2009 World Football Challenge

The 2009 World Football Challenge was the first edition of the World Football Challenge, an exhibition international club association football competition featuring football clubs from Europe and North America, which has been held first in summer of 2009. Chelsea are the 2009 champions.

2009 World Football Challenge
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Teams4 (from 3 federations)
Final positions
ChampionsEngland Chelsea[1]
Runner-upMexico América
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored14 (2.33 per match)
Attendance336,813 (56,136 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Ivory Coast Didier Drogba
Argentina Diego Milito
(2 goals)
2011 →

Format edit

In 2009, each team played the other three teams in the tournament once in a round-robin tournament format, with each game played at a neutral venue in the United States. Chelsea emerged as the World Football Challenge champion for 2009. The following four clubs participated in the 2009 tournament:[2][3][4]

Venues edit

Six cities served as the venues of the 2009 World Football Challenge.[4]

Palo Alto, CA Pasadena, CA Atlanta, GA
Stanford Stadium Rose Bowl Georgia Dome
Capacity: 50,000 Capacity: 95,542 Capacity: 71,228
     
Baltimore, MD Foxborough, MA Arlington, TX
M&T Bank Stadium Gillette Stadium Cowboys Stadium
Capacity: 71,008 Capacity: 68,756 Capacity: 80,000
     

Rules edit

 
Chelsea vs Club America at the Cowboys Stadium

Clubs received one point for each goal scored in regulation time (up to three goals per game). Clubs earned three points for a win that does not go into penalty kicks. After 90 minutes of play, if the match was tied, each team received one point and the winner of the penalty kicks received an additional point. The team with the highest overall number of points determined the World Football Challenge champion.[5]

Standings edit

Pos Nation Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts
1   England Chelsea 3 3 0 0 0 6 1 +5 15
2   Mexico América 3 1 1 0 1 3 4 −1 8
3   Italy Inter Milan 3 1 0 1 1 3 3 0 7
4   Italy Milan 3 0 0 0 3 2 6 −4 2
Source: [citation needed]

Matches edit

América1–1Inter Milan
Silva   51' Report Córdoba   61'
Penalties
Chitiva  
Mosquera  
Silva  
Márquez  
Ó. Rojas  
5–4   Balotelli
  Milito
  Ibrahimović
  Vieira
  Burdisso
Attendance: 31,026
Referee: Baldomero Toledo (California)

Chelsea2–0Inter Milan
Drogba   11'
Lampard   50' (pen.)
Report
Attendance: 81,224

América2–1Milan
Esqueda   56'
Márquez   84'
Report Inzaghi   66'
Attendance: 53,600
Referee: Alex Prus (South Carolina)

Chelsea2–1Milan
Drogba   7'
Zhirkov   69'
Report Seedorf   38'

Inter Milan2–0Milan
Milito   4', 75' Report
Attendance: 42,531[6]
Referee: Jorge González (New York)

Chelsea2–0América
Di Santo   76'
Malouda   78'
Report
Attendance: 57,229
Referee: Paul Ward (Vancouver)

Top goalscorers edit

Rank Player Nation Club Goals
1 Didier Drogba   CIV Chelsea 2
Diego Milito   ARG Inter Milan
3 Iván Córdoba   COL Inter Milan 1
Enrique Esqueda   MEX América
Filippo Inzaghi   ITA Milan
Frank Lampard   ENG Chelsea
Florent Malouda   FRA Chelsea
Daniel Márquez   MEX América
Franco Di Santo   ARG Chelsea
Clarence Seedorf   NED Milan
Juan Carlos Silva   MEX América
Yuri Zhirkov   RUS Chelsea

References edit

  1. ^ "The US tour has been concluded with the World Football Challenge bowl and a fourth win in four". Chelsea. chelseafc.com.
  2. ^ Scime, Adam (March 24, 2009). "Inter, Chelsea And Milan Enter World Football Challenge 2009 Tournament". Goal.com. Retrieved July 21, 2009. Chelsea, Milan and Inter have entered the World Football Challenge 2009 tournament along with Mexican entrants Club America.
  3. ^ Cardillo, Michael (March 24, 2009). "World Football Challenge Coming to a City Near You". Fanhouse. Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2009. ... which brings super clubs Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Club America to a six-match 'series' this summer...
  4. ^ a b "Chelsea, Inter, Club America and AC Milan to face off in U.S." ESPN Soccernet. March 24, 2009. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  5. ^ "World Football Challenge". World Football Challenge. Archived from the original on July 16, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  6. ^ "Report: AC Milan v Internazionale - World Football Challenge - ESPNFC". Soccernet.espn.go.com. July 26, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.

External links edit