Portuguese Liga Standings

As 2009 reaches its' climax, let's see how things stack up in the top flight of Portuguese soccer.

1. Sporting Braga (GP: 14; GD: +13; PTS: 33)
2. SL Benfica (GP: 14; GD; +29; GD: 33)
3. FC Porto (GP: 14; GD: +16; PTS: 29)
4. CD Nacional de Madeira (GP: 14; GD: -2; PTS: 24)
5. SPORTING (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 21)
6. Uniao de Leiria (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 20)
7. Guimaraes (GP: 14; GD: -2; PTS: 19)
8. Rio Ave (GP: 14; GD: +2; PTS: 19)
9. Maritimo (GP: 14; GD: +4; PTS: 19)
10. Naval 1° Maio (GP: 14; GD: -8; PTS: 15)
11. Pacas de Ferreira (GP: 14; GD: -3; PTS: 14)
12. Academica de Coimbra (GP: 14; GD: -5; PTS: 13)
13. Vitoria Setubal (GP: 14; GD: -20; PTS: 11)
14. Leixores (GP: 14; GD: -12; PTS: 11)
15. Olhanense (GP: 14; GD: -10; PTS: 10)
16. Belenenses (GP: 14; GD: -10; PTS: 10)

Eredivisie Standings

At 2009 is coming to a close, let's look at how things are going in the top flight in the Netherlands.

1. FC Twente (GP: 17; GD: +23; PTS: 47)
2. PSV Eindhoven (GP: 17; GD: +30; PTS: 45)
3. AJAX AMSTERDAM (GP: 17; GD: +38; GD: 38)
4. Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 18; GD: +14; PTS: 37)
5. SC Heracles Almelo (GP: 18; GD: +2; PTS: 32)
6. FC Utrecht (GP: 17; GD: +7; PTS: 30)
7. AZ Alkmaar (GP: 18; GD: +11; PTS: 28)
8. NAC Breda (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS: 22)
9. VVV Venlo (GP: 18; GD: -1; PTS: 20)
10. Vitesse Arnhem (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 18)
11. Sparta Rotterdam (GP: 18; GD: -16; PTS: 18)
12. FC Groningen (GP: 17; GD: -8; PTS: 17)
13. Roda JC Kerkrade (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 17)
14. SC Heerenveen (GP: 17; GD: -13; PTS: 17)
15. Willem II Tilburg (GP: 18; GD: -14; PTS: 14)
16. ADO Den Haag (GP: 18; GD: -17; PTS: 14)
17. NEC Nijmegen (GP: 17; GD: -12; PTS: 13)
18. RKC Waalwijk (GP: 18; GD: -20; PTS: 12)

Scottish Premier League Standings

Here's a look at the standings in Scotland's top flight on this New Year's Eve.

1. RANGERS (GP: 18; GD: +34; PTS: 43)
2. CELTIC (GP: 17; GD: +18; PTS: 36)
3. Hibernian (GP: 17; GD: +11; PTS: 32)
4. Dundee United (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 28)
5. Heart of Midlothian (GP: 18; GD: -2; PTS: 23)
6. Motherwell (GP: 18; GD: -8; PTS: 20)
7. St. Johnstone (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 19)
8. Aberdeen (GP: 16; GD: -6; PTS: 18)
9. Hamilton Academical (GP: 16; GD: -11; PTS: 16)
10. St. Mirren (GP: 16; GD: -7; PTS: 14)
11. Kilmarnock (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 14)
12. Falkirk (GP: 17; GD: -13; PTS: 12)

English Premier League Standings

Here's how the standings in the English Premier League look as we head toward the end of the calendar year of 2009.

1. Chelsea (GP: 20; GD: +29; PTS; 45)
2. Manchester United (GP: 20; GD: +27; PTS: 45)
3. Arsenal (GP: 19; GD: +30; PTS: 41)
4. Tottenham Hotspur (GP: 20; GD: +20; PTS: 37)
5. Manchester City (GP: 19; GD: +11; PTS: 35)
6. Aston Villa (GP: 20; GD: +11; PTS: 35)
7. Liverpool (GP: 20; GD: +12; PTS: 33)
8. Birmingham (GP: 20; GD: +2; PTS: 32)
9. Fulham (GP: 19; GD: +5; PTS: 27)
10. Sunderland (GP: 20; GD: -3; PTS: 23)
11. Everton (GP: 19; GD: -6; PTS: 22)
12. Stoke City (GP: 19; GD: -8; PTS: 21)
13. Blackburn Rovers (GP: 20; GD: -15; PTS: 21)
14. Burnley (GP: 20; GD: -18; PTS:20)
15. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (GP: 20; -19; PTS: 19)
16. Wigan Athletic (GP: 19; GD: -23; PTS: 19)
17. West Ham United (GP: 20; GD: -9; PTS: 18)
18. Bolton Wanderers (GP: 18; GD: -10; PTS: 18)
19. Hull City (GP: 20; GD: -22; PTS: 18)
20. Portsmouth (GP: 20; GD: -14; PTS: 14)

