Snak

Trezeguet unveiled in Rosario as life goes on

David Trezeguet was today presented as a Newell’s Old Boys player in the aftermath of Ignacio Scocco’s move to Internacional. After one of the most successful season’s Trezeguet steps into some big shoes and expectations will be high if Newell’s are to maintain the high standards that they have set for themselves.

After his knee surgery earlier in the year, River Plate quickly informed the World Cup winning striker that he would not be in the squad for the forthcoming Torneo Inicial and so for the past few weeks Trezeguet has been entertaining several offers from a host of clubs in Argentina. Newell’s Old Boys have been delayed in the transfer market as a result of their season being elongated due to the Copa Libertadores, but with leading scorer, Nacho Scocco signing for Brasilian club, Internacional, they have moved quickly to acquire a fresh source of goals.

Trezeguet has been quick to make a distinction between himself and Scocco, stating that “Nacho had other features to mine.” He added: “What he did for Newell’s will always be remembered, and with other features I hope to do the same.”

That is certainly true. Trezeguet will not cover as much ground as Scocco, running into the channels and he certainly will not score all the types of goals that Scocco plundered in his short spell back at Newell’s. However, Trezeguet offers a focal point of their attacks and a target for their wide men to look for. This does also present a good opportunity for youngster, Maxi Urruti who will look to function perhaps more in the mold of Scocco, or perhaps as provider and link up with the veteran centre forward.

Scocco’s 30 goals in 44 games in his second spell at the club has been very impressive and will undoubtedly be missed. If Newell’s are to achieve any where near the level of success someone is going to need to step into the spotlight.

Trist nyhed fra Brasilien. Djalma Santos - VM-vinder 1958 og 1962 - er død i en alder af 84 år. Det var en lungebetændelse, som fældede Palmeiras-backen. Djalma Santos var en af de spillere, som var med til at udvikle positionen som back til at indeholde en masse offensive opgaver frem for bare at stå nede og forsvare.

Vagner Love tager en tur til Kina:

Vágner Love joins Shandong Luneng

Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng have officially announced via the club´s official site the signing of CSKA Moscow´s forward Vágner Love.

The transfer fee has not been disclosed, but the club have announced that the negotiations were complicating, lasting three months to be finalized.

The Chinese club highlighted his successful career at Flamengo and CSKA Moscow, as well as at the Brazilian national team, having won the 2004 and 2007 Copa América titles.

Vágner Love had returned to CSKA Moscow in January, as Flamengo´s new board refused to pay the remaining installments to complete his transfer to the rubro-negro.

He had failed to perform well for the club in a consistent basis, besides having strong connections with the previous Flamengo board.

Santos´ unge stjerne afviser Tottenham

Santos forward Neilton plays down Tottenham rumours

Santos striker Neilton has played down rumours of a move to Tottenham after revealing he has had no contact from the Premier League club.

The Brazilian youngster, who has been dubbed the ´new Neymar´, has attracted attention from Europe in recent months, with reports claiming that Spurs were ready to make a £7 million offer.

However, the 19-year-old has refused to be drawn on the reports and insisted that he is focusing only on his current club and not a move to White Hart Lane, as reported on Sky Sports.

"Nothing has come in. I saw the news and I have a contract with Santos until next year," Neilton told UOL.

Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues also revealed that the club are looking to extent the youngster´s current deal beyond 2014.

"There are already talks to renew his contract," he also told UOL.

"They have started and we have scheduled a meeting already.

"We intend to extend his contract, we will talk with his agent and see if we can find something that is good for him and for Santos."

Neilton, who is a winger by trade but can also play up front, has made himself a regular in the Santos starting XI in recent weeks following the sale of Neymar to Barcelona.

Olimpia møder udhvilet op til aftenens Copa Libertadores-finale mod Atlético Mineiro. Hjemmeholdets fans gjorde ellers alt for at forstyrre gæsternes nattesøvn med masser af fyrværkeri, båthorn og slagsange uden for et hotel i Belo Horizonte. Eneste problem var at de snu paraguyanere overnattede et helt andet sted. Olimpia havde lugtet lunten og skiftede hotel til allersidst. Det var klogt:
http://www.youtube.com/w…re=youtu.be

Nogen der ser finalen nu???

Tillykke til Atlético Mineiro med sejren i Copa Libertadores. 2-0 hjemme på Mineirão betød 2-2 i den samlede stilling, og hele potten skulle derefter afgøres fra pletten. Her hev Victor endnu en nøgleredning ud af ærmet på paraguayanerens første forsøg. Den føring slap Atlético ikke, og finalesejren kom til at lyde på 4-3.

Det har siden kvartfinalen holdt hårdt, men "O Galo" har godt anført af et suverænt hjemmepublikum trukket det længste strå hjemme på Independência/Mineirão.

Nu hedder det VM for klubhold til december. Spændende om Atlético kan holde på spillere som Bernard, som flirter kraftigt med Arsenal. Ronaldinho er også rygtet til tyrkisk fodbold, men mon ikke at klubben finder pengene til at både Bernard og Ronaldinho bliver et halvt år mere i Atlético

Castillo sees Gold Cup benefits for young El Salvador

BALTIMORE – After his youthful side was defeated Sunday by the United States 5-1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals, El Salvador head coach Agustin Castillo was realistic in assessing the game and its larger meaning.

"There were a lot of lessons that somebody can learn from this game," noted the 50-year-old Peruvian during a post-match press conference. "We´re a young team. We have a lot of young players. There is a lot to be developed, not only from the player point of view, but as a team, as a national team."

Then, Castillo gave his opponent its due.

"One also has to recognize the level of the United States because we hadn´t seen this type of level in any of the other games," he said.

Castillo was pleased with the opportunities his Central American side created, but was disappointed in that it could not finish more goals.

"It was a tough game," he continued. "It was a game that had a lot of ups and downs for us. The U.S. was a very good. They were very consistent. When we had our good moments, we were unable to find the back of the net and that´s what made the difference.

"In a game like this, everybody needed to sacrifice.”

Striker Rodolfo Zelaya enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring each of El Salvador´s four goals. He converted a 39th minute penalty kick that earned himself on Sunday. His cup performance could have potential suitors form a line for the 25-year-old, who most recently played for Alania Vladikavkaz (Russia) while on loan from Alianza in his native country.

"I’m happy with the tournament I’m playing personally, and I still have six months left in my contract,” Zelaya said. “We will see what happens after the Gold Cup, the goal of every Salvadoran player is to play abroad and I hope there is a chance.”

Castillo admitted he was pleasantly surprised by the support of the tens of thousands of Salvadoran fans from the sellout crowd of 70,540 who journeyed from Washington, D.C. and the Virginia suburbs and other cities along the east coast to watch their heroes perform.

"Absolutely," said the former FAS head coach. "Not only surprised but very thankful to the fans who showed up today. When we had the good moments on the field, you could feel the crowd really getting behind them really nicely.

”I am looking forward to continue developing this team and perhaps playing another Gold Cup with what this crowd that has given to this national team."

Tillykke til Atlético Mineiro med sejren i Copa Libertadores. 2-0 hjemme på Mineirão betød 2-2 i den samlede stilling, og hele potten skulle derefter afgøres fra pletten. Her hev Victor endnu en nøgleredning ud af ærmet på paraguayanerens første forsøg. Den føring slap Atlético ikke, og finalesejren kom til at lyde på 4-3.

Det har siden kvartfinalen holdt hårdt, men "O Galo" har godt anført af et suverænt hjemmepublikum trukket det længste strå hjemme på Independência/Mineirão.

Nu hedder det VM for klubhold til december. Spændende om Atlético kan holde på spillere som Bernard, som flirter kraftigt med Arsenal. Ronaldinho er også rygtet til tyrkisk fodbold, men mon ikke at klubben finder pengene til at både Bernard og Ronaldinho bliver et halvt år mere i Atlético

Imponerende, jeg frygtede lidt de ikke holdt hele vejen igennem, Cuca er ikke verdens største træner. Angående Bernard, så håber jeg de bibeholder ham til og med december - det vil iøvrigt være tåbeligt at sælge ham til Arsenal, de magter slet ikke at håndtere latinamerikanske talenter og Bernard har et alt for stort talent til at lade Wenger ødelægge det. POrto vil være et bedre bud.

USA er i Gold cup finalen efter at have besejret Honduras...

Donovan leads U.S. into fifth straight Gold Cup final

http://www.youtube.com/w…7xpPjbo2070

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Landon Donovan scored two goals and set up a third, leading the United States into the CONCACAF Gold Cup final for the fifth consecutive time, recording a 3-1 victory over Honduras on Wednesday.

The four-time Gold Cup champion U.S., which will participate in its ninth Gold Cup championship game, will play the winner of the second game of the doubleheader between Mexico and Panama at Soldier Field in Chicago Sunday.

The three goals scored by the Americans were the most they have scored in a Gold Cup semifinal. It also was the third time the U.S. defeated Honduras in the semifinals, having won in 2005 and 2009.

U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann was dismissed from the bench by referee Walter Quesada after spiking the ball to the ground forcibly to protest a foul by a Honduran player on captain DaMarcus Beasley with three minutes left in regulation time.

Eddie Johnson lifted the Americans into a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute at Cowboys Stadium. The scoring sequence began when central defender Clarence Goodson fed Donovan in the midfield. Donovan then slotted a ball to the charging Johnson, who broke into the penalty area and fired a right-footed shot from six yards past goalkeeper Donis Escober.

The goal was Johnson´s third career Gold Cup goal and second of the tournament. He netted only 14 seconds after coming on as a substitute in a 5-1 win over El Salvador in Baltimore on Sunday.

Donovan, the only U.S. player to have played every minute entering the match, got on the scoresheet in the 27th minute. This time, Alejandro Bedoya fed Donovan, who tapped the ball past Escober from eight yards for a two-goal advantage. It was Donovan´s record 17th career Gold Cup goal. He also has found the back of the net in five of his past six Gold Cup matches.

Diego Reyes had the Hondurans´ lone shot on net in the opening half, smashing a 25-yard effort that was caught by goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the 29th minute.

U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden enjoyed an active first half. He launched a long-distance effort that sailed wide right in the seventh minute and fired an 18-yard shot over the crossbar in the 18th minute.

The Americans pushed for a third goal in the second half. Bedoya´s close-range shot on the right side was knocked away by Escober´s left hand and Johnson headed wide left, both in the 50th minute.

The Hondurans cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 52nd minute. Marvin Chavez sliced in a free kick for Nery Medina to head past Rimando into the right corner. Nine players have scored the last nine Honduran goals in the Gold Cup.

Seconds later, the U.S. restored its two-goal bulge with Donovan´s second goal of the match. Goodson again started the sequence with a long ball from the back to Bedoya on the right side of the penalty area. The 26-year-old midfielder crossed the ball to an open Donovan, who had an easy tap-in from close range for a 3-1 American advantage. Donovan´s fifth goal of the competition tied him for the scoring lead with teammate Chris Wondolowski and Panama´s Gabriel Torres.

Donovan finally got an opportunity to rest when he was replaced by Wondolowski in the 72nd minute.