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Binamu Muziki bado haujatutendea haki Friday, 21 January 2011 20:37

Minael Msuya
MSANII maarufu wa bongo katika tasnia ya muziki nchini Hamis Mwinjuma a.k.a Mwana F.A, Binamu amesema serikali ikizingatia utaratibu wa soko katika masuala ya muziki itasaidia kuitangaza Tanzania katika nchi nyingine.

Mwana F.A ambaye alijinyakulia tuzo ya msanii bora wa miondoko ya hip hop ya Kilimanjaro 2003, kufuatia kibao chake cha ‘Alikufa kwa ngoma' kufanya vizuri, anasema pamoja na ukongwe wa muziki wa kizazi kipya bado haujawekewa mazingira ya kuwanufaisha wasanii wake.

Akizungumza na starehe Mwana F.A anasema muziki ulianza zamani lakini sasa unatumika katika siasa na kwamba bado mazingira ya soko katika tasinia hiyo hayajaboreshwa.

"Muziki ulianza tangu zamani na ulikuwa unapokelewa na watu wachache sana lakini sasa hivi unatumiwa hadi kwemye siasa, viongozi wanatakiwa kuboresha mazingira mazuri ya kuuzia ili tuweze kupata faida kwa sababu mimi nasema mziki kwangu ni maisha," anasema.

Mwana F.A anasema pia viongozi wakiboresha mazingira ya soko itasaidia kuitangaza nchi katika nchi zingine duniani na kuwa itakuza uchumi wake vizuri.

Aidha Mwana F.A anasema anajaribu kuangalia soko la kimataifa ili kuimarisha sekta hiyo ambapo ataanzana nchi ya Kenya na Uganda na Tanzania ambako anatarajia kufanya kazi na wasanii mahiri kama , Wyre, Amin, Jose Chameleon na Navio.
 
Kaseja amwaga chozi uwanjani


*Baada ya Azam kuifunga Simba 3-2

Na Zahoro Mlanzi

MABINGWA watetezi wa Ligi Kuu Bara, timu ya Simba, jana ilianza vibaya mzunguko wa pili wa Ligi Kuu baada ya kuchapwa mabao 3-2 na
Azam FC, katika mchezo uliopigwa Uwanja wa Taifa, Dar es Salaam.

Wakati mchezo ukiendelea, kipa wa Simba, Juma Kaseja alilia na kuomba kutoka nje kutokana na kufungwa bao la tatu na John Bocco 'Adebayor' dakika ya 54.

Nahodha wa Simba kwa jana, Mussa Hassan 'Mgosi' pamoja na wachezaji wengine ilibidi wafanye kazi ya ziada kumuomba aendelee na mchezo ambapo alifanya hivyo, huku akiendelea kulia na baadaye aliamua kunyamaza.

Katika mchezo huo wa jana, timu zote zilianza soka la kupooza lakini dakika ya tano, Azam ilifanya shambulizi la ghafla kupitia kwa Jamal Mnyate aliyeunasa mpira uliopigwa vibaya na beki, Haruna Shamte na kupiga shuti lililotoka nje.

Simba ilitulia na kufanya shambulizi la nguvu dakika tatu baadaye, ambalo lilizaa matunda kutokana na kazi nzuri iliyofanywa na Nicco Nyagawa kupiga shuti nje ya eneo la hatari na Mgosi kuugonga na kujaa wavuni huku akimuacha kipa, Vladmir Niyonkuru asijue la kufanya.

Bocco ambaye katika mchezo huo alionekana kung'ara aliisawazishia timu yake bao dakika ya 14 kwa kichwa akiunganisha krosi ya Mnyate na kabla Simba haijatulia, Mrisho Ngassa alifunga bao la pili dakika ya 23 baada ya kumpiga chenga, Kaseja na kupiga shuti lililojaa wavuni.

Kipindi cha pili kilianza kwa kasi ambapo kila timu ilifanya mashambulizi ya nguvu langoni mwa mpinzani wake ambapo dakika ya 50, Ali Ahmed 'Shiboli' aliyeingia badala ya Nyagawa alipiga shuti lililopanguliwa na Niyonkuru na kuwa kona tasa.

Dakika nne, Azam walifanya shambulizi la kushtukiza ambapo Patrick Mafisango alipiga mpira mrefu uliotua kwa Bocco ambaye aliupiga na kujaa wavuni.

Bao hilo ndiyo lililomtia uchungu Kaseja, ambaye baada ya kufungwa alilia huku akiomba kutoka nje.

Zikiwa zimebaki dakika tatu kabla ya filimbi ya mwisho kipyenga kupulizwa, Hilary Echessa aliifungia Simba bao la pili akimalizia pasi ya Mgosi.
 
Tamasha la Pasaka kushirikisha nchi sita


Na Mwandishi Wetu

TAMASHA la Pasaka linalofanyika kila mwaka, mwaka huu litawashirikisha wasanii kutoka nchi sita kwenye ukumbi wa Diamond Jubilee, Dar es Salaam Apili 24, mwaka
huu.

Tamasha hilo kubwa la nyimbo za injili za kumsifu Mungu, litafanyika wakati wa sikukuu ya Pasaka Aprili 24, mwaka huu, litaandaliwa na Kampuni ya Msama Promotion ya jijini Dar es Salaam.

Akizungumza juzi jijini Dar es Salaam, Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya maandalizi ya tamasha hilo, Alex Msama alisema mwaka huu, litakuwa na tofauti kubwa na matamasha ya miaka ya nyuma.

"Tumefanya mambo mengi mazuri kuliko ya miaka ya nyuma, waimbaji watakuwa wengi wakiwemo wa kutoka mataifa mengine matano," alisema.

Msama alisema tamasha la mwaka huu limekuwa na maboresha makubwa kwa ajili ya kukidhi matakwa ya wapenzi wa muziki wa injili.

