Archive for the ‘Soccer’ Category
World Cup 2010 Group Preview
Finally, the count down begins to the 2010 World Cup. The Groups are set. 32 countries, ready to battle in South Africa. Who has it easy? What is the group of death this time around? Lets take a look. GROUP A (FIFA ranking) South Africa (86) Mexico (15) Uruguay (19) France (7) If you’re Irish, you would have hoped ...
Messi takes Ballon d’Or
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or, the award for Europe’s player of the year voted by journalists and organised by France Football magazine. Lionel Messi’s Champions League win helped him to the Ballon d’Or Messi, the talented Barcelona forward, sent last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place, making him the sixth Barcelona player ...
Chile Keeps World Cup Spot
Chile’s spot at the 2010 World Cup is safe after a local club withdrew legal action that had drawn the ire of FIFA and put the nation’s status in international football at risk. FIFA had given Chile’s football association (ANFP) 72 hours to make Rangers drop a court case that disputed their relegation from the Clausura ...
Handball Ref: It Wasn’t My Fault
The Swedish referee who missed Thierry Henry’s now famous handball insists he was not at fault, but the incredible fallout after the World Cup play-off incident still almost caused him to quit football. Martin Hansson has refused to shoulder the blame for allowing William Gallas’s goal to stand for France, sending Ireland’s qualification hopes crashing, despite ...
Reds Exit Champions League
David Ngog scored the only goal as Liverpool battled to a 1-0 win over Group E minnows Debrecen, but the result was academic as a Juan Vargas penalty in Florence took the three points Fiorentina needed as they beat Lyon to reach the last 16 for the first time. Liverpool, who conclude their Champions League campaign ...
RSL Stuns Galaxy 5-4 In Penalty Shootout
David Beckham limped badly, the pain from a bone bruise in his right foot piercing through three pregame injections. Landon Donovan angrily ripped off his armband after watching a penalty shot go sailing over the crossbar. The image most expected of Beckham and Donovan holding the championship trophy of Major League Soccer for the league’s marquee ...
Irish Hopes Are Officially Crushed
Ireland’s last hopes of reaching the World Cup finals have been extinguished by the news that FIFA will not consider ordering a replay of Wednesday night’s controversial play-off second leg in Paris. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) lobbied hard for a replay after Thierry Henry committed a blatant handball, which was not spotted by referee ...
Robin van Persie Out Six Weeks
Arsenal will be breathing a huge sigh of relief after it was confirmed that striker Robin van Persie will only be sidelined for “approximately six weeks’” after partially tearing an ankle ligament on international duty. Initially it had been feared the Dutch forward – who has scored eight goals in 15 games in all competitions this ...
Germany In Shock By Enke Suicide
Germans have reacted with shock and disbelief after national team ‘keeper Robert Enke’s apparent suicide at a train crossing near Hannover on Tuesday night. The national team have called off their friendly with Chile this weekend as tributes to the goalkeeper flood in. According to Lower Saxony police the 32-year-old Hannover 96 ‘keeper was hit by ...
U.S. Soccer Star Davies Released From Hospital
U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies has been released from a Washington hospital nearly a month after a car accident. The 23-year-old Davis was released Tuesday. He underwent several surgeries after the Oct. 13 car crash, which killed a 22-year-old passenger. Doctors say he will continue his rehabilitation with the soccer team’s medical staff. In a statement, ...