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Mentre restano serie le condizioni del difensore del West Ham Davenport, accoltellato, per ragioni non ancora chiarite,nella propria abitazione, gli “Hammers” cedono ad “Upton Park” contro il Tottenham ( fans in foto ) per due reti ad una. Il derby londinese tra Fulham e Chelsea, invece, è stato vinto dalla squadra di Ancelotti mentre nel terzo match in programma la matricola terribile Burnley si è imposta anche sul quotato Everton. Nella “Championship” il Cardiff ha ottenuto, in scioltezza, i tre punti sul Bristol City. Nella “SPL” i Glasgow Rangers, ridotti subito in dieci uomini, hanno rimontanto gli Hearts, garantendosi il successo a pochi istanti dalla fine con un rigore del solito Kris Boys.

Wade Elliott celebrates after scoring the first top-flight goal of his career

Burnley followed up their win over Manchester United by beating Everton after Louis Saha missed a penalty.

A storming start by the Clarets saw Martin Paterson head Chris McCann’s cross against the bar after 40 seconds.Wade Elliott gave Burnley a deserved lead with a neat finish that took a slight deflection off Phil Neville.Everton improved after the break and their best chance to level came when Tony Hibbert went down in the area but Saha fired his spot-kick wide.The Toffees are left without a point to show for their first two Premier League matches and their boss David Moyes has much to ponder before the transfer window slams shut in nine days’ time.True, this was nothing like as painful an experience as Everton’s opening-day humiliation at the hands of Arsenal but it still exposed the limitations in their current line-up.The departure of want-away defender Joleon Lescott to Manchester City cannot happen soon enough for Moyes – to end the disruption caused by such a prolonged transfer saga and, just as importantly, allow him to spend the proceeds on improving his squad.Everton are short of numbers in defence, where Neville again had to fill in at centre-back, but they are also short of ideas going forward and lone striker Louis Saha had only scraps to feed on up front at Turf Moor.Burnley, in contrast, were full of confidence after beating the Premier League champions five days ago and they could have taken the lead inside the first minute.McCann crossed from the left and Paterson headed against the bar before Steven Fletcher, who was following up, forced Tim Howard into a low save.The Everton defence looked uncomfortable in the early stages and they were soon exposed again when Elliott made space for a cross from the right and Paterson headed wide when he should really have found the target.

And, while the visitors eventually managed to plug those gaps at the back, they took a great deal longer to threaten at the other end.Everton’s first meaningful effort came after 30 minutes and saw Jack Rodwell head Leighton Baines’ corner straight at Brian Jensen.Seconds later, Tony Hibbert’s low cross was just too strong for Saha at the back post but, having just had their best spell of the match, Everton found themselves behind.After a dangerous Robbie Blake cross had fizzed across the face of goal, Steven Fletcher teed up Elliott, who composed himself before coolly curling the ball into the corner of the net, aided by a touch from Neville’s boot.Everton did come out with more purpose after the break, no doubt fired up by angry words from Moyes.But Burnley were still playing the neater football and went close to extending their lead when the quick-thinking McCann saw his attempted lob tipped over by Howard after the ball broke to him in the box.

Hibbert burst into the box and went to ground even though Chris McCann had pulled out of the tackle and made minimal, if any, contactDowd was convinced it was a foul, however, but it made no difference to the final outcome as Saha sent the ball wide of Jensen’s left-hand post.The Danish goalkeeper had been one of the heroes of Wednesday’s win over Manchester United, saving Michael Carrick’s spot-kick, but he was not called upon to make another stop in the closing stages on this occasion.Saha almost made amends for his penalty miss by drilling a rasping 30-yard shot inches wide but, despite Everton’s late dominance, Burnley were able to hang on for the points.

(BBC Sport )

Drogba gave Chelsea the advantage at the end of the first half

Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka scored the goals to maintain Chelsea’s 100% Premier League record at the expense of local rivals Fulham.

Drogba opened the scoring at the end of the first half when he fired an angled shot past Mark Schwarzer from Frenchman Anelka’s low passThe Ivorian then provided the assist for Anelka who scored Chelsea’s second with a low effort from inside the area.Clint Dempsey had Fulham’s best chance when he fired over from eight yards.Fulham had set out a defensive stall against their local rivals with Danny Murhy and Dickson Etuhu sitting deep, and for large parts of the opening half Chelsea’s creative energies were well repressed.

