Copa de Rey:Atletico Madrid 2, Seville 1

Atletico Madrid won the first leg of their Copa de Rey semifinal against Sevilla 2-1. It was a wild match to say the least as three players were sent off and all three goals were scored from the spot.

The win puts Atleti in a good spot as they head towards the second leg on February 27th. Sevilla does have an away goal at least, but will need a better performance if they hope to turn things around and make the final.

The first 30 minutes was fairly ugly soccer as both sides just sort of hammered away at each other. Things settled down as Sevilla finally began to sit back allowing Atletico to grab control of the play. Adrian and Diego Costa both came close for Atleti but nobody could break through in the first half.

Things started to go a bit crazy in the 49th minute when Sevilla's Emir Spahic went to ground trying to earn a foul coul and slapped the ball away inside the 18-yard box. Instead of winning his appeal, the referee showed him his second yellow card of the match, allow Diego Costa to put Atletico in front 1-0, beating Beto from the penalty spot.

Sevilla sat back even more down a man and were able to fight back in to the match in the 55th minute when Diego Godín blocked a shot from Álvaro Negredo with his hand, leading to the second penalty of the match. Atleti players weren't impressed with the call but the referee stood firm and Negredo pulled his team back to 1-1.

With 20 minutes left to play, it looked as if Sevilla might be on their way to a solid first leg result, but there was still more twists in the story.

In the 70th minute, defender Fernando Navarro went down in the box, appealing for a foul call against Cebolla Rodriguez. In the process, he handled Ivan Rakitic's errant shot, earning a penalty for Atleti and a yellow card for Navarro. Diego Costa again took the penalty and put Atletico up 2-1.

With five minutes left, Diego Costa was nearly free on goal before Navarro charged in to him, earning a red card and becoming the third player sent off in the match.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona

In a clásico in which Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did not score for once, the game's biggest moment came from a 19-year-old defender who was included in the side because of injury and suspension. Raphaël Varane, who started in the absence of Sergio Ramos and Pepe, capped a colossal performance with a second-half header that equalised Cesc Fábregas's opener and left the Copa del Rey semi-final poised at 1-1.Barcelona take an away goal; Madrid will feel that they too can get one in the second leg in a month's time.

With ten minutes remaining Varane leapt between Fábregas and Carles Puyol to connect with Mesut Ozil's long looping cross and leave Barcelona ruing the chances that they had missed – and the chances that Varane had denied them. Not least a first half goalline clearance. Madrid too could reflect on the opportunities that had evaded them in a game that always felt open, even when Barcelona began to take a grip in the second period.

"For a 19-year-old, you can't ask for more," said Madrid's assistant manager Aitor Karanka. "He's a kid who is progressing, who's sensible, and we're very happy with him. He was perfect tonight."

Fábregas got the opener just as the clock ticked up to 50 minutes. Messi had swung a pass towards Jordi Alba on the left. Jose Callejón intercepted but his clearance swung back in Messi's direction and he was quickly onto it. Whether loose control or assist, and it looked more like the former, the ball ran through perfectly to Fábregas, one-on-one with Diego López, and he curled the ball hard and low into the far corner.

It was the first time Barcelona had found themselves beyond the Madrid defence after a first half in which they had been effectively blunted, one in which, unusually, there were no goals. And that despite the fact that the first save came from a free-kick conceded after just 47 seconds, Gerard Piqué bringing down Ronaldo. José Manuel Pinto reached backwards to push the Portuguese's shot over.

Madrid had worked the chance as they would often: by pressing Barcelona and robbing, the pitch opening up before them. When Karim Benzema hit the side-netting and much of this arena cheered thinking the ball was in the net, the opportunity had similar origins. Ozil was a constant threat, always available and always bringing clarity to the counters. Even when Barcelona started to move the ball with greater fluidity – a series of slick passes on 12 minutes ushered in a period of keep ball with Andrés Iniesta at its heart – there was still a certain vulnerability about them. And Madrid knew it.

At the other end, Madrid were organised and, above all, fast. Barcelona found few spaces and those that did open quickly closed. Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira protected the defence, Callejón and Ronaldo backed up the full-backs. Michael Essien outran Messi and twice Varane was swift across the turf from centre to right to suffocate danger. He also cleared one off the line from Xavi after a startling mistake from Ricardo Carvalho, whose weak back-pass gave Fábregas the ball seven or eight yards out.

The second half saw greater opportunities. Ronaldo, stretching, headed a bouncing ball wide from barely three yards and Piqué had to move quickly to clear by the same post soon afterwards. After taking the lead, though, it was Barcelona who created opportunities. Fábregas spun to put one shot over from eight yards, Pedro ran clean through only to dink wide from five yards, and López smothered Messi. When the Argentinian did beat the keeper, he was ruled out for offside – rightly this time.

Then there was Varane. Twice he made perfectly timed interceptions. Fábregas and Messi thought they were through; but as they prepared to shoot, the ball was gone, nicked away by the Frenchman. And when the moment came at the other end, he was decisive again.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

QPR 0, Manchester City 0

Roberto Mancini offered a shrug on the final whistle and only disappointment mumbled through a rueful smile post-match but, on the night the champions sanctioned the sale of Mario Balotelli to Milan, there was something troubling that Manchester City could muster only a goalless draw against the Premier League's bottom team. An opportunity to cut the gap to Manchester United has been passed up. The title defence feels rather fraught once again.

The leaders can re-establish a seven-point advantage by beating Southampton on Wednesday, which would feel deflating given City had won their previous four matches to suggest they were building up a head of steam. Instead, they are back where they have been too often, peering over a gap that yawned this wide on Boxing Day when they last lost. It was certainly untimely to run aground on Queens Park Rangers' rugged defence on the day Balotelli finally flew the nest. Mancini will not be replacing his £17m compatriot before the cut-off and he admitted the striker may be missed over the remaining 14 games. If it was risky retaining Mario, it may be perilous letting him go.

It should be noted that the departing 22-year-old had managed only one league goal all season and was hardly guaranteed to have illuminated City's display in rain-swept west London. Rather, the visitors lacked Yaya Touré – or perhaps more specifically the rampaging, irrepressible Touré from their title-winning season – who might have driven QPR's midfield into retreat and prised the hosts open had he not been in South Africa with Ivory Coast. Yet this was still no time for Mancini's forward line to draw a blank. Presentable chances were created, despite the home side's impressive huff and puff. None was converted.

The lack of bite may ultimately prove costly. Júlio César thwarted them in eye-catching fashion here, the Brazilian goalkeeper's instinctive block from David Silva's close-range shot as the contest lurched into its closing moments confirmation he would not be beaten. Less forgivable was Joleon Lescott's volley over the bar after César's weak punch, or Pablo Zabaleta's thumped header against the woodwork from Silva's delivery.

Edin Dzeko was flung on to offer a focal point but Clint Hill and Ryan Nelsen were in no mood to be bypassed. The New Zealand defender departed through a guard of honour assembled by his team-mates with this likely to have been his final game in English football with a job as head coach at Toronto in Major League Soccer calling. He will be sorely missed.

It was QPR who blunted City here, their endeavour epitomised by those seasoned centre-halves, the frenetic energy of Stéphane Mbia and Shaun Derry's scuttling in central midfield. It was hard to equate this side's committed display with the shambolic surrender mustered by a second-string at home to MK Dons in the FA Cup on Saturday, though the reality that Harry Redknapp named Rob Green and Brian Murphy on the bench offered a reminder that reinforcements are needed if a four-match unbeaten league run is to be extended into a charge for survival. Nothing quite says "But look how stretched we are, Mr Chairman" quite as effectively as a trio of goalkeepers in an 18-man match-day squad.

Redknapp is waiting on positive news from the owner, Tony Fernandes, over Christopher Samba at Anzhi Makhachkala or Rolando at Porto, Peter Odemwingie at West Bromwich Albion or Peter Crouch at Stoke. Yun Suk-young, the South Korea left-back, should complete his move from Chunnam Dragons on Wednesday. "We could do with getting three or four more," said the manager. "We could get none. And none would leave us in trouble. We need a central defender, that's for sure. The chairman asked me a week ago whether I'd be interested if he could get me Samba. I've left it wholly in his hands. He's working on several options but we're short."

What they lack in quality they made up for here in effort. This is a more robust QPR side now than was the case recently and, having established some defensive solidity, they could probe at times on the counter. Nelsen's fine tackle on Lescott at a City corner sparked their best chance, Adel Taarabt sprinting the length of the pitch in possession to draw a fine save from Joe Hart. Löic Rémy, too, was slippery and will have more profitable evenings than this. Norwich City's visit on Saturday is significant and the recent run of encouraging draws must be converted into a sequence of wins.

Redknapp described this as a bonus point, wary that City can "rip teams to pieces, home or away", but the game to come is "massive". Their gap to safety is only four points. City's to glory could revert to seven on Wednesday night.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

FC Porto kept pace by hammering Gil Vicente 5-0

Benfica continued its unbeaten run in the Portuguese Liga on Saturday by seeing off a tough test from third-place Braga in a 2-1 away win.

