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FIFA World Cup Qualifying Preview: United States v Mexico

Mexico start life after Jose Manuel de la Torre when they visit the United States in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

De La Torre was sacked following Mexico´s shock 2-1 home defeat to Honduras on Friday, a result that left the Central American outfit in fourth place in the CONCACAF qualifying section for Brazil 2014.

Luis Fernando Tena will take charge for the clash with Jurgen Klinsmann´s side, who will be out to bounce back after being knocked off the top of the pool with a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica.

Clint Dempsey scored a first-half penalty for the US in San Jose on Friday, but the hosts seized the initiative in the group thanks to goals from Jhonny Acosta, Celso Borges and Joel Campbell.

And Klinsmann will have to try and inspire his players to respond to this disappointment without a number of his key players.

Jozy Altidore, Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron are all suspended, while Roma midfielder Michael Bradley also misses out after picking up an ankle injury while warming-up for the game against Costa Rica.

Still, the US - who reached the last 16 of the World Cup in 2010 - will be confident of taking maximum points in Columbus, with Mexico winless in the last three meetings between the teams.

However, their last encounter ended goalless back in March, and with both sides having conceded just 10 goals between them in the final round of qualifying, a tight encounter should be expected.

The home fans will likely look to captain Dempsey to try and break down Mexico´s stern defence - the Seattle Sounders midfielder has eight goals in qualification so far - and he will be expected to deliver the goods again in the absence of Sunderland striker Altidore.

Meanwhile, Javier Hernandez will be the focal point of the Mexico attack, with the Manchester United man looking to add to his tally of five goals.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying Preview: Jamaica v Costa Rica

Costa Rica can take another step towards the FIFA World Cup finals when they face a Jamaica side on the brink of elimination on Tuesday.

Jorge Luis Pinto´s team moved into first place in the final stage of CONCACAF qualifying for Brazil 2014 thanks to a 3-1 win over the United States on Friday.

Goals from Jhonny Acosta, Celso Borges and Joel Campbell in San Jose put Costa Rica one point clear of Jurgen Klinsmann´s side at the top.

Costa Rica have now scored 10 goals in the final round of qualifying, and they should be confident of adding to that tally against Jamaica, who have yet to taste victory in any of their seven games thus far.

Winfried Schafer´s men did manage to hold on for a goalless draw with Panama at the weekend, despite the dismissal of Rodolph Austin, but history in this clash is very much against them.

They have not beaten Costa Rica since 1997, and slipped to a 2-0 defeat in San Jose back in March, Michael Umana and Diego Calvo getting the goals on that occasion.

The Caribbean outfit´s poor form has left them at the foot of group with just two goals to their name, leaving their hopes of reaching the finals for the first time since 1998 in tatters.

Jamaica will be eliminated if they lose and Mexico beat the United States, and they will look to the likes of Marlon King, Jobi McAnuff and Garath McCleary to delay their likely exit a little longer.

However, Costa Rica have been beaten just once in this round of qualification, and are well placed to qualify for their fourth World Cup

FIFA World Cup Qualifying Preview: Bolivia v Ecuador

Ecuador travel to Bolivia looking to keep alive their hopes of reaching the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil with a seventh win of qualifying.

Reinaldo Rueda´s side have performed well in their campaign. With three games remaining, Ecuador are two points clear of fifth-place Uruguay and three points behind Chile with a game in hand.

However, Rueda´s men go into their clash with Bolivia on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Colombia on Friday, a game in which Walter Ayovi missed a penalty.

While Ecuador harbour aspirations of being in Brazil next year, Bolivia find themselves bottom of the group with just two wins from their 14 matches and 10 points from a possible 42.

They have not won a game since February - a run of seven matches - and have not been victorious in qualifying since a 4-1 success over Uruguay in October 2012, a five-game streak.

The hosts also come into the game on the back of a 4-0 defeat Paraguay in Asuncion on Friday.

La Paz can be a difficult place to visit due to the altitude, although Ecuador have won all of their previous visits and have a 100 per cent record in their eight previous meetings.

In fact, Ecuador have scored 20 goals in those matches, conceding only six times.

A Felipe Caicedo penalty secured a 1-0 win for Ecuador when the two sides last faced each.

Gabriel Achilier will be suspended for Ecuador after being sent off against Colombia, the Emelec defender will serve a three-match ban after his straight red card in the 28th minute for bringing down Teo Gutierrez.

