European league soccer best of the week
Chelsea Vs Arsenal

Three times English premier league champion Arsene Wenger travels today to Stanford Bridge without his star striker Thiery Henry the only man capable of terrorizing Jose Maurinho’s defense force.

Second in the premier league the defending champion Chelsea is still the hottest favorite for their consecutive season. Though former Europe champion Maurinho still lacks to orchestrate entertaining foot ball he still manages a most of the time boring 1-0 win to closely follow arch rival Manchester United three points down.
The Stamford Bridge show down is not only a stage for the big clash of the no love lost between Wenger and Maurinho but it is also the first time Ashley Cole to play against his former club mates. He appeared delivered from nightmare for Henry is absent form the squad. By the same fate French international William Galas’ first ever visit against his former club Chelsea is another phenomena of the Gunner’s visit of Chelsea today.

Ivory Coast’s dearest sons are also to clash each other under two flags. Premier league leading scorer Dider Drogba Vs Colo Ture and Ebuye. At least Chelsea’s demolish anything in sight midfielder Michael Essian is not to wage war against anyone form home. Even the Germans have their own battle among their loved ones Michael Essain in the hosts’ side against goal keeper Lehinman for the visitors. Thirty million pound for doing nothing Andrei Schevichenko need no one to battle against for he is so far harmless to any one club.

Dutch international Van Persee leads the Gunners front line with the ammunition supply to come from English premier League best midfield line up Fabregas, Hleb and Roticisky. If Jose Maurinho’s war waging midfielders Essein, Lampard and Ballack took control of the center field, Wenger could do nothing except crossing hands and pray to be delivered from the Portuguese wrath.

Two defeats and two draws out of fifteen league matches Chelsea sits ten points clear of Arsenal with 35 points.

Haile stormed Fukuoka Marathon

A week after his success in organizing the best ever African greatest “Great Ethiopian Run” King of long distance race Haile Gebreselassie won the Fukuoka -Japan marathon gold medal clocking 2:06:52 seconds.
Though the 60th edition of Fucoca-Marathon brought the best marathon athletes together, the two times Olympic gold medalist Haile humbled those strong contenders with great determination.

The 2005 world champion Ukraine Dimitro Baranovski, Japanese duo Oktani and Matsumari and Kenyan Paul Beyut had all been in great shape to challenge former four time world champion Haile GebreSelassie. But to no avail.

Living athletics legend Haile who is focused in 2008 Beijing Olympic is said to have been in an intense preparation to win the Fukuoka occasion by all means. The former world champions Gahrib and Balinoviski stayed close to Haile until the 37th kilometer mark. Even though the two had better experiences in the discipline they never tried to gamble on Haile known for keeping his word till last. How ever Haile geared up four kilo meters from destination which surprised his two contenders as well as the great number of spectators. Once in high gear Haile didn’t look back who ever there remain behind.

World athletics great Haile finished the race in 2:6:52 to collect the gold medal and a much needed mental readiness to his future plan while Balinovski came second in 2:07:15 followed by Gahrib in third place.
“The main thing is that I won this race. I had had no plan with either the place or world record and I am happy I achieved my goal.” told Haile to reporters after victory. Since Haile is raising high in world athletics’ expectation that he will crush the long stayed world record held by Kenyan Paul Tergat in 2:04:55 in Berlin, Haile tipped he might do it that in 2007 new athletics season.

In other athletics events the Kenyan bound Ethiopian youth athletics and Boxing delegates returned home with satisfactory result. Collecting five gold, two silver and seven bronze medals the delegate’s mission considered successful according to the delegates spooks person Ato Girma Lemma. Wetere Gelelcha brought three gold medals while Betelhem Shoa brought two gold medals in athletics.

CECAFA 30th edition cup final todayZambia Vs Sudan

The 30th Al-Amoudi CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup final showdown takes place today in Addis Ababa Stadium featuring invited COSAFA reigning champion Zambia versus under dog former champion Sudan. Once crushing out defending champion and host nation Ehiopia after heart stopping last minute 1-0 victory, Zambia other wise known as Chipolopolo appeared a side obsessed with the title. Zambia’s strength tested and approved after the 1-0 quarter final victory over Ethiopia on Tuesday. That important win with one man down boosted the morale for the COSAFA representative for the semi final clash against Rwanda on Friday. Zambians went on to win 1-0 to reach to the cup final today.

Today’s title contender Sudan reached to the cup final coming out of no where . Only one win in the past 13 championship participation no one guessed Sudan to reach to the cup final while many the recent times zonal heavy weights stranded in the side line. On Friday evening semi final clash against nine time CECAFA Champion and one of the pre tournament favorites Uganda.

