ORANJE FOOTBALL ACADEMY YATOA PONGEZI KWA RAIS MPYA WA ZFA

Kituo cha kukuza soka kwa vijana nchini Oranje Football Academy "O.F.A" kwaniaba ya viongozi wake wa ndani na nje ya nchi pamoja na wachezaji wake wote kinatoa pongezi za dhati kwa Rais mpya wa Chama cha soka cha Zanzibar Z.F.A Aman Ibrahim Makungu kwa kuchaguliwa kwake kushika nafasi hio kuwa Rais mpya wa Soka nchini.

Chama cha Soka Zanzibar (ZFA), kimepata Rais mpya kufuatia mgombea pekee wa nafasi hiyo Amani Ibrahim Makungu kushinda kwa kishindo katika uchaguzi mdogo uliofanyika jana kwenye ukumbi wa Salama hoteli ya Bwawani. 

Makungu alimudu kuzoa kura 49, sawa na asilimia 94 ya kura zilizopigwa kutokana na wajumbe 52 wa mkutano mkuu wa ZFA, ambapo ni kura tatu tu ndizo zilizomkataa.


Katika uchaguzi huo ulioendeshwa chini ya usimamizi wa kamati ya uchaguzi ya chama hicho iliyoongozwa na Mwenyekiti wake Gulam Abdallah Rashid, wapiga kura walipata fursa kumuuliza mgombea huyo masuala juu ya namna atakavyoendeleza soka la Zanzibar iwapo atachaguliwa.

Akijibu masuala hayo, na baada ya kutangazwa kwa matokeo, Rais huyo mteule alisema, kimsingi ana dhamira ya dhati kuleta mabadiliko katika soka la Zanzibar kwa wilaya zote Unguja na Pemba ili kurejesha hadhi ya visiwa hivi kisoka.


Aidha alisema anakusudia kutumia kila uwezo alionao, pamoja na kubuni njia chanya za kutafuta fedha, ili ZFA iondokane na aibu ya kuwa ombaomba na hivyo kuendesha vyema shuguli zake na kuwapa matumaini Wazanzibari.

"Pamoja na nia yangu safi katika kuleta maendeleo ya soka, ieleweke kwamba hili si jambo la mtu mmoja, tutafanikiwa kwa ushirikiano wetu sote, hivyo naomba wajumbe na viongozi wenzangu, tushirikiane katika hili", alieleza Makungu.   


Makungu pia, aliwashauri wajumbe hao waridhie pendekezo lake la kutaka kuajiri mtu atakayekuwa Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Ufundi na Utawala, ambaye atakuwa analipwa na chama hicho, wazo ambalo wajumbe walilipokea ingawa walisema linahitaji kujadiliwa katika mkutano mkuu kabla ya kutoa baraka.

Aliyekuwa Rais wa ZFA kabla kujuzulu Ali Ferej Tamim, alikaribishwa kuzungumza baada ya uchaguzi huo, ambapo alisema anaamini mrithi wake huo ni kijana mwenye uwezo wa kuifanya vyema kazi ya kuongoza soka hapa nchini.

Aliongeza kuwa pamoja na kuwa amejiuzulu, na uzee wake, yuko tayari kumsaidia Makungu na ZFA kwa jumla, kwa ushauri juu ya njia bora za kuliimarisha soka la Zanzibar.

Nafasi ya urais wa ZFA ilikuwa wazi kwa miezi mitatu kuanzia Machi 2, mwaka huu kufuatia aliyekuwa akiishikilia kwa zaidi ya miongo miwili Ali Ferej Tamim, kujiuzulu kwa sababu za kiafya na kutingwa na majukumu ya kifamilia.

Kwa niaba ya O.F.A inamtakia mafanikio na utendaji mzuri wa kazi pamoja na kuwataka wananchi wote wapenda soka nchini kutoa ushirikiano ili kuweza kuleta mabadiliko ya soka ambapo ndio dira kubwa kwa sasa kwa viongozi wakuu wa nchini.

Arsenal to play Nigeria's Super Eagles in Abuja

English Premier League side Arsenal will play Nigeria's Super Eagles in a pre-season match in Abuja on 5 August.

Ranked 60th in the latest Fifa rankings, Nigeria face a Gunners side that finished third in the English top flight last season.
It will be the first time Arsenal have played in the West African nation.
"We are delighted to announce that Arsenal Football Club will face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Abuja," said promoter David Omigie of DanJan Sports.
DanJan Sports say that agreement has been finalised with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to provide a strong Super Eagles side.
"The NFF have agreed that the country will present a strong side as coach Stephen Keshi continues his development process," said Omigie.
"The Arsenal manager [Arsene Wenger] will also use this game to showcase his full squad for the 2012/2013 football season."
The London club traditionally hosts an annual pre-season tournament at the Emirates Stadium, but they opted to postpone the event for a year because of the 2012 London Olympics.
The visit to Nigeria will conclude Arsenal's pre-season after tours to both China and Malaysia in July.
On their official website, Arsenal said: "The club last visited Africa during a tour to South Africa in July 1993."
"It is returning as a result of the fantastic support which exists for the team, not only in Nigeria, but across the entire continent."
DanJan Sports revealed that tickets for the match will go on sale from 4 July.
Four years ago, they brought two other English clubs, Manchester United and Portsmouth, to the Nigerian capital Abuja for a pre-season friendly.
As well as the match between the two, Portsmouth also played against Nigeria Premier League side Kano Pillars.
Two-time African champions Nigeria have competed at four World Cup tournaments, failing to reach the knock-out stages at the last tournament in South Africa in 2010.

Sunderland sign African shirt sponsorship deal

English Premier League club Sunderland have announced an agreement with not-for-profit group Invest in Africa to become their official shirt sponsor.

