Cesc Fabregas’s 90th-minute penalty rescued a draw for Arsenal and denied Leeds a shock FA Cup victory.

The Gunners dominated for long periods but, against the run of play, Denilson fouled Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass put Leeds ahead from the spot.Luciano Becchio went close to making it 2-0 but late Arsenal pressure paid off.Fabregas coolly slotted home after Ben Parker held back Theo Walcott and only a super Kasper Schmeichel save stopped Denilson winning it for the Gunners.It was a dramatic finish to a thrilling third-round tie and means Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is still yet to taste defeat to a lower-division side in the Cup, and has not lost at home in this competition since Arsenal were beaten by the same opposition in 1997.

606: DEBATE You have to give credit to Leeds – they played excellently defensively AND made chances Bergkamp The Grea

Leeds, who as a League One side famously beat Manchester United at the same stage of last year’s FA Cup before taking Tottenham to a replay, have become accustomed to causing upsets since losing their top-flight status in 2004.They almost got their reward for a resilient performance on their first visit to the Emirates, surviving a flurry of first-half Arsenal chances before hitting back with a classic sucker punch.Schmeichel was in fine form, rushing from his line to deny Andrey Arshavin, and also denying Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner before the break.And the Leeds defence, led by the impressive Alex Bruce, was also in determined mood. Jonathan Howson had to clear a Sebastien Squillaci effort off his line and Becchio was also in the right place to hack clear after a goalmouth scramble.The Gunners continued to press after the break but it was Leeds who broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. There was no doubt about the penalty either, with Denilson clumsily fouling Gradel and Snodgrass stepping up to find the bottom corner of the net.That left Arsenal more than 30 minutes to find an equaliser but initially they toiled and were grateful to their keeper Wojciech Szczesny for keeping out a powerful Becchio header.Snodgrass also saw a free-kick swerve just wide before Arsenal, with Walcott and Fabregas by now off the bench, turned their vastly superior possession into chances in the closing moments.Walcott was, briefly, awarded a penalty when he was upended in the box but referee Phil Dowd reversed his decision because Bendtner had been flagged offside.Seconds later, Dowd was pointing to the spot again – this time without changing his mind – after Walcott was tugged back by Parker. Fabregas, cool as a cucumber, fired his penalty straight down the middle of the goal.In a breathless finish Arsenal poured forward looking for a winner but Leeds held out for a deserved replay after Bendtner wastefully fired wide and Schmeichel acrobatically kept out Denilson’s rasping effort.

(BBC Football )

 

Birmingham marched into the fourth round after teaching Millwall how to finish in a lively game at the New Den.

Home striker Steve Morison missed a one-on-one just before Matt Derbyshire clinically lobbed in after 17 minutes.David Murphy whipped home a free-kick 10 minutes later before Derbyshire dinked in deftly just before half time.Morison missed a penalty in the second period before Blues substitute Cameron Jerome headed in low, although Danny Schofield lashed in a consolation.For most of the match, Championship club Millwall had more possession and more chances than their Premier League opponents.But an experimental Blues line-up rode their luck at times while making the most of their opportunities in front of goal.Impressive Millwall midfielder James Henry served a signal of intent early on with a fine long-range shot, which was saved well by Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor.Jack Smith then dissected the away defence with a 40-yard ball – but Lions top scorer this season, Morison, screwed his shot wide after racing through.Millwall were immediately made to pay when keeper David Forde rushed out to stop Derbyshire after he was played in down the right by Jean Beausejour’s superb pass.

606: DEBATE KJ is a shrewd man. Bad result granted, but no distraction now… enty the lion

But he could not snatch the ball from the striker’s feet, and Derbyshire coolly turned to sent the ball over Forde from 20 yards.Tony Craig hacked Derbyshire down on the edge of the box after 26 minutes to give the away side a free-kick, which Murphy bent around a packed wall to double Birmingham’s advantage.Henry gave Birmingham another warning with a 30-yard volley that went just wide before Millwall thought they had pulled level – but Morison’s tap-in was ruled out for offside.The Lions defence backed off before half-time, allowing Craig Gardner to put in Derbyshire – and he made no mistake from eight yards.Blues captain Scott Dann was adjudged to have pushed energetic Henry in the 52nd minute, but Taylor parried the weak strike away from goal.Dann then blocked a Henry shot on the line before Harris skied the rebound while Beausejour crashed a 20-yard strike off the bar.Large parts of the home support headed for the exit when Jerome, on for disappointing Nikola Zigic, headed home Keith Fahey’s cross with 18 minutes left.But, in injury time, Millwall substitute Schofield steadied himself in the box before firing past Taylor.

(BBC Football )

 

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has left the club by mutual consent.

Hodgson, 63, won only seven of 20 Premier League games after taking over from Rafael Benitez in July 2010 and led the club to 12th in the table.Former player and manager Kenny Dalglish has been placed in charge until the end of the season.

(BBC Football )

 

“Leoni fuori gabbia”: ultime tre su EBay;  dopo solo da www.lulu.com fino a ristampa Un noto leader di una Firm, richiesto di commentare i consueti incidenti procurati all’estero dai Lads, dichiarò alla stampa “Margaret Thatcher ci deve condannare pubblicamente ma dentro di sè sarà sicuramente orgogliosa del lavoro fatto dai ragazzi”.. Questo libro si propone come un viaggio attraverso quarant’anni di trasferte oltre Manica dei Casuals britannici al seguito delle selezioni nazionali e delle squadre di club. La narrazione delle principali trasferte può facilmente diventare il paradigma per descrivere centinaia di giornate nelle quali le firms hanno esportato all’estero il loro bagaglio di fedeltà, nazionalismo, alcoolismo e, spesso, anche violenza. Il volume si propone come naturale seguito di “Lads 2009”, dello stesso autore, che illustra la scena attuale dei mobs britannici tra le mura domestiche. Sangue, birra e Red Hand gli ingredienti ricorrenti di un cocktail spesso esplosivo

THE FINAL, VIAGGIO AL TERMINE DEL MONDO ULTRAS” BUONA DISPONIBILITA’

pag.180  Euro 15,00 (posta prioritaria 4,00;raccomandata 5,35)

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica ai sensi della legge n. 62 del 07.03.2001. Alcune delle foto presenti sono state reperite in internet: chi ritenesse danneggiati i suoi diritti d’autore può contattarci per chiederne la rimozione

Tag:birmingham, calcio, casuals, hooligans, inghilterra, lads, leed, libri, loyal, millwall