European football preview: Kaka set for AC Milan start

AC Milan's Kaka
13 September 2013Last updated at 14:41 GMT


Brazil midfielder Kaka is poised to start for AC Milan this weekend in his first Serie A match since returning to Italy from Real Madrid.
The 2007 World Player of the Year, 31, who rejoined Milan on a two-year deal on 2 September, left for Real in 2009 for a then-world record £56m.
"I think he'll be a starter," said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose sixth-placed side face Torino.
"He's in good physical shape. He's a bit excited for his debut."

Returning hero Kaka

  • Born: 22 April 1982
  • Previous clubs: Sao Paulo, Real Madrid
  • Joined Milan in 2003 for his first spell
  • Made 268 appearances in six seasons at the Rossoneri, scoring 95 goals
  • Honours: one Serie A title, one Uefa Champions League, one Uefa Super Cup, one Fifa Club World Cup
Kaka, who won the Champions League and a league title during a six-year spell with Milan, admits he feels "like a kid" ahead of his return.
And he insists he will be able to fit in to the current team alongside young Italy attacking duo Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy.
"It's been a good week and we're working well," he said. "I've met both Balotelli and El Shaarawy and they seem good guys. We can all play together. There's a lot of respect among the players here."
Milan have one win and one defeat from their opening two league matches, with Roma leading the early-season table after two victories.
The Giallorossi travel to winless Parma on Monday, but the biggest match of the weekend sees Inter Milan host defending champions Juventuson Saturday.
Both teams also boast 100% winning starts, along with Napoli andFiorentina, who face home games against Atlanta and Cagliari respectively.

Spain

Real Madrid
Real Madrid are aiming to extend their winning start to La Liga season to a fourth game when they visit Villarreal in a top-of the-table clash.
And they will have world-record signing Gareth Bale among their ranks after coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the Welshman will make his debut on Saturday.
Villarreal, in their first season back among the Spanish top flight,have also won their opening three games and sit in third place, putting them above Real on goal difference.
Leaders Barcelona welcome Sevilla, who have yet to record a victory in their opening three games, to the Nou Camp on Saturday.
Barca boss Gerardo Martino has recalled skipper Xavi and Alexis Sanchez after the pair were rested for the exciting 3-2 win at Valencia.
However, forward Pedro has not been named in the 20-man squad as Martino continues to rotate his squad.
Elsewhere, second-placed Atletico Madrid host newly-promotedAlmeria.

Germany

Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has backed his side to return to winning ways in Saturday's home match against Hannover.
The German treble winners surprisingly dropped their first points of the new Bundesliga season in a 1-1 draw at Freiburg.
Pep Guardiola's men are second after four games and trail arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, who have won all of their opening matches, by two points.
"It's a shame we dropped two points at Freiburg," said Netherlands international Robben.
"We have to make sure we don't leave ourselves open to the counter [against Hannover].

Key European fixtures

Friday
  • Bordeaux v Paris St-Germain (19:30 BST)
Saturday
  • Bayern Munich v Hannover (14:30)
  • Inter Milan v Juventus (17:00)
  • Barcelona v Sevilla (19:00)
  • Torino v AC Milan (19:45)
  • Villarreal v Real Madrid (21:00)
"It's down to us, it's not about Dortmund. Of course we always want to be number one, but to do so we have to win our games."
Robben has shrugged off an ankle injury, while Guardiola is also hoping that Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be fit after a similar injury.
But the Spanish boss is already without four injured midfielders - Mario Gotze, Thiago Alcantara, Javi Martinez and Jan Kirchoff.
Borussia Dortmund host Hamburg on Saturday with concerns over Poland midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, who injured knee ligaments on international duty.
"It has got better, but it's still not good, it'll be close," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.
Striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to be fit after suffering a knee strain, while midfielder Marco Reus has trained after missing Germany's World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands on Tuesday with an upset stomach.

France

Laurent Blanc and Paris St-Germain
Paris St-Germain coach Laurent Blanc makes his first return to the club where he started his coaching career when the French champions faceBordeaux on Friday.
Blanc enjoyed a successful three-year spell at Bordeaux between 2007 and 2010, winning the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup in 2009 and reaching the 2010 Champions League quarter-finals, before leaving to become France coach.
Since replacing Real Madrid-bound Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, Blanc has led PSG to two wins and two draws in their opening four games.
But the fourth-placed side will be without injured pair Jeremy Menez and Javier Pastore against Les Girondins.
France forward Menez has yet to make an appearance this season after back surgery, while Argentina midfielder Pastore is suffering from a foot injury.
Table-toppers Monaco, who have taken 10 points in four matchesfollowing their lavish summer spending, host Lorient on Sunday.
On Saturday, second-placed Marseille travel to Toulouse, while third-placed St Etienne visit Valenciennes.
first appeared on bbc.co.uk

European football preview: Kaka set for AC Milan start

AC Milan's Kaka
13 September 2013Last updated at 14:41 GMT


Brazil midfielder Kaka is poised to start for AC Milan this weekend in his first Serie A match since returning to Italy from Real Madrid.
The 2007 World Player of the Year, 31, who rejoined Milan on a two-year deal on 2 September, left for Real in 2009 for a then-world record £56m.
"I think he'll be a starter," said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose sixth-placed side face Torino.
"He's in good physical shape. He's a bit excited for his debut."

Returning hero Kaka

  • Born: 22 April 1982
  • Previous clubs: Sao Paulo, Real Madrid
  • Joined Milan in 2003 for his first spell
  • Made 268 appearances in six seasons at the Rossoneri, scoring 95 goals
  • Honours: one Serie A title, one Uefa Champions League, one Uefa Super Cup, one Fifa Club World Cup
Kaka, who won the Champions League and a league title during a six-year spell with Milan, admits he feels "like a kid" ahead of his return.
And he insists he will be able to fit in to the current team alongside young Italy attacking duo Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy.
"It's been a good week and we're working well," he said. "I've met both Balotelli and El Shaarawy and they seem good guys. We can all play together. There's a lot of respect among the players here."
Milan have one win and one defeat from their opening two league matches, with Roma leading the early-season table after two victories.
The Giallorossi travel to winless Parma on Monday, but the biggest match of the weekend sees Inter Milan host defending champions Juventuson Saturday.
Both teams also boast 100% winning starts, along with Napoli andFiorentina, who face home games against Atlanta and Cagliari respectively.

Spain

Real Madrid
Real Madrid are aiming to extend their winning start to La Liga season to a fourth game when they visit Villarreal in a top-of the-table clash.
And they will have world-record signing Gareth Bale among their ranks after coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the Welshman will make his debut on Saturday.
Villarreal, in their first season back among the Spanish top flight,have also won their opening three games and sit in third place, putting them above Real on goal difference.
Leaders Barcelona welcome Sevilla, who have yet to record a victory in their opening three games, to the Nou Camp on Saturday.
Barca boss Gerardo Martino has recalled skipper Xavi and Alexis Sanchez after the pair were rested for the exciting 3-2 win at Valencia.
However, forward Pedro has not been named in the 20-man squad as Martino continues to rotate his squad.
Elsewhere, second-placed Atletico Madrid host newly-promotedAlmeria.

Germany

Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has backed his side to return to winning ways in Saturday's home match against Hannover.
The German treble winners surprisingly dropped their first points of the new Bundesliga season in a 1-1 draw at Freiburg.
Pep Guardiola's men are second after four games and trail arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, who have won all of their opening matches, by two points.
"It's a shame we dropped two points at Freiburg," said Netherlands international Robben.
"We have to make sure we don't leave ourselves open to the counter [against Hannover].

Key European fixtures

Friday
  • Bordeaux v Paris St-Germain (19:30 BST)
Saturday
  • Bayern Munich v Hannover (14:30)
  • Inter Milan v Juventus (17:00)
  • Barcelona v Sevilla (19:00)
  • Torino v AC Milan (19:45)
  • Villarreal v Real Madrid (21:00)
"It's down to us, it's not about Dortmund. Of course we always want to be number one, but to do so we have to win our games."
Robben has shrugged off an ankle injury, while Guardiola is also hoping that Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be fit after a similar injury.
But the Spanish boss is already without four injured midfielders - Mario Gotze, Thiago Alcantara, Javi Martinez and Jan Kirchoff.
Borussia Dortmund host Hamburg on Saturday with concerns over Poland midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, who injured knee ligaments on international duty.
"It has got better, but it's still not good, it'll be close," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.
Striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to be fit after suffering a knee strain, while midfielder Marco Reus has trained after missing Germany's World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands on Tuesday with an upset stomach.

France

Laurent Blanc and Paris St-Germain
Paris St-Germain coach Laurent Blanc makes his first return to the club where he started his coaching career when the French champions faceBordeaux on Friday.
Blanc enjoyed a successful three-year spell at Bordeaux between 2007 and 2010, winning the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup in 2009 and reaching the 2010 Champions League quarter-finals, before leaving to become France coach.
Since replacing Real Madrid-bound Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, Blanc has led PSG to two wins and two draws in their opening four games.
But the fourth-placed side will be without injured pair Jeremy Menez and Javier Pastore against Les Girondins.
France forward Menez has yet to make an appearance this season after back surgery, while Argentina midfielder Pastore is suffering from a foot injury.
Table-toppers Monaco, who have taken 10 points in four matchesfollowing their lavish summer spending, host Lorient on Sunday.
On Saturday, second-placed Marseille travel to Toulouse, while third-placed St Etienne visit Valenciennes.
first appeared on bbc.co.uk

Gareth Bale to make Real Madrid debut on Saturday - Ancelotti



World-record signing Gareth Bale will make his debut for Real Madrid against Villarreal on Saturday, coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed.
The 24-year-old joined Real from Tottenham for £85.3m on 1 September but has not played a full match yet this season because of a foot injury.
He managed 32 minutes in Wales' 3-0 defeat by Serbia on Tuesday.

Bale's season-by-season Premier League stats

Gareth Bale
  • 2012-13: Played 33, goals 21, assists four
  • 2011-12: Played 36, goals nine, assists 10
  • 2010-11: Played 30, goals seven, assists one
  • 2009-10: Played 23, goals three, assists five
  • 2008-09: Played 16, goals 0, assists 0
  • 2007-08: Played eight, goals two, assists 0
"Bale will travel and will play. I'm not sure if he will start or come off from the bench," said Ancelotti.
The Italian also confirmed in a media conference on Friday that he plans to play Bale as a right-sided attacker.
"Bale came here without having a normal pre-season, but his condition is not bad," added the ex-Chelsea manager. "He has no injuries, he is excited and very motivated.
"He's arrived full of enthusiasm and he is very happy to be at the team he wanted to join. He is a humble player who likes to be with his team-mates. He fits in well with the squad."
On Thursday, Bale said he hoped to be fit enough to start at Villarreal as visitors Real look to stretch their 100% winning start in La Liga to a fourth match.
"Obviously [after signing] I went straight away on international duty, which probably wasn't the best, but I've been back in the last two days now," he added.
"The boys have been very nice to me and made me settle quickly and it's just an honour to be here.
"I feel good. I've been training with Wales. I've had two good sessions [at Madrid on Wednesday].
"I'm a bit behind everybody else physically but hopefully I can catch up as soon as possible."
Bale's price tag meant he overtook new team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's most expensive footballer. The Portuguese joined Real for £80m from Manchester United in 2009.
Of meeting Ronaldo, Bale said: "It was amazing. He's a nice guy, he made me feel welcome just like everybody else did.
"I'm just looking forward to getting on the pitch and doing well."
Real, who have won their first three league matches, visit Turkish side Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.
first appeared on bbc.co.uk

Samuel Eto'o says hate of Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho turned to love

13 September 2013Last updated at 15:01 GMT


Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o has revealed that his close relationship with manager Jose Mourinho began with the two men hating each other.
The 32-year-old says the Portuguese was a key factor in his move to Chelsea after the pair combined to win the 2010 Champions League at Inter Milan.
But he told BBC Sport that they did not always get on so well.

Eto'o's club honours

Samuel Eto'o
Real Mallorca (1999-2004): Copa del Rey(2003). Scored 69 goals in 165 appearances.
Barcelona (2004-2009): Champions League(2006, 2009); La Liga (2005, 2006, 2009); Copa del Rey (2009); Spanish Super Cup (2006, 2007). Scored 129 goals in 201 appearances.
Inter Milan (2009-2011): Champions League(2010); Serie A (2009); Coppa Italia (2010, 2011), Italian Super Cup (2010); Fifa World Club Cup (2010). Scored 53 goals in 101 appearances.
Anzhi Makhachkala (2011-2013): Scored 36 goals in 71 appearances.
"The relationship I have with Jose is something really interesting," he told Football Focus.
"At the start it was based on hate but that gradually grew into love."
Eto'o has signed a one-year deal with Chelsea, having moved from Russian Premier League team Anzhi Makhachkala on a free transfer.
The four-time African Footballer of the Year became the highest-paid player in the world when he moved to Anzhi in 2011, but has taken a £10m paycut in his annual salary, from £17m to £7m, to join the Stamford Bridge club.
Speaking at the launch of the first of nine graphic novels about his life, Eto'o said he was looking forward to working with Mourinho again, even if they had several run-ins during their time at Inter.
"I remember a game when we were fighting and we said some terrible things to each other," Eto'o said. "We both regretted it afterwards. But I like him because he talks through problems, he handles things like a man. Those are qualities I like. Every time I have the chance to work with him, I will seize the opportunity."
Eto'o went on to say that it was the Chelsea manager's straight-talking that set him apart.
Play media
Eto'o will be selected - Mourinho
"Jose is more than a coach to me. He is a man who talks the language of truth," he said.
"It is really important to have someone who tells the truth all the time. In our business sometimes we have people who don't."
The Cameroon striker claimed he had not expected to leave Russia this summer, despite the club's billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov selling off his biggest earners tosignificantly reduce the club's budget.
Eto'o said it was a phone call from Mourinho that changed his plans.
"I was feeling good in Russia, but then I got the phone call from Jose Mourinho asking me to come here," he said. "I thought it was another exciting chapter for me and I am really glad to be here. Chelsea is a fantastic club."
Eto'o started his career at Real Madrid but was loaned out to Leganes and Real Mallorca before making a permanent move to Mallorca in 1999. The striker, part of the Cameroon team that lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2002, won the Copa del Rey before joining Barcelona in 2004.
During his time at the Nou Camp, he won the Champions League twice - in 2006 and 2009 - scoring in both finals, as well as winning the Spanish league three times.
In 2009, Barcelona paid Inter £40m plus Eto'o for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the striker went on to win the Champions League again in his first season under Mourinho at San Siro.
first appeared on bbc.co.uk

Nigeria hammer Burkina Faso 4-1



Super Eagles
The Super Eagles recorded a resounding 4-1 victory over the Stallions  of Burkina Faso in a friendly match  at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Tuesday.
Brown Ideye got Nigeria on their way to the win in the 17th minute after  Obinna Nsofor’s  through ball  caused panic in the visitors defence.
The Eagles continued to pile pressure on the visitors as John Ogu tested the Stallions goalkeeper in the 13th minute. Shola Ameobi, though playing as the lone man upfront, did  well holding the ball up to bring Nsofor and Ideye into the game.
In the 20th minute, an Elderson Echiejile cross was nearly converted by  Ameobi but he was beaten to the ball by the  Burkinabe  goalkeeper. It was the turn of  Nsofor as he dummied three defenders but was clattered from behind as he was about to pull the trigger. Burkina Faso also had a decent chance at goal but Austin Ejide was quick off the line to collect the cross.
Nigeria edged ahead when  Ogenyi Onazi dispossessed a Burkina Faso player in his half and fed Nsofor,  who released Ideye to chip past the keeper in the 45th minute for the second goal.
Burkina Faso nearly pulled one back in added time of the first-half, but finishing let them down.
Ameobi,  who was given a  through ball by  Nsofor, scored his first international goal for Nigeria in the 53rd minute.
Sunday Mba’s introduction in the second-half for  Ogu was the catalyst the Eagles needed to add more goals. His movement caused problems for the opponents.
Emmanuel Emenike  replaced  Nsofor, and the Turkey-based striker scored Nigeria’s fourth  in the 62nd  minute.
Stephen Keshi rang some changes that saw Uche Nwofor come on for Ameobi and Efe Ambrose replaced by Solomon Kwambe.
Burkina Faso attacked in sprouts, but they did catch the  Eagles napping as some comical defending allowed the visitors to get through and get their consolatory goal in the 78th minute.
The game fizzled out as a contest as Nigeria knocked the ball round while Burkina Faso resulted to delay tactics to see out the game.
Nigeria beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, on February 10.
first appeared on punchng.com

