Soccer Or Association Football

Copa Libertadores: Arsenal and Club Libertad Advance To Group Stage

2012-01-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

Two games were played on Tuesday as the second and final week of the opening round of the Copa Libertadores commenced.

At Huancayo, Peru:

Luciano Leguizamon's equalizer in the 85th minute carried Arsenal de Sarandi to a 1-1 road draw in game two of their two-match series with Sport Huancayo, enabling the Argentinian club to win their series four points to one.

At Asuncion, Paraguay:

Pablo Velazquez (1'), Jose Nunez (29'), Rodolfo Gamarra (34'), and Luciano Civelli (90'+3) each delivered a goal as Club Libertad dominated visiting El Nacional 4-1 in game two and, with each team garnering three points, won the series on goal difference (+2, compared to -2 for the Ecuadorian club).

Blues Blanked In Coleraine

2012-01-31T15:45:00.000-08:00

At Coleraine, Northern Ireland:

Shane Jennings delivered the lone goal of the match in the 43rd minute as Coleraine defeated league-leading Linfield 1-0 at home in Tuesday IFA Premiership action.

Mirko's the Man In Torino Triumph

2012-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

At Turin, Italy:

Mirko Antenucci scored the only goal of the match in the 64th minute on Tuesday as Torino defeated visiting Vicenza 1-0 in Italian Serie B action.

They Play Like....

2012-01-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

They prefer life in the League Championship:

Liverpool are in so carefree mood at present that they scarcely seemed to notice their hosts. That will be as disturbing for Wolverhampton Wanderers as the result itself because it entrenches the dread that they simply lack the talent necessary to avoid falling from the Premier League. The substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake did hit the post, but his side were 3-0 down by then, with Dirk Kuyt having taken the final goal with an excellent shot from an angle on the right.

There was a contrast between these sides that involved more than the obvious superiority of Liverpool's means. This match was of the utmost gravity for Wolves, as every fixture must be if they are to escape relegation. The visitors, industrious as they were, could never share in that sort of mood and the manager Kenny Dalglish had even given Steven Gerrard the night off.

Mick McCarthy must be replaced as manager due haste. My thinking is that if these clowns fall out of the English Premier League, it may be a long, long time, if ever, before they return to the top flight. There's not much question that the current ownership at Wolves are way over their heads. This makes a good advertisement for those who are pushing the idea of doing away with promotion and relegation.

Correction. Make that the English Conference National.

More Woe For Forest

2012-01-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

At Nottingham, England:

Jay Rodriguez provided both goals (3', 64') in Burnley's 2-0 Tuesday English League Championship road triumph over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Reds Continue Wolves' Woes

2012-01-31T15:20:00.000-08:00

At Wolverhampton, England:

After a scorless first half, Andy Carroll (52'), Craig Bellamy (61'), Dirk Kuyt (78') each delivered a goal on Tuesday as Liverpool stretched Wolverhampton's English Premier League winless streak to nine games, smothering the home-standing relegation-threatened Wolves (who have collected four points in their current league winless streak) 3-0.

African Nations Cup: Panthers Top Tunisia To Win Group C

2012-01-31T12:06:00.000-08:00

Tuesday marked the conclusion of play in Group C of the African Nations Cup with both games played in Gabon.

At Franceville:

In a battle of the two teams from the group who already qualified for the quarterfinal round, Pierre Aubameyang scored the only goal of the match in the 62nd minute as co-hosts Gabon defeated Tunisia 1-0 to win the Group C title.

At Libreville:

Younes Belhanda scored the game's lone goal on the 79th minute as Morocco concluded what had to be a disappointing ANC campaign with a 1-0 win over Niger.

FINAL GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Gabon (GP: 3; GD: +4; PTS: 9)
2. Tunisia (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
3. Morocco (GP: 3; GD: -1; PTS: 3)
4. Niger (GP: 3; GD: -4; PTS: 0)

Gabon and Tunisia advanced to the quarterfinal round.

James Troisi Opening-Minute Tally Holds Up As Kayserispor Hold Off Black Eagles

2012-01-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

At Kayseri, Turkey:

James Troisi's goal in the opening minute held up as Kayserispor defeated visiting Besiktas 1-0 in Monday Turkish Super Lig action.

Monaco Blow Two-Goal Lead To Settle For Home Draw

2012-01-30T15:37:00.000-08:00

At Fontvieille, Monaco:

Julien Toudic scored twice in the second half (69', 90'+3) as Lens came from behind to gain a 2-2 Monday French Ligue 2 road draw with relegation-threatened AS Monaco. Valere Germain (49') and Sambou Yatabare (55') each provided a goal for the hosts who currently sit in 18th place in the league standings, two points adrift from safety.

African Nations Cup: Elephants Blank Angola To Win Group B; Falcons of Jediane Knock Off Burkina Faso To Snatch Berth In Quarterfinals

2012-01-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

Monday marked the conclusion of action from Group B in the African Nations Cup with both games taking place in Equatorial Guinea.

At Bata:

Mudather El Tahir scored twice (33', 80') as Sudan held off Burkina Faso 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinal round.

At Malabo:

Emmanuel Eboue (33') and Wifred Bony (65') each scored a goal as Ivory Coast won Group B with a 2-0 blanking of Angola. The defeat, combined with Sudan's win over Burkina Faso, knocked the Sable Antelopes from the tournament (thanks to inferior goal difference).

FINAL GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Ivory Coast (GP: 3; GD: +5; PTS: 9)
2. Sudan (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 4)
3. Angola (GP: 3; GD: -1; PTS: 4)
4. Burkina Faso (GP: 3; GD: -4; PTS: 0)

Ivory Coast and Sudan (due to better goal differential vis a viv Angola) advanced to the quarterfinal round.

