The 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup's first round will come to a close this weekend. The first round is comprised of 28 clubs who played first leg matches on 21 June and 22 June 2008 and will now complete the second leg.
Three matches of note from this weekend's second leg:
Welsh side Rhyl F.C needs to score against Irish outfit Bohemian F.C. After a 5-1 first leg victory, Bohemian holds a commanding edge. Slovenia's ND Gorica is up 3-0 having scored three away goals at the home ground of Maltese football club Hibernians F.C. And Swedish side IF Elfsborg has a three-goal advantage after a 4-1 defeat of Havnar Bóltfelag in the Faroe Islands.
Teams advancing to the second and third rounds will find the likes of Sivasspor, Grasshopper-Club Zürich, Odense BK, Hibernian F.C., Rosenborg BK, VfB Stuttgart, and Aston Villa waiting for a chance to qualify for the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup. 11 teams will qualify for the UEFA Cup via the Intertoto Cup.
Norwegian international Morten Gamst Pedersen in action with Blackburn Rovers during the 2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Image details: Blackburn Rovers v FK Vetra served by picapp.com
Saturday, June 28, 2008
2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup Begins
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Two German Goalkeepers Returning to Bundesliga for 2008
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has signed with Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart for the 2008-2009 season. The 38-year-old German is expected to start for his nation in Euro 2008 which begins this weekend. Previously, he played for Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Lehmann signed a one-year contract with Stuttgart.
Also returning home is Germany goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt. The former international player played for S.L. Benfica in Portugal last season. He has signed a two-year contract with Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich.
Image details: Euro 2008 - German National Team Training & Press Conference Day 2 served by picapp.com
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Bundesliga Wrap-Up Matchday 33
By: Phillip Boran
Soccer City FC
VfL Wolfsburg 4-0 VfB Stuttgart
Big win for the Wolves as they beat last season’s Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart who were brought down to 10 men in the 18th minute when Fernando Meira was sent off. Former Bayern boss Felix Magath keeps pushing for the 5th place spot to enter the club in Europe for the first time in Wolfsburg’s existance. The captain Marcelinho opened up the scoring sheet in the 16th minute, followed by a 22nd minute goal by the young Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko. As the 2nd half opened up, Wolfsburg did not let up as they scored in the 55th (Ricardo Costa) and 75th (Ashkan Dejagah). This win places Wolfsburg in 6th place, tied on points with Hamburg SV and Bayer 04 Leverkusen, with Wolfsburg lacking 4 goals in goal difference behind Hamburg.
FC Bayern Munich 3-2 MSV Duisburg
No surprise in the winner here as Bayern show that they have won the Bundesliga comfortably as they take this win with ease. Ottl (3rd), Podolski (18th, 20th) Tararache (48th), and Daun (54th) were the scorers of this relegation fight.
Hansa Rostock 1-2 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer get an important win as their 10 men side send Rostock back down. Rolfes (40th) and Castro (58th) score from the penalty spot. Rostock tried to fight back to stay in the Bundesliga but only managed to find one goal by Addy Waku Menga (67th) which was not enough to stay up.
Hertha BSC 1-0 FC Nurnberg
Mid-table Hertha snag the win late in the match as Nurnberg drop some very important points while they sit in the relegation zone, only 2 points away from Arminia Bielfeld. Raffael (74th) was the match’s only goal scorer as he might have sealed Nurnberg’s fate for next season.
FC Energie Cottbus 2-0 Hamburg SV
Energie claim another season in the Bundesliga as they grab the upset against HSV. With this loss for Hamburg, they have now made it a 3 team race for the 2 UEFA Cup spots still up for grabs. They dropped some vital points that could of sealed their place in Europe next season. Goals by Rivic (29th) and Sorensen (83rd) help keep Energie in the Bundesliga.
Karlsruhe SC 1-3 VfL Bochum
This mid-table match showed that Karlsruhe’s beginning season form has disappeared as they drop points to lower placed Bochum. Bochum ran out of the gate in the 2nd half as Azaouagh (45th), Dabrowski (48th), and Sestak (50th) grab the goals while Karlsruhe tried to push for a come-back but proved too late as squad captain Eggimann (88th) scored.
Arminia Bielfeld 2-2 Borussia Dortmund
Bielfeld will be kicking themselves as they should have sealed their fates for next season in the Bundesliga as Marx (24th pen) and Wichiniarek (34th) put Bielfeld in the lead twice but former Bielfeld man Delron Buckley (28th) and one Alexander Frei free-kick went off Rowan Fernandez’ face (83rd). Dortmund will be without Robert Kovac next match as he was sent off.
Werder Bremen 6-1 Hannover 96
Bremen dominate and hold 2nd place in the Bundesliga as they went on a scoring spree against rivals Hannover. Almeida (14th), Naldo (27th), Borowski (73rd), Klasnic (80th), Rosenberg (82th), and Hunt (87th) on the score sheet for Bremen while Hannover’s only goal came off a Tim Wiese rebound from a penalty taken by Hustzi (90th). With this loss, Hannover are now out of the qualification for the Intertoto Cup spot.
FC Shalke 04 1-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
Shalke take the win as defender Krstajic (65th) takes the lone goal off of a Rakitic corner. Shalke have already qualified for the Champions League last week; it is now a fight for 2nd place between Werder Bremen and Shalke 04.
Phillip Boran will cover the Bundesliga, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, and will give updates on the Czech Gambrinus League for Soccer City FC.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Brace Day
Anyone else notice how many players scored 2 goals in today's matches?
- (MF) Chelsea's Frank Lampard v Huddersfield
- (MF) Manchester United's Darren Fletcher v Arsenal
- (MF) Linfield FC's Oran Kearney v Ballymena United
- (MF) Falkirk's Patrick Cregg v St. Mirren
- (MF) Falkirk's Scott Argfield v St. Mirren
- (MF) Colon de Santa Fe's C. Gonzalez v Arsenal de Sarandi
- (MF) İstanbul BB's İbrahim Akın v Bursaspor
- (MF) Dagenham & Redbridge's Dave Rainford v Grimsby
- (F) Motherwell's Ross McCormack v Gretna FC
- (F) El Nacional Quito's Leo García v Deportivo Azogues
- (F) Atlético Nacional's S. Galvan v Atletico Bucaramanga
- (F) VfB Stuttgart's Mario Gomez v MSV Duisburg
- (F) Borussia Dortmund's Mladen Petrić v Energie Cottbus
- (F) BB Ankaraspor's Antonio de Nigris v Besiktas
- (F) Lille OSC's Patrick Kluivert v Stade Rennes
- (F) Inter Milan's David Suazo v AS Livorno
- (F) Rapid Vienna's Erwin Hoffer v SK Austria Kärnten
- (F) Donegal Celtic's Paul McVeigh v Glenavon
- (F) Aberystwyth Town's Luke Sherbon v CPD Porthmadog
- (F) Ajax Cape Town FC's Nathan Paulse v Black Leopards
- (F) West Brom's Roman Bednář v Coventry
- (F) Northampton's Adebayo Akinfenwa v Gillingham
- (F) Swansea's Jason Scotland v Port Vale
- (F) AS Saint-Étienne's Bafetimbi Gomis v AS Nancy Lorraine
- (F) Libertad Asunción's Rodolfo Gamarra v 2 de Mayo
Who will earn a spot in the next edition of The Weekend XI?
If we missed anyone of note, please do let us know. ~Thanks
