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 - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - 1ST RESULTS

AFRICA CUP 2015 QUALIFIERS GROUP G

Friday's Nations Cup qualifiers
• Sierra Leone vs Ivory Coast 1:5 
• Botswana vs Tunisia 0:0 (Tunisia is qualified)

The point helped Tunisia to go top of the table with 11 points to give them their 17th appearance at the Nations Cup.

Botswana, who had already been eliminated from qualifying, picked up their first point of the campaign.

Tunisia, the 2004 winners, join Algeria and Cape Verde who had both already qualified from their groups.

Earlier on Friday, Ivory Coast thrashed Sierra Leone 5:1 in their penultimate 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier to remain in the hunt to reach next year's finals.

The Elephants needed to bounce back from a surprise home loss by DR Congo last time out to keep up the pressure on their Group D rivals for an automatic qualification spot.

And they did it in some style after overcoming initial resistance from Sierra Leone in Abidjan, who had given up home advantage because of the severity of the Ebola outbreak in their country.

Salomon Kalou scored twice for Ivory Coast

Defender Kolo Toure tapped in a cross to the back post to open the scoring after eight minutes only for the Leone Stars to battle back and level through Mustapha Bangura, who volleyed home superbly.

But after half-time the Ivorians took full control, with Salomon Kalou getting the first of his two goals to put his side back in front.

Further strikes from Max-Alain Gradel, who converted from close range, and Gervinho made the game safe for the Elephants before Kalou completed the rout when he slotted in after a powerful run.

The victory puts Ivory Coast on nine points and moves them up to second in the table, one point behind leaders Cameroon who play Congo on Saturday.

Congo are third on six points, while Sierra Leone are bottom on one point and have been eliminated from qualifying.

It was announced earlier on Friday that the tournament will be held in Equatorial Guinea, who have replaced original hosts Morocco.

The Confederation of African Football selected a replacement after rejecting Morocco's request to postpone the 17 January to 8 February event .

Morocco were concerned about the Ebola outbreak on the continent.

15 Nov 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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