Doha, Qatar — A Qatari/Australian led consortium’s design for a FIFA/Olympic-standard stadium with a sunken arena has won an international architecture competition to create a national stadium and sports village in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Doha-based Australian firm, Designsport, and Australian LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture), in collaboration with local Ethiopian architects, JDAW, won the competition for their design which references Ethiopia’s world-famous excavated architecture and the ‘Mother womb’, the skeleton of one of the first humans, Lucy, who is about 3.2 million years old.

The stadium is shaped like a coffee bean, the main source of income in Ethiopia. The façade material that wraps around the stadium was similarly inspired by Ethiopian culture, modelled on the Massob, an Ethiopian communal serving basket made from woven grass. Completing the salute to nature, the roof of the stadium, which is an intelligent membrane, appears like a cloud on the horizon of the vast Ethiopian sky.

Work on the Addis Ababa stadium is scheduled to begin in 2014. The development is the largest sporting infrastructure project in Ethiopia, the second-most populous country in Sub-Saharan Africa and its fastest growing economy. The new facility, set on a 60-hectare site, will consist of a 60,000-seat stadium, an athletics track, aquatic centre, residential village, sports halls and arenas, retail and commercial zones as well as the headquarters of the Federal Sport Commission.

Samantha Cotterell, CEO of Designsport, a consultancy specialising in sport architecture and event design, who led the bid says: “The brief was to design a centre that would revitalise sport in Ethiopia. The result is a sports venue which can be used by all. It is for community use at a grass roots level right through to providing a high performance training centre for elite athletes and a location for major international sporting events.”

Chris Bosse, who led the design team, and is a director of LAVA, an award winning international firm of architects says: “We have gone back to the very origin of stadium design with the sunken arena surrounded by grandstands formed from excavated material. The man-made crater is a clever remodelling of the existing terrain, integrating facilities within the landscape. It is an efficient use of space which optimises the site’s environmental performance while minimising construction costs.”

Cotterell has worked as a senior overlay design consultant on all of Qatar’s major sporting events including heading up overlay design for sporting venues for the Doha 2006 Asian Games Organising Committee

Designsport and LAVA designed the Doha tennis lounge and the Sodra Future Tennis Centre. They were also were finalists in the international architectural design competition for the Health and Wellness Centre at Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar. The project included a major sport centre, a FIFA stadium for Qatar 2022 World Cup and was designed to be integrated into the Qatar Foundation Complex – Qatar’s leading University complex.

Image Courtesy of   Clive Chilvers / Shutterstock.com

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The moment that soccer and video games fans have been waiting for is coming closer and closer. On September 28 ‘FIFA 2013′ will be released, and players will have the chance once again to enjoy the ultimate soccer experience. The time when you become an international player of your national team, or when you win the Champions League with your local team is about to come.

As is true with any other remake, there will be a graphic evolution in ‘FIFA 2013.’ There is a greater inclusion of animations, more recognizable faces within the players, news stadiums, and commentators say even more phrases.

‘FIFA 13′ takes everything ever advanced in the past and expands, corrects, and evolves it. Therefore, the new version is not very different from FIFA 12, but the players will find a good host of new features.

The basis of all of these features will be the search for extreme realism: soccer’s constant unpredictability and uncertainty as well as the humanity that emerges in a field with 22 minds and bodies facing different teams.

Nothing is predictable in ‘FIFA 13′, where the computer will give surprises with consistent, creative and clever games styles. Then the development of the game and how the opponents play will be unclear during the 90 minutes.

The search for better graphics in video games has also given a step forward in this new version. Now players are more likely to hurt themselves, get more tired, do tactics that take into account the position and status of other peers, and do more realistic movements when shooting or receiving the ball.

One of ‘FIFA 13′s’ new features is called the Skill Games. It will consist of 32 challenges divided into 8 categories, which will assist the player in perfecting their technique and learning how to perform the best in every situation. Players will also have the chance to challenge other users around the world with their scores.

These tests would be meaningless in old FIFA’s, but the revised 2013 one contains a hyper behavior of the players’ bodies which gives variations of difficulty and challenges in each minigame, and can be based on various types of challenges and chutes, bargaining, defense, positions, passes or tactics.

