This week’s show looks back at the World Cup qualifiers, serious injury for Chelsea star and claims of racism in Zagreb. Click on the links below to find out more on the stories that appear on this weeka€™s show.
The good
Good for Theo Walcott and Miroslav Klose who both netted hat-tricks in the World Cup qualifiers. It will be Walcott feeling the happier of the two though. After getting the nod ahead of Beckham, he took his chance and scored his first goals for the England first team. His team went on to win their game against Croatia 4-1 while Germany drew with Finland 3-3.
Good for football minnows Luxembourg who overcame Switzerland away with a winner in the 86th minute leaving the Euro 2008 co-hosts red-faced. Alphonse Lewick, the 27 year-old midfielder, was Luxembourg’s hero on the night.
The Bad
Yes, bad for Switzerland and their coach Otto Hitzfeld and also bad for Chelsea’s Michael Essien who was seriously injured while playing for Ghana in a World Cup qualifier against Libya. It looks like he might be out for up to five months with a cruciate ligament injury.
Bad as Benitez drops Hyypia from Liverpool’s squad for the Champions League and then blames UEFA’s new regulations, which mean teams have to field eight home-grown players, at least four from their own academy and the rest from other academies from the team’s country. Hyypia was annoyed at the timing of Benitez’s team, just after the transfer window closed, meaning he had no chance to look for a move to another team. There’s always a silver lining though as youngsters like Steve Irwin from the youth squad get a call up to the Champions League team – watch him in action here.
The Ugly
The English FA have asked FIFA to look into allegations that Croatian fans racially abused England striker Emile Heskey during their 1-4 defeat in Zagreb this week. Racism in football, ugly indeed.
