Arsenal Transfer News

Arsenal are set to join the race with Chelsea and Liverpo fc  for Victor Moses – if contract rebel Theo Walcott refuses to commit to them long term.

Wigan playmaker Moses, 21, is one of the Premier League’s hottest properties, following a brilliant last campaign when he was central to his team’s miraculous survival.

New Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers has earmarked the Nigerian international as one of his top summer targets, while Moses’ agent says he would prefer a move to Chelsea.
Arsenal Transfer News

But Wigan have resisted all bids for the player – who is out of contract next summer – and owner Dave Whelan has slapped a £12million price-tag on his head.

Now Arsene Wenger is ready to emerge as a rival in the race as doubts about Walcott’s future grow.

The England winger is unhappy with the offer of a new four-year deal, worth £70,000-a-week. He wants nearer £100,000.

That stalemate is still to be resolved and – with only 12 months left on Walcott’s existing deal – Wenger has told the Gunners board to off-load him for anything around £15m.

One man right behind Wenger’s tough stance is former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson.
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Basketball News:

Nigeria basketball men’s team  seized the last  berth at the London Olympics on Sunday with an 88-73 victory over the Dominican Republic in a last-chance game at the FIBA qualifying tournament.

Nigeria had shocked favorites Greece in the quarter-finals, but were beaten in the semi-finals on Saturday by Russia — who booked their own place with that win.

 

Lithuania had also secured a spot on Saturday with a victory over the Dominican Republic, leaving Nigeria and the Dominicans to play one last contest for the third and final berth still up for grabs.

Ike Diogu, a 10-year NBA veteran who was with the San Antonio Spurs last season before a spell with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers, led Nigeria with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

“I’m very happy. We did what had to be done,” Diogu said. “We knew we were going to face teams that are heavyweights, and we did what we needed to do – win.”

Nigeria, ranked 21st in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) world rankings, had 14 points from Al-Farouq Aminu, who plays for the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA.

Yack Martinez led the Dominican Republic, coached by University of Kentucky coach John Calipari, with 16 points.

Nigeria and Lithuania will play in group A in the preliminary round in London, along with the 2008 gold medallists the United States, Argentina, France and Tunisia.

Russia booked a berth in group B, which includes Spain, Brazil, Australia, China and hosts Great Britain.
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2013 Afcon participant are now ready to take on opponent, given the result of yesterday night draw in South Africa.

Heavyweight contenders Ivory Coast last Africa Cup of Nations finalist and Senegal have been drawn together in the final round of qualifying for the next Africa Cup of Nations.

”"

It means at least one more of the continent’s top contenders will miss out on next year’s tournament in South Africa, joining record winners Egypt on the sidelines.

The Ivorians host the first leg of the knockout clash in September and then travel to Dakar for the return in October.

The Ivorians did not concede a goal at the Afcon in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon earlier this year but still contrived to lose on post-match penalties in the Final against Zambia.

Senegal went to the 2012 tournament as the best performer in the preliminaries and were highly fancied, but despite a squad filled with European-based professionals they lost all three group games and suffered the embarrassment of being the first team eliminated.

Despite the setback, they were expected to provide another credible challenge in 2013 tournament but in order to do so must now get past the Ivorians.

2013 Afcon Final Qualifing Round Draw

Nigerians were left relieved on Thursday night when former captain Daniel Amokachi drew Liberia as the Super Eagles opponents for the 2013 Nations Cup final qualifier.
As the Nigeria assistant coach held out the little strip of paper that read ‘Liberia’, the collective exhale around Nigeria could have well have been enough to cause a tornado.

Even Amokachi could barely hide a wry, relieved smile when he looked at the name he had just drawn up.

It is an indication of Nigeria’s current brittle state of transition, that none in the country are willing to risk facing high value opposition on the road to South Africa 2013.

Liberia’s Lone Star are yet to win a single game against the Super Eagles after six attempts.

But Sylvanus Okpalla, one of Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi’s assistants, insists that there will be no room for over-confidence.

“I know people are relieved that we got Liberia, but I can assure you that they will be no walk-overs,” he said. “For them to be he, means they deserve to be here.

“These two games will be different from the last time we met. And we must play them with respect and treat them as equals.

“Our goal is to qualify for the Nations Cup, and everybody has to work hard and stay focused for us to do that.”

Thursday’s draw in Johannesburg also produced derbies between Sudan and Ethiopia, who both played at the first Nations Cup in 1957, and Algeria and Libya.

The qualifying ties will be played on the weekends of September 7-9 and October 12-14.

The 15 winners join hosts South Africa in the finals from Jan 19-Feb 10 next year.

