COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil -- World champions Spain will open their defence of the title at the 2014 World Cup play with a rematch of the 2010 final against Netherlands, while hosts Brazil kick off against Croatia and the United States was drawn in the tournament's Group of Death. GettyImagesAll 32 qualified nations finally learned their fate for the group stage. The draw, which opened with a tribute to Nelson Mandela, saw Brazil alongside Mexico and Cameroon in Group A, while Spain were drawn in Group B with Chile -- who they also faced en route to lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010 -- and Australia, as well as the Netherlands. "I said this morning that we would get Holland in the
Football Update
FIFA confirms pots for World Cup
FIFA confirmed the pots for Friday's World Cup draw on Tuesday, putting the seeded teams in Pot 1, the African and South American teams in Pot 2, the CONCACAF and Asian teams in Pot 3 and the remaining nine European teams in Pot 4. • Johnson: The Pot X Factor• Duarte: Brazil's big problems• Delaney: Groups of death To make the number in each pot equal, at the start of the draw one of the nine European teams will be drawn into Pot 2, and will definitely face one of the seeded South American sides. Eight teams were seeded -- host Brazil and the top seven in FIFA’s October rankings -- and the other 24 teams were placed in pots based on "geographic
Xäzär win revived Azerbaijan Super Cup
Xäzär Länkäran FK caused a stir by beating defending champions and cup holders Neftçi PFK 2-1 in the first Azerbaijan Super Cup to be staged since 1995.Agabala Ramazanov set up Mbilla Etame to put Xäzär in front midway through the first half, but while Xäzär hit the post later on, Neftçi passed up a great chance to equalise before the break. The tempo picked up from then on, with Xäzär dominating possession, but things looked bleak for them after Malian Sadio Tuncara was dismissed for a second bookable offence.Carlos Cardoso promptly finished from Aras Abdullayev's ball into the box to make it 1-1, but John Toshack's side managed to stave off extra time when Manuel Scarlatache set up fellow central
Nigeria heap more misery on Mexico
Line-up ' + '' + ''; }else{ playerHome = '' + '' + bibnumberH + '' + '' + liveData.TeamHome[i].playerName + ' ' + liveData.TeamHome[i].playerNameAbbr + '' + htmlplIconH + '' + ''; } }else{
UEFA EURO 2016: ‘Le Rendez-Vous’
'Le Rendez-Vous' has been announced as the slogan for UEFA EURO 2016 during a press conference at Marseille's city hall following this morning's meeting of the EURO steering committee.UEFA President Michel Platini, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noël Le Graët, and president of EURO 2016 SAS Jacques Lambert were present alongside Marseille mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin and French sports minister Valérie Fourneyron for the presentation of Le Rendez-Vous.Football lovers from across Europe and elsewhere will be sure not to miss the event of summer 2016, a unique opportunity to celebrate the art of football in all its diversity and in a country with an incredible wealth of cultural heritage.Rendez-Vous with historyTwenty-four nations will meet over 51 matches during which the eyes
Ten-man United edge Leverkusen in thriller
Hosts Manchester United FC won a rollercoaster game despite ending with ten men against Bayer 04 Leverkusen as an 89th-minute James Wilson penalty secured the three points.The game began as it ended, with Wilson finding the net in just the fourth minute. The United advantage was doubled shortly after through Ben Pearson's smart finish but the visitors were level before the break as Marc Brasnic struck twice in two minutes. The turnaround seemed complete when Maximilian Wagener put Leverkusen ahead but Andreas Pereira's 71st-minute equaliser and Wilson's winner snatched it despite Patrick McNair receiving a second yellow with 15 minutes remaining.Click on the box above to watch highlights.
Tiendalli rejoins Swans
English Premier League side Swansea City have re-signed Dutch defender Dwight Tiendalli on a three-year deal.Tiendalli was a hugely successful presence in the Swans' line-up last season, having been released at the end of the 2011/12 campaign by FC Twente, making 25 appearances and impressing in the full-back role when Neil Taylor was injured.He was even called up to the Netherlands national team by Louis van Gaal, and went on to make two appearances for his country, although his days at the Liberty Stadium appeared numbered after his deal expired this summer and a new contract had not been agreed.Yet the south Wales side confirmed on Wednesday that terms had been agreed on a fresh deal that will expire