At the Heysel Stadium in Brussels on the eighteenth of June 1972, West Germany lifted their first major tournament trophy since the 1954 World Cup. Two years later, at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, they lifted the World Cup. Yet it is sometimes said that the team of 1972 is more fondly remembered than the team of two years later, and it is certainly fair to say that the road to these twin victories was not without its problems.

It was the Alex Morgan show as the US downed Canada in the final of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying. Morgan scored twice and assisted on two Abby Wambach goals as the US ran out easy winners over the host nation. The game was largely meaningless save for regional pride, with both sides having already qualified for this summer's London games.

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Host nation Equatorial Guinea dumped pre tournament favourites Senegal out of the African Nations Cup with a last gasp winner last night, a draw may have saved face for Senegal but realistically they have been second best at a tournament which they were favourites for having lost < a href="http://www.

By Chris Wright

Hands up. We've been a bit lapse with our coverage of the African Nations so far. That's going to change as soon as the group stages are over but, for now, you'll have to make do with dribs and drabs including this startling piece of cheatery spotted during co-host nation Equatorial Guinea's dramatic late win to send much-fancied Senegal tumbling out of the tournament yesterday.

African Cup of Nations 2012 preview: An open tournament expected with some big names missing - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

With the likes of Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa failing to qualify for this year's African Cup of Nations, the stage is set for some of the smaller nations to fight for glory.

Brazil has announced a massive US Tour for this summer in which they will play the USA, Mexico and Argentina between May 30 and June.

With no World Cup qualifying for Brazil, they are the host nation in 2014, these three games will be important matches for Brazil as they get ready for the Confederations Cup in 2013.

Bahrain have won the Gold Medal at the 2011 Pan Arab Games football tournament in Qatar.

Bahrain had qualified for the final by virtue of topping their group in the first stage, gaining back-to-back wins over host nation Qatar and Iraq, before eliminating Palestine in the semi-final ahead of yesterday's final match.

On Sunday morning if you happen to be in Western Europe the champions of world club football will be crowned, as the final of the 2011 Club World Cup is played at the International Stadium in Yokohama between Barcelona, the current champions of Europe, and Santos of Brazil, the current champions of South America.

Kashiwa Reysol and Al Sadd have booked their semi-final places in the FIFA Club World Cup following hard fought victories over Monterrey CF and Esperance Tunis respectively.

Kashiwa, representing the host nation Japan as the 2011 J-League champions, needed a penalty shoot-out to get past North and Central American champions Monterrey after the two teams had played out a 1-1 draw.

Uganda have won the CECAFA Cup for the twelfth time as they needed the drama of a penalty shoot-out to overcome the challenge of Rwanda in today's final.

Uganda became the cream of east and central African football again following a game in which all of the goal scoring action took place in the second half of normal time.

The FIFA Club World Cup officially got under way today with two goals just before half-time giving Kashiwa Reysol a 2-0 win over Auckland City in the qualifying play-off to send the Japanese club through to the quarter-finals.

Kashiwa, who clinched the 2011 J-League title last weekend, had Junya Tanaka and Masato Kudo to thank as the pair struck in the 37th and 40th minutes respectively to send the host nation's representatives into the next round.

World Cup season has officially started with teams throwing in their hats to get a chance at a series of qualifying rounds for the mundial in Brazil. However, as footballers fight for a chance to compete and fans slowly build their savings accounts for the trip in 2014, many of Brazil's host cities have yet to prepare for the incredible horde preparing to descend on them.

Kashiwa Reysol secured the J-League title and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup as the host nation's representatives following a climatic finish to the season in Japan this weekend. The title triumph was all the more remarkable given that the team had only won promotion from the Japanese second division last season.

To coin a well-known footballing phrase, it's squeaky bum time in two of Asia's biggest leagues.

In Japan the title will go down to a last day showdown with any one from Kashiwa Reysol, Nagoya Grampus Eight and Gamba Osaka all capable of winning the championship. Kashiwa currently hold the advantage of topping the table with 69 points from 33 games whilst Nagoya and Osaka trail the leaders by just one and two points respectively with one round of matches to be played next weekend.

In what is a fairly stunning move Fox has won the rights to the English language broadcasts in the USA of all FIFA events from 2015-2022. This will include the signature events of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as well as the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada and the 2019 Women's World Cup which has yet to be awarded to a host nation.

Those three emicons at the end of the tweet message (prt-screen above) was my initiate reaction when the news confirmed that the National Under 23 squad or the Cubs are drawn into the "Group of DEATH" of the biennial games to be held in Indonesian capital Jakarta.
After all, we are up against the defending champions Malaysia and regional powerhouses Thailand (whom we defeated just weeks ago in a friendly), host nation Indonesia and Cambodia.

Despite the fears that I, among others, expressed about England's fate in their Under-20s World Cup last-16 encounter with Nigeria, it turned out that you could say: "England could have won", out loud, in public, and not be immediately fitted up for a white, long-sleeved jacket. Blackpool's Matt Phillips was the one England player of which most observers had heard.

The FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 201 set a new benchmark for the sport after viewers around the world tuned in en masse and smashed several TV audience records along the way. This was particularly notable in the host nation Germany, the defending champions twice over, as well as in the countries of the two finalists, the USA and Japan.

By Saheli RC, writing from Singapore

You know you're a fan of Argentina when you no longer feel that massive heartbreak upon seeing your team lose out on a penalty shootout and therefore get eliminated from a competition. After last Sunday's underwhelming performance, which could only be sorted from the spot, the question on everyone's lips is "Where did it all go wrong?