2013 AFCON FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW
Mali v Botswana
Guinea v Niger
Zimbabwe v Angola
Sudan v Ethiopia
Ghana v Malawi
Libya v Algeria
Liberia v Nigeria
C’Ivoire v Senegal
Zambia v Uganda
DR Congo v Equatorial G.
Cape Verde v Cameroon
Gabon v Togo
Mozambique v Morocco
Cen.Africa v Burkina Faso
Sierra Leone v Tunisia

2013 Afcon Final Qualifing Round Draw

2013 AFCON FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW
Mali v Botswana
Guinea v Niger
Zimbabwe v Angola
Sudan v Ethiopia
Ghana v Malawi
Libya v Algeria
Liberia v Nigeria
C’Ivoire v Senegal
Zambia v Uganda
DR Congo v Equatorial G.
Cape Verde v Cameroon
Gabon v Togo
Mozambique v Morocco
Cen.Africa v Burkina Faso
Sierra Leone v Tunisia
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Fifa world ranking

Wednesday the 3rd of July FIFA released its Coca-Cola  and world football ranking, Spain were the top gainers as they increase their ranking as a result of their outing in the just concluded Euro 2012. Fellow finalist Italy climbed to 6th, while the 5  times world champions Brazil fell out of top ten for the first time in the FIFA ranking history.
   Rnk    Team    Pts    +/- Pos    
   1    Spain    1691    0    Equal    
   2    Germany    1502    1    Up    
   3    Uruguay    1297    -1    Down    
   4    England    1294    2    Up    
   5    Portugal    1213    5    Up    
   6    Italy    1192    6    Up    
   7    Argentina    1095    0    Equal    
   8    Netherlands    1079    -4    Down    
   9    Croatia    1050    -1    Down    
   10    Denmark    1017    -1    Down    
   11    Brazil    1012    -6    Down    
   12    Greece    1003    3    Up    
   13    Russia    981    0    Equal    
   14    France    980    0    Equal    
   15    Chile    961    -4    Down    
   16    Côte d’Ivoire    939    0    Equal    
   17    Sweden    909    0    Equal    
   18    Czech Republic    854    9    Up    
   19    Mexico    832    0    Equal    
   20    Japan    829    3    Up    
   21    Switzerland    828    0    Equal    
   22    Colombia    814    -2    Down    
   23    Australia    807    1    Up    
   24    Norway    780    2    Up    
   25    Paraguay    772    -3    Down    
   26    Republic of Ireland    762    -8    Down    
   27    Ecuador    752    9    Up    
   28    Korea Republic    740    7    Up    
   29    Turkey    735    4    Up    
   30    Bosnia-Herzegovina    729    -1    Down    
info
esp
esp
Points
Prev.Pts
1691
1456
Points Last Month
   
M
   *    
I
   *    
T
   *    
C
   =    
P
ESP – ITA    4:0    3       3       188       1       1692
POR – ESP    0:0    2       3       190       1       1140
ESP – FRA    2:0    3       3       186       1       1674
CRO – ESP    0:1    3       3       192       1       1728
ESP – IRL    4:0    3       3       182       1       1638
ESP – ITA    1:1    1       3       188       1       564
ESP – CHN    1:0    3       1       134       0.93       373.86
Points outside Ranking calculation
   
M
   *    
I
   *    
T
   *    
C
   =    
P
GER – ESP    0:1    3       3       195       1       1755
RUS – ESP    0:3    3       3       176       1       1584
ESP – ITA    0:0    2       3       197       1       1182
GRE – ESP    1:2    3       3       192       1       1728
SWE – ESP    1:2    3       3       170       1       1530
ESP – RUS    4:1    3       3       176       1       1584
Points in the past 4 years

   Average    Weight    Avg. Weight
2009    800.21    20%    160.04
2010    933.07    30%    279.92
2011    871.54    50%    435.77
2012    815.39    100%    815.39
Total 1691
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Manchester United To Flot Shares At NYSE


The US-base family who own Manchester United have signalled their intention to move the club’s registration to the tax haven of the Cayman Islands and float its shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

The principal intention, set out in a US Stock Exchange registration statement, is to sell enough shares to new investors to pay off an as yet unspecified portion of United’s £423m debts, which the Glazers loaded on to the club when they bought it in 2005. To date the Glazers’ takeover has cost United more than £500m in interest, bank charges and fees, after they borrowed £525m to buy the club, then made it responsible for servicing their debts.

The registration statement makes it clear that the Glazers have reorganised the ownership of United, via the Cayman Islands, so they can realise cash from investors while retaining control of the club. The United shares will be split into two classes, A and B; the A shares will be offered for sale to investors on the New York Stock Exchange while the Glazer family will retain ownership of the B shares, which carry 10 times the voting rights of the A shares.

