Soccer City FC

Richard Dunne - Dunne Deal

2008-07-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

By: Lynne
Soccer City FC

Our captain and fan favourite has just signed a new four year contract - PHEW and thank goodness. Mark Hughes' second signing of his new managership and to me, of greater importance than the Jo deal. A huge sigh of relief is heard over the City of Manchester Stadium (CoMS) and fans everywhere can now let their shoulders relax (me included). Dunnie is: a proud wearer of his number 22 sky blue shirt, a quiet but determined presence in our defence and the back-bone of the team. Who was it that got out of his sick bed and played 'out of his skin' in the Old Trafford derby (breaking the 34 year spell since City's last win there!)? I couldn't envisage a City team without him - who'd be able to fill his boots? Simple answer, no-one, only pretenders.

Thank you Mark, for making Richard Dunne's contract renewal one of your priorities and bigger thanks to Dunnie for allowing us the undeniable pleasure of his presence at CoMS (and for the duration of his new contract, our captain - that's a cert. isn't it Mark!).

Over the Blue Moon once again!

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UEFA Intertoto Cup Second Round: Several First-Leg Results

2008-07-05T17:26:00.001-07:00

From today's matches:

Saturn Mosk Oblast 7 - 0 FC Etzella Ettelbrück
FK Teplice 1 - 3 Budapest Honvéd FC
SK Sturm Graz 2 - 0 Shakhtyor Soligorsk
Grasshopper Club Zürich 2 - 1 Besa Kavaje
Grbalj Radanovici 2 - 2 Sivasspor
Chernomorets 919 Burgas 1 - 1 ND Gorica
FC Tiraspol 0 - 0 SC Tavriya Simferopol
KFC Germinal Beerschot 1 - 1 Neftchi Baku

You read that right; Russian Premier League side Saturn Mosk Oblast dropped seven on FC Etzella Ettelbruck. The vanquished club hails from the fine nation of Luxembourg. SMO's 31-year-old forward Dmitri Kirichenko scored four goals.

The biggest shocker of the day had to be Sivasspor, the 4th place finisher in last season's Turkcell Süper Lig. The club tied 2-2 against Montenegro side Grbalj Radanovici.

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Results and News from 7/5/2008 Club Action

2008-07-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Toronto FC's Academy squad tied London City 2-2 in Canadian Soccer League action.

SK Brann scored 4 times in their victory over FK Bodø/Glimt in today's Tippeligaen action. Forward Thorstein Helstad ended the match with a hat-trick adding to his league-leading goal total.

Russian Premier League leader FC Rubin Kazan tied Krylia Sovetov 2-2. Christian Noboa, a 23-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder, scored both goals for Rubin Kazan. The club holds a six point advantage over second place FC Spartak Moscow.

In Allsvenskan action, Kalmar FF was saved by a 90th minute goal from David of the Elm trio. The club tied Halmstads BK 1-1. Kalmar remains in first place with a 4 point cushion.

Yesterday in Thailand Premier League action, Chonburi FC, an affiliated club of Manchester City, defeated Chula-Sinthana FC by a score of 4-1. Chonburi, with 29 points, sits in first place.

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2008/09 UEFA Cup: PFC Cherno More vs. UE Sant Julià

2008-07-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

The two clubs face off in the first qualifying round of the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup. The first leg will be played on July, 17 2008 and the second leg on July 31, 2008.

PFC Cherno More finished fifth in the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, but but because the club made the Bulgarian Cup final, Cherno More earned a place in the UEFA cup. The club brought in several players for the 2008-2009 season including: 24-year-old midfielder Yordan Yurukov via CSKA Sofia, 26-year-old midfielder Georgi Iliev via CSKA Sofia, and retired Bulgarian international Milen Petkov who plays defensive midfield. The club also boasts Portuguese midfielder Ricardo Andre and midfielder Aleksandar Aleksandrov.

UE Sant Julià ended up in second place in Andorra's Campionat de Lliga last season. The outfit is primarily made up of Argentine players. Defender Cristian Roig Mauri also factors into the squad.

