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Monaco joy at Martial cash

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Monaco VP Vadim Vasilyev believes Man United could have signed Luis Suarez or Neymar for what they paid for Martial.

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London - Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev believes Manchester United could have signed Luis Suarez or Neymar for what they paid for Anthony Martial.

Louis van Gaal splashed out £36million on the 19-year-old forward, which could rise to £58m if Martial achieves set targets.

‘It’s true that the price for Martial is £58m but take into account this sum includes bonuses which are very realistic,’ Vasilyev told The Sun. ‘It’s absolutely unique. It’s the price of Luis Suarez or Neymar - the best players in the world.

‘On Sunday the player got such an offer that he couldn’t have declined. He asked us to find a solution and on Monday morning Manchester United made an offer to Monaco which the club couldn’t refuse.’

Martial could make his United debut against Liverpool next week.

Daily Mail

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Porto want clubs to aid migrants

Porto have called on the giants of European football to donate money to help ease the migrant crisis.

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London - Porto have called on the giants of European football to donate money to help ease the migrant crisis.

The Portuguese club issued a public letter to Uefa president Michel Platini on Friday, asking the 32 clubs in the Champions League to give up a percentage of their gate receipts from the first two games.

The letter from Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa read: ‘Porto, through Uefa, would like to invite the 31 clubs currently in the group stage of the Champions League to donate one euro per ticket sold for the first two match days. Let’s play for the migrants!’

Porto’s plea follows Bayern Munich’s pledge to donate £730 000 in emergency aid and set up a training camp, where refugee children will be able to train, eat, take German classes and be provided with kit.

On Friday Bayern midfielder Javi Martinez visited migrants at Munich train station to offer his support. ‘Every little helps! Welcome refugees!’ Martinez said in a tweet that included a photo of himself handing a football to a young child.

Celtic, meanwhile, will donate the proceeds from a charity game against Dunfermline this weekend to an international aid agency.

The IOC have also acted, setting up a £1.3m refugee fund. The money will be distributed through projects proposed by national committees.

The Premier League are yet to reveal their intentions.

Daily Mail

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Goetze goals help Germany beat Poland

Germany's World Cup hero Mario Goetze put his club woes behind him to score twice as the world champs beat Poland.

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Frankfurt - Germany's World Cup hero Mario Goetze again put his club woes behind him to score twice as the world champions beat Poland 3-1 in an entertaining Euro 2016 qualifier on Friday to take over at the top of Group D and avenge last year's defeat.

Goetze, who has been struggling for first team action at champions Bayern Munich over the past two seasons under coach Pep Guardiola, scored with a fine solo effort in the 19th minute after Thomas Mueller had put the hosts in front.

A third Bayern player, Poland captain Robert Lewandowski, cut the deficit with a diving header from Kamil Grosicki's superb left-wing cross with the outside of his right foot.

Goetze, who scored the winner against Argentina in the World Cup final last year, sealed Germany's win eight minutes from time on the rebound after keeper Lukasz Fabianski had saved a shot from Mueller.

Both teams had plenty more chances in a flowing, attacking game but Germany, who had lost 2-0 in Warsaw last October, proved more efficient and took over at the top of Group D on 16 points from seven games, two ahead of Poland. Ireland are third on 14 after beating Gibraltar 4-0.

“The expectation was to win it. That was the most important thing,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told reporters. “Overall the first 35 minutes we played very well. We made some mistakes and I would have liked to see less.

“Mario was superb tonight. He was moving a lot, going deep or pulling back and how he scored those two goals was just classy.”

Germany next play Scotland, who lost 1-0 in Georgia earlier on Friday, in Glasgow on Monday.

With Liverpool's Emre Can making his debut as right back, the hosts set a high tempo from the start, quickly carving out a brace of chances with Karim Bellarabi.

Mueller then made no mistake when a fine combination between Jonas Hector and Bellarabi found him in front of goal with an easy tap-in.

Goetze, doubled their lead when he picked the ball up on the edge of the area, shook off two markers and rifled a shot through the legs of a third player.

“I found out only yesterday that I would start and it is a great feeling, “ Goetze said. “To help the team with two goals is just fantastic.”

The Poles responded with a trademark goal, scoring on the break in the 37th minute, with Lewandowski taking his tally to eight in the qualifying campaign.

Lewandowski then had a golden chance to level on the stroke of halftime when he had only Manuel Neuer to beat but the keeper stood his ground to save.

