Selangor suffer first defeat in AFP Cup campaign |
- Selangor suffer first defeat in AFP Cup campaign
- Libya asks UN, world for help after wave of bombings, violence
- Evergreen Giggs rolls back the years for United
- Brazil sees Cup risks, says report
- Moyes refuses to get carried away by one bright moment
- Hull’s Boyd to appeal ‘spitting’ charge
| Selangor suffer first defeat in AFP Cup campaign Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:57 PM PDT
The solitary goal of the match was scored by striker Nguyen Van Quyet in the 51st minute to ensure his team's third consecutive win in the group said the Asian Football Confederation (AF) in its website. Selangor who managed two draws in their first two matches, did put the ball in the net through Afiq Azmi's strike in the 76th minute but the goal was disallowed by Australian referee Jarred Gavan Gillett for off side. The win saw the Vietnam outfit continue to stay at the top of the group while Selangor, coached by Australian Mehmet Durakovic, are in third place with two points from three matches. Selangor will however, have a chance to avenge tonight's defeat when both teams face off in their return match at the Shah Alam Stadium on April 1. In another Group F match Indonesia's Arema Indonesia convincingly beat Maziya Sports & Recreation Club from the Maldives 3-1 at the Maldives National Stadium. — Bernama  |
| Libya asks UN, world for help after wave of bombings, violence Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:54 PM PDT
The appeal came after a wave of bombings and assassinations in the eastern city of Benghazi and clashes between pro-government forces and a rebel militia controlling major oil ports in Sirte in central Libya. The violence is part of turmoil in the North African country where the government in unable to control militias that helped overthrow Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but kept their weapons to grab oil wealth and power. "Terrorist groups" had declared war on Benghazi, Sirte and other cities, the government said. A powerful car bomb targeting an army academy killed at least eight people in Benghazi on Monday. "Libya's interim government asks the international community and especially the United Nations to provide assistance to uproot terrorism," the government said in a statement posted on its website. "The government confirms that it wants this war on terror and its crimes to start as soon as possible," it said. The weak central government did not say what kind of help it expected. Western, Arab and African countries have been training thousands of Libyans to build up an army and police but progress has been slow. Major oil facilities are out of control of the Tripoli government since armed groups and tribesmen seized them, knocking down oil exports, the country's lifeline, to a trickle. The government has said it will end, if necessary by force, a blockage of major ports in the oil-rich east by a rebel group demanding regional autonomy and more oil revenues. But analysts are sceptical the nascent army can confront the group. The rebel militia group managed earlier this month to load oil for export onto a tanker but US Navy Seals stormed the vessel off the Cyprus coast on Sunday. ― Reuters |
| Evergreen Giggs rolls back the years for United Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:54 PM PDT
Handed his first start in 11 games, the 40-year-old was central to all that was good in United's play and he provided key passes to set up the opening two goals in a 3-0 win over Olympiakos that took United into the last eight. Giggs, making his 140th Champions League appearance, is second behind former Real Madrid striker Raul, on 142, in games played in the competition. "I looked at the appearances in the programme before the game," United manager David Moyes told reporters. "It's incredible the amount of games he has played. I thought Giggsy was fantastic, he really was. The passes he made for the two goals and his general play. "More importantly his general fitness. You think sometimes that he'd need to come off after 60 minutes but he's a freak he really is. He's something different." In the latter stages of his career Giggs has been transformed from a pacy winger to a central midfielder. Although the trademark speed has all but disappeared, he is still able to have a major influence in the most important games by virtue of his tactical nous and awareness. "I just felt after the result to Liverpool I needed him to play a particular role in the centre of midfield for me which he knows and understands and he carried it out perfectly," Moyes said. One of the only positives in what has been a poor season at Old Trafford has been the emergence of 19-year-old winger Adnan Januzaj and Moyes conceded that the need to identify Giggs's long-term successor was the reason behind the veteran's lack of recent playing time. "We have to look to see what the others can do. Ryan Giggs is not going to go on forever, we know that," he said. "So we have to look to find the new Ryan Giggs. It was a big night, we needed it off the back of a bad result and I thought we needed his experience tonight and he certainly showed it." — Reuters |
| Brazil sees Cup risks, says report Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:47 PM PDT
