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E’ iniziata bene l’avventura in “Champions’ League” delle squadre inglesi. Le prime due a scendere in campo, infatti, si sono imposte per una rete a zero, il Manchester United ( tifosi in foto ) sull’ ostico terreno dei turchi del Besiktas ed il Chelsea, in casa, contro i lusitani del Porto. Dopo l’esultanza provocatoria di Adebayor, il quale ha festeggiato la rete segnata con i “Citizens” in modo provocatorio sotto il settore ospiti occupato dai fans dell’ Arsenal, la sua ex squadra, anche la “Greater Manchester Police” ha messo sotto accusa il comportamento dell’attacante della squadra di Hughes. Infattti, dopo tale gesto si sono verificati lanci di oggetti, un tentativo di invasione di campo da parte di alcuni fans londinesi, il ferimento di uno steward e sei arresti, in un week end segnato, tra l’altro, anche da quattordici persone finite dietro le sbarre a contorno del derby di Birmingham. La punta del Manchester City pare destinata a subire una squalifica di almeno tre turni da parte della “FA”.
Besiktas 0 – 1 Man Utd
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By Mandeep Sanghera
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Rooney was not happy at being substituted
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Paul Scholes earned Manchester United a hard-fought win at Besiktas in their opening Champions League Group B game.
Scholes steered in a header after Nani’s stinging shot had been parried into his path by keeper Hakan Arikan.The goal was reward for United’s persistence in trying to find a way through the massed Besiktas ranks in a game of rare chances.The visitors’ only scare came when Serdar Ozkan had a shot deflected just high off centre-back Johnny Evans.Scholes’ goal also came after United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had taken off disgruntled striker Wayne Rooney and midfielder Michael Carrick for forward pair Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen.Rooney went off shaking his head and slammed down his boot after taking it off in the dug-out to reveal his obvious displeasure.
But he had made little impact and Ferguson’s move paid dividends in a game where United had struggled to unlock a stubborn Besiktas side.
United knew a hostile reception at the Inonu stadium would await them and the fanatical fans, which clubs from Turkey have a reputation for, did not disappoint with incessant noise wading down from the stands.It was a tough test for last year’s losing Champions League finalists as Besiktas were also keen to appease their passionate supporters after a 3-0 defeat to arch-rivals Galatasaray last weekend.Ferguson initially opted to use Rooney up front on his own with left winger Nani and Antonio Valencia, on the right, providing the width down the flanks in a five-man midfield.Valencia was having particular joy as he gave left-back Ibrahim Kas a torrid time with his pace and trickery.But the work-rate and resolute defending of the rest of a Besiktas team which defended in numbers limited the danger the work being put in by Valencia.United were limited to speculative long range shots with Rooney dragging an effort wide and Carrick seeing an effort comfortably gathered by Arikan.Besiktas had failed to find the net in the last three games but came close to catching United out on a rare foray forward.The visitors’ defence backed off as Ozkan ran on goal and his 22-yard shot fizzed just over via a deflection off Evans’s thighUnited were given a sight of goal when a cross caused panic in the Besiktas area but Carrick rushed his close range shot straight at keeper Arikan.Arikan could do no more than find Scholes when he blocked Nani’s shot and the United midfielder took full advantage to eventually give the visitors a win which was achieved in a professional rather than scintillating manner.
( BBC Sport )
Chelsea 1 – 0 FC Porto
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By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Stamford Bridge |
Chelsea started their quest to claim the Champions League crown that has remained tantalisingly out of reach with a hard-fought victory against Porto at Stamford Bridge.
Nicolas Anelka’s strike early in the second half proved decisive against a dangerous Porto side that even threatened to snatch a point as Chelsea survived anxious moments in the closing stagesAnelka fired a powerful finish high past Porto keeper Helton after he had saved his first effort in the 48th minute – and that was enough to give Chelsea three points in their opening Group D game.Carlo Ancelotti’s side were efficient as opposed to spectacular as both sides struggled to come to terms with a Stamford Bridge surface made greasy by a torrential downpour.Ancelotti – a two-time winner of the Champions League as manager at AC Milan – has been brought to Stamford Bridge with a brief to bring the trophy to west London. And while this was not a convincing opening to the campaign, he will be relieved to have claimed a crucial three points.
And Chelsea were able to achieve it without the talismanic figure of the suspended Didier Drogba against a Porto team who had Fernando sent off in the closing seconds after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Florent Malouda.Helton kept Chelsea at bay with fine stops from Frank Lampard in the first half and Salomon Kalou after the interval – but Petr Cech was also kept busy and made crucial interventions late on when he saved well from Fredy Guarin and Silvestre Varela.
At this stage of the Champions League, points must be placed above performance in Chelsea’s list of priorities, so ultimately this was a satisfactory evening for Ancelotti and his team.Chelsea were without Drogba and Jose Bosingwa as they served the suspensions imposed in the aftermath of last season’s acrimonious Champions League semi-final elimination against Barcelona.And they missed Drogba’s presence in particular in a frustrating first 45 minutes in which Chelsea struggled to exert their authority on a Porto side who were providing stubborn, and occasionally adventurous, opposition.The Stamford Bridge surface was treacherous as the game was played in a torrential downpour, and the conditions encouraged Lampard to test Helton with a low shot from 20 yards that the Porto keeper dealt with in less than convincing fashion.Porto were in progressive mood themselves in the opening exchanges and Chelsea keeper Cech looked uncertain as he blocked Hulk’s effort with his legs.Lampard, as ever, was prominent in Chelsea’s better moments, and he brought a fine diving save from Helton with a header when he got on the end of Branislav Ivanovic’s cross as Porto appealed in vain for offside.Chelsea’s early promise evaporated as the first half progressed and they were fortunate not to be punished eight minutes before the interval when the unmarked Guarin headed over from only eight yards.
Ancelotti’s side needed to make a powerful statement after the break – and they did it in the most eloquent fashion when Anelka put them ahead after 48 minutes.Helton did well to block Anelka’s initial effort when he was put clear by Kalou, but the striker reacted first to the rebound to steer a finish high into the net from an angle.Ancelotti spent much of the first half pleading for width from his side in an attempt to take advantage of Porto’s very obvious vulnerability to crosses.And the message got home as Malouda could only find the side-netting from Ashley Cole’s delivery and Helton saved magnificently when Kalou met Ivanovic’s cross with a powerful header.Ivanovic should have done better when he stole in on the resulting corner from Lampard, but directed his header wastefully over the top.
The match was played in extremely heavy rain
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Chelsea were in charge, but could not rest with only a single goal lead to protect and Guarin gave Stamford Bridge a sharp reminder of the lingering threat with a long-range shot that was gratefully gathered by Cech, before forcing the keeper to save with his legs once more.And Cech was in action again with nine minutes left, coming to Chelsea’s rescue with a fine one-handed save from Porto substitute Varela.Porto will have taken encouragement from their performance despite the defeat – but their night ended on a sour note with that red card for Fernando after he flattened Malouda to earn a second yellow card from Austrian referee Konrad Plautz.For Chelsea, it was simply a matter of seeing out the final moments and claiming the victory – something they were able to achieve as the long march towards the final in Madrid began with three points.
( BBC Sport )
Greater Manchester police blame Emmanuel Adebayor for crowd trouble
• Manchester City striker’s celebration caused ‘crowd surge’
• Faces suspension which could rule him out of United derby
- guardian.co.uk, Sunday 13 September 2009 22.30 BST
- Article history
A Manchester City steward is treated after being injured when objects were thrown on to the pitch in response to Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal celebration against Arsenal. Photograph: Jon Super/APGreater Manchester police have criticised Emmanuel Adebayor for sparking the crowd disorder that led to a steward being knocked unconscious during Manchester City‘s 4-2 defeat of Arsenal on Saturday. That is one of two incidents involving the player which is being investigated by the Football Association, with the strong possibility that he will face disciplinary charges and a suspension.Adebayor will almost certainly be banned for three matches for the stamp on Robin van Persie that left the Arsenal striker with a gashed cheekbone and accusing his former team-mate of a “mindless and malicious” assault. City’s £25m summer signing will also face sanctions for celebrating his goal by running the length of the pitch to antagonise the away supporters. The stamping offence is expected to be fast-tracked through the disciplinary system, meaning his ban will start with Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.Arsenal could also face an FA inquiry after fans fought with stewards and threw objects on to the playing surface. Police reinforcements were needed and the injured steward was unconscious at the side of the pitch for five minutes.
“The player’s goal celebration caused the opposition fans to be aggravated and there was a crowd surge,” a police spokesman said. “One of the objects that were thrown caught a steward and knocked him out. It’s the decision of the club, the ground security and the FA now whether they want to take the incident any further, but it must have been quite horrific for all the stewards at the time.”Adebayor has apologised for his “mistake”, describing himself as “awfully sorry” and accepting that “emotion took over”. The police intend to express their concerns to City. “It was not the player throwing the missile, but the fans were reacting to him and his celebration,” the spokesman said. “It was the Arsenal fans throwing the missiles, but it was the Manchester City player who was doing the celebrating.“The FA has confirmed it is investigating both incidents. The FA’s chief executive, Ian Watmore, was at the game and praised the stewards for “doing a great job trying to calm it down” as well as the referee, Mark Clattenburg, who handled the flashpoint “very well”. Adebayor, he said, had to accept responsibility. “I am pretty unimpressed really because the problem between Arsenal fans and Adebayor is well documented. The issue, particularly, is that he ran the whole length of the field. I am unimpressed and I will ask my [disciplinary] team to look very carefully at what he did.”The FA has charged the Nottingham Forest striker Nathan Tyson with improper conduct, for taking a corner flag and celebrating a recent 3-2 victory in close proximity to Derby County’s supporters. Adebayor can expect the same. The governing body is unlikely to be deterred by Mark Hughes‘s attempts to defend his player.”He has come out very quickly and apologised,” the City manager said. “He knows he shouldn’t have done it. But I’m not sure how close he ran towards the Arsenal fans. It is not as if he jumped into them. He was still on the field of play. He wasn’t waving flags provocatively. He slid on his knees as he always does. He did the same at Blackburn Rovers in front of the Blackburn fans because it’s just what he does when he scores great goals. He has shown emotion and you should never take emotion out of sport. But maybe we should cut him some slack when you consider what happened to him in his final season at Arsenal and the breakdown in his relationship with their fans.”That was the sad part for him. He really loved his time at Arsenal, he will tell you that himself, but for whatever reason he wasn’t appreciated by their fans towards the end and that is hard to take as a professional footballer. You want to be loved by your own fans because you get enough abuse from the opposition’s. That was the feeling behind it, I’m sure.”Adebayor has attempted to write off the clash with Van Persie as an accident, saying he apologised to his former team-mate after the match. However, television replays of the challenge have incensed Arsenal’s players and management.Arsène Wenger described it as “very dangerous” and Van Persie released a statement accusing Adebayor of being “deeply disrespectful” and showing “a real lack of class to me and the fans”. The Dutchman considered himself “lucky” not to have suffered a more serious injury, adding: “The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda and that is bad for football. It’s bad for the game we all love.”
( “The Guardian”)