Chelsea leads EPL race, table still tight
Through the early stages of this season of the English Premier League, Chelsea has been a step above the pack. After a convincing 4-2 victory over city rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues kept their four-point lead over Manchester United and Manchester City, and look stronger than the rest of the competition.
Both United and City managed to keep pace with Chelsea with impressive wins over the weekend. City was able to come from behind to edge West Bromwich Albion 2-1, as Bosnian forward Edin Dzeko struck twice in the final 10 minutes to prevent the upset. United comfortably defeated Stoke City 4-2 at Old Trafford. The two clubs are level on 18 points with eight matches played, despite the Red Devils' edge in goal differential.
The Tyne-Wear derby took place on Sunday, with Newcastle and Sunderland sharing the spoils. Newcastle's French midfielder Yohan Cabaye scored during the third minute, but Demba Ba put the ball in his own net in the 86th minute to even the scoreline. Newcastle almost pulled off an impressive victory, as the club was down to 10 men for the final 65 minutes of regular time.
Arsenal's shock defeat at Carrow Road to Norwich City dropped the Gunners to ninth in the table. Grant Holt's first half strike helped the Canaries to their first win of the season, and out of the drop zone.
Relegation battle no clearer after weekend
While still quite early in the season, the relegation battle is shaping up to be quite competitive. Only five points separate 13th and 20th in the table, with cellar-dwellers Queens Park Rangers pulling off an impressive 1-1 draw against overachievers Everton. Additionally, Liverpool managed to take care of 19th place Reading, as the Royals are level on points with QPR. West Ham handled Southampton 4-1, which kept the Saints in the bottom three.
Fulham helped themselves to eighth place in the table, as they managed to squeak out a 1-0 win against Aston Villa, as the club is only one point clear of the drop. Wigan also didn't do itself any favors, as the club fell to Swansea City 2-1.
The English Premier League season is still in its early stages, so don't miss any of the action. By making your first transfer of $100 or more at Xoom.com, you will get a six-month subscription of Fox Soccer2Go at no extra cost. But it is important to hurry, as there's great action scheduled every week.
Watch the England International Summer cricket tournament for free
People who send money to Australia, India or South Africa may not be able to help feeling homesick every now and then. Missing one's family is usually the reason for this, but it may also be because some of the things that remind them of home may be hard to find in the United States.
One of these things is cricket, for even though the American pastime of baseball has its roots in the game, it's nowhere near as popular in the U.S. as it is back home.
For a limited time, however, Xoom users can reconnect with their favorite sport by watching the England International Summer cricket tournament online at Willow.tv. Viewers will no doubt enjoy the Australia Tour of England, the South Africa Tour of England and the New Zealand Tour of India. Both Australia and South Africa have had memorable matchups in years past and this year should prove to be no exception, as the rivalries are quite heated. New Zealand should face a challenge as well, for the last time New Zealand faced India was in 2010, an effort they would ultimately lose.
The program is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is sign up and send your first money transfer of $150 or more to your family, friends or loved ones. The sending process is simple, as the system will guide you through each step so no mistakes are made.
Once the transaction has been completed, a message will be sent to your email account. It will contain all the information you need to redeem the offer so you can watch the games for free live through Willow.tv.
But don't delay, as this special offer ends September 12. For more information and details on how you can get started, visit Xoom.com today.
Reconnect with your family through Skype and Xoom’s $50 credit offer
Being able to transfer money overseas electronically may be a great thing to have in this day and age. However, many would argue that the best advancement in technology is the ability to communicate with loved ones through video conferencing services like Skype.
Since 2003, Skype has enabled millions of people throughout the world to reconnect with their loved ones through voice, video and instant messaging via the internet. In fact, more than 31 million people use the service today throughout the world, including those in countries like Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Italy, South Africa and several others.
Skype's popularity has surged since it's inception thanks to serving as a convenient alternative to phone company subscriptions, as in addition to the extra features that telephone companies don't offer, the service is fairly inexpensive.
And today, in partnership with Xoom, Skype users can get $50 worth of credit toward their Skype accounts – enabling them to talk to their loves longer for virtually no charge.
This offer is available to first-time users of Xoom after they send their initial money transfer to their loved ones. Afterward, they'll receive a unique code that they'll be able to add to their Skype account worth $50. This redemption process can be done simply by visiting Skype, signing in as you normally would, then entering the code in the appropriate box.
This offer only lasts for so long, however, as the promotion ends September 30.
To get started right away, visit Xoom.com for additional information.
Immigrants expected to heighten home sales in Canada
While Xoom enables people to send money to their loved ones back home in 30 countries around the globe, including Canada, a country that's seen a considerable increase in the number of people from a foreign country who now live there. As some workers from the U.S. have wired money online to their loved ones, many may have been able to save enough to purchase a home. These immigrants may be among those who will keep Canada's housing market flowing at a steady pace.
In Canada, the housing market has been extremely active for the past several years, with many people looking to buy a home. In fact, home sales have been so swift, officials have increased mortgage rates marginally in order to encourage people to pay off their loans and keep a potential housing bubble from forming.
These preventive measures have caused some experts to predict that home purchases will decline considerably. However, thanks to the country's strong immigrant population, a new report suggests these fears may all be for not.
According to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, immigrants will serve as a crucial component to the country's real estate growth going forward, as experts note the Canada's surging population rate has largely resulted from people who come from another part of the world.
"It turns out fears of a long and sharp downturn in the housing market are highly exaggerated and very premature," said Benjamin Tal, the report's lead author and chief economist at CIBC. "In fact, demographic forces will be supportive to real estate markets in the coming decade."
The report indicates that Canada will likely see a decline in the number of people buying houses who are between 45 and 54 years of age but the country's immigrant population will help to mitigate any significant declines.
"There is [a] significant jump in the homeownership rate among immigrants as they pass the three-year mark," said Tal. "In fact, after 10 years in Canada the propensity among immigrants to own a house is higher than among native born Canadians."
While a greater number of immigrants in Canada may explain why the homeownership rate is expected to rise, it may also result from the means by which they can afford to purchase one. Many immigrants may have been able to save enough to buy a home thanks an online money transfer made by a family member who works in the U.S.
Polish economy, remittance flows on the decline
Several years ago, 2.2 million people took it upon themselves to send money to Poland. So much so, that 2.5 percent of Poland’s gross domestic product was due to remittances. However, since 2007, Polish remittance flows have declined sharply.
According to the Warsaw Business Journal, money transfers to Poland have deteriorated. While the report didn’t indicate how much remittances have trailed off, researchers from the think tank Adam Smith Center said the decline is largely attributable to the financial crisis that’s affected much of Western Europe, an economic issue that’s been felt throughout most of the world.
Perhaps as a result of lagging remittances and the Europe’s debt crisis, Poland’s overall economy has slowed down as well. The Polish business periodical reports that the country’s economy grew 3.5 percent through the first three months of 2012 compared to the same quarter in 2011, according to Poland’s Central Statistical Office. While this type of growth may be significant for some economies, it’s quite the downturn for Poland’s, which had been growing by 4.3 percent as recently as the fourth quarter of 2011. In the first quarter of 2011, the economy expanded by 4.4 percent.
“Data confirmed a strengthening of the negative impact of the economic downturn in the euro zone on Poland, both direct and indirect,” researchers wrote in the report, according to the Journal. “In coming quarters we expect further deceleration of economic growth in Poland.”
Government statistics indicate that a primary part of Poland’s economy is agriculture, as roughly 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product is attributable to staple crops like potatoes, beets, rye, wheat and dairy products. However, as recently as 2007 a significant percentage also stemmed from foreign remittances sent from overseas destinations like the U.S. Polish natives send money to their families so they can take care of everyday tasks. As a result, by buying goods and services, this may improve Poland’s economy.
Fortunately, Poland is one of the 30 countries that Xoom transfers money to. By signing up for an account at Xoom.com, users can send up to $3,000 for the low price of $4.99. The money sent can then be deposited into the recipient’s account, as Xoom is affiliated with several banking institutions in Poland, including Bank Pekao, PKO Bank Polski and Bank Zachodini. Plus, with the current exchange rate of more than three zloty’s for every dollar, recipients will get a lot of bang for their buck.
Sign up for a Xoom.com account today and help put Poland’s economic state back on the right path.
Chelsea surprises Europe, wins Champions League title in Munich
Chelsea are the champions of Europe, as the English club defeated Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena 4-3 on penalty kicks to take its first Champions League trophy in history.
The match ended 1-1 as both sides scored late goals in the final 10 minutes of regular time. A stalemate during extra time forced the clubs to go to kicks where Ivorian Didier Drogba slotted home the winner past Manuel Neuer.
Thomas Muller opened the scoring on a header in the 83rd minute, and Bayern's constant pressure looked to have paid off. However, Drogba equalized five minutes later to ensure the clubs would be going to extra time.
When it was time for penalties, Bayern seemed to have been influenced by the home crowd, as captain Philipp Lahm opened the scoring, and Chelsea's Juan Mata missed his opportunity. Mario Gomez put the German side up 2-0, before David Luiz got Chelsea on the board. Bayern's keeper Neuer stepped up and scored a smart penalty, but it would be the last for his club that day.
Chelsea cut the lead to 3-2 when acting captain Frank Lampard scored. Croatian forward Ivica Olic had the chance to put the West London club on the brink, but his effort was poor, and easily saved by Blues' goalkeeper Peter Cech. Ashley Cole tied the shootout with a goal, and Bastian Schweinsteiger hit the post, leaving Drogba to finish off the match.
The win was not only Chelsea's first Champions League trophy in its history, but the win marked the first time an away team defeated a home side in a final since the last pairing in 1984. That year, Liverpool defeated Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Furthermore, winning Champions League will allow Chelsea to play in the tournament next season, despite finishing sixth in the English Premier League. This also will drop Tottenham to Europa League, but allows Liverpool to play in the group stage of the same tournament due to its finish as runners-up to Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
Even with Champions League in the books, there is plenty of great football to look forward to this summer. Want to catch every minute of the action? It's easy. Just go to Xoom.com and make your initial transfer of $100 or more, and you will get free subscription to Fox Soccer2Go for six months.
Champions League Final set for this weekend
Chelsea and Bayern Munich will square-off in the most important match in Europe on Saturday, as the two are set to meet in the Champions League final at Allianz Arena in Munich.
This is the first final where one of the teams is playing at its home stadium since 1984 – when Liverpool defeated Roma at Stadio Olimpico in Rome – and the advantage Bayern gains because of this is could be the difference.
Both clubs had a difficult road to the final. Chelsea finished in first in Group E with 11 points. This was one more than Bayer Leverkusen, who also advanced to the knockout rounds, while Valencia and Genk missed out on the next round, with eight and three points respectively. Chelsea then defeated Napoli 5-4 on aggregate, despite losing the first leg 3-1. The strong comeback was enough to propel the club through the tournament. This was followed by a 3-1 defeat of Benfica on aggregate, as well as a 3-2 aggregate victory over Lionel Messi and Barcelona in the semifinals.
Bayern arguably had a much easier time getting to the final match. While the German side won Group A with 13 points, which was two points higher than Napoli, three more than Manchester City, and above bottom-feeders Villareal, the knockout rounds proved a bit easier to navigate. The club defeated Basel 7-1 on aggregate before blanking Marseille 4-0 after two legs. The real test came against Real Madrid in the semifinals, but the club survived after a 3-3 aggregate on penalties.
The match will be as exciting as any, but there are some key stars missing due to suspensions. Chelsea will be without captain John Terry, who received a red card for an awful challenge in the semifinal, and also will be without Raul Meireles, Branislav Ivanovic and Ramires for yellow card accumulation. Bayern will not have the services of Holger Badstuber, Luiz Gustavo and David Alaba.
The final will take place on Saturday, May 19, at 20:45 CET.
There's still plenty of soccer action this summer, and you don't want to miss a minute of it! By making your first transfer of $100 or more at Xoom.com, you can get all of the games a person can handle with a free subscription to FoxSoccer 2Go. But hurry, time is running out!
Manchester City wins Premier League, with stunning stoppage time two-goal rally
The English Premier League season finished up on Sunday, and it may have been one of the craziest finishes in decades. Manchester City managed to snatch the title away from Manchester United in the dying seconds, while Queens Park Rangers just stayed above the relegation zone at the expense of Bolton.
Manchester City was able to defeat QPR 3-2, but the decisive goals didn't come until stoppage time. QPR was up 2-1 – and down a man due to a red card for Joey Barton – before two quick goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero sealed it for the Sky Blues. Manchester United won its game against Sunderland just seconds before, but the Red Devils could only watch their title hopes slip away as news came in from the Etihad Stadium.
Despite QPR's loss in the last seconds, the club will remain a member of the Premier League next season due to Bolton Wanderers' failure to defeat Stoke City. The two clubs drew 2-2, which meant that Bolton would finish in 18th place – the final team relegated from the top flight.
