Category Archives: SPORTS

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will wear the famous Reds jersey for the first time since his departure from the club when he leads a star-studded team of former players against an Australian Legends lineup at ANZ Stadium in Sydney early next year.

Former Liverpool FC stars Jamie Carragher, Ian Rush, Didi Hamann and John Arne Riise are also among the side, which will be announced in full in the weeks leading up the match on January 7.

Taking charge of coaching duties will be Gerard Houllier, who led the side between 1998 and 2004.

The famous Reds will take on an Australian team featuring the likes of Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Tony Popovic, Mile Sterjovski, Craig Foster, Ned Zelic and Scott Chipperfield.

Liverpool released a statement quoting Houllier as saying: “It will be a very proud moment to step back into the dugout to manage the Liverpool Legends team. I’m very much looking forward to working with some of the best players in the club’s history, some for the first time and some not. But getting back out in front of the LFC fans will be the most special – wherever you are in the world their support is incredible and will make this game a really special experience.”

Gerrard – who made more than 500 appearances for Liverpool before moving to LA Galaxy – said: “It will be great to play with the Official Liverpool FC Legends, the squad looks like it’s a great set of lads, it’ll be good to get on the pitch with them. Our fans are the best and to play in front of them again will be emotional I’m sure.”

Some 150,000 fans turned out to see English Premier League sides Tottenham and Chelsea play Sydney FC in Sydney earlier this year.

source:smh.com.au

A draw suits both teams when Bayern München host Olympiacos on matchday five – they each have nine points in Group F and one more will send them into the last 16.

FC Bayern München host Olympiacos FC on UEFA Champions League matchday five with both teams knowing a draw will be enough for them to reach the last 16.

• Victory will ensure Bayern, who are unbeaten in their eight games against sides from Greece (W6 D2), win the group.

• Bayern prevailed 3-0 in Piraeus on 16 September, Thomas Müller scoring either side of a Mario Götze effort.

• To wrap up the group, Olympiacos must triumph by a margin that would give them the head-to-head advantage.

Previous meetings
• The teams met in the 1980/81 European Cup first round, the Bundesliga giants winning both legs (4-2 away, 3-0 home). Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored in both games.

Match background

Bayern
• The German title holders followed up their result in Greece by scoring five without reply at home to GNK Dinamo Zagreb. They then dropped their first points in a 2-0 reverse at Arsenal FC before beating the same side 5-1 two weeks later.

• Last term, Bayern reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the fourth time in a row, winning all six games – scoring 22 goals – in Munich. Josep Guardiola’s charges beat FC Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in the round of 16, FC Porto 6-1 in the quarter-finals and FC Barcelona 3-2 in the semi-final but bowed out having lost 3-0 away.

Olympiacos
• The Greek side, in the group stage for the 17th time, won 3-2 at Arsenal on matchday two – their first victory in England at the 13th attempt.

• They then continued their good form by defeating Dinamo 1-0 at home and 2-1 away to join Bayern on nine points.

• Last season Olympiacos finished third in Group A, losing all three away games. They transferred to the UEFA Europa League and were defeated in the round of 32, succumbing 2-0 to FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk ahead of a 2-2 home draw.

• It is the fifth time in 14 seasons that Olympiacos have been drawn in the same UEFA Champions League section as a German club. They have lost on five of their six visits to Bundesliga opponents – their solitary success coming in 2007/08 when they won 3-1 at SV Werder Bremen. It was the only time in those six games that they managed to score.

• A 6-2 victory over Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2002/03 is Olympiacos’ biggest UEFA Champions League win.
Coach and player links
• Olympiacos No1 Roberto saved Arturo Vidal’s added-time penalty in last season’s matchday three fixture against Juventus, who nevertheless won 3-2.

• Alberto Botía made his Spanish Liga debut under Guardiola in Barcelona’s 1-1 away draw against RC Deportivo La Coruña in 2008/09.

• Robert Lewandowski scored in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 loss at Olympiacos in the 2011/12 group stage.

