Displaying posts categorized under

Football

Viduka turns down Australia

Former Australia captain Mark Viduka has turned down the chance to join the Socceroos in their remaining three World Cup qualifiers.
Australia coach Pim Verbeek told Viduka he could join the squad if he was willing to make a full commitment to the side.
But the striker, out of contract after his English club Newcastle United [...]

Guardiola warns Spain over Iniesta

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has warned the Spanish Football Federation not to risk midfielder Andres Iniesta’s health at next month’s Confederations Cup.
Iniesta returned from a right thigh injury to star in Barcelona’s 2-0 Champions League final win over Manchester United on Wednesday.
Guardiola is worried the Spain international may be rushed back too soon for [...]

Chelsea wins FA Cup

Chelsea have won England’s FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Everton at Wembley.
Midfielder Frank Lampard capped a dominant display with a stunning second half goal to win Chelsea’s first piece of silverware since 2007.
Lampard’s goal on 72 minutes put his side ahead after Didier Drogba had equalised in the first half after Louis [...]

Champions League Final: Player Ratings

Impressive is too weak a word to describe the display by the Spanish champions who have now won their second UEFA Champions League title in four years. And they did it how they have been doing it all season long — in Spain and in Europe — with a confident, skilled offense (Lionel Messi, [...]

Defeated Ferguson praises pass masters Barcelona

Barcelona’s “killer” first goal and their ability to control a game once in front were decisive in their 2-0 Champions League final victory Wednesday, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said.
“I think the first goal was a killer for us,” Ferguson told ITV. “We started brightly too. We got a bit nervous after that.”
United did [...]

Mesmerizing Barcelona Beat Manchester United With Style in Champions League Final

Patience, flair and a brilliant game of keep-away prevailed over force Wednesday night when Barcelona dominated Manchester United, 2-0, to win the European Champions League title, Europe’s most prestigious club soccer tournament.
Barcelona controlled the ball for long stretches with its unhurried and clever passing, attacked incessantly, held tight with a patchwork defense and made [...]

Coach says Roethlisberger is fine for Super Bowl

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is fine for the Super Bowl.
Roethlisberger was drilled in the back during the AFC championship game. He spent a lot of time stretching his torso during a practice this week.
Tomlin met with the media Friday and said the quarterback was set to play Sunday against the [...]

Van der Vaart bags hat-trick as Real massacre Sporting

MADRID (AFP) – Rafael van der Vaart endeared himself to the Real Madrid fans with a hat-trick as the champions crushed Sporting Gijon 7-1 on Wednesday to go second in the table.
Dutch midfielder van der Vaart, a 13 million-euro summer signing from SV Hamburg, netted twice in the first half before wrapping up his [...]

Giants suspend star receiver Burress for 1 game

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – A yearlong ankle injury could not keep Plaxico Burress out of the New York Giants’ lineup last season. The lack of a telephone call this week apparently is going to cost him a game and more than $235,000.
Less than a month after handing the man who caught the winning pass [...]

‘Horrendous’ tackle leaves Ferguson fuming

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was furious after the “horrendous” Emanuel Pogatetz tackle which floored his young Brazilian star Rodrigo Possebon on his full debut for the Premier League champions.
Possebon had to be given oxygen as he was stretchered off just after the hour mark in United’s 3-1 home victory over Middlesbrough in the [...]