Italy Awarded 3-0 Win Over Serbia In Abandoned Match
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Serbia v Northern Ireland Game To Be Played Behind Closed Doors
UEFA have awarded a 3-0 win to Italy over Serbia after their Euro 2012 qualifying match in Genoa earlier this month was abandoned due to crowd trouble.
In addition the Football Association of Serbia – the FSS – has been ordered to play its next two matches behind closed doors with a one-match ban deferred for a probationary period of two years.
The match on 12 October was abandoned after just seven minutes when violence broke out amongst Serbian supporters in the ground.
UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body has banned Serbian supporters from all away matches in the Euro 2012 qualifying competition and the FSS has been fined a total of €120,000.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) received a sanction of one match to be played behind closed doors. This sanction is deferred for a probationary period of two years. The FIGC was fined €100,000.
Both associations have three days within which to lodge an appeal.
Serbia’s next home game in the tournament is against Northern Ireland on 25 March 2011 and this game will be played behind closed doors. The ban on Serbian travelling support will affect their games with Estonia, Northern Ireland and Slovenia.
The Euro 2012 qualifying game between Italy and Serbia has been abandoned after crowd trouble before and during the game in Genoa.
Trouble began before the game when Serbian fans clashed with police outside the ground. Serbs also attacked their own team bus on its arrival at the stadium causing the goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic to withdraw from the game.
There was more trouble inside the ground when objects were thrown by Serbian supporters at Italian fans and at the police who by then were attempting to subdue the unrest. Fans wearing black balaclavas also attempted to cut the netting separating the fans from the pitch.
Kick-off to be delayed by 45 minutes but when the game eventually got under way more objects were thrown from the Serbian enclosure and supporters unfurled a banner that read “Kosovo is Serbia”.
Eight minutes into the game flares were thrown onto the pitch and referee Craig Thomson took the players off the pitch. The match was later abandoned.
Chelsea’s John Terry has withdrawn from the England squad to face Montenegro at Wembley tomorrow night. The Chelsea skipper is suffering from a back injury.
A statement from the FA said: “Terry was assessed by England medical staff on Sunday and will not be fit to play any part in Tuesday’s game.” Terry also missed the games with Bulgaria and Switzerland while suffering from a hamstring injury.
Aaron Lennon and Phil Jagielka withdrew from the squad over the weekend and Gary Cahill of Bolton and Aston Villa’s Stewart Downing have been drafted into the squad, however, there will be no further additions.Terry suffered from a similar back problem in 2006 and required surgery to cure it.
Rio Ferdinand will probably start in central defence tomorrow with either Joleon Lescott or Cahill alongside him.
Scotland’s 4-6-0 Formation Fails To Prevent Defeat
Scotland manager Craig Levein has defender the defensive tactics used by his side last night as they went down to a 1-0 defeat to the Czech Republic in last night’s Euro 2012 qualifier.
The Scots played a 4-6-0 without an out-and-out striker and although a debut was given to QPR striker Jamie Mackie he played wide on the right, tactics Levein hoped might catch the Czechs on the break.
“I was happy with it,” said Levein.”I picked a system that I thought was working very well.
“We lost a goal to a set-piece, but I can’t fault the lads for what we did tonight. We restricted them for the majority of the game.”
The Czechs won thanks to a Hubnik header 20 minutes from time from a corner by Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky.
“The whole game plan wasn’t to lose a goal and, when we lose a goal, it all changes, of course.
“We lost a goal to a set-piece, which generally we are good at defending, but I think we had some pretty good performances out there.
“A lot of hard work went into the performance tonight and I can’t fault them.”
The Scots have four points from their opening three games in their qualifying group and face Spain at Hampden in their next game on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland Boss Says Team Disappointed With Goalless Draw
Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington says he is proud of his team after their goalless draw with Italy in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Windsor Park last night.
Although Italy dominated large parts of the game Northern Ireland had the best chance of the night when David Healy headed wide from six yards out in the first half. Healy has now failed to score in his last 14 games for the national side. However, the green shirts ended the match the stronger and laid siege to the Italian goal in injury time.
