PH Azkals hold Malaysia to a draw, 1-1 (VIDEO)

The Philippine Azkals pushed Asian powerhouse Malaysia to its limit for a 1-1 draw Wednesday night in a FIFA International friendly at the Rizal MemorialFootball Stadium. 

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: South Korea braces for Kuwait

source: Reuters.com

South Korea overpowered Uzbekistan 4-2 on Saturday in a confidence-boosting win before next week's crunch homeWorld Cup qualifier at home to Kuwait.

Kaya blanks Army, gains share of UFL top spot

source: Cedelf P. Tupas | inquirer.net

Kaya gained a share of top spot with a 2-0 blanking of Army last night in the United Football League at the University of Makati field.

AFC: Malaysia 0-4 Japan

source | http://www.the-afc.com


Kuala Lumpur: Japan eased to a comfortable 4-0 win over Malaysia on Wednesday with a polished and professional performance in their penultimate match in Group C in the third round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the 2012 London Games.

AFC Futsal Championship 2012: Philippines loss to thailand 2-17

Bangkok: Thailand took a step closer to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship with an emphatic 17-2 victory over the Philippines which saw the ASEAN Zone qualification hosts book their place in the semi-finals of the qualifiers alongside Indonesia.

Azkals mentor asserts AFC Cup preparations on track

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine Azkals coach Michael Weiss believes preparations for the AFC Challenge Cup are on track following what he described as a successful camp in the Middle East.

“It’s mission more than accomplished,” Weiss said Sunday a day after the Azkals returned from Dubai.

Young Azkals Sabio, Angeles shine in Middle East training camp

DUBAI—They may be playing on borrowed time, but defender Jason Sabio and young midfielder Marwin Angeles are certainly making a strong case for a starting spot in the AFC Challenge Cup in the Philippine Azkals’ Middle East training camp here.

With the Azkals missing key players either because of injuries or club commitments, Sabio, the US-raised defender, and Angeles, who learned the game in Venice, Italy, are seizing their chance with a string of solid performances, particularly against Qatar club Al Ahli in Doha.

Etheridge joins Azkals in final tuneup vs Aussies

The Philippine Azkals take on the Qantas Australia under-23 tonight in Dubai (midnight in Manila), hoping to continue their progress as they wrap up their 10-day Middle East camp in the build-up for the AFC Challenge Cup.

Titans sue Lane Kiffin, USC for poaching assistant

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—The Tennessee Titans are suing Southern California and coach Lane Kiffin for “maliciously” luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens.
Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans, filed the lawsuit Monday in Davidson County Chancery Court against both the university and Kiffin.
The lawsuit accuses Southern California and Kiffin of violating Pola’s contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans.

Tennessee hired Pola as running backs coach in February only to lose him Saturday to Southern California as the Trojans’ new offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
“USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to—and did—induce Pola to breach the Pola contract,” the lawsuit charges.
“USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procurement of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions. Kiffin and USC’s actions, through him, were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contracts …”
The Titans declined to comment Monday beyond the lawsuit.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a Southern California alumnus, said Saturday that Kiffin neglected to make the customary courtesy phone call to let him and the NFL team know he was interested in hiring Pola. Fisher himself had hired Pola, letting go Earnest Byner to free up the spot on his coaching staff.
Pola’s contract ran at least to Feb. 14, 2011, with the NFL in the final year of its current labor agreement with the players.

The lawsuit lawsuit notes that written permission from the president and general counsel was needed because verbal “consent is inadequate.” The lawsuit also notes Southern California and Kiffin, through Pola, knew about his contract requirements.
“Pola was not given express written consent by Tennessee Football or the Commissioner of the NFL to entertain employment with any other entity,” the lawsuit argues.
The move left the Titans without a running backs coach one week before training camp opens, which the lawsuit argues disrupts planning, causes “potential loss of confidence by players” and the loss of salary and benefits already paid to Pola along with “future damage.”
The lawsuit is particularly harsh on Kiffin for what it calls intentional actions. Kiffin said he first spoke to Pola on Friday, and then called Fisher on Saturday after Pola called him back, apparently to accept the job.
Kiffin acknowledged in a statement that timing wasn’t perfect.
“I have spoken with Coach Fisher and he now has an accurate understanding of the timeline of events,” Kiffin said. “We realize the timing of this isn’t perfect for all parties, but this is a great opportunity and promotion for Kennedy.”
Fisher told The Tennessean newspaper he was very disappointed in Kiffin’s lack of professionalism. The lawsuit doesn’t hold back in criticizing Kiffin for “furtherance of a culture of violation and avoidance of respect for the sanctity of contract, which Kiffin similarly practices …” in inducing Pola to breach his contract.
The lawsuit notes Kiffin “abruptly departed” his coaching job at the University of Tennessee in January after just 14 months, which angered Volunteers’ fans. Kiffin also lured four other Tennessee coaches to join him at Southern California, and the lawsuit also notes how Kiffin tried to hire Eric Bienemy away from NFL’s Vikings, forcing Minnesota to redo his contract to keep the assistant.
The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and punitive damages and attorneys fees.
The Tennessean first reported the lawsuit on its website

