A round-up of today's soccer news in brief
FA Cup pits Cardiff against Barnsley
Cardiff City and Barnsley were yesterday rewarded for their impressive performances in the FA Cup quarter-finals when the two Championship clubs were paired together in the last four, leaving Portsmouth, the favourites and the only Premier League side left in the competition, to take on West Bromwich Albion in the other semi-final. The draw may not have captured the imagination but Cardiff and Barnsley both had good reason to rejoice.
No one was happier than Luke Steele. The Albion goalkeeper, who remains on loan at Barnsley, would have been ineligible had the two clubs been drawn together. Instead the 23-year-old, who kept a clean sheet during the 1-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday and was an influential figure in the 2-1 victory at Anfield in the previous round, can look forward to appearing at Wembley against Cardiff in April and also hope to feature in the final.
There will be no Uefa Cup place on offer should Dave Jones's Cardiff side win the FA Cup. The Welsh club come under the jurisdiction of the FA of Wales and, as such, would not be nominated to represent England in the Uefa Cup.
Portsmouth, conquerors of Manchester United, are now tipped to bring silverware to Fratton Park, but their manager, Harry Redknapp, was preaching caution ahead of the Albion tie.
"If you look at the cup all year, you realise you have to be at your best to get through," he said. (7.45pm unless stated)
Tonight's fixtures
Uefa Champions League (Last 16, Second Leg) - Inter Milan v Liverpool.
English Championship - Barnsley v Ipswich, Bristol City v Watford, Burnley v Charlton, Colchester v Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich v Stoke, QPR v Blackpool (8pm), Scunthorpe v Plymouth (7.30pm), Sheffield Utd v Coventry, Southampton v Leicester, Preston v Wolverhampton.
English League One - Carlisle v Luton, Crewe v Port Vale, Doncaster v Gillingham, Hartlepool v Huddersfield, Leeds v Cheltenham, Leyton Orient v Swindon, Oldham v Bournemouth, Southend v Nottingham Forest, Swansea v Tranmere, Walsall v Brighton, Yeovil v Millwall.
English League Two - Brentford v Peterborough, Bury v Rotherham, Dag & Red v Macclesfield, Grimsby v Barnet, Mansfield v Hereford, Notts County v Lincoln City, Shrewsbury v Darlington, Stockport v Rochdale, Wycombe v Wrexham.
Scottish Premier League - Gretna v St Mirren.
Scottish First Division - Clyde v Morton, Dundee v Livingston, Partick v Stirling, St Johnstone v Queen of South, Dunfermline v Hamilton.
Scottish Second Division - Berwick v Cowdenbeath, Ross County v Ayr.
Scottish Third Division - East Stirling v Dumbarton, Forfar v Arbroath, Albion v Stranraer (7.30pm).
DIC's takeover of Liverpool blocked
Dubai International Capital's attempt to purchase a minority stake in Liverpool was thrown into turmoil last night when Tom Hicks, the club's co-owner, terminated talks and vetoed the sale of George Gillett's holding to the company.
Hicks and DIC hit deadlock over their possible working relationship on the first day of negotiations between lawyers representing the Liverpool co-chairman and company officials in Dubai.
The investment arm of the Dubai government had indicated a willingness to back down on intentions to acquire complete control by purchasing 49 per cent of the club from Gillett and would, providing the American agreed to sell his remaining one per cent to his co-owner, let Hicks become majority owner.
However, the Texan, angered by weekend reports claiming DIC would accept 49 per cent as a means to an eventual takeover, has now blocked that avenue.
Spurs good to go
Tottenham finalised the logistical preparations for their Uefa Cup trip to PSV Eindhoven yesterday after the Dutch police softened their stance on strike action over pay, which had placed the tie in jeopardy.
Fears were raised for the return leg of Spurs' last-16 tie which is set for tomorrow but the police cancelled plans to disrupt traffic.FA Cup semi-final draw
Barnsley v Cardiff
West Brom v Portsmouth
Ties to be played April 5th
and 6th at Wembley Stadium
