Football Focus Highlight

Italian national team coach, Marcello Lippi proud of the changes that he made the team. He also praised the game "Gli Azzuri" a vibrant, to be able to win 1-0 over Sweden in a friendly party at Dino Manuzzi Stadium, Wednesday (18/11/2009) in the morning.

"This game is very satisfying because there is an attack from two sides," he told RAI television.

"Although the formation of new squad compiled, but did not affect much change. It looks just the players who play with spirit and enthusiasm," he added.

In this game, Davide Biondini play full debut, while Daniele Galloppa, Mattia Cassani and Christian Maggio as the new faces in the squad "Gli Azzuri". While the senior players such as Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Andrea Pirlo did not appear.

"Power management will always be in the squad for Italy. Now we need something to complete this squad and needs the help of many parties. We'll wait and see who we will face in the World Cup in South Africa later on," he explained.

Spain needed a late penalty to sink an Argentina side who had themselves equalised from the penalty spot in a game that saw them largely second-best.

Despite only making two substitutions over the course of the evening, Diego Maradona's side lacked fluency and were on the back foot, ultimately paying the price as Xabi Alonso scored twice, once from the spot. Lionel Messi's equaliser from a penalty situation proved insufficient.

The Spaniards experimented with something of a 4-3-3, Iniesta playing on the right hand side of David Villa and David Silva up front, Sergi Busquets joining old hands Xabi Alonso and Xavi further back, ahead of Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol and Joan Capdevila. Iker Casillas earned his 100th cap in goal.

A lacklustre England went down 1-0 to Brazil, for whom Nilmar scored the only goal in a friendly in Qatar.

Fabio Capello's injury-ravaged side were well beaten, and should have lost by a greater margin.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster might have been sent off for a foul that led to a penalty, which was fired high and wide by Luis Fabiano, while Brazil skipper Lucio lashed a late shot against the woodwork.

The absence of most of Capello's first team gave fringe players such as Darren Bent and Shaun Wright-Phillips the chance to impress, yet none of the lesser lights staked much of a case for a seat on the plane to South Africa.

Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, among others, will sleep easily tonight after their understudies did little to prompt Capello into a radical selection rethink.

Terry's ankle injury meant Wayne Rooney captained his country for the first time, and Fabio Capello may be concerned at his team's over-reliance on their number 10. Beyond the 24-year-old's natural skill and wholehearted effort, England posed little genuine attacking threat.

Recent games have been marked by individual errors, and again several slips undermined the England defence.

On 11 minutes Matthew Upson, drawn out to the right touchline, was skinned by Nilmar who raced into the box but saw his low cross cut out by Joleon Lescott.

Shortly afterwards, Upson played Ben Foster into trouble with a poor backpass and the goalkeeper scuffed an awful clearance straight at Kaka 30 yards out who, amazingly, miscontrolled.

England lacked fluency in midfield, shorn of the passing quality of Lampard and Michael Carrick - replaced by Jermaine Jenas after twisting his ankle.

Rooney provided England's main attacking threat, taking to the captaincy with relish and dropping deep to find possession with his usual vigour. With less than two minutes on the clock, he slid in but was just unable to make contact with a Wright-Phillips cross from the right.

However, the Manchester United forward seemed like a lone hope for England, and failed with several attempts to play a killer ball to his team-mates.



Ten minutes before half-time, Rooney was bodychecked 25 yards out but the referee played advantage and Bent saw his low shot deflected wide for a corner.

Just 100 seconds into the second half, Brazil broke the deadlock with a simple link-up between Elano and Nilmar. The midfielder lofted a pass into the box that the striker sprinted on to and headed past Foster into the right corner.

Rio Ferdinand's many critics might ponder the ease with which Nilmar accelerated away from Upson to meet the ball.

It ought to have been two on 56 minutes after another individual mistake, this time from Wes Brown.

The Manchester United man chested a possible backpass into the path of Nilmar, who raced through on goal and was upended by Foster, who was fortunate to see only a yellow card.

Althgouh Fabiano sent the resultant penalty high and wide, it was an incident that confirmed neither Brown nor Foster are serious contenders for a starting berth at the World Cup.

England struggled to compete, but might have drawn level through James Milner on 70 minutes; the Aston Villa man volleying over from a tight angle after meeting a right-sided Wright-Phillips cross.

Brazil skipper Lucio was inches from doubling the lead 12 minutes from time, when the centre-back strode forward in characteristic fashion and crashed a left-foot shot against the woodwork.

While Brazil were the better side, they did not necessarily justify their status as favourites for South Africa - Spain certainly boast more all-round quality, if not the same World Cup pedigree.
Alex Chick / Eurosport

Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14112009/58/international-football-brazil-outclass-england-doha.html

France likely to qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010 after Nicholas Anelka scored to ensure a single 1-0 victory over hosts Ireland in the first meeting of the European zone playoffs in Croke Park Dublin, Saturday (14/11).

France, 1998 world champion and finalist in 2006, can silence the Irish fans who filled Croke Park after Anelka shot in the 72nd minute hit the defender Sean St Ledger and then hit the post and nestled in the host's goal.

In the first round of the game running the ball balanced and flowing between the two teams defense area. French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac had netted a goal but was canceled due to offside position.

Other French players, Lassana Diarra is also almost scored a goal in the second half. Opportunities of Ireland as Robbie Keane tried to penetrate the French defense, but the referee said no offense.

At the second meeting, 18 November, France will host. Winner of a total of two meetings will be entitled to a ticket to South Africa.

London - England appear not too convincing in the action trial against Slovenia in London. Although the better of the game, Fabio Capello forces 'only' 2-1 win.

Two goals that brought England rejoiced at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (5/9/2009), scored by Frank Lampard and Jermain Defoe. A guest team goals Zlatan Ljubijankic as goal scorer.

This game has become the last step before England face Croatia in the crucial action of the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Croatia in the same place, on Wednesday (9 / 9).

Not convincing performance at first half, Netherland score two goals at second half. Scored by Van Persie, and beautiful Sneidjer goal. The Dutch perfect their performance by Huntelar goal.

This good result although only friendly match, proven readiness of the dutch for World Cup 2010. Could be this is not their best performance today, but just proven they going better time to time, as the champion candidate of the world cup 2010.

For Japan itself, they played different class of football perhaps, trying to hold the ball through Nakamura, Nakata, but still can not manage Dutch midfielder.