Melbourne Victory in contract negotiations with midfielder Carlos Hernandez over new deal

Hernandez has been heavily tipped to depart Victory, but the club has entered into negotiations with the Costa Rican



Carlos Hernandez may yet stay at Melbourne Victory, with the club announcing on Monday they have opened contract negotiations with the Costa Rican playmaker.

Many had expected international marquee Hernandez to depart the club after 37 goals in 129 appearances since joining Victory in 2007, with his contract up at the end of the 2011-12 season. Reports had circled that Hernandez's appearance in Friday's 3-0 win over the Wellington Phoenix - in which he struck a superb goal and impressed throughout - had been his last.

Attacking midfielder Hernandez had been the subject of several of signs and banners displayed by fans during the match, imploring him to stay or thanking him for his time at the club.Now, however, the club has revealed in a statement on their website that they have opened talks with the 29-year-old Hernandez, who has scored nine goals this season and contributed two assists and is "certainly in the club's future plans".

"Now we're at the end of our season, we've started negotiations with Carlos and his management over a new deal," Victory managing director Richard Wilson said on Monday."Players of Carlos' quality are difficult to find, so we'll be working hard to re-sign him."

Victory have already signed Gold Coast left-back Adama Traore and youngster Julius Davies as part of their rebuilding process for the 2012-13 season, while Central Coast defender Sam Gallagher has been linked with a move and former Newcastle Jets defensive utility Adam Griffiths is on trial at the club. - http://www.goal.com

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Despotovic goal delivers victory for Reds against Reysol

Urawa Reds beat Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 on Saturday to leave the reigning J. League champions still searching for their first win of the new season.



Reysol clinched their first-ever title at Saitama Stadium on the final day of last year's campaign, but Urawa ensured there would be no happy return thanks to a 36th-minute goal from striker Ranko Despotovic.Reysol conceded an injury-time equalizer to draw 3-3 with Yokohama F. Marinos in last weekend's league opener — after losing to Thailand's Buriram United in the Asian Champions League — but manager Nelsinho is refusing to press the panic button just yet.

Despotovic's goal gave Urawa its first home league win since July 23, and new manager Mihailo Petrovic is hoping he will not have to wait so long to celebrate another. Urawa's Tomoaki Makino and Yosuke Kashiwagi both went close in quick succession midway through the first half, but the warning went unheeded as Despotovic pounced for the opener. The Serbian capitalized on a clumsy first touch from Jorge Wagner close to goal, before cutting inside to fire a left-foot strike past Takanori Sugeno. Wagner lashed a free kick over the bar moments later, and compatriot Leandro Domingues went even closer when he hit the woodwork early in the second half.But Reysol struggled to create chances as time wore on, and had Sugeno not denied Genki Haraguchi with a fantastic point-blank save in the 69th minute, the damage could have been even greater.

Elsewhere in the J. League, Cerezo Osaka edged city rivals Gamba Osaka 2-1 thanks to a 94th-minute goal from Kempes, Kawasaki Frontale beat Kashima Antlers 1-0 to pick up their second win of the season, and Vegalta Sendai also stayed perfect with a 2-0 win over Marinos.Omiya Ardija came from behind to beat Albirex Niigata 2-1, Shimizu S-Pulse edged Sanfrecce 2-1, while Vissel Kobe beat Consadole Sapporo and Jubilo Iwata also got the better of Sagan Tosu by the same scoreline. In the day's late game, FC Tokyo defeated Nagoya Grampus 3-2. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp/

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Kashima Antlers Vs Kawasaki Frontale match preview

JAPAN J-LEAGUE DIVISION 1: 12BET odds Kashima Antlers Vs Kawasaki Frontale 3/17 1PM GMT+8

Kawasaki started with a narrow 1-0 win over Niigata in the first game of the season last week, but had to work hard for it and did not seem in top condition. Kashima lost 1-0 away to Sendai in an emotional game one year after the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Sendai area. Both teams need more time to settle and create understanding.

Kashima - with a new coach and many changes in the playing area looked far from a team. Nozawa, having moved to Vissel Kobe, will be missed on set pieces and this could have a big negative effect on the team. Kawasaki will be happy with a first win and three points last week but they, too, were far from being ready to challenge for honours this season.

 

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Besiktas vs Atletico de Madrid English Liga match preview

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: 12BET odds Besiktas vs Atletico de Madrid 3/16 4:05AM GMT+8

Besiktas have won just three times in 14 games against Spanish sides, all of which came on home soil. (W3 D3 L9) The Black Eagles last reached the quarter-finals of this competition in 2002/03, where they lost to Lazio. Besiktas are not enjoying their finest spell of form, having only won twice in their last 11 fixtures in all competitions.

Atletico Madrid's only defeat against Super Lig opposition was a 1-0 loss to Ankaragucu in the second leg of a 1999/00 UEFA Cup first round tie. Los Colchoneros have only been defeated on the road once in their last eight European games. Udinese earned a 2-0 win at Stadio Friuli in this year's Europa League group stage. Radamel Falcao needs just two more goals to match current leading goalscorer, the eliminated Matias Suarez. The Colombian also has one less strike than Schalke's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who still remains in the tournament.

