Posts tagged football
Brazil reign as Portugal take bronze
Nov 24th
THE DAY REPLAYED - The latest FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup ended in familiar fashion on Sunday, with Brazil seeing off Switzerland to collect the trophy for the fourth year running. The European newcomers had no answer to a hugely experienced Seleção, containing six players - namely Benjamin, Betinho, Buru, Mao, Sidney and Andre - ...
The preliminaries in numbers
Nov 24th
Ibrahimovic: I want to win it all
Nov 24th
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is without doubt one of the world’s most gifted footballers. In recent years, the sight of the Swedish forward in full flow has been guaranteed to put fear into defenders at both club and international level. Yet even after helping Inter Milan monopolise Serie A, it was not immediately clear how his unique ...
Liverpool seek new Euro miracle
Nov 24th
Whatever the name of the competition, the European Cup, or the UEFA Champions League, it seems to go hand in hand with the history of Liverpool Football Club. They’ve reached the semi-finals nine times, reached the final seven times and lifted the famous trophy five times. Their pedigree in the competition has left arguably the ...
Domenech defiant for Dublin clash
Nov 14th
Embattled France boss Raymond Domenech was in defiant mood as he arrived in Dublin on Friday 13th November for his side's FIFA World Cup™ qualifying showdown with the Republic of Ireland. And Domenech, sitting alongside skipper Thierry Henry at the press conference, was giving little away as he assessed Saturday night's first-leg play-off clash at Croke ...
All White on the night
Nov 14th
The New Zealand All Whites are one step away from qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and, perhaps equally importantly, changing the landscape of the sporting scene in their Rugby-mad homeland. The build-up to New Zealand’s hosting of Bahrain, where a ticket to South Africa 2010 awaits the victor, is all-consuming in ...
Brazil abandon trademark style after 2006 failure
Nov 14th
Brazil coach Dunga has insisted winning is more important than playing flair football and revealed his admiration for the English game ahead of Saturday's friendly with England in Doha. Brazil has become a global football brand tied to attractive play, individual brilliance and skill moves based on past success on the world stage, most recently in ...
River hold slight edge
Nov 13th
River Plate of Uruguay have a slim advantage in their Copa Sudamericana semi-final after beating Ecuador's Liga De Quito 2-1 in the first leg on Thursday. However, the visitors will be confident of overturning that when they take River back to Quito, where the altitude creates imposing conditions. Liga began the game brightly, but fell behind ...
All White on the night
Nov 13th
The New Zealand All Whites are one step away from qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and, perhaps equally importantly, changing the landscape of the sporting scene in their Rugby-mad homeland. The build-up to New Zealand’s hosting of Bahrain, where a ticket to South Africa 2010 awaits the victor, is all-consuming in ...
Love of the game is Coyle’s Law
Nov 13th
'Owen Coyle is God' proclaimed a banner during WrestleMania XXV in Houston, Texas, which was clearly visible on millions of television sets around the world. It left devotees of WWE worldwide scratching their heads in bewilderment, followers of British football smiling and fans of Burnley Football Club nodding in agreement. For Owen Coyle is the manager ...
The Return of Thursday Night Football
Nov 13th
For those of you who just can’t get enough mediocre football, tonight NFL Network begins its two-month stretch of Thursday night programming with the 4-4 Bears traveling to face the 3-5 49ers. It’s a scintillating matchup that we’ll be watching closely between sips of cognac and snippets of The Vampire Diaries. Here’s a few things ...
Matt Rivers Free Football Pick on Rutgers-South Florida
Nov 12th
Most of today’s news is not surprising. Mary Weiland tells us rockers use drugs, the balloon boy’s parents plead guilty, Carrie Prejean won’t be Larry King’s 32nd wife, and the CMA 2009 Awards were dominated by Taylor Swift, who won’t be Kayne West’s wife. Luckily sports can be almost as predictable with expert advice from professional ...
Winners show nerves of steel
Nov 9th
Colombia and Switzerland have claimed the first two semi-final berths at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2009 in Nigeria. Following a dramatic late twist to their encounter with Turkey, the South Americans triumphed 5-3 on penalties to claim a place in the semis for only the second time in the history of the tournament, matching ...
Dzeko: We’ll give it everything
Nov 9th
With nine goals in the European Zone of FIFA World Cup™ qualifying, Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko rates as one of the most prolific goal-getters on the continent, second only to ten-goal Greece's Theofanis Gekas. This year, the month of May 2009 to be precise, also brought Dzeko the greatest moment of his career to date, ...
