Sturridge scores as Liverpool edge through

Updated January 07, 2013 09:01:07

Daniel Sturridge scored on his Liverpool debut and Luis Suarez caused controversy, as the seven-times winners beat Mansfield Town 2-1 to reach the FA Cup fourth round.

Swansea City and Arsenal had earlier drawn 2-2 in a dramatic match at the Liberty Stadium that featured a lightning strike from substitute Michu and a dramatic three-goal flurry in the final 10 minutes.

Sturridge, signed from European champions Chelsea, took just seven minutes to open his account on a rutted Mansfield pitch that looked more like a mud field in places.

Suarez, who replaced the England striker in the 55th minute, made it 2-0 after just four minutes on the pitch but the goal triggered accusations of cheating after television replays suggested he had used his hand.

Neutrals looking for an upset were given hope when Matt Green pulled one back for the Stags in the 79th minute and Liverpool faltered.

The match ended with Liverpool under pressure, Green having a shot turned away in stoppage time and Exodus Geohaghon rattling the visitors with his immense throw-ins.

Swansea's big Spaniard Michu made an instant impact 58 minutes into the match against Arsenal when he netted 73 seconds after coming off the bench to chants of "he scores when he wants to" from a spirited Welsh crowd.

Arsenal, without any silverware since 2005 and determined not to let its best remaining chance of the season slip through its fingers, equalised through substitute Lukas Podolski in the 81st minute.

Kieran Gibbs then put the visitors 2-1 up with a volley two minutes later.

The Arsenal fans' elation was short-lived, however, with Danny Graham grabbing an equaliser from close range in the 87th minute in a frenetic final few minutes during which either side could have produced a winner.

Arsenal's Theo Walcott had the ball in the net but was ruled offside, while team-mate Laurent Koscielny fired over the bar on the rebound from a Michel Vorm save.

The winners of the replay at the Emirates will face Championship giant killers Brighton and Hove Albion, who humbled Premier League Newcastle United on Sunday morning (AEDT), in the fourth round.

Holders and European champions Chelsea, who thrashed Southampton 5-1, face lower division opponents Southend United (IV) or Brentford (III) in the next round. Liverpool now plays Oldham Athletic (III).

Swansea's clash with Arsene Wenger's trophy-starved Arsenal was a slow-burner, two passing sides sparring tentatively for much of the first half before throwing caution to the wind.

Laudrup broke the deadlock by sending on Michu, who collected a header from Nathan Dyer and muscled through the defence by lifting the ball past Per Mertesacker before calmly slotting home.

It was his third goal against Arsenal this season, after scoring twice at the Emirates in the Premier League last month.

Arsenal, who won the FA Cup in 2005, was dumped out of the League Cup on penalties by fourth-tier Bradford City.

With the North Londoners sixth in the Premier League, 18 points behind leaders Manchester United, the FA Cup looks their best chance of taking something from a highly erratic season.

Arsenal is also in Champions League contention, although far from favourites with a match against Bayern Munich looming next month in the last 16.

Reuters

Tags: english-premier, soccer, sport, united-kingdom, england

First posted January 07, 2013 07:34:46

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Refugee scores top soccer honour

By Loukas Founten

Updated October 09, 2012 08:58:16

Two years after fleeing oppression and poverty in his homeland, an Eritrean refugee has shared the top individual prize in South Australia's premier domestic soccer competition.

Alemayo Kebede was awarded the Sergio Melta Medal for best player in the state's Super League, alongside Raiders midfielder Nicholas Orr at a ceremony at the weekend.

Kebede and Orr each received 20 votes, one clear of Campbelltown City captain Vas Parhas.

It is the second time Orr has won the award in a tie, after claiming the honour in 2007 when he played for Para Hills.

For Eritrean international Kebede, the achievement completes an amazing journey after he and his national squad team-mates vanished from a tournament in Kenya, in December 2009.

The squad sought refuge in a Kenyan refugee camp, then relocated to Australia in late 2010.

After months without kicking a ball, the group arrived in Adelaide and dispersed among the local clubs.

Kebede's Croydon Kings finished top of the table this season, but bowed out in the finals series when it lost to grand finalists Adelaide City and eventual premier MetroStars.

Kebede, 25, said winning the award was a surprise.

"I've been in Australia for two years and for the first time being the best player. It was a good season for me and for my team to be champion and yeah I was really happy, even though I didn't expect it," he said.

"I was nervous, even I couldn't walk straight. It's my life, I love soccer and I played for the Eritrean national team under 17s and senior for many years. Yeah, I don't want to stop soccer, I love soccer and I would like to thank everyone, my team-mates who cared for me and encouraged me. I've been here for two years and everyone's friendly and I really enjoy it, I like this team."

