Friendly: Portuguese Select X1 0 Cardiff City 3

CARDIFF CITY ended a successful week in Portugal with a decisive victory over a Portuguese Select X1 - a side of Portuguese players hoping to catch the eye of assorted agents and scouts - who provided The Bluebirds with a tough and physical test and a harder game than the midweek 1-0 victory over Fatima.

City were generally in charge from first whistle to last but the opening period was especially bruising with neither side mustering a threatening effort and Cardiff unable to capitalise on contless set pieces.

However the game was resolved with City netting three times from the hour mark after heavy pressure in which Ledley, Parry and Whittingham went close while McCormack was dened a penalty. The goal rush came courtesy of JAY BOTHROYD netting twice heading home a McNaughton cross then blasting home after Gerrard headed back a half cleared corner before CHOPRA had a simple tap-in after Paul Parry did the spade work. City had 9 2nd half subs with only Ledley and Whittingham playing a full 90 minutes.

Cardiff's pre-season now consists of 3 wins, 8 scored and 0 conceded. However the games have been about developing sharpness and getting used to the new players. The comign week sees a more thorough examination with Celtic visiting the new stadium on Tuesday and a visit to League One Swindon next weekend.

CARDIFF CITY TODAY: Enckelman (Marshall); P Quinn (Matthews 75)-Hudson (Morris 75), Gyepes (Gerrard 45), T Capaldi (McNaughton 45); Parry (Magennis 75)-Rae (McPhail 45)- Ledley (capt)-P Whittingham; R McCormack (Chopra 66)-Bothroyd (C Burke 70)

He shoots, he scores, he leaves - bye bye Klimpl

After scoring a late Cardiff City winner in last night's Portuguese pre-season friendly, Slovakian international was told that his trial period was over and that he would not be offered a contract by The Bluebirds.

Klimpl, a big lump of a player, has spent his entire career as a centre half but was switched, with some success, into midfield by Motherwell last term and came to Cardiff on that basis. 45 minutes of watching him in last Friday's friendly against Chasetown confirmed to me that he was exactly as described on the label - a centre half and no midfielder.

Dave Jones wished to have another look and came to the same conclusion revealing his opinion that he unfortunately was no improvement on current personnel in those positions.

SPL side Hearts have also dropped their interest and it is believed Klimpl may now trial at Plymouth who are interested in his services and were disappointed when he opted to link with City.

Friendly: FATIMA 0 CARDIFF CITY 1

In the first of two friendlies on Portugeuese soil during a week long pre-season traing cam, CARDIFF overcame local second division side Fatima 1-0.

City give Fatima a good seeing to ...
that's the footie team not the unfeminine javelin chucker

Details are spare on the game so far but the solitary game was a second half header by Slovakian centre half turned midfielder triallist Maros Klimpl.

City play one other game this Saturday morning against a Portuguese Select X1 consisting of discarded youngsters which acts as a trial to put them in the shop window.

THE ALGARVE CUP IS OURS

I knew we were going to win the Cup this year!

Since City won the pre-season Algarve Cup tournament after beating Guimares and Celtic this week, nobody had seen the cup or presentation. Even Bluebirds followers in Portugal at the ground missed an informal handover of the trophy and it wasn't shown in the tv coverage.

But now we have a picture of Steve McPhail with the Algarve Cup ... ok, it looks like a model of a new block of apartment towers but we'll have it anyway. Thanks!

Celtic 0 Cardiff City 1 - media reports

From the Celtic official website
celtic lose out to cardiff in algarve

Cardiff City 1-0 Celtic

BBC Sport - UK

Ledley strike sinks Bhoys

WalesOnline

Celtic 0-1 Cardiff City: SPL old boys combine to deny Celtic in Faro

Scotsman

CELTIC fans will always have an allegiance with Portugal after the ...

WalesOnline

CARDIFF CITY 1 CELTIC 0 - City win the Algarve Cup

CARDIFF CITY have won their first silverware of the season ... 16 days before it start ... with a professional, richly deserved 1-0 success over Celtic to claim the Algarve Cup tournament.

Tournament or not, it was still very much a pre-season friendly lacking the pace, intensity and bite as both sides strived to get match fit for their big kick-off in a fortnight.

