Wimbledon 2011: Brilliant Sabine Lisicki knocks out Li Na

Wildcard Sabine Lisicki produced the shock of the tournament after defeating French Open champion Li Na 3-6 6-4 8-6 in the women's singles.

The German world number 62, who has suffered a string of injuries in the last 12 months, could not handle Li's groundstrokes in the first set.

But she hit back in the second and saved two match points at 5-3 in the third set before claiming victory.

Sixth seed Francesca Schiavone and 18th seed Ana Ivanovic both advanced.

Italian Schiavone recorded a 7-5 6-3 victory over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and will play Austria's Tamira Paszek in the third round, while former world number one Ivanovic enjoyed a comfortable 6-3 6-0 win over Greece's Eleni Daniilidou.

However, the biggest story of the day was Lisicki's stunning win over world number four Li.

The 21-year-old has been beset by numerous injuries as well as illnesses in the last 12 months, including a lengthy ankle injury and appendicitis.

And she continued her excellent form in Birimingham last week, where she beat the in-form Daniela Hantuchova to win the Edbgaston championship, at SW19 as Li suffered only her second Grand Slam defeat this year.

Australian Open finalist Li had been 4-2 up in the third set and twice served for the match, but Lisicki displayed impressive resilience each time.

"I really had to start from zero after being on crutches for seven weeks so it just means so much to me, winning the title in Birmingham and getting the wild card here," a delighted Lisicki told BBC Sport.

"I appreciate it so much, to be back in Wimbledon. It's just a place that I love so much.


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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/13892462.stm

Nadal, Murray through as Venus given scare

World No.1 Rafael Nadal and British hope Andy Murray stayed on course for a Wimbledon showdown on Wednesday as Venus Williams came from a set down to reach the third round of the women's draw.

Spanish reigning champion Nadal swept into the last 32 with a brisk demolition of American journeyman Ryan Sweeting, winning 6-3 6-2 6-4 under a closed Centre Court roof as rain disrupted play early on.

Nadal, aiming for his third Wimbledon title in four years, will face Luxembourg's Gilles Muller in the third round, who beat him here in 2005

"I played well. I had the match under control at 2-1, 40-0 in the third set but then made a few mistakes," said Nadal, who added he preferred to play without the roof covering the action.

"That's something strange. They told me they were going to open the roof. But at the last minute, they told me they predicted a shower. Never comes.

"It's a new experience for me, a good experience. But the tournament is outdoor, not indoor and I prefer to play outdoors. I prefer to play with no roof, that's for sure."

Nadal is on course to meet Murray in the semi-finals, with the Scottish fourth seed aiming to become the first British man to win at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.

Murray was stretched to four sets in his first round match on Monday but faced no such problems against Germany's Tobias Kamke on Court Number One, wrapping up a 6-3 6-3 7-5 win with a minimum of fuss.

Murray will take on Ivan Ljubicic for a place in the last 16 after the Croatian veteran made short work of Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-4 6-4 6-2.

"I served well but the rest of my game needs work. It was quite tricky and windy," Murray said.

"He was hitting the ball very hard and flat, so it was tough to get into a rhythm."

Murray was joined in the last 32 later Wednesday by American eighth seed Andy Roddick who had too much class for Romania's Victor Hanescu en route to a 6-4 6-3 6-4 win.

Roddick, a three-time losing finalist, will face Spain's Feliciano Lopez in the third round on Friday.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, the men's draw went mostly to form, with seeded players Mardy Fish, Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils all reaching the third round.

The highlight of the women's tournament saw five-time champion Venus Williams pushed all the way by 40-year-old Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm in a pulsating three-hour battle.

Williams, 31, finally prevailed 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 8-6 to advance to a third round meeting with Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Friday, who defeated Monica Niculescu 6-3 6-0.

Williams, seeded 23, is feeling her way back into tennis after a five-month lay-off following an injury sustained at the Australian Open in January, an enforced absence that has left her hungrier than ever.

"I think more than anything I've learned I'm very competitive. I've been extremely positive regardless of how my opponent's playing. Just keeping fighting," Williams said

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http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/nadal-murray-through-as-venus-given-scare-20110623-1gftz.html

Wimbledon: Rafael Nadal is the greatest, says Andy Murray

ANDY MURRAY has thrown his weight behind Rafael Nadal in the ongoing argument about whether the Spaniard or Roger Federer is the best player of all time.

Federer holds 16 grand slam crowns to his rival’s 10 but Nadal has won an Olympic gold medal and the Davis Cup and is nearly five years younger.

Murray said: “Rafa for me is maybe the best.

“He’s won on all of the surfaces and his head-to-head record with Federer is very impressive.”

Federer has dropped to third in the world behind Nadal and Novak Djokovic but the draw placed him in the opposite half to Nadal, opening up the possibility of a fourth SW19 final between the two. The 2007 final, when Federer picked up a fifth successive title, was Nadal’s last defeat at the All England Club.

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http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/tennis/tennis-news/2011/06/20/wimbledon-rafael-nadal-is-the-greatest-says-andy-murray-100252-28905775/#ixzz1Pn3Q6GTZ

Rory McIlroy grabs lead at U.S. Open

BETHESDA, Md. -- So much for those scars from Augusta National, where Rory McIlroy turned watershed victory into humiliating defeat with a final-round, dead-man-walking 80.

If blowing a four-shot lead at the Masters was supposed to deflate the 22-year-old wunderkind from Northern Ireland, he obviously didn't get the message.

Playing the kind of brilliant golf that had Ernie Els gushing earlier this week about the kid's potential to "change history," McIlroy shot a bogey-free 6-under 65 in the first round of the 111th U.S. Open on Thursday.

While playing partners Phil Mickelson (74) and Dustin Johnson (75) hit it all over the lot, McIlroy was a study in clinical precision, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation at Congressional Country Club and making three birdies on each nine. It was like watching two Double-A pitchers trying to throw strikes and Sandy Koufax painting the black.

"All you're trying to concentrate on is your own game," McIlroy said. "It's a major championship, and the toughest major championship of them all is the U.S. Open. You can't let any other thoughts get in your head. You're just trying to concentrate entirely on your game and trying to get that ball around the course in as few strokes as possible."

McIlroy took a three-shot lead over Y.E. Yang of South Korea and Charl Schwartzel, the South African who took advantage of McIlroy's collapse to win the Masters in April.

The three-shot cushion is the largest first-round lead at the Open since 1976, when amateur Mike Reid led four players by three shots.

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http://www.mercurynews.com/golf/ci_18297038?nclick_check=1

Bruins shut the door in Game 7 to take first title in 39 years

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — They won it for every New England mom and dad who ever woke up to drive kids to the rink at 6 a.m. and drank hot chocolate in cold arenas.

They won it for the Revere girls with the big hair and O’Reilly sweaters; for the shot-and-beer guys who pour every dollar of expendable income into the hockey budget.

They won it to avenge losing Bobby Orr to Chicago, too-many-men-on-the-ice in Montreal, free agents never signed, trades that went bad, unspeakable injuries, and Game 7 disappointments.

They won it for you.

The Boston Bruins last night won the Stanley Cup, shocking the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, capping an epic seven-game series and bringing the holy grail to the Hub of Hockey for the first time since 1972. The goals were scored by Patrice Bergeron and Brad (’Lil Ball ’O Hate) Marchand, two apiece.

The non-goals were stopped by playoff MVP Tim Thomas.

At this hour, Everyman Thomas is Tom Brady, Bill Russell, and Curt Schilling. And the Bruins are Stanley Cup champs. They outscored the favored Canucks by a whopping 23-8 in the series.

At 10:52 (Boston time), the Cup appeared and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman beck oned Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. The big defenseman skated toward the commissioner, received the Cup, hoisted the chalice, skated in a circle, then presented it to 43-year-old teammate Mark Recchi.

