Saturday, August 30, 2008

"Sampdoria drew 1-1 with Inter Milan"

Sampdoria rallies for 1-1 tie with Inter Mourinho in the Serie A debut

Marco Del Vecchio scored a second half equalizer Saturday to help draw 1-1 with Sampdoria and Inter Milan spoil José Mourinho's Serie A coaching debut.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been among the lead in 33 minutes in a shot from a tight angle that bounced off the post. However, Del Vecchio hit in a rebound, just a few feet from the finish line in the 68 th to salvage a point against the defending champion three times.

Mourinho, who won two Premier League titles with Chelsea, signed with Inter in June after the team fired Roberto Mancini despite the club to its third championship of Serie A. In its first official party last week, Inter defeated AS Roma in the Italian Supercup.

"I expected a tough match," said Mourinho. "We have lost control of the game in the second half. The Serie A season is a marathon and it is all right pointing this game. I'm not unhappy by the tie, but because they do not play well."

Inter Sampdoria pressed in every ball from the opening whistle, but the hosts also created several scoring opportunities before Del Vecchio finally broke in the second half. Sampdoria playmaker Antonio Cassano could have scored a winner, but not for controlling a long pass that have left one-on-one with Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

"This is not a false start," said midfielder Amantino Mancini. "This was a hard game to come here with Sampdoria and pumped full stadium."

Midfielder Esteban Cambiasso played in defence because of the team's injury problems. Marco Materazzi returned after a long period, while several defenders still are recovering from injuries.

Also Saturday, Antonio Di Natale scored twice to help beat Udinese 3-1 Palermo.

Di Natale put Udinese ahead in the ninth by dribbling around a defender in the box before beating Palermo goalkeeper Marco Amelia. The forward made Italy 2-0 in 34 after taking a long pass and lobbing the ball over the head of Amelia.

Palermo midfielder Mark Bresciano pulled one back in the 69 th, but Gokhan Inler headed by a corner one minute later to seal the victory.

Monday, August 11, 2008

"Moyes backing to sign Moutinho"

Everton defender Nuno Valente David Moyes hopes can Clinch signing his compatriot Portuguese Joao Moutinho of Lisbon Sp.

Caramels have already had an offer for the midfielder rejected by the Sporting, Nuno Valente, but trusts in Moya eventually get their man.

"The manager is talking with the president all the time," said Valente Everton's official website.

"I think staffing is short and it is important that we get some new players, but the important thing is that players who are a good sign and we will strengthen.

"We have players with quality. Everton is a team that already has quality and we must add to that. Moutinho, of course, is a good player and he is someone I know. He was a star at Euro 2008 in Portugal.

"He's strong, playing good football and driving his team forward. He is also a leader. If he was not, there would be no way that he would be the master of a great club like Sporting at the age of 21 years.

"If we spend so much money on a player like him, he was going to pay again in the coming years.

"I would like to see him here because he is Portuguese, but why we would want most is to see him here because he is a good player and we will improve."