Image details: Milen Petkov served by picapp.com

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2008/09 UEFA Cup

2008/09 UEFA Cup: Olimps vs. St Patrick's Athletic

2008-07-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

The two clubs face off in the first qualifying round of the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup. The first leg will be played on July, 17 2008 and the second leg on July 31, 2008.

JFK Olimps Rīga finished 8th in Latvia's LMT Virslīga, but because the club made the Latvian Cup final it earned a place in the UEFA cup. Latvian defender Jevgeņijs Kazura is the squad's captain. The club also has Brazilian forward Enrike Mendez. The club's home venue, Daugava Stadium, seats 5,000 in the capital of Riga.

St. Patrick's Athletic ended second last season in the Eircom League. 22-year-old forward Mark Quigley lead the club with 14 league goals in '07. Forward Gary O'Neill complimented Quigley with 8 goals. American Ryan Guy is also part of the forward corps.

Image details: Riga latvia served by picapp.com

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2008/09 UEFA Cup

2008/09 UEFA Cup: Legia Warsaw vs. FC Gomel

2008-07-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

The two clubs face off in the first qualifying round of the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup. The first leg will be played on July, 17 2008 and the second leg on July 31, 2008.

FC Gomel finished second in the 2007 Belarusian Premier League. Forward and Belarusian national team member Roman Vasilyuk has scored over 50 goals since his arrival at the club in 2005. 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder Renan is a wild card and could make things interesting for Legia Warsaw if he sees action.

Legia Warsaw also finished second in the Polish Orange Ekstraklasa last season. 25-year-old Zimbabwean forward Takesure Chinyama paced the outfit with 15 league goals. Fellow Zimbabwean Dickson Choto has been solid in defense since his arrival in 2003. Captain Aleksandar Vuković is a strong player in the midfield. He recently became a citizen of Poland. Spanish forward Mikel Arruabarrena Aranbide is one of the more notable transfers this offseason.

The best player on the Polish club, winger Roger Guerreiro, has the potential to lead Legia Warsaw deep into the tournament. The Brazilian-turned-Polish international competed at a high level during Euro 2008. He finished last club season with five league goals.

Image details: Austria v Poland - Group B Euro 2008 served by picapp.com

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2008/09 UEFA Cup

2008/09 UEFA Cup: Red Bull Salzberg vs. FC Banants

2008-07-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

The two clubs face off in the first qualifying round of the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup. The first leg will be played on July, 17 2008 and the second leg on July 31, 2008.

Red Bull Salzburg finished second last season in the Austrian Bundesliga with 63 points. The club is paced by Croatian defender Niko Kovač, Austrian midfielder René Aufhauser, Swiss forward Johan Vonlanthen, and German forward Alexandre Zickler.

FC Banants finished second in the 2007 Armenian Premier League with 52 points. The club is lead by Armenian defender Yegishe Melikyan, Ugandan midfielder Noah Babadi Kasule, and Armenian midfielder Aram Bareghamyan. A pair of young Armenian forwards, 18-year-old Norayr Gyozalyan and 20-year-old Semion Muradyan, could see action in the either of the two legs.

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2008/09 UEFA Cup

Bolton’s Wandering May Leave Trotters Fans Wondering

2008-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

By: Chris C
Soccer City FC

It’s not an uncommon sight at all for the Bolton Faithful to be waiting and wondering what’s going to happen next during the summer transfer window. With the transfer funds seemingly in a perpetual void and the better players being linked with moves to teams that have the cash to splash, most Trotters’ fans typically spend their summers wondering who we’ll lose next, or what virtually unknown player will be suiting up in the White Hot colours next year. It’s a routine that is as old as Bolton’s Premier League stay itself. It’s just something that one has to adapt to as a part of life supporting the Wanderers.

