Doha: Australia scored twice late on to beat Iraq 2-1 and revive their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday, while Uzbekistan and Oman also earned much-needed victories. Uzbekistan downed 2022 World Cup host Qatar 1-0 and Oman beat Jordan 2-1. In Doha, Iraq scored against the run of the play from a counterattack when Younis Mahmoud crossed for substitute Ala'a Abdulzehra to slot the ball past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer...
10:40 PM, Oct 16, 2012
Christchurch: New Zealand beat Tahiti 3-0 on Tuesday to stay unbeaten in the third stage of Oceania World Cup qualifying, edging closer to an inter-continental playoff for a place in Brazil in 2014. Midfielder Michael McGlinchey book-ended the match with goals in the third and 91st minutes " on either side of a Chris Killen goal " to ensure New Zealand retained its unbeaten record after four rounds of the...
03:42 PM, Oct 16, 2012
Paris: Hit by injuries and reeling from a surprise 1-0 loss to Japan, with their strikers struggling to score and a patched-up defense looking far from secure, France have enough to worry about without even thinking about Spain's quality ahead of their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Both teams won their opening two qualifiers to share the lead in Group I. But while Spain cruised into top gear with a...
07:11 PM, Oct 15, 2012
Seoul (South Korea): Holger Osieck and his Australian squad are already in the danger zone as the last stage of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup approaches the halfway mark. Neither Australia nor Iraq can afford to lose when they meet in a Group B clash at Doha on Tuesday. Both teams have two points from the opening three games. With Japan already racing ahead in first place on...
07:06 PM, Oct 15, 2012
London: England forward Theo Walcott has been ruled out of their World Cup qualifier in Poland on Tuesday with a chest injury, the FA said on Saturday. Walcott was clattered by San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini five minutes into England's 5-0 Group H victory at Wembley on Friday and spent the night in a London hospital under observation. "He was monitored overnight as a precaution and following scan results today...
11:49 PM, Oct 13, 2012
Moscow: Portugal were the better team and were unfortunate to lose to Russia in their World Cup qualifying defeat in Moscow, defender Bruno Alves has said. The visitors dominated possession but Alexander Kerzhakov's early goal decided the match on Friday and put Russia top of Group F, three points clear of second-placed Portugal. "It was a good game. Portugal dominated most parts of the game and Russia just scored from...
04:52 PM, Oct 13, 2012
Buenos Aires: Two goals from Lionel Messi were the key for Argentina as they won in style over Uruguay, dominating their Rioplatense neighbours in a 3-0 thrashing. Sergio Aguero was the other man to get on the scoresheet in a brilliant second-half flurry, which puts the Albiceleste back at the top of Conmebol's World Cup qualifying competition at the halfway stage. Argentina enjoyed a lion's share of possession during an...
08:45 AM, Oct 13, 2012
London: Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck scored twice as England laboured to a 5-0 win over whipping-boys San Marino to go top of World Cup Group H qualifying on Friday after a game marred by an injury to Theo Walcott. Rooney, captain in the absence of the suspended Steven Gerrard and the injured Frank Lampard, marked the occasion by becoming his country's fifth highest scorer of all time on 31...
08:34 AM, Oct 13, 2012
Dublin: Germany hammered Ireland 6-1 away to notch a third straight World Cup Group C qualifying win on Friday with a result that equalled the hosts' worst defeat in front of their own fans. Doubles by winger Marco Reus and substitute Toni Kroos together with a Mesut Ozil penalty and a Miroslav Klose strike saw the irrepressible Germans inflict Ireland's heaviest home defeat since they lost 5-0 to Spain in...
08:27 AM, Oct 13, 2012
Minsk: Pedro set up Jordi Alba for the opening goal before grabbing a hat-trick as Spain extended their winning run in major championship qualifiers to 24 matches with a 4-0 World Cup Group I victory in Belarus on Friday. The world and European champions produced a typically efficient performance in chilly Minsk, dominating possession and quickly snuffing out any forward forays by the outclassed eastern Europeans. It was a useful...
08:19 AM, Oct 13, 2012
Moscow: Alexander Kerzhakov scored early as Russia edged out Portugal 1-0 to earn their third consecutive win at the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign under Fabio Capello on Friday. Kerzhakov struck in the sixth minute after breaking clear on goal following some quick one-touch passing featuring his Zenit St Petersburg team mates Viktor Faizulin and Roman Shirokov. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was a constant threat at the other...
09:58 PM, Oct 12, 2012
Trinidad and Tobago will play Yorkshire on Wednesday in their opening qualifying match. ...
02:47 PM, Oct 10, 2012
Buenos Aires: Stopping Lionel Messi is the primary concern of South American teams facing Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers. This week it is Uruguay's turn. Argentina defend their lead in the South American group at home to Uruguay in Mendoza on Friday (0100 GMT Saturday). After seven matches they have 14 points, one more than Colombia and Ecuador and two ahead of Uruguay and Chile. They will be looking...
09:28 AM, Oct 10, 2012
Munich: Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has demanded more respect for the national team's performances after reaching the Euro 2012 semi-finals in June, their fourth successive last- four spot or better in major tournaments. Schweinsteiger, criticised for playing in the European Championship despite nursing an injury picked up in Bayern Munich's Champions League final defeat by Chelsea, said Germany's overall record was very successful. "(Semi-final finishes) should not be taken for...
07:04 PM, Oct 09, 2012
Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulder injury is not serious and he will join up with the Portugal squad later on Monday, his club Real Madrid said. Ronaldo hurt his left shoulder attempting an overhead kick in the second half of Sunday's 2-2 La Liga draw at Barcelona and although he appeared in some discomfort he played on until the end of match. "The Real Madrid forward was examined by club medical...
05:39 PM, Oct 08, 2012
Madrid: Spain coach Vicente del Bosque recalled Bayern Munich center back or defensive midfielder Javi Martinez on Friday to patch up his weakened defense for the World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and France. Del Bosque said the two matches, which come a week after an always intense meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid, were "vitally important" to the world champion's bid to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive major title. "These...
07:34 PM, Oct 05, 2012
Amsterdam: Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal recalled Rafael van der Vaart on Friday for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Romania. Van der Vaart was dropped for the first two qualifiers as he returned to full fitness following his move from Tottenham to Hamburg. Also back in the squad were midfielders Ibrahim Afellay and Nigel de Jong, who also have proved their match fitness after summer transfers. Afellay moved from...
07:16 PM, Oct 05, 2012
Frankfurt: Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is back in the Germany squad for World Cup qualifying matches against Ireland and Sweden. Schweinsteiger was dropped for the first two games against the Faeroe Islands and Austria after losing form following a series of injuries last season, but he has come back strongly for Bayern since the start of the season. "He is important for our team, he gives the impulse, he...
04:30 PM, Oct 05, 2012
Italy laboured to a scrappy 2-0 win over Malta in a World Cup Group B qualifier in Modena on Tuesday as an early strike from Mattia Destro and a late Andrew Cohen own goal earned them the three points. AS Roma striker Destro capitalised on Italy's fast start when he latched on to a smart Claudio Marchisio through-ball to score after five minutes, but Cesare Prandelli's side struggled to create...
09:23 AM, Sep 12, 2012
Vienna: Marco Reus scored his third international goal and Mesut Oezil added a penalty Tuesday to help Germany beat Austria 2-1 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier. Germany looked vulnerable in defense and narrowly avoided a second Austrian goal several times. "We have got six points from two matches, the start is good," Germany captain Philipp Lahm said. "But we can't be satisfied with our game, especially early in the...
09:20 AM, Sep 12, 2012
