Snak

Puerto Rico draws to reach CONCACAF U-20s

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Jose Abrams scored a first-half goal to give Puerto Rico a 1-1 draw with Haiti on Friday and earn it a place in the CONACAF Under-20 Championship.

Chery Johnley equalized with four minutes remaining for Haiti, which already had clinched its berth. The results finished Haiti atop Group A of the Caribbean U-20 finals with seven points, three better than Puerto Rico, which finished second.

In the first game of Friday´s doubleheader, Geryon Alberto tallied in the 10th minute and led Curacao to a 1-0 victory over Trinidad, earning it a chance at the fifth and final Caribbean berth in February´s CONCACAF finals in Puebla, Mexico.

The win left Curacao in third place with three points, just ahead of Trinidad on head-to-head results.

The top two teams in each group of the Caribbean finals along with the best third-place team qualify.

Jamaica and Cuba already have clinched the two guaranteed berths from Group B, with Suriname and Antigua & Barbuda to face off Saturday for third place. Both have zero points with Antigua entering the match with a minus-3 goal difference and Suriname a minus-4.

With Friday´s result, Curacao finished with three points and a minus-1 goal difference.

Det var nok det mht til U-20 kvalifikationen - det er ikke trukket lod til det afgørende puljespil i endnu så vidt jeg kan se....

b]Antigua wins; Curacao in U-20s on coin flip[/b]

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Curacao was awarded the final berth in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship on a coin toss, claiming the spot after Antigua & Barbuda beat Suriname 3-1 Saturday in the Caribbean qualifying finals.

Antigua´s victory finished it in third place in Group B with three points, matching Curacao which defeated Trinidad 1-0 on Friday to earn third place in Group A. Both teams scored three goals and allowed four in group play - necessitating the coin toss to determine which team would qualify with the Caribbean´s fifth and final place.

Caribbean Football Union General Secretary Damien Hughes conducted the tiebreaker at halftime of the Group B finale between Jamaica and Cuba, both of which had won their previous two matches and had already qualified.

Jamaica and Cuba drew 0-0 in their match, finishing both with seven points and sending the "Young Boyz" through as the group winner on goal difference.

Calaun Martin, Tevaugh Harriette and Elijah McDonald all scored in an eight-minute span early in the second half to spark Antigua past Suriname.

Viola Bodji converted a penalty in the sixth minute to Suriname ahead, but Martin equalized three minutes into the second half, Harriette gave Antigua the lead two minutes later and McDonald added the insurance in the 56th. The goals were Antigua´s first in three games at the Caribbean finals.

Curacao´s qualification completes the 12-team field for the CONCACAF finals February 18-March 2 in Puebla, Mexico. The island joins host Mexico, automatic North American qualifiers Canada and the United States, Central American qualifiers Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama, as well as Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and Puerto Rico from the Caribbean.

Haiti and Puerto Rico had finished atop Group A in the Caribbean finals on Friday to secure their advancement.

Trinidad hoping magic can continue

BACOLET, Trinidad & Tobago -- The Dwight Yorke Stadium, situated on the charming island of Tobago, is where host Trinidad will attempt to progress to the Caribbean Cup finals in Antigua and Barbuda. The eight-time Caribbean champion is welcoming Cuba, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Suriname for second round, Group 8 play, which starts on Wednesday.

The Soca Warriors and their supporters are viewing success in the Caribbean Cup as way of healing some of the national team´s recent disappointments. Despite owning the record for the most Caribbean titles, Trinidad has not lifted the trophy since 2001. It has failed to qualify for the last two CONCACAF Gold Cups and did not get past the second round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

"We have won this competition numerous times and really this is our last chance to show the region that we are still the toast of football in the region," said former domestic coach Adriene Singh.

The Warriors, who won their first round group with a perfect 3-0-0 record, resume their quest on Wednesday against St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The top two finishers from the four-team round-robin competition will advance to next month´s finals.

Head coach Hutson Charles, who scored nine international goals playing for Trinidad, believes that his team has the strength to progress despite missing some important roster members.

"It´s not ideal at the moment but this group of players are very hungry to achieve something," Charles, 47, told TTFF Media. "The situation hasn´t changed much since the previous round and I think the guys are aware of what is taking place and they know that winning results is possibly the only way out of some of the problems we are facing.

"We have some experienced players as well as some in form ones here with us and I believe once we execute our plan well on the day then we should be alright."

The mostly domestic-based roster is led by team captain and goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams of W Connection, who manned the nets in his team´s historic 1-1 draw on Sept. 26 against Mexico´s Guadalajara in the CONCACAF Champions League.

