ENGLAND 2 SPAIN 1 | SPAIN MISSES QUALIFICATION FOR U-17 EURO FINALS

Bad news tonight for Spanish Football fans from the U-17 Euro front. ENGLAND defeated SPAIN 2 – 1 to take the Top spot of the Group & thus qualify for the U-17 European Finals in Serbia later this year. Said in another way, Spain misses out.

Spain U-17 /photo Giovani de Paola

England was superior & Spain managed to keep things equal up until the 55th min mark when REDMOND scored for England, then the English got another goal in the 62th min via JACKSON. Spain tried hard to get something back & they managed a consolation goal in the last moments via IÑIGUEZ.

The other bad news directly related from this outcome is that Spain will neither be involved in the U-17 World Championships.

Details:

2 - ENGLAND:Pickford; Cousins, Jackson, Lundstram, Smith; Chalobah, Sterling, Powell (Caskey, min.74) Magri; Redmond & Magri

1 - SPAIN:Herrero; Caballo, Garrido (Calvet, min.72), Sáez, Arroyo; Deulofeu, Ñiguez, Íñiguez, Bardonado (Vico, min.63); Denis Suárez & Raúl de Tomás (Iker Hernández, min.56)

GOALS:1-0, min 55. Redmond.2-0, min 62. Jackson.2-1, min. 80+. Íñiguez.

LITHUANIA 1 SPAIN 3 | EURO 2012 GROUP I QUALIFIER RESULT

SPAIN managed to win away to LITHUANIA 1 - 3 in their EURO 2012 Group I qualifier to give them another victory, consolidate the Groups Top spot & put them nearly into the Euro Finals of next year. The match went ahead after UEFA officials & the French referee decided that the turf ( without grass ) was apt to play on & safe. Correct decision as no one from both teams were injured in a game played in good spirits as there was no difficult situations for the referee. 

Xavi scores for Spain: photo-J.A.Gracia/Marca

Spanish Coach Del Bosque put the following starting 11: Casillas; Iraola, Piqué, Albiol, Arbeloa; Xabi Alonso, Javi Martínez, Xavi, Cazorla, Villa & Llorente, with At.Bilbao defender Iraola winning an International Cap & other well know stars getting a rest.

The match was played well considering the circumstances of the surface with Spain dominating & with Lithuanian goalkeeper Karcemarskas stopping the Spanish forwards. The first goal came in the 19th min via XAVI HERNANDEZ which took a slight deflection to loop over the goalie.

The second half saw Spain begin well until Valencia CF defender & Lithuanian Captain STANKEVICIUS got onto a "cracker" from 30 mts to power drive passed Iker Casillas with an unstoppable goal. This raised the confidence of the home team & they put Spain under pressure & gave them their worst 15 mins of Football. Spain reacted with substitutions giving David Silva & Juna Mata a run & it paid off.

Spain scored their second in the 70th min via an own goal from defender KIJANSKAS who could do little as Llorente was in clear shot position, then JUAN MATA finished off a nice worked play with a third for Spain in the 83rd min.

Great result for Spain & even better was the fact that no one got injured playing on a "terrible" ground, that at least held out the full 90 minutes.

SPAIN 5 NORTHERN IRELAND 1 | EURO U -17 GROUP QUALIFIERS

The Spanish U-17 National Football Team played Northern Ireland today & won 5 – 1 in their Group qualifier for the upcoming U-17 European Championships. The Spanish Team clearly dominated & was 3 – 0 after 45 minutes. The second half saw Spanish Coach Gines take off some important players (the main name being Deulofeu) & give others a run. This did not seem to halt the Spaniards momentum as they scored two more goals, although Northern Ireland got a consolation goal.

Spanish U-17 International Deulofeu

Spain will meet England on Thursday which will be the vital match of the Group as it is more than likely that the winner here not only takes Top Group spot but puts one foot into the Euro Finals. 

Details:

5 - SPAIN : Herrero (David Gómez, min.79); Menéndez, Garrido, Sáez, Luque; Deulofeu (Moisés, min.50), Calvet, Íñiguez, Vico; Denis Suárez (Raúl de Tomás, min.74) & Iker Hernandez.

1 – NORTHERN IRELAND : Brennan; McLaughlin, Jones, Clarke, McNally; Barton, Wilson, Morgan, McElroy; Ball (McAllister, min.58) & McCartan.

GOALS:1-0, min. 19: Deulofeu; 2-0, min. 31: Denis Suárez; 3-0, min. 38: Iker Hernández; 3-1, min. 59: Morgan; 4-1, min. 68: Iker Hernández; 5-1, min. 84: Pol Calvet

SPAIN 1 BELARUS 1 | U-21 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

The SPANISH U-21 FOOTBALL TEAM played a friendly match against BELARUS in Madrid with the final result a 1 - 1 draw. Spain used this match to fine-tune themselves for the upcoming U-21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS in Denmark next June where team also play for a place in the upcoming London Olympic Games.

