Category Archives: SPORTS

Western Sydney Wanderers faces the greatest examination of its depth yet in the AFC Champions League semi-final first-leg tie against FC Seoul, but the club is adamant it will pass the test yet again.

The Wanderers have a 22-man squad preparing for the A-League kick-off next month, but five of those players aren’t available for the away leg against the Korean side on Wednesday night.

Tomi Juric, Brendon Santalab and Shannon Cole are out suspended, Matthew Spiranovic is injured and Romeo Castelen is ineligible after signing for the club too late to be registered for the ACL.

All five would likely be in the squad for round one of the A-League, if fit.

It is a big chunk of experienced players missing for arguably the biggest game the Wanderers have played in their short history but CEO John Tsatsimas said the club has faced major challenges before and handled them and was ready to do so again.

“Look, we are short on numbers, but it is what it is,” Tsatsimas said, from Seoul. “We have to approach the match as it stands and we’re happy to do so. The replacements have performed for us every time.

“You put together a squad to do a job. There are no players at the Wanderers who are here just in case, to play a five-minute season.

“Any player in a squad coached by Tony Popovic is capable of handling a situation. They have in the past and they’ll continue to do so. They’re all part of the squad for a reason and they all make a real contribution to the season.

“This is why we shape the squad the way it is, for moments like the game we have here in Seoul. We will rely on the squad, the same as we have all along.

“Every player we’ve handed a shirt since Wanderers came into existence has done the club proud and we see no reason why that won’t continue.

“They’re a great bunch of players, very professional. We’ve had a great preparation in Dubai, at a training camp there, and they’re all raring to go.

“Whenever players are out it’s an opportunity for other people to shine and they’ve all taken that opportunity in the past. This is another opportunity and we’re looking forward to the players coming up and doing well.”

Western Sydney parted company with a host of star players at the end of last season, including Shinji Ono, Aaron Mooy, Youssouf Hersi and Jerome Polenz.

The club has signed Brazilian playmaker Vitor Saba, Dutchman Castelen, who is a wide attacker, young central defender Brendan Hamill and another defender, Nigerian Seyi Adeleke, who has not yet arrived at the club due to a visa issue – which Tastsimas said was being sorted out.

The scheduling of the ACL quarter-final and semi-final games during the A-League off-season presented the club with another challenge, since Saba hadn’t been at the club for long.

He was only used off the bench in both legs of the quarter-final tie against Guangzhou Evergrande but must be well in the running to start against FC Seoul.

Hamill looks to be a typically clever signing by Popovic. He deputised very well for Spiranovic in the quarter-final games and will be given the same responsibility against the Koreans.

Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic was very impressed with the job Hamill has done.

“‘Popa wasn’t fearful for a second of having Brendan play the two games against Guangzhou, and Brendan did everyone proud,” Covic said. “He’s got a really bright future ahead of him.

“I think what Popa wants to achieve is to create a situation where every position has two people fighting for that spot. That’s not to suggest doubts about anyone, it’s to lift everyone up and get the best out of them. No-one can sit there and relax, thinking they’ve got their spot.

“It keeps everyone on their toes, keeps everyone at their best, because no-one wants to lose their spot. Popa has proved over and over again that he’s not scared to use any player at any time.”

The Wanderers have room to add one more player to the squad for the A-League but Tsatsimas said there was no rush.

“It’s got to be the right player at the right time,” he said.

“We may keep it up our sleeve until someone comes along that really suits the squad. Unless it fills the criteria for a player that we need, we’re not going to use it just to make up the numbers.”

source:sbs.com.au

Sydney Olympic and Olympic FC out of the FFA Cup contention, falling to Bentleigh Greens and Central Coast Mariners respectively.

Bentleigh Greens have made it into the top 8 of Australia, beating fellow Greek sponsored club Sydney Olympic in the FFA Cup round of 16.

The Greens are the only Greek sponsored team to make it to the next stage, with Queensland’s Olympic FC falling against A-League champions Central Coast Mariners.

The Greens were once again crowned winners on a foreign pitch, taking the win away from the local team very early on.

It took The Greens just seven minutes to score thanks to a terrific goal from Ryan De Vries. A penalty from Liam McCormick just minutes later sealed the fate for the Bentleigh, untouchable till the 94th minute.

To save face, Taiga Soeda pulled one back for Olympic late in the match but it was too little too late for the home side, battling fatigue from their NPL NSW grand final loss on Sunday.

The Mariners showed their professional skills in their match against Olympic FC taking the lead early, forcing Olympic on the chase.

Nick Fitzgerald took just seconds to score the first goal for the A-League club, shocking local Olympic fans and creating a tense atmosphere for most of the game.

Mariner Matt Sim made it 2-0 just before half-time, but Olympic came back, with Cup hero Jake McLean bursting through on the edge of the box with an expert goal.

The goal wasn’t enough to get Olympic FC out of its late match fatigue, with Mariner Glen Trifiro profited from sloppy defence and lobbed the third and final goal for the match.

In other matches last night, Melbourne Victory proved their pre-season training is going extremely well, taking a whopping 6-0 win over Tuggeranong United.

Adelaide City took a half time lead and was enough to win their match against Brisbane Strikers 1-0.

The round of 16 matches continue next week, with Melbourne part timers South Springvale (Aris) taking on Palm Beach Sharks on Tuesday.

source: Neos Kosmos

Η κλάση του Κάρλος Τέβες γλίτωσε τη Γιουβέντους από «στραβοπάτημα» στην έδρα της, στην πρεμιέρα του 1ου ομίλου του Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ.

Με το σκορ ισόπαλο απέναντι στους Σουηδούς της Μάλμε ως το 59΄, ο Αργεντινός επιθετικός έκανε το 1-0 σε εκείνο το σημείο, ενώ ήταν ο ίδιος που διπλασίασε ένα λεπτό πριν τη λήξη χαρίζοντας το τρίποντο στους «μπιανκονέρι», που μαζί με τον Ολυμπιακό τέθηκαν επικεφαλής στον όμιλο.

Θρίλερ στο «Άνφιλντ», με την Λίβερπουλ να χρειάζεται πέναλτι του Τζέραρντ στις καθυστερήσεις για να κερδίσει την αξιόμαχη Λουντογκόρετζ, η οποία στο 90′ είχε ισοφαρίσει το γκολ του Μπαλοτέλι με τον Αμπάλο. Όσον αφορά τη Ρεάλ, έκανε περίπατο κερδίζοντας 5-1 την Βασιλεία στο «Σαντιάγκο Μπερναμπέο».

Όλα στραβά για την Μπενφίκα, η οποία βρέθηκε να χάνει στο 5΄λεπτό και στο 18′ είδε τον τερματοφύλακα της να αποχωρεί με κόκκινη κάρτα, ενώ στο 22′ τρίτωσε το κακό αφού δέχθηκε και δεύτερο γκολ, από κει και πέρα η συνέχεια ήταν διαδικαστικού χαρακτήρα. Με την Μπάγερ Λεβερκούζεν να αδικεί τον εαυτό της ολοκληρώθηκε ο 3ος όμιλος όμιλος αφού η Μονακό κέρδισε τους Γερμανούς 1-0 σε ένα ματς που θα ξεχαστεί εύκολα.

Στον τέταρτο και τελευταίο όμιλο η Μπορούσια κέρδισε πολύ εύκολα την Άρσεναλ με 2-0, ενώ Γαλατασαράι και Άντερλεχτ ήρθαν 1-1 σε ένα ματς που έλειπε η φαντασία και από τις δύο ομάδες.

Στους αγώνες της πρεμιέρας του Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ για τη σεζόν 2014/2015, σημειώθηκαν τα αποτελέσματα:

1ος όμιλος
Ολυμπιακός-Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης 3-2
Γιουβέντους-Μάλμε 2-0

2ος όμιλος
Λίβερπουλ-Λουντόγκορετς 2-1
Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης-Βασιλεία 5-1

3ος όμιλος
Μονακό-Λεβερκούζεν 1-0
Μπενφίκα-Ζενίτ Αγ.Πετρ. 0-2

4ος όμιλος
Γαλατασαράι-Αντερλεχτ 1-1
Ντόρτμουντ-Αρσεναλ 2-0

Πηγή:in.gr

• Steven Gerrard converts a penalty deep in added time to secure the Group B points
• Dani Abalo had only just equalised for the impressive Bulgarian debutants
• Mario Balotelli had hit what seemed to be the winner eight minutes from the end
• Roman Bezjak had hit the post not long before in a fine showing by the visitors
• Next fixtures: Basel v Liverpool, Ludogorets v Real Madrid (1 October)

Liverpool FC’s return to the UEFA Champions League after five years away ended in victory – but only just after a tremendous fight by debutants PFC Ludogorets Razgrad.

There was expectancy in the air before kick-off. Brendan Rodgers’ match programme talked of embracing a rich heritage, one perfectly illustrated by the Kop’s pre-match mosaic showing five European Cups. This is a new era, though. Liverpool’s lineup featured five players with no UEFA Champions League experience and they started slowly.

Of course, for every Ludogorets player this is a new adventure, not least goalkeeper Milan Borjan, the Canadian goalkeeper signed only a few days ago to deputise for the suspended Vladislav Stoyanov. He will have been grateful for Liverpool’s slow start and when they did find some attacking fluency it came only in fits and starts.

After 21 minutes Mario Balotelli turned his marker, Cosmi Moţi, but Aleksandar Aleksandrov got in the way of the ensuing shot and Borjan foiled Adam Lallana on the follow-up. Lallana had an even better chance eight minutes before the break after Coutinho sent Jordan Henderson bursting in the box.

The lively Ludogorets fans in the Anfield Road end will have been pleased by their team’s first 45 minutes of UEFA Champions League football – not least the confident touches of Marcelinho. The Liverpool crowd, meanwhile, saw the purposeful work of left-back Alberto Moreno, providing regular crosses from his flank.

