Moscow Calling

Chelsea finally found their way to the promised land. After several years of near misses in Europe, the London club will be calling Moscow home in just under a month as they face off against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final. This is the club's first trip to the final.

Chelsea and Manchester United fittingly began their seasons facing off for the 2007 FA Community Shield. Manchester United won on penalties after the match ended tied at 1-1. In May, the two clubs will fight for the greatest prize in all of European soccer.

This rematch of FA Community Shield foes is not the only storyline. Oh no.

What about Roman Abramovich returning to Mother Russia? Will he be able to celebrate with friends and family in his native land?

Also, how will Manchester United handle this fit and injury free Chelsea side that has looked so dominant in recent matches?

Will top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo (7 goals) add to his score sheet and his worldwide fame?

Will Chelsea's and Manchester United's fight for the Premiership title effect the Champions League title?

Is it May 21st yet?

Champions League 2nd Leg of Semi Finals

In two days, the final two teams remaining in the UEFA Champions League will be known. Will Barca or Manchester United face off against Chelsea or Liverpool in the upcoming final?

Chelsea and Manchester United both hold the upper hand as they host their semi-final match ups. Both are currently tied (Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool) & (Manchester United 0-0 Barcelona).

Who do you have going to the final?

The Weekend XI: MLS Edition - April 26th & 27th

The end of MLS Week 5 finds several familiar players back with the Weekend XI. And Columbus and L.A. continue to dominate our roster - each have 8 players named through 5 weeks.

The Weekend XI - MLS Edition will highlight the top eleven players from around MLS from Week 4 as judged by Soccer City FC. 3-4-3 format will be used.

• (GK) Columbus' William Hesmer: Shutout and 6 saves v Houston
• (D) Red Bull NY's Jeff Parke: Shutout v San Jose
• (D) Columbus' Chad Marshall: Shutout v Houston
• (D) Toronto FC's Marvell Wynne: Shutout v KC Wizards
• (MF) New England's Khano Smith: 1 goal v FC Dallas
• (MF) D.C. United's Marcelo Gallardo: 1 goal v RSL
• (MF) Toronto FC's Amado Guevara: 2 goals v KC Wizards
• (MF) L.A. Galaxy's Landon Donovan: 3 goals and 1 assist v Chivas USA
• (F) L.A. Galaxy's Alan Gordon: 2 goals and 1 assist v Chivas USA
• (F) Red Bull NY's Jozy Altidore: 1 goal v San Jose
• (F) D.C. United's Jaime Moreno: 2 goals and 2 assist v RSL

Team Count:

• Columbus - 2
• D.C. United - 2
• L.A. Galaxy - 2
• Red Bull NY - 2
• Toronto FC - 2
• New England - 1

Season Team Count:

• Columbus - 8
• L.A. Galaxy - 8
• FC Dallas - 6
• Colorado - 5
• Red Bull NY - 5
• Chicago - 4
• KC Wizards - 4
• Toronto FC - 4
• New England - 3
• D.C. United - 2
• Real Salt Lake - 2
• San Jose - 2
• Chivas USA - 1
• Houston - 1

Season Player Count:

• L. Donovan (L.A. Galaxy) - 4
• C. Blanco (Chicago) - 2
• D. Beckham (L.A. Galaxy) - 2
• K. Cooper (FC Dallas) - 2
• L. Robert (Toronto FC) - 2
• M. Harrington (KC Wizards) - 2
• W. Hesmer (Columbus) - 2
• J. Altidore (Red Bull NY) - 2

Jim Cassell - Driving Force Behind Manchester City's Youth Academy

By: Alan
Soccer City FC Contributor

The term legend is rarely spoken of about Manchester City other than in references to the past. Trautmann, Bell, Goater to name just a few players that have graced football under Manchester City. There is one other name that, although he hasn’t provided a moment of inspiration on the pitch, he has supplied the talented players who have. Four managers of the first-team have been and gone during his eleven year stay, but his continued presence has provided the consistency to which the academy now thrives on. This man goes by the name of Jim Cassell, the Manchester City Youth Academy Director.

The American historian Daniel Boorstin once said that “In our world of big names, our true heroes tend to be anonymous…The person of solid virtues can be admired for something more substantial than his well-knowess often proves to be the unsung hero: the hard worker.” This is a perfect quote to sum up the work and contributions of Jim Cassell to the club. While the legends on the pitch have the ability to turn a match with a flash of brilliance, the work of those behind the scenes can be often forgotten. I for one hope that every City fan knows about Jim Cassell, his desire and commitment is second-to-none and he can be credited for building an academy that is comparable with the best in the world.

Since he joined the club in 1997, the production line of talent coming from the academy every season has helped the first-team immensely and without it the future of Manchester City would be very grim indeed. He arrived from Oldham having initiated their successful youth and scouting policy and, having been born in Manchester, it was the perfect job he could not refuse. It was Cassell who created a 51-page dossier outlining the future plans for the academy, pin-pointing the exact problems at the time. The £500k investment in the reforms would turn out to be the club’s most astute piece of business. If one man deserves a job for life, there could not be a stronger case for the former local government officer. The impact he has had on the club can only be described as astounding.

The final piece of the jigsaw was complete on Wednesday night for the Youth Academy Director. That elusive piece of silverware that had always just seemed to evade the grasps of the academy, the trophy that Cassell admitted he was “desperate to win”. The opportunity to settle old scores was presented on Wednesday when City’s youth team worked themselves into a great position to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1986. Modest Cassell was prepared for whatever the outcome, stating that if they were to miss out on the cup “we'll say well done to the opposition [Chelsea] and we'll regroup and get on with the production of players.” He needn’t worry about that though, the Youth Cup Final was won 4-2 on aggregate in fairly comfortable style. It was a side that played with pure freedom and expression, together with a solid defence and a strong work ethic that any team would crave.

The proudest man at Manchester City finally had the silverware that he, the staff and the players deserved more than any other team – for the simple reason that the under 18s have constantly shown over the past few years that they have the talent and ability to beat any of their counterparts. Whilst it has been the first Youth Cup success in over two decades, Jim Cassell has overseen academy teams that have won their divisional league for six times in 10 years and produced a significant number of first-team players that would be unheard of with other clubs.

The success of the academy can be measured on more than just one level. You can look further than the actual performances of the academy, expanding the horizons to the impact past and present academy players have had on the first-team. It is safe to say that a City minus Cassell would be a fallen team playing in the Championship rather than striding upwards with European ambitions - Jim Cassell has for years built the foundations of our team, making it possible to move forward and attract quality footballers. A bottom-three finish would have been almost guaranteed last season without our then top goalscorer Joey Barton, neither would we have kept so many clean sheets in the absence of Richards. Cassell’s proven eye for talent is the reason how Shaun Wright-Phillips, released by Nottingham Forest at the time, ended up at Man City, and his goals and contributions down that right flank made him the fan favourite he became.

A different way of measuring the academy’s success is through the transfer receipts for those academy players who have moved on. 'We've raised £32.5 million, so we're about £22 million in profit over 10 years,' Cassell says. 'And that doesn't include Micah, Michael Johnson, Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha, Danny Sturridge and Kelvin Etuhu.' The valuations of these latter players added onto the transfer receipts of those academy players sold and the £60 million barrier would be exceeded comfortably. The academy has substantially helped the club economically as well, with such sales like Shaun Wright-Phillips for over £20 million helping to pay off the debts and placing the club in a healthier position. Cassell has blessed the managers of Manchester City with blossoming talent from within, in an era when sub-standard players have inflated price tags. Rather than diving into the transfer market with limited funds and relying on bosmans, the solutions were found in the academy.

Even with the influx of foreign players into Manchester City, the academy players have still managed to prove themselves to Sven-Goran Eriksson and forced their way into his first eleven. Jim Cassell has catered for 25% of the footballers who have played under Sven this season, as exactly a quarter of the minutes played have been by those raised through the academy. Cassell and the academy staff have developed the youth players so that they can cope with the physical and mental demands of the Premiership, turning the raw talent into more complete and capable footballers. Ched Evans, Kelvin Etuhu and Shaleum Logan all made their first-team debuts this season, where they made positive impressions and will return from their loan-clubs ready to become the next academy star to make the breakthrough. The Youth Cup victory has signified once more the importance of Jim Cassell, as more players are expected to make it - winger Vladimir Weiss lit up the match with his trickery and skills, a fine performance capped off by an unstoppable free kick, while the performances of captain Ben Mee and all his team-mates has meant that every single player has the capabilities to make a name for themselves. The success of the academy is so great that there is no reason in the world why these expectations cannot become a reality once again.

The work of Jim Cassell puts to shame any of the comments by Premier League managers who bemoan the cost of academies, with Rafa Benitez saying "The academy system is not working and that is worrying - there will be long-term effects”. More faith from high-profile managers could be the key difference, the belief is not there so any chance of a successful academy is immediately setback. “You have to work hard at something, and believe in it, to have a chance of being successful - youth development is no different.” Jim Cassell had the morals and the vision to make the City academy a success and the hard work has certainly paid off. City’s youth programme cost a mere £1.6m last year - The academy staff have worked with pennies in comparison to other clubs, yet have produced the riches and the gold that they desire. The character of Cassell could not be more appropriate for the job, his realisation that consistency is the key to success. The best coaches and facilities are meaningless unless academies are built on stable foundations. “"When I look for reasons why we've done well, I think we have probably only had one physio leave since we started. The coaches are all the same.”

Of course the success of the academy cannot be solely down to Cassell and the work of the coaching staff cannot be ignored. Alex Gibson has a proven record of coaching young players at the highest level, having won the European Youth Championship with England back in 1993 and was recruited from the Football Association. Former City captain Paul Power, previously Director of Youth Coaching at the PFA, and Steve Eyre are both valued members of the team. From the Youth Academy Director to the Head of Recruitment Barry Poynton to those involved in the education department, they are all responsible for guiding Manchester City to Youth Cup glory and hopefully the start of many more trophies for the academy.

He may claim he is just doing his job, carrying out the tasks which are being asked of him…the truth is that Jim Cassell has been a godsend to Manchester City in more reasons than what meet the eye. So here’s to the great man at the centre of one of the world‘s best academies. Jim Cassell - The Gent, the Legend, the Unsung Hero.

Adelaide United FC Continue Strong Showing in AFC Champions League

Adelaide United FC continued their strong showing in the 2008 AFC Champions League with yet another victory in the group stage. Adelaide United FC defeated fellow Group E foe Binh Duong FC of Viteman by a score of 4-1 at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide.

The victory now propels Adelaide United FC to the top of the group with two matches left to play. They have won three and draw once for a total of 10 points.

Leading the way has been American-born forward Bruce Djite and Brazilian-American Diego Walsh. The 21 year old scored against the Pohang Steelers at the famous Pohang Steelyard. Central Midfielder Walsh notched a goal at each venue versus Binh Duong.

Further scoring contributors include defender Robert Cornthwaite (goal v Pohang), defender Richie Alagich (goal v Binh Duong FC in Vietnam), midfielder Lucas Pantelis (goal v Binh Duong in Australia), and midfielder Travis Dodd (brace v Binh Duong FC in Australia).

Europe Still Possible for AC Horsens

The Den Gule Fare (Yellow Danger) spent the majority of December through March holding down the third position in the 2007-2008 Danish Superligaen (Superliga).

After a recent run of poor form, the club has climbed back into fourth place with several key fixtures left to play.

With 8 matches remaining, Europe still is possible for AC Horsens. In Superliga set up, the champion will begin in the 2nd qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The second-place team will take part in the UEFA Cup along with the winner of the Danish Cup. As with the Champions League, the clubs will begin in the 2nd qualifying round. Finally, the third-place team will play in the UEFA Intertoto Cup and will begin in the 2nd round.

AC Horsens claimed 3 points from three of the last four matches paced by goals from Henrik H. Hansen (MF), Søren Friis (MF), and Brazilian Gilberto Macena (F).

A pair of up-and-coming talents have also seen the score sheet in recent weeks. Swedish forward and U-21 player Rawez Lawan notched a brace against Viborg FF on April 14th. Danish forward and U-19 player Casper Johansen scored against Viborg FF also.

The present is secure and the future seems even brighter at AC Horsens. Could competition in Europe also be in the forecast?

Atlanta Deserves Major League Soccer's Attention

By: Will Clearman
Special to Soccer City FC

Atlanta which has the #8 Designated Market Area for television media from the 2007-08 season is clearly on Major League Soccer's list of expansion cities.

To compare, St. Louis ranks 21st and Columbus 32nd.

Will Clearman delivers his opinion piece exclusively here at Soccer City FC.

Help! I’m a soccer fan…and a Southerner!!! Yeah, I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and, simply put, I am a soccer fanatic. I play it. I watch it. I love it. But the problem is that until my recent relocation to Washington DC, I never really had a top-level home team to support so I was limited to supporting the USL’s Silverbacks or the US National Team from my couch on the rare occasions when they played. When those options weren’t available, I had to settle for the occasional game on TV between two teams that I don’t care about and, of course, those infuriating Sportscenter teasers that lead us all to believe that we might actually get some good highlights from around the world only to be disappointed by a 5-second clip of fan violence in Nicaragua during the “Today’s Best” segment.

You see, for Major League Soccer fans throughout Atlanta and the southern United States, it has proven very difficult to follow the progress of the league and its players since its inception in 1996. With over 550 miles separating us and the nearest MLS team, league coverage in the local media has been non-existent. Atlanta has been constantly overlooked as a soccer hotbed by MLS and the United States Soccer Federation alike, yet on the few occasions when top-level matches are scheduled anywhere in the southern region, hundreds, if not thousands, of dedicated Georgians pack buses and cars and caravan to nearby cities eager to show their support for the sport.

While the south has played host to a modest number of international friendlies and US National Team games, Atlanta, one the largest and fastest growing cities in the region, has been consistently passed over as a venue mainly due to the lack of a suitable facility to play the games. Yes, there have been exceptions. There have been a few friendlies between Central American or Caribbean teams with lesser facility expectations that have been played in the area, but I certainly never heard about them because they were not advertised at all in the English-speaking media.

Even so, these games have often been well attended by the Hispanic community and have even prompted Don Garber, the Commissioner of MLS, to say “we're intrigued by Atlanta and the market's growing Hispanic population. We've also had discussions in Atlanta about soccer-specific stadiums since there is currently not an appropriate home for an MLS team.” He also adds, “It's our goal to be in Atlanta…. We will be there; it's a matter of time.” With the recent news that the one and only Arthur “Mr. Atlanta” Blank is seriously considering investing in a stadium and a team, we surely can finally allow ourselves to get excited now, right?

It seems that after years of preaching restraint and fiscal responsibility, MLS now appears to be afflicted with the same expansion-happy virus that the NHL is infected with. In just the last two years, MLS has expanded the league by two teams and announced its intentions of expanding into two more markets by 2010. Whatever happened to slow and steady growth? It’s not that I’m complaining. It’s just that if MLS really wants to strike the iron while it’s hot, they should first take a minute and think about it.

You see, I believe expansion should be a priority for the league but not because some obscure suburb floats the bill for a soccer-specific-stadium believing it will help with the poor local high-school graduation rates. No, the league should add teams where the league will most increase its national exposure and footprint or where it will most improve the strength of MLS on a national level. Therefore, it seems to me that putting a team in Atlanta, a huge media market, the capital of the New South, and the center of the most soccer-starved region in the country, is a must. In Atlanta, MLS has the chance to capitalize on something that has benefited our own Atlanta Braves for years - a very strong regional pride which allows for fans from Mississippi to South Carolina to all follow our Atlanta teams. That’s a big footprint.

Ok…so when? The clock seems to be ticking and we fans are getting anxious. The lack of a team to support week in and week out has proven to be very disappointing for all those folks that packed bars and restaurants all across the metro area to view the 2006 World Cup or this year’s Champions League. Growing interest in the sport has left both lifelong and converted soccer fans wishing that they would one day be able to witness a meaningful first-class game in person, right at home. Hopefully, it will indeed happen but until then, what can we do? As an individual, the task of helping to bring an MLS team to Atlanta seems quite daunting. But that didn’t stop those SOB’s up in Philly, did it? No, we need to unite, my friends. It’s about time the South gets a piece of the delicious MLS pie. Let’s let the powers-that-could-be know that we are here and that we want a team!

The Weekend XI: MLS Edition - April 19th & 20th

The end of Week 4 in MLS means the Weekend XI is back.

The Weekend XI - MLS Edition will highlight the top eleven players from around MLS from Week 4 as judged by Soccer City FC. 3-4-3 format will be used.

• (GK) FC Dallas’ Dario Sala: Shutout and 2 saves v Chivas USA
• (D) KC Wizards' Michael Harrington: Shutout and 1 assist v Chicago
• (D) Columbus' Frankie Hejduk: 1 assist v DC United
• (D) San Jose' Nick Garcia: Shutout v Colorado
• (MF) FC Dallas' Arturo Alvarez: 1 assist v Chivas USA
• (MF) L.A. Galaxy's David Beckham: 2 assists v Houston
• (MF) San Jose's Ronnie O'Brien: 1 goal and 1 assist v Colorado
• (MF) Toronto FC’s Laurent Robert: 1 goal v RSL
• (F) FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper: 1 goal v Chivas USA
• (F) Red Bull NY's Jozy Altidore: 1 goal v New ENgland
• (F) L.A. Galaxy's Landon Donovan: 2 goals v Houston

Team Count:

• FC Dallas - 3
• L.A. Galaxy - 2
• San Jose - 2
• Columbus - 1
• KC Wizards - 1
• Red Bull NY - 1
• Toronto FC - 1

Season Team Count:

• Columbus - 6
• FC Dallas - 6
• L.A. Galaxy - 6
• Colorado - 5
• Chicago - 4
• KC Wizards - 4
• Red Bull NY - 3
• New England - 2
• Real Salt Lake - 2
• San Jose - 2
• Toronto FC - 2
• Chivas USA - 1
• Houston - 1

Season Player Count:

• L. Donovan (L.A. Galaxy) - 3
• C. Blanco (Chicago) - 2
• D. Beckham (L.A. Galaxy) - 2
• K. Cooper (FC Dallas) - 2
• L. Robert (Toronto FC) - 2
• M. Harrington (KC Wizards) - 2
  

Have You Seen The New BMO - Toronto FC Commercial?

What a great time to launch a new commerical. Well done, BMO.

Thanks to CK for tipping me off to this gem.

Will You Help Jimmy Armfield?

A large contingent of Blackpool F.C. supporters are attempting to petition the U.K. government to authorize Jimmy Armfield's knighthood. The former right back received the OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2004 so he is clearly in line for his opportunity to be respectfully called 'Sir'.

Please do you part in these final hours and sign the petition for Armfield's knighthood at the Jimmy Armfield Petition.

For those of you unfamiliar with this tremendous man's work on the pitch, I only need to supply you with some key numbers.

• 627 games played - all competitions
• 500+ games played with Blackpool F.C.
• A decade as captain for The Seasiders
• 43 games for England
• 15 as captain

The man who was voted 1962's best right back in the World needs your help.

