Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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23.01. (Wed) 21:30 Valencia - Real

PROBABLE LINEUPS

VALENCIA
Guaita, Pereira, Rami, Ruiz, Guardado
Banega, T Costa, Piatti, Canales, Jonas, Valdez

REAL MADRID
Casillas, Arbeloa, Albiol, Carvalho, Coentrao
Khedira, Alonso, Callejon, Modric, Ronaldo, Benzema

Valencia striker Roberto Soldado will miss Wednesday's clash against Real Madrid with a thigh injury.
David Albelda (calf) and Dani Parejo (fractured thumb) are still sidelined, but right-back Joao Pereira is available after serving a one-match ban.
Midfielder Sergio Canales could make his first start for the club since April last year after returning from a long injury lay-off.
Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is set to rotate his squad for the Mestalla clash, with Ricardo Carvalho, Jose Callejon and Karim Benzema all vying for starts.
Brazilian playmaker Kaka returns from suspension but is unlikely to be handed a starting role.

DID YOU KNOW?
Valencia have won seven of their last 10 matches in all competitions.
The Mestalla club's 5-0 loss to Real Madrid on Sunday was their biggest-ever home defeat in La Liga.
Should Valencia overturn their first-leg deficit, they will face the winner of the Barcelona-Malaga tie in the semi-final.
Real Madrid have won four of their last five matches in all competitions.
Los Merengues have won their last four matches at the Mestalla with an aggregate score of 17-7.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven goals in his last four matches for Real.

Prediction
Valencia's revival under Valverde appears to have lost momentum as injuries have taken their toll over the busy post-winter break period. Real arguably played their best football of the season on Sunday and will be confident of consolidating their first-leg advantage.
Editor's Prediction
Valencia 0-2 Real Madrid

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23.01. (Wed) 20:45 Roma - Inter

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ROMA
Stekelenburg, Piris, Marquinhos, Burdisso, Balzaretti, Tachtsidis, Bradley, Florenzi, Lamela, Osvaldo, Totti

INTER
Handanovic, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Chivu, Zanetti, Gargano, Cambiasso, Pereira, Guarin, Rocchi, Palacio

Roma welcome Inter to the capital for the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday, as both sides will be looking to gain an advantage heading into the return match at San Siro on April 17.
Giallorossi coach Zdenek Zeman will be without Miralem Pjanic and Rodrigo Taddei through suspension. Federico Balzaretti and Pablo Osvaldo hope to start, but remain slight doubts after they missed training to undergo physiotherapy following the weekend's excursions.
Daniele De Rossi is set to undergo tests on Tuesday after picking up a muscle injury during Sunday’s encounter, and looks set to miss out.
Antonio Cassano remains a doubt for the visitors, who will also be without Dejan Stankovic and Walter Samuel. Andrea Stramaccioni can expect to call on Ricardo Alvarez, however, after the Argentine travelled to Rome to meet up with his team-mates on Monday, but he will probably have to make do with a seat on the bench.
Up front, veteran Tommaso Rocchi is tipped to get the nod over Marko Livaja and take his place alongside Rodrigo Palacio.

DID YOU KNOW?
Roma and Juventus lead the way in Coppa Italia successes having both won nine titles each.
Should his side reach the final, 36-year-old Francesco Totti will make it to a landmark 50 Coppa Italia appearances.
The Giallorossi are yet to concede a goal in this year's competition, having kept clean sheets against both Atalanta and Fiorentina.
Inter have lifted the Coppa Italia seven times, with their last crown arriving in the 2010–11 season which would be the only title former coach Leonardo would receive during his time in the dugout.
Only Juventus (30) can better Inter's record of 29 appearances in the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
39-year-old Javier Zanetti is aiming for his fifth Coppa Italia title.
Both Zeman and Stramaccioni are yet to add a major Italian title to their name.

Prediction
Sunday night's clash between these two should really have produced more than just the two goals and we can likely expect more success in front of goal this time around. Inter will once again be hoping to keep it tight and will likely defend with five as opposed to just a back three, while looking to hit their hosts on the break.
Editor's Prediction
Roma 2-2  Inter

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23.01. (Wed) 20:45 Arsenal - West Ham

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ARSENAL
Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Gibbs
Diaby, Wilshere, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Podolski

WEST HAM
Jaaskelainen, Demel, Tomkins, Reid, O'Brien
J. Cole, Diame, Noble, Jarvis, Nolan, C. Cole

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks set to be without Tomas Rosicky (calf) and Lukasz Fabianski (ankle) but Andre Santos could be fit and available for selection after being sidelined with an abdominal injury. Mikel Arteta (calf) has an outside chance of returning, but may not be risked.
Ivory Coast forward Gervinho will be absent due to his presence at the African Cup of Nations, while Abou Diaby will be closely monitored prior to kick-off.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce rested Carlon Cole for the weekend's game against QPR but looks certain to return him to the starting line-up, with Marouane Chamakh, on loan from Arsenal, unavailable for the fixture against his parent club.
Elsewhere, both Andy Carroll and George McCartney miss out with knee injuries for the Hammers away trip to the Emirates Stadium, with James Collins still a doubt with a hamstring strain. Forward Modibo Maiga is also at the ACN with Mali.

DID YOU KNOW?
Arsenal have fewer points after 22 matches than in any other season since Arsene Wenger took charge in 1996.
The hosts have won three and lost two of their last five home games, scoring 14 goals and conceding nine in the process.
Theo Walcott has already scored a career-high 15 goals for the season in all competitions.
The Gunners are yet to lose a game in which they have taken the lead this season, winning seven and drawing two.
Arsene Wenger's side won the reverse fixture in October 3-1 at Upton Park with Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott on target after Mohamed Diame put the hosts ahead.
West Ham have picked up just eight points from their last 10 league games.
The visitors have failed to score in seven top flight outings this term to Arsenal's six.
Sam Allardyce's side have kept just six clean sheets in the Premier League, their last coming six games ago against West Brom.
The Hammers have picked up just eight points on the road out of a possible 30 and have a division-low of five goals away from home from 10 games.

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23.01. (Wed) 20:45 Swansea City - Chelsea

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SWANSEA
Tremmel, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Davies
Ki, Britton
Hernandez, De Guzman, Routledge
Michu

CHELSEA
Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole
Ramires, Lampard, Oscar, Mata, Hazard, Torres

Swansea have a relatively clean bill of health, though will be without Kemy Agustien and Neil Taylor (both ankle).
Central defender Chico (knee) is a major doubt for the game, so Garry Monk – who started against Stoke at the weekend – is expected to continue in his absence.
Michael Laudrup has selected Gerhard Tremmel in all of Swansea's Capital One Cup ties so far and the German keeper should start again on Wednesday night.
Rafa Benitez remains without Nigerian duo Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel, both of whom are on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
David Luiz is unlikely to feature, having picked up an ankle injury which ruled him out of Chelsea's 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday.
Oriol Romeu is the only long-term absentee, but the unavailability of the Spaniard as well as Mikel means the 34-year-old Frank Lampard is likely to start his fourth game in just 11 days.

DID YOU KNOW?
Swansea have lost just one of their last nine games, a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal in the FA Cup third-round replay.
The Welsh club haven't been beaten at home since December 8, and have lost just twice at the Liberty Stadium all season, while only the top three and Arsenal have scored more goals at home than Swansea (22).
Michael Laudrup's side hold this season's Premier League record for the most passes leading to a goal, with 28 passes preceding Michu's strike against Norwich earlier this season.
Swansea are yet to lose a game in which they have scored first, winning 13 out of the 15 games in which they've opened the scoring this season.
Swansea are 90 minutes away from a first ever appearance in a major cup final (having lost in the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1926 and 1964), and could become the first Welsh winners of the league cup.
Chelsea may have struggled at home under Rafa Benitez, but they've won each of their last six away games in all competitions and conceded just 11 times on their travels across the entire season.
Only Derby County's Michael Jacobs (five) has more assists than Juan Mata in this season's Capital One Cup, while Swansea's Danny Graham is the joint-second highest scorer.
Chelsea have drawn 1-1 with Swansea on their last two visits to south Wales, and haven't won away to the Welsh club since 1983.
The Blues have won more penalties than any other side this year (eight), and have converted seven.
The reigning European champions have won 50 per cent of the league matches in which they have trailed this season, but never overturned more than a one goal deficit.

