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 - group stage - 2nd matches - preview

African Champions League 2016
Group Stage
2nd matches

Group A
28/06/16: Al Ahly vs ASEC -:-
29/06/16: Wydad vs Zesco -:-

Group B
29/06/16: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Enyimba -:-
29/06/16: Zamalek vs Entente Setif -:-


Egypt's Al Ahly are looking to win a ninth African Champions title

Al Ahly have postponed celebrating winning the Egyptian league as they turn their attention to the African Champions League.

They host Ivorian club Asec Mimosas on Tuesday in a crucial fixture that comes after both sides lost their opening Group A games.

Ahly regained the league title they lost to rivals Zamalek last season with a win at Ismaili on Sunday.

"Time will be found later to celebrate our league success," Ahly's football director Sayed Abdel Hafeez said.

"There are two more titles in our sights, the CAF Champions League and the Egypt Cup.

"It is our destiny to try and win every competition we are involved in."

Ahly have been African champions a record eight times, most recently in 2013 when they defeated South African opponents Orlando Pirates 3:1 over two legs.

ASEC can boast of just one Champions League title, beating Zimbabwe's Dynamos 4:2 overall in 1998.

A brace from Ghanaian John Antwi could not prevent Ahly losing 3:2 away to Zesco United of Zambia earlier this month.

While ASEC lost 1:0 at home to Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, who eliminated defending champions TP Mazembe of the DR Congo.

Wydad host Zesco on Wednesday in a match that is set to finish around midnight owing to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during which eating and drinking is forbidden from dawn to dusk.

Footballers can be excused, but most observe the fast, leading to late kick-offs of CAF matches in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.

Zesco have been the surprise side of the 2016 competition, winning five of six qualifiers before a Cletus Chama brace helped upset Ahly.

Chama and DR Congo-born Idris Mbombo have scored four continental goals each while Wydad sharpshooter Reda Hajhouj has notched six.

The top-scorer so far this season is Mfon Udoh of Nigerian club Enyimba, who are in South Africa to face Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday.

It is the only Group B fixture this week after Algerian side Entente Setif were disqualified last week due to crowd problems.

Sundowns won 2:0 at Setif only for the match to be declared "null and void" because of a pitch invasion by fans.

The South African champions will be without their captain Ramahlwe Mphhahlele after he signed for their local rivals Kaizer Chiefs on Monday.

Enyimba were surprise 1:0 losers at home to Zamalek of Egypt, who have a rest day for this round of matches.

 

 

28 Jun 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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