Good morning folks. Today will be a busy day in the soccer world, with European matches and Olympic qualifiers filling out the schedule. There are matches throughout the day and night on TV and plenty for us to discuss.
You know the drill. If you are watching matches today please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on today’s action in the comments section below.
Enjoy the soccer.
Five minutes, nothing much happening. Ivan Guerrero and ROB have been playing decently on the wings. No one is seriously threatening, although the game is being playing on SJ’s half of the field.
Pacheco, sorry.
Seriously, great job man. It was spot-on and very descriptive. You should write for Bleacher Report.
Waiting for the TFC-SJ game on USlive. I love how the Charleston announcer let’s you know about developments at the stadiums. Apparently, they have a special at the Papa John’s under the north bleachers. By the flagpole.
Sutton for TFC in goal.
Victor Pacheko is playing for TFC on trial too.
ROB is playing. For SJ.
Steve,
Thanks. I hope you enjoyed the commentary. I figured I would have some fun with it since it was quiet today.
Roma’s win pulls them three points back of Inter for first in Serie A. Inter now has some pressure applied for tomorrow’s big game against Palermo, which can be seen on FSC at 10:00 a.m. ET
Milan, meanwhile, is one point behind Fiorentina for fourth place and the final Champions League spot. Fiorentina hosts ninth-place Genoa on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET.
95: Pirlo’s freekick sails high and THAT’S IT!!! Roma comes back with two late second-half goals to beat Milan 2-1 in a thrilling match.
95: This could be the last play of the game. Pirlo is on the ball with the crowd going wild.
94: Milan gets a freekick around 25 yards away from Doni’s goal. De Rossi tackled Paloschi, who has been very active since coming on for the injured Kaka.
De Rossi gives up a dangerous free kick near the Roma box.
94: The last minute of the game. Roma is looking to finish this off, but puts the ball out for a goalkick to Kalac.
92: Doni is down after colliding with Gilardino. Milan was applying the pressure and put a cross into the box that eluded both Gilardino and Paloschi. Gilardino hit Doni during the play.
Spoke too soon. Who missed those two great chances for AC? Roma keeper down now, looks like he got clipped.
92: Pirlo hits a harmless shot at Doni with just two minutes to go.
Excellent commentary. Milan with one last chance — horrible cross from Pirlo right to the Roma keeper.
91: Oddo’s cross in the box finds no one. The game has opened up. There could be another goal coming.
90: Instead of trying to kill the game off, Roma is pressuring Milan for a third goal. Have they not learned their lesson from two weeks ago when Inter scored in injury time to tie them 1-1?
89: Roma is pressing for a third goal and nearly gets one before Milan clears the ball from danger.
87: Milan puts Gilardino on for Ambrosini. They have to go for it and getting the dynamic forward on it a good move. Milan also put on 19-year-old Paloschi for the injured Kaka.
86: Kaka puts the ball out of play and goes down to the ground holding his back. It’s not looking good for Milan. It’s all falling apart.
83: Totti tries to chip Kalac from 20 yards out. Roma has totally taken over this game. Just several minutes ago, they looked horrible and appeared doomed to fall further back of Inter. Instead, it’s Milan scrambling.
82: ROMA SCORES AGAIN! Mirko Vucinic beats a pathetic offsides trap to take down a long pass at the top of the box. He calmly slides the ball past Kalac, giving Roma a 2-1 lead. Milan is a mess!
78: On Roma’s goal Perrotta flipped a pass to a wide-open Giuly in front of the net. The Frenchman didn’t hit it cleanly, but it got past Kalac and into the net to tie the game 1-1. These next 12 minutes should be thrilling.
78: Just seconds after I talk about Milan’s defense ROMA SCORES!!! LUDOVIC GIULY!!
78: Milan’s defense has been nearly unbeatable in the second half. Maldini has been impressive.
76: Ancelotti might be thinking about putting on some more defensive players after Pato skies a shot from the top of the box. Milan needs these three points badly, so putting on Daniele Bonera might be wise.
74: Vucinic takes a back-heeled pass from Totti just inside the right side of the box. The forward turns on the ball and fires a shot that goes just over a waiting Kalac and the net. That is the best sequence Roma has put together in the last 20 minutes.
72: Roma makes its last sub, bringing on Aquilani for Taddei. Aquilani should add an offensive spark for Roma with the ability to take shots from long range.
69: Milan is just knocking the ball around and keeping possession. This is the best they have looked in a long time.
66: Pato gets around a sliding Cicinho and then gets around a diving Doni, and he takes a dive! The ref blows the whistle immediately and gives Pato a yellow card for diving. Pato is showing some skill, but the dive wasn’t needed.
64: Kaka fires another shot that Doni deflects over the goal. Milan is continuing to pour it on as Roma looks out of sorts.
59: Seedford goes in alone on Doni, but he stumbles past the goalkeeper and takes a weak shot at the open goal. Cicinho is able to get to it and clear it off the line. This game is really picking up and the skill of the players is starting to show. With Milan applying pressure, Inter must be really happy as it hopes it gets a chance to expand its six-point lead on Roma at the top of the table when it faces Palermo on Sunday.
58: Roma is pushing to get the equalizer and gets the ball into the box. Totti, though, takes the ball down with his arm and the ref blows the whistle for a handball. Tough break for Roma.
56: Just seconds after the sub, Pirlo hits Oddo streaking up the right wing with an outstanding pass from the center of the field. Oddo then crosses it into the box, where Kaka was left unmarked. The Brazilian one-timed a shot and found the back of the net. Milan 1, Roma 0.
56: Roma is making a sux, bringing on Vucinic for Mancini. It’s rather surprising that Spaletti would make a sub this early in the half.
54: Seedorf hits a hard low shot to the near post that Doni gets down and knocks away. Good shot and a good save. Milan finally appears to be putting some things together. They look to have some urgency.
48: Pizarro takes a corner that doesn’t make it over the first defender again. Roma, though, gets the ball back and puts together some one-touch passing, but Milan is able to clear the ball.
46: Pizarros’ freekick is weak and doesn’t even clear the first defender in the box. He has to do better than that.
46 min: Yellow card to Gattuso for a wreckless challenge on Totti. This sets up a freekick in a dangerous spot on the left wing.
The second half in Rome is about to get started with Milan and Roma tied at 0-0.
If Fabregas wants to become a truly elite player he needs to become a more consistent finisher. I dont expect him to score a goal a game or anything, but his shots sometimes leave something to be desired.
same thing happened with henrik larsson. hopefully adebayor will soon break out of his drought in similar fashion….
lol, I too have noticed the drop in form since the change in hair style! I’m a striker myself, and when I hit a run of form, I never change a thing for this exact reason!
The same goes for Henry after switching from Nike to Reebok boots! lol
If it ain’t broke…
Lucky, the refs screwed them out of one goal and gave them crappy calls all day.
anyone think it’s funny that Abedayor has not scored in the PL since he got rid of his dreads.
And it seems that Arsenal will get lucky once again…dodging another bullet. It felt to me that Boateng was clipped down and that is what caused the corner and resulting goal. Middlesbrough should feel hard done, and there goes Mido…
Great goal an upset maybe?
A longball from the back, a pass to a streaking player in the box, and its 1-0 Middlesbrough.
Reading played well – did not look lie a relegation team. They can hold their heads high – Liverpool is in awfully good form
Bayern Munchen loses to soon to be relegated Energie. Ouch!
Reading and Liverpool had two amazing goals early on. Not quite sure you’ll see better goals in one game.