Check out the triple dummy... is this the most outrageous goal from a corner ever?

It's the sort of fixture that you are likely to find on Eurosport and will only watch if the TV remote is more than a foot away or you just watch any football that comes on the box.

But if you was lucky enough to catch the highlights of Moldova's Under 17 match with Serbia, you would have witnessed one of the more amusing set-pieces seen in recent times.

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From a corner kick, Serbia played a short pass to the edge of the penalty area, which resulted in three attackers performing dummies before Andrija Zivkovic buried his first-time strike into the bottom corner.

Three players performing the distraction seems a bit excessive, and the statue-like defending as well as the Moldovan keeper being anchored to the spot only aid the eventual goal.
Still, it beats your over-paid Premier League right winger delivering yet another corner to be easily headed away at the near post and credit must be given to Zivkovic.

The pass to the forward took a ridiculous amount of bobbles before he found the sweet spot, making him a handy option for a number of Premier League sides facing tricky FA Cup away trips to the lower leagues in a few months' time.

Throw City out of Champions League over 'back-door' funding, blasts Dortmund chief

Borussia Dortmund have attacked Manchester City's reliance on Sheik Mansour ahead of the two clubs' Champions League clash on Wednesday night.
The Bundesliga champions' chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, says clubs should be thrown out of the competition should they enter into big sponsorship deals with companies controlled by the same club's owners - just as City have with Etihad, whose shirt and stadium sponsorship will net the Premier League champions £350million over 10 years.
Watzke called such deals 'back-door funding' and also said he would dismiss out of hand investment from any rich foreign businessman in Dortmund, which is 51 per cent owned by its supporters.

Warming up: Roberto Mancini oversees Manchester City training ahead of the match against Dortmund

 

The German giants have strict rules on spending and are advocates of UEFA president Michel Platini's new Financial Fair Play rules, which seek to limit each club's expenditure based on its revenue.
The penalty for not complying could be expulsion from the Champions League - the biggest cash cow for Europe's elite clubs.
And the Dortmund chief says that UEFA must crack down on clubs like City and prevent them from bending the rules.
'UEFA must find the thin line between sponsorship and excessive back-door funding – they must show strength to expel big clubs,' said Watzke.
'No tycoon should be allowed to pump crazy money into a club with sponsorship from five companies he controls. If that happens, financial fair play will fail.'
Watzke cited the example of Spanish club Malaga to demonstrate what he thinks the dangers are of rich, foreign investors in football clubs.
Qatar’s Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani appeared to have lost interest and the club began selling players, such as Santi Cazorla to Arsenal, but the club insist that they are simply restructuring to fit the new FFP rules and that the Sheik is still committed to the club.
But when asked if Dortmund would talk to a potential rich investor such as Sheik Mansour or Sheik Abdullah, Watzke replied: 'I would not even welcome him.'

Tough test: Borussia Dortmund's squad in training ahead of their Champions League date in Manchester

He added: 'What if the sheikh, as shown by Malaga, lost interest?
'The fact is that the Bundesliga has caught up considerably, thanks to their sound banking practices. This will eventually be expressed by results.'
The match is likely to prove a difficult game for City against the German champions. Dortmund won the first game of their Group D campaign at home to Ajax, with Lewandowski scoring the only goal, and on Saturday they put five past Borussia Monchengladbach.

Big money: City host Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium, which is sponsored to the tune of £350m

The pressure is on Mancini and his side to make their mark on the competition after failure last season, particularly after losing their opening game 3-2 at Real Madrid last month.
Mancini has attempted to apply a touch of realism ahead of the match at the Etihad. In Madrid he had likened his side to a Ferrari. At Carrington on Tuesday he said that although ‘the moment will arrive when City can win the Champions League’, they are ‘not there yet’.
He also acknowledged what a tough challenge Jurgen Klopp’s side represent when City are looking to avoid a third consecutive home game without a win.

Danger men: Dortmund's attacking triumvirate of Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus

Borussia Dortmund have beaten Bayern Munich for the last two years,’ he said in reference to the problems his side experienced against Bayern last season.
‘For this reason I think it will be a very difficult game. In my opinion Dortmund are one of the best teams in Europe. They won the Bundesliga. They are very strong and in players like Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze they are dangerous going forward. If we concede space, like we did in Madrid, we will make it difficult for ourselves.
In Madrid the problems we had in the first half were normal. But we conceded too much space to players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the last five minutes and that made them dangerous.’

