Chelsea arrive in Kuala Lumpur

Following visits from the Gunners and the Reds, Chelsea FC fall in line next to face our Harimau Malaya. 

The Blues, equipped with the likes of Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba, will be at a special training session today at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

They will then take on the Harimau Malaya XI squad on Thursday, also at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Didier Drogba

Fernando Torres

Frank Lampard

John Terry

Nicholas Anelka

Andre Villas-Boas

Japan beat USA on penalties to win women's World Cup

Japan twice came from behind to win the Women’s World Cup for the first time, beating the US 3-1 on a penalty shoot-out after the final had finished 2-2 in extra-time.

Captain Homare Sawa, who won the Golden Boot and the player-of-the-tournament award, struck the equaliser in the 117th minute to keep Japan in the game after US striker Abby Wambach’s had put her team ahead early in extra-time as the two sides were locked 1-1 at over 90 minutes.

In the dramatic shoot-out, Japan goal-keeper Ayumi Kaihori saved two penalties before defender Saki Kumagai hit the winning spot-kick.

The US had taken the lead in the second-half of normal time courtesy striker Alex Morgan’s sublime strike, but Japan’s Aya Miyama poached the equaliser after a mix-up in the American defence in the 81st minute.

This was Japan’s first win over the Americans at the 26th time of trying and was heartbreak for the Stars and Stripes as they missed out on a third World Cup title despite dominating Japan for large periods of the game.

Mohd Arif juarai Sirkit Kebangsaan Terbuka Kedah

Mohd Arif Abdul Latif

Pemain remaja kebangsaan, Mohd. Arif Ab Latif muncul juara setelah menewaskan Chan Kwong Beng pada Kejohanan Badminton Sirkit Kebangsaan Terbuka Kedah di Dewan Badminton Persatuan Badminton Kedah (KBA), Alor Setar semalam.

Kemenangan Mohd. Arif merupakan kejayaan kedua selepas meraih kejuaraan sama pada Terbuka Kuala Lumpur selepas menewaskan wakil BAM-Perak, Kwong Beng yang juga juara Terbuka Kedah tahun lalu.

Pemain berusia 22 tahun yang mewakili BAM-Negeri Sembilan itu menerima tentangan sengit daripada Kwong Beng, 23, sebeum meraih kemenangan 21-15, 11-21, 25-23 pada permainan selama sejam.

Pada set ketiga, Kwong Beng menekan Mohd. Arif dengan saling mengejar mata bermula pada mata 17 dalam saingan yang cukup mendebarkan. Bagaimanapun, kemenangan akhirnya berpihak kepada Mohd. Arif dengan kedudukan 25-23.

Naib juara Remaja Asia 2007 membawa pulang wang tunai RM4,000, manakala Kwong Beng menerima RM2,000.

Hadiah kepada pemenang disampaikan oleh Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Industri Pelaburan, Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani, Biotekno- logi, Pembangunan Luar Bandar dan Basmi Kemiskinan Negeri Kedah, Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah.

Bagi perseorangan wanita yang menemukan adik beradik, Sonia Cheah Su Ya yang berhasrat untuk membalas dendam menewaskan kakaknya, Lydia Cheah Li Ya tidak kesampaian apabila tewas 15-21, 16-21 dalam permainan selama 40 minit.

Pada aksi beregu campuran Mohd. Fairu- zizuan Mohd. Tazari-Ng Hui Lin menewaskan pasangan, Tan Wee Kiong-Woon Khe Wei 21-13, 21-15.

Bagi beregu wanita pula, pilihan kedua kejohanan, Chin Eei Hui-Goh Liu Ying menepati ramalan apabila muncul juara setelah mengenepikan pasangan Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei 21-14, 21-18.

Beregu lelaki pilihan pertama kejohanan, Hoon Thien How-Tan Boon Heong pula tidak perlu memerah kudrat apabila meraih kemenangan percuma setelah pasangan Koo Kien Kiat-Mohd. Zakry Ab Latif menarik diri akibat kecederaan yang dialami Kien Kiat.