Benfica remains tied atop the league with FC Porto having won 11 of its last 12 games, and Saturday's win has to go down as one of the best of the season for the Lisbon club.

Braga had won four of its previous five matches, but the visitors got off to a quick start and went in front after five minutes through Eduardo Salvio.

Lima doubled the advantage in the 35th minute to give Benfica a two-goal cushion at halftime, but Braga responded through Pedro 13 minutes from time.

The hosts went in search of an equalizer but a red card given to Braga's Maximilian Haas in the 85th minute dealt a blow to any comeback hopes.

FC Porto kept pace on Monday by hammering Gil Vicente, 5-0, with the defending champions scoring twice in the opening 11 minutes before netting three more goals after the interval.

Beira Mar lost its third straight match on Friday as the club yielded three goals in the first 37 minutes of a 3-1 defeat to Academica, while Paolo Hurtado and Vitor scored two goals apiece in a 5-0 rout for Pacos Ferreira at last-place Moreirense.

Maritimo and Rio Ave traded first-half goals in a 1-1 draw, Nacional secured a 2-0 win at Setubal with goals from Mario Rondon and Daniel Candeias after halftime, Sporting Lisbon and Guimaraes finished 1-1 as Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored in the 56th minute to cancel out Xandao's own goal and Estoril earned a point against Olhanense after a pair of first-half penalty kicks from Vitoria helped the club to a 3-3 draw.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Ronaldo hits hat-trick as Real Madrid thrash Getafe

Cristiano Ronaldo hit a hat-trick and Sergio Ramos got the other as Real Madrid beat Getafe 4-0 in their La Liga clash on Sunday.

All Real's goals came in the second-half but it still sees them trail arch-rivals Barcelona by 12 points while city neighbours Atletico are four points ahead of them with both sides still to play on Sunday.

Ronaldo took his total for the season to 21 and will come face-to-face with top-scorer Lionel Messi on Wednesday when Real and Barcelona meet in the Spanish Cup semi-final first leg.

Antonio Adan was called up to replace Iker Casillas in goal after the club captain fractured a bone in his hand in midweek in the Cup game against Valencia, although new signing Diego Lopez from Sevilla will be the likeliest long-term replacement for the Spanish captain.

Xabi Alonso was also on the bench, perhaps with the Barca tie in mind, and his absence was noticeable as the game began slowly and without rhythm on a cold morning in the Spanish capital.

Miguel Angel Moya had to be sharp in the Getafe goal to block a Ronaldo free-kick on eleven minutes and then again to stop a shot from the same player eleven minutes later.

The team from the industrial town on the outskirts of the capital were keeping the home sides chances to a minimum and started to cause a few problems themselves on the break.

Adan had to block a Pablo Sarabia shot and then a Diego Castro header before the half-hour mark.

Next it was Madrid's turn to quickly break and Mesut Ozil saw a shot blocked after clever play down the left.

However, despite dominating possession, the home side could only muster a further Luka Modric shot before the interval as a well marshalled Getafe defence stood firm.

Jose Mourinho changed things around at the break introducing Sami Khedira for defender Raul Albiol and the German made an immediate impression.

His shot was acrobatically saved by Moya on 53 minutes and the keeper reacted quickly to deny Fabio Coentrao from the rebound for a great double save.

From the resulting corner Moya's luck ran out when Ramos stabbed home after the keeper was challenged by Ricardo Carvalho, Moya protested the legality of Carvalho's jump and was booked for his efforts.

Gonzalo Higuain then headed over as the lead appeared to settle Madrid into a style of play with a more attacking edge.

The second came on 62 minutes after a sweeping counter-attack saw Ozil play Ronaldo into space on the left and the Portuguese finished crisply to double the lead.

Three minutes later and from the same counter-attacking play Ronaldo made it three, finishing off a Higuain cross with a simple header.

Ronaldo grabbed his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 72 minutes after Alberto Lopo had fouled Modric and a minute later he went off to a standing ovation.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Rampant Wayne Rooney ensures soft landing for Manchester United after flying start

Despite the fact he scored at Old Trafford with a muscular header, this is not a night Aaron Hughes would want to relive.

He gave away the opening penalty, failed to close down Wayne Rooney for Manchester United’s second and deflected Javier Hernandez’s shot past his own keeper. All in all, not one for the grandchildren.

He need not dwell upon it – the third-minute penalty always seemed as if it would set United on their merry way through a tie that proved as one-sided at it seemed likely to be when it was selected for live broadcast.

