Soccer Scene We know, there’s more than one Keano

By Dermot Clarke

At Highfield Road on Saturday, and at Highbury a day later, the victory cry was the same, "Keano, there’s only one Keano." Robbie Keane marked his debut for Coventry with a brace to give Gordon Strachan’s side its first victory of the current campaign. On Sunday, his namesake and compatriot, Roy, stole the points from Arsenal with two goals of his own. Manchester United won the big game of the weekend, 2-1, and the Irish skipper gave the United board even more to think about.

Several carrots were dangled in efforts to lure Robbie Keane away from Molineux. Difficult to assess the value of a 19-year-old, Alex Ferguson had said that he wouldn’t offer more than half-a-million for Keane. Well, Coventry ate the peach, paid the asking price and if Saturday is anything to go by, Ferguson was way off the mark. Keane scored one in each half to set the hitherto silent Highfield Road support alight.

The first was very much of his own making as he jinxed his way into a shooting position, albeit an acute one. His shot was helped on its way by keeper Poom’s body, but the teenager’s willingness to have a go deserved to be rewarded. For his second, Keane sprung the off-side trap before rounding the keeper and slotting home. Robbie won’t be long paying his club back the fee should he continue in the same vein.

Manchester United wore black and blue for the visit to Highbury on Sunday, colors that could become very familiar for their unsettled skipper Roy Keane if we are to believe the latest rumors. Inter Milan, it seems, believe they will sign the midfield genius at the season’s end. Surely, though, the United board will have to come up with a solution to the problem. Among a plethora of superstars, Keane emerged, once again, as the hero.

When quality strikers were failing in one-on-one situations with the keeper, Keane stroked two home as if it were a training session. Arsenal had looked the better side for much of the game, indeed had it not been for stand-in keeper Van der Gouw, the Gunners could well have had the game wrapped up before Keane struck for the first time. The Austrian custodian was awarded Man of the Match for his heroics, the one blemish being when Fred Ljungberg beat him to give Arsenal the lead at the half.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man — well, cometh the 58th minute, actually. Keane played a one-two with Andy Cole before slotting past the stand-in at the other end, Manninger. Keane found himself in a similar position for his winner, he made it look easy again as he gave his side the points. In a game that more than lived up to its billing, a game that featured some of the world’s greatest finishers, Roy Keane, it was, a midfielder, who proved to be the predator supreme.

Ince gets his revenge

Paul Ince gained revenge on the man he thinks treated him "like dirt" at Anfield. Middlesboro beat Liverpool 1-0, the Anfield club’s second such defeat in two games, Brian Deane scored the winner. Gerard Houllier’s spending spree has reaped little so far. but he shouldn’t be too worried yet. All the easy ones are over now, just Leeds, Arsenal and United to come in the next few weeks.

Ruud Gullitt may deny the Frenchman the chance to be first to test the axe for sharpness. Newcastle looked to be cruising at 3-1, home to Wimbledon, but they somehow let the Dons back in for a share of the spoils at 3-3, and Gullitt’s hanging on by his thinnest dreadlock.

Chelsea won at home to Villa courtesy of an own goal by Ehiogu who deflected in a Dan Petrescu cross. Kevin Campbell scored his first since becoming a full-time Toffee, as Everton hammered Southampton, 4-1, and Leeds came from behind when goals from Bowyer and Mills deemed Sunderland’s earlier goal from Phillips worthless. A 2-1 victory at Sheffield Wednesday had Spurs on top of the table briefly and Tommy Mooney was the hero once again as he scored the winner for Watford against Bradford in the battle of the new kids. Wanchope and Di Canio gave West Ham a 2-1 victory over Leicester and Frank Sinclair’s own goal run came to an end there.

The big two won in Scotland over Dundee’s finest and, guess what, Rangers and Celtic now occupy the top two places in the League. Goals from Mahe and Larsson gave Celtic an away win at Dundee and Rangers squashed United, 4-1, Claudio Reyna among the goals once again.

Republic boost

The Republic of Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the Euro 2000 championships received a boost last week after Yugoslavia tied 0-0 with Croatia in Belgrade. Just as well perhaps, that this already tension-filled occasion didn’t produce a goal, but with the teams sharing two points and one being tossed into the atmosphere, the result could mean that a good week in September might see us through.

Mick McCarthy has chosen to leave Ian Harte out of the squad for the game against Yugoslavia on Sept. 1. Harte was a regular in McCarthy’s team when he was out of favor at Leeds. A first choice now in a Leeds team at the top of its form and the Louth man can’t even find room on the sub’s bench — strange that. If Tony Cascarino waddles onto the pitch at any stage he will become Ireland’s most capped player, and if he scores after coming, on he’ll equal Frank Stapleton’s tally and join him as joint top-scorer in the Republic’s all-time list. No disrespect to the big man, but I think when the "who is the most capped Irish international?" question is asked, the answer should be Paul McGrath or Liam Brady or maybe even Packie Bonner. When big Cas gained his first cap against Switzerland in ’85, I would have bet against him winning two.