This year; however, things seem to be different. It started with the much-maligned releasing of Stelios Giannakopoulos, Andranik Teymourian and Ivan Campo. Naturally, the average Bolton fan would be thinking one of two things – “Here we go again, another bargain building transfer window” or “Finally! Campo’s gone, though why ditch Stelios and Andranik?” So, ultimately, the standard ins-and-outs of a Premier League team. Then, something happened that shifted the focus somewhat. Bolton picked up Fabrice Muamba from Birmingham for £5 Million, which led to the common perception of “Well, I suppose we won’t have our new Anelka this time, either.” This perspective coming, obviously, from the usual lack of transfer funds splashed around during the transfer windows. So, life went on and Bolton were linked with increasingly higher-profile players such as Anthony Annan, James Harper, Riki, Carlos Tenorio, Milan Baros, and Nikola Zigic. Fair enough, this is the typical rumor mill that stirs up this time of the year. Nothing new or exciting to get anxious about, and with multiple teams looking at each player, they all seemed like an outlandish link.

Then it happened. A name surfaced that had been on the Bolton radar before, and was close to a move to the Reebok but for the price. Johan Elmander’s name was tossed into the mix, and suddenly he was ready for a move away from his club, Toulouse. Could this be the Anelka replacement we were promised? A few more days passed and a story surfaced citing Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside as being ready to break the transfer record to capture a striker, and the Bolton eye shifted once again to the name that had surfaced only days before. Within a few days of this announcement, the link with Milan Baros grew stronger; however, with a valuation of only £4.3 Million, he couldn’t have been the one that would break the record. At last, after what seemed like months of delay, the day came and an “Undisclosed Fee” plus Daniel Braaten was offered to Toulouse, and long-time target Johan Elmander became the newest Bolton Wanderer. Trotters fans breathed a sigh of relief at this news, but it was the news that followed that was even more exciting from a fan’s perspective. One very simple phrase that was echoed by Chairman and Manager alike: “We’re still looking.”

It’s only one phrase, but the impact of that phrase has left an impact on the Trotters faithful, and with each passing day in this transfer window, speculation surfaces and we finally have reason to get our hopes up that just maybe this will be the year Bolton get themselves into the true financial aspects of the Premier League. No longer the poor Lancashire team, Bolton were really ready to play with the big boys on the pitch and in the transfer market. It’s true, there are still no rumors linking players the caliber of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Reebok; however, that’s just fine, because for the first time in quite some time, Trotters fans can look longingly at the Transfer speculation and hold a genuine interest that perhaps that player linked with the Reebok may actually wind up there. That is the impact that one little phrase can make.

So it’s a good time to be a Wanderers fan, for the first time in a long time. We have our Anelka replacement, as promised. We’ve signed a decent quality midfielder to strengthen the squad, and Jussi Jaaskelainen re-signed despite links to some of the top clubs in the world. So, what is it that will have the Wanderers faithful wondering, you ask? Well, it’s simply the meaning of that phrase, and the depth they’re willing to go. Will we be picking up any more multi-million pound players? Will we be signing Ricardo Gardner and Danny Guthrie? At last, we can feel giddy like the rest of the Premier League teams as each day dawns and the list of potential new players surfaces. It would appear that manager Gary Megson has earned the trust of the Bolton brass, as he’s certainly getting the financial backing this time around that took Big Sam 8 years to gain. Could it be, the new White Hot era at last?

Image details: UEFA Champions League Qualifier: Liverpool v Toulouse served by picapp.com

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City Off to Preseason Camp

2008-07-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Mark Hughes and his Manchester City players flew to Germany along with a minimal staff to begin the club's preseason camp.

In other City news, 28-year-old captain Richard Dunne signed a four-year contract.

Several players including derby hero Geovanni were released.

City also announced a friendly against Celtic at Parkhead on Wednesday, August 6.

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Michael D'Agostino Reflects on Last Season and Looks Forward to Coca-Cola Championship Play

2008-07-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: A.Thompson/www.atp-photo.com

Blackpool F.C. right winger Michael D'Agostino kindly spoke with Soccer City FC prior to leaving for England to kick off preseason training with the club.

On loan for most of last season with Cheltenham Town F.C., the Canadian youth international spoke about his experience with the Robins as well as his outlook with the Seasiders for the 2008-2009 campaign.

