Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling misses training again after calling in sick 

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raheem Sterling has again missed training at Liverpool, having told the club’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, he no longer wants to play for him.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sterling missed Wednesday’s training session citing illness, and again phoned in sick on Thursday. The club did not offer any comment, though the medical department has been asked to verify Sterling’s claim, which is standard procedure.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sterling seems increasingly unlikely to take part in Liverpool’s tour to south-east Asia and Australia, which begins on Sunday. The club, though, remain clear he should travel and be available for selection for the first match in Bangkok on Tuesday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">City have had a £40m bid turned down by Liverpool but remain interested in buying Sterling. It is understood, though, that City have no plans to make a higher offer for a player valued at £50m by Liverpool.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwu4KaxE3D8/VZ85-MUBPDI/AAAAAAAAEYI/8XL-T2rF20c/s1600/sterling3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwu4KaxE3D8/VZ85-MUBPDI/AAAAAAAAEYI/8XL-T2rF20c/s400/sterling3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div>

Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling misses training again after calling in sick 

Raheem Sterling has again missed training at Liverpool, having told the club’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, he no longer wants to play for him...

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Gold Cup Group C: Mexico clash with Cuba

<div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box;">CONCACAF Gold Cup</span></span> Group C nations Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala ready themselves for their opening matches of the campaign, which take place at NFL outfit Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field stadium.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mexico v Cuba</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Aztecs boss Miguel Herrera was hit by the news that star striker Javier Hernandez had to pull out the tournament due to breaking his collarbone prior to the event, but his team are still heavy favourites with Coral to top their group at 1/6.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Record six-time champions Mexico (1/16 to win the match) have faced Caribbean country Cuba (28/1) in two Gold Cups in recent years, beating them on both occasions, including smashing them 5-0 in 2011. <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box;">They are 10/1 chances to triumph by that scoreline once more</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Former Barcelona and Tottenham attacker Giovani Dos Santos bagged a brace that day for El Tri, so is evens to net anytime and 5/1 for two or more again.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their main threats up front, meanwhile, will come from ex-Arsenal forward Carlos Vela and Oribe Peralta, who are both odds-on at 8/13 in the anytime market.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Cuba, their whole squad consists of domestic-based players, but little-known attackers Armando Coroneaux, Ariel Martinez and Alain Cervantes jointly top the scoring market for them at 8/1.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DkCmqQfb16Q/VZ85u4CzxuI/AAAAAAAAEYA/kYbFlCAWIN8/s1600/gold%2Bcup%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DkCmqQfb16Q/VZ85u4CzxuI/AAAAAAAAEYA/kYbFlCAWIN8/s400/gold%2Bcup%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Gold Cup Group C: Mexico clash with Cuba

CONCACAF Gold Cup  Group C nations Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala ready themselves for their opening matches of the campai...

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State of Origin: Nate Myles says the Queensland Maroons' win over the NSW Blues was built on personal pride

<div class="first" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Queensland's emphatic State of Origin decider victory on Wednesday was not just redemption, it was personal.</span></div> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Maroons prop Nate Myles says the 52-6 victory was a result of the hurt that came from New South Wales' dominant Origin II display.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">While the scoreline was a shock, the performance was not in the opinion of Myles, who sensed the team was primed for a big display to regain lost pride after the loss at the MCG.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">"You can't deny the fact a lot of boys would have taken it personally," Myles said.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">"We let ourselves down there and we didn't want to do it again."</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Myles said he was only too aware he needed to step up after young Blues props Aaron Woods and David Klemmer out-pointed him and front-row partner Matt Scott in Origin II.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">But he says finding the will to improve was not too hard when surrounded by such a talented and determined group of players.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">"No one's guaranteed in this side, as much as people think it's harder to get out of it as it is to get into it," he said.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">"It's just a matter of how you, not want to be remembered, but how you go about your business. A lot of our boys just want to keep on improving."</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Myles, who has now played 29 Origins, is one of eight players in the Maroons squad aged 30 or older but he has got a simple answer when you suggest he might be thinking about walking away from representative football.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Come on mate, we're not talking retirement," he simply said.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngQbnlPVqeY/VZ85Ntnl0uI/AAAAAAAAEX4/dP1-sMHHo-o/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngQbnlPVqeY/VZ85Ntnl0uI/AAAAAAAAEX4/dP1-sMHHo-o/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>

State of Origin: Nate Myles says the Queensland Maroons' win over the NSW Blues was built on personal pride

Queensland's emphatic State of Origin decider victory on Wednesday was not just redemption, it was personal. Maroons prop Nate Myles s...

