"LA U" CHAMPS IN SOUTH AMERICA !

Universidad de Chile wins Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana.

Finally, after nearly 50 years of frustrations and near misses, one of Chile´s most popular clubs has won an international title. January 14, 2011. This day will surely be remembered by fans of "La U" (as the team is nicknamed) as the most important in its history. After an impressive campaign (unbeaten in all matches, 21 goals scored, 2 received) that included victories over Brazilian greats such as Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, the Chilean club´s last obstacle was L.D.U of Ecuador. The last match of the Copa Sudamericana was played on Wednesday night at Santiago´s National Stadium in front of 55,000 spectators. La U had won the first match in Quito by 1-0, but even so the LDU players showed that they were not going down without a fight. Even so, the match had a great start for the locals since Eduardo Vargas (being tempted by Chelsea F.C) scored after only two minutes. A great first time shot from outside the area. From then on LDU tried to avoid the killer second goal and hanged on until the 67th minute , when defender Guagua was sent off for elbowing Lorenzetti in the face.

It was the same player, Lorenzetti, that scored dealt the final blow to LDU as he scored ten minutes later. With the extra space, LA U took control of the match completely and in the 87th minute Vargas scored his eleventh goal of the competition (highest goalscorer ever in Copa Sudamericana).

WILL "LA U" WIN COPA SULAMERICANA 2011?

All is ready for tomorrow night´s first final in Quito, Ecuador. The home team L.D.U will play host to Universidad de Chile, the team that left out Flamengo (5-0 on aggregate) and Vasco da Gama (3-1 on aggregate). The question is will "La U" finally win an international title, after 84 years?
Read more about the club at :

All set for semifinals of “Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana”

In spite of drawing the first match in Rio de Janeiro at 1-1, it was a confident group of Vasco da Gama players that traveled today to Santiago, Chile, to face local champions Universidad de Chile on Wednesday night. The kick-off is at 8:50 pm local time and the refereeing trio will be formed by Dario Ubriaco, with the assistance of linesmen Mauricio Espinosa and Miguel Nevas, (all from Uruguay). The Vasco da Gama squad will go onto the pitch at full strength, with stars such as Brazilian international Dede, (regarded the best defender in the local league) and Bernardo, one of the most promising young strikers in the country. Also accompanying the group is veteran Juninho Pernambucano, who was at Olympique Lyon for many years, and returned this year to Vasco da Gama, the team that made him famous. However, odds favour Universidad de Chile, currently unbeaten in the past 29 matches, both at Copa Sudamericana and national league, where it is first in the table with a ten point margin. Fans of “La U”(as the club is nicknamed) consider this match as one of the most important in history, since never before has the team shown such impressive form, after having been frustrated several times at international level. You may see the goals from the first match courtesy of Globoesporte at the following link:
http://sportv.globo.com/videos/copa-sul-americana/t/ultimos/v/vasco-empata-com-o-universidad-de-chile-na-semifinal-da-copa-sul-america/1707023/
The other semifinal will be played tonight in Buenos Aires between Velez Sarsfield and L.D.U of Ecuador (that won the first match by 2-0.)

FLUMINENSE WINS 5-4 ! UP TO 3RD PLACE.

Fluminense went up to third place in the points table after a spectacular 5-4 victory over Gremio. Fred scored four goals ! Vasco da Gama could only draw 1-1 with Palmeiras and is now 2nd since Corinthians beat Ceará by 1-0.Botafogo fired coach Caio Junior after losing 2-0 to Figueirense.

Points

Corinthians 64

Vasco da Gama 62

Fluminense 59

Figueirense 56

Botafogo 55

Flamengo 55

UK Creative Industries Mission visits Rio de Janeiro

Lord Marland of Odstock

The UK Creative Industries Mission arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, Nov. 7. The mission is headed by Lord Marland of Odstock, Chair of the Business Ambassadors Network. Lord Marland gave a speech at the Firjan Building, "In 2012, we hand over the baton to Rio de Janeiro, that will host the greatest show on earth, the Olympic and Paralolympic Games. With the world´s attention focusing on the UK and Brazil like never before, now is an ideal opportunity to connect our skils and talent to form long lasting relationships."

Among the personalities and companies that were present :

Sir John Sorrell, Chairman of the London Design Festival.

Brent Hoberman , Time magazine´s "Top 25 European Digital leaders"

Jimmy Choo (CEO Tamara Mellon)

Ingredient (Richard Tarvin richard@ingredient.co.uk )

John MacAslan and Partners (John MacAslan)


Priestmangoode (Paul Priestman paul@priestmangoode.com)

Serpentine Gallery (Julia Peyton-Jones juliap@serpentinegallery.org)

BOPE KILLS TOP RIO GANGSTER

Fernandinho Beira Mar and Marcelo Niteroi (right)

Last Tuesday night the BOPE (Special Operations Battallion) ambushed and killed Marcelo Niteroi, leader of Comando Vermelho , one of Rio's main drug trafficking gangs. The helicopter of the BOPE detected Niteroi at the Favela da Maré, along with several of his bodyguards. Marcelo Niteroi tried to fire his AK47 against the helicopter, but the BOPE snipers were too fast and shot him in the head and stomach.

Niteroi was selling drugs for a total of ten million Reals per month, and he was the right hand man of Fernandinho Beira-Mar, the previous boss that is now at a maximum security jail in northern Brazil. Beira Mar cried all day in his cell after being informed that Niteroi had been killed. Now a dispute is expected between the other lieutenants for the No. 1 position at Comando Vermelho (Red Command). One of the candidates is Mica, a childhood friend of one of Brazil's most famous footballers, Adriano, that last year was playing for Flamengo.

The Rio police are going to make a big move on November 13 by occupying Rio's biggest favela, the Rocinha, that is near one of the city´s poshest suburbs, Sao Conrado. Nem, another of Rio's biggest traffickers is at Rocinha, so there may be some armed resisistance by the traffickers.

WILL BRAZIL BUY THE RAFALE F3?

In 2006 the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) began the FX-2 project with the objective of upgrading its fleet of combat airplanes. This plan includes the acquisition of 36 fighters at a total cost of US$3 Billion.

Until now three companies have a chance to win the contract: the Dassault Rafale F3 (France), the Boeing F/A-18 E/F (USA) and the SAAB Gripen NG (Sweden). The big question is: "When will the Brazil announce the name of the winner ?" According to Gerard Sellier, Dassault´s Offset and Industrial Co-operation Manager, the answer will be given in 2012.

Rafale International is the only company that has accepted the Brazilian government´s requirement to manufacture the fighters in Brazilian territory and set up a factory in the country so that in the future the Rafale F3 can be exported to other South American countries.When comparing the technical aspects of each fighter, the Rafale appears superior in several categories:

1) The F3 can carry more weapons (9000 kgs), while the F18 can carry 8000 kgs and the Gripen NG carries 6300 Kgs.

2) The F3´s estimated combat range is 1850 kms, against 1231 kms of the F18 and 900 kms of the Gripen. This is very important due to Brazil´s huge territory of 8 million square kilometers.

3) The Rafale is the only fighter that can fully operate on the Sao Paulo, the Brazilian navy´s new aircraft carrier.

4) The Rafale can shoot at six targets simultaneously with its MICA missiles .

5) The F3 has been proven in real combat situations in Afghanistan and Lybia.

6) 180 RAFALE F3 are in use by the French Air Force.