Football - International Friendlies Results

MONDAY 30TH MARCH
FT Indonesia 2 - 1 Myanmar
FT Thailand 2 - 3 Cameroon
FT Saudi Arabia 2 - 1 Jordan
FT Qatar 1 - 0 Slovenia
FT Colombia 3 - 1 Kuwait
FT FYR Macedonia 0 - 0 Australia
FT Guyana 2 - 0 Grenada
FT Belarus 0 - 0 Gabon
FT Oman 1 - 4 Algeria
FT Bahrain 2 - 1 Philippines

TUESDAY 31ST MARCH 2015
FT Puerto Rico 0 - 3 Canada
FT Japan 5 - 1 Uzbekistan
FT Korea Republic 1 - 0 New Zealand
FT Switzerland 1 - 1 United States
FT Russia 0 - 0 Kazakhstan
FT Sweden 3 - 1 Iran
FT Ukraine 1 - 1 Latvia
FT Luxembourg 1 - 2 Turkey
FT Slovakia 1 - 0 Czech Republic
FT Austria 1 - 1 Bosnia-Herzegovina
FT Ghana 1 - 1 Mali
FT Italy 1 - 1 England
FT Netherlands 2 - 0 Spain
FT Jamaica 3 - 0 Cuba
FT China PR 1 - 1 Tunisia
FT Liechtenstein 1 - 0 San Marino
FT Portugal 0 - 2 Cape Verde Islands
FT Estonia 1 - 1 Iceland

Pep Guardiola is Special - Rummenigge

The ex - Barcelona boss, Pep Guardiola, took charge of the German club after they claimed a historic treble in the 2012-13 season, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League under Jupp Heynckes.

However, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the Spaniard has changed the philosophy of the club in the way they play-particularly offensively.

"But he changed it a bit, the feel on the pitch - his style is very dominant, very offensive and spectacular. It works," said Rummenigge.

"I like him a lot and we are very happy with having him in Munich."

"I would say he is special in the fact that he is looking like a genius in his role - very sensible and he is working very hard every day."

Pep Guardiola won his first Bundesliga title in his first season with Bayern.

Ghana loss against Senegal for the 2nd time in 2 months - match ratings

The Blackstars of Ghana faced the Taranga lions of Senegal in Stade Oceane du Le Havre in France last night.

Substitute Moussa Konaté scored 2 second half goals to give the Taranga lions a 2 goal lead before Ghana striker , Richmond Boakye Yiadom scored a consolation for the Africa Cup Finalist.

FC Sion striker Moussa Konaté put the Teranga Lions ahead on the 66 minutes after coming on for Demba Ba.

Senegal met Ghana earlier this year in the Africa Cup of Nations group stage match in Mongomo.
Senegal beat Ghana 2 - 1 in that match - they continue their dominance over the Ghanaians in 2 months later after beating them yet again in France.

Senegalese coach A. Cisse won his first match in charge of the Taranga Lions.

Ghana lineup:
Razak Braimah(GK)
(DF) Harrison Afful, Frank Acheampong/Jeffrey Schlupp, Jonathan Mensah/Daniel Amartey, John Boye,
(MD) Mubarak Wakaso/ Mohammed Rabiu, Afriyie Acquah/Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Andre Ayew, Christian Atsu,
(FW) Kwesi Appiah/ Richmond Boakye Yiadom, Jordan Ayew
Coach: Avram Grant

Senegal lineup:
Abdoulaye Diallo (GK),
(DF) Cheikh Mbengue, Kara Mbodji, Lamine Sané, Zargo Touré /Lamine Gassama
(MD) Sadio Mané, Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Mame Biram Diouf /Pape Souaré
(FW) Demba Ba /Moussa Konaté, Moussa Sow /Pape Kouly Diop
Coach: A. Cisse

Cristiano Ronaldo not efficient enough - UEFA averaged goals per game

Top scorer in UEFA club competitions with 78 - Ronaldo

When it comes to Europe's club competition, the current top goal scorers have had the opportunity to score more goals than their predecessors due to their participation in many continental matches.
But when it comes to average goals per game, the 'oldies' top the chart with pure and more goals in their matches played.

Real Madrid and Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed former club mate Raul Gonzalez in the all time scorers in UEFA club competitions with 78 goals. 

Ronaldo has 74 goals in 116 UEFA club matches.

However, the world's best player doesn't fall in the all time list of goals per game.
He lags behind some great and unexpected names.

Top goals per game averages in all UEFA club competitions
0.90: Radamel Falcao (FC Porto, Club Atlético de Madrid) – 38 goals in 42 games.
0.87: Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München) – 62 goals in 71 games.
0.86: Stéphane Guivarc'h (AJ Auxerre, Stade Rennais FC, Newcastle United FC) – 24 goals in 28 games.
0.82: Ivan Mráz (ŠK Slovan Bratislava, AC Sparta Praha, FK Dukla Praha) – 18 goals in 22 games.
0.86: Ferenc Puskás (Budapest Honvéd FC, Real Madrid CF) – 37 goals in 43 games.
0.83: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid CF) – 50 goals in 60 games.
0.81: Jupp Heynckes (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach) – 45 goals in 55 games.
0.80: Kees Kist (AZ Alkmaar, Paris Saint Germain) – 20 goals in 25 games.
0.80: Denis Law (Manchester United FC) – 20 goals in 25 games.
0.80: Kevin Hector (Derby County FC) – 16 goals in 20 games.

List of Top goals per game averages in UEFA champions league/ European Champions club's cup
0.97: Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München) – 34 goals in 35 games.
0.86: José Altafini (AC Milan, Juventus) – 24 goals in 28 games.
0.85: Ferenc Puskás (Budapest Honvéd FC, Real Madrid CF) – 35 goals in 41 games.
0.84: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid CF) – 49 goals in 58 games.
0.82: José Águas (SL Benfica) – 18 goals in 22 games.
0.80: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) – 75 goals in 94 games.
0.76: Jean-Pierre Papin (Olympique de Marseille, AC Milan) – 28 goals in 37 games.
0.75: Eusébio (SL Benfica) – 47 goals in 63 games
0.74: Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United FC, Real Madrid CF) – 60 goals in 81 games.
0.68: Marco van Basten (AFC Ajax, AC Milan) – 19 goals in 28 games.

Euro 2016 Qualifiers - Full details here

UEFA EURO 2016 QUALIFIERS

• England make it 5 out of 5 in Uefa Euro 2016 Qualifiers.

• Harry Kane scores on his England debut.

• Slovakia make it 5 wins in a row as they beat Luxembourg 3 - 0.

• Holders Spain keep up pressure with a narrow win.

England
4-0
Lithuania

FYR Macedonia
1-2
Belarus

Slovakia
3-0
Luxembourg

Spain
1-0
Ukraine

Slovenia
6-0
San Marino

Switzerland
3-0
Estonia

Liechtenstein
0-5
Austria

Montenegro
0-0
Russia
Match abandoned

Moldova
0-2
Sweden

Awful scenes at Montenegro - keeper hit by flare as Referee suspends game

Akinfeev taken off by stretcher

Igor Akinfeev, 28, was hit on the back of the head by a flare and was taken off by a stretcher.

German referee Deniz Aytekin immediately halted the match and sent both sets of players off the pitch.

Akinfeev plays his club football for CSKA Moscow.

Montenegro were level with Russia in Group G on five points prior to kick-off.

Referee Deniz Aytekin halted the game

Rampaging Brazil down France in their own backyard

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES
Date: Thursday, 26th March
Kick off: 20:00 GMT
Venue: Stade de France
        France V Brazil
                FT 1 - 3
                  90 +5
  Varane 21'
                         Oscar 40'
                         Neymar 57'
                         Luiz Gustavo 69'

Match details :
• Varane scores from a header to give the host a lead in the first half.

• France lose for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.

• Neymar with his eighth goal in seven games.