United seemed determined to make a big thing of the FA Cup. As the teams lined up in the tunnel, the loudspeakers continually broadcast the fact that they had lifted the trophy more than any other club.

If they were measuring their history in years, this was a tie decided in the opening seconds. It took 39 for Wayne Rooney to force a corner and 72 for Hughes to handle as the Ulsterman rose to meet that kick in front of Chris Smalling.

Rooney’s miss in the third-round replay here against West Ham had made him the fourth Manchester United player to fail to convert a penalty this season. With Sir Alex Ferguson writing in the programme that: “We will really have to up our game in this area,” the pressure fell on Ryan Giggs, who struck his kick to Mark Schwarzer’s right and, although his goalkeeper’s glove touched the ball, it was not enough to stop it from hitting the back of the net.

Had Mark Clattenburg awarded another handball for what seemed a blatant offence by Damien Duff, the match might have been decided long before the interval.

John Arne Riise had his work cut out dealing with Nani and, increasingly as the tie wore on, a rampant Rooney. First, he failed to cut out a long diagonal ball that was meant for Nani, who had a clear sight of goal and might have wished he had shot harder.

Moments later, the boy from the Cape Verde Islands delivered a cross to Rooney, which he controlled and then shot, almost in the same movement, the ball striking Schwarzer’s body and rebounding against the underside of the crossbar before being scrambled away to temporary safety.

Within four minutes of the restart, the ball was in the Fulham net. Rooney had just seen a shot cleared off the line by Hughes when he cut inside the defender and shot between the two centre-halves and past Schwarzer. 

Then, as the Fulham defence attempted to clear a ball with the same degree of certainty as a kitten toying with a hand-grenade, Rooney crossed, the ball struck the back of a defender’s boot and Hernandez did the rest.

The Stretford End began singing the old song about Wembley. They may not reach that far but their place in the fifth round was now utterly secure.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Borussia Dortmund roll past Nuremberg in the Bundesliga

Borussia Dortmund have beaten visiting Nuremberg 3-0. The defending champions have scored eight goals and conceded none since the Bundesliga resumed following the winter break.

It was a dominant display for Borussia Dortmund on Friday, who soundly defeated their Bavarian opponents and were unlucky not to score a few more.

Jakub "Kuba" Blaszczykowski was the first to break the deadlock in the 18th minute after Timo Gebhart fouled him in the box. The Poland captain calmly placed his penalty into the bottom right corner of the net, and Dortmund were off the mark.

Just three minutes later, it was Blaszczykowski again. Mario Götze threaded a low cross between to Nuremberg defenders from the right wing, finding Kuba alone in the box to beat goalkeeper Raphael Schäfer for a second time.

Dortmund had several more chances to make it 3-0 against the visitors, most notably through Robert Lewandowski with just under five minutes to go in the first period of play. But the Polish striker's goal from close range was waved offside, and the half finished 2-0.

Dortmund continued to pile the pressure on Nuremberg in the second half, but too many times great passes – often from Götze – were met with inadequate finishing. As the clock ticked closer to 90, it looked as though the match might finish 2-0.

But in the 88th minute, a Felipe Santana long ball from the back bounced to Marco Reus on the right wing, the German international crossed to the center of the box and Lewandowski was there to send a powerful finish into the top right corner of the net.

The match finished 3-0, and Dortmund now have scored eight goals in their two games following the winter break and, despite at times looking shaky at the back without the injured Neven Subotic, conceded none. But despite their momentum, the two-time defending champions still have a ways to go if they want to catch Bayern Munich, who remain nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table.

It hasn't the beginning that newly-hired Nuremberg coach Michael Wiesinger would have liked. His side have picked up a solitary point from his first two league matches at the helm, and are assured to remain in 15th place through the weekend.

Bundesliga play resumes on Saturday, featuring regional rivalries between Hannover and Wolfsburg on Saturday and Hamburg against Werder Bremen in the "Nordderby." 

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Malaga vs. Barcelona: A Cup Tie Fit for a King

The two-legged King's Cup tie between Barcelona and Malaga has thrown up two of the best games of the Spanish season so far. 

Two sides that keep the ball on the deck, pass intricately and are devastating on the counter-attack: it's cup football at its purest as 25 goal attempts in Thursday's return leg proved.

The Spanish obsession with the Clasico is set to be reignited next week after Barcelona slipped into another gear in the final turn to see off the challenge of Malaga with a 2-4 return leg victory, but these encounters have been worthy of a final.

Say what you like about Jose Mourinho. The man has done Spanish football one good service by taking the cup seriously since he arrived in the capital.

