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Week 24​

Final

VfL Wolfsburg​

2-1

Monchengladbach​

Match Stats

Final

Kaiserslautern​

1-1

Hamburg​

Match Stats

Final

1. FC Koln​

1-0

SC Freiburg​

Match Stats

Final

Schalke 04​

1-1

Nurnberg​

Match Stats

Final

St. Pauli​

0-1

Hannover 96​

Match Stats

Final

1899 Hoffenheim​

1-2

FSV Mainz 05​

Match Stats

Final

Bayern Munich​

1-3

Borussia Dortmund​

Match Stats

Final

Eintracht​

0-2

VfB Stuttgart​

Match Stats

Final

Werder Bremen​

2-2

Bayer Leverkusen​

Match Stats

Scores » | Fixtures »

 

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• Sport
• Football
• Carling Cup

Carling Cup final

Arsenal v Birmingham City - as it happened

A horrendous error from Wojciech Szczesny allowed Obafemi Martins to win the Carling Cup for Birmingham

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Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1

• van Persie 39

Birmingham City 2

• Zigic 28,
• Martins 89

• Jacob Steinberg
• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 15.00 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Jack Wilshere does running. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images As a great (sic) man once said, success breeds envy, so perhaps Arsene Wenger has been on a mission to rid the world of sin by avoiding the stuff for the last six years. It's been six long years since Arsenal last lifted a trophy, Patrick Vieira's final act in a red and white shirt scoring the penalty that beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final. Only three players remain from the Arsenal side that day: a teenage Cesc Fabregas started the match, Robin van Persie came off the bench in stoppage time and Manuel Almunia was an unused substitute. Arsenal's six-year trophy drought has been a stick for their devoted critics to beat them with, although at times, Wenger hasn't seemed that bothered. He's got a plan, you see. "If you win the Carling Cup, for me you cannot really say you win 'trophies'," he said last year. Yeah, right, Arsene, winning's for losers, if you really think long and hard about it. That philosophy hasn't done Arsenal much good - the painters at the Emirates had to stop drawing trophies on the stadium once they got to 2005 - but this year something has clicked. Wenger has tended to treat the Carling Cup as an opportunity to play the youngsters; enough against the Sheffield Uniteds of this world, foolhardy against Chelsea and Manchester United. But Wenger has realised this miserable statistic needs arresting and when Arsenal played Tottenham in the third round, the likes of Samir Nasri started and they won 4-1.
  Of course, the quote doesn't really have that much import. It's just a thing managers say, an automatic defence mechanism, like Sir Alex Ferguson defending Wayne Rooney's liberal use of his elbow yesterday. There are plenty of fans who would love to have experienced Arsenal's 'drought' of course; constant top-four finishes, title challenges, cup finals, brilliant football, Champions League runs and Emmanuel Eboue. But that's not enough for a club like Arsenal and, in a way, they've held an Indian sign over themselves for the last six years. Not Winning has become a complex; when Jose Mourinho came to Chelsea in 2004, he made sure he won a trophy as soon as possible, even if it was only the Carling Cup. Manchester United didn't know they could win the Champions League, until they won a group match against Juventus in 1997 - maybe Arsenal's victory over Barcelona will have a similar effect (although perhaps only if they go through). Winning breeds winners. So, yes, it's a competition sponsored by a beer so putrid I've refused to even countenance drinking one of the free cans that are lying around this office, but its importance can be under-played. After all, after three trophyless years, a young United side beat Wigan 4-0 in 2006, won the league the next year and the Champions League in the one after that. So, just saying. From 1997-2004, Wenger created three thrilling teams at Arsenal. This one could - could - be his fourth.
  Standing in their way, though, are their own insecurities Birmingham City. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon have just made a film about this lot. As you can tell from the previous two paragraphs, Birmingham are huge underdogs for this game. As you'd expect, they've lost both of their league games against Arsenal this season, the last a depressing 3-0 defeat at home. But, as they proved in their marvellous comeback against West Ham in the semi-final, only a fool would write them off. They're a great second-half side. Arsenal could be 4-0 up at half time and, well, Phil Dowd. Birmingham will be encouraged by the injuries to Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, and the knowledge that possess all the tools (ie, Lee Bowyer) to irritate Arsenal beyond belief this afternoon. If Birmingham aren't exactly Stoke, they certainly like to play the percentages, and plenty will depend on whether Arsenal will cope with the incessant long balls to Nikola Zigic, who scored a header at the Emirates earlier this season. When Alex McLeish was at Rangers, they won five out of five cup finals. Birmingham's history is not exactly glittering. They haven't won anything since 1963, when they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the League Cup final. Forty-eight years. 48! Now that's a trophy drought.
  Team news: As we knew, there's no Fabregas or Walcott, so Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin come in for Arsenal. Otherwise they're at full strength, with the exceptional Robin van Persie recovering from a calf injury to start on his own up front. Laurent Koscielny was also a slight doubt but he's in too, so his impressive partnership Birmingham had injury worries over Stephen Carr and Martin Jiranek, but other than the absence of Scott Dann, their defence is as strong as they could hope for. Nikola Zigic is on his own up front, and Birmingham will have to get forward from midfield to support him. To be fair, all of their midfielders do that very well.
  Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Wilshere; Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin; Van Persie. Subs: Almunia, Denilson, Eboue, Chamakh, Bendtner, Diaby, Squillaci.
  Birmingham (4-5-1): Foster; Carr, Jiranek, Johnson, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Gardner, Bowyer, Fahey; Zigic. Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Jerome, Martins, Parnaby, Beausejour.
  Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
  Cup final songs: As far as I'm aware, cup songs were never really used for the League Cup, another example of its status as the FA Cup's poorer relation. Neither side has concocted one today anyway, so here are a few suggestions for what they could have used.
  Arsenal Away Boyz. Yes, Boyz. With a 'z', not an 's'. Banterrific!
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

#

Team​

GP
Pts

1

Borussia Dortmund​

12
31

2

Bayer Leverkusen​

12
24

3

FSV Mainz 05​

12
24

4

SC Freiburg​

12
21

5

Eintracht Frankfurt​

12
20

6

Bayern Munich​

12
19

7

Hannover 96​

12
19

8

1899 Hoffenheim​

12
18

9

Hamburg​

12
18

10

1. FC Nurnberg​

12
18

Full Standings »

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Goals

Assists

Shots

Yellows

Reds

# 1 - M. Gómez
# 1 - C. Tiffert
# 1 - 2 Players Tied
# 1 - M. Lanig
# 1 - K. Haggui

Games
22

Goals
18


Games
23

Assists
10


Shots
69


Games
22

Yellows
9


Games
15

Reds
2

#​

Name​

GP​

Goals​

#​

Name​

GP​

Assists​

#​

Name​

GP​

Shots​

#​

Name​

GP​

Yellows​

#​

Name​

GP​

Reds​

​

1

M. Gómez​

MUN
22
18
​

2

P. Cisse​

FBG
22
16
​

3

T. Gekas​

EFR
23
14
​

4(T)

L. Barrios​

DOR
23
11
​

S. Lakic​

KTN
22
11
​

1

C. Tiffert​

KTN
23
10
​

2(T)

N. Sahin​

DOR
24
9
​

Ze Roberto​

HAM
22
9
​

4(T)

C. Fuchs​

MAI
23
8
​

M. Gotze​

DOR
23
8
​

1(T)

L. Barrios​

DOR
23
69
​

S. Lakic​

KTN
22
69
​

3

K. Huntelaar​

SKE
22
66
​

4

J. Schieber​

FCN
23
64
​

5

M. Gómez​

MUN
22
63
​

1

M. Lanig​

KLN
22
9
​

2(T)

M. Franz​

EFR
17
8
​

S. Pinto​

HAN
23
8
​

M. Reus​

BM
22
8
​

5(T)

Diego​

WOL
21
7
​

1

K. Haggui​

HAN
15
2
​

2(T)

Almeida​

BRE
13
1
​

J. Arango​

BM
15
1
​

G. Asamoah​

STP
19
1
​

I. Banovic​

FBG
2
1
​

Complete Stats​

 

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Rooney elbow row

 

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Manchester City let two points slip as Damien Duff lifts Fulham

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Premier League

Manchester City 1

• Balotelli 26

Fulham 1

• Duff 48

• Daniel Taylor at Eastlands
• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 17.33 GMT
  
  Fulham's Damien Duff tackles Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City during the Premier League match at Eastlands. Photograph: Jamie Mcdonald/Getty Images For Manchester City, this was an afternoon of intense frustration, Mark Hughes's return coinciding with arguably one of their least accomplished performances at home all season. Roberto Mancini's side looked flat and lethargic, and the Italian's frustrations could be accurately gauged by the flashpoint at the final whistle when he and Hughes barely struggled to conceal their disdain for one another.
  It was a childish spat, but symptomatic of the bad feeling that exists between the two since Mancini replaced Hughes 14 months ago. Mancini was the agitator, deliberately looking in the other direction as he half-heartedly offered his hand.
  "It's probably my fault but I'm a little bit old-fashioned," Hughes said, explaining why he had angrily thrown Mancini's hand away. "I always think if you offer your hand, it should be with sincerity. I didn't think Roberto acknowledged the efforts of my team, and how well we'd done, by the manner in which he offered his hand. Call me old-fashioned, but that was my take on it."
  In truth, both men came out of the confrontation badly. When it was put to Mancini that Hughes had gestured he wanted eye contact he admitted it had been a deliberate snub, referring to their handshake at the end of City's 4-1 win at Craven Cottage in November. "In London, he did the same to me," he said. Tit-for-tat, in other words. "Yes, but it's not important. The result is important, not these stupid things. I think he should be happy he had a draw against us." Told of this, Hughes replied: "I don't recall doing that. I think he's incorrect."
  Mancini's anger was not just confined to the man whose job he inherited. The City manager was unusually critical of his players as he reflected on their failure to build on Mario Balotelli's goal and an inability to regain control after Damien Duff had equalised early in the second half.
  In particular, he was unhappy with Balotelli, who went from scoring a splendid goal to angering the crowd with erratic attempts to score from 40 yards. "It was a good goal but I am not happy. He should play better. Strikers should play for the team, not just for Balotelli, for [Carlos] Tevez, for [Edin] Dzeko. The strikers didn't work well. They didn't move, they were too still. They should always play with the team."
  The criticism was justified, although in fairness to Balotelli it would be wrong to make him the scapegoat. Tevez was unusually subdued and Dzeko was substituted in a jaded performance. With David Silva nursing a twisted ankle, this was a team missing their inventive hub and the lack of spark was alarming considering this was the first of possibly five games in 11 days. "We were really tired," Mancini said. "I'm disappointed with the result but I knew this was an option when you play every two or three days."
  This was certainly a more satisfying afternoon for Hughes than the fixture at Craven Cottage. Fulham played with spirit and togetherness and did not lose their composure when Balotelli invigorated an otherwise prosaic first half by taking Tevez's short pass, shifting the ball past Danny Murphy and thumping a precise right-foot drive into the bottom corner of Mark Schwarzer's goal.
  "We restricted a very good side to very few opportunities," Hughes said. "The key was keeping Carlos Tevez quiet because he is the catalyst for everything they do. The only disappointment was that we didn't go on to get the three points after dictating the game for long periods."
  Of the two managers, Mancini was the more animated figure on the touchline, visibly disturbed by his team's inability to impose themselves even after taking the lead. Fulham had been marginally the better side in the first half, and they levelled the match three minutes after the restart with a splendidly worked goal, Brede Hangeland setting Andrew Johnson scampering down the right, spinning past Aleksandar Kolarov. Johnson fired in a low and hard centre and Duff, on the run, turned it past Joe Hart with an emphatic first-time finish.
  After that the best chance fell to Tevez, running clear on to Balotelli's deft pass only for Schwarzer to scramble his shot wide. Fulham, though, also had opportunities, Duff making it a difficult afternoon for Kolarov, Johnson busy and elusive and Clint Dempsey prominently involved. Kolarov was substituted to spare him Duff's trickery and on the other flank, Jérôme Boateng scarcely ingratiated himself to an increasingly agitated crowd by pulling out of a 50-50 challenge with Carlos Salcido, six inches smaller. By the final whistle there was more bad feeling, both in the stands and on the touchline.
  
