Serie A Weekend Preview

The Rossoneri, who begin their campaign at home on Sunday against Bologna, have reason to be optimistic this season.
Milan missed out on a place in this season's Champions League after coming fifth last term. The San Siro giants have not won the Italian title since 2004 and there will be pressure on coach Carlo Ancelotti to deliver.
However, the signings of Mathieu Flamini, Philippe Senderos, Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko have strengthened Milan's flagging squad, and club vice-president Adriano Galliani warned it is time for Ancelotti to come up with the results on the domestic stage.
"Milan is a Scudetto team, the coach knows that," said Galliani.
"We must fight for the title. This doesn't mean that we cannot lose, but we certainly must be in contention until the last day of the campaign."
Juventus visit last year's fourth-placed finishers Fiorentina with both teams on a high after safely negotiating the Champions League qualifying phase to reach the group stage of Europe's elite club competition.
The Bianconeri are boosted by the arrival of highly-rated forward Amauri from Palermo, who is set to partner the experienced David Trezeguet in Juve's attacking line.
Last season's runners-up Roma will be without captain Francesco Totti when they entertain Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico.
Totti returned from a long-term knee injury to feature in the Italian Supercoppa earlier this week but picked up an ankle injury that puts him out of Sunday's game.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Siena travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta, Torino host Serie A new boys Lecce and Chievo, another promoted side, entertain Reggina.
Cagliari and Lazio meet in Sardinia and Catania welcome Genoa to the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

Sunday 31st August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Nadal juggernaut rolls on

World number one Rafael Nadal crushed Viktor Troicki in straight sets to move into the round of 16 at the US Open on Saturday.
The world number one did not have it all his own way in the opening two sets but always had too much for the Serbian as he won 6-4 6-3 6-0.
The first set was tight until Troicki served at 4-5. Nadal seized on his opponent's nerves to break and take the opener in 41 minutes.
Troicki recovered well and broke Nadal for a 2-1 lead in the second but the Spaniard raised his game to storm back.
He broke back twice to take a commanding two-set lead.
The third was not a contest, Nadal strolling through it in 26 minutes to set up a clash against American Sam Querrey.
Querrey stunned 14th seed Ivo Karlovic in their third-round encounter.
After a tough start against German Bjorn Phau in the first round, Nadal has improved with each match and said that he is beginning to approach top form.
"I am starting to play better," Nadal told reporters after clinching his 41st win in his past 42 matches.
"Today I played better than the last days. I started playing well and today I served very well."
Having added Olympic gold to his two grand slam titles this year, Nadal is the favourite to end Federer's hopes of a fifth straight US Open triumph.
His later than usual arrival in New York, though, meant he has taken more time to find his feet.
"The truth is that I was practising much better yesterday than the (first few) days," Nadal said.
"I think I am ready to play a good match in the fourth round. I know I have to play a good match if I want to win."

Sunday 31st August 2008
by www.espnstar.com/tennis

Ronaldo plans early return

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo believes he could return earlier and be playing again by the end of September.
The Portuguese underwent ankle surgery in July and initial forecasts were that he could be out of action until late October and possibly November.
But Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals last season to fire United to the Barclays Premier League title and Champions League, has been told to step up his rehabilitation after making better-than-expected progress.
"I am feeling fine. I am feeling really good and my recovery is going well," the 23-year-old said.
"I am more than happy with my progress and I hope to be back playing for United by the end of September - that is my target and it is a realistic one.
"It has been frustrating to miss the start of the Premier League season but I am pleased with my rehabilitation and, hopefully, I'll be ready soon."