Sign Up before the end of April 23rd at the Jimmy Armfield Petition

Thank you.

Could PSG Drop?

Could it actually happen? With five matches to play, Paris Saint-Germain is in severe danger of dropping out of Ligue 1.

Crucial battles against AJ Auxerre and le Téfécé remain.

If only George Weah could come to the rescue.

Three Brothers Leading Kalmar FF in the Allsvenskan

It is a rarity for two brothers to play together on the same team. Even more of a rarity is when you have three brothers playing on the same team. Such is the case with Kalmar FF of the Swedish Allsvenskan who thus far are the league's early leaders through five matches.

Victor, David, and Rasmus Elm along with their teammates currently hold a three point edge in the league but their grip on first will certainly be in jeopardy this weekend as they take on third-place side Hammarby IF.

Midfielder Victor Elm paces the brothers with three goals thus far. He also enjoyed a recent call to the Swedish National Team in January. Midfielder Rasmus also has contributed to the score sheet with one goal. Forward David has not scored.

Not to be outdone by the brothers, midfielder Patrik Ingelsten has been sensational for Kalmar scoring four goals including a hat trick against Ljungskile SK.

Three Brazilian attacking players are also on the club with forward César Santin scoring in 2008 against Ljungskile SK.

Will the three brothers lead their club to the Allsvenskan title? If so, this already feel-good story could end up feeling great.

El Loco Scores 3 Against Universidad San Martin

River Plate's Sebastián "El Loco" Abreu scored three goals in the club's 5-0 thrashing of Universidad San Martin of Peru in last night's Copa Libertadores group action. The final group match for both clubs was played at River's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Los Millonarios now advance out of the group stage and will be keenly focused on capturing their third Copa Libertadores title. The Argentine club's last came in 1996.

Universidad San Martin will not advance out of the group stage although the future continues to look bright for this fast-rising Peruvian club. Universidad San Martin was formed in 2004 by a joint stock company. The company purchased Club Sport Coopsol as they were being promoted to the Primera Division and renamed the club Universidad San Martin. They won the Primera Division last season in 2007 for their first league title.

Scoring Summery:

River Plate:
Sebastián Abreu (14')
Falcão (27')
Sebastián Abreu (51')
Andrés Ríos (83')
Sebastián Abreu (90')

Portland Downs Puerto Rico in USL Action

On Thursday evening, Timber Jim (Jim Serrill) walked off into retirement with one last victory to notch onto his lumberjack belt. The Portland Timbers long-standing mascot was honored before, during, and after the opening-night game for his years of service to the organization. Commemorative T-shirts were handed out, a half-time ceremony was conducted, and Timber Jim even remained after to sign autographs for his fans.

Timber Jim revelry aside, the game ended up a success as well when Chris Brown's goal in the 71st minute proved enough to secure 3 points from the Puerto Rico Islanders. Brown who spent time with Real Salt Lake last season will be counted upon to be an offensive threat throughout the season.

PGE Park has become somewhat of a fortress for the Timbers. The team went on to enjoy an unbeaten record (8-0-6) at their home park during 2007's regular season. The Timbers last loss at home came on Sept. 7, 2006 to the Atlanta Silverbacks.

The Timbers next mascot will certainly be new, but coming to PGE Park will continue to be troubling for opposing USL clubs.

Scoring Summary:

Portland Timbers:
Chris Brown (71')

Champions League Prediction Round-Table

With the 2008 UEFA Champions League semi-finals next week, Soccer City FC invited several journalists, bloggers, and players to partake in a light-hearted prediction forum. I want to extend a sincere thank you to those who participated. It will be interesting to see if anyone was spot on with their predictions including calling the score of the final.

And now to the predictions...

Steven Goff of The Washington Post & The Post's Soccer Insider

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-1

Jon Carter of ESPNsoccernet

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Liverpool over Manchester United
• Score: 1-1 Liverpool wins on penalties 4-2

Luis Bueno of The Press-Enterprise, CNNSI.com, & Sideline Views

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-1

Andrea Canales of ESPNsoccernet & Sideline Views

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-0

Buzz Carrick of 3rd Degree

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Liverpool over Manchester United
• Score: 3-1

John Hadden of GoTFC: The Supporters' Voice

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 3-1

Jack Gaughan of Vital Blackpool: Blackpool Football Club News

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-1

Lee of Do Soccer 24/7

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-0

David Keyes of Culture of Soccer

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-1

Sheldon of World Club Rankings

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-1

D of the The DCenters

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-1

Alan of Soccer City FC

• Semi-final: Barcelona over Manchester United
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Chelsea over Barcelona
• Score: 2-1

Alex K of Soccer City FC

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 2-1

Bonji of From College to the Pros

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-1

David Falk of GOALSeattle

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Chelsea over Liverpool
• Final: Manchester United over Chelsea
• Score: 3-2

Michael D'Agostino - Midfielder on Chelthenham F.C. on loan from Blackpool F.C.

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-0

Patrick Phelan - Defender on Toronto F.C.

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-1

David Horst - Defender on Real Salt Lake

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-0

Brian Grazier - Midfielder on the Colorado Rapids

• Semi-final: Manchester United over Barcelona
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Manchester United over Liverpool
• Score: 2-1

And to conclude the round-table, here are my predictions...

• Semi-final: Barcelona over Manchester United
• Semi-final: Liverpool over Chelsea
• Final: Liverpool over Barcelona
• Score: 2-0

With nearly everyone banking on Manchester United to claim the 2008 UEFA Champions League, did our round-table make the correct calls?

Feel free to post your set of predictions or comment on the round-table predictions...

UEFA Champions League: The Final Four - Schedule & Opening Thoughts

The final four remain: Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United.

Soccer City FC kicks off its 2008 UEFA Champions League semi-finals & final coverage beginning tonight with a prediction round-table.

Soccer City FC canvassed journalists, bloggers, and players regarding who they would choose from each semi-final + the final (with score). Their predictions will be online this evening.

As the match dates get closer, Soccer City FC will offer up analysis from several sources as well as video of note.

And now to the semi-finals schedule:

Matchday 11 - Tuesday April 22nd

• Liverpool vs Chelsea

Matchday 11 - Wednesday April 23rd

• Barcelona vs Manchester United

Matchday 12 - Tuesday April 29th

• Manchester United vs Barcelona

Matchday 12 - Wednesday April 30th

• Chelsea vs Liverpool

City Equal Their Best-Ever Premiership Point Total With Win

Match Review: Sunderland 1 Manchester City 2

By: Alan
Soccer City FC Contributor

Manchester City’s Starting XI

It was the work of the supersubs that claimed City’s only fourth away win of the season. The performance was left back in the dressing room but at least the result was correct. The match will quickly be forgotten among the neutrals and Sunderland fans, with the controversial penalty in the 78th minute being the remembering highlight. In fact, let’s fast forward to the frantic last twelve minutes of the match when the key events unfolded.

The controversial moment of the game happened when U18 star Daniel Sturridge went down from Nyron Nosworthy’s ‘challenge’. Despite replays and watching the incident over and over again, I cannot firmly comment on whether there was even any contact - the fact even I do not know and I have the luxury of watching the challenge means there has to be some doubt to the decision to award a penalty. Referees are instructed to only make a decision if they are fully confident but Nosworthy’s challenge, from the position of Mile Riley, must have appeared to bring Sturridge down. The explosive pace of Sturridge meant that he could easily have been put off-balance by the Sunderland defender. Nevertheless, there are not any complaints from me - it is not the first time this season City have been involved in controversial moments and the cliché of the season evening out in terms of luck seems to be working. A matter of weeks after one of the worst penalty decisions in the history of the Premiership against Birmingham, luck changed at the expense of Sunderland. Elano stepped up confidently and strode up to the ball to convert his ninth goal of the season, placing City in an encouraging position for the rest of the match.

The plan to lead 1-0 and control the game until the final whistle had to be abandoned just three minutes later though when Sunderland equalised through a spectacular Dean Whitehead strike. No blame can be put on the defenders, the finish was a moment of magic and left Hart helpless. The home fans were ecstatic, the comeback would leave them with a point to guarantee their safety in the top flight of English football and preserve their Premiership status for another season. Their celebrations weren’t to last long though. By full-time Sunderland had failed to salvage a point, neither did they go on to win which was my fear. City were instead making a comeback of their own. Elano turned provider with a through ball to Darius Vassell and scuffed a decisive shot past Craig Gordon. Although Darius Vassell’s winner on 87minutes was more likely to pick up comedy goal of the season rather than any prestigious awards, it was the difference between 1 point and 3 and the much-needed victory had been achieved.

The match was uninspiring, lacking and at times dysfunctional. The performance of both teams was disappointing and for a team aspiring to reach Europe it can only be described as dreary and sub-standard. On the positive, City had for the first time won when they had to dig in, play a slightly tougher game and adapt from their usual continental football style – Luck played its part, perhaps it was this that was against us on previous matches but a win against one of the teams battling for survival should be a morale-booster. The disappointments of Derby, Birmingham and Reading can be put behind us knowing that Sunderland weren’t added to that list. City fans will be happy after doing the double over former-United favourite Roy Keane, and hoping for a strong season to the finish after Sven equalled City’s highest points tally in the Premiership with four games remaining.

Post-Match Comments

Sven-Goran Eriksson: “The penalty was a little bit harsh maybe - it was a contact, you can see that. I hope we can keep this spirit up until the end of the season so we can at least still dream about playing in Europe next season."

Darius Vassell: "It was the luckiest goal of my career. But they all count. We'd talked about the need to win before the game and hopefully we can build on this now."

Statistics:
Possession: City 60% Sunderland 40%
Shots On Target: City 4 Sunderland 3
Shots Off Target: City 3 Sunderland 5
Fouls: City 12 Sunderland 13
Yellow Cards: City 2 Sunderland 3
Red Cards: City 0 Sunderland 0

Soccer City FC’s Key Men of the Match

Sunderland
Dean Whitehead
Andy Reid
Kenwyne Jones

Manchester City
Richard Dunne – Fantastic performance and subdued the Sunderland attack
Elano – Proved his worth to the team with a goal and an important assist together with clever passes throughout
Darius Vassell – Finished the job and the perfect supersub

The Weekend XI: MLS Edition - April 12th & 13th

The Weekend XI - MLS Edition will highlight the top eleven players from around MLS from Week 3 as judged by Soccer City FC. 3-4-3 format will be used.

• (GK) Colorado’s Bouna Coundoul: Shutout and 9 saves v New England
• (D) FC Dallas’ Adrian Serioux: 1 assist and Shutout v Red Bull NY
• (D) Real Salt Lake’s Nat Borchers: 1 assist and Shutout v DC United
• (D) Colorado’s Jose Burciaga Jr.: 1 assist and Shutout v New England
• (MF) Columbus’ Guillermo Barros Schelotto: 1 goal and 2 assists v Chivas USA
• (MF) Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman: 2 goals v DC United
• (MF) Colorado’s Nick LaBrocca: 1 goal v New England
• (MF) Toronto FC’s Laurent Robert: 1 assist v L.A. Galaxy
• (F) New England’s Kenny Mansally: 1 goal and 1 assist v KC Wizards
• (F) L.A. Galaxy's Landon Donovan: 2 goals v Toronto FC
• (F) Columbus’ Robbie Rogers: 2 goals v Chivas USA

Team Count:

• Colorado – 3
• Columbus – 2
• Real Salt Lake – 2
• FC Dallas – 1
• New England – 1
• LA Galaxy – 1
• Toronto FC – 1

Season Team Count:

• Colorado - 5
• Columbus - 5
• Chicago - 4
• L.A. Galaxy - 4
• FC Dallas - 3
• KC Wizards - 3
• New England - 2
• Real Salt Lake - 2
• Red Bull NY - 2
• Chivas USA - 1
• Houston - 1
• Toronto FC - 1

Season Player Count:

• C. Blanco (Chicago) - 2
• L. Donovan ( L.A. Galaxy) - 2
  

Rubin Kazan - Surprise of the Russian Premier League

Since joining FC Rubin Kazan on March 13th, Turkish attacking midfielder Gökdeniz Karadeniz has guided the club to new heights in the Russian Premier League.

The Russian club has raced out to an early lead in 2008. With their latest victory over FK Khimki by a score of 4-0, they now hold a five-point advantage over second place Amkar Perm.

Rubin Kazan has been perfect through five games even defeating power FC Zenit St. Petersburg by a score of 3-1 at Petrovsky Stadion on March 30th. Gökdeniz Karadeniz scored a brace in the Zenit St. Petersburg match (77' & 83') as well as in the most recent match on April 12th against FK Khimki (56' & 61').

Karadeniz is not the only star on this squad based in Kazan, Russia.

Long time Russian national team member Sergei Semak has been instrumental to the club's success in 2008 as well. The attacking midfielder scored the first goal (75') in the victory over Zenit St. Petersburg.

