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Sunday, June 9, 2013

PERFORMANCE OF CAF TEAMS (http://www.thefifaworldcups.com/)

Performance of CAF Teams
    
  Up to 9 June 2013. Teams highlighted in black are still active in the competence.  
  Teams highlighted in blue are classified until now for the following stage.  
    
  
Pos
Flag
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Perf.
1
 Ethiopia
6
4
2
0
11
2
9
14
2.33
2
 Egypt
4
4
0
0
11
5
6
12
3.00
3
 Congo
6
3
3
0
8
1
7
12
2.00
4
 Congo DR
6
3
2
1
10
3
7
11
1.83
5
 Namibia
6
3
1
2
9
2
7
11
1.83
6
 Cote d'Ivoire
4
3
1
0
10
2
8
10
2.50
7
 Tunisia
4
3
1
0
9
5
4
10
2.50
8
 Algeria
4
3
0
1
11
4
7
9
2.25
9
 Ghana
4
3
0
1
14
2
12
9
2.25
10
 Kenya
6
2
2
2
8
3
5
9
1.50
11
 Tanzania
6
3
0
3
8
8
0
9
1.50
12
 Nigeria
4
2
2
0
4
2
2
8
2.00
13
 South Africa
4
2
2
0
7
2
5
8
2.00
14
 Mozambique
6
2
2
2
6
9
-3
8
1.33
15
 Togo
6
2
2
2
6
6
0
8
1.33
16
 Zambia
4
2
1
1
6
3
3
7
1.75
17
 Burkina Faso
4
2
1
1
5
1
4
7
1.75
18
 Mali
4
2
1
1
5
4
1
7
1.75
19
 Guinea
4
2
1
1
9
4
5
7
1.75
20
 Equatorial Guinea
6
2
1
3
11
12
-1
7
1.17
21
 Senegal
4
1
3
0
6
4
2
6
1.50
22
 Libya
4
1
3
0
3
2
1
6
1.50
23
 Malawi
4
1
3
0
2
1
1
6
1.50
24
 Cameroon
4
2
0
2
4
5
-1
6
1.50
25
 Rwanda
6
1
3
2
7
10
-3
6
1.00
26
 Lesotho
6
1
3
2
4
14
-10
6
1.00
27
 Uganda
4
1
2
1
3
4
-1
5
1.25
28
 Morocco
4
1
2
1
6
7
-1
5
1.25
29
 Gabon
4
1
2
1
1
1
0
5
1.25
30
 Sierra Leone
4
1
2
1
7
7
0
5
1.25
31
 Benin
4
1
1
2
4
7
-3
4
1.00
32
 Sudan
4
1
1
2
3
7
-4
4
1.00
33
 Angola
4
0
4
0
3
3
0
4
1.00
34
 Liberia
4
1
1
2
3
4
-1
4
1.00
35
 Madagascar
2
1
0
1
2
3
-1
3
1.50
36
 Chad
2
1
0
1
2
2
0
3
1.50
37
 Central African Republic
4
1
0
3
2
7
-5
3
0.75
38
 Cape Verde
4
1
0
3
6
9
-3
3
0.75
39
 Burundi
2
0
1
1
2
3
-1
1
0.50
40
 Guinea-Bissau
2
0
1
1
1
2
-1
1
0.50
41
 Sao Tomé and Príncipe
2
0
1
1
1
6
-5
1
0.50
42
 Eritrea
2
0
1
1
2
4
-2
1
0.50
43
 Somalia
2
0
1
1
0
5
-5
1
0.50
44
 Gambia
4
0
1
3
2
9
-7
1
0.25
45
 Botswana
4
0
1
3
2
6
-4
1
0.25
46
 Niger
4
0
1
3
0
6
-6
1
0.25
47
 Zimbabwe
4
0
1
3
3
7
-4
1
0.25
48
 Comoros
2
0
0
2
1
5
-4
0
0.00
49
 Swaziland
2
0
0
2
2
8
-6
0
0.00
50
 Seychelles
2
0
0
2
0
7
-7
0
0.00
51
 Djibouti
2
0
0
2
0
8
-8
0
0.00
 
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                
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Saturday, June 8, 2013