WPS Action? What WPS Action ?!

2012-01-30T10:23:00.001-08:00

Looks like no Women's Professional Soccer action this year.

Millionarios Get Season-Opening Road Draw In Bogota Derby

2012-01-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

At Bogota, Colombia:

In the Colombian Primera A season-opening (Opening portion) contest for both rivals from the Colombian capital city played on Sunday, Omar Perez successfully converted a penalty kick at 36 minutes for Independiente Santa Fe as the hosts gained a 1-1 home draw with Millonarios. Nelson Ramos converted a spot kick in the 19th minute for the guests.

Colo Colo Held To Season-Opening Scoreless Home Stalemate

2012-01-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

At Santiago, Chile:

The Sunday Chilean Primera Division season-opening match between Colo Colo and visiting Deportes Iquique ended in a 0-0 deadlock.

African Nations Cup: Copper Bullets Top Equatorial Guinea To Win Group

2012-01-29T16:01:00.000-08:00

Action from Group A of the African Nations Cup concluded on Sunday with two games played in Equatorial Guinea.

At Malabo:

Christopher Katongo scored the only goal of the match in the 68th minute as Zambia defeated Equatorial Guinea 1-0 to win Group A and join the co-hosts in the quarterfinal round.

At Bata:

Ihaab Boussefi scored twice (5', 84') as Libya defeated Senegal 2-1.

FINAL GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Zambia (GP: 3; GD: +2; PTS: 7)
2. Equatorial Guinea (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
3. Libya (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 4)
4. Senegal (GP: 3; GD: -3; PTS: 0)

Zambia and Equatorial Guinea advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Cagliari No Match For Rossoneri

2012-01-29T15:49:00.000-08:00

At Milan, Italy:

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (31'), Antonio Nocerino (39'), and Massimo Ambrosini (74') each registered a goal on Sunday as AC Milan dominated visiting Cagliari 3-0 in Italian Serie A action.

The Gooch Pulls Through For The Lions

2012-01-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

At Lisbon, Portugal:

Oguchi Onyewu scored both goals (18', 27') as Sporting CP blanked visiting Beira-Mar 2-0 in Sunday Portuguese Primeira Liga action.

John Guidetti Hat Trick Helps Sink Ajax In National Dutch Derby

2012-01-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

At Rotterdam, Netherlands:

John Guidetti scored a hat trick (PK30', 41', 83') as Feyenoord Rotterdam doubled up visiting arch-rivals Ajax Amsterdam 4-2 on Sunday in Dutch Eredivisie action.

FA Cup: Rockin' Robin's PKs and Theo Walcott Tally Send Gunners To Round of 16; Fifth-Round Replay For Black Cats and Boro

2012-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

Two games in the fourth round of England's FA Cup were contested on Sunday.

At Sunderland, England:

Frazier Campbell's goal in the 59th minute enabled Sunderland to come from behind to gain a 1-1 home draw with Middlesbrough. Barry Robson scored at 16 minutes for the League Championship club, who will host a February 7 fifth-round replay with the Black Cats. The winners will host Arsenal on February 19.

At London:

Robin Van Persie converted two penalty kicks (54', 61') and Theo Walcott added a goal (57') as Arsenal scored three goals during a seven-minute span in the second half as they came back from a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat visiting fellow Premier Leaguers Aston Villa 3-2 to advance to the fifth round. On February 19, the Gunners will travel to Sunderland or Middlesbrough (depending on who wins the February 7 fourth-round replay) for a fifth-round encounter.

Another Win For Panathinaikos

2012-01-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

At Thessaloniki, Greece:

Jose Verdu Toche Nicolas scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute on Sunday as league-leading Panathinaikos defeated basement-residing Doxa Drama 1-0 on the road in Greek Super League action.

Road Draw For Auckland City

2012-01-28T23:01:00.000-08:00

At Wellington, New Zealand:

Team Wellington and visiting Auckland City battled to a 1-1 Sunday New Zealand Premiership deadlock.

Tigres Back On Winning Track

2012-01-28T22:58:00.000-08:00

At San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico:

Alan Pulido (6') and Jose Rivas (22') each delivered a goal as Tigres defeated visiting Estudiantes Tecos 2-1 in Saturday Mexican Primera Division action.

Scoreless In Varese

2012-01-28T14:47:00.001-08:00

At Varese, Italy:

The Saturday Italian Serie B match between Varese and visiting Torino ended in a 0-0 deadlock.

Scoreless In Antwerp

2012-01-28T14:44:00.001-08:00

At Antwerp, Belgium:

The Saturday Belgian Pro League contest between Germinal Beerschot and visiting league-leading RSC Anderlecht ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

PSG Still Atop Ligue 1 After Road Win

2012-01-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

At Brest, France:

Milan Bisevac scored his first goal for his new club in the 6th minute and that proved to be all the scoring as league-leading Paris Saint-Germain defeated Brest 1-0 on Saturday in French Ligue 1 action.

Another League Win For Parakeets

2012-01-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

At Barcelona:

Vladimir Weiss scored the only goal of the match in the 18th minute on Saturday as Espanyol continued their recent in-form play, Spanish Primera Division-wise, with a 1-0 home win over Mallorca.

Rangers Blast Bungling Hibs

2012-01-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

At Glasgow, Scotland:

Steven Davis scored twice (27', 90') as Rangers climbed to within one point of top spot in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday following their 4-0 home fist-beating of next-to-last-place Hibernian.

U's Blanked At Home

2012-01-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

At Cambridge, England:

Liam McDonald scored the only goal of the match in the 50th minute on Saturday as Tamworth defeated Cambridge United 1-0 on the road in English Conference National action.

