Argentina's derby of derbies ends all-square Argentina's Superclasico derby of derbies between bitter rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate ended all square in a 2-2 draw on Sunday. Leonardo Ponzio's early free-kick, which left keeper Agustin Orion groping at thin air, put River - promoted last season a year after their first ever relegation stunned fans across the nation - into an opening-minute lead. And things looked even better for Matias Almeyda's men when Uruguayan Rodrigo Mora made it 2-0 midway through the second half at River's Monumental Stadium after former France star David Trezeguet linked-up with Carlos Sanchez. But another Uruguayan, Santiago Silva, reduced the arrears with a 75th-minute penalty following German Pezzella's foul on Santiago Silva, before Walter Erviti rescued a point in the first minute of stoppage time. The point left Boca in fifth place, three points ahead of their Buenos Aires rivals. River had to reshuffle the pack with Almeyda having to take off defender Ramiro Funes Mori and Martin Aguirre after they suffered knee injuries in the opening period as 50,000 ferociously partisan fans looked on. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez replaced Mori after just four minutes while Ariel Rojas came on for Aguirre just nine minutes later, disrupting River's solid start.

Ferguson anticipates lively rematch Sir Alex Ferguson expects another pulsating clash when Chelsea and Manchester United meet again on Wednesday after the Red Devils ended the Blues' unbeaten record in a controversial five-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge yesterday. United extended their winning streak to five matches by winning their first Premier League game on Chelsea turf for 10 years. Their 3-2 victory only came after two debatable decisions from the match officials, however. The referee first showed Fernando Torres a second yellow for simulation, although replays suggested he was clipped by Jonny Evans, and the referee's assistant then failed to notice that Javier Hernandez was offside when he tucked home the winner from Rafael's cross. Tasty tackles flew in from both sides during the match and Ferguson had to be separated from Blues boss Roberto Di Matteo and assistant first-team coach Steve Holland after a series of heated exchanges on the touchline. The pair will meet again on Wednesday in the fourth round of the League Cup. All the pre-match talk yesterday had been about whether Chelsea would be able to continue their excellent early-season form. The early signs suggested the Blues were not up to the task. David Luiz unwittingly put through his own goal to give United an early lead and then Robin van Persie took advantage of some sla

Record-breaking Muang Thong set new marks Muang Thong rounded off their 2012 Thai Premier League campaign on Sunday with a 2-2 draw at third-placed BEC Tero Sasana, having set a number of new benchmarks en-route to sealing their third title a fortnight ago with three matches to spare. Indeed, the draw proved to be something more than just another point for Muang Thong with a series of records achieved. The draw saw them become the first side to win the league with an unbeaten record, as well as the first team to have scored in each of their 34 games. Added to that, they are now the only club to have clinched the championship on more than two occasions. "We've been working very hard throughout this season," said excited Muang Thong director Ronnarit Suewaja amid the team's celebration. "The coaching staff, and the team, have done their job superbly. We had not been given the favourites tag after finishing only third last season, but we came back and won the title." Bouncing back to the top Indeed, it proved to be a somewhat of a redemptive campaign for Muang Thong as they recaptured the title they had lost to Buriram United, having lifted the trophy back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. Under Slavisa Jokanovic, the Kirins won 25 and drew 9 as they claimed the league unchallenged with an incredible 14-point cushion over runners-up Chonburi. Catching the most attention in Muang Thong's line-up is Thai international striker Teerasil Dangda, who finished as the league's joint top-scorer with 24 goals alongside BEC's Brazilian forward Cleiton. Having broken onto the continental scene during Thailand’s 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ campaign, the Muang Thong No10 proved unstoppable on the home front. He averaged nearly a goal a game during his

Roberto Carlos: I want to be down on the touchline When he returned to Brazil in late 2009, to sign for Corinthians at the ripe old age of 36, it was not hard to picture Roberto Carlos playing on forever. Supremely fit and performing to a typically high standard, he seemed to have many years of football left in him. This August, however, he finally called it a day after enjoying a farewell stint captaining Anzhi Makhachkala. Now a sporting director with the big-spending Russian Premier League club, the incombustible Brazilian still takes part in training sessions and is preparing the ground for his next career move - one that will take him into coaching. Discussing all this and more, he spoke exclusively to FIFA.com: FIFA.com: Roberto, what expectations can we have of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™? Roberto Carlos: Things have really been helped on the pitch by the arrival of several quality overseas players in the league and by the mindset [Fabio] Capello has brought as national coach. Then there’s the fact that the country has a very strong economy and is doing very well right now. Obviously everyone knows Moscow and Saint Petersburg, but Russia’s got other great cities too and it’s got the infrastructure, railways and everything else. I think it’s going to be one of the best-organised World Cups yet. Tell us about your job as sporting director. Is it something you intend to do long-term and make a career of? I’ve been travelling with the team and working side-by-side with the coaches, but I’m still taking part in training sessions out there on the pitch. It’s a new life, one that I’m enjoying a lot. We’re coming to the end of 2012 though, and I need to ge

Ferguson baffled by United's defensive woes (e Sir Alex Ferguson admits he is baffled by Manchester United's defensive woes after watching Braga run riot before Javier Hernandez rescued a 3-2 UEFA Champions League win against the Portuguese side. Ferguson's side were punished for a sloppy opening to their Group H clash at Old Trafford on Tuesday as two goals from Braga captain Alan stunned Old Trafford into silence. For the eighth time in 12 matches this season, United were forced to come from behind after conceding the opening goal. While Ferguson was full of admiration for the Hernandez-inspired fightback, it was revealing that, without any prompting, he launched into an analysis of his team's problems at the back during the post-match press conference. Even more intriguing was Ferguson's revelation that he doesn't have a cure for the careless way United are surrendering so many goals. There was no disputing the quality of Alan's strikes in the 2nd and 20th minutes: but the failure of Alexander Buttner to close down the playmaker for both goals, combined with the ease with which Hugo Viana and Eder were allowed to provide the assists, has given Ferguson serious cause for concern. "I can't understand our defending, I can't get to bottom of it at all," Ferguson said. "If you analyse all the goals we are losing they are all different types. Today it was a cross, then a cutback into the box with players free. "I can't put my finger on it, but we aren't getting good starts to games that's for sure. It's making it difficult for us. It's interesting that it's the home games when we are conceding early goals, but we'll sort it out eventually, I'm sure of that." United saved by attacking capability Fortunately for Ferguson, while Braga proved adept at exploiting United's flaws at the back, Jose Peseiro's side had plenty of holes in their defence as well. Mexican striker Hernandez started the revival with a 25th minute header from Shinji Kagawa's cross, then Jonny Evans equalised with a scuffed 62nd minute shot. That set the stage for Hernandez to head the winner from Tom Cleverley's cross with 15 minutes remaining. "Our forward play is getting us out of holes all the time," Ferguson said. "We produced some fantastic football and in the second half kept a really good momentum and speed to our game. "We got a result people wouldn't have expected when we were 2-0 down. Credit to the players, they don't stop." Ferguson reserved special praise for Hernandez, who endured something of a sophomore slump last term after a blistering debut campaign with United. Hernandez faces a tough battle to hold down a regular place as he competes with Rooney, Van Persie and Danny Welbeck, but Ferguson admits it is a selection headache he is happy to have. "The boy is improving all the time. He's a fantastic trainer and practises all the time," Ferguson said. "He's given me a problem and I think that's good. His goal ratio for us is fantastic. "For his second goal, his movement was terrific. He bent his run behind the defenders." It was the first time United had recovered from two goals down to win in a European tie since they beat Juventus in the semi-final of their triumphant 1999 Champions League campaign. But Ferguson, whose side are firmly on course for the last 16 after winning their first three Champions League group fixtures, didn't take it as a good omen. Instead he insisted that the same kind of careless defending would be punished by more formidable opponents later in the competition. "I'd rather do without it, it must be said," Ferguson added. "It's hard enough being 2-0 down in a normal game but in a European tie it's very difficult."

Euro hopefuls eye glory, parity for heavyweights © Getty Images The European leagues took a break at the weekend, as the spotlight fell on crucial qualifying play-offs for the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 in Sweden and a round of international friendlies. Domestic competition continued elsewhere in the world, with the first matchday in the Australian W-League, and the latest instalment of the end of season run-in in Japan. FIFA.com reviews the latest developments in the world of competitive women's football. Demoralising defeat for Austria The starting field for the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 is almost complete. Six teams met in the first leg play-off fixtures, aiming for a decent result to take into the deciding matches for the precious last three berths at the finals. However, Austria's dream of competing on the European stage took a severe dent in the first meeting with Russia at the NV Arena in St Polten. Coach Dominik Thalhammer’s side fell 2-0 to the eastern Europeans and now have a mountain to climb when the teams meet again in Rostov on 25 October. Valentina Savchenkova and Natalia Shlyapina scored the first half goals to wrap it up for the Russians. “I think the luck we've enjoyed in recent matches deserted us today," Thalhammer was quoted as saying on the Austrian FA homepage. “The Russians pulled everyone back and made perfect use of their chances. This is a bitter defeat, but we're certainly not giving up. If the match goes our way in Russia and we take the lead, everything is still possible. The vital thing will be to score the opening goal." Iceland set to progress By contrast, Iceland have high hopes of claiming one of the remaining places in Sweden after Sigurdur Eyjolfsson’s team triumphed 3-2 away to Ukraine, with the home leg in Reykjavik still to come. Scotland also kept alive their chances of the EURO following a 1-1 draw with Spain in front of a 4,058 crowd at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Kim Little tucked away a 26th-minute penalty to open for the home side, but Adriana Martin levelled four minutes later. Adriana could have sealed victory for the Spanish on the stroke of half-time but missed from the spot. Honours even between US and Germany Elsewhere, Germany have already booked their spot at the EURO and continued their warm-up programme with a stress test against quality opposition. In the first of two full international meetings with the USA, Silvia Neid’s injury-hit team battled to a 1-1 draw. Veteran Abby Wambach handed the Olympic gold medallists the lead, but Anja Mittag equalised for the Europeans. The two women's footballing powers meet again on Wednesday in East Hartford, Connecticut. Australia: Stunning hat-trick lights up opening day Adelaide United clawed victory from the jaws of defeat in a real thriller on opening day in the Australian W-League. Adelaide were 3-1 down to debutant club Western Sydney Wanderers with 77 minutes gone, but Sarah McLaughlin came riding to the rescue. The New Zealand striker blasted a hat-trick in the space of 11 minutes, the winner coming with just 120 seconds to play, to rescue an unlikely win for the Lady Reds. Perth Glory also started the new season with a win, albeit in less spectacular fashion. The Glory delighted their home fans with a 2-0 success against Melbourne Victory to go top of the embryonic table. Former Germany international Ariane Hingst and her Canberra United team were held to a goalless draw by Brisbane Roar in a Grand Final rematch. Meanwhile, Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets shared the spoils in a 3-3 draw, with fullback Ellyse Perry providing the assists for all three of the Sydneysiders' goals. Top three: Perth Glory, Adelaide United (3 points), Newcastle Jets, Sydney FC (1) Japan: Leonessa on brink of more glory INAC Kobe Leonessa remain the gold standard in Japanese club football. On matchday 15, the defending champions beat Albirex Niigata 2-1 to chalk up their 14th win of the season. FIFA World Player of the Year Homare Sawa and Co need just a single point from their last three matches to be mathematically sure of retaining the title. In a head-to-head between the teams in second and third, NTV Beleza beat Okayama Yunogo Belle 3-1 and moved five points ahead of their rivals for the runners-up spot. Top three: INAC Leonessa (43), NTV Beleza (34), Okayama Yunogo Belle (29)