The four tests for each category results in scoring goals from a distance, and completing a circuit without losing the ball. Holding the ball, passing it to the other players without being removed from rivals, and defending the goal from a corner all result in different scores. All of the experience gained in these tests serves not only to allow the gamer to play better, but also to improve the information of the players and to leave marks online. These are tests that will be taught to even the most FIFA assiduous players.

‘FIFA 13′ has once again expanded its Career Mode, which now includes national teams that play international tournaments. More leagues, such as the Argentinian, Turkish or Ukranian ones, have also been include into the game, so the time to play big tournaments with River or Boca has already come.

Moreover, manager management has also improved since it is going to host some FIFA manager features that so far have never been in a FIFA annual version. Features such as the transactions of players, stats, morality, new signings and even player’s loans from other teams to gain experience while they are in the bench, make this the most complete version to date.

Are you ready for the FIFA challenge? Although the game will not be released until end of September, there is a demo version currently available for the PC, so the most addicted players can already start testing this new FIFA version.

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Glostrup, Denmark — FIFA published a preliminary decision to end the ongoing debate about how referees will one day evaluate whether the ball has crossed the goal line during games. FIFA has approved a system based on the Select iBall, the world’s first intelligent soccer ball due to its ability to communicate that it has crossed the goal line.  Select’s iBall is the ball in the GoalRef system which has been tested by FIFA over the past few months and has now been approved for a final test so that the system can one day be used during professional soccer games.

Peter Knap, CEO of Select, has been developing the extraordinary ball for years so it could live up to a variety of demands.  Knap states, “It’s challenging work to design an intelligent ball that can withstand Ronaldo’s kick and at the same time be able to communicate with a system on the goal line. At Select we have been developing the soccer ball for more than 65 years so we have a solid head start when it comes to ensuring quality in new solutions.”

As the company that developed the modern soccer ball, Select has a long heritage in the sport.  That heritage is what led the Danish company to create the world’s first intelligent soccer ball.  The FIFA announcement marks the first time an intelligent ball has received recognition from FIFA.

“With a certain sense of pride, we can now say that Select has been behind the four most important steps in the development of the modern soccer ball. It began with the first laceless leather ball, then the first ball with 32 panels, then the first synthetic leather ball, and now the world’s first intelligent ball. At Select we have a deep insight into the very nature of the sport that enables us to create the best professional sporting equipment,” says Peter Knap.

While the Danish company Select is the ball manufacturer behind the iBall, the complete GoalRef system has been developed in partnership with the German company Fraunhofer IIS, part of Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization, The Fraunhofer Society.

Project leader Ingmar Bretz from Fraunhofer IIS states, “For us to achieve this, having a reliable partner like Select has been essential. Select has years of development experience from the history of GoalRef and their knowhow within ball production has been vital for our success.”

The intelligent soccer iBall works through an internal web of copper wire, which uses induction to communicate with a panel of antennas mounted to the goal frame. The very same second the entire ball has passed the goal line, the system sends a signal to the referee’s wristwatch, and the referee can instantly call it as a goal.

FIFA’s decision is the finest proof yet that the technology behind the iBall can live up to all of the tough demands of modern soccer in terms of precision, speed and quality. With this acknowledgement, Select has achieved another milestone in the development of the soccer ball.

Image Courtesy of   fstockfoto  / Shutterstock.com

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FIFA has lifted its ban on the Muslim headscarves (the hijab) for women soccer players on Thursday following a decision made by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

The initial concern with the use of the hijab is the safety regulations in which the garment was not recognized as part of the usual laws of the game. It was said that the hijab presents a real danger of choking if worn while playing. The unanimous overturn on the ban, however, was made after reports from FIFA’s medical officer citing the removal of safety and medical issues surrounding the headscarves.

The issue was first addressed via the AFC’s Women’s Committee, and was later taken up by Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, the vice president of FIFA.

The ban was heavily criticized and has been labeled as ‘inequality at the highest level of the world’s most popular game.’ Last year at the 2012 Olympics qualifying match, Iran’s women’s soccer team was prevented from playing their match against Jordan after the team members refused to remove their hijab prior to kickoff.

Despite being at the top of their group in the first qualifying rounds, their dreams to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics was abruptly shattered after given a 3-0 defeat as punishment.

Other sports, like taekwondo and rugby, allows its women participants to don the hijab, and after careful re-consideration, new hijab designs are now in production for women soccer players. Secured with velcro, experts have confirmed that the new design eliminates neck injuries, and thus the safety issues that initiated the ban.

Though in this case the ban was health and safety related, this latest development signifies another victory for what has been an ongoing battle for Muslim women around the world fighting to keep the headwear on. The wearing of the Islamic veil has sparked numerous debates on the so-called oppression of the women wearing it, though most admit to wearing it by choice. FIFA’s lifting of the ban has also opened up doors for other sportswomen in the Arab world and other Islamic countries who were previously unable to compete because of the ban.

With the recent news of the first Saudi female Olympian participating in the games, more women from other conservative Islamic countries are also now looking forward to participating in world class sporting competitions without having to sacrifice their identities as Muslims and foregoing their rights to practice their religious teaching.

Yusef Abdallah, the head of the United Arab Emirates’s Football Federation stated, “Women will from now on have the chance to practice this sport with religious respect.”

Despite the green light from FIFA, the French Football Federation (FFF) still refuses to authorize players to wear the veil while representing France or playing in any of its organized competitions on the grounds that sports “must continue to promote equality of the sexes.” France has been a strong advocate of the burqa ban, another Muslim headwear, arguing that it encroaches on individual freedoms.

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The great finale has arrived. The moment that all soccer fans were waiting is finally here. The Euro 2012 has reached its end after nearly a month of competition, in which so many things have occurred. It may not have been the tournament where a lot of goals have been scored or where matches have been epic. But a final is a final, and more if the finalists are two great national teams like Spain and Italy. These two Mediterranean countries are now partying, enjoying the pregame, but the intoxication of joy can become tachycardia as the minutes passes. After 90 minutes one country will laugh and the other will cry. Bets say that the Spanish team is the favorite, but in soccer nothing is ever written, especially when Italy is playing.

Spain and Italy are two countries that in recent months are experiencing the worst economic times since the eighties. The two countries go hand in hand when asking for financial aid to Europe. Today, however, they will forget the solidarity they share.

Italy and Spain, two styles of strategies, although both efficient. The Spanish style is one of touch, elegant, dribbling and speed, against the Italian catenaccio, the claw and value, plus the kind of Pirlo and hunger of the striker Ballloteli. Two antagonist styles from the two best European teams that will face off in a game that has acquired a military component.

Spain may go down in history as the first selection in soccer history to win European Championship, World Championship, and European Championship in a row. Three big tournaments in 6 years, something that no team has ever achieved. The team will face its fourth European Championship final, after 1964, 1984, 2008 and aims to win its third European title and confirm the hegemonic cycle of Spanish soccer.

On the other side the Italian also want to write their name in soccer’s history after they defeated Germany in the semifinals, thanks to the two goals scored by Mario Balotelli.

Spain’s starting team is already decided according to Del Bosque’s second coach. Spain is expected to come out with their regular team and the only question is who will occupy the vacant seat on this selection, the forward position, harmed by the absence of Villa. However, it appears that the number 9 position will be occupied by the FC Barcelona player, Cesc Fabregas, despite not being a striker. The most knowledgeable soccer fans say that this post should go to the striker Alvaro Negredo, even though Del Bosque’s bet has paid off recently.

90 minutes of tension that will let one of these countries forget their financial situation for a couple of days. Then they will have to come down from the clouds…

Image Courtesy of  Continental AG UEFA EURO 2012 – Claudio Villa / Getty Images

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New York, U.S.A. – Wednesday April 25 on World Malaria Day, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) named the United Against Malaria (UAM) campaign an official social program of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, being held in South Africa early next year.

Although preventable and treatable, malaria kills a child in Africa every 60 seconds. By tapping into the popularity and excitement surrounding Africa’s signature tournament, CAF and UAM have partnered to disseminate life-saving malaria prevention and treatment messages to millions of fans across the continent.

“In order for Africa to compete on the global football pitch, we must have players and communities that are free of malaria,” said Mr. Hicham El Amrani, secretary general of CAF. “We are committed to using the popularity of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations tournament to raise awareness and increase the fight against this devastating disease.”

With CAF’s support, UAM will develop and distribute local and pan-African public service announcements (PSAs), delivered by African football stars, to educate millions of African football fans about malaria prevention and treatment. Research has shown that audiences retain and act on these messages more often when delivered by their football heroes.

“Football has the most passionate fan base in the world, and during the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, we have an opportunity to channel that energy toward social good,” said Mr. Leodegar Tenga, executive committee member of CAF and president of the Tanzanian Football Federation. “Through our partnership with United Against Malaria, we create a platform where fans not only remember the football skill on the pitch but the important messages that will help protect them and their loved ones from malaria.”

The endorsement from CAF, which oversees the football activities of more than 50 African countries, represents an unprecedented opportunity to reach malaria-endemic populations. Building on the success of past football tournaments, such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2011 CECAFA Tusker Challenge Cup in Tanzania, UAM will also encourage the African private sector and political leadership to to play a greater role in stopping global malaria deaths, 91 percent of which occur in Africa.

“We are honored to have been selected as an official social cause of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations,” said David Kyne, campaign manager of United Against Malaria. “We are so grateful to CAF for its active and ongoing support in the fight against malaria and for offering United Against Malaria such a powerful platform for improving and saving lives.”

To learn more about UAM, please visit www.UnitedAgainstMalaria.org or follow on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UnitedAgainstMalaria

Image Courtesy of   Gates Foundation

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As the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea prepares to kick off, some of football’s biggest stars have been practicing more than just their moves on the football pitch; they’ve also been practicing delivering messages about malaria control.

Andrew (Dede) Ayew, midfielder from Ghana, Gervinho, forward from Cote d’Ivoire, and Moussa Sow, forward from Senegal, were just a few of the tournament stars who delivered malaria prevention and treatment messages in new United Against Malaria (UAM) public service announcements (PSAs) that will air throughout Africa during the tournament.

Other UAM champions who lent their voice to the new PSAs include Jordan Ayew, striker from Ghana, Charles Kabore, midfielder from Burkina Faso, and Asamoah Gyan, striker from Ghana. The PSAs focus on the importance of malaria prevention and treatment for children in Africa, “because all children deserve a chance at greatness, just like their heroes on the football pitch.” Although preventable and treatable, a child in Africa dies every 45 seconds from malaria.

“Malaria still kills many children in Africa, and it’s important that we educate fans on how to protect themselves and their families,” said Ghana Football Association President and CAF Executive Committee member Kwesi Nyantakyi, whose national team starred in a UAM PSA ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “Until we have no children dying from malaria in Africa, we need to spread the word about ways to prevent and treat this disease.”

The new PSAs will be shown at half-time during matches aired in Ghana, Senegal and many other African countries through local and cable television stations.

“We are so grateful to the players and their national associations for their commitment to the fight against malaria,” said David Kyne, United Against Malaria Campaign Manager. “Their support offers us an unparalleled opportunity to reach millions of viewers watching the tournament to deliver messages about the prevention and treatment of malaria.”

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/gatesfoundation/

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Congratulations to Likuena for qualifying for the group stage of the 2014 World Cup despite the number of problems Lesotho football has experienced over the years. It is a notable achievement for national coach Leslie Notši and his players, putting Lesotho amongst Africa’s top national teams and has breathed life into local football. Likuena can look now forward to competing alongside Ghana, Zambia and Sudan in 2012.

However, this success does not mean that they should rest on their laurels or become big-headed. They should not fool themselves into thinking they can conquer the world already. This is just a start that has to be built upon.

The decision by the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) last year to suspend the national team, Likuena, and focus on Lesotho’s national youth sides has so far been vindicated, but now more needs to be done to consolidate it.

For one thing Lesotho football will not move anywhere while it is still being played on potato fields. Players and supporters alike continue to decry this situation, which has been unchanged for decades. There also has to be more investment in grassroots football and talent identification has to start in schools. When this talent is identified it needs much better nurturing and monitoring.

Better management of the top-flight is also desperately needed, while clubs themselves need to work harder to improve their running. On average, premier league clubs are run on debt and are only kept afloat by well wishers. Players are not insured or paid, and have to fend for themselves. All of these factors have snowballed, resulting in Lesotho being left behind at the highest level.

This is shown by how Lesotho has always fared well in youth football but failed at the senior level. This is because of the poor levels of the league, administration and facilities. Lesotho has a talented generation of players at its disposal and their talent has to be afforded a platform. It is time we began to seriously move towards semi-professionalism.

It is not like there are not any guidelines. The Mohale Declaration is there, signed and sealed by Lesotho’s club in 2008, but over three years after its signing, it is hard to say Lesotho football has progressed in the way the roadmap intended it to.

For example, the Mohale Declaration says “by 2014 all clubs will have consistently access to (or ownership of) developed training facilities that will by 2014 be fully provided and include turf, dressing rooms and training lights”.

It is time they stopped paying lip service to things like this, and Lesotho has to use Likuena’s success as a starting point. Of course there are a lot of challenges in Lesotho football but the simple ones can be overcome. A more serious approach to security by the Lefa and improving facilities are just two aspects Lesotho football desperately needs, both of which mostly require initiative. What the sporting community has to realize is that Lesotho has fallen behind its neighbours.

True leadership means being able to offer workable solutions to problems and offer new ideas. If something isn’t done now, then this window of opportunity for Lesotho football will be missed.

Sergei Bachlakov / Shutterstock.com

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The Football Association of Wales revealed Sunday that football manager Gary Speed was found dead at 07:08 GMT on 27^th November at his home in Huntington, Chester.

Speed boasted an exemplary international career. Over a period of fifteen years, he won 85 caps for his country and also played for Leeds, Everton, Sheffield United, Newcastle and Bolton. After taking on his first managerial role with Sheffield United and accepting an MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to football, he was appointed as Wales’ manager almost one year ago with the brief to prepare the senior squad for qualification to the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cheshire police were called to Speed’s home in the morning of 27^th November after receiving information of a sudden death at an address in Huntington. A spokeswoman for Cheshire police announced that there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding his death, and confirmed it to be an apparent suicide.

A minute’s silence was announced at the Premier League Swansea match against Aston Villa on Sunday, following which, supportive chants and rounds of applause resonated around the stadium.

Tributes to Speed began to pour in within minutes of hearing the news. Former team mate Ryan Giggs said: “I am totally devastated. Gary Speed was one of the nicest men in football and someone I am honoured to call a team-mate and friend. It goes without saying my thoughts are with his family at this tremendously sad time.”

Alan Shearer who played alongside Speed during his time at Newcastle said: “Gary was a magnificent person, bright, fun and a wonderful family man – he lit up every room he walked into.”

Comments however have not been restricted to those issued from former team mates. Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted that Speed was a ‘[f]antastic servant of Leeds’ and will be ‘[m]ourned by football’, with Welsh politicians Cheryl Gillian, Kirsty Williams and Carywn Jones also expressing their condolences.

The FAW also publically extended their sympathies. Speed leaves a wife and two children, and the FAW called for everyone to respect the family’s privacy at such a difficult time. They further commented that ‘this tragedy [...] is a huge loss not only for his family and friends but for the nation as a whole.’

Cheshire police confirmed that a family tribute will be released at a later date.

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Now it’s no secret at all that the US dominates 4 of the major sports. When it comes to football, basketball, and baseball we are the cream of the crop. We have the best leagues and the best talent of any other country where these sports are played.

In hockey I would give the edge slightly to Canada, but the US is a very close second. Then you get to the sport of soccer. Not only are we not number 1 or number 2, we aren’t in the top 10 or the top 25 for that matter.

The most recent FIFA world rankings have the USA ranked 30th and this past MLS all-star game made this ranking even more painfully apparent. What we saw was a team comprised of the best the MLS has to offer, and even with the help of once successful European players Thierry Henry and David Beckham we saw a squad that was out played and out matched.

Aside from a few early chances by the All-Stars, the Red Devils had no problem pouring it on the clearly weaker MLS squad. Rooney and Berbatov were able to set up a trailing Anderson for the first goal of the match 20 minutes in.

Seconds before halftime Park was able to beat Sean Franklin in the box and place a shot past goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón. Not even substitutions could help the MLS squad turn there luck around in the second half. Seven minutes in Berbatov off of a nice feed from Rooney was able to knock home his own attempt which struck the crossbar to put Man U. up 3-0. Second-half sub Welback sealed the deal when a shot from just outside the box was deflected by a defender on its way into the net.

Now I understand that the MLS doesn’t have just US players and that many of USA’s better players play elsewhere, but that right there points to the problem. Our best players go to play where the better game and talent is, Europe.

The players from overseas that come here do so in the twilight of their careers and are still some of the best players in our league. Take Beckham out of this game and we probably don’t have half as many decent scoring opportunities as we did. If we as US soccer fans are to take anything from this match it’s that we are still vastly far behind the upper echelon of the soccer world. Still don’t believe me when I say that we are out of our league then think about this.

The best of the best of our entire league couldn’t even scratch a goal against a club team from theirs. We are still many years away from reaching the top tier and every year we are reminded just how far away we are when our MLS All-Stars suit up against some of the best in the world and every year they get manhandled.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/60278244@N00/5988841058/

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The United States Women’s Soccer team defeated France by a score of 3-1 in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup to move on to their first final’s appearance since their dominant 1999 victory.

In incredible fashion, which seems to be the way they like to do it, the Americans snatched the game away from France in the last minutes despite being dominated for much of the match.

The U.S. Had previously lost two consecutive semi-final matches in the World Cup, and weren’t going to go down this time without a serious fight.

On the heels of one of the best matches in World Cup history, the United States was forced to put their celebrations aside and prepare for a tough French team that had been playing well to this point in the tournament.

Though they have usually been a second-half team, the U.S.A. struck early in this one, taking a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. Heather O’Reilly made a quick move down the sideline past the French defense and launched a low cross to the feet of Lauren Cheyney who was able to make a beautiful touch, redirecting the ball to the far side of the net, just past the French goalkeeper.

Pia Sundhage seemed to have her team much more focused at the start of this match, playing with the same intensity that fans saw in the second half and overtime of the incredible quarter-final game against Brazil. Sometimes teams have a bit of a hangover after a match such as that, especially one which lasts a whopping 123 minutes plus penalty kicks. The U.S. looked like they were as fresh as ever, but the tides would soon turn.

The French saw their first realistic opportunity pass byjust after in the 29^th minute when Louisa Necib, the talented French midfielder, saw Hope Solo charge at her inside the box and deflect the shot out of play.

France was knocking on the door with serious momentum in the 32^nd minute when a short free kick ended up hitting the crossbar behind the American goalie. It seemed as though one goal would not be enough to hold down this inspired French team.

Finally in the 37^th minute the U.S. snatched back some momentum when Christie Rampone made a rare long run down the sideline, crossing a high ball toward Wambach on the far post who just missed, heading her own ball off the crossbar. It was only a matter of time til Wambach would get one on target.

All throughout the first half the French squad dictated the style of play and were able to fire countless shots from range against the United States defense, but the shots would need to come from much closer to get past the remarkable Solo.

It was an incredible half to watch from a fan’s standpoint with tons of shots and offensive opportunities. Though France surely outplayed the United States with regards to time of possession and shots on goal, the U.S. came away with the one goal advantage on the scoreboard, and had many scoring threats of their own in his back-and-forth match. This game was far from over.

The second half began with no immediate substitutions from either side and the incredibly play continued right from the whistle.

France immediately came out firing again, sending numbers at the Americans just about every time they touched the ball, but the American back line continued to be strong in front of their star goalie and seemed to sense that it would be on their shoulders to win this game for the United States.

After all of the legitimate chances France had, the 54^th minute brought about a broken play to finally breach the U.S. defense. France’s star left back Sonia Bompastor attempted to cross a curling ball in front of goal causing Hope Solo to pick up the forward trying to get on the end of the cross. Unfortunately for the Americans, the ball sailed over the hopeful forward and trickled into the net for an equalizing goal. No matter how, the score was now level.

Carli Lloyd was subbed out for the first time in this World Cup in the 64^th minute in favor of Megan Rapinoe with hopes of creating a spark for the U.S. attack in addition to getting some fresh legs into the game.

Rapinoe certainly had a positive impact on the squad forcing many balls into the middle and in the 78^th minute earned the U.S a corner with another one of her quick runs.

Abby Wambach came to the rescue once again for the Americans with her incredible strength and leaping ability. On that corner she was able to strike the ball with great pace into the back of the net. 2-1, advantage America.

Wambach had reportedly been bothered by a nagging right achilles injury causing her to miss some practice time throughout this World Cup tournament. Regardless, when she’s on the field, she will always be a key target on the offensive end with her incredible heading abilities. Coming into the game Wambach needed only one goal to tie the United States World Cup record of twelve held by Michelle Akers and with her second incredibly clutch moment of the tournament she had done so.

The French defense was quickly breaking down and speedy forward Alex Morgan was able to take advantage immediately after the Wambach goal. She was able to lift the ball just over the keeper’s fingertips, floating it into the net and putting the game away for the Americans after being dominated for so much of the match. The U.S. Was surely headed to Frankfurt.

As the final whistle blew jubilation came over the players and fans once again as they now knew they would be onto their third World Cup final.

One of the biggest pre-game stories was how U.S. defender Rachel Buehler, was replaced by Becky Sauerbrunn due to Buehler’s suspension thanks to a red card in the second half against Brazil. Buehler had struggled mightily to this point but coach Pia Sundhage was rolling the dice on Sauerbrunn who had been yet to make any touches in this years World Cup.

Sauerbrunn made her coach look so wise with her decision by playing up to her potential and beyond. The young defender showed that she could be the future replacement for captain Christie Rampone when she decides to retire. The question now will be who to start on the back line for the finals match-up.

Speaking of the captain, not nearly enough credit has been given to Christie Rampone throughout these matches. The 36 year old has played multiple spots on the defensive end for the United States and has been a rock along the back line. At her age she is still just as fast as she ever was, and might be playing the best soccer of anybody in the tournament. She will surely be a key component should the team want to come away from the finals victorious.

Hope Solo, who has recently become one of my more popular players in the world shined again in her 100^th international appearance. Remarkably in those 100 games she has had 55 shutouts with only 6 defeats to her name, proving why she is constantly referred to as the best goalkeeper in the world. This performance surely backed up her reputation, keeping countless French chances out of the net en route to another clutch U.S. Victory.

Fight, heart, determination and character. Not enough adjectives can be given to describe this United States team. It has been a fairy tale run to this point, qualifying last even as number one in the world. Notching incredible late victories in the knockout stages, and moving on to yet another World Cup final.

When you think you have the U.S.A. Down and out, they shine the brightest.

Coach Pia Sundhage was asked what made the difference in the match she replied simply with “a big heart.” They will surely come out with that same heart in the finals looking to win their first World Cup in 12 years.

The final battle for the cup will be played in the beautiful Frankfurt stadium on Sunday, July 17^th.

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What if all the pressure was on? What if everything rested on your shoulders? Would you falter?  What if you were in an epic battle for World supremacy? If your country, your home was counting on you to succeed; could you handle that? All by yourself…or should I say; SOLO?

Sorry to disappoint Star Wars fans, but this isn’t the Solo you were expecting. We’re talking about Hope Solo; the starting goal keeper for the women’s US National team.  In USA’s match against Brazil, Solo made a spectacular penalty kick save to give the United States the edge in their comeback thriller making her an instant American hero. As great as that save was, it was merely an exclamation point on the play Solo has displayed through this World Cup. Her leadership skills and spectacular skill set has made her the undisputed top women’s goalie in the world today; so where has she been our whole lives?

