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Afghanistan Crowned Homeless World Cup Champions
The Homeless World Cup is an annual international tournament, which provides the opportunity for people who are homeless to represent their country and change their own lives.
By Salem News
December 7, 2008
MELBOURNE - Today Afghanistan defeated Russia 5-4 in the final of the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup. And in the final of the first Women’s Homeless World Cup, Zambia had a comfortable win over Liberia, 7-1.
In a thrilling match in front of 50,000 spectators packed into Federation Square throughout the day, the Afghanistan and Russian teams battled it out for the sixth Homeless World Cup Trophy.
Russia opened the scoring, but Afghanistan responded quickly and at the end of the first seven-minute half were ahead 3-2. The two teams traded goal for goal in the second term, with Afghanistan holding the lead. Despite some intense last-second attacks by the determined Russians, the Afghan defence held up to take victory.
Homeless World Cup founder and president Mel Young presented the trophy to the jubilant Afghanistan team:
"Thank you Melbourne, thank you Australia,” Young said. “You have shown that working together we can create real, lasting change. Together we can end homelessness. It is everyone's game.
“And are you watching world? This is the way that sport and football can be played. This is the spirit of fair play.
“Congratulations Afghanistan. Congratulations to all the players. You are the true ambassadors for your country. You can stand proud. You are amazing. Vive el football!”
Research conducted during the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup has shown that two thirds of event spectators surveyed have changed their perspective of homeless people. 82% also agreed that the Homeless World Cup breaks down stereotypes about the Homeless community.
The Homeless World Cup is an annual international tournament, which provides the opportunity for people who are homeless to represent their country and change their own lives. The 6th Homeless World Cup took place in the heart of the City of Melbourne, uniting 56 nations for the biggest tournament ever, which included the first Women’s Cup.
77% of players involved experience a significant life change; no-longer using drugs and alcohol, moving into homes, jobs, education, training, repairing relationships and becoming coaches or players with semi-pro teams. 94% claim to have a renewed motivation for life.
Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup is a world-class international football tournament that has triggered and supports grass roots football programmes in over 60 nations engaging 30,000 players who are homeless all year round.
At the 6th Homeless World Cup in Melbourne 1-7 December 2008, 56 nations will be united for a tournament that includes the first women’s cup and a legacy of 30 street soccer programmes rolled out by The Big Issue in Australia.
The inaugural Homeless World Cup kicked off in Graz, Austria uniting 18 nations. Since then it has gained great momentum in Gothenburg, Sweden (2004), Edinburgh, Scotland (2005), Cape Town, South Africa (2006) and Copenhagen, Denmark (2007). It will visit Milan in 2009.
Founded by world-leading social entrepreneur Mel Young, the Homeless World Cup is supported by UEFA, Nike, The Vodafone Foundation, Global Ambassador Eric Cantona and international footballers Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand.
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Maradona magic on show
By The Hindu
December 7, 2008
KOLKATA: Diego Maradona still prefers to do that which has bestowed on him the status of a god — showing off his skills with the football.
On his maiden visit to India, Maradona reminded the soccer-crazy city of Kolkata why he is worshiped the world over. Making his last public appearance on the concluding day of his two-day trip, Maradona put on display his magical abilities at the Mohun Bagan ground on Sunday.
Spell-bound crowd
The maverick genius of soccer enthralled the nearly 10,000 people thronging the galleries of the 119-year-old club with some sublime jugglery with the ball. This performance lasting seven minutes eternalised an evening for those who had trooped in to have a look at the most enigmatic character of soccer. The surge of emotions sparked by the Maradona show washed away the dejection of the proposed football clinic being scrapped.
The original schedule devoted the balmy Sunday afternoon to a football clinic that Maradona was supposed to conduct for the kids of the academies of Mohun Bagan and its sister club, Bhowanipur. In the end what the organiser proposed, the ‘God’ disposed. He apparently did not wish to the part with his limited experience as a coach, which was barely a friendly (against Scotland) old.
‘No sofas please’ seemed to be the body language of the superstar of soccer, who made a dash for the ground on entering the club’s premises. He skipped the formality of hobnobbing with the glitterati from the world of culture and sports at the ornately set chief guest’s dais. Instead he went and shook hands with the sub-junior players lined up for a friendly match in his honour.
Bag of tricks
As a player smartly passed a ball towards him, Maradona tapped it up in the air and sent it flying into the stands. One, two, three … 19, 20 … the count continued as the little magician of soccer opened his bag of tricks, juggling the ball with consummate ease and sending it into the crowd in every direction. In no time all the balls available on the ground were dispatched into the stands by the magical left foot.
No more balls, no reason to stay back. Maradona sprinted out of the venue with his security men in tow leaving the organisers bemused at the twist in the tale.
The football clinic had turned into a show of Maradona magic
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Vidic stars for Manchester United
By The Hindu
December 7, 2008
THE SAVIOUR: Nemanja Vidic’s injury-time goal saw Manchester United beat Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday.
MANCHESTER (England): Nemanja Vidic’s injury-time goal finally saw Manchester United overcome a spirited Sunderland to win 1-0 in the English Premier League at the Old Trafford, here on Saturday.
Victory ensured the reigning champion remained in third place, six points behind leader Liverpool.
Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo made a bizarre exit, substituting himself midway through the second-half due to an apparent rib injury.
The Portugal winger, recently crowned the European Footballer of the Year, appeared in some distress as he signalled to the bench, but instead of waiting for a replacement to be readied, he simply limped off the pitch and disappeared up the tunnel in the 65th minute.
It was an unusual moment to say the least, but Vidic’s late strike, a close range tap-in after Michael Carrick’s shot had been pushed onto the post, ensured that Ronaldo’s exit did not prove too costly.
In other matches, Liverpool remained on top after winning 3-1 away to a struggling Blackburn Rovers. Victory saw Liverpool stay a point ahead of Chelsea after the Londoners beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0.
Chelsea’s win saw it surpass Tottenham Hotspur’s English record of 10 successive top-flight away victories set in 1960, while Arsenal remained in the top four with a 1-0 win at home to Wigan. Elsewhere, Newcastle, on course for victory after Michael Owen scored twice, was held to a 2-2 draw at home to Stoke while Hull beat Middlesbrough 2-1.
The results: Manchester United 1 (Vidic 91) bt Sunderland 0; Arsenal 1 (Adebayor 16) bt Wigan 0; Blackburn 1 (Santa Cruz 86) lost to Liverpool 3 (Alonso 69, Benayoun 79, Gerrard 90); Bolton 0 lost to Chelsea 2 (Anelka 9, Deco 21); Hull 2 (Turnbull 82-og, King 85-pen) bt Middlesbrough 1 (Sanli 79); Newcastle 2 (Owen 8, 24) drew with Stoke 2 (Sidibe 60, Faye 90). — Agencies
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