Arsenal was able to capture third place, and with it the North London club will have an automatic berth in Champions League next season. The Gooners defeated West Bromwich Albion 3-2 to ensure that the club would finish third. Despite Tottenham Hotspurs' 2-0 defeat of Fulham, the club will be forced to wait out the Champions League final result to see if it will be playing in that tournament next season. If Chelsea can defeat Bayern Munich, it will participate in the tournament as defending champions, despite finishing sixth this year.
Newcastle was unable to defeat Everton, but the North East club will still be participating in Europa League next season due to its fifth-place finish. The Magpies will be joined by Liverpool – as it won the League Cup – as well as either Tottenham or Chelsea.
Want to see more great action like the Premier League? Fox Soccer2Go has some of the top soccer action in the world. By making your first transfer of $100 or more at Xoom.com, you can get a six-month subscription to the service at no additional cost. Doing this will give you all of the great soccer action throughout the summer and fall.
Manchester City within reach of Premier League title
With only one matchday left to go in the Premier League season, Manchester City is within reach of the title, while Manchester United has to hope it can get its own business done and receive a lot of help to claim the top spot.
The Blues put one hand on the trophy by easily defeating Newcastle 2-0. Not only did it jeopardize Newcastle's chances at achieving its Champions League dream, but it severely hurt the red side of Manchester's chances of getting the trophy, despite that club's win over the weekend against Swansea. Because both matches ended with the same scoreline, United can only win the title by finishing with more points than City. If they end level on points, United would need to make up the eight-goal difference in its final match against Sunderland.
City may not have the easiest obstacle in front of them, as they are set to battle Queens Park Rangers this weekend. QPR defeated Stoke City 1-0 to keep its bid to stay up alive. A draw would virtually keep the club from being relegated, no matter what other results said. A win would guarantee the club stays up, as well. However, if QPR is unable to defeat City, it will have to hope Bolton is unable to defeat Stoke.
Bolton struggled against West Bromwich Albion this past weekend, as the Wanderers were only able to salvage a 2-2 draw, giving up a two-goal lead in the final 15 minutes. Anything less than a win will ensure the Greater Manchester club will be forced to spend next season in The Championship.
That fate was already made reality for Blackburn Rovers, as a late goal from Antolin Alcaraz lifted Wigan to safety, and doomed Blackburn to join Wolverhampton Wanderers in relegation.
With still so much to play for on the final Sunday of the season, each of the 10 matches will be exciting, with most having a direct effect on where clubs will be playing next season.
Want to catch all of the action during the home stretch of the European domestic campaigns? It's easy. Just go to Xoom.com and make your first transfer of $100 or more. By doing this, you'll get a free six-month subscription to Fox Soccer2Go. But hurry! You don't want to miss any more of the action!
Premier League races tighten heading toward the final hurdles
Who said that the title race is the only exciting part of football? A group of mid-week games showed that there is much to play for at all parts of the table, and each race looks like it will come down to the wire.
First off, the race for the Champions League places did not get any clearer, as Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle all still have everything to play for in the battle for the final two spots. Currently, Arsenal sits in third place, with 66 points, but the matches that took place this week put some extra heat on the Gunners with two matches remaining.
Newcastle played Chelsea in what would likely cripple the hopes of the loser to get into Champions League for next season. Led by Papiss Demba Cisse, Newcastle strolled to a 2-0 win over the Blues, which puts the North East club in the thick of the race. Cisse's second goal of the match may end up being the goal of the season, as he hit a curler from the left side of the box that no goalkeeper in the world would have been able to save. It likely will be on highlight reels for years to come.
Tottenham also made its case for a Champions League spot, as it thrashed strugglers Bolton Wanderers 4-1. The win keeps Spurs one point behind Arsenal, as well as level with Newcastle. However, the club's superior goal differential would keep Tottenham in fourth place if the season ended today. Chelsea still has hope, as it could defeat Munich in the Champions League final, which would give it the fourth Champions League place in England, nullifying much of the race.
The loss to Spurs crippled Bolton's hopes of staying up, as the club is still in the drop zone despite being level with Queens Park Rangers on points. Bolton has a goal differential of minus-31, which could spell its doom unless it wins the final two matches of the season.
In other matches in mid-table this week, Fulham defeated a short-handed Liverpool side at Anfield for the Cottagers first win at the ground in history. In addition, Everton and Stoke City played to a 1-1 stalemate.
The season may be heading toward its finale, but there is still plenty to be decided. In order to make sure you can see every minute of the action, it's could be easier by making your first transfer of $100 or more at Xoom.com. Doing this will give you a six-month subscription for Fox Soccer2Go at no additional charge.