Q. Overall, how would you assess your season on loan at Cheltenham Town FC?

I would say it was a success. Being on loan at Cheltenham helped me develop a lot and gave me a chance to really adapt to the way football is played over there. The pace of the game and high standard really helped me improve as a player both physically, technically, and mentally. It was a great experience for me to start playing first team full time professional football at a high level on a regular basis. Cheltenham was a great club to play for and i enjoyed my time there. I think that the season allowed me to get myself and my name out there and hopefully I started making a good name and good reputation for myself for the future. I think playing for Cheltenham this season definitely allowed me to show my skills and do exactly that.

Q. What was your favorite match from the season?

I would say my favourite match was my home debut against port vale. It was a great experience to make my first home start in front of the Cheltenham fans who were very good to me. We won the game 1-0 and I played a part in setting up the goal which felt very good. I earned Man of the Match and that was a great honour for me. There were a lot of games that I enjoyed, pretty much all of them to be fair, but more so everytime we would win. The team was a really tight knit bunch of guys so it was really all about the team and the collective.

Q. What was the most challenging part of the season?

I think for me personally the hardest part of the season was a point where I lost my place in the starting eleven. It took a little bit of time to get myself back in and even then it was in and out. Although when I wasn't in the team I was disappointed i still felt part of the team and knew i could still do my part as a a sub. On more of a team level I think the hardest part of the season was probably about 4 games from the end of the season where we could have secured our safety in league 1 and kept missing the opportunity and mounting pressure on ourselves. It was tough to deal with the build up of pressure but the manager was always supportive and believed in us, and eventually we got the job done and stayed up.

Q. Did you enjoy your time in the Cheltenham community with the supporters?

Very much so. The fans were always supportive of me and I was very grateful for that. They were great and I actually talk to a lot of them through the Internet and so on. Me and my mate (Craig Armstrong) actually ran a training session on a Sunday for the supporters team and we both really enjoyed it. It was a good experience and was a lot of fun. Cheltenham as a city was great as well and I enjoyed living there during my loan spell.

Q. When will you return to England to begin training with Blackpool F.C.?

I'm heading back to England on the 26th of June and preseason will be starting the 1st or 2nd of July.

Q. Are you looking forward to competing in the Coca-Cola Championship?

I'm looking forward to showing what I can do and offer to the team, although I know the gaffer has watched me play a few times already. It would be great to be able to get my chance in the Championship as early as possible next season. I think I can do well if i work hard and play my game. Now that i have played a good amount of games in the league I'm looking to do the same next year at a level one up to last season. All I can do is work as hard as I can and hopefully I get my chance, and when it comes hopefully I can take it well.

Q. What are your goals for the 2008-2009 campaign?

Personally, there is no real goal for me in terms of stats, as in goals, appearances or so on. But I'm really hoping next season I can make myself a regular in the team and keep improving myself so that one day I can get myself to the very top level in football. The Championship is a very good league and at the moment I just want to take things one step at a time and hopefully become an established player in that league.

Manchester City: Reflecting on 2007/08 and Looking to the Future

2008-07-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

By: Alan
Soccer City FC

In only 14 days time, the 2008/2009 season will already have began for Manchester City as they kick-off on their European travels away to Faroese minnows EB/Streymur in the UEFA Cup First Qualifying Round. Expectations are already high as talks of superstar Ronaldinho joining continue to grow and his Brazilian compatriot Jo has been signed for a record transfer fee in the region of £19 million from Russia’s CSKA Moscow. Mark Hughes has imminently added to the squad with the capture of the striker and his presence in the team will hopefully solve a position that has previously troubled Manchester City. Previous big-money signings of Rolando Bianchi and Georgios Samaras have failed in the Premiership for different reasons, although the former may still have a future at the club; it is clear that he initially failed to settle. Benjani has had a respectable impact having scored in the derby and then on two further occasions since joining in January but he too will be looking for improvement. Last season’s top goalscorer was Elano, having scored a creditable ten goals in all competitions and achieved as many assists but he is not a natural forward and Vassell and Petrov are also midfielders.

