Messi leads Argentina to thrash Uruguay 3-0

Lionel Messi guided Argentina past a tough Uruguay side in the final half hour with two brilliant goals for a 3-0 win on Friday that keeps them top of South America’s World Cup qualifiers.
Argentina leads the nine-nation South American group with 17 points from eight matches at the halfway stage. Colombia and Ecuador are one point behind, Uruguay and Chile five behind.
Messi created and finished his first goal in the 66th minute, playing the ball to Angel Di Maria and racing through to tap the rebound past Fernando Muslera.
Argentina went two up nine minutes later with another move on the left, Messi again feeding Di Maria who returned the ball with his first touch where Sergio Aguero touched it into the net.
The third goal in the 80th minute came from a cheeky free kick by Messi, who deceived the Uruguay wall by sliding the ball underneath them and inside the base of the near post when they jumped expecting a shot to one of the upper corners.
It was sweet revenge for Messi, who has now scored 12 goals in his last seven internationals, and Argentina after they were eliminated by Uruguay on penalties in the 2011 Copa America and which the 2010 World Cup semi-finalists went on to win
Argentina’s Coach Alejandro Sabella couldn’t hide his excitement as he admitted it was a “Great match by the players against an experienced team like Uruguay who for a good reason finished fourth at the recent World Cup.”
Argentina enjoyed far more possession and territory than Uruguay in the first half but could not find a way through a well organised defence and when they did, they were caught offside.
Uruguay was a latent threat on the counter-attack with forwards of the calibre of Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan.
Messi created a good chance for himself with a dribbling run past several defenders towards the end of the first half in Mendoza but his final, left-footed shot went over the top and hit the far stanchion.
He was also close with a free kick from the left which would have gone in if Muslera had not punched the ball over.
There was fighting among players from both sides early in the second half when Uruguay captain Diego Lugano chased a loose ball with Sergio Romero and stamped on the Argentina goalkeeper’s hand as he went for it, earning a booking.
Messi’s first goal came during a spell of total Argentine dominance but soon after there was a scare for Argentina with defender Pablo Zabaleta clearing off the line.
It was an expensive outing for the Uruguayans with Lugano, who came off injured, and fellow central defender Diego Godin suspended for Tuesday’s visit to Bolivia after both were booked.

Djokovic cruises into Shanghai final with Berdych defeat

Novak Djokovic got into the Shanghai final gallantly and can now boast of an ATP Tour-leading 69-11 match record for the season as he secured a break in just the second game of the match to take control of the opening set, before taking it for the loss of just three games.
Berdych was always behind in the match, and he was unable to match the world number two in the second set as Djokovic closed it out efficiently to improve his head-to-head record over the Czech to 10-1 while securing his place in the final.
Djokovic will next take on the winner of two-time defending champion Andy Murray’s semi-final clash with world number one Roger Federer in the Shanghai showpiece.

Unwritten pact flaws Falcao’s link to Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho has ruled out Radamel Falcao’s chances of joining Real Madrid for a striking position saying there’s an ‘Unwritten pact’ between the two clubs which makes Real Madrid unable to bid Falcao who plays for Atletico Madrid.
Real are one of the clubs who have been very strongly linked with the Colombian striker – currently regarded as one of the top players in world football.
Jose Mourinho said the move is a  forbidden subject as Falcao is a key player for Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid, as was Sergio Aguero, and there is a kind of non-aggression pact between Atletico and Madrid.
The news is likely to be a boost to Mourinho’s former club Chelsea, who have been strongly linked with a January move for Falcao.
One player who will not be moving in January is Fabio Coentrao – he blasted: “I miss the times that lying and inventing in the newspapers was almost a crime. Now this does not happen, we are in a situation where it is very easy to lie and invent. It says what you want.”
But Mourinho did admit that his recent dropping of Coentrao has become a bit of an issue.
“We cannot escape that the reality of the Fabio Coentrao situation is not easy, but Fabio should be able to overcome a situation that I recognise is not easy for him – but there is no possibility he could leave in January – not long ago he cost €30million.”
He also spoke about Ricardo Carvalho’s situation at the club and he insists he is happy that he wants to stay – after a move to Queens Park Rangers in August failed to materialise.
“I thought he wanted out of Madrid, he is a tremendous player – especially for me, as I have had him at three clubs,” he said.
“With his injury last season and with Pepe and Ramos forming a partnership which can be the best in the world, he got a little delayed.
“But he decided to stay in Madrid, for me it is not a problem, he could be a solution but he knows his chances could be restricted.”
He also dispelled rumours that he looked at signing another of his former Chelsea players Jose Bosingwa in the summer.
“No, I did not think about it. You have to be good to bring the Portuguese and Portuguese to Madrid, would be mean to them.”