By TERESA M. WALKER, AP Sports Writer (Yahoo Sports)

Bengals owner wants to sign TO

Brown said on Monday that the team has discussed a contract with Owens and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The Bengals passed on the chance to sign the 36-year-old receiver after a tryout in March, but have given it more thought now that he remains a free agent.
If Owens accepts the offer, the Bengals would lead the league in reality show stars. Receiver Chad Ochocinco appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” in the offseason, and has a dating show called “Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch” currently playing on VH1. Right after Ochocinco’s show comes “The T.O. Show.”

While Ochocinco eliminated two contestants in his recent show, Owens donned a metrosexual look for a fashion show—bare chest under an open jacket and a wig.
What they’d do together in a locker room would get some attention, too.
Brown noted that Owens caught the winning 57-yard touchdown pass in Dallas’ 31-22 victory over the Bengals in 2008.
“I think that I would rather have him line up on our side of the ball than the other side of the ball,” Brown said, at the team’s annual preseason luncheon. “I can remember playing Dallas a few years ago when he caught a pass across the middle that won the game for them.
“So I’ve seen him do it. I’ve seen him do it against us. I’d like him to be here and do that against somebody else.”

So would Ochocinco, who is a close friend and lobbied unsuccessfully for the Bengals to sign Owens in March. Instead, they chose receiver Antonio Bryant(notes) and gave him a four-year deal.
One change since then: Cincinnati’s quarterback has joined the lobbying effort. Carson Palmer(notes) has been working out with Owens in California, and excitedly called coach Marvin Lewis about making a run to sign the receiver.
“Carson was really impressed with a lot of the things that Terrell was doing,” Lewis said. “Carson’s comments to me—I guess the word is they resonate well.”
Ochocinco has resumed his Twitter lobbying to sign Owens. Last March, he dubbed the two of them Batman (Owens) and Robin. He thinks Palmer, who wears No. 9, has more sway with the front office.
“im out of the loop now, i expressed my beliefs on why he should be here and that’s all i can do, (No.)9 has the real power,” Ochocinco tweeted.
The final say rests with Brown, who has a history of giving chances to players with trouble in their past. He repeatedly brought back receiver Chris Henry, who was arrested five times and died last year in a fall of his fiancee’s truck.
In the last two years, the Bengals also have signed running back Cedric Benson(notes), running back Larry Johnson(notes) and receiver Matt Jones(notes), all of whom were let go by teams because of off-field issues.
In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Owens pointed out that he was on good behavior last season in Buffalo, where he caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns—his least-productive full season since early in his career with San Francisco.
“Yes, people can make mistakes,” Brown said. “It doesn’t mean that they go on the rest of their lives making mistakes. They can get their ship pointed in the right direction. This is a 36-year-old man. He’s been through a lot. He’s proven as a player and as a person.”
Brown formed his opinion about Owens during a one-on-one meeting last March in conjunction with his tryout.
“When he was here, I was surprised,” Brown said. “I met with him personally and privately. He is not at all the way his public image is depicted. He’s a pleasant person, a quiet person. I found him engaging. And I do trust my own eyes on this sort of thing. I think that if he chose to come here, that he could help our team, and we’ll see how that plays out. It’s going to be his decision.”
The St. Louis Rams reportedly are also interested in Owens. If he chooses Cincinnati, he could be paired on the outside with Ochocinco. Lewis said Bryant could move into an inside slot position.
Lewis had to defend against Owens throughout his career.
“So I’ve been there, I’ve seen that,” Lewis said. “You think he’s on reality TV now? Being on that sideline watching him do it is real reality TV. So he’s an effective player and you like what he brings. You like what people say about him who have had him on their football team to the positive, and we’ve just got to make sure none of the negative creeps in anymore. He’s been a couple of years beyond that.”
Rosenhaus didn’t return a message on Monday. He also represents Ochocinco, who is entering the final season on his contract with the Bengals. The team has an option for an additional season in 2011

By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer ( Yahoo Sports )