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Sunday, April 23, 2017

A la final de FA Cup: Alexis Sanchez maravilla en Wembley



El chileno le dio la clasificación al Arsenal en el minuto 101. Tras vencer por 2-1 al Manchester City de Claudio Bravo, enfrentarán al Chelsea en la final de la FA Cup.

Alexis maravilla en Wembley
No podía ser otro el que le diera la clasificación al Arsenal. Debía ser la figura, el goleador, el número 7. Alexis Sánchez apareció cuando lo hacen las estrellas, en las instancias finales, en donde se ve realmente de qué está hecho un jugador.
Fue un partido en donde la actitud superó el juego. Arsene Wenger regaló el primer tiempo con un planteamiento mezquino, indigno de una instancia tan decisiva como ésta. Parecía que el francés no estaba al corriente del contexto en el que su equipo y él mismo arribaban a esta semifinal.
Y Pep Guardiola se mantuvo fiel a su estilo. La oportunidad de conseguir una final que le permita obtener su primer título frente al Manchester City no la iba a dejar pasar. En conferencia de prensa se muestra confiado, asegurando que una temporada sin trofeos es un fracaso, pero que tiene el apoyo de la directiva del club. No obstante, está preocupado. Sabe que Manuel Pellegrini consiguió dos títulos en su primera temporada con mucho menos. Las expectativas son altas y un entrenador de su estirpe no puede defraudar.
Así que su equipo salió con todo y se hizo del balón en el primer tiempo. Los Gunner no tuvieron incidencia y Giroud casi no tocó la pelota. Özil desaparecido. Alexis en zonas más defensivas. No era un buen panorama.
Pero aguantaron la primera mitad con el arco en cero y la actitud cañonera cambió en el segundo tiempo. Dominaron el encuentro y se volcaron al área rival. Hasta que en un contragolpe Sergio Agüero (62′) abrió la cuenta para los Ciudadanos.
Era el mejor momento del Arsenal y si el empate no llegaba pronto, podía ser un golpe muy duro. Pero llegó en los pies de Monreal a los 71′ y así terminó el segundo tiempo.
La prórroga es tierra de nadie y así mismo se presentó en esta semifinal. El equipo de Alexis se vio más entero, con el chileno siendo protagonista en cada ataque. A los 101′, tras una serie de rebotes luego de un tiro libre al costado del área, el delantero nacional las hizo de “9” y anotó en área chica.
Por más que intentó, el Manchester City no logró la paridad. La primera temporada de Guardiola termina en nada, mientras que a Wenger le queda la opción de obtener un premio de consuelo y, además, créditos para continuar su proyecto en el cuadro de Londres. Alexis, en tanto, se erige como la gran estrella del Arsenal. Una que hoy maravilló en Wembley.
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2017 Futsal Canadian Championship Final Match from Queen's University, Kingston, ON between Saskatoon Olimipia SK FC vs. Montréal Sporting Outlaws FC live 23 April at 12:00 p.m. ET




2017 Futsal Canadian Championship Final Match from Queen's University, Kingston, ON between Saskatoon Olimipia SK FC vs. Montréal Sporting Outlaws FC live 23 April at 12:00 p.m. ET

Saskatchewan and Quebec to play in 2017 Futsal Canadian Championship Final

Posted on 22 April 2017 in Futsal Canadian Championship
Saskatoon Olimpia SK FC, playing in Saskatchewan’s first-ever Futsal Canadian Championship, have secured a place in Sunday’s final. The match will be a replay of the final round robin match from Kingston, ON.
Québec’s Montréal Sporting Outlaws FC finished first in the round robin round with six points after their 2:1 victory over Olimpia SK FC 22 April. Kahil Naji scored both Québec goals while Jerson Barandica Hamilton scored his second of the tournament in a losing effort for Saskatchewan.

Fustal Club Toronto were eliminated after being defeated 9:3 in the opening match against Sporting Outlaws FC and drawing Olimpia SK FC 5:5. The Ontario representative were tied with Saskatchewan on a single point from two matches but lost the opportunity at the Grand Final on goal differential finishing at -6 while Saskatchewan finished -1.
In addition to the Championship, Saturday afternoon featured a Youth Futsal Clinic with Canada Soccer’s Futsal Head Coach Kyt Selaidopoulos. The clinic included participants from the Kingston area.

Canada Soccer's 2017 Futsal Canadian Championship




Canada Soccer's 2017 Futsal Canadian Championship

21-23 April in Kingston, ON. Live via Canada Soccer TV (www.youtube.com/c/canadasoccertv/live)
Schedule of Events
Friday 21 April 2017
19.00 ET: Sporting Outlaws FC (QC) vs. Futsal Club Toronto (ON)
Saturday 22 April 2017
11.00 ET: Futsal Club Toronto (ON) vs. Olimpia SK FC (SK)
14.00 ET: Youth Futsal Clinic
18.00 ET: Olimpia SK FC (SK) vs. Sporting Outlaws FC (QC)
Sunday 23 April 2017
12.00 ET: Championship Match 1st Place Round Robin vs. 2nd Place Round Robin
14.00 ET: Awards Ceremony

2016

The Canada Soccer Futsal Canadian Championship runs 9 & 10 April 2016 and will be livestreamed via CanadaSoccer.com from Durham College in Oshawa, ON.

The Ontario Soccer Association play host for the two-match final between Toronto United Futsal of Ontario v Sparte FC of Québec.
The weekend will also see a range of futsal activity including a National Futsal team training session and coaching clinic with head coach Kyt Selaidopoulos.
Additionally, the Ontario Soccer Association U-16 boys futsal final and an exhibition match between women's teams from Ontario and Quebec will be featured.

This is the second Futsal Canadian Championship after last year’s inaugural event in which Ontario’s Futsal Club Toronto won the two-match final by a combined score of 13-7 over Québec’s Albiceleste.

2016

Saturday 9 April 2016 2 p.m. (EST)
Toronto United Futsal of Ontario 4:3 Sparte FC of Québec
Watch
Sunday 10 April 2016 1 p.m. (EST)
Sparte FC of Québec 3:4 Toronto United Futsal of Ontario
Watch

Thursday, April 20, 2017

WORLD CUP 2026: Canada, Mexico and US poised to confirm bid to share 2026 World Cup







Canada, Mexico and US poised to confirm bid to share 2026 World Cup
     

(Photo: Getty Images)
by Keir Raadnedge, AIPS Football Commission Chairman
LONDON, April 9, 2017 - A “historic announcement” has been promised imminently which is expected to confirm that Canada, Mexico and the United States will submit a bid to cohost the 2026 World Cup finals.

The likelihood of the tournament being staged in the CONCACAF region has been increasingly likely ever since an initial TV deal with Fox and Telemundo was signed by world federation FIFA in 2015.

That was widely seen as a move by the regime of former president Sepp Blatter by avoid legal action after the US was surprisingly beaten to the 2022 staging by Qatar.

Then, last October, FIFA Council under new president Gianni Infantino indicated not only an increase in the number of finalists but an end to the governing body’s opposition to cohosting and the return to a rotation system for staging. This ruled out serious rivalry from Europe and Asia.

January’s decision to expand the finals to 48 teams meant few countries will be able to host the finals on their own in future and offered CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani the opportunity to avert what would have been damaging infighting between the US, Mexico and his own Canada.

Over the weekend, after a meeting in Aruba, a CONCACAF source indicated to the media that the trio were preparing a joint bid for 2026; a “historic announcement” would be made on Monday by Montagliani, USSF president Sunil Gulati and Mexican federation head and CONCACAF vice-president Decio de Maria.

This confirmed comments made exclusively to this writer by De Maria last week.

He said: “We have been saying for the past five years that we wanted to try to host the World Cup in 2026 and nothing has changed our interest and determination.

“Our fans are excited about the chances to make football history by co-hosting and in seeing the Estadio Azteca become the first stadium ever to host matches in three different World Cups.

“We are in discussions about this. I think we get on well with the other federations and I am very positive about the idea. We have other excellent venues and, after all, Mexico is a football-crazy nation.”

De Maria has not been deterred by controversy over US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to build a border wall.

He said: “There is a political issue, of course, but we have plenty of time and this is talking about sport and a great opportunity for all our countries.”

The success of a three-way bid would make Mexico the first country to host the World Cup three times after 1970 and 1986.

The 1994 tournament in the US set an match attendance average and total attendance records that still stand even though the tournament has since expanded from 24 to 32 countries.

Canada has never hosted the men’s tournament but was praised widely for its hosting of the Women’s World Cup in 2015.

However it will take some delicate negotiating to decide how the high-prestige matches are split between the trio.

Early speculation has suggested the Opening Match might be staged in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca with the Final in the US – possibly Pasadena as in 1994 – and ‘junior partner’ Canada enjoying at least one of the semi-finals.

The only previous co-hosting was in 2002 when South Korea and Japan shared the finals in an overtly political decision. Seoul staged the Opening Match and Yokohama the Final.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

FIFA RULES: The Under 14 Boy's Futsal World Cup will take place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil from 10-14 October 2017.





The Under 14 Boy's Futsal World Cup will take place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil from 10-14 October 2017.
This is exciting news in junior futsal and has been a long time coming on the international scene.
Planned and built in the 1890s, Belo Horizonte features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings, and hosts several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. 
Chosen as one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World CupTM, Belo Horizonte is a national reference in sports and IFA are very excited to have this city host the 14 Boys Futsal World Cup 2017
For further information on the World Cup please contact events@interfa.org

BARCELONA 2017: Competing nations announced for inaugural IFA Women’s Futsal World Cup

 
Competing nations announced for inaugural IFA Women’s Futsal World Cup

The countdown clock has begun to tick and in just over two months, one of the most exciting events of the global futsal calendar will be kicking off. On May 17th countries from around the world will touch down in Lloret de Mar, a stone’s throw from Barcelona, for the inaugural International Futsal Alliance (IFA) Women’s Futsal World Cup.

No less than five continents, from all corners of the globe, are represented in what is shaping up to be a truly worldwide event. Hosts Catalonia are joined by fellow Europeans France and Sweden; Australia and New Zealand represent Oceania; USA and Mexico travel from North America; India and Nepal fly the flag for Asia; and the final team competing are Namibia of Africa.

The IFA’s David Sance said: “It’s a great honour for the Pavilion El Moli complex (pictured, below) in Costa Brava to be given the chance to host an event of this magnitude. We are delighted to bring some of the world’s most talented female futsal players to a region that is so passionate about the game. The locals will be treated to five days of top class international sport and the players can look forward to first class facilities and culture.”



Following the opening day on May 17th, two more days of group action follow, before ‘Semi-final Saturday and ‘Grand Final Sunday’. The matches will be broadcast live online across the world through the IFA’s YouTube channel, in addition to access all areas media coverage from throughout the event.

The tournament is the second World Cup event organised by the IFA, following the boys’ U17 World Cup in 2016. That tournament was held in Dundee, Scotland and saw Australia beat USA in a gripping final to be crowned champions. Both of those nations are back in 2017, with the female players attempting to emulate their male counterparts. 

Sance continued: “The mission of the IFA is to offer countries from around the world high standard international tournaments. This event will give players the chance to not only compete at the highest level, but have an unforgettable experience off the pitch and make friends for life. Women’s futsal is a rapidly growing sport and deserves this platform.”

In the weeks to come, we will be introducing you to each of the competing nations in more depth. Stay tuned to the IFA website and social media channels, for all of the breaking news in the build up to what promises to be an unforgettable tournament.


The Under 14 Boy's Futsal World Cup will take place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil from 10-14 October 2017.
This is exciting news in junior futsal and has been a long time coming on the international scene.
Planned and built in the 1890s, Belo Horizonte features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings, and hosts several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. 
Chosen as one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World CupTM, Belo Horizonte is a national reference in sports and IFA are very excited to have this city host the 14 Boys Futsal World Cup 2017
For further information on the World Cup please contact events@interfa.org

CANADA DAY 2018 AND CANNABIS DAY: Landlords fear property values will go up in smoke with marijuana legalization



Marijuana could be legal in Canada as early as next summer, and landlords are already concerned that new laws could pose risks to their property.
The federal government is expected to announce this month that pot will be legalized by July 1, 2018. The expected new laws will allow Canadian residents to grow up to four plants at home.
But some landlords are worried that those new liberties could put their property at risk, and are calling on the feds to give owners authority over whether their tenants are allowed to grow pot.
"This product doesn't belong to be grown or smoked, frankly, in rental apartments," said David Hutniak, president of Landlord B.C.
Where there's smoke, there's fire
Hutniak is concerned that allowing four plants to be grown per household could lead to significant damages that will ultimately cost homeowners.
His calls come after a recent CBCGo Public article that outlined the difficulties landlords face obtaining homeowners insurance when their tenants run legal grow-ops without their consent.
Under most basic home insurance policies, marijuana-related damages or anything that companies believe to be high risk is not covered.
In turn, medical marijuana patients are legally allowed to grow plants in their home without their landlord's consent. It is unclear whether that right will carry over to basic users once cannabis is legalized — but Hutniak fears that landlords will have little control over the growth of cannabis in their homes.
"We still feel strongly that as this legalization process goes forward, the federal government needs to talk to our industry. They really haven't," he said.
Hutniak says growing in rental units should be banned unless landlords specify otherwise.
No different than house plants?
But marijuana advocate Dana Larsen questions Hutniak's rationale — especially considering residents will be limited to just four plants.
"You can grow four plants in four buckets of soil on your patio," he said, adding that there's little danger and threat to property with small-scale operations. "There are some pretty safe self-contained growing methods."
In contrast. Larsen says many shoddy and dangerous grow-ops are the result of prohibition.
"With legalization, it will be much easier to cover and maintain [plants] because the threat of prohibition isn't forcing people to hide."
He says if landlords can't keep you from growing house plants, they shouldn't be able to keep you from growing cannabis.
"I think it should be treated like any other plant."
With files from CBC's B.C. Almanac