Manchester United Ltd, reorganised to be a Cayman Islands company, will, the document says, remain owned by the “linear descendants” – the five sons and one daughter – of Malcolm Glazer.

Not only will investors have diluted voting rights but there is no intention even to pay them a regular dividend, so the investment would be to realise some future gain via the Cayman Islands if they sell the shares.

The registration statement does not set out yet how many A shares will be sold on the market, nor the price which will be set, and therefore the total by which the family is seeking to reduce United’s huge debt.

In part a sales pitch aimed at enticing investors to buy the shares in United, the document talks up the club’s popularity and commercial reach, claiming it has 659m “followers” worldwide. Coming after a season in which United were pipped to the Premier League championship by Sheikh Mansour’s lavish-spending Manchester rivals City, and were knocked out of the European Champions League in the group stage, the document boasts of a massive global TV audience and that “over 5 million items of Manchester United branded licensed products were sold in the last year”.

The “strategy” for United is also set out, specifying how the family intends to “increase our revenue and profitability, by expanding our high-growth businesses that leverage our brand, global community and marketing infrastructure”.

The Glazers state they intend to develop areas including “global and regional sponsors, retail, merchandising and product licensing, exploit new media and mobile opportunities, enhance the reach and distribution of our broadcasting rights [via United's MUTV channel] and diversify revenue and improve margins”.

The document states confidently: “We believe that we are one of the world’s most recognizable global brands with a community of 659m followers”; and it predicts that football’s popularity and profitability around the world will continue to grow.

As required by Stock Exchange regulations, the document also sets out risk factors which investors should take into account before buying shares. These feature generalised warnings about maintaining football’s popularity and crowds at Old Trafford holding up despite the recession. There is, however, a formal warning that United’s debts, wholly imposed by the Glazers’ original takeover, “could adversely affect our financial health and competitive position”.

The document explains that the debt, still at £423m, despite the £500m United has paid out since 2005, could affect the club’s ability to compete for players and soak up cash. That is the impact of the massive Glazer debts which their representatives and United’s chief executive, David Gill, have always denied. This flotation of Manchester United, re-registered in the Cayman Islands and sold via New York, is intended finally to reduce that indebtedness, by finding outside investors willing to buy shares, while the Glazers remain in control
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The 28-year-old struggled for form for both club and country in 2011-12, but was able to add the Euro title to FA Cup and Champions League triumphs.

On top of winning the Golden Boot award, Torres became the first player to score in two European Championship finals, and he did not hide his happiness to have had the chance to silence his critics.

"It was a complicated season for me," he told Guardian. "It does not mean it was bad, far from it, but it was complicated with very difficult moments for me.

"But to see my family happy after the final, you see whatever happened during the season was worth it.

"I will leave the poor memories behind and just remember the three titles, with this final against Italy so beautiful for the team, the whole country and everyone who follows Spain.

"After a year that was so tough, and during which we suffered so much, it made it all worth it.

"I am sure the Chelsea fans will also be happy. Now I have to rest and make sure I am ready for next season, which I am sure will be full of great moments. At least, I have to think like that."

Despite scoring three goals at the Euros, Torres had to settle for a place on the bench for three of La Roja's six matches, as he fell victim to Vicente del Bosque's preference for using Cesc Fabregas as a 'false nine'.

"I didn't have as many minutes on the pitch as I used to in previous tournaments, but these are the finals where I scored the most goals," he continued.

"Football throws up these things. Playing in a national team like this gives you the chance to make history. We have won two Euros now and I'm so happy and proud."

La Roja made history by becoming the first team to win three international competitions in a row, but Torres has warned that they may not stop there.

"There is a lot more left for this team to achieve," the Chelsea man added. "We have a lot of ambition and targets ahead of us.

"We will enjoy the celebrations, of course, but our heads are already turned to the Confederations Cup [in 2013] and the World Cup [in 2014]. I hope the majority of this squad can be there.

"It has not been easy. To win three consecutive major tournaments had never happened in the history of the game, so we have to value it. The numbers say this team is the best.

"But, luckily, we are not finished yet. Of course I want more. It is clear. When you win, you want more.

"And we are realistic. If you see the age of the team, and the people who maybe didn't have many minutes on the pitch, then you will see important people for the future.

"They are coming from outside [the team] and there is a lot more left in us for a while yet."
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 Fernando Torres season Reviewed

The Spanish international Fernando Torres fondly called El-Nino was born in march 1984. He started his career as a kid with Athletico Madrid, progressing through their youth system to the senior team.

Fernando Torres to Liverpool in 2007, and instantly broke the record of being the first player since Robbie Fowler in 1995/96 season to  score more than 20 goals in a season. And along the line scored his 50th goal against Aston Villa, thus becoming the player in Liverpool history  to do so in the league.

Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a British record of E50million ,this made him the most expensive Spanish player in history. this move raised critics from all angles , questioning his price tag, given his out of form performance for his new team Chelsea.
 Fernando Torres season Reviewed

But one can conclusively say that El-Nino had an amazing season despite not scoring the 10th of goals of Messi and Ronaldo. But judging by his Achievement Fernando Torres  was the most successful striker in Europe this season.

Going by Chelsea's Double (FA cup and Champs league), He recently added another by winning the Euro 2012 and also the personal award (the golden boot award for Euro 2012 ). El-Nino  has more chances of winning two(2) more trophies this year , that is when  Chelsea faces Manchester City for the community shield and also when Chelsea travels to Japan for the world club cup later in December.

Convincingly one can conclusively say that any striker in the world would want to be in the shoes of the amazing Fernando Torres (El-Nino).
 Fernando Torres season Reviewed
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Finally we have come closer to the end of a great football event (Euro 2012) .
And as an ardent follower of sportswriteup.com i would you to make your Prediction
 between the two finalist (Italy Vs Spain). Lets have Fun with this.............. Thankz

(Italy Vs Spain)


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The Euro 2012 final will be a rematch.

After knocking off Germany by a score of 2-1, Italy have advanced to the finals to take on Spain. The Spaniards, on the other hand, beat Portugal via penalty kicks on Wednesday night to advance.

The finals will be a rematch of the Group C opening match, when Italy and Spain drew by a score of 1-1. Spain eventually won the group, but Italy advanced over Croatia, and now both squads have gotten through their side of the bracket after beating their Group B counterparts.

Euro 2012 Final Preview: (Italy Vs Spain)

No one is going to deny how beautiful it is to watch Spain's midfield kick the ball around and keep possession. No matter what team you support, it's hard to deny how near perfect they are in that aspect.

But in Euro 2012, and without David Villa, the Spaniards have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net.

The Alvaro Negredo experiment failed against Portugal, Fernando Torres has been up and down and Fernando Llorente doesn't appear to be an option.

No matter how well Spain controls the ball, someone needs to finish, especially against Gianluigi Buffon and Italy's terrific defense

There's no question Pirlo has been the engine that makes Italy's attack go. He's been the Man of the Match three times, his passing has been exquisite and he's proven to be a major danger on free kicks.

While Spain's entire midfield is the definition of beautiful, Pirlo has taken care of that all by himself. He will be a huge factor once again in the finals.

Let's take a closer look at the much-anticipated rematch, which will decide the best football team in all of Europe.

Euro 2012 Final Preview: (Italy Vs Spain)

Date: Sunday, July 1, 2012

Start Time: 2:45 p.m. ET

TV Coverage: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN3.com

Euro 2012 Final Preview: (Italy Vs Spain)

Make your Prediction.......... Italy Vs Spain
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Where Do You Belong?

There’s been a lot of debate and stories shared recently regarding what clubs that you, the readers of sportswriteup.com , support. So what better way to gauge how many people support which club and how much of an impact the Big Four or maybe the big five of the Premier League have by asking the question, which club do you support?

Vote Now.................. http://www.sportswriteup.com/

The Euro 2012 final will be a rematch.

After knocking off Germany by a score of 2-1, Italy have advanced to the finals to take on Spain. The Spaniards, on the other hand, beat Portugal via penalty kicks on Wednesday night to advance.

The finals will be a rematch of the Group C opening match, when Italy and Spain drew by a score of 1-1. Spain eventually won the group, but Italy advanced over Croatia, and now both squads have gotten through their side of the bracket after beating their Group B counterparts.

No one is going to deny how beautiful it is to watch Spain's midfield kick the ball around and keep possession. No matter what team you support, it's hard to deny how near perfect they are in that aspect.

But in Euro 2012, and without David Villa, the Spaniards have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net.

Euro 2012 Final Preview: (Italy Vs Spain)

The Alvaro Negredo experiment failed against Portugal, Fernando Torres has been up and down and Fernando Llorente doesn't appear to be an option.

No matter how well Spain controls the ball, someone needs to finish, especially against Gianluigi Buffon and Italy's terrific defense

There's no question Pirlo has been the engine that makes Italy's attack go. He's been the Man of the Match three times, his passing has been exquisite and he's proven to be a major danger on free kicks.

While Spain's entire midfield is the definition of beautiful, Pirlo has taken care of that all by himself. He will be a huge factor once again in the finals.

