UEFA Cup 08/09: Arios Depor..

uefa.com

AaB advance past Deportivo in style

Thursday 26 February 2009

Aalborg BK had a comfortable night in Spain as they secured the biggest aggregate win of the UEFA Cup Round of 32 to earn a last-16 tie against Manchester City FC.

Swift turnaround

Having beaten RC Deportivo La Coruña 3-0 in the first leg in Denmark, AaB put the contest beyond their hosts before the break tonight as Luton Shelton swiftly replied to Sergio González's 38th-minute opener, and then Andreas Johansson and Thomas Enevoldsen scored in first-half added time.

AaB will now attempt to do what Danish rivals FC Midtjylland and FC København could not achieve in this season's UEFA Cup, and oust City over two legs on 12 and 18/19 March.

Shelton denied

Deportivo were responsible for some of the most memorable European comebacks of recent years, most famously against AC Milan in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League, yet it seemed their task would get even harder when Shelton broke through but after he rounded home goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia, Diego Colotto made a saving tackle.

After that warning, Depor moved forward and Omar Bravo, a ninth-minute substitute for Rodolfo Bodipo, had a goal disallowed for offside although Sergio did break the deadlock with a long-range shot.

AaB through

However, Deportivo's joy soon turned to despair. Three minutes later Anders Due's cross was flicked on and headed in by Shelton. Due, scorer of two first-leg goals, also created AaB's second, setting up Johansson in similar style, and moments after that Enevoldsen volleyed in after Shelton's effort was parried by Aranzubia.

Deportivo's hope was gone and despite pushing forward in the second half, their campaign ended with substitute Pablo Álvarez receiving an injury-time red card after two bookings.

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UEFA Champs League 08/09: Kemenangan yang tak dijangka

uefa.com

Madrid caught by Benayoun sucker punch

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Liverpool FC hold the whip hand in this tie after Yossi Benayoun secured the Premier League side a famous 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu, leaving Real Madrid CF with it all to do if they are to seize a UEFA Champions League quarter-final berth at Anfield on 10 March.

Tense encounter

Benayoun decided a tense first leg with a header after 82 minutes, rising unmarked to direct Fábio Aurélio's free-kick past Iker Casillas. It capped a resilient performance from Rafael Benítez's charges, who began the game a little wastefully but grew in confidence as the clock ran down.

Gerrard absence

Steven Gerrard's absence from the Liverpool starting lineup undoubtedly gave Madrid a pre-match boost. The sizzling atmosphere cannot have hurt either as the men in white made early inroads. An Arjen Robben through ball almost led to an opening goal after five minutes and, although Pepe Reina denied Raúl González, an early pattern had emerged. Madrid were dominating possession and hunting down openings, while the visitors lost the ball too easily and looked increasingly resigned to a night of defending.

Liverpool chances

When a first chance did arise for the Reds, it sprung from a lapse at the back, the Madrid defensive line failing to intercept a long clearance towards Fernando Torres, who strode forward and forced Casillas into a fine reaction save from close range. The Spain goalkeeper was called into action shortly afterwards too, as Benayoun collected another long pass down the right and tried, unsuccessfully, to beat him with a lob.

Efforts

Those counterpunches restored some balance before Madrid had the ball in the net with half an hour gone, only for Gonzalo Higuaín's header to be disallowed for offside. Marcelo and Robben then fired wide, as did Higuaín following a surging run, yet Liverpool's dogged tackling kept them competitive and Reina did the rest, showing good reflexes to deny Robben via Albert Riera's outstretched leg. Closing out the half, Xabi Alonso tested Casillas from within his own half to restate the visitors' attacking threat.

Robben danger

The Liverpool midfielder was less accurate from significantly closer when he tried his luck again after the restart, with Madrid's own No14, the fit-again Guti, now on in place of Marcelo. Robben shifted to the left to accommodate the newcomer, but the winger continued to enjoy a free role and shot wide from the right. Both coaches had predicted a tight affair and they were being proved right, with neither team able to establish genuine supremacy as time ticked down. In terms of individuals, Robben remained the danger man for the hosts and Benayoun made some good runs for Liverpool, with Torres subdued after receiving a knock and eventually replaced by Ryan Babel.

Benayoun goal

The greater urgency unsurprisingly belonged to Madrid, eager to build a first-leg lead, but after yet another Robben effort – the Dutchman unleashing a powerful strike that Reina tipped over – Benayoun had the final, and potentially decisive, word. The entrance of Gerrard at the end merely capped a memorable night for the noisy travelling supporters, although Riera will be suspended for the second leg.

Oh Uncle Brahim Ali..

HarakahDaily.Net

Ibrahim Ali sedia timbang sertai semula Umno

Abdul Aziz Mustafa Wed Feb 25, 09 3:38:13 am MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Feb (Hrkh) - Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas Datuk Ibrahim Ali bersedia menimbang pelawaan untuk menyertai semula Umno dengan syarat parti itu bersedia menerima kelantangannya.

Ketika berterus-terang kepada para pemberita yang menemuinya di lobi Parlimen semalam, Ibrahim berkata, beliau amat menghargai pelawaan daripada Umno dan akan mendapatkan maklum balas daripada para penyokong di kawasannya.

Ibrahim menambah, Umno bukanlah satu parti yang asing baginya kerana selain pernah menjadi ahli, beliau menganggotai Majlis Tertinggi (MT) selama enam tahun dan ketua bahagian selama 12 tahun.

Ketua Penerangan Umno, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib berkata, parti itu memang memerlukan tokoh seperti Ibrahim bagi menguatkan kedudukan parti di mata orang Melayu ketika ini.

Katanya, sebagai orang lama dan berpengalaman, selain pernah keluar masuk Umno, kebolehan dan kecekapan Ahli Parlimen itu tidak perlu diragui.

Ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi meminta ahli parti supaya tidak memandang sinis terhadap cadangan supaya Ibrahim dibenarkan menyertai semula parti itu.

Menurut Ahmad Zahid, beliau mengharapkan akan ada lagi orang seperti Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas itu mahu menyertai Umno semula.

"Kalau ada ramai yang nak masuk lagi bagus, sekurang-kurangnya Umno ada majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen nanti," katanya.

Seorang lagi ahli MT, Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo juga bersetuju dengan cadangan itu dan berharap Ibrahim menimbang tawaran itu dengan sebaik-baiknya.