Sunday, June 30, 2013

Brazil thrash Spain in Confed Cup final

Two-goal Brazil striker Fred gets the plaudits as the hosts beat Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup final.

(CNN) -- Hosts Brazil enjoyed a triumphant finale to the troubled Confederations Cup with a 3-0 defeat of world champions Spain in the Maracana Sunday.

A tournament marked by nationwide protests, ended with a reminder of Brazil's enduring quality as a football powerhouse, which has previously served as uniting factor for the entire nation.

Certainly those packed inside the famous stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the final of the eight-team tournament, a rehearsal for next year's World Cup, would have been filled with optimism.

Protesters outside the iconic ground, with reports of clashes with riot police amid tight security, have been complaining about the cost of staging the global showpiece against a backdrop of poor public services and alleged corruption.

READ: World Cup only benefits outsiders, say protesters

But Luiz Felipe Scolari's men did their best to make sure the headlines would be made by their exploits as they dominated a team holding both the World Cup and European Championship trophies.

For as well as Brazil played, Spain's performance was below standard, with Fred's early goal after a Neymar assist all too easy.

Spain could offer little in return and the home side went further ahead just before the break as Barcelona-bound Neymar received a pass from Oscar and beat Iker Casillas with a thunderous shot.

Only two minutes were on the clock in the second half when Fred beat Casillas again with a first-time shot and Spain's hopes were all but over.

Their night continued to go from bad to worse and after they won a penalty, Sergio Ramos, the hero in the semifinal shoot out win over Italy, sent his effort wide.

With Brazil threatening to add further goals, Gerard Pique hacked down his soon to be teammate Neymar and was promptly shown red.

At the final whistle, the stadium erupted in a sea of yellow to greet a success many will see as a prelude to Brazil winning back the World Cup in 2014.

"Nobody expected such an emphatic result, not against the world champions," said Brazil's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari after the match, in quotes carried by Fifa.com.

"But let's not get carried away. This is more than a title because we've shown that we're on the right path and that we can now take a little more confidence with us as we travel down it."

With the tournament overshadowed by ongoing unrest across the country, Scolari said he hoped the result would bring some relief.

"It's a message for the whole of Brazil. We have to get along and stick together to make sure things move forward."

His opposite number, meanwhile, was philosophical in defeat.

"Obviously this defeat hurts, but I think deep down that we've had a good Confederations Cup," Vicente Del Bosque told reporters.

"I'd rather take the positives away with me today. I've been with an exceptional group of players who have given their all in what have been a fantastic 28 days together."

Earlier, Italy beat Uruguay 3-2 on penalties to claim third spot after the game ended 2-2 after extra time in Salvador.


Via: Brazil thrash Spain in Confed Cup final

Friday, June 28, 2013

Messi to face prosecution?

Messi scored an unprecedented 86 goals for club and country last year.

(CNN) -- International soccer star Lionel Messi has paid 10 million ($13 million) in taxes to cover the tax period 2010-2011, prosecutors in Barcelona, Spain, told CNN Tuesday, but efforts to prosecute him for alleged tax fraud from 2007 to 2009 are still going ahead.

Messi's payment does not affect the existing investigation into the alleged tax fraud, said Jose Miguel Compan, a spokesman for the Barcelona prosecutor's office.

Messi's lawyer, Cristobal Martell, is not taking any calls from journalists, his office said Tuesday.

Read: Messi to appear in court

Compan said Messi's lawyers had not approached prosecutors about making a deal to settle the earlier tax claim.

Any deal would have to involve Messi admitting guilt, paying the amount he owes, and a fine of two to six times as much as the outstanding amount.

That could total 12 million ($15.7 million) to 28 million ($36.7 million).

Messi and his father, who is also a target of the investigation, are due to appear in court on September 17.

The four-time world player of the year and his father Jorge Horacio Messi are suspected of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of more than $5 million between 2006 and 2009. They deny the charges.

Read: Messi under investigation

The 26-year-old is was listed as the 10th highest-paid athletes in the world by business magazine Forbes with earnings of $41 million.

Messi took to his Facebook website page to deny the charges earlier this month.

"We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities," read the statement in Spanish and English.

"We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement.

"We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation."


Via: Messi to face prosecution?

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Spain edge past Italy to create dream final

Sergio Ramos leads the celebrations as Jesus Navas' penalty takes Spain to Sunday's Confederations Cup final.

(CNN) -- Reigning world and European champions Spain set up the purists' dream Confederations Cup final against host nation Brazil but only after squeaking past a stubborn Italian side on penalties.

The heavyweight European nations produced an entertaining game which somehow ended goalless after extra time, as both sides' endurance was tested to the limit in the heat of Fortaleza.

In contrast to the finishing seen in open play, the strikes at goal in the penalty shootout were of the highest standard until defender Leonardo Bonucci skied the 13th effort well wide of goal.

Read: Brazil scrape into Confederations Cup final

That allowed Jesus Navas to coolly fire Spain into Sunday's final as 7-6 winners on penalties -- so maintaining their hopes of holding the world, European and Confederations Cup titles all at once.

Having won the World Cup (2010), the European Championship (on three occasions) and the Olympics (1992), FIFA's so-called Festival of Champions -- which pits the continental champions against both the World Cup winners and hosts -- is the one trophy missing from Spain's illustrious cabinet.

Yet Vicente del Bosque's side were not at their best against familiar foes and could have suffered an unexpected reverse had Italy not wasted a host of early opportunities, with Emanuele Giaccherini hitting a post early in extra time.

The absence of injured striker Mario Balotelli was keenly felt as Christian Maggio, Alberto Gilardino and Claudio Marchisio all missed gilt-edged opportunities in the opening 45 minutes.

"I think it was an excellent performance from both teams, who proved they are right at the top of the European game," Spain coach del Bosque told FIFA's official website.

"Italy were better than us for the whole first period when they put us in uncomfortable situations several times.

"We couldn't control the game properly and we looked very open. But, bit by bit, we got a second wind, improved after the interval and ended up being the better side come extra time.

"Then fortune went our way in the shootout, which put us through to a great final. We're enormously excited about taking on Brazil in the Maracana."

"Despite all the things they've won - our players feel like kids! They're playing Brazil at the Maracana and that's taken them back to boyhood days."

Read: Can anyone stop Spain at 2014 World Cup?

The host nation ensured they will be playing in the iconic Rio de Janeiro stadium, which is set to host the 2014 World Cup final, when beating fellow South Americans Uruguay 2-1 in a tight contest on Wednesday.

Italy will feel they deserved more from the game than the chance to win third place when facing the Uruguayans in Salvador on Sunday, even if goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did turn a Xavi effort against the post in the dying moments.

"The lads played a great match, from the first minute to the last, and we created plenty of situations that could have won us the game, but once it goes to penalties anything can happen," said Cesare Prandelli, whose tactics successfully stifled the Spanish.

"Spain are currently ahead of us because they've been following the same ideology for years, whereas we're still forging our own path.

"This match has been a great test for us, no doubt about that, and we passed it despite the result. We were convinced about how we needed to play, in both technical and tactical terms, and we proved that we have the quality to battle it out with the best."

Read: Spain win 2012 European Championship

Prandelli can reflect on a far superior display to the two teams' meeting in the European Championship final in Kiev one year ago, when Spain romped to a 4-0 victory as they lifted the continental title for the third time following previous triumphs in 1964 and 2008.

When the sides had met in the group stages in Gdansk last year, the 1-1 draw was built upon Italy's decision to play a three-man defense -- and Prandelli's decision to revert to that system once again restricted Spanish creativity for large parts of the game.

Brazil coach Felipe Scolari will have followed the tactical ploy with interest as his side bid to win the Confederations Cup for the third time in a row following successes in 2005 and 2009.

Read: Brazil president proposes referendum for reforms

As has become a feature of the Confederations Cup, the build-up to the match witnessed clashes between police and anti-government protesters.

Brazil has been hit by wave of mass demonstrations as its citizens clamor for better public services in a land where $15 billion has been set aside to host the Confederations Cup and next year's World Cup.

Over a million people took to the streets in the early days of the tournament but there were just an estimated 5,000 protesting in Fortaleza on Thursday, with police saying they arrested 72 people.


Via: Spain edge past Italy to create dream final

Tevez to face community service?

Carlos Tevez will play in Italy with Serie A champion Juventus next season.

(CNN) -- Carlos Tevez may have escaped the clutches of the Premier League by joining Italian giant Juventus -- but the long arm of the law could yet bring the striker back to English shores.

Tevez, who completed his $13 million move from Manchester City to the Serie A champion Thursday, has yet to complete his community service in England according to sources close to the case.

The Argentina international avoided jail last March after pleading guilty to the charge of driving while disqualified and accepted the punishment of 250 hours of community service and a $1,500 fine.

While the exact number of hours owed by Tevez has not been made public, he must complete his punishment within the 12 months of it being handed out.

Community service punishments in the United Kingdom range from 40 hours to 300 -- with a minimum of seven hours per week being served.

A Probation Service spokesperson told CNN: "We do not comment on individuals.

"Offenders must serve the sentences handed down to them by the courts. Anyone who fails to do so will have action taken against them."

CNN also contacted BCL Burton Copeland, the firm which represented Tevez at his trial, but it refused to comment on the matter.

Read: Pellegrini to provide 'holistic' approach

Meanwhile, Tevez revealed his delight Thursday at being handed the iconic number 10 shirt following the completion of his move to Turin.

Tevez will follow in the footsteps of Bianconeri legends Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio and most recently, Alessandro Del Piero.

"I'm absolutely aware of the great effort Juventus Football Club has made to bring me here," he told reporters.

"I feel the responsibility of wearing this number and I am aware of the great responsibility of representing Juventus and playing for the club. This number is certainly a great challenge.

"Top players have worn it before and I was number 10 with Boca (Juniors) before, and (Diego) Maradona played in it too, so the great responsibility is now that I'm going to play in this great club. So certainly the greatest challenge is to do my best.

"Obviously I didn't want to forget Del Piero, who was the last player to wear number 10. He is a person and player that I greatly respect and who certainly represents an emblem and symbol of esteem.

"It is a great pleasure and honor to wear this jersey with his number."

Read: Pellegrini named Mancini's successor

Tevez's move to Italy brings an eventful seven-year spell in England where he played for West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City.

He endured a turbulent time at City after being exiled for six months by former manager Roberto Mancini following his refusal to warm up during a Champions League clash at Bayern Munich in 2011.

Mancini's departure at the end of last season failed to persuade Tevez from seeking pastures new -- although he denies that he turned down a move to AC Milan following claims by the club's vice-president Adriano Galliani.

"I want to be very clear and honest," he said. "I've only talked to Galliani a couple of times in my life," said Tevez.

"The last time was last year when there was an intention to bring me to AC Milan but I don't know why he has said such a thing.

"Today I'm here and that's what matters, I'm very happy to be here."

Isco

Elsewhere, new Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti completed his first signing since taking over from Jose Mourinho with the acquisition of Spain under-21 and Malaga star Isco.

Isco was a stand out star for the Spain under-21 team which retained the European Championship in Israel, scoring three goals following a stunning season with Malaga.

"Real Madrid incorporates a new project with one of the best Spanish football players," the club said in a statement.

"Francisco Roman Alarcon - Isco - plays at the Bernabeu for the next five seasons."

The 21-year-old midfielder scored 12 goals in 45 appearances last season and made his full international debut against Uruguay last February.

"Imagination and speed are some of the qualities that define this midfielder... a recent champion with Spain at Euro Under-21 and at age 21 already capped by the senior team," Madrid's statement added.

"[He is] a player with enviable technical quality, chutzpah and imagination."


Via: Tevez to face community service?

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Brazil scrapes through to final

Paulinho's late strike sent Brazil through to the final where it will face either Spain or Italy.

(CNN) -- Brazil moved into the final of the Confederations Cup following a tense and dramatic 2-1 victory over Uruguay.

Following another day of protests in Belo Horizonte, where anti-government protesters clashed with police, the nation's football players gave its people some brief respite.

A late header from Paulinho was enough to push the samba stars over the line in a game where it was given a huge scare by its South American rival.

Read: A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

Diego Forlan squandered a glorious opportunity from the penalty spot in the first half before Fred fired Brazil ahead.

Edinson Cavani leveled after the break from close-range, but Paulinho's late effort sealed his country's place in the final against either Spain or Italy.

Contests between these two countries are always fiercely fought affairs with the Brazilians still scarred by their defeat in the 1950 World Cup final in Rio.

Read: Brazil's most painful moment

Then there was the pre-match spice added by Uruguay captain Diego Lugano, who accused Brazil star Neymar of diving.

Ironically, it was Lugano who hit the turf first, although there were no suggestions that he dived to win a first-half penalty.

The defender was wrestled to the ground by Chelsea defender David Luiz and referee Enrique Osses pointed to the spot.

Read: The man who could have been Pele?

Forlan, Uruguay's leading scorer, stepped up to take the kick but his effort was saved by Julio Cesar to send those draped in yellow inside the Estadio Mineirao into ecstasy.

That miss appeared to wake Brazil from its slumber and with just two minutes of the first half remaining, Neymar flicked the ball into Fred's path and the striker fired home with aplomb.

Uruguay responded almost immediately after the interval when Cavani stroked home, while Forlan wasted a fine opportunity to win the tie when he fired straight at Cesar.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez headed just over as Uruguay turned the screw against a fragile looking Brazilian backline.

But with the prospect of extra time looming, Paulinho rose highest at the far post to meet Neymar's corner and spark wild scenes of celebration.

Isco

Meanwhile, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez confirmed Wednesday that his club has agreed a deal for Malaga's Spain under-21 star Isco.

Isco is expected to become new manager Carlo Ancelotti's first signing since taking over from Jose Mourinho.

"There is already an agreement with the club and the player," Perez told Spanish National Radio.

"Isco will be presented next week, he just needs to pass the medical."

Italian side Juventus has confirmed the signing of Manchester City and Argentina striker Carlos Tevez on a three-year deal.

Tevez, 29, cost an estimated $13 million with the fee rising to a possible $15 million.


Via: Brazil scrapes through to final

Feud overshadows Foe legacy

Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe died from a cardiac arrest on a football pitch in a Confederations Cup semifinal in Lyon, on June 26 2003. But on the10th anniversary of his death, what is Foe's legacy -- both back in Cameroon and within the world game?

(CNN) -- The paint is peeling, puddles litter the inside of the building, putrid water lies in what was supposed to be a swimming pool and even the statue of the man who had the vision to build the sports complex is cracked -- a sad and inglorious tribute to Marc-Vivien Foe 10 years to the day after the Cameroonian's tragic death.

Once earmarked as a state-of-the-art $10 million sports academy, the only inhabitants today are not the next generation of Indomitable Lions but a handful of squatters and policemen -- with Foe's father funding the latter because of the high risk of theft in this corner of Yaounde.

Those are not Martin Foe's only financial concerns because his bitter row with Marc-Vivien's widow Marie-Louise over the distribution of the estate of the two-time African champion, double French league winner and former Premier League star lies at the heart of the complex's decline.

With Martin claiming that Marc-Vivien's properties should be returned to his side of the family and the star's wife -- neither relative would speak directly to CNN -- believing she should be the recipient, the duo are at such loggerheads that a resolution seems incredibly remote. It's a dispute made all the more tragic given the former international's body lies in the all-but-abandoned complex.

Shortly after the midfielder died of cardiac arrest during a Confederations Cup semi-final on 26 June 2003, Cameroon's government pledged funds to ensure completion of a project started by a man who was posthumously decorated as a Commander of the National Order of Valor.

The country's then prime minister laid the medal on top of Foe's coffin as some 3,000 mourners - including further government dignitaries, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Cameroon's football squad -- gathered at the four-hectare site.

But because of the intense familial row -- while a government promise of funds also failed to materialize -- the real legacy of Foe's death is not to be found in a suburb of Cameroon's capital but in the world's international football stadiums instead.

"Foe's death really shook FIFA and what changed was the attitude of the Executive Committee and other decision-makers towards medicine and the health of the players," Professor Jiri Dvorak, FIFA's chief medical officer, told CNN from Brazil.

"There were already medical courses in place and we were aware of the issue of cardiac arrest, but that was the extent of what we were doing. But once we experienced it live, in front of rolling TV cameras, we realized the reality of the situation and understood we had to do more.

"It made me certain that prevention was the way to go and so many, many new regulations have been implemented since then to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death on the pitch."

Medical screening

Football's world governing has acted steadily over the years to try to ensure that there are as few repeats as possible of the awful scenes that were broadcast to millions around the world from Lyon a decade ago.

The French city was, ironically, the very one where Foe's registration was kept although English side Manchester City had been keen to sign the tall Cameroonian -- who had been with them on loan the preceding year -- on a permanent basis.

They would never get the chance as the then 28-year-old collapsed in the 72nd minute of the semifinal against Colombia with no-one around him.

An opponent was the first to notice the seriousness of the situation and unlike the swift treatment given to Bolton Wanderers' Fabrice Muamba at Tottenham Hotspur last year, medical assistance was slow to arrive.

Despite attempts to resuscitate him for 45 minutes and the fact that he was still alive when taken to the ground's medical center, Foe died because of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- a condition that involves an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle.

Those who are prone to the problem are up to five times more likely to suffer a cardiac arrest when exercising intensively than they would be when leading a sedentary lifestyle.

As the tributes flooded in for a talented player with terrific stamina and, according to those who knew him, a permanent smile on his face, FIFA reacted by making it mandatory to equip all stadiums hosting international matches with automated external defibrillators.

In addition, the organization introduced medical screenings of all players ahead of any FIFA competition -- a policy which was of clear benefit to all the recipients, but especially those from Foe's continent.

At the African Under-17 Championship in Algeria, FIFA -- in conjunction with the continental body CAF and the local FA -- medically assessed all 160 players and unwittingly discovered that nearly 70% of the teenagers had never seen a doctor before in their lives.

Late last month, FIFA issued all of its 209 member associations a Medical Emergency Bag, one which the global body says is similar to those in use by the American and South African military and which, more importantly, boasts a defibrillator among its contents.

However, Dvorak readily concedes that the bag will be largely worthless unless the training of teams' medical personnel is up to scratch.

"It is important that the doctors and paramedics are adequately educated to be able to use it in case of emergency, but we can never guarantee that the right training is being done all around the world," said the Czech.

"Definitely at those competitions where we are responsible, like the Confederations Cup here in Brazil, we check that the relevant people are able to understand what they have in their hands -- and how important it is that they know."