  
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  Manchester City 1-1 Fulham | Premier League match report
  
  This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 17.33 GMT on Sunday 27 February 2011. It was last modified at 18.41 GMT on Sunday 27 February 2011.
  
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  • 
    
    
    LasCebollitas 27 February 2011 5:37PM
    
    Viera for Dzeko. Haha - what a ridiculous substitution.
    
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    lovingu 27 February 2011 5:42PM
    
    Recipe for PL success:
    - buy lots of expensive players
    - buy expensive manager
    - get rid of manager at great expense
    - get new, expensive, manager
    - buy lots more really expensive players
    - play at home against ex-manager's low-budget side and give them a good thrashing
    Oh...
    
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    endarate 27 February 2011 5:47PM
    
    We must give Fulham the credit they ederve today. Even if we do not qualify for Championship League we will still and all try the best next year.
    We are in a better place tahn three years ago so we are happy and next year we will try again.
    City forever!
    
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    Rojay 27 February 2011 5:48PM
    
    It obviously wasn't a great performance by City, but - as a City fan - I wouldn't overreact to it.
    City didn't lose and it certainly didn't deserve to win. It was what it was.
    Balotelli looked great today and, more importantly, he and Tevez look like they can work together in unselfish fashion. I was also impressed that Balotelli, Tevez and Dzeko were getting back and working hard at defending, too.
    If they can keep that going - and do some business during the away games at Liverpool and Chelsea - City should be in good shape for the remaining season.
    
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    MookieB 27 February 2011 5:49PM
    
    How many there today? Chelsea are gonna finish 4th if you lot carry on like this.
    
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    endarate 27 February 2011 5:50PM
    
    Before the manure come on let me pre empt you. We are boring and defensive and yes we are not great but Rome was not built in a day.
    We are in this for the long run not for a quick fix. Liverpool also lost today so we are in good company,if you know what I mean.
    
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    PresidentBaltar 27 February 2011 6:01PM
    
    Balotelli gets a lot of stick but what a strike rate!
    seems like city have made the same mistake as chelsea by buying a expensive striker when probably what they really needed was a creative midfielder
    trade u krancjar for balotelli!
    
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    Estesark 27 February 2011 6:06PM
    
    
    Mancini objecting to the robust manner in which his predecessor shook hands.
    ​
    Oh, grow up.
    
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    Lardons 27 February 2011 6:09PM
    
    
    He shooka ma hand a too hard.
    ​
    LMAO. Good for Hughes.
    
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    WillWales 27 February 2011 6:13PM
    
    Well played Fulham. Another point at Easylands.
    I think city will pick up form again soon though.
    
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    EverWonTheTreble 27 February 2011 6:16PM
    
    £750mill (inc contracts) spent and still they get Boo'd off... best fans in the world and all that??
    Anyway, Happy Anniversary for tomorrow Berties...
    28/2/76
    After 35yrs... the Stretfrod End Clock keeps'a tickin ;o)
    
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    MaurizioGaudino 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    this has been coming but it's not the worst result, and we've come a long way since the same fixture last year, which was the beginning of the end for hughes.
    we're really missing de jong at the moment. everyone talks about how important tevez is, with good reason, and silva is exceptional, but for de jong read paul ince to cantona in utd's mid 90s team - the industry that allows the flair players to shine. all our injuries are coming at once which is a worry with our run in.
    well done to birmingham by the way. i get the feeling this blog will be fairly quiet after that final...
    
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    Monctonian 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    How do you shake hands robustly?
    
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    IsAllAboutAttack 27 February 2011 6:23PM
    
    lovingu 27 February 2011 5:42PM Recipe for PL success: of all the absurdities that attend the increasingly grotesque spectacle of the modern premier league, nothing still beats United fans –manchester united!- fans having a go at other clubs for spending money in order to try and advance their position. simply beyond satire. $$
    
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    mamahuhu 27 February 2011 6:25PM
    
    nice point for fulham.surely too good to go down.
    as for the battle for the cl spots between spuds mcitty and chavski its a question of who runs out of ammo first in the bewildering sport of shoot yourself in the foot.
    
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    IgorBeaver 27 February 2011 6:28PM
    
    Roberto Mancini is to serious football coaching as Henry Mancini was to serious cerebral music...
    
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    theheadhoncho113 27 February 2011 6:29PM
    
    
    After 35yrs... the Stretfrod End Clock keeps'a tickin ;o)
    ​
    As some City fans like to say....tick, tock
    
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    RideAPaleHorse 27 February 2011 6:29PM
    
    yep, definitely missed De Jong and Kompany and Da Silva. With them three in the squad the result would have been City's. Even Richards at current form is blistering hot would have lit up that right flank like firework!!
    Fulham are an average side and today's result proved how dreadfully Man City played. Stale, lethargic, and witless though they were they still held a team giving it everything to a draw - says more about Fulham than it does about City.
    Team looked bland and desperate without Da Silva. Kolarov was pretty awful. Milner is, to be honest, not good enough. Vierra - bless him - is not half the player he used to be and bringing him on for Dzeko is just crackers - hello, SWP?!
    
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    endarate 27 February 2011 6:36PM
    
    
    Roberto Mancini is to serious football coaching as Henry Mancini was to serious cerebral music...
    ​
    is that good?
    
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    UnknownPlesiosaurs 27 February 2011 6:39PM
    
    Well done, Hughesy!
    Tell those noisy neighbors of ours to stop pretending.
    
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Arsenal may find it difficult to recover from this disastrous day

Wembley witnessed a collapse less protracted but potentially more damaging than the tossing away of a 4-0 lead at Newcastle

• Comments (124)

• 
• • Richard Williams at Wembley
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 22.50 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, at fault for Birmingham's winner, feels the pain of defeat. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images At the final whistle Arsenal's players stood, sat or knelt on the lush emerald turf like figures in a tableau of despair. Motionless, traumatised, suddenly drained of the last vestiges of belief and hope and even pride, they looked dismayingly like Bayern Munich after Manchester United had finished with the German side at the Camp Nou in 1999.
  Jack Wilshere hit the crossbar here and Robin van Persie was the author of one of the most beautiful goals ever scored in a Wembley final &#8211; surely, at least, the best ever scored by a player on the losing side &#8211; but Tomas Rosicky's bungled attempt to backheel a clear chance into the net with 10 minutes left somehow epitomised Arsenal's display on an evening when they failed in the attempt to win their first trophy since 2005.
  So stunning was the defeat that they will find it difficult to recover their morale, although the press of events in the Premier League and the European Cup over the coming weeks may serve to take their minds off a disastrous day. Pointing to the enforced absence of Cesc Fábregas, Thomas Vermaelen and Theo Walcott will not help. A club with Arsenal's ambitions and resources &#8211; they have 19 players out on loan &#8211; should have acquired the capacity to ride such misfortunes.
  On paper, this was a mismatch: thoroughbreds versus mongrels. Of such contrasts are cup classics made, and in the eyes of more than one neutral the two sides produced arguably the best football match yet seen at the new Wembley. To make it so, the occasion required not just Birmingham City's honest effort, dogged persistence and resilient structure but Arsenal's insecurity and anxiety, a neurosis born of the weight of the expectation, conscious or otherwise, that they would ease their way to victory by virtue of their superior class.
  It would not be too harsh to suggest that Arsenal got exactly what they and their manager deserved for a performance that began with the most blatant piece of undeserved good fortune, contained enough individual mistakes to fill an entire season and ended with the sort of defending that a team produces when not enough attention is paid to constructing a side equally strong and self-confident in all areas.
  Of course they had their moments. At half-time, with the score at one apiece, it was tempting to feel that had Lee Bowyer been wearing the Arsenal No7 shirt, rather than the ineffectual Rosicky, the north London side would be two or three goals up and on the way to ending that wait for another trophy.
  Yet they should have been a goal, and a man, down after two minutes, when a fine pass from Keith Fahey found Nikola Zigic. The angular 6ft 7in Serb, whose control with his feet is customarily wayward enough to make Peter Crouch look like Alfredo di Stefano, played what may have been the best pass of his entire career, a delightfully perceptive and carefully weighted ball for Bowyer, who ran smoothly on to it with only the goalkeeper to beat and was promptly upended by Wojciech Szczesny, only to be given offside, quite wrongly. A correct decision would inevitably have led to the goalkeeper's expulsion.
  The West Midlanders did not dwell on the injustice but profited from the knowledge of their opponents' vulnerability. Arsenal's defenders were never comfortable with the threat of Zigic, who scored Birmingham's goal in the visitors' 2-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in October. Szczesny, who lacks only two inches of the Serb's height, could not get close to him when Roger Johnson headed a corner back towards the six-yard box, and Birminghan took the lead.
  Arsenal had started to put their attacking game together but they discovered Ben Foster in a mood to show what Manchester United and England missed. Of the goalkeeper's nine saves, the last two were truly exceptional. When Nicklas Bendtner's shot was deflected in the 76th minute, Foster was already diving but reacted by throwing up a hand to turn the ball aside. Four minutes later he flew to his left to tip away Samir Nasri's goalbound drive.
  In the absence of Fábregas, Nasri had been expected to provide the goalscoring threat from Arsenal's midfield. But rather than attempting the sort of incisive dribbles that often reached their climax with a goal in the first half of the season, he tended to loiter on the fringe of the Birmingham penalty area before transferring the ball and the responsibility to a team&#8209;mate.
  Andrey Arshavin, whose dribble ended with the cross that Van Persie volleyed home before the interval, was more incisive, and it came as a surprise when the Russian was withdrawn, rather than the pallid Rosicky, to make way for Marouane Chamakh in the closing stages.
  "We have to take a lot of pride and encouragement for the challenges ahead," Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said, having witnessed a collapse less protracted but potentially more damaging than the tossing away of a 4-0 lead at St James' Park three weeks ago. Wilshere was one of the few Arsenal players to emerge with credit, going about his work neatly and unobtrusively alongside the dreadfully inaccurate Alex Song. It was his uncharacteristic error, however, that led to the opening from which Fahey hit the post early in the second half.
  Birmingham City will not waste too much time on sympathy for Arsenal and their six-year search for something new to put in the trophy cabinet. For the winners, ignoring the Leyland Daf Cup and the Auto Windscreens Shield, the result ended a drought going all the way back to 1963 &#8211; between Lady Chatterley and the Beatles' first LP, as a certain West Midlands poet might have put it.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Arsenal may find it difficult to recover from this disastrous day

Wembley witnessed a collapse less protracted but potentially more damaging than the tossing away of a 4-0 lead at Newcastle

• Comments (124)