Serena equals Federer’s record, hails US Open win

Serena Williams celebrating US Open win ...on Sunday
World No.1 Serena Williams has matched Roger Federer’s all-time men’s grand slam titles record with victory over second-ranked Victoria Azarenka in the longest women’s US Open final in more than 30 years.
Williams equalled Federer’s 17 career majors with a 7-5 6-7 (6-8) 6-1 victory in a marathon final lasting two hours and 45 minutes on Sunday.
“Yeah, that’s pretty cool,” Williams said after drawing level with the great Swiss.
The 31-year-old American also became the oldest open-era women’s winner in New York – 293 days older than Margaret Smith Court when the Australian won in 1973.
Williams won $3.6m, including a $1m  bonus for her success in US open tune-up events.
Williams won a rematch of last year’s US Open final that gave her and Azarenka a combined total of six of the eight major titles from the past two years.
Williams improved to 13-3 in their rivalry but two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka had won two of the previous three, most recently in last month’s Cincinnati final.
“It was never over until match point,” said Williams, who was broken twice in the second set when serving for the match.
“Victoria is such a great competitor. She was really able to push me into a third set. I was really stern with myself. I knew that if I wanted to win, I had to play better.”
Williams matched Steffi Graf for second on the open era list with five US Open trophies, one shy of Chris Evert’s record, and moved one adrift of Martina Navratilova and Evert for second on the open era slam win list.
Graf has the open-era record of 22 while Smith Court owns the all-time mark of 24.
The two-and-three-quarter-hour match was the longest women’s final since timing began in 1980, five minutes longer than the old mark set in 1981 when Tracy Austin outlasted Navratilova 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1).
“I haven’t taken any of it in yet. I feel like it’s deuce right now,” Williams said 45 minutes after the match. “I feel like a zombie. I feel like there’s another match.”
Williams became the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to win the US and French Opens in the same year.
With the victory, Williams has won more than $9m  in 2013, a one-year women’s record, and boosted her career winnings above $50m  as well as capturing her ninth title of the year, a one-season personal best.
She also has 55 career titles in total.
Williams, who lost only 16 games over her first six matches, battled windy conditions and a determined foe in a rematch of last year’s final to add to the New York hardcourt trophy haul that included wins in 1999, 2002, 2008 and 2012.
first appeared on punchng.com

Eagles ready for play-offs –Emenike

Emmanuel Emenike
South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner Emmanuel Emenike insists the Super Eagles are not afraid of facing a big team in the final round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
The Fenerbahce striker said Nigerians “should not expect any weak team”  in the play-offs as African champions.
Nigeria on Saturday beat Malawi 2-0 in Calabar in their last group game of Brazil 2014 qualifiers to seal their place in the play-offs alongside  Ivory Coast, Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Senegal  and Ethiopia.
Five countries will ultimately qualify from those two-legged ties to represent Africa at Brazil 2014. Ivory Coast, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria and Cape Verde are expected be in the same pot.
Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Algeria and Egypt are  likely to pose a   threat to Nigeria’s qualification for the World Cup if the Eagles are drawn against one of them on September 16 in Cairo, but  Emenike has backed the Eagles to sail through.
“No, we should not expect any weak team because our status is already known and that is why we must be ready mentally and physically to make Nigerians happy,” MTNFootball.com quoted the former  Russia-based forward as saying on Monday.
“At this stage, every team is tough and want the ticket, but I see no team stopping us. this is not a mere boast but we are capable and ready.”
The 25-year-old, who suffered an injury at the Africa Cup of Nations,   scored the first goal against Malawi and he said he was happy to mark his return to the team  getting on the scoresheet.
The former Spartak Moscow star missed out on the World Cup qualifying games against Kenya and Namibia, as well as the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil due to the injury.
He said,  “It was not easy because I wanted to be in action for my country every time, but when injury comes, you can’t help it. That was my situation, but I was always with the team even when I was not around them physically.
“It is a thing of joy to me to be back with my beloved country, coming back with a goal has definitely lifted my confidence, it is the Lord’s doing.”
first appeared on punchng.com

World Cup play-offs: FIFA rankings to determine seeding

Stephen Keshi
The Confederation of African Football is waiting for the September 12 FIFA rankings before making the draw for the World Cup qualifying play-offs, according to Cafonline.com on Monday.
The draw will hold on September 16 in Cairo, Egypt.
The group leaders in the 10 groups of the qualifiers will be paired for two-legged matches each and the eventual winners will progress to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The friendly match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso on Tuesday in Kaduna will also determine how both teams will be ranked by FIFA. Nigeria top Group F, while Burkina Faso are leaders in Group E.
Nigeria are within the top five in Africa and if they maintain their ranking after Tuesday’s match, they will be one of five teams to be seeded at Monday’s draw in Cairo.
This means they will avoid the likes of Ivory Coast, Algeria and Ghana
CAF said on Sunday that a FIFA team, including of FIFA Director of Competitions, Mustapha Fahmy, and Head of FIFA World Cup/Olympic Qualifiers Competitions, Gordon Savic, would be in Egypt for the draw.
The five highest ranked teams will placed in one pot and the other five teams will be placed in another pot. There will also be a draw for each match to determine which team play host first.
The first matches will be played between October 11 and 15, while the return leg fixtures will hold between November 15 and 19.
first appeared on punchng.com

