Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Toure the hero as Manchester City beat Stoke to win FA Cup
Yaya Toure was the hero for Manchester City as they beat Stoke City 1-0 at Wembley on Saturday to win the FA Cup for the fifth time in their history.
The midfielder pounced on a loose ball about 10 yards from goal with 16 minutes to go and Roberto Mancini's side hung on to win the trophy for the first time since 1969.
"I'm happy for the supporters," Mancini said. "For a long time they didn't win. My feeling is good but it is more important that their feeling is good.
"After many years they deserve to win this trophy. I didn't feel we dominated this game. We need to improve but we are very happy. We did a small piece of history of Manchester City. We start now."
Goalscorer Toure said it was the perfect end to what had already been a great season, with City qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four in the league.
"The dream is now real and it's so fantastic to win for the club," Toure said. "For me when we started the season, I said to the other players it would be fantastic to win something and I think it is amazing we have won this final."
Big-spending City dominated the first half and should have taken the lead through David Silva but the Spaniard headed a golden opportunity down and over the Stoke bar.
Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen kept his side in it with a good save from Carlos Tevez and an even better one from Mario Balotelli but failed to create any decent chances of their own in the opening 45 minutes.
Tony Pulis' Stoke side came into the match in the second half and Kenwyne Jones was only denied by the legs of Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart.
But with 16 minutes to go, a shot by Balotelli broke kindly for City in the area and Toure drove home an unstoppable left-foot shot.
Stoke tried to take the attack to their opponents in search of an equalizer that would have forced the match into extra time but could not find the killer pass they needed.
Two corners, one after the other, caused a few hearts to beat a bit faster among the Manchester City fans but the pre-match favourites hung on to clinch a deserved victory.
City have already qualified for the Champions League through their league position so Stoke will take the Europa League place usually reserved for the Cup winners.
Stoke goalkeeper Sorensen admitted that Manchester City had been the better team on the day.
"It's disappointing that we didn't play better," he said. "We've done so in the past - especially lately, we've done really well - that's the most disappointing thing."
"I thought we were coming back (before the goal). The first half was a big disappointment - we never really got playing.
"I thought they were running out of ideas so it came at a bad time for us. We were just getting into the game. We'd just had a good chance with Kenwyne. We're just so disappointed."
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Coach Quique confirms departure from Atletico Madrid
Quique Sanchez Flores confirmed on Saturday that he is about to end his spell as coach of Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.
"Tomorrow's game (at home to relegated Hercules) will be my last match in the Estadio Calderon," he said. "It will not be an easy game for me, because it will be very emotional."
Quique, 46, has been at Atletico since October 2009, when he replaced Abel Resino. He guided the red-and-whites to Europa League glory last season - Atletico's first trophy since 1996 - and to the final of the King's Cup.
However, this season has been a disappointment. Quique's team crashed out of the Europa League in December and are currently seventh in La Liga, well below the European places.
In addition, he has been at daggers drawn all season with star striker Diego Forlan, the man who scored both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Fulham in the Europa League final.
When asked about his feud with Forlan, Quique replied: "It is a strange situation, one that has been magnified by the media.
Quique has also been in charge at Getafe, Valencia and Benfica. According to media reports, Sevilla are interested in him.
Meanwhile, the favourite to take over at Atletico is former Spain striker Luis Enrique, who is just completing a successful three-year spell at Barcelona's second division nursery team.
Robinho's brace seals home win for champions AC Milan
AC Milan's Robinho scored a brace as the Devils beat Cagliari 4-1 late Saturday to celebrate the Serie A title that they had secured a week earlier.
The Rossoneri paraded on a coach in the centre of Milan ahead of the game and held a second party at the Giuseppe Meazza after defeating the former team of coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Brazilian Robinho opened the scoring on 22 minutes, converging from the left flank to curl a low drive into the far post, and scored again by the same post after Gennaro Gattuso nodded home a loose ball from outside the box.
Andrea Cossu pulled one back for the guests before half time, and Dutch veteran Clarence Seedorf flicked home a Pato assist in the second half before giving way to Filippo Inzaghi, another team veteran who returned in the penultimate game of the season from a long injury lay-off.
