Colombia Deny Mexico First Win

A late goal from Daniela Montoya allowed Colombia to escape with a 1-1 draw against Mexico in their Group F opener at the Women's World Cup in Moncton on Tuesday.

Taking a back pass from Tatiana Ariza, Montoya drilled home a shot from just outside the penalty area that rang off the crossbar in the 82nd minute to deny Mexico a first World Cup win.

Mexico was the better team dominating possession, grabbing the early lead on a brilliant 36th minute strike from midfielder Veronica Perez.

El Tri thought it had pulled out a miracle finish in injury time when striker Charlyn Corral's shot rolled across the goal line only to have it waved off when teammate Stephany Mayor was called for a foul on Colombia's Angela Clavijo.

Ranked 26th in the world, Mexico will play England in its next game, while number 28 Colombia will face France.

Messi Targets Title Jinx As Copa Kicks Off

Argentina are favourites to end a 22-year trophy drought when the Copa America kicks off on Thursday as a resurgent Brazil chase redemption following their ill-fated campaign at last year's World Cup.

One of the most eagerly anticipated Copas in years gets under way in Santiago, with hosts Chile launching the three-week extravaganza of South American football against Ecuador in Group A at 8.30pm (2330 GMT).

The 12-team tournament is a convention of football's deadliest attacking talents, with a galaxy of Europe-based stars including Lionel Messi, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez and Edinson Cavani set to shine.

The competition also comes as a welcome relief to South America's governing body CONMEBOL, which has been battered by corruption allegations in the ongoing scandal which has rocked world football.

Argentina captain Messi and Brazilian counterpart Neymar head to Chile less than a week after inspiring Barcelona to their Champions League triumph in Berlin on Saturday, the final act of a glittering treble-winning season.

Both No 10s are carrying the weight of expectation on their shoulders, with Messi determined to finally taste glory at a major international tournament with Argentina and Neymar aiming to erase the memory of last year's World Cup.

POINT TO PROVE?

While Messi has been the key figure in Barcelona's emergence as the dominant force in club football over the past decade, he has yet to taste victory in an Argentina shirt, a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics aside.

"Our aim is to win this year," said Messi, who fell agonisingly short of ending Argentina's jinx in an extra-time defeat to Germany in last year's World Cup final. "It's great to play with the national team, to wear the shirt and to be captain," Messi added. "But getting a title would be the ultimate for me."

Messi may feel he has a point to prove, four years after being jeered by his home fans during Argentina's quarterfinal exit to eventual winners Uruguay.

Argentina open their campaign against Paraguay on Saturday, and should comfortably progress from a Group B which also includes Uruguay and Jamaica, one of two teams from the CONCACAF region invited to bolster the tournament.

The biggest threat to Argentina's hopes of topping the group is likely to come from defending champions Uruguay, who are bullish about their chances despite the absence of suspended talisman Luis Suarez. The holders will instead look to Paris Saint-Germain striker Cavani to provide the cutting edge in attack.

Cavani heads into the tournament after notching 31 goals in all competitions for the French giants this season, a haul which has reportedly made him a transfer target for Manchester United this summer.

BRAZIL ON TRACK

Brazil and Neymar meanwhile begin their campaign against Peru in Group C on Sunday.

Brazil's biggest challenge of the first round comes three days later when they face Colombia on June 17, a rematch of the two sides' bruising World Cup quarterfinal last year.

That stormy encounter was notable for a series of rugged Brazilian challenges on Colombia star James, although Brazil's 2-1 win came at a price, with Neymar suffering a broken vertebra that ended his World Cup.

Brazil's World Cup dream was ultimately demolished by Germany in the next round, when the hosts were humiliated 7-1 in the semifinals, before losing 3-0 to the Netherlands in an abject third place play-off display.

Fast forward a year however and Brazil, under the guidance of former coach and 1994 World Cup-winning captain Dunga, are back on track.

Dunga's men have reeled off nine straight victories since the World Cup and will feel confident of reaching the Copa final in Santiago on July 4.

Dunga, who coached Brazil to their last Copa America win in 2007, believes the form of striker Neymar has been key to the revival.

One of Dunga's first acts last year was to hand the captain's armband to the Barcelona forward, and the 23-year-old has thrived on the added responsibility.

"It is not a surprise, but the statistics are there to show that when Neymar puts on the captain's armband, he takes a step forward," Dunga said in March.

"He is a player who likes challenges. The more responsibility he has, the more he will develop."

Fifa To Elect Blatter Successor On Dec 16

Scandal-hit Fifa is likely to elect a new president at a Dec. 16 emergency meeting in Zurich, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

"The BBC has learned that is the likely date for an emergency meeting in Zurich to decide his successor," the report said without citing sources.

"Representatives from all 209 member associations will be invited to the Swiss city to vote in a new presidential election," it added.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter tendered his resignation last Tuesday, less than a week after Swiss police staged a dawn raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich and arrested several officials on corruption charges filed by U.S. prosecutors in New York.

However, Blatter is intent on staying in office until his successor is appointed.

"A final decision on the date for a presidential election is not expected to be made until July, but it is believed holding an emergency congress in mid-December is Blatter's preferred option," the BBC added.

Fifa confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that its executive committee would meet in July to pick a date for the full presidential vote, with various options set to be discussed.

Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who lost out to Blatter in election, is tipped as a possible candidate while Chung Mong-joon, the billionaire scion of South Korea's Hyundai conglomerate, is also weighing up his bid to replace Blatter.

Enrique Extends Barcelona Contract

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, who led the Catalan giants to the treble in his first campaign in charge, has agreed to extend his contract with the Spanish side until June 2017.

"We have sealed the renewal of Luis Enrique's contract until 2017, so we will have Luis Enrique for two more years," Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference.

Enrique capped his first season as Barcelona's head coach by matching Pep Guardiola's feat from the 2008/09 season when the Catalans captured the European, Spanish league and Cup titles.

"We are very happy, it could not be any other way. After a year in which we faced many difficulties but also had great results , we are more than excited and hope to win new titles," he said in a statement.

Despite being under contract with Barcelona until June 2016, Enrique had consistently refused to tie his future to the club.

"The truth is I don't know if I will continue (next season). The season isn't over yet, we have a long night ahead of us," he said on Saturday before Barcelona's 3-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in Berlin.

After the final Enrique said Barcelona's hunger for silverware is insatiable and they want to make more history by becoming the first team to win back-to-back Champions League titles.

Cedric Paquette's Late Goal Buries Blackhawks, Gives Lightning 2-1 Series Lead

The Tampa Bay Lightning have held an answer to all the tests the Chicago Blackhawks have thrown their way in the Stanley Cup Final.

Most goals have been met with a response. Chicago’s championship mettle has been countered by Tampa’s own steely-like persona.

The Lightning quickly overcame a Chicago third period lead and poured it on to pick up a 3-2 Game 3 win at United Center.

The victory put Tampa up 2-1 in their best-of-7 series with the Blackhawks. Game 4 is Wednesday evening at United Center.

Tampa forward Cedric Paquette fired the game-winner with 3:11 left in the third period, deflecting a pass by defenseman Victor Hedman.

Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop started after some coy mind games by Tampa as to who would play in the contest. He exited Game 2 in the third period, re-entered and left again. No explanation was given why.

"We're not going to put anybody in a game that is going to be in harm's way of hurting himself," Tampa coach Jon Cooper said. "We talked long and hard if he could play tonight. There wasn't a doubt in his eyes. You can read when guys are sitting there saying, 'Coach, I'll go for you'. Or you can say, give me the net. That kid said, give me the net. I knew we were going to be okay."

The third period saw two quick goals by both teams. At the 4:14 mark of the frame, Brandon Saad put the game at 2-1 in favor of Chicago. Then 13 seconds later the Lightning responded when Ondrej Palat knotted it at 2-2.

"It's a great play, a great goal," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "All of a sudden you get momentum. Two games we had the lead, but short-lived both times. Two tough losses in a row

Oh, The Triplets -- You can’t keep them down for too long.

The second period was tilted toward Tampa with the shots on goal at 17-7 in favor of the Lightning.

In that frame, Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford stopped a Nikita Kucherov breakaway and a protracted Tampa 5-on-3 that lasted 1:26.

Chicago outshot Tampa 19-7 in the first period.