Cluj 1 Manchester United 2: It's Robin reliable to the rescue for Fergie's men

When Manchester United prised Robin van Persie away from Arsenal in the summer, some questioned whether the Dutchman was capable of producing another  phenomenal season like the last one.
Thirty-seven goals is a hard act to follow but after seven in eight games, the striker certainly looks like £22million well spent.
The two goals he scored in Romania, one rather fortuitously off his shoulder, the other brilliantly off the outside of his left foot,  dug United out of a hole. Cluj — from the Transylvanian town that gave us the Cheeky Girls — had taken an early lead.

Predator: Robin van Persie clips Manchester United's second goal past Cluj keeper Mario Felgueiras

Rocking Robin: Van Persie (top) celebrates with Wayne Rooney (right) after scoring his second goal

MATCH FACTS

CFR Cluj-Napoca: Mario Felgueiras, Sepsi, Cadu, Rada, Ivo Pinto, Sougou (Luis Alberto 23), Aguirregaray (Nicoara 80), Muresan, Camora, Bastos, Kapetanos (Bjelanovic 61).
Subs: Stancioiu, Diogo Valente, Maftei, Piccolo.
Goals: Kapetanos 14
Man Utd: De Gea, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans (Wootton 79), Evra, Cleverley, Anderson, Fletcher, Rooney, Hernandez (Welbeck 83), Van Persie.
Subs: Lindegaard, Nani, Powell, Kagawa, Buttner.
Goals: Van Persie 29, 49
Booked: Ferdinand
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Attendance: 24,000

If another poor start brought on by shoddy defending was enough to make Sir Alex Ferguson see red, the United boss would have been delighted with what he saw at the other end of the field. On the night Van Persie and Wayne Rooney started together for the first time, it was the England striker who provided the assist for both goals.
It was not an entirely comfortable night, with David de Gea called on to make two outstanding saves to preserve the slender advantage.
But victory in difficult surroundings leaves United with maximum points from their first two Champions League games and in control of Group H ahead of Braga’s visit to Old Trafford later this month.
The three-sided Dr Constantin Radulescu Stadium, with a crude metal fence filling the empty space behind the goal United attacked in the first half,  was a reminder that the Romanian champions are hardly a powerhouse of European football.
But Ferguson’s line-up showed how seriously he viewed his opponents. It had taken six weeks for United fans to see their two top strikers lining up together at the start of a game due to the thigh laceration that kept Rooney out for four games.

Lucky break: Van Persie rises unmarked to level the match via a deflection off his shoulder

Javier Hernandez was a slightly surprising inclusion as the third attacker, while the absence of Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs saw Darren Fletcher continue his comeback with a first Champions League start for 10 months.
The Cluj fans unveiled a huge Transylvania flag proclaiming ‘This is where we live, this is where we belong’ as the game began and their team started confidently.
Ferguson had suggested on television moments before kick-off that another sluggish start — United have fallen behind in six of their nine games this season —would be ‘a disaster’. But his players had clearly not heeded the warning as Cluj went ahead in the 14th minute.

Inquest: David de Gea (right) and Rio Ferdinand (centre) react after Pantelis Kapetanos (left) strikes

Danger man Rafael Bastos started it off with a wonderful  30-yard pass that picked out Modou Sougou galloping down the right. Again United’s defensive deficiencies were largely to blame, just as they had been when Tottenham scored three at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Patrice Evra did not do nearly enough to stop Sougou as the winger flew past him and crossed into the middle, where Jonny Evans had allowed Pantelis Kapetanos far too much space.
The Greek striker took advantage, swivelling to drill the ball inside the United goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

False dawn: Cluj ace Kapetanos (centre) leads the celebrations after his early goal

Thankfully for Evra, Sougou went off shortly afterwards following a clash with Cleverley. The Senegal winger’s early departure curbed Cluj’s attacking threat down the right and United found a way through in the 29th minute.
Van Persie has already rescued United on more than one occasion in his short time at the club. His opening goal last night may not have been a classic but it was  certainly important.
Cluj captain Cadu’s foul on  Hernandez gave Rooney a chance to swing in a free kick from the right and it connected with Van Persie’s shoulder before looping over goalkeeper Mario Felgueiras and in off the underside of the bar.