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Phil Walsh remembered as Port Adelaide holds on to beat Collingwood by three points in tight AFL encounter

<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Power kept their slim finals hopes alive with a tight three-point win over Collingwood, as both sides paid tribute to the late Phil Walsh at Adelaide Oval.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Walsh, a former assistant coach at Port Adelaide, was fondly remembered with ceremonies both before and after the match, which the home side won 9.12 (66) to 9.9 (63).</span><br /> <br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Power and Magpies observed a moment's silence in honour of Walsh prior to the opening bounce, while an emotional musical tribute took place after the full-time siren inside a darkened Adelaide Oval.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ken Hinkley's troops led by three goals midway through the final term but consecutive majors to Jordan De Goey and Taylor Adams helped bring the Magpies back to within a kick.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The hosts conceded late behinds but had done enough to hold on for a vital four competition points.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Power move into 11th place on the ladder and sits six points outside the top eight ahead of the completion of round 15 courtesy of what was just their sixth win of the season.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Chad Wingard slotted three goals for the Power amid the rain in Adelaide, the defeat coming with additional cost for the Magpies.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Magpies are set to lose Taylor Adams to suspension after the midfielder had dropped a knee into the head of the Power's Justin Westhoff.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">In an unsavoury third-term incident, Adams had Westhoff pinned beneath him as the pair wrestled and the Collingwood onballer lowered his right knee in the side of the Power player's head.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The 199-centimetre tall Westhoff roamed far and wide, collecting 26 disposals, while team-mates Ollie Wines (33 touches), Travis Boak (28 possessions) and Robbie Gray (two goals) were prominent.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Magpies, secure in the top eight despite their sixth defeat, were brilliantly served by villain Adams (36 disposals) and stalwarts Scott Pendlebury (26 disposals) and Dane Swan (33 possessions).</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The first half swung wildly with the Power dominating before the Magpies stormed back into the contest.</span><br /> <br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Power held the visitors scoreless until the 19th minute and kicked 5.3 to 1.1 in an opening blitz.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">But the tide rapidly turned in the second stanza as the Magpies scored four unanswered goals - the last, a stunning 45-metre checkside on the run from Adam Oxley, levelled the scores.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">A late Angus Monfries goal helped the Power to a seven-point half-time lead before both sides kicked two goals in a third term marred by Adams's indiscretion.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Power held an 11-point buffer at the last change and Wingard soon stamped his influential game with his third goal for the critical 18-point break.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">The gallant Magpies responded with a pair of goals but the prevailed in a frantic finish.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eTVfVNj_VK4/VZ85DnNM1SI/AAAAAAAAEXw/rG30xQ8uGIk/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eTVfVNj_VK4/VZ85DnNM1SI/AAAAAAAAEXw/rG30xQ8uGIk/s400/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwesixFr2gM/VaHW3y8Lg8I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/ZusLHLYt-BY/s1600/sports365day.com%2B%2B728x90%2B%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="39" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwesixFr2gM/VaHW3y8Lg8I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/ZusLHLYt-BY/s320/sports365day.com%2B%2B728x90%2B%2B2.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>

Phil Walsh remembered as Port Adelaide holds on to beat Collingwood by three points in tight AFL encounter

The Power kept their slim finals hopes alive with a tight three-point win over Collingwood, as both sides paid tribute to the late Phil Wals...

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Argentina knock Germany off top spot

<br /> <div class="02Titel" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Argentina are the new leaders of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Despite losing to Chile on penalties in the final of the </span><span class="Fliesstextitalic" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copa América</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, the </span><span class="Fliesstextitalic" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Albiceleste</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> have leapfrogged over Belgium and Germany to take the top spot in the world ranking for the first time in seven years. Meanwhile the newly crowned South American champions Chile have moved up eight positions, only just missing out on a top-ten ranking at number 11. New entries in the top ten are Romania (8th, up 4), England (9th, up 6) and Wales, whose win over Belgium in the EURO 2016 qualifiers has seen them surge 12 positions to tenth place.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="04Fliesstext" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Twenty-eight teams have managed to climb by more than ten positions, including Belize (118th, up 37), </span><span class="Fliesstextitalic" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copa América</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> semi-finalists Paraguay (56th, up 29), the Faroe Islands (74th, up 28) and Venezuela (45th, up 27). Other teams achieving their best-ever rankings this month alongside Wales, the Faroe Islands and Belize are Slovakia (15th, up 2), Austria (15th, up 5), Iceland (23rd, up 14), Albania (36th, up 15), the Philippines (124th, up 13) and Guam (154th, up 20).</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="04Fliesstext" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The volatility of the ranking this month is due in part to the many matches that have been played: with 26 </span><span class="Fliesstextitalic" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copa América</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> matches, 99 qualifying matches for the World Cup or continental tournaments, and 88 friendlies, the number of matches taken into account has almost doubled the amount for the year so far (477 matches in total). The other reason is that the matches from last year’s World Cup have been devalued.</span></span></div> <div class="04Fliesstext" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></div> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: currentcolor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><tbody style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Leader</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Argentina (up 2)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Moves into top ten</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Romania (8<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, up 4)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">England (9<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, up 6)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wales (10<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, up 12)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Moves out of top ten</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Spain (12<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, down 2)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Uruguay (13<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, down 5)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">France (22<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.75px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">nd</span>, down 13)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Matches played in total</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">213</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Most matches played</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru (seven matches each)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Biggest move by points</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wales</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> (up 226 points)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Biggest move by ranks</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Belize</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> (up 37 ranks)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Biggest drop by points</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Germany (down 364 points)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-style: none solid solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 216.15pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Biggest drop by ranks</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0cm 3.5pt; width: 244.45pt;" valign="top"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3pt 0cm; padding: 0px;"> <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Central African Republic (down 29 ranks)</span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6bwxjB5668/VZ8444qIEOI/AAAAAAAAEXo/otlKIKCVBxk/s1600/argentina1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6bwxjB5668/VZ8444qIEOI/AAAAAAAAEXo/otlKIKCVBxk/s400/argentina1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niZS_H2Q5LU/VaHZOCEEdaI/AAAAAAAAAQc/F3pMu9bF_b8/s1600/me%2Bbet365.com%2Bngay%2B12%2BJuly.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niZS_H2Q5LU/VaHZOCEEdaI/AAAAAAAAAQc/F3pMu9bF_b8/s1600/me%2Bbet365.com%2Bngay%2B12%2BJuly.png" /></a></div> <br />

Argentina knock Germany off top spot

Argentina are the new leaders of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Despite losing to Chile on penalties in the final of the  Copa América ...

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Arsenal and Chelsea told £81m Serie A duo are available THIS month

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have been set a deadline to complete any transfer business for Juventus pair Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport have today claimed that the Serie A champions are willing to cash in on the in-demand midfielders this summer – but have warned potential suitors that they must make an offer by July 31 or miss out on their signatures.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to the report, Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri wants the futures of the duo to be confirmed by the end of this month, as any transfer business in August could interfere significantly with the club’s pre-season preparations.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Daily Star state that £21m-rated Vidal is still on the radar of the Gunners and Real Madrid, while Pogba, who apparently carries a £60m price-tag, remains a target for Chelsea and Manchester City.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arsene Wenger completed his first blockbuster signing of the window in securing the signature of Blues legend Petr Cech last month, while fierce rival Jose Mourinho recently signed former Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems, however, that they could both be far from finished in the transfer market.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bu8woiGWMyE/VZ836L4paxI/AAAAAAAAEXg/B6T7GgWFN2I/s1600/juvetus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bu8woiGWMyE/VZ836L4paxI/AAAAAAAAEXg/B6T7GgWFN2I/s400/juvetus1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div>

Arsenal and Chelsea told £81m Serie A duo are available THIS month

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have been set a deadline to complete any transfer business for Juventus pair Arturo Vidal and Paul Pog...

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Lusitanos la Posa 0 - 1 West Ham United: Sakho off but Hammers progress

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">West Ham recovered from an early Diafra Sakho dismissal to ease past FC Lusitans and advance in to the second round of the Europa League qualifiers.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having scored twice in the first leg, Sakho had a night to forget in Andorra, although his 14th-minute sending off made little difference - however he will now miss the second-round qualifying clash with Maltese side Birkirkara.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elliot Lee's first goal for the Hammers was enough to secure the 1-0 win on the evening and wrap up a comprehensive 4-0 aggregate success.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slaven Bilic had been criticised by Lusitans coach Xavi Roura for disrespecting his side by not being involved in the opening leg - but the new West Ham boss was on the touchline to see his side progress with ease.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the majority of his first-team squad returning to London following a pre-season training camp in Dublin, it was another side balanced with both youth and experience.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Tomkins again captained the side with Joey O'Brien making his 100th appearance for the club - as Matt Jarvis and Morgan Amalfitano also started.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The night got off to a bad start however, with last season's top goalscorer dismissed following an incident off the ball that saw the Lusitans players surround referee Anders Poulsen - who obliged their calls for Sakho to be sent off.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the early setback, the visitors were in front seven minutes later as Sakho's strike partner Lee opened his Hammers account.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 20-year old coolly converted Matt Jarvis' flick to grab the only goal of the night - although he threatened a second moments later but was knocked off the ball as he ran through on goal.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lusitans winger Jose Aguilar had been niggling away at West Ham's players for much of the game having made an enemy of himself in the opening leg at Upton Park.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He came close with a 35-yard free-kick in the second half before defender Moises San Nicolas headed home - only to see his effort chalked out for offside.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were late chances for both sides as Lee came close to adding a second late on but his curling effort bent the wrong side of Gerardo Rubio's post, before Tomkins was on hand to clear Alfi Conteh-Lacalle's injury-time free-kick off the line.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxm6pTuE84Q/VZ83WM_XrwI/AAAAAAAAEXY/-edeQ6LoD_I/s1600/west%2Bham1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxm6pTuE84Q/VZ83WM_XrwI/AAAAAAAAEXY/-edeQ6LoD_I/s400/west%2Bham1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div>

Lusitanos la Posa 0 - 1 West Ham United: Sakho off but Hammers progress

West Ham recovered from an early Diafra Sakho dismissal to ease past FC Lusitans and advance in to the second round of the Europa League qu...

