Football: Spain make history to retain European title

KIEV: Spain on Sunday retained their European championship title in style, beating Italy 4-0 in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to become the first side to complete back-to-back wins in the competition's 52-year history.

Manchester City's David Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, heading home a pinpoint cross from Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas, after a fired-up Spain, earlier accused of playing a "boring" possession game, came out all guns blazing.

Jordi Alba made it two on 41 minutes after he ran onto a sublime through-ball from his new Barca team-mate Xavi Hernandez and slotted a left-foot shot past the advancing Gianluigi Buffon.

Fernando Torres - who scored in Spain's 1-0 Euro 2008 final win against Germany four years ago - made it three with six minutes left while his Chelsea colleague Juan Mata made it four on 88 minutes.

"La Furia Roja" are now the only side to have won three consecutive major titles, with European wins either side of their World Cup victory in 2010.

Tens of thousands of people young and old thronged the streets of Rome and Madrid to watch the game on giant screens, with both historic capitals a sea of green, white and red Italian tricolors and red and yellow Spanish flags.

But it was Spanish fans who erupted at the final whistle with shouts of "Campeones! Campeones! (Champions! Champions!)" in scenes of wild celebration that brought unbridled joy to a nation struggling with recession.

"Today the whole country is united as one and everyone is in the Euro. And the crisis? No-one is thinking about the crisis," said 23-year-old business student Miguel Revert outside a central Madrid sports bar.

Spain's players will be greeted by King Juan Carlos in Madrid on Monday, before being hailed by adoring fans in an open-top bus that will travel through the capital's streets.

Sunday's final was the 31st match in three weeks of football involving 16 teams in Poland and Ukraine, which despite misgivings before the start of the tournament, has generally been considered to have gone well.

Before the competition started, there were fears about the readiness of the eight match venues and other infrastructure as well as high travel and accommodation prices for fans, particularly in Ukraine.

Racism was also a worry, amid claims that far-right gangs were rife in football grounds in both countries, while Ukraine also faced a boycott from European nations over the alleged mistreatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Some racist chanting from foreign fans and violent clashes between Poland and Russia fans were seen and organisers courted controversy at the last by inviting the controversial Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko to the final.

But the worst fears have not materialised, allowing the focus to remain mostly on the pitch, with high-quality matches attracting record television viewing figures in Europe and around the world.

UEFA president Michel Platini told reporters he felt proud of both co-hosts, while Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said it had been an "honour" to stage the competition.

"It seems to me that we've succeeded," he was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

"Even though the Polish and Ukrainian teams aren't playing in the final, one thing's clear: Poland and Ukraine have won Euro 2012," added Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.

Poland and Ukraine are hoping to reap the benefits from holding such a "mega-event", particularly in tourist revenues, with Euro 2012 helping to shatter myths of the former communist east European nations being cold and inhospitable.

A recent survey of more than 1,000 foreign fans by independent pollsters PBS indicated that 73 percent said they would come back to Poland within three years, while 89 percent said they would recommend Warsaw to family and friends.

Some even compared Euro 2012 to the ground-breaking recognition of the Solidarity trade union led by Lech Walesa in 1980 that triggered a wave of anti-communist sentiment and ultimately played a part in the collapse of the eastern bloc.

The next competition will be held in four years' time in France.

Football: Centurion Alonso sends Spain into Euro semi-finals

DONETSK, Ukraine: Spain moved a step closer to an unprecedented treble of consecutive major international honours by beating France 2-0 in Donetsk on Saturday to reach the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

Goals in each half from Xabi Alonso, on his 100th international appearance, sent the world and European champions into a semi-final with Iberian rivals Portugal in the same Donbass Arena stadium on Wednesday.

It was Spain's first competitive win in seven attempts against France, who were bidding to become the first team to eliminate Spain from a major tournament since the French side that reached the 2006 World Cup final.

While Spain can now contemplate the prospect of facing the in-form Cristiano Ronaldo, France return home after fulfilling their objective of reaching the last eight, only to fall short against the world's top national side.

"Is a quarter-final the level where France is at the moment? I don't know, what I do know is that the best sides will be in the semi-finals and France won't be," said France coach Laurent Blanc.

In an attempt to nullify Spain's attacking threat, Blanc opted for a conservative 4-5-1 formation, with right-back Mathieu Debuchy lining up in an unfamiliar right-wing role ahead of Anthony Reveillere.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, meanwhile, elected to deploy Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas instead of Fernando Torres at the centre of a fluid attacking configuration.

Abandoning their usual possession-focused approach, France retreated and allowed Spain to take the initiative, and Fabregas had an early penalty appeal turned down after his heels were clipped by Gael Clichy.

With two right-backs on the pitch, France's right flank should have been impregnable, but it was from a move down the left that Spain went ahead in the 14th minute.

Andres Iniesta released Jordi Alba and he held off the stumbling Debuchy to cross for the unmarked Alonso, whose downward header gave the number 14 a 14th international goal.

The lead established, Spain slipped into their familiar passing rhythm and France were left to rely on the forward forays of lone striker Karim Benzema.

One such raid drew a free-kick in an advantageous position, and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas did well to touch Yohan Cabaye's subsequent attempt over the crossbar.

The low number of fans supporting the two teams made for a subdued atmosphere, while the closest Spain came to extending their lead before half-time was a Gerard Pique header that looped well over.

The start of the second half was similarly muted. Debuchy headed over from Franck Ribery's dinked cross, while Hugo Lloris had to race to the edge of his box to claw the ball away from Fabregas at the other end.

Blanc introduced Samir Nasri, Jeremy Menez and Olivier Giroud from the bench, but still the men in the all-white change strip were unable to capitalise on the promising openings they procured.

There were few scares for Spain in the final 10 minutes, and they made sure of victory in injury time when Alonso swept home a penalty after Reveillere had bundled substitute Pedro Rodriguez to the deck.

It will come as scant consolation to France, but they will not have long to wait for revenge.

The sides are due to meet again in a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup in Spain on October 16.

Football: Ronaldo heads Portugal into semi-finals Euro 2012

WARSAW: Cristiano Ronaldo was the hero as Portugal beat an ultra-defensive Czech Republic 1-0 at the National Stadium here on Thursday in their quarter-final to qualify for the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

Ronaldo headed home a cross from Joao Moutinho 11 minutes from the end to set up a possible semi-final against either world champions Spain or France.

It was just reward after another starring performance from the Real Madrid man against opponents who failed to register a single shot on target and were hindered by the absence of injured playmaker Tomas Rosicky.

"We had the quality to pass into the semi-finals," said Ronaldo.

"We are happy but know the next match will be difficult but the team is very mature and we are ready.

"There are big smiles and good music all round us!"

Portuguese winger Nani, who also had an outstanding game, said that the victory while long in coming was deserved.

"We played really well, we were stylish on the pitch and it was a great team effort," said the Manchester United star.

"Now its going to be more difficult in each game but we are very confident.

"I had a couple of chances which went close but thats how it is in football, Ronaldo as well went close but he hit the target in the end."

Czech coach Michal Bilek admitted graciously that his side had been outclassed.

"The Portuguese were the best side, much stronger in the footballing sense," saoid the 47-year-old.

"Their attack is very strong. Petr Cech pulled off some stunning saves to keep us in the game.

"We had wanted to play with a solid defence and rely on the counter-attack, but we started to run out of energy during the second-half."

As is so often the case in knock-out matches in big tournaments, the first half was a cagey affair.

Portugal struggled to string two passes together while centre-backs Pepe and Bruno Alves resorted to lumping long aimless balls up the field.

Czech Republic had some joy down their right with one particularly dangerous cross from Theodor Gebre Selassie only just being cut out by Pepe.

Moutinho hit a weak shot from 20 yards that Petr Cech gathered easily.

But then the Ronaldo show really took off.

The Real Madrid star sprung into life in the 25th minute as he darted across field, played a one-two with former Manchester United team-mate Nani, shrugged off Michal Kadlec and fired straight at Cech.

It was a rare burst of activity in an up-until-then tame affair but even that wouldn't have counted as referee Howard Webb penalised Ronaldo for pushing.

The 27-year-old was only just getting started, though.

On 33 minutes, Pepe lobbed a ball into the box and Ronaldo sent an overhead bicycle kick wide of the upright.

Next up, he sent a free-kick from almost 30 yards swerving wide but in stoppage time at the end of the half he demonstrated his full talent.

Raul Meireles knock a long ball into the box which Ronaldo controlled on his chest before turning Kadlec and prodding the ball past Cech, only to see it come back off the post.

It took Portugal only 20 seconds after the restart to show their intent as Meireles crossed for Hugo Almeida, a first half substitute for Helder Postiga, who seemed to have pulled a hamstring, but the Besiktas forwad headed over when it looked easier to hit the target.

Ronaldo then clipped the outside of the post with a free-kick from fully 30 yards.

Moutinho and Meireles combined to play Ronaldo in behind the defence as he came in off his left wing but his finish was skewed high and wide.

Porto's Moutinho had a crack from 20 yards on 64 minutes but Cech tipped it over the bar while Almeida sent another header woefully over.

Meireles cleverly played in Nani on 74 minutes but the winger's shot was deflected over the bar.

The goal Portugal's domination richly deserved finally came on 79 minutes as Moutinho made a determined run down the right and produced a peach of cross that Ronaldo headed home on the dive.

Full-back Joao Pereira had a chance to seal the match but he shot wide when well placed.

Lucky England stumble into quarter-finals. England 1-0 Ukraine

DONETSK, Ukraine: England scraped into the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 here Tuesday after a goal-line refereeing blunder helped them to a 1-0 win over Ukraine which sent the co-hosts crashing out.

A 48th-minute header from returning talisman Wayne Rooney was enough to see England finish top of Group D and send them into a quarter-final in Kiev on Sunday against Italy.

However Ukraine -- missing injured captain Andrei Shevchenko -- were desperately unlucky not to have earned at least a draw after Marko Devic had a clear goal wrongly disallowed on 62 minutes.

Devic had powered into the box and his looping shot had flown over keeper Joe Hart towards goal.

John Terry launched himself into an acrobatic clearance to hook the ball away but despite furious Ukrainian appeals, no goal was given.

Television replays, however, showed the ball had crossed the line by several inches but had incredibly been missed by the additional assistant referee stationed behind the goal.

It was a goal-line controversy that echoed Frank Lampard's disallowed effort for England against Germany at the 2010 World Cup and is almost certain to hasten the introduction of goal-line technology.

FIFA is expected to approve the introduction of two systems which are currently being tested at a meeting after the European Championships.

England will head to their quarter-final meeting with Italy chastened by the knowledge that on another night they could have been heading home after being outplayed for much of the match.

England coach Roy Hodgson was proud of the way his players had battled to preserve their advantage and make it five games unbeaten since he took over.

"It was a very good defensive and disciplined performance," he said.

"We could have shown some more composure on the ball but we are a fledgling team and we can work on that part."

England captain Steven Gerrard was satisfied that they had achieved their target of topping the group.

"It was a difficult group and our aim was to win it. It's fantastic that we have done," he said.

"Wayne Rooney's goal shows how important he is to the team. He adds something different and a cutting edge and can score goals from anywhere."

 England had ridden their luck in a one-sided first-half which Ukraine dominated, carving out a string of promising openings only to be denied by either desperate defending or the goalkeeping of Joe Hart.

Rooney's long-awaited return to the starting line-up failed to galvanise the England attack as manager Roy Hodgson had hoped for, and the Manchester United striker looked hopelessly short of match-sharpness.

All too often, Rooney's first touch or timing let him down, a sure sign of the England talisman's anxiety and general ring-rustiness.

That was best illustrated by the striker's failure to convert a golden English chance on 28 minutes, with an unmarked Rooney mistiming his jump to glance a header from an Ashley Young cross wide.

Otherwise it was all Ukraine, who had started brightly with Denys Garmash letting fly as early as the sixth minute.

Terry then had to be alert shortly afterwards, snuffing out the danger after Andrei Yarmolenko threatened to dart clear into the box.

Scott Parker then hurled himself into the path of a Devic shot on 12 minutes as England continued to struggle to get in the game.

Terry was pressed into action once again on 18 minutes when he blocked a shot from Yevgeny Konoplyanka with his shoulder as the Ukrainian onslaught continued.

A Young mistake then let in Oleg Gusev, who cut in from the right and shot over the bar.

A goal seemed to certain to come in the 30th minute when Artem Milevskiy released Yarmolenko into the area only for Hart to save well from close range.

Yarmolenko then had the Ukrainian fans roaring in delight with a mazy dribble into the box that Lescott scrambled clear.

But somehow England had managed to stay level at the break and then three minutes after the restart they got a goal that stunned the hosts.

Steven Gerrard beat Yarmolenko down the right and sent a dangerous cross into the six-yard box. The ball took touches off two Ukrainian defenders before skidding through goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov to Rooney for the simplest of headers.

"It is nice to score in a major finals as its been a while," he said.

"It's nice to do it for the team as well as the lads were fantastic and defended really well."

Yet Ukraine fought back brilliantly, with Milevskiy heading just over the bar on the hour mark before the flashpoint involving Devic and Terry that ensured the headlines would be dominated by the goal-line technology debate.

Shevchenko's arrival from the substitutes bench on 70 minutes threatened a revival but there was to be no fairytale ending for the veteran striker as England hung on desperately.

Football: LionsXII keep title hopes alive with win in Terengganu

SINGAPORE: A whole new player was forged in the heat of last Friday's sizzling 9-0 thumping of Sabah at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

On Tuesday night, Hariss Harun was the brightest spark in the clammy, slippery conditions in Kuala Terengganu where V Sundramoorthy's charges ground out a 1-0 win over Terengganu in the Malaysian Super League (MSL), thanks to an 89th minute strike by substitute Sufian Anuar.

Known for his no-nonsense, hard-tackling style, Hariss showed he was capable of flicked passes, through balls and forward runs to support the attack, even turning winger on a couple of occasions.

"Hariss was great in the middle of the park, he's a captain who leads by example," said Sundram.

"It's a deserved victory, the boys worked hard and played according to instructions not allowing Terengganu time on the ball. That's important playing away from home against a team like Terengganu. We have to make sure that we are tight and go on the counter to win the game."

The win keeps alive the Lions XII's fast-fading title challenge alive as Kelantan also notched an away victory on the night, beating Kuala Lumpur 1-0. The LionsXII are six points ahead of second-placed Kelantan but have played five games more.

The following weeks will see Kelantan make up the fixture-deficit, with the Lions XII left with only two fixtures left in their maiden season.

Football: Ronaldo double sends Dutch crashing out in Euro 2012

KHARKIV, Ukraine: Portugal beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Sunday to set up a Euro 2012 quarter-final with the Czech Republic and condemn the Dutch to a first group-stage European Championship exit since 1980.

Needing to win by two clear goals to stand any hope of progressing, Holland took an early lead through Rafael van der Vaart but were undone by goals in each half from man of the match Cristiano Ronaldo.

From a Dutch perspective, the final score was rendered immaterial as Denmark's 2-1 loss to Germany in the other Group B match meant they would not have qualified for the last eight even in case of victory.

Portugal, for whom Ronaldo belatedly reproduced his Real Madrid form at this tournament, will compete for a semi-final place against the Czechs in Warsaw on Thursday.

Runners-up at the World Cup two years ago and top scorers in qualifying, the Netherlands leave Ukraine with their tails between their legs after three consecutive defeats.

Mindful of the pressing need for goals, Holland coach Bert van Marwijk handed starts to both Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and van der Vaart, who replaced captain Mark van Bommel and inherited the captain's armband from him.

Van der Vaart needed less than 11 minutes to vindicate his manager's decision, collecting a pass from Arjen Robben and shaping a delightful 25-yard shot inside the left-hand post to put Holland ahead.

However, if the Dutch thought they were in for a comfortable evening, Portugal quickly had them on their toes with a flurry of chances sparked by Ronaldo drifting inside and brushing the post with a low strike.

Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg was allowed to shine on his 50th appearance, thwarting Helder Postiga following an errant back-pass by Gregory van der Wiel and then showing sharp reflexes to box away a Ronaldo header.

Holland failed to heed the warnings though, and in the 28th minute Ronaldo levelled, powering onto Joao Pereira's incisive, stabbed pass and clipping the ball past Stekelenburg from close range.

Strangely, scoring the opening goal seemed to have inhibited the Dutch, and they were cowed even further by Ronaldo's equaliser.

So often scorned for his international displays, Ronaldo was a man transformed, and after working Stekelenburg with an audacious dipping shot from 35 yards, he crashed a header narrowly wide from a corner.

Van Marwijk gambled in the second half, throwing on winger Ibrahim Afellay for left-back Jetro Willems, but still Portugal came, Nani spurning a good chance by firing at Stekelenburg after Ronaldo had rolled the ball across goal.

The Madrid man was not so forgiving when Nani returned the favour in the 74th minute, checking inside sharply to send van der Wiel sprawling and then calmly beating Stekelenburg at his near post.

Van der Vaart hit the post with a right-foot curler, but it was the only bright moment in what was a desperate second period for the Dutch, who saw Ronaldo wobble an upright in the final minute.

Football: Welbeck, Walcott rescue England against Sweden in Euro 2012

KIEV: England remained on course for a place in the knockout rounds of Euro 2012 after coming from behind to send Sweden crashing out of the tournament with a 3-2 victory here Friday.

Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck scored a well-taken winner for England in the 78th minute after the introduction of substitute Theo Walcott swung a see-saw Group D battle back in his side's favour.

England had got off to a dream start when recalled striker Andy Carroll headed them into a 23rd-minute lead.
But an own goal from Glen Johnson on 49 minutes followed by a header from Olof Mellberg in the 59th minute threatened to set up a disastrous night for Roy Hodgson's side.

However, the substitution of James Milner for Walcott changed the game. The Arsenal winger lashed in a 64th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 and then provided the run and pass which set up Welbeck's winner.
"It's always nice to come off the bench and show what you can do," said Walcott.
"We felt from first game (1-1 draw with France) we wanted to pick things up and to get three goals is terrific."

Welbeck was delighted more for the team than himself.
"It was a typical game of two-halves but we always had the belief. There's a great spirit about this squad."

England's first ever competitive victory over the Swedes means they will qualify for the quarter-finals with only a point in their final group game against co-hosts Ukraine in Donetsk next Tuesday.

However, Hodgson will want to see a marked improvement from his side if they are to secure the draw they need after a performance littered with errors and shaky defending.

England had started positively, Scott Parker forcing a fine save out of Andreas Isaksson after only seven minutes with a fine swerving effort from 20 yards that the Swedish keeper parried to safety.

Sweden meanwhile had to wait until 20 minutes before threatening the England goal, captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic letting fly with a long range shot that was blocked comfortably by Joe Hart.

For a while, it looked as if England's familiar failings of conceding possession too cheaply and poor delivery would be costly.
Captain Steven Gerrard had clearly seen enough on 23 minutes.

Seizing possession in midfield, the England skipper looked up to curl in a pinpoint long-range diagonal ball which the twisting Carroll met with a thunderous header that gave Isaksson no chance.