Michael Smith's Hat Trick Just Good Enough For Stanley

2012-01-28T14:23:00.000-08:00

At Accrington, England:

Michael Smith delivered a first-half hat trick (0, 18, 445'+1) as Accrington Stanley held off visiting Gillingham for a 4-3 Saturday English League One victory. This was Stanley's first match under caretaker manager Liam Richardson, who replaced John Coleman, who left this past week after 13 years to take over League One strugglers Rochdale.

African Nations Cup: Wins For Ghana and Guinea

2012-01-28T14:19:00.000-08:00

The second cycle of group-stage contests in the African Nations Cup ended with two games from Group D on Saturday, both played at Franceville, Gabon.

In the opener, Sadio Diallo scored twice (15', 27') as Guinea destroyed Botswana 6-1.

In the nightcap, Asamoah Gyan (63') and Andre Ayew (76') each scored once as Ghana blanked Mali 2-0.

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Ghana (GP: 2; GD: +3; PTS: 6)
2. Guinea (GP: 2; GD: +4; PTS: 3)
3. Mali (GP: 2; GD: -1; PTS: 3)
4. Botswana (GP: 2; GD: -6; PTS: 0)

FA Cup: Kenny's Reds Top Sir Alex's Visiting Red Devils At Anfield; Chelsea, Bolton, Stoke City, Norwich City Also Advance; Brumbies Blast Blades In Sheffield; Bad Day For Clubs Nicknamed Magpies

2012-01-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

Twelve games were played on Saturday as fourth-round action in England's FA Cup continued.

At London:

Juan Mata's penalty kick in the 62nd minute provided all the scoring as visiting Chelsea defeated Queens Park Rangers 1-0 in a London derby involving two Premier League clubs.

At Liverpool, England:

In a another battle of Premier League clubs, Dirk Kuyt scored the winning goal in the 88th minute as Liverpool defeated visiting Manchester United 2-1.

At Blackpool, England:

Kevin Phillips' stoppage-time penalty kick (90'+3) enabled Blackpool (League Championship) to gain a 1-1 home draw with League One's Sheffield Wednesday (League One), forcing a fourth-round replay on the Owls' home pitch. The Owls' goal came from Clinton Morrison in the 52nd minute.

At Bolton, England:

Darren Pratley (45'+2) and Chris Eagles (55') each delivered a goal as Bolton Wanderers came from behind to upend visiting Swansea City 2-1 in a contest involving two English Premier League clubs.

At Derby, England:

Cameron Jerome (4') and Robert Huth (80') each tallied once as Stoke City blanked Derby County (League Championship) 2-0 on the road.

At Kingston-upon-Hull, England:

Matthew Tubbs provided the only goal of the match as Crawley Town (League Two) knocked off Hull City (League Championship) 1-0. It marks the second straight year that the Red Devils (who were in the Conference National last season) advanced to the Round of 16.

At London:

In a battle of League Championship clubs, Darius Henderson's 86th-minute equalizer enabled Millwall to gain a 1-1 home draw with Southampton. Rickie Lambert scored at 31 minutes for the Saints. The two clubs will battle again on the Saints' pitch in Southampton in a fourth-round replay.

At Leicester, England:

Jermaine Beckford scored both goals (5', 53') as Leicester City (League Championship) blanked visiting Swindon Town (League Two) 2-0.

At Sheffield, England:

Adam Rooney scored twice (38', 77') as Birmingham City (League Championship) demolished Sheffield United (League One) 4-0 on the road.

At Stevenage, England:

Damion Stewart's own goal proved fatal for Notts County as Stevenage defeated the visiting Magpies 1-0 in a battle of League One clubs.

At West Bromwich, England:

In a battle of English Premier League clubs, Simeon Jackson scored the winning goal in the 84th minute as Norwich City defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on the road.

At Falmer, England:

Mike Williamson's own goal in the 76th minute proved costly to Newcastle United as Brighton & Hove Albion (League Championship) knocked off the visiting Magpies from the Premiership 1-0.

Home Win Keeps Bayern Atop The Bundesliga Standings

2012-01-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

At Munich, Germany:

Mario Gomez (60') and Arjen Robben (90') each scored a goal on Saturday as Bayern Munich maintained their position atop the German Bundesliga standings with their 2-0 home win over WfL Wolfsburg.

FA Cup: Spurs, Toffees Advance To Round of 16

2012-01-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

The fourth round of England's FA Cup got under way with two games on Friday.

At Watford, England:

Rafael Van der Vaart scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute as Tottenham Hotspur fought off Watford (League Championship) 1-0 on the road to advance to the fifth round.

At Liverpool, England:

Denis Stracqualursi (27') Marouane Fellaini (73') literally used their noggins as their goals enabled Everton to come from behind and top visiting Fulham 2-1 in a battle Premier League clubs.

African Nations Cup: Tunisia and Gabon Advance To Quarterfinals

2012-01-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

At Librevile, Gabon:

Two games were played in Group C action in the African Nations Cup, both contested at Libreville.

In the opener, Issam Jemaa scored the winning goal in the 90th minute as Tunisia advanced to the quarterfinal round with a 2-1 win over Niger.

In the nightcap, Pierre Aubameyang (77'), Daniel Cousin (79'), Zita Mbanangoye (90'+8) provided the scoring as Gabon came from behind to defeat Morocco 3-2 and clinch a berth in the knockout stage.

GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. x-Gabon (GP: 2; GD: +3; PTS: 6)
2. x-Tunisia (GP: 2; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
3. z-Morocco (GP: 2; GD: -2; PTS: 0)
4. z-Niger (GP: 2; GD: -3; PTS: 0)

x-Clinched berth in quarterfinal round
z-Eliminated

Anorthosis Held To Scoreless Home Draw, Still Good Enough To Move To Top Of Cypriot Top-Flight Standings, For Now

2012-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

At Larnaca, Cyprus:

Visiting Alki held Anorthosis to a 0-0 deadlock in the lone Friday Cypriot 1.Division contest. The draw was still good enough for the hosts to take over first place in the league standings.

