Two goals within the first five minutes of the start of the second half gave Chelsea a 3-0 lead over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. That used to be an insurmountable advantage, but not anymore. Referee Howard Webb awarded Man United two penalties in an 11-minue span that Wayne Rooney put away before substitute Chicharito made it 3-3 with a header in the 84th minute.

Daniele De Rossi. Squandered several opportunities to show off his skillz in the rain. Image: Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images Europe.

We've got backchat, confusion and a massive moisture failure to deal with today, Kickettes.

What are you waiting for? An invitation?

EPL

Amazing news from the EPL this weekend, with Arsenal losing 3-2 to Swansea and manager Arsene Wenger taking the unprecedented step of blaming the referee.

Norfolk SharX press release:
SHARX BLAST PAST BALTIMORE FOR SECOND WIN 17-12
Lieberman outstanding in goal with 16 saves
Norfolk, Virginia – The Norfolk SharX hosted the legendary Baltimore Blast at Norfolk Scope Arena Thursday night and came away with a stunning upset win 17-12 Thursday night.

It may sound odd to call a four goal win unspectacular, but that is exactly what it was. And exactly what you want from Arsenal when facing the worst club in the Premier League. It may sound negative, but it's possibly the best thing you can say about today's match.

Arsenal would line up exactly how Brenton described we would in the preview yesterday showing you exactly why you should be reading the match previews.

I think that was the best Arsenal have played this season. Wigan got some joy in the opening 10-15 minutes but it was one-way traffic after that. The hosts also showed more of a fight in the second half but Arsenal were just too strong in all areas. I don't want to do a event by event analysis of such a game but want to use Wenger's post game interview as the foundation for this piece as the Boss' summary was sublimely succinct and accurate.

The game in the Carling Cup against Manchester City was one of the better ones I have seen for some time from the "second-string", or more precisely the young starlets. Ignasi Miquel looked the most assured of the defenders (bar the first five minutes), Oxlade-Chamberlain had a great game down his side, Frimpong held the [.

Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool: Johnson's late strike sinks Blues

In a game where ex-Reds Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles were tipped to cause their former club problems, it was ex-Chelsea defender Glenn Johnson who proved to be the match-winner as his late goal gave Liverpool maximum points.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

They may be playing meaningless friendlies, but the defending World and European champions are stuck in a run of form unbecoming of the top-ranked team in the world.

After trailing 2-0, Spain scored twice in the final 10 minutes to salvage a 2-2 away draw with Costa Rica in a match in which much of the first-team saw action.

England 1:0 Spain
Wembley Stadium, London
Wembley was full, sold on the dream of the king's touch, as the world's No.1 soccer nation Spain dropped by for an evening.
A strange pre-match atmosphere, as the usual patriotic fantasy rang increasingly hollow: No-one expected England to win and most were hoping for a defeat short of embarrassing.

Greetings, from the most environmentally friendly Tim Stillman Column yet, powered as it is entirely by the smug sense of satisfaction I get from watching John Terry's putrid goblin face eating turf. Perhaps it's about time those odious Chav cunts stopped singing about mowing the meadow and actually started doing it, so that their abomination of a captain wouldn't have to get down on all fours and do it with his teeth.

Pinch, punch, first of the month and all that.

And pinching is something we've been doing a lot of since Saturday. Did we really go to Stamford Bridge and become the first side in the Premiership era (the twentieth year of it, no less) to score five times? Did we really come from behind twice at a ground that has caused us so much grief over the past five years?

Video highlights and reaction Match Report By the numbers

There is a tendency these days to over-hype every little thing as something special but what we saw yesterday ... well, that was extraordinary. At the end the Arsenal players celebrated as if they'd won a trophy. Normally I'd be cynical about that, it being only one game after all, but not yesterday.

Liverpool 1-1 Norwich City | Premier League match report

Finally at Liverpool, the big number nine was sent on from the bench and saved his side's afternoon with a powerful header at the Kop end of the sort that would have made anyone from Tony Hateley to John Toshack proud.

By Chris Wright

Bob Mancini was the first to admit that Man City were 'lucky' to register their first ever Champions League victory over Villarreal yesterday evening, with substitute Sergio Aguero's 94th minute goal plundering a come-from-behind win over the Spaniards at the death thus snaring a vital three-point haul that puts City back in the running to emerge from Group A, despite things looking a little bleak as the clock ticked over to '93:00′ at the Etihad last night.

By Chris Wright

Bob Mancini was the first to admit that Man City were 'lucky' to register their first ever Champions League victory over Villarreal yesterday evening, with substitute Sergio Aguero's 94th minute goal plundering a come-from-behind win over the Spaniards at the death thus snaring a vital three-point haul that puts City back in the running to emerge from Group A, despite things looking a little bleak as the clock ticked over to '93:00′ at the Etihad last night.

Brian Klazura scored in the first five minutes and Garrett Getschow and John Melcher each added a second-half tally to lead the Air Force men's soccer team to a 3-1 victory Friday over College of Charleston at Cadet Soccer Stadium.

With the win, Air Force's third straight, the Falcons improved to 4-1-0, while the Cougars fell to 3-2-1.

Duke couldn't have started its ACC Conference showdown with Virginia any worse, and also couldn't have finished it any worse.

Virginia saw a second-minute goal from midfielder Brian Span open the scoring and give the Cavaliers the only lead it would need. Duke fought bravely in the second half, and outplayed the visiting Cavs in the second 45 minutes, but wasted chances doomed Duke to a 1-0 loss.