• 
• • Richard Williams at Wembley
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 22.50 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, at fault for Birmingham's winner, feels the pain of defeat. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images At the final whistle Arsenal's players stood, sat or knelt on the lush emerald turf like figures in a tableau of despair. Motionless, traumatised, suddenly drained of the last vestiges of belief and hope and even pride, they looked dismayingly like Bayern Munich after Manchester United had finished with the German side at the Camp Nou in 1999.
  Jack Wilshere hit the crossbar here and Robin van Persie was the author of one of the most beautiful goals ever scored in a Wembley final – surely, at least, the best ever scored by a player on the losing side – but Tomas Rosicky's bungled attempt to backheel a clear chance into the net with 10 minutes left somehow epitomised Arsenal's display on an evening when they failed in the attempt to win their first trophy since 2005.
  So stunning was the defeat that they will find it difficult to recover their morale, although the press of events in the Premier League and the European Cup over the coming weeks may serve to take their minds off a disastrous day. Pointing to the enforced absence of Cesc Fábregas, Thomas Vermaelen and Theo Walcott will not help. A club with Arsenal's ambitions and resources – they have 19 players out on loan – should have acquired the capacity to ride such misfortunes.
  On paper, this was a mismatch: thoroughbreds versus mongrels. Of such contrasts are cup classics made, and in the eyes of more than one neutral the two sides produced arguably the best football match yet seen at the new Wembley. To make it so, the occasion required not just Birmingham City's honest effort, dogged persistence and resilient structure but Arsenal's insecurity and anxiety, a neurosis born of the weight of the expectation, conscious or otherwise, that they would ease their way to victory by virtue of their superior class.
  It would not be too harsh to suggest that Arsenal got exactly what they and their manager deserved for a performance that began with the most blatant piece of undeserved good fortune, contained enough individual mistakes to fill an entire season and ended with the sort of defending that a team produces when not enough attention is paid to constructing a side equally strong and self-confident in all areas.
  Of course they had their moments. At half-time, with the score at one apiece, it was tempting to feel that had Lee Bowyer been wearing the Arsenal No7 shirt, rather than the ineffectual Rosicky, the north London side would be two or three goals up and on the way to ending that wait for another trophy.
  Yet they should have been a goal, and a man, down after two minutes, when a fine pass from Keith Fahey found Nikola Zigic. The angular 6ft 7in Serb, whose control with his feet is customarily wayward enough to make Peter Crouch look like Alfredo di Stefano, played what may have been the best pass of his entire career, a delightfully perceptive and carefully weighted ball for Bowyer, who ran smoothly on to it with only the goalkeeper to beat and was promptly upended by Wojciech Szczesny, only to be given offside, quite wrongly. A correct decision would inevitably have led to the goalkeeper's expulsion.
  The West Midlanders did not dwell on the injustice but profited from the knowledge of their opponents' vulnerability. Arsenal's defenders were never comfortable with the threat of Zigic, who scored Birmingham's goal in the visitors' 2-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in October. Szczesny, who lacks only two inches of the Serb's height, could not get close to him when Roger Johnson headed a corner back towards the six-yard box, and Birminghan took the lead.
  Arsenal had started to put their attacking game together but they discovered Ben Foster in a mood to show what Manchester United and England missed. Of the goalkeeper's nine saves, the last two were truly exceptional. When Nicklas Bendtner's shot was deflected in the 76th minute, Foster was already diving but reacted by throwing up a hand to turn the ball aside. Four minutes later he flew to his left to tip away Samir Nasri's goalbound drive.
  In the absence of Fábregas, Nasri had been expected to provide the goalscoring threat from Arsenal's midfield. But rather than attempting the sort of incisive dribbles that often reached their climax with a goal in the first half of the season, he tended to loiter on the fringe of the Birmingham penalty area before transferring the ball and the responsibility to a team&#8209;mate.
  Andrey Arshavin, whose dribble ended with the cross that Van Persie volleyed home before the interval, was more incisive, and it came as a surprise when the Russian was withdrawn, rather than the pallid Rosicky, to make way for Marouane Chamakh in the closing stages.
  "We have to take a lot of pride and encouragement for the challenges ahead," Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said, having witnessed a collapse less protracted but potentially more damaging than the tossing away of a 4-0 lead at St James' Park three weeks ago. Wilshere was one of the few Arsenal players to emerge with credit, going about his work neatly and unobtrusively alongside the dreadfully inaccurate Alex Song. It was his uncharacteristic error, however, that led to the opening from which Fahey hit the post early in the second half.
  Birmingham City will not waste too much time on sympathy for Arsenal and their six-year search for something new to put in the trophy cabinet. For the winners, ignoring the Leyland Daf Cup and the Auto Windscreens Shield, the result ended a drought going all the way back to 1963 – between Lady Chatterley and the Beatles' first LP, as a certain West Midlands poet might have put it.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Simba yaibipu Yanga, yainywa Mtibwa 4-1 Send to a friend Sunday, 27 February 2011 21:23

Kocha wa timu ya Simba,Patrick Phiri

Clara Alphonce
MABAO matatu (hat-trick) ya Mbwana Samatta, yakiwamo mawili ya kipindi cha pili na jingine la Amri Kiemba yameipa Simba ushindi wa mabao 4-1 dhidi ya Mtibwa Sugar na kuirejesha kileleni mwa Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara ikiwa na pointi 37.

Katika mchezo huo uliochezwa jana kwenye Uwanja wa Uhuru, Dar es Salaam, Samatta ambaye alifungua milango kwa kupachika bao la dakika ya 13 ya kipindi cha kwanza baada ya krosi ya Kiemba alirejea tena nyavuni dakika ya 65 na 89 kwa mabao mawili zaidi yaliyokamilisha siku nzuri kwake.

Kiemba, ambaye alianzishwa katika mchezo huo aliiandikia timu yake bao la pili, dakika ya 46 ya mchezo huo uliokuwa wenye ushndani kutokana na kona ya Rashid Gumbo.

Nao Mtibwa waliandika bao la dakika ya 55 kupitia kwake Hussein Javu baada ya pasi ya Machaku ambaye aling'ara katika mchezo huo.

Mapema, katika mchezo huo Mtibwa ambao walimkosa kipa wao namba moja, Shaaban Kado anayetumikia adhabu ya kadi nyekundu aliyoipata katika mechi ya karibuni walipata pigo baada ya kipa wao, Omary Ally kuumia dakika ya nane ya mchezo na nafasi yake kuchukuliwa na Soud Slim.

Kipa huyo alikimbizwa hospitali kwa matibabu zaidi baada ya hali yake kuwa mbaya.

Kwa sehemu kubwa ya kipindi cha kwanza, sehemu ya kiungo ya Simba ilipwaya na kuwapa nafasi Mtibwa kuchezea mpira, ingawa safu ya ushambuliaji ya Wekundu wa Msimbazi iliwapa wakati mgumu mabeki wa wakata miwa hao wa Manungu.

Kama katika kipindi cha kwanza, Machaku Salum alikosa nafasi nzuri ya kuipa bao timu yake dakika ya 53 ya mchezo kwa kushindwa kumalizia pasi ya Issa Rashid.

Samatta angeweza kupata mabao matatu (hat-trick) yake mapema, lakini alikosa nafasi nzuri ya kufanya hivyo dakika ya 75 ya mchezo kwa kushindwa kutumia pasi nzuri ya Mussa Hassan Mgosi aliyekuwa ameingia uwanjani kuchukua nafasi ya Nico Nyagawa.

Mtibwa nao walikosa nafasi ya kupunguza idadi ya mabao baada ya mkongwe Yona Ndabila kushindwa kutumia pasi ya Issa Rashid, dakika ya 84 ya mchezo huo.

Kocha Tom Olaba wa Mtibwa alisema nafasi ya kipa ndiyo iliyomwangusha katika mchezo huo kiasi cha kuwapa urahisi washambuliaji wa Simba kupachika mabao kirahisi.

Naye Patrick Phiri wa Simba alimsifu Samatta kwa uchezaji mzuri licha ya umri wake mdogo na kueleza kuwa ushindi huo ni faraja kubwa kwao kabla ya mechi dhidi ya Yanga mwisho wa wiki.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Caf yapanga tarehe ya fainali za Afrika 2012 Send to a friend Sunday, 27 February 2011 21:20

KHARTOUM, Sudan

SHIRIKISHO la Soka Barani Afrika CAF limepanga tarehe za mashindano ya Mataifa ya Afrika za 2012 zinazotarajiwa kufanyika Gabon na Guinea ya Ikweta.

Mashindano hayo hivi sasa yatachezwa tarehe 21 Januari mpaka 12 Februari, 2012.

Mechi ya ufunguzi wa mashindano hayo itachezwa Bata nchini Guinea ya Ikweta na mechi ya fainali itachezwa Libreville nchini Gabon.

Fainali za 2012 zitawezesha wachezaji wengi wa Afrika wanaocheza katika klabu za Ulaya kurudi kuchezea nchi zao bila matatizo kwa sababu tarehe iliyopangwa itakuwa ni kipindi cha majira ya baridi Ulaya na ligi nyingi za Ulaya huwa zinasimama kipindi hicho.

Klabu nyingi za Ulaya zilikuwa hazifurahishwi na kitendo cha kuwaachaia wachezaji wao kurudi kuchezea nchi zao wakati ligi zao zikiendelea.

Sheria ya Fifa inasema klabu zinatakiwa kuwaachia wachezaji wakachezee nchi zao katika fainali za mataifa ya Afrika siku 14 kabla ya mechi ya ufunguzi.

CAF bado haijapanga tarehe na mahali ambapo upangaji wa ratiba ya fainali za Mataifa ya Afrika 2012 utafanyika.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

...Yanga kuipuku kileleni leo? Send to a friend Sunday, 27 February 2011 21:21

Doris Maliyaga, Morogoro na Clara Alphonce.

YANGA ikiwa chini ya Sam Timbe leo ina nafasi nyingine ya kurejea kileleni mwa Ligi Kuu endapo itaishinda Ruvu Shooting kwenye Uwanja wa Jamhuri mjini Morogoro.

Timbe ana kibarua cha kuhakikisha timu yake inarudi kileleni itakapovaa wanajeshi hao (Ruvu Shooting) huku wakifahamu kuwa .

Yanga yenye pointi 35 sawa na Azam ina mchezo mmoja pungufu ya vijana hao wa lambalamba ambao wamekuwa wakiongoza hadi jana kabla ya mechi baina ya Simba na Mtibwa Sugar ambayo Simba iliibuka mshindi kwa mabao 4-1.

Hata hivyo, Yanga leo itacheza mchezo huo huku ikiwa inahitaji ushindi wowote ili kukaa tena kileleni, lakini mchezo huo unatarajiwa kuwa mgumu kwa pande zote mbili kutokana na kuwa viwango tofauti.

Ruvu Shooting ina pointi 15 baada ya kucheza michezo 16 ikiwa katika nafasi ya tisa inatafuta pointi tatu ili kujiepusha na hatari ya ya kushuka daraja wakati Yanga inataka kushinda mechi hiyo ili kujiweka katika nafasi nzuri ya kutwaa ubingwa msimu huu.

Katika mchezo huo, Yanga inaweza kutomtumia kipa wake tegemeo, Yaw Berko kutokana na kuwa na kadi mbili za njano, hali ambayo imekuwa ikimtia wasiwasi kochaTimbe.

Kama Timbe atamchezesha Berko na pengine kupata kadi nyingine , basi kipa huyo ataukosa mchezo mwingine dhidi ya watani wao wa jadi ,Simba Jumapili.

Mchezo wa leo utakuwa wa tatu kwaTimbe akiwa ameiongoza timu yake kupata ushindi wa bao 1-0 dhidi ya Kagera Sugar lililofungwa na Davies Mwape ambaye atakuwa na kazi ya kusaka mabao zaidi akisaidiana nao, Jerryson Tegete na Idd Mbaga.

