Brazillian Neymar releseas his own doll

Barcelona may have parted with $75 million to secure Neymar's services in May, but his fans will be able to obtain the star's likeness for significantly less following his decision to release his own doll.

The 21-year-old forward has teamed up with manufacturer Cosmokids for the release of his toy, which stands at about 16.5 inches in height and comes equipped with his trademark hairstyle, two Brazil kits and a spare pair of boots - as well as a diamond-studded earring.

Mini me | Neymar poses with the doll which also comes with a change kit and a spare pair of boots.

The doll is set to be available for 60 euros, but, like the Blaugrana, fans of the Selecao superstar will face stiff competition in their attempts to snap him up, with only 12,000 models slated to be released.

 Living doll | The real Neymar dazzles Zambia during Brazil's recent friendly in China

The great Micheal Jordan laughs off a one-on-one challenge

Michael Jordan laughed off the one-one-one challenge from fellow NBA owner Robert Pera on Wednesday.

"I think that's comical,'' Jordan told the Charlotte Observer. "It didn't make any sense. Why would I play one one-on-one? It's a no-win situation for me no matter what."
Pera, entering his second season in charge of the Memphis Grizzlies, challenged the Charlotte Bobcats owner and third-leading scorer in NBA history to a game of one-on-one earlier this week, with $1 million going to charity.

That proposal came in a Twitter exchange Monday where Pera apologized about the cancellation of a one-on-one showdown against Grizzlies guard Tony Allen, which would have resulted in a $100,000 donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Someone suggested the Grizzlies owner just change it to an owners match with Pera facing off against Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks. Pera's response was he would make quick work of Cuban, so instead he called out Jordan.

Pera, whose Twitter avatar shows him in mid-jump shot with a shooting sleeve on his left arm, has posted a video of him working out on the Grizzlies' practice court, connecting on mid-range jumpers.

Lebron James or Kobe Bryant who is better

While almost one-quarter of the 26 players who participated in an ESPN The Magazine poll think LeBron James will finish as the best NBA player ever, none of them would want him taking the last shot if Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were also on the floor.
 James received decidedly mixed reviews from the players, all of whom were granted anonymity, in the poll conducted for the magazine's NBA preview issue.

LeBron in ESPN The Mag

 

 

Check out all the numbers in the LeBron Confidential in ESPN The Magazine online now and on newsstands Friday. Story

Asked which player they wanted to take the last shot with the clock winding down and a game on the line, 88 percent of the players picked Jordan, with Bryant getting the other 12 percent.
"That's like ranking the shortest giant," an Eastern Conference guard said. "I'd want the ball in LeBron's hands at the end of the game, but I'd want him to pass to Kobe or Jordan for the last shot. And don't forget, LeBron is not a great free throw shooter, either."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, James actually is a better shooter from the field than Bryant on game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime of postseason games. He checks in at 41.2 percent (7-for-17), while Bryant is at 25 percent (7-for-28). Jordan rules that stat, though, at 50 percent (9-for-18).

Yet, 23 percent of players polled think James will be considered the best player in history when his career is over.

"I don't know if he'll be able to match Michael Jordan's rings, but he'll be top 10 in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals when his career is over," a former teammate said. "To do that in this era, you have to call LeBron the greatest ever."

Other numbers back that argument as well. James has led the league in player efficiency rating, a measure of a player's per-minute production, for six straight seasons. If he does it again this season, he'd tie Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive seasons leading the league in PER. James' 27.65 PER trails only Jordan's 27.91 all time.

To put that into perspective, the league-average PER is 15.

Kobe wants to end career like Mayweather

Kobe Bryant often is compared to some of the greatest players in NBA history.
But in what he describes as "the last chapter" of his storied career, Bryant hopes to mirror someone who has never played professional basketball -- Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The 35-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star, who is attempting to bounce back from Achilles surgery, compared himself to Mayweather in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.
"Maybe I won't have as much explosion," Bryant told the magazine. "Maybe I'll be slower, maybe I'll lose quickness. But I have other options.

"It's like Floyd Mayweather in the ring. There's a reason he's still at the top after all these years. He's the most fundamentally sound boxer of all time. He can fight myriad styles at myriad tempos. He can throw fast punches or off-speed punches, and he can throw them from odd angles."

Mayweather, 36, remained unbeaten in 45 career fights with his victory last month over Canelo Alvarez.
Bryant suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in April and also is nursing an injured right knee. The Lakers have not provided a timetable for when the former MVP will return to game action.
Bryant, who is entering the final year of his contract, acknowledged to Sports Illustrated that his career is nearing its end.

"It's the last chapter,'" Bryant told Sports Illustrated. "The book is going to close. I just haven't determined how many pages are left."

Bryant averaged 27.3 points per game last season before injuring his Achilles on April 12. The 15-time All-Star conceded to Sports Illustrated that he has "self-doubt" about his ability to return at a high level.
"I have self-doubt," he said. "I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.'
"We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it. You rise above it."

Kevin Garnet and Paul Pierce respond to Lebron James comment

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets power forward Kevin Garnett thinks Miami Heat star LeBron James should concern himself with his own team.

 

 LeBron James thinks Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce owe Ray Allen an apology. J.A. Adande discusses loyalty. Story

"Tell LeBron to worry about Miami. It has nothing to do with Celtic business," Garnett said in response to James, who previously expressed thoughts that KG and Nets small forward Paul Pierce should apologize for criticizing Heat sharpshooter Ray Allen for leaving the Boston Celtics before they departed for Brooklyn.
Garnett and Pierce were traded to the Nets along with reserve Jason Terry during the summer.

"I left Boston?" Pierce said when asked of James' comments, clearly noting he had been dealt by the Celtics and didn't leave as a free agent.
Garnett and Pierce were both critical of Allen after he elected to sign with the Heat last offseason. KG said he lost Allen's phone number, and Pierce said he hadn't forgiven him.

LeBron James thinks Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett owe former teammate Ray Allen an apology. Do you agree? Vote!

"I think the first thing I thought was, 'Wow, Ray got killed for leaving Boston, and now these guys are leaving Boston,'" James said. "I think it's OK; I didn't mind it. But there were a couple guys who basically [expletive] on Ray for leaving, and now they're leaving.

"That's the nature of our business, man. I don't know what Boston was going through at the end of the day. I know Ray had to make the best decision for him and his family and his career. Doc [Rivers, former Celtics coach], KG and Paul did that as well. You can't criticize someone who does something that's best for their family."

James, of course, left the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Heat in 2010. His "decision" remains infamous to this day.
"I can relate to that -- you think so? I'm the No. 1 relater," James said. "I've been through it all. I know all about it."

The million dollar Bale is still out injured and will return after Madrid play Levante

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Gareth Bale was frustrated at missing the Spanish side's 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League, but noted the Welsh winger should be back to full fitness following the forthcoming international break.

Madrid overcame the Danish champions with a double apiece from from Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria, but Bale was forced to watch on from the sidelines as he recovers from a thigh injury.

Ancelotti revealed that the 100 million euro summer signing from Tottenham will miss the weekend trip to Levante, but the manager believes Bale can catch up with his teammates during the subsequent stop in domestic action for World Cup qualifiers.

"It wasn't possible for him to play," Ancelotti explained. "He had a knock and we did an X-ray, but it didn't show up anything special. We are waiting for him to recover.

"He has not been 100 percent, but after two weeks he will be in top shape. It's normal he is not happy — he wants to play. He is very excited and it's not a problem — now there is time for him to reach optimum fitness and to avoid [further] injuries."

Ancelotti, meanwhile, was happy with Madrid's reaction following Saturday's derby defeat at home to Atletico.

"It was a good game," he said. "We started well, with intensity and balance. Then, after Cristiano's [first] goal, we were slower, but we recovered our intensity and scored some more goals late on. The team's attitude was good.

"We tried to play with Cristiano and Di Maria more open, and create more chances from crosses. The first and second goals were good combinations and we made use of the wings. The three midfielders, [Asier] Illarramendi, [Sami] Khedira and [Luka] Modric, all had good games."

The fans demand that Di Maria needs to be in Madrid starting spot

Angel Di Maria is hopeful that his performance in Real Madrid's 4-0 victory over Copenhagen has convinced coach Carlo Ancelotti to keep him ahead of the likes of Gareth Bale in the first team.

The Argentine was on target twice in the routing of Stale Solbakken's men in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo bagging the other two in the comfortable Santiago Bernabeu win.

The 100 million-euro man was left out of the Blancos' squad for the European clash through injury, but Di Maria is hoping that his display will make Ancelotti think twice before dropping him in future team selections.

"I keep trying to convince the coach that I want to be in the starting XI," the 25-year-old told Canal Plus."I thought we played a great match. We changed the system to three up front and it worked well. The coach has told us that he is very happy."

Real Madrid extended its lead in Group B to four points, as second-placed Juventus - which Ancelotti's men will face on Oct. 23 - drew with Galatasaray in Turin.

Jurgen Klopp Dortmund manager Champions League touchline suspension extended after being sent to the stands against Napoli

Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp will be consigned to the stands for his side's Champions League clash with Arsenal after his touchline ban was extended for another game.

UEFA had initially suspended Klopp for one match for clashing with the fourth official during last month's 2-1 defeat to Group F foe Napoli. After reviewing the incident again on Wednesday, the European governing body has decided to double the length of the ban, meaning Klopp will not be on the touchline for the game at the Emirates Stadium later this month.

Klopp has already publicly apologized for his antics, admitting that he behaved "like a monkey," and Dortmund could yet decide to appeal this latest ruling.

Dortmund, which routed Olympique de Marseille 3-0 at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday, faces group leader Arsenal in a crunch clash at the Emirates on Oct. 22.

The Rossoneri recovered from a dreadful start to their 2012-13 campaign to snatch a Champions League spot

 In the immediate aftermath of AC Milan’s 3-2 defeat to Juventus on Sunday night, Massimiliano Allegri was once again asked about his club’s decision to allow Andrea Pirlo to move to Turin on a free transfer two years ago.

The Rossoneri boss rolled his eyes and said: “It gets boring saying the same things over and over again.”

Yet when it comes to assessing Milan’s hopes of finishing in the top three this season, Allegri just cannot help but repeat himself. “The season is long,” he says. “We were further behind last season,” he says. “There is time to recover,” he says. “Let’s see what position we’re in at Christmas,” he says.

The 46-year-old coach’s continued optimism is both admirable and understandable. And he is right that Milan was, in a way, in a worse position than this at this point last year. After seven rounds of the 2012-13 Serie A season, the Rossoneri had just seven points. This time around, they have eight.

However, there is one crucial difference. This time 12 months ago, Milan was eight points adrift of the Champions League places. Now the club sits 11 points out of third place, which merely underlines the jump in quality so many of Serie A’s top sides have made over the past year.

Roma has enjoyed its best start to a league campaign, winning its first seven games under new coach Rudi Garcia, while Napoli has dropped just two points thus far.

Much was made of the fact that Juventus had been given a tricky start to the season and yet the two-time defending champion is also undefeated, having won six of its games and drawn the other.

A reinvigorated Inter only lost its unbeaten record on Saturday night, to Roma, while Fiorentina looks a force to be reckoned with, even if competing on two fronts already seems to be taking its toll on Vincenzo Montella’s ridiculously talented squad.

With Lazio now showing signs of having rediscovered the hunger of last season, it is clear that this promises to be the most fiercely contested Serie A campaign for many years, which is not good news for Milan.

The Rossoneri are competitive, but only in the sense that they do not lack heart. They proved that once again in Turin, where they could have snatched what would have been the unlikeliest of draws, with Sulley Muntari’s second goal of the evening having given Juventus a serious case of the jitters.

It would not have been the first time this season that Milan had salvaged points with late rallies either, with Allegri’s men having come from two goals down to snatch draws at both Torino and Bologna. However, for all their commendable resilience, there is a sick desperation about the Rossoneri at the moment, not to mention mounting frustration.

It was evident again on Sunday night. Philippe Mexes saw red for dissent not long after fortuitously avoiding a dismissal for an alleged swipe at Giorgio Chiellini that is likely to result in retrospective action and could sideline the Frenchman for some time. That could place further strain on a defense that has shipped a disturbing 13 goals in seven games (only the bottom two, Bologna and Sassuolo, have conceded more).

Of course, it is worth noting that Milan had been forced to travel to Turin without its principal/only attacking threat, Mario Balotelli, as he was serving the final game of a three-match ban for verbally abusing match officials after last month’s defeat at home to Napoli.

The enigmatic forward has always played on the edge, but Milan had better hope that his latest indiscretion did not come from a more deep-rooted frustration with the obvious lack of quality around him. The Rossoneri simply cannot afford to lose the Italy attacker. As Bojan Krkic intimated recently, Milan’s attack is 80 percent Balotelli - which is arguably overselling the importance of Alessandro Matri and Robinho.

Allegri said after the Juve defeat: “You don’t have to be a scientist to see Milan aren’t doing well.” But you also don’t need to be clairvoyant to see that this season is unlikely to end well for everyone concerned.

The Rossoneri coach believes that “it is too early to stop dreaming” but the reality is that there will be no repeat of last year’s remarkable recovery - no matter how many times Allegri says it.

The draft for the 2013 NFL QBR

2013 TOTAL QBR

 

RK	PLAYER	TEAM	QBR
1	Peyton Manning	DEN	90.1
2	Philip Rivers	SD	77.0
3	Jay Cutler	CHI	73.5
4	Andrew Luck	IND	73.0
5	Matt Ryan	ATL	72.7
6	Drew Brees	NO	72.6
7	Jake Locker	TEN	72.3
8	Tony Romo	DAL	66.0
9	Michael Vick	PHI	65.4
10	Russell Wilson	SEA	60.5

Colts takes action to sack Manning

INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis Colts linebacker Robert Mathis was a 22-year-old rookie trying to turn heads in practice back in 2003. What better way to impress your teammates and the coaches than to sack the quarterback, right?