Copa Libertadores: Caracas No Match In Series Opener For Penarol

2012-01-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

At Montevideo, Uruguay:

Penarol demolished visiting Caracas FC from Venezuela 4-0 in the opening match of their two-game series on Thursday as the opening week of the opening round of the Copa Libertadores came to a climax. Nicolas Freitas (36'), Marcelo Zalayeta (39'), Joao Pedro (64'), and Fabian Estoyanoff (71') each tallied once for the hosts.

African Nations Cup: Ivory Coast To Quarterfinals; Angola Nearly There

2012-01-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

Action from group-stage play in the African Nations Cup continued on Thursday with two games from Group B, both taking place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

In the opener, Sudan and Angola played to a 2-2 deadlock. Mohamed Bashir scored twice for the Sudanese (33', 74') while Manucho scored both of the Sable Antelopes' tallies (5', PK-50'). The Angolans need only a draw against Ivory Coast (or a non-victory for Sudan against Burkina Faso) to advance to the quarterfinal round.

In the nightcap, Salomon Kalou (16') and Bakary Kone (OG-82') provided the scoring for Ivory Coast as the Elephants eliminated Burkina Faso with a 2-0 victory and advanced to the Elite Eight of the tournament.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. x-Ivory Coast (GP: 2; GD: +3; PTS: 6)
2. Angola (GP: 2; GD: +1; PTS: 4)
3. Sudan (GP: 2; GD: -1; PTS: 1)
4. z-Burkina Faso (GP: 2; GD: -3; PTS: 0)

x-Clinched berth in the quarterfinal round
z-Eliminated from tournament

Sky Blues Erase Two-Goal Deficit To Gain Road Draw And Deny Melbourne Victory

2012-01-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

At Melbourne, Australia:

In Thursday Hyundai A-League action, Bruno Cazerine (56') and Sebastian Ryall (90') provided the scoring the enabled Sydney FC to come back from a two-goal deficit on the road and gain a 2-2 draw with the Melbourne Victory. Isaka Cernak (44') and Fabio (45) provided the scoring for the hosts right before halftime.

Copa Libertadores: Series-Opening Wins For Union Espanola, Real Potosi,

2012-01-25T22:09:00.000-08:00

Three more two-match series in the first round of the Copa Libertadores got underway on Wednesday.

At Santiago, Chile:

Gonzalo Barriga scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute as Union Espanola took the opening match of their two-game series with Tigres, beating the visiting Mexican club 1-0.

At Potosi, Bolivia:

Claudio Centurion (32') and Edgardo Brittes (58') provided the scoring as Real Potosi came from behind to upend visiting Flamengo of Brazil 2-1 in their two-match series opener.

At Porto Alegre, Brazil:

Leandro Damiao delivered the only goal of the match in the 12th minute as Internacional blanked Once Caldas (Colombia) 1-0 in game one.

African Nations Cup: Equatorial Guinea Advance, Eliminating Senegal; Libya and Zambia Battle To First Draw

2012-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

The second cycle of contests in group-stage play in the African Nations Cup commenced on Wednesday with two games from Group A, both played at Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

In the opener, Ahmed Saad Osman scored twice (5', 47') for Libya as they stayed alive in the tournament with a 2-2 draw with Zambia, whose goals came from Emmanuel Mayuka (29') and Christopher Katongo (54').

In the nightcap, Iban Randy Iyanga (62') and Kily Alvarez (90'+4) provided the scoring as Equatorial Guinea became the first country to advance to the knockout stage as they eliminated Senegal 2-1.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. x-Equatorial Guinea (GP: 2; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
2. Zambia (GP: 2; GD: +1; PTS: 4)
3. Libya (GP: 2; GD: -1; PTS: 1)
4. z-Senegal (GP: 2; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

x-Clinched berth in the quarterfinal round
z-Eliminated

Easy Win For Panathinaikos

2012-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

At Athens:

Jose Verdu Toche Nicolas scored twice (58', 63') as league-leading Panathinaikos dominated visiting (and relegation-threatened) Levadiakos 3-0 in Wednesday Greek Super League action.

Copa Libertadores: Arsenal and El Nacional Get Opening Round Off To Winning Starts

2012-01-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

The opening games of two two-game series in the opening round of the Copa Libertadores were contested on Tuesday.

At Avellaneda, Argentina:

Jorge Cordoba (22'), Emilio Zelaya (36'), Claudio Mosca (88') each delivered a goal as Arsenal de Sarandi got their two-game series off to a roaring start with a 3-0 opening-match home domination of Sport Huancayo (Peru). The winner of this series will be placed in Group 4 with Boca Juniors (Argentina), Zamora FC (Venezuela), and Fluminense (Brazil).

At Quito, Ecuador:

Juan Luis Anangono scored the only goal of the match in the 44th minute as El Nacional defeated visiting Club Libertad of Paraguay 1-0 in their series opener. The winning club will be placed in Group Five with Club Nacional (Uruguay), Alianza Lima (Peru), and Vasco da Gama (Brazil).

Here are the other groups:

Group One:

Santos (Brazil; defending champions)
Juan Aurich (Peru)
The Strongest (Bolivia)
Winner of Once Caldas (Colombia)-Internacional (Brazil) series

Group Two:

Club Olimpia (Paraguay)
Club Sport Emelec (Ecuador)
Club Atletico Lanus (Argentina)
Winner of Flamengo (Brazil)-Real Potosi (Bolivia) series

Group Three:

Club Bolivar (Bolivia)
Junior de Barranquilla (Colombia)
Universidad Catolica (Chile)
Winner of Tigres (Mexico)-Union Espanola (Chile) winner

Group Six:

Corinthians (Brazil)
Deportivo Tachira (Venezuela)
Club Nacional (Paraguay)
Cruz Azul (Mexico)

Group Seven:

Velez Sarsfield (Argentina)
Deportivo Quito (Ecuador)
Defensor Sporting (Uruguay)
Chivas de Guadalajara (Mexico)

Group Eight:

Universidad de Chile
Atletico Nacional (Colombia)
Godoy Cruz (Argentina)
Winner of Caracas FC (Venezuela)-Penarol (Uruguay) series

African Nations Cup: 1-0 Wins For Ghana and Mali

2012-01-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

The opening cycle of games in the group stage of the African Nations Cup wrapped up on Tuesday with two contests in Group D, both played at Franceville, Gabon.

In the opening match, John Mensah scored the only goal of the match as Ghana defeated Botswana 1-0.

In the nightcap, Bakaye Traore scored the game's lone goal as Mali defeated Guinea 1-0.

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Ghana (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
Mali (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Botswana (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0
Guinea (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

Dramatic Comeback Win For Black Eagles

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Hugo Almeida, who earlier scored in the 47th minute, equalized in the 86th minute, then Egemen Korkmaz scored the game winner in stoppage time (90'+5) as Besiktas came back from a 2-1 deficit to upend visiting Gaziantepspor 3-2 in Tuesday Turkish Super Lig action.

Chalk Up Another League Win For Anderlecht

2012-01-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

At Brussels, Belgium:

In Tuesday Belgian Pro League action, Milan Jovanovic scored twice in the first half (29', 36') as league-leading RSC Anderlecht overcame an early one-goal deficit and overcame visiting KAA Gent 3-1 in a battle of the top two teams.

African Nations Cup: Gabon And Tunisia Post Wins

2012-01-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

Action from Group C in the African Nations Cup commenced with two games on Monday, both played in Liberville, Gabon.

In the opener, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (30') and Stephane N'Guema (45') carried co-host nation Gabon to a 2-0 win over Niger.

In the nightcap, Khaled Korbi (34') and Youssef Msakni (75') each provided a goal as Tunisia defeated Morocco 2-1.

GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Gabon (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Tunisia (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Morocco (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Niger (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Scoreless In Olhao

2012-01-23T14:11:00.000-08:00

At Olhao, Portugal:

The lone Monday Portuguese Primeira Liga contest, the one between Olhanense and visiting Sporting CP, ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

African Nations Cup: Angola and Ivory Coast Grab Group Stage-Opening Wins

2012-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

Both of Sunday's contests in the African Nations Cup were in Group B and were played at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

In the opener, Didier Drogba scored the only goal of the match in the 39th minute as Ivory Coast defeated Sudan 1-0.

In the nightcap, Manucho (a.k.a. Mateus Alberto Contreiras Goncalves) scored the winning goal in the 68th minute as Angola defeated Burkina Faso 2-1.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Angola (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Ivory Coast (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Burkina Faso (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Sudan (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

Tigres Fall At Toluca

2012-01-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

At Toluca de Ledro, Mexico:

Goals from Nestor Calderon (45') and Ivan Alonso (48') enabled Toluca to come from behind and top visiting Tigres 2-1 in Sunday Mexican Primera Division action, enabling the hosts to find themselves atop the league standings (Clausura portion).

Panathinaikos Back On Top Of Greek Super League Standings--For Now

2012-01-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

At Athens:

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie scored the only goal of the match in the 73rd minute as Panathinaikos moved to the top of the Greek Super League standings following their 1-0 home win over Atromitos.

Auckland City Held To Scoreless Home Draw

2012-01-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

At Auckland, New Zealand:

Sunday's New Zealand Premiership contest between league-leading Auckland City and visiting (and next-to-last-place) Waikato FC Hamilton ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Comback Win For The Sky Blues

2012-01-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

At Sydney, Australia:

Karol Kisel (71') and Bruno Cazarine (89') provided the scoring as Sydney FC came from behind on Sunday and defeated visiting Gold Coast United 2-1, ending their six-match Hyundai A-League winless streak.

Windy Deadlock In Alkmaar

2012-01-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

At Alkmaar, Netherlands:

On a blustery Sunday, Simon Poulsen's own goal in the 75th minute lifted Ajax Amsterdam to a 1-1 Dutch Eredivisie road draw with AZ Alkmaar. Rasmus Elm scored at 37 minutes for the league-leading Cheese Farmers.

Zlatan Scores Twice To Lead Rossoneri To Road Win

2012-01-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

At Novara, Italy:

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice (57', 90') as AC Milan broke open what had been a scoreless stalemate at halftime and dominated Novara 3-0 on the road in Sunday Italian Serie A action.

African Nations Cup: Equatorial Guinea and Zambia Open Tournament With Wins

2012-01-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

This year's edition of the African Nations Cup got underway on Saturday with two games, both played in Group A and in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are the host nations.

In the opener, Javier Balboa scored the only goal of the match as Equatorial Guinea defeated Libya 1-0.

In the nightcap, Emmanuel Mayuka (12') and Rainford Kalaba (20') provided the scoring as Zambia held off Senegal 2-1.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Zambia (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Equatorial Guinea (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Senegal (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Libya (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

It's The Aaron Burns Show: His Hat Trick Helps Blues Blast The Swifts

2012-01-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

At Belfast, Northern Ireland:

Aaron Burns' hat trick (32', 54', 68') provided the scoring as IFA Premiership-leading Linfield undressed visiting Dungannon Swifts 3-0 on Saturday.