The softly-spoken attacker said he had spoken with his family in Eritrea and they were extremely proud of him.

"I called them last night and they were very happy," he said.

Croydon's Mark Brazzale collected the Martyn Crook award for best coach and said Kebede had repaid the club for the work it had done to help him settle into Australian life.

"We've got him a job and we've helped him out in that way and he feels very much at home here ... and that's what we're trying to do. We're a club that's got a bit of multiculture in our club so we're trying to get everybody and have one happy family," he said.

"He's going to be here again next year so we want to build something here. We've got a lot of young guys coming through so we want to have a good side for the next two or three years and he's definitely part of our plans."

Last season two of Kebede's compatriots scored A-League contracts with the now-defunct Gold Coast United club.

Tags: refugees, human-interest, community-and-society, soccer, sa, adelaide-5000, australia, eritrea

First posted October 09, 2012 08:55:56

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Henry scores winner on Arsenal return

Updated January 10, 2012 09:11:29

Thierry Henry needed just over 10 minutes to mark his Arsenal return with the winning goal as Leeds United was edged out 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup third round on Tuesday morning.

The former France international, 34, left the Gunners in June 2007 as the club's record goal-scorer and returned last week on a two-month loan from New York Red Bulls.

He could hardly have made a more impressive comeback, showing his colleagues how to finish after Leeds, currently eighth in the Championship, held out stubbornly until the 79th minute, 11 minutes after Henry had come on to a rapturous welcome from the home fans.

It was his 227th Gunners goal and Arsenal's reward is a fourth round tie at home to Aston Villa.

Henry will probably start that one, as well as be involved in Champions League fixtures.

"It's kind of weird, I only came back from holiday in Mexico 15 days ago, I never thought I was going to be playing for Arsenal again and then score the winner," Henry said after the match.

"The feeling I had when I scored was amazing, I've rejoined the club as a fan, I just wanted to come and help the team, and then I end up as man of the match - it wasn't my plan to be a hero.

"I'll always remember tonight. When it comes to Arsenal, something happens to me."

The 1998 World Cup winner settled a game that was a repeat of the draw for the same round last season, which saw Leeds come within a handful of seconds from winning at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsene Wenger had allowed captain and top scorer Robin van Persie to take a holiday, with Marouane Chamakh taking his place up front before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Otherwise it was close to being as strong a starting line-up as a series of injuries to defenders would allow, with Wojciech Szczesny, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Song, Andrey Arshavin and captain for the night Mikel Arteta all included.

Henry, as expected, began on the bench, as did Theo Walcott, the inheritor of the number 14 shirt the Frenchman left behind four-and-a-half years ago when he decamped to Barcelona.

An early error by Leeds defender Aidan White allowed Chamakh to give Arshavin a clear sight of goal but the Russian blasted his shot well over Andy Lonergan's crossbar.

Sebastien Squillaci headed just wide from an Arteta free-kick in the 15th minute before Aaron Ramsey fired over on the run from the next attack. Ramsey twice went close in the next five minutes, with Arteta also sending a low drive just wide.

Leeds replied with a shot from Mika Vayrynen that bounced back off Laurent Koscielny to Luciano Becchio, who fired over to the obvious chagrin of Simon Grayson, the Leeds manager.

Arsenal's defensive problems increased when Francis Coquelin, playing at right-back, pulled up with a hamstring injury and had to be replaced by 18-year-old Nico Yennaris in the 33rd minute.

The second half began with a run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a shot that went wide and Arshavin failed to hit the target with a first-time effort from Ignasi Miquel's diagonal ball forward.

Still Arsenal came forward in search of unlocking a packed Leeds defence. Lonergan was required to dive to his left to keep out Arteta's shot after Chamakh had set him up before Arshavin fired across goal and just wide.

Lonergan was required again, to beat away Oxlade-Chamberlain's drive from distance as Henry prepared to make his 68th-minute entrance, along with Walcott.

Henry's magic moment arrived in the 79th minute and it was a finish typical of the player in his previous prime.

Song played the ball forward, Henry timed his run behind the Leeds back-line perfectly and slotted across Lonergan before embarking on a lively celebration in front of his manager.

Leeds did not give up and Arsenal required a smart save from Szczesny in stoppage time to deny substitute Mikael Forssell.

AFP

Tags: sport, english-premier, soccer, england

First posted January 10, 2012 08:46:31

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Silva scores for Milan

AC Milan's Brazilian defender Thiago Silva (right) is congratulated by team-mate Clarence Seedorf (left) after scoring during the 2-2 Champions League draw at the Nou Camp on September 13, 2011.