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€140M not enough for Bale: Real Madrid reject world record Man Utd bid

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester United have failed with a world record bid for Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spain's Radio Cope reports United tabled a staggering €140 million offer for the Welshman, which was immediately rejected by Real president Florentino Perez.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United made the proposal during talks over a deal for Bale's defensive teammate Sergio Ramos.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perez is determined to keep hold of Bale, seeing the Welshman as Cristiano Ronaldo's eventual successor as Real's main Galactico.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Real president also remains determined to prise David de Gea away from United this summer.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Real Sociedad coach David Moyes admitted last month that he tried to sign Bale for United during his time in charge at Old Trafford.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9UHdEsQqYk0/VZ82mLP27TI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/7nkogSVf7xo/s1600/real2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9UHdEsQqYk0/VZ82mLP27TI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/7nkogSVf7xo/s400/real2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div>

€140M not enough for Bale: Real Madrid reject world record Man Utd bid

Manchester United have failed with a world record bid for Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale. Spain's Radio Cope reports United tabled a ...

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Phil Walsh: Adelaide Crows vow to give West Coast Eagles a 'red hot crack' in return to field

<div class="first"> <div class="first"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Adelaide Crows will have a "red hot crack" against the West Coast Eagles in the team's first game since the death of coach Phil Walsh, veteran player Scott Thompson says.</span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thompson said that players' emotions were still very raw but the team had found great comfort in the support it had received from fans and the wider community.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Although footy's just a game, the love and support everyone has shown in the community and AFL community has been unbelievable," Thompson told a press conference.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I can only speak for myself, but after the weekend I'm looking forward to getting back out there."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahead of this Saturday's game, he said it was important for player s to spend time together.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said the group was "in the best possible place" and had been "sticking together".</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We're looking forward to attacking West Coast and we'll put 22 blokes on the park and give it a red hot crack," Thompson said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Phil had a saying everyone used to listen to which was 'just get the job done' and we will be doing our best to do that on Saturday night."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walsh died from multiple stab wounds after a domestic dispute at his Adelaide home early on Friday morning.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The club has appointed John Worsfold as its coaching director and promoted former senior assistant Scott Camporeale as interim coach.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"As a group and as a club right in this point of time, we are focussed and we are clear with our direction now and it's great to, in the worst of circumstances, to have Scott Camporeale in charge and he will continue to drive what Phil was driving with elite standards and all the rest of it," Thompson said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"To have John Worsfold on board as well we are thankful for him giving up his time and coming to join the club in the second half of the season.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Phil would want us to win."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning hundreds of fans attended the club's open training session.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It was fantastic to see so many supporters come out and support us today. The support everywhere has been overwhelming," Thompson said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week the AFL cancelled the team's match against Geelong in the wake of Walsh's death.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mRahr-MRe4/VZzjY2z42PI/AAAAAAAAEW0/vl0KH1jBg9Q/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mRahr-MRe4/VZzjY2z42PI/AAAAAAAAEW0/vl0KH1jBg9Q/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /></div>

Phil Walsh: Adelaide Crows vow to give West Coast Eagles a 'red hot crack' in return to field

The Adelaide Crows will have a "red hot crack" against the West Coast Eagles in the team's first game since the death of co...

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State of Origin: Blues not ruling out Robbie Farah while Maroons expect Michael Ennis to play

