European League Cups, May 1-June 1

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Day of FA or League Cups in Europe.

Rangers needed just one 2nd half Amoruso goal to beat Dundee 1-0, in what was likely the scorer's last Rangers game. That's a treble, but Scottish as the League and FA cups count there.

In Germany Bayern was up 2-0 in ten minutes on two Ballack goals (better vs. them than us), the second a penalty. Pizarro scored the third before Klose made it, well, close, 3-1 in the end. That's a double.

In Italy the Cup is played in two legs, Milan beat Roma 1-4 in the Olimpico and took that to San Siro. Totti scored twice and one more would have meant tying it (or do away goals count there?), but Rivaldo hit in the second half and Roma fell apart, two red cards and Milan drew it 2-2 in the end. That is also a double, but no league to show for their efforts.

In France Paris SG went up early 1-0 and looked on their way, but Cisse drew it for Auxerre m. 77 and in the last moments Auxerre won it. Cissé is for me the best player in Europe on a modest team, probably one of the best buys around for those looking (along with a few guys in Holland maybe).

In Belgium Klukowski and La Louvière face St. Truiden at 4 PM local time for the Cup. Will look for previews on that.

Oh, and the 9 time European champs are losing to Celta 2nd half and seem to be throwing the league away. Cavallero, the Celta keeper, showing why he is the best in Spain this year.

[JayWay]

How does Westerveld compare? I find it funny that Houllier kicked him because he made to many mistakes. Now Sander is challenging for the top domestic title in Europe, and Dudek is coming off a season that was plauged by careless errors.

"Winning is most important. Everything is a consequence of that."

-Ayrton Senna (1960 - 1994)

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Good question really about Westerveld, since he is odds on to win the Spanish league on a team you never would have thought could have done it. Real Sociedad are a team to make UEFA every couple years.

In fact I think he would not be rated among the best keepers in Spain, in spite of having one of the better GOA. Probably the nod goes to Cavallero at Celta (who Thunder's been learning under), Cañizares at Valencia, then maybe Iker Casillas. Even Contreras at Málaga gets better press.

Yet noone can really say he's made big mistakes this year, they've lost very few games and none at home. And it is not like the defense are household names either, so a lot of the credit for all of them has to go to the coach Denoueix and his system, plus a few sparks (Nihat the young Turk especially, Kovacevic the other striker, Xabi Alonso in the midfield). An interesting team really, esp since they are about to beat out the Galactic Globetrotters full of FIFA Golden boys and stay practically anonymous in doing so.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Good question really about Westerveld, since he is odds on to win the Spanish league on a team you never would have thought could have done it. Real Sociedad are a team to make UEFA every couple years.

In fact I think he would not be rated among the best keepers in Spain, in spite of having one of the better GOA. Probably the nod goes to Cavallero at Celta (who Thunder's been learning under), Cañizares at Valencia, then maybe Iker Casillas. Even Contreras at Málaga gets better press.

Yet noone can really say he's made big mistakes this year, they've lost very few games and none at home. And it is not like the defense are household names either, so a lot of the credit for all of them has to go to the coach Denoueix and his system, plus a few sparks (Nihat the young Turk especially, Kovacevic the other striker, Xabi Alonso in the midfield). An interesting team really, esp since they are about to beat out the Galactic Globetrotters full of FIFA Golden boys and stay practically anonymous in doing so.