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

2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERs - 2ND ROUND- 2ND LEG - ALL RESULTS

Saturday:
Malawi vs Benin 1:0 (0:1)
Rwanda vs Congo 2:0 (0:2)
Guinea-Bissau vs Botswana 1:1 (0:2)
Sunday:
• Mozambique vs Tanzania 2:1 (2:2)
• Kenya vs Lesotho 0:0 (0:1)
• Mauritania vs Uganda 0:1 (0:2)
 

Lesotho upset Kenya as Mozambique and Uganda advance

Kenya and Tanzania crashed out of qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations while their neighbours Uganda reach the group stages.

Lesotho caused an upset as they held Kenya to an 0:0 draw on Sunday in Nairobi, a result that was enough to see the visitors advance 1:0 on aggregate.

The loss resulted in Football Kenya Federation sacking their entire technical team including the suspended Belgium-born coach Adel Amrouche.

He had watched the game in Nairobi from the stands after being issued with a one-year ban after the first leg loss for allegedly spitting at an official in an earlier qualifier.

James Nandwa had been in charge of the Harambee Stars for Sunday's encounter, but has also lost his job along with the rest of the coaching staff.

The match had ended goalless despite Kenya dominating the game and starting with Southampton's Victor Wanyama and Italy-based McDonald Mariga.

The hosts could not find the breakthrough to cancel out Bushi Moletsane's lone goal from the first leg in Maseru two weeks ago.

Lesotho will now play in Group C of the qualifiers where they will face Angola, Burkina Faso and Gabon.

There was better news for Kenya's East African neighbours Uganda, who beat hosts ten-man Mauritania 1:0.

The only goal of the game came in injury time as Robert Ssentongo bundled the ball over the line to make it 3:0 to Uganda on aggregate.

Hosts Mauritania played the final 10 minutes with ten men after the dismissal of substitute Karamoko Traore.

Uganda advance to play in Group E of the qualifiers where they will be up against Ghana, Guinea and Togo.

Earlier Mozambique ensured their passage into the group stages too with a 2:1 win over visiting Tanzania, to give them a 4:3 overall win.

The Mambas took the lead in added time at the end of the first-half through Josimar.

TP Mazembe striker Mbwana Samatta gave Tanzania some hope with a second-half strike but Elias Domingues Pelembe gave the hosts the win.

Pelembe was playing his second game in as many days having come on as a substitute for his South African side Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday afternoon.

Mozambique go through to Group F of the qualifiers where Cape Verde, Niger and Zambia await.

A total of 28 nations will play in 7 groups in September, October and November to decide who will join hosts Morocco in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The top two from each group and the best third-placed team will progress to the tournament that kicks off in January.

 

4 Aug 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles