Brazil beat Ivory Coast 3-1, reach last 16

JOHANNESBURG: Brazil qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup with a 3-1 win against Ivory Coast in their World Cup Group G clash at Soccer City on Sunday, but had star midfielder Kaka controversially sent off.

Kaka was dismissed for a second yellow card in the final minutes for pushing Abdelkader Keita, but it appeared the Ivorian had wildly exaggerated the impact of the shove by falling to the ground clutching his head.

The Brazilians opened the scoring with typical flair when Kaka slotted a pass between two Ivory Coast defenders for Luis Fabiano who blasted his shot high into the net past the Elephants” goalkeeper Boubacar Barry on 25 minutes.

Luis Fabiano got his second goal when he battled through the Ivorian defence, chipped the ball over two defenders, and finished with a low left-foot shot, although there was a suspicion he brought the ball down with his arm.

Kaka was also the provider for the third goal when his low cross was neatly finished off by Elano after the hour-mark.

But minutes later Elano had to be stretchered off the pitch after what appeared to be a nasty shin injury.

Ivory Coast pulled a goal back through Chelsea star Didier Drogba – who started the game despite the broken right arm he suffered in a pre-World Cup friendly – who directed a header past Brazil ”keeper Julio Cesar with 79 minutes gone.

Chelsea beats Villa to reach FA Cup final

LONDON: Defending champion Chelsea returned to England”s FA Cup final Saturday with a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.

Didier Drogba scored on a ball from John Terry in the 68th minute and Florent Malouda side-footed home a right-wing cross from Michael Ballack in the 89th minute at Wembley Stadium. Frank Lampard knocked in the third goal in injury time.

In the May 15 final at Wembley, Chelsea will face the winner of Sunday”s semifinal between Tottenham and Portsmouth.

Chelsea also leads the English Premier League.

Pakistan Cricket Team Leaves for Dubai

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Pakistan Cricket Team Leaves for Dubai was first posted on October 30, 2009 at 7:44 am.

Arsenal Crashes Liverpool 2-1

Arsenal Vs Liverpool 2-1, LONDON: A young team Thursday night Arsenal won seven times League Cup Champions Liverpool 2-1 in an absorbing Carling Cup tie fourth round at the Emirates Stadium.

Fran Merida thundered in a shot from 18 yards to put Arsenal ahead early in the first half of Emiliano Insua Liverpool drew 6 minutes later with an excellent dipping 25-yard strike.

Nickolas Bendtner shot in the roof of the net in the second half to secure Arsenals place in the quarter-finals.

At Stamford Bridge, Saloman Kalou gave the home side the lead, Florent Malouda scored the second a low drive sealed the victory Deco and a header from substitute Didier Drogba rounded off in style.

The 4-0 score line serves as testimony to a great performance, coherent than it was in much of Chelsea’s second string team.

In another tie of the night, crossed the Manchester City to a 5-1 victory over Championship side Scunthorpe. A midweek Serie A Juventus tie scored two victories on the bounce with a 5-1 victory over Sampdoria at the Stadio Olimpico blows.

Amauri, Giorgio Chiellini, Mauro Camoranesi and David Trezeguet goals substitute at Juventus produced his best performance of the season to leave behind Sampdoria, for which Giampaolo Pazzini grabbed a consolation second.

And in tennis, Serena Williams finished the year as world number one after Dinara Safina withdrew due to a back injury since the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha.

The Wimbledon champion Williams later won his second match of the tournament, defeating her older sister Venus 5-7 6-4 7-6.

Serena had to win only one more game than Safina of Russia to reach the leaderboard.

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Arsenal Crashes Liverpool 2-1 was first posted on October 30, 2009 at 8:30 am.