"We are as ready as can be," Williams told TTFF Media. "We came out of the last group with full points because we executed well and we carried that belief and desire on the pitch. This time it will be no different. We know that the teams here will pose a stronger challenge but that means that we will have to lift our game to suit this."

There is concern in the Trinidad camp regarding the fitness of Caledonia AIA forward Jamal Gay, who injured his knee during a recent TT Pro League match. However, key performers Hughton Hector and Kendall Jagedeosingh are back from from their clubs in Asia to lift the Trinidad attack.

T&T squad: Jan Michael Williams (W Connection ),Marvin Phillip (Central FC), Seon Power (North East Stars), Joevin Jones (W Connection), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Kareem Moses (North East Stars), Carlyle Mitchell (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Kern Cupid (W Connection), Densill Theobald (Caledonia AIA), Clyde Leon (W Connection), Ataullah Guerra (Caledonia AIA), Devorn Jorsling (Defence Force), Richard Roy (Defence Force), Jamal Gay (Caledonia AIA), Hashim Arcia (W Connection), Keyon Edwards (Caledonia AIA), Kevon Carter (Defence Force), Hughtun Hector (Song Lam Nghe/Vietnam), Aubrey David (Caledonia AIA), Kendall Jagdeosingh (Chainfat FC/Thailand)

Cuba opens Carib qualifying with 5-0 win

BACOLET, Tobago - Marcel Hernandez scored two goals in each half to lead Cuba to a 5-0 victory over Suriname on Wednesday in the opening match of their second-round Caribbean Cup qualifying group.

The result put Cuba atop Group 8, two points better than host Trinidad & Tobago and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, which drew 1-1 in the nightcap of a doubleheader. The top two teams from Group 8 will advance to the Caribbean Cup finals.

Hernandez gave Cuba the lead in the sixth minute, and added goals in the 36th, 62nd and 89th minutes to end Cuba´s 13-match winless streak. Cuba had not won since a 2-1 friendly victory over Nicaragua in May 2011.

It also was the first time Cuba had scored two goals or more in a match since the Nicaragua victory and the first time it had scored four in a match in over two years.

Ariel Gonzalez also scored for Cuba in the 46th.

In the other match, Devon Jorsling and Myron Samuel traded first-half goals to lead Trinidad and St. Vincent deadlocked. It was the first draw in 12 meetings in the Caribbean rivalry, which Trinidad has dominated with eight victories in the series.

Jorsling put Trinidad ahead in the third minute before Samuel equalized in the 24th.

Samuel´s goal was only the second allowed by Trinidad in its last four matches.

St. Vincent next plays Cuba on Friday before Trinidad faces Suriname

French Guyana ties Grenada with late goal

ST. GEORGE´S, Grenada - Gary Emmanuel equalized in the 92nd minute to earn French Guyana a 1-1 draw with host Grenada on Wednesday to complete the first day´s play in second-round Group 6 of Caribbean Cup qualifying.

Grenada, seeking a third consecutive berth in the regional finals, ended a three-game losing streak, but disappointed a crowd of 1,500 at Grenada National Stadium.

Haiti took the lead in Group 6, getting a 47th-minute goal from Olrish Saurel to beat Guyana 1-0. It was the fifth straight victory for Haiti, which has allowed only three goals in that span.

Craig Rocastle, who moved to Thrasvvoulos in the Greek second division after two seasons with Sporting KC in MLS, gave Grenada the lead in the 33rd minute. It was the first career international goal for the 31-year-old London native.

The top two teams from Group 6 will advance to the Caribbean Cup finals in Antigua & Barbuda in December.

French Guyana will play Haiti next on Friday while Grenada will face Haiti.

Med Peruzzi og Sills mod Boca - snupper de point og muligvis alle 3 holder Velez sgu nok hjem.

Gareca confirmó a Peruzzi y a Sills

BUENOS AIRES -- El entrenador de Vélez Sarsfield, Ricardo Gareca, confirmó este viernes el equipo que recibirá el domingo próximo a Boca Juniors, con los ingresos de los defensores Gino Peruzzi y Juan Sills por los suspendidos Fabián Cubero y Sebastián Domínguez, respectivamente.

Tanto Cubero como Domínguez recibieron su quinta tarjeta amarilla en la victoria frente a Quilmes por 1-0 y deberán cumplir una fecha de suspensión.

