Singapore and Thailand Fourth Title Fight

Andi Abdullah Sururi - detiksport http://sport.detik.com/pialaaff/read/2012/12/17/154601/2120634/1462/singapura-dan-thailand-berebut-titel-keempat Jakarta - Singapore and Thailand diving prepares its final two games to compete for the title of best in Southeast Asia. One of them will be the team's most frequent winners. Singapore will host the first in the leg first AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 final at the Jalan Besar Stadium, Wednesday (19/12/2012) the day after tomorrow. Three days later a second final held at Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand. penetrate Singapore after the final as winners of Group B. Radojko Avramovich's farm team started their work with membungkan group also hosts defending champion Malaysia with a score of 3-0. Lost in the second match of Indonesia with a score of 0-1, Baihakki Khaizan et al. pitch after beating Laos 4-3. In the semifinal, the Lions overcome the Philippines with an aggregate score of 1-0. Khairul Amri become heroes through its sole goal in the 19th minute in the second leg at home. while Thailand has a nearly perfect stats. Of their last five games to win the series four times and only once, namely in the face Malaysia in the first leg semi-final round, when the two teams share the score 1-1 at the Bukit Jalil Stadium. Meanwhile in Group A round, team coach Winfried Schaeffer row victory over the Philippines (2-1), Myanmar (4-0), and Vietnam (3-1). They made ​​sure the title to the finals after beating Malaysia 2-0 in the semi-final second leg. Duel Singapore and Thailand in the final round is a meeting of two teams most often win the AFF Cup. They are both collecting three titles - in the first six editions of the tournament. Thailand reached in 1996, 2000 and 2002, while Singapore in 1998, 2004, and 2007. addition to the championship, both teams were fighting invaders title of top scorer. Currently Teerasil Dangda (Thailand) still lead with five goals, followed Shahril Ishak (Singapore) with four goals. Schedules AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 Final Leg I Singapore vs Thailand (19/12) Leg II Thailand vs Singapore (22/12) ( a2s/rin)

The PSSI, ISL and KPSI REPRESENTATIVES HANDING OVER THE SIGNED MoU

Kuala Lumpur: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday between the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) and the breakaway Indonesian Super League (ISL) and the Indonesian Football Rescue Committee (KPSI). The agreement to cooperate and collaborate in the larger interests of the Indonesian game was inked after two days of extensive discussions by all the parties, in the presence of the AFC Taskforce, led by AFC Vice-President HRH Prince Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah and FIFA Executive Committee Member Dato’ Worawi Makudi. Also present were AFC General Secretary Dato’ Alex Soosay, FIFA Director of Member Associations and Development Thierry Regenass, Director of the AFC Member Association/International Relations & Development James Johnson and FIFA Manager of MAs Marco Leal. The MoU is the first significant breakthrough for Indonesian football in recent times after both FIFA and AFC expressed their grave concern over how the breakaway league and the KPSI were affecting the game and asked all the groups to find common ground. An AFC Task Force was formed to help mediate the talks between the groups. As part of the MoU, a joint PSSI committee will be established to create a new top tier professional football league. The committee will also work with FIFA and AFC to review the statutes and other association matters. The four expelled PSSI Executive Committee members will be reinstated. The MoU also states that the ISL will continue to operate separately but will come under the umbrella of PSSI while the KPSI will not hold itself out as a football governing body. HRH Prince Abdullah thanked all the sides for the spirit in which the MoU negotiations were held. “It was in the interest of Indonesian football and I would like to thank everyone and FIFA for entrusting AFC to lead this mission,” he said. “This is the start of a new chapter in Indonesian football and an opportunity to put personal differences and politics aside for the sake of football. There is a lot of work ahead and AFC is willing to provide all the assistance to create a new top tier league in Indonesia.” “We are confident that the MoU meets the requirements of FIFA as all the football activities will be under the umbrella of PSSI.” AFC Acting President Zhang Jilong welcomed the news. “I am pleased to note that all the sides in Indonesia have come to an understanding and this will serve the best interests of everyon involved,” said Jilong. “I request all the stakeholders to work for the development of Indonesian football, which has tremendous potential. We (AFC) stand ready to assist our Member Associations to take the game to the next level,” added Jilong. www.the-afc.com

