Van Gaal yet to be convinced by Devils despite winning streak

LONDON - Louis van Gaal has told his predecessor Alex Ferguson he is still far from happy with Manchester United's performances despite an impressive run that has catapulted them into the Premier League top three.

At least the United manager looks set to have record signing Angel di Maria available for the busy holiday schedule of games after his recovery from a hamstring tear.

But, despite visiting Aston Villa at the weekend with six consecutive victories behind him, van Gaal insists he is still waiting for his team to put together the "perfect" performance.

"I'm not only focused on results although of course that is the main, important thing," he said on Friday. "When I speak with Sir Alex, he says, 'No problem, you have won!'

"But for me, it is is also the performance that is very important because when you perform well, you shall win more.

"That's what I want to show the fans, the players want to show the fans. The guarantee of wins is much bigger when you perform better.

"For example, the game against Hull City was a good game because we dominated for 90 minutes. I want to see more games like that.

"Now there are too few games that we are dominating for 90 minutes. Of course, when you win six times in a row, confidence is rising, but I'm still looking for a game that is more close to the perfect game."

Di Maria, who suffered a slight hamstring tear in the 3-0 victory against Hull three games ago, has made a speedy recovery from the injury although van Gaal wants him to regain match fitness before throwing the £59.7 million forward back into first team action.

"He trained with us this week so it now depends on how he compares with other players," said van Gaal.

"He is not match fit after one week so he has to follow a procedure. It was the same with (Robin) van Persie or (Radamel) Falcao, it's a procedure."

Falcao is still far from convincing his manager that he has found his full match fitness. The Colombian forward, who is on a season-long loan at Old Trafford, has not started a game since the first week in October and has scored just one goal in three starts all season.

His lack of fitness has led to speculation that his stay at United will not be permanent and van Gaal admits that it has been impossible to make a decision so far.

"He didn't play so much then you cannot see too much of a player and he didn't train so much because he was a lot of time he has been injured, so first you have to be fit," said van Gaal.

"I have said that three weeks or a month ago, the first demand is fitness of a player. And okay, we wait for the fitness of a player. Now he shows fitness on the training sessions so maybe I shall select him, maybe for the bench or the line up."

Aussies chase 128 for victory in second test

A magical early spell from Mitchell Johnson (4-61) blew a tight match wide open in the first 20 minutes and although injured opener Shikhar Dhawan provided some resistance after lunch, the hosts mopped up the tail midway through the afternoon.
India had resumed on 71-1 without opener Dhawan, who was injured warming up in the nets, looking to rub the last 26 runs off their first innings deficit and build another imposing tally to match their first innings 408.
Johnson, though, reprised the onslaught that drove his country to victory in the opening Ashes test at the same ground last year, taking three for 10 in 11 balls.
Backing up the pugnacious innings of 88 that brought Australia back into the match on Friday, Johnson summoned up pace and menace to remove Virat Kholi (1), Ajinkya Rahane (10) and Rohit Sharma (0).
Debutant paceman Josh Hazlewood, who took five for 68 in the first innings, then pitched in by trapping India skipper Mahendra Singh Doni in front for a duck with the second ball of the following over to leave the tourists reeling.
India had crept passed Australia's first innings tally of 505 when Ravi Ashwin was dismissed for 19 and Dhawan's trip to hospital for X-rays on his injured right wrist was hurriedly cancelled so he could rejoin Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle.
Pujara had brought the only solidity to the innings but he too departed just before lunch for 43, giving Hazlewood his second victim of the day and sending India into lunch clinging on at 157-7.
Dhawan and Umesh Yadav, however, put on 60 for the eighth wicket to give India some hope of mitigating the worst impact of yet another batting collapse.
The opener finally departed for 81 when he missed an attempted lap sweep and was adjudged lbw to off spinner Nathan Lyon and Varun Aaron (3) and Yadav (30) soon followed.
India later released a statement complaining about the uneven bounce on the practice pitches in the Gabba nets after Dhawan and Kohli were injured ahead of the fourth day's play.
Australia won the first test in Adelaide by 48 runs last weekend to take a 1-0 lead in the series, which concludes with matches in Melbourne and Sydney.

Mourinho pushes Hazard to up his game still further

LONDON - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists Eden Hazard must help the club win more titles if he is to join the ranks of their greatest players.

Hazard's value to Mourinho's side will be confirmed when he puts pen to paper on a lucrative new five-year contract.

The Belgian international, signed for £32 million from Lille in 2012, was criticised by his manager towards the end of last season when Chelsea fell short in their challenge for honours.

But the 23-year-old has responded this season with a string of impressive performances that have seen the winger touted as a future Ballon d'Or winner and seen him linked with a move to Real Madrid.

Mourinho is in no doubt about the player's potential, but says Hazard's future status at Stamford Bridge will be determined by the success he delivers on the pitch.

The manager said: "He needs to win titles, because titles make players historic.

"I don't know players who are considered legends in clubs without winning titles. He has to do that. But the potential everybody knows."

Hazard was already contracted to Chelsea until 2017 but Mourinho had no doubt the player would commit his long-term future to the London club.

He added: "I was never worried about it, since the moment I met his father.

"Everything was very clear about their intentions and their happiness to stay at Chelsea. After that, it becomes a numbers situation.

"When it becomes a number situation I'm more than happy to be out, but my club always told me that the situation would finish with a new contract. So I was never worried about that."

Hazard has helped Chelsea establish a three-point lead at the head of the Premier League table going into the latest round of matches.

Manchester City could close the gap if they beat Crystal Palace, 48 hours before Chelsea face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

But Mourinho insists that will not add to the pressure on his team.

He said: "We started the season with the same number of points as them. If, tomorrow, we have the same number then that's fine."

The form showed by Chelsea during the opening months of the season has prompted suggestions they could pull off a clean sweep of all four major trophies.

But Mourinho said: "I go match after match. We can do a quadruple on Monday, which is to win four consecutive matches. That's the quadruple.

"We have to try. If we do a few quadruples in the season, winning four matches in a row, we'll have chances to win competitions.

"But I can't think in two competitions in the same time. I can only think one at a time.

"Now, it's only the Premier League for the next few weeks. So, for the next few weeks, the Premier League is the competition that matters."

Mourinho, meanwhile, paid tribute to Thierry Henry following the former France striker's decision to retire.

He said: "I was reading some of his words with some emotion. I'm always very sad when the big players stop their careers.

"But, at the same time, when I read about his wonderful journey and the way he enjoyed his career, and the way he looks forward for the rest of his life, I'm happy.

"I think he's a very happy guy, very proud of everything he did. I think he looks forward to the new steps in his life, always connected with football for sure.

"I just want to thank him for the great moments he gave to all of us."

But recalling Henry's quickly taken free-kick for Arsenal against Chelsea in 2004, he added: "Only one moment I didn't enjoy, which was the goal he scored against us when Mr Poll (the referee) allowed him to take the free-kick when everyone was still preparing.

"Even in that moment he showed how intelligent he was playing football. So thanks for everything he gave to us, and we wish him the best for the future."

AFCON official on sex charge

 
Durban - A match official who was due to be involved in Bafana Bafana's AFCON qualifier against Sudan has appeared in a Durban court on charges of sexual assault on Wednesday. The City Press website reports that the Algerian national attempted to rape a cleaner in the Durban hotel he was staying at on the morning of Bafana's 2-1 win over Sudan at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The 33-year-old official did not plea and has had his bail extended until he is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday. He is one of four Algerians who were issued by the country's national football association to officiate the match. It is alleged that he asked to pay one of the female cleaners for sex, but had his request turned down after which it is further alleged that he then tried to rape her. However, another female cleaner at the Suncoast Towers hotel was alerted to the alleged victim's call for help and intervened, contacting the hotel's security services and having him detained, resulting in the man not being able to fulfill his refereeing commitments later that day. He was eventually replaced by Lalelani Mngadi, who acted as the fourth official of the match after SAFA made the necessary arrangements. The official has since returned to the Algerian Embassy in Pretoria. Read more on: safa | bafana bafana | afcon 2015 | durban | soccer NEXT ON SPORT24X 'Drogba' off to Belgium? 2014-12-17 15:18 Follow Sport24 on Twitter and Facebook and on Mobile and Have your Say on our Forum Read News24’s Comments Policy 24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment. Comment on this story 0 comments Add your comment Comment 1500 characters remaining Live Video Streaming Blitz Mon, 24 Nov 2014 @00:00 SS1 Mon, 24 Nov 2014 @01:00 SS2 Mon, 24 Nov 2014 @02:00 SS3 Mon, 24 Nov 2014 @03:00 Show full schedule Video Highlights Best of the rest from Blitz Mon, 15 Dec 2014 @00:00 Bundesliga: Bayern Munich v Freiburg Wed, 17 Dec 2014 @00:08 PSL: Maritzburg Utd v Sundowns Tue, 16 Dec 2014 @23:02 PSL: Chiefs v Free State Stars Tue, 16 Dec 2014 @23:00 Show more videos Sport Talk How do you pay tribute to Thierry Henry? If you’re a fan of the classic musical “The Sound of Music” then you will be familiar with the... Some refs invite criticism Football's new undisputed best club? It's BPL Live from Mumbai Breaking News Rwanda appeal disqualification Football 13:55 Suarez pledges to not bite again Football 13:45 Bayern face tougher season - Beckenbauer Football 13:24 Cesc class backs up Mou move Football 12:18 Downs wary of high-flying Birds Football 11:58 Swiss help in Desailly tax probe Football 11:50 Most Read Most Commented AB, Amla flay Windies attack Stormers' plan for Treu revealed Proteas: 5-Test series plan Vijay leads way for India As it happened: Kaizer Chiefs v Free State Stars LOL treadmill fail! Watch this hilarious clip! We think this man should rather be running outside this summer! Best of 2014 | Holiday | WIN I love summer.24 Google’s top searches of 2014 Vote Bafana Bafana have qualified but how far will they go at AFCON 2015? Bafana Bafana will win AFCON 2015! Losing finalists! Oh so close... Bafana will be beaten in the semi-finals We won't make it out the group stages!

For migrant workers in 2022 World Cup host Qatar, it pays _ literally _ to be a sports 'fan'

DOHA, Qatar –  The men grappled with each other to board the quickly filling bus. Others wriggled in through the windows, scaling the outside, using the large wheels as footholds and leaving scuff-marks on the white exterior with their shoes.
These weren't refugees fleeing disaster. They were migrant workers in 2022 World Cup host Qatar, fighting to earn a few dollars. The job: Pretend to be a sports fan.

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Qataris boast they're mad for sports. The ruling emir of the oil-and-gas rich Gulf nation is so fond of football he bought Paris Saint-Germain, now France's powerhouse team. Lobbying World Cup organizer FIFA in 2010, his royal mother said: "For us, football is not just a mere game or a sport among many. It is THE sport."
Pitching successfully in November to track and field's governing body to host its world championships in 2019, Qatar bid presenter Aphrodite Moschoudi said: "Qatar has a true passion for sports. Everything in our country revolves around sport."
Or, when passion is lacking, around money.
When the world's second-richest people per capita can't find time or be bothered to fill their sports arenas, migrant workers are paid to take their place.
Thirty Qatar riyals — equivalent to $8 — won't buy a beer in the luxury waterside hotel in Doha, the capital, where Qatari movers-and-shakers unwind. But for this pittance, workers from Africa and Asia sprint under blinding sun in the Doha industrial zone where they're housed and surround a still-moving bus like bees on honey. They sit through volleyball, handball and football, applaud to order, do the wave with no enthusiasm and even dress up in white robes and head-scarves as Qataris, to plump up "home" crowds.
The Associated Press squeezed aboard one of three buses that ferried about 150 workers, through dense traffic of luxury cars and past luxury villas they'll never be able to afford, to be fake fans at the Qatar Open of international beach volleyball in November.
The FIVB, volleyball's governing body, trumpeted on its website that the tournament, part of its World Tour, "brought out the crowds." But migrants from Ghana, Kenya, Nepal and elsewhere, who work in Qatar as bus and taxi drivers for the state-owned transport company and for other employers, told the AP they were there for money, not volleyball.
Word of payment filtered around their crowded dormitories. At 2:30 p.m., clumps of men on their off-day gathered outside, inhaling dust stirred up by passing forklifts and trucks.
Someone spotted the first bus far down the street that cuts through the bleak-scape of construction and piled dirt. The bus filled instantly. A second and third bus — and more frantic scrambling — followed.
Breathing heavily, men squeezed into seats, three on one side of the aisle, two on the other. There were no safety belts and the ceiling fans didn't turn. One man without a seat squatted on the floor. To shouts of "get down!" he made himself small when a policeman was spotted on the journey.
One by one, from memory, the men reeled off their employee numbers — no names — to a man who methodically shuffled down the aisle, jotting down the details on a crumpled piece of paper. This ensured he'd later know who to pay, workers said.
At the Al Gharafa Sports Club, we disembarked and formed a line. An official in Qatari robes counted us in, with taps on the shoulder. French volleyballers Edouard Rowlandson and Youssef Krou were winning their bronze-medal match as we filled seats, making the arena appear almost full.
"Bizarre," Rowlandson said when told of the hired spectators. "But we prefer that to playing in front of nobody."
Ahmed al-Sheebani, executive secretary of the Qatar Volleyball Association, rebuffed the AP's questions, reaching over to switch off this reporter's voice recorder.
Reached later by phone, FIVB media director Richard Baker thanked the AP for making it aware of the fake fans and said the federation will "seek clarification" from Qatari organizers.
"It's news to us," he said.
But not to Qatar's government. A survey of 1,079 Qatar residents published this January by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics suggested that paid fans may be turning Qataris off sport. The ministry said two-thirds of Qataris surveyed did not attend any football matches during the previous season and two-thirds of respondents cited "the spread of paid fans" as a "significant reason" keeping audiences away.
At the volleyball, some for-hire spectators were offered less than others. Security guards and office boys from Kenya said a promise of 20 riyals ($5.50) each drew 40 people onto their bus. A Nigerian manservant said he, too, was getting just 20.
Numerous workers said they regularly make up numbers at sports events. Qatar league football games pay 20 or 25 riyals, they said. A Kenyan said he made 50 riyals at handball.
An added bonus: the volleyball arena had free Wi-Fi, allowing workers to get news and emails from home. They pulled out smartphones, ignoring a crowd organizer waving a plastic hand who urged them to clap to Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."
Thirty riyals buys food for three days when you're eating just once a day to save money for families back home, workers said. And watching sports, some said, is less tedious than whiling away off-duty hours in Doha's back-of-beyond industrial zone.
"Shaking my body all over ... being in the crowd and shouting and dancing" was great fun for Adu, a trainee bus driver from Ghana who gave just his first name.
"Being there and getting paid is a plus for me."
Afterward, the transport company workers waited nearly three hours in the dark, on barren land near the arena, for return buses. Contacted separately later by phone, three of them confirmed they got 30 riyals each in cash, either on the bus back or in their dormitories.
On an hourly basis, that came out at just over $1 per hour.

Squeezed around domestic commitments, European champions Real Madrid arrived in Morocco this week for the Fifa Club World Cup - but their South American counterparts, San Lorenzo of Argentina, have been there in spirit for months.

Ever since an emotional night in August when they won the Copa Libertadores, South America's equivalent of the Champions League, San Lorenzo have found it impossible to forget about the Club World Cup.
They drifted through their domestic league, closing the campaign with a morale boosting couple of wins to finish eighth. But it was all build-up to now.
For them, as for any South American side, the Club World Cup is the highlight of their calendar. Many in other continents will feel the same way. But no one in Europe will share the sentiment.
This imbalance is at the heart of the problems faced by the Club World Cup, organised annually since 2005. The competition replaced the annual match between the champions of Europe and South America, a clash which got off to such a promising start. The European Cup started in 1955. The Libertadores got under way five years later, with the specific intent of crowning a South American champion to take on the Europeans.

Pope Francis has been a loyal supporter of San Lorenzo since his childhood

The early ties were epic. By his own reckoning, Pele's best ever performance came in the away leg against Benfica in 1962, when he ran riot as his Santos side won 5-2. For the first few years the games were gripping and intense, well-matched affairs, with plenty of quality and the occasional dose of controversy.
But from the mid-60s things started to go awry. Needing money to pay Pele and the rest, Santos pulled out of the Libertadores, as, briefly, did all Brazilian clubs.
The field was left open for teams from Argentina, at a time when, after the thrashing received at the 1958 World Cup, the romantic approach of the 1940s had given way to something darker and more cynical.
Meanwhile, in Europe, ascendency had swung to the north, starting with Celtic in 1967. The cultural clash between northern Europeans and Argentines led to a series of bruising encounters. The intercontinental clash lost prestige, and some in Europe decided that the whole thing was not worthwhile.
In 1980 the idea was resurrected as a one off game in Japan, but though southern Europe paid more attention than the north, the match never generated anything like the feverish importance placed on it by the South Americans.
In recent times the imbalance has been reinforced by the opening of the global market and the financial chasm between European and South American football.
This, on the one hand, has increased European indifference while, as far as the South Americans are concerned, adding extra spice - this is their chance to put one over those rich, glamorous, arrogant winners of the Champions League.
And there have been South American success - single goal wins for three Brazilian clubs; Sao Paulo (2005), Internacional (06) and Corinthians two years ago.
In contrast with the days of old, though, these South Americans took the field with a tactical approach that was a confession of inferiority.