“We had a big heart, worked hard and the discipline within the team was magnificent,” Worthington said after the match adding that his players thought they could have come away from the game with more than just a point.
“I think we’re in a good position but the players are disappointed with just a point – we had a couple of chances and we didn’t pass the ball well.
“I’m delighted by their attitude, not thinking of a draw but instead wanting to beat the former world champions.”
Northern Ireland face the Faroe Islands on Tuesday. The Faroes lost 5-1 in Slovenia on Friday but Worthington is warning his team that they shouldn’t underestimate the group underdogs.
We have got to be ultra professional in our preparations for the game and try to get three points, which will not be easy,” he said.
“Their manager Brian Kerr knows the British games, he knows our players and will know how to set his team up against us.”
Scotland boss Craig Levein is to hand a debut to Queens Park Rangers striker James Mackie in Friday’s game against the Czech Republic.
The 25-year-old Mackie, who was born in Dorking, qualifies to play for Scotland as his grandfather was from Kilmarnock. He lines up alongside Steven Naismith and takes the place of Kenny Miller who is a surprise omission from the starting line-up despite scoring 10 goals for Rangers in the SPL so far this season.
Darren Fletcher and Gary Caldwell will take up defensive midfield positions in what is essentially a 4-2-2-2 formation.
James Morrison replaces the injured Scott Brown and will partner Graham Dorrans at the front of the midfield.
“If It Were Not For Real Madrid I Would Do It For Free” – Mourinho
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho says he will not manage the Portugese national team in their Euro 2012 qualifiers with Denmark and Iceland next month.
The Portugese FA – the PPF – wanted Mourinho to manage the side on a temporary basis after sacking Carlos Queiroz following a disappointing start to the qualifying campaign. Portugal drew 4-4 with Cyprus and then lost 1-0 to Norway earlier this month.
However, Mourinho says that his commitment to Real Madrid means he has to rule himself out of the running for the job, even on a temporary basis. “If it were not for Real Madrid I would do it for free. But if you ask me right now if I can go, I think not. I have a contract with Real Madrid.
Gilberto Madail, president of the FPF, flew to Madrid yesterday to try to convince Mourinho to manage the team in the next two Euro 2012 qualifying matches.
“I have come here to talk about Mourinho and other matters,” he said on his arrival. But Mourinho dampened speculation linking him wit h the job.
“I do not say ‘no’, but in the natural way of things, I do not think this is the time. Real Madrid have every right in the world to put an obstacle in the way and if you put the slightest obstacle there, I can’t go. To say ‘no’ to Portugal is impossible because of my personal pride and my passion for Portugal, but at the moment I cannot say ‘yes’.”
France’s football misery has continued with 1-0 home defeat by Belarus in the opening game of their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
Sergei Kislyak hit the winning goal with just five minutes left. The 23-year-old Dinamo Minsk player fired home a shot after Vyacheslav Hleb wormed his way through the French defence to the by-line and found Kislyak free just 12 yards out.
It was new coach Laurent Blanc’s first competitive match as national team coach and afterwards he bemoaned his side’s wastefulness in front of goal.
“We cannot say we have players who know how to score goals,” he said.
“We know we have the players to keep the ball but we don’t have the players able to make the difference in the last 25 metres.It is a difficult time, nothing is going our way and we have to fight this,” he said. It is hard to see positive things when you lose. Even if you like your team, they have to score and they did not.”
To make matters worse for Blanc he lost forwards Loic Remy and Louis Saha during the game and both are doubts for Tuesday’s game with Bosnia.
“Remy’s injury seems serious, he felt violent pain in his groin. Louis felt sharp pain in his calf.”
Kevin Gameiro almost equalised for France in added time, but his strike flew fractionally over the bar.
Belarus coach Bernd Stange was delighted with his team’s win but also spared a thought for Blanc. “It was a great start, an excellent start for Belarus,” he said.