Trezeguet: Argentinian football must look back ( In the second part of our exclusive interview with former France striker David Trezeguet, FIFA.com discovered the lethal goalgetter’s verdict on the current state of Argentinian football, his abiding affection for River Plate and, having recently turned 35, his objectives for his remaining time in the game. FIFA.com: Now that you’re back in Argentina, how would you say it differs from the European game? David Trezeguet: It’s completely different, in every way. In terms of the basics, by which I mean its organisation, there’s a lot of improvements still need to be made here. And in footballing terms it’s true that in Europe the game is much more dynamic, fast and tactical. Argentinian football is definitely more technical and slower paced, which is also due to the playing surfaces. There’s significant room for improvement but I think that, with time, hard work and composure, it can be done. That said, the qualities that South American players have are also a very important part of European football. As someone who left Argentina at a very young age, are today’s young Argentinian players very different from the ones of your generation? Yes, of course. But it’s not just a generational thing, football itself has changed. In the 1990s, [professional] football players were older, as there was a lengthier process to go through before going to Europe. It took more time, more work and players needed to develop more. Nowadays teams contain a lot of young kids who are being exposed to the pro game much more quickly than in previous eras and without their development being complete. That can turn out to be a positive or negative factor, depending on the player. How would you improve that situation? Argentinian football needs to go back to its roots if it wants to start taking forward strides again. It's noticeable that we’re struggling to get players of a certain standard into Europe’s biggest clubs, which tells us something. It’s a wake-up call. It’s clear that, for the moment, people over there [in Europe] don’t see Argentinian football quite the same way [as in the past]. After your brief spell in the United Arab Emirates, some were surprised to see you join River Plate… I'd intended to stay in the Emirates but later, due to various circumstances, I realised that I’d not made the right choice. And then this opportunity came along: River opened their doors to me and offered an experience that interested me. It was totally different to what I was going through, particularly in terms of the passion with which they live the game over here. As I left Argentina so young, I wanted to discover more about its football, which was a motivating factor for me. It’s been a powerful and interesting discovery, an important step in my career and also a unique and very rich experience. Given your personal goals and River’s own objectives, would you say it was the right match at the right time? I don’t know if River needed to sign me that much, as they were already second in the table and had an interesting squad. In personal terms, coming here made me understand how passionate people are about River. Even though I was already a fan of the club, being part of it from the inside makes you experience everything in a different light. Fortunately we managed to win promotion and another novel experience has started: a new, long adventure with the aim of quickly getting River back to where they’ve been in the past. It's noticeable that we’re struggling to get players of a certain standard into Europe’s biggest clubs, which tells us something. It’s a wake-up call. David Trezeguet, River Plate forward. Your dad’s a Boca Juniors fan, so how did you end up following River? There’s a bit of everything in my family, that’s true. On the one hand where we lived made me a River fan, because there were loads of River supporters in [the] Martelli [neighbourhood]. And on the other hand, River drew me in because they had all the qualities that I’d admired since I was a small, such as elegant play and skilful football. I grew up in the era of [Enzo] Francescoli alongside a new generation made up of Matias [Almeyda], [Marcelo] Gallardo and [Hernan] Crespo – that was the team I admired most. I was later lucky enough to play with Gallardo at Monaco and Marcelo Salas at Juventus. They were like heroes to me! Boca, for their part, always played the game a different way. How would you rate, in order of importance, the goals you scored against Almirante Brown that sealed promotion for River, the winner in the final of UEFA EURO 2000 and your goal against Saudi Arabia at France 1998? That’s a very tough one. Each of those moments represents a very important part of my career. The World Cup goal was unique because I went on to win the world title at 20 years of age. I was really involved in that tournament: what for many would come late in their careers happened at the start of mine. The goal in the EURO was also unique because it came in the final of a championship during which we performed extraordinarily well and were deserved winners. And though it’s true those two goals were my most significant for River, they weren’t the only ones. They were goals that left a mark. What happened last year was so intense it’s going to stay with me for a long time. I experienced something like that in Italy with Juventus and I’ve lived it at River now too. I hope that we can make much quicker progress than Juventus, who have taken six years to win the championship again [after relegation]. At the age of 35 and with such a vast medal collection, what keeps you motivated? Helping River to keep growing, since virtually half the squad is between 20 and 22-years-old. We’ve got youngsters who’ve had to grow up fast because that’s what it’s like in ‘River World’: there’s no time, you have to constantly progress and evolve. If the club’s able to keep a certain core based around these lads, then in a short space of time they could start aiming higher, but the plan at the moment is to build and maintain a structure, move up the Promedio (average points’ standings) and try to get certain basic things right. But, as time goes by, we’ll have to add new and bigger goals. Personally, that’s something I’m part of: trying to give advice so that soon there’s a more positive and winning mentality around the club. Given my age too, once I see that everything’s on the right lines it’ll be time to step aside to give the lads coming through to chance to grow. And in raw statistical terms? I’d like to hit a target that I’m very close to reaching: scoring my 300th goal as a professional. I am counting, myself, and I've scored 293 already. I’d like to do it wearing the River shirt. It’d be really meaningful and the culmination of a successful professional career during which I’ve had the good fortune and the opportunity to win almost everything. If I could add another league title to all that, now that I’m River captain, that’d be the ideal way to sign off.

Di Matteo: Chelsea must avenge Shakhtar loss ( Roberto Di Matteo's thoughts quickly turned to Chelsea's return game with Shakhtar Donetsk after seeing his side beaten 2-1 by the Ukrainian champions in UEFA Champions League Group E. Chelsea were left chasing shadows for much of the night at Donetsk's Donbass Arena on Tuesday, and even an 88th-minute consolation from Brazilian starlet Oscar could not disguise the fact that the home side ran out worthy winners. Mircea Lucescu's well-drilled team now enjoy a three-point lead over defending champions Chelsea in Group E, ahead of the return fixture between the sides at Stamford Bridge on 7 November. Chelsea will hope to exact swift revenge, and reclaim top spot, by prevailing in that encounter, but they were at least given reason to cheer by Juventus' unexpected 1-1 draw at Danish debutants FC Nordsjaelland. The draw left the Italian champions a point behind the Blues in third place, but Juve will expect to win when Nordsjaelland visit Turin in two weeks' time, so Di Matteo knows that Chelsea will not be able to afford another slip-up. We could have done better as a team. We still have a good chance to qualify for the next round but we absolutely have to win our next match at home to Shakhtar. Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo "You have to analyse Shakhtar's performance correctly," said the Italian, who led Chelsea to their first ever Champions League success last season. "They're a very strong team, particularly at home, and they showed it tonight (Tuesday). Matches in the Champions League are always difficult and competitive. You only have to look at the results in our group to see that. "But we could have done better as a team. We still have a good chance to qualify for the next round but we absolutely have to win our next match at home to Shakhtar." Oscar's goal, which took his tally in this season's competition to three, was the only bright moment on an evening when Chelsea lost Frank Lampard to an early injury on the occasion of his 100th UEFA appearance for the club. By then, Chelsea had already fallen behind to an Alex Teixeira goal in the third minute, after a long Razvan Rat throw-in was allowed to reach the edge of the area before ricocheting into the Brazilian's path via John Terry's arm. The visitors were caught cold again early in the second minute, with Fernandinho doubling Shakhtar's lead after robbing Eden Hazard in midfield, and it was only in the closing stages that the Blues began to exert pressure. Di Matteo criticised his players for being too "individualistic" in the first half, and Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said Chelsea's lackadaisical start to the match had helped the hosts assert their authority. "We're playing better and better. This is probably the best game Shakhtar have played," said the Romanian. "We played spectacular football, and the score could easily have been 4-1 to us. Now it's time to think about the return match in London. "Chelsea were too relaxed at the start of the game, but when they started to press and try to score, it was too late. We were already in control of the match." Chelsea had scored four goals in each of their three previous games, with Saturday's 4-2 comeback win at Tottenham Hotspur enabling them to preserve their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The challenge now is to ensure that Tuesday's setback does not unduly upset their momentum, ahead of back-to-back matches against Manchester United in the Premier League and the League Cup.

