Galaxy seal Western Conference title


Former England captain David Beckham scored a key goal for Los Angeles Galaxy as they secured Major League Soccer's Western Conference title with a 2-1 home win over FC Dallas.

The Galaxy needed just a point to seal top spot in their final regular season game but fell behind to Atiba Harris' goal in the 22nd minute. However, Beckham levelled the scores 11 minutes later when he latched on to good work from team-mate Landon Donovan.

Juninho then gave Galaxy the lead in the first minute of the second half to ensure they entered the play-offs as the Western Conference's top seeds. They will face the Seattle Sounders in the Western semi-finals, with the point lifting them above MLS Cup holders Real Salt Lake, who must settle for second and will face Dallas in the play-offs.

In the East, the Columbus Crew rounded off their regular-season campaign with a 3-1 home win over the Philadelphia Union, leaving the Ohio side a point behind the New York Red Bulls in the final table. A 14th-minute penalty from Guillermo Barros Schelotto set the Crew on the road to victory, and they will now take on the Colorado Rapids in the postseason.

The Red Bulls will go up against the San Jose Earthquakes in the other play-off match-up.

European Leagues review

European Leagues review


The leaders in England and Italy marched clear as the leadership changed hands in Germany. With Real Madrid consolidating top spot in Spain in considerable style and Rennes’ grip on pole position in France loosening, FIFA.com reviews the weekend’s developments across Europe.

Premier League: Chelsea go clear, Arsenal win at Eastlands
Chelsea saw off struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 to cement top spot, with seven wins from nine games so far. West Bromwich Albion beat Fulham 2-1 and are the best of the promoted clubs in sixth. In the biggest clash of the weekend, ten-man Manchester City slipped to fourth after losing 3-0 at home to Arsenal, a result which sent the Gunners second.

Javier Hernandez scored a brace as Manchester United went third with a 2-1 win away to Stoke City. Liverpool beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in a battle of troubled teams, though the Reds’ second win of the season was not enough to lift them out of the drop zone.

Top three: Chelsea (22 points), Arsenal, Manchester United (both 17)
Bottom three: Liverpool (9 points), Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United (both 6)
Leading scorers: Florent Malouda, Carlos Tevez (both 7 goals), Dimitar Berbatov, Didier Drogba (both 6)
Weekend stat: 2 – Chelsea appear in ominous form: the west London side have both the best attack and best defence in the league, with 25 goals for and just two against.

La Liga: Messi shines, Ronaldo dazzles
Cristiano Ronaldo contributed four goals as Real Madrid dismissed lowly Racing Santander 6-1 to retain pole position. Their two nearest challengers also won: Villarreal beat Atletico Madrid 2-0, and Lionel Messi scored both goals as Barcelona overcame tailenders Zaragoza.

Fourth-placed Valencia lost for the second time in succession, falling 2-1 at home to Mallorca. It rained goals in Seville, where the sixth-placed hosts ultimately beat tenth-placed Athletic Bilbao 4-3. In tonight's fixture, Real Sociedad, in 16th, entertain 19th-placed Deportivo.

Top three: Real Madrid (20 points), Villarreal, Barcelona (both 19)
Bottom three: Racing Santander (7 points), Deportivo (4), Zaragoza (3)
Leading scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (9 goals), Fernando Llorente (6), Gonzalo Higuain, Lionel Messi, Nilmar, Giuseppe Rossi (all 5)
Weekend stat: 3 – In the Sevilla-Bilbao goal-fest, three players netted two apiece: Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute for the home team, and Fernando Llorente for the visitors.

Bundesliga: Mainz reclaim top spot
Fast-starting Mainz travelled to fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and won 1-0, reclaiming the driving seat thanks to Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 home draw with Hoffenheim. Hannover continued their bright start to the campaign with a 2-1 home win over Cologne. In the wake of their third defeat on the bounce, the Rhineland side dismissed coach Zvonimir Soldo.

Resurgent Werder Bremen moved up to eighth with a 4-1 win away to relegation-haunted Borussia Monchengladbach and have now gone four games undefeated. Champions Bayern Munich remain mired in mid-table after a goalless stalemate away to sixth-placed Hamburg.

Top three: Mainz (24 points), Borussia Dortmund (22), Hannover (16)
Bottom three: Schalke, Borussia Monchengladbach (both 6 points), Cologne (5)
Leading scorers: Papiss Cisse (8 goals), Theofanis Gekas (7), Grafite (6)
Weekend stat: 8 – Nine games into the campaign, Bayern are the least prolific team in the division with just eight goals so far.

Serie A: Lazio extend lead
On Matchday 8 in Italy, Lazio beat struggling Cagliari 2-1 and extended their lead at the summit. Second-placed Inter Milan were held 1-1 by Sampdoria and are now four points off the men from the capital. Juventus played out a goalless draw away to 16th-placed Bologna and missed the chance to go third.

Chievo edged promoted Cesena 2-1 and leapfrogged Juve to go fourth. Fiorentina advanced to 15th and eased the relegation pressure with a 2-1 win at home to Bari, who slipped to 18th. Tonight's game sees sixth-placed Napoli entertain third-placed AC Milan.

Top three: Lazio (19 points), Inter (15), AC Milan (14)
Bottom three: Bari (8 points), Cagliari, Parma (both 7)
Leading scorers: Samuel Eto'o (7 goals), Edinson Cavani (6), Marco di Vaio, Alessandro Matri (both 5)
Weekend stat: 4 – Leaders Lazio won for the fourth time on the bounce to keep their rivals safely at bay.

Ligue 1: Rennes taste defeat for the first time
On Matchday 10, leaders Rennes lost for the first time this term when visitors Montpellier won 1-0 to go sixth. Reigning champions Marseille went second with a 3-1 success away to Lille, while third-placed Saint-Etienne lost ground in a 1-1 draw with ninth-placed Caen. Newcomers Brest beat Bordeaux 2-0 and are now a creditable fourth.

Paris Saint-Germain tumbled to seventh after a 3-2 defeat at home to 15th-placed Auxerre, which was the relegation-threatened visitors’ second win of the campaign. Bottom club Arles-Avignon will take heart from a 1-1 draw with Lyon, although the latter are a shadow of their former selves at present and lie 14th.

Top three: Rennes (19 points), Marseille, Saint-Etienne (both 18)
Bottom three: Monaco, Lens (both 9 points), Arles-Avignon (2)
Leading scorers: Dimitri Payet (8 goals), Youssef El-Arabi, Nene (both 6)
Weekend stat: 1 – Rennes were undefeated in their first nine games, but Joris Steve Marveaux's solitary strike for Montpellier condemned the Breton outfit to their first defeat.

Elsewhere
In Serbia, Partizan travelled to bitter local rivals Crvena Zvezda and won 1-0, displacing their opponents at the top of the SuperLiga. Meanwhile in Russia, the goalless draw between CSKA Moscow and Rubin Kazan, in third and second respectively, helped only leaders Zenit.

In Scotland, the 389th Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers finished 3-1 to the latter, who now lead the SPL by three points from their arch-rivals. In the Dutch Eredivisie, leaders PSV met fallen giants Feyenoord and rattled up double figures in an astonishing 10-0 romp.

Champions Bursaspor remain top of the pile in Turkey after demolishing Ankaragucu 5-1 away from home, while Istanbul pair Fenerbahce and Galatasaray took points off each other in a scoreless draw.

Bilic: Croatia will peak in Brazil

Bilic: Croatia will peak in Brazil
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In the cool and collected world of international coaching, it is fair to say Slaven Bilic cuts an unusually animated figure. While many of his fellow strategists prefer to keep their emotions in check, the Croatia boss gives his feelings free rein, thus underlining his fierce passion for the job and the beautiful game as a whole.

Hugely popular with the Croatian players and supporters alike, the former West Ham and Everton centre-back spoke fully and frankly in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com. He touched on topics including his passion for the job, Croatia’s agonising defeat to Turkey at UEFA EURO 2008 and subsequent failure to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, plus his high hopes for Brazil 2014.

