Bradford coach eyes more TV time in Cup

Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson declared victory over British broadcaster the BBC after his side completed another FA Cup giant-killing by eliminating Sunderland in the fifth round.

Victors over Chelsea in the previous round, Bradford beat Premier League Sunderland 2-0 on Sunday in a game that was not shown on domestic television due to the BBC's decision to screen Aston Villa's 2-1 win over Leicester City instead.

Responding to complaints from fans, BBC presenter Gary Lineker explained that the decision not to broadcast Bradford's game had been taken before Sunderland had come through a fourth-round replay against Fulham.

But Parkinson said: "We were disappointed this wasn't on TV. If you just talk about the finances, £250 000 for a club like ours would have meant a lot.

"We had to take it on the chin and make sure we put in a performance today (Sunday), and that's what we've done. Hopefully, they will make it a televised game in the next round. I think they will after this!"

Bradford took an early lead when Billy Clarke's shot deflected in off John O'Shea for an own goal and secured a first quarter-final appearance since 1976 when former Sunderland striker Jon Stead scored just after the hour.

Stead scored just twice during his 18-month spell with Sunderland, prompting the club's fans to print T-shirts bearing the ironic slogan, 'I saw Jon Stead score,' but he has now netted in every round of the cup this season.

"He was immense today," said Parkinson, who led his side to the League Cup final in 2013. "But his all-round performance this week, and every week, has been immense.

"Today the whole team was superb and this was another terrific day for the club. For those who have been here to sample the atmosphere at Valley Parade, it's like a throwback to the old days of the FA Cup and the lads revelled in it."

Buffon hits out as Juve held by Cesena

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon hit out at the attitude of the Italian champions following Sunday's thrilling 2-2 draw with strugglers Cesena.

At the Dino Manuzzi stadium, Juve struggled against a Cesena side that has been fighting to get out of the relegation zone all season.

Chili's Arturo Vidal even missed a late penalty that could have given Juve a nine-point-lead over second-placed Roma, who drew 0-0 at home to basement side Parma -- their fifth draw in six games.

"Maybe Roma's result changed the outlook a little, but a squad like ours shouldn't be affected by results elsewhere," Buffon told Sky Sport.

Buffon had to pull off a number of saves in a lively opening period before Milan Djuric beat him with a low shot on 17 minutes.

"It was a great battle," said Bosnian striker Djuric. "It was great to test myself against the Juventus defence and to score against Buffon was pretty special."

Juve were back on level terms on the half hour after Alvaro Morata got his head to Paul Pogba's cross, and then took the lead when Claudio Marchisio pounced on a Fernando Llorente dummy to fire home from close range.

Cesena, however, levelled through Franco Brienza on 70 minutes and Vidal completely missed the target from the spot soon after as Cesena held on for a precious point.

Buffon added: "We just weren't good enough, especially in the first 20 minutes when we gave away too many counter-attacks.

"With all due respect to Cesena, a team like ours has to be clinical and ruthless and not give them too much space."

Buffon, 37, admitted he may have been partly at fault, but warned: "Maybe the fault is mine, I'm the captain and maybe I failed to get the message through about how best to deal with this kind of game.

"Nobody's going to gift us this championship, we have to make sure, me included, that we're approaching every game with the right attitude."

People's Elephant trample Buffles du Borgou

Enyimba International kicked off their 2015 CAF Champions League in impressive fashion, beating Buffles du Borgou FC of Benin Republic 3-0 at the Enyimba International Stadium Aba on Sunday evening.

Daniel Etor opened scoring in the 7th minute tapping home Peter Onyekachi's pass from the left. And after a host of missed chances including a second half penalty, Kingsley Sokari then headed in Enyimba's second in the 83rd minute.

Peter Onyekachi who was being watched by his Nigerian Under-23 coach Samson Siasia then got Enyimba's third, nodding home Chinonso Okonkwo's cross. While the score line suggested a trashing, the 3-0 score line was flattering on the visitors who in truth barely threatened.

Enyimba

The People's Elephant began better with Okonkwo flashing an early free-kick wide and Abalogu nodding over but when debutant Peter Onyekachi bulldozed his way down the left in the 7th minute, an unmarked Daniel Etor simply tapped into an empty goal to give Enyimba the lead.

The dream start felt like an easy win was on the cards but the capacity filled Enyimba stadium watched Chinonso Okonkwo, Andrew Abalogu and Peter Onyekachi all miss chances in that first half. The worse of which was Okonkwo's in the 36th minute who when one on one with the goalkeeper opted to pass to Onyekachi who was in an offside position.

Buffles du Borgou FC

The chances continued in the second half and so did the misses. Sokari's through pass found Okonkwo who fired straight at the goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Etor but he fired wide. Kadiri Ikhana would replace him with Anaezemba.

The new entrant had a chance to finally add the much desired second but his volley from 25 yards struck the woodwork. Again when Peter Onyekachi was felled in the box, Anaezemba fired the resulting penalty high and wide.

Buffles went close at the other end and almost equalized save for Idris Aloma's outstretched left leg clearing off the line with Chijioke Ejiogu beaten.

Aba goes crazy

With the minutes trickling down, redemption finally came. Bright Esieme crossed from the right into the Buffles penalty area and Sokari Kingsley nodded home. They pushed for more and they got another in similar fashion; Okonkwo crossing into the box and Peter nodding home.

They travel to Benin in two weeks with a comfortable cushion.

Bradford 'living the dream' after Cup heroics

Bradford City, a venerable third-tier English club with a history touched by tragedy, were "living the dream" on Sunday after knocking out another Premier League victim and powering into the FA Cup quarterfinals.

The Yorkshire club, whose indomitable spirit has never been extinguished in hard times over the 30 years since a fire at their stadium claimed 56 lives, wrote a new, uplifting tale at Valley Parade as they defeated Sunderland 2-0.

On the eve of the game, Bradford manager Phil Parkinson had said his League One side, perpetrators of one of the Cup's greatest upsets by winning 4-2 at Jose Mourinho's impregnable Chelsea fortress in the previous round, had saved the FA Cup by rekindling its romance and unpredictability.

Even though England's TV broadcasters had absurdly chosen not to screen the latest chapter of the fairytale live – a decision which left their fans chanting gleefully "Are you watching BBC?" – all eyes will now be on little Bradford as they are just 90 minutes from a semifinal at Wembley.

"With the form we're in at the moment we'll take anyone at home (in the sixth round)," ecstatic goalkeeper Ben Williams told the BBC as a crowd of 24 021, the biggest at Valley Parade for more than half a century, celebrated uproariously.

"We're just living the dream at the moment."

With Arsenal and Liverpool already through and Manchester United, who visit Preston North End on Monday, favoured to also make the last eight, none of these aristocrats would savour a visit to a muddy bear trap to tackle a team which again belied its ninth place in League One with some quality football.

Nor will they fancy running into Jon Stead who, keeping up his record of scoring in the each of the previous four rounds of the Cup, scored the decisive second just after the hour, following John O'Shea's third minute own goal.

As against Chelsea, this was no fluke. Bradford can win on carpets or quagmires.

"We have kept that underdog spirit," said Parkinson. "It was a good, old-fashioned cup tie, a really good advert for the FA Cup."

Bradford, still collecting big scalps having accounted for Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa in cup competitions over the last three years, keep doing more than anyone to keep alive the traditions of the world's greatest domestic Cup competition.

Messi to be enjoyed - Luis Enrique

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique said he is savouring the chance to watch Lionel Messi after the Argentine notched his fifth hat-trick of the season in a 5-0 romp over Levante on Sunday.

Messi was at the heart of the action as he teed up Neymar for the opener and then struck three times either side of halftime to take his tally for the season to 37 on his 300th La Liga appearance.

Neymar was then replaced by Luis Suarez midway through the second-half and he also made his presence felt with a stunning overhead kick to round off the scoring.

Enrique had made eight changes to the side that had beaten Villarreal in the Copa del Rey in midweek, but dismissed suggestions he could have also taken the chance to withdraw Messi after he had completed his hat-trick.

"The idea is to enjoy. That is what we are doing, enjoying him as much as possible," said Enrique.

The four-time World Player of the Year has been unstoppable in 2015 with 14 goals and 10 assists in 11 appearances.

That upturn in fortunes has coincided with Messi moving to a slightly wider position to allow Suarez to play as a central striker and Enrique lauded his ability to create as well finish.

"Against teams that play deep and with a lot of players in the middle of the field we need to have width and move the ball quickly to crate danger.

"It is key for us that Leo participates a lot, that he can have many touches to be able to create two or three on ones, makes passes and create space.

"When there are a lot of people in the middle it is harder for him to combine, so he has freedom to go where he can find space."

Enrique received criticism earlier in the season for his rotation policy, but he is beginning to look justified as Barca enter a decisive part of the campaign on the back of an 11-game winning run, while Madrid have faltered in recent weeks.

"That was an objective we had at the start of the season to have a big squad with so much quality," he said.

"Having so many quality players allows you to rotate. I would say that we have almost unlimited resources."

Ashour doubtful for Caf Super Cup

Egyptian giants Al Ahly might miss the service of their midfielder Hossam Ashour due to injury ahead before Caf Super Cup against ES Setif of Algeria.

Ethiopian striker Saladin Said is however fit for the clash.

Al Ahly will play against ES SEtif in Al Bilda close to the Algerian capital Algiers on February 21.

"Salahdin picked up an injury last week and he had treatment and is now ready to travel and play the Super Cup with the entire team, but our midfielder Hossam Ashour might miss the game due to injury. He will have a medical test on Tuesday then we can decide if he can play the game or not," Al Ahly director Wael Gomaa said.

The Cairo-based team have announced that their Nigerian striker Peter Ebimobowei might not participate in this game due to a muscle injury he picked up in the match against Ittihad Al Shorta last week.

Al Ahly will travel to Algeria on Thursday.

Zaki in Europe to meet Moroccan stars

Morocco national team head coach Badou Zaki started his tour in Europe to talk with players who could pull on the country's colours.

Morocco were kicked out by Caf from the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and fined $1 million for refusing to host this year's event due to fears over Ebola, but that did not make their technical staff stop preparing themselves.

Morocco rejected the sanctions by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and decided to appeal against the decisions.

According to Moroccan media, Atlas Lions head coach Zaki and his assistant Mustapha Hadji started a tour in Europe where they will meet some players of Moroccan descent.

Media reports say that Zaki will meet up with Anwar El Ghazi to persuade him to play for Morocco.

Zaki have already met with some players like Zakaria Labyad and Sofiane Boufal of Lillie.

Morocco will play a friendly match by the end of the next month against Uruguay.