NHL playoff update #2

Here's what you need to know about last night's round one playoff game between the St. Louis Blues and the Los Angeles Kings--

• The Kings did much better than they did two nights ago in game one (especially for the first two periods). They played the kind of tough, aggressive, chippy hockey that no one likes except when it's their own team that's playing it. The Kings only managed one goal, however.
• The Blues tied it up in the third period on a relatively lucky goal that when in off of Patrik Berglund's skate (click here for video).
• Just when it looked like the two teams were headed to overtime for the second night in a row, Blues defenseman Barret Jackman scored on a wrist shot on a three man rush.

• The Blues now lead the series 2-0.

Seedorf scores his first goal for his new club

This summer, former AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf signed a two-year contract to play for the Brazilian club Botafogo. The contract is said to be the largest ever signed by a foreign player to play for a Brazilian team. Seedorf, who enjoyed a long and exciting career at Milan, scored his first goal of the season in Botafogo's win against Atletico Goianiense yesterday. Hopefully this will be just the first of many goals as Seedorf pursues his career in Brazil. 

Above: Seedorf displays the Botafogo flag

Below: One of my all-time favorite goals by Seedorf

Hockey goals as described by soccer announcers

Apparently this one has been all over the place for the past few days, but if you haven't seen it, it's still worth a look.

World soccer update

Leaving aside Serie A for a moment, there was a lot of soccer played this weekend. The major matches include:

Chelsea 2 - Tottenham 1 (see photo above-- a goal was awarded to Chelsea despite the fact that the ball didn't cross the line)

Arsenal 1 - Manchester United 0-- The Premier League title race is not quite over yet.

Real Madrid lost to Real Zargoza, but then Barcelona lost to Real Sociedad.

Corinthians 1 - Palmeiras 1 (6-5 on penalties)-- Corinthians move on to face Santos in the finals of the Campeonato Paulista.

Video below

AEK defeated PAOK in the Greek Cup finals 3-0. The match ended a few minutes early due to rioting fans (see videos below)

Below are actual match highlights

What Milan have been up to lately

Fiorentina 1 - Milan 2

Pirlo's goal against Parma

On Saturday, Milan beat Parma 1-0. Below is Andrea Pirlo's goal-

Ibrahimovic and his big feet

Earlier this month, former Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi (pictured below) got into an argument with Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic live on Italian television. The reason for their disagreement was Sacchi's joking about Ibrahimovic scoring a goal because of his big feet. (For the record, Ibrahimovic wears a US men's size 13.)

The thing is, however, Sacchi may have a point. In both of Milan's last two games, Ibrahimovic scored goals that a player with smaller feet (or shorter legs) might not have.

The goal versus Lazio--

The goal versus Genoa--

The argument--

How soon will Milan be "officially in crisis"?

Capuano's goal for Catana was amazing, and, for some reason, Inzaghi made the New York Times.

World Cup Update #2: Highlights so far

Why I will not be rooting for the USA (or Honduras) in the World Cup

Back in October of 2009, the United States faced Costa Rica in its final qualification match. The U.S. team had already clinched a spot in the 2010 World Cup, so the game was meaningless to them, but Costa Rica's qualification depended on earning a win. The late goal by Jonathan Bornstein meant that Costa Rica had to take on Uruguay in a playoff for one last chance to go to South Africa. Uruguay won, so Costa Rica will be watching from home this year.

Obviously, people in Honduras were quite happy (and have even made Bornstein something of a hero), but I can only imagine what the Costa Ricans must have thought as they witnessed the U.S. players and fans going beserk over a completely meaningless goal.

Maybe this is the U.S. team's way of making up for the U.S. approved coup in Honduras last year.

Great moments in World Cup history #8

World Cup 2006: Maxi Rodriguez scores for Argentina against Mexico in extra time.

My third favorite Milan goal of the season

Clarence Seedorf's winner against Chievo Verona. This goal pulled Milan to within one point of first place and represents the high water mark for the season.