Ligue 1 Standings

Here's a look at the standings in the top soccer league in France as we approach the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Bordeaux (GP: 19; GD: +21; PTS; 43)
2. Lille (GP: 19; GD: +18; PTS: 34)
3. Montpellier (GP: 18; GD: +5; PTS: 33)
4. Marseille (GP: 18;GD; +10; PTS; 32)
5. AJ Auxerre (GP: 19; GD; +4; PTS: 32)
6. Lyon (GP: 19; GD: +5; PTS: 30)
7. Paris Saint-Germain (GP: 19; GD: +13; PTS: 29)
8. Lorient (GP: 19; GD; +7; PTS: 29)
9. Stade Rennes (GP: 19; GD: +6; PTS: 29)
10. Valenciennes (GP: 19; GD; +4; PTS: 28)
11. AS MONACO (GP: 18; GD; -2; PTS: 27)
12. AS Nancy Lorraine (GP: 19; GD; -3; PTS: 26)
13. Lens (GP: 19; GD: -5; PTS: 26)
14. Toulouse (GP: 19; GD: +2; PTS; 25)
15. Sochaux (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS; 25)
16. Nice (GP: 19; GD: -12; PTS; 22)
17. Le Mans (GP: 19; GD; -11; PTS: 16)
18. St. Etienne (GP: 19; GD; -15; PTS: 16)
19. Boulogne (GP: 18; GD: -20; PTS: 13)
20. Grenoble (GP: 19; GD: -23; PTS 7)

Bundesliga Standings

As we approach the end of the 2009 calendar year, let's see how things are going in the top flight of German soccer.

1. Bayer Leverkusen (GP: 17; GD: +22; PTS: 35)
2. Schalke 04 (GP: 17; GD: +13; PTS: 34)
3. BAYERN MUNICH (GP: 17; GD: +19; PTS: 33)
4. Hamburg (GP: 17; GD: +15; PTS; 31)
5. Borussia Dortmund (GP: 17; GD: +6; PTS; 30)
6. Werder Bremen (GP: 17; GD; +16; GD: 28)
7. TSG Hoffenheim (GP: 17; GD; +10; PTS: 25)
8. VfL Wolfsburg (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 24)
9. Mainz (GP: 17; GD: -1; PTS: 24)
10. Eintracht Frankfurt (GP: 17; GD: -2; PTS: 24)
11. Borussia Mochengladbach (GP: 17; GD: -5; PTS; 21)
12. FC Cologne (GP: 17; GD: -5; PTS: 18)
13. SC Freiburg (GP: 17; GD; -14; PTS; 18)
14. Hannover 96 (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 17)
15. VfB Stuttgart (GP: 17; GD: -7; PTS: 16)
16. VfL Bochum (GP: 17; GD: -15; GD: 16)
17. FC Nuremberg (GP: 17; GD: -20; PTS: 12)
18. Hertha Berlin (GP: 17; GD: -26; PTS: 6)

Serie A Standings

Here's how things look in Italy's top flight as we reach the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Inter Milan (GP: 17; GD: +22; PTS: 39)
2. AC MILAN (GP: 16; GD: +6; PTS: 31)
3. Juventus (GP: 17; GD: +9; PTS: 30)
4. AS Roma (GP: 17; GD; +5; PTS: 28)
5. Parma (GP: 17; GD: 0; PTS: 28)
6. Napoli (GP: 17; GD; +2; PTS; 27)
7. Palermo (GP: 17; GD: +2; PTS: 26)
8. Sampdoria (GP: 17; GD: -4; PTS: 25)
9. Bari (GP: 16; GD: +4; PTS; 24)
10. Fiorentina (GP: 16; GD: +3; PTS: 24)
11. Genoa (GP: 16; GD: +1; PTS; 24)
12. Chievo Verona (GP: 17; GD; +1; PTS: 24)
13. Cagliari (GP: 16; GD: +4; PTS: 23)
14. Udinese (GP: 16; GD; -2; PTS: 18)
15. Livorno (GP: 17; GD; -9; PTS: 18)
16. Lazio (GP: 17; GD: -6; PTS: 16)
17. Bologna (GP: 16; GD: -7; PTS: 16)
18. Atalanta (GP: 16; GD: -10; PTS: 13)
19. Catania (GP: 17; GD: -10; PTS: 12)
20. AC Siena (GP: 17; GD: -11; PTS: 12)

La Liga Standings

Here how things stack up in Spain's top division at the end of the 2009 calendar year.

1. Barcelona (GP: 15; GD: +27; PTS: 39)
2. Real Madrid (GP: 15; GD: +27; PTS: 37)
3. Sevilla (GP: 15; GD: +13; PTS: 30)
4. Valencia (GP: 15; GD: +11; PTS: 29)
5. Mallorca (GP: 15; GD: +10; PTS: 27)
6. Deportivo La Coruna (GP: 15; GD: +3; PTS; 27)
7. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 15; GD; +3; PTS: 26)
8. Getafe (GP: 15; GD: +3; PTS: 24)
9. Villarreal (GP: 15; GD; +5; PTS: 21)
10. Sporting Gijon (GP: 15; GD: 0; PTS: 20)
11. Valladolid (GP: 15; GD: -4; PTS: 16)
12. Osasuna (GP: 15; GD: -5; PTS; 16)
13. ESPANYOL (GP: 15; GD: -11; PTS: 16)
14. Tenerife (GP: 15; GD: -13; PTS; 15)
15. Atletico Madrid (GP: 15; GD; -6; PTS; 14)
16. Racing Santander (GP: 15; GD; -8; PTS; 13)
17. Almeria (GP: 15; GD; -11; PTS; 13)
18. Malaga (GP: 15; GD; -4; PTS: 12)
19. Real Zaragoza (GP: 15; GD; -18; PTS:12)
20. Xerez (GP: 15; GD; -22; PTS; 7)

Trotters Can Manager

In a season of unexpected struggle to avoid relegation, blowing a two-goal lead at home against Hull City may have been the final blow.

New Coach For DC United

Curt Onalfo, a former DC United player, was named Monday as the Washington, DC Major League Soccer Club's new head coach.

Carlos Tevez Double Helps Sink Wolves

At Wolverhampton, England:

Carlos Tevez scored twice (33', 86') and Javier Garrido scored on a free kick (69') as Manchester City, with Roberto Mancini winning his second match in as many tries as the Citizens' new manager, overpowered Wolverhampton 3-0 on the road on Monday in English Premiership action.

Belgian Club Gets Red Carded

Excelsior Mouscron has been forced to resign from Belgium's football (soccer) league, the money-poor club has announced.

Second Half Goals Power Reds Past 10-Man Wolves

At Liverpool, England:

Goals from Steven Gerrard (62') and Yossi Benayoun (70') enabled Liverpool to defeat visiting 10-man Wolverhampton 2-0 Saturday in Boxing Day English Premier League action.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

We here at Soccer or Association Football wish you and yours the Merriest of Christmases!!!

AS Monaco Gain Draw On Road

At Le Mans, France:

Park Chu-Young's equalizer at 50 minutes enabled AS Monaco to gain a 1-1 road draw with Le Mans in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday. Anthony Le Tallec scored at 36 minutes for the hosts.

Another Award For Leo

Argentina international and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi was Monday named FIFA world player of the year.

AS Monaco Salvage Home Draw With Lyon

At Fontvieille, Monaco:

Park Chu-Young's equalizer at 35 minutes enabled AS Monaco to gain a 1-1 home stalemate with Lyon (whose goal came at 22 minutes from Michel Bastos) in Sunday Ligue 1 play.

Parakeets End Losing Streak

At Barcelona:

Javier Moreno Maquez (45') and Ferran Coromians (81') provided the goalpower that lifted Espanyol to a 2-0 home win Sunday in La Liga play over Almeria to end the Parakeets' five-match losing streak.

Wolves Back On Track

At Wolverhampton, England:

Nenad Milijas (15') and Kevin Doyle (50') provided the scoring as Wolverhampton bounced back from their Old Trafford debacle and blanked visiting Burnley 2-0 Sunday in English Premier League action. The win moved Wolves up to 12th place in the Premiership standings for the moment.

Managerial Change At Man City

Beating visiting Sunderland 4-3 at home in a wild game was not enough to save Mark Hughes' job with Manchester City.

Ex-Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is the Citizens' new manager.

Leo The Lion Makes Historic Win For Barca Possible

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Goals from Pedro Rodriguez (88') and Lionel Messi (OT-110') enabled Barcelona to come from behind to defeat Estudiantes 2-1 in overtime to win the FIFA Club World Cup title, enabling them to conclude the most successful calendar year in club soccer history, winning their sixth piece of silverware this year.

The Catalans have earlier won the Spanish La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Copa Del Rey, and European and Spanish Super Cup crowns.

Here are the happy champs , with captain Carles Puyol holding up the trophy, celebrating in this Associated Press photo



Earlier Saturday, South Korea's Pohang Steelers , after a match that was deadlocked at 1-1 after 120 minutes, won the penalty kick shootout 4-3 over Mexico's Atlante to lock up third place. No Byung-Jun, Denilson, Shin Hyung-Min, and Kim Hyung-Il made their successful penalty kicks. In this Getty Images photos, the happy Steelers celebrate their shootout win over the Iron Colts.

Easy Win For Bayern

At Munich, Germany:

In Saturday action in Germany's Bundesliga, five different goal scorers---Daniel van Buyten (16'), Mario Gomez (31'), Arlen Robben (33'), Thomas Muller (60'), and Ivica Olic (77')---each tallied once as Bayern Munich toyed around with visiting bottom-feeders Hertha Berlin 5-2.

Ajax And Juve To Renew An Old Rivaly

At Nyon, Switzerland:

Friday marked the draw for the rounds of 32 and 16 in the UEFA Europa League.

Home team in the opening match of the respective home-and-away two-match sets are listed first.

Match dates: 18 and 25 February 2010

Second Round

Rubin Kazan v Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Athletic Bilbao v Anderlecht

FC Copenhagen v Marseille

Panathinaikos v AS Roma

Atlético Madrid v Galatasaray

Ajax v Juventus

Club Brugge v Valencia

Fulham v Shakhtar Donetsk

Liverpool v Unirea Urziceni

Hamburg v PSV Eindhoven

Villarreal v VfL Wolfsburg

Standard Liège v Salzburg

FC Twente v Werder Bremen

Lille v Fenerbahçe

Everton v Sporting Lisbon

Hertha Berlin v Benfica

Match dates: 11 and 18 March 2010

Third Round

Hamburg/PSV v Bilbao/Anderlecht

Rubin/Hapoel v Villarreal/Wolfsburg

Atletico/Galatasaray v Everton/Sporting

Hertha/Benfica v Coppenhagen/Marseille

Panathinaikos/Roma v Liege/Salzburg

Lille/Fenerbahce v Liverpool/Unirea

Ajax/Juventus v Fulham/Shakhtar

Brugge/Valencia v FC Twente/Werder Bremen

Jose Mourinho And Chelsea Are Re-United In Champions League Play

Friday marked the draw for the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League. The draw took place at Nyon, Switzerland.

Here are the matchups with the host club of the opening contest in each respective two-match home-and-away series listed first.

AC Milan vs. Manchester United (February 16/March 10)

Lyon vs. Real Madrid (February 16/March 10)

Bayern Munich vs. Fiorentina (February 17/March 9)

FC Porto vs Arsenal (February 17/March 9)

Olympiacos vs. Bordeaux (February 23/March 17)

VfB Stuttgart vs. Barcelona (February 23/March 17)

Inter Milan vs. Chelsea (February 24/March 16)

CSKA Moscow vs. Sevilla (February 24/March 16)

Europa League Group Stage Play Concludes

Group stage play in the UEFA Europa League concluded with twelve games on Thursday.

Group A:

At Amsterdam, Netherlands:

Romelu Lukaku scored twice (13', 22') as RSC Anderlecht grabbed top spot in Group A with a 3-1 road win over Ajax Amsterdam. Both clubs will play in the Europa League's round of 32.

At Zagreb, Croatia:

FC Timisoara picked up their first win of group stage play with a 2-1 road win over Dinamo Zagreb. Gheorghe Bucur (67') and Dorin Goga (84') each scored once for the Romanian club.

FINAL GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. RSC Anderlecht (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. Dinamo Zagreb (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
4. FC Timisoara (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 5)

Anderlecht and Ajax advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group B:

At Villeneuve d'Asca, France:

Yohan Cabaye (25'), Gervinho (40'), and Ludovic Obraniak (80') each scored a goal as LOSC Lille Metropole locked up a berth in the knockout stage with a 3-1 home win over Slavia Prague.

At Genoa, Italy:

Valencia, with a goal during each half's period of stoppage time (Bruno Saltor [45'+1] and David Villa [90'+5]), defeated Genoa 2-1 on the road to secure top spot in Group B.

FINAL GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Valencia (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 12)
2. Lille (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 10)
3. Genoa (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. Slavia Prague (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Valencia and Lille advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group C:

At Tel-Aviv, Israel:

Samuel Yeboah scored the game's lone goal (23') as Hapoel Tel-Aviv defeated visiting Hamburg 1-0 to overtake their German guests and clinch top spot in Group C.

At Vienna, Austria:

In an exciting match of eliminated clubs, Celtic, thanks to goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune (24', 67') and Paul McGowan (90'+1), erased an early three-goal deficit to gain a 3-3 road draw with Rapid Vienna. The hosts were paced by Nikica Jelavic (1', 8') and Hamdi Salihi (19').

FINAL GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Hapoel Tel-Aviv (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
2. Hamburg (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
3. Celtic (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
4. Rapid Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 5)

Hapoel Tel-Aviv and Hamburg advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group G:

At Rome:

To cap off an otherwise abysmal showing in group stage play, Hristo Yovov scored Levski Sofia's first goal of group stage action (60'), which was enough for the Bulgarian club to knock off Lazio 1-0 on the road and end the hopes of the club from the Eternal City to reach the knockout stage.

At Villarreal, Spain:

Dusan Svento scored the lone goal of the match at 7 minutes as Red Bull Salzburg won all six games, the only club in group stage play in either the Europa or Champions League to do so. The Austrian club knocked off Villarreal 1-0 on the road. Both teams will play in the knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Red Bull Salzburg (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 18)
2. Villarreal (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. Lazio (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 6)
4. Levski Sofia (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Red Bull Salzburg and Villarreal advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group H:

At Bucharest, Romania:

Ronnie Stam's 35th-minute equalizer lifted FC Twente to a 1-1 road draw with Steaua Bucharest, enabling the Dutch club to lock up a berth in the knockout stage.

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Ugur Boral's goal at 15 minutes proved to be enough as Fenerbahce ended FC Sheriff's outside hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the Europa League with a 1-0 home win.

FINAL GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Fenerbahce (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 15)
2. FC Twente (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 8)
3. FC Sheriff (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. Steaua Bucharest (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

Fenerbahce and FC Twente advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group I:

At London:

BATE Borisov, with Aleksandr Yurevich scoring the game's lone goal at 75 minutes, defeated knockout-stage-bound Everton 1-0 on the road.

At Lisbon, Portugal:

Angel Di Maria doubled (45', 73') as SL Benfica, already bound for round of 32 play, held off visiting AEK Athens 2-1.

FINAL GROUP I STANDINGS:

1. SL Benfica (GP: 6; GD: +10; PTS: 15)
2. Everton (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 9)
3. BATE Borisov (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. AEK Athens (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS; 4)

Benfica and Everton advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.


All 24 teams who finished first or second in their respective groups will be joined by the clubs who finished third in their respective Champions League groups in the round of 32 of the Europa League.

Europa League, MatchDay #6

The final week of group stage play in UEFA's Europa League commenced on Wednesday with 12 games.

Group D:

At Berlin:

In rare good news amidst a dismal domestic campaign, Hertha Berlin locked up a berth in the knockout stage as Gojko Kacar scored the game's only goal (70') in the hosts' 1-0 win over Sporting, who already locked up top spot in Group D.

At Heerenveen, Netherlands:

In what turned out, due to Hertha Berlin's win, to be a meaningless game, Gerald Sibon scored twice (77', 78') as SC Heerenveen, who would have advanced had Sporting won on the road, brassknuckled visiting FK Ventspils 5-0.

FINAL GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Sporting (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
2. Hertha Berlin (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
3. SC Heerenveen (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 8)
4. FK Ventspils (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Sporting and Hertha Berlin will play in the Europa League's round of 32.

