Host Nation: January 2012

Thursday 26 January 2012

Charlton's reserves continued their run in the Kent Senior Cup - as well as their knack for high-scoring thrillers - with a 4-3 victory at Margate on Tuesday night.

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9490280.Addicks_edge_Kent_cup_goal_feast/

The Championship title race took a turn when Leicester rocked Southampton at St Mary's.

Match updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/championship/2011-2012/southampton-leicester-city-454350.html
Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23012012/58/championship-hungry-foxes-stifle-saints.html

This report was one of my most popular amongst friends and family. No surprise, given that most of them are West Ham supporters.

So, just a few hours after Zlatan Ibrahimovic nets two of Milan's three goals in a 3-0 away win at Novara...

Match updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/serie-a/2011-2012/novara-ac-milan-467100.html
Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22012012/58/serie-ibra-brace-sees-milan-defeat-novara.html

... Lionel Messi goes one further with three of Barcelona's four at Malaga, and his fifth hat-trick of the campaign.

Match updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/liga/2011-2012/malaga-cf-fc-barcelona-458813.html
Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23012012/58/liga-messi-hat-trick-conquers-malaga.html

Be sure at the very least to check out Zlatan's second and Messi's third on YouTube or 101greatgoals if you can. Just absolute quality stuff in two completely different ways.

Napoli wasted an opportunity to move clear of Roma in sixth and gain ground on the five Serie A title contenders above them when they were held 1-1 at home to Bologna on Monday evening.

Match updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/serie-a/2011-2012/napoli-bologna-467110.html
Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/17012012/58/serie-napoli-held-bologna.html

Lazio made hay on a weekend where many Serie A front-runners slipped up with a 2-0 win at home to mid-table Atalanta in Sunday's early kick-off.

One of Charlton's biggest and most important wins of the season came this past Saturday at Hillsborough, with a hard-fought 1-0 win which ended Sheffield Wednesday's undefeated home record in all competitions.

A brief report with reaction from manager Chris Powell is below:

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9472679.Charlton_end_Owls__unbeaten_home_record/

Meanwhile, Powell also touched upon some heated altercations with the Owls' coaching staff after heavy handed tactics from the home side amidst a cauldron-like atmosphere in Sheffield:

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9472658.Addicks_boss_fumes_at_Owls_abuse/

Martin O'Neill's Black Cats revolution continued into the new year with a 4-1 win at the DW Stadium which moved them into the top half of the Premier League for the first time this season.

Match updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/premier-league/2011-2012/wigan-athletic-sunderland-454133.html
Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04012012/58/premier-league-black-cats-hit-four-wigan.html