• Lewandowski struck in Poland’s 1-1 draw with Giannis Maniatis’ Greece in the opening match of UEFA EURO 2012 in Warsaw. Kostas Fortounis came off the bench for the last 22 minutes.

• In the same tournament, Philipp Lahm scored Germany’s first in a 4-2 quarter-final elimination of Maniatis’ Greece. Manuel Neuer, Holger Badstuber and Jérôme Boateng all started and Müller and Götze came off the bench.

• David Alaba scored in Austria’s 4-1 win against substitute Jimmy Durmaz’s Sweden in a UEFA EURO 2016 qualifier in Solna on 8 September.

• In the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League, Esteban Cambiasso’s FC Internazionale Milano first beat Guardiola’s Barcelona in the semi-finals and then Bayern in the decider.

• Former Argentina midfielder Cambiasso’s missed penalty in the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter-final shoot-out against Lahm’s Germany proved decisive after a 1-1 draw in Berlin.

• Fortounis (1. FC Kaiserslautern, 2011–14), Omar Elabdellaoui (TSV Eintracht Braunschweig, 2013–14) and Stefanos Kapino (1. FSV Mainz 05, 2014/15) have played in Germany.

• Have played together:
Botía & Thiago Alcântara (FC Barcelona B, 2008–09)
Manuel da Costa & Medhi Benatia (Morocco).

Match facts

Bayern
• Bayern have dropped only two points in the Bundesliga this season. Their record ten-match winning start to the campaign ended when they drew 0-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on 30 October.

• Javi Martínez’s goal in the 3-1 victory at FC Schalke 04 on Saturday was his first since the UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea FC on 30 August 2013.

• Guardiola’s team have scored five goals in a game on five occasions this term, most recently against Arsenal on 4 November.

• The Bavarians have managed at least four goals in each of their last six home fixtures.

• Douglas Costa scored the opener and made the other two in Brazil’s 3-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying triumph over Peru on 17 November.

• Lewandowski scored twice as Poland defeated Iceland 4-2 on 13 November. Arjen Robben registered a double in the Netherlands’ 3-2 win in Wales.

• Kingsley Coman made his senior France debut against Germany the same evening and also came off the bench during Les Bleus’ 2-0 loss to England four days later.

• Lewandowski has found the net 27 times in 24 outings for club and country this term. Müller has scored 22 in 24.

• Holger Badstuber (out since 21 April, thigh) made his comeback as a substitute in the 4-0 defeat of VfB Stuttgart on 7 November.

• Thiago Alcántara sustained a knee injury during Spain’s 2-0 success against England on 13 November and is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks.

• Götze was ruled out for ten to 12 weeks after rupturing a tendon in his groin during Germany’s UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying loss to the Republic of Ireland on 8 October.

• Franck Ribéry (11 March, ankle) is yet to play this term, while Juan Bernat (thigh) has been unavailable since late October. Sebastian Rode (late September, thigh) was an unused substitute on Saturday.

Olympiacos
• Cambiasso and Elabdellaoui are a booking away from a ban.

• The derby against Panathinaikos FC on Saturday was abandoned before kick-off because of crowd disturbances.

• Olympiacos are the only team in the Greek Super League with a 100% record having won all ten matches. They are one win away from matching the all-time best for consecutive victories at the beginning of a season, set by the club’s 1966/67 vintage.

• The 3-0 matchday one reverse against Bayern is the Piraeus outfit’s only defeat in their last 23 fixtures in all competitions.

• Botía strained his right hamstring on matchday four and is doubtful for the game in Munich.

• Alejandro Domínguez has not played since suffering a right hamstring injury in a Greek Cup group stage match against Platanias FC on 28 October.

• Maniatis (11 March, right knee) and Andreas Bouchalakis (26 August, left quadriceps) are still out.

• Felipe Pardo – Olympiacos’s match winner against Dinamo last time out – made his debut for Colombia in their FIFA World Cup qualifying draw with Chile on 12 November.

