Fixture Table for Liverpool in August 200703 August Friendly Shanghai Shenhua VS Liverpool 17:30 Away 05 August Friendly Feyenoord VS Liverpool 19:00 Away 11 August Premier League Aston Villa VS Liverpool 17:15 Away 15 August Premier League Liverpool VS West Ham United 17:15 Postponed 19 August Premier League Liverpool VS Chelsea 16:00 Home 25 August Premier League Sunderland VS Liverpool 12:45 Away
Fixture Table for Chelsea in August 200712 August Premier League Chealsea VS Birmingham 13:30 Home 15 August Premier League Reading VS Chealsea 20:00 Away 19 August Premier League Liverpool VS Chealsea 16:00 Away 25 August Premier League Chealsea VS Portsmouth 15:00 Home
Fixture Table for Arsenal in August 200702 August Amsterdam Tournament Arsenal VS Lazio 18:30 Neutral 04 August Amsterdam Tournament Ajax VS Arsenal 21:15 Away 12 August Premier League Arsenal VS Fulham 12:00 Home 14/15 August Champions League Qualifier 1L VS Arsenal TBA Neutral 18 August Premier League Blackburn Rovers VS Arsenal 15:00 Away 25 August Premier League Arsenal VS Manchester City 15:00 Home 28/29 August Champion League Arsenal VS Qualifier 2L TBA Neutral
Source: Arsenal.com
AFC Asian Cup Semifinals Fixture:
| 25th July 2007, 6:20PM GMT +8 |  | Iraq | - | Korea Republic |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th July 2007, 9:20PM GMT +8 |  | Japan | - | Saudi Arabia |  |
Liverpool's Riise free kick, Liverpool 1 - 0 South China:
Penalty kick by Alonso to make it 2 - 0:
Brilliant free kick from Li Haiqiang from 30 yards, 2 - 1:
3 - 1, score by Agger:
Harry Redknapp has backed David James' England claims - but the Portsmouth boss does not believe his veteran keeper has a realistic chance of extending his 34-cap international career.
'That kind of performance is what we have come to expect from David James,' said Redknapp, whose side edged into Friday's final thanks to Benjani's solitary first-half strike.
'I have been saying for a long time there is not a better goalkeeper in the Premiership than David James.
'In my opinion, he deserves to play for England. But it seems Steve McClaren has decided to look elsewhere, so I would be very surprised if he brings David back, even though his performances warrant it.'
Despite their advancing years, collective age 68, Redknapp is convinced James and Campbell will once again prove to be the bedrock of his side this season.
The arrivals of Sylvain Distin, David Nugent and Ghana World Cup star Sulley Muntari have certainly sent out a signal of intent from Fratton Park but Redknapp will look to James and Campbell to set the standard.
'They are both top-class players,' said Redknapp. 'When you bring in people of that standard, you expect them to reach that kind of level.
'Last year was our best season for 51 years and one of the major reasons for that was because we brought in David and Sol.
'They have both been there and done it all. That makes a big difference.'
Portsmouth booked their place in the Asia Trophy final after Benjani Mwaruwari's first-half goal saw Harry Redknapp's side overcome Fulham 1-0 at Hong Kong Stadium.
Both sides fielded a number of new signings and a competitive contest was settled just before the break thanks to a predatory strike from the Pompey striker.
Portsmouth had the game's opening chance after five minutes as Gary O'Neil shaped to shoot from the edge of the area before slipping in David Nugent, but the striker could only sidefoot tamely at keeper Tony Warner.
Sulley Muntari, who was stamping his authority on proceedings early on, then fired over from 20 yards as Pompey seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
Nugent wriggled free down the left and fed Nico Kranjcar but the midfielder dragged his shot wide of Warner's right post from the edge of the box just before the half-hour mark.
Fulham then spurned two good opportunities as the first period drew to a close.
Simon Davies found a yard of space on the right flank and the winger's curling cross eluded everybody except the onrushing Clint Dempsey at the back post but the midfielder headed straight at David James before Brian McBride's follow-up was deflected wide.
The resulting corner was only half-cleared and another Davies cross again found Dempsey free in the box but his low shot was blocked.
Portsmouth took full advantage of the reprieve and went ahead on the stroke of half-time.
Benjani started the move out on the right with a cheeky backheel that found Nugent and the striker fed O'Neil on the edge of the box.
The midfielder's strike hit Zat Knight and the ball fell to a lurking Benjani, who slotted home from seven yards.
Some nice interplay between Lomana LuaLua, on during the interval for Benjani, and Muntari at the start of the second period saw the striker release Kranjcar down the right.
The Croatian's dangerous cross was nearly turned into his own net by Knight but substitute keeper Ricardo Batista managed to turn the ball round the post.
Diomansy Kamara nearly produced an equaliser after 56 minutes when Sylvain Distin dallied too long in possession and was robbed by Davies.
He played in the midfielder who forged into the box and skipped past Sol Campbell but clipped James' outstretched leg as he tried to lift the ball over the Portsmouth keeper.
Nugent outmuscled Knight when chasing a long ball but curled his shot wide of the far post.
Then, a deep ball in was not properly dealt with by the Pompey defence but Collins John blazed over when the ball broke to the striker in the box after 67 minutes.
David Healy then got in behind the Portsmouth defence but there was nobody in the box to collect his cutback.
However, the ball fell to Papa Bouba Diop and James did well to block the midfielder's strike after it took a slight deflection.
Muntari nearly doubled Portsmouth's lead eight minutes from time when he hit a thunderous 25-yard strike that just whistled past the post and Gary O'Neil hit the post with a fierce strike in injury-time as Pompey finished the stronger.
Source: Soccernet.com
Rafael Benitez praised the growing contribution of new signing Andriy Voronin to Liverpool's pre-season programme after his telling contribution to today's 3-1 Barclays Asia Trophy win over South China in Hong Kong.
The Ukraine international, a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, completed his first full 90 minutes for his new club in front of 36,000 fans.
He won a penalty, put away by Xabi Alonso, and produced a work rate in intense heat that impressed manager Benitez, who witnessed further goals from Daniel Agger and John Arne Riise.
Benitez said on Sky Sports 1: 'Voronin has started well for us. He has `game', intelligence and he has fitted well into the side.
'It is early for him, but we knew he was a very good player and, when you have better players around, normally you play better.'
Benitez also accepted second-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson could have done better with the first-half goal he conceded from fully 40 yards, while maintaining a `wait and see' stance in the saga over the possible signing of Manchester United full-back Gabriel Heinze.
Benitez added: 'Their goal was strange, Scott Carson was not expecting it, a shot from so far out that hard. It was a surprise, and I am sure he will be disappointed with that.
'As a keeper, when you concede any goal you are disappointed, but particularly when it is that kind of goal.
'I am sure he will bounce back from that, it is just one mistake, nothing important.'
On the Heinze situation, with Liverpool having had a £5.8million offer rejected by United, Benitez said: 'We sent in an offer for Heinze, and they rejected it. Now the lawyers have to talk. The agent has called in the lawyers, everybody knows the situation now all around the world.'
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been critical of the part played in the proposed deal by Heinze's agent, with the player and Liverpool claiming a letter exists stating the defender can leave Old Trafford if anyone makes a £5.8million bid.
United do not want to sell to their biggest local rivals, and Benitez said: 'I would rather now wait and see what happens next.'
Liverpool play Portsmouth in the final on Friday, the Hampshire club having won their match 1-0 against Fulham.
Liverpool set up a Asia Trophy final clash with Portsmouth after seeing off a spirited South China outfit 3-1.
A side with skipper Steven Gerrard and summer signings Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel were given a testing examination as goals from John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger finally saw off the hosts at Hong Kong Stadium.
Riise opened the scoring after nine minutes with a trademark blistering free-kick from the edge of the area that left keeper Zhang Chunhui with little chance as it arrowed its way into the top corner.
Harry Kewell's ball into the box caused panic in the South China defence shortly afterwards and the ball broke to Andriy Voronin but the Ukraine striker could not apply the finish.
Jose Luis' side then nearly grabbed an equaliser as first an inswinging corner was cleared almost off the line before the Liverpool defence misjudged a deep cross but Bai Hei spooned his shot wide when well placed.
The home side fell further behind after 26 minutes when Alonso's cute through ball split the South China defence and Voronin was bundled over in the box. Alonso slotted home the spot kick low to Zhang's left.
However, South China halved the deficit just after the half hour mark when, after Mohammed Sissoko had been penalised for a foul near the right touchline, skipper Li Haiqiang curled a brilliant effort into the top corner of Scott Carson's net from 30 yards.
Alonso went close with a couple of long-range drives before the interval, the first from a Peter Crouch lay-off after persistent work from Voronin and the second when the ball fell to him after Crouch's surging run was stopped in its tracks as the Reds maintained their advantage.
The second half opened in low-key fashion but Dirk Kuyt, who had replaced Crouch, fired over when Alvaro Arbeola's low cross picked the Dutchman out on the far side of the area.
Voronin went close after 70 minutes when the striker rose to meet Kuyt's cross from the left but just could not keep his header down as it went narrowly over the bar.
A third was not long in coming though as Agger rounded off a beautifully worked goal after 72 minutes.
It was the centre-back who started it as he intercepted a pass and rode a couple of challenges before feeding Riise on the left. The Norwegian's cross picked out Kuyt and he teed up Agger to drive the ball home from inside the box.
Zhang then produced two good stops in the space of two minutes as he first parried Kuyt's strong effort before denying Jermaine Pennant at the far post.
Liverpool should have scored a fourth two minutes from time but Voronin could only get minimal contact on Pennant's teasing cross and Kuyt somehow could not turn it in at the far post.
Source: Soccernet.com
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