FIFA.com: Slaven, when watching you stalk the dugout, the first word that springs to mind is ‘passionate’. Is that an apt description of your personality?
Slaven Bilic: Of course. I was full of fire and passion as a child, as a player and now as a coach. You can’t dedicate your whole life to a sport if you’re not crazy about it. Sometimes I think I’m unusual but then I look at everyone else doing the same things and I think ‘either I’m normal or they’re all crazy too!’ (Laughs) But I really enjoy myself. People think that being a national-team coach is a part-time job but I do it 24/7. I spend all my team reading, speaking to my players, analysing opponents. It’s an ideal situation: doing something you love and being able to support your family at the same time.

Listening to you evokes memories of that defeat against Turkey at EURO 2008, when you were visibly distraught by their equaliser in the dying seconds of extra time. Do you think your emotions get the better of you at times?
Ah, that game! Firstly I was angry with the referee because I hadn’t been able to make a substitution. Then I spoke to my players and tried to convince them we still had just as good a chance of winning (on penalties) as the Turkish team. But they were so downbeat and deeply in shock that I simply wasn’t able to lift their spirits. I don’t know if anybody could have to be honest, we were all so devastated.
Given how young our team are, I still don’t think we’ve even come close to hitting our peak, which will happen in Brazil (in 2014). Within two years we’re going to be in an enviable position and in four years’ time even more so.
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic

Let us turn to the current crop of Croatian players. Do you think your players are ready to hit the heights once more?
They should be. I thought that would happen on the way to the 2010 World Cup but we fell short. Now, given how young our team are, I still don’t think we’ve even come close to hitting our peak, which will happen in Brazil (in 2014). Of course there’ll be changes, people will come in and others will make way. But within two years we’re going to be in an enviable position and in four years’ time even more so.

Your team have certainly started EURO 2012 qualifying on the right foot…
We’re happy with the situation we’re in. We’re currently top of our group (Editors’ note: at time of publication Croatia were a point behind section leaders Greece with a game in hand) and have a good chance of qualifying. If you compare this group to those we were drawn in prior to the previous EURO and World Cup then this one seems easier on paper. But it’d be stupid of us to get carried away, because our group’s not just about us, Greece and Israel. There’s Lithuania and Georgia to contend with too. We’ll have to work hard.

Teams from the Balkans have fallen just short at vital moments at recent tournaments. What do you think is behind this trend?
People have been saying it’s a mental thing but I’m not sure. For example, it’s been said that we weren’t strong enough mentally in that game against Turkey, whereas in fact they just got a slice of luck in the last minute and scored from a rebound. It’s tricky, something like that happens and you say ‘that wouldn’t happen to Italy’, but then you see the way they were beaten by Slovakia at the World Cup. Or you think that wouldn’t happen to a German team, and then you remember the way Bayern [Munich] were beaten by Manchester [United] when conceding those two late goals (in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final). There’s a psychological factor, but luck plays a big part too.

Would you agree that the last truly great Croatia side was the one you were a part of at France 1998? What set that team apart?
We had real character in that side but, again on the subject of luck, we had a better team at EURO ’96 and lost (2-1) against Germany in the semi-finals. And we played better in that match than in our 3-0 win over them (in the quarter-finals at France 1998), a game in which they were all over us in the first half without being able to score. I think what set us apart was our personalities. We weren’t playing for the best clubs in the world but we were important players for our teams, we shouldered responsibility. We were all big characters, we were friends and we were leaders on and off the pitch.
The good thing about Croatia is that, however much money they have or whichever club they play for, the players love their country and always want to turn out for the national team.
Slaven Bilic

Would it be possible to recreate that with the current squad?
Not exactly, because every generation is different. But the good thing about Croatia is that, however much money they have or whichever club they play for, the players love their country and always want to turn out for the national team. That’s a big advantage for us.

A lot of coaches claim not to pay attention to the media, but do you read the papers?
Of course I read them, but not every day. I’m not obsessed, nor is it the first thing I do in the morning. I prefer to chat with my friends, enjoy myself or spend time with my kids. But I’m not scared of the press, in fact I thrive on criticism when it’s constructive. Croatia is a small country and I know who’s behind every comment I read. My secret for not letting it get to me is something I call my ‘circles’. I’m the boss. Then around me I have a circle made up of [Robert] Prosinecki, [Aljosa] Asanovic, other former players and my public relations manager. Then I have another consisting of my brother and a group of deep thinkers, another made up of coaches, my family etc. If the circles are strong, then nobody can break them.