Kocha huyo amekuwa akiipa timu hiyo mazoezi magumu ili kujenga stamina zaidi kwa wachezaji wake pamoja na kumiliki mpira, umaliziaji.

ëíHatudharau timu yoyote, kila kitu kwetu ni ushindani na ndiyo maana Ruvu Shooting inacheza Ligi Kuu kama sisi, nasema hivyo baada ya kukamilisha sehemu kubwa ya maandalizi yetu,ííalisema Timbe ambaye kikosi chake kitacheza na Simba Machi 5 kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa jijini Dar es Salaam.

Kwa upande wake, kocha wa Ruvu Shooting, Boniface Mkwasa alisema: ëíTimu zote ni ngumu japokuwa tunayoenda kukutana nayo ni ngumu zaidi, sisi tumejiandaa vilivyo kuona mchezo huo unakuwa wa ushindani kwa pande zote.íí

Kuhusu pambano la leo, Mkwasa alisema ni mchezo muhimu sana kwao na asingependa kuupoteza ili kuhakikisha wanabaki katika Ligi Kuu.

Katika hatua nyingine, kikao cha kamati ya utendaji ya klabu ya Yanga kilikaa jana katika hoteli ya Lamada kwa ajili ya kuzungumzia mambo mbalimbali yakiwamo maendeleo ya klabu hiyo.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

• Sport
• Football
• Carling Cup

Carling Cup final: Arsenal 1-2 Birmingham City

Alex McLeish has taken Birmingham to places they never thought likely

The manager hailed the Blues' victory over Arsenal in the Carling Cup final as his greatest achievement

• 
  

• 
• • Stuart James at Wembley
  • The Guardian, Monday 28 February 2011 <li class="history">Article history
  
  Birmingham City's manager, Alex McLeish, holds up the English League Cup after the 2-1 defeat of Arsenal in the final at Wembley. Photograph: Akira Suemori/AP As the Birmingham players collected their medals and took it in turns to lift the Carling Cup, it was no surprise that the loudest cheer from their euphoric supporters was reserved for Alex McLeish. This, after all, is the manager who delivered automatic promotion in his first full season, Birmingham's highest top-flight finish in 51 years in his second campaign and now the club's first major piece of silverware since they won the League Cup in 1963.
  It is a remarkable CV and one that will surely not have escaped the attention of the Premier League's leading clubs, especially as everything he has achieved has been despite such limited funds. Perhaps the Birmingham board also now appreciate the qualities of the man at the helm. "No [José] Mourinho" and "not totally tried and tested yet," said Peter Pannu, Birmingham's vice-chairman, at the start of the season, when contract negotiations with McLeish were at an impasse.
  How grateful they must be that he eventually put pen to paper. McLeish joked that Carson Yeung, who flew over from Hong Kong to watch the game on his 51st birthday, could be forgiven for believing that life is always rosy at St Andrew's given the success that has coincided with his tenure. "I am pleased for Carson," the Birmingham manager said. "He must think it's easy being the owner of a football club what with ninth position last year and winning the cup."
  Yet Birmingham supporters with much longer memories know that this is a club that has endured more than its share of pain over the last few decades. There were the embarrassing FA Cup defeats to non-league Altrincham and Kidderminster and the humiliation of relegation to the third tier of English football in 1989. Over the next few years Birmingham visited Wembley but it was a measure of how far the club had fallen that the Football League Trophy was the prize they were pursuing.
  Trevor Francis breathed new life into the club when he replaced Barry Fry in 1996 but it was not until Steve Bruce was appointed as manager, five years later, that Birmingham discovered a formula to return to the top flight. Bruce's record at St Andrew's should not be dismissed but by breaking into the Premier League top 10 and adding a major cup to a trophy cabinet that has been gathering dust for so long McLeish stands alone.
  He won two Scottish Premier League titles and five domestic cups with Rangers but it is understandable that he described Birmingham's victory over Arsenal as his "best achievement ever as a manager". After all, it is taken as a given that Rangers will compete for silverware every season, yet nobody expects to see Birmingham in major finals, let alone beating a side that was acclaimed less than a fortnight ago for turning over Barcelona.
  Birmingham's success over the past couple of years has owed much to the organisation and resilience that McLeish has instilled in his players and so it proved again against Arsenal. The Birmingham manager set his team up in a 4-5-1 formation, where his players were encouraged to perform at a high tempo and press Arsenal whenever they were without the ball but, crucially, also to get forward in numbers to support the lone figure of Nikola Zigic whenever possession exchanged hands.
  Lee Bowyer followed his instructions to the letter and ought to have been rewarded for the first of the countless runs from deep that he made, only for the assistant referee to judge incorrectly that he was offside after he was brought down by Wojciech Szczesny, the Arsenal keeper. It would have been easy for McLeish's players to dwell on that moment and lament the penalty they were denied as well as the fact that Szczesny remained on the pitch but instead they showed their admirable character. There were heroes everywhere. Ben Foster was outstanding in goal, while Martin Jiranek and Roger Johnson were resolute in front of him, expertly marshalled by Stephen Carr, whom McLeish coaxed out of retirement two years ago. In midfield the indefatigable Bowyer was a constant menace to Arsenal and his probing runs were complemented by Barry Ferguson's composure. And then there was Zigic, who has gone from being a laughing stock to a legend.
  Trips to the continent now beckon for Birmingham who, lest it be forgotten, were the first English club to take part in European competition, when they competed in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1956. Birmingham went on to reach the semi-finals that season before losing to Barcelona. It was hardly a sign of things to come for Birmingham supporters, although with McLeish at the helm the dark days of the past are beginning to feel like a distant memory.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Kili marathon yafana Moshi Send to a friend Sunday, 27 February 2011 21:19

Mwandishi wetu,Moshi

MBIO za Tisa za Kimataifa za Kilimanjaro Marathon zilirindima jana mjini hapa huku Watanzania watatu pekee Banuelia Brighton, Mary Naali na Stephen Huche wakiingia tatu bora mbele ya Wakenya ambao walitawala mbio hizo.

Banuelia ambaye anashikilia rekodi ya Taifa ya Marathoni kamili kwa Wanawake, aliibuka nafasi ya pili katika mbio hizo za Kilomita 42, akitumia saa 3: 02.52 akitanguliwa na mshindi wa kwanza Anna Kamau aliyetumia saa 3:00.16 kutoka Kenya huku nafasi ya tatu ikienda kwa mwenzake Ophra Oruke 3:03.20.

Machungu yaliwazidi Watanzania mbele ya mgeni rasmi, Waziri wa Habari, Vijana, Utamaduni na Michezo, Emmanuel Nchimbi, pale kwa upande wa wanaume ambapo nafasi ya kwanza ilienda kwa Mkenya, Kipkemboi Kipsang aliyetumia saa 2: 17.08 akifuatiwa na Julius Kilimo 2:17.10 huku nafasi ya tatu ikinyakuliwa na mwanariadha anayechipukia hapa nchini Steven Huche aliyetumia saa 2:19.24.

Katika Nusu Marathoni wanawake Valentine Kipketer aliibuka kidedea akitumia saa 1:15.08 akifuatiwa na Loren Kitita 1:15.48 wote kutoka Kenya huku Mtanzania Mary Naali akikamata nafasi ya tatu kwa saa 1:15.55.


Pia katika nusu marathoni kwa wanaume Michael Kemau aliibuka mshindi wa kwanza akitumia saa 1:03.58 akifuatiwa na Leonard Muchare huku nafasi ya tatu ikienda kwa Geofrey Ndungu saa 1:04.04 wote kutoka Kenya.

Washindi katika mbio hizo walizawadiwa zawadi zao na Waziri Nchimbi ambaye mbali ya kuwashukuru waandaaji kwa kumualika pia alitoa shukrani za pekee kwa wadhamini wakuu wa mbio hizo bia ya Kilimanjaro Premium Lager na wadhamini shirikishi kwa mchango wao katika kukuza mchezo wa riadha.

Alisema, jitihada zao za kuwekeza rasilimali na fedha katika mbio hizo zimeleta faida kubwa kwa kuwapa fursa wanariadha wa Tanzania kujipima na wanariadha wa kimataifa na hatimaye kukuza viwango.

ìMwaka kesho mbio hizi zitafikisha miaka 10 tangu kuanzishwa kwake na vilevile kutakuwa na mashindano ya Olimpiki jijini London Uingereza. Nawaomba msituangushe, jitahidini mtuletee medali za dhahabu kwa upande wa marathoni. Mwaka 2006, Samson Ramadhani alipotwaa medali ya dhahabu kwenye mashindano ya Madola yaliyofanyika Melbourne Australia, sote tulijisikia raha sana na tulifarijika sana. Nawaomba wajitokeze akina Samson wengine watuletee medali za dhahabu,î alisema.

Alisisitiza kuwa, kufanya vema kwa wanamichezo wa hapa nchini Kimataifa kunawapa raha Watanzania, jambo ambalo ni muhimu kwani linawafanya Watanzania kufurahi na kusahau matatizo yao ya kawaida, mbali ya kulitangaza vema jina la nchi kimataifa.

Pia Waziri Nchimbi alielezea kuguswa na maoni ya wadau wakiwamo wa nje ya nchi juu ya utamaduni uliozoeleka kwa viongozi wengi kuthamini soka pekee, hivyo kusisitiza kuwa yeye si wa aina hiyo ni mdau wa michezo yote na kutoa wito kwa kampuni, taasisi na wadau mbalimbali kujikita katika kuwekeza katika riadha mchezo ambao umeliletea sifa taifa kimataifa kuliko michezo yote.

Kwa upande wake Meneja Mawasiliano wa TBL, Emmy Oriyo alisema," kwa kuwa mwaka kesho mbio hizi zinatimiza mwaka wa 10 tangu kuanzishwa kwake, Kilimanjaro Premium Lager inatoa ahadi kwamba itawekeza zaidi katika mbio hizi ili kuhakikisha maadhimisho ya kumi yanakuja na ongezeko la zawadi na udhamini mkubwa zaidi katika maeneo mengine yote.

ìTunatambua kwamba kukimbia marathoni ni jambo gumu sana na changamoto kubwa, lakini tunafarijika kuona vijana wakiwa kwenye ari na msukumo wa aina yake kuhakikisha wanailetea heshima nchi yetu. Nawapongeza sana wanariadha wote walioweza kushiriki mbio hizi na wale wote walioshiriki kujifurahisha kwa kutuunga mkono, maana uwepo wenu ndio umefanya tukio hili kuwa kubwa kama ambavyo nyote mnajionea,î Alisema Oriyo.

Kwa upande wa burudani bendi ya The African Stars Entertainment ëTwanga Pepetaí TMK Wanaume Family na Joseph Payne ëMzungu wa BSSí walipagawisha vilivyo.

Mbio hizo za Kilimanjaro Marathoni zimedhaminiwa na bia ya Kilimanjaro Premium Lager ambao ndio wadhamini wakuu, huku wadhamini shirikishi ni Vodacom Tanzania (5 km Fun Run), DT Dobie, TPC Sugar, Kilimanjaro Water, Tanzanite One, Simba Cement, Keys Hotel, Tanzanite One, Precisionair, KK Security na Bodi ya Utalii Tanzania (TTB), huku waratibu wakiwa ni Wild Frontiers ya Afrika Kusini na Executive Solution ya Dar es Salaam.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Timu tatu zapeta ligi Arusha

Imeandikwa na John Mhala, Arusha; Tarehe: 28th February 2011 @ 08:38 Imesomwa na watu: 12; Jumla ya maoni: 0








TIMU tatu za Kundi B zimejihakikishia kuingia hatua ya sita bora ili kupata timu bingwa wa Mkoa wa Arusha.