 

 

Not if that quarterback’s name is Peyton Manning.
Mathis found that out the hard way when he got chewed out for coming within 2 yards of the team’s former franchise quarterback.
 

“I came pretty close my rookie year, and I got an earful from more than just the coaches,” Mathis said. “You learn from it. … You don’t want to hurt your quarterback. They’re the engine to the team. You can’t hit him.”

Mathis and safety Antoine Bethea, another one of Manning’s former teammates, will finally get a chance to sack him when he returns with the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we are going to love to get our chances to get P on the ground a few times,” Bethea said. “But like I continue to say, it’s going to be a fun game. The atmosphere is going to be crazy Sunday night. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Manning was asked to compare facing his younger brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, to going against the Colts.

“I guarantee Robert Mathis hits a heck a lot of harder than Eli does,” Manning said. “From that standpoint, it’s definitely different. … Robert is having a great year.”

The Colts have to get to Manning first. Mathis may be tied for the league lead in sacks with 9.5, but Manning’s instincts make it tough to get him down to the ground. Manning has been only sacked five times, the fewest of any quarterback who has started every game this season.

"He’s a complete quarterback," Mathis said. "He has that mental clock in his head to get rid of the ball and have awareness. You just have to try to get him rattle as much as you can."

Time is now for Rex to end 'Jets' Pats jinx

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan is preparing to face the New England Patriots for perhaps the last time. To date, he has earned the opportunity to run Woody Johnson's football team for another year, but he's about to begin a three-game stretch that could define the season. If the New York Jets don't spring at least one upset -- Sunday is the best chance -- it might cause Johnson to abstain from Rex at the end of the season.

This is by no means a make-or-break game for Ryan, but a loss would create a three-game gap between the New York Jets and Patriots -- and that would mean the likelihood of a fifth straight season without an AFC East title in the Ryan era. It's no fault of his that he landed in the division during one of the great coach-quarterback runs in history, but there comes a point where you have to man up and ambush the bully.

The Jets will never get a better shot at the Patriots, who have lost major pieces on both sides of the ball. These are not the Patriots of Bruschi and McGinest and Seymour. They're 5-1 because of two body parts: Bill Belichick's brain and Tom Brady's right arm. Can Ryan live with himself if he keeps getting beat by one brain and one arm?

Ryan has lost five straight to the Patriots, two shy of the Jets' longest losing streak in the series (2003-06). The euphoria of that incredible playoff upset in January 2011 faded away a long time ago. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Jets, but they're better than we thought and the Patriots are more vulnerable than anyone anticipated. There's no reason Ryan can't stick it to Belichick on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

The five-game losing streak was brought up Wednesday on a conference call with the Boston media, and Ryan -- perhaps annoyed -- fired back when a questioner wondered if he's been "kissing Bill Belichick's rings a little lately."

"No, I haven't," Ryan said. "Maybe you have, but I haven't, and I never will. I came here to beat him and to win, and to win our own championship rings and all that type of stuff. Again, hey, the facts are we've lost five in a row to them and things like that. We'll see if it's six in a row."

Ryan is exuding confidence, especially behind the scenes, where players say he's been displaying the old Rex strut. He knows Brady, sans his usual cast of characters, isn't the same Brady. Maybe that's why rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson spoke out Wednesday, telling ESPN.com, "No one really treats him like [Superman] around here. I think he's the complete opposite of that."

The Jets held the Patriots to nine first downs in their Week 2 meeting, the only time in Brady's career -- 181 regular-season starts -- he was limited to single digits, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Many folks attributed Brady's struggles to a lack of chemistry with his new receivers, not the Jets' defense -- and Ryan took umbrage. You can bet he's been hammering that theme all week with his players.

In a way, he has a point. One play, one narrow outcome, can alter a perception. If New Orleans cornerback Jabari Greer lined up where he was supposed to, a yard deeper, he would've deflected Brady's touchdown pass last Sunday to Kenbrell Thompkins with five seconds left. Greer's pleading fingertips missed the ball by an inch or two.

It will be remembered as another great moment in Brady's legendary career, but the storyline easily could've been, "What's wrong with Tom?" Until the last drive, Brady was a mediocre quarterback, throwing an interception with two-and-change to play that resembled something out of the Geno Smith album of picks.

 Brady can be had. Look at what's around him. He's throwing to the Dropsy Twins, Thompkins and Aaron Dobson, a pair of rookies who have combined for nine dropped passes. It looks like Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola won't play, meaning the Jets will have avoided them in both games. On defense, the Patriots' two heart-and-soul players, Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork, are done for the season. Cornerback Aqib Talib, arguably their best remaining defensive player, might not play this week.

For Ryan, there's more to gain than to lose on Sunday. A win over the Patriots would add another line of his résumé, which will be closely scrutinized by Johnson and general manager John Idzik. If Ryan loses, he's staring at the possibility of 3-6 at the bye week.

After New England, the Jets go on the road to play the first-place Cincinnati Bengals (4-2), who beat the Patriots, followed by the NFC-leading Saints (5-1) at home. It's a brutal stretch that could cripple the Jets' playoff hopes. If that 3-6 scenario unfolds, Ryan would be reduced to playing the arrow game -- hoping a strong finish with a rookie quarterback is enough to convince the bosses the arrow is pointed up for the Jets.

Ryan can do himself a huge solid by beating the Patriots at home, something he hasn't done since 2010. It won't guarantee his future, but it would be a huge step in the right direction.

The fearless France International Pogba says Juventus will beat Real Madrid

 Paul Pogba says he is not in the least bit afraid of Real Madrid, claiming that Juventus will win "at least" one of its upcoming Champions League clashes with the Spanish giants.

The Bianconeri have drawn its opening two games in Group B, against Copenhagen and Galatasaray, meaning it must pick up points in the double-header against los Blancos if it is to have a real chance of progressing to the knockout stages.

On paper, it looks like a daunting task, but Pogba is not in the least bit perturbed by the prospect of first travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu on October 23 in search of a positive result.

"There's nothing to fear," the 20-year-old France international told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We will beat Real at least once and we will go forward.

"We are Juve; we must never forget that. Because of the history, prestige and quality of this club, we are inferior to no one. And for this reason, Real Madrid do not scare me. Juventus is on the same level of all the European greats.

"We can even win in Madrid."

Just over a year after leaving Manchester United for Juventus, Pogba has established himself as one of the most exciting young midfielders in the game.

However, he says all the praise he is currently receiving will not go to his head, as he has two perfect role models at Juventus in Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon.

"I'm still nobody; What have I done? Nothing at all," the France international reasoned. "I look at Pirlo and Buffon, and I learn about what it is to be a true champion.

"Those two have won it all, they are monsters, but they do not give an inch - not even in training."

