Posts Tagged ‘Wesley Sneijder’
De Futebol
Chicharito hit the daily double to lead Sir Alex and the boys past Marseille 2-1.
An own goal by Wes Brown in the 82nd minute made it nervous time for Man U but the Red Devils survived and moved on to the quarterfinals.
Man U came away with a couple of really bad injuries- Hammies to John O‘Shea and Rafael.
This could hurt the Red Devils in their stretch run for the EPL title.
It wasn’t a pretty win for Sir Alex and the gang.
Marseille had at least four good scoring chances but the French side came up empty.
Inter came back from a 2-1 deficit to beat Bayern Munich 3-2.
Goals by Wesley Sneijder in the 63rd minute and Goran Pandev in the 88th minute sent the Italian side into the quarterfinals.
Both sides were tied three all on aggregate But Inter had the better of it on away goals three to two.
This puppy was played in Bayern’s house.
Later today Chelsea battles Copenhagen at Stamford Bridge and Real Madrid battles Lyon.
After two pitiful performances by my Gunners headman Arsene Wenger said the guys have to dig deep inside and come out fighting.
These are his actual words taken from www.arsenal.com “Yes we have it,” said the Frenchman. “I don’t question that. We played Wednesday against Leyton Orient, Saturday against Sunderland, Tuesday against Barcelona with ten men and against Man United.
“It’s a very, very difficult schedule. It’s been very difficult for the players but they have never shown any sign of weakness mentally. Even on Saturday they have put in absolutely every effort and can only be proud of how much they fought.”
Wenger admits his butt is on the hot seat- “I question myself always, don’t worry,” said the manager. “But If I listened to everybody then it would be a miracle that we are still playing for the title with ten games to go.
“Nobody in England believed we could even fight for the top four. The fact we are in the position we are in I think deserves a lot of credit.
”I don’t know [if winning it now would be my greatest achievement]. I let other people judge my performances. The only thing I can say is that I’m ready to give absolutely everything to do it.
“I’m confident we will but we need now to work to recover.”
Gunner for life.
This is it from The De Futebol Zone.
De Futebol
Finally the nation of Spain can breath a huge sigh of relief.
Spain defeated Germany 1-0 to advance to their World Cup final.
In reality, the Spanish last played in the World Cup semifinals.
Get this it was way back in the way back machine.
Try 1950.
Huge Kudos to Spain for their steady march towards their first title.
Spain is like a snake playing with its prey before killing it.
The Spanish are trying become the first team who lost their first World Cup match and win the title.
Italy lost their opener and made to the 1994 finals but lost to Brasil.
The German’s sat back and tried to play a defensive chess match with Spain.
Absorb the attack and then counter attack. It sounds good on paper but reality it is stupid.
Spain played with Germany thru the entire match.
The Spanish should have scored at least four times before Xavi nailed a perfect corner kick into the center of the box. Mate Carles Puyol poked home the header in the 73rd minute to send Spain to the finals against the Netherlands.
Puyol had plenty of hops. He out leaped a defender and one of his mates.
What makes this feat even more amazing is this Spain played without its two big time players Fabregas and Torres.
Both were hurt.
Fabregas and Torres will be ready for the final on Sunday against the Netherlands.
If the Netherlands uses this blue print to beat Spain, you can kiss your butt good-bye.
The Dutch have the firepower to match Spain’s.
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt, Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie, and the old stand bys Arlen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.
This match features two teams who have not won a World Cup title.
The last time this happened was in 1978 between Argentina-Netherlands. Argentina won the whole enchilada.
This will be a barnburner.
You gotta love it.
De Futebol
The Dutch have made to the World Cup Finals. This marks the first time the Netherlands have made to the Word Cup Finals since 1978.
The Dutch lost Argentina in the 1978 finals.
Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2.
The Dutch drew first blood when Giovanni Van Bronckhorst nailed a long range missile in the 18th minute.
Uruguay tied this baby up one all in the 40th minute. Forlan hit the sweet spot in the back of the net off a deadly free kick from 25 yards out.
Uruguay put a strong fight against the mighty Dutch for most of the match.
Goals by Wesley Sneijder in the 70th minute and Arjen Robben in the 73rd minute broke wide open a one all match.
Sure, Uruguay added a cosmetic goal by Maxi Pereira in the 90th minute to make it a respectable 3-2.
The Uruguayans had two really good chances in the 93rd minute but missed it by that much.
The Netherlands has never won the World Cup.
With they finally break into the win column?
We will find out Sunday.
Germany-Spain will be played later today.
This will be a classic.
Germany is going for their fourth World Cup while Spain has never made this far.
The Germans last won the title in 1990.
Spain has lots of talent but nothing to show for it.
Will Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez, David Villa, and Fernando Torres.
Germany has the pedigree.
Miroslav Klose, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, and Phillip Lahm will provide lots of trouble for the Spanish.
These two teams met in the European championship.
Spain won.
This will be a classic.
De Futebol
This is a very sad household today.
Brasil lost to the Netherlands 2-1.
Both my wife and I are very sad after Brasil fell apart in the second half. This is the first time Brasil failed to win after leading at half time in a World Cup match.
Robinho nailed the winner in the 10th minute to give us a 1-0 lead.
A great pass set this up from Felipe Melo.
Then all hell broke loose.
Brasil fell apart.
Felipe Melo and keeper Julio Cesar had a little mix up. Melo stepped in front of Cesar. The ball bounces off of Melo’s head into the back of the net. It’s tied one all in the 53rd minute.
This was the match changer.
The Dutch turned up the heat..
Wesley Sneijder nailed a great header in the 68th minute to send all of Brasil on suicide watch.
Melo freaked and decided to stomp on Netherlands Arlen Robben’s ankle.
This was dumb. It was beyond dumb. It was stupid.
He gets 86th in the 73rd minute.
Dutch coach was down right pissed by the Melo’s dirty play. Brasil should ashamed of the way they acted. Apesar de toda a alegria pela classificação às semifinais da Copa do Mundo, o técnico holandês Bert van Marwijk teve motivos para se irritar após a vitória sobre o Brasil, nesta sexta-feira, por 2 a 1, em Porto Elizabeth. O treinador criticou o volante Felipe Melo, que foi expulso de forma direta ao pisar no atacante Arjen Robben.
Acabei de ver a falta cometida contra o Robben. Ele (Felipe Melo) deveria olhar de novo a imagem e sentir vergonha da falta cometida. Se pensarmos friamente, deveria estar envergonhado pelo futebol brasileiro – disse, contrariando com a declaração do volante brasileiro. Felipe Melo afirmou após o jogo não ter visto maldade no lance. O volante brasileiro achou o cartão vermelho injusto.
Kiss the ball game bye-bye.
Cooler heads should have prevailed but this is the South American way. Fall behind. Lose your cool.
Voce vai.
The entire nation wants to fix the blame on Dunga.
Yes, he is the coach but this team played better than the 2006 fat out of shape stars.
You can say what you want but it is easy to win as a front-runner but the real test is when a team falls behind and has to crawl back and win.
This takes heart.
Maybe Brasil doesn’t have the heart to do this.
This loss shocked the entire Brasileiro nation.
Julio Cesar spoke about the loss. He was very sad.
É um resultado que ninguém esperava. Sempre citamos que o grupo estava bastante confiante naquilo que vinha fazendo ao longo de três anos e meio, unido. Mas o futebol tem dessas coisas, o mundo não acaba (pausa). Acho que no futebol são 11 contra 11, e no segundo tempo eles mereceram o resultado –-disse, em entrevista à TV Globo.
Netherlands showed heart by hanging in there until Brasil made a mistake. The Dutch came back and won. This takes a ton of heart.
UOL wrote that Brasil failed in its first real test in the World Cup. Brasileiros looked good against inferior teams but when they came up against a top team they failed.
Com o setor de criação dependente da recuperação de Kaká, a seleção brasileira tinha entre seus apostadores mais crentes a convicção de que a capacidade da defesa levaria a equipe até o fim na Copa. No entanto, a linha de trás mais badalada do Mundial fracassou em seu primeiro teste real no torneio, na derrota para a Holanda por 2 a 1, com erros incomuns na trajetória até a África do Sul.
Depois de testes menos exigentes nos quatro jogos anteriores da Copa, a seleção mostrou contra a Holanda vulnerabilidades que não se esperava de uma equipe que transmitia tanta solidez ao se defender. Falhas na bola aérea, equívocos de posicionamento, erros individuais em saída de bola e descontrole emocional pontuaram o revés em Port Elizabeth.
Uruguay showed lots of heart by falling behind 1-0 to Ghana.
There was no quit in this dog.
Forlan nailed a perfect free kick from 25 yards out in the 55th minute to tie this sucker up at one all.
Then Luis Suarez swept away a shot on goal in the 120th minute.
Suarez was given the heave-hoe.
Gyan did a choke city. Gyan hit the cross bar. Ker plunk baby. Choke collar time.
Uruguay went on to win in a PK shoot out 4-2.
Next up for Uruguay is the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
De Futebol
Boca Juniors reverted to their horrible ways. Los Xeneizes had their heads handed to them by Tigre 3-0.
Carlos Luna hit for the hat trick. He ripped the twines in the 10th, 43rd, and 77th minute.
Boca is really struggling in the Clausura.
With the loss, Los Xeneizes dropped to 17th place.
Boca has eight points in nine matches.
This stinks big time folks.
River Plate shut out Huracan 2-0.
Huracan’s Ezequiel Nicholas Filippetto made a dumb-dumb play. He fired the ball into his own net in the 2nd minute to give River Plate a 1-0 lead.
Gustavo Canales added the insurance goal in the 77th minute.
River Plate has thee wins, three draws, and three losses for 12 points.
Los Millonarios is now in 11th place.
Milton Caraglio scored the match winner in the 88th minute to lift Rosario past San Lorenzo 1-0.
Argentinos Juniors Nicolas Pavlovich was camped near the back post. He slipped the ball past the keeper in the 77th minute.
Racing’s Claudio Yacob missed a PK in the 86th minute.
Argentinos Juniors keeper Luis Ojeda stone cold stopped him.
This save sent Racing to a 1-0 defeat at the hands Argentinos Juniors.
Independiente defeated Chacarita 1-0. Godoy Cruz doubled up Atletico Tucuman 2-1.
The top of the Clausura looks like this.
Independiente is top dog with 20 points. Godoy is second with 18 points. Banfield and Velez Sarsfield are tied for third place with 15 points each.
Let’s turn our attention to the second leg of the Champions League first round knockout stage.
Internazionale Sameul Eto’o scored the match winner in the 77th minute to beat Chelsea 1-0.
Samuel Eto’o took it straight to the rack and beat the keeper Ross Turnbull. He beat Turnbull one on one.
A wicked pass set up this goal from Wesley Sneijder.
It is on to the next round for Jose Mourinho’s side.
When Jose Mourinho was the Blues manager, he never lost a home league game.
Revenge is sweet.
Inter is on to the next round while the Blues are outta here.
CSKA Moscow upset Sevilla 2-1.
CSKA is on to the next round as well.
Aston Villa picked up a huge 2-1 win over Wigan. The difference in the match happened in the 25th minute.
Wigan’s James McCarthy fired the ball into his own net.
The Latics McCarthy misplayed a no pressure ball and shanked this baby into the back of his own net.
Choke City baby.
Wigan’s Gary Caldwell evened this baby up two minutes later (27th minute) however Villa’s James Milner hit the winner 63rd minute.
The win moves Aston Villa into seventh place with 49 points in 28 games.
The race for the final Champions League spot looks like this.
Tottenham has 52 points in 28 matches. Liverpool is in fifth place with 51 points in 30 games. City is in sixth place 50 points in 28 matches.