Timu zilizoingia hatua hiyo ni Flamingo, Golden Kids na Mbuni.

Kaimu Katibu wa Chama Cha Soka Mkoa wa Arusha (ARFA), Gerald Munis alisema timu hizo zote zimebakiwa na mchezo mmoja mmoja.

Munis alisema katika kundi hilo Flamingo ndiyo timu pekee ambayo haijapoteza mchezo na timu za Mbuni na Golden zote zimepoteza mchezo mmoja mmoja.

Akizungumzia Kundi A, Munis alisema timu ya Polisi imecheza michezo yote mitano na kubakiwa na mmoja na imeshinda yote na ndio iliyojihakikishia kuingia hatua ya sita bora.

Kaimu Katibu huyo alisema timu za TMA, Mana Baptis na Duluti zote zinawania nafasi mbili na kila timu ina nafasi ikiwa itashinda mchezo wake wa mwisho.

Alisema ligi ya sita bora itaanza mapema mwezi huu ikiwa ni njia mojawapo ya kutaka ligi hiyo imalizike mapema na bingwa aweze kujiandaa vema katika Ligi ya Kanda.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Wengi wajitokeza mbio za Voda Send to a friend Sunday, 27 February 2011 21:19

Mwandishi wetu, Moshi

ZAIDI washiriki 2000 wa rika mbalimbali kutoka ndani na nje ya nchi wameshiriki katika mbio za Vodacom 5km fun run ambazo zimekuwa zikifana kila mwaka zikiwa ni sehemu za mbio za kimataifa za Kilimanjaro Marathoni ambazo hufanyika kila mwaka mjini Moshi mkoani Kilimanjaro.

Katika mbio hizo za kujiburudisha ambazo zimekuwa zikipata washiriki wengi kila mwaka,zimezidi kutia fora ambapo jana alikuwepo mshiriki mdogo kuliko wote ambaye alikuwa kijana mwenye umri wa miaka mitatu wakati mkubwa kuliko wote alikuwa na umri wa miaka 70 ambao wote walipewa zawadi maalum na Vodacom.

Mgeni rasmi katika mbio hizo Mkuu wa wilaya ya Moshi Mjini, Alhaji Mussa Samizi ambaye alizindua mbio hizo mapema jana asubuhi aliipongeza Vodacom Tanzania kwa kudhamini mbio hizo na kuiomba idhamini mbio za watu wenye ulemavu ambao zimesahaulika ambazo miaka miwili iliyopita zilikuwa sehemu ya mbio za Kilimanjaro, lakini ziliondolewa kwa kukosa mdhamini.

Aidha Mkuu huyo wa wilaya aliitaka Vodacom kuzidi kuboresha mbio hizo ambazo zinapendwa na watu wengi wenye rika tofauti hasa watalii ambao huja kushiriki mbio hizo na kufanya utalii jambo ambalo linaongeza pato la taifa na wananchi wa mkoa wa Kilimanjaro.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa Habari, Mkurugenzi wa Vodacom kanda ya Kaskazini, Nguvu Kamando alitoa wito kwa Watanzania kushiriki kwa wingi katika mbio hizo badala ya kuacha mbio hizo kuwa na washiriki wengi zaidi wa nje kama ilivyozoeleka sasa kwani riadha pamoja na kuwa mchezo pia ni ajira kwa upande mwingine.

Aidha Kamando alisema Vodacom imejipanga kuboresha zaidi mbio hizo za kilometa tano ingawa sio kwa kiwango kikubwa ili kutowavutia wakimbiaji wakubwa kuhamia kwenye mbio hizo kufuata zawadi endapo zitakuwa kubwa.

Washindi wa mbio hizo za Vodacom 5km walizawadiwa zawadi kwa upande wa wanaume na wanawake,ambapo mshindi wa kwanza akijinyakulia shilingi 100,000,wa pili shilingi 80,000,wa tatu shilingi 60,000,wa nne shilingi 50,000,wa tano 40,000 na kuanzia mshindi wa tano mpaka wa tisa walipatiwa kifuta jasho cha shilingi 20,000 kila mmoja na kuwekewa muda wa maongezi kwenye simu zao wenye thamani ya shilingi 20,000.

ìPamoja na udhamini huu Vodacom inaamini kuwa itakuwa inaunga mkono juhudi za serikali za kunyanyua na kukuza vipaji vya wanamichezo hapa nchini ambao hapo baadaye wataweza kulitangaza Taifa letu katika nyanja za michezo za kimataifa.

Zaidi ya hayo tunashiriki mashindano haya ikiwa ni kuunga mkono juhudi za serikali yetu za kukuza sekta ya utalii, hasa ukizingatia mashindano haya yanafanyika mkoani Kilimanjaro chini ya mojawapo ya vivutio vikuu vya utalii kama vile Mlima mrefu barani Afrika, Mlima Kilimnjaro.

ìVodacom Tanzania itaendelea kudhamini michezo mbalimbali hapa nchini kwa lengo la kukuza viwango vya michezo hapa nchini na hatimaye kuliletea taifa letu heshima katika mashindano ya kimataifaí.

Baadhi ya michezo inayodhaminiwa na na Vodacom ni pamoja na Mpira wa Miguu,Vodacom Miss Tanzania, mashindano ya kuogelea mbio za boti na mbuzi.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Simba yainyoosha Mtibwa


*Yakalia tena usukani wa ligi

Na Zahoro Mlanzi

MABINGWA watetezi wa Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara, Simba jana ilikalia tena usukani wa ligi hiyo baada ya kuinyuka Mtibwa Sugar mabao 4-1, katika
mechi iliyopigwa Uwanja wa Uhuru, Dar es Salaam.

Usukani wa ligi hiyo, sasa umekuwa kama mbio za kupokezana vijiti kwa timu za Simba, Yanga na Azam FC ambazo zimekuwa zikipokezana kila mara.

Kwa matokeo hayo, Simba sasa inaongoza ligi hiyo kwa kuwa na pointi 37, ikifuatiwa na Azam FC ambayo ina pointi 35 sawa na Yanga yenye pointi kama hizo, lakini ikizidiwa kwa uwiano wa mabao ya kufunga na kufungwa.

Simba ilipata bao la kwanza dakika ya 13 kupitia Mbwana Samatta, ambaye alipiga shuti lililogonga mwamba na kutinga wavuni baada ya kupokea pasi ya Amri Kiemba.

Kabla ya kuingia kwa bao hilo, Simba ilitikisa nyavu dakika ya tatu kupitia kwa Kiemba, ambalo hata hivyo mwamuzi alilikataa kwa madai kuwa Shija Mkina wa Simba, alimfanyia madhambi kipa Omary Ally kabla ya mpira kujaa wavuni.

Mchezo ulilazimika kusimama kwa dakika tano kutokana na kipa huyo kufanyiwa matibabu, lakini hata hivyo alishindwa kuendelea na mchezo na kutolewa nje kwa machela huku nafasi yake ikichukuliwa na Soud Slim.

Baada ya kushambuliwa mfululizo, Mtibwa Sugar ilizunduka na kuanza kuliandama lango la Simba, ambapo Salum Machaku nusura aifungie timu yake bao kutokana na shuti lake kugonga mwamba wa juu na kudunda ndani lakini hata hivyo, mlinzi Juma Jabu aliondosha hatari hiyo.

Kipindi cha pili kilianza kwa Simba kuingia na uchu wa kufunga mabao na kufanikiwa kupata bao la pili dakika ya 46, lililofungwa na Kiemba akiunganisha krosi ya Rashid Gumbo, aliyeingia badala ya Hilary Echesa.

Mtibwa ilipata bao la kufutia machozi dakika ya 55, kupitia kwa Hussein Java, baada ya kuunganisha krosi ya Machaku ambaye alimpiga chenga beki Juma Nyoso.

Dakika ya 66 Samatta, aliipatia Simba bao la tatu baada ya kuruka mbizi na kuupiga mpira kichwa akiunganisha krosi, iliyochongwa na Mkina.

Samatta aliiandika Simba bao la nne na la tatu kwake katika mechi hiyo kwa mkwaju wa penalti, baada ya kipa wa Mtibwa, Slim kumkwatua Mussa Hassan 'Mgosi', aliyeingia kuchukua nafasi ya Nico Nyagawa.

Ligi hiyo itaendelea tena leo katika Uwanja wa Jamhuri mjini Morogoro kati ya Yanga na Ruvu Shooting na endapo Yanga itashinda itakuwa inaongoza.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Obafemi Martins grabs glory as Birmingham beat Arsenal

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• Guardian report
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Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1

• van Persie 39

Birmingham City 2

• Zigic 28,
• Martins 89

• Kevin McCarra at Wembley
• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 18.15 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Obafemi Martin, left, celebrates Birmingham's winning goal against Arsenal with Nikola Zigic, centre. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images If Birmingham City held one advantage over Arsenal it lay in the art of endurance. A side striving not to fall out of the Premier League reached a peak in their history by defeating opponents who took far too long to discover impetus in this Carling Cup final. After 89 minutes, the substitute Obafemi Martins thrived on hapless defending to notch the winner. Alex McLeish's side had brought the club their first trophy since taking this prize in 1963.
  Arsenal's defects warrant prolonged examination, but the real priority is to salute Birmingham. They are inferior in almost every respect to Arsène Wenger's team, as the 3-0 loss to them at St Andrew's in January emphasised, yet their powers of endurance were remarkable and not only for the saves that Ben Foster produced when Arsenal seemed bound for the winner.
  There was a boldness to Birmingham, who understood that a cup final is not to be wasted by cowering in the hope that luck comes your way. Nikola Zigic may have been the man who most caused disquiet to the opposition. The Serb had scored only seven goals before this occasion, but he exposed the unsatisfactory defending of Arsenal and, in particular, of the centre&#8209;half Laurent Koscielny.
  The Frenchman made a ruinous nuisance of himself with a minute remaining. Koscielny moved as if to kick a long ball from Foster and distracted his goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. He then let possession spill to the Nigerian Martins, who came to Birmingham last month on loan from the Russian club Rubin Kazan. No matter how brief his stay in the Midlands turns out to be, he has a permanent place in the memory of every Birmingham supporter.
  Arsenal, for their part, were co-conspirators in this result. After six years without a trophy, it is impossible to believe they were complacent. It is more likely that we were witnessing nervousness as they rolled the ball around to very limited effect in the first half. There were intimations even then of vulnerability in the ranks.
  Zigic regularly highlighted that. He not only scored the opener but should have added to it. After 28 minutes, Sebastian Larsson put a corner towards the fringes of the penalty area and Roger Johnson got the better of Koscielny to nod the ball into the goalmouth, where the Serb diverted the ball into the net with his head.
  Arsenal's apprehension was marked well before that. Although they were behind then, the situation might have been far worse. Szczensy would have been sent off in the second minute for bringing down Lee Bowyer, following a pass from Zigic, had it not been for the mistake by the assistant referee Ron Garfield in raising the flag for offside. McLeish's side showed a desire to seize the opportunity, while Arsenal lost track of where they were and why.
  This may have been the least of the four prizes that Wenger's side were pursuing, but there will be further misery if they continue to be so brittle. Arsenal might as well have been out to illustrate every defect that is suspected in them. So it was that tension prevented them from showing fluency. Birmingham were close to recording their second goal much earlier in the second half, when a Keith Fahey shot came back off the crossbar.
  It was to be expected that McLeish's men would raise their game. There was nothing to fear when almost everyone had taken it for granted that they would fall to inevitable defeat. The side's great feat was to believe in themselves for so long. There was nothing that resembled an Arsenal onslaught until well into the second half.
  When Arsenal at last achieved impetus, there was a string of saves from Foster, particularly when Samir Nasri and then the substitute Nicklas Bendtner forced him into action. At that stage in the second half, Arsenal might well have achieved total command.
  Instead they drifted away from a target that seemed well within reach. That should be at least as disquieting to Wenger as the fact that a prize has eluded him. The side's focus and standard of play were both prone to being blurred. It would have been better for Wenger if Cesc Fábregas and Theo Walcott had not been absent through injury, and many could have anticipated there would also be a craving for the presence of the defender Thomas Vermaelen, who has been absent for almost all of this season. Birmingham behaved from the outset as if every player had been convinced by McLeish that there was glory to be had if they attacked the Arsenal central defence with confidence.
  There might have been a second goal for Zigic, who displayed zest and mobility that had been well disguised on other occasions. Birmingham could have extended the lead 11 minutes from the interval. Jack Wilshere's challenge on Craig Gardner merely knocked the ball to the Serb, but he did not connect properly and Szczesny blocked without difficulty.
  Arsenal may attempt to trick themselves into thinking that nothing of real worth has escaped. There are greater honours to be sought, but this was an outcome to plant new doubts in men who were starting to develop faith in themselves. The immediate priority is to inch back to normality by beating Leyton Orient on Wednesday. The requirement for a replay in that FA Cup came with an 89th&#8209;minute leveller for the League One team.
  We should appreciate then that this continues to be an Arsenal team in the shadow of their prolonged fallibility. The weeks to come do, of course, include the return with Barcelona in the Champions League. There is much that could go wrong and Arsenal have heightened the apprehension by falling to admirable Birmingham.
  
