Crouch sinks Milan in bad-tempered clash

Tottenham Hotspur's Peter Crouch (3rd L) celebrates with his team mate Niko Kranjcar at the end of the Champions League soccer match against AC Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan February 15, 2011

Photo: Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur's debut season in the Champions League continued to gather momentum after a Peter Crouch goal sank below-par AC Milan in a 1-0 last 16 first-leg victory on Tuesday.

England striker Crouch struck 10 minutes from time following a swift counter-attack at a rain-soaked San Siro, extending Milan's poor recent home record in European competition to just one win in 10 games.

Serie A leaders Milan, seven-times European champions, struggled to impose themselves in a niggly encounter that flared up at various stages.

Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini was lucky just to be booked for a crude two-footed lunge that forced Vedran Corluka out of the game and Gennaro Gattuso is likely to face UEFA repercussions after appearing to headbutt Spurs assistant manager Joe Jordan after the final whistle.

Gattuso had to be pulled away from Jordan and Spurs manager Harry Redknapp branded the Italian firebrand "crazy".

"I lost control," Gattuso told reporters. "There is no excuse for what I have done. I take my responsibilities for that. I was nervous. I didn't want to argue with players and I did it with him, but I was wrong to do what I have done."

Redknapp also blasted Flamini, calling his challenge on Corluka a "horrendous".

"It was a deliberate tackle. He could have broken his leg. A referee should have red-carded him," an angry Redknapp told a news conference.

Crouch, who finished with aplomb from 10 meters after a lightning break from Aaron Lennon, said Spurs were the better side.

"I thought we deserved to win, we limited them to a few chances... defended magnificently.

"It was a great win, it's a fantastic achievement to beat Milan in the San Siro but the job is not finished."

The Premier League side, who lost 4-3 at the San Siro to Milan's city rivals Inter in the group stage in October, were the better side in the first half before Milan improved after the break.

Spurs had an early shout for a penalty turned down when the fit-again Rafael van der Vaart's effort appeared to strike Alessandro Nesta on the arm.

 

AC Milan's Mathieu Flamini (2nd R) argues with Tottenham Hotspur's Rafael van der Vaart after his tackle on Vedran Corluka (L) during their Champions League soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan February 15, 2011

Head injury

The home side lost goalkeeper Christian Abbiati after 18 minutes with a head injury. Abbiati went to hospital for checks on concussion and his replacement Marco Amelia had to touch a fierce Van der Vaart shot over the bar after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had fired a free kick wide in Milan's first meaningful chance.

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri, with several midfielders such as Andrea Pirlo injured and the likes of Antonio Cassano ineligible, sent out a defensive-looking team with centre back Thiago Silva in midfield and in the first half it showed.

He threw on Brazil forward Alexandre Pato at the break and Milan's Mario Yepes had two headers well-saved by Heurelho Gomes.

Robinho had a close-range shot deflected wide and Milan thought they had equalized late in stoppage time but Ibrahimovic's spectacular overhead strike was ruled out for a push.

Related Articles

• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• ASEAN role sought to resolve temple conflict

Liem in lead at Aeroflot Open

Making his move: Vietnamese chess player Le Quang Liem competes at the Aeroflot Open International Chess tournament. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Nhut

HA NOI — International Grandmaster Le Quang Liem took the sole lead at the Russian International Chess Festival (Aeroflot Open) after seventh round play yesterday in Moscow.

Liem has scored six points after seven matches and has remained in the top position in the tournament since the third round on Friday.

The defending champion, Liem, defeated Russian Mikhail Kobalia, 32, who was European Youth Chess Champion in 1994. The victory made Liem the only competitor here not to suffer a loss in the tournament, which follows the Swiss system's nine-round format.

His two draws were against Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia and Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan. Tomashevsky triumphed at the 10th European Championships in 2009 while Kasimdzhanov shocked the chess world by winning the FIDE world chess championship title, beating a string of world-class players.

In their previous match, Liem drew with Kasimdzhanov and lost his Asian Games title to the Uzbek last December.

The HCM City-born Liem will next meet Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria who has earned five points and is among seven players on five points, very close to Liem in the ranking table.

The winner of the tournament will bring home 20,000 euros (US$29,300) and get the chance to participate in a round-robin super tournament in Dortmund, Germany, in late July. The final match is this Friday. — VNS

Related Articles

• Prime Minister discusses relations, co-operation with Lao counterpart
• PM launches news channel
• Writers’ temple to display bronze drums
• Argentine Vice President praises VN’s achievements
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

Defending Vietnam team excluded from 2011 SEA Games

Vietnamese women celebrate after winning the women's football event at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos

Indonesia, host of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, just announced 48 sports and around 550 events to be organized at the biennial tournament, which may stir up comments from member nations as the host dropped some favorite sports.

Members of the ten-nation SEA Games Federation Council including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam fear the drop of several regular sports like Billiards & Snooker and women's football could affect the future standard of the games.

Vietnam are now the champions in women’s football.

Other sports severely affected include cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, petanque, sailing, shooting and table tennis as Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc) proposed to shorten many events.

Traditionally, the standard program of cycling in the past SEA Games comprised around 12 to 15 events, but Indonesia wants to stage only seven, comprising three for men and four for women.

Shooting is cut down from 36 as in the last edition in 2009 in Laos to just nine, while rhythmic gymnastics has only one event compared with five to six previously.

Though the host has the privilege to choose sports, Indonesia must also consider the sentiments of other participating countries, Olympic Council of Malaysia honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi was quoted as saying today.

We'll try to negotiate with the host during the coming SEA Games Federation Council meeting in Bali on Feb 23-24, he added.

Besides dropping some favorite sports, the host has added new sports namely bridge, paragliding, roller sports, shorinji kempo and wall climbing.

It is said that the cut of the sports is rooted from Inasoc wanting to become overall champions at the games. Traditionally, Indonesian athletes were not strong at them.

Related Articles

• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• No agreement on saving legendary turtle in Hanoi
• Vietnam’s tra fish export to Egypt still down
• Tevez on target as Man City beat Liverpool 3-0
• Saigon Rugby Football Club joins Cambodian League

Female football chopped from Games

Victory denied: The Vietnamese women's team celebrates after winning the Southeast Asian Games trophy in the Philippines in 2005. Female football won't be included in the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia later this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Truong

HA NOI — Female football will not be played at the 26th South east Asian Games in Indonesia following a decision by the Indonesia organising committee, a major blow to the Viet Nam team which is the defending champion.

Viet Nam Olympic Committee vice chairman and general secretary Hoang Vinh Giang said it would be difficult to change the committee's decision.

"Indonesia was not good at female football so the Games committee was not eager for this event," he said.

"The Games committee's reason is that they don't have enough football grounds," Giang said. "To organise the female football event, they need two Asian Football Confederation standard grounds, not including training grounds.

"The Viet Nam committee will give its opinion on this problem at the meeting with Indonesia to discuss competition programmes. We will request they hold female football. But in my experience, there is little chance to modify the Games committee's determination. They have the right to add or reject events."

Meanwhile, the national female football team, the Games defending champions, convened at the National Sports Centre in Ha Noi yesterday in preparation for tournaments this year, coached by Chinese Chen Yun Fat. They include the upcoming SEA Games and the Olympic London 2012 qualifying rounds.

Viet Nam Football Federation vice chairman Nguyen Lan Trung said the federation was waiting for the official announcement from the Games committee before adjusting the team's training schedule.

"Meanwhile, the federation would ask the Viet Nam Olympic Committee and football federations in the region to petition the Games committee to include female football in the programme for the 26th SEA Games," Trung said. — VNS

Related Articles

• Defending Vietnam team excluded from 2011 SEA Games
• Saigon Rugby Football Club joins Cambodian League
• Young stars raise profile of Vietnam chess
• Tevez on target as Man City beat Liverpool 3-0
• Wozniacki cruises to win at Montreal Cup

VN set for new sepak takraw cup

Viet Nam will take part in the first sepak takraw World Cup to be held in Malaysia on July 21-14.

Viet Nam is regarded as one of the strongest teams at the tournament, which will see 24 men's and 12 women's teams competing at the Titiwangsa Gymnasium in Kuala Lumpur.

Badminton tourney set for March

The Ciputra Ha Noi Challenge badminton tournament will kick off on March 29 with the participation of players from China, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and New Zealand.

The annual event has a top prize of US$15,000 awarded in the men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles categories.

The finals are scheduled for April 3 at the capital's Trinh Hoai Duc Gymnasium.

FA Cup trophy to tour Viet Nam

The FA Cup will tour Viet Nam next month following an agreement signed on January 29 between the English Football Association (FA) and the Viet Nam Football Federation.

The exhibit will tour Ha Noi, Da Nang, HCM City and Can Tho.

A report by the FA shows that the 140-year-old competition, the oldest domestic football competition in the world, is broadcast in 160 nations and territories across the world, attracting over 1.4 billion spectators.

The FA Cup was first held in 1871-72. It involves clubs of all standards playing against each other, including "minnows" from lower divisions and giants from the English Premier League.

The holders of the FA Cup are Chelsea, who beat Portsmouth in the 2010 final to complete an FA Cup and League double.

The tour is sponsored by Big Cola. — VNS

Related Articles

• Ceremonies set for large turn outs
• Food promotions at Grand and First hotels
• Poignant Chinese AIDS film moves Berlin festival
• Delayed floods disappoint farmers
• Big enterprises benefit from tax mechanism

26th SEA Games not to have female football

Female football will not be played at the 26th South East Asian Games
in Indonesia following a decision by the Indonesia organising
committee, a major blow to the Vietnam team which is the defending
champion.

Vietnam Olympic Committee general secretary Hoang Vinh Giang said it would be difficult to change the committee's decision.

Indonesia is not good at female football so the Games committee is not eager for this event, he said.

"The
Games committee's reason is that they don't have enough football
grounds," Giang said. "To organise the female football event, they need
two Asian Football Confederation standard grounds, not including
training grounds.

"The Vietnam committee will give its opinion on
this problem at the meeting with Indonesia to discuss competition
programmes. We will request they hold female football. But in my
experience, there is little chance to modify the Games committee's
determination. They have the right to add or reject events."

Meanwhile,
the national female football team, the Games defending champions,
convened at the National Sports Training Centre in Hanoi on Feb. 14 in
preparation for tournaments this year, coached by Chinese Chen Yun Fat.
They include the upcoming SEA Games and the Olympic London 2012
qualifying rounds.

Vietnam Football Federation vice chairman
Nguyen Lan Trung said the federation was waiting for the official
announcement from the Games committee before adjusting the team's
training schedule.

"Meanwhile, the federation would ask the
Vietnam Olympic Committee and football federations in the region to
petition the Games committee to include female football in the programme
for the 26th SEA Games," ./.

Related Articles

• Female football chopped from Games
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• Vietnam’s biodiversity has deep roots in earth’s past
• Mothers share sorrow of war
• NA Committee debates Law on Denunciations

Pacquiao balances pugilism and politics

While Manny Pacquiao balances his roles as world's greatest fighter and representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippine Congress, trainer Freddie Roach was mapping out a strategy to beat "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

Congressman Pacquiao, a world champion at eight different weight classes, will utilize a legislative recess to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against former three-division champion Mosley on May 7 in Las Vegas.

"The first four rounds may be a little crucial, a little dangerous," Roach told reporters at a promotional news conference on Monday. "He's a good counter-puncher and can punch a little bit but I think we can break him down.

"If you walk in too aggressively he will catch you."

Pacquiao, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on the clock to catch a train to Washington where he was scheduled to meet with US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

"We will discuss some political matters," said Pacquiao, declining to offer details on the agenda.

Pacquiao said he still enjoyed boxing but also wanted to thrive in his new role.

"You need to love your job and what you're going to do, and it's just time management," he said about balancing his dual roles. "I love both jobs."

Pacquiao said he has been a busy politician.

And the Filipino congressman Manny Pacquiao

"I'm the one who pushed the bill for anti-human trafficking," he said. "I'm doing good in Congress. There's a lot of stuff to do."

He also worked to obtain funds to build a hospital and hopes construction will begin this spring to finally bring medical services to his province.

"I want to be a champion as a public servant," he said.

Fight organizers said all but a few hundred seats at the MGM Grand arena were already sold, adding that the bookmakers' early line listed Pacquiao as a 7-to-1 favorite.

This information seemed to excite the Mosley camp.

"How do we get a bet in that 7-to-1 situation? Seven to one? We gotta find a way to slide some paper in there," said Mosley trainer Nazim Richardson.

Richardson praised Pacquiao but relished the challenge.

"I think Manny Pacquiao is an extraordinary athlete," he said. "I'm proud that we have the privilege to solve the puzzle that is Manny Pacquiao."

The 32-year-old Pacquiao is 52-3-2, with a pair of decisive wins last year over Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito.

Mosley, 39, lost a decision to Floyd Mayweather and fought a draw with Sergio Mora last year to put his record at 46-6-1.

Mosley, who will have a 7.5-inch reach advantage, was upbeat about facing an opponent who liked to trade punches after lackluster showings against defensive specialists.

"These are the type of fights I love to be in, with guys that really like to fight," said Mosley, a former super welterweight champion.

Related Articles

• Argentine Vice President praises VN’s achievements