SOCCER FOOTBALL 24H

Cameroon v Australia Thursday June 22, 16:00 Live on ITV 4 Both of these sides kicked off the Confederations Cup with a defeat. African champions Cameroon conceded two late goals in a 2-0 loss to Chile, while Australia were edged out 3-2 by Germany. Australia were  gifted two goals  by Germany keeper Bernd Leno, who let a Tom Rogic drive slip underneath him, and then spilled what should have been a routine take, allowing Tomi Juric to net the rebound. In the first half-hour of the contest, the gulf between the Socceroos and the world champions was  embarrassingly wide.  Ante Postecoglou's men didn't press hard enough, and repeatedly gave the ball away under little pressure. Cameroon were justifiably beaten by Chile, although the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system saved them from going behind earlier than they did. Given that they suffered a hefty 4-0 defeat to Colombia in a shambolic friendly performance, you'd think we might treat their favouritism with a p...

In light of UEFA footballing minnows Andorra, Gibraltar, Malta and San Marino all taking on much higher-ranked opponents Portugal, Belgium, England and Northern Ireland respectively this international break, that got Coral writers thinking. Goals galore are expected in each of those fixtures, so we find out some of the biggest scorelines in the history of World Cup and Euro qualifying from European nations. England 8-0 Turkey (1987) We start off with England and, although their 8-0 win is not the biggest scoreline on the list, it was against one of the most high profile – Turkey. Ahead of Euro 1988, the Three Lions battered the Turkish outfit, thanks to a hat-trick from Gary Lineker and a brace from John Barnes, while Bryan Robson, Peter Beardsley and Neil Webb also chipped in. Spain 8-0 Liechtenstein (2016) Most recently, Spain hammered tiny territory Liechtenstein 8-0 too this current World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign, thanks to braces from Diego Costa, David S...

Ralf Rangnick @ 10/3 Much as last time, a German is second favourite, but Rangnick is a far more rounded and interesting candidate than Jurgen Klinsmann. Despite winning promotions with multiple clubs and reaching a Champions League semi-final at Schalke, his style rather than his success earned him a reputation, being credited with introducing the popular pressing style of the day to the Bundesliga and altering perceptions of the league. The demands for Glenn Hoddle show the value in which England fans hold possessing a discernible tactical ideology, and the RB Leipzig director certainly provides that. Laurent Blanc @ 33/1 The ease with which Blanc won at Paris St-Germain gets used as a knock on him, even though he fared better than feted predecessor Carlo Ancelotti and Unai Emery has so far shown that the job isn't as simple as his performance implied . He topped Ligue 1 and reached a Champions League semi-final in three years at Bordeaux, and finished first thr...

Gianni Infantino has been left flying the flag for UEFA in the Next FIFA President betting after UEFA president Michel Platini was wiped out of contention once and for all by an eight-year ban from all football-related activities, a punishment shared by outgoing FIFA chief Sepp Blatter. The two most powerful men in football were investigated by the governing body's ethics committee over a  £1.3 million payment  made by Blatter to Platini in 2011, which they explain as being delayed remuneration for work conducted by the latter as the former's technical adviser between 1998 and 2002. The committee concluded that it was a "disloyal payment" which had no legal basis in the original agreement that the pair struck at the start of their since-severely-fractured working relationship. Though it was not proven to be a bribe, it was determined that a "conflict of interest" had occurred. Both men have protested their innocence and aired their intention to appeal...

Luis Enrique’s reigning European champions Barcelona continue the defence of their Champions League crown with a visit from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, but must overcome their latest clash without the mercurial Lionel Messi. The Catalan giants were held to a 1-1 draw in their opening encounter with Serie A giants Roma, but will be confident of getting back on track against German opposition which they have lost to on just one occasion in six ever meetings since 2001. Messi has again been instrumental so far this campaign for Barca, but they will have to do without their star man at the Nou Camp for up to two months, though the hosts are still favourites and 11/5 with Coral to win both halves. Injured Argentine attacker Messi had to withdraw early in the first-half of last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Las Palmas, with the club later confirming he had a knee ligament tear, but defender Marc Bartra has called for his team to prove its strength without their ta...

Luke Shaw suffered an horrific suspected broken leg as Manchester United's return to the Champions League ended in a disappointing 2-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven. Luciano Narsingh and Hector Moreno found the net as the Dutch champions recorded a narrow triumph over United on their first Champions League match in 17 months. But Moreno should have not been on the pitch to head PSV level after Memphis Depay's opener. With 15 minutes gone, the Mexican slid in with a late two-footed challenge on Shaw in the box. The England defender was carried off on a stretcher while receiving oxygen eight minutes later. Disturbing replays showed Shaw's right foot bent at a 45-degree angle, which meant he had surely broken it. Incredibly, referee Nicola Rizzoli did not award a penalty and Moreno was allowed to equalise Depay's stunning solo opener with a header. Then, just before the hour, Narsingh took advantage of some slack marking from Shaw's replacement Marcos Rojo to fi...

The Netherlands' chances of qualifying for the 2016 European Championship slipped further away Sunday as the team that finished third at last year's World Cup crashed to a 3-0 defeat in Turkey. The resounding victory meant that Turkey overtook the Dutch in the race for third place in qualifying Group A. The Czech Republic beat Latvia 2-1 to go top of the group, though Iceland could regain top spot and win its first ever European Championship qualification when it played last-placed Kazakhstan later Sunday night. The tournament in France looks a long way off for the Netherlands, European champion in 1988. Dutch-born midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup put Turkey 1-0 up in the eighth minute, running onto a defense-splitting pass from Arda Turan and deftly chipping the ball over Jasper Cillessen. The Netherlands almost handed Turkey its second. Daley Blind failed to control a 26th-minute throw in, and was then muscled off the ball by Turan, whose shot Cillessen should have saved...