Even though he only arrived in Turin last summer, there has been speculation that Pogba could soon be lured away by another member of Europe's elite, with even Madrid mentioned as a possible destination.

The Under-20 World Cup winner freely admits that he does not know what the future holds for him, but is still keen to reassure Juventus fan that he is loving life in Italy.

"Certain promises are meaningless," Pogba mused. "How can someone today make an hypothesis on an entire career? I don't take anyone for a ride.

"And so, I look at the present and I say that I 'm happy here in Turin. I love everything about this club: directors, coaches, teammates and fans. And, at the moment, I do not see anywhere else other than Juventus."

Pogba is currently away on international duty with France.

Balotelli could miss Barcelona clash after picking up an injury in the midweek win over Armenia

 AC Milan star Mario Balotelli may not be able to face Barcelona in the Champions League after picking up an injury on international duty.

The 23-year-old striker was on target for the Azzurri in the midweek World Cup qualification match against Armenia, but has since returned to his club with a thigh injury, casting doubt on his participation in Saturday's Serie A clash with Udinese and Tuesday's European showdown with the Blaugrana at San Siro.

A statement released on Milan's official website read, "AC Milan announces that Mario Balotelli is suffering from a vastus intermedius muscle injury to the right thigh.

"The player will be monitored in the coming days in order to better define the extent of the problem and determine the prognosis."

Balotelli has scored three Serie A goals in four games so far this season, but missed Milan's last league fixtures after being sent off in the 2-1 home defeat to Napoli in September.

Oscar inspires Brazil to fourth successive win over Zambia

 Brazil racked up its fourth successive victory by beating Zambia 2-0 in a friendly fixture in Beijing on Tuesday.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's men were far from their fluent best but, after a goalless first half, Chelsea midfielder Oscar came off the bench to open the scoring with a deflected effort.

Shortly after, the game was put beyond all doubt when Dede notched his first international goal with a close-range header.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva was handed his first start in nearly two years, while Alexandre Pato and Lucas Moura were also given opportunities.

Patrice Beaumelle was in the dugout for Zambia, after taking control on an interim basis following the departure of Herve Renard to Sochaux.

Brazil almost made an electric start in the third minute when Neymar's sublime free kick rebounded off the crossbar. Shortly after, his Barcelona teammate Daniel Alves hit a half volley that narrowly drifted over the bar.

On the 15-minute mark a clever one-two between Ramires and Neymar led to the Chelsea midfielder going one-on-one with Kennedy Mweene only to ultimately put his effort just wide of the post.

Emmanuel Mayuka was lively up front for Zambia without causing any real issues for the Brazilian defense and only had a tame effort which was held by Diego Cavalieri.

Neymar should have put Brazil ahead in the 37th minute when he looped a header wide from Maxwell's delivery when unmarked in the box. And he was again thwarted on the stroke of halftime with Mweene parrying his left-footed effort for a corner as the sides went in level at the break.

Brazil started the second half in lackluster fashion with Scolari visibly frustrated on the sidelines. David Luiz did go close with a 25-yard free kick but his effort was smartly parried away by Mweene.

However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 59th minute, courtesy of substitute Oscar. The Chelsea midfielder cut inside Mayuka on the left before hitting a 20-yard effort that took a huge deflection off Chisambu Lungu and looped over Mweene into the far corner.

As Zambia tired, the game was put beyond doubt in the 66th minute when Dede pulled away from his marker to head home Neymar's free kick from six yards.

Buoyed by the quick-fire double, Brazil continued to push for a third and Oscar should have done so in the dying stages when after a flowing move he curled an effort straight at Mweene.

But the miss made no difference to the final outcome as Brazil extended its winning run to four matches. Scolari will now look ahead to Brazil's friendly clash with Honduras in Miami in November

Leonardo relieved to return to football after Paris' Administrative Court quashed his ban

Leonardo's lawyer has said that the former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director is “happy and relieved” after his suspension for pushing referee Alexandre Castro was put on hold.

The incident took place after a 1-1 Ligue 1 draw between Les Parisiens and Valenciennes on May 5 and led to the Brazilian being suspended from his position until February 2014. Then, after an unsuccessful appeal against the original ban, the French Football Federation (FFF) lengthened the suspension to June 30, 2014, which led to the former AC Milan attacker taking his case to court.

The conditions of his ban, which included not being able to stand on the touchline during games or enter the referee’s dressing room after matches, led to Leonardo leaving PSG in July. Leonardo subsequently took his case to Paris’ Administrative Court, where he was told on Tuesday that his ban had been temporarily lifted, as he was not linked to the FFF by a coaching license.

Talking after the verdict, Paul Mauriac (Leonardo’s lawyer) said: "Leonardo is happy and relieved. His persistence was awarded. It was a key step.”
Following the outcome, Leonardo is now free to "commit to a club,” meaning he could return to football in the near future.

Leonardo, who joined PSG as their sporting director in 2011, was instrumental in signing key players such as Jeremy Menez and Thiago Motta, as well as being behind the appointment of title-winning coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Scolari not supporting Diego Costa representing Spain and says he has plans for him in his squad

Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has spoken out against Diego Costa’s decision to spurn the country of his birth and represent Spain at international level.
Speculation surrounding the Atletico Madrid forward’s international future has been rife since he expressed a willingness to switch his allegiancefrom the 2014 World Cup hosts to the reigning world and European champions.

Scolari explained that he did not support Costa’s decision, but stopped short of guaranteeing the striker a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad should he change his mind.
“He [Costa] is one of the 45 players I have on my list,” Scolari said at a press conference. “The Brazilian Football Confederation [CBF] said that he was not going to be allowed to join the Spanish national team. I was asked through e-mail whether I would be OK with that and I gave my thoughts.

“I'm still the coach here so I can say what I think. I can't fight against laws, but within my evaluation criteria, he's one of the players that are part of my team, initially, and that could or could not be on the final list.”
When asked directly if he was against Costa joining Spain’s international set up, Scolari simply replied: “Yes.”

One player who is certain to be named to Brazil’s squad for the finals is Barcelona star Neymar, who was celebrated by Scolari for not only his talent, but his humble personality, which he said contradicted his public perception.

“It is very easy to have a player like Neymar on the team,” Scolari said. “He's so dedicated, he loves playing football, he's got a lot of personality and he behaves very well, on and off the pitch.

“He doesn't behave like a star. He's completely different from what most people might think. I hope he continues to be like that, because for us, it's great.”
Scolari also reflected on Brazil’s fortunes in 2013, and hailed his side for rounding into a more complete outfit after a shaky start to the year, including a triumphant Confederations Cup campaign on home soil.

"I think that it was a great year,” Scolari said. “After the first few games we were still trying to find the best formation and then the pieces to that formation. Now we have everything.

“From the last few friendlies before the Confederations Cup, we managed to put this puzzle together and to get 10 victories out of 11 matches, if I'm not mistaken. Today we are in a much better condition, and we can say that our team is very balanced."

Romario says Neymar still has some way to go before he can be on the same level as his World Cup-winning self

 Former Brazil striker Romario believes Barcelona attacker Neymar needs to develop his game further before comparisons can be made between the two players.

Neymar, 21, has received widespread acclaim for his performances for the Selecao and has made a promising start to his Barca career following his 57 million-euro move from Santos this summer.

However, Romario, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994, insists it is too premature for Neymar to be compared to him.

"Neymar is playing well and will be a huge star in the future, but it is too early to compare him with me," he told Brazilian newspaper O Dia.

"However, if he continues to play at this level, then, who knows, you could even say he will be better than me when his career finishes. Today he is not."

Meanwhile, Romario has had a change of heart on Brazil's chances of World Cup success next year.

"World champions for the sixth time? I hope so. If you had asked before the Confederations Cup I wouldn't have asserted that, because the team was playing very badly," he added.

"[Luis Felipe] Scolari has managed to convey the idea to the players and they will understand what he wants. Now I see Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain as favorites."

The Pharaohs' dreams of reaching the World Cup were vanished after Ghana bea them 6-1 in the first leg for qualifying playoff.

 Bob Bradley's quest to lead turmoil-torn Egypt to its first World Cup since 1990 appears to be coming up just short.

The Pharaohs were humbled 6-1 by Ghana Tuesday in the first leg of their African qualifying playoff series, leaving little hope for the second leg that is scheduled for Nov. 19. Asamoah Gyan, whose goal lifted Ghana over the then-Bradley-coached USA in the round of 16 of the 2010 World Cup, scored twice, as the Black Stars proved too much to overcome on their home turf.

Mohamed Aboutreika's penalty gave Egypt an away goal and a lifeline at the end of the first half, as it pulled the side to within 2-1, but Abdul Warris restored the two-goal edge right before the break, and the hosts ran away with the result.

Ghana, which has stood in the way of the USA in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and 2013 U-20 World Cup, figures to be an unconquerable nemesis yet again for Americans, as Bradley's Egypt, which was the only unbeaten team in the world across group stages of World Cup qualifying, faces a nearly impossible task of overturning the five-goal edge.

The Seleccao coasted to victory on Tuesday but still have playoff to make the 2014 World Cup.

Portugal ended World Cup qualifying Group F with a 3-0 win over Luxembourg in Coimbra, but faces a UEFA playoff to reach Brazil 2014.

Tuesday's game had become somewhat of a formality with Portugal sitting three points behind Russia following a disappointing 1-1 draw away to Israel on Friday. Russia picked up a group-winning point at fourth-placed Azerbaijan, meaning Portugal's rout was of little consequence.

After managing to keep Portugal out for almost half an hour, the visitors' task was made almost impossible by Aurelien Joachim's red card, and Silvestre Varela and Nani scored in quick succession to move Portugal ahead.

With the hosts having little to play for, Luxembourg rallied in the second half, but the underdog was put to bed by Helder Postiga's late third goal.

Paulo Bento made five changes to the side held by Israel, while Nani was named captain in the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo's absence. Requiring Russia to slip up as well as a swing in goal difference, the home side was quick out the blocks and dominated.

 Visiting goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert saw Varela head over in just the third minute and had to be alert after saving Nani's long-range effort to tip away Postiga's follow-up. Postiga had the ball in the net, but was called offside, Fabio Coentrao nodded onto the crossbar and Nani's header was fantastically saved by Joubert as Portugal turned the screw.

And the pressure seemed to get to Joachim, who was rightly dismissed on 28 minutes for a studs-up tackle on midfielder Andre Almeida.

The hosts made the advantage count just two minutes later. Joao Moutinho threaded a perfect throughball to Varela, who raced clear, took the ball away from Joubert and tapped into the empty net.

And they doubled the lead after 37 minutes with Moutinho again the creator. Nani played the ball into the Monaco man, who returned it to his captain with a neat back-heel, and the winger smashed his finish into the roof of the net.

Joubert and an offside flag denied Josue and Coentrao, respectively, as the hosts had to settle for a two-goal buffer at the break.

The tempo dropped drastically in the second half, although Varela remained a threat on both flanks with some surging runs and dangerous crosses.

Lars Krogh Gerson had the visitors' brightest moment just after the hour mark with a sweetly struck half volley, but it was straight at Rui Patricio.

That perhaps gave Luxembourg confidence, and the Sporting Lisbon keeper was forced to scramble across his goal to see Tom Laterza's ambitious shot from the right touchline wide.

But Portugal wrapped up the win in the closing stages, with substitute Hugo Almeida flicking Josue's cross to Postiga, and the Valencia striker slotted underneath Joubert to give the hosts confidence heading into November's playoffs against a to-be-determined opponent.

Sweden 3-5 Germany after the first game ended 4-4, the pair put on another entertaining clash Tuesday.

 



Andre Schurrle's hat trick saw Germany beat Sweden 5-3 in their final World Cup qualifier at the Friends Arena on Tuesday.

Germany finishes Group C unbeaten but had to come from behind to do so, with Tobias Hysen and Alexander Kacaniklic putting the home side ahead within 42 minutes. However, Mesut Ozil pulled one back for the visiting side prior to the break before early second-half goals from Mario Gotze and Schurrle put Germany ahead.

While Hysen's second briefly turned up the heat on Joachim Low's men, Schurrle completed his treble to gain revenge on Sweden - which is the only team to take points off Germany in qualification after the 4-4 draw in the first meeting between the sides.

Sweden's main changes were in the forward line, with Ola Toivonen and Hysen replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was suspended, and Johan Elmander up front. Joachim Low had made no secret of his desire to experiment with Germany's lineup and he made two changes. Mats Hummels came in for Per Mertesacker in defense while Max Kruse replaced Sami Khedira.

Bastian Schweinsteiger won his 100th cap while Kruse's inclusion saw Ozil drop into a deeper role than during Friday's 3-0 win over Republic of Ireland.

The home side took the lead when Hysen coolly slotted home after just six minutes as Germany conceded a goal in the opening 45 minutes for the first time in qualification. The forward latched on to a Sebastian Larsson through ball, which Toivonen did well to steer clear of, before side footing the ball past the onrushing Manuel Neuer.

Thomas Muller saw his header bounce back off the crossbar five minutes later as Germany applied plenty of pressure in an attempt to get back on level terms. However, Low's men were frustrated by a resolute Sweden defense, and did not threaten again until Schweinsteiger curled an effort over seven minutes before the break.

Sweden doubled the lead through Kacaniklic when he converted from inside the area, with the Fulham striker timing his run well to stay onside and fire home past Neuer from Kim Kallstrom's lofted ball.

On the stroke of halftime, Ozil marked his 25th birthday with a goal, pulling one back for the visitors when his right-footed effort left Johan Wiland with no chance.

Germany was level soon after the break, courtesy of a curled finish from substitute Gotze. The Bayern Munich midfielder bent his right foot around the ball in the box, after good work from Ozil to set up the chance, to restore parity eight minutes into the second half.

Schurrle put Germany ahead for the first time in the match when he latched on to a mistake from Per Nilsson, three minutes short of the hour mark.

Germany capitalized on another Sweden mistake to move two goals clear nine minutes later. Gotze kept posession well after Mikael Antonsson lost the ball, playing in Schurrle, who kept his composure to complete a brace.

Still the goals continued, with Hysen emphatically crashing home a Larsson free kick from the left after 69 minutes before Germany hit back as Schurrle completed his hat trick. He cut onto his right foot before curling an effort past a helpless Wiland 14 minutes from time to cap off a superb performance.

Kevin De Bruyne and Ramsey secure unlikely draw for their sides

                          

A late Aaron Ramsey goal earned Wales a dramatic 1-1 draw with Belgium at the Stade Roi Baudouin on Tuesday.

The Wales captain popped up in the dying minutes to slot home and cancel out Kevin De Bruyne's second-half opener to take the edge off what was a celebration for Belgium, with a place at the 2014 World Cup already secured.

The impressive result could help to ease some of the pressure on Wales boss Chris Coleman, whose future had been the subject of much discussion before the match.


Belgium boss Marc Wilmots named a strong side, despite having already wrapped up top spot in Group A, with Romelu Lukaku, Moussa Dembele and De Bruyne all handed starts.
Craig Bellamy was handed his final international appearance up front for the visiting team, while Chris Gunter became the youngest Welshman to reach 50 international caps.

The visiting team looked bright in the opening exchanges, with Bellamy, Simon Church and Ramsey linking well in the middle of the park.

But it was the home side that carved out the first clear-cut opportunity after 20 minutes, as Lukaku raced away from James Collins to test goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey from a tight angle.
Wales had a chance of its own soon after as Ramsey exchanged a neat one-two with David Vaughan on the edge of the box, before skewing his shot harmlessly wide.

Belgium immediately responded and should have taken the lead when De Bruyne found himself on the end of a teasing Kevin Mirallas cross, but failed to find the target.

The team was nearly ahead in spectacular circumstances 10 minutes later as Toby Alderweireld managed to flick the ball over Vaughan, before smashing a deflected volley off the bar.
Lukaku wasted another good chance just before the break, heading Mirallas' cross just wide.
The Everton striker caused more problems for the Wales defense within the first few minutes of the second half, powering into the box before firing over the bar.

Wilmots brought on Eden Hazard in an attempt to try to find a way through a tenacious visiting rearguard, which suffered a blow when Collins limped off after 55 minutes.

But it was Hazard's teammate De Bruyne who finally broke the deadlock 10 minutes later, capitalizing on a defensive error down the right before driving a low shot past the keeper.
It nearly got worse for Wales a couple of minutes later, with Hennessey forced to make a smart save to deny the impressive Mirallas.

Mirallas was denied by the Wolves keeper again 15 minutes from time, before Axel Witsel sent an acrobatic shot over the bar, as the home side looked to add to the advantage.
Wales did manage to test Thibaut Courtois as the match began to wind down, the goalkeeper palming away a Sam Vokes' effort.

Harry Wilson came on for Hal Robson-Kanu to become the youngest player to appear for Wales, but it was veteran Bellamy who provided the moment of magic for the equalizer, teeing up Ramsey in the box for a cool finish with just two minutes left.

Spains, Negredo and Mata hits the spot

 Spain qualified for the World Cup after beating Georgia 2-0 at Carlos Belmonte to finish top of Group I.

The world champion went into the match needing only a point to finish ahead of France, but never looked like dropping points on its way to a comfortable win.

Georgia was under pressure for almost all of the match and substitute Juan Mata secured the win for Spain just after the hour mark, extending Del Bosque's unbeaten run in competitive home matches to 13.

The Spain coach made six changes from the narrow 2-1 win over Belarus on Friday, including returns for Iker Casillas and Andres Iniesta, while Alberto Moreno made his debut at left back.

The home side dominated proceedings early on, with Negredo going close on two occasions in the first 25 minutes as he shot straight at the goalkeeper from close range and then saw his overhead kick tipped over the crossbar.

Negredo's persistence paid off eventually, however. Iniesta, playing in his home town of Albacete, got to the by line and played a low pass into the danger area which Negredo clipped home.

Georgia should have equalized a few minutes later as Casillas parried Tornike Okriashvili's shot into the path of Nikoloz Gelashvili, but the forward fired over the open goal.

Luck was on Georgia's side just before halftime when Negredo hit the post from close range, and Guram Kashia was there to clear his resulting header off the line.

Unsurprisingly, Spain's superiority continued into the second half, but the team found the Georgia defense tougher to break down before eventually doubling the lead.

Aleksander Amisulashvili attempted to clear a cross from the left, but he headed the ball straight at Gerard Pique and Mata lashed the ball into the bottom corner, three minutes after coming on.

With 22 minutes to play, Iniesta would still have been hopeful of getting a goal of his own and he produced a good effort with his left foot that was deflected over.

Mata was also finding space and he nearly set Navas up in the 72nd minute with a low cross to the back post, but the Manchester City forward was crucially tackled at the vital moment.

Although the home side pressed for more goals, ultimately it settled for a two-goal win as it booked passage to the finals in Brazil next year.

Hodgson hails England performance as Three Lions have now qualify for World Cup

 England boss Roy Hodgson has praised his side's performance against Poland as the Three Lions booked their place at the World Cup next summer.

Goals from Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard ensured the hosts won 2-0 to secure top spot in Group H and a trip to Brazil, with the Liverpool skipper's late strike sparking jubilant scenes - including assistant manager Ray Lewington sprinting down the touchline.

Hodgson has been pleased with the way the side has responded to being in such a competitive group, beating Ukraine to the top spot, and believes the side will continue to improve before next summer's competition.

"It's a great satisfaction, it was a tough group with a lot of difficult games because Poland, Montenegro and Ukraine proved tough opponents," Hodgson told ITV Sport. "I'm delighted for them, we played some good football in the first half and luckily Steven got the goal at the end, which gave Ray a chance to show his sprinting ability.

"We've been getting better all the time. One of our best performances was in our first game when we beat Montenegro 5-0 away and we have played some great stuff here.

"We always felt if we could get to these last two games and get some players back we would have a great chance."

Hodgson believes England is a more accomplished side than it was in the European championship last year, and he is sure that the best is yet to come.

"I'd like to think we're a lot better, we've been working together 18 months. Hopefully we can get better in the months leading up to Brazil," Hodgson said.

'Ribery' wants to avoid Portugal, Croatia in World Cup qualifying playoffs

 Franck Ribery has expressed his fear that France might be drawn against fellow European giants Portugal or Croatia in November's World Cup 2014 European qualifying playoffs.

Spain's win over Georgia on Tuesday ensured that Les Bleus finished as group runners-up, regardless of their comfortable 3-0 victory over Finland.

Didier Deschamps' men are expected to be in the second pot in the playoff seedings, meaning clashes against either Greece, Ukraine, Croatia or Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Portuguese teammates loom next month.