Pasangan yang mewakili BAM-Kuala Lumpur/Selangor itu membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai RM6,0000.

Liverpool beat Malaysia 6-3

Star signing Charlie Adam opened his account with a goal for Liverpool as the Reds beat Malaysia 6-3 Saturday, scoring five times in the second half after a sluggish start to the friendly.

Liverpool, who kicked off their Asian tour in China three days ago, made 11 changes to their line-up after the break, and it paid dividends as they gave the 80,000-strong crowd at Malaysias biggest football stadium, the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, their moneys worth.

Adam celebrated his full debut for Liverpool by giving them the lead from a hotly disputed penalty 24 minutes into the game, but then gave away the free kick from which Malaysian skipper Shafiq Rahim equalised with an exquisite shot from 30 yards (27 metres).

Adam, who signed for the Reds a week ago, dominated the midfield in the opening 45 minutes and created numerous chances for his teammates, all of which went begging.

"It feels great to score my first goal, or should I say two as the referee made me take the penalty twice and I scored both times," joked the former Blackpool skipper.

"I've got to thank Joe Cole as he was supposed to take the penalty but he gave the ball to me instead. It was a tough match and the Malaysian boys gave us a good fight."

French striker David Ngog, who replaced Andy Carroll after the break, scored two in as many minutes to give Liverpool a 3-1 lead before Argentine winger Maxi Rodriguez made it 4-1 in the 74th minute.

Malaysias top striker Mohamad Safee Mohamad Sali then scored his own brace to narrow the gap.

Rodriguez, however, nodded in from close range off a Dirk Kuyt cross in the 90th minute, and Kuyt burst through the Malaysian defence in injury time to make the final score 6-3.

"After that performance, I think they will be inviting us back again. We said we wanted to entertain the crowd and I think we did just that," Liverpool assistant manager Steve Clarke said.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish left the team's Malaysia tour early and returned to England to finalise the signing of England winger Stewart Downing from Aston Villa.

Downing completed his transfer to Liverpool on Friday after passing a medical, becoming Dalglish's fourth major signing of the summer following Jordan Henderson, Adam and Alexander Doni.

"There will be some players who will be elated that we scored three times against a top club but others will be sad we conceded six times. There were sloppy goals and I'm not too happy about that," Malaysian coach K. Rajagopal.

Charlie Adam




Joe Cole

Liverpool teruja sambutan peminat di Malaysia

Sejak ditubuhkan pada 1892, skuad Liverpool akhirnya menjejakkan kaki di Malaysia semalam untuk aksi persahabatan menentang skuad kebangsaan di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil petang esok.

Ia kunjungan pertama Liverpool selepas kelab itu tidak lagi menjadikan syarikat arak sebagai penaja utama. Ia kini ditaja Standard Chartered dan ini sekali gus menamatkan penantian panjang penyokongThe Reds di negara ini.

Pengarah Urusan Liverpool, Ian Ayre berkata, beliau teruja melihat kehangatan sambutan penyokong Liverpool di China dan Malaysia pada kunjungan kali ini.

"Penyokong The Reds cukup ramai di sini dan kami akan cuba memberikan sesuatu yang terbaik pada perlawanan Sabtu ini bagi memastikan kunjungan kami diingati sampai bila-bila.

"Biarpun kami mengambil masa cukup lama untuk hadir ke Malaysia tetapi kami berharap dapat kembali semula ke sini pada siri jelajah akan datang," kata Ayre pada sidang media di Hotel One World, Bandar Utama, Damansara petang semalam.

Sementara itu, pengurus Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish pada sidang media yang sama turut memberi amaran bahawa tiada laluan mudah buat skuad kebangsaan pada aksi petang esok.

"Aksi pramusim ini merupakan peluang terbaik untuk pemain-pemain mencari semula tahap kecergasan. Buat masa ini, saya berpuas hati dengan siri jelajah ini.

"Cuma ketika bertemu Guangdong Sunray Cave, kita telah mendahului 4-1 tetapi membuat kesilapan mudah melepaskan dua gol pada lima minit terakhir.

