Spain unbeaten

KAUNAS: World and European champions Spain remained victorious atop Group I of Euro 2012 qualifying with a 3-1 win over Lithuania on Tuesday.

Goals from Xavi and Juan Manuel Mata sandwiched possess goal by Tadas Kijanskas to hand the Spaniards their fifth victory from five games, although the hosts had briefly drawn stage with a wonder strike by Marius Stankevicius.

"It was important to win today despite the lamentable state of the pitch," said Spain midfielder Xavi. "It's just sand, it's sad to perceive a pitch like that. You can't play football here.

"But we're happy. We have a foot and a half in the Euro," he told Telecinco. "They played on the counter-attack and we tried not to fall into their catch

All the pre-game talk had been of the unfortunate quality of the pitch, with Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque even going as far as saying he would wish his side not to play the match due to the woeful state of the playing outside.

But the two teams seemed unchanged on the pitch, with Spain opening the scoring in the 20th minute when Xavi's dipping shot took a wicked deflection off a defender to loop past goalkeeper Zydrunas Karcemarskas.

But Lithuania battled fine against the winners of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and strike back in the 57th minute through Stankevicius.

The Valencia defender capitalized on a poor authorization from the penalty area to drill a right-footed volley straight and hard past despairing Spain captain Iker Casillas in goal.

Xabi Alonso then saw his well-struck 65th-minute free-kick superbly tipped over the bar by Karcemarskas.

Although Spain was not dominating midfield, a slip-up by the hosts saw Mata played in down the left.

The Valencia forward troop into the area and crossed perfectly into the pathway of Fernando Llorente.

But the Athletic Bilbao striker was trodden to it by the misjudged knee of fast-approaching defender Tadas Kijanskas, contact from which nudged the ball into the goal.

 Spain wrapped up the result when a beautiful one-touch build-up saw David Silva play in Mata, the very small winger taking the ball on and beating Karcemarskas at the near post.

Fantasy Football

Neymar dreams of blues move

Neymar improved his claims as one of the best young talents in the world with a genius display in Brazil's 2-0 win over Scotland on Sunday.

The Santos attacker has been linked with a go to Europe for some time with all the top clubs on the continent chasing his signature.

Chelsea has detained a long-term interest in the 19-year-old and Neymar has admitted he would be happy to formulate the move to Stamford Bridge.

"Chelsea's a great club," Neymar told. "It's a dream of each player to play at Chelsea.
"If one day it happens, I will be very joyful to come.

"When the jiffy comes we are going to sit with my family.

"We are going to think about it and argue the options."

Chelsea tried to sign Neymar last summer, but the skilful forward did not sense the time was right to leave Brazil.

However, the teenager would give serious thought to a shift to West London this summer if Chelsea come calling again for his services.

"Last year, when Chelsea came, we sat mutually and we thought it wasn't the time yet," added Neymar. "If it happens this year, we are going to sit again and going to talk about about it."

Although attracting interest from a host of clubs, Neymar insists he is happy at Santos for the time being.

"I am happy there and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right choice and things will happen," concluded Neymar.




Fantasy Football

Barry happy at leading England

Gareth Barry insists the conditions culminating in him leading England out as captain for the first time will not diminish his sense of satisfaction.

The Manchester City player has been handed the armband for Tuesday's friendly international with Ghana after John Terry was out from the squad, along with four others, following the Euro 2012 qualifier in opposition to Wales on Saturday.

Barry did not even make the substitutes' bench in Cardiff but is the most experienced activist left in the squad, and said: "I'm well aware that there are a lot of players not here and, in dissimilar circumstances, I obviously wouldn't be captain. But, personally, I can't let that take it left from me. I'm going to be leading my country out."

He added: "As dissatisfied as I was on Saturday not to be playing, it's going to be a great honor to lead England out.

"It came as a revelation but this is just football.

"To find myself not involved at the weekend, and then a few days later on to be told I'm going to lead the team out at Wembley, it sums up the game and how speedily things can vary.

"I'm not timid about doing it. I had two or three great years at Aston Villa, leading the team out, and it does furnish you a good lift leading the 11 players out.

"It's something I'm looking forward to doing."

Barry broke into the Villa team as a 17-year-old central defender and learnt a lot about leadership by playing under and at the side of Gareth Southgate.

He said: "Initially Gareth was a great head for me. Being a young player at Aston Villa, he was certainly a enormous role model, someone I learned a lot off. At club level he was a great leader to learn off."

Fantasy Football

Northern Ireland v Slovenia

Northern Ireland go into tonight’s Euro 2012 crunch clash with Slovenia at Windsor Park knowing a beat is likely to spell the end of their qualification hopes.

Last Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Serbia — after Northern Ireland had led 1-0 at half-time — has left Nigel Worthington’s men lying second from foot of Group C.

And although we have a match in hand, a beat tonight would mean we’d have to win all five remaining games in order to formulate the finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Gareth McAuley will captain Northern Ireland from the start for the first time — in the lack of Aaron Hughes, who suffered a shoulder injury in Belgrade — and both he and fellow defender Jonny Evans are upbeat about tonight’s must-win encounter.

“It’s huge. Being in the leading place we threw away at least a point in Serbia,” said McAuley.

“It makes this game even bigger. We’ll be going at it right from begin.

He added: “It’s an honor to be captain and it would be pleasant to look back on it as a winning occasion. We know we can strike Slovenia.”

Evans said: “We have to win this one to get us back on way and try to qualify.”


Fantasy Football

Villa Rocks Spain Beat Czechs

GRANADA (Spain): David Villa became Spain's record goal-scorer when he strike twice as the world champions fought back from 1-0 down to strike Czech Republic 2-1 in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday.
Jaroslav Plasil silenced the home fans with a powerful long-range make in the 29th minute that went in off a post to give the visitors an upset lead.

Villa equalised in the 69th minute with a low down shot that was too good for keeper Petr Cech before netting from the penalty spot four minutes later after Andres Iniesta was felled in the area.

The Barcelona attacker now has 46 international goals for the European champions - two ahead of former Real Madrid marksman Raul.

The success gave Spain a perfect 12 points from four games in Group I.

The home team immediately put the Czech goal under stress on a warm Andalucian evening and Iniesta tested Cech with a snap shot in the second minute before Joan Capdevila flashed a header narrowly wide.

Villa stung Cech's hands with a influential volley from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross in the 26th minute but the visitors grabbed a surprise lead three minutes later on with their first shot on goal.

Plasil collected the ball in an innocuous-looking position in central midfield before letting fly from 29 metres.

Fantasy Football

Wales' Ashley Williams eager for England test

Wales defender Ashley Williams is eager to test himself against "some of the best players in the world" on Saturday.

England trainer Fabio Capello is tipped to pair Andy Carroll with Wayne Rooney in attack for the Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

"It would be unbelievable... we don't need to speak anything about Wayne Rooney," said Williams.

"Everyone knows about him and it'll be a tough sport definitely - probably one of the toughest in my career."

While Williams has not at all faced Manchester United star Rooney before, the 26-year-old Swansea City centre-back has tangled with Carroll.

New Liverpool striker Carroll snatched a point for former club Newcastle last season in a taut Championship promotion battle, heading home three minutes from time at the Liberty Stadium.

"He's a good player, he's a physical occurrence, he's good in the air, also he's got good feet and his movement's not too bad as well, having played against him before I know it'll be a tough game," Williams added.

"As a player and as an expert you want to play against the best and they've definitely got some of the best players in the world.

"There's no point measuring against normal players, you may as well play against the best and notice whereabouts you are.

Bale quietly confident ahead of England quarrel

"But that's secondary; the first thing is the team. We want to get the win, if we all played and got the win we'd get that.

"After the game you can look back on your personal recital and see how you did.

 "It will probably be the biggest game for a lot of the boys in our team.

"Their squad probably won't say that but for us and for me personally it's definitely the biggest game, the biggest presence and... I'm on top of the world at the moment; I just can't wait to get into the game."

Wales are currently bottom of Group G having lost their opening three matches of the campaign but under the leadership of new coach Gary Speed and in front of a packed Millennium Stadium crowd, there is real hope they can upset the odds.

Tamworth-born Williams, who signed for Swansea in 2008 from Stockport County, may not speak with a Welsh inflection but the 2009 Welsh Footballer of the Year says there will be no divided loyalties on Saturday.

"I was born in England, that's a detail, but lived here for the last three years and I've played 24 times for Wales so I definitely know which side I'm on!" Williams said.

"I know I'm English and always will be but I've got Welsh family and having lived downward here I think it helps."

Fantasy Football

UNH Football Player’s Death

DURHAM, N.H. -- New information in the shooting death of a University of New Hampshire football player was exposed Monday.

Court paperwork released in Boulder County detailed the altercation that cost Wildcat wide receiver Todd Walker his life.

Police said Walker and a female friend, Elizabeth Roach, were walking down the middle of a street Friday when they were approached by a man, with a bandanna over his face, and pointed a semi-automatic weapon at Roach.

According to the affidavit, "Roach said the guess said, 'Give me all your money.' Roach said she thought it was a joke, and pulled down the suspect's bandanna. The suspect continued to demand she give him all of her money, but she told him he was a 'joke,' that 'This was Boulder,' and 'I'm not giving you my money.'"

Police said the man fired a shot in the air and repeated his command.

"Roach said Todd tried to intervene and he and the suspect got into a pushing match. Walker told the man, 'This is ludicrous, leave her alone,'" police said.

Investigators said the man pointed the gun at Walker and shot him.

Police identified the shooter as 22-year-old Kevin McGregor, of Longmont, Colorado. Police said the manager of a local sandwich shop recognized the separate lettering described on the gunman's hoodie, and believed it might belong to McGregor.

Police said the manager "went to the back office area where she knew McGregor had stashed a handgun previously. She found a little caliber handgun; she removed the magazine, and noted there were only three bullets in the magazine."

Detectives said McGregor was arrested Saturday night, and they said he admitted to the shooting.
McGregor is charged with first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery, police said.

Fantasy Football

Liverpool beat sunderland 2-0

LONDON: Dirk Kuyt scored a controversial penalty as Liverpool bounced back from their Europa League outlet with a 2-0 win at 10-man Sunderland on Sunday.

Liverpool was beaten at Sunderland in doubtful circumstances last period when Darren Bent scored with a goal that deflected in off a beach ball which had been thrown onto the pitch.

But Kenny Dalglish's side enjoyed their own moment of good fortune at the Stadium of Light this time as Kuyt netted a first half penalty awarded for a tackle by John Mensah that took place outside the area.


Replays showed Mensah's challenge made contact with Jay Spearing before the midfielder fell in the area and referee Kevin Friend initially gave a free-kick, only to change his conclusion to a penalty on the advice of a linesman.

Sunderland was angry and Kuyt rubbed salt into their wounds as he drove home the spot-kick.

Luis Suarez scored Liverpool's second goal from what seemed an impossibly tight angle in the 77th minute to help erase the memory of his team's lacklustre midweek defeat against Braga in the Europa League and raise the Reds within four points of fifth placed Tottenham.

Mensah's miserable day was completed when the Ghana defender was sent off for an expert foul on Suarez in the closing stages.

In Sunday's late game, Chelsea faces Manchester City at Stamford Bridge with the hosts looking for a win that would take them above their opponents into third place.


Fantasy Football