Glory for Premier League teams
For the first time in nine years, the English Premier League title will be decided in the final 90 minutes of the season.
Manchester United and Chelsea both won their games last weekend, which means they go into the last game of the 2007-2008 soccer season level on points. The only thing that separates them is Manchester United's superior goal difference. Despite having a man sent off, Manchester United easily overcame West Ham United 4-1, leaving Chelsea needing to win at Newcastle United. Chelsea rose to the challenge, coming away with a 2-0 win and are still in with a chance of claiming the Premiership crown.
This week also saw the top two sides win through to the final of the European Champions' League, with United beating Barcelona, while Chelsea saw off Liverpool. So, the rivalry is set to continue even after next Sunday's showdown. Arsenal will finish third after their unconvincing 1-0 win over Everton, while the fourth spot, and the final European Champion's League place for next season will go to Liverpool, after their 1-0 win over Manchester City. It's been a disappointing season for both Arsenal and Liverpool.
Next Sunday will also be a nail-biting time for supporters of the four teams at the other end of the table that are still involved in the fight to avoid relegation to the Championship. The only side definitely relegated is Derby County; they lost yet again, this time to Blackburn Rovers with a scoreline of 3-1. The big relegation battle took place at Craven Cottage, where Fulham took on Birmingham City. Fulham's 2-0 win was huge for them, boosting them up two places and out of the relegation zone for the first time since Boxing Day. The result leaves Birmingham second-from-bottom and staring relegation in the face. Meanwhile, Reading dropped into the bottom three thanks thanks to a 1-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Fifth-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers won their game against Sunderland 2-0, gaining them valuable points as they seek to stay in the Premiership. Come Sunday evening, two out of four teams, Birmingham, Reading, Fulham and Bolton, will be relegated to the Championship League, so they have everything to play for. Wigan Athletic and Middlesborough both guaranteed themselves another season of Premiership soccer by winning their games: Wigan won 2-0 at Aston Villa, while Middlesborough beat Portsmouth by the same score.
The Championship season finished last weekend: League Champions West Bromwich Albion (yay!) will be promoted next season, along with Premiership first-timers Stoke City. The final promotion spot will go to one of four teams, Hull City, Bristol City, Crystal Palace or Watford, who will battle it out in the playoffs later this month. Catch all the end of season Premiership action in a live TV special, set for next Sunday from 11 a.m. local time.
2008 CanadaEast Interactive, Brunswick News Inc. All rights reserved.
All to play for as Chelsea and United chase dream double
THERE is no doubt that if offered the choice between Champions League glory in Moscow on 21 May and the Premier League title, both Chelsea and Manchester United would choose the former.
For Chelsea, who disposed of Liverpool a 3-2 score in a thrilling semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, live a first European soccer Cup in the club's history would represent the final piece in the jigsaw Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich started when he took ownership of the west London club five years ago. Since then he has bankrolled the club to two league titles as well as FA Cup and League Cup successes. It is no secret, however, that the Champions League is the trophy Abramovich, as well as the Chelsea players and fans covet most.
Manchester United, who edged past Barcelona 1-0 on Tuesday, believe that a third European Cup is long overdue for a club of their stature. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is desperate to add a second European championship to the won so memorably secured in Barcelona nine years ago. That said, clubs of the stature of United and Chelsea are defined by their insatiable greed for silverware and both will be desperate to head to Russia in search of a glorious double with the league title safely in possession. Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge last Saturday means the race for the Premier League is as tight as a drum once again after United looked as if they had one hand on the title. Only goal difference in United's favour separates the two with two games remaining.
Never before has two English clubs entered the last three weeks of a season with so much at stake. It promises to make for compelling viewing. Whatever happens in Moscow, Chelsea captain John Terry is adamant Avram Grant has done enough to hold on to his job after guiding the Blues to the first Champions League final in their history.
When asked if he thought Grant had already done enough to secure his job, Terry replied: "I would have thought so.
"Results don't lie. You look at the Premier League table since the manager has taken over and they have been very good. It is for the club to make that decision. All we can do once we are out there and once the manager is in charge is do our best and that's what we have done to get to the Champions League final. Avram plays a massive part along with the players, Steve Clarke, Henk ten Cate, the fans and everyone at the club. It is a credit to ourselves and the way we have dealt with things this year because at times it has not been easy. I think he (Grant) deserves respect and rightly so. It is the first time in the club's history we have got to a Champions League final, it has never been done by any manager or set of players before and he does deserve it. To get to where we are and still question the manager's role at the club is unbelievable."
However, former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri fears reaching the Champions League final will not save Grant's job unless he beats Manchester United in Moscow. Italian coach Ranieri was sacked in 2004 when owner Roman Abramovich decided to bring in Jose Mourinho from Porto and while Grant was chosen to succeed Mourinho early this season, speculation persists that he will be ousted this summer. Ranieri, now coach of Serie A giants Juventus, said: "I think if Grant doesn't win, I think he's finished in the job.
"I think if Grant wins something, then okay, maybe he'll continue, but if not...I don't know the mind of Roman Abramovich, it's very difficult to know what he thinks."
A day after the greatest moment of his manegerial career, Grant was in Poland yesterday to take part in the March of the Living, an annual event at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau that honors the memory of some six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. It was Grant's seventh visit to Auschwitz with his son Daniel, 14, and wife Tsofit.
2008 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Tonight's sports overview
European Soccer and rugby dominate Friday night's live sports scores action, with eight matches taking place in the eicom League and three matches scheduled in the Magners League.
Moreover in the second round of the Volvo China Open was completed this morning and Damien McGrane remains in contention to claim his maiden victory on the European Tour.
Copyright RTE 2008
Donovan unable to appease his critics
A supremely talented and spectacularly decorated attacker will suit up Thursday at Home Depot Center.
His trophy shelf includes three MLS titles, a U.S. Open Cup crown and a record four Honda U.S. Player of the Year medals. He's scored more goals in a U.S. shirt than anyone, including a massive strike in a historic World Cup win over Mexico. The accolades could go on. Suffice to say, he's undeniably talented, marketable, affable and humble despite his accomplished career. He's just a pretty good egg.
So why do so many soccer fans hate Landon Donovan? Inexplicably, there's a significant faction of Donovan-bashers, and I just don't get it. To say "dislikes" is understating the case. Plenty of soccer fans get all red-faced and huffy puffy at the mention of his name, speaking of Donovan in disparaging R-rated language, labeling him a "punk," a "disgrace," a "gutless wonder" and such. Where does that level of acrimony originate?
Even when he suits up for U.S. Soccer, Donovan is a flash point. Obviously it all goes back to his pair of European flybys. He left our country for Germany as a 16-year-old. He didn't enjoy it, so back he came. Then it happened again, his second stay with Bayer Leverkusen going no better than the first. So Donovan returned stateside again. And so what?
Donovan preferred life in the United States. Is that really such an awful thing, to enjoy your country and prefer it? It's not exactly drowning kittens, now is it? And yet, lots of people punish him for it. Donovan says he doesn't spend much time trying to understand it.
"The reality is, when you're somewhat successful at what you do, there's always a group of people who aren't going to like you," he said Monday. "I like to think I live my life the right way, and that's what's important. But I understand that people are passionate about soccer, and I can see where they wouldn't like me as a soccer player."
Ultimately, Donovan says, he cares most about what his teammates and managers think about him. Actually, I suppose I do get it. I understand the hostility; I just don't agree with it. Americans love their heroes and expect them to rise to a certain standard. They want their aces to be daredevils or conquerors, hell-bent for greatness and glory. To do otherwise somehow violates the founding tenets of our nation, that quintessentially American notion of working hard, climbing the ladder, achieving the dream.