As it was, their team’s first chance after the restart fell to their other Spanish full-back, Javier Manquillo but he lifted his shot over the bar. Ludogorets were making life awkward for their hosts and Marcelinho twice set up Roman Bezjak, once forcing Moreno to make a brilliant saving tackle.

That was the cue for Liverpool to go to the other end and strike. Moreno played a high ball into the Italian and he turned between two green shirts before finding the far corner of the Kop net. Borjan’s flying save stopped another Balotelli effort but it was in three added minutes that the real drama arrived.

Dani Abalo was played through by Younes Hamza and he confidently rounded Simon Mignol and slotted in to secure what seemed a memorable draw. But then Borjan brought down Manquillo after miscontrolling a back-pass and Steven Gerrard, naturally, made no mistake from the spot.

source:uefa.com

• Ciro Immobile marks UEFA Champions League debut with opening goal before half-time
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s fifth goal of the season makes it 2-0
• Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both spurned opportunities at 0-0
• Next games: Arsenal v Galatasaray, Anderlecht v Dortmund

Goals either side of half-time from Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang earned a highly impressive victory for Dortmund at home to Arsenal.

Jürgen Klopp’s side made their intentions clear from the off, winning possession soon after kick-off and rarely losing it as the chances began to flow. It took until the stroke of half-time for Immobile to break the deadlock but Aubameyang doubled the advantage soon after the interval in a performance which will imbue the 2013 finalists with confidence.

Roared on by the ever-vociferous home crowd, Dortmund began with intensity, pressing their visitors and earning a string of early corners. One delivery was stabbed wide by Sokratis Papastathopoulos before the industrious Immobile dragged his first effort past the post.

As the pressure increased, it seemed a Dortmund breakthrough was inevitable. Yet as Aubameyang was denied from close range by Wojciech Szczęsny and Jack Wilshere stretched to prevent Henrikh Mkhitaryan from slamming in, it began to feel as though it might not be their night.

Those fears only worsened as Arsenal began to come out of their shell, with Danny Welbeck twice getting into good positions. Aubameyang and Immobile had each drawn saves from Szczęsny between times and the Italian striker’s hard work was rewarded with an outstanding opener, sprinting from his own half, holding off the challenges of Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs and slotting in his first competitive goal in a Dortmund shirt.

It was a deserved lead against an Arsenal side who had failed to muster a single shot on goal in the opening period and soon after the restart they were two behind. Arsène Wenger had barely retaken his seat by the time Kevin Grosskreutz had clipped a delightful ball through for Aubameyang, who bundled his way past Szczęsny before guiding the ball past the scrambling Koscielny and over the line.

Immobile brought a fine save from Szczęsny soon afterwards and Aubameyang then turned on the afterburners, racing past Koscielny with ease before grazing the bar. The Gabon international headed another chance wide and Mkhitaryan blazed over following another good break heading into the latter stages, but while the scoreline remained the same, Dortmund’s tally of 20 shots to Arsenal’s three told its own story.

source: uefa.com

Fairytales were in short supply in the FFA Cup round of 16 on Tuesday as A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners eased to wins over lower league opposition.

Melbourne outclassed Canberra-based Tuggeranong United with a competition-high 6-0 win in the nation’s capital.

Central Coast had a tougher time in Brisbane but were never headed in recording a hard-fought 3-1 win over Olympic FC.

There was joy, however, for giant-killers Adelaide City who kept their cup ambitions afloat with a tough 1-0 victory over Brisbane Strikers.

A lone Anthony Costa goal just before half-time separated the teams in what was the first meeting between these former National Soccer League champions since 2003.

A late red card for the Strikers’ David Salin ended the visitors’ hopes as Adelaide City moved into the quarter-finals, having famously dispensed with A-League grand finalists Western Sydney Wanderers last month.

In Canberra, Victory forwards Besart Berisha and Connor Pain stole the show with the latter setting-up a hat-trick for the club’s new No.9 who arrived from Brisbane Roar in the off-season.

Melbourne were rarely troubled in front of a ground record 5,000 strong crowd at the Vikings Club.

The margin was 3-0 after just 20 minutes with another signing, French defender Matthieu Delpierre, also on target before further strikes from Gui Finkler and Pain.

“Once we got the first goal we settled down,” said Melbourne coach Kevin Muscat.

“We got a lot out of tonight, and it was a good hit-out.”

The prolific Berisha, who scored his first hat-trick for the Victory, said his teammates were focused from the opening whistle.

“This cup is so important for our club,” he said.

“You have to take these games very seriously. The team combined well and Connor (Pain) is a great assist man.”

The Mariners appeared to be on track for a comfortable win at Olympic FC with first-half goals from Nick Fitzgerald and Mat Sim.

But a goal soon after halftime from Jacob McLean halted the Mariners’ momentum, and they needed a late sealer from Glen Trifiro to ensure bed down the result and a spot in the last eight.

The final match of the evening saw former national champions Sydney Olympic suffer elimination with a 2-1 home defeat against Bentleigh Greens.

source: ninemsn.com.au