Manuel Pellegrini, who will always be remembered at the Bernabeu for the Alcorconazo, almost masterminded the coup of the century but Barcelona, under the direction of Jordi Roura, was just too good in the end.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Real Madrid draws at Valencia, reach Copa del Rey semis

Real Madrid overcame the loss of goalkeeper Iker Casillas and two dismissals to reach the Copa del Rey semifinals after drawing 1-1 at Valencia on Wednesday, setting up a possible clash with archrival Barcelona.

Madrid went through on a 3-1 aggregate score after making good on its 2-0 win in the first leg despite losing Casillas to a hand injury in the 13th minute.

Also, Sevilla thrashed nine-man Real Zaragoza 4-0 with striker Alvaro Negredo scoring twice to also make the semifinal round.

Striker Karim Benzema opened for Madrid a minute before halftime, but the game swung in Valencia's favour when Fabio Coentrao received his second booking in the 51st.

Midfielder Tino Costa scored the resulting free kick, which backup goalkeeper Adan Garrido let slip under him.

Madrid had little trouble resisting Valencia's revival even with 10 men. Jose Mourinho's team ended with nine players when Angel Di Maria saw red for tripping Joao Pereira in the 88th.

Madrid will face the winner of the tie between Barcelona and Malaga. The two meet in La Rosaleda Stadium on Thursday after drawing 2-2 in the first leg.

"We went in with an advantage from the first leg, and the first goal put us well on our way," said Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, adding that he hoped Casillas' injury "wasn't too serious."

Becoming familiar rivals

It was Madrid's third game against Valencia in nine days, after thrashing Ernesto Valverde's team 5-0 in the league on Sunday.

Both sides traded shots early on with Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo drawing a parry from goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, while Nelson Valdes — starting for the injured Roberto Soldado — threatened with a pair of headers.

Casillas was forced out when teammate Alvaro Arbeloa inadvertently kicked his left hand while clearing a dangerous loose ball in front of Madrid's goal. Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka said Casillas needed to undergo tests to determine the injury.

Madrid went ahead when Valencia defender Ricardo Costa failed to intercept Xabi Alonso's pass to Benzema, leaving the France striker alone to stroke the ball past Guaita.

Benzema's score gave Madrid an all-important away goal to practically crush any thoughts of a Valencia comeback.

Even so, Valencia showed spirit toward the end after pulling one back through Costa's free kick, and a good deal of help from Adan, who should have done more to prevent the equalizer.

Valencia forward Sergio Canales went on in the 69th for his first action since tearing a left knee ligament a second time last April.

"On a personal note, I'm happy. I've been preparing for eight months for this moment," said Canales, a former Madrid player. "But as far as the game went, it's a pity. We had placed a lot of hope in this series."

After drawing 0-0 with Zaragoza in the first leg, Sevilla dominated their second meeting to give coach Unai Emery a stellar home debut at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

New signing Jose Fernandez left Zaragoza with 10 men from the 25th minute when he saw red for a studs-first tackle of Jose Antonio Reyes.

Negredo headed in Ivan Rakitic's corner to open in the 35th, and Rakitic then added a second on the break in the 47th.

Negredo scored a penalty in the 67th after Fran Gonzalez was sent off for fouling Cicinho in the area, before Manu del Moral capped the win in injury time.

Sevilla will face either Atletico Madrid or Real Betis next. Atletico leads their tie 2-0 going into Thursday's second leg.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Lazio gets a late equalizer to draw 1-1 at Juventus in 1st leg of Italian Cup semifinals

TURIN, Italy - Lazio needed a late equalizer to draw 1-1 at Juventus in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, and extended its unbeaten streak to 16 matches.

In a match between two of the top teams in Serie A, Federico Peluso put Juventus ahead with a header following a free kick in the 63rd minute.

Juventus had chances to double its lead, including a shot off the post from Arturo Vidal in the 72nd, and paid the price when Stefano Mauri equalized for Lazio in the 86th.

Mauri latched onto a corner kick with a shot from the far post that Juve's reserve goalkeeper Marco Storari should have stopped. Gianluigi Buffon, Juve's first-choice keeper, had been rested.

The return leg is next week, while Roma hosts Inter Milan in the other semifinal, first leg on Wednesday.

After a balanced first half that saw neither side in control, Juventus gained the edge in the second half and nearly went ahead with a volley from Alessandro Matri that was tipped over the bar by Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti in the 55th.

Vidal also had a chance in the 80th.

"In the second half we really struggled, but Federico made a lot of saves and then we were able to equalize," Mauri said. "I think at the end the draw was deserved."

