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

African Confederation Cup 2014 - group stage - 3rd matches - results so far

Coton Sport of Cameroon staged a thrilling comeback away to Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast to win their African Confederation Cup fixture 3:2.

Coton Sport had Daouda Kamilou to thank for the victory after he scored two vital goals. He gave the visitors the lead after 21 minutes only for Hugues Zagbayou to equalise for the hosts 13 minutes later. Ibrahima Fofana then made it 2:1 to Asec just before half-time, but Coton Sport came back.

They equalised with 30 minutes remaining through a Zimbori penalty, with Kamilou popping up with his second in the final minute of the match to secure Coton Sport's win. The victory puts the Cameroonians four points clear of Asec at the top of Group A, having played a game less.

In the group's other tie, to be played on Saturday, AC Leopards of Congo-Brazaville travel to Real Bamako looking to overturn a record of having drawn their last three Confederation Cup games in Mali.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly will be eager to strengthen their position at the top of their Confederation Cup group when they travel to Ivorians Sewe Sports this weekend.

Al Ahly are two points clear at the summit of Group B, ahead of Etoile du Sahel who play Nkana, and the Cairo side know a win on Sunday will put them in a strong position to progress. But they will be without centre-back Wael Gomaa following his retirement from football at the age of 38. 

Gomaa won six Champions League titles with Ahly during his career and he will leave a big void to fill in the defence. 

Caretaker Ahly coach Fathy Mabrouk must also do without injured Sherif Abdel-Fadil, Emad Moteab, Mohamed 'Gedo' Nagy, Abdallah El-Saied and Walid Soliman. However, Ahly will be expected to overcome Sewe, who are the only one of the eight clubs left in the competition to have not appeared in a Confederation of African Football final.

On Saturday Tunisians Etoile du Sahel take on bottom club Nkana, with the Zambians missing suspended defenders Billy Mwanza and Noel Phiri.

 

7 Jun 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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