"Saya mahu para pemain memperbaiki segera kesilapan dan gunakan sebaik mungkin siri jelajah ini sebagai persiapan menghadapi musim depan.

"Biarpun susah untuk meraih trofi kejuaraan tetapi kita akan berusaha memulakan saingan musim depan dengan langkah kanan," kata Dalglish.

Tidak sampai 24 jam menjejakkan kaki ke negara ini, anak-anak buah Dalglish telah menjalani latihan di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil bermula 7 malam sebagai persediaan menentang skuad Harimau Malaya.

Penampilan kali pertama barisan The Reds ternyata telah memukau kira-kira 7,000 penonton yang hadir ke stadium semalam bagi menyaksikan sesi latihan pemain-pemain pujaan mereka itu.

Dirk Kuyt

Andy Carrol

Arsenal 4 Malaysia 0

Arsenal started their pre-season Asian tour with a resounding 4-0 victory over a spirited Malaysia side at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Wednesday.

The Gunners, who last played in Malaysia 12 years ago, dominated from start to finish, with team boss Arsene Wenger starting out with a young side before some of his best-known stars came on in the second half.

Left-back Kieran Gibbs was keen to make an impression on Wenger following the sale of Gael Glichy, but the form of reserve right-back Carl Jenkinson will have left the Frenchman shaking his head.

The youngster was time and again left for dead by speedy Malaysian winger S. Kunalan, who carved out numerous opportunities, although the Gunners' defence stood firm.

Arsenal teenagers Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey dominated the centre of the park.

Wilshere caused panic in the Malaysian defence after just five minutes and was poised to shoot before Mahalli Jasuli brought him down, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Ramsey converted the penalty, coolly sending the keeper the wrong way.

Malaysias best chance came when skipper Safiq Rahims free-kick from more than 35 yards out was tipped over for a corner by Wojciech Szczesny.

With Wilshere and Ramsey dictating the pace, Arsenal went further ahead in the 37th minute when the latters through ball released Theo Walcott down the right.

The England international kept his head to lob an onrushing Mohamad Yussoff to make it 2-0.

Arsenal made seven changes at half-time with the more experienced Tomas Rosicky, Carlos Vela, Denilson and goalkeeper Vito Mannone all coming on.

It took the rejigged Gunners a while settle and Kunalan nearly pulled a goal back when he once again ran past Jenkinson, but shot straight at Mannone.

A couple of minutes later, Mannone held on to the ball for too long and Malaysia were awarded a free-kick just inside the box, but Safiqs attempt hit the wall.

Arsenal slowly edged back into the game and came close on several occasions before Mexican hotshot Vela chipped Malaysias substitute keeper Khairul Fahmie Che Mat in the 58th minute.

The changes everyone in the stadium wanted came in the 67th minute when Arsenal brought on Samir Nasri, who is being chased by Manchester United and Manchester City, Robin Van Persie, Andrey Arsharvin and Barcary Sagna.

Rosicky made it 4-0 in the 90th minute, nodding home from close range.

Wenger, who still hopes to hold on to Nasri, said he was delighted to see him turn on the style and help the Gunners to a convincing victory.

"Samir (Nasri) has always been committed to the team and we saw that today," Wenger said.

"He did very well coming off the bench. Im willing to keep him for another year, even if it means we risk losing him for nothing in a years time."

"I think the board agrees with me as it is a technical decision," he said.

"Our goal is to win the championship and we need good players to do that."

Asked about captain Cesc Fabregas, who is wanted by Barcelona, the French boss responded: "I dont want to comment on what some Barcelona players are saying, about how Fabgregas wants to leave, but all I can say is, we want to keep him."

Malaysian manager, K. Ragagobal, said: "The early penalty killed off the match. They were simply too good, but we didn't play our usual game."

Arsenal will play their next match in China on Saturday.

Malaysia play Liverpool on Saturday before taking on Singapore in a World Cup qualifier in two weeks time.