..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Lazio 1-1 Napoli: Campagnaro rescues point for title-chasing Partenopei

Hugo Campagnaro's stunning volley rescued a point for Napoli as it fought back to deny Lazio in a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico.

Having seen Juventus extend its lead at the top of Serie A to six points with a 2-0 home win over Fiorentina, the game was a must-win match for both sides as they looked to keep their respective Scudetto dreams alive.

Lazio was looking to pick itself up after successive league defeats but found itself up against Walter Mazzarri's outfit, which had won five of its last six.

The Biancocelesti were buoyed by the return of influential Brazilian playmaker Hernanes and he nearly opened the scoring after two minutes when his left-footed strike from the edge of the box bent inches wide of De Sanctis' post.Stefan Radu was then presented with a decent goalscoring opportunity when he peeled off his marker to flick Antonio Candreva's corner just over the crossbar before Candreva had a penalty appeal rightfully turned down.

However, Lazio was rewarded for its early pressure after just 11 minutes when Sergio Floccari controlled Abdoulay Konko's cross on his chest expertly before volleying home. It was the 31-year-old's fourth league goal of the season.Candreva twice went close to extending his side's advantage, first watching his thumping free kick parried by De Sanctis before the Napoli shot-stopper finger-tipped his shot across goal around the post.

Lazio was forced into a change midway through the first-half when captain Stefano Mauri suffered a knock and was replaced by Bosnian midfielder Senad Lulic. The substitute made an instant impression, producing a brave header to prevent Edinson Cavani from nodding in Goran Pandev's cross after Marchetti had spilled Juan Zuniga's effort from distance.

Floccari then nearly produced one of the goals of the season when he unleashed a vicious piledriver from nearly 30 yards, but the Lazio talisman was denied a second goal by the inside of the woodwork.The woodwork was then rattled at the other end minutes later when Cavani rose highest to meet Zuniga's cross with a thumping header which crashed off the underside of the crossbar. The Napoli players appealed that the ball had crossed the line but referee Daniele Orsato rightfully waved play on.

Napoli had De Sanctis to thank as the veteran goalkeeper pulled off a brilliant save to palm away Hernanes' curling free kick moments before the halftime whistle.
Floccari proved a constant thorn in Napoli's side and the striker had the ball in the net four minutes into the second half, bundling home Andre Dias' flick-on from close range, only to be denied by the linesman's flag.

De Sanctis then produced a calamitous error when he misread a deep Lazio clearance but the goalkeeper's blushes were spared as Campagnaro raced back to stop Lulic's lob from sneaking over the goal-line.

Lulic then spurned a glorious opportunity to seal the win when he dispossessed Campagnaro and with just De Sanctis to beat, the Bosnian somehow fired straight at the goalkeeper.

His profligacy was to prove costly as Campagnaro turned hero, acrobatically volleying Hamsik's corner into the top corner in style. Walter Mazzarri's side nearly stole all three points in the dying embers when former Lazio striker Goran Pandev unleashed a shot from distance, but the Macedonian striker was denied by a smart stop from Marchetti.

In a game of end-to-end drama, Floccari was denied once again by the woodwork in the 92nd minute when his header from Candreva's cross struck the crossbar before Candreva's dipping drive fizzed past the post in what was a remarkable finish to a thrilling contest.

The result means that Napoli remains in second position, five points behind leader Juventus.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Karanka: Champions League is the most important

The Real Madrid assistant coach has made the club's priorities clear in terms of competitions, but insists Los Blancos will still play to win in the Spanish top flight.
Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has revealed the Champions League now takes "center stage" after the club thumped Sevilla 4-1 on Saturday.

Priority was immediately refocused to the team's home encounter against Manchester United, despite Cristiano Ronaldo's hat trick inspired rout of the La Liga rival at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"We have shown we still want to win every league game," Karanka told reporters after the match. "However, the Champions League takes center stage now."

