside decision.

Lambert then came close to grabbing the equaliser with another free kick; the Saints striker curled an effort perfectly over the wall only to see De Gea make an outstanding low save.

Rooney then wasted a chance to seal his hat-trick when he was slid through by Van Persie but the England forward took a bad touch, allowing Boruc to smother.

Source: goal.com

woensdag 30 januari 2013

El Clasico report


Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
Cesc & share Varane strikes in absorbing contest
Los Blancos' French center-back produced an exemplary performance, Which included a fine late goal, to help cancel out the Blaugrana's opener early in the second half


The shares were spoiled in a pulsating Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, as a thumping late header from Raphael Varane earned Real Madrid a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona.

The Catalan side looked to have put one foot in the final as they led late on after Cesc Fabregas had put them 1-0 up with a well-taken goal shortly after the break, only for Madrid's young defender Varane to secure the home team a draw in the 81st minute. 

Madrid were without five first-team players for their fourth Clasico of the season, as Iker Casillas and Pepe missed out because of injury, while the likes of Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria were all absent through suspension. Barcelona, meanwhile, named a full-strength starting line-up, with Jose Pinto retaining his place in goal, as he has done for the Copa del Rey.

For all their missing men it was los Blancos that made the brighter start of the two sides. Within a minute of kick-off Ronaldo was charging at the heart of the Barcelona defence, and his driving run towards goal was only stopped by a cynical challenge from Gerard Pique. The Portuguese attacker took the set piece himself and proceeded to force Pinto into making a fine diving stop.

In the 12th minute a moment of mastery from Andres Iniesta created a chance for the overlapping Jordi Alba, but the Barcelona left-back could only volley wide of Diego Lopez's goal after bursting through the Madrid defence and connecting with Iniesta's effortless chipped pass. 

Moments after being booked for a mistimed challenge on Cesc Fabregas, Ricardo Carvalho bundled into Iniesta 25 yards from goal, and from the resulting free kick Xavi came within inches of giving Barcelona the lead, as his devilish curling effort rattled the crossbar with Lopez beaten. 

Carvalho then nearly supplied an assist for Barcelona when his tame back-pass allowed Messi to steal the ball and tee up Xavi inside the Madrid box. The Barcelona midfielder arrowed a shot towards the bottom left corner but Madrid's young centre-back Varane was there on the line to brilliantly hack Xavi's goal-bound strike away from danger. 

On the half hour mark, Karim Benzema nearly scored for the home side when he found space in behind the Barcelona back-line to meet Jose Callejon's superb pass and send a volley crashing into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Somehow, a frantic opening first half ended 0-0 despite an avalanche of chances being created by two teams putting clear emphasis on attack rather than defence. 

Madrid mimicked their strong start to the first half after the break and fashioned a chance after just 40 seconds of the second period - Benzema hammering a shot over 18 yards from goal. 

Despite their pressure Madrid found themselves a goal behind in the 50th minute when Fabregas clinically side-footed the ball past Lopez after being played in by Messi. Just a single touch was needed by Messi to both dispossess Xabi Alonso and play a weighted through ball into the path of Fabregas, with the former Arsenal captain producing a cool finish to give the Catalan side a 1-0 lead. 

Then, if not for a sumptuously timed challenge from Varane, Fabregas could well have given Barcelona a two-goal lead. The Frenchman's tackle on his opponent brought Jose Mourinho to his feet, and prompted the coach to make an immediate change with his team on the back foot - introducing Luka Modric for Callejon.

Ronaldo then missed a glorious opportunity to head Madrid level from close range, but he could not test Pinto after connecting with Essien's teasing cross from the right. 

Pique, perhaps not to be outshone by Varane up the other end, then produced an equally brilliant tackle on Ronaldo as the Portugal international shaped to send a shot goalwards inside the Barcelona penalty area. 

With Barcelona seemingly set to hold out for the win, up popped Varane in the 81st minute to rise highest and send an emphatic header past Pinto from Mesut Ozil's free kick to make it 1-1 and set up an enticing second leg at Camp Nou on February 26.

Source: goal.com

donderdag 10 januari 2013

Sergio Ramos receives a five-match ban

Sergio Ramos Receives 5-Match Ban After Insulting Referee

Hi-res-159186633_crop_exact

Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has received a five-match ban after insulting the referee in the match against Celta in the King’s Cup.

Ramos was sent off in the 73rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for his foul on Celta’s Augusto Fernández.

The ban breakdown is one match as a direct result of the double yellow card, and the extra four are for the abuse he directed at the referee.

The 26-year-old Andalusian was then seen having a heated conversation with the referee Ayra Gámez. Gámez later wrote the content of Ramos’ verbal attack in the official match report (via AS):

"As soon as I showed a yellow card to number 4 of Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos García, the player turned to me and said 'You're a disgrace.' He repeated this three times and then said 'you are always trying to screw us over' a further two times."

After the match the defender reiterated his anger with regards to the decision and insisted he believed it was “unfair”. Taking to twitter later the same night the Real Madrid player said he regretted his words, saying they were the result of the tension after being sent off.

The extent of his ban was announced the day after the match and Ramos continued commenting the incident on twitter. He said he “was sad for his teammates and fans,” he also said that he “hoped that they would be as ‘strict and fair’ with referees who make mistakes game after game.”



The replays of his sending-off are not conclusive as to whether Ramos left his foot up intentionally to stop Fernandez from running forward. He then caught Fernandez in the face with his right foot.

Had the referee interpreted it as a voluntary gesture, the Madrid player would have received a straight red card and an automatic additional three-match ban for violent conduct.

Madrid have appealed the first of the two yellow cards the defender picked up, this was for another heated discussion with De Lucas in the 42nd minute. Marca reported that they will appeal the four-match ban for the insults. If their appeals are successful the ban may be reduced.

Marca also reported that Ramos had called the head of referees, Sanchéz Arminion to apologise following the match. Arminio said:

"He called me to apologise and he told me that he didn't intend to disrespect the match officials. I told him that he had disrespected the refereeing profession and that he should have spoken with the matchday officials themselves."

As it stands, Ramos will miss the two cup games against Valencia and the matches against Osasuna, Valencia and Getafe in La Liga.

Source: Bleacher Report