Arab stars shining in Europe


(FIFA.com) Saturday 8 June 2013
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The curtain has come down on yet another long season in Europe but memories linger of the Arab players who have excelled in leagues throughout the continent, capturing headlines and helping their clubs clinch trophies. Before the summer break starts in earnest, FIFA.com takes a quick look at the standout Arab talent from the season’s competitions and their finest performances.
Two Algerians and a pair of EgyptiansAfter winning the Greek championship with Olympiacos last season, the Algerian double act ofRafik Djebbour and Djamal Abdoun were instrumental in their side retaining the crown this season before helping them to victory in the Greek Cup, the 16th time Olympiacos have claimed the double in their history. Djebbour scored the first goal in their 2-1 cup final win in Piraeus against Atromitos, a fitting end to the season for the league’s top scorer, with 20 domestic goals to his name. Abdoun, meanwhile, came joint first in the list of most passes completed alongside teammate and Greek international Jose Holebas.
Over in Switzerland another Arab duo have been impressing football fans, with Egyptian internationals Mohamed El Nenny and Mohamed Salah leading Basel to their 16th league championship. El Nenny was consistently impressive, but Salah was the star of the show, contributing several game-changing goals including his strike against Tottenham Hotspur which took Basel through to their first ever UEFA Europa League semi-final, where they were defeated by eventual champions Chelsea.
El Nenny and Salah were not the only Arabs to make their mark in continental competitions. Moroccan midfielder Nordin Amrabat was part of the Galatasaray side that reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League before Spanish giants Real Madrid beat them 5-3 on aggregate to end their challenge. There was consolation for Amrabat in the form ofGalatasaray’s 19th league title, a campaign that saw the Moroccan feature in more games for his club than any other player with the exception of Uruguayan international goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and striker Burak Yilmaz.
Al Habsi makes historyWigan Athletic may have dropped out of the English Premier league, but Omani international goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi still managed to make history as the first Arab player to lift the FA Cup, one of the oldest cup competitions in the world, and book a berth at the next UEFA Europa League. Al Habsi enjoyed an excellent season, appearing in 34 games for his club before an injury to his left shoulder prevented him from representing his country in the latest qualifiers for Brazil 2014.
The 31-year-old shot-stopper was justifiably proud of his achievement: “It’s an achievement for all Arabs, for the people of the Gulf and Omanis in particular. I’m the first Arab to win the FA Cup and it’s a proud moment for us all.” He added, “I feel proud and grateful for the support that Arab and Omani fans gave me in the final.”
Across the Channel, Algerian defender Faouzi Ghoulam saw his side Saint Etienne claim the French League Cup. Tunisian Khalid Ben Khalfallah lifted the French Cup with Bordeaux while his fellow countryman Fabien Camus led Genk to victory in the Belgian Cup.
In Portugal the Moroccan-Algerian pairing of Issam El Adoua and El Arabi Hilal Soudani took Vitoria Guimaraes to their first-ever victory in the Portuguese Cup. Striker Soudani played a major role in the campaign, his cup final goal proving a fitting end to a glittering season and prompting Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb to sign the young Algerian on a three-year contract.
Silverware aplentyArabs played a central role in a number of other tournaments around Europe. In Cyprus, former Tunisian international Selim Benachour led APOEL F.C to their 22nd league title. The Cyprus Cup meanwhile was won by Apollon Limassol, spearheaded by Moroccan Rachid Hamdani.
After a career which has seen him move between Egypt’s Al Ahly, Kuwait’s Al Arabi then back toEgypt with Ismaili before returning home to play for MC Alger, 22-year-old Amir Sayoud is currently plying his trade for Bulgarian outfit Beroe Stara Zagora, with whom he won the Bulgarian Cup. Meanwhile, Tunisian striker Hamza Younes has had a wonderful season withRomania’s Petrolul Ploiesti, scoring 13 goals in the domestic league before leading them to victory in the Romanian Cup two weeks ago. 
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Make or break week for Mexico