Let's take a closer look at the much-anticipated rematch, which will decide the best football team in all of Europe.

 Euro 2012 Final Preview: (Italy Vs Spain)

Date: Sunday, July 1, 2012

Start Time: 2:45 p.m. ET

TV Coverage: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN3.com
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Euro 2012

Mario Balotelli After two straight 0-0 snoozefests at Euro 2012, the most interesting man in world soccer brought the tournament back to life, scoring two powerful goals, including a thunderous finish on the break that crushed the favored Germans.

Balotelli is a polarizing figure who often seems on the edge of madness, or at least yellow and red cards -- and sure enough, he got a yellow for taking his shirt off after his second goal -- but you can't ignore his surpassing talent. That's why he's on this Italian team, despite questions over his inclusion, and it's why coach Cesare Prandelli opted to use him in the starting lineup. The German defense had appeared breachable at times during the Euro, but it took Balotelli's power, speed and skill to expose it, with the help of some terrific assists by Antonio Cassano and Riccardo Montolivo.

Euro 2012: Balotelli's Performance Put Italy Into Euro Final

Germany shot itself in the foot, too. The Germans were heavily favored and so confident that Marco Reus had proclaimed they were "the team to beat" in the entire tournament ahead of this game. But after failing to convert several chances early -- including one Mats Hummels shot that all-everything Andrea Pirlo cleared from the line -- the Germans completely broke down on the goals that put Italy ahead. Cassano completely turned Hummels in the box on the play that led to Balotelli's first goal, and the second Italian goal was a German fiasco, from the lack of pressure on Montolivo's long ball to the screwed-up offside trap that allowed Balotelli to barrel through the middle virtually unmolested. German coach Jogi Löw deserves some criticism, too. He had pulled some surprising strings with success in the quarterfinal, but his decision to give Toni Kroos his first start of the tournament backfired. Germany has an extremely talented young team with the potential to win trophies, but going out in the semifinals here is another opportunity lost.

Euro 2012: Balotelli's Performance Put Italy Into Euro Final

Talking points can be silly sometimes. Italy deserves huge credit not just for winning this game, but also for the style in which it happened. Can we finally stop hearing about a supposedly "defensive" Italy that "parks the bus?" Prandelli's team is dynamic, skillful and fun to watch. (Pirlo in particular has been majestic in this tournament.) More than any other moment at Euro 2012, Balotelli's exhilarating second goal made me whoop involuntarily up in the stands. Let's also retire the discussion about whether Italy's two fewer days of rest would have an impact on the game. The Italians still had three full days off after their last game, which isn't a problem at all. Finally, there will be talk about the Germans having a mental block against Italy, which it has failed to beat now in eight competitive games all-time. Italy's win had nothing to do with a mental block and everything to do with a smart game plan well executed

Italy deserves huge credit not just for winning this game, but also for the style in which it happened. Can we finally stop hearing about a supposedly "defensive" Italy that "parks the bus?" Prandelli's team is dynamic, skillful and fun to watch. (Pirlo in particular has been majestic in this tournament.) More than any other moment at Euro 2012, Balotelli's exhilarating second goal made me whoop involuntarily up in the stands. Let's also retire the discussion about whether Italy's two fewer days of rest would have an impact on the game. The Italians still had three full days off after their last game, which isn't a problem at all. Finally, there will be talk about the Germans having a mental block against Italy, which it has failed to beat now in eight competitive games all-time. Italy's win had nothing to do with a mental block and everything to do with a smart game plan well executed.

Euro 2012: Balotelli's Performance Put Italy Into Euro Final
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Nigeria v Arsenal

Arsenal Ready to face Nigerian national team

Pre-season Friendly: Arsenal Football Club is delighted to confirm that the Nigeria national team will be the Club’s opposition for their pre-season friendly match in Abuja on Sunday, August 5.
 
Arsène Wenger’s team will face the Super Eagles in the National Stadium, with a confirmed kick-off time of 4pm local time.
 
Tickets details will be announced on Wednesday, July 4 and will appear on Arsenal.com.
 
The Club last visited Africa during a tour to South Africa in July 1993, and is returning as a result of the fantastic support which exists for the team, not only in Nigeria, but across the entire continent.
 
Arsenal  to Nigeria will conclude an exciting pre-season tour schedule for Arsenal, who return to both China and Malaysia in July, following the success of last term’s Asia Tour.
 
The Asia leg starts in Kuala Lumpur, where the team will face a Malaysia XI on Tuesday, July 24. The Gunners then travel to China for a match against Manchester City in Beijing on Friday, July 27, followed by a trip to Hong Kong to play Kitchee FC on Sunday, July 29.
 
