FK Ventspils, seen here with the 2008 title, are favourites to win in 2011

With five rounds of matches to go in Latvia's Virsliga the title race has been whittled down to three teams. Defending champions Skonto Riga virtually have no chance of winning this year's competition as they lie in fourth place, 14 points behind league leaders FK Ventspils but the capital side will still play a decisive part in the destination of the title as they must face-off against each of the contenders.

We've already had a look at how things stand going into the final round of qualifying for the 2012 European Championships now lets have a look at the top five important stats so far in the qualifying stages so far.

Top Fives:

Goals Scored:
Holland... 35
Germany...

Bolton Wanderers defender Gary Cahill earned his sixth cap when he lined up for England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro last night. While England only needed a draw to secure their place in the finals that was all they got. 2-2 was the final score — England's overall performance was enough but disappointing.

By Chris Wright

Picture the scene the year is 1995 and you're plying your trade with Huddersfield Town in the old second division.

You're wet-through, knackered and thoroughly miserable after finding yourself 2-0 down on a freezing cold, rain-sodden afternoon in Shrewbury and, as the referee's shrill whistle echoes around Gay Meadow, you know that an irate Neil Warnock is already storming off down the tunnel to concoct his half-time 'motivational speech'.

The final two rounds of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers are two weeks away and Greece have a very good chance to take first place in Group F. At this point Greece are in second place, one point behind Croatia with 18 points. Israel, Georgia, Latvia, and Malta are all [read more]

The Latvian football championship looks set to have one of its more unpredictable seasons this year as the four way battle for the title continued today. All of the top four teams were involved in matches against each other and it has proven to be a great day for two-time champions Liepājas Metalurgs.

The Latvian football championship looks set to have one of its more unpredictable seasons this year as the four way battle for the title continued today. All of the top four teams were involved in matches against each other and it has proven to be a great day for two-time champions Liepājas Metalurgs.

The various football leagues in the Baltic States are approaching the halfway stages of the 2011 campaign. Defending champions Flora Tallinn and FK Ekranas still remain unbeaten at the top of the Estonian Meistriliiga and Lithuanian A Lyga respectively whilst Latvia's Virsliga saw leaders FK Ventspils lose for a second time in less than a week.

Champions Olympique Lyonnais lead a record entry of 54 clubs for the 2011/12 edition with Albania and Latvia represented for the first time on the road to the 17 May final in Munich.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Revolution have signed former St. Patrick's right winger Ryan Guy, according to a press release issued by the club on Thursday.

The 25-year-old San Diego native returns to the United States after starting his professional career in the League of Ireland.

ZURICH (AP) - FIFA has suspended Israel coach Luis Fernandez with immediate effect over a debt he owes to a club in Qatar.

FIFA says it told the Israeli federation of the ban Thursday because Fernandez has not obeyed a November 2009 ruling by the governing body's disciplinary committee.

The 51-year-old Frenchman has a long-standing financial dispute with Qatari club Al Rayyan which he coached in 2005.

France v Brazil? Portugal v Argentina? Germany v Italy? Bosh. The big game of the international friendly week was found far off in the corner of Antalya, Turkey, where Bulgaria and Estonia scrapped it out to a 2-2 draw. Not your typical marquee friendly, but this wasn't your typical game.

There were pregame rumblings that the fix was in, and the fact that all four goals came via penalties did nothing to quiet the whispers.

Spain 1:0 Colombia
Netherlands 3:1 Austria
Germany 1:1 Italy
Argentina 2:1 Portugal
France 1:0 Brazil
Denmark 1:2 England
South Africa 2:0 Kenya
Iran 1:0 Russia
Other scores - Albania 1:2 Slovenia, Andorra 1:2 Moldova, Armenia 1:2 Georgia, Azerbaijan 0:2 Hungary, Belarus 1:1 Kazakhstan, Belgium 1:1 Finland, Croatia 4:2 Czech Rep.

Results 22-01-11 USA 1-1 Chile 08-02-11 Peru 1-0 Panama 09-02-11 Latvia 1-2 Bolivia Argentina 2-1 Portugal France 1-0 Brazil Spain 1-0 Colombia Venezuela 2-2 Costa Rica Honduras 1-1 Ecuador Match reports On Tuesday 8 February Peru managed a 1-0 win against Panama which is the least their fans would have expected

The Baltic Champions' Cup, the first of many a pre-season indoor tournament in Eastern Europe in the next two months, takes place in the Olympic Sports Centre in the Latvian capital of Riga this weekend in a mini-tournament exclusive to the national champions of the three domestic leagues in the Baltic States.