Tags: champions-league, soccer, sport, spain, italy

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Simon scores the winner for the Matildas

Published:Thursday, July 7, 2011 6:57 AEST

Australia's Kyah Simon scores the winning goal in a 2-1 women's World Cup Group D victory over Norway in Leverkusen on July 6, 2011.

Tags: sport, football

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Record-breaker Ronaldo scores 40th goal

Updated May 22, 2011 11:57:00

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo set a La Liga record of 40 goals in a season when he netted twice in a 8-1 rout of Almeria.

The Portuguese former World Player of the Year bundled in at the far post after only four minutes at the Bernabeu, taking him past the previous best mark of 38 jointly held by Hugo Sanchez and Telmo Zarra.

Former Real striker Sanchez bagged his tally in the 1989/90 campaign and ex-Athletic Bilbao frontman Zarra in 1950/51.

Ronaldo ran from deep to fire a long-range shot low inside the far post in the 77th minute and had a hand in three more goals as his team-mates Emmanuel Adebayor scored three, Karim Benzema two and Joselu one.

"This record is for the team and for the fans," the 26-year-old told Spanish television after the side's last game of the season.

"I'm generous with my colleagues because they are with me. This is a team game.

"I thank them for the 40 goals, which was the objective for everyone."

A run of 11 goals in Real's last four league games made it 53 scored in all competitions this season, including six in the Champions League and seven in the King's Cup, where he netted the winner in the final against Barcelona.

Ronaldo's second against Almeria took him past the 52 scored in all competitions this year by Barcelona's World Player of the Year Lionel Messi.

The Argentine has next weekend's Champions League final against Manchester United still to play this season.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, football, football-spain, spain

First posted May 22, 2011 08:41:00

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Tevez scores against Stoke

Published:Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:46 AEST

Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez celebrates scoring against Stoke City during their English Premier League match in Manchester on May 17, 2011.

Tags: sport, football, english-premier-league, united-kingdom, england

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Dzeko scores as City sinks Rovers

Updated April 26, 2011 07:30:00

Edin Dzeko's first Premier League goal earned Manchester City a 1-0 win over Blackburn on Tuesday morning which strengthened his team's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

City was heading for a disappointing draw against its relegation-threatened hosts when substitute Dzeko, who had only been on the pitch three minutes, finished well after the Rovers defence failed to clear a dangerous ball by David Silva in the 75th minute.

It sent City four points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham in the race for the Champions League and increased Blackburn's relegation worries.

Rovers will feel hard done by but they have now won just three times in 17 league attempts under manager Steve Kean.

This was hardly a vintage City performance but Roberto Mancini's side are now clear favourites to clinch the fourth and final Champions League spot.

They could even overtake fast-fading Arsenal, which currently occupies third, after moving to within five points of Arsene Wenger's side with a game in hand.

Since its previous appearance on the Premier League stage, a miserable 3-0 defeat at Liverpool, City has closed in on its first piece of major silverware for 35 years by reaching the FA Cup final.

And Mancini kept faith with the team that overcame neighbours Manchester United in the semi-final as City looked to end a three-match losing run on the road in the league.

Blackburn, which started just above the relegation zone, desperately needed a win after taking just four points out of a possible 27.

Yet Rovers almost found themselves behind as early as the third minute when Spanish international Silva let fly with a sweetly-struck left-foot volley which crashed against the post with keeper Paul Robinson beaten.

Robinson was almost embarrassed by Aleksandar Kolarov in the 10th minute, the Serbian full-back's speculative 35-yard effort dipping narrowly wide of the target.

With its 10-season stay in the top-tier in jeopardy, Blackburn, which recalled former City striker Benjani Mwaruwari to the side, needed to seize the initiative.

But despite claims for a penalty after Vincent Kompany's challenge on Jason Roberts, they lacked the cutting edge to seriously trouble City keeper Joe Hart.

His biggest test in a first half of few chances came from David Dunn's 31st minute free kick which posed few problems for the England keeper.

However, City survived a major 41st minute scare when Blackburn defender Chris Samba outjumped both Kolarov and Gareth Barry to connect with Michel Salgado's cross to power a header just wide.

Whatever Mancini said to his players at half-time appeared to have an impact as the visitors came close to breaking the deadlock inside the opening minute of the second half.

Silva, who was at the heart of his team's best moves, clipped in a cross from the left for Yaya Toure whose header was tipped over the bar by Robinson.

But Blackburn's poor start was a distant memory when Martin Olsson volleyed into the side-netting after Brett Emerton's cross flashed off the head of Jason Roberts into the path of the advancing Swede.

But a game lacking in real quality was settled 15 minutes from time when Dzeko, making his 10th league appearance since joining for 27 million pounds ($41.55m) from Wolfsburg in January, let fly from 10-yards after Silva's shot was cleared into his path.

First posted April 26, 2011 07:16:00

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