Swansea striker Michu out for six weeks

 Swansea City striker Michu faces ankle surgery that will rule him out for six weeks and may push the injury-hit Welsh club to seek a replacement in the January transfer window.

The Spaniard underwent a scan on his injured ankle after missing Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Everton. The 27-year-old, who has scored six goals in all competitions this season, has had ankle and knee problems in recent months.

"It's not good news," manager Michael Laudrup told the club website (www.swanseacity.net) on Tuesday. "Unfortunately it has been confirmed that he will need an operation.

"The good news is that it can be done in the next week - and he should be back playing in around a month and a half.

"But what has happened in the last couple of weeks has changed things. We will probably do something now - in January - and try to add something that we don't have in certain positions," said Laudrup.

"The numbers are a bit down and that is risky for the last four months of the season."

Laudrup said he could sign Spanish forward Iago Aspas, 26, on loan from Liverpool.

"He is an interesting player but he is at Liverpool and they have injuries as well so that might not be possible," he added. "We are looking at other options."

Swansea, 11th in the Premier League, face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday. They then travel to Aston Villa on Saturday before hosting free-scoring Manchester City on Jan. 1.

The club have received a boost after Welsh defender Ben Davies, 20, signed a new contract until 2017.

Laudrup said: "He's a very positive story. Not just for us but for Welsh football in general because it must be nice to see one of your own coming through.

"He came in and took his chance and the rest is history. He is doing well, playing for the national team and is still young."

Champions League draw reaction

Reaction to Monday's Champions League last 16 draw:

Manchester City v Barcelona

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain told Sky Sports: "It's very tough, but we are happy because we are here and we will fight for the trophy.

"It's a wonderful draw and these are two big teams so it's going to be great, great matches.

"The last game we played in Munich, winning against the champions of Europe [Bayern Munich] and that has given us a lot of confidence. We have shown we can score in all matches."

Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said to Canal Plus: "It's a tie of exceptional quality to get the competition going again in February.

"They are two teams that attack very well and have a huge amount of talent right from the goalkeepers through to the forward line.

"It seems like it will be a match with everything and it is going to be a tough fight."



Olympiakos Piraeus v Manchester United

Olympiakos coach Michel said: "We are excited and enthusiastic about playing Manchester United at Old Trafford.

"It's a nice destination for our fans and our team to go to. United are a massive club and have a great team so we are expecting two very tough matches.

"We aim to continue our strong performances in this competition in order to stay in it as long as we can."



Manchester United club secretary John Alexander said to Sky Sports: "Once we knew the five possible opponents we were quite relaxed and whoever came out of the pot would have been a good lot for us.

"Manchester United are a very popular club in Greece so there will be big United support when we go to Athens."



AC Milan v Atletico Madrid

AC Milan director Umberto Gandini told la Gazzetta dello Sport: "It could have been worse for us.

"We're going back to Spain to take on a team which we are not used to, as opposed to Real and Barcelona, who we have faced so many times recently.

"We will face Atletico in two months, so we'll have to see how both teams are then. Atletico are very good, are having a great season and will be very tricky opponents."



Atletico Madrid director Clemente Villaverde said to Canal Plus: "We are not talking about just anyone here but a great team with a very significant history that will make them a force in any competition they are part of.

"We obviously have a lot of respect for all the teams but we do not fear anyone.

"We also have our potential and our weapons and we will try to exploit them against any opponent."



Bayer Leverkusen v Paris St Germain

Bayer Leverkusen managing director Michael Schade told BeIN Sport: "We are the underdogs of course. We are already happy we have reached this round. Paris are a top team."



Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc told a news conference in Paris: "I don't have to say whether it's a good or a bad draw. It could have been more complicated.

"We avoided (Manchester) City, who, like Arsenal, were the team to avoid. But it's not because we avoided them that we will not be professional in the way we will prepare for the tie.

"Bayer Leverkusen are a team we have a lot of respect for."



Galatasaray v Chelsea

Chelsea club secretary David Barnard told Sky Sports: "We last played them in the Champions League group stage in 2000 and we were successful then, we won 5-0.

"Obviously things are going to be different now. But having looked at that pitch against Juventus I think that might give us a little bit of concern.

"To play at home in the second leg, I think, is always an advantage and if we can go there and get a good result it takes a bit of pressure off us for the home leg."

Regarding the return of Didier Drogba to Stamford Bridge, Barnard added: "Didier will become a Chelsea legend because he gave everybody at the club and the supporters probably their finest moment by stroking that penalty home in Munich, so he will get a fantastic reception.

"We hope that when he soaks up that adulation he'll be too tired to actually play the game. We are looking forward to having Didier back."



Schalke 04 v Real Madrid

Schalke coach Jens Keller said: "This is a fantastic draw, for us as well as for our fans.

"To be able to go up against the most famous club in the world and the likes of Ronaldo, Bale and Casillas is something we are already looking forward to."



Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno told Canal Plus: "It's true that in theory there were stronger rivals in the draw but that's the lottery.

"We have always suffered a lot against German teams and so we have to approach the tie very respectfully and cautiously, prepare well and attend to all the details.

"The return match is at the Bernabeu which in principle is an advantage but we know what can happen in this competition. One bad night in Europe and you are out."



Zenit St Petersburg v Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "If you reach the knockout stage you cannot expect an easy draw but if you see the other matchups ours is one we can live with, but it is not easy.

"It does not matter at this point that we play the return game in Germany. They are top in their league and it will be hard."



Arsenal v Bayern Munich

Arsenal club secretary David Miles told Sky Sports: "We always seem to get the rough end of the draw but nevertheless we're optimistic. We're looking forward to both games.

"We ran them (Bayern Munich) very close last year and don't forget we only lost on away goals in the end, so we are hopeful we can turn the tide and actually come through this one."



Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "They are the leaders in the Premier League and so we have been warned.

"A few months ago we had lost to them in Munich. They are a very tough team.

"We have to take it as it comes. This is not about getting an attractive matchup." (Editing by Kieran Barry)

Real lose ground in title race with Osasuna draw

Real Madrid wasted a chance to keep the pressure on the top two in La Liga with a 2-2 draw away to Osasuna where Sergio Ramos was sent off and record signing Gareth Bale substituted.

Carlo Ancelotti's side began confidently having won their last five league games, scoring 24 goals in the process, but were undone by two first half headers from Oriol Riera.

Sergio Ramos, returning from suspension and whose discipline has been questioned, was red carded after 43 minutes but Isco gave Real hope with a strike on the point of halftime.

Bale was taken off 10 minutes into the second half as they searched for an equaliser that eventually came from a Pepe header after Osasuna were also reduced to 10 men with Francisco Silva dismissed.

Bale, a 100 million euros ($137.30 million) signing, scored a hat-trick in his last league game against Valladolid but was unable to make an impact against Osasuna who also managed to earn a draw against Barcelona earlier in the season.

"The first 20 minutes were very good and it is incredible that we went 2-0 down and had ten men. We responded well but we suffered a lot," Ancelotti told a news conference.

"We were showing quality and rhythm and we lost control after the first goal but we did show character and the right attitude to battle back."

Later on Saturday, Barcelona can go three points clear at the top if they beat Villarreal with Atletico Madrid, level on 40 points playing on Sunday. Real are third with 38 points.

Real zipped the ball around with pace and confidence early on with Osasuna at full stretch to contain Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

So it was a shock when Osasuna took the lead with Riera left totally unmarked to head in Marc Bertran's cross.

The goal took the wind out of Real's sails and they again failed to mark properly when Damia Abella won a header which keeper Diego Lopez beat away, only for Riera to nod in the rebound.

It went from bad to worse as Ramos then received a second yellow card for a foul on Roberto Torres.

Isco pulled a goal back, finding the corner with a drive from the edge of the area.

Bale was replaced by Angel Di Maria after the restart and it was Osasuna who looked more like scoring again.

The match changed, however, when Silva was also dismissed following a foul on Ronaldo and Isco's free-kick was headed in by Pepe.

Peralta, Morgan selected CONCACAF Players of the Year

Mexico's Oribe Peralta and Alex Morgan of the United States were named winners of the inaugural CONCACAF Male and Female Player of the Year awards on Friday.

In a vote of national team coaches/captains, media and fans, Santos Laguna's Peralta won the honour ahead of U.S. internationals Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.

On the women's side, Morgan edged U.S. teammate Abby Wambach in the most closely contested vote on a ballot that decided six different awards.

In the other categories, Tim Howard (Everton & United States) was named as Goalkeeper of the Year, Juergen Klinsmann (United States) as Coach of the Year, Mexico's Marco Antonio Rodriguez as Referee of the Year and Mexican Raul Jimenez's brilliant strike against Panama in October as Goal of the Year.

"Congratulations to all our winners and nominees who have made particularly special contributions to a fantastic year of football in the region," Jeffrey Webb, president of CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), said in a statement.

"These awards have generated a fantastic level of enthusiasm across the CONCACAF football community. We had almost 60,000 fans vote and witnessed an impressive level of participation from the media, as well as captains and coaches."

Striker Sigthorsson back for Ajax's trip to Milan

Ajax Amsterdam striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson has recovered from an ankle injury and is available for their crucial Champions League tie against AC Milan on Wednesday, the Dutch club said.

Sigthorsson returns after suffering the injury while playing for Iceland in the first leg of last month's World Cup playoff loss to Croatia.

But Ajax will be without injured captain Siem de Jong, Nicolai Boilesen and Lerin Duarte, while defender Joel Veltman will miss the match due to suspension, the Dutch champions said on their website (www.ajax.nl).

De Jong has a hamstring injury, picked up on international duty with Netherlands last month, while Duarte has ankle problems.

Boilsen injured his hamstring during Ajax's last Champions League game, a 2-1 home win over Barcelona that kept the Dutch champions in contention for the knock-out phase.

Ajax must win their final Group H match at the San Siro to advance to the next stage.

Barcelona, top of the group with 10 points, are already through, but Milan, second on eight points, and Ajax, on seven, will fight it out for the second qualifying spot.

Celtic have been eliminated with three points from five matches.

Napoli in six-goal thriller, Balotelli saves Milan

 Two goals in three minutes from Goran Pandev were not enough to secure victory as Napoli threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 3-3 at home to Udinese in an end-to-end Serie A thriller on Saturday.

In the day's other game a stunning late free kick by Mario Balotelli, his second goal of the match, helped AC Milan snatch a 2-2 draw at Livorno.

Rafael Benitez's Napoli stay third with 32 points from 15 games, two points behind AS Roma and eight adrift of leaders Juventus who beat Bologna 2-0 on Friday.

Pandev tapped in the opening goal in the 38th minute after showing delicate control.

He quickly made it 2-0 when Gonzalo Higuain charged to the byline and pulled the ball back for Macedonian forward Pandev who spun well before guiding in his sixth league goal of the season.

Napoli defender Federico Fernandez scored an embarrassing own goal seconds before halftime when he clipped in a tame Thomas Heurtaux header.

Bruno Fernandes then deservedly drew Udinese level with a dipping shot that confused Napoli keeper Rafael Cabral with 21 minutes left.

Napoli went back in front when Blerim Dzemaili tapped in the rebound following a curling effort from Higuain.

Udinese refused to give up and equalised again with 10 minutes to go when Dusan Basta scored after a goalmouth scramble.

The visitors then almost snatched victory when Brazilian Maicosuel burst through on goal, only for Christian Maggio to thwart him with a superb sliding tackle.

The challenge enraged Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin who was sent off for protesting.

Eighth-placed Milan were rescued at Livorno by Balotelli who thumped a spectacular shot past keeper Francesco Bardi from 30 metres with six minutes left.

His leveller came after two sucker punches from Luca Siligardi and Paulinho had turned the game in the home team's favour following the former Manchester City forward's seventh-minute opener.

Balotelli almost clinched a barely deserved win for Milan when he hit the bar with a looping effort two minutes from the end.

Second-placed Roma host flamboyant Fiorentina in one of seven fixtures on Sunday.

Tottenham should be ashamed, says Villas-Boas

ottenham Hotspur's players should be "ashamed" according to manager Andre Villas-Boas after his faltering side were pummelled 6-0 at Manchester City on Sunday.

The north Londoners had only conceded six goals in their previous 11 Premier League matches this season but capitulated after going behind after 15 seconds.

Two goals from Sergio Aguero and two for Jesus Navas, as well as one for Alvaro Negredo and Sandro's own goal, made it a miserable afternoon for Portuguese Villas-Boas in his 50th Premier League game in charge of Spurs.

It was Tottenham's heaviest league defeat since a 7-1 loss at Newcastle United in 1996 and Villas-Boas, who led the club to their best ever Premier League points total last season, has the job of trying to arrest a slump that has seen Tottenham fall to ninth in the table.

"We have to be ashamed of ourselves, and react to a defeat like this," Villas-Boas told the BBC.

"It was a difficult start for us. After that, everything you had in mind goes down the drain.

"There are not a lot of positives. We had a good spell of reaction after we suffered the early goals, but everything happened so quickly.

"Our only chance came in the first half. If it goes to 1-1 it is a different game."

Tottenham were undermined by a mistake from keeper Hugo Lloris which allowed Navas to score virtually from the kickoff.

"There is an immediate shock after 15 seconds," the Portuguese former Chelsea coach said.

"The concentration was not there, but the reaction of the players was positive. Everything went wrong for us, every opportunity was a goal and we paid a heavy price, too much for what we deserved.

"City were excellent, and we were extremely poor."

Tottenham now have a trip to the Arctic Circle to clear their heads when they take on Tromso in the Europa League.

"My responsibility is to lift the players, there is always another game coming. We have to give a response in the Europa League."

---

Ghana book World Cup spot despite Cairo defeat

Ghana secured a third successive World Cup finals appearance despite a 2-1 defeat by Egypt in the second leg of their playoff in Cairo on Tuesday.

The Ghanaians triumphed 7-3 on aggregate, having done the hard work in the first leg in Kumasi last month, and will now get the opportunity to improve on their quarter-final finish at the 2010 edition in South Africa.

Egypt, playing in strife-torn Cairo for the first time in two years, restored some pride with victory on the night thanks to goals by former Wigan Athletic forward Amr Zaki and Hull City striker Gedo.

Kevin-Prince Boateng grabbed a late goal for Ghana.

For Egypt it is another heart-breaking qualification near-miss, having not appeared at the World Cup since Italia 90 despite winning an unmatched four African Nations Cup titles in the same period.

The home team went in front after 25 minutes when a free kick from Mohamed Aboutrika out on the right was not collected by goalkeeper Fatau Dauda and Zaki appeared to use his elbow to bundle the ball home.

Ghana showed little ambition to go forward in search of an equaliser while Egypt found it tough to break down their stubborn defence.

The hosts went close when a shot from Gedo was cleared off the line by Jerry Akaminko, with Dauda again failing to deal with an aerial ball.

The game opened up in the final 10 minutes and Gedo was on target in the 86th minute when he collected a pass from Mohamed Salah and blasted low past Dauda.

Ghana then exploited some gaps at the back with Asamoah Gyan finding space on the right and his low cross being turned in by Boateng.

The World Cup in Brazil starts in June.

Mexico face NZ with one foot in World Cup finals

Pride dented and World Cup hopes in the balance, Mexico have coped with the ignominy of an intercontinental playoff and are all but assured of a spot at next year's global soccer showpiece before they face New Zealand in the second leg on Wednesday.

'El Tri', who only qualified for the playoff when the United States scored two late goals to beat Panama, ran rampant against a defensive All Whites' side at the Azteca last week to record a 5-1 victory in the first leg.

While New Zealand must score at least four goals to give themselves any hope of advancing to their second successive finals, the visitors are not prepared to accept they have booked their place in Brazil just yet.

"We're here to win the match, to convince that we've done things right," coach Miguel Herrera told reporters in Wellington. "We can't make the mistake of overconfidence or triumphalism, at this moment our principal enemy could be Mexico (itself).

"We'll go out with the same attitude, as determined or more so than in the first leg."

Mexico exploited New Zealand's defensive tactics in the first leg when the All Whites had nine players behind the ball at times, which allowed the hosts the space to dictate play.

They also exploited a makeshift All Whites defence with three goals coming from set-pieces.

New Zealand felt the result flaterred Mexico.

"I don't think the Mexican team were worthy of five goals," All Whites midfielder Chris James told reporters.

"I think we handed it to them, they're a good team and everyone can see that but I think ... we gave them the chance to score five goals and they took them."

France in danger, Ronaldo edges Portugal towards finals

 France's hopes of reaching the World Cup finals are hanging by a thread after a 2-0 first-leg loss to Ukraine in their playoff on Friday while Cristiano Ronaldo's late winner gave Portugal the edge against Sweden.

Second-half goals by Ukraine's Roman Zozulia and Andriy Yarmolenko plus a red card for France defender Laurent Koscielny made it a woeful night for the visitors who have it all to do in Tuesday's second leg in Paris.

Ronaldo overshadowed Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a match billed as a clash between two of Europe's hottest strikers, pouncing late on a tense night in Lisbon.

The Real Madrid forward put his head where it hurts after 82 minutes to meet a low cross and give Portugal a 1-0 lead and a slender advantage in the race for a ticket to Brazil next year.

Ten-man Iceland's dream of reaching their first major tournament finals lives on after a 0-0 home draw with Croatia in Reykjavic while Greece are well-placed to qualify for the 2014 football carnival after a 3-1 win over visiting Romania.

In Friday's early kickoff, Iceland finished with 10 men after Olafur Skulason was shown a straight red card five minutes into the second half but they hung on stubbornly.

Kostas Mitroglou struck twice for Greece in Athens with Dimitris Salpingidis also on target against the Romanians who had levelled through Bogdan Stancu in the 19th minute.

Many of the countries spared the ordeal of a playoff were also in action as the build-up to next year's tournament begins in earnest.

Former world champions Italy and Germany drew 1-1 in the San Siro where Ignazio Abate grabbed his first international goal for the hosts after Mats Hummels had put the visitors ahead.

An experimental England side were given a jolt at Wembley where Alexis Sanchez scored twice to give Chile a 2-0 victory while Russia were held at home by Serbia.

Greece trust in old guard for victory over Romania

Greece will rely on the experience of seasoned campaigners such as Fanis Gekas, Giorgos Karagounis and Kostas Katsouranis in their playoff against Romania as they aim for a place in the World Cup finals for only the third time.

Coach Fernando Santos has emphasised the importance of his older players ahead of Friday's first leg in Athens, and a sign of his faith in his experienced players is epitomised by his decision to recall striker Gekas, 33.

Gekas, who plays for Konyaspor in Turkey, has scored 24 goals in his 68 appearances for Greece while Karagounis, 36, has played 129 times and Katsouranis, 34, has 107 caps.

"I won't comment about any individual player, but we do have a lot of players who are under the threat of suspension, so we need give ourselves some options," Santos told reporters.

He added: "We have a lot of experienced players who will know how to win the first match without conceding a goal.

"The Romanians are an excellent team, but I believe we will be the ones to make it through."

Santos' team are in the playoffs after finishing behind Group G winners Bosnia on goal difference, while Romania were a distant second in their group behind the Netherlands and have not qualified for the World Cup since 1998.

With a playing style which makes them hard to beat but unspectacular up front, Greece chalked up an impressive record of eight wins in their 10 group matches, five of them by 1-0 scorelines.

That lack of goals cost them top spot but the omens seem to be on Santos' side ahead of the tie as the stern-faced Portuguese has a full-strength squad to choose from.

Celtic's George Samaras trained separately on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution to rest a troublesome knee but he is expected to be fit.

Gekas believes Greece's experience in seeing off Ukraine in the 2010 playoffs will stand them in good stead against Victor Piturca's Romania.

"It's a tough match for both teams but the good thing is that we have the experience of such games and I think if we are serious and disciplined we can get the result we want on Friday so we can go into the second leg full of confidence," he said.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Romania head into what forward Razvan Cocis characterised as the "biggest challenge of our careers", without injured captain Vlad Chiriches and with doubts hanging over goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, who is struggling with a back problem, but could be fit for the second leg in Bucharest.

Chiriches broke his nose during Tottenham Hotspur's defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday, with Dinamo Bucharest defender Dragos Grigore replacing him.

Manchester City goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon has also been drafted back into the squad after displacing England's Joe Hart from the Manchester City team, and Piturca will decide late who plays depending on Tatarusanu's progress.

Romania are aiming to end a 16-year absence from the finals.

"This is without doubt the most important and challenging tie of our careers," said Cocis.

"We really want to go to the World Cup and will fight with all our strength for it. We know Greece's style of play, they are a team that plays defensively and tries to wait for their opponents to make a mistake and capitalise.

"Our goal is to score in the first game, but even if we draw 0-0 it is a good result for us to take back home."

In a surprise move, Piturca has left out Ajaccio's Adrian Mutu, Romania's all-time joint leading scorer with 35 goals in 77 internationals.

"We don't have players of high quality, but they are very driven, skilful and, most of all, they have come together to form a strong group," Piturca said.

"It is a group I hope will grow exponentially to make its mark on both European and world football.

"It's extremely important that we qualify - for me as well as for the team, because I have managed to take the team through to three Euro finals but never to the World Cup.

"But it is even more important for the players, for whom playing in a World Cup would be an incredible experience and achievement."

Costa withdraws from Spain squad, Llorente called up

Atletico Madrid's Brazil-born forward Diego Costa has withdrawn from the Spain squad for their friendlies against Equatorial Guinea and South Africa after tearing a muscle in his right leg in La Liga action on Sunday.

Costa, who was substituted in the 83rd minute of Atletico's 1-1 draw at Villarreal, has been replaced by Juventus striker Fernando Llorente, the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said on the world and European champions' website (www.sefutbol.com).

Costa was the subject of a tug-of-war between Brazil and Spain before he signed a formal letter last month stating his wish to play for his adopted country and was called up for the first time by coach Vicente del Bosque.

He has dual Spanish and Brazilian nationality and is second on the La Liga scoring chart this season with 13 goals, three behind Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Costa represented Brazil in friendlies against Russia and Italy in March but was left out of the squad for June's Confederations Cup and is not tied to one country until he has played in an official competitive game.

He was the fifth Brazilian-born player to be selected for Spain following Heraldo Becerra, Catanha, Donato and most recently Marcos Senna.

Spain play Equatorial Guinea in the West African nation's capital Malabo on Nov. 16 and take on South Africa three days later at Soccer City in Johannesburg, scene of their maiden World Cup triumph in 2010.

Ronaldo nets hat-trick in Real rout of Sociedad

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid rattled in four goals before halftime in a 5-1 La Liga rout of Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

The prolific Portugal forward took his season's tally to 16 goals from 13 games in La Liga, adding to his top scorer status in the Champions League where he has eight from four matches.

One of the favorites for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, to be announced in January, Ronaldo has now scored 28 goals in 20 games for club and country this term.

"Ronaldo has a level from another world," Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference. "He makes scoring look so incredibly easy. It's difficult to find words to describe him."

Karim Benzema and Sami Khedira also scored as Real climbed to 31 points in third place, two behind city rivals Atletico Madrid, who visit promoted Villarreal on Sunday (1800 GMT).

Unbeaten La Liga leaders Barcelona have 34 points and visit struggling Real Betis in Sunday's late game (2000 GMT).

Ancelotti appears to have settled on a striking trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, a frontline dubbed 'The BBC' in the local media, and their devastating pace tore apart the Basque visitors in the first half.

"We played a great game, especially in the first half," Ronaldo told broadcaster Canal Plus.

"I am very pleased because everything is going well. The team is starting to find a style of play and we are achieving our objectives."

Asked about his chances of winning a second Ballon d'Or to add to the one he lifted in 2008, Ronaldo said: "I do my talking on the pitch."

