soccer-europe.com

17 May 2011

MANCHESTER CITY 3 (Tevez 14, Lescott 53, Tevez 65 fk)
STOKE 0

Attendance : 45,103
Assists : Milner, Johnson (fk), De Jong (won fk)


15 May 2011

CHELSEA 2 (Ivanovic 2, Alex 83)
NEWCASTLE 2 (Gutierrez 10, Taylor 92)

Chelsea clinch second place despite being held at home to Newcastle who twice came from behind at Stamford Bridge. The hosts led early as Branislav Ivanovic bundled in Frank Lampard's corner but the visitors levelled shortly afterwards when Ryan Taylor's free kick took a huge deflection off of Jonas Gutierrez. With seven minutes to go, Chelsea regained the lead as Alex nodded in Lampard's free kick but with time almost up, Newcastle earned a point through Steven Taylor who nodded in from close range after Nile Ranger's header across goal after a Ryan Taylor corner.

Attendance : 41,739
Assists : Torres, Taylor (fk), Lampard (fk), Ranger


ARSENAL 1 (Van Persie 89)
ASTON VILLA 2 (Bent 11, 15)

Aston Villa collected a superb win at Arsenal, leaving the Gunners in danger of losing out on third place. Villa began well and took a deserved lead when a long ball from Kyle Walker saw Darren Bent beat the offside trap but he still had plenty to do but he chested the ball down well and then sent a looping volley into the net before the ball was allowed to bounce for an excellent finish. Four minutes later, it was Deja vu as Ashley Young's through ball again found Bent clear of the back line and he slotted in with ease with a first time effort. Arsenal struggled to make any impact until Robin Van Persie smashed a cross-shot against the post ten minutes before the interval. They improved after the break with Kieron Gibbs having a shot saved, Van Persie blazed over from the edge of the area and Theo Walcott bobbled a close range shot wide. Villa did fashion a couple of quick chances on the break as both Young and Stuart Downing were denied by the keeper. Arsenal's afternoon was summed up when Marouane Chamakh had a thumping header harshly disallowed, presumably for a push. They finally found the net in the final minute of normal time as Bendtner tried to find space and having been tackled, the ball fell to Van Persie to poke in from close range but it was too little, too late.

Attendance : 60,023
Assists : Walker, Young (fk), n/a


BIRMINGHAM 0
FULHAM 2 (Hangeland 5, 49)

Birmingham remain in danger of the drop after a home defeat against Fulham. Brede Hangeland netted both goals, scored early in each half as, firstly he headed in Jonathon Greening's corner. Amazingly the set piece came about after visiting keeper Mark Schwarzer's huge clearance almost bounced over opposite number Ben Foster who just managed to claw it wide. The win was clinched early in the second half when Hangeland again found the net after another Greening corner wasn't cleared.

Attendance : 27,759
Assists : Greening (ck), n/a


LIVERPOOL 0
TOTTENHAM 2 (Van Der Vaart 9, Modric 56 Pen)

Spurs move above Liverpool to regain fifth place after a goal in each half gave them an excellent win. Rafael Van Der Vaart opened the scoring when he volleyed in brilliantly from the edge of the area after a corner from Luka Modric was half cleared. In the second half, they doubled matters from the penalty spot, converted straight down the middle by Modric after John Flanagan barged over Steven Pienaar right on the edge of the box.

Attendance : 44,893
Assists : n/a, Pienaar (won pen)


WIGAN 3 (N'Zogbia 57, Sammon 68, N'Zogbia 94)
WEST HAM 2 (Ba 12, Ba 26)

West Ham are relegated after losing a two goal lead away at fellow strugglers Wigan. The Hammers were cruising by half time with two goals in fourteen minutes from Demba Ba as he headed in a cross from Thomas Hitzlsperger after his initial corner wasn't cleared and then Ba doubled the lead with a close range header after James Tompkins nodded the ball across goal. Wigan battled back after the interval and pulled a goal back when Charles N'Zogbia walloped in a superb free kick from 20 yards. Midway through the half the hosts equalised as Ben Watson sent Connor Sammon through and he slotted the ball past Rob Green. Both clubs could have won it in a frantic finale but it was N'Zogbia who found the net as he collected the ball wide, cut inside and his low shot flew under Green's body. Hammers boss Avram Grant was sacked less than an hour later. Wigan remain in the battle at the bottom where just one point separates five clubs - two of which will go down.

Attendance : 22,043
Assists : Hitzlsperger, Tomkins, N'Zogbia (won fk), Watson, n/a


14 May 2011

BLACKBURN 1 (Emerton 20)
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Rooney 73 Pen)

Man United win a record breaking 19th league title after a 1-1 draw at Blackburn, leaving their hosts still very much in the relegation dog fight. United took a little longer to get started compared to last week against Chelsea as Nani's header rattled the bar inside four minutes although United weren't having things all their own way as Christopher Samba sent a volley sailing over the bar at the other end. Suddenly United were looking a tad jittery at the back with keeper Kuszczak almost losing possession in his own area and then two minutes later, United were behind as Brett Emerton's cross had the keeper flapping and after Martin Olsson returned the ball into the area, Emerton swept the ball in with a sweet first time shot. United took a while to get their foothold back before Javier Hernandez saw his shot pushed wide by Paul Robinson but Kuszczak remained a major worry for United as he almost got caught in possession from a back pass for the second time in the half!

The second half began with United having been sent out onto the pitch early from their half time break and although they were seeing plenty of the ball, chances were not arriving for the visitors apart from a Nani shot deflected wide. Enter Paul Scholes for Fabio in an attacking change but it was Rovers who almost netted as Olsson thudded a far post header against the post with the keeper well beaten. Controversy then raged as Hernandez burst clear and was clattered by Robinson and after consulting with his assistant, the referee awarded a penalty after players from both sides had converged on the officials. Wayne Rooney collected the ball and sent Robinson the wrong way. United were clearly boosted as Nani came within an inch of converted a superb cross before he was subbed for the entrance of Dimitar Berbatov. The majority of the last ten minutes was a keep ball exercise for both clubs with Rovers seemingly happy for a point and United obviously delighted as the game petered out. Congratulations to United for yet another Premier League title and a record breaking one at that although it has to be said that this title has been won at Old Trafford as United's away form has not been overly sensational.

Attendance : 29,867
Assists : Olsson, Hernandez (won pen)


BLACKPOOL 4 (Campbell 9*, 45, Puncheon 19, Adam 63)
BOLTON 3 (K Davies 6, Taylor 24, Sturridge 53)

* - The 1000th goal in the Prem this season.

Blackpool remain in the bottom three on goal difference after a remarkable seven goal thriller against Bolton at Bloomfield Road. Four goals in the opening 24 minutes saw the game get off to an explosive start as the visitors began the goal-fest when Kevin Davies took advantage of a defensive slip to wallop the ball into the corner from Paul Robinson's free kick, however within three minutes Blackpool levelled as Gary Taylor-Fletcher's flick set up DJ Campbell to hold off his marker and slot in. The hosts then led as Campbell did well to set up Jason Puncheon to drill in but within five minutes Bolton levelled thanks to Matt Taylor's low shot from the edge of the area after being found by Fabrice Muamba. Blackpool regained the lead on half time as Campbell struck again, tapping in Charlie Adam's cross. It did settle down after the break, but not much as Bolton again drew level early in the second half with a close range header from Daniel Sturridge after Chung-Yong Lee had crossed. The hosts collected a vital win when a breakaway saw Taylor-Fletcher set up Adam to smash the winner into the roof of the net. Blackpool still have hope but their last game is away at a title-celebrating Man United.

Attendance : 15,979
Assists : n/a, Taylor-Fletcher, n/a, Gardner, Adam, Lee, Taylor-Fletcher


SUNDERLAND 1 (Sessegnon 34)
WOLVES 3 (Craddock 23, Fletcher 54, Elokobi 78)

Wolves are a point clear of the drop zone after a crucial win at injury ravaged Sunderland who will be pleased that a good start and mid-season have left them with just enough points to survive. The visitors took the lead thanks to former Sunderland defender Jody Craddock who volleyed in Stephen Hunt's deep cross. Sunderland were level by the break thanks to Stephane Sessegnon who sent an acrobatic shot into the net after Wolves failed to deal with a corner from Bolo Zenden. The second half belonged to Wolves as Steven Fletcher regained the lead for them with a far post header after a cross from Matt Jarvis was missed by the keeper. They wrapped it up late on as Jamie O'Hara's free kick was headed in powerfully by George Elokobi.

Attendance : 41,723
Assists : Hunt, Zenden (ck), Jarvis


WEST BROM 1 (Mulumbu 10)
EVERTON 0

Bit of an end of season nothing game at the Hawthorns as West Brom saw off Everton. The only goal came early as Peter Odemwingie pulled the ball back for Youssef Mulumbu to sweep in. Everton ended with ten men when sub Diniyar Bilyaletdinov was shown a straight red for a clumsy challenge on James Morrison.

Attendance : 25,838
Red Card: Bilyaletdinov 77 (Everton)
Assist : Odemwingie

Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Yahoo Groups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
Leeds United and Scotland and proud of it