The lack of a proven goalscorer has been evident ever since Anelka departed to Fenerbahce, hence an additional attacking quality would certainly give the team a cutting edge and there is no reason why Jo cannot provide this. A prolific 44 goals in 77 outings for CSKA Moscow explains why he is one of the world’s hottest talents, and although a step-up to the Premiership is a massive one, his stature and instinctive goalscoring ability mean he should adapt to the league. He stole the show against Inter Milan last season in the Champions League group stage and it was then where he stamped his name on world football.

Last season had many highs but in hindsight the lows are equally as known. Life seemed perfect for both owner and manager after the double over rivals United had been surprisingly completed, but it signified a downfall in fortunes that would result in yet another manager at the helm. Two derby wins was obviously one of the main highlights of the season, along with a long-lasting stance in the top 4 until the end of November and many pleasing results were picked up along the way. Somehow, and inevitably, it was not going to last but it is astounding how far the team had dropped in effort, commitment and performances and the results suffered accordingly. The team that had beaten the Premiership and European winners lost to relegated Birmingham and Reading, and suffered further embarrassing defeats to Middlesbrough in the 8-1 drubbing and to Fulham despite leading 2-0.

It was arguably the efforts of the team in the last few games of the season which was of most concern, the on-going difficulties between Eriksson and Shinawatra clearly taking their toll on the team as a whole and the change in manager was probably for the best. Those not even following Manchester City would have agreed that the Swede deserved another year in charge but it was not meant to be and there were deeper problems at the end of the season. A finish of ninth was decent and a step forward but a higher position could easily have been achieved. In typical fashion, Manchester City did the difficult but could not manage the easy fixtures and many points were needlessly lost. One interesting fact sums up the season - Manchester City had the best record outside of the top four against the top four, but the worst against the bottom four. Impressive opening form has to be sustained throughout the campaign if they are to break into the top four stranglehold, and the away form has to reflect the home form slightly more. All in all with Mark Hughes now in charge and the UEFA Cup slot being achieved via the Fair Play League, last season has to be seen as one whereby lessons have been learnt and everyone concerned can move forward.

The squad needs improvements but the core of it is very talented and none of the players signed other than Benjani had previous Premiership experience. With one season under their belt, the new additions will surely perform more consistently and anything is possible after that. Joe Hart was the most positive outcome of last season and he stepped up from second choice to become City’s first-choice goalkeeper and has already made his England debut. Richard Dunne and Micah Richards formed one of the strongest and assured defences in the country, whilst Corluka shone at right-back with his calm and elegant art of defending and attacking. The Croatian displayed he is one of Europe’s best full-backs. Majestic Brazilian international Elano and Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov stole the attacking accolades, the former reaching double figures for both goals and assists and only few exceeded him last season. Petrov influenced games in a similar fashion whilst the contributions of converted forward Darius Vassell managed a solid job on the right of midfield. The former England striker, despite lacking top-class skill and consistency, showed once again his hard work ethic and came up with some important goals.

Michael Johnson and Stephen Ireland impressed at both ends of the pitch but will need to produce the goods more regularly in 2009. Defensive midfielders Hamann and Gelson Fernandes shone, with the veteran German showing how vital his experience can be and Fernandes demonstrated his ability as potentially one of the finest holding midfielders in the game - development of attacking skills will only improve him. Youngsters Ched Evans and Danny Sturridge along with Kelvin Etuhu and the FA Youth Cup academy winning team shows the future of the club is in healthy hands. Securing the futures of Hart and Dunne to new contracts is vital, and doing so will prove to supporters that the club's ambitions to achieve are more than real.