Lazio beat Genoa 4-2 earlier Saturday with a brace from Brazilian Hernanes, to get back in contention for a Champions League berth.
After three consecutive defeats, the Rome side are fourth with one game left. Fifth-place Udinese have a chance to claw back the position, which qualifies for a preliminary round of the continental tournament, when they visit Chievo on Sunday.
In Sunday action, Napoli and second-placed holders Inter Milan play a late top-billing game in Naples, with the hosts looking to retain third place.
Dortmund and their fans celebrate Bundesliga title
An estimated 400,000 fans celebrated Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga title on Sunday as the team paraded the trophy around town.
Coach Juergen Klopp and his players were driven through the western German city in an open truck before being taken to a stage for the final appearance in police cars as the sheer size of the crowd made it impossible for the truck to pass through.
"This is what we dreamed of. If you see the faces (of the fans) - this so so unbelievable," said Klopp.
Dortmund-born youngster Kevin Grosskreutz, one of the team's rising stars, was also overwhelmed.
"I am so proud. No one can ever take this way from me. I was born here. I will always love the club," Grosskreutz said.
Dortmund played a remarkable season with a young team and clinched the seventh national title two weeks ago. The team received the trophy on Saturday after a final 3-1 victory over relegated Eintracht Frankfurt which set off the final festivities.
Thousands of fans partied deep into the night and so did the team, with several players going straight from a local club to the parade.
"You have given a proud club its reputation back," managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke told the players at the official banquet Saturday night.
"Thanks to you we are riding a wave of affection. Celebrate this day, you deserve it like no other team."
Watzke also looked ahead at the next campaign, saying: "Don't forget during your holiday that it is even more difficult to preserve the success. We will remain modest, but also ambitious."
Dortmund will be the team to beat next season and record champions Bayern Munich will be leading the challenge after having to settle for third place this time around.
Dortmund's team will be largely unchanged, but playmaker Nuri Sahin is leaving for Real Madrid. A few new players could arrive in summer as a deeper squad will be needed for upcoming Bundesliga and Champions League duty.
Chelsea twice lose lead to draw 2-2 with Newcastle
Outgoing Premier League champions Chelsea twice let slip a one-goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Branislav Ivanovic put Chelsea ahead within two minutes, and after Newcastle equalized thanks to a massive deflection off Jose Gutierrez, Alex looked to have won it with a header seven minutes from time.
But Ryan Taylor, whose shot had been deflected off Gutierrez for the first goal, popped up in injury time to pinch a draw for the visitors.
The point means Chelsea are six points behind new champions Manchester United, but still not assured of finishing second.
Newcastle moved above local rivals Sunderland into 12th place.
Later on Sunday, bottom side West Ham take on second-bottom Wigan with both sides needing to win to keep alive their hopes of survival.
West Ham relegated after Wigan fightback; Birmingham lose
West Ham United became the first team to be relegated from this season's Premier League after they were beaten 3- 2 by fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic.
Two goals from Demba Ba looked like would keep the Hammers alive until the final week but Charles N'Zogbia and Connor Sammon levelled and then N'Zogbia then snatched it in injury time.
The three points mean Wigan are now level on 39 points with Blackpool and Birmingham, who were beaten 2-0 at home by Fulham and who are now out of the bottom three only on goal difference.
Tottenham won 2-0 at Liverpool to move one point above them in the race for the final Europa League spot for fifth place, while second- placed Chelsea were held 2-2 at home by Newcastle United.
West Ham began the day knowing that they had to win to stand a chance of avoiding relegation and things looked good when Ba headed the opener and made it 2-0 from close range before half-time.
But N'Zogbia smashed in a free kick and Sammon then sunk their hopes with Wigan's second. But the real drama was left until the last minute as N'Zogbia snatched a vital winner for the home side.
Birmingham may now need something from their final game of the season - away to Tottenham - after two goals from Brede Hangeland took Fulham up to eighth place.
Rafael van der Vaart put Tottenham ahead with a sweetly struck shot early in the first half at Anfield, where Liverpool had begun the day two points ahead of them in fifth.
Liverpool came into the match as the second half began but a controversial penalty, awarded for what seemed like a shoulder to shoulder challenge from John Flanagan.
