A first-half goal by Ivan Rakitic was enough to see Barcelona end English interest in the Champions League on Wednesday as they beat Manchester City 1-0 in their last 16 second leg clash for a 3-1 aggregate win and a place in the quarterfinals. . Former Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez scored a double in the night’s other game as Juventus pulled off an impressive 3-0 win away at 2013 finalists Borussia Dortmund to win 5-1 on aggregate. . For Tevez it represents quite a turnaround in fortunes in the competition, having gone six seasons without a Champions League goal,he…
Author: David F.
Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh expects a tougher test from Zambia when the Black Satellites play their second game at the 2015 African Youth Championship. . The young Chipolopolo come into the second Group B encounter wounded after an opening day defeat to mali and will fight it all for their survival in the Caf U-20 Championship. . The Black Satellites did well to brush South Africa aside with two goals but their second half performance against the Amajita has been well-criticized by officials and fans. This, coach Tetteh is demanding improvement from his lads as ensuing games will prove tougher.…
Former Nigerian captain and winger, Henry Nwosu, has called for caution as Flying Eagles confront Ghana’s Black Satellites. . Flying Eagles will engage the Ghanaian opposite in the semifinals of the ongoing Orange African Under-20 Championship in Senegal on Wednesday at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium, Dakar. . Nwosu who acknowledged the age long rivalry between both countries insisted that Flying Eagles must avoid complacency to win the expected difficult clash against Ghana. . “The AYC semis clash between Nigeria and Ghana is certain to be tough as both countries know each other inside out, the rivalry is as old…
Treble-chasing Barcelona are exactly where they want to be as they prepare for two matches this week that could make or break coach Luis Enrique’s first season in charge. . Barca have won 16 of their 18 matches in 2015, their only blemishes defeats to Real Sociedad and Malaga in La Liga, and are in with a chance of repeating 2009’s historic haul of Champions League and Spanish League and Cup. . Enrique’s men take a 2-1 lead into Wednesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg at home to Manchester City, and will be at least a point clear of…
Barcelona’s Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen is on track to return to action next month after being unable to make his debut for the club due to a hamstring tear that needed surgery. . Vermaelen got injured at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, before he signed for Barca, prompting some to question why the club completed the deal to sign the 29-year-old from Arsenal. . In a message on his Facebook page, Vermaelen said on Tuesday that he had recently started running again and urged Barcelona fans to be patient. . “Everything is going according to plan, therefore I am…
Hull have until next Tuesday to answer a charge by the Football Association for failing to control their players in Saturday’s stormy Premier League goalless draw with bottom side Leicester. . The club is being held to account for several Hull players objecting angrily to referee Jon Ross booking Alex Bruce for a physical tackle on Riyad Mahrez. . “Hull City have been charged by The FA for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion,” read the FA statement. . “The allegation relates to an incident which occurred in or around the 68th minute of their…
Nigeria’s Under-20 football team, the Flying Eagles, beat their Ghana counterparts 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the final of the 2015 Africa Under-20 football championship in Senegal. . Ghana started well, creating chances at will and denying the Nigerians any space. . However, it was the Flying Eagles who drew first blood in the 23rd minute through a set piece. . Captain Musa Muhammed whipped in an excellent corner kick from the left and Obinna Nwobodo did well to connect with a header when backpedaling from the goal, exemplifying pin-point accuracy as the Nigerians took the lead, somewhat against the…
Real Madrid will need to play with intensity for 90 minutes and not just the first half if they are to have a chance of beating Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga ‘Clasico’, according to Real coach Carlo Ancelotti. . Ancelotti praised his side for their performance before the break in Sunday’s 2-0 win at home to Levante but said he was concerned by the way his players relaxed and let the visitors off the hook in the second period. . A Gareth Bale double, his first goals in 10 matches, had put Real in control by halftime and they appeared…
Gareth Bale ended a nine-game goal drought by scoring twice as Real Madrid moved back to within a point of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win over Levante on Sunday . The Welshman silenced his critics as Madrid snapped a three-game winless streak to ensure they go into next weekend’s El Clasico at the Camp Nou on Barcelona’s tails. . However, Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t appear overjoyed to see his teammate get back on the scoresheet as he cut a frustrated figure having seen his initial efforts lead to both Bale’s goals. . “I saw a…
Premier League strugglers Sunderland announced on Wednesday that winger Adam Johnson is to return to training following his arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with an under-age girl. . The 27-year-old England international, arrested two weeks ago, had his bail extended by five weeks on Tuesday and does not need to report back to police until April 23. . Sunderland suspended Johnson pending the outcome of the police investigation, but following consultation with players’ union the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), he has been allowed to resume training. . “The club has discussed the current position in detail with both the…
