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Southampton hired Ronald Koeman as its new manager on Monday, hoping the former Netherlands defender can build on the south coast clubs success in the Premier League last season. cheap nfl jerseys . The 51-year-old Koeman signed a three-year deal with the Saints. His brother, Erwin, has also joined Southampton as assistant first-team manager, while Jan Kluitberg will serve assistant first-team coach/physical coach. "I am thrilled to be the manager of Southampton football club," Koeman said. "Southampton have a talented first-team squad, a world-class academy and the infrastructure to sustain success in the Premier League." Koeman arrives following a three-year spell at Feyenoord, which he led to consecutive top-three finishes in the Dutch league. He replaces Mauricio Pochettino, who left to join Premier League rival Tottenham. Koeman has coached across Europe, winning the Dutch league twice with Ajax and domestic cups with Benfica in Portugal and Valencia in Spain. Les Reed, executive director of Southampton, said the club was delighted to attain the services of Koemans "calibre and status within the game." "From the moment we met with Ronald, it was clear he had the vision and ambition to take the club forward," Reed said. "The club, players and fans will all be excited to have a man of Ronalds experience at the very highest level joining our club." A priority for Koeman will be retaining key members of the playing squad. England striker Rickie Lambert recently left to join Liverpool, and international teammate Adam Lallana is reportedly also a Liverpool target. Croatia defender Dejan Lovren is also reportedly seeking a move away. But Koeman is confident he will be able to continue Southamptons success from the 2013-14 Premier League season, where the Saints equaled their highest ever finish of eighth place with a club record total of 56 points. "The opportunity to continue the development of this famous football club was simply too good to turn down. I cannot wait to get started," he said. As a player, Koeman won the European Cup with PSV Eindhoven in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992. He scored the winning goal from a free kick as Barcelona beat Sampdoria 1-0 at Wembley. Koeman made 82 appearances for the Dutch national side. wholesale nfl jerseys . The Lakers will also visit Cleveland and Philadelphia, have lost four in a row on the road and are 8-18 as the guest this season. They are 3-12 on the road against Western Conference opponents. cheap jerseys from china . -- San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro says he will begin the season on the disabled list. FORTALEZA, Brazil -- Miroslav Klose rescued a point for Germany, and equaled the World Cup scoring record in the process. Germany was held to an entertaining 2-2 draw by Ghana on Saturday and needed Kloses second-half equalizer to avoid another second-game letdown that has plagued the team in recent tournaments. Klose now has 15 career World Cup goals, equaling the mark set by former Brazil star Ronaldo. He celebrated the goal with his trademark somersault. "It wasnt perfect, but I cant remember the last time I did it," Klose said. "Still, 15 goals in 20 matches, thats not bad." Just like in 2010, Germany won its opening game of the World Cup 4-0 but struggled in its second game. Four years ago, it was beaten 1-0 by Serbia, and the Germans were on the verge of losing again on Saturday. The draw was good news for the United States, however, as the Americans would advance from the group if they beats Portugal on Sunday. "Ghana really threw everything they had at us. It was a very animated match. Both teams had many chances, and many counterattacks," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "Thats not how the match was planned, but thats how it turned out." Klose scored the equalizer in the 71st minute, less than two minutes after coming on as a substitute, when a corner by Toni Kroos was flicked to the far post by Benedikt Hoewedes and the striker slid in to knock the ball into the roof of the net. Ronaldo reacted with a tweet: "Welcome to the club (hashtag)klose. I can imagine your happiness!!!! What a great Cup!!!?" Mario Goetze had put Germany ahead in the 51st, but Ghana equalized three minutes later through Andre Ayew. Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan then put the Africans ahead in the 63rd, only to see Klose cancel out his goal. The 36-year-old Klose is in his fourth World Cup and had been level with former Germany striker Gerd Mueller on 14 goals. Ronaldo also scored his 15th against Ghana, in a 3-0 win in 2006 in Germany. With coach Joachim Loew preferring to play with a "false nine" system without a striker, Klose sat out Germanys opening 4-0 rout of Portugal. But with Ghana threatening to put a damper on Germanys hope of winning the group, Loew turned to his veteran, who delivered again. "I am very happy for Klose. He was on the pitch for two minutes and he scored. Its sensational for his career," Loew said. "He is a player who can come on and have a decisive impact. Thats great for me, for the team, and for him." Still, the result revived Ghanas hopes of progressing aftter its opening 2-1 loss to the United States. nfl jerseys china. "It was a good competitive game. We did our best and we had many other chances that could have produced goals," Ghana coach James Appiah said. "Ghanaians have a strong mentality when it comes to football, to fight to the end to matter what is happening. Playing against Germany is difficult especially when you are a goal down. So you have to have the right players with the right mentality on the pitch." Germany took the lead when Thomas Mueller sent a dipping cross toward Goetze, who attempted a header but the ball bounced off his left knee into the net. Germanys lead lasted only three minutes. Ayew rose between Per Mertesacker and Shkodran Mustafi to head the equalizer inside the far post from a cross from Harrison Affu. With the non-German side of crowd loudly behind the Ghana team, the African side kept putting pressure on the favoured Germans. Gyan beat an offside trap by Mats Hummels and Mertesacker in the 63rd, ran into space and fired the ball past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into the far corner to raise Ghanas hopes of an upset. In between the first two goals, a fan ran onto the pitch waving his shirt. He did not threaten any players but shook hands with Ghanas Sully Muntari, who escorted him off the field before he was picked up by a security official. Ushers then moved to block stairwells leading to the pitch. Both teams had late chances to grab the winner but Neuer and his Ghana counterpart Fatawu Dauda produced good saves. Muntari picked up a late yellow card late in the match for his second booking and will miss his teams final group game against Portugal. Schalke forward Kevin-Prince Boateng played from the start for Ghana, pitting him against half-brother Jerome Boateng, a Germany defender. There was little contact between the two and Jerome was substituted at halftime with a hip injury. Mueller, who scored a hat trick against Portugal, had to be helped off the pitch after the match with a bloodied face after colliding with John Boye. -------- Lineups: Germany: Manuel Neuer; Jerome Boateng (Shkodran Mustafi, 46th), Per Mertesacker, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes; Sami Khedira (Bastian Schweinsteiger, 70th), Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil; Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze (Miroslav Klose, 69th). Ghana: Fatau Dauda; Harrison Afful, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah; Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Mohammed Rabiu (Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, 78th), Christian Atsu (Mubarak Wakaso, 72nd), Andre Ayew; Kevin-Prince Boateng (Jordan Ayew, 52nd), Asamoah Gyan. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