Di Matteo: Chelsea must avenge Shakhtar loss Roberto Di Matteo's thoughts quickly turned to Chelsea's return game with Shakhtar Donetsk after seeing his side beaten 2-1 by the Ukrainian champions in UEFA Champions League Group E. Chelsea were left chasing shadows for much of the night at Donetsk's Donbass Arena on Tuesday, and even an 88th-minute consolation from Brazilian starlet Oscar could not disguise the fact that the home side ran out worthy winners. Mircea Lucescu's well-drilled team now enjoy a three-point lead over defending champions Chelsea in Group E, ahead of the return fixture between the sides at Stamford Bridge on 7 November. Chelsea will hope to exact swift revenge, and reclaim top spot, by prevailing in that encounter, but they were at least given reason to cheer by Juventus' unexpected 1-1 draw at Danish debutants FC Nordsjaelland. The draw left the Italian champions a point behind the Blues in third place, but Juve will expect to win when Nordsjaelland visit Turin in two weeks' time, so Di Matteo knows that Chelsea will not be able to afford another slip-up. We could have done better as a team. We still have a good chance to qualify for the next round but we absolutely have to win our next match at home to Shakhtar. Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo "You have to analyse Shakhtar's performance correctly," said the Italian, who led Chelsea to their first ever Champions League success last season. "They're a very strong team, particularly at home, and they showed it tonight (Tuesday). Matches in the Champions League are always difficult and competitive. You only have to look at the results in our group to see that. "But we could have done better as a team. We still have a good chance to qualify for the next round but we absolutely have to win our next match at home to Shakhtar." Oscar's goal, which took his tally in this season's competition to three, was the only bright moment on an evening when Chelsea lost Frank Lampard to an early injury on the occasion of his 100th UEFA appearance for the club. By then, Chelsea had already fallen behind to an Alex Teixeira goal in the third minute, after a long Razvan Rat throw-in was allowed to reach the edge of the area before ricocheting into the Brazilian's path via John Terry's arm. The visitors were caught cold again early in the second minute, with Fernandinho doubling Shakhtar's lead after robbing Eden Hazard in midfield, and it was only in the closing stages that the Blues began to exert pressure. Di Matteo criticised his players for being too "individualistic" in the first half, and Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said Chelsea's lackadaisical start to the match had helped the hosts assert their authority. "We're playing better and better. This is probably the best game Shakhtar have played," said the Romanian. "We played spectacular football, and the score could easily have been 4-1 to us. Now it's time to think about the return match in London. "Chelsea were too relaxed at the start of the game, but when they started to press and try to score, it was too late. We were already in control of the match." Chelsea had scored four goals in each of their three previous games, with Saturday's 4-2 comeback win at Tottenham Hotspur enabling them to preserve their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The challenge now is to ensure that Tuesday's setback does not unduly upset their momentum, ahead of back-to-back matches against Manchester United in the Premier League and the League Cup.

Champs defeated as big guns struggle Shakhtar Donetsk pulled off the most impressive result of the first instalment of Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League, seeing off European champions Chelsea in style. Manchester United and Barcelona were both made to work hard in their closely contested home victories over Braga (3-2) and Celtic (2-1) respectively, as were Juventus, who played out a 1-1 stalemate with Danish outsiders Nordsjaelland, their third consecutive draw of this campaign. The big game Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Chelsea Goals: Alex Teixeira 4, Fernandinho 52 (Shakhtar Donetsk); Oscar 88 (Chelsea) It was Mircea Lucescu who won the most hotly anticipated tactical battle of the evening, negating Roberto Di Matteo’s gameplan of unlocking the Ukrainian defence through the middle. Chelsea were caught cold in the opening minutes of the Group E clash, falling behind to an Alex Teixeira snapshot that eluded the outstretched right hand of goalkeeper Petr Cech. Things went from bad to worse for the defending champions, as Frank Lampard was forced to go off injured. Second to the ball and consistently outpaced by a lively home team, the Blues found themselves 2-0 down just after half-time, Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho breaking into the right-hand side of the box and blasting past Cech. A goal from Oscar two minutes from the end, which saw the young Chelsea star knock home a fine Branislav Ivanovic cross that was dummied by Eden Hazard, provided nothing more than a late consolation. The other games Group E Nordsjaelland 1-1 Juventus The Danish outfit had their fans dreaming of an unlikely success after Mikkel Beckmann’s superb free-kick found its way past Gianluigi Buffon to hand them the lead over Italian champions Juventus. With ’keeper Jesper Hansen on excellent form, it appeared as if it might well be the home side’s night up until the 81st minute, when Mirko Vucinic turned in Mauricio Isla's cross with aplomb, securing a third successive point for La Vecchia Signora in this season’s competition, and obtaining Juventus' ninth draw in a row in European competition. The Italians are third in the section, while the Danes remain bottom. Group F BATE Borisov 0-3 Valencia Lille 0-1 Bayern Munich Valencia brought BATE Borisov down to earth with a bump, soaking up considerable Belarusian pressure before hitting them on the counter-attack with an eye-catching Roberto Soldado hat-trick. With two wins already under their belt, the home team may have been guilty of overconfidence, but it was the Spaniards’ experience, allied to Soldado’s clinical finishing, that swung the balance in the end. Consequently, Valencia move to the top of the group on goal difference, above Bayern Munich, who defeated Lille via a Thomas Muller penalty, during a match where goalscoring opportunities were at a premium. Group G Spartak Moscow 2-1 Benfica Barcelona 2-1 Celtic Barcelona have not had things their own way at home in the tournament so far, and this encounter doubtless had the Camp Nou faithful shifting uncomfortably in their seats at times. Celtic took the lead in the 18th minute through an unfortunate own goal by Javier Mascherano, during one of the away side’s rare incursions into opposition territory. Typically, Barça did not appear unduly concerned, continuing to pass their way towards the Celtic box from a multitude of angles. Andres Iniesta’s well-worked goal provided his team with a deserved equaliser, but Fraser Forster’s remarkable performance between the sticks for the Scottish giants appeared to have earned his team-mates a draw, until Jordi Alba got on the end of a deep Adriano cross in the final minute of stoppage time to claim all three points for the Catalans. Spartak Moscow, meanwhile, overcame Benfica courtesy of a high-octane performance from Brazilian midfield man Rafael Carioca. The Portuguese heavyweights pressed hard in the second half, but to no avail. Group H Manchester United 3-2 Braga Galatasaray 1-1 Cluj For just the second time in their history, Manchester United succeeded in reversing a two-goal deficit in the UEFA Champions League. 2-0 down after 20 minutes, Alex Ferguson’s men subsequently launched countless attacks in the direction of the Portuguese goal. A magnificent pair of headers from Mexican forward Javier Hernandez plus a goal by defender Jonny Evans helped to turn the match around, generating a collective sigh of relief around Old Trafford in the process. In the pool’s other match, Galatasaray dominated Cluj for the majority of their duel in Istanbul, but the Turks were forced to content themselves with a draw, and will likely harbour regrets about Felipe Melo’s missed first-half penalty. The Romanians now sit in second place in Group H, while Galatasaray lie fourth. The player A highly popular player in his adopted land of Portugal, Brazil-born Alan Osorio da Costa Silva, also known as Alan, had to wait until the age of 33 to find the net on the European stage, but he chose a fitting venue to break his duck, scoring twice – with a fine header and a clinical near-post finish – in the opening twenty minutes at Old Trafford and giving Manchester United fans a real fright in the process. Having come through the ranks at Brazilian outfit Ipatinga, Alan arrived in Portugal in 2001, spending four seasons with Maritimo, before enjoying spells with Porto and Vitoria Guimaraes. The winger-cum-forward then joined Braga in 2008, where he has since become one of the first names on the teamsheet. Goal of the night Barcelona 1-1 Celtic, Andres Iniesta 45 Slotting the ball through a scrum of flailing Scottish legs, Lionel Messi found Iniesta on the edge of the box. The Spain international transmitted the ball to compatriot Xavi, who returned the favour instantly. Continuing his run, Iniesta burst between two Celtic defenders to direct the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net, sending the expectant Catalan crowd into raptures. The stat 17 – The number of Champions League matches in which Chelsea have scored at least one goal. The London club are the seventh participants in the competition to achieve such a feat, but the ongoing overall record of 29 – held by Barcelona – will likely take quite some time to surpass. The stat Will Juventus qualify from Group E?

Youth, experience and milestone moments © Getty Images In this week’s stats review, FIFA.com throws the spotlight on landmarks for Francesco Totti, Barcelona and the Bundesliga, the penalty heroics of Carlos Arias and the return of Edgar Davids. 15000 matches was the landmark reached by the Bundesliga on Friday, and Hoffenheim and Greuther Furth ensured that it was marked in some style. The two teams involved in this milestone fixture fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw, with Lasse Sobiech rescuing a point for Hoffenheim with the very last touch of the game. A historic weekend in the German top flight also witnessed the setting of a new record, with Bayern Munich becoming the first team to start a Bundesliga season with eight successive wins. Their 5-0 victory at Fortuna Dusseldorf, who had conceded just three times in their previous seven matches, was also Jupp Heynckes’ 300th success as a Bundesliga coach. Champions Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, are not faring so well, having surrendered their 17-match unbeaten run at home to a Schalke side that now leads their old rivals by five points. 217 Serie A goals have now been racked up by Francesco Totti, establishing the Roma captain as the third-highest marksman in the league’s history. The 36-year-old was on target as I Giallorossi came from 2-0 down to beat Genoa, moving beyond Jose Altafini and Giuseppe Meazza and edging closer to second-placed Gunnar Nordahl (225). Silvio Piola, with 274, holds the overall record. It proved to be a good weekend for the teams from the capital as Lazio beat AC Milan 3-2, their highest-scoring performance against I Rossoneri in 13 years. It extended to five matches Massimiliano Allegri’s winless run against I Biancocelesti since moving to the San Siro, and left Milan having lost five or their opening eight Serie A matches for the first time since 1941. 100 UEFA Champions League wins was the milestone reached by Barcelona last night, enabling them to join the competition’s only other centurions, Manchester United and Real Madrid. The Catalans also set a new club record sequence of 18 home European matches without defeat, and are within another two of equalling the Spanish record, held by Valencia. They did, though, leave it late against a stubborn Celtic side who had been on course to claim a point until the fourth and final minute of injury time. The Scottish champions had succeeded in keeping at bay Lionel Messi, who on Saturday scored a hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna to move on to 59 goals in all competitions in 2012, surpassing his previous personal best of 58 in 2010. The little Argentinian also broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most La Liga goals in a calendar year with his 44th of 2012, not to mention becoming the first Barcelona player in history to rack up 15 hat-tricks in the Spanish top flight. 3 penalties were saved by Carlos Arias on Sunday or, to be more accurate, the Oriente Petrolero goalkeeper saved the same penalty three times over. Impossible though this may seem, it came about because Arias – facing up to Gabriel Rios of Bolivian top flight opponents Universitario – pushed away the initial effort but was penalised by the officials for moving off his line before the ball was struck. History repeated itself at the second attempt, with Rios again denied by Arias before a retake was ordered for the self-same offence. Edgar Escalante then assumed penalty-taking duties, but he fared no better - and this time the goalkeeper’s intervention was adjudged to be legal. Arias duly emerged as the hero of a hard-fought 1-1 draw for his struggling side. 1 year, 11 months and 20 days after making what seemed to be the final appearance of his glittering career, Edgar Davids returned to competitive action on Saturday. The former UEFA Champions League winner has taken on the roles of manager, player and captain of fourth-tier English side Barnet, and he made an inspirational impact, leading the Bees to a 4-0 victory – their first of the season – against Northampton Town. There were also landmarks further up the divisions, and at the other end of the age scale, with Raheem Sterling – at 17 years and 316 days - becoming Liverpool’s second-youngest Premier League goalscorer behind Michael Owen, and the eighth-youngest in the division’s history. The following day, another emerging talent, German midfielder Serge Gnabry (17 years, 98 days), became the second-youngest player to turn out for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Geddo books Ahly final spot © AFP Mohamed 'Geddo' Nagy confirmed his recent return to scoring form with the winner as Al Ahly of Egypt beat Sunshine Stars of Nigeria 1-0 in Cairo to reach the CAF Champions League final. A deflected shot past goalkeeper Moses Ocheje after 28 minutes at the empty June 30 stadium settled the second leg of the semi-final after a 3-3 draw in Nigeria two weeks ago. Record six-time African champions Ahly advanced 4-3 overall and face bitter rivals and title holders Esperance of Tunisia over two legs during November, with the Egyptians having home advantage first. The winner will book their ticket to FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. Geddo, who became the five-goal star of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations after entering the tournament as an unknown, had scored only once in the Champions League this season before the semi-finals. But a first-leg brace followed by the second-leg winner lifts him to four goals, two less than leading Ahly scorer Mohamed Aboutrika, who is serving a two-month club suspension for refusing to play in a recent game. Geddo gunning for goals Geddo could have finished the return match with four goals as the woodwork denied him twice in the opening half and once after the break while Sunshine substitute Harrison Egbune rattled the crossbar in the latter stages. Ahly controlled most of a match that rarely rose above the ordinary and was played behind closed doors with Egyptian authorities refusing to allow spectators amid post-Arab spring security fears. Competing in the Champions League for the first time this season, Sunshine seemed overawed apart from a brief second-half spell when Tamen Medrano, Dele Olorundare and Egbune threatened goalkeeper Sherif Ekrami. Esperance booked a third consecutive final appearance after overcoming TP Mazembe from Congo DR 1-0 at home Saturday following a goalless first encounter. Defender Mohamed Ben Mansour snatched the winner 20 minutes from time, sneaking in at the far post to steer a deflected free kick past goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba.

On-song Osvaldo orchestrates Roma revival Roma claimed an impressive comeback win as they recovered from conceding two early goals to down Genoa. Juraj Kucka and Bosko Jankovic putt Luigi De Canio's side 2-0 up within a quarter of an hour, but Roma were back on terms before half-time thanks to goals from Francesco Totti and Pablo Osvaldo. Osvaldo's second gave i Giallorossi the lead for the first time the 55th minute and Erik Lamela completed a 4-2 victory late on. The home side, looking to end a run of three successive draws with a victory, could hardly have imagined a better start to the game. Kucka put them in front in the seventh minute with former Roma striker Marco Borriello taking some of the credit for a fine backheeled pass which the Genoa midfielder converted with aplomb from the edge of the penalty area. In the 15th minute, Jankovic made it two at the second attempt. His first effort, a fine volley from Borriello's cross, came back off the crossbar but, after Kucka returned the ball to him with his head, he made no mistake with another volley beating Maarten Stekelenburg. Borriello was denied a goal minutes later as Stekelenburg guarded his near post well and Roma finally responded with some attacking of their own. Totti pulled a goal back in the 28th minute with a low shot just beyond the reach of Sebastien Frey.

Atletico Mineiro see off Flu to close gap Fluminense saw their lead at the top of the Brazilian Campeonato cut to six points after losing a five-goal thriller at nearest rivals Atletico Mineiro on Sunday. Wellington Nem put Fluminense in front after 56 minutes, but Jo equalised 13 minutes later as the game belatedly sparked into life. Jo scored his second on 82 minutes only for Fred to make it 2-2 just three minutes later, but there was still time for Leonardo Silva to snatch a last-minute winner. Goals were harder to come by elsewhere, with three 1-0 wins and one goalless draw in the day's other four games. Sport Recife won 1-0 at bottom side Atletico Goianiense thanks to a 49th-minute strike from Gabriel Marquinhos, while Flamengo beat Sao Paulo by the same scoreline courtesy of a 72nd-minute goal from Marcos Gonzalez. Ponte Preta beat Santos 1-0 after Gedeao de Paiva's early goal, while the game between Nautico Recife and Portuguesa finished goalless.

Messi bears down on Pele, Muller goal marks ( Lionel Messi's hat-trick in Barcelona's 5-4 tightrope walk of a win over Deportivo La Coruna has brought the forward closer to beating Pele and Gerd Muller's all-time calendar marks of 75 and 85 goals respectively. Messi has now scored 71 goals in 2012, meaning that by his standards he is only a couple of games away from surpassing Pele's 1959 tally of 75 for Santos and Brazil, Catalan daily El Mundo Deportivo pointed out on Sunday on its website. "Messi now has 71 goals, 12 of those for Argentina, and has another eight weeks to boost the tally," the paper noted. "Everything therefore points to him beating 'O Rei' ('king' Pele) and maybe also Muller, who in 1972 .... piled up 85 with Bayern and the German national side," the Barcelona daily continued. Messi, also looking for a fourth FIFA World Player of the Year award, has already set a new Barcelona record in scoring 59 goals already in 2012 this year - one more than his total in 2010. He has also managed 15 league hat-tricks for Barcelona, with Saturday's effort moving him ahead of legendary former star Cesar. A further two trebles in the Spanish Cup, three more in the UEFA Champions League and one in the Spanish Super Cup mean he has 21 overall for his club.

Borini faces three months out ( Liverpool's Italian striker Fabio Borini is to undergo surgery on a fractured bone in his foot and could face three months out of action. Borini first sustained an injury to his foot in the Reds' 2-1 home defeat by Manchester United on 23 September, Liverpool said in a statement on their website. The club said the 21-year-old then "aggravated the problem resulting in a fracture" when on international duty with Italy's U-21s ahead of their game against Sweden on Friday. "Typically, an injury of this nature requires a three-month rehabilitation period," the statement added. Borini, who joined Liverpool from Roma during the close season, has scored just once in 11 appearances for the English Premier League side. His absence leaves the club with just one recognised striker in Uruguayan Luis Suarez.

Borini faces three months out Liverpool's Italian striker Fabio Borini is to undergo surgery on a fractured bone in his foot and could face three months out of action. Borini first sustained an injury to his foot in the Reds' 2-1 home defeat by Manchester United on 23 September, Liverpool said in a statement on their website. The club said the 21-year-old then "aggravated the problem resulting in a fracture" when on international duty with Italy's U-21s ahead of their game against Sweden on Friday. "Typically, an injury of this nature requires a three-month rehabilitation period," the statement added. Borini, who joined Liverpool from Roma during the close season, has scored just once in 11 appearances for the English Premier League side. His absence leaves the club with just one recognised striker in Uruguayan Luis Suarez.

Messi, Neymar and Sweden astound © Getty Images The stupefying scoring form of Lionel Messi and Neymar this year make FIFA.com’s latest stats review, as do long sequences coming to an end for Iker Casillas, Spain and Germany. 821 minutes – over 13 and a half hours – without conceding a goal for Spain is the run that came to an end for Iker Casillas on Tuesday night, when France striker Olivier Giroud’s 11th-hour header – 364 seconds after he came on as a substitute - denied La Roja a 25th successive victory in either FIFA World Cup™ or UEFA EURO qualifying. The Iberians’ last failure to win in one of those preliminary competitions came when they drew 1-1 in Iceland in the race for places at EURO 2008. Spain’s latest draw did at least extend their unbeaten record in FIFA World Cup qualifiers to an incredible 46 matches, with 36 wins and ten draws having followed a 1-0 loss in Denmark in March 1993. 45 goals in 49 matches is the magnificent total Neymar has scored in 2012, with the exceptionally gifted forward contributing 26 assists in the process. The 20-year-old has netted 37 times in 39 games for Santos in all competitions, while seven goals in his last four internationals have taken him onto eight in ten in senior Brazil contests this year. Those efforts have helped Mano Menezes’ men beat China PR 8-0, Argentina 2-1, Iraq 6-0 and Japan 4-0 – they have averaged scoring five goals per game in the process – and extend their winning run to six matches. 12 goals in eight games – an average of 1.5 per game – is what makes Lionel Messi the leading marksman in international football in 2012. The 25-year-old’s nearest challenger is Carlos Ruiz, who has scored ten times for Guatemala this year to improve his national record to 55 goals in 104 appearances. Messi’s previous best return for his country was the six goals in 14 outings he scored in 2007 (0.43 per game), but he struck twice in the 3-0 defeat of Uruguay and once in the 2-1 win in Chile to help Argentina go three points clear at the summit of South American qualifying for Brazil 2014 and leave himself as the seven-goal joint-leading marksman alongside team-mate Gonzalo Higuain and Uruguay’s Luis Suarez. Messi’s latest effort moved him onto 31 goals in 75 matches for Argentina, just two shy of third-placed Diego Maradona and four behind Hernan Crespo. Gabriel Batistuta has scored a record 56 goals for La Albiceleste. 4 goals: that was the seemingly insurmountable deficit Sweden recovered from to snatch a draw in Berlin in a Brazil 2014 qualifier and ensure Germany failed to win a match in which they led by four goals for the first time in their 108-year history. Miroslav Klose, who struck in the 6-1 thrashing of Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Friday, hit an early brace at the Olympiastadion to put Joachim Low’s side 2-0 up and leave himself just one goal shy of Germany’s 68-goal all-time record scorer, Gerd Muller. Per Mertesacker amplified the lead and when Mesut Ozil made it 4-0 before the hour, it left Germany having scored ten goals in their last 116 minutes of football – a stunning average of one goal every 11.6 minutes! However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back in the 62nd minute, and goals from Mikael Lustig, Johan Elmander and Rasmus Elm completed one of the most sensational comebacks in football history. 2 of their six matches is all France won to become FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champions on Saturday – the fewest victories a team has ever achieved to conquer a FIFA women’s tournament. Les Bleuettes drew 0-0 with USA and 1-1 with Korea DPR, before thrashing Gambia 10-2 to go through to the knockout phase as Group B runners-up on goal difference. France were held to a goalless draw by Nigeria in the quarter-finals, but edged an ensuing shoot-out to book a last-four date with Ghana, whom they beat 2-0. The French met the North Koreans again in the Final, and for the second time in succession, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup showpiece went to penalties, which Guy Ferrier’s girls won 7-6.