"The playoffs will not be easy games," Bayern Munich forward Ribery, who scored the opening goal against Finland on Tuesday, told TF1. "We will have to be men and make the best of both games, to do everything to go to Brazil. It's a World Cup. We hope to be able to avoid Portugal and Croatia."

Deschamps agreed with his winger's assessment that facing Paulo Bento's men would be far from ideal, but he also praised his side's performance in the final game of group stage qualification.

"We had the ambition to be the winner of this group, but it's good to see that we can also play this kind of game and score three goals, especially compared to what awaits us in November," Deschamps said. "I have no preference for the playoffs, but it is true that playing against Portugal, who have Ronaldo in their ranks, is different. We will switch our preparation to these games."

With his international goal drought behind him, Karim Benzema made it two goals in two games by scoring France's final goal against Finland and was pleased with how the match played out.

"Again tonight it's been fun to score, but victory is the most important thing," Benzema said. "It was a very good game and we must continue like this. I'll talk with Ronaldo about playoffs!"

Uruguay 3-2 Argentina,Enthralling win not enough for head coach Oscar Tabarez's

 Uruguay will need a playoff to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup despite an enthralling 3-2 win over Argentinain Montevideo on Tuesday.

Oscar Tabarez's men were unable to secure a big enough victory against an under-strength Albiceleste, finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifying group.

They will now need to overcome Jordan in a two-legged playoff in November to reach Brazil 2014.
Maxi Rodriguez canceled out two Uruguay leads in the first half after Cristian Rodriguez and Luis Suarez had put the hosts ahead.

Edinson Cavani's effort early in the second half gave Uruguay hope of overhauling Ecuador on goal difference, but it failed to find another goal.
Uruguay made the livelier start in front of its home fans at the Estadio Centenario and it was no surprise when it took a sixth-minute lead.
Suarez's flat set-piece from the right caused problems in the area and eventually fell to Cristian Rodriguez at the back post.

The Atletico Madrid attacker's first touch set up his chance before he fired past Sergio Romero and into the top corner.

But the hosts were only ahead for nine minutes as Rodriguez leveled for Argentina.
Rodrigo Palacio did the hard work down the left and crossed for Augusto Fernandez, who cushioned down the pass for Maxi Rodriguez to find the bottom corner.

Romero got down well to keep out Cavani before Uruguay was awarded a controversial penalty on 33 minutes.
Suarez went down under the softest of contact from Sebastian Dominguez before converting the penalty, despite Romero diving to his right and almost keeping it out.

But Argentina again took no time in canceling out the effort as Maxi Rodriguez cut in from the right before firing a powerful finish into the bottom corner.

Suarez's set-pieces caused the visitors problems throughout and Uruguay was unlucky not to go into the break ahead when Cavani headed a free kick inches wide.

The chances continued to flow to start the second half as Cavani failed to get enough power on his header from a Suarez corner and Palacio struck an effort straight at Fernando Muslera.

The combination between Suarez and Cavani helped Uruguay take a 3-2 lead in the 49th minute.
Suarez was released into space down the left and squared a pass for the PSG man, who took a touch before smashing a powerful finish past Romero.

Uruguay was somehow denied a two-goal lead in the 67th minute as it struck the woodwork twice.
Christian Stuani headed a Suarez corner against the crossbar before Cristian Rodriguez cut in from the right just minutes later to drill a left-footed strike into the post.

The hosts had other chances - Cristian Rodriguez hit the side-netting, Suarez was denied and they had a penalty shout for handball turned down - but missed opportunities will see them needing a play-off to qualify.

Mexican midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos signals intention to leave Barcelona

Barcelona’s Mexican midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos is frustrated at his lack of first-team minutes and has indicated he may be forced to look elsewhere this winter.

“My objective is to be in the World Cup and if I don’t get minutes, going on loan in December would be a good option,” the 23-year-old told Catalunya Radio on Monday.
Dos Santos said he was on the brink of a loan move to Carlos Vela’s Real Sociedad in August, until Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino convinced him to stay and fight for first-team minutes.
Since then, Dos Santos has just 16 minutes of playing time for Barcelona’s first team in all competitions.

If the situation doesn’t improve, Dos Santos will push for a move with an eye on getting back into the Mexican national team – which has not yet qualified for Brazil 2014.
But it remains Dos Santos’ ambition to be successful with the Catalan club.

“My (long term) desire is to stay in Barcelona and to triumph here,” he said.
Jonathan also said his brother Giovani Dos Santos still harbors ambitions of returning to Barcelona one day.

Panama 2-3 USA: Americans rally with late in WCQ finale

 It had to be the strangest night in the history of CONCACAF soccer. Mexican national team fans were forced to root for arch-rival USA like their lives depended on it, and on Tuesday night the Americans saved Mexico with a rally that will long be remembered south of the border.

Trailing Panama by a goal late in their World Cup qualifier in Panama City, Graham Zusi and Aron Johannsson stunned the Canaleros with a pair of finishes that gave the Americans a 3-2 victory.

 The result eliminated Panama from World Cup qualifying, and secured Mexico's place in the World Cup qualifying playoff series against New Zealand. The Central Americans entered the night needing a win and a Mexico loss in order to stay alive.

Panama looked well on its way to a victory when Luis Tejada raced in to bury a chance in the 83rd minute, but the USA had one more rally left. Zusi soared into the Panama penalty area and headed home a perfect cross from Brad Davis to tie the match in the second minute of stoppage time.

Before Panama could respond to the stunning equalizer, Johannsson provided the final dagger, belting a low shot from distance to secure the victory and help save Mexico on a night when El Tri lost to Costa Rica and left its qualifying hopes up to the USA.

Panama came into the match knowing that anything but a victory would mean elimination, and the home team responded by opening the scoring in the 18th minute, with Colorado Rapids Gabriel Torres hitting a hard and low shot past Guzan. Panama nearly made it 2-0, but Brad Guzan made a vital one-handed save in the 55th minute.

With Costa Rica taking a second-half lead on Mexico, Panama's players were well aware that a win meant qualifying survival, and Tejada appeared to provide the winner. Unfortunately for the Canaleros, the Americans had other thoughts, and they pulled off the comeback to finish the Hex with a record 22 points.

Hondurans secure World Cup spot with draw against Jamaica

Honduras has clinched an automatic berth in next summer's World Cup, thanks to a 2-2 draw with Jamaica on Tuesday night.

The result saw Los Catrachos finish the night with 15 points from 10 matches in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, good enough for third in the Hexagonal and an automatic place in Brazil next summer.

Goals from Maynor Figueroa and Carlo Costly had the Hondurans up a goal at the break, but a penalty from Rodolph Austin in the second half saw the match finish level.

The single point would have been enough to put Honduras out of reach for the third spot in the group even had Mexico managed to win its match against Costa Rica, but El Tri's loss left the Hondurans comfortably four points clear of fourth place and a playoff with New Zealand for a spot in Brazil. 

It was not all smiles for El Tri Tuesday night, despite advancing to a playoff with New Zealand.

 


El Tri was given a World Cup lifeline by the United States on Tuesday as the Stars and Stripes came back late to defeat Panama 3-2, but the Mexico camp found few positives despite advancing to a playoff against New Zealand.

“There is nothing to celebrate,” said Cruz Azul’s Christian “Chaco” Gimenez inside Estadio Nacional after Mexico’s 2-1 loss to Costa Rica. “Today we have to hang our heads knowing we let down a country.”
The Argentine-Mexican added that El Tri “hit rock bottom” on Tuesday, opining that Costa Rica’s second goal by Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio caused “desperation” among the Mexico team.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez echoed Gimenez’s words, but stressed that all is not lost for Mexico with the team facing a playoff next month against New Zealand.
“It is the worst way of getting into the playoff, but we’re there,” said the Manchester United player. “We’ve got to look at the positive side.”

Mexico coach Victor Manuel Vucetich was poker-faced after the game, refusing to explicitly thank the United States, but praised the “ethics” and “professionalism” in the sport after a night in which both qualified teams – Costa Rica and the United States – won.

When asked if Mexico deserved to be at the World Cup, Vucetich pointed to the Hex table.
“In questions of justice, I think that the numbers speak,” he said.

CONCACAF may not be the most glamorous region in FIFA but the last group of matches provides a last minute of excitement and upset.

 


An outsider could be forgiven for thinking the Hex is easy. With three and a half spots for six teams, the likelihood of either of the region's major powers failing to qualify appears distant in a seemingly forgiving group populated by also-rans more on par with the Icelands and Romanias and Venezuelas of the world than true challengers.

An outsider, perhaps. In truth, CONCACAF's final phase of World Cup qualifying is a grueling series of eye-gouging, shin-kicking, cups-of-questionable-substance-throwing, gritty bare-knuckle grudge matches. Mixed martial arts may have an octagon, but CONCACAF has the Hexagonal. Ten games are played across nine months, relative fixture isolation undermined by the back-to-back nature of transcontinental travel and playing two games in the space of five days. It's a one-two punch where you could find yourself playing in heavy rain in Kingston followed up by heat and smog and altitude in Mexico City. Momentum from wins is dispelled by the long wait for the next round, while the toxic rot from a poor performance can fester for weeks before the next set of games.

CONCACAF nations have close ties economically and politically, and the North and Central American and Caribbean teams play each other frequently, a byproduct of a shallow pool of quality teams and the biennial Gold Cup. As a rule, these teams have long histories of not liking each other, loading every game with subtext.

Mexico nearly fell victim to the unforgiving nature of this Hex this year. Under the disastrous leadership of Jose Manuel de la Torre, El Tri displayed disastrous home form, going 1-3-1 in Mexico City, the single victory requiring Raul Jimenez's 85th-minute bicycle kick against Panama in the final home game. In the course of a year, the perception of Azteca changed from an impenetrable fortress where points were lost forever into an easily plundered ruin.

Coming into the final day of the Hex, three teams - Honduras, Mexico and Panama - were unsure of their fates. The United States and Costa Rica were guaranteed first and second place finishes, while winless Jamaica was eliminated from contention. By a fateful bit of scheduling, the three teams with something to win or lose were paired with the teams whose fortunes were settled.

Honduras entered the day on 14 points. Mexico had 11, and Panama eight. Goal difference was such that it wouldn't really matter if the results broke in the right ways. Honduras was guaranteed a spot in the playoff with New Zealand at the very least, and needed at least a point to secure automatic qualification for the 2014 World Cup. A point or more would give Mexico the playoff spot, and a win coupled with a Honduran loss to Jamaica would send El Tri straight to Brazil. If Mexico lost, a Panama win would send Los Canaleros to Wellington and back.

The games all kicked off at the same time. Honduras, always the most likely winner, took just two minutes to find an opener for Carlo Costly, but that good work was immediately undone by a third-minute own goal from Jorge Claros. It would take a little while longer for all hell to break loose.

A Mexican move found Chicharito with a wide open goal at his mercy, but somehow his wayward stab at the ball put it into the offside Oribe Peralta, killing a brilliant opportunity for Mexico. Then Gabriel Torres scored for Panama against the United States. It was a lifeline for the Central American nation, but wouldn't count for anything as long as Mexico didn't lose. And then Mexico gave up a goal, Bryan Ruiz volleying a shot in to send two crowds hundreds of miles away into raptures and giving Mexico its first non-qualification terrors of the evening.

It didn't last long. Peralta scored a few minutes after Ruiz to restore parity and Mexico's hold on the playoff spot. Maynor Figueroa scored for Honduras, and Jamaica's Rudolph Austin converted a penalty in the second half to settle that game as a 2-2 draw.

Things soon got interesting again. Alvaro Saborio scored for Costa Rica after the hour mark, putting Panama back into the playoff spot, and then almost immediately, a goal by USA's Michael Orozco-Fiscal pushed it back out. Until Luis Tejada, the veteran who nearly gave Panama a draw against El Tri on Friday, scored.

Suddenly, with less than 10 minutes to go in the matches, Panama was at home beating the USA and Mexico was losing away to a Costa Rica team looking increasingly confident and dangerous. Some USA fans on social networks were openly rooting against their own country, hoping to see the great rival humiliated. Panama fans were dreaming of a shot at the nation's first-ever World Cup berth. Broadcasters and media executives on both sides of the Rio Grande were placing tearful orders for gallons upon gallons of red ink.

And then, like some old Western movie, the American cavalry arrived at the last second and saved the day for Mexico. Edgar Castillo, who made three friendly appearances for Mexico before switching to the Stars and Stripes, dribbled inside and sent a pass out wide left for Brad Davis, whose one-time cross was met by the head of Graham Zusi and sent into the back of the net to equalize. Panamanian hearts sank. Mexico exploded. One Mexican announcer shouted in English, "We love you forever and ever, God bless America!" before ripping apart the Mexican team in Spanish.

A minute later, all of Panama's hopes were dashed, as Aron Johannsson scored his first U.S. goal to put Mexico's spot firmly onto safe ground. The games ended. Terrence Boyd consoled the exhausted and broken Panamanian captain Felipe Baloy, who at 32 is unlikely to ever come so close to a World Cup again. Mexican fans rushed to praise the professionalism of the American team. #GraciasUSA trended on twitter in Mexico City. Americans responded with #YoureWelcomeMexico, demonstrating the pitfalls of an under-funded public school system on contraction abuse.

Mexico still has its problems. Rafa Marquez may bring a steady hand and valuable leadership, but he's cost Mexico a goal in each of the games he's played in. Giovanni dos Santos needs to rediscover his ability to drive the Mexican attack. And poor Chicharito is simply a shattered man right now. Victor Manuel Vucetich will have a chance to address these problems however, thanks to the crazy final night of the Hexagonal; unpredictable, unbelievable, and somehow appropriately CONCACAF.