Germany re-established control with Goetze rattling the post following a superb through ball from Ilkay Guendogan on the hour.

Late efforts by the Poles to equalise foundered against a disciplined Germany back line before Goetze struck again.

Reuters

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‘My discipline may have cost United’

Alex Ferguson thinks his insistence on discipline above all else might have cost Manchester United trophies during his 26-year reign.

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London - Alex Ferguson's insistence on discipline above all else might have cost Manchester United trophies during his 26-year reign, he has said.

In his new book “Leading”, the most successful manager in British football history said that does not mean he would do anything differently.

David Beckham, Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy were among the leading players who left the club after falling foul of Ferguson.

“I place discipline above all else and it might have cost us several titles, “ Ferguson said in one of the extracts being released on United's official Facebook page.

“But if I had to repeat things I'd do it precisely the same because discipline has to come before anything else.

“People will give a manager plenty of opportunities to crack the whip so it's best to pick and choose your moments.

“You don't have to dish out a punishment very often before everyone gets the message.”

Ferguson won almost 50 trophies all told in Scotland and England, including 13 Premier Leagues in England and two Champions Leagues, before retiring in 2013.

“The book brings together the most important skills and the key philosophies I developed during my 38 years as a football manager and draws on my experiences of managing some of the biggest talents in the game in a high-pressure environment,” he said.

Reuters

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Jabu doing his bit for young stars

Former football star Jabu Mahlangu is using his checkered past to help preserve the future of youngsters.

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Johannesburg - Former football star Jabu Mahlangu is using his checkered past to help preserve the future of youngsters.

Mahlangu, who used to go by the surname Pule, was a marvel to watch in his heyday. On the football pitch he was an unstoppable wizard of dribbling but his escapades off the field stopped his promising career from reaching greater heights.

More often than not Mahlangu made headlines for his off-field antics than terrorising opponents on the pitch. Mahlangu was known for going Awol - missing training and important matches. He got into all sorts of mishaps including alcohol abuse.

Now though, Mahlangu, as ambassador of MultiChoice Diski Challenge, is teaching aspiring footballers to avoid following the same path as he did. Mahlangu conducts workshops where he cautions youngsters about the challenges that come with fame and being a professional footballer.

“The young ones are listening. You will be surprised. I am still in contact with youngsters from SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Mpumalanga Black Aces and Polokwane City. Whenever they feel they want to talk they call me. Most of them told me they are so lucky to have someone who came and was honest about his mistakes in order to help them not to do the same.

“Self discipline is most important thing,” said Mahlangu.

Mahlangu, who turned out for SuperSport, Pirates and Platinum Stars, burst onto the scene as a teenage sensation with Chiefs.

The midfielder, who represented South Africa at the 2002 Fifa World Cup in Korea and Japan, says youngsters ought to be given a chance to display their skills in the PSL and the national team.

“Sometimes we need to risk young players so that they can learn. It doesn’t help us to wait. If a boy is 16 and he has great potential to play in Bafana, don’t wait for him to be 22 or 23.

“That time between 16 and 23 if you leave him, that’s where most players mess up because they lose hope. If a young player is good, let’s give him a chance,” said the man who has 20 Bafana caps to his name.

“A tournament or a league like MDC has been long overdue because we are a great talented nation. It creates that environment of professionalism for young players.”

The Star

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Bayern rejected ‘very high’ Mueller offer

Bayern Munich rejected a “very high” offer for versatile attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller this summer.

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Bayern Munich rejected a “very high” offer for versatile attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller this summer, president of the German club Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said.

The 25-year-old Mueller, who worked with Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal during his time in charge of Bundesliga champions Bayern, was heavily linked with a move to the Red Devils throughout the summer.

United's last offer for the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner was thought to be in excess of 70 million pounds ($106.70 million), according to British media reports.

“I'm talking about figures which were very high indeed. If I were a bank manager then I would have had to accept it,” Rummenigge was quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News.

“But as a football club we allowed ourselves to close the door on it, and this door is remaining closed. I can promise that to everybody.

“But one thing is for certain, in view of the increased television money in England things are not going to get any easier for Bayern in future,” he added.

Mueller has started the campaign in outstanding form, scoring five goals from the opening three league matches. – Reuters

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Is Bale Wales’ best-ever player?

It’s fair to say that without Gareth Bale’s contribution, Wales would not be on the brink of qualification for the European Championships.

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London - With pundits and supporters taking a first appearance for Wales at the European Championship finals for granted, debate has moved on to whether Gareth Bale is the greatest player ever to represent them.