Statistics From Last Season:

Minutes Played:
Dunne - 3044, Petrov - 2976, Corluka - 2973, Ireland - 2568, Elano - 2455, Hart - 2399, Richards - 2249, Hamann - 2206, Fernandes - 1954, Johnson - 1934, Garrido - 1892, Ball - 1864, Vassell - 1779, Onouha - 1220, Benjani - 1069, Jihai - 803, Mpenza - 741

Premiership Goals (In All Competitions):
Elano - 8 (10), Vassell - 6 (6), Petrov - 5 (5), Bianchi - 4 (5), Ireland - 4 (4), Benjani - 3 (3), Geovanni - 3 (3), Mpenza - 2 (3), Fernandes - 2 (2), Johnson - 2 (2), Sturridge - 1 (2), Etuhu - 1 (1), Onouha 1 (1), Samaras 0 (1)

Minutes per Premiership goal:
Geovanni - 132, Sturridge - 152, Vassell - 296, Elano - 306, Benjani - 356, Mpenza - 370, Petrov - 595, Ireland - 642, Johnson - 967, Fernandez - 977, Onouha - 1220

Premiership Assists:
Elano - 9, Petrov - 8, Ireland - 4, Johnson - 3, Vassell - 3, Corluka - 2, Fernandez - 1, Geovanni - 1, Garrido - 1, Onouha - 1

Tackles (Top 5):
Dunne - 108, Hamann - 105, Ireland - 94, Fernandez - 82, Corluka - 66

Clearances - Top 5 Defenders:
Dunne - 516, Richards - 298, Corluka - 221, Ball - 192, Onouha - 131

Passes (Accuracy) - Top 5:
Dunne - 1396 (79%), Hamann - 1341 (83%), Corluka - 1302 (76%), Ireland - 1138 (74%), Elano - 1116 (76%)

Crosses - Top 5:
Petrov - 283, Elano - 90, Garrido - 63, Vassell - 45, Ball - 40

Shots On Target - Top 5:
Petrov - 33, Elano - 22, Benjani - 14, Ireland - 13, Vassell - 11

Shots Off Target - Top 5:
Petrov - 53, Elano - 45, Ireland - 25, Johnson - 23, Vassell - 20

Jo Deal Done

2008-07-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

By: Lynne
Soccer City FC

Great news for all Blues fans - we finally have it, confirmation that Jô has signed a four year deal (for an undisclosed fee).

It's probably a wise move not to announce the finances: agents and clubs will be looking at the figures in the hope of getting better deals for their players; also, Richard Dunne hasn't yet put pen to paper for his contract - waiting to find out what the new signings are getting? I don't blame him, our owner has a bottomless pot and Dunnie deserves to be recognised financially, not least of all for the great regard other clubs have for him, the respect the team show him (he controls his back four, takes up great defensive positions and quietly dispenses 'encouragement' to his players) and for his outstanding contribution to City, on and off the pitch. Pay up boss, he's worth every penny, it'll cost you a lot more for another defender of his class. .

Elano and Geovanni (fellow Brazilians) will help Jô settle in and teach him 'Mancunian' English. All he needs to know is, "Mine's a pie and a pint", oh! and the rough-and-tumble of EPL soccer so that he keeps free of any early injuries. It's tough out there on the EPL pitches and there may well be a few 'hard' tackles going in at first, but hopefully his team mates will show the opposition the same 'courtesy'. Last season, both Valeri Bojinov (he's only just making his come-back after lengthy treatment and a tentative return to soccer, playing for the reserves) and Nery Castillo (Nery had some first team action towards the end of the season) suffered early, frustrating, visits to the treatment room.

Here's one Blues fan that will be glued to the TV.

Come on City!

Jô with the number 14.

Image details: Manchester City Press Conference served by picapp.com

Rosenborg BK Earning Respect Back

2008-07-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

Earlier this season, Soccer City FC profiled Rosenborg's fall into the lower tier of the Tippeligaen. The Norwegian giant is now in third place after today's 3-1 victory over Aalesunds FK. Midfielder Alexander Banor Tettey started Rosenborg's tab and forward Steffen Iversen added a brace to complete the score sheet.

Is the club going to keep this pace up? Unlikely, especially with UEFA Cup matches on the horizon.

Rosenborg is back in the top three.

Image details: Valencia v Rosenborg - UEFA Champions League served by picapp.com

Copa Libertadores Final Ends Tonight - LDU Quito Wins

2008-07-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight's second leg will determine the 2008 Copa Libertadores champion. LDU Quito won the first leg 4-2.

[Update] Fluminense up 2-1 in the second half off two Thiago Neves goals.

