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 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2016 - 1ST ROUND / 2ND LEG - details

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2016

 

Holders TP Mazembe are through to the last-16 

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo continued the defence of their African Champions League crown with a hard-fought 1:0 win over Saint George of Ethiopia in Lubumbashi.

The victory over their stubborn opponents was enough to give Mazembe a 3:2 aggregate win and move the holders into the last-16 of Africa's premier club competition.

Draw for last-16

▪ AS Vita Club (COD) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) -:-
▪ Al Merrikh (SUD) vs Entente Setif (ALG) -:-
▪ Wydad Casablanca (MAR) vs TP Mazembe (COD, holders) -:-
▪ Enyimba (NGR) vs Etoile Sahel (TUN) -:-
▪ Stade Malien (MLI) vs Zesco Utd (ZAM) -:-
▪ Young Africans (TAN) vs Al Ahly (EGY) -:-
▪ ASEC Mimosas (CIV) vs Al Ahly Tripoli (LBA) -:-
▪ Zamalek (EGY) vs Mouloudia Bejaia (ALG) -:-

After drawing 2:2 in the first leg in Ethiopia, Mazembe made sure of their progression at home with a late penalty from Jonathan Bolingi.

Bolingi struck the 85th minute spot-kick after Ghanaian midfielder Solomon Asante had been fouled.

The slender victory took the pressure of Mazembe's new coach, Hubert Velud.

He replaced out-of-contract Patrice Carteron as coach of the African champions after Mazembe's disappointing showing at the Fifa Club World Cup.

Mazembe will now face Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the next round as they continue the defence of their crown. Wydad beat CNaPS Sport of Madagascar on Saturday.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Vita Club, Stade Malien, ASEC Mimosas, Zesco United, Mouloudia Bejaia, Entente Setif and Al Ahly Tripoli all booked their places in the last-16.

The 2014 runners-up Vita Club had to sweat before progressing through a 1:1 draw at Mozambican railways club Ferroviario Maputo.

The DR Congo side, who earned a smaller-than-anticipated 1:0 first-leg advantage in Kinshasa, endured some anxious moments in south-east Africa before Mukoko Batezadio scored a minute into stoppage time.

There was still time for 'Diogo' to equalise, but it was V Club who booked a round-of-16 date with Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

Algeria are another country who will have two clubs among the 16 survivors after 2014 champions Entente Setif and debutants Mouloudia Bejaia achieved contrasting victories.

An early goal from Central African Republic star Eudes Dagoulou set up Setif for a 4:2 home victory over Etoile, who were always on the back foot after being held 1:1 in Congo Brazzaville.

Bejaia ground out a 2:0 win over Tunisian visitors Club Africain to shade the North African showdown 2:1 overall.

Senegalese Mohamed Ndoye converted a penalty just before the hour to nudge Mouloudia ahead and Morgan Petrongal scored the tie-deciding second goal six minutes later.

 

22 Mar 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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