..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Goal-line technology left everyone confused, says Deschamps

Didier Deschamps was full of praise for his France side after they started their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Honduras on Sunday, though he admitted that the way goal-line technology was used in Sunday's encounter was rather confusing.

In a bruising encounter that saw Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios sent off, Karim Benzema score twice and a Noel Valladares own goal which was eventually given after the use of goal line technology gave France a well-deserved victory in Porto Alegre.

It puts them top of Group E ahead of Friday's fixture against Switzerland after France were not required to be at their very best in what proved a comfortable win.

"Goal-line technology is a good thing. The ref gets the signal and can decide based on that," Deschamps told reporters.

"However, the screen has shown something people found hard to understand. It kept showing the first moment when it didn’t go in. I can understand why their coach got nervous. The image everyone was shown should have helped the referee’s decision and make it clear for everyone attending, but it seems it didn’t.

"We were patient. We had chances and hit the bar twice in the first half. This is a very good start. We did good things during our preparation but this is the competition. Winning today is a very good start and we will enjoy this victory. A 3-0 win in the World Cup, it's never easy. It was well done. Congratulations to the players."

France and Switzerland are separated by goal difference at the top of the group after the Swiss secured a last-gasp victory over Ecuador earlier on Sunday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Confuse wenna deyak naha mata hithenneMokada replay 1ken penawa 1ka clear goal 1kak kiyalaGK goal 1ka collect karanakota goal 1ka thibbe line 1ken eha

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[Wolverine GTR]

Suarez baffled by goal-line technology

Honduras coach Luis Suarez had no arguments with his side's 3-0 defeat to France in their World Cup opener - but cut a frustrated figure at the manner of Les Bleus' second goal.

Honduras were a goal and a man down when the incident arrived and although there was little prospect of a comeback it did not ease the irritation for the 54-year-old.

His ire stemmed from confusion surrounding Fifa's goal-line technology system, which initially signalled no goal on the big screen when Karim Benzema's cushioned volley came back off the post.

But the ball then ran along the line before being pushed over by bungling Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares.

The referee correctly awarded the goal even though those inside the stadium in Porto Alegre had not seen an image of the Valladares mistake.

It led to Suarez and his France counterpart Didier Deschamps engaging in a lively debate on the touchline.

Suarez said afterwards: "I wasn’t upset because the goal was given, but because it wasn’t given in the first place.

"The second decision allowed the goal, the first one didn’t. If the machine says one thing first, and then another after, then what’s the truth?”

Honduras' defeat was partly self-inflicted with Wilson Palacios sent-off in the first half for two senseless challenges, the second of which enabled Benzema to put France ahead from the penalty spot.

Suarez said of the Stoke midfielder: "I have no disappointment over him. That’s football, he committed a foul, and added a second yellow to the one he had, there’s no discussion to add.

"That’s the risk we take, sometimes you get a red card, sometimes you play well, play bad… there’s no need to be upset about these kind of things."

Suarez admitted the better side had won with Benzema, in particular, causing his side all sorts of problems.

“It was a match we failed to control throughout the 90 minutes," he said.

"France were superior to us, there are some aspects we’ll have to improve on for the next match.

"It’s hard to keep focused when you’re outnumbered, against a quality opponent like France, but that’s football.

“We could’ve had better luck today, but it got really difficult once Wilson was dismissed.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi: My goal was a relief

Argentina match-winner Lionel Messi admits his country can still improve following their gritty 2-1 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina at the World Cup.

Alejandro Sabella started with a 5-3-2 formation and saw his side take the lead in the early exchanges when Sead Kolasinac scored an own goal, but they struggled for the rest of the half and a tactical switch was made at the break.

La Celeste performed better in the second half and Messi picked up his second World Cup goal before Vedad Ibisevic pulled one back, and the Barcelona man was realistic about the performance.

"It's normal to have doubts. It's the first match, we were nervous, anxious. That's what you get when you make your debut," he told reporters. "The most important thing was winning and we did it. Bosnia are a great team but we still have things to improve.

"We let them play in the first half, we gave them the ball and it was very hard for us to make it to their goal because we were very far away.

"The [second] goal was a big relief for all of us because the match was getting harder. It was also special for me, and to score at the end of the game was very good.

"The system [in the second half] for us [attackers], we like it better. We have better possibilities of attacking and when we go forward we have more possibilities of passing and scoring. We’re favoured by this line-up.
[In the first half] I was alone and Kun was alone and it was difficult, but we used both systems, we won and it was important to win the first match."
Thousands of Argentina fans filled the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the match, and greeted Messi with loud cheers when he walked out on the pitch.

The No.10 had no doubts about his country's support, and insists he is focusing on winning the trophy back in the same stadium on July 13.

"It was incredible how the people cheered for us. We know it's going to be like this in Belo Horizonte too and even more in Porto Alegre. We have to keep going, take it easy, be cool and follow our dream."

Sabella was also pleased to get the points on the board but admitted he made a mistake with his tactics and personnel.

"I'm happy with the result and with how we played in some periods of the game. But it's also true that we failed in some parts, partly because of my mistakes.

"It was a hard, close game but we improved in the second half when Higuaín came on. The 2-0 was too much for how we played, I think the 2-1 was a fair result."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi ge goal 1ka patta

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Susic: Man-marking Messi is impossible

Bosnia-Herzegovina coach Safet Susic admitted he pondered man-marking Lionel Messi in Sunday's clash with Argentina but opted against it after deciding it was an "impossible" job.

Susic's decision to stick with his trusted 4-5-1 formation appeared to be working, with his side still in the contest against one of the tournament favourites for much of the evening.

Sead Kolasinac's unfortunate own goal after just three minutes seperated the sides at the break with Messi a peripheral figure.

But Susic's counterpart Alejandro Sabella's tactical tweak at half-time changed the contest, the Argentina boss dumping his conservative 5-3-2 for a 4-3-3 which released the shackles on the Barcelona star.

Messi duly added a wonderful second to render Vedad Ibisevic's late goal a mere consolation and make Susic wonder what might have been.

"It is difficult to play Messi or a player like him," he said. "Initially I thought of man-marking him but it’s impossible for anyone to do that. I didn’t want to force a player to be booked once or twice.

"I gave him some freedom but I instructed my players to press the ball and try not to foul him because if he doesn’t dribble the ball, he seeks to assist his colleagues. We all know times when he has scored three or four goals in a match."


Despite the defeat there was plenty for Susic to take from the game at a packed Estadio Maracana.

He added: "We have still two games to play. I told my players this was not the key match. We could afford to lose but not by a large margin. This is what we achieved.

"Our competitors for second in the group are Iran and Nigeria. Maybe we need six points from those games, but if Argentina wins all three games maybe four will be enough."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

We used Messi better in second half - Sabella

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella admits his team were able to get the best out of talisman Lionel Messi in the second half of their 2-1 Group F victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Maracana.

Sead Kolasinac inadvertantly turned a Messi free-kick into his own net after just three minutes to break the Bosnian resistance but much of Argentina's performance for the opening 45 minutes was uninspired.

Messi was particularly notable for his lack of influence, and at half-time Sabella introduced Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain in place of Hugo Campagnaro and Maxi Rodriguez to give his team more attacking options, while switching to a more conventional 4-3-3.

The Barcelona superstar responded with a much-improved display after the break and scored one of the goals of the tournament so far to claim the man-of-the-match award. Sabella admitted that his changes at the interval were designed to help Messi get into the game.

"During the first half we controlled the Bosnian team, but beyond that and handling the ball we needed more depth and that’s what we achieved in the second half," he told reporters.

"As soon as we brought in Higuain [Messi and Aguero] had more company and we were able to put together the game that has characterised Argentina for a long time.

"We brought in two things: Better provisioning and once Messi received the ball, better follow-up and better support.

"Messi is the best player in the world. It is not that he needs a lot. Beyond that there’s always a context and it can empower him a bit more. In this case the support - he received a push from his colleagues which empowered him."

Sergio Aguero sparked injury fears when he appeared to limp off the field on 87 minutes, but Sabella insists he has no long-term concerns over Manchester City star's fitness.

"I saw he was tired," the Argentina coach added. "There was very little time to play and I wanted to make the substitution before that when it was 2-0.

"We needed a fresh player and I was between introducing another attacking player or a defensive one, but I took him out because he was tired."

Sabella also reiterated his belief that Messi does not need to win a World Cup to cement his legacy in the game.

"Messi is the best player in the world beyond what happens in this World Cup and he is among the best players of all time, beyond what happens in this World Cup," he insisted.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Behrami: That was my most important tackle ever

Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami says his tackle in the build-up to the winning goal in Sunday's World Cup game against Ecuador was arguably the best defensive action of his career.

Ecuador had a big opportunity to bag the full three points when Michael Arroyo found himself in a dangerous position well into stoppage time, but Behrami made a last-ditch tackle to win the ball, before charging forward up the pitch to spark the attack that eventually led to Haris Seferovic's last-gasp winner.

"I make a lot of tackles, but this was probably the most important one I've ever made, definitely," the Napoli midfielder told Goal.

Behrami then went on voice his delight to have at last completed a full game at the World Cup after failing to do so at his previous two attempts in 2006 and 2010.

"It feels great to finally complete a game and finish the game with an amazing victory in the last minute of the game.

"It wasn’t an easy game for us. We didn’t play very well. It was great to finish the game, though, finally and get a good win as well."

Switzerland struggled in the opening 45 minutes and were trailing 1-0 at half-time, with Behrami admitting that nerves got to them before the break.

"I never had any doubts that we would get back in the game. I knew before the match that we would start a bit nervous. We have a lot of young players and it was the first time for them at a World Cup. We played with a lot of emotion, so it wasn’t easy to deal with those feelings. You feel insecure with every ball that you touch.

