Ghana shine against Trinidad and Tobago

Ghana made a dream start to their campaign at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007. On Monday 20 August, in their opening Group F match, the Africans celebrated a convincing 4-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago at the Cheonan Sports Complex.

The Ghanaians had their first clear chance after only two minutes, but Sadick Adams failed to convert. However, Ransford Osei made no mistake in the 12th minute as he rounded off a rapid break down the right wing to put the Black Starlets into a 1-0 lead. T&T had a couple of chances through Daniel Joseph, but in general Ghana dominated the play. Inspired by the excellent Adams and Osei, the Africans created plenty of openings themselves, with the latter making it 2-0 just before the break, before Adams added a third in first-half stoppage time.

In the second half the Ghanaians sat back a little, allowing T&T to create a few opportunities. One of these was converted by substitute Stephan Campbell, who struck a powerful free kick from almost 30 metres to notch a consolation goal for his team. But in the 85th minute Ghana had the final say, when substitute Kelvin Bossmann converted to make the final score 4-1.

source:fifa

Kaka, Ronaldinho to face Algeria

Kaka and Ronaldinho will return to the Brazil team for Wednesday’s friendly against Algeria in France. The two players skipped the Copa America – held in Venezuela from 26 June to 15 July – to go on vacation after the European season.

Coach Dunga made four other changes to the squad on Tuesday, bringing in goalkeeper Julio Cesar, defender Lucio, midfielder Lucas and striker Rafael Sobis for the match at Montepellier’s La Mosson stadium.

Dunga left out Helton, Alex, Gilberto Silva, Anderson, Afonso and Fred.

It will be Brazil’s 12th friendly since Dunga replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira after the team’s World Cup quarterfinal elimination to France.

Colombia comes back for 3-3 tie with Germany

It was a high-scoring Monday at the U-17 World Cup in South Korea as Group E and F opened play on Day 3 of the tournament. In Group E, the USA fell, 4-3, to Tajikistan while the Tunisia trounced Belgium, 4-2. In Group F, Germany and Colombia played to a 3-3 tie while Ghana thumped Trinidad & Tobago, 4-1.

Tunisia beat the Belgians despite a 52nd minute red card to Oussama Boughanmi.

Randford Osei scored twice for Ghana in its win over the Trinidadians, who are looking for the first-ever win at a U-17 World Cup.

A thundering long-range shot from Cristian Nazarith with three minutes left earned Colombia the tie against Germany, which had taken a 3-1 lead thanks to the playmaking of Toni Kroos.

USA stunned at U-17 World Cup

The USA got off to a bad start at the U-17 World Cup when it fell, 4-3, to Tajikistan, the former Soviet republic making its world championship debut. The loss came despite U.S. leads of 1-0 and 3-2. “For us, we feel like we let the game slip away,” said U.S. coach John Hackworth. “It was a great effort by Tajikistan tonight, they came out with a lot of character.”

The Americans took an early lead with a headed goal by Mykell Bates and looked in control before 32nd and 43rd minute goals put Tajikistan up at halftime.

Gregory Garza and Billy Schuler scored within the first eight minutes of the second half and the USA was still up, 3-2, with eight minutes left in regulation.

But long-range efforts by Nuriddin Davronov and Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev gave Tajikistan, third in Asian qualifying, the victory.

Camacho vows to make Benfica ‘great’

LISBON, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Jose Antonio Camacho has returned for a second stint as coach of Portugal’s Benfica, with the Spaniard promising on Tuesday to turn the country’s most popular club into a ‘great side’.

Camacho replaces Fernando Santos, who was sacked following Benfica’s 1-1 draw with newly promoted Leixoes in their opening match of the season on Saturday.

After helping the team to a second-place finish in 2004 during his previous spell in charge, Camacho has signed a two-year contract on his return.

‘Benfica has great foundations, now we have to turn it into a great side,’ Camacho told a news conference as he was presented as the club’s new coach by club president Luis Filipe Vieira.

Ronaldo critical of ‘unjust’ ban

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has described his three-match ban for his sending off in his side’s 1-1 draw at Portsmouth as “unjust”. Ronaldo, 22, received a red card for aiming a headbutt at Pompey’s Richard Hughes but claimed he was provoked.

“I am frustrated because three matches is unjust. I am willing to resist the provocation – but only up to a limit,” Ronaldo told the Daily Mirror.

“That limit was passed at Portsmouth. It was just absurd.”

Ronaldo’s suspension because of the incident in the match on 15 August kept him out of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by derby rivals Manchester City.

And he will also miss the home matches against Tottenham and Sunderland as United aim to recover from their worst start to a Premier League campaign in 15 years.

Heinze loses bid for Anfield move

Manchester United’s Gabriel Heinze has lost his attempt to force the club to allow him to move to rivals Liverpool. United disputed claims from Heinze, 29, who said the Red Devils gave him written permission to pursue a transfer to another club for a fee of £6.8m.

The matter was referred to a Premier League arbitration panel.

The hearing concluded that the written letter Heinze possessed “was unambiguous in that it envisages only an international transfer”.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill travelled to Monday’s hearing to put their case.