A round-up of today's other soccer stories in brief
Pato in squad to face United
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato looks to have shaken off a thigh injury after being included in the squad for tomorrow’s Champions League last 16 second leg at Manchester United.
The Brazilian missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw at AS Roma but a club statement said he would travel to Manchester, where the Serie A side need to overturn a 3-2 first leg deficit.Gennaro Gattuso is available at Old Trafford after a ban and Clarence Seedorf returns from a knock.
Davies in line to face Sunderland
BOLTON midfielder Mark Davies could make his return from injury in time for the trip to Sunderland tonight in the English Premier League. Davies has been nursing an ankle problem which has kept him out of Wanderers’ last three matches. Tamir Cohen is suspended after he was sent off against West Ham on Saturday.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is facing yet another injury crisis with four midfielders doubtful for tonight’s clash.
Kieran Richardson, who has started the last two games after recovering from a calf injury, has damaged his other calf muscle, while Lee Cattermole is struggling with a hamstring-related problem.
Andy Reid (hamstring) and Jordan Henderson (ankle) are close to returning from lengthy lay-offs while David Meyler completes his three-match ban. However, Steed Malbranque will be involved after returning to the squad following a breach of club discipline.
North take the away route
NORTHERN Ireland will start their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a trip to Slovenia on September 3rd following a fixtures meeting yesterday. They are breaking with tradition as that game is on Friday, as are half the qualifiers, with no matches on a Saturday. That will be followed a month later with an eagerly-awaited home game against Italy. Nigel Worthington’s side will also round off their campaign against the world champions. Northern Ireland have opted to play three of their first four games away from Belfast.
Euro 2012 Qualifying fixtures
2010 – Sep 3rd: Slovenia v Northern Ireland; Oct 8th: Northern Ireland v Italy;
Oct 12th: Faroe Islands v Northern Ireland.
2011 – Mar 25th: Serbia v Northern Ireland; Mar 29th: Northern Ireland v Slovenia;
Aug 10th: Northern Ireland v Faroe Islands; Sep 2nd: Northern Ireland v Serbia,
Sep 6th: Estonia v Northern Ireland;
Oct 7th: Northern Ireland v Estonia;
Oct 11th: Italy v Northern Ireland.
Tonight
Uefa Champions League: First Knockout, Second Leg – Arsenal v FC Porto; Fiorentina v Bayern Munich.
English Premier League – Portsmouth v Birmingham; Sunderland v Bolton.
English Championship – Crystal Palace v Bristol City; Ipswich v Cardiff; Peterborough v Sheffield Utd; Preston v Doncaster; QPR v Plymouth; Watford v Swansea; West Brom v Sheffield Wed. League One – Carlisle v Millwall; Milton Keynes Dons v Swindon; Oldham v Leyton Orient; Tranmere v Leeds. League Two – Accrington Stanley v Macclesfield; Bury v Darlington; Crewe v Grimsby; Notts County v Chesterfield; Port Vale v Bradford.
Scottish Premier League – Kilmarnock v Rangers; St Mirren v Motherwell. First Division – Airdrie Utd v Dunfermline; Inverness CT v Queen of South; Raith v Ross County. Second Division – Brechin v Stirling; Dumbarton v Alloa; East Fife v Clyde; Stenhousemuir v Peterhead; Cowdenbeath v Arbroath. Third Division – Albion v Berwick; Elgin v Stranraer; Forfar v Queens Park; Livingston v East Stirling.
Irish Premeirship – Coleraine v Portadown; Institute v Crusaders; Linfield v Dungannon Swifts; Lisburn Distillery v Ballymena.
Last Night
English Premier League
Wigan Athletic1Liverpool0
Rodallega 35
English League One
Colchester0Brighton0
Reid eager to bounce back
WEST BROM new boy Steven Reid has a double target as Albion look to bounce back from Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at QPR. Roberto Di Matteo’s men will go back into second spot in the Championship if they gain as much as a point against third-bottom Sheffield Wednesday at the Hawthorns tonight.
Midfielder Reid, on loan from Blackburn, was disappointed by the Loftus Road setback and is eager to put it right on his home debut.
“It is still in our own hands and if we just concentrate on the job we’ve got to do then hopefully it won’t matter what other teams do,” said Reid.
“We’ve got two home games coming up now and the lads will be looking to get six points.”
While Reid wants to help get Albion promoted, he also wants to regain his place in the Republic of Ireland squad after missing out against Brazil last week.
“The important thing for me now is to play games at club level and this is a great opportunity for me to get out on loan.”
Portsmouth duo injured
PORTSMOUTH will be without midfielders John Utaka and Hassan Yebda for tonight’s league clash with Birmingham at Fratton Park. Utaka has a tight groin, while Yebda is seeing a specialist about a persistent knee injury.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is poised to give a full debut to January signing Michel. Birmingham tonight return to the scene of Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat.
Dundalk look set to claim Europa League spot
DUNDALK look to have successfully resolved doubts about their ability to take the Europa League spot that came their way in the wake of Cork City’s recent financial collapse with the club’s manager, Ian Foster, securing the place he required on a Pro License course this summer so as to comply with Uefa regulations, writes Emmet Malone.
The organisation requires that managers of all participating clubs either hold a Pro License or be embarked on the process of qualifying for one and Foster’s success in securing a place, with the FAI’s help, on an English FA run course means that the Oriel Park outfit will met the criteria on this front.
“We’re very appreciative of the efforts of the FAI, and have no doubt that their recommendations and support for Ian’s Pro License application played a major part in securing this coveted place on the English FA course,” said Dundalk chief executive Gerry Matthews yesterday.
The club’s owner is now confident that the chance to play in Europe for the first time since 2002 will not have to be passed up in favour of Sligo Rovers who had been waiting in the wings, but he remains less sure regarding where Dundalk’s home games will be played.
“Our Project Team are still hard at work on the feasibility of taking Oriel Park up to Uefa standard, but it’s not yet clear that the necessary work can be completed in the available time.”
