Without a "Group of Death," and without 5 of the top 8 ranked African countries (Egypt, Algeria,
Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa all failed to qualify), the opening stages of the African Cup of
Nations lacks a bit in the tasty fixtures department. For perspective, Tunisia, the participating
country with the fourth-highest FIFA ranking is still behind tiny Cape Verde Islands (who also did
not qualify).
What are the odds Becks returns to the Premier League? Derek McGovern's Bets of the
Day
How can FIFA possibly dispel lingering allegations of bribery and corruption when England are
ranked fourth-best team in the world? The rankings are worked out scientifically by the same
boffins who tell us coffee is bad for us one year and then good for us the year after.
Just a little over a year after Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the draws for
the qualifying rounds of the next FIFA World Cup have been made. Host nation Brazil invited stars
past and present such as Ronaldo, Cafu and Neymar to conduct the draw along with FIFA General
Secretary Jerome Valcke in Rio de Janeiro.
It took a few days of number crunching but the results are finally in. There's a new club in the
top ten as Chile replaces the United States after the U.S. fell to Mexico in the final of the Gold
Cup. Spreading out a little bit, Nigeria enters the Top 25, replacing Croatia, largely on the
strength of its 4-1 victory over Argentina in an early-June friendly.
By FRANCO PANIZO
The international fixture date was in full swing this weekend, but one game grabbed headlines
for all the wrong reasons.
In Brazil's 2-0 victory over Scotland at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Neymar was on the
receiving end of racial abuse.
