D Friday, September 18, 2009 METROSPORT 27 europa league group c Hap Tel Aviv 2 Celtic ...........1 Vucicevic 75 Samaras 25 Lala 88 Rapid Vienna 3 Hamburg ....0 Hoffmann 36 Jelavic 44 Drazan 76 group e Basle ...........2 Roma ..........0 Carlitos 11 Almerares 87 CSKA Sofia..1 Fulham.........1 Michel 62 Kamara 65 group i Benfica ........2 BATE ...........0 Nuno Gomes 36 Cardozo 40 Everton ........4 AEK Athens.0 Yobo 10, Distin 17 Pienaar 37, Jo 82 Fulham show off strength in reserve cska sofia.................1 fulham..........................1 ROY HODGSON will continue to rest his best players for the Europa League after watching Fulham draw last night at CSKA Sofia. Diomansy Kamara struck in the 66th minute to secure a share of the spoils after Michel Platini slotted CSKA into the lead. And Cottagers boss Hodgson feels his severely depleted line-up, which showed nine changes to the side which beat Everton 2-1 last Sunday, justified the sweeping changes. The decision to pick the team we did was made with very careful thought, he said. We made our mind up early on that if we are to do anything in this competition well have to use as many players as Uefa allow us to. The team showed they deserved to be selected. They had a chance to show what they can do and proved I can trust them. Hapless Hoops wilt once Hapoel turn up the heathapoel tel-aviv ..................... 2 celtic................................................ 1 CeltiC manager tony Mowbray will not use the heat and humidity of israel as an excuse for their late defeat to Hapoel tel Aviv in their europa league Group C opener in the Bloomfield stadium. the Hoops looked to be cruising through the second half of the game after Georgios Samaras 25th-minute strike gave them the interval lead. However, with 15 minutes left and the Parkhead side wilting, Hapoel playmaker Nemanja Vucicevic slammed in a leveller. there was further misery for Mowbray with two minutes remaining when Hapoel substitute Maaran lala grabbed the late winner with the Celtic defence in disarray. But Mowbray was reluctant to blame the stifling conditions for the disappointing start to their europa league campaign. He said: it was disappointing to lose in the manner we did with the two late goals but once again i cant fault the players effort. i thought they stuck to the game plan very well but we played against a decent side and you could see they were building up a mo- ment at a draining time in the game. But there are no excuses, they played well and ultimately over the 90 minutes they probably deserved their victory. the disappointment was the concentra- tion levels in the last quarter of an hour werent as high as they were. But we wont be using the conditions as an excuse and yet i was sweating watching the game, never mind running around for 90 minutes. it would have had a bearing but lets not take anything away from Hapoel. Hapoel Tel-Aviv: Enyeama, Kende, Badir, Douglas, Ben Dayan, Yadin, Natcho (Zahavi 68), Vucicevic (Merey 80), Vermouth, Yeboah, Menteshashvili (Lala 54). Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, McManus, Loovens, Daniel Fox, NGuemo (McGinn 66), Caldwell (McDonald 90), Brown, Maloney, Samaras (Killen 70), McGeady. Att: 15,500 Ref: Paul Allaerts (Belgium). MATCH FACTS Foursome Toffees see off Athens On the run: Celtic winger Aiden McGeady scampers past Hapoels Avihay Yadin Picture: Getty Images TOdAY SOCCER (7.45pm unless stated) Coca-Cola Championship Sheff Utd v Sheff Wed...................... League of Ireland Premier division Bohemians v Dundalk ...................... Drogheda Utd v Derry City ............... Galway Utd v St Patricks.................. League of Ireland First division Kildare Cnty v Sporting Fingal.. 8.00 Monaghan Utd v Mervue Utd.... 8.00 Shelbourne v Limerick 37.......... 8.00 Wexford Youths v Longford T.... 7.30 HORSE RACING Ayr, Newbury, Newmarket, Wolverhampton, Listowel RUGBY UNION The Magners League: Connacht v Cardiff Blues (7.00), Newport-Gwent Dgons v Glasgow (7.30), Ospreys v Leinster (7.05), Ulster v Edinburgh (8.00) davis Cup World Group Semi-finals: Croatia v Czech Rep, Spain v Israel (3.00 unless stated) SATURdAY SOCCER (3pm unless stated) Barclays Premier League Arsenal v Wigan................................ Aston Villa v Portsmouth .................. Bolton v Stoke.................................. Burnley v Sunderland.............. 12.45 Hull v Birmingham ............................ West Ham v Liverpool ............... 5.30 Coca-Cola Championship Barnsley v Swansea ......................... Bristol City v Scunthorpe ................. Cardiff v QPR.................................... Crystal Palace v Derby..................... Doncaster v Ipswich......................... Middlesbrough v West Brom............ Newcastle v Plymouth...................... Nottm Forest v Blackpool................. Peterborough v Reading .................. Preston v Coventry........................... Watford v Leicester .......................... Coca-Cola League One Brentford v Bristol Rovers ................ Brighton v Southend ........................ Colchester v Hartlepool.................... Exeter v Tranmere............................. Leeds v Gillingham........................... Millwall v Huddersfield ..................... Norwich v Charlton........................... Oldham v Carlisle ............................. Southampton v Yeovil....................... Stockport v Leyton Orient ................ Walsall v Swindon ............................ Wycombe v Milton Keynes Dons ..... Coca-Cola League Two Barnet v Bradford............................. Burton Albion v Dag & Red .............. Cheltenham v Rotherham................. Chesterfield v Macclesfield .............. Crewe v Aldershot............................ Darlington v Bournemouth ............... Hereford v Accrington Stanley ......... Lincoln City v Shrewsbury................ Morecambe v Notts County ............. Northampton v Rochdale ................. Port Vale v Bury................................ Torquay v Grimsby............................ Clydesdale Bank Premier League Aberdeen v St Mirren........................ Dundee Utd v Motherwell................. Hamilton v Falkirk............................. Hibernian v St Johnstone................. Kilmarnock v Rangers ............. 12.30 Setanta Cup Group 1 Sligo v Cork............................... 5.30 Setanta Cup Group 2 Coleraine v Glentoran....................... League of Ireland Premier division Shamrock Rovers v Bray........... 7.00 League of Ireland First division Athlone Town v Waterford Utd .. 7.45 Finn Harps v UCD...................... 7.45 HORSE RACING Ayr, Catterick, Newbury, Newmarket, Wolverhampton, Listowel RUGBY UNION Tri-Nations Series: New Zealand v Australia (8.35am) The Magners League: Scarlets v Munster (6.30) SUNdAY SOCCER (3pm unless stated) Barclays Premier League Chelsea v Tottenham................. 4.00 Everton v Blackburn......................... Man Utd v Man City .................. 1.30 Wolverhampton v Fulham.......... 2.00 Clydesdale Bank Premier League Celtic v Hearts.................................. GAA All-Ireland SFC final Cork v Kerry (3.30) All-Ireland MFC final Armagh v Mayo (1.15) CRICKET The NatWest Series: England v Australia (Riverside) HORSE RACING Hamilton, Plumpton, Uttoxeter results fixtures soccer EUROPA LEAGUE BY NEIL MACKAY premier league EVERTON shrugged off their poor domestic form to get their Europa League campaign off to a flying start. Joseph Yobo (pictured) headed the Toffees ahead while Sylvain Distin and Steven Pienaar also scored before the break. Jo netted to cap the rout before Louis Saha was sent-off for elbowing Juanfran in injury time. Meanwhile, free agent full- back Lucas Neill has signed a one-year deal with Everton after passing a medical at the Merseyside club. everton.. 4 aek ..... 0 Win now mentality: Torres Reds ready to go on a roll, says Gerrard STEVEN GERRARD believes Liverpool are starting to get their act together after an indifferent start to the season. The Reds captain admitted Wednesdays unconvincing 1-0 home win over Hungarian champions Debrecen in their opening Champions League group E match was below their highest standards. But the midfielder says the Reds are beginning to get that winning look about them again as they head into tomorrows clash at West Ham. The confidence is starting to come back now after losing those two early games [against Tottenham and Aston Villa] and we are building slowly back to form, he said. It takes a while to get back to your best but were happy with everyones reaction. Its still very early but is important we recover from our poor start. Striker Fernando Torres added: The 25-year-old added: We are recovering the confidence now. There are players injured but we dont have time to think in terms of the recovery of players and improving then we have to win now. STRIKER Caleb Folan has joined Middlesbrough on a three-month loan from Hull with a view to a permanent move. The Republic of Ireland strikers loan spell begins tomorrow, meaning Folan is available for the crucial game against leaders West Brom which could see Boro go top of the Championship. The 26-year-old joins fellow Ireland international Sean St Ledger at the club after the defender arrived from Preston. blues look within CHELSEA have looked in-house to appoint Ron Gourlay as their new chief executive. The 46-year-old replaces Peter Kenyon, who has announced he will step down from the position at the end of next month. Gourlay, who was previously the chief operating officer with the London club, said: It is a huge honour to be offered the chance to lead Chelsea. We have a fantastic team both on and off the field and those teams can move us on to even greater success in the future. To be responsible for that is a fantastic challenge and I will be giving it my total commitment, drive and energy. All successful clubs strike the balance between the footballing and commercial sides and my role is to ensure this happens as it is a critical part of our strategy moving forward. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html