Nigeria U17 vs Mexico U17 priview final FIFA U17 World Cup

Nigeria were made to work for their 3-0 semi-final win over Sweden in Dubai, a result that sends them to the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Taiwo Awoniyi scored his third goal in two games to help send the Golden Eaglets through to the ultimate match, where they will meet Mexico in another Group F rematch.

The game started at a tremendous pace, both sides carving out half-chances inside the first 60 seconds. After the initial frenzy of attacks cooled, the pattern of play became clear. The Nigerians pressed forward in waves, trying to pin Sweden back and cut off the supply lines to foraging striker Valmir Berisha.

In the end, the Nigerians were in no mood to be charitable. They got their insurance goals inside the last ten minutes. Samuel Okon cut in from the left and hammered his shot low and inside the post to end Sweden’s dream. It was all over even before Chidera Ezeh added a third seconds later to make it 3-0 and send Nigeria to the final, where they will be pressing hard for their fourth title.

can you watch match live here link 1 -link 2

FC Barcelona vs. AC Milan 06.11.2013 uefa champions league

FC Barcelona and the Rossoneri will both be gunning for a victory when they meet at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The Rossoneri look to build in this match upon Tuesday's 1-1 draw against FC Barcelona. That last game played UNDER the total of 2.5.

The Barça look to build in this match upon Tuesday's 1-1 draw against AC Milan. That last game played UNDER the total of 2.5.

Team records:
FC Barcelona: 2-1-0
AC Milan: 1-2-0

FC Barcelona most recently:
After a win are 9-1-0
After playing RCD Espanyol are 5-4-1
AC Milan most recently:
After a loss are 7-3-0
After playing ACF Fiorentina are 6-2-2

can you watch match live here link 1 -link 2

Llorente earns Juve 2-2 draw with Real in thriller

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente grabbed a potentially crucial point for the Italian champions in a pulsating 2-2 draw at home to Real Madrid in Champions League Group B on Tuesday.

Arturo Vidal's penalty gave Juve a deserved halftime lead but the visitors turned the game around with two quickfire goals after the break.

Cristiano Ronaldo levelled with his eighth goal in this season's competition following a blunder by Martin Caceres and then set up Gareth Bale shortly afterwards for Real's second.

Caceres atoned by providing the cross for Llorente to equalise in the 66th minute, leaving Juventus still winless with three points from four games, Group leaders Real have 10 and are almost certain to progress to the last 16.

Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas twice prevented Juventus taking the lead as the hosts continually threatened during the first half.

He brilliantly stopped Pepe from scoring an own goal when the defender diverted Paul Pogba's flicked cross towards goal, and blocked a Claudio Marchisio header.

Juventus went ahead when Pogba was clumsily knocked over by Raphael Varane and Vidal fired into the roof of the net three minutes before the break.

Real levelled after a Caceres back pass went straight to Karim Benzema who fed the ball for Ronaldo to side-foot past Gianluigi Buffon.

Bale then fired Real ahead, clinically finishing with a left-foot effort from Ronaldo's pass, but Caceres atoned for his blunder by providing a cross for Llorente to head home

Juventus F.C. vs. Real Madrid 05.11.2013 uefa champions league

Bragging rights will be on the line Tuesday when Juventus F.C. and Real Madrid meet at Stadio Grande Torino.

Real Madrid comes off a 2-1 win in their last outing against Juventus F.C.. The three goals sent OVER bettors home happy.

Antonio Conte's squad played most recently against Real Madrid, emerging with a 2-1 loss. A combined three goals made OVER bettors happy.

Team records:
Juventus F.C.: 0-2-1
Real Madrid: 3-0-0

Juventus F.C. most recently:
After a win are 6-3-1
After playing Calcio Catania are 6-3-1
Real Madrid most recently:
After a win are 7-1-2
After playing Sevilla FC are 7-2-1

can you watch match live here

Draw means Everton, Spurs miss out on second spot

Everton and Tottenham Hotspur both missed a chance to move up to second place in the Premier League as they shared a battling 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Spurs climbed to fourth, level on 20 points with second-placed Chelsea and Liverpool who are third. Everton stayed seventh on 19 points, level with Manchester City and Southampton.

The visitors dominated the first half and although they created a host of scoring chances before the break they were unable to make the breakthrough.

"It was very tight, a good game. We had good moments and a great first half with pressing and good attacking combinations and we should have gone ahead," Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas told the BBC.

"The second half evened itself out and in the last 30 minutes they had a go at us. We could have gone second but, considering Everton's aspirations, it was important to get a point."

Everton manager Roberto Martinez told Sky Sports: "Spurs are a very good side and work very hard when they lose the ball and that upset our rhythm.

"But we found that rhythm in the second half and it became an open game with two teams who wanted to win and not settle for a point."

Although Everton rallied after halftime, apart from a cross shot from former Spurs man Steven Pienaar that went narrowly wide of the far post they rarely threatened Hugo Lloris's goal.

The France goalkeeper stayed on the pitch until the end despite taking an accidental knee in the head from Everton striker Romelu Lukaku in the latter stages.

Lloris's injury prompted a lengthy delay and the addition of nine minutes of stoppage time.

Villas-Boas said: "Hugo still doesn't remember the incident with Lukaku. He lost consciousness there but he seemed assertive and determined to continue and showed great character and personality.

"We decided to keep him on based on that."

In the day's other match Cardiff City were playing Swansea City, the first ever Welsh derby in English football's top flight.

FIFA allows Egypt to host World Cup playoff in Cairo

Egypt, trailing 6-1 from the first leg, have been cleared by FIFA to host the World Cup playoff return match against Ghana in Cairo despite safety concerns.

The Ghana FA had urged soccer's ruling body to find "a safe and secure venue" on neutral territory for the Nov. 19 game following recent violence in the Egyptian capital.

However, FIFA on Wednesday confirmed Cairo as the venue after a visit by inspectors and a demand that Egypt provide security guarantees, it said in a letter to both countries released by the Ghana FA.

The winners of the playoff will qualify for next year's World Cup in Brazil.