Group E:

At Sofia, Bulgaria:

Alessio Cerci doubled (45'+1, 52') as AS Roma secured top spot in Group E with a 3-0 road beatdown of CSKA Sofia.

At Basel, Switzerland:

Bobby Zamora tallied twice late in the first half (42', 45') and Zoltan Gera scored the game winner at 77 minutes as Fulham defeated FC Basel 3-2 on the road to overtake the Swiss club and advance into the Europa League's knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. AS Roma (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 13)
2. Fulham (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. FC Basel (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
4. CSKA Sofia (GP: 6; GD: -10; PTS: 1)

AS Roma and Fulham advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

At Athens, Greece:

Djibril Cisse doubled (80', 85') as Panathinaikos locked up a berth in the round of 32 with a 3-0 home win over Dinamo Bucharest.

At Graz, Austria:

Despite clinching the bottom of the Group F standings, SK Sturm Graz still blanked Galatasaray, who already laid claim to the top spot in the group, 1-0. Daniel Beichler scored the game's lone goal at 21 minutes.

FINAL GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Galatasaray (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 13)
2. Panathinaikos (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
3. Dinamo Bucharest (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 6)
4. Sturm Graz (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

Galatasaray and Panathinaikos advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group J:

At Bruges, Belgium:

Ivan Perisic scored the only goal of the match in second-half stoppage time (90'+3) at Club Brugge defeated Toulouse 1-0 to claim a berth in the knockout stage and end the French club's European campaign.

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Despite finishing in the Group J basement, Partizan Belgrade did give the home fans something to cheer about as Lamine Diarra 6th-minute goal held up in the hosts' 1-0 win over knockout-stage-bound Shakhtar Donetsk.

FINAL GROUP J STANDINGS:

1. Shakhtar Donetsk (GP: 6; GD: +11; PTS:13)
2. Club Brugge (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. Toulouse (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 7)
4. Partizan Belgrade (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Shakhtar Donetsk and Club Brugge advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group K:

At Prague, Czech Republic:

Dame N'Doye notched two goals (22', 30') as FC Copenhagen dominated Sparta Prague 3-0 on the road to secure a spot in the knockout stage.

At Cluj-Napoca, Romania:

Danko Lazovic (PK-19') and Nordin Amrabat (68') provided the goalpower that carried PSV Eindhoven, who already locked up Group K, to a 2-0 road win over CFR Cluj.

FINAL GROUP K STANDINGS:

1. PSV Eindhoven (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 14)
2. FC Copenhagen (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS 10)
3. Sparta Prague (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. CFR Cluj (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS: 3)

PSV Eindhoven and FC Copenhagen advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group L:

At Bilbao, Spain:

In a battle of the group two knockout-stage-bound clubs, Claudio Pizarro (13'), Naldo (20'), and Markus Rosenberg (36') each tallied once as Werder Bremen locked up top spot in Group L with a 3-0 road beatdown of Athletic Bilbao.

At Funchal, Portugal:

Ruben Micael scored twice (23', 57') as CD Nacional annihilated visiting Austria Vienna 5-0.

FINAL GROUP L STANDINGS:

1. Werder Bremen (GP: 6; GD: +11; PTS: 16)
2. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
3. CD Nacional (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. Austria Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -12; PTS: 2)

Werder Bremen and Athletic Bilbao advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Broken Record: Another Europe vs. South America CWC Final

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Barcelona, with goals from Sergio Busquets (35'), Lionel Messi (54', shown in this Getty Images photo), and Pedro Rodriguez (66'), came from behind to defeat Atlante 3-1 to reach Saturday's final of the FIFA Club World Cup. The Catalans will face Estudiantes for the championship.

Earlier, in the fifth place game, Jason Hayne scored twice (29', 72') and Riki Van Steeden scored the game winner (90', celebration ensured as captured by Getty Images) as Auckland City defeated TP Mazember 3-2.

Estudiantes Hold Off Game Steelers To Reach Final

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Leandro Benitez doubled (45', 53') as Estudiantes defeated Pohang Steelers 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Here's a Getty Images photo of the Estudiantes players celebrating their victory over the eight-man South Korean club.

The South American club champions from Argentina will play the winner of Wednesday's Atlante-Barcelona match in the final this coming Saturday.

End Of Two-Game Winning Streak

At Manchester, England:

Goals from Wayne Rooney (PK-30'), Nemanja Vidic (43'), and Antonio Valencia (66') carried Manchester United to an easy 3-0 whitewashing of visiting Wolverhampton Tuesday in English Premier League action.

The game marked Sir Alex Ferguson's 900th game as Red Devils' manager.

Wolves fans weren't too crazy about Mick McCarthy's changes.

The loss dropped Wolverhampton back into the relegation zone in 18th place.

Cavs Cop College Cup With Shootout Triumph

At Cary, North Carolina:

After a scoreless regulation time and 20 scoreless overtime minutes, Virginia defeated Akron 3-2 in the penalty kick shootout to capture their sixth national collegiate men's soccer championship, their first since 1994.

Monaco Stink Up Pitch

At Fontvieille, Monaco:

In Sunday play from Ligue 1, Tulio De Melo doubled (39', 55') as Lille thrashed AS Monaco on the road, 4-0.

Rossoneri Fall At Home To Palermo

At Milan, Italy:

In Sunday Serie A action, Fabrizio Miccoli (49') and Mark Bresciano (62') provided the second-half scoring as Palermo knocked off AC Milan 2-0 on the road.