In fact, prior to Drogba’s strike, there were only two when the respective goalmouths were threatened in an uneventful half.The first chance fell to American Dempsey, who did well to make space inside the area after collecting Zoltan Gera’s ball, but then scooped his shot over the bar.The other opportunity fell to John Mikel Obi who cut across a Michael Ballack nod down from 25 yards, but saw his effort fly a yard wide of Schwarzer’s left-hand upright.Fulham’s defence, led by Brede Hangeland, had dealt with the Blues assault, lpredominantly aerial, with relative ease – Chelsea’s play was predictable at times.But with three minutes of the half remaining, the visitors opted for different route to goal.Some quick passing ended with Anelka coming in from the right to thread the ball to Drogba, who escaped the offside trap before caressing his shot past Schwarzer and into the keeper’s bottom right.The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Chelsea dominating the play – 64% at one stage – but again, they were finding it hard to find a gap through Hangeland and co.That was until 14 minutes from time, when two of the Premier League’s most potent strikers teamed up for the second time in the match to score.Drogba was the provider this time, pinging the ball with pace to last season’s top scorer Anelka, who responded by fizzing the ballpast Schwarzer from inside the area.The second goal ended hopes of any other result but a Chelsea win which was their 26th from 27 league and cup games over Fulham.

West Ham 1 – 2 Tottenham Lennon (left) and Defoe grabbed the goals for Spurs By Mandeep Sanghera ( BBC Sport ) Aaron Lennon kept up Tottenham’s 100% start to the season as he grabbed his side’s winner at West Ham. Lennon cut inside defender Jonathan Spector and angled a powerful left-footed strike into the far corner.West Ham had taken the lead when Carlton Cole scored with a spectacular 22-yard strike on the turn.But Jermain Defoe levelled when he smashed in after latching on to Cole’s horrendous backpass, and Lennon’s late goal sealed three points for Spurs.It is the first time in 49 years that Tottenham have won their first three league games of the season – and during that 1960/61 campaign the Londoners took victory in their first 11 games on their way to claiming the old First Division title.Harry Redknapp’s side are unlikely to repeat that feat but they gave extra credence to belief in some quarters that they are good enough to break into the top four and challenge for a Champions League place.

Footballer Davenport stabbed at home

GETTY IMAGES

Davenport’s condition has been described as ‘serious’

 

A teenager was being quizzed by detectives tonight after a Premier League footballer was stabbed in both legs in a “bloody” attack at his family home.Doctors said West Ham United defender Calum Davenport, 26, was in a serious condition after being set upon along with his mother at their property in Bedford late last night.The 26-year-old, who was a multi-million pound signing and an England Under 21 international, underwent emergency surgery this morning. His mother is thought to have suffered lesser injuries.

Neighbours on leafy Springfield Avenue described “noisy” scenes before emergency services arrived. A 19-year-old man was arrested later and taken into custody.Ann Desics, who lives in Springfield Avenue, said she was woken up by people arguing in the road outside the footballer’s mother’s house shortly before 5am.”I just thought it was people passing by but then the ambulances came,” she said. “I didn’t see the incident, I just heard all this shouting.”The main person shouting had a very strong Caribbean accent.”It’s an awful thing to happen – I hope he’s okay.”Mrs Desics, 61, said the road was cordoned off for some time after Davenport was taken to hospital while the scene was examined.There was “quite a lot” of blood on the road, she added.Davenport cost the east London club £3million when he joined them from Tottenham during the summer of 2007.

He did not figure in West Ham’s first game of the season, at Wolves last week, and, after struggling to hold down a first-team place, has been linked with a move away from the club.The Hammers said the club’s thoughts were with the family in a statement.It added: “His mum is recovering while Calum underwent surgery this morning and his injuries were described as serious by doctors.”The club’s medical team are in contact with hospital staff.”The thoughts of everyone at West Ham are with Calum and his family.”A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said: “Police were called to Springfield Avenue in Kempston at 5am after a report of a person being stabbed.

“A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment for serious injury which is not thought to be life-threatening at this time”A 19-year-old man was arrested shortly after the incident in connection with the assault.”But the investigation is still ongoing and house to house inquiries, scenes of crime officers and a cordon are at the scene at this moment in time.”The teenager was taken into custody for questioning, officers added.Bedford-born Davenport spent a spell on loan at Premier League rivals Sunderland last season and has also been loaned out to Watford.

The centre-back started his career at Coventry and has also played on loan at Southampton and Norwich.A Scotland Yard spokesman said the London force had been contacted about the attack but was not involved in the investigation.A resident of the quiet suburban street where the stabbing took place said: “We are all a bit shocked to tell the truth.”You just don’t expect something like this to happen here, it’s a peaceful, quiet spot normally.”Davenport was a “mad keen” footballer from a young age, according to Mrs Desics, who had known him when she worked as a dinner lady at his primary school, Camestone.Mrs Desics said she had not seen him “for years” until his mother moved into the street around a year ago and Davenport became a regular visitor.

 

Hearts 1 – 2 Rangers

By Thomas McGuigan

Substitute Kris Boyd fired Rangers to victory from the penalty spot

Kris Boyd’s injury-time penalty secured victory for 10-man Rangers in an explosive Scottish Premier League encounter at Tynecastle.

Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson was sent off for a lunge on Ian Black.And Hearts took the lead on 31 minutes when David Witteveen’s shot squirmed through Allan McGregor’s grasp.Lee McCulloch’s header restored parity and substitute Boyd scored the winner after Ismael Bouzid was adjudged to have fouled Steven Naismith in the box.Following their bruising Europa League defeat by Dinamo Zagreb, Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo freshened up his side, with goalkeeper Janos Balogh coming in for Marian Kello.

Black and Witteveen came in for the suspended Michael Stewart and Marius Zaliukas.The game erupted within two minutes when Suso and Kenny Miller clashed after the Hearts winger’s crunching challenge on the touchline.Referee Craig Thomson booked both players as he attempted to keep a lid on the ill-tempered start to proceedings.Rangers midfielder Thomson was making his first competitive start since November after recovering from a serious knee injury.But his return to action descended into a nightmare when he was red-carded in the 13th minute following a dangerous lunge on Black.Hearts pressed to make their numerical advantage count, but the sending off appeared to disturb the rhythm of both sides.The visitors appealed in vain for a penalty in the 19th minute when Miller tumbled under Jose Goncalves’s clumsy challenge.

 

 

Suso struck the post after 24 minutes when Witteveen pinched the ball from Madjid Bougherra and the winger’s shot came back off the woodwork and bounced to safety.Hearts took the lead eight minutes later with a goal that McGregor will not want to see again.

Kevin Thomson saw red for a lunge on Ian Bl

Christian Nade’s pass found Witteveen and his fairly tame effort squirmed through McGregor’s grasp and trickled over the line.Laszlo shuffled his pack after the goal, with Nade, who had earlier been booked, being withdrawn for Gary Glen.

Sasa Papac conceded a foul on the edge of the penalty area for a foul on Suso, but David Obua failed to profit from the resulting free-kick.Hearts looked to have doubled their lead in 47 minutes when Witteveen chased down Balogh’s long ball, but the ball came off Bougherra and slipped past the post.From the resulting corner McGregor brilliantly tipped Goncalves’s header onto the bar and the visitors cleared the danger.David Weir’s header then sped past Balogh’s left-hand post from Steven Smith’s excellent cross as Rangers tried to force their way back into the game.

Witteveen spurned a great opportunity to double the hosts’ lead with half an hour remaining when he failed to find the unmarked Glen on the edge of the penalty area.And McCulloch made Hearts pay for their profligacy when he headed Smith’s free-kick past the helpless Balogh.

 

The equaliser galvanised the visitors, with Smith, Davis and Naismith became more influential as Hearts seemed to panic with the ball and regularly surrender possession.Suso stung McGregor’s palms with a thunderous shot four minutes from time, as Hearts were left to rue a host of missed opportunities.Boyd then broke Hearts when he scored from the spot after Bouzid’s reckless challenge on Naismith, as Rangers stretched their unbeaten league run to 12 games.

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Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
“We played some good football and had some good chances. I have my opinion about the penalty, but the referee gave it and I cannot do anything about it.

“This was a better game than what we showed against Zagreb, but if you have so many young players then you lose a lot of the ball.”But we were unlucky and we lose the three points. We made too many mistakes in midfield.”I was forced to save Christian Nade after his yellow card. We had discipline and didn’t make any big fouls.”But up front we have a big problem.”

Rangers manager Walter Smith:

“I don’t think it was a sending off, but it was an opportunity for the referee to send him off.”I thought it It looked far worse than it actually was. “I don’t think there was any great contact made and obviously if there had been, the player would never have been able to continue in the manner he did do for the rest of the game.”In the second half we played better, we imposed ourselves on the game.”Sometimes when you’ve got 10 men you can play between the opposition a bit better strangely enough. “At the time we took the lead I felt we deserved it for what we had put in to the game in the second half.”

( BBC Sport )