Outgoing champions Chelsea twice let slip a one-goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Branislav Ivanovic put Chelsea ahead within two minutes, and after Newcastle equalized thanks to a massive deflection off Jose Gutierrez, Alex looked to have won it with a header seven minutes from time.
But Ryan Taylor, whose shot had been deflected off Gutierrez for the first goal, popped up in injury time to pinch a draw for the visitors.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to be drawn on rumours that it was his last home game in charge and that he is to leave at the end of the season.
"I don't know what will happen," he said. "We have to wait just one week. A week is not a long period.
"You are asking me a question I'm not able to answer. You have to propose this question to the club, not myself. I cannot give an answer."
The point means Chelsea are six points behind new champions Manchester United, but still not assured of finishing second.
Newcastle moved above local rivals Sunderland into 12th place.
And Arsenal missed the chance to secure third place when they were shocked 2-1 at home by Aston Villa, with Darren Bent scoring both goals for the visitors.
Two goals from Demba Ba looked like would keep the Hammers alive until the final week but Charles N'Zogbia and Connor Sammon levelled and then N'Zogbia then snatched it in injury time.
The three points mean Wigan are now level on 39 points with Blackpool and Birmingham, who were beaten 2-0 at home by Fulham and who are now out of the bottom three only on goal difference.
Tottenham won 2-0 at Liverpool to move one point above them in the race for the final Europa League spot for fifth place, while second- placed Chelsea were held 2-2 at home by Newcastle United.
West Ham began the day knowing that they had to win to stand a chance of avoiding relegation and things looked good when Ba headed the opener and made it 2-0 from close range before half-time.
But N'Zogbia smashed in a free kick and Sammon then sunk their hopes with Wigan's second. But the real drama was left until the last minute as N'Zogbia snatched a vital winner for the home side.
Birmingham may now need something from their final game of the season - away to Tottenham - after two goals from Brede Hangeland took Fulham up to eighth place.
Rafael van der Vaart put Tottenham ahead with a sweetly struck shot early in the first half at Anfield, where Liverpool had begun the day two points ahead of them in fifth.
Liverpool came into the match as the second half began but a controversial penalty, awarded for what seemed like a shoulder to shoulder challenge from John Flanagan.
Outgoing champions Chelsea twice let slip a one-goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Branislav Ivanovic put Chelsea ahead within two minutes, and after Newcastle equalized thanks to a massive deflection off Jose Gutierrez, Alex looked to have won it with a header seven minutes from time.
But Ryan Taylor, whose shot had been deflected off Gutierrez for the first goal, popped up in injury time to pinch a draw for the visitors.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to be drawn on rumours that it was his last home game in charge and that he is to leave at the end of the season.
"I don't know what will happen," he said. "We have to wait just one week. A week is not a long period.
"You are asking me a question I'm not able to answer. You have to propose this question to the club, not myself. I cannot give an answer."
The point means Chelsea are six points behind new champions Manchester United, but still not assured of finishing second.
Newcastle moved above local rivals Sunderland into 12th place.
And Arsenal missed the chance to secure third place when they were shocked 2-1 at home by Aston Villa, with Darren Bent scoring both goals for the visitors.
Sharapova captures Rome for first title in a year
Maria Sharapova thrust herself into the title conversation for Roland Garros as the Russian hammered Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-4 to win the Rome Masters with a dismissal of last year's Paris finalist Sunday.
The pair had to wait out a three-hour rain delay as weather changed for the worse after days of sunshine at the Foro Italico.
But once play got underway, seventh seed Sharapova wanted nothing more than to get through as the winner. She did it in 83 minutes, lifting her 23rd career trophy and second on clay.
"I'm so excited to be champion here," said the semi-finalist twice before in the capital. "It means so much to me to add this trophy to my others.
"Rome is such a special place, I really have dreamed of winning here and holding up this trophy.
"My team has pushed me all the way, this is the beginning of more good things to come, it's a great start."
The victory improved Sharapova's record over the 27-year-old Stosur to 8-0. The title was the first for Sharapova since Strasboug on clay in May, 2010, and followed on from her losing Miami final six weeks ago.
The inspired Russian raced to a 4-0 lead in 14 minutes, winning 13 of the first 16 points against Stosur, losing finalist to Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the 2010 French final.
Stosur got on the scoreboard for 1-4 and surprised the Russian with a break a game later. But that didn't stop Sharapova from breaking straight back for 5-2 an serving out the set a game later.
The Russian seed began the second set with a break, again lost it, but recovered to take a 3-2 lead. From that point, she was never threatened on the way to her 20th win of the season.
Sharapova sits in fourth place among active players for titles won, a table led by Venus Williams n 43 and will move up a spot to seventh in the world on Monday in the rankings.
In the men's final, unbeaten 37-0 Novak Djokovic wasd facing five- time Rome champion Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic was likely benefiting from as much rest as possible after is three-hour late night semi-final victory over Andy Murray.
That dramatic result kept the Serb's 2011 win streak alive in as the Scot missed on his chance to serve out a three-set victory and Djokovic won in a tiebreaker.
Ronaldo equals Spanish scoring mark, Barcelona held to draw
Spanish champions Barcelona were held 0-0 on Sunday by lowly Deportivo Coruna, who are fighting for their first-division lives.
Barca clinched their third straight league title on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw, and against Deportivo coach Pep Guardiola fielded a reserve-packed team to rest his stars for the May 28 Champions Cup final against Manchester United.
Guardiola's reserves did most of the attacking but lacked the craft to create many clear chances to trouble a well-drilled Deportivo defence.
The draw leaves Deportivo fourth from bottom and needing to beat Valencia at home in their last game to avoid the drop.
Deportivo coach Miguel Angel Lotina said: "This is a good result for us. This could mean salvation for us."
Barca are now four points ahead of Real Madrid, who won 3-1 at fourth-placed Villarreal with two more goals from Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese hitman now has a remarkable 38 league goals to his name, seven more than Barca idol Lionel Messi, who was rested against Deportivo.
Ronaldo has equaled the goals record held jointly by Hugo Sanchez (Real Madrid, 1989-90) and Telmo Zarra (Athletic Bilbao, 1950-51).
Sports daily Marca raised eyebrows on Sunday by claiming that Ronaldo has actually scored 39 goals by accrediting to him a goal in September at Real Sociedad that the match referee gave to defender Pepe.
The Spanish football federation insists that Ronaldo has scored 38 goals. In next week's home game against relegated Almeria, he will have the chance to break the record.
Ronaldo has finished the season in astonishing form, scoring nine goals in Real's last three matches.
" feel very proud of what I have achieved this season," Ronaldo said. "It has been a very good year indeed."
Marcelo gave Real the lead in the 18th minute with a classy lob after a quick break. Four minutes, later Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a free kick that keeper Diego Lopez should really have saved.
Seven minutes into the second half, Cani pulled a goal back for Villarreal by turning in a centre from Mario. Ronaldo made it 3-1 at the end with another of his impressive free kicks.
The defeat left Villarreal six points behind third-place Valencia, who played out a tame 0-0 against crosstown rivals Levante.
The draw guarantees Valencia a third-place finish - and direct access to the Champions League. Villarreal will have to go into the qualifying round in August.
Villarreal are seven points ahead of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, who are in a three-way tie for fifth place.
Sevilla beat Real Sociedad 3-1 with two goals from veteran Frederic Kanoute and one from Alvaro Negredo. Atletico beat already-relegated Hercules with goals from Alvaro Dominguez and Jose Antonio Reyes.
Bilbao, meanwhile, could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Malaga.
At the bottom, Sporting Gijon guaranteed their survival with a 2-1 defeat of Racing Santander, while Getafe threw themselves a lifeline by beating Osasuna 2-0.
Getafe and Deportivo Coruna are one point ahead of Zaragoza, who beat Espanyol 1-0.
Almeria, who beat Mallorca 3-1, are bottom with just 30 points. Then come fellow relegation victims Hercules with 34. Zaragoza have 42, while Getafe and Deportivo have 43.
Then come three teams - Osasuna, Real Sociedad and Mallorca - on 44 points, all of whom will need at least one point at home in their last match.
Zaragoza will have to win at Levante and hope that Getafe do not win at Real Sociedad.
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