Thunderball

News bits (5/22)
1. Arsenal have completed the signing of Marouane Chamakh.
  Chamakh joins on a free transfer at the end of his contract
  with Bordeaux.

2. Avram Grant has agreed in principle to become West Ham
  manager and sources inside the club insist it is
   "95% certain" he will take the helm at Upton Park.

3. Wigan misfit Olivier Kapo is desperawte for the club
   to release him so he can secure a move back to France
   next season.

4. Netherlands winger Ryan Babel left training on Friday (5/21)
  with an apparent injury to his right hamstring.
  There was no immediate word on the severity on the injury,
  which was reported by Dutch media attending the training
  session in Austria.

5. Sporting Gijon (Spain) has signed Nacho Novo (Rangers)
  on a 20year contract.
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Results of games played last night (5/21)
1. Toulon Youth Festival
Denmark U21 3-1 Qatar U21
Chile U21 5-0 Russia U21

2. UEFA U17 Championship (U17 = Under 17)
Gp A
Spain U17 4-0 Switzerland U17
France U17 1-0 Portugal U17

Gp B
Turkey U17 1-1 Czech U17
Greece U17 0-1 England U17

3. International Friendlies
Estonia 2-0 Finland
DR Congo 0-2 Saudi Arabia

4. Switzerland Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Leg1
Bellinzona (S-Lg) 2-1 Lugano (D1)
Comment  -- Leg2 will be played on 5/26.
The winner will be playing in the Super League next season.
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

It's time to review Spanish D2 (Segunda Division)
1. Weekend Fixtures --
5/22 (Sat)
Albacete vs Cordoba
Cartegena vs Levante  --> Top-of-table clash
Real Union vs Numancia
Castellon vs Huesca
Celta vs Las Plamas
Elche vs Girona

5/23 (Sun)
Rec Huelva vs Hercules
Rayo vs Salamanca
Betis vs Sociedad
Villarreal-B vs Gimnastic
Cadiz vs Murcia  --> Relegation derby

2. Standings -- All played 37 games.
                             Pts
1. Sociedad             65
2. Levante               62
3. Cartagena            61
   --- Promotion line ---
4. Hercules              60
5. Betis                   58
6. Elche                   57
7. Villarreal-B           57

13. Rayo Vallecano    46
14. Celta                  46
15. Las Palmas         45
16. Albacete             43
17. Huesca               42
18. Salamanca          41
   --- Relegation line ---
19. Cadiz                 41
20. Murcia                40
21. Real Union          40
22. Castellon            33

3. Comment
3.1 Cartagena host Levante in this top-of-table clash.
  Both sides are in must win situation to consolidate their
  claim on Runner-up spot or even the championship.
3.2 Sociedad must beat Betis in another top-of-table clash.
  Sociedad has drawn several games in last few weeks.
  Betis can beat Sociedad so they have a claim for
  the promotion spots.
3.3 Hercules must beat Rec Huelva to keep themsevles
  within the top 3 teams.

3.4 Relegation battles
3.4.1 Cadiz face Murcia in this relegation derby.
  This is a must-win situation for both sides.  A draw will not
  help either side.
3.4.2 In another relegation derby, Huesca have a chance
  to beat Castellon to lift themselves to relatively safety.
3.4.3 Rayo Vallecano can beat weak Salamanca to ease
  their relegation worry. They are still in trouble if it is
  only a draw. Salamanca are also looking for a draw or
  a win.
3.4.4 Similiarly, Albacete are also looking for three points
  to lift themselves to relative safety, if they beat Cordoba.
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Today (5/22) fixtures
1. UEFA Champ Lg Final
B.Munich vs Inter

2. England League Championship Play-Off Final
Blackpool vs Cardiff   (at Wembly)

3. Poland Cup Final
Szczecin vs Jagiellonia

4. Toulon Youth Festival (U21)
Japan U21 vs Colombia U21
Ivory Coast U21 vs France U21

5. Japan J2
Toyama 1-2 Kashiwa
Gifu 1-0 Mito
Kumamoto 0-2 Tochigi
Tokushima 0-0 Sapporo
Kitakyushu 0-1 Fukuoka
Kofu 1-0 Okayama
Oita 0-2 Ehime
Ichihara vs Tokyo-V  (not kick-off yet)
Yokohama FC vs Tosu  (not kick-off yet)

6. Japan J1 League Cup
Gp A
FC Tokyo 1-0 Niigata
Kyoto 2-1 C-Osaka
Nagoya vs Omiya  (not kick-off yet)
Gp B
Shonan 1-2 Urawa Red
Yamagata 1-0 Kobe
Shimizu vs Kobe  (not kick-off yet)
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Today's fixtures (continue)

7. International Friendlies
Turkey vs Czech

8. Sweden Allsvenskan League
Trelleborg vs GAIS
Helsingborg vs Halmstad
Djurgarden vs Gefle
Atvidaberg vs Mjallby
Hacken vs Kalmar

9. USA MLS
Seattle Sounders vs San Jose Earthquake
Toronto FC vs New England
Chicago Fire vs Colorado Rapids
Houston Dynamo vs DC Utd
Chivas vs Real Salt Lake

10. Brazil Serie A
Atl GO vs Santos
Palmeiras vs Gremio
Botafogo vs Goias
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Results of games played yesterday (5/22)
1. UEFA Champions League Final
B.Munich 0-2 Inter

2. England League Championship Play-Off Final
Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff
Commnet -- Newcastle, West brom and Blackpool
  will be playing in Premier League next season.