FC Barcelona won the 2011 UEFA Super Cup by defeating Europa Cup Winner, FC Porto 2-0 at the St.Louis stadium in Monaco. Goals from Messi and another from Cesc Fabregas sealed a record 11th Trophy for Guardiola as a coach. FC Porto really made life difficult for Barca with their high pressure.

Arsenal are a step closer to their 14th consecutive appearance in the Champions League group stage after a narrow first-leg play-off win against Udinese.

Theo Walcott's fourth-minute goal proved the difference in an open contest in which Udinese were unlucky not to score an away goal.

Back at the Home of Football to the traditional start of footballing season entertainment known as the Emirates Cup.

This is normally a fun filled affair where we take on a couple of fair to middling teams put some skilful moves together introduce a few youngsters and send the punters home happy.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

The Philadelphia Union dominated play in San Jose but could only manage a 0-0 draw with the Earthquakes in a testy affair on Saturday night.

It was a cagey first half that saw few chances with the best opportunity coming when Danny Mwanga's low shot was cleared off the line by Bobby Burling.

Defender Ali Krieger has taken the path less traveled to the U.S. Women's National Team, to say the least. As the USA's only player who was based abroad in the run-up to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, she's lived quite an adventure since graduating from college. Read about Ali's German adventure and about the amazing twists of fate that have resulted in her playing in a World Cup in the country that is her second home.

Michael Lewis writes about what Tim Howard would do if he was the manager of Guadeloupe in their match against the US tonight in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
If he was the coach of the Guadeloupe National Team, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard would duplicate the strategy that Panama used in the 2-1 win over the Americans on Saturday.

- Photo by Katy Umaña
Prior to Saturday night's match against Chivas USA at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas, the Houston Dynamo had gone seven matches without a win. After losing the lead to RedBull New York three weeks ago and losing badly to the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, Dynamo fans were starting to get very impatient with the Dynamo's seeming inability to hold onto a lead or shut down inferior offenses.

With the benefit of a goal in the first five minutes, the D.C. United Women intensified the offensive pressure in the second half on their way to a 3-0 road victory over the New York Magic. The...
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Nic Bauer, Springfield SC 94/95 (Glendale 2013)

The Springfield Soccer Club hosted the Blue Valley SC (KS) this afternoon at the Greenwood Stadium field at the Cooper Soccer Complex. The final game of the regular season, the local boys needed a win or a tie to ensure they would remain in the top-flight of the Midwest Regional League for a second straight season.

There is no real lead today, just a bunch of solid stories that are worthy of reads and listens. All-In with Larry Sunderland, Section 8 $10 tickets, American coach finds success in Guatemala, Qwest Field goes solar, and some thoughts on why Bulls fans should still be optimistic after the break.

Chicago Fire Soccer

All-In With Larry Sunderland | Chicago Fire Soccer Club

Jeff Crandall does a great interview with Chicago Fire Assistant Coach and Academy Director Larry Sunderland.

By NESTOR F. SEBASTIAN

The samba beats were quieted Wednesday night.

In what had to be one of the strangest yet historic evenings in Copa Libertadores history, four Brazilian teams were out-fought, out-played and simply out-spirited as they fell in the Round of 16 stage, leaving a more well-proportioned quarterfinal round.

I had high expectations from this game and it did not disappoint. Both teams played positively and created numerous chances. We saw four goals and it could easily have been double that. More importantly, while the game got a bit tetchy at times, there were no horrific tackles, cynical elbows, or any other form of cheap tricks that have become commonplace these days.

Schalke completed a memorable victory at Inter Milan, twice coming from behind en route to a comprehensive win that leaves them on the verge of a place in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time.

An end to end match got off to a remarkable start as Milito raced on to a fine through ball by Esteban Cambiasso only to be denied by Manuel Neuer, who showed great presence of mind to race out of his area and head away.

I don't remember the last time I felt such kaleidoscopic emotions in a football game. The first half was exhilarating, beautiful, mesmerising, you pick the adjectives. The second half was worrisome, unnerving, infuriating, I don't want to dwell on it any further.

Arsenal took the lead in the opening minute.

Once again before a crunch tie involving Chelsea, The Mersey Juror has provided an opinion of the game from a Liverpool perspective. With it being a week where both clubs have been making all the headlines, and with the massive game tomorrow here is their view on the game tomorrow.

Fate would have it that Liverpool play Chelsea this weekend.

Today, both teams that I have supported in the Asian Cup Quarter Final lost, yet, I was very happy. For the first time, I watch so much competitive and excellent Asian Cup. In the past, we used to watch only few good games in the Asian Cup. Today, seems will enjoy many games.
Japan beat Qatar after a wonderful game with five beautiful goals.

DOHA, Qatar — Uzbekistan wrote a new chapter in their footballing history on Friday by making the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time with a tense 2-1 win against Jordan. Both teams were gunning for a maiden last-four berth at the continent's premier football tournament and a brace from Ulugbek Bakaev earned his team [.

Call it luck, call it bias. Either way, Manchester United have enjoyed a remarkably fortunate start to 2011. Howard Webb's two debateable, game-changing decisions that went against Liverpool at Old Trafford were just the latest events to go United's way since the turn of the year.

Firstly came a woeful performance at West Brom on New Year's day, during which Gary Neville escaped punishment after his trip as the last man was ignored by the referee when most thought it should have resulted in a red card and a penalty to the Baggies.