Soccer

STOKE City were promoted to the Barclay’s Premier League when a drab 0-0 draw at home to Leicester City clinched runners-up spot in The Championship (second division) on the last day of the season.

Third-placed Hull City, the only team who could have denied Stoke, were beaten 1-0 at Ipswich Town.

West Bromwich Albion, who had all but secured their promotion last Monday, return to the top flight as champions after a 2-0 victory at Queen’s Park Rangers put them on 81 points, two more than Stoke.

While Albion are no strangers to Premier League campaigns in recent seasons, Stoke are now looking forward to their first season among the elite since 1985 and the £60 million ($127.16 million) windfall that promotion guarantees.

The contrast in emotions could hardly have been greater as the 0-0 draw sent Leicester City down to League One, the third tier in English football for the first time.

They joined already relegated Scunthorpe United and Colchester United.

A premature pitch invasion by jubilant Stoke fans delayed the final few minutes at the Britannia Stadium, before the final whistle sparked wild scenes of celebration.

Hull can still clinch a place in the top flight for the first time in their 104-year history through the play-offs which will also feature Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Watford, who finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

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Source: foxsports.com.au

EVERTON missed a chance to wrap up a UEFA Cup spot as Nicklas Bendtner’s late goal condemned David Moyes’s side to a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal.

With 13 minutes left to play at the Emirates Stadium, Everton were on course to claim the point they needed to secure fifth place and guarantee European football next season.

But Bendtner’s powerful header left them to sweat for another week. Now the Toffees have to avoid defeat at home to Newcastle next week to ensure they finish above Aston Villa, who remain three points behind Moyes’s side.

Bendtner’s winner gave Arsenal a third successive victory but Arsene Wenger’s emerging young squad will have to settle for the promise of better things to come.

Moyes said: "I thought we were unfortunate. I’m disappointed we didn’t get a point we need to secure UEFA cup football. We did enough to get it.

"But three points ahead with a game to go is a position I’m happy to be in. I’m confident the players can do it. I’ve got no worries about their attitude next week."

Wenger admitted Jens Lehmann’s substitute appearance was a farewell to the club: "It was a farewell, yes. I wanted the fans to say goodbye to him because of what he’s done for us.

"He’s not an easy character but you take that. He’s been fully committed and that’s easy to forget sometimes."

Villa’s defeat against Wigan had left Everton within touching distance of another continental campaign.

A draw would have been enough for Everton so Moyes opted to deploy Andy Johnson as the lone striker and leave Ayegbeni Yakubu on the bench.

In contrast to the visitors, Arsenal had nothing more than pride to play for. Their fading title challenge was extinguished by Manchester United’s win 24 hours earlier and there was an unfamiliar look about Wenger’s experimental team, with Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini among the notable absentees watching from the stands.

Still, Everton could take nothing for granted. They would hardly have been encouraged by their miserable record at Arsenal, where they were without a victory since January 1996.

The safe-first nature of Everton’s line-up inevitably presented the initiative to Arsenal in the opening stages. Theo Walcott threatened when the winger exchanged passes with Denilson before curling a shot past the far post.

But Everton’s hunger ensured they didn’t lie dormant for long. Manuel Fernandes cleverly worked space to send Johnson scampering clear of Gael Clichy, with Lukasz Fabianksi forced to save with his feet.

Everton went even closer when Joleon Lescott met Fernandes’s corner with a downward header that Denilson alertly hooked off the line.

It was tepid stuff for long spells after that. Adebayor briefly raised the pulse as he burst clear only to poke straight at Tim Howard. The Togo forward was frustrated again as he glanced a diving header off-target from Emmanuel Eboue’s cross just before half-time.

Alexandre Song’s nervous display at centre-back for Arsenal could have been exploited more by the visitors. Instead they were content to stifle the Gunners, with Lescott’s scuffed effort on the hour a rare foray forward.

Wenger gave Lehmann a final appearance at the Emirates midway through the second half. The Germany goalkeeper will leave this close-season after spending much of the current campaign grumbling about his lack of playing time, but Wenger showed no hard feeling as he sent him on for Fabianski.

After coasting for much of the match, Arsenal suddenly sprang into life in the 77th minute.

Bendtner’s pass sent Armand Traore away down the left and the young full-back returned the favour with a perfectly-flighted cross. Bendtner thrives on such offerings and rose above Phil Jagielka to power his header past Howard.

Everton couldn’t muster a response and face a nervous wait to claim that top five finish.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

MIDFIELDER Angela Hucles scored the game-winning goal in the 94th minute to lead the United States past Australia 5-4 in a women’s football friendly.

The US women improved to 12-0 with one draw this year despite surrendering two own-goals and squandering a three-goal lead in the second half.

