Weekly Football News, October 12, 2012
Atletico outshine city rivals
While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were dominating the headlines for each scoring twice in the 2-2 draw in the Clasico, goal machine Radamel Falcao scored once and had a huge helping hand in his team's second as Atletico Madrid joined Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Falcao scored his eighth league goal of the season - equal with Messi and Ronaldo - to put the home side ahead against Malaga after only six minutes at the Vicente Calderon before Roque Santa Cruz equalised with a powerful header.
Malaga defender Weligton then diverted the ball into his own net to gift Diego Simeone's side all three points in the dying stages.
Colombian Falcao revealed over the weekend that he is keen to follow in the footsteps of his idol Faustino Asprilla by moving to the Premier League.
Ten-man Inter hold on for derby victory
Ten-man Inter Milan survived Yuto Nagatomo's second-half dismissal for handball to beat city rivals AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro.
Nagatomo's red card following a second bookable offence left Inter holding onto Argentinean Walter Samuel's fourth minute opener for long spells of the 157th Milan derby.
Inter striker Antonio Cassano, who moved to Inter in the close season, helped create the opener by winning a cheap free-kick on the left wing. Esteban Cambiasso's looping cross evaded the entire Milan defence for compatriot Samuel to turn home.
"There were two good points tonight, one was the way we approached this game and the second was how we handled it when we were a man down for the second half," said Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni afterwards.
"We came into this game focused and started aggressively. We got the goal and when Milan came back into it we managed to restricted them in our area."
Rodgers: I will continue to trust in youth
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has maintained that he will continue to trust in youth despite his side's goalless draw with Stoke on Sunday leaving them 14th in the Premier League with just one win in their first seven league matches.
Rodgers continued with the same pattern against the physical prowess of Stoke, with defender Andre Wisdom and midfielders Raheem Sterling and Suso preferred in the midfield to the likes of Fario Barini, Joe Cole and Stuart Downing.
Downing didn't even make the bench after voicing his displeasure with Rodgers questioning his commitment to the club in the week.
Of Liverpool's side, who have the youngest average age of the top flight, Rodgers said, "If they have got talent and personality as well as the confidence and bravery to play football, for me it doesn't matter how old they are."
Liverpool's only win in the EPL this season has been against struggling Norwich City.
No glory for high profile imports in A-League openers
The debuts of high profile imports Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono were spoiled by a winless opening round to this season's A-League in Australia.
Del Piero's new club Sydney FC were brought down to earth in Wellington with the Phoenix worthy 2-0 winners, while Heskey's Newcastle Jets are also pointless after the first round following a 2-0 defeat to Adelaide United.
New franchise Western Sydney Wanderers, who signed former AFC player of the year Ono on a two-year deal just before the season began, drew 0-0 with the Central Coast Mariners.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Brisbane Roar were beaten in Perth in a rematch of last season's contentious grand final.
Compiled by Marc Fox
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