English FA Cup 2011/2012

[NEMO]

"CUP WIN WAS FOR ANDRE"


Roberto Di Matteo paid tribute to Andre Villas-Boas after Chelsea beat Birmingham to book their place in the quarter-finals of The FA Cup with Budweiser.

Juan Mata and Raul Meireles scored second-half goals to hold off brave Birmingham in this replay, which came just three days after Di Matteo took over from Villas-Boas.

“This was for Andre,” said his former assistant, who is in charge until the end of the season.

“We faced a difficult task with all the events in the last couple of days. To come here and play a Cup game against Birmingham, it was so important for us to get through to the next round and we just had to do our job today.

“I said at half-time that for the second 45 minutes we were going to have to battle and fight like we did in the first-half. That is how you win.

“The FA Cup is important for us and we fought to win. The attitude was right, our commitment was what we asked of them, and so was the passion.

“Everybody was involved tonight, even the guys on the bench. That is the only way we can reach our targets, if all 25 are unselfish.
We have two months left until the end of the season, and we have to help each other if we want to achieve what we set out to do.”

Chris Hughton was proud of the way his players fought over three hours of football and said: "We gave it a real go and i wouldn't have expected anything less because that's what they've given us all season.

“I think this was our 48th game this season. We have enjoyed being in The Cup, it's given a lot of players here great experience particularly the younger ones. It's added to what we have been doing at the club this season."

 

[NEMO]

Tottenham boss says Stevenage won't be taken lightly tonight.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp knows his side are "red-hot favourites" against Stevenage but insists they are taking nothing for granted.

Spurs host League One Stevenage on Wednesday night, in the replay of their FA Cup Fifth Round tie, for a place in the quarter final.

The League One play-off hopefuls held Redknapp's high-flyers to a 0-0 draw at the Lamex Stadium in February's initial tie, which was billed as a potential banana skin for Spurs.

But they must now try to stage the huge upset on their opponents' home soil - and Redknapp has confirmed that they will have to do it against an almost full-strength Tottenham team.

He said: "I will make some changes but I will be putting a very strong team out - I won't be taking liberties with this game.

"Winning the competition would be fantastic and we're not taking Stevenage lightly.

"We've played them already and it was a tough game. They're a difficult team to beat.

"You look at their record this year and it shows you that they're a good side and it won't be easy. But listen, we're red-hot favourites, we're at home and it's a game we should win.

"We've got to do what we're supposed to do and that's win the game and get through to the next round."

Stevenage could face the unenviable task of shackling Gareth Bale, who should be fit after a virus ruled him out of the weekend defeat by Manchester United. Fellow midfielder Scott Parker will return after suspension.

 

[irsaffy]

Tottenham leh pegi jauh ni..silap2 dpt masuk final.

 

[TXT]

England - FA Cup

19:30 Tottenham H. ? - ? Stevenage

 

[TXT]

LaTesT UpDaTe

7' Tottenham H. 0 - 1 Stevenage

4' [0 - 1] J. Byrom (pen.)

 

[TXT]

LaTesT UpDaTe

86' Tottenham H. 3 - 1 Stevenage

4' [0 - 1] J. Byrom (pen.)
26' [1 - 1] J. Defoe
55' [2 - 1] E.S. Adebayor (pen.)
75' [3 - 1] J. Defoe

 

[TXT]

FuLL Time ResuLT

FT Tottenham H. 3 - 1 Stevenage

4' [0 - 1] J. Byrom (pen.)
26' [1 - 1] J. Defoe
55' [2 - 1] E.S. Adebayor (pen.)
75' [3 - 1] J. Defoe

 

[TXT]

DEFOE meledakkan dua gol untuk membantu Tottenham mara ke suku akhir Piala FA awal pagi semalam​

Defoe wira Spurs

LONDON - Jermain Defoe meledakkan dua gol untuk membantu Tottenham Hotspur mara ke suku akhir Piala FA selepas menewaskan Stevenage 3-1 awal pagi semalam.

Bagaimanapun, Spurs terpaksa membayar dengan harga yang tinggi atas kejayaan tersebut selepas pemain pertahanan Michael Dawson mengalami kecederaan.

Dawson dijangka akan direhatkan sehingga akhir musim ini, sekali gus mencetuskan kebimbangan buat pengurus Spurs, Harry Redknapp.