The Black Cats will wear the name of the organisation on their shirts for at least the next two seasons.
Invest in Africa is a partnership of companies formed to promote African business opportunities.
Sunderland have existing African ties, with a number of the continent's players in their ranks in recent years.
They include Ghanaian trio Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah and Sulley Muntari. 

“Africa has a wonderful passion for the game, something which is mirrored here in our own North East region”

Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne

Egypt international Ahmed Elmohamady and last season's club player of the year, Benin midfielder Stephane Sessegnon, are current members of the Black Cats squad.

The club also signed a partnership agreement with Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko last year, which saw them offer practical support and advice in youth coaching to the Kumasi-based club.
"We are very proud to have augmented our relationship with Invest in Africa through this wonderful agreement," Sunderland chairman Ellis Short said.
"It truly gives something back to both our own region and to a continent which has become a firm part of our club's success story over recent seasons."
Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne added: "Africa has a wonderful passion for the game, something which is mirrored here in our own North East region.
"Both places are renowned for examples of how football can engage people and organisations to the extent where it changes lives."
Invest in Africa has been launched by Tullow Oil, which has discovered several oilfields on the continent in recent years.
"How do you change the perception of Africa away from aid?" Tullow's head Aidan Heavey told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
"Africa is one of the best investment destinations on the planet right now."
This echoes comments made earlier this month by Hillary Clinton, who said that Africa was the "land of opportunity".
"I want all of my fellow American citizens, particularly our business community, to hear this: Africa offers the highest rate of return on foreign direct investment of any developing region in the world," AFP news agency quotes her as saying.

Egypt crash out of 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

Central African Republic pulled one of the biggest surprises in African football by knocking out Egypt out of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Les Fauves advanced to the final round of the qualifiers of next year’s tournament after holding the seven-time winners to a 1-1 draw at a packed-Barthélémy Boganda Stadium in Bangui on Saturday.

Central African Republic, yet to reach the finals of any major continental championship marched on 4-3 on aggregate after a shocking 3-2 win over the Pharaohs in Alexandria a fortnight ago.

Egypt, who missed out on the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations held earlier in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea would have to sit out once again from the flagship African football tournament.

 

This represents the worst record for the Pharaohs in the history of the biennial tournament as it will be the first time they have failed to qualify for successive editions. In 1965 and 1968 champions, Egypt withdrew from the competition but have since gone on to become the most decorated team, winning seven titles overall, including a hat-trick from 2006 to 2010.

Egypt needed nothing short of a two –goal margin victory to oust Les Fauves, but was unlucky to have conceded first after hosts captain Foxi Kéthévoama, headed past Essam Al-Hadary on 23 minutes.

The visitors, who made changes to their squad with starting berths for Emad Meteb, Hossam Ghaly, Ahmed Fathi and Sayed Moawad responded well; but found Les Fauves backline too tight to penetrate.

Luck finally smiled at them on 77 minutes as Meteb restored parity from close range, but it was all they could fight for as Les Fauves advanced into the final round.

Central African Republic completes the 30-team list ahead of the draw for the final round scheduled for July 5 in Johannesburg.

Italy beats Euro favorite Germany

Mario Balotelli wrote a new chapter in what is a growing legend tonight, scoring two sumptuous goals to lead Italy past Germany 2-1 and into the finals of the European Championships.
The game was neither as close as the final scoreline suggests – nor, for a half, as far apart as many will assume from watching the highlights. Tonight saw a sleek, fast Italy press Germany all over the pitch, but the difference was that while the Germans missed their chances, Italy sunk theirs.
The irony is that this Italy team wasn’t even supposed to be here. Dogged by the latest match-fixing scandal to hit their soccer leagues, Italy was forced by the investigation to leave Domenico Criscito home, and saw venerable keeper Gianluigi Buffon answer a number of uncomfortable questions about gambling. Cesare Prandelli was seen as a more than capable manager but he was also perceived as presiding over a squad that was aging, slow and unbalanced.

Since then, the Italians have sprung a series of surprises.
They qualified on the final day of group play when a number of pundits had them written off for dead. They not only outclassed but outlasted a dogged England last Sunday to win on penalty kicks. Then, when the line was they would be exhausted on only four days of rest, they flew out of the gates Thursday night and pushed Germany all over the field.
Were the Germans overconfident? Certainly, they had reason to be when Sami Khedira and Mats Hummels had huge chances go awry early on. Hummels had a shot from six yards run through Buffon’s legs but cleared off the line by Andrea Pirlo’s thigh. Khedira would miss wide right and then see a series of forays blunted by Buffon.

 

Soon thereafter, Germany’s attempt to play a high line and contain Pirlo collapsed. The Juventus playmaker frequently had time and space, and Toni Kroos was not able to clamp down as manager Joachim Low apparently expected he could. And what sunk them was an uncharacteristic wobble in that back line.

Balotelli’s two goals came off two defensive errors by a German side that had been rock solid all tournament long.
First, Antonio Cassano latched on to a ball from Giorgio Chiellini and turned Hummels inside out. Cassano’s cross was impossible for keeper Manuel Neuer to deal with: had he come out to collect, he would have been beaten. Instead, he had to suffer watching Balotelli launch it past him with a profound header.
The second came when Riccardo Montolivo launched a fine ball off the left flank over the entire German back line. Balotelli, in alone, got the ball out between his feet and uncorked the goal of the tournament, a smash to the top corner that even Superman couldn’t have kept out.

Both goals underscored the softness of a German spine that many had assumed had the character to see the game out. Hummels and Holger Badstuber, both young at 23, proved to be the weak links tonight, with Balotelli pulling one into the other to give his teammates time to create. Hummels in particular never seemed to recover from his earlier gaffe in front of goal, and when the Germans were forced to plow forward, he was exposed badly by a series of harassers in blue.

 

Italy might have blown the game out of sight in the second half with Antonio Di Natale slamming an uncontested shot into the side net and Alessandro Diamanti proving torturous. But they looked as forlorn and wasteful as the Germans had earlier with the important difference that their lead needed no padding.

