Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Brazil to meet Colombia at Copa America

Brazil will face Colombia in the 2015 Copa America group stages as Chile got a favourable draw on Monday.

Dunga's Brazil, who will be looking to atone for their poor 2014 World Cup, meet Colombia, Peru and Venezuela in Group C.

June 17 marks the clash between Brazil and Colombia in a repeat of their quarter-final at the World Cup.

Brazil won that clash 2-1, but it was Juan Camilo Zuniga's challenge on Neymar that caused controversy and left the Brazil star with a fractured vertebra.

Both Brazil and Colombia, ranked in the world's top 10, will be expected to progress from the group stages.

Peru and Venezuela are ranked 54th and 85th respectively.

Group B also pits two powerhouses against one another, with Argentina and 2011 champions Uruguay set to do battle.

That match will be played in La Serena on June 16.

Paraguay and Jamaica, the latter were invited, are also in the group.

Tournament hosts Chile were given a good draw in Group A, which includes Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Jorge Sampaoli's men open the event with a clash against Ecuador in Santiago on June 11.

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera, whose team were also invited, had wanted to avoid Chile but got no such luck.

Group winners and runners-up will progress, as will the two best third-placed teams.

Stevens returns to Stuttgart

Huub Stevens has returned to coach Stuttgart for a second time, just six months after leaving the Bundesliga outfit.

The Dutchman first took over at the club in March this year, replacing Thomas Schneider.

He successfully steered the team away from trouble, as Stuttgart ended the 2013-14 campaign 15th, one place and five points clear of the relegation play-off berth.

Stevens departed at the end of the season and was replaced by Armin Veh, who resigned on Monday after a poor start to 2014-15, with Stuttgart bottom of the table after 12 games.

"Huub Stevens will be the new head coach of the VfB," a brief statement on the club's website read.

"The 60-year-old takes over with immediate effect and will already lead the team training on Tuesday afternoon."

Stevens' appointment marks his seventh tenure in charge of a German side, after two previous stints at Schalke, as well as spells at Hertha Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.

Sampaoli relaxed after Copa America draw

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli feels relaxed and is looking forward to next year's Copa America after Monday's draw.

Sampaoli's side are the hosts of the 2015 edition of South American football's most prestigious event, and will take on Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia in Group A on home soil.

As hosts, Chile - who have never won the Copa America - will get the competition under way against Ecuador in Santiago on June 11.

And although the tournament is still over six months away, Sampaoli is already plotting how his team can better their performance of getting to the last eight four years ago.

"The group has been decided and now we know who we'll be playing against," said the Argentinian after the draw in Vina del Mar.

"Any opponent would have been difficult as it stands. What makes us relaxed is that we better know now how to prepare for our rivals and start understanding every feature of their game and the systems they will use."

When asked if Chile can finally land their maiden Copa America title next year, Sampaoli replied: "I think it will be very difficult because there are very good national teams in the competition, but we will try to do well."

Sampaoli's Mexican counterpart Miguel Herrera, meanwhile, was satisfied with the outcome of the draw, although he still expects a tough test.

"The truth is, we have difficult games but it is not an impossible group for us to qualify from," he said.

"[But] as I said, the Copa America will always be close - every team is well prepared."

Cheltenham sack Yates

Cheltenham Town have parted company with manager Mark Yates after a run of four consecutive defeats saw them drop to 18th in League Two.

A former player and promotion-winning captain at the club, Yates returned to Whaddon Road in December 2009.

Yates led the team to the League Two play-offs in 2011-12 and 2012-13, but has paid the price for Cheltenham's poor recent run of form, which has seen them win just two and lose eight of their past 12 league fixtures.

Chairman Paul Baker released a statement on Monday expressing his concern at the results, and made reference to "underlying issues", without expanding further.

On Tuesday, Cheltenham confirmed that Yates had left the club, with an announcement on a new manager expected on Thursday.

"It was the most difficult decision I have had to make and the board has had to make in my time here," Baker said.

"It's a very sad day because Mark has done a huge amount for this football club and I would hate to think that people are going to think of his time here as the last 10 or 12 matches because his contribution to the club has been hugely significant.

"During his five years we've had some huge successes, but he also had to dig us out of a mess when he first arrived. That in itself, you could argue, was one of his best achievements. I have nothing but good words to say about Mark as a man and as someone who is passionate about this football club.

"That is why we originally brought him here because he understood the club and cared about it. Mark was understandably very upset and I was too. Everybody who knows him will have a lot of sadness with the decision we’ve had to take, but we to look after the business and look at results and performances.

"Something is not quite right and the manager has to take responsibility. He will be parting company from today and we wish him well in his future."

Cheltenham host Oxford United in League Two on Saturday.

Giggs open to United exit to further career

Ryan Giggs says he is open to the possibility of leaving Manchester United in order to further his coaching career.

The Welshman has become synonymous with the club since making his debut in 1991, and is the club's record appearance maker with 963.

Following the departure of David Moyes towards the end of last season, Giggs took over in a caretaker role for four matches, winning two with one defeat and one draw.

The 40-year-old retired from playing at the conclusion of that campaign, and is now assistant coach to Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.

Many believe Giggs is being groomed as Van Gaal's successor to the post, but the man himself is not ruling out the possibility of cutting his managerial teeth elsewhere.

"I've been at the club for so long that I'm familiar with the club but if I want to further my coaching career or managing career and if it's not at Manchester United then so be it but I'll just have to wait and see," Giggs told Sky Sports.

Focusing on the present, Giggs believes Van Gaal is the right fit for United, as the Dutchman looks to return the club to a top-four place after they ended 2013-14 in seventh, missing out on European qualification altogether.

"He obviously demands a lot, he's somebody who's got plenty of experience, likes to play attacking football, likes to give youth a chance so there's plenty of synergy there with the history of Manchester United and the traditions so it's great to learn from somebody who's managed at the top for so long and just try to learn as I go and try to prove myself as a coach," said Giggs.

"It's an apprenticeship, it's starting all over again. It's a totally different mindset from being the one being spoken to, to actually giving out the instructions, delivering training sessions and doing things throughout the week to prepare for the game."

Monday, 24 November 2014

Inzaghi sorry for derby stalemate

A disappointed Filippo Inzaghi lamented his Milan side's failure to beat Inter after the 1-1 derby draw on Sunday.

Jeremy Menez had given Milan the lead midway through the first half, but Joel Obi levelled for Inter just after the hour-mark.

Inzaghi said he expected a tough contest, particularly with the clash marking Roberto Mancini's first game back in charge of Inter.

But the 41-year-old felt his team had enough chances to claim all three points.

"It was an even match and we knew it would have been hard with the change of coach," Inzaghi told Milan Channel.

"I'm sorry for the fans, they helped us make the difference, we would have liked to have given them a win.

"[Goalkeeper] Diego Lopez was only made to work by [Mauro] Icardi by a misplaced pass by us and very little else.

"We conceded through a goal after two deflections and we finished the game with four successive corners and two chances through [Stephan] El Shaarawy and [Andrea] Poli.

"I'm disappointed but we have to move forwards. It was an excellent performance by the defenders, they were helped by the whole side."

Inzaghi, whose team are seventh, explained his decision to leave Giampaolo Pazzini on the bench.

He said he was about to introduce the 30-year-old, but felt El Shaarawy was just beginning to cause problems.

"I was about to bring Pazzini on, but then there was that chance by El Shaarawy," Inzaghi said.

"If I had taken him off he would have become even more discouraged, by scoring he would have been reinvigorated.

"But Pazzini has to stay calm, there's already the chance to play as of Sunday. I really liked this playing system a lot, when we have all the players available, we have a competitive squad."

