WORLD: Cannavaro isn't infallible
- by Soccer America , Dec 26, 2006
The Italian defender, named the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year and 2006 European Player of the Year, was robbed of the ball on the edge of the area by young Frenchman Florent Sinama-Pongolle for the first Recre goal in the 35th minute. In the second half, he was turned inside out by Nigerian Ikechuckwu Uche, who hammered home a right-footed shot for the second goal.
Ironically, Cannavaro was only playing on Wednesday because Real Madrid successfully appealed his second yellow card that earned him a red card last Sunday.
Earlier on Wednesday, Recreativo had asked for a postponement of the game after four fans traveling to the game were killed when their bus crashed into a stationary truck on the highway. Another 14 Recreativo supporters remained in serious condition.
The loss drops Real in third place five points behind leader Sevilla, which beat struggling Deportivo Coruna, 4-0. Mali international Frederic Kanoute extended his La Liga scoring lead by getting his 13th and 14th goals of the season.
ENGLAND. Substitute Didier Drogba's goal on a free kick in the 79th minute gave Chelsea a 1-0 win at Newcastle United and moved it into the semifinals of the League Cup. Tottenham needed overtime to beat Southend United of the League Championship, 1-0. Wycombe Wanderers of the Football League 2 (fourth level) advanced to the final four on Tuesday after beating Premier League club Charlton, 1-0. The fourth quarterfinal match between Liverpool and Arsenal was postponed because of fog and rescheduled for Jan. 9.
GERMANY. Bayern Munich's bid for a third straight German Cup title went up in smoke as Alemannia Aachen produced the shock of the season with a 4-2 win in the round of 16. Aachen went ahead 3-0 before Bayern scored two goals. Jan Schlaudraff, a Bayern winter transfer target, added an insurance goal. Bayern's last loss in the German Cup was also at the hands of Aachen in February 2004. Second Division Kickers Offenbach is the only minor-league team left in the competition. Americans Steve Cherundolo and Joe Enochs had mixed results. Cherundolo's Hannover beat Duisburg, 1-0, while Enochs' Osnabrueck fell at home to Hertha Berlin, 3-0.
ITALY. Inter Milan won its 10th straight Serie A game -- a club record -- in impressive manner, defeating Lazio, 2-0, in Rome despite playing the entire second half with 10 men after Macedonian-Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off. Inter won on goals by Argentine Esteban Cambiasso and Italy national team defender Marco Materazzi. On the last day before the Christmas break, Roma remained in second place with a 2-1 win over Torino.