Sunday 31st August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/footbal

Villa on target in Valencia romp

Valencia began their Primera Liga campaign with a resounding victory over Real Mallorca at the Mestalla on Saturday nightFirst-half headers from David Villa and Juan Manuel Mata put Los Che firmly in control before substitute Vicente poked home a third goal from close range seven minutes from time.
It was a comprehensive result in the end but the hosts did appear to be a little nervy in the opening exchanges and it required a controversial refereeing decision to bring the game to life.
On 11 minutes, the visitors were awarded a free-kick inside the Valencia penalty box when Jose Manuel Jurado burst into the area and Raul Albiol's timely interception was gathered by debutant Brazilian keeper Renan.
Referee Rubinos Perez deemed the pass to have been intentional, much to the dismay of the Mestalla faithful, but Nunes could find no way through a 10-man defensive wall when he blasted the resulting free-kick at goal.
The controversy certainly livened things up as the home side started to throw men forward in greater numbers from that point.
Their first corner after 17 minutes caught the Mallorca defenders unawares when a cleverly worked delivery culminated with keeper Miguel Angel Moya being worked by a David Silva turn and shot from 10 yards that he couldn't hold.
However, it was only after the introduction of former Everton midfielder Manuel Fernandes shortly after the 20-minute mark that the hosts really began to turn the screw.
Unai Emery withdrew Ruben Baraja from the action and while it wasn't clear whether Baraja was carrying an injury, the change proved to be the defining moment of the match as Fernandes' greater energy and purpose immediately caught the eye and turned the balance of play directly in favour of Los Che.
Valencia grabbed the lead on 34 minutes when Villa stooped to head Pablo Hernandez's deflected cross into an empty net from six yards.
The move came on the back of some clever play from Silva, his dazzling skills and close control catching the entire Mallorca defence ball-watching.
The hosts added a second four minutes later with a similarly scrappy finish from some neat build-up play.
This time it was Mata who applied the finishing touch with his head after Fernandes' effort was blocked by Moya and sat up nicely for the midfielder.
Oscar Trejo responded for the visitors with a well-struck shot from just outside the box that had Renan beaten but came back off the inside of the post but Valencia were just about value for their 2-0 half-time lead.
Things settled down after the interval and Mallorca rarely threatened as they struggled to find a cutting edge following the departure of last season's Pichichi winner Dani Guiza.
Valencia did string together some excellent passing moves and one of them was rewarded with a fine goal on 83 minutes when two substitutes combined to kill the game off with Vicente applying the finishing touch to a Miguel Angulo cross.

Sunday 31st August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Gunners back on track