(FIFA.com) Monday 3 June 2013
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Make or break week for Mexico
© AFP
Having played three matches in the final six-team group in the CONCACAF Zone, Mexico find themselves in an unaccustomed fifth position, out of the qualifying places. That said, only two points separate the Mexicans and section leaders Panama, and with three crunch matches to come in the space of a week, El Tri have an opportunity to revive their bid for a place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. 
FIFA.com runs the rule over Jose Manuel de la Torre’s side ahead of their upcoming meetings with Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica, which represent an intensive warm-up for their appearance at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013.
Key games“We have to give absolutely everything we have on the pitch and think about nothing else but winning,” said Tri captain Javier Rodriguez, summing up the depth of feeling in the Mexico camp after what has been a difficult start to 2013, with the CONCACAF powerhouses drawing all six of the games they have played since the turn of the year.
Their first engagement in a busy few days comes on Wednesday away to Jamaica. Though bottom of the group, the Reggae Boyz held the Mexicans to a valuable goalless draw at the Estadio Azteca back in February. And while El Tri have only lost once to the Caribbean islanders in the last ten years, they can expect another stern test in the torrid heat of Kingston against a side desperate to keep their own qualification hopes alive. 
“You need to be on top of your game for matches like these and not give anything away,” said Hector Herrera, a member of Mexico’s gold medal-winning side at London 2012. “We have to win any way we can, though obviously we’d like to play well too. I think we’ve got the resources to do both right now.”
After their trip to Jamaica the Mexicans will travel on to Panama for what is a genuine six-pointer against the group leaders, who are very much on the rise and harbouring high hopes of reaching the world finals for the first time. With five points from three games, Los Canaleros have already amassed more than they managed in their ten matches in the final round of qualifying for South Africa 2010.  
Mexico’s not-so-secret weapon on these dangerous missions is Manchester United striker JavierChicharito Hernandez, who struck both his side’s goals in last Friday’s 2-2 draw with Nigeria in Houston. Having gone scoreless in two of their last three qualifiers, the Mexicans will need the young sharpshooter to be on his very best form if they are to collect much-needed points in the days ahead.  
“We’ve got no option but to win,” said the front-man, before pointing to one of Mexico’s key assets: team spirit. “Whenever results haven’t gone our way the side has stuck together and looked ahead.”
Home sweet home
In the final game of the trilogy, Mexico return to the Estadio Azteca to take on a Costa Rica side intent on repeating the Aztecazo, their famous 2-1 win at the Mexico City fortress back in June 2001, the only time the Mexicans have lost a FIFA World Cup qualifier at home. Following goalless draws in their two home games in the section to date, El Tri will be anxious to get back to winning ways at their stronghold.
“There’s a lot at stake for us,” acknowledged midfielder Angel Reyna. “We’re ready, though. The team is prepared for what’s coming up and we’re in the right frame of mind to overcome any situation.” 
As they prepare for a crucial few days, the determined Mexicans have nothing but victory on their minds and putting their shaky start behind them, as skipper Rodriguez made clear: “As far as we’re concerned, drawing just doesn’t come into the equation. It’s all about winning. We have to go out and get three points.”
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Iran win as Qatar's qualification hopes sink


(AFP) Tuesday 4 June 2013
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Iran win as Qatar's qualification hopes sink
© AFP
Iran boosted their chances of clinching an automatic berth from Asia at next year's FIFA World Cup™ with a 1-0 win over Qatar in their crucial qualifying game tonight.
Iranian-Dutch striker Reza Ghoochannejhad struck the vital goal in the 66th minute to end 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar's hopes of reaching the finals.
It was the first time Iran had beaten Qatar in four qualifying matches for Brazil 2014. Their three previous matches, including two in the third and penultimate phase of qualifying, had ended in draws.
Tuesday's victory took Iran to ten points in Group A, and with two more games in hand, the Asian giants look set for their fourth appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals.
Qatar's already slim hopes of qualifying for football's showpiece event relied heavily on a victory overIran, and for the better part of the first half they appeared on course with speedy moves that occasionally caught the Iranians napping.
Former AFC Asian Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim came close to beating the Iranian defence on a couple of occasions, but Qatar's first real chance came in the 30th minute when Hassan Haydos found himself clear just inside the penalty area. However, much to Qatar's dismay his cracking shot slammed the crossbar.
Qatar goalkeeper Qassem Burhan then brought off two splendid saves in quick succession - blocking a dipping free-kick from 25 yards by Masoud Shojaei and then producing a reflex save to stop a Nournia header from close range.
Iran, however, moved up a gear in the second-half. Playing with more purpose and speed they kept probing at the Qatari defence and eventually it cracked under pressure when a move initiated byQatar-based Andranik Teymourian saw the ball come Nournia's way and the former Dutch U-19 international made no mistake from close range. Qatar tried their best to get the equaliser but the Iranians held firm to deny the hosts
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