Mancini ´very happy´ with derby draw

Inter coach Roberto Mancini was happy with his team's performance in their 1-1 derby draw against Milan on Sunday.

Mancini's first game back in charge of Inter saw Joel Obi score a second-half equaliser after Jeremy Menez's goal midway through the first half.

Given the limited preparation under his coaching, Mancini was pleased with the display put on by his team.

"Derbies are always difficult and that was the case today," he said.

"I'm very happy with how the team played, we changed a system that had been used for the last 18 months and it was never going to be easy. I'm happy, they all played well.

"I didn't think I'd revolutionise things in five days, it's only natural you have a few issues at the start. We're a long way off third place but it's too soon to be looking at the table.

"Our aim is to win as many games as possible even though we're not 100 per cent."

Inter sit ninth in Serie A after managing to win just four of their opening 12 league matches, but they are only five points adrift of third-placed Napoli.

Mancini said he understood his team would initially struggle with a change of tactics, but believes they will be suited to playing four at the back.

"We had some understandable difficulties with the three up front," he said.

"They had to work hard defensively and they still need to improve their movement but we can move forward through hard work.

"It might take some time to master a back four but we have players in the squad who play that system with their national teams. We definitely have to improve."

Real Madrid heading to Australia for ICC

Real Madrid are heading to Melbourne, with confirmation on Monday they will play in the International Champions Cup at the MCG in July 2015.

Victorian sports minister Damian Drum revealed global superstars like FIFA Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Spanish internationals Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos will head to Australia for the pre-season tournament in 2015.

Two further teams to take part are yet to be announced but one will be from the Premier League, with the other from the Serie A.

It is understood Manchester City and Inter are the other two clubs likely to join Real for the tournament, with an announcement set for the coming weeks.

The ICC will consist of three matches, all at the MCG, on July 18, 21 and 24 next year, with Drum revealing the event would generate around 50 million Australian dollars for the local economy.

Ex-Socceroos striker John Aloisi, who spent a large chunk of his career in Spain, was at the announcement and said having Real Madrid in Melbourne will be an incredible occasion.

"I got to play in Spain for six years and experience how big Real Madrid were," the former Osasuna and Alaves attacker said.

"They buy the biggest players in the world and make it work. Watching them live is another experience. I can't wait."

Lallana issues rallying cry

Adam Lallana has urged Liverpool to put on a united front when they face Ludogorets in a crucial UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday.

Liverpool's disappointing start to the season continued when they suffered a 3-1 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace on Sunday after Rickie Lambert had given them an early lead.

The Merseyside club have now lost four consecutive games in all competitions and manager Brendan Rodgers shouldered the blame following their latest setback.

Liverpool now turn their attention to a trip to face the Bulgarian champions in a Group B encounter with so much at stake.

Rodgers' men sit third in the pool with two games remaining and know a victory will move them level on points with second-placed Basel, who visit Anfield in the final game, if the Swiss side lose to Real Madrid.

England international Lallana knows the performance at Selhurst Park was not up to scratch and stressed the importance of putting that right in midweek.

He told the club's official website "It was disappointing, especially after going in front so early. It was a great platform for us to push on and control the game.

"But we didn't do that - we take full responsibility for that. We need to stick together. It's as simple as that. When you're having a tough time as a team, you all need to stay together - you can't start becoming individuals.

"We win and lose as a team; we need to stay together, keep fighting and keep working for each other. We have got a tough game on Wednesday so we all need to be together for that one.

"We need to win to stay in the competition, so the lads will be fighting for their lives to do that. It's important, not just for ourselves, but for the fans, the manager and everyone involved with Liverpool football club."

Copa America win can restore Brazil´s confidence – Marin

​Winning a ninth Copa America in 2015 can help restore Brazil's confidence after a disappointing World Cup, according to Jose Maria Marin.

Much was expected of the national team on home soil earlier this year, but a humiliating 7-1 defeat to eventual winners Germany in the semi-finals saw Brazil miss out.

Marin, the president of the Brazilian Football Association, believes they can put that frustrating display behind them in Chile next year under new head coach Dunga.

The 51-year-old has led Brazil to six successive wins since the World Cup, something that gives Marin plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

"We need to bring joy to the Brazilian people," said Marin. "As I said before, before the World Cup we were in limbo. We could have reached the sky or fell to hell.

"We went to hell but we are already leaving it. We are back in limbo again it appears. And winning the Copa America could help us go back on the way towards the sky.

"The Copa America will be difficult. That's my honest opinion. All the teams that will play are great teams."

The draw for the tournament takes place in Chile on Monday, with seeds Brazil waiting to see who will join them in Group C.

Allardyce hopeful Carroll can stay injury-free

Sam Allardyce is hopeful that Andy Carroll's injury problems are behind him after the striker made his first start of the season at Everton.

Carroll has been plagued by fitness setbacks since arriving at West Ham permanently from Liverpool in June last year and underwent ankle surgery this July.

The forward came through 90 minutes in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Goodison Park for the first time since a 1-0 loss at West Brom back in April.

West Ham manager Allardyce turned to Carroll in the absence of Enner Valencia (knee) and Diafra Sakho (back), who have made an impressive start to life at the London club.

Allardyce had not planned to keep Carroll on for the duration on Merseyside, but was left with little option and hopes the 25-year-old will soon be firing on all cylinders as he builds up his match fitness.

"Andy's fiancee is the owner of a gym and a yoga centre and many times in his striving for fitness he's spent some time with her," he told the club's official website. "She's helped him not so much get fit, but stay in good condition.

"We didn't want to play him for 90 minutes as he's not quite ready for 90 minutes, but because of circumstances it had to be that. He coped with it well and we know he's going to get better the more match fit he gets.

"With the opportunities of other strikers putting pressures on Andy he's got to get on top of his game. The way Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho have played this year, they've put big pressure on Andy and even Mauro Zarate's performance as sub was really good.

"Andy doesn't feel any pressure - he looks after himself and thinks he should play every week and rightly so. At this moment in time he has a little way to go to find his full match fitness. He did very well for us to complete the 90 minutes.

"We hope this final operation will be one of the major reasons for him not having the same injury problems as he's had over the last couple of years."

Veh resigns from struggling Stuttgart

​Armin Veh has resigned as head coach of struggling Stuttgart after a seventh defeat of the Bundesliga season on Sunday.

The 1-0 loss to Augsburg was the final straw for the 53-year-old, who informed the club's board of his decision to step down after the match.

Veh, who managed Stuttgart between 2006 and 2008, only returned to the club in May, signing a two-year contract.

But after two wins from their opening 12 matches they sit bottom of the table and club president Bernd Wahler confirmed Veh's decision on Monday.

"Armin Veh informed us last night in an interview about his decision," he said. "He is convinced that a change to the coach position is necessary to get back on track.

"We respect his decision, even though we were convinced after yesterday's game from him and his work."

In a statement Veh thanked the fans for their support during a tough start to the campaign, and took full responsibility for their disappointing form.

"The team is better than the place in the table," he said. "Nine points from 12 games are just not enough.

"For that, I am responsible.

"I thank the club's management, in particular the president, for the confidence placed in me. And it is my strong desire to thank the fans. You have given us fantastic support."

Stuttgart, who have now lost three matches in a row, will begin the post-Veh era on Friday with a trip to a Freiburg side just three points above them.

PSV receive Guardado boost

PSV will monitor the fitness of Andres Guardado after scans on his ankle revealed no lasting damage to the Mexico international.

Guardado hobbled off with 18 minutes to play in Sunday's 1-1 Eredivise draw against Groningen after a challenge with Tom Hiariej.

PSV confirmed on Monday that Guardado's ankle had reacted well overnight and he will now be watched closely by the club's medical staff.

The 28-year-old will receive treatment on a daily basis with the club hoping he will be fit for Sunday's clash with Eredivisie rivals Feyenoord, but Thursday's UEFA Europa League clash with Estoril may come too soon.

Guardado has made 10 appearances for PSV this season since arriving on a season-long loan from Valencia.

Arsenal must be ruthless - Arteta

Mikel Arteta knows Arsenal must be more ruthless after a defeat to Manchester United that the midfielder described as "not fair".

United were 2-1 winners at the Emirates Stadium to move above Arsene Wenger's side in the Premier League table on Saturday.

Arsenal lost by the same scoreline at Swansea City before the international break and are down in eighth place after the first 12 top-flight games.

Captain Arteta felt the defeat was harsh on Arsene Wenger's side, but realises they must make the most of their dominance in matches if they are to challenge for honours.

"I'm shocked," said the former Everton man. "I think we played our best game this season in terms of what we demand of ourselves – the quality in the way we attacked, how we won the ball back, how consistent we were throughout, the amount of chances we created.

"When you are in the box and you can't manage to score in that many situations, you can't expect to win.

"It’s not fair for the players and the fans. How can I explain the result? I can't.

"I am shocked and frustrated because we did not deserve this result considering the opposition we were playing against.

"I can only put it down to bad luck on the first goal which totally changed the game, at a time when we were absolutely controlling and hammering United.

"After they took the lead we had to take more risks to try to get back into the game and United have the players up front to cause you problems at any time.

"But I feel so sorry for the lads and for our supporters because they were terrific and I don't think we deserved this result."

He added: It’s [a lack of] ruthlessness, for sure. When you are in the box and you can't manage to score in that many situations, you can't expect to win."

Mourinho relishing busy schedule

Jose Mourinho is relishing Chelsea's busy fixture list, which sees the Premier League leaders play 12 matches over the next six weeks.

Saturday's clash with West Brom marks the first of a dozen fixtures up to and including the trip to Tottenham on New Year's Day, with Mourinho's side's gruelling run including two UEFA Champions League games and a League Cup quarter-final with Derby County.

While most of European football's top leagues take a mid-season break, the festive period marks the Premier League's busiest part of the campaign.

But Mourinho, who has also coached in Italy and Spain, enjoys the hectic nature of the winter months in Britain.

"I go match by match," the said in a press conference on Friday. "I know the number of matches we have.

"It's a different phase [without international breaks], yes, but it doesn't mean that we can train more. In fact, the number of matches is so high that the days in between is so low, so that doesn't improve our training programme.

"It will always be about playing, but we know what we have and the good thing is everybody is the same in England.

"Obviously when you go to the second part of the season and some English teams hopefully will be in the Champions League and Europa League, I think these teams are going to pay the consequence of such a different winter compared to other countries, but this is something I love.

"I know it's difficult for me and especially the players' bodies but I think it's a beautiful period so I look forward to this marathon over the Christmas period."

Mourinho also moved to dismiss speculation over the future of Petr Cech, who has been linked with a number of clubs around Europe after being usurped as Chelsea's number one goalkeeper by Thibaut Courtois.

"On what Mickey Mouse website?" responded Mourinho when asked about reported bids for the 32-year-old's services . "On what Mickey Mouse blog?

"I promise you that what I'm telling you is the truth. On my desk I have zero proposals.

"I believe in what is happening at this moment. At the moment Cech is our goalkeeper and has a contract for two more years.

"He's a fantastic professional and not once has Petr Cech knocked on my door to inform me about his desire to accept some proposal so this is the truth and there's nothing more I can say."

FOOTBALL MATCHES

England - Premier League
FT Chelsea 2 - 0 West
Bromwich
Albion
FT Everton 2 - 1 West Ham
United
FT Leicester City 0 - 0 Sunderland
FT Manchester City 2 - 1 Swansea City
FT Newcastle
United 1 - 0 Queens Park
Rangers
FT Stoke City 1 - 2 Burnley
21' Arsenal 0 - 0 Manchester
United
Germany - Bundesliga
FT Bayern
München 4 - 0 Hoffenheim
FT Schalke 04 3 - 2 Wolfsburg
FT Borussia
M'gladbach 1 - 3 Eintracht
Frankfurt
FT Mainz 05 2 - 2 Freiburg
FT Hannover 96 1 - 3 Bayer
Leverkusen
FT Paderborn 2 - 2 Borussia
Dortmund
21' Köln 0 - 0 Hertha BSC
Spain - Primera División
FT Atlético Madrid 3 - 1 Málaga
HT Eibar 0 - 2 Real Madrid
Barcelona 20 : 00 Sevilla
Deportivo La
Coruña 22 : 00 Real Sociedad
Italy - Serie A
HT Atalanta 1 - 2 Roma
Lazio 20 : 45 Juventus
France - Ligue 1
90'
+
2' Bastia 0 - 0 Olympique
Lyonnais
Guingamp 20 : 00 Rennes
Lorient 20 : 00 Lens
Monaco 20 : 00 Caen
Nice 20 : 00 Reims
Netherlands - Eredivisie
19' AZ 1 - 0 Vitesse
22' Go Ahead
Eagles 1 - 0 NAC Breda
Feyenoord 19 : 45 Dordrecht
Willem II 20 : 45 Excelsior
Ajax 20 : 45 Heerenveen
Scotland - Premiership
FT Celtic 2 - 1 Dundee
FT Dundee United 3 - 1 Kilmarnock
FT Inverness CT 3 - 1 Motherwell
FT St. Johnstone 2 - 1 Ross County
FT Hamilton
Academical 3 - 0 St. Mirren
England - Championship
FT Huddersfield
Town 0 - 0 Sheffield
Wednesday
FT AFC
Bournemouth 2 - 2 Ipswich Town
FT Blackburn
Rovers 2 - 1 Leeds United
FT Blackpool 1 - 1 Bolton
Wanderers
FT Charlton
Athletic 0 - 0 Millwall
FT Norwich City 3 - 3 Brighton &
Hove Albion
FT Rotherham
United 0 - 1 Birmingham
City
FT Watford 1 - 2 Derby County
FT Wigan Athletic 1 - 1 Middlesbrough
FT Wolverhampton
Wand… 0 - 3 Nottingham
Forest
France - Coupe de France
Stade Pontivy 18 : 00 Le Poiré-sur-
Vie

FOOTBALL MATCHES

England - Premier League
Crystal
Palace 14 : 30 Liverpool
Hull City 17 : 00 Tottenham
Hotspur
Germany - Bundesliga
Hamburger
SV 15 : 30 Werder
Bremen
Stuttgart 17 : 30 Augsburg
Spain - Primera División
Rayo
Vallecano 12 : 00 Celta de Vigo
Levante 17 : 00 Valencia
Elche 19 : 00 Córdoba
Villarreal 21 : 00 Getafe
Italy - Serie A
Torino 12 : 30 Sassuolo
Cesena 15 : 00 Sampdoria
Hellas
Verona 15 : 00 Fiorentina
Napoli 15 : 00 Cagliari
Parma 15 : 00 Empoli
Udinese 15 : 00 Chievo
Milan 20 : 45 Internazionale
France - Ligue 1
Nantes 14 : 00 Saint-Étienne
Montpellier 17 : 00 Toulouse
Olympique
Marseille 21 : 00 Bordeaux
Netherlands - Eredivisie
Groningen 12 : 30 PSV
PEC Zwolle 14 : 30 Twente
Heracles 14 : 30 ADO Den Haag
Utrecht 16 : 45 Cambuur
Scotland - Premiership
Partick
Thistle 13 : 45 Aberdeen

FOOTBALL MATCHES

Germany - Bundesliga
HT Hamburger
SV 0 - 0 Werder
Bremen
Stuttgart 17 : 30 Augsburg
Italy - Serie A
FT Torino 0 - 1 Sassuolo
70' Cesena 1 - 0 Sampdoria
67' Hellas
Verona 1 - 2 Fiorentina
64' Napoli 3 - 2 Cagliari
69' Parma 0 - 2 Empoli
69' Udinese 1 - 0 Chievo
Milan 20 : 45 Internazionale
England - Premier League
FT Crystal
Palace 3 - 1 Liverpool
Hull City 17 : 00 Tottenham
Hotspur
Spain - Primera División
FT Rayo
Vallecano 1 - 0 Celta de Vigo
Levante 17 : 00 Valencia
Elche 19 : 00 Córdoba
Villarreal 21 : 00 Getafe
France - Ligue 1
FT Nantes 0 - 0 Saint-Étienne
Montpellier 17 : 00 Toulouse
Olympique
Marseille 21 : 00 Bordeaux
Netherlands - Eredivisie
FT Groningen 1 - 1 PSV
FT PEC Zwolle 1 - 2 Twente
FT Heracles 3 - 1 ADO Den Haag
Utrecht 16 : 45 Cambuur
Scotland - Premiership
FT Partick
Thistle 0 - 1 Aberdeen

Friday, 21 November 2014

Caen president steps aside following arrest

Caen president Jean-Francois Fortin has stepped down following his arrest over match-fixing allegations.

Fortin was one of nine people targeted by police on Tuesday in connection with a 1-1 Ligue 2 draw in May that virtually sealed Caen's promotion, as well as Nimes' survival in the second tier.

However, Fortin has vowed to clear his name, temporarily vacating his post to focus on the case brought against him.

"Noting my indictment in a case whose investigation will show my innocence, I suspend my duties as chair of Stade Malherbe Caen and will devote myself fully to my defence and to protect the proper functioning of the club," he said in a statement released on the club's website.

Speaking earlier this week, Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) president Frederic Thiriez remarked: "If these suspicions turn out to be fact, this is an extremely serious affair for the whole of football, for the LFP, which organises the competition, and for myself because I've always valued ethics at the heart of my work.

"Corruption, or even suspicions of corruption or match-fixing, are a deadly poison for sport as a whole and especially for football. What is our purpose if the public, the supporters don't have trust in the authenticity of the results.

"If facts of corruption, match-fixing, or even simple attempts at match-fixing are real, then LFP's authority will apply disciplinary and administrative sanctions, individual and collective, and they will be applied with the utmost force."

Werder Bremen suffer Di Santo blow ahead of derby

Werder Bremen have been dealt a blow after striker Franco Di Santo suffered a knee ligament injury in training.

The Argentine, who has netted six goals in 11 league games this season, was preparing for this weekend's Bundesliga clash at Hamburg when he sustained the problem on Wednesday.

MRI scans on Thursday revealed the extent of the injury, meaning Di Santo will be missing for Sunday's Nordderby.

"This is obviously a setback for us," said coach Viktor Skripnik. "Franco was in very good shape, we would have liked to have had him here.

"But we have good alternatives who have our full confidence.

"I am sure that we will compensate for the loss together."

Ludovic Obraniak is also expected to miss the derby fixture with a thigh injury, while Sebastian Prodl will be assessed during training on Friday following his return from international duty with Austria.

Poyet targeting cover for Van Aanholt

Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet believes he may have to dip into the transfer market in January to cover the injury to Patrick van Aanholt.

Van Aanholt joined Sunderland on a four-year deal from Chelsea back in July and started every Premier League game for his new club until he dislocated his shoulder in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace earlier this month.

It has since been announced that the left-back will be out for around two-and-a-half months, prompting Poyet into thinking about bringing in a replacement, should there be any complications with the Dutchman's recovery.

"I met [sporting director] Lee [Congerton] again to define a few things," he said.

"And let's say it [left-back] is a position that needs to be on standby.

"We need to have an option, just in case something doesn't work and Patrick's recovery has a setback.

"It all depends on how he recovers.

"If he doesn't have any setbacks, it's going to be the middle of January before he is training again.

"But he is a fit lad and, once the healing after the operation is finished, the speed of the recovery is up to him. We'll see.

"It's a big blow to have lost Patrick. There are not many left-footed left-backs in the world - and it is very difficult to find one that is available at this level.

"He was getting used to what we wanted because we were working him hard every day!

"So it's a step back. We have to cope with the situation."

Walcott out of United clash, Welbeck a doubt

 Arsenal will be without Theo Walcott for their Premier League clash with Manchester United, while Danny Welbeck is a doubt.

Walcott suffered a serious knee problem in an FA Cup game with Tottenham back in January, and has made just two substitute appearances this season as Arsene Wenger aims to gradually reintroduce him to first-team action.

On Thursday, Wenger suggested Walcott was fit for Saturday's meeting at the Emirates Stadium, but in his press conference on Friday, the manager declared otherwise.

"I don't think he will be available tomorrow," he said.

There was good news for Arsenal in the shape of Olivier Giroud's return to fitness after recovering from a broken leg, although Wenger revealed former United man Welbeck was a slight doubt with a hamstring complaint.

"His fitness will depend on the medical assessment in the morning," he said.

Talk of Welbeck has dominated the build-up to Saturday's game, with the 23-year-old departing Old Trafford at the end of the transfer window in order to secure first-team action.

United boss Louis van Gaal insists he has not been surprised by Welbeck's form since joining Arsenal, and Wenger is full of praise for the forward.

"Louis van Gaal didn't have him under his command for very long, so it's difficult to judge players," he said.

"Welbeck is still a young player. I can understand Van Gaal completely. What's important is that he gets an opportunity.

"In front of him, he had two great goalscorers in Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. What he needed was a chance.

"I always respected him and he has a great future. But he's gained more respect over the last few months.

"One reason we bought him was because he wanted to play. Playing centrally wasn't a condition."

Gonalons signs new Lyon contract

Lyon captain Maxime Gonalons has signed a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2018.

Having come through Lyon's youth system, the midfielder has gone on to make 155 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring six goals.

Gonalons, who has also made six outings for the French national team, revealed his delight at extending his Lyon stay and predicted a bright future for the club, who are due to move to a new stadium next year.

"I am very proud to continue the adventure at the club I love," said the 25-year-old.

"Lyon's ambitions are always in perfect harmony with mine.

"The current results demonstrate that the project is still a very attractive one and, with the arrival of the new stadium next season, we will have a fantastic facility that will open up excellent prospects."

Lyon currently sit third in the French top flight and are on a nine-match winning run.

Torres wants to be Milan top scorer

Milan striker Fernando Torres has set his sights on ending the season as top scorer, despite having scored just one Serie A goal so far.

The Spain international has not lived up to expectations since arriving at San Siro from Chelsea on loan in August, with his only goal in nine league appearances coming in a 2-2 draw at Empoli in September.

However, Torres - six goals short of current Milan top scorer Keisuke Honda - has vowed to make a bigger contribution and has no concerns over the number of goalscoring chances being created by the team.

"If a game ends goalless, but we've created five chances, that's a good sign," he is quoted as telling Gazzetta dello Sport.

"There have only been a few games where we've created less than we should have. That's a problem.

"However, it's now up to us, the forwards. Honda can't always score.

"My goal is still to be top scorer. Milan brought me here to score and take advantage of chances, it's my job.

