Soccer-Blatter opens Congress warning of dangers to FIFA, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Mike Collett

ZURICH, May 31 (Reuters) - Beleaguered president Sepp Blatter formally opened the 61st FIFA Congress on Tuesday warning of the dangers world soccer's governing body is facing.

Blatter, welcoming FIFA's 208 delegates at the opening ceremony which featured jugglers, folk dancers and singer Grace Jones, said he would speak in more detail about the problems facing FIFA before the business part of the Congress starts on Wednesday.

However, he warned: "I thought we were living in a world of fair play, respect and discipline but I

Soccer-African Champions League results, Posted by Meosha Eaton

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 28 (Reuters) - African Champions League first round, second leg results:

Played on Sunday: AS V Club (DR Congo) 3 Ocean View (Zanzibar) 0
First leg: 1-1. AS V Club won 4-1 on aggregate Aduana Stars (Ghana) 1 Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) 0

First leg: 0-3. Wydad Casablanca won 3-1 on aggregate Jeunesse Club Abidjan (Ivory Coast) 3 ASFAN (Niger) 0

First leg: 0-0. Jeunesse Club Abidjan won 3-0 on aggregate Zamalek (Egypt) 1 Ulinzi (Kenya) 0

First leg: 4-0. Zamalek won 5-0 on aggregate
Played on Saturday: ASC SNIM (Mauritania) 0 ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast) 2

First leg: 0-7. ASEC Abidjan won 9-0 on aggregate
Played on Feb 13 St George (Ethiopia) 1 Recreativo Caala (Angola) 0

First leg: 0-2. Recreativo Caala won 2-1 on aggregate Matlama (Lesotho) 2 SuperSport United (South Africa) 1

First leg: 0-2. SuperSport United won 3-2 on aggregate Cnaps Sport (Madagascar) 0 Motor Action (Zimbabwe) 1

First leg: 1-0. Motor Action won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw. Enyimba (Nigeria) 2 Saint Michel Ouenze (Congo) 0

First leg: 1-0; Enyimba won 3-0 on aggregate St Michel United (Seychelles) 2 Young Buffaloes (Swaziland) 1

First leg: 0-3. Young Buffaloes won 4-2 on aggregate
Played on Feb 12: ASFA Yennega (Burkina Faso) 3 Fello Stars Labe (Guinea) 0

First leg: 1-1. ASFA Yennega won 4-1 on aggregate Deportivo Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) 1 ASPAC FC (Benin) 1

First leg: 0-1. ASPAC won 2-1 on aggregate Ports Authority (Gambia) 0 Diaraf Dakar (Senegal) 2

First leg: 1-1. Diaraf Dakar won 3-1 on aggregate Desportivo Muculmana (Mozambique) 2 Zesco United (Zambia) 1

First leg: 0-3. Zesco United won 4-2 on aggregate Kano Pillars (Nigeria) 1 Mighty Barolle (Liberia) 0

First leg: 1-2. Kano Pillars won on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate draw Simba SC (Tanzania) 4 Mitsoudje (Comoros Islands) 2

First leg: 0-0. Simba SC won 4-2 on aggregate
Played on Feb 11: Mouloudia Alger (Algeria) 2 Real Bangui (Central African Republic) 0

First leg: 1-1. Mouloudia Alger won 3-1 on aggregate InterClube (Angola) walkover v Township Rollers (Botswana) withdrew Raja Casablanca (Morocco) walkover v Tourbillon (Chad) withdrew after losing first leg 10-1. Club Africain (Tunisia) v APR FC (Rwanda) postponed to March 4.

First leg: 2-2 Astres Douala (Cameroon) v US Bitam (Gabon) postponed to March 5.

First leg: 0-0 Coton Sport (Cameroon) v Vital'O (Burundi) postponed to March 5.

First leg: 2-2 Djoliba (Mali) v East End Lions (Sierra Leone) postponed to March 6.

First leg: 2-0 (Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by James Illingworth)

Facts and figures relating to the Group A World Cup match, Posted by Meosha Eaton

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Facts and figures relating to the Group A World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe (0900 GMT) at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, on Monday:

Head-to-head record
Total played: 27. Australia wins: 25; Zimbabwe wins: 1; NR: 1
In the sub-continent: 6. Australia wins: 6; Zimbabwe wins: 0
In the World Cups: 8. Australia wins: 7; Zimbabwe wins: 1


* Australia have dominated their performance over Zimbabwe, having lost only once in their inaugural encounter in the 1983 World Cup by 13 runs. There have been a few other instances when Zimbabwe did run Australia close (twice at Perth - 1994 when Australia won by two wickets, and 2001 when they won by one run), but Australia's firepower have almost always prevailed.

