Euro 2016 wrap: Overnight Actions - France beats Albania, Switzerland draw Romania, Slovakia down Russia

LATE goals from Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet booked hosts France’s place in the last 16 of Euro 2016 after overcoming stiff resistance from European Championship debutants Albania.

Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann came off the bench in Marseille to head the opener in the 90th minute before West Ham United’s Payet strengthened his reputation by smashing home a second deep into stoppage time.

“We needed a win to qualify, and it’s done,” Griezmann told French television. “The coach had told me that I would be a substitute. I knew it and I wanted to do what I had to do once I got on.” Payet also struck a late winner as France opened the tournament with a nervy 2-1 win over Romania

Football governing body FIFA lifts suspension of Nigeria from international competition over government interference

Football governing body FIFA on Friday lifted the suspension of Nigeria from international competition over "government interference" in the game. The suspension of the Nigerian Football Federation was imposed on July 9 just after the national team were beaten in the last 16 at the World Cup.

"FIFA has noted that the court proceedings and order preventing the president of the NFF, the NFF executive committee members and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football that prompted the suspension have been withdrawn," said a statement by the world body.

"As statutory order has been reinstated at the NFF and the legitimate bodies reinstalled, FIFA has decided to lift the suspension as of today, Friday 18 July 2014."

BREAKING: Van Gaal direct trains to Manchester Unitedpre-season tour without vacation

The ManU bound Holland coach Van Gaal direct trains to Manchester United pre-season tour without vacation after the FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil.

Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard should carry on as England skipper, says David Beckham

David Beckham has urged Steven Gerrard to lead England into their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.The Liverpool FC midfielder, who is just two appearances short of breaking Beckham’s outfield record of 115 caps for England, has yet to decide whether to carry on playing international career following the nation’s dismal World cup outing.
Beckham believes Gerrard should retain the armband and help Roy Hodgson’s side recover from the crushing disappointment in Brazil.

Breaking news: Germans are the New FIFA World Champions

Final scoreline: Germany 1-0 Argentina. The first European to Win World Cup in South American soil.... The New FIFA world champions are Germans.

Lionel Messi emerges Golden Ball winner.

Germany have won the World Cup for the 1st time in 24 years & captured their 4th title after a record 8 appearances in the final.

Germany beats Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win World Cup

BREAKING: Arjen Robben rules out move to Manchester United after Louis van Gaal offers him a place at Old Trafford

Arjen Robben rules out move to Manchester United after Louis van Gaal offers him a place at Old Trafford

Old Trafford-bound coach tells Dutch television the Bayern Munich forward is welcome to follow him to Manchester next season.


Robben has ruled out the possibility of joining Manchester United. Robben has been linked with United ever since it was announced that Louis van Gaal would be taking over at Old Trafford after the World Cup.

Robben told Dutch broadcaster NOS following Holland's 3-0 win over Brazil that Van Gaal had offered him a place in the United squad next season.

Stephen Keshi: World Cup elimination painful, calls for unity in defeat

Braslia - Stephen Keshi said that his side's World Cup elimination by France in the last 16 was "painful", but vowed that he would not seek out scapegoats.

Bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, Nigeria stood toe to toe with France for much of Monday's match at Brasilia's Mane Garrincha National Stadium, only to lose to two late goals.

A handling error by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama enabled Paul Pogba to head in a 79th-minute opener and France completed victory in injury time when Joseph Yobo scored an own goal from a Mathieu Valbuena cross.

While both French goals stemmed from Nigerian mistakes, Keshi was adamant that all of his players bore equal responsibility for the African champions' exit.

Coach Keshi, Captain Yobo quit Eagles after World Cup exit

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has stepped down from his position after the Super Eagles' exit from the World Cup in Brazil.

France scored twice in the last 11 minutes in Brasilia on Monday to reach the quarter-finals at their expense.

The 52-year-old was appointed Nigeria boss in 2011 and helped them become African champions two years later.

Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo also retired from international football following their exit.

Fenerbahce's Yobo, 33, scored a late own goal after Paul Pogba's header had broken Nigerian resistance.