LIVERPOOL misfit Mario Balotelli will return to AC Milan on a season-long loan deal thrashed out by the clubs on Monday, reports in Italy said. Italy international Balotelli’s career has hit the skids since he joined the English Premier League club following last year’s World Cup and he has not played for Italy since. But with the European Championships in France next summer, the 25-year-old striker is now set for a dramatic return to the club he left just over a year ago. A report on Gazzetta dello Sport’s website said Balotelli would undergo a medical at Milan’s Milanello training ground on Tuesday. If all goes well, he could be available for Milan’s opening home game of the season against Empoli. The report added there was no clause in the deal that would allow Milan to buy Balotelli outright at the end of the season. The majority of Milan’s fans, meanwhile, appear to be against Balotelli’s return. In a snap poll on Gazzetta’s website last week 74 percent of readers...

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal is "not close" to any new signings, as speculation regarding Karim Benzema continues. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has again cooled speculation regarding a move for Karim Benzema, insisting the club is not close to making any new signings. The Real Madrid striker has been repeatedly linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium in recent months, though Wenger has frequently denied a move will materialize. Real boss Rafael Benitez has also been moved to dismiss the prospect and, when asked on Friday, Wenger clarified the club's stance on incoming transfers ahead of the deadline at the end of the month. "When the season starts the window should be finished," he said. "It is too big an advantage for clubs that didn't work well during the transfer window. "The funds are there, people know that you have the resources, but the players are not available. We expect [transfers], like you, but at the moment, we are not ...

Erol Kaynar, former Besiktas board member, claims that Erdan Torunogullari, the Turkish club’s transfer chief, met with the representative of Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil last week. "Erdal [Torunogullari] met with Mesut Ozil’s representatives last week and made an enquiry," said Kaynar, as quoted by the Daily Star. However, it’s unimaginable that Arsene Wenger would consider selling his record signing this summer, and that Ozil himself would consider a move to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium having previously stated that it would be an ‘honour’ to wear the shirt of Super Lig rivals Fenerbahce. "In the future I want to wear a Fenerbahce shirt it would be an honour," the 26-year-old told Sabah. "Everyone knows I am a Fenerbahce fan." Ozil joined Arsenal in a £42.4million deal on the 2013 summer deadline day, and has made a total of 50 Premier League appearances, scoring nine goals and registering 14 assists during his two seasons. Injury has halted...

Former UEFA vice-president and Executive Committee member Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, once president of the German Football Association, has died at the age of 82. German and European football is mourning Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, former UEFA vice-president and UEFA Executive Committee member, former president of the German Football Association (DFB) and UEFA honorary member, who has passed away at the age of 82. "Gerhard was a great man and a visionary with whom I sincerely enjoyed discussing ideas and proposals to improve European football," said UEFA President Michel Platini in paying tribute. "He worked tirelessly to promote and protect the game he loved and will be missed." Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder was born in Mannheim. Having successfully studied law in Freiburg and Heidelberg, he became personal advisor to Baden-Württemberg's minister-president Hans Filbinger and, later, Baden-Württemberg's secretary for culture and sports, followed by a spell as ...

     European football's governing body Uefa has complained to Fifa about an "alleged smear campaign" against its president Michel Platini. Uefa has asked world football's governing body to explain the apparent distribution from their headquarters of a document entitled 'Platini: Skeletons in the closet'.  It was sent anonymously to several newspapers,  reports Welt am Sonntag.     Platini is running to succeed Sepp Blatter as Fifa president.  The election is due to take place in February, with former Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, ex-Brazil player  Zico    and Liberian FA chairman Musa Bility having also said they will stand.     "I can confirm that Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino sent a letter of complaint to Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke," a Uefa spokesman said.  "We have asked Fifa to investigate the origin of this article because we are concerned by the reports of an allege...

Costakis Koutsokoumnis has been re-elected as Cyprus Football Association president for a fourth term, and pledged further dialogue to help the association progress. Cyprus Football Association (CFA) president Costakis Koutsokoumnis has been re-elected for a fourth consecutive term at the association's general assembly. Koutsokoumnis has been at the helm of the CFA since 2001. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support," he told the assembly. "I thank you for your respect, for your honour and for your recognition. I thank you for being friends and fellow travellers along the beautiful path of football." Koutsokoumnis' tenure at the CFA has coincided with some remarkable successes for football on the Mediterranean island, and for the CFA itself. The island's top clubs are frequent participants in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, while there has also been some sterling work at grassroots level, and in women's ...

The Barcelona star is suspended for the Selecao's first two World Cup qualifiers but has been added as a 24th member of the squad for September's friendlies. Brazil captain Neymar has been named on standby for September’s Chevrolet Brasil Global Tour fixtures with Costa Rica and the USA. The Barcelona star missed his club’s UEFA Super Cup victory over Sevilla this month after contracting the mumps. He is also suspended for Brazil’s first two World Cup qualifiers, against Chile and Venezuela in October, but Dunga says he may play a part next month after being named as the 24th member of the squad. "The list has 24 players that we can use anytime," Dunga said. "Neymar will stay off two weeks so let's see if he will return in a condition to play against Costa Rica. We are already taking another player to cover any unforeseen circumstances. "Neymar is a reference. If we were only thinking about the first two matches of qualification, then we woul...