Hope Amelia Solo grew up in Richland, Washington.  She grew up in a rough child hood setting where the game of soccer was her only constant. When she was six years old, her parents divorced and she lived solely with her mother. Her father was a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for most of his life but stayed a major influence in Hopes life until his sudden death in 2007. Hope became a soccer star while she was in high school but oddly enough not as a goalie. Solo was a forward for Richland High School scoring 109 career goals and becoming a two time All-American.  Solo received a full scholarship to University of Washington where they decided her athletic, and quick reaction abilities would make her a stand out keeper. They were right.

Solo became the Huskies all time leader in saves and shutouts and was a four-time All Pac-10 selection and a three-time All American. While in her sophomore year of college, Solo became a full time member of the USA national team. After her college career, and being an alternate for the 2004 Olympic team, Solo was drafted to the former WUSA team, the Philadelphia Charge. Following the Charges fallout from the league, Solo went and played with a few clubs overseas in Germany and Sweden while working her way up the American depth chart.

In 2007, Solo’s career looked to take off as she was named to the women’s World Cup squad. She was named the starter over veteran Brianna Scurry and gave up only two goals in four games while posting two consecutive shut outs leading up to a semi final match against Brazil.  Then US coach, Greg Ryan, made a shocking move and benched Solo for Brianna Scurry. Scurry went on to have a dismal performance and the US lost 4-0 to Brazil.

Solo, clearly outraged, publicly criticized Ryan’s coaching move saying “It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves.” Solo was then dismissed from the team before the third place World Cup game and did not participate in the post World Cup tour.

Hope Solo did not let the 2007 World Cup affect her play and kept training harder than ever. In 2009 Solo joined the Women’s Professional soccer league with St. Louis Athletica and became the WPS goalie of the year. She then went on to play for the Atlanta Beat and currently starts for the Orlando MagicJack and is easily the best keeper in the league. The WPS is where Solo competes and improves her skills, but Solo shines when she steps on the field for the red, white, and blue.

Watching Solo on Sunday vs. Brazil was inspiring to say the least. She is not simply a goalie but she is a leader. She steps out onto the field and commands the respect from the other team, while also imposing fear in their eyes. Solo’s outspoken attitude was seen as arrogance in 2007 and is now seen as, for lack of better terms, “swag” in 2011. Solo has became an American hero, sex symbol, and inspiration after one game and one save vs. Brazil, however Solo has been someone to look up to her whole life.

What if you were in a battle for world supremacy? What if you had your countries fate on your shoulders? Would you falter? Well, we know Solo wouldn’t, and now she looks to continue her fight for World supremacy as she takes on France in the semi final match on Wednesday. I wouldn’t expect her to be benched this time. Good luck Hope; America is behind you.

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The 2022 world cup will be held in Qatar as we all know.  I wonder if it would really surprise anyone who follows the FIFA governing body as of late that there are accusations alleging that the bid was awarded through corruption and bribes.

But that is not the only issue to consider here.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was re-elected Wednesday amidst allegations of corruptions and will in fact serve out another 4 year term as president.

In his mind there is no crisis as he has been quoted saying, the problem is that many officials around the world are losing faith in the system…but then again he was re elected somewhat unopposed.  Blatter was cleared of all official allegations and continues his dictatorship so to speak.   Other still have to answer for their part in the corruption charges and a lot remains unanswered.

Jack Warner a FIFA executive committee member since 1983 was suspended due to these same allegations along with Mohamed bin Hamman.  After being suspended, Warner unleashed several allegations attacking the legitimacy of the world cup bidding and bidding for future events; money changing hands from President Blatter to Concacaf.  There are also allegations that gifts were handed out to 13 Caribbean football associations.

Warner sees his suspension as an attempt to secure Blatter’s re election and he promise to unveil many more secrets about this organization and this man whom he has known and worked with for a number of years.

FIFA’s image is forever tarnished by this internal squabble and many people have lost their jobs and hopefully many more will come to restore a level of confidence in the overall system.

kojoku / Shutterstock.com

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