• Alfred Finnbogason scored in Iceland’s friendly losses to Poland (2-4) and Slovakia (1-3) on 13 and 17 November respectively.

source:uefa.com

David Alaba is in doubt to face Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday, Bayern Munich have confirmed.

The Austria international took a blow to his ankle during a 3-1 win away to Schalke on Saturday and could be forced to sit out the meeting with the Greek champions at the Allianz Arena.

“The use of David Alaba is a question mark,” Bayern announced via their official website.

“The left-back had to be substituted in the 83rd minute of the 3-1 win over Schalke on Saturday after a foul.
“He withdrew with an injury to his left ankle that was looked over by team doctor Volker Braun on Sunday. Whether Alaba can play against the Greek champions will depend on the healing process over the next few days.”

source:goal.com

Τα όσα έγιναν το Σάββατο στη Λεωφόρο αποτελούν σίγουρα καταστροφή για τον Παναθηναϊκό. Οι ποινές από τις οποίες απειλείται αναμένεται να είναι εξοντωτικές και φυσικά δεν θα αφορούν μόνο το αγωνιστικό τομέα αλλά και τον οικονομικό.

Ο πειθαρχικός κώδικας αναφέρει ότι εφόσον οι «πράσινοι» θεωρηθούν υπαίτιοι για τη μη διεξαγωγή του ματς, θα χάσουν το ματς στα χαρτιά, θα τους αφαιρεθούν 3 βαθμοί, ποινή διεξαγωγής 2-4 αγωνιστικών κεκλεισμένων των θυρών και βαρύ πρόστιμο (70-150 χιλ. ευρώ). Ωστόσο ο νόμος Κοντονή προβλέπει ακόμη πιο βαριές «καμπάνες».

Τα έκτροπα που συνέβησαν μετά την ανακοίνωση της αναβολής του αγώνα επισύρουν εξοντωτικές ποινές για τον Παναθηναϊκό.
Συγκεκριμένα στον νέο αθλητικό νόμο 4326/2015, τα πρόστιμα ξεκινούν από 10.000 ευρώ και μπορεί να φτάσουν μέχρι και το 1 εκατομμύριο έπειτα από εισήγηση της Διαρκούς Επιτροπής Αντιμετώπισης της Βίας.
Μπορεί ακόμη να απαγορεύσει τη διεξαγωγή συγκεκριμένων αγώνων και τη διάθεση εισιτηρίων. Λουκέτο δηλαδή στη Λεωφόρο η τμημάτων της όπως στη Θύρα 13, χωρίς να αναφέρεται το χρονικό διάστημα.

Εφόσον παραβιαστούν οι ποινές, προβλέπονται πρόστιμα σε φυσικά ή νομικά πρόσωπα από 25.000 μέχρι 5.000.000 ευρώ.

Αναλυτικά το άρθρο 3 του αθλητικού νόμου αναφέρει τα εξής: «Ο αρμόδιος για τον Αθλητισμό Υπουργός μπορεί επίσης, για προληπτικούς λόγους, προκειμένου να αποτραπεί η επανάληψη τέτοιων γεγονότων και συμπεριφορών, να απαγορεύει προσωρινά, για μία ή περισσότερες αγωνιστικές, τη διεξαγωγή συγκεκριμένων αγώνων ή να διακόπτει οριστικά πρωταθλήματα ή άλλες διοργανώσεις, με αιτιολογημένη απόφαση που λαμβάνεται έπειτα από γνώμη της Διαρκούς Επιτροπής για την Αντιμετώπιση της Βίας, καθώς και της οικείας αθλητικής ομοσπονδίας. Μπορεί, εξάλλου, να απαγορεύει τη με οποιονδήποτε τρόπο διάθεση εισιτηρίων και την εν γένει χρήση συγκεκριμένων ζωνών ή τμημάτων των κερκίδων αθλητικών εγκαταστάσεων».

Ο Σταύρος Κοντονής, υφυπουργός Αθλητισμού, όπως έχει δηλώσει και στο παρελθόν είναι αποφασισμένος να εφαρμόσει το νόμο επακριβώς.

