Roger Federer, the three-time defending champion, heads the men’s field for the United States Open, which includes all players ranked in the top 100. The United States Tennis Association announced yesterday that the field would also include the former Open champions Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin.
The Open will be played Aug. 27 to Sept. 9 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.
With his victory last year, Federer, who has won this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, joined Ivan Lendl (1985-87) and John McEnroe (1979-81) as the only men to win three consecutive United States Open men’s singles titles in the Open era. Behind Federer on the entry list are No. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain, the French Open champion; No. 3 Novak Djokovic of Serbia, No. 4 Roddick of the United States; No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia; No. 6 Fernando González of Chile; No. 7 Tommy Robredo of Spain; No. 8 Richard Gasquet of France; No. 9 James Blake of the United States; and No. 10 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.
Other American men who received direct entry into this year’s tournament include No. 40 Mardy Fish, No. 45 Robby Ginepri, No. 62 Vince Spadea, No. 63 Amer Delic, No. 68 Michael Russell, No. 91 Sam Querrey and No. 97 Paul Goldstein.
Eight entrants have won Grand Slam singles titles in their careers, including the 2003 French Open champion, Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain; the 2002 Australian Open champion, Thomas Johansson of Australia; and the 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moyá of Spain.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Clemens Keeps the Yankees Close Enough
Among the strong impressions from the Yankees’ 6-1 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays last night before 52,147 slightly giddy fans at Yankee Stadium:
¶ Alex Rodriguez marched on in his quest for another Most Valuable Player award with a two-run double that provided the tying and winning runs in the seventh inning;
¶ Andy Phillips improved his chances of securing the full-time first-base job before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline with a two-run single in the same inning and several more slick fielding plays around the bag;
¶ Roger Clemens, two weeks shy of his 45th birthday, again battled long enough and tough enough to keep his team close before handing the baton after the sixth inning to the shaky pitching hands of the bullpen;
¶ And Manager Joe Torre, who celebrated his 67th birthday, still has a few things to fret about, even though his team won for the fifth consecutive time and for the 11th time in 14 games.
“This was a nice gift,” Torre said, referring to the result on his birthday and not implying the Blue Jays gave the Yankees something not earned. But Torre quickly added that his relief pitchers have to stop walking batters and forcing him to use Mariano Rivera for five-out saves, as he did last night.
“Eventually, it’s going to catch up with you,” Torre said.
Speaking of catching up, the Yankees are doing it on two levels. Because Boston and Cleveland lost, the second-place Yankees moved to within seven games behind the first-place Red Sox in the American League East and six games behind Cleveland in the race for the A.L. wild card.
Seven is still a lot. But the Yankees trailed by 12 as recently as July 5 and by 14 ½ on May 29.
“There’s definitely a positive outlook,” said Rodriguez, who had the most important hit last night and has 92 runs batted in. Rodriguez drove a 2-1 pitch over the head of left fielder Reed Johnson, who was not playing deep enough to reach the ball that landed in front of the wall.
Two runners scored and the fans chanted, “M.V.P.!”
Toronto Manager John Gibbons came to the mound to replace starter Shaun Marcum (5-4), who mixed his pitches well in giving up only two hits over the first six innings.
Four batters later, Phillips drove a bases-loaded single through the left side of the infield off Brandon League to score two more. The victory went to Mike Myers, the first of five Yankees relief pitchers, who faced only one batter, Lyle Overbay, and retired him on a grounder to first with the bases loaded in seventh.
When asked about that critical play, Myers said the most important part was neither his pitch nor his fielding play at first base.
“Andy giving me a good feed,” Myers said of Phillips’s throw. “He’s so solid over there defensively, it’d be nice to see him there a whole year. He’s diving. He’s scooping balls out of the dirt. He’s all over the place.”
Indeed, in the Toronto fourth, with two men on and one man out, Phillips saved an inning-ending double play by scooping a relay throw from Robinson Canó.
Clemens scattered nine hits and one walk among three strikeouts as his record stayed at 2-4. He seemed to labor on a humid night and admitted he may have been working too hard on physical conditioning.
“I’m not young,” Clemens said. “My body wasn’t helping me much. I didn’t have much energy. I continue to show Joe I can get out of some of my messes.” His voice took on a determined tone as he continued.
“The training I’m doing is for October,” Clemens said. “That’s why I came here. I know what I bring when I go to the mound, especially in this stadium in the pinstripes.”
Others on the same mound in the same uniform are disappointing their manager. Luis Vizcaíno, the most reliable relief pitcher lately, needed a rest last night, and so did Kyle Farnsworth, who is struggling to hold on to his eighth-inning role.
So Torre used Scott Proctor, who walked two men, and Myers, who did well against a left-hander, his specialty; and Brian Bruney, who walked a man; and Ron Villone, who walked a man; and, finally, Rivera, who retired all five batters he faced.
INSIDE PITCH
Johnny Damon, the designated hitter for most games in recent weeks, started in left field in place of Hideki Matsui, who was the designated hitter. In the Toronto sixth, Lyle Overbay moved from first to third on a single to left by Aaron Hill. When Damon unsuccessfully tried to throw out Overbay at third, Hill moved to second. Damon has a batting average of .236. ... Joe Torre said he would let Jorge Posada catch Mike Mussina tomorrow night instead of Mussina’s usual catcher, Wil Nieves. Posada will rest today because it is a day game after a night game. ... Phil Hughes, who is returning from ankle and hamstring injuries, worked four innings yesterday with Class AA Trenton and gave up a run and two hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He will work next for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday.
¶ Alex Rodriguez marched on in his quest for another Most Valuable Player award with a two-run double that provided the tying and winning runs in the seventh inning;
¶ Andy Phillips improved his chances of securing the full-time first-base job before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline with a two-run single in the same inning and several more slick fielding plays around the bag;
¶ Roger Clemens, two weeks shy of his 45th birthday, again battled long enough and tough enough to keep his team close before handing the baton after the sixth inning to the shaky pitching hands of the bullpen;
¶ And Manager Joe Torre, who celebrated his 67th birthday, still has a few things to fret about, even though his team won for the fifth consecutive time and for the 11th time in 14 games.
“This was a nice gift,” Torre said, referring to the result on his birthday and not implying the Blue Jays gave the Yankees something not earned. But Torre quickly added that his relief pitchers have to stop walking batters and forcing him to use Mariano Rivera for five-out saves, as he did last night.
“Eventually, it’s going to catch up with you,” Torre said.
Speaking of catching up, the Yankees are doing it on two levels. Because Boston and Cleveland lost, the second-place Yankees moved to within seven games behind the first-place Red Sox in the American League East and six games behind Cleveland in the race for the A.L. wild card.
Seven is still a lot. But the Yankees trailed by 12 as recently as July 5 and by 14 ½ on May 29.
“There’s definitely a positive outlook,” said Rodriguez, who had the most important hit last night and has 92 runs batted in. Rodriguez drove a 2-1 pitch over the head of left fielder Reed Johnson, who was not playing deep enough to reach the ball that landed in front of the wall.
Two runners scored and the fans chanted, “M.V.P.!”
Toronto Manager John Gibbons came to the mound to replace starter Shaun Marcum (5-4), who mixed his pitches well in giving up only two hits over the first six innings.
Four batters later, Phillips drove a bases-loaded single through the left side of the infield off Brandon League to score two more. The victory went to Mike Myers, the first of five Yankees relief pitchers, who faced only one batter, Lyle Overbay, and retired him on a grounder to first with the bases loaded in seventh.
When asked about that critical play, Myers said the most important part was neither his pitch nor his fielding play at first base.
“Andy giving me a good feed,” Myers said of Phillips’s throw. “He’s so solid over there defensively, it’d be nice to see him there a whole year. He’s diving. He’s scooping balls out of the dirt. He’s all over the place.”
Indeed, in the Toronto fourth, with two men on and one man out, Phillips saved an inning-ending double play by scooping a relay throw from Robinson Canó.
Clemens scattered nine hits and one walk among three strikeouts as his record stayed at 2-4. He seemed to labor on a humid night and admitted he may have been working too hard on physical conditioning.
“I’m not young,” Clemens said. “My body wasn’t helping me much. I didn’t have much energy. I continue to show Joe I can get out of some of my messes.” His voice took on a determined tone as he continued.
“The training I’m doing is for October,” Clemens said. “That’s why I came here. I know what I bring when I go to the mound, especially in this stadium in the pinstripes.”
Others on the same mound in the same uniform are disappointing their manager. Luis Vizcaíno, the most reliable relief pitcher lately, needed a rest last night, and so did Kyle Farnsworth, who is struggling to hold on to his eighth-inning role.
So Torre used Scott Proctor, who walked two men, and Myers, who did well against a left-hander, his specialty; and Brian Bruney, who walked a man; and Ron Villone, who walked a man; and, finally, Rivera, who retired all five batters he faced.
INSIDE PITCH
Johnny Damon, the designated hitter for most games in recent weeks, started in left field in place of Hideki Matsui, who was the designated hitter. In the Toronto sixth, Lyle Overbay moved from first to third on a single to left by Aaron Hill. When Damon unsuccessfully tried to throw out Overbay at third, Hill moved to second. Damon has a batting average of .236. ... Joe Torre said he would let Jorge Posada catch Mike Mussina tomorrow night instead of Mussina’s usual catcher, Wil Nieves. Posada will rest today because it is a day game after a night game. ... Phil Hughes, who is returning from ankle and hamstring injuries, worked four innings yesterday with Class AA Trenton and gave up a run and two hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He will work next for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday.
Steam Blast Jolts Midtown, Killing One
A steam pipe explosion beneath a street near Grand Central Terminal yesterday propelled a giant scalding jet of brownish steam toward the sky, sending commuters who had been heading home stampeding to safety.Officials said that one person died and more than 30 were hurt, two of them critically. The city said that three firefighters and one police officer were among the injured.
The blast, near 41st Street and Lexington Avenue, raised fears of terrorism, but officials were quick to dismiss that possibility. “There is no reason to believe this is anything other than a failure of our infrastructure,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said.
The explosion sent up a foul cloud of hot steam mixed with mud, rust-colored gunk and pieces of pavement just before 6 p.m. in one of the busiest parts of the city. The mayor said that some telephone lines had been knocked out, but that electric power had not been.
As people on the sidewalks scrambled to flee and office workers in the buildings above looked down in horror, debris from the geyser pelted nearby skyscrapers. Then it rained on the streets like a sudden hailstorm. Some witnesses said the jet of steam roared like Niagara Falls.
Some people ran so fast their shoes came off. Others dropped their briefcases and purses. Men in tailored suits were caught in a lapel-singeing cloud. At a health club high up in the Grand Hyatt hotel next to Grand Central Terminal, people working out on the treadmills said the explosion was so powerful they worried the building would collapse. The steam shot up from a crater that looked like that of a volcano, with orange flames and bubbling mud around the edges. The explosion packed enough force to flip over a tow truck that ended up in the crater, which was about 35 by 40 feet. Several hours after the blast, officials said the crater could grow even larger because pavement at the edges was in danger of collapse.
The cloud of steam — and the hail of debris that followed — lasted more than two hours and raised concerns about asbestos, which was used when the pipe was laid in the 1920s. Officials advised people who had been in the neighborhood to discard their clothes and bathe carefully.
The mayor said the explosion appeared to have been caused by cold water that reached the pipe, which measured more than a foot and half in diameter and dated to 1924. “Cold water apparently causes these to explode,” he said.
Con Edison, which maintains the steam pipes beneath the city’s streets, said the pipe ruptured at 5:56 p.m. Kevin Burke, the chairman of Con Edison, said crews had checked the pipe after the thunderstorm that soaked the city in the morning. He said a heavy rain can cause a “vapor condition” if rainwater seeps onto a steam pipe, causing the steam to condense. He said the inspection earlier in the day had given no indication that anything was amiss.
Michael S. Clendenin, a spokesman for the utility, said tests would be conducted for asbestos. “We always assume there’s asbestos in a steam pipe,” he said, “so we are treating these materials sent up by the rupture, including piping, as if asbestos were in them.”
There have been more than a dozen steam pipe explosions in the city in the last 20 years. One of the largest shook the neighborhood around Gramercy Park in 1989 and did millions of dollars in damage. Three people were killed, two of them Con Edison employees who had been working in the street before the explosion.
Within hours of the blast yesterday, Con Ed and the city’s Department of Environmental Protection began taking air samples to determine whether asbestos had been released. They were also checking the debris that littered the street. Mr. Bloomberg said subway entrances and exits would also be tested.
The mayor urged people who might have come into contact with mud or soot from the blast to wash carefully, and to have their clothes cleaned separately as soon as possible.
Jessica Leighton, a deputy commissioner at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, also cautioned people inside buildings near the blast to close windows and set air-conditioners to recirculate the air inside instead of drawing in air from outside.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Most health officials say there is no safe level of exposure. But asbestos-related diseases generally are linked to sustained exposure in industrial settings over many years.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Powell happy with Euro 2009 draw
England Women have been drawn against the Czech Republic, Spain, Belarus and Northern Ireland in the qualifiers for Uefa Women's Euro 2009 in Finland.
England coach Hope Powell told the Football Association's website: "I am happy with the draw. There are a couple of groups you have to say are tougher.
"It's a bit strange to be looking ahead to another tournament when we are still nine months away from the World Cup.
"But it was great to see us among the top seeds for the first time."
Wales are up against defending champions Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium.
Scotland face Denmark, Ukraine, Portugal and Slovakia while the Republic of Ireland will play Sweden, Italy, Hungary and Romania.
The Finns will be joined by 11 qualifiers for the finals, with six group winners progressing automatically.
Six runners-up and four third-placed teams with the best record against the nations finishing first, second and fourth in their groups will be drawn into five two-legged play-offs for the remaining spots in the summer 2009 finals.
Germany are going for a fifth-straight title since 1995 and their seventh overall, while 2005 runners-up Norway are going for a third European crown.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
Late goals from Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry saw Arsenal come from behind to earn a dramatic win over Premiership leaders Manchester United.
United went in front when Patrice Evra drilled in a cross for Wayne Rooney to powerfully head in at the far post.
But Van Persie got in behind Gary Neville to slide in Tomas Rosicky's 83rd-minute cross, although he broke a bone in his right foot celebrating.
And in stoppage time an unmarked Henry rose to head in Emmanuel Eboue's cross.
Interview: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger
Interview: Man Utd assistant boss Carlos Quieroz
United had looked like extending their Premiership lead to nine points, with 10 minutes left on the clock.
But Van Persie's sixth goal in seven games pegged them back and Henry stunned the visitors with a late, late winner.
Both managers had predicted an entertaining encounter in the 200th meeting between the clubs.
And in blustery conditions the two rivals produced a game full of intrigue and incident, even if neither side were able to find their top form.
United settled first, with Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo both off target as Arsenal battled against the wind in their faces.
606 DEBATE: Your thoughts on Arsenal's win
The first flashpoint led to Kolo Toure and Rooney exchanging slaps but, despite both players coming away holding their faces, it did not merit any cards from referee Steve Bennett.
Giggs and Evra both went into Bennett's book for lunging challenges as the game began to simmer.
Henry should have done better than head straight at keeper Edwin van der Sar from an Emmanuel Adebayor cross.
With Arsenal gaining the ascendancy, Bennett looked to have denied them a clear penalty.
Wayne Rooney put Manchester United in front
United thought they had won the game through Rooney's header
With Henry running across the area, Neville stuck a leg out, missed the ball but got the Frenchman, who tumbled to the turf, but Bennett looked to have dodged the decision by neither awarding a spot-kick nor booking Henry.
United finished the half strongly - Rooney and Henrik Larsson both testing Jens Lehmann with headers.
Eight minutes after the break United went in front through Rooney, who was looking closer to his best form even if he was somewhat stifled by having to spend much of the game out on the flanks.
Evra emerged down the left like a runaway train and, with Cesc Fabregas too late to stop him in his tracks, he had time to drill a cross that was gratefully lapped up by Rooney at the back post for only his second goal in 14 games.
Manchester United endured some nervous moments as Rosicky had a couple of stabs at an equaliser before Adebayor instigated a goalmouth scramble that left Van der Sar with a sore mouth.
But that will be nothing compared to the pain United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will be feeling after seeing three valuable points slip away.
Rosicky's centre went under Henry and Van Persie the poacher pounced at the back post to keep their unbeaten home record alive in front of a record Emirates crowd.
But Arsenal were not finished there as Eboue sent in a cross and Henry was left free to thump a header past Van der Sar to the delight of the home fans - and no doubt Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue (Hoyte 90), Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb (Van Persie 67), Fabregas, Flamini (Julio Baptista 79), Rosicky, Adebayor, Henry.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Denilson.
Booked: Toure.
Goals: Van Persie 83, Henry 90.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo (Heinze 90), Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Larsson (Saha 81).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Brown, Fletcher.
Booked: Giggs, Evra, Ronaldo.
Goals: Rooney 53.
Att: 60,128.
Ref: S Bennett (Kent).
Thursday, January 18, 2007
The story behind the Beckham deal and the economics
It has been almost a week since the Los Angeles Galaxy drew the biggest headlines in Major League Soccer history by signing David Beckham to a blockbuster five-year contract.
Last Friday I sat down for a lengthy interview with the man who orchestrated the landmark signing: Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Galaxy. For more on my interview with Leiweke check out my article in this week's Sports Illustrated, but for now I wanted to answer five pertinent questions about the Beckham deal.
1. Is Beckham's contract with the Galaxy really worth the reported $250 million?
No, and it's not even close. Leiweke refused to discuss the details of Beckham's deal, but league sources confirmed that Beckham's guaranteed salary will be around $50 million over the entire five-year length of the contract. That's hardly chump change, but it's still less than the salaries of a lot of U.S. sports stars.
Nor will Beckham's salary bankrupt MLS. Per the league's new designated-player rule, MLS's owners (who otherwise share the costs for all player salaries) only have to contribute $400,000 a year for each of the league's 13 designated-player exceptions. (Right now Beckham is the only one.) The rest of Beckham's salary comes from Galaxy owner Phil Anschutz. The result: Anschutz is on the hook for around $48 million guaranteed with Beckham, while MLS owners only have to pay $2 million.
Don't worry about Uncle Phil's ability to pay: He has a net worth of $7.8 billion, according to Forbes.
There is more to Beckham's deal than the guaranteed salary, however. Beckham will also earn 40-to-50 percent of Galaxy jersey sales and an undisclosed share of ticket revenues. And that's not all. "There are certain aspects of the deal that are ultimately about the upside value of the league as a whole that David can participate in," says Leiweke. "Our partners all had to sign off, and they did. We had a couple of interesting board calls, but they did."
Long story short: Beckham may or may not earn $250 million over the next five years, but the majority of his income will continue to derive from endorsements and not from the Galaxy or MLS. From my perspective, it's a shame that the phrase "$250 million contract" became gospel in the media, because it's terribly misleading and just not correct.
In any case, Leiweke feels confident about the agreement. "This is an economic deal that makes sense for everybody," he says, and as long as Beckham doesn't suffer a serious injury or become a total bust on the field, I'm inclined to believe he'll be worth the investment.
2. Why should fans hold off buying a green-and-gold Galaxy jersey with Beckham's name on the back?
Simple answer: because Becks will never wear green and gold with the Galaxy. The team is deep into the process of rebranding itself with new colors, a new shield and new uniforms. "We made a decision that it was time to start thinking through how we create a more worldly brand," Lewieke says. "We have a good name. Galaxy works. But we need a more legendary, traditional kind of look that's more of a soccer look."
Leiweke predicts the new jerseys will be available in the next two months. What color will they be? "The last time I checked, when you're looking at a Galaxy it's not green or yellow. It's either black or dark blue," Leiweke says. Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas is more specific: "When I think of the Galaxy I think of dark blue."
Then there's the issue of a shirt sponsor, which MLS rules are allowing for the first time this season. Leiweke had said two companies were in the running last Thursday, but he told me on Friday that a third company was now in the mix for what will surely be a multi-million-dollar sponsorship. A deal will be made in the next 30 days, he said, and probably sooner rather than later.
Admitting I whiffed on Oregon, 'Bag-Bilastrator, more
The 'Bag has messed around with the Magic Eight and other things the last couple weeks, so we thought it was time to get serious about answering reader questions -- straight, no chaser. Saddle up...
I know you're going to get all kinds of crazed fans questioning your logic about your Magic Eight, but I'm really confused. I don't object to including Washington State. But how can you use the reasoning for including Wazzu and not even include Oregon in your "Left Out" section?
-- Matthew, Diamond Point, N.Y.
After Oregon's terrific wins against UCLA and Arizona, it's time for a full mea culpa: We whiffed on the Ducks. We whiffed on not including them among the group that just missed making the Magic Eight (even though we wouldn't put them in the final eight itself). And we whiffed on our prediction in Sports Illustrated last month that coach Ernie Kent would be replaced in 2007 by Mike Montgomery.
Fact is, Oregon is a heck of an entertaining team to watch, and now that Malik Hairston is back in good form, this is a team that can be called (as I did in this week's SI) a real threat to win the national title. A lot of it has to do with dynamite team chemistry and everyone filling his role. Aaron Brooks is a top-notch floor general and clutch shooter who has outplayed rivals Darren Collison and Mustafa Shakur in recent games. Tajuan Porter has been a solid two-guard, and Maarty Leunen is an underrated horse in the middle who grabs a ton of rebounds. We just wish the Ducks would have as much fun with their hoops uniforms as the football team does with its jerseys.
You've had one miss on the Magic Eight, and you didn't learn your lesson. Who reminds you of Syracuse '03 this season? Maybe Texas, with Kevin Durant playing 'Melo, A.J. Abrams playing G-Mac, and rangy athletes working hard on improving their D and playing quite a bit of 2-3 and 3-2. Outside of overall youth what else kept you from picking the Horns for the Magic Eight?
-- Rocky Van Husen, Midland, Texas
Well, that was the killer: youth. We swear, though, it came down to a choice between Tennessee and Texas, and we ended up choosing the Vols. Probably not the correct choice in hindsight. Has anyone seen a more exciting game this season than Oklahoma State's 105-103 triple-OT win over Texas on Tuesday? I have probably learned more about Texas and its amazing freshman, Durant, in two close losses (to Tennessee and OSU) than I have in any of its other games. I know it was 3 OTs, but Durant went for 37 big ones, cracking 30 yet again. If he keeps it up he's definitely getting into Carmelo territory.
I was perusing some stats and noticed that Duke frosh Lance Thomas has now played 227 minutes in college without recording an assist. Can we give him a shout-out for this? Could this be something to watch during the season (most minutes played before recording first assist)?
-- Steve, Hackensack, N.J.
Sorry, Steve, Thomas won't be the Yinka Dare of college hoops. Thomas bagged Assist No. 1 of his college career in the Blue Devils' win over Miami on Sunday.
CNN
Wenger shrugs off Porto draw jibe
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has played down allegations of contriving a draw with Porto in the Champions League.
The two teams needed a draw to reach the last 16 and both sat back in the final stages of a goalless encounter in which Porto twice hit the woodwork.
"It was not a good advert for football," said Wenger. "I think it only happened in the last five minutes but the game was very fair.
"Both teams tried and Porto until the 85th minute tried very hard to win."
He added: "The result does not reflect the chances Porto had.
"I felt they took a lot of risks and it was very difficult to predict a 0-0. I concede we did not create a lot.
"Overall, I feel that it is normal in the last few minutes the teams do not take any gambles as if you concede a goal you are out."
Wenger believes his side's cautiousness and lack of threat was a culmination of the situation surrounding the match and the team's busy schedule.
"Porto played well," he said. "But we were a bit flat physically and maybe over-cautious when we won the ball.
"It was a nervous performance because we knew to go out would have been a massive disappointment.
"We didn't go forward enough or give enough support to Emmanuel Adebayor.
He added: "When you play every three days you can be less sharp sometimes.
Winning the group means playing the second game of the next round at home and in a knockout competition that's important Arsene Wenger
"The good thing is we didn't make any stupid mistakes despite having a young side, although we were lucky when they hit the post."
Ultimately, the result was inconsequential as CSKA Moscow lost in Hamburg as they failed to get the win they would have needed to have a chance of overtaking either Arsenal or Porto.
The Gunners finished top of the group and Wenger feels this could be crucial when the competition restarts with the knockout phase in February.
"Winning the group means playing the second game of the next round at home and in a knockout competition that's important," said Wenger.
"We needed to qualify and we did so even though we were missing some experienced players.
"Now we can put the Champions League into the cupboard until February and focus on the Premiership."
Liverpool handed tricky Barca tie
Liverpool handed tricky Barca tie
 The last two winners of the Champions League meet in the last 16 |
The first leg will be played at the Nou Camp as Liverpool try to repeat their 2005 Champions League triumph.
Jose Mourinho will have to guide Chelsea past Porto, where he won the trophy in 2004, while Manchester United will take on French outsiders Lille.
Celtic face Italian giants AC Milan, while last season's runners-up Arsenal play PSV Eindhoven.
Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will have the benefit of playing their second leg games at home after finishing top of their groups.
Scottish champions Celtic will hope their outstanding home form in the competition so far will establish a platform for progress before their second leg in the San Siro.
Liverpool club secretary Bryce Morrison claimed the pairing with reigning champions Barcelona could be the launch pad for another assault on Europe's top prize for the five-times winners.
Morrison said: "They don't come much bigger than that. We are relishing these games. We hope we can go all the way once again, starting with this big one."
Barcelona director Josep Cubells said: "It's an interesting match to play Liverpool the champions of Europe the year before.
"Both are legendary clubs with very glamorous stadiums and enthusiastic supporters."
Manchester United face a Lille team whose results against them in the group stage last season contributed to the English club's early elimination from the competition.
But manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club website: "We had a bad experience last year but this is a different United team.
"It is an emerging team, which is getting better all the time. We know it will be a difficult tie but we have improved so much from last season."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes the key to beating PSV Eindhoven is the first leg in Holland.
Wenger said: "This tie will be a lot harder than some people expect it to be. PSV are a good team who qualify for the knock-out stage most years and they're top of the league in Holland.
"We learned from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid last season that the way you play the first leg will often decide who goes through."
PSV coach Ronald Koeman claimed Arsenal have the advantage, with the second leg at the Emirates stadium.
Koeman told his club's website: "Arsenal are not the hardest team, but also not the weakest opponents.
"If you had the choice you would rather play the second leg at home as it is the decisive game. But the consequence of finishing second in the group is that we were not in a position to choose."
Chelsea winger Arjen Robben admitted the Blues might have landed a tougher prospect than manager Jose Mourinho's former club Porto.
Robben said: "It could have been worse with the likes of Real Madrid and Inter Milan in that group, those are the two toughest teams.
"At this stage of the competition you would never get an easy draw and if you are going to win the Champions League you have to beat teams like Porto.
"It's a nice draw for the manager, the staff and players like Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho.
Two former winners, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, will play each other with a quarter-final place at stake.
Gerard Houllier's French champions and dark horses Lyon will face AS Roma, while Inter Milan play talented Spanish side Valencia.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell told BBC Radio Scotland: "AC Milan are a formidable club who, by their own standards, are having a difficult time. Although I'm sure the injury situation will be cleared by February.
"But we will be reasonably confident in front of our own supporters."
Full draw:
Porto v CHELSEA
CELTIC v AC Milan
PSV Eindhoven v ARSENAL
Lille v MANCHESTER UNITED
Roma v Lyon
Barcelona v LIVERPOOL
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich
Inter Milan v Valencia
(Ties to be played on 20/21 February and 6/7 March)
Tottenham paired with Feyenoord
Tottenham have been drawn against Feyenoord in the last 32 of the Uefa Cup - a repeat of the 1974 final that the Dutch side won 4-2 on aggregate.
Newcastle United have been paired with Belgian side Zulte-Waregem while Blackburn Rovers must play Germany's Bayer Leverkusen.
Rangers will take on Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
Holders Seville face a tricky tie against Steaua Bucharest, who finished third in their Champions League group.
The first leg of each tie will take place on 14 or 15 February, with the return on 22 February.
Tottenham manager Martin Jol expects Feyenoord to offer his side a tough test.
Jol told his club's website: "It could have been worse and it could have been better but I am looking forward to going to Rotterdam.
"They are probably not as good as when they played Spurs in the Uefa Cup final in 1974, but it is still a big club.
"It will be difficult going over there because they are strong at home. But we have the advantage of playing the second leg here."
Teams also found out their potential opponents in the last 16.
If they progress, Spurs will face Braga or Parma while Newcastle will play Fenerbahce or AZ Alkmaar.
Blackburn could meet Lens or Panathinaikos while Bordeaux or Osasuna will await Rangers.
Draw for the last 32:
Zulte Waregem v Newcastle
Braga v Parma
Lens v Panathinaikos
Leverkusen v Blackburn
Hapoel Tel Aviv v Rangers
Livorno v Espanyol
Feyenoord v Tottenham
Fenerbahce v AZ Alkmaar
Werder Bremen v Ajax
Spartak Moscow v Celta Vigo
CSKA Moscow v Maccabi Haifa
AEK Athens v PSG
Benfica v Dinamo Bucharest
Steaua Bucharest v Sevilla
Shakhtar v Nancy
Bordeaux v Osasuna
(Ties to be played 14/15 & 22 February)
Draw for the last 16:
Zulte Waregem or Newcastle v Fenerbahce or AZ Alkmaar
CSKA Moscow or Maccabi Haifa v Livorno or Espanyol
Hapoel Tel Aviv or Rangers v Bordeaux or Osasuna
Braga or Parma v Feyenoord or Tottenham
Steaua Bucharest or Sevilla v Shakhtar or Nancy
Lens or Panathinaikos v Leverkusen or Blackburn
AEK Athens or PSG v Benfica or Dinamo Bucharest
Spartak Moscow or Celta Vigo v Werder Bremen or Ajax
(Ties to be played on 8 & 14/15 March)
Fa CUP : Fulham 4-3 Leicester
Wayne Routledge scored an injury-time winner for Fulham to cap a stunning comeback and book a home tie against Stoke in the FA Cup fourth round.
Fulham manager Chris Coleman:
"The scoreline was great, lots of goals and excitement, but the first-half performance was woeful. We deserved to go in 2-1 down.
"The bottom line is that we lost. We came to an established Premiership team and scored three goals but did not win.
Matt Fryatt shot across Tony Warner to put Leicester ahead before Brian McBride equalised from close range.
Gareth McAuley headed his first goal for Leicester and James Wesolowski struck from 18 yards to make it 3-1.
But Fulham substitute Vincenzo Montella scored twice from close range before Routledge's mazy run and finish.
It was a thrilling cup tie - that Leicester seemed to have under control when substitute Wesolowski struck shortly after the break to extend his team's lead.
But Montella - making his home debut for Fulham following his loan move from Roma - showed a real poacher's instinct with his brace before Routledge scored his first goal for the club to snatch victory.
The opening phase of the game belonged to Leicester - with the Championship side playing with real purpose in front of prospective new owner Milan Mandaric.
Fryatt opened the scoring with the first clear chance of the match on 13 minutes after collecting a long pass from Stephen Hughes.
He then forced a decent save from Tony Warner after cutting in from the right and shooting across goal.
Gareth Williams almost embarrassed the Fulham keeper with a long-range strike that swerved viciously, forcing Warner to make a late adjustment and bundle the ball out for a corner.
Alan Maybury tried his luck from distance as Leicester continued to press - before McBride equalised.
The ball fell invitingly to the American after Patrick Kisnorbo failed to head clear Tomasz Radzinski's shot and McBride slotted home with a low strike from five yards.
Fulham warmed to the task after scoring, but the last meaningful action of the half belonged to the visiting team.
Leicester defender McAuley made no mistake with a far-post header, burying Levi Porter's free-kick.
And just after the restart Leicester substitute Wesolowski - who had replaced the injured Danny Tiatto - extended his team's advantage with a thunderous strike that flew into the top corner.
Any thoughts that the goal might have put the tie beyond Fulham proved unfounded - as Fulham substitute Montella, on for McBride, inspired a scintillating comeback with two goals in eight minutes.
He crashed a shot against the post before slotting the ball into an open goal seconds later after a low cross across goal from skipper Michael Brown.
The Italian then climbed highest to head home at the far post after a Leicester player only managed to flick a Routledge corner in his direction.
It was a breathtaking passage of play from a team who had seemed devoid of inspiration for much of the tie.
Franck Queudrue looked certain to score a fourth for Fulham but his header struck Maybury close to the Leicester goalline and flew out for a corner before Carlos Bocanegra saw a header saved by Paul Henderson.
Leicester seemed to have held on for extra-time but were undone by Routledge's jinking run.
He flicked the ball past two Leicester players, shook off another and, as the referee played advantage for a foul, advanced into the penalty box and placed the ball beyond Henderson.
"The scoreline was great, lots of goals and excitement, but the first-half performance was woeful. We deserved to go in 2-1 down.
"But we do not know when we are beaten and the second-half was very good.
"We gave ourselves a mountain to climb but we managed to do it. We have not been to the fourth round for a while."
"The bottom line is that we lost. We came to an established Premiership team and scored three goals but did not win.
"But we will take the positives and try to take that level of performance into the Championship.
"We are a young side and we showed that we can compete."
Fulham: Warner, Rosenior, Christanval, Bocanegra, Queudrue, Routledge, Volz, Brown, Radzinski, Helguson, McBride (Montella 46).
Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Runstrom, Zakuani, Omozusi.
Booked: Bocanegra.
Goals: McBride 35, Montella 51, 60, Routledge 90.
Leicester: Henderson, McAuley (Stearman 81), Kisnorbo, McCarthy, Maybury, Hughes (Cadamarteri 82), Williams, Tiatto (Wesolowski 38), Porter, Hume, Fryatt.
Subs Not Used: Logan, Johansson.
Goals: Fryatt 13, McAuley 45, Wesolowski 47.
Att: 11,222
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire)
Roeder sorry after abject display
FA CUP
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder admitted his side let their fans down in their humiliating 5-1 defeat by Championship side Birmingham in the FA Cup.
"I apologise to the fans," Roeder said. "I think apologies are due after such a lack of performance from everybody.
"I certainly had no indication there was going to be a performance like that - this was the same 11 players who beat Tottenham on Sunday.
"We never got going all night and in the end we have been badly punished."
Newcastle fell behind to Gary McSheffrey's goal after just five minutes and Roeder felt they rarely looked like getting back into the game.
It was just a rank bad performance and a humiliating defeat at home
Glenn Roeder
"We never recovered from going a goal down," he added. "I expected a much bigger response than there was - there was no response whatsoever.
"You could argue that there was tiredness from Sunday's game but I am not here to make excuses.
"It was just a rank bad performance and a humiliating defeat at home."
The Magpies' next test is a home game against West Ham and Roeder says he wants an instant response to this defeat.
"Somehow we have to put it behind us, hopefully in the manner that Liverpool did after they were beaten 6-3 at home by Arsenal and came out the next game and beat Watford.
"So we have to pick ourselves up. We have to be men about it, not boys.
"We have to stand up to be counted not scurry away and hide and I am sure we will come out fighting and put on a performance on Saturday that our fans deserve."
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce was jubilant after his side's thumping victory at St James' Park.
Bruce said: "I just detected the boys wanted to come on live TV and put on a show - and that is what they did.
"We were outstanding and to come up here and win 5-1 is one heck of a result. They are crippled by injuries but we beat them comprehensively.
"They could not deal with the ball in behind them and our attacking players were lethal in the final third."Informer jibes anger Shevchenko
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is furious at reports that he has become an unsettling influence at the club.
The 30-year-old striker is seen as the cause of a conflict between manager Jose Mourinho and the club's hierarchy.
He has been accused of being the dressing-room 'spy' of owner and friend Roman Abramovich but has strongly denied the accusations.
"I am being made a scapegoat for things that have nothing to do with me," Shevchenko told The Times.
He added: "My contract runs for four years. I am here now and I am staying here. I am continuing to work to fit inside the team.
"I have been attacked from all sides but I intend to carry on. I will grit my teeth. I am not a quitter I just want to be kept out of the politics."
It is no secret that Abramovich wanted Shevchenko and the Ukraine star moved to Chelsea in a £30m summer deal from AC Milan.
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