Football: Ruthless Chelsea book final date with Spurs

LIVERPOOL, England : Chelsea will face London rivals Tottenham in next month's League Cup final after crushing Everton's dream of a first domestic final appearance in eight years on Wednesday.

Joe Cole's well-taken strike with just over 20 minutes left Everton with little prospect of overturning their 2-1 first-leg deficit at Goodison Park.

An uninspiring contest was at least graced by a decisive moment of real quality, Cole gathering Florent Malouda's 40-yard pass with a superb first touch before stroking the ball past Everton's American goalkeeper, Tim Howard.

The match-winner admitted the win had required a disciplined performance from him and him team-mates.

"Everton are a top side, all credit to them, they always give us a great game but we wanted to win and we showed that," Cole said. "We've been on the end of a few bad semi-final experiences in Liverpool but it will be a nice flight home tonight. It was a good performance."

Cole, whose goal will have caught the eye of new England boss Fabio Capello, added that his strike could not have come at a better moment.

"We needed it, we were under a lot of pressure," he said. "We stick together from back to front. Everyone defends and attacks together."

Chelsea boss Avram Grant paid tribute to the way his line-up had coped with the absence of over half his first choice line-up.

"It's a big test of character and the players are doing a great job," Grant said. "I said we had a good squad. What they did today and in the last month was amazing.

Everton's need to overturn their first-leg deficit ensured a frantic start to proceedings, although real chances were thin on the ground as the home side failed to take their cue from their fired-up supporters.

Petr Cech got down smartly to his left to keep out a Joleon Lescott header from Mikel Arteta's corner after only nine minutes, but Chelsea's deliberate slowing of the pace soon began to have an impact on the tempo of the contest.

With Nicolas Anelka operating as a sole forward and the visitors' back four dropping very deep, Chelsea had few problems coping with the their hosts' limited attempts to break them down.

And gradually it was the Londoners who began to dominate proceedings, with Anelka testing Howard with a low drive just before the half hour mark and Malouda then lifting a good chance over the bar from 12 yards.

There was another warning shot for Everton just after the break, when Anelka found space in the box for a shot that was deflected onto the bar by Phil Jagielka.

Everton finally began to threaten with Phil Neville forcing a sharp save from Cech when he connected with a low corner from Arteta.

Cech then denied Jagielka with his feet after the midfielder had attempted to direct Leon Osman's mishit shot goalwards with a clever back-heel.

Suddenly it seemed as if Everton might just be on the brink of finding the inspiration they needed but had lacked for the opening hour of the match.

Instead, it was Cole who applied the killer blow for Chelsea after a superbly judged long ball by Malouda from wide on the left.

The England midfielder's first touch and and equally assured right-foot finish did the rest and gave Chelsea an unassailable 3-1 aggregate lead.

Everton boss David Moyes responded by throwing young striker Victor Anichebe into the fray at the expense of midfielder Lee Carsley.

But the switch to two strikers came too late and Moyes was left to rue his decision to star the match with Andrew Johnson as his lone forward.
- AFP/de

Ghana coach fears ‘Brazil syndrome’ after Muntari magic

ACCRA: Sulley Muntari was the toast of Ghana after the Portsmouth midfielder’s last-gasp wonder strike lifted the 2008 African Nations Cup hosts’ to a 2-1 opening win over Guinea.

Opening matches should come with a health warning for the host nation but Ghana avoided any embarrassment after Asamoah Gyan’s penalty put them into the lead, with Muntari’s 25-yard left footer ensuring the three points after Oumer Kalabane’s equaliser.

Ghana manager Claude Le Roy, who guided Cameroon to the 1988 title, could not hide his delight at getting Ghana’s title bid up and running, but he was wary of his players succumbing to the ‘Brazil syndrome’.

“Sometimes we can play great games against the likes of Brazil or Nigeria but then lose concentration against other sides,” said the Frenchman.

Flying start: Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan (right) challenges for the ball with Guinea's Oumar Kalabane during their African Cup of Nations match in Accra on Sunday. Ghana won 2-1. – AP

“We’ve got to be humble now and prepare for our second game against Namibia.”

LeRoy knows though that barring a slip-up against the Group A underdogs, Ghana are already sitting pretty to qualify for the quarter-finals.

“It’s a long way to Feb 10 (the final), but I’m proud of our performance and I think we can play better even if today we showed good quality,” said Le Roy.

“The first thing I said to the players afterwards was: ‘Get ready to forget this game and concentrate on the next one (against Namibia on Thursday)’.

“We knew it was important to win this opening game, to get three points on the board. For us it’s a great day, as it wasn’t easy.”

Ghana had a hatful of chances in the first-half, three times hitting the woodwork and they also had a goal disallowed but after LeRoy’s half-time team talk, they came out with renewed purpose.

And it paid dividends as Gyan, who was allowed to play despite being sent off in Ghana’s last competitive match against Brazil in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, scored from the spot.

Barely had the celebrations begun when Kalabane, the culprit for the penalty, levelled before Muntari worked his magic with his long-range super strike.

The Portsmouth midfielder said: “I can’t describe how I felt scoring the winning goal.

“I came close before then but I kept trying till it went in! It’s too early though to say whether we will go on to be champions.”

His Premiership colleague, Chelsea’s Michael Essien added: “It’s a good start for us.

“The game was very difficult, Guinea are a good side, they have some quality players. We’re happy we won though, this will help our confidence.”

Guinea now face an uphill struggle to qualify for the knockout stages, but the coach of the 2004 and 2006 quarter-finalists is by no means losing heart.

Their coach, Robert Nouzaret, a compatriot of LeRoy’s, said: “Guinea played at a level which wasn’t recognisable with how we can play.

“I’m not too discouraged, we can’t play as badly as that two matches running.

“In our second match we’ll show our true ability. The game against Morocco (also on Thursday) will be decisive.”

While Guinea were left ruing what might have been, Muntari and the rest of the Black Stars ensured that Ghana’s hopes of lifting a record-equalling fifth title are still bang on track. – AFP

Roma close gap on Inter

MILAN: AS Roma moved to within four points of Serie A leaders Inter Milan after a 2-0 home win over Catania yesterday.

Inter can re-establish their seven-point advantage with half the season gone if they beat Parma at the San Siro in yesterday's late game.

Late winner: AC Milan's Alberto Gilardino celebrates his injury-time goal in the 1-0 win over Udine yesterday. - AP

Second-placed Roma's win came courtesy of Ludovic Giuly's eighth-minute strike and Daniele De Rossi blasting home a second-half penalty in the absence of flu victim Francesco Totti.

Three Catania fans were injured before kick-off after being stabbed in disturbances, media reported.

Third-placed Juventus could only draw 0-0 with Sampdoria while AC Milan substitute Alberto Gilardino struck in injury time to give the European champions a 1-0 win at fifth-placed Udinese, who lost fourth spot to Fiorentina on Saturday when the Florence side beat Torino 2-1 at home.

Milan, in ninth, have their eyes on fourth place after enduring a difficult first half of the campaign where they failed to win at home in the league until last weekend's 5-2 victory against Napoli.

Carlo Ancelotti again fielded a Brazilian front three at Udinese with Ronaldo hitting the post in the first half and teenager Pato combining well with Kaka to slip in Italy's Gilardino for the winner.

Milan have three games in hand with the first coming at Atalanta on Wednesday.

Juventus, nine adrift of Inter, had plenty of the opportunities at home to Sampdoria but were foiled because of wasteful finishing, dogged defending and some bad luck.

Marco Marchionni missed an open goal early on while David Trezeguet had a double effort cleared off the line with television replays being inconclusive about whether the second chance had gone in.

“It is difficult to decide with this image,” Juve boss Claudio Ranieri told Sky television when showed a replay. “Sampdoria defended with order and we tried everything.”

The visitors, without in-form striker Antonio Cassano because of injury, were largely pinned in their own half but did strike the post through Christian Maggio's header on half-time.

In other games, Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik opened the scoring and netted an stoppage-time equaliser in Napoli's 2-2 home draw with Lazio, who eliminated their hosts from the Italian Cup on Thursday.

Strugglers Siena triumphed 3-2 at Palermo in another thrilling match while Livorno beat Empoli 1-0 and Reggina won 2-0 at home to basement side Cagliari, who are now six points adrift. – Reuters

Barcelona notches up 1-0 away win

Spanish league soccer team Barcelona scored a 1-0 away win against Santander Racing on Sunday, keeping Barcelona's hopes alive in Spain's league competition, where it trails leader Real Madrid by 10 points.

Despite the result, critics said Barcelona's new tactics, created by manager Frank Rijkaard, made the team look slow, lazy, and loose. Barca did little more than defending during the first half.

The defensive strategy did owe a lot to Racing's decision to attack, pressing as far forward as it could from the start of the game.

Racing's manager, Marcelino, in contrast to Rijkaard, played far from safe, filling his starting line-up with players who usually begin as reserves.

The unusual line-up meant that Racing lacked its usual punch and creativity, but the team remained as hardworking as ever.

After 20 minutes of nothing but defense, Barcelona began shrugging off some of its lethargy, with Inestia and Giovanni teaming up to steal the ball and send it up to forward Henry, who was trying to break through a cloud of Racing defenders. But it was not until the minute 31 that a Bojan header from a Sylvinho free kick that gave Henry his goal.

Barca's game came alive in the last 25 minutes after Argentina's Lionel Messi came on to replace Giovanni. Messi, who has not played for a month due to injury, went into the offensive and tried to bring the rest of the team with him. Source: Xinhua

Real triumph on day of early goals

MADRID, Spain -- Raul put Real Madrid ahead in 32 seconds on their way to a 2-0 away victory over city rivals Atletico, but it was nowhere near the fastest goal of the day in the Primera Liga.

Play had hardly started before Llorente was celebrating Valladolid's opening goal.

Valladolid's Joseba Llorente was on target in the seventh second of the 2-1 home win over Espanyol, and was eventually credited with the second quickest strike in the Spanish top flight.

Llorente was given a time of 7.3 seconds.

Dario Silva of Malaga was timed at 7.2 seconds when he set the record - coincidentally against Valladolid - in December 2000.

Raul wasted little time in putting Real on their way to victory in the local derby with Atletico.

Llorente added another after 33 minutes as Espanyol's hopes of climbing up to third place in the table were dashed.

Espanyol pulled a goal back through Marc Torrejon after 58 minutes but Valladolid held on for their fourth successive victory which pushed them up to seventh.

Espanyol stay in fifth place.

Raul had a simple task to sidefoot Real's early opener from two meters, after Robinho had created the opening from the left wing.

Atletico responded well, Thiego Motta heading against the bar, Iker Casillas having to save brilliantly from Raul Garcia and Kun Aguero's shot shaving the bar.

Unhappily for the hosts their efforts were unrewarded and four minutes before the interval Ruud van Nistelrooy put Real further ahead with his 12th goal of the season.

Casillas kept a clean sheet for the sixth consecutive game but there was one setback for Real, whose central defender Pepe went off with a calf strain after 15 minutes.

They already have defenders Gabriel Heinze and Christophe Metzelder out injured.

Atletico have not beaten Real at home since October 1999.

Ander Gaitano, who replaced the sacked Victor Fernandez as Real Zaragoza coach on Monday. started his reign with 3-1 defeat of Murcia. It was Zaragoza's first taste of victory in 10 league games.

Diego Milito scored twice for Zaragoza, taking his haul for the season to 13.

Athletic Bilbao had Francisco Yeste sent off in the 62nd minute of their 2-0 home loss to Osasuna. The visitors made their advantage pay when Cape Verde international Dady converted a 67th minute free-kick and laid on another for Carlos Vela two minutes later.

In the late match Thierry Henry's 31st minute gave Barcelona a 1-0 home win over Racing Santander.

The Frenchman was on hand to tap the spinning ball into the net from close range after Navas' slice ended up at his feet.

Barca looked unimpressive until Lionel Messi came on after 66 minutes for his first game in a month after recovering from a torn left thigh muscle.

The Argentine winger, who was second in the voting for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year last month, immediately added a bit of pace and bite to the Barca attack although they failed to add another goal.

The win keeps Barca within seven points of leaders Real.

Manchester United back on football premiership top as Gunners stumble

Cristiano Ronaldo's first hat-trick for Manchester United sent the champions back to the top of the Premier League in intimidating fashion on Saturday after Arsenal were held to a surprise draw by struggling Birmingham.

United took full advantage of that slip-up with a ruthless 6-0 demolition of managerless Newcastle at Old Trafford. Their biggest league win in eight years lifted Sir Alex Ferguson's side above their biggest rivals on goal difference.

Chelsea also exploited Arsenal's stumble, by beating Tottenham 2-0, but Liverpool's hopes of getting back into the title battle appear all but over after a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough left them 12 points adrift of the leaders.

Newcastle managed to keep the game at Old Trafford goalless up to half-time..But United were simply irresistible after the break as they chalked up their biggest win since last season's 7-1 win over Roma in the Champions League, a Carlos Tevez double and a rare goal from Rio Ferdinand complementing Ronaldo's treble.

Ferguson admitted that he had to give a tough, half-time team-talk to force United to increase the tempo.

"I thought there were too many individuals in the first half trying to walk the ball into the net," he said.

"I stressed (at half-time) that passing was the key element. Once we increased the tempo of the passing and movement they were a fantastic team in the second half.

"You always want a quick start to the second half and the quick goals settled everyone and after that we played some great football."

Arsenal meanwhile were distinctly lacklustre after having taken the lead against Birmingham through Emmanuel Adebayor's first-half penalty.