"We were a bit too nervous, but then in the second half we calmed down and only thought about playing the game. We did well in the end. We didn’t play like we are used to, but I think we did well."

Ottmar Hitzfeld's men are in a fine position to qualify for the knockout stages following Sunday's win and Behrami is confident they can make it to the next round.

"It was a very important win for our chances to reach the next round. France are the favourites in our group and then there’s Ecuador and Switzerland battling for second place. It was a crucial game in my opinion and the win is really important. We are very happy."

Switzerland resume match action against France on June 20.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'I booked my flight home after the final' - Klinsmann reveals high expectations for USA

USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann believes his country's supporters should expect the team to go far in this summer's World Cup.
The Americans get their campaign up and running on Monday as they meet Ghana in Natal, but they face an uphill battle if they are to get out of the tough Group G.

The clash with Ghana is followed by games against Portugal and Germany, both of whom will be fancied to make progress to the knockout stages.

However, Klinsmann is in high spirits and optimistic ahead of their opening match and the 49-year-old believes that the American public are right to expect big things this year.

"I booked my flight home after the final," he said at a press conference.
"Expectations now in the United States are very high.

"We are growing not only on the international level. The domestic league is more and more competitive, in every area the game is growing. We want to drive this as the locomotive, as the national team.

"No matter what the circumstances are, no matter how the game goes, this group is ready to make it happen.

"Whether it is snowing or thunder and lightning, this is about playing football.

"There is nothing better than starting against a team that beat you in the last two World Cups. There is nothing like starting the World Cup like it's a final."

Clint Dempsey, meanwhile, echoed the coach's thoughts regarding what should be expected of the Americans, insisting there is no reason why they cannot remain in Brazil until well after the group stage if they play to their capabilities.

"Every time you come to the World Cup it's a fresh slate," he said.

"Our preparations have been very good and we are excited. If we play to the best of our ability we have the quality to go far in this tournament."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Odemwingie defends form since Nigeria comeback

Peter Odemwingie has defended his Nigeria performances since making his reutrn to the international stage.

The 32-year-old was a highly popular player for the Super Eagles until he lost his cool and took to trash-talking his national team coach on Twitter two years ago.
A spell in the wilderness has, however, softened Odemwingie, who will make his second appearance at the World Cup this summer, with a chance to prove himself on the biggest stage as Nigeria face Iran on Monday.

In recent friendly matches against the United States and Greece, the forward looked rusty and a little out of place in the team, losing the ball to opponents and struggling to link play, and the country won the Africa Cup of Nations during his spell out of the set-up.

Odemwingie, however, insists his form will improve over time.

"It was a comeback for me and things don’t just gel overnight," Odemwingie told Goal.

"There are a few new faces to play with but the most important thing is that I'm going to give my best in games that mean a lot for us.

"I'm joining a winning side, they've been doing well in the past two years, I hope that continues.

"There's less pressure on me because there are people here who can deliver for Nigeria so I'll just give the contribution that I can and do my best."

In the same shoes is captain Joseph Yobo, who fell out with the coach after the team won the Africa Cup of Nations title last year, in South Africa.

Out for more than a year, the skipper has returned to the side in time for the World Cup and has to contend with the duo of Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo for a starting place in defence in his chase for a record-setting 100th cap.

"We have to step it up," Yobo said. "We know the importance of starting well, it's not going to be easy against Iran, they are no pushovers.

"It's going to be a tough game on Monday but if we get the three points, then the confidence is going to grow."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

FIFA World Cup 2014 Fixtures 2014.06.16

FIFA World Cup 2014 Fixtures 2014.06.16

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Group G

Germany Vs Portugal

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Group F

Iran Vs Nigeria

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Group G

Ghana Vs USA

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[Wolverine GTR]

Ada Germany Vs Portugal pattama gemak yai!

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[rcccc]

France 3-0 Honduras: Brilliant Benzema dispatches Suarez's side

ribery nathi unath france team eka hodhayi

 

[rcccc]

Messi ge goal 1ka patta

 

[rcccc]

FIFA World Cup 2014 Fixtures 2014.06.16

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Group G

Germany Vs Portugal

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Ada Germany Vs Portugal pattama gemak yai!

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[Wolverine GTR]

ribery nathi unath france team eka hodhayi

Ow machan Benzema unath pattama form 1kaka inne & Valbuena th patta

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[රජ්ජුරුවෝ]

France Vs Honduras thibbe bro SL time 3.30AM thibbe Argentina Vs Bosnia match 1ka.​

man dakka tv eke ahamben

 

[dilidili2]

Machanla mona channel ekenda World Cup balanda puluwan? Mata PEO TV tiyenne Sony SIX apita tahanam. HELP!

 

[yakshaya]

france semis ei

 

[රජ්ජුරුවෝ]

Machanla mona channel ekenda World Cup balanda puluwan? Mata PEO TV tiyenne Sony SIX apita tahanam. HELP!

rupawahini nadda