In other groups, Argentina were drawn alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria in group F

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/australia-in-nightmare-group-of-death-for-brazil-world-cup-20131207-2yxjw.html#ixzz2miz8Bjkc

Edited by Joffa: 17/5/2014 09:52:04 PM

Edited by Joffa: 17/6/2014 10:29:22 PM

What is this shit? This isn't a group. #-o

Great group for Bosnia.

Brazil 2014: Nigeria draw Argentina again, open with Iran June 16

on December 07, 2013 / in Sports 1:35 am / Comments


Nigeria were yesterday handed what could be termed a soft group after they were drawn against former World Cup Champions Argentina hoping to inspired by mercurial and skillful Lionel Messi with former African player of the year winner, Victor Ikpeba calling on the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi to work hard on the team.

Drawn in number four of the group, the Eagles will open their World Cup account with a match against Asians, Iran on June 16, 2014 in the Brazilian city of Curitiba inside the 41,000 capacity Estadio Joaquim Americo better known as Arena de Baixada.



According to Ikepba, “Argentina are favoured to top the group because of their pedidree in footbakll with a player like Lionel Messi. Nigeria will come second but Keshi needs to work hard to contain the stubborn Bosnia Herzegovina and Iran,” he said, adding that “It is a good draw for Nigeria.”

Despite rating the Argentines highly, Ikpeba who would be remembered to have missed his penalty in the 2000 Nations Cup co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana stressed that “ If we work hard on our team, we could take the game to the Argentines.”

Nigeria was in pot two alongside Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana,Chile and Ecuador and fans of the Super Eagles were all hoping for the best possible draw .

Joining Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke to assist with the draw were a host of legends: Uruguay’s 1950 World Cup winner Alcides Ghiggia, England’s 1966 hero Geoff Hurst, former Brazil captain Cafu, Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro, Argentina’s Mario Kempes, Spain’s Fernando Hierro, France’s Zinedine Zidane and German great Lothar Matthaus.

It will be the fourth time Nigeria and Argentina will be clashing in the group stages of the World Cup finals.

The two nations both clashed in 1994 when Claudio Canniggia scored a brace to condemn the Super Eagles to a 2-1 defeat.

In 2002, Gabriel Batistuta scored a brace to sink the Africans while Gabriel Heinze netted a solitary effort as Argentina won again at the expense of Nigeria in 2010.

Nigeria will also face Bosnia and Iran in the group.

Hosts Brazil are in Group A alongside Croatia, Cameroun and Mexico while champions, Spain square off in Group B alongside the Netherlands, Australia and Chile.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/brazil-2014-nigeria-draw-argentina-again-open-with-iran-june-16/?#sthash.SJtWG28P.dpuf

Nigeria Will Shock The World in Brazil – Omeruo

07 Dec 2013
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Kenneth Omeruo and Stephen Keshi

When he walks along the streets of Abuja, he is mobbed by fans. but in London, Kenneth Omeruo travels on the tube and was not recognised once. However, his focus is on how to break into Chelsea’s first team and Super Eagles’ doing well in Brazil

The 20-year-old defender played in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final, marked Luis Suarez at the Confederations Cup and is almost guaranteed to start for his country at next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
But at Chelsea he is still waiting to make his debut.

Not that the level-headed youngster is getting frustrated. For now, he is just enjoying working with some of his heroes.
“I get a lot of messages from Nigerians asking me how is Michael Essien? How is Samuel Eto’o? Have you spoken with them?” Omeruo told BBC Sport.

“These are players that fans adore in Africa. And training alongside the big names, the likes of Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres is really, really good. I get to test myself and find out if I’m really ready.
“Eto’o, Essien, John Mikel Obi, Demba Ba, they always say well done. The encouragement from these big players has been really good.

“Every player jokes with everyone, it doesn’t matter how old you are and that’s important for a young player.
“Recently I was with Essien at his place, I met his family - it’s really nice outside football to get some advice from the other senior players.”

Omeruo signed for Chelsea from Standard Liege in January 2012 and immediately went on loan to Dutch top-flight side ADO Den Haag.

Then only 19, he impressed enough in the Eredivisie to win a place in Nigeria’s starting line-up at the Africa Cup of Nations and it turned into a wonderful tournament for the Super Eagles.

They won the trophy for the first time since 1994 and Omeruo was one of Nigeria’s key players, especially in the quarter-final, when he kept Didier Drogba quiet in the 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.
A shoulder injury has delayed his progress this season, but the centre-back is now back to full fitness and has his sights firmly set on the World Cup.

“Our aim with Nigeria is to get to the semi-finals in Brazil and try to win something,” he said.
“We don’t want to be among the teams that just want to qualify, we want to actually get to a stage that would actually shock people.
“There’s a real confidence, the players are young and we’re like family thanks to the coaches and the way things are done. We really have unity.”

Omeruo made his comeback from injury in the crucial second leg of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia and helped keep a clean sheet in the 2-0 win which gave Nigeria a 4-1 aggregate victory.
“I’m hoping to get into the Chelsea team and start playing because the World Cup is just around the corner”
It says a lot about how highly he is rated by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi that Omeruo started the match, despite not playing any first-team games for Chelsea.

“I never expected my career to go as quick as it is now,” Omeruo admitted. “I thought that maybe by the time I got to the stage of playing at a World Cup, players like Essien and Cristiano Ronaldo would have retired.
“But I’m really happy with the way my football career has developed and I just have to concentrate and keep working hard. I’m really looking forward to the World Cup.

“We don’t mind who we get in the draw. We’ve shown we can play well against the best teams.”
Omeruo has been linked with a loan move in January and clubs in the Premier League and the top half of the Championship are said to be interested, but he is determined to try to win a place in Chelsea’s first team.
“I haven’t really spoken to manager Jose Mourinho about it but I just have to give my best in training and hope that he recognises it,” he said.

“For now I just want to focus and see if I get a chance to play for Chelsea and then when it comes to January I’ll see what the options are.

“I’m hoping to get into the team and start playing because the World Cup is just around the corner.
“Mourinho has a great impact on the players, he makes you want to play your best and value an opportunity when it’s given to you. He’s a great coach.”

If 2014 goes as planned it won’t be long before Omeruo is being recognised all over the world.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-will-shock-the-world-in-brazil-omeruo/166050/?

Always tip Argentina to do well, nothing is changing this time around. Should get through the group with ease in my opinion.

Group F: Preview and predictions
December 6, 2013

By Andy Brassell

Group F: Favorable draw for Messi
Overview

This may not be one of the most eye-catching groups, but it does promise to be one of the most punishingly competitive. Argentina are the clear favourites for the group and have already forewarned competition debutant Bosnia of Argentinian power in a November friendly, walking all over Safet Susic’s side despite having a significantly understrength squad. Bosnia have plenty of attacking assets of their own -- this promises to be a group full of goals -- and will enter their first World Cup without any fear, having already hit the jackpot simply by qualifying top of a group featuring Greece.

There is absolutely no room for soft touches here, with African champion Nigeria at their strongest point in many years. It is often forgotten that Africa is one of the toughest continents to qualify from, with playoffs obligatory and relatively few places on offer -- the Super Eagles defeated Ethiopia to seal their place. Iran had their own trials in qualifying, but emerged top of a group containing South Korea and Uzbekistan, which is not to be sniffed at. It is a welcome return to the World Cup for Iran under Carlos Queiroz -- the nation’s first foreign coach since Branko Ivankovic, who guided them to a World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006.

Projected finish

It looks like Argentina winning the group, Nigeria finishing second, Bosnia in third and Iran fourth.

Team-by-team

Argentina: Undoubtedly one of the favourites to win the entire tournament, the Lionel Messi factor is enough to put an almighty fear into most opponents in a tournament that the Barcelona man hopes will help define his incredible career. Yet to focus solely on him would be foolish. Argentina have probably the greatest attacking arsenal on the planet, with Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Ezequiel Lavezzi among those in tow, with Javier Mascherano and Angel Di Maria among the midfield talents. There are defensive doubts, though, with no obvious choice at left-back -- Sporting Lisbon defender Marcos Rojo is the current favourite.