<div class="first"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queensland expects New South Wales to replace Robbie Farah with Michael Ennis for tonight's State of Origin decider but the Blues refuse to rule Farah out.</span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Farah had surgery on his broken hand last Tuesday in an attempt to be able to play in the series decider at Lang Park.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both hookers have trained for the Blues but Farah's involvement has been limited as he recovers from the injury suffered in the Wests Tigers loss to Penrith.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However New South Wales assistant coach Matt Parish would not rule out Farah taking part.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I think Laurie is going to use most of the time up until 7pm tonight to decide," Parish said in Brisbane on Wednesday morning.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Both trained yesterday, both trained really well. We'll see how Robbie's hand pulls up after lunch today and go from there."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queensland assistant coach Michael Hagan said he doubts Farah will be in a position to play so soon after surgery.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We're not expecting him (Farah) to play," Hagan said on Wednesday.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I don't know if you can have surgery and expect to play within seven days medically. We're probably expecting Michael Ennis to be there to be honest."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hagan said the experience of Ennis at Origin level means the Blues would not lose much with Farah sidelined.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He's (Ennis) a real competitor and very tough in his defence," Hagan said.</span><br /> <div class="inline-content right embedTweet embedded" data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-0"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm sure he will do a good job for them in the middle third and that's all they will be asking him to do."</span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both the Maroons and Blues had team walks around Brisbane on Wednesday morning and reported that aside from the question mark over Farah all players are fit and raring to go.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Maroons will have plenty to play for as they aim to reclaim the series in front of their home crowd. It is coach Mal Meninga's 55th birthday while centre Justin Hodges will make his Origin farewell after 22 appearances for Queensland.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greg Inglis, who starts at full-back tonight for Queensland but usually partners Hodges in the centres, presented his team-mate with a jersey on Tuesday night telling him what it has meant to play with him.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile the Blues have been inspired by former full-back Jarryd Hayne who has joined the squad on a break from training with NFL side the San Francisco 49ers.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He's an inspiration to everyone for what he is doing and the journey he is on," Parish said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He gave up so much to go over there and chase his dream, and to have him around is certainly very uplifting for everyone."</span><br /> <h2> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Smith to rise above public criticism</span></h2> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hagan has backed Maroons captain Cameron Smith to rise in the face of great personal challenge following public criticism from Alex McKinnon over Smith's on-field behaviour following the tackle last year that has left the Knights forward wheelchair-bound.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Queensland Origin camp have been so protective of their skipper that media were told the Maroons would abandon their traditional pre-match team walk if Smith was approached for comment on McKinnon.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McKinnon's comments on Sunday night's 60 Minutes program have taken the focus off Smith equalling Queensland great Darren Lockyer's record of 36 Origin appearances.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Mentally Origin is always tough," Hagan said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The events of the last few days just makes the challenge greater.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Cameron has been through a fair bit but he is mentally stronger than most I have come across.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He will lead the team like he always does and I think the team will respond accordingly."</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj-gIC3Gkcg/VZziRng-RKI/AAAAAAAAEWs/DU1doau-Yts/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj-gIC3Gkcg/VZziRng-RKI/AAAAAAAAEWs/DU1doau-Yts/s400/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br />

State of Origin: Blues not ruling out Robbie Farah while Maroons expect Michael Ennis to play

Queensland expects New South Wales to replace Robbie Farah with Michael Ennis for tonight's State of Origin decider but the Blues ref...

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Porto confirm Martinez deal

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Porto have confirmed that Jackson Martinez will join Atletico Madrid in a 24.8million deal.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Portuguese club say Atletico have agreed to meet the release clause set for the Colombia international striker, who was top scorer in the Portuguese league during all three of his seasons there.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 28-year-old looked destined for a switch to AC Milan earlier in the summer before a deal with the Serie A giants fell through and he told journalists last week that he would be joining the La Liga giants in a few days.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Portuguese giants released a statement on their website validating what Martinez had told reporters last week.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I am going there for four years, but I still don't know when I will be introduced," Martinez said.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's all ready. I'm going to enjoy spending some time with my family for now and then travel to Spain to introduce myself to my new club.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm very excited about taking this step with Atletico Madrid. It's a new challenge in my career and I hope things turn out very well for me there.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm joining with the promise of contributing to ensure the club follows their evolution."</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VyKFQIFcoGU/VZzgxLpJVBI/AAAAAAAAEWg/fjPoxX2n2pI/s1600/alectico%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VyKFQIFcoGU/VZzgxLpJVBI/AAAAAAAAEWg/fjPoxX2n2pI/s400/alectico%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div>

Porto confirm Martinez deal

Porto have confirmed that Jackson Martinez will join Atletico Madrid in a 24.8million deal. The Portuguese club say Atletico have agreed ...

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Manchester City hold out for £20m for Roma target Edin Dzeko 

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Roma will have to raise their valuation of Edin Dzeko for Manchester City to seriously countenance selling the striker, who would be offered a five-year contract worth €4.5m (£3.19m) a-season.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">The Serie A club are hoping that an offer of £14.1m (€20m) will be enough to sign the Bosnian but City are holding out for more than that for the 29-year-old. A bid of around £20m may be enough for the club to consider allowing Dzeko to depart.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Despite agreeing a fresh four-year deal last August the Bosnian again struggled to establish himself as first choice under Manuel Pellegrini last season. This has proved the pattern of his City career since joining from Wolfsburg in 2011 when Roberto Mancini was in charge.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">The forward was unable to score consistently, enjoying only patches of his best form until the second part of the 2013-14 campaign when he scored 11 of his 16 league goals from late January onwards as the club won a second championship in three years.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">On signing new terms last summer, Dzeko said: “I’m really happy here at City, it’s a second home to me, so it was an easy decision to stay for the long term. I knew from the beginning when I started here that I wanted to stay for a long time – I can’t see any place better than here.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">However he managed only four league goals despite starting 22 games last season. Roma hope to finalise the deal before 25 July, the day of their first pre-season friendly, against Persija Jakarta, in Indonesia.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Roma are trying to overhaul their forward line and are looking to offload Mattia Destro and Seydou Doumbia, with the former possibly joining Monaco and Watford interested in taking the latter on loan.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">The Roma sporting director, Walter Sabatini, has made Dzeko his No1 target up front but if the club cannot reach a deal with City they are likely to try to sign Anderlecht’s Aleksandar Mitrovic but would face competition for the Serb, with Porto also interested.</span></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nw3bODZTXIo/VZzgkepR47I/AAAAAAAAEWY/di8qua4vwBg/s1600/roma2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nw3bODZTXIo/VZzgkepR47I/AAAAAAAAEWY/di8qua4vwBg/s400/roma2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>

Manchester City hold out for £20m for Roma target Edin Dzeko 

Roma will have to raise their valuation of Edin Dzeko for Manchester City to seriously countenance selling the striker, who would be offered...

