Oceania's final round drawn The third and final round of Oceania Zone qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ has been drawn in Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday 26 June. The winner of this round will play an intercontinental play-off match against the fourth-placed team from the North, Central America and the Caribbean Zone, with the victor claiming a spot at Brazil 2014. Below are the matches, which will take place from 7 September 2012 until 26 March 2013. The venues are yet to be decided. 7 September 2012 Solomon Islands-Tahiti New Caledonia-New Zealand 11 September 2012 Tahiti-New Caledonia New Zealand-Solomon Islands 12 October 2012 Tahiti-New Zealand Solomon Islands-New Caledonia 16 October 2012 New Zealand-Tahiti New Caledonia-Solomon Islands 22 March 2013 Tahiti-Solomon Islands New Zealand vs New Caledonia 26 March 2013 Solomon Islands-New Zealand New Caledonia-Tahiti

Argentina versus Brazil, The latest episode in the long-running football rivalry between Argentina and Brazil will unfold this week when Boca Juniors and Corinthians run out for the first leg of the 53rd Copa Libertadores decider. Finalists for the ninth time in their history, Los Xeneizes know exactly what to expect against a side who are making their first appearance at this stage of the competition.FIFA.com sets the scene for Wednesday’s first leg at the Bombonera. The match Boca Juniors (ARG) - Corinthians (BRA) Wednesday 27 June, 21:50 (local time), Buenos Aires With a place at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012 also at stake, the two sides will not be lacking in incentives when the whistle finally sounds. Having already identified the Libertadores as his priority this season, Julio Cesar Falcioni gave his first-teamers a rest on the final day of the Clausura campaign. Along with Rolando Schiavi, Pablo Ledesma and Clemente Rodriguez, Juan Roman Riquelme is one of four players to have won the tournament with Boca before. The veteran playmaker, now 34, will once again be the fulcrum of a side well versed in the ways of winning finals and which has lost just once at home in the competition this season, to Fluminense in the group phase. The Brazilian champions go into the final with their morale high after ousting holders Santos in a tight semi-final. Coach Tite, who welcomes Emerson back to the line-up, will be banking once again on his side’s team play and defensive strengths, which have been central to their unbeaten record in the Libertadores this year. Should O Timão manage to thwart Boca in their own backyard, they will go a long way to fulfilling a long-cherished dream of their army of fans, namely to become continental champions against a club with a habit of dashing the hopes of Brazilian sides. The duel Santiago Silva v Cassio Ramos The Uruguayan striker, who had a brief spell at Corinthians, has been Boca’s main strike threat in the competition so far, scoring decisive goals against Union Espanola, Fluminense and Universidad de Chile. A losing semi-finalist with Velez Sarsfield last year, Silva is now within two games of lifting the trophy. One man hoping to prevent that outcome is the Corinthians keeper, who has conceded just three goals in the competition so far. The 25-year-old former Gremio and PSV custodian will have a vital role to play at a stadium where no visiting side has been able to keep a clean sheet in the tournament to date. The victor in this head-to-head could well hold the key to the outcome. Did you know? Whereas the away-goals rule applied in the Round of 16, last eight and semi-finals, that will not be the case in the final. Should the aggregate score be level at the end of the second leg, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the scores are still tied. The stat 13 - The number of times Argentinian and Brazilian sides have faced each other in a Libertadores decider. The former hold sway with nine wins so far, while Boca Juniors have won four of their five finals against Brazilian teams, beating Cruzeiro in 1977, Palmeiras in 2000, Santos in 2003 and Gremio in 2007, with their only defeat coming against Santos in 1963. What they said Juan Roman Riquelme, Boca Juniors captain: “Before the semi-final I asked my team-mates to help me get to one more final, because I’m getting on now and I don’t think I’m going to get another chance. I think the team who plays the best football will win. We're going to do what we always do and I guess they will too. It might seem very easy from the outside looking in, but it’s a miracle to be playing another final. I just hope we can win the title." Tite, Corinthians coach: “The Bombonera exists and it’s real, but you have to be mature when you go and play there, like at the Pacaembu, Morumbi or Olimpico. Mental strength is the key. I’ve played against 93,000 fans a few times and it didn’t matter whether you could hear your team-mate from three metres away or not. What mattered was knowing what he wanted. That’s called concentration."

Bento: Patience key to beating Spaniards Portugal coach Paulo Bento has urged his players to be patient in their UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final with Spain on Wednesday, but says his side will not allow themselves to be dominated. Defending champions Spain have largely had their own way at the tournament, averaging 67.5 per cent of possession in their games to date, and they encountered little resistance in the 2-0 quarter-final win over France. Under Bento, Portugal have developed an effective counter-attacking style, but the 43-year-old coach says his players will not be content to sit and defend when they tackle Spain in Donetsk. "Of course there are going to be moments in the game when we can link up and go forward," he said in Tuesday's pre-game press conference. "We want possession of the ball, but we are playing against a team that has played better than all the other teams. "It's going to be about patience. We know what we have to do. We have to put pressure on our opponents in the right areas of the pitch," he added. "Our aim is not to defend all the time. You can't do that against the world and European champions. We are aware that it's going to be difficult but they also know that we can cause them problems. We believe that we can win against Spain. Portugal coach Paulo Bento "It was very easy to get motivated because we're in the semi-finals. There can't be a more beautiful opportunity than the one we have tomorrow," Bento said. "We could reach the second final in our history [after losing to Greece at EURO 2004] and that's what we're conscious of and that's why we've worked so hard to get here. "We won't have any anxiety. We're aware of our responsibilities to the Portuguese people and we hope to prolong our participation in the tournament," he went on. "We'll need to show great balance for 90 minutes. When we have chances to counter-attack, we'll have to take them. But we'll have to wait for our chances. There will be moments when they're on top, and moments when we're on top. "We need to play in the areas of the pitch where we're least vulnerable. But I'm very confident because we've played with a lot of heart and courage." Portugal prevailed 4-0 when the sides last met, in a friendly match in Lisbon that took place in November 2010 - four months after Spain won the FIFA World Cup™, and two months after Bento took over as coach from Carlos Queiroz. It was Spain's heaviest defeat since 1963, but Bento believes it will count for nothing when the teams resume hostilities at Donbass Arena. "A lot of players that played against them two years ago are in this squad, but it will be a totally different game," he said. "The history is different and the two teams on the pitch will be different. We know it'll be very, very difficult to repeat this result, but we believe that we can win against Spain."

Ruud KROL The Oranje and Ajax’s exhilarating defender When asked to share their dreams of a career in the beautiful game, budding young footballers are likely to profess admiration for the role of prolific goalscorer, midfield maestro, or even unbeatable goalkeeper, but it would be relatively unusual to hear a child aspire to become a professional fullback. It is said that a player becomes a left-back by circumstance more often than by choice: a winger who is asked to drop back, or a centre-back who fills in on the flank to help out his team. This is true of most countries, except in the Netherlands. Since the 1970s, the position of left-back is not one that players simply occupy by default. It has become, by contrast, a veritable vocation. The reason for this? The brilliance of Ruud Krol. It is only fair to point out at this juncture that, as well as being the greatest left-back of his era, the Dutchman was also one of the period’s best wingers, defensive midfielders and sweepers. The ideal representative of the ground-breaking ‘total football’ concept, Krol boasted an impressive athleticism that was matched by a sharp intellect. “Our system provided a solution to the old stamina problem,” Krol said of the style established by the legendary Rinus Michels. “How do you go about playing for 90 minutes and conserving your energy at the same time? As a left-back, if I have to run 70 metres up the wing, it’s hardly ideal if I have to immediately cover the same distance to regain my position. So if the left-sided midfielder can slot in where I was, and if the winger drops back into midfield, that cuts down on the distances. That was our approach." It was an approach that was simple to follow on the international stage when it was also the way things were already done domestically, as was the case for Krol, who made his debut for Ajax in 1968. He would reign supreme on the left side of the Amsterdam club’s defence at Dutch, European and world level, as Eredivisie titles (1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1979 and 1980), European Cups (1972 and 1973) and an Intercontinental Cup (1972) were all captured in style. From party animal to football addict While it is true that everything is easier when playing in a ‘dream team’, the struggle to initially become part of said group is sometimes overlooked by observers. Brought in for next to nothing from the youth team of Rood Wit, a modest outfit operating in the lower divisions, Krol had to show patience in order to make the breakthrough from the reserves to the first team. As a right-footed player, the first hurdle he faced came in the imposing shape of Wim Suurbier, Ajax’s starting right-back and at the time generally accepted to be one of the best in the world in that role. Undeterred, the Amsterdam native worked on improving his left foot for months, and in 1969, he eventually became the successor to Theo van Duivenbode, on the other side of the defence. The second obstacle was a less than flattering reputation for enjoying the good things in life a little too much. As Michels recounted: “The greatest danger to Ruud’s career was not Feyenoord’s right winger, or PSV’s Rene van de Kerkhof, but rather the beautiful women in the bars and nightclubs of Amsterdam’s old town.” Thankfully for Krol, during his initial pre-season with the first-team squad, he struck up a friendship with new recruit Nico Reynders, who would become a crucial influence on the then youngster’s career, persuading him to go to bed early and train harder. The message was received and understood, so much so that Krol would become a model professional. “I’d still go to the cinema or to a nightclub from time to time, but football was what I thought about most of the time,” he recalled when asked about a generation of footballers reputed to be as committed on the pitch as they were hedonistic off it. “Some players were more attracted by the nightlife, but I only cared about the football. Sometimes, Michels thought that I seemed too stressed. At those times, he’d come to see me and say, ‘Go on, Ruud, go out and have some fun!’ And that’s what I did, but never before an important match." Final heartbreak in Munich and Buenos Aires Consequently, when German newpaper Bild Zeitung splashed a titillating story across its front page the day before the Final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup Germany™, one in which some of the Dutch squad were alleged to have spent a night partying with members of the opposite sex in the hotel swimming pool, Johan Cruyff’s reaction of gathering his team-mates to announce, "We’ve got a big problem”, was somewhat understandable. Some denied it had ever happened, while others viewed it as a conspiracy. But did it really have a destabilising effect on the Netherlands within hours of their decisive clash with West Germany? As far as Krol is concerned, it was not an issue. He said: “It’s the same everywhere – the press do everything in their power to enable the host nation to win. We’d read the article, of course, but we were completely focused on the match." In fact, their concentration was such that in the first minute, the Germans did not touch the ball once before Uli Hoeness brought down Cruyff for a penalty, which Johan Neeskens duly converted. Krol and Co were unable to take advantage of this incredible start, however, and would eventually find themselves on the end of a 2-1 defeat. The winning goal was scored by Gerd Muller, who emerged victorious from his duel with Krol, who recalled:. “I’d blocked his first effort, but as he went for it a second time, he mishit it a little. Otherwise I would have had it. In the end, the ball finished up in the back of the net." It’s very sad not to have been world champions with a team that played so well. I’ve got two silver medals, but I’d swap them both for a single gold one. Ruud Krol Franz Beckenbauer and his team-mates may well have lifted the Trophy, but it was the Dutch who received the plaudits from the watching world, following their sensational run at FIFA’s flagship tournament, one which saw them defeat Uruguay (2-0), Argentina (4-0) and defending world champions Brazil (2-0), all the while practising a delightful, flowing brand of football. It seemed to many who had witnessed their dominating displays that the competition runners-up would get another shot at glory in the not too distant future.And so they did, four years later in Argentina, where, even without talisman Cruyff, and with Krol now captain and deployed in a sweeper role, the Oranje continued to create many magic moments on the pitch, reaching a second successive Final in the process. But the fates had decided that they would once again face a host nation backed by a fervent home support. And like Muller four years previously, the Dutch came up against a striker at the peak of his powers in the form of Mario Kempes, whose goal in extra time – his second of the afternoon – sealed a 3-1 win for La Albiceleste. The Netherlands had earlier come back from 1-0 down to equalise with eight minutes to go, and when Rob Rensenbrink was wonderfully set up by Krol in the final seconds of normal time, the post denied the Dutch what surely would have been a title-winning goal. Debates about the best player to have never lifted the FIFA World Cup are always heated, with Michel Platini, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Zico and Eusebio among the names that are regularly put forward. But when the question is extended to the best team, a consensus is usually reached quite quickly. Even the great Hungary team of 1954 are pipped to the post by the Netherlands in this category. “It was a profoundly painful experience," said Krol over 30 years on from the second disappointment. "I haven’t really moved on from it. It’s very sad not to have been world champions with a team that played so well. I’ve got two silver medals, but I’d swap them both for a single gold one. We’ll always be the country that played well and won nothing. Of course, the 1988 side won the European Championship, but not the World Cup. The World Cup is something else altogether.” Winding down an artist's career Dutch football missed its opportunity to rule the world, at roughly the same time that Ajax’s reign over Europe was brought to an end by the emergence of English and German clubs, who between them would win every European Cup between 1974 and '84. In 1980, Krol turned 31 and decided that his best years were behind him. He opted to sign for Vancouver Whitecaps, but after just 14 matches for the Canadian outfit, came to the realisation that he was still capable of playing top-flight football in Europe, and promptly joined Napoli. Once again, the versatile Dutchman’s timing was lacking – in four seasons in Naples, he won nothing, with the exception of the hearts of the Stadio San Paolo faithful and the award of Serie A’s Best Foreign Player in 1981. He left the club in 1984, just a few days before the arrival of a certain Diego Maradona. While the Italian side were entering the greatest era of their history, Krol was drawing the curtain on his career at Cannes, in the French second division. In a town better known for its world-famous film festival, Krol summed up his career in an appropriate manner: “Football is not an art, but it is an art to play it well.”

Titles, triumphs and penalty pain ( In our latest stats review, FIFA.com looks over impressive records for Spain and Germany at UEFA EURO 2012, a depressing theme for England, title joy in Argentina, and a long-awaited final for a Brazilian giant. 484 minutes without conceding was the mark at which Corinthians keeper Cassio was finally beaten in the Copa Libertadores last Thursday, with Neymar the man to end his resistance. Yet despite the Santos star’s goal, his 27th in as many competitive appearances – a tally which rose to 28 in 28 at the weekend – it was O Timão who were celebrating at the end. A 1-1 draw enabled the Sao Paulo outfit to qualify for the first Libertadores final of their 102-year history, a match in which they will face a Boca Juniors side aiming for a record-equalling seventh continental title. Corinthians’ success thus far has been built on a sturdy defence and, the semi-final aside, imperious home form. Indeed, Neymar’s goal was the first they had conceded in the tournament at their Pacaembu stadium, with six matches there producing an aggregate scoreline of 14-1. 27 different clubs have now been crowned Argentinian champions after Arsenal became the latest on Sunday. Founded as recently as 1957, the Sarandi outfit are comfortably the youngest of their country’s top-flight teams, and had never finished higher than third prior to this season. However, a 1-0 win over a Belgrano side who picked two red and five yellow cards, combined with a 2-2 draw for joint-leaders Tigre against Independiente, enabled Arsenal to create a little piece of history. Ironically though, most eyes in Argentina were focused on the division below, where record champions River Plate were securing their return to the Primera Division at the first time of asking, 362 days on from their shock relegation. The scorer of both goals in Los Millonarios' title-clinching 2-0 win over Almirante Brown was David Trezeguet, whose tally of 13 has established him as the highest scorer in the second round of Nacional B fixtures. 15 successive competitive victories was the new world record set by Germany with their 4-2 triumph over Greece on Friday. This latest win took them beyond the benchmark of 14 they shared with Spain and the Netherlands, and was achieved with ease in a match in which they enjoyed 78 per cent of possession – the highest share recorded by any team thus far at EURO 2012. Miroslav Klose also found himself among the goals, and as well as becoming the third German – after Jurgen Klinsmann and Rudi Voller – to score in at least five major tournaments, he moved to within one goal of Gerd Muller’s record haul of 18 at FIFA World Cups and European Championships. Germany are, however, likely to find it considerably tougher against Italy, a nation they have never beaten in seven attempts at major tournaments. The semi-final also pits the team (Germany) with most goals (9) and fewest shots (51) of those remaining at EURO 2012 against the side with most shots (77) and fewest goals (4). 5 years and 364 days have now passed since Spain conceded a goal in the knockout phase of either the EURO or the FIFA World Cup. Not since Zinedine Zidane scored a stoppage-time clincher in France’s 3-1 win over La Roja at Germany 2006 has Iker Casillas been beaten in the latter stages of either competition, with the subsequent streak of eight clean sheets enabling him to set a new record. Ironically, Casillas’s latest shutout came not only against France, but on Zidane’s 40th birthday, and the same match witnessed Xavi surpass Zizou’s record tally of 707 successful passes at the EURO by raising his own tally to 734. The star of the show, however, was Xabi Alonso, who scored both goals and was responsible for all three of Spain’s efforts on target. It was the perfect way mark his 100th international appearance, with the Real Madrid midfielder becoming only the fifth Spanish centurion after Casillas, Raul, Xavi and Andoni Zubizarreta. 1 win in 7: that is England’s miserable record in penalty shootouts after they exited EURO 2012 in familiar fashion on Sunday. And the Three Lions’ record in quarter-final matches is scarcely any better. Indeed, England have been beaten in all but one of their nine last-eight encounters outside London, with a 3-2 win over Cameroon at Italy 1990 the sole exception. Heartbreaking as it was for them, none of Roy Hodgson’s men could claim that this latest shootout defeat was undeserved. Italy had, after all, attempted 36 shots to England’s nine, completed 744 passes to their opponents’ 269, and are now unbeaten in 14 competitive matches under Cesare Prandelli.

Japan, UAE grab London tickets Japan and United Arab Emirates will join Korea Republic in representing Asia at this year's Men's Olympic Football Tournament after bagging respective victories over Bahrain and Uzbekistan on Matchday 6 of the continent's final qualifying round. Both Japan and UAE entered their final-round deciders needing just a point to go through. However, the pair went through in style as Japan recorded a 2-0 home win over Bahrain to book their fifth consecutive qualification, while UAE sealed their Olympic debut with a 3-2 triumph in Uzbekistan. And, while the Uzbeks suffered defeat, all hope is not lost as they now join Oman and Syria as group runners-up and will take part in a round-robin play-off tournament in Vietnam later this month. The winner will go on to meet Senegal in April to vie for a fourth possible berth for Asia. Join FIFA.com as it reviews all these details and more in Olympic qualifying across Asia. The match Japan 2-0 Bahrain Bahrain came out all guns blazing against Japan, knowing that only a big win would see them edge their opponents in claiming Group C's qualifying spot. Japan coach Takashi Sekizuka had advised his side to stay true to their possession-based style and the home side duly enjoyed the lion's share of the ball. As a result, Bahrain were limited to a few desperate half-chances and the pair played out a goalless first half. A 6.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Tokyo area during the second half, but it did little to disturb proceedings on the pitch. Cheered on by home crowd support, the Japanese finally went ahead on 55 minutes. Takahiro Ogihara latched on to a Genki Haraguchi cross to open the scoring, while Hiroshi Kiyotake sealed the victory four minutes later. In the section's other game, Syria defeated Malaysia 3-0 to finish second in the group and secure a play-off place, with Mardek Mardkian scoring in each half and Omar Al Suma netting the other. The surprise Uzbekistan 2-3 United Arab Emirates Needing a win to pip Group B leaders UAE, the Uzbeks, with a strong home record, came into the game full of attacking intentions. Midfielder Oybek Kilichev wreaked havoc, sending set-pieces into the penalty area, while Kenja Turaev tested goalkeeper Adel Mohamed with a low-driven shot. And Uzbekistan’s pressure finally told on 34 minutes when Oleg Zoteev saw his shot find its way past both Mohamed and a goalline defender, before Fozil Musaev doubled the lead with a header shortly after the restart. However, just when the central Asians looked as if they would cruise to victory, Ahmed Khalil enjoyed a moment of individual brilliance as he guided his side back into the contest. The 2008 AFC Youth Player of the Year reduced the deficit with a sublimely taken free-kick on 51 minutes and within four minutes grabbed his second to put the game on a knife's edge. Taking the goalscorer’s place was substitute Haboosh Saleh, who went on to settle the contest with an injury-time effort. The other match in the group, between two eliminated sides, saw Australia, effectively fielding an U-21 side, held to a goalless draw at home by Iraq. The other attractions In Group A, Hussain Al Hadhri struck two minutes before the break to put Oman ahead, but Saudi Arabia's Fahd Al Muwallad ensured a share of the spoils 11 minutes into the second half in a 1-1 draw. The point, coupled with Qatar's goalless draw with Korea Republic in the other game in the pool, ensured Oman clinched the section’s play-off place as second-place finishers. The player Ahmed Khalil proved the star for UAE, as he scored two of the day’s finest strikes to help his side claim a thrilling come-from-behind win over Uzbekistan and a place at London 2012. The stat 0 - Australia emerged the only side to conclude the final round with no goals scored as they finished bottom in Group B, failing to qualify for the Olympic tournament for the first time since 1984. What they said "I have a lot of players with potential. We qualified for the Olympics, but this is merely a start. It was really tough to get through the Asian qualifying rounds. I feel relieved now," said Japan coach Takashi Sekizuka. Final round - Matchday 6 14 March Group A: Saudi Arabia 1-1 Oman, Korea Republic 0-0 Qatar Group B: Uzbekistan 2-3 United Arab Emirates, Australia 0-0 Iraq Group C: Syria 3-0 Malaysia, Japan 2-0 Bahrain

