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
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - NETHERLANDS VS MEXICO 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Netherlands vs Mexico 2:1

Lucky dutchmen!

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - COSTA RICA VS GREECE 5:4 - win on penalties

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Costa Rica vs Greece 5:4

Costa Rica through on penalties.

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - MEXICO - KEY PLAYER - ‪Giovani dos Santos‬ - PROFILE

Giovani dos Santos‬ was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Giovani joined FC Barcelona's academy of La Masia at the age of eleven and played for Barcelona's Juvenil A category where he helped his team to make a comeback in the league and win the regional title. 

This title allowed them to participate in the Youth Copa del Rey, where they faced other regional champions, among them their historic arch-rivals, Real Madrid. 

29 Jun 2014

African Champions League 2014 - group stage - 2nd matches - all results

TP Mazembe beat AS Vita Club in African Champions League. TP Mazembe were 1:0 winners over their Congolese rivals AS Vita Club in Group A of the African Champions League.

The fixture passed off peacefully following the tragic events of two weeks ago in Kinshasa when the two clubs last met. 15 people died in a stampede during their domestic league decider which Mazembe won. Sunday's African Champions League match was played amidst a terrific atmosphere in Lubumbashi.

The focus on this fixture was intense before kick-off following the tragic events at the Tata Raphael Stadium in Kinshasa two weeks ago. TP Mazembe were again victorious with just one goal settling the match. Aly Samata's 62nd minute strike was enough to ensure the hosts picked up the victory.

Champions League fixtures 24-25 May

Group A

• 24.05.2014: Zamalek vs  Al Hilal 2:1

• 25.05.2014: TP Mazembe vs AS Vita Club 1:0 


Group B

• 24.05.2014: Al Ahli Benghazi vs Esperance 3:2 

• 25.05.2014: Entente Setif vs CS Sfaxien 1:1


Ahly triumphed over Esperance despite having to forfeit home advantage because of civil unrest and play in the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax.  Zimbabwean Edward Sadomba, Farag Mbarak and Nigerian Moses Orkuma were the Benghazi marksmen while Ahmed Akaichi and Oussama Darragi scored for Esperance.It is one win a piece for all four sides in "Group A" after Egyptian club Zamalek picked up three precious Champions League points with a 2:1 win over Al Hilal of Sudan in Cairo.

The two-time African Champions League winners Esperance are in serious trouble after just two group games in this season's competition. The Tunisians suffered a second successive defeat, losing 3:2 to Libyans Al-Ahly Benghazi in Group B. Defeat leaves Esperance without a single point at the bottom of Group B while Benghazi are third with three points. It also signalled the end of Ruud Krol's short reign as Esperance coach. He was sacked following the loss .

Entente Setif hosted record three-time CAF Confederation Cup winners Sfaxien later on Sunday in a top-of-the-table match. Egyptian side Zamalek secured their first win of their Group A campaign, with defender Mohamed Abdul-Shafy the unlikely star as they edged Sudanese club Al-Hilal 2:1 in a game staged behind closed doors in Cairo for security reasons.

Zamalek coach and former Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham striker 'Mido' had outlined the importance of the match before kick-off. What he could never have imagined, though, was a defender displaying exquisite skills to earn the 'White Knights' maximum points.

Abdul-Shafy provided breathtaking edge-of-the-box ball control as he shifted the ball from one oot to the other before hammering a low shot into the net for the winner eight minutes from time. He also created the early opening goal for Mauritania-born Dominique da Silva. Eltaib had equalised for Al-Hilal midway through the opening half.

 

26 May 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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