Πηγή:in.gr

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp hopes that his side’s brilliant 4-1 dismantling of former Premier League leaders Manchester City will convince his players that they can surmount any obstacle.

Roberto Firmino scored his first Liverpool goal and set up two more as the visitors surged to a 3-0 lead inside the first 32 minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with Martin Skrtel rubber-stamping victory late on after Sergio Aguero had reduced the deficit shortly before half-time.

Liverpool have now beaten champions Chelsea and City in successive away games and while they lie six points off the Champions League places, Klopp believes that vital self-belief is being forged.

Asked what had changed for Liverpool since the dismissal of his predecessor Brendan Rodgers last month, Klopp replied: “For us it’s not important what’s different.

“It’s normal in football if you have quality, and we have quality, that you are in the lead.”

The period immediately before half-time was the only time Liverpool looked vulnerable as Aguero curled home from 25 yards to mark his return from a seven-game lay-off due to a hamstring injury with a goal.

Briefly it seemed Liverpool might rue Firmino’s failure to take two chances when they led 3-0, first shooting at Joe Hart and then hooking a shot wide from goal-scorer Philippe Coutinho’s flick-on.

– ‘Sterling, what’s the score?’ –

But Liverpool reasserted control in the second half and after Hart had thwarted Firmino, Dejan Lovren and substitute Christian Benteke, Skrtel slammed home from an 81st-minute corner to seal City’s heaviest defeat since they moved to the Etihad in 2003.

The only concern for Liverpool was the sight of Coutinho leaving the fray in the 68th minute after clutching the back of his thigh, but Klopp expressed optimism that it was only “a little bit of cramp”.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini was at a loss to explain his side’s shortcomings and claimed that his players could not have played worse had they tried.

The hosts were second to the ball throughout the game and conceded possession with worrying frequency, while Pellegrini was correct to assert that his side “could have conceded at least three or four more”.

“Today we did it all wrong. Individual performances, in the way we defend, in the way we attack. It was a really fake game for us. It’s not normal (for us) to play in this way,” Pellegrini said.

It was a particularly chastening night for Raheem Sterling, playing against his former club for the first time, who left the pitch to taunts of “Sterling, what’s the score?” from the away supporters.

But Pellegrini refused to discuss the 20-year-old’s display and also claimed that he had no regrets about his team selection, despite having completely rejigged his midfield at half-time by sending on Fernandinho and Fabian Delph for Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas.

“I will not explain the starting XI,” he said. “If I had to choose the same starters, I’d choose the same starters. It was not one name or another name. It was a complete disaster, the whole team.” City now travel to Turin to play Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday and although they have already qualified for the last 16, Pellegrini sees it as an opportunity to draw a line in the sand.

“It’s very important to turn the page as soon as we can,” said the Chilean, whose side fell behind to an early Eliaquim Mangala own goal.

“This performance is not normal. All must think (about) what will happen in the future. We have an important game on Wednesday.”

source:foxsports.com.au

Olympiakos striker Alfred Finnbogason (L) was hurt by a flare when violence erupted before Panathinaikos derby

Saturday’s big game in Athens was called off after violence broke out between fans of Panathinaikos and Olympiakos.

Referee Andreas Pappas made the decision 30 minutes after the Super League match was due to start after taking into account the violence both inside and outside the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium.

Immediately after the decision was announced to the spectators, dozens of fans rushed onto the pitch and fought with riot-trained police.

Police used tear gas and fans threw flares onto the pitch, causing a choking atmosphere for the sold-out crowd of 23,000.
Many plastic seats were destroyed inside the stadium and thrown onto the field by unhappy fans, while a handful of small fires were also set off.

Police said at least five people were arrested and there were a number of injuries reported.

Two hours before the scheduled 5.30pm GMT kick-off, unruly Panathinaikos fans fought with police stationed outside the stadium, throwing rocks and other debris at officers who in turn responded with tear gas to put a halt to the violence after 10 minutes.

Police also clashed briefly with fans inside the stadium near the players’ entrance tunnel, with one officer taken to hospital after being struck with a plastic chair thrown from the stands.