Recchi had just played his last game. The veteran forward took his turn, then passed it on to Bergeron as the public address system blared “Dirty Water.’’ Thomas took the Cup from Bergeron. On and on it went. They’re probably still passing it to one another as you read this.

Today would be a good day to call your out-of-town friends and tell them you live in a city that just won its seventh championship in 11 years. You live in the only hamlet that’s won the Grand Slam of North American trophies within seven seasons.

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http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2011/06/16/bruins_win_first_stanley_cup_in_39_years/

Red Sox 6, Yankees 4: Boston pulls into first-place tie with NY

NEW YORK — With the game-time temperature at 85 and the typical New York humidity settling around Yankee Stadium, it was uncomfortable in the Bronx on Tuesday night. The Red Sox, though, continue to feel right at home in their rivals’ backyard.

Boston won for the fourth time in four tries at Yankee Stadium, dispatching New York, 6-4. The Red Sox are now 6-1 against their first-place roommates in the American League East.

Boston pulled into a virtual tie with the Yankees atop the division — New York is still percentage points ahead — by pouncing on Freddy Garcia before the Bleacher Creatures had even finished their roll call. Jacoby Ellsbury slugged Garcia’s fifth pitch — a 2-2 splitter — into the right-field seats just shy of the bleachers for his fourth career leadoff home run and first since September 2008, also against the Yankees. A Red Sox player hadn’t led off a game with a long ball since Dustin Pedroia did it on Oct. 3, 2009 against Cleveland.

“It’s nice to get things going, get a run on the board, especially three runs,” said Ellsbury. “Especially for momentum, it takes the crowd out of it. At that point, we’re just trying to keep tacking on runs.”

VETTEL READY FOR NEW CHALLENGE IN MONACO

Sebastian Vettel appreciates this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix will represent something of a venture into the unknown.

Although Sunday's race will be Vettel's fifth at what is regarded as the most prestigious event on the calendar, the new rules this season could turn the occasion into a lottery.

Tyre manufacturers Pirelli are unveiling the super-soft tyre for the first time this year, and there are concerns as to how badly it will degrade, resulting in further pit-stop chaos.

Then there is the DRS (the drag reduction system), or moveable rear wing that aids overtaking, with drivers allowed to use it along the short main straight, with fears expressed it may be dangerous.

All in all, it should guarantee that Sunday's race will be like no other Monaco Grand Prix.

"There are a lot of question marks going into this year's race in terms of how the tyres will be, and the strategy could be the most complicated of the year," said reigning champion Vettel.

"Traditionally in Monaco overtaking has been very difficult, but it could be possible this year, mainly because of the tyres.

"Some drivers may be on old tyres, other drivers on new tyres, and as we've seen in the races so far there has been a big difference.

"Usually it is a question of time before you pass someone, but it could become more difficult because of the layout of the track.

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http://www.sportinglife.com/others/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=others/11/05/24/AUTO_Monaco_Vettel.html&BID=678

FIFA President Sepp Blatter flags possible new vote for 2022 World Cup

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has not ruled out a rerun of voting for the 2022 World Cup host, after claims of corruption rocked last year's vote.

A rerun would give Australia a chance to snare the finals after it was knocked out in the first round of voting in December last year.

The right to host the world's biggest sporting event was controversially award to Qatar.

But Blatter told UK newspaper The Independent that an inquiry, sparked by claims of corruption made in The Sunday Times, could see the FIFA executive cast their votes again.

Blatter told the Press Association there was a groundswell of support "circulating around the world" for the voting process to be rerun.

"But don't ask me now yes or no, let us go step by step. It's like we are in an ordinary court and in an ordinary court we cannot ask: 'If, if, if'," he told the Press Assocation.

FIFA president since 1998, Blatter is being challenged by Qatari Mohammed Bin Hammam, 61, president of the Asian Football Confederation, at the June 1 poll.

The 75-year-old Swiss says Bin Hammam wants "total change", which could lead to the "dismantling" of FIFA.

"I'm very confident," Blatter said during a recent interview.

"FIFA isn't ready for total change, where the running of operations would go to the six confederations. If we dismantle the pyramid, it will fall down.''

Blatter said he had been boosted by support from UEFA president Michel Platini and the Oceania Federation.

Slim and trim Thorpedo still as cagey as ever

He's dropped 18kg since his odyssey began eight months ago, he's happy - yet typically guarded - about how fast he is swimming, but above all, Ian Thorpe says he is satisfied with where his comeback has taken him since he made it public back in February.

Thorpe returned to Australia on Tuesday, having recently spent a few days in London attending the Royal Wedding, and 10 days in St Moritz - not holidaying and partying with Will and Kate - doing altitude training with members of the Swiss swimming squad, his new training partners under Russian coach Gennadi Touretski.

While it was the scene of some of his most memorable victories at the 2000 Olympics, training at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre yesterday morning must have seemed a little humdrum for Thorpe, although he did have the opportunity to train alongside a man he hopes to beat at next year's Olympic trials, national 100m champion James Magnussen.

''When I'm away I'm thinking about home,'' Thorpe said, admitting his biggest challenge training overseas had been homesickness.

''It's not easy to pick up and go somewhere else and do your training somewhere else when all your friends and family are here and your teammates as well.

''But it's what I think is going to be the best way for me to prepare for the team.''

Thorpe's trip home is a brief one. He will only be in town until the weekend before heading back to Switzerland.

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http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/sport/slim-and-trim-thorpedo-still-as-cagey-as-ever/2168069.aspx

Divided Lakers simply get lost on way to three-peat

With embarrassing sweep out of the playoffs by Dallas, they have seen the enemy, and it is them. And, going forward, they have no coach, no bench and little money to get better quick.

From Dallas

For six months, the Lakers' third time was a charm.

On Sunday, it resolutely and reprehensibly crumbled into a curse.

The expectations were too heavy. The distractions were too large. The bodies were too weary. The heart was too faint.

And, believe it or not, the Dallas Mavericks were too good, the NBA's softest playoff team pounding the Lakers into sweeping submission with a 122-86 victory to finish off a four-game sweep of the second-round playoff series.

"I don't know where we lost it … that drive, that bond we had in the past, that cohesive drive in order to overcome adversity," said Lamar Odom.

They weren't just beaten, they were embarrassed by two punk moves that led to ejections, humiliated by a crowd that sang and jeered them off the court, and shamed into an uncertain future.

"It's going to be a l-o-o-o-ng summer," said Ron Artest.

It's been a long three years, with the two-time defending champions finally collapsing under the weight of issues both personal and professional, a lack of locker-room trust tearing apart their fabric on the court.

"This is the worst I've ever seen the Lakers play in a game that they need," said Magic Johnson, team vice president, during a televised halftime show.

In the horrific final two hours Sunday, they didn't pass, they didn't shoot, and they didn't guard anybody, raising a white flag that allowed the Mavericks to tie an NBA playoff record with 20 mostly wide-open three pointers.


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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-lakers-20110509,0,2261550.column?track=rss

Connecting the dots: Lakers in trouble

"Dot-dot-dot." -- Kobe Bryant after the Lakers' Game 2 blowout loss to the Mavs.

That was Mamba's way of telling J.A. Adande late Wednesday night that the Dallas-L.A. series isn't over, no matter how dire the Lakers' situation looks after two home losses.

We're taking Kobe's dots and giving them to five writers from Dallas and Los Angeles to get their views on where Kobe, Phil Jackson, Dirk Nowitzki, the Lakers and the Mavs stand now.

Here's 5-on-5:

1. Kobe Bryant is ...

Bryant

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: ... going to have to fill in the blanks. We've been waiting for him to take over, finish and deliver playoff victories this postseason. Hasn't happened the way we're used to it happening.

Tim MacMahon, ESPN Dallas: ... suddenly a one-dimensional offensive player. One of the best slashers in NBA history is settling for jumpers in this series. He's 2-of-7 on shots inside 10 feet this round and 21-of-42 on midrange and long jumpers. He's still getting his points, but the Lakers' offense gets stagnant when all Kobe does is crank up jumpers.

Dave McMenamin, ESPN Los Angeles: ... toying with his legacy. He already has two Finals losses offsetting those five rings of his, and a second-round flameout of this magnitude, with everything set up for the Lakers to three-peat, will always be remembered when you assess his career.

Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Los Angeles: ... trying this whole Zen thing out. The "Kobe face" thing is kinda old. If the Lakers are going out, he's playing this like Phil would.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/news/story?page=5-on-5-110506

It’s Barcelona v Manchester United in the 2011 EUFA Champions League Final

Manchester United will play Barcelona in this year’s Champions League final at Wembley after an emphatic 4–1 win over FC Schalke 04 at Old Trafford. The 6–1 aggregate was probably a fair reflection of play over the two legs, though the German side actually made a better fist of it away from home than the score-line suggests.

Sir Alex Rings the Changes

With the crunch game against Chelsea coming up on the weekend, Sir Alex Ferguson made an astonishing nine changes to the team that won in Germany. Most of us expected a few alterations to the line-up but so many was a real surprise, considering the United manager had stressed prior to the game that United wouldn’t be “taking anything for granted”.

Schalke were able to recall Benedickt Howedes to bolster the centre of defense, and Sergio Escudero, who came on as a substitute in the first leg, was given a start at left back. Seventeen year-old Julian Draxler was also awarded a place in the starting line-up.

Notwithstanding all the changes, United started much as they finished in Germany and had forced two corners before the game was five minutes old. Schalke’s first corner did not arrive until 14 minutes had gone by. Even so, the team from the Bundesliga was looking in much better shape than last week.

However, just as it appeared that they might be on the verge of creating something the ball was given away in midfield at the 26 minute mark and a well-executed defense splitting pass from Darron Gibson put Antonio Valencia in the clear. The right winger, who has looked so impressive since returning from long-term injury, slotted the ball home cool as you like.

Before the celebrations had finished Schalke were down the other end trying to get something back but Raul’s header was easy for Edwin van der Sar. With the ball back in Schalke’s end, Rafael took a throw-in on the right, Anderson saw Darron Gibson in space on the edge of the box and the Irishman’s firm shot surprised Manuel Neuer, catching him off balance. United were two goals to the good and the tie looked virtually over with just over half an hour gone.
Schalke Back in Contention

It was at this point that the inexperience of United’s second string defenders showed.

As Schalke went forward, trying to salvage some pride if nothing else, United appeared casual in the extreme and several sloppy passes culminated in Smalling giving the ball away inside his own penalty area. The ball broke for Jose Manuel Jurado lurking on the edge of the box and the Spaniard fired an excellent shot past van der Sar.

The United response from Valencia required a goal line clearance with Neuer beaten, but it was Schalke who looked threatening in the ten minutes up to half-time, with a few nerves starting to manifest among the United players and some discernible tension among the supporters around the ground. In contrast to their poor showing on home turf, Ralf Rangnick’s men had enjoyed a 54-46 percent advantage in possession over the course of the first half.

United Wrap It Up

Manchester’s complacency following the second goal had no doubt resulted in a half-time tongue lashing from Sir Alex and they came out more focused. Neuer was called on to make a fingertip save from Anderson’s curling shot on 55 minutes, then Smalling had the ball in the net from a close-range tap in but was offside.

The match and the tie were finally wrapped up in the 72nd minute when Nani advanced into the Schalke area and pulled the ball back for Anderson on the penalty spot with his back to goal. The Brazilian was tackled but recovered to turn and score with aplomb.

United’s ticket to Wembley was well and truly booked only four minutes later. Dimitar Berbatov has not scored in the Champions League since October 2008 and would have been forgiven for trying his luck when in possession on the right of the box with only the goalkeeper to beat. However, to his credit the Bulgarian put self-interest aside and laid the ball on a platter for Anderson who was in a much more central position and able to simply tap the ball into an empty net.

Manchester United now has an opportunity to avenge their defeat at the hands of Barcelona in the 2009 final. The encounter on the 29th May is certainly a mouth-watering prospect for soccer fans everywhere.

Sir Alex Ferguson was full of confidence after the match acknowledging that Barcelona is “the team of the moment“, but showing great confidence in his own squad: “I think it's a team full of great desire and determination. These qualities, allied to their ability, will help them at Wembley."

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http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/sports/its-barcelona-v-manchester-united-in-the-2011-eufa-champions-league-final-55847.html

Manchester United vs Schalke Preview

Manchester United face a simple task against Schalke in the Champions League if last week's first leg is anything to go by. In fact, some have said that the Manchester United vs Schalke tie is the worst Champions League semi-final of all time.

This is entirely down to Schalke's complete and utter inability make an impact on Man United (4/9 to beat Schalke) last week when they had home advantage. To say Man United dominated is a huge understatement. They controlled every aspect of the game from start to finish.

However, there are sound reasons for believing that the Man Utd vs Schalke match is not over and done with already. StanJames.com certainly do not think that is the case, as they are offering top price on Man United (offer valid on match day from 9 am, UK time).

For a start, Man United have become some kind of Jekyl and Hyde team over the past few months.

They were, frankly, pretty poor when they were beaten by Arsenal in the Premier League over the weekend. Just as Man United dominated Schalke, Arsenal bossed Man United who rarely looked a threat.

On top of that, whatever Sir Alex Ferguson might say, it is difficult to say that the current Man United team is a vintage side. They have started to leak goals lately, and whereas in the past if Man United conceded we might have expected them to simply go to the other end and score more than the opposition, it is difficult to be confident that the current team are capable of doing that, especially in an occasion such as a Champions League semi-final second leg.

We should not forget that Schalke (7/1 to beat Man United) have hardly been lucky on their way to the semi-final. They fully deserve their place having beaten reigning champions Inter Milan in the quarter-finals by an aggregate of 7 - 3. Any team capable of scoring 7 goals versus Inter Milan cannot be dismissed easily, even allowing for the ease of Man United's win against them last week. After all, everybody is entitled to an off day.

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http://betting.stanjames.com/Sports-Betting-Previews/2011-05-03/Manchester-United-vs-Schalke-Champions-League-Preview

The hype, the controversy, the drama. Sound familiar?

IT took some time, but Lionel Messi eventually speared through the callousness of so much of the encounter between Real Madrid and Barcelona with two goals of beauty and ingenuity.

However, beyond the deft brilliance of the Argentine, the abiding images were of malice and aggression; the dark edges of a long-held rivalry.

Scotland fell victim to an angst-ridden bout of introspection when Celtic and Rangers engaged in similar hostility in a Scottish Cup replay at Celtic Park last month. The two games, shaped by cultural, political, football (and in the case of the Old Firm, religious) differences were comparable in nature: they represent a blatant opposition of identities.

Spain will be less inclined to hand-wringing, although the Barcelona directors called an emergency board meeting to discuss Jose Mourinho’s post-match comments accusing Uefa of fixing the team’s passage to the Champions League final. “I don’t know if it’s the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at Uefa, where he is vice-president,” the Real Madrid manager said. “[Pep] Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he’s won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu. I hope that one day he will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it.”

Mourinho, pictured, is a schemer, as comfortable manipulating with cruelty as much as praise, but comments like these in Glasgow would cause turmoil. If the constant haranguing of the referee, Wolfgang Stark, the bouts of play-acting and the altercations in the Bernabeu stands on Wednesday night are not common to Scottish football, the aggressive posturing, the reckless tackles, the brawl at half-time, and the showing of three red cards would not seem out of place in an Old Firm game.

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http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/english-football/the-hype-the-controversy-the-drama-sound-familiar-1.1098580

Defense helps Bolts even series against Penguins

TAMPA - The Lightning found a way to stay plugged into the playoffs Monday, thanks in large part to some of their pluggers.

Often, in any team's story of playoff success, the triumphs are not built around the stars or the familiar faces, but rather around those who rarely show up in front of the camera, players who are content to mind their own business while others find the spotlight.

On elimination night at the Forum, those types of behind-the-scenes players took on roles of stars as Tampa Bay knocked off Pittsburgh 4-2. A crowd of 20,309 fans witnessed the Lightning's first home playoff victory since April 16, 2007.

The victory knotted the best-of-seven series at 3. Tampa Bay will attempt to become just the 24th team in league history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit when the teams meet Wednesday in Game 7, with the winner advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Had it not been for the contributions of some of the team's grinding-style players, however, the Lightning probably would be making summer plans instead of boarding a plane for Pittsburgh this morning.

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http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/apr/25/260024/defense-helps-bolts-even-series-against-penguins/news-breaking/

Wenger shoulders the blame

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted his players lacked "maturity, experience and calm" but he stepped into the firing line after his side's 2-1 loss to Bolton, saying it is he who should be blamed.

Arsenal's already-slim chances of pushing for the Premier League title were reduced to a mere mathematical possibilty after Tamir Cohen headed a late winner at Reebok Stadium on Sunday, leaving the Gunners nine points behind Manchester United and three behind Chelsea with four games to play.

Wenger conceded ground in the ongoing debate over his youthful squad's mentality but he still refused to criticse them publicly, defending them to the point of sacrificing his own reputation by claiming he is at fault for the side's poor run in recent months.

Wenger said: "I feel the players have had an outstanding attitude this season. They are not to blame. If somebody is to blame, it's me. I pick the team.

"It's very unsatisfactory because it's one of the easiest run-ins we've had for a long time and we didn't take our chances many times. That's frustrating because you feel the potential is there but you have to take your chances.

"We still lack maturity, experience and calm in important situations.''

Wenger said there was no point giving up hope in the final few games since Arsenal are in no other competitions but he admitted that the likelihood of reeling in United was approaching miracle territory.

"The chances are very minimal now, that is for sure, but we have to continue to fight,'' said Wenger. "We dropped too many points today. It is very frustrating because we should have come home with nine points this week and we came back with two. It's a bit the story of our season.''

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http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/911603/arsene-wenger:-i%27m-to-blame-for-arsenal-slump?cc=4716

Manchester Wins Battle of North London : Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal : A Review

It was a pulsating, enthralling, nail biting, entertaining football of the highest order. This could easily be the best game of EPL 2010-11 season, in terms of attacking football. There was only one tactics for both teams - Attack. Wave after wave both the teams attacked. If Arsenal had the upper hand in the first half, it was time for Spurs in second half.

Arsenal scored at 5th minute of the game, only to see Spurs equalising at 7th minute. Arsenal piled on more pressure by getting 2 more goals. But Spurs equalised with a superb goal a minute before half time. In second half, it was Spurs who piled on the pressure and finally they equalised at 70th minute. Chance after chance, both the teams failed to capitalise and the game ended in 3-3 draw.

End result : Fair result for both teams. But the draw meant a deadly blow to Arsenal's title chances and a boost for Manchester city for 4th position.


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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/672677-manchester-wins-battle-of-north-london-tottenham-3-3-arsenal-a-review

Barca to fight Iniesta punishment

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta should find out on Wednesday if he is to be punished by UEFA for allegedly getting deliberately booked during his side's recent Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk.

