BARCELONA, Spain -- Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 4-2 while Sporting Lisbon remained undefeated in European home games this season after a 2-1 comeback win over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday.
Cheap Jerseys. Atletico dominated fellow Spanish rival Valencia at Vicente Calderon Stadium in one of the 2010 champions finest performances under coach Diego Simeone that featured Radamel Falcao netting his 31st and 32nd goals of the season. "Of course I am happy for the goals, but the important thing is that we won in such a commanding fashion," Falcao said. In Lisbon, Emiliano Insua and Diego Capel scored in the 76th and 80th minutes to keep Sporting undefeated in 12 consecutive European home games. Bilbao takes home Jon Aurtenetxes valuable away goal and will try to rebound in next weeks second leg to set up an all-Spanish final on May 9 in Bucharest, Romania. Atletico bossed the match from the start and deservedly went ahead 18 minutes in through Falcaos opener. Forward Arda Turan fought to win possession on the right flank and picked out Falcao in the area to turn his cross into the net with a sharp header. Valencia snatched an equalizer three minutes into first-half injury time when Jonas fired home a corner flicked on by Adil Rami. Miranda put Atletico back in front four minutes after the restart with a header, and striker Adrian Lopez made it 3-1 in the 54th with a superb individual effort. Falcao then scored his second goal with an unstoppable left-footed blast that clipped the underside of the bar before finding the back of the net in the 78th. "The triumph isnt definitive, but we have to be content with the result," said Simeone. Falcaos double levelled him with Schalkes Klass-Jan Huntelaar as the tournaments top scorers this season with 10 each. The Colombia striker, who won the Europa League last season with Porto, is the competitions all-time leading scorer with 23 goals in 23 appearances. Valencia defender Ricardo Costa scored with another header off a corner four minutes into stoppage time. "The goal in the final minute gives us hope we can turn this around," said Valencias Roberto Soldado. "Mestalla Stadium will be fundamental to try and rebound to make the final." Sporting outdid Bilbao at its own game at Jose Alvalade Stadium by unleashing a frenetic, pressing attack that kept Bilbao on the back foot. Bilbao earned wide praise for its victories at Manchester United and Schalke in the previous two rounds but Fernando Llorente, who has six goals in 11 Europa League appearances, was rarely in action. After holding off the hosts through the first half, Aurtenetxe tapped in a Markel Susaeta cross at the back post in the 54th against the run of play. Fernando Amorebieta came close to extending Bilbaos lead soon after when he hit the post from inside the area. But by the end Bilbaos defence looked ragged and the relentless onslaught from the home team soon paid off when Insua headed to make it 1-1 before Capel grabbed the winner with a long-range strike. "It would have been unfair to lose," Capel said. "We played a spectacular game in every facet. We could have won by a wider margin with all the chances we had." Bilbao was unbeaten in its previous five games in the tournament.
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Wholesale Jerseys China. The trophies were handed out Monday at a ceremony and were voted on by more than 5,000 people, made up of footballers, coaches, referees and journalists. Alongside Ibrahimovic in the team of the year were: Antonio Di Natale, Edinson Cavani, Kevin Prince Boateng, Thiago Motta/Claudio Marchisio (joint winners), Marek Hamsik, Pablo Armero, Andrea Ranocchia/Alessandro Nesta (joint winners), Thiago Silva and Christian Maggio.
http://www.choicejerseys.com/. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli says he wishes the 21-year-old forward well, "but he needs to improve and this is a change I have to make." Balotelli wasted several chances in the first half of Italys 1-1 draw with Croatia on Thursday, appearing hesitant in front of goal.
Wholesale Jerseys Cheap. Capello has reportedly been in talks with Chelsea about taking over at Stamford Bridge. The 65-year-old Capello says hes aware of the reports, and adds: "I will not go to Chelsea.
Cheap Jerseys China. The open house would offer Formula One fans access to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Thursday, giving racing lovers a chance to see cars up close, tour the pit lanes and get autographs from some of the drivers. Instead, it was scrapped due to security concerns.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- What Tom Moore saw this week was oh, so familiar. Short or long, the throws were potent and precise, smacking sternums with both authority and a loud thwack. Peyton Manning is most certainly back. The Denver Broncos wrapped up their three-day minicamp that capped their off-season work Thursday with another spirited practice marked by precision and power from their new 36-year-old quarterback. On hand as a guest all week was Moore, Mannings offensive co-ordinator for all but one season when the two were in Indianapolis. "Watching these three days, he looked excellent to me," said Moore. Manning has shown no ill effects of the nerve issue that caused weakness in his throwing arm last year, required four neck operations, forced him to miss the entire 2011 season and led to his release from the Colts. The biggest free agent in NFL history looks better and better every day as he regains strength and adjusts to his new team. "We dont think about the injury anymore," said receiver Brandon Stokley, who played with Manning in Indianapolis. "And Im not sure he does, either." The Broncos took a chance by signing the leagues only four-time MVP to a five-year, $96 million deal in March, and with off-season on-field work out of the way and training camp seven weeks away, all indications are theyre getting the Peyton Manning of old. Manning said he wishes he could have tripled the 13 off-season practices they were allowed to hold, but he cherished the time nonetheless. Over the last two months, hes shown both himself and John Elway, who recruited him to this quarterback-crazed town, that he still has plenty left in his right arm that has thrown for 54,828 yards and 399 touchdowns and hoisted a Super Bowl trophy. Manning averaged 42 passes a game in his last full season, in 2010, but the Broncos dont plan on having him air it out that much. Theyre meshing some of the power formations they used in leading the league in rushing last year with some of the spread formations that Manning was accustomed to running in Indianapolis. The reconstruction of both quarterback and offence appears to be going very well, indeed. Manning has given the Broncos no reason to hold back once training camp rolls around, offensive co-ordinator Mike McCoy said. "Were going fullspeed ahead. Were being aggressive with everything were doing," McCoy said. "Hes fine. We have no concerns right now. Were not worrying about it. Were moving forward." With his arm strength not really an issue, the question facing Manning is whether he can get his timing down with his new targets. "Theres lots of things that enter into it, obviously, accuracy, anticipation, touch, arm strength, you know, its an all-iinvolved thing," Moore said.dddddddddddd. "He looks good. He looks excellent." Manning is loath to declare himself injury-free, insisting he has much work to do in his rehab just as he does in preparing for the 2012 season. "You dont really expect him to say anything else," Stokley said. "Thats just kind of his persona, its all about work every day, trying to get better. No matter if hes having one of his best years ever as a quarterback. Even during his MVP years, hes still saying the same stuff: Just trying to get better every day." Moore said Mannings well-known work ethic is what will push him through this season. "Nobody works harder than him," Moore said. "On anything. Anything. I mean, his work habits are fantastic. Hell be successful his entire life at whatever he does. Because of his work ethic and his dedication and his commitment to what hes doing." When he was asked this week whether the Broncos had the potential to be as potent as the Colts were under his stewardship, Manning demurred. "Im not doing the comparison game to the other offences," he said. "I think what were trying to do right now is form our identity. And I dont think that necessarily happens over 14 practices in May and June. I do think over training camp and into the preseason, I think hopefully well get a feel for the things that we really do well." Even if Mannings right arm isnt 100 per cent this season, his mind is, Stokley said, noting that while "hes never had the strongest arm," nobody can decipher a defence and then pick it apart like Manning. Mannings arrival has had its anticipated ripple effect on both the offence and defence, and most of the six practices the media were allowed to watch were crisp. If anything, Mannings throws were sometimes too strong, sailing over his receivers heads. Stokley said Manning is the ultimate leader because everybody around him gets better. He saw it in Indy and hes witnessing it now in Denver. "Whatever he asks, guys will do, because theyve seen what it can lead to. It can lead to great things for teams and individuals," Stokley said. "Theres no questioning him. Its not phoney with him. You see it firsthand, how hard he works, how hard he prepares. "And its by far more and harder than anybody thats ever played this game. Theres no question in my mind that nobody else has even come close to putting in the kind of effort and work that hes put into the NFL." NOTES: Moore, 73, who was a consultant with the Jets last year, had his right knee replaced in the spring and will have his left one fixed in August. "So, next season Id like to coach again," he said. "Ill be in good shape." ' ' '