..::Football III::..

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Liverpool 4-0 Borussia Dortmund: BVB stunned by rampant Reds

Dejan Lovren scored his first goal for Liverpool as the Reds romped to a 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Anfield on Sunday.

Brendan Rodgers saw his side take an early lead inside 10 minutes after a goal from Daniel Sturridge, knocking the ball past Mitchell Langerak in goal after a smart flick from Philippe Coutinho.And their lead was doubled just minutes later with a debut goal for Lovren as the Croatia international rose high from a corner to nod the ball into the net from close-range.

The Reds resumed play after the interval and continued their dominance. Matthias Ginter, a new arrival at Dortmund, gifted a third after his loose pass was picked up by Raheem Sterling and dispatched by Coutinho.

Liverpool then put themselves in an unassailable lead on the hour mark after Sturridge slipped the ball through for Jordan Henderson to tap home to make it 4-0.

With a DFL Supercup meeting against Bayern Munich - and former hero Robert Lewandowski - just three days away, Dortmund's abject performance will be of concern to coach Jurgen Klopp.

The lacklustre visitors failed to heed an early warning when Coutinho sliced them open with a ball to Sterling, and were punished as Sturridge broke the deadlock.
Lovren fizzed a pass into Coutinho, who produced a wonderful flick around the corner to Sturridge and the striker displayed typical composure to put Liverpool ahead with an ice-cool finish.Lovren ensured it was a debut to remember shortly after with his first goal for the club, and Gerrard went close on the stroke of half-time as Langerak produced a fine stop to deny his top-corner-bound 25-yard free-kick.

Rodgers' men picked up where they left off after the break, with Coutinho deservedly getting in on the act before Henderson rounded off the game's best passage of play with a simple finish on the hour. Liverpool continued to threaten with Javier Manquillo - another defensive debutant - impressing at right-back, while Dortmund toiled.

Coutinho was withdrawn to a standing ovation with 20 minutes remaining of a game that suggested Liverpool are dealing rather better with the departure of their star striker than a Lewandowski-less Dortmund.

 

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Newcastle 1-0 Real Sociedad: Sissoko scores to close out pre-season

Moussa Sissoko scored a late winner as Newcastle closed their pre-season programme with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

After a first half in which chances were few and far between, the Magpies stepped up the pace after the break but left it late to go in front at St James's Park, with Sissoko stroking the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from distance.

There was an early scare for the home side when Yoan Gouffran was brought down by Sergio Canales just outside the area. The winger appeared to be holding his knee as he hit the deck but limped back into the game after receiving lengthy treatment.

Chances were at a premium for much of the first period and Imanol Agirretxe failed to make his opportunity count just before the half-hour mark when he could have lofted the ball over goalkeeper Tim Krul.

Emmanuel Riviere had Newcastle's best chance of the first half when he fired over, before Agirretxe almost capitalised on a missed headed clearance by Fabricio Coloccini.

Gouffran was withdrawn at the break to be replaced by Rolando Aarons and the hosts began to look more dangerous in attack. The youngster's first major contribution was to beat three Sociedad players on a charge forward, only to see his eventual effort deflected behind.

Mike Williamson worked goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli with a goalbound header from a corner on the hour but it was Sissoko who settled matters, finding the net two minutes from time to send Newcastle into their Premier League opener against champions Manchester City with a timely confidence boost.

 

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Hummels named Dortmund captain

Mats Hummels has been named Borussia Dortmund captain as the club attempt to put an end to persistent rumours over a summer move to Manchester United.

The 25-year-old defender wasn't involved as BVB fell to a shock 4-0 friendly defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, just three days before facing Bayern Munich in the German Supercup.

Dortmund attempted to lift some of the post-match gloom by announcing the news of Hummels' appointment via their official Twitter account after the match.

"Mats Hummels will be the new captain of Borussia Dortmund. Marco Reus and Roman Weidenfeller will be the alternatives."