Coach Keshi becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Source

Protest as KLM airline angers Mexico fans

What was meant to be a joke has turned into a PR blunder for Dutch airline KLM after it angered Mexican fans by taking to Twitter to celebrate the Netherlands' dramatic comeback victory in the World Cup.

Within minutes of the Netherlands' 2-1 victory over the Tri, KLM let loose on its Twitter feed a picture of an airport departures sign under the heading "Adios Amigos!"

The post immediately went viral, with A-list Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal using not one but two expletives in a 140-character Tweet to tell his 2 million-plus followers that he'll never fly the carrier again.

Amid the widespread protest online, the post was pulled a half-hour later without an explanation.

World cup break for Michael Babatunde

For a split second, Nigeria's Ogenyi Onazi was annoyed when his shot on goal was blocked by a team-mate. That was until he realised he just broke his mate's arm in the process.  In the match between Nigeria and Argentina, Onazi dribbled the ball to within 10 yards of the box and wound up for a long-range shot on goal.

He struck it perfectly and it might well have been the equaliser his team needed as they trailed 3-2, but the ball cannoned into the arm of striker Michael Babatunde, who just so happened to be right in the line of fire.

Incredibly, the pure speed and power behind the strike broke Babatunde's arm on impact. Slow motion replays show the sickening moment in the 64th minute when Babatunde's arm bends backwards - an unfortunate situation of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

'Messi is from Jupiter,' says Keshi

The defeat to Argentina was one of the most entertaining and hard-fought games of the World Cup so far, but also a pleasingly fair clash with players joking on the field. The fact both sides progressed
to the Last 16 regardless of the result certainly helped the atmosphere. 

After the game, Super eagle's coach Stephen Keshi described Lionel Messi as an outstanding player saying "Messi is one heck of a player. You can't take that away from him."He's blessed. I think there are other players in the Argentina squad who are very strong, but Messi is from Jupiter." Keshi said.

World cup ‘bite’ incident: Suárez could be banned for up to 24 matches under Fifa code

            Italy's Giorgio Chiellini shows his shoulder,
claiming he was bitten by Uruguay's
Luis Suarez in their World Cup match

Luis Suárez wrote his name into World Cup infamy by biting the Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini towards the end of a dramatic Uruguay win to risk another lengthy suspension of anything up to 24 matches.

Uruguay looked to be heading for the exit in the 79th minute with the game locked at 0-0 – the South Americans needed victory – when Suárez tussled with Chiellini as they chased a ball inside the Italy penalty area. The Liverpool striker leaned his forehead into Chiellini, in what looked, initially, to be a butt before biting down on his opponent’s shoulder. 

Suárez flung himself to the ground and, moments later, he could be seen holding his teeth.

Brazil 2014: Stephen Keshi blasts Nigerian fans

           Local World Cup viewers tune out after opener

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has lashed out at the country’s fans, saying it is a shame they have abused his person for the team’s showing at Brazil 2014. The Super Eagles and coach Keshi came under heavy fire from angry fans after they could only manage a 0-0 draw with Iran in their opening group game at the World Cup in Brazil.

But Keshi has taken serious exception to the fans’ rage, saying there was no justification for them to insult his person. “I am disappointed, totally disappointed (by the personal attacks), but it’s their thing, no wahala (no problem),” blasted Keshi in Brazil.

Full time: NIGERIA 1 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA 0

Bosnia and Herzegovina will curse that post and Enyeama's foot until the end of time as Dzeko had one of his best chances of the night in the last minute, receiving the ball off his chest and then pivoting about eight yards from the goal, but he didn’t put enough pace on it and it was snuffed out by Enyeama.

Nigeria have their first World Cup win since 1998 and Bosnia are out of the tournament. In truth they don't really deserve any more from tonight's game.

It was an unspired performance and whatever chances they created were wasted by Edin Dzeko. At the back Emir Spahic looked like he was playing football for the first time and Emmanuel Emenike's dominance of the right flank led to the Nigerian goal. The win was not without controversy, as Edin Dzeko saw a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside.

