The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Suarez denies “I’m staying” claim: Report Posted: 14 Aug 2013 09:46 AM PDT Unsettled Liverpool striker Luis Suarez denied a report yesterday saying that he had decided to stay at Anfield, according to Japanese media. The 26-year-old scored with a rocket and provided the ammunition for two quick-fire Diego Forlan goals as Uruguay overpowered Japan 4-2 away in a pulsating friendly. The Arsenal target had been quoted beforehand as saying in an interview from Japan with the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador that he would stay with Liverpool. But speaking after masterminding his country to a comfortable win, he denied that he had had a change of heart. "I didn't say that, maybe someone else did and the main thing is that I am here now with the national team," Japan's Kyodo News quoted him as saying. Liverpool have had two bids from Arsenal rejected and Suarez has been made to train on his own by manager Brendan Rodgers after accusing the club of breaking promises by refusing to let him leave. Before the friendly with Japan, Suarez had been quoted as saying: "Right now, because of all the affection of the people, I'll be staying." On Tuesday, captain Steven Gerrard said he would hate to see Suarez leave Anfield and he was confident that he would not be joining another English club. Suarez has scored 51 goals in 96 games for Liverpool after joining from Dutch giants Ajax in January 2011 but is keen to leave to fulfil his Champions League ambitions. The striker was all smiles before kickoff Wednesday – in contrast to the forlorn figure he has cut in recent weeks during his transfer standoff. A bundle of energy, he wriggled clear down the left before squaring unselfishly for strike partner Forlan to slide home the opener in the 27th minute at Miyagi Stadium. Moments later Forlan doubled Uruguay's lead, curling home a free-kick from the edge of the box after Suarez had gone to ground following a robust challenge from Maya Yoshida. Suarez proved a constant menace and scored a deserved goal in the 52nd minute with a venomous strike. Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa pulled one back for the hosts from close range two minutes later, only for Alvaro Gonzalez to head Uruguay's fourth in the 58th minute as the floodgates threatened to open. Keisuke Honda fizzed home a superb free-kick in the 72nd minute but Japan had already left themselves too much to do. "You have to give credit to Uruguay," Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni told reporters. "They are one of the best teams in the world. They showed that again by reaching the Confederations Cup semi-finals this year." Japan lost all three of their games at the Confederations Cup in June and a dejected Kagawa said: "We haven't learned our lessons from then. There is still a lot to work on before the World Cup." – AFP, August 15, 2013. |
| Metalist expelled from Champions League by UEFA Posted: 14 Aug 2013 09:20 AM PDT The decision by UEFA's appeals committee came 10 days after Metalist lost an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Last year's Ukrainian league runners-up will be replaced by Greek side PAOK, the team they beat in the third qualifying round. Metalist said they would appeal to CAS and a ruling in their favour, which may not come until after the group stage has started, could throw the Champions League into confusion. "We regret that such a sanction was applied, and we do not agree with it, that's why today we plan to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne," Metalist first vice president Kostyantyn Pyvovarov said in a statement. "Also, we have appealed to the Supreme Court of Switzerland with the application for suspension of CAS decision. "I want to remind you that the match, which allegedly took place, was held back in 2008, with the old owners of the club. At the same time, Metalist has won the right to participate in the Champions League 2013/14 in a fair fight. "Our team, our fans deserve to take part in the main football competition in Europe. I want to assure fans that we will fight for the rights of the club and protect them in accordance with all legal requirements." Metalist's replacement PAOK will visit Schalke on Aug. 21 with the return on Aug. 27 for a place in the group stage. The UEFA's emergency panel decided to include the Greek side rather than hand Schalke a bye. The panel also decided that PAOK would not be replaced in the Europa League qualifying round and their opponents Maccabi Tel Aviv would go straight into the group stage. Metalist were not the only club whose Champions League participation was shrouded in uncertainty. CAS has already allowed Fenerbahce back into the competition while it considers an appeal from the Turkish club against their two-year ban from European competition over a domestic match-fixing case. CAS have said they will make a final ruling on Fenerbahce's case by Aug. 28, the day after the Turks play the second leg of their playoff tie against Arsenal. Fenerbahce have already eliminated Salzburg from the competition. Earlier this month, CAS upheld a Ukraine Football Federation (FFU) decision to fine Metalist Kharkiv and FC Karpaty US$25,000 each over the manipulation of a match played in April 2008. The tribunal also confirmed bans of between three and five years on six Metalist players, plus fines of US$10,000 each. Metalist director Yevhen Krasnikov was banned from any soccer-related activity for five years. Two Karpaty officials were given suspended bans and ordered to pay "compulsory cash contributions" to the FFU while CAS upheld an appeal by a third official from the club. CAS said in its ruling that the two clubs "were held liable for the behaviour of their football players or officials under the principle of strict liability." – Reuters, August 15, 2013. |
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