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

2014 World Cup - warm up - Nigeria vs Scotland 2:2

 

Goals Nigeria: 2x
•  Uchebo 41′ 
•  Nwofor 90′

Goals Scotland: 2x
•  Mulgrew 10′ 
•  Egwuekwe 52′ (og)

 

Charlie Mulgrew skilfully diverted James Morrison's strike into the net to give Scotland the lead before Michael Uchebo levelled with a deflected shot.

An own goal by Azubuike Egwuekwe turned the match back in the Scots' favour early in the second half.

World Cup-bound Nigeria pressed for a second equaliser and were rewarded when Nwofor fired home on the turn.  

Gordon Strachan's men were bidding to become the first Scotland side since 1951 to win four successive away matches.

And they started brightly at the neutral venue with Ikechi Anya firing a low drive on to the post via the heel of Kunle Odunlami.

Scotland's new-look back four, which included Dundee United's Andrew Robertson making his first international start, found themselves under pressure when they conceded possession to Uchebo but Allan McGregor saved the shot.

Having narrowly escaped on that occasion, Strachan's men sought to capitalise on a set piece and duly delivered. 

Shaun Maloney and Anya teed up Morrison for a low shot that was looped over goalkeeper Austin Ejide by the outside of Mulgrew's left boot.

The ball was in the Nigeria net again when Grant Hanley rose to meet another Maloney corner but English referee Lee Probert awarded a foul against the Scotland defender for his challenge on Ejide.  

Nigeria gradually worked their way back into the match and Shola Ameobi, recently released by Newcastle, volleyed Ejike Uzoenyi's into the hands of McGregor.

But the Scottish keeper could do nothing when Uchebo's shot spun into the net off Hanley.

In the first of many substitutions, Derby's Chris Martin made his Scotland debut at the start of the second half as a replacement for Steven Naismith.

McGregor got down well to block an Ameobi shot and Scotland once again found themselves ahead after an important save from the Hull stopper.

Hutton's driven cross was knocked back towards goal by Egwuekwe and Odunlami could not prevent the ball from crossing the line. 

At the other end, substitutes Nosa Igiebor and Peter Odemwingie played a one-two before the former drew a save from McGregor. 

Maloney then converted Hutton's low cross but was correctly flagged offside.

Chances continued to come Scotland's way and George Boyd, on for Morrison, set up Martin for a strike that Ejide blocked. 

Martin's club-mate Craig Forsyth joined the fray for his Scotland debut when the impressive Robertson came off, while the introduction of Celtic's Efe Ambrose for Odunlami was Nigeria's sixth change.

Nwofor, who had replaced Ameobi, twice threatened with headers before he capitalised on some slack defending to net the final goal. 

Hanley's attempted clearance ricocheted off Nnamdi Oduamadi into Nwofor's path and the Heerenveen forward drilled past McGregor from close range.

 

29 May 2014
(BBC Sport Scotland by Andy Campbell)

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