Arsenal emerged victorious with a 3-0 win over Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United who were made to look second class.Robin van Persie netted twice as Arsenal silenced any talk of a club in crisis with a 3-0 romp over Newcastle in Saturday afternoon's Barclays Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners continued from where they had left off against FC Twente in their midweek Champions League qualifier to outclass the Magpies.
Dutchman van Persie - who endured an injury-plagued campaign last season - struck from the penalty spot after Charles N'Zogbia handled after 18 minutes, which was no more than the resurgent hosts deserved.
Another well-worked goal from the Dutchman followed before the break, with Brazil youngster Denilson hitting his first Premier League goal after more breathtaking, quick passing from Arsene Wenger's men - who if they can maintain such displays look again set for a sustained title challenge.
Arsenal had started in determined fashion and had a great chance to take the lead inside three minutes.
A corner from the right was flicked on by Bacary Sagna at the near post, and the ball fell at the feet of William Gallas.
However, the Gunners captain - who has netted twice already this season - somehow blazed his shot over the bar from no more than a yard out.
Kolo Toure then came forwards and flashed in a low drive from 25 yards, which Shay Given turned behind at full stretch.
There was little respite for the Magpies as Arsenal maintained a high tempo, under the watchful eye of England manager Fabio Capello - at the Emirates Stadium for a second time this week.
Then just after Newcastle looked to have got a themselves a foothold in the match, they conceded a penalty.
Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor dashed past his marker and into the right side of the box, before cutting the ball back across goal, where it hit N'Zogbia on his trailing arm.
Van Persie stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, which was coolly dispatched low into the bottom right corner past the dive of the Newcastle keeper.
With the cushion of an early lead, Arsenal started to showboat, passing the ball around with consummate ease.
Cesc Fabregas - in his 200th appearance for the Gunners - tried his luck with a speculative 25-yard effort, which flew over.
Samir Nasri got away down the left, before floating over a cross with the outside of his boot - and only a deft touch from the fast-retreating Fabricio Coloccini denied an on-rushing Adebayor a tap in.
After 31 minutes, van Persie curled a 20-yard free-kick up towards the top-left corner, but Given was at his acrobatic best to make a flying save.
Newcastle finally created a decent opening after 37 minutes when Jonas Gutierrez, the Argentina international midfielder, got clear down the left and cut a low centre back across goal.
Michael Owen was lurking at the far post, but just as he shot, team-mate Shola Ameobi got in the way and deflected the ball off target.
Arsenal went up the other end and carved open the visitors' defence again with van Persie feeding Adebayor.
However, the big Togo frontman, under pressure from two defenders and the advancing keeper, could only slot the ball wide.
It was, though, soon 2-0 with four minutes to go to half-time.
Emmanuel Eboue played Adebayor in down the right, and continued his run into the penalty area to collect the return pass.
The much-maligned Ivory Coast midfielder then produced a clever back-heel, which rolled into the path of van Persie - who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Newcastle were positive following the restart and only the woodwork denied Kevin Keegan's men a way back into the match after 56 minutes when Nicky Butt's flicked header from a left-wing corner dropped onto the crossbar.
It was just one of those days for the visitors as Arsenal wrapped up the match with another superbly-crafted goal in the 59th minute.
Nasri worked himself space in the box, before tapping the ball back to Adebayor.
The Togo frontman simply laid it off sideways, where Denilson was on hand to slip the ball back past the oncoming defender and a wrong-footed Given.
Arsenal could have further extended their lead before the final whistle.
Van Persie smashed in an angled drive from almost on the goal-line, which ricocheted off the underside of the bar at the near post.
Given then produced a fine reaction save at point-blank range to keep out Toure's header and also was at full stretch to turn away Nasri's curling free-kick before substitute Theo Walcott pulled an angled drive wide after another swift counter-attack.
Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton, recently released from jail and facing a violent conduct charge from the Football Association, came on for the closing two minutes - to resounding jeers from the home crowd.

Sunday 31st August 2008
by www.espnstar.com/football/premier-league

Premier League BPL Saturday Live!

Latest ScoresArsenal 1-0 NewcastleCompleted matchesHull 0-5 WiganWest Ham 4-1 BlackburnBolton 0-0 West BromMiddlesbrough 2-1 StokeEverton 0-3 Portsmouth
Arsenal vs Newcastle United
Arsene Wenger's men went down to a shocking defeat away to Fulham last weekend but were back to their best in their midweek trouncing of FC Twente in the Champions League qualifying game.
The Magpies have started the season in great fashion with a draw at Old Trafford before a late Michael Owen goal wrapped up three points last week.
Arsenal Starting Lineup: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Adebayor, Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Walcott, Ramsey, Song Billong, Djourou, Bendtner
Newcastle Starting Lineup: Given, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Taylor, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Butt, Beye, N'Zogbia, Owen, Amoebi.
Subs: Harper, Barton, Bassong, Edgar, Tozer, Donaldson, Ranger
Bolton vs West Brom
New signing Johan Elmander has not recovered in time and Kevin Davies will lead the line with Kevin Nolan in support.
Bolton are searching for their fifth successive home win in the Premier League while West Brom manager, Tony Mowbray seeks his 50th win .
Bolton Starting Lineup: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Shittu, Samuel, Joey O'Brien, McCann, Muamba, Gardner, Nolan, Davies.
Subs: Al Habsi, Hunt, Riga, Helguson, Vaz Te, Dzemaili, Fojut.
West Brom Starting Lineup: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite, Barnett, Robinson, Borja Valero, Koren, Greening, Morrison, Kim, Miller.
Subs: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Bednar, Brunt, MacDonald, Moore.
Hull City vs Wigan
Geovanni will be the key man for the home side who are missing George Boateng in the middle.
Wigan's Emile Heskey will need to be at his striking best against a defence used to the rough rigours of the Championship.
Hull Starting Lineup: Myhill, Ricketts, Brown, Turner, Dawson, Fagan, Ashbee, Marney, Garcia, Geovanni, Folan.
Subs: Duke, Barmby, Windass, Hughes, Mendy, Halmosi, Cooper.
Wigan Starting Lineup: Kirkland, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Cattermole, Kilbane, Heskey, Zaki.
Subs: Pollitt, Koumas, Brown, De Ridder, Kapo, Camara, Kupisz.
West Ham vs Blackburn
Two of the league's top strikers, Dean Ashton and Roque Santa Cruz will be on show at Upton Park.
A win for West Ham will give thems six points from three games while the visitors can go onto seven points with an away win.
West Ham Starting Lineup: Green, Behrami, Davenport, Upson, Neill, Faubert, Parker, Noble, Etherington, Cole, Ashton.
Subs: Lastuvka, McCartney, Bellamy, Boa Morte, Mullins, Reid, Sears.
Blackburn Starting Lineup: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Emerton, Reid, Grella, Pedersen, Roque Santa Cruz, Roberts.
Subs: Brown, Mokoena, Andrews, Villanueva, Simpson, Treacy, Derbyshire.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke
Gareth Southgate's team started the season with a brilliant win against Tottenham Hotspur but floundered against Liverpool at Anfield to leave them on three points in two games.
If Southgate has any European aspirations, this game has to be three points in the bag with in-form striker Mido and Alfonso Alves giving the Stoke defence a nightmarish visit to the Riverside.
Middlesbrough Starting Lineup: Turnbull, Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, Aliadiere, Shawky, O'Neil, Downing, Alves , Sanli.
Stoke City Starting Lineup: Sorensen, Griffin, Cort, Faye, Dickinson, Lawrence, Olofinjana, Faye, Delap, Kitson, Fuller.
Everton vs Portsmouth
Both clubs have had slow starts to the season and another defeat for either team could be a major blow to their European ambitions.
Harry Redknapp will be banking on his new strike partnership, Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch to deliver the goods while David Moyes will rely on Nigerian hitman, Yakubu to earn him three points.
Everton Starting Lineup: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Rodwell, Jagielka, Osman, Yakubu, Vaughan.
Subs: Turner, Jacobsen, Nuno Valente, Anichebe, Kissock, Baxter, Wallace.
Portsmouth Starting Lineup: James, Johnson, Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Diop, Davis, Diarra, Armand Traore, Crouch, Defoe.
Subs: Ashdown, Lauren, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Mvuemba, Sahar, Djimi Traore.
Click here to get the latest scores and match updates!

Saturday 30th August 2008
by www.espnstar.com/football

Duckett leads Seahawks over Raiders 23-16

SEATTLE - The second- and third-string Seattle Seahawks were just like their starters: better than the Oakland Raiders.

T.J. Duckett showed he may be more than just the short-yardage back coach Mike Holmgren thinks he is by running for 71 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle' 23-16 victory Friday night in a preseason finale without all but three starters.
Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was in sweats to rest a back that has been tight since Aug. 8. He will start the season opener Sept. 7 at Buffalo having played just two snaps since last January's playoffs.
Seneca Wallace, slowed this month by a groin injury, was 21-of-30 for 225 yards in Hasselbeck's place. Wallace fumbled away a scoring chance at the Raiders 3 while getting sacked in the third quarter.
Oakland starter JaMarcus Russell, who will start the Sept. 8 opener against Denver, was in uniform. But the No. 1 overall pick in 2007 stayed on the sideline wearing a team coat as Andrew Walter concluded an improved preseason. Walter was 16-of-24 for 162 yards before yielding to hometown veteran Marques Tuiasosopo with 9:26 remaining.
Tuiasosopo, who led Washington to the 2001 Rose Bowl, threw a 25-touchdown pass to former Huskies receiver Marcel Reece with 1:51 left.
The only starters appearing were Seahawks (3-1). Center Chris Spencer played the first two series, his first game since last January's playoff loss at Green Bay following surgeries on his shoulder and thumb then a back injury last month. Regular right guard Rob Sims started next to him.
On defense, rookie first-round pick Lawrence Jackson started at right end.
It wasn't that the reserves weren't impressive.
In the second quarter, Darren McFadden showed why he was the fourth overall draft pick by Oakland, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the star of training camp, according to Raiders coach Lane Kiffin.
McFadden took a handoff, stopped behind traffic on the right, veered left, ran through an arm hug from Seattle's Jason Babin and bolted up field. McFadden appeared on his way to the end zone before Josh Wilson grabbed his shoe and tripped him for a 23-yard gain that brought gasps from the crowd.
McFadden finished with 50 yards on four carries. He will begin the season as the No. 2 back behind Justin Fargas.
Oakland got a scare — and the rest of the stadium got a laugh — when Pro Bowl punter Shane Lechler dropped a high snap from Jon Condo on a 21-yard field goal try by Sebastian Janikowski in the first quarter. Lechler, a high school quarterback who wasn't punting because of a quadriceps injury, ambled away and launched a shot put toss that C.J. Wallace intercepted and returned 41 yards. That, and a 33-yard pass from Wallace to Ben Obomanu, set up a 34-yard field goal by Olindo Mare that made it 10-0.
Mare boomed the opening kickoff nine yards deep into the end zone and another five yards deep for a second touchback. That may have clinched the competition between the veteran and rookie draft pick Brandon Coutu to replace Josh Brown as Seattle's kicker.
Coutu made both of his short field goal tries, from 28 and 21 yards. He was 7-for-7 with a game-winner against Chicago in overtime two weeks ago, but Holmgren loves Mare's deep kickoffs. That's something Seattle lacked for years with Brown.
Janikowski tried to upstage Mare by attempting a 66-yard field goal — 3 yards longer than the NFL record for a game — early in the third quarter, after his second field goal of the first half from 50 yards would have been good from 60. But he was short by about 3 yards.
Obomanu, who is almost assured a roster spot, injured his shoulder later in the first half and did not return. It was the latest injury for Seattle's battered receivers. Bobby Engram, who set a team record with 94 catches last season, may be out into October with a broken shoulder. And former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch is just seven months into rehabilitation from reconstructive knee surgery. He may test his knee next week to see if he can play in the opener.

By GREGG BELL, AP Sports Writer

Sat Aug 30, 1:18 AM ET

http://news.yahoo.com

Madrid drop Robinho

Robinho has been left out of the Real Madrid squad for Sunday's Primera Liga opener against Deportivo La Coruna.
The decision to omit the Brazil international comes amid continued speculation about the wantaway winger's future, with Robinho on Friday insisting negotiations with Chelsea were ongoing.
Robinho declared over a week ago that he wanted to leave Madrid and join Chelsea, but Madrid coach Bernd Schuster still included the 24-year-old in his squad for last Sunday's Supercopa second leg against Valencia, although did not play him.
Madrid insist they do not want Robinho to leave but have said they will not keep a player at the Bernabeu against their will.

Saturday 30th August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Ferguson rues Hargreaves injury

Saturday 30th August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his disappointment at yet another Owen Hargreaves knee injury.
The England midfield suffered the setback before the 2-1 defeat by Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup on Friday night.
Hargreaves was hoping to get some minutes on the clock but pulled up in training on Thursday.
Ferguson said: "He said he felt his knee and that he was not fit enough to play.
"There is nothing you can to do about it. If a player declares himself unfit you have to accept that.
"We'd have liked to play him and get him back into the run of things and playing football again.
"To be honest, he has not played enough football in the last year. He'd like to get back and it is disappointing."
Hargreaves appeared to be in line for an England call for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia - even though Ferguson voiced his disapproval at the prospect earlier this week.
Instead he is now certain to sit out the back-to-back matches for Fabio Capello's side.

Roddick wins battle of US Open birthday boys

by Greg Heakes

Sat Aug 30, 2:34 AM ET

news.yahoo.com

NEW YORK (AFP) - Andy Roddick and Ernests Gulbis may share the same birthday but only one got to take home the prize early Saturday morning.

Roddick, who turned 26 Saturday, won the battle of the US Open birthday boys, rallying to beat the younger Gulbis 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 in the second-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"He was definitely out-playing me for the first two sets," Roddick said. "I felt like a little kid out here playing against him.
"Then the clock struck 12 and I felt a lot better playing out here as a 26 year old."
The hard-serving Gulbis, who is six years younger, matched Roddick serve-for-serve, hammering 19 aces to Roddick's 21.
But he had nine double faults and made 56 unforced errors to Roddick's 42 unforced errors in the two hour, 52 minute match.
Roddick, whose lone Grand Slam title came at Flushing Meadows in 2003, is hoping that his decision to skip the Beijing Games to get ready for the final Grand Slam of the year will pay dividends.
Asked if he is ready to win another Grand Slam title Roddick said, "I've been off for a while but I'm going to get better with every match I play. If this crowd comes with me, who knows?"
Eighth-seeded Roddick moves through to the third round where he will play unseeded Andreas Seppi of Italy.
Roddick drew huge cheers from the partisan crowd of 20,000 as he started to take control of the match in the third set.
Roddick remains the player with the best chance of keeping the US Open trophy on home soil. He was a runner-up in 2006 and has reached the quarter-finals or better in six of his eight appearances.
Gulbis came out with more spark taking the opening set in just 29 minutes.
"I was proud of the way I played," said Gulbis, who fired 79 winners and won 76 percent of his first serve points.
"It's my first appearance before such a big crowd. It's a really great experience to play on my birthday on this court in a night session against Andy Roddick."
Gulbis reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final at this year's French Open before losing to Serbian Novak Djokovic.
The world No. 40 Gulbis is Latvia's lone competitor in the tournament and has twice defeated ninth seed James Blake, Roddick's US Davis Cup teammate, this year.

NBA Knicks obtain Ewing Jr. from Rockets for Weis

by news.yahoo.com

Fri Aug 29, 6:35

NEW YORK (AFP) - Patrick Ewing Jr. followed in his father's footsteps Friday, joining the New York Knicks in a National Basketball Association trade with the Houston Rockets.

Ewing's father, who will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next week, was a star with the Knicks, taking New York within a game of the NBA crown before losing to the Rockets.
New York sent the rights to French center Frederic Weis, a 1999 first-round draft pick who never made it to the NBA, to the Rockets in exchange for Ewing Jr., a rookie who joined Houston two weeks ago in a major deal with Sacramento.
"Coming to the Knicks, and hopefully being able to contribute, means a lot to me," Ewing Jr. said. "It has been my dream to play for this team. My goal is to show the coaches I can play and do all that I can to help the team win some games."
The younger Ewing spent his first two US college seasons at Indiana before transferring to Georgetown, his father's alma mater. He was named his conference's top reserve after averaging 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists a game off the bench.

