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	<title>Sports &#187; Glen Levy &#124; TIME.com</title>
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	<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com</link>
	<description>Where sports is on the mind</description>
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		<title>Sports &#187; Glen Levy &#124; TIME.com</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com</link>
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		<title>Fergie&#8217;s Farewell and the Race for the Champions League: The English Premier League Draws to a Close</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/17/fergies-farewell-and-the-race-for-the-champions-league-the-english-premier-league-draws-to-a-close/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/17/fergies-farewell-and-the-race-for-the-champions-league-the-english-premier-league-draws-to-a-close/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 06:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alex Ferguson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manchester City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manchester United]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roberto Mancini]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robin van Persie]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2346243</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The story goes that no sooner had Manchester United lost their English Premier League title to local rivals Manchester City in dramatic circumstances at the end of the 2011/12 season, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had a plan. Quite simply, he knew that relinquishing control of a league his charges had won 12 times since the inception of the EPL in 1992, because of an inferior goal differance (both teams had 89 points) could be rectified by signing a striker. And even though Ferguson didn&#8217;t often bring in players approaching their thirties, or in their thirties, a bid of £24 million ($36.5 million) for Arsenal&#8217;s 29-year-old Robin van Persie (who only had a year left on his contract, meaning he could soon leave for nothing) was more than enough to tempt the London club into selling arguably their most important player. Manchester City&#8217;s manager, Roberto Mancini, was also keen on signing the Dutchman but it wasn&#8217;t to be. As it turns out, that failure might have cost Mancini his job. United&#8217;s new signing, also known as RVP, justified Ferguson&#8217;s faith by scoring 25 goals as United eased to their 13th EPL title, and 20th triumph in the top flight in total. This is probably not Ferguson&#8217;s best United side since he started to win the league on a regular basis in 1992/93, but United were still too good for everyone else. Heading into their 38th and final league match of the season this Sunday at West Bromwich Albion, United have only lost five games. City only lost five times as well but have five fewer wins and a home defeat to United last December was pivotal: had they won, the teams would have been level on points but United&#8217;s last-minute winner in a thrilling 3-2 win opened up a six-point gap and they wouldn&#8217;t be denied. Who scored the winner that day? A certain RVP. (MORE: Is Fan Misbehavior During &#8220;Derby&#8221; Rivalries Poisioning the Beautiful Game?) And it was around this time that Ferguson, who has been in charge at<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2346243&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ferguson_0517.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
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	</item>
		<item>
		<title>David Beckham&#8217;s Greatest Bends: Soccer Icon&#8217;s Top Five Free Kicks</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/16/david-beckhams-greatest-bends-soccer-icons-top-five-free-kicks/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/16/david-beckhams-greatest-bends-soccer-icons-top-five-free-kicks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 17:12:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[David Beckham]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2346309</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[David Beckham&#8217;s greatest soccer achievement: his uncanny ability to score on a free kick. Here&#8217;s our list of Beckham&#8217;s five finest free kicks; in honor of the 38-year-old&#8217;s retirement, let&#8217;s Bend It Like Beckham one more time. (MORE: David Beckham Announces His Retirement) 1. England 2-2 Greece, October 6, 2001 Entering the final minute of the World Cup qualifier, England needed to score to have a chance at making the 2002 World Cup. In possibly his best game ever for England, Beckham&#8217;s dramatic, last-gasp equalizer at his then-home ground of Old Trafford, in Manchester, was surely one of the greatest moments of his illustrious career. 2. England 2-0 Colombia, June 26, 1998 Beckham&#8217;s first goal for England was a free kick, which seems pretty apt. A hot night during the World Cup in France got even steamier thanks to the midfielder&#8217;s perfect placement and ever so cheeky celebration which followed. 3. Man Utd 3-3 Barcelona, September 16, 1998 Later that year, Beckham scored another sumptuous set-piece, this time for his club side Manchester United, against Barcelona, in a thrilling 3-3 tie during the group phase of the Champions League. By now, Becks was making a difficult skill look so simple (goal at 47 seconds into this clip). 4. Man Utd 4-3 Real Madrid, April 23, 2003 A few months before Beckham was transferred to the Spanish giants Real Madrid, he almost single-handedly knocked them out of the 2003 Champions League. While Manchester United were eventually eliminated 6-5 on aggregate (the teams played twice, at each other&#8217;s stadiums), substitute Becks came off the bench and scored twice, including a free kick he reportedly considered as &#8220;my best free-kick ever in a Man United shirt.&#8221; 5. Marseille 1-2 Real Madrid, November 23, 2003 And wouldn&#8217;t you know it: Beckham&#8217;s first European goal for Real Madrid was a trademark free kick. Considering the set-piece ability of his Galácticos teammates, Becks didn&#8217;t take all the free kicks for Madrid. But when he did, it wasn&#8217;t a surprise if he scored.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2346309&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/arp3523119.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">AC Milan&#039;s English midfielder David Beckham takes a free kick against Manchester United during their UEFA Champions League round of 16 match at San Siro stadium in Milan, on Feb. 16, 2010.</media:title>
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		<media:content url="http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/be06b16326230a842675fe708547129d?s=96&#38;d=http%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fmu.gif&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>End It Like Beckham: David Beckham Announces His Retirement</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/16/end-it-like-beckham-david-beckham-announces-his-retirement/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/16/end-it-like-beckham-david-beckham-announces-his-retirement/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 16:07:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[David Beckham]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2346290</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The soccer world, still recovering from the news that the legendary Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is to retire at the end of the season, is suddenly dealing with another United icon calling it a day. At 38, David Beckham, who left Old Trafford back in 2003, confirmed on Thursday that he was hanging up his boots. &#8220;If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy,&#8221; he said in a statement. &#8220;I&#8217;m fortunate to have realized those dreams.&#8221; Beckham is the only English player to have won championships in four countries – England, Spain, the U.S. and France – and helped raise the profile of the sport in America by playing for the LA Galaxy between 2007-2012. The tributes came pouring in, including from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who tweeted &#8220;Best wishes as David #BeckhamRetires His magical free kicks for @MUFC and England will live long in the memory of all football fans.&#8221; Beckham was also instrumental away from the soccer field, playing a significant part in the successful bid to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to London. (PHOTOS: A Brief History of David Beckham) Beckham made his name playing for Manchester United, and he represented his favorite team on 394 occasions. He wore the famous number 7 shirt for arguably the world&#8217;s best known soccer club, which was the same number worn by the iconic George Best for United in the 1960s and&#8217;70s. Best wasn&#8217;t necessarily the biggest fan of Becks, once claiming, possibly with his tongue in his cheek, that &#8220;he cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn&#8217;t score many goals. Apart from that he&#8217;s all right.&#8221; There may have been a tiny bit of truth in Best&#8217;s pointed remark. But<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2346290&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/beckhamgallery0516.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Paris&#039; British midfielder David Beckham celebrates after Paris Saint-Germain won the French L1 title on May 12, 2013 at the Gerland stadium in Lyon, France.</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/be06b16326230a842675fe708547129d?s=96&#38;d=http%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fmu.gif&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>Retirement for Alex Ferguson, the World’s Most Successful Football Manager—and a Headache for Manchester United</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/08/retirement-for-alex-ferguson-the-worlds-most-successful-football-manager-and-a-headache-for-manchester-united/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/08/retirement-for-alex-ferguson-the-worlds-most-successful-football-manager-and-a-headache-for-manchester-united/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 12:20:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy and Catherine Mayer</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Appreciation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alex Ferguson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manchester United]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2346151</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Emotions ran as high as if someone had died. On May 8, minutes after Alex Ferguson, the brilliant, pugnacious, seemingly indefatigable manager of Manchester United confirmed his plans to retire later this month, tributes squeezed out breaking news and flooded Twitter. Paul Ince, a former Manchester United midfielder and current manager of the second-tier team Blackpool, told the broadcaster Sky Sports: “I&#8217;m totally shocked. What&#8217;s he&#8217;s done in unbelievable. You&#8217;ll never see anyone of his kind again. Two weeks ago he was talking about staying on for another two years, so it&#8217;s a massive, massive shock.