23.01. 2012. Premier League Opta Facts - Arsenal v West Ham


Arsenal have won eight and lost none of the last 10 matches in all competitions against West Ham.
The Hammers have failed to score in seven of the last nine Premier League games against the Gunners.
West Ham were the last visiting team to win a Premier League game at Highbury and the first to win at the Emirates.
Arsenal have scored in the 41st and 77th minutes in each of their last two matches against West Ham.
There have been four penalties in the last five Premier League meetings between Arsenal and West Ham.
Sam Allardyce has led a team to eight Premier League games away to Arsenal, and although he has never won (W0 D3 L5), his teams have only failed to score in one of those eight visits.
Only Liverpool and Man Utd (six each) have won away at Arsenal more often in the Premier League era than West Ham (4).
Arsenal have lost consecutive games in the Premier League for the first time since last January when they lost all three of their games in the month.
Theo Walcott has been involved in five of Arsenal's last six Premier League goals (three goals, two assists) and has scored 11 in his last 15 appearances for Arsenal (in all competitions).
West Ham have won just one of their last seven games in the Premier League (W1 D2 L4), while away from home, they've collected just one point in their last five trips (D1 L4).

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23.01. (Wed) 19:00 Morocco - Cape Verde Islands

PROBABLE LINEUPS

MOROCCO
Lamyaghri, Belakhdar, Benatia, El Adoua, Bergdich, Hermach, EL Ahmadi, Barrada, Belhanda, Assaidi, Amrabat

CAPE VERDE ISLANDS
Vozinha, Carlitos, Ricardo, Nando, Gege, Verela, Dady, Rony, Silva, Mendes, Djaniny

Cape Verde will need to muster an improved performance in front of goal against Morocco on Wednesday night if their debut Africa Cup of Nations tournament is to progress any further.
Neither side have cited any injury concerns on the eve of the match, with both expected to turn out in full force at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The Islanders came close to upsetting hosts South Africa in the opening game of the tournament, with some gilt-edged chances missed by their forwards leading to the match ending in a dreary 0-0 draw.
The team was able to hold off a nervous and incoherent South African side, but should have taken the three points off the hosts, who kept giving Cape Verde possession and chances to build towards goal.
Lucio Antunes believes his side can score against Morocco and has put the opening game at the back of his mind when he told reporters on the eve of the match, “Playing against South Africa has passed, it is now preparing for the game with Morocco to try to score.”
Eventually the Islanders seemed content with a draw against Bafana Bafana but will be targeting an improved performance against a dangerous Moroccan outfit, who were left frustrated with their performance against Angola in another 0-0 draw on the opening day of the tournament.
Morocco coach Rachid Taoussi spoke on the eve of the match and concluded that his side spurned numerous opportunities against Angola and will have to focus on finding the target against a steely Cape Verde outfit.
“As you know, we are not efficient enough, we don't make the most of our opportunities and in this coming match we know we will have opportunities to score. But in order to do that, we need to focus, we need to work to reach our goal, which is to score," Taoussi told reporters.
Midfielder Nordin Amrabat echoed his coach’s words and believes that Morocco will win their second match of the tournament when he said, “We prepare in a normal way, like the first game. We train well, the moral is good and the atmosphere is good. And we train a lot on the tactics, and for us we are ready. The exercise is easy; we must win and take the three points."
Both sides have focused their preparations on finishing chances, with Taoussi working on Morocco’s set plays and his team’s efficiency in front of goal.
Abdelaziz Barrada, who was largely quiet but proficient throughout the opening game against Angola, will want to improve on his performance by controlling the game against Cape Verde, while the Islander’s talented attacker Ryan Mendes will be confident in his ability to find a vital breakthrough for the elusive debutant outfit.