Zlatan Sinks Parakeets In Barcelona Derby

At Barcelona:

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the only goal of the match on his penalty kick in the 39th minute as Barcelona defeated visiting Espanyol 1-0 Saturday in Spanish La Liga play.

Iron Colts Smother Auckland City

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Thanks to goals from Daniel Arroela (35'), Christian Bermudez (68'), and Lucas Silva (90'), Mexican club Atlante defeated Auckland City 3-0 Saturday to reach the semifinal round of the FIFA Club World Cup. Here are some happy Iron Colts celebrating one of the goals in this Getty Images photo. European champions Barcelona are next for the CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09 titleholders.

Bayern Romp

At Bochum, Germany:

Ivica Olic scored twice (43', 50') as Bayern Munich tore VfL Bochum apart 5-1 on the road in German Bundesliga action on Saturday.

Wolves Stun Spurs On Road

At London:

Kevin Doyle's goal at 3 minutes stood up as Wolverhampton Wanderers racked up their second straight English Premier League win on Saturday as they knocked off Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on the road to climb to 17th place in the standings and out of the relegation zone.

Pohang Steelers Reach Semis

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Denilson doubled (49', 77', that's him celebrating in this Getty Images photo) as Pohang Steelers came from behind to defeat TP Mazembe 2-1 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup. The South Korean club will next face Estudiantes of Argentina in the semifinal round.

UCL Group H: Legend Top Gunners To Join Arsenal In Sweet Sixteen

Group H action in the UEFA Champions League concluded with two games on Wednesday.

At Athens:

Leonardo provided the game's lone tally (47') as Olympiacos locked up a berth in the Champions League's round of 16 with a 1-0 home win over fellow knockout stage entrants Arsenal. Here are the happy Legend players celebrating their big win.

At Liege, Belgium:

With goalkeeper Sinan Bolat scoring an unlikely equalizer in second-half stoppage time (90'+5), Standard Liege gained a 1-1 home draw with AZ Alkmaar to gain entrance into the Europa League's knockout stage while ending the Dutch club's European campaign. Here, we seen Standard' s Wilfried Dalmat (left) turning away from AZ's Sebastien Pocognoli.




Both Photos © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Arsenal (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 13)
2. Olympiacos (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 10)
3. Standard Liege (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS; 5)
4. AZ Alkmaar (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS; 4)


Arsenal and Olympiacos advanced to the Champions League's knockout stage, while Standard Liege will take part in the knockout stage of the Europa League. AZ Alkmaar's European campaign ended Wednesday.

UCL Group G: Stuttgart Top Unirea To Claim Knockout Stage Berth; Sevilla Put Capper On Rotten Campaign For 'Gers

Wednesday marked the end of Group G play in the UEFA Champions League.

At Stuttgart, Germany:

First-half goals from Ciprian Marica (5'), Christian Trasch (8') and Pavel Pogrebnyak (11') powered VfB Stuttgart to a 3-1 home win over FC Unirea Urziceni to overtake the Romanian club and clinch a Champions League knockout-stage berth while relegating the visitors into the Europa League's round of 32. That's a bunch of happy Stuttgart players celebrating their big win.

At Seville, Spain:

Frederic Kanoute's successful penalty kick at 8 minutes (that's him celebrating) turned out to be the only goal of the match as Sevilla, already having locked up top spot in Group A, put the finishing touches on a dismal campaign for Rangers, defeating the visitors 1-0.




Both Photos © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Sevilla (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 13)
2. VfB Stuttgart (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. FC Unirea Urziceni (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 8)
4. Rangers (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 2)

Sevilla and Stuttgart will play in the knockout stage of the Champions League while FC Unirea Urziceni will play in the Europa League's knockout stage. Rangers were eliminated form European competition.

Barca And Inter Win Tickets To Knockout Stage

Heading into Wednesday, all four teams in Group F still had a shot at advancing to the UEFA Champions League's round of 16.

At Milan, Italy:

Inter Milan, powered by goals from Samuel Eto'o (31') and Mario Balotelli (64'), defeated FC Rubin Kazan 2-0 at home to lock up a berth in the Champions League's knockout stage and relegate the Russian club into the Europa League's round of 32. Here are the two Nerazzurri goal scorers celebrating Slammin' Sam's goal.

At Kiev, Ukraine:

Xavi Hernandez (33') and Lionel Messi (86', that's him celebrating) each tallied once as Barcelona came from behind to overcome Dynamo Kiev 2-1 on the road to lock up first place in Group F and close the book on the Ukrainian club's European campaign.




Both Photos © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Barcelona (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 11)
2. Inter Milan (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. FC Rubin Kazan (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 6)
4. Dynamo Kiev (GP:6; GD: -2; PTS: 5)

Barcelona and Inter Milan advanced to the Champions League's knockout stage with FC Rubin Kazan will play in the round of 32 of the Europa League. Wednesday marked the end of Dynamo Kiev's European campaign.

UCL Group E: Firoentina and Lyon Take Closers

Group stage play in the UEFA Champions League concluded with eight games on Wednesday, including two in Group E.

At Liverpool, England:

Fiorentina, thanks to goals from Martin Jorgensen (63') and Alberto Gilardino (90'+2, that's him celebrating), came from behind to defeat eliminated Liverpool 2-1 on the road to clinch first place in Group E.