[Update] Fluminense up 3-1 on another score from Thiago Neves.

[Update] The match is into the 111th minute. Yet another exciting final from the 2008 season.

[Update] The match goes to penalties.

[Upadate] LDU Quito wins: 3-1 penalties!

Manchester City: Setting Sail for the Faroe Islands

2008-07-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

By: Lynne
Soccer City FC

UEFA Cup competition first qualifying round sees the Blues playing EB/Streymur (Faroe Islands - 250 miles North of Scotland) at the Vio Margair on 17th July. City are in good shape then - no. The team are only just arriving at the training ground (Carrington) and no doubt, still feel the effects of losing the last manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson (SGE) under stressful circumstances and adjusting to the new manager, Mark Hughes and his backroom team (all change again - a re-run of the 2007/2008 season!).

What team will Mark send on the 'island hopping' trip, ones with sea legs I hope? Joking aside: Richard Dunne (captain, Player of the Year for the last four years and stalwart of the team) is expected to sign a new contract with City (it's been a, will he won't he few weeks - sign it Dunnie, just sign it!). Portsmouth, Tottenham and Newcastle have all shown interest, with Portsmouth being the most resilient; due to injuries early in the season, a few first team players didn't really get a chance to show us what they could do, so Mark may be keen to give them try out; then there's the young guns from the City Academy (not least of all those players that won the 2007/2008 FA Youth Cup); and any new signings, there's been plenty of rumours ie João Alves de Assis Silva alias Jo and Ronaldinho being the most mentioned. Man City should be making an imminent announcement about Jo's signing, Ronaldinho, who knows what's happening. I wouldn't be surprised if we had other new signings before the season starts. But, everyone will be watching this first game, of what could turn-out to be, the many different teams of our beloved Blues. Mark can't waste time getting the team to gel, our owner wants to see results now or else it's goodbye Mark, hello???

So, you see, it's plain sailing (pardon the pun). Welcome to another typical Blues start to the season and an adventure into the great unknown. Where's the blood pressure pills?

City: setting sail for the Faroe Islands this July.

Image details: Coastal settlement faroe islands served by picapp.com

Home United Defeats Geylang United

2008-07-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

Singapore S.League side Home United defeated Geylang United 2-1 with goals coming from 24-year-old midfielder Shahril Ishak and 29-year-old striker Indra Sahdan Daud.

Home United currently sits in third place in the 12-team S.League behind power clubs Armed Forces FC and Super Reds.

Home United's Cameroonian forward Kengne Ludovick leads the league with 14 goals. Ishak has scored 7 times in league play.

Singapore: home of the S.League

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Trelleborgs FF Stuns IFK Göteborg

2008-07-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

In today's lone Allsvenskan match, Trelleborgs FF dispatched of third-place side IFK Göteborg. The victory moves Trelleborgs up to 11th place in the Swedish league. In the first half of play, new signing Paulino Lopes Tavares scored. Forward Fredrik Jensen put the game away late in the second half.

Tomorrow, four matches are on tap:

IFK Norrkoping vs. GIF Sundsvall
Gefle IF vs. Kalmar FF
Halmstads vs. Hammarby IF
Djurgardens IF vs. IF Elfsborg Boras

Kalmar FF leads the league with 25 points after 11 matches. The club is paced by midfielder Patrik Ingelsten who has scored 8 goals and the Elm brothers.

Viktor Elm leading Kalmar FF this season.

Image details: U.S. MNT v Sweden served by picapp.com

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Signs Two

2008-07-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

Two former Ross County players signed with SPL outfit Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Defender Lionel Djebi-Zadi agreed to a one-year contract. He joins new signing Andy Barrowman.

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In other SPL news, Falkirk FC added defender Burton O'Brien formerly of Sheffield Wednesday FC. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract. Also joining the Scottish club this offseason: 33-year-old former Rangers winger Neil McCann, 34-year-old former Celtic defender Jackie McNamara, 37-year-old defender Lee Bullen, 22-year-old defender Dermot McCaffrey, and 17-year-old defender Erik Schultz-Eklund.