  
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    Arsenal v Birmingham City - as it happened
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  • 22 Feb 2011
    Birmingham's Alexander Hleb may yet face former club Arsenal at Wembley
  • 1 Dec 2010
    Birmingham City v Aston Villa - as it happened
  
  
  
  
  
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    Infinity123 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    Well played Birmingham - you deserved that.
    
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    So I guess it doesn't matter whether we play the kids or not...
    we still can't win the carling cup...
    
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    Keysers0ze 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    Defensive cock up not withstanding Birmingham should have won this match because Szczesny should have been sent off in the 3rd min and a penalty awarded to them. Congratulations to the Blues, you knew that Guardian had jinxed it for us, didn't you?
    
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    ilFuggiasco 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Szczesny the name on everybody's lips.
    
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    PaulLambert 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    I thought before the game that it might be close, because if there's one thing Birmingham under Alex McCleish have been, it's difficult to beat. They can absolutely frustrate the life out of any side with their organisation, steel, determination and workrate. But they also do have a few classy ball players in the form of Ferguson, Larsson and Gardner. And maybe even Lee Bowyer - whose reputation and temperament sometimes stop him getting the credit he might do otherwise you feel.
    I thought they were simply fantastic today though, and thoroughly deserved their win. They could've easily been 1-0 up within the first minute, and probably would've been if the linesman hadn't got the offside call badly wrong. And facing ten men to boot. But they didn't let that injustice get to them. They kept at it, went on to score, and then created another chance to go 2-0 up when Zigic fired straight at the Arsenal 'keeper.
    Once Arsenal had equalised - and it was a quality goal from Van Persie, who was undoubtedly a big miss when he went off - there was a chance the flood gates might have opened. But no, Birmingham didn't let that bother them either. They just got on with their game, and even came close to scoring once again when Fahey hit the post. And while Arsenal did end up exerting some pressure, they stood up to it brilliantly. Particularly Ben Foster, who was a credit to his team.
    And then what a masterstroke from McCleish to bring Martins on with ten minutes to play. He's lightening quick, and against tiring defenders there was always the chance he'd get to a loose ball in or around the box first. And that's exactly what he did to win the game for them. What drama!
    Absolutely couldn't be happier for the Blues today, who've given their many snobbish critics a big middle finger and won the first silverware of the season, beating the current media darlings in the process.
    A big well done to them.
    
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    LordSidcup 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Arsenal players are not drilled properly in those boring defensive basics, so cannot trust each and will be the eternal bottlers until a defensive coach is brought in.
    Pathetic.
    
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Brian Clough was right. Polish goalkeepers are jokes.
    
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    sujay7pires 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Poles and the Carling Cup just don't mix do they?
    Well played Birmingham, Arsenal were crap first half, did a lot better second half.
    Wilshire hitting the post and Foster making those saves, I just knew wasn't going to be our day. The wait continues.
    Bring on Orient. The treble is still on..🙂
    Ah well....here come the hounds.
    
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    justabouthopeful 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    He is the one and only!!!
    
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    GlasgowGooner 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Poor performance. We got what we deserved and I could see it coming&#8230;
    Wenger should take the blame. What a bizarre team selection &#8211; Nasri is widely regarded as one of the players of the season, but Wenger chooses to isolate him on the right, instead of giving him license in the middle.
    Meanwhile Rosicky looks in terminal decline &#8211; He was terrible again today, misplaced passes, good moves breaking down as soon as he got involved&#8230; and yet Wenger chose to play him in the centre, where he offered nothing going forward or defensively. I would have preferred Denilson! And instead of taking Rosick off, he takes off Arshavin, who was looking perky and set up the goal.
    As for the Keeper and Koscielny &#8211; feel sorry for them, but a basic mistake and epitomises what's wrong at arsenal &#8211; trying to be too clever at the back.
    Wenger needs to buy a couple of loud, strong personalities, winners who will make their presence felt (a la Tony Adams, Viera). Think Vidic, Puyol, even John bloody Terry would be a step in the right direction! Maybe after another season winning nothing he will finally wake up.
    
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    craigyj85 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Sorry,
    but due to unforseen circumstances, national media wank-fest day has been cancelled.
    HA!
    
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    dunf2562 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    First of all congratulations to all Birmingham fans, who would have thought that a team looking over their shoulders at the relegation places would be the ones to stop the mighty Arsenals tilt at the quadruple? Speaking of which would all you Gooners who insanely voted yes in the Guardians poll this week to whether said quadruple was feasible or not please now leave the room.
    Foster ( bought for loose change in the summer to replace Joe Hart who had been available for loose change a year before) done what goalkeepers do and kept Brum in it during that ten minute second half spell of Arsenal pressure and while I admit that Wegners THIRD choice keeper might have a decent career in front of him, and I fervently hope this doesn't ruin him confidence wise, how can so many of you Arsenal fans unquestioningly accept Wegner starting the season convinced that Almunia is his number one, lose him AND his understudy and still refuse to buy a replacement in January?
    Occasional great nights at home to Barcelona are all there might be to look forward to as long as this stubborn, irrational decision making is allowed, and indeed encouraged, of a "professor" who seems to be the only man in north London who cannot pinpoint and then correct his teams weakest areas.
    That of course should not detract from the fact that after 89 minutes they had failed to break down Birmingham on more than one occasion, Arshavin to me would seem to have his worth decided on two spectacular goals pro season plus assist stats which are really no more than a by-product of the fantasy football era. Inside forwards and wingers have been entrusted with setting up goal scoring opportunities since way before Sky telly and the internet revolutionized the game
    Again congrats to Birmingham, you may well end the season with more silverware than Man City.
    
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    rhinolips 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Still on the treble!
    
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    Damien 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Well Done Birmingham. It was a deserved result, the last minute mistake from Arsenal, gifting them the goal, should not detract from the fact that their performance was much better than ours and they deserved to win the trophy. Can't say fairer than that.
    Utterly pathetic from Arsenal, it was an inexcusable performance. Utter shambles. A lot of attention will be spent on the mistake between Koscielny and Szczesny, but both of these players have been good this season. These mistakes happen and you can't dwell on them or use them to judge how to go forward from here.
    What is pathetic was the performance in general. We should have scored more when we finally managed to get a foothold in the game, and we should have tried to dominate them and take control of the game but we didn't. It was awful. It is why we lost.
    Can't think much more at the moment, completely crestfallen at the moment. Don't know where to go from here. So depressed.
    
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    When the semi-finals were taking place, I was much more frightened of West Ham in the final because Rob Green usually plays a ****ing blinder against us...
    He must have passed tips onto Ben Foster...
    Well played Birmingham, our team helped you on your way though...
    >_>
    
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    Bazza12 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    erm, 6 years and counting ?
    anyway, don't worry - it's only the mickey mouse cup, and actually it's all about entertainment, not winning.
    Well - I've been very entertained, thanks
    
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    erniemung 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Wenger didnt want it ,why should the team be any different..........
    
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    FORZA77 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    so pleased for Blues, winning that means something to their players and fans, and was deserved, played the ref at times
    
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    HankVanTek 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Congratulations, Birmingham!
    
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    ffonz 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Congratulations Birmingham.
    In other news, ex Villain Lee Hendrie is lighting things up at Bandung F.C in Indonesia's 'alternative' premier league (yep, alternative).
    
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    smifee 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Well, thanks a lot Bluenoses. My daughter's a Villan and I won't hear from her for days now.
    Foster, man of the match for me too.
    Well done, Blues. To dare is to do. A lesson for Gold, Sullivan & Brady, eh?
    I'm seriously looking forward to the Gooner logic that is about to pervade the blogoshpere. Speaking of which... I know folk like to quote me so to save time:
    
    "The only way B'ham can win on Sunday is to 'dispose' of Van Persie. If McCleish can negate him, which I think we all know means kick the shit out of him, B'ham have a pretty good chance of disrupting the Tic-Tacs. The pretty football won't mean much if it's taking the ball up to Bender and Chamakh. Then, if B'ham concentrate on getting right up the Arse's, one of their centre-backs is bound to give."
    ​
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    plectrum 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    I seem to remember a lot of Arsenal fans on these boards being rather insultingly cocksure they were going to win this after the semis. That was a hysterical cock up.
    
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Can somebody please tell me why Rosicky is still at Arsenal? I haven't seen him do a thin for about 2 years now...
    
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    crazyfatguy 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Before the gloaters arrive...
    It's okay, it's alright. We have not been waiting since 1963 to win a trophy like Birmingham. They deserved the victory so congratulations to them.
    And evidently enough, Birmingham is better than Barcelona! 😛
    
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    Debaser92 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    What a fantastic day this is. I hope you Arsenal fans enjoy seeing your Spurs colleagues tomorrow.
    
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    sujay7pires 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Keysers0ze,
    Amen to that brother. I'm waiting for Paul Hayward to come out with the "bottlers, chokers" article now.
    
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    Zaid216 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    I never thought I could feel sorry for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. I hope they win the league. That might depend on us beating United on Tuesday.
    
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    ChinofJim 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Alan Davies piss streaked pants of despair it is
    
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    CarmenSternwood 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
    
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    thisgunforhire 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Lest we forget, Birmingham haven't just beaten any old team, they've beaten Jack Wilshere's Arsenal.
    
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    saltee 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Just well played Brum. Showed alot of heart, hung in there and defended en mass through the tricky periods, and kept their organization. A solid performance. Ben Foster made some outstanding saves.
    Arsenal? Well not a bad performance. Nice to see Sczenzy has learnt from the best (Aluminia). Have to pity the lad though, only 19, and solid up until this point. Hope it doesnt haunt him too much.
    
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    bobeto 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Ben Foster - the Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the League Cup
    Oh Arsenal
    
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    GarsSilencieux 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    HAHA
    
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    ColinMay 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Best team won.
    Arsene needs a goalie and a centre half.
    Don't know where you buy guts.
    