FIFA Trivia turns Ultimate (FIFA.com) Wednesday 17 October 2012 FIFA Trivia turns Ultimate © FIFA.com We’ve just launched a completely new Trivia game! It's called FIFA Ultimate Trivia and it's packed with new quiz categories, a massive amount of interactive questions, multiplayer and single player modes, achievement badges, and, best of all, incredible prizes. Play FIFA Ultimate Trivia now! Grand Prize We are giving away an incredible trip to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The overall winner of FIFA Ultimate Trivia Season 1 will travel to Brazil, accompanied by a guest of their choice, and get to watch their favourite team play in all three of their group stage matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Season 1 of FIFA Ultimate Trivia runs from 11 October 2012 to 31 December 2013. Post the highest season-long score and claim your seat in Brazil! Visit the Rules page for a detailed breakdown on scoring points in FIFA Ultimate Trivia and track your overall progress by visiting the Season 1 leaderboard. Monthly prizes Every Trivia season is split into monthly rounds. Each monthly round gives you the chance to win a signed football jersey. There’s more! All monthly winners for Season 1 will be placed into a draw to win a trip for two to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, including tickets to one group stage match. The monthly leaderboard is updated daily. Use it to keep an eye on your closest challengers. How to play Club members: Activate the FIFA Ultimate Trivia game in the games section of the Club House. You will need to register for Trivia to be able to play. Once you’re registered, visit the Trivia home page, sign in and get started! Play live against other gamers, aim high and climb that Trivia leaderboard! If you’re not already a FIFA.com Club member, simply sign up and then follow the steps listed above. It’s that easy! Once you’ve acquired some FIFA Ultimate Trivia skills, start collecting and showing off your achievement badges. Collect the most achievements and you get to be featured in the FIFA Ultimate Trivia Hall of Fame. We hope you enjoy our new Trivia game. Share your thoughts with us about all the new Trivia features by posting your comments below!

FIFA Trivia turns Ultimate (FIFA.com) Wednesday 17 October 2012 FIFA Trivia turns Ultimate © FIFA.com We’ve just launched a completely new Trivia game! It's called FIFA Ultimate Trivia and it's packed with new quiz categories, a massive amount of interactive questions, multiplayer and single player modes, achievement badges, and, best of all, incredible prizes. Play FIFA Ultimate Trivia now! Grand Prize We are giving away an incredible trip to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The overall winner of FIFA Ultimate Trivia Season 1 will travel to Brazil, accompanied by a guest of their choice, and get to watch their favourite team play in all three of their group stage matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Season 1 of FIFA Ultimate Trivia runs from 11 October 2012 to 31 December 2013. Post the highest season-long score and claim your seat in Brazil! Visit the Rules page for a detailed breakdown on scoring points in FIFA Ultimate Trivia and track your overall progress by visiting the Season 1 leaderboard. Monthly prizes Every Trivia season is split into monthly rounds. Each monthly round gives you the chance to win a signed football jersey. There’s more! All monthly winners for Season 1 will be placed into a draw to win a trip for two to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, including tickets to one group stage match. The monthly leaderboard is updated daily. Use it to keep an eye on your closest challengers. How to play Club members: Activate the FIFA Ultimate Trivia game in the games section of the Club House. You will need to register for Trivia to be able to play. Once you’re registered, visit the Trivia home page, sign in and get started! Play live against other gamers, aim high and climb that Trivia leaderboard! If you’re not already a FIFA.com Club member, simply sign up and then follow the steps listed above. It’s that easy! Once you’ve acquired some FIFA Ultimate Trivia skills, start collecting and showing off your achievement badges. Collect the most achievements and you get to be featured in the FIFA Ultimate Trivia Hall of Fame. We hope you enjoy our new Trivia game. Share your thoughts with us about all the new Trivia features by posting your comments below!

FIFA Trivia turns Ultimate © FIFA.com We’ve just launched a completely new Trivia game! It's called FIFA Ultimate Trivia and it's packed with new quiz categories, a massive amount of interactive questions, multiplayer and single player modes, achievement badges, and, best of all, incredible prizes. Play FIFA Ultimate Trivia now! Grand Prize We are giving away an incredible trip to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The overall winner of FIFA Ultimate Trivia Season 1 will travel to Brazil, accompanied by a guest of their choice, and get to watch their favourite team play in all three of their group stage matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Season 1 of FIFA Ultimate Trivia runs from 11 October 2012 to 31 December 2013. Post the highest season-long score and claim your seat in Brazil! Visit the Rules page for a detailed breakdown on scoring points in FIFA Ultimate Trivia and track your overall progress by visiting the Season 1 leaderboard. Monthly prizes Every Trivia season is split into monthly rounds. Each monthly round gives you the chance to win a signed football jersey. There’s more! All monthly winners for Season 1 will be placed into a draw to win a trip for two to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, including tickets to one group stage match. The monthly leaderboard is updated daily. Use it to keep an eye on your closest challengers. How to play Club members: Activate the FIFA Ultimate Trivia game in the games section of the Club House. You will need to register for Trivia to be able to play. Once you’re registered, visit the Trivia home page, sign in and get started! Play live against other gamers, aim high and climb that Trivia leaderboard! If you’re not already a FIFA.com Club member, simply sign up and then follow the steps listed above. It’s that easy! Once you’ve acquired some FIFA Ultimate Trivia skills, start collecting and showing off your achievement badges. Collect the most achievements and you get to be featured in the FIFA Ultimate Trivia Hall of Fame. We hope you enjoy our new Trivia game. Share your thoughts with us about all the new Trivia features by posting your comments below!

Hodgson: Rain delay affected players © Getty Images England boss Roy Hodgson feared his team had lost some of their spark during the 24-hour delay to their FIFA World Cup™ qualifier with Poland. The Three Lions left Warsaw grateful for a point after a 1-1 draw. Wayne Rooney put the visitors in front and missed a glorious chance to double that lead, but Poland were good value for their draw in the end and could easily have had more to show for their efforts than a Kamil Glik equaliser that came after a mistake from Joe Hart. Hodgson accepted neither side benefited from the postponement caused by Tuesday's deluge. But he certainly felt it affected his players. "On Monday, after the training session on the pitch, the players were looking very sharp and lively," he said. "I didn't get that impression today. I don't want to give the impression we were hard done by and our opponents weren't. "But if a game is postponed it is a little bit easier if you are on home soil," he added. "We had that extra day and night in the hotel." But if a game is postponed it is a little bit easier if you are on home soil. England boss Roy Hodgson Hodgson labelled the pitch as "dead", which may have contributed to some uncharacteristically sloppy passing, with Michael Carrick among those most affected. "There was no question the pitch was playable but it wasn't suited to quick passing," he said. "Both teams made quite a few passing mistakes. At half-time we were quite surprised how many passes we had sent astray." The positive, which cannot be dismissed, is that England did not lose and, that UEFA EURO 2012 penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy excepted, remain unbeaten during Hodgson's 11 games in charge. Their advantage in Group H is almost certain to have have disappeared by the time they next play again in March as second-placed Montenegro, who are just a point behind, face minnows San Marino next month. However, England's durability is something Hodgson is convinced will stand them in good stead. "When you are in a qualifying group, or you are with a league club, there are days when things don't always go your way," he said. "On those days it is very important you still come away with a result. "We would have loved to have won it but we didn't produce good enough football to do that," he added. "But we did do enough to avoid defeat and go away with a point." So many of England's players failed to perform. Rooney was the most obvious example, despite his 32nd England goal, and following his failure to snaffle a chance provided by Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck, it was no surprise he was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. "A bit of both," was Hodgson's response when asked whether the reasoning behind his decision was physical or tactical. "There was an element of physicality because it looked as though he was tiring. "He couldn't reproduce his excellent performance against San Marino and we wanted to get a little bit more life and energy into the central area, which [Tom] Cleverley was capable of giving us alongside [Steven] Gerrard and Carrick, so Wayne moved wider. Then, when we thought he was tiring we felt it was the right moment to bring on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who gave us some fresh legs." Hodgson believed that move worked, although Poland looked equally likely to snatch a win at the death.

Hulk: I can adapt to anything Cold weather, the language barrier and cultural differences could all have proved obstacles to Givanildo Vieira de Souza, better known as Hulk, settling into life at Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg, who he joined in early September. Yet, in the case of this particular native of Campina Grande in the Brazilian state of Paraiba, adapting to new and challenging circumstances is simply not an issue. Nor has it ever been, with the Seleção attacker learning from a very early age that, for him at least, opportunities would not come knocking – he would have to go and seek them out, sometimes to the other side of the planet. On all this and more, Hulk spoke to FIFA.com. FIFA.com: What was it like moving to Japan at such an early age? Hulk: Once I arrived, everything there was totally different to how I’d imagined it. I was only 18 so I’d thought it would be difficult to adapt, but it turned out to be very easy. I found myself in a country that had everything, a great infrastructure. And, at all the clubs I played for, there were always other Brazilians to help me out. And, even before that, when you were still a youth player, you spent a period in Portugal didn’t you? That’s right, I went to Portugal when I was 15 years old. At the time I was on trial at Corinthians, in Sao Paulo, and my representative called me to say “We’re going to Portugal”. So I packed my bags and off I went. I spent a year over there and learned a lot, as I was living and training with professional players. Does the fact you’ve barely played professionally in Brazil make it harder to win over followers of A Seleção? Ah... it makes it a little more difficult. Even now, after a lot of games for A Seleção, there are still question marks, aren’t there? Not everyone knows who I am, or how I play. I left Brazil at a really early age – I only played 70 minutes or so as a pro over there – so it’s normal there is still some uncertainty when people talk about me. How many minutes as a pro? (Laughs) That’s right, only 70-odd minutes. My debut was against Fluminense, in the Barradao stadium, when I came on as a second-half substitute, while my other appearance was against Internacional, in the Beira-Rio. We lost 2-1 but I did pretty well. I’m one of those players who likes to get on the ball and take people on. I’ve always had a hard shot, though, ever since I was little. Hulk Back then, tactically speaking, did you play more or less the way you do now? That’s changed a little because of the way Brazilian teams usually line up. They tend to use 4-4-2 more often than not, while in Europe, generally speaking, 4-3-3 is more common. For that reason, over here I’ve ended up playing a wider role. Even back in Brazil, though, you weren’t an out-an-out centre-forward were you? No, I was never an out-and-out forward. I was always more of a second striker, who’d drift out to the flanks, would move around and go looking for the ball. But once in Europe I started playing in a wider role, though I’ve also now played a lot of games as a central striker – through the middle. And you’ve always favoured the right flank, even though you’re left-footed? Always. It just came naturally. I always liked to play on that side of the pitch and, fortunately, the coaches I’ve had have always supported me. [Former FC Porto coach] Jesualdo Ferreira, for example, was one of those who helped me so much when I arrived in Europe. He’d always take the time to talk to me and made me feel really at home, both on and off the pitch. What was it that struck you most when you left Asia to play in Europe? What I found in Europe is there’s a lot of respect for tactical formations. Out on the field, the players stick more closely to their [allocated] positions. So, when I first arrived I struggled a bit, because I wasn’t used to coming back to defend so much. Nowadays, that comes more easily to me. A lot of people see your physique and mistakenly think you must be all about power and strength, rather than giving you credit for your speed and skill... It’s true. If they don’t know my game, sometimes they see my physique and get the wrong idea, thinking I must be a blood-and-thunder kind of player. But to be honest I’ve never really been like that: I’m one of those players who likes to get on the ball and take people on. I’ve always had a hard shot, though, ever since I was little. (laughs) How did your superhero nickname come about? I’ve had it since I was a kid of around three, because I used to really like that character, The Hulk, and I used to tell my dad how strong I was, how much strength I had. So my dad said to me, “Ok then, you’re The Hulk”, and they still call me that now. Helpfully for me, I grew into a strong lad, so it fitted well. (laughs) Back on the topic of A Seleção, despite the aforementioned uncertainty from some Brazil fans, it did not take you long to earn the trust of senior coach Mano Menezes, did it? I think the biggest proof of that was the fact he picked me for the Olympics [at London 2012], particularly as I was one of the over-23 players. That made me very happy. Unfortunately we weren’t able to bring back the gold, but it was an opportunity I tried to take full advantage of. Were you surprised to see your name on the official squad list? At the start of this year, for example, I couldn’t even have dreamed of getting that chance. But, after the friendlies in the middle of the year [against Denmark, USA, Mexico and Argentina], I started to think that I might make the cut. I’d spoken to Spalletti. He sold the club to me very well, telling me about the great structure that was in place and their project of building a great side. And that’s just what I found when I came here. Hulk on joining Zenit St. Petersburg When you signed for Zenit, you spoke a lot about the club’s project of assembling a truly great team. Which facets of that project really caught your eye? During the whole transfer window there were a lot of rumours about me interesting a number of big clubs, but neither Porto nor I were keen on the offers that came in. And, before I signed for Zenit, I’d spoken to [coach Luciano] Spalletti. He sold the club to me very well, telling me about the great structure that was in place and their project of building a great side. And that’s just what I found when I came here: a great structure and an ambitious project. I’m certain that, in the future, Zenit will be one of the biggest teams in Europe. What’s the club’s main objective for the season ahead? Of course it’s important to win the Russian title, but I think that our biggest aim is to do well in the Champions League. We may have lost our opening two games, but we’re not out of it yet. We’ve got the ability and quality to still reach the next round. Almost as soon as you signed for Porto, you were involved in UEFA Champions League action. How special is the competition for European clubs? Yes, I started appearing in the Champions League almost immediately after joining the club. It’s always seen as the most important competition, because it’s when you know you’re up against the very best teams and the best players. It’s very cool to play in. Even more so when you’re at a club in Portugal or Russia, for example, whose domestic championships aren’t as widely broadcast as the English and Italian leagues. And there’s no chance I’ll pass under the radar: I’ll always be scoring goals and catching the eye. Mano also tells us all that he always follows our progress, whatever league we’re in or club we’re at. Earlier you told us how smoothly you settled in Japan, so have you had any trouble adapting to life in Russia? To be honest, none at all: this city is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I’ve not had chance to get to know everything yet but, even just going on the little I’ve seen on my way to our training complex, it looks incredible. And the club’s got a very good set-up. So, truthfully, I’m not having any problems. Finally, is it the fact you left home so early and also moved abroad at such a tender age why you’re able to take such major moves in your stride? Yes, no doubt about it. I’ve ended up being able to adapt to pretty much anything, because I left home very early. After heading to Japan at 18 and settling well there, anything else is a piece of cake. (laughs)

Mexico's Enriquez taking the fast track © Getty Images Mexico midfielder Jorge Enriquez has grown accustomed to success over the last two years, the 21-year-old having formed part of the El Tri sides that finished third at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011 and struck gold at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012. His fledgling career took another upward turn only last Friday, when he made his full international debut in Mexico’s 5-0 defeat of Guyana in their latest qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. The Guadalajara player was still buzzing with excitement when he spoke to FIFA.com afterwards, giving his views on his rapid progress in the game, his ambitions and what that future might hold for a generation of Mexican players of whom much is expected. Moving on up Enriquez’s international career began 39 minutes into last week’s match in Houston, when he came on for veteran Gerardo Torrado, one of the mainstays of the Mexico side in recent years. The new boy did not disappoint, making an important contribution in the defeat of the Caribbean side. Clearly delighted with his day’s work, the defensive midfielder said: “I’m excited and very happy. It’s a dream for me to be here and to be playing my part with these guys.” They don’t have any pressure on them and that makes them very dangerous. We’ll have to apply ourselves if we want to win the game. Mexico starlet Jorge Enriquez on Tuesday's game with El Salvador As he went on to explain, his lengthy apprenticeship in Mexico’s youth teams have stood him in good stead for his full debut, allowing him to take the occasion in his stride: “The processes are pretty similar,” said the man they call El Chatón, “There’s a lot of good work done in the youth sides and the system is virtually the same, which makes things a lot easier. “I think the good results we’ve had have really helped change the mentality in Mexico,” continued the winner of the adidas Bronze Ball at Colombia 2011, explaining how Mexico’s planning has paid off. “Youngsters look on us as winners now and they’re not scared by what they see, which I think is important. With our achievements we’ve changed the way they think and made them see us as role models.” Future objectives At 6'3 and physically imposing with it, Enriquez has broken the mould when it comes to Mexican holding midfielders, who are known for being short in stature and combative. Many have already likened him with the Ivorian Yaya Toure, a comparison he views as an honour: “He’s one of those players who inspire a lot of confidence and he can really carry a team. He’s a player to who I look up to. I also try to model myself on Sergio Busquets. Both have a lot of quality and there’s so much I can learn from them.” Enriquez has set his sights on playing in one of Europe’s top leagues one day, and the club where Busquets and Toure once joined forces is high on his wishlist: “It’s a dream of mine and I’ve worked very hard for it. It would be amazing for me and it’s one of my biggest goals. Let’s just hope it comes about soon. I’d love to go to the Spanish league with Barcelona, although the Premier League and Italy would be great too.” In the meantime, however, comes another Brazil 2014 qualifier against El Salvador on Tuesday, with the upwardly mobile Enriquez ready to answer his coach’s call again. “I watched the first game between the two teams, and sides like them can make life difficult for you because they don’t have anything to lose,” he said, looking ahead to Mexico’s final game in a section they have already won, assuring them a place in the final six-team phase of the CONCACAF qualifying competition for Brazil 2014. “They don’t have any pressure on them and that makes them very dangerous. We’ll have to apply ourselves if we want to win the game.” Academic they may be, but Enriquez hopes Mexico’s latest qualifiers are just the start of a long and successful career for him in the red, white and green of his country: “That dream and the fight for a place at the World Cup starts now. I want to play in it, enjoy it and bring some joy to Mexico, and I’m going to put everything I have into making it happen.”