It was the first time the US women had ever won when allowing so many goals and only the sixth time in the 23-year history of the US women’s team that they had surrendered four goals.

US captain Cat Whitehill slipped and knocked the ball into her own net in the 19th minute to put the Matildas ahead.

But the Americans answered with goals by Lindsay Tarpley in the 28th minute, Abby Wambach in the 29th and Tarpley again in the 42nd to put the hosts ahead 3-1 at half-time.

Wambach scored again in the opening minute of the second half before the Aussies rallied with goals by Sarah Walsh in the 49th minute and Lauren Colthorpe in the 64th minute.

The Matildas equalized on another US own-goal in the 69th minute when Christie Rampone slid trying to clear the ball from the goal area.

Colthorpe clanked a blast off the crossbar in the 88th minute, setting the stage for Hucles’ winner, her first goal since a 2004 1-0 victory over Mexico.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

GORDON Strachan has ditched all notions of demanding fancy play from Celtic after a “common sense” 2-1 win at Motherwell boosted his side’s late title charge.

With only two games left to play in the Scottish Premier League, the reigning champions stretched their lead over Rangers to eight points, although the Ibrox side have four games in hand.

The destiny of the SPL trophy seems likely to be shaped by Rangers - who, in the wake of qualifying for the UEFA Cup final in midweek, face Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday hoping to avoid a slip-up.

Not for the first time, Celtic fans will be hoping a club from the capital can throw a spanner into the works of their Old Firm rivals.

Strachan now has a realistic chance of becoming the first Celtic manager since the time of legendary boss Jock Stein to win the title for a third consecutive year.

And the Celtic manager, who had been under fire in recent months following a dip in Celtic’s form, realises that results rather than performances matter most as the season reaches a climax.

Strachan said: "At Celtic you always have to win every week but that’s especially true just now. Beating Motherwell was a big result for us and that’s what is important to us just now.

"People talk about the game having to be played in a beautiful fashion but that doesn’t really matter at this stage in the season.

"All people care about is results. Although we will continue to try and play in a beautiful fashion the game on Saturday was a great example of common sense football.”

Celtic were made to work hard for their three points.

Motherwell’s Keith Lasley had the first effort on goal when his left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty box was deflected narrowly wide, with Celtic’s Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc rooted to the spot.

In the 37th minute Boruc was forced into meaningful action for the first time in the match, diving to his left to save Marc Fitzpatrick’s low shot from 18 yards.

On the hour mark Motherwell deservedly opened the scoring when Chris Porter headed past Boruc.

Barely a minute later Celtic pulled level when Australian striker Scott McDonald nodded Shunsuke Nakamura’s cross beyond Motherwell’s rookie goalkeeper Luke Daniels.

And in the 79th minute the Parkhead side secured all three points when substitute Georgios Samaras stooped to head Barry Robson’s corner into the corner of the net.

Motherwell almost snatched a share of the points in the final minute when Stephen Craigan’s downward header was brilliantly pushed past the post by Boruc.

McDonald has now scored 30 goals in his first season with the Hoops since joining from Motherwell last summer.

The striker was delighted to have helped secure another important victory against his old side and is now hoping Rangers slip up in their final matches.

McDonald said: "It was a difficult game for us and we knew Motherwell would make it hard for us. We know we have to win every game and I didn’t want our title hopes to end at Fir Park.

"Hopefully this result will put the pressure on Rangers. We know we need other teams to do us a favour but all we can do is concentrate on ourselves and keep winning.

"If Rangers do go on to win the championship then they will have deserved it as they’ve been very consistent this season but we’re not giving up hope and will keep going to the end."

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

ECUADOR winger Antonio Valencia struck a second-half double to secure a shock win over Aston Villa that ensures Wigan will be playing top flight football again next season.

For Villa, a disappointing performance in front of their own fans could have cost them the chance of claiming 5th place in the table and direct entry to next season’s UEFA Cup. That honour will go to Everton if they can take a point from either of their two remaining matches.

Villa were given a pre-match boost when Olof Mellberg was passed fit to make a farewell appearance before his off-season move to Juventus.

And the contest started promisingly enough with Villa taking the game to the visitors, albeit without carving out any creating any clear chances.

Wigan, in contrast, might have gone ahead just after half an hour, Marcus Bent firing wide after a whipped corner from Jason Koumas had generated panic in the Villa box.

Gabriel Agbonlahor responded for Villa, forcing Chris Kirkland to tip his close-range header on to the bar.

Villa improved after the break and skipper Gareth Barry almost caught Kirkland out with a cross that sailed dangerously towards the top corner.

It was Wigan however who took the lead, against the run of play.