2014 Fifa Club World Cup fixtures & results:
Playoff round: 10 December - Moghreb Tetouan 0-0 Auckland City - (Auckland won 4-3 on penalties)
Quarter-finals: 13 December - Entente Setif 0-1 Auckland City
Quarter-finals: 13 December - Cruz Azul 3-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
Fifth-place match: 16 December - Entente Setif v Western Sydney Wanderers (16:30 GMT
Semi-finals: 16 December - Real Madrid v Cruz Azul (19:30 GMT)
Semi-finals: 17 December - San Lorenzo v Auckland City (19:30 GMT)
Third place match: 20 December - TBC - 16:30 GMT
Final: 20 December - at Marrakech, Morocco (19:30 GMT)

Outgunned, their aim was to sneak a goal and grimly hang on. It was the best they could do in the financial circumstances. Brazil's clubs might have much more money that their continental rivals, but lag well behind the European giants.
This year the imbalance is even greater. Completing a miserable year for the country's football, Brazil could not even qualify one team for the semi-finals of the Libertadores.
Instead the trophy was won by San Lorenzo. Average first division salaries and club income in Argentina are roughly a third of those in Brazil - and less than 10% of those in the Premier League or the big two in Spain.
Understandably, then, San Lorenzo are taking something of a pea-shooter army to do battle with Real Madrid.
They will carry a sizeable contingent of fans with him - some 5,000, including Hollywood actor Viggo Mortensen are expected - but the Brazilian clubs, backed by a stronger currency, have been able to take far more to recent versions of the competition.
San Lorenzo, though, will hope for some divine intervention. Of the traditional Buenos Aires clubs they were the first to suffer relegation and the last to get their hands on the Libertadores. But things have looked up since their most illustrious supporter, Cardinal Bergoglio, became Pope Francis.
Just two years ago the club were very close to another relegation. A change of president was important - Newcastle fans might recall that Fabricio Coloccini was so taken with the new administration that he tried to walk out of his contract and go back to San Lorenzo.
And youthful president Matias Lammens (backed by Marcelo Tinelli, a hugely famous TV presenter) had another piece of help from on high.
The first signing of the new administration came recommended by Diego Maradona - it was veteran central midfielder Juan Mercier. With his sound reading of the game, improved distribution and willingness to accept responsibility, Mercier was the most important player in the entire Libertadores campaign.
This, though, speaks volumes about the limitations of a team preparing to take on Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

It has been a struggle for San Lorenzo to keep key players including promising support striker Angel Correa who joined Atletico Madrid in the summer

And the last few months have merely emphasised the talent gap between the teams. Real Madrid have added a South American superstar, Colombia's World Cup success James Rodriguez.
San Lorenzo, meanwhile, were losing key players even as they were en route to winning the Libertadores.
Promising support striker Angel Correa went to Atletico Madrid (delayed when a heart condition was discovered, the move has recently been confirmed) and attacking midfielder Ignacio Piatti joined Montreal Impact.
Centre-back Santiago Gentiletti has also moved on, though Colombia's veteran World Cup captain Mario Yepes has come in to replace him.
Buffarini and Mas are an interesting pair of attacking full-backs, Mercier and Ortigoza are sound in central midfield, while Gonzalo Veron and Barrientos (plus the speedy Villalba off the bench) offer a threat down the flanks.
But coach Edgardo Bauza will surely be aware that he can hardly hope to trade punches with Real Madrid. He was in charge of LDU of Ecuador when they only lost by a single goal to Manchester United in the final six years ago, and will presumably have a similarly cautious strategy in mind.
First, though, he needs to get past Auckland City in Wednesday's semi-final. The champions of Oceania have already sprung a major surprise, eliminating Moroccan league winners Moghreb Tetouan and African champions ES Setif from Algeria.
The New Zealanders have appeared in five previous versions of this tournament, without previously hinting as this level of performance.
The conclusion is clear - access to a higher level of competition has taught them lessons, which have been assimilated and applied. And that, for all the European lack of interest, would seem to be a fair justification for the existence of the Club World Cup.

Wales forward Gareth Bale scored as European champions Real Madrid eased into the Club World Cup final with their 21st successive win.

Live text commentary of the final on the BBC Sport website

Defender Sergio Ramos headed in Toni Kroos' cross for the opener, before striker Karim Benzema powered in.
The Mexican side missed a penalty just before half-time and Bale's header punished them after the restart.
Isco smashed in the fourth to confirm Madrid's place against San Lorenzo or Auckland City in Saturday's final.Azul provided little resistance to a near full-strength Madrid team which contained Ballon d'Or favourite Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale.
But Carlo Ancelotti's men almost allowed Azul back into the tie shortly after the restart when Ramos brought down Mariano Pavone in the penalty area.
However, Madrid keeper Iker Casillas correctly decided to dive down to his right to push clear Gerardo Torrado's spot-kick.
Surprisingly, Ronaldo, who had scored 10 times in his previous eight matches, had few chances to net his 33th goal of a productive season.
But the Portugal skipper did create the second-half goals for Bale and Isco which confirmed Madrid's place in the final.
Madrid will face either South American champions San Lorenzo or Oceania champions Auckland City, who meet in their semi-final on Wednesday.

Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (6)

Cruz Azul

• 01 Corona
• 15 Flores
• 03 Rodríguez
• 04 Domínguez
• 02 Pinto
• 27 Bernardello
• 06 Torrado
• 11 Rojas (Valadez - 76' )
• 33 Formica
• 10 Giménez (Fabián - 65' )
• 09 Pavone (Barrera - 65' )

Substitutes

• 05 Castro
• 07 Barrera
• 08 Fabián
• 12 Allison
• 16 Chávez
• 17 Loeschbor
• 18 Valadez
• 19 Vela
• 20 Torres
• 21 Báez
• 23 Zurdo Rodríguez
• 25 Gutiérrez

Real Madrid

• 01 Casillas
• 15 Carvajal
• 03 Pepe
• 04 Ramos Booked (Varane - 64' )
• 12 Marcelo
• 24 Illarramendi
• 08 Kroos (Khedira - 73' )
• 23 Isco (Jesé - 76' )
• 11 Bale
• 09 Benzema
• 07 Ronaldo

Substitutes

• 02 Varane
• 05 Fábio Coentrão
• 06 Khedira
• 13 Navas
• 14 Hernández
• 17 Arbeloa
• 18 Nacho
• 20 Jesé
• 25 Pacheco
• 26 Medrán

Ref: Enrique Osses

Att: 45,152

Match Stats

Shots

15 20

On target

5 13

Corners

6 5

Fouls

13 8

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Cruz Azul 0, Real Madrid 4.

90:00 +2:54 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Cruz Azul 0, Real Madrid 4.

90:00 +1:20 Attempt missed. Jesé (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
90:00 +0:16 Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).
90:00 +0:16 Mauro Formica (Cruz Azul) wins a free kick on the left wing.
88:14 Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
87:10 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
87:10 Foul by Hernán Bernardello (Cruz Azul).
85:45 Attempt missed. Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gerardo Torrado.
85:02 Attempt missed. Ismael Valadez (Cruz Azul) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Pablo Barrera with a cross.
84:45 Attempt blocked. Marco Fabián (Cruz Azul) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gerardo Flores.
84:17 Foul by Pepe (Real Madrid).
84:17 Fausto Pinto (Cruz Azul) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
83:15 Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) hits the left post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Jesé with a cross.
80:30 Jesé (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80:30 Foul by Gerardo Flores (Cruz Azul).
79:53 Attempt missed. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross following a corner.
79:23 Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Gerardo Torrado.
78:55 Attempt saved. Mauro Formica (Cruz Azul) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gerardo Torrado.
76:55 Attempt missed. Gerardo Flores (Cruz Azul) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Mauro Formica with a cross following a corner.

Heroes Of 2014: Blessing Okagbare

Meet Blessing Okagbare, the nominee for 2014 Naij.com Internet Person Of The Year. 

Naij.com offers you a chance to think and to choose the one and only Nigerian who could be named the most prominent and influential person of the year 2014. Every working day, starting from December 15, we shall introduce 1 of the 10 nominees to you.
As soon as we’re done, our virtual ‘elections’ commence! The person to get most of the votes will be titled Naij.com Internet Person Of The Year.
This year Blessing Okabare has really made Nigeria proud.
The talented track and field athlete specializes in long jump and sprints. She is an Olympic and World Championships medalist in the long jump, and a world medallist in the 200 metres. She also holds the Women’s 100 metres Commonwealth Games record with the time of 10.85 seconds. Her 100 m best of 10.79 makes her the African record holder for the event. She was the African 100 m and long jump champion in 2010. She has also won medals at the All-Africa Games and the IAAF Continental Cup.

Okagbare was born in Sapele, Delta, in Nigeria. At her high school she began to take an interest in track and field. She participated in a number of disciplines early on, competing in the long jump, triple jump and high jump events at the Nigerian school championships and winning medals in each.

During 2014 Commonwealth Games Okagbare participated in both the 100m and 200m races. She made it through to the finals of the 100m and won with a time of 10.85, breaking the games record of 10.91 seconds set by Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie 12 years earlier at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Okagbare also won the gold medal in the 200m, with the time of 22.25 seconds. In doing so, she became the fourth woman to win the 100m and 200m double at the Commonwealth Games.
This outstanding young lady did a lot for the Nigerian sport during 2014. Our editorial team is sure that she deserves a place in the shortlist for the 2nd Naij.com Internet Person Of the Year award.

Arsenal Star Alexis Sanchez’s Girlfriend Dumps Him For Lack Of S*xual Stamina

Laia hinted on her break up status with his ex-partner by deleting any pictures of that suggests parntership on her Instagram page after rumors emerged that Sanchez has been getting in contact with a Miss Chile winner.

The Chilean tabloid, La Cuarta, also hinted on Monday, December 15, 2014 that the Arsenal player has “failed Miss Grassi’s strenuous physicals due to a lack of stamina, leaving her to dip into the transfer market for a replacement while he gets used to being a free agent”.
With the development, Arsenal’s fans are of the view that the break up could mean that the 25-year-old will perform better on the pitch and produce a more motivating result for the Gunners.

Champions League: Holders Real Madrid draw Schalke 04 in last 16 stage

(NPN) — Champions League holders and arguably Europe’s most in-form team Real Madrid were drawn against German side Schalke 04 in the last 16 of Europe’s most prestigious competition.

Real, which defeated city rival Atletico Madrid 4-1 in Lisbon last year to win “La Decima” — it’s 10th title — is attempting to become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League.

Two of England’s three clubs face tough ties, with Chelsea drawn against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City paired with Spanish giants Barcelona.

Arsenal were arguably handed an easier route to the quarterfinals after drawing France’s Monaco, which will see the London club’s manager Arsene Wenger return to the team he coached for seven years between 1987 and 1994.

Last season’s finalists Atletico will meet Bayer Leverkusen, while Italy’s Juventus drew Borussia Dortmund, with Bayern Munich — Germany’s fourth club in the last 16 — handed a tie against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Elsewhere Swiss side Basel will face Portugal’s Porto.

The 2015 final will be staged in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on June 6.

The first leg games will be played on February 17/18 and 24/25 , with the second legs scheduled for March 10/11 and 17/18.

On Friday Real Madrid extended their winning streak in all competitions to a remarkable 20 games with a 4-1 away win over Almeria.

Chelsea vs Hull City: Team news, kick-off time, probable line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash

Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Chelsea's home clash with Hull City...

Chelsea vs Hull City (Stamford Bridge)

Team news 

Chelsea

Goalkeeper Petr Cech will make his first Barclays Premier League start of the season against Hull on Saturday after Thibaut Courtois suffered a minor injury in training.

Playmaker Cesc Fabregas will serve a one-match suspension as Jose Mourinho reverts to the majority of his first-choice line-up.

Defender John Terry and forwards Eden Hazard and Willian were rested for the midweek defeat of Sporting Lisbon, which saw Mourinho make six changes to the side which lost for the first time this season last weekend at Newcastle.

Provisional squad: Cech, Ivanovic, Luis, Fabregas, Zouma, Ramires, Oscar, Hazard, Drogba, Mikel, Schurrle, Salah, Remy, Costa, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Schwarzer, Beeney, Loftus-Cheek, Christensen.

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Petr Cech will make his first Premier League start of the season for Chelsea against Hull City

Hull City 

Hull captain Curtis Davies could be handed a recall for the trip to Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea.

The centre-half has been dropped for the last two matches, but manager Steve Bruce could revert to a back three at Stamford Bridge, opening up a vacancy at the back.

Gaston Ramirez has completed a three-game ban, but fellow loanee Hatem Ben Arfa is set to continue his exile from the squad.

Provisional squad: McGregor, Jakupovic, Davies, Rosenior, Robertson, Chester, Dawson, Bruce, Elmohamady, Meyler, Huddlestone, Livermore, Brady, Aluko, Quinn, Ramirez Hernandez, Aluko, Jelavic

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Hull City captain Curtis Davies could be restored to the starting line-up for the trip to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea vs Hull

Kick-off: Saturday 3pm

Odds (subject to change):

Chelsea 1/5 

Draw 5/1

Hull 14/1 

Referee: Chris Foy

Managers: Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Steve Bruce (Hull)

Head-to-head league record: Chelsea wins 21, draws 7, Hull wins 4

Key match stats (supplied by Opta)

Loic Remy and Didier Drogba have both scored three goals in three Barclays Premier League games against Hull City.

The Tigers have never won away at Chelsea in any competition (L15 D5 W0).

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Hull City in all competitions (W8 D2), including all six in the Barclays Premier League (W4 D2 L0).

Mohamed Diame has scored four goals from just four shots on target in the Premier League this season.

Hull City have gone eight Premier League games without a victory (W0 D4 L4).

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Hull have never won away at Chelsea in 15 visits but will look to put that right on Saturday

Cesc Fabregas (81) is now clear in sixth place in the all time Premier League assist ranking; one ahead of David Beckham (80).

Allan McGregor has saved all three of the penalties he has faced in the Premier League – no goalkeeper has ever saved four consecutive penalties that he’s faced in the competition.