DID YOU KNOW?
This will be the first meeting between the two sides in their history.
The two goalless draws in Group A seemed to have set a trend for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, as there has only been one win and five draws so far.
The opening 0-0 draw between South Africa and Cape Verde meant Cape Verde picked up their first point in their first Afcon tournament.
Morocco, beaten finalists in 2004 and winners in 1976, believe they have the team capable of reaching the final in 2013.
Morocco lost their first leg encounter against Mozambique 2-0 on their road to the finals, but were able to overturn the result with a 4-0 victory at home.
Cape Verde, 70th in the Fifa World rankings, are the highest ranked team in Group A.

Prediction
Morocco should have enough in the tank to overcome Cape Verde, but it will not be an easy win for the Moroccans due to Luis Antune's tactical nuance and the belief the Islanders play with.
Editor's Prediction
Morocco 1-0 Cape Verde

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23.01. (Wed) 16:00 South Africa - Angola

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SOUTH AFRICA
Khune, Matlaba, Khumalo, Sangweni, Ngongca
Serero, Furman, Dikgacoi, Phala
Parker, Mphela
ANGOLA
Lama, Amaro, Massunguna, Zuela, Miguel
Djelma, Kivuvu, Dede, Gilberto
Mateus, Manucho

Bafana Bafana effectively have to restart their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations campaign when they entertain Angola at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Wednesday. The hosts were disappointing in their Group A opener versus Cape Verde, while South Africa's opponents, Angola, also drew 0-0 in their first match with Morocco.
The South African public were already doubtful of Bafana's chances due to their stuttering form and struggles to find the back of the net over the last year. Many fans are already disheartened and believe South Africa won't progress. However, Group A promises to be a close affair that can go down to the wire. With home ground advantage, Bafana still have a decent chance to reach the second round.
In their last five matches they have failed to score in four of them. The only goals coming in a 3-1 victory against minnows Malawi. Coach Gordon Igesund has always stated that he wants to play an attacking game, so he will not be changing his style mid-tournament. One cannot conclude that his attacking philosophy will not work yet, because he simply has not had enough time to drill his methods into the first team. After experimenting with selection, he only found his best eleven recently, and they need time to gel together.
To complicate matters the man he sees as his creative force is Thulani Serero. The Ajax attacking midfielder was not 100 per cent fit to start against Cape Verde. The same can be said of Bafana's most potent finisher, Katlego Mphela, who has only recently returned from a long term injury.
One area Bafana can improve on is their possession in midfield when Oldham Athletic captain, midfielder Dean Furman, is expected to return. It was previously believed that starting with both Furman and Crystal Palace midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi would be too defensive minded. However, these changes should be necessary for South Africa to win the midfield battle as they lacked steal against Cape Verde.
While South Africa desperately miss a match winner, Angola's main threat is exactly that, their prolific Real Valladolid striker Manucho. The former Manchester United player could be keeping Bafana defenders Bongani Khumalo and Siyabonga Sangweni up late at night.
Contrary to Bafana's form, Angola have won four of their last five matches, including impressive triumphs against reigning African champions Zambia and Cameroon. Angola's preparations begun early in South Africa to get used to the conditions. So this game could potentially be the trickiest for Bafana Bafana in Group A.

DID YOU KNOW?
The last time South Africa played Angola was during the 2008 Afcon, when Bafana came from behind to
earn a 1-1 draw.
The two teams also met in the 1996 and 1998 Afcon's, with Angola having never beaten the South Africans.
Bafana beat Angola 1-0 on their way to lifting the 1996 Afcon when they last hosted the tournament.
Angola have a mixed away record in their last 10 games, winning two, drawing four and losing four matches.
Angola hosted the Afcon in 2010.
Even though Angola have a celebrated attack they are ranked quite low at 78th in the world, while Bafana are ranked 85th - the worst position in Group A.

Prediction
Editor's Prediction
South Africa 1-1 Angola