It still must be tough, however, particularly in a country like Croatia where fans and journalists alike are so passionate about the national team…
They’re crazy! (Laughs) The stress levels are incredible, sometimes I think I’d have to endure less pressure if I joined Real Madrid. It’s purely because I’m coaching my own country, and what a country it is! But I can’t complain, everybody goes through the same thing. I’m going to finish off with an anecdote. A few days ago I went to buy a pizza and, while I was waiting, I bumped into a friend I hadn’t seen for years and who was working at that restaurant as a delivery guy. He came up to me and asked if I could give him a job, telling me that he couldn't stand the pressure, how he had to get things delivered in 30 minutes, jump red lights, deal with furious clients and so on. That’s when you realise how lucky you are to have a wonderful job like this.

Croatia and Russia climb into top ten

Croatia and Russia climb into top ten


Spain and the Netherlands, the two 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finalists, continue to lead the way at the top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.

Brazil (3rd) and Germany (4th) have traded places just behind them, while both Croatia (9th) and Russia (10th) have climbed into the top ten on the backs of victories in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying. The races to reach the AFC and CONCACAF continental championships are now also under way, which made for significant movement in this edition of the world ranking.

A total of nine teams are currently in their highest-ever position in the history of the world ranking: Slovenia (15th), Burkina Faso (37th), Belarus (42nd), Armenia (60th), Botswana (79th), Azerbaijan (91st), the Central African Republic (112th) and the Philippines (152nd), as well as Montenegro (26th), who have continued their ascent and once again grabbed the headlines by defeating Switzerland and drawing with star-studded England.

Several teams made incredible climbs of at least 20 places over the last month, including Guinea (47th, up 34), Armenia (60th, up 45), Libya (81st, up 26), Guyana (98th, up 22) and Niger (100th, up 54). The Central African Republic (112th) have even jumped 60 places after emerging from a three-and-a-half-year absence that had seen them rooted to the foot of the ranking with no points to their name just two months ago. They marked their return to international football with victory over north African powers Algeria.

A total of 156 “A” international matches – 80 continental qualifiers and 76 friendly matches – have been taken into account for the October edition of the world ranking, which brings the total number of matches evaluated in 2010 to 641.

Two members of the FIFA Executive Committee provisionally suspended

Two members of the FIFA Executive Committee provisionally suspended


The FIFA Ethics Committee, under the chairmanship of Claudio Sulser, decided today, 20 October 2010, to provisionally suspend, with immediate effect, the members of the FIFA Executive Committee Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) after examining their cases in relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups™. After hearing Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, the Ethics Committee considered that a provisional suspension was required while the investigation continues, taking into account the gravity of the case and the likelihood that a breach of the FIFA Statutes, the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code has been committed.

Furthermore, the Ethics Committee examined the cases of four officials – Slim Aloulou, Amadou Diakite, Ahongalu Fusimalohi and Ismael Bhamjee – also in relation to an alleged breach of the FIFA Statutes, the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code linked to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups™. The committee also decided to suspend these four officials provisionally from taking part in any football-related activity.

FIFA opened proceedings against the two Executive Committee members on 18 October 2010 and requested the Ethics Committee to conduct an independent, in-depth investigation into the matter. The Ethics Committee will meet again in mid-November 2010 in order to take a final decision on the matter after gathering more information and evidence on the six cases.

"The decision to provisionally suspend these officials is fully justified and should not be put in question. The evidence that has been presented to us today has led us to take this provisional measure, as we considered that the conditions were definitely met to take this decision and we deem that it is crucial to protect the integrity of the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process. We are determined to have zero tolerance for any breach of the Code of Ethics," said the chairman of the Ethics Committee, Claudio Sulser.

Finally, and again at the request of FIFA, the Ethics Committee decided to open an investigation into alleged agreements between member associations and their Bid Committees in relation to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup™ bidding process, something which would also be a violation of the Bid Registration document and the Code of Ethics. A decision on this case will also be taken by the Ethics Committee at its meeting in mid-November, following a thorough investigation.

Fergie vows to end Rooney saga

Fergie vows to end Rooney saga


Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he has a meeting with Manchester United chief executive David Gill at 10am (UK time) today to discuss Wayne Rooney's outspoken attack against the club.