#WorldCup2014: Nigerian Super Eagles Defeat Bosnia to Go 2nd in Group F

Nigeria beats Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 behind Peter Odemwingie's goal. Bosnia has now been eliminated from the World Cup!

Vincent Enyeama, possibly Africa's greatest goal keeper as he denied Dzeko dying seconds chance to hit the back of the net- not Bosnia or Edin's night!

This is Nigeria's first World Cup win in 16 years (won 1-0 in 1998 group stage vs Bulgaria)

Nigeria and Mexico are the only nations yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.

Boko Haram gunmen in military uniforms raids five villages in Adamawa , kills 10

The suspected Islamist Boko Haram terrorists have killed 10 people in raids on five villages in Nigeria’s northeast Adamawa state, a local official said on Friday.

According to the source; “We have confirmed that 10 people were killed in the attacks on the five villages by Boko Haram insurgents yesterday (Thursday). Many people sustained injuries while trying to escape,” said Maina Ularamu, Madagali local government council chairman.

Scores of gunmen dressed in military uniform stormed the villages of Imirsa, Shuwari, Yaza, Humabza and Anguwar Shuwa, burning homes and looting food supplies, he told AFP. “The attackers invaded these villages and destroyed everything in them after carting away food stuffs belonging to the villagers,” Ularamu said.

World Cup: Costa Rica advances with win over Italy, knocks England out

Switzerland 2 (Dzemaili 81′ Xhaka 86') France 5 (Giroud 17' Matuidi 18', Valbuena 40', Benzema 66', Sissoko 72') - FT
France lay down their World Cup credentials with an impressive victory
Switzerland get two stunning late consolation goals from Dzemaili and Xhaka
Italy 0 Costa Rica 1 (Ruiz) FT

Costa Rica continued its startling run through the World Cup Friday defeating heavy favourites Italy 1-0 in Recife. The win assures Costa Rica of a trip to the second round. It also took away any chance England had of advancing. Italy needed to beat both Costa Rica and Uruguay for England to have a chance to advance.

Now Italy will be forced to play for its own life. They take on Uruguay in their final group match. Both have three points but because of a better goal differential Italy only have to tie Uruguay.

The way the Italians played against Costa Rica, that’s hardly a given. While Italy was dreadful, full marks for Costa Rica. They’ve spent days listening to how their 3-1 win over Uruguay was a fluke.

Die cries for occasion, not Dad

Tearful Ivory Coast midfielder Serey Die said the emotion of playing at the World Cup had simply overcome him during his country's national anthem before they lost to Colombia on Thursday.

Pictures of Die crying during the Elephants' hymn were beamed around the world, sparking social media rumours that his father had died just a few days ago.

Die dismissed those rumours and said it was simply the occasion that got to him in Brasilia.

"I'm a very emotional person. My life has always been difficult. I thought about my father who died in 2004, and I also thought about my tough life," said Die.

Brazil 2014; Spain, Cameroon out of world Cup

Champions Spain crashed humiliatingly out of the World Cup on Wednesday after a second shock defeat, along with Cameroon that lost 4-0 to Croatia, while 2010 runners-up the Netherlands continued their perfect start with another high-scoring win.

Thrashed 5-1 by the Dutch in their opening game, Spain’s normally composed and incisive team again looked a spent force, allowing Chile to score twice in the first half then hold firm for a totally deserved, glorious win.

“It is difficult to explain,” bemoaned Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was at fault on both goals and is likely to be among an old guard jettisoned for fresh faces.

“We ask people’s forgiveness. We are responsible but also the first ones to feel the pain.”

Brazil World Cup: Jonathan’s delegation dwarfs Obama’s, others in Africa

Nigeria, again, will spend a fortune on officials traveling abroad with President Goodluck Jonathan’s typically oversize presidential delegation to the World Cup in Brazil announced this week. If the mega-size team had any chance escaping public attention, a similar presidential delegation announced by United States President Barack Obama, sealed it.

Mr. Jonathan’s team comprises governors, ministers, federal lawmakers and diplomats- totalling more than a dozen; while Mr. Obama’s has an advisor, a diplomat and two former athletes only.