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  World Cup Qualifier: Greece beat Romania 3-1

  November 16, 2013 11:21 IST

  Athens: Greece beat Romania 3-1 Friday night in a decisive 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off match held at Karaiskaki stadium in Athens.Greek striker Kostas Mitroglou scored the first goal on the 14th minute. Romanian

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  World Cup playoff: Portugal beats Sweden 1-0 in

  November 16, 2013 10:37 IST

  Lisbon, Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a diving header eight minutes from the end to give Portugal a 1-0 win over Sweden on Friday in the first leg of their World Cup playoff.   Ronaldo's late

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  World Cup playoffs: Ukraine beats France 2-0

  November 16, 2013 10:26 IST

  Kiev, Ukraine: Ukraine stunned France with two second-half goals on Friday to win the first leg of their World Cup playoff 2-0 and put the heavily favored visitors in real danger of missing next year's

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  Ricky Martin to sing theme song at World Cup

  November 16, 2013 9:54 IST

  Rio De Janeiro: Ricky Martin will sing theme song at next year's World Cup in Brazil. It has been confirmed by world football's governing body FIFA.The 41-year-old Puerto Rican will sing the tournament's official theme

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  O'Neill gets off to winning start with Ireland

  November 16, 2013 6:41 IST

  Dublin: Martin O'Neill's reign as Ireland manager got off to a strong start with a 3-0 victory over Latvia in Dublin on Friday, with Robbie Keane setting the team on its way with his 62nd

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  FIFA opens South African match-fixing probe

  November 15, 2013 17:17 IST

  Johannesburg: Frustrated with South Africa's delays, FIFA's ethics committee prosecutor has opened an investigation into allegations of match-fixing in friendlies before the 2010 World Cup.   FIFA said in a statement to The Associated Press on

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  Jordan players request 'leave' from World Cup playoff

  November 15, 2013 16:42 IST

  Montevideo: In signs of a brewing rebellion, seven members of Jordan's national football team have reportedly said they won't travel to Montevideo for next week's second leg of their World Cup qualifying playoff against Uruguay.Jordan

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  Chile coach not taking friendlies lightly

  November 15, 2013 16:29 IST

  Santiago (Chile): Chile's national football team coach Jorge Sampaoli said that the upcoming friendly matches against England and Brazil will be played as if they were World Cup games.Chile play England Friday at Wembley Stadium

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  Lucas Neill to fight to retain Socceroos captaincy

  November 15, 2013 12:36 IST

  Sydney: Australian footballer Lucas Neill will fight to retain the Socceroos' captaincy before the international friendly match against Costa Rica in Sydney Nov 19, media reported Friday.There is speculation that Neill will be stripped of

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  Colombia beats Belgium 2-0 in friendly

  November 15, 2013 10:44 IST

  Brussels: Radamel Falcao led Colombia to a 2-0 victory over Belgium in a friendly between top-five teams on Thursday.   In a face-off between two potential stars of next year's World Cup, Falcao got the better

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  World Cup qualifier: Mexico beats New Zealand 5-1

  November 15, 2013 10:34 IST

  Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand football's greatest celebration is in danger of becoming a very distant memory after the national team's 5-1 loss to Mexico in the first leg of a World Cup qualifying playoff

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  Sao Paulo World Cup stadium 94 percent complete

  November 14, 2013 14:54 IST

  Rio de Janeiro: Brazil's Itaquerao World Cup Stadium has been completed 94 percent, easing fears the venue could miss the December construction deadline set by world football's governing body FIFA.Odebrecht, who's responsible for the project,

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  FIFA lauds Nigeria for winning U-17 World Cup

  November 14, 2013 14:36 IST

  Lagos: The International Football Federation (FIFA) has hailed the victorious Golden Eaglets of Nigeria for their triumph at the U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.A statement reaching Xinhua Thursday from the Nigeria Football

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  Cruzeiro wins third Brazilian league title

  November 14, 2013 14:19 IST

  Sao Paulo: Cruzeiro won their third Brazilian league title after a 3-1 win against Vitoria with four rounds remaining.William, Ricardo Goulart and former Brazil forward Julio Baptista scored for Cruzeiro, which started celebrating at halftime