They see talented people like Donovan as characters in a book, not as mere human beings. In Donovan's case, a generation of U.S. soccer fans wanted desperately for him to be the breakthrough superstar in Europe, the man who could finally, firmly plant the American flag in EU soil without wearing a pair of goalie gloves. I understand that American fans are desperate for this player. But truthfully, that's not Donovan's problem. It's not his burden to bear. FC Dallas manager Steve Morrow said, no disrespect to MLS, that Donovan may well have become a better player if pushed beyond his comfort zone by a tougher European league. But Morrow also said that's somewhat beside the point.
"For me, it's all about a player being happy and comfortable," Morrow said. "If a player isn't comfortable in his environment, he's probably not going to improve. A lot of young players have gone abroad and maybe it wasn't the right situation for them. He's still young as well. Maybe he can still go later at a better time for him, in a better situation. He's still got that for him."
Fans may argue that Donovan will never quite reach peak potential if he's not playing in Europe, not grinding away in the those tough practices, unchallenged by better players in domestic play and Champions League. And there's probably some truth to it. But that doesn't matter. We all make decisions about our lives, our careers, our families, etc. We have all earned that right as human beings, and so has Donovan. It's incredibly selfish of people who wish to live the soccer sweet life vicariously. Donovan doesn't owe those people a thing. So the legion of Donovan bashers, upset that he's not their chosen soccer savior, unfairly devalue his accomplishments. Past machismo-inspired silliness and misguided expectations, none of the classic Donovan criticisms stands up to scrutiny.
"He only scores for the national side on PKs."
Show me a striker with big totals and I can probably show you a team's PK taker. Plus, anybody who has been on the field knows that plenty of players on every team want nothing to do with spot kicks. Too much pressure.
"He's scored all those U.S. goals against bad teams." Countless fellows have played countless matches against CONCACAF minnows and haven't come close to his scoring deeds.
Each and every criticism conveniently overlooks that Donovan is undeniably one of the elite in terms of talent in our country. Say otherwise and you're dangerously close to slipping over the edge of soccer nincompoopery. Here's something else: He's become a brand-name star without becoming a big-time jerk. He's done it the right way, never running afoul of the law. Image-wise, he's clean as Hannah Montana. Believe it, America: Not all of your sporting heroes are as upright. Not only is he generally accommodating for press and promotion, he can do it in Spanish as well as English. That from a man who lives in Los Angeles, a town lousy with athletes and artists who might have to close their eyes and think really hard to manage basic subject-verb agreement in one language, much less two.
Donovan had a bad night in the Galaxy opener, possibly one of his worst in a Galaxy kit. But he also provided perhaps the only L.A. highlight in the horror show: The man some call "Landycakes" got in Ciaran O'Brien's face for the stupid, needless whack at Carlos Ruiz. That's as much heart as anyone from the Galaxy showed all evening. Donovan has his faults. He's a soccer player, not a patron saint. I just can't understand the level of vitriol over a guy who does everything he's asked for club and country.
In most sports, stars get the benefit of the doubt and then some. Fans stand by their heroes despite overwhelming evidence that they are rotten characters. Too many superstars wouldn't bother to dial 911 if someone were on fire, unless some agency rep was offering a USD 30,000 appearance fee to do so. For some reason it's different in soccer. In this sport, in this country, they sometimes eat their own.
Copyright 2008 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Everton 3-1 Portsmouth
David Moyes dropped Fernandes from the squad (he may be injured) and was also without Arteta, whose stomach/groin muscle problem continues. Cahill and Pienaar played, but with the after-effects of that bug going around Finch Farm.
Everton got off to an absolutely brilliant start, a free-kick inside the first 10 seconds being converted for the opening goal in just 50 seconds, The Yak's 17th of the season. Yakubu had been fouled on his first touch as Portsmouth gave the ball away from the kick-off. Pienaar floated in the free-kick up and Yobo challenged too. They had another free-kick even closer to the Pompey area after 5 mins but Carsley ballooned it horribly whigh and wide. At the other end, Johnson totally lost Pienaar out wide on Everton's left and cut in to pull the ball back dangerously but Carsley blocked the ball away.
Some brilliant play between Cahill and Pienaar ended with Cahill over-stretching as a he ran in on what looked like a fantastic chance but he connected poorly. Neville's follow-up shot was abysmally wide. Pienaar cleverly on a corner from a cunning backheel, but from the following clearance, Carsley's pile-driver was driven into the ground. More superb build-up play allowed Osman to strike but it also screwed wide of James's goal. Portsmouth some life down the Everton right as well and should have had a corner, but instead play went up the other end an Mariner ordered a good old-fashioned drop-ball that Cahill contested manfully. The ball then came to Cahill but his quick shot was poorly executed. Better marksmanship all round would have seem Everton streets away after half an hour...
Distin was booked for tangling with Cahill, and from the free-kick, it was Pienaar whose hurried shot was fired well wide again. Pienaar then won a corner, pressurising the much bigger Campbell, but the corner evaded everyone, with no-one hanging wide to collect the poor clearance. Everton paid the penalty for the shocking profligacy of their hopeless shooting when, out of an unconvincing move, a probing ball from Johnson ended up in net as Defoe came in on Howard and perhaps got the faintest of touches to confuse the flailing Everton keeper. Score 1-1 totally undeserved, and very worrying!
Everton tried to respond but cohesion was lacking, while Portsmouth's movement looked somewhat better, if sporadic. A smoother move with Yakubu and Osman saw the little fella fire yet another chance wide. A great advantage squandered by half-time, Everton with everything to do again. Funny how those very early goals seem to lull the Blues into a false sense of security. Nervy times in teh second half as a much more confident Portsmouth took the game to Everton both european soccer teams. Kanu ran in on Howard with Yobo powerless to stop him but Lescott intervened. Pompey's corners looked more dangerous too as Everton struggled to clear their lines and move the ball forward with meaningful effect.
Heridesen really gave the Blues a fright, getting past Hibbert and causing havoc in the Everton area as it all got rather worrying. But Cahill worked things better at the other end and finally won Everton a corner 10 mins into the half. However, after playing some great build-up football on the ground in the first half, Everton were now resorting to high ball s into the Portsmouth area, a strategy that was foolhardy, to put it mildly: Midget Gems against the Pompey Giants. On a break down the Everton right, Neville did very well to keep up with Distin and put the ball out for a corner. Everton started to look a little better on the hour mark, the normal Substitution Hour for Moyesy...time for Vaughan or Anichebe perhaps? Lescott did well to earn a corner, delivered in superbly with pace by Pienaar. However, Johnson pushed Lescott in the back to prevent him from heading a ball in the area, but no penalty given (duh!).
Hibbert was the one to be sacrificed in the quest for a goal... but it was another midget in the shape of Andy Johnson who Moyes decided to bring on. Pienaar was booked for a late tackle. AJ's first task was to run at the Portsmouth area and cross for Pienaar but he lost his footing, giving the Gwladys Street plenty of reason to bray for another ungiven penalty. AJ won a corner that Osman delivered harmlessly into the hands of David James. AJ put the ball in the net but Yakubu was just offside when he set up the little fella. The effect oh his introduction, however, had been to totally galvanise the crowd and give the impetus firmly back to Everton. But a quick break by Defoe was not fast enough to catch the Blues napping.
The next move, however, showed Everton at their absolute best, Cahill laundching as great ball down the left to Yakubu who had a tremendous amount of work to do, shielding, holding off a defender, and then playing it back to Pienaar in space. His cross was nailed in by a superb salmon-like leap from Cahill, who had of course run a mile to get into the perfect position on the near post, away from everyone (except Andy Johnson) to plant a superb header past James that was unstoppable. Everton back in front! A bizarre moment saw James out of his area, defending on his own against Osman, whose cross was bound to evade him surely?...it was James with the next salmon impression, leaping to head the cross out for a corner! Distin should really have been booked for shoving AJ off the ball...but no, it would have been his second yellow...and against Johnson?, never!
It was AJ again who was behind the move that sealed the game, a fantastic crossfield ball deep to Yakubu that Campbell perhaps should have cleared but The Yak picked up the ball, dodged behind the big defender, and lashed in a fantastic shot that nearly took James's noggin in with it! Everton 3-1 and cruising!!!! Six goals in the last three games for the very well-fed Yak. Yobo looked to make it four off a corner near the end. A fantastic result, and a tremendous second-half recovery just as Portsmouth looked to be taking the initiative, with David Moyes making the inspired and crucial substitution that turned the game.
