Everton lose Pienaar battle

Everton have lost their battle to be allowed to play South Africa's Steven Pienaar in Tuesday's League Cup semifinal first leg at Chelsea.
Pienaar, the influential midfielder who is on a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund, was due to join up with his international teammates on Sunday to prepare for the 26th African Nations Cup tournament in Ghana.
However officials from the South African Football Association were forced to contact FIFA on Sunday after discovering that Pienaar was still at Everton and that manager David Moyes intended to play him against Chelsea.
Moyes insisted he had every right to hang on to the former Ajax player until after the first leg on the grounds that South Africa's first match of the tournament is not for another 15 days.
But Everton were contacted by the world's governing body and told their interpretation of the rule was wrong and that Pienaar should be released immediately.
An Everton spokesman said: "Steven will be going to London today (Monday), but not to Stamford Bridge. He will be flying out from Heathrow.
"We have been contacted by FIFA and told he has to be released by us ahead of the Chelsea match."
Under FIFA rules, players must be released for national duty 14 days ahead of major tournaments, and a spokesman for the governing body insisted the rule relates to the start date of the tournament, which is January 20.
South Africa's first match is not until January 23 against Angola.
"We have looked carefully at the rule and it is not clear whether the 14 days applies to the first match for South Africa or the opening date of the competition," Moyes had said.
"We believe that 14 days should apply to South Africa's first match. I have spoken to the South Africa manager Carlos Alberto Parreira, and he is clearly not pleased.
"But we have invoked the 14-day rule and intend to use Pienaar against Chelsea. That to my mind means that he can then join up with South Africa within the 14 days.
"I have to fight for what's best for Everton Football Club. We pay the players' wages and believe we are within our rights to keep him here to play against Chelsea in the first leg."
South African Football Association officials insisted Moyes was in the wrong and that Pienaar's participation in Tuesday night's tie could lead to them pursuing action against Everton.
"I'm sure Steven Pienaar would like to play in an important game against Chelsea, but South Africa have a very important tournament to prepare for," said Morio Sanyane, director of communications for the South African Football Association.
"It's a very frustrating period for our coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Steven is the only player who has not arrived yet. Carlos wanted to help out domestic clubs but realised that if he allowed Steven Pienaar to stay he would have to let the other players attend late as well."
The row has overshadowed the build-up to Everton's first semifinal since 1995 when they lifted the FA Cup.