Hull have scored only two goals in their last seven Premier League games.

Only once before have Chelsea had more points after 15 games of a Premier League campaign (40 in 2005-06).

This is Hull City’s worst start to a Premier League season (13 points), even lower than the 16 they accrued after 15 games in 2009-10 when they were relegated.

Liverpool offer Gerrard new contract – Rodgers

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard had been offered a new contract by the club, manager Brendan Rodgers said Monday. “Firstly in terms of the club the latest is that Steven Gerrard and his representatives have been offered a contract here and at this moment in time that’s where it’s at,” Rodgers said at a news conference ahead of Liverpool’s match away to bottom of the Premier League Leicester on Tuesday. “It certainly won’t be money,” the Northern Irishman added. “I’ve spoken to him enough times at length and that won’t be the case. “Between now and the end of the season he deserves the opportunity to think.” Former England midfielder Gerrard, 34, has spent his entire 16-year professional career at home town side Liverpool. However, in October he said he could leave Anfield if he wasn’t offered a new deal. “I won’t be retiring this summer,” said Gerrard, whose current contract expires in May. “I will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision.” Saturday saw Gerrard dropped to the bench for Liverpool’s 1-0 Premier League win over Stoke at Anfield — a match that took place on the 16th anniversary of his debut for the club. However, Rodgers was adamant there was nothing more in his decision to put Gerrard among the substitutes than his belief it was now unrealistic to expect the former England captain to play every game. Gerrard rubbished Sunday reports of a rift with Rodgers by posting a photo of himself and the manger in training on Instagram, together with the message: “Just to set the record straight media talk of a fall out between us 2 is NONSENSE.” Gerrard came on late against Stoke, with Rodgers deploying Lucas Leiva in the anchor midfield position he usually occupies. Rodgers’ decision appeared to be vindicated by both a much-needed win and a clean sheet into the bargain. And the Liverpool manager, asked on Monday if there was a rift between himself and Gerrard, said: “No, 150 percent no. “If there are two words that describe our relationship it would be honesty and respect. He is arguably the best player to ever play in the Premier League. “It’s not so much about the number of games he plays now, it’s about the level of the game and that is something we will look at.” Gerrard, playing as a deep midfielder, nearly led Liverpool to the title last season before they finished runners-up to eventual champions Manchester City. But with star striker Luis Suarez having left Anfield in pre-season and Daniel Sturridge sidelined through injury since August, Liverpool now find themselves a huge 16 points adrift of leaders Chelsea, and Rodgers said he was contemplating a different role for Gerrard. “With the players we had up front, his quality could exploit that,” said Rodgers. “The dynamic up front has changed so I have to think of a restructure so we look at a different type of midfielder to come in.”

Knee injury rules Asamoah out of CAN

Juventus left-back Kwadwo Asamoah has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury meaning the Ghana international will also miss the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. “It will take about three months for Asamoah to recover,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri announced ahead of the Turin derby against Torino on Sunday. “I regret that I cannot use him but there is still (Patrice) Evra, (Simone) Padoin and (Federico) Mattiello,” added the coach who has guided Juventus to a three-point lead at the top of Serie A. The 25-year-old Asamoah has been a key player for Ghana but the four-time African champions will have do do without him for the tournament, which is set to take place in Equatorial Guinea from January 17 to February 8. The Black Stars won the last of their continental titles in 1982 but came closest to adding a fifth in 2010 when they lost the final 1-0 against Egypt in Angola. Asamoah will undergo surgery on a cartilage problem in his left knee in the upcoming days.

Welbeck wins it for Arsenal

Danny Welbeck returned from injury to maintain Arsenal’s recent revival as the England striker’s second-half goal sealed a 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Arsene Wenger’s side had been under pressure after successive Premier League defeats condemned them to their worst start for 30 years, but a midweek victory over Borussia Dortmund, which booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League, had lifted spirits at the north London club. Welbeck missed that win due to hamstring and knee problems, but he was back at the Hawthorns to net his sixth goal for Arsenal, ending a run of six club matches without a goal for the former Manchester United forward and giving the Gunners only their fifth league win of the season. Arsenal climbed to fourth in the table, although they could drop back out of the Champions League places depending on results later on Saturday. After another week of injury woe left Wenger without Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and Wojciech Szczesny, the Gunners’ boss could have been forgiven for cursing his luck when Nacho Monreal limped off in the first half. But Welbeck forced a good save from Ben Foster, and Olivier Giroud, making his first start since suffering a broken leg in August, almost punished a careless attempt to clear by Foster moments later.