"Tutakuwa na waimbiaji kutoka nchini Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Afrika Kusini, Rwanda na Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasi ya Congo (DRC)," alisema.

Lengo la kuwajumuisha wasanii hao ni kutaka kulifanya tamasha hilo kuwa tofauti na miaka mingine.

Msama alisema baada ya tamasha hilo kufanyika jijini Dar es Salaam, watalipeka mkoani Shinyanga Aprili 25 na Mwanza litafanyika Aprili 26, wakati wa sikukuu ya Muungano.

Alisema tamasha hilo litakuwa na kiingilio cha chini zaidi, ili kila mmoja aweze kuhudhuria na kupata baraka kutoka kwa waimbaji hao wanaomsifu Mungu.

"Waimbaji wote maafuru wa muziki wa injili watakuwepo, tumejipanga vizuri kuhakiksha tamasha hili linakuwa gumzo kila mahali," alisema.
 
Barcelona yazidi kupaa ligi ya Hispania


BARCELONA, Hispania

MABINGWA watetezi wa Ligi Kuu ya Hispania, Barcelona imeshinda mechi yake ya 14 mfululizo kwenye michuano hiyo, baada ya kuibuka na ushindi wa
mabao 3-0 dhidi ya timu ya Racing Santander.

Wachezaji Pedro Rodriguez na Lionel Messi, ndiyo waliyoipatia mabao timu hiyo kipindi cha kwanza na Andres Iniesta, akaongeza la tatu kipindi cha pili lililoihakikishia timu hiyo kuongeza pengo la pointi saba kwa mahasimu wao Real Madrid, ambao nao jana walikuwa wakiumana na Mallorca.

Katika mchezi huo wa juzi kikosi hicho kinachonolewa na kocha, Pep Guardiola kilitandaza kandanda safi lililokifanya kuweka rekodi ya kufikisha pointi 52 katikati mwa msimu.

Awali Racing iliionekana kama ingeweza kuhimili mikikimikiki ya Barcelona, lakini mchezo wa vinara hao wa Catalan uliohusisha mashuti, pasi za harakaharaka na kasi ndivyo vilionekana kuwalemea wageni hao.

Mchezaji Rodriguez ndiye aliyekuwa wa kwanza kuipatia timu yake bao la kuongoza dakika ya pili ya mchezo, baada ya kutuliza kifuani pasi aliyotengewa na Messi, baada ya nyota huyo wa Argentina kwa kushirikiana vyema na David Villa, kupenya ngome ya wapinzani wao upande wa kushoto na kisha kuachia krosi iliyokutana na mfungaji huyo.

Messi aliyafanya matokeo kuwa 2-0 kwa mkwaju wa penalti dakika ya 33 baada ya Villa, kufanyiwa madhambi akiwa ndani ya eneo la hatari na beki wa Racing, Henrique na Iniesta akaachia mkwaju baada ya kupokea pasi kutoka Rodriguez na kisha kuwapita kirahisi mabeki kabla ya kuukwamisha mpira huo kimiani dakika ya 56.

Kwa ushindi huo Barcelona, imefikisha rekodi ambayo iliiweka katika michuano ya ligi msimu wa mwaka 2005-06 na bado inahitaji ushindi wa mechi moja kufikisha rekodi ambayo iliwahi kuwekwa na Real Madrid, katika msimu wa mwaka 1960-61.

"Hakuna mechi rahisi," alisema Villa. "Lakini tulifanikiwa kuongoza dakika ya pili na ndiyo maana presha ikatushuka. Kwa sasa tunachoangalia ni kama tutakuwa na bahati kwa kesho (jana) kama Real Madrid hawatashinda," aliongeza.
 
Simba yapigwa 3 taifa

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 08:11

MASHABIKI wa klabu ya Simba ya Dar es Salaam, jana walilazimika kulala mapema zaidi baada ya timu yao ya soka kukubali kipigo cha mabao 3-2 kutoka kwa Azam.

Pengine kipa mahiri wa timu hiyo, Juma Kaseja ndiye aliyetoka na uchungu zaidi baada ya kufanya kosa lililozaa bao la tatu dakika ya 54 na kuifanya Simba iwe nyuma kwa mabao 3-1, hivyo kuwa na kazi kubwa ya kusawazisha.

Kaseja alifanya kosa hilo, baada ya kutaka kuuwahi mpira wa juu ambao beki Juma Nyoso alikuwa akiuwania na mshambuliaji John Bocco, lakini baada ya Kaseja kutokea na kuliacha lango wazi Bocco aliinua mpira juu na kutinga wavuni.

Katika mchezo huo uliofanyika Uwanja wa Taifa Dar es Salaam, Simba ilikuwa ya kwanza kupata bao dakika ya nane mfungaji akiwa Mussa Mgosi, baada ya kutokea purukushani, lakini dakika ya 14 Azam inayonolewa na Stuwart Hall raia wa Uingereza, ilisawazisha mfungaji akiwa Bocco kwa kichwa kutokana na krosi ya Ibrahim Shikanda.

Dakika tisa baadaye mpira mrefu uliopigwa na Ramadhan Chombo ‘Redondo' ulimkuta Ngasa aliyeingia kwa kasi ndani ya eneo la hatari, ndipo Kaseja alipoamua kutoka langoni na kujikuta akipigwa chenga na kisha Ngasa kuutumbukiza mpira wavuni.

Simba ilipata bao la pili dakika ya 86 mfungaji akiwa Hillary Echesa baada ya kutokea piga nikupige langoni mwa Azam.

Simba inayonolewa na raia wa Zambia, Patrick Phiri, itabidi ijilaumu kutokana na kukosa nafasi kadhaa za kufunga kutokana na wachezaji wake kushikwa na kigugumizi cha miguu walipokaribia lango la Azam.

