Vidic eyes first FA Cup triumph

Nemanja Vidic is determined to ensure the FA Cup is part of this season's trophy haul when he heads off on his summer break. The Manchester United skipper has yet to win the world's oldest cup competition.

In his first full season at Old Trafford, the Red Devils were beaten in the final by Chelsea. There have also been semi-final losses to Everton and Manchester City as United have endured a succession of frustrations at the reopened Wembley Stadium.

But with the Premier League title secure barring some unthinkable catastrophe, Vidic is now training his sights on the only piece of silverware to elude him since his £7m arrival from Spartak Moscow.

"My aim before every season is to win a trophy," said Vidic. "You want to be there for the big games and once the season is finished, and you are going home or on holiday, you want to see what you have won. That is the thing that has always pushed me."

And Vidic accepts cup competitions in England are something slightly different, even if the big clubs usually end up contesting the latter stages.

"The cup in Serbia is obviously a trophy but the league has always been seen as the main thing," said Vidic. Over the last few years in England the semi-finals and finals have always interesting because Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have always been there and they are the teams who are always watched.

"People always want to see them, especially when they are fighting for a trophy. It makes them important games."

I want to win the trophy. That is more important than who we play against.

Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United defender on potential FA Cup semi-final opponents 

 

Manchester City await the victors in the stand-out semi-final, given Premier League strugglers Wigan and Championship outfit Millwall contest the other. Not that Vidic is particularly enthused by that prospect, which would mean successive encounters with their Manchester rivals, who head to Old Trafford in league combat on April 8.

"I would prefer to have a semi-final against Blackpool," said Vidic. "I want to win the trophy. That is more important than who we play against. Obviously City are in the semi-final. That would mean one more step towards a trophy. But first it is Chelsea."

With a record fourth domestic double at stake, nothing is being left to chance. And for Vidic, such an achievement could be viewed as confirmation of his recovery from the knee operations that were part of an injury-ravaged 16 months.

The 31-year-old does not see it that way, though.

"A trophy doesn't show I have recovered and I am back," he said. "It is more important for me to be part of the team and to feel I am helping it. I am working hard. I am trying to be in the same form as I was before my injury. The fans can say whether I am or not. That is the challenge for me. Winning trophies is about the team, not the individual."

Gerrard completes Liverpool comeback

Aston Villa remain in the Premier League bottom three after Liverpool came from behind to claim the three points and keep alive their faint hopes of securing a UEFA Champions League spot with their 2-1 win at Villa Park.

Villa looked on course for a third successive win after leading at the interval through Christian Benteke's 18th goal of the campaign. But the Reds equalised through Jordan Henderson early in the second period and then captain Steven Gerrard's penalty sealed victory for the visitors.

The home side, who yesterday slipped into the relegation zone for the fifth time this season, are level on points with Wigan Athletic but have an inferior goal difference. Villa posed plenty of threat to Liverpool in the first half with Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor linking well and Ashley Westwood pulling the strings in midfield. But Liverpool upped their game a gear in the second period as they closed the gap on sixth-placed Everton to three points.

Luis Suarez was a handful throughout the 90 minutes, despite his FIFA World Cup™ qualifier exertions in Uruguay in midweek, and came close on several occasions to notching his 30th goal of the season. Villa were the first to threaten and a probing pass from Westwood found overlapping left-back Joe Bennett in plenty of space. He delivered a teasing cross to the near post which Benteke just failed to make contact with as it flew across the six yard box.

Andreas Weimann had a volley blocked but Agbonlahor should have put Villa ahead after 17 minutes. Matt Lowton delivered a superb curling cross into the danger area which picked out the run of Agbonlahor. But the England striker turned his shot straight at Jose Reina when it looked easier to score.

Brad Guzan was called into meaningful action for the first time when finger-tipping a shot from Suarez over the bar after good play by Glen Johnson. Then Nathan Baker had to be alert to nick the ball off the feet of Suarez inside the Villa area. Benteke had scored twice in the 3-1 win at Anfield earlier in the season and after 31 minutes he put Villa ahead.

Westwood's cross was turned back by Agbonlahor to Benteke who drilled a fierce shot past Reina who got a hand on the ball but could not keep it out of the net. It was the 18th goal of the season from the Belgian international. Liverpool tried to retaliate and a misdirected pass from Barry Bannan allowed Suarez a free run at goal but Brad Guzan managed to keep out his low drive. The Villa keeper then fingertipped aside a long-range drive from Liverpool skipper Gerrard.

Henderson sparks Reds comeback
Liverpool needed only three minutes of the second half to get back on level terms. Philippe Coutinho's defence-splitting pass was seized on by Henderson who flicked the ball past Guzan into the corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Gerrard became the first player to be booked for a foul on Agbonlahor. Coutinho should have put Liverpool ahead in the 56th minute after beating the offside trap to run onto a pass from Suarez but he dinked his shot wide of the post. But Liverpool were not to be denied and went ahead three minutes later.

Suarez was brought down in the box by Baker and the resulting spot-kick was converted by Gerrard. Weimann could have made it 2-2 but scooped his shot over the bar from ten yards. Then Gerrard headed Benteke's header off the line at full stretch from a Westwood corner.

But Liverpool had succeeded in taking much of the string out of Villa's attacking threat and quietening the Holte End. Suarez had a shot on the turn saved by Guzan after some trickery inside the Villa box. Benteke had the ball in the net in injury time but was clearly a yard offside.

Wenger salutes Gervinho performance

Arsene Wenger praised Gervinho's dazzling performance after the Ivorian forward inspired Arsenal's 4-1 demolition of struggling Reading. Starting for the first time since December after falling out of favour, and then representing his country at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, the 25-year-old scored in the first half at the Emirates Stadium before turning provider after the break for Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud.

A Mikel Arteta penalty after Hal Robson-Kanu had pulled one back for the visitors rounded off the win for fifth-placed Arsenal to leave them just two points behind Chelsea and four behind Tottenham in the quest for a top-four finish. Wenger admitted he was delighted with Gervinho's attacking contribution after a difficult 18 months since his arrival in north London from Lille.

"He was always dangerous and looked always like he could score," Wenger said. "I believe sometimes that Gervinho has lost confidence because he played in a very negative atmosphere during a period. Strikers need confidence and his game even more. When you lose confidence that is a dangerous game.

"But when he has that back he is a very dangerous player. At the African Nations Cup he was the best striker there."