Spanish U-21 International Bojan 

The Spanish team started with the following 11:

De Gea; Montoya, San José, Domínguez, Vila; Parejo, Fontás, Ander Herrera, Capel; Adrián & Bojan.

The Spaniards dominanted from start to finish the game but were not able to break through the tough & tactically positioned  Belarus side & their defensive wall. It was Spanish player & Getafe midfielder PAREJO who managed to score in the 67th min, to see REKISH equalize for Belarus in the 75th min.

Spanish Coach Milla gave everyone a run & the match finished with Spain having a good sparring partner to test things & see what they need to better if they are to do well in the Euro Championship & get a London Olympic Euro place.

The only bad news was the ankle injury that young FC Barcelona player Bojan received that may keep him side-lined a few weeks. At first sight it did nt look bad but needs to have the doctors have a look at his ankle.

SPANISH MOTO GP 2011 JEREZ | LORENZO - TEROL WIN THEIR CATEGORIES

A wet & slippery Jerez circuit made todays SPAIN MOTO GP 2011 in all catagories exciting, controversial & with Spanish riders doing overall well. 

Jorge Lorenzo win Spanish MotoGP 2011

Current Spanish GP World Champion JORGE LORENZO managed to win in the GP category giving him the maximum points to take him into top spot of the current classifiaction table with 45 points. Secod place with 36 points is another Spaniard, Dani Pedrosa who came in second in  todays race infront of American Nicky Hayden who was third.

Rossi & Stoner incident 

Currently third on the World Championship classification table, Australian Casey Stoner did not finish due to a "race incident" with Italian Valentino Rossi when the latter slipped-slided in a risky curve manoeuvre that took out Stoner. Rossi managed to get back on his bike & he finished 5th, causing Stoners anger to explode even more after the Australian left  furious & latter applauded "ironcally" as Rossi rode pass.

Rossi visited Stoner in boxes after the race to excuse himself but Stoner looked extremely "pissed-off" as he did nt get any points due to Rossi´s very "aggressive riding" that cancelled him out & his chances to win todays race. 

Iannone wins Moto2

IANNONE won the Moto2 category ahead of Luthi with third place to Corsi. The best placed Spanish rider was SIMON who came in 6th in today's race. Promoted Spanish rider & last years 125cc World Champion Marc Marquez again failed to finish after a rider collided into his bike forcing Marquez to retire.

Spanish rider Terol wins 125cc

Big win for Spaniard TEROL who takes the lead in the 125cc World Champions table. The seconds place race winner today was Folger & third place went to Zarco

There will be a short break & MOTO GP returns the beginning of May with the Portuguese GP

REAL MADRID CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL JOY & DILEMMA

Tonight is very special for REAL MADRID CF , & risky in many ways. It has been 7 years & 12 days since last the "Santiago Bernabeu" with its fans witnessed a Quarter Finals stage of the Champions League. Apart, they face a very competitive English Premier League Club Tottenham Hotspurs. 

Cristiano Ronaldo training Real Madrid

That´s the good news, the risky part is the thought & option being considered in putting "injuried" player CRISTIANO RONALDO in the starting 11. News is that the medical team have advised another week of rest as there exists a possiblity of a new muscle "tear" that could side-line the ace for a month. An upcoming "complicated" month that has an upcoming Liga "classical" against FC Barcelona, the Final of the Spanish Cup against Barça & if both manage to pass their Champions League Q/Finals, two semi finals legs Real Madrid - FC Barcelona.

The dilemma is whether to play, or not,  with Ronaldo in this first leg when he can return in 100% form for the 2º leg CL match at "White Hart Lane" in London.

The other risk is of course a bad result. There will be pressure on Real Madrid as the home side with the need to win & well. The Madrid Club has virtually said goodbye to the Spanish League title & have placed all their hopes & objectives on the Champions League title ( with the Spanish Cup). This must put the pressure on.

Either way we are assured of a great match tonight, a potentially "dangerous" game for the home side not to be missed.

REAL MADRID 4 TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 0 | RESULT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 1ºst LEG QUARTER FINAL

REAL MADRID defeated TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 4 - 0 in the 1º st leg of the CHAMPIONS LEG Quater Final match in Madrid. This results "virtually" sets the path clear for Real Madrid to get into the semi-final even if next week they must travel to London to play the 2º leg clash & avoid surprises.

