Showing posts with label World Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Sports. Show all posts

2014-03-04

Not everybody is going crazy for the Indian Premier League.

Picking an All-Conquering T20 XI from Players Outside IPL


 In fact, this hypothetical team of players would probably beat most of the actual IPL sides despite none of its XI wanting any part in this year's Indian extravaganza.

But to be fair, under different circumstances, most of them would, of course, have thrown their names (and wallets) into the ring. Indeed, some of them did initially—only to change their minds or be ruled out through injury.

Anyway, this team has aggressive batsman, experienced middle-order campaigners, a fearsome pace attack and even multiple match-winning options in the slow bowling department and would take some beating.

Read on to see the Bleacher Report Players Outside the IPL XI.


                  

2013-12-15

Super Suarez smashes Spurs

 
Irrepressible Luis Suarez scored twice in Liverpool's 5-0 rout of 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday that suggested the former aristocrats of English football may have the pizzazz and swagger to end their long wait for a league title.

Champions Manchester United ended a poor run of results with a comfortable 3-0 win at Aston Villa but it was Suarez who made all the headlines.

 Revelling in the role of captain in Steven Gerrard's absence through injury, the Uruguayan produced another virtuoso display which put Liverpool above Chelsea into second place on goal difference, two points behind leaders Arsenal who have 35 from 16 games.

Suarez began the season late after serving the end of a ban but the striker has made up for lost time - his 16th and 17th Premier League goals more than powderpuff Spurs and nine other top-flight teams have managed.

"It was a brilliant all-round performance. The players worked tirelessly. The level of football was superb," enthused Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

"We got five goals and arguably we could have had seven or eight. That's the beauty of team, it has goals in it.

"We spoke before game that were missing outstanding players in Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge but I said winning teams support each other. We've shown it's the team that is most important for us."

Liverpool have not been crowned champions since 1990 and trips to Manchester City and Chelsea this month could go a long way to revealing whether the Anfield club have the stamina and class for a sustained title challenge.

Suarez, flourishing without injured partner Sturridge alongside him, netted an 18th-minute opener with a precise finish into the bottom corner.

Philippe Coutinho struck the bar but Jordan Henderson added a second five minutes before halftime after Hugo Lloris had palmed away a Suarez shot.

Spurs then capitulated to their worst home defeat in 16 years after Brazil international Paulinho was shown a straight red card for catching Suarez in the chest with a high foot.

Suarez crossed for young defender Jon Flanagan to net his first Liverpool goal, he lifted the ball over an outrushing Lloris to score the fourth and provided the cross for Raheem Sterling to ice the cake with a late fifth.
 Spurs remained seventh and manager Andre Villas-Boas shrugged when questioned about whether his job was safe.

"I don't need to convince anyone. Our run is magnificent in the other competitions but not in the Premier League," he said."Regarding my position, it is not for me to decide. I can only work to make things better.

Ronaldo opens museum

 
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo opened a museum in his honour in his birthplace on Sunday, which he said had extra room for the Ballon d'Or and many other trophies to come.


Standing next to his 2008 Ballon d'Or and 125 other individual and team awards dating back to his Madeira childhood, Ronaldo, 28, told reporters the CR7 Museum was a gift to his fans.

"Of course it's a special day," the Portugal forward, who has scored 33 goals so far this season, said. "I have room for more trophies. I don't really want to mention specific ones. All I want is to win more awards and if the Ballon d'Or comes, there is extra room here".
 Soccer's world governing body named him, Barcelona's Lionel Messi of Argentina and Bayern Munich's French winger Franck Ribery as the three finalists for the 2013 Ballon d'Or award formerly known as Fifa World Player of the Year.

Ronaldo, this year's World Soccer magazine's player of the year, said he was not desperate to win the most prestigious individual award in the sport.

"The World Soccer magazine's player of the year award was another important trophy but it does not mean I will win the Ballon d'Or. I hope that happens but I am not obsessed about it."

The Ballon d'Or results will be announced on January 13.

