Video - Highlights from Manchester City vs Stoke - FA CUP

Manchester City have won their first trophy in 35 years after winning the FA Cup final against Stoke. City went ahead in the 75th minute of the game through a Yaya Toure goal. They comprehensively dominated a nervous stoke. City and United alike both secured titles over night. Check out the extended highlights below.

   

Bolton Wanderers 0 - 5 Stoke City (FA Cup Semi Final)

In what can be only described as a complete battering, Stoke City managed to sweep aside a hapless Bolton Wanderers 0 - 5 at Wembley Stadium.

Two superb long range strikes by Matthew Etherington and Robert Huth opened the scoring for The Potters before Kenwyne Jones sealed the win, adding a third before the first half came to a close.



Rubbing salt into his former employers wounds, Jon Walters added a further two in the second half securing The Potters entry into the FA Cup final for the first time in their 149 year history.

After a strong season by the Wanderers, they bow out of the FA Cup in perhaps a most embarrasing fashion, forever consigned to the history books of being dealt the biggest loss in a FA Cup semi final.

Stoke City will now face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on the 14th of May, 2011 at Wembley Stadium.

Watch extended highlights of the hammering here:


szólj hozzá: B0-5S

By Marcel Abboud

Manchester City 1 – 0 Manchester United (FA Cup semi-final)

Manchester United's treble hopes have coming crashing down into a sea of deafening blue and white as fierce rivals Manchester City claimed all bragging rights in the FA Cup Manchester derby. Despite a very even first half by the crosstown rivals, most of the chances fell to the red half of Manchester as United's Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov saw both his second half chances come agonizingly close to opening the scoring. A stern goalkeeping display by City's Joe Hart made sure than no United attack would succeed.

City came out firing in the second half and their attacking prowess paid off as Yaya Toure managed to disposses Michael Carrack in the 52nd minute and slot home the only goal of the game coolly around Van de Sar. United were faced with a mountain of a task when Paul Scholes was shown his marching orders on the 72nd minute for his very poor tackle on Zabaleta.


The final whistle blew and scenes of jubilation reigned throughout the blue half of Wembely Stadium as Manchester City had finally put one over their rivals where it truly mattered, denying the Red Devils a place in the FA Cup Final. For once the once loud roars coming from the Red half of the city were now silent with their heads down as their traditional rivals had denied them the chance of a treble for this season.

Manchester City will now face the winner between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City in the FA Cup Final.

Watch the defining goal that ended Manchester United's treble hopes here:



By Marcel Abboud

The Rise and Rise of Thomas Hitzlsperger - A Blessing for West Ham United

Even though it's taken more than half the season for German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger to make his debut for West Ham United FC, it couldn't have come at a better time for the Hammers. Nicknamed "Der Hammer" (The Hammer in English) for his punishing and accurate long range drives, Hitzlsperger comes as welcome boost for a West Ham United side that is trying to fight a relegation battle along with four or so other Premier League teams. Bought from Italian side Lazio in the previous Summer transfer window, it has taken Der Hammer more than half a season to debut for the Hammers due to an injury he picked up while on international duty for Die Mannschaft. His influence has been well noted, as all games that he's featured in he's left a significant impact on: his teammates, West Ham fans, media, pundits and opposition alike.


Although its only been three matches since he's made his mark for the Hammers, it seems that he's regaining his form that made him a media darling while at fellow EPL side Aston Villa. His return to the side has coincided with West Ham United's recent revival of form and his rocket shots against Burnely in the FA Cup and a punishing drive from 10 yards against Stoke City have been influentual in helping the Hammers try and battle relegation. Have a look at his stunning strikes and judge for yourself.


szólj hozzá: We3-0Sto



By Marcel Abboud

Comeback Kids - Great Footballing Comebacks in Recent Times

Comebacks have been the talk of the footballing weekend, particularly as Newcastle United FC managed to claw their way back to draw 4 – 4 against an Arsenal side that managed to put three goals past them in under 10 minutes.

Here we look at just a few of thousands of remarkable comebacks in recent footballing memory:

1) Manchester United FC v Bayern Munich FC (2 – 1) 1999 UEFA Champions League Final

In what would go down as a memorable moment forever etched into any Manchester United fan’s memory, this enthralling final saw a resilient Manchester United trounce a rampant Bayern Munich. What made this result more remarkable was the fact that both of Manchester United’s goals came in stoppage time.

After Mario Basler put the Germans ahead in the 6^th minute of play, Bayern Munich looked almost definite to hold up the UEFA Champions League trophy that is until England striker Teddy Sherringham had his say. Coming off the bench in the 67^th minute, the English marksman levelled the game in the first minute stoppage time before another substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjær won the game for the Red Devils in the third minute of stoppage time, poking the ball in the top of the net.


