Football’s A-listers are in Munich this weekend. Quite apart from the two clubs involved, the Champions League final is a magnet for every club, every coach, every fixer who likes to consider himself a part of the elite. The mingling, preening and backslapping in Uefa’s official hotel needs to be seen to be believed. It [...]
Fans of Blackpool and West Ham are heading for Wembley Stadium for English soccer’s Championship playoff final, which will secure promotion to the Premier League and at least 90 million pounds ($145 million) for the winner. Both teams were relegated from the 20-team top flight last year, and Hammers’ manager Sam Allardyce has described today’s [...]
As the Champions League anthem so aptly reminds us in its multi-lingual, multicultural inclusiveness, this is, “Eine Grosse sportliche Veranstaltung/The main event.” After nine months of tournament play it comes down to a German side versus an English club. Yes, it’s final time and we’re looking at Bayern Munich against Chelsea. One of the lead [...]
Didier Drogba (on ground, left) and his Chelsea teammates celebrate after their victory. (Getty Images) MUNICH — Didier Drogba tied the match with a header in the 88th minute, and then scored the decisive goal in the shootout as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League final, 4-3 on penalty kicks [...]
By JONATHAN CLEGG Getty Images Didier Drogba of Chelsea scores the winning kick against Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer during the Champions League final shootout. MUNICH—What started as a season of tumult and trauma finally ended in triumph here for Chelsea, as the Premier League giant-turned-underdog beat Bayern Munich on a penalty shootout to win [...]
europei 2012 “This is a massive opportunity,” England’s interim backs coach said yesterday in Leeds, where he was putting local schoolboys through their paces before turning his attention to players in the national squad, some of whom played like schoolboys – and behaved like them, too – at last year’s global gathering in New Zealand, [...]
Didier Drogba celebrates after his goal in the 88th minute ties the match 1-1. (Getty Images) MUNICH — From hero to villain, to man of the match. Didier Drogba went through the full range of emotions on a night when he delivered the first Champions League title to Chelsea, in perhaps his last [...]
Joseph Yobo has been ruled out of next month’s 2014 World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Nigeria skipper sustained an injury during Wednesday’s Turkish Cup final, whilst playing for Fenerbahce. According to Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi, the Istanbul side suggest Yobo will be out for over four weeks. Keshi has added [...]
Read More: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2012/05/19/cardiff-city-eye-up-clash-against-premier-league-flyers-newcastle-united-91466-31005641/
FIRST Chelsea, then Tottenham, next Aston Villa then Liverpool…you wonder how many more Premier League clubs Brendan Rodgers will be linked with before the summer is out. It is of course testament to how well he is doing at Swansea City, a ringing endorsement of the thrilling play-off promotion he won 12 months ago and [...]
West Ham United secured a return to English soccer’s Premier League next season with a 2-1 win against Blackpool in the Championship playoff final. Ricardo Vaz Te’s goal in the 87th minute gave the Hammers the victory at Wembley Stadium in London today. Carlton Cole also scored for West Ham, who were relegated to the [...]
ROME (Reuters) – Five-times champion Rafa Nadal wore down David Ferrer 7-6 6-0 on Saturday to reach the final of the Rome Masters. The second seed came from 3-1 down to win the first set and then ran away with the second to set up a final against either world number one Novak Djokovic or [...]
LONDON (Reuters) – Leinster racked up the records by thrashing Ulster 42-14 at Twickenham on Saturday to win the Heineken Cup for the third time in four years as the first all-Irish final turned into a celebration for Europe’s most dominant side. Their five tries was a final record and the victory was the highest [...]
MUNICH (Reuters) – Chelsea cleared the final hurdle in a season of never-ending challenges when they beat Bayern Munich 4-3 on penalties in the German team’s Allianz Arena stadium to be crowned European Champions for the first time on Saturday. In what may be the final act of his Chelsea career, Didier Drogba sealed victory [...]
MUNICH (Reuters) – Bayern Munich have only themselves to blame for failing to lift the Champions League trophy for the fifth time on Saturday after dominating against Chelsea but losing 4-3 on penalties, coach Jupp Heynckes said. Bayern had the upper hand for most of the 1-1 draw at their own Allianz Arena but wasted [...]
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo (L) and coach Herve Renard Zambia’s sports minister says that funds are finally in place to secure the services of Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach Herve Renard. Renard’s position has been unclear in recent months, with his contract having expired at the end of the 2012 finals. With the financial assistance [...]
Drogba finishes roller-coaster Champions League final on top
Didier Drogba celebrates after his goal in the 88th minute ties the match 1-1. (Getty Images) MUNICH — From hero to villain, to man of the match. Didier Drogba went through the full range of emotions on a night when he delivered the first Champions League title to Chelsea, in perhaps his last [...]
Nigeria suffer Yobo blow ahead of crucial qualifiers
Joseph Yobo has been ruled out of next month’s 2014 World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Nigeria skipper sustained an injury during Wednesday’s Turkish Cup final, whilst playing for Fenerbahce. According to Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi, the Istanbul side suggest Yobo will be out for over four weeks. Keshi has added [...]
Renard to stay assures Kambwili
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo (L) and coach Herve Renard Zambia’s sports minister says that funds are finally in place to secure the services of Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach Herve Renard. Renard’s position has been unclear in recent months, with his contract having expired at the end of the 2012 finals. With the financial assistance [...]
Chelsea’s Mikel Missing from Nigeria Roster
Reuters Nigeria released their squad for their upcoming World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Thursday. Notably missing was Chelsea stalwart, John Mikel Obi. The midfielder, who is enjoying the finest season in his Chelsea career, and patiently waiting to answer the roll call in the UEFA Champions League Final at the Allianz [...]
FOOTBALL fans have been presented with a glorious opportunity to watch the 2013 edition of the African Cup of Nations as Premiership sponsors Castle Lager embarked on a nationwide campaign to recruit SuperFans. Two lucky fans are assured of a ticket to go and watch the African Cup of Nations finals next year. The campaign [...]
Sierra Leone pays out for chopper crash
2012-05-18 19:15 Freetown – Sierra Leone’s transport minister said on Friday that relatives of 19 Togolese football fans who died in a helicopter crash in 2007, including Togo’s sports minister, would receive compensation. “We have accepted liability and engaged Paramount Airlines as there was a valid insurance document covering all on board the aircraft,” Transport [...]
The Champions League Team That Wouldn’t Die
By JONATHAN CLEGG Getty Images Didier Drogba of Chelsea scores the winning kick against Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer during the Champions League final shootout. MUNICH—What started as a season of tumult and trauma finally ended in triumph here for Chelsea, as the Premier League giant-turned-underdog beat Bayern Munich on a penalty shootout to win [...]
Cardiff City eye up clash against Premier League flyers Newcastle United
Read More: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2012/05/19/cardiff-city-eye-up-clash-against-premier-league-flyers-newcastle-united-91466-31005641/
Delme Parfitt: Brendan Rodgers not big enough name for top Premier League club
FIRST Chelsea, then Tottenham, next Aston Villa then Liverpool…you wonder how many more Premier League clubs Brendan Rodgers will be linked with before the summer is out. It is of course testament to how well he is doing at Swansea City, a ringing endorsement of the thrilling play-off promotion he won 12 months ago and [...]
Drogba finishes roller-coaster Champions League final on top
Didier Drogba celebrates after his goal in the 88th minute ties the match 1-1. (Getty Images) MUNICH — From hero to villain, to man of the match. Didier Drogba went through the full range of emotions on a night when he delivered the first Champions League title to Chelsea, in perhaps his last [...]