Hali hiyo pia iliikumba Azam ambayo Ngasa, Boco, Redondo na Ibrahim Mwaipopo nao walipata nafasi za kuongeza idadi ya mabao, lakini umaliziaji ulikuwa butu.

Baada ya mchezo huo Phiri alisema makosa yaliyofanywa na safu yake ya ulinzi kwa kuwa na udhaifu wa mawasiliano na kipa kuliiweka pabaya timu yake.

Naye Hall aliwapongeza vijana wake na kusema Simba ni timu ngumu, ambayo ilionesha uwezo wa hali ya juu, lakini timu yake ilistahili kushinda.

Kutokana na matokeo hayo, Simba sasa imetulizwa nafasi ya pili ikiwa na pointi 27 nyuma ya Yanga yenye pointi 28, wakati Azam imefikisha pointi 23.

Timu zote zimecheza mechi 12 na leo Yanga itashuka kwenye uwanja huohuo kuvaana na Polisi Dodoma.

 
Stars kupambana na Wapalestina

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 09:27

TIMU ya soka ya Taifa ya Tanzania ‘Taifa Stars' itacheza mechi ya kirafiki ya kimataifa na Palestina Februari 9 mwaka huu, Dar es Salaam.

Msemaji wa Shirikisho la Soka Tanzania (TFF), Boniface Wambura, alisema jana kuwa, Palestina ndiyo iliyoomba mchezo huo ambao utafanyika Uwanja wa Taifa, Dar es Slaam.

Mchezo huo utakuwa katika tarehe za michezo ya kimataifa za Shirikisho la Soka la Kimataifa (Fifa), ambapo kwa mujibu wa Wambura, Stars itaingia kambini Februari 6 kujiandaa na mchezo huo.

Taifa Stars itacheza mechi hiyo ikiwa ni wiki chache tangu ivurunde katika michuano ya soka kwa nchi za Bonde la Mto Nile iliyomalizika Jumatatu iliyopita jijini Cairo, Misri na Stars kushika nafasi ya sita kati ya timu saba zilizoshiriki.

Katika michuano hiyo, Stars ilifungwa michezo miwili na ilitoka sare miwili, hivyo kuwa moja ya timu zilizofanya vibaya zaidi pamoja na Burundi iliyoshika nafasi ya mwisho.

Kulingana na orodha ya ubora wa viwango vya Fifa ya mwezi Desemba iliyotolewa Januari 12 mwaka huu, Tanzania inashika nafasi ya 120, wakati Pakistan ni ya 171 kati ya nchi 203 wanachama wa Fifa.

 

Pambano la Polisi, Golden lavunjika

Imeandikwa na John Mhala, Arusha; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 09:27

PAMBANO la fainali ya kutafuta bingwa wa Taifa wa wilaya ya Arusha, lilivunjika juzi baada ya polisi kuvamia uwanja wakipinga mwamuzi kutomwoshesha kadi nyekundu mchezaji wa timu ya Golden Kids aliyempiga mchezaji wa timu ya Polisi.

Fainali hiyo ilikuwa ikikutanisha timu za Polisi na Golden Kids mchezo uliokuwa ukiahirishwa mara kwa mara kutokana na matatizo ya vurugu za kisiasa mkoani Arusha, baada ya timu hizo na nyingine mbili kufanikiwa kuingia Ligi ya Mkoa wa Arusha.

Mchezo ulianza kuingia dosari dakika ya 65 wakati mshambuliaji wa Polisi Haruna Choye alipompiga ngumi kwa siri beki wa Golden Babu Ally na kutolewa nje kwa kadi nyekundu.

Dakika ya 75 Babu Ally naye ilidaiwa alimpiga ngumi mshambuliaji wa Polisi, lakini mwamuzi Salum Ketto hakutoa kadi ndipo baadhi ya askari polisi waliokuwa nje walipovamia uwanja na kuanza kumpiga mchezaji huyo kitendo kilichopingwa na mashabiki wa Golden.

''Askari polisi na mashabiki wao wameingia uwanjani na kuanza kupiga wachezaji na ndio maana mwamuzi akavunja pambano kwa hali ya usalama ilikuwa ndogo, ''alisema Abdull Kondo.

Kondo ambaye ni Kaimu Katibu wa Chama cha Soka Wilaya ya Arusha (ADFA), alisema polisi wametia aibu kwa jamii nzima ya wapenda soka katika Jiji la Arusha kwa kitendo cha kuingia uwanjani na silaha za jadi kama visu.

Alisema hilo lazima lijadiliwe na Kamati ya Utendaji wa ADFA na kutoa adhabu kali kwa baadhi ya viongozi wa timu ya Polisi na mashabiki wao ili iwe fundisho kwa timu nyingine.

Meneja wa Uwanja wa Sheikh Amri Abeid, Mashaka Gwabi aliiomba ADFA kuchukua hatua za kinidhamu kwa wale waliohusika kwa namna moja ama nyingine kuvunja pambano hilo .


 
Grant blasts 'joke' red card




4 comments »

Updated Jan 23, 2011 5:50 AM ET
West Ham manager Avram Grant branded Frederic Piquionne's red card as "a joke" and felt it cost his side victory at Everton.
The Hammers looked set to move off the bottom of the Premier League when Piquionne headed them into a 2-1 lead with six minutes remaining at Goodison Park.


But Piquionne, who had been booked four minutes earlier, leapt over advertising hoardings to celebrate with supporters and was shown a second yellow card on his return to the field.
With a man advantage, Everton pressed on and snatched a point in injury time as Marouane Fellaini, pushed into service up front, jinked into the area and fired past Robert Green.
"The red card was a joke," said Grant, for whom victory would have been a huge lift at the end of a week dominated by intense speculation over his future as manager.
"He scored a goal and went to celebrate with the supporters.
"He has not done anything wrong - he went to celebrate with the people who deserve to more than anybody.
"I know it is the law but it is a stupid law and we need to change it.
"You never know but I think if we had stayed with 11 players we would have won the game because we were the better team.
"They didn't create chances but when we were a man short it was a little difficult."