All You Need To Know About Chelsea by: Marcia Henin

Chelsea football club is a famous English club named after the West London neighborhood, where it is located. The club is also known as “The Pensioners”, or “The Blues”. An English professional football club, it was founded in 1905, and has proved to be a success for British sports. Chelsea was accepted in a second division of Football League. Their home stadium is Stamford Bridge on Fulham Road, their capacity is 42,055. Their kit is blue with white and amber trim shirts and shorts. Their traditional crest is a ceremonial blue lion holding a staff; the kit is manufactured by Adidas. Chelsea has won several major trophies: 1955 League Championship, 1955 Charity Shield, 1970 FA Cup and many others. Having an estimated number of million fans, Chelsea is one of the best-supported clubs in England. In 2007 Chelsea won the League Cup for the second time in three years, and finished second in Premier League. Chelsea also holds numerous records in European football, having the highest number of Premier League victories in a season. Since its foundation, the club has won three league titles, four FA Cups, two UEFA Cups and four League Cups. Updated Chelsea news - The current owner of Chelsea football club is Roman Abramovich. After buying Chelsea in June 2003, he poured massive investment into the club, which allowed the club to develop commercially. The group has become a more elitist group, although this move was criticized in several circles. Chelsea continues to draw public attention; streaming video sites present the games of Chelsea live online and each victory of Chelsea brings more articles and TV reviews. About The Author Marcia Henin, content writer for Inter-dev - internet marketing company - http://www.inter-dev.co.il/en/ On Behalf of sportingo.com - A sports news site: http://www.sportingo.com, providing Chelsea news and Chelsea live online videos: http://www.sportingo.com/Football/England/Premier-League/Chelsea

Development in Africa, qualifiers for Thailand

In its latest round-up of events in the world of futsal, FIFA.com reports on the training seminars and tournaments that have been taking place around the globe over the last two months, including European qualifiers for the FIFA futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, to be held this November. Highlights A four-day FIFA course for futsal referees and coaches was organised in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of March. Led by Scott Gilligan of Australia and Asselam Khan of Mozambique, FIFA instructors in coaching and refereeing respectively, the futsal course was the first staged by world football’s governing body in the country since 2004. Attracting 60 participants in all, it aroused a good deal of optimism in the future of South African futsal. “We had a few problems to overcome in getting this course up and running, but I’m happy we’ve been able to make this knowledge available to the participants, who have come from all over the country,” said the chairman of the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Futsal Committee Aubrey Baartman. “Thanks to this course we can create a solid core of coaches and referees and raise playing standards at a regional level. We can also form a strong nucleus of players who can go on to represent the country with the national team.” Development A number of other courses have taken place around the world in the last three months, starting in Asia, where refereeing courses were held in Iran and Kyrgyzstan, where the instructor noted a significant improvement in standards since the previous course in 2010. In the Caribbean an introductory futsal course was organised in Bermuda, while coaches in Tunisia and Sudan had training events laid on for them as part of plans to develop the game in both countries. Tunisia, for example, is looking to set up a coaching badge system and create a youth-team structure at club level, while Sudan is aiming to promote the game in schools. A further course was also held in South Africa. Futsal across the globe The prelminary competition for the AFC Futsal Championship came to a conclusion in February as Thailand, Indonesia and Australia booked their places in the Asian finals. The qualifiers for the AFC Futsal Club Championship were also held in late March. Games were played in the East Asia/ASEAN and West Asia/South and Central Zones and saw Thai Son Nam (Vietnam), GH Bank RBAC (Thailand), Ardus (Uzbekistan) and Al Rayyan SC (Qatar) all make it through. Logrono provided the venue for the Spanish Cup play-offs at the end of March, with Barcelona Alusport’s defeat of Lobelle Santiago in the final capping a tournament that proved a major financial success and attracted a lot of attention in the media. The Italian Cup final was held at the same time in Padua, with Asti Acqua Viva overcoming Alter Ego Luparense to claim the trophy. The qualifying competition for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012 reached its finale the following month. Spain, Italy, Russia, Portugal, Ukraine, Serbia and Czech Republic were the seven teams to make it through to the world finals, where they will be joined by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia, the four sides to advance from the South American qualifiers, also held in April. Finally, women’s futsal took centre stage in Bahrain as the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship took place. Taking the honours in the seven-team tournament were Iran, the inaugural winners in 2008, who saw off Jordan in the final. What they said “We never used to take this sport seriously in South Africa, but we’ve put real strategies in place and we’re now giving it the attention it deserves. The futsal side is one of the ten national teams we have here in South Africa, and it’s so important to develop the game. We’ll be setting up local leagues in the future to offer a way into the sport,” Serame Letsoaka, SAFA’s Technical Director. “It’s a game you can play in any school gym, and it’s an easy sport for people who’ve never played to get involved in. Some people play futsal to complement their football training, and others see it as a sport in its own right,” David Payne, Head of futsal at the New Zealand Football Association. “Futsal teaches children about good ball control, speed and stamina, and about the need to think on their feet and use their instinct, which is important in this game. Reaching a good level in Futsal helps you do the same in football,” Datuk Soh Chin Aun, former captain of Malaysia’s national football team. Coming up FIFA will be organising three courses for futsal coaches in China, New Zealand and Germany in May. The first of this month’s international tournaments is the Victory Day Women’s Cup in Moscow, to be contested by Russia, Portugal, Iran and Hungary. Taking place later in May is the 12th AFC Futsal Championship in Dubai. A total of 16 nations will be competing in the event, with the top four going forward to represent Asia at Thailand 2012.

Polisi Belum Keluarkan Izin Persib vs Gresik di Siliwangi

Baban Gandapurnama - detikBandung

Bandung - Panpel Persib sudah mengajukan izin pertandingan Persib menjamu Gresik United di Stadion Siliwangi pada Rabu 11 April nanti kepada Polrestabes Bandung. Meski begitu, pihak kepolisian belum meberikan lampu hijau apakah izin bisa dikeluarkan.

"Memang permohonan izinnya sudah kami terima. Tetapi izin pertandingannya belum bisa dikeluarkan. Kami juga menunggu petunjuk dari Polda Jabar," jelas Kasubaghumas Polrestabes Bandung AKP Rosdiana kepada wartawan di Mapolrestabes Bandung, Senin (9/4/2012).

Menurut Rosdiana, alasannya belum mengeluarkan izin laga Persib lawan Gresik United itu lantaran pihaknya masih mempertimbangkan sejumlah aspek. Kondisi seperti itu masih dipelajari.

"Kami perlu memerhatikan sisi keamanan maupun ancaman gangguan kamtibmas. Rekomendasi izin ini nantinya akan dibuat oleh satuan intelijen. Namun kalau nanti izin keluar, kami sudah siap melakukan pengamanan dengan mengerahkan kekuatan penuh," terang Rosdiana.

Frustration for Japanese clubs

FIFA

Adelaide United maintained their 100 per cent record in AFC Champions League Group E on Tuesday with a 2-0 defeat of Gamba Osaka.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Defender Daniel Mullen grabbed both goals in the first half as Adelaide became the first Australian side to beat the Japanese giants.

Mullen put Adelaide ahead on 17 minutes with a header after his first effort came back off the bar. And the 22-year-old then capped a classy performance at fullback with another close-range finish seven minutes later.

The win lifted Adelaide into top spot in the group, three points clear of Bunyodkor and Pohang Steelers.