I'm not in a calculating mood but we have to win our next game and keep doing what we have been doing

Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager on his side's UEFA Champions League qualification hopes 

 

From the moment Gervinho tapped home Cazorla's cross in the 11th minute, there was only going to be one winner in this match. Reading had lost their last six in all competitions and should have been out of contention by half-time after Arsenal missed a hatful of chances.

Cazorla's precise curled finish from a Gervinho pass two minutes after the break finally gave them the second goal they deserved and another assist enabled Giroud to put the game out of sight.

Robson-Kanu did pull one back with a diving header from Jobi McAnuff's cross, but a Arteta penalty, when substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down, rounded off a miserable afternoon for new Reading manager Nigel Adkins, who saw his new side sink to the bottom of the table on goal difference.

Arsenal's third successive victory ensured they still have a good chance of securing UEFA Champions League football for a 16th successive season under Wenger. However the French manager warned they still have plenty of work to do if they are to finish ahead of one or both of Chelsea and Tottenham.

"What we do is we look at the table and we are still behind Chelsea and Tottenham," he said. "I'm not in a calculating mood but we have to win our next game and keep doing what we have been doing. We are on a run so let's take care of ourselves and after we will see where we stand. It will be less predictable than it was predicted.

"Let's take care of the way we play and take care of our spirit. But we have the experience and we have done it before and that's what we want to do again. I'm sure we will but it demands a lot of dedication and nerves until the end."

Juve top Inter, Napoli win thriller in Torino

Juventus overcame the first major obstacle on the home straight of their Serie A title defence by beating ten-man Inter Milan 2-1.

League leaders Juve were also eager to avenge November's 3-1 home defeat to the Nerazzurri and Fabio Quagliarella drew first blood within the opening three minutes. Despite Rodrigo Palacio's second-half equaliser, Inter could not break down a resilient Bianconeri defence and Alessandro Matri found a winner 30 minutes from time. Esteban Cambiasso was then dismissed for a foul on Sebastian Giovinco with Inter slumping to seventh.

Napoli are still nine points behind Juve, however, after the Azzurri came out on top in a 5-3 thriller at Torino. Blerim Dzemaili saw the first of his two hat-trick goals at the Stadio Olimpico cancelled out by Paulo Barreto and then Jonathas from the penalty spot.

Marek Hamsik had missed his first-half spot-kick and it looked like Napoli would live to regret it as Riccardo Meggiorini gave Torino the lead midway through the second half. But the introduction of Edinson Cavani from the bench inspired Dzemaili to a third goal before the Uruguayan striker notched twice in the last six minutes to keep his side firmly in the title race.

Meanwhile, Riccardo Montolivo's first-half goal was enough for third-placed AC Milan to claim a 1-0 win over Chievo. Montolivo decided the game in the 25th minute as the Rossoneri responded to Juve's win over Inter before Napoli kicked off. There was then a red card for Dario Dainelli as Chievo ended the day nine points above the drop zone.

A Nicola Legrottaglie own goal and a late Antonio Candreva strike earned Lazio a dramatic 2-1 win over top-three rivals Catania. Catania looked set to jump from eighth to fifth when Mariano Isco put them ahead after the break. However, Lazio scored twice in two second-half minutes to snatch what could be a vital win as they moved onto 50 points.

A brace from Mauricio Pinilla saw Cagliari seal a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina. It was a third straight win behind closed doors at the Stadio Is Arenas with Pinilla beating Emiliano Viviano early on before firing the winner from the penalty spot. Juan Cuadrado's second-half response gave Fiorentina brief hope they could make up ground on the top three, but they remain fourth while Cagliari climb to 11th.

Relegation rivals battle for crucial points
At the bottom of the table, Palermo closed to within three points of safety with a shock 2-0 win over Roma. A 15-match winless streak had seen the Rosanero sliding towards relegation but an early goal from Josip Ilicic gave the home faithful reason to believe. Fabrizio Miccoli then rubber-stamped all three points against an under-par Roma side who never really got going.

Palermo are now three points shy of 17th-placed Genoa, who drew 2-2 against Siena, while Roma drop to sixth. Genoa and Siena eventually shared the spoils after a topsy-turvy game at the Luigi Ferraris.

Marco Borriello gave the hosts an early lead but Siena turned the game around with goals either side of half-time from Innocent Emeghara and Alessandro Rosina, the latter from the penalty spot. But Bosko Jankovic's equaliser dumped them back into the final relegation place, one point and one place below Genoa.

Pescara are now bottom of the pile as goals from Yohan Benalouane, Gabriel Paletta and Amauri fired Parma into tenth place with a one-sided 3-0 victory at the Ennio Tardini. Elsewhere, Antonio Di Natale missed a penalty in Udinese's goalless draw against Bologna, with mid-table Sampdoria also drawing a blank at Atalanta despite Pedro Mba Obiang going close at the death.

Sunderland part company with O'Neill

Martin O'Neill tonight parted company with Sunderland after the Black Cats slipped deeper into relegation trouble.

The 61-year-old's departure was confirmed hours after this afternoon's 1-0 home defeat by Manchester United, which left the club sitting just a point clear of the Premier League relegation zone with seven games left to play.

A club statement said: "Sunderland AFC has announced that it has parted company with manager Martin O'Neill this evening. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Martin and wishes him well for the future. An announcement will be made in the coming days regarding a successor."

A run of eight league games without a win which has yielded only three points ultimately cost O'Neill his job after a little more than 15 months at the helm. The Black Cats' last victory came at Wigan Athletic on 19 January, and with trips to European champions Chelsea and rivals Newcastle United to come ahead of Everton's visit to the Stadium of Light on 20 April, things could get worse before they get better.

O'Neill, of course, was the man whose appointment Sunderland fans had craved for years, and his arrival at the Stadium of Light in December 2011 was greeted with delight. The Northern Irishman had never made any secret of his boyhood affection for the club and the chance to manage them fulfilled a long-held dream.

His start was just what owner and chairman Ellis Short was looking for as a run of seven victories in his first ten league games eased the club out of relegation trouble and sent spirits soaring. The Black Cats ran out of steam towards the end of the campaign, but with their top-flight status secured and the promise of a summer rebuilding programme, attention turned to the new campaign with genuine optimism.

That only increased when Short provided O'Neill with a total of £22million with which to buy Scotland international striker Steven Fletcher and England winger Adam Johnson, and the American put his hand in his pocket once again in January to add Danny Graham and Alfred N'Diaye to the squad.

However, only Fletcher, who was this week ruled out for the remainder of the season with ankle ligament damage, has hit the ground running with his 11 goals a major contribution to the 31 points they have claimed to date. Johnson in particular has failed to recreate the form he showed in his early days at Middlesbrough and then in spells after his move to Manchester City, while Graham is yet to find the back of the net in seven appearances.

O'Neill was seemingly not expecting the development as he conducted his post-match press conference. He said: "I am as buoyant now as - I was nearly going to say as I have always been.

"What is it - the half-full or the half-empty glass? I'm even going to the three-quarters full. There's a real determination in the dressing room. The players are obviously disappointed, but they can take a lot from the second half. Yes, there is a determination about the players in there that we can do it."

It is understood the search for a successor is already under way and that the club hope to make a swift appointment. However, whoever gets the job faces the task of galvanising a squad for an intensely uncomfortable run-in with the stakes higher than ever as a result of the cash implications of the new broadcasting deal.

YANGA, POLISI ZATOKA SARE

Young Africans ambayo inaongoza msimamo wa Ligi Kuu ya Vodacom msimu huu wa 2012/2013 leo imetoka sare ya 0-0 dihi ya timu ya Polisi Morogoro katika mchezo uliofanyika leo jioni katika uwanja wa Jamhuri mjini Morogoro.

Katika mchezo huo uliohudhuriwa na washabiki wengi wa soka kutoka mkoa wa Dar es salaam na mikoa ya jirani, umeishia kwa sare hiyo ya pasipo kufungana huku mwamuzi wa mchezo huo Dominic Nyamisana na wasaidizi wake wakishindwa kulimudu pambano hilo kutokana na kutokua makini.

Watoto wa jangwani waliuanza mchezo kwa kasi kwa lengo la kupata bao la mapema na katika dakika ya tatu mchezo, Hamis Kiiza alishindwa kuipatia Yanga bao la kuongoza kutokana na kutokua makini katika umaliziaji.

Polisi nayo ilijaribu kufanya mashambulizi ya kushtukiza lakini umakini wa walinzi wa Yanga ulikuwa kikwazo kwao kuweza kumfikia mlinda mlango Ally Mustafa 'Barthez'

Yanga iliendelea kufanya mashambulizi langoni mwa timu ya Polisi lakini kutokua makini kwa washambuliaji wa Yanga Saimon Msuva, Said Bahanuzi, Hamis Kiiza na Nizar Khalfani ulishindwa kuipatia Yanga bao .

Mpaka mpira unakwenda mapumziko, wenyeji Polisi Morogoro 0 - 0 Young Africans.

Kipindi cha pili kilianza kwa Yanga  kufanya mabadiliko kwa kumuingiza Stephano Mwasika aliyechukua nafasi ya Nizar Khalfani, mabadiliko hayo yaliongeza uhai kwa timu ya Yanga ambapo iliweza kufanya mashambulizi mengi langoni mwa timu ya Polisi. 

Baada ya Yanga kuwa inafanya mashambulizi mengi langoni mwa timu ya Polisi na kusababisha kupata kona nyingi mfululizo, wachezaji wa Polisi waliamua kuwa wanajiangusha kila dakika ili kupoza kasi ya mchezo huku mwamuzi akionekana kutokujali kwa tabia hiyo ya wachezaji.

Polisi waliendelea kucheza kwa kupoteza muda hali iliyopelekea kupoteza radha ya mchezo, dakika za majeruhi Yanga ilifanya mashambulizi ya kushtukiza langoni mwa Polisi lakini mashambulizi hayo hayakuweza kuipatia bao.

Mpaka dakika 90 za mchezo zinamalizika, Polisi Morogoro 0 - 0 Young Africans.

Kwa matokeo hayo ya leo Young Africans inaendelea kuongoza msimamo wa Ligi Kuu ya Vodacom baada ya kufikisha pointi 49 ikiwa ni pointi 6 mbele ya timu ya Azam inayokamata nafasi ya pili kwa kuwa na pointi 43.

Kikosi cha Young Africans: 1.Ally Mustafa 'Barthez', 2.Mbuyu Twite, 3.David Luhende, 4.Nadir Haroub 'Cannavaro', 5.Kelvin Yondani, 6.Athumani Idd 'Chuji', 7.Saimon Msuva, 8.Frandk Domayo, 9.Said Bahanuzi/Didier Kavumbagu, 10.Hamis Kiiza, 11.Nizar Khalfani/Stephano Mwasika

Barça held by Vigo, Malaga take three points

Lionel Messi again made history but his goal was not enough to earn Barcelona a win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo as the two teams split the points in a 2-2 draw.

The Argentinian international is no stranger to treading new ground and his 73rd-minute goal tonight meant he has scored in 19 successive La Liga matches. In doing so he has found the net against every other side in the competition - the first player to ever do that in consecutive matches - and he has 29 goals from his last 19. Tonight's would not be the winner, though, with Borja Oubina's late header earning Celta a point, with Naxto Insa's opener having been earlier scrubbed out by Cristian Tello's goal.

Augusto Fernandez's shot was tipped around the post by Jose Pinto and with 38 minutes gone Insa put the home side ahead, slotting in from close range after a smart cross from Fabian Orellana. Barça would level before the break, though, with Tello being played in down the left by Messi and opening his body before curling a shot across the body of Javi Varas and in to the far corner.

In between times, both sides had seen penalty appeals turned down, with Messi and Chu-young Park both claiming to have been tripped, but both were waved away. Messi would have an impact after the interval, having a shot smartly saved by Varas and then securing another piece of history with 17 minutes left.

The first goal was reversed, with Tello pulling back from the left and Messi arriving just in time to convert. It would not secure the points, though, with Oubina`s looping header off Fabian Orellana`s 88th-minute cross and levelling things up.

Earlier, Malaga temporarily reclaimed fourth spot in the La Liga table with a 3-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano. Weligton gave Manuel Pellegrini's side the lead but Piti levelled for the hosts from the penalty spot.

Former Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista scored his first goal in 18 months to restore Malaga's lead early in the second half before Pedro Morales secured all three points with a wonderful goal. It was Malaga's first win in five matches and a boost to their European ambitions but Rayo remain in ninth.

Bayern blast Hamburg for nine

Bayern Munich illustrated why they are champions-elect as four goals from Claudio Pizarro helped guide them to an awe-inspiring 9-2 demolition of Hamburg.

