Fiorentina's players and officials were furious after being deprived of a place in the Champions League playoff by two late goals from AC Milan on Sunday, who clinched third place in Serie A and qualified at their expense.
Milan, needing to beat relegated Siena to hold on to third spot, won 2-1 after equalising with a controversial penalty won and converted by Mario Balotelli before Philippe Mexes grabbed the winner.
The goals were both scored in the last six minutes and allowed Milan to finish two points ahead of fourth-placed Fiorentina, who thrashed Pescara 5-1. "Milan were gifted a penalty," defender Manual Pascual told the Mediaset Premium cable channel.
"It was disappointing to see the dream disappear like that. ... we believed in the Champions League."...
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02:34 PM, May 20, 2013
Milan: AC Milan secured third spot and a place in the Champions League after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Siena on Sunday in the final Serie A round of the season. Fiorentina crushed Pescara 5-1 but remained in fourth spot and will play in the Europa League next season. Mario Balotelli leveled for Milan after they were contentiously awarded penalty six minutes from fulltime, and Philippe Mexes scored...
08:49 AM, May 20, 2013
New Delhi: Delhi Police on Friday claimed to have smashed an IPL betting racket and arrested one person in theis connection. The arrest came following a tip off that one Pawan Arora was allegedly organising betting in his rented house in Rani Bagh during the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors . Arora was arrested. Police said a decoy customer was sent who offered a deal to the...
02:55 AM, May 18, 2013
Rome: In the last weekend of Serie A, AC Milan need to protect a two-point lead over Fiorentina in the race for third place and a final Champions League berth. Milan and Fiorentina both visit relegated squads - Siena and Pescara, respectively. Nearly everything else in the Italian league has been decided, although several big coaching changes could come as soon as the season ends. Juventus clinched its 29th title...
11:05 AM, May 17, 2013
Karachi: Pakistan's head coach Dav Whatmore has rejected talks about him recommending little known Australian Trent Woodhill for the post of the national team's batting coach ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. Whatmore told reporters before the team's departure for Ireland earlier on Wednesday that Woodhill's appointment was a decision of the PCB. He also disclosed that he had not had any discussions with Woodhill since his appointment was made....
09:35 AM, May 15, 2013
Trent Boult is confident the experience of playing a first Test at Lord's will prove an inspiration and not a burden when New Zealand face England in their series opener at 'the home of cricket'. Left-arm swing bowler Boult was a member of the New Zealand side that so nearly sealed a series-clinching won over England in Auckland two months ago, taking six first-innings wickets. England, thanks mainly to an...
09:21 PM, May 14, 2013
Islamabad: A day after his resounding defeat in Pakistan's general election, former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf was on Monday barred from leaving the country over allegations of corruption in setting up power projects. The Federal Investigation Agency directed authorities in airports to prevent Ashraf and several others accused of wrongdoing in the rental power projects scam from leaving Pakistan. Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau Pakistan's main anti-corruption agency had decided...
12:16 AM, May 14, 2013
Milan: Palermo were relegated from Serie A after losing 1-0 to Fiorentina from former player Luca Toni's goal on Sunday. The result left the Sicilian side five points behind 17th-place Genoa, which drew 0-0 at home to Inter Milan. With one round remaining, Torino also secured safety with a 1-1 draw at Chievo Verona. It is six points above Palermo. Genoa's result meant Siena was also relegated, without kicking a...
08:21 AM, May 13, 2013
Islamabad: There has been a delay in the announcement of results of the general elections in Pakistan due to the "transparent process" and "legal procedures" adopted by the election commission, a top official said on Sunday. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan, however, said that there should be no doubt about the poll results, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Addressing a news conference Khan said the delay in...
04:22 AM, May 13, 2013
London: Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan's parents Dina and Michael have reportedly been advised to attend regular therapy sessions at the Betty Ford Center to help their daughter's recovery. The 26-year-old had checked into the clinic to honour the court-ordered 90-day stay at the rehab, reported Contactmusic. "Families are encouraged to participate in group therapy. Lindsay's counselors want to get Dina and Michael to Betty Ford for a series of sessions...
11:03 AM, May 12, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has refused to tone down his rhetoric in response to a call from club president Florentino Perez for unity in an obviously divided dressing room during the final few weeks of the season. After some unsavoury sniping between Mourinho and members of his squad in recent weeks, Perez made a rare foray into the limelight on Monday when he called for the club to...
08:05 PM, May 07, 2013
Madrid: Sniping comments between Jose Mourinho and members of the Real Madrid squad have caused president Florentino Perez to make a rare foray into the limelight to call for unity at the club during the season run-in. The nine-times European champions host Malaga in La Liga on Wednesday in a rearranged fixture due to their involvement in the May 17 King's Cup final against Atletico Madrid. Second-placed Real must win...
12:14 PM, May 07, 2013
Milan: Although the title has already been secured by Juventus, there is still much to play for at both ends of the Serie A table, with AC Milan and Fiorentina fighting for the final Champions League spot. Milan is in pole position to finish third and earn a place in the Champions League qualifiers, as it is four points ahead of Fiorentina with three rounds remaining. Milan visits already-relegated Pescara...
12:10 PM, May 07, 2013
Karachi: The appointment of Trent Woodhill as batting coach of the Pakistan team for the ICC Champions Trophy has not gone down well with the majority of former players, including Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram. Woodhill, who has not played first-class cricket and until last year was the associate coach of the New Zealand team, is set to join the team in England for the upcoming tournament. Miandad, who is...
10:30 AM, May 06, 2013
Milan: Fiorentina's hopes of Champions League action next season have been dealt a blow with a two-match ban for striker Adem Ljajic. Ljajic was punished by the Italian league for insulting the referee after Fiorentina's 1-0 loss to Roma on Saturday. Fiorentina are provisionally a point behind AC Milan in the race for third spot and a place in the Champions League qualifiers. Milan play Torino later on Sunday. Ljajic...
07:09 PM, May 05, 2013
Milan: Fiorentina's Champions League hopes diminished as a late goal meant it lost 1-0 at home to Roma in the Serie A on Saturday, in a match where it hit the woodwork twice. Former Fiorentina striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, who scored a hat trick in last weekend's 4-0 win against Siena, headed in a corner in stoppage time. The result left Fiorentina one point behind AC Milan in the race...
09:28 AM, May 05, 2013
St. Petersburg: Peaking at the right time, world champion Viswanathan Anand scored a facile victory against Laurent Fressinet of France to end up at a joint third spot after the seventh round of the Alekhine Memorial Chess Tournament on Tuesday. The victory helped Anand take his tally to four points out of a possible seven and the way it came was quite satisfying for the Indian ace. With just two...
02:54 PM, Apr 30, 2013
Lahore: Pakistan on Monday appointed Australian coach Trent Woodhill to help solve their perennial batting problems during June's Champions Trophy in England. The 42-year-old was involved with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia and is part of the Delhi Daredevils' support staff in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He was also New Zealand cricket team's assistant until last year. Pakistan Cricket Board's director of international...
09:33 AM, Apr 30, 2013