Ronaldo was hauled off with 20 minutes to go, preserving the Portuguese superstar's energy reserves ahead of the fixture against his former side.

"Ronaldo's fine. He works hard and has to play. He deserves it [the hat-trick]," said defender Pepe. "The team works hard every day. Today, we went all out. Every game is special, but on Wednesday we will have to keep it up."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League 2013.02.10 Fixtures

Barclays Premier League 2013.02.10 Fixtures

Aston Villa Vs West Ham United

Manchester United Vs Everton

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[Wolverine GTR]

La Liga 2013.02.10 Fixtures

La Liga 2013.02.10 Fixtures

Barcelona Vs Getafe

Real Zaragoza Vs Real Sociedad

Athletic Bilbao Vs Espanyol

Rayo Vallecano Vs Atletico Madrid​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Serie A 2013.02.10 Fixtures

Serie A 2013.02.10 Fixtures

Parma Vs Genoa

Atalanta Vs Catania

Bologna Vs Siena

Cagliari Vs AC Milan

Palermo Vs Pescara

Sampdoria Vs Roma

Udinese Vs Torino

Inter Vs Chievo​

 

[Banks PLK]

Southampton 3-1 Manchester City: Superb Saints leave Mancini's title defense in tatters

A two-horse title race is fast turning into a single-thoroughbred procession.
Three defensive howlers from Manchester City, each one of increasing and barely believable ineptitude, helped Southampton romp to a 3-1 win at a rocking St Mary’s Stadium.

Jason Puncheon and Steven Davis took advantage of errors from Gareth Barry and Joe Hart to put the Saints 2-0 up after 23 minutes.Edin Dzeko gave City hope with his 12th league goal of the season shortly before halftime but Barry gave fresh meaning to the term ‘comedy own goal’ with a lethal side-foot into his own net two minutes into the second half.

Vincent Kompany travelled with the City party and was watching from the stands but he was still not fit to return to the 18-man squad.How Mancini must have lamented the absence of his talismanic skipper, firstly when Southampton unlocked the re-jigged City defense in the seventh minute.

Jason Puncheon used his pace to wriggle clear on the right, threaded a neat ball through to Jay Rodriguez, whose shot was well parried by the alert Joe Hart. However, the loose ball fell to Puncheon, who tucked in his seventh goal of the season.City struggled to gain a foothold in the match and a goalkeeping howler midway through the opening period gifted the hosts their second.

Hart’s dip in form has coincided with a national television advert in which he promotes a shampoo, and the entire City staff were left tearing their hair out when he allowed a Rickie Lambert shot headed for his midriff to squirm out of his grasp, between his legs and into the path of the grateful Steven Davis, who tucked it in.
City had been desperately poor for most of the first half but there was no doubt about the quality of the goal which signalled a comeback could be on.

After Dzeko had headed clear a Southampton corner, he raced up the other end to finish off a counterattack that had been beautifully worked until Pabo Zabaleta’s cross was squared behind the Bosnian. Dzeko slipped as he checked his run but somehow managed to get a foot on the ball to stab in his 12th league goal of the season.

Shortly after Puncheon had blazed over the bar, the home side gained further reward for its purpose and attacking intent following a brainfart from Barry.The lively Lambert broke free down the left but his cross should have been comfortably dealt with by Barry, who, under no pressure at all, inexplicably passed the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Most observers expected some sort of reaction from City, a late assault on the hosts’ goal or the kind of sustained comeback for which it has become renowned over the last two seasons.But it never really materialized. Southampton drew the sting from the visitors with relative comfort and David Silva was mysteriously removed from the fray by Mancini with 17 minutes remaining.

With the win, Southampton now sits six points clear of the relegation zone. Meanwhile, City's title defense has almost completely disintegrated.

POOR POOR PERFORMANCE CITY
IT WAS PAINFUL
and own goal well scored barry

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Cagliari 1-1 AC Milan: Balotelli rescues Rossoneri against Rossoblu

Mario Balotelli was on target once again for AC Milan as they ground out a 1-1 draw at Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday afternoon.