Credit Buffon for a lot of that: he was sterling tonight, leading out of the back and slapping away shot after shot. There were moments when Germany might have clawed back into the game, but he seemed unruffled, sagely getting both palms behind every attempt.

Soccer is a strange game, and how much history plays into contest like this is often overlooked. Germany remain unable to beat Italy in a meaningful game at this level, and it goes beyond the level of luck to a matter of psychology. Italy never appeared really challenged in this game, even when they made some nearly disastrous gaffes early on. But Germany did grow flustered, as if they believed not only that they were destined to win the game – but that there was no way they should be losing it so early on.

The image that stands out is that of captain Philipp Lahm, standing, yelling at his teammates while a bare-chested Balotelli gazed serenely out at the crowd. One never looks happy when he scores, the other was very unhappy to be losing a major game again this season. Red-faced and choked up, Lahm told reporters after the game that the loss was entirely his team’s fault. The mercurial Balotelli, for his troubles, was hugged by an ecstatic old Italian lady as he exited the field.

Spain began their charmed run in 2008 against Italy - now they are in a position to complete an historic treble. There, talking to the ball, Cesc Fabregas sunk the critical penalty kick. Spain would go on to win the 2008 edition of this tournament and then the World Cup. Now, Italy stands in their way again.
With Spain wobbling and Italy soaring, only a chump would dare guarantee a winner next Sunday at this remove.

Spain eliminates Portugal on penalties

Cesc Fabregas scored the deciding penalty Wednesday to give Spain a 4-2 shootout win over Portugal and a spot in the European Championship final.
Fabregas, who came on as a substitute in the second half of regulation time, scored the deciding penalty after Bruno Alves had hit the crossbar for Portugal moments earlier.
''I played poorly, but the team worked really hard,'' Fabregas said. ''I had this intuition that we could advance if we went to penalties and that's what we did.''

Spain, which is trying to win a third straight major trophy after claiming titles at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, will next face either Germany or Italy on Sunday in Kiev.
''Being in another final is a miracle,'' Fabregas said. ''It's really incredible.''
Cesc Fabregas scored the deciding penalty Wednesday to give Spain a 4-2 shootout win over Portugal and a spot in the European Championship final.
Fabregas, who came on as a substitute in the second half of regulation time, scored the deciding penalty after Bruno Alves had hit the crossbar for Portugal moments earlier.
''I played poorly, but the team worked really hard,'' Fabregas said. ''I had this intuition that we could advance if we went to penalties and that's what we did.''
Spain, which is trying to win a third straight major trophy after claiming titles at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, will next face either Germany or Italy on Sunday in Kiev.
''Being in another final is a miracle,'' Fabregas said. ''It's really incredible.''
Cristiano Ronaldo had several chances for Portugal, but he sent three shots well over the bar as his team held its own for the entire match. The Real Madrid star, who came alive with three goals in his last two matches at Euro 2012, did not take a penalty in the shootout. He had been slated to take the fifth one, but he never got that far.
''Our players trained and were prepared for a situation like this,'' Portugal coach Paulo Bento said. ''We didn't have much luck.''
After an often dour opening 90 minutes in which the Spanish failed to impress, the match livened up in the 30 minutes of extra time. Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta forced Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio into a superb reflex save in the 103rd minute. Iniesta ghosted into the penalty area, then held his head in disbelief as Rui Patricio reacted brilliantly to get a strong hand to his shot after Jordi Alba cut the ball back toward the penalty spot.
Rui Patricio made another fine save to deny substitute Jesus Navas in the 111th.
''Both teams were stronger in defense in the first 90 minutes, but that balance was broken in extra time,'' Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.

 

Tempers frayed at times, with Portugal center half Pepe getting a yellow card for a challenge on Xabi Alonso as they went for a high ball. Ronaldo also received some heavy challenges late on.

In the shootout, Xabi had the first attempt saved by Rui Patricio. But Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas then saved Joao Moutinho's shot. Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos then all scored for Spain, while Pepe and Nani scored for Portugal.
''The first one wasn't so lucky, and then we scored the rest of them,'' Casillas said. ''Yes, we really were lucky. Everything is about luck sometimes.''
Del Bosque ditched his unorthodox 4-6-0 formation for Wednesday's match and opted for a traditional striker - but not the one many expected. Instead of Fernando Torres, it was Alvaro Negredo that got the start up front. But 10 minutes into the second half, Del Bosque took him off and replaced him with Fabregas.
Although Negredo worked hard, his lack of movement made him easy to mark. Spain improved as Fabregas made clever runs to stretch the defense and the defending champions dominated most of extra time with the addition of Pedro Rodriguez for midfielder Xavi Hernandez late in the match.
''I think we were better in the first 90 minutes. Then in extra time we were less efficient,'' Portugal coach Paulo Bento said. ''When we couldn't take advantage of our opportunities, Spain got stronger.''

Rui Patricio was a big help in goal for Portugal, but much more was expected from Ronaldo. The winger had a chance, albeit a difficult one, to win the game in the 90th minute when Portugal poured forward after clearing a free kick. But Raul Meireles' pass was fractionally behind Ronaldo and, with momentum lost, he had to check his run and sent his shot high and wide.
Ronaldo briefly threatened early in the first half, whipping over a cross from the left wing that Casillas grabbed before Nani could head it in. He also sent a free kick into the wall after too easily tumbling under a challenge.

Working as a unit, Portugal started to gain the upper hand midway through the first half. Moutinho flicked the ball into the path of Ronaldo, whose wild shot flew over.

''Everyone helped to control Ronaldo,'' Del Bosque said.
---
Lineups:
Portugal: Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao, Raul Meireles (Silvestre Varela, 113), Miguel Veloso (Custodio, 105), Joao Moutinho, Nani, Hugo Almeida (Nelson Oliveira, 81), Cristiano Ronaldo.
Spain: Iker Casillas, Alvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez (Pedro Rodriguez, 87), David Silva (Jesus Navas, 61), Alvaro Negredo (Cesc Fabregas, 54), Andres Iniesta.

'Tiki-Takanaccio' proves boringly effective

Midway through the second half of Spain's 2-0 Euro 2012 quarterfinal win over France, some of the Donetsk crowd gave their verdict on the game through the universal language of football fans - whistles and boos.

It was not a loud and angry response to a bad foul or a cynical piece of cheating and fittingly there was little passion in the brief protest.
Instead, it was a release of the frustration they felt at having paid to watch two of the continent's most respected footballing nations and been presented with a game that was as soulless as the pre-match music Uefa plays at Euro 2012 arenas.
France's half-hearted, disjointed performance, negative from the outset and utterly lacking in conviction or belief, had a lot to do with the empty feeling many left the Donbass Arena with.
But Spain's approach, with little flair, creativity or emotion, was what had caused the whistles, the fans clearly expecting more entertainment from a team who have dominated international football for the past four years.
Pass after pass going backwards, sideways and occasionally forward, but with little intent to actually pose a threat to the French goal, was the method of Vicente Del Bosque's team and it was enough to set up a semifinal against Portugal on Wednesday.
Spain have now kept 11 clean sheets and conceded only three goals in their last 14 European Championship and World Cup matches and there is simply no debate about the effectiveness of their tactical approach.
But it was disappointing to see a team searching for a unique major tournament treble play with such limited ambition having grabbed the lead in the 19th minute through a good old-fashioned run to the byline, cross and header.
The admirers of the 'Tiki Taka' game like to talk about the technical quality of the passing and movement, the intelligence and honing it requires but increasingly the possession has become used for a defensive, negative purpose.
For long stretches of the game, Spain were holding on to the ball not to build or create but simply to keep it from their opponents and even, it appeared in the second half, just to use up time.
While Barcelona's version of the method involves fast exchanges close to the penalty area with the glorious talent of Argentinean Lionel Messi providing the finishing touch, often in spectacular fashion, Spain are far more negative.
Del Bosque did not pick a centre forward again, a system which connoisseurs of tactics like to describe as playing with a 'false nine' but which in reality bares little relation to that innovation from the great Hungarian team of the 1950s.
Apart from Cesc Fabregas trying to get into the forward position later in moves and showing his lack of awareness in that role by frequently getting caught off-side, Spain's approach was simply to play with six midfielders in front of four defenders.
INCISIVE PASS
Not surprisingly, the result was that when Spain reached the phase in possession where most teams look for an incisive pass to a player in the box, they turned around, went back and started again. Pitifully, the French midfield allowed them to.
It is without doubt a functional style but in the same way that the concrete Soviet-era tower blocks across Poland and Ukraine are, achieving a purpose in an unappealingly pragmatic fashion.
European football has seen effective but emotionally draining tactics before.

Italian teams in the 1960s and 1970s produced a defensive system known as 'catenacccio' based around cancelling out opponents and almost exclusively relying on the occasional counter-attack for goals.
One internet commenter during Saturday's game certainly felt there was a connection between Spain's approach and the old method of Helenio Herrera at Inter Milan, describing the evolution of Del Bosque's tactics as 'Tiki-takanaccio'.
It will be fascinating to see whether Portugal, who unlike the French possess a deadly counter-attacking game around exceptional wingers Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, can use their pace on the break to cut through the Spanish defence.
If Spain get through that challenge, they may well face Germany in the final, a team who have proved it is possible to play accurate, passing football allied with speed, directness and intent.
Curiously, the two strongest teams left in the tournament represent almost exact reverses of their national stereotypes, the passionate, exciting and unpredictable Germans and the supremely organised, efficient and effective Spanish.
If 'Tiki Taka' does triumph again, the neutrals will be hoping it is done with a little more imagination and verve than it took to dispatch the French.

Ethiopia want to bid to host major tournaments

The President of the Ethiopia Football Federation Sahilu Gebre Mariam insists his country will be bidding to stage a major event in the near future.

He is determined to re-establish Ethiopia's position as one of the pioneers of African football.
"Any time soon we shall be bidding for the Africa Cup of Nations," he said.
"Previously we were not in a position because of the infrastructure, but any time within two years we shall demand that we should organise an event."
Sahilu's statement comes as Ethiopia showed some good form on the pitch in 2014 World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Ethiopia's Nations Cup history

• Hosted: 1962, 1968, 1976
• Champions: 1962
• Runners-up: 1957
• Participated: 1957, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1982

They have also recently announced the construction of a new national stadium in Addis Ababa, that is expected to be completed by 2014.

The Walyas drew 1-1 in South Africa and then beat visiting Central African Republic 2-0 to put themselves top of their World Cup qualifying group.
The 1962 African champions have also reached the last round of qualifying for next year's Nations Cup after drawing 1-1 with Benin and advancing on the away goals rule.
Ethiopia, one of the four founding members of the Confederation of African Football, have hosted the Nations Cup three times in 1962, 1968 and 1976 but their last appearance at the finals was 30 years ago in Libya.
It is not just the men's team finding success, the women's national team have qualified for the African Women's Championship in Equatorial Guinea later this year after eliminating Tanzania.
"In three or four of our regions there is big infrastructure of stadia and it's world class," Sahilu told BBC Sport.
"The federal state is also building a national stadium in Addis Ababa that will have a capacity of 60,000.
"So you see because of the results and the performance of both squads it has become a spring board to motivate all the sports communities and to wake up the government as well to react accordingly.
"I think it is a good momentum and we shall keep it up."
Ethiopia last staged a continental tournament in 2001 when they hosted the Under-20 African Youth Championship, which was won by Angola.
Away from football there have been improvements too with international hotel chains investing in the country and telecommunications access improving rapidly in recent years.
The Ethiopian government also has plans to embark on a massive rail and road expansion.

