Short Soccer, February 18, 2013
Celtic manager Neil Lennon hailed his side after they bounced back from their disappointing Champions League defeat to Juventus with a 6-2 thrashing of Dundee United.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon hailed his side after they bounced back from their disappointing Champions League defeat to Juventus with a 6-2 thrashing of Dundee United. "It was a fantastic performance," Lennon said. "There is never a good time to play us but after Tuesday night there was an angry team out there. I think off the back of Tuesday the players obviously wanted to put in a strong performance. That's not easy and they were hurting but they've picked themselves up very well and some of the football going forward was fantastic. We scored six goals but it could have been more." AFP
PSV Eindhoven captain Mark van Bommel was delighted with his team after they came from behind to beat visitors Utrecht 2-1 and move six points clear in the Dutch league despite finishing with 10 men. "This was a match with everything in it and one we really had to win," said Van Bommel. "We created the chances and deserved the win but they were tough to play with their square midfield that keeps playing football." PSV, who had Atiba Hutchinson sent off for a second yellow card after 70 minutes, are top with 50 points from 23 matches ahead of Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord and Twente Enschede. Reuters
An injury-time Rod Fanni goal gave Marseille a barely deserved 1-0 win over Valenciennes to move the former champions within five points of leaders Paris Saint-Germain. With PSG fans drooling over the prospect of David Beckham making his debut for the club against longtime rivals Marseille this coming Sunday, the latter were determined to set themselves up as realistic title challengers. Marseille fans will hope their side produce rather more scintillating football in this week's French than they did for long periods against a Valenciennes side destined to spend the season comfortably ensconced in mid-table. But defender Fanni insisted his side were good value for their win. "We deserved it as we had more chances than Valenciennes," said Fanni. "We gave it a real go in the first half and I said in the dressing room at half-time we had to calm things down - we couldn't risk losing this chance to get back on track." AFP
Former England captain Paul Ince is set to be confirmed as Blackpool manager today after he watched the Championship club's 1-0 defeat at Ipswich on Saturday. Ince has been in talks for several days and caretaker manager Steve Thompson revealed that the 45-year-old was on the brink of agreeing a deal. "There's going to be an announcement on Monday. It's going to be Paul Ince," Thompson said. "The deal is very close to being done." With his son Tom a key figure in the Blackpool forward line, Ince has been an ever-present at home games this season and knows the set-up inside out. AFP