The pragmatic home side ceded much possession to their opponents, yet it fashioned the better chances in the opening period and scored on the stroke of halftime thanks to an astute header from Victor Ibarbo. It soaked up great pressure in the second period, but eventually they crumbled as Davide Astore was dismissed and Balotelli converted from the spot.

Philippe Mexes, who had a wretched afternoon, conceded a needless free kick 35 yards from his goal, and the resultant delivery from Danieli Conti was beautifully glanced home by the Colombian.

Milan seemed to have been successfully frustrated, yet 10 minutes from time it received a lifeline when Davide Astori foolishly held Balotelli as the ball span in the air after Robinho’s shot was kicked clear by the goalkeeper. From the spot, the Italian preserved his perfect record from 12 yards while the defender was walking down the tunnel having been shown his second yellow card.

Balotelli nearly secured maximum points three minutes from the end, but his header from six yards was straight at Agazzi.

Ibardo really should have had his first goal of the season before that moment. During the first half he was released by the impressive Conti, but after beating compatriot Cristian Zapata he had the ball robbed from him by Ignazio Abate.

Marco Sau’s cunning was to the fore as the next chance was fashioned for the South American down the left channel, but the forward slashed hopelessly over the top with only Christian Abbiati to beat.

To that point, Milan had been extremely flat. Although M’Baye Niang was making progress down the right wing, only Balotelli was provoking any real threat to Michael Agazzi’s goal. Having struck twice last weekend, the striker was full of confidence, yet his long-range free kicks were comfortably fielded by Agazzi, despite their awkward, bobbling nature.

While the hosts had provided a genuine counterattacking threat in the opening half, they were considerably more limited after the break and became largely a defensive unit. Despite this, their well-organized nature meant that Milan were asphyxiated and there appeared no prospect of a leveling goal before Astori’s moment of foolishness.

The draw means that Milan remains unbeaten in Serie A since the turn of the year, yet it has not made the inroads desired into the three-point advantage that Lazio now holds over it.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham: N'Zogbia stunner pulls home side out of drop zone

Second half goals from Christian Benteke and Charles N’Zogbia earned Aston Villa three crucial points in its bid for Premier League survival.

In what was a pretty dire contest throughout, Benteke’s penalty and N’Zogbia’s wonderful free kick were enough for Villa to secure a first league win since beating Liverpool in December, although the club faced a nervous closing after a late own goal by Ashley Westwood sent jitters throughout Villa Park.

Paul Lambert made three changes from the side that drew 3-3 with Everton last time out, with Jordan Bowery handed a first league start for the Villians, while there were recalls for Fabian Delph and Nathan Baker. Emanuel Pogatetz made a first start for West Ham, with Joe Cole also coming into Sam Allardyce’s starting XI.

A contender for miss of the season came after just two minutes when a powerful shot from Belgium striker Benteke was spilled by Hammers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen straight into the path of Andreas Weimann. From the edge of the six yard box the young striker could only place his shot wide of the far post with the entire goal gaping.

Villa arguably shaded the opening period, but a Ron Vlaar half-volley from a corner aside, did not threaten Jaaskelainen’s throughout the opening period.

West Ham fared little better, with Mo Diame’s sliced shot which went well wide of the near post midway through the half the team's best contribution to the game.

The Hammers started the second with much more purpose and had a good claim for a penalty turned down after Ron Vlaar tussled with Andy Carroll. Referee Mark Clattenburg had an excellent view of the incident, but decided it was not worthy of a spot kick despite strong appeals from visiting side.

West Ham continued to be the superior side as the game reached the hour mark, with Matt Taylor and Cole causing several problems for the Villa defense with their crosses from wide positions.

The home side almost grabbed a goal against the run of play when Charles N’Zogbia’s left footed effort went narrowly wide of the far post after he cut in from the right. Seconds later it was the visiting side almost went ahead when Carroll had a powerful drive cleared off the line after he reacted quickest to a goalmouth scramble following a corner.