Alonso fires Spain to Euro semis

Spain moved a step closer to an unprecedented treble of consecutive major international honours by beating France 2-0 in Donetsk on Saturday to reach the Uefa Euro 2012™ semifinals.

Goals in each half from Xabi Alonso, on his 100th international appearance, sent the world and European champions into a semifinal with Iberian rivals Portugal in the same Donbass Arena stadium on Wednesday.

It was Spain's first competitive win in seven attempts against France, who were bidding to become the first team to eliminate Spain from a major tournament since the French side that reached the 2006 World Cup final.

While Spain can now contemplate the prospect of facing the in-form Cristiano Ronaldo, France return home after fulfilling their objective of reaching the last eight, only to fall short against the world's top national side.
"Is a quarterfinal the level where France is at the moment? I don't know, what I do know is that the best sides will be in the semifinals and France won't be," said France coach Laurent Blanc.

In an attempt to nullify Spain's attacking threat, Blanc opted for a conservative 4-5-1 formation, with right-back Mathieu Debuchy lining up in an unfamiliar right-wing role ahead of Anthony Reveillere.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, meanwhile, elected to deploy Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas instead of Fernando Torres at the centre of a fluid attacking configuration.

Abandoning their usual possession-focused approach, France retreated and allowed Spain to take the initiative, and Fabregas had an early penalty appeal turned down after his heels were clipped by Gael Clichy.
With two right-backs on the pitch, France's right flank should have been impregnable, but it was from a move down the left that Spain went ahead in the 14th minute.

Andres Iniesta released Jordi Alba and he held off the stumbling Deb
uchy to cross for the unmarked Alonso, whose downward header gave the number 14 a 14th international goal.

The lead established, Spain slipped into their familiar passing rhythm and France were left to rely on the forward forays of lone striker Karim Benzema.

One such raid drew a free-kick in an advantageous position, and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas did well to touch Yohan Cabaye's subsequent attempt over the crossbar.

The low number of fans supporting the two teams made for a subdued atmosphere, while the closest Spain came to extending their lead before halftime was a Gerard Pique header that looped well over.
The start of the second half was similarly muted. Debuchy headed over from Franck Ribery's dinked cross, while Hugo Lloris had to race to the edge of his box to claw the ball away from Fabregas at the other end.
Blanc introduced Samir Nasri, Jeremy Menez and Olivier Giroud from the bench, but still the men in the all-white change strip were unable to capitalise on the promising openings they procured.

There were few scares for Spain in the final 10 minutes, and they made sure of victory in injury time when Alonso swept home a penalty after Reveillere had bundled substitute Pedro Rodriguez to the deck.
It will come as scant consolation to France, but they will not have long to wait for revenge.

The sides are due to meet again in a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup in Spain on October 16.

Germany overwhelm Greece to reach semis

Germany crushed Greece 4-2 to reach the Euro 2012 semi-finals on Friday, surviving a scare against the surprise quarter-finalists before putting them to the sword with second-half goals from Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus.
Joachim Loew's team were made to wait 39 minutes to break down a dogged Greek side when Philipp Lahm's swerving effort put them in front but they were stunned 10 minutes after halftime when Giorgos Samaras leveled on the break.
However, Khedira's rasping volley and a header from Klose, his 64th goal for his country, eased Germany's nerves and Reus added a fourth as the Germans set up a semi-final against England or Italy.
Greece grabbed a late consolation through a penalty from Dimitris Salpingidis.
"We made it unnecessarily difficult for us," Lahm said. "We had huge chances to go into the lead in the first quarter hour.

"We got into the lead and then gifted it away. We were too slow at times and made too many simple mistakes but the important thing is that we're in the semi-finals.
"We started very good in the first quarter hour and had our chances. We all played well up front. We can be very satisfied with this victory."
Germany, who had never lost to Greece in eight previous meetings, were much-changed from the side that beat Denmark in their final group game, with Mario Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Mueller dropped to the bench.

Expecting gritty Greece to pack their defense, coach Joachim Loew opted for veteran Klose up front with pace and width supplied by Reus and Andre Schuerrle.
Aggressive from the start, Germany looked determined not to get bogged down on a pitch made heavy by two days of rain and they set about creating chances.

GREASY TURF
Schuerrle put the ball in the net after less than five minutes, prodding it in after Greece keeper Michalis Sifakis spilled Sami Khedira's shot on the greasy turf but a linesman's flag curtailed the celebrations.
Greece, with defensive midfielder Grigoris Makos replacing suspended skipper Giorgos Karagounis, dug in but it was one-way traffic as Khedira and Reus wasted good chances.
Coach Loew was visibly angry at his side's profligacy but the Germans remained patient and were rewarded after 39 minutes when Lahm produced an unstoppable finish that had watching German Chancellor Angela Merkel leaping out of her seat.
The ball was worked to him 25 meters from goal on the left and there was only one thing on his mind as took a few paces forward before unleashing a right-foot shot that swerved past the desperate dive of Sifakis.

It seemed the only danger to Germany was an occasional lapse in concentration and they were punished severely 10 minutes after the break when they were caught short at the back as Dimitris Salpingidis galloped down the right and slid in a pinpoint cross that was converted by Giorgos Samaras.
The equalizer was met with a sense of disbelief in the stadium, apart from a clump of 2,000 or so joyous Greek fans behind the goal.
Germany quickly cleared their heads and were back in front six minutes later when Boateng's cross was met with a stunning volley from Khedira before Klose climbed high to head in Mesut Ozil's free kick.
With 2008 runners-up Germany on cruise control, Reus slammed in the fourth as their fans began to dream of a fourth European title that looks well within their grasp.

