LIVERPOOL: Sven-Goran Eriksson said he had fulfilled a life-long dream by managing Liverpool Legends in a charity match against Ajax Legends at Anfield on Saturday.
The 76-year-old former England boss revealed in January he had “best case a year” to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
At the time the Swede, whose long career in club management included spells in charge of Manchester City and Lazio, revealed his lifelong love for Liverpool and how he had always wished to be manager of the club one day.
His dream became a reality on Saturday as Eriksson, alongside former Liverpool favorites Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge in the home dug-out, helped oversee a 4-2 win.
Eriksson said afterwards he had shed tears before kick-off, when he received a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked out onto the pitch, with fans singing the Liverpool anthem of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
“That will be a huge memory in life,” said Eriksson. “Absolutely beautiful.
“To sit on the bench for Liverpool, that’s been my dream my whole life. Now it happened, and it was a beautiful day in all meanings.
“The crowd, the game, the players, everything, fantastic, and thank you to Liverpool for giving me this opportunity, to invite me for such an important game — it’s not points but the importance of the game is incredible.
“It was full of emotions, tears coming. It’s been my dream club all my life — even when I had England, I also supported Liverpool, but I couldn’t say it at that time.
“It’s a good finish, to finish with Liverpool, it can’t be much better than that,” added Eriksson, who guided England to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Liverpool were 2-0 down at half-time on Saturday before Kop-end goals from Gregory Vignal, Djibril Cisse, Nabil El Zhar and Fernando Torres turned the match in their favor.
The Reds were captained by Steven Gerrard, who played under Eriksson for England. “He (Gerrard) is the boss out there — of course (he still has it)!,” said Eriksson.
Eriksson fulfils lifelong dream by managing Liverpool in charity game
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Eriksson fulfils lifelong dream by managing Liverpool in charity game
- The Swede revealed his lifelong love for Liverpool and how he had always wished to be manager of the club one day
- His dream became a reality on Saturday as Eriksson, alongside former Liverpool favorites Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge in the home dug-out, helped oversee a 4-2 win
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
