The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Carroll return date still a mystery for shot-shy West Ham Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:30 AM PST Goal-shy West Ham United still have no idea when record signing Andy Carroll will be able to return from a foot injury. The London club, only out of the relegation zone on goal difference, host Chelsea on Saturday with manager Sam Allardyce (pic) admitting he is in the dark about Carroll's fitness. The 24-year-old, who has not played a game for the club since signing for 15 million pounds (RM77.5 million) from Liverpool in June after a spell on loan, has been receiving treatment in Amsterdam since injuring his right foot in training in September. "We are trying to get a date out of the guys in Amsterdam, but they are reluctant to give us any clear indication of when he's going to be able to join us back here and start training with the squad and getting back into the team," Allardyce told a news conference. "It's a worry and concern for us and one we have to make sure we deal with. "To take the pressure off us, we need results that we haven't achieved in the first 11 games." West Ham have the best defensive record outside the top seven, but a meagre nine goals in the league has left them hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone. Allardyce has named a striker-less line-up in recent games and suggested his side's hard-working approach this season could upset a Chelsea team 'vulnerable' after their recent loss to Newcastle United and draw with West Bromwich Albion. "Creating chances will be at a premium, so we have to be clinical enough to take them when we get them," he said. "If we can do that, as Newcastle showed a few weeks ago, we can frustrate Chelsea and win the game. That game showed there is a vulnerability there and if your team masters its tactics, you can beat a team as big as Chelsea." - Reuters, November 21, 2013. |
| Greece saved Romania from World Cup forfeit Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:20 AM PST The Greeks said they alerted Romanian officials before the game in Athens after they named only two goalkeepers because first choice Ciprian Tatarusanu was injured and not included in the squad list. Under FIFA rules, any 23-man squad for an official game must include three goalkeepers. The oversight was missed by FIFA officials at the time. Greece won the game 3-1 and clinched their place in the finals after drawing 1-1 in the second leg on Tuesday. "With so much at stake - participation in a World Cup and the financial gains for the Greek FA which comes with that -- we could have ignored their error and taken the result, but it was important to do the right thing," Fysass told Greek radio SportFM. "I preferred to qualify on the pitch rather than on paper." Bogdan Lobont started in goal with Costel Pantilimon on the bench in the first leg last Friday with the Romanians adding an outfield player as the third keeper to keep within the rules. Fysass's faith in his team was justified with two goals from Konstantinos Mitroglou and one from Dimitrios Salpingidis helping them to a 3-1 win in Athens. A 1-1 draw in Bucharest in the return saw Greece through to next year's finals 4-2 on aggregate. Tatarusanu returned for the second leg with both Lobont and Pantilimon named among the substitutes. - Reuters, November 21, 2013. |
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