De esta manera, el líder Vélez formará con Sebastián Sosa; Peruzzi, Fernando Tobio, Sills, Emiliano Papa; Iván Bella, Francisco Cerro, Alejandro Cabral; Federico Insúa; Lucas Pratto y Facundo Ferreyra.

Este equipo fue el que paró Gareca en el ensayo de fútbol realizado en la Villa Olímpica ante los suplentes, que se alinearon con Germán Montoya; Fabián Cubero, Lautaro Gianetti, Sebastián Domínguez, Mariano Bíttolo; Agustín Allione, Lucas Romero, Franco Razzotti, Brian Ferreira; Jonathan Copete y Ezequiel Rescaldani.

Este sábado el plantel volverá a entrenarse a las 9 en la Villa Olímpica y se quedará concentrado para el choque frente a Boca, por la decimosexta fecha del Torneo Inicial.

Corinthians make official bid for El Jaish defender Anderson Martins

Corinthians have made an official bid for El Jaish defender Anderson Martins as they look to strengthen their defence for 2013, reports Lancenet.

Anderson Martins, 25, moved to the Qatari side in 2011 from Vasco da Gama, though the player was officially owned by third-party firm Traffic Group, and although the player´s preference was to move to Europe, he was persuaded to move to the Middle East by Vasco captain Juninho, who said that the move could be a gateway to Europe.

Corinthians have made a proposal to the representatives of the player and it is expected that in the coming days an offer will be sent to the club from Qatar, who have already decided to release the player on loan or even permanently.

It is likely that the Copa Libertadores champions will use the help of an outside investor to secure the defender, although are keeping quiet on the deal as they do not want to disrupt the focus of the players as they prepare for the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan this December.

However, Corinthians will have to move quick as Grêmio coach Vanderlei Luxembourg has instructed his board to look at signing the player for 2013, and it is believed that new crowned champions Fluminense are another strong contender.

Boca´s paraguayanske angrebstalent er atter skadet.

Gaona Lugo volvió a fracturarse

BUENOS AIRES -- El delantero Orlando Gaona Lugo, de Boca Juniors, sufrió una reagudización de la fractura por estrés en la tibia izquierda, tendrá que ser operado y deberá cumplir después con un largo período de recuperación.

El paraguayo jugó el partido de Reserva frente a Newell´s Old Boys (0-0), el cual no pudo completar, y el viernes se dio a conocer el parte médico que informó de la grave lesión.

Gaona Lugo, de 22 años (25/7/90), presentó una fractura por estrés en octubre de 2010, luego de lo cual recién pudo reaparecer en Primera División un año después, pero nunca alcanzó continuidad en el equipo superior.

En el transcurso del último año más de una vez acusó molestias en la zona y se mencionaba la posibilidad de someterlo a una nueva operación, aunque el jugador prefería no hacerlo.

El delantero nacido en Villa Hayes debutó en Boca, proveniente de las divisiones inferiores, en el torneo Clausura 2010, cuando el director técnico era Abel Alves, y desde entonces ha participado de diecisiete partidos.

Mere Boca....Guillermo Burdisso er ude med en skade og misser kampen mod Velez.

Burdisso será baja ante Vélez

BUENOS AIRES -- El defensor de Boca Guillermo Burdisso sufrió una distensión en el aductor de la pierna derecha y fue descartado este viernes para el partido del domingo ante Vélez, líder del torneo Inicial por la 16ta. fecha.

La baja de Burdisso constituyó la mala noticia del día en la práctica de Boca, aunque ya se sabe quién será su reemplazante, pues el capitán Rolando Schiavi, ausente el jueves en el empate sin goles ante Newell`s Old Boys en la Bombonera, regresará a la titularidad, mientras que Matías Caruzzo seguirá en el equipo.

Respecto de Burdisso, sintió dolor en el aductor sobre el final del partido ante los rosarinos, y para colmo, debió exigirse en el último minuto en un desesperado intento por cerrar un remate de Maxi Urruti que tenía destino de gol y finalmente pudo resolver el tucumano Franco Sosa.

Con la baja de Burdisso y el regreso de Schiavi, Boca formaría de la siguiente manera: Agustín Orión; Franco Sosa, Rolando Schiavi, Matías Caruzzo y Clemente Rodríguez; Guillermo Fernández, Cristian Erbes, Walter Erviti y Leandro Paredes; Lautaro Acosta y Santiago Silva.

Los otros diez futbolistas citados a presentarse a la medianoche del viernes en el Hotel Boca son Oscar Ustari, Leandro Marín, Christian Cellay, Lisandro Magallán, Fernando Evangelista, Cristian Chávez, Leandro Somoza, Nicolás Colazo, Lucas Viatri y Nicolás Blandi.