* The two teams have met each other once at Motera when Alistair Campbell's century had given Australia a real scare, although they eventually won by 13 runs.

* Both sides might look to win the toss and bat first, as Motera holds a slight edge for sides batting first. Out of 18 matches played at the ground, teams batting first have emerged triumphant 10 times.

* Zimbabwe's recent form has not been great (LLLWL) and they have won only seven of the 20 ODIs they played in 2010. However, what will bolster their confidence is the fact that they have beaten West Indies, Sri Lanka and India at least once during this period and they will be hoping to put in a strong, consistent performance over the next six weeks.

* Australia have lost the Ashes and might have lost their aura of invincibility as well. But as they are on a 29-match winning streak at the World Cup, no one can write them off from lifting a fourth successive title. With a 6-1 drubbing of England in the recently concluded series, a very good ODI form (WWWLW) and 14 wins and nine losses in the last 12 months, they have always been extremely strong contenders.

* Brendan Taylor has shown good form in the warm up matches for Zimbabwe, with two half centuries and a well compiled 40 against South Africa. He scored two centuries in 2010 against good quality bowling attacks of Sri Lanka and South Africa. Zimbabwe will be hoping for a solid start from him at the top of the order.

* Shane Watson has been the Australian ODI player to watch. He has had 16 scores between 30 and 70 in the 27 matches he has played in the past 13 months. He has almost always got Australia off to a good start, but has failed to convert his starts to big scores except for his 161 not out against England at Melbourne. That, along with his wicket taking ability, makes him one of the players to watch in this tournament.
(Compiled by Rajiv Gupta, editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Soccer-African Champions League results, Posted by Meosha Eaton

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 14 (Reuters) - African Champions League first round, second leg results:

Played on Friday: Mouloudia Alger (Algeria) 2 Real Bangui (Central African Republic) 0 First leg: 1-1. Mouloudia Alger won 3-1 on aggregate

Played on Saturday: ASFA Yennega (Burkina Faso) 3 Fello Stars Labe (Guinea) 0 First leg: 1-1.
Yennega won 4-1 on aggregate Deportivo Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) 1 ASPAC FC (Benin) 1 First leg: 0-1.

ASPAC won 2-1 on aggregate Ports Authority (Gambia) 0 Diaraf Dakar (Senegal) 2 First leg: 1-1. Diaraf won 3-1 on aggregate Desportivo Muculmana (Mozambique) 2 Zesco United (Zambia) 1 First leg: 0-3.

Zesco won 4-2 on aggregate Kano Pillars (Nigeria) 1 Mighty Barolle (Liberia) 0 First leg: 1-2.

Pillars won on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate draw Simba SC (Tanzania) 4 Mitsoudje (Comoros Islands) 2 First leg: 0-0.

Simba won 4-2 on aggregate Played on Sunday St George (Ethiopia) 1 Recreativo Caala (Angola) 0 First leg: 0-2.

Caala won 2-1 on aggregate Matlama (Lesotho) 2 SuperSport United (South Africa) 1 First leg: 0-2.

SuperSport United won 3-2 on aggregate Cnaps Sport (Madagascar) 0 Motor Action (Zimbabwe) 1 First leg: 1-0.

Motor Action won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.

Enyimba (Nigeria) 2 Saint Michel Ouenze (Congo) 0 First leg: 1-0; Enyimba won 3-0 on aggregate St Michel United (Seychelles) 2 Young Buffaloes (Swaziland) 1 First leg: 0-3.

Young Buffaloes won 4-2 on aggregate InterClube (Angola) walkover v Township Rollers (Botswana) withdrew Raja Casablanca (Morocco) walkover v Tourbillon (Chad) withdrew after losing first leg 10-1.

Postponed Astres Douala (Cameroon) v US Bitam (Gabon). First leg: 0-0 Coton Sport (Cameroon) v Vital'O (Burundi).

First leg: 2-2 AS V Club (DR Congo) v Ocean View (Zanzibar). First leg: 1-1 Zamalek (Egypt) v Ulinzi (Kenya).

First leg: 4-0 Aduana Stars (Ghana) v Wydad Casablanca (Morocco).

First leg: 0-3 Jeunesse Club (Ivory Coast) v ASFAN (Niger). First leg: 0-0 Djoliba (Mali) v East End Lions (Sierra Leone). First leg: 2-0 ASC SNIM (Mauritania) v ASEC Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

First leg: 0-7. Club Africain (Tunisia) v APR FC (Rwanda). First leg: 2-2. (Compiled by Mark Gleeson in Johannesburg; Editing by James Illingworth)