Top scorer Giovinco says Toronto FC cast him aside

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Italian soccer star Sebastian Giovinco blasted Toronto FC management on Wednesday night, saying he doesn’t trust the MLS team to tell the truth about his departure and that he was willing to take less money to stay in the city.

“They may say I left for a more lucrative deal, but this is not the case,” Giovinco said in a lengthy Instagram post. “I would have accepted less to stay in Toronto.” 

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have transferred their all-time leading scorer Giovinco to the Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

Giovinco said he has been trying to get a contract extension for two years without success.

“I can say that I wanted it to end differently,” he said. “I was offered terms that I deemed unacceptable. Their offer and lack of transparency is a clear message. It seems management prefers to focus on things other than the pure desire to win.”

The Canadian and US media reported that the Saudi Professional League team paid a transfer fee of between $2 million and $3 million. 

Giovinco departs as the Reds’ leading scorer across all competitions with 83 goals.

“After having grown the brand and elevating the overall reputation of TFC both at home and abroad, it seems I no longer serve a purpose,” he bristled. 

The 32-year-old Giovinco, who is known as a potent scorer and free kick specialist, was in the last year of his MLS contract. 

“Replacing a player like Sebastian is difficult,” said Toronto GM Ali Curtis. “But we are working diligently and are confident that we will be adding a new designated player in the near future.”

Giovinco originally joined Toronto in 2015 from Juventus, of Italy’s Serie A and has been an offensive force from the beginning, winning the MLS MVP award along with the Newcomer of the Year award in 2015. 

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2Tj1E09

Top scorer Giovinco sold to Saudi’s Al-Hilal

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have transferred their all-time leading scorer Sebastian Giovinco to the Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

“Replacing a player like Sebastian is difficult,” said Toronto GM Ali Curtis. “But we are working diligently and are confident that we will be adding a new designated player in the near future.”

The Italian national team forward departs as the Reds’ leading scorer across all competitions with 83 goals.

The Canadian and US media reported that the Saudi Professional League team paid a transfer fee of between $2-3 million. 

The 32-year-old Giovinco, who is known as a potent scorer and free kick specialist, was in the last year of his MLS contract. 

He originally joined Toronto in 2015 from Juventus, of Italy’s Serie A and has been an offensive force from the beginning, winning the MLS MVP along with the Newcomer of the Year awards in 2015. 

“I’d like to thank the fans and my teammates for four special years playing for Toronto FC,” said Giovinco. “I’d also like to thank the club for helping me as I transition into the next phase of my career.”

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2MIHoCO

Where to find San Martin vs. Boca Juniors on US TV and streaming

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch San Martin vs. Boca Juniors in the Superliga Argentina, you’ve come to the right place, which you can also stream to your TV.

In previous years, it’s been difficult to find the game on US airwaves, but here’s all of the info you need below.

Match: San Martin vs. Boca Juniors

Kickoff: Thursday, 7pm ET

Looking to watch San Martin vs. Boca Juniors online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

Worldwide except South America, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean.

Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming:

Who: San Martin vs. Boca Juniors
What: Superliga Argentina
When: Game kicks off at 7pm ET / 4pm PT; Thursday, January 31, 2019
Where: Live on Fanatiz (free 14-day trial)

With Fanatiz, you can watch San Martin vs. Boca Juniors and tons of other Superliga games from Argentina. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone or tablet.

Plus Fanatiz, the legal streaming service, also streams the Argentinian league, Chilean league and Chilean Cup.

Soccer fans can subscribe to Fanatiz for only $9.99 per month, with a 14 day free-trial. But even better, Fanatiz is offering an exclusive deal to readers of World Soccer Talk where you can get 50% off Fanatiz for the first 3 months of service.

To get the 50% discount, visit the Fanatiz website (the offer is not available via the app) and then enter coupon code wstfz2 at checkout to get your savings.

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2TlZfSr

Sole survivors: Qatar plot Japan ambush in Asian final

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – While Japan have the Asian Cup pedigree, Qatar’s over-achieving players might just feel that their name is on the trophy after a record-breaking run to their first-ever final.

Against the backdrop of simmering political tension, the Qatari players were pelted with plastic bottles — and even shoes — by furious local fans in a 4-0 semi-final thrashing of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi.

After surviving that ordeal, the 2022 World Cup hosts believe they have nothing to fear from Japan.

“We have already realised a dream that the whole country had,” said striker Almoez Ali, who equalled Ali Daei’s record of eight goals in a single Asian Cup against the hosts on Tuesday.

“We will need patience in the final but if we are patient, we have a chance of being champions.”

Japan, who captured the last of their record four Asian titles in 2011, upset tournament favourites Iran 3-0 in Monday’s first semi-final and appear to be peaking at just the right time.

After threatening to bore crowds to death in their first five games, the Blue Samurai go into Friday’s final in the UAE capital unbeaten in 11 matches since Hajime Moriyasu took over as coach after last year’s World Cup.

Yuya Osako’s controversial second-half double floored Iran, and consequently Moriyasu’s new-look Japan are suddenly being tipped to go all the way.

“We talked about going to war before we came out here,” said captain Maya Yoshida, part of the Japan side which scooped the title eight years ago. 

“We’re all fighting hard together for it.”

– Clinical Japan –

Japan have never lost an Asian Cup final, while Qatar’s defence have kept a record six clean sheets.

Though finely poised, the Qataris have yet to face a team as clinical as Japan — or one with as much tactical nous.

However, their progress has been truly remarkable given the abuse Qatar have suffered from local fans because of the long-running Gulf blockade of the tiny, energy-rich state.

The Qatari national anthem was drowned out by boos before their semi-final — and before a 2-0 group-stage win over Saudi Arabia, who severed diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017 over Doha’s alleged support of terrorism, an accusation the country denies.

As Qatar’s players celebrated beating the UAE, plastic bottles rained down on them — as they had for each of their goals, with midfielder Salem Al-Hajri hit on the head at one point.

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2B8FXc4

Where to find Inter vs. Lazio Coppa Italia on US TV and streaming

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Inter vs. Lazio in the US, we have all of the details for you about the Coppa Italia match.

The game, which is available exclusively via ESPN+, will not be on television. However, you can stream the game from ESPN+ to your TV set.

League: Coppa Italia

Genre: Sports

Looking to watch Coppa Italia matches online from your office, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

 
Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming:

Who: Inter vs. Lazio
What: Coppa Italia
When: Game kicks off at 3pm ET / Noon PT; Thursday, January 31, 2019
Where: Live on ESPN+ (7-day free trial)

With ESPN+, you can watch Inter vs. Lazio and tons more Coppa Italia games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 and XBOX One.

Now with ESPN+, you can stream Serie A, UEFA Nations League, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Eredivisie, Danish Superliga, Chinese Super League, Indian Super League, Australian A-League, Sweden’s Allsvenskan, MLS out-of-market games and USL.

ESPN+ is only $4.99/month after a free 7-day trial.

In addition to all of the soccer coverage, ESPN+ also includes a selection of live games from MLB, MLS, NHL, select PGA TOUR golf, Top Rank Boxing and Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon to the US Open and Australian Open. Plus you get instant access to your favorite college sports like football, basketball, lacrosse, softball and more.

There’s also the daily ESPN FC show, 30 For 30 documentaries, exclusive access to studio programs and more.




from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2B7qE3d

Klopp takes Liverpool’s title setback in his stride

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp refused to be down-hearted despite his annoyance at being denied a strong second-half penalty claim in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Leicester at Anfield on Wednesday.

The result, coming 24 hours after Premier League title rivals Manchester City were beaten at lowly Newcastle, saw Klopp’s team extend their lead at the top of the table to five points.