By Manchester United winning, this cemented their place in footballing echelons by completing an unprecedented treble (EPL, FA Cup and Champions League) and the players of this legendary team (despite having lost their captain Roy Keane and Paul Scholes due to suspension) have forever etched their names in footballing history.

2) Central Coast Mariners FC V Sydney FC (5 – 2) 22nd Dec, 2007 (Round 15)

Labelled as the greatest game in the A-League’s short history, a rescheduled game at the Bluetounge Stadium saw these two teams contest the South NSW Derby but with entertaining results. In a very fluid and attacking game, Central Coast keeper Danny Vukovic was given his marching orders in the 16^rd minute as he was to have judged to handle the ball outside his box, but this didn’t stun the boys from the coast. The Mariners had taken the lead in the 3^rd and 15^th minute thanks to goals from Mile Jedinak and John Aloisi respectively.

The Sky Blues then bounced back thanks to goals from popular defender Ian Fyfe in the 33^rd minute before Northern Irishman Terry McFlynn levelled the scores at the 49^th minute. In what is possibly the most exciting second half in the A-League’s history, Greg Owens for the Mariners restored parity in the 63^rd minute (courtesy of a penalty). This did little to dampen the Sky Blues attacking prowress as youngster Adam Biddle nutmeged defender Dean Heffernen and put Sydney FC ahead in the 71^st minute. Before Sydney fans had a chance to catch their breathes back, they were treated to a moment of true class as Brendon Santalab stunned the masses with a fantastic spin-come-strike from just inside the box to thunder Sydney further into the lead. A terrific goal was made better by the fact that this was his first A-League goal for Sydney FC.


In a tense final ten minutes, Adam Kwasnik levelled the scores before, remarkably, Kwasnik handeled the ball in the penalty box. With Kwasnik sent off, Ufuk Talay slotted away the spot kick to send Sydney FC 5 -4 winners and put and end to was has been and since unmatched, the greatest game of the A-League so far.

3) Liverpool FC v West Ham United (3 – 3, 3 – 1 penalties) 2006 FA Cup Final

What is it about a cup final that produces some of the greatest comebacks?

Going down in the 21st minute thanks to a Jamie Carragher own goal, West Ham were sent further ahead when Dean Ashton in the 28nd minute tucked in a loose ball from a West Ham’s Matthew Etherington shot, which Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina failed to hold on to properly.

Liverpool managed to peg one back thanks to French international Djibril Cissé’s goal in the 32^nd minute. West Ham had the lead going into the second half before the Gerrard show kicked in. A Peter Crouch knock down is volleyed in by the Liverpool captain in the 54^th minute, levelling the scores at 2 – 2. Paul Konchesky’s goal in the 63^rd minute had the Hammers thinking they had done enough to win the FA Cup but a thunderous Steven Gerrard 30 yard strike into the back of the net levelled the score on the 90^th minute, leaving Hammers keeper Shaka Hislop doing nothing more than pick the ball out.


Extra-time passed without much incident which led the game into penalties. With three misses from Zamora, Konchesky and Ferdinand for the Hammers (only Sherrigham managed to put one in), Liverpool were handed the 2006 FA Cup when John Arne Riise stepped up and slotted the ball in the back of the net.

This game was truly one of the greatest FA Cup finals to be had and it was truly the Steven Gerrard show for all to see.

4) Arsenal FC V Tottenham Hotspurs FC (4 – 4) 28^th Oct, 2008 (English Premier League)

Tottenham scored twice in the dying minutes of the game to level with their London arch-rivals in an enthralling game of skill, entertainment and football.

After David Bently had put the Spurs ahead on the 13th minute, the Gunners fought back and scored and seemingly had the game wrapped up with thanks to goals from Mikael Silvestre (37), William Gallas (46), and Emmanuel Adebayor (64). Even though Spurs managed to get one back in the 67th minute with a Darren Bent goal, Arsenal responded immediately with a goal from Robin van Persie in the 68th minute of the game.

For any fan that left with five minutes to go, they sure are kicking themselves now. In a display of utter skill and scenes that you can only imagine, Tottenham managed to score when a Luka Modric rocket hit the woodwork with Jermaine Jenas there to put in the rebound in the 89^th minute, making the ledger at 4 – 3. With Arsenal shelshocked, the damage wasn’t over as Aaron Lennon sent the white half of the Emarites Stadium into raptures when in the 90^th minute managed to level the scores from just outside the box.


So the game ended 4 – 4, a highly attacking display from both sides that saw the Gunners capitulate their lead into a 4 – 4 draw. Scenes like this against Arsenal weren’t repeated until an understrength Newcastle United FC managed to come back from 4 – 0 down in the first half to draw 4 – 4 in the dying stages of the game in 2011.

By Marcel Abboud