The Bluebirds were close to full strength with the resources they currently have. Enckleman, Whittingham and Parry on the bench and a side which was Heaton, McNaughton-Johnson-Loovens-Capaldi, Comminges-Rae-McPhail-Ledley, MacCormack-Thompson. The rest of the squad were listed as our 9 substitutes but Dave Jones gave all the starters a full 90 minutes, only Comminges coming off in added time for Darcy Blake as precaution for a knock.

Celtic meanwhile put out ,mainly a second string - only 4 players are likely to start their first league game - but they did beef it up using all 5 subs with more experience in the second half.

The Glasgow side may have had a fair bit on the ball but walked off at half-time without even testing Heaton with a cross, let alone any efforts on or off target and they were made to look second best by City were in charge in all departments and playing the more flowing, better passing football even if it was largely at training pace.

Three big chances fell City's were in the first half with Thommo smashing the bar with a superb shot on the turn form an angle in 6 minutes and just being snuffed out before the interval but the goal fell to The Legend - JOE LEDLEY - on 17 minutes, a superb finish after McNaughton launched a high ball, Thommo beat the commanding Balde in the air, MacCormack flicked on with his thigh and the ball sat up just right for Joe to lash home across Celtic's keeper Brown.

Once ahead, Cardiff were happy to control the game by staying tight, organised, hard working and disciplined with some smart passing and movement at times and Celtic just weren't good enough to do anything about it.

The second half saw Celtic make those changes and try to step it up but still City remained calm and comfortable, Heaton did have a couple of saves but none of any significance. When Celtic sent off their fearsome striking due of Van Hesselink Long-name and Scott McDonald for the final 120, you wondered whether it would change but City got tighter again.

Dave Jones will be pleased with the individual and team performance of his side. Heaton in goals had very little to do did that well, shouted and organised. The back four - McNaughton, Capaldi, Loovens and Johnson played as well as they did last season, Loovens can only have impressed the watching Rangers management team as he bossed Celtic around.

Rae and McPhail showed why City can do with an extra midfielder as they dominated first half but faded after the interval - something that was observed a few times last season. .

Joe Ledley showed his class and Miguel Comminges raised eyebrows with an energy packed performance working his socks off and no mean pace either while Thommo and MacCormack linked very indeed but didn't pack enough punch emphasising why Jones needs to get his squad numbers 8 and 9 positions filled urgently.

Overall though, City will be very satisfied with their Portuguese training camp and can come home and prepare for games away at Swindon (next Tuesday) and home to Dutch side Ajax (next Friday) while Celtic will surely bring back their big guns for a bigger clash with Sporting Lisbon this weekend before heading tp Holland for another tournament next week..

Ee-ay-adio-We won the Cup!

ALGARVE CUP: GUIMARES 1 CARDIFF CITY 2

The Bluebirds remain undefeated pre-season and recorded an excellent and comfortable opening 2-1 win over local side Guimares in Portugal to head the table in the Algarve Cup, new forward Ross McCormack building on his promise scoring both City goal with the Portuguese side getting an injury time consolation with a dubious penalty.

City mixed up their side with Darcy Blake at right back, Mark Kennedy on the left, Darren Purse partnering Roger Johnson, Paul Parry put into right midfield and a second half which feature Loovens (for Purse), Rae (for Scimeca) and Comminges (for Parry) but were comfortable and largely in control from start to finish.

McCormack's goals came on 16 and 67 minutes and will send them in good heart into Thursday's prestigious encounter with Glasgow Celtic, a match that can be seen live on Setanta Sports.

The Bluebirds also lead the group by 3 points on 5 points (the Cup awards 1 point per goal as well as three for the win) as Middlesborough and Celtic drew 1-1 in the other fixture with the Glasgow giants reckoned to be the better side but needing a late equaliser to avoid defeat.

Match reports:
CARDIFF CITY MESSAGEBOARD
http://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&goto=721009&rid=10&S=0bebc2d4fae300a6a188e9e48c5a8ab6#msg_721009

WALES ONLINE
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/07/23/mccoist-watches-loovens-but-mccormack-catches-eye-91466-21387240/

FRIENDLY RESULT: VITORIA de SETUBAL 1 CARDIFF CITY 1

Cardiff City's third friendly of the season but their first with the full squad together ended in a 1-1 draw in a private game in Portugal this morning.

The hosts - who finished 6th in Portgal's 16 team Division One (and not 4th as Dave Jones likes to claim) - started the better and opened the scoring on 14 minutes with a sitter after an initial shot hit the post.

The match had a 10:30a.m. start but in temperatures still reckoned to be in the mid-80's, it was still a hot workout for the boys.

City, however, improved as the game progressed before equalising in the second period throgh a magnificent Steve Thompson striker, Thommo almost snatching a late winner too. Mark Kennedy and Tony Capaldi had their first outings of the season, Peter Whittingham was absent was a niggle but 16 players a run out.

The Bluebirds head into Algarve Cup action against Guinmares and Celtic in the coming week while Setubal face more British friendly opposition with Sunderland and Norwich heading over for pre-season training.

Wales Online match report has more details:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/07/19/bluebirds-battle-the-heat-to-secure-draw-91466-21370573/

EURO'2008 GAME 25: QUARTER FINAL 1: GERMANY 3 PORTUGAL 2

The Germans, although not overly pressive, still proved too good and far too organised and brushed aside the Portuguese who have played good football but showed they have limitations.

I think most observers called it a 50/50 game but the Portuguese started the better without getting close on goal and then were hit by two goals in 5 minutes midway through the first half which was highly entertaining with quality on display from both sides.

Those goals came firstly from a superb move sweetly finished by Schweinsteiger and then poor defence gave Klos a free header on goal from a free-kick after Ronaldo let him go.

Portugal could have caved but took the game to the Germans with Deco and Ronaldo causing problems and got reward when Ronaldo, now getting behind the Germans, saw his shot saved by Lehman but turned home on the rebound by Gomez. Ronaldo missed eqaulising by a whisker on half-time and then Pepe header over in front of goal at the start of the second half.

The second period didn't match the first half intensity but Portugal always looked the likelier to score until the Germans won another free-kick and once again Portugal were undone by their own criminal defending, this time their keeper gifting Michael Ballack a free header on goal delighting his national manager watching in a box as he was banned from the touchline but agonising his new club boss, Scolari, who was coaching Portugal.

The Portuguese came again but never got sight of goal and thier distance shooting was hopeless but then came an 88th minute lifeline as sub Postiga headed home.

With 4 minutes added time, it was set for a Grandstand finish but the Germans held on comfortably. Great start to the quarter-finals opf what has been an excellent tournament.


Video highlights of this game and all others can be found at this BBC link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/schedule_and_statistics/default.stm

Euro 2008 quarter-final line-up

The Group games are ended but starting form tonight, Euro'2008 swings straight into the quarter-finals with one game each night. Every game looks fascinating with the line up as follows;

Euro 2008 quarter-final line-up

Tonight - Germany v Portugal

Friday - Croatia v Turkey

Saturday - Netherlands v Russia

Sunday - Spain v Italy

EURO'2008 GAMES 17 & 18: GROUP A TURKEY 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 2, PORTUGAL 0 SWITZERLAND 2

The final games in each group are played simultaneously so with Portugal already through and Switzerland already out, their clash was relegated to ITV4.

Unsurprisingly in that encounter, Portugal rested 8 players but still looked the likelier to win until Swiss hero Hakin Yakin entered the scene with a double, one smart finish and a late penalty, to send the co-hosts home happy. The main entertainment on ITV1 however was more dramatic than any Sunday Night film and with a script that would have been rejkected as too far fetched.

The Czech Republic and Turkey knew it was a winner take all clash with victors in the quarter-finals and losers heading home. With identical records, a draw at 90 mionutes would have meant a unique penalty shoot-out to separate the sides.

The Czechs looked the better side for long periods, The Turks played a negative game suggesting they were happy to take the draw and the lottery until Lurch aka Jan Koller nutted home a trademark header from a cross in the first period. Turkey woke up after the interval but looked vulnerable on the counter-attack and were duly caught out with 25 minutes remaining as The Czechs doubled their lead through Plasil, Turkey furious as they were down to 10 men through an injury and unable to bring a sub on.

That should have been it but a turning point came when the Czechs hit a post to be denied a 3-0 lead and Turkey grabbed a lifeline through Turan with 15 to go.

Czech Republic seemed to be coping with few problems dealing with any late Turkey onslaught but then came the real drama. Peter Cech, who has looked dodgy throughout the finals, made perhaps the biggest gaffe of his career in dropping a routine corss onto the feet of grateful Turkish skipper Nihat to equalise with just 3 minutes left and a penalty shoot out looked odds on.