All the more so since the first symptom of those suffering hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can sometimes be death itself, while footballers to have died of cardiac issues in recent years form a depressingly long list -- with the cases of Antonio Puerta (Sevilla), Daniel Jarque (Espanyol) and Phil O'Donnell (Motherwell) prominent among them.

Read: A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

While the medical measures undertaken by FIFA form part of Foe's legacy, a final chapter continues to play out wherever Cameroon's Indomitable Lions roam.

Irreplaceable midfielder

The first team from Africa to reach the World Cup quarterfinals (in 1990), Cameroon were feared at the time of Foe's death -- with the team having added the 2002 Nations Cup to their 2000 title as they became the first to win back-to-back crowns in nearly four decades.

Since the death of a central midfielder who has simply proved irreplaceable in the middle -- a box-to-box player with aerial presence and a calming, disciplined demeanor -- Cameroon's footballing fortunes have steadily declined.

They have not won a match at the World Cup since Foe's death (missing out on Germany 2006 altogether) nor another African title -- and political rows and team squabbling have meant the four-time continental champions have failed to qualify for the last two Nations Cups.

The last month has been indicative of the country's recent woes, with World Cup qualification having hung by a thread until opponents Togo -- who beat Cameroon earlier this month -- were found to have fielded an ineligible player during the qualifier, meaning the Lions may be awarded some fortuitous points instead.

At the same time, the football federation chose to re-elect Iya Mohamed as president -- despite the fact he was being detained by local police at the time after being accused of transgressions connected to his role as director-general of the state-owned Cotton Development Company.

A once proud game is, in short, something of a mess -- and perhaps the crumbling complex where the patriotic Marc-Vivien Foe lies is a fitting, if sad, reflection of the lamentable state of Cameroonian football today.


Via: Feud overshadows Foe legacy

Messi pays $13 million tax bill but still faces prosecution

Messi scored an unprecedented 86 goals for club and country last year.

(CNN) -- International soccer star Lionel Messi has paid 10 million ($13 million) in taxes to cover the tax period 2010-2011, prosecutors in Barcelona, Spain, told CNN Tuesday, but efforts to prosecute him for alleged tax fraud from 2007 to 2009 are still going ahead.

Messi's payment does not affect the existing investigation into the alleged tax fraud, said Jose Miguel Compan, a spokesman for the Barcelona prosecutor's office.

Messi's lawyer, Cristobal Martell, is not taking any calls from journalists, his office said Tuesday.

Read: Messi to appear in court

Compan said Messi's lawyers had not approached prosecutors about making a deal to settle the earlier tax claim.

Any deal would have to involve Messi admitting guilt, paying the amount he owes, and a fine of two to six times as much as the outstanding amount.

That could total 12 million ($15.7 million) to 28 million ($36.7 million).

Messi and his father, who is also a target of the investigation, are due to appear in court on September 17.

The four-time world player of the year and his father Jorge Horacio Messi are suspected of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of more than $5 million between 2006 and 2009. They deny the charges.

Read: Messi under investigation

The 26-year-old is was listed as the 10th highest-paid athletes in the world by business magazine Forbes with earnings of $41 million.

Messi took to his Facebook website page to deny the charges earlier this month.

"We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities," read the statement in Spanish and English.

"We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement.

"We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation."


Via: Messi pays $13 million tax bill but still faces prosecution

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

'Sick Soccer' probe in Italy

Champions Juventus were one of the high-profile clubs raided by Italian prosecutors.

(CNN) -- Italian football is facing new scandal after police raided the headquarters of a host of leading clubs in a tax evasion and money laundering probe, according to Italian prosecutors Tuesday.

Champions Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio were among approximately 40 clubs that had documents seized relating to transfers and contracts between teams, players and agents in an investigation reportedly dubbed "Sick Soccer," the public prosecutors' office based in Naples said in a statement.

The probe, involving over 200 police officers, is looking at more than 50 player transfers, in particular those arranged by two football agents -- Argentine Alejandro Mazzoni and Italian Alessandro Moggi, the statement said.

Eight agents are under investigation, while another four could potentially be drawn into the probe.

Neither the Italian Football Federation, nor Juventus, Milan and Lazio or Moggi or Mazzoni were immediately available for comment.

"At the moment the LNPA (Italian Football League) is not planning to release any official statement," said the Lega Calcio, the regulator of Italy's top two division Serie A and B.

The Naples police authorities began the investigation last October, initially looking into Argentina international Ezequiel Lavezzi's Napoli contract.

The 28-year-old moved to Paris Saint-Germain in a multi-million dollar deal last summer, though Italian authorities have stressed that the players themselves are not under investigation.

The warrant for the search and seizure of documents was issued by a court in Naples as seizures took place in the headquarters of dozens of Italian football clubs and some foreign clubs as well.

The charges range from criminal association, international fiscal evasion, illicit brokering, the production and use of fake invoices and money laundering.

"From what we know about the investigation, it's all about agents," Riccardo Andriani, a lawyer from the Center for Law Economics and Ethic Studies in Sport, told CNN.

"They often act in an unclear way as middlemen [between the clubs and the players] rather than representing just one side.

"This can create a lack of transparency about where the money comes from and where it goes. But I believe that Italian football, as it has in the past, will survive also this scandal."

Italian soccer has been dogged by a number of scandals in recent years.

Juventus were stripped of the titles won in 2005 and 2006 and relegated to Serie B because of their involvement, along with several other top clubs, in match fixing.

The "Calciopoli" affair saw former Juventus managing director Luciano Moggi -- the father of Alessandro -- banned for life by the Italian football authorities.

Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio were all implicated in a wide-ranging police investigation which discovered a network of phone calls between club officials and refereeing organizations.

Ahead of Euro 2012, Italy was the focus of an international match-fixing ring, while last season, Juventus coach Antonio Conte temporarily suspended for failing to report infractions.

In 2012, Napoli were docked two points after an investigation by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) into match-fixing claims.

Club captain Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava were both handed six-month bans for failing to flag up former Napoli goalkeeper Matteo Gianello's intention to fix a match between the Naples club and Sampdoria in 2010.

Napoli had issued a statement at the time denying any wrongdoing by the club.

In 1980, Italy striker Paolo Rossi was out of the sport for two years following his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. He has always maintained his innocence.

Turkish Despair

In a separate development in Turkey, leading sides Fenerbahce and Besiktas have both been banned from European competition on match-fixing charges by UEFA.

Both clubs have said they will appeal the decision -- with Besiktas unable to contest next season's Europa League after being banned for a year while Fenerbahce have received a two-year suspension.

"Our club will be filing an appeal to UEFA's Appeals Committee," Fenerbahce, who reached last season's Europa League semifinals, said on its website.

'Fener', who must now sit out the 2013/2014 Champions League, will serve an additional one-year ban if they commit a similar offense in the next five years.

If the appeals are rejected, Bursaspor, who finished fourth last season, will replace Fenerbahce in the Champions League while fifth-placed Kayserispor will take part in the Europa League.

Both Fenerbahce and Besiktas were caught up in a match-fixing scandal that surrounded the 2010-2011 season, when 'Fener' were crowned champions.

They were barred from competing in the 2011-2012 Champions League by the Turkish Football Federation as a result.


Via: 'Sick Soccer' probe in Italy

Legal action in FFP battle

Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont has teamed up with a football agent to contest UEFA's financial fairplay rules.

(CNN) -- A Belgian football agent has stepped up his fight to prevent the sport's lawmakers from limiting the spending power of clubs, suggesting teams should be allowed to control their own finances if they pay a "luxury tax."

Daniel Striani is questioning the legality of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules implemented by UEFA, European football's governing body.

Striani teamed up with Jean-Louis Dupont -- the lawyer who in 1995 helped change European law and the freedom of football transfers in the landmark Bosman case -- to lodge a complaint with the European Commission in May.

Now they have launched legal action in the Court of First Instance in Brussels, asking for it to "judge on alleged infringements of both EU competition law and the right to free movement (of workers, services and capital)."

Read: 'Bosman' lawyer takes on UEFA

The duo are challenging UEFA's "break-even" rule, which dictates a football team cannot spend beyond its means. The regulation is supposed to ensure that bigger clubs do not gain an advantage by operating under huge debt guaranteed by wealthy owners.

Striani claims the rule is illegal under European Union law as it is "disproportionate."

He is suggesting that overspending should be allowed with certain conditions, such as if teams agree to pay a "luxury tax" or if there is a change in how revenue is shared in UEFA club competitions.

"This latest legal process is supported by a growing body of economic and legal opinion which argues the UEFA rule is ineffective, illegal and disproportionate given alternative measures available," read a statement released to CNN by Striani's publicist on Thursday.

The European Commission process is ongoing, with a ruling expected in 2014.

Dupont was part of the legal team which represented Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman, whose successful battle to switch clubs at the end of his contract with Standard Liege changed the face of the football transfer market. Players are now allowed to move on free transfers when their deals with clubs expire.

Striani works primarily with young, up-and-coming players. His two most high-profile clients are Yohan Benalouane at Parma in Italy and Denis Odoi at Belgian club Anderlecht.

Malaga became the first major team to fall foul of FFP after UEFA claimed the club owed wages to players and had debts with other football sides as well as the Spanish tax authorities.