Sat., Jan. 22​
Wolves 0-3 Liverpool |Recap
Arsenal 3-0 Wigan | Recap
Everton 2-2 West Ham | Recap
Man Utd 5-0 Birmingham | Recap
Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham | Recap
Fulham 2-0 Stoke City | Recap
Blackpool 1-2 Sunderland | Recap
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City | Recap
Sun., Jan. 23​
Blackburn 2-0 West Brom | Recap
Mon., Jan. 24​
Bolton vs. Chelsea
Tue., Jan. 25​
Blackpool vs. Man Utd
Wigan vs. Aston Villa
Wed., Jan. 26​
Liverpool vs. Fulham BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

West Ham showed determination to fight for their manager from the onset as Piquionne and Mark Noble both shot narrowly over early on.
Jonathan Spector gave them the lead after 27 minutes as he slid in his fourth goal in two months at the end of a slick move.
Piquionne then hit the post and Luis Boa Morte had a goal disallowed for offside but Everton eventually replied when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov struck with a superb half-volley on 77 minutes.
Grant said: "They showed a lot of good spirit, a lot of good football and a lot of tactical awareness.
"We dominated the game in the first half and could have scored more - we hit the post and another was offside.
"We created a lot of chances and after scoring the second one we were unlucky.
"Since the beginning of the season the players have shown a lot of commitment. I am very proud of the players."
Everton have lost just once in eight games but their attempts to pull away from the bottom of the table continue to meet with frustration.
Manager David Moyes said: "It wasn't great but we got a point. It didn't look as if we were going to get any near the end.
"When we got back to 1-1 I thought we would go on and get the second goal but unfortunately they got a second.
"When you go 2-1 down at home you go for it anyway but when we saw the sending off it gave us a chance to attempt to throw the kitchen sink.
"Thankfully we got the equaliser and when it went to 2-2 I actually thought we could have used the last couple of minutes better than we did to try to get the winner."
 
Blue boys with a red-hot passion for success regroup in new year


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MOHAMMED AMIN | NATION Garry Rathborne of Supersport (left) joins James Situma, the Sofapaka captain, and his team mates as they celebrate with the Super Cup trophy at Nyayo National Stadium. Sofapaka won the 2009 Kenyan Premier League title as debutants.
By SAMMY KITULA skitula@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Saturday, January 22 2011 at 22:08
In Summary

  • Memories of winning Kenyan Premier League on their debut resound in the dressing room



When Elly Mboni Kalekwa formed Sofapaka FC in 2004, he had the burning ambition to transform it into one of the biggest names in African football.

In 2009, under Robert Matano, Soafapaka became the first team in Kenya to win the premier league in their debut appearance. After that feat, money began pouring as the club got a Sh12 million-per-season sponsorship deal for three years, from East African Portland Cement.

Suddenly, things started to go haywire within the house of Sote (kama) Familia (kwa) Pamoja Kuafikia Azimio aka Sofapaka.

In a stint of one year, ‘Batoto ba Mungu' (Congolese Swahili for God's chidren) had seen three coaches. Matano guided the team to its premiership victory before he was shown the exit early last year after a series of poor results.

His successor from Uganda, Sam Ssimbwa, didn't escape the wrath of Kalekwa: he followed suit after an embarrassing 3-0 defeat by Western Stima at Bukhungu.

Pumped a lot of money in club

"We have pumped a lot of money in this club and there is no way we can continue to post negative results," noted Kalekwa, the club's president, after the Bukhungu debacle.

To Sofapaka management it was quite ironical for a team with Kenya's finest and highest paid players, about nine of them in the national team – including, Bob Mugalia, James Situma, Edgar Ochieng, George Owino, Wilson Obungu, Abdallatif Omar, Humphrey Mieno, Antony Kimani and 2010 top scorer John Baraza – not to post excellent performances.

But the year was not too bad for them as they emerged the Football Kenya Limited Cup Champions after crushing West Kenya FC in the final under the tutelage of care-taker coach Ezekiel Akwana.

That earned them a chance to represent the country in next weekend's Caf championship against AS Aviacao of Angola.

Kalekwa has transformed the football industry in the country. With an estimated Sh55 million budget, Sofapak, referred to as Kenya's "Manchester City" due to their ‘purchasing' power, stands head and shoulders above the rest in the league and is an envy of many.

In fact, Kalekwa is said to have rejected a $34,000 (Sh2.7 million) offer by Sudanese giants El Merreikh for DR Congo-born striker Bob Mugalia's signature.

Gave young boys a chance

To cap it, Kalekwa scoured Buganda Kingdom and brought in Ssimbwa by splashing $6,000 (Sh480,000) in signing fees after refusing to renew the contract of his championship-winning tactician Matano at the beginning of last season.

But even with these signings, Sofapaka still had to rely on the 33-year-old Baraza for goals. His award-winning 15 goals in a season were, however, short of bringing victory for the club which finished fourth in the league standings.

Through Sofapaka, the philanthropic club president gave the young boys, most of whom street boys, a chance to a livelihood through football.

"I've always enjoyed playing football. So, when I saw how young boys with various talents were wasting away, it really touched my heart and I thought, why not come up with a team," recounts Kalekwa.

Bandari FC, who are making a comeback to the league, was the team that denied Sofapaka a chance to qualify for the 2006 Kenyan Premier League. The Coast side had only one point more than Sofapaka after the latter drew in its final match.

