McFlynn misses out on Liverpool semi-final

[Cookie]

Saprissa beat Sydney FC

 

A second-half strike from Christian Bolanos handed Deportivo Saprissa victory over Australia's Sydney FC in the quarter-final of the FIFA Club World Championship Toyota Cup Japan 2005 at the Toyota Stadium today. Despite not hitting top gear, the Costa Rican outfit were able to withstand the best efforts of their Australian opponents, who took the initiative throughout and enjoyed the lion's share of possession.

 

The game started at a promising pace, with the early exchanges swinging from end to end. The first chance of note fell to Saprissa midfielder Randall Azofeifa, who had his effort pushed out for a corner. Sydney keeper Clinton Bolton then had to be at his sharpest to deal with the subsequent cross.

Minutes later, it was the turn of José Francisco Porras in the Saprissa goal to keep his side on level terms. First he pulled off a fine save from Sasho Petrovski's dangerous cross shot, and followed that with another stop from a ball whipped in by Sydney's Japanese striker Kazu, whose every move was cheered by his compatriots in the crowd. The young Australian David Carney was a particular menace for the Central Americans, repeatedly picking out his incisive front men Kazu and Petrovski.

After the initial urgency of the first fifteen minutes, the tempo of the game eased off noticeably. Nevertheless, the Oceania side continued to dominate possession. Dwight Yorke and Terry Mc Flynn bossed the midfield, while "King" Kazú and Petrovski continued to cause some nervous moments for the Tico defence.

Then on the half-hour mark, Saprissa, perhaps in a bid to stave of the freezing cold, came to life briefly when the marauding Álvaro Saborio was taken down by the Sydney defence on the edge of the area. Azofeifa failed to find the target from the resulting free-kick, which cannoned off the wall and went out for a corner. The same player tried his luck again from the corner kick, but again the Australian defence cleared the danger.

With half-time approaching, Petrovski almost cashed in on a slip by Jervis Drummond in the Saprissa defence, but the Sydney man failed to hit the target when well placed.

With Hernán Medford's half-time team talk still ringing in their ears, Saprissa emerged after the break with renewed vigour and duly took the lead when Randall Azofeifa sprayed a pinpoint pass to Bolaños, who chested the ball down before firing past a stranded Bolton in the Sydney goal (0-1, 47').

 

Carney nearly produced an immediate riposte when he cut in from the by-line and unleashed a powerful drive past Porras that found the side-netting. With Saprissa content to sit on their lead, Sydney pushed forward in search of an equaliser to keep their dream of facing Liverpool alive. Gabriel Badilla almost handed it to them when he almost turned an Alvin Ceccoli cross goalbound.

As the clock ticked down, the Australians laid desperate siege to the Saprissa goal but were forced to make do without Ceccoli after he was red-carded for a rash challenge on Porras in the Tico box.

It was Saprissa who looked more likely to add a second on the counter, but Bolton stood firm to keep his side in the hunt. The Sydney keeper was quick to block Bolaños' effort after the striker's poor first touch let him down, and then denied Ronald Gómez when the number 11 was put through on goal. He followed that up with another fine save from Saborio in the dying stages, but his heroics were all to no avail.

Sydney FC's dream had gone up in smoke in the Toyota Stadium and the Australians now face a consolation clash with Al Ahly. As for Deportivo Saprissa, there is now a tantalising semi-final showdown with Liverpool in Yokohama to look forward to.

[Cookie]

Liverpool players want trophy

 

Liverpool are looking to win the Club World Championship in Japan while breaking a club record in the process.

The Reds take on Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica – who beat Australia’s Sydney FC 1-0 - in a semi-final on Thursday. They go into the match on the back of a ten-game unbeaten run. And Rafael Benítez’s side also equalled a club record of ten successive clean sheets in beating Middlesbrough 2-0 on Saturday. That is more than 15 hours without conceding a goal.

 

Captain Steven Gerrard, who decided to stay at the club in August, is encouraged by the team’s recent form. "We’ve got exciting players going forward and a really mean defence. We’re improving a lot. I think the next few years will be really exciting for this Liverpool team."

 

The new defensive record will be achieved if the Reds can prevent Saprissa from scoring in Yokohama on Thursday. It was Kenny Dalglish’s champonship-winning side of 1987/88 that set the original record. Current defender Jamie Carragher feels the 2005 team has not yet earned the right to be compared to the great Liverpool teams of the past.

 

"Records are nice but those Liverpool teams were winning [English] championships," said Carragher. "They were a lot more successful. The aim of everyone at this club is to be as successful in the future."

Liverpool became champions of Europe for the fifth time last May, but they have not won the English title since 1990.

 

Central defender Sami Hyypiä is also keeping things in perspective. “It’s always nice when people talk about records and if we break it, fine," said the Finland international. "But the main thing is to win games. We’ve come a long way and it would be a pity to leave Japan without the trophy."

 

Gerrard added: "We’re looking forward to the games rather than worrying about them. In 24 hours we’ll be used to the time difference and ready to go in the first game on Thursday." South American champions São Paulo FC also received a first-round bye and will play Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in Wednesday’s first semi-final. The final takes place in Yokohama on 18 December

[Cookie]

I think the final is scheduled to be shown "live" on BBC2 on Sunday.

[geoff pay]

well done terry a great bloke. remember boston <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[Cookie]

Sydney FC claims 5th at CWC with win over Al Ahly

Saturday, 17 December, 2005 - 1:11AM

Sydney FC displayed courage and character to survive a brutal early onslaught and defeat African Champions Al Ahly 2-1 to claim 5th place in the FIFA Club World Championships in Tokyo tonight.

 

Al Ahly started like the team announced Africa's Club of the Centruty and 30 times National Champion and had racked up a 55-game unbeaten streak leading into this tournament.

 

The streak ended in the first round of the CWC and the plucky Australians added salt to the wounds, staying calm and showing amazing courage under fire to survive the first 30 minutes.

 

Sydney FC did start to play its way into the game midway through the first half but took the lead against the run of play when Dwight Yorke scored with a powerful header from a Steve Corica free kick in the 35th minute.

 

The goal spurred Sydney FC into action and they combined pressure in defence with penetration in attack but Al Ahly managed to score an equalizer just seconds before half time when striker Emad Motab beat the offside trap and rounded Clint Bolton to slot the ball home.

 

The teams went to the break locked at 1-1 and Al Ahly came out of the sheds picking up its intensity to once again put Sydney FC under the blow torch but the Oceania Champions defended brilliantly.

 

The winning goal came in the 66th minute and it deservedly fell to midfielder David Carney, who followed up his tremendous performance against Deportivo Saprissa with some telling play against Al Ahly.

 

Striker Sasho Petrovski provided a slide rule pass that broke open the Al Ahly defence and Carney smashed the ball under the body of the advancing goalkeeper from a tight angle.

 

Both sides had chances to add to the score but neither could find an opening and Sydney FC hung on for what is a break through victory on the world stage.

 

“It was important that we won that game because it shows we can not only play well on this stage but win close games,” said Sydney FC coach Pierre Littbarski. “This was a great win by a team that is improving all the time.

 

“It was also good to see how we played under a lot of pressure because Al Ahly were a very good opponent and they made us work hard. I thought they dominated the first periods of the game but we defended well and fought our way into the game.

 

“We managed to score two good goals and it was a good way to finish off the tournament. We wanted to win to leave a good last impression and I think we have been able to do that.”

 

Captain Dwight Yorke, who worked remarkably hard, as well as scoring the opening goal played the ultimate captain’s knock, leading his young team to a breakthrough victory for Australian football.

 

“I thought we deserved that,” Yorke said. “We played very well in the first game and got beaten but today we played with courage and managed to hang in there and defeat a very good football team,” Yorke said. “We are a young team and we are learning how to play and today showed we have made a lot of improvement.”

 

Midfielder Carney, who was already being talked about as a future Socceroo, did his chances no harm by scoring the winner but he was also dangerous whenever he got the ball wide on the right.

 

“To score such a goal was a buzz,” he said. “This was important for us to show we belonged in this competition and at this level so it was sweet to put the ball in the back of the net. We have come a long way as a team and tonight was great.”

 

Sydney FC leaves Tokyo tomorrow evening (Saturday) and arrives in Sydney on Sunday morning, ready to return its attention to catching Adelaide United and winning the Hyundai A-League.

 

Sydney FC 2 (Dwight Yorke 35, David Carney 66) d Al Ahly 1 (Emad Motab 45)

 

National Stadium, Tokyo

Friday December 16, 2005

Referee: Toru Kamiwaka

Crowd: 15,951

 

Sydney FC

 

1. Clint Bolton

2. Iain Fyfe

4. Mark Rudan

6 Ufuk Talay

8 Matthew Bingley

10. Steve Corica

11. Kazuyoshi Miura

12. David Carney

16. Mark Milligan

19. Dwight Yorke

22. Sasho Petrovski

 

Substitutes:

14. Andrew Packer on for 10. Steve Corica (64th minute)

15. Terry McFlynn on for 6. Ufuk Talay (78th minute)

9. David Zdrilic on for 22. Sasho Petrovski (89th minute)

 

Subs not used:

7 Robbie Middleby

9. David Zdrilic

13 Dustin Wells

18 Wade Oostendorp

20 Justin Pasfield (gk)

21. John Buonavoglia

23 Mitchell Blowes (gk)

 

Yellow cards: Mark Rudan 67, Andrew Packer 71 and Dwight Yorke 86.