Jumat, 21 Juli 2017

PSG Edges Roma On Penalties In Friendly

Agence France Presse/ Los Angeles

Paris Saint Germain edged Roma 5-3 on penalties on Wednesday after they played to a 1-1 draw in a friendly international soccer match in Detroit, Michigan.
Braziloan defender Marquinhos gave the Ligue 1 giants the lead in the 36th minute, but Roma responded with a strong second half performance that saw Sadiq Umar nab the equalizer in the 60th minute.
Under the rules of the International Champions Cup friendly tournament the match was then settled by a shootout.
Only Roma's Gerson failed to convert, and Marquinhos capped his night with the decisive penalty.
Brazil international Dani Alves made his debut for PSG, starting at right back a week after he signed with the French club in a deal worth a reported £ 14 million (US$16 million).
Alves played 69 minutes and was perhaps lucky not to concede a penalty in the 57th, when his slide tackle caught Diego Perotti in the area.
PSG's Spanish coach Unai Emery was satisfied with what he saw from Alves, who won three Champions League and six La Liga titles at Barcelona and who many had expected to end up with former manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
"He played with his experience," Emery said. "He talks a lot on the pitch, he also brings a lot in attack."
The match drew more than 36,000 to Comerica Park, home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tihers.
Paris had seized the lead nine minutes before halftime. A neat combination between Thiago Motta and Jese saw the ball fail to Marquinhos, who fired home a right footed shot from the center of the area.
The French club continued to push, with Lucas Moura firing straight at Roma keeper Alisson, but the lead remained at 1-0 at halftime.
With six changes for Roma and two for PSG, both clubs struggled to find a rythm to open the second half.
But Roma gradually increased the pressure and were rewarded on the hour mark a pass from Gerson saw the speedy Sadiq put in behind and the 20 year old Nigerian put the ball through Alphonse Areola's legs.
Blaise Matuidi had three late chances for PSG, including blazing over from close range in the 85th minute and an injury time effort.
In the shoot out, the first five penalties were converted before Gerson, the third penalty taker for Roma, missed.
"The team did a good job," Emery said. "The result was not the most important thing. Of course, we wanted to win, but what is important is to give playing time to many players."

Solanke Shines As Liverpool Beats Palace In Hong Kong

Mathew Scott
Agence France Presse/ Hong Kong

New signing Dominic Solanke came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in a preseason soccer game in Hong Kong on Wednesday. The 19 year old suggested he could prove a summer bargain at just US$ 4 million as he linked up well with fellow striker Divock Origi, who also got on the scoresheet in the Premier League Asia Trophy win.
"It's been a smart move for him and for us," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said of Solanke's transfer from Chelsea.
"He saw the opportunity and we could see it also. You could see immediately he is a smart player. He's a skilled boy and we are happy about this. We will help him all we can."
Origi set up the first goal for Liverpool on the hour mark with a clever back heel that found Solanke unmarked and the teenager made no mistake, finishing coolly in the stifling Hong Kong heat.
Origi then rifled home Liverpool's second in the 79th minute, to the delight of a crowd of 40,000.
Klopp's new look front line proved a welcome distraction for the German coach following reports that Leizpig had rejected a huge bid of $ 86 million for star midfielder Naby Keita.
Klopp bristled when asked about the Keita situation as rumors circled that the Guinea international's agent had been spotted in Hong Kong.
"Are we in Macau?" asked Klopp in reference to the world's largest gambling hub, situated just across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong.
"What do you know? Sixty six million (pounds) turned down today? I don't think about this.
"Today both teams player good football," added Klopp, turning his attention back to evemts on the pitch.
"In the second half we made some changes and we scored - nice. We changed the formation and it was nice to watch."
Liverpool will face Leicester City in the Asia Trophy final on Saturday after the Foxes won the earlier match 7-6 on penalties ober West Bromwich Albion following a 1-1 stalemate in normal time.
New signing Jay Rodriguez gave West Brom the lead with a stunning finish after nine minutes, only for Riyad Mahrez to squeeze the ball past Ben Foster to level things up midway through the first half.
"Jay's strike was fantastic," said West Brom boss Tony Pulis.
"The lad was always a very good player - he's just had a couple of bad injuries that set him back and he's not really got himself in position to get a run of games."

England Forster Pens New Saints Deal

AFP/London

England international goalkeeper Fraser Forster has signed a new five year deal with Southampton, the Premier League club confirmed on Wednesday.
The 29 year old had agreed to a contract last summer until 2021, but the former Celtic stopper has now extended that for another season.
Forster arrived from Celtic in 2014 and has established himself as one of the top flight's finest 's keepers, playing in all 38 league games last season and featuring 103 times in all competitions in Saints colors.
Forster has six England caps and was a member of the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 squads, although he did not play at either tournament.

Chelsea Agrees To Deal With Real For Morata

AFP/ Madrid

Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata has reached an agreement with Chelsea and will move to the English Premier League champions for a fee reported to be £ 80 million, reports in the Spanish press claimed on Wednesday.
"He has reached an agreement with Chelsea and is right now looking for a flight to London," respected radio station Cadena Ser said on its website as it explained thet the striker will be leaving the Madrid training camp in the United States as soon as he can.
Chelsea had tablet a £ 62 million (US$ 80 million) bid for the 24 year old last week but Madrid, according to the report, have agreed to the sale for £ 80 million.
"Real Madrid will get £ 80 million for the sale, and the deal will be sigmed to make him a Stamford Bridge player," Cadena Ser said.
Madrid brought Morata back from a loan spell at Juventus a year ago, where he had operated under the now Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and flourished.
Morata would replace fellow Spanish International Diego Costa, whom Conte told at the end of last season no longer figured in his plans despite his 20 Premier League goals spurring on Chelsea to the title.

Villa Signs Egypt Star Elmohamady from Hull

AFP/ London

Aston Villa have signed Egyptian international midfielder Ahmed Elmohamady from Championship rivals Hull City for a fee of £ 1 million (US$ 1.3 million), the club confirmed on Wednesday.
Villa boss Steve Bruce has raided his former club to sign the 29 year old, who he managed at Sunderland and Hull.
Elmohamady, who has signed a three year deal at Villa Park, will now link up with the squad in Germany.
"Aston Villa is a great club and I am thrilled to join - it's one of the very biggest club in England and its history and tradition is there for all to see," said the Egyptian.
"It's a great time to join too as we look for promotion for the Premier League."
"I will give absolutely everything to help us achieve that goal."
Elmohamady is Villa's third signing of the summer following the captures of John Terry and Sam Johnstone.

Rabu, 19 Juli 2017

Terriers Shore Up Squad With New Deals

AFP/London

Premier League newcomers Huddersfield Town have tied down three more players to new deals ahead of their first season in the top flight for 45 years.
Captain Tommy Smith, midfielder Jonathan Hogg and winger Rajiv Van La Parra have all penned new three years contract that will keep them at the West Yorkshire club until the summer of 2020, with the option of a further 12 months.
The trio were all key players in the Terrir's stunning promotion via the Championship paly offs last season, and join Chris Lowe and Elias Kachunga in agreeing to new contracts at the John Smith's stadium.
German boss David Wagner is confident that they can all make the step up to Premier League football.
"In addition to the news of extension for Chris Lowe and Elias Kachubga last week, the new contract for Tommy, Hoggy and Najiv are very important pieces of business for this club," he told the Huddersfield official website.
"All three players were so important to the team last season - key to the success we enjoyed - and will continue to be big players for us this season."
Huddersfield are back in the top flight of English football for the first time since relegation from the old First Division in the 1971/72 season.
Wagner's men begin the new campaign with a trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday 12 August.

Rembang Preserving Shipbuilding Craftmanship

Text by JP/Suherdjoko

The coastal people of Rembang, Central Java, are known for their long history of shipbuilding expertise. The recent discovery of a vessel in the village of Punjulharjo in Rembang district, estimated to date back to the 7th century, serves as archeological evidence.
The old kingdoms with strong naval forces in Java always had flourishing shipbuilding ports in the northern coastal areas, from the Singasari period to the Majapahit Empire, the Denmark Sultanate and to the rule of Islamic Mataram.
During the Dutch colonial era, shipyards supported the movement of cargo as well as Dutch troops in their control of Indonesia. Back then, many wooden freighters and warships with cannon were produced in Rembang.
Later, during the Japanese occupation, the Japanese troops forced Rembang shipyards to build hundreds of wooden vessels with diesel engines. Some 44,000 workers toiled away to meet the orders.
The Rembang shipyards have moved from Lasem to Sarang in the same regency. Today, hundreds of shipbuilders continue to produce wooden ships, each costing up to Rp 2 billion (US$ 150,257), depending on the size. With fishing equipment, the price can reach Rp 5 billion.