The Real Madrid forward's superb header won Thursday's Group B game in Cyprus and meant he has scored or assisted in eight of the nine goals that have taken his country to within three points of reaching France next summer with three games to play.

They have a home game against the minnows of Andorra to come next month but can ensure qualification on Sunday by winning at home to Israel, whom they beat 3-0 away last season.

Although the whole team has improved significantly in shooting up to a record ninth in the FIFA rankings, Bale has produced inspirational performances from a position just behind the main striker.

Even when kept quiet for longish periods, as Cyprus managed in Nicosia, he has still come up with a defining moment or two.

“I think Gareth Bale is the greatest player ever to play for Wales,” said BBC pundit Robbie Savage, who won 39 caps and was involved in one of their many near-misses - a play-off defeat by Russia that cost a place at Euro 2004.

“His performances have been ridiculously good,” Savage added.

Welsh fans expressed the same sentiments last November, voting Bale the best of all-time in a poll at Wales Online (http://ift.tt/XXRVI5).

It is a big claim for those old enough to remember John Charles, “the gentle giant”, star of the only Welsh team to have qualified for a World Cup.

Charles, regarded as world class at both centre-half and centre-forward, was the key player in 1958 but missed the quarter-final against eventual winners Brazil, who won it 1-0.

By that time he was already established in Italian football with Juventus, having finished as top Serie A scorer in his first season.

More recent Welsh heroes have included Ryan Giggs and Mark Hughes of Manchester United and Liverpool's Ian Rush, none of whom ever had the chance to appear at a major tournament.

Giggs even had his commitment to international football questioned, because of the number of friendly games he missed, restricting him to 64 caps in a 16-year period.

Rush remains the leading scorer for Wales with 28 goals in his 73 games.

Few would bet against the 26-year-old Bale, who has 18, eventually overhauling him and thereby gathering more votes as the best Welshman of all time.

Should he help secure qualification in Cardiff on Sunday, Welsh football would have come full circle at last: it was Israel they beat all those years ago in a play-off to qualify for the 1958 World Cup. – Reuters

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Bafana can’t take Mauritania for granted

The uninformed South African football fan would have found the refrain coming from the Bafana camp this week a tad surprising.

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Johannesburg: The uninformed South African football fan would have found the refrain coming from the Bafana Bafana camp this week a tad surprising.

Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has repeatedly spoken of the importance of not underestimating Mauritania. “We cannot afford to take them lightly,” he said at every given opportunity.

Even his players have added to the chorus, with Mandla Masango talking of how hard an encounter their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the north-west African country would be.

“It’s going to be a tough encounter because Mauritania are an unknown nation to us, we haven’t played them before,” he said. “We are well aware of how they played against Cameroon in their opening qualifier, so we cannot afford to take things for granted, we should go there and give it our all.”

Mashaba also based his assertion that tomorrow’s opposition should be taken seriously on the fact they held their own against Cameroon. But Mauritania’s rise from the continent’s whipping boys to a side that now enjoys the respect of former African champions didn’t come about overnight.

The change has its roots in what is usually frowned upon by world football’s governing body FIFA: Political interference. Some six years ago, the country’s president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz moved to turn his country’s footballing fortunes for the better by insisting the federation appoint men capable of leading Mauritania from the bottom rung of the ladder.

Enter Frenchman Patrice Neveu, and soon the desert country was mixing it up with Africa’s best at the African Nations’ Championships in South Africa last year.

Granted they lost all three of their matches, but for Mauritania the fact they had qualified for their maiden CAF tournament was a sign they were on the right track. And they beat Mauritius and Equatorial Guinea in their bid to qualify for the 2015 AFCON before they came unstuck against Uganda.

They are building on those experiences and showed in their opening match of the 2017 qualifiers that they will not be easy to beat, when the Indomitable Lions needed a late goal to overcome them.

At home in Nouakchott tomorrow afternoon against a South African side that had a stuttering start to their campaign, Mauritania will definitely believe they can shock their highly-regarded visitors.

Coach Corentin Martins and his men won’t be intimidated by the fact they are a massive 16 spots behind their opponents in the world rankings and will look to take the game to Bafana, who failed to score against Gambia.

But Mashaba’s men are aware anything less than victory will put them under serious pressure for their remaining qualifiers. With qualification limited to the group winners and the top two runners-up, Bafana know that they need to get off the mark if they are to make it.

Masango, who made a scoring debut for his Danish side Randers last weekend, believes they are up to the challenge.

“We have a good group of players, full of confidence and a lot of experience, but we have to put that to good use and ensure we return victorious, and we are positive we will get the results we want because a negative result will set us back big time in the qualifiers,” he said.

Mauritania, on the other hand, will be keen to continue on their upward rise. - Cape Times

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EPL harming young English talent

English clubs spent more than £800m during the summer and there is increasing concern that young, home-grown players are not getting chances in the Premier League.

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Germany’s World Cup-winning coach Joachim Low claims the wealth of the Barclays Premier League is ruining the chance for young English players to succeed with the national team.

Low believes English clubs are failing to invest in development and has warned that England face years in the international wilderness if their leading clubs continue to spend big on overseas imports.

Kevin De Bruyne left the Bundesliga for Manchester City this week in a deal worth £52million and Bastian Schweinsteiger was sold by Bayern Munich to Manchester United for £14m.

Low, who guided Germany to World Cup glory in Brazil last summer, said: ‘Premier League clubs are now paying three times what they used to. The good thing is that money is now being ploughed back into the Bundesliga. That helps make the German national team stronger because in the last few years £100m has been put back into youth development. If used sensibly and done the right way, then that will work wonders for German football.

‘That money has been used to make the standard of young players better. It makes sense to raise your own young players and give them an opportunity.

‘The English will have to face up to the fact that their young players don’t get the minutes for their clubs. That is why the English national team haven’t set the world alight in major championships, have they?’

English clubs spent more than £800m during the summer and there is increasing concern that young, home-grown players are not getting chances in the Premier League.

The England head coach Roy Hodgson has a dwindling talent pool because of a preference in the Premier League to sign overseas players, but the FA are trying to change the culture of English football.

FA chairman Greg Dyke wants to increase the number of home-grown players from eight to 12, but this has been rejected by Premier League clubs.

One talent who flourished in the Premier League last season is Harry Kane, and the Tottenham forward is convinced that he will soon return to goal-scoring form.

The England striker, who is preparing for the Euro 2016 qualifier against San Marino tomorrow, has not scored since the final day of the Premier League campaign.

Kane, who scored 21 times in the league last season, insists he can handle the increased scrutiny after seven games — four for Tottenham and three at the Under 21 European Championship in the summer — without a goal. He said: ‘I came on the scene so unexpectedly last year people were always going to wonder, “Can he do it again?”

‘But it isn’t, “Can he score 10 goals in his first four games of the season?” We will see at the end of the season how it is.

‘Even if I don’t score as many goals as last year I am playing week in, week out and hopefully I can keep doing that and do my best for the team. That is all I am focused on, what I need to do to help the team out, and we will see what happens.

‘I am confident. The chance against Everton last weekend was the first real chance I’ve had all season when I would say I probably should have scored. I know that. I should have scored that.

‘But as a striker you are going to get chances that you miss but it is about how you cope with that.

‘Some strikers go down a bad path and lose their confidence, but I am fairly self-confident and I have a lot of self-belief.

‘If I get chances in games I know I am going to score, so I am not too worried about that.’

*£164m – The amount spent on Bundesliga players by Premier League clubs this summer. In the last two transfer windows combined it was just £10.8m. – Daily Mail

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Valdes named in United’s squad

Manchester United have named Victor Valdes as one of four goalkeepers in their Premier League squad.

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Manchester United have named goalkeeper Victor Valdes as one of four goalkeepers in their Premier League squad.

Valdes has been ostracised by Louis van Gaal after the coach alleged that he refused to play for the club’s Under 21s. He was left out of their pre-season tour to the United States and has been training and dining on his own.

The 33-year-old was due to sign for Besiktas last weekend but, while staying in a Manchester airport hotel waiting to fly out and complete the move, he discovered the terms of his deal had been changed and the transfer collapsed.

Now United seem to have offered Valdes a way back, naming him in their list of 25 players alongside stoppers David de Gea, Sergio Romero and Sam Johnstone.

Valdes tweeted yesterday: ‘No matter what happens. The only way I know is to work hard every day. Thank you all for your support!’

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque considered selecting the former Barcelona star for the national team despite his lack of game time, saying: ‘I wish I had because he’s having a tough time and needs support.’

Valdes’ new United team-mate Anthony Martial is expected to make his France debut in a friendly against Portugal in Lisbon tonight. The 19-year-old forward received his first call-up to Didier Deschamps’ senior side before his £36million move from Monaco.

Emmanuel Adebayor, meanwhile, has been left out of Tottenham’s 25-man Premier League squad. The 31-year-old former Arsenal forward had been expected to leave this summer but could not secure a move. – Daily Mail

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City deny sweetening deal for Chiefs

The City of Cape Town has challenged reports around Kaizer Chiefs playing at the Cape Town Stadium.

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The City of Cape Town has challenged reports around Kaizer Chiefs playing at the Cape Town Stadium, saying that they did not woo the PSL champions to play three “home” games at the venue. And the City has stated that the proposal for Chiefs to play at the stadium has not yet been approved.

Chiefs themselves tweeted on Tuesday that they were “coming to Cape Town”, and the details of their three games at the stadium between December and February have already been listed on the official PSL website.

City mayoral committee member for tourism, events, and economic development, Garreth Bloor, yesterday said that the rights owner to Kaizer Chiefs, Stadium Management South Africa, identified the Cape Town Stadium as a venue for three of their home games due to the unavailability of FNB Stadium for certain dates.

Bloor denied the City had sweetened the deal to attract the Soweto club. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.

“They will be paying a rental and the Cape Town Stadium’s direct costs. They have gone as far as guaranteeing the projected income from the sale of food and beverages, hospitality and advertising.

“After each match, there will be a cost recovery by both parties as well as 50/50 share in revenue. Kaizer Chiefs is known to draw crowds in excess of 35 000 per weekend match.”

Bloor said in a statement that the City had a responsibility to ratepayers is to ensure the financial viability of the stadium, and that any opportunity to reduce costs related to it should be welcomed.

“Ajax CT does indeed have a multi-year contract, as do a number of other event/conference promoters, but no contract has an exclusivity clause. Neither are we required to seek permission from each entity to host similar events at the stadium,” he added. – Cape Times

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Arsenal fans lash out at Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been accused of lying to fans after not revealing Danny Welbeck’s knee surgery.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been accused of lying to fans after not revealing Danny Welbeck’s knee surgery before the transfer deadline.

The club last week decided to operate on the England striker’s left knee and it is expected he will be out until at least Christmas.

Fans are angry that Wenger — who said he expected Welbeck to be fit after the international break — did not make public the player’s setback and suspect it was to avoid being pressurised into signing a forward.

The Gunners were the only Premier League club not to sign an outfield player during the summer window and Gary Neville said Wenger was ‘naive or arrogant’ for believing his side were good enough to compete for the title. Peter Wood, author of the influential Le Grove blog, told Sportsmail: ‘It’s lying to the fans and to keep it from us leaves a sour taste. It’s embarrassing. Wenger knows it would have put huge pressure on him to go out and sign a striker.

‘For some reason, he seems to be going out of his way not to sign the players we need.

‘It’s left us in a bad position and another season looks certain to pass without winning the Premier League or challenging for the Champions League.’

Welbeck has not played since April and the loss of the 24-year-old leaves Wenger with just Olivier Giroud as an out-and-out striker.

Arsenal, who have failed to score on home soil this season, were linked with Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and PSG’s Edinson Cavani but made no firm offers. – Daily Mail

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Kane dismisses ‘one season wonder’ tag

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has shrugged of suggestions that he is a one-season wonder after failing to find the net in his four games this campaign.

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Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Harry Kane has shrugged of suggestions that he is a one-season wonder after failing to find the net in his four games this campaign, British media reported.

The 22-year-old scored 31 goals in his breakthrough campaign for Spurs last season, including 21 in the Premier League, and is in the England squad for their European Championship qualifiers against San Marino and Switzerland.

“As a striker, you are going to get chances where you miss and, after that, it is about how you cope. Some strikers go down a bad path and lose their confidence but not me,” Kane, who also scored on his England debut in March, was quoted as saying.

“My start to the season has been okay. It could have been better. I would like to have scored by now but football doesn't always work like that,” he added.

The centre-forward revealed that he had sought the advice of England captain Wayne Rooney and ex-skipper Alan Shearer on how to end his drought.

Rooney is one short of Bobby Charlton's record of 49 goals for England, while Shearer scored 30 times for the national team.

“Wayne has done it year in, year out,” Kane said.

“I like talking to players like that and seeing how he has dealt with it.

“Shearer is a top man. It was good to talk to him. He's been in the same sort of situation as I am now and he gave me some good tips.” – Reuters

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Wales on brink of Euro qualification

Wales are one win away from qualifying for a major soccer tournament for the first time in over 50 years after beating Cyprus.

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Nicosia - Wales were not at their best in the 1-0 win away to Cyprus in their Euro 2016 qualifier on Thursday but their determination saw them through in the Group B match, coach Chris Coleman said.

“Playing in Cyprus is notoriously difficult... our players again showed the team spirit and work ethic and how much it means for them to play for their country,” Coleman said.

He hailed the character of his players who secured the three points thanks to Gareth Bale's late header which leaves Wales needing three more points to qualify for the finals in France which they could get at home to Israel on Sunday.

The Wales coach reserved special praise for Bale, who struck after 82 minutes, saying “you will not see a better header.

“He is one of the best offensive players in the world and when you have him in your team you always have half a chance of winning a match”.

But Coleman also stressed the need to deal with raised expectations and said his players and staff could not afford to get carried away despite knowing what is at stake.

Cyprus coach Pambos Christodoulou felt his team, fourth on nine points after seven matches, deserved at least a point.

“It was a game that we controlled in large parts except for the first ten minutes. We had more possession and created chances to score against an experienced opponent,” he said.

Christodoulou was pleased with his players' performance and effort and also vowed to go on the offensive in their next qualifier at home to Belgium on Sunday.

“We have never sat back and our philosophy is never to park the bus. Tactically in football all the players must press and attack,” he said. – Reuters

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Serero boost for Bafana

Thulani Serero has been declared fit to train and travel with the team to face Mauritania in an Afcon qualifier.

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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana midfielder Thulani Serero has been declared fit to train and travel with the team to face Mauritania in an African Cup of Nations match qualifier in Nouakchott on Saturday.

Serero was called up for national team duty and his club had said he was recovering from an injury - the Bafana Bafana medical team assessed him this morning and found him ready to be part of the squad.

He trained with his compatriots, completed the session and showed no signs of pain. The session was moved to Sturrock grounds at Wits after the UJ grounds were found to be waterlogged.

“Serero is fine, pain-free and was able to complete the training session so we are happy with the results. He is ready to travel with the team. He had an ankle injury which he was recovering from hence the team sent us the scan and the report that had an injury, but he is good to go after we checked him,” said Bafana Bafana medico Dr Thulani Hlatshwayo.

Serero arrived in camp on Tuesday night alongside Germany-based Daylon Claasen, bringing the number of players in camp to 24.

Only Kaizer Chiefs left back Tsepo Masilela hasn't reported for national team duty after his club informed Bafana Bafana that he was injured.

“We had requested that he also come in for medical assessment, just like Serero, but the status quo with Masilela remains the same from yesterday - he has not yet arrived in camp and the issue has been reported to the Association so they can deal with it administratively because it is now out of our hands. And that's where we are at the moment,” added Dr Ngwenya.

Mzikayise Mashaba did not finish the session after he was injured at training on his ankle, but he should be fit for the match.

Eric Mathoho, who sat out training on Tuesday as a precaution after he complained of pains on his foot, was back at training and showed no signs of discomfort.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana called off the Wednesday afternoon training session to give the players a bit of rest ahead of the trip to Mauritania.

The squad leaves on Thursday.

They will have their last training session on Friday at the match venue in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

Bafana Bafana are expected back in the country on Sunday and then start preparations for the 2015 Nelson Mandela Challenge clash against Senegal which takes place on Tuesday at Orlando Stadium. Kick-off is at 7pm.

Bafana Bafana squad:

Goalkeepers: Jackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Aces FC), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs FC), Ronwen Williams (Supersport United FC)

Defenders: Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs FC), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax FC), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits FC), Siyabonga Nhlapho (Wits FC), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk FC), Mzikayise Mashaba (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Siyabonga Zulu (Platinum Stars), Tsepo Masilela (Kaizer Chiefs FC)

Midfielders: Dean Furman (Supersport United FC), Andile Jali (KV Oostende FC- Belgium), Bongani Zungu (Sundowns FC), Mandla Masango (Randers FC (Denmark), Phumlani Ntshangase (Wits FC), Jabulani Shongwe (Wits FC), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Mpho Makola (Orlando Pirates), Ayanda Patosi (Lokeren FC (Belgium), Daylon Claasen (1860 Munich (Germany) Strikers: Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam FC (Holland), Thamsanqa Gabuza Orlando Pirates FC, Sibusiso Vilakazi (Wits FC), Tokelo Rantie (Bournermouth FC (England).

ANA

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