Mixed fortunes for leaders in the east Action resumed in the major leagues of east Asia following a break for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifiers. It was a positive return to action for Vegalta Sendai in Japan and Guangzhou Evergrande in China PR, but Korea Republic leaders Seoul FC hit a speed-bump as second-placed Jeonbuk Motors continued their momentum. FIFA.com’s weekly review of club action across Asia also takes in the latest from Uzbekistan and Malaysia, plus a disappointing end to the season for Diego Maradona’s Al Wasl. Japan’s J.League: Leading duo resume battle Vegalta Sendai and Sanfrecce Hiroshima maintained their battle for supremacy, with both again coming up trumps on Saturday. Vegalta retained their two-point advantage by overpowering newly promoted Consadole Sapporo 4-1, Atsushi Yanagisawa setting the home team on their way by scoring either side of half-time. Sanfrecce Hiroshima were equally impressive in winning by the same margin over Cerezo Osaka, with the league’s leading goalscorer Hisato Sato again on target, while Naoki Ishihara bagged a second-half brace. Urawa Red Diamonds and Kawasaki Frontale are a further three points adrift, and Jubilo Iwata and Shimizu S-Pulse both lost ground on the top four after defeats. Big game: Last year, Gamba Osaka at home to Urawa Red Diamonds was very much a case of title-chasers hosting relegation-battlers. This season, the roles are reversed, although the Saitama club needed an injury-time winner from Tsukasa Umesaki to inflict more pain on the embattled Gamba. Headline-grabber: Nagoya Grampus Eight, another 2011 contender struggling for consistency this term, returned to winning ways with a 3-2 comeback victory at Kashima Antlers, with Kensuke Nagai their two-goal hero. Korea Republic's K-League: Motors in top gear, Seoul falter on the road Jeonbuk Motors claimed their fifth straight victory, a 5-1 win at Daegu, to close the gap to one point on leaders FC Seoul, who lost 1-0 against Pohang Steelers. Suwon Bluewings were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Jeju United, while Ulsan Horangi lost 3-2 at Gyeongnam. Struggling Sangju Sangmu came from behind to defeat Gangwon 2-1 thanks to a last-gasp brace from Park Sang-Hee. Elsewhere, Chunnam Dragons and Busan I'Park beat Daejeon Citizen and Seongnam Chunma 1-0 respectively as the south-coast sides returned to the winner’s circle. Big game: In a duel between the heroes of Korea/Japan 2002, Hwang Sun-Hong's Pohang beat Choi Yong-Soo's Seoul by a single goal at the Steelyard. Defender Kim Dae-Ho scored his first goal for the Steelers early in the first half, heading home a Hwang Jin-Sung corner from the right. Headline-grabber: It was a day to remember for another rookie, as substitute Park Sang-Hee broke his duck in just his 12th appearance in three seasons in the South Korean top flight. The Sangju midfielder scored the equaliser against Gangwon in the 90th minute before firing home the winner three minutes into added time. China PR’s Super League: Rampant Guangzhou consolidate lead The C-League recommenced over the weekend after its hiatus but the break did little to diminish the form of the league’s giants. Not surprisingly, Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande continued their fine form in thrashing fourth-placed Jiangsu Sainty 5-1 at home to extend their lead to four points. Among the chasing pack, Beijing Guoan edged into second, a point clear of Guangzhou R&F, despite being held to a goalless draw by visiting Qingdao Jonoon. Meanwhile, a 5-0 home demolition of Hangzhou Greentown saw Guizhou Renhe move into the top six and join the title contenders. Big match: With the recent signing of former Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios, who is expected to make his debut for Guangzhou Evergrande in July, the pressure is on the current forward line-up to prove their worth. And the team’s pair of South Americans in attack duly delivered, with Brazilian Muriqui completing a hat-trick and Argentinian Dario Conca also on target as Guangzhou again hit form. Headline-grabber: Guangzhou R&F's lacklustre away results continue to haunt them as they lost 2-1 at Dalian Aerbin in a meeting between the league's two newly promoted sides. Elsewhere Bahrain’s Al Muharraq completed a remarkable comeback to win the Gulf Clubs Championship final and ensure Diego Maradona’s first season at Al Wasl ended trophyless. The Bahrainis reversed their 3-1 home defeat to force extra time in Dubai before eventually prevailing in a penalty shoot-out against an opponent reduced to nine men. In Uzbekistan, the top-of-the-table contest between Bunyodkor and Nasaf Qarsi ended in a goalless stalemate, a result which maintains the former’s two-point cushion at the top. Under Uzbekistan coach Mirdjalal Kasimov, the defending champions are aiming for double success on both the Asian and domestic front, having stormed into the knockout stage in this year's AFC Champions League. Third-placed Pakhtakor threw away a 1-0 lead early in the second half to lose 3-1 at Nefchi Fergana. Singapore LionsXII maintained their impressive form in the Malaysia Super League, cementing their place at the summit with a 9-0 dismantling of struggling Sabah. Hariss Harun netted a treble while Shahdan Sulaiman struck twice as the debutants recorded their 14th victory from 23 outings. The leaders, who feature mainly Singaporean U-23 players, now enjoy a six-point lead over defending champions Kelantan, who - with five games in hand - maintained the pressure with a 2-1 win against Kedah.

Torino Pore over the greatest achievements of Italian football, and its most tragic chapters, and you will invariably come across the name of Torino Football Club, whose famous claret shirt has been worn by a succession of players embodying the passion, will to win and spirit of sacrifice synonymous with the club. FIFA.com retraces the history of Il Toro, who have occupied a special place in the heart of all Italians ever since the 1949 Superga air disaster, which wiped out a much-admired generation of players. Birth of an institution The club was founded on the evening of 3 December 1906 at a gathering in a Turin bar called Voigt, situated on Via Pietro Micca. Chaired by the Swiss Alfred Dick, the meeting brought together 23 people, some of them FC Torinese fans, some of them defectors from Juventus, aghast at I Bianconeri’s decision to turn professional. The outfit they set up was called Foot Ball Club Torino, with Dick offering the chairmanship to his compatriot and former player Hans Schoenbrod, a man passionate about his directorial duties. For the first few weeks of its existence, Il Toro, as the club is commonly known in Italy, played in the yellow-and-black striped jersey of Torinese before eventually adopting the claret their players have worn ever since. There are two different theories behind the switch in colours, the most widely accepted explanation being that Alfred Dick was a supporter of Geneva club Servette, which also wore claret. The other school of thought holds that the colour, not one adopted widely in football, was chosen because it was also that of the Brigata di Savoia (The Brigade of Savoy), which liberated French-occupied Turin in the 18th century and adopted the blood-coloured handkerchief as its symbol, in tribute to a messenger who was killed as he was about to proclaim victory. The new club recorded its first win, a 3-1 defeat of Pro Vercelli, 13 days after being founded and won the first derby against Juventus 2-1, on 13 January 1907. In 1912, the same year that Vittorio Pozzo – Italy’s FIFA World Cup™-winning coach of 1934 and 1938 – began his ten-year tenure as manager, Torino became the first European club to embark on a tour of South America. Undaunted by what was quite an undertaking for the time, the Turin side won all six of their matches, their victims including Corinthians and Argentina. The making of a legend Il Toro would have to wait until 1928 before winning their first scudetto. That success came under club president Count Enrico Marone Cinzano, who signed several world-class players and laid the foundations of Il Grande Torino, the great Torino side of the 1940s. These included Argentinian Julio Libonatti, who would become the first oriundo (immigrant of native ancestry) to play for Italy, Adolfo Baloncieri and Gino Rossetti. Collectively, the three were known as Trio delle Meraviglie (The Wonder Trio) and would score a remarkable 89 goals between them in helping Torino to that maiden title. In 1939 Cinzano made way for Ferruccio Novo, the man who would quickly become known as the “father” of Il Grande Torino. Within a few short months he had assembled a line-up that would be remembered forever: Bacigalupo, Ballarin, Maroso, Grezar, Rigamonti, Castigliano, Menti, Loik, Gabetto, Mazzola and Ossola. Together these 11 players formed one of the most smoothly functioning teams in the history of the game. The captain and driving force of this record-breaking outfit was Valentino Mazzola, whose sons Ferruccio and Sandro became outstanding players in their own right. Il Toro won five consecutive league titles between 1943 and 1949, the Italian championship being suspended for two years during that period due to the Second World War. Their finest season during that run came in 1947/48, when Il Granata broke a string of records, including a best-ever goal difference of +92 (125 goals for and 33 against), which stands to this day. Providing no fewer than ten players to the Italy side, Torino became the symbol of a country that was attempting to get back on its feet, with people up and down the land adopting the claret of their shirts as their colour. It was then, on 4 May 1949 and with Torino at their peak, that tragedy struck. On a flight home from Lisbon, where they had played in a testimonial match for the Benfica player Jose Ferreira, the plane carrying the team encountered thick fog and technical problems on the descent to the city’s airport and crashed into the rear of the basilica situated atop the Superga hill, overlooking Turin. All 31 people on board, including the players, club officials and several journalists, were killed. In an instant Il Grande Torino had been destroyed. Half a million people turned out for the players’ funerals on 6 May, while the rest of the Serie A clubs agreed to award the league title to Torino, who were championship leaders at the time with just four games remaining. It would take Il Toro the best part of another 30 years to win their next title. The club suffered relegation to Serie B for the first time in 1959 before bouncing back immediately. Climbing their way back into the limelight in the 1960s, they then endured another tragic setback with the death in a car crash of the hugely promising Gigi Meroni, a stylish player known as the “The Claret Butterfly”. Following two Coppa Italia wins in 1968 and 1971, Torino finally won their first league title since the Superga disaster in 1976, the architects of that triumph being forwards Paolo Pulici and Francesco Graziani, and midfielder Renato Zaccarelli, a future coach at the club. The present Since then, Torino have enjoyed a few highs, reaching the 1992 UEFA Cup final and winning the Coppa Italia in 1993, and several lows, including serious financial problems. Il Toro also gained a reputation as a yo-yo club, flitting between Serie A to Serie B on a regular basis. The newly concluded season saw them regain their top-flight status once more, though Torino fans also had to endure the sight of rivals Juventus clinching the league title. With the support of their diehard fans, the club’s task now is to lay a solid base and consolidate their Serie A status, though the city is already eagerly awaiting the return of the Turin derby next season. The stadium Torino have led something of a nomadic existence. After spending their first three years at the Velodromo Umberto I, they took up residence at four different stadiums between 1910 and 1926 before finally laying down some roots at the Stadio Filadelfia, which was officially opened on 17 October 1926. At the start of the 1963/64 season Il Grenata moved to the Stadio Vittorio Pozzo, a 65,000-capacity stadium more commonly known as the Comunale. A further move came after the 1990 FIFA World Cup Italy, this time to the Stadio Delle Alpi, followed by yet another one in 2006, to the Stadio Olimpico di Torino, where they have remained ever since. The original design project envisaged a covered, all-seater stadium with a capacity of nearly 60,000, though this was reduced to 27,994 in order to meet safety standards.

