SAFA new head coach for Bafana Bafana: Mr Santana

When the Brazilian was appointed to replace his compatriot Carlos Alberto Parreira, he seemed to think that Christmas - his birthday, by the way - had come early.

He was contemplating the money he would earn and the job security he would have.

But it comes at a price. "Mr Nobody," one of the South African papers dubbed him.

Being an unknown in his future environment (he leaves his current job with Flamengo next week) leaves him unprotected against the - at best - scepticism and at worst - outright contempt with which some will greet him in South Africa.


I wish him good luck :-)

Critical penalty for Chelsea

36th day of English Premiership League at Stamford Bridge:
Chelsea (78pts) vs Man U (81pts) before the game.

Joe Cole's shot hit the bar as Man U, who lost Nemanja Vidic to injury, backtracked before Ballack headed Chelsea in front on 45 minutes.

Wayne Rooney drove in the equaliser after Ricardo Carvalho's error to put United back in the driving seat.

But after Michael Carrick handled in the area, Ballack won it from the spot.

It was the first penalty Man U had conceded in the league all season and could prove decisive at the end of the season when silverware is handed out.

And as Man U pressed at the very end of the game, it took goal-line clearances from Ashley Cole and Andriy Shevchenko to deny first Cristiano Ronaldo and then Darren Fletcher and ensure Chelsea claimed a vital three points.

Chelsea, with their inferior goal difference, knew a win was their only realistic chance of keeping alive their hopes of overhauling Man U - and they started the match powerfully.

Although the Blues were much the better side in the first half, Cole's volley against the bar aside, they created few clear-cut chances.

Man U's reshuffled defence, which saw substitute Owen Hargreaves come on at right-back and Wes Brown moved to centre-back, had coped well with Chelsea's threats.

But the power of Drogba, the combative qualities of Essien and Cole's darting movement had Man U pinned back in their own half.

A quiet Rooney looked isolated, and Man U seemed toothless without Ronaldo, who had been left on the bench.

After the interval, Chelsea again tried to pick up the pace but their game plan appeared to be in tatters when Carvalho made an awful mistake to let Man U back into the match.

The Portuguese defender casually played the ball towards his own goal, straight into the path of Rooney, who raced clear of John Terry and scored with an excellent low drive.

It proved to be Rooney's last contribution as he was went off injured shortly after to be replaced by Ronaldo.

Frustration was building for Chelsea and Ballack and Drogba argued with each other as they prepared to take a free-kick.

Drogba eventually took aim and was only denied by a magnificent save by Edwin van der Sar.

And there was still time for more drama as Carrick was penalised for blocking Essien's right-wing cross with his arm.

Up stepped Ballack, who brilliantly sent the keeper the wrong way and put Chelsea back into the lead.

Yet it almost did not end there as Man U came so close to snatching another equaliser but Cole and Shevchenko cleared efforts off the line.

Final whistle: ManU 81points and Chelsea 81points.

NB: Remember, last year Real Madrid won the spanish Liga at goal difference against FC Barcelona.

Ooh… mon Barca

Pour tous ceux qui suivent régulièrement ce blog, vous savez que je suis un grand supporteur du FCB.

Mais au vue des performances actuelles du club, je ne vois pas comment elle pourra empêcher une finale 100% anglaise le 21 mai 2008 à Moscou.

Les clubs anglais évoluent à milles lieux de tous les autres clubs européens. Si le tirage au sort l’avait designé autrement, il aurait été tout à fait logique d’avoir les demi-finales suivantes :

Liverpool – Chelsea

Arsenal – Manchester United.

Malheureusement pour Arsenal, ils ont du affronter Liverpool en quarts de finale. Ils auraient écrasé Barcelone sans problème. Aujourd’hui nous avons les demi-finales suivantes pour la Ligue des Champions :

Liverpool – Chelsea

FC Barcelona – Manchester United.

Je pense que Man U sera champion (comme tout le monde le pronostique). Mais mon cœur souhaite que Barca soit champion cette année encore. Qu’ils laissent le championnat d’Espagne au Real, et reprennent le titre Européen détenu par le Milan AC de Kaka.

UEFA CL 2008: 1st semi -> it will be Chelsea vs Liverpool

Liverpool set up another Champions League semi-final with Chelsea after a stunning late win over Arsenal.

Abou Diaby put Arsenal into an early lead but Sami Hyypia lost Phillipe Senderos to head an equaliser.

Fernando Torres looked to have settled it when he scored in the top corner, until a superb Theo Walcott run allowed Emmanuel Adebayor to tap in.

But Kolo Toure fouled Ryan Babel and Gerrard held his nerve from the spot, before Babel broke to add a fourth.

It was an extraordinary end to yet another wonderful European tie at Anfield.

The two sides, who have faced each other three times in six days, saved their best for last in a game that was full of drama from start to finish.

Both teams played as if their season was on the line and it resulted in a pulsating cup tie.

Arsenal looked like they had a new lease of life from the side that started the 1-1 draw so lethargically at the weekend and it was little surprise when they went in front through Diaby, on his return to the side. The goal seemed to energise Arsenal further and it was Liverpool who were beginning to look jaded.

But the Gunners were made to pay after half an hour when Senderos was caught flat footed and Hyypia had the freedom of the Anfield penalty box to head past Cesc Fabregas and in off the post.

It was Liverpool's turn to have the upper hand and the home side eventually pressed home their dominance midway through the second half.

Rafa Benitez's decision to partner Peter Crouch with Torres had looked like a tactical blunder in the early stages, but it was a pairing that was to combine for their second goal.

Crouch's flick was latched onto by Torres, who turned and shot in an instant to send the stadium into delirium.

However, Walcott's introduction revitalised the Gunners, as he beat six Liverpool defenders during a magical run from inside his own half before squaring for Adebayor to sidefoot home.

Liverpool are nothing if not resilient though, and immediately went down the other end where substitute Babel was adjudged to have been brought down by Toure.

Gerrard made no mistake from the spot, firing into the top corner with just four minutes left on the clock.

An Arsenal response at that stage would have been enough to send them through on away goals.

But as they threw men forward Babel raced clear to slot home a fourth - and perhaps ease the pain of a contentious penalty decision.

It was a cruel exit for Arsenal but there was no denying it was Liverpool's night.

They will face Chelsea in the semi for the third time in four years when the two sides meet on the week beginning 21 April and 28 April.

Euro 2008: Portugal

Figo et Pauleta partis, la sélection portugaise s'est reconstruite autour d'une nouvelle génération de joueurs talentueux. Mais le Portugal a souffert pour arracher sa qualification pour l'Euro en raison d'un manque d'expérience et de réalisme. Heureusement, Cristiano Ronaldo était là.

Qualifié dans la douleur

Autrefois présent par intermittence lors des grandes phases finales, le Portugal a changé de statut depuis le nouveau millénaire. Demi- finalistes à l'Euro 2000, les Portugais sont passés à la vitesse supérieure en 2004 lors de leur Euro, où ils ont échoué en finale contre la Grèce (0-1). Un mini-traumastisme pour la Selecçao, qui s'est rattrapée en se hissant en demi-finales de la Coupe du monde 2006. Deux ans plus tard, le Portugal s'est invité au banquet suisse et autrichien au terme d'une campagne de qualification particulièrement stressante et cahoteuse. Devancé par la Pologne, le Portugal n'a validé son billet qu'en toute fin de parcours lors du dernier match contre la Finlande (0-0). L'équipe de Luiz Felipe Scolari avait hypotéqué ses chances en se faisant accrocher en Arménie (1-1). Les hommes de "Felipao" ont également démontré une inquiétante incapacité à vaincre leurs adversaires directs : la Serbie (1-1, 1-1), la Finlande (1-1, 0-0) et la Pologne (1-2, 2-2). Le sélectionneur brésilien peut se poser des questions avant d'affronter la Suisse, la République tchèque et la Turquie, dans un groupe A à sa portée mais extrêmement ouvert.

Il manque un vrai buteur

Scolari, au cours de cette campagne, a dû procéder à un sérieux rafraîchissement de son groupe. Les blessures et les retraites (Figo, Pauleta) l'y ont obligé, quand il n'a pas choisi lui-même de pousser les piliers de 2004 vers la sortie. Le ''ministre'' Da Costa a été écarté pour mauvaise conduite avec le très actif Maniche, lequel fut finalement rappelé avant la fin des qualifications. C'est surtout en défense que les blessures se sont succédées (Ricardo Carvalho, Jorge Andrade, Pepe). Au milieu, Deco reste une valeur sûre, au même titre que Simao Sabrosa, parfois aligné comme attaquant, ou encore l'ancien Lyonnais Tiago. Même en attaque, Scolari cherche la bonne formule. Recordman de buts en sélection (41), Pauleta est parti à la retraite et son remplaçant se fait attendre. Adepte du jeu sur les côtés, avec Cristiano Ronaldo, Quaresma et Nani, Scolari privilégie un système avec une seule pointe, sauf qu'il n'a pas de vrai buteur dans sa botte. Ni l'inoxydable Nuno Gomes, ni Helder Postiga, ni Hugo Almeida ne sont des titulaires indiscutables, ce qui a poussé le sélectionneur a essayer l'ancien Nantais Ariza Makukula en amical.

Tout repose sur Cristiano Ronaldo

Comme les tauliers Figo, Da Costa et Pauleta ne sont plus là, la moyenne d'âge a chuté d'un coup. Les automatismes et le réalisme aussi... Car qui dit jeunesse et nouvelle génération (incarnée par Moutinho, Bruno Alves et Nani) dit également manque d'expérience. Elle a cruellement fait défaut, avec notamment une attaque beaucoup trop maladroite. Les ballons arrivaient bien mais la lucidité devant le but s'est dissoute. Heureusement, le Portugal savait qu'il pouvait s'en remettre très logiquement à son génie Cristiano Ronaldo pour débloquer les situations les plus chaudes. La star de Manchester United, qui fait sans doute partie des trois meilleurs joueurs du monde, attire toute la lumière sur lui, vêtu de la cape du sauveur. Sa technique exceptionnelle et son instinct de buteur sont une chance inouïe pour le Portugal, qui a pris l'habitude de se reposer sur lui (8 buts en éliminatoires). Ses responsabilités sont énormes, à la hauteur de son statut et de ses performances en club. Sa cinquième saison en Angleterre est de loin la plus accomplie. Co-meilleur buteur de la Ligue des champions avec 6 buts en 8 matches, il affolle les statistiques en Premier League avec 24 réalisations en 26 journées. Tout le peuple portugais prie pour qu'il soit encore en pleine forme au mois de juin, ou qu'il ne soit pas blessé d'ici là.

UEFA Champions League: Man U, Barca move towards semifinal clash

Manchester United beat Roma 2-0 away and Barcelona won 1-0 at Schalke in their Champions League quarterfinal, first-leg matches on Tuesday to take big steps towards a semifinal showdown.

Goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney either side of half-time gave Man-U victory at the Stadio Olimpico as the English champions continued to torment Roma.

Alex Ferguson's side have beaten their Italian rivals in three of their last four matches and appear set to send them packing from Europe's premier club competition again after an 8-3 aggregate drubbing at the same stage last season.

Man-U won the second leg of that contest 7-1 and only an unlikely slip-up in the second leg at Old Trafford will prevent them from reaching their second successive semifinal.

If they do meet Barcelona it would renew an old rivalry for Man-U, who beat the Catalan side 2-1 in the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup final and fought out two enthralling 3-3 draws in the group stage of their 1999 Champions League triumph.

Ronaldo headed Man-U into a 39th-minute lead with his 36th goal of the season in all competitions and Rooney sealed the win midway through the second half when he scrambled home a loose ball from close range.

Man-U weathered an early second-half onslaught but could have won by a bigger margin after Ronaldo shaved the post and Michael Carrick came close with a curling low drive.

Second-youngest scorer
Barca striker Bojan Krkic scored his first Champions League goal and became the second-youngest scorer in the competition at the age of 17 years and just over seven months to put the Catalans in the driving seat of their tie against Schalke.

He diverted the ball into the roof of the net after Thierry Henry's initial shot was blocked at the near post and kept his composure to square it back for the teenager to pounce.

Barcelona were more comfortable in possession throughout and held off Schalke's attempts at a comeback with some ease despite missing injured trio Deco, Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho.

Having reached the last eight of the European Cup for the first time since the 1958/59 season, the German side never looked capable of upsetting the 2006 winners, whose victory took some of the pressure off coach Frank Rijkaard.

On Wednesday, Arsenal are at home to last year's finalists, Liverpool, in an all-English clash while Turkish champions Fenerbahce entertain Chelsea in the other quarterfinal.