Bunyodkor claimed their first points in the pool with a 2-0 win at Pohang Steelers. The Uzbeks took the lead through Lutfulla Turaev after 28 minutes and Kamoliddim Murzoev made sure of the victory with a second 13 minutes from time.

Capital club denied
FC Tokyo and Ulsan Hyundai share top spot in Group F after a 2-2 draw in the Japanese capital.

The home side twice took the lead, through Yuhei Tokunaga and Yohei Kajiyama, but the South Koreans hit back each time to claim a point thanks to goals from Kim Seung-Yong and, in the 89th minute, Maranhao.

Beijing Guoan and Brisbane Roar picked up their first points in a 1-1 draw. Piao Cheng put the hosts ahead after eight minutes but Mitch Nichols equalised 13 minutes later.

Ittihad stay perfect
In Group B, Al Ittihad made it two wins out of two as they won 3-1 away to Al Arabi. Although the early lead given to them by Naif Hazazi was swiftly cancelled out by Leonardo Pisculichi, Al Ittihad were in front again with half an hour gone as Hamad Al-Montashari found the net.

Hazazi's second nine minutes from time made sure of the points that put them two clear at the top of the group, ahead of Bani Yas who were held to a 1-1 draw at Pakhtakor Tashkent. Dilshod Sharofetdinov put the hosts ahead in the 29th minute, but Mohammed Fawzi struck on the hour mark for Banis.

Al Jazira sit top of Group A after holding off a late fightback to beat Al Rayyan 3-2. Ricardo Oliveira got them off the mark after just nine minutes and two goals in quick succession from Ibrahim Diaky and Abdulla Mousa put them in control early in the second half. But they were made to sweat as Daniel Goma pulled one back in the 65th minute and Fabio Montezine set up a tense finish with a second 11 minutes from time.

Esteghlal are in second place on four points following a goalless draw with Nasaf Quarshi.

ISL : PERSIJA CURI POIN AREMA

Persija Jakarta berhasil menahan imbang Arema Indonesia dengan skor 1-1 di Stadion Kanjuruhan, Minggu (19/2/2012). Dalam 45 menit pertama, Bambang Pamungkas (Bepe) berhasil menciptakan gol penyama kedudukan setelah sebelumnya Arema unggul karena gol bunuh diri Precious.

Kedua tim langsung bermain terbuka di awal pertandingan. Sebuah peluang didapatkan playmaker Persija, Robertino Pugliara, pada menit ke-14. Namun tembakan keras yang dilepaskannya dari luar kotak penalti masih bisa dimentahkan dengan baik oleh kiper Arema, Achmad Kurniawan.

Arema justru akhirnya berhasil membuka keunggulan terlebih dahulu. Berawal dari sepak pojok yang dilepaskan Feri Aman Saragih pada menit http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifke-20, Bek Persija, Precious, salah mengantisipasi bola yang datang dan justru membuat bola masuk ke dalam timnya sendiri. Arema pun unggul 1-0.

Namun, hanya berselang sepuluh menit Persija berhasil membuat kedudukan kembali imbang. Kapten Persija, Bambang Pamungkas, mengoyak jala gawang Arema dengan tembakan kaki kiri yang keras dari ujung kotak penalti setelah menerima umpan sundulan yang diberikan Pedro Javier.

Tujuh menit jelang babak pertama usai Agung Suprayogi hampir saja membawa Arema kembali unggul. Sayangnya, tandukan yang dilakukan setelah menerima umpan dari Kim Yong Hee melayang tipis di atas gawang Persija yang dikawal Galih Sudaryono. Akhirnya babak pertama pun berakhir dengan kedudukan imbang 1-1.

www.tribunnews.com

Tevez denies City blast

Carlos Tevez has issued a statement "categorically denying" quotes attributed to him by Kicker magazine suggesting his situation at Manchester City is now "almost comical".
Tevez has not featured for City since September, and has been in exile in Argentina in the wake of his alleged refusal to come on as a substitute against Bayern Munich.

Several clubs expressed an interest in signing the forward in January - most notably AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris St Germain - but none was able to meet City's asking price.

Quotes then emerged on Thursday from Kicker whereby Tevez appeared to question City while expressing that he cannot understand why he has been portrayed so negatively.

The magazine quoted the Argentine as saying: "I think this situation has become almost comical. I wanted to leave City and I had offers from other clubs, both from Italy and Spain, but in the end it all collapsed because City rejected every offer they received.

"They say I cost a fortune and they do not sell me, not even give me a loan. I really have no idea what will happen in the coming months. There were offers from Milan, Inter and Paris St Germain, but in the end they have done nothing.

"I sent a letter to the club in which I said I wanted to leave. In recent days I also contacted the Premier League to appeal the fine imposed on me by City. Now I'm waiting for a response. Talking to the League is my only option at this time.

"I cannot understand that but I cannot do much against it. People may think what they want. Of course there were personal aspects to this story. I wanted to be closer to my children who live in Argentina, so I took the situation to hand.

"Now I must talk with the management at City. Let's see what happens. Of course I would return to play football but, at this time, I have to settle for playing golf, or taking part in testimonials, such as my friend Martin Palermo's."

However, on Thursday evening, a statement was issued on Tevez's behalf, which stated: "Regarding an interview published in Kicker Magazine, Carlos Tevez categorically denies both speaking any journalist about his situation at Manchester City and the quotes attributed to him in the interview."

By ESPNsoccernet staff


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1016741/carlos-tevez-denies-manchester-city-blast?cc=4716

Beckham signs new Galaxy contract

FIFA

David Beckham has signed a two-year contract with Los Angeles Galaxy, the Major League Soccer side have announced.

The 36-year-old's five-year contract expired last month and he had been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain. However, Beckham has now re-signed with the LA-based club with which he won the 2011 MLS Cup.
I've seen first hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I'm as committed as ever to growing the game here.
David Beckham, LA Galaxy midfielder

"This was an important decision for me," Beckham said on the club's website. "I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I'm still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy.

"I've seen first hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I'm as committed as ever to growing the game here. My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America and we look forward to spending many more years here."

Badge of champions awarded to FC Barcelona

FIFA

FC Barcelona today received the FIFA Club World Cup Champions Badge, a physical reminder of the club’s emphatic triumph in FIFA’s annual club event in Japan in December.

Following on from individual awards for Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi at the FIFA Ballon d’Or, the Champions badge is an award for the whole team, serving as a visual acknowledgement of the club’s status as the best club football team in the world.

The badge, featuring an image of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy and the text “FIFA World Champions 2011”, will be seen on the shirts for the first time in Thursday’s Copa del Rey match versus Osasuna. It will remain on the shirts until the final whistle of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter congratulated the FIFA Club World Cup Champions on their performance in Japan, saying “We are pleased to be able to honour FC Barcelona after a truly remarkable year for the club. To have won five top titles in one calendar year is a great achievement. I’m sure the badge will be a great reminder of this success every time the players wear the team’s jersey.”

"The players can be very proud to wear this badge for the next year,” said FC Barcelona coach and FIFA World Coach of the Year Pep Guardiola. “Our victory at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan concluded a fantastic year for our club. It is an honour to receive this mark of recognition from FIFA.”

This is the second time that FC Barcelona have had the honour of wearing the badge, following their victory at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2009. First introduced for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007, the badge has also featured on the playing kits of AC Milan, Manchester United and F.C. Internazionale Milano.

The FIFA Club World Cup Champions badge is just one in a series of FIFA World Champions Badges which are awarded to the winners of selected FIFA events. The first team to be presented with the FIFA World Cup™ Champions badge was the Italian men’s national team, champions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, with the Spanish national team recently taking over this honour after their success in South Africa. Germany’s women’s national team also wore a Champions badge in recognition of its success in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007™, an honour which was then bestowed upon the Japanese women’s national team following their triumph in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™.