Torino Pore over the greatest achievements of Italian football, and its most tragic chapters, and you will invariably come across the name of Torino Football Club, whose famous claret shirt has been worn by a succession of players embodying the passion, will to win and spirit of sacrifice synonymous with the club. FIFA.com retraces the history of Il Toro, who have occupied a special place in the heart of all Italians ever since the 1949 Superga air disaster, which wiped out a much-admired generation of players. Birth of an institution The club was founded on the evening of 3 December 1906 at a gathering in a Turin bar called Voigt, situated on Via Pietro Micca. Chaired by the Swiss Alfred Dick, the meeting brought together 23 people, some of them FC Torinese fans, some of them defectors from Juventus, aghast at I Bianconeri’s decision to turn professional. The outfit they set up was called Foot Ball Club Torino, with Dick offering the chairmanship to his compatriot and former player Hans Schoenbrod, a man passionate about his directorial duties. For the first few weeks of its existence, Il Toro, as the club is commonly known in Italy, played in the yellow-and-black striped jersey of Torinese before eventually adopting the claret their players have worn ever since. There are two different theories behind the switch in colours, the most widely accepted explanation being that Alfred Dick was a supporter of Geneva club Servette, which also wore claret. The other school of thought holds that the colour, not one adopted widely in football, was chosen because it was also that of the Brigata di Savoia (The Brigade of Savoy), which liberated French-occupied Turin in the 18th century and adopted the blood-coloured handkerchief as its symbol, in tribute to a messenger who was killed as he was about to proclaim victory. The new club recorded its first win, a 3-1 defeat of Pro Vercelli, 13 days after being founded and won the first derby against Juventus 2-1, on 13 January 1907. In 1912, the same year that Vittorio Pozzo – Italy’s FIFA World Cup™-winning coach of 1934 and 1938 – began his ten-year tenure as manager, Torino became the first European club to embark on a tour of South America. Undaunted by what was quite an undertaking for the time, the Turin side won all six of their matches, their victims including Corinthians and Argentina. The making of a legend Il Toro would have to wait until 1928 before winning their first scudetto. That success came under club president Count Enrico Marone Cinzano, who signed several world-class players and laid the foundations of Il Grande Torino, the great Torino side of the 1940s. These included Argentinian Julio Libonatti, who would become the first oriundo (immigrant of native ancestry) to play for Italy, Adolfo Baloncieri and Gino Rossetti. Collectively, the three were known as Trio delle Meraviglie (The Wonder Trio) and would score a remarkable 89 goals between them in helping Torino to that maiden title. In 1939 Cinzano made way for Ferruccio Novo, the man who would quickly become known as the “father” of Il Grande Torino. Within a few short months he had assembled a line-up that would be remembered forever: Bacigalupo, Ballarin, Maroso, Grezar, Rigamonti, Castigliano, Menti, Loik, Gabetto, Mazzola and Ossola. Together these 11 players formed one of the most smoothly functioning teams in the history of the game. The captain and driving force of this record-breaking outfit was Valentino Mazzola, whose sons Ferruccio and Sandro became outstanding players in their own right. Il Toro won five consecutive league titles between 1943 and 1949, the Italian championship being suspended for two years during that period due to the Second World War. Their finest season during that run came in 1947/48, when Il Granata broke a string of records, including a best-ever goal difference of +92 (125 goals for and 33 against), which stands to this day. Providing no fewer than ten players to the Italy side, Torino became the symbol of a country that was attempting to get back on its feet, with people up and down the land adopting the claret of their shirts as their colour. It was then, on 4 May 1949 and with Torino at their peak, that tragedy struck. On a flight home from Lisbon, where they had played in a testimonial match for the Benfica player Jose Ferreira, the plane carrying the team encountered thick fog and technical problems on the descent to the city’s airport and crashed into the rear of the basilica situated atop the Superga hill, overlooking Turin. All 31 people on board, including the players, club officials and several journalists, were killed. In an instant Il Grande Torino had been destroyed. Half a million people turned out for the players’ funerals on 6 May, while the rest of the Serie A clubs agreed to award the league title to Torino, who were championship leaders at the time with just four games remaining. It would take Il Toro the best part of another 30 years to win their next title. The club suffered relegation to Serie B for the first time in 1959 before bouncing back immediately. Climbing their way back into the limelight in the 1960s, they then endured another tragic setback with the death in a car crash of the hugely promising Gigi Meroni, a stylish player known as the “The Claret Butterfly”. Following two Coppa Italia wins in 1968 and 1971, Torino finally won their first league title since the Superga disaster in 1976, the architects of that triumph being forwards Paolo Pulici and Francesco Graziani, and midfielder Renato Zaccarelli, a future coach at the club. The present Since then, Torino have enjoyed a few highs, reaching the 1992 UEFA Cup final and winning the Coppa Italia in 1993, and several lows, including serious financial problems. Il Toro also gained a reputation as a yo-yo club, flitting between Serie A to Serie B on a regular basis. The newly concluded season saw them regain their top-flight status once more, though Torino fans also had to endure the sight of rivals Juventus clinching the league title. With the support of their diehard fans, the club’s task now is to lay a solid base and consolidate their Serie A status, though the city is already eagerly awaiting the return of the Turin derby next season. The stadium Torino have led something of a nomadic existence. After spending their first three years at the Velodromo Umberto I, they took up residence at four different stadiums between 1910 and 1926 before finally laying down some roots at the Stadio Filadelfia, which was officially opened on 17 October 1926. At the start of the 1963/64 season Il Grenata moved to the Stadio Vittorio Pozzo, a 65,000-capacity stadium more commonly known as the Comunale. A further move came after the 1990 FIFA World Cup Italy, this time to the Stadio Delle Alpi, followed by yet another one in 2006, to the Stadio Olimpico di Torino, where they have remained ever since. The original design project envisaged a covered, all-seater stadium with a capacity of nearly 60,000, though this was reduced to 27,994 in order to meet safety standards.

Women’s football on the agenda in Costa Rica In the presence of major government bodies, business representatives, sponsors, members of FIFA and of the Costa Rican Football Association (FEDEFUTBOL), as well as the media, the FIFA Com-Unity Seminar, a gathering encouraging the growth of women’s football in Costa Rica, began on Wednesday 20 June and will run until 23 June. The primary objective of the seminar is to focus the Costa Rican public’s attention on the unified approach being taken to the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup Costa Rica 2014. “During these three days, we’re going to try to initiate an agreement between the government, the media and marketing specialists, so that we can raise awareness that the tournament should be an event that involves the whole country," said FEDEFUTBOL President Eduardo Li. "We all have to show our support and join forces, because the entire nation will benefit from it.” The football official was keen to stress that “this important U-17 World Cup must be viewed as a national project, one in which the people of Costa Rica are the greatest beneficiaries. And even more so for all the young girls out there, who will view competitions like this one as great opportunities to show the watching world what they can do.” Setting a benchmark FIFA Women’s Football Development Manager, Mayrilian Cruz-Blanco, praised the growth of the women’s game in the country, urging the public to get behind an event that will bear considerable fruit for sport in the Central American nation. “On behalf of FIFA, it is with great satisfaction that I can state that Costa Rica is, in terms of the way in which women’s football is organised, a role model for many countries across the world," said Cruz. "One example of this is Shirley Cruz, a player who, through hard work and dedication, has demonstrated with strong performances in the French league that the potential exists here to succeed and to take a football career onto the next level.” During the first day of the seminar, FIFA representatives revisited the organisational details of previous FIFA women’s competitions, the impact they had, and the tremendous benefits that they can generate for host nations. Influential branches of government, such as the National Women’s Institute (INAMU) and the Costa Rican Sporting Institute (ICODER), as well as the Ministry of Education, delivered presentations on the history of women’s football in Costa Rica, its subsequent growth and the exciting opportunities that could emerge from the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2014.