Fed by Koumas, Valencia tried his luck from a tight angle and, with the help of a deflection off Dutch defender Wilfried Bouma, his shot looped over Scott Carson in the Villa goal.

It may have been extremely fortunate but the goal proved to be the catalyst for Wigan to take control of the match.

The second goal came after an astute header from Emile Heskey which presented Valencia with a route to goal. The Ecuador international got away from stand-in right-back Nigel Reo-Coker and beat Carson at his near post with a firm shot.

Agbonlahor went close again with another header but Valencia had an even better chance to complete his hat-trick as Wigan held on comfortably for a win that leaves them with little to play for when Manchester United come visiting on May 11, possibly needing a win to wrap up the title.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

FULHAM kept their remarkable survival bid on course with a priceless 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Birmingham City.

The Londoners moved out of the bottom three for the first time since December 22 thanks to second-half goals from Brian McBride and Erik Nevland and now have their Premier League future in their own hands ahead of next weekend’s final round of matches.

But while Roy Hodgson can dream of another season of top flight football, Birmingham’s prospects look bleak.

Alex McLeish’s team, without a win in five matches, have lost form at the worst possible time and the odds are now stacked against them extending their top flight residency into a second campaign.

Relegation squabbles are never less than frantic affairs and Craven Cottage provided all the usual survival clichés on its biggest day of the season: fingernails bitten to the quick, a manic atmosphere in the stands and players too befuddled by nervous energy to produce anything approaching polished football.

But there was no doubt which team coped better with the occasion. Hodgson’s side have already been written off twice in the last month alone but their lower expectations appeared to ease the pressure.

At the hub of all their best work was Jimmy Bullard. The 29-year-old is an effervescent presence in the heart of his side’s midfield and, at his best, he can drag a side over the finish line almost single-handedly.

It took him just seven minutes to muscle his way to centre-stage, miscuing a half-volley after Simon Davies had broken free down the right-hand side, but he showed more composure moments later when Fulham won a free-kick deep into Birmingham territory.

Birmingham were expecting an inswinging cross but Bullard instead played a cute pass to the unmarked Davies. His first-time shot was arrowing in until Maik Taylor parried brilliantly.

City were content to simply hold on during these chaotic early stages, but once Fulham’s fiery start began to sputter, the visitors began to assert themselves.

They might even have plundered a priceless opening goal in the 41st minute, when a rare moment of sloppiness from Bullard gifted possession to Olivier Kapo.

The Frenchman’s searching pass found James McFadden, who skipped into the area and slid a pass to Mikael Forssell. The Finn looked certain to tap in but Aaron Hughes appeared from nowhere to nick the ball off his toes.

City were still ruing that missed chance when Fulham almost snatched the lead for themselves moments later. Diomansy Kamara collected a loose ball in the six-yard box but his goal-bound shot was brilliantly blocked by Radhi Jaidi.

Birmingham were grateful for the let-off but the reprieve was temporary.

Seven minutes after the interval, another Bullard free-kick - curled in more predictably this time - picked out McBride and the American’s diving header found the bottom corner.

It was a nightmarish moment for McLeish and his clearly rattled side began to lose their way. Two minutes after McBride’s opener, Kamara capitalised on flimsy defending to waltz past four tackles before blazing high and wide at the near post.

The atmosphere grew increasingly frenzied as the seconds ebbed away and Fulham grew increasingly edgy. Every misplaced pass and mistimed tackle drew howls of anguish from the home fans but, for all their angst, the closest Birmingham came to an equaliser was a Jaidi header which deflected wide after brushing Franck Queudrue.

Instead, it was Fulham who had the final word. A hopeful downfield punt caught out Queudrue and Nevland burst clear before finishing emphatically beyond Maik Taylor.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

ROBBIE Keane’s first-half goal for Tottenham left Reading in the bottom three of the Premier League and staring relegation in the face.

Keane’s strike after 16 minutes was enough to secure a rare away victory for Tottenham - only their third in the league this season. But the result was far more significant for Steve Coppell’s team, who have failed to score in their past six league fixtures.

The Royals can draw consolation from the fact that they face already-relegated Derby at Pride Park on the final day of the season (May 11), where they will realistically need to win to have a chance of survival.

Coppell would have been relieved to see Dimitar Berbatov missing from the Tottenham starting line-up, the Bulgarian having scored six goals against them this season.

Berbatov was sidelined with a groin injury, and was replaced by Darren Bent, while Tom Huddlestone replaced Aaron Lennon.

For Reading, Emerse Fae and Ibrahima Sonko were left out of the match-day squad after being suspended by the club for missing a reserve game, as Coppell named an unchanged starting XI.

Reading’s nerves became frayed when Keane put Spurs in front.

Referee Howard Webb played a clever advantage after Keane had been tripped by Michael Duberry, allowing the Irishman to get to his feet and trick his way past Liam Rosenior and Kevin Doyle before slipping the ball beyond Marcus Hahnemann for the opening goal, his 23rd of a highly successful campaign.

Spurs’ poor away form was belied by a first-half display that exuded confidence, and Reading were lucky still to be in touch at the interval.

Their only chance of the first half came just after Keane’s goal, when Leroy Lita shot wide from a difficult angle.

Spurs, by contrast, continued to create opportunities. Steed Malbranque had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside after Keane had released him, while Keane tested Hahnemann with a free-kick from 25 yards and also saw an effort blocked by Rosenior.

Reading knew a defeat could put a huge dent in their survival hopes, but Spurs continued to look the likelier scorers.

Bent sent a free header straight at Hahnemann, shortly before Keane mis-kicked inside the penalty area, allowing the ball to run free to Malbranque.

The Frenchman looked odds-on to score, but somehow fired into the side netting, wasting an excellent chance to double his team’s lead.

Reading finally started to look livelier, and Andre Bikey’s well-struck shot from 18 yards was deflected just wide by Huddlestone for a corner to the home team.

Spurs, however, still appeared far more threatening an attacking force, with Bent shooting against the inside of the post from just outside the penalty area with 15 minutes remaining.

Reading began to gain more ground on the visitors, with their best effort to equalise coming from Rosenior, whose shot was saved by Radek Cerny.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

DERBY County earned the unwanted tag of the worst team in English Premier League history as Paul Jewell’s side slumped to a 3-1 away defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

The Rams are stuck on 11 points and, with only one match to play, they are now unable to equal Sunderland’s previous worst total of 15 points.

There was brief hope for Derby when Kenny Miller gave the visitors a first half lead at Ewood Park but Paraguay forward Santa Cruz equalised before the break.

Then Jason Roberts put Blackburn ahead just after half-time and Santa Cruz’s late goal confirmed Derby’s final indignity of a woeful season.

Derby were nearly gifted the perfect start when Brad Friedel scuffed Steven Reid’s backpass straight at Robert Earnshaw, but the ball rebounded just over the crossbar.

Rovers striker Roberts led Blackburn’s first serious raid when he lashed a shot past Roy Carroll’s far post. Then Morten Gamst Pedersen surged into the penalty area before firing over.

But the Rams rode out the storm and went ahead in the 19th minute. Carroll’s long punt upfield bounced through to Miller and he ran on to place the ball calmly past Friedel for his first league goal since December.

It was only the eighth away league goal of Derby’s miserable campaign but their fragile defence ensured they could never be confident of holding the advantage.

Brett Emerton’s deflected effort nearly crept past Carroll before David Bentley hit a delightful long-range lob which only just cleared the bar.

Chris Samba was next to threaten when he steered Bentley’s free-kick straight at Carroll.

Mark Hughes’s team were well on top now and their equaliser arrived in first-half stoppage time. Pedersen’s low shot was parried by Carroll and Santa Cruz seized on the loose ball to prod home for his 22nd goal of an impressive debut season in English football.

Derby’s confidence drained away after that and Blackburn made them pay in the 47th minute. Once again it was Derby’s defending that was poor as Andy Todd’s miscued clearance allowed Roberts to sweep home.

Any doubts that would be enough to finish Derby were erased in the 78th minute when Bentley swung in a cross and Santa Cruz headed past Carroll.

Agence France-Presse

Source: foxsports.com.au

MANCHESTER United took a huge step towards retaining their Barclays Premier League title with a 4-1 win over West Ham at Old Trafford, despite playing more than half the match with 10 men.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice while Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick both scored against their old club as Manchester moved on to 84 points with one match to play.

Chelsea, who are at Newcastle United on Monday, have 81 points, but a vastly inferior goal difference to Manchester.

If Chelsea lose Monday, the title will be Manchester’s unless they lose at Wigan Athletic and Chelsea beat Bolton Wanderers with a winning margin well into double figures in their final league matches next week.

Ronaldo, named England’s Footballer of the Year for the second successive season on Friday, gave Manchester a third minute lead and added another after 24 minutes to take his season’s tally in all competitions to 40 goals.

Former West Ham striker Carlos Tevez made it 3-0 with a stunning 30-yard shot two minutes later before Dean Ashton replied with an overhead bicycle kick two minutes after that.

Manchester were reduced to 10 men when Nani was dismissed eight minutes before half-time for a headbutt on Lucas Neill.

Carrick put the game beyond West Ham with a well-struck shot after took a deflection off Neill after 59 minutes.

Reuters

Source: foxsports.com.au