It started slowly, before rising to a beautiful tumult and ended with a penalty shoot-out which ended in a victory for the team of the aesthetes. And then, on top of that, the crowd had the good sense to roundly boo Sepp Blatter. To that extent, this evening's Women's World Cup final was, in other words, a series of small victories for football and the end of a tournament that has been a credit to its host nation, Germany, and to the womens game in a more general sense.

COPA AMERICA 2011
COLOMBIA 0-2 PERU aet
ARGENTINA 1-1 URUGUAY aet; 1-1 at 90mins; Uruguay won 5-4 on penalties.

Peru and Uruguay are the surprise semi-finalists after Colombia and host nation Argentina fell by the wayside yesterday.
The Peruvians needed two extra-time goals in Cordoba to overcome Colombia, who hit the woodwork twice adn missed a second-half penalty through Falcao.

Peru reached the 2011 Copa America Semi-Finals beating Colombia 2-0 last night with goals from Carlos Lobaton '101 and captain Juan Manuel Vargas '112. Peru join Uruguay in the semi's after their penalty shoot-out win over host nation Argentina tonight.

One has to wonder how the remaining four teams in the Women's World Cup can top the quarterfinal games we saw last weekend. Three of the four quarterfinals needed more than 90 minutes to be decided. Two went to PKs. We saw the defending champs and host nation eliminated, the sport's best player was eliminated, we had last minute goals to send games to overtime.

Argentina's national team had their backs against the wall against Costa Rica in a match that they had to win if they were not to be the first host-nation ever to be eliminated in the first round of the Copa América. Costa Rica, although playing with a youth side, had in previous matches proved well-organised and disciplined, while Argentina had looked like a mess.

You know something remarkable happened when for the second time in a month, national sports talk radio was talking about soccer for the second time in a month.

The occasion was the Women's World Cup and the USA's remarkable come from behind victory over Brazil on Sunday. Down 2-1, and with almost the last kick of the game, Amy Wamback popped up to score the equalizer for the U.

The FIFA World Under-17 Championship has been won by hosts Mexico in what was a thrilling climax to a hugely successful tournament.

Mexico got to the final having topped Group A ahead of Congo, North Korea and European champions the Netherlands before getting past Panama, France and Germany in the knockout rounds.

FIFA U-17 World Cup Final
Mexico 2:0 Uruguay, Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, 98,943
It all ended sweetly for the host nation as Mexico's Under 17 team won the World Cup in front of a partisan sea of green in the Azteca today.

Captain Antonio Briseno's goal just after the half hour gave the home team the cushion and Giovani Casillas' breakaway finish in injury time at the end of the 90 sealed a perfect day for El Tri.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com(Note: This is crossposted from our sister-site, MLSTalk.com).

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

Japan ended host nation Germany's chances of a third straight World Cup title after a shock 1-0 win in extra-time ended the home nations participation in the 2011 Women's World Cup.

Hat trick hero Sawa, will be leading Japan against host nation Germany in the second quarter final

Well we've come to the knock out stages of the Women's World Cup. 8 Teams left and 8 teams are either on their way home or drowning their sorrows in a Bavarian Beer Hall, getting ready to watch this weekend's exciting matches.

Hat trick hero Sawa, will be leading Japan against host nation Germany in the second quarter final

Well we've come to the knock out stages of the Women's World Cup. 8 Teams left and 8 teams are either on their way home or drowning their sorrows in a Bavarian Beer Hall, getting ready to watch this weekend's exciting matches.

Copa America 2011
Argentina 0:0 Colombia
The host nation has embarked on a round of navel-gazing following a second successive draw in the Copa America.
On a foggy night in Santa Fe, Argentina, despite boasting the likes of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez in their lineup, failed to catch fire and stumbled listlessly to a goalless finish with Colombia.

Argentina 1:1 Bolivia
Colombia 1:0 Costa Rica
Colombia are the early leaders of Group A after labouring to a 1-0 win over Costa Rica in Jujuy.
The host nation, boasting an all-star lineup including Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez, had opening night nerves in La Plata, allowing Bolivia to steal a lead two minutes after half time through Edivaldo Rojas.

Host nation Germany are safely through to the 2011 Women's World Cup second round after beating Nigeria 1-0 to-night in Group A.

However the host's will need to beat France in the Final game in Group A to win the Group after the French thumped Canada 4-0 earlier today.

Germany International Jerseys

In Germany, an average of 14.1 million viewers tuned in for the host nation's opening match against Canada on June 26, a 2-1 victory for the hosts. This represents nearly 20 per cent of the German population and almost 60 per cent of all those who were watching television during the game.
However, the match itself achieved an average audience of 15.

U.S. men's national team goalkeeper Tim Howard caused a stir following Saturday's Gold Cup final loss to Mexico when he lashed out at CONCACAF for the format of the post-game ceremonies at the Rose Bowl, which were held mostly in Spanish.

Howard's comments were a reaction to what Howard felt was a slight by CONCACAF of the host nation, and he was clearly upset during his profanity-laced tirade.

Copa America 2011 Preview - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

This Friday (1st July) the eyes of South America will turn to La Plata, Argentina, as the host nation take on Bolivia in the opening match of the much awaited Copa America, a tournament that will showcase some of the most talented individual players on the planet.

FIFA WOMENS WORLD CUP 2011
Group A
Germany 2:1 Canada
France 1:0 Nigeria
Group B
Japan 2:1 New Zealand
England 1:1 Mexico
Tuesday:
Group C - USA v North Korea, Colombia v Sweden
Wednesday:
Group D - Brazil v Australia, Norway v Equatorial Guinea
By the end of Wednesday we should have an idea who are the teams to watch in this summer's Women's World Cup.