Sebastian Kehl had previously been BVB's leader, but his advancing years and reduced playing time saw the midfielder step down from the role.

In a recent statement he said: "This important task has filled me with fun and pride. It makes sense now to pass the baton.

"For I have now the opportunity to be my successor with advice and practical help and support with the experience gained. I like to have completed this task, but now the time is right."

 

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Hummels ta BVB captaincy 1ka dunna kiyanne Manchester United ganna bari weida​

 

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Arteta new Arsenal captain, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger has appointed Mikel Arteta as Arsenal captain following Thomas Vermaelen's transfer to Barcelona.

The Spaniard helped guide the Gunners to a comprehensive 3-0 win over Premier League champions Manchester City in the Community Shield and has been handed the armband for the forthcoming season, with Per Mertesacker his deputy.

Arteta, 32, is entering his third full season at the Emirates and previously captained Everton under David Moyes.

Asked who would take over from Vermaelen as club captain, Wenger said: "One: Arteta and two: Mertesacker. Arteta will be captain and Mertesacker vice-captain."

Outgoing skipper Vermaelen joined Luis Enrique's Barca for €19 million on Saturday, bringing an end to his five-year association with Arsenal.

Wenger had nothing but praise for the 28-year-old, adding: "I allowed Thomas Vermaelen to leave before the end of the season. He was not playing regularly, he behaved outstandingly and with dignity. It’s difficult to keep that kind of player at the top level if he doesn’t play regularly."

Wenger will look to find a replacement for Vermaelen in the transfer market but admits it will not be easy to sign a quality defender before the window closes at the end of the month.

The Arsenal boss also considers new signing Calum Chambers as a natural centre-back and was hugely impressed with the 19-year-old's display against City.

"You look at Vermaelen, there were two huge clubs in for him and they had a look and could not find anybody better," Wenger added. "If I can find another one I will do it but it is not easy to find. Maybe a guy who can play in two or three different positions will be better for us.

"I see Chambers as a centre-back. I saw him there when I bought him. He was outstanding today for a 19-year-old, it was very promising. It’s impressive because he does not have a long history in this position. If all goes well, he has a good career in front of him. He can challenge both centre-backs and that is what we want."

 

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Arsenal Vs Manchester City FA Community Shield 2014 in Pictures

Arsenal Vs Manchester City FA Community Shield 2014 in Pictures

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Arsenal 3 Vs 0 Manchester City

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Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 Inter: Piazon and Seferovic goals sink Nerazzurri

Goals from Haris Seferovic's and Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon helped Eintracht Frankfurt sink Serie A giants Inter 3-1 in a friendly encounter on Sunday.

The Switzerland international joined from Real Sociedad at the start of August and the striker showed he could be a valuable purchase with a brace at the Commerzbank-Arena.


Inter had gone ahead against the run of play through Ruben Botta's close-range finish, but Lucas Piazon - who joined Frankfurt on loan last month - soon levelled.


Seferovic then took centre stage with a six-minute first-half brace, showing good composure with a calm finish in the area before bagging his second from a rebound when Nelson Valdez's header had hit the crossbar.


The second half proved a lacklustre contest and Walter Mazzarri will be keen for his side to show more in Thursday's match at PAOK, with a Europa League play-off first leg against Stjarnan to follow a week later.Inter struggled to get a foothold in a tepid opening to the contest and goalkeeper Samir Handanovic had to be quick off his line to thwart Seferovic after the striker had broken free in the 19th minute.


Handanovic was called into action again from the resulting corner, the Slovenia international making a fine point-blank stop from Martin Lanig's header.


Frankfurt's wastefulness was punished in the 25th minute as Inter stole ahead.
Yuto Nagatomo picked up the ball on the left flank and his teasing delivery was side-footed home by Botta from eight yards.


Inter's lead lasted less than a minute, however, the visitors were carved open as Piazon raced through on goal and, though his initial shot hit the post, he tapped home the rebound.