&#8221; Britain’s Prime Minister, heading to Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, stopped to tweet. &#8220;Sir Alex Ferguson&#8217;s achievement at #MUFC has been exceptional. Hopefully his retirement will make life a little easier for my team #AVFC,” wrote David Cameron. The last time #MUFC met #AVFC — Aston Villa — United scored three goals to Villa’s zero, pushing Cameron’s team closer to potential relegation to England’s second-tier league. (MORE: Five Defining Moments as Manchester United Win the 2012/13 English Premier League) If not all Britons will be sorry to see the back of the 71-year-old Scot whose success doomed so many supporters of rival teams to disappointment, Ferguson’s departure leaves United with a problem. During his 26-year tenure at the club, Fergie, as fans and foes know him, steered the Red Devils (ditto) to 38 trophies: 13 domestic league championships – including the 2012/13 season, which his side won with ease – five FA Cups, four League Cups (unlike the FA Cup, amateur sides aren&#8217;t allowed to enter the League Cup) and two Champions League crowns, which sees the best teams from across Europe compete. The next manager has huge boots to fill, and a passionate, worldwide fan base braced against a dip in form and bound to measure any successor against Fergie. He’ll remain a director of the club and a looming presence for whomever proves brave — perhaps foolish — enough to follow him. Front-runners for the job are thought to include a fellow<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2346151&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ferguson_0508.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson waves to the crowd prior to a match against Reading in Manchester, Dec. 30, 2006.</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/be06b16326230a842675fe708547129d?s=96&#38;d=http%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fmu.gif&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
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		<title>What&#8217;s the German for &#8216;El Clásico&#8217;? Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to Meet in the Champions League Final</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/02/whats-the-german-for-el-clasico-bayern-munich-and-borussia-dortmund-to-meet-in-the-champions-league-final/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/05/02/whats-the-german-for-el-clasico-bayern-munich-and-borussia-dortmund-to-meet-in-the-champions-league-final/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2013 04:30:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barcelona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bayern Munich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Borussia Dortmund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Champions League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FIFA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real madrid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UEFA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2346049</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[German soccer sides are accustomed to success at the home of English soccer, Wembley Stadium. The 1996 European Championships, held across England, ended in heartbreak for the hosts, who were defeated by Germany on penalty kicks in the semi-final. The Germans went on to win the final against the Czech Republic (both matches took place at Wembley). The slogan for the tournament was &#8220;Football Comes Home.&#8221; Not quite. Four years later, in what would be Wembley&#8217;s final game before the famous stadium was demolished (it reopened in 2007), the World Cup qualifier between the European rivals ended in a 1-0 home defeat for England. Manager Kevin Keegan – who actually played for German team Hamburg during his playing career – ended up resigning in the toilet after the match, which seems about as depressing a way to quit as it gets. But at this May&#8217;s Champions League final – an all-German affair between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, which is taking place at Wembley Stadium to celebrate 150 years of the English Football Association – it appears unlikely that the losing manager will call it a day in the bathroom, due to German soccer&#8217;s rude health. (MORE: Previewing the Champions League Semi-Finals) Things are going too well for German sides. Bayern Munich is playing in its third final in four years, and enter the game having won the domestic league title with ease. Dortmund, who was league champion in Germany for two seasons in a row before this latest campaign, has positively sparkled in the Champions League, only losing one game, and winning the so-called Group of Death against the champions of Spain (Real Madrid), England (Manchester City) and Holland (Ajax) along the way. But Dortmund had difficulty during the second leg of its semi-final against Real, with the Spanish side needing a 3-0 win to progress and getting mighty close, scoring twice late on but unable to find a winner. Dortmund arguably saved its best for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final (in the knockout stages of European competitions, the<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2346049&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/dortmund_bayern_0501.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
