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[Rutashubanyuma]

Rory McIlroy bounces back with strong start to Malaysian Open

• McIlroy records opening round three-under-par 69
• Says the Masters is behind him: 'It was one bad round'

• Reuters
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 April 2011 13.09 BST <li class="history">Article history
  
  Rory McIlroy in action at the Malaysian Open. Photograph: Ahmad Yusni/EPA
  
  Rory McIlroy hit probably the longest drive of his career as he put his Masters meltdown behind him to record an opening round three-under-par 69 at the Malaysian Open.
  All eyes were on McIlroy after he blew a four-shot lead at Augusta, with huge crowds putting up with stifling temperatures in Kuala Lumpur to follow the Northern Irishman.
  But unlike the Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel, who slumped to a 73 after an early tee-time, McIlroy showed no ill-effects of the 25-hour journey to Malaysia &#8211; and his clubs arriving late &#8211; as he birdied three of his opening five holes.
  McIlroy, playing alongside Martin Kaymer (70), the world No1, and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (73), finished five shots behind the leader, Alexander Noren, and his drive on the 5th hole passed the 400-yard mark thanks to a favourable bounce.
  Asked if it was the longest of his career, the 21-year old said: "Probably. You don't say this too often but I was almost too close to the green on a par five. It must have gone at least 400 yards.
  "I was lucky it hit off the cart-path and it could have gone out of bounds, but it stayed in bounds for me and set up an easy birdie."
  As the round progressed, however, a few loose shots crept in and his Augusta final-round putting woes returned when he missed a short par effort on 14 for his only dropped shot of the day.
  "I would have definitely taken it before the round," McIlroy said. "I knew I was going to put a few bad swings on it just because of the way I was feeling but hopefully as the week progresses I can get better and shoot some better scores."
  McIlroy was again asked about his final-round 80 at Augusta but said he was over the disappointment. "Other people were more upset about that round than I was. I'm fine. It's one bad round. I'll live and I'm getting on with it."
  While McIlroy may have had reason to be apprehensive before his round, Sweden's Noren had no explanation for his nervous mood. However, nine birdies followed as he reached eight under to lead Italy's Matteo Manassero by two shots before play was suspended because of fading light.
  "I was really nervous going into this round. I don't know why," Noren said.
  Noren, whose sole professional victory came at the European Masters in 2009, birdied his opening three holes before dropping his only shot at the 358-yard par four 14th.
  More birdies came though at the 16th and 17th, after starting on the 10th, as he turned in 32 thanks to brilliant putting. The Swede produced an error-free back nine, closing with birdies at his 10th, 12th, 14th and 18th.
  "My putter was great today. After that my driver was steady then it was all about getting it close enough. I felt luck at times when they kept rolling in but you have to have that sometimes."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City are happy to be underdogs

&#8226; City's manager relaxed about Wembley date with United
&#8226; Carlos Tevez misses FA Cup semi-final and rest of the month

• Louise Taylor
• The Guardian, Friday 15 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
  
  Roberto Mancini is without his talismanic striker Carlos Tevez this weekend. Photograph: Jon Super/Associated Press
  
  Roberto Mancini may not seem like one of the world's natural underdogs but Manchester City's manager claims playing second fiddle to more illustrious opponents has become his default position. Mancini heads to Wembley apparently rather relaxed that Manchester United are firm favourites to progress from Saturday's FA Cup semi final. "This is my life," he said. "It was the same when I went to Lazio because Roma were better and, at Internazionale, because AC Milan won everything."
  Mancini proceeded to confound the doubters by enjoying his fair share of managerial glory at both clubs but his current side's looming Wembley task is complicated by the hamstring injury that will sideline City's talisman, Carlos Tevez for at least the next three weeks. "I'm disappointed, Carlos is an important player for us and it's a serious injury, a tear," said Mancini who is, at least, bolstered by Micah Richards's return to full fitness. "It's a big problem but this is football, United are playing without Rooney.
  "And we have [Edin] Dzeko, [Mario] Balotelli and Jô, good strikers who can play well and score. We know Carlos is very important for us but we can win this game without him. Anything can happen in one game against United. Who would have thought Birmingham could beat Arsenal [in the Carling Cup final]? And I trust my players."
  Doubts linger as to whether this emotion is mutual. Asked whether he believed City's squad to be fully supportive of him the Italian said "yes" before spelling out why dissent was in no one's interests. "It would be stupid because, like me, the players have a good chance here," he stressed. "It's important for these players because it could be their first trophy. Throughout my career I always played to win. For them it's the same. It doesn't matter who plays on Saturday, all the players are behind me."
  Mancini is convinced City's winning the FA Cup could represent a watershed in modern Mancunian football history. "It's difficult to start to win," he said. "That's why I think that if we get to the final and win this trophy the mentality will change. I'm sure that if we get to the final we will win the cup."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City are happy to be underdogs

• City's manager relaxed about Wembley date with United
• Carlos Tevez misses FA Cup semi-final and rest of the month

• Louise Taylor
• The Guardian, Friday 15 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
  
  Roberto Mancini is without his talismanic striker Carlos Tevez this weekend. Photograph: Jon Super/Associated Press
  
  Roberto Mancini may not seem like one of the world's natural underdogs but Manchester City's manager claims playing second fiddle to more illustrious opponents has become his default position. Mancini heads to Wembley apparently rather relaxed that Manchester United are firm favourites to progress from Saturday's FA Cup semi final. "This is my life," he said. "It was the same when I went to Lazio because Roma were better and, at Internazionale, because AC Milan won everything."
  Mancini proceeded to confound the doubters by enjoying his fair share of managerial glory at both clubs but his current side's looming Wembley task is complicated by the hamstring injury that will sideline City's talisman, Carlos Tevez for at least the next three weeks. "I'm disappointed, Carlos is an important player for us and it's a serious injury, a tear," said Mancini who is, at least, bolstered by Micah Richards's return to full fitness. "It's a big problem but this is football, United are playing without Rooney.
  "And we have [Edin] Dzeko, [Mario] Balotelli and Jô, good strikers who can play well and score. We know Carlos is very important for us but we can win this game without him. Anything can happen in one game against United. Who would have thought Birmingham could beat Arsenal [in the Carling Cup final]? And I trust my players."
  Doubts linger as to whether this emotion is mutual. Asked whether he believed City's squad to be fully supportive of him the Italian said "yes" before spelling out why dissent was in no one's interests. "It would be stupid because, like me, the players have a good chance here," he stressed. "It's important for these players because it could be their first trophy. Throughout my career I always played to win. For them it's the same. It doesn't matter who plays on Saturday, all the players are behind me."
  Mancini is convinced City's winning the FA Cup could represent a watershed in modern Mancunian football history. "It's difficult to start to win," he said. "That's why I think that if we get to the final and win this trophy the mentality will change. I'm sure that if we get to the final we will win the cup."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Could FA Cup semi-final be Paul Scholes's last Manchester derby?

In a rare interview, the Manchester United legend Paul Scholes says he is considering retirement after a glittering career

• 
• • Daniel Taylor
  • The Guardian, Friday 15 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
  
  Paul Scholes, who at 36 has played for United for 17 years, says he will decide on his future at the end of the season. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
  
  The testimonial has been pencilled in for August. For Paul Scholes, the search is now on for suitable opponents and "a good, proper game". Real Madrid would be popular with the fans, so Cristiano Ronaldo could play once again at Old Trafford. Or Barcelona maybe, the side he loves to watch and that, in many ways, symbolise his own brand of pass-them-to-death football &#8211; quick, elusive and, when everything clicks, bloody brilliant.
  He is talking in a quiet side room at Manchester United's training ground. Scholes, as usual, has been one of the first to arrive for work, his hair still damp from his morning shower. Training top, jeans, the same haircut he has had since he was playing for Boundary Park Juniors almost 25 years ago. Scholes has never been one for designer labels or flashy cars, and it is almost a surprise to find out he has accepted the offer of a benefit match. Already, you can imagine the adulation from the stands and the polite, unassuming little wave from a man not really comfortable with all the flashing bulbs.
  But wait. When a footballer starts talking about his testimonial it usually means only one thing. At 36, Scholes is now at the age in football when the legs can betray the mind. Ryan Giggs, a year older, has already signed a one-year extension but Scholes has a longer history of injury issues. It is a serious possibility this weekend could be his last Manchester derby and the next few weeks could represent the countdown of his United career.
  At the very least, he is clearly contemplating the end-of-season press release. "I'll decide at the end of the season," he says. "I really don't know what I am going to do yet. I've got these games to think about now and I will decide from there. People always say you should play as long as you can but there comes a time when you can't physically do it. I'm wary of that. I just want to make sure it is done at the right time."
  Football would be losing one of its greats. Scholes would need a small warehouse to show off all the trophies he has won since his debut in a League Cup tie at Port Vale 17 years ago. It is hard to believe that a footballer-of-the-year trophy is not among them; even harder that a local MP threatened United with the Trades Description Act for playing a young Scholes, David Beckham and Gary Neville that night at Vale Park.
  The list of those who have since described Scholes as the best footballer in England includes, among others, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Marcello Lippi and Edgar Davids. Or ask about Scholes at Manchester City. Only three other United players &#8211; Sir Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona and Joe Spence &#8211; have bettered Scholes's tally of seven goals against the old enemy. The last was a stoppage-time winner at Eastlands last season. "It was perfect," Scholes remembers. "That was a major highlight of my career, one of the best things I have ever done." He has struggled, by his own admission, to cope with being on the edges of the team this season (not starting either of the Champions League ties against Chelsea). "It is very difficult to accept [not playing every game] but the time comes when you know that you can't. You want to think like a 25-year-old, you like to think that you can play every game. But you can't. You just have to make sure you are ready for the odd 20 minutes here and there. It's hard to make that adjustment. It is not nice."
  This was in his thoughts when he turned down the chance to play in last summer's World Cup. Scholes did not want to risk it affecting his club form, although, looking back, he does not think fatigue would have been an issue.
  "They played only four games! I think it is more a mental thing. You're away a long time. And the players who went to South Africa will feel it [mentally] because it wasn't great, was it? They didn't play very well. They took a lot of stick. And things like that take a while to get over."
  But he does not want to dwell on the subject much longer. There is, after all, the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Saturday and, as one of the few Mancunians involved, Scholes is better placed than most to comprehend why a United defeat would mean "we probably won't ever hear the end of it". Scholes has been playing long enough to remember when City were grubbing around for points in the Second Division, what is now League One. Then and now seem a long time apart. "It's an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, it's massive, there will be 30,000 fans from each side... it's the biggest game we've had against City for a while. Whoever loses will be devastated."
  He knows this from experience. "I remember the 5-1 in 1989 and Andy Hinchcliffe scoring that goal [Hinchcliffe celebrated by holding up five fingers to United's fans]. It's painful. I can also remember going to Maine Road and losing 3-1 [in 2002] and it's horrible. You hate losing against anybody, but City? It's bad."
  These are the words of a man brought up to believe that Manchester's other club always have to be put in their place. "We have always been the team that has done better, right back from when I was a kid," he says. Later, Scholes talks of an attitude at Old Trafford in the 1990s that there was "no way" they could lose to their neighbours.
  There is a smile, too, as he considers that City have beaten United only once in eight attempts since Abu Dhabi's royal family made them the most financially endowed football club on the planet. "They will be pissed off about that. Even then, that game was a [Carling Cup semi&#8209;final] first leg, with us having another game to make up for it. We have made a habit of nicking games in the last minute. I've done it, Michael Owen's done it, Wayne [Rooney] did it last season and, again, with his unbelievable goal in the league this season. That's the difference between the two teams. We have a belief that we can beat anybody, but if City have that, I'm not too sure."
  Conversely, he believes the huge amounts of money being pumped into City have "probably helped us a bit. It has spurred us on when we have played them. It has made us concentrate a little bit more than we normally would against them."
  City, he knows, are desperately craving a trophy. "When they are fourth or fifth, or wherever they are in the league, I don't think they can be classed as a main rival. Our main rivals are obviously Arsenal and Chelsea. I think City are just a rival because of where they are [geographically], and Liverpool the same." It is a sentence delivered with every bit as much snap as one of his famous late tackles.
  Sir Alex Ferguson almost always plays Scholes in these fixtures, eager to involve a man who understands the importance of local rivalries. But Scholes is not taking it for granted. "I thought the team looked brilliant in both games against Chelsea. I never felt we were in any danger of not going through." He praises Michael Carrick, the man who has taken his place, for "coming back into form &#8211; he's been brilliant the last few weeks".
  Tuesday night was also the first time Scholes started to think this team could emulate the 1999 treble winners. "Until we beat Chelsea I don't think it had crossed any of our minds. It might have crossed other people's. But there were too many games, it seemed too far away and we had a big team like Chelsea in front of us in the Champions League. But we're in the semi-finals in Europe now, the semi-final of the FA Cup and we're seven points clear in the league."
  And, though he does not say it, you wonder whether Scholes has pondered if a European Cup final at Wembley could be a great way to bow out. They will hope not, at Old Trafford and way beyond. But not at City.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Could FA Cup semi-final be Paul Scholes's last Manchester derby?

In a rare interview, the Manchester United legend Paul Scholes says he is considering retirement after a glittering career

• 
• • Daniel Taylor
  • The Guardian, Friday 15 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
  
  Paul Scholes, who at 36 has played for United for 17 years, says he will decide on his future at the end of the season. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
  
  The testimonial has been pencilled in for August. For Paul Scholes, the search is now on for suitable opponents and "a good, proper game". Real Madrid would be popular with the fans, so Cristiano Ronaldo could play once again at Old Trafford. Or Barcelona maybe, the side he loves to watch and that, in many ways, symbolise his own brand of pass-them-to-death football – quick, elusive and, when everything clicks, bloody brilliant.
  He is talking in a quiet side room at Manchester United's training ground. Scholes, as usual, has been one of the first to arrive for work, his hair still damp from his morning shower. Training top, jeans, the same haircut he has had since he was playing for Boundary Park Juniors almost 25 years ago. Scholes has never been one for designer labels or flashy cars, and it is almost a surprise to find out he has accepted the offer of a benefit match. Already, you can imagine the adulation from the stands and the polite, unassuming little wave from a man not really comfortable with all the flashing bulbs.
  But wait. When a footballer starts talking about his testimonial it usually means only one thing. At 36, Scholes is now at the age in football when the legs can betray the mind. Ryan Giggs, a year older, has already signed a one-year extension but Scholes has a longer history of injury issues. It is a serious possibility this weekend could be his last Manchester derby and the next few weeks could represent the countdown of his United career.
  At the very least, he is clearly contemplating the end-of-season press release. "I'll decide at the end of the season," he says. "I really don't know what I am going to do yet. I've got these games to think about now and I will decide from there. People always say you should play as long as you can but there comes a time when you can't physically do it. I'm wary of that. I just want to make sure it is done at the right time."
  Football would be losing one of its greats. Scholes would need a small warehouse to show off all the trophies he has won since his debut in a League Cup tie at Port Vale 17 years ago. It is hard to believe that a footballer-of-the-year trophy is not among them; even harder that a local MP threatened United with the Trades Description Act for playing a young Scholes, David Beckham and Gary Neville that night at Vale Park.
  The list of those who have since described Scholes as the best footballer in England includes, among others, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Marcello Lippi and Edgar Davids. Or ask about Scholes at Manchester City. Only three other United players – Sir Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona and Joe Spence – have bettered Scholes's tally of seven goals against the old enemy. The last was a stoppage-time winner at Eastlands last season. "It was perfect," Scholes remembers. "That was a major highlight of my career, one of the best things I have ever done." He has struggled, by his own admission, to cope with being on the edges of the team this season (not starting either of the Champions League ties against Chelsea). "It is very difficult to accept [not playing every game] but the time comes when you know that you can't. You want to think like a 25-year-old, you like to think that you can play every game. But you can't. You just have to make sure you are ready for the odd 20 minutes here and there. It's hard to make that adjustment. It is not nice."
  This was in his thoughts when he turned down the chance to play in last summer's World Cup. Scholes did not want to risk it affecting his club form, although, looking back, he does not think fatigue would have been an issue.
  "They played only four games! I think it is more a mental thing. You're away a long time. And the players who went to South Africa will feel it [mentally] because it wasn't great, was it? They didn't play very well. They took a lot of stick. And things like that take a while to get over."
  But he does not want to dwell on the subject much longer. There is, after all, the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Saturday and, as one of the few Mancunians involved, Scholes is better placed than most to comprehend why a United defeat would mean "we probably won't ever hear the end of it". Scholes has been playing long enough to remember when City were grubbing around for points in the Second Division, what is now League One. Then and now seem a long time apart. "It's an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, it's massive, there will be 30,000 fans from each side... it's the biggest game we've had against City for a while. Whoever loses will be devastated."
  He knows this from experience. "I remember the 5-1 in 1989 and Andy Hinchcliffe scoring that goal [Hinchcliffe celebrated by holding up five fingers to United's fans]. It's painful. I can also remember going to Maine Road and losing 3-1 [in 2002] and it's horrible. You hate losing against anybody, but City? It's bad."
  These are the words of a man brought up to believe that Manchester's other club always have to be put in their place. "We have always been the team that has done better, right back from when I was a kid," he says. Later, Scholes talks of an attitude at Old Trafford in the 1990s that there was "no way" they could lose to their neighbours.
  There is a smile, too, as he considers that City have beaten United only once in eight attempts since Abu Dhabi's royal family made them the most financially endowed football club on the planet. "They will be pissed off about that. Even then, that game was a [Carling Cup semi&#8209;final] first leg, with us having another game to make up for it. We have made a habit of nicking games in the last minute. I've done it, Michael Owen's done it, Wayne [Rooney] did it last season and, again, with his unbelievable goal in the league this season. That's the difference between the two teams. We have a belief that we can beat anybody, but if City have that, I'm not too sure."
  Conversely, he believes the huge amounts of money being pumped into City have "probably helped us a bit. It has spurred us on when we have played them. It has made us concentrate a little bit more than we normally would against them."
  City, he knows, are desperately craving a trophy. "When they are fourth or fifth, or wherever they are in the league, I don't think they can be classed as a main rival. Our main rivals are obviously Arsenal and Chelsea. I think City are just a rival because of where they are [geographically], and Liverpool the same." It is a sentence delivered with every bit as much snap as one of his famous late tackles.
  Sir Alex Ferguson almost always plays Scholes in these fixtures, eager to involve a man who understands the importance of local rivalries. But Scholes is not taking it for granted. "I thought the team looked brilliant in both games against Chelsea. I never felt we were in any danger of not going through." He praises Michael Carrick, the man who has taken his place, for "coming back into form – he's been brilliant the last few weeks".
  Tuesday night was also the first time Scholes started to think this team could emulate the 1999 treble winners. "Until we beat Chelsea I don't think it had crossed any of our minds. It might have crossed other people's. But there were too many games, it seemed too far away and we had a big team like Chelsea in front of us in the Champions League. But we're in the semi-finals in Europe now, the semi-final of the FA Cup and we're seven points clear in the league."
  And, though he does not say it, you wonder whether Scholes has pondered if a European Cup final at Wembley could be a great way to bow out. They will hope not, at Old Trafford and way beyond. But not at City.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Usmanov won't sell Gunners stake


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Updated Apr 13, 2011 9:11 AM ET
Alisher Usmanov says he won't sell his stake in Arsenal after fellow shareholder Stan Kroenke triggered a mandatory buyout offer for the club.


American businessman Kroenke secured a 62.89% controlling share in the club earlier this week after agreeing to buy out major shareholders Danny Fiszman (16.1%) and Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith (15.9%) for around £234million.
By passing the 30% threshold, Kroenke is obliged to make a cash offer for the remaining capital at £11,750 per share. The club's total value has been set at £731million.
Kroenke's main focus will now be on purchasing the £194million stake owned by Usmanov, who does not have a seat on the board but controls 27% of the club's holding company.
However, Usmanov told Bloomberg: "I'm not going to sell my stake. I love Arsenal, that's why I'm a shareholder."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Braga hold off Dynamo Kyiv to book all-Portuguese semi-final

&#8226; Benfica draw 2-2 at PSV Eindhoven to win 6-3 on agg
&#8226; FC Porto beat Spartak Moscow to set up Villarreal semi

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 April 2011 23.18 BST <li class="history">Article history
  
  Sporting Braga's players celebrate after their draw with Dynamo Kiev in their Europa League quarter final Photograph: Paulo Duarte/AP
  
  Sporting Braga capped a historic night for Portugal in the Europa League as all three Primeira Liga teams went through to the semi-finals. Starting the night level after a 1-1 draw away to Dynamo Kyiv last week, Braga survived the 28th-minute dismissal of Paulo César to earn a goalless draw which saw them through on away goals.
  The Portuguese side were up against it after César's dismissal, for a foul on Andriy Yarmolenko, but they had the best of the first-half chances. Rodrigo Lima went closest. Lima fired wide from a good position in the second half as Kyiv's expected assault failed to materialise. The Ukrainian club's hopes were damaged late on when Goran Popov was sent off for a foul on Alan.
  Braga will play Benfica in an all-Portuguese semi-final after Jorge Jesus's team secured a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven for a 6-3 aggregate win. Trailing 4-1 from the first leg, PSV stunned their visitors when Balazs Dzsudzsak scored in the 17th minute and Jeremain Lens struck eight minutes later, to make it 4-3 on aggregate. But Benfica gave themselves breathing space when Luisao narrowed the gap in first-half injury time. Oscar Cardozo's 63rd-minute penalty ended PSV's hopes.
  Porto wrapped up a 10-3 aggregate win over Spartak Moscow with a 5-2 victory in the Russian capital. Faint Spartak hopes were extinguished by Hulk's 28th-minute opener and Cristian Rodriguez scored a second before half-time. Fredy Guarin, Falcao and Ruben scored further goals; Artem Dzyuba and Ari scored for the home side.
  Villarreal of Spain sealed their semi-final place as they came from behind for a 3-1 win against FC Twente in Holland which sent them through 8-2 on aggregate. Emir Bajrami put the home side ahead at the break but Dwight Tiendalli was sent off on the hour and Giuseppe Rossi scored the resulting penalty. Marco Ruben, with another penalty, and Cani completed an easy win.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Braga hold off Dynamo Kyiv to book all-Portuguese semi-final

• Benfica draw 2-2 at PSV Eindhoven to win 6-3 on agg
• FC Porto beat Spartak Moscow to set up Villarreal semi

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 April 2011 23.18 BST <li class="history">Article history
  
  Sporting Braga's players celebrate after their draw with Dynamo Kiev in their Europa League quarter final Photograph: Paulo Duarte/AP
  