Ukrainian's third most capped national team member Serhiy Rebrov has also signed on for 2008, but has yet to make a major impact. The Ukrainian legend has been capped 75 times and has scored 15 international goals. He has played in Russia, Ukraine, and England including stops with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Young Russian midfielder Aleksei Rebko is also expected to contribute.

Can Rubin Kazan hold on or will the club return to the bottom half of the table just like their 10th place finish in 2007? A better understanding of their chances will be revealed next weekend when the club squares off against Amkar Perm.

Premiership Rundown - April 10th

From action today in the Barclay's Premiership.

• Birmingham City and Everton draw. Birmingham City with a 83' goal from forward Mauro Zárate and to answer Everton's goal by Joleon Lescott in the 78'.

• Sunderland falls to Manchester City. City takes a 1-0 lead on Elano's 79' PK. Sunderland answers with a goal from captain Dean Whitehead in the 82' but Darius Vassell in the 87' to finish off the scoring at 2-1.

• Fullham takes 3 from Reading. Brian McBride puts Fulham ahead for good in the 24'. A late goal from forward Erik Nevland in the 90' ends the match at 2-0.

• Villa embarrasses Derby. Aston Villa scored six against Derby in this 6-0 thrashing. Goals came from Ashley Young (24'), John Carew (25'), Stiliyan Petrov (36'), captain Gareth Barry (59'), Gabriel Agbonlahor (77') and Marlon Harewood (86').

• Bolton fights to stay up with a 1-0 victory over West Ham. A 46' minute goal from forward Kevin Davies ensures a crucial three points.

• Spurs and Boro draw. An own goal from neophyte Jonathan Grounds could have spelled disaster for Middlesbrough until Stewart Downing's 70th minute goal tied the game back at 1-1.

• Portsmouth and Newcastle United end tied at 0-0.

Queen of the South Upsets Aberdeen FC in Scottish FA Cup

From UEFA Cup's Round of 32 to shock exit in the Scottish FA Cup.

Scottish First Division side Queen of the South upset SPL side Aberdeen FC today in the semi finals of the Scottish FA Cup. Abderdeen defender Andrew Considine's brace was not enough as Queen of the South came out on top by a score of 4-3.

In one 11 minute span in the second half of play, the Queens and Dons accounted for five goals!

The Queens’ received goals from Burns (49'), O'Connor (56') and Stewart (60') and the Dons answered with goals from Nicholson (53') and Considine (59').

Scoring Summary:

Queen of the South
Tosh (22')
Burns (49')
O'Connor (56')
Stewart (60')

Abderdeen F.C.
Considine (36')
Nicholson (53')
Considine (59')

Odd Is Odd

I just came across this the other day. I am sure it has been written about before, but it is just too odd not to list now again.

• At the 1998 World Cup, the USA went 3 and out with only one goal scored in the three matches. The goal was scored by Brian McBride

• At the 2006 World Cup, the USA went 3 and out with only two goals scored in the three matches. One goal came via own goal versus Italy. The other goal was scored in the Ghana match. That goal was scored by Clint Dempsey

Both now find themselves at Fulham F.C.

***[Updated] - Thanks to soccer writer Dave Lifton for pointing out my error. I missed the Italy own goal.

New Look TFC

TFC's midfield may look a whole lot different on Sunday vs the L.A. Galaxy...

Rohan Ricketts


Laurent Robert


Amado Guevara

Linfield FC and Derry City Win in Setanta Sports Cup Action

Linfield FC defeated Glentoran FC by a score of 3 - 1 in Belfast and Derry City held St. Patrick's Athletic scoreless in their 2 - 0 victory in Ireland's Setanta Sports Cup action.

The Setanta Sports Cup pits four teams from the Republic of Ireland' s FAI eircom League of Ireland and four teams from Northern Ireland's Irish Premier League.

The competition which began in 2005 has been won by the Republic of Ireland's Drogheda United two years running.

The final is set for October 18th, 2008.

Nielsen's Brace Too Much For Rosenborg

Norway - 2008 Tippeligaen
Strømsgodset IF 3-2 Rosenborg BK

Strømsgodset IF defeated Norwegian power Rosenborg BK in league action this evening. Strømsgodset IF raced out to a 3 - 0 lead thanks in part to David Nielsen's two goals (13' & 23'). During the last ten minutes of play, Rosenborg battled back to cut the lead to one, but Strømsgodset IF held on to take 3 points in this early season match.

The Weekend XI - World Edition: 4/5 - 4/6

The Weekend XI - World Edition will highlight the top eleven players from around the globe as judged by Soccer City FC. 3-5-2 format will be used.

• (GK) Bordeaux's Ulrich Ramé: Shutout v Stade Rennais
• (D) Boyacá Chicó F.C.'s Mario Garcia: 1 goal v Deportes Tolima
• (D) FK Atlantas' Ivo Begic: 1 goal v FK Šilutė
• (D) Sporting Cristal's Amilton Prado: 1 goal v Atlético Minero
• (MF) Cardiff City's Joe Ledley: 1 goal (GW) v Barnsley FC
• (MF) Atletico Madrid's Simão Sabrosa: 2 goals v Almeria
• (MF) Real Betis' Mark Gonzalez: 2 goals v Real Zaragoza
• (MF) Inter's Patrick Vieira: 1 goal v Atalanta
• (MF) River Plate's Diego Buonanotte: 1 goal v CA Lanus
• (F) Middlesbrough's Afonso Alves: 2 goals v Manchester United
• (F) Ajax's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: 3 goals v De Graafschap

League List:

• England - 2
• Spain - 2
• Argentina - 1
• Columbia - 1
• France - 1
• Italy - 1
• Lithuania - 1
• Netherlands - 1
• Peru - 1

The Weekend XI - MLS Edition: 4/5 - 4/6

The Weekend XI - MLS Edition will highlight the top eleven players from around MLS as judged by Soccer City FC. 3-5-2 format will be used.

• (GK) Chicago's Jon Busch: Shutout and 5 saves v New England
• (D) LA Galaxy's Mike Randolph: Shutout v San Jose
• (D) KC Wizards' Jimmy Conrad: 2 goals v Colorado
• (D) Red Bull NY's Kevin Goldthwaite: 1 goal v Columbus
• (MF) LA Galaxy's David Beckham: 1 goal and 1 assist v San Jose
• (MF) Red Bull NY's Dave van den Bergh: 1 goal v Columbus
• (MF) Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco: 1 goal and 1 assist v New England
• (MF) Houston's Geoff Cameron: 1 goal v FC Dallas
• (MF) LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan: 1 goal and 1 assist v San Jose
• (F) Chicago's Tomasz Frankowski: 2 goals v New England
• (F) FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper: 2 goals v Houston

Team Count:

• Chicago - 3
• LA Galaxy - 3
• Red Bull NY - 2
• FC Dallas - 1
• Houston - 1
• KC Wizards - 1

Season Team Count:

• Chicago - 4
• Columbus - 3
• KC Wizards - 3
• LA Galaxy - 3
• Colorado - 2
• FC Dallas - 2
• Red Bull NY - 2
• Chivas USA - 1
• Houston - 1
• New England - 1

Season Player Count:

• C. Blanco (Chicago) - 2

City Lacking Killer Edge vs. Chelsea

Chelsea Match Review: Lacking The Killer Edge

By: Alan
Soccer City FC Contributor

A 7 a.m. wakeup call and I was soon on my way to the magnificent City of Manchester Stadium to watch the home match against title-chasers Chelsea. The 6-0 humiliation still hurt even months after, the words gutless and embarrassing being the only fitting words to describe the performance. Surprisingly enough I wasn’t nervous, instead calm and collected because I knew that we weren’t expecting to gain anything despite our impressive home record. Nevertheless, I held a slight belief that perhaps we could snatch a draw, or at least put on a good show for the fans.

The match saw four changes being made to City with Corluka, Petrov, Johnson and Ball all returning and the away team came with two former favourites in Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips. I for one was hoping that the notion of players scoring against previous clubs was only a myth. A reminder of Chelsea’s quality was found on their bench: although Drogba was missing from the starting XI, £30m Shevchenco was on the bench along with England international Joe Cole and Germany captain Michael Ballack. City’s bench, whilst better than in previous years, lacked the same level of quality.

The first half looked like more of the City side we saw at the start of the season. The team looked spirited and feisty, knowing that Sven was watching from the sidelines with the demand of a reformed performance from last week’s mediocre defeat to Birmingham. An immediate blow was dealt though when Richard Dunne’s customary own goal gave Chelsea an instant advantage for the remainder of the game. The captain intervened in Anelka’s pass, only for him to knock the ball into the net with Hart left helpless. Dunne’s no-nonsense approach means he goes in for every challenge and makes every effort to clear the ball: an occasional own goal will be sacrificed any day for the number of times he has saved the team from conceding.

For the remainder of the half, City looked the better of the sides and had many chances to equalise. Michael Johnson got into a good position but he squandered the effort by firing over the bar. Attempts by a free-shooting Petrov were saved well by Cudicini and others by Ireland and Benjani were dealt with, although Chelsea were forced into a goal-line clearance. The game changed straight after the half-time break with Kalou rounding Hart to put Chelsea two goals ahead and well beyond the grasp of City. Sven’s team didn’t react well to the goal and were unable to put together any convincing passes to start any sort of comeback. The stern defending of Onouha and the class saves of Hart kept Anelka from poaching a goal himself and the game finished 2-0 to the visitors. The final third proved the thorn in City’s foot once again. The afternoon could not have been much worse as Nedum Onouha was all-but ruled out for the rest of the season after leaving on a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder.

The additional five minutes weren’t welcome by either side. The match had already reached its outcome and the match was dragging on, many had not waited until the final whistle and opted to leave minutes before. I felt annoyed and frustrated - not because of the score and nor the performance, but the reality of how the season was ending. With all due respect, I would of marked the games against Wigan, Bolton, Birmingham and Reading as games that I would demand wins in. 2 draws and 2 defeats spelt the end of the season, although Sven insists, “the important thing now is not to give up…As long as Europe is possible, we have to believe it and we have to fight for it.” Time to give the E word a rest.

As a young boy in my days of story writing, I was told that to create a great tale I must have a good beginning, middle and an end. The same could be said for a good football season - it doesn’t matter how exciting the beginning is, the most important part is the finish. Unfortunately our season is missing the happy ending we all craved. I could be forgiven for thinking the season ended on Sunday 10th February, the date of the second derby win of the season. Whatever the reason for our incompetence over the past couple of months, changes must happen over the summer. The deadwood and underperformers need to be shipped out and a similar, if not larger, change in players is required if we are to progress further next season - something I have the greatest confidence in Sven and the management team achieving.

So the trip to Manchester City was worthwhile despite the result. It was a performance that summed up where we are this season - a team that is firmly a work in progress with the foundations of a very decent select group of players. Any comparisons with the top four can be put to rest, as City are far too inconsistent to threaten them anytime soon and first of all we need to beat the teams below us before we can start looking up again.

I’m giving every player the chance to prove me wrong next week away to Sunderland - our performances against the sides in the relegation battle so far have been dire but there is the chance now to make up for it. If the same group of struggling players put in another inept performance next week they can pack their bags and be on the first plane out of Manchester for all I care - if they can’t outplay or even show more desire than the teams near the bottom then they just aren’t cut out for it. Sven, Thaksin and the fans expect - so deliver.

Photo Credits: Alan of Soccer City FC, All Rights Reserved

City & Chelsea Draw in First Leg of FA Youth Cup Final

Manchester City's and Chelsea's first leg of the FA Youth Cup Final ended 1-1 last evening in front of 11,000 at Stamford Bridge. The scoring came in the second half of play as City landed on the score sheet first in the fifty-first minute courtesy of Daniel Sturridge. Sturridge has become the brightest star on City's Youth Cup team during the 2008 tournament.

Chelsea's Gael Kakuta equalized in the sixty-eighth minute to the delight of the supporters at Stamford Bridge. City players and staff are satisfied to be returning to Eastlands with an opportunity to hoist the FA Youth Cup after the second leg on April 16th.

Manchester City: Sturridge (51')
Chelsea: Kakuta (68')

Manchester City vs Chelsea in '08 FA Youth Cup Final

By: Alan
Soccer City FC Contributor

FA Youth Cup Final Preview: Manchester City vs Chelsea

Time to take a step back from the recent struggles of the first-team to the talented Under 18s who are playing the First Leg of the FA Youth Cup Final against Chelsea on Thursday. Forget the money and materialistic world that the world of football now exists in, this competition witnesses the pure drive and ambition of players to seek the their first taste of silverware in an attempt to make themselves known. It would be a magnificent achievement for the youngsters of Manchester City to claim a first-leg advantage and go on to lift the trophy.

Without attempting to be bias, the under 18s have shown over the past few years that they have the talent and ability to beat any of their counterparts. They have an incredible record in the academy league table, having already won it with 57 points from 23 matches and eight points above their closest rivals with games still remaining. City will be desperate to win the competition two years after they lost 3-2 on aggregate at the same stage to the hands of Liverpool. In fact, City have only managed to win the Youth Cup once back in 1986 despite making the final five times. They have never been so well equipped to turn that around though, with Daniel Sturridge once again lining up in attack along with a host of other names expecting to make an impact on the first-team in the years to come.

City will have to step up a gear from the performance in the semi-final against Sunderland. A 1-0 victory for Sunderland at Eastlands in the second leg was not enough for them to progress, having lost to City 2-0 at the Stadium of Light but it sent a warning that City could not afford to relax. The usually-clinical team had a slight off-day but if this season is anything to go by then the academy of Manchester City have a massive chance of finally claiming some silverware that they well and truly deserve. Daniel Sturridge is the highest profile player in the under 18s and can be considered somewhat of a veteran of the competition. He has formed an effective partnership with goal-poacher David Ball - another name to keep an eye on - with goals being scored from nothing.

Other players to watch are Slovakian winger Vladimir Weiss, described by Sunderland’s Michael Liddle as “so fast and so skillful…I think he's the best player I've played against in my career.”, and Liberian wonderkid Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni, who has made a name for himself in the CAF Champions League and now impressing in City’s reserve and academy sides. So great the occasion is though that any player has the opportunity of making them known in the hope of following Richards and other footballers nationwide that have been successful in the top-flight and beyond.

Manchester City were last victorious in the Youth Cup back in 1986, where they beat rivals Manchester United 3-1 on aggregate. Many figures from that team went onto playing important roles for City in the future, including the likes of White, Lake, Hinchliffe and Redmond (thanks Crossie). A similar outcome would be very welcome and give Jim Cassell and the academy team the rewards they deserve.

Key Dates

Final 1st Leg - Thursday 2nd April at Stamford Bridge

Final 2nd Leg - Wednesday 16th April at City of Manchester Stadium

The Story So Far

Round Three: Manchester City 5-1 Millwall

Round Four: Reading 1-3 Manchester City

Round Five: Bristol City 2-4 Manchester City

Round Six: Plymouth Argyle 1-4 Manchester City

Semi Final 1st Leg: Sunderland 0-2 Manchester City

Semi Final 2nd Leg: Manchester City 0-1 Sunderland (Manchester City win 2-1 on aggregate)

Last Starting Lineup (Semi Final 2nd Leg)

Hartley, Trippier, McGivern, Boyata, Mee (c), Kay, Weiss, Tutte, Ball, Sturridge, McDermott. Subs: Nimely-Tchuimeni, Johansen, Ramsey, Tsiaklis, Mak.

The Opposition

Chelsea’s foreign legion have been put together with some of the best young players around. Their relatively poor position in the academy league (7th with 34 points from 23 games) cannot be underestimated and their strong cup form and the first home leg tie gives them the perfect opportunity to gain a foothold in the final. Manchester City though can be fairly optimistic with their chances and, in the hope that this does not backfire, can leave Stamford Bridge with the upper-hand and take full advantage going into the second leg.

The Manchester City Academy

The success of the academy is comparable with those considered the best in the world, with 25 players in total progressing into the first-team. Such figures are unrecognisable in comparison to other top-flight clubs and City’s survival in the Premiership since their return to it in 2002 can be thanked largely to the work of the academy and the players that have been produced through it. The contributions of Shaun-Wright Phillips, Joey Barton and Micah Richards to name just a few have formed the backbone of teams and without them I would hazard a guess that Manchester City would not be in the current fortunate position of being owned by a billionaire and having a world-class manager. The three names mentioned are all England internationals, with many other graduates of the academy having full internationals and U21 caps themselves and have generated close to £30m in transfer receipts. Special praise must be given to Jim Cassell, having worked magic since he joined the club in 1997 and has shown he is as important to the club as anyone.

Despite Sven Goran-Eriksson stepping in as manager with a major transfer chest, youth players have continued to thrive with Richards, Onouha and Ireland playing vital roles in the successful season. Ched Evans, Kelvin Etuhu and Shaleum Logan made their first-team debuts where they made positive impressions and will return to the club next season from their loan-clubs ready to battle for the first XI. High-profile managers, such as Benitez, have bemoaned the cost of academies and declared they are “not working”, but the success of the City academy and that of Middlesbrough and West Ham show exactly just how important they are in the survival of a club in the top-flight. In the great words of Jim Cassell, "You have to work hard at something, and believe in it, to have a chance of being successful - youth development is no different.”

Bare's Brace Lifts Gamba Osaka and Grasshopper Draws with FC Basel

Bare's brace (12' & 75') proved enough as Gamba Osaka defeated Oita Trinita in J-League action.

Also...

Manchester City FC's affiliate club Grasshopper tied FC Basel in Axpo Super League action. Grasshopper-Club Zurich received the equalizer from Argentine forward Raúl Bobadilla in the 90th minute.

Pachuca's Luis Montes is "En Fuego"

Just checked out Luis Montes' recent run. It is rather impressive.

• March 19 - Goal (43') v Motagua in second leg of CONCACAF Champions' Cup quarterfinals
• March 29 - Goal (11') v Atlante in Jornada 12 of the 2008 Clausura
• April 1 - Two Goals (63' & 81') V D.C. United in first leg of CONCACAF Champions' semi finals

Below is his goal from this past weekend's match against Atlante in Jornada 12 of the 2008 Clausura.

Video courtesy of JumpTVLatino Channel at YouTube.

Pachuca - D.C. United: First Half Video Highlights

First half video highlights courtesy of Pachuca's media homepage - TuzosTV found below.

Pachuca - D.C. United: First Half Video Highlights

Luis Montes Breaks Out Against D.C. United

Pachuca 2 - 0 D.C. United (Estadio Hidalgo)
First Leg of Semi Final in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup

Pachuca midfielder Luis Montes had a breakout performance this evening against D.C. United. Montes' two goals (63' & 81') in the second half now set Pachuca up for a likely spot in the finals of the 2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The second-half substitute instantly impacted the game as he attacked D.C. United down the left side of the field. His second goal sent the 23,000+ Pachuca supporters home satisfied.

Montes so far is the only player to score for Pachuca in the 2008 Champions' Cup and now has three goals in the competition.

D.C. United will host Pachuca on April 9th in the second leg of the semi final.