It seems that 2006 was a jinxed year for Sofapaka. This is the year that they made it into the history books of Kenyan football. The team won the much coveted President's Cup (formerly Moi Golden Cup) under the experiential coaching of Martin Ndagano. By virtue of winning the cup, the team was supposed to gain automatic qualification to the KPL.

But this was not to be.

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Bruce pleased by Cats response




0 comments »

Updated Jan 23, 2011 6:01 AM ET
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was pleased with the way his players responded to Darren Bent's departure in their 2-1 win at Blackpool.
Sunderland claimed victory at Bloomfield Road courtesy of two first-half goals from Kieran Richardson.
He scored his first goal of the season in the 15th minute with a cool finish after being released by Asamoah Gyan, before extending Sunderland's lead 20 minutes later with an effort which beat Kingson at his near post.


Charlie Adam pulled one back from the penalty spot but the Black Cats held on for all three points to delight Bruce.
He said: "The one thing I have learned about the squad at the minute is that in adversity they will always respond. The derby springs to mind and after what happened this week they could have felt sorry for themselves.
"But all credit to them. They have produced one of our better performances away from home.
"Kieran was certainly the outstanding player on the pitch in the first half, the electric pace he had coming from deep. Credit to him, he has been terrific all season.
"Both goals were good finishes and we know he is capable of doing that."
Meanwhile Bruce refused to respond to Gerard Houllier's comment that he was as easy target as he was French after the fall-out from Bent's departure.
Bruce said: "All I questioned was that I expected someone like Gerard Houllier to give me a phone call. It was not a blast.
"The other thing about Darren Bent, and I will stick to it, was that we were all disappointed at the timing.
"It is time to draw a line under it and say let's all move on and be big boys about the situation."
Bruce confirmed the club were in discussions with Stoke about Ricardo Fuller.

 
Spanish La Liga Roundup, Jan. 23


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51 comments »

Updated Jan 23, 2011 5:04 PM ET
Karim Benzema answered his critics by scoring the 61st-minute winner as Real Madrid beat Mallorca 1-0 Sunday to stay within four points of Spanish league leader Barcelona.
The France striker gathered a pass in front of the area, shuffled to his left and beat goalkeeper Dudu Aouate with a low shot for his second league goal of the season.
The strike allowed Madrid to keep in close to Barcelona despite a labored performance at Santiago Bernabeu stadium, with Cristiano Ronaldo below par and the ineffective Kaka being replaced by halftime.

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Benzema has been a substitute the past two games and endured a week in which both coach Jose Mourinho and Brazil playmaker Kaka criticized his failure to establish himself as the team's No. 1 striker with Gonzalo Higuain out injured.
"He's an introverted character, but he's slowly opening up and he's got the support of every one in the changing room," Madrid captain Iker Casillas said of Benzema. "He's got so much talent, the problem is that so much has been expected of him from the start."
The Bernabeu had little to cheer in a listless first half, with the forward line of Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema lacking spark and Mallorca nearly scoring.
Emilio Nsue orchestrated the bulk of Mallorca's chances and was unlucky when his shot beat goalkeeper Casillas but came off the far post in the 13th.
Mallorca striker Pierre Webo headed weakly at Casillas in the 39th when the Cameroon international had time to collect the ball and try a shot.
Mourinho has said Madrid lacks firepower, and that was apparent until Mesut Oezil replaced Kaka and Xabi Alonso came on in midfield for Fernando Gago to start the second half.
Mourinho said the Copa del Rey derby with Atletico Madrid had drained the team physically and emotionally coming into the match.
"I put some players on the bench because we have an important game in Seville knowing we can't make 11 changes and that with each one the team is affected," the Portuguese coach said. "Kaka and Gago haven't found their rhythm."
Madrid director general Jorge Valdano said his club is working on signing extra firepower before the close of the January transfer window.
"The whole club is focused on this and we have this week to close a deal," Valdano told Canal Plus TV after the game.
Mallorca came close again in the 48th, Webo volleying on goal but a diving Casillas keeping the shot out.
Benzema responded to a tough few days with a masterful goal set up by Esteban Granero, who was replaced by Lassana Diarra in the 64th as Madrid looked to keep possession and protect its lead knowing it can't risk dropping any points in its chase of Barcelona.

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Ronaldo curled a free kick just wide of far post in the 77th, and had a header hit the bar in the 82nd - either side of missed chances by Benzema.
Nsue put Webo clear into the box in the third minute of injury time, but Casillas made an excellent stop from a tight angle to preserve the victory.
Madrid improved to 16-0 at home in all competitions this season and now has 51 points. Barcelona beat Racing Santander 3-0 Saturday for its 14th straight league win to improve to 55 points.
Also, Giuseppe Rossi scored twice as third-place Villarreal beat Real Sociedad 2-1 at El Madrigal stadium.
The Italy striker canceled out Josebal Llorente's 30th-minute opener by firing Santi Cazorla's well-laid pass over 'keeper Claudio Bravo. He scored his 11th goal of the season in the 47th for the winner.
Villarreal stayed two points clear of fourth-place Valencia.
Earlier, Espanyol kept up its chase of Valencia and a Champions League place by rallying to beat Getafe 3-1.
Getafe led after 14 minutes through Venezuela striker Nicolas "Miku" Fedor, but Espanyol went ahead after Luis Garcia, Jose Callejon and Sergio Garcia scored in an 11-minute span in the second half.
Espanyol moved seven points clear of sixth-place Atletico Madrid, which limped to a 1-0 defeat at Sporting Gijon.
Missing striker Sergio Aguero and playmaker Jose Antonio Reyes, Atletico couldn't string together much of an offense and a defensive mix-up between Luis Perea and Raul Garcia allowed David Barral to fire home the 51st-minute winner at El Molinon stadium.
Atletico slipped nine points back of Villarreal.
Sporting moved out of the drop zone places alongside Zaragoza, which secured a 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna with Sad Boutahar's 38th-minute free kick.
Sporting and Zaragoza's victories kept Almeria in the relegation places but the Andalucian club moved off the bottom of the table ahead of Malaga and Levante with a 3-1 win over Osasuna, which is just a point above Almeria.
It was Almeria's first league win of the season at its Juegos Mediterraneos stadium.
On Saturday, Malaga lost 4-3 at Valencia and Sevilla beat Levante 4-1.
Athletic Bilbao plays Hercules on Monday.
 