A favorite Champions League moment from 2009-2010

From the group stage-- 10/20/09 Barcelona 1 - Rubin Kazan 2

Here's a different view-

AC Milan 2009-2010 Season Statistical Highlights

Here are the statistical leaders for AC Milan during the 2009-2010 Serie A season:

Most games played: Ronaldinho (36)

Most games started: Ronaldinho (34)

Most minutes played: Andrea Pirlo (2952)

Most minutes played without scoring a goal (goalies excluded): Andrea Pirlo (2952)*

Most goals scored: Marco Borriello (14)

Most yellow cards: Massimo Ambrosini & Mathieu Flamini (10)

Most red cards: Massimo Ambrosini & Mathieu Flamini (2)

Fewest minutes played (of players who appeared at all): Rodney Strasser (7)

*Pirlo's amazing goal against Real Madrid came in the Champions League.

Below: Gennaro Gattuso received eight yellow cards this season. Here is a picture of the last one.

Still my favorite goal of the year

Andrea Pirlo scores to make it 1-1 against Real Madrid in the Champions League

To see my second favorite goal of the year (Inzaghi's game winner in Milan's 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille), click here.

Maicon puts Inter back in first place

On Friday, Inter defeated Juventus 2-0, thus putting Inter (at least temporarily) back in first place in the Serie A standings. The winning goal was scored by Maicon, and is, unfortunately, worth a look.

Milan are still in third place, six points out. On the positive side, at least Juventus lost.

Match report: Parma 1 - Milan 0

Milan gave up a goal in the 90th minute and lost. Inter beat Livorno, so Milan are tied for second place with Roma, four points back of Inter. Roma play Inter today.

Above: Parma supporters entering the stadium

Below: The winning goal

Champions League update: Mind-boggling mistakes lead to mind-boggling goals

Porto 2 - Arsenal 1

Porto's first goal was nothing more than a single mistake by the goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski. Porto's second goal was a bit more complicated, because it involved multiple mistakes. Arsenal defender Sol Campbell's back pass to the keeper was picked up by Fabianski (one mistake), which resulted in an indirect free kick for Porto. Fabianski then handed the ball directly to the referee (yet another mistake) who allowed Porto to quickly restart the game and score.

Bayern Munich 2 - Fiorentina 1

In the Bayern Munich-Fiorentina match, the mistakes all belong to the referee and linesman. On Bayern Munich's first goal, the referee had called a penalty before the ball went in the net, so he disallowed the initial goal. Luckily for everyone involved, the subsequent penalty was made, so the score turned out 1-0 as it should have. Bayern Munich's second goal is even simpler-- the fault lies completely with the linesman, who failed to call Klose offside.

Match report: Milan 3 - Udinese 2

• Goals scored: Huntelaar 7', Pato 39', Floro Flores 45', Huntelaar 57', Di Natale 86'
• What happened: Milan kept scoring but also played sloppily, so they kept letting Udinese back in the match. I spent most of the match worrying about injuries.
• Milan players who could not play due to injury: Seedorf, Borriello, Antonini
• Milan players who returned today from injury: Nesta, Pato
• Milan players who had to leave early due to possible injury: Mancini, Thiago Silva (!)
• Milan players who appear to be quite rusty despite having scored a goal: Pato
• Milan player who made the pass that led to each of Milan's goals: Ronaldinho. The second one, a long pass down the middle of the field to Pato, was especially nice.
• Famous visitors to the San Siro to watch the match: Sir Alex Ferguson
• Strange sightings from today's match: Escorting the referees down the tunnel to the pitch were three men dressed as admirals/hotel doormen. (Sorry, no photo was available)
• What this match teaches us: Manchester United are coming on Tuesday.

Great moments in World Cup history #3

1994 Quarterfinal: Bulgaria 2 - Germany 1

Bulgarian superstar Hristo Stoichkov played on the great Barcelona squad of the early 1990s. He is best known, however, for this free kick, which helped knock the defending World Champion Germany out of the 1994 tournament. Bulgaria went on to lose to Italy in the semi-finals.

Note-- I believe that the man you can hear shouting before the kick is taken is Germany goalkeeper Bodo Illgner yelling at teammate Lothar Matthaus to move more to the left.