Football may be the beautiful game , but Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is delighted to mastermind ugly victories at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
After being outclassed 3-1 by 10-man Ivory Coast in their opening match, the Black Stars have ground out 1-0 victories over Burkina Faso, hosts Angola and Nigeria to book a final date with Egypt here Sunday.
In each of the three victories, four-time African champions Ghana took a first-half lead and then erected a defensive blockade no opponent could dismantle.
And the west Africans are now one victory away from a first title since 1982 despite fielding a team that bears scant resemblance to that Rajevac could choose were all his forces available.
Injury ruled central defenders John Pantsil and John Mensah and …
Juventus are set to complete the signing of Venezuela captain Tomas Rincon from Genoa after the midfielder arrived to complete a medical.
The Serie A champions tweeted a picture of the midfielder arriving at their medical centre on Thursday to finalise his move.
Tomas Rincon has arrived in Turin! Medical now underway for the Venezuelan, the post read.
The 28-year-old is expected to join Juve on an initial loan deal with an obligation to make the move permanent at the end of the season for a fee of up to €8million.
Rincon joined Genoa from Hamburg in 2014 and has made 78 appearances in the Italian top flight, scoring three goals.
Juve are also believed to be interested in bringing Axel Witsel to Turin from Zenit during the January transfer wi…
Luis Suarez scored his 100th Barcelona goal when he put the holders ahead on the night in Wednesday s Copa del Rey showdown with Athletic Bilbao.
Lionel Messi released Neymar to send in a floated cross from the left and Suarez was on hand to crash home a superb volley.
It brought the Uruguay striker to three figures for the LaLiga champions in all competitions, a land mark he has stormed to in 120 appearances, and it was somewhat fitting that he combined with his forward colleagues to do so
Barcelona s celebrated MSN front three now have 300 goals since they started playing together in 2014. Messi leads the way with 124, while Neymar has contributed 76.
El Messi (124) Neymar (76) and Suárez (100) now have 300 goals between them since they began to play t…
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has backed star forward pair Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann after their slow starts to the new LaLiga season.
The Spanish champions drew 0-0 with Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga on Saturday, days after another scoreless draw against FC Porto in the Champions League.
Suarez has netted only once in six appearances this term for Atleti, while Griezmann is yet to score in three games since his deadline day move from Barcelona.
I have full confidence in all my players. I am aware that Luis was the last one to join the team alongside [Angel] Correa, [Kieran] Trippier and [Ramon] Lodi, Simeone said.
They are the last ones who joined us in the pre-season. Then, in the international break, when he was getting fully fit, he h…
Milan moved level on points with Inter at the top of Serie A after Theo Hernandez came off the bench to inspire a 2-0 win over Venezia.
Stefano Pioli rung the changes following the draw with Juventus on Sunday and the Rossoneri endured a frustrating evening until Hernandez set up Brahim Diaz for the opening goal midway through the second half.
Neither side had registered a shot on target until Diaz volleyed home from point-blank range at San Siro on Wednesday, but Hernandez added a second goal to seal all three points.
Victory for Milan continued their impressive start to the Serie A season despite being depleted by injuries, with this their fourth win out of five matches without defeat.
You just don t stop those
— AC Milan (@acmilan)
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Former French international Henri Michel has signed a one-year contract to coach Raja Casablanca, the Moroccan club announced on Friday.
This will be his second spell in charge of the Green Devils who came second to great rivals Wydad Casablanca in the 2009-10 Moroccan championship.
In 2004, the 62-year-old led Raja to the Moroccan title as well as Africa s Confederation Cup.
Details of the deal have not been released.
It marks the latest step in a much travelled coaching career for Michel who played 58 times for France before hanging up his boots in 1982.
Michel coached France to the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and third place at the World Cup in Mexico two years later.
Since then he has coached numerous other international teams suc…
Deportivo La Coruna have sent experienced Equatoguinean forward Rodolfo Bodipo to Romanian outfit Vaslui on loan. The 32 year old will spend the next season with Vaslui, who finished third in the Romanian Liga in 2009/10.
Bodipo started off his career with Isla Cristina and had stints with Racing Santander, Recreativo Huelva, Racing Santander and Alaves before joining Deportivo in 2006. He struggled to get playing time in the beginning and injuries did not help his cause.
Bodipo is new Vaslui coach Juan Ramon López Caro s first signing of the summer. Caro took over the reigns of the club from Marius Lacatus last month.
Vaslui will be competing in the Europa League this season.
[Source:- Deportivo La Coruna]
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With the spat between Roberto Mancini and Maurizio Sarri seemingly over, Inter turn their focus back to matters on the pitch in what will be their coach s 200th Serie A game in charge when they host Carpi on Sunday.
Inter moved into the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia on Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Maurizio Sarri s Napoli.
However, the result was overshadowed by a sideline spat between Mancini and Sarri in which the latter was accused of using the Italian homophobic slurs frocio and finocchio towards the Inter coach.
Sarri admitted it was possible he used such language and apologised, saying he was simply irritable and meant no offence.
Inter and Mancini have accepted his apology and will look to stay in touch with league leaders Napoli with victory over…
Arsene Wenger says Tuesday s Champions League visit of Olympiacos is a must-win game for his side s hopes of progressing from Group F.
Arsenal were beaten 2-1 by Dinamo Zagreb in their opening game of the competition earlier this month and welcome the Greek side to the Emirates Stadium in need of points ahead of a difficult clash with group favourites Bayern Munich in October.
Following a 5-2 success against Leicester City at the weekend, confidence is high among Wenger s squad, with Francis Coquelin in line for a return from his knee injury.
Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta are doubts however, as Wenger prepares for a crucial clash in north London.
It is already a must-win. You sum it up well, he told reporters.
We have to win at home to qua…
Massimiliano Allegri felt Juventus should have scored more against Young Boys despite Paulo Dybala s grabbing a hat-trick in a comfortable 3-0 win.
Dybala s treble made sure the Serie A champions prospered without Cristiano Ronaldo, and they have won two from two in this season s Champions League campaign.
After volleying in Leonardo Bonucci s long pass to break the deadlock, the forward tapped in his second after goalkeeper David von Ballmoos failed to deal with Blaise Matuidi s low drive.
His third arrived in the 69th minute courtesy of Juan Cuadrado s square pass, with the 24-year-old taking centre stage in the absence of the suspended Ronaldo.
I am happy for him, he is improving and playing with greater consistency, but everyone played well and showe…