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Rooney: We can win the league

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney firmly believes that his side are one of the frontrunners to win the Premier League title next season.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rooney's confidence stems from the fact that United managed to turn their season around after only registering three victories in their first 10 games of the 2014/15 season. Following their poor start, the Red Devils only lost five more games on their way to finishing fourth and clinching a spot in the Champions League qualifiers.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I honestly believe we will go far next year and won't be far off challenging for the league," Rooney said on his official website. "If you look at the first 10 to 11 games we only had around 13 points, and if you look at where we finished I think it shows we could have been up there with a better start.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We've dominated and outplayed most teams this season but haven't taken our chances to win those games, it could have been a different story if we had."</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rooney added that it would have been a major disaster if United had missed out on the Champions League once again next season.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Our main target this year was to get back into the top four, and we have done that so in that sense it's not bad at all," he said. "You have to realise that at the start of the season we had a new manager, new coaches and a lot of new players, so it was always going to be a tough ask for us to go and win the Premier League."</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the 29-year-old was disappointed that United's trophy cabinet remained empty at the end of the recentlyconcluded season.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It was a bit disappointing not to win any silverware, especially the FA Cup after the defeat to Arsenal in the quarter-finals; we had a great chance of going on to win that," he said. "After last season it would have been a disaster if we didn't get that Champions League spot, but the main thing is that the club is now back where it belongs."</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United have only added Memphis Depay to their roster thus far, but have been linked with a number of other players, including Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Should United be able to sign both players, along with a few more reinforcements, Rooney believes that it will further strengthen their chances of winning the Premier League title and additional silverware.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The most important thing is that as a squad, including the manager and myself, we believe we are close to challenging for the title and with a couple of signings we will have a good chance of doing that," Rooney said. "It would be good to win as many cups as possible, a club like Manchester United should be winning trophies and hopefully next season we can put that right."</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Izz_cMzoCYM/VZzgUv-l0rI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/t9skh5H90Lg/s1600/mu3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Izz_cMzoCYM/VZzgUv-l0rI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/t9skh5H90Lg/s400/mu3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /></div>

Rooney: We can win the league

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney firmly believes that his side are one of the frontrunners to win the Premier League title next seaso...

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Football Bet of the Day: Undertakers won't make things deadly dull

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Union Mar del Plata v Chacarita Juniors</span><br />Wednesday July 08, 21:10</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was conclusive proof <span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">last night</span> that you don't have to be able to pronounce a team's name in order to back them. Fjardabyggd's 3-1 win at HK gave us an odds-against winner, and we've made a decent start to the week.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've made you endure the cold of Sweden and Iceland, so in the interests of fairness I'm spiriting you away to Argentina today. We're going to delve into the depths of the Primera B Nacional for a clash between two sides in the bottom half, Union Mar del Plata and Chacarita Juniors.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Union Mar del Plata won promotion to the PBN last season, and they are now playing at a higher level than ever before. With 25 points collected from 22 games, they've made a solid start. However, if the Lightblue are to prosper they must fix their leaky defence - their record of 35 goals conceded is by far the worst in the division.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chacarita Juniors, also delightfully known as the Undertakers, are a point and a couple of places worse off than the hosts. They also have defensive issues to solve, as they have shipped 29 goals.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a clash between the division's two worst defences, and with 25 goals scored apiece, Union Mar del Plata and Chacarita have the best goalscoring records outside the top seven. When the two teams met back in February, Chacarita won 3-1, and there's a strong chance we'll see goals again.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The stats support backing Both Teams To Score at <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="5/4" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.26</span></span>. That bet has paid out in exactly half of CA Union's 22 matches, and 14 of Chacarita's. If you're weighing up whether to back <span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over 2.5 Goals</span> at <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="7/4" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.72</span></span>, the evidence again suggests the price is slightly too big - the bet has paid out in ten of Union Mar del Plata's games, and 11 of Chacarita's.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm leaning towards the former bet so that we can cover the 1-1 draw. That's been the scoreline in three of CA Union's last five games, and two of Chacarita's last six.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none;">Back Both Teams To Score at</span><span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none; transition: color 0.2s;"><span style="-webkit-transition: color 0.2s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="5/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.26</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SqQi-My19u0/VZzfmoUX_sI/AAAAAAAAEWI/PZPez110adY/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SqQi-My19u0/VZzfmoUX_sI/AAAAAAAAEWI/PZPez110adY/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="5/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><br /></span></span></div>

Football Bet of the Day: Undertakers won't make things deadly dull

Union Mar del Plata v Chacarita Juniors Wednesday July 08, 21:10 There was conclusive proof  last night  that you don't have to be ab...