Advocaat delight at Super Cup win

Saturday 30th August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Zenit St Petersburg's Dick Advocaat has praised his team after their 2-1 UEFA Super Cup defeat of Manchester United.
The lively Pavel Pogrebnyak opened the scoring for the Russians just a minute before the interval and new signing Danny doubled their lead on the hour mark.
A 73rd-minute strike from Nemanja Vidic set the stage for a nailbiting ending, but the 2008 UEFA Cup winners held on to a deserved victory at the Stade Louis II in Monaco.
"I think if we see the chances we created tonight, we deserved the win," said Advocaat.
"The start was a little bit difficult and we had problems with the movement of our strikers for the first 15 minutes.
"Then we created chances and unfortunately we did not score enough, but overall I think it was a well-deserved win."
Advocaat afforded himself the luxury of leaving coveted striker Andrei Arshavin on the bench for the first half, but he denied his choice had anything to do with speculation linking the striker with a transfer to Tottenham.
"I should perhaps also have to explain why other players were not playing," he said.
"You make a decision and that was that Dominguez played the first half and Arshavin the second. It's as simple as that."
"They (Tottenham) had several weeks of time to buy him and they did not offer 22 million like everybody has been writing but just 16 million.
"I think that Arshavin costs more than 16 million."
However, Advocaat has left the door ajar to a deal going through this weekend.
"In principle, this is the squad I like," he said when asked if he was looking to bolster his squad before the transfer deadline.
"There is no need to buy new players. We have bought two players - a central defender and an extra striker - and that works, if everybody stays, because you never know."
After setting Europe alight on the way to success in the UEFA Cup last season, and with this impressive victory over the English champions, Advocaat believes Zenit can now enter the Champions League next month with high expectations.
"I think it is not an easy draw for us, but we did really well in the UEFA Cup and why not in the Champions League too," he added.
"Tonight we gave a warning so everybody knows what to expect, but the Champions League is a bit different to today, which was in principle a friendly match, although an important one."
Zenit will kick off their Champions League campaign at Juventus on September 17 and face Real Madrid and BATE Borisov in Group H.
But Friday's win over United will surely leave Juve and Real in no two minds that they have another rival for a place in the second round.

Sampdoria v Inter Preview

Saturday 30th August 2008

by www.espnstar.com/football

Jose Mourinho has called the match at Sampdoria as "the biggest game" of his life as he prepares for his official debut.
The former Chelsea coach was appointed to replace Roberto Mancini during the summer and has a tough act to follow with his predecessor winning the Scudetto for three seasons in a row.
And the Serie A fixture list has given the Nerazzurri a tough start at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris where Samp only lost twice last season.
"We know that Sampdoria are a strong team and, last year, they finished just behind AC Milan," he said.
"We will be going to Genoa to win and do our own game, but if we were to only draw, it would not be a drama.
"The season is long and to win it, you need to in a lot of games, draw a few and lose little - very little."
Mourinho led Inter to the Italian Super Cup last weekend with a penalty shoot-out win over Roma and the Portuguese coach will be looking for the same kind of fighting spirit from his side for his Serie A debut.
"I hope everything is repeated tomorrow night against Sampdoria," he added.
"I hope it is a good game like last Sunday. It is only a game, but it is the most important game of my life because it is my next one."
Mourinho will be able to call on Italy defender Marco Materazzi while Ivan Cordoba is also fit again, but there is still a shortage of defenders which will see Esteban Cambiasso forced again to play an unfamiliar role at the back as he has done for much of pre-season.
Nelson Rivas and Nicolas Burdisso are both in the treatment room, as is Christian Chivu, news which will please Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano, preparing for his second season at Blucerchiato.
Mourinho has picked out the former Roma and Real Madrid man out as the one to watch.
"He is a great player," admitted Mourinho. "I have been studying up on him and thought a lot about him during the week and respect him because he is strong."
Samp coach Walter Mazzarri will know he needs all of Cassano's qualities and the best from all of his players to stand any chance of making it a winning start to the season.
He said: "To get a result against Inter or any club of their size you need everything to go right.
"The players have got to exceed themselves and luck must go your way while their top players have got to have an off day."
Mazzarri can count on a strong support from the stands with the Marassi sold out days before this fixture, and the Samp coach knows it could make a difference.
"Fortunately, we are playing at the Marassi," he said.
"Playing in front of our own fans is like having a 12th man on the field. If we were playing up at the San Siro, we would have had an extra degree of difficulty, but at Marassi, we can really give that little bit more."
The rest of Serie A will be hoping the same as the season commences this weekend with Inter again favourites to successfully defend their crown.