United reap benefit of old head Scholes September 15, 2009 BESIKTAS (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (1) MATCHWINNER Paul Scholes admitted his relief after Manchester United escaped from the intimidating surrounds of the Inonu Stadium with a barely-deserved victory. A late header from Scholes ensured last year’s runners-up started this season’s Champions League campaign with maximum points. But an otherwise uninspired performance, allied with a cauldron-like [...]
Anelka seals winning start but lukewarm Chelsea toil September 15, 2009 CHELSEA (1) vs FC PORTO (0) CHELSEA boss Carlo Ancelotti demanded an improvement after his below-par Blues kicked off their Champions League campaign with the narrowest of wins. Nicolas Anelka, filling in for the suspended Didier Drogba, netted the only goal at a rain-lashed Stamford Bridge, but boss Ancelotti admitted his side looked jaded against [...]
Adebayor hit with double charge after ugly display September 15, 2009 MANCHESTER CITY striker Emmanuel Adebayor is facing a lengthy suspension after being hit with two separate charges by the Football Association for his actions in his side’s 4-2 win over former club Arsenal on Saturday. The 25-year-old is staring at a three-game ban if found guilty of a violent conduct charge in relation to his [...]
Shock as Del Potro ends Federer reign September 14, 2009 SIXTH seed Juan Martin del Potro stunned world No1 Roger Federer to win his first Grand Slam in an epic US Open final last night. The Argentinian 20-year-old twice came from a set down to end Federer’s five-year reign of glory at Flushing Meadows and deny him a 16th major title. The Swiss star, arguably [...]
Clijsters completes dream comeback September 14, 2009 KIM CLIJSTERS completed an amazing return to Grand Slam tennis with victory at the US Open – and then admitted that winning wasn’t part of the plan. The Belgian, 26, was playing in her first major after coming out of a 27-month retirement in August. And she created history by becoming the first ever wild [...]
Eduardo dive ban scrapped in Uefa U-turn September 14, 2009 ARSENAL striker Eduardo last night declared himself happy that “the truth” had come out after European chiefs Uefa performed a remarkable U-turn and overturned his two-match ban for diving. The Croatia international’s tumble over Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc during last month’s Champions League play-off clash, which Arsenal won 5-1 on aggregate, earned him a penalty [...]
Ancelotti laughs off European pressure September 14, 2009 CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his survival at Stamford Bridge does not depend on delivering the club’s first European Cup. Ancelotti, who has lifted the trophy twice as a player and twice as a coach, begins his first Champions League campaign as Blues boss tonight against Porto. The Italian’s European pedigree was one of the [...]
Top-flight clubs approve tougher financial rules September 14, 2009 CLUBS could be banned from making transfers if the Premier League judges them to be in danger of falling into administration, under sweeping financial changes announced yesterday. The new rules, which were agreed by top-flight chairmen this week and are already in effect, require clubs to submit annual audited accounts and future financial plans. If [...]
Ferguson already dreaming of Barcelona final vengeance September 14, 2009 MANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson is confident last season’s surrender to Barcelona will never be repeated after dissecting every aspect of his side’s preparation for the final – right down to their choice of hotel. As he prepares to lead his side against Besiktas in Turkey this evening, their first Champions League fixture since [...]
Broad issues a rally cry to England flops September 14, 2009 FAST bowler Stuart Broad has called on England’s one-day flops to learn from their previous mistakes as they look to avoid a humiliating series whitewash to Australia. A string of poor batting performances have seen Andrew Strauss’s men crash to four straight defeats in the 50-over format.The fifth game of the seven-match series takes places [...]