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Alexandre Lacazette is set to be named in France's FIFA World Cup squad, according to Lyon head coach Remi Garde. The 22-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers for Lyon this season, notching 14 goals in 30 Ligue 1 appearances.

Good Evening and welcome to the LIVE blog for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals Draw. A team of LaNUBlog NEWS ARENA sports analysts would bring you commentaries and live updates of the draw taking place in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. You can also follow and contribute to the coverage on our Twitter, Facebook and, comments here, below. The Official Matchball for Brazil 2014. 17:32 Ronaldo, highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup with 15 goals and three times World Footballer of the Year, and two time World Cup winner addresses the draw crowd.

The match commences at 4:00p.m. Nigeria’s Super Eagles will play against their Ethiopian counterpart at 4:00 p.m. The match, to be played in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, is the second leg of the final round of the World Cup Qualifiers for both countries. Nigeria won the first leg in Ethiopia 2-1. A draw or an outright victory will be enough for the Super Eagles to qualify for Brazil 2014. The Super Eagles starting XI for the match is: Enyeama (c); Echiejile, Oboabona, Omeruo, Ambrose; Onazi, Mikel, Moses; Musa, Brown, and Emenike. Refresh your browser to get latest updates. ——————————- Update 5: Fans applaud as names of Eagles players are reeled out on the microphone. Update 4: Super Eagles now on the pitch to warm up. They are being joined by the Ethiopians. Update 3: The victorious Golden Eaglets get thunderous applause from fans as their presence at the stadium was announced. The Eagles backroom staff are out to prepare the stage for the Eagles to warm up. Update 2: ...

Enyeama captains Eagles against Ethiopia. Nigeria’s quest for goals in Saturday’s World Cup Qualifier against Ethiopia will be spear headed by the duo of Emmanuel Emenike and Brown Ideye; as the Super Eagles Coach unveiled a strong squad for the duel against the Wayla Antelopes of Ethiopia. Others in the starting line-up are the stand-in captain Vincent Enyema who keeps his position in goal. The quartet of Elderson Echiejile, Godfery Oboabona, Kenneth Omeruo and Efe Ambrose are to hold forth in the defence while John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Ogenyi Onazi, and Ahmed Musa completes the list of eleven players chosen by the Big Boss to start against the Antelopes. Starting {XI} Eleven Enyeama (captin); Echiejile, Oboabona, Omeruo, Ambrose; Onazi, Mikel, Moses; Musa, Brown and Emenike. **Wish them Success***

Nigeria faces Ethiopia by 4:00p.m. Security officials at the Transcorp Hotel Calabar where the Super Eagles are camped are having it tough as eager fans have decided to keep vigil at the gate of the hotel to catch a glimpse of the African champions. With training already concluded Friday morning, the Eagles were only meant to stretch their legs with a walk around the hotel premises which was done around 11.30 a.m.; as the scores of fans present shouted the names of the players as they performed the ‘usual ritual’ of the 5 minutes’ walk around. Just after the Eagles completed the walk, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, president, Aminu Maigari, in company of some other board members breezed into the Transcorp hotel. Also at the Transcorp hotel were the Golden Eaglets who are special guests at this afternoon’s match. In and around the stadium, there is heavy presence of police officers who for now are pre-occupied with handling traffic as commercial activities around the stadium...

Calabar - Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has warned his players against a careless attitude as the team prepares to play Ethiopia, saying Nigeria is not yet in Brazil. Nigeria and Ethiopia will clash on Saturday in the return leg of the 2014 World Cup playoff at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar. Despite a 2-1 lead from the first leg played in Addis Ababa, Keshi reiterated the fact that the game will be played as if there was never a first leg encounter. “We have not qualified but on the verge of doing so and we must not let down our guards at this crucial moment”, he said in a statement. When asked whether Nigeria can win the World Cup in Brazil, looking beyond Ethiopia, he said it was a possibility. “Nothing is impossible in football and we can win in Brazil but the immediate task at hand is to qualify first." Emmanuel Emenike, who plays for Fernabahce in Turkey and Lazio of Italy’s Ogenyi Onazi, were the last two players to make it to the Transcorp hotel camp of the natio...

Johannesburg - The World Cup could be targeted again next year for demonstrations in Brazil against graft and poor public services but FIFA should not be held responsible or made a scapegoat, general secretary Jerome Valcke warned on Tuesday. The presence of massed world media made the World Cup "an easy platform to express concern and organise demonstrations," he said. "I think it is too easy to put the blame of what happened in the streets in Brazil in June on FIFA or the World Cup saying why are spending so much money on a football tournament and not spending it somewhere else. June's Confederations Cup, a two-week test event before the 2014 finals, was overshadowed by a rapid and unexpected wave of discontent in Latin America's biggest country, catching both authorities and world football's governing body unawares. The marches, which drew over one million protesters in more than 100 cities at their peak, used the tournament as a stage from which to ve...

London - England manager Roy Hodgson believes that the Brazilian climate will make it easier for African teams to prosper at next year's World Cup than the traditional heavyweights from Europe. Writing in the programme notes for the friendly game between Italy and Fulham that is due to take place at his former club Fulham next week, he said: "I think (African teams) may have a stronger chance than any of the European teams, to be perfectly honest, because of the climate." No African team has ever made it to the semi-finals of a World Cup, but Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal have all reached the quarter-finals and Hodgson believes the continent's leading sides are equipped to make an impact at world football's showpiece event. "There are many African players out there of excellent quality now," he added. "They play in the top European leagues and that makes the African nations very strong. "Nigeria have traditionally been one of the strongest, ...

Abuja - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has named a high profile 28-man squad to face Nigeria and Germany in upcoming international friendlies. Italy will host the Germans in Milan on Friday before travelling to London to face the Super Eagles at Craven Cottage in London on November 18, Kick Off Nigeria reports. Italy squad Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain). Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (AS Roma), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Juventus), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St Petersbourg). Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo ...

Armenia play their final FIFA World Cup qualifier with a chance of making the play-offs, but face a tough trip to Group B winners Italy. Vardan Minasyan's side are fifth in the pool but trail second-placed Bulgaria by just one point, meaning they are in with a chance of finishing immediately behind Cesare Prandelli's men. The scenario is unlikely as it would require Bulgaria and the Czech Republic to draw - with Denmark also failing to beat bottom-placed Malta - while they win in Naples to secure one of the eight best runners-up spots. Armenia have been inconsistent throughout their qualifying campaign, winning four but losing five of their nine fixtures, but a 2-1 home victory over Bulgaria on Friday ensured they kept their hopes of reaching Brazil 2014 alive. Spartak Moscow forward Yura Movsisyan is likely to lead the line for Armenia. The 26-year-old has three goals in qualifying so far, and will look to provide the attacking threat in Tuesday's fixture, while Borus...

Emmanuel Emenike scored a double as Nigeria claimed in a 2-1 win in the first leg of their FIFA World Cup play-off with Ethiopia. The visitors headed into the game as heavy favourites for the clash against an Ethiopia side looking to reach the World Cup finals for the first time in their history. However, the African Cup of Nations holders struggled for much of the encounter, and fell behind when midfielder Behailu Assefa put Ethiopia ahead early in the second half. Sewnet Bishaw's men could not hold on to their lead, though, Emenike levelling with a fine individual goal before completing the turnaround with a late penalty. Nigeria made the better start to proceedings, with winger Victor Moses and striker Nnamdi Oduamadi both wasting chances to give the visitors the advantage. Ethiopia were denied a shock lead in the 23rd minute when Saladin Said saw his effort prevented from finding the net by Godfrey Oboabona's goal-line clearance. Referee Neant Alioum adjudged that the...

Raul Jimenez's stunning bicycle kick has given Mexico a 2-1 win over Panama, keeping their hopes alive of automatic World Cup qualification. Mexico started Friday's World Cup qualifier at home knowing anything less than a win would mean the best they could hope for was a spot in an intercontinental play-off versus New Zealand. The home side dominated the match at the Estadio Azteca, and deservedly led 1-0 at half-time through Oribe Peralta, but Panama looked like they might snatch a point when Luis Tejada scored with eight minutes remaining. With the game in the balance, however, Jimenez stepped up - unleashing a bicycle kick from the edge of the penalty area to score the winner in the 85th minute. The victory took Mexico above Panama into fourth position in CONCACAF's fourth round standings with 11 points, three behind third-placed Honduras, who sit in the last automatic qualifying spot for next year's World Cup finals with a round of games to play. Mexico took ni...

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque conceded his team 'struggled' and 'weren't comfortable' in their 2-1 win over Belarus. Xavi Hernandez and Alvaro Negredo scored the goals for Spain, who had to wait until after the hour mark to break open Belarus' defence for the first time on Friday, while the visitors pulled a late goal back on the island of Mallorca to ensure a nervous finish for Del Bosque's team. While Del Bosque was happy the World Cup and European champions had taken another significant step towards World Cup qualification at the Iberostar Estadi, he admitted his side have not been playing top football for the best part of a year. "It is true that the match seemed a repetition as recent others we have had," Del Bosque said after the game. "The games with Finland (in September), Georgia (last year) and Belarus have been kind of a copy. "We can't deny we struggled and we couldn't score until the 15th minute in the second ha...

Portugal coach Paulo Bento said everyone in his national set-up deserves some blame for his team's 1-1 draw versus Israel on Friday. The result at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon was a big blow to Portugal's hopes of automatic qualification to Brazil 2014 as it left Bento's team three points behind Group F leaders Russia, who cruised to a 4-0 win over Luxembourg. Portugal must defeat Luxembourg on Tuesday and hope Russia lose away to Azerbaijan, while Bento's team will also need to make up seven goals worth of goal difference. The Portuguese could have been just one point behind Russia after Ricardo Costa gave them a first-half lead on Friday but Eden Ben Basat's 85th-minute equaliser for Israel ensured Bento's side will probably have to play a two-legged play-off to reach next year's World Cup finals. "In the second half we started just as well but after 10 minutes... we had more difficulties to move the ball, we were more inaccurate and ended ...

Argentina have come from behind to continue their unbeaten run at home in World Cup qualifying with a 3-1 win over Peru. The CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying leaders, who have already secured a spot at Brazil 2014, fell behind to Claudio Pizarro's fine finish for Peru in the first half. But thanks to Ezequiel Lavezzi's brace before half-time and Rodrigo Palacio's strike two minutes after the break, Argentina made it nine games without a loss in home qualifiers. The win ensured Argentina will finish the South American qualifying group on top as they rose to 32 points, five clear of second-placed Colombia, who wrapped up a spot at next year's finals on Friday. Peru had entered the match in Buenos Aires knowing they could not qualify for Brazil 2014 and finished the game still on 14 points in seventh position. The visitors started strongly, however, with Pizarro bursting onto a through-ball by Gianmarco Gambetta in the 21st minute and then finishing inside the far post o...

The United States have claimed their 14th victory in 15 games with a 2-0 triumph over Jamaica in World Cup qualifying (CONCACAF). In a dull contest at Sporting Park in Kansas City, the home side had to wait until the final quarter of an hour to break down Jamaica with Graham Zusi and Jozy Altidore scoring within four minutes of each other to wrap up victory for the USA. The result of Friday's World Cup qualifier was basically irrelevant as the USA had already qualified for next year's tournament in Brazil, while Jamaica had no chance of qualifying. And the game seemed to reflect that for the opening 70 minutes with a lack of urgency meaning there were only four shots that tested either goalkeeper in that time. With World Cup qualification already secure, the USA's head coach Jürgen Klinsmann took the opportunity to give a starting debut to Icelandic-born striker Aron Johannson. But it was not until Johannson was substituted that the hosts finally hit the back of the ne...

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi said on Friday in Abuja there were no injury worries after the team rounded off its training before heading to Addis Ababa. The Eagles will leave Abuja on Saturday morning for Sunday’s match against Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes. The match is the first leg game in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final elimination play-offs, and is scheduled for Addis Ababa, with the return leg on November 16 in Calabar. Keshi told newsmen the team was in high spirits ahead of the game, and expressed happiness that none of the players in camp was nursing injury. "Thank God we have concluded our training successfully here in Abuja. The remaining job will be completed in Addis Ababa on Saturday and Sunday,’’ he said. Goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, the team captain, urged Nigerians to pray for the team. He said the match in Addis Ababa could be the decider for both teams, even though he was sure the Eagles would emerge from the encounter victorious. "We just had our fin...

Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria travel to Ethiopia in confident mood ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off first leg. Stephen Keshi's side went unbeaten in the group stage of qualifying, topping Group F by five points after winning three and drawing three of their six games, conceding just three goals in the process. Defender Solomon Kwambe believes the morale-boosting triumph in February's Cup of Nations will give his side the edge as they look to return victorious from Sunday's visit to Addis Ababa. "We are the African champions," he said. "And we must demonstrate the stuff that made us African kings in whatever and wherever we see ourselves, we'll surely triumph against the Ethiopians. "Victory is written on everybody's faces, and all the players are smiling, indicating that fortune will smile at us on Sunday. "The mood in the camp and among the players is charged with anticipation of resounding victory against E...

The senate president, Senator David Mark, on Wednesday in Abuja charged the Super Eagles to ensure they emerge victorious in Sunday’s match against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Mark, in a goodwill message to officials and players of the team, said this was necessary because the Nigerian nation desires the 2014 World Cup ticket more than ever. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match is the first leg game in the Nigeria/Ethiopia pairing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers’ Final Round. "The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is very important to Nigeria. We need to be there, and whatever we can do to earn the ticket must be done without delay,’’ the Senate President said. He said football, and sports generally, has become a major tool for international politics and rating of nations, besides being a unifying factor. "If we must maintain our status as the giants of Africa and a major player in the global community, we must have a stamp of authority in sports, especially...

Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid (Getty)The Champions Leaguereturns this week, as 32 teams battle it out for a place in the final at Benfica's Estadio da Luz stadium. Holders Bayern Munich, drawn in Group D alongside Manchester City, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen, start their campaign in the Russia capital on Tuesday night, while last season's runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, take on Napoli a day later. Barcelona are the bookies' favourites, Dortmund and Arsenal are among the backable outsiders, but what do our experts think? Welcome to theChampions Club. In the first in our new series, Nat Coombs is joined by international football writer Peter Staunton and Champions League winner Didi Hamann as we highlight the ones to watch, and those we expect to flop, in this year's tournament. Didi and Peter have had their say and now it's time for you to have yours. Tweet us using the hashtag#ChampionsClubto predict your winners. To put a question to our panel, leave you c...