Wolves stun Man Utd on day of Premiership drama

LONDON  – Manchester United crashed to their first defeat of the season in a shock 2-1 loss at bottom club Wolves after a day of drama and record goal-scoring across the Premier League.

League leaders United, who had started to entertain dreams of emulating Arsenal and Preston North End as the only clubs to go through a whole season unbeaten, saw their run end abruptly at Molineux.

A superb individual goal by winger Nani had fired United ahead on three minutes but Wolves equalised with a fine header by fullback George Elokobi.

Five minutes before half-time Kevin Doyle was deemed to have got the final touch on a Nenad Milijas free-kick to put Mick McCarthy's side 2-1 up.

Despite furious late pressure from Sir Alex Ferguson's side, Wolves held on to record a victory which gives the rest of United's title rivals hope.

"We are disappointed obviously. It's been a long run for us. The players have done us all proud but today in the second half we didn't really get going," Ferguson told ESPN afterwards. Related article: Defeated Man United targets derby recovery

"We are not looking at the people below us, we are looking at ourselves.

"It was an opportunity for us to continue the great run we are on. The consistency we have shown in the last two months has been terrific so this was a great disappointment."

Ferguson believes next weekend's high-octane derby will give Manchester United the perfect incentive to bounce back.

The Scot insists Saturday's game against Manchester City at Old Trafford could not have come at a better time.

"It's a terrific game to try to recover from a defeat. It's a massive game. It's something to look forward to," said the United boss.

"Unfortunately, we have internationals in midweek. To my mind that is crazy, but we have to get on with it.

The result reduced United's lead over second-placed Arsenal to four points with both sides having played 25 games each. Wolves however remain bottom, behind West Ham on goals scored.

The Gunners would have narrowed the deficit even further had they not squandered a 4-0 lead in an extraordinary game against Newcastle at St James Park which finished 4-4. Related article: Arsenal's Wenger fears scars from Newcastle match

Arsenal looked to be cruising after goals from Robin Van Persie (2), Theo Walcott and Johan Djourou put them 4-0 up after 26 minutes.

However the sending off of Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby gave Newcastle a way back into the game and the Magpies produced a stunning fightback to draw courtesy of two Joey Barton penalties, a Leon Best strike and a rasping volley from Cheik Tiote on 87 minutes.

A total of 41 goals were scored across Saturday's eight games, shattering the previous record of 36 scored in a single day of the Premier League.

Third-placed Manchester City swept to a comfortable win over West Bromwich Albion at Eastlands, birthday boy Carlos Tevez netting a first-half hat-trick in a 3-0 victory.

Tevez's treble included two from the penalty spot as the Argentinian took his goals tally for the season to 18.

In a dramatic match at White Hart Lane, Niko Kranjcar struck a 90th-minute winner for Tottenham in a 2-1 victory over Bolton.

Rafael Van der Vaart put Spurs ahead from the penalty spot on six minutes, and looked to have doubled his tally moments later when he buried a second spot-kick only for the kick to be retaken for encroachment. Van der Vaart shot the same way but his effort went wide.

Bolton looked to have done enough to earn a share of the points courtesy of a Daniel Sturridge equaliser but Kranjcar's strike settled it for Spurs.

Elsewhere, Fulham twice came from behind to grab a share of the points in a 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa.

An own-goal from John Pantsil gave Villa the lead on 13 minutes before Fulham hit back through Andrew Johnson on 52 minutes. Kyle Walker put Villa 2-1 up but Fulham's US international midfielder Clint Dempsey equalised.

At Goodison Park, Louis Saha struck four goals as Everton came from behind to score a dramatic 5-3 win over Blackpool.

The Toffees twice took the lead through Saha only for the Seasiders to level through Alex Baptiste and Jason Puncheon.

Charlie Adam put Blackpool 3-2 up but Saha grabbed his third on 76 minutes before Jermaine Beckford struck a superb volley 10 minutes from time to make it 4-3. Saha then grabbed his fourth to complete the scoring.

At the DW Stadium, relegation-threatened Wigan scored a vital 4-3 victory over Blackburn in a see-saw battle.

Jason Roberts fired Blackburn into the lead before the struggling Latics drew level through James McCarthy.

Hugo Rodallega and McCarthy's second put Wigan 3-1 up, and although Blackburn pulled one back through Chris Samba, Ben Watson restored the home side's two-goal cushion from the penalty spot.

Yet David Dunn ensured a tense finale with a spot-kick on 81 minutes for Rovers as the goals continued but Wigan held on.

In the early kick-off, Robert Huth scored two goals in the final 10 minutes as Stoke City came from behind to defeat Sunderland 3-2.

German defender Huth struck the winning goal in injury time after earlier equalising on 83

minutes to cancel out an Asamoah Gyan strike that had given Sunderland a 2-1 lead.

Sunderland had taken the lead through Kieran Richardson after two minutes before Stoke's new loan signing John Carew hit back on 32 minutes.