Con pocas horas de descanso tras el empate ante Newell´s, el plantel de Boca volvió a entrenarse en la mañana del viernes en el complejo Pedro Pompilio y la mayoría de los que fueron titulares la noche anterior desarrollaron una breve sesión de ejercicios regenerativos.

Los demás llevaron a cabo una práctica de fútbol en espacios reducidos de cinco contra cinco en la que participaron Sebastián D´Angelo, Cellay, Somoza, Chávez y Viatri (con pecheras) y Manuel Vicentini, Schiavi, Exequiel Benavídez, Colazo y Blandi (sin pecheras).

Emiliano Albín, con un esguince de tobillo izquierdo, y Diego Rivero, con un desgarro del recto anterior derecho, continuaron con entrenamiento diferenciado en tanto que Pablo Ledesma, operado de una hernia inguinal, no reanudó la actividad en campo.

Boca, sexto con 24 puntos, enfrentará a Vélez, líder con 32, en un cotejo que se llevará a cabo el próximo domingo, desde las 19.30, en el estadio José Amalfitani de Liniers, en el marco de la 16ta. fecha del Torneo Inicial.

i forbindelse med noget radio optakt til Kampen mod River, har Argentinos Juniors træner udtalt sig om Muligheden for at klubben rykker ned.

"No miramos la tabla del descenso"

BUENOS AIRES -- Gabriel Schurrer sostuvo que no quiere "mirar la tabla del descenso" porque están "holgados de puntos" respecto de los equipos más comprometidos con la permanencia en Primera División.

"No quiero mirar la tabla del descenso, porque en ese aspecto estamos holgados de puntos respecto de aquellos equipos que pelean por la pernamencia", remarcó Schurrer luego de su primer día de trabajo al frente del plantel.

"Nosotros estamos en una posición buena pero expectante, por lo que no hay que distraerse, ya que eso puede terminar jugándonos una mala pasada", advirtió.

Schurrer estimó que en la temporada el equipo de La Paternal debe sumar "50 puntos" intentando "jugar y respetar la tradición de Argentinos, que se ha caracterizado a lo largo de la historia por ser un gran semillero apuntando al buen pie".

El ex entrenador de Lanús marcó, además, en diálogo con el programa radial Deportivo Télam, "similitudes" entre Argentinos y su anterior club, "ya que en ambas instituciones se pone el acento en el trabajo de las divisiones inferiores".

"Llegué a una institución histórica del fútbol argentino y me encontré con un plantel muy bien predispuesto, lo mismo que el técnico interino Carlos Mayor, al que le respetaremos el esquema de trabajo de cara al debut del lunes en cancha de River", apreció.

"Este no es quizás el mejor momento para arrancar, ya que después de River vendrá San Lorenzo, así que lo primero que tenemos que hacer es analizar cómo llegan los jugadores", alertó.

Respecto del planteo que piensa implementar en los encuentros subsiguientes mencionó el sistema que utilizó en su paso por el conjunto ´granate´. "Jugar 4-1-4-1 es una opción muy viable, pero primero hay que ver el plantel que tenemos y después planificar en pos de los objetivos, porque lo que yo pretendo es pelear arriba", anticipó.

En la previa del encuento con River del lunes a las 21.30 en el estadio Monumental, analizó que el `millonario` "es un equipo diferente cuando tiene a Leonardo Ponzio (si es convocado a la selección para enfrentar a Brasil el miércoles no jugará) y a Rodrigo Mora".

"Cuando River ataca lo hace con mucha gente, así que debemos saber defender cuando no tenemos el balón y atacar por el sector que podemos hacer más daño", concluyó.

Argentinos frente a River presentará dos modificaciones respecto del último encuentro frente a Estudiantes (2-1), ya que el defensor Nicolás Batista ingresará por el desgarrado Diego Placente y el volante Matías Laba por el juvenil Sebastián Navarro.

De esta forma el equipo formará con Ojeda; Barzola, Garcé, Sabia y Batista; Nagüel, Vázquez, Laba y Ramírez; Anangonó y Barrera.

Los dirigidos por Schurrer entrenaron en el predio de la UTA en Moreno, donde realizaron trabajos en espacios reducidos. "Vamos a tener un diálogo fluído con Hugo Tocalli (coordinador de las divisiones inferiores de Argentinos), porque desde allí se construirá el mejor equipo de primera", cerró Schurrer.