At the 14:22 mark of the first period Brad Richards fired a shot that Bishop just flubbed with his glove. It was one of those 'sure he'd love to have that one back' type plays. Still, it was the only mis-step for Bishop, who stopped 36 of 38 Chicago shots on goal.

"I felt good. The first period, probably a few too many rebounds there. As the game went on, the guys did a great job of clearing those out," Bishop said. "As the game went on, I felt better, more comfortable. Some big blocked shots there at the end. Just a good team win all around. Obviously probably wasn't our best first, but I thought we got better as the game went on."

Lightning forward Ryan Callahan opened the scoring 5:09 into the game after pumping a blast past Crawford:

Callahan was led perfectly by a Hedman pass and fired the puck over Crawford’s glove.

Hedman was absolutely electric in the contest, notching two assists in over 26 minutes of action. His last two games he has four points and is a plus-2 for Tampa.

"Victor Hedman, what he's doing, I mean, this is clearly his coming-out party," Cooper said. "He sets that one up and then makes a big-time play on the winner."

Hope Solo's Heroics Show Why U.S. Soccer Decided To Stick With her

A day before the United States women's national team was to kick off its World Cup on Monday, hoping to end a drought at that tournament dating back to the last millennium, the talk was back to star goalkeeper and controversy-monopolist Hope Solo. And as is usual, in her case, it wasn't exactly a positive discourse.

An ESPN report dug deeper into Solo's June 2014 arrest on domestic violence charges. The case had been dropped – because of the witnesses' failure to show up to give depositions – and Solo had since then portrayed herself as the victim of the incident. However, according to ESPN, which reconstructed that night and fateful fight through conversations with the accusers, 911 calls and police reports, Solo very much appeared to be the aggressor.

As Solo was set to backstop the Americans in yet another campaign to conquer the women's soccer world, we were talking about an ugly incident that was rearing its head yet again. We were talking about domestic violence and the place of its alleged perpetrators in our sports. And then, like so very often, Solo walked onto the Winnipeg Stadium pitch and demonstrated why she gets away with things few others could.

Because she is a magnet for shots from opposing forwards as much as she is for drama.

Without Solo, it's doubtful that the USA would have walked away from its Group of Death opener against Australia with a 3-1 win. The Matildas, so nicknamed, a team that had never once beaten the Americans in 24 attempts, made an aggressive start, clearly unsettling their favored opponents. But just five minutes in, Solo parried an Emily van Egmond shot off her own crossbar. Then, after Megan Rapinoe's deflected effort through traffic had sailed past Melissa Barbieri to put the Americans ahead, Solo denied Sam Kerr on a volley from close range.

Enyeama To Retire From Super Eagles After AFCON 2017

Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has said he would retire from super eagles after AFCON 2017. According to the goalkeeper, he had wanted to retire after the team failed to qualify for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but the then Governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, his wife and Pastor all discouraged him from retiring. Below is what Enyema said about his planned 2017 retirement. Continue…


 “I actually wanted to stop, it wasn’t a rumour. Nigeria is blessed with great goalkeepers, just that we need to give them confidence.

“Nobody gave me a chance when I started, I was a rookie also; I belt it up, I worked hard for it and became the big person that nobody wants to lose.

“What changed my mind was the passion of Nigerians; I had a lot of calls, my governor, Akpabio.

“A lot of people talked with me. These things, you don’t just ignore and my wife also talked with me.

“My wife didn’t want me to leave yet. I talked to my pastor and he said if everybody said stay, why not; so I decided to continue, but then, there is going to be a time to call it quit.”

“I can’t keep doing the same thing forever; there is going to be a time I have to stop and give it up to some other person.


“I am the only face here since 2002, but 2017 Nations Cup finals will be my last game; I just said my target, anything can happen after.”

I’m Also Studing Law - Super Eagles Player, Ukoh

Super Eagles player, Steven Ukoh has said aside playing football for the National team and playing in Switzerland he is also studying law at one of the universities in the country. According to him, footballers get a lot of free time so he has decided to use his to study law at a university which he has already started. Ukoh who is presently in Abuja, Nigeria said;


“Actually beside football which is my number one priority I’m studying Law at the university. I saw that as a footballer you have a lot of leisure time and I just wanted to use it wisely. So, I took up study. But I’m not quite sure if I will be a lawyer after my (football) career who knows,” he said.