The office of President Dilma Rousseff told AFP the undated report was "preliminary," not conclusive and merely the result of "informal consultation" with local people in cities due to host the June-July event. The document indicated security concerns in six of the 12 host cities, including July 13 final venue Rio de Janeiro, where it identified "a difficult relationship between public authorities and society." Rio authorities are battling to bolster security in the city by increasing police presence in tourist areas while also ramping up a six-year-old policy of "pacifying" the city's sprawling slums. The report also highlighted as a "potential problem" a 60-million-reais (RM83.8 million) cut in the military police budget for business hub Sao Paulo, due to host the Cup's opening match. O Globo said another concern was Porto Alegre, the scene of a strike by lorry drivers that authorities fear could spread beyond the southern city. In the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte, authorities fear that a strike by civil servants may "fuel protests" of the kind that hit the city and several other major venues during June's Confederations Cup. Angry Brazilians have taken to the street to protest the US$11 billion World Cup price tag, poor public services and government corruption. Although they have been on a smaller scale than last year, when more than a million people took to the streets, some of the demonstrations have ended in violence. Another concern, according to the report, is the capital Brasilia, where "opposition parties are attempting to wreck the image" of Governor Agnelo Queiroz of the ruling Workers' Party. The report also expressed concerns over the security of teams and foreign visitors during the month-long Cup, while the government further fears unrest between indigenous groups and agricultural workers in the northeast. But an official in the presidential office said: "The information published in the newspaper is not official and has not been verified." — AFP |
| Moyes refuses to get carried away by one bright moment Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:44 PM PDT
United have endured a miserable first season under the Scot who was hand-picked by his predecessor Alex Ferguson to succeed him when he retired after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford. Yesterday's 3-0 victory over the Greek champions, which gave United a 3-2 aggregate success and a place in the last eight, was in marked contrast to their dismal display when they lost 3-0 at home to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. "What I am not going to say is that this result is the start of a change in our fortunes, though I hope it is," Moyes told a news conference. "There have been a few false starts already this season and while this is a really good result and a really important win I cannot say that everything will change now. "I have a big job to do here, a lot of changes and it will take time." The Liverpool result left United in seventh place in the table, 18 points behind leaders Chelsea and 12 adrift of Manchester City who occupy the fourth Champions League spot. Unless they win the Champions League, their only realistic chance of European competition next season is in the second-tier Europa League. Yesterday's win kept them in with a chance of lifting the European Cup for the fourth time, but it appears to be a slim one with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea looking far more likely winners on current form. Moyes was keeping his feet firmly on the ground. "We might not be favourites to win the Champions League this season but if we go into the quarter-finals as underdogs that's fine by me," he said. "With this squad this club can be more than a match for anyone." The one thing that is sure is that if United had gone out to Olympiakos the pressure on Moyes would have been even greater than it has been over the last few months. They have suffered a series of ignominious home defeats and the performance against Liverpool was probably their worst of the season. It might not have been a vintage display against Olympiakos but it was the first time in 30 years they have overcome a two-goal first-leg deficit to win a European tie. Striker Robin van Persie, who has often looked listless this season, showed just why United paid Arsenal 24 million pounds (US$40 million) for him two years ago with a coolly taken hat-trick. United return to league action on Saturday when they visit one of their least popular grounds in West Ham's Upton Park. A good result there and victory over neighbours Manchester City next Tuesday and perhaps Moyes might start to believe that the season really is beginning to turn around. — Reuters |
| Hull’s Boyd to appeal ‘spitting’ charge Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:40 PM PDT
Scotland international Boyd was alleged to have spat at Hart as the pair confronted each other after Boyd fell under the England goalkeeper's challenge in the box. Hart was booked by referee Lee Mason and as a result he will face no further action. Boyd is facing a three-match ban, which could rule him out of the Tigers' upcoming Premier League matches against West Brom, West Ham and Stoke. After Saturday's match, which Hull lost 2-0, Boyd insisted Hart should have been sent off, saying: "He didn't nut me but he's put his head in, so he should have got sent off really." Television footage appeared to show Boyd spitting in Hart's direction, but Hull manager Steve Bruce defended his player by saying: "George Boyd would not do that, not a chance — not deliberately, anyway. He is as honest as they come." — AFP |
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