Snak

Tottenham tried to sign Pato, claim Corinthians

Corinthians have revealed that they received an eleventh hour offer for Alexandre Pato, from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Pato returned to Brazil earlier this year, after spending close to six seasons with AC Milan in Italy.

Since his return his performances have earned him a recall to the Brazil squad, and this seems to have alerted clubs from Europe who may want to tempt him back.

Spurs and their manager Andre Vilas-Boas have a long standing interest in another striker based in Brazil, Internacional´s Leandro Damião, but continually fail to land the centre forward.

Internacional’s steadfast refusal to sell may have caused the North London club to look elsewhere for striking options.

The interest in Pato could be seen as a surprise, but Tottenham have struggled in past seasons to find a reliable centre forward other than Jermaine Defoe, and it’s thought that Pato would have provided competition for new signing Roberto Soldado.

efter små 18 timers søvn - må de var tide at melde sig på banen igen....

FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Colombia 1 Ecuador 0

http://www.youtube.com/w…FOoVxvz9WOE

Colombia became the second South American nation to qualify for the World
Cup after a 1-0 victory against 10-man Ecuador in Barranquilla.

An early red card to Ecuador defender Gabriel Achilier changed the match with James Rodriguez scoring the only goal of the game for the hosts, finishing off Monaco teammate Radamel Falcao´s parried shot as Colombia joined Argentina as confirmed participants in Brazil 2014.

But Ecuador missed a golden opportunity to equalise in the second half with captain Walter Ayovi firing his penalty wide of the target.

It was a free-flowing contest early with Ecuador´s Jefferson Montero having the first meaningful effort on goal as he stung the palms of Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina from long range.

Falcao was gradually starting to work his way into the game and the France-based striker should have given Colombia the lead on 24 minutes when he headed Pablo Armero´s chip straight at Ecuador goalkeeper Maximo Banguera from close range.

The match-defining moment came in the 28th minute when Ecuador central defender Achilier was given a straight red for dragging down Teo Gutierrez as the Colombian streamed through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Colombia made their advantage count just two minutes later as Falcao´s long-range shot was parried by Banguera before Rodriguez rolled the ball into the net with the Ecuadorian shot-stopper sprawled on the ground.

There was a major delay in starting the second half with floodlight issues preventing play from resuming for 20 minutes as rain poured down.

With the man advantage, the Colombians dominated possession in the second-half but the away side had a golden opportunity to level the contest just after the hour mark.

After Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia was fouled in the penalty area, Ayovi stepped up to give Ecuador a chance at stealing a result but inexplicably curled his penalty wide with Colombia´s goalkeeper diving in the other direction.

Barely a minute later, Gutierrez should have doubled Colombia´s lead but somehow managed to chest the ball against the post from point-blank range, although it mattered little as the home side held on for victory.

With Argentina and Colombia safely through to next year´s showpiece event, Ecuador remain in third position, five points clear of the fifth-place play-off position currently occupied by Uruguay.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Paraguay 4 Bolivia 0


http://www.youtube.com/w…s7o4cpRDZ_w


Paraguay have thrashed Bolivia 4-0 in Asuncion to move off the bottom of South America´s World Cup qualifying standings.

Victor Ayala was brilliant for the victors, setting up the first and third goals for Paraguay, as they leapfrogged Bolivia into eighth on the CONMEBOL table and moved within five points of fifth.

Paraguay hit the front in just the 16th minute on Friday when Ayala got free on the right wing and whipped a cross towards the six-yard box.

Bolivia´s goalkeeper Sergio Galarza, who had a terrible game, missed the cross as he dived to push it away, which allowed Paraguayan attacking midfielder Jonathan Fabbro to take a touch before side-footing the ball into the net.

Ayala and Fabbro both almost doubled Paraguay´s lead just before the half-hour mark with the former bursting through Bolivia´s defence before Galarza saved at his feet, while Fabbro´s shot on the rebound was headed off the line by the visitors´ captain Ronald Raldes.

Fabbro continued his fine first period when his 30-yard strike was tipped over the bar by Galarza just before the break but Paraguay finally doubled their lead two minutes after half-time.

Miguel Samudio´s wicked left-wing cross picked out Roque Santa Cruz in the penalty area and the Paraguayan captain looped his header perfectly over Galarza and into the top corner of the net.

Bolivia seemed more positive in the second half and just before the hour mark Marcelo Martins unleashed a bicycle kick, which Antony Silva was able to hold onto in Paraguay´s goal.

Ayala continued to be Paraguay´s best outlet for goal-scoring opportunities with the 25-year-old right winger setting up Arnaldo Sanabria in the 70th minute but the substitute volleyed wide at the near post.

But Paraguay made their dominance count 10 minutes later when Richard Ortiz played a one-two with Santa Cruz to carve open Bolivia´s defence and the former scored.

It was 4-0 in the 84th minute as Galarza flapped at another fine corner from Ayala and Paraguayan defender Gustavo Gomez headed home at the back post.

The victory means Paraguay are still well in the hunt for fifth position in South America, which carries with it a spot in a two-legged play-off versus the Asian Football Confederation´s fifth-placed team for a berth at next year´s World Cup finals.

With four games remaining in CONMEBOL´s World Cup qualifying, Paraguay have 11 points, while fifth-placed Uruguay have 16.

Venezuela sit behind Uruguay on goal difference in sixth, while Peru are seventh on 14 points.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Chile 3 Venezuela 0

http://www.youtube.com/w…7rJOs566paE

Chile has edged closer to World Cup qualification with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Venezuela in Santiago.

It was all the home side from the start with Eduardo Vargas opening the scoring before Marcos Gonzalez scrambled the second goal before the break.

The Venezuelans fought valiantly in the second-half but could not find that elusive goal to get back in the contest as Chile ended the match through Arturo Vidal´s late header.

Chile dominated their opponents from the outset with Barcelona attacker Alexis Sanchez and playmaker Jorge Valdivia linking up regularly.

Valdivia created the first goal in the 11th minute with a superb chipped pass to Vargas in the penalty area, who controlled the ball, swivelled and rolled his shot past Venezuelan goalkeeper Daniel Hernandez.

Mario Rondon had Venezuela´s best chance of the half on 19 minutes as he blasted into the stands after finding himself goal-side of his markers.

But Chile doubled their advantage when Hernandez parried Arturo Vidal´s bullet header to the feet of Gonzalez and the full-back dispatched the rebound into the net on 30 minutes.

Venezuela thought they had pulled a goal back early in the second-half but Rondon´s header was controversially disallowed by the referee with no foul apparent on the replays.

Vargas should have finished the game off in the 60th minute but he somehow managed to head Sanchez´s back post cross wide with the goal gaping.

Sanchez´s pinpoint delivery eventually created the third goal as his looped cross was headed home by a diving Vidal in the dying stages of the match.

Chile move into third place in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualification standings and are now eight points clear of fifth-placed side Uruguay, who occupy the play-off position but have two games in hand.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Peru 1 Uruguay 2

http://www.youtube.com/w…lCyYfiGAghk

Luis Suarez will dominate the headlines after a two controversial incidents helped earn Uruguay a win in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.

The Uruguayans cemented their hold on fifth-place in CONMEBOL´s standings after a 2-1 win over 10-man Peru in Lima.

Suarez scored the opening goal from the penalty spot after going down easily in the area after a challenge by his marker.

The Liverpool striker then created more controversy by falling to the ground after minimal contact from Victor Yotun´s challenge that saw the Peruvian defender given a straight red card.

There was still more to come as Suarez completed his brace by smashing the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

The home side did ensure a nervy last few minutes for Uruguay after Jefferson Farfan´s superb, curling free kick in the 84th minute but the visitors held on for victory.

Peru started the better of the two sides with Claudio Pizarro firing their best chance straight at Uruguay custodian Fernando Muslera after 12 minutes.

Uruguayan captain Diego Lugano was then lucky not to be sent off a few minutes later after a flying elbow against Jefferson Farfan was deemed only a free-kick.

Enter Suarez, who appeared to dive in winning the penalty for his first goal on 43 minutes before he reacted theoretically to minor contact from Yotun that saw the defender sent off four minutes later.

Peru was subject to waves of attacks in the second-half with Suarez and Edinson Cavani linking up menacingly to provide regular threats on the home side´s goal.

It was poetic that Suarez provided the final blow to Peru, as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area and drove a brilliant shot into the roof of net in the 67th minute leaving goalkeeper Raul Fernandez no chance.

Farfan´s brilliant dead-ball strike from outside the area gave Peru hope but they couldn´t find an equaliser.

The Peruvian fans showed their disgust by throwing objects from the stands at Suarez in the latter stages of the game, upset at the performance of the striker, who was a surprise starter in the Uruguayan first eleven after a lack of match practice.

Suarez, who became Uruguay´s all-time top scorer with his two strikes, is currently serving a 10-match ban for Liverpool in the English Premier League after biting Chelsea´s Branislav Ivanovic last season.

Three points for Uruguay saw them hold a game in hand and a three-point gap over sixth-placed Venezuela with a possible play-off for a World Cup position looming against either Jordan or Uzbekistan from Asia if they maintain fifth spot.

Markarian slams referee after Uruguay loss

Peru head coach Sergio Markarian believes referee Patricio Loustau should not go to the FIFA World Cup after his side lost to Uruguay.

Loustau oversaw Peru´s 2-1 defeat in Lima in the South American qualification section on Friday, awarding a controversial penalty for a foul on Luis Suarez before sending off defender Yoshimar Yotun in unclear circumstances shortly after for a foul on the Liverpool striker.



http://www.youtube.com/w…-JUOBSzWgJs


And although Makarian admitted his player had acted stupidly, he feels Argentine official Loustau´s decision to reduce his side to 10 men before half-time was soft.

"I´ll do my best to make this World Cup referee not go because I´m not ashamed to say it was totally decisive," said the 68-year-old.

"What Yotun did was silly but I´ve seen worse, like elbows or double uncollected simulations that go unpunished."

Peru are now five points behind Uruguay, who occupy the fifth-place play-off position in the CONMEBOL qualifying pool.

Costa Rica 3-1 United States: American winning streak snapped

http://www.youtube.com/w…TMlvoltTu8g

The venue may have changed, but the U.S. men´s national team´s fortunes in Costa Rica haven´t improved one bit.

The United States saw its 12-game winning streak snapped Friday with a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica at the Estadio Nacional — not vaunted Saprissa of past cycles. Johnny Acosta, Celso Borges and Joel Campbell struck for the Ticos, while Clint Dempsey converted a penalty kick for the visitors.

The Americans were dealt a tough blow before the match even began, with midfield stalwart Michael Bradley limping off the field following warm-ups and being replaced in the lineup by Geoff Cameron.

Matters didn´t get any better once the game started. Costa Rica didn´t wait to put the United States under pressure, with Bryan Ruiz getting behind the American defense in the second minute but having his close-range effort pushed aside by Tim Howard.

It ultimately mattered not, as the Ticos scored on the subsequent corner kick. Making a near post run, Acosta nodded a shot that glanced off the head of DaMarcus Beasley, who was manning the post, and found net.

Just seven minutes later, Costa Rica doubled its advantage. Overpowering Beasley, Borges charged onto a service from Christian Bolanos and headed a shot home. After falling behind 2-0 just 13 minutes into their 3-1 World Cup qualifying loss at Saprissa in 2009, the Americans were down by that margin after nine minutes Friday.

The Americans pulled one back three minutes before intermission. Running onto a chip from Graham Zusi, Fabian Johnson and goalkeeper Keylor Navas collided at the top of the box, leading the referee to point to spot. Going for power over placement, Dempsey in his 100th cap hit his penalty off Navas and in.

In the 57th minute, Dempsey nearly got the equalizer when his bid from beyond the box rang the post.

But Costa Rica got its insurance goal in the 75th minute when Campbell ran onto a clearance, outran Matt Besler and slotted a shot that slipped through Howard´s legs.

The United States (4-2-1) resumes qualifying Tuesday with a crucial match against rival Mexico in Columbus, Ohio. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann´s side will be without Besler, Cameron and Jozy Altidore, who were suspended with yellow cards received Friday.

Mexico 1-2 Honduras: Los Catrachos stun hosts at Estadio Azteca


http://www.youtube.com/w…d63l23HhIKI


It´s not how you start, it´s how you finish.

And for Mexico, the end was a nightmare.

After looking like the CONCACAF power it had been only a year ago, scoring an early goal and dominating Honduras in the first half, El Tri fell apart after halftime and suffered a stunning 2-1 defeat at Estadio Azteca in World Cup qualifying on Friday night.

Oribe Peralta gave Mexico the lead just six minutes in, but Jerry Bengston and Carlos Costly scored within a three-minute span midway through the second half to give Mexico only its second home loss in 78 World Cup qualifying matches.

As things stand now, El Tri is out of position to earn an automatic World Cup spot as it sits behind the United States, Costa Rica and Honduras in fourth place of the Hexagonal standings. To make things worse, El Tri will visit the Americans Tuesday night in Columbus, Ohio.

The top-three finishers qualify for the World Cup, while the fourth-place squad will play a one-game playoff against Oceania champion New Zealand for a spot in Brazil next summer.

Mexico, which has qualified for the last six World Cups, has been on a cold streak that started after the nation won gold at the London Olympics over a year ago. El Tri is winless through its first seven games of the Hexagonal, losing twice and drawing five. including three scoreless ties at home.

Desperate to keep his job, Mexico coach Jose Manuel de la Torre made a bold move against the Central Americans by benching striker Javier ´Chicharito´ Hernandez, who recently returned from a hamstring injury. Peralta got the call up front in the Manchester United star´s place, and he was the one shining star for El Tri.

In just the sixth minute, Peralta would end Mexico´s scoring drought at home thanks to the speed of Giovani Dos Santos, who blew by an unbalanced Honduras defense to find his streaking teammate on the right to knock in his seventh career international goal.

El Tri looked like a team on a mission throughout the rest of the first half despite not creating any further scoring opportunities before halftime. With 68 percent of the possession through 45 minutes, it was apparent that Honduras, which rallied from two down late to tie Mexico in the previous meeting between the two teams in the Hex, would need another miracle to stun the home crowd.

And Los Catrachos once again handled the pressure.

Well into the second half, searching for their first scoring chance of the match, Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suárez tossed Jerry Bengston onto the pitch and the momentum would swing in the visiting team´s direction for the remainder of the match.

In the 64th minute, Honduras delivered a long free kick into the box that was handled by Oscar Boniek García, who fired a left-footed shot on goal. Goalkeeper Jesus Corona couldn´t control the rebound and Bengston was the man on the spot to knock it in.

It was Honduras´ first away goal in the Hex, but it wouldn´t be its last. Three minutes later, Costly took advantage of a long clearance and fired a low shot into the far corner.

Mexico did all it could to get back in the game and possibly save its coach´s job, but the best it could do was hit the post with just minutes remaining. In fact, it was Honduras which had the last chance of the match as Costly missed a wide-open net just to the right of the post.

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Wrap: Panama held to draw

Panama have missed the opportunity to move into fourth in CONCACAF´s World Cup standings after a scoreless draw with Jamaica.

With Mexico suffering a shock 2-1 loss at home against Honduras, Panama could have claimed fourth position with victory against Jamaica but they failed to test the visitor´s goalkeeper often enough to triumph.

Panama had 62 per cent possession in Friday´s match at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez and took 15 shots to Jamaica´s seven.

While the visitors failed to hit the target throughout the 90 minutes, Panama hardly did any better with Jamaica goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts only required to make two saves for the match.

The draw leaves Panama in fifth spot in the standings in CONCACAF´s fourth and final round of World Cup qualifying.

Panama trail Mexico by one point with the latter sitting in CONCACAF´s play-off position, which would require the Mexicans to play New Zealand over two legs for a spot at next year´s World Cup finals.

Mexico led after five minutes at the Estadio Azteca but two goals in three second-half minutes from Jerry Bengtson and Carlos Costly gave Honduras an historic first-ever away victory over the Mexicans.

Honduras´ triumph means Mexico are winless in four home games in CONCACAF´s fourth round of qualifying.

In the other match, Costa Rica defeated the United States 3-1 to claim top spot in CONCACAF´s standings.

Jhonny Acosta and Celso Borges both scored in the opening 10 minutes at San Jose´s Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica and although the USA pulled a goal back just before half-time thanks to a Clint Dempsey penalty, the home side clinched victory through Joel Campbell´s 75th-minute goal.

De la Torre sacked by Mexico

Mexico manager Jose Manuel de la Torre has been sacked following the 2-1 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to Honduras.

Saturday´s loss was their first in a home qualifier since 2001 and saw them lose ground on the automatic qualifying spots.

Mexico sit two points behind third-placed Honduras with three games to go, and currently occupy a position that would only be good enough for an intercontinental play-off place.

Their recent performances in qualifying matches - they had won one of their previous six, drawing the other five - had brought criticism of the manager and their first defeat of the campaign saw him lose his job after two years at the helm.

Oribe Peralta opened the scoring in the fifth minute against Honduras but goals from Jerry Bengtson and Carlos Costly saw the visitors leapfrog Mexico in the group.

A statement on the Mexican Football Association´s website confirmed that the 47-year-old had been relieved of his duties.

De la Torre had been in charge of the national side since 2011, including reaching the Round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup