Everything u need.: 2014

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Amazing Goal by Jonathan.

Post by INTER. Amazing goal Jonathan. Inter preparating for new season on Pinzolo. PINZOLO - Piero Volpi previously worked for the Nerazzurri between 1995 and 2000. Dr. Volpi, FC Internazionale's chief of medical staff, was interviewed by Inter Channel's Nagaja Beccalossi. Doctor, are you a little emotional coming back to Inter after all these years? "Absolutely. First of all it was unexpected. After the great experience I had between 1995 and 2000 my career took me down a different road. As I said, it's unexpected but definitely a nice turn of events."

Friday, June 20, 2014

Ruiz stuns Italy, sends Costa Rica through

Costa Rica’s amazing run here at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ continued in Recife, the Central American upstarts adding Italy’s scalp to their Group D belt after opening with a win over Uruguay. Los Ticos are now through to the knockout phase for only the second time in their history, thanks to a Bryan Ruiz header just before the interval at the Arena Pernambuco.

Costa Rica, playing with a five-man backline, were eager to break on the counter-attack early. And the CONCACAF minnows produced the first chance of the opening period. Celso Borges met a swirling corner with a flying leap, but the veteran midfielder was unable to keep his effort down and it flew over the crossbar of captain Gianluigi Buffon, back in the Azzurri line-up after sitting out the first match injured in Manaus.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli admitted before the match to being fearful of Costa Rica’s combination of “European-style organisation” and the “explosiveness of the Americas.” He had reason to be nervous too. Mario Balotelii had trouble keeping the ball up front in a lone-striker’s role and Los Ticos blasted forward like lightning whenever they had the chance.

Balotelii finally slipped his man on the half-hour mark, racing free on the end of a long ball from Andrea Pirlo, in his traditional deep playmaker’s role. But the enigmatic AC Milan forward was unable to put his delicate lob of Keylor Navas into the back of the net. The Italians’ best chance of the half spurred a Costa Rican response.

Buffon was called into action shortly after and had to be on his toes to keep out a curling effort from Copenhagen-based winger Cristian Bolanos. It was a hint of things to come and Costa Rica upped the tempo in the dying moments of the half, heaping heavy pressure on Italy. Oscar Duarte’s header zipped just over the bar before Campbell saw a penalty shout waved away.

But the Italian resistance gave way a minute before the interval. Junior Diaz whipped in a devastating cross from the left that Bryan Ruiz headed off the underside of the bar and into the goal from a tight angle. Goal-line technology confirmed what the Tico fans had desperately hoped: that the ball had crossed the line.

The Italians were desperate to get back into the game as the second-half got underway. Prandelli brought on forward Antonio Cassano for holding midfielder Thiago Motta for the restart. It didn’t have the desired effect and only managed to leave more room for Costa Rica’s rampaging striker Campbell, who was just barely denied by a sprawling Buffon, who raced well-outside his area on the hour-mark. In the end, the Ticos didn’t need another goal as 1-0 was enough to win on an historic day.

Costa Rica, amazingly through the knockout stages after two games, take on England in their third game on 24 June in Belo Horizonte. Italy, with three points from their two matches, take on Uruguay in Natal at the same time.

Van Persie: Dutch must expect a hard time

After an opening match that left them floating on air, the Netherlands were brought back down to earth with a bump on Wednesday. Australia were the team doing the grounding, often outplaying an Oranje team that, just days before, had crushed the reigning champions.

Louis van Gaal's side ultimately eked out a 3-2 win, with captain Robin van Persie again leading the comeback and young substitute Mephis Depay sealing a 3-2 win. And while, to some, this unconvincing Dutch performance cast fresh doubt on their FIFA World Cup™ chances, Van Persie believes that it may have proved the perfect wake-up call for the squad's less experienced players.

"Yes, it was tough," he told FIFA, "but welcome to the World Cup! This is the biggest tournament in the world, with the very best players, so you know you will have a hard time. That was the case against Australia, and it will also be the case next week and the week after that. As I said, this is the World Cup. But the main thing is that we are through. I don't think anyone expected that [after just two matches] and it's a very nice situation for us to be in."

The fact that his team have booked their place in the Round of 16 before facing Chile has also spared Van Persie a potentially excruciating experience. After all, his goal was preceded by a yellow card that will rule him out of the meeting with La Roja, and which made his vital equaliser all the sweeter.

"That was the goal that got us back into the game," he said. "It was important; I knew we had to get one and preferably as quickly as possible. As soon as I scored, I had a good feeling again that we could win it. And especially from my point of view, I wanted it extra badly because I knew I wouldn't be in the team for next match. I'm annoyed about that."

The Dutch are sure to miss their inspirational captain and record goalscorer when they face an impressive and in-form Chile side on Monday. However, while Van Gaal's side will need to better their performance against Australia if they are to secure top spot in Group B, Van Persie believes that, in slaying the Socceroos, they did display another hugely important character trait.

He said: "I think it says something about us that we can come back like that twice. It's especially impressive under that kind of pressure, because Australia kept on running. They actually played very well.

"We certainly did not play well in the first half but, again, you can't play every match in a tournament fantastically from the start to the end. There are also matches like this, which you need to win. It's to our credit that we did that."

Postiga provides Ronaldo fitness update

Portugal's Helder Postiga dismissed fears over Cristiano Ronaldo's long-term fitness as the injury-affected star trained for the vital FIFA World Cup™ match against USA.

The captain had his left knee taped as he took part in light drills at the team's training camp near Sao Paulo, raising expectations that he will play in Sunday's game in Manaus.

Some observers have questioned whether the Real Madrid forward was risking aggravating his condition by playing at the FIFA World Cup, but Postiga said Ronaldo was able to train unimpeded.

"I don't think that's a question to be raised at the moment because he's training with us, he's practising with us and he's doing all the exercises," Postiga told reporters. "I'm not a doctor but I don't think that's in question."

Ronaldo, 29, caused further concern over his fitness on Wednesday when he stopped training early and had ice applied to his knee at a public session.

Regarding his physical condition, he's been training at his maximum.

Helder Postiga on Cristiano Ronaldo

Today, though, he showed no signs of discomfort as he took part in a warm-up passing exercise with team-mates Nani, Miguel Veloso, Postiga and Ruben Amorim.

Portugal also have injury concerns over goalkeeper Rui Patricio, striker Hugo Almeida and defender Bruno Alves, who are all undergoing treatment.

But Postiga said Ronaldo had been training "at his maximum" ahead of the game against USA, who beat Ghana 2-1 in their Group G opener.

"I personally think that the Cristiano Ronaldo talk is a bit too much so I imagine how he must be feeling about that," the striker added.

"But regarding his physical condition, he's been training at his maximum and if it's not listed in the clinical information of the Portuguese (Football) Federation it's because he's fit to play."