Zurich: FIFA security director Ralf Mutschke believes the 500 plus qualifying matches so far for the 2014 World Cup have been clean of match-fixing. Mutschke tells the Associated Press " we don't have any leads that any match has been thrown." The full program of about 820 preliminary matches ends in November.
Speaking on the sidelines of a FIFA-sponsored conference on match-fixing and betting, Mutschke says "we are also confident that nothing will happen through the qualification."
Two months ago, Europol - the European Union police liaison agency - said it reviewed 680 suspicious recent matches, including some World Cup games. Mutschke says those World Cup allegations related to "old qualifiers and not for this tournament."
The German former Interpol officer says a bigger threat is crime syndicates infiltrating clubs....
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11:47 PM, Apr 05, 2013
London: Montenegro coach Branko Brnovic claimed England were scared ahead of their World Cup Group H clash on Tuesday, and after the visitors "stopped playing" in the 1-1 draw it seems his words were not too out of place. Goalkeeper Joe Hart was called into action on numerous occasions in the second 45 minutes as England, utterly dominant in the first half where they scored early on through Wayne Rooney,...
04:28 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni was left to rue a profligate forward line as the Blue Samurai blew a chance to become the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Japan only needed to draw against a Jordan team they had thrashed 6-0 last June to secure a fifth consecutive finals appearance but were let down by poor finishing in a 2-1 reversal at Amman's King...
04:16 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Paris: France plan to attack Spain in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday even though a draw at home would be enough to keep them in the ascendancy with three qualifiers left to play. A draw will maintain the hosts' two-point lead at the top of Group I and keep the pressure on the Spanish, who slipped to a surprise 1-1 home draw with Finland when France beat visiting Georgia...
09:01 AM, Mar 26, 2013
Rome: In the slowly shifting landscape of Italian football, the past week has marked a relatively quick change of focus. From old to new. Past to present. From Francesco Totti to Mario Balotelli. The homegrown Roman senator vs the son of Ghanaian immigrants. It all started a week ago, when the Azzurri opened their training camp and Italian media latched onto a comment from coach Cesare Prandelli, who said that...
08:43 AM, Mar 26, 2013
London: Fred scored a 90th-minute equalizer to save Brazil from a second loss inside two months in London, although the 1-1 draw against Russia on Monday left the 2014 World Cup hosts without a win since Luiz Felipe Scolari returned as coach. Fred scored for Brazil for the fourth straight match by completing a flowing move instigated by substitute Hulk, tapping Marcelo's cross into the net from close range at...
07:40 AM, Mar 26, 2013
Podgorica: England will face hostile crowds, an ambitious opponent and some bad memories for Wayne Rooney when the team plays Montenegro on Tuesday in a World Cup qualifier. England cannot afford to lose to the Group H leaders. If Montenegro win, they would move five points ahead of England, jeopardising their direct qualification for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. England coach Roy Hodgson, who is poised to make several changes...
06:31 PM, Mar 25, 2013
Nuremberg: Germany are playing down World Cup expectations and battling complacency ahead of their second back-to-back qualifier against Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Joachim Loew's side leads Group C with four wins from five games and is looking for another routine victory to follow Friday's 3-0 result over winless Kazakhstan in Astana. "It is a bit unusual to be playing the same opponent twice in quick succession," said Loew, who warned his...
06:12 PM, Mar 25, 2013
Sydney: The emergence of a band of talented young Socceroos has given Australia coach Holger Osieck "positive headaches" as he ponders his team selection for their crunch World Cup qualifier against Oman on Tuesday. Australia had one of the oldest squads at the last World Cup but with the careers of that "golden generation" coming to an end, Osieck has been looking to the likes of Robbie Kruse, Tommy Oar,...
11:52 AM, Mar 25, 2013
London: Having waltzed through the qualifying process for their last two major tournaments Spain find themselves in an undignified tangle at the halfway point on the road to the World Cup in Brazil. While most of the fancied nations appear well-placed to qualify for next year's finals automatically, world champions Spain head to Paris to play Group I leaders France on Tuesday knowing defeat would leave them five points adrift....
09:01 AM, Mar 25, 2013
Costa Rica: Costa Rica are asking soccer's governing body for a replay of Friday's World Cup qualifier against the United States, won 1-0 by the Americans during a snowstorm in Commerce City, Colo. Costa Rican Football Federation Treasurer Rolando Villalobos said in a statement on Sunday that documentation had been sent to FIFA to back the claim, including photographs and videos. The Costa Rican federation said the climatic conditions threatened...
08:28 AM, Mar 25, 2013
Florence: Stephan El Shaarawy is relishing his partnership with Mario Balotelli and believes they can lead the attack for Italy and AC Milan for many years to come. El Shaarawy, 20, and Balotelli, 22, have become symbols of Italy coach Cesare Prandelli's focus on youth. "Mario and I represent a new and young Italy," El Shaarawy said, ahead of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Malta. "Investing in youth is the...
12:57 PM, Mar 24, 2013
Johannesburg: New African champion Nigeria salvaged a home draw against Kenya with an injury-time equalizer in World Cup qualifying on Saturday. Ivory Coast didn't miss the dropped Didier Drogba in their 3-0 win over Gambia. Samuel Eto'o scored twice as Cameroon edged Togo 2-1 to improve the inconsistent Cameroonians' chances of qualifying for a first major tournament since 2010. The last World Cup host, South Africa, still have a chance...
12:43 PM, Mar 24, 2013
Cyprus: Switzerland wasted a series of chances in a 0-0 draw with Cyprus in a World Cup qualifying match on Saturday, though stretched their lead atop the group. With Cyprus in economic turmoil, the stadium in their capital Nicosia was almost empty. Swiss forward Xherdan Shaqiri was charitable to his hosts in dragging a 15th-minute shot wide - and then missed a glaring chance when he couldn't connect with the...
10:43 AM, Mar 24, 2013
Belfast: A second attempt to play Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Russia has been aborted due to bad weather in Belfast. Heavy snow initially led to the match being postponed on Friday and shifted to Saturday at Windsor Park. But with further snow and ice forming on the pitch, the qualifier was called off on Saturday morning. No new date has been set for the fixture. Russia has a...
10:08 AM, Mar 24, 2013
Spain and Portugal were held to draws on Friday night that hurt their chances of qualifying automatically for next year's World Cup, while England routed San Marino 8-0 for their biggest victory margin in 26 years. ...
02:03 PM, Mar 23, 2013
United States battled to a 1-0 win over Costa Rica with Clint Dempsey's 16th minute goal in a heavy snow storm. ...
01:01 PM, Mar 23, 2013
England recorded their biggest win in 26 years with goals from Defoe, Rooney, Chamberlain, Lampard, Young and Sturridge. ...
06:39 AM, Mar 23, 2013
Spain conceded a late goal at home against Finland, conceding top spot to France in their World Cup qualifying group. ...
06:29 AM, Mar 23, 2013
Croatia beat Serbia 2-0 whereas Germany, playing without any recognised strikers, triumphed 3-0 in Kazakhstan. ...
05:33 AM, Mar 23, 2013