German Bundesliga Roundup, Jan. 23


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Updated Jan 23, 2011 2:42 PM ET
Gonzalo Castro scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen won 3-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday to rise to second place in the Bundesliga standings.
Michal Kadlec scored with a perfect free kick in the 37th minute, and Castro doubled the lead before the interval.
Martin Stranzl pulled one back for the hosts in the 65th, but Castro calmly lifted the ball over advancing goalkeeper Christofer Heimeroth in the 73rd to seal Leverkusen's victory.
Leverkusen has 36 points, 11 behind Borussia Dortmund, while Moenchengladbach remains last, six points from safety with 13.

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Leverkusen midfielder Michael Ballack made his Bundesliga comeback from injury.
Also Sunday, David Alaba scored a last-minute equalizer to earn Hoffenheim a 2-2 draw against visiting St. Pauli.
The Austrian canceled out Gerald Asamoah's 81st minute strike to move Hoffenheim to eighth in the standings with 26 points. St. Pauli is 16th, level with Cologne on 19 points but with an inferior goal difference.
The 34-year-old Ballack came on as a substitute for Leverkusen in the 55th for his first Bundesliga appearance since picking up a shinbone injury against Hannover in September.
"It's a wonderful feeling to be back on the pitch," Ballack said. "We've fought our way back to second place."
Moenchengladbach missed several chances to take the lead against Leverkusen.
Marco Reus' volley came back off the crossbar after he was set up by Mohamadou Idrissou, and recent signing Mike Hanke had a strong effort saved by Rene Adler minutes later.
Kadlec opened the scoring for Leverkusen with a precision free kick into the top corner which gave the Czech his first goal of the season. Castro doubled the lead in the 45th when he was left unmarked to connect with a cross from Arturo Vidal.
Stranzl scored after Thorben Marx punted the ball forward hopefully and the Austrian - in his second game for the club - volleyed from a tight angle to send the ball inside the far post.
In the 73rd, Vidal played a perfectly timed pass to beat the offside trap and Castro lobbed goalkeeper Heimeroth.
Karim Matmour hit the crossbar again for Moenchengladbach with five minutes remaining.
At Hoffenheim, defender Marvin Compper gave the hosts the lead in the 29th when he was left unmarked to prod in a free kick from Sebastian Rudy.
Max Kruse equalized for St. Pauli in the 50th after Fabian Boll played a through ball to Asamoah, who was brought down by Isaac Vorsah. Kruse then reacted before the Hoffenheim defense to sweep the ball low past Daniel Haas.
Hoffenheim's appeals for a penalty were denied when referee Christian Dingert waved play on after Carlos Zambrano appeared to catch Boris Vukcevic in the face in the 58th.
Charles Takyi was unlucky to see his powerful shot crash off the crossbar with Haas beaten with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Asamoah scored when he controlled a deep cross from Oczipka and fired home from close range for his fourth goal of the season.
Alaba's equalizer came in the 90th minute when his shot from 20 meters (yards) deflected off defender Ralph Gunesch.
 
Schaaf 'considers' Bremen future



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Updated Jan 23, 2011 6:25 AM ET
Thomas Schaaf appears to be considering his future as coach of Werder Bremen after the 3-0 defeat at Cologne left him doubting his own sanity.
Schaaf thought his team had put the worst of this season behind them after beating Mainz last weekend, but Saturday's upset could prove to be the final straw in his 12-year reign in charge.

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"That was completely disappointing," he said. "We were never in this game for a minute, yet we had trained so well this week.
"It sounds schizophrenic to say such a thing, but we had trained so hard and intensively.
"But as soon as a match commences, we just aren't awake.
"I have now got to let this sink in."
Bremen's director of football Klaus Allofs admitted he too "could not believe my eyes" as Bremen were dragged back into danger at the bottom of the table.
"There is no explanation for it," he said. "We are far from being free from the relegation battle.
"The reality is we are playing terrible football.
"It is almost a blessing that Bayern are coming next week because at least you are prepared for what people expect."
Bremen have dropped to 14th in the table, just four points clear of the bottom three.
 
Schaaf 'considers' Bremen future



2 comments »

Updated Jan 23, 2011 6:25 AM ET
Thomas Schaaf appears to be considering his future as coach of Werder Bremen after the 3-0 defeat at Cologne left him doubting his own sanity.
Schaaf thought his team had put the worst of this season behind them after beating Mainz last weekend, but Saturday's upset could prove to be the final straw in his 12-year reign in charge.

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"That was completely disappointing," he said. "We were never in this game for a minute, yet we had trained so well this week.
"It sounds schizophrenic to say such a thing, but we had trained so hard and intensively.
"But as soon as a match commences, we just aren't awake.
"I have now got to let this sink in."
Bremen's director of football Klaus Allofs admitted he too "could not believe my eyes" as Bremen were dragged back into danger at the bottom of the table.
"There is no explanation for it," he said. "We are far from being free from the relegation battle.
"The reality is we are playing terrible football.
"It is almost a blessing that Bayern are coming next week because at least you are prepared for what people expect."
Bremen have dropped to 14th in the table, just four points clear of the bottom three.
 
Metzelder frustrated by progress




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Updated Jan 23, 2011 6:45 AM ET
Christoph Metzelder is unhappy Schalke are still in the wrong half of the Bundesliga, despite Saturday's 1-0 victory over Hannover.