Cameroon claims final World Cup place

Cameroon claimed the 10th and final place in Africa’s final qualifying round for the 2014 World Cup The Indomitable Lions beat Libya 1-0 in a winner-takes-all showdown in Yaounde on Sunday.
They went into the match knowing a draw would be good enough thanks to Togo’s use of a suspended player – Alexis Romao – when the two teams met in June.
Aurelien Chedjou headed home the only goal of the match in the first half.
Chedjou scored three minutes before the break and the victory saw Cameroon clinch top place in Group I with 13 points from their six matches.
Libya finished four points behind after arriving in Yaounde needing to win the match to secure a place in the final round of qualifiers.
The Indomitable Lions remain on course to extend their World Cup finals appearances to seven at Brazil 2014.
Other group winners to qualify for the two-legged play-offs are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal.
The draw will take place in Cairo on 16 September.
It will be based on the latest Fifa rankings to be released on Thursday and will create five two-leg ties, with the winners going to the finals in Brazil.
The decisive games will be played in October and November.
first appeared on vanguardngr.com

Tokyo Beats Istanbul, Madrid To Win 2020 Olympic Hosting Rights

 Tokyo won the right to host the 2020 Olympics, overcoming apathy by the Japanese public and a recent nuclear accident to get the Summer Games for the second time.
The Japanese capital was the bookmakers’ favorite leading into this weekend’s meeting of International Olympic Committee members in Buenos Aires, and defeated Madrid and Istanbul today in a vote by the IOC. Madrid was eliminated in a first round of voting after tying for second place with Istanbul, setting up the final vote won by Tokyo.
The winning bid to stage sports’ biggest event came on the city’s second straight attempt. While a lack of public enthusiasm doomed its bid for the 2016 Olympics, a March survey found 70 percent of Tokyo residents were in support this time. The government also billed the Olympics as a way to help Japan recover from a 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.
Parliament passed two motions in favor of the bid and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe broke into song during a March presentation to the IOC’s evaluation panel in which he said hosting the event was a long-held dream.
first appeared on channelstv.com

Eagles conquer Malawi

Moses and Emenike made their first start together for the first time since their Afcon-winning feat in February alongside the pacy duo of Ahmed Musa and Nnamdi Oduamadi up front.
Goals from Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses against Malawi ensured that Nigeria book their place into the playoff of the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualification for Africa.
Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, left out Afcon hero, Sunday Mba after he failed to tie down a deal with French Ligue 2 outfit, CA Bastia last month.
Moses and Emenike made their first start together for the first time since their Afcon-winning feat in February alongside the pacy duo of Ahmed Musa and Nnamdi Oduamadi up front.
The African champions carved the Malawians open severally in the opening 45 minutes but their lack of cutting edge in the final third and superb saves from Charles Swini kept the score goalless.
Oduamadi, Musa and Emenike were all culprits in missing chance after chance.
But it was seconds into added time before the break that Emenike broke the deadlock.
The Fenerbahce man received a well-weighted pass from Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and he made no mistake chipping it over Swini for Nigeria's first.
The restart was a one-way traffic as Nigeria's Super Eagles seized control of the tie.
On 51 minutes, after an interchange of passes, Musa set up Oduamadi who danced his way into the box and earned Nigeria a soft spot kick after the referee adjudged he was upended.
Liverpool man, Moses, stepped up and tucked the ball past a hapless Swiini in goal for Malawi.
A minute later, Malawi were down to 10 men as Limbikani Mzava was show a second yellow card for harshly tackling Musa who was goal-bound.
The Super Eagles then took their foot off the pedal and played keepsake with the ball as time ticked away.
Though Keshi threw in Shola Ameobi and Uche Nwofor, it did not change the result as Nigeria booked passage into the playoff of the World Cup qualification alongside Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Algeria and Egypt.
first appeared on silverbirdtv.com