Barca thrash Mou’s Madrid

Barcelona inflicted a humiliating defeat on their great rivals Real Madrid as the sides played the first “El Classico” clash of the season at the Nou Camp.

An extraordinary footballing masterclass from the Catalonians saw them take the lead early on when Xavi broke into the box to poke past Iker Casillas. The advantage was doubled soon after by Pedro, who rammed home a David Villa cross. They continued to dominate but went in 2 – 0 at the break.

Villa scored early in the second half after fine play by Lionel Messi, and it was a similar story moments later as Villa grabbed his second with a typically classy finish.

The hosts seemingly mocked their opponents for the rest of the match with the quality and audacity of their passing, and in injury time Bojan crossed for Jeffren to tap in their fifth goal. Sergio Ramos was sent off before the end for a horrible kick on Messi, but that only compounded Madrid’s misery as they lost 5 – 0, having been utterly outclassed by their fiercest enemy.

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Draw in first Ashes test

England fought back from a seemingly difficult position to claim a draw in the first test of the Ashes series in Brisbane, Australia.

Things were looking bad for them after the third day, starting their second innings over two-hundred runs behind their hosts, but a combination of favourable conditions and modest bowling resulted in Andrew Strauss and Alistair Cook both hitting big centuries to get them out of trouble.

Strauss went soon after, but on the final day it was left to cook and Jonathan Trott to continue the superb batting performance. England declared on a massive 517 – 1, with Cook 235 not out and Trott 135 not out – extraordinary totals on a flat pitch and against toothless Australian bowling. The match ended with the hosts on 107 – 1, not having enough time to chase the win.

The draw sets up an intriguing series, with it becoming difficult to say which team has the advantage for the four remaining tests.

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Lennon grabs dramatic Spurs win

Previous Articles

Liverpool rout sorry Hammers

Liverpool’s woes stoked again

Liverpool draw - wins for Chelsea and Arsenal

Torres stuns Chelsea

Liverpool to the Maxi!

Liverpool survive in Naples

Everton win crucial derby

Anfield Disappointed Once More

Hodgson backs rested Torres

The final match of the weekend in the Premier League saw Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Harry Redknapp’s men went into the clash after two excellent results in the past week, hoping to win to keep themselves as potential title contenders. They would have been fairly confident, given Liverpool’s disappointing away form under Roy Hodgson.

It was a typically open and attacking game involving Spurs, with both sides having chances, and Liverpool took the lead just before the interval when Martin Skrtel struck during confusion from a corner to go in at 0 – 1.

The hosts came back afterwards though, firstly missing a penalty. Skrtel gifted them the equaliser by scoring an own-goal, and the match was very exciting with both teams looking for the win.

It turned out to be Tottenham’s as, in injury time, Aaron Lennon broke free and fired in to give his team a dramatic three points at the end of another thrilling Premier League tie, which finished 2 – 1.

Earlier, Chelsea failed to return to top-spot due to only managing to draw at Newcastle. It leaves them two points behind Manchester United, who won so emphatically on Saturday.
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Murray loses to Nadal

Andy Murray lost to world number one Rafael Nadal in the semi final of the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 arena on Saturday evening.

The Scot missed his chance to win the last tournament of the year in nail-biting fashion. Nadal, who completed the career grand slam this year, took the first set on a tie-break 7 – 6 (7 -5).

Murray was not going to be beaten very easily though and fought back to claim the second 6 – 3, setting up a tense third-set decider against a tiring Spaniard.

Nadal grabbed an early break and looked to be heading for the win, but when he was serving for the match his opponent would not give up and broke back to go into another tie-break.

Murray held the early advantage but, like always, Nadal came back. At 6 – 6 Murray sent a forehand long and Nadal was able to take the match after a lengthy rally in three sets: 7 – 6 (7 – 5), 3 – 6, 7 – 6 (8 – 6), and will contest the final on Sunday against either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic.

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United go top after rout

Manchester United welcomed Blackburn to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. A win would see them move above Chelsea and Arsenal into top spot, with the champions playing Newcastle on Sunday.

It was never really in doubt. Dimitar Berbatov scored after a few minutes and Ji-Sung Park got the second with about twenty minutes gone. Berbatov notched again before half-time to make it 3 – 0 at the interval.

The Bulgarian completed his hat-trick at the start of the second half, and then Nani hit the fifth. Berbatov finished twice more before Chris Samba got a (sort of) consolation goal for Blackburn, but they were left to suffer a humiliating 7 – 1 defeat.

At lunchtime, Arsenal kept in touch with the leaders by winning a spectacular game at Villa Park, emerging with a 2 – 4 result. Manchester City found it tough going at Stoke though, conceding a late equaliser to draw 1 – 1.
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Liverpool rout sorry Hammers

Liverpool bounced back from a couple of poor away results by comfortably beating West Ham at Anfield on Saturday night. 

There was a lot of angry discussion before the match about the injury that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard picked up by playing for England in the friendly against France, but the team did not show any lack of attacking power in his absence. 

Glen Johnson opened the scoring against his former club after a corner. Dirk Kuyt got the second from the penalty spot, and Maxi Rodriguez headed a third before the interval. 

The second period saw the excitement diminish somewhat as the Reds could not maintain their level, despite facing very modest opposition. 

The 3 – 0 win sees Liverpool sitting ninth in the table, three points off a Champions League place.


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United benefit from rivals’ slips

Manchester United looked to welcome Wayne Rooney back to action at Old Trafford when they faced Wigan on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, but the England striker could only make the bench. 

The side struggled without him. For much of the first half Wigan seemed the superior of the two, but just before the break, United defender Patrice Evra grabbed a goal. 

Wigan had two men sent off in the second half, which effectively ended the match, and the hosts took advantage when Javier Hernandez doubled their lead, but could not do any more, so finished with a 2 – 0 result. 

Chelsea, meanwhile, went behind early at Birmingham after Lee Bowyer’s finish, and despite pressurising for much of the game were unable equalise, therefore losing 1 – 0 and now only leading the league on goal difference. 

In the lunchtime match, one of the fiercest local derbies was contested as Arsenal hosted Spurs at the Emirates. 

The Gunners took an early lead through Samir Nasri and doubled it soon after thanks to Marouane Chamakh, giving them a position of real dominance. 

Spurs came back in the second half though, with goals from Gareth Bale, and a Rafael van Der Vaart penalty. Incredibly, they managed to win it late on when Younes Kaboul headed in, and held on for a 2 – 3 (and spectacular) away win.


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