3. Poland Cup Final
Szczecin 0-1 Jagiellonia
Comment -- Jagiellonia will be playing in UEFA Europa Lg
  next season.

4. Spanish Segunda Div (D2)
Albacete 3-0 Cordoba
Cartagena 3-5 Levante
Real Union 4-3 Numancia
Castellon 1-2 Huesca
Celta 1-0 Las Plamas
Elche 4-0 Girona

5. Japan J1 League Cup (Outstanding results only)
Nagoya 1-3 Omiya

6. Japan J2 (Outstanding results only)
Ichihara 2-1 Tokyo-V
Yoko FC 4-0 Sagan Tosu

7. USA MLS
Seattle Sounder 0-1 San Jose Earthquake
Toronto FC 1-0 New England Revolution
Houston Dynamo 2-0 DC Utd

8. Brazil Serie A
Atl GO 1-2 Santos
Palmeiras 4-2 Gremio
Botafogo 3-0 Goias

9. Korea League Cup
Gp A
Chunnam 2-3 Suwon
Jeonbuk 2-1 Geongnam

Gp C
Daejeon 1-4 Busan
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

It's time review Spanish Segunda Div
1. Reults of yesterday's game -- See Post #146

2. Standings (including 5/22 results)
                           P       Pts
1. Levante            38      65
2. Real Sociedad   37      65
3. Cartagena         38      61
   --- Promotion line ---
4. Elche                38      60
5. Hercules           37      60
6. Real Betis         37      58
7. Villarreal-B        37      57

16. Las Palmas      38      45
17. Huesca            38      45
18. Real Union       38      43
   --- Relegation line ---
19. Salamanca       37      41
20. Cadiz              37      41
21. R.Murcia          37      40
22. Castellon         38      33  --> Almost doomed

3. Comment
3.1 Real Sociedad can get back to top the table if they
  beat Real Betis.
3.2 Another interesting relegation derby between
  Cadiz and Real Murica. The winner will get themselves
   a lifeline.
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Results of games played yesterday (5/23)
1. UEFA U21 2011 Qualifiers (Group 2)
Estonia U21 1-0 Turkey U21

2. Toulon Youth Festival
Denmark U21 1-1 Chile U21
Qatar U21 2-2 Russia U21

3. Spanish D2
Rayo 0-0 salamanca
Betis 1-0 Sociedad
Villarreal B 1-0 Gimnastic
Cadiz 1-0 R.Murcia

4. Italian Serie B
Triestina 2-1 Ancona
Cittdadella 3-0 Crotone
Sassuolo 3-2 Empoli
Ascoli 1-2 Frosinone
Vicenza 0-0 lecce
Cesena 2-1 Modena
ASlbinoleffe 1-2 Padova
Gallipoli 1-4 Piacenza
Grosseto 2-2 Reggina
Brescia 3-0 Salernitana
Mantova 0-0 Torino

Comment -- One more round to go. Lecce still lead
   the table on 74pts with Brescia on 72pts.
  The Play-off crowd are not far behind with Cesena (71),
  Sassuolo (68), Cittadella (66), Torino (65).
  Relegation zone -- Salernitana (17), Gallipoli (40) are
   both relegated. Mantova on (47).
  Relegsastion Play-Off zone -- Padova (48), Triestina and
      Vicenza both on (50).
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Results of games played yesterday (5/23)
1. UEFA U21 2011 Qualifiers (Group 2)
Estonia U21 1-0 Turkey U21

2. Toulon Youth Festival
Denmark U21 1-1 Chile U21
Qatar U21 2-2 Russia U21

3. Spanish D2
Rayo 0-0 salamanca
Betis 1-0 Sociedad
Villarreal B 1-0 Gimnastic
Cadiz 1-0 R.Murcia

4. Italian Serie B
Triestina 2-1 Ancona
Cittdadella 3-0 Crotone
Sassuolo 3-2 Empoli
Ascoli 1-2 Frosinone
Vicenza 0-0 lecce
Cesena 2-1 Modena
ASlbinoleffe 1-2 Padova
Gallipoli 1-4 Piacenza
Grosseto 2-2 Reggina
Brescia 3-0 Salernitana
Mantova 0-0 Torino

Comment -- One more round to go. Lecce still lead
   the table on 74pts with Brescia on 72pts.
  The Play-off crowd are not far behind with Cesena (71),
  Sassuolo (68), Cittadella (66), Torino (65).
  Relegation zone -- Salernitana (17), Gallipoli (40) are
   both relegated. Mantova on (47).
  Relegsastion Play-Off zone -- Padova (48), Triestina and
      Vicenza both on (50).
   --- End of Update ---

Thunderball

Here are game fixtures for 5/24 & 5/25.
1. Toulon Youth Festival -- Semi Final
5/25
France U21 vs Denmark U21
Chile U21 vs Ivory U21

2. Internation Friendlies
5/24 (Mon)
Australia v NZ
Japan vs S.Korea
England vs Mexico
Argentina vs Canada
Portugal vs Cape Verde
S.Africa vs Bulgaria

5/25 (Tue)
Armenia vs Uzbekistan
Ukraine vs Lithuania
Georgia vs Cameroon
Nigeria vs Saudi Arabia
Greece vs N.Korea
Montenegro vs Albania
Ireland vs Paraguay
   --- End of Update ---