The 4th day of the competition was a record setting day for Liverpool FC. The English team which is is real danger of remain out of the knock-out stage of the competition, stuffed the net in their last game against Turkish side Besiktas. Liverpool dominated the game scoring 8 goals and allowing 0. This is the largest margin for a win in Champions League history. Liverpool’s Yossi Benayoun scored a hat-trick putting his own mark on the result. Liverpool is currently seating in the 3rd place of Group A 4 points behind FC Porto and 3 points behind Marseille with 2 games remaining against these two teams.
In other action, Real Madrid and Olympiacos played to a 0-0 draw keeping Group C still difficult to predict. Real Madrid is likely to earn one of the two spots moving forward to the knock-out stage but the second spot can go to any of the remaining three teams in the group Olympiacos, Lazio, and Bremen. In the meantime, Manchester United and Arsenal have secured their spots to the next round with two games remaining.
While we are all waiting for Champions League to resume this coming week, here is a great video compilation of some of the best goals scored including some nice sequences of in-game ball tricks by some of the best soccer players.
Some soccer goals are fantastic and worth watching them over and over again. But soccer players also know how to celebrate scoring in their own imaginative ways. Check it!
Everton FC defenders appear to dance syrtaki in an effort to block a shot from Greek team Larissa FC’s Brazilian striker Cleiton in UEFA group competition. Everton won the game 3-1.
With Plato in net and Archimedes leading the attack of the Greek team, was there any doubt that the Greeks would be winners of this international match among philosophers and scientists? Only the Monty Python crew could come up with something so funny. Enjoy,
Achieving the performance deserving the European Champions, Greece defeated Turkey with a single second half goal to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals. And they still have two games remaining. Greece dominated the game having numerous chances to score more goals but sloppy finishing and solid goalkeeping kept Turkey hoping until late in the game. Turkey are now in danger of missing the Euro 2008 finals with Norway having the advantage for winning the second qualifying spot in Group C. Norway will host Turkey on November 17th in a do-or-die game for both teams.
England is also in a difficult position after losing to Russia in a 2-1 decision. In this game, Rooney went from here to zero after scoring England’s go-ahead goal but also committing the penalty that gave Russia the tying goal. England continues to enjoy second place in Group E with 2 points more than Russia but also with a game on hand. Croatia is comfortably leading the group as we approach the final sprint of the qualifying stage.
David James is sensitive about the environment. After successfully leading England to win numerous international competitions, he has now changed his life’s focus to saving the environment. And his first target are the toilettes in Chelsea’s stadium at Stamford Bridge. David is taking issue with the fact that the toilettes automatically flush every 20 seconds in a sense wasting water.
I know that I joked earlier about James’ environmental persona, but I actually applaud his effort to do his part creating awareness about preserving our environment. Even the Premier League has asked him to take a leading role in a new initiative aimed at raising awareness of ecological issues in English football. Good for him and good for Premier League.
Honoring the memory of Sevilla player Antonio Puerta who died suddenly last week, the Spanish team disposed of rival AEK Athens 4-1 in the second game of their Champions League qualifying match. Sevilla had dominated AEK in the first game as well boasting a 2-0 win for an aggregate 6-1 for.
Sevilla scored 3 goals in the first half from strong performances by Luis Fabiano (2 goals) and Keita (1 goal). The Spaniards turned their victory into triumph early in the second half with a fourth goal from a powerful Kerzhakov strike. AEK managed to take one back with a Rivaldo penalty in the 82nd minute.
Sevilla will now join Champions League Group H with Arsenal FC, FC Steaua Bucuresti and SK Slavia Praha. AEK will play in the lowly UEFA cup. The only Greek team to qualify to the Champions League groups stage is Olympiakos widely expected to fair poorly against powerful sides from Italy, Germany and Spain.
Who says that only coaches in the Premiership know how to entertain? Checkout Baldini kicking Di Carlo at the dying minutes of the Parma vs Catania (2-2) game for Serie A. Nothing but class for the start of the Italian 2007-08 soccer season. Enjoy the ass kicking in the video clip below.
