Coach Gustavo Matosas was showered with fake dollar bills bearing his picture in the middle by angry fans of former club Leon over his defection to champions America.
Matosas shrugged off the protests at the Azteca on Saturday as his new side scored two goals in the opening seven minutes through Mexico striker Oribe Peralta and went on to win 3-2.
“Everyone knows what Leon means to me in my life (but) today I’m at America and I enjoyed the victory because that’s what coaches live off,” Matosas told reporters after the win on the opening weekend of the Clausura championship.
Afghanistan coach survives knife attack
Afghanistan’s celebrated national football coach was stabbed near his residence in an upscale area of the capital Kabul, and has been hospitalised, police said yesterday.
Mohammad Yousuf Kargar played a central role in rebuilding the national football side after the 2001 fall of the hardline Islamist Taliban regime that had banned almost all sports and even used the Kabul football stadium for executions.
The motive for the attack on Kargar on Saturday evening was unclear but may have been the result of a personal dispute, police said.
Jedinak ruled out of Oman match
Australia captain Mile Jedinak has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Asian Cup clash with Oman in a blow for the hosts after he suffered an ankle injury in the Socceroos’ 4-1 win over Kuwait on Friday.
The 30-year-old Crystal Palace skipper arrived in Sydney airport on Saturday ahead of the Oman match at Stadium Australia wearing a protective boot.
“He’s not quite right to play and at this stage of the tournament we are better to give it a few days extra rest and we will re-assess where he’s at for the game against Korea Republic,” coach Ange Poste-coglou said in a statement.
Jagielka buoyed by comebacks
Everton captain Phil Jagielka believes two draws in a week have stopped the rot but knows the Toffees cannot afford to allow things to slip again.
The 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester City was the second time in four days they had come from behind at Goodison Park after earning a late FA Cup third-round replay against West Ham.
It ended a run of four successive league defeats but Jagielka said if they now fail to beat the Hammers at Upton Park tomorrow they would be back to square one.
“A point was a decent result.
“It stops the rot but we still know we have to go out and win games and get ourselves in a better league position,” said the Everton captain.
Clubs agree £28m fee for striker Bony
Manchester City and Swansea have agreed a £28 million fee for striker Wilfried Bony.
Press Association Sport reported yesterday that the deal for the Ivory Coast forward – currently on international duty at the African Nations Cup – has been settled with an official announcement expected in the early part of this week.
Bony has proved to be an inspired signing for the Swans since arriving from Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem in the summer of 2013. He has scored nine Premier League goals already so far this season, having managed 17 in the league in the 2013-14 campaign.
Bony’s agent Francis Kacou said last Wednesday that he expected ‘‘things will be sorted in the next few days’’.
Carroll eyes cup run
Andy Carroll believes West Ham can add to a fine campaign in the Premier League by pushing to win FA Cup silverware.
West Ham have not won the FA Cup since Trevor Brooking’s famous Wembley winner against Arsenal in 1980 although they were losing finalists in 2006, when they suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
“There’s nothing better than a cup run for everyone involved at West Ham and I feel this is the season where we could go a long way in it,” Carroll said after scoring superbly from the edge of the box in a 1-1 league draw at Swansea on Saturday.
Frenchman Gomis pays his respects
Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis explained his French flag-waving goal celebration against West Ham was a show of unity to his country after a week of terror in Paris.
Gomis rescued a point for Swansea when he rose majestically at a 74th-minute corner – even if he might not be credited with a fifth goal of the season as the ball hit a post and was possibly on the way out before striking West Ham midfielder Mark Noble on the line.
“It wasn’t an easy week for all French people and I wanted to join my country even though I don’t live there anymore,” Gomis told the Swansea website.
“I am happy Swansea supported me in this difficult time to provide me with the armband and the French flag to show my support towards my country.”