Blues plot to pressure United
Nov 7th
manager Carlo Ancelotti wants his side to take a leaf out of liverpool's book and give Manchester United's midfield no time to settle at Stamford Bridge tomorrow. Liverpool defeated United at Anfield two weeks ago with a performance marked by gritty determination and a high work-rate. Now Ancelotti, whose side lead United by two points ...
UEFA Champions League review
Nov 5th
Lyon and Sevilla have joined Bordeaux, Manchester United, Chelsea and Porto in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League by collecting 1-1 draws. Meanwhile, two of the continent's biggest names are in danger of going out of the competition at the first hurdle. Holders Barcelona were held to a goalless draw away to Rubin ...
Germany’s Thy aiming high
Nov 4th
Whenever Lennart Thy gets on the ball it invariably means problems for opposing defenders. Germany's in-form frontman scored three of his side's seven goals in the group phase, putting himself in pole position in the race to win the adidas Golden Boot at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009. And like any striker worth ...
Comebacks, kings and cards
Nov 4th
A memorable comeback, a mammoth losing run, a K-League landmark, plus new champions and red cards aplenty. All of this and more is crammed into FIFA.com's latest statistical review, which kicks off with a day of mixed emotions for a South Korean legend. K-League matches was the milestone reached by Gyeongnam goalkeeper Kim Byung-Ji on the ...
Elite 16 finalised amid drama
Nov 2nd
The final day of group fixtures at Nigeria 2009 concluded with four teams confirming their ongoing participation at the tournament. USA and United Arab Emirates entered the final day of Group E action locked together on three points, safe in the knowledge that the winner of their match-up would claim a berth in the ...
Short lists for FIFA World Player awards revealed
Oct 31st
Who will be honoured with the title of FIFA World Player and FIFA Women's World Player for 2009? FIFA has today announced the names of the players on the short lists (see below) and the final decision will be made by the captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams. At the beginning ...
Nigeria joy as Swiss march on
Oct 31st
Nigeria made a laboured start to their campaign, but a great result in their final group encounter means the hosts are now living up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites. A 2-1 success over high-flying Argentina sent the boisterous Bauchi crowd into raptures and delivered an ominous message of intent. Elsewhere, European champions Germany ...
`I”m not Real Madrid’’s “saviour”, says Ronaldo
Oct 31st
Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed any suggestion that a struggling Real Madrid is dependent on him, insisting that he alone is not the team’’s “saviour””. Ronaldo has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, netting nine times to help Madrid win their opening seven Primera Division and Champions League games, but he then picked up an ankle ...
Joel targets title and ticket
Oct 30th
Sydney drenches its inhabitants in a singular, seductive charm. Home to iconic landmarks such as Bondi Beach, Harbour Bridge, Hyde Park and Sydney Opera House, it is, culturally and climatically, a modern paradise. Joel Porter will attest to that. The deep-lying forward made the city his home by joining Sydney Olympic in 2002. At the age ...
A journey to remember
Oct 30th
MHSAA state football playoff pairings
Oct 26th
Here are the pairings for the 2009 MHSAA Football Playoffs, which begin with pre-district play Oct. 30-31. Qualifying teams for the Playoffs were divided into eight divisions of 32 schools each. Within each Division are four regions of eight teams each; and within those regions are two districts of four teams each. pre-district pairings are based ...
UConn Football Player Jasper Howard Stabbed To Death On Campus
Oct 19th
About nine hours after his Huskies walked off Rentschler Field with a victory over Louisville, after a press conference filled with smiles and platitudes, UConn football coach Randy Edsall's phone rang. When the phone rings at that hour, Edsall said, it's never good. Edsall would have to go to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in ...
‘Monday Night Football’ debuted 39 years ago tonight
Sep 22nd
"Monday Night Football" premiered 39 years ago tonight with a Jets-Browns game. I am fairly sure I watched, and fairly sure I was told to go to bed before halftime. ESPN held a conference call last week featuring Frank Gifford, long-time MNF stats man Steve Hirdt and current play-by-play man Mike Tirico to discuss the anniversary. I was ...
Football greats honour Sir Bobby
Sep 22nd
Some of the biggest names in football came together to pay tribute to Sir Bobby Robson at a remembrance service at Durham Cathedral on Monday. The former England manager died at home in Langley Park on July 31 at the age of 76 following a long battle against cancer. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, England ...


