Monthly Archives: February 2015

Everton and Liverpool could not be separated on Saturday evening as the 224th Merseyside derby ended in a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.

The visitors created more chances, and went closest to a breakthrough when Jordon Ibe, making only his second Barclays Premier League start, rattled a post with a drive from distance midway through the first half. Steven Gerrard, featuring in what is expected to be his final league derby, also went close on a couple of occasions but even the introduction of Daniel Sturridge early in the second half could not help Liverpool find a winner.

For Everton, it was a 10th consecutive Merseyside derby without victory in all competitions, dating back to their last success in October 2010, and a draw that leaves Roberto Martinez’s men 12th with two BPL wins in 12. Liverpool are five places better off having lost one of their past dozen top-flight matches.

Liverpool were first to threaten in the 10th minute when Joel Robles tipped away a Gerrard free-kick that was heading for the top corner. The visitors suffered a blow when Lucas Leiva had to be withdrawn on the quarter-hour with what looked an injury to his left thigh. He was replaced by Joe Allen.

Two minutes later, Raheem Sterling’s deflected shot rolled across the box and Robles had to rush smartly to deny Ibe from close range. Ibe, a youth academy graduate, went closer in the 27th minute when he raced forward into space and thumped an effort off the left-hand post with Robles beaten.

Kevin Mirallas sent a free-kick narrowly wide from 30 yards at the start of the second half, although Simon Mignolet looked to have it covered at his near post. Liverpool then hit back with Sterling twice shooting straight at Robles before an acrobatic Gerrard effort was headed over his own crossbar by Naismith.

With 55 minutes gone, Brendan Rodgers brought on Sturridge in place of Philippe Coutinho in a bid to break the deadlock. Everton responded with a change of their own as Aaron Lennon, signed on loan from Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day, replaced Mirallas.

With five minutes remaining there was one final chance for the hosts when Seamus Coleman broke through only to see his strike parried behind by Mignolet, as the game ended with honours even.

source:premierleague.com

Harry Kane’s fine season continued in Saturday’s 174th north London derby as he struck twice after the break to earn his side a 2-1 win over Arsenal at White Hart Lane.

Arsenal, who were without their injured top goalscorer Alexis Sanchez, were on course for their first back-to-back victories at Spurs since the late 1980s after taking the lead in Arsene Wenger’s 700th Barclays Premier League match in charge. However, Kane, who was rewarded with a new contract at the beginning of the week, had other ideas as he turned the occasion on its head following Mesut Ozil’s opener to give Spurs a first derby win in five attempts.

Despite the hosts making the early running, Ozil opened the scoring 11 minutes in after an incisive break, with Spurs initially frustrated in their attempts to get back on level terms. The hosts’ pressure eventually told when Kane grabbed his first derby goal to level in the 56th minute, and the England Under-21 forward took his tally to 11 goals from his last 14 Spurs appearances with a superb header late on. This ended Arsenal’s five-match winning run in all competitions as their north London rivals leapfrogged them into the top four ahead of the afternoon’s other kick-offs.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side edged a cagey opening, with David Ospina forced to tip Kane’s early effort wide before the Colombian easily collected Danny Rose’s disappointing delivery from the left. However, in Arsenal’s first purposeful foray forward, the recalled Danny Welbeck burst past Rose to square for Olivier Giroud in the centre. The Frenchman helped the ball on to Ozil, who angled his body and volleyed past Hugo Lloris to score with a first-time shot for a third match running.

An increased intensity from both sides led to more chances before the half-hour, with Rose threatening Ospina’s goal twice more down the left. However, the Arsenal defence stood firm to soak up Spurs’ pressure, wasteful finishing from Christian Eriksen and Ryan Mason helping their opponents’ cause.

Welbeck was required to clear Eriksen’s dangerous free-kick late in the first half and Spurs started the brighter after the break. A lack of cutting edge in the final third continued to prove their downfall until Kane drew his side level with a cool finish at the back post after Ospina had failed to palm Erik Lamela’s corner out of danger. The goal was no more than Spurs’ pressure deserved but Welbeck almost put Arsenal back in front soon after, his curling effort kept out at full stretch by Lloris.

