June 2013 - Match Topic - Football - Basketball

Uruguay vs Italy June 30, 2013

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez will have veteran defender Andres Scotti available again after a one-match ban.
Tabarez also has to decide whether to stick with Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan up front once again.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli could be without Alberto Gilardino who looked to have picked up a knock against Spain.
His potential absence, following Mario Balotelli's early departure back to Italy, could see Stephan El Shaarawy start.

MATCH PREVIEW

It's a case of what a difference a day makes for Italy coach Cesare Prandelli. Even before the semi-finals a three-day turnaround, after an already-hectic tournament, looked a tough ask.
Add in a 120-minute encounter against the world champions and Prandelli is a little prickly about the tournament scheduling. Uruguay enjoyed an extra 24 hours recovery following Wednesday's semi-final and Prandelli said: "Perhaps the whole formula of the competition should be reviewed in order to give teams a bit more time to recover, especially when you play in this heat. It might be risky to play at such a short distance of time."

Confederations Cup: Navas penalty sends Spain into final
With off-field protests overshadowing the tournament Fifa most likely have bigger fish to fry than Prandelli's concerns.
However in a meeting of two evenly-matched sides - just 11 places separate them in the world rankings - the Italy boss could have picked out Sunday's game-changer: fitness.
Uruguay will also be jaded with Sunday's clash their seventh in the last 25 days. Their World Cup qualifying hopes hang in the balance ahead of a crucial autumn but coach Oscar Tabarez believes the Confederations Cup has proved his side can secure a return trip to Brazil next summer.
"If we play like this we are in a position to play anyone, and that is ground that we have gained for the qualifiers ahead," he said. "We can compete with top-level teams. That's a plus when it comes to playing future matches."
Tabarez wants a long-term future featuring Brazil 2014. For now the focus is securing third place in this global gathering.
Last time they met, Italy paid the price for a wasteful display by losing 1-0. After a similarly goal-shy semi-final Prandelli will be determined there is no such repeat, tired or not.
MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

The two countries have played eight Fifa recognised matches over the last 85 years. Uruguay lead the way with three wins to Italy's two, with three draws.
The two teams last met in a friendly in November 2011 in Rome which La Celeste won 1-0 thanks to a Sebastian Fernandez strike.
Eight of the Uruguay starting XI in that 1-0 win also started in the 2-1 defeat against Brazil last time out compared to six Italians (who started against Spain on Thursday).
Between them Italy and Uruguay won the first four World Cups (Uruguay 1930 and 1950, Italy 1934 and 1938).
Uruguay
Eight of the Uruguay squad play their club football in Italy.
Uruguay's penalty record is won five, lost four. La Celeste have won their last two shoot-outs; seeing off Argentina 5-4 in the 2011 Copa America quarter-finals, a tournament they went on to win. They also famously knocked Ghana out of the last World Cup in a shoot-out.
The November 2011 win over Italy made it 13 games unbeaten for Uruguay. They have won just six of the 19 games since (L7, D6, W6) however four of those wins have come in the last month.
Edinson Cavani's goal against Brazil was only his sixth in his last 28 outings for Uruguay.
Italy
Italy's semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat was the second time they have suffered spot-kick misery against this all-conquering Spanish side. At Euro 2008, having also drawn 0-0, they lost 4-2 on penalties in the quarter-finals.
No one has scored more for Prandelli's Italy than Mario Balotelli (10 goals in 25 games).
Italy became the first team in 16 games to keep a clean sheet against Spain last time out.
Italy games have featured seven of the 14 strikes of the woodwork at the Confederations Cup.
The Azzurri have attempted more crosses than any other team (69) at the tournament.

Spain vs Italy June 27, 2013

Italy face the difficult prospect of playing Thursday's rematch of the Euro 2012 final without Mario Balotelli or Ignazio Abate, both of whom have been sent home from the Confederations Cup after sustaining injuries. Andrea Pirlo is also battling injury as well, but is expected to start the semifinal.

The Azzurri also don't have the same momentum that they had heading into the European final. Instead of coming off of convincing wins against England and Germany where they never looked like going behind, they struggled with Japan and Mexico more than anyone thought they would and were beaten convincingly by Brazil.

Of course, recent history has seen Italy do the most when the least is expected of them. Spain isn't without problems either, with Roberto Soldado and Cesc Fabregas doubtful for the semifinal. That means that Fernando Torres is likely to start at center forward, and with Torres starting, anything is possible.

Match date/time: Thursday, 3 p.m. ET

Venue: Castelao, Fortaleza, Brazil

Meanwhile Italy defeated Mexico 2-1 in its first group match before winning 4-3 against Japan. In the final game, Italy lost 4-2 against Brazil.

The game is a rematch of last year's Euro Cup final where Spain defeated Italy 4-0 on the way to becoming the first international side to win three straight major tournaments.

"It will be a great semi-final. We will see who's the lucky one to progress. There's not really much to say about it, but we do not fear anyone," Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told Tele 5. "We never show any fear and even less so against Italy. We'll meet a great Italy team, though, and we cannot underestimate them. We are only one step away from the final."

Italy Captain Gianluigi Buffon echoed Iniesta's comments. "We've played each other in the past two European Championships and we're playing again... Spain is always a tough opponent, but we aren't scored," he stated in an interview with Marca. "We have a clear-cut plan. Right now, Spain is the strongest team in the world and we have to contain its midfield. We have to play a very serious game, remain focused and try not to let their players get comfortable on the ball. I think that we're going to play a great game."

