Archive for February, 2009

AC Milan 2-2 Werder Bremen: Claudio Pizarro Vaporizes Rossoneri’s European Dreams (UEFA Cup Round of 32, 2nd Leg)

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Bremen forward Claudio Pizarro, right, of Peru, scores a goal as AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini looks on during the UEFA Cup, Round of 32, second-leg soccer match between AC Milan and Bremen, at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009. (AP Photo)

Don’t trust the numbers you read between Milan and Werder Bremen in the title: the scoreline may say 2-2 but this was match with only one team on the grass. And it certainly wasn’t the Rossoneri. For not only did Werder fight back from an (undeserved) 0-2 half-time deficit: the German side had literally every other goalscoring chance of the 90 minutes, capitalizing the playmaking skills of Diego and lethal aerial ability of Claudio Pizarro.

The idea of winning the only silverware missing from Milan’s trophy room might have been tempting, but Berlusconi has to come down to the sad reality of things: this is a team in need of change, and team needing change fast. “Experience” and “name prestige” just don’t do it anymore.

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Ajax 1-1 Fiorentina: A Dutch Kick in the Teeth for La Viola (UEFA Cup Round of 32, 2nd Leg)

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Ajax player Leonardo, right, scores 1-1 as Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, center, dives to stop the ball during their UEFA Cup round of 32 second leg soccer match at ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday Feb. 26, 2009. Ajax continues to the next round. (AP Photo)

When a team competes in both its domestic league and European cups, there are bound to be subtle differences in the way they play in each competition. Sometimes, the difference isn’t even so subtle. You wanna know in the last month what that difference is for Fiorentina? Domestically, La Viola play average and get full points from their matches; in Europe, they dominate for 90 minutes and are left with nothing.

Marco Van Basten & his Ajax boys can celebrate on the latter.

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Udinese 2-1 Lech Poznań: Bianconeri Hanging Tight, Keep Italy’s Presence Alive (UEFA Cup Round of 32, 2nd Leg)

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Udinese's Simone Pepe, right, celebrates with his teammates Gokhan Inler of Switzerland, during the UEFA Cup, Round of 32, second-leg soccer match between Udinese and Lech Poznan, at the Friuli Stadium in Udine , Italy, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009.  (AP Photo)

After their nasty performance in Turin and receiving the heavy criticisms of big boss Giampaolo Pozzo, Udinese can breathe some fresh air again. European air. For not only did they turn a 1-0 half-time deficit over Lech Poznań into a 2-1 victory (and subsequent qualification to the UEFA Cup’s round of 16), they are also the only Italian team to have won in Europe this week. Who would have thought?

It was a tale of two halves, in which the Bianconeri struggled considerably after conceding Rengifo’s goal and which almost mimicked the final 10 minutes of the first leg. However, Marino’s team then picked up it with verve & rage in the second 45 minutes, grabbing goals through Pepe and Di Natale. Udinese will now face the current champions, Zenit St. Petersburg, in the next round, and given the things (as many good as bad ones) this team is capable of, we can only hope their European adventure will not end there.

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Metalist 2-0 Sampdoria: Unmotivated Blucerchiati Say Bye-Bye to Europe (UEFA Cup Round of 32, 2nd Leg)

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Metalist players celebrate after scoring a goal against Sampdoria during their UEFA Cup soccer match in Kharkiv February 26, 2009.  (REUTERS)

Motivation. A determining factor in sports games, and one that can often turn the tide of insurmountable odds in your favor. A factor that was also completely absent from the minds of Sampdoria‘s players Wednesday, as they travelled to Ukraine’s Metalist in the hopes of overturning a 0-1 first leg deficit.

Indeed by taking a look at the team sheets right before even the match had started, it was very clear Mazzarri & friends had travelled to Kharkiv primarily out of fairplay: Cassano, Palombo, and Delvecchio had all stayed in Genoa, with only the latter on the injury list. With the incumbent match against Milan this week-end and next week’s Coppa Italia fixture vs. Inter, something’s gotta give: the UEFA Cup evidently, wasn’t high on the Blucerchiati priority list this year.

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Chelsea 1-0 Juventus: Drogba Draws First Blood, Bianconeri Still Hopeful (UEFA Champions League Round of 16, First Leg)

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

UEFA Champions League 2008-09 - Chelsea vs. Juventus

Usually, even the most skilled of managers are incapable of turning a team upside down in a matter of days. And yet, Chelsea victory over Juventus in the Round of 16′s first leg of UEFA Champions League playoffs bears a big mark from the “Goose”.

His secret in two words? Didier Drogba. A lost soul during the Scolari era, the Ivorian international took inspiration from the Dutchman’s arrival and retrieved a confidence and goalscoring form which seemed to have been lost, carrying the Blues & his new manager to a valuable 1-0 victory at home. For Juve this is a scoreline which gives as much hope as it instills fear, for the second leg may be a tricky affair indeed: qualification is still within reach, but let Chelsea score in Turin and it’s bye bye Europe.

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