Ospina was called on again to deny Kane. having initially saved from Nabil Bentaleb, but the 21-year-old would not be denied as he further cemented his status as Spurs’ latest fan favourite. Kane’s 22nd goal in all competitions came courtesy of a wonderful arching header from Bentaleb’s cross as the striker impressed again in front of the watching England manager Roy Hodgson.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino: “It’s a special moment because always when you play the derbies it’s about more than just one game. It’s special for our supporters. I’m very happy and I congratulate my players for the performance. We played with our brain but also with the heart. We showed passion and emotion. [Kane] showed his quality and potential is massive. He can improve and this is the idea, to help him improve.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “We defended quite well, but offensively what we produced was not our standard and not good enough. For me, they [Spurs] created more chances and overall we cannot argue too much that they won the game. The regret we have is that we gave the goals away, the first and the second. We had put so much effort in but of course when you put so much in and you lose the game it is difficult.”

source:premierleague.com

Σε ανεπανάληπτο θρίαμβο της Ατλέτικο εξελίχθηκε το μεγάλο ντέρμπι της 22ης αγωνιστικής του ισπανικού πρωταθλήματος, καθώς οι «ροχιμπλάνκος» συνέτριψαν 4-0 τη Ρεάλ στο «Βιθέντε Καλντερόν» και έβαλαν… φωτιά στη μάχη του τίτλου.

Εντυπωσιακή η ομάδα του Ντιέγκο Σιμεόνε, εκμεταλλεύθηκε με τον καλύτερο τρόπο τις σοβαρές αμυντικές ελλείψεις των πρωταθλητών Ευρώπης (Σέρχιο Ράμος, Πέπε, Μαρσέλο) και το ντεοφρμάρισμα των μεγάλων της αστέρων (Ρονάλντο, Μπέιλ ήταν… απλή αναφορά στο φύλλο αγώνα) και μετέτρεψε το ντέρμπι σε… πάρτι.

Παρά την πρόωρη απώλεια του Κόκε, που αποχώρησε τραυματίας μόλις στο 10ο λεπτό, η Ατλέτικο προηγήθηκε στο 13΄ με σουτ του Τιάγκο που «έπνιξε» ο Κασίγιας και πέντε λεπτά αργότερα διπλασίασε τα τέρματά της με ανάποδο ψαλίδι του Σαούλ (αντικατέστησε τον Κόκε), μετά από εντυπωσιακή ενέργεια του Σικέιρα. Οι γηπεδούχοι είχαν κι άλλες ευκαιρίες, πριν ο Γκριζμάν στο 66΄ και ο Μάντζουκιτς στο 89΄ διαμορφώσουν το τελικό 4-0, με το οποίο οι πρωταθλητές Ισπανίας πλησίασαν την πρωτοπόρο Ρεάλ στους τέσσερις βαθμούς.

Παράλληλα η Μπαρτσελόνα μπορεί να φτάσει στον πόντο από την κορυφή, αν περάσιε αύριο νικηφόρα από το «Σαν Μαμές» κόντρα στην Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο. Να σημειωθεί ότι αυτή ήταν η έκτη φετινή αναμέτρηση των δύο ομάδων της Μαδρίτης, με την Ατλέτικο να μετράει τέσσερις νίκες και δύο ισοπαλίες.

Τα αποτελέσματα και οι σκόρερ:

Λα Κορούνια-Εϊμπάρ 2-0
(52΄ Λούκας, 79΄ Καβαλέιρο)

Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης-Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης 4-0
(13΄ Τιάγκο, 18΄ Σαούλ, 66΄ Γκριζμάν, 89΄ Μάντζουκιτς)

Βιγιαρεάλ-Γρανάδα 19:00

Λεβάντε-Μάλαγα 21:00

Σοσιεδάδ-Θέλτα 23:00

Κόρντομπα-Αλμερία 8/2
Χετάφε-Σεβίλη 8/2
Εσπανιόλ-Βαλένθια 8/2
Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο-Μπαρτσελόνα 8/2