The first goal arrived in the 73rd minute after a clumsy foul by Mark Noble on the quick-footed N’Zogbia in the area gave Benteke the chance to open the scoring from the spot, and he did so with supreme calm as he coolly passed the ball into the net.

Five minutes late the points were in the bag for Villa as N’Zogbia curled home a wonderful free kick from 25 yards out. His left-footed effort beat the four man wall and was too good for Jaaskelainen as it nestled in the corner of the net.

West Ham grabbed a late consolation through an own goal from Westwood as he accidentally flicked Cole's cross past keeper Brad Guzan, but the home side held on to secure a vital win.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barcelona 6-1 Getafe: Iniesta-inspired Blaugrana move 12 points clear

Barcelona maintained its seemingly unstoppable march towards a 22nd Liga title with a facile 6-1 win over Getafe at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Andres Iniesta was the star of the show, creating goals for Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi inside the opening 13 minutes, before netting himself right at the death. The midfield maestro also had a hand in the Blaugrana's third, which was scored by David Villa, while Cristian Tello and Gerard Pique were also on target for the rampant hosts.

Getafe did manage a late consolation goal through substitute Alvaro but, in truth, it had never once looked remotely capable of denying Barca a victory which, for the time being at least, moves it 12 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, which faces Rayo Vallecano later in the day.

Indeed, while the Catalans went into the game without principal playmaker Xavi, it mattered not a jot, as they still had Iniesta to pull the strings in midfield and he needed less than six minutes to pry open the Getafe defense with the kind of precision and vision that other players can only envy.

Picking the ball up on left-hand side, Iniesta played the most wonderfully measured diagonal pass through to Alexis, who had drifted in from the right flank. The Chilean, whose finishing has let him down more than once this season, took a surprisingly assured touch before calmly slipping the ball past the advancing Jordi Cordina.

For his next trick, Iniesta nonchalantly scooped the ball up and over the Getafe defense, and into the path of Thiago Alcantara, who cleverly laid the ball off to the supporting Messi. The forward's strike wasn’t particularly true, the Argentine losing his footing as he shot, but he still managed to find the bottom right corner of the goal to notch for the 13th Liga game in a row.

Messi should have netted again on the half hour but he volleyed against the base of the post after being brilliantly picked out unmarked in the area by Alexis’ first-time cross from the right wing. Villa was also guilty of poor finishing moments later after being teed up by Jordi Alba but Spain’s record goalscorer was at least combining well with Messi, who headed just over after a neat one-two between the pair.

The chances kept coming for Barca in the second half, and both Messi and Alexis had shots cleared off the line after Alba had once again wreaked havoc with another surge down the left. The killer third goal finally arrived on 58 minutes, Alba doing his best Iniesta impression by putting Villa through with a slide-rule pass that the striker finished with aplomb.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the hosts took their foot off the gas for a while but Tello injected some vitality back into the game after coming on as a substitute, the winger finishing superbly from the edge of the area after Messi had drawn the Getafe defense towards him.

Getafe got off the mark when Alvaro prodded ball past the onrushing Victor Valdes after the otherwise impressive Alba had made a mess of a header back to his keeper. However, Barcelona were not content to let their visitors have the final word and Iniesta got the goal that his performance deserved when he slotted home after Messi had been halted before Thiago left Pique with a tap-in in the dying seconds.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations Manchester United!!!

Manchester United 2-0 Everton: Giggs and Van Persie move home side 12 points clear

Manchester United took a giant stride towards a 20th league title with victory over Everton that sent the club 12 points clear at the top of the table with just 12 games to play.

With a tricky Champions League trip to Real Madrid looming in midweek, Sir Alex Ferguson made three changes with Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones and Ryan Giggs all coming into the team.

