NATIONAL TEAM - SWITZERLAND - 2014 WORLD CUP - Goodbye, Ottmar Hitzfeld. All the best and take care.

Hitzfeld has made a positive impression wherever he has been stationed and his name is still regularly chanted in the stands at Bayern Munich.

“He put together a really good team that will last for many years to come,” Granit Xhaka told FIFA.com, before Josip Drmic added: “He’s done a great job.” 

2 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND 1:0

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Argentina vs Switzerland 1:0

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - BELGIUM VS USA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Belgium vs USA 2:1

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - ARGENTINA - KEY PLAYER - ‪LIONEL MESSI - PROFILE

Lionel Andrés Messi; born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.

By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. 

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - USA - KEY PLAYER - ‪JERMAINE JONES - PROFILE

Jermaine Junior Jones, born 3 November 1981, is a German-American footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Turkish club Beşiktaş. He has previously played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers and Schalke 04. He was born in Germany and represented them at U21 and senior level.

1 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS AFTER EXIT

He becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo.

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - FRANCE vs NIGERIA 2:0

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

France vs Nigeria 2:0

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - GERMANY vs ALGERIA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

Germany vs Algeria 2:1

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - GERMANY - KEY PLAYER - THOMAS MUELLER‬ - PROFILE

Müller's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the center for Bayern Munich, and on the right for Germany.

He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion. Müller has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - FRANCE - KEY PLAYER - ‪KARIM BENZEMA - PROFILE

He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. 

Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

30 Jun 2014

2015 Africa Cup qualifiers - Mauritania go through to next round

Mauritana vs Mauritius 2:0

Mauritania qualifed for the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as they beat Mauritius 2:0, to win the tie 3:0 on aggregate. Demba Sow and Moulaye Ahmed Khalil were the scorers on a rainy day in Curepipe.

The visitors had the upper hand, having won their home leg 1:0, and dominated the game throughout with a host of chances.

Mauritius were grateful to their goalkeeper Aboo Bakar Augustin who made at least four crucial saves.

Augustin, though, could do nothing with Demba Sow's right foot firecracker from 20 yards after 38 minutes.

The Mourabitounes continued to dominate in the second half and got their reward on the stroke of full-time.
 
Despite a determined effort as well as the entrance of veteran Kersley Appou , Mauritius could not make an impact.
 
Mauritania's second goal came frrom Ahmed Moulaye Khalil after defender Bruno Ravina made a mess of the clearance, with Khalil scoring from close range.

Mauritania coach Patrice Neveu said the tactics he put in place paid off.

"We came to get the qualification and we knew we should not defend", he told BBC Sport.

"We attacked from the start and we got the dividends.

"We took this team of Mauritius seriously and they showed that they have the mental capabilities to come back.

"Our aim now is to go to the group stage of the qualifiers.

"We have a country and a team under construction, but a team who showed quality."

Mauritian coach Akbar Patel felt the first goal killed the game. 

"This goal came on a bad moment as we were planning to start the second half and put all our weight in the battle", Patel said. 

"I will maintain that we need to be playing more than one international game every six months in order to progress.

"But hats off to my players who in two weeks reached a level to challenge these players".

Mauritania, who have never reached the Africa Cup of Nations finals, will join 27 nations in the draw for the next stage which will be played next month.
 
Eventually seven countries will advance to join the 21 top-seeded sides in the group phase that will decide the qualifiers for the Nations Cup finals in Morocco next year.
 
21 Apr 2014
(BBC Sport, Curepipe by Yasine Mohabuth)

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