• Dunga unbeaten since taking charge of Brazil after world cup.

Oscar Emboaba scored his 12th international goal as Brazil cruised on a 1 - 3 win.

Raphael Varane's goal was his first for his country.

UEFA EURO 2016 will be hosted by France.

They have failed to progress further than the
quarter-finals stage at the past four tournaments they have qualified for - an early group stage exist in 2010 world cup and a group stage exist in EURO 2008.

However they were eliminated by Germany at FIFA world cup 2014 while at Euro 2012 they also went out to eventual champions Spain.

France face Denmark in their next international friendly.

Neymar netted his 43rd goal for Brazil and is just a goal behind Zico in the all time scorers in Brazilian history.

Former Brazil boss Felipe Scolari resigned after seeing his team trashed by Germany in a world cup record, 7-1 in the semi-finals and a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in the third and fourth playoff.

Dunga took charge of Brazil in July and maintains his 100% winning streak.

Dunga is looking forward to redeem the country's image from the world cup thrashing by the Germans.

Dunga took charge of Brazil from 2006 - 2010 in his previous spell.

Brazil revenged a 3 - 0 defeat to France at FIFA world cup final in 1998 by defeating them by 3 - 1 in Stade de France.

John Terry gets Chelsea contract extention

Chelsea skipper John Terry whose current contract with Chelsea runs until the end of the season, has been offered a new contract extention which will make him stay at the club until the end of 2015/16 campaign.

Terry has won 13 major honours with the West Londoners since making his debut in 1998, winning the Champions League, Europa League,
three Premier League titles, five FA Cup trophies and three League Cup victories.

His Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho earlier this year said John Terry will definitely get his contract
extention.

Jose Mourinho said: "This new contract is not to say 'thank you very much'.

"It is because John continues to perform. He is a top defender."

John Terry has played 40 games so far this season and doesn't look like looking back.

"He is at the top his game and well deserves his contract extention'' - Jose Mourinho said.

He captained Chelsea to a capital one cup triumph ealier this month against Tottenham Hotspur before seeing the club being eliminated from the last 16 stage by Paris St Germain and an FA Cup shocker against Bradford City earlier this year.

Messi At An NBA Match with fellow Argentines

Argentina face El Salvador and Ecuador in the United States for their international friendlies.

Lionel Messi together with his international team mates were in the stance as Washington Wizards and the Indiana Pacers met in an NBA game on Wednesday.

Messi was seen sitting in the middle of his Barcelona mate Javier Mascherano and Juventus striker Carlo Tevez.

Argentine NBA star Luis Scola's Pacers edged the Wizards 103-101 after George Hill's two-pointer with 2.7 seconds left on the clock.

Four- time ballon d'Or winner Messi was reported to have injured his foot in the weekend's El Clasico win.
But Messi has brushed off all injury scares and will feature in his country's two international friendlies against El Salvador and Ecuador.

Gheorghe Muresan and Lionel Messi

Skrtel banned for 3 matches

Skrtel's stamp on De Gea

Liverpool Slovakian defender Daniel Skrtel has been banned by the FA for 3 games.

The defender had his appeal on violent conduct over the stamping on Manchester United's keeper, David De Gea when both sides met on Sunday 22nd March at Anfield.

Daniel Skrtel,30, appeared to have stamped on United's goalkeeper De Gea in stoppage time.

The Referee of the day, Martin Atkinson and his officials didn't see the incident.

However, the FA disciplinary panel after watching a footage of the game found Daniel Skrtel guilty.

The desciplinary panel of the FA rejected Skrtel's appeal and has banned the defender for 3 games.

Skrtel will miss Liverpool's game against Arsenal on April 4 and against Newcastle United - both in the English premier league. He will also miss their FA Cup quarter-finals replay against Blackburn Rovers.

Fellow club mate and captain, Steven Gerrard will miss all games due to suspension after being sent off in the same game.

Liverpool have refused to comment on the disciplinary panel's verdict.

Daniel Skrtel earlier urgued the charge as accidental.