Simone: A coach’s work is never done “I’m not a coach or a magician. That’s a fact and I’d be a liar if I said otherwise." So warned former Italy international Marco Simone back in September 2011, upon taking the reins of an Monaco side languishing in 18th place in Ligue 2 at the time. “But, after 18 years as a pro, I do know football. I will find ways to improve this team and get the players back to their best.” Though it is true Simone did not perform miracles, the ex-Monaco striker did guide L’ASM safely home in eighth place. It therefore came as a real surprise when the club relieved him of his duties come the end of the campaign, particularly given that Simone’s first steps on the coaching ladder seemed to be so positive. Not only did the Italian steer the club up the standings, his side’s performances continuously improved and he favoured a spectacular, rigorously attacking brand of football – a style that reflected his own time as a player. Indeed, throughout his career, Simone was always an entertainer as well as a goalscorer, capable of tremendous pieces of skill and strikes seemingly out of nowhere. With a CV that also included productive spells at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, fans at all his ex-clubs have wonderful memories of the diminutive front-man. In an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, Simone looked back at some of those memorable moments, as well as giving his verdict on his fledgling coaching career. FIFA.com: You’ve just come off the back of your first coaching experience. Did you enjoy it as much as when you were a player? Marco Simone: A coach’s job is very intense. Obviously your work doesn’t stop after training is over, it continues into the afternoon, evening and late at night. You’ve always got matches to prepare for, opponents to analyse: it never stops. But in some specific areas, the two roles are very similar. And I must admit the feeling I get when one of my players hits a winning goal is just the same I might have if it was me who’d made the net bulge. You took charge of the team when it was in 18th spot and Monaco ended up eighth. Are you satisfied with the job you did? My level of personal satisfaction is partly linked to the quality of football my team played and partly to the end result. The end result was there, since we managed to avoid relegation. As far as the way we achieved that aim, I realise that I need to keep improving. That said, if you take into account it was my first experience in the dugout then I am pleased. The overall verdict is positive. You’ve worked under some genuine coaching greats, including Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello and Alberto Zaccheroni. In your view, which were the most inspirational? I’d go with Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, with a slight preference for the former. For Sacchi, tactics were at the root of absolutely everything, and his coaching sessions were all focused around that. We’d work exhaustively on how to occupy space, positioning, movement etc. In his view, what mattered was what happened out on the pitch, he wasn’t too concerned with what went on off it. Capello, for his part, is exemplary in terms of how to manage a squad. He’s a genuine manager [as opposed to a training-ground coach], and he’s an excellent communicator. He’s the greatest... It was simply extraordinary to watch his play. I treasure the fact I was lucky enough to work alongside him. Marco Simone on Marco van Basten Why did you decide to start your coaching career at Monaco? It’s a really great club. It’s always had a special place in my heart, I’ve made some very strong ties there. Besides which I’d decided to live there after I hung up my boots. In a certain way, Monaco has become my homeland. It’s fantastic to be able to train one of the clubs closest to your heart one day. And, speaking in more general terms, I really like France. I feel a bond with the country, I love its championship and the people’s attitude. Given your in-depth knowledge of French football, is there any one player that you particularly admire? Kevin Gameiro is a player I really like, and someone I’d love to have in one of my teams. Small, quick and clinical in front of goal, Gameiro has an air of Marco Simone about him don’t you think? Yes, it’s true. But that’s not the only reason why I like him, I’m not quite that narcissistic! (laughs) Turning back to your playing days, what is your fondest memory of your career? Two things spring to mind. The first encompasses all the trophies I won at each of my clubs: AC Milan, Monaco and PSG. I had some very intense and emotional experiences at those three clubs. The second thing goes back to the day when I arrived back at Milan, on loan from AS Monaco, in 2001/02. I’ll never forget the ovation I received from 90,000 fans in the San Siro when I took the field. I’d left the club the 1998 and it was really moving to be welcomed back like that. It’s an image that will stay in my mind forever. You were fortunate enough to play alongside no fewer than six Ballon d’Or winners at different stages in your career (Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Jean-Pierre Papin, George Weah, Andriy Shevchenko and Roberto Baggio). Which of them made the biggest impression on you? Marco van Basten, no doubt about it! He’s the greatest. He’s a player who always impressed me, whether it was in training or in matches. It was simply extraordinary to watch his play. I treasure the fact I was lucky enough to work alongside him. How do you rate the current Italian national squad? There have been changes, which is something Italy needed because, even though the side was getting positive results, the players were starting to age. Some things have also changed at the heart of the FA too, with Arrigo Sacchi and Roberto Baggio playing a key role in that. To sum up, the team’s younger, fresher and is working to a different game plan – one which is a bit less defensive. I’ve got high hopes for La Nazionale at EURO 2012. Are they your favourites for UEFA EURO 2012? Italy are among the favourites in my view, along with Spain, France and Germany. France are in very good shape, I think. They’ve got talent and they’re capable of winning this EURO. Laurent Blanc is doing a good job and he’s known exactly how to make the most of his experience in club football. Is one day becoming a national-team coach an ambition of yours? It’s hard to even think about that. That kind of offer usually doesn’t come until the latter stages of a successful coaching career. I’m just not there yet. Finally, is there any particular club side that you dream of taking charge of? I think that you need to keep your ambitions realistic, depending on your status as a player or coach. Back in my playing days, at a certain point I was playing for a Milan side that was one of the best in the world. So, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to dream of eventually playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, because my status was high enough. Until now (coaching-wise), I was simply focused on following my dream at Monaco, and doing my best with a club I never imagined I’d get the chance to coach. Right now though (after losing my job with L’ASM), it’s hard to come up with a new dream.

2014 FIFA World Cup™ sustainability strategy presented at Rio+20 © Getty Images FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) teamed up with the Brazilian government at Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, today (19 June 2012) to present their strategy to stage the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in a sustainable way. As one of the largest sports events in the world, the FIFA World Cup™ has a considerable impact on society and the environment. The sustainability strategy developed by FIFA and the LOC aims not only to mitigate the negative impact but also to maximise the positive effects of hosting the FIFA World Cup™. Green stadiums, waste management, community support, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions, renewable energy, climate change and capacity development are just some of the key issues that will be addressed over the next two years. A total of approximately USD 20 million will be invested by FIFA in the implementation of the strategy. Further support for the sustainability effort will be provided by FIFA’s Commercial Affiliates and other involved stakeholders. Football is arguably the Brazilians’ greatest passion. Bebeto The strategy builds on the experience gained from environmental and social development programmes at FIFA tournaments since 2005, on international standards such as ISO 26000 and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and on the development policies of the government of Brazil. The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ will be the first FIFA World Cup to have a comprehensive sustainability strategy. Please visit www.FIFA.com/csr2014 to read the complete document. “The ultimate goal is to stage an event that uses resources wisely, striking a balance between economic aspects, social development and environmental protection. We have joined Rio+20 because we want to contribute and to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities to meet their needs as this generation. We also want to ensure that the 2014 FIFA World Cup will be remembered not only as a fantastic football tournament but for its lasting social and environmental legacy. This requires participation from all parties involved, from the football fan to the stadium constructors. All are essential players in this sustainability line-up,” explained Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. “And as the host of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and a global leader in sustainable development, Brazil and its government have been very important for FIFA and the LOC in shaping this sustainability strategy.” “Football is arguably the Brazilians’ greatest passion, and football and the FIFA World Cup can certainly be strong catalysts for changing attitudes in favour of living more sustainable lives and adapting our daily routines. If we start with small acts in our own homes, this could plant the seeds of a new reality. From large-scale sustainable stadium projects to the dreams of poor children who want to see their football heroes perform on the pitch, this FIFA World Cup is already making a difference in Brazil. And it is up to all of us to make sure that we expand its legacy,” said Bebeto, a member of the LOC’s board of administration. 'A great diversity' “Brazil is now playing a globally prominent role in environmental affairs, and this is because it has managed in the last few years to combine economic growth with social inclusion and a commitment to the environment,” said Luis Fernandes, Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of Sport. “There is great diversity to our country, which has an energy grid supported by renewable energies, solid legislation and significant advances such as the meaningful reduction in the deforestation in the Amazon. It was in this context that the Brazilian government decided to make sustainability a feature of the organisation of the FIFA World Cup. With regard to the stadiums, for example, access to the Brazilian Development Bank’s (BNDES) line of credit is conditional on a sustainable construction certification standard. The World Cup is an opportunity for Brazil to showcase such progress and reveal to the world its natural, social, cultural, racial, religious and culinary diversity.” FIFA and the LOC will also jointly produce a comprehensive sustainability report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In addition, social and environmental chapters were compulsory elements in the bidding process for the FIFA World Cups™ in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022). As a result of the voluntary initiatives in the FIFA World Cup™ stadiums in Brazil, green building certification will be mandatory for all FIFA World Cup™ stadiums in Russia and Qatar.

FIFA unearths Olympic treasures Saturday 23 June 2012 marks Olympic Day, which is celebrated all around the world. Thousands of people, young and old, participate in events that spread Olympic ideals to every corner of the globe. Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 in Paris. Nowadays, Olympic Day is based on the three pillars “move”, “learn” and “discover” which is exactly what FIFA.com did this week. Moving down to the Documentation Centre five levels below ground level at the Home of FIFA, we wanted to learn and discover what hidden Olympic treasures lay in the archives. In recent months, a specialist Swiss archiving organisation has been carefully sifting through FIFA’s collection of tournament memorabilia, match programmes, trophies, balls, match tickets, commemorative coins, stamps and press clippings, collated over the years through a combination of auction purchases and donations. Earlier this year, FIFA announced its plans to extend its headquarters in Zurich to feature a football museum which will include 3D animations, interactive games and a public display of many of these artefacts. This summer’s Olympic Games will be held in London, the third time the Games have been to England’s capital city, following 1908 and 1948. In almost mint condition, two of our first discoveries were a Competitor’s Card and the Olympic football rules and regulations book, both from the 1908 Games. Eight teams entered the competition - two from France and one each from Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Hungary and Bohemia, although the latter two later withdrew. The hosts eventually won the first Olympic football gold medal after defeating Denmark 2-0 in front of 8,000 supporters at White City Stadium. A photo of the Team GB squad can be found in the gallery. Forty years later, the Games returned to London. Sweden were spectacular, scoring 19 goals in only three games, before reaching the final match, where they defeated Yugoslavia 3-1. In a high-scoring bronze-medal match, Denmark gained revenge for their 1908 final defeat, beating Great Britain, managed by Manchester United legend Matt Busby, 5-3. Football programmes have always been a particular love of British football fans, and another part of the FIFA archive are match programmes from the two 1948 semi-finals and the final, all held at Wembley Stadium. The cost was just a shilling, the equivalent of five new pence after decimalisation in the UK in 1971. The programmes were nestling in a nondescript grey box, along with the Olympic poster – an athlete throwing a discus in front of London’s iconic Houses of Parliament and Big Ben – and the official programme from the Opening Ceremony, which cost 2 shillings. What price the 2012 edition? One of FIFA’s most prized possessions is a collection of 7,000 documents and more than 2,000 photos from Tunisian journalist and African football aficionado Faouzi Mahjoub, donated in 2006. Another is a shirt from the 1938 FIFA World Cup™-winning Italian football team, but one of the most special is an engraved watch presented to the inaugural 1930 Uruguayan FIFA World Cup team. The watch in FIFA’s possession belonged to legendary striker Pedro Petrone. Known as “the artillery man”, Petrone was regarded as one of the best Uruguayan footballers of all time. He scored 203 goals in 192 games, 27 international goals in 28 caps, as well as winning the FIFA World Cup once, after two Olympic football gold medals in 1924 and 1928. At London 2012, FIFA will be quietly collecting more memorabilia, so that future generations of football fans from around the world will be able to view more than 100 years of history under one roof at the FIFA museum. *To check out the mentioned items, please click through the gallery, which can be found on the right hand side.

Japan extend Zaccheroni's deal Japan have extended coach Alberto Zaccheroni's contract as the Asian champions build towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. "The Japan Football Association has already extended the contract," said an association official, who declined to be named. "Details such as the length of its term and conditions won't be announced, but the extension is certainly aimed at having Japan go to Brazil under him." According to local media, the association handed a one-year rolling deal to the Italian, who was appointed in 2010 on a two-year contract with the option of an extension. "Both sides are satisfied," the 59-year-old former AC Milan boss told reporters at Narita airport before flying to Europe where he will watch the UEFA EURO 2012 final. In Europe, he will also watch Japan's U-23 squad at the London Olympics. In March, Japan beat Bahrain 2-0 to reach their fifth successive Olympic Football Tournament. The new deal is expected to be terminated if Japan miss out on a place in Brazil, Kyodo News said. The final round of Asian qualifying wraps up in June. Zaccheroni guided Japan to a record fourth AFC Asian Cup title in Qatar last year. In FIFA World Cup final qualifying so far, Japan lead their group with seven points from three games.

Schweinsteiger: I will grit my teeth German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger admits he has injury worries ahead of Thursday's UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final against Italy as he looks to shake off a niggling ankle problem. The Bayern Munich midfielder has already endured an injury-hit season after breaking his collarbone last November before tearing ankle ligaments in February, which still hinders him ahead of the EURO 2012 semi-final in Warsaw. Having rushed back to play for Bayern during their run to the UEFA Champions League final, the 27-year-old admits the ankle is still not 100 per cent right, but he is willing to go through the pain barrier for Germany's bid to end their 16 year trophy drought. "To be honest, I have a few worries about the ankle," Schweinsteiger said. "The problem is when I explode off it. It has not healed properly, but the time has not come yet where can I let it heal and take a rest. We have hopefully two games left and I will grit my teeth. After that, I must see that I'm finally back in good health." Having set up both of Mario Gomez's goals in the 2-1 win over the Netherlands as Germany went onto win Group B, Schweinsteiger was far less impressive in the 4-2 win over Greece in Friday's quarter-final. "Against the Greeks there were a few bad passes from me which normally never happens," he said. "That shouldn't happen to a player like me. It has not healed properly, but the time has not come yet where can I let it heal and take a rest. German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on his ankle injury Schweinsteiger has reason to be nervous about his semi-final place. Germany coach Joachim Low has already wielded the axe at EURO 2012 by dropping forwards Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Mueller in the win over Greece. The gamble paid off as Gomez's replacement Miroslav Klose scored his 64th goal in his 120th international appearance, while Marco Reus deputised for Mueller by also getting on the scoresheet. Until the semi-final, Schweinsteiger will busy himself with rest and numerous trips to the physiotherapists room, but he insists he will have no problems if Low decides to drop him for the semi-final. "I was only able to take part in the final training session before the Greece game," said Schweinsteiger, who has won 94 caps for Germany. "If the coach decides (to drop me), I would have no problem with that. We rotated a few players against Greece. People like Marco Reus, Jerome Boateng, Andre Schuerrle and Miroslav Klose all came in. For them it was very important that they received the backing from the other players. Something like that is not always self-evident in every team."

Quartet do battle for Azeri berths There are just two qualifying slots left to be filled at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup Azerbaijan 2012, and both are reserved for European teams. Their names will soon no longer be a mystery, as the climax of the UEFA European Women’s U-17 Championship, being staged in Nyon, Switzerland from 26 to 29 June, will soon reveal the identity of the qualifiers, and of the newly crowned continental champions. Out of the 42 nations that originally set out to conquer Europe, only four now remain: Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany. After having skilfully negotiated a preliminary group stage, the quartet were then faced with the challenge of finishing top of a second section in order to reach the final phase of the tournament, one they duly met. They now lock horns in two semi-finals, the winners of which will each book a ticket to Azerbaijan 2012. The French were the first to secure their place in the last four. They won every game in the two previous rounds, and conceded just one goal, in an 8-1 rout of Moldova. At the other end of the pitch, Les Bleuets have been extremely effective, scoring 35 times, and seeing off solid sides like Norway and Republic of Ireland – quarter-finalists at Trinidad and Tobago 2010 – in the process. Led by the striking duo of Lea Declercq and Sandie Toletti, who have racked up 13 goals between them, France can approach their semi-final clash with Switzerland in a confident mood. The Swiss are the only side among the final four to have never played at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, but in front of their home fans, they are sure to be a force to be reckoned with. After a high-scoring first phase, during which they found the net on 34 occasions, La Nati were handed a much tougher task in the second qualifying round, with Iceland, England and Belgium all vying with the Helvetians for top spot in the group. A draw with the Belgians and tight 1-0 victories in the remaining two matches proved sufficient for Switzerland to pursue their adventure. Revenge in the air The other semi-final sees Denmark take on tournament favourites Germany. Having eliminated reigning European champions Spain in the previous round, the Germans are the only team in the running that can aspire to three successive qualifications for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. After bypassing the first qualifying round courtesy of their high UEFA ranking, Anouschka Bernhard’s charges proceeded to live up to their seeding in the next round, registering three victories without conceding a single goal. Their final and decisive pool match against Las Rojitas saw the Germans emerge victorious, which represented a merited result in the eyes of their coach. “It was a difficult game, but apart from one good chance, we didn’t really give the dangerous Spanish strikeforce a sniff of goal. The win was deserved, in my opinion,” said Bernhard, adding, “We’re delighted to have qualified.” Top-quality players such as Sara Dabritz, Laura Leluschko and Manjou Wilde, among others, will still need to be wary of the Danes, however. Boasting a freescoring forward in the shape of Sarah Hansen, who has hit the back of the net eight times in six matches, Denmark have an eye on gaining revenge for a crucial 3-0 defeat by Germany in last year’s competition. Having knocked out Sweden and the Netherlands, who were also seeded, the Scandinavians may get their wish. The final stages of the European Championship brings to a close a marathon-like process, which started on 29 September 2011 with a 6-0 win for Denmark over Greece. And now a veritable sprint begins: the teams that earn the right to represent Europe will not even have the time to draw breath, as on 6 July, just one week after the final of the continental tournament, the draw for Azerbaijan 2012 is made in Baku. The event itself is scheduled to kick off a few weeks later, on 22 September.

Quartet do battle for Azeri berths There are just two qualifying slots left to be filled at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup Azerbaijan 2012, and both are reserved for European teams. Their names will soon no longer be a mystery, as the climax of the UEFA European Women’s U-17 Championship, being staged in Nyon, Switzerland from 26 to 29 June, will soon reveal the identity of the qualifiers, and of the newly crowned continental champions. Out of the 42 nations that originally set out to conquer Europe, only four now remain: Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany. After having skilfully negotiated a preliminary group stage, the quartet were then faced with the challenge of finishing top of a second section in order to reach the final phase of the tournament, one they duly met. They now lock horns in two semi-finals, the winners of which will each book a ticket to Azerbaijan 2012. The French were the first to secure their place in the last four. They won every game in the two previous rounds, and conceded just one goal, in an 8-1 rout of Moldova. At the other end of the pitch, Les Bleuets have been extremely effective, scoring 35 times, and seeing off solid sides like Norway and Republic of Ireland – quarter-finalists at Trinidad and Tobago 2010 – in the process. Led by the striking duo of Lea Declercq and Sandie Toletti, who have racked up 13 goals between them, France can approach their semi-final clash with Switzerland in a confident mood. The Swiss are the only side among the final four to have never played at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, but in front of their home fans, they are sure to be a force to be reckoned with. After a high-scoring first phase, during which they found the net on 34 occasions, La Nati were handed a much tougher task in the second qualifying round, with Iceland, England and Belgium all vying with the Helvetians for top spot in the group. A draw with the Belgians and tight 1-0 victories in the remaining two matches proved sufficient for Switzerland to pursue their adventure. Revenge in the air The other semi-final sees Denmark take on tournament favourites Germany. Having eliminated reigning European champions Spain in the previous round, the Germans are the only team in the running that can aspire to three successive qualifications for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. After bypassing the first qualifying round courtesy of their high UEFA ranking, Anouschka Bernhard’s charges proceeded to live up to their seeding in the next round, registering three victories without conceding a single goal. Their final and decisive pool match against Las Rojitas saw the Germans emerge victorious, which represented a merited result in the eyes of their coach. “It was a difficult game, but apart from one good chance, we didn’t really give the dangerous Spanish strikeforce a sniff of goal. The win was deserved, in my opinion,” said Bernhard, adding, “We’re delighted to have qualified.” Top-quality players such as Sara Dabritz, Laura Leluschko and Manjou Wilde, among others, will still need to be wary of the Danes, however. Boasting a freescoring forward in the shape of Sarah Hansen, who has hit the back of the net eight times in six matches, Denmark have an eye on gaining revenge for a crucial 3-0 defeat by Germany in last year’s competition. Having knocked out Sweden and the Netherlands, who were also seeded, the Scandinavians may get their wish. The final stages of the European Championship brings to a close a marathon-like process, which started on 29 September 2011 with a 6-0 win for Denmark over Greece. And now a veritable sprint begins: the teams that earn the right to represent Europe will not even have the time to draw breath, as on 6 July, just one week after the final of the continental tournament, the draw for Azerbaijan 2012 is made in Baku. The event itself is scheduled to kick off a few weeks later, on 22 September.

Arsenal claim debut Argentinian title (AFP) Sunday 24 June 2012 Print Email my friend Share Arsenal Sarandi were crowned Argentinian champions for the first time in their history on Sunday. Arsenal, who take their name from the famous English side, won the Clausura thanks to their 1-0 home win against Belgrano in the final round of games. They had been level on points with Buenos Aires outfit Tigre coming into the day, but Tigre squandered a one-goal lead as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Independiente. Two of the country's most successful clubs, Velez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors, finished third and fourth respectively, but the day was all about Arsenal, who hail from the Sarandi district of Avellaneda, just to the south of the capital. Coach Gustavo Alfaro, 49, has overseen another historic moment in the history of Arsenal, five years after leading the side to glory in the Copa Sudamericana, the second-tier continental competition.

North Africans rule the futsal court While North Africa's fortunes in 11-a-side football have been on the wane in recent years, the region clearly rules the roost when it comes to futsal as Libya, Egypt and Morocco won the right to be the African representatives at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012. CAF were forced to cancel the 2011 African Futsal Championship following Burkina Faso's withdrawal as hosts, so the three berths were decided via a home-and-away campaign. Disappointingly, a number of teams withdrew from qualifying, which meant Morocco and Libya were forced to play just two games, and Egypt three. The Pharaohs did most of the hard work in the first leg of their final round encounter against Nigeria at home. The West Africans, who only arrived in Egypt in the early hours of the morning on the day of the match, managed to restrict the damage to a 1-0 deficit at half-time, but then gave away a further seven goals as the Egyptians ran out 8-2 winners with hat-tricks claimed by Ahmed Yosri and Moataz Sami and Ahmed Abou-Serie settling for a brace. Israel Banigo and Kabiru Olumide replied for the visitors, who did not play the second leg and withdrew from the competition, giving Egypt a place at the finals. Libya, who won the African championship at home in 2008, opened up a four-goal lead in the first leg of their tie against South Africa, which was played in Tunisia. The return leg saw the Libyans take a two-goal lead into the dressing-rooms, giving South Africa a mountain to climb after the break. The hosts did manage to claw their way back into the game after scoring four goals without reply, but Libya then upped the pace and won 6-4 on the day and 10-4 aggregate. I am very happy with the win and with qualifying for the World Cup finals in Thailand. Libya coach Pablo Prieto Libya's Spanish coach Pablo Prieto said that it had been a very good game. "We had some difficulties, especially in the beginning of the second half, but we overcame these by defending against our opponents in their half. I am very happy with the win and with qualifying for the World Cup finals in Thailand,” he said. Abdulsallam Sharada was a hat-trick hero for the visitors, with Mohamed Shebli and Mahame Rajab scoring two of the other goals. The last tally for Libya was scored by goalkeeper Ramzi, who made the most of a South African power-play to score into an empty goal. South African coach Quinton Allies says Libya put his side under pressure. "I was pleased the way we fought our way back into the match to lead 4-2 after being two goals down. I am hoping that this will provide a kick-start for futsal in South Africa and that we develop the game,” he said. South Africa's goals were scored by Rafique Hassim, who grabbed three, and Emmanuel Khetsi. In Rabat, Morocco also had a four-goal lead after their 6-2 victory in Mozambique, but unlike the Libyans, Morocco came dangerously close to throwing it away as they allowed Mozambique a 4-1 win in the return leg. It was only Adil Habil's goal that gave the North Africans a 7-6 aggregate victory and a place at the finals. The goalscorer said the players were not used to playing indoor in front of such a large crowd. "We struggled with the pressure and missed many opportunities because of a lack of concentration." Captain Yahia Baya added: "We will be playing our first World Cup in Thailand, thanks to our victory in Maputo. Now our coach Hicham Dguig will help us prepare and correct our mistakes."

Italy rejoices, England laments Italy rounded off the quartet of UEFA EURO 2012 semi-finalists on Sunday as England once again exited a major finals after a penalty shoot-out. Both sides had failed to find the net in 120 minutes of play, though Italy had been unfortunate not to win it well before they prevailed 4-2 on penalties as England's Ashley Young and Ashley Cole failed to convert their spot-kicks. It fell to Alessandro Diamanti to score the winning penalty and send the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ winners on to a semi-final with Germany - who were beaten by the Italians in the Germany 2006 semi-finals. Italy and Germany will meet in Warsaw on Thursday, while holders Spain are set to face Portugal in Donetsk a day prior on Wednesday. While England had very little to offer in attack throughout the match their defence was magnificent in denying the Italians, for whom their ageless playmaker Andrea Pirlo ran the game. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said that penalties were a lottery, but insisted the better side had won. "We did the things we were supposed to do, but then we had some luck and we did well," he said. "When you have penalties anything can happen, but we really deserved it." We've gone out without being beaten, with our heads held high and making the country proud. England coach Roy Hodgson Despite the result England coach Roy Hodgson was justifiably proud of his players and could look back on his first campaign in charge with a lot of satisfaction. "I can't fault the players for their efforts, I thought we were quite magnificent. But by the end they were running on empty," Hodgson told BBC. "We've gone out without being beaten, with our heads held high and making the country proud. Both Ashleys (Young and Cole) were knocking in the penalties in practice, but in reality practice doesn't translate into the real thing as you can't take into account energy levels that are run down, tired legs and minds. They got their bit of luck and it wasn't to be for us." Hodgson, who has won over a lot of the critics here after they wondered why he had been chosen and not Harry Redknapp in May to replace Fabio Capello, who stood down earlier in the year, said he had no doubt England would move on from here. "I'm sure we will get up among the top sides its only a matter of time if these players show the same determination that they have done so far. There are others to come in so it won't be long before we are up with the best and winning these sort of matches. England captain Steven Gerrard was equally dejected. "The players have given everything," he told the BBC. "I thought we might have the luck in the penalty shoot-out, but it wasn't to be. The lads at the back were fantastic, we have done the country proud but we go home heartbroken and that is hard to take."

Contrasting emotions for Asian giants Title races intensified all across Asia throughout the weekend, with a series of defending champions earning mixed results. K-League champions Jeonbuk Motors got their title-defence back on track thanks to a sixth win in as many games, while Chinese holders Guangzhou Evergrande cemented their lead atop the Super League table with victory. However, there was disappointment elsewhere, with Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol and Thai title-holders Buriram PEA both dropping points in their respective fixtures. Join FIFA.com as we take a look back at this week’s action in Asia’s top leagues. Korea Republic’s K-League: Goal-rush strikes as Jeonbuk go top The 17th round of the K-League witnessed no fewer than 29 goals scored in eight games - a season high and second only to the all-time record of 32. Jeonbuk Motors climbed to the top of the table on the back of a six-match winning streak, as the reigning champions defeated Gyeongnam 5-3 at home. Hot on their heels are Suwon Bluewings, though, who defeated Gangwon 4-1 to move into second place on goal difference. Big game: Few would have expected so many goals in Saturday’s south-western derby between Gwangju and Chunnam, but the hosts took an unlikely five-goal lead in the first half after two goals each from Park Min and Kim Dong-Sub and another from captain Kim Eun-Sun. Joao Paulo then made it 6-0 with an assist from Lee Seung-Gi, who set up three goals on the day. Headline-grabber: Jeonbuk forward Lee Dong-Gook struck three times, recording his fifth career hat-trick against Gyeongnam to move into pole position in the scoring chart with a league-leading 11 goals. China PR's Super League: Guangzhou move further clear Runaway leaders Guangzhou Evergrande maintained their impressive form under newly appointed coach Marcello Lippi, with a 3-0 victory at Liaoning Whowin leaving them with a seven-point cushion at the summit. Among the chasing pack are Beijing Guoan and Guangzhou R&F, who suffered their first home defeats of the season. In the process, the capital side lost to Jiangsu Sainty 1-0, allowing the visitors to edge into second place on goal difference. R&F, meanwhile, slipped to fourth after losing a seesaw battle to bottom side Qingdao Jonoon 3-2. Big game: Liaoning had proved to be one of Guangzhou's toughest opponents last season, with the latter narrowly avoiding defeat in a 1-1 draw in their second meeting. And although it had been expected to be an evenly-contested game, it was all one-way traffic in the favour of Guangzhou, with goals from Jiang Ning, Gao Lin and Dario Conca giving the defending champions an emphatic win. The headline-grabber: R&F welcomed Qingdao with an unblemished home record, having won all seven of their home games to date, including shock defeats of city rivals Guangzhou and Beijing. However, their amazing home form was finally brought to an end by Qingdao, who came from behind to overcome the hosts for only their third win of the season. Japan's J-League: Top two remain unchanged There were few shake-ups at the weekend in the J-League, with five of the nine matches ending in stalemates. Leaders Vegalta Sendai and nearest chasers Sanfrecce Hiroshima were both held to goalless draws by Urawa Red and Omiya Ardija respectively, but the duo nonetheless kept their place at the top of the standings. Reigning champions Kashiwa Reysol, meanwhile, were left languishing in 11th place after escaping a home defeat against Kashima Antlers, with an injury-time goal from Naoya Kondo salvaging them a point in a 1-1 draw. Big match: Newly-promoted FC Tokyo continued to make splash in their maiden first-division season as they beat Cerezo Osaka 2-0 at home to move up to fifth place. Aria Jasuru Hasegawa opened the scoring for the hosts on the hour-mark, while Lucas sealed the victory 14 minutes from time. Headline-grabber: Gamba Osaka produced the round’s biggest win, hitting four unanswered goals past hosts Consadole Sapporo in a strugglers' meeting. The result moved Gamba out of the relegation zone, edging second-to-bottom side Albirex Niigata on goal difference, while Sapporo remain rooted in last with just four points from 15 matches. Elsewhere In Uzbekistan, Lutfulla Turayev and Jovlon Ibrokhimov scored in each half as pacesetters Bunyodkor narrowly won 2-1 at Nefchi Fergana. The triumph maintained the defending champions' place at the summit - two points clear of Nasaf, who beat Metallurg Bekabad with Artur Gevorkyan the only man on target. Pakhtakor are not far behind, though, as they overcame Nawbahor Namangan 2-1 to move within a point of Nasaf. In Thailand, with runaway leaders Muang Thong United inactive over the weekend, most eyes turned to the meeting between two of the teams chasing them: defending champions Buriram PEA and Chonburi. And the local fans were not let down in what turned out to be a 4-3 goal-thriller, with Chonburi battling back from behind to move into second at the hosts' expense. Muang Thong still enjoy a seven-point lead at the top, but both Chonburi and Buriram have a game in hand. In Singapore, DPMM Brunei were handed their third defeat this season as they lost 2-1 to Armed Forces at home, allowing holders and runners-up Tampines Rovers to move level on points with them after a 3-1 victory over Balestier Khalsa. However, it is Brunei who maintained their lead on goal difference over Home United and Albirex Niigata, both of whom prevailed at Gombak United and Tanjong Pagar respectively to share third place.

