||||Power to the Pitch

In a match in Argentina, backup goalkeeper Fernando Espinoza of Huracan Las Heras decided to make a play on the ball from behind the net, obtaining only a yellow card as a result.

It seemed like a sure goal for Union de Villa Krause, who were awarded a corner kick as a result of the blatant cheating. I love how Espinoza tries to walk away haphazardly after the incident, as if nothing happened.

Team U.S.A. fans will remember Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan, who currently plays for Al-Ain, from his play in the World Cup.

The ever so outspoken Diego Maradona, who manages Al-Wasl, bragged that he had found a way to neutralize Gyan.

Gyan responded by scoring two goals when the team’s faced each other, resulting in a 2-2 draw.

So Draw Something is the latest must-have app on the market, basically pictionary on your phone.

One of the words apparently is “Beckham,” but rather than draw a crude picture with a jersey number on it, someone went out of their way to draw a portait of the man.

This masterpiece is almost a shame, because it was wasted on this fleeting app. However long it took to draw this, the coins weren’t worth it. That’s about nine too many shades of gray.

Welcome to the MLS Montreal. P.S. how insane is Vancouver’s BC Place for footy action?

Here is how the table looks after the first week (Philadelphia and Portland play tonight. Seattle, Toronto and Chicago did not play)

Western Conference

1		Real Salt Lake	1	1	0	0	3	1		0	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	3	1		2	3
2		Vancouver Whitecaps	1	1	0	0	2	0		1	0	0	2	0		0	0	0	0	0		2	3
3		Colorado	1	1	0	0	2	0		1	0	0	2	0		0	0	0	0	0		2	3
4		FC Dallas	1	1	0	0	2	1		1	0	0	2	1		0	0	0	0	0		1	3
5		San Jose	1	1	0	0	1	0		1	0	0	1	0		0	0	0	0	0		1	3
6		Seattle Sounders FC	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0
7		Portland Timbers	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0
8		Chivas USA	1	0	0	1	0	1		0	0	1	0	1		0	0	0	0	0		-1	0
9		Los Angeles	1	0	0	1	1	3		0	0	1	1	3		0	0	0	0	0		-2	0

Eastern Conference

POS		TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		GD	Pts
1		Kansas City	1	1	0	0	1	0		0	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	1	0		1	3
2		Houston	1	1	0	0	1	0		0	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	1	0		1	3
3		Philadelphia Union	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0
4		Toronto FC	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0
5		Chicago	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0
6		New York Red Bulls	1	0	0	1	1	2		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	1	1	2		-1	0
7		New England	1	0	0	1	0	1		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	1	0	1		-1	0
8		DC United	1	0	0	1	0	1		0	0	1	0	1		0	0	0	0	0		-1	0
9		Columbus	1	0	0	1	0	2		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	1	0	2		-2	0
10		Montreal Impact	1	0	0	1	0	2		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	1	0	2		-2	0

The USMNT faced Italy in an international friendly on Wednesday, a matchup that hadn’t fared well in recent memory for the U.S.

The match, which was held in Genoa, featured a U.S. team without the services of Landon Donovan, but Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore stepped up to the plate and helped the team beat Italy for the first time ever.

The goal by Dempsey below is the first non-penalty goal for an American against Italy in 20 years.

Champions League spots hopefuls Liverpool and Newcastle United suffered blows in the 22nd round of Premier League fixtures as both sides were comfortably beaten away from home.

At the other end of the league table, Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers picked up vital three points in the fight for Premiership survival.

In the biggest score of the day Fulham hit Newcastle United for five, with Clint Dempsey netting a hat-trick alongside penalties from Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora.

Danny Guthrie’s spectacular opener had put the Magpies in front and Hatem Ben Arfa scored a late consolation, as the match finished 5-2.

Liverpool received a shock defeat as they lost 3-1 to Bolton Wanderers. The Reds were two goals down inside half an hour as Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker punished some slack defending from the away side. Craig Bellamy reduced the arrears before half time but Gretar Steinsson restored the Trotters’ two goal advantage after the break.

At Molineux, Aston Villa came from behind to beat Wolves 3-2 as Robbie Keane scored twice against the club he started his professional career with. Darren Bent scored the other Villa goal from the penalty spot, while Michael Kightley and David Edwards netted for Wolves, who had Karl Henry sent off.

In the battle at the bottom, QPR picked up the first win of the Mark Hughes era by beating Wigan Athletic 3-1. Heidar Helguson scored and missed a penalty, while Akos Buszaky and Tommy Smith both scored scorchers from distance. Hugo Rodallega also scored a cracking free kick in reply for the Latics.

Stoke City were beaten 2-1 at home by West Brom after conceding a late goal to a Graeme Dorrans free kick. James Morrison’s speculative effort somehow squirmed past Thomas Sorensen, before Cameron Jerome headed in what he thought was a point-saving equaliser, five minutes before Dorrans’ late strike.

Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland continued their revival with a 2-0 win over Swansea City, with spectacular goals coming from Stephane Sessegnon and Craig Gardner.

The other two matches of the day ended in draws, with Everton and Blackburn drawing 1-1 after Tim Cahill and David Goodwillie traded close range goals, while Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw by Norwich City, who kept their first clean sheet of the season.

This weekend is an absolute delight for football fans, on the EPL side you have the Spurs and Gunners travelling to Manchester to avenge embarrassing losses early in the campaign as well as make up ground in the suddenly tighter than expected title race. Combine that with one of the Bundesliga’s best rivalries and a slew of other solid games on the board and you have yourself a great week for footy fanatics.

Friday

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayern Munich (2:30 PM)

Borussia Monchengladbach has been having a weird season, on one level they are showing that they are on of the best teams in the Bundesliga and have Champions League aspirations, but on the other hand with star players Marco Reus and Roman Neustädter heading to Dortmund and Schalke respectively at the end of the season, do they have a real reason to look forward to the Champions League, if they even qualify at all?

On the other hand Bayern Munich is looking to stay at the top of the Bundesliga table, getting star and German international Bastian Schweinstager back after the winter break will be huge in staying at the top of the table. Franck Ribery is suspended for this fixture so expect Toni Kroos to get the nod to replace him in the starting XI.

Monchengladbach beat Bayern Munich 1-nil in a opening weekend stunner and are undefeated at home, this might end up being the game of the weekend (sorry EPL fans)

Saturday

EPL Fixtures (Pick One)

With most of the marquee fixtures this weekend falling on Sunday, Saturday doesn’t really have a stand out game that catches my eye. Pick an EPL game that catches your eye (My faves: Fullham/Newcastle, Sunderland/Swansea, and the new look QPR squad hosting Wigan) and enjoy your morning with some Premiership football.

Sunday

Manchester City Vs Tottenham (8:30 AM)

At the beginning of the season Manchester City embarrassed the Spurs in the same fashion as they did the rest of the EPL in what was looking like the beginning of a romp to a City title. Now with City struggling in recent weeks, losing to Sunderland and having lacklustre performances in the FA Cup and against Wigan, City finds themselves in a fixture that can change the dynamic of the title race for both sides.

After a slow start to the campaign, Spurs now find themselves comfortably in the top three, sitting two points behind Manchester United and five behind City. Led by stellar team attacking and the reliable goalkeeping of Brad Friedel, the North London side kind find themselves two points out of first with a win in Manchester. A hard task, but if Tottenham plays the way they have been as of late (minus the Wolves fixture) than they have a serious chance to start talk of a three team title race down the stretch.

Arsenal Vs Manchester United (11:00 PM)

Like their North London rivals, Arsenal has also came a long way since their embarrassing loss to a Manchester club. The Gunners have bounced back to fifth place after a slow start and sit just four points back from that precious fourth place spot.

While Arsenal has been bouncing back, United has been in a weird place since that fall beating of the Gunners. Sure they are in second place in the table, but losing Vidic and a Champions League knockout stage appearance in a loss to Basel has the Red Devils in a weird place entering the new year. With no Champions League hopes, look for the Red Devils to take a focus on the FA Cup and trying everything in their power to overtake their rivals in the league.

Throw in the potential (very small, but still) of seeing Paul Scholes and Thierry Henry on the same pitch and the classic matches these teams have had under Arsene and Sir Alex and this all-important fixture could go along with the other legendary moments these sides have given us.

Malaga Vs. Barcelona (Noon)

It is fitting the day that Manchester United and Arsenal play that Ruud Van Nistelrooy goes up against the best team in the world. The legendary poacher will be looking to upset a Barca squad coming off a very physical El Classico with their rivals Real Madrid. This game may not be as competitive as the other matches on Sunday, but this may be one of the last times we see the Dutch legend go up against world class competition.

Inter Milan vs. Lazio

Like Arsenal, Inter has recovered from a dysfunctional start to their season to find themselves within striking distance of the Champions League spot that is expected for them by their fans. And with star midfielder Sneijder rumoured to be on his way out, Inter needs a top three finish to satisy their spoiled fanbase.

Sitting one point above Inter, Lazio has top three aspirations of their own. Led by the revival of German striker Miroslav Klose, Lazio has a real chance of making even a title run in what has been an entertaining and insanely competitive Serie A season. If Lazio wants to enter the title race, a hard earned win at the San Siro is almost a must with Inter being one point behind them. Just don’t expect Lazio to beat the streaking Milan side.

English Premier League giants Liverpool Football Club today announced that they had sealed a

deal with Warrior Sports to produce their official playing kits for the next six years, replacing former kit-makers adidas.

The American-based company, who are owned by New Balance, will take over the design and production of the Reds’ home, away and third choice kits as well as all training wear.

Liverpool are reported to sell an average of close to one million replica kits all over the world every season, more than any other adidas-made football kit in the world apart from Real Madrid.

While the deal with adidas—who have made Liverpool’s kits since 2006—was said to be worth around £12 million per season ($18.5 m), the two organisations were unable to agree on a new deal. It seems that adidas were unable or unwilling to increase their offer significantly to keep up with a growing international brand, leaving the path clear for Warrior Sports to come up with a mammoth £25 million ($38.7 m) per season offer instead.

The new deal comes into effect from June 1st, meaning Liverpool will sport their new kit for the first time during pre-season action ahead of the 2012-13 campaign.

Disgraced Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez could be on the verge of putting his Premier League nightmare behind him after it emerged that Serie A superpower Inter Milan had tabled a 25 million euro bid for him.

AC Milan had been expected to launch a serious bid for the Argentine attacker but, following the collapse of Alexandre Pato’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Rossoneri withdrew from talks, leaving the path clear for rivals Internazionale to steal a march on signing him.

Manchester City are thought to rate Tevez at a higher price than the £20.7 million that the Inter bid works out as, but the two clubs will be hopeful of reaching an agreement as Tevez remains a high earner at the Etihad Stadium, despite not featuring for the first team since he allegedly refused to come on as a substitute against Bayern Munich in September.

Inter beat neighbours AC Milan in the derby on Sunday, triumphing by a single Diego Milito goal to nil.