Ouch: United midfielder Tom Cleverley (right) feels the full force of Cluj defender Ivo Pinto (left)

Van Persie should have added a second six minutes later when Hernandez’s clever pass put him clear on the edge of the six-yard box, but his fierce, left-foot drive was blocked by the keeper’s legs as he rushed out to narrow the angle.
Ferguson’s quickened stride as he headed across the pitch to the dressing room at half time  suggested he was less than impressed by what he had seen. He emerged 15 minutes later to describe his team’s defending as ‘absolutely shocking’.
He will have been much happier with what he witnessed four minutes later, when Van Persie struck again to put United ahead.

Marked man: Wayne Rooney attempts to hit a pass with Matias Aguirregaray in close attendance

It's good to be back: United midfielder Darren Fletcher continued his comeback in Romania

He played the ball to Rooney and then timed his run just right to beat the offside trap and race on to his teammate’s floated pass. The option was there to try and bring the ball down. But with Felgueiras racing out of his goal again, Van Persie decided to take it first time with a delicate touch off the outside of his left boot.
It was a wonderful finish, sending the ball rolling past the keeper and into the bottom corner.
Cluj’s response was instant. Cadu met Bastos’ corner with a  thumping header but De Gea  produced a fantastic, fingertip save. United needed another crucial intervention by De Gea in injury-time, when he sprang to his left to turn a header from Bastos around the post.
It will do the Spaniard’s  confidence the power of good. Where Van Persie is concerned, however, confidence is never likely to be a problem.

Job done: Van Persie and Rooney celebrates United's Champions League victory in Romania

 

Cristiano Ronaldo, a player than Lionel Messi – Pedrag Mijatovic

A former star for Spanish giants Real Madrid ; Pedrag Mijatovic expressed his opinion on an issue that has been lingering in the midst of football lovers and pundits equally, who plays better complete football between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
A number of prominent football names, including Brazilian Ronaldo, have had their say on the matter, but it is the Argentinean that has won the award three times to Ronaldo’s one – the last three in a row, in fact.
To Mijatovic, he thinks Portuguese international and Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo id more of a complete player than his fellow player Lionel Messi who plays for Argentina and Barcelona.
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is “a more complete player” than his Barcelona counterpart Lionel Messi, Pedrag Mijatovic said.
Giving his analysis, the former Los Blancos forward who during his days in the 90′s scored 29 goals in 90 league games during said the Portuguese forward’s ability to use both feet more comfortably and heading prowess made him a better player than the record goal scorer at Camp Nou.
Messi scored 73 in all competitions for Barcelona last season, but the Montenegrin was adamant that Jose Mourinho’s talisman should be the preference in any choice between the two players generally agreed to be the best in the world.
Though Mijatovic admitted that their movement and way of playing is totally different making them distinct players but for him, Cristiano is better than Messi as he is a more complete player, faster, more explosive with both feet as advantage also good with his head.
He said he sees Cristiano as not having any faults.
A touch of bias is being perceived here afterwards, as Mijatovic was director of football at the Bernabeu as recently as 2009.

Stanley Okoronkwo promises to shine against Liberia

With a late call-up by the Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi, Sharks midfielder; Stanley Okoronkwo has promised to shine for the Super Eagles of Nigeria saying even though it was an unexpected invitation, he is going to take his chances with the National Team also.
The Sharks Midfielder said he was surprised by the call which came across Monday as he was in Enugu when he was called that he has been selected to join National Team (Super Eagles) and he was very elated with the news as he joined his teammates at the national team today towards the preparation to face Liberia in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on October 13.
Okoronkwo said his hard work has paid off because it I what he has long been praying for as he commented on the all-important match where by present standing Nigeria’s chances on claiming the ticket can go as low as playing a draw with Liberia.
The midfielder said the lone stars of Liberia are a good team judging by the score line of their last meet which is the first leg but he believes that Nigeria will claim the much desired ticket to proceed to the AFCON finals.
Nigeria will clash with the Lone Stars of Liberia on October 13 at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar with a victory guaranteeing the Super Eagles a place at the 2013 African Cup of Nations as Okoronkwo concluded that the mission of the Super Eagles is to get a desired result which will make Nigerians happy and the Super Eagles will do their best to make that happen come October 13^th in Calabar.

Nordsjaelland 0 Chelsea 4: Mata at the double as late gains calm holders' jitters

The scoreboard may have read 4-0 to Chelsea but that was not the full story —and if the European champions knew little about Nordsjaelland before Tuesday night, they certainly do now.
The Danes made life hugely uncomfortable for Chelsea on a night when the visitors were expected to win comfortably. In the end they did so, thanks to a flurry of late goals from David Luiz, Juan Mata and Ramires.
But those strikes put gloss on  a less-than-emphatic Chelsea performance.

