Archive for December 10th, 2009

There is lots of fun stuff to talk about today. Where to begin is the hard part. Arsenal and Liverpool had little incentive to play today. The Gunners played their junior team while Liverpool just played out the string. Arsenal is moving on in Champions League play while Liverpool is going home for good.

The youngsters of Arsenal lost to Olympiacos 1-0. Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott proved they have lots of promise.  Ramsey almost found the equalizer in the dying moments of the match but a great sweep save by the Greek keeper Nikopolidis kept the 18-year-old Ramsey off the scoreboard.

Theo Walcott is totally back from his hamstring injury. Walcott took it to the rack. He just missed on a high-powered riser shot that was tipped over the cross bar by the keeper Nikopolidis.

Vela and Wilshere each had some great shots on goal but they couldn’t quite find the back of the net.

Olympiacos started their first team against the young studs. Arsenal’s young studs took it to the more experienced Greek side. The Gunners almost pulled off the win. This is a very good sign for Arsenal.

Olympiacos moves on to the knockout stage.

Liverpool on the other hand sleepwalked their way through their final Champions League match at Anfield.

The Reds gave up two late goals and lost to Fiorentina 2-1.

Liverpool found the back of the net first. Yossi Benayoun header tickled the twines in the 43^rd minute to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead.

The Italian side was playing for the top spot in Group E. Fiorentina attacked and attacked until they cracked the Reds “D” in the 63^rd minute. Martin Jorgensen zinged the winner past Reds keeper Diego to tie this baby up at one all.

Fiorentina scored the match winner in the 90^th minute. Alberto Gilardino struck twelve to lift the Italian side to a 2-1 win.

There is a ray of hope in the clouds of doom that hovered over Anfield. Reds super star Fernando Torres played the final quarter of the match.  It looks like he’ll be ready to play in the Reds Gunners clash this Sunday December 13^th at Anfield.

In Group D, Internazionale, Barcelona, and Rubin Kazan were duking it out for the final two-playoff spots.

Inter defeated Rubin Kazan 2-0.

Barcelona fell behind early to Dynamo Kiev before rallying for a 2-1 victory. Kiev scored first. Artem Milevskiy ripped the twines in the 9^th minute to give the Russian side the 1-0 lead.

Barcelona began to squeeze the Russian side back into Kiev side of the pitch. Xavi knocked home a close range marker in the 33^rd minute to tie this baby up at one all.   

Messi scored the match winner in the 86^th minute. His free kick ripped the twines to seal the deal for the defending Champs Barcelona.

Both Inter and Barca are on to the next round.

Next up for Barca is the FIFA World Club Cup Championship.

In play in game for the FIFA World Club Cup New Zealand’s Auckland City took it to the hosts Al Ahli 2-0.

The Kiwis recorded the opening salvo. Adam Dickinson ripped a winner in the 44^th minute to give Auckland City a 1-0 lead.

Chad Coombes put the final nail in the hosts Al Ahli coffin in the 66^th minute. Coombes smashed the twines to give Auckland City the 2-0 win.

Next up for the Kiwis is the Mexican side Atlante.

The 2009 addition of the FIFA World Cup should be a wild and crazy affair. If it all goes according to plan Barca and Argentina side Estudiantes should meet in the finals in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday December 19^th.

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