Premier League Round-Up Sat 18-10-08
Liverpool come from behind to beat a impressive Wigan, Chelsea take apart Middlesbrough, Arsenal have to come from behind to beat Everton, Manchester United get back to some form by thrashing West Brom, Aston Villa & Portsmouth, Fulham & Sunderland, Bolton Blackburn all had goalless games..
Manchester United gave West Brom the worse defeat of the season by whopping them 4-0. West bromdid have a very good first half by holding the champions at half time. But the second half was a different story as the inform Wayne Rooney broke the deadlock as he cut inside the penalty area & smashed a shot past Scott Carson in the 56 minute. He then set up Ronaldo in the 70th minute who made no mistake & another error by West Brom let in Dimitar Berbatov for his first goal for United in the 73rd minute. Then in the 92nd minute Nani ended the scoring when he was set up by a great Rooney past & all Nani had to do was tap in at the far post.
Chelsea showed why they were top of the league with a super display by demolishing Middlebrough 5-0 at the riverside. Chelsea completely dominated the first half but all they had to show for it was a Salomon Kalougoal after 14 minutes but the second half was completely different. It took only 6 minutes for Chelsea to resume where they left off when Juliano Belletti smashed a 30 yard shot straight into the top corner. Then only 3 minutes later they scored again through a Kalou shot that deflected of David Wheater & passed the stranded Ross Turnbull, Frank Lampard then got his scoring boot on when he headed in a great cross only 4 minutes later & the rout was complete 3 minutes later when Florent Malouda tapped in the loose ball after Ross Turnbull made a hash from a Anelka shot..
Liverpool had Dirk Kuyt to thank once again as his goals helped them come from behind twice to beat Wigan 3-2. Wigan made agreat start & after 29 minutes where rewarded with a goal as Liverpool’s Daniel Agger had a loose touch which was sized upon by Amr Zaki & he calmly slotted the football past Jose Reina. But Agger made amends 10 minutes later when he took the ball out of defence & had a one-two with Andrea Dossena & then his pass set up Kuyt who produced a low finish. Wigan got back in front just before half time when that man Zaki produced some acrobatics to finish a Antonio Valencia cross. Wigan where hanging on in the second half to the lead but that all changed after 75 minutes as Valencia was sent off for two bookable offences. It seem to get Liverpool into action & with only 10 minutes left they equalised from a shot from the edge of the box from Albert Riera. But it was down to Dirk Kuyt to get the winner when he scuffed a cross from Jermain Pennant but somehow it still managed to get past Kris Kirkland in the wigan goal.
Arsenal had to come from a goal down to beat Everton 3-1 at the Emirates. It only took Everton 9 minutes to get the first goal when Leon Osman took control of the ball passed it out wide to Steven Pienaar who raced into the box & returned the pass to Osman who finished inside the post. Everton held out for the rest of the first half but as the second started it was Arsenal who looked the better team it only took 3 minutes for the equalizer as Nasri struck a volley from 20 yards as Everton failed to clear a corner. The football match was finely poised but with 20 minutes left Arsenal took control when Fabregas had a shot that was parried & there was Van Persie to head the ball home. Then it was sub Theo Walcott to add the third after a pass from Abou Diarby with a low finish..
Aston Villa couldn’t make the brake through with a stubborn Portsmouth so it ended 0-0. There where only 2 incidents in the whole match. In the 81st minute Sean Davis was sent off for 2 bookable offences & right at the end the ref had to recieve treatment on the side lines as it looked like he was struck by something from the crowd..
Fulham & SunderlandCould only draw 0-0 but the game left Roy Keane mad withthe ref. It all centred on a free kick in the second half . Kieran Richardson stepped up & curled the 35 yard free kick into the top corner but the ref disallowed it for fouls going on in the wall. Sunderlanddid come close again later on with a Djibril Cisse volley came off the cross bar but it ended all square.
Blackburn & Bolton also ended in a 0-0 draw as both teams had a hard fought contest but neither team made many chances or could find the net so it ended in a stalemate..
Spanish La Liga Round Six
Saturday 4th October 2008
Barcelona continued their winning run by beating Atletico Madrid 6-1 at the Nou Camp. Barcelona took a 3rd minute lead through Rafael Marquez. That lead was extended in the 6st minute through a Samuel Eto’o penalty. Argentina international Lionel Messi then made it 3-0 for Barca. Maxi Rodriguez got a goal back for the visitors with an excellent long range strike. Samuel Eto’o then scored his second to make it 4-1. Eidur Gudjohnsen and Thierry Henry then scored a goal each, to make a really good night for Barca and their fans. Villarreal went back to the top of the La Liga table by beating Real Betis 2-1. It was Villarreal’s fifth straight win, as their impressive start to the season continued. Real Betis took the lead through Tamia in the 21st minute. Villarreal managed to turn the game on its head, with goals from Gonzalo Rodriguez and striker Joseba Llorente.
Sunday 5th October 2008
Valencia went back to the top of the league by beating Real Valladolid 1-0 away from home. The goal came from former Everton midfielder Manuel Fernandes, who struck an excellent shot on the 54th minute. Elsewhere Sevilla scored an impressive 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. Sevilla moved up to third with goals from Frederic Kanoute, Renato, Adriano Correia and Ernesto Chevanton. Champions Real Madrid could only manage a 2-2 draw with Espanyol at the Bernabeu. The champions went behind twice, first to a Raul Tamudo penalty in the 21st minute and then Luis Garcia struck in the 31st minute. Real legend Raul equalised twice for the champions. However this will be seen as points dropped in the race for the La Liga crown.
Almeria managed to grab a late point away to Getafe as the game ended 2-2. Goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Casquero had put the home side in a 2-0 and they must have thought they had secured the win until late drama. Striker Alvaro Negredo struck in the 87th minute to give the away side hope and in the 91st minute Chico scored Almeria’s second to give them an unlikely point. Deportivo recorded a 1-0 home win over Numancia. Angel Lafita Castillo’s 13th minute strike was enough to secure victory for Depor and have Numancia looking over their shoulders nervously at the relegation zone.
Sporting Gijon managed to secure an unlikely 2-0 away victory against Real Mallorca. Carmelo and Roberto Canella scored the vital goals for Gijon, to secure Gijon’s first points of the season. Recreativo suffered a 4-0 home hammering from Malaga. The Malaga Goals came from Nabil Baha, Duda and two from Eliseu. Osasuna suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Racing Santander. Osasuna lost Jaroslav Plasil after he handled in the box in the 39th minute. Ezequiel Garay then missed the resulting penalty. Santander did finally make their one man advantage count in time added on, through a Juan Valera strike. That goal secured all three points and moved Santander out of the relegation zone.
Premier League Round-Up Sun 5-10-08
Liverpool come from 2 goals down to beat a 10 men Man City side, Chelsea were comfortable winners over Aston Villa, Everton looking for there first win at home squandered a 2 goal lead to draw withNewcastle, Portsmouth put more misery on stoke by winning, Tottenham lose again after being beaten by Hull & Zola loses his first game in charge of West Ham by losing at home to Bolton..
Liverpool came from 2 goals down to beat a Man City side 3-2 after they were in control of the match. City opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Stephen Ireland collected the ball after some bad defending by Alvaro Arbeloa & smashed a shot high into the goal past a standard Pepe Reina. City went two up just before half time when it was a superb free kick from Javier Garrido who curled the ball into the top left hand corner from the edge of the box. But it didn’t take long for Liverpool to get back into the game in the second half Gerrard started it off when he send Arbeloa down the right who crossed it in for Fernando Torres to slot the ball home in the 55th minute. The Game changed after 68 minutes when City had Pablo Zabaleta sent off for a bad tackle on Xabi Alonso & after that it only took Liverpool 7 minutes to get back level when Gerrard sent over a corner & Torres rose above everybody to head home the equaliser. It was a unlikely hero who scored the winner in Dirk Kuyt who smashed the ball home after a Torres shot was blocked his first in 27 league starts..
Chelsea kept up the pressure with a easy 2-0 win over Aston Villa. They controlled the game from start to finish with Frank Lampard setting up Joe Cole after 23 minutes to crack the ball past Friedel. Chelsea doubled there lead just before half time when Ballack had a shot saved by Friedel only for it to fall to Anelka who had his shot saved also but he scored from his second attempt. Aston Villa did get a bit better in the second half but didn’t really threatened Chelsea at all..
Tottenham stay rooted to the bottom of the league as they lose again to new boys Hull 1-0. It was the hero of the week before Geovanni who got the goal & send Hull high up the table. It only took 9 minutes from Hull to take the lead it was a fantastic free kick from Geovanni from a full 30 yards as he curled it into the top left hand corner. After that Tottenham threw everything at them even the kitchen sink but Hull held on to make it two London clubs they have beaten this season..