Lazio extended its unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 wins and six draws.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Southampton 0-0 Everton: Pochettino starts Saints reign with a point

Mauricio Pochettino may not speak too much English, but his Southampton players did the talking for him as they turned in an impressive display against Everton.

The St Mary’s club shocked the football world last week when they sacked Nigel Adkins, who had led them to two successive promotions, and replaced him with the little-known Argentinian.

And although he was unable to mastermind a victory in his first game in charge, there was plenty to suggest the former Espanyol manager won’t take too long to get to grips with the Premier League.

In truth, it was far from the best game for the neutral, but Pochettino won’t care about that as he started his reign on the south coast with a well earned and thoroughly well deserved point.

Southampton had by far the better of the first half and Tim Howard was the only man who stood between the home side and a half-time lead.

The American goalkeeper made excellent saves to deny Rickie Lambert, Gaston Ramirez and Jos Hooiveld, while Lambert also hit the post with a superb free-kick and headed a great opportunity wide when he should have done better.

Everton, for their part, were virtually non-existent as an attacking threat in the opening 45 minutes in a thoroughly disappointing display by David Moyes’ side.

The Merseysiders improved considerably after the break, however, and Marouane Fellaini forced Artur Boruc into a couple of decent saves, and midway through the half the former Celtic keeper made an even better stop to deny substitute Victor Anichebe.

Neither side, however, was really able to find the quality that was needed in the final third to break the deadlock, and both managers probably ended the 90 minutes happy with a point.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Ian Ladyman: Last-gasp equaliser should offer grounds for optimism to Villas-Boas

There are seminal moments in most managers’ careers, moments when the balance begins to tip in their favour. For Andre Villas-Boas, this winter afternoon at White Hart Lane may transpire to be one.

Certainly it seemed to mean a lot to the Tottenham coach. As his players shook hands and began to trudge from the field, Villas Boas disappeared down the tunnel pumping his fists with a huge boyish smile on his face.

He said afterwards that he was disappointed his team had not won the game. He certainly didn’t look it, though, and that perhaps was more telling.

t has not always been easy for Villas-Boas this season. Not only has he had the progress of his predecessor Harry Redknapp as a barometer, he is an ex-Chelsea manager, too. Things like that take a little while to digest on the Seven Sisters Road.

Nevertheless, here was evidence of genuine progress. This was Manchester United, the leaders of the Barclays Premier League; a team running hot on form, purpose and confidence. Tottenham, though, managed to match them. They did not succumb and they earned a point late in the game that they thoroughly deserved.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Friday that  Villas-Boas had shown courage to return to the Premier League after his treatment at Chelsea.

It is for afternoons like this one, though, that coaches keep coming back. Afternoons when the adrenaline rather than the blanket on your knees – that was certainly a peculiar look – keeps you warm and when 90 minutes of pain and anxiety are made perfect by a single late sweep of a centre forward’s foot.

This really was a very good game and indeed a rather good Tottenham performance. Poor marking allowed Robin van Persie to score a goal for United midway through the first half but, that apart, Tottenham were the most progressive team.

They remain flawed, of course, which is one reason they are fascinating to watch.

Imagine, for example, how good a footballer Aaron Lennon may be where he able to use two feet instead of one. Imagine how many goals Tottenham may score if they had a genuine target man in their squad rather than the capricious Emmanuel Adebayor – away on Africa Nations’ Cup duty – and the two scamps Dempsey and Defoe.

Both Tottenham’s strikers were impressive in bursts yesterday. Both, however, would be more effective playing with a partner a little less similar.

Villas-Boas, one senses, knows this. He spoke afterwards of his desire to sign a centre forward and it is clear that his plans for Tottenham’s future will involve finding a way to bring a little more focus to some of their forward play.

Here, though, was good reason to be optimistic. Tottenham responded well to losing that first half goal and would have been level sooner than the 92nd minute had United goalkeeper David de Gea not saved so well from Gareth Bale late in the first half and from Dempsey early in the second.

The possession statistics showed 61 per cent in favour of the home team. United do not suffer that, home or away, very often at all.

United feel aggrieved that they didn’t have a penalty at 1-0 when Steven Caulker tripped Wayne Rooney. They probably have a point, too. This, however, was one of those days when their counter-attacking play was not as incisive as it can be and, ultimately, they suffered for that.

ON SKY television, former United captain Gary Neville was without mercy in his criticism of De Gea for his part in Tottenham’s goal. Certainly the Spaniard’s punch was a little weak and his skill under the high ball – though much improved – does remain his Achilles heel.

It is hard to blame one man, though, when the temperature is hovering just above zero, the snow is in your eyes and your opponent has had you on the back foot for the best part of half an hour. In the end, pressure tells.

United’s lead at the top is now five points. It’s healthy enough for a team that has an obsessive look in its eye. As for Tottenham, they remain in the fourth Champions League place. Should they stay there, Villas Boas may look back on this afternoon with some fondness.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Chelsea 2 - 1 Arsenal: Match Report

Arsenal had another miserable first half showing today and could not overcome the hole they dug for themselves, despite a better second frame. Here's how it happened.

Five minutes on, Olivier Giroud missed a very good chance when put through by Theo Walcott, a chance he really should have scored. Chelseawould make them pay a minute later, as Juan Mata left Sagna, who had pushed way up. Mata was free and took advantage, beating Wojciech Szczesny.

1 - 0, 6 minutes in. Francis Coquelin had been fouled in the build-up, but there was no call. Chelsea would dominate the next ten minutes, and they would find a way soon enough again. Abou Diaby was dispossessed far too easily in midfield, and the ball found its way forward quickly to Ramires, who was onside and clean through on goal. Szczesny was stranded and tried to tackle the Brazilian, but he was given a yellow, and Chelsea a penalty. It wasn't clear, but it was the decision from Atkinson.

Frank Lampard stepped up, and buried it. 2-0 to Chelsea, 15 minutes in.Arsenal's midfield were basically out of the picture for the next ten minutes, as Chelsea broke through them at maximum speed. They were in complete control.

There really wasn't much else to say. Arsenal had absolutely nothing going forward, and Chelsea came at them time and time again. The chances just came flooding all one way.

Halftime arrived; Arsenal were lucky, perhaps, to only be 2-0 down. Bacary Sagna was not doing well, Santi Cazorla was absent, and Jack Wilshere was stranded. 

There would need to be a totally different second half.

Arsenal did come out a little more feisty, and had two shots on target, both straight at Petr Cech, in the first three minutes. That initial burst fizzled out pretty quickly, Ramires putting his knee into the back of Olivier Giroud.

But Chelsea weren't looking super solid, either, and 58 minutes in, Arsenal finally finished. Cazorla, playing centrally, found Walcott, playing centrally, with a lovely through ball through the Gary Cahill/Branislav Ivanovic high line, Walcott was through, and his lofted finish past Cech was great. He picked up a bit of an injury in the celebration, but carried on

Aaron Ramsey replaced the dinged-up Francis Coquelin. Arsenal kept coming forwards now. They won a free kick on 66 minutes from just outside the area, which resulted in a corner that came to nothing. Fernando Torreswas causing Thomas Vermaelen problems, but failed to make the most of his freedom.

Ryan Bertrand replaced Oscar on 72 minutes. Then, in a bit of hilarity,Andrei Arshavin replaced Abou Diaby on 75 minutes. 81 minutes saw Demba Ba replace Torres as Arsenal's push was fizzling out. He nearly made them pay on 82 minutes, put clean through, Szczesny coming way out and missing, only for his shot to be cleared off the line by Vermaelen.

Ashley Cole fouled Sagna on the edge of the box in a dangerous position on 87 minutes. Vermaelen's free kick fizzed wide of the far post.

Marko Marin came on in the 88th minute to replace Eden Hazard. There would be five minutes of extra time. Arsenal had two corners in the 93rd minute; neither came to anything, but after the second, Gary Cahill had to clear from in front of Walcott. There was another corner, and then another, before Vermaelen finally headed over, relieving the pressure on Chelsea.

That was it. Arsenal's second half push was not enough. Chelsea took all three points.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

Juventus get back to winning ways

Juventus got back to winning ways with a 4-0 win over Udinese in the Serie A on Saturday, with two stunning goals from Paul Pogba.

Pogba lashed a 30-meter strike into the top left corner to give Juventus the lead four minutes from halftime.

The 19-year-old, who was signed on a free transfer from Manchester United, scored another brilliant, long-range goal midway through the second half.

“It’s been a good night for me,” Pogba said. “I scored my first two goals in one game, so I’m very happy. But you always have to think it’s not finished, it’s just two goals. I have to continue to play well and continue improving.

“It was important to win today to be confident, to keep in front, to feel more comfortable. You have to ask (United coach Alex Ferguson) why he let me go. But I’m really happy where I am. I want to be here, I want to progress here.”

Mirko Vucinic sealed the match when he fired in from close range before Alessandro Matri beat the offside trap to score Juve’s fourth, 10 minutes from time.

Juventus dominated despite being without key playmaker Andrea Pirlo as well as Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe, Kwadwo Asamoah, Giorgio Chiellini and Nicklas Bendtner.

Udinese’s second-choice goalkeeper Daniele Padelli, between the posts in place of the injured Zeljko Brkic, kept his side in the game, pulling off good saves to deny Arturo Vidal and Emanuele Giaccherini, although he was at fault for Juve’s third.

“We had an awful game and an awful performance,” Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin said. “We wasted out chance seeing as we were coming off a good run and they could have been a bit worried.

“We were really awful at the beginning of the game, giving ball after ball away to our opponents. Then when we tried to change, Pogba punished us twice and the game was over. Today, really nothing worked, it’s a pity because it really wasn’t this that we were expecting.”

Juventus was five points ahead of second-placed Lazio, which was held to 2-2 at struggling Palermo. Napoli, which plays Fiorentina on Sunday, was a point further back.

It is a timely boost for Juventus which started the year with defeat to 10-man Sampdoria and a draw at Parma.

It is Udinese’s first defeat in seven games.

In Sicily, Sergio Floccari gave Lazio the lead in the 10th minute with a powerful looping header after a brilliant long ball from Cristian Ledesma.

Floccari had a second goal harshly ruled out for offside in the 64th.

The game turned on its head in the space of a minute in the second half as first Arevalo Rios evaded his marker to slot home Andrea Dossena’s cross at the far post.

Moments later Fabrizio Miccoli touched on Josip Ilicic’s cross for Paulo Dybala to slot home and put Palermo – which had started the day second from bottom – in front.

Lazio levelled from the spot after Ezequiel Munoz fouled Floccari. Hernanes fired into the bottom right corner, despite Palermo goalkeeper Samir Ujkani guessing the right way.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains

David Silva double gives Manchester City victory over Fulham

Martin Jol does not look like the sort of manager to tear his hair out, unless the wide parting is a result of a lifetime's worth of previous frustrations, but Fulham opened this game in a manner calculated to test a stoic's patience. Two wins in their past 14 games, and just two away wins all season, the Cottagers first and foremost needed to keep things tight.

Get to half an hour without conceding, maybe. Or perhaps even half-time. In the event they lasted less than two minutes. Around 90 seconds were on the clock when Giorgios Karagounis played a sloppy pass in his own half that was adroitly intercepted by James Milner, whose flick set up a shooting chance for Edin Dzeko. Though Mark Schwarzer arched elegantly through the air to beat out the striker's well-struck effort he only pushed the ball back into play, and David Silva had no difficulty in directing the follow-up into the goalkeeper's bottom corner.

It was almost too easy, so much so that City switched off for the rest of the first half, or at least failed to translate their possessional and territorial superiority into further goals. The diminutive Carlos Tevez was enjoying an amusing contest with the tall and considerably less mobile Brede Hangeland, but otherwise the City striker was having one of his less impressive afternoons. As ever, the workrate and the commitment could not be faulted, yet little that he attempted came off and with City overcomplicating almost comically in the final third Schwarzer got through the rest of the half without being called upon to make another save. Tevez did sneak around Hangeland in the 45th minute to centre for Dzeko to go close, though that only served to underline the fact that between the second minute of the first half and the last, almost nothing of any note took place. Manchester United's lead might have been cut to four points, but this was not the sort of City performance to cause Sir Alex Ferguson any loss of sleep.

It had been said beforehand that City's bench alone would probably be strong enough to see off Fulham, and the longer the match went on the more you wondered whether Roberto Mancini might be tempted to try that in the name of entertainment. He didn't, of course, though when Pablo Zabaleta could no longer continue after kicking Hangeland's studs instead of the ball, he rather sportingly sent on Samir Nasri when Aleksandar Kolarov or Joleon Lescott would have made a more like-for-like replacement. Perhaps the City manager was simply trying to beef up his attack in search of the second goal to make the game safe, not that Fulham ever looked like coming back even before the home side doubled their lead midway through the second half. Within minutes of Nasri's introduction Silva ran on to a Tevez flick to lift the ball past Schwarzer with insouciant ease, and a minute after that, with Fulham showing signs of imminent collapse, the Spain forward spurned a hat trick from a similar situation when scoring looked even more of a formality.

Mancini sent on Sergio Agüero for the last 10 minutes, but despite two or three near misses and a last-gasp sitter horribly scooped over by Dzeko, the score remained the same. It was not quite the cockle-warmer home fans were hoping for on the chilliest of days, though the cold facts are that with four straight league wins since the slip up at Sunderland, City are still on United's tail. As United themselves know very well, you don't get added points for style.

SoccerBetWinner

SoccerGains