Former Scottish international Jackie McNamara moving to Falkirk.

Image details: World Cup Qualifier: Norway v Scotland served by picapp.com

Blackpool Signs Several Players

2008-07-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Blackpool FC signed several players including: 22-year-old defender Alex Baptiste via Mansfield, 18-year-old midfielder Joe Martin via Tottenham Hotspur, 27-year-old defender Stephen Crainey who resigned with the club for two years, and 32-year-old midfielder Claus Jorgensen who resigned with the club for one year with a further one-year option.

Stephen Crainey will be back with the Seasiders for 2008-2009.

Image details: Tottenham Hotspur v Blackpool - Carling Cup served by picapp.com

Derby County Adds Liam Dickinson

2008-07-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

Liam Dickinson, a 22-year-old forward, was competing in non-league football only three years ago; now he has earned a spot on a Coca-Cola Championship side. He is over joyed with his move from Stockport County to Derby.

Dickinson scored the decisive goal in Stockport's League Two playoff final which earned the club promotion to League One.

The addition of Dickinson continues Derby County's free-spending ways this transfer season.

Liam Dickinson: from non-league to the Championship!

Image details: Stockport County v Wycombe Wanderers - League 2 Playoff Semi Final served by picapp.com

Benfica Add Pre-Season Matches with Inter and Feyenoord

2008-06-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Portuguese club S.L. Benfica recently announced two pre-season matches. On August 9th, Dutch side Feyenoord will travel to the Estádio da Luz. On August 15th, Inter Milan will travel to the Estádio da Luz to take on Benfica in the newly created Eusébio Cup.

In other Benfica news, the club signed two youth players - winger Andre Carvalhas and midfielder Miguel Rosa to professional contracts. Carvalhas and Rosa are signed through 2011.

The club also signed 23-year-old winger Javier Balboa formerly of Real Madrid.

Balboa moving to S.L. Benfica in 2008-2009.

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PSV Linked with City's Second Keeper

2008-06-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

With the departure of first-choice goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes who is off to Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Einhoven look ready to bid £2 million for Manchester City’s second-choice goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson who recently returned from Euro 2008. Isaksson was Sweden's starting goalkeeper.

Is Swedish international Andreas Isaksson off to PSV?

Image details: Manchester City v Bolton Wanderers - Premier League served by picapp.com

Perth Glory Open Pre-Season Tour

2008-06-30T16:38:00.001-07:00

Australia's Perth Glory, a club that is affiliated with Manchester City, began its pre-season tour of Indonesia with a 2-1 victory against Persik Kediri.

Forward James Robinson and trialist Anthony Skorich both scored in the second half against the Indonesian outfit who are two-time Indonesian Super League Champions.

The match was played in front of 15,000 supporters and viewed by perhaps 100 million Indonesians via a live feed.

After several years in Germany, Australian goalkeeper Frank Jurić returns to his native land. He will be counted on to add depth to the squad along with midfielders Adriano Pellegrino, Adrian Trinidad, and Josip Magdic.

Goalkeeper Frank Jurić returns home.

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Derby County Signs 8th Player

2008-06-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

With today's signing of 28-year-old Danish defender Martin Albrechtsen, manager Paul Jewell has now brought in 8 players this off season. The list includes: 22-year-old Australian right midfielder/right back Ruben Zadkovich, 24-year-old winger Kris Commons, and 20-year-old winger/forward Steve Davies.

Paul Jewell adding to the ranks.

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Five Earn Trials at Yeovil Town F.C.

2008-06-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

Five hopefuls earned a pre-season trial at League One side Yeovil Town FC. The list includes three midfielders: 21-year-old Emmanuel Francoise from Metz, former Hibernian player Patrick Noubiss and Fisher Athletic's Gavin Tomlin.

Also on trial are 20-year-old goalkeeper Pierre Antoine Martini from Nice, and Plymouth forward Anthony Mason. Mason is a Republic of Ireland U-19 international.

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In other Coca-Cola League One news, Crewe Alexandra signed former Newcastle United striker Calvin Zola.

Yeovil Town F.C are looking to add depth to the roster.

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