Nigeria: Stephen Keshi’s side have strength wherever you look, beginning with formidable goalkeeper and captain Vincent Enyeama, who has been outstanding for Lille in France this season. He also takes penalties -- and has 18 career goals -- which could be interesting in a shootout come the knockout rounds. Anchored by John Obi Mikel in midfield, there are also numerous goal scorers available to Keshi, including Emmanuel Emenike of Fenerbahce and Brown Ideye of Dynamo Kiev -- plus Newcastle United’s Shola Ameobi, who has recently joined the Nigeria squad.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Susic’s squad may not have Argentina’s illustrious personnel, but Bosnia-Herzegovina aren't slouches in the attacking department, with Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic capable of scoring goals against anyone, and cultured players like Miralem Pjanic of Roma and Hoffenheim’s Sejad Salihovic in midfield. Bosnia-Herzegovina don’t have too much depth in defence, so goalkeeper Asmir Begovic might be busy in a tournament that could act as a springboard to his joining one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Iran: Many will look at Queiroz’s mainly home-based squad and expect an easy ride for the other three teams in the group, but if Iran finish bottom of this group, it will not be for their own lack of quality. Led by experienced midfielder Javad Nekounam -- a popular figure at Osasuna after his spell in La Liga -- Iran have a good mix of youth and experience, and some cutting edge in the final third. Ashkan Dejagah of Fulham provides pace on the flank, and Standard Liege striker Reza Ghoochannejhad could be one of the surprise hits of the tournament.

Best individual battle: Edin Dzeko vs. Nicolas Otamendi

Susic, the Bosnia manager, will rely heavily on Dzeko, and the Manchester City striker relishes being the main man -- which he never has been at the Etihad, of course. It will be a jarring physical encounter between Dzeko and Otamendi, the Porto centre-back who has plenty to prove after then-manager Diego Maradona perplexingly picked him at full-back in 2010. Otamendi has been tracked by some of Europe’s leading clubs, including City and Monaco. He is as tough as they come but occasionally struggles against players who have quick feet, which could be good news for Dzeko and might be the genesis of a shock.

Best game: Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina

Taking place in the intense humidity of the Pantanal -- the players should make sure they stock up on insect spray -- this promises to be the game that defines who will capture second place in the group. For Bosnia, it may well be a mental test, as well as a recovery test if they are given a chasing by Argentina in the group opener. Nevertheless, all the pressure will be on Nigeria to try to sew things up here, though they cannot neglect defending against a Bosnia side with plenty of creativity.

X factor: Iran's role as spoiler

Iran manager Carlos Queiroz was pilloried for his defensive tactics when he coached Portugal in 2010 -- and for stranding Cristiano Ronaldo without any supply line -- and the former Manchester United assistant never recovered at the helm of the seleccao. Queiroz will be looking at this tournament as an opportunity to rebuild his reputation on the international stage. Given the incredible array of attacking talent in this group, he may favour employing that safety-first game plan, and it could make things more difficult than expected for the other three teams.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1640370?cc=3436

This will surely be Messi's best chance at a World Cup

Argentina easy and 2nd will be Nigeria. I have a feeling Bosnia won't perform too well. Iran will probably get a point somewhere.

Bosnia will cause problems for Eagles — Agali

DECEMBER 8, 2013 BY ’TANA AIYEJINA 1 COMMENT



Victor Agali
Former Nigeria striker Victor Agali says the Super Eagles will face a stiff opposition from Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Both teams alongside two-time champions Argentina and Iran were on Friday drawn together in Group F of the competition.

Nigeria play Iran first in Curitiba (June 16), Bosnia next in Cuiaba (June 21) before meeting Argentina in their final group game in Porto Alegre on June 25.

The African champions have met Argentina thrice at the World Cup and lost on all occasions but Agali says Nigeria’s major problem will come from the Bosnians, who are attending their first World Cup ever.

Next year’s World Cup will be the first time Bosnia will appear at a major tournament as an independent nation, having qualified as winners of Group G of the UEFA qualifiers.

Former Schalke 04 striker Agali said, “Compared to Ghana and Cameroon, I will say we (Nigeria) are blessed. This is just the right group we need but we must be careful with the newcomers Bosnia, they will be our problem.

“They play surprise football. I have played with a lot of Bosnian players and they like to spring surprises. We might dominate the game but won’t get the desired result, so let’s be cautious. I’m not saying Argentina or Iran won’t pose problems, but we must be careful against Bosnia.”

The 2002 AFCON bronze medalist added that Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire stood the best chance among the African nations of reaching the knockout stage of the competition.

“It will be tight for Cameroon (who are in Group A with hosts Brazil, Croatia and Mexico) and Ghana (who are in GROUP G with Germany, Portugal and USA). Algeria’s group is not too strong but they have not been impressive recently.

“Nigeria and the Ivoirians have the best chance of moving to the second round of the competition because the Elephants have a relatively good group too.”

http://www.punchng.com/sports/bosnia-will-cause-problems-for-eagles-agali/?

With my AFC bias/support, hopefully the inexperienced Iran can pull off some surprises. It's obviously between Nigeria and Bosnia & Herz. for second. Hopefully Nigeria DO progress as it's about time they did! They've had some TOUGH groups in the past and despite competitive results, still struggled to progress. So, Argentina aside, this IS Nigeria's 'best chance' to progress from the group stage, that's for sure!

Bosnia are debutants and like many in Iran's team, lack experience at this level. So they could be a real variable - either REALLY turn up, show their quality, and cruise to second - even giving Argentina a run. Or they could flatter to deceive and the WC experienced Nigeria pips them.

Edited by gloryperth: 9/12/2013 07:33:17 PM

In 2013, Nigeria reassumed position atop African football

Agence France-Presse

December 15, 2013 Updated: December 15, 2013 14:18:00

Nigeria upset the form book in 2013 to win a third Africa Cup of Nations after a 19-year wait, while Egypt’s Al Ahly extended their dominance at club level.

The Super Eagles further underlined their resurgence by qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Brazil with Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Algeria.

At the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, Ivory Coast’s so-called “Golden Generation”, led by the inspirational Didier Drogba, were again favourites to win a second trophy.

But Nigeria, who had struggled in the early stages of the competition and even failed to qualify for the 2012 edition, beat them 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

The Super Eagles went on to pip surprise finalists Burkina Faso 1-0 to be crowned champions 19 years after their last triumph in 1994.

“I have made true my dream to return Nigeria to the top,” Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said afterwards, as he became only the second person to win the tournament both as a player and coach.

The future also looked bright for Nigeria as the country’s junior team won a record fourth Fifa under-17 World Cup in November.

As in 1994, Nigeria will be at the World Cup finals as African champions.

The “Black Stars” of Ghana qualified for their third straight World Cup after a 7-3 aggregate win over Egypt, who again failed to reach football’s showpiece tournament.

Ghana were Africa’s most successful team at the 2010 edition after they reached the last eight, equalling the performance of Cameroon and Senegal in 1990 and 2002 respectively.

But they face a tough first round group in Brazil that includes Germany, the United States and Portugal.

“We have a good team and with proper preparation and support, we will make Africa proud in Brazil,” said Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah.

“We have the experience and youth having gained a lot of experience at the last two World Cups.”

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure meanwhile is poised to win a third straight Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Footballer of the Year on the back of his exploits with Manchester City.

The 30 year old is vying for the award with the likes of Nigeria’s Emmanuel Emenike and John Obi Mikel as well as Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan of Al Ain and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon.

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony on January 9 in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos.

In Africa’s premier club competition, Egypt’s Al Ahly won their eighth CAF Champions League, defeating Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the final.

The legendary Mohamed Aboutrika scored in both legs of the final, foiling Pirates’ attempt to secure their second continental trophy after winning in 1995.

But they faced more experienced campaigners who knew what they needed to do to win.

In Africa’s second-tier competition, CS Sfaxien of Tunisia ended 2013 with their third CAF Confederation Cup after they edged past TP Mazembe of DR Congo 3-2 on aggregate.

Morocco also made history by becoming the first African country to host the 2013 Fifa Club World Cup, which had previously been hosted by Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/in-2013-nigeria-reassumed-position-atop-african-football?#ixzz2nXS77uoU
Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook

This is the REAL group of death. Nigeria the best of Africa. Iran a powerhouse of Asia. Bosnia were a huge success for qualifying and Argentina are, well, Argentina.

Bosnia
Nigeria
Argentina
Iran

Iran haven't been a 'powerhouse' in asia for over 10 years. When they qualified in 2006 their group was very easy, and then they capitulated in the tournament proper.

That said, with majority of their players playing in Iran it's hard to keep up on their players.

FANENDO SAYS HE WILL BE HAPPY TO PLAY FOR NIGERIA

Category: Sports Published on Thursday, 26 December 2013 05:00 Written by David Ngobua

FC Copenhagen of Denmark striker, Fanendo Adi has said he will gladly accept any opportunity to play for the Super Eagles beginning with the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The former AS Trencin of Slovakia player who made a brief appearance in the camp of the National U-17 team said the dream of every good player is to represent his country of birth so he has already made the decision to play for Nigeria.
The 23 year old said the country is blessed with abundant talents in the game of football so it is always good to wait patiently for the right time to come.
Adi said the present manager of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi is doing a great job by encouraging young and untested players to vie for shirts in the team.
He said if given such opportunity, he will not fail to impress the coach because having spent close to five years playing in Europe, he has got the much needed exposure to hold his own among the ‘big boys’ in Eagles.
“I have made up my mind that I will play for Nigeria. Apart from my brief stay in the camp of the National U-17, I have not played for any of the national teams but I am ready to serve my country, if given the opportunity.
“Following my exploits in some European clubs, I have suitors but I cannot dump Nigeria to play for another nation. I am a very proud Nigerian and I will wait for my time as long as it is reasonable.
“I must commend the coach of the Super Eagles, Mr. Stephen Keshi for his encouragement to the younger players. At the 2013 AFCON, I saw a young guy like Kenneth Omeruo playing in the heart of the team’s defence and I was greatly encouraged”.
Looking back at his flourishing career, Fanendo said playing in this year’s UEFA Champions League against some of the best teams in Europe is dream come true for him.
“I really have to thank God that within so short a time in my career, I have the opportunity to play against some of the best players in Europe”.
After playing for AS Trencin in Slovakia, Fanendo moved to Ukraine where he played for clubs like Metalurh Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv and Tavriya Simferopol before moving to Danish Superliga club, FC Copenhagen.
FC Copenhagen for the first time qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and was grouped along with giants Real Madrid, Juventus and Galatasray.
Adi had his UEFA Champions League debut against Italian giants, Juventus.

http://dailytrust.info/index.php/sports/13132-fanendo-says-he-will-be-happy-to-play-for-nigeria?

Nigeria: Ban Eagles From Sex, Chukwu Charges Keshi

As the Super Eagles prepare to face the world at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the team's former head coach, Christian Chukwu has advised the current manager, Stephen Keshi to ensure that his wards stay away from sex before and during the competition.

Chukwu, a one-time skipper of the Super Eagles and manager of the Kenya national team, disclosed that the only sure way to achieve success in Brazil is total discipline of players, dedication and respect to the rules and regulations of the camp, stressing that in his days as player and coach in the team, that sex was a taboo to him.

The former captain of Rangers Football Club gave this charge in an interview with this reporter.

On the the level of preparation he envisages for the Eagles ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, Chukwu said, "As a major stakeholder in the game, every Nigerian expects nothing less than the best preparation ever. The World Cup is not for rookies or disco dancers, it is for senior boys that are ready to stake their careers for the passion and love they have for the round leather game and at the same time make money and name for themselves.

Is like a war front, when you are preparing for a war against an opponent, you have to make sure that everything that you have to win the war is in proper shape so that you will not give your enemies the chance to over power your squad. So for our country to excel at the World Cup, we must put in everything, our build-up for the championship must be of a high standard.

Yes, we have world class players that can match the likes of Messi, Gerrard, Ronaldo, Juan Mata among others, but they must be ready to put their pride aside, obey their managers, play as one united side, avoid selfish game, and above all be totally disciplined. Because without discipline, there is no two ways to victory. They must as a matter of fact prove to the world that they are true African champions. Their qualifications was not a fluke, they must know that they are wearing the colours of the country, and must do something to make the country that has made them proud, because without the country called Nigeria, they would not be where they are today.

Another sure way to achieve success in the 2014 World Cup competition is for the entire technical crew to have an eye on the players, there are certain things the players must keep away from like sex,we did it during our own time. In my days as a player even as a coach, I made it a point of duty to stay away from women, because sex has a lot of spiritual things attached to it. So if Stephen Keshi and his crew can keep close eyes on these players by making sure that they keep away from sex totally, they will do very well.

Asked if he is comfortable with Keshi and his style of coaching thus far, he retorted, "Yes. Keshi has done very well with the national team since he came on board as Eagles manager. Again he has enjoyed a lot of support from Nigerians, so I would urge him to continue with his good job and should not give chance to people to mislead him. One thing I want him to know is that our bench is not as good as the main squad, he must shop for good players that can make up his bench, for instance, he should be able to have a player as good as John Mikel Obi on the

http://allafrica.com/stories/201401120021.html?

Never mind Brazil, Argentina are on for World Cup glory

Lionel Messi’s team are well priced to land their first World Cup title in 28 years

As the hosts and five-time winners of the World Cup it’s fair to say there is a degree of pressure on Brazil to live up to expectations and lift the trophy this summer.

And after impressing in last year’s Confederations Cup warm-up, where Luis Felipe Scolari’s team swept aside Spain in the final, the Selecao are looking a good pick to win it, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 10/3 on Brazil lifting the World Cup.

But for all the fanfare and focus currently fixed on the Samba Boys, the reality is that fellow South Americans and archrivals Argentina may in fact be better placed for glory at this summer’s finals.

La Albiceleste are on at 9/2 to win the World Cup in 2014, a price that looks particularly handsome when you consider the array of talent at manager Alejandro Sabella’s disposal.

Lionel Messi aside, the squad boasts some of the finest players currently plying their trade in Europe’s top leagues, from Ezequiel Garay and Pablo Zabaleta in defence, through to midfield stars like Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega and strikers Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.

Argentina head into the tournament in great form, having cruised through qualification, losing just two of the 16 fixtures they played during the gruelling South American group stage – with the latter of these defeats coming in a dead rubber against Uruguay.

Playing the finals in their home continent should stand them in good stead, while with much of the focus remaining on Brazil, Argentina could relish their role as relative underdogs, with all the expectation fixed on the Selecao.

In truth, Brazil’s status as hosts may ultimately prove a hindrance, with Luis Felipe Scolari’s side playing few competitive games over the past four years.

And their South American rivals certainly look good to top a group containing newcomers Bosnia alongside a young Nigeria side and Iran, with Ladbrokes pricing the South American side at 1/6 to win Group F.

From there, they will likely face the runners-up of a group containing France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras, meaning a quarter-final berth looks the bare minimum, something that can be backed at 11/4.

The statistics certainly appear to favour an Argentina victory over a Brazil one. In the 19 finals played to date, the hosts have claimed the title on just six occasions, while 13 of these previous winners have claimed the title in finals played on their continent.

With all eyes on the Samba Boys this summer, it may pay to keep in with the neighbours.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date

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http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/world-cup/never-mind-brazil-argentina-are-on-for-world-cup-glory_183246.html

from the argentina v bosnia friendly I can see that Bosnia have a talented side and can keep posession well but argentina are so much more cool and clinical when they get a sniff of the goal even without messi. Bosnia's best hope is to target the nigeria match and try to get second

Bosnia to walk the group. Argentina choke is imminent.

Eagles must be bold in Brazil – Amuneke

March 22, 2014 by Festus Abu

Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner Emmanuel Amuneke says the Super Eagles must be bold to give themselves a chance of making an impact at the summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria are drawn in the Brazil 2014 World Cup Group F along with the 1978 and 1986 champions Argentina, debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina and Asian giants Iran.

The Eagles will open their campaign in the tournament against Iran at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba on June 16 and 1994 African Footballer of the Year Amuneke is backing Nigeria for a strong start.

But he maintains the Eagles must be prepared for the challenge ahead of them, saying they need boldness to seal their place in the next round of the championship.

“Yes, we don’t have world-class players like Brazil, Spain and Argentina but we can still make an impact in the World Cup if our players don’t underestimate themselves,” the Atlanta’ 96 Olympic Games gold medallist told our correspondent on the telephone.

“We must get the best out of the players we have because we can’t go to other countries to get players for the World Cup.

“The Eagles must be bold in their approach to their matches and must not feel inferior to their opponents.

“There must be a teamwork approach to our games in the tournament.

“We shouldn’t give up because we are playing against the likes of (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo.

“Were Messi and Ronaldo not born by human beings?

“We can beat Argentina or any of the big teams in the World Cup if we are determined and play as a team.”

The former Sporting Lisbon star, who scored two goals (against Bulgaria and Italy) at the USA ’94 World Cup, called for support for Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and his charges.

“If we work hard, we’ll achieve something in Brazil , “ the former Barcelona winger added.

“We must maintain focus and avoid setting target for ourselves in the competition.

“In fact, we should stop talking about winning the World Cup or reaching the semifinals, but instead we should go step by step.

“Our chances depend on our preparation for the competition and we must prepare very hard.”

Amuneke says Keshi should be allowed to decide if Stoke City’s Osaze Odemwingie and Villarreal’s Ikechukwu Uche are relevant to his plans for Brazil 2014, warning against forcing any player on his former Eagles’ teammate.

“Keshi knows what he wants,” the new Golden Eaglets coach said.

“If he believes they are good enough for the World Cup, he should include them in his squad for the tournament.

“On the other hand, if Keshi feels they are not better than the players he has for the World Cup, we shouldn’t force him to take those he doesn’t want.

“Personally, I believe Osaze and Uche are good enough for the World Cup but I will respect Keshi’s decision because he knows the tactics he wants to play and the players that suit his style of play.”
http://www.punchng.com/sports/eagles-must-be-bold-in-brazil-amuneke/

World Cup 2014: We must not underrate Iran & Bosnia – Enyeama

on March 23, 2014 / in Sports 12:30 am / Comments














Super Eagles first choice keeper, Vincent Enyeama has warned his teammates not to underrate any of the teams in the group F of the Brazil 2014 World Cup starting for Nigeria on June 16 with a match against unpredictable Iran.

Both Nigerian and Iranian football officials are hoping to get a good result from the that game and make a bright start to their campaign. Bosnia Herzegovina and Argentina are the other nations in the group.Iran coach Carlos Queiroz said he is targeting a win against Nigeria stating that the match could be the beginning and the end of their campaign in Brazil.

Enyeama who was speaking ahead of Lille’s trip to AS Monaco for tonight’s French Ligue 1 game said that the group F games will not be easy as thought by Nigerians.

“Whether Iran, Bosnia and Argentina these are no easy games. All these nations we are facing,are also serious about getting results. But we will see how it goes with the Super Eagles, we will do all our best to progress from the group,” said Enyeama who will be making his third world cup appearance barring any unforeseen circumstance.

He added that it will be a good thing if Nigeria progress and then may be meet France in the second round.

“I hope of course that we can pass the group stage. And who knows, meet France in the second round,” added the Eagles keeper. He is rated one of the best in the European league this season.

Meanwhile US coach Jurgen Klinsman said he is delighted to be playing against the Eagles in a warm up tournament for the world cup on June 7.

Klinsmann believes the Super Eagles will offer him an insight on how to plan his strategy for USA’s group G foe, Ghana when both sides clash on June 16 in the opening group game at the Estadio das Dunas, Natal in Brazil.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the schedule we have put together for the Send-Off Series,” said Klinsmann.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/world-cup-2014-must-underrate-iran-bosnia-enyeama/#sthash.5j4fO3cA.dpuf

I am going to all the Bosnian games with a friend who got tickets for all 3 and possibly the later rounds. (As well as the Australia games obv.)

This really is a golden opportunity for Bosnia, if they finish 2nd in the group they are facing the top team from the Switzerland, France, Ecuador and Honduras group in the round of 16. I seriously think they have a small but definitely realistic chance of getting into the quarterfinals. They'll be my dark horse tip for this tournament.

Edited by metalfly: 24/3/2014 02:50:30 PM

Edited by metalfly: 24/3/2014 02:51:03 PM

No sex?!?!

Five Nigeria players to look out for in Brazil 2014 World Cup

With a pacy attack which includes Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses, Nigeria won the 2013 African Cup and will be looking forward to better their performance at the World Cup in Brazil.

Emenike was one of the African Cup’s top scorers and Moses won the Man of the Match award in the final.

Alongside those two, central midfielder John Obi Mikel will likely play a pivotal role in Brazil when the team comes up against Argentina, Bosnia and Iran in Group F.

Here are five players to watch as the reigning African champions storm Brazil:



EMMANUEL EMENIKE

The difference between Nigeria with and Nigeria without Emmanuel Emenike is clear.

In the latter stages of last year’s African Cup, the Super Eagles powered past Mali 4-1 in the semifinals with him, then sorely missed the injured striker in a tense 1-0 win over Burkina Faso in the final.

The 26-year-old Fenerbache forward continued his good form with crucial goals in Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring twice in Ethiopia for a 2-1 win in the playoffs.



VICTOR MOSES

Struggling for game time at Liverpool, Victor Moses plays a valuable role for Nigeria.

His work out wide or as a second striker was an important factor in the success of Emmanuel Emenike as the pair combined well at the African Cup of Nations.

Moses’ lack of action at Liverpool is a cause for concern for Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi, who views the powerful and pacey player as one of his best attacking threats.



JOHN OBI MIKEL

Like Victor Moses, Jon Obi Mikel’s time on the bench in the Premier League with Chelsea raises worries for his readiness at the World Cup.

With Mikel, Nigeria has the stability in central midfield that allows forwards Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses, and midfielders like Ahmed Musa and Sunday Mba, create and score goals.

Still only 26, Mikel is one of Nigeria’s most experienced players.



SUNDAY MBA

Few players had a more successful African Cup than Sunday Mba, the attacking midfielder with a hard shot whose stunning long-range goal gave Nigeria a 2-1 win over favored Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals.

Mba also scored the winner in the final with a goal worthy of winning a title. He controlled a bouncing ball, clipped it over a defender and volleyed into the net.

His breakthrough tournament earned him a European contract.



EFE AMBROSE

A right back or central defender, Efe Ambrose gives Nigeria an extra attacking outlet on the right flank as well as defensive solidity in times of trouble.

Ambrose was also a regular in the African Cup of Nations-winning team and has Champions League experience with Scottish club Celtic.
http://www.afrikansoccer.com/2014/04/five-nigeria-players-to-look-out-for-in-brazil-2014-world-cup/

Argentina should take this group out at a canter, and I could see Nigeria grabbing spot #2.

Iran are the most overrated side in Asia IMO. They'll be shown up as such this WC.

Iran Names 28-Man Squad: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

TEHRAN (FNA)- With the World Cup 2014 in Brazil just 59 days away, Argentina’s Group F opponents, Iran has named a 28-man squad to beginning camping in South Africa ahead of the fiesta.


According to reports, Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz called up 28 players for his team’s World Cup preparatory training camp which is billed to commence today in Johannesburg, South Africa and would run till May 7.

The list of players invited is made up of three goalkeepers, 12 defenders, eight midfielders and 5 attackers.

Iran will play Mozambique in its training camp in S. Africa and will also face Trinidad and Tobago in its final preparation for the 2014 World Cup in a match to be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil on June 8. Iran is drawn alongside South American giant Argentina, AFCON champions Nigeria and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group F of the 2014 World Cup.

The World Cup will begin in Sao Paulo on June 12 and will end in Rio’s famous Maracana stadium on July 13. Iran will play Nigeria in Curitiba on June 16 in its first group match.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930125001140

This is such an interesting group - one could say that both Nigeria and even Iran have a genuine shot at bumping above one or the other, as too Bosnia, to slip through to the second round. Argentina aside, the fixtures between Nigeria, Bosnia and Iran will hopefully be quite interesting.

Hopefully Nigeria not only get through, but become one of the first African nations to progress well into the final stages. A South American World Cup, with the conditions, disadvantage/adjustment for Europeans etc... could be a good pairing for the African sides, where many of their players play Internationals in conditions or climates not 'too' dissimilar?

People should be careful to underrate Iran.

Hmm yeah, though as often, it can be hard for us to rate them, till we see them. But unlike '10 generation or so, Iran, under Carlos Queiroz (The well regarded coach has been in-charge a fair while now, since 2011), they have more foreign-based and diaspora call-ups than they have seen for a number of years now. Many of those players are younger, up and coming, early-mid 20 somethings, which is in-turn a change from their usually 'peak-age' squads. From; 19yo Rubin Kazan star, Sardar Azmoun, 20yo Eredivisie-based winger, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Portugal 2nd-Tier based Gker, the experienced 6'5 26yo Alireza Haghighi, Swedish born and 2nd-Tier based Omid Nazari (23), American-born, MLS-based, Steven Beitashour (27) and 26yo German-born, Bundesliga 2-based gker Daniel Davari. As too Iran-based Bakhtiar Rahmani (22) and striker Karim Ansarifard (24). They still have the class aswell as experience of the likes of Captain Javed Nekounam (33), Andranik Teymourian (31), Las Palmas-based Masoud Shojaei (29) - added to that mix is Ashkan Dejagah, the 27yo German-bred former Bundesliga now EPL star FINALLY swayed into the Iran NT fold!

Prolific 'Dutch-bred' striker, Reza Ghoochannejhad, could be the leading light of the bunch, as he was in qualifying. Snapped up by Charlton Athletic during the January transfer window after a productive few seasons in Belgium's Pro-League. He's 26 and would be chomping at the bit to impress at the world's biggest tournament as he enters his prime years. He and Dejagah could be the ones to watch - as too the young NEC winger Jahanbakhsh! :cool:

Edited by GloryPerth: 9/5/2014 06:54:05 PM

Iran's preliminary squad

Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig),
Alireza Haghighi (Sporting Covilha),
Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan),
Sousha Makani (Foolad Khuzestan)

Khosro Heidari (Esteghlal),
Hossein Mahini (Persepolis),
Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps),
Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal),
Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis),
Amir Sadeghi (Esteghlal),
Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Zob Ahan),
Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft), Hashem Beikzadeh
(Esteghlal),
Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan),
Mehrdad Pooladi (Persepolis).

Javad Nekounam (Al Kuwait),
Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal),
Reza Haghighi (Persepolis),
Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan),
Bakhtiyar Rahmani (Foolad),
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen),
Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham).

Masoud Shojaei (Las Palmas),
Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Persepolis),
Mehdi Sharifi (Sepahan),
Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton),
Karim Ansarifard (Persepolis),
Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan).

Asmir Begovic: I am proud to play for Bosnia, country has been through a lot

Stoke's goalkeeper has seen team-mates prepare for World Cups and now he is delighted it is his turn as he heads for Brazil

The Guardian, Friday 16 May 2014 02.59 AEST   

Bosnia's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, left, and Haris Medunjanin celebrate their 1-0 victory in October's qualifier against Lithuania which secured their place at Brazil 2014. Photograph: Mindaugas Kulbis/AP


Asmir Begovic has spent a challenging season adapting to the demands of a new manager and successfully helping Stoke City to their highest Premier League finish, all the while knowing that summer brings a new challenge in Brazil. Begovic has never been to a World Cup before, Bosnia-Herzegovina have never been to a World Cup before, but for a refugee who left war-torn Yugoslavia at the age of four to make a new life with his parents in Germany and then Canada there is a satisfyingly circular process to making a fresh start at a major tournament.

"It's been a bit of a strange season, normally you are winding down to the last week or two, this time there's something big in summer to look forward to," Begovic says. "I'm sure by the time everything is said and done we will all feel exhausted and a little but drained, but it will be worth it and there will be time to recharge. It's been fun too, having a World Cup to look forward to is pretty exciting. I've seen other players doing it and now I'm doing it myself. I've no complaints about that."

Having risen through the youth ranks in Canada to earn call-ups for junior representative teams, the 26-year-old goalkeeper had a choice to make when his burgeoning career in England made it clear he was going to be in international demand. "I had a choice between Bosnia and Canada and it was quite a difficult one," he explains.

"I spent a very important part of my childhood in Canada, between the age of 10 and 16 is when you are growing up. I got used to the life there, made a lot of friends, got citizenship there and began to represent the national teams at youth level, but Bosnia was always in the back of my mind as well.

"You never know whether the opportunity is going to arise, and when it came up, because I hadn't been capped by Canada and it was still up to me to make a decision, I discussed it with my family and decided to accept the offer. Family played a big part, my parents are in Germany but a lot of my family live in Bosnia, most of my aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins.

"I feel I am representing them and I am happy they can share this whole experience through me. That was a big motivation. I don't have any firm memories of my own time in the country, I was too young when we left, but I have been back quite a lot. The connection was strong, and I did involve my family, but ultimately it was a football decision.

"Playing for Bosnia allows you to play in much more competitive games. You are in Europe rather than in the Concacaf region, and that's where the heartbeat of football is. You play European qualifiers, tougher friendlies, and you don't travel quite so much. It was the best decision from all points of view and I think it has worked out pretty well."

Begovic speaks like a Canadian, speaking fluent, precise English with a confidence that would undoubtedly put some of his team-mates' communication skills to shame, though he has always considered himself Bosnian, and is grateful for the chance to play for the newish nation. "I'm very proud to represent Bosnia," he says. "The country has been through a lot of tough times, there's no secret about that, but this is the first major tournament for myself, and for Bosnia, it's all new and it's going to be great. Everyone involved is looking forward to the whole experience, we are all determined to make the most of it."

That may not be quite as easy as it sounds, Bosnia having been drawn in a group containing Argentina, Nigeria and Iran, but the national coach, Safet Susic, has just set his side the goal of reaching the second round and Begovic agrees that it might just be possible. "We are in a difficult group, but being realistic we were never going to get an easy one," he says. "There are three very different teams and styles of play in our group so we are going to have to be ready each time, and prepared for what to expect. But it is a World Cup, you can only expect tough games."

Begovic is one of the few names in the Bosnian squad familiar to most English fans, the other being Edin Dzeko of Manchester City, though Stuttgart's Vedad Ibisevic also has a reputation as a goal​scorer and when it comes to marking Lionel Messi the side will look to Muhamed Besic of Ferencvaros. "He is the only player among the 23 who could stop Messi," Susic has said.

Begovic is not sure whether Bosnia should lose sleep worrying about Argentina, when it seems more likely they could take points from the other two teams. "We are a very small nation and we need to make sure we enjoy the whole experience," he says.

"We want to grow stronger from it, take home the positives, hopefully qualify for subsequent tournaments. We are not one of those teams that is under massive expectation to do well, so we should try and make that work for us. But on the other hand within the squad there's a natural, competitive expectation too.

"We want to perform well, get out of the group, post a few good results. To reach the knockout stages is obviously the dream scenario, and then anything can happen. We know we have some quality in the team and we could surprise a few people. We have guys playing all over Europe, and in the last few years some of our players have started to play for bigger clubs in better environments. We now have guys playing in Germany and Italy, and their experience makes the team stronger.

"So I don't see why we shouldn't be capable of a surprise in Brazil. If you look at our last couple of qualifying campaigns, for instance, you can see improvement. We lost against Portugal in the play-off the time before but we took them to the wire. It goes without saying that you need a bit of luck in a tournament, you need things to go your way, but if we get that I don't see why we shouldn't do well. We go there with nothing to lose, no one is expecting us to do too much, but as long as we believe in ourselves we have a chance."
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/15/asmir-begovic-bosnia-stoke-world-cup-2014-brazil

Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka), Jasmin Fejzic (VFR Aalen)

Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros)

Midfielders: Miralem Pjanic (Roma), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor), Senad Lulic (Lazio), Anel Hadzic (Sturm), Tino Susic (Hajduk), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhour Renhe), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor), Avdija Vrsaljevic (Hajduk)

Strikers: Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB).


Aside from the mini-controversy re. the selection of Tino and the exclusion of Stevanovic/Pandza, an excellent squad. Very excited to see Ibricic and Besic back in; wonderful players.

Edited by humbert: 16/5/2014 10:35:59 PM

Group F Winner

Argentina 1.22
Bosnia-Herzegovina 8.00
Nigeria 10.00
Iran 34.00

http://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/international-soccer/world-cup-2014/outrights

I dont underrate them, but they've still got no chance

Bosna dispatched Cote d'Ivoire yesterday. Should have been 5-0 up in the first half. Looking good.

Playing Mexico in ten or so minutes. Apparent sell-out in Chicago.

World Cup 2014: Bosnia-Herzegovina – the secrets behind the players

Most people have heard of Edin Dzeko and Asmir Begovic, but there are more than a few other interesting characters in the Bosnia-Herzegovina World Cup squad for Brazil

Sasa Ibrulj


theguardian.com, Wednesday 4 June 2014 21.00 AEST   

This article is part of the Guardian's World Cup 2014 Experts' Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.

Asmir Begovic

Now considered to be one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League, Asmir Begovic made the first steps in his career under the guidance of his father Amir. As a third of the population did, Begovic's family fled the country in 1992 to escape the war, and spent years in exile in Germany and Canada. His father, being a former goalkeeper of local side Leotar Trebinje in the Yugoslav second division, kept working with his son the whole time, being his personal coach until Asmir moved to England. Begovic often points out how his old man was a great teacher and how he learned the goalkeeping basics from him. Asmir is a big fan of all sports, including ice hockey, basketball and baseball. His wife Nicole, who is a dressage rider, recently received Bosnian citizenship and hopes she can represent Bosnia in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Sejad Salihovic

After not getting enough playing time at Hertha Berlin, Salihovic decided in 2006 to go down the ranks and join Hoffenheim, the team that was at the time in the third tier of the German league system. Since then he has become their loyal lieutenant, playing 230 matches and helping establish them as Bundesliga regulars. The 29-year-old midfielder, who is considered to be one of the best takers of a free-kick in Germany, claims that he rejected an offer from Bayern Munich to stay in the small village of Sinsheim. He still lives there, refusing to join the rest of the team in Heidelberg,

Izet Hajrovic

In November 2012, when Bosnia-Herzegovina had already started their march towards Brazil, the then 20-year-old Galatasaray midfielder was in Tunisia, having made his debut for Switzerland. He replaced Tranquillo Barnetta and while Ottmar Hitzfeld praised him, he became unpopular in the homeland of his parents. But after Hitzfeld left him out of the Switzerland squad for the qualifiers, Hajrovic suddenly changed his mind and less than a year later he was wearing the Bosnia shirt. However, his call-up has caused controversy. Edin Dzeko, who publicly criticised him when he opted for Switzerland, as did a couple of other experienced players, did not hide his anger. But when Hajrovic struck a superb goal in Slovakia to earn a 2-1 win in the most important match of the qualifiers, all the disputes were forgotten.

Haris Medunjanin

The midfielder, who has played for AZ Alkmaar, Real Valladolid and Maccabi Tel Aviv before moving to his present club, Gaziantepspor, in Turkey, is the only Bosnian international who has actually won a trophy at international level. Medunjanin was a member of the Dutch under-21 side who won the European Championship played in Portugal in 2006. Raised in Holland, he celebrated the title with his then team-mates Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Ron Vlaar, and Milan's Urby Emanuelson.

Edin Dzeko

The Manchester City striker is the top scorer in the country's history and its biggest star. The start of his career was completely different - even though he was given a professional contract by his parent club, Zeljeznicar Sarajevo, and a first-team debut as a 17-year-old prospect, he was mocked by his own fans who nicknamed him "Kloc" – the local slang term for a lamp-post. He was forced to move first to the Czech league and then to Germany, where he flourished under the guidance of Felix Magath at Wolfsburg. He had a reputation for being a ladies man, but is now in a relationship with the Bosnian-American model Amra Silajdzic – the Bosnian tabloids' favourite topic.

Tino-Sven Susić

The midfielder, who now plays for Hajduk Split, was given his international debut in March and by putting the 22-year-old in his provisional squad for the World Cup, Safet Susic opened a can of worms. Tino-Sven is Safet's nephew, and his call-up automatically raised the question of nepotism. The manager did not help himself by refusing to explain the reasons for selecting the player, who does not feature regularly in the team in the mediocre Croatian league and whose position is already covered by such as Miralem Pjanic and Zvjezdan Misimovic.

Elvir Baljic (assistant coach, former international)

In 1999, Safet Susic's right-hand man hit the headlines after John Toshack decided to pay Fenerbahce £20m for his transfer to Real Madrid. A series of injuries prevented him from establishing himself as a first-team regular at the Bernabéu. Five years later, while he was still an active player in Turkey, he recorded his first folk music album. He always claimed he did it for the love for music, refusing to record videos and promote the album. However, just a couple of weeks ago he released a new single …

Miralem Pjanic

The Little Prince, as he has been nicknamed by fans, is a man who can keep a secret. Even though he is always the centre of attention for Bosnian and Italian tabloids, the Roma midfielder has managed to keep his private life hidden. In February 2013 he surprised the public by announcing that he and his French girlfriend Josefa had become parents to a son who was born five months previously. The proud father named his son - Edin.

Sasa Ibrulj is a Bosnian freelance journalist who writes for sport.ba

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/04/world-cup-2014-bosnia-herzegovina-secrets-players

World Cup 2014: Iran profile – Javad Nekounam

With almost 140 caps to his name, the icon of Iranian football is seeking a glorious swansong in Brazil, and getting them out of Group F would certainly be a miraculous achievement

John Duerden   


theguardian.com, Wednesday 4 June 2014 21.00 AEST   

This article is part of the Guardian's World Cup 2014 Experts' Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.

"Nek-ou-nam, Nek-ou-nam, Nek-ou-nam!!!" shouted the goalscorer, pointing to the number 15 on his chest, as he ran towards the touchline to celebrate a goal that had kept Iran's World Cup hopes alive. None of the 100,000 plus fans going crazy in Tehran's Azadi Stadium needed any prompting, they were shouting the same. The commentator was too as were, probably, most of the country's population of 80 million. If ever a team has a talisman, then Javad Nekounam is Iran's.

In the end, that goal against South Korea in qualification for the 2010 World Cup was answered by Park Ji-sung - the two skippers formed a respectful rivalry in Asia - when again the crowd were already following the player's celebration before it was actually performed as the Manchester United man put a quick fingers to his lips and then a cupped hand around his ear. For a moment, Nekounam had opened the door to South Africa though Team Melli (which just means the 'national team') couldn't squeeze through. Four years later he scored at the same end in the same stadium against the same team and this time Iran was on the way to the World Cup. The deal was sealed in June 2013 in the return match in Korea.

In the bowels of Ulsan's Munsu Stadium when the shouts from the Iranian dressing room echoed around the 2002 World Cup arena the Iran coach, Carlos Queiroz, nodded in the direction of his skipper. "He is the perfect captain," said the delighted former Real Madrid manager. "He is the kind of player every team needs as he contributes in so many different ways. The bigger the occasion, the better he plays."

A few months later and Nekounam smiles at the memory. "We are so happy to be going to the World Cup," he told the Guardian. "It doesn't matter if you are famous or not known at all, all players dream of playing there. It is hard to explain how I felt but when we qualified, it was one of the best moments of my life. We have to train hard, prepare well and be at our best. And then we will see what happens in Brazil."

Just as some of the iconic football stadiums seem smaller in real life than on television, so does Nekounam, though he is far from small, such is his presence on the pitch. One translator on duty after an international friendly in 2010 confided that he had been nervous about sitting next to the player and being responsible for conveying his opinions to the massed media. Instead of the fierce warrior he expected, he got a polite, serious and quiet gentleman (and an attractive one too, Iran's general team manager once said that all the women in Asia 'think Javad is handsome').

