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 - so far

Africa Cup 2017 Qualifiers Mohamed Salah

 

Roma winger Mohamed Salah scored both of Egypt's goals in Tanzania
Egypt and Senegal qualified for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon on Saturday as the penultimate round of fixtures continued.

Roma winger Mohamed Salah scored both of Egypt's goals in a 2:0 victory away to Tanzania as they returned to the finals of a Nations Cup for the first time since 2010.

Senegal sealed their place at Gabon 2017 thanks to goals from their English Premier League players, Sadio Mane and Mame Biram Diouf, who both scored in a 2:0 win away to Burundi.


Saturday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers:

Group C: South Sudan vs Mali 0:3 
Group D: Botswana vs Uganda 1:2 
Group E: Guinea-Bissau vs Zambia 3:2 
Group F: Sao Tome vs Cape Verde 1:2 
Group G: Tanzania vs Egypt 0:2 (Q)    
Group H: Rwanda vs Mozambique 2:3 
Group I: Sierra Leone vs Sudan 1:0 
Group I: Ivory Coast vs Gabon 2:1 (Friendly)
Group K: Burundi vs Senegal 0:2 (Q)    
Group K: Namibia vs Niger 1:0 
Group M: Gambia vs South Africa 0:4 

    
Saturday's game in Dar es Salaam was Egypt's final match in the qualifiers, following Chad's withdrawal from Group G.

Despite the absence of Al Ahly captain Hossam Ghaly, who was left out of the squad by Argentine coach Hector Cuper, Egypt secured the victory which ended Tanzania's faint hopes of qualifying.

Seven-time African champions Egypt knew that anything better than a 4:0 defeat would be enough for them to reach Gabon, having missed the last three Nations Cups.

Salah's opening goal for the Pharoahs came from a sweetly struck free-kick a minute before half-time.

Tanzania missed a chance to equalise in the 54th minute. 

They were awarded a penalty only for Mbwana Samatta to shoot over the bar.

Salah then sealed the victory for Egypt scoring his second of the game just four minutes later.

Stoke City's Mame Biram Diouf scored Senegal's second goal against Burundi.

Joining Egypt in Gabon will be Senegal who defeated Burundi 2:0 in Bujumbura to ensure they will top Group K.

Southampton winger Sadio Mane put Senegal ahead in the 16th minute.

His fellow England based compatriot, Stoke City striker Mame Biram Diouf, added a second three minutes before half-time to secure Senegal's qualification.

The Teranga Lions have won all of their qualifiers so far and top the group with a maximum 15 points, while second placed Burundi have just six.

The group's other fixture was a fight for survival with Namibia beating Niger 1:0 courtesy of a 15th minute goal from Peter Shalulile.

The win keeps Namibia's hopes of finishing as one of the best second placed sides alive but Niger cannot now qualify.

Guinea-Bissau are on the verge of their first ever appearance at an Africa Cup of Nations finals after securing a 3:2 home win over 2012 champions Zambia.

A Zezinho penalty gave the hosts an early lead before Collins Mbesuma equalised.

Arnaud Mendy restored Guinea-Bissau's lead which they held until the 48th minute, when Nations Cup winner Chris Katongo levelled the match to 2:2.

A 90th minute winner from Toni Silva put Guinea-Bissau four points clear at the top of Group E. They will qualify if second placed Congo lose in Kenya on Sunday.

Zambia now face a struggle to secure one of the best second-placed spots.

Uganda moved closer towards qualification with a vital 2:1 win away to Botswana to move three points clear at the top of Group D.

Luwagga Kizito put the Cranes ahead in the 10th minute, with Onkabetse Makgantai equalising in the second half for the home side.

It only stayed 1:1 for two minutes, as Khalid Aucho scored Uganda's winner in the 54th minutes to give his country hope of going through to the Nations Cup finals for the first time since 1978.

Group C leaders Mali also improved their chance of advancing to the finals with a 3-0 win away to South Sudan.

Goals from Abdoulay Diaby, Mobido Maiga and Mousa Doumbia gave Mali the victory which moves them five points ahead of second placed Benin who will now play their Group C match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday 12 June after Fifa conditionally lifted Benin's ban.

Sierra Leone moved to within a point of reigning African champions and Group I leaders Ivory Coast with a 1:0 win over Sudan in Freetown.

Sheka Fofanah scored the only goal for the Leone Stars to keep their hopes of qualifying alive.

Two goals apiece from Thamsanqa Gabuza and Keagan Dolly gave South Africa an emphatic 4:0 win away to The Gambia.

It keeps alive Bafana Bafana's faint hopes of a best runners-up spot in Group M, won by Cameroon on Saturday.

In Group H, there was an eventful match in Kigali where second placed Rwanda lost 2:3 to visitors Mozambique who sit bottom of the group.

Domingues put Mozambique ahead in the 10th minute, with Jacques Tuyisenge equalising on the 37 minute mark.

Apson Manjate made it 2:1 to Mozambique with Tuyisenge scoring his second of the game to level the match at 2:2.

Helder Pelembe then scored a winner for the visitors eight minutes from time to record their first win of the campaign.

In Group F, Cape Verde boosted their hopes of qualifying as one of the two best runners-up with a 2:1 win away to Sao Tome e Principe.

Morocco have already qualified as Group F winners.

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

 

 

4 Jun 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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