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  Ronaldinho steps up Club World Cup bid

  November 14, 2013 12:45 IST

  Rio de Janeiro: Ronaldinho has begun training with a ball for the first time in six weeks as he continues his quest to be fit for next month's FIFA Club World Cup.The 33-year-old has been

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  Mexico beats New Zealand 5-1 in first-leg playoff

  November 14, 2013 6:32 IST

  Mexico City: Mexico swept to a 5-1 victory over New Zealand in the first leg of their intercontinental playoff on Wednesday to become the overwhelming favorite for a place at next year's World Cup finals.  

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  Ronaldo takes on Ibrahimovic in European playoffs

  November 13, 2013 19:42 IST

  Two of world football's biggest names will meet Friday in the playoffs to determine Europe's final four World Cup qualifiers.   Ever since last month's draw pitted Portugal against Sweden, the matchup has been billed as

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  England loses Gerrard, Walker for Chile friendly

  November 13, 2013 19:34 IST

  London: Steven Gerrard and Kyle Walker are the latest players to be ruled out of England's friendly against Chile on Friday because of injury.   Frank Lampard will captain the team at Wembley Stadium in the

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  Klose to miss friendlies against Italy and England

  November 13, 2013 18:31 IST

  Munich: Lazio striker Miroslav Klose will miss Germany's upcoming friendlies against Italy and England because of a shoulder injury.   Klose picked up the knock in Sunday's 1-1 club draw with Parma. The 35-year-old needs one

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  Brazil World Cup stadium 90 percent complete

  November 13, 2013 12:47 IST

  Rio de Janeiro: Construction work on Brazil's Arena Amazonia World Cup stadium is 90 percent complete, authorities said Tuesday.Work on a steel structure to support the venue's roof was completed Tuesday, ending one of the

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  Egypt club to sell player over political gesture

  November 13, 2013 6:08 IST

  Cairo: Egypt's newly crowned African club champion Al Ahly says it will sell striker Ahmed Abdul Zaher after he used a four-fingered hand gesture linked to supporters of Egypt's ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.   Al

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  Playoff pressure: Uruguay go confidently to Amman

  November 12, 2013 6:29 IST

  Amman, Jorda: Uruguay has the star players and the experience of appearing for the fourth straight time in an intercontinental playoff for a spot at the World Cup, making Oscar Tabarez' squad a heavy favorite

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  Deschamps urges France to be fearless in Ukraine

  November 11, 2013 23:15 IST

  France: Coach Didier Deschamps has urged his France team to play without fear and think only of getting a victory away to Ukraine in the first match of their World Cup qualifier on Friday.   France

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  Hugo Lloris to play for France against Ukraine

  November 11, 2013 22:10 IST

  France: Hugo Lloris will resume full training for France on Tuesday and coach Didier Deschamps expects the goalkeeper to play against Ukraine in the first match of their World Cup playoff on Friday.   Lloris was

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  Messi out for 6 to 8 weeks with another leg injury

  November 11, 2013 20:16 IST

  Barcelona, Spain: Barcelona star Lionel Messi is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of 2013 after picking up his third leg injury of the season.The Argentina forward hurt his left leg Sunday in Barcelona's

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  Zlatan, Neymar nominated for FIFA best goal award

  November 11, 2013 17:54 IST

  Zurich: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar are among 10 candidates in FIFA's Puskas Award for best goal of the year.   FIFA says Ibrahimovic was nominated for his long-range bicycle kick against England in a friendly last

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  2014 Brazil World Cup: Tickets sales hit record high

  November 11, 2013 15:42 IST

  Rio de Janeiro: Ticket sales for next year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil have eclipsed the record set during the first purchasing phase for the 2006 tournament in Germany.World football's governing body FIFA said in

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  Boca moves within 2 points of lead in Argentina

  November 11, 2013 14:51 IST

  Buenos Aires, Argentina: Boca Juniors scored two late goals to beat Tigre 2-1 on Sunday and move within two points of the lead in Argentina's first division.   Leandro Paredes equalized in the 84th minute and