FIFA said the Confederation of African Football's decision to stage the Champions League final at Cairo's Air Defence Stadium on Nov. 10 shows the situation in Egypt is getting "back to normal".

Egypt will allow fans to watch both games after previously banishing big matches to a small stadium in El Gouna on the Red Sea coast and away from major urban areas.

The second leg of the African Champions League final is between Al Ahli of Egypt and the South African club Orlando Pirates and will follow the first match in Soweto on Saturday.

Arsenal's Gnabry signs new contract

  Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry has signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League leaders, the club said on Monday.

The 18-year-old Germany youth international signed his first professional contract in mid-2012, and has made four league appearances, scoring in the 2-1 victory over Swansea City in September.

"He has technical ability, he has power, he has pace, he has finishing quality and he can give a final ball," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website (www.arsenal.com).

"He's a powerful offensive player and I believe that he will be a great player for Arsenal Football Club."

The length of the contract was not disclosed.

FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid (2:1) Highlights 26.10.2013

Barcelona v Real Madrid 1-0 ( Neymar goal vs Real Madrid 19′)
Barca vs Real Madrid 2-0 ( Alexis Sanchez chip v Real Madrid 78′)
Barcelona vs Real Madrid 2-1 ( Jese goal v Barca 90+1′)
Barcelona v Real Madrid 2013 attendance:- 98,761 ( Referee- Undiano)
FCB starting lineup vs Real Madrid 2013:- Valdes, Alves, Adriano, Pique, Mascherano, Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Messi, Neymar
Real Madrid starting XI v Barca El Classico 2013:- Lopez, Ramos, Pepe, Carvajal, Marcelo, Modric, Varane, Khedira, Bale, Di Maria, Ronaldo

&&

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid 26.10.2013 La Liga Clasico

 

1. Who will win?
Match will be a draw. The game will be played carefully as a loss could mean a huge boost on the opposition's morale. Barcelona started the season a lot better but Real Madrid has gained some momentum after the win against Málaga -the performance was quite good- while Barcelona is not playing as well as they were before.

2. Who is Real Madrid's key player... aside from Cristiano? It depends on what kind of game is being played, but to me Luka Modric is the one midfielder that holds the key for Real Madrid. It's obvious that Bale should step it up soon but we haven't seen him yet because of the injuries he's had. Therefore, I expect Modric to start the match at the Camp Nou in Isco's place and contribute big. He doesn't have a big body but his defensive positioning is good and his skills as a playmakerare obviously there. I wasn't too convinced on him as a signing last season but his 2013 has been remarkable. He's a great player.

3. What will be Barcelona's weakest point Madrid will attempt to exploit?Real Madrid will obviously try to harm Barcelona's transition defense. And Ancelotti has the right players to do that. Yes, this Real Madrid is not as good as Mourinho's one when it comes to counterattack, but Di María/Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo should be something Barcelona fans should be afraid of considering Martino's defensive line. I expect a big counterattacking lineup by Ancelotti (no Isco, as I said before).

4. What will be Real's strongest point they must capitalize on?Pace on the offensive line and through balls. While Özil was a big player to perform that way, Modric is also a good passer. If Ronaldo, Di María or Bale find the open space behind Busquets' back, the defensive line will be in a lot of danger. And of course, the team need to wear Xavi & Iniesta down with intensity by Illarramendi, Modric and Khedira.

5. Who will shine more, Gareth Bale or Neymar?Neymar should. I mean, if Bale shines more than Neymar after not starting a match since the 2-2 draw against Villarreal in the 4th week of La Liga, that would be a huge disappointment. Believe or not, I think Neymar is a great player. He's not living up to expectations just yet (same happens with Bale) as I expected him to be a much more efficient scorer. Still, it's not easy to play alongside Messi. Neymar was used to get a lot of touches with Santos and he's not receiving the ball as much now. Neymar will surely start the match, and I don't expect Bale to do that considering how well and fit Di María is right now.

6. What are the key matchups?Three big matchups come to mind. 1-Arbeloa-Neymar: Arbeloa has always played well against Barcelona but he struggled against Brazil during the Confe Cup. I expect Di María to help him a lot. 2-Illarramendi-Messi: Xabi Alonso was a great defensive asset against Messi, but he will not be available. It will be hard for Illarra to play that well. 3-Di María/Bale-Adriano: With no Jordi Alba, Barcelona will have a hard time trying to stop Real's right wing. Yes, Adriano is a good player (better than some give him credit for), but he will surely struggle against those two players if Real Madrid manage to find them. You would also have the Cristiano Ronaldo-Alves+Piqué, of course, but that's not a new matchup that I wanted to highlight.

can you Watch match here link

 

Ribery shines as holders Bayern ease to victory

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery dazzled on his return from injury, scoring twice as the holders demolished Viktoria Plzen 5-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday and edged closer to the knockout stage with three wins out of three Group D games.

Bayern, whose last encounter with Plzen was back in 1971 and a 7-1 aggregate win, set a frantic early pace and European footballer of the year Ribery gave them a deserved 25th-minute lead with a spot kick.

David Alaba doubled it 12 minutes later with a low drive and Ribery got another with a superb chip in the second half. Bastian Schweinsteiger added a goal three minutes later and Mario Goetze completed the scoring in stoppage time.

The result gave leaders Bayern nine points, three ahead of Manchester City, who beat CSKA Moscow 2-1. Plzen are bottom of the table having lost their three games.

It was always going to be a one-side affair with the entire Plzen team worth about as much as Bayern midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri and the hosts made their intentions clear from the start.

Plzen keeper Matus Kozacik twice let the ball slip through his hands in the opening minutes as Bayern pressed for an early goal.

Arjen Robben almost got it but his sliding effort went just wide in the sixth minute with the Czechs in complete disarray.

Kozacik was kept busy and did well to save shots from Ribery and Alaba as the Bavarian onslaught continued.

Ribery, who set a German record after having not been on the losing side for Bayern in 39 games, gave them a well-deserved lead with a penalty after Robben was brought down in the box.

Alaba scored with a fine solo effort and a shot from just inside the box in the 37th as Bayern played cat-and-mouse with the bottom-placed Czechs.

