Snak

FRIDAY: AMERICA LOSE TO MORELIA AND XOLOS AWAY BLUES CONTINUE AGAINST SANTOS

Club America lost consecutive Liga MX games for the first time since November 2012 and there is now a little pressure on Coach, Antonio Mohamed as another game goes by without scoring and the clásico against Pumas is just around the corner. Despite not playing well things could have been different but the out of sorts, Raul Jimenez missed a great opportunity and Las Aguilas also had a goal ruled out after Joel Huiqui had headed into his own net, only for the officials to pull it back for an offside. On the hour mark, Morelia took the lead and the architect was the talented youngster, Armando Zamorano. His vision and wonderful scooped pass over the defence allowed Christian Valdez to poke Morelia in front.

Later, in Torreon, Santos continue to gather momentum as they continued Tijuana’s woeful away form with a 3-2 win. Pedro Caixinha opted for a similar side to the one that defeated Arsenal in the Copa Libertadores on Tuesday and was rewarded early as Juan Pablo Rodriguez from the penalty spot and then Mauro Cejas put them two goals ahead after just 20 minutes. Los Xolos immediately replied through Cristian Pellerano’s powerful finish but Darwin Quintero restored the lead after the break. Fidel Martinez again pulled one back for Los Xolos but it was in vain and so Los Xolos slumped to another away defeat. Having not won away since January 2013 and picking up just 4 points since then is a serious hindrance if Tijuana have any aspirations of challenging for a title. Santos have not yet hit anywhere near top gear but have lost only once so far and if they continue to improve will be a threat.

Morelia 1 – 0 Club America

http://www.youtube.com/w…la3W67iYnHE

Santos Laguna 3 – 2 Tijuana

http://www.youtube.com/w…XFfHQJJALYg

Jonatan Maidana sufrió rotura muscular y es baja en River

BUENOS AIRES -- El defensor de River Plate Jonathan Maidana tendrá entre dos y tres semanas de recuperación por un desgarro en el bíceps femoral izquierdo, que se confirmó tras conocerse los resultados de los estudios médicos, informó el club de Núñez.

El exfutbolista de Boca, que el viernes abandonó la práctica por una fatiga muscular, sufrió una rotura fibrilar de tres a cuatro milímetros, según detalla el parte médico riverplatense.

En efecto, de acuerdo con los plazos previstos para la rehabilitación, no jugará los partidos ante Central (domingo), Godoy Cruz (miércoles 19), Colón de Santa Fe (domingo 23) y San Lorenzo (domingo 2 de marzo) por la segunda, tercera, cuarta y quinta fecha del torneo Final.

Pese a que el DT Ramón Díaz lo había confirmado como titular tras el entrenamiento de ayer, su reemplazante en la zaga será Germán Pezzella.

Maidana inició este sábado su recuperación junto a los kinesiólogos durante la práctica realizada en el Monumental, que fue la última antes del partido con Central.

Al cabo de ella, el plantel almorzaba en el estadio y partía en micro rumbo a Rosario a las 16.30 con un plantel de 19 jugadores.

Zeballos expected to sign for Botafogo on Tuesday

The protracted transfer of Pablo Zeballos to Botafogo is set to be completed by Tuesday, according to reports on lancenet.com.

Paraguayan frontman Zeballos, 27, had been contracted to Russian outfit Sovetov and had been on loan in his homeland at Olimoia, where he was due to sign a permanent deal.

However, with Olimpia´s finances seemingly spiralling downward at an alarming rate, Botafogo have seized the opportunity to sign a player of international pedigree for next to nothing.

Zeballos has nine caps for his country and will aid what is sure to be a congested season for the Rio de Janeiro club as they compete in the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 17 years.

Jadson happy to be at Corinthians

There can be little doubt as to what the big game in Brazil is over the weekend as a Paulista derby grabs the headlines nationwide. Corinthians and Palmeiras do battle tomorrow for the first time since the latter jumped back into the Brazilian top flight. Of course this is a regional tie and not part of the Campeonato Brasileiro, but the stakes are still high.

As Corinthians officially presented their new signing Jadson, who was part of the much-documented Alexandre Pato switch to Sao Paulo, they were boosted by the news that their new man could be ready for the big game.

"Today is a very happy day in my life. To wear the shirt of Corinthians is another goal in my career, more of a challenge, and I´ve come to help the group," Jadson said to the assembled media, "I know it will not be easy but I am confident that God will bless me in this new journey."

Jadson still has ambitions of making the World Cup later this year, and he may just be up against the likes of Pato for one of the few remaining places.

Det er deres lange hår og primitive adfærd der er udslagsgivende.

hehe, det kan der umuligt være tvivl om.

Der er i øvrigt UFC i Jaraguá do Sul i brasilien i nat med et rigtigt godt fight card.

Det absolut en mulighed, enten det eller clasico´en San Lorenzo - Racing Club, omend det kan blive en kende for langhåret...

World Cup winner Roberto Rivellino slams Hulk and Brazil’s current attacking options

1970 World Cup winner Roberto Rivellino has blasted Brazil’s attacking players and singled our Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk for criticism.