UEFA hit the European Champions League quarterfinalists with a two-season ban from continental competition, which was later reduced to one season.

The Spanish club's appeal against that punishment, which included a $400,000 fine, was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month.


Via: Legal action in FFP battle

Real deal for Ancelotti as Blanc gets PSG job

Laurent Blanc (right) has replaced Real Madrid-bound Carlo Ancelotti (left) as Paris Saint-Germain coach.

(CNN) -- Football's managerial merry-go-round swung into action Tuesday as both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain ended months of speculation by appointing new coaches.

Carlo Ancelotti has left PSG to take over at Real, while former French national team coach Laurent Blanc has replaced the Italian in Paris.

Nine-time European champion Real has been searching for a new coach since Jose Mourinho moved to Ancelotti's former club Chelsea earlier this month.

Ancelotti has signed a three-year contract at the Bernabeu and will be presented to the media on Wednesday.

Read: Guardiola unveils secret weapon

Former France captain Blanc's arrival at PSG was announced at almost exactly the same time as Ancelotti's appointment.

"Paris Saint-Germain is delighted to announce the appointment of Laurent Blanc as coach for the next two years," read a PSG statement.

"The board of Paris Saint-Germain has given Laurent Blanc the mission to build on last season and to continue the club's ascendency towards the summits of the European game."

Read: A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

Both Ancelotti and Blanc will be tasked with improving their respective club's performance in the European Champions League.

Ancelotti will look to deliver an historic 10th triumph in Europe's premier club competition for Real, having won the competition twice as coach of AC Milan.

The 54-year-old also won the European Cup twice with Milan as a player.

Qatar-owned PSG will expect Blanc to mould an expensively-assembled squad into a major European force.

Blanc will have players such as Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Brazil captain Thiago Silva at his disposal at the Parc des Princes.

As a player, Blanc led the France team during the greatest period in its history.

He captained the team to victory on home soil at the 1998 World Cup, when France beat Brazil 3-0 in the final, before playing a central role in Les Bleus' win over Italy in the final of Euro 2000.

Blanc has been out of work since stepping down as France coach after Euro 2012.


Via: Real deal for Ancelotti as Blanc gets PSG job

Monday, June 24, 2013

Guardiola's secret weapon? A water polo player

Pep Guardiola has been on a year-long sabbatical in the U.S. after stepping down as Barcelona coach, but he returned to Europe in January for the Ballon d'Or when he was shortlisted for FIFA's world coach of the year award.

(CNN) -- In his bid to replicate Barcelona's unprecedented success at Bayern Munich, Josep Guardiola has a secret weapon -- a gold medal-winning water polo player.

In front of a crowded press room, and in fluent German, Guardiola outlined his pride at taking control of the recently-crowned European champions on Monday.

Earlier this year Bayern surprised the football world by announcing Guardiola would replace Jupp Heynckes as the club's coach for the 2013-14 football season, with the Bavarians subsequently going on to clinch an historic European, German League and German Cup treble.

And as he attempts to match the success the club enjoyed under Heynckes, Guardiola will have Manuel Estiarte at his side, a man who worked with the new Bayern coach at Barca and who won Olympic gold at the Atlanta 1996 Games.

Read: A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

"He has participated in many Olympic Games," said Guardiola. "I like to take his influences from other sports, he will help us."

As well as Estiarte, Guardiola has brought three other members of his backroom staff from his Barcelona days -- assistant coach Domenec Torrent, scout and video analyst Carles Planchart and fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura,

"It's great that these people were willing to follow me," added Guardiola. "This is a challenge also for the families, I hope that we manage it well."

Guardiola forged his reputation at Barca, where he won 14 trophies in four years, including two European Cups, between 2008 and 2012 before deciding to take a sabbatical from the sport.

His achievements in Catalonia, and the style in which Barca achieved success, made the former midfielder one of the most sought after coaches in the world.

Read: Can anyone stop Spain at 2014 WC?

But Bayern's heritage -- the club has been crowned champions of Europe on five occasions -- tempted Guardiola.

"The decision to come to the club was based on its history and its players," continued Guardiola. "It's a fresh challenge for me, my time in Barcelona was wonderful, but I needed a new challenge.

"Bayern Munich gave me the opportunity, I am prepared to give my best. I'm ready."

Having spent the majority of his career with Barca, Guardiola is aware of the pressure that comes with working for one of the world's biggest clubs.

"At the top clubs, you are always under pressure but I believe in myself and I accept this challenge without a problem," said the 42-year-old.

"I will, of course, make changes, but I want to keep the level that Bayern has already achieved."

Read: Redemption for Bayern Munich in Champions League

Guardiola also spoke in glowing terms of Heynckes, who has announced he will not be taking a coaching role for the new season.

"I have had no contact with Jupp Heynckes but I hope to speak with him in the next few days," added Guardiola.

"I have a lot of respect for his achievements and it would be good to have his opinion. It's an honor to be his successor, especially after the way his team played last season."

Earlier on Monday, Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre Villas-Boas suggested the biggest task facing Guardiola will be to impose his brand of football onto the German champions.

"His (Guardiola's) challenge is to transport his (possession football) paradigm to another culture," said former Porto and Chelsea manager Villas-Boas. "It's like what I tried to do at Chelsea: it's counter cultural."


Via: Guardiola's secret weapon? A water polo player

A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

Police fire rubber bullets at a protester during clashes in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, June 20. Demonstrations in Brazil began in response to <a href='http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/20/world/americas/brazil-protests/?hpt=hp_t2'>plans to increase fares for the public transportation system</a> but have broadened into wider protests over economic and social issues. Since then, both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have agreed to roll back prices on bus and metro tickets.<!-- --> </br>

(CNN) -- After some of the world's biggest corporations such as Apple and Google have come under pressure over aggressive tax avoidance strategies, now its FIFA's turn to defend its lucrative financial arrangements with 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil.

The relationship of football's world governing body with Brazil is under scrutiny following the protests that have gripped the country as the South American country stages June's Confederation Cup -- a test run for the main event next year.

Initially disgruntlement of the protesters centered on a 20 centavos (10 cents) rise in bus and train fares. But a violent response from the police, prompted Brazilians of all ages took to the streets.

Suddenly the issue was about corruption, poor public services, increasing inflation, lack of security and whether the money being spent on the World Cup might be better invested elsewhere.

Read: World Cup only benefits outsiders, say Brazil protesters

With a subtext of the rich lining their pockets, while the poor pay more to use crumbling public services, the Brazilian government was left scrambling to deal with what some have dubbed the "Tropical Spring."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, for one, was askance at the protests.

"I can understand that people are not happy, but they should not use football to make their demands heard," Blatter told Brazil's Globo TV.

Tax exemptions

While FIFA argues that Brazil, as well as Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022, will gain benefits from infrastructure development and tourism as well as the kudos of staging a global sporting event, the World Cup is key for the world governing body -- the event is its major source of revenue.

"The exact number I do not know but around $4 billion," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke earlier in June, referring to what the 2014 World Cup will generate financially for the Swiss-based organization.

However, that is a conservative estimate with consultants suggesting the amount could reach $5 billion.

"Of course it's not all profit, it is commercial revenue related to the cycle of not just the World Cup, but the cycle between the 2010 Cup and 2014," added Valcke.

Three years ago the World Cup in South Africa raised $3.6 billion, incurring expenditures of $1.298 billion.

For its latest results, FIFA reported a profit of $89 million for 2012, with reserves of $1.378 billion.

The organization had a revenue of $1.166 billion last year and spending of $1.077 billion. As a not-for-profit association in Swiss law, FIFA pays no tax on commercial income from the World Cup.

Read: Spain ease past Nigeria

But some critics question whether the relationship between FIFA and its World Cup hosts is mutually beneficial, notably with regard to the lucrative tax exemptions World Cup organizers are prepared to offer for the right to stage the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world.

According to Brazil's Internal Revenue Service the tax exemptions will cost $248.7 million, though other reports estimate the figure could be as twice as high for the period between 2011 and 2015. The International Olympic Committee will receive similar exemptions when the South American country hosts the Olympics in 2016.

Proponents argue hosting the World Cup brings billions more dollars into the Brazilian economy, but $250 million buys a lot of bus tickets.

Brazil in "FIFA's hands"

Ex-Brazilian star Romario -- now a Brazilian politician -- is one that argues that the money spent on building stadiums would be better spent on constructing houses and schools.

"FIFA will make a profit of four billion reais ($1.8 billion) which should provide one billion ($450 million) in tax, but they will not pay anything," Romario said in a video posted on the websites of several Brazilian newspapers.

"They come, set up the circus, they don't spend anything and they take everything with them.

"The real president of our country is FIFA," added Romario. "FIFA comes to our country and sets up a state within a state."

Another critic -- academic and journalist Christopher Gaffney, who lives in Rio -- believes that FIFA's much vaunted "Fair Play" slogan should not just apply to on-field behavior.

"FIFA should be obliged to follow the pre-existing tax laws in the host countries that apply to international sports non-governmental organizations and their corporate partners," said Gaffney.

"We saw a response in the lead up to London 2012 that the British were revolted that the International Olympic Committee's partners were not going to pay taxes.

"A boycott ensued and the companies agreed to pay taxes on their Olympic related profits.

"There are, of course, always government subsidies to attract businesses, but legislative elements like the General Law of the World Cup in Brazil go far beyond this and effectively redirect public money into Swiss bank accounts."

That analysis drew a swift response from football's world governing body.

"FIFA obtains none of its revenue from public funds of the host country," a FIFA spokesman told CNN.

"The host country provide the general infrastructure for the event, which remains as a legacy in the country such as transportation, IT, upgrades on airports.

"Therefore, it is not true that money is generated in the host country for FIFA and that it will go then to accounts in Switzerland."

Read: Brazil top Confederations Cup group

But the exemptions FIFA insist upon, has surprised one leading European taxation expert, Professor of European Tax Law Han Kogels, who is based in Rotterdam.

In bidding for the 2018 World Cup, Russia was up against three other bidders -- England, Netherlands-Belgium and Spain-Portugal.

"In that bid book model of the FIFA as commercial organization, it claimed a privilege of 100% tax freedom (no corporate tax, no income tax, no VAT, no excise duties, no local tax, not any other taxes), irrespective of regular national tax law, European tax law and international tax law," said Kogels after examining the Netherlands part of the bid.

"I was (and still am) not aware of any other international commercial sport event being subsidized through full tax exemption at the cost of (other) taxpayers, and did not see any justification for such unequal treatment of FIFA."

Economic benefits

FIFA insisted that tax exemptions needed to be viewed in relation to the overall economic benefits that next year's World Cup potentially might bring Brazil.

The world governing body quoted a study by Ernst & Young Terco that estimated that the event would inject R$ 112.8 billion ($50 billion) into the Brazilian economy by 2014, with R$ 28 billion (12.4 billion) spent on infrastructure, generating R$ 63.5 billion ($28 billion) in income for the population.

"It is important to note that tax exemptions are only related to certain areas of the organization, in particular for temporary use of goods and services during the event," FIFA told CNN.

"Examples include IT equipment for broadcasters as well as other material mainly broadcasters and participating teams bring with them, the cars used for the official transport, uniforms for volunteers.

"Amongst others the prize money of the FIFA World Cup is taxable in Brazil."

"Overall, according to the Ernst & Young Terco study it is estimated that the host country will obtain an additional tax revenue of R$ 18.1 billion ($8 billion).

"It should be noted that FIFA also bears the costs related to hosting and staging of the FIFA World Cup, including and not limited to the costs of the Local Organising Committee. This means over $1.3 billion in costs for FIFA."

Cynicism

However, in much the same way that the Group of Eight economies attempted to bring coherence to the issue of closing global tax loopholes earlier this month, Professor Simon Chadwick called on governments and sporting organizations to adopt a more systematic approach to tax.

"One of the problems in Brazil, Britain and, indeed, in many countries across the world is that there is no coherent strategy or policy in place regarding taxation and sport," said Chadwick.

"For example, players in this year's Champions League final at Wembley were given exemption from paying tax on revenues earned from the game.

"Whereas in 2015, players in the rugby union World Cup final will not be given the same exemption. Such a lack of strategy, clarity, consistency and openness creates a climate in which confusion, contradiction and cynicism begin to develop."

Given the scale of the protests in Brazil, does the South American country want to renegotiate the tax exemptions?

"Holding a FIFA World Cup involves agreements that are signed between the organization and the host country in order to receive the event.," said the Brazil Finance Ministry.

"The FIFA World Cup has always been seen by Brazil as a major opportunity to spur investments in infrastructure and services and to modernize football management in Brazil."


Via: A fair World Cup deal for Brazil?

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Alba double as Spain ease past Nigeria

Jordi Alba wheels away in celebration after scoing his second goal and Spain's third against Nigeria.

(CNN) -- All-conquering Spain marched on at the Confederations Cup Sunday with a 3-0 win over Nigeria to top Group B.

Two goals from Jordi Alba and a further strike from substitute Fernando Torres made it a comfortable night in Fortaleza for the World and European champions.

Copa America winners Uruguay also confirmed their passage to the semifinals with a 8-0 rout of Pacific Islanders Tahiti in Recife, but both sides had a man sent off.

Uruguay will now face hosts Brazil in Belo Horizonte Wednesday in a potentially explosive all South American semifinal.

Read: Brazil top Group A after thrilling win over Italy

Spain take on fellow European powerhouses Italy in Fortaleza the following night.

Their third victory in a row was almost guaranteed from the moment left back Alba opened their scoring in the third minute with a superb solo effort.

African champions Nigeria briefly rallied, but Spain took total command in midfield and might have added further to the scoreline before the break.

Chelsea's Torres eventually emerged from the bench to score with a brilliant diving header from Pedro's cross just past the hour mark. It was his fifth goal in the tournament.

Read: Spain prove merciless against minnows Tahiti

Alba rounded off the proceedings with another fine lone effort, sprinting clear from halfway to beat the Nigeria offside trap.

Abel Hernandez was in the goals for Uruguay, who merely needed to beat Tahiti to progress.

His 79-second strike was the fastest in Confederations Cup history.

The Palermo striker headed home Nicolas Lodeiro's corner and went on to grap three more goals.

Diego Perez, Lodeiro and substitute Luis Suarez with a late double were also on target.

The red cards came in the second half, the first to Andres Scotti for a second yellow after he had seen his penalty saved by Gilbert Meriel.

Tahiti were also reduced to 10 men when Teheivarii Wagemann picked up a second yellow.

The defeat marked the end of their fairytale inclusion in a top level FIFA tournament, losing to Nigeria, Spain and now Uruguay and conceding 24 goals to just one scored.

But they have proved ever popular underdogs and provided a rare lighter note in a tournament marked by mass demonstrations outside stadiums by Brazilians protesting against poor public services and corruption.


Via: Alba double as Spain ease past Nigeria

Football's push for Israeli peace

Palestinian children play football in front of the Israeli security fence in the West Bank village of Abu Dis, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Organizations such as Mifalot help bring Palestinian and Israeli kids together through the power of football.

(CNN) -- Yael Lee-Weiss shakes her head the moment the words "boycott" and "Beitar Jerusalem" are uttered in her direction.

With the football world's attention on Israel as it hosts the European Under-21 Championship Finals, the country's image and politics are both very much to the fore.

For a woman who spends each and every moment combating racism and discrimination, last February's incident when Beitar fans burnt down the club's administrative offices in protest at the signing of two Chechen Muslims still rankles.

Beitar, a club with fiercely right-wing fans, is infamous for its racist attitude towards Arab players, but the severity of the attack still caused surprise.

"It's about education and showing these people that their views will not be tolerated," she told CNN in Tel Aviv.

"It's why I do what I do. It's why Mifalot is here."

Action

Mifalot, an initiative backed by one of the biggest club sides in Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv, brings together children from all backgrounds -- not just across Israel and the Palestinian territories, but from countries across the world.

The non-governmental organization, which has a center at Hapoel's training ground, runs over 300 projects across the globe including Angola, Benin, India, Rwanda, Cameroon and Haiti.

Backed by Avraham Burg, former speaker of the Israeli parliament, and funded by a host of charities from around the world, Mifalot uses the power of football to educate the next generation.

It offers a civil service program for those who are not able -- or allowed -- to enter the Israeli Army at the age of 18, instead giving them the opportunity to earn a qualification as a sports coach and secure employment.

Arabs, Jews, Bedouins, Druze all take part, while there is a program dedicated to those members with special needs.

The scheme has won great acclaim and has given hope to those who grew up when the idea of such a scheme would have seemed like a far-fetched dream.

Time for change

"I think the younger generation wants to make a change," Lee-Weiss said.

"From a very young age, they have an open mind and they don't have any inhibitions. Sometimes, they are coming from a background where they need this scheme.

"We just capture the power of football and the love that children and adults have for the sport, and we are trying to educate them and give them values. They are very curious about knowing each other. We are neighbors, Arabs and Jews. The kids are curious because they hear a lot of things but they haven't always met an Arab or a Jew and seen things with their own eyes.

"They might not have spoken to people outside of their circle but when they get to know each other, they just speak in a non-formal way without any thoughts which we see elsewhere in society."

Another example of integration is Israel's national Under-21 team. While it failed to progress from the group stage of the international tournament -- the final of which was won by Spain on Tuesday -- its impact off the field should not be underestimated.

A squad including five Israeli-Arab players, two Ethiopians and a Bedouin brought attention to how, in even the most volatile regions, sport can break through barriers.

Several Arab players have represented Israel in the past, with the likes of Rifaat Turk, Walid Badir, Zahi Armeli and -- perhaps most famously due to his goal in a 2006 World Cup qualifier -- Abbas Suan having all worn the blue shirt.

While Arab players do not sing the Israeli national anthem, essentially an ode to the Jewish homeland, they also refrain from speaking in their native tongue during training to avoid dividing the group.

Great honor

Israel's hosting of the U21 tournament has been mired in controversy, with protests against the country's treatment of Palestinians.

But while the politics are debated off the pitch and around the world, the players appear happy with the progress being made.

"It's a great honor for me to represent Israel," Munas Dabbur, an Israeli Arab striker who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, told CNN.

"I always felt that I was proud to be invited to the team and I want it to continue.

"I think this tournament can be really important for football in Israel. It's the first time we've had games like this in the country and there's been a huge push. I hope that this will continue in the future."

It is a sentiment echoed by his Jewish teammates.

Omri Altman, 19, plays his football in England with Premier League club Fulham and says the pictures he sees on television bear little resemblance to the country he calls "home."

"My friends at Fulham think, ' Israel, oh, it's very scary.' They don't want to come here to visit because they hear in the news about the things which happen here," Altman said.

"But it's different. You come here, it's very quiet in most of the areas. So when teams come to play here, I hope the whole world will see that.

"I think it's very important that the tournament has come to Israel.

"In our team, we're all friends and everybody is the same. We are all people, it doesn't matter where we come from and who we are. We come to play football and that's the most important thing."

Next generation

These words would have been noted by the next generation of talent, young hopefuls who have been watching an international football tournament in their own backyard for the very first time.

While Altman and Dabur were busy on the pitch, hundreds of young children were given free tickets to watch the games.

Some of those were from Mifalot. They hope that the example set by their nation's young footballers can spread a message beyond the country's borders.

While the U21 players were busy playing in modern stadiums, hundreds of others were running around fields, concrete courts and dirt tracks pretending to be an international footballer.

"I think that this project is great," said Nasser, a Palestinian coordinator in Sussiya, in the West Bank.

"The activities and interaction greatly helped the kids get to know others who are different and to play together as one group.

"I hear the kids talking and they really enjoyed themselves."

Another group bringing communities together is the New Israel Fund (NIF), which works alongside the Israeli Football Association (IFA).

Founded in 2003, the NIF's Kick Racism and Violence out of Soccer scheme has flourished, with the charity supporting civil society organizations working towards social justice, women's rights and environmentalism.

Back in 2007, a survey it carried out concluded that 60% of Israelis believed more needed to be done to tackle racism in football, while 37% said they would attend more games if the situation improved.

Through the work of the NIF, the IFA began to punish clubs with fines for racist abuse.

Breakthrough

Suan was a founding member of the Kick Racism and Violence out of Football organization, and he says sport can be the vehicle which unites people in one of the world's most troubled regions.

As one of the few Arab players to wear the Israeli soccer shirt at the time, Suan says he suffered abuse every time he touched the ball until a groundbreaking moment.

In the final minute of a qualifying game for the 2006 World Cup, Suan unleashed an astonishing effort which clinched a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Ireland, and etched his name into Israeli folklore.

That goal on March 27, 2005, represented a fundamental change for Suan. He says it was a day Israeli society finally began to realize the significance of Arab players.

"I am a Palestinian because I have a lot of brothers and cousins in the Arab countries," he said. "And I am Israeli because I live here and don't go out of my lands.

"I never felt discriminated against in anything that had to do with football. I didn't let anyone do it to me. Everywhere I went, I felt not merely at home, but like the boss.

"I have a lot of Jewish friends and they are like brothers to me. But I do feel discriminated against when it comes to infrastructure and development in the Arab sector.

"But when my children have a sports lesson in a courtyard without a pitch, that's discrimination. It makes my blood boil. It's unacceptable that in a city like Sakhnin, there is not one tennis or basketball court worthy of the name."

Suan's case has been featured in two documentaries -- "After the Cup: Sons of Sakhnin United" and "Divided Nation" -- both of which focus on Arab citizens in Israel.

Now head of youth at Bnei Sakhnin, one of Israel's top Arab football clubs, he lectures against racism and violence in the game, drawing on the experiences of his difficult road to the top.

"If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing," he added.

"I pursued my career to represent the community and to bring the two peoples closer together. I paid a great personal price, but I'm satisfied."

The scheme has also embraced the Bedouin community, where the likes of Israel international Mohammad Ghadir and under-21 player Ahad Azzam learned their trade.

But in a society where female participation is frowned upon, there is one woman who refuses to be denied.

Female Maradona

Meet Miriam Abu-Ghanem -- the one they call the "female Maradona" in her town of Tel Sheva in southern Israel.

"I came out of my mother's stomach with a ball at my feet," she said.

"Our girls don't play sport because they think it's shameful. We suffer from this. I come from a supportive home, without violence or repression, but many other women suffer at home.

"There are still families where the women don't go out to learn at all, or who suffer in marriage."

After establishing the first women's football league in her town and becoming the first Bedouin player in the Be'er Sheva women's league, injury prevented her from going further.

Instead, two bachelors degrees in physical education and special education, as well as a masters in educational management, have allowed her to become the first PE teacher in the Bedouin community.

"A woman doesn't need to request equality from anyone and doesn't need to receive the rights of a man, but the universal rights of human beings as human beings," she added.

"I always believed in my own capabilities ... I worked very hard. I refused to stand to the side and be the forlorn girl. Now here I am."

It is stories such as these from Suan and Abu-Ghanem which gives hope that sport can unite people -- even in the most troubled of times.

Back in Tel Aviv, sitting in her office surrounded by application forms from prospective members, Yael Lee-Weiss, the international development officer, sees a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.

"It gives me hope," she said. "They are the future and I know we won't make the biggest changes to our world and bring about peace in one day, but we do give those children a way out and something good to look for.

"The changes will take a few years but those children are growing up."


Via: Football's push for Israeli peace

Messi to appear in court in tax fraud case

Lionel Messi celebrates after matching Gerd Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year, netting in the 16th minute of Barcelona's match against Real Betis in December 2012. Just nine minutes later the Argentina star passed the German's 1972 milestone.

(CNN) -- Soccer star Lionel Messi must appear in court on September 17 to face possible charges of tax fraud, prosecutors in Spain said Thursday.

The four-time world player of the year and his father Jorge Horacio Messi are suspected of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of more than $5 million between 2006 and 2009. They deny the charges.

A judge will decide after the hearing whether to go ahead with the case, which is being held in a town near Barcelona -- where Messi has lived since moving from his native Argentina as a teenager.

Messi, who turns 26 next Monday, is 10th on the list of the world's highest-paid athletes as compiled by business magazine Forbes with earnings of $41 million.

Read: Neymar pledges to back Messi

According to the papers filed on June 12 by prosecutor Raquel Amado in Gava, a seaside resort close to Barcelona where Messi lives, it is alleged that they tried to avoid paying taxes in Spain by selling the player's image rights through overseas companies.

His club Barcelona said it was not involved, as the image rights payments are independent of the reported $20 million yearly salary he receives from the Spanish champion team.

Messi used his Facebook website page to deny the charges earlier this month.

"We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities," read the statement in Spanish and English.

Read: Woods tops highest-paid athlete list

"We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement.

"We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation."

Messi joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000, and has won six Primera Liga titles, three European Champions League crowns. Last year he scored an unprecedented 86 goals for club and country.

CNN's Laura Perez Maestro contributed to this report.


Via: Messi to appear in court in tax fraud case

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Brazil top Confed Cup group

Neymar celebrates his superb free kick goal against Italy in the Confederations Cup in Salvador

(CNN) -- Hosts Brazil claimed top spot in Group A at the troubled Confederations Cup with 4-2 win over Italy in Salvador Saturday.

The match may have lacked the quality of previous classic encounters between the world football heavyweights, but burst into life in the second half.

Dante had given Brazil the lead before the break, but it needed a double from Fred and a classic free kick from home talisman Neymar to see off a determined Italian challenge.

Victory also meant Brazil will likely avoid world champions Spain in next week's semifinals.

Spain currently top Group B ahead of the final round of matches Sunday and have been in commanding form, beating minnows Tahiti 10-0 in their latest match.

Read: Minnows Tahiti beaten 10-0 by all-conquering Spain

Brazil have also impressed with comfortable wins over Mexico and Japan, but this has gone almost unnoticed because of the mass popular protests outside games and across the country.

Demonstrators have taken to the streets to highlight the cost of Brazil hosting next year's World Cup and the 2016 Olympics against a background of sub standard public services and corruption.

There were no reported protests outside a packed Arena Fonte Nova for the final group game although Cesar Prandelli had advised his Italian squad to stay inside their hotel prior to the match.

Neymar proved a thorn in their side from the start and was behind a flurry of attacks in the first minute.

But the rest of the half proved scrappy until the home breakthrough in added time.

Neymar whipped in a free kick and after Fred's header was palmed clear by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Dante pounced to slot home the rebound.

Read: The man who could have been Pele

Italy surprisingly equalized in the 51st minute as Mario Balotelli cleverly flicked on a long ball with a backheel and Emanuele Giaccherini charged forward to score.

But parity lasted just four minutes, Neymar winning a free kick on the edge of the area and stepping up to beat Buffon with a precise strike.

It was the Barcelona-bound star's 23rd goal for Brazil and sixth in his last seven games, continuing his superb form at the Confederations Cup.

Balotelli had a penalty appeal denied before Fred showed his strength to thump home the third in the 66th minute.

Read: Mass protests outside the stadium as Brazil beat Mexico

Shortly afterwards, Neymar, who has scored three goals in the competition, was substituted by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, rested ahead of a last four clash in Belo Horizonte next Wednesday.

But it looked an unwise move as Italy pulled one back as Giorgio Chiellini scored with a low shot after Brazil failed to clear a corner.

Christian Maggio thumped the woodwork as Italy pushed for an equalizer but were finally defeated when Fred converted after Buffon could only push out Marcelo's shot into his path.

"We beat a strong Italian team and I think this shows we are on the right road, even if there are a few things we need to improve," Scolari told AFP.

In the other Group A match, Mexico beat Japan 2-1 with Manchester United's Javier Hernandez scoring both their goals.