Ελτσε-Ράγιο Βαγεκάνο 9/2

ΒΑΘΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ (σε 21 αγώνες)
Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης 54 -22αγ.
Μπαρτσελόνα 50
Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης 50 -22αγ.
Σεβίλη 42
Βαλένθια 41
Βιγιαρεάλ 38
Μάλαγα 35
Εϊμπάρ 27 -22αγ.
Εσπανιόλ 26
Θέλτα 24
Λα Κορούνια 24 -22αγ.
Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο 23
Ράγιο Βαγιεκάνο 23
Σοσιεδάδ 22
Χετάφε 20
Αλμερία 19
Κόρντομπα 18
Γρανάδα 18
Έλτσε 17
Λεβάντε 16

Πηγή: in.gr

Arsenal may have to make do without their top scorer Alexis Sanchez when they visit north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

The Chile forward missed his side’s 5-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend and on Thursday Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, suggested that he had failed to recover sufficiently from a hamstring problem. But Wenger, whose side are looking to record back-to-back victories at White Hart Lane for the first time since September 1988, hinted in his press conference on Friday that Sanchez may yet feature, with a test that day set to determine his availability.

“[Telling him he’s not playing] is not easy!” Wenger said. “He wants to play of course. He’s very keen and thinks he can even defy the medical people because he’s so keen.

“I don’t know yet [if he could feature], I need medical advice on that and need as well to see what he can do in training.”

Wenger is boosted by the return of Danny Welbeck to the first team, but remains without Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere (both ankle), Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin). Welbeck’s return means Arsenal have enough attacking options to compensate for Sanchez, who has 12 league goals, says Wenger.

“We have enough offensive power,” he said. “We don’t need to worry about being short on that front.”

The Frenchman also confirmed that striker Chuba Akpom and midfielder Francis Coquelin have both signed new deals with the Gunners.

Coquelin has impressed since getting a run in the team in a holding midfield role while Akpom, 19, has made two BPL appearances this season.

One man who relishes the north London derby is Tottenham Hotspur forward Emmanuel Adebayor, who has scored 10 Barclays Premier League goals in the fixture, for Arsenal and Spurs, more than any player. Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino says the Togo forward is a “very important player”, and can help his side’s top-four push after reports that Adebayor was close to a move away on transfer deadline day.

“If you review the last two or three months, maybe people understand that he needs time to get his confidence back and to return to his best level,” Pochettino said of a player whom he has not selected in his starting XI for a BPL match since November. “We need to analyse the past. It was difficult for him, and it’s always hard for a player to come back.

“We are happy that he has stayed as he is a very important player. We need to provide him with the tools to improve, as we do with all the players. We push them, make sure they train in a good way and, after, when they have the chance to play, they give their best.”

Depending on Southampton’s result away to Queens Park Rangers earlier in the day, Arsenal, who are on a five-match winning run in all competitions, could climb to third place in the Barclays Premier League, with Manchester United not playing until Sunday. Spurs, two points adrift of the visitors, could go fourth.

Tottenham Hotspur (from): Friedel, Lloris, Vorm, Chiriches, Davies, Dier, Fazio, Kaboul, Rose, Vertonghen, Walker, Yedlin, Bentaleb, Capoue, Ceballos Chadli, Dembele, Eriksen, Lamela, Mason, Paulinho, Stambouli, Townsend, Adebayor, Kane, Soldado.

Arsenal (from): Martinez, Ospina, Szczesny, Bellerin, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Flamini, Ozil, Ramsey, Rosicky, Akpom, Giroud, Walcott, Welbeck.

source:premierleague.com

Liverpool and Everton contest the 224th Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday, with visiting manager Brendan Rodgers delighted to have seen his team turn a corner.

Rodgers’ men have taken 16 points from their last six Barclays Premier League outings and booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a late 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday.

Liverpool go into the match having not lost a derby since 2010 but were denied victory in this season’s reverse fixture by a late Phil Jagielka goal. With Rodgers eager for his side to maintain their upward momentum against their city rivals, the Liverpool manager talked up the squad’s renewed belief in Thursday’s press conference.

“They are incredible games to be involved in as a manager and for the players. We prepare really well for every game and this game is no different,” he said. “Our momentum at the moment is at a real good level. I’m happy with how it’s going for us, considering where we were at the first part of the season.

“In these types of games the form goes out of the window. The derby games bring a different sort of emotion. At this moment in time, we as a team are operating at a really good level. So, whether it’s home or away, we have real confidence that we can go and win the game.”

Everton have also managed to arrest recent poor form. They have bounced back from a four-match losing run in the Barclays Premier League over the Christmas and new year. While a run of one victory from five outings since then is far from ideal form, manager Roberto Martinez insists his side are much improved from where they were at the start of the year.

“Obviously, the last derby that we had at Goodison [3-3 in November 2013] was a phenomenal football game with plenty of goals and two teams with a real attacking mindset,” Martinez said. “I expect very much the same – two teams that are going into the fixture in very good moments of form.

“Liverpool have found their way of performing and are really enjoying a good run and we feel in a similar situation in terms of the confidence of the win that we had at the weekend.”

Liverpool’s Lazar Markovic is expected to be available despite suffering a knock against Bolton, while Martinez could welcome back James McCarthy (hamstring) and give a debut to loan signing Aaron Lennon. Tim Howard, Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar remain sidelined for Everton.

Everton (from): Howard, Joel, Stanek, Alcaraz, Baines, Browning, Coleman, Distin, Garbutt, Hibbert, Jagielka, Oviedo, Stones, Atsu, Barkley, Barry, Besic, Gibson, Lennon, McCarthy, McGeady, Kone, Long, Lukaku, Mirallas, Naismith.

Liverpool (from): Mignolet, Ward, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Lovren, Manquillo, Moreno, Sakho, Skrtel, Allen, Can, Coutinho, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Lucas, Markovic, Balotelli, Borini, Ibe, Lambert, Sterling, Sturridge.

source: premierleague.com

ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΘΛΗΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΓΚΟΣΜΙΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΙΚΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΩΝ

Σε εκδήλωση που πραγματοποιήθηκε σήμερα το μεσημέρι στο Δημαρχείο, ο Δήμαρχος Πατρέων Κώστας Πελετίδης δέχθηκε τους αθλητές και προπονητές που εκπροσώπησαν Πάτρα στους 48ους Παγκόσμιους Παιδικούς Αγώνες που διεξήχθησαν στην πόλη Λέϊκ Μακουάιρ (Laske Macquarie)της Αυστραλίας, τον περασμένο Δεκέμβριο.

Ο κ. Πελετίδης καλωσόρισε στο Δημαρχείο τους αθλητές και τους προπονητές, χαρακτηρίζοντάς τους «πρέσβεις της πόλης μας, της ειρήνης και της φιλίας των λαών».
Ο Δήμαρχος στάθηκε ιδιαίτερα στον εναλλακτικό χαρακτήρα των αγώνων, ο οποίος σηματοδοτείται από τον αρμονικό συνδυασμό των αγωνιστικών εμπειριών υψηλού επιπέδου, με τη μεγάλη αξία της συμμετοχής, προάγοντας τα πανανθρώπινα ιδανικά της ειρήνης της φιλίας και της συνεργασίας όλων των λαών.
Τόνισε δε, ότι «η πόλη μας, στο βαθμό που οι Παγκόσμιοι Παιδικοί Αγώνες θα παραμένουν προσηλωμένοι στο αρχικό τους πνεύμα και σκοπό, θα συμμετάσχει με την καλύτερη δυνατή εκπροσώπηση».

Παρόντες στην εκδήλωση ήταν ο Αντιδήμαρχος Παιδείας και Αθλητισμού Ανδρέας Αθανασόπουλος, καθώς και ο Σύμβουλος σε θέματα Αθλητισμού, Τάκης Πετρόπουλος, ο οποίος καλωσορίζοντας την αντιπροσωπεία, στάθηκε στην μεγάλη σημασία των αγώνων για την προσέγγιση νέων αθλητών από διαφορετικές φυλές, κράτη, πολιτισμούς και θρησκείες.

Οι επόμενοι Παγκόσμιοι Παιδικοί Αγώνες, θα πραγματοποιηθούν από τις 24 μέχρι 29 Ιουνίου 2015.

Πηγή:mynima-hellas.com