"If I don't do that I belong somewhere else.

"Having said that, scoring a goal isn't an obsession. If I see a team-mate in a better position I will pass it to them.

"Here at Milan we have to restart, but I know from experience you can't rush these things.

"Getting back into Europe is the main goal of course, but we mustn't become too anxious about it."

Milan currently sit seventh in Serie A and face city rivals Inter on Sunday

Whelan not racist - Bruce

Steve Bruce says there is "no racism" in Dave Whelan, after the Wigan Athletic chairman's controversial comments in an interview.

Whelan attracted criticism this week after appointing Malky Mackay as Wigan's new manager, with the Scot still under investigation from the Football Association (FA) over text messages he exchanged with then-Cardiff City head of recruitment Iain Moody, which he admitted were "disrespectful of other cultures".

Whelan then exacerbated the situation when, in an interview with The Guardian, he reportedly said there was not "a lot wrong" with anything Mackay had said in the messages.

The 77-year-old also referred to Jewish people as "chasing money more than everybody else", comments that he subsequently apologised for.

But Hull City boss Bruce, who twice worked under Whelan at Wigan, stated that he had never experienced any such remarks in his time at the DW Stadium.

"I know him very, very well and I don't really want to get into the debate," Bruce said on Friday.

"Maybe sitting on the fence might be easiest thing to do but I've worked under Dave Whelan twice. He is without question one of the best chairmen I've worked for.

"What you see is what you get. There's no racism in him at all. Sometimes words can be said which can be misplaced, they can be out there in the public domain, but certainly when I've worked with him there's been no sign of racism.

"It's a big brave decision by him [to appoint Mackay] but he thinks that's the best thing for his football club. Being Dave he'll be single minded enough to see that through."

Thursday, 20 November 2014

Moreno targets attacking contribution

Liverpool full-back Alberto Moreno has set his sights on playing a greater attacking role for the Merseyside club.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has scored one goal in nine Premier League appearances since joining from Sevilla in August, with Liverpool sitting 11th in the English top flight.

However, Moreno wants to make more of a contribution in the final third of the pitch, and is aiming to call on the experience of his early days as a winger.

"All players love to score goals, especially me, because when I was younger I used to score regularly as I played further forward back then," he told the club's official website.

"When I was a kid I played more as a winger or a wide attacking midfielder - not as a full-back. But I always like to score goals and above all, provide assists, which is what an attacking full-back has to do.

"As we stand, I'm on one goal and an assist in 12 games [in all competitions], so I think I'm aiming at getting more than five goals and five assists."

However, Moreno is well aware that his defensive responsibilities are equally important.

Asked which area of his game could be improved, he added: "Maybe defensively. I'm a very attack-minded full-back.

"I'm also very young and I've still got a lot to learn. Playing with these players, I'm bound to learn and also playing in this highly competitive league I'm going to learn a lot also."

Liverpool visit Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.

Moussi pledges salary to charity after joining Birmingham

Guy Moussi has pledged his entire salary to charity after joining Birmingham City on a two-month contract.

The French midfielder arrived at St Andrew's on Thursday having been without a club since leaving Championship rivals Nottingham Forest at the end of last season.

And, rather than being paid for his short-term stay in the West Midlands, Moussi will donate the money to four charitable causes.

The organisations set to benefit from Moussi's stay at Birmingham are the 2011 League Cup winners' disabled supporters club, Stop Ebola, a church in Paris, and TEV Soma Charity, which raises money for those affected by the Soma mine disaster in Turkey.

"We knew Guy was out of contract and we invited him over to train for a week and he did quite well," said Birmingham boss Gary Rowett. "We then got him over for another week just to make sure. It was a tough week [of training] and he got through all of that.

"He's a big strong defensive midfielder and we feel that's something we haven't got so we've agreed a short-term deal to bring him in and that's reflected in what we’ve offered financially.

"But it’s an opportunity for him to come and look at us and us to have a look at him and see if he can earn something."

Lahm undergoes successful ankle surgery

Bayern Munich have confirmed that captain Philipp Lahm has undergone a successful operation on his fractured ankle.

Lahm sustained the injury in a training session on Tuesday, the 31-year-old World Cup winner collapsing to the ground unchallenged.

The Bavarian club duly revealed that Lahm was facing a three-month lay-off.

And the versatile former Germany captain, who can operate as either a defensive midfielder or a full-back, has now gone under the knife.

Bayern posted on their official Twitter account: "Philipp #Lahm's operation was a success. Ankle held in place with metal plate and screws. Several weeks rest and then he begins rehab."

Lahm has featured in 18 matches for Bayern this season.

Pep Guardiola's men resume Bundesliga action on Saturday with a home game against Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena.

Nigeria 2 South Africa 2: Defending champions fail to reach AFCON finals

Defending champions Nigeria failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations following a 2-2 home draw with South Africa on Wednesday.

Stephen Keshi's men headed into the game needing to at least match the result of Group A rivals Congo to make sure of their place in the finals in Equatorial Guinea.

But they were undone by a clinical South Africa side and saw their spot in the tournament taken away by Congo, who beat Sudan 1-0 to reach the finals for the first time since 2000.

A double from Bournemouth striker Tokelo Rantie gave South Africa control of the contest, however, Sone Aluko pulled one back in the 68th minute to offer hope to the home fans at the Akwa Ibom Stadium.

The game tilted further in Nigeria's favour when Reneilwe Letsholonyane was sent off for a second bookable offence and Aluko scored again in stoppage time to give the hosts hope.

Despite their numerical advantage, Nigeria could not find the extra goal they required to progress as South Africa held on to complete an unbeaten qualification campaign.

Nigeria started the better of the two sides and forward Ahmed Musa twice went close to giving the hosts the lead, hitting the crossbar before South Africa goalkeeper Darren Keet bravely denied the CSKA Moscow man one-on-one.

And Musa's profligacy in front of goal was punished by Rantie in the 43rd minute as he worked his way past defender Kenneth Omeruo and fired beyond Vincent Enyeama.

Rantie continued to serve as South Africa's most dangerous attacking threat and just two minutes after the half-time interval he doubled his tally, leaving Nigeria with a mountain to climb.

Once again Omeruo was at fault as he lost possession to the 24-year-old, who proceeded to skip past a couple of defenders and power home.

Aluko responded, though, slotting in on the rebound after Ikechukwu Uche's curling effort had struck the post before Letsholonyane was shown a second yellow for a cynical foul on Juwon Oshaniwa four minutes later.

Keshi's side flung bodies forward in search of a dramatic turnaround and Aluko levelled matters with a low drive into the bottom left corner to deny South Africa a first competitive win over Nigeria.

However, they could not find the crucial third goal, confirming an elimination that will surely lead to speculation over the future of their coach, who only returned to his post earlier this month.

Ghana 3 Togo 1: Wakaso shines as Black Stars seal AFCON spot

Wakaso Mubarak starred as Ghana beat Togo 3-1 on Wednesday to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Having fallen to a 1-0 defeat at Uganda on Saturday, Ghana headed into their final AFCON qualifying Group E clash needing at least a point to progress to the biennial tournament - slated to start in Equatorial Guinea in January.

And the managerless Black Stars did enough to pick up all three points at the Tamale Sports Stadium, with Wakaso playing a crucial role in their victory.

The Celtic winger first provided the assist for Abdul Majeed Waris to head home his first international goal in 13 months, before doubling the lead with a superb long-range effort to help the hosts lead 2-0 at the break.