Pada aksi ulangan pusingan kelima di White Hart Lane pada awal pagi semalam, Spurs dikejutkan dengan gol awal Stevenage yang diperoleh menerusi sepakan penalti Joel Byrom.

Bagaimanapin, Defoe menyamakan kedu- dukan pada minit ke-26 sebelum Emmanuel Adebayor menambah gol kedua Tottenham minit ke-55 menerusi sepakan penalti.

Defoe membuktikan kehebatannya apabila menambah gol ketiga pada minit ke-75.

Tottenham yang menduduki tangga ketiga Liga Perdana England, dijadualkan bertemu Bolton Wanderers pada suku akhir pada 17 Mac ini.

"Sukar untuk saya gambarkan kerana kami tidak menjangka akan menang semudah ini.

"Mereka (Stevenage) adalah sebuah pasu- kan yang besar, kuat dan hebat. Kami meng- hadapi tentangan dari setiap posisi," kata Redknapp.

Selepas Dawson diusung keluar padang pada minit kesembilan, Tottenham menerima satu lagi tamparan hebat apabila pemain sayap, Aaron Lennon mengalami nasib yang sama.

"Dawson mengalami kecederaan pada pergelangan kaki. Melihat pada kecederaan malam ini, dia memerlukan keajaiban untuk beraksi lagi pada musim ini.

"Dia (Dawson) adalah seorang pemain yang hebat dan profesional. Ketiadaan Dawson merupakan kehilangan yang besar buat pasukan kami. Kami mahu Dawson bersama pasukan sehingga akhir saingan musim ini," jelas Redknapp.

Lennon pula dikeluarkan beberapa minit sebelum waktu rehat selepas kecederaan lama pada pangkal pahanya berulang.

- REUTERS

 

[TXT]

GERRARD (tiga dari kiri) menerima ucapan tahniah daripada rakan-rakan sepasukannya selepas meledak gol pertama Liverpool ketika menentang Everton di Anfield, Rabu lalu​

Inspirasi Liverpool

LONDON - Sentuhan istimewa kapten Steven Gerrard menjadi inspirasi Liverpool bagi memburu slot separuh akhir Piala FA.

Malam esok, skuad The Reds itu akan menanti kunjungan Stoke City pada pusi- ngan keenam Piala FA di Anfield.

Menjelang pertemuan itu, Liverpool sekali lagi menagih sentuhan Gerrard yang meledak hatrik bagi membantu Liverpool membenam Everton 3-0 pada aksi Liga Perdana England di Anfield, Rabu lalu.

Kejayaan tersebut sekali gus memadam kekecewaan Liverpool yang tewas dua perlawanan liga berturut-turut iaitu kepada Arsenal dan Sunderland sebelum itu.

Tatkala trofi liga sudah semakin jauh daripada radar mereka, Liverpool kini boleh memberi tumpuan memburu Piala FA selepas kejayaan menjulang Piala Liga bulan lalu.

Tonggak veteran, Jamie Carragher berkata, corak permainan yang dipamerkan Gerrard ketika menentang Everton membuktikan betapa kapten The Reds itu layak untuk dinobatkan sebagai pemain terbaik Liverpool.

"Saya rasa orang ramai masih belum sedar dengan kehebatan Steven.

"Bagaimanapun, ia tetap sukar baginya kerana dia telah menghabiskan kariernya bersama satu kelab sahaja.

"Ini kerana para penyokong Liverpool tetap akan melihatnya sebagai pemain muda dan sering mengingati masalah yang pernah dihadapinya.

"Apabila Gerrard sudah tiada, mereka akan mula mencari seorang pemain yang boleh menggantikan tempatnya," kata Car- ragher lagi.

Beliau menambah, pemain-pemain yang pernah beraksi bersama Gerrard juga pastinya tidak akan merungut jika tonggak tengah England tersebut dijulang sebagai pemain terbaik Liverpool. - AFP

 

[NEMO]

FT Everton [1 - 1] Sunderland
9' P. Neville
12' [0 - 1] P. Bardsley
23' [1 - 1] T. Cahill
28' N. Bendtner
31' J. Heitinga
67' S. Distin
69' C. Gardner