USA 2 Costa Rica 2 (USA win 4-3 on pens)
June 29 – You’d hate to use the word ‘sterile’ to describe a Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final, but following the drama and passion of Guatemala versus Canada, it all felt a little flat as the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Costa Rica kicked off for the right to face Guatemala in St. Louis. After 90 minutes and the drama of penalty kicks,
April 14 – World Cup legacy is championed as an important ingredient of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event and generally the build-up to the event generates enthusiasm and excitement for the game – it is a catalyst for the growth of the game in the country. So the news that Rotor Volgograd, one of Russia leading clubs in the 1990s has gone bust, is a an unfortunate counter to the legacy proposition.
April 14 – Ask two former legendary players from two different continents and you will likely get two different viewpoints on the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
April 13 – German Bundesliga club FC Augsburg has secured a new sponsorship deal with Germany’s insurance group WWK Versicherungsgruppe. The insurer will tale over as the club’s main sponsor in a deal estimated to be worth €3 million per year.
No, this is not a joke question but a very serious one. The jokey part of it is that once on the afternoon of May 29 in Zurich, the national associations re-elect Sepp Blatter for a fifth term as President, the 78 year old will cavort on stage possibly with a football as he acknowledges the hosannas of his followers like a medieval monarch. He has done that in the past and, as in 2002,
April 13 – Morocco and Tunisia say they have settled their differences with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following their respective spats over the African Cup of Nations.
By Mark Baber
April 13: A report by the Chinese Xinhua news agency, quoting the vice-president of the Italy-China Chamber of Commerce, has ignited a new bout of media speculation about the future ownership of Italy’s AC Milan.
April 13 – The captain of English champions Manchester City has taken a swipe at UEFA’s financial fair play (FFP) rules by saying they simply protect the old order rather than assist clubs like his that challenge for major honours by heavy investment.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 13 – Indonesian authorities are at loggerheads with FIFA over alleged government interference amid continuing uncertainty afflicting the domestic game.
April 13 – QPR have opened an investigation into the incident in yesterday’s Premier Peague fixture against Chelsea when missiles were thrown on to the pitch following Chelsea’s winning goal in the 88th minute.
April 13 – The head of the United States Soccer Federation says handing the 2026 World Cup to his country would not only give the sport a further boost but also allow FIFA to put its flagship event back on safe territory in terms of its international image.
April 13 – FIFA’s keenness to push the World Cup finals around as many parts of the world as possible has not been lost on New Zealand who are apparently eyeing up the possibility of becoming joint hosts with Australia.
April 13 – Liverpool have launched then new home kit with their new kit sponsor New Balance for the 2015/16 season.
April 13 – Sports media services company delatratre has teamed up with TV graphics producer Vizrt to launch a new virtual sports graphics solution for broadcasters.
April 13 – CONCACAF has launched its first Women’s Football Day as a celebration of women’s football across the region. Planned as an annual event, the first will be held on Saturday, May 23.
“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.” Babe Ruth
The fans of football’s middling clubs must go to games right now with heavy hearts. It’s that time of year, the one where those teams who are wrapped in the unambitious security blanket of mid-table are already thinking more about their holidays than points tallies.