Internationals: Nigeria and Egypt notch crucial victories
A Nigerian side including John Mikel Obi and Kenneth Omeruo ground out a 3-1 home win against Sudan to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations alive, while a Mohamed Salah goal helped Egypt win at home.
The Super Eagles knew that realistically they had to win in Abuja to stand any chance of qualifying for next January’s tournament, the first since they lifted the trophy in 2013.
A draw and two losses in their first three games had Nigeria rooted to the foot of Group A but today’s win lifts them above Sudan into third, and with leaders South Africa drawing at home to Congo, Nigeria are in control of their destiny with two games to go.
Omeruo, who started at the heart of the defence, almost opened the scoring inside the first couple of minutes in the Nigerian capital but headed just wide. Mikel had a good chance of his own before the break after spinning and shooting for goal, but it was parried to safety in the pouring rain.
Sudan had opportunities too but it was the home side that opened the scoring not long after the break,Mikel picking out Ahmed Musa who finished with confidence, as he did twice against Argentina at the World Cup.
Sudan struck back within 10 minutes though and it required further goals from Aaron Samuel and then Musa - in injury time - to seal the points after a closely-fought encounter.
Victor Moses, as on Saturday, missed the game through injury.
Egypt’s fate is back in their hands thanks to consecutive 2-0 wins against Botswana following losses in their opening two matches.
Today’s home victory was in Cairo and Salah, denied an early run on goal by an incorrect offside flag, did get a shot away shortly before half-time after a counter-attack, but a very good save kept it out.
That was the closest Egypt came to a goal in the first half but they did break the deadlock on 53 minutes, lone striker Amr Gamal the scorer. More chances began to come and Salah hit the bar after he expertly controlled a long ball and lost his marker. His goal was scored on 72 minutes when he was sent away by another long pass and finished with a near-post shot.
Egypt close the gap on Senegal and Tunisia to one point ahead of the top two meeting later in the day.
Elsewhere in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Ghana also won 3-1 at home, against Guinea, though Christian Atsu remained on the bench. The Black Stars are in a strong position at the top of Group E with eight points from their four games.
Burkina Faso, for whom Bertrand Traore started, remain in second place in their group, one point behind Gabon, after those two sides drew 1-1. It was a home game for the Burkinabes.
At junior international level, England Under-19s completed a successful qualification tournament and a good week overall for the country’s representative sides by beating Belgium Under-19s.
Two Chelsea players began the 4-2 win in Luxembourg, Ola Aina in defence and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in midfield.
Fulham’s Patrick Roberts was on-target with an early free-kick, Belgium levelled from a corner soon after but Middlesbrough’s Bradley Fewster restored the lead before half-time.
Aina hit the bar shortly after Belgian’s second equaliser midway through the second half with Man City’s Brandon Barker and Fewster, with his second, seeing England home with goals inside the final 10 minutes.
Chelsea players Charlie Colkett and Alex Kiwomya both came on in the closing stages.
England Under-19s were already guaranteed a place in the elite round of qualifiers for the next European Championships thank to victories in their first two games in Luxembourg.
Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool players involved in shocking mass BRAWL
A drone carrying a political message sparked clashes involving players and fans on the Partizan Stadium pitch during their Euro 2016 qualifier.
A host of Premier League stars were turning out for Serbia.
Chelsea duo Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic both started as did Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov and Matija Nastasic.
Southampton's Dusan Tadic was also in action while Liverpool new boy Lazar Markovic was on the bench.
Trouble flared when an Albanian flag and message flew above the pitch and was caught by Serbia's Stefan Mitrovic.
Albania players tried to take it before several fans broke on to the pitch.
It forced English referee Martin Atkinson to lead the teams off the field, as disruption in the stands threatened to boil over, with objects being thrown at Albanian players.
Atkinson postponed the game with 41 minutes on the clock. The scoreline was goalless at the time.
UEFA are likely to take a dim view of the controversial incident and match delegate Hari Bin confirmed the governing body will investigate what happened in Belgrade.
He said: "You saw what happened and at this point I cannot speculate further as to who was responsible and accountable. UEFA will take further steps on the basis of the official report."
Albanian supporters had been banned from entering the stadium by UEFA on safety grounds and the match was set against a backdrop of tight security.
Tensions have never been far from the surface between the nations over Kosovo, the province with which both countries share a disputed border and is recognised as independent by the United States and major European Union countries.
Serbia refuse to recognise it as an independent nation - an issue that is disputed by the Albanians who dominate the population.
Serbia's foreign minister blamed the brother of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, with some media reporting that Olsi Rama had been arrested in the VIP stands of the Belgrade stadium with the remote control in his hands.
However, Olsi denied that and a group of Albanian fans today claimed they were behind the stunt that has further soured relations between the countries.
Olsi, who also has U.S. nationality, returned to Albania on the team's plane and said he had been "taken aside" by Serbian police during the melee but not arrested.
He said: "I've never used a drone in my life, only bought my son a toy helicopter."
Eden Hazard Names 5 Players Better Than Him, Including Non-Human Messi, Ronaldo
Just how good are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
Eden Hazard doesn't even consider them human.
Hazard, the Chelsea superstar who has helped the Blues to an undefeated start to the Premier League, admitted that he's not one of the top five players in the world.
While he's enjoying a superb start to the season—and life in the Premier League, really—he still feels he needs to improve at making sure he imposes himself on big matches.
He did name those who are superior to him at the moment, including the two aforementioned non-humans.
"I'm not a top-five player yet. Maybe I'm close to it, but I still have to work on some aspects. You can only be part of that group if you are decisive in the top games. I start doing that, like I did againstManchester City and Arsenal.Who are better than me? The two extra-terrestrials, Ronaldo andMessi, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, Ribery and Robben. They make the difference almost every game."
Premier League: Jose Mourinho claims he turned down Paris Saint-Germain job twice
Jose Mourinho: Claims to have rejected PSG twice
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed he rejected two approaches from Paris Saint-Germain to become the French club's coach.
The Portuguese claims he considered the offers, but decided to stay at Real Madrid at the time of the first offer, while he decided to return to Chelsea when the second offer came about.Mourinho, who returned for a second spell as Chelsea manager in the summer of 2013, claims he was offered the chance twice to take charge of the French club before and after former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti's arrival and subsequent departure.
"I knew about the project (at PSG) even before it began. I was Leonardo’s first choice (ahead of Ancelotti)," Mourinho told French football programme Telefoot.
"And when Carlo left (in 2013), they made me another offer. I have rejected them twice.
"I knew about the project (at PSG) even before it began. I was Leonardo’s first choice (ahead of Ancelotti).And when Carlo left (in 2013), they made me another offer. I have rejected them twice."
Jose Mourinho
"I thought a lot about it. But the first time, there was Real Madrid and the second time there was Chelsea."
"I want to stay at Chelsea for as many years as possible. I have no other project than managing at Chelsea where I want to be."
Mourinho also played down talk linking him with a move to be reunited with Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane at Chelsea.
Varane has been constantly linked with a move to Chelsea with Mourinho a huge fan of the Frenchman having signed him during his time in charge of Real Madrid.
However, Mourinho insists he is not planning any moves for the 21-year-old as he expects him to stay in Madrid.
"I am talking about Rafa because I know he is a Real Madrid player, he will stay and even signed a new contract," added Mourinho.
"There is no gap for any speculation."
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