TRANSFER - IVORY COAST - Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou joins Hertha Berlin

Kalou, scored 23 goals in 67 appearances for Ivory Coast - He has proved his class in the Premier League, Champions League and with his national team. 

1 Sep 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - TOGO - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW - Emmanuel Adebayor

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 30, refused call-ups for World Cup qualifiers last year following a spat with then coach Didier Six after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

1 Sep 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - Sierra Leone - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW

Sierra Leone move tie with DR Congo to Lubumbashi - because of the ebola outbreak.

31 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - IVORY COAST - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW

Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia has been coaxed out of international retirement by coach Herve Renard and named in the squad for September's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

29 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - MOROCCO - Bayern Munich sign Roma defender Mehdi Benatia

The 27-year-old, who helped Roma finish second in Serie A last season, had been linked with a move to Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester United.

28 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - Mali - Modibo Maiga signs for Metz on loan from West Ham

The 26-year-old will spend the rest of the season at Metz, who also have an option to buy the player. The deal is the second between the clubs this month after Diafra Sakho joined West Ham in a permanent move.

27 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - CAMEROON - Everton set to sign former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o

Talks are ongoing but Everton could sign Eto'o in time for him to be in line for a debut against his old side at Goodison on Saturday.

26 Aug 2014
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS - Ethiopia and Kenya bid to host 2017 Africa Cup

Ethiopia Football Federation president Junedin Basha told BBC Sport: "We already have two ready venues, the Addis Ababa and the Bahir Dar stadiums, and the construction of the other venues has also reached to a good level.

26 Aug 2014

2014 World Cup - day 02 - Group B - Spain vs Netherlands 1:5

GROUP B

The Netherlands routed Spain 5:1 in a rematch of the 2010 final that could scarcely have gone worse for the defending champions. After Xabi Alonso put Spain in front from the penalty spot midway through the first half, David Silva spurned a chance to make it 2-0 with a poorly executed chip. The Dutch made them pay for that wastefulness in front of goal by equalizing late in the first half when Robin van Persie looped a diving header past Iker Casillas following a long pass from one of the game's outstanding players, Daley Blind.

Eight minutes into the second half, Arjen Robben put the Dutch in front after pouncing on a long ball and eluding both Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique.

As Spain chased the game, removing one of their two defensive midfielders to add an attacker, the Dutch poured forward, turning the game into a rout. The defender Stefan de Vrij scored in a goalmouth scramble and then both Robben and van Persie scored again.

It was a dream start for the Netherlands, who now seize control of a tough group. For Spain, even qualifying for the next round will be a fight, and if they finish second in the group, their reward will most likely be a game against the hosts, Brazil in the round of 16.

Questions will now be asked about the decision of Spain's coach to start with a Brazilian-born striker, Diego Costa, who has barely played for his adopted national side before returning home for the World Cup.


GOALS

Spain: 
27’ Xabi Alonso

Netherlands:        
80’ Arjen Robben
72’ Robin van Persie
64’ Stefan de Vrij
53’ Arjen Robben
44’ Robin van Persie

 

SQUAD:

Spain Netherlands  

 

13 Jun 2014
(www.nytimes.com by Robert Mackey )

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