Uzbeki giants Kuruvchi are banking on their considerable Brazilian influence to weave some samba magic in the AFC Champion’s League (ACL) semi-finals today.
The team go into their first leg tie against Adelaide United in Australia on a mission.
Not only have the ambitious club hired former World Player of the Year Rivaldo, but last week they unveiled his compatriot Zico as their new coach.
Zico, who coached Japan’s national team to the Asian Cup title in 2004, took over from Mirdjalol Kasimov who left to lead Uzbekistan in their drive for a place in the 2010 World Cup finals.
“Rivaldo was the main reason for my arrival in Uzbekistan. He told me a lot about this country and I have discussed all the issues with him,” said Zico, who is considered among the greatest players of his generation. “I am quite happy to work here.”
The 55-year-old’s first task is to guide Kuruvchi into the ACL final by beating an Adelaide side who are looking to refocus after squandering a 3-0 lead with 30 minutes to go in an A-League match on Friday.
The Uzbekis will be keen to exploit the Australians’ hectic schedule, with the team being forced to play five games in 14 days, including three A-League fixtures on top of their Champions League matches.
Adelaide last week asked Football Federation Australia to postpone some of their domestic games so they could focus on the ACL, but to no avail.
“We’re very disappointed that our request couldn’t be accommodated in what is an increasingly busy and very difficult schedule,” said Adelaide chief executive officer Sam Ciccarello, who admitted their form could suffer.
“We’re delighted to have progressed so far in this prestigious competition but certainly this is a bit of a setback in terms of our ability to get the best out of our playing squad,” he said.
Japan are guaranteed to have at least one team in the final before a ball is kicked with Gamba Osaka and defending champions Urawa Reds facing off in Osaka in the other semi-final.
Gamba coach Akira Nishino said he was eagerly looking forward to today’s encounter.
“I thought that when the draw was made, there was a good chance that we might be playing against Reds in the semi-finals,” he said.
“It will be an interesting encounter and I think that it will be a different kind of game from what we are used to in the J. League as it will be a different atmosphere and a different type of competition,” Nishino said.
“I am looking forward to it. I believe that a Japanese team should be able to win the tournament and I hope that Gamba Osaka will be the ones to reach the final,” he said.
Urawa will be aiming for at least a point to take home ahead of the return leg in Saitama on Oct. 22. Coach Gert Engles said he was pleased his side avoided another long trip overseas.
“I think it’s good that we are able to play a Japanese team, especially when you think about the distances involved in the travel,” he said. “We know Gamba very well.”
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS