Both of Wednesday's Champions League fixtures ended 2-1 to the home side, leaving things beautifully poised for the second legs.
Porto beat Arsenal 2-1 thanks to Falcao's hotly-disputed second half goal from a quickly-taken free-kick to leave Arsene Wenger fuming. But the injury-hit Gunners should be close to full strength for the return match and, though their defending was shambolic for both goals they conceded, they remain favorites to go through.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich used a controversial goal of their own to grab a slender advantage over Fiorentina. Miroslav Klose scored the winner but from an offside position. However, the Italians will fancy their chances of overturning the deficit in the second leg in front of their own supporters.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
NBA: Mavericks fans get first glimpse of Butler, Haywood
The Dallas Mavericks made the first big move before the trade deadline and their new faces - Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson - will be on show for the first time tonight against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Mavs hope this trade - in which they surrendered four players including Josh Howard and Drew Gooden - will push them closer to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in the West.
The Mavs hope this trade - in which they surrendered four players including Josh Howard and Drew Gooden - will push them closer to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in the West.
Soccer: Lyon stun Real
A second half thunderbolt from Jean Makoun helped Lyon grab a 1-0 advantage to take into their second leg against Real Madrid.
With Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka subdued by the French side's relentless pressing, Real had little to offer as a Plan B. Instead, Lyon will feel somewhat disappointed not to have extended their lead.
It is all perfectly poised for the return game at the Bernabeu, where Ronaldo and company will need to find top gear if they want to avoid another Champions League second round exit.
With Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka subdued by the French side's relentless pressing, Real had little to offer as a Plan B. Instead, Lyon will feel somewhat disappointed not to have extended their lead.
It is all perfectly poised for the return game at the Bernabeu, where Ronaldo and company will need to find top gear if they want to avoid another Champions League second round exit.
Soccer: United lean on talisman Rooney to overcome sloppy start
AC Milan 2-3 Manchester United
If anyone needed convincing that Wayne Rooney is the world's most in-form striker, they only had to watch his two-goal masterclass at the San Siro as Manchester United put one foot into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Rooney received limited service in the first half yet still looked one of the visitors' biggest threats, firing one left-foot strike wide and worrying Alessandro Nesta with his pace and power. And after the break, he was both breathtaking and unstoppable.
AC Milan made the perfect start as Ronaldinho's deflected strike left Edwin van der Sar helpless. United had Rio Ferdinand back at the heart of the back four but he and Jonny Evans endured a torrid first half, wasting possession and being caught out time and again as Milan counter-attacked.
By the time United pulled level through Paul Scholes, Milan should have been two or three goals to the good. But their failure to capitalise let Sir Alex Ferguson's side off the hook and Scholes equalised with arguably the luckiest goal of his career. Swivelling to meet a Darren Fletcher cross, he mis-kicked with his right foot only for the ball to ricochet off his standing leg before trickling in off the far post.
Ferguson's half-time team talk certainly hit home. United were a rampaging animal in the second half with Fletcher everywhere in midfield and Rooney on the prowl. David Beckham, on the other hand, had little impact against his former club.
And they were rewarded when Rooney blew the tie wide open with two goals in eight minutes. Moments after the ineffective Nani was replaced by Antonio Valencia, United went ahead. Valencia's cross picked out Rooney and the England hit man nodded a stunning header past Dida.
His second was far simpler as he headed home Fletcher's pass, leaving United looking home and dry.
That should have been the end of the tie but complacent defending from Rafael Da Silva allowed Ronaldinho to find Seedorf and the Dutchman flicked the ball past van der Sar to give the Italians a lifeline.
Seedorf's goal keeps the tie alive but the second leg - at Old Trafford on March 10 - is United's to lose now and they should be giving Rooney a hefty pat on the back for that. Ferguson had said pre-match that his striker could now be considered among the game's elite and Rooney backed up those words with another sublime performance.
As for Milan, much will depend on Ronaldinho, who showed flashes of his old genius and strengthened his case for selection for this summer's World Cup. Age is not on their side and their legs deserted them in the second half when United were on top. It will take a monumental effort to overturn this deficit.
Much of the attention had been focused on Beckham facing his former club but instead Rooney made his mark and pulled the spotlight away from the past and back onto the present.
If anyone needed convincing that Wayne Rooney is the world's most in-form striker, they only had to watch his two-goal masterclass at the San Siro as Manchester United put one foot into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Rooney received limited service in the first half yet still looked one of the visitors' biggest threats, firing one left-foot strike wide and worrying Alessandro Nesta with his pace and power. And after the break, he was both breathtaking and unstoppable.
AC Milan made the perfect start as Ronaldinho's deflected strike left Edwin van der Sar helpless. United had Rio Ferdinand back at the heart of the back four but he and Jonny Evans endured a torrid first half, wasting possession and being caught out time and again as Milan counter-attacked.
By the time United pulled level through Paul Scholes, Milan should have been two or three goals to the good. But their failure to capitalise let Sir Alex Ferguson's side off the hook and Scholes equalised with arguably the luckiest goal of his career. Swivelling to meet a Darren Fletcher cross, he mis-kicked with his right foot only for the ball to ricochet off his standing leg before trickling in off the far post.
Ferguson's half-time team talk certainly hit home. United were a rampaging animal in the second half with Fletcher everywhere in midfield and Rooney on the prowl. David Beckham, on the other hand, had little impact against his former club.
And they were rewarded when Rooney blew the tie wide open with two goals in eight minutes. Moments after the ineffective Nani was replaced by Antonio Valencia, United went ahead. Valencia's cross picked out Rooney and the England hit man nodded a stunning header past Dida.
His second was far simpler as he headed home Fletcher's pass, leaving United looking home and dry.
That should have been the end of the tie but complacent defending from Rafael Da Silva allowed Ronaldinho to find Seedorf and the Dutchman flicked the ball past van der Sar to give the Italians a lifeline.
Seedorf's goal keeps the tie alive but the second leg - at Old Trafford on March 10 - is United's to lose now and they should be giving Rooney a hefty pat on the back for that. Ferguson had said pre-match that his striker could now be considered among the game's elite and Rooney backed up those words with another sublime performance.
As for Milan, much will depend on Ronaldinho, who showed flashes of his old genius and strengthened his case for selection for this summer's World Cup. Age is not on their side and their legs deserted them in the second half when United were on top. It will take a monumental effort to overturn this deficit.
Much of the attention had been focused on Beckham facing his former club but instead Rooney made his mark and pulled the spotlight away from the past and back onto the present.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Soccer: Leonardo facing biggest test yet
The visit of Manchester United on Tuesday will see David Beckham back in the spotlight - but his manager Leonardo is under scrutiny too.
The Brazilian desperately needs a victory over United to strengthen his position at the helm while the consequences of elimination could be dire.
He will be counting on some huge performances from his more experienced heads like Ronaldinho, Beckham and Andrea Pirlo along with the youthful Pato in attack.
However, you can expect Leonardo to be losing a lot of sleep at the moment if he has been following the recent performances of United's Wayne Rooney.
The Brazilian desperately needs a victory over United to strengthen his position at the helm while the consequences of elimination could be dire.
He will be counting on some huge performances from his more experienced heads like Ronaldinho, Beckham and Andrea Pirlo along with the youthful Pato in attack.
However, you can expect Leonardo to be losing a lot of sleep at the moment if he has been following the recent performances of United's Wayne Rooney.
NBA: Bosh emphasises his value
Chris Bosh is having a career year and he showcased his considerable skills again at the All-Star Game, scoring 23 points and the winning free throws.
The Toronto Raptors forward will be one of the most desirable free agents this summer, with Cleveland and Miami likely to want to team Bosh with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade and many others in the hunt too.
Bosh's ability to rebound, shoot jumpers and drive to the basket have been evident this season as he has established himself as a double-double machine. His physical performance on Sunday off the bench (purely on form, he should have been a starter ahead of Kevin Garnett) just reminded fans that he is among the game's elite at present.
The Raptors will have a lot of suitors to fight off this summer.
The Toronto Raptors forward will be one of the most desirable free agents this summer, with Cleveland and Miami likely to want to team Bosh with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade and many others in the hunt too.
Bosh's ability to rebound, shoot jumpers and drive to the basket have been evident this season as he has established himself as a double-double machine. His physical performance on Sunday off the bench (purely on form, he should have been a starter ahead of Kevin Garnett) just reminded fans that he is among the game's elite at present.
The Raptors will have a lot of suitors to fight off this summer.
NBA: East relieved to see ball out of Billups' hands
Twice in the final 10 seconds of Sunday's All-Star Game, the West took timeouts. On both occasions, they trailed the East by two points and George Karl drew up plays for a potentially game-winning shot.
The first found the hands of Dirk Nowitzki, who was fouled and made both free throws, and the second play saw Carmelo Anthony miss a 3-pointer as the clock expired.
The East will have breathed a big sigh of relief - and not just because they had held on for the 141-139 victory. Much of the relief will have stemmed from the fact that on both plays, Chauncey Billups did not get to shoot the ball.
Billups poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter and hit five triples on the night. As always, he was thriving in the pressure situations and did as much as anyone to close the East's lead in the second half.
The most obvious play - and perhaps one that Karl discussed or even tried to set up - was to get Billups open on the perimeter. Sadly, it did not work out that way and players whose reputations seem to place them ahead of Billups in the pecking order took the final shots.
Nowitzki and Anthony have hit their fair share of game-winners, of course, but Billups has a ring and a Finals MVP trophy and bizarrely that seems to be overlooked at times.
When it comes to clutch shooting there are few who can match Mr. Big Shot and that explains why Stan Van Gundy and the East players looked so happy to see the ball out of Billups' hands with the game on the line.
The first found the hands of Dirk Nowitzki, who was fouled and made both free throws, and the second play saw Carmelo Anthony miss a 3-pointer as the clock expired.
The East will have breathed a big sigh of relief - and not just because they had held on for the 141-139 victory. Much of the relief will have stemmed from the fact that on both plays, Chauncey Billups did not get to shoot the ball.
Billups poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter and hit five triples on the night. As always, he was thriving in the pressure situations and did as much as anyone to close the East's lead in the second half.
The most obvious play - and perhaps one that Karl discussed or even tried to set up - was to get Billups open on the perimeter. Sadly, it did not work out that way and players whose reputations seem to place them ahead of Billups in the pecking order took the final shots.
Nowitzki and Anthony have hit their fair share of game-winners, of course, but Billups has a ring and a Finals MVP trophy and bizarrely that seems to be overlooked at times.
When it comes to clutch shooting there are few who can match Mr. Big Shot and that explains why Stan Van Gundy and the East players looked so happy to see the ball out of Billups' hands with the game on the line.
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