Two quickfire goals from Ribery, with a superb chip, and Schweinsteiger's fine turn in the box, followed in the second half and substitute Goetze sealed the win from close range to end a nightmare evening for the Czechs.

Galatasaray vs FC Copenhagen 3-1 Highlights 23.10.2013 uefa champions league

Galatasaray registered a win against Copenhagen in the match of UEFA Champions League. Galatasaray vs Copenhagen match ended with 3-1 scoreline in UEFA Champions League 2013.

Galatasaray vs Copenhagen 3-1 Highlights Video Clips UEFA Champions League 2013


Full Time Score : Galatasaray 3-1 Copenhagen.

Galatasaray 3-1 Copenhagen Goals

Galatasaray vs Copenhagen 1-0 (Melo scored goal vs Copenhagen)

Galatasaray vs Copenhagen 2-0 (Sneijder scored goal vs Copenhagen)

Galatasaray vs Copenhagen 3-0 (Drogba goal vs Copenhagen)

Galatasaray vs Copenhagen 3-1 (Claudemir goal vs Galatasaray)

Rampant Ronaldo rattles double as Real down Juve

Cristiano Ronaldo continued his blistering start to Real Madrid's Champions League campaign when he struck twice in a 2-1 win at home to 10-man Juventus on Tuesday that put Real firmly in charge of Group B.

The Portuguese forward's double took his goal tally in Europe's elite club competition to seven in three appearances this season, his first coming when he rounded Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and finished superbly from a tight angle in the fourth minute at the Bernabeu.

Spain forward Fernando Llorente levelled for the visitors in the 22nd minute before the referee ruled Giorgio Chiellini had impeded Sergio Ramos in the penalty area at a freekick and Ronaldo put away the 29th-minute spot kick.

Italy centre back Chiellini had a night to forget as he was shown a straight red card three minutes into the second half when he checked Ronaldo's run down the right with a flailing arm and Juve hardly threatened Real's goal for the rest of the game.

Real top the group with a perfect nine points with three games to play, with Galatasaray in second on four points after they thumped bottom-placed FC Copenhagen 3-1 in Istanbul.

Juve are third on two points and the Italian champions are in real danger of failing to make the last 16 with their next game at home to Real looming on Nov. 5.

Ronaldo's brace lifted him above former Real and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy into third on the all-time list of Champions League top scorers with 57 goals, with only Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Raul, another ex-Real forward, ahead of him.

The 28-year-old Ronaldo is only the second player in the history of Europe's elite club competition to hit seven in his team's opening three games after AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi.

There was no place for record signing Gareth Bale in the Real starting lineup, with coach Carlo Ancelotti opting to deploy Angel Di Maria despite Bale's return to action after injury as a second-half substitute against Malaga at the weekend.

The 100 million-euro ($138 million) Wales winger replaced Karim Benzema with just over 20 minutes left but failed to make much of an impact.

France striker Benzema turned in another disappointing performance, fluffing one chance on the hour when he was right in front of an empty goal, and was roundly whistled by the impatient Real fans.

Messi goal gives Barcelona draw at AC Milan

 A Lionel Messi strike in his first start since injury kept Barcelona two points clear at the top of Group H after drawing 1-1 at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Argentine struck in the 23rd minute with a fine finish to a breakaway move to cancel out Robinho's stylish ninth minute opener, which came during a frantic opening period of pressure from the home side.

Barcelona moved up to seven points, with unbeaten Milan in second spot on five, two ahead of Celtic who beat Ajax 2-1 in Glasgow.

Milan came racing out of the blocks, putting pressure on Barca's backline and a defensive error led to Robinho's goal.

The Brazilian beat the away side's dithering defenders to a high ball, and after exchanging passes with countryman Kaka, slid a simple finish past Victor Valdes.

The home side rarely looked troubled in the opening period, but found themselves back to square one 14 minutes later after giving the ball away sloppily to Andres Iniesta.

"The lads played an excellent match, we gave little away but still created a few good chances. Pity about the (Barca) goal, we were punished for a mistake," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters.

The Spain midfielder slipped in Messi on the right, who after cutting inside drilled low to level the scores just as he looked to have lost his footing.

Barca dominated the second half against a tired Milan, but despite a couple of good chances couldn't make the most of their possession and had to settle for a point.

"We lost two points... because we created more goal chances and for this reason we deserved a victory," said Barcelona's coach Gerardo Martino.

"It's not easy to play with so many players spread across yuour opponents' midfield."

Ac Milan Vs Barcelona 1-1 2013 Goals & Highlights (22-10-2013) (Robinho,...

UEFA Champions League live coverage

AC Milan 1-1 Barcelona (FT)

Scorers: Robinho, 8' (1-0), Leo Messi, 23' (1-1)


Lineups:

AC Milan: Amelia; Abate, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Montolivo, De Jong, Muntari; Birsa (Poli), Kaka (Emanuelson), Robinho (Balotelli).

Barcelona: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Alexis Sanchez (Cesc), Messi, Neymar (Pedro).

Hulk breaks Porto hearts as Zenit win on his return

 

 Brazil forward Hulk broke the hearts of his former club's supporters when he set up Aleksandr Kerzhakov's late winner for Zenit St Petersburg in a 1-0 Champions League win at Porto on Tuesday.

The home team made it hard for themselves when Hector Herrera was sent off in the sixth minute. It was the quickest dismissal in the history of the competition for a player receiving two yellow cards.

Zenit have four points from three games in Group G, five behind runaway leaders Atletico Madrid who beat Austria Vienna 3-0. Porto are third with three points and Vienna have one.

All eyes at the Dragao stadium were on the burly Hulk who was back at the club where he spent four memorable years, and he received a hero's welcome.

Hulk had promised not to celebrate if Zenit scored and he kept his word after setting up substitute Kerzhakov for a fine header in the 86th minute.

Napoli beat Marseille in style to stay on course

 

Two superb goals earned Napoli a 2-1 win at Olympique Marseille on Tuesday that put the French team on the brink of elimination and the Italians back on course for a last-16 spot.