After Shinji Okazaki pulled one back for Japan, Hernandez saw his late penalty saved as he sought his hat-trick, but his side hung on.


Via: Brazil top Confed Cup group

Legal action in financial fair play battle

Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont has teamed up with a football agent to contest UEFA's financial fairplay rules.

(CNN) -- A Belgian football agent has stepped up his fight to prevent the sport's lawmakers from limiting the spending power of clubs, suggesting teams should be allowed to control their own finances if they pay a "luxury tax."

Daniel Striani is questioning the legality of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules implemented by UEFA, European football's governing body.

Striani teamed up with Jean-Louis Dupont -- the lawyer who in 1995 helped change European law and the freedom of football transfers in the landmark Bosman case -- to lodge a complaint with the European Commission in May.

Now they have launched legal action in the Court of First Instance in Brussels, asking for it to "judge on alleged infringements of both EU competition law and the right to free movement (of workers, services and capital)."

Read: 'Bosman' lawyer takes on UEFA

The duo are challenging UEFA's "break-even" rule, which dictates a football team cannot spend beyond its means. The regulation is supposed to ensure that bigger clubs do not gain an advantage by operating under huge debt guaranteed by wealthy owners.

Striani claims the rule is illegal under European Union law as it is "disproportionate."

He is suggesting that overspending should be allowed with certain conditions, such as if teams agree to pay a "luxury tax" or if there is a change in how revenue is shared in UEFA club competitions.

"This latest legal process is supported by a growing body of economic and legal opinion which argues the UEFA rule is ineffective, illegal and disproportionate given alternative measures available," read a statement released to CNN by Striani's publicist on Thursday.

The European Commission process is ongoing, with a ruling expected in 2014.

Dupont was part of the legal team which represented Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman, whose successful battle to switch clubs at the end of his contract with Standard Liege changed the face of the football transfer market. Players are now allowed to move on free transfers when their deals with clubs expire.

Striani works primarily with young, up-and-coming players. His two most high-profile clients are Yohan Benalouane at Parma in Italy and Denis Odoi at Belgian club Anderlecht.

Malaga became the first major team to fall foul of FFP after UEFA claimed the club owed wages to players and had debts with other football sides as well as the Spanish tax authorities.

UEFA hit the European Champions League quarterfinalists with a two-season ban from continental competition, which was later reduced to one season.

The Spanish club's appeal against that punishment, which included a $400,000 fine, was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month.


Via: Legal action in financial fair play battle

Spain proves mission impossible for Tahiti

Tahiti form a huddle before their showdown with World and European champions Spain. The minnows are ranked 137 places below their opponents and eventually lost their Confederations Cup match 10-0 in Brazil.

(CNN) -- If ever there was a David versus Goliath clash in international football this was it.

Spain, the reigning world and European champions taking on Tahiti, ranked 138th by the game's governing body FIFA, one place below Syria.

Almost all of Tahiti's squad are amateur players -- nine are unemployed -- and their coach Eddy Etaeta even admitted before the tournament began: "We are not here to win."

After a heavy defeat in their opening Confederations Cup game against Nigeria, Etaeta declared their dream had come true -- solely because they found the net in a 6-1 reverse.

Read: World Cup only benefits outsiders, say Brazil protesters

There was to be no goal this time round as they were put to the sword by Spain who completed a 10-0 victory to all-but secure a semifinal berth.

That represented the biggest in the history of the competition that pits the champions of each FIFA confederation against each other and acts as a precursor to next year's World Cup in Brazil.

But Tahiti's squad were afforded a standing ovation from the 71,000 crowd, who backed them throughout the match. Before the game there was a heavy police presence outside the ground in Rio in response to the ongoing protests in Brazil.

"Tahiti set an example in terms of fair play and went forward whenever they had the opportunity," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.

"We didn't score more goals because they didn't let us. This game hasn't damaged football in any way. In some ways it's made it even stronger."

After handing over pendants to their opponents prior to kickoff, Tahiti maintained parity for less than five minutes as Chelsea striker Fernando Torres beat goalkeeper Mikael Roche at his near post to put the "La Roja" ahead.

Any Tahiti foray into Spain's half was roared by the crowd but Del Bosque's side soon fired two goals in the space of two minutes as David Silva and Torres found the net.

David Villa grabbed a goal either side of the break before Torres sealed his hat-trick just before the hour mark -- making him the first player to do it twice in the tournament following his three against New Zealand in 2009.

Villa's treble followed soon after, and Juan Mata then got number eight.

Torres missed the chance to claim his fourth, sending a penalty over the crossbar after Ricky Aitamai was adjudged to have handled the ball.

But he made amends a minute later as he rounded Roche to slot into an empty net. Silva then got his second, firing home from inside the area.

The crowd were willing Tahiti forward but the closest they came to scoring was when Lorenzo Tehau narrowly failed to latch onto Marama Vahirua's pass, but the offside flag had gone up.

Upon the final whistle, Tahiti gave Spain a guard of honor as the world champions left the pitch before the minnows took the applause of the crowd.

However, the battle for semifinal places will go to the last round of Group B matches, following Uruguay's 2-1 victory over Uruguay in Thursday's late match.

Veteran striker Diego Forlan celebrated his landmark 100th international appearance -- becoming the first Uruguayan to do so -- by scoring the winner six minutes after halftime.

The 34-year-old finished off a fine move involving strike partners Edison Cavani and Luis Suarez, ending his run of 12 games without a goal for the South American champions.

It was his 34th goal for his country, putting him ahead of Suarez in the all-time list.

Captain Diego Lugano gave Uruguay the lead in the 19th minute but Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel equalized eight minutes before the break.

If Uruguay beat Tahiti on Sunday, then Nigeria's Super Eagles would have to inflict Spain's first defeat of the tournament in order to qualify.


Via: Spain proves mission impossible for Tahiti

Friday, June 21, 2013

Wambach breaks Hamm's world record

Striker Abby Wambach has scored 160 goals in 207 appearances for the United States.

(CNN) -- When a 21-year-old Abby Wambach made her debut for the United States on September 9, 2001, Mia Hamm scored twice in a 4-1 win over Germany.

Twelve years later, aged 33, Wambach grabbed four first-half goals in a 5-0 win over South Korea to overtake Hamm as the leading scorer in women's international soccer history.

Wambach equaled Hamm's record of 158 with her second goal after just 19 minutes of Thursday's friendly game at New Jersey's Red Bull Arena before adding two more to stand alone in the record books with 160 international goals -- the most by any male or female player.

Read: Spain beats Tahiti 10-0

"It's surreal," Wambach told U.S. Soccer's official website. "I'm so thankful and my teammates were trying to get me those goals.

"I can't thank them enough. As a competitor you want to be done with the things that put me at the forefront of conversations. This team is too good to be talking about one person."

She added on her Twitter page: "Let me just say thank you to Mia Hamm for giving me something to chase, and to the fans for cheering me along the way. A special night."

Hamm had earlier congratulated Wambach on her achievement. The New York native reached the landmark figure in 207 games, while Hamm scored her total in 275 international matches before retiring in 2004.

"So proud of you, my friend. You are a warrior and true champion. Enjoy this," the 41-year-old tweeted.

Blog: Can anyone stop Spain at 2014 World Cup?

Wambach was part of the U.S. squads which won gold at the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games, scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Brazil in the gold medal match in Athens nine years ago.

She has also represented her country at three World Cups, helping the Americans to finish third on home soil in 2003 before repeating the feat in China four years later.

At the 2011 tournament in Germany, Wambach scored an extra-time goal to put the U.S. 2-1 up in the final against Japan.

Japan equalized to force a penalty shootout, which it won 4-1 -- with Wambach the only U.S. player to score her spot kick.


Via: Wambach breaks Hamm's world record

Heleno: The man who could have been Pele?

Actor Rodrigo Santoro signs a poster for the film "Heleno", in which he plays the mercurial striker. A destructive personality, together with illness and drug problems prevented Heleno from becoming one of Brazil's greatest ever players. But he helped pave the way for some of the world's greatest soccer icons...

(CNN) -- Women wanted him. Men wanted to be him.

Seven decades before Neymar, a world away from Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, a predecessor to Zico and Socrates and a formidable striker who could have rivaled Pele.

That man was Heleno de Freitas, a soccer superstar in the days before Brazil ruled the "beautiful game."

He was a larger than life playboy who abandoned a legal career to become his country's finest footballer. And before the Maracana -- Brazil's iconic stadium in Rio de Janeiro -- was built, Heleno was the city's star attraction with a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality which saw him flit from outrageous charmer to disruptive egoist.

Read: 'The man who made Brazil cry'

"Sometimes he was a gentleman, other times you couldn't stand him," explains Marcos Eduardo Neves, author of "There was never a man like Heleno."

"Like the book by R.L. Stevenson, he was a doctor and a monster," Neves told CNN.

Heleno is best remembered for his nine-year spell with Rio club Botafogo, scoring over 200 goals for the team between 1939 and 1948 to become one of South America's most feared strikers.

Blog: Can anyone stop Spain at 2014 World Cup?

But his career, much like his life, was tinged with tragedy, as circumstance and his ability to press the self-destruct button prevented him from capturing any significant silverware as a player.

"He grew up knowing he wanted to be a football player," says Neves. "When he moved from Minas Gerais to Rio he marveled at beach football and Botafogo ... His will became an obsession."