Neymar brace seals victory for Barca

 
 Free-scoring Neymar hit a double as Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 to move three points clear at the top of La Liga while 10-man Real Madrid lost ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Osasuna after Sergio Ramos was sent off.
Brazil forward Neymar, who got a treble in a 6-1 Champions League win over Celtic in midweek, scored with a first-half penalty and then put Barca back in front late on after Mateo Musacchio headed the visitors level early in the second period.

The Catalan side are now on 43 points, three more than Atletico Madrid who host Valencia on Sunday, and five in front of rivals Real Madrid who fought back from two goals down to claim a draw after being reduced to 10 men in the 44th minute.

Two first-half headers from Oriol Riera gave Osasuna the advantage but Isco pulled a goal back before the break and a Pepe header salvaged a draw a minute after the home side had Francisco Silva sent off in the 79th minute.

Barca coach Gerardo Martino rotated his squad and Alex Song, who came in for Xavi, was inches away from breaking the deadlock against Villarreal with only a few minutes gone but his volley cannoned against the bar and back into play from a tight angle.

Villarreal have excelled this season by attacking but, missing key players Bruno Soriano and Cani, they resorted to a defensive formation with Giovani dos Santos alone in attack.

The home side had trouble breaking them down but were helped with a penalty for handball by Mario Perez. Neymar, who has started scoring in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi, kept his cool to send keeper Sergio Asenjo the wrong way.

Villarreal were forced to open up in search of the equaliser and Musacchio caught the Barca defence dozing as he headed the ball home from a corner after the restart.

Cesc Fabregas missed a good chance before Alexis Sanchez broke the offside trap and found Neymar who scored from close range. Neymar was inches away from getting his second successive hat-trick in injury time with a shot which grazed the crossbar.

CONFIDENT START

Real seemed ready to seize the chance to keep the pressure on the leaders as Carlo Ancelotti's side began confidently, having won their last five league games, scoring 24 goals, but they were undone by two first-half headers from Oriol Riera.

Sergio Ramos, whose discipline has been questioned, was just returning from suspension but saw red again after 43 minutes. But despite Real's numerical disadvantage, Isco pulled a goal back on the stroke of halftime to give the visitors hope.

The ineffective Bale was taken off 10 minutes into the second half as they searched for an equaliser that eventually came from a Pepe header a minute after Osasuna were reduced to 10 men with Francisco Silva's dismissal in the 79th minute.

Bale, a 100 million euros ($137.30 million) signing, scored a hat-trick in his last league game against Valladolid but was unable to make an impact against Osasuna who also managed to earn a draw against Barcelona earlier in the season.

"The first 20 minutes were very good and it is incredible that we went 2-0 down and had ten men," Ancelotti told a news conference. "We responded well but we suffered a lot."

"We were showing quality and rhythm and we lost control after the first goal but we did show character and the right attitude to battle back."

FULL STRETCH

Real zipped the ball around with pace and confidence early on with Osasuna at full stretch to contain Cristiano Ronaldo, who dragged an early shot wide, and striker Karim Benzema.

So it was a shock when Osasuna took the lead with Riera left totally unmarked to head in Marc Bertran's cross.

The goal took the wind out of Real and they again failed to mark properly when Damia Abella won a header which keeper Diego Lopez beat away, only for Riera to nod in the rebound.

It went from bad to worse as Ramos then received a second yellow card for a foul on Roberto Torres.

Isco got real back into the match, finding the corner with a drive from the edge of the area.

Bale was then replaced by Angel Di Maria after the restart and it was Osasuna who looked more like scoring again.

The match changed, however, when Silva was dismissed for a foul on Ronaldo and Isco's free kick was headed in by Pepe.

2013-12-14

City slickers hit Arsenal for six

 
Manchester City exposed the first cracks in Arsenal's title challenge, beating the Premier League leaders 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium as their attacking talents cut loose in another free-scoring home display on Saturday.


City's stylish showmen sealed their eighth consecutive home league success by out-punching Arsenal, whose previously watertight defence was prised open at will by the hosts' marauding all-out attack.

It was the third time this season that City scored six or more, after they dished out similarly crushing blows to Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City, and cut Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to three points.
The win also put down a light blue marker in a now-congested title race that could have turned decisively in Arsenal's favour had they managed to conjure a win.