Jose Callejon and Duvan Zapata finished off excellent teamwork in style in the 42nd and 67th minutes to give Napoli six points from three matches, level with Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. Marseille are bottom after three defeats.

Marseille reduced the arrears through Andre Ayew in the 86th minute but never came to terms with the astonishing pace of Belgium winger Dries Mertens.

"The coach told us that they had lost a lot of games lately so we had to put them under pressure early on," Mertens told Canal Plus. "Once we get the ball back, we are fast in front of goal, that's one of our qualities.

"Six points for everyone - too bad Dortmund won - but we now have two matches out of three at home." Napoli play host to Marseille in their next match.

Ayew said: "Once again we're disappointed. We just have to keep our mouths shut and get back to work. Now the most important thing is the league." Marseille have lost their last four games in all competitions.

Elie Baup's side came close early in the first half when Benoit Cheyrou's deflection off Jeremy Morel went just wide but that was about all the home side had to show for themselves.

Mertens, with his delicate turns and speed, proved a permanent threat to the Marseille defence.

In the 34th minute, at the end of a sharp counter-attack, Gonzalo Higuain missed a sitter, shooting wide despite being alone in front of goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

Eight minutes later, midfielder Callejon opened the scoring following a superb defence-splitting pass from Higuain. The Spaniard chested the ball down and fired a half-volley past Mandanda as Napoli were rewarded for their domination.

Mertens flicked the ball into the path of the second-half substitute Zapata with a cunning back heel and the Colombian striker curled a shot into the top corner from 20 metres to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac was nowhere to be seen and was replaced in the 77th minute by Jordan Ayew. But it was the Ghana international's brother Andre who found the back of the net with a 20-metre half-volley to ease Marseille's pain.

One blot on Napoli's night was that seven of their fans were arrested by police for clashing with Marseille supporters. Several were slightly injured, police reported.

Messi goal gives Barcelona draw at AC Milan

 

 A Lionel Messi strike in his first start since injury kept Barcelona two points clear at the top of Group H after drawing 1-1 at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Argentine struck in the 23rd minute with a fine finish to a breakaway move to cancel out Robinho's stylish ninth minute opener, which came during a frantic opening period of pressure from the home side.

Barcelona moved up to seven points, with unbeaten Milan in second spot on five, two ahead of Celtic who beat Ajax 2-1 in Glasgow.

Milan came racing out of the blocks, putting pressure on Barca's backline and a defensive error led to Robinho's goal.

The Brazilian beat the away side's dithering defenders to a high ball, and after exchanging passes with countryman Kaka, slid a simple finish past Victor Valdes.

The home side rarely looked troubled in the opening period, but found themselves back to square one 14 minutes later after giving the ball away sloppily to Andres Iniesta.

"The lads played an excellent match, we gave little away but still created a few good chances. Pity about the (Barca) goal, we were punished for a mistake," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters.

The Spain midfielder slipped in Messi on the right, who after cutting inside drilled low to level the scores just as he looked to have lost his footing.

Barca dominated the second half against a tired Milan, but despite a couple of good chances couldn't make the most of their possession and had to settle for a point.

"We lost two points... because we created more goal chances and for this reason we deserved a victory," said Barcelona's coach Gerardo Martino.

"It's not easy to play with so many players spread across yuour opponents' midfield."

Ahli win shootout to reach African Champions League final

 

 Holders Al Ahli won a penalty shootout 7-6 to beat Coton Sport of Cameroon on Sunday and go into next month's African Champions League final.

A 1-1 draw in the second leg of their semi-final in El Gouna meant the two clubs had ended 2-2 on aggregate after a similar score in the first leg two weeks ago.

Ahli remain on course to retain their title and extend their record number of successes in the continent's top club competition when they meet Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the two-legged final next month.

Abdullah Al Saied scored after three minutes to give the Egyptian club the perfect start, leaping above two defenders to head home a sweeping cross from Sayed Moawad in one of the first attacks of the game on a bumpy and dusty pitch in the Red Sea resort.

Ahli, who rested three internationals involved in Egypt's 6-1 loss to Ghana in Tuesday's World Cup qualifying play-off, had several chances to extend the lead in the opening half-hour but Coton Sport got a well-deserved equaliser in the 65th minute.

A sweeping move down the left ended with a cross that allowed Alexis Yougouda to score his seventh goal of the campaign, sliding home the ball from close range.

In the shootout, Mohamed Aboutrika missed the first kick for Ahli but his team mates scored from the next seven. The decisive miss came from Jacques Haman.

The match was played behind closed doors because of a spectator ban for Ahli following recent crowd violence. Their coach Mohamed Youssef was also banished to the stands after being sent off during the first leg in Garoua two weeks ago.

Ahli have won seven previous Champions League titles, making them African football's most successful club.

Monaco let two-goal lead slip at Sochaux

 

Monaco trailed Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain by two points after they wasted a two-goal lead in a disappointing 2-2 draw at lowly Sochaux on Sunday.

Yannick Ferreira Carrasco had put Claudio Ranieri's side 2-0 up after 10 minutes, but Sochaux, in coach Herve Renard's first game in charge, fought back after the break with goals by Cedric Bakambu and Joseph Lopy.

Monaco have 22 points from 10 games to PSG's 24 after the French champions hammered Bastia 4-0 at home on Saturday.

Sochaux, who had lost six of their nine opening games in Ligue 1, remained second from bottom on six points.

Monaco got off to a great start, with Ferreira latching on to a Marcel Tisserand cross in the fifth minute and doubling the tally five minutes later by firing past Simon Pouplin after intercepting a poor back pass by Carlao.

Monaco were without France defender Eric Abidal, who pulled out following a thigh injury scare during warm up.

"It's nothing serious," Abidal told BeIN Sport.

"I had that pain yesterday and we did not want to take any risk. I'd rather lose three days than three weeks."

Sochaux stepped up a gear after the interval and striker Bakambu reduced the arrears with a powerful header 11 minutes into the second half.

Thirteen minutes later, Lopy equalised with a header at the far post from Rafael Dias's corner kick.