 

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Marinos peg back champions Reysol

KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Leandro Domingues lived up to his billing as reigning J. League Player of the Year with a five-star performance Sunday, but Hiroyuki Taniguchi stole the show with a dramatic late equalizer as Yokohama F. Marinos held champions Kashiwa Reysol 3-3 in a gripping season opener.



Leandro was involved as Reysol twice took the lead through Hiroki Sakai and Junya Tanaka, respectively, only for Nelsinho's men to be pegged back by goals from Masashi Oguro and highly touted forward Manabu Saito. The Brazilian appeared to have sealed victory in the 64th minute, beating Hiroki Iikura with a delicate but deadly strike that would have provided Reysol with a major lift following defeat midweek in their Asian Champions League debut.But Taniguchi, who entered the fray in the 82nd minute, had the last word, bundling home in the first minute of injury time.

Nelsinho made just one change to the side that started in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat to Thai champions Buriram United, with new signing Ricardo Lobo partnering Tanaka at the expense of veteran striker Hideaki Kitajima.The game exploded into life with less than three minutes gone as Sakai fired Reysol in front, the Japan Under-23 defender prodding in after Jorge Wagner had acrobatically flicked on Leandro's free kick.At the other end, Yuji Ono forced Takanori Sugeno into action and with shades of offside, former Japan forward Oguro briefly silenced the sea of yellow fans in the expanded stand behind the goal when he struck from close range.

But Kashiwa needed just five minutes to restore its advantage and it was the Leandro-Wagner hotline at work once again, Tanaka applying the finishing touch in front of national team coach Alberto Zaccheroni.Yokohama struggled to contain Wagner, who twice had headers saved by Iikura as Kashiwa pushed for a third, and Leandro went close when he found the roof of the net two minutes into the second period.Yokohama, not for the first time on a sunny afternoon in north Chiba, had a strong claim for a penalty waved away when Wataru Hashimoto appeared to handle in the area in the 49th minute.

And the visitors will probably feel justice was done, if only partially, on the hour mark as Saito let rip with a blockbuster that flew into the left-hand corner to briefly draw them level.Yokohama manager Yasuhiro Higuchi was pleased his team had produced three goals in the absence of injured striker Marquinhos, but also admitted that some dubious officiating by referee Nobutsugu Murakami had been a source of stress. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

World Player of the Week: Lionel Messi - Barcelona

The Argentine striker was in top form this week as he grabbed five goals in the dominant win over Leverkusen before getting another double against Racing Santander at the weekend



Lionel Messi has already broken and created records in his still-fledgling footballing career and the Argentina international continues to astound, as he consolidated his case to become the world’s best footballer of all time in midweek.

The 24-year-old bagged five of Barcelona’s goals in the Catalan giants’ 7-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, becoming the first player in the new era of the competition to do so. It was a perfect performance from Messi that saw him get 10 out of 10 in Goal.com’s Player Ratings for the match.Messi was not done, however, as he hit two more goals on Sunday in Barca’s 2-0 victory at Racing Santander in La Liga. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner now has 50 goals to his name for the Blaugrana in all competitions this season.

It was a sublime week for Messi, who has once again been in astounding form this season and looks set to write many more pages in the history books. - http://www.goal.com/

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Lucas gives FC Tokyo season-opening win over Omiya Ardija

SAITAMA — FC Tokyo made a winning return to the J. League first division with a 1-0 victory over Omiya Ardija as the new season got under way on Saturday.



Tokyo won the second division at the first time of asking last year following a shock relegation in 2010, but Omiya left the capital city side in no doubt that life in the top flight will be a different story after dominating the first half at Nack5 Stadium.But Brazilian striker Lucas struck in the 61st minute as Tokyo found new life after the break, and Omiya could find no reply as the visitors went on to control the second half and give new manager Ranko Popovic the start to the season he was looking for.

Omiya had to wait until late August before picking up its first home win last season, but manager Jun Suzuki was unconcerned at missing the chance to exorcise those demons from the outset of the new campaign.

New Tokyo signing Kenichi Kaga almost got his league debut off to the worst possible start when his slip let in Keigo Higashi as early as the first minute, but goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda spared the defender's blushes with a smart diving save.Gonda again came to Tokyo's rescue with a fantastic double stop from Cho Young Cheol midway through the first half, before Rafael went tantalizingly close after sliding in at the back post.

Tokyo went into the interval lucky to be on level terms, but the visitors returned for the second half with renewed vigor and it was not entirely against the run of play when Lucas gave them the lead shortly after the hour mark. The Brazilian flicked the ball up when it came to him on the edge of the box, then swiveled to lash a fierce shot past Takashi Kitano.

Nagoya Grampus also made a winning start — 1-0 over Shimizu S-Pulse — while Urawa Reds manager Mihailo Petrovic endured an unhappy visit to former team Sanfrecce Hiroshima as Hisato Sato gave the home side a 1-0 victory.Vissel Kobe beat Gamba Osaka 3-2 in one of the day's few high-scoring games, with Consadole Sapporo drawing 0-0 with Jubilo Iwata and Sagan Tosu also playing out a scoreless tie with Cerezo Osaka.Kawasaki Frontale beat Albirex Niigata 1-0, while defending champions Kashiwa Reysol begin their campaign against Yokohama F. Marinos in Sunday's only fixture. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments