FA Cup: Manchester United outclass Derby to ease into the quarters; Villa come unstuck at the Toffees

Derby 1 - Manchester United 4 (FA Cup, February 15, 2009) (ITV highlights here.) Derby held firm for almost half an hour until United built an attack on the edge of the Rams’ area, the ball arrived to Nani on the top left of the box he cut across before firing off a bullet for 1-nil. United doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime, a Ronaldo free-kick bounced up from the wall and Darron Gibson met the ball on the volley to net the second. Cristiano Ronaldo headed home the third at the start of the second half, but Derby then gave the home crowd something to cheer when Kris Commons’ delicious cross was headed home by Miles Addison. Derby upped their tempo but United’s superiority was telling, and the game was over after Giggs and Fletcher combined to find Danny Welbeck who struck home a curler into the far corner.

Everton 3 - Aston Villa 1 (FA Cup, February 15, 2009) Goodison Park was witness to an explosive opening, the Toffees moved ahead in the 4th minute when a Cahill header from a corner was saved on the line by Stiliyan Petrov (handball) only for young Jack Rodwell to rifle the ball home. But Villa immediately went up the other end, Hibbert fouled Agbonlahor in the box and James Milner squeezed home the penalty under Howard. An excited match swung in Everton’s favour once more after 24 minutes, Sidwell took out Anichebe in the box and Mikel Arteta was never going to miss from the spot. Everton killed the game midway through the second half, an Anichebe cross was missed by Curtis Davies and the lively Tim Cahill was on hand to slot in the killer third.

The draw for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup can be seen here.

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Celtic 0 - Rangers 0 (SPL, February 15, 2009) Celtic withstood second half pressure from Rangers to hold onto their two point lead at the top of the table.

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All the goals from Sunday’s action in La Liga can be seen here.

Atletico Madrid 1 - Getafe 1 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) Diego Forlan’s first half opener was cancelled out by Juan Albin at the death, after Albin had already missed a penalty minutes earlier.

Sporting Gijon 0 - Real Madrid 4 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) (Longer highlights here.) Raul sidefooted Real Madrid into the lead at Sporting Gijon connecting with Sergio Ramos’ cross-cum-shot. Rumoured wantaway striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar doubled the lead with his first goal for Real in the 37th minute. A rampant Real stole a third at the start of the second half when a slick backheel from Higuian set up the move that Marcelo scored from. Raul added a fourth tapping home after Higuian’s shot was saved.

Espanyol 0 - Sevilla 2 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) (Longer highlights here.) Freddie Kanoute shot down Espanyol with two late late goals. His first came from Nivas’ low cross and the same combination combined for Kanoute’s second.

Racing Santander 1 - Villarreal 1 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) Racing’s Nikola Zigic with a trademark header after 25 minutes against Villarreal. Santi Cazorla pulled the Yellow Submarine level just before the break.

Athletic Bilbao 1 - Recreativo Huelva 1 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) Aitor’s 33rd minute opener for Recre was levelled up by Javi Martinez in the second half.

Almeria 3 - Valladolid 2 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) Valladolid cruised into a two-goal lead within 23 minutes, as Sanchez Pedro Leon and Henok Goitom both registered. Albert Crusat pulled one back for Almeria just past the hour mark but then the hosts had Saltor Bruno dismissed. Down to 10-men Almeria found an equaliser through Kalu Uche, before he too saw red for serious foul play. Despite being reduced to 9-men, Alvaro Negredo scored an unlikely 79th minute winner, while Valladolid’s Nano saw red late on.

Numancia 0 - Mallorca 1 (La Liga, February 15, 2009) Aritz Aduriz was Real Mallorca’s hero as his 22nd minute goal was enough to separate the two teams.

Tenerife 3 - Elche 2 (Segunda Division, February 15, 2009)

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Inter Milan 2 - AC Milan 1 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) AC Milan made all the early running at the San Siro, but it was Inter who struck first when Adriano handballed Maicon’s delicious cross into the net. There was no doubt about Inter’s second which arrived minutes before the break, a ball into the box was cushioned down by Zlatan and Dejan Stankovic burst on the scene to smash home a beauty. Despite having played poorly in the second half Milan got a lifeline with 20 minutes remaining, Jankulovski was released down the left and his cross was converted by Alexandre Pato. The Rossoneri piled on the pressure late on, Inzaghi having a hatful of chances, but they could not find the crucial equaliser.

All the goals from Sunday’s action in Serie A can be seen here.

Juventus 1 - Sampdoria 1 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) Juve fell behind at home to Sampdoria after 10 minutes, Giampaolo Pazzini collected Cassano’s perfect pass to stroke the ball past Buffon. On the hour mark Ranieri’s men equalised thanks to a brave diving header from Amauri. Will this be the result that ended the Old Lady’s title dreams?

Genoa 3 - Fiorentina 3 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) Genoa broke the deadlock against Fiorentina with a superb team goal created by a series of one-touches passes that Thiago Motta eventually turned home. Two quick yellow cards for Biava saw the hosts reduced to 10 men, but they still managed to extend their lead after Raffaele Palladino benefitted from great work down the right from Mesto. Diego Milito added a third from the spot after the break while Adrian Mutu replied with a penalty for the Viola. Mutu set up a nervous ending when he scored an 80th minute free-kick. And in the 93rd minute Mutu completed his hat-trick and a remarkable comeback with a lovely curler into the far corner.

Atalanta 3 - Roma 0 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) After a goalless first half, Atalanta blitzed Roma at the start of the second half. Daniele Capelli fired the hosts into a 52nd minute lead, which Cristiano Doni doubled four minutes later. Cristiano Doni completed a devastating seven minute spell with a solo third.

Chievo 1 - Catania 1 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) The Flying Donkeys suffered an early setback conceding an 11th minute penalty scored by Ledesma. But in injury time Giuseppe Colucci found an equaliser with a last-gasp header.

Cagliari 2 - Lecce 0 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) Cagliari were too strong at home to Lecce as second half strikes from Michele Fini and substitute Alessandro Matri, in the final minute, secured a comfortable 2-nil win.

Siena 1 - Udinese 1 (Serie A, February 15, 2009) Massimo Maccarone’s second goal in as many games gave Siena a 50th minute lead against Udinese, but it was not enough for a maximum haul as Antonio Di Natale conjured a 72nd minute leveller.

Reggina 0 - Palermo 0 (Serie A, February 15, 2009)

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Hamburg 2 - Arminia Bielfield 0 (Bundesliga, February 15, 2009) Piotr Trochowski gave Hamburg the lead over Arminia Biefield with a free-kick that keeper Dennis Eilhoff came for but embarrassingly missed. Jose Guerrero netted a superb second with a long-range strike that arrowed into the top corner.

Borussia Dortmund 1 - Energie Cottbus 1 (Bundesliga, February 15, 2009) Energie’s Cagdas Atan smashed home the opener after Skela’s deflected cross came off the inside of the post. But the lead didn’t last long, Alexander Frei brought Dortmund level from the spot.

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Monaco 0 - Marseille 1 (Ligue 1, February 15, 2009) Bakari Kone’s wonderful lob over keeper Stephane Ruffier sent OM up to third.

Lyon 3 - Le Havre 1 (Ligue 1, February 15, 2009) Ederson broke the deadlock when he flicked the ball past Le Havre keeper Revault in the 34th minute. Abdul Kader Keita made it two with a cool finish a minutes before halftime and despite having John Mensah sent off in the 70th for a second bookable offence, Juninho made it three 16 minutes from the end with a 35-yard free-kick.

PSG 2 - St. Etienne 1 (Ligue 1, February 14, 2009) Paul Le Guen’s PSG went ahead after 26 minutes when defender Mamadou Sakho headed home in a packed goalmouth but St Etienne hit back just seven minutes when Machado’s drive smashed against the bar and Dimitri Payet followed up to poke the ball into the empty net. Les Verts barely had time to celebrate before PSG’s Jeremy Clement headed home Ludovic Giuly’s cross.

Sochaux 1 - Toulouse 2 (Ligue 1, February 14, 2009) The visitors fell behind to Rabiu Afolabi’s 12th minute opener for Sochaux, but they created plenty of chances and got their reward as a Jacques Faty own goal levelled the game in the 32nd minute before Andre-Pierre Gignac’s second half winner. (Toulouse goals here.)

Rennes 1 - Nancy 1 (Ligue 1, February 14, 2009) Jimmy Briand’s late goal helped Rennes move up a spot to sixth after salvaging a draw at home to Nancy, who had taken the lead courtesy of a Youssouf Hadji close-range shot.

Le Mans 1 - Nice 2 (Ligue 1, February 14, 2009) Thorstein Helstad’s 52nd minute strike looked for long periods as though it would be the difference between the two sides, but Emerse Fae struck 12 minutes to bring the scores level. Loic Remy and Gregory Cerdan both saw red to ensure that both sides would end the game with 10-men. Then, with time running out, Nice sub Mahamane Traore made himself a hero by snatching a dramatic late winner.

Valenciennes 1 - Nantes 1 (Ligue 1, February 14, 2009) Rafael Schmitz saw his 13th minute opener cancelled out by Ivan Klasnic just after the hour mark as proceedings ended all square at Stade Nungesser.

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Ajax 2 - Feyenoord 0 (Eredivisie, February 15, 2009) In the battle of the former heavyweights in Holland, Ajax broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when poor Feyenoord defending allowed a free-kick to be converted by Thomas Vermaelen. In the final stage the visitors had Dwight Tiendalli sent off, and Urby Emanuelson rounded off a good day for the Amsterdammers with a second in injury time.

NEC 1 - Heerenveen 1 (Eredivisie, February 15, 2009) (Longer highlights here.) Heerenveen’s new Swedish import Viktor Elm continued to settle in fast at his new club heading in the opener at NEC after just three minutes. NEC levelled with a Youssef El Akchaoui penalty after keeper Vandenbussche flattened Janssen in the box.

Groningen 2 - Heracles 0 (Eredivisie, February 15, 2009) Gonzalo Garcia put the hosts ahead after 40 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box and two minutes later his free-kick into the area was converted by Marcus Berg.

Sparta 0 - Vitesse 0 (Eredivisie, February 15, 2009) In a drab clash between two teams hovering just outside the relegation zone, neither side could find a way through as strikers at both ends were guilty of poor finishing.

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Porto 3 - Rio Ave 1 (Superliga, February 15, 2009) Lucho Gonzalez’s first half penalty gave Porto the lead, but it was cancelled out by Fabio Coentrao’s screamer in the 72nd minute which ripped into the top corner. But Porto staged a late fight, Ernesto Farias restored the lead from Gonzalez’s cross in the 86th and the forward completed the win three minutes later from a pass by Lopez, who had entered the field in the 74th.

Benfica 3 - Pacos Ferreira 2 (Superliga, February 15, 2009) Oscar Cardozo put the Eagles in the lead in the 69th after an error of judgment by Pacos keeper Cassio. Ruben Amorim extended Benfica’s lead with a curling shot in the 73rd, but the visitors pulled a goal back through Jose Ferreira two minutes later. Angel Di Maria scored the third goal in the 87th with a wonderful long-range shot before Chico Silva’s injury time goal set up a nervous ending for Benfica.

Trofense 2 - Naval 2 (Superliga, February 15, 2009)

Maritimo 1 - Amadora 0 (Superliga, February 14, 2009) Jose Ytalo well-struck shot just before the break was the difference between the sides.

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Trabzonspor 1 - Besiktas 1 (Super Lig, February 15, 2009) Gokhan Unal put the hosts ahead in the 29th minute, Bobo equalising in the second half with a fine header from a corner.

Bursaspor 1 - Sivasspor 1 (Super Lig, February 15, 2009) Sivasspor conceded to Bursaspor’s Tadeu in the 50th minute, before levelling through Ibrahim Ozturk’s own goal seven minutes later.

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Charleroi 0 - Anderlecht 1 (Jupiler League, February 15, 2009) Anderlecht needed a solitary goal to win in Charleroi, and it was Hungarian defender Roland Juhasz who provided the decider on 49 minutes. Anderlecht are now two points behind leaders Standard de Liege, but do have a game in hand.

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OFI Crete 1 - Asteras Tripolis 1 (Greek Super League, February 15, 2009) Zdravko Popovic’s free-kick missed everyone to nestle in the net for Crete’s opener. But Marcelao brought the visitors level with an equalising penalty at the start of the second half.

Panthrakikos 0 - Larisa 1 (Greek Super League, February 15, 2009) Stelios Giannakopoulos’ return to Greek football with Larissa continues to prove profitable as the midfielder bagged his third goal for Larissa against Panthrakikos with a back post volley.

Panserraikos 1 - Xanthi 0 (Greek Super League, February 15, 2009)

Iraklis 0 - Panathinaikos 0 (Greek Super League, February 15, 2009)

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Luzern 2 - Young Boys 3 (Swiss Super League, February 15, 2009)

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Apollon 0 - APOEL 1 (Cypriot First Division, February 15, 2009)

AEK Larnaca 5 - Atromitos 0 (Cypriot First Division, February 15, 2009)

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All the goals from the second round of the Argentinean Clausura can be seen here.

Rosario Central 1 - River Plate 2 (Clausura, February 15, 2009) Milton Carraglio had given Central the lead after 15 minutes. Martin Galmarini headed River level five minutes later before sub Cristian Fabbiani, signed from Newell’s Old Boys earlier this month, rifled in the winner with a 25-metre shot in the 67th minute.

Gimnasia La Plata 3 - Lanus 2 (Clausura, February 15, 2009)

San Lorenzo 1 - Godoy Cruz 2 (Clausura, February 15, 2009)

San Martin 3 - Independiente 0 (Clausura, February 15, 2009)