.

 

Related Articles

• Banks scramble for mid-level managers
• Viet Nam and China sign pack on human trafficking
• Greenback firmer on signs of rising demand
• Market moves up sharply
• Culture Vulture

Aggressive Zvonareva charges into Melbourne semis

Vera Zvonareva of Russia celebrates during her quarterfinal match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 26, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Vera Zvonareva came a step closer to her maiden grand slam on Wednesday, muscling her way into the semifinals of the Australian Open with a 6-2 6-4 win over rangy Czech Petra Kvitova.

The Russian bullied the 20-year-old's serve with a fierce display of clean hitting from the baseline then weathered a late fight-back to close out the match in 75 minutes.

"She's (had) a great run here," Zvonareva said in a courtside interview of Kvitova, who knocked off seeds in her path to the quarterfinals but struggled to find her line against the Russian.

"I was just trying to hang in the there and fight for every point, just try to stay aggressive and that's about it."

The world number two mowed through the first set in 29 minutes and marched to a 3-0 lead in the second before Wimbledon semifinalist Kvitova snapped out of her stupor under leaden skies at Rod Laver Arena.

The sound of booming cannons fired as part of celebrations for the country's national holiday on Wednesday challenged the players' concentration, while what appeared to be an elderly spectator collapsing held up play for a couple of minutes.

Kvitova seemed to recover quickest from the distractions, breaking Zvonareva at 3-3 after a fierce baseline battle that ended with the Russian poking a forehand into the net.

"It was a bit of a difficult moment there... It was a little bit distracting," said Zvonareva, finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.

However, the 26-year-old held her nerve to break straight back then benefited from a net cord deflection at 5-4 that stopped the ball dead on Kvitova's side.

Kvitova, serving to stay in the match, scrambled forward to keep the ball in play, but Zvonareva calmly lobbed her to bring up match point and pumped her fists in celebration when the tiring Czech clubbed a forehand long to surrender.

Zvonareva will play the winner of Agnieszka Radwanska and Kim Clijsters for a place in the final.

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic throws her racket during the women's quarterfinal match against Vera Zvonareva of Russia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 26, 2011

Fergie confident of United staying power

Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov (2nd right) tries to avoid Birmingham's Alexander Hleb (2nd left).

Photo: AFP

Sir Alex Ferguson saw Manchester United maintain their impressive unbeaten start to the season and claimed his club has the depth and experience to hold onto their position at the top of the Premier League.

A Dimitar Berbatov hat-trick, with additional goals from Ryan Giggs and Nani, eased United to an emphatic 5-0 victory over Birmingham and allowed Ferguson to take key players such as Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs out of the fray to rest for matches ahead.

United's next match is a re-arranged fixture at Blackpool on Tuesday – a game for which Rio Ferdinand (groin) and Michael Carrick, who injured his ankle in the first half against Birmingham are both doubtful – although the United manager believes his in-form team can cope.

"It helps our goal difference, no doubt about that," said Ferguson of a victory which extends United’s unbeaten run to 22 league games this season, 27 dating back to last term.

"We have some tough games ahead of course. Hopefully the players can grasp the nettle. They have good experience, we've got the squad and hopefully we can manage all the games ahead.

"I was pleased with a good team performance. What helps is you score the early goal, getting a goal after a minute, they have to open up. It's a different perspective you have to face and we capitalized on that.

"It was a good scoreline at half-time and I was able to take Patrice Evra off, gave him a break by bringing on Fabio, and take Ryan Giggs off which was important because we have a big game on Tuesday."

Giggs turned in an eye-catching display, which featured a goal, on the weekend that the 37-year-old has declared that he wishes to spend at least one more season playing for the only club of his illustrious career.

"Ryan Giggs can easily play another year," said Ferguson. "He's as fresh as a daisy, we look after him the right way and he manages himself the right way. Being able to take him off was a bonus."

However, Berbatov – who has now scored 18 goals this season, 17 in the league, including three hat-tricks – was the real star of United’s performance.

His pairing with Wayne Rooney looks particularly explosive at present although the England forward continues his modest goal production.

Having missed at least one glaring chance, Rooney has now scored just two league goals this season, one of them from the penalty spot.

"We hope so," said Ferguson when asked if Rooney’s return to scoring form is imminent.

"He deserves it, he's working his socks off. He was involved in some great football today and involved in the fourth goal just after half-time with fantastic control from a ball from Edwin van der Sar coming out of the clouds, then setting up Ryan.

"Dimitar was marvelous. He could have scored more and we were a bit wasteful at times with our finishing but you can't complain at that performance, that was the important thing.

"His link-up with Wayne was very good. The third goal was a very, very exciting goal. Berba won the ball then his interplay with Wayne, and the ball from Wayne to Ryan was fantastic. It was an exciting goal and, on the stroke of half-time, killed off the match."

Beaten Birmingham manager Alex McLeish conceded that he and his team were distracted slightly by the looming League Cup semi-final second leg tie with West Ham on Wednesday.

"I had one eye on that," he said. "You can play your best team or shut up shop. We decided to go with some of the forward players who would play to their strengths.

"But we never got our passing game going. We had a small spell when we got behind them but we gifted a second goal and it was verging on the amateur. You can play your best and most experienced defenders and still lose.

"We were perhaps a bit bold and sometimes you get punished and sometimes it pays off – we were punished here. We shot ourselves in the foot. We have a group of players who bounce back well. Taking a drubbing today, people will ask whether if will affect confidence but in the dressing room, they are more angry than anything else."

Related Articles

• Tevez on target as Man City beat Liverpool 3-0
• Culture Vulture
• Greenback firmer on signs of rising demand
• Mothers share sorrow of war
• North should ensure sustainable growth

Federer fireworks warm up Melbourne Park

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Lukas Lacko of Slovakia during their match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 17, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer fired up the Australian Open with a blistering start to his title defense on Monday, bringing some welcome warmth to an unseasonably cool Melbourne Park on opening day.

The first grand slam tournament of the year is famous for its searing heat but a blustery day with the occasional shower had the sweatshirt replacing the T-shirt as the garment of choice among much of the 15,000 crowd on the Rod Laver Arena.

Federer retained his trademark bandana even though the ease of his 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Slovakian Lukas Lacko and the cool afternoon air made the threat of sweat interfering with his vision slight.

"I thought I played great," the four-times Australian Open champion and second seed told reporters. "Tried to play offensive from the start and see where it takes me. It didn't work. I got back and played a bit more risky and so forth.

"I thought it was a good match. I don't think he played too bad himself. I saw some talent in him too and that's why I think I was really happy I chose that tactics early on to pressure him."

Federer taking risks meant a treat for the crowd, who witnessed some brilliant shot-making from the 16-times grand slam champion.

It was hard to believe that the Swiss maestro's backhand was once considered a weakness in his game as he stroked impossible looking winners off it from the back of the court to set up a second round meeting with Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Rafa Nadal's quest to become the first man since 1969 to hold all four grand slam titles simultaneously starts on Tuesday but this was an emphatic reminder that to do it, the Spaniard is likely to have to beat Federer at the top of his game.

Novak Djokovic is one of the few men to have broken the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly in the last few years and he gave notice that he considers himself a contender with a dominant 6-1 6-3 6-1 thrashing of Spain's Marcel Granollers.

"Of course, all the credit to Rafa and Roger. They are deservedly the two biggest favorites to win this tournament. They're the two best players in the world," said the third seed, who won his only grand slam title here in 2008.

"Definitely this performance gives me more confidence and gives me enough reason to think that I can beat anyone."

Venus Williams, the women's fourth seed, was equally dominant as she made a winning return after four months out injured with a 6-3 6-2 win over Sara Errani of Italy.

"It's been so long," said the 30-year-old, who is hoping to add a first Australian Open crown to her seven grand slam titles.

"It definitely felt good today to go out there and play pretty clean tennis."

Flying solo

Venus is flying the family flag solo this year with her sister Serena, the 2010 champion, still unable to play after stepping on glass in a Munich restaurant last year.

Justine Henin, the losing finalist when Serena claimed her fifth title here last year, survived a tricky opening encounter against big-hitting Indian Sania Mirza to go through 5-7 6-3 6-1 despite 33 unforced errors.

Two other women hoping to contend, top seed Caroline Wozniacki and former champion Maria Sharapova, won the first two matches on centre court.

 

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns a shot against Gisela Dulko of Argentina during their match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 17, 2011

Dane Wozniacki claimed a hard-fought 6-3 6-4 win over Argentine Gisela Dulko, while Sharapova overcame a nervy start to beat Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1 6-3 for her first Australian Open victory since she won her last major title here in 2008.

"Last year I played first match on centre (court) and, I lost. So I was kind of like, I don't want this to happen again this year," said Sharapova, who lost to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko in the first round last year.

American 18th seed Sam Querrey was the first seeded player to fall and he took his time doing it, losing 5-7 6-2 3-6 6-1 8-6 to Pole Lukasz Kubot over three hours and 20 minutes.

Russian 23rd seed Nikolay Davydenko, three-times a quarter-finalist here, also made an early departure with a 6-3 4-6 7-6 6-4 defeat at the hands of German Florian Mayer.

Andy Roddick gave a forceful reminder that he once won a grand slam -- albeit at the US Open in 2003 -- with a 6-1 6-2 6-2 rout of Czech Jan Hajek, firing down 18 aces but bemoaning the conditions.

"It was playing slow, so you had to kind of adjust," said the American eighth seed. "It wasn't hitting and jumping like it normally would here, and I think that's probably just the colder conditions."

Related Articles

• Mothers share sorrow of war
• Young stars raise profile of Vietnam chess
• HCMC begins to think about giving up meat