"At times the tempo was frightening," City captain Vincent Kompany told BT Sport.

"We looked to be in control of the game for most of it. There were no standout individual performances but collectively we've done incredibly well.

"I don't know so much about messages. The biggest message is if we beat Fulham next.

"It is a real fortress here."

City, whose early opener from Sergio Aguero was cancelled out by Theo Walcott, opened up a two-goal lead with Alvaro Negredo and Fernandinho efforts either side of halftime.

Arsenal briefly rallied with a superb second from Walcott, but David Silva restored the two-goal lead from close range and Fernandinho poked home his second to maintain City's 100 percent home league record.

Even Per Mertesacker's late consolation for Arsenal was trumped by City as Yaya Toure stroked in a stoppage time penalty.

Chelsea, who dropped to fourth, host Crystal Palace later on Saturday when victory would leave them two points behind Arsenal. Third-placed Liverpool, also five points behind Arsenal, visit sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. 

2013-12-13

Napoli suffer agonising exit despite beating Arsenal

http://jaamunanews24.blogspot.com/
Napoli suffered an agonising exit from the Champions League after beating Premier League leaders Arsenal 2-0 on Wednesday.
Borussia Dortmund's 87th-minute goal to beat Marseille 2-1 meant all three teams finished on 12 points in Group F, but Napoli missed out on the last 16 because of their head-to-head record.

"It's difficult to explain how deeply we are disappointed," said Napoli defender Christian Maggio. "Our group was incredible and we matched two fantastic teams - we are out, but with our heads high and no regrets."

Gonzalo Higuain scored Napoli's first in the 73rd minute as the hosts came to life after a dismal opening hour which Arsenal controlled, without looking like scoring. Jose Callejon scored the home side's second in injury time but it was not enough.

It was the 14th season in a row that Arsenal, who had captain Mikel Arteta sent off for a second bookable offence in the 75th minute, have reached the last 16.

They finished runners-up to Dortmund, last year's losing finalists, in the group.

"It was a very difficult game, Napoli played very well tonight," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "I feel for Napoli. It was a difficult group and one team had to be knocked out ... they can feel very hard done by to be that team."

Wenger said Napoli may have "played a bit with the handbrake on", easing the pressure on the English side, when they thought a 1-0 win would take them through, before Dortmund's last winner in Marseille.

Olivier Giroud had Arsenal's best opening of the first half when his left-foot shot was parried by Rafael Cabral.

Napoli barely threatened although Wojciech Szczesny gave them a helping hand when he chipped an attempted clearance straight at Gonzalo Higuain's head, but the ball ricocheted off target.

Napoli came to life after Lorenzo Insigne replaced the ineffective Goran Pandev early in the second half.

Pablo Armero wasted an excellent chance when he shot straight at Szczesny, then Higuain fired over from a good position on the right.

The breakthrough came when Higuain played a one-two with Callejon, received the ball with his back to goal and scored on the turn with fine, low shot into the far corner.

Arteta was given a second yellow card for a lunge from behind on Callejon and, with Dortmund drawing in Marseille, Napoli seemed content with the narrow win.

But the German side's late goal forced Napoli, who now needed to win by three clear goals, into frenzied attack and Callejon lofted the ball over Szczesny after a great pass by Insigne. But it was a case of too little, too late.

Barca look to Neymar for La Liga fortunes

http://jaamunanews24.blogspot.com/
With Lionel Messi not due back from injury until next month, Barcelona will be looking to Neymar to add to Wednesday's hat-trick against Celtic and help the champions get back to winning ways in La Liga.

Barca needed a convincing Champions League performance against the Scottish side after consecutive defeats to Ajax Amsterdam and Athletic Bilbao and the Brazil forward responded with his first goals in Europe's elite club competition in a 6-1 romp at the Nou Camp.

Bought from Santos in the close season for a fee of close to 60 million euros ($82.7 million), Neymar had been threatening to explode into life without really delivering and the 21-year-old's performance on Wednesday, when he also assisted a Pedro goal, suggested he may have turned a corner.

Assuming the mantle of Argentine World Player of the Year Messi would be a heavy burden for anyone, let alone a man in his early 20s, but Neymar appears anything but phased by the responsibility.

"I didn't feel any pressure," he told Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

"We are hoping that after the two bad results this victory will help us in La Liga," he added.

"Two defeats in a row for us meant a big win was very welcome."

Barca's shock reverse at Bilbao, their first of the domestic league campaign, erased their three-point lead at the top over Atletico Madrid and they host fifth-placed Villarreal on Saturday (1900 GMT) in the 16th round of games.

Villarreal spent a season in the second division last term but have impressed on their return to the top flight.

With the likes of Mexican forward Giovani Dos Santos and captain and midfielder Bruno Soriano excelling, they are likely to give Barca a stern test, while another player who has been a key factor in their success is Cani.

The 32-year-old attacking midfielder has hit some of the best form of his career and was rewarded this week with a contract extension until June 2017.

AMBITION NEEDED

Defensive midfielder Tomas Pina believes Villarreal need to be ambitious if they are to get anything from their trip to the Catalan capital.

"If we did not have faith in our chances we would not bother to play the match," he said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"We are a team who if we are focused and show aggression we can compete with any rival.

"If Barca are not feeling comfortable and we can easily find ways of breaking out on the counter attack we can make life difficult for them."

Third-placed Real Madrid play at Osasuna earlier on Saturday (1500) and a win would put them level on 40 points with Barca and Atletico at the top by the time Barca kick off against Villarreal.

Atletico, like Barca and Real through to the last 16 of the Champions League, host Valencia on Sunday (2000) after fourth-placed Bilbao, eight points behind Real and one ahead of Villarreal, play at Sevilla (1800).
 

Ronaldo bags World Soccer magazine award

http://jaamunanews24.blogspot.com/
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named World Soccer magazine's player of the year for the second time, ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich, it said on Thursday.


The award, decided by a panel of journalists and pundits from round the world, recognised his stunning form for Real Madrid as well as his role in leading Portugal to the World Cup finals in Brazil next year. He last won it in 2008.

Jupp Heynckes and Bayern Munich, who completed the treble of German League, German Cup and Champions League last season, won the manager and team of the year prizes.
 

বিশ্বকাপের উদ্বোধনী স্টেডিয়াম নিয়ে বিপাকে ব্রাজিল

http://jaamunanews24.blogspot.com/
 ব্রাজিলের সাও পাওলোর যে স্টেডিয়ামটিতে ২০১৪ সালের ফুটবল বিশ্বকাপের উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠান হওয়ার কথা তার নাম ‘এরিনা কোরিন্থিয়ান্স'৷ নভেম্বরে সেখানে এক দুর্ঘটনা ঘটায় নির্মাণকাজ শেষ হতে পারে এপ্রিলে৷

ফিফার ডেডলাইন অনুযায়ী স্টেডিয়ামটির কাজ ডিসেম্বরের শেষ নাগাদ সম্পূর্ণ হওয়ার কথা ছিল৷ ওদিকে ব্রাজিল কর্তৃপক্ষ স্বীকার করেছে, বিশ্বকাপের জন্য ১২টি স্টেডিয়ামের নির্মাণকাজ শেষ করতে গিয়ে হিমশিম খাচ্ছে তারা৷

রেকর্ড পাঁচবারের মতো বিশ্বকাপ আয়োজনের সুযোগ পাচ্ছে ব্রাজিল৷ ব্রাজিলের বৃহত্তম শহর সাও পাওলো'র জনপ্রিয় স্টেডিয়াম ‘মোরুম্বি'৷ এটি ৫০ এর দশকে নির্মিত হয়৷ এরপর সেখানে বেশ কিছু জমকালো অনুষ্ঠান ও ইভেন্ট আয়োজন করা হয়েছে৷ এমনকি গত বছর ম্যাডোনা ও লেডি গাগার কনসার্টও হয়েছে সেখানে৷ কিন্তু বিশ্বকাপ আয়োজনের জন্য স্টেডিয়ামটি উপযুক্ত নয়, বলে জানিয়েছিল আয়োজকরা৷ ফিফা জানিয়েছিল, বিশ্বকাপ আয়োজনের জন্য মোরুম্বি'র সঠিক মানদণ্ড নেই৷ যেমন অতিরিক্ত পার্কিং ব্যবস্থা এবং দর্শকদের ভালোমত দেখার সুযোগ ও রাষ্ট্রপ্রধানদের বসার জায়গা নেই বলে জানিয়েছিল ফিফা৷ ফলে তারা পরিকল্পনা দেয় নতুন স্টেডিয়াম নির্মাণের৷

তাই সাও পাওলো'র দরিদ্রতম পূর্বাঞ্চলে নতুন স্টেডিয়াম নির্মাণ শুরু করে ব্রাজিল৷ এর নাম দেয়া হয়েছে এরিনা করিন্থিয়ান্স৷ ২৭ নভেম্বর নতুন এই স্টেডিয়ামে একটি দুর্ঘটনা ঘটে৷ ৪২০ টনের একটি ছাদ তুলতে গিয়ে ক্রেন ভেঙে মারা যায় দুই শ্রমিক৷ ফলে পিছিয়ে যায় এর নির্মাণকাজ৷

ডিসেম্বরে নির্মাণকাজ শেষ হওয়ার কথা থাকলেও এখন তা এপ্রিল পর্যন্ত গড়িয়েছে৷ ১২ জুন শুরু হতে যাওয়া বিশ্বকাপের জন্য যেটা খুব কাছাকাছি সময় হয়ে যায়৷ ব্রাজিল ও ক্রোয়েশিয়ার মধ্যে ম্যাচ দিয়ে সেদিনই উদ্বোধন হবে ২০১৪ বিশ্বকাপ ফুটবলের আসর৷
নতুন স্টেডিয়ামে আছে ৬৮ হাজার আসন৷ সেখানে স্টেডিয়াম তৈরি হলে দরিদ্রতম এলাকার অর্থনৈতিক উন্নতি হবে বলে আশা কর্তৃপক্ষের৷ করিন্থিয়ান্স ফুটবল ক্লাবের সাবেক প্রেসিডেন্ট আন্দ্রেস সানচেজ জানিয়েছেন, গত বেশ কয়েক বছর ধরে এলাকাটি অবহেলায় পড়ে আছে৷ তবে এই স্টেডিয়ামটি এলাকার অহংকারে পরিণত হতে পারে৷





















































































2013-11-21

World Cup 2014: Assessing All 32 Teams That Will Be Travelling to Brazil Next Summer

World Cup 2014: Assessing All 32 Teams That Will Be Travelling to Brazil Next Summer

This week's qualifying playoffs have confirmed the 32 countries that will make up next summer's World Cup, which will be held in Brazil.

Here is a run down of the teams that will be hoping to take home the trophy...

1. Algeria
Manager: Vahid Halilhodzic
Star man: Soufiane Feghouli

2. Argentina
Manager: Alejandro Sabella
Star man: Lionel Messi
http://www.bubblews.com/news/1631133-world-cup-2014-assessing-all-32-teams-that-will-be-travelling-to-brazil-next-summer

Top 10 Women sexiest Football Player

There are some incredibly talented footballers in the Premier League. However some of these footballers have some incredibly hot wives and girlfriends too. After some long hours debating and researching this topic, here are our results.Also, since all of these ladies are fantastic, the rankings are in no particular order!

Top 10 Women Football Player- 1. Katsia Zingarevich

1. Katsia Zingarevich
Although not the wife of a footballer, we thought Katsia Zingarevich should be included as the wife of a Premier League team owner. This lovely lady is married to Reading owner Anton Zingarevich, and had to be included into this list for obvious reasons.

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Top 10 Women Football Player- 2. Natalie Suliman

2. Natalie Suliman
Natalie Suliman is the girlfriend of Fulham winger Kieran Richardson. Richardson accredits her for turning hislife around while it lay at tatters on the Old Trafford floor. Well we can certainly see why.