On the pitch, the 33-year-old doesn't cover quite the same amount of ground as before but sets the tempo from deep in midfield and is just as likely to be found breaking up opposition attacks as arriving late on the edge of the area to fire another low shot into the net. He also takes a mean set piece.

Faced with Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia in Group F, not many tip Iran to progress to the second round but this is a team not to be taken lightly. What is lacked in preparation is made up for in passion and there is no shortage of skill. Team Melli have yet to get over that first hurdle in three appearances and have just one World Cup win to their name, though that victory over the United States in Lyon in 1998 will live long in the memory.

It's time to change all that and Nekounam can't wait. This June is his second and surely last appearance at the World Cup finals. Back in 2006, he was a relatively junior, though important, member of the team that included such icons as Ali Daei and Ali Karimi. That pair of Alis – who both had mixed experiences at Bayern Munich – were reportedly the two pillars of power in the camp. Ahead of Germany, hopes were high that a talented team with a good deal of international experience could do well, but such divides in the dressing room contributed towards a disappointing campaign that saw Iran lose to Mexico and Portugal before drawing with Angola. Ahead of Brazil, Nekounam is not going to go over old problems but insists that he learnt plenty from Germany eight years ago.

"The 2006 World Cup was a memorable experience. Although we didn't have success, I have good memories of the tournament and I realised many things that can help me become a better player and that every time you play, you get experience from that game. We couldn't get the results we wanted but I saw that even the most famous players give everything at every moment, and that is why they are the best."

He must have done something right because as soon as he returned home, Europe was calling. No Iranian had played in Spain's La Liga before (and very few from Asia), and few would have expected Nekounam to stay with Osasuna for six seasons. Almost 150 games he played – and it would have been more if injuries had not interfered – and the man with almost 140 caps for his country became a firm favourite with fans in Spain. His determination, passing, technical ability and goals, 26 in all, helped the Pamplona club stay in the top flight in that period.

Nekounam finally left in 2012, with reports that the cash-strapped team wanted him to take a pay cut. He says however, it was all about returning home to play for Esteghlal. One of two Tehran titans, the Blues can attract over 100,000 to the Azadi Stadium, the same one that the national team and, to an extent, Nekounam, call home. "It was a personal decision. Esteghlal are a very big team that has won many honours in Asia and Iran," says the player, although a recent move to Al Kuwait is perhaps better for the bank account and the relative lack of games keeps him fresh for Brazil.

Now though, it is all about the summer and giving Iran's million of fans something to smile about and the western media something to talk about other than nuclear issues and regional instability. "The world saw in 2006 that Iran loves the national team," says the captain. "Everywhere we go, we can find our fans. They are colourful and love the game so much. They will be in Brazil too. We are ready. All of Iran is ready."

John Duerden is an Asia football correspondent for BBC Radio, the Guardian, ESPN and World Soccer

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jun/04/world-cup-2014-iran-javad-nekounam

World Cup 2014 Nigeria profile: Champions of Africa target knock-out stages with Argentina

Tom Collomosse

Published: 04 June 2014

Forget John Obi Mikel, there's more to Nigeria than meets the eye



EXPECTATIONS

The African champions feel confident they can finish second behind Argentina and qualify for the second phase. While they lack the stars of previous competitions, coach Stephen Keshi is confident he has forged unity by promoting a number of home-based players. Victory in the Africa Cup of Nations last year appeared to justify that approach and the fans will hope to see further guarantees in Brazil.



COACH

Nicknamed “Big Boss” by football fans in Nigeria, Keshi, 52, is an avuncular character who tries to establish a paternal relationship with his players and is keen to stay in the job long enough to turn Nigeria into a genuine force at the 2018 World Cup. He has been both a player and an assistant coach for Nigeria at major international tournaments.



STARS

Emmanuel Emenike has a record of nearly one goal in every other international and should provide a threat in attack after recovering from a serious injury he sustained at the Nations Cup — which didn’t prevent him finishing as top scorer at the tournament.

Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is highly regarded and fellow midfielder John Obi Mikel is well known to Premier League fans after eight years with Chelsea, where he won numerous major trophies, including the Champions League, Premier League and Europa League.



TACTICS

Those who watch Nigeria regularly believe they are at their most effective when playing a direct game, transferring the ball quickly from back to front for their forwards to run on to. They play a flat back four and generally start in a 4-3-3 system, although that can change to a 4-1-4-1 when they do not have the ball. Keshi is virtually certain to be cautious against Argentina.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2014-nigeria-profile-champions-of-africa-target-knockout-stages-with-argentina-9482921.html

Nigeria make arrival in Brazil for 2014 World Cup

June 11, 2014   Updated: June 11, 2014 10:20:00

Nigeria were on time this time.

The African champions touched down for the World Cup as scheduled in Sao Paulo on Tuesday night from their pre-tournament camp in the United States.

A year ago, Nigeria arrived three days late for the Confederations Cup in Brazil and in disarray after a player strike over bonuses caused delays and threatened to throw the World Cup warm-up tournament into chaos.

Click here to visit The National’s World Cup 2014 coverage page

Late Tuesday, the Nigerians were transferring through Brazil’s huge commercial hub to their World Cup base in the city of Campinas, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Sao Paulo.

The 2013 African Cup of Nations winners will play Iran in their opening game in Group F in Curitiba on Monday, giving them five full days to prepare – luxurious compared to the 36 hours the team had in Brazil before playing their first match at the Confederations Cup last year.

Stephen Keshi’s continental champions have arrived in Brazil off an unimpressive buildup. The Nigerians drew with Scotland and Greece and lost to the United States in warm-up games in Europe and the United States.

Along with Iran, the Super Eagles will also play Bosnia and Argentina in the Group F of the World Cup and are aiming to make the second round for the first time since 1998.

Belgium also flew in to Sao Paulo on Tuesday leaving three teams still to arrive for the World Cup: Ghana, South Korea and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.


Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/sport/world-cup-2014/nigeria-make-arrival-in-brazil-for-2014-world-cup#ixzz34JiIsRTS

NATE Silver’s powers of prediction are unparalleled.

As the brain behind statistical analysis blog FiveThirtyEight, Silver has been forecasting results in political elections and sporting contests for years. During the last US presidential election, he correctly predicted the winner in all 50 states.

Now, Silver has turned his attention to the World Cup.

He has developed a predictive model called the Soccer Power Index (SPI), which harnesses reams of data to rate every team’s chances on a match-by-match basis.

“Technically speaking, SPI is two ratings systems rolled into one,” Silver says. “One based solely on a national team’s play, and one that reflects a composite of player ratings for what SPI projects to be a team’s top line-up.”

If you want to know how the index works in excruciating detail, you can read more about it here. Otherwise, you can see its predictions for every World Cup group below.


GROUP F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Essentially, Lionel Messi has been given three warm up games to help him hit his stride. Argentina (92.5 per cent) will progress, and Bosnia-Herzegovina should join it in the top two (58.1 per cent).

“It would be a major upset if Argentina failed to advance to the knockout stage,” Silver says. “Still, Bosnia-Herzegovina, playing in its first World Cup under that flag, is the 13th best team in the world according to SPI.”

SO, WHO WILL WIN THE WORLD CUP?

“Argentina, Germany and Spain, like Brazil, are wonderful soccer teams. You could perhaps debate which of the four would be favoured if the World Cup were played on a hastily constructed soccer pitch somewhere in the middle of the desert,” Silver writes.

“But this World Cup is being played in Brazil. No country has beaten Brazil on its home turf in almost 12 years.”

That loss, in a friendly against Paraguay back in 2002, barely counts. Brazil didn’t take the game seriously, and substituted most of its star players well before full-time. According to Silver, Brazil’s last home defeat in a match that actually mattered was in 1975.

With home ground advantage factored in, alongside all the other data, Silver’s Soccer Power Index gives Brazil a 45.2 per cent chance of winning the World Cup, ahead of Argentina (12.8 per cent), Germany (10.9 per cent), Spain (7.6 per cent) and Chile (4.2 per cent).

http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/fifa-world-cup-2014-superstar-statistician-nate-silver-has-bad-news-for-australia/story-fnkjl6g2-1226950736040

Edited by Joffa: 11/6/2014 09:59:50 PM

Brazil 2014: Is this Argentina’s time to win the World Cup?

June 15, 2014 by jamessavundra Leave a Comment


By John Howell.

Argentina are looking to banish the ghost of tournaments past with a first World Cup win in twenty-eight years. Since their triumph in 1986 and a subsequent final in 1990, the South American giants have failed to make it past the quarter-finals in their previous five attempts.

So what makes them one of the bookmaker’s favourites and is it justified?

The weight of a nation falls on the shoulders of arguably the world’s greatest player: Lionel Messi.

lionel_messiIncredibly still only 26-years-old, Messi is reaching his peak years after consistently performing on an already stratospheric level. Doubts linger, though, over whether he can duplicate the genius that compatriot Diego Maradona achieved when he single-handedly propelled his side to the World Cup in 1986.

Scorer of what would, for any other player, be an incredible 41 goals this season; it is a testament to his brilliance that some critics have accused the Argentina captain of blowing hot and cold since last August. With Barcelona experiencing a trophyless year, pundits have clamoured to claim that Olympus has fallen. The consensus is only heightened by the red hot form of La Liga rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

With all of this hanging over Messi’s head going into his second World Cup, doubts over whether the pocket-sized playmaker can handle the strain have inevitably followed.

Despite all the records that Messi has shattered time and again in his illustrious career, he is apparently doomed…That is unless he can win the World Cup – Oh, and not only win the World Cup, but in the style of Maradona ’86, or Pele ’58; with individual genius. Pressure, what pressure?

The Defence

Attack is the best form of defence – except when you come up against a team of equal quality. Whilst much has been made of the offensive options the Argentines posses, it is their defence where they could be exposed.

argentina_qualifyGoalkeeper Sergio Romero has been starved of game time whilst on loan at Monaco and there are questions over his ability after high profile mistakes on the pitch. It’s safe to say Romero is the best of a bad bunch, with back-ups Agustín Orión and Mariano Andújar both playing lower level football combined with sparse appearances for both club and country.

Full back Pablo Zabaleta and centre-back Ezequiel Garayboth apply their trade at an elite level, their importance to both club and country is undisputed. Centre-back partner Federico Fernandez broke into Napoli’s first team this year making 33 appearances. Along with Sporting left-back Marcos Rojo, the back four are solid but both full-backs are more comfortable going forward which can leave gaps for quality teams to exploit.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

It’s been 24 years since Argentina made it to a World Cup semi-final.

The South American side have had hugely talented squads in the interim, just like they have this year, but have still failed to get past the last eight.

The nation demands more this year from its stars. On their own continent and so close to home, questions will arise as the team progresses deeper into the tournament. Can they handle the pressure? Do these players know how to win on an international level?

And what makes this squad any different?

Stars such as Javier Pastore, Carlos Tevez and Diego Milito are all missing from the 2010 team, proving that Coach Alejandro Sabella isn’t perhaps picking the greatest 23 individuals, but rather the squad best capable of performing as a cohesive unit.

angel_dimariaThis is demonstrated best by the inclusion of 10-cap defender José María Basanta. The 30-year-old plies his trade in the less than fashionable Mexican league for Monterrey but was included above European superstar Pastore.

Those who played four years ago have inevitably grown as both footballers and men.

Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Ángel di María have all matured. At the age of 26, they are all more physically and mentally capable of performing on the biggest stage of them all.

So is this their time?

The stage is definitely set for Argentina. An easy group including Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria, Sabella’s men should stroll through to the last 16. Once there, they can expect to play Switzerland or France, both of whom are unlikely match to their level.

It is the quarter-final hoodoo that Argentina must overcome. If they make the semi-finals, they are my pick to win the World Cup.

There are a lot of questions but Argentina have all the tools to answer them. It is in their hands, or Lionel Messi’s, depending on how much you play attention to the hype.
http://offsiderulepodcast.com/2014/06/15/brazil-2014-is-this-argentinas-time-to-win-the-world-cup/

I will have no regrets sleeping in for Nigeria vs Iran

I thought Bosnia did enough to win against Argentina.

Argentina appear to be a team of stars, rather than a star team, particularly in the attacking half, given they can leave Tevez out.

Yet if they encounter Spain, Holland, Germany, France, Brazil in form, possibly Belgium, who I've never seen play, they have the potential to blow Argentina off the pitch. That is if they play on cool enough conditions to play at a high tempo for the whole game.

The reason for this, is that Argentina are lazy in Ball Possession Opposition. Unlike the club teams some of them play, for like Madrid, Barca and Man City, who play intensive squeezing and full pressing, the Argentinians who play for these clubs are made to look netter by hardworking club team-mates.

Argentina only squeezes languidly, and applies a half press. This is where they only really try to win the ball as a collective unit in their own half. Most of the other teams try to win the ball much higher up the pitch ,forcing turnovers in the attacking half.

Even in off the ball movement in Ball Possession, Argentina, have little movement in attack from attacking players, who work hard for the collective good, unselfishly, like our Leckie, Brosque and Holman.

It just happens Argentina are nearly all brilliant with the ball at their feet, have fabulous first touches and turning techniques, and can pass accurately under extreme pressure.





Edited by Decentric: 16/6/2014 12:17:27 PM

It doesnt matter how Nigeria do in this tournament

Or any tournament for that matter

They still win money off us when we go to collect the money that Prince has promised to us (419)

Well, looks like I made the right call sleeping through Nigeria v Iran

Goalless draw

Iran a strong contender for this tournament's most boring team.

It wasn't actually a bad game. Whilst Iran seemed intent on not conceding, Nigeria came out and threw everything but the kitchen sink at them. The fact the game didn't finish 5-0 to Nigeria is more credit to Iran's desperate last ditch defending than Nigeria's poor finishing. In saying that, there were times when Nigeria would struggle to hit the broad side of a bar with a tennis ball.

Can we get a gif of the creepy argentine dude who looks at the camera and smiles after Messi's missed free kick attempt?

Iran are doing the only thing that gives them any chance of winning, really can't blame them.

Touche

Iran playing really well at the moment

I only just woke up, looks like it could be potentially another big upset.:shock:

Iran with a few good chances. Wtf is that hanging from Palacio's head?

Wow 85min counter from Iran, shot saved,was on an angle and he had two defenders bearing down.

91min. Messi curls it in. Cruel ending for Iran but Messi brilliance.

heart break for iran what a strike

Messi 1-0 Bus

Great goal.

Messi =d>

Messi - mastertrole 2014

Feel a bit sorry for Iran, but they should of had a little more belief in their ability to attack tonight, specifically on the counter. When they did they created the game's best chances. Argentina were very ordinary for the second game straight.

all the lesser teams have really stepped it up for this world cup its been great to watch

Number of pts Iran have: 1
Number of pts Australia have: 0

I know which situation Iran would prefer. Especially since unlike us they actually still have a decent chance of qualifying.

1-0 Nigeria vs Bosnia after 30mins. Dzeko scored earlier but the flag came up but it wasn't offside so a terrible decision.

So the land of the 419 scammers got the points?

A big shame for Bosnia. Just watched the recording and those chances at the end were big. They'll be very angry with the disallowed goal from the first half. I see some similarities with Bosnia and Australia's 2006 campaign. They finally made it, golden generation. I've been watching them for the last few campaigns hoping and they finally got it.

Bosnia can obviously be disappointed about the disallowed goal but in the end they only have themselves to blame for losing.

Bosnia blames 'shameful' Kiwi ref for cup demise

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/10188013/Bosnia-blames-shameful-Kiwi-ref-for-cup-demise

So if Iran win 1-0, and Nigeria lose 1-0 tomorrow, they draw lots?

Fuck that :lol:

Fuck yes :lol:

Fast start, 1-1 after 5 minutes in Nigeria & Argentina.

Freak.

Argentina have so much depth up front but their defence is poor and will cost them when they come against a quality team.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-26/bomb-blast-kills-21-in-nigeria27s-capital-abuja/5551000

Good news from Nigeria

Dont forget to help the Nigerian Prince on the way out

Whenever team nigeria is beaten, they still win :lol: