They always say you cannot fix what is not broken, and that is what exactly Sabri Lamouchi did to the Ivory Coast squad on Thursday June 19th 2014 when they played their chief rivals Colombia in Group C, by trying to fix what was not broken in the first game against Japan.

Coach Lamouchi did something during their first match against Japan which worked great for the Ivorians by subbing Didier Drogba in during the second half and at the same time played him alongside  Wilfred Bony another striker position a the front (a two headed monster if you will) that gave the Japanese fits as they labored to contain them.

Côte d'Ivoire will be without striker Didier Ya Konan when the Elephants face Colombia in Brasilia on Thursday.

The Hanover forward, who helped inspire the comeback against Japan last week after coming off the bench, suffered a knee injury that will keep him out. However Stuttgart defender Arthur Boka is available after returning to training despite limping off with a calf problem against Japan. Both Côte d'Ivoire and Colombia won their opening matches and a win for either should guarantee qualification for the Round of 16.

18 June 2014 - Midfielder Jermaine Seoposenwe, who plays for Stamford University in the USA, has made her return to the Sasol Banyana Banyana squad.

Sasol Banyana Banyana are currently  holding a four day training camp at the Bedfordview Football Club grounds as part of preparations for the 2014 CAF African Women’s Championships that will be held in Namibia in October this year.

Nicknamed ‘Microphone’, Seoposenwe, who previously played for the University of the Western Cape in the Cape Town division of the Sasol Women’s League, joined Stamford University in the United States at the beginning of this year on a four-year scholarship, pursuing an undergraduate Degree in Business Studies.

Cameroon have crashed out of the FIFA World Cup™ after a resounding 4-0 defeat to Croatia in which they were reduced to ten men. The Indomitable Lions were second best throughout this Group A encounter in Manaus, which ended with their European opponents having boosted their hopes of vying with Brazil and Mexico for a place in the Round of 16. Croatia now know that the winner of their final group phase encounter with El Tri will advance, while Cameroon will conclude their doomed campaign against the hosts.

Niko Kovac's side had impressed in spells against Brazil in their opening match and their class told in this encounter, with the outcome rarely in danger from the 11th minute onwards. That was when Ivica Olic, 34, became his country's oldest World Cup goalscorer, firing home first time with his left foot after being teed up at close range by Ivan Perisic's perfectly weighted pass.

Africans who were around during the 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cup can vividly remember the magic and legend that was the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and most have hung on to those glorious times and moments fooling themselves that the Lions will forever remain as they were. But time and tide waits for no man and time surely moves on and things change and certainly the indomitable Lions today are not that of the 1980’s and 90’s.

Africa fell in love with a time when they were all made to feel proud to be African and a part of Football a sport the continent is madly in love with, a moment when the legend himself Roger Milla dazzled the world but that moment has been long gone and the indomitable Lions with its lone superstar in Samuel Eto’o is nothing but a mirage of those times.

Ghana's Berlin-born midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has turned up the heat for Saturday's FIFA World Cup™ Group G match against Germany by comparing it to a gladiator-style 'fight to the death'.

"It's like in ancient Rome. There will be people around the pitch who want to see how two teams fight," the Schalke 04 star told German magazine Sport Bild. "The team who wants it more will win and we will fight to the death against Germany."

Boateng opted to play for Ghana, the country of his father, in 2009 and will be up against his half-brother and Germany right-back Jérôme Boateng in Fortaleza. Germany top their group after Monday's 4-0 hammering of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, while Ghana are third after their 2-1 defeat to the USA the same day.

Kwadwo Asamoah has appealed to Ghana's coach Kwesi Appiah to put him back in a more attacking role ahead of a key FIFA World Cup™ clash against Germany.

Asamoah, Ghana's footballer of the year for the past two years, was devastated by the Black Stars' 2-1 defeat by the United States on Monday. The 25-year-old was used as a left-sided defender in a loose 4-2-3-1 formation that did not work in the Group G clash. He has found it difficult to change from his normal role at Juventus as a wingback in a 3-5-2 formation.

"I'm the kind of player who attacks a lot. My style is different, I'm not a typical defender," the Juventus midfielder told AFP. With World Cup survival probably hinging on Saturday's game against an ominously strong looking Germany, Asamoah feels he is being underused.

There is no denying that 28 year old Mexico goalie, Guillermo Ochoa has become an internet sensation after producing man of the match saves last night to allow his side settle for a goalless draw against hosts Brazil.

The AC Ajaccio number one, till 30 June, thwarted all the Samba Boys raids and reduced Neymar to being merely a spectator when he denied him on numerous occasions. He also saved a goal bound header from Brazilian

And to celebrate his feat, Ochoa instantly became the new World Cup darling of the internet, as has become the norm in this epoch governed by social media were global football fans interact.

It’s do or die for Cameroon today when they play their second Group A match against Croatia vying for nothing short of a victory if they are to progress to the Round Of 16. A defeat will all but end the Indomitable Lions dreams of making an impact at Brazil 2014 as they will surely be eliminated.

