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AfricaPreviewScheduleSpain

What To Watch Today: Côte D’Ivoire vs Angola, Osasuna vs Atlético Madrid

January 30, 2012 — by Suman

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We've got to post a quick recap of what we watched this past weekend--but first, very briefly, here are two games today that you could tune in for, in case you're looking for something to watch this afternoon/evening (depending on your timezone): African Cup of Nations, Côte d'Ivoire vs Angola (1pmET, Al-Jazeera Sports / Eurosport International): The group stage of AfCON2012 wraps up over the next couple days. These are the top two teams in Group B, and will most likely advance to the knockout stage (Sudan, who are simultaneously playing Burkina Faso, can advance only according to a very convoluted--but not impossible--scenario: Sudan will advance to the quarterfinals as the second-placed team in the group if they defeat Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire defeat Angola and the combined margin of the two wins is at least 3 goals, or Sudan score at least 3 more goals than Angola do, or the combined margin

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AfricaEnglandPreviewScheduleSpain

What To Watch This Weekend: FA Cup, African Cup, Serie A, Eredivisie

January 28, 2012 — by Suman

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Saturday, January 28 England FA Cup, Liverpool-Manchester United (7:30amET FSC): The most heated of English rivalries?  Which has become even more fraught with the Evra-Suarez controversy--due to which the essential Uruguayan striker is still sidelined for this one.  Liverpool has been relying on Craig Bellamy up front--leaving a £35 elephant on the sideline.  Man U continues to lose players to injury--Phil Jones being the latest--but after some mid-season wobbles somehow seems to keep winning. African Cup, Ghana-Mali(2pmET Al Jazeera Sports USA): The one African Cup of Nations group stage match that we'd circled to watch. Ghana is one of the co-favorites to win the whole thing (along with the Ivory Coast), with largely the same squad that went to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in South Africa (and would have made the semifinals if not for the goal line stand of the aforementioned Luis Suarez).  Mali looks like they've got

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EnglandPreviewScheduleUnited States

What to Watch Today: Everton vs Fulham – Donovan vs Dempsey

January 27, 2012 — by Suman

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There's a whole slate of FA Cup 4th Round matches this weekend, kicked off by a match today that is especially interesting for viewers on this side of the pond. Everton hosts Fulham, which means it's also a faceoff of the two best American players of this generation: Landon Donovan vs. Clint Demspey. England FA Cup, Everton vs Fulham (3pmET, USA TV: Fox Soccer Channel) Grant Wahl has a SI column up today previewing the matchup between "the two best American field players of their generation" which is worth reading in its entirety. Some excerpts: Who's done better with the national team? Donovan. Who's had a better European club career? Dempsey. Who's got more endorsements? Donovan. Who's been better overall the past 18 months? Dempsey. Who's done more to grow MLS? Donovan. Who's got the better chance to be the U.S.'s first European superstar? Dempsey. Donovan just rejoined Everton earlier

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CommentaryEngland

The Night Arsene Lost the Stadium

January 26, 2012 — by Rob Kirby — 1

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After the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday, I was emailing with a friend who has been an Arsenal season ticket holder since the ‘70s. He knows infinitely more about the team than I do, so I figured I’d let him speak in his own words. (My email comments inserted for clarity of what questions/comments he’s responding to.) _____ Me: Crazy outrage from the fans yesterday. Incidentally, I really hate Piers Morgan. http://cultfootball.com/2012/01/can-arsenal-please-disown-piers-morgan/ Response: Last night represented a tipping point the moment that Arsene lost the stadium. And here is the key thing, doesn't really matter if he was right or not about taking off the Ox (i.e. the strain) the thing is that people no longer trust him. The anger and resentment at the lack of recruitment is going to boil over... Bad times ahead, but here is the thing, due to injuries we have no

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EnglandItalySpainThe Americas

What We Watched Yesterday + W2W Today: Three More Cop(p)a Matches

January 26, 2012 — by Suman

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Yesterday was quite an afternoon of football, with two compelling Cup matches.  Turns out there's more today--another Copa del Rey quarterfinal second leg, another Coppa Italia quarterfinal, and--this just in from our Uruguayan buddy--it's time for Copa Libertadores again.  Click thru for livesoccertv's TV listings and match previews: Coppa Italia quarterfinal – Milan vs Lazio - 8:45pm CET / 2:45pmET / 7:45pm GMT (USA: GolTV, ESPN3.com): From FootballItalia: "It is a swift return to San Siro [for Lazio], where the Biancocelesti were beaten 2-1 [by Milan] at the weekend." Copa dey Rey quarterfinal – Levante vs Valencia – 10pm CET / 4pm ET / 9pm GMT (No USA TV): The 2nd leg of this Valencia derby is at Levante's home field (Estadio Ciudad de Valencia), with Valencia holding a commanding 4-1 lead from the 1st leg at the Mestalla.  Remarkably, however, Levante are 4th in La Liga, just 4 points behind

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EuropeSpain

¡El Clásico Fantasico!

January 26, 2012 — by Sean — 1

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What started off el clásico predictable turned into a wide-open and exciting affair. Though they were the losing side, Madrid's performance is sure to embolden them on their league return to the Camp Nou.

AfricaCommentary

My Kingdom for an AFCON Group of Death

January 25, 2012 — by Rob Kirby

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Without a “Group of Death,” and without 5 of the top 8 ranked African countries (Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa all failed to qualify), the opening stages of the African Cup of Nations lacks a bit in the tasty fixtures department. For perspective, Tunisia, the participating country with the fourth-highest FIFA ranking is still behind tiny Cape Verde Islands (who also did not qualify). Far too sensibly, the four teams with the best shot at hoisting the trophy—the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia—each belong to a different group, so there’s no early heavyweight matchups. (Damn Pot A...) Tunisia and Morocco dueled in a North African derby of sorts on Monday, as did neighbors Mali and Guinea yesterday, but until the tournament enters the knockout stages, it’s hard to call any match a must-see event. (Tunisia and Mali both won.) Even if something must-see does arise, it’s impossible

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