Birmingham were rewarded for a battling display when Scotland striker Garry O'Connor headed an equaliser three minutes after the break.

The setback prompted Gunners boss Arsene Wenger to accuse his players of complacency.

"We've dropped two points we shouldn't have," the Frenchman complained. "I feel we were caught by the idea it would be easy and lost our focus."

Chelsea left their new 15-million-pound striker Nicolas Anelka on the bench for almost an hour but were still too good for Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

Juliano Belletti fired Avram Grant's side ahead after 19 minutes and the outstanding Shaun Wright-Phillips ended any doubt over the outcome ten minutes from time.

Anelka, signed earlier this week from Bolton, almost marked his debut with a goal, his shot on the turn in the closing minutes coming back off the under-side of the bar.

Joleon Lescott made up for the own goal he scored in his club's League Cup semi-final defeat at Chelsea in midweek by scoring the only goal in Everton's win over Manchester City.

It was a defeat which saw City slip from fourth to seventh in the table.

Liverpool moved up to fourth with their point at Middlesbrough but that will be scant consolation for under-pressure boss Rafael Benitez after his side missed an opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal.

Boro had taken the lead midway through the first half, George Boateng firing home from close range after a knockdown from Turkey forward Tuncay Sanli.

A superb strike from Fernando Torres -- his 17th goal of the season -- got Liverpool back on level terms but, despite intense late pressure, they were unable to conjure up a winner.

Aston Villa maintained their push for a place in Europe next season with a comfortable 3-1 win over Reading which lifted Martin O'Neill's side to sixth place.

A John Carew double either side of a Martin Laursen strike secured the points with James Harper scoring a consolation goal for Reading in stoppage time.

At the bottom, Antoine Sibierski's 82nd-minute strike was enough to earn Wigan a valuable 1-0 win over ten-man Derby which lifts Steve Bruce's side three points clear of the drop zone.

Derby played most of the second half a man down after defender Claude Davis was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Second-from-bottom Fulham's woes deepened as they allowed West Ham to come from behind to claim a 2-1 win at Upton Park. A Dean Ashton header cancelled out Simon Davies's early strike and Anton Ferdinand struck the winner with 20 minutes left. — AFP

FIFA decides G-14 should be deep-sixed

World soccer's governing body FIFA says it has reached agreement with top European clubs to dissolve the controversial G-14 group and end a long-standing row over player compensation.

FIFA announced on Tuesday that it had signed a letter of intent with European body UEFA and representatives from 12 top teams that would lead to "the dissolution of the G-14 with the withdrawal of its claims in court".

The joint statement said that FIFA and UEFA would in return begin making "financial contributions for player participation in European Championships and World Cups, subject to the approval of their respective bodies".

UEFA said its European Club Forum would be replaced by a new independent "European Club Association".

The statement said the new association would consist of more than 100 European clubs, including representatives from all of UEFA's 53 national associations.

The reforms are due to be discussed by the European Club Forum at a meeting on Monday.

G-14, which currently represents 18 of Europe's top teams, has been backing Belgian club Charleroi against FIFA in a court case centered on compensation for clubs whose players are injured on international duty.

Charleroi lost Abdelmajid Oulmers in November 2004 for eight months after he was injured playing for Morocco and still had to pay his salary although he could not turn out for the club.

Similar cases have been brought by Olympique Lyon in France and Atletico Madrid in Spain.

G-14 general manager Thomas Kurth confirmed to Reuters that Tuesday's announcement could pave the way to the group disbanding, but said detailed negotiations would still have to take place.

"The general assembly of G-14 will need to ratify any agreement to disband or end the court cases," Kurth said.

"We will meet on Feburary 14 and then yes, if all is agreed, we will have to take the decision whether to continue with the court cases.

"As you can see from the FIFA statement the intention is to resolve the remaining issues on compensation for injured players, the international calendar and a greater democratic say in how the game is run.

"But any agreement (on the court cases) must have the backing of Charleroi, Lyon and Atletico Madrid as those cases stand on their own and will only go away if all our issues are resolved."

Club backing
Eight G-14 clubs were among the 12 teams signing Tuesday's document with representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus, Lyon, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Ajax all backing the agreement.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement: "Something very special has happened today. The clubs, which are the basic cells of our game and fundamental to its thriving, are at last to become a part of the pyramidal football organization.

"Today's letter of intent gives a big boost to football. We have reached this positive conclusion by taking care of the legitimate aspirations and requests of clubs to access the decision-making levels of international football."

UEFA president Michel Platini added: "The demands of the clubs to be heard and to be associated, also financially, are well-founded. The letter of intent signed today is not a political step, but a logical one." - Source: China Daily/Agencies