Real Madrid responded Barcelona's win over Bilbao with a 2-0 win over Racing Santander away, a result which ensures that next weekend El Clasico will see both teams equaled on points at the top of the table (with Real having the edge on goal difference).
Cristiano RONALDO had given Real the lead earlier but they had to wait until the 76th minute to double their lead. Substitute GUTI created the opportunity for HIGUAIN as he chipped the ball over the top and Pipita coolly slotted past Racing keeper Fabio COLTORTI
Spurs Clinch Playoff Berth, Thanks to Manu
When Manu GINOBILI was brought back into the starting line up, San Antonio Spurs became an all too different team since the All Star break. Along the process, he has helped them to win over the Cavs, Celtics and the Magic.
Just two days after his big performance against Orlando, he comes with another one against Kobe's Lakers in Los Angeles. Manu outplayed the former MVP with 32 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists & 1 steals as the Spurs defeated the Lakers 100-91, a result which did not go down well with the home crowd.
While Manu's playoffs campaign is secured, two of the players will probably be resting this summer to prepare themselves for the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.
The Houston Rockets, already out of the playoffs picture lost to the Indiana Pacers 102-133 with Luis SCOLA posting 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists & 1 steal. While in Washington, the Wizards won against the New Jersey Nets 109-99 with Fabricio OBERTO playing as a starter and posted 8 points, 5 rebounds plus 1 steal.
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12 comments:
Gago has been great lately for Madrid. He and Moh. Diarra aren't worse than the regular Xabi and Lasanna. Now this is interesting. Bolatti almost never play for Fiorentina, so will it be Gago for the back up of Mascherano or Veron? I prefer Banega, but Gago is OK.
Higuain, Messi and Tevez, the big-three who are famous in Argentina lately, have added a goal each. It's wonderful to see the hunger in their eyes for scoring more goals. Here is how it looks like:
1. Lionel Messi: 33 goals in all competition
2. Gonzalo Higuain 28 goals in 37 games.
3. Carlos Tevez: 26 goals
4. Diego Milito: 21 goals
Aguero wasted too many chances for Atletico. His finishing has been kinda poor.
Wow ! Nice to see somebody not savaging poor Gago. It seems he is the second favorite whipping boy after El Gringo. I favor Banega over Gago as well, but Gago is not chopped liver. If only he could develop some scoring skills, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Today, I am bringing an end to my Milito-Higuain debate. Every single match higuain played with Argentina, I always WISHED that he would score. But whenever he played for real madrid, I always wished he would miss terribly. Probably nobody was happier than me when he missed that open goal aginst Lyon. That's coz I think Milito is better than higuain and unless higuain played very poorly, he would be the starter for NT. But really it's all over for milito I am afraid. Hopefully higuain scores a lot of goals in the WC...4m a defeated Milito but Argentina fan.
[I am not Inter fan, my team is Barca and I worship Messi. Milito is just my favorite striker...if anyone in this website didn't know that before.]
To anonymous, Messi right now has 35 goals in all competitions which is 1 more than rooney. The pathetic english bandwagon trying hard to establish rooney as the best in the world is running out of fuel coupled with rooney's injury.
So Boca Juniors lost again this weekend, this time to Rosario Central who is even worse in the standings than Boca. Right now Boca sit in 18th place in a VERY weak Argentine league. With Boca struggling so much does anyone think this could possibly affect Maradona's decision to include Martin Palermo in the World Cup lineup? I know he has been scoring earlier in the season but he hasn't recently and he clearly isn't playing well..... wishful thinking guys.
Yes, Palermo is underperforming, but it's not his fault. That team is not working, Palermo shouldn't be touching the ball before the area, they're disorganized, a disaster. I would change Riquelme for Viatri, the whole match, but I'm not the coach. I also think that he's not scoring because they're expecting his 219th goal to come and the team is only looking for that. They forgot that Palermo is a "lucky" guy who scores in the strangest situations. The more they concentrate on Palermo, the worse they play.
Anyway I don't think it'll make Maradona change his mind. If he were aware of the performance of teams and players, he wouldn't call up many others anymore, and we know he does. It's fine for me if Palermo goes, as long he's on the bench, and the main 9's are Milito and Higuaín.
Is there are any truth to a Argentina vs Spain friendly in Argentina in September? I see it on fifa.com.
Salvio Supporter-I'm sure you meant to say replace Palermo with Viatri ! Viatri might have a tough time replacing Riquelme ! Yes indeed, Boca is a mess right now. Actually Alves is in a tough spot with Palermo (well, he's in a tough spot all the way around). He has to play Palermo so Palermo has a shot at the scoring record, plus many of the fans demand it. Also, I think management wants him to play Viatri so they can either market Viatri and make some money off a transfer and/or see if Viatri actually has what it takes to replace Palermo(No!).
As for Maradona and Palermo, who knows ? Diego was at the Boca vs. River match and all the journalists wanted to talk about afterwards was a possible warming with Roman. Hardly anybody mentioned whether Maradona was there to take a look at The Titan.
Sometimes I have a hunch that Diego is not going to take Martin, but then when I am driving down Avenida 9 de Julio and see those billboards featuring Palermo, well, it looks like the fix is in.
Newcastle United have officially been promoted back to the EPL today with their victory. It will be nice to see Jonas and Coloccini back in top flight football following the World Cup....
Johnny, yes, it should be Palermo and not Riquelme. I mean, it should be for the better, but as they're expecting him to score once again, Boca should modify its tactics, forget the enganche, play some basic 4-4-2 and let Palermo have his shot (unless they've been doing this and I haven't noticed it). I may have mixed up a little bit their positions; let's say Insua for Riquelme. Viatri still in! Chavez (and I don't like him), Insúa, Gaitán, Medel, Viatri. They all can do it. Palermo does what he's got to do, and everybody is happy (but Riquelme, but when is he?).
In any case, the day Palermo retires from Boca, which is very near I guess (after that goal, to be precise), he'll have a replacement. Boca won't suffer (or won't suffer that much), and they will remember him as the greatest goalscorer they ever had. But what will happen the day Riquelme calls it quits? Right now, it's like he's not there. I don't know, it would be better to make strong changes now, while you still can reverse them (like calling Riquelme to save matches).
And Maradona in the Boca-River seemed like a failed attemp to get closer again with Román indeed. It scares me, because though I don't have much hope for the NT, Maradona 'asking' for help is an impossible event. And it was happening, right there. I can feel his pain.
Messi has a hatrick in the first half!!!! What a Legend!!!! I hope he scores more goals in the second half and finishes this tie!!
Super Hatrick!!! I hope this performance shuts some of his critics who always say he never performs against English teams!!! Thanks God Messi's Argentinian!!
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