This is after Mexico pulled off a shocker last night by holding hosts Brazil to a goalless draw. Both Brazil and Mexico are now on 4 points while Cameroon and Croatia are still to collect points in a group were football experts have predicted that Brazil and Croatia will sail through.

It doesn’t seem to rain but it continuously pours for African representatives at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. After Cameroon succumbed to a 1-0 loss last Friday to Mexico, expectations were high that the remaining 4 nations would deliver. But alas, things keep getting worse for our mother continent after Nigeria and Ghana failed to secure wins last night.

The first draw of the FIFA World Cup wasn’t exciting at all after Nigeria squandered numerous chances and sat back to allow Iran back into the game. The match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

The result painfully stings for Nigeria, who were better poised to survive and move through to the knockout phases of the competition in a group that also features Argentina and Bosnia. To qualify, Nigeria now needs to certainly beat tough European nation Bosnia.

Bosnia are spearheaded by lanky Manchester City forward Edwin Dzeko.

Two young Belgians impressed in a come-from-behind win over Algeria on Matchday 6, with both Romelu Lukaku and Divock Origi doing their chances of picking up the Hyundai Young Player Award here at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ no harm at all.

Powerful striker Lukaku started for Belgium in their opener. The 21-year-old powerhouse, however, was unable to break down a stingy Algerian rearguard and was eventually withdrawn in the 58th minute. His performance was mature and vigorous, but he was up against a team determined to sit on their lead.

The man who replaced him is also in the running for the Hyundai Young Player award. Divock Origi, a replacement in the squad for injured Christian Benteke, made an immediate impact. He dragged the Africans, who featured young gun Nabil Bentaleb in midfield, out of position with his lively running and helped carve out two goals as the Belgians stormed back to take all three points. It was only Origi’s third cap for his country and he may well have earned himself a starting spot from here on out.

Second-half goals from substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens enabled Belgium to come from behind and beat Algeria 2-1 in their Group H opener. There was as much relief as joy for Marc Wilmots' side at Belo Horizonte's Estadio Mineirao, although they ultimately merited a win that had looked unlikely until the coach began shuffling his pack.

Belgium had began the match as overwhelming favourites - considered even as dark horses for the Trophy - but it was Algeria who began by far the brighter of the two teams. After forcing a few early set-pieces and pinning the Europeans back in their own half, Les Fennecs carved out their first big chance on 18 minutes when an off-balance Riyad Mahrez sliced wide from the angle of the box after bursting through in the left channel

a goal after 30 seconds undoes the best-laid of plans and conceding another after 86 minutes leaves you with little time to react, as Ghana found to their cost on their Group G debut against USA on Monday.

“That early goal we conceded killed us,” Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan told FIFA.com. “It totally changed our gameplan and put us on edge. We were the better side, though. We dominated the game and we managed to pull level. I thought we deserved to win, and we were looking for the winner when they scored their second. But, then again, that’s football.”

To lose in such a way was a bitter pill for Akwasi Appiah’s side to swallow, as a resigned Gyan explained: “We are very down but it just wasn’t our day. We created a lot of chances and we couldn’t score. Our problem was a lack of focus. USA didn’t create that much danger. They only had two chances.”

More than a thousand performances in over one hundred different locations across Glasgow will be staged as part of the Cultural celebrations for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Everything from family days out to concerts to thrilling site specific events are included in the huge line-up for Festival 2014 which runs from July 19 to August 3 alongside the Games themselves.

For full information about the Festival 2014 programme please pick up a free brochure which is available across the city or go to www.glasgow2014.com/festival2014

Performances have already been staged all over Scotland as part of Culture 2014, building momentum towards the start of Festival 2014 during Games time in Glasgow before Culture 2014 picks up again with events at the Edinburgh Festivals and beyond.

17 June 2014 – International referee Jerome Damon has called time on his illustrious refereeing career to pursue other interests.

Damon, who made his refereeing debut in the 1996/97 season, informed the South African Football Association (SAFA) on Tuesday (17 June) of his decision to hang his whistle.

The Cape Town-born whistleman said it was not an easy decision to call time on an occupation that had become part of his life for the past 18 years.

“After a very long introspection, prayer and consultation, I have decided to call an end to my active duty on the SAFA national panel of match officials after having first made my rookie appearance in the 1996/7 season,” said Damon.

LOS ANGELES, June 16, 2014 -- After months of talks, the two of the last remaining historical Catch Wrestling lineages in the world are uniting their efforts under the Catch Wrestling Alliance banner. The Billy Wicks Foundation (United States) and the Snake Pit Wigan (United Kingdom) are joining forces to support, strengthen, and grow the Catch Wrestling Alliance. The goal is to preserve and grow the sport of pure Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling.

The Catch Wrestling Alliance organized by Raul Ramirez, L.Ac., Ph.D., is excited about the collaboration between the two organisations. “It is great to have the greatest Catch Wrestling lineages working together to preserve our great sport and to bring authentic Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling to the world."

USA 2 – 1 Ghana

Team USA Shocked the Soccer World in their World Cup Opener as they finally beat the Black Stars of Ghana for the first time ever on their June 16th 2014 match-up.

In a thrilling match in their Group of Death (Group G) opening match Team USA under the guidance of former National German Team legend Jurgen Klinsman, defeated a loaded and talented Black Stars team in what most were expecting the USA to fall or at least come out with a draw against the Ghanaians.

The Black Stars who started the match without Kevin Prince Boateng and Michael Essien had to recover from the Initial shock of an early goal by US striker Clint Dempsey who scored 32 seconds into the match.

In very humid conditions the Ghanaians would launch counter attack after Counter attack but the score would remain unchanged throughout the first half.

The Brazilians did not forget Stephen Keshi and his Super Eagles after the men in green swooped down to South America’s biggest country for the FIFA Confederations Cup last year.

Though they were unable to navigate themselves through an examining group including world champions Spain and Copa America holders Uruguay, they did give a good account of themselves and thrill the flair-obsessed locals. That was evident when the Nigerians arrived at the team hotel in Campinas, where innumerable animated fans were on hand to greet them.

Here, in an interview with FIFA, Keshi reveals his surprise at that memorable welcome, discusses the way he believes football should be played, outlines what has let African sides down in the past, and weighs in on Iran, whom Nigeria will commence their FIFA World Cup™ campaign against in Curitiba on Monday.

Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o admitted on Monday that he needs a miracle if he is to shake off a right knee injury in time to play in Wednesday's World Cup Group A match against Croatia. The 33-year-old striker played in Cameroon's 1-0 Group A defeat to Mexico on Friday, but he was not present at training at Vitoria, near Belo Horizonte, on Sunday.

"I am hoping the gods grant me a miracle and that I am able to defend my dear, beautiful country," Eto'o told Cameroon Radio-Television (CRTV). "If this is not the case, I will always play my role as captain and especially as the big brother to push my young teammates to victory

A much touted Nigerian Super Eagles squad played to a 0 - 0 boring draw with an unheralded Iran Team that most pundits thought the Super Eagles should have easily beaten. The Super Eagles players were not very coordinated and were out of sync with each other. It was obvious some of the players did not put in the right effort to pressure the Iranians.

It was obvious LeBron James of the Miami Heat was determined and desperate as he and the Miami Heat came out of the gates guns blazing as they took it to the San Antonio Spurs early in Game 5 to stave off elimination. But in a game where you have to play for 4 quarters, the race is not for the swift but rather the one with endurance and the will to fight to the end and that is exactly what the San Antonio Spurs are.

The Spurs were able to outlast the Heat with their first quarter burst of scoring and eventually turned the tables to beat them by a score of 104 – 87 and win their 5th Franchise NBA Championships Title.

Many fans and some of the analysts doing Pregame commentaries and the Commentators calling the game between Japan and Cote D’Ivoire were a bit confused and flabbergasted that Sabri Lamouchi the Coach of the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire began the Game without Didier Drogba in the lineup, and the frustrations heightened when they fell down by a goal by Honda of Japan.

For those who are historical scholars of the game, you could immediately read into the strategy Lamouchi was adopting here and that was the 1990 World Cup playbook of Cameroon which saw Africa at its brightest with Roger Milla and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon almost making it to the Semi-Finals, it was a strategy which saw the aging Milla at 38 brought on as a Substitute late into Games and on every occasion changed the dynamics of the Game.

• Data shows that our toilet systems could go into overdrive with a suspected 25% increase in call outs
• 42% of fans admit to missing a great sporting moment because of a trip to the toilet
•  Dyno has created 'Rush to Flush' hit squads to keep toilets fully functional
• National Grid is also expecting a series of power surges with a quarter of viewers reaching for the kettle during half time

The nation will be glued to their seats as the biggest football tournament on the planet kicks off this week... until half time that is.

New research commissioned by Dyno, the number one plumbing and drains company, has found that the first thing nearly half (45 per cent) of all of England football fans do during a break is rush to the toilet. In fact, the average sports fan will take up to two toilet breaks during a big tournament with a whopping 42 per cent of sports fans admitting to missing a golden sports moment during a trip to the loo as they can't hold out any longer.

In 2001, I was studying for a Post Graduate Diploma in International Sports Law at the Anglia Polytechnic University in in Chelmsford, Essex in the United Kingdom.  One of the people who came to deliver lectures to us during our residential study week was Andrew Jennings, who has made every effort to expose the corruption at FIFA in several books as well as that at the International Olympic Committee.  Until then I was not aware that anything dodgy or shady was going on at FIFA.  During that week, my eyes were opened to the ways of FIFA, which is sometimes run as if it is actually a country.

Sabri Lamouchi has told those who feel Ivory Coast will coast into the World Cup knockout stages, to be wary of the dangers posed.

Lamouchi will take his team into the global finals where they face Japan, Colombia and Greece in Group C. With a squad containing bona fide stars such as Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and Galatasaray’s Didier Drogba, Lamouchi’s men are fully expected to sweep through a clement looking section and guide the Elephants into the last 16 for the first time in three attempts.