Chelsea defeated Malaysia's national team 4-1 Friday in the FA Premier League Asia Cup, though the lowly home side were able to test the visitors' defenses.
Chelsea will now meet Newcastle in the final of the four-team tournament in Kuala Lumpur, the first of its kind allowed by the English Football Association. Malaysia -- the obvious underdog in the tournament against three English Premier League clubs -- salvaged some pride by matching Chelsea's opening goal and forcing the visitors to bring on some of their big guns.
"The players don't have very good fitness at the moment," Chelsea coach Claudio Raneiri said of his side's off-season performance.
"We need to work on that a little more and I am sure they will be ready for when the [English] season begins," he said.
"Overall, I am still very pleased with the way they played today."
On a sweltering night at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Chelsea's first goal was netted by midfielder Frank Lampard in the 35th minute.
But four minutes later, Malaysia -- coached by former Chelsea fullback Alan Harris -- equalized through a header by Hairuddin Omar from the last of four corner kicks for the home side in the first half.
Even Raneiri was impressed.
"It was a fantastic header, it was a good goal," he said.
An hour into the game and with the score tied at 1-1, Raneiri sent in stars Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Eidur Gudjohnson and new signing Damian Duff.
It didn't take long for Hasselbaink and Gudjohnson to show their firepower. Just seven minutes after coming onto the field, the Dutch striker sent Chelsea ahead before Gudjohnson added a third in the 82nd minute.
Glen Johnson sealed it for Chelsea with a crisp header off a corner kick from Hasselbaink.
Chelsea played at an easy pace and were content to let the Malaysians come at them.
The Malaysians were able to capitalize on some gaps in the Chelsea defense to make several attacking drives.
In the 19th minute, Chelsea goalkeeper Marco Ambrosio was tested by striker Hairuddin Omar, while a few minutes later Indra Putra Mahyuddin slipped right through the Chelsea defense but failed to make anything of it.
Chelsea player Robert Huth left the field about 20 minutes into the game after he sustained a cut in a clash of heads with Hairuddin.
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch yesterday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson, but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to
REUNION: Former Barcelona players Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano are to face their former coach Luis Enrique Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi faces a tantalizing reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 after both sides on Monday progressed to the knockout phase. Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to go through second in Group A, after the Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to seal top spot. They now face an all-Brazil clash against Botafogo, who lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid, but progressed from Group B in second at the expense of the Spaniards. Champions of Europe PSG won the group with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders, paving the
RSS