  Sporting Braga capped a historic night for Portugal in the Europa League as all three Primeira Liga teams went through to the semi-finals. Starting the night level after a 1-1 draw away to Dynamo Kyiv last week, Braga survived the 28th-minute dismissal of Paulo César to earn a goalless draw which saw them through on away goals.
  The Portuguese side were up against it after César's dismissal, for a foul on Andriy Yarmolenko, but they had the best of the first-half chances. Rodrigo Lima went closest. Lima fired wide from a good position in the second half as Kyiv's expected assault failed to materialise. The Ukrainian club's hopes were damaged late on when Goran Popov was sent off for a foul on Alan.
  Braga will play Benfica in an all-Portuguese semi-final after Jorge Jesus's team secured a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven for a 6-3 aggregate win. Trailing 4-1 from the first leg, PSV stunned their visitors when Balazs Dzsudzsak scored in the 17th minute and Jeremain Lens struck eight minutes later, to make it 4-3 on aggregate. But Benfica gave themselves breathing space when Luisao narrowed the gap in first-half injury time. Oscar Cardozo's 63rd-minute penalty ended PSV's hopes.
  Porto wrapped up a 10-3 aggregate win over Spartak Moscow with a 5-2 victory in the Russian capital. Faint Spartak hopes were extinguished by Hulk's 28th-minute opener and Cristian Rodriguez scored a second before half-time. Fredy Guarin, Falcao and Ruben scored further goals; Artem Dzyuba and Ari scored for the home side.
  Villarreal of Spain sealed their semi-final place as they came from behind for a 3-1 win against FC Twente in Holland which sent them through 8-2 on aggregate. Emir Bajrami put the home side ahead at the break but Dwight Tiendalli was sent off on the hour and Giuseppe Rossi scored the resulting penalty. Marco Ruben, with another penalty, and Cani completed an easy win.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

FC Porto beats Spartak Moscow 5-2 in Europa League

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Updated Apr 14, 2011 6:44 PM ET
MOSCOW (AP)

Hulk scored the opener and set up two more goals as FC Porto routed Spartak Moscow 5-2 in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals to advance 10-3 on aggregate on Thursday.

EUROPA LEAGUE ​

EL Scores | Tables | Fixtures

''We are very, very happy with what we did today and in the first leg because we were able to go through to the semifinals,'' Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas said.
In the semifinals in two weeks, Porto will face Villarreal, which beat FC Twente 8-2 on aggregate.
With a virtually insurmountable four-goal deficit after the first leg, Spartak Moscow was looking to secure some pride.
Spartak opened strongly and had its first chance in the seventh minute. Aiden McGeady broke down the right flank in the box but Helton tipped his shot from six meters over the crossbar.
Porto played defensively, relying on counterattacks which paid off.
Hulk beat the offside trap and ran from almost the center of the pitch to put Porto in the lead with a low left-footed shot past Andrii Dykan in the 28th minute.
Dykan blocked Hulk's low shot a minute into first-half injury time before Cristian Rodriguez headed in Hulk's corner kick in the next minute to make it 2-0.
''We created moments in the first half, they scored,'' Spartak coach Valery Karpin said. ''They had just one and a half chances and converted them.''
Right halfback Freddy Guarin shocked the home side, scoring two minutes into the second half. Dykan blocked Falcao's shot from inside the penalty area but the Colombia striker controlled the rebound and passed it to Guarin, who found the left corner of the net.
Striker Artem Dzyba outplayed three Porto defenders to narrow the gap in the 52nd.
But Falcao, who scored a hat trick in the first-leg 5-1 win, headed in his 11th goal in the competition this season to make it 4-1 two minutes later. Rodriguez headed down Hulk's corner kick and Falcao leaped to head in from three meters.
The game opened up more after that.
Second-half substitute Ari scored a narrow-angled goal for Spartak in the 72nd and Porto substitute Ruben Micael restored the three-goal advantage with one minute left in regulation.

 

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[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

 

[Rutashubanyuma]