Names you would not have guessed would be trailing with three goals at this stage of the tournament are Enner Valencia of Ecuador, James Rodriguez of Colombia and Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland, who netted a hat-trick against Honduras on Wednesday night.
The other hat-trick at Brazil 2014 so far was scored by Germany’s Thomas Muller, against Portugal. Another German, Miroslav Klose, also scored his 15th goal in World Cup finals, equalling the all-time record set by Brazil’s Ronaldo in 2006.
Cristiano Ronaldo, however, is nowhere to be found, although Portugal play their final group game against Ghana tonight – perhaps he’ll come to the party. There have been a massive 127 goals scored in 44 matches so far, an average of 2.9 per game (2010 average was 2.3). (kickoffnigeria)
Keshi dismisses rumours of row with Moses
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has dispelled reports of a feud between him and Victor Moses in the wake of the forward’s minimal game-time at the World Cup.
The Super Eagles coach dismissed rumours in some sections of the media that blame a fractured relationship between the pair as the reason for the winger’s exclusion from Nigeria’s last two games.
“It’s purely medical,” Keshi said. “My last child is older than Moses, so why will I quarrel with my son?” he queried.
“People must find out facts and not speculate, especially when we have a capable media person in our midst.”
Keshi further revealed that Moses has a muscle strain that was discovered by the team’s medics after the first game against Iran and he was advised to rest it so that he can come out better in subsequent games.
“We can understand that all players want to play at the big stage but it’s up to us and the medical team to manage their career and balance it with due diligence regarding their health, and that is why we have not played him. We hope he should be back in training later on Thursday.”
The winger is expected to be available for Nigeria’s second-round encounter against France in Brasilia. (kickoffnigeria)
Babatunde undergoes successful wrist surgery
Michael Babatunde has returned to the Super Eagles camp in Campinas after undergoing successful surgery on his fractured wrist.
The burgeoning midfielder sustained the injury after he was hit by a goal-bound shot from Ogenyi Onazi, who lamented the incident after the game.
“I swear that was a sure goal if not for Tunde’s hand, I wish him a quick recovery,” Onazi said.
Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi decried the fact that the Ukraine-based player, who has been a revelation at the World Cup, has now been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.
“Unfortunately, he is ruled out of the tournament because it will take at least three weeks for that surgery to heal,” Keshi said.
He added that Nigerians should not fret over the development as there are capable replacements for the player.
“It’s not looking good that he will feature again in the tournament, we are sad about that, but we have people who can fill in for him very well and I think we have to go win for him now,” Keshi added.
The player has since joined his teammates in Campinas ahead of the trip to Brasilia for the Last 16 game against France. (kickoffnigeria)
Hamann says Fifa is right to ban Suarez
It is right that Luis Suarez has been banned from football for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, according to the former Germany international Dietmar Hamann.
Hamann, our Sony Ambassador following Germany in the World Cup, is also angry at Suarez for tarnishing the name of Liverpool, Hamann’s former club. “Not for the first time, Suarez is in the bad books,” Hamann told users in an exclusive web chat, shortly before the decision was announced by world governing body FIFA.
“I don’t think he should play any further part in the World Cup. He is looking at a lengthy ban. The people who suffer most are those closest to him. Liverpool have a global fanbase. It’s not their fault but Liverpool are getting connected with this. It’s bad for the club and their sponsors.
“I feel sorry for the club, they’ve supported him. It is out of order and I hope he gets a long ban. I had never seen or heard of anyone else biting or being bitten in my whole career. How many more chances should he be given? Will the fans run out of patience with him?”
Suarez has been banned four months – and for nine international matches – ruling him out of the rest of the World Cup. He learned his fate after an independent disciplinary panel looked into Tuesday’s incident. (fan.football)
Ghana sends Boateng and Muntari home for indiscipline
Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng have been expelled from Ghana’s World Cup squad for alleged indiscipline.
It added Boateng had used “vulgar verbal insults targeted at Coach Kwesi Appiah” and said Muntari was guilty of an “unprovoked physical attack on an executive committee member”.
The news comes just hours before Ghana take on Portugal on Thursday.
The Black Stars still have an outside chance of qualifying for the knockout phase of the tournament.
The Ghana FA statement said the incident involving AC Milan’s Muntari took place on Tuesday and named Moses Armah, a member of the team management, as the man said to have been assaulted by the 29-year-old.
And Schalke 04 player Boateng, 27, was said by the Ghana FA to have shown “no remorse for his actions”, which took place during the team’s training session in Maceio on Tuesday.
Ghana’s World Cup campaign has already been blighted by a dispute over players’ appearance fees.
To
reach the last 16, Ghana need to beat Portugal and hope there is a winner of the match between Germany and United States – although the Black Stars would also need to overtake their rivals’ superior goal difference. (BBC Sport)