Mata of fact: The Spaniard scored two for Chelsea as the holders edged past the Danes

Match facts

FC Nordsjaelland: Hansen,Parkhurst, Okore, Runje, Mtiliga, Adu, Stokholm, Lorentzen (Laudrup 84), Nordstrand (Ticinovic 65), John, Beckmann (Christensen 75).
Subs not used: Villadsen, Christiansen, Gundelach, Petry Andersen.
Booked: Runje.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Moses (Hazard 65), Oscar, Mata (Mikel 83), Torres.
Subs not used: Turnbull, Romeu, Terry, Azpilicueta, Bertrand.
Goals: Mata 33, 82; Luiz 79; Ramires 89.
Attendance: 42,000
Referee: Marijo Strahonja (Croatia).

You are not supposed to enjoy easy matches in the Champions League — but this visit to Copenhagen certainly seemed to offer that possibility.
This was only Nordsjaelland’s  second outing among Europe’s elite — their first ending in a 2-0 defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk.
Nordsjaelland, who were only founded in 1991, pay their players on average £150,000 a year — enough for seven days of service from  Chelsea skipper John Terry.
And Roberto Di Matteo saw fit to leave his captain out of his starting line-up as David Luiz and Gary Cahill began in the heart of defence, while Victor Moses was handed his Champions League debut in place of Eden Hazard.
Di Matteo knew only victory at Parken Stadium would be good enough, particularly after the 2-2 home draw against Juventus on match-day one. But a record of one win in eight away Champions League clashes must have been a worrying distraction for the  Chelsea manager.
The biggest night in Nordsjaelland’s history almost got off to the worst possible start as a sloppy throw-in from left back Patrick Mtilinga on three minutes handed the returning Frank Lampard space on the edge of the box to pick out Brazilian starlet Oscar.

Brace yourself: Mata scored two on the night as Chelsea secured their first win in the competition this year

He exchanged passes with Moses, then conjured a shot that trickled narrowly wide of Jesper Hansen’s far post.
Nordsjaelland were breathing another sigh of relief less than 60 seconds later as Moses somehow sent a header from three yards on to a post with the goal gaping after Oscar’s superb cross.
But in fairness to Hjulmand’s side, they did not let Chelsea’s promising start effect their passing philosophy and the Danes popped the ball about attractively.

Stunner: Luiz fired home this free-kick as the Blues turned on the style late in the first half

Nevertheless, Chelsea continued to press for an opener in the face of a suspect-looking back four, with Lampard firing over from outside the box after Mata’s surging run down the right in the 10th minute.
Despite three early scares, Nordsjaelland refused to throw the ball forward aimlessly. Their first chance arrived in the 15th minute, Joshua John — who had been pinpointed as one of Nordsjaelland’s dangermen — firing over from long range after some sloppy defending.
Without creating any clear-cut opportunities, there was a sense of the home side’s confidence growing with every passing minute.

Ram raid: The Brazilian got on the scoresheet late in the game

And Nordsjaelland would have been celebrating their first Champions League goal in the 21st minute had it not been for Ashley Cole, who produced a goal-saving challenge on Kasper Lorentzen deep inside the Chelsea area after John’s accurate low cross.
Paris St-Germain  manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his intention to sign Cole in January, branding him ‘the best left back  in the world’ —  and there was plenty of evidence to support the Italian’s assertion.
Torres was denied by an excellent Hansen save in the 22nd minute as the visitors tried to regain their early dominance. But while Nordsjaelland’s play was defined by neat passing, Chelsea’s was quite the opposite as they struggled to find any rhythm.

Cech mate: The Chelsea fans enjoyed their first win in the competition since winning it last May

Di Matteo would have been hugely relieved, then, when a Nordjaelland mistake led to his side taking an undeserved lead in the 33rd minute.Torres robbed Enoch Adu deep inside the Danes’ half and he slipped the ball inside to Lampard, whose pass set up Mata to coolly slot past Hansen.
Torres should have doubled the lead just before half-time after Oscar’s beautiful through pass — but with just the keeper to beat the No 9 fired straight at the keeper from 12 yards.
Chelsea had created enough clear-cut chances in the first half to be out of sight, while the hosts, who enjoyed 55 per cent of the ball in the opening period, would have felt they deserved more for their dominance in terms of possession.
And the impressive John came close to an equaliser in the 53rd minute, his drive from the edge of the area arrowing just wide of Petr Cech’s near post.