Togo, who could have qualified with a win, threatened a comeback when Jonathan Ayite headed home in the 47th minute, but Ghana's stand-in captain Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu made sure of the win with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The home team started strongly and John Boye and Agyemang-Badu both saw headers go narrowly wide, before the pressure finally told in the 23rd minute when Waris nodded home Wakaso's superb cross from the right.

Wakaso then produced a moment of brilliance three minutes later with a left-footed thunderbolt from 35 yards that nestled in the top right corner.

Having seldom threatened in the first half, Togo needed a quick response and Ayite duly delivered when he planted a firm header home from eight yards two minutes after the break.

The match continued in end-to-end fashion, but Agyemang-Badu's deflected shot in the 69th minute took the game away from Togo and ensured Ghana of top spot.

Guinea took second in the group thanks to a 2-0 win over Uganda, also securing their spot in the tournament proper.

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Chile 1 Uruguay 2: Gonzalez gives visitors late win

Alvaro Gonzalez came off the bench to lead Uruguay to a 2-1 victory over Chile in an international friendly in Santiago on Tuesday.

Gonzalez had barely been on the pitch for a minute before he pounced on some slack defending as Chile were caught napping in the 80th minute at the Estadio Monumental David Arellano.

Both of Chile's central defenders were caught under the flight of the ball, allowing Diego Rolan to collect the ball and square for substitute midfielder Gonzalez, who made no mistake from close range.

Earlier, in-form striker Alexis Sanchez got the ball rolling, heading Chile into a 28th-minute lead.

But visitors Uruguay hit back on the stroke of half-time as young forward Rolan netted his first senior goal for his country against the run of play.

Chile made two changes to the team that routed Venezuela 5-0 on Friday, with Jorge Sampaoli drafting in Gonzalo Jara and Fabian Orellana at the expense of Igor Lichnovsky and Jorge Valdivia.

Uruguay were without talisman Luis Suarez, who was on target during Thursday's 3-3 draw with Costa Rica, after the Barcelona striker was sent back to Spain by coach Oscar Tabarez.

Rolan was named as Suarez's replacement, partnering Edinson Cavani up front.

Both teams made a lively start to proceedings and Sanchez came closest to breaking the deadlock from a free-kick in the 11th minute, but Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was up to the task, tipping the ball over for a corner.

Chile began to assert their dominance on the match and took a 28th-minute lead courtesy of Sanchez, who continued his brilliant run of goalscoring form.

Sanchez guided his header into the bottom corner of the net from Orellana's cross for his second international goal in less than a week.

It was Sanchez's ninth goal in six games for both club and country.

Uruguay were second-best from that moment but somehow managed to go into the break on level terms after an unmarked Rolan nodded home Carlos Sanchez's perfectly executed set-piece on the stroke of half-time.

The goal came about after tenacious Chile midfielder Gary Medel gave away a free-kick on the wing and almost sparked an on-field brawl following an altercation with Cavani.

Uruguay started the second half on the front foot, providing more of a threat in the final third but it was Chile who almost regained the lead in the 57th minute after Orellana - the supplier of the opening goal - danced past his opponent and looped his cross-cum-shot effort into the post.

The match sparked into life 21 minutes from time as Chile keeper Claudio Bravo was forced into action, somehow getting a hand on the ball to deny Rolan a brace after Cristian Rodriguez whipped in a cross from the left-hand side.

A minute later, Chile thought they had scored at the other end but the linesman flagged for offside, though replays suggested it was the wrong call.

Uruguay hit the front with 10 minutes remaining, Gonzalez tucking the ball underneath Bravo after a mix up between the two Chilean central defenders.

The visitors had two chances in the closing stages to put the game to bed and missed both, but they still hung on for the win as Chile's five-game unbeaten run came to an end.

FOOTBALL MATCHES SCORES

FT Japan 2 - 1 Australia
FT China PR 0 - 0 Honduras
FT Iran 1 - 0 Korea
Republic
FT Slovakia 2 - 1 Finland
FT Belarus 3 - 2 Mexico
FT Greece 0 - 2 Serbia
FT Slovenia 0 - 1 Colombia
FT Austria 1 - 2 Brazil
FT Romania 2 - 0 Denmark
83' Ukraine 0 - 0 Lithuania
HT Hungary 0 - 1 Russia
HT Spain 0 - 0 Germany
HT Poland 1 - 1 Switzerland
HT Republic of
Ireland 1 - 1 United
States
HT Argentina 0 - 0 Portugal
HT Italy 0 - 0 Albania
39' Scotland 0 - 1 England
42' France 0 - 0 Sweden

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

MACHESTER UNITED'S INJURY WOES

MAN UNITED'S INJURY WOES
Daley Blind: Suspected knee
injury
David de Gea: Finger injury
Michael Carrick: Groin/pelvis
injury
Marcos Rojo: Dislocated
shoulder
Rafael: Muscular injury
Ashley Young: Groin/pelvis
injury
Phil Jones: Calf/shin injury
Radamel Falcao: Calf/shin
injury
Jonny Evans: Ankle/foot injury
Jesse Lingard: Knee injury

Thailand 2 New Zealand 0: Hosts finish ASEAN preparations with victory

Thailand will go into the ASEAN Football Championship off the back of a win after Tuesday's 2-0 win over New Zealand 2-0 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Kiatisuk Senamuang's side were beaten 3-0 by China last Friday but recovered well to extend New Zealand's winless run to nine matches.

Goals in either half from Kirati Keawsombat and Adisak Kraisorn wrapped up the friendly win at the 80th Birthday Stadium to provide Thailand a boost ahead of their Championship opener against Singapore on Sunday.

The visitors had gone closest to breaking the deadlock early on, as they threatened Kawin Thamsatchanan's goal with efforts from Bill Tuiloma and Marco Rojas inside the opening 20 minutes.

Rojas was replaced by Tim Payne after half an hour but New Zealand's pressure continued as Marseille man Tuiloma fired over the bar from distance.

However, Thailand responded and saw an effort hit the crossbar before Keawsombat opened the scoring a minute from the break.

After the ball was cut back into the area, the PTT Rayong striker drove home from inside the area to give the hosts a half-time lead.

While Anthony Hudson's side huffed and puffed in the second half, they were unable to regain a foothold in the match.

Chris Wood and Jeremy Brockie were the main threats, with Hudson handing a debut to Kayne Vincent as the visitors sought to end a run of eight games without a win.

However, when Jacob Gleeson parried a long-range effort, Kraisorn snaffled up the rebound to wrap up the win - bolstering Thailand ahead of their Group A opener against the defending champions in Singapore at the weekend.

Japan 2 Australia 1: Asian Cup holders strike psychological blow

Japan rounded off 2014 by striking a psychological blow to Australia ahead of next year's Asian Cup, beating the Socceroos 2-1 in Osaka.

Goals from Yasuyuki Konno and Shinji Okazaki within seven second-half minutes of each other put the hosts in control of a game in which the visitors had impressed in a goalless opening period.

Australia's record goalscorer Tim Cahill came off the bench to net a looping header - his 36th international strike - though it came too little too late.

Ange Postecoglou's men end the calendar year having won just once and will head into their Asian Cup opener against Kuwait in January off the back of eight defeats in their last 11 fixtures.

Javier Aguirre, on the other hand, will be delighted with the performances of some of his star-name talents as they begin preparations for defending their title on Australian soil.

Postecoglou opted for a youthful and pacy front three of Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie and James Troisi with the latter two going close in a fast-paced opening 10 minutes.

Leckie was again in the action with 17 minutes on the clock, meeting Massimo Luongo's cross with a firm header but home goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was equal to it.

Japan's best chance of the half came five minutes from the break, Shinji Kagawa getting to the byline and cutting the ball back, with Socceroo skipper Mile Jedinak fortunate to see the ball ricochet off his shin and just past a helpless Mat Ryan's left-hand post.

