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

Olympic Games 2016 - Qualifiers - CAF U23 - 3rd round - 1st leg - all results

OLYMPIC GAMES 2016 Qualifiers
(2015 CAF U-23 Championship qualification)
3rd round / 1st leg

 

Gabon vs Mali 0:1
18 July 2015
15:30 UTC+1

Stade Augustin Monédan de Sibang, Libreville
Referee: Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo (Congo DR)

 

Ivory Coast vs Zambia 0:0
18 July 2015
15:00 UTC±0

Stade Robert Champroux, Abidjan
Referee: Boukari Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso)

 

Egypt vs Uganda 4:0  
19:15 UTC+2
18 July 2015

Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria
Referee: Hassan Mohamed Hagi (Somalia)

 

Nigeria vs Congo 2:1
16:00 UTC+1
19 July 2015

Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt
Referee: Anthony Ogwayo (Kenya)

 

Algeria vs Sierra Leone 2:0
19 July 2015
20:45 UTC+1

Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida
Referee: Wahid Tamuni Salah (Libya)

 

Zimbabwe vs South Africa 1:1
19 July 2015
15:00 UTC+2

Rufaro Stadium, Harare
Referee: Stanley Hachiwa (Zambia)

 

Morocco vs Tunisia 1:0
19 July 2015
18:00 UTC+1

Stade de FUS, Rabat
Referee: Fidel Gomes (Guinea-Bissau)

 

Congo coach Claude LeRoy wants to inflict further misery on Nigeria this weekend when he takes his side to Port Harcourt for a 2016 Olympic Games football qualifier.

The Red Devils stunned the Super Eagles 3:2 last year in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

It was the first home Nations Cup qualifying loss suffered by Nigeria and ultimately denied them a place at the finals and a chance to defend their title.

Now, the consistently successful 67-year-old Frenchman hopes to repeat at under-23 level what he achieved at senior level and edge Congo closer to Rio de Janeiro and a first Olympics football appearance.

"We are in an identical position to last year with no one beyond Congo giving us a chance," LeRoy said during a training camp in Atlantic city Pointe-Noire ahead of the third-round first-leg tie.

"But my team have a huge chance of not only eliminating Nigeria, but qualifying for the Rio Olympics.

"There is no reason why we should fear Nigeria.

Congolese football has made tremendous progress recently and we must maintain that improvement."

LeRoy can call on four of his senior squad for the third-round, first-leg clash - goalkeepers Christoffer Mafoumbi and Pavelh Ndzila, defender Sagesse Babele and striker Sylvere Ganvoula.

While Nigeria received first and second-round byes, Congo have already claimed a notable scalp in former Olympics football bronze medallists Ghana.

Both nations won 1:0 at home and Congo squeezed through after a penalty shootout at Stade Municipal in Pointe-Noire.

Nigeria boast a proud Olympics football record, winning the 1996 Atlanta gold medals after a thrilling final against Argentina and finishing runners-up to the same country at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Former star national team striker Samson Siasia coached the 'Dream Team' in China and will be in charge Sunday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in south-east Nigeria.

He has called up Tottenham midfielder Musa Yahaya - nicknamed 'Iniesta' as his style resembles that of the Barcelona star - and Sweden-based goal-poacher Taiwo Owiniyi.

The striker got Nigeria out of jail this year in a 2015 All-Africa Games qualifier against Zambia, scoring both goals in a second-leg away triumph after the Dream Team were held at home.

South Africa, whose previous Olympics appearance was in Sydney 15 years ago, are upbeat ahead of a Harare showdown with neighbours Zimbabwe at Rufaro Stadium Sunday.

"This team has what it takes to go all the way to Rio," believes coach Owen da Gama. 

"The training camp is buzzing with excitement."

Uganda coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic says he is looking forward to proving Egyptian TV analysts wrong after they labelled his team a "punching bag".

The countries face off in Mediterranean city Alexandria Saturday and the stars on show should include two consistent goal scorers, Egyptian Mahmoud 'Kahraba' Abdel Moneim and Ugandan Farouk Miya.

Elsewhere, Gabon host Mali and Ivory Coast host Zambia on Saturday, while on Sunday Morocco host Tunisia and Algeria host Sierra Leone.

 

 

 

19 Jul 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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