Ronaldo heads Portugal into last four

Portugal fans and neutrals hoping for a splash edition of the Cristiano Ronaldo roadshow had their appetite satisfied as he single-handedly steered his country into the Uefa Euro 2012™ semifinals by beating the Czech Republic 1-0.
Ronaldo showed the same kind of sparkle that saw the Portugal captain dominate play and claim a brace in his team's 2-1 defeat of the Netherlands last Sunday - goals he had dedicated to his son, who turned two the same day.
So often maligned for failing to recapture his Real Madrid form when wearing the Portugal shirt, Ronaldo's 79th-minute header took his Euro 2012 tally to three, making him joint top scorer with Germany's Mario Gomez - plus Russia's Alan Dzagoev and Croatia's Mario Mandzukic, whose teams failed to advance from the group stage.
And he was delighted at sending the Portuguese into a semifinal against either titleholders Spain or France.
"Our great aim is to get to the final. We have a great squad and now I'd say the chances are 50-50 and we just have to believe in it," Ronaldo said afterwards.
"I think it was a fantastic game for Portugal. In the first 20 minutes we weren't that good but we improved a lot. It was a perfect game for us, with a lot of opportunities. The Czechs didn't have one opportunity.
"We had the quality to reach the semifinals. We are happy but know the next match will be difficult but the team is very mature and we are ready," Ronaldo added.
Czech coach Michal Bilek said that even the intense preparation they had doen to take care of him hadn't been enough.

"We really prepared hard to cope with him, but he is a player of the greatest class," said Bilek.
"He was able to rise to the occasion."
A divisive figure around whom Portugal are often accused of creating a cult of personality, Ronaldo won the loudest cheer from his fans in Warsaw's National Stadium when the announcer reeled off each squad, but earned catcalls from Czech supporters when he stepped up to take free kicks.
The high-profile player - officially the most-tweeted at Euro 2012 according to Uefa - is often a target for his opponents' supporters.



Denmark's fans even tried to get under his skin by chanting the name of his nemesis in the Spanish league, Lionel Messi, during their country's 3-2 loss to Portugal last week.
That, coupled with repeated media criticism, has led Portugal to rally round their captain and, earlier in the tournament, to shun the press in protest - though the man himself did speak to Portuguese television.
The 27-year-old striker struggled early in the half against the Czechs in part because of the lacklustre performance of his teammates.
The frustration showed as he and Czech midfielder Petr Jiracek avoided a booking from referee Howard Webb after they angrily pawed at each other in front the Czechs' goal.
He was finally to find his stride 25 minutes in, when midfielder Joao Moutinho fed him the ball, only for Czech keeper and captain Petr Cech to block his strike.
Eight minutes later his attempted bicycle kick went wide, followed almost immediately by an off-target free kick.

Seconds into stoppage time, he produced a sublime piece of skill in turning Michal Kadlec and chesting the ball down before letting rip only for it to hit the post.
After the return from the dressing room, Ronaldo was everywhere, hitting the post again with a free kick, and setting up a string of further attacks.

Dominating play, Portugal continued to pound the Czech defence, and Moutinho's cross found an advancing Ronaldo, who dived to head past a floundering Cech and put Portugal through.

South Sudan to debut against uganda Cranes

South Sudan will play their first official match against Uganda on July 10, nearly two months after they joined FIFA on May 25.
The South Sudan Football Association announced the friendly match on Wednesday, which will also coincide with the first independence anniversary of the east-central African nation.
South Sudan was admitted as FIFA’s 209th member during the 62nd edition FIFA Congress held in Budapest, Hungary last month.
It also became a CAF member in February this year. The South Sudan Football Association is chaired by Mr Chabur Goc Alei

Lucky England set up Italy clash

England profited from a goalkeeping howler and a goal-line controversy as they beat Ukraine 1-0 in Donetsk to top Euro 2012 Group D.

Wayne Rooney headed the only goal early in the second half after an error by Andriy Pyatov, but there was huge controversy when John Terry cleared a Marko Devic shot that had crossed the line.

None of the officials, including the additional assistant referee standing just metres from the ball, appeared to see the incident, and an incensed Ukraine side exited the tournament.

England may feel it is payback for the 2010 World Cup, when a Frank Lampard goal against Germany was ruled out, but this latest embarrassment will surely accelerate the introduction of goalline technology.
The result sets up a last-eight encounter against Group C runners-up Italy, while France will face defending champions Spain after losing 2-0 to Sweden.

However, there should be no ignoring a sub-standard England display. Roy Hodgson's men began the match full of optimism, buoyed by a 3-2 win against Sweden, and welcoming the apparently talismanic Rooney back to the fold.
Even when they did hold the ball, they showed no likelihood of going anywhere - a succession of square passes brought a few ironic 'Ole's from the crowd, but the absolute lack of movement off the ball meant Ukraine were perfectly safe.

The goal came early in the second half from a right-sided cross by Steven Gerrard. As the ball came through, a defender got a slight touch and Pyatov missed the ball completely, gifting Rooney the simplest header.
Just after the hour mark, Ukraine equalised. Or at least they thought they had. Artem Milevskiy teed up Devic, whose shot was half-saved by Hart.

Terry ran back to clear, but the ball had already crossed the line - however, referee Viktor Kassai waved play on and received help from his assistants.

Lucky as England were, they may point out that Milevskiy was offside in the build-up.
As news came through that France were losing to Sweden, the pressure eased - England could have conceded an equaliser and still topped the group.

However, there was still a hairy moment as Hart parried a swerving Konoplyanka shot and Joleon Lescott showed good awareness to hook the ball away.
It was deeply unpretty stuff, but somehow Hodgson's men continue to deliver. They may need more luck if they are to see off the Italians.

Superb as Rooney may be for Manchester United, he has not made a positive major tournament contribution for England since 2004 - so expectations that he would transform England into free-flowing world-beaters always seemed a touch optimistic.
So it proved, as they produced a first half as stilted and insipid as anything they produced in their disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign.