Road Draw For Torino (Now In Second Place In Serie B)

2012-01-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

At Cittadella, Italy:

Mirko Antenucci's equalizer in the 17th minute enabled Torino, now running in second place in Italy's Serie B (due to inferior goal difference vis-a-viv Sassuolo), to gain a 1-1 road draw with Cittadella. Daniele Gasparetto scored at 6 minutes for Citta.

Road Win For Anorthosis

2012-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

At Strovolos, Cyprus:

Evandro Roncatto scored the lone goal of the match in the 83rd minute as Anorthosis knocked off Cypriot 1.Division-leading Omonia Nicosia 1-0 on the road on Saturday, enabling the visitors to draw level with their hosts on points atop the league standings.

Road Win For Table-Topping Anderlecht

2012-01-21T12:45:00.000-08:00

At Kortrijk, Belgium:

Guillaume Gillet's 44th-minute penalty kick provided all the scoring as Belgian Pro League-leading RSC Anderlech defeated Kortrijk 1-0 on the road on Saturday.

Easy Win For Parakeets

2012-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

At Barcelona:

Raul Baena (26'), Joan Verdu (PK-45'), and Rui Fonte (80') each delivered a goal as Espanyol dominated visiting Grenada 3-0 in Saturday Spanish Primera Division action, enabling the Parakeets to move up to fifth place in the league standings at game's end.

Jags Held To Scoreless Home Draw By Dark Blues

2012-01-21T12:36:00.001-08:00

At Glasgow, Scotland:

The Saturday Scottish First Division match between Partick Thistle FC and visiting Dundee ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Rangers Held To 1-1 Home Draw By Dons

2012-01-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

At Glasgow, Scotland:

Maurice Edu's goal in the 67th minute enabled Rangers to salvage a 1-1 home draw with Aberdeen in Saturday Scottish Premier League action, as the hosts now fall four points in back of league-leading Celtic. Kari Arnason scored in the 63rd minute for the visiting Dons.

Bhoys Bland Buddies To Lengthen SPL Lead

2012-01-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

At Paisley, Scotland:

James Forrest (71') and Scott Brown (88') each delivered a second-half goal as Celtic defeated St. Mirren 2-0 on the road on Saturday to stretch their lead atop the Scottish Premier League standings to four points.

Road Win For U's

2012-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

At Telford, England:

Tom Shaw scored the winning goal in the 56th minute as Cambridge United remain within hailing distance of a promotion-playoff spot follwing their 2-1 Saturday English Conference National road win over AFC Telford United.

Scoreless Saturday In Aldershot

2012-01-21T12:16:00.001-08:00

At Aldershot, England:

The Saturday English League Two contest between Aldershot Town and visiting Accrington Stanley ended in a 0-0 draw. The Shots have now gone six games without a goal.

Addicks Knock Off Blades In Battle Of Promotion Aspirants

2012-01-21T12:12:00.000-08:00

At London:

Johnnie Jackson scored the only goal of the match in the 21st minute on Saturday as Charlton Athletic, leading the English League One standings defeated visiting Sheffield United (now in third place) 1-0 in a contest that saw both clubs ending the game with ten men.

A Noble Show By Mark As Hammers Hold Off Struggling Forest

2012-01-21T12:09:00.000-08:00

At London:

Mark Noble successfully converted two penalty kicks (45', 63') on Saturday as West Ham United moved to the top of the English League Championship standings following their 2-1 home win over struggling Nottingham Forest.

Robbie Keane Pair Sinks Wolves---Who Fall Into The Drop Zone

2012-01-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

At Wolverhampton, England:

Robbie Keane (on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy) scored twice in the second half (51', 84') as Aston Villa came from behind to upend Wolverhampton 2-1 on the road on Saturday, sending the hosts--who have gone eight games without an English Premier League win---into the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Road Win For Besiktas

2012-01-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

At Antalya, Turkey:

Hugo Almeida (64') and Manuel Fernandes (90') provided the scoring that enabled visiting Besiktas to hold off Antalyaspor 2-1 in Friday Turkish Super Lig action.

Bayern Knocked Off At Monchengladbach

2012-01-20T17:16:00.001-08:00

At Monchengladbach, Germany:

Patrick Herrmann scored twice (41', 71') as Borussia Monchengladbach knocked off league-leading Bayern Munich 3-1 at home on Friday as German Bundesliga action resumed. The win moved the hosts within one point of the league leaders.

Another Swiss Club Gets Socked

2012-01-18T23:20:00.000-08:00

But hey, the owner has changed coaches four times in the past year.

If Xamax, which already faced being deducted eight points, fails to overturn the decision on appeal it will become the first club kicked out of the league in midseason since Servette went bankrupt in 2005.

''These are serious violations of its obligations by the club,'' the league said in a statement.

The league's disciplinary commission ruled that Xamax's owners failed to provide documents relating to a change of ownership, after businessman Bulat Chagaev took over last May.

The league also suspects Xamax of providing fraudulent bank letters intended to prove that Chagaev could finance the club.

According to documents published by Swiss media, letters appearing to come from the Bank of America ''confirmed'' that Chagaev had access to $35 million. Chagaev is at the center of Swiss criminal investigations into suspected fraud regarding the documents.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2012/01/18/neuchatel-xamax-loses-swiss-league-license/#ixzz1jt1OyYaa

If this punishment is upheld, this will all but assure Grasshoppers of staying in the top flight.

FA Cup: Wolves Fall To Brumbies; Seagulls Finish Off Last Remaining Non-League Team

2012-01-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

Two more third-round replays in England's FA Cup took place on Wednesday.

At Wolverhampton, England:

Wade Elliot provided the only goal of the match in the 74th minute as Birmingham City (League Championship) knocked off Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 on the road. Sheffield United (League One) will play host to the Brumbies in fourth-round action.

At Wrexham, Wales:

After Ashley Barnes delivered the equalizer in the 77th minute, and after 30 scoreless minutes of overtime with the score at 1-1, Brighton & Hove Albion (League Championship)--with Ashley Barnes, Matthew Sparrow, Liam Bridcutt, Inigo Calderon, and Craig Mackail-Smith all converting their spot kicks--won the penalty-kick shootout, 5-4 over Wrexham, the Conference National club who were the last remaining non-league team left in the tournament. The Seagulls will get a fourth-round encounter next with Newcastle United.

Road Win For Monaco

2012-01-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

At Amiens, France:

Edgard Salli (13') and Tristan Dingome (60') each delivered a goal on Wednesday as AS Monaco won their second straight French Ligue 2 road contest, 2-1 over cellar-dwelling Amiens SC in a battle of clubs who entered the day in the relegation zone.

Late Goal Carries Panathinaikos To Victory

2012-01-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

At Athens:

Kostas Katsouranis scored the only goal of the match in the 88th minute on Wednesday as Panathinaikos (one point in back of league-leading Olympiacos) defeated visiting (and basement-occupying) Doxa Dramas 1-0 in Greek Super League action.

OFC Champions League: Thrilling Home Win For Auckland City

2012-01-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

At Auckland, New Zealand:

Manuel Exposito scored twice (PK-40', 45'+1) while Adam Dickinson notched the game winner in the 87th minute on Wednesday as Auckland City defeated visiting Amicale 3-2 in Group B play as group-stage action in the OFC Champions League finally reached the midway point.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Auckland City (GP: 3; GD: +6; PTS: 9)
2. Amical FC (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 4)
3. Hekari United (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 4)
4. Koloale FC Honiara (GP: 3; GD: -7; PTS: 0)

Sky Blues Drop Two Points At Home

2012-01-18T08:28:00.001-08:00

At Sydney, Australia:

Adam Hughes' late equalizer (88') enabled the Perth Glory to gain a 1-1 Wednesday Hyundai A-League road draw with Sydney FC. Mark Bridge scored at 45 minutes for the Sky Blues, whose winless streak was stretched to six games.

FA Cup Third-Round Replays: Leicester City, Millwall, Bolton, QPR Advance

2012-01-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

Four third-round replays in England's FA Cup were played on Tuesday.

At Leicester, England:

Jermaine Beckford's natural hat trick (30', 50', 57') helped Leicester City demolished visiting fellow League Championship club Nottingham Forest 4-0. The victory assured the Foxes of a January 29 home date in the fourth round against Swindon Town (League Two).

At London:

Darius Henderson delivered a hat trick (7', 59', PK-63') while Harry Kane added a pair (41', 65') as Millwall destroyed visiting Dagenham & Redbridge (League Two) 5-0 in a local London-area derby. The Lions will host fellow League Championship club Southampton on January 29 in fourth-round action.

At Bolton, England:

Kevin Davies (1') and Martin Petrov (26') each scored once as Bolton blanked visiting Macclesfield (League Two) 2-0. The Trotters will host Swansea City on January 28 in a fourth-round battle of Premier League clubs.

At London:

Daniel Gabbidon scored the only goal of the match in the 7th minute as Queens Park Rangers won their replay 1-0 over visiting Milton Keynes Dons (League One). QPR will host Chelsea on January 29 in a fourth-round London derby between two Premier League clubs.

Black Eagles Too Much For Green Crocodiles

2012-01-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Hugo Almeida (7'), Edu (38'), and Mustafa Pektemek (83') provided the tallies that lifted Besiktas to a 3-1 Turkish Super Lig Sunday home win over Bursaspor.

Lions Fall At Braga, Drop To Fourth Place At Midway Point

2012-01-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

At Braga, Portugal:

Helder Barbosa (51') and Rodrigo Jose Lima Dos Santos (64') provided the goals that enabled Sporting Braga to hold off visiting Sporting CP 2-1 in Sunday Portuguese Primeira Liga action, enabling the hosts to move past the Lions into the third and final Champions League berth at the midway point of the league season.

Road Win For The Shamrock

2012-01-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

At Ioannina, Greece:

Cleyton scored the only goal of the match in the 85th minute as Panathinaikos defeated struggling PAS Giannina 1-0 on the road in Sunday Greek Super League action. The Shamrock found themselves in second place, four points behind archrivals Olympiacos.

Home Win Keeps Anderlecht On Top In Belgium

2012-01-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

At Brussels, Belgium:

Dieumerci Mbokani (3'), Milan Jovanovic (24'), and Matias Suarez (65') each delivered a goal on Sunday as league-leading RSC Anderlecht dominated visiting Club Brugge 3-0 in Belgian Pro League action.

Nerazzurri Take Milan Derby

2012-01-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

At Milan, Italy:

Diego Milito scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute on Sunday as Inter Milan (designated the visiting club) defeated rivals AC Milan 1-0 in Italian Serie A action, knocking the Rossoneri out of the top of the league standings.

Home Win For Tigres

2012-01-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

At San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico:

Juninho scored the only goal of the match in the 39th minute on Saturday as Tigres defeated visiting Queretaro 1-0 in Mexican Primera Division action.

PSG Top Toulouse In Carlo Ancelotti's First League Match

2012-01-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

At Paris:

Anderson Luis de Carvalho Nene scored twice (38', 67') as Paris Saint-Germain, in Carlo Ancelotti's first Ligue 1 match as their new manager, downed visiting Toulouse 3-1 on Saturday as the club from the French capital found themselves three points up on second-place Montpellier atop the league standings.

Scoreless In Seville

2012-01-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

At Seville, Spain:

The Saturday Spanish Primera Division contest between Sevilla and visiting Espanyol ended in a 0-0 deadlock.

Another Win For Auckland City

2012-01-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

At Auckland, New Zealand:

Daniel Koprivcic (17'), Manuel Exposito (60'), and Emiliano Tade (88') each scored once on Saturday as Auckland City dominated visiting Canterbury United 3-0 in New Zealand Premiership action.

Road Win For Monaco

2012-01-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

At Fos-sur-Mer, France:

Ludovic Giuly scored the only goal of the match in the 15th minute on Saturday as AS Monaco, still planted in the French Ligue 2 relegation zone, knocked off Istres 1-0 on the road.

Home Win For Anorthosis

2012-01-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

At Larnaca, Cyprus:

Vincent Laban's penalty kick in the 77th minute provided all the scoring on Saturday as Anorthosis found themselves in second place in the top division in Cyprus following their 1-0 home win over Enosis.

Mighty Mirko Powers Torino To Home Win

2012-01-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

At Turin, Italy:

Mirko Antenucci scored twice (19', 66') on Saturday as Torino defeated visiting Ascoli 2-1 in Saturday Italian Serie B action.

Dark Blues Close In On Top Of Scottish First Division

2012-01-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

At Dundee, Scotland:

Dundee, in third place in the Scottish First Division, dominated visiting Livingston 3-0 on Saturday to climb to within four points of league-leading Ross County. Ryan Conroy (19'), Neil McGregor (74'), and Nicholas Riley (82') each delivered a goal for The Dee.

Home Win Over Tangerines Keep Bhoys On Top Of SPL

2012-01-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

At Glasgow, Scotland:

Gary Hooper (17') and Victor Wanyama (17') each provided a goal as Celtic remained two points ahead of Rangers atop the Scottish Premier League standings following their 2-1 Saturday home win over Dundee United.

Bees Sting Stanley On The Road

2012-01-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

At Accrington, England:

Ricky Holmes (23'), Mark Hughes (NOT the newly-named QPR manager, 45'), and Sam Deering (54') each scored a goal on Saturday as Barnet ended Accrington Stanley's 10-game English League Two unbeaten streak with a 3-0 road thumping.

Blades Bury Shakers

2012-01-14T09:49:00.001-08:00

At Bury, England:

Richard Cresswell (54'), Ched Evans (62'), and Lee Williamson (81') each tallied once as Sheffield United broke open a game that had been a scoreless stalemate and turned it into a 3-0 road romp over Bury in a Saturday English League One contest between clubs gunning for promotion to the League Championship.

Woes Return To Forest

2012-01-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

At Nottingham, England:

Guly Do Prado (27'), David Connolly (65'), and Morgan Schneiderlin (79') each delivered a goal on Saturday as league-leading Southampton return to winning form by blanking still relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest 3-0 on the road in English League Championship action.

Wolves And Spurs Battle To 1-1 Draw

2012-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

At London:

Luka Modric provided the equalizer in the 51st minute on Saturday as Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a 1-1 home English Premier League stalemate with Wolverhampton. Steven Fletcher scored for Wolves at 22 minutes.

Nikica's The Man As 'Gers Topped St. Johnstone On The Road

2012-01-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

At Perth, Scotland:

Nikica Jelavic scored twice (24', 80') as Rangers defeated St. Johnstone 2-1 on the road in Saturday Scottish Premier League action.

Dramatic Comeback Win For Roar At Sky Blues Expense

2012-01-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

At Brisbane, Australia:

Sayad Adnan (90'+5) and Besart Berisha (90'+6) each scored a goal in the final minutes of second-half stoppage time as the Brisbane Roar came from behind to upend visiting Sydney FC 2-1 on Saturday to stretch the demoralized Sky Blues' Hyundai A-League winless and losing streaks to six and four games respectively.

No, No, That's ANDREW, NOT Arsene Wenger; Timbers Trade Kenny Cooper

2012-01-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

The Montreal Impact selected Duke defenseman Andrew Wenger with the first selection of Thursday's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

The other first-round selections:

Vancouver Whitecaps: Darren Mattocks, forward, Akron

New England Revolution: Kelyn Rowe, midfielder, UCLA

Toronto FC: Luis Silva, midfielder, UC Santa Barbara

Chivas USA: Casey Townsend, forward, Maryland

San Jose Earthquakes: Sam Garza, forward, UC Santa Barbara

DC United: Nick DeLeon, forward, Louisville

Portland Timbers: Andrew Jean-Baptiste, defenseman, Connecticut

Chicago Fire: Austin Berry, defenseman, Louisville

Columbus Crew: Ethan Finlay, forward, Creighton

FC Dallas: Matt Hedges, defenseman, North Carolina

Toronto FC (with pick acquired in last April's trade with the New York Red Bulls for Dwayne De Rosario): Aaron Maund, defenseman, Notre Dame

Philadelphia Union: Chandler Hoffman, forward, UCLA

Colorado Rapids: Tony Cascio, midfielder, Connecticut

Seattle Sounders FC: Andrew Duran, defenseman, Creighton

Sporting Kansas City: Dom Dwyer, forward, South Florida

Real Salt Lake: Enzo Martinez, midfielder, North Carolina

Houston Dynamo: Colin Rolfe, forward, Louisville

Los Angeles Galaxy: Tommy Meyer, defenseman, Indiana

In other news, the Portland Timbers traded forward Kenny Cooper to the New York Red Bulls for a 2013 draft pick.

Mariners Blank U's On Road

2012-01-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

At Cambridge, England:

Anthony Elding scored the only goal of the match in the 24th minute on Tuesday as Grimsby Town defeated Cambridge United 1-0 on the road in English National Conference action.

Blades Slice Visiting Glovers

2012-01-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

At Sheffield, England:

Lee Williamson scored twice in the second half (48', 87') as Sheffield United demolished visiting Yeovil Town 4-0 in Tuesday English League One action.

Broken Record

2012-01-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

Congrats again, Leo.