Everton threw away a 2 goal lead against a Newcastle side under Joe Kinnear for it to end 2-2. Everton started well & took the lead after 18 minutes from a penalty from Mikel Arteta from the penalty spot after Leighton Baines was chopped down by Nicky Butt. With the match going in Everton’s favour they doubled there lead after 35 minutes when new boy Marouane Fellini scored from a Baines cross. But just before half time it was poor defending that let Newcastle back in it a good cross from Geremi was met by Stephen Taylor and he put a strong header past Howard. The second half started with Newcastle with confidence & it only took 2 minutes from the to equalise it was a cross from Stephen Taylor & it was more poor defending by Everton & Damian Duff was there to score. Both teams went for it after that with Baines making a last ditch tackle to keep out Duff & Given right at the death had to save from Yakubu …
Portsmouth had a good win after Europe when the beat Stoke 2-1 at Fratton Park. It took a spectacular effort from Peter Crouch to open the scoring after 25 minutes with a bicycle overhead kick from a Defoe cross. It stayed that way until just after half time when Stoke drew level It was a neat flick on from Dave Kitson right into the path of Ricardo Fuller who nodded the ball past a helpless David James. But Stoke drawing level didn’t last long as Jermain Defoe found space on the edge of the penalty box & sent a shot past Simonsen. Stoke tried to come back at Portsmouth but they held on for the win..
West ham lost their first game under Zola when they were beaten at home 3-1 by Bolton. They game was even after 30 minutes & it took a bad mistake by Robert Green as he fumbled a cross straight onto the feet of Kevin Davies who just had to poke it into the net. Things got worse for Green 5 minutes later as he parried a shot from Gretar Steinsson straight to Gary Cahill for him to slot home for his first goal for Bolton. West Ham did get back into the game in the second half when Carlton Cole nodded the ball home from 6 yards after Matthew Upson had headed the ball across the goal after 70 minutes. But it was left to sub Matthew Taylor to score the best goal after coming on as a sub as he absolutely smacked a 30 yard free kick past a diving Green who couldn’t get near it so it ended with Bolton’s first away win..
Premier League Round-Up Sat 4-10-08
Arsenal had to come back from the death again to secure a point with Sunderland, Man United look like they are getting back to normal with a easy win over Blackburn, West Brom got a scrappy win over Fulham & Middlesbrough got a away win over Wigan.
Sunderland thought they had pulled off a great win over Arsenal like Hull did before them but it ended in a 1-1 draw. Most of the action was in the second half & Arsenal thought they had taken the lead midway through when Van Persie had slotted a cut back from Theo Walcott but the linesman ruled that Walcott had taken the ball out before he cut it back so the goal was ruled off-side. Van Persie had another chance later on but he was guilty of missing a great chance when he was clear from 8 yards only for Gordon the parry it away. But it was the sub Leadbitter who came on with 5 minutes left collected the ball & ran straight at the Arsenal defence & smashed a shot that when in from the crossbar to put Sunderland Ahead. But in added time Arsenal pushing for that equalizer forced a corner which was floated over & Gorden raced out to clear it but Fabregas got there first to head into the goal & earn Arsenal a point..
Man United got back to winning way when they bear a Blackburn side 2-0 with some ease. The football match was all Man United as they passed the ball at will & scored there first goal through Wes Brown even though the Blackburn manager Paul Ince thought it was a foul on his goalkeeper. The second was another fantastic goal from Wayne Rooney when United were on the counter attack. Even Carlos Tevez hit the post towards the later stages of the game & showed why they are the champions…
Wigan now were a in form team found it hard against a stubborn Middlesbrough side & went down 1-0 in the end. Middlesbrough had restricted Wigan to half chances all game & made it hard for them. Wigan couldn’t find the killer pass even though Amr Zaki was trying to add to his 5 goals all ready this season but found the Middlesbrough keeper Ross Turnbull in fine form. The game was going towards a draw until the last minutes of the match when Downing climbed to head the ball into the ball of Aliadiere & he produced a fantastic finish past Chris Kirkland to give them all three points & a away win..
West Brom had a very vital win at home as they beat a not to good Fulham side 1-0. Although West Brom had some terrible finishing they could have won by more as Fulham didn’t really threaten in the match. It was striker Bednar who missed a lot of opportunities with some way wood finishing but he kept trying & got his reward on the hour mark. It was a corner into the box & Fulham couldn’t clear it & it ended up at Bednar’s feet for him to stab home from 2 yards out. Ryan Donk could have increased the lead but his header came off the post & the only real chance Fulham had was a free kick from Danny Murphy but that is as close as they got all afternoon…
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