Snak

Mexico U17s bounce back with win over Iraq

http://www.youtube.com/w…IcduNWZdV9g

Following the humiliating defeat at the hands of Nigeria some days ago, Mexico’s youngsters were in desperate need of a win. Thankfully, the win over Iraq earlier has meant that the current holders are still in the competition ahead of the final group game against Sweden.

A much improved first half performance saw Club America youngster, Alejandro Diaz head El Tri in front. Less than 10 minutes later, the lead was doubled. A long throw into the box created confusion and Jose Almanza was able to fire the ball into the net.

The level of performance fell off in the second half and Iraq pulled a goal back but Captain, Ulises Rivas ensured the win with a good finish from the edge of the box.

A win against Sweden on Friday would ensure that Mexico progress to the next stage, with Group F looking very tight going into the final round.

Argentina U17s earn crucial win over Austria

http://www.youtube.com/w…XGiXEtBFOJc

Argentina are now in pole position to top Group E in the Under 17 World Cup following a dramatic, late 3-2 win against Austria. Leonardo Suarez expertly netted the winner with minutes remaining to leave Argentina top with a game against Canada remaining.

Following the disappointing 1-1 draw against Iran in the opener, Argentina needed a positive result in their second game.

Things did not start well, with Austria taking the lead after half an hour, hitting Argentina on the break. Augusto Batalla saved well initially but Nikola Zivotic was on hand to put Austria in front.

Argentina were level before the break thanks to Joaquín Ibañez’s firm header and shortly after half time they were leading. Germán Ferreyra’s weak flick at the near post managed to squirm past Alexander Schlager.

With 10 minutes remaining, Austria equalised when Tobias Pellegrini tapped in Daniel Ripic’s cutback.

However, with the game heading for another draw, Boca Juniors’ Leonardo Suarez got on the end of a long hoof up field before twisting and turning away from two defenders and slotting in the winner.

With Canada and Iran drawing, Argentina need just a draw against Canada on Friday to guarantee progression.

Nu med videoklip....

Nelson Vivas leaves Quilmes after fan attack

http://www.youtube.com/w…FphfDCTQDr4

Following the incident after Friday’s match at home to Atletico Rafaela, Nelson Vivas has left his post as manager of Quilmes. It is not clear whether Vivas resigned or was fired but either way, President, Aníbal Fernández has called time on his hot headed coach.

The incident in question took place on Friday evening following a disappointing home draw against Atletico Rafaela. As a fan approached Vivas after the game, he punched him before being dragged away by police. Results have not been good but this certainly the nail in the coffin for Vivas.

In an attempt to defend his actions, Vivas told reporters, ”I’m not a violent person, but I understand that is not the image that a coach should give.”

However, by means of an explanation, he added, ”This person bothered me for 90 minutes and said terrible things to me. He then asked me to wait. I went to see what he wanted and he tried to attack me. The images you see is of a person defending himself.”

The video footage is a little unclear but the claim of self-defence is certainly not verified.

Marcelo Pontiroli has taken over on an interim basis as the search for a replacement begins. One name being suggested strongly is Blas Giunta, currently with Nacional B side, Almirante Brown.

MLS provides two Panamanians place to heal

Jaime Penedo can still hear the words of Panama manager Julio Dely Valdes.

The Canaleros had just had their hearts broken by the U.S., losing 3-2 in a World Cup qualifier Tuesday that saw Panama narrowly miss out on reaching a playoff against New Zealand. In the locker room, the players had just begun to sift through the gut-wrenching final few minutes when Dely Valdes spoke.

“Dely Valdes was very positive,” said Penedo in a telephone interview Friday through a translator. “He just told us to learn from this moment, to learn how to pick ourselves up from this experience.”

Back with their club team last weekend, Penedo and international teammate Gabriel Torres appeared to heed their manager’s advice. Penedo delivered several key saves to preserve the L.A. Galaxy’s 0-0 tie against the San Jose Earthquakes, reinforcing the notion that club manager Bruce Arena need not worry about the quality of play from his goalkeeper.

Torres´ contribution was just as critical, scoring once from the penalty spot and delivering a spectacular strike late to give the Colorado Rapids a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Such performances are just the first step toward recovery for Penedo, Torres and the rest of the Panamanian players, a way of increasing the distance from the pain of what took place at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez.

And what occurred Tuesday has already taken on legendary proportions. After falling 2-1 to Mexico four days earlier on a late Raul Jimenez overhead kick, Panama needed to beat the U.S. and have Mexico lose in Costa Rica to advance to the playoff.

There was a point where it seemed everything was going to fall perfectly into place. Michael Orozco´s second-half goal canceled out Torres’ 18th-minute opener, but Luis Tejada’s goal in the 84th minute, combined with Mexico trailing Costa Rica, appeared to set the Canaleros on their way to the playoff.

Then a double gut-punch arrived in the form of Graham Zusi’s equalizer followed by Aron Johannsson’s game-winner. Panama’s World Cup dream was dead, while Mexico had been granted a stay of execution with the possibility of a full pardon.

“It’s been hard, I’m not going to lie in that respect," said Penedo. “We had lots of high expectations, not just myself but the entire country, and especially the way it happened. [The results] were there; it was happening. Then the moment escapes from you. That part has been very painful.”

Adding to the lore of the match are reports from U.S. players that their Panamanian counterparts implored them to take it easy in the final minutes. Penedo insisted that he wasn’t surprised by the U.S. team’s approach at any point and understood that many American players were playing for a spot on the World Cup roster.

But Penedo admitted that in the run-up to the match the team was being constantly reminded, both by the country’s print media and on social media, that the U.S. had already qualified and was bringing an understrength side. The message was subtle, yet insidious: Panama could win the game without playing at the level normally required to beat a team such as the United States.

“That [message] may have affected our focus a little bit because these games are never easy,” said Penedo. “And I knew from the moment we started preparing for this game that it wasn’t going to be an easy game.”

There has also been second-guessing about the way Panama played those final few minutes. Needing a goal, Dely Valdes used all three of his subs. When Tejada´s goal came, there was no switching into a more defensive posture, and the lack of focus Penedo alluded to began to reveal itself.

"Honestly, we never imagined the United States would close the game in that manner, running,” Torres told the Rapids’ website. “We tried to keep the ball from them, but, well, in the two opportunities that they had, they scored two goals. And we´re out of the World Cup."

Now, the Canaleros´ coaches and players are left with an empty feeling of what might have been. It’s a wound that might never fully heal, even though as a soccer nation Panama has made immense progress in the past decade. Kick-starting that momentum will now be the team’s biggest challenge.

But players have to move forward as well, and both Penedo and Torres took those initial steps toward dulling the pain of Tuesday. For Torres, that meant getting back on the field as quickly as possible.

“When I came back, [Colorado manager Oscar Pareja] talked to me, and I told him I was ready for the game,” said Torres through a team spokesman after Saturday’s victory. “I know what kind of position he was in, what position we were in, and I wanted to play this game."

For Penedo, it was a case of shifting priorities.

“Right now, my objective is to help [the Galaxy] win another championship,” he said. “One dream ended, but another dream starts.”

Let the healing begin.

Fans protest as Chivas fall to last in Liga MX

With over three-quarters of the Apertura season over, Chivas sit in last place in the Liga MX. The club has gone 10 games without a win and has just one victory in its past 20 outings.

It is a sorry state of affairs for the Mexican giant and one that led to fans becoming angry after Sunday´s 3-1 capitulation to Pachuca -- a team that has performed well below par this Apertura.

Boos for Chivas and cheers for the opposition are a normal occurrence at the Omnilife, but, on Sunday, a group of supporters gathered outside Jorge Vergara´s private suite after the final whistle, hurling insults at the team owner and causing extra security to be called in.

While such aggressiveness cannot be condoned, it isn´t difficult to see how Chivas fans are livid with the team´s management and players.

Guadalajara has fallen to new depths on the field, and the owner´s promises of grandeur -- remember, it was only 20 months ago he told a press conference, “My hope and dream is that Chivas becomes a better club than Barcelona, and playing with only Mexicans” -- ring more hollow than at any time since he took over 11 years ago.

Avoiding relegation must now be the club´s number-one goal over the short and medium term.

Only time will tell whether the incident outside Vergara´s suite was just a one-off or a watershed moment that leads to further action to oust the club´s current ownership -- which is now the course of action most fans seem to prefer.

Earlier in the week, Vergara taking centre stage as America´s Miguel Herrera replaced Victor Manuel Vucetich as El Tri´s coach didn´t go down well with Chivas fans, and neither did his open thanks to Club America for allowing Herrera to move.

Many wondered why Vergara was getting so involved in national-team affairs when his club is so poor at present, especially considering his dire record of hiring and firing coaches.

The irony is that there is a parallel between the Mexican national team and Chivas at present, with both stuck in a rut, watching their main rivals -- the United States and Club America, respectively -- soar.

The overriding similarity is the frequency of changes in staff within both institutions.

Mexico has had 10 coaches since 2006, while Juan Carlos Ortega is Chivas´ 13th manager in that time. It is little wonder, then, that there was widespread criticism of Vergara meddling in El Tri´s managerial situation.

The instability seems to have caught up with the players of both squads at the same time, the result being a real lack of confidence and firm conviction of how they are going to go out and win matches.

For Chivas, a trip to Morelia on Friday and then high-flying Santos Laguna in the Omnilife on Oct. 30 will offer little respite. Both are chasing Copa Libertadores qualification -- something that seems a world away for this Chivas side.

Blas Giunta: "Soy un hombre del ascenso"

BUENOS AIRES -- Tras firmar su contrato y convertirse en el nuevo entrenador de Quilmes, Blas Armando Giunta habló en ESPN Radio en Rivadavia y admitió que le debe estar "eternamente agradecido al ascenso" ante la posibilidad de dirigir en primera que se le presenta.

"Soy un hombre del ascenso. Hay que trabajar duro y eso nos va a dar la posibilidad de ser más reconocidos. Lo voy a aprovechar al máximo", expresó Giunta quien, a su vez, confesó que en los últimos meses mantuvo conversaciones con Tigre, Huracán y Platense.

En cuanto al club al cual llega, opina que "Quilmes tiene un muy buen plantel". "Fue muy bueno el diálogo con Aníbal Fernández. Charlamos de cómo está el club y como todo club del ascenso, se esfuerza por mantener todo al día", agregó.

Finalmente, en cuanto a lo futbolístico dejó en claro que, en Quilmes, "Braña tiene mucho para dar". Además, se refirió al sistema táctico que podría poner en cancha, el cual sería "similar al que uso en Almirante Brown". "No soy mucho del 4-2-3-1. Tenés que tener los jugadores ideales para jugarlo. Jugaremos 4-4-2 o 4-3-1-2", concluyó.

Quilmes tiene 14 puntos, producto de cuatro triunfos, dos empates y seis derrotas. Blas Armando Giunta llega con el gran objetivo de que el club del sur del Gran Buenos Aires se aleje de la zona baja de la tabla de los promedios.

Tja han burde da være et sikkert valg.

Lisandro López quiere Selección

MADRID -- Lisandro López, ex marcador central de Arsenal de Sarandí, actualmente en Getafe, de la primera división de España, comentó que trabaja mucho para poder tener una oportunidad en el seleccionado argentino, cuando apenas restan ocho meses para el Mundial de Brasil.

"Estoy trabajando mucho para poder estar en la selección, sé que ahora habrá partidos amistosos y ojalá se de esa situación", indicó el defensor surgido en Chacarita Juniors, que luego pasó por Arsenal y recaló a mediados de este año en Getafe, cedido por el club que lo compró, el Benfica portugués.
"Quiero jugar todos los partidos que pueda y mientras mejor le vaya al Getafe, mejor me irá a mí", destacó el futbolista nacido hace 24 años en la ciudad santafesina de Villa Constitución.

Argentina jugará dos partidos amistosos el mes próximo, ambos en Estados Unidos.

El primer encuentro será el 15 de noviembre ante Ecuador en la ciudad de Saint Louis, y el segundo será ante Bosnia en New Jersey, el 18 de noviembre, y Licha López espera que el DT Alejandro Sabella le dé una oportunidad.

Neymar prepared for first Clasico

Barcelona forward Neymar believes his experience of derby matches in Brazil can prepare him for his first Clasico on Saturday.

The Liga champions host rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou in what will be their first meeting of the season.

Neymar, who featured for Santos in their three derbies against rivals Sao Paulo, Palmeiras and Corinthians, feels that experience will help him at the weekend.

"The one against Palmeiras was my first Clasico (in Brazil) and I played a good game," he explained to Barca´s official website.

"It was a semi-final and we won and I put in a good performance.

"Later, against Corinthians, in a final which we lost. And against Sao Paulo, in a semi-final which we won and I had the joy of scoring three goals.

"There´s a lot of rivalry. It´s (the) only thing that´s talked about in the week leading up to the game. It´s the focus of the press and the fans."

The Brazil international has scored three times in 13 appearances since moving to Spain, helping Barcelona to the top of the table.

He went on to express his determination to make his Clasico debut a special occasion.

"The Clasico is the most important game for any player," he added. "It´s the match every player wants to play in, it´s the game where each player wants to play his best football.

"This will be my first Clasico and I hope to have a great debut, preferably with a victory."

Barca have not beaten Real Madrid in their last five attempts, with their last win coming in August 2012.

Velez deserve victory against Argentinos

Velez Sarsfield produced an impressive performance in Liniers to comfortably defeat Argetinos Juniors and in doing so record back-to-back wins. Mauro Zarate was a constant threat and having gone close himself on a number of occasions, he turned provider when his cross from the left was headed in by Agustin Allione. The lead should have been greater but Velez had to wait until the 85th minute to ensure victory. A free kick from the right was defended woefully by Argentinos and allowed Lucas Pratto to side foot home, unchallenged from the penalty spot.

http://www.youtube.com/w…BzFOY9EvKfQ

Para Caruso, podrían haber empatado

BUENOS AIRES -- El director técnico de Argentinos Juniors, Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, destacó en la noche del martes que fue "una jugada fundamental la que abre el partido", en referencia a la acción previa del primer gol de Vélez Sarsfield donde pareció, y no ocurrió, que se le había ido el balón afuera a Mauro Zárate.

"De donde veo la jugada está afuera, la desgracia es que termina en gol. El lineman no la ve. Me enojo porque la veo afuera cuando pasa por adelante del banco. Es una jugada fundamental que te abre el partido", describió el DT del visitante

Luego minimizó esa acción cuando dijo: "Es una circunstancia del partido y no vamos a echarle la culpa a eso. En el primer tiempo manejó mejor la pelota Vélez".

"Erramos algunos goles de cabeza. Cuando estás con Vélez abajo es difícil por como maneja el juego y la pelota", analizó.

Y cerró: "Pensé que empatábamos. Hay una de (Juan) Palomino, otra de (Enrique) Triverio y Vélez se quedó después del desgaste del primero. En el 1 a 0 lo podríamos haber empatado".