The appearance of the visiting Olympiakos players on the pitch then prompted four flares to be thrown towards them by fans, and the club’s vice-president Savvas Theodoridis told Greek cable television network Nova, which was broadcasting the match live, that “the new law is clear, the match should not be played. We do not play in a jungle”.

Theodoridis said flares thrown by the fans during the warm-up struck Olympiakos forward Alfred Finnbogason, “burning” the Iceland international’s hand, and Serbian midfielder Luka Milivojevic. Olympiakos quickly returned to the dressing rooms after the flares were thrown.

Panathinaikos could be punished heavily with Olympiakos in line to be awarded a 3-0 win, as well as the home side facing a possible points deduction and heavy fine.

The visitors top the table with 30 points after winning their first 10 matches and entered Saturday’s contest eight points clear of Panathinaikos who sit in second.

source:skysports.com

Barcelona moved six points clear at the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez scored twice in a dominant victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

The visitors controlled El Clasico throughout, opening the scoring early on when Luis Suarez struck from 16 yards, before Neymar sidefooted home.

Andres Iniesta finished off a fine team move to add a third after the break.

Suarez’s cool finish wrapped up the win before Isco was sent off for a rash challenge to complete Real’s misery.

It was a first home defeat in 23 league games for Real, but an early blow to their hopes of challenging Barcelona for the title this season.

Rafael Benitez’s side are second with 24 points with Barcelona moving onto 30 points after 12 games.

No Messi, no problem

Much of the focus in the lead-up to the game had been on the return of Lionel Messi.

The Argentina forward, Barcelona’s leading goalscorer, was named on the bench for the first time since suffering a knee ligament damage on 26 September.

However, in his absence Suarez and Neymar have been in phenomenal form, combining to score all 17 of Barcelona’s goals since Messi’s injury, and the pair were in deadly form once again on Saturday.

Suarez struck first with Sergi Roberto – starting in Messi’s position as part of a front three – the architect. He drove forward from middle of the pitch before slicing open the defence with a fine ball for Suarez to grab his 10th league goal of the season.

That was only the second goal Real had conceded at home all season, but their usually strong defence simply had no answer to Barcelona’s attacking prowess.

Iniesta’s smart ball set Neymar free, and the Brazilian made no mistake for the visitors second.

Following Iniesta’s drive high into the net, Barcelona boss Luis Enrique introduced Messi, who marked his return by playing a part in Suarez’s second.

What went wrong for Real?

“Men against boys,” was how co-commentator Chris Waddle described Barcelona’s performance against Real Madrid on BBC Radio 5 live.

After suffering their first defeat of the season against Sevilla in their previous fixture, Real Madrid fans will have expected an improved display in the first El Clasico of the campaign.

It never materialised. The hosts managed just one shot on target in the first half, while Cristiano Ronaldo was quiet for much of the game.

The Portuguese forward did manage to force Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo into a smart save in the second half, but by then it was too late.

Isco’s late lunge on Neymar, which earned the midfielder a red card, summed up their frustrations.

“I’ve been really disappointed by Real Madrid,” added Waddle. “There are too many egos. Barcelona are a team, they work as a unit. Real don’t.”

Man of the match – Andres Iniesta

The stats you need to know
•Barcelona have recorded their second biggest win without conceding in a league away game against Real Madrid (5-0 in 1974)
•They won 4-0 in a league away game against Real Madrid for only the second time in Clasico history (4-0 in Copa de la Liga in 1986)
•Luis Suarez has scored or assisted in his three games against Real Madrid (three goals, one assist)
•The last player sent off in a Clasico at Santiago Bernabeu was Sergio Ramos on 23 March, 2014

source:bbc.com

Liverpool produced an incisive attacking display to take advantage of uncertain Manchester City defending to pick up a 4-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were clinical on the counter-attack, racing into a three-goal lead that brought an end to a run of six Barclays Premier League matches away at Man City without a win.

Eliaquim Mangala, who was brought into the centre of defence along with Martin Demichelis as two of Manuel Pellegrini’s four changes, opened the scoring with an own goal early on.

Philippe Coutinho scored his fourth goal in five top-flight appearances against City to double Liverpool’s advantage, with Roberto Firmino, who came in for Christian Benteke as one of Klopp’s three changes, adding the third in sensational fashion.

Making his return after a seven-week absence, Sergio Aguero brilliantly pulled one back for City shortly before the interval, but the home side were unable to push on in the second half.

Their misery was compounded nine minutes from time when Martin Skrtel blasted past Joe Hart from the edge of the box, meaning City sit third behind Manchester United and leaders Leicester City.

Mangala got off to a poor start on his return to the starting line-up, putting the ball into the back of his own net from a cutback by Firmino after Bacary Sagna had lost possession beforehand.

Liverpool grabbed their second when a mix-up between Mangala and Aleksandar Kolarov was capitalised upon by Firmino, racing through to pick out Coutinho with a sublime pass. Coutinho slid the ball between Hart’s legs to score.

Liverpool’s defence was extremely resilient and their counter-attacking play continued to trouble Pellegrini’s side.

Another break led to their third shortly after the half-hour. Emre Can’s backheel set Coutinho in behind the defence down the left and he squared for Firmino to round off an exquisite move with the simplest of finishes.

The former Hoffenheim forward came close to adding to his tally twice in quick succession soon after, first being denied by a good save from Hart before firing narrowly wide nine minutes before the break.

Aguero gave City a lifeline two minutes before the interval when he curled home an exceptional finish from 25 yards, becoming the highest-scoring South American in Barclays Premier League history with his 85th goal.

Pellegrini replaced Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas with Fernandinho and Fabian Delph for the second half in a bid to add more solidity to his team.

But it compromised their creativity and were carved open again on the hour, with Hart making another vital save to deny Firmino.

Klopp’s side suffered a wobble moments later. Simon Mignolet was forced into a diving save to keep Aguero at bay before Fernandinho skied an effort from six yards off a set-piece delivery.

Skrtel thumped home a fourth from just inside the box and City’s day was summed up when Raheem Sterling, facing his former team-mates, failed to make contact with the goal at his mercy as Liverpool moved up to ninth.

source:premierleague.com

Στην κορυφή της Premier League, ανέβηκε πλέον η εκπληκτική Λέστερ του Κλαούντιο Ρανιέρι, καθώς σε αναμέτρηση για την 13η αγωνιστική του πρωταθλήματος, συνέτριψε εκτός έδρας την Νιουκάστλ με 3-0. Παράλληλα, ήττα-σοκ στην έδρα της Γουέστ Μπρομ με 2-1, γνώρισε η αντίπαλος του Ολυμπιακού στο champions league, Αρσεναλ, λίγες ημέρες πριν αντιμετωπίσει την Ντιναμό Ζάγκρεμπ. Επίσης, η Μάντσεστερ Γιουνάϊτεντ, παρέμεινε σε «τροχιά τίτλου», επικρατώντας με 2-1 στην έδρα της Γουότφορντ.

Το ματς δεν προσφερόταν για «καρδιακούς», καθώς η Γιουνάϊτεντ προηγήθηκε στο 11` με τον Μέμφις Ντεπάϊ, οι γηπεδούχοι ισοφάρισαν στο 87ο λεπτό με πέναλτι του Ντίνεϊ και στο πρώτο λεπτό των καθυστερήσεων ο Μπάστιαν Σβαϊνστάϊγκερ χάρισε την πολύτιμη νίκη στην ομάδα του. Τέλος, η Τσέλσι επέστρεψε στις νίκες (1-0 την Νόριτς) όμως είναι πολύ μακριά από τις θέσεις που οδηγούν στις ευρωπαϊκές διοργανώσεις.