All developments and updates regarding Arsenal’s pre-season activities will feature on sportswriteup.com

Nigeria v Arsenal

Pre-season Friendly

Sunday, August 05, 2012, 16:00
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Euro 2012 News

Euro 2012: England’s penalty curse struck again in Kiev Sunday as a far superior Italy advanced to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 with victory in a shoot-out after a tense quarter-final duel finished 0-0 following extra-time.

The Italians will face Germany in the semi-finals in Warsaw on Thursday after England’s campaign came to a bitterly familiar end with their sixth defeat in a penalty shoot-out in seven attempts since 1990.

Italy clinched a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win after Ashley Young sent his spot-kick against the bar and Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon saved from Ashley Cole to seal England’s fate.

The winning penalty was struck by substitute Alessandro Diamanti to leave England desolate once more at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.

England had taken a 2-1 lead in the shoot-out after Riccardo Montolivo hit his spot-kick wide but Young ceded England’s advantage when he crashed his penalty off the bar.

Antonio Nocerino scored to restore Italy’s advantage and when Buffon saved from Cole, Diamanti stepped up to clinch victory.

The defeat extended England’s poor record of never having won a knockout game on foreign soil against a top-level football nation.

But England could have few complaints after being comprehensively outplayed over the 120 minutes of normal and extra-time, Italy with 35 attempts to England’s 9 while enjoying 64 percent of possession.

The tone for a surprisingly open first half had been set after only three minutes, when Daniele De Rossi rattled the woodwork with a thumping shot from 25 yards that had Joe Hart beaten.

England responded immediately and squandered a golden chance to take the lead when Glen Johnson’s effort was superbly saved by Buffon.

With their confidence lifted England enjoyed their best spell of the match and a curling Johnson cross saw Wayne Rooney’s diving header fly over with the Manchester United striker under pressure from Ignazio Abate.

But having soaked up the early English pressure, Italy soon got into their stride with man-of-the-match Andrea Pirlo springing England’s offside trap to send Mario Balotelli racing clear on 25 minutes.

The Manchester City striker took just a fraction too long, however, and John Terry was able to snuff out the danger with a fine cover tackle.

Italy finished the half the stronger of the two sides, Antonio Cassano testing Hart with a long-range effort which was parried wide.

Cassano then turned provider when he headed back across goal for Balotelli, only for Joleon Lescott to get a vital touch ahead of his City team-mate.

Italy’s dominance stretched into the second half, and England continued to live dangerously.

De Rossi wasted a golden chance to put his side ahead when he hooked wide after Claudio Marchisio headed Hart’s punched clearance into the box.

Hart then rescued England with a fine double double-save, parrying De Rossi’s long-range effort before blocking Balotelli’s follow-up. Montolivo shot over the bar but England breathed again.

Hodgson made a positive double substitution on the hour-mark, bringing on Andy Carroll for Danny Welbeck and replacing James Milner with Theo Walcott.

The changes had little effect, however, with England unable to exploit Walcott’s pace, leaving the Arsenal winger a frustrated spectator.

Prandelli meanwhile rang the changes for Italy, bringing on Diamanti for Cassano and Nocerino for De Rossi.

Diamanti was soon into the action testing Hart with a firm low shot. Nocerino also had a chance to snatch victory two minutes from time, latching onto Marchisio’s lovely pass only for Johnson to block.

Rooney sent a late overhead kick flying wide before the game went into extra-time.

Italy again dominated in extra-time, Diamanti’s curling cross eluding the entire English defence and hitting the post.

Then with five minutes remaining Nocerino had the ball in the net from Diamanti’s across only to be correctly ruled off-side.
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Liverpool News

Liverpool News: Former Liverpool defender Miki Roque has died in Barcelona at the age of 23 following a battle against cancer.

Real Betis defender Roque was at Liverpool from 2005 to 2009, winning the FA Youth Cup in 2006, before joining the Spanish club.

He played once for the first team - against Galatasaray in the Champions League in December 2006.

A Liverpool statement read: "Everyone would like to send their thoughts to Miki's family at this sad time."

Roque underwent surgery to remove a tumour in his pelvis last year.

While at Liverpool, Roque had a loan spell with Oldham at the end of 2006-07. He also made temporary moves to Spanish sides Xerez and Cartagena before switching permanently to Betis.
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Germany vs. Greece – It was as complete of a victory as one could hope for, at least without a complete shutout. The Germans are the best team at Euro 2012, and they made an example of Greece in a 4-2 rout to drive their point home.
 
England or Italy is next on the chopping block for Germany. I’m predicting England will be the team the Germans tangle with next.

They will meet one of those two teams in the semifinals, and though I believe England could give the Germans a tougher match, in the end, I can’t even see Wayne Rooney and company stopping Germany.

They just have too many weapons, and their balance of physicality and athleticism on defense is notable. Mesuit Ozuil was the Man of the Match, despite not scoring a goal. His presence wreaked havoc against the Greek defense and he created opportunities with his pressure.

Germany vs. Greece

Germany dominated Greece with Miroslav Klose, scoring one of the four goals. Head man, Joachim Low, used a nice variety of players to keep a fresh and constant attack on Greece’s defense.

It showed Germany’s depth, and it has to make their next and future opponents a little wary. Who do you key in on against this team?

Klose has scored four goals in Euro 2012, but now the Germans have proven to have an array of capable threats. As for defense, per ESPN, Greece did not have a touch in Germany’s penalty area in the first half.

Germany were the favorites coming in to Euro 2012, and they are proving they deserved that tag.

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Euro 2012 News

Greece v Germany: For almost three years, Greece has been going through one of the worst crises it has ever experienced.

Since the 1-0 victory against Russia and the entry into the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, euphoria is in evidence again for the first time.

Of all the teams they could have faced, Greece plays Germany, in the most political match a European tournament has seen for a long time.

The Greeks are looking for payback against the Germans. They feel that a duel between Greece and Germany has been going on for much longer, an unequal duel.

Since the start of the crisis, they think they have been insulted and dictated to by German politicians, as the country has had to introduce sweeping austerity in return for bailout payments.
Continue reading the main story
The 'bailout game'

Its Germany vs Greece in the Euro quarter finals. Odds-on Germany to impose penalties, at least Greece can grow their own half-time oranges

Presumably for Germany v Greece the German manager will be able to pick the Greek team and impose tactics?

Greece at halftime of Euro match asks Germany for emergency loan of 4 players.

Greece vs. Germany on Friday. Otherwise known as "The Bailout Game"

They criticise the fact that Chancellor Merkel is sticking to the austerity plan, even though the situation in Greece is worsening and homelessness is on the increase.

The arguments have already escalated to the extent that Ms Merkel has been depicted time and again in an SS uniform on the front page of Greek newspapers.

And over 70% of Greeks now believe that Germany wants to bring in a "Fourth Reich".

On the German side, incomprehension reigns at the Greek reaction to the policies introduced after the crisis, and they refuse to send further billions to a country which is clearly overburdened with the reforms.

Many Germans who in previous years spent their holidays on Greek islands have booked their holidays elsewhere this time.

And now, the football.

One of the few Germans still considered untouchable in Greece is Otto Rehhagel. As the manager of their football team, the German led the Greeks to victory in Euro 2004 and since then has been a hero.

In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Mr Rehhagel said: "Germany shouldn't underestimate Greece."

In fact, numerous players in the Greek squad have already announced that they will be especially motivated against Germany.

Ahead of the duel, Greece's newspapers have been taking aim at Ms Merkel once again. Hardly anybody is talking about the German team and its footballing abilities.

The Live newspaper quipped: "The referee should give Merkel a fright and toss a drachma coin at the beginning of the match."
More than a game

A Gata sports newspaper joked: "The first measure that our new government has to push through on the urging of Merkel: we have to lose against Germany on Friday."

The German press has also drawn humorously on the eurozone crisis. Bild newspaper said on Tuesday: "Be happy dear Greeks, the defeat on Friday is a gift. Against Jogi Loew, no rescue fund will help you."

And Berliner Kurier newspaper printed a cartoon depicting a government spokesman telling the German press "our stance on Greece remaining in the eurozone depends entirely upon how the quarterfinal goes".

People in the streets of Athens are also feverishly awaiting the game - and repeatedly drawing parallels with politics. So far, Greece's matches have hardly been accompanied by any big celebrations, but the bars are expected to be full on Friday.

Nikos Petsas, a 56-year-old salesman, says: "I'm worried that a lot of Greeks are confusing politics with sport with this match. I've put money on the Greek team, because we're in a better position psychologically. Our players have lots of fire in their bellies."

Postman Dimitris Tzikas, 46, says: "There are no problems between Germany and Greece. But with the crisis, Mrs Merkel has chosen to break us as a country.

"The Greek players must run and fight against Germany, so we can win the match. For our country it's much more than a football match."

The news that Merkel was going to be sitting in the stands caused much joy among Greek journalists.

They now hope that new Greek PM Antonis Samaras will also travel to Poland to be at the match.

But whatever the outcome, the politicians will still have a crisis to solve. And that's no laughing matter.
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Cricket News

Pakistan captain Salman was involved in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s Test against England in 2010, and was jailed along with teammates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.

The Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was released from prison in Britain on Thursday after serving seven months of a two-and-a-half year term for involvement in a match-fixing scam that sent shock waves through the world of cricket.

His solicitors confirmed the 27-year-old had been freed from Canterbury prison in southeast England.

"His return back home will allow Salman to spend time with his family and relatives," his solicitors said in a statement.

"He will get to see and hold his son whom he has not seen since his birth in November last year.

"He can now return to his beloved homeland, start to re-build his reputation and begin the long process in his efforts to return back to top-level cricket. He is tired and jaded."

Spot-fixing scam

Salman Butt, who has played 33 Tests, 78 one-day internationals and 24 Twenty20s for his country, was sentenced for his part in Pakistan bowling deliberate no-balls during a Test against England at Lord's in 2010.

The spot-fixing conspiracy was uncovered after a British newspaper recorded sports agent Mazhar Majeed boasting of how he could arrange for players to rig games for money.

Opening batsman Butt's team mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were also sentenced.

Seam bowler Asif, 29, was released from prison in May after serving half of his one-year term.

Paceman Amir, 20, was freed from a young offenders institution in February after serving half of a six-month sentence.

All three were banned for a minimum of five years by the International Cricket Council.
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Euro 2012 News

SPORTSWRITER — Cristiano Ronaldo’s late header sealed a deserved win for Portugal in the Euro 2012 quarterfinal clash against Czech Republic.

The Real Madrid forward, who found form so emphatically with two goals in the previous match against Holland, proved the difference once again as he powered home a Joao Moutinho cross with 11 minutes remaining.

It was no less than Portugal's display merited after they dominated the second half against an unfancied Czech side that started the match brightly but faded drastically.

Portugal's win set up a semifinal meeting next Wednesday against either France or Spain.

"We played very well, created a lot of chances and I hit the post twice," Ronaldo told TV reporters after the victory.

We know it'll be difficult in the next game, but we're very a mature team and we're ready for the fight."

This match was a repeat of the Euro '96 quarterfinal in England, where Karel Poborsky scored a famous scooped lob to give the Czech underdogs a 1-0 win.

It was that losing Portugal side, elegantly marshaled by the likes of Rui Costa and Luis Figo, which prompted Ruud Gullit to coin the phrase "sexy football."

And there was plenty to seduce viewers in Portugal's second-half display in Warsaw, as the Czechs were blown away by their opponents' pace and guile going forward.

Not that Paulo Bento side's superiority was evident in a cagey first half where the Portuguese were labored and sloppy, in contrast to the lively, well-drilled Czechs.

Still, it was Ronaldo who almost broke the deadlock with a moment of brilliance seconds before halftime.

The winger deftly chested down a Raul Meireles pass inside the Czech box, spun cleverly away from Michael Kadlec and unleashed a low shot that bounced back off the post.

The Portugal captain looked to the heavens in exasperation, but it was a warning sign the Czechs would have heeded.

Yet Michal Bilek's side were powerless to stem the tide of Portuguese attacks that followed after the break.

Minutes after the restart, Ronaldo hit the post again -- this time with a fearsome 35-yard free-kick.

It set the tone for the remainder of the game as Portugal relentlessly pinned the Czechs back, with chances coming thick and fast.

Hugo Almeida sent a free header tamely over the bar, before Petr Cech parried Nani's venomous hit and tipped over a fizzing effort from Moutinho. Meireles and Nani then fired chances over the bar with the goal begging.

Ronaldo, inevitably, had a few attempts of his own too.

He fired a shot over and had several efforts blocked, the spasms of anguish that greeted each miss becoming increasingly animated.

But that frustration was released with the clock ticking towards extra time, as Ronaldo's aerial prowess came to the fore.

Moutinho delivered a right-wing cross and Ronaldo hurled himself at the ball to send a powerful header into the ground and bouncing over the outstretched fingers of Cech to spark wild Portuguese celebrations.

Portugal are unlikely to be the favorites in the semifinals, whichever team they face, but with Europe's best player looking at the peak of his powers, who would bet against them?
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"I think it will be a boy,” the Argentine forward Believes

World’s best football player, Lionel Messi, has confirmed rumours that he is about to be a father.

The 24-year-old Argentine/Barcelona attacker who had decided not to speak on the issue finally announced that his girlfriend was pregnant, and even went as far as giving a prediction about the baby`s gender.

"I think it will be a boy. We did not want to say anything because we never talk about our private life. But we were constantly asked about it, so we wanted to share our joy," Messi said.

It would be recalled that the three-time Ballon d`Or winner netted 73 goals in all competitions last season and is currently the favorite to win this year’s award.
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