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Saints thrash Coffee

Saints lead table on 31 points, Coffee follow on 30

Three magnificent second half strikes helped Saint George thrash archrivals Ethiopian Coffee to claim top spot in the premier league table for the first time in five months.
The Addis Ababa stadium, that had been abandoned by soccer fans was at its full capacity almost an hour before the kick off.
Saint George started the game with all five foreign players and took full control of the game form the very start. St George opted to play long balls to their two giant strikers.
Coffee coach Kifle Boltena made a very wrong decision to field a defensive play, as the St George players poured forward in the numbers. Though the first half was dull with no action from both sides, Saints still enjoyed better ball possession.
The second half was however a different story as we saw three goals, a number of yellow cards and a red card. With just seven minutes in to the second half, St George's Nigerian striker received a long pass from midfield, brought it down nicely, and sent a low shot into the left of the goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The goal was so well taken that even Coffee supporters clapped in admiration. Though the Saints were in control, Coffee broke the St George defense and grabbed an equalizer through Bedlu. Coffee supporters were so elated that they shot fire crackers into the sky.
Before the celebration came to an end however, St George's best player Dawit Mebratu sliced the Coffee defense to send a thunderous volley past the Coffee goalkeeper and give St George the lead once again.
While Kifle was more concerned with being frustrated than coming up with a counter idea, St George's Serbian coach Fahrudin Zeincovich opted for an all out attack. Ten minutes later, St George striker Binyam Assefa collected another long ball from midfield to dribble past three Coffee defenders and score the third spectacular goal of the night.
The Saints' celebration was however marred when striker Bajope was red carded for wild celebrations. Kifle's team displayed a dismal performance as the crowd was expecting a much tougher encounter. St Geroge lead the table on 31 points followed by Coffee who are a point behind.
Two months break appeared wasn't enough for Electric coach Ken Morton to build a stronger team as Electric lost to Insurance, who now play under Seyoum Ababte.
Former Electric player Alemayehu Disasa other wise nick name 'Del Piero' scored the winning goal for Insurance in the second half. Though superior in ball possession, Electric seem to have no strike power in them as they wasted chance after chance.
Tikur Abay Transport, who hadn't lost once in seven games, lost 2-0 to visiting side Awasa Kenema while Metehara Sugar thrashed Nyala 3-1 at home. Premier league newcomers Shashemene Kenema hammered visiting side Trans Ethiopia under 3-0. Harar Brewery defeated visitors Mugher Cement 1-0 thanks to Tesfahun Gadissa's first half goal.

Liverpool finishes business, Bayern in pole position

Drogba saves Stamford Bridge heartache

Dismantling Arsene Wenger's so called brilliant babies on the weekend seems to have spurred Liverpool to new heightsas they dismantled PSV Eindhoven 3-0 in Holland. Liverpool will entertain Arsenal's conquerors at Anfield on Wednesday April 11, 2007, with the game all but wrapped up.
Though PSV were without striker Aruna Kone and defender Alex, coach Ronal Koeman had bragged that he was a mastermind when it came to English clubs. He must have bitten his tongue the way Liverpool tore PSV apart in front of thousands of stricken PSV fans.
Steven Gerard opened the floodgate when he jumped over Dirk Kuijt to head in a Steve Finnan cross. Gerrard's strike was followed by a trademark Jon Arne Risse strike ten minutes into the second half. Peter Crouch, who scored a hattrick against Arsenal three days ago, score the third and final goal header.
Though AC Milan managed to take the lead twice against four times European Champions Bayern Munich at the Sansiro, the visitors, thanks to Van Buyten's two brilliant strikes came back twice for a 2-2 draw and go home with the best advantage of going through to the semi final stage.
Bayern's reserve goalkeeper Michael Rensing was the hero of the day with brilliant saves that frustrated AC Milan strike force. Andrew Pirlo gave Milan the lead and Kaka scored from spot from controversial penalty.
Manchester United were in trouble against AS Roma after inspirational midfielder Paul Scholes was red carded, but thanks to two brilliant moments from Christiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, Manchester finished the game with a 2-1 defeat.
Roma took the lead following Scholes's sending off, but Rooney received a great cross from O' Shea, put it down on his chest and sent in a classic shot to side foot the Roma goalkeeper for the equalizer. Roma however scored the crucial goal minutes later and are ready for a tougher encounter at Old Trafford next week.
African player of the year Didier Drogba saved the day for Chelsea as he scored the goal that saved Chelsea the blues. Though it was a very tight encounter for the first 30 minutes, David Silva unleashed a spectacular angled shot to beat the hapless Petr Chez and put Valencia in the lead.
Jose Mourinho had once said that if he were allowed to take just one man with to battle, it would be Didier Drogba. The Ivorian proved Mourinho right for the umpteenth time this season as he scored the equalizer.