Chelsea’s tally of two penalties in 28 Premier League games this season “seems abnormally low”, the runaway leaders said on Wednesday. . Appearing to back up manager Jose Mourinho’s belief that there is a ‘campaign’ against his players, the Stamford Bridge outfit said the spot-kick count “unquestionably bucks the recent trend”. . “Our position as clear league leaders and second highest scorers suggests we can’t be labelled anything other than an attacking side, spending plenty of time in the opposition box,” the club said on their website (www.chelseafc.com). . “Our two closest challengers in the Premier League this season, Manchester…
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone admitted to having “goose bumps” after his side overturned a first-leg deficit and knocked Bayer Leverkusen out of the Champions League on penalties to claim a berth in the last eight on Tuesday. . Atletico lost 1-0 at Leverkusen in the first leg but a first-half goal from Mario Suarez left the rivals locked at 1-1 after extra time in the return match at a typically vibrant Calderon stadium. . Each side failed with two spot kicks in the shootout before Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling sent a wild effort over the crossbar with the Bundesliga…
Borussia Dortmund will need to play an “exceptional game” if they are to end their recent scoring difficulties and advance past Juventus into the Champions League last eight, coach Juergen Kloppsaid on Tuesday. . Dortmund, who won the trophy against Italy’s Juve in 1997, lost the first leg 2-1 in Turin and have not scored in the last two league games, raising concerns of another goal drought after a bad first half to the Bundesliga season. . “We face the greatest challenge there is in football, to score against an Italian team which will advance with a 0-0 draw,” Klopp…
Borussia Dortmund will need to play an “exceptional game” if they are to end their recent scoring difficulties and advance past Juventus into the Champions League last eight, coach Juergen Kloppsaid on Tuesday. . Dortmund, who won the trophy against Italy’s Juve in 1997, lost the first leg 2-1 in Turin and have not scored in the last two league games, raising concerns of another goal drought after a bad first half to the Bundesliga season. . “We face the greatest challenge there is in football, to score against an Italian team which will advance with a 0-0 draw,” Klopp…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes Joe Hart’s penalty save from Lionel Messi could prove crucial as his side look to turn around their Champions League last 16 tie against Barcelona on Wednesday. . The English champions trail the Catalans 2-1 from the first leg in Manchester three weeks ago, but would have been even further behind had Hart not leapt to his left to save the four-time World Player of the Year’s spot-kick in stoppage time at the Etihad. . “Of course we believe we can come back,” the 61-year-old Chilean said on Tuesday. . “I think Hart’s penalty…
Monaco were fortunate to reach the Champions League quarterfinals on away goals, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday after his team’s 2-0 win at Louis II was not enough to make up for their first-leg loss. . Monaco won 3-1 at the Emirates three weeks ago but were overwhelmed by a dominant Arsenal side in the return although the visitors paid the price for wasting several good chances. . “We knew that it would be tough to score three goals but we did not seize our opportunities,” Wenger told BeIN Sport. . “It’s not a question of merit, it’s…
The joy of Atletico’s first penalty shootout triumph in Europe will diminish once the dust settles on a narrow victory that did little to suggest they had rediscovered a cutting edge up front. . Midfielder Mario Suarez’s first half effort was the only goal either team could muster at the Calderon, his goal levelling up the tie after Diego Simeone’s side had lost 1-0 away in Germany. . It was a scrappy match in which Leverkusen failed to take several chances of their own before Suarez’s decisive intervention. . Atletico improved as they game progressed but only managed to put…
English Premier League club Liverpool have added a fixture against a Malaysian XI after the club’s pre-season tour to Australia in July. . The 18-times English champions last played in Kuala Lumpur in 2011 and are arguably the best supported Premier League side in the soccer-obsessed Southeast Asian region. . “The national football governing body is truly honoured to host Liverpool once again and are excited by the upcoming fixture,” Football Association of Malaysia general-secretary Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin told reporters on Wednesday after announcing the July 24 fixture. . “It’s not that we often get to see English Premier…
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli hit out at his detractors in an angry video published on his Instagram account late on Tuesday, telling them: “Shut up!” . Speaking directly to camera in the short clip, he says: “Do you know me? Did you ever talk to me, personally? Do you know what I’ve been through in my life? You just saw me play football on the pitch, so man, shut up!” . An accompanying caption read: “For those with an easy judge (sic) without knowing s*** about others. Good night #idowhatiwant-remember!” . The 24-year-old Italy international may have been responding to…
Hapoel Be’er Sheva midfielder, John Ogu, is excited at his recall back into the Super Eagles set up and promises to do his best to make sure the team are a force to reckon with again. . The 26-year-old was part of the Super Eagles team to the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil but eventually missed the World Cup train as Nigeria exited in the second round and he has not played since then until he was named in the 28-man squad for the upcoming friendlies with Bolivia and South Africa. . Ogu, who has been in good form…