At Lyon, France:

Bafetimbi Gomis (25'), Michel Bastos (45'), Miralem Pjanic (59', that's him celebrating), and Aly Cissokho (76') each tallied once as Lyon buried visiting Debreceni VSC 4-0 to finish second in Group E and put a merciful end to the Hungarian club's European adventure.




Both Pictures © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. Firoentina (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 15)
2. Lyon (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 13)
3. Liverpool (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. Debreceni VSC (GP: 6; GD: -14; PTS 0)

Fiorentina and Lyon advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League, while Liverpool will play in the knockout stage of the Europa League. Debreceni's European campaign ended Wednesday.

Auckland City Pull Stunner To Reach Second Round

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Goals from Adam Dickinson (44') and Chad Coombes (66') paced Auckland City to a 2-0 win over Al Ahli (from the UAE) in the opening match Wednesday of the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. Next up for the 2008-09 Oceania club champions, a quarterfinal tilt with CONCACAF winners Atlante. Happy members of the victorious club from New Zealand are shown here celebrating. Getty Images Photo

UCL Group D: Blues and Dragons Tune Up

Tuesday marked the conclusion of Group D play in the UEFA Champions League.

At London:

Goals from Marcin Zewlakow (6') and Nenad Mirosavljevic (87', that's him celebrating with teammates) enabled APOEL FC to gain a 2-2 road draw with Chelsea. The Blues got goals from Michael Essien (19') and Didier Drogba (26'). Even with the draw, the Cypriot club was still eliminated from European competition.

At Madrid:

FC Porto, with goals courtesy of Bruno Alves (2'), Falcao (14', that's him celebrating), and Hulk (76'), spanked Atletico Madrid 3-0 on the road. Even with this setback, Atletico still secured a group of 32 place in the Europa League.




Both Goals © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Chelsea (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 14)
2. FC Porto (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
3. Atletico Madrid (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS; 3)
4. APOEL FC (GP: 6 GD: -3; PTS: 3)

Chelsea and FC Porto advanced to the Champions League's knockout stage, while Atletico Madrid will play in the Europa League's round of 32. Tuesday marked the end of APOEL's European campaign.

UCL Group C: Galacticos And Rossoneri In Knockout Stage

Group C play in the UEFA Champions League concluded Tuesday.

At Zurich, Switerland:

Ronaldinho equalizer (PK-64') enabled AC Milan to seal a berth in the round of 16 with their 1-1 road deadlock with FC Zurich, who had a win and a draw again the Rossoneri, but no success otherwise, as the Swiss club's European campaign ended. That's Rugged Ronnie, celebrating with Alexandre Pato.

At Marseille, France:

Cristiano Ronaldo doubled (5', 80') as Real Madrid secured safe passage top the knockout stage with a 3-1 road win over Marseille, relegating the French club into the Europa League.




Both Photos © Getty Images



FINAL GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Real Madrid (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 13)
2. AC Milan GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. Marseille (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. FC Zurich (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 4)


Real Madrid and AC Milan advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League while Marseille will play in the knockout stage of the Europa League. FC Zurich's European campaign ended Tuesday.

UCL Group B: Big Day For The Horses As CSKA Lock Up Round Of 16 Berth; Wolfsburg Eliminated By Michael Owen Hat Trick

Tuesday action in Group B in the UEFA Champions League.

At Istanbul, Turkey:

CSKA Moscow, with goals from Milos Krasic (41', that's him, scoring against Beskitas goalkeeper Rustu Recber) and Evgeni Aldonin (90'+5), defeated Besiktas 2-1 on the road to claim a berth in the knockout stage.

At Wolfsburg, Germany:

Michael Owen's hat trick (44', 83', 90'+1, that's him celebrating) powered Manchester United to a 3-0 road win over VfL Wolfsburg that knocked the German club of the Champions League.




Both Photos © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Manchester United (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 13)
2. CSKA Moscow (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 10)
3. VfL Wolfsburg (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 7)
4. Besiktas (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 4)

Manchester United and CSKA Moscow advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League, while Wolfsburg will be playing in the knockout stage of the Europa League. Tuesday marked the end of European competition for Besiktas.

UCL Group A: Bayern Blow Juve Away

MatchDay #6 in UEFA Champions League group stage action started on Tuesday with eight games, including two in Group A.

At Turin, Italy:

Goals from Hans-Jorg Butt (PK-30'), Ivica Olic (52'), Mario Gomez (83'), and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (90'+2) powered Bayern Munich to an overpowering 4-1 road win over Juventus to lock up a berth in the knockout stage. Happy Bayern players are seen here celebrating their big win.

At Ramat Gan, Israel:

Jussie provided the game's lone goal at 13 minutes (he's seen here celebrating) as Bordeaux blanked Maccabi Haifa on the road 1-0.




Both Photos © Getty Images




FINAL GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Bordeaux (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 16)
2. Bayern Munich (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 10)
3. Juventus (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 8)
4. Maccabi Haifa (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 0)

Bordeaux and Bayern Munich advanced to the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League, while Juventus will play in the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League. Maccabi Haifa have been eliminated from European competition.

Chalk Up Three Points For PRK Hekari United

One game was played on Saturday in Oceania's Champions League.

Group B:

At Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea:

Thanks to goals from Kema Jack (48') and Joachim Waroi (52'), PRK Kekari United defeated visiting Marist FC 2-1.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Tafea FC (GP: 3; GD: +3; PTS: 7)
2. Lautoka FC (GP: 3; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
3. PRK Kekari United (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 4)
4. Marist FC (GP: 3; GD: -5; PTS: 0)

Racing Blast Parakeets

At Barcelona, Spain:

Sergio Canales Madrazo doubled (52', 72') as visiting Racing Santander hammered Espanyol 4-0 Sunday in Spanish La Liga play.

Rough Saturday For Monaco

At Valenciennes, France:

With David Ducourtioux (27'), Mamadou Samassa (85'), and Fahid Ben Khalfallah (90') providing the scoring, Valenciennes defeated visiting AS Monaco 3-1 Saturday in Ligue 1 play.

Rossoneri Smother Sampdoria

At Milan, Italy:

AC Milan overpowered visiting Sampdoria 3-0 Saturday in Serie A action. The Rossoneri were powered by goals courtesy of Marco Borriello (2'), Clarence Seedorf (21'), and Alexandre Pato (23').

Wolves Hang On For Home Win Over Trotters

At Wolverhampton, England:

Jody Craddock (3') and Nenad Milijas (63') provided the goals as Wolverhampton Wanderers hung on to defeat visiting Bolton 2-1 Saturday to end their eight-match English Premiership winless streak.

Home Win For Bayern At Mochengladbach's Expense

At Munich, Germany:

Mario Gomez (19') and Holger Badstuder (75') provided the goalpower that carried Bayern Munich to a 2-1 home win over Borussia Mochengladbach in Friday German Bundesliga play.

FIFA World Cup Group Stage Draw

Here are the results from Friday's draw for next year's FIFA World Cup at Cape Town, South Africa:

GROUP A:

South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

GROUP B:

Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

GROUP C:

England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

GROUP D:

Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

GROUP E:

Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

GROUP F:

Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

GROUP G:

Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

GROUP H:

Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

Europa League, MatchDay #5, Part Two:

MatchDay #5 in UEFA's Europa League concluded with twelve games on Thursday.

Group D:

At Riga, Latvia:

Raffael provided the only goal of the match at 12 minutes as Hertha Berlin eliminated FK Ventspils 1-0 on the road. The German club currently sits in second place in Group D.

At Lisbon, Portugal:

Leandro Grimi popped in the second-half stoppage-time equalizer (90'+1) enabled Sporting to salvage a 1-1 home draw with SC Heerenveen and lock up first place in Group D.

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Sporting** (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. Hertha Berlin (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
3. SC Heerenveen (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. FK Ventspils# (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 3)

**Clinched top spot in Group D and berth in knockout stage
#Eliminated from European competition

Group E:

At London:

Zoltan Gera's 15th-minute tally held up as Fulham stayed in the hunt for a knockout stage berth with a 1-0 home win over CSKA Sofia, knocking the club from the Bulgarian capital out of European competition.

At Rome:

AS Roma, with goals courtesy of Francesco Totti (PK-32') and Mirko Vucinic (59'), came from behind to defeat visiting FC Basel 2-1 and lock up a berth in the knockout stage.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. AS Roma* (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
2. FC Basel (GP: 5; GD: +4; PTS: 9)
3. Fulham (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 8)
4. CSKA Sofia (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 1)


Group F:

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Gilberto's own goal (50') carried Galatasaray to a 1-0 home win over Panathinaikos that clinched a seeded position in the round of 32.

At Bucharest, Romania:

Marius Niculae provided both goals (41', 57') as Dinamo Bucharest kept their hopes of advancing alive with a 2-0 home win over Sturm Graz.

GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Galatasaray** (GP: 5; GD: +9; PTS: 13)
2. Panathinaikos (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 9)
3. Dinamo Bucharest (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 6)
4. SK Sturm Graz# (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 1)

**Won Group F and clinched berth in the knockout stage
#Eliminated from European Competition

Group J:

At Donetsk, Ukraine:

Despite being held to a 0-0 home draw by Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk still locked up top spot in Group J.

At Toulouse, France:

Daniel Braaten's header at 54 minutes proved to be enough as Toulouse defeated visiting Partizan Belgrade 1-0.

GROUP J STANDINGS:

1. Shakhtar Donetsk** (GP: 5; GD: +12; PTS: 13)
2. Club Brugge (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 8)
3. Toulouse (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 7)
4. Partizan Belgrade# (GP: 5; GD: -9; PTS: 0)

**Won Group J and clinched berth in the knockout stage
#Eliminated from European Competition

Group K:

At Eindhoven, Netherlands:


PSV Eindhoven, with Jonathan Reis' late goal (90'+1) being the only score, secured top spot in Group K with a 1-0 home win over Sparta Prague.

At Copenhagen, Denmark:

Martin Vingaard (37') and Dame N'Doye (43') provided the first-half tallied that carried FC Copenhagen to a 2-0 home win over CFR Cluj.

GROUP K STANDINGS:

1. PSV Eindhoven** (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. FC Copenhagen (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
3. Sparta Prague (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 7)
4. CFR Cluj# (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 3)


GROUP L:

At Vienna, Austria:

Fernando Llorente doubled (19', 84') as Athletic Bilbao locked up a berth in the knockout stage with a 3-0 road win over Austria Vienna.

At Bremen, Germany:

Markus Rosenberg doubled (31', 34') as Werder Bremen overpowered visiting CD Nacional 4-1.

GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Werder Bremen* (GP: 5; GD: +8; PTS: 13)
2. Athletic Bilbao* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
3. CD Nacional# (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 2)
4. Austria Vienna# (GP: 5; GD: -8; PTS: 2)

*Clinched berths in the knockout stage
#Eliminated from European competition