Argentina, Ecuador eye further progress © AFP Leaders Argentina and third-placed Ecuador both face away trips tomorrow as they look to consolidate their positions in the South America qualifying group for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Second-placed Colombia sit out the latest round of games, while Uruguay and Chile, who host the Argentinians, are both anxious to improve their faltering form. At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Bolivia and Paraguay have no option but to start picking up points fast. The big game Chile-Argentina Tuesday 16 October, Estadio Nacional, Santiago, 20:05 (local time) Chile and Argentina go into this game in very different frames of mind. Riding high at the top of the table, La Albiceleste are full of confidence after thumping Uruguay 3-0 win to extend their unbeaten run to six games. Lionel Messi has had a big hand in that purple patch and now has 30 international goals to his name, putting him fourth on Argentina’s list of all-time top scorers, just four behind Diego Maradona in third. Angel di Maria and Sergio Aguero have also been in fine form of late, though striker Gonzalo Higuain has a hip injury and is doubtful for the trip to the Chilean capital. The picture is not quite so rosy for Claudio Borghi’s men, who lie fifth after going down to Ecuador in Quito last week. That 3-1 defeat that was followed by a frank exchange of views in the dressing room, which ended with the players promising to turn round a campaign that looked promising in June, after three straight wins, but has now hit the buffers. To make matters worse Arturo Vidal, Osvaldo Gonzalez and Pablo Contreras are all suspended, though the Chilean midfield will be bolstered by the return of the combative Gary Medel. His bite will be crucial to halting the in-form Argentinians, who thrashed the Chileans 4-1 in Buenos Aires in the opening game of the competition. Elsewhere Ecuador, who stand a point behind Argentina, are also on the road, with Venezuela their destination. Untouchable at their Quito stronghold, Reinaldo Rueda’s side have proved less impressive on their travels, losing two and drawing the other of their three away games to date. Sixth in the standings and aiming to pull up on the leaders, Venezuela should be full of running after enjoying a day off last Friday, and will be looking for yet more inspiration from Salomon Rondon. On the downside, Andres Tunez is out with injury. Uruguay need to get back to winning ways fast after suffering defeats in two of their last three qualifying games, conceding eight goals in the process. La Celeste visit Bolivia tomorrow but will be without captain Diego Lugano, Diego Godin and Martin Caceres for what is a crucial game against a side just one point off the bottom of the table. The Bolivians have not given up hope of a place at Brazil 2014 yet, though as their Spanish coach Xabier Azkargorta acknowledged, they have a huge task ahead of them: “It’s tough, but there are 24 points left and we’ll be fighting for every one of them.” Four-time FIFA World Cup finalists Paraguay are the side who lie below Bolivia and need a minor miracle if they are to get back into the qualification race. Beaten in their last five games, they entertain Peru with designs on avenging their 2-0 loss in Lima 12 months ago. The Peruvians fielded a reshuffled side in their 1-1 draw in Bolivia last week, and will be looking to striker Claudio Pizarro to spearhead their push for more valuable points in Asuncion. Player to watch Marcelo Martins (Ecuador) After playing only the second half against Peru, Martins has earned himself a spot in the starting XI for the clash with Uruguay. He scored twice against the Uruguayans in qualifying in 2008, and will be hoping for more of the same this time out. "As long as we're moving in the right direction, we're still alive in qualifying," said the 25-year-old ace who already has nine goals in World Cup qualifying. Did you know? Andrea Pirlo and Ronaldinho were the inspirations behind the low free-kick that Lionel Messi fired under the Uruguay wall to seal Argentina’s 3-0 win in Mendoza on Friday. Speaking afterwards, Messi said he decided to take a leaf out of their book after seeing them score with similar strikes last week: “The keeper was standing still, and he knew I like to send the ball over the top. I guessed the wall was going to jump and so I decided to hit it low.” For the third time in a week, the tactic paid off. What they said “It’s been a tough week and this result hurts. It was a derby, we needed the three points, and we’re in a tight spot now. Every game will be a final for us, and our trip to the World Cup is in danger,” Uruguay captain Diego Lugano reacts to his side’s 3-0 defeat to Argentina last Friday.

© EFE All will be known in the CONCACAF Zone on Tuesday night, when the dust settles and five teams join high-flying Mexico in the final six-team round of CONCACAF qualifying. USA and Guatemala are looking good in Group A, but Jamaica can still have their say. From Group B, Costa Rica are likely to pip El Salvador to the finish line, and in Group C Panama look like going through, and will be joined by either Canada or Honduras. The big game Honduras-Canada The equation is simple: a draw or a win for Canada (10 points) on the road in San Pedro Sula will take the Canucks through to the final six-team round of Brazil 2010 qualifying in the CONCACAF zone. The Hondurans, on eight points after a goalless draw with Panama last week, need a win. The Canucks have momentum from their recent 3-0 win over whipping boys Cuba, but they'll have no easy day before a passionate Honduran crowd, and against a desperate team that has improved since making a terrible start. The two teams drew 0-0 in Toronto early in the campaign, a game in which the Canadians, with only five goals in five games, wasted chance after chance to score. “As long as you’re creating scoring opportunities, they’re going to fall at some point,” said Canada’s Norwich City striker Simeon Jackson, who is due for a goal, having failed to find the net in Canada’s five previous games. Other action After a nail-biter of a win at Antigua and Barbuda last week, Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA can book their place in the final qualifying round with a win or a draw at home in Kansas City against Guatemala, a team the Americans drew against when they met earlier in the Group A campaign. Guatemala, who beat Jamaica 2-1 last time, will also qualify with a win or a draw, while the Jamaicans need a resounding win over their already eliminated neighbours Antigua and Barbuda, and to hope that USA and Guatemala don’t draw, to keep their fading chances of progressing alive. Mexico, with a perfect five wins from five games, were the first team to qualify for the final round. With Guyana eliminated, the battle for second place, and the other ticket to the final round from Group B, is on between Costa Rica and El Salvador. The Ticos, led by Bryan Ruiz and Alvaro Saborio, are in pole position and a win against Guyana in San Jose would put them through. El Salvador need victory against mighty Mexico, reigning Olympic champions, on the road in Torreon – a tough ask against the form-team of the region – to have a chance. Panama, who have been the cream of Group C, just need a win or a draw in Havana against Cuba, a team that have lost all five of their games so far, while Honduras would move on with a home win against Canada, who themselves need a draw or better. What they’re saying “We’re expecting a great atmosphere. It’s at the point where now we can play a qualifier in our country and we can know that it’s going to be an American crowd, a great crowd and it’s going to be a fun night. It’s up to us to make sure the stuff on the field gets taken care of, but that is something we look forward to and we’ll get the job done.” USA and Roma midfielder Michael Bradley, looking forward to a pro-USA crowd on American soil, something that hasn’t always been a guarantee in the past. The number 11 – the number of points that USA and Guatemala would finish with should they draw their game in Kansas City, one more than Jamaica can get should they win their game against the Antiguans in Kingston. Will USA coach Klinsmann, an exponent of stylish, attacking football, risk getting caught out by going for the win, or will caution rule the day?

Grasshopper Club Zürich Eagles, Elephants, Hornets, Foxes and even Goats are just a tiny selection of the animal-based nicknames adopted by football clubs around the world. However, only a tiny handful are actually named after the bird or beast which serves as a handy and memorable synonym. One of those is the second-oldest footballing institution in Switzerland after FC St Gallen, and the nation’s most successful club: Grasshopper Club Zurich. Birth of an institution GCZ were founded in 1886 by a group of English students led by Tom E. Griffith, the club's first president and captain. One of the earliest decisions made by the fledgling organisation was to elect its first honorary member, Colonel Hermann Nabholz, who donated the funds necessary for a proper leather football, as well as shirts, shorts and caps in blue and white, the heraldic colours of the municipality and Canton of Zurich. They remain the club colours to this day. The reasons why the founders plumped for the name Grasshopper are shrouded in mystery and have sadly evaporated into the mists of time. The most likely explanation is that the GCZ pioneers were simply inspired by the idea of a grasshopper’s agility, movement and speed over the turf. The maiden fixture took place the same year, a goalless draw with Polytechnic Football Club, a team based at Zurich Technical University. In 1893, Grasshopper became the first Swiss team to contest a match in Germany when they defeated Strasbourg, a German city at the time, by the only goal of the game. The making of a legend GCZ were founder members of the Swiss championship and claimed the inaugural league title in 1897/98. They would go on to seal the national crown again in 1900 and in 1901. However, the club fell on hard times and slipped to a new low in 1909 when they left the domestic Football Association. The men in blue and white rejoined the FA seven years later and made a huge contribution to the game, establishing roots and earning mass acceptance in Switzerland over the following years. After a fourth championship triumph in 1921, Grasshopper were also the first winners of the newly-introduced Swiss knockout cup in 1926. The club’s reputation spread beyond national borders, as shown in 1931 when a panel of experts from all over Europe declared GCZ to be the fourth-best team on the continent. However, the club and its fans have rarely enjoyed long periods of stability and success, with numerous lows to match the highs. Grasshopper were relegated in 1948/49, but like the creature which gives them their name, sprung back to the high point of a domestic double on their return to the top flight two years later. The men from Zurich did the double again in 1955/56. History was destined to repeat itself as a glorious era was followed by a long barren spell lasting 15 years without silverware. However, the Grasshoppers showed yet again they should never be written off, as the drought served only to strengthen their hand for a comeback. The present GCZ rank as Switzerland's most successful club in both league and cup, and have won the double on seven occasions. Major success in Europe has eluded the venerable Zurich club over the years, although their history shows a number of creditable results against big-name opponents. GCZ have twice qualified for the UEFA Champions League, and also once reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals. They made a quarter-final appearance in the same competition on another occasion, and once reached the last eight of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. The most recent trophy triumph came almost a decade ago with the domestic title in 2003. FC Basel and fierce rivals FC Zurich have nosed ahead of the Grasshoppers in more recent times, but the history of the men in blue and white and their proud domestic record suggests they will soon be contending for honours again. The stadium Prior to 1929, Grasshopper played at a variety of venues, but in 1929 the club moved permanently to its own home ground, the newly-opened Hardturm Stadium, which staged the first floodlit match in Switzerland in April 1956. After several rebuilding and modernisation programmes, the capacity at the end of the 1990s was around 17,700. The last match at the venerable Hardturm was played in 2007, after which the stadium was demolished to make way for a new arena to be shared by the big two in Zurich. However, the project ran into protracted trouble and Grasshopper have played their home games at the Letzigrund Stadium since then. The ground was rebuilt in 2007 for UEFA EURO 2008 and has a capacity of 25,000 for league matches.

Official Website: www.gcz.ch Eagles, Elephants, Hornets, Foxes and even Goats are just a tiny selection of the animal-based nicknames adopted by football clubs around the world. However, only a tiny handful are actually named after the bird or beast which serves as a handy and memorable synonym. One of those is the second-oldest footballing institution in Switzerland after FC St Gallen, and the nation’s most successful club: Grasshopper Club Zurich. Birth of an institution GCZ were founded in 1886 by a group of English students led by Tom E. Griffith, the club's first president and captain. One of the earliest decisions made by the fledgling organisation was to elect its first honorary member, Colonel Hermann Nabholz, who donated the funds necessary for a proper leather football, as well as shirts, shorts and caps in blue and white, the heraldic colours of the municipality and Canton of Zurich. They remain the club colours to this day. The reasons why the founders plumped for the name Grasshopper are shrouded in mystery and have sadly evaporated into the mists of time. The most likely explanation is that the GCZ pioneers were simply inspired by the idea of a grasshopper’s agility, movement and speed over the turf. The maiden fixture took place the same year, a goalless draw with Polytechnic Football Club, a team based at Zurich Technical University. In 1893, Grasshopper became the first Swiss team to contest a match in Germany when they defeated Strasbourg, a German city at the time, by the only goal of the game. The making of a legend GCZ were founder members of the Swiss championship and claimed the inaugural league title in 1897/98. They would go on to seal the national crown again in 1900 and in 1901. However, the club fell on hard times and slipped to a new low in 1909 when they left the domestic Football Association. The men in blue and white rejoined the FA seven years later and made a huge contribution to the game, establishing roots and earning mass acceptance in Switzerland over the following years. After a fourth championship triumph in 1921, Grasshopper were also the first winners of the newly-introduced Swiss knockout cup in 1926. The club’s reputation spread beyond national borders, as shown in 1931 when a panel of experts from all over Europe declared GCZ to be the fourth-best team on the continent. However, the club and its fans have rarely enjoyed long periods of stability and success, with numerous lows to match the highs. Grasshopper were relegated in 1948/49, but like the creature which gives them their name, sprung back to the high point of a domestic double on their return to the top flight two years later. The men from Zurich did the double again in 1955/56. History was destined to repeat itself as a glorious era was followed by a long barren spell lasting 15 years without silverware. However, the Grasshoppers showed yet again they should never be written off, as the drought served only to strengthen their hand for a comeback. The present GCZ rank as Switzerland's most successful club in both league and cup, and have won the double on seven occasions. Major success in Europe has eluded the venerable Zurich club over the years, although their history shows a number of creditable results against big-name opponents. GCZ have twice qualified for the UEFA Champions League, and also once reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals. They made a quarter-final appearance in the same competition on another occasion, and once reached the last eight of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. The most recent trophy triumph came almost a decade ago with the domestic title in 2003. FC Basel and fierce rivals FC Zurich have nosed ahead of the Grasshoppers in more recent times, but the history of the men in blue and white and their proud domestic record suggests they will soon be contending for honours again. The stadium Prior to 1929, Grasshopper played at a variety of venues, but in 1929 the club moved permanently to its own home ground, the newly-opened Hardturm Stadium, which staged the first floodlit match in Switzerland in April 1956. After several rebuilding and modernisation programmes, the capacity at the end of the 1990s was around 17,700. The last match at the venerable Hardturm was played in 2007, after which the stadium was demolished to make way for a new arena to be shared by the big two in Zurich. However, the project ran into protracted trouble and Grasshopper have played their home games at the Letzigrund Stadium since then. The ground was rebuilt in 2007 for UEFA EURO 2008 and has a capacity of 25,000 for league matches.

Sagnol: I'm proud of France's achievements © AFP History was made at 8km Stadium in Baku on Tuesday when France became the first European team to book a place in a FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup final. It was a landmark moment and just reward for Les Bleuettes, a group of talented and likeable players who for the last three weeks have impressed with the quality of their tidy, expansive attacking football. That pleasing style of play has much to do with Willy Sagnol, the general manager of France's youth teams. Having made the trip to Azerbaijan to congratulate players and staff alike, the 58-times capped French international agreed to speak with FIFA.com. FIFA.com: Willy Sagnol, what brings you to Baku? Willy Sagnol: I came to tell the France team's players and staff how proud I am of what they've done over the last three weeks, not just in terms of results but also their attitude and the image they've presented of themselves. The players are getting on very well together and they've played some very good matches. It's clear to see that they're a real squad, a real team. That's reassuring with regard to various decisions that have been made, whether they relate to the general philosophy of how the team plays or the make-up of the backroom staff. I'm delighted. Are you yourself a fan of women's football? I follow women's football as part of my job, and in a way I'm also just discovering it. I've noticed that the approach the girls tend to have to football is completely different to that of the boys. It's healthier with the girls. They ask themselves fewer questions, and France's U-17 women's side are the best example of that. They're at a World Cup and they take the time to appreciate what they're experiencing. They have their eyes wide open and they're happy to take the whole spectacle in. But they don't forget that they have to play when they're on the pitch. They know how to make the very most of the experience. I've noticed that the approach the girls tend to have to football is completely different to that of the boys. It's healthier with the girls. They know how to make the very most of the experience. General manager of France's youth teams, Willy Sagnol What is your take on the state of women's football in France at the moment? It's a sport that's constantly growing in France. We have around 60,000 licensed players and we hope that figure will increase. The infrastructure is there and is still being developed. We have our youth-development programme which is working very well. That's produced a huge amount of quality female players, such as the ones participating in this tournament. As the women's senior team is currently on the rise, that has a knock-on effect. In France, when the women's senior team play, we manage to get a million television viewers. That's something new and fresh and football in general is feeling the benefits of that. You have FIFA World Cup™ experience yourself, having played at Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 as well as the FIFA U-20 World Cup Malaysia 1997. What does that represent in the life of a player? There's nothing better than a World Cup. We all have memories of watching World Cups on TV when we were young. You always dream of being there as a player. When you get to take part in the tournament, it's kind of like fulfilling a dream. Beyond that, the competitive angle is also important, because when you start a competition you want to go all the way. As far as France's girls go, I don't know if they hoped to go as far as they have at the start of the competition. They were in a difficult group but they coped very well by playing good football and keeping their discipline. Since then, they've carried on with the same attitude and the same way of working behind the scenes. It's going well for them – all the better. In France, when the women's senior team play, we manage to get a million television viewers. That's something new and fresh and football in general is feeling the benefits of that. Willy Sagnol Have you been following the tournament? I've seen all of France's matches as well as some others, especially Germany's games. Overall, I think the level of the teams is very close, except for two or three countries where women's football is still too new for them to hope to do something in a competition like this. The four or five strongest nations at this level are very evenly matched, though. It seems that a lot of players who shine at youth level do not manage to breakthrough in the professional game afterwards. What pitfalls do they need to avoid? The difficulty for the boys is when they join a professional side. They have to adapt. They're up against experienced players who don't have the same lifestyle that an 18-year-old might have. For the girls, women's football at the moment doesn't make it possible for them to base a career on their passion, so they have to have a professional job on the side. It's important for them to focus on both areas, the sporting and the professional. And, above all, to come into their own as wom

Disability takes a back seat to ability in Africa When 14 African countries gathered in the town of Phokeng near Rustenburg in South Africa recently to compete in the Special Olympics Africa Unity Cup, football was not the most important thing on their mind – even though at stake was a place at next year's 2013 Special Olympics Unity Cup in Rio de Janeiro. Instead, feelings of togetherness and stories of self-belief helped along by sport were on display. “My disability does not make me a lesser person,” said Namibian Deon Namiseb, who shared his emotional life story at the opening ceremony. When he was born in 1978, doctors said that he had several disabilities, and he was literally placed in a corner to be forgotten. He was taken in by an aunt, and since then, he has not looked back. As an International Global Messenger, the Namibian represents millions of athletes with disabilities, and he hopes to raise awareness by speaking out about the power of sports. This has allowed him to leave his difficult past behind him, and he only looks ahead, saying: “Both my present and future are full of hope." Namiseb, who is a coach at the FIFA Football for Hope Centre in Katatura, is also full of praise for the Special Olympics. “It is a passion, a big passion. Tears are running, full of happiness, full of sadness. This organisation has changed my life through football." 'It has to start with us and it has to grow with us' At the Unity Cup in South Africa, Namiseb said that when the teams entered the opening ceremony, they were all standing together. “You could see them uniting. And the thing that made this possible was our shared love for the game of football. This has helped us unite our beautiful cultures, our African drum beat and our singing and dancing. We are all one. Coming here to play football together will ensure that we learn to accept each other, irrespective of any disability.” Namiseb went on to say that it was vitally important that people should get to know each others' cultures, should know where they come from and understand that people with disabilities can do many things that others can't do. “It is all about the youth – it has to start with us and it has to grow with us, so that we can change the mindset of people. It is not the disability that counts, it is abilities. This understanding will help us become the leaders of tomorrow, to spread the word of the Special Olympics and to make a change in our communities. It is important that all people – irrespective of their disability are treated equally, the way they deserve to be treated and the way you would like to be treated.” The competition (3-6 October) was run as a seven-a-side tournament, with both male and female events. The participating countries were South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia. South Africa qualified for the final after beating Kenya on penalties in the round of the last four, while Tanzania beat Côte d'Ivoire in the other semi-final. In the championship match the hosts then managed a 3-2 win against Tanzania, while the Ivorians took third place after hammering Kenya 4-0. South Africa, Tanzania and Côte d'Ivoire will thus represent the continent in Brazil next year. The competition follows on from the Football for Hope festival, which was held in Johannesburg during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. On that occasion 32 teams, made up of players from disadvantaged backgrounds, travelled from all corners of the globe to compete in the Football for Hope festival (see link on the right for more information). A lasting feeling Along with the football, there were several youth initiatives held to celebrate the Special Olympics and continue the legacy of the founding member, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who started the movement in 1968. Since then, the organization has grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 3.7 million, who participate in year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programs in some 170 countries. One of the highlights of the programmes was the Youth Activation Summit, which was attended by people with, and without intellectual disabilities. The theme of the event was 'Dignity Revolution', which focused on respecting and treating everyone as equal. Opportunities were given to athletes and their parents to do presentations, to share their experiences and show what the Special Olympics has done for them. Another highlight of the tournament was a Special Olympics Celebrity Challenge, which allowed Special Olympic athletes to compete against celebrities and footballing legends such as former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe, Desiree Ellis, who captained South Africa's women's national team and NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo. The 2012 Special Olympics Africa Unity Cup will be remembered for providing a platform for African nations to discuss and hopefully address the needs of over 20 million African people with an intellectual disability in the areas of sport, health, education and leadership, creating life-changing opportunities. And with such worthwhile goals, it is hardly surprising that football was not the only thing that got people talking.