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A goal from Raul earned the Royal Blues all three points against a side who started the weekend in second place, but Metzelder says there is still a long way to go before he can be truly happy with his weekend's work.
"Of course I was happy with the three points, but when I looked up at the scoreboard and still could not find us in the top half of the table, then that was pretty tough," he told his club's website.
"We have got to make our minds up about where we are heading.
"I want to move higher and I know that my team mates want to too."
Tenth is the Royal Blues' highest position of the season so far, and they have not been so close to the top five since September.
Only eight points now separate them from a place in Europe next season, which is their minimum aim, despite spending much of the last six months inside the bottom three.
"We have shown what we are capable of in the Champions League," added Metzelder.
"We are still in no man's land, but we have enough quality to climb a few places."
 
German Bundesliga Roundup, Jan. 22


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Updated Jan 22, 2011 3:07 PM ET
Lukas Podolski scored twice to inspire Cologne to a 3-0 win over visiting Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga and lift his side provisionally to safety on Saturday.
Cologne was fourth from bottom with one more point than St. Pauli which occupies the relegation playoff place ahead of its game at Hoffenheim on Sunday.
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Earlier, Mario Gomez scored a hat trick in a 5-1 win for Bayern Munich at home to Kaiserslautern.
Munich climbed to third, 14 points behind leader Borussia Dortmund, which was held to 1-1 by visiting Stuttgart.
Podolski opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Fabrice Ehret beat Bremen's offside trap on the left before pulling the ball back for the Germany international to strike it first time past Tim Wiese into the bottom right hand corner.
Adam Matuschyk doubled the advantage when he gathered a pass from Andrezinho on the edge of the penalty area, feigned one way past Torsten Frings and Petri Pasanan before unleashing a perfect shot to the left past Wiese. Podolski grabbed his second - his seventh of the season - late in the game.
Bayern's Gomez became the league's joint topscorer with 15. His goals came after Arjen Robben - making his first appearance at home for eight months after recovering from injury - opened the scoring at the end of the first half with his first of the season. The Dutch winger received a wonderful crossfield pass from Thomas Mueller, smartly rounded the advancing goalkeeper, and stroked the ball into the unguarded net with his right foot.
Gomez doubled the lead at the beginning of the second - to equal the 86 goals scored for Bayern by watching club president Uli Hoeness - but Jan Moravek pulled a goal back for Kaiserslautern against the run of play following a defensive error from Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
Gomez then went two better than Hoeness before Mueller completed Bayern's spree in the 90th minute.
"We're third," Munich coach Louis van Gaal said. "I think we're on the right path."
Elsewhere, Pavel Pogrebnyak scored a late equalizer for Stuttgart at Dortmund. The Russian struck a powerful shot to the top right hand corner after being set up by a clever back-flick from Zdravo Kuzmanovic. It left Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp fuming on the sideline.
His side missed a number of opportunities to increase the lead taken through rising star Mario Goetze's first-half goal.
Nuri Sahin helped set up the 18-year-old's goal, when he flicked a pass from Mats Hummels first time into the path of Kevin Grosskreutz. The attacking midfielder crossed for the advancing Goetze to control the ball with his left before placing the ball with his right past goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
"It shouldn't happen that we are hit on the counterattack five minutes before the end," Hummels said. "But it's much worse that we missed four or five 100-percent chances because we weren't focused."
Klopp said: "We got many turnovers and played too anxiously. We let in a counterattacking goal while winning 1-0 in our own stadium - that says everything. Of course the lads are disappointed now, but we will look at it calmly."
Raul Gonzalez scored the only goal for Schalke at second-place Hannover, where he met a Lukas Schmitz cross in the penalty box in the first half. It was the Spaniard's 10th goal of the season.
Hannover should have equalized in the second half when Didier Ya Konan set the ball back for Mohammed Abdellaoue, who blasted his shot from 16 meters (yards) to the right.
Manuel Neuer twice came to Schalke's rescue, the Germany goalkeeper denying Sergio Pinto and Emanuel Pogatetz in quick succession.
"It was really great that we could put Schalke under so much pressure," said Hannover coach Mirko Slomka. "We just didn't get deserved reward. Manuel Neuer was outstanding at times."
Schalke coach Felix Magath said he demanded a good game from his players. "In the second half we showed that we cannot only play, but fight too. The chase starts now."
Magath's side move up to 10th, with two more points than Wolfsburg, which broke a streak of seven draws in a row to finally win at Mainz.
Simon Kjaer headed in the only goal from a Diego free kick to ease the pressure on coach Steve McClaren.
Freiburg drew 1-1 with visiting Nuremberg, with Julian Schieber scoring a stunning equalizer for the visitors. Schieber volleyed a thunderous effort from the right edge of the penalty area in off the underside of the crossbar.
Bayer Leverkusen could cut the gap at the top to 11 points with a win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday, when St. Pauli travels to Hoffenheim.
 
Ribery boost for Bayern




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Updated Jan 22, 2011 11:45 AM ET
Bayern Munich have breathed a huge sigh of relief after it was revealed France star Franck Ribery should return to action within a fortnight.
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The 27-year-old limped out of Bayern's 1-1 draw with Wolfsburg with a knee injury and it was initially feared he could face a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
But he looks set to return for the Bundesliga clash against Cologne on February 5 after a scan revealed only bruising.
Ribery, who admitted feeling relieved after getting the scan results, has an outside chance of lining up against Werder Bremen next weekend.
Bayern's director of sport Christian Nerlinger said: "He will be okay for the match against Bremen but I think he will make his return against Cologne."
 
