FreeGoalZ: 9/17 Goal.com News - English

Goal.com News - English - America

Adriano: I need to lose weight before debuting for Corinthians

September 16, 2011 at 7:50 PM

Corinthians striker Adriano is eager to make his debut for the Brazilian club after a long injury layoff, but admitted that he needs to get himself into shape before he can retake the soccer field.

The former Inter and Roma forward moved to Corinthians in March 2011 after being released from the Italian club, but suffered an Achilles injury before he could make a single appearance, and for the last five months has been on the sidelines at the Sao Paulo club.

As a return to full training approaches, Adriano affirmed that he is looking forward to playing again, but also recognized that he would have to drop some weight before returning.

"There is not far to go. I think that I'll have to lose three or four kilograms. There is still about a month before I can come back though, which gives me time," the former Brazil international explained in an interview with TV Globo.

Adriano also hit out at commentators who had questioned his frequenting of local nightspots, arguing that it is not of their business how he spends his free time.

"I would like to ask them to take a closer look at their own lives, and not judge me," he said.

Timmy Chandler's agent denies USA international considering switch to German national team

September 16, 2011 at 5:00 PM

Timmy Chandler will apparently remain a U.S. international after all.

Chandler's agent, Thomas Kroth, spoke to SI.com and allayed fears that the talented full-back was considering a switch to the German national team, a side he is still eligible to play for.

"I can tell you that Löw neither phoned nor met with Timmy," Kroth said. "Nothing has changed, nothing at all. He's still very happy to play for the (United States)."

Rumors were sparked earlier in the week when former USA player Tony Sanneh tweeted that Chandler was in fact thinking about switching to the German national team, and that head coach Joachim Low was set to meet with the 21-year-old.

Chandler has made four appearances for the U.S. men's national team, but not in a competitive fixture so a move to the German side remains a possibility, though Kroth's words appear to have put the speculation to bed.

Freiburg 1-2 Stuttgart: Harnik brace sends Labbadia's men to third in the Bundesliga

September 16, 2011 at 4:40 PM

A brace from Martin Harnik earned Stuttgart an impressive 2-1 away win against Freiburg at the Dreisamstadion, moving the club up to third in the Bundesliga.

In a game where the away side constantly looked threatening on the break, Harnik gave Bruno Labbadia's men the lead in the 32nd minute, following Freiburg's failure to clear a corner. The former Werder Bremen man grabbed his second and all three points for his team on 73 minutes.

Papiss Cisse scored to make it 2-1 yet Stuttgart managed to hold on for the win that takes them into a Champions League qualification spot.

Following a period of increased pressure, the away team took a vital lead on 32 minutes. Zdravko Kuzmanovic's corner was only-half cleared by the Freiburg defence with the ball falling to Harnik on the edge of the box, who struck the ball through the crowded penalty box and into the far corner, via the fingertips of Oliver Baumann.

Stuttgart wrapped up the points in the 73rd minute when Harnik doubled his tally for the night with a fine strike. Cristian Molinaro's whipped cross from the left found the Austrian winger unmarked at the back-post. Harnik took one touch to control the ball before lifting the bouncing ball over the keeper's head from eight yards out.

The home side grabbed a consolation in the 85th minute when Cisse scored his fifth Bundesliga goal of the season. The Senegalese striker received a through ball from Cedric Makiadi before slipping it through the legs of Sven Ulreich yet it was not to be enough for Marcus Sorg's side.

Next up for Stuttgart is a home encounter against Hamburg while Freiburg travel to Gelsenkirchen to face Schalke.