1994-2008 TOFFEEWEB.COM
On A Knife Edge
Its games like this that make you realise how fortunate you are to support a club like Arsenal from the European Soccer League. Going into the match I wasn't so much filled with nerves or apprehension, as excitement. When we drew Real Madrid two seasons ago, I recall being thankful for the opportunity to see Zinedine Zidane in the flesh in the final year of his career (I was just as pleased to see him totally ineffective in both legs). This year I feel similarly about Maldini, an absolute giant of the modern game. The contrast in the two sides had been well discussed in the build up; Europe's up and coming pretenders against the established old guard. Would the young upstarts be able to break into the palace and usurp the established order? Victory "running in blood down palace walls" as William Blake once put it.
The opening thirty minutes may not have offered the blood and thunder of a Premiership match, but, without wishing to sound overly pretentious, there was plenty on offer for admirers of the technical game. The two sides were "feeling each other out" to borrow and old boxing expression. Milan, as one would expect, were compact and tight, relying largely on the Brazilian duo of Kaka and Pato to use their twinkling toes on the counter attack. Flamini continued his superb form by expertly marshalling Kaka. This left Pato very isolated, and Gallas and Senderos coped with him pretty comfortably all night. I spoke in my article yesterday about some of the difficult decisions facing Wenger in the coming weeks. One of those decisions was made for him on seven minutes when Pirlo's shot hit Toure and the Ivorian had to go off with a pulled calf muscle. One could sense it was in the water after his incredibly jaded display on Saturday and I was not at all surprised to see him withdrawn so early. Wenger`s candid post-math
assessment that Kolo had simply played too much football confirming this.
The Rossoneri, playing in their supposedly lucky white kit (five of their seven successful European Cup Final wins were in white), forced the first chance of the game. Seedorf`s corner was swung into the Arsenal six yard area, but Lehmann tipped Maldini's header away from danger. It would take Arsenal 38 minutes to create their first clear breakthrough, with Milan's defence predictably resolutely drilled. Bacary Sagna fed Eboue on the right hand side, he skipped brilliantly inside Kaladze and pulled back for Flamini, only for the Flanimal to fire a low shot straight at the keeper. At this point I have to say I concur with Ozi; Eboue obviously had a severe telling off from the manager, because he was superb. Probably our most potent attacking threat running at Kaladze. We saw the Eboue we all wanted to see, the Eboue who runs at defenders, who can arc in a pinpoint cross, who can beat three players with two touches. He would become the focal point of most of our best moves. The Gunners looked galvanised by the
opportunity and threatened to carve Milan open again. Hleb broke away and fed Adebayor, with Cesc running free in the centre, Adebayor`s reverse pass was overcooked and the chance evaporated. Hleb and Adebayor began to come into the game, having previously been camouflaged by Milan`s excellent stifling instincts.
The second half was less touchy feely and more of a getting to grips. Arsenal came over peculiarly British a case of owners beginning to mimic their dogs as they upped the tempo, realising that Milan's ageing limbs were our best focal point. Arsenal's superior fitness levels have carried them over the finishing line in the high octane habitat of the Premiership, with a Serie A side considerably longer in the tooth; the Gunners looked to hit them where it hurts. Arsenal's hand was strengthened when Alessandro Nesta was taken off injured, meaning Jankulovski came on at left back. Here the Gunners would find a chink in Milan's immaculate defensive armour and Eboue began to have his way. Arsenal's catalyst was a Sagna inspired break away down the right, he found Hleb in space, who danced past the hapless Jankulovski and pulled back for Eboue, who dragged his shot wide. The home side could taste blood, Fabregas' presence grew, he slipped a ball into the lurking Eduardo who fired his shot over the bar. Arsenal continued their sustained territorial dominance, but a wily Milan side rode the storm. The Gunners ascendancy was curtailed by Milan as Pato turned inside Clichy and sent over a low cross, which caused a goalmouth melee, but Senderos cleared in the nick of time.
Wenger brought Bendtner on with Milan looking out on their feet, holding on for the final whistle as the lactic acid imbued their limbs, Bendtner gave Arsenal a greater presence upfront. Arsenal might have had a penalty when Jankulovski brushed Eboue's leg in the area, but the Ivorian's theatrics ensured he received a yellow card to spoil what was a great performance from him. Milan briefly threatened again when Gilardino turned a header goalwards from Kaka`s corner, but Lehmann was expertly positioned. A Fabregas pull back fell invitingly for Bendtner who pummelled his shot over. As the fourth official held up the board for four minutes injury time, the sense that Arsenal could score was palpable in the stadium. On 93 minutes, Theo Walcott turned Jankulovski inside out and sent over a teasing cross which completely eliminated Kalac in the Milan goal, but Adebayor's header rattled the crossbar.
It was a frustrating end to an absorbing match; I think a 1-0 first leg lead would not have flattered us. But Milan's gameplan was clearly executed as they felt a 0-0 draw was good value. I feel this is an ever so marginally better result for us than it is them as they did not get a much coveted away goal. This effectively makes the second leg a one off match; however, we are in a position where we do not necessarily have to win it. A 1-1 draw sees us through, Milan need to win outright. They may be confident of doing this on their own turf, but I feel we have seen where we can hurt them. In the last twenty five minutes of the match our superior energy told. If we can keep the second leg level until the seventy minute mark, we can feel very confident of going through. Alternatively, an early goal will see Milan need to open up and there are few teams in Europe better suited to the counter attacking game than us. The margins are very, very tight and it sounds obvious, but I think this may be a case of first goal wins. A few outside of our camp seem to be lukewarm about our chances, but this tie is very, very close. Our youngsters have shown they can live with Europe's finest, but there is a hint of regret that we did not seal our dominance with a goal. Really, what we could have done with WAS a referee willing to handicap the opposition by sending off one of their centre halves after twenty five minutes.LD.
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ScoresToSMS.com Launches New Service, Sending Live Sporting Updates to Mobile Phones Internationally
With the recent launch of ScoresToSMS.com, soccer enthusiasts can keep their heads in the game whenever and wherever they want. The new mobile service relays virtually all kinds of soccer updates and information via SMS to cell phone users around the world.
(PRWEB) February 21, 2008. With the recent launch of ScoresToSMS.com, the match never has to end. The new mobile service enables soccer enthusiasts of virtually any kind to receive live scores and other information on their favorite team or league anywhere in the world via SMS
Through the ScoresToSMS.com website, users can select various information options to be text delivered to their cell phones, including specific tournaments, games, teams, and leagues. Updates will then be sent to users' mobile phones in real time during a match. Among the sporting updates available through ScoresToSMS.com is information on game odds. Live betting odds from major bookmakers can be accessed and compared in an aggregated look in the ScoresToSMS.com "Best Odds" online section.
During the month of February, ScoresToSMS.com is offering to match its new users' initial deposits up to 50 percent. To take advantage of this special service launch offer, simply use the coupon code "FebLaunch" after making an initial deposit through the website.
From Europe to South America, Africa to Asia and back again, ScoresToSMS.com keeps soccer addicts around the globe in tune with their favorite teams, their rankings, best odds, and much more. The ScoresToSMS.com site includes stats and information on the English, Spanish, Italian and German leagues as well as all other country leagues around Europe, South and North America, Africa and Asia.
UEFA Champions League and Cup, Copa Libertadores, Arabian Championships are just a few of the group stats included on the website. In addition to live matches, previous days' game history, as well as future fixtures, are available as a site feature. Registration is free. Users are charged a one-time fee to receive live score updates but are not charged any additional fees for receiving SMS messages from ScoresToSMS.com. The average price for SMS is about 0.11 euros. This price is approximate and depends on country and mobile operator. The exact charge will be determined with the first test message.
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