Bolivia´s goalkeeper Sergio Galarza will be hoping to have a better game than he did on Friday, when he was punished for some costly mistakes.

De fleste Rosario Central spillere kan ikke lægge en aflevering og tager i gennemsnittet 8 træk med bolden inden de overvejer om de vil aflevere den.. Jeg har set de fleste af deres kampe i sæsonen og det er så frustrerende.

Syntes at Central gør mange ting rigtig godt - ved ikke om de sidste mangler pga af kvalitet eller nervøsitet/manglende erfaring....det er jo gode hold de spiller imod San Lorenzo, River etc....

så gik den ikke længere for Fla 0-1 Ricardo Goulart...

2-0 San Lorenzo - Villalba....så lidt kontroversielt ud - ihvwrtfald virker Central-spillerne en smule ophidset.

Quilmes - Arsenal 0-1

Cruzeiro - Flamengo 1-0....

Rosario Central - San Lorenzo er genoptaget efter lidt rilskuerbøvl....

Lucas Moura has no regrets over PSG move

Lucas Moura insists he does not regret joining Paris Saint-Germain despite falling down the pecking order at the club.

Lucas moved to the Parc des Princes from Sao Paulo in January after agreeing a deal with PSG in August 2012.

The Brazil international made 15 appearances in all competitions for the French capital club last season, but has made just two starts in Ligue 1 since Laurent Blanc, competing with Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi for a place in the starting XI.

Still, Lucas is excited by the acquisitions PSG have made in the transfer window, and insists he is willing to help their cause in whatever way possible.

"PSG are a very good team and they have brought in some reinforcements in Cavani to be even stronger," Lucas told Goal.

"I´m still adapting, I don´t regret having signed for PSG.

"I´m still young, I have a lot to learn and a lot to grow.

"Every player wants to score goals, but I´ve never really been one to score many goals, so I think I need to remain calm.

"The important thing is that the team continues to win and I´m always trying to help the best way I can."

Rosario Central - San Lorenzo 0-2 færdig...

Liga MX Wrap: America win again, Leon stumble at Atlante

America stayed top of the Liga MX by recording their sixth consecutive league win with a narrow 1-0 success over Monterrey on Saturday.

The league leaders have dropped just two points from their opening seven top-flight games - a 1-1 draw at Leon on the opening day - but were made to work hard for their latest victory by a determined Monterrey side.

Jose Guadalupe Cruz´s team looked to have done enough to earn a valuable draw at the Estadio Azteca, but Luis Rey´s 88th-minute penalty was enough to give the reigning Clausura champions all three points.

http://www.youtube.com/w…deMSPGudw24


Morelia are now the closest challengers to Miguel Herrera´s pacesetters, even though they could only manage a 2-2 draw at bottom-placed Atlante on Sunday.

Ruben Israel´s winless Atlante side twice took the lead against their visitors, but were pegged back by equalisers from Hector Mancilla and Joel Huiqui.

Despite Morelia´s failure to win in Cancun, they still moved up to second in the standings by virtue of Leon´s first defeat of the season, which came thanks to Carlos Ochoa´s first-half strike for Chiapas.


http://www.youtube.com/w…2st9j5vq3Fc

http://www.youtube.com/w…nFhuhptSK1s

And Cruz Azul are now level on points with Gustavo Matosas´ side after they came from behind to snatch a 2-1 victory at Toluca.

Juan Cacho opened the scoring for the hosts after just two minutes at the Estadio Nemesio Diez, but second-half strikes from Mariano Pavone and Alejandro Castro gave the visitors the win.

http://www.youtube.com/w…h18MGTxjH2I


Queretaro are fifth after recording their third consecutive top-flight win with a 1-0 home victory over Puebla on Saturday. Diego De La Torre grabbed the all-important goal for the hosts shortly after the interval.

http://www.youtube.com/w…OxtKt1p5dQk

At the other end of the table, second-bottom Pumas UNAM earned a creditable 0-0 at Pachuca, while Guadalajara were 3-0 to the good at Tigres UNAL with just 14 minutes remaining but threw away two points by being hauled back to 3-3 through late goals from Alan Pulido, Juninho and Manuel Viniegra.


http://www.youtube.com/w…fqYAIP0X-6g

Elsewhere, Tijuana beat Veracruz 3-0 at the Estadio Caliente and Atlas drew 2-2 at home with Santos Laguna.

http://www.youtube.com/w…UpAMSrlEaEA

http://www.youtube.com/w…mhqClHHPSOM