Sudan came from a goal down to held to 2-2 draw after extra time . Sudan’s defensive strategy took every one in the stadium by surprise for the attack from the opposite was almost impossible. By the time the final whistle blew the crowed stood behind Sudan for their hard work to stand their ground. The penalty shoot out also brought some haste among the crowed before it concluded in favor of the under dogs Sudan. straight to penalty shoot out the under dogs.

After the penalty victory Sudan suddenly found it self winner of the 30th CECAFA Al-Amoudi Senior Challenge Cup trophy by virtue of pre tournament agrrement that an invited nation is only to contend for the award money. Zambia as invited guest they only collect the title award money USD 30000 if they managed to win today.
Thus the trophy already in their bag Sudan appears to the final show down for the award money and the pride not to give away the title for COSAFA Nation.

Europe’s Sixteen for the second round England’s all four qualified

After a shocking start Manchester United hammered Benefica 3-1 at old Trafford to Finnish top of group six .
Nilsson’s 27th minute strike brought the visitors in front but the slaughter from the home side together.
Vidich equalized from a set piecefollowed by two goals from Ryan Giggs and Luis Saha. Celtic lost 3-2 to Copenhagen to finish second with nine points.
A goal less away draw with Porto Arsenal finished top of the group with Porto coming second. CSK Moscow lost 3-2 to Hamburg. The German side’s first win in six matches made no difference for they finished fourth in the table .

Thanks to over weight Ronaldo, Real Madrid made a surprise come back from two goals down to settle in a draw with Dynamo Kiev while group leader Lyon finished the campaign with 14 points. Ronaldo’s two goals saved Capello from humiliating defeat then second place with 11 points.
Ac Milan surrendered to 2-0 defeat by French side Lille to finish top of group eight with 11 points followed by the winners..

With real brilliance set piece Ronaldiniho opened the score line to defending champions Barcelona to crush out Werder Bremen from the group. Godjhonson sealed the result with magnificent second goal to help Barcelona finish second following Chelsea with 13 points after the 2-0 win over Leviski Sofia.

With 1-1 draw four time European champion Bayer Munich and Inter Milan made it in to the first sixteen. Bayer led with Makaay’s goal which cancelled out by the equalizer for Inter by Patrick Viera. Both qualified to the next stage from group three Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven lost in their away matches. Galatasary defeated Liverpool 3-2 while Bordeaux crashed Eindhoven 3-1.Valencia top the group four table with Roma of Italy coming second. At the final count four of the English representatives, three from Spain three from Italy, Lille and Lyon form France one each from Germany, Portugal and Holland in addition 16 clubs reached to the next round.

sport commentary
FIFA’s most unpopular
short list

Soccer medias around the globe already announced their disagreement on FIFA world 2006 best player of the season short list comprised of the latest European best player Italian Fabio Cannavaro, reigining world and Europe star player Brazilian Ronaldinho and three time world best player and Germany 2006 world cup final player of the tournament French all time great Zinedine Zidan.

According to many critics only the Barcelona ace midfielder 26 years old Ronaldinho deserves a place in the short list. Two time world best player Ronaldinho helped his side to Spanish league championship titleafter twelve long years and a second time European title in the club’s history. Though tired of the busy season Ronaldinho failed to steer his country for fifth time world cup victory, no one denies his personal brilliancy, the ball’s love with him and his best performance as team player. He is currently the best individual world talent. Zidan in the decline and Messi on the rise Ronaldinho appears king of world soccer. The soccer world heard news of Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro at Germany world cup final. Playing for scandal queen Juventus, Cannavaro happened to be one of Italian football big personalities but no more beyond that. Only few defenders ever blessed with such big accolade. Franz Becken Bauer and Mattias Sammer both from Germany. Can one imagine the latest Europe soccer darling in these two all time great defenders boots? It is too big for Cannavaro yet he is happy and comfortable in FIFA’s short list. As FIFA is nest of the most knowledgeable soccer politicians this appeared the organization is in a big campaign to save Italian soccer at the cost of those who deserve the award. Cannavaro happened to be the politician’s only choice to fulfill this mission.

Why Zidan joined the short list is surprising. Of course he performed miracles including head butting Mattaresi to the ground in the 2006 world cup final and voted as best of the tournament. Steering France to the cup final featuring hard to believe performance at his age really deserves the accolade. However his performance at club level before he hanged his boot is as good as nothing. Real Madrid achieved nothing either at Spanish or champion’s league. Thus how he happened to join that short list is a bizarre only clear to world soccer governing body FIFA. This is the fourth time Zidan to take the award but for me two of them he won were not to Zidan’s miracle rather to FIFA’s soccer politics. Ronaldo and Zidan are the lucky bastards to cheat away the accolade while the likes of Thiery Henry and Pavel Nedved are the damned ones never to have it once. In my opinion announcing those who does not deserve the award means denouncing the ones who really deserves. I am really sorry for what the soccer governing body FIFA is doing.