viernes, 26 de noviembre de 2010

Mark de Zabaleta - 002

http://www.markdezabaleta.com/
Zabaleta en el fútbol...

Fulham 1-4 Manchester City: Zabaleta, Yaya Toure And Tevez Brace See Mancini’s Side Move Within Three Points Of Chelsea=GOAL

Manchester City dispelled any suggestions that they play negative football with a stunning performance at Craven Cottage as they quite simply outclassed a lacklustre Fulham side.
A brace from Carlos Tevez either side of strikes from Pablo Zabaleta and Yaya Toure gave City a fully deserved win in a match that they dominated from start to finish.
Roberto Mancini’s side went into the game with Fulham knowing that victory would see them close the gap on leaders Chelsea to just three points, following the blues surprise defeat at Birmingham yesterday.
Mark Hughes came up against his former employers for the first time since his dismissal from the Eastlands club last year; looking to kick start Fulham’s faltering start to the season which has seen them win just two Premier League games.
City started the game like a team who had been given a new leash of life with the favourable results which went for them yesterday, well aware that this season represents arguably the most open title contest in the Premier League’s history.
Despite the increasing pressure on Mancini and continued criticism of his negativity in recent matches the Italian opted to retain the formation which had seen them fail miserably to score in their last two outings. City retained both Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry in their midfield with Yaya Toure operating in front of the defensive duo.
City dominated the opening stages and found the breakthrough after just six minutes. Carlos Tevez collected a Gareth Barry pass on the edge of the Fulham penalty area, easily outmuscling Carlos Salcido in the process and kept his composure to give City the perfect start. Fulham appealed for offside and replays suggested that it was a touch and go decision.
The early goal seemed to inspire City to take control of proceedings whilst having the complete opposite effect on the home side who seemed to lack any confidence, as their recent bad run in the league suggests.
Left back Aleksander Kolarov should have made it 2-0 when he raced clean through at the end of a swift City counter attack but Mark Schwarzer made a fine save down to his left to deny the former Lazio man.
City were playing some fantastic football, their passing neat and crisp and they had taken total control of the game, with the excellent David Silva proving to be a constant menace to the Fulham back line.
The visitors total domination was rewarded in spectacular fashion just after the half an hour mark when Pablo Zabaleta connected with a loose clearance to smash home an unstoppable drive from 22 yards.
As the away fans sarcastically began the chant of ‘boring boring City,’ record summer signing Yaya Toure scored his second goal of the game to put the finishing touches on a sensational first half performance.
The goal came at the end of a 24 pass move which inevitably featured the rampant Silva and Tevez, who played an exquisite through ball to Yaya Toure and he made no mistake in slotting the ball into the corner of the net. It was exhibition stuff.
Mark Hughes’s nightmare against his former club was to get worse when City added a fourth soon after the restart. It was tough on Fulham who had made a spirited start to the half, but the irrepressible Tevez soon put an end to any faint hopes the home side had of getting back into the match.
Fulham’s fragile defence were once again torn to pieces when Zabaleta’s pass found Tevez who saw his shot saved by Schwarzer. However, from the resulting corner, Zabaleta’s low strike was flicked in by the Argentinean who was standing right in front of Schwarzer’s eye line.
With Diego Maradona in attendance at the Cottage as Fulham’s special guest, it seemed that Tevez and his team-mates were determined to put on a show for the former Argentina coach and they were certainly not letting him down, playing a brand of football that he must have enjoyed.
Fulham snatched their consolation goal when a slack clearance from Jo was side footed in by Zoltan Gera. However, the goal could not cover up the huge gulf in class between the two sides as City sent out a warning to their Premier League rivals that they are firmly in the race for the Premier League title. Source: Goal

Autor: Mark de Zabaleta.
http://www.becspain.com/

Mark de Zabaleta - 001

http://www.markdezabaleta.com/

Palmarés de Mariano Zabaleta


2007 IN REVIEW

The Argentine returned from a knee injury in 2006 to reach his eighth career ATP final and compile a 15-5 mark in Challenger play with two titles...Opened season with title at La Serena Challenger (d. Brzezicki) and following month advanced to final at Florianopolis Challenger (l. to Hernandez)...In April, qualified and reached first ATP final on U.S. soil in Houston, defeating No. 9 Blake in SF before losing to Karlovic...Following week, captured title at Bermuda Challenger (d. Dancevic)...In two weeks, climbed from No. 156 to No. 88 on Apr. 23...Did not win back-to-back matches rest of season...Compiled a 9-9 mark on clay.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1995 – Reached first ATP QF in Prague (as qualifier)… 1996 – Improved ranking for third consecutive season in his rookie campaign as a pro… Reached SF in Bermuda (as qualifier) and QF in Bournemouth on ATP… In Challenger play, compiled 20-11 record and won title in Birmingham (d. Behrens), reached SF in Zagreb and Kosice and QF in three other events… 1997 – Best results came in Challenger play (12-14 record), with runner-up in Guayaquil (l. to Nydahl)… 1998 – Captured first ATP title in Bogota (d. Delgado)… 1999 – Finished year as No. 1 Argentine for first time in his career after reaching three ATP finals at AMS Hamburg, St. Poelten and Amsterdam… 2000 – Opened season by reaching 3rd RD at Australian Open (l. to Agassi)… Followed with a QF appearance in London (d. Henman) during European indoor circuit… Reached 3rd RD at TMS events in Indian Wells and Miami… Advanced to QF at AMS Hamburg (d. Gaudio, Hewitt, Henman)… Represented country in Olympics, reaching 3rd RD… 2001 – Advanced to SF in Vina del Mar (l. to Coria) and reached QF in Casablanca… Played well on hard courts, advancing to first career Grand Slam QF at US Open (d. Grosjean, Dent, Rusedski, Malisse, l. to Safin)… Became first Argentine to reach Open QF since Vilas advanced to SF in 1982… Followed with QF in Palermo..Had a 9-7 mark on hard courts and 9-10 on clay… 2002 – Finished in Top 50 for first time in three years, reaching SF in Mallorca and Kitzbuehel and QF in Buenos Aires and Acapulco… Also turned in a career-best 4th RD showing at Roland Garros… 2003 – Reached final in Acapulco (d. Kuerten, l. to Calleri) and followed with SF in Scottsdale (l. to Philippoussis)… At Roland Garros, reached 4th RD for second year in a row, losing to countryman Coria in five sets in 4:42… In July, won title in Bastad (d. Moya in SF, Lapentti in F) and followed with SF in Kitzbuehel (d. Ferrero, l. to Massu)…2004 – Finished in Top 65 for seventh straight year and enjoyed success on his favorite clay court surface by reaching QF or better in five tournaments… In July, repeated his title in Bastad, defeating countryman Gaudio in a third-set tie-break… His other best results included a SF run at ATP Masters Series Rome (d. No. 7 Henman, No. 11 Massu, l. to Moya) and QF in Vina del Mar, Buenos Aires and Kitzbuhel… Compiled a 23-13 record on clay and 2-7 on hard…2005 – Won at least 20 matches for fourth consecutive year... In February, reached QF in Vina del Mar (l. to Gonzalez) and Costa do Sauipe (l. to Martin)... Reached 3rd RD at AMS Miami (l. to eventual champion Federer) and 3rd RD in Monte-Carlo but was forced to retire against Ferrer after winning first set with foot injury... Missed next eight weeks... Made ATP return as two-time defending champion in Bastad, where he reached QF (l. to Berdych)... Followed with QF in Stuttgart and first SF appearance of season in Kitzbuehel, losing to Gaudio on both occasions... Lost next five matches... Underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery on Oct. 1...2006 -- A left knee injury kept this Argentine out for nearly five months and outside the year-end Top 100 for the first time since 1997...After Oct. 1, 2005 knee surgery, played only Australian Open (l. to Wang) before returning in May...Went 1-2 in Challengers before reaching Reggio Emilia Challenger QF (l. to Roitman)...Returned to ATP action at Bastad but retired against Massu with groin injury...Reached 3rd RD at Stuttgart (d. Waske, Gaudio, l. to Horna)...Finalist at Guayaquil Challenger in November (l. to Roitman)...2007--The Argentine returned from a knee injury in 2006 to reach his eighth ATP final and compile a 15-5 mark in Challenger play with two titles...Opened season with title at La Serena Challenger (d. Brzezicki) and following month advanced to final at Florianopolis Challenger (l. to Hernandez)...In April, qualified and reached first ATP final on U.S. soil in Houston, defeating No. 9 Blake in SF before losing to Karlovic...Following week, captured title at Bermuda Challenger (d. Dancevic)...In two weeks, climbed from No. 156 to No. 88 on Apr. 23...Did not win back-to-back matches rest of season...Compiled a 9-9 mark on clay.

PERSONAL

Won Roland Garros juniors title (d. countryman Puerta) and finished No. 1 in 1995...First Argentine to win title since Guillermo Perez-Roldan in 1986-87...His father was a well-known rugby player in Argentina...A big fan of soccer great Diego Maradona and considers Argentina’s World Cup win in 1986 as one of his favorite sports memories...Admired Mats Wilander while growing up...Has a 1-4 career Davis Cup record in four ties since 1999...Coached by countryman Guillermo Perez-Roldan and fitness trainer is Juan Menchon.

Autor: Mark de Zabaleta
http://www.becspain.com/