		</media:content>
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		<title>Manchester United Win the 2012/13 English Premier League: Five Defining Moments</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/23/manchester-united-win-the-201213-english-premier-league-five-defining-moments/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/23/manchester-united-win-the-201213-english-premier-league-five-defining-moments/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[English Premier League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EPL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manchester United]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robin van Persie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sir Alex Ferguson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wayne Rooney]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2345934</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Believe it or not, there was once a time, before the English Premier League (EPL) was created, when the mighty Manchester United struggled to land the top prize in English soccer. In the 1966/67 season, manager Matt Busby&#8217;s side, inspired by his &#8216;Holy Trinity&#8217; of Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton, won their seventh title, but it would then take until the first season of the EPL, in 1992/93, for United to end their drought (the Premier League was a break away from the Football League). Since then, United have been unstoppable, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson – who has been in charge since 1986 – presiding over 13 titles in the EPL era, with the latest coming on Monday night after a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Aston Villa (Ferguson hailed one of Robin van Persie&#8217;s hat-trick of goals as the &#8220;goal of the century.&#8221;) Let&#8217;s look back on five moments which helped wrest the title back from United&#8217;s local rivals, Manchester City, who had dramatically won the title on goal difference on the last day of last season. (MORE: How Gareth Bale and Ryan Giggs Are Having a Soccer Season to Remember) 1. Everton 1-0 Manchester United, Aug. 20 It may seem strange to start with a defeat but the 1-0 loss at Everton on the opening round of games was a wake up call. United were outthought and outfought by the opposition, who won the game through a Marouane Fellaini header. The Belgian international gave United&#8217;s makeshift defense a torrid time while Ferguson&#8217;s major summer signing, the £24m ($36.5m) Robin van Persie, was only used as a second-half substitute and couldn&#8217;t make his mark. But he would soon come good, as did his teammates. United responded to the setback by winning 25 of their next 29 games. 2.  Southampton 2-3 Man Utd, Sep. 2 Speaking of van Persie, his hat-trick at Southampton didn&#8217;t just endear him to his new supporters, but salvaged what looked like being a damaging defeat and turned it into a valuable three points.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2345934&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/23/manchester-united-win-the-201213-english-premier-league-five-defining-moments/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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	<primary_category>Soccer</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/soccer/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/rvp_0423.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Glen</media:title>
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		<title>The Bite Heard Around the World: Liverpool Striker Luis Suarez Sinks His Teeth into a Fellow Player</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/22/the-bite-heard-around-the-world-liverpool-striker-luis-suarez-sinks-his-teeth-into-a-fellow-player/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/22/the-bite-heard-around-the-world-liverpool-striker-luis-suarez-sinks-his-teeth-into-a-fellow-player/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:55:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branislav Ivanovic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chelsea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EPL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liverpool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Luis Suarez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2345913</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Updated: Apr. 24, 2013 at 11:o0 a.m. EST This Sunday, in England, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez might win the Professional Footballers&#8217; Association (PFA) Player of the Year award. And the statistics make a compelling case: in 45 appearances this season, the 26-year-old Uruguayan has scored 30 goals and contributed 11 assists. But yesterday, Suarez showed the world the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. The good: In the second half of Liverpool&#8217;s home game against Chelsea, Suarez set up one goal and headed in an injury-time equalizer in a pulsating 2-2 tie. The bad: his handball resulted in a penalty kick for the London side, which they duly converted (Suarez was also booked for his transgression). The ugly: 10 minutes after conceding the penalty, the Uruguayan, for reasons