But it could, obviously, have been seven points after Sadio Mane gave Liverpool an early lead, only for Harry Maguire to score a dramatic equaliser in first-half injury-time.

To compound Klopp’s unhappiness, Maguire had been cautioned just six minutes earlier for a foul on Mane when the Liverpool striker appeared ready to break clear on goal in a counter-attack.

Referee Martin Atkinson deemed that foul worth only a yellow card, and compounded his “crime” in the eyes of home fans, when he did not award Liverpool a second-half penalty following what appeared to be Ricardo Pereira’s trip on Naby Keita.

– ‘No blood but still a penalty’ –

“The 1-1 is OK even though everybody agrees it should have been a penalty,” said Klopp. “I don’t know why it wasn’t.

“I don’t know what he (Atkinson) saw in this moment because he had the best position. There was no blood involved but, still, it was a penalty.”

The Liverpool manager, looking to bring the English title to Anfield for the first time in 29 years, continued: “But he doesn’t want to give it, and we can’t tell him to come and look at it again.

“I think we agree it was a penalty, very often I stand here when we got a penalty and have to defend it.”

The German boss added: “And we had the situation with Maguire. I am not the referee, I am the manager, I am not sure, is it smart what he is doing? 

“I would say it is a 100 percent goalscoring chance at least that is something –- a situation where there is a goalscoring chance that tells the ref he has to give a red card.”

The evening had started in perfect fashion for Liverpool as Mane scored their fastest league goal in nearly three years, with just two minutes on the clock, only for Maguire to level in first-half injury-time.

The England World Cup defender was left unmarked, six yards out, and swept the ball home after Wilfred Ndidi’s shot, following a James Maddison free-kick, had been blocked and Ben Chilwell guided the ball back into the area with a clever header.

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2RpeZSN

‘Maybe it’s my fault’: Sarri fumes after Chelsea meltdown

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri questioned his ability to motivate Chelsea’s spluttering stars after their humiliating 4-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday.

The shocking result at Dean Court ranked as Chelsea’s biggest league defeat for 22 years and was their fifth loss in the last 12 Premier League games.

The Blues have dropped out of the top four — below Arsenal on goals scored — to leave their bid to qualify for the Champions League under severe threat.

And Chelsea boss Sarri, who publicly questioned his side’s approach after the recent defeat at Arsenal, conducted a lengthy post-match inquest alone with his players after asking his backroom staff to leave the dressing room.

The Italian maintained he does not feel under pressure but admitted the blame for the defeat could lie with himself.

“In that moment I wanted to talk with them alone, without anybody else,” he said. 

“I needed to understand. It’s impossible to play in such a different way between the first and second half. 

“I don’t understand why. I don’t know exactly. I want to try again tomorrow because we want to solve the problem.

“I think (the players are good enough). Maybe we are not at the top of the Premier League at the moment, but we are competitive. 

“We cannot lose 4-0 against Bournemouth. I want to respect Bournemouth, but it’s impossible to lose 4-0 here.

“Maybe it’s my fault, maybe I’m not able to motivate them. But the team is very strong, it is also able to win without the coach.” 

Sarri is facing growing questions about his tactics and motivational ability just half-way through his first season in charge.

And the former Napoli boss admitted he is starting to get annoyed by Chelsea’s inconsistency.

“I feel frustrated. Not under pressure. I didn’t see the signal of my work. So I am frustrated,” he said. 

Chelsea dominated long periods of the first half but after conceding Joshua King’s opening goal in the 47th minute, they had no response as David Brooks doubled the lead in the 63rd minute.

– ‘Ride that storm’ –

King added a second eleven minutes later, and Charlie Daniels headed the fourth in stoppage-time.

“What I saw in the first half, there was the possibility to solve the problem,” Sarri said. 

“We had 43 minutes still to play, so we could solve the problem. But not with that kind of reaction.

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2WwRyut