Japanese powerhouse Kashima Antlers earned the honour of being the only team to win all six of their AFC Champions League group games on Wednesday while Beijing Guoan booked berth in the round of 16.
Kashima beat Korea s Jeonbuk Motors 2-1 with their dominant run, securing them top spot in Group F and home advantage in the one-leg knockout stage against defending champions Pohang Steelers.
That match will be a family affair, with Kashima coach Oswaldo Oliveira s younger brother Waldermar Lemos de Oliveira at the helm of Pohang.
South Korean international Lee Jung-Soo opened the scoring for Kashima, heading home a pinpoint corner from Takuya Nozawa, who got on the scoresheet himself two minutes later with a lightning shot that whistled into the net.
Jeonb…
Young Dutch midfielder Mitchell Donald has been loaned out to Willem II Tilburg by Ajax Amsterdam. The 21 year old will be at Willem II till June 2011 ( till the end of the 2010-11 season)
Donald has made only a handful of appearances for Ajax after joining them in February 2007. Injuries have also played a part- he missed a fair bit of the 2008-09 season after injuring himself in the Amsterdam Tournament ( a pre season friendly tournament)
Donald scored his first goal for Ajax last month against NEC Nijmegen. He joins fellow Ajax player Jan-Arie van der Heijden at Willem II. Van der Heijden is currently on loan at Willem II till the end of the 2009-10 season.
Willem II are one point above the relegation zone in the Eredivisie going into this weekend s rou…
Ensuring Thibaut Courtois stays at Chelsea is the most important thing according to head coach Antonio Conte amid speculation linking Real Madrid with a move for the Belgium international.
The fine form of Courtois at Stamford Bridge, after a similarly successful loan stay with Atletico Madrid came to an end in 2014, is reported to have won him admirers at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But the prospect of his goalkeeper returning to the Spanish capital was not something Conte was willing to entertain as his Premier League-leading team prepare to host Stoke City on Saturday.
I think it is not important to clarify the situation, Conte said. Thiabaut is, for me, one of the best if not the best goalkeeper in the world.
He s worked very well, he is a fantastic goal…
Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville is confident under-fire manager Louis van Gaal can turn the club s fortunes around.
United are fifth in the Premier League following a run of six matches in all competitions without a win, while their Champions League and League Cup hopes are already over for this term.
Similarly poor form hindered David Moyes when he succeeded Alex Ferguson for the 2013-14 season and he ultimately paid for that failure with his job before the campaign finished.
Neville had a first-hand view of his demise, serving as assistant manager to his former Everton boss, but he believes former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Van Gaal can find success amid intense speculation over his future.
United are having a tough spell at the m…
Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Paris Saint-Germain s Ligue 1 trip to Metz on Wednesday with a knee injury that also renders him doubtful for a reunion with Pep Guardiola next week.
The Argentina international sustained the problem during PSG s late 2-1 win against Lyon on Sunday as they made it six wins from six to begin their new league campaign.
Messi made his home debut in that match but was substituted off with the scores level, meaning he has yet to score in three appearances since joining from Barcelona last month.
PSG will not have Messi in their squad to face Metz at Stade Saint-Symphorien, with that game coming six days before a Champions League trip to Guardiola s Manchester City.
The French giants confirmed the injury blow in an injury upd…
Nuno Espirito Santo demanded patience with Tanguy Ndombele as Tottenham defeated Wolves 3-2 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Wednesday s EFL Cup clash.
Harry Kane and Ndombele had opened a two-goal lead but strikes from Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence, who profited from Ndombele s concentration lapse, sent the third-round tie to penalties.
Dendoncker then saw his effort saved by Pierluigi Gollini, with both Conor Coady and Ruben Neves missing as well to hand Spurs a place in the fourth round for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons.
Despite the shoot-out win, Nuno focused on Ndombele as he insisted the France midfielder needs time to regain confidence and settle in.
Let s try to avoid as much as we can individual analysis, Nuno responded to…
Schalke 04 have announced that Japanese defender Atsuto Uchida will be plying his trade for them in the 2010/11 Bundesliga season. The 22 year old wingback has signed a three year contract with the Royal Blues and becomes their fourth signing of the summer after Christoph Metzelder, Erik Jendrisek and Tim Hoogland.
Schalke have reportedly paid Kashima Antlers 1.3 million euros for Uchida s services. Uchida is currently on international duty at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where Japan are in Group E along with the Netherlands, Denmark and Cameroon.
Uchida was named in the J-League s Best Eleven in 2008 and 2009 and was also part of the Japanese team that took part at the Beijing Olympics.
Schalke finished second in the Bundesliga last season.
[Source- Schalke…
On the eve of leading his country into their first World Cup final on Sunday, Spain captain Iker Casillas admitted he has a few butterflies, but is thinking only of lifting the trophy.
The 29-year-old Real Madrid goalkeeper will be winning his 111th cap in the final against the Netherlands at Johannesburg s Soccer City.
Having lifted the Euro 2008 title in Vienna two years ago, Casillas said winning the World Cup would be a dream come true and has given no thought to a Dutch victory with both sides bidding for their first world title.
Having lost their opening group game to Switzerland in a shock upset, Spain have gone from strength to strength.
We are a little nervous, it is a very important match for us, we have come a long way and have a few butterfl…
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has made it clear that not even an offer in the region of €100million would suffice to lure Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang away from the club.
The Gabon international has been in stunning form this campaign and has been linked with clubs such as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in recent months, although Aubameyang himself has routinely stressed that he has no intention of leaving Dortmund any time soon.
Former Germany international Lothar Matthaus stated at the weekend that a Premier League club could pay in excess of €100m for the 26-year-old, but Dortmund insist not even an offer in that region would tempt them to cash in on the prolific striker.
Matthaus appears to be in the know on this one , Watzke told Bild.
Watford winger Ikechi Anya has signed a new five-year contract with the Premier League side.
The Scotland international, 27, joined the club initially on loan from Granada in 2012, which became a permanent deal at the end of the season. He will now be tied to the club until 2020.
Anya was a regular throughout his first three seasons at Vicarage Road and played 35 Championship games as they gained promotion to the top flight last season.
He has played in all seven of Watford s matches in a positive start to life in the Premier League under new coach Quique Sanchez Flores.
I ve come a very long way, he said. I m very grateful to Watford for this opportunity.
To sign for five years with a Premier League club, I feel so grateful and honoured and…