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Well played, Birmingham. We missed Cesc, and couldn't deal with the midfield pressure.
    It's not surprising that without Cesc we're susceptible to teams pressing us, because he's the only one with the vision to play it long.
    I thought Wilshere was good.
    The subs were questionable. Bendtner for van Persie I can see. Chamakh for Arshavin, I can't.
    It's a horrible result, and I'm sure it'll affect the goalkeeper and defender for a while, so this could be the end of the title challenge. We'll see.
    I bet Paul Hayward will write a negative to his earlier article now.
    
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    REDevil 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Arsenal fans...how is life?
    
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    Whitehotlane 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    YEssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
    Birmingham captain Stephen Carr on his side's victory over Arsenal: "We knew if we got right in their faces that we could get the result. There's a lot of belief in that dressing room. It's amazing, such a long time that the fans have been waiting for. This will make their year, maybe their lives."
    
    1806: Stephen Carr gets his hands on the silverware, decked in blue and white ribbons, and lifts it high above his head. They earned that win, didn't they?
    1805: Here come the Birmingham players to collect the Carling Cup trophy, led by veteran captain Stephen Carr.
    Spurs 1 Arsenal 0
    Never mind gooners...............worth ..less...cup
    wasn't it?
    Hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
    
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    HankVanTek 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    So, Bowyer was onside. My conclusion: officials get decisions wrong.
    Except for when it's United. Then it's a shady conspiracy.
    
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    Ruprict 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Congratulations to Blues . A thoroughly deserved victory in a very entertaining game. There will be muted conversations at all the Islington dinner parties tonight . Back to house prices and wine tasting I suppose.
    
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    dunf2562 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Slightly off topic but it really pissed me off that for the entire second half there were rows of empty seats to the left and right of the centre line.
    Don't Carling know any corporate tossers who actually like football to give free tickets to??
    
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    iamcorholio 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
    
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    BuffoBill 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Arsenal fans should just conclude Wenger cannot win a trophy for the next 10 years.
    No mental strength, no bottl, no heart and no guts. Just a bunch of unproven featherweights caressing the ball with no purpose or goal to WIN!
    
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    domran 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Did Birmingham not read the script?? Having read all of the articles this week I thought that Arsenal had already won it? There was even an article on here yesterday saying that Fabregas may be allowed to collect the trophy. Oh dear
    
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    AmbrosiusBocanegra 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Bham can take the Carling trophy with them down to Championship territory, while Arse pursue the hunt for the PL title
    
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    YoureWrong 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Zigic and Martins, it should have been obvious really.
    
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    Keysers0ze 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
    
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    MookieB 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    After all the posturing from Arsenal fans who thought they just had to turn up that is particularly pleasing. Hansen said before the game "Arsenal's time is now" and suggested they could go on to win the league. How does this guy earn so much licence payer's money? He knows sod all. Great result Birmingham. I notice Jack "World Class" Wilshere was almost crying at the end after whining at Barry Ferguson. Classic.
    What was that comment the other day about "If Arsenal win it will be a victory for football, if Birmingham win it will be the opposite"? Birmingham played great football and beat Arsenal at their own game. And Brum should have had a penalty in 2 mins and the Arse keeper sent off!!!
    So the quadruple is off, and despite popular opinion, Arsenal wont win the league. They'll also probably get knocked out of Europe against Barca. So assuming you get past Orient, you better hope we don't turn up in the next round 😀 How long now without a trophy?
    
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    jrob69 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Time for Arsenal to accept that Wenger is now a liability. For all his acumen and experience why oh why didn't he buy Gary Cahill in January? Their shocking central defence all to glaring again today. Pathetic. My prediction they will win nothing again looks very safe. Expect them to crumble in the league shortly as every opposing team knows how to attack against them. Ironically they have looked most comfortable against the midgets of Barcelona recently.
    
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Oh and one last thing: **** you Guardian. Next time write some ****ing articles on Birmingham before the bloody thing.
    
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    chelseaexile 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    In spite of the excesses of some Arsenal fans around these parts whenever Chelsea have a bad day, I can't bring myself to mock or laugh.
    That was a horrible way to lose a final and I feel genuinely sorry for them.
    That said, well done to Birmingham. They were the better team for a good part of the game and I doubt many nuetrals would begrudge them.
    
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[Rutashubanyuma]

Obafemi Martins grabs glory as Birmingham beat Arsenal

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• Guardian report
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Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1

• van Persie 39

Birmingham City 2

• Zigic 28,
• Martins 89

• Kevin McCarra at Wembley
• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 18.15 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Obafemi Martin, left, celebrates Birmingham's winning goal against Arsenal with Nikola Zigic, centre. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images If Birmingham City held one advantage over Arsenal it lay in the art of endurance. A side striving not to fall out of the Premier League reached a peak in their history by defeating opponents who took far too long to discover impetus in this Carling Cup final. After 89 minutes, the substitute Obafemi Martins thrived on hapless defending to notch the winner. Alex McLeish's side had brought the club their first trophy since taking this prize in 1963.
  Arsenal's defects warrant prolonged examination, but the real priority is to salute Birmingham. They are inferior in almost every respect to Arsène Wenger's team, as the 3-0 loss to them at St Andrew's in January emphasised, yet their powers of endurance were remarkable and not only for the saves that Ben Foster produced when Arsenal seemed bound for the winner.
  There was a boldness to Birmingham, who understood that a cup final is not to be wasted by cowering in the hope that luck comes your way. Nikola Zigic may have been the man who most caused disquiet to the opposition. The Serb had scored only seven goals before this occasion, but he exposed the unsatisfactory defending of Arsenal and, in particular, of the centre&#8209;half Laurent Koscielny.
  The Frenchman made a ruinous nuisance of himself with a minute remaining. Koscielny moved as if to kick a long ball from Foster and distracted his goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. He then let possession spill to the Nigerian Martins, who came to Birmingham last month on loan from the Russian club Rubin Kazan. No matter how brief his stay in the Midlands turns out to be, he has a permanent place in the memory of every Birmingham supporter.
  Arsenal, for their part, were co-conspirators in this result. After six years without a trophy, it is impossible to believe they were complacent. It is more likely that we were witnessing nervousness as they rolled the ball around to very limited effect in the first half. There were intimations even then of vulnerability in the ranks.
  Zigic regularly highlighted that. He not only scored the opener but should have added to it. After 28 minutes, Sebastian Larsson put a corner towards the fringes of the penalty area and Roger Johnson got the better of Koscielny to nod the ball into the goalmouth, where the Serb diverted the ball into the net with his head.
  Arsenal's apprehension was marked well before that. Although they were behind then, the situation might have been far worse. Szczensy would have been sent off in the second minute for bringing down Lee Bowyer, following a pass from Zigic, had it not been for the mistake by the assistant referee Ron Garfield in raising the flag for offside. McLeish's side showed a desire to seize the opportunity, while Arsenal lost track of where they were and why.
  This may have been the least of the four prizes that Wenger's side were pursuing, but there will be further misery if they continue to be so brittle. Arsenal might as well have been out to illustrate every defect that is suspected in them. So it was that tension prevented them from showing fluency. Birmingham were close to recording their second goal much earlier in the second half, when a Keith Fahey shot came back off the crossbar.
  It was to be expected that McLeish's men would raise their game. There was nothing to fear when almost everyone had taken it for granted that they would fall to inevitable defeat. The side's great feat was to believe in themselves for so long. There was nothing that resembled an Arsenal onslaught until well into the second half.
  When Arsenal at last achieved impetus, there was a string of saves from Foster, particularly when Samir Nasri and then the substitute Nicklas Bendtner forced him into action. At that stage in the second half, Arsenal might well have achieved total command.
  Instead they drifted away from a target that seemed well within reach. That should be at least as disquieting to Wenger as the fact that a prize has eluded him. The side's focus and standard of play were both prone to being blurred. It would have been better for Wenger if Cesc Fábregas and Theo Walcott had not been absent through injury, and many could have anticipated there would also be a craving for the presence of the defender Thomas Vermaelen, who has been absent for almost all of this season. Birmingham behaved from the outset as if every player had been convinced by McLeish that there was glory to be had if they attacked the Arsenal central defence with confidence.
  There might have been a second goal for Zigic, who displayed zest and mobility that had been well disguised on other occasions. Birmingham could have extended the lead 11 minutes from the interval. Jack Wilshere's challenge on Craig Gardner merely knocked the ball to the Serb, but he did not connect properly and Szczesny blocked without difficulty.
  Arsenal may attempt to trick themselves into thinking that nothing of real worth has escaped. There are greater honours to be sought, but this was an outcome to plant new doubts in men who were starting to develop faith in themselves. The immediate priority is to inch back to normality by beating Leyton Orient on Wednesday. The requirement for a replay in that FA Cup came with an 89th&#8209;minute leveller for the League One team.
  We should appreciate then that this continues to be an Arsenal team in the shadow of their prolonged fallibility. The weeks to come do, of course, include the return with Barcelona in the Champions League. There is much that could go wrong and Arsenal have heightened the apprehension by falling to admirable Birmingham.
  
  
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  • 27 Feb 2011
    Arsenal v Birmingham City - as it happened
  • 28 Feb 2011
    Alex McLeish has taken Birmingham to places they never thought likely
  • 22 Feb 2011
    Birmingham's Alexander Hleb may yet face former club Arsenal at Wembley
  • 1 Dec 2010
    Birmingham City v Aston Villa - as it happened
  
  
  
  
  
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    Infinity123 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    Well played Birmingham - you deserved that.
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    So I guess it doesn't matter whether we play the kids or not...
    we still can't win the carling cup...
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    Keysers0ze 27 February 2011 6:17PM
    
    Defensive cock up not withstanding Birmingham should have won this match because Szczesny should have been sent off in the 3rd min and a penalty awarded to them. Congratulations to the Blues, you knew that Guardian had jinxed it for us, didn't you?
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    ilFuggiasco 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Szczesny the name on everybody's lips.
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    PaulLambert 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    I thought before the game that it might be close, because if there's one thing Birmingham under Alex McCleish have been, it's difficult to beat. They can absolutely frustrate the life out of any side with their organisation, steel, determination and workrate. But they also do have a few classy ball players in the form of Ferguson, Larsson and Gardner. And maybe even Lee Bowyer - whose reputation and temperament sometimes stop him getting the credit he might do otherwise you feel.
    I thought they were simply fantastic today though, and thoroughly deserved their win. They could've easily been 1-0 up within the first minute, and probably would've been if the linesman hadn't got the offside call badly wrong. And facing ten men to boot. But they didn't let that injustice get to them. They kept at it, went on to score, and then created another chance to go 2-0 up when Zigic fired straight at the Arsenal 'keeper.
    Once Arsenal had equalised - and it was a quality goal from Van Persie, who was undoubtedly a big miss when he went off - there was a chance the flood gates might have opened. But no, Birmingham didn't let that bother them either. They just got on with their game, and even came close to scoring once again when Fahey hit the post. And while Arsenal did end up exerting some pressure, they stood up to it brilliantly. Particularly Ben Foster, who was a credit to his team.
    And then what a masterstroke from McCleish to bring Martins on with ten minutes to play. He's lightening quick, and against tiring defenders there was always the chance he'd get to a loose ball in or around the box first. And that's exactly what he did to win the game for them. What drama!
    Absolutely couldn't be happier for the Blues today, who've given their many snobbish critics a big middle finger and won the first silverware of the season, beating the current media darlings in the process.
    A big well done to them.
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    LordSidcup 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Arsenal players are not drilled properly in those boring defensive basics, so cannot trust each and will be the eternal bottlers until a defensive coach is brought in.
    Pathetic.
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Brian Clough was right. Polish goalkeepers are jokes.
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    sujay7pires 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Poles and the Carling Cup just don't mix do they?
    Well played Birmingham, Arsenal were crap first half, did a lot better second half.
    Wilshire hitting the post and Foster making those saves, I just knew wasn't going to be our day. The wait continues.
    Bring on Orient. The treble is still on..🙂
    Ah well....here come the hounds.
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    justabouthopeful 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    He is the one and only!!!
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    GlasgowGooner 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Poor performance. We got what we deserved and I could see it coming…
    Wenger should take the blame. What a bizarre team selection – Nasri is widely regarded as one of the players of the season, but Wenger chooses to isolate him on the right, instead of giving him license in the middle.
    Meanwhile Rosicky looks in terminal decline – He was terrible again today, misplaced passes, good moves breaking down as soon as he got involved… and yet Wenger chose to play him in the centre, where he offered nothing going forward or defensively. I would have preferred Denilson! And instead of taking Rosick off, he takes off Arshavin, who was looking perky and set up the goal.
    As for the Keeper and Koscielny – feel sorry for them, but a basic mistake and epitomises what’s wrong at arsenal – trying to be too clever at the back.
    Wenger needs to buy a couple of loud, strong personalities, winners who will make their presence felt (a la Tony Adams, Viera). Think Vidic, Puyol, even John bloody Terry would be a step in the right direction! Maybe after another season winning nothing he will finally wake up.
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    craigyj85 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    Sorry,
    but due to unforseen circumstances, national media wank-fest day has been cancelled.
    HA!
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    dunf2562 27 February 2011 6:18PM
    