Bayern are now just one win away from their 22nd Bundesliga title after today's destruction of a shell-shocked Hamburg which, apart from Pizarro's contribution, featured a double strike from Arjen Robben and one apiece for Bastian Schweinsteiger, Xherdan Shaqiri and Frank Ribery.

It could have been even worse for Hamburg with the hosts 7-0 up with 35 minutes remaining, although they managed to get on the scoresheet through Jeffrey Bruma and Heiko Westermann. The scale of victory will also have been noted in Turin with the German side facing Juventus in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final next week.

Although Borussia Dortmund's win over Stuttgart earlier today ensured Bayern could not seal the title with a win, that did not lessen their hunger. They took the lead after just five minutes when Shaqiri picked his spot from nearly 25 yards after being set up by Toni Kroos. Schweinsteiger made it two in the 19th minute with Shaqiri the provider this time, crossing for the Germany international to head in at the near post.

Pizarro nearly made it three soon afterwards, but he did not have to wait long before getting his own name on the scoresheet, pouncing at the far post to bundle the ball in after half an hour. Three minutes later, Robben effectively sealed the win when he exchanged passes with Pizarro before beating Rene Adler inside his near post. There was time for a fifth just before half time with Pizarro on hand to score after Shaqiri's shot hit the post.

The goalscoring continued unabated in the second half with Pizarro and Robben scoring two goals in a minute to make it 7-0. Bayern's biggest win of the season was complete in the 68th minute when Thomas Muller set up Pizarro for his fourth and Bayern's eighth of the evening.

The first blot on the copybook arrived in the 75th minute when Bruma headed in Rafael van der Vaart's cross, much to goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's chagrin. Hamburg's already stifled celebrations lasted a matter of seconds before Ribery grabbed Bayern's ninth in the 76th minute.

Only then did Bayern think about saving their energy for Tuesday night, and they conceded a second in the 86th minute with another header from a Van der Vaart cross, this time from Westermann, although there was nothing to celebrate for the Hamburg captain after a humiliating evening in Munich.

City cruise, Chelsea slip, United close on title

Manchester City capitalised on a stumble from Chelsea to tighten their grip on second place in the Premier League on Saturday, after Manchester United took another stride towards the title. United's 1-0 win at Sunderland had given them an 18-point lead but City cut their advantage back to 15 points ahead of the forthcoming Manchester derby by soundly defeating Newcastle United 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Carlos Tevez slid in to convert Gael Clichy's cross in the 41st minute and David Silva made it 2-0 before half-time when he collected Samir Nasri's pass and rifled a shot into the bottom-right corner. Making his first appearance in two months, City captain Vincent Kompany added a third in the 56th minute with a flick from Gareth Barry's low shot and an own goal from James Perch made Newcastle's misery complete.

City now have a five-point cushion in second place after Chelsea saw their hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification compromised in a 2-1 loss at Southampton. Jay Rodriguez put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, exchanging passes with Steven Davis and coolly steering the ball past the advancing Petr Cech.

Chelsea captain John Terry equalised in the 33rd minute, heading home from a corner, but Rickie Lambert restored the hosts' lead two minutes later when he swept home a superb free-kick from 25 yards.

Southampton have now beaten City, Liverpool and Chelsea at home this year, and Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were the chief beneficiaries of their latest success.

Tottenham Hotspur won 2-1 at Swansea City to leapfrog Chelsea into third place, although they have played a game more. Jan Vertonghen's classy finish put Spurs ahead in the 17th minute and the Belgian international then teed up Gareth Bale to beat Michel Vorm with a vicious strike from outside the area. Michu replied with a 71st-minute header, but the visitors held on.

Fifth-place Arsenal closed to within just two points of Chelsea after a 4-1 win at home to Reading, who sank to the foot of the table in new manager Nigel Adkins' first game in charge. Goals from Gervinho, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud saw Arsenal construct a 3-0 lead inside 67 minutes, with Mikel Arteta adding a fourth from the penalty spot after Hal Robson-Kanu had hit back for the visitors.

United move closer to title

Manchester United took a step closer to a 20th English league title by grinding out a 1-0 win at Sunderland in the lunchtime game. With an FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea on Monday, United manager Alex Ferguson rested Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney but saw his side score the game's only goal in the 27th minute when Titus Bramble diverted Robin van Persie's cross into his own goal. Defeat left Sunderland four points above the relegation zone in 16th place, although they have played at least a game more than the teams immediately below them.

Elsewhere today, an 81st-minute goal from Arouna Kone gave Wigan Athletic a 1-0 win at home to Norwich City that hauled Roberto Martinez's side out of the relegation zone at Aston Villa's expense. Meanwhile, Andy Carroll scored twice, with Gary O'Neil also on target, as West Ham United eased their own relegation fears by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1.

In the final Premier League match of the evening, forward Kevin Mirallas kept Everton's bid for UEFA Champions League football alive with the only goal to increase Stoke City's worries as their slide down the table continued. The Belgian international struck from an electrifyingly quick counter-attack in the first half which left defenders trailing in his wake. Fortunately for the hosts this was not a day when they needed the cushion of the extra goal as Stoke surprisingly hardly tested Howard and his recently-repaired broken back.

www.fifa.com

Records and milestones on the road to Brazil

The Brazil 2014 qualifiers provide the focus for FIFA.com’s latest stats review, with individual feats from the likes of Son Heungmin, Adrian Mutu and Sergio Ramos featuring alongside the fortunes of two likely title contenders. 

1500 goals was the milestone reached by the Netherlands on Friday – 108 years on from their first – with their final strike in the 3-0 win over Estonia. Feyenoord’s Ruben Schaken claimed the landmark effort in just his third international appearance, but the star of the Oranje’s back-to-back qualifying wins was a former Rotterdam hero. Robin Van Persie scored three times over the two matches against Romania and the Estonians to boost his international tally to 34, taking him beyond the great Johan Cruyff and to within six goals of Patrick Kluivert’s record. At the other end, the Dutch have now kept clean sheets in each of their last 11 home FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with their last goal against coming from Finland’s Teemu Tainio in 2004. The win over Romania was also their 13th in succession in the preliminary competition, a record that only West Germany – with 16 between 1969 and 1985 – can better. 

 

96 minutes were on the clock yesterday when Son Heungmin struck a dramatic winner as Korea Republic edged Qatar 2-1. Unsurprisingly, the goal was the latest scored in regulation time during the Asian Zone’s qualifiers for Brazil 2014. While Son was the hero in Seoul, Sydney rose to acclaim Tim Cahill, whose trademark header helped spark an Australian comeback against Oman. The New York Red Bulls forward’s goal was his 27th for the Socceroos, bringing him level with John Aloisi in joint-third in the all-time standings and leaving him needing just two more to equal record-holder Damian Mori. It was also vital in securing a 2-2 draw that extends Australia’s unbeaten home record to 16 matches, one short of their best-ever sequence. 

 

35 international goals was the landmark reached by Romania's Adrian Mutu on Friday, equalling the legendary Gheorghe Hagi's record tally. It was the 34-year-old’s first goal for his country in 21 months. There were also notable milestones for two of the game’s great goalkeepers elsewhere in the European Zone, with Gianluigi Buffon winning his 126th cap against Malta last night to rise to second – behind only Fabio Cannavaro (136) – in Italy’s all-time standings. Petr Cech, meanwhile, made his 100th appearance for Czech Republic, leaving the Chelsea keeper trailing only record-holder Karel Poborsky (118). 

 

26 years and 358 days was the age at which Sergio Ramos became the youngest European player to accumulate 100 caps on Friday. Ramos eclipsed Lukas Podolski in the continental standings by 21 days, although the global record is still held by Korea Republic legend Cha Bum-Kun, who was just 139 days past his 24th birthday when he reached the century-mark. Nor was the Real Madrid defender the only Spaniard celebrating a record last week. In taking charge of his 69th match as Spain coach, Vicente Del Bosque set a new record, surpassing the previous benchmark of 68 set by Ladislao Kubala. Del Bosque and Ramos upped their tallies to 70 and 101 respectively against France last night, as Spain extended to 50 matches their unbeaten run in FIFA World Cup qualifying. It is now 20 years since Denmark inflicted La Roja’s last qualifying loss, winning 1-0 thanks to Flemming Povlsen’s solitary goal. 

 

5 games without a win is the run currently being endured by Brazil after draws against both Italy and Russia over the past week. Ironically, this represents the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts’ worst run since 2001, during Luiz Felipe Scolari’s previous term as coach. The fact that that particular winless streak was followed by glory in Japan and Korea the following year is likely to calm Brazilian nerves, and so too should the scoring form of Fred. The Fluminense striker has now found the net in each of his last four matches, the best Seleção sequence since Rivaldo scored in five successive games at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. As for Brazil's opponents, Russia appear to be thriving under Fabio Capello, who is now unbeaten in his last 17 international matches. Italy, meanwhile, can take pride in becoming the first team to come back from two goals down against the South American giants in 14 years, since the Netherlands secured an identical 2-2 draw in June 1999.

Wenger gives backing to Szczesny

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny should be very proud of already having made 100 first-team appearances - and recalled even legendary number one David Seaman had his "blips".

The Poland stopper has not featured for the last two matches before the international break, dropped for Lukasz Fabianski against Bayern Munich and then watching on from the bench at Swansea, decisions which brought outspoken comments from his father. The 22-year-old moved quickly to distance himself from that direct criticism of Wenger, insisting he was happy to fight for his place, having come through the Arsenal youth system after joining from Legia Warsaw in 2006.

Wenger has every confidence in Szczesny's long-term ability. "That (100 appearances) is a huge credit to him, something absolutely fantastic and shows he has a great future," Wenger said in an interview with Arsenal Player.

"What is happening to him at the moment is just a normal process of any career - we had [Jens] Lehmann, [David] Seaman, they had their blips and their periods where they were less good, even when they were more experienced than Wojciech."

Wenger must decide whether to recall Szczesny for tomorrow's visit of relegation-battlers Reading, but has drawn a line under the recent selection row. "I haven't spoken to him [about his father's comments], but I believe he responded very well. There is a not a lot more to say," the Gunners boss told a news conference.

"We are in a competitive world, he has played 100 games for this club and at his age that is absolutely fantastic. For the rest, we have ups and downs in our form and we have to fight against that, that is what he said, basically. Wojciech has a great future. He is a very young goalkeeper. You do not find very many goalkeepers at his age who have the experience he has already, that is why I believe he has a great future, but he lives in a world where competition exists."

Wojciech has a great future. He is a very young goalkeeper. You do not find very many goalkeepers at his age who have the experience he has already.

Arsene Wenger 

 

Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen, meanwhile, insists his work-rate will remain the same, whether he is in the side or not. The Belgian centre-back is another who has found himself watching from the sidelines, an unused substitute against both Bayern and Swansea.

Wenger must decide whether to stand by the pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker when domestic action resumes tomorrow, or recall his skipper to the heart of the defence. Vermaelen maintains whatever final decision is made will not change his approach.

Speaking in his captain's column in tomorrow's official Arsenal matchday magazine, Vermaelen said: "I am fighting to win my place back, and nothing will change my mentality or the way I work - I will give everything every day, as I have throughout my career. It is just something that happens in football, especially when you play for a big club.

"I always want to play, of course, but the boss has big decisions to make and puts the team on the pitch that he thinks will win the game. It worked on both of those occasions, and each time I was delighted that we won."

Vermaelen added: "I have played many games in my career, and spending two on the bench does not mean the world is on fire. You can't be surprised by these things, the only thing to do is keep going and make sure you come back strongly."

Arsenal's win at Swansea moved them back to within four points of Tottenham, who have played a game more. Wenger knows the race for UEFA Champions League football is set to go to the wire.

"It is the sprint for the line now and we want to continue our run, to have the satisfaction where we want to be at the end of the season," said Wenger, whose team have recorded five wins and suffered just one defeat, at White Hart Lane, in their past seven league outings.

"It is just down to consistency, you try to achieve that on your own side knowing all teams can drop points everywhere, so you want to be the team who drops less, and if possible not at all. That is he only attitude we can have to be successful."

Wenger added: "Reading fight not to go down, we fight to be in the top four, so all the ingredients are there to have a passionate, committed game, but in the end what is important is we come out on top."

England's relegation run-in begins

With the FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers in hiatus until June and international football absent until the end of the English Premier League season, attention turns to the job at hand for its clubs – which for half the division is dodging relegation.

Everyone in the bottom half still has a very real chance of being dragged out of the league by the final game, with only seven points separating 17th and 11th. With up to 27 points on offer between now and 19 May, plenty can happy to these ten sides as they try to stay out of the bottom three. FIFA.com assesses the teams’ chances at avoiding the drop.

Main candidates

Queens Park Rangers
Position: 20th
Games played: 30
Points: 23
Goal difference: -22

Despite two big wins in March, a barren spell through much of January and February – where QPR accrued just four points following their surprise 1-0 win at Chelsea – has left them mired in trouble. Were it not for a late Christian Benteke goal against fellow strugglers Aston Villa in a 3-2 defeat, they’d have lifted themselves off the bottom of the table for the first time since Boxing Day. However, with six of their last seven goals being scored by January signings, there’s hope that the great escape could be on.

“There’s eight games and we need to go win five, probably. It’s not impossible, while there’s hope you’ve got to keep believing and keep trying.” Harry Redknapp, manager

Reading
Position: 19th
Games played: 30
Points: 23
Goal difference: -22

After a string of five defeats, manager Brian McDermott’s spell at the club came to an end. At the start of February things had looked on the up, with ten points from a possible 12, but from being two points clear of safety they are now seven from it. Five points away from home all season has not helped either. Nigel Adkins, just a couple of months since being sacked by Southampton, needs to reverse the momentum. His second game in charge, against his former club, gives him a great opportunity.

“Can we dare to dream that we're going to win the amount of games that we've got to go and accumulate the points? We've got to.” Nigel Adkins, manager

In danger

Wigan Athletic
Position: 18th
Games played: 29
Points: 27
Goal difference: -21

It would be no surprise if there are plenty of optimists at the DW Stadium, despite currently sitting three points short of safety. They’ve avoided relegation from similar positions in the last three seasons and, having collected 21 points from their last nine games in 2011/12, Roberto Martinez knows better than anyone that it’s an achievable task. With experience on their side – and a game in hand – they have every chance, but, having reached the FA Cup semi-final, they are one of only two teams with commitments that could take their eyes off survival. 

“We have shown in the last few games that we can win games in this league, and we must keep that up if we are to move away from the bottom of the table.” Antolin Alcaraz, defender

Aston Villa
Position: 17th
Games played: 30
Points: 30
Goal difference: -2

Back-to-back victories – both coming from behind – have seen Aston Villa shoot up the form table, seeing them become the most successful side in the bottom half over the last six games. However, it’s the first time since May 2011 that they’ve managed to put together consecutive league wins and they have a long list of injuries which threaten their run. However, in Benteke they have one of the year’s most in-form strikers, bagging eight Premier League goals in 2013, a tally only bettered in by Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

“Were certainly playing very well at the moment, so if we can keep that level of performance up, then hopefully we’ll be ok.” Paul Lambert, manager

Southampton
Position: 16th
Games played: 30
Points: 31
Goal difference: -10

Results have been mixed since manager Mauricio Pochettino arrived in mid-January, featuring impressive home wins over Manchester City and Liverpool. However dropped points against Wigan, Newcastle United, QPR and Norwich City arguably count for more at this stage of the season. They host Chelsea this weekend, but their match a week later against Reading – as well as three further games with bottom-half sides – will more likely be what decides their fate.

“[Pochettino’s] had a massive effect on us. The belief we’ve got is fantastic. We press high, we don’t give anyone respect. We’re more than good enough to beat any team.” Jay Rodriguez, forward

Sunderland
Position: 15th
Games played: 30
Points: 31
Goal difference: -9

With just two points from their last six games, Sunderland sit bottom of the form table and have dealt a further blow to their confidence with top scorer Steven Fletcher being ruled out for the season. With games against four of the top six to come, there’s real pressure on their remaining four games – including a key Tyne-Weir derby with Newcastle.

"It’s been a tough season, but I knew it was going to be a tough season for us from August time.” Martin O’Neill, manager

Not yet safe

West Ham United
Position: 14th
Games played: 29
Points: 33
Goal difference: -11

Currently at their lowest position of the season, West Ham have slipped considerably since occupying sixth in mid-November, suffering seven defeats in their last ten games. They have a game in hand over most of their rivals, but against run-away leaders Manchester United it’s far from guaranteed points. However, playing five of the teams below them in their remaining games, they may have a big say in the survival of others, as well as their own.

"It’s disappointing that we haven’t secured safety already with our concentration and sometimes lack of goals. We want to get it out of the way and look at next season.” Sam Allardyce, manager

Newcastle United
Position: 13th
Games played: 30
Points: 33
Goal difference: -11

Inconsistency has dogged Newcastle in recent weeks; over the last six games they have alternated between morale-boosting wins and frustrating defeats – with all but one being won or lost in the final 12 minutes. Depending on perspective this can be viewed positively or negatively, but a tough run-in, UEFA Europa League participation and some key injuries mean there is still work to do for last season’s fifth-place finishers. It remains to be seen if they regret selling top scorer Demba Ba to Chelsea in January.

“The Premier League is so, so different to any other league in the world. Any team can win four or five games and get out of it, so that's what we will aim to do and then we will be safe.” Cheick Tiote, midfielder

Norwich City
Position: 12th
Games played: 30
Points: 34
Goal difference: -18

The division’s draw specialists, equal with Stoke City on 13, and with the worst goal difference outside the bottom four, both attack and defence can reasonably accept criticism for the club's current predicament. With top scorer Grant Holt only netting five times, only QPR lack a more prolific goalscorer. However, they are difficult to beat at home, which could be enough for survival with Swansea City, Reading, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion to come at the Hawthorns.

"Two more wins should definitely do it. It's a big ask for the teams below us to get to that 40-point mark.” Russell Martin, defender

Stoke City
Position: 11th
Games played: 30
Points: 34
Goal difference: -8

With just four points gained in 2013, Stoke have by far the league’s worst return this year. As a result they have been dragged back into sight of the bottom three, having been ranked eighth, and 12 points clear of the drop zone, on New Year’s Eve. However, with five games against the current bottom half of the table to come, they are in a strong position to write their own destiny.

"It's important we just keep getting good results, go from there and not worry about who is behind us." Andy Wilkinson, defender

Key fixtures
30 March
Wigan – Norwich

6 April
Reading – Southampton
Aston Villa -Stoke

7 April
QPR – Wigan

13 April
Southampton – West Ham

14 April
Newcastle – Sunderland

20 April
Norwich – Reading
QPR – Stoke
West Ham – Wigan

27 April
Stoke – Norwich

28 April
Reading – QPR

29 April
Aston Villa – Sunderland

4/5 May
Norwich – Aston Villa
Sunderland – Stoke
West Ham – Newcastle

12 May
QPR – Newcastle
Sunderland – Southampton

19 May
Wigan – Aston Villa
Southampton – Stoke
West Ham - Reading

www.fifa.com

Champions-elect United have history in sights

With Manchester City having conceded defeat in the Premier League title race, runaway leaders Manchester United are switching their focus to the pursuit of records and the preservation of freshness in their squad.