Italy will be without striker Mario Balotelli after he was sent back home with an injury. Despite being left out of the game, Balotelli has been active in talking up the match on social media.
"I have been waiting for Spain for a year. Revenge is a dish best served cold," Balotelli wrote on his

Regarding Balotelli's remarks, Iniesta responded, "Balotelli wants revenge? It will be a nice semi-final and we will see what happens. He trusts in his team and we in ours."
Prediction: Italy's defense has been porous and the injuries to major players should play huge factors. Look for Spain to win 2-0.

Italia es un lobo con piel de cordero, ojo. Confiarse con La Azzurra puede ser un crimen. Todos, incluidos los italianos, colocan y casi que bordan el cartel de favorito de España (21.00 horas ). Los transalpinos recuerdan lo que pasó en la final de la última Eurocopa, pero no hay que olvidar que en el primer partido de esa competición no les pudimos ganar y que Italia, simplemente, es Italia. En juego, estar en la final del domingo en Maracaná. Para estar allí, Iker Casillas recuperará su lugar como cerrajero de las puertas nacionales y Silva y Fernando Torres entrarán en detrimento de Cesc y Soldado. Prandelli, mientras, cambiará su sistema para defenderse, con tres centrales y dos carrileros. Sin Balotelli, el que llegará a tiempo será Andrea Pirlo, el más 'español' de la selección italiana.

Tras el éxito de la pasada Eurocopa, en la que Italia cayó en la final ante España, el actual campeón del mundo, después de derrotar a Alemania en semifinales, el equipo de Cesare Prandelli sigue apostando por regenerar tanto el estilo de juego como una plantilla con la necesidad de nuevos referentes, antes de jugar las semifinales de la Copa Confederaciones España-Italia (21:00h).

Las derrotas ante la Roja en los campeonatos internacionales precedentes han hecho cambiar la dirección de los planteamientos futbolísticos a un país tetracampeón del mundo. Pirlo continúa siendo el principal argumento futbolístico de un equipo que persigue imitar el estilo que ha llevado a la selección española a ser campeona de Europa y del Mundo. Ese es, desde su llegada, el principal objetivo de Prandelli.

En ese largo proceso de reconstitución de unas bases sólidas que puedan llevar al éxito en Brasil 2014, Italia llega a las semifinales de la Copa Confederaciones con mucho que ganar y poco que perder. Sin embargo, las lesiones han mermado el potencial de un equipo en plena construcción.

Los "azzurri" acudían a la cita de las mejores selecciones continentales con grandes credenciales, pues les avalaba una óptima fase de clasificación para el Mundial de Brasil de 2014, en el que, hasta el momento, solo han cedido dos empates, frente a cuatro victorias.

Sin embargo, en el torneo no han estado a la altura de lo que se esperaba de ellos y han encajado demasiados goles. Ocho tantos en tres partidos son sinónimo de debilidad defensiva. Además, si en la abultada derrota ante Brasil el técnico italiano ya no pudo contar ni con Pirlo, por lesión, ni con De Rossi, por sanción; ante España es Balotelli el que no estará. El jugador del Milan ha sufrido una rotura muscular que le ha obligado a abandonar la concentración.

La delantera es, desde el comienzo del campeonato, la posición que más quebraderos de cabeza ha dado a Prandelli. Ahora, sin el excitizen, el ataque de la azurra queda considerablemente mermado, más si se tiene en cuenta que para esta convocatoria se han caído los veteranos Antonio Cassano y Antonio di Natale y que El Shaaraway ha tenido molestias físicas a lo largo de todo el torneo.

Si exceptuamos las posiciones ofensivas, los jugadores que han llegado hasta las semifinales del la Confederaciones son básicamente los mismos que los que acudieron al campeonato europeo de 2012, con la inclusión de hombres como Candreva, Cerci o Astori.

Pese a que la apuesta y los hombres utilizados serán prácticamente los mismos, el físico al que llegan a este tramo del campeonato que se celebra en Brasil no parece el idóneo para medirse a la campeona del mundo. La derrota ante Brasil en la primer fase fue la constatación de que el proyecto de Prandelli tiene que continuar con su proceso de maduración.

Marchisio preferito a Montolivo. Prandelli ha sciolto il dubbio della vigilia con il centrocampista della Juve titolare insieme a Candreva dietro l'unica punta Gilardino. E' dunque fatta la formazione che sfiderà stasera alle 21 (le 16 locali) a Fortaleza la Spagna campione del mondo e d'Europa, con un 3-4-2-1 che prevede Barzagli, Bonucci e Chiellini davanti a Buffon, Maggio, De Rossi, Pirlo e Giaccherini a metà campo PER APPROFONDIRELIVE Spagna-Italia Speciale Confederations Ecco la Top Ten della Confederations Neymar esalta Anderson: «E' il mio pupillo» La nutrizionista azzurra: «Vi svelo il cibo vincente» Buffon: "la differenza non è cosi grande" dietro il terzetto offensivo. Dall'altro lato Del Bosque non recupera Soldado e in attacco si affida a Torres, bomber della Confederations con 5 gol.

L'ITALIA NON VINCE DAL 1994 - Sono 31 i precedenti tra Italia e Spagna: il bilancio vede 10 vittorie azzurre, 9 della Spagna e 12 pareggi. L’ultima vittoria italiana risale al 10 agosto 2011, 2-1 in amichevole a Bari, con reti di Montolivo e Aquilani; in gara ufficiale l’Italia non batte la Spagna dal Mondiale 1994 in Usa (2-1). Prandelli ha 3 precedenti con gli spagnoli: 1 vittoria