But more incredible late drama as Turkey swept forward, a Czech defender was too slow out and Nihat was played in onside to finish brilliantly in the final minute, his cross shot form the edge of the box crashing in off the bar.

Four minutes added time and even more amazing scenes as Turkey keeper Demirel was beaten to a late ball, a header just going wide but he pushed Koller in the chest and got red carded. With all subs used, Middlesbrough's Tuncay had to play the final 2 minutes but the ball was kept away from his goal. What an incredible turnaround.

Turkey, minus a couple of suspended players, have to face Croatia in the quarter-finals. The Czech Republic will probably spend the rest of june trying to figure out how it wasn't them instead but they only have themselves to blame for that.

CITY’s BASE TEMPORARILY MOVES FROM THE VALE OF GLAM TO THE VALE DO LOBO

For those of you who like being Bluebirds groupies or hanger-on’ers (and just setting off fire alarms!!), Cardiff City will be basing themselves at Vale de Lobo and setting up training camp there during July 20 – 25.

Longh gone are those days of running up and down Barry Island beach, taking assault courses at St Athan, those tortured dunes at St Athan or jogging around Jubile Park, the modern day City player heads for 5 star luxury – albeit with serious training and competitive football – overseas.

Cardiff will be based there from July 20 – 25 during which time they will be playing a ‘behind closed doors’ friendly versus Vitoria de Setubal and more high profile games in the Algarve Cup against hosts Vitoria de Guimares and Scottish giants, Celtic on the 22nd and 24th respectively. As City move into their luxury villas, the players and management of Real Madrid will be the occupants moving out. Nice!

The resort of Vale de Lobo … not quite Merthyr Mawr
http://www.designholidays.co.uk/pages/algarve/vale-do-lobo.htm

EURO'2008 GAME 9: GROUP A - PORTUGAL 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 1

Portugal, just 4 days and 2 games into Euro'08, all bar confirmed themselves as first quarter-finalists with an excellent, if flattering win, over Petr Cech's Czechs.

The Czechs played far better than their opening game which they won. By dropping 6'7" veteran status Kohler (BBC pronounce him as Coller and ITV as Cola so take your pick!), they had more energy and pace going forward even if his replacement was Milan Baros - not good enough to play against Cardiff City in the F.A. Cup Final 3 weeks ago. What they didn't have , though, was the quality and flair of Ronaldo, Deco and co.

Slightly against the run of play Deco opening the scoring early - a scrappy goal set up at the second attempt after a scrappy Rnaldo run to make the chance - but the Czechs levelled it just past 15 minutes through a free low header at a corner by Sionko.

An excellent first half but the tempo dropped as there were suggestions of a stalemate until Deco made space and Ronaldo's early edge of area shot left Cech helpless.

The Czechs attacked hard but didn't have a finish to level it again and Portugal repeated their opening game scoreline with a 93rd minute quick Deco free-kickc sent Ronaldo clear and he squared the ball across Cech for Quaresma to tap into an empty net.

EURO'2008 GAME 2: GROUP A PORTUGAL 2 TURKEY 0

A game to be excited about as The Portuguese who seem to get closer and closer to success each tournament demolished The Turks.

Two-nil it was, the second goal with the game’s last kick but it could have been several more with the woodwork hit three times, The Turk keeper making several saves and shots raining on goal. The Turks were hapless victims but when their front line is led by Tuncay who looked worse than average playing against Cardiff City for Middlesbrough, why be surprised?

Portugal lack a striker and overplay but are a joy to watch. Goals came from two substitutues both shortly after coming on, both coming from excellent moves, made The Portuguese look a side to be reckoned with. Thing is, those teams which looked brilliant at the start tend to miss out when it gets to the business end of a tournament.

ALGARVE CUP - PRE-SEASON TOURNAMENT for CITY

CARDIFF CITY may have lost the F.A. Cup Final but they've got into Europe anyway ... courtesy of a pre-season tournament called The Algarve Cup.

It's high standard opposition with Premiership Middlesbrough (who City memorably overwhelmed in Round 6 of the Cup run), Scottish giants Celtic (who are sure to take a massive following) and a leading Portuguese team to be confirmed.

Each club will play 2 games in 2 days with City's opposition yet to be confirmed for their games but dates, prices and ticket booking details are all now available via the below link.

Sadly, job changing, finances and family means it's a no can-do for me, I'm envious of those who do make it.

http://www.algarvechallengecup.com/algarve_challenge_cup.html