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

Africa Cup 2017 Qualifiers - Group Stage - 5th matches - all results

Africa Cup 2017 Qualifiers

Group A
Liberia vs Togo 2:2
Djibouti vs Tunisia 0:3

Group B 
CAR vs Angola 3:1 
Madagascar vs DR Congo 1:6 

Group C
South Sudan vs Mali 0:3 
Benin vs Eq Guinea (postponed)

Group D
Botswana vs Uganda 1:2 
Comoros vs Burkina Faso 0:1 

Group E
Guinea-Bissau vs Zambia 3:2 
Kenya vs Congo 2:1 - (Guinea-Bissau qualify from the Group)

Group F
Sao Tome vs Cape Verde 1:2 
Seychelles vs Algeria 0:2

Group G 
Tanzania vs Egypt 0:2 (Q)    

Group H 
Rwanda vs Mozambique 2:3 
Mauritius vs Ghana 0:2 (Q)

Group I
Sierra Leone vs Sudan 1:0 
Ivory Coast vs Gabon 2:1 (Friendly)

Group J
Seychelles vs Algeria 0:2
Lesotho vs Ethiopia 1:2 

Group K
Burundi vs Senegal 0:2 (Q)    
Namibia vs Niger 1:0 

Group L
Swaziland vs Guinea 1:0 
Zimbabwe vs Malawi 3:0 

Group M
Gambia vs South Africa 0:4 
Mauritania vs Cameroon 0:1


Guinea-Bissau's France-based captain Bocundji Ca will lead his side at Gabon 2017

Guinea-Bissau reached an Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time in their history without kicking a ball on Sunday, as Zimbabwe and Ghana also qualified for Gabon 2017.

Kenya beat Guinea-Bissau's closest challengers Congo Brazzaville 2:1 in Group E to secure an historic qualification for the African minnows who defeated Zambia on Saturday.

Zimbabwe were 3:0 winners over Malawi in Harare, and Ghana won 2:0 away to Mauritius.

Guinea-Bissau bolstered their chances of a first Cup of Nations appearance after a 3:2 win over 2012 champions Zambia on Saturday in front of a packed 20,000-capacity national stadium in Bissau.

But they needed Congo Brazzaville to lose in Kenya to seal their place in Gabon, and Kenya duly obliged, coming from behind to seal a victory in Nairobi.

Congo took an early lead in the Group E match through Ismael Gonzalez who converted a 19th minute penalty.

But the Harambee Stars came back just five minutes later through Ayub Timbe.

Guinea-Bissau's place in Gabon was cemented in the second half when Eric Johanna scored to give Kenya a 2:1 victory.

Guinea-Bissau, captained by France-based Bocundji Ca have 10 points in Group E, four more than Zambia and Congo Brazzaville. 

Kenya are bottom, two points further adrift.

The team from the tiny former Portuguese colony in West Africa, guided by local coach Baciro Cande, were considered rank outsiders when qualifying kicked off last June.

But home and away victories over Kenya three months ago helped them upset the odds to win the group.

Andre Ayew captained Ghana in the absence of injured skipper Asamoah Gyan

 

Ghana went into their game away to Mauritius as favourites to win Group H even without captain and leading striker Asamoah Gyan, who has a thigh injury.

The Black Stars did not disappoint despite a cagey first half which ended without any goals.

Swansea's Andre Ayew broke the deadlock in the 71st minute with a strike from close-range to relieve some of the tension.

Christian Atsu doubled Ghana's score seven minutes later, finding the net following a pass from defender Baba Rahman.

The victory means that Ghana have qualified for their seventh successive Africa Cup of Nations finals since 2006.

Zimbabwe clinched a place with a 3:0 win over Malawi in Harare while their while Group L rivals Guinea fell 1:0 in Swaziland.

Knowledge Musona was fouled inside the box and converted the penalty on 16 minutes to set up the convincing home victory for the Warriors.

Recently crowned South African Footballer of the Year Khama Billiat doubled the lead on 36 minutes, firing in from close range.

Roared on by a 40,000 crowd at the national stadium, Zimbabwe struck again a minute from time through a Cuthbert Malajila header.

Yannick Bolasie celebrated his recent marriage with a goal for DR Congo

 

In Group B, the Democratic Republic of Congo moved closer to the finals with a resounding 6:1 win in Madagascar but Central African Republic's 3:1 win over visitng Angola stopped DR Congo from qualifying.

Cedric Bakambu and Paul-José M'Poku both hit a brace for DR Congo in Madagascar, with Crystal Palace's recently married winger Yannick Bolasie, and Jordan Rolly Botaka also scoring.

Jhon Baggio Rakotonomenjanahary did score a consolation goal for the hosts, but they remain bottom of the group with just two points.

CAR's win meant they closed the gap on DR Congo to two points with the group now set to be decided in the final round of qualifiers in September.

It is a similar situation in Group D where Burkina Faso beat Comoros 1:0 on Sunday to go joint top with Uganda ahead of the last round of qualifying.

Elsewhere, two goals from Getaneh Kebede helped Ethiopia win 2:1 away to Lesotho in Group J, to boost their hopes of finishing as one of the best runners-up.

Later, Liberia can go back to the top of Group A if they can beat visitors Togo.

Victory would set up a winner-takes-all in the final qualifier against Tunisia in September.

The Group C game between Benin and Equatorial Guinea - originally scheduled for 5 June - has been postponed until Sunday 12 June. as long as Benin fulfil conditions set out by Fifa.

These are the penultimate qualifiers, with the group winners and the best two runners-up qualifying for the finals along with hosts Gabon.

The final round of group matches will be played in September.

 

5 Jun 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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