Everton, meanwhile, brought Phil Neville back but also required a late defensive change after Sylvain Distin dropped out in the warmup, with Johnny Heitinga his replacement

The home side began the game strongly and might have taken the lead as early as the 10th minute. Rafael and Wayne Rooney combined to free Robin van Persie who rounded goalkeeper Tim Howard but could only hit the post with the goal gaping.

Minutes later, however, Giggs made no mistake, opening the scoring and continuing his outstanding record of scoring in every Premier League season.

Antonio Valencia’s pass was headed down by Van Persie and into the Welshman’s path, where he calmly took a touch before slotting it past Howard and in off the post.

Everton came right back into the game and could have equalized on the half-hour mark. A great piece of play saw Steven Pienaar find Leon Osman and his fierce strike was creeping into the corner before a flying David de Gea pushed it around the post.

From the resulting corner United required another superb piece of defending to preserve the lead as Vidic bravely threw himself in front of Kevin Mirallas’s shot as he looked set to fire home an equalizer.

Mirallas then almost set up Victor Anichebe. His cross from the right was just behind the striker, who was in front of Jonny Evans, allowing Rafael to hack it out of play for a corner.

Everton was made to rue those misses too as United doubled the lead right at the end of the half. Again Rafael was involved, dinking the ball through to Van Persie, who beat the offside trap, rounded Howard again and this time made no mistake, despite the valiant attempts of Heitinga on the line.

The second half was a more subdued affair, with chances few and far between, and United having the better of the opportunities.

A Van Persie corner from the right was met by Evans and saved by Howard, however the ball came back out to the defender causing an almighty goalmouth scramble which somehow the Toffees managed to clear for another corner.

The ball in was again not cleared fully by EVerton and headed out only as far as Cleverley who smashed a superb volley goalwards only to be denied by a magnificent save by Howard.

As time ticked away Van Persie pulled a shot wide after being set up by Giggs, before De Gea saved well from Jelavic, but there was to be no late show from the Toffees this time as United stood firm to take all three points.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations Manchester United!!!

Congratulations Manchester United​

 

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Bayern Munich 4-0 Schalke: Heynckes' side strides clear as Bundesliga title edges ever closer

 

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Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal: Cazorla winner tempered by Wilshere injury worry

Arsenal overcame a physical and fiery Sunderland side in a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, but the joy of victory will have been tempered by a second-half injury to Jack Wilshere.

Arsene Wenger’s side took the lead in the 35th minute, as Theo Walcott set up Santi Cazorla to smash a low drive past Simon Mignolet from 20 yards. Reduced to 10 men in the second half, the Gunners had to cling on for three huge points.

Captain Lee Cattermole returned to the Sunderland starting XI in place of former Gunner Sebastian Larsson, while Tottenham loanee Danny Rose was picked at left back.

Laurent Koscielny, a doubt before the game, limped out of the prematch warmup so was replaced by Carl Jenkinson, with Bacary Sagna moving to centre-back. Elsewhere, Aaron Ramsey and Cazorla came in for Abou Diaby and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The match began at a furious pace with Wenger gesticulating angrily from the sidelines as the Black Cats threw themselves into thunderous tackles – Cattermole was booked after just 80 seconds – though the Frenchman’s side did not wilt in the face of such physicality.

Jack Wilshere, who starred for England against Brazil in midweek, threaded a pass behind the Sunderland defence for Olivier Giroud, but the Frenchman dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Minutes later Wilshere was involved again, back-heeling the ball to Ramsey on the edge of the box after a mazy run forward. The Welshman’s powerful effort took a nick off Titus Bramble and flew towards the top corner, but Mignolet soared through the air and palmed the ball away.

Arsenal’s number 10 was beginning to take a firm grip on the match, and another silky foray towards goal created the Gunner’s opener. Wilshere found Walcott on the edge of the box who laid the ball off to Cazorla, and the Spaniard rifled a left-footed shot into the far corner of the goal.

Ramsey could have doubled Arsenal’s lead just before the break, latching on to Giroud’s deflected pass, but fired straight at Mignolet from close range.

Just five minutes after the restart, Wilshere – already carrying a heavy bandage on his thigh – was forced off after a body-check by Alfred N’Diaye, and the 21-year-old’s exit signalled a shift in momentum.

Sunderland began to commit more men forward; N’Diaye robbed Ramsey in midfield and galloped towards goal, reversing the ball to Steven Fletcher, but the frequently isolated Scot slashed his left-footed shot wide of the near post.

The impetus shifted further when Jenkinson, booked in the first half, picked up a second yellow card for a late lunge on Stephane Sessegnon. The Benin winger should have carved out an equaliser soon after, but could not find a red and white shirt with his cross.

As the Black Cats flooded forward, bombarding the box with crosses aimed at substitute and home debutant Danny Graham, Arsenal found space on the break. Cazorla released Walcott, but the winger-cum-striker’s dinked finish struck the post and bounced clear.

Arsenal had Wojciech Szczesny to thank for clinging onto three points. First the Pole rushed off his line to save Fletcher’s shot with his legs, then he palmed the Scot’s header behind for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Fletcher’s poked effort was clawed off the line by the Gunners keeper before Bramble thumped the loose ball high and wide. Arsenal held on, and remains four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

4th place ekata mara game ekak thynne

 

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Barcelona 6-1 Getafe: Iniesta-inspired Blaugrana move 12 points clear

 

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[මුගටියා]

4th place ekata mara game ekak thynne

2nd place 1ta ita wada fight 1k thiyanawa neda bro.

Manchester City 53
Chelsea 49
Tottenham 48

 

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2nd place 1ta ita wada fight 1k thiyanawa neda bro.

Manchester City 53
Chelsea 49
Tottenham 48

owmayi.mama eka baluwe nae machan.Arsenal point ganane balnne .kohmawunath chelseata 5th place setweyi wage yana widyata .gahana gahana match kanwane

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Eriksen rejects new Ajax deal, reveals Overmars

The young star, who has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs, is unwilling to commit himself to the Eredivisie giants beyond his current deal's expiration in 201 Christian Eriksen has informed Ajax that he does not want to sign a new contract with the club, according to technical director Marc Overmars.

The 20-year-old, who has scored nine and assisted 13 goals for his side this season, has refused to extend his current deal which runs out in the summer of 2014.

Overmars told sporten.dk that Eriksen is looking at options elsewhere.
"Christian has informed us that he doesn’t want to sign a new contract right now. I think he and his agent want to see what opportunities present themselves this summer," Overmars said.

Despite speculation linking Eriksen to a number of clubs around Europe, Overmars is keen for the youngster to further his progression at the Amsterdam ArenA for a few more years before moving to another club.

He added: "We want him to stay here for at least two more years, but the day he leaves us, he will be ready to play for the very best. He’s a player even the biggest clubs in the world could do with having in their squad."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Arsenal hands trial to Vasco da Gama youngster Indio

The 16-year-old will spend a week with the north London outfit to attempt to impress Gunners scouts ahead of a possible switch when he turns 18 in February 2014Arsenal has handed a trial to Vasco da Gama’s 16-year-old midfielder Indio, with the view to a potential transfer when he turns 18.

The highly rated youngster understands the short stay is more about gaining experience rather than impressing a possible future club, but he still hopes to catch the eye of Arsene Wenger.

Indio, who hopes to make a permanent move to Europe after his 18th birthday on February 28, 2014, also revealed his admiration for Arsenal star Theo Walcott.

He told Globo Esporte: "I like [Walcott] a lot. His style of play is very fast, which pleases me.

"I'm anxious for this new stage in my life. I'll spend a week at Arsenal. It will be cool, I hope I enjoy it.

"Of course I have the dream of playing for a European club, but everything has its right time. It will be a good experience. I want to learn."

Vasco Da Gama’s directors have insisted that the week-long trial does not indicate an imminent move or that the Premier League side will have first refusal once the youngster is able to move to Europe.