Meseret back to winning ways

Olympic gold medalist Meseret Defar was the first ever athlete to defend here title in Carlsbad, California. Meseret is the one and only athlete to Re-Win the covered title in the venues twenty-two years history.
Currently the best athlete in the 5,000 meter discipline, the 25 year old wisely chose not to participate in the World Cross Country Championship in Mombassa last week as she was preparing to defend her title.
In good shape and determined to make history as the first athlete to win the race in two consecutive years, Meseret crossed the finishing line, with the second athlete twenty seconds away. American Jerry Rayson stayed with Meseret for most of the distance only to see the Ethiopian leave on time to won the gold with relative ease. Meseret clocked 15:01 minutes to cover the 5 km, while Rayson finished in a time of 15:21 followed by another Ethiopian Ahaza Kiros who came home in 15:25.
Ahaza, a fast rising athlete at the Electric club, traveled to Mombassa but never took part in the race, a decision that helped her maintain her form to finish third in California.
In related news, Tadesse Tila who failed to impress in his debut world cross-country athletics meeting rebounded to win the 10 m race in California. Though the Jammeda 12 km champion could not make his dream come true in Mombassa, he won the race in California in devastating style. It took Tadesse 44:01 minutes to finish the race. He was followed by a Tanzanian athlete who clocked 46:04 and by the three strong Kenyans John Korir, Sikfas Kamalica and Samuel Negreba.
In the women's 10 km event, Teiba Eriksso won the race with so much of a challenge coming her way. Teiba reached home in 51:44 minutes, followed by Russia's Tatiana Petrova, who was a minute away. The Russian crossed the finishing line in 52:58 minutes. Though Ethiopian athletes were not able to win races in Mombassa, the victories in California might soften the hearts of athletics fans.

sport commntery

Leave Kenenisa alone, let EAF speak

I saw Kenenisa Bekele on ETV Sport last Monday talking about how he lost the Cross Country race in Mombassa last week. I just couldn't understand why the reporter had Kenenisa on TV confessing about his weakest hour. Though Kenenisa was up there almost apologizing for not winning the race, I haven't heard of any coach or player who claimed responsibility for not winning a single gold medal in the senior race. Everyone who saw the race on TV saw that it was easy for Kenenisa to win the race until the moment he decided to walk out. Zeresenay Tadesse, the eventual winner of the event did not say he is happy to win the race but was happy to beat Kenenisa. This gesture shows that Kenenisa is an athletics god and no one else. People believed that there was something wrong with him way before he made any excuses, but I wonder why people didn't just say that his performance was open for criticism? I can dare criticize his performance.
Whatever the reason behind the harsh weather or scorching sun, Kenenisa was not the only athlete representing Ethiopia, in fact he didn't even want to take part in the run until he was forced by the Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF).
Someone from the EAF should have explained to us why the athletics team in Mombassa was a failure, with reasons like why we weren't prepared or why we are short of upcoming athletes. But that wouldn't be the EAF's style, they would hide in the dark and wait until the dust settles and then take center stage again.
The EAF knew from the beginning that there was no other athlete who could win gold in the discipline but Kenenisa. I believe that it isn't up to Kenenisa to explain why the Ethiopian side failed in Mombassa, but the EAF's. EAF officials should sit one on one with TV reporters and explain the failure.
The coaches and team leaders should all be held accountable for what happened and they should be told to improve their ways of training and recruitment methods.
The EAF should have realized that there were no real athletes in the making when Sileshi Sihin and Abebe Dinkesa made the final squad to Mombassa.
However, the EAF was focused on seeing Kenenisa win gold that they forgot to lay foundations for future athletes. This is the first time that Ethiopia hasn't won gold in the individual events and it is an indicator that this will not be the only time.
How is it possible that an Eritrean athlete and not a Kenyan won the gold? I say because he was ready for the event. I think we should stop talking why Kenenisa didn't win the gold and see that he was the only Ethiopia that left Kenyan athletes behind him before his fateful decision.

‘Women First’ run a sucess

This year's 'Women First' annual women's 5 km race was dedicated to Kamila Mehedin, who was victim of some brutal actions when acid was splashed onto her face. The race that brought together 8000 women, including four foreign ambassadors and eight athletes from neighboring nations, was deemed the best race so far.
As one of the few annual athletics events organized by the Great Ethiopian Run, the fourth edition not only brought a huge number of participants, but was also a showdown between athletes from different clubs and colleges. Ninety-five professional athletes hit the road first, followed by students from ten colleges and then the ambassadors.
Aselefech Mergia from federal police athletics club won the race after fierce competition from two Prison Guard athletes. Aselefech, who ran shoulder to shoulder against prison guards' athlete Ashu Kasim for most of the race, made a dash for the finish line with just 50 meters to go. Ashu's club mute Makeda Hailu finished third.
''After the four km mark, it was just Ashu and I and I knew it would between us in the end. With the finish line looming, I knew it would be my day. Thank god I won the race,'' said Aselefech, who hails from Woliso in Western Shoa, about 115 km from Addis Ababa.
In the special college student's competition, Kidist Berhanu - a fourth year software engineering student from Microlink College won the race, followed by Aster Berhanu and Lemlem Nesfreab both from Kidist Mariam College finished second and third respectively. The top two winners also received scholarship awards to India, with the whole expense covered by the Great Ethiopian Run. In the ambassadors' race, Her Excellency Ambassador Mary Fernandez of Portugal won the race,
Although four Kenyans joined the race, none of them could continue running after the three km mark. ''I was hoping to win the race, but I just couldn't keep up with the Ethiopians after the 3 km mark,'' Kenyan athlete Rose told reporters after the race. 'I have nothing to complain about, actually I am looking forward to my next visit to Ethiopia,'' Rose added.

Man Utd condemn police behaviour

Manchester United have condemned the Italian police following the violence in the Champions League tie with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.
"In what the club views as a serious over-reaction, local police handed out indiscriminate beatings to United supporters," said a United statement.
"The disturbing scenes shocked everyone at Old Trafford."
Uefa has launched an investigation, while United want supporters to send in witness statements.
The Home Office have confirmed they will gather information from all relevant sources before deciding whether to approach Uefa about their concerns.
Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete praised the action of police.
"We owe gratitude to our law enforcers and I don't believe those who try to make games safe can be crucified in this manner," he said.
Uefa has confirmed it has opened an investigation into the shocking scenes.
A statement said: "Uefa is currently gathering evidence and will be studying the official reports of the referee, delegate and security officer in detail before announcing any further action."
The investigation could lead to disciplinary action for both United and Roma.
Roma could be charged if they are judged to have failed in their security arrangements, while United could be in trouble if their fans are found to have a played a significant role in provoking the police's reaction.
Earlier in the season, United were fined £6,300 for the poor behaviour of their supporters in the away leg against Lille in Lens.
The trouble flared when rival fans surged towards a barrier separating them and missiles were thrown. Baton-wielding riot police were seen repeatedly striking United supporters, including at least two as they lay on the floor.
Uefa spokesman William Gaillard said Uefa has little control over the police.
"Italian law says police are responsible for public order inside stadiums. Stadia in Italy are municipal stadiums, they are not the property of the club," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"We are definitely in favour of soft policing, which is clearly the use of stewards who we know can handle a difficult situation probably better than riot police.
"We are subject to the law so we cannot tell the Italians and other countries where police are in charge of public order in stadia not to enter stadia.
"We are just a football authority not a law and order authority." (BBC)

Maradona 'improving' in hospital

Argentine former football star Diego Maradona is continuing to improve while undergoing treatment for acute hepatitis related to alcohol abuse.
Doctors treating Maradona at a Buenos Aires clinic issued a statement denying the 46-year-old had attempted suicide.
Admitted last Wednesday, he is expected to stay in hospital for two more weeks. Maradona, who led the Argentine team to victory in the 1986 World Cup and is revered in his country, has battled cocaine addiction and obesity.
Hector Pezzella, head of the private Guemes clinic in the Argentine capital, said: "This was not a suicide attempt. There has been good clinical progress."
He added: "What happened was a disorder in compulsive form, in this case due to alcohol."
Maradona, who had reportedly been admitted against his wishes, was "obeying doctors" and his life was not in any danger, Dr Pezzella said.
The former Argentine team captain is still idolised in his home country, and his fans have been watching and waiting for any news.
Dr Pezzella said Maradona had been suffering from depression, which had led him to drink excessively.
His personal physician, Alfredo Cahe, said doctors had feared the footballer could develop pancreatitis - a potentially fatal disease of the pancreas - if not admitted.
He said the medical team would keep the public fully informed of Maradona's progress, adding that his latest health problems were less serious than those in 2000 and 2004.
As well as leading the winning World Cup team, Maradona won league titles at home and in Italy.
But in 1991 he was banned for 15 months after failing a drugs test and tested positive again for banned drugs at the 1994 World Cup in the US.
He retired from competitive sport in 1997. In 2004, he spent 10 days in intensive care with high blood pressure, breathing problems and a lung infection.
Two years ago, he had a stomach stapling operation. He lost 30kg (66lb), began playing football again and appeared to be getting his life back on track.
But the Argentine media recently reported that Maradona had put on weight and was considering taking a slimming cure in Switzerland.
Last month, Argentina's central bank said it was investigating him for alleged financial irregularities. (BBC)