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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

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  Dortmund defender Subotic to miss rest of the season

  November 11, 2013 14:05 IST

  Berlin: Borussia Dortmund will have to play without defender Neven Subotic for the rest of the season owing to a torn posterior cruciate ligament, the Bundesliga runners-up announced Sunday.Dortmund suffered two setbacks in a spell.

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  Barcelona expand lead after crushing Real Betis 4-1

  November 11, 2013 13:59 IST

  Madrid: FC Barcelona expanded their lead at the top of the Spanish La Liga table to five points as they thrashed bottom club Real Betis 4-1 Sunday.Goals from Neymar, Pedro Rodriguez and two strikes from

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  FIFA meets Ghana officials over Cairo security

  November 11, 2013 13:52 IST

  FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke meets with Ghana's sports minister and other officials in Togo on Monday to assure them of security plans for next week's World Cup playoff in Cairo.   The Ghana Football Association

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  US women's football team beats Brazil 4-1

  November 11, 2013 6:27 IST

  Orlando: Sydney Leroux scored twice in the first half as the U.S. women's football team completed its sixth undefeated year with a 4-1 win over Brazil in an international friendly Sunday.Abby Wambach also scored in

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  Sunderland stuns Man City 1-0 in Premier League

  November 10, 2013 23:55 IST

  Sunderland, England: Phil Bardsley scored in the 21st minute and struggling Sunderland neutralized Manchester City's high-powered attack to hang on for a surprising 1-0 victory in the Premier League on Sunday.   Bardsley scored his second

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  Arsenal undone by Van Persie as United wins 1-0

  November 10, 2013 23:49 IST

  Manchester, England: Robin van Persie tormented former club Arsenal once again by scoring the only goal in Manchester United's 1-0 victory over the Premier League leaders on Sunday, lifting the resurgent champions to fifth place

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  Remy earns Newcastle 1-0 win at Spurs

  November 10, 2013 22:07 IST

  London: France forward Loic Remy scored his seventh goal in his last seven Premier League games to earn resurgent Newcastle a 1-0 win at Tottenham and a second straight victory over a top-four contender.   But

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  French league: Nantes goes to 4th place by beating Bordeaux 3-0

  November 10, 2013 21:58 IST

  Paris: Newly-promoted Nantes continued its fine start to the season with a 3-0 win at Bordeaux to climb up to fourth place in the French league on Sunday.   Midfielder Vincent Bessat opened the scoring shortly