Italian Serie A Roundup, Jan. 23


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Updated Jan 23, 2011 5:20 PM ET
An own goal plus a late score from Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave Serie A leader AC Milan a 2-0 win over Cesena on Sunday to open up a four-point gap in the standings.
Cesena's Maximiliano Pelligrino scored an own goal in first-half injury time, and Ibrahimovic doubled the lead just before the final whistle.
Milan should have won by a greater margin but Cesena's former Milan goalkeeper, Francesco Antonioli, made a number of crucial saves.


"I got a good pass and saw that the goalkeeper was out of position, and I just tried to keep my shot low," Ibrahimovic said. "We have to keep our rhythm up and keep going as we have been. What we did today gives us a slight advantage, but now we have to work to extend this lead."
Milan leads with 44 points. Napoli is next after a 2-0 win at Bari. AS Roma is third, six points behind the leader, and Lazio is fourth with 37.
Udinese rallied to beat Inter Milan 3-1, inflicting coach Leonardo's first loss and leaving the defending champions nine points behind its city rival in fifth place.
Dejan Stankovic gave the Inter the lead in the 16th minute and it appeared the visitor was in total control when he went close minutes later.
However, Udinese equalized soon after through Cristian Zapata and by halftime was leading 2-1 after Antonio Di Natale scored from a free kick.
In the second half, Maurizio Domizzi added a third after the defense was again unable to clear the danger, snapping Inter's run of five straight wins under Leonardo since the Brazilian took over from Rafa Benitez in December.
"We started the match well and with the right mentality," Leonardo said. "Unfortunately we couldn't come back, but it is a difficult stadium to come to and Udinese is in great form."
At Bari, Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi diverted Edinson Cavani's free kick past goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet in the 38th minute.
Bari had to play the last 23 minutes with 10 men after Alessandro Parisi earned a second yellow card for elbowing Napoli defender Christian Maggio in the face.
Edinson Cavani wrapped up the win in the 87th with his 14th goal of the season.
Bologna, meanwhile, won 3-1 at home to Lazio.

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Sergio Floccari gave the Rome side an early lead, but Gaston Ramirez and Marco Di Vaio put the hosts in the lead by halftime.
In the second half, Lazio did little to threaten and Di Vaio added his second goal of the game in stoppage time.
Both sides finished with 10 men. Henry Giminez was sent off for Bologna and Lazio's Andre Dias earned two yellow cards.
Also Sunday, it was; Chievo Verona 0, Genoa 0; Fiorentina 1, Lecce 1 and Sampdoria 0, Juventus 0.
At the San Siro, Cesena's Ezequiel Schelotto squandered a chance by shooting straight at goalkeeper Christian Abbiati in the 17th after Luca Antonini's weak back pass had put the striker through on goal.
Milan hit back, but was continually frustrated by Antonioli. First he stopped Robinho's shot after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had played the Brazilian through, then he twice denied Ibrahimovic.
Eventually Milan's pressure paid off. Antonio Cassano chipped over the defense and, as Ibrahimovic shaped to shoot, Pelligrino took the ball off the Swede's toes but sent it into his own net.
In the second half, Antonioli continued to frustrate Milan's strikers. In the 56th, he tipped Ibrahimovic's free kick over the bar, and in the 77th he raced off his line to smother Robinho's shot.
The Swede finally scored in injury time, blasting a low shot past Antonioli.
At Udinese, Inter nearly fell behind in the ninth minute when Maicon went close to lobbing his own goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi after he had miscued a cross by Giampiero Pinzi.
Stankovic's goal appeared to settle Inter's nerves. Thiago Motta laid the ball into his path, and Stankovic shot low into the far corner.
The Serb almost doubled his tally in the 19th. Udinese's defense failed to clear a corner and Stankovic hit a volley from the edge of the area that goalkeeper Samir Handanovic saw late and pushed over the bar.
Two minutes later, Udinese was level as Inter's defensive problems began to show. The ball wasn't cleared and from just inside the area Zapata shot past Castellazzi.
Di Natale then put Udinese into the lead when he curled a free kick over the wall.
After halftime, Udinese maintained the pressure and Di Natale and Domizzi went close to extending the host's lead.
Udinese scored a deserved third in the 69th. Inter's defense was unable to clear Di Natale's free kick, Zapata headed back into the box and Domizzi reached the ball first and flicked it past Castellazzi.
"Physically we are in good shape and playing well," Di Natale said. "It is always difficult against Inter, and it is a team that will be involved in the title race right till the end. That said, we are playing well and deserved to win today."
 
Lazio won't sell Zarate to Juve




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Updated Jan 23, 2011 7:40 AM ET
Lazio president Claudio Lotito is adamant Mauro Zarate is not for sale and hopes the striker can become a club legend.
The former Birmingham forward is a reported target of Juventus, but Lazio are pushing for European qualification in Serie A this season.

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Lotito insists Zarate's future has never been in doubt and sees the 23-year-old as vital to the club's long-term plans.
"We have never put Zarate up for sale," Lotito said in a press conference. "He's part of the club's long-term heritage."
Meanwhile, Lotito admits his admiration for Sampdoria and former Tottenham full-back Reto Ziegler, but has been knocked back in his hopes to sign him.
He said of Ziegler: "He's a Sampdoria player, he's a Switzerland national team player, and it seems he's not for sale."



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  • Report Abuse turiddhu
    • 1/23/2011 9:33:01 PM
    i don't know if he'll be a legend, but zarate is a good solid player who has contributed to the good year lazio is having,letting him go now wouldn't be very smart for lotito. juve just needs better scouts.
  • Report Abuse Diosesdel10
    • 1/23/2011 6:53:43 PM
    i'm also glad to hear this as i don't want Juve to get ahold of thise Guy . this guy is a threat and could def take the #10 jersey from Del Pizzy, but im glad Lotito is saying NO>
  • Report Abuse juvieman
    • 1/23/2011 4:04:17 PM
    Boy am I glad to hear this. Who would want that selfish over rated Argie anyway
 
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