Website soccerly published an article which included comments from Rivellino, who had been speaking Sportv, where the former Brazil international only had praise for Barcelona star Neymar.

The 68-year-old said: “The current moment of Brazilian football, in terms of quality, is awful. Neymar is the only player that can make a difference.”

Rivellino was focusing on the attacking options in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team and pinpointed Hulk as an example.

"I have nothing against Hulk, but for the love of God, players like him are called up for tactical reasons,” said the Corinthians legend.

“While in the past the best players were called up, Hulk is called up so that the midfielder can play his game, and the midfielder plays to allow the striker to play. That makes no sense.

"Unfortunately the current generation isn´t good, if you analyze our national team, we have much more defensive quality than attacking.”

His point about Brazil having better defenders than attackers is certainly true. As demonstrated by strikers Alexandre Pato and Leandro Damião, who have hugely declined over the last year, still being in with a shot of making Scolari’s World Cup squad.

Rivellino did go on to say he would rather Fluminense’s Walter be called up over some of the current forwards chosen in the most recent Brazil squads.

He concluded: “We have nobody nowadays. It´s absurd, Brazil always had two or three good attacking players but nowadays we don´t have any striker.

“You can search around and you won´t find. The best striker is an overweight one called Walter, I would rather have an overweight one like him than many thinner ones."

nåh Blandi har lige bragt San Lorenzo foran.....

Schafer believes in value of playing “big teams”

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Jamaica head coach Winfried Schafer expects his team to produce solid showings in a pair of away friendlies against Switzerland and France on May 30 and June 8, respectively.

The European powers are using the games to prepare for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Both sides are in Group E along with Ecuador and CONCACAF’s Honduras.

“All matches for Jamaica against bigger teams are very important,” Schafer told CONCACAF.com. “When our players play against big teams like French and Switzerland, they can see what their level is, they can learn.”

“It is good for the Reggae Boyz’s image to the world.”

For Jamaica, the encounters on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean represent an opportunity to kick start its Caribbean Cup campaign later this year.

Schafer affirmed that his team can only benefit from testing itself against world-class opposition.

“Now they play in Lille and Lausanne and maybe the stadium will be full,” he noted. “It’s a new situation for the team and maybe the passion from this match goes back to Jamaica and we can build a very good future.”

The charismatic German took the Jamaican reins in July 2013 as the Reggae Boyz pushed for points in the CONCACAF Hexagonal.

In four World Cup qualifiers under his guidance, the team showed improvement, earning three draws and keeping the United States scoreless before conceding late goals in a 2-0 loss.

Schafer has been given a vote of confidence from Jamaica Football Federation President Captain Horace Burrell, who told CONCACAF.com, “We have a new coach who we intend to give every opportunity to establish and shape his team for Russia.”

Looking ahead, Schafer declared that Jamaica should use the achievement of its 1998 World Cup qualification as a positive historical footnote, but not as the template needed to return to football’s biggest stage.

“1998 was very nice a fantastic time, but now we are in 2014,” Schafer concluded. “Jamaica has been in the same position while other teams like Honduras and Costa Rica are moving up. We have to be more professional, with better pitches, with better coaches. We have to watch what is ongoing in Europe as the standard. It won’t be easy, but if we work together we have a shot.”

Copa Libertadores Preview: Real Garcilaso on cusp of group dominance

Real Garcilaso will have a chance to take command of Group Five in the Copa Libertadores when they play Defensor Sporting on Wednesday.

Uruguay´s Defensor have lost seven of their past 11 matches in the Copa Libertadores, including a 1-0 defeat away to Universidad de Chile on the opening matchday, while Peru´s Garcilaso stunned Cruzeiro 2-1 in the South American continental competition.

Ramon Rodriguez was critical to Garcilaso´s win over Cruzeiro last week, setting up Ezequiel Britez´s equaliser in the 52nd minute and then scoring the winner 10 minutes later.

Garcilaso backed up that win with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Cristal on Saturday in the opening round of the Copa Inca to remain undefeated in 2014.

If Garcilaso defeat Defensor on Wednesday they will have six points from two games and have taken a significant step towards qualifying for the next round.

Garcilaso are level with Universidad de Chile in Group Five with three points and a plus-one goal difference.

But with Universidad de Chile and Cruzeiro first set to play on February 25, Garcilaso can claim a three-point lead and a mental advantage over their Group Five rivals with victory at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.

Chile´s Union Espanola and Independiente del Valle of Ecuador will begin their group stage campaign on Tuesday.

Independiente will welcome Espanola to Sangolqui having won just two of five matches this year, while the Chileans are winless in two games and have just a pair of victories to their name from seven fixtures in 2014.

A win will take either of them level with Botafogo on points in Group Two.

In other fixtures this week, Penarol will host Santos Laguna, Deportivo Cali will visit O´Higgins, Bolivar are set to take on Leon, Nacional Asuncion clash with Zamora and The Strongest face Universitario.