Despite missing Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin from the starting XI, Ukraine dominated, showing England up with their movement and ball retention.
Early on, England's centre-backs went walkabout, allowing the excellent Andriy Yarmolenko space inside the box - but the Ukrainian dallied on the ball and his eventual shot was charged down.
Scott Parker then produced a block to deny Devic, who was first to an Artem Milevskiy lay-off.
Next it was John Terry's job to get in the way of a shot as he stopped a Yevhen Konoplyanka, and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk volleyed the follow-up over the bar.

Despite their seemingly chronic inability to locate a team-mate with a simple pass, England did have their moments, with Rooney guilty of a glaring miss.
Terry found Ashley Young on the left, whose inswinging cross found an unmarked Rooney at the back post, but somehow the striker glanced his header wide.

Back came Ukraine with Yarmolenko testing Joe Hart with a low shot that the goalkeeper did well to hold. And Yarmolenko threatened again with a mazy dribble inside the box that left three defenders in his wake, but led away from goal and he was eventually crowded out.
England cannot play like Spain, nor should they try, but their passing statistics were simply embarrassing. Xavi routinely averages 50 passes per half. In the first half, Danny Welbeck completed five, James Milner seven, Young nine and Glen Johnson 10.

Even when they did hold the ball, they showed no likelihood of going anywhere - a succession of square passes brought a few ironic 'Ole's from the crowd, but the absolute lack of movement off the ball meant Ukraine were perfectly safe.
The goal came early in the second half from a right-sided cross by Steven Gerrard. As the ball came through, a defender got a slight touch and Pyatov missed the ball completely, gifting Rooney the simplest header.
Just after the hour mark, Ukraine equalised. Or at least they thought they had. Artem Milevskiy teed up Devic, whose shot was half-saved by Hart.
Terry ran back to clear, but the ball had already crossed the line - however, referee Viktor Kassai waved play on and received help from his assistants.

SWEDEN DEFEATS FRANCE IN GROUP FINALE


France advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship in unimpressive fashion Tuesday, losing 2-0 to Sweden but going through thanks to England's win over Ukraine.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored one of the best goals of the tournament with an acrobatic volley in the 54th minute and Sebastian Larsson added an injury-time goal to give already eliminated Sweden its first points of the tournament.

''We really wanted to win this game for the fans, their support has been fantastic,'' Ibrahimovic said. ''We wanted to finish this strongly for them.''
France, meanwhile, limps into the knockout round with big problems to solve in both defense and attack. Sweden exposed the frailties of its back four and was able to neutralize the dual threat of Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery.

''We were too average in too many areas to hope to win this match,'' France coach Laurent Blanc said. ''The Swedish team played with all their hearts, they were better prepared than us. They had a player in their ranks (Ibrahimovic) who made the difference. If you analyze the game we were in trouble for most of it.
''We're very disappointed with how we played. The main thing is that we've qualified.''

The margin of victory could have been bigger as France was outplayed for much of the game despite only needing a draw to guarantee a spot in the next round and facing a team with nothing to play for but pride.
The loss ended France's 23-game unbeaten streak but it still finished second in Group D after England beat Ukraine 1-0 in Donetsk. France will face Spain in the quarterfinals but will need a much better performance to give the defending champions much of a challenge.

''You have to be optimistic to think that we can beat Spain, but it's hard right now to imagine that we can. We have to do better on Saturday,'' Blanc said. ''We wanted to finish top of the group but couldn't manage it, so we have to deal with that.''

France looked lackluster throughout much of the game and lacked clinical finishing when it did threaten the Swedish goal.
Substitute Jeremy Menez had France's best chance to equalize when he broke into the area in the 81st minute but his low shot was stopped by goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson's leg. From the resulting corner, Olivier Giroud headed just wide.
Benzema was largely ineffective again and remained scoreless at the tournament. Ribery had France's best chance in the first half when the ball fell to him on the left edge of the area but his shot was parried by Isaksson.

Instead, it was Ibrahimovic who stole the show with another spectacular goal to add to his resume. The tall AC Milan striker met Sebastian Larsson's cross from the left and put himself nearly sideways in the air before striking the ball perfectly past a helpless Hugo Lloris in the France goal.
''It was a perfect cross from Seb,'' Ibrahimovic said. ''The whole team played a fantastic game today.''
Lloris then single-handedly kept France in the game over the next few minutes as Sweden kept pressing, making point-blank saves to deny Christian Wilhelmsson and Olof Mellberg.

Croatia fined 80,000 euros for racist chanting at Balotelli

The Croatian Football Federation was fined 80,000 euros by UEFA for racist chants directed at Italy striker Mario Balotelli by their fans at the Euro 2012 Group C match in Poznan last Thursday.

"The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has been fined 80,000 euros for the setting-off and throwing of fireworks, and the improper conduct of supporters (racist chants, racist symbols) at the UEFA Euro 2012 Group C match against Italy," European soccer's governing body said in a statement.

UEFA said an appeal can be lodged by Croatia, who were eliminated from the tournament after defeat in their final group game by Spain on Monday, within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision.

"It is certainly a drastic fine for us. Unfortunately, the behaviour of a tiny group of people immensely tarnishes our reputation and inflicts a huge financial damage," the secretary-general of the Croatian Soccer Federation (HNS), Zorislav Srebric, told Reuters.

"It is difficult to deal with such individuals and we would need stronger preventive measures and a help from our supporters in isolating them."

The Croatian federation was fined 25,000 euros by UEFA last week for spectator incidents, including the setting off of fireworks and a pitch invasion, in the match against Ireland in Poznan.

The Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network, which works closely with UEFA and has observers at each Euro 2012 game, said that between 300 and 500 Croatian fans were involved in racially abusing Italy's Balotelli.

The financial penalty imposed on Tuesday is 20,000 euros less than the punishment handed out to Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner for revealing the logo of a betting company on his underpants while celebrating a goal at Euro 2012.

"I think 80,000 is a significant fine but I can see the public concern that exists when it is compared to the fine imposed on Nicklas Bendtner," FARE chief executive Piara Powar told Reuters.

Croatia have previously been fined twice in the last four years for the racist behaviour of their fans.
UEFA fined them 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,800) a few weeks after Euro 2008 for racist banners and behaviour during the match against Turkey.

World ruling body FIFA fined the Croatian FA 30,000 Swiss francs a few months later after their fans abused England forward Emile Heskey during a World Cup qualifier in Zagreb.

UEFA president Michel Platini expressed his anger with Croatia on Monday, saying he had spoken of his concerns about supporter behaviour with the Balkan country's President and Prime Minister a year ago.
"I don't manage people but the people who have come to the stadiums (in this tournament), they were very nice, except some Croatians," Platini told reporters.

The issue of racism dominated the build-up to Euro 2012, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine and the biggest sporting event in eastern Europe since the end of communism.

Makungu apiga jeki timu Copa Coca Cola

Na Salum Vuai, Maelezo

Timu za mikoa mitano ya Unguja na Pemba zinazojiandaa

na mashindanoya Copa Coca Cola, zimefarajika baada ya kuahidiwa msaada wa shilingi milioni moja kila moja, kutokia kwa Mkurugenzi wa hoteli ya Zanzibar Ocean View Amani Ibrahim Makungu.

Hatua hiyo imekuja baada ya timu ya Wilaya ya Mjini kumuomba Mkurugenzi huyo aisaidie kwa kuwa inajiandaa na matatizo mbalimbali katika maandalizi yake.

Vijana hao walimueleza Makungu wakati walipokutana uwanja wa Amaan juzi, alipokwenda kuchukua fomu kwa ajili ya kugombea urais wa Chama cha Soka Zanzibar katika uchaguzi unaotarajiwa kufanyika Juni 30, mwaka huu.

Kutokana na maombi hayo, na ukweli kwamba Zanzibar inawakilishwa na timu za mikoa mitano kwenye ngarambe hizo, Makungu alisema haitakuwa busara kuisaidia timu hiyo pekee, na hivyo kuahidi kuzipatia timu zote hizo fedha shilingi milioni moja ili ziweze kuiwakilisha vyema nchi yao.

Katika mashindano hayo yanayoshirikisha timu za vijana walio chini ya miaka 17 kutoka mikoa yote ya Tanzania,

Zanzibar itawakilishwa na timu za mikoa ya Mjini Magharibi, Kusini na Kaskazini Unguja, Kusini Pemba pamoja na Mkoa wa Kaskazini Pemba.

Baadhi ya timu hizo ikiwemo ya Mkoa wa Kusini, zinatarajiwa kuanza kuondoka leo kwenda Dar es Salaam kwa ajili ya michuano hiyo.

......

habari hii kutoka Zanzibarleo.

Spain and Italy reach quarterfinals

Jesús Navas turns in Spain's late winner

 

Defending champions Spain on Monday beat Croatia 1-0, ending Balkan dreams of a Euro 2012 knock-out berth, as Italy ran out 2-0 winners against the Republic of Ireland to qualify in second spot in Group C.
Vicente Del Bosque and Slaven Bilic's sides were goalless in Gdansk at halftime in a lacklustre affair from which Spain only needed a draw to top the group and go through.
But with Italy leading in the other game, top spot for La Roja looked uncertain until substitute Jesus Navas linked up with Barcelona's Andres Iniesta and the Sevilla man crashed the ball into an empty net as the Croatian defence looked on.
There was more than the suspicion of offside in both men's runs into the box but the Croatian appeal about the 88th-minute goal was to no avail.

Antonio Cassano takes the plaudits after scoring Italy's first

 

In Poznan, western Poland, Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland were beaten by two goals in each half from Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.
The Italians – who trailed both Spain and Croatia by two points going into the game with the Irish having already being eliminated after two defeats – took the lead in the 35th minute with a Cassano header from a corner.
But Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given will be disappointed after he spooned away what seemed like a straightforward shot to give away the set-piece kick in the first place.
Given, however, could do little about Italy's second goal, with Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli holding off Ireland defend John O'Shea on another corner to volley home from the six yard line on the stroke of fulltime.
As group winners, Spain, with seven points, now play the runners-up of Group D in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Saturday, while runners-up Italy, who finished on five points, take on the winners of Group D in the capital Kiev on Sunday.
The last quarterfinal qualifiers will be decided on Tuesday, when Ukraine take on England in Donetsk and France play Sweden in Group D. Every team except Sweden can still qualify.
Uefa meanwhile banned Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner for one match and fined him 100 000 euros (80 000 pounds $126 000) for flashing the sponsored waistband of his underpants while celebrating a goal during his side's 3-2 defeat to Portugal.
The suspension means the Sunderland forward will miss Denmark's next World Cup qualifier for the tournament in Brazil in 2016.
Bendtner can appeal but the online betting firm whose name appeared on his underpants said the decision was "hysterical and deeply cynical" while the fine was more severe than those handed out to football federations for more serious incidents.
Uefa president Michel Platini elsewhere condemned Croatia fans who racially abused Italy's Mario Balotelli in their group match last week, revealing that he had previously warned football's authorities in the Balkan nation about the problem.
A ruling on the case – the first for racism at Euro 2012 – is expected on Tuesday, with Croatia's football federation facing a possible stiff penalty after up to 500 fans were reported to have taunted Balotelli throughout the match.
Platini told reporters in Warsaw that he was "not happy" about the situation and said that he had warned the federation about the problem of racist fans when he visited last year.
"They (Croatia) have a good team which plays well but it's unacceptable when you've got a hundred or so arseholes among the crowd," he said. "They (the Croatian federation) knew (that it could happen)."
"Any form of racism is a problem. One case is too many."
Croatia, however, looked set for fresh sanctions as Monday's match referee Wolfgang Stark had to briefly halt the match when flares were thrown and smoke billowed over the pitch.