SNAPSHOT: UEFA Champions League Matchday 5

Matchday 5 of the Champions League has always been important - it's do-or-die for clubs in regards to their future in the competition. Win here and club could go a long way towards more games in Europe. Lose and elimination from Europe or relegation to the 2nd tier Europa League beckons.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - 
GROUP A - 
The group of death is living up to its reputation although Villarreal on 0 points can only hope for Europa League football at best.

Bayern Munich on 10 points have the edge in the group and a win against Villarreal at home will seal a place in the 2nd round.



Napoli and Manchester City are battling for what probably will be the runners-up spot in the group. Their battle culminates in a big match in Naples between the sky blue clubs in the game of the round.  

GROUP B - 
Inter (9 points) will book a spot in the 2nd round with a win at Trabzonspor (5 points) - the same side who shocked them at the San Siro.

CSKA Moskva (5) will go a long way to joining Inter if they beat Lille (2) in Russia.

GROUP C - 
Whoever wins the Man United  v Benfica game will probably win the group - both are on 8 points.

Benfica may rue that home draw against Basel (5 points) last matchday, but could still book their place in the 2nd round if Basel lose in Romania.

GROUP D - 
Real Madrid have already qualified. Ajax Amsterdam will join them if they beat Lyon in France. Lyon must win or they have no chance of making the 2nd round.

GROUP E -
Chelsea will qualify with a win against Bayer Leverkusen. A Valencia win at the same time will help the Spanish side tremendously and if Chelsea are already qualified, Valencia may have a good chance of getting a result in London.

GROUP F - 
Arsenal host a Borussia Dortmund side high on confidence and are hoping to surge and snatch a spot in the 2nd round after a slow start. Arsenal will be looking to clinch qualification this time round after missing out against Marseille last week. The Germans will be hoping Olympiakos can upset Marseille in France or else they could be out.

GROUP G - 
APOEL are on the verge of making history by becoming the first Cypriot team to make the 2nd round. They'll need to do it in St Petersburg which is never an easy place to win. Porto have it all to do to avoid early elimination - they need to go to Donetsk to snatch a win, another difficult place to win.

GROUP H - 
Barcelona and Milan have qualified for the 2nd round. What is up for grabs now is top spot in the group.

Mickey Arthur new Australian cricket coach

Cricket Australia will shortly announce former South Africa and current Western Australia coach, Mickey Arthur as Australia's new coach. The Saffer replaces Tim Nielsen and is surely Australia's first foreigner to coach the team.

Arthur beat off Aussies, Steve Rixon & Darren Lehmann for the top job.

With Australia languishing in the ICC rankings and requiring much rebuilding, they've put trust in another Saffer to get them back where they are.

It appears Saffers & Zimbabweans (David Pocock) are flavor of the moment in Aussie sport.

Malaysia Boleh!

What a glorious time to be a Malaysian football fan..

Malaysia has continued its resurgence as the region's football power by successfully defending its SEA Games title against Indonesia on penalty kicks.

Malaysia of course is the reigning AFF Suzuki Cup champion, ie. Southeast Asian champion.

Next step now with this very young team, Olympic qualification in 2016 and World Cup qualification in 2018.

Malaysia can! Malaysia Boleh!















Highlights from the penalty shootout:

2 Minutes - 21 November

Tonight Darren Lockyer & David Beckham...

The End of David Beckham?

So David Beckham is a winner in LA courtesy of a goal from his very classy teammate Landon Donovan who deserves to play amongst the best in the world - no offence, MLS but he should really be playing in the Premier League or La Liga..

An apt way for Becks to end his 5 years at the Los Angeles Galaxy..


Or so it seems.

However, as it stands, Beckham hasn't signed a contract with any other club although the usual rumour mill has been hard at it trying to figure out where he's going - Tottenham, AC Milan, Paris St Germain, Wellington Phoenix, you name it, Becks' name has been linked.

So, it is quite possible that the former England skipper may be about to play his last ever professional game of football. If it is, well it's time to look back on a career that actually deserved a bit more respect than he ever did.

Beckham may not have helped himself by marrying a Spice Girl - and of all them, Posh Spice. Initially, he may not have helped himself by kicking out at Diego Simeone in the 1998 World Cup and getting himself sent off just as England had the advantage over their arch-rivals.

There have been controversial moments with Ferguson, with his choice of deodorant, etc. Beckham has always courted the media and has somehow quite enjoyed it.

Nevertheless, inside, Beckham was actually a decent human being - he's still married to Victoria after all these years, and it appears quite happily married with 4 kids. He's been heavily involved with charity organizations and with helping his country bid for the likes of the Olympics and World Cup.

No doubt, Beckham has a big heart and that has shown on the pitch since he went on loan to Preston North End in the early 90s through the days he was at the peak of his powers at Manchester United, Real Madrid and in the England jersey.

In fact it is in the England jersey where we've usually seen Becks at his best. That last minute free-kick at Old Trafford to send England to the 2002 World Cup will long live with everyone as Becks' finest moment.



On the field, it's for his curling free kicks and crosses which Becks will be remembered for. No other footballer has delivered more accurate crosses than Becks has since. It's also for his athletic displays down the right flanks that football traditionalists will also remember him by.



Whatever happens to Becks, he'd be proud of what has been a mighty career. He didn't quite win the World Cup but he's won many other honours, fans and fame than most of his contemporaries could ever dream of.

In fact, he should be regarded as the man who made Major League Soccer what it is today. He took a gamble in 2006 and was widely derided. Today, internationals like Freddie Ljungberg, Robbie Keane and Thierry Henry are plying their trade in the USA - yes it may be a final big paycheck before retirement but it's still a big step in the right direction for MLS which has seen the likes of the Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps, FC Toronto join since Beckham arrived in LA.