Τα αποτελέσματα, οι σκόρερ και η βαθμολογία, έχουν ως εξής:

Γουότφορντ – Μάντσεστερ Γ. 1-2
(87` πεν. Ντίνεϊ – 11` Ντεπάϊ, 90`+1` Σβαϊνστάϊγκερ)

Τσέλσι – Νόριτς 1-0
(64` Κόστα)

Εβερτον – Αστον Βίλα 4-0
(17`, 42` Μπάρκλεϊ, 28`, 59` Λουκάκου)

Νιούκαστλ – Λέστερ 0-3
(45` Βάρντι, 62` Ουλόα, 83` Οκαζάκι)

Σαουθάμπτον – Στόουκ Σίτι 0-1
(10` Κρκιτς)

Σουόνσι – Μπόρνμουθ 2-2
(28` Αγιού, 39` πεν. Σέλβεϊ – 10` Κινγκ, 26` Γκόσλινγκ)

Γουέστ Μπρομ-Αρσεναλ 2-1
(35` Μόρισον, 40` αυτ. Αρτέτα – 28` Ζιρού)

Μάντσεστερ Σίτι-Λίβερπουλ 19:30

Κυριακή:
Τότεναμ-Γουέστ Χαμ

Δευτέρα:
Κρίσταλ Πάλας-Σάντερλαντ

ΒΑΘΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ (σε 13 αγώνες)
Λέστερ 28
Μάντσεστερ Γιουν. 27
Μάντσεστερ Σίτι 26 -12αγ.
Άρσεναλ 26
Γουέστ Χαμ 21 -12αγ.
Τότεναμ 21 -12αγ.
Σαουθάμπτον 20
Εβερτον 20
Κρίσταλ Πάλας 19 -12αγ.
Στόουκ Σίτι 19
Λίβερπουλ 18 -12αγ.
Γουέστ Μπρομ 17
Γουότφορντ 16
Σουόνσι 14
Τσέλσι 14
Νόριτς 12
Νιουκάστλ 10
Μπόρνμουθ 9
Σάντερλαντ 6 -12αγ.

Πηγή:in.gr

They are the hottest team in the Hyundai A-League right now but coach Tony Popovic feels his Western Sydney Wanderers are still some way off the finished article.

The Wanderers surged to a fourth straight win, with Mark Bridge’s classy 85th-minute strike handing them a 2-1 triumph over Wellington on Saturday.

“We’re delighted we’ve won four in a row but as a coach you’re never satisfied,” Popovic said afterwards.

“If I say today probably wasn’t our best with the ball, then we still are a fair bit off where we want to be…in terms of fitness as well.

“You’ve got players that are coming back from injury. Alberto who hasn’t played for a few weeks and it’s just his second completed game out of seven.

“So you envisage he will get even stronger and the communication at the back will improve. There’s a lot of room for improvement but you have to be happy when you win at home and it’s four in a row.”

The Wanderers went in front inside the first 10 minutes through Italian marquee Federico Piovaccari after superb lead-up work by Bridge.

Phoenix drew level soon after through Muscat and while the home side dominated for large periods, it seemed like a draw would be the end result.

But Bridge had other ideas, pouncing on some slack defending at a corner to slam home his second goal in as many games.

“That’s just his second start this year after a long injury in the pre-season and we expect him to only get better,” Popovic said of Bridge.

“He did great for the first goal setting up Piovaccari for a simple tap in and then the composure in the 85th minute, when I’m sure he felt fatigued, is the sign of the confidence and quality he has.”

The Wanderers made a concerted effort in the off-season to change their playing style, making a host of changes in personnel to help with the transition.
While the club received some criticism in the early rounds for their lack of results, Popovic said he never felt external pressure to get immediate success.

Asked if this winning streak was vindication, Popovic said: “I don’t need vindication or seek that.

“As a club we know where we’re heading. The Chairman, the CEO, the board, everyone’s on the same page. We know where we want to be and the vision we have for the club.

“Where we finish at the end of the year is where we deserve to be and if we’ve shown improvements in what we’ve been working on to evolve this club then we’ll be delighted.

“When we had our poor run at the start in terms of results we said we wanted to challenge for honours. That doesn’t change, we’ve put ourselves in a decent position at the start of the season but we’re not even a third of the way through the season so a lot of challenges to come.”

source:a-league.com.au