Tag: Africa

CHINA DRAWS WITH SYRIA, WORLD CUP DREAMS ALMOST SHATTERED

An injury time goal scored by Ahmed Al Saleh saw Syria hold the China team coached by Marcello Lippi’s team to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday evening.


As a result, China’s hope of qualifying for next year’s World Cup finals is hanging by the thinnest of threads.

China’s Gao Lin and Wu Xi scored in the second half thus putting China in the lead after Mahmoud Al Mawas had scored first for the Syrians from the penalty spot in the 12th minute.

However, it was not to be a win for China as a curling free kick from Al Saleh put the teams on the same level thus ensuring that they shared the points between themselves.

With this result, China now sits six points behindUzbekistan who are third placed. Two games are yet to be played and these two will be getting ready for a showdown sometime in August.

From each of Asia’s two groups, the top two teams will qualify automatically. Following their 2-0 win over Uzbekistan in Tehran on Monday night, Iran has now booked their place in the finals.Read More

GERMANY WIN PENALTY SHOOTOUT USING NEW SYSTEM

The German under-17 side became the first team to win a match using the new penalty shootout system. Germany defeated their counterparts Norway 3-2 to make the final of the Euro Under-17 tournament in the Czech Rep.


The new system is more of a replica of the tie breaker in tennis. Referred to as the ABBA system, it seeks to help the team that takes the kick second in the shootout. The team that kicks after the other side in the shootout usually battle a psychological disadvantage as they have to play catch up.

The new system prescribes that the shootout follows the tennis tie-break method. Germany lost their first three chances, yet they won the shootout.

Germany played the first kick. The Norway keeper Karen Sneve saved it. Norway played theirs, which they lost. According to new rule, Norway played first in the second round of kicks – the third kick of the shootout as against Germany in the popular method. Norway scored so the scoreline was 1-0.Read More

SPURS TO SELL ACADEMY PRODUCT TO SLOVENIA

Slovenian outfit Olimpija Ljubljana have acquired Tottenham academy product Nathan Oduwa on a permanent deal, according to the club’s official twitter handle.


The Premier League side agreed to sell of the player to the PrvaLiga defending champions as negotiations were mutually beneficent.

“We have reached agreement with Slovenian top-flight side Olimpija Ljubjana for the transfer of Nathan Oduwa. We wish Nathan all the best,” the tweet from @SpursOfficial read.

Before now there were reports that both sides were discussing transfers. The 20-year old made the headlines last year when he did rainbow flicks whilst on half-season loan to Rangers FC. The Scottish side were in the second division then with Mark Warburton managing them. His moves angered the player there. He spent some time there but he gradually faded into the background.Read More

Klose joins Germany coaching staff

Former Germany international striker Miroslav Klose has confirmed that he has retired from football and that he will be joining the Germany coaching staff.


It is believed that he will be joining Joachim Low’s backroom staff as he continues to study towards his Pro coaching license.

The player who was playing for Lazio last season has announced his retirement at the start of this season and said that he is keen to embark on this new stage of his career. The player already retired from international football in 2014 after having won the World Cup with Germany. He is currently the highest goal scorer in World Cup history.

Miroslav Klose said that he was won different trophies during his career, but there is nothing compared to winning the World Cup. The player has played for Germany 137 times in his career and said that he would cherish the 2014 World Cup memories all his life.
Read More

Schweinsteiger states that his team will not be underestimating Gibraltar

Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger states that his team will not be underestimating Gibraltar when they take on the minnows in an upcoming Euro 2016 qualifying match.

After recently suffering a shock 2-1 defeat against the United States, Germany will be pumped up in order to get a result. This match is heavily important for the Germans, as it represents their ability to stay above Scotland in the Euro 2016 qualifying race. They also need to keep up with Poland, who have a one-point advantage. Germany have suffered only one defeat in the qualification campaign so far, but it has proved very costly indeed.

Poland have been undefeated so far and it has helped them get an unlikely lead in the group D. Should the group finish the same way, Poland will have a great opportunity to keep their advantage in the Euro 2016 finals since they are likely to get a slightly easier group. The match against Gibraltar could end up in a thrashing, as the opposition have conceded a whopping 27 goals in the six games so far. They have managed just one goal in reply. Despite these statistics, Schweinsteiger says that the team is expecting a competitive game on Sunday.Read More