Peter Crouch sent off 14th min

Real Madrid started on fire & overran the English side scoring a quick goal via ADEBAYOR in the 4th min. Then Tottenham forward PETER CROUCH received two yellow cards in quick succession that finished in a red card & left his team down to 10 men. The last yellow card may have been harsh as I have seen worst go unpunished, but it was a vital moment of the match & unfortunately for Tottenham.

As it happens, Tottenham played better with 10 & BALE became a constant worry & danger as he was liberated from his defensive duties & his team-mates set up a defensive wall. Very effective strategy as Real Madrid played their worst Football.

There was a controversial moment towards the end of the 1ºst half when Dawson clearly hand balled in the area but Real Madrid were not given the penalty.

Adebayor scored twice tonight

The English resistance lasted until Marcelo who was superb tonight crossed & found the head of ADEBAYOR for his ( & Real Madrid) second goal in the 56th min. From here onward Real Madrid took full control via XABI - brilliant tonight - along with Lass Diarra who came on as substitute to orchestrate play.

Di Maria scored a "cracker" third

Then a real "screamer" from outside the box blew the roof off the stadium & took the last wind out off Tottenham when DI MARIA cracked it in for the third goal in the 71st min. Real Madrid continued & Kaka who also came on late as a substitute found CRISTIANO RONALDO who volleyed in the fourth goal of the night in the 86th min. 

Now its off to London next week for the 2ºleg were nothing is impossible for Tottenham, but very difficult indeed.

SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE | ROUND 30 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS

SPANISH FOOTBALL continued this Sunday with six games of Round 30 played of the Spanish League. Great matches with comebacks & plenty of goals. Here is a brief summary of events, the final results & the scorers.

Deportivo Lassad puts his team ahead

DEPORTIVO won 2 -1 REAL MALLORCA in a vital game as the home side struggles to get out of the relegation zone gravitational force & constant pull. Mallorca got ahead first in the 26th min via WEBO & the visitors were looking good. Deportivo Coach Lotina must have said something to his boys as the second half saw a transformation that began with the equalizer in the 54th min via XISCO & the second (the winner) in the 66th min via LASSAD.

Levente keep winning

LEVANTE are still on a roll as they secure their mid-table position with a 3 - 1 victory over MALAGA who are in deep relegation zone trouble. The man of the match was Levante player STUANI with two goals ( 5th & 70th min) along with team-mate RUBEN scoring the third in the 8th min. The only goal for Malaga came in the 60th min when SEBAS FERNANDEZ scored.

Drenth is back for Hercules

REAL SOCIEDAD was beaten by HERCULES which needed the points like air if they are to serious consider getting out of the relegation zone. Tough affair all match until PORTILLO scored for Hercules in the 69th min, which was then followed by the "Royston DRENTE Show". The "bad boy" scored twice ( 84th & 89th min) to settle things & secure the points for his team. Real Sociedad finally managed their well earned consolation goal in the 93rd min via IFRAN. New Hercules Coach Djukic praised Drenthe in his post-match press conference.

Colsa for Racing de Santander

Comeback for the visitors RACING DE SANTANDER to win 1 - 2 RCD ESPANYOL. The home team got ahead via a penalty transformed by OSVALDO. Racing took control in the second half & began working their comeback with goals from COLSA in the 50th min & the winner via young GIOVANI in the 75th min. Espanyol will be disappointed as they have lost the steam of the first part of the season.

Sevilla-Real Zaragoza

SEVILLA FC defeated a sticky REAL ZARAGOZA 3 - 1 in a controversial game of Football. Very equalled & fought out in the midfield with Sevilla getting ahead first via PEROTTI in the 43rd min. Zaragoza reacted immediately in the second half equalizing via JAROSIK in the 47th min:

Then came the controversy as Sevilla was awarded a very doubtful penalty in the 56th min that KANOUTE converted. This angered the visitors & shifted their concentration on other things except playing Soccer. The third goal for Sevilla came via another penalty in the 93rd min which NEGREDO transformed.

Diego Costa HAT-TRICK for At Madrid 

Important away victory for ATLETICO DE MADRID 2 - 3 against OSASUNA putting the former just a game out of their seasons objective, the Euro ladder positions. Very exciting & entertaining game with Osasuna getting ahead via SOLE in the 31st min. From here Atletico de Madrid took complete control with the help of a very sloppy Osasuna defense. Atletico forward DIEGO COSTA scored a HAT-TRICK with goals in the 38th, 61st & 63st min.

Atletico then missed a penalty in the 70th min which Reyes failed, but Osasuna did convert theirs later via NEKOUNAM in the 81st min. To finish, there was a red card to Osasuna defender Sergio in the 84th min.

Tomorrow MONDAY NIGHT match: Almeria vs Athletic de Bilbao