Tuesday, December 14, 2010

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14-12-2010 17:00 TP Mazembe - Internacional

Creating History

No team from outside the UEFA and CONMEBOL confederations has ever reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup but if any team can break that streak, then it is TP Mazembe. The four-time African champions are riding the wave of optimism after their 1-0 win against Mexican side Pachuca in the quarter-finals and the Crows will be buoyant for a shock defeat of Internacional today.

The Lubumbashi-based club have won the African Champions League for the past two years and are now a major force to be reckoned with in their continent. However, having tasted two defeats in two matches last year, Lamine N’Diaye's side will be keen on making amends and reaching the final.

N’Diaye is highly rated by the Mazembe's fans and has been compared to Real Madrid tactician Jose Mourinho, but the 54-year-old remains humble and is focused on the task at hand.

“I said when we arrived that our aim was to do better than last year," enthused the Mazembe coach. "We’ve done that but we’re hungry for more and we’re going to give it our very best shot to reach the final. We’ll need to improve on our performance against Pachuca to do that though."

Striker Mbenza Bedi adds: "They [Internacional] are a great team from a great footballing country. But we're relaxed and determined because we know we're a big club too. We respect our rivals, but we'll be doing our utmost to beat them.''

Invoking The Spirit Of 2006

Like TP Mazembe, Internacional are on the cusp of constructing history. Four years ago in 2006 the Brazilian giants won the competition by defeating mighty Barcelona in the final and they will be keen to repeat that feat and become the first team to win the Club World Cup twice since it was restructured in 2000.

O Colorado will start the match as favourites and having disposed of another African giants, Al Ahly of Egypt, on the way to the 2006 success, they will have the confidence too. The Copa Libertadores holders are studded with a number of players well known to regular football followers and are taking this competition very seriously.

Four years ago Abel Braga led the Porto Alegre-based side to Club World Cup success and he remains confident that under Celso Roth they can do it all over again.

"They're in with a better chance because in 2006 nobody believed in us,'' explained Braga. "Barcelona were a great team. The thing is that Internazionale are not Barcelona and so won't be overwhelming favourites, even though they are the heavyweight club in this tournament.

"If we assume that the two favourites progress, and from what I've seen so far only a disaster will stop that happening, I think that this year's Internacional are better prepared. The Italian club, for their part, have great players but not a great team.''

Key striker Alecsandro too remains bullish about his side's chances and explains, “They’re (Mazembe) a strong, quick team and play exciting football, but I wasn’t impressed with them tactically. Given the quality we’ve got, if we can combine with the players breaking from deep, such as [Andres] D’Alessandro or Tinga, we’ll cause them problems."

TEAM NEWS

TP Mazembe

Stoppila Sunzu is unavailable as he is suspended after being sent off against Pachuca in the last round.

Internacional

Roth could deploy either a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1 system. In either case, Alecsandro, Rafael Sobis, Tinga and Andres D'Alessandro will be the attacking players involved.

Prediction
This is Internacional's first match of the competition and they are expected to win. However, TP Mazembe are no easy pushovers and will give them a hard run for the money.

TP Mazembe 1-2 Internacional

Europa League Opta Facts - 15-16 December

Statistics and facts to help your football betting are available every week at Sta Sam Ti Reko  courtesy of Opta Sportsdata, Europe's leading provider of sports performance statistics.

Liverpool v FC Utrecht
  • The only previous meeting between the two sides came earlier this season in this competition, when they played out a goalless draw at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
  • Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Europa League this season, although they have drawn three of their last four games in the competition.
  • In all competitions, the Reds have won just two of their last seven games.
  • Liverpool have met Dutch sides in 13 previous games in European competition (including the 0-0 with Utrecht earlier this season), winning eight, drawing four and losing just once, with that defeat coming in 1966 against Ajax.
  • Liverpool have won each of their last six European games at Anfield (excl. qualifiers), netting a total of 17 goals and conceding just four in the process.
  • Utrecht are without a win in their last 10 European fixtures (excl. qualifiers).
  • In all competitions, the Dutch side have managed just one win in their last five games.
  • Liverpool have won just 47 fouls in the Europa League this season, a competition-low.
  • English sides have lost just one of their last 15 meetings with Dutch opposition in European competition.
  • 40% of Utrecht's goals in the competition have come from outside the box, a joint competition-high.


Juventus v Manchester City
  • The two sides have met in three previous games (including a 1-1 draw in Manchester earlier this season), with both sides winning a game each.
  • The Citizens have met Italian opposition on just five previous occasions, winning two, drawing two and losing just one.
  • Juventus have met English opposition in 40 previous games, winning 14, drawing 11 and losing 15.
  • The Turin giants have won just one of their last 12 European games against English opposition.
  • Overall, in all competitions, City are unbeaten in their last eight games.
  • Juve themselves are unbeaten in their last 16 games in all competitions.
  • Manchester City have enjoyed just one victory in their last six European away games.
  • Out of favour striker Emmanuel Adebayor has bagged a total of four goals in his last two Europa League games for City.
  • Alessandro Del Piero has mustered a competition-high twenty shots so far (including one goal).
  • Juventus schemer Milos Krasic has successfully completed 20 dribbles, a competition-high.