Cleveland Stuns On The Road Behind LeBron James, Ties The NBA Finals At 1-1

The Cleveland Cavaliers stunned just about anyone who had been paying a whiff of attention to these NBA Finals, downing the 67-win Golden State Warriors in overtime to take a 1-1 series tie back to Cleveland. These NBA Finals were expected to be a one-sided affair with Cleveland working without the injured Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, and yet the Cavs rallied behind LeBron James and the indefatigable Matthew Dellavedova in order to pull out the 95-93 win.

The Warriors had to overcome an 11-point deficit with 3:13 left in the contest in order to force that overtime, with a series of calls going their way on both ends. James wowed all onlookers with a 39-point, 16-rebound and 11-assist night, but he also missed 23 of 34 shots from the field and clanged a potential game-winner in regulation. Warriors guard and NBA MVP Stephen Curry missed 18 of 23 shots while turning the ball over six times, airballing a possible go-ahead jumper in the waning seconds of overtime.

Meanwhile, Irving’s replacement – the tireless Dellavedova – clinched the game with two clutch free throws in the final seconds after securing an offensive rebound off a James Jones miss.

Jones was the seventh in a seven-man rotation as Cleveland threw all that it competently had against Golden State in the win. The team made fewer than a third of its shots overall and shot exactly 33 1/3 percent from three-point land, but it also crashed toward the free-throw line and took care of the ball – the Cavs turned the ball over just 13 times in 53 minutes.

James, Dellavedova, and forward Tristan Thompson were absolute workhorses. Thompson scored just two points (after the 64 percent free-throw shooter was hacked twice intentionally, making 2 of 4 from the line), but he also expertly switched on several Warriors after screen-and-roll plays while pulling 14 rebounds – with seven coming on offense. Dellavedova, only starting because of Kyrie Irving’s kneecap fracture, missed seven of ten shots and turned the ball over six times, but he also played fantastic defense on Curry while helping to clear James for endless isolation sets on the other end.

In return, the sweet-shooting Warriors just couldn’t buy one.

Credit should go to Cleveland’s active defense, but the Warriors did clang on an unending series of jump shots and made a series of poor offensive decisions from stem to bloody stern. Klay Thompson impressed by hitting four of his first five shots while working toward 34 points in 45 minutes, but the W’s turned the ball over more times than they assisted (17 to 16) and missed 27 of 35 three-pointers.

GSW coach Steve Kerr limited his bench options as well, working only seven players double-figure minutes in a 53-minute contest, waiting out Curry’s bad luck streak in dancing school from long range – the MVP missed 13 of 15 from behind the arc.

“Nobody is immune from a tough night,” Kerr offered following the loss, and he wouldn’t be wrong in that regard. What he would be wrong with, and he’s certain to agree, would be putting Curry in a position to succeed. The league’s MVP was forced by the Cavalier into working as an afterthought offensively, showcasing little of the derring-do that marked his team’s 80-18 start to the season.

As it ran, his helpers acted as standbys rather than colleagues. Draymond Green played a good floor game defensively with four blocks, but it took until overtime for him to hit a field goal. Harrison Barnes worked a hesitant run, needing 10 shots to score 11 points, missing a makeable 17-footer late in overtime that could have sealed the deal for his team. Andre Iguodala, charged with chasing LeBron James up and down the court, could not replicate his Game 1 heroics offensively.

This was Cleveland’s win, though, and not Golden State’s loss. The Warriors had their chances, to be sure, but only because a determined Cavalier squad dared them into taking them.

The Cavs always seemed in control; and not for the usual, get-the-ball-to-LeBron-and-get-out-da-way, reasons. There was more movement and more action in Game 2 than in Game 1’s overtime loss, with James diving into his sets earlier in the shot clock and with screen-and-roll action clouding Golden State’s defensive approach. Somehow, 11 of Cleveland’s total of 14 assists came from James, as he lowered his shoulder and drove the Cavaliers toward the win – sitting for just 160 seconds of time in his team’s 98th game of the season.

“You'd be hard pressed," Cavs coach David Blatt said following the contest,“to find a guy anywhere, anytime ‑‑ I can think of a name or two, but that's the whole history of basketball ‑‑ that can give you the kind of all‑around performance and all‑around leadership that LeBron does for his group.”

Kerr concluded that “both teams defended like crazy out there,” and, again, he isn’t wrong in that summation. What seems to trick his Warriors, though, is the idea of playing from ahead.

James, for all his aspirations to surround himself with fellow stars and trusted role players, relishes the idea of playing from behind, and his Cavaliers clearly thrive on the challenge. Whether it’s taking on a full-strength Bulls squad while down a starter and a half, working against a top-seeded Atlanta Hawks club, or spitting into the wind while flying out to face the NBA’s best and healthiest team in its own arena, James and limited Co. continually rise to the challenge despite those abysmal shooting marks.

The Warriors get to play the same routine on the road soon, though, acting as the accidental martyr. LeBron’s Cavs have the home-court advantage in a best-of five series, now, with the pressure off of Golden State and the uniforms turning from blues and whites to yellow and yellow. Somehow, out of nowhere, the most important game of the NBA’s 223-day (and counting) season was tipped off on Matthew Dellavedova gathering an offensive rebound and James Jones working as a stretch four off of the bench. Things have gotten out of hand, and Golden State’s task is to restore order.

LeBron James, the guy who just played the game of his life while still missing 23 shots, doesn’t want order to return. Orthodoxy is his enemy, and that’s what makes him so compelling.

He plays best on the edge, with nary a call to go his way, with Timofey Mozgov as his second-leading scorer. It’s clear that he’s ready to do whatever it takes to extend his franchise’s season, and it’s hard to counter that sort of determination with a few fluttery three-pointers. Golden State might win out to end these Finals, but it won’t be easy.

Juve Still Have Bright Future - Morata

Juventus's disappointment after losing 3-1 to Barcelona in the Champions League final was plain to see but once the dust settles on one of the great European showpiece matches there will be lots of positives to reflect on.

The scorer of their only goal, Alvaro Morata, believes the Italian club can build on their double domestic success of this season and challenge for the Champions League title again soon.

"This is a great squad, a great family and we must continue working hard. This team has no limits, it can win the Champions League, and the directors are working to build an even stronger side," said former Real Madrid striker Morata.

"I want to thank the fans who came out here, as we are honoured to wear the jersey for them," he added.

Although veterans like goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and playmaker Andrea Pirlo may not get too many more chances to win the greatest club prize in European soccer, this has still been a remarkably successful season for Juve.

Winners of a fourth successive Serie A title and the Coppa Italia and victors over outgoing Champions League holders Real Madrid in the semifinals last month, Juve are again reaching, or at least coming close, to their former heights.

"The spirit is back after everything that happened to Juve in the past. The club can hold its head high again and this defeat will not stop us moving forward," defender Andrea Barzagli told reporters.

"Yes it is a bitter pill to swallow, but we played very well against probably the best team in the world. This was no disgrace."

CALCIOPOLI SCANDAL

Almost a decade ago, the grand "Old Lady" of Italian football was demoted to Serie B in the wake of the Calciopoli betting scandal but they have rejuvenated themselves since.

Players like Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra and Morata, who played a bit-part in Real Madrid's Champions League success last season, have restored the club's sense of pride.

Buffon is the last playing link with the past before the nightmare of the Calciopoli affair struck in 2006 and he in a way symbolised their battling spirit on Saturday.

The 37-year-old, back in the Olympic Stadium where Italy won the World Cup in 2006, made two important saves in the first 15 minutes and pulled off two blinding stops in the second half.

Buffon is one of the great keepers of this or any other era and was the first to console a tearful Pirlo at the end.

Although he was beaten by Ivan Rakitic's early opener, Buffon was the foundation for an excellent performance.

He wanted nothing more than to eradicate the memory of his previous Champions League final experience – a loss to AC Milan in 2003 – with a victory but he was philosophical afterwards.

Buffon has six Serie A titles in his locker and told Sky Italia: "This is one of the disappointments sport gives you, but before that we shared many great moments of joy with our fans.

"It was a shame not to have the final to really finish off this journey, but at one point I really did believe."

Although this was their fourth straight Champions League final defeat since the second of their two titles in 1996, the fact they got there speaks volumes for their durability.

Barcelona were the deserved winners but beaten Juve's immediate prospects look far from being down and out.