Benin overcame the formidable challenge of Angola on Sunday to join Nigeria and Cameroon in the last phase of African qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

A 3-2 win in Cotonou for the small West African country came 24 hours after Cameroon had secured their progress by beating the Cape Verde Islands 2-1 in Praia.

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Johan Djourou is the fourth candidate for the holding midfield spot at Arsenal. Born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast 21 years ago, Djourou grew up in the Swiss city of Geneva. Djourou was only seventeen months old when he was adopted by his father's first wife Daniele, a Siwss woman, leaving his mother, younger [. Click to continue reading...

Here's one of those random news stories we read about every season:

Born in the same Liverpool suburb as current well-known midfielders Steven Gerrard and Joey Barton, Peter Reid had a solid playing career, most notably at Bolton, Everton, and Manchester City. He won the FA Cup and old First Division twice (both at Everton). Click to continue reading...

Ivory Coast star Gervais Gervinho Yao Kouassi has pleaded with Arsenal to make is dream move to the Emirates come true. The 21-year-old striker - who is also known as Gervinho - caught the eye while playing for Le Mans in his first season in Ligue 1. Now he says he is desperate to quit the French [.. Click to continue reading...

Without the season started Sevilla already bad news comes again. The biggest signing in club's history will not be available for the rest of the year as he will have to endure a severe knee injury. Arouna Kone's career is now in jeopardy after suffering a severe knee injury in a national team [...] Click to continue reading...

Friday September 5th Niger  v  Uganda Group  C South Africa  v  Nigeria Group  D Mozambique  v  Ivory Coast Group  G Ethiopia  v  Morocco Group  H Chad  v  Sudan Group  J Zambia  v  Togo Group  K Djibouti  v  Malawi Group  L Libya  v  Ghana Group  E Algeria  v  Senegal Group  F Saturday September 6th Seychelles  v  Burundi  Group I Kenya  v  Namibia  Group . Click to continue reading...

This is sure to be news to Scolari & Co.

Didier "I don't know what I want" Drogba, who missed Chelsea's opening match of the season with Porstmouth, looks to be out until October if Ivory Coast manager Vahid Halilhodzic is to be believed. Drogba was inclued in the coach's 22-man squad for the Coast's Wednesday friendly with Guinea, but was not used.

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For Australian football's sake...go! There comes a time in everyone's career when it is time to move on...for Graham Arnold, for his own sake if no-one else's it's now.

Arnie has had two Campaigns, an Asia Cup and an Olympic campaign, where he was the Coach.

Who ever gets two Campaigns to fail in World Football? Click to continue reading...

Soccer billboard in Beijing
Originally uploaded by eugene La semifinal que todo mundo esperaba Argentina - Brasil se ha dado.

Argentina 2 - Holland 1 AET (Olympics quarter-final, August 16, 2008) Diego Maradona fue a ver a Lionel Messi el petizo jugador le dio la delantera a los pero en el 36th los holandeses empataron con un magistral tiro de Otman Bakkal,
Angel Di Maria anoto el de la victoria. Click to continue reading...

Peter Odemwingie scored in the first half and Victor Obinna converted a late penalty Saturday to lead Nigeria to a 2-0 win over African rival Ivory Coast and into the semifinals of men's football.

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England and France had the start today and here are the big matches:
In the Premier League Arsenal won against Wes Bromwich at home with the new kid in the team Nasri scoring the winning goal early on. Also Liverpool won away at Sunderland with Torres scoring for them, let us see if he can have a better season than the last one in which he crowned himself European Champion along the Spanish national squad, he had a good start with a late winning goal in the 83rd minute in this match. Click to continue reading...

Good morning folks. The Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals kick off today with four quality match-ups. the games have taken place or are taking place this morning, but since they aren't being shown live I am not posting results until later today.

Here are today's match-ups:

• Brazil vs.

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While we lament the loss of the Nigerian Super Falcons in the Women's Olympic football tournament, praise must be heaped on the African men, who all swept into the quarterfinals of the men's Olympic tournament.

One thing we know for sure is that Africa will be represented in the semi-finals, as Nigeria take on Ivory Coast in the last eight. Click to continue reading...

Beijing Olympics Highlights: Nigeria are meeting Ivory coast Saturday August 16th. Watch the highlights here at footiedb.com Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today Click to continue reading...

Several players have been called up for international action next week. For many countries, this is the last opportunity to get things sorted before World Cup qualifiers start this fall.

France (vs. Sweden - 08/20/08): Hugo Lloris, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Jeremy Toulalan, Sidney Govou, Karim Benzema

Sweden (vs.

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Nearpost Host Russ Gibbs asks the question.....

The Olyroos: Where was the Magic?

By Russ Gibbs

So, that's that then. After building it up for several months in advance the Australian Olympic team have bowed out of the Beijing Games with barely a whimper having picked up a solitary point from their three group matches. Click to continue reading...

The Olyroos' Olympic campaign came to a disappointing end after we were bundled out with a 1-0 loss to the Ivory Coast. Australia's lack of precision and quality finishing in the final third really cost us the game as we did carve out numerous chances, particularly in the first half. With the Elephant's only needing the [. Click to continue reading...

Brazil are second-favourites to win the Gold medal in the men's football at the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing after they eased to the top of the standings in Group C. Victories in their three group matches meant they advanced to the quarter-finals in a storming fashion. The 2007 South American Youth Championship victors eased past the hosts China 3-0 in their final match and they will now face Cameroon, who finished runners-up in Group D behind Italy.

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Australia went out of the Olympics tonight. They lost 1-0 in Tianjin to the Ivory Coast.

And whilst they gave perhaps their best performance of the tournament they never really looked convincing in the the final third, not tonight, or indeed in the whole tournament.

They told us they were a great group of players, battle hardened having qualified through Asia. Click to continue reading...

Beijing Olympics Highlights: Ivory coast are meeting Australia Wednesday August 13th. Watch the highlights here at footiedb.com Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today!  Click to continue reading...

Abdoulaye Meite has joined newly promoted West Brom from Bolton as the baggies look to strengthen ahead of the Premiership campaign. The Ivory Coast centre back moves to the Hawthorns in a deal worth £2m. Meite who made 56 appearances for Bolton since joining in in 2006 has signed a 3 year deal that could be extended if the club wish to keep him at the club. Click to continue reading...

Group A at the Beijing Olympics consists of Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia and Australia. Team Played Won Lost Drawn GF GA GD Points Argentina 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3 Australia 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 Serbia 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 Ivory Coast 1 0 1 0 1 2 -1 0 Australia 1-1 Serbia ( Aug 7-Shanghai) (Ruben Zadkovich/ Slobodan Rajkovic) Argentina 2-1 Ivory Coast ( Aug 7- Shanghai) ( Lionel Messi, Lautaro Acosta/ Sekou Cisse) Group B consists of USA, Netherlands, Nigeria and Japan. Click to continue reading...

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Herald Sun (Australia) - Olyroos draw 1-1 in opener against Serbia
Tom Smithies in Shanghai | August 07, 2008 08:51pm

AUSTRALIA'S Olympic odyssey started in positive fashion last night, with the Olyroos grabbing a point against Serbia in Shanghahi to keep alive their dreams of qualifying for the knockout stages. Click to continue reading...

Lionel Messi scored for his country in their opening Olympic men's football match in a narrow 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast on Thursday.Scoring for your country has to beat scoring for your club.Messi also helped setting up the second goal.He was adamant about wanting to be part of the Olympics and Barcelona,despite winning an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport giving the club the right to stop him playing,lifted their ban at the 11th hour.

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Solomon Kalou of Chelsea celebrates the Ivory Coast's goal with a teammate / AP Photo Matchday one is in the books for 2008 Men's Olympic Football tournament with Argentina, Brazil, the United States and Italy all recording victories. However some performances were more impressive than others: Brazil for example were outplayed badly by Belgium for [. Click to continue reading...