An affluent background had afforded Heleno the opportunity to train as a lawyer, but the courtroom could not contain his football talent or his vibrant personality.

World Sport Presents: Racism in Football

"He had a big ego and his soul craved the screams of thousands of football supporters," Neves says.

"He loved his star status, being an international idol, playing for his national team and being desired by women and admired by men.

"He thought his fame would be eternal. He believed he would be Heleno de Freitas forever."

Arguably Heleno's crowning moment -- Brazil's crowning moment -- should have come at the 1950 World Cup.

It was the first time Brazil had hosted the tournament -- next year the World Cup returns to the South American nation for a second time-- and it was an opportunity for the country to announce itself as a global power, both on and off the pitch.

With the grandest of stages -- the Maracana -- constructed, Heleno's public awaited.

But when 200,000 Brazilians packed into the stadium for an agonizing defeat to Uruguay in the tournament's final match, Heleno was nowhere to be seen.

Read: The football-mad nation that had it all

"Because of World War II, Heleno missed out on the World Cups of 1942 and 1946," explained Neves. "The 1950 World Cup was his last chance, given his physical and technical peak. But he wasted it."

In 1949 Heleno was playing for Vasco Da Gama, having spent the previous year living the high life in Argentina with Boca Juniors -- with his spell in Buenos Aires rumored to have even included a fling with Argentina's then First Lady, Eva "Evita" Peron.

Heleno's coach at Vasco was Flavio Costa, who was also in charge of the Brazil national team.

But Costa criticized the attitude of his combustible star and Heleno's response was typically trigger happy.

He pointed a gun to Costa's head and pulled the trigger. The gun wasn't loaded, but that action was enough to kill Heleno's dreams of playing in the World Cup.

Vasco won the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, but by now Heleno was an outcast.

When Brazil was left heartbroken by a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay which destroyed its World Cup dreams, Heleno was playing in Colombia's lucrative illegal leagues.

"For the fans, Brazil lost the World Cup because they didn't have Heleno," says Neves. "Brazil feared a valiant Uruguay. With Heleno, it wouldn't be like this. He didn't fear anyone or anything.

"They say that, in 1951, Heleno used to say he could have saved Brazil," says Jose Henrique Fonseca, director of the biographical film "Heleno," which was released in 2011.

By the time Brazil, led by the precocious talents of Pele and Garrincha, finally won the World Cup for the first time in Sweden in 1958, Heleno was hurtling towards an early grave.

"Heleno became a walking bomb ready to explode. Syphilis and drugs just amplified his self-destruction," Neves says.

"He had a good upbringing, he was elegant, educated and from a good family. He could have enjoyed a career as a lawyer or diplomat -- instead he suffered a pathetic death in a mental institution."

Heleno died on November 8, 1959, aged just 39.

"He was a victim of his refusal to be treated for syphilis and if untreated it affects the brain," Fonseca told CNN.

"He suffered a lot. To see a photo of him when he died is amazing, he looked 70 years old."

Could Heleno, free from disease and drug addiction, have carved out a legacy as formidable as Pele, who is widely regarded as the greatest player who has ever lived?

"Pele is one of a kind, like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and surfer Kelly Slater are," says Neves. "But Heleno would be more recognized worldwide. Maybe at the level of a Zico, Romario and Ronaldo."

For Brazil, much like the tale of the 1950 World Cup final, Heleno's story is one of what might have been.


Via: Heleno: The man who could have been Pele?

7 guilty in Dutch linesman death

Judges at a court in Lelystad in the Netherlands found a 50-year-old man and six teenagers guilty of the manslaughter of an amateur football official.

(CNN) -- Six teenagers and one of their fathers were found guilty by a Dutch court Monday of the killing of an amateur football linesman last year.

The 50-year-old adult was sentenced to six years in jail, with five of the teenagers given the maximum sentence of two years in youth detention. The other will serve one year.

Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was set upon by his seven attackers after officiating at a youth match between his son's football team, SC Buitenboys and Nieuw Sloten in Almere, near Amsterdam on December 2, 2012.

The father of three walked away after the beating, but later collapsed and died in hospital the next day.

"The court finds that there is sufficient legal proof that all suspects had a share in the very powerful and violent kicks and kicks to the head and upper body," read the ruling in finding the seven guilty of manslaughter, public violence and brutality.

Read: Arrests made after linesman's death

An eighth defendant, a 15-year-old, was cleared of the killing but sentenced to a 30 days detention for assaulting the linesman and the SC Buitenboys goalkeeper.

The defense case had claimed that a rare medical disorder contributed to Nieuwenhuizen's death, but this was rejected by judges, who ruled it was as a result of "serious violence against him."

The tragic incident sent shockwaves through Dutch football, which is renowned for its production of talented young players through amateur youth system, and made headlines across the world.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter sent his condolences -- all 33,000 amateur games across the Netherlands the following weekend were canceled -- and a minute's silence was also observed at all Dutch professional league matches.

Read: Further arrests in killing of Dutch official

At Nieuwenhuizen's funeral, hundreds lined the streets to pay their respects, with players from SC Buitenboys, bedecked in their blue and white colors, forming a guard of honor as his hearse entered the crematorium in Almere.

Four teenagers were immediately arrested almost immediately after the attack, with three others and the father of one of the Nieuw Sloten players held a week later.

The trial in Lelystad began on May 29, with several members of Nieuwenhuizen's family in attendance as a panel of judges heard the evidence.


Via: 7 guilty in Dutch linesman death

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Egypt through to WC playoffs

Former U.S. national coach Bob Bradley is hoping to end Egypt's 23-year wait for World Cup qualification.

(CNN) -- Egypt moved closer to a first World Cup finals appearance since 1990 after reaching the African qualification playoffs on Sunday.

The Pharaohs, coached by American Bob Bradley, notched a fifth successive victory in Group G, beating Mozambique 1-0 in Maputo thanks to a 40th-minute goal from young striker Mohamed Salah.

Salah, who turned 21 on Saturday and plays for Swiss club Basel, scored a hat-trick last weekend against Zimbabwe -- and also netted last year against Guinea.

It marks a big turnaround in fortunes for the continent's seven-time champion, which failed to qualify for the last two Africa Cup of Nations and suspended its domestic league for a year after more than 70 fans died in the Port Said tragedy in February 2012.

Guinea's hopes of a World Cup debut were ended despite winning 2-0 against Zimbabwe, with striker Mohamed Yattara scoring both goals.

The Ivory Coast also went through to the playoffs, winning 4-2 away to Tanzania to be sure of topping Group C.

Two-time African player of the year Yaya Toure scored two first-half goals to help his team come from behind, and substitute Wilfried Bony sealed victory in time added on.

It meant Morocco missed out, despite winning 2-0 against Gambia on Saturday.

South Africa, the 2010 World Cup host, also failed to make the playoffs after losing 2-1 to Group A winner Ethiopia thanks to a 70th-minute headed own-goal by Bernard Parker.

Read: Bradley - 85M Egyptians praying for soccer salvation

Parker had put his side ahead in the first half but Getaneh Kebede equalized before the break to join Salah and Algeria's Islam Slimani on a leading five goals in the qualifiers.

Ethiopia, which played at the Africa Cup of Nations in January for the first time in 30 years, has never gone to the World Cup.

However, it is facing a FIFA investigation after being accused of fielding an ineligible player in last Saturday's 2-1 win away to Botswana. If it is found guilty, South Africa and Botswana could have another chance to go through.

Football's world governing body has opened similar proceedings against Togo and Equatorial Guinea -- neither of which have reached the playoffs, but the outcome could affect the qualifiers from their respective groups.

Ghana reached the quarterfinals in South Africa three years ago, and the Black Stars are on course for a third successive appearance after beating Lesotho 2-0 in Maseru.

Christian Atsu and captain Asamoah Gyan.scored in either half to put Ghana one point ahead of Zambia in Group D ahead of their clash in the final round in September.

Zambia stuttered with a 1-1 draw at home to Sudan on Saturday.

Tunisia claimed a playoff place as winner of Group B after drawing 1-1 in Equatorial Guinea, with Sierra Leone's slim hopes having been ended by a 1-0 defeat against Cape Verde.

Read: American is coach, protester in Egypt

Cameroon's hopes of a seventh World Cup outing hang in the balance following Sunday's 0-0 draw away to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

With star striker Samuel Eto'o out injured, the Indomitable Lions dropped two points behind Group I leader Libya ahead of their clash in the last match.

Libya beat Togo 2-0 on Friday.

Algeria will try to earn a fourth World Cup appearance after reaching the playoffs with a 1-0 win in Rwanda, as Saphir Taider netted the only goal in the 52nd minute to seal top spot in Group H.

Mali needed to beat Benin to delay the Desert Foxes' progress, but drew 2-2 at home after needing a second-half equalizer from striker Cheick Diabate.

Senegal returned to the top of Group J with a 2-0 win away to Liberia, as striker Papiss Cisse scored in either half.

It set up a last-round showdown with Uganda, a point back in second following Saturday's 2-1 win at home to Angola.

Malawi's hopes of overhauling Group F leader Nigeria were dented by a 2-2 home draw against bottom team Kenya.

Nigeria's Super Eagles hold a two-point lead ahead of the September 6 home clash with Malawi.

The 10-team playoffs will take place over two legs in October and November, with the five winners earning a place in Brazil next year.


Via: Egypt through to WC playoffs

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...