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CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B: Costa Rica jostle Jamaica, El Salvador face Canada

<div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B gets underway in Carson, California, with two tussles that could potentially shape the pool. Group titans, and everyone’s favourite World Cup underdogs, Costa Rica square-up to biggest threat Jamaica, while outsiders El Salvador scrap with Canada.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Costa Rica v Jamaica</span><br />Far and away pool favourites at 8/11 with Coral, and <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">13/2 to win the whole thing</span></span>, Costa Rica must prove they can handle the pressure of being big-guns rather than plucky outsiders, with that role now claimed by the Reggae Boyz.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Understandably odds-on at 5/6 to push past Caribbean nation Jamaica, Paulo Wanchope’s Copa Centroamericana champions have slain the Reggae Boyz in 11 of their 24 encounters, drawing nine and losing just four.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> The last time these two teams clashed in Kingston, Jamaica managed to split the spoils and, with four of their previous seven meetings ending on even terms, are a tempting <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">12/5 to squeeze a draw yet again</span></span>.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Costa Rica captain Bryan Ruiz, still owned by Championship club Fulham, is a regular scorer for his country and available to back at 15/8 in the anytime market, though all the attention will surely be on Arsenal-owned speedster Joel Campbell.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Several Spanish sides are said to be chasing the striker, who has the chance to put himself in the shop window with Los Ticos once more, and is a fantastic <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">13/2 to fire home first</span></span>.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Campbell and co will be up against it though, as Jamaica have shown they are tough to open up, causing even Argentina problems in the 2015 Copa America. Having conceded just four goals in their last eight outings across all competitions, punters can place a stake on the Reggae Boyz at 13/5 to resist Costa Rica and keep a clean sheet.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> The Jamaican’s do lack cutting edge in attack, which could prove their undoing even in Los Ticos and Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas’ absence. England-born Giles Barnes and Vancouver Whitecaps striker Darren Mattocks are their biggest forward threats and can both be backed at 10/3 to strike anytime.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">El Salvador v Canada</span><br />For Pool B minnows El Salvador and Canada (odds-on at 10/11 to triumph), an opening victory is vital should one of Costa Rica and Jamaica be defeated in the other duel, as a win would give one of the outsiders a realistic chance to qualify for the next round.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Quarter-finalists in 2013, La Selecta look the weakest team on show in Group B, having won just one of their past six outings. The Cannucks, meanwhile, have scored a superb 10 in their last four fixtures, and are <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">11/2 to smash three or more past El Salvador</span></span>.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20.8000011444092px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px;">For the Canadians, Hapoel Haifa marksman Tosaint Ricketts has hit form, and is 11/2 to draw first blood, while Fredrikstad forward Rafael Burgos is El Salvador’s chief threat at 7/4 to be on target anytime.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aKy1mTBGyRs/VZzfZIGLrrI/AAAAAAAAEWA/_GbyKZl3KpY/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aKy1mTBGyRs/VZzfZIGLrrI/AAAAAAAAEWA/_GbyKZl3KpY/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20.8000011444092px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.5454540252686px;"><br /></span></div>

CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B: Costa Rica jostle Jamaica, El Salvador face Canada

CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B gets underway in Carson, California, with two tussles that could potentially shape the pool. Group titans, and ev...

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Lampard 'lucky' to play alongside Pirlo

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The former Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder is full of praise for his new New York City FC colleague, who joined the American side from Juventus on Monday</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Lampard considers himself "lucky" to play in the same New York City FC team as Andrea Pirlo.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The former England international was finally unveiled by the Major League Soccer side on Tuesday after spending last season on loan at Manchester City and could make his debut in Sunday's meeting with Toronto FC.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pirlo's transfer to MLS's newest club from Juventus was confirmed on Monday and Lampard cannot wait to play alongside the Italian and former Barcelona striker David Villa.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"David and Andrea are at the top of the list, I'm a lucky man to be in the same squad as them," he told reporters at his unveiling.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I've been watching all the games. I know every player and how they play. It will be a pleasure to play with them every day.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I think Pirlo is the best at getting his ball to dip and dive off the free kick. He can have the first one!"</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ij931tjB3rE/VZze_iBcvkI/AAAAAAAAEV4/v5dVsWk3Rvk/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ij931tjB3rE/VZze_iBcvkI/AAAAAAAAEV4/v5dVsWk3Rvk/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Lampard 'lucky' to play alongside Pirlo

The former Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder is full of praise for his new New York City FC colleague, who joined the American side fr...