Asamoah: We want another go in 2014

FIFA

One of the best players in a generation of top-drawer Ghanaian talent, Udinese’s Kwadwo Asamoah has been a consistent force for club and country since emerging on the world stage at the start of 2010. In that year, the Accra native played every match for the Black Stars as they marched to the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and then narrowly missed being the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup™.

In a team positively bursting with midfield players, the 23-year-old proved to have a lethal combination of strength, pace, technique and vision, and he was voted the Most Promising Talent on the continent by its international coaches. Asamoah built on that success in 2011, playing a major a role in Udinese unexpectedly finished third in Serie A, which has reportedly put him on the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United.

With I Zebrette just two points off the pace in the Scudetto race and Ghana set to enter the CAF Africa Cup of Nations among the favourites for glory, FIFA.com caught up with the 23-year-old to discuss those competitions, his nation’s quarter-final elimination at South Africa 2010, the road to Brazil 2014 and life in Italy.

FIFA.com: Kwadwo, Udinese sold several key players in the summer but have made a strong start in Serie A and the UEFA Europa League. What will it take for the club to compete with the big teams in Europe consistently?
Kwadwo Asamoah: Last year we worked hard and deserved the chance to play important matches. These games against high-level opponents boost the prestige of our club, and it is an opportunity we should not miss. We always strive to do our best.

What has been the key to the club’s success?
Our young age and mentality. We are one of the teams with the lowest average age in the Serie A. We help each other a lot on the pitch, and the group is very united. Our mentality is the same as a year ago, even though several new players have arrived.

You have been playing further back in the midfield for Udinese. Has that made a big difference to your game?
I do notice a difference between the national team and the Italian league. With Ghana, I play behind the only striker, Asamoah Gyan, while in Udine I learnt to play as a left midfielder and help more in all parts of the pitch. I even happened to play in defence.
Football is like that. There are bad moments and defeats to be swallowed. The good thing is that you always have a chance to come back.
Kwadwo Asamoah on Ghana's South Africa 2010 quarter-final exit

How strong will Ghana be at the upcoming Cup Nations Cup?
We are a good team, without any phenomenons but with many quality players. If we are compact and gritty as [coach Goran] Stevanovic asks, we will be dangerous for anyone to play.

Do you think the absence of teams like Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria will make it an easier competition to win than previously?
It is true that strong and successful teams will be missing, but it still won't be easy to win the continental tournament. Not even South Africa will be there, but there are always new teams who will make life hard for anyone. All the teams who qualified for the finals deserved it.

Who do you see as the favourites? Can one of the smaller teams make a big surprise?
I do not see any favourite. We all start on the same level, so of course there could be a big surprise. I see a very balanced tournament.

What do you think about the Brazil 2014 qualifying draw? Who is you main opposition from Sudan, Zambia and Lesotho?
It is not a difficult group. Zambia are certainly the opponents to fear most.

How long did the disappointment of losing on penalties in the South Africa 2010 quarter-finals last?
Football is like that. There are bad moments and defeats to be swallowed. The good thing is that you always have a chance to come back. We got within a step of the semis, and in the last minute we missed a penalty that would have allowed us to make history, but it can happen. We hope to have a chance to overcome it in the next World Cup. I would like to have such an opportunity. Obviously we were very sad, but in the end it is a football game.

How do you enjoy life in Italy?
I like living here. I have been in Udine for four years, and I am truly happy to live in such a pleasant place. I fit in completely.

After several years in that country, do you consider yourself as a Ghanaian-Italian?
I am a Ghanaian and my nationality does not change, but I am very happy to live in Italy.

Have you adopted the Italian foods already? Do you choose pasta over fufu now?
I always eat Italian food. When I can, I do not give up fufu, but I must say I prefer pasta or rice.