    First of all congratulations to all Birmingham fans, who would have thought that a team looking over their shoulders at the relegation places would be the ones to stop the mighty Arsenals tilt at the quadruple? Speaking of which would all you Gooners who insanely voted yes in the Guardians poll this week to whether said quadruple was feasible or not please now leave the room.
    Foster ( bought for loose change in the summer to replace Joe Hart who had been available for loose change a year before) done what goalkeepers do and kept Brum in it during that ten minute second half spell of Arsenal pressure and while I admit that Wegners THIRD choice keeper might have a decent career in front of him, and I fervently hope this doesn't ruin him confidence wise, how can so many of you Arsenal fans unquestioningly accept Wegner starting the season convinced that Almunia is his number one, lose him AND his understudy and still refuse to buy a replacement in January?
    Occasional great nights at home to Barcelona are all there might be to look forward to as long as this stubborn, irrational decision making is allowed, and indeed encouraged, of a "professor" who seems to be the only man in north London who cannot pinpoint and then correct his teams weakest areas.
    That of course should not detract from the fact that after 89 minutes they had failed to break down Birmingham on more than one occasion, Arshavin to me would seem to have his worth decided on two spectacular goals pro season plus assist stats which are really no more than a by-product of the fantasy football era. Inside forwards and wingers have been entrusted with setting up goal scoring opportunities since way before Sky telly and the internet revolutionized the game
    Again congrats to Birmingham, you may well end the season with more silverware than Man City.
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    rhinolips 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Still on the treble!
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    Damien 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Well Done Birmingham. It was a deserved result, the last minute mistake from Arsenal, gifting them the goal, should not detract from the fact that their performance was much better than ours and they deserved to win the trophy. Can’t say fairer than that.
    Utterly pathetic from Arsenal, it was an inexcusable performance. Utter shambles. A lot of attention will be spent on the mistake between Koscielny and Szczesny, but both of these players have been good this season. These mistakes happen and you can’t dwell on them or use them to judge how to go forward from here.
    What is pathetic was the performance in general. We should have scored more when we finally managed to get a foothold in the game, and we should have tried to dominate them and take control of the game but we didn’t. It was awful. It is why we lost.
    Can’t think much more at the moment, completely crestfallen at the moment. Don’t know where to go from here. So depressed.
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    When the semi-finals were taking place, I was much more frightened of West Ham in the final because Rob Green usually plays a ****ing blinder against us...
    He must have passed tips onto Ben Foster...
    Well played Birmingham, our team helped you on your way though...
    >_>
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    Bazza12 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    erm, 6 years and counting ?
    anyway, don't worry - it's only the mickey mouse cup, and actually it's all about entertainment, not winning.
    Well - I've been very entertained, thanks
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    erniemung 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Wenger didnt want it ,why should the team be any different..........
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    FORZA77 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    so pleased for Blues, winning that means something to their players and fans, and was deserved, played the ref at times
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    HankVanTek 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Congratulations, Birmingham!
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    ffonz 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Congratulations Birmingham.
    In other news, ex Villain Lee Hendrie is lighting things up at Bandung F.C in Indonesia's 'alternative' premier league (yep, alternative).
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    smifee 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    Well, thanks a lot Bluenoses. My daughter's a Villan and I won't hear from her for days now.
    Foster, man of the match for me too.
    Well done, Blues. To dare is to do. A lesson for Gold, Sullivan & Brady, eh?
    I'm seriously looking forward to the Gooner logic that is about to pervade the blogoshpere. Speaking of which... I know folk like to quote me so to save time:
    "The only way B'ham can win on Sunday is to 'dispose' of Van Persie. If McCleish can negate him, which I think we all know means kick the shit out of him, B'ham have a pretty good chance of disrupting the Tic-Tacs. The pretty football won't mean much if it's taking the ball up to Bender and Chamakh. Then, if B'ham concentrate on getting right up the Arse's, one of their centre-backs is bound to give."
    ​
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    plectrum 27 February 2011 6:19PM
    
    I seem to remember a lot of Arsenal fans on these boards being rather insultingly cocksure they were going to win this after the semis. That was a hysterical cock up.
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    Seraphinox 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Can somebody please tell me why Rosicky is still at Arsenal? I haven't seen him do a thin for about 2 years now...
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    crazyfatguy 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Before the gloaters arrive...
    It's okay, it's alright. We have not been waiting since 1963 to win a trophy like Birmingham. They deserved the victory so congratulations to them.
    And evidently enough, Birmingham is better than Barcelona! 😛
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    Debaser92 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    What a fantastic day this is. I hope you Arsenal fans enjoy seeing your Spurs colleagues tomorrow.
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    sujay7pires 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Keysers0ze,
    Amen to that brother. I'm waiting for Paul Hayward to come out with the "bottlers, chokers" article now.
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    Zaid216 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    I never thought I could feel sorry for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. I hope they win the league. That might depend on us beating United on Tuesday.
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    ChinofJim 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Alan Davies piss streaked pants of despair it is
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    CarmenSternwood 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
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    thisgunforhire 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Lest we forget, Birmingham haven't just beaten any old team, they've beaten Jack Wilshere's Arsenal.
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    saltee 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Just well played Brum. Showed alot of heart, hung in there and defended en mass through the tricky periods, and kept their organization. A solid performance. Ben Foster made some outstanding saves.
    Arsenal? Well not a bad performance. Nice to see Sczenzy has learnt from the best (Aluminia). Have to pity the lad though, only 19, and solid up until this point. Hope it doesnt haunt him too much.
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    bobeto 27 February 2011 6:20PM
    
    Ben Foster - the Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the League Cup
    Oh Arsenal
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    GarsSilencieux 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    HAHA
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    ColinMay 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Best team won.
    Arsene needs a goalie and a centre half.
    Don't know where you buy guts.
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Well played, Birmingham. We missed Cesc, and couldn't deal with the midfield pressure.
    It's not surprising that without Cesc we're susceptible to teams pressing us, because he's the only one with the vision to play it long.
    I thought Wilshere was good.
    The subs were questionable. Bendtner for van Persie I can see. Chamakh for Arshavin, I can't.
    It's a horrible result, and I'm sure it'll affect the goalkeeper and defender for a while, so this could be the end of the title challenge. We'll see.
    I bet Paul Hayward will write a negative to his earlier article now.
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    REDevil 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Arsenal fans...how is life?
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    Whitehotlane 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    YEssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
    Birmingham captain Stephen Carr on his side's victory over Arsenal: "We knew if we got right in their faces that we could get the result. There's a lot of belief in that dressing room. It's amazing, such a long time that the fans have been waiting for. This will make their year, maybe their lives."
    
    1806: Stephen Carr gets his hands on the silverware, decked in blue and white ribbons, and lifts it high above his head. They earned that win, didn't they?
    1805: Here come the Birmingham players to collect the Carling Cup trophy, led by veteran captain Stephen Carr.
    Spurs 1 Arsenal 0
    Never mind gooners...............worth ..less...cup
    wasn't it?
    Hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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    HankVanTek 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    So, Bowyer was onside. My conclusion: officials get decisions wrong.
    Except for when it's United. Then it's a shady conspiracy.
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    Ruprict 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Congratulations to Blues . A thoroughly deserved victory in a very entertaining game. There will be muted conversations at all the Islington dinner parties tonight . Back to house prices and wine tasting I suppose.
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    dunf2562 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Slightly off topic but it really pissed me off that for the entire second half there were rows of empty seats to the left and right of the centre line.
    Don't Carling know any corporate tossers who actually like football to give free tickets to??
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    iamcorholio 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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    BuffoBill 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Arsenal fans should just conclude Wenger cannot win a trophy for the next 10 years.
    No mental strength, no bottl, no heart and no guts. Just a bunch of unproven featherweights caressing the ball with no purpose or goal to WIN!
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    domran 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Did Birmingham not read the script?? Having read all of the articles this week I thought that Arsenal had already won it? There was even an article on here yesterday saying that Fabregas may be allowed to collect the trophy. Oh dear
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    AmbrosiusBocanegra 27 February 2011 6:21PM
    
    Bham can take the Carling trophy with them down to Championship territory, while Arse pursue the hunt for the PL title
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    YoureWrong 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Zigic and Martins, it should have been obvious really.
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    Keysers0ze 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
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    MookieB 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    After all the posturing from Arsenal fans who thought they just had to turn up that is particularly pleasing. Hansen said before the game "Arsenal's time is now" and suggested they could go on to win the league. How does this guy earn so much licence payer's money? He knows sod all. Great result Birmingham. I notice Jack "World Class" Wilshere was almost crying at the end after whining at Barry Ferguson. Classic.
    What was that comment the other day about "If Arsenal win it will be a victory for football, if Birmingham win it will be the opposite"? Birmingham played great football and beat Arsenal at their own game. And Brum should have had a penalty in 2 mins and the Arse keeper sent off!!!
    So the quadruple is off, and despite popular opinion, Arsenal wont win the league. They'll also probably get knocked out of Europe against Barca. So assuming you get past Orient, you better hope we don't turn up in the next round 😀 How long now without a trophy?
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    jrob69 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Time for Arsenal to accept that Wenger is now a liability. For all his acumen and experience why oh why didn't he buy Gary Cahill in January? Their shocking central defence all to glaring again today. Pathetic. My prediction they will win nothing again looks very safe. Expect them to crumble in the league shortly as every opposing team knows how to attack against them. Ironically they have looked most comfortable against the midgets of Barcelona recently.
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    jkhd 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    Oh and one last thing: **** you Guardian. Next time write some ****ing articles on Birmingham before the bloody thing.
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    chelseaexile 27 February 2011 6:22PM
    
    In spite of the excesses of some Arsenal fans around these parts whenever Chelsea have a bad day, I can't bring myself to mock or laugh.
    That was a horrible way to lose a final and I feel genuinely sorry for them.
    That said, well done to Birmingham. They were the better team for a good part of the game and I doubt many nuetrals would begrudge them.
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