Sweden were forced to look for openings on the break and threatened to score when Ibrahimovic dispossessed the careless Johnson and played in Kim Kallstrom whose shot flew over.

England's positive first half display came unstuck, however, within five minutes of the restart as a rejuvenated Sweden dominated play.

The equaliser came after an Ibrahimovic free-kick bounced back off the wall and was played back to an unmarked Mellberg being played onside by Johnson.

The bearded centre-half's shot beat Hart and Johnson was unable to scramble out of his own net. Mellberg claimed it, but the equaliser was ruled an own-goal by Johnson.

England were rocking and it got worse for Hodgson's men on 59 minutes as Sweden went 2-1 up. Sebastian Larsson swung in a curling free-kick and shambolic defending in the England defence allowed Mellberg to nod home Sweden's second.

Milner, who had capped a poor evening by conceding the free-kick which led to Sweden's second, was then promptly hauled off for Walcott.

The Arsenal winger made an immediate impact and within minutes England were level, Walcott's shot from just outside the area catching Isaksson off-balance to make it 2-2.

Sweden continued to cause England problems on the break and Ibrahimovic forced Hart to dive at full-stretch to turn around a 76th-minute effort.

But two minutes later, Walcott rescued England again, darting into the box with an electrifying burst to cross for Welbeck, who flicked in a deft finish with the back of his heel to make it 3-2.

Football: Champions Spain thrash Ireland to top group in Euro 2012

GDANSK, Poland: Defending champions Spain are on course for the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after their 4-0 thrashing of Ireland on Thursday put them top of Group C with the Irish bowing out.

For all their endeavour in defence, Ireland struggled constantly to cope with the torrent of Spanish attacks as Chelsea's Fernando Torres proved he is back to his best with two clinically-taken goals.

Having decided the Euro 2008 final with the winning goal against Germany, Torres netted either side of Manchester City's David Silva second-half strike before his replacement Cesc Fabregas added the fourth seven minutes from time.

"We were chasing shadows," said Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews.
"We said before the match, we should learn from our mistakes in the first game but then we shot ourselves in the foot by conceding an early goal. Make no mistake, they are a top side and we were always up against it.

"In terms of the Italy game, we are playing for pride simple as that."

With 66 per cent ball possession, 26 shots on goal, 20 of which were on target, Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given had a busy night as Spain dominated while Ireland managed just six shots on goal in total.

The win puts Spain top of the group on goal difference and level on four points with second-placed Croatia, who Vicente del Bosque's world champions face here at Arena Gdansk again on Monday.

Having suffered their second defeat after losing 3-1 to Croatia on Sunday, Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland will exit after the group stages.

Italy, who drew 1-1 with Croatia earlier, have two points in third and can still progress if they beat Ireland in Poznan, Poland, the same day, but the Azzurri are reliant on either Spain or Croatia winning in Gdansk.

Spain had complained to UEFA about the dry condition of the Gdansk pitch during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Italy as Fabregas labeled it "a disaster", but heavy rain during Thursday's match made the issue null and void.

Having used a 4-3-3 formation against Italy without a recognised striker, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque elected to start Torres at the expense of Barcelona's Fabregas.

The Chelsea star rewarded the faith with the opening goal after just four minutes.

With Spain on the attack, Ireland defender Richard Dunne tackled Silva on the edge of the area, but Torres pounced on the loose ball and drilled his shot past Given from a tight angle.

Buoyed by the legions of green-clad fans, who clearly outnumbered the Spanish fans at Arena Gdansk and sang until the end, Ireland battled forward, but any rare first-half forages into the Spain half were quickly snuffed out.

A heavy tackle on Andres Iniesta earned Ireland captain Robbie Keane the game's first booking on 36 minutes and Glenn Whelan followed just before the break for a foul on Silva as it finished 1-0 at the break.

Trapatonni brought on Stoke City's Jon Walters for Simon Cox up front at half-time, but there was no stemming the tide of Spanish attacks.
A long-range shot from Iniesta was parried by Given, but fell into Silva's path, who jinked his way around defenders to roll his shot calmly past Given four minutes after the break.

After Given pulled off more heroics to deny Xavi Hernandez's corner shot, Ireland lifted their tempo with a series of attacks as Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas was pressed into service.

The threatened third goal came when Silva released Torres, who raced away from Dunne and slotted home his shot on 70 minutes to give Given no chance before the Spaniard made way for Fabregas four minutes later.

The Barcelona star, who scored the equaliser against Italy, again showed his class as he drilled home his shot from a tight angle for Spain's fourth.

Football: France and England in Euro stalemate

DONETSK, Ukraine: France and England on Monday played out a 1-1 draw in their Euro 2012 opener in Donetsk, Ukraine, with three players from English Premier League champions Manchester City playing key roles.

City defender Joleon Lescott opened the scoring for England on the half hour, heading in a perfectly weighted Steven Gerrard free-kick from the right touch-line after Patrice Evra had bundled into James Milner.

Lescott's clubmate Sami Nasri, though, got the French back on terms nine minutes later, hitting a well-placed, right-foot shot through a crowd of players from the edge of the penalty area low to Joe Hart's right.

Hart, who also plays for the Premier League champions, had minutes earlier kept out a bullet header from Marseille's Alou Diarra with a superb reflex save - one of a handful to keep the French at bay and England in the game.

The draw means France are now unbeaten in 22 games but England are likely to come away happier with the point, after a build-up hit by injuries to key players like Frank Lampard and suspension to Wayne Rooney.

"All in all we're satisfied with the point," said Liverpool's Gerrard.

Co-hosts Ukraine take on Sweden in the second Group D match at 1845 GMT, with Oleg Blokhin's side eager to impress in their first game in front of home fans in the capital Kiev.

Blokhin has said he is unsure how his players will react when they walk out in the Olympic Stadium, after disappointing pre-tournament results and a stomach bug that struck his squad.

Expectations rest on the home side's ageing marksman Andrei Shevchenko, who guided the team to the 2006 World Cup finals and at 35 is still a potent striking force.

Home fans will also be looking to what has been billed as the Ukrainian equivalent of the South African vuvuzela - the "zozulica" - with the cuckoo-shaped traditional clay whistle thought to bring luck and chase away evil spirits.

Sweden coach Erik Hamren has said home support makes Ukraine favourites.

Thousands of Sweden fans will be at the match, though, in what is likely to be a welcome break from the mosquito-infested, unfinished riverside camp site in Kiev where they have set up base.