United visit Sunderland on Saturday, when victory would provisionally take them a massive 18 points clear of second-place City, who host Newcastle United later in the day and whose manager, Roberto Mancini, accepts United can no longer be caught.

Eighteen points is the record margin by which United won the title from Arsenal in 2000, while manager Alex Ferguson has spoken of his desire to eclipse Chelsea's unprecedented haul of 95 points from the 2004/05 campaign.

United are also out to gain revenge for the exuberant celebrations of Sunderland's fans after Ferguson's men lost out on the title to City at the Stadium of Light on the final day of last season.

However, thoughts of both vengeance and the history books must be weighed against the need to retain focus for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea.

With such a short turnover between the games, and in the immediate aftermath of the international break, Ferguson has given a strong hint that he will make changes for the visit of Martin O'Neill's side.

"Every coach is praying that their players come back fit (from international duty)," said Ferguson.

"I have to make sure I have some freshness in the team because we also have Chelsea on Monday lunchtime.

"It is a big ask for our squad and something we need to concentrate on because I need to make sure I pick the right teams."

Battle for Europe
The resumption of the league programme sees City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Everton resume their five-way battle for the three UEFA Champions League places below United.

Chelsea, four points off City in third place, visit Southampton on Saturday, while fourth-place Spurs are at Swansea City and fifth-place Arsenal host second-bottom Reading. Everton, two points behind Arsenal in sixth, tackle Stoke City.

Spurs' momentum has begun to ebb in recent weeks, following consecutive defeats by Liverpool and Fulham, and Arsenal are now only four points behind their local rivals with a game in hand.

Arsene Wenger's men, however, will once again be without Jack Wilshere, who has an ankle injury, while the injury-prone Abou Diaby has been ruled out for up to nine months with knee ligament damage.

Arsenal are also likely to encounter a Reading side invigorated by the mid-week appointment of manager Nigel Adkins, who has eight games to bridge the seven-point gap that currently separates the club from safety.

Third-bottom Wigan Athletic preserved the three-point gap that separates them from the teams above the drop zone with a last-gasp 2-1 win at home to Newcastle last time out.

Roberto Martinez's side, who also have a game in hand, host Norwich City on Saturday and victory will lift them out of the relegation zone at the expense of Aston Villa, who do not welcome Liverpool to Villa Park until Sunday.

The writing appears to be on the wall for Queens Park Rangers, who are level on points with Reading but occupy the last place in the table due to an inferior number of goals scored.

However, ahead of Monday's derby with London rivals Fulham, manager Harry Redknapp has urged his players to draw inspiration from the very best as they seek to change their fate.

"The best teams work the hardest," said Redknapp. "People think the best teams just play football. It's a fallacy. The best team in the world is Barcelona and they are the hardest-working team."

English Premier League fixtures
Saturday
Arsenal v Reading
Everton v Stoke City
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Southampton v Chelsea
Sunderland v Manchester United
Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic v Norwich City

Sunday
Aston Villa v Liverpool 

Monday
Fulham v Queens Park Rangers

Poulsen sparking Tanzanian rise

When Kim Poulsen assumed the Tanzania reins in May 2012, the Taifa Stars were ranked 145th on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and 42nd in Africa. In less than a year, the Dane has helped the east Africans climb to 119th in the world and 33rd on the continent, after leaping up eight spots in the last edition of the global ladder. A surprising 3-1 victory over Morocco in a 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifier on 24 March will undoubtedly see the team rise even further in the next month.

Tanzania have only once managed to qualify for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations. That was in 1980, when two defeats and one draw was not enough to see them escape the first round. Their Ranking story is similarly disappointing, reaching their all-time low in October 2005, when they were 175th in the world. Although they climbed to 89th in December 2007, they were caught in a downward spiral since then.

When Poulsen, who up to then had been in charge of the Tanzania U-20 team, replaced his Danish namesake Jan Poulsen, he introduced several of the players with whom he had worked with in the youth side.

"I look for players who have the class, of course, but they also have to have the character to do well and they have to have pride," Poulsen, who also mentioned that the team had benefited from a new long-term sponsor, which enabled the Taifa Stars to embark on a series of international friendlies, told FIFA.com.

If I was to speak in headlines, I would say, 'The will to win is important, but the will to be prepared is vital'.

Kim Poulsen 

 

"It is one thing to have the support of the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF), but now they also have the resources to put their plans into practise. They agree that to have success, they have to prepare and this is happening. There is a whole pipeline, with an U-15 national team, U-17, U-19, U-21 and U-23. The national youth coach regularly sees the teams. Resources are also made available for the senior side.

"We had some success in these friendly matches, beating Cameroon among others. We came very close to knocking out Mozambique in the AFCON qualifiers and only lost on penalties. But before that we beat Gambia in the World Cup qualifiers."

Ice-cream days
Poulsen says that he and his players do not believe that success automatically creates pressure for the team.

He said: "After beating Cameroon, there was a lot of interest from the fans and some people said that we would not be able to have the same success in competitive matches. But we always believed that we could do it and the game against Morocco showed that. We do not believe that our success puts the team under pressure, we regard it as a challenge. We are aware that if you win matches, you buy a ticket for more success and your fans want to see more success.

My players are all very keen to play games. I sometimes describe our match days, irrespective of whom we face, as big ice-cream days. The players have big smiles when they go on to the pitch and only if they are like that will they have success."

Poulsen said that he was particularly pleased that half of the team that played against Morocco - who are ranked much higher at 77th - were born in 1992 or 1993: "We also have any European-based players. There are two players who play in Congo DR, the rest are all from local clubs. I believe that if you want to use a foreign-based player, he has to be better than those that you can get locally. We are strong with the young players that we have.

"I am certain that the future is bright for Tanzanian football. Everybody knows that there are talented players in countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Morocco, but now they can see that we also have talent.

"Having said that, I'm aware that there will be some bumps on the journey on which we have embarked. The important thing is to then learn from these. They are as much part of the journey as the success along the way. The main thing is to have the backing to do well. If I was to speak in headlines, I would say, 'The will to win is important, but the will to be prepared is vital'."

SENGO F.C yaihadhiri KILOLO STARS, yaichapa 7 - 2

Klabu ya soka ya SENGO F.C, leo imeihadhiri timu ya soka ya KILOLO STARS kwa kuichapa magoli 7-2 katika muendelezo wa ligi ya daraja la Tatu Mkoa wa Iringa hatua ya makundi; mchezo uliofanyika katika Uwanja wa Samora katika Manispaa ya Iringa.

Ligi hiyo ambayo ilihairishwa mara kwa mara tangu mwaka jana Novemba 2012, hatimaye ilianza jana kwa kufanyika mchezo mmoja uliokutanisha miamba ya Changarawe F.C dhidi ya Tango F.C; kwa ushindi wa magoli 2 - 0 kwa CHANGARAWE F.C; Huku mchezo wa BBC F.C dhidi ya MTERA SHOOTING STARS ukishindwa kufanyika kufuatia timu ya MTERA SHOOTING STARS kushindwa kufika Uwanjani.

SENGO F.C moja ya timu inayotazamiwa kuchukua Ubingwa wa Mkoa wa Iringa, iliuanza mchezo huo taratibu hadi dakika ya 16 ilipobadilika na kuanza kuishushia mvua ya mabao timu ya KILOLO STARS, Hadi mapumziko SENGO F.C ilikuwa mbele kwa mabao 3-1; kipindi cha pili kilikuwa kibaya zaidi kwa KILOLO F.C baada ya kuzidiwa kabisa na kuruhusu kuongezwa mabao mengine 4 hivyo kufanya matokeo yawe 7-1 kabla ya kupata penati na kufungwa kiufundi; hivyo matokeo kuwa 7-2 kwa SENGO F.C.

 LIGI HIYO ITAENDELEA TENA KESHO KWA MCHEZO KWA MCHEZO KATI YA SUNSHINE F.C DHIDI YA ISIMANI UNITED.

Azam FC yazidi kupaa, yaichapa Prisons 3-0

Timu ya Azam FC imezidi kusonga mbele kwenye ligi Kuu ya Vodacom baada ya kuichapa Tanzania Prisons 3-0 katika mchezo uliochezwa leo kwenye Uwanja wa Azam Complex Chamazi.

 

Pichani juu, nahodha John Bocco, Khamis Mcha na Humphrey Mieno wakimpongeza Kipre Tchetche baada ya kufunga goli la tatu

 

Azam FC imepata ushindi huo wa nyumbani huku mshambuliaji wake Kipre Tchetche akijiweka katika nafasi nzuri ya kutwaa kiatu cha dhahabu kwa kufikisha magoli 12 tofauti na wafungaji wengine kwenye ligi kuu.

 

Katika mchezo huo Azam FC walipata goli la kwanza katika dakika ya 17 kupitia kwa Kipre Tchteche aliyecheza vizuri crosi iliyopigwa na Khamis Mcha, shuti la Kipre lilimbabatiza kipa wa Prisons David Burhan na kutinga wavuni, matokeo yakawa Azam FC 1-0 Prisons.

 

Goli hilo lilidumu hadi mapumziko huku Azam FC wakiwa wameutawala mchezo kwa kutengeneza nafasi nyingi dk 23 John Bocco alishindwa kumalizia krosi ya Tchetche na mpira ukatoka nje, dk 34 Tchetche alipiga shuti likatoka nje na kupeleka timu zote mapumziko Azam FC ikiwa mbele kwa 1-0 dhidi ya Prisons.

 

Kipindi cha pili timu zilirejea uwanjani kwa kasi kila moja ikisaka bao la kumalizia mchezo, Kipre tena alipiga shuti likadakwa na kipa David wa Prisons, Humphrey Mieno naye alipiga shuti likaenda nje, huku Prisons dk 58 Elias Maguli alijaribu kufunga lakini shuti lake likatoka nje.

 

Wakipata nafasi nyingi na kukosa magoli ya wazi, dk 75 mshambuliaji mahiri wa Azam FC, John Bocco aliandika bao la pili kwa timu yake baada ya kuachia shuti la mbali lililongonga mwamba wa chini na kutinga wavuni, Bocco alibadili matokeo na kuwa Azam FC 2-0 Prisons.

 

Tchetche alizidi kulisakama lango la Prisons na dakika ya 84 alihitimisha kalamu ya magoli kwa kuandika bao la tatu akimalizia kazi nzuri ya Seif Abdalah ‘Karihe’, na kuipa Azam FC ushindi wa 3-0 dhidi ya TZ Prisons.

 

Katika mchezo huo Azam FC walifanya mabadiliko dk 65 alitoka Khamis Mcha akaingia Seif Abdalah ‘Karihe’, dk 70 akaingia Abdi Kassim ‘Babi’ kuchukua nafasi ya Humphrey Mieno na dk 73 Salum Abubakar ‘Sure Boy’ alipumzika nafasi yake ikachukuliwa na Ibrahim Mwaipopo, mabadiliko hayo yaliimarisha kikosi hicho na kucheza kandanda safi muda wote wa mchezo.

 

Prisons waliwatoa Nurdin Iss na Aziz Sibo nafasi zao zikachukuliwa na Peter Kazengele na Henry Mwalugala, mabadiliko yaliimarisha safu ya ushambuliaji lakini hayakuweza kubadilisha matokeo ya mchezo huo na kuicha Azam FC kupata ushindi huo mnono wa 3-0.

 

Kocha msaidizi wa Azam FC, Kali Ongala amefurahishwa na matokeo hayo na kiwango cha timu yake, amesema kilichopo sasa ni kuhakikisha hawapotezi  hata mechi moja katika michezo iliyobaki ya ligi kuu.

 

Azam FC kesho itaingia kambini kwa maandalizi ya kucheza dhidi ya Ruvu Shooting, mechi itakayopigwa Uwanja wa Mabatini, Mlandizi mkoani Pwani.

 

Azam FC, Mwadini Ally, Himid Mao, Waziri Salum, Luckson Kakolaki, Jockins Atudo, Michael Bolou, Tchetche Kipre, Salum Abubakar ‘Sure Boy’/Ibrahim Mwaipopo 73’, John Bocco, Khamis Mcha/Seif Abdalah ‘Karihe’ 65’ na Humphrey Mieno/Abdi Kassim ‘Babi’ 70’.