only he can explain, inexplicably, and seemingly unprovoked, sunk his teeth into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. The stunned Serbian rolled up his sleeve to show the mark to referee Kevin Friend, but the official declined to take any further action (to add insult to Chelsea&#8217;s injury, Suarez was able to have the last word in the match, by remaining on the field to score the late goal). (MORE: Liverpool, Chelsea and the Tracks of My Tears) But because Friend was no foe, as far as Suarez was concerned, the Football Association (FA) can now step in, and may well dish out a lengthy ban to the player (On Wednesday, they did just that, handing out a 10-match ban for violent conduct.) Perhaps sensing that damage limitation would be the best course of action in the immediate aftermath, both Suarez and his employers were contrite. &#8220;I apologize to my manager and everyone at Liverpool for letting them down,&#8221; said the player in a statement Sunday, before tweeting that &#8220;I&#8217;ve spoken to Ivanovic on the phone and I could apologize directly to him. Thanks for accepting.&#8221; On Monday, Suarez acknowledged on Twitter that &#8220;[f]or my unacceptable behaviour the club has fined me. I have asked the club to donate the money to the<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2345913&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<title>Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah Confirmed for London Anniversary Games</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/18/usain-bolt-jessica-ennis-and-mo-farah-confirmed-for-london-anniversary-games/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/18/usain-bolt-jessica-ennis-and-mo-farah-confirmed-for-london-anniversary-games/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:49:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Athletes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Olympics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Track & Field]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jessica Ennis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[London Anniversary Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Usain Bolt]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2345877</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Updated: Apr. 19, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. EST Happy Anniversary, London. The 2012 Olympic Games were a joyous occasion for those lucky enough to enjoy the sports and sunshine on offer. Home crowds witnessed wonderful performances from the host nation, and many others, and for 17 magical days, it felt as if London was the global capital of sport. A year on, we&#8217;ll get to do some of it all over again. In a sensible bit of rebranding, this July&#8217;s London Grand Prix will be called the London 2012 Anniversary Games. Traditionally held at Crystal Palace, it will take place in the Olympic Stadium on the anniversary weekend of the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games this July 26-28. Tickets went on sale Friday morning and the first two days sold out in 75 minutes. (MORE: TIME&#8217;s 2012 Olympics Coverage) And the confirmed names will surely help put bums on seats. On Tuesday, Britain&#8217;s golden girl, the 27-year-old heptathlon winner Jessica Ennis announced her participation, and she&#8217;ll compete against Olympic champion Sally Pearson in the 100m hurdles. And she&#8217;ll be joined at the Games by the two British males who also won gold on the night known as Super Saturday: 5,000 and 10,000 meter winner Mo Farah and long jumper Greg Rutherford. &#8220;I have amazing memories of competing in the Olympic Stadium and it will be good to step out on that track again in front of a British crowd,&#8221; Ennis said. &#8220;I&#8217;ll never forget the noise the crowd made when I competed last August and know that the draw of the stadium and the great line-up of athletes will fill the stands and make it another incredible occasion.&#8221; (VIDEO: Britain&#8217;s Track &#38; Field Golden Girl Jessica Ennis Gets Set for her Home Games) In total, all five of Team GB&#8217;s track and field medal winners will be there, along with 14 of Britain&#8217;s 16 Paralympic medalists. But perhaps the biggest draw will be a certain sprinter. On Wednesday, the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, confirmed that<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2345877&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<title>Great Scott: An Australian Finally Wins The Masters</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/15/great-scott-an-australian-finally-wins-the-masters/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/15/great-scott-an-australian-finally-wins-the-masters/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:39:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Golf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adam scott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Angel Cabrera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Augusta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jason Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steve Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Masters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tiger Woods]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2345805</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For Adam Scott and Australian golf fans, it was a case of 9th time lucky at the 10th hole at Augusta in the 10th ever playoff at The Masters. On eight previous occasions, Australian golfers have been runners-up at the first major of the year. Most infamously, in 1996, Greg Norman somehow turned a six-shot lead on the final day into a defeat to Englishman Nick Faldo. It was the kind of choke which might have made you wonder whether there was a Curse of the Bambino lurking when it came to Aussies and The Masters. And the 32-year-old Scott could have had cause to curse his own ability in the clutch. Not only was he one of those Australians who had come second at The Masters – he tied with fellow countryman Jason Day in 2011 – but at last year&#8217;s British Open, he bogeyed the last four holes to lose to South African Ernie Els. Yet less than a year later, Scott was slipping on the iconic Green Jacket from 2012 Masters winner Bubba Watson. And it couldn&#8217;t have been more dramatic: Scott won it by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff to defeat Argentina&#8216;s Angel Cabrera. (MORE: How Tianlang Guan, 14-Year-Old Phenom, Made The Masters Cut, And Avoided Controversy) Truth be told, the final day on Sunday probably won&#8217;t go down as one of the best among the 77 editions of the major to date. The unseasonal rain didn&#8217;t only dampen the course, making it harder to judge putts, but the enthusiasm of the spectators who could be seen using their hands to hold umbrellas rather than applaud the golfers. &#8220;Moving Day&#8221; on Saturday – so called because it&#8217;s often the round when the likeliest winners of a major put themselves in position to triumph come Sunday – had also been a damp squib of sorts, with not too much in the way of significant action. It seemed as if a winner could come from one of the three Australians –<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2345805&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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	<primary_category>Golf</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/category/golf-2/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/scott_0415.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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		<title>Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: A Preview of the Champions League Semi-Finals</title>
		<link>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/12/bayern-munich-vs-barcelona-and-borussia-dortmund-vs-real-madrid-a-preview-of-the-champions-league-semi-finals/</link>
		<comments>http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/04/12/bayern-munich-vs-barcelona-and-borussia-dortmund-vs-real-madrid-a-preview-of-the-champions-league-semi-finals/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:07:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Glen Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barcelona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bayern Munich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Borussia Dortmund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Champions League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real madrid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Semi-Finals]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/?p=2345758</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There was a joke doing the rounds on Twitter yesterday, in anticipation of Friday morning&#8217;s Champions League semi-final draw. The remaining four sides come from Spain and Germany – Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – and the first part of the gag was that if the teams from the same country were drawn against each other, it might be seen as a fix by soccer fans. The payoff? If the teams were kept apart, it would still be viewed as a fix. It was hardly Abbott and Costello doing &#8220;Who&#8217;s on first?&#8221; but it may have made you smile (accusations have been made over the years that soccer draws have been fixed.) As it turned out, the German and Spanish sides were kept apart from each other with Bayern Munich at home in the first leg to Barcelona on Apr. 23 and Borussia Dortmund taking on Real Madrid the following night (the return legs are on Apr. 30 and May 1 with Madrid vs. Dortmund being played on the 30th). If the Spanish giants, who both play their second legs at home, which could be seen as an advantage, make it through, then &#8220;El Clasico,&#8221; the name by which their games are known, will take place at London&#8217;s Wembley Stadium in the May 25 final. Let&#8217;s take a look at the mouth-watering match ups. (MORE: Why Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Is More Than a Game) Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona The immediate subplot that comes to mind is how arguably the most interested observer of them all will be a certain Pep Guardiola. The former Barcelona manager, who won 14 trophies over four years for Barca, is taking over as Bayern boss next season, and has been on a year-long sabbatical in New York. Whether he attends these games isn&#8217;t yet known but he, in addition to soccer fans around the world, will know that Barca&#8217;s number 10, Lionel Messi, will be the key to this semi-final. Barcelona made heavy weather of their quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, and<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=keepingscore.blogs.time.com&#038;blog=33268979&#038;post=2345758&#038;subd=timekeepingscore&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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