ELECCIONES PRESIDENCIALES EN ECUADOR 2017: Lenín Moreno, un Presidente en silla de ruedas, apela a un estilo opuesto al de Correa

Durante la campaña reconoció que “era necesario otro estilo” de gobernar, basado en el “diálogo”. Pese a su preocupación por los discapacitados, tema económico sería el eje de su gestión.
Lenín Moreno, un Presidente en silla de ruedas, apela a un estilo opuesto al de Correa
En su primer acto institucional tras su triunfo en las elecciones presidenciales del domingo en Ecuador, el candidato oficialista Lenín Moreno asistió ayer al tradicional cambio de guardia que cada lunes se celebra en el Palacio de Carondelet, en Quito, en compañía del jefe de Estado, Rafael Correa.
Pese a que su rival, Guillermo Lasso, insistía en no aceptar los resultados parciales oficiales ante la existencia de lo que llamó “irregularidades” en el escrutinio (ver recuadro), Moreno agradeció el apoyo recibido en las urnas y dijo que su gobierno seguirá “en la línea de favorecer a los más pobres de la patria”. Insistió en que será el Presidente de “todos los ecuatorianos, pero fundamentalmente de los pobres”.
Moreno, de 64 años, Vicepresidente entre 2007 y 2013 y parapléjico desde hace casi dos décadas, prometió durante la campaña que mantendría el “Socialismo del siglo XXI”, con el que Correa modernizó el país gracias a la renta petrolera, aunque con “ciertas variaciones importantes”. Asimismo, se desmarcó del carácter de su antecesor, enfrentado desde hace años a sectores como la prensa y cierta clase empresarial, y aseguró que “es necesario otro estilo” de gobernar, “un estilo del diálogo, el estilo de la mano extendida”.
Y es precisamente en el estilo donde los expertos creen que Moreno tratará de diferenciarse de Correa. En ese sentido, el analista y sociólogo Wladimir Sierra explica a La Tercera que el futuro mandatario “busca diferenciarse sobre todo en las formas. Trata de corregir los puntos más débiles del Presidente Correa, entre otras cosas, su carácter confrontativo, su intolerancia a escuchar a la oposición, su ruptura radical con algunos actores sociales”. En la misma línea, el cientista político Santiago Basabe señala a este medio que Moreno “seguramente va a bajar el tono álgido y represor de la relación frente a actores que disienten con su gobierno”.
En cuanto a este punto, Sierra destaca que si bien estos cambios tienen que ver con el carácter de Lenín Moreno, “están relacionados sobre todo con una nueva correlación de fuerzas”, ya que el sucesor de Correa “gobernará con menos apoyo popular y arrastrará una serie de dificultades económicas, sociales y políticas, de tal modo que de continuar con el modo de gobierno de Correa su mandato de debilitaría vertiginosamente”.
Asalto en 1998
Un asalto a las seis de la tarde, cuando regresaba de una panadería, el 3 de enero de 1998, fue el episodio que marcó la vida de Moreno. Ese día fue interceptado por dos delincuentes y, a pesar de no poner resistencia, recibió un disparó a quemarropa en la espalda que dañó su médula espinal y lo dejó sin movilidad en ambas piernas.
Como Vicepresidente de Correa, entre 2007 y 2013, Moreno lideró las misiones solidarias Manuela Espejo y Joaquín Gallegos Lara, en favor de las personas con discapacidad. Asimismo, durante su gestión se sancionó una ley que obliga a las empresas a contratar a personas con discapacidad.
“Justamente ahí (en esas misiones) Moreno construyó su rostro político, que está más cerca de ser el de un misionero católico que el de un estadista moderno. Ahí su condición de persona con discapacidad contribuyó en mucho a transformarlo en una suerte de Mesías de los desprotegidos, de los humildes, muy alejado del político ávido de poder, ese es su mayor capital político. Es una suerte de San Francisco de Asís laico”, afirma Sierra.
Si bien Basabe considera que la condición de discapacitado “ayudó mucho” a Moreno durante la campaña, no cree que el tema de la discapacidad “pueda ser per se un eje de gobierno”. “Hay temas de política económica que sobrepasan este ítem”, asegura. Para Sierra, en cambio, “el tema central” de su gobierno es la protección de los desvalidos, niños, ancianos, mujeres, discapacitados y desempleados.

JOINT HOSTING WITH USA AND CANADA: Mexicans set aside politics for sake of 2026 World Cup bid

     

Pachuca's fans display a Mexican flag with a pro-Mexico slogan as a part of a nationalism campaign regarding US President Donald Trump's plan of building a wall between the countries, before the start of the Mexican Clausura football tournament match between Pachuca and Veracruz at Hidalgo stadium in Pachuca, Mexico, on February 25, 2017. / AFP / Rocio VAZQUEZ (Photo credit should read ROCIO VAZQUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
by Keir Radnedge, AIPS Football Commission Chairman
LONDON, April 4, 2017 - Mexico remains as determined as ever, despite the political uncertainties, to win a share of host rights to the 2026 World Cup with the United States and, almost certainly, Canada.
Decio de Maria, president of the Mexican federation, said on the sidelines of the 2017 International Hall of Fame in Pachuca that all of the country wanted the opportunity to make football history several times over.
He added: "There is a political issue, of course, but we have plenty of time and this is talking about sport and a great opportunity for all our countries."
No nation has hosted the World Cup finals on three occasions and Mexico are one of only five countries, along with Italy, France, Brazil and Germany, to have welcomed the world game twice.
Mexico played host first in 1970 when Pele's Brazil completed a famous hat-trick and then again in 1986 when Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to glory.
The political winds of change have played directly into Mexico's hands. FIFA's governing council decided last year that a rotation system ruled out European and Asian countries from bidding for 2026.
A subsequent council endorsement in January of an expansion to 48 teams and a relaxation of opposition to co-hosting threw the door wide open to a joint bid from the United States with Mexico and/or Canada.
Further, there is a powerful sentiment in the game that the US should certainly be a host in 2026 as amends for the controversial defeat by Qatar in the vote for 2022 undertaken by Sepp Blatter's scandal-riven FIFA executive committee in December 2010.
The US is one of the few countries capable of staging a 48-team finals single-handed but regional politics favour a historic first three-way staging: regional confederation CONCACAF is headed by a Canadian in Victor Montagliani while Mexico has powerful television interests and wide Latin American support.
Only one potential barrier exists, literally, in the delicate state of United States-Mexico political relations after President Donald Trump's declaration of intent to build a massive wall along the border and "make Mexico pay for it."
De Maria, who succeded Justino Compean as FEMEXFUT president two years ago, believes that sporting interests on both sides of the Rio Grande can overcome political unpredictabilities.
He said: "We have been saying for the past five years that we wanted to try to host the World Cup in 2026 and nothing has changed our interest and determination.
"Our fans are excited about the chances to make football history by co-hosting and in seeing the Estadio Azteca become the first stadium ever to host matches in three different World Cups.
"We are in discussions about this. I think we get on well with the other federations and I am very positive about the idea. We have other excellent venues and, after all, Mexico is a football-crazy nation."
In 1970 only 16 teams contested the World Cup and Mexico staged matches in five cities: Mexico City (Azteca), Guadalajara, Leon, Puebla and Toluca.
Then in 1986, after Mexico beat the US and Canada for the right to take over at short notice after Colombia withdrew, a 24-team competition was staged in 11 cities: Mexico City (Azteca and Olimpico Universitario), Guadalajara, Irapuato, Leon, Nezahualcoyotl, Puebla, Queretaro, San Nicolas de los Garza, Toluca and Zapopan.
De Maria, Compean and league president Enrique Bonilla were among directors of the Mexican game who attended the latest vote for new admissions to the International Hall of Fame based in Pachuca, Hidalgo province, some 60 miles from Mexico City.
The Hall of Fame was launched in 2011 by the Grupo Pachuca which has extensive local sports, property, academic and commercial interests. It owns not only FC Pachuca and Leon but has significant involvements in Chile's Everton (Vina del Mar) and Argentina's Talleres (Cordoba).
New admissions:
International football: Enzo Francescoli (Uruguay), Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Jorge Valdano (Argentina) and Pep Guardiola (Spain);
Mexican football: Ramon Ramirez, Carlos Miloc (died Feb 25) and Alberto Garcia Aspe;
International veterans: Francisco Gento (Spain), Ignacio Calderon and Guillermo Sepulveda (both Mexico); and
Women's football: Birgit Prinz (Germany).