In neighbouring Poland, preparations for the co-hosts' match with old rivals Russia on Tuesday stepped up a gear, with the authorities calling it their "biggest challenge".

Organisers said 29,300 Polish fans had tickets for the match while 9,800 Russian were expected.

Fears of violence at the Group A game have mounted as Tuesday is Russia's national day and Russia fans have already been involved in football-related violence.

"We hope that our worst fears don't come true," said Polish interior minister Jacek Cichocki.

Sporting encounters between the countries always have the weight of shared history and politics but some Polish media showed no sign of letting bygones be bygones.

The tabloid Super Express mocked up a picture of coach Franciszek Smuda in uniform, on horseback and clutching a sword, calling for "a second Miracle on the Vistula", a reference to a 1920 battle won by Poland over Russia against all odds.

The Polish edition of Newsweek echoed the allusion with mention of "The Battle of Warsaw" 2012.

Police themselves were tight-lipped about the number of Russian and Polish fans that could march to the stadium but the country's Euro 2012 spokesman, Marcin Hera, confirmed that 9,800 Russian and 29,300 Polish fans had tickets for the match.

A total 6,000 policemen are on duty in the capital during Euro 2012 but Warsaw police spokesman Maciej Karczynski refused to say how many will be deployed in Tuesday's pre-and-post match security operation.

Football: Danes stun Dutch 1-0 in Euro 2012

KHARKIV, Ukraine: Denmark claimed the first upset of Euro 2012 by overcoming a badly misfiring Netherlands side 1-0 in their opening Group B match at Metalist Stadium here on Saturday.

Brondby forward Michael Krohn-Dehli claimed the game's only goal mid-way through the first half, as Denmark avenged their opening-game loss at the 2010 World Cup and recorded a first win over the Dutch since 1967.

Defeat already compromises the Netherlands' chances of progressing to the knockout phase, with games against Germany and Portugal still to come in the competition's most unforgiving group.

Beaten finalists at the World Cup and top scorers in qualifying, the Dutch entered the tournament among the favourites but their hopes of success in Poland and Ukraine may now hinge on Wednesday's encounter with Germany.

"This is the game," rued Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk.

"We were really determined and I thought that we played even better than our opponents, but you have to score that goal."

Denmark, meanwhile, will advance with renewed belief that they can emulate their shock Euro triumph from 1992, particularly as they finished above forthcoming opponents Portugal in qualifying.

"If you want to beat one of these teams, you need to play at a high level," said Denmark coach Morten Olsen.

"We needed a good team performance and that's what happened. Of course, the Dutch had a lot of chances, but so did we.

"The most important thing was that we trusted our own way of playing football, which is very important against a team like Holland. It showed how and why we qualified for this tournament."

At the age of 18 years and 71 days, Jetro Willems became the youngest ever player to grace a European Championship but the Dutch left-back showed no early nerves and saw a shot from 20 yards narrowly clear the crossbar.

Maarten Stekelenburg was the first goalkeeper called into action, as he comfortably claimed a header from Danish captain Daniel Agger, but gradually the Danes were forced deeper and deeper into their own territory.

Ibrahim Afellay, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben all threatened on multiple occasions, while the latter saw a low cross cut out by Lars Jacobsen after electing not to reward van Persie's through ball with a shot.

It was therefore against the run of play that Denmark broke the deadlock, in the 24th minute, as Krohn-Dehli sold John Heitinga a dummy inside the box before tucking the ball between Stekelenburg's legs.

The goal brought Holland coach Bert van Marwijk to the edge of his technical area and it was from there that he saw Robben strike the base of Denmark's right-hand post after pouncing on goalkeeper Stephan Andersen's loose pass as the 1988 champions roused themselves.

Wesley Sneijder set up van Persie for what looked certain to be the equaliser shortly before the interval, but for once the Arsenal man's touch let him down and his shot was blocked by the advancing Andersen.

 The Netherlands had 12 shots off target in the first half and their struggle for precision continued in the second, with van Persie tripping over his own feet after being put through in the early stages.

Spurned chances continued to come and go at an alarming rate for the Dutch, while Krohn-Dehli had Stekelenburg scrambling with a low shot at the other end.

Van Marwijk chose to act by introducing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Rafael van der Vaart from the bench, and the Schalke striker almost made an immediate impact, collecting Sneijder's fine pass but being bravely denied by Andersen.

A strong handball appeal against Jacobsen brought the Dutch substitutes charging from the dug-out, arms aloft, in the 89th minute but there was to be no late reprieve for van Marwijk's men.

Football: Russians thrash Czechs at Euro 2012

WROCLAW, Poland: A vibrant Russia took command of Group A on the opening day of the European Championships with a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic here on Friday.

Alan Dzagoev notched a brace with Roman Shirokov and Roman Pavlyuchenko grabbing one each as Russia went two points clear at the top of the group following the earlier 1-1 draw between co-hosts Poland and Greece.

It was a statement of intent from a team many are starting to regard as more than just outsiders for overall victory.

For the Czechs though, Vaclav Pilar's strike was scant consolation from a poor showing.

Russia seemed disjointed at the beginning and it was the Czechs who bossed the opening exchanges as Dick Advocaat's team struggled to find their rhythm.

But once they did, they carved Michal Bilek's team open in ruthless fashion.

A clever backheel from Arshavin set Yuri Zhirkov free at the byline and his cross found Aleksandr Kerzhakov, but he couldn't direct his side-footed finish on target.

Yet within 60 seconds, Russia were in front.

Dzagoev capitaised on two Czechs bumping into each other in midfield to surge forwards and release Konstantin Zyryanov down the right.

He picked out Kerzhakov at the back post and when his header came back off the upright it was Dzagoev who arrived on the scene in the right place and at the right time to drill home.

Dzagoev then wasted a great chance as he took a wild swing when played in on the right by Kerzhakov.

But on 23 minutes it was two as Arshavin played an incisive ball into the box and although it was an inch too far in front of Kerzhakov, Shirokov sneaked in around the back to dink the ball over Petr Cech.

The Czechs produced little in terms of clear-cut chances but Jan Rezek flicked a header into Vyacheslav Malafeev's arms before sending a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Another sweeping Russian move with Shirokov breaking from deep ended with Kerzhakov blazing high over the bar.

The second period began with a strangely muted atmosphere but seven minutes in it was livened up as Jaroslav Plasil sliced open the Russian defence and Pilar skipped around Malafeev before sliding the ball home.