Things got even better for the home side in the 33rd minute as they deservedly moved ahead.Takashi Inui showed good feet in the area before laying the ball to Seferovic, who kept his cool to slot past Handanovic.


Frankfurt had a third five minutes before the break. Nelson Valdez headed Inui's cross against the woodwork but Seferovic was on hand to bundle home the rebound.The lively Inui continued to impress after the break and his cross-shot in the 57th minute forced Handanovic to tip over.


Both teams played the second half at a considerably lower tempo with little in terms of goalmouth action, Hernanes' 25-yard free-kick that cleared the bar the closest Inter came to reducing the deficit.

 

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Luis Enrique doesn't know Barcelona No.1 yet

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has admitted he still doesn't know who his first choice goalkeeper will be come the start of the Liga season.

The new Barca boss has to choose from new signings Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo as well as Jordi Masip, who was recently promoted from the Barca B team.

All three goalkeepers have played a part in the club's recent pre-season friendles and Luis Enrique admits he faces a difficult decision in choosing one of them to take over as the main shot-stopper.

"I have three great goalkeepers," the trainer told reporters. "I wish I always had this kind of dilemma. A coach has to make decisions and I'll have to pick one of them knowing that the other two are very good as well.

"It will be tough for them and tough for me too."
Masip, who played in goal for Barcelona's most recent friendly - a 6-0 win over HJK, believes he has as good a chance as Ter Stegen and Bravo of being favoured by the coach despite having a lower profile.

"The way I see it is that you have to work hard and make things difficult for the gaffer, and that's what I'm going to do," he said.

 

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News 1kak thiyanawa LVG Manchester United playersla 5 denek axe karala kiyala Club 1ken.Rafael,Marouane Fellaini,Javier Hernandez,Nani & Anderson thamai 5 denaBut wade kiyanne oya set 1ka athare Hernandez inna 1kane

Roo & RVP ta cover 1kak widiyata hitiye Hernandez & Welbeck witharai.Athanin Hernandez wa ain kala kiyanne nam loku paduwakWelbeck ganath loku sure 1kak thiyanna bahane kohomath​

 

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Arsenal Vs Manchester City FA Community Shield 2014 in Pictures

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Arsenal 3 Vs 0 Manchester City

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Hummels ta BVB captaincy 1ka dunna kiyanne Manchester United ganna bari weida​

Hummels sell karana ekak nae machanBenatia try karanwa neda

 

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Benfica 0-0 Rio Ave (3-2 on penalties): Portuguese champions win another trophy

Benfica took out the Portuguese Super Cup with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win over Rio Ave on Sunday.

Last season's treble winners were held to a scoreless draw by Rio Ave - cup runners-up twice in 2013-14 - at the Estadio Municipal de Aveiro before goalkeeper Artur's shoot-out heroics.Artur saved three spot-kicks to see Benfica win the Super Cup for the fifth time and first since 2005.

Both teams had their chances during the first 120 minutes – Jorge Jesus' Benfica arguably the better – without finding an opener.And it would be left to Artur to be the hero.

The 33-year-old stopped the first spot kick of the shoot-out and the final two to lead Benfica to victory.Yonathan Del Valle had his average penalty saved by Artur down low to his left, only for Benfica striker Derley to also be denied.

Filipe, Lima, Ukra and Bebe all scored to leave the shoot-out locked at 2-2.
Diego Lopes had his saved down to Artur's left before Luisao gave Benfica the advantage.Tiago Pinto was the last player to be denied as his spot-kick was saved, ending Rio Ave's bid for a first Super Cup.

 

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Monaco 1-2 Lorient: Falcao makes goalscoring return in defeat

Radamel Falcao marked his return to competitive action by scoring a penalty for 10-man Monaco in a 2-1 defeat to Lorient on Sunday.

The Colombia international striker suffered a serious knee injury in January that saw him miss the remainder of the Ligue 1 season as well as his country's World Cup campaign in Brazil.

After featuring for Monaco in pre-season - scoring the only goal in a 1-0 success over Arsenal in the Emirates Cup - Falcao played in a competitive match for the first time in seven months when Leonardo Jardim introduced him from the bench as a 59th-minute substitute for Lucas Ocampos at Stade Louis II.

The 28-year-old clinically converted a spot-kick 12 minutes from time to level the scores at 1-1, only to see the visitors snatch all three points with a breakaway goal from Valentin Lavigne in the 87th minute.Lorient had gone ahead in the ninth minute after Aymen Abdennour's foul on Vincent Aboubakar allowed the striker to coolly tuck home from 12 yards.

Monaco then lost Ricardo Carvalho to a second yellow card in the 68th minute before Falcao's goalscoring return was overshadowed by Lavigne's sucker punch.

 

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Falcao is back!​

 

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Inter weren't sharp enough - Mazzarri

Inter coach Walter Mazzarri put his side's 3-1 friendly defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday down to a challenging week of training.

The Serie A outfit had gone in front at the Commerzbank-Arena through Ruben Botta, but on-loan Chelsea man Lucas Piazon levelled for Frankfurt.

Haris Seferovic then netted twice before half-time as Inter succumbed to defeat in their penultimate friendly before their return to competitive action in the Europa League play-offs in 10 days' time.Mazzarri, while disappointed with the result, felt the hard work put in by his players during the week had been detrimental to their short-term cause."Was this down to the heavy workload during the week? I don't want any excuses," he told Inter Channel.

"My fitness coach told me we needed to work on strength right now, as otherwise we'd lack sharpness later on in the season. I think the players paid that price and they looked pretty heavy-legged."We weren't sharp and I hope that is only down to the fitness work. At this stage of the season it's easy to do well in one game and badly the next. If you lack just a tiny bit of sharpness and focus, then you can trip up.

"Up until our goal Eintracht hadn't created any chances, but we have to be more concentrated in some situations. Perhaps we subconsciously let go after taking the lead."In the second half we focused on damage limitation."

 

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Messi is miraculous - Rakitic

Ivan Rakitic has hailed Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi as "miraculous", adding that he is learning from the Argentine star.

Rakitic joined the Catalan giants this summer for a reported fee of €20 million after a magnificent campaign with Sevilla.

The Croatia international says he has been training with Messi recently and admitted he has been in awe of the four-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"I trained a few times with Leo because he joined the team later due to the World Cup," he told 24sata. "Sometimes in training I stop and watch him, he is miraculous. I admire him and I learn from him.

"He impresses me with everything he does. He behaves normally, as if he isn't such a big star."

The 26-year-old said he in constant conversation with coach Luis Enrique, who has told him he admires him greatly.

"I haven't spoken specifically about positions with Luis Enrique because we are still in training," he added. "It will take time. He talks to me very often, to him the details are very important, he cares a lot about the little things.

"He told me that he realised that I was great when I was playing against his former club Celta."


Rakitic also praised 18-year-old team-mate and compatriot Alen Halilovic before stressing his excitement at getting the season underway.

"Alen thrills everyone. Everybody is talking about him and praising him. The coach likes him and he is still with the first team. In training he is great.

"I can't wait to start. I think it's great for Croatian football to have three players playing in big clubs. I will lead a big fight for the title against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Playing against Mandzukic and Modric will be very interesting."

 

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Klopp: Liverpool the wrong opponent at wrong time

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool were the "wrong opponent on the wrong day" after his side suffered a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of the English club in a friendly.

Daniel Sturridge, Dejan Lovren, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson were on target as Brendan Rodgers' side demolished the Bundesliga giants just days before their DFL-Supercup match with Bayern Munich.

Klopp admitted his side were second best in everything throughout Sunday's match, but expects his team to improve considerably once they have settled back into playing regularly after the summer.

"It was the wrong day and the wrong opponent for us in Liverpool," the coach told Ruhr Nachrichten.

"The first two goals we conceded, we didn't defend well. If you make mistakes like those we made, then you will lose against an opponent like Liverpool.

"Our preparation has thus far been relatively unproblematic. From now on we will rest for the DFL-Supercup. The rhythm will come, then the freshness will return too."

Klopp and his men will be looking to replicate last year's victory over Bayern in the pre-Bundesliga trophy clash, which will be played at their Signal Iduna Park.

 

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Depay staying tight-lipped on future

Memphis Depay has refused to talk about the possibility of a move to Tottenham.

The Netherlands international produced a scintillating display as PSV got their Eredivisie campaign underway, scoring twice as the Eindhoven outfit ran out 3-1 winners over Willem II.

The 20-year-old is believed to have been a target for Maurico Pochettino who was thought to be preparing a €20 million in an attempt to lure him to north London, but the Dutch side have denied any contact with the Premier League outfit and have opened contract negotiations with the player in the hope of persuading him to stay.
And the winger was in no mood to speak about a potential move after the game on Sunday.

"This was a nice first game of the season. We have to learn from our mistakes, although I am happy with the three points," he told NOS after the match.

"People have asked already hundred times about my future, so I don't want to talk about it anymore. We will see, but for now I am a player from PSV."

Depay was part of a Netherlands squad that surprised many at the World Cup in Brazil, making four appearances for Louis van Gaal's side and scoring against Australia and Chile in the group stages.

 

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Depay ge future 1kath thama uncertain nedaEPL awoth Tottenham or Manchester United thamai

Chicharito wa sell kaloth eyage replacement 1kata hodai​

 

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Pellegrini: We must show why we are champions


Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists his team must be at their best from the beginning of the season if they are to retain their Premier League title.

The Premier League champions suffered a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday after they endured relentless pressure from a vibrant Gunners side during the first half at Wembley.

David Silva's half-time introduction gave City fresh impetus as Stevan Jovetic headed against the post but Olivier Giroud's dipping strike from 25 yards settled matters.

Pellegrini admitted his team were off the pace, insisting they must improve a great deal on that performance if they are to beat their rivals to the title once again.

"During the first 45 minutes, Arsenal scored two goals. We improved in the second half, we had chances to score, but they had a chance and scored from it," he told BT Sport.

"These things happen before the season starts. It was not the pace we played in pre-season but I will talk with the players and I am sure we will be ready to start the Premier League.

"I think, in the Premier League, you have five or six teams who can win the league because all have a strong squad. We must demonstrate from the beginning why we won the title last year."

Without captain Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and new signing Bacary Sagna due to the quartet's late return from World Cup commitments, City's makeshift defence endured a torrid afternoon.

It is an area of his squad that Pellegrini hopes to strengthen over the coming days with the signing of centre-back Eliaquim Mangala from Porto - a transfer saga that has dragged on throughout the close-season - and he is confident of getting the deal over the line.

"Some papers are maybe missing but we continue having interest in the player," the Chilean explained. "He wants to come so we will see what happens in the week."

In Kompany's absence, Yaya Toure took the armband for City - returning to competitive action following a close-season during which his future in Manchester was thrown into doubt by bizarre revelations from the player and his agent expressing unhappiness with how the club marked his 31st birthday.

Toure - who also suffered the tragic loss of his younger Ibrahim to cancer in June - was a goalscorer when City lifted the Community Shield with a 3-2 win over Chelsea in 2012 and he pointed to their subsequently lacklustre title defence as a reason not to read too much into Sunday's result.

"It's quite difficult because we don't have all the lads back from the World Cup but it's [good for] the fitness for the beginning of the season," he told City's official website.

"We need to work hard and bounce back against Newcastle because it's going to be a very, very important game."