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St George Illawarra to welcome back five players for NRL clash with Cronulla

<div class="first"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Desperate St George Illawarra has received welcome relief with senior players returning in their droves as they fight to stay in the NRL top eight.</span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After slumping to their fourth straight loss on the weekend, New South Wales stars Josh Dugan and Trent Merrin as well as Jason Nightingale, Will Matthews and Joel Thompson headline a list of welcome inclusions for the Dragons.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dugan and Merrin will take on local rivals the Sharks in Cronulla on Sunday provided they pull through Wednesday's State of Origin decider.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thompson (hamstring), Nightingale (ankle) and Matthews (suspension) will also be in the line-up.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul McGregor's side went down 18-12 to North Queensland on Saturday night, missing nine regular starters, but will fancy their chances of getting back in the winner's circle this week.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While still placed fourth, they are in a logjam of five teams on 20 points and another loss will leave them on a knife's edge.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their opponents have also received a boost with Paul Gallen and Michael Ennis set to return provided they get through Origin.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Struggling Newcastle also have a flood of troops returning with halves Jarrod Mullen and Tyrone Roberts and forwards Kade Snowden, Jeremy Smith and David Fa'alogo back on Friday to face Canberra.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We need to start winning games definitely," Mullen said of his Knights who are placed 15th.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I know we don't have the best run home because we had a lot of home games to start off with.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We've got to make a bit of a run and make a run now."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Canterbury's Josh Jackson returns from suspension, forcing Des Hasler to make the difficult decision to relegate young back-rower and last-start man of the match Shaun Lane to 18th man.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has named Sam Thaiday to back up three days after Origin in the front row in place of Josh McGuire, who is out for the season with an achilles injury.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooper Cronk will make his playing return from a knee injury for Queensland in Origin III on Wednesday night and is also expected to line up against the Warriors for Melbourne, who are out to break a three-game losing streak.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gold Coast half-back Kane Elgey has failed in his bid to line up against Manly and robbing him of the chance to make a point against Daly Cherry-Evans.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cherry-Evans backflipped on a deal to join Gold Coast next year to stick with Manly and Monday's match will be his first outing against the club he spurned.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elgey would have teamed with Cherry-Evans in the halves next year and Titans coach Neil Henry said he would have been disappointed to miss the clash.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"(Elgey's) ankle is just not right at the moment," Henry said.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He's really on restricted training and he'll be pushing to be right the week after.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We're expecting a few other players should be right next week as well."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Elgey still out, Josh Hoffman has been named at five-eighth, ending James Roberts' time in the halves, while front-rower Ryan James has been cleared of a shoulder problem.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JRQFwwS3pY/VZuaIV1zmxI/AAAAAAAAERA/c8ZozaWLlN8/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JRQFwwS3pY/VZuaIV1zmxI/AAAAAAAAERA/c8ZozaWLlN8/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br />

St George Illawarra to welcome back five players for NRL clash with Cronulla

Desperate St George Illawarra has received welcome relief with senior players returning in their droves as they fight to stay in the NRL ...

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Essendon's Jobe Watson out for rest of AFL season with shoulder injury

<div class="first"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bad news keeps coming for Essendon, with captain Jobe Watson to miss the rest of the AFL season because of a shoulder surgery.</span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Club doctor Bruce Reid said Watson aggravated an existing injury to his left shoulder in Sunday's 110-point loss to St Kilda.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the 2012 Brownlow Medallist's 200th game, but he only managed nine possessions as the Bombers suffered their fifth-straight loss.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's disappointing any time, especially given the season isn't going the way we would have hoped," Watson told the club website.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"When you can't be out there to help rectify it, it's disappointing."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watson will now undergo surgery on Wednesday.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"His MRI (scan) unfortunately shows that he has an unstable shoulder and has significant damage," Reid said in a club statement.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"He saw (surgeon) Greg Hoy this afternoon and that meeting determined he will require surgery."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Essendon's season is in freefall after their woeful performance against the Saints.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are 14th with only four wins and Watson's loss is a cruel blow.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We all feel for Jobe, he is such a tremendous leader of our club, and for his season to be ended prematurely is obliviously a big blow for him personally," said coach James Hird.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's certainly tough to replace a leader and player like Jobe, but given the circumstances we currently find ourselves in, it presents members of our playing group with the opportunity to showcase their leadership and ability to respond against Melbourne on Saturday."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The news comes a day after Watson strongly backed Hird, who has again come under strong media scrutiny because of the team's poor form.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this season, Watson and his team-mates were rocked by the news that WADA would appeal against the AFL anti-doping tribunal not guilty findings.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--J56Lov1DYY/VZuZ5aaXqlI/AAAAAAAAEQw/Wbbc7eKUdG4/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--J56Lov1DYY/VZuZ5aaXqlI/AAAAAAAAEQw/Wbbc7eKUdG4/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <br />

Essendon's Jobe Watson out for rest of AFL season with shoulder injury

The bad news keeps coming for Essendon, with captain Jobe Watson to miss the rest of the AFL season because of a shoulder surgery. Club ...

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