UEFA's disciplinary committee will meet to rule on the cases of both Iniesta and Villarreal duo Nilmar and Santi Cazorla for "improper conduct'' in their respective European matches earlier this month.

Iniesta was cautioned in the first leg of Barca's quarter-final against Shakhtar and that meant he was suspended for the return meeting in Ukraine.

Barca won the tie 6-1 on aggregate and will now play Real Madrid in the semi-finals, with Spain international Iniesta facing the possibility of missing the first leg if found guilty by UEFA and handed an additional ban.

Barcelona announced in a statement they had appealed against a proposed suspension, saying: "The proposed sanction comes as a result of a report from UEFA match officials at the game, who have alleged that the yellow card was deliberately incurred so that the player would be suspended for the return leg.

"Barcelona believe that the arguments outlined in their appeal, based on the good faith of the player and the disproportionate nature of the proposed sanction will be sufficient to rebut these allegations.''

Nilmar and Cazorla, meanwhile, were both booked late on in their Europa League quarter-final first leg against FC Twente, which Villarreal won 5-1. Both players were subsequently banned for the second leg, which the Yellow Submarine won 3-1 to set up a semi-final meeting with Porto.

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http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/909053/barcelona-hope-andres-iniesta-will-avoid-uefa-punishment?cc=4716

Real Madrid, Schalke complete routs to reach Champions League semifinals

LONDON — Real Madrid and Schalke easily avoided any miraculous comebacks in the Champions League quarter-finals Wednesday, following up their massive first-leg victories with more modest wins to advance to the last four.

Schalke beat defending champion Inter Milan 2-1 at home, advancing 7-3 on aggregate following its stunning victory last week in Italy.

Madrid never looked likely to give up its 4-0 advantage over Tottenham from the first leg, and a second-half howler from Spurs goalkeeper Huerelho Gomes allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to score the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Spanish club at White Hart Lane.

Madrid will face archrival Barcelona in the semifinals, while Schalke takes on Manchester United.

While United is heavily favoured against the German club, the matchup of the two Spanish powers is far more intriguing. It also sets up four "clasico" matches in 18 days, with Madrid and Barcelona also squaring off in the league and Copa del Rey final.

"Let's see what happens," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. "A semi is a semi and anything can happen."

While Inter may have held out faint hope of overturning its deficit, Raul Gonzalez all but snuffed it out when he gave Schalke the lead in the 44th minute, leaving the Italians needing five goals to advance. While Thiago Motta equalized for Inter in the 49th, Benedikt Hoewedes completed the surprising rout by netting the winner in the 81st as Schalke reached its first Champions League semifinal.

"What can you say, we really won it last week," Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick said. "We defended very well tonight, we allowed maybe two chances. We could have won (bigger) again if you count all the chances."

At White Hart Lane, Madrid soaked up early pressure from Tottenham, which had a goal disallowed for offside and a penalty appeal waved off in the first half.

Ronaldo then deflated the hosts when he sent a swerving shot from nearly 30 yards that went straight at Gomes, who fumbled a routine catch and watched the ball go over his shoulder before bouncing slowly over the line.

The mistake was so glaring that even Madrid goalkeeper Ikar Casillas just sadly shook his head in sympathy rather than celebrate the goal.

It was Ronaldo's 40th goal of the season, and left Tottenham playing only to salvage some pride.

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Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 for ‘Derogatory Comments' to Official, NBA Says

Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for directing “derogatory comments” toward a referee who had called a technical foul on the Los Angeles Lakers guard, the National Basketball Association said.

Bryant was given his 15th technical foul of the season for arguing after he got his fourth foul during a 102-93 win against the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on April 12.

NBA Commissioner David Stern called Bryant’s comments “offensive and inexcusable.”

“Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society,” Stern said in a statement.

Bryant said he didn’t mean to cause offense.

“My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game,” he said in a statement.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-14/kobe-bryant-fined-100-000-for-derogatory-comments-to-official-nba-says.html