Untroubled for much of the first half, Ryan had to pull off two smart saves to deny both Kagawa and Okazaki within a couple of minutes of the restart.

Substitute Takashi Inui, who had just come onto the pitch two minutes earlier, then let Australia off the hook on the hour mark when he headed over from close range.

It was a let-off for Postecoglou's men, but one they did not heed as Konno was left unmarked at the back post from a corner, heading high into the net for just his second international goal.

The experienced defender's only previous strike for his country also came against Australia in a 2012 World Cup qualifier.

Okazaki made it 2-0 midway through the half, turning home Masato Morishige's centre with a classy flick through his legs from just a few yards out.

Cahill was introduced with 17 minutes left and got his fifth goal against Japan, rising high to head home Aziz Behich's centre in the second minute of stoppage time to halve the deficit but the home side held on for a well-deserved victory

QPR accept FA charge over Austin disallowed goal

​QPR have accepted a Football Association misconduct charge for failing to control their players during the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

The London club have been fined £20,000 for the incident, which relates to their players' reaction to Charlie Austin's disallowed goal at Loftus Road on November 8.

Austin fired home from outside the penalty area in the eighth minute, only for referee Mike Dean to rule the effort out.

The official correctly ruled that Joe Hart had hit the ball with his standing foot before mis-kicking to Austin from a free-kick, and the goalkeeper's failure to kick the ball directly out of his area meant a re-take was necessary,

QPR went on to claim the lead on two occasions, through Austin and a Martin Demichelis own goal, only to be denied victory due to Sergio Aguero's brace.

A statement from the FA on Monday read: "Queens Park Rangers have been fined £20,000 after admitting an FA misconduct charge and accepting the standard penalty.

"The charge for failing to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion in the eighth minute of the game was in relation to the game against Manchester City on 8 November 2014."

Manchester United suffer fall in revenue

Manchester United have confirmed the club suffered a 9.9 per cent revenue drop in the first quarter of the 2015 financial year.

The results are the first of the new Premier League season and follow from United's disappointing campaign last time out in which they failed to qualify for the lucrative UEFA Champions League under David Moyes.

Since then, the club have splashed the cash on a new-look side in an attempt to regain ground on their top-flight rivals.

However, United confirmed on Tuesday that overall revenue in the three months to the end of September had fallen from the 2014 figure of £98.5million to £88.7m.

Commercial, broadcasting and matchday revenue all fell, based on the same time periods, while sponsorship revenue rose by 2.4 per cent to £46.3m, although this was offset by a reduction in tour revenue following United's close-season friendlies in America.

The club expect total revenue in the 2015 fiscal year to be between £385m and £395m, with the adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) predicted to be between £90m and £95m.

However, a somewhat negative set of results was compounded by a small increase in gross debt - this figure rising by 0.3 per cent to £362.2m.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward - whose first season in the role coincided with Moyes' campaign - said the club's new deal with Chevrolet would lay the foundations for improved results in the remainder of the fiscal year.

"While we recognise that the 2014/15 fiscal year financial results will reflect our absence from the Champions League, we signed the largest kit sponsorship deal in the history of sport in the first quarter," he explained.

"And, with that concluded, we are excited to focus our efforts on the meaningful growth opportunities in sponsorship, digital media and retail and merchandising."

Susic sacked by Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina have dismissed coach Safet Susic following a disappointing start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

A return of two points from their opening four fixtures has left Bosnia languishing one place off the bottom in Group B - Sunday's 3-0 defeat away to Israel proving Susic's final assignment as coach.

Having taken over in 2009, Susic has overseen one of the most successful periods in the short history of the Bosnian national team.

After helping his side to the play-offs for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, Susic guided Bosnia to their first major finals earlier this year.

Bosnia won just one of their three group matches in Brazil - a 3-1 victory over Iran - and failed to make it to the knockout stages of the competition.

Despite coming into their qualifying campaign as top seeds, Bosnia have struggled to make their presence felt and Susic has paid the price, with the country's football federation confirming on Monday that the 59-year-old had been "released from duty".

Nigeria v South Africa: Super Eagles eyeing Equatorial Guinea

Nigeria will likely need to extend their 10-year unbeaten run over South Africa if they are to reach the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

For Nigeria, anything but victory at the newly built Akwa Ibom International Stadium on Wednesday could be fatal for their chances of making the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

They currently sit in second place in Group A, level on seven points with Claude Le Roy's Congo who face bottom of the group Sudan in their final qualifier.

Nigeria edge Congo in the pair's head-to-head results so need to match or beat their result against Sudan to ensure qualification.

Coach Stephen Keshi, who was recently re-appointed to the Nigeria hot seat, has asked his countrymen to pray for the team to do well.

"As regards the last qualifying match against South Africa, Nigerians should pray for us," Keshi said.

"They should pray for the players and they should be patient and they should come out en masse to support their team to win the match.

"They should pray for the boys to be in good health and that they should respond well in the match."

South Africa have already qualified for the AFCON but will want to end a 10-year wait for victory over Nigeria.

Shakhes Mashaba's men booked their place in Equatorial Guinea after a nervy 2-1 win over Sudan in Durban on Saturday.

Even though they are now guaranteed top spot in Group A, coach Mashaba has warned his players will not suffer from a loss of focus.

"I would like to say congratulations to the players, [but] we are still left with one game, against Nigeria," he said.

"I know people will think it is going to be a walkover; no, we are going to put out our best team. It is more than three points at stake when we go to Nigeria.

"It's going to be another tough game like the one we played today, which many thought was going to be easy. Thanks to all the supporters, their presence helped us conquer."

It is a decade since South Africa last beat the Super Eagles - a 2-1 friendly international victory in Johannesburg.

And newly appointed Bafana Bafana captain Dean Furman echoed his coach's sentiments by promising his team will head to Abuja to claim maximum points.

"The next match is against Nigeria and we want to maintain our undefeated record by getting a win," Furman said.

Friday, 14 November 2014

Eckert ´surprised´ by Garcia criticism

Hans-Joachim Eckert is "surprised" by Michael Garcia's criticism of FIFA's report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Eckert, chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's independent Ethics Committee, published the findings of the investigation into the next two competitions on Thursday.

The 42-page document cleared Russia and Qatar, hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively, of corruption claims.

However, both England and Australia came in for criticism for their respective 2018 and 2022 bids, particularly for their supposed attempts to woo the vote of former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who resigned from his position in 2011 amid allegations of bribery.

After the report was made public former United States attorney Garcia, who led the investigation by FIFA's Ethics Committee, openly criticised the report by stating there were "numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts", while stating he intended to appeal the findings.

Responding to Garcia's statement, Eckert told BBC Sport: "I'm surprised, not shocked. I'm a long time in the job here. I don't think anything surprises me."

Garcia's swift criticism led to calls for Garcia's original findings to be published in full.

However, Eckert reiterated his stance that it is not legally possible to do so.

"I don't think that's possible because I have to respect the rights of confidentiality for continental law," he added.

"Maybe it's another thing in the US, but in continental law I can't do it, and I can't do it in total even by the FIFA code of ethics. I will not do it."

Inter dismiss Mazzarri

Inter have dismissed head coach Walter Mazzarri following a poor start to the season.

The Milan club sit ninth in Serie A having won just four of their opening 11 league matches.

Inter president Erick Thohir previously gave his backing to Mazzarri, but a 2-2 draw at home to Verona last Sunday proved to be his final game in charge.

A short statement released on Inter's official website on Friday read: "FC Internazionale announces that Walter Mazzarri has been relieved of his duties as first-team coach.

"The club would like to thank Mazzarri for the commitment, dedication and professionalism he showed over his 17 months in charge.

"Today's training session will be taken by Giuseppe Baresi."

Reports in Italy suggest Roberto Mancini will return for a second stint as Inter boss.

During his first spell at San Siro, Mancini led Inter to three straight Serie A titles between 2006 and 2008, while he also won the Coppa Italia twice.

Should Mancini return, his first game in charge could be the first Milan derby of the season on November 23.

Mazzarri replaced Andrea Stramaccioni in the Inter hotseat in May 2013, and led the club to a fifth-place finish - and a UEFA Europa League spot - in his first season at the helm.

Inter made several changes to their first-team squad in the close-season in a bid to challenge for UEFA Champions League qualification this time around, with the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and Yann M'Vila all arriving at San Siro.

However, former Napoli boss Mazzarri struggled to get the best out of Inter's new-look squad, and has paid the price with his job.

Courtois sympathises with Cech frustration

Thibaut Courtois has sympathy with the frustrations of fellow Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and is not surprised he is pondering his future.

For the last decade, Cech has been number one at Chelsea, helping the club win three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the UEFA Champions League.

However, the Czech Republic international has been displaced by Courtois this season, after the Belgian was recalled to Stamford Bridge following three years on loan at Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.

Cech recently voiced his concerns at not being the club's first choice keeper, and Courtois too believes his rival is too good to be warming the bench.

"As a goalkeeper you want to play. If I was in that situation where I didn't play a lot, then I would leave too," he told Sky Sports.

"I think Petr is still a goalkeeper with a lot of quality and one of the best there is."

Courtois has played his part in helping Chelsea go unbeaten in the opening 11 Premier League matches, but he feels it will be tough to emulate Arsenal's 'Invincibles' side of 2003-04, who went the entire campaign without losing a league game.

"Obviously a lot of people hope that we can go unbeaten, we will see," he added. "The Premier League is a very hard competition, so I think that's maybe why just one team did it, but I think it will be hard.

"It's more important to be champions, and if it is unbeaten then okay."

Del Bosque: I trust my squad

Vicente del Bosque claims he has no reason to distrust his Spain squad, as the row over Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas' absence continues.

Del Bosque opted to omit Chelsea striker Costa from his squad for the upcoming Euro 2016 qualifier with Belarus and friendly with world champions Germany due to a persistent hamstring injury - an issue that has led to a club-versus-country row over the last two months.

Costa's club-mate Fabregas also withdrew with a hamstring complaint, despite playing 90 minutes in Chelsea's 2-1 victory at Liverpool before the international break.

Spain defender Sergio Ramos told Radio Marca earlier this week that players should show the "same commitment to the national team as they do to their clubs", although he insists he was making a general point and not speaking about specific individuals.

And Del Bosque has now attempted to draw a line over the affair by stating his confidence in the honesty of his players.

"All the world can have their opinions but we have to make decisions," he told Radio Nacional in Spain.

"We are in an era of trust in some players who have given us so much. I have no reason to distrust them.

"If players don't come here because they're unfit, they're unfit. I have no reason not to trust either of them. There's no desire to harm anyone.

"Our authority is demonstrated in other things, not only leaving out or calling up the players.

"I have the utmost confidence in the players. I'm not fooling myself by saying a player is unfit when they're not."

Origi would welcome early Liverpool link-up

Divock Origi is open to the possibility of linking up with Liverpool in January if Lille agree to cut short his loan.

The Belgium international forward signed for Liverpool in a reported £10million deal in the close-season, but was allowed to remain with the Ligue 1 side for the 2014-15 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers' team have struggled in front of goal in the Premier League this season, with Daniel Sturridge plagued by injury and Mario Balotelli failing to score in the top flight since joining from Milan in August.

That has led to suggestions that Liverpool could explore the possibility of bringing Origi to Anfield early - and the 19-year-old would be willing to consider the possibility.

"It is not me who makes the decisions but if the club choose to let me go in January, I would join Liverpool," Origi told reporters.

"I said that I would stay for the whole season and I wish to remain honourable to that, of course.

"But if there was a decision by the clubs, I would not say that I would not like to go to Liverpool in January.

"I would love to move to Liverpool sooner rather than later.

"I can't wait to be playing in the Premier League because I can now see that it will suit me better. I think there are good things waiting for me with Liverpool."

Baines wants Hodgson extension

England's players would be delighted to see Roy Hodgson's contract extended beyond Euro 2016, according to Leighton Baines.

Hodgson's present deal as manager is set to take him through to the Euro 2016 in France, which England are well positioned to reach having won their opening three qualifying matches.

The 67-year-old has responded well after overseeing a poor World Cup campaign in Brazil earlier this year, where England were eliminated from the group stages without winning a match.

Speaking before England's next qualifier with Slovenia on Saturday, Everton full-back Baines stated that the whole squad are keen for Hodgson to remain in charge long term.

"The players would all be delighted with that [Hodgson extending his contract]," he said. "We all enjoy working with him. He's a good guy, a good person to speak to.

"He's got a lot of knowledge about football, has had a lot of different jobs, worked in different countries. Us, as a bunch of players, would be really happy if he extended."

Baines also stated that he feels England captain Wayne Rooney is the ideal role model for his Everton club-mate Ross Barkley.

Barkley has been compared by some to the Manchester United skipper, who started his career at Everton.

And Baines feels Rooney - who is set to earn his 100th cap against Slovenia - can continue to be an example to follow.

"Wayne's always been someone that people have focused on and we've asked a lot of him over the years as well and he tended to produce," he added.

"He's now moved onto his role as captain and rightly so, he earned that right to be leading the team now, he's a leader among the squad.

"He's great for all the players but particularly for people like Ross and the other young players who he's often offering advice to.

"So I think it was the natural fit once Steven [Gerrard] retired for Wayne to step up and fill that role."

World Cup furore could lead to UEFA ´divorce´

FIFA's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar could prompt a UEFA breakaway, a prominent investigative journalist has claimed.

Awarding Qatar the showpiece was met with particular criticism over alleged corruption and staging the tournament in the country's extreme weather conditions.

However, a report of an investigation into the process - published by Hans-Joachim Eckert, chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's independent Ethics Committee, on Thursday - cleared Qatar of any wrongdoing, seemingly ending the possibility of the bidding process being restarted.

FIFA's overall findings on former United States attorney Michael Garcia's inquiry claimed that "the various incidents which might have occurred are not suited to compromise the integrity of the FIFA World Cup 2018/2022 bidding process as a whole".

Andrew Jennings has long investigated goings-on at FIFA HQ, publishing books and producing documentaries on the subject.

Though he maintains hosting the tournament in Qatar remains totally unfeasible, Jennings predicts a forced staging in the Gulf state could have far-reaching consequences.

"If Blatter doesn't get out of Qatar soon and can't find a way out then UEFA will break away because European football isn't going to accept a two-month suspension in the middle of the season," he told Perform.

"It's like a divorce.

"Because we will not - in England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland or Belgium - stand for a November-December shutdown.

"Go tell the TV networks, whoever is running Sky in 2022 there's going to be no good football on television - it's not going to happen.

"Tell all the staff at these clubs who are going to get laid off with no money for eight weeks. How will the clubs pay the wages of players who are not in the World Cup and are sat around? It's all a fantasy.

"The Premier League won't stand for it but they'll just wait for it all to fizzle away, it's all been a waste of our time and it still is.

"Just think: Who's going to Qatar? Fans? No. Footballers? No. Sponsors? No. Networks? No Leagues? No."