Four star performance: Chelsea were not the dominant side but finished the match as comfortable victors

Mikkel Beckman went close just before the hour, sending a looping header on to the roof of Cech’s goal after Adu’s searching cross, before Stokholm saw his long-range piledriver parried by the keeper.
Di Matteo sent on Hazard for the ineffective Moses in the 65th minute as he tried to inject some much-needed invention.
But Nordsjaelland could have pulled level in the 73rd minute when Cech tipped John’s curling effort on to a post before Cole blocked Beckman’s rebound.
Chelsea were rocking until Luiz struck a stunning free-kick inside Hansen’s near post on 79 minutes. Then Mata nudged home his second of the night after a dash into the box and Ramires tapped  in a minute from time as the floodgates finally opened.Whether Chelsea deserved their 4-0 win was another matter.

Barcelona hit by Puyol blow with injured captain to miss Real Madrid clash

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is facing eight weeks on the sidelines after dislocating his left elbow in the Champions League win over Benfica on Tuesday night.
The 34-year-old defender, who had only just returned to the side from a hamstring problem, landed awkwardly 15 minutes from the end of the 2-0 victory and was carried off on a stretcher in obvious discomfort.

On the mend: Carles Puyol tweeted this picture from his hospital bed

He was allowed to fly back to Barcelona with his team-mates following initial treatment before spending the night in a local hospital, where tests carried out this morning confirmed the dislocation.
A statement on www.fcbarcelona.com read: 'The club captain will undergo conservative treatment and is expected to be out for about eight weeks.'
Puyol was discharged from hospital on Wednesday following visits from club president Sandro Rosell and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta.
Before his release, the player sent a message of gratitude to fans and medics from his Twitter account.
'We are back in Barcelona,' Puyol said.
'I want to thank everyone who looked after me in Portugal. I'll soon be back to my best again! Thank you for all your messages - a big hug to all of you.'

Agony: Carles Puyol after dislocating his elbow

Barcelona player Carles Puyol

Despite Puyol's optimism, the news of his eight-week lay-off comes as a blow to coach Tito Vilanova, who is already without fellow defender Gerard Pique because of a foot injury.
With Barca facing Real Madrid in 'El Clasico' this weekend, Puyol's injury could not have come at a worse time although Vilanova is hopeful the team can patch up the gaps in their back-line.
'I've always said it, we've always had problems with our central defenders, but we'll move forward,' he said.
'It's not just that we've lost Puyol for the Clasico on Sunday, but we've lost him for other matches as well.
'The injuries mean we will have to play players in positions that aren't their own, but we'll use our youth players [to cover the absences], that's why we have them.'
Puyol is likely to be out of action until December at the earliest and as well as missing several Primera Division matches, he could also sit out the rest of Barca's Champions League Group G campaign including the upcoming double header against Celtic.

Nigeria vs Venezuela friendly confirmed by NFF

It has been confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be playing Venezuela in a friendly match ahead of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations even though the deciding match is yet to be played.
The Friendly match which will be played in November is said to be part of the preparation for the Nations cup which is holding in South Africa.
Ademola Olajire who is the spokesperson for the NFF who confirmed that the friendly has been approved said the Nigeria is confident that Liberia will be beaten in the match that will decide who picks the ticket and that is why the Nigeria Football Federation went ahead to confirm the friendly with Venezuela and it will be holding in Miami, in the United States of America.

Messi doesn't deserve to win World Player of the Year award, claims Ibrahimovic

Lionel Messi does not deserve to win the next FIFA Ballon d'Or as he has only won one minor trophy this year, according to former Barcelona team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Swede had one indifferent year playing alongside Messi in La Liga before returning to Milan where he won the Serie A title.

Not enough: Lionel Messi doesn't deserve the Balon d'Or this year, apparently

Ibrahimovic, now at Paris St Germain, hailed Messi's personal achievements - he scored 68 goals in all competitions - but insisted the fact he only won the Copa del Rey should be taken into account.
'Messi had a fantastic season but he has not won that much and he has already won the Ballon d'Or three times,' the striker said. 'It depends whether you reward an individual or a collective work.

Sour grapes? Zlatan Ibrahimovic was overshadowed by Messi in his time in Spain

'Xavi is still playing at a high level, Iniesta also had a great season, they won the Euro while Messi has not won anything, just the King's Cup. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or three times, it's now someone else's turn to win it.'
The Ballon d'Or, which was merged with the World Player of the Year award in 2010, will be awarded on January 7, 2013.