Alonso: Midfielder Xabi Alonso was simply happy that Spain won their group after they came through a nervy match against Croatia to reach the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-finals. Group C was in the balance until the final few minutes on Monday, with the reigning champions qualifying for the last eight thanks to a 1-0 win and Italy joining them after beating the Republic of Ireland. Both teams could have been eliminated had they conceded a late goal, but instead Jesus Navas scored Spain's winner before Mario Balotelli wrapped up a 2-0 win for the Azzurri. Their respective opponents will be discovered on Tuesday, when France, England and co-hosts Ukraine battle for the two qualifying places in Group D, and Alonso said: "Clearly, the important thing was to advance as group winners. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy because Croatia are a good team and had chances to go through, too. We managed to keep a clean sheet despite their efforts, and at the end of the day, the goal calmed our nerves." Spain are bidding to become the first team ever to win three successive major international tournaments, having also lifted the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa two years ago. Alonso continued: "We have achieved great things in the not-so-distant past, but we also struggled a lot, you cannot forget that. If we want to repeat that (success), it'll definitely be another hard task." We have achieved great things in the not-so-distant past, but we also struggled a lot, you cannot forget that. Xabi Alonso, Spain midfielder Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who made a crucial second-half save from Ivan Rakitic's header, said: "They made it very difficult for us to create chances, they defended very well. In the end we were lucky, scoring late on. It felt like a weight off our shoulders. "I was lucky in one situation that could have put us in trouble, but I am happy the team managed to qualify for the next round." Sleepless nights ahead for Rakitic Sevilla midfielder Rakitic was distraught afterwards, and said: "I did not manage to take the chance that came my way. I think I will probably have sleepless nights thinking about that. It was obvious that we gave everything on the pitch, we gave it our best shot. I can honestly say that my soul was left on that pitch, and I think I need a few people to carry me off the pitch because I am literally dead." Team-mate Ognjen Vukojevic added: "We will regret missing Rakitic's chance - if we had scored that I think it would have changed the course of the game." But he added: "I think we competed against the mighty Spain. Unfortunately we are not going through to the next round, but I think that Croatia have big prospects for the future. We are going back home with our heads held high."

Cech: Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech said despite UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final opponents Portugal being viewed as favourites for Thursday's game, he believed the Czechs could cause an upset. "We haven't lost yet, of course you can beat anyone on a good day," said the 30-year-old keeper, who helped Chelsea lift the UEFA Champions League trophy last month. "We definitely have a chance to advance. It's sport and anything can happen," he added. The Czechs advanced as surprise Group A winners along with second-placed Greece, while Portugal came second in Group B behind Germany after beating Denmark and, in the last game on Sunday, the Netherlands. I believe it will be a good game for us. Petr Cech on facing Portugal "They are among the world's top ten teams. It's a team full of personalities and outstanding players, and they play very well. Against the Netherlands on Sunday, they were excellent up front," said Cech. "They also have enough experienced players. The team has matured and it's really strong," he added. Cech also said he reckoned Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice in the 2-1 victory against the Netherlands, was one of the world's top two players along with Lionel Messi, diplomatically declining to say which of them was better. "He has a powerful shot, he can shoot with his left or right, he can score from any place, he's great at heading," Cech said. The Czechs, playing their fifth straight EURO tournament, eliminated Portugal in the 1996 quarter-final on their way to the final but lost to the same rival in the group stage of the 2008 tournament. "I hope the result will be different now than in 2008," said Cech, who has unhappy memories of the 3-1 defeat as he was in goal. Kadlec hopes for '96 repeat His side prefer to recall 1996 when Karel Poborsky memorably chipped the ball over Portugal's keeper to hand his side a 1-0 win. "We wouldn't grumble if it happened again," said defender Michal Kadlec, whose father Miroslav was the 1996 team captain. "When we have started like this, we don't want to end up losing in the quarter-final," added Kadlec, whose stunning clearance off the line in the closing minutes of the 1-0 win over Poland saved the Czechs from bowing out of the competition. Cech said he hoped for at least a repeat of the 2004 edition, hosted by Portugal, where the flair-filled side, with him in goal, reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Greece. "We have a chance to emulate that success from Portugal. It's enough to win one game, and I believe it will be a good game for us," said Cech.

Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli fired Italy into the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2012 after a tense 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland. The AC Milan striker headed home from Andrea Pirlo's 35th-minute corner before substitute Balotelli added a second at the finish to finally end Ireland's brave resistance. Spain's 1-0 win over Croatia in Gdansk meant the reigning champions topped Group C, but Italy went through in second place. On a night when only victory would do for Cesare Prandelli's men, they came up with the goods against an Ireland side whose exit from the competition was confirmed last week. But while Italy dominated for long periods, they were unable to find a way past the green shirts for a second time to leave the Republic, led by winger Damien Duff on his 100th appearance for his country, in with a chance until Balotelli eventually calmed the nerves. Giovanni Trapattoni's side, who had midfielder Keith Andrews sent off late on, staged a late blitz on the Italian goal which came up only just short, and although they restored some of their battered pride, they will return to Dublin having failed to collect a single point. They might have taken the lead straight from the kick-off, though, when Kevin Doyle ran on to Pirlo's careless pass, but defender Giorgio Chiellini dispossessed him before he could shoot. Cassano on target Ireland safely negotiated the opening five minutes which had previously proved so problematical in the tournament, but as the deep-sitting Pirlo started to pull the strings, found themselves having to defend for dear life. But where that had been beyond them in their opening two games, this time they found the resilience and organisation which had brought them to the finals. The two sides traded blows in their own particular fashions, the Italians stylish and patient, the Irish more direct and abrasive, but with neither goalkeeper being called upon at all. Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger both had to get in good blocks to prevent Antonio Di Natale from troubling Shay Given, and the Leicester City defender had to be on his toes to dispossess the same man as he threatened to carve his way into the penalty area once again. But with ten minutes of the first half remaining, Italy started to turn the screw. Glenn Whelan's misplaced pass allowed Cassano to pick out Di Natale and when he rounded Given on the right side of the penalty area and shot from a tight angle, St Ledger once again came to the rescue on the line. But the reprieve was only temporary and after Given had conceded a corner by spilling Cassano's snapshot, Prandelli's men edged ahead. Pirlo's near-post delivery was met with a glancing header by Cassano and although Given got a hand to it, he could not keep the ball out of the net. Italy close the game The sense of relief among the Italian fans, who were dwarfed in number by their Irish counterparts, was palpable, and will have been shared both on the pitch and the bench. However, Prandelli's players returned knowing they still had to get through another 45 minutes and hope things elsewhere continued to go for them if they were to progress. It would have been 2-0 within three minutes of the restart had St Ledger not once again denied Di Natale with a vital block, and Given had to get down well to keep out Cassano's side-footed effort seconds later, with Italy looking to finish the game off. Daniele De Rossi curled a 51st-minute shot over the angle of bar and post with Ireland looking more open than they had at any point until then. But there was a flicker of hope for the Republic when Robbie Keane forced Ignazio Abate to concede a corner which Dunne headed wide. Given had to repel another Di Natale effort at his near post with 55 minutes gone, but Andrews tested Gianluigi Buffon from distance for the first time on the hour. Sensing that their time had come, the Republic launched a sustained assault on the Italian goal, prompting Prandelli to introduce Balotelli with 15 minutes left on the clock. Buffon had to be at his best to keep out Andrews' drilled 79th-minute shot from Duff's back-heeled free-kick, with Ireland throwing everything they had at Italy. However, it all turned sour as Andrews, who had earlier been booked for a foul, received a second yellow card for dissent seconds before Balotelli hooked home a Pirlo corner to secure the win.

Italy Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli fired Italy into the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2012 after a tense 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland. The AC Milan striker headed home from Andrea Pirlo's 35th-minute corner before substitute Balotelli added a second at the finish to finally end Ireland's brave resistance. Spain's 1-0 win over Croatia in Gdansk meant the reigning champions topped Group C, but Italy went through in second place. On a night when only victory would do for Cesare Prandelli's men, they came up with the goods against an Ireland side whose exit from the competition was confirmed last week. But while Italy dominated for long periods, they were unable to find a way past the green shirts for a second time to leave the Republic, led by winger Damien Duff on his 100th appearance for his country, in with a chance until Balotelli eventually calmed the nerves. Giovanni Trapattoni's side, who had midfielder Keith Andrews sent off late on, staged a late blitz on the Italian goal which came up only just short, and although they restored some of their battered pride, they will return to Dublin having failed to collect a single point. They might have taken the lead straight from the kick-off, though, when Kevin Doyle ran on to Pirlo's careless pass, but defender Giorgio Chiellini dispossessed him before he could shoot. Cassano on target Ireland safely negotiated the opening five minutes which had previously proved so problematical in the tournament, but as the deep-sitting Pirlo started to pull the strings, found themselves having to defend for dear life. But where that had been beyond them in their opening two games, this time they found the resilience and organisation which had brought them to the finals. The two sides traded blows in their own particular fashions, the Italians stylish and patient, the Irish more direct and abrasive, but with neither goalkeeper being called upon at all. Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger both had to get in good blocks to prevent Antonio Di Natale from troubling Shay Given, and the Leicester City defender had to be on his toes to dispossess the same man as he threatened to carve his way into the penalty area once again. But with ten minutes of the first half remaining, Italy started to turn the screw. Glenn Whelan's misplaced pass allowed Cassano to pick out Di Natale and when he rounded Given on the right side of the penalty area and shot from a tight angle, St Ledger once again came to the rescue on the line. But the reprieve was only temporary and after Given had conceded a corner by spilling Cassano's snapshot, Prandelli's men edged ahead. Pirlo's near-post delivery was met with a glancing header by Cassano and although Given got a hand to it, he could not keep the ball out of the net. Italy close the game The sense of relief among the Italian fans, who were dwarfed in number by their Irish counterparts, was palpable, and will have been shared both on the pitch and the bench. However, Prandelli's players returned knowing they still had to get through another 45 minutes and hope things elsewhere continued to go for them if they were to progress. It would have been 2-0 within three minutes of the restart had St Ledger not once again denied Di Natale with a vital block, and Given had to get down well to keep out Cassano's side-footed effort seconds later, with Italy looking to finish the game off. Daniele De Rossi curled a 51st-minute shot over the angle of bar and post with Ireland looking more open than they had at any point until then. But there was a flicker of hope for the Republic when Robbie Keane forced Ignazio Abate to concede a corner which Dunne headed wide. Given had to repel another Di Natale effort at his near post with 55 minutes gone, but Andrews tested Gianluigi Buffon from distance for the first time on the hour. Sensing that their time had come, the Republic launched a sustained assault on the Italian goal, prompting Prandelli to introduce Balotelli with 15 minutes left on the clock. Buffon had to be at his best to keep out Andrews' drilled 79th-minute shot from Duff's back-heeled free-kick, with Ireland throwing everything they had at Italy. However, it all turned sour as Andrews, who had earlier been booked for a foul, received a second yellow card for dissent seconds before Balotelli hooked home a Pirlo corner to secure the win.