Arshavin, enjoying one of his more productive games, cleverly clipped in Kerzhakov but the Zenit St Petersburg striker screwed his effort wide of the far post.

His next two efforts were so awful that he was roundly jeered before Advocaat put him out of his misery and brought on Pavlyuchenko instead.

Czech full-back Theodor Gebre Selassie produced a showreel moment with a spectacular volley into the side-netting and Malafeev got down well to clutch a thumped Tomas Rosicky effort at the second attempt.

But 11 minutes from time, Dzagoev effectively sealed the points with a rising finish from Pavlyuchenko's pass.

And then Pavlyuchenko added an individual effort from the edge of the box following dogged persistence.

Football: Singapore 2 Malaysia 2

SINGAPORE - It was just another game, they said. The result did not matter, it is an opportunity to experiment, a friendly.

Even if there were any who were convinced by words thrown out by both camps ahead of the Causeway Challenge, there are none after Friday night.

Singapore came back from the dead to draw 2-2 with old rivals Malaysia in a match that saw crunching tackles, elbows thrown and words exchanged - and a couple of spectacular goals.

The evening that started with a Malaysian fans clashing with their Singapore counterparts in an all-out brawl outside the stadium, ended with Malaysian reserve goalkeeper Farizal Malias having to be pulled away from the fourth official - on two occasions.

"The hype is there despite this being a friendly... we knew it was going to be a physical and tough match, and it was. We started slow, absorbed everything and played well in between -- until the last five minutes," said Malaysia coach K Rajagobal.

"We should be satisfied with the result, but we deserved to win."

Azamuddin Akil scored in the 43rd minute after an exquisite Norshahrul Idlan Talaha dummy left him inside the six-yard box with only the goalkeeper to beat.

And Malaysia looked like running away with the match just 15 minutes after the break, when skipper Safiq Rahim left Izwan Mahbud rooted to the spot with a well-struck freekick.

But Singapore launched a comeback, with a little help from Hong Kong referee Ng Kai Lam. He awarded a hotly disputed indirect freekick inside the box, after Qiu Li saw his 84th minute penalty saved, an offer Shahdan Sulaiman accepted, his shot finding the top corner.

Qiu Li made amends for that penalty miss in stoppage time with a training ground routine. His cracking drive off a Shahdan freekick brought the 5,900 at Jalan Besar to their feet, and sent Malaysian tempers flaring.

"I'm happy but we can be better. We dominated the first period and should have scored a few goals," said Radojko Avramovic.

"I've no problem whatever the result, I just wanted to look at the quality that we have. With a bit of exposure some players will come through."

Singapore started the match with an experimental team without the likes of Fahrudin Mustafic, Qiu Li, Shi Jiayi and Daniel Bennett, but the team made entirely up of LionsXII players displayed potential for the future.

But with players missing the return leg due to National Service commitments, it will be a different Singapore side that starts at the Shah Alam Stadium on Tuesday.

And Malaysia are promising another fiery affair.

Said Rajagobal: "I don't have to motivate my players any more, this result motivates them already."

Football: Hodgson off the mark as England down Norway

OSLO: Roy Hodgson made a winning start to his reign as England manager on Saturday after an Ashley Young goal gave his side a 1-0 victory over Norway at the Ullevaal Stadium.

Hodgson, who only took over as the successor to Fabio Capello earlier this month, saw his experimental England side record their first win over Norway for 32 years in a largely lacklustre encounter.

With only four or five of Saturday's starting England XI likely to feature in their opening Euro 2012 Group D game against France on June 11, Hodgson was given the opportunity to run the rule over several fringe members of his squad.

However despite an encouraging opening spell from striker Andy Carroll and another goal-scoring contribution from Young, there were few major English success stories in a low-key contest.

"It's a great start. I was concerned about fatigue creeping in and some players were feeling their muscles," said Hodgson. "They worked hard in training trying to impress me."

Hodgson was given a potential injury headache however when second half substitute Gareth Barry hobbled off with a groin injury which will require a scan, placing his Euro 2012 participation in doubt.

"I'm not prepared to say it's serious at the moment," Hodgson said.

"All I'm going to say is that it's going to demand our attention and as you all know, we don't have a lot of time if the scan shows that there is something more than minor."

Norway coach Egil Olsen said he was "surprised" to see his team enjoy so much possession and was disappointed they were unable to force a draw."It was a bit disappointing from our point of view. With a bit of luck we could have had a draw against them," Olsen said. "I guess we had more possession than England which was a bit surprising."

England had got off to a flying start with Young firing the visitors ahead after only nine minutes following a swift break upfield.

Carroll won the first of several aerial battles of the opening period and released the Manchester United midfielder into space.

Young still had plenty to do but twisted and turned away from the covering Norwegian defence -- distracted by England's fast-arriving support -- and shot low into the bottom corner past Rune Almenning Jarstein.

England goalkeeper Rob Green -- making his first start since his blunder against the United States at the 2010 World Cup -- was forced into a nervous save moments later when he tipped Markus Henriksen's shot wide.

Green was given a scare from Morten Gamst Pedersen's subsequent corner, which had the England goalkeeper scrambling before it cannoned off the near post.

England looked comfortable for the remainder of the half, and should have done better with another promising counter attack on 34 minutes when James Milner chose to shoot instead of squaring to the unmarked Carroll.

England captain Steven Gerrard then earned the opprobrium of the home crowd for a rugged and risky challenge on Norway's right back Tom Hogli that forced the defender to withdraw from the contest.

Gerrard was fortunate to escape censure from German referee Michael Weiner but was nevertheless booed relentlessly for the remainder of the half.

That was to be Gerrard's last involvement of the night, with Hodgson replacing his skipper with Gareth Barry at the interval.

England struggled to build any sort of momentum for much of the second half, their only meaningful chance coming from Leighton Baines' 48th-minute low curling free-kick which was saved by Jarstein.

The introduction of Theo Walcott for Scott Parker gave England some badly needed pace down the right flank, but the Arsenal midfielder struggled to impose himself on proceedings.

As England toiled, Norway grew in confidence and Riise raised the home crowd's hopes when he forced Green into a near-post save on 62 minutes.

However, the game fizzled out as England emptied their substitutes bench, replacements which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martin Kelly make their senior debuts late on.

Drogba the hero as Chelsea win Champions League

MUNICH, Germany: Didier Drogba was the hero as Chelsea shattered Bayern Munich's Champions League dream on Saturday with victory in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out at the Allianz Arena.

Drogba stepped up to rifle home the winning penalty for Chelsea after earlier saving his side with an equalising goal two minutes from time to cancel out what looked like the winner from Thomas Mueller as the final finished 1-1.

It was an agonising defeat for Bayern, who saw midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger miss with their final kick to give Drogba the opportunity to score the penalty to clinch the shoot-out 4-3.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech also saved brilliantly from Ivica Olic to get his team back into the shoot-out after Juan Mata had missed the Premier League side's opening effort.

Cech had earlier saved a Bayern penalty from Arjen Robben in the first period of extra-time as the English side defied the odds once more.

Drogba's winning spot-kick was a fairytale ending for the 34-year-old Ivorian striker, who had been sent off in the final minutes of Chelsea's Champions League final defeat in Moscow four years ago.

"We have been doing this for years and years. There is a great spirit at the club, we never give up until the end," said Drogba.

"Today was just amazing. Even if they had scored their penalty in extra-time, Juan Mata said we can get another goal. We all believed."

Full-back Ashley Cole added: "We should have lost the game with the amount of chances they had."

"After we lost in Napoli (last 16 first leg), we thought if we can beat them at home then we have the luck and we can win the tournament.

"Even when Robben missed the penalty, we still thought we had time to get another goal and with Petr Cech in goal, we knew we could do it."

The win capped a rollercoaster season for Chelsea, whose campaign has been transformed since Roberto Di Matteo was appointed as interim manager in March following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

Di Matteo has guided the club to a Champions League and FA Cup double in the space of a fortnight and is now favourite to land the job on a full-time basis.

Chelsea's victory - the club's first European crown and the first by a London team - also means they will qualify for next season's Champions League as tournament winners despite a poor league campaign.

But the loss left Bayern shattered as their dream of lifting their fifth European title ended in agony.

"We missed too many chances," admitted Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes. "We played well over all and had the majority of possession.

"But we didn't know how to exploit our many opportunities and you have to use them or you will be punished."

A match Bayern had dominated went to penalties after a frenetic finish to normal time, with Mueller heading Bayern into the lead seven minutes from time only for Drogba to equalise in the 88th minute.

A dramatic start to extra-time then saw Bayern's former Chelsea winger Robben miss a penalty - saved by Cech - after Drogba had needlessly brought down Franck Ribery in the area.

For much of the match a Bayern victory had looked the likeliest outcome, with the Bundesliga giants revelling in the raucous support of their home fans.

Schweinsteiger was the first to set alarms off in the Chelsea back four, having his shot deflected behind by Gary Cahill after only three minutes.

Chelsea coach Di Matteo had sprung a surprise by handing a first Champions League start to youngster Ryan Bertrand in an effort to cut off the supply lines to Robben down the right flank.

However the wily Dutchman found space with ease in the eighth minute, cutting in from the flank and curling a shot over the bar.

The former Chelsea winger produced the best chance of the half on 21 minutes, teasing the ball past Jose Bosingwa to dart into the area. Robben's shot was low and hard, but Cech stuck out a leg and the ball cannoned to safety.

The closing stages of the half saw Bayern up the tempo and they carved out a string of openings that they could well have scored from.

On 36 minutes Ribery and Diego Contento combined down the left to send Contento racing away. The left-back whipped in an inviting cross but Mueller could only slash his first-time volley wide of the post.

The second half followed largely the same pattern as the first, with Bayern having a goal disallowed for offside by Ribery on 54 minutes.

The Germans were thwarted by some dogged Chelsea defending, with Cole saving the Londoners with a series of telling interventions.

It looked all over for Chelsea when Mueller headed in to put Bayern 1-0 up seven minutes from time. But Drogba had other ideas to set up the extra-time finale.

Chelsea looked to have squandered parity in the fourth minute of extra-time, when Drogba needlessly clipped Ribery to concede the softest of penalties from referee Pedro Proenca.

Once again though Chelsea's refusal to yield came to their rescue, Cech diving low to his left to thwart Robben's spot-kick with his legs as the tension rose to excruciating levels

The Japanese Morning Workout

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Manchester City win English Premier League title

LONDON: Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions on Sunday after an incredible fightback which saw them score twice in injury time to beat QPR 3-2 and seal the title on goal difference.

City's dreams of a first title in 44 years appeared to be in tatters as 10-man Rangers led 2-1 after 90 minutes courtesy of goals from Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie following Pablo Zabaleta's opener.

But as Manchester United prepared to celebrate snatching a 20th league title following their 1-0 win at Sunderland, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero struck twice in two minutes to seal the most enthralling title duel in years.

"The last few minutes were incredible. This is for our supporters, they deserve this," City manager Roberto Mancini said.

"To win like this is incredible. I have never seen a finish like this.

"We had a lot of chances, we deserve to win this championship. It's fantastic. After 44 years I dedicate this to all our supporters. It's a crazy season, crazy last minutes."

Relieved City captain Vincent Kompany meanwhile admitted his nerves had been shredded by the frantic finale.

"I want to say it's the best moment of my life -- but please never again like today," Kompany said. "Miracles do happen in Manchester. Only this time it's on this side of the road."

After a nervy start, City took the lead five minutes from half-time through Zabaleta, the Argentinian fullback darting onto a deft through ball from Yaya Toure to shoot high into the net past Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny.

The goal sent relief coursing around Eastlands as City prepared for their championship party.

But Eastlands was stunned into silence shortly after half-time when a blunder by Joleon Lescott let in Cisse who raced clear and thundered an equaliser past Joe Hart.

Even then, the force still seemed to be with City, as QPR captain Joey Barton was sent off in an incident that defied belief.

The fiery midfielder was given his marching orders by referee Mike Dean for a retaliatory elbow on Carlos Tevez following an off-the-ball clash.

As Barton left the pitch, the midfielder then angrily kneed Aguero in the back of the thigh to leave himself facing a lengthy ban.

Yet incredibly instead of ramming home their advantage, City were left shell-shocked as 10-man Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute, Mackie heading in at the far post after Armand Traore's swift break from defence.

Amid unbearable tension, City looked set for a traumatic defeat until substitute Dzeko nodded in to equalise in the second of five minutes of injury time. Then, out of nowhere, Aguero skipped clear of the Rangers defence to spark bedlam at Eastlands with the most dramatic winner imaginable.

City celebrated but it was a different story at the Stadium of Light, where for a fleeting moment after the final whistle United's players believed they had done enough to retain their crown after Wayne Rooney's first-half goal completed a 1-0 win.

But then news of Aguero's late winner filtered through and United's players trudged off in disbelief having been all smiles just moments before.

"Nobody expected that. Everybody expected City to win, but they did it against 10 men for half an hour and with five extra minutes to help them," Sir Alex Ferguson said afterwards.

"But I congratulate City on winning the league. Anybody who wins it deserves it, because it's a long haul. At the end of our game our players didn't actually know the results.

"Now, they're really disappointed, I'm glad to say. There's no other way they should be ... It wasn't our turn today."

QPR's fans celebrated meanwhile after the club's Premier League survival was ensured as Bolton could only draw 2-2 at Stoke.

In the other issues to be settled on Sunday, Arsenal clinched third place with a 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion while Tottenham sealed fourth place with a 2-0 win over Fulham at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham, however, face a nervous wait to see if they will advance to next season's Champions League.

A win for Chelsea in next week's final against Bayern Munich would see Spurs miss out. Chelsea warmed up for next week's final with a 2-1 win over relegated Blackburn.

Elsewhere Sunday, Newcastle's brave challenge for a top four finish ended in a 3-1 defeat at Everton which left the Magpies in fifth place.

Liverpool's disappointing season ended on a downbeat note with a 1-0 loss at Swansea.

English Premier League results

Chelsea 2 Blackburn 1
Everton 3 Newcastle 1
Man City 3 QPR 2
Norwich 2 Aston Villa 0
Stoke 2 Bolton 2
Sunderland 0 Man Utd 1
Swansea 1 Liverpool 0
Tottenham 2 Fulham 0
West Brom 2 Arsenal 3
Wigan 3 Wolves 2

Leadership And Management

Liverpool 2-1 Everton - FA Cup Semi-Final

 LONDON: Andy Carroll scored a dramatic late winner as Liverpool came from behind to defeat Merseyside rivals Everton 2-1 to reach the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.

Carroll - the club's much-maligned 35-million-pound record signing - glanced in a Craig Bellamy free-kick in the 87th minute to keep Liverpool on course for a domestic cup double.

It was the second time in five days that Carroll had come to Liverpool's rescue after scoring an injury-time winner in the Premier League victory over Blackburn in midweek.

More importantly the goal ensured Liverpool have the opportunity to finish a disappointing season on a high in next month's final where they will face the winner of Sunday's last-four clash between Tottenham and Chelsea.

Carroll's decisive strike came after Liverpool had fought back to level through Luis Suarez on 62 minutes following Nikica Jelavic's opener for Everton.

"It's the best feeling ever," Carroll told ESPN. "I had a few chances earlier, but it was a great ball in from Craig (Bellamy) so I just had to score with that one.

"I've had some criticism but I've just kept on going. It's a great feeling."

Reds skipper Steven Gerrard added: "He (Carroll) doesn't hide and he takes criticism on the chin. That's what we bought him for, to score big goals, and he's delivered today."

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish hailed his side's achievement in reaching two Wembley finals following their triumph in the League Cup in February.

"I think it was fantastic and although it's not been too good in the league recently, that's two cup finals - one we've won and won we're looking forward to," Dalglish said.

"That gives everybody who supports Liverpool Football Club a lift. We're very proud and pleased that we're in the final."

Everton manager David Moyes said mistakes at crucial times had been his team's undoing, most notably when defender Sylvain Distin gifted Liverpool their equaliser midway through the second half.

"We were just beginning to get back in the game when obviously we made a mistake and that gave Liverpool a bit more impetus," Moyes said.

Liverpool had started well, with Glen Johnson surging forward menacingly after only three minutes to release Carroll.

The pony-tailed striker cut back deftly to Jay Spearing but the young midfielder should have done better than a shot which flew harmlessly over.
Liverpool chances thereafter were few and far between and while Dalglish's side often advanced into good attacking positions their forays invariably fizzled out because of poor play in the final third.

Everton meanwhile looked comfortable throughout the first period, mopping up Liverpool's attacks with ease and probing for openings.

On 24 minutes Liverpool were made to pay for their lacklustre opening as Jelavic pounced for his sixth goal since signing from Rangers in January.

Daniel Agger dithered over a clearance inside the area before Jamie Carragher attempted to scramble the ball to safety.
Carragher's intervention cannoned back off Tim Cahill and into the path of Jelavic who finished coolly to send the blue half of Wembley into raptures.

The anticipated response from Liverpool never came however and they struggled to test Everton through the remainder of the half, with an off-target, long-range Gerrard effort on 37 minutes their only attempt on goal.

It was a different story after the break however as Liverpool started with far more purpose.

Indeed they should have levelled on 47 minutes only for Carroll to send a downward header yards wide after a perfect cross from Stewart Downing.

Carroll buried his head in his shirt while Dalglish clutched his hands to his face in disbelief -- a response mirrored up in the stands by Liverpool's legendary No.9 tfrom the 1980s Ian Rush.

But just when it seemed Everton had withstood the early onslaught, Liverpool drew level on 62 minutes. Distin underhit his backpass to Tim Howard and Suarez raced through on goal before poking his finish under the American keeper.

The relief coursed through Liverpool's massed ranks of fans and they looked by far the likeliest side to score for the remainder of the game.

Carroll should have done better but dragged a low shot wide on 78 minutes while at the other end Jelavic briefly raised Everton hopes when his shot flew into the side netting.

Then with extra-time looming Everton substitute brought down Gerrard wide on the left flank.

Liverpool substitute Bellamy, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes, chipped in a perfectly flighted effort and Carroll outjumped Jelavic and Marouane Fellaini to glance home.

 

 Dalglish urges fans to keep the faith

Monday, April 16, 2012 - 07:53 AM

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has urged the club’s supporters to keep their nerve as they plot a path back towards England’s elite.

The Reds are in line for a trophy double this term after booking an FA Cup final appearance at Wembley on May 5 with a 2-1 win over Everton at Wembley on Saturday.

Yet even that would not be enough to satisfy some critics, who point to Liverpool’s eighth-placed position in the Premier League as evidence that a £100m-plus outlay on the likes of Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson has not been particularly successful.

However, Dalglish is convinced his team are heading in the right direction, and wants the fans to keep the faith.

“We need to be confident enough in our own beliefs and the people who support us have to be strong in their knowledge that what we are doing is correct,” he said.

“This football club is a fantastic example to anybody else that wants to run a football club. When there is a wee bit of mud flying about we come together.

“That is the football club I used to know and that is the football club we are getting back to.”