Scholes sets up all English Final
April 30, 2008
Manchester United secured a place in the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Barcelona. It will be United’s first final in 9 years and the first ever all-English European Cup final with Liverpool and Chelsea fighting for the other place tonight.
Paul Scholes’ brilliant 35-yard strike after 14 minutes secured the win in a game where Barcelona dominated but were unable to muster many clear cut chances.
A rejuvenated Barca set the pace from the start and they could have had an early penalty when Scholes tripped Lionel Messi right on the white wash of the box, referee Herbert Fandel correctly called it as a free kick and not a penalty.
The goal after 14 minutes was totally against the run of play, Gianluca Zambrotta’s poor clearance found the Oldham born midfielder in space, striking across the ball Scholes found the top corner giving Victor Valdes no chance.
Barca came back with Deco have two shots from outside the box, one going over and one wide of Van Der Saar’s goal. Ji-Sung Park nearly grabbed a second for United but it looked set for a 1-0 win. Sub Thierry Henry headed straight at Van Der Saar in the second half as the Spainaird threw everything at the home team.
The United back four stood strong, without Vidic again with a centre back pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown keeping the Barca front line relatively quiet.
Liverpool face Chelsea tonight in the second leg of their match at Stamford Bridge with the game poised at 1-1.
Ronaldo fires a blank in Barcelona
April 23, 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in the second Champions League Semi final match tonight as Manchester United held on for a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp against Barcelona.
Ronaldo won the penalty in the second minute of the game when his header was hand-balled by Barcelona’s Gabriel Milito. Ronaldo chipped wide from the spot as Barca keeper Victor Valdes dived the opposite way.
The home side went on to dominate the match with Lionel Messi being the stand out player, but from all the possession and great build up play the home side couldn’t take the lead and now go into second leg with no goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo may have been given a second opportunity from the spot when he was fouled as could have Samuel Eto’o, but referee Massimo Busacca felt the one penalty on the night was enough.
United did do well with a makeshift back four after Nemanja Vidic pulled out of the match with a stomach problem, Owen Hargreaves filled in at right back with Wes Brown moving to centre back.
United should win the second leg but with Messi reaching full fitness the Spaniards will be looking for a place in the final. Next leg, at Old Trafford next Tuesday.
Arne Riise gives Chelsea the advatange?
April 23, 2008
John Arne Riise’s injury time own goal earned Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg of the Champions League Semi-Final. Arne Riise’s headed own goal from a Salomon Kalou cross in the fifth minutes of injury team even the tie up after Dirk Kuyt had given the home side the lead three minutes before the half time break.
Liverpool had chances to extend their one goal lead in the second half but they will have to score in the second leg next Wednesday to stand a chance of progressing to the final. Chelsea may have taken the lead in the first half when Didier Drogba was brought down on the edge of the Liverpool penalty box by Jamie Carragher. It looked like a foul on the edge of the box and a resulting red card for Carragher but the referee waved away appeals from Drogba.
Liverpool’s first chance of the half fell to their talisman Fernando Torres, a neat ball from Steven Gerrard found Torres who shot straight at Chelsea keeper Petr Cech. Liverpool did take the lead when Kuyt tackled Frank Lampard on the edge of the Chelsea box, a mistimed shot from Javier Mascherano found Kuyt who slotted the ball past the on rushing Cech.
The second leg takes place next Tuesday will the ball firmly in Chelsea’s court thanks to Liverpool’s John Arne Riise’s putting the ball in is own net.
Lampard and Gerrard ready for the battle of Britain III
April 21, 2008
Chelsea’s Frank Lampard is back for the Champions League semi-final clash with Liverpool on Tuesday, while the reds should welcome back captain Steven Gerrard from a neck injury.
Lampard has missed the last two games due to his mothers illness. Gerrard had a neck problem which forced him out of the weekends action but the midfielder was able to train today.
The two sides meet in the semi-final of the European Cup for the 3rd time in four years, with Liverpool securing wins in both previous meetings. Arvan Grant is confident that his team can progress third time round with his team not thinking of getting revenge. While Liverpool boss Benitez seens no difference in the Blue’s under Grant from the Mourinho team “There’s no difference between this year’s Chelsea and last year’s. I think it’s more or less the same. It could be they have less spirit than under Jose Mourinho.”
The difference this time around could be the first leg will be played at Anfield and the second at Stamford Bridge, the Reds will be looking to take a lead into the second leg. The game kicks off at 19:45 Tuesday, with the second leg being in a week on the Wednesday.
Three English teams into the semi-finals
April 10, 2008
It’s been a good couple of nights for the English teams in Europe with three teams going into the Champions League semi finals. Arsenal were the only losers 4-2 to Liverpool on the night going out 5-3 on aggregate. Chelsea turned around a first leg defeat against Fenerbahce winning 2-0 on the night to go through 3-2, Ballack and Lampard with the goals.
Many fans though that the performance wasn’t great but Avram Grant’s team have managed to make a 3rd semi final against Liverpool in 4 years.
Manchester Untied sealed their place last night with a 1-0 win over Roma to get a 3-0 overall win. United’s place in the next round was never in doubt and Roma even missed a penalty in the first half before Tevez stuck the only goal of the night.
In the four tie Barcelona beat Schalke 04 thanks to a goal from Toure Yaya, the Spaniard’s going into the next round thanks to a 2-0 aggregate score.
The semi final line up has already been arranged and Liverpool will meet Chelsea, the first leg at Anfield. Manchester United meet Barcelona playing at the Nou Camp in the first leg.
Liverpool V Arsenal – Third time round?
April 8, 2008
It’s a third meeting for the sides in quick succession and tonight there will be a winner after three 1-1 draws so far this season. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this Champions League quarter final the game will be decided and extra time is there if needed.
Liverpool will be without winger Jermaine Pennant who has suffered a hamstring injury. He joins Daniel Agger and Harry Kewell who have long term injuries. Javier Mascherano, who has sat out the domestic games due to a ban will play in the middle of the park for the home side. Gerrard and Torres will return after sitting out the league match on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger will have Robin van Persie in the squad after a thigh injury in the first leg and Abou Diaby is fit too.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Lucas, Torres, Voronin, Crouch, Kuyt, Itandje.
Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Diaby, Fabregas, Toure, Senderos, Gallas, van Persie, Hleb, Flamini, Song, Gilberto, Clichy, Almunia, Adebayor, Bendtner, Eboue, Hoyte, Walcott.
Champions League draw
March 14, 2008
Well the draw is in and some tasty ties to be had.
Champions League quarter-final draw:
1 Arsenal v Liverpool
2 AS Roma v Man Utd
3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea
Champions League semi-final draw:
1 Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
2 Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd
Man U play Roma again, which the Roma side would probably have wanted to avoid after the 7-1 thrashing last year.
Arsenal play Liverpool in an all English quarter and should the European specialists Liverpool get through that one it would probably be the usual Liverpool vs. Chelsea semi.
Expect Barcelona to also go through although stranger things have happened.
My prediction for the semi is as follows:
Liverpool vs. Chelsea
Barcelona vs Man Utd.
And then it’s anyone’s guess.
Liverpool prepare for Inter Milan at the San Siro
March 11, 2008
Tonight Liverpool take a 2-0 lead to the San Siro looking for place in the Quarter Finals of the Champions League. Goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool a healthy lead from the first leg and Inter have Marco Materazzi suspended following a red card in the first leg and Christian Chivu missing due to injury.
Xavi Alonso will miss the match as his partner is giving birth but Javier Mascherano is ok after a groin injury.
The game is live on SkySports 2 tonight at 19:30
UEFA Cup action
February 22, 2008
Several English teams took part in the also-ran cup last night with some impressive results.
Everton had a barn-storming night, dispatching SK Brann 6-1 at home to give an aggregate malling of 8-1 to the Toffees.
A Yakubu hat-trick will take the plaudits but there were also goals for strike partner Andrew Johnson (2) that will give lots of confidence to the Merseysiders. Mikel Arteta, who has been having a rather non-productive time as of late, also had a deflected shot go in which will help in his quest for form. An all-round team performance, capped by the goal-scoring abilities of the above three players, will make Moyes a very happy man and will no doubt give the team confidence in the push for fourth in the league and against Fiorentina in the next round.
Tottenham also managed to get through. A 1-1 draw at home to Slavia Prague saw them secure a tie with PSV which could turn out to be the match of the next round. Jamie O’Hara scored for the Spurs but the London club will be indebted to recalled goalkeeper Paul Robinson for some good saves, which earned him praise from his manager.
Bolton had a great result last night, holding Spanish club Athletico Madrid to a 0-0 draw at their place, securing a tie against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon in the next round. With only work-rate and determination to talk about football wise, the main action from the tie was left to the stands. Bolton have lodged an official complaint with UEFA about Spanish police actions. “overzealous and disproportionate” were the words used. 17 fans were left injured and even British police have said that it was heavy-handed. We’ll have to see what happens in the coming weeks.
Well done to all those English teams for progressing. Spare a thought for Scots Aberdeen who lost to Bayern Munich 5-1. Nuff said.
Europe
February 15, 2008
Seems that the English clubs in the also-rans competition have a good chance of dominance this year.
Along with Everton’s win Wednesday night, Tottenham and Bolton both won their respective ties last night.
Tottenham strolled to a 2-0 lead at half-time of their match away to Slavia Prague although the headlines were taken by an error by Radek Cerny meaning that a final score of 2-1 in favour of the Spurs, although good, is not what they would have wanted after the first half.
Goals from, who else, Berbatov and Keane gave Tottenham the win but the game changed when Cerny dropped David Hubacek’s cross, allowing David Strihavka to bundle the ball home producing a frantic finish in which Tottenham managed to hang on. Paul Robinson was seen to be doing cartwheels and punching the air although this remains unconfirmed.
Not to be outdone, Bolton gained a very valuable win at home to Athletico Madrid, which is all the more impressive since the lesser Madrid are 4th in the Spanish table. They take a 1-0 lead into the second leg thanks to a Diouf goal with his only chance of the game. Athletico had a man sent off, Aguero who had only graced the pitch 12 minutes after coming on as substitute but the win will still please “the Ginger Mourinho”. Expect on onslaught on the Bolton in the second leg.