Rooney confirmed his intention to quit Old Trafford in a statement on Wednesday evening, claiming a lack of investment in the first-team squad was the prime reason for his decision. Ferguson has dismissed a suggestion that he might suspend the 24-year-old, who missed Wednesday's 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Bursaspor with an ankle injury.

But Rooney's comments have created a stir the United boss is anxious to sort out. "We don't want it to become a saga. We have the team to consider," he said. "We will put it to bed tomorrow (Thursday).

"I have not read all the statement but we will consider it tomorrow. David Gill and I have a meeting at 10am tomorrow morning. David has spoken to the owners tonight (Wednesday), which is important.

"It is really important for us to put it to bed. I am manager of a club that is trying to win a game on Sunday against Stoke City. That is the most important thing. The rest is a bagatelle."
It is really important for us to put it (Rooney's future) to bed.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson did show signs of being rattled by four days of intense debate around Rooney's career, which first erupted on Sunday morning. "I am not going on with this all night. Stop it now," he said. "It is a European game. You have had plenty yesterday. There has been plenty tonight. I am concentrating on the game. Failing that, forget it." Asked about the possibility of suspending Rooney, he replied: "What kind of imagination have you got?"

Ferguson is clearly not convinced Rooney is making the right decision. "Sometimes you look in a field and see a cow," he said. "You think it is a better cow than the one you see in your field. It never really works out that way. Some players like to think the world is better somewhere else. It never really works."

So many questions have been asked of United's fortunes that Ferguson himself could be forgiven for having doubts. After watching his side triumph thanks to Nani's sixth-minute effort, Ferguson insists he has none. "To maintain the success at any club is not a certainty," he said.

"I always believe a four-year cycle is the most you can achieve. Very few teams can go beyond that. Last season we almost did it. We were one point short of winning the league. But we realised some time ago that Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville were not going to last forever. Therefore our policy is to develop footballers in the place."

Future planning
He then recounted a story from United's last period of relative decline after 2004, which involved Rooney himself, and included the departures of star names Roy Keane and Ruud van Nistelrooy. "A player said to me Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were not good enough and he wasn't prepared to wait," said Ferguson.

"That is the problem with potential. People don't identify potential. We are very good at it. I have identified it all my life. I know potential. I know where it can be developed and how to develop it. I have faith in it.

"That is what this club is about. When you see Manchester United at the moment, with 14 players under 22, you don't see the Manchester United for years ahead. We will invest in signature players when the time is ready. We were not ready this summer."

Apart from one exception, which is thought to be David Villa, who left Valencia for Barcelona. "There was one player we would have liked to get, but he chose another club," said Ferguson. "Some players don't want to leave their country. But Manchester United is a big attraction for any player.

"In terms of the future of Manchester United, there are a lot of things in my favour. If I told you how many agents phoned me in a week, saying a player would love to play for us - and I am not just talking about run-of-the-mill players - it would amaze you.

"We still have that fantastic romance, and respect from everyone. But we will be OK. I have every confidence. The structure of the club is good. We have the right staff, the right manager, a brilliant chief executive. There is not a thing wrong with Manchester United. We will carry on."

It all rather overshadowed Bursaspor coach Ertugrul Saglam. "We wanted to perform to the best of our ability but I don't think we played very well," he said. "I don't believe United played as well as they would have liked either, so it has not been a very eventful evening. Maybe not on the pitch. Off it is a quite different story."

Favourites to the fore

Favourites to the fore


Lyon matched the feats of Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid on Wednesday by racking up their third win from three games in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The evening’s most spectacular entertainment came at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, where Inter Milan and visitors Tottenham Hotspur served up a feast of goals in a rollercoaster encounter before Inter finally ran out 4-3 winners.

As for Barcelona, they were made to work hard for a 2-0 victory against Copenhagen that took them top of their group, which is also where Manchester United sit in their section following a relatively comfortable 1-0 home defeat of Bursaspor.

The big game
Barcelona 2-0 Copenhagen
Goals: Lionel Messi 19 90+2

Up against the Group D leaders, Barcelona quickly settled into their trademark one-touch style, with some delightful combinations being engineered between Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. Not for the first time, the diminutive Argentinian forward then made the difference for his side thanks to a blistering strike from 20 metres out that whistled into the top corner. That goal was all Barça had to show for their dominance at half-time though. Most guilty of failing to bury his chances was David Villa, who cracked one effort against the crossbar but is yet to fully find his feet with his new club, or rediscover his sparkling goalscoring form from the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Seemingly in awe of their opponents before the break, Copenhagen nonetheless began crafting openings and connected with the woodwork themselves through Senegalese striker Dame N'Doye. He and his colleagues were ultimately left wondering what might have been as Messi sealed the result from point-blank range in added time, leaving the Catalan club looking more than ever reliant on his input.

The other games
Reigning European champions Inter flirted with disaster after having given themselves the perfect platform against Tottenham. The game could hardly have started better for Rafael Benitez’s men as they hit three goals inside the opening 14 minutes, a punishing spell for the English outfit in which they also lost goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes to a red card. Samuel Eto’o was running the match in the opening 45 minutes and helped himself to a pair of assists in addition to his two strikes. Those goals took him to the top of the scoring charts on six, but as soon as Inter took their foot off the pedal their ten-man rivals surged back into contention. Exciting young Welsh talent Gareth Bale spearheaded the fightback, plundering a hat-trick that left Benitez longing for the final whistle. Despite the dramatic finish, the Nerazzurri held on to move three points clear in Group A. Elsewhere in the pool, Twente and Werder Bremen played out a 1-1 draw after former Twente man Marko Arnautovic levelled for the German club.

In Group B, Lyon continued their perfect start courtesy of a 2-0 triumph over a Benfica side that were down to ten players for the entire second half following Nicolas Gaitan’s dismissal. Jimmy Briand and Lisandro Lopez buried the goals for the French contenders to move them another big step closer to qualification. Over in Germany, meanwhile, 33-year-old Raul harked back to his glory days with a double for Schalke in their 3-1 defeat of Hapoel Tel-Aviv. The former Spanish international now boasts 69 goals from 135 outings at this level.

A cracking Nani shot from distance proved enough for Manchester United to see off Bursaspor on home soil as their visitors never once threatened to prevent them from taking pole position in Group C. In contrast, there was action at both ends in Glasgow, but most of it came from American midfielder Maurice Edu, who gave Rangers a first-half lead via a powerful header only to nod past his own goalkeeper during a spell of Valencia pressure after the restart. The 1-1 draw between the two sides leaves their return encounter in Spain looking crucial in the race to finish second in the section.

The second match in Group D proved largely uneventful as Panathinaikos and Rubin Kazan were made to settle for a goalless stalemate that suited neither party. Hosts Panathinaikos had to wait until added time to finally look threatening but were still unable to make the breakthrough.

The stat
2,000 – United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was toasting his 2,000th match as a manger on Wednesday. Having kicked off his career with a 17-game spell at modest Scottish outfit East Stirlingshire, Sir Alex went on to oversee 169 fixtures with St Mirren and 459 with Aberdeen, not to mention ten with the Scottish national team, before commencing his long and distinguished reign at Old Trafford. The Bursaspor win was his 1,345th encounter in charge of the Red Devils.

Goal of the night
Inter Milan 4-3 Tottenham (Javier Zanetti 2)

The game was less than two minutes old when holders Inter stunned their visitors with a flowing collective move kicked off by captain Javier Zanetti. The Argentinian veteran found Philippe Coutinho on the left and his team-mate then picked out Samuel Eto’o, who released a superbly weighted pass into the area for Zanetti to run on to. Meeting the ball perfectly, the veteran opened his body and lifted an unstoppable shot over the onrushing goalkeeper and into the far corner to become the oldest goalscorer in the history of the competition at 37 and 71 days. The previous benchmark was set by current France coach Laurent Blanc, who found the net in a 3-2 win for Manchester United against Olympiacos at the age of 36 and 338 days on 23 October 2002.

Next fixtures
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Group A: Tottenham-Inter Milan, Werder Bremen-Twente
Group B: Benfica-Lyon, Hapoel Tel-Aviv-Schalke
Group C: Bursaspor-Manchester United, Valencia-Rangers
Group D: Copenhagen-Barcelona, Rubin Kazan-Panathinaikos

Have your say
How many goals will Inter and Tottenham muster between them when they meet again in London?