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

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2016 - 2ND ROUND / 2ND LEG - so far

African Champions League 2016

2nd round / 2nd leg
2015 Champions: TP Mazembe


Tuesday: 19.04.2016

Zesco Utd vs Stade Malien 2:1 (3:1) agg: 5:2

• MO Béjaïa vs Zamalek 1:1 (0:2) agg 1:3

Entente Setif vs Al Merreikh 0:0 (2:2) 
  (agg: 2:2 - Setif go through on away goals)

 

Wednesday: 20.04.2016

• Mamelodi Sundowns vs Vita Club -:- (0:1) 

• TP Mazembe vs Wydad -:- (0:2) 

• Etoile du Sahel vs Enyimba -:- (0:3) 

• Al Ahly vs Young Africans -:- (1:1) 

• Ahly Tripoli vs Asec Mimosas -:- (0:2) 


TP Mazembe's fans will be hoping to lift their team to victory over Wydad Casablanca

Holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo must overcome a 2:0 deficit against visiting Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the African Champions League.

The two clubs meet on Wednesday in the second leg of their tie with the winners progressing to the group stages of the tournament.

The losers get a second chance as they enter the draw for the play-offs in the second-tier Confederation Cup.

For the first time continental club matches are being played in midweek.

Mazembe's French coach Hubert Velud described the club's players as "incredible professionals" when he was hired this year.

The clubs also met in a last 16 tie five years ago with Wydad winning 1:0 at home and losing 2:0 away only to be reinstated when Mazembe were disqualified for using an ineligible player.

Wydad went on to finish runners-up, the second best showing by the club from the Moroccan commercial capital after winning the 1992 competition.

Mazembe have been much more successful, winning the premier African club competition in 1967, 1968, 2009, 2010 and last year.

But their African campaign this year has been less convincing.

They needed the help of an own goal to draw 2:2 with Saint George in Ethiopia and took 85 minutes to score the only goal of the second leg through a Jonathan Bolingi penalty.

"Winning trophies is a habit at Mazembe and you are aware of that although I was not given specific objectives when signing a one-year contract," Velud said.

"Continual success in the Champions League is very important to Mazembe because winning the competition secures a place at the Fifa Club World Cup."

Wydad coach, twice Real Madrid manager and former Liverpool and Wales striker John Toshack has mixed emotions ahead of the second leg in Lubumbashi.

"Our first leg performance was among the best since I joined the club two years ago, but it is likely to be a very different game in DR Congo," he said.

"We will be playing on an artificial surface in an atmosphere unique to Africa.

What does count in our favour is not conceding at home."

Mazembe have yet to find a successor to Tanzania striker Mbwana Aly Samatta, who has moved to Belgium.

Mazembe and Wydad are among nine Champions League winners seeking group places and just one of the eight second legs does not involve a title-holder.

On Tuesday ex-Birmingham City and Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish guides Egypt's Zamalek as they defend a 2:0 lead over Mouloudia Bejaia in Algeria.

Another Algerian club Entente Setif, who won the title in 2014, scored two vital away goals in a 2:2 draw in Sudan against Al Merreikh.

On Wednesday Enyimba of Nigeria defend a 3:0 lead over Etoile du Sahel in Tunisia.

The Nigerian lead thanks to a first leg hat-trick from Mfon Udoh, who is the top scorer in the competition so far with seven goals.

Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa hope Colombian Leonardo Castro and Zimbabwean Khama Billiat can transfer sparkling domestic form to Africa as they strive to overcome a 1:0 defeat by AS Vita Club in DR Congo.

Al Ahly of Egypt, under former Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, enjoy home advantage over Young Africans after drawing 1:1 in Tanzania.

The other tie sees Al Ahly Tripoli take on Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast at a neutral venue due to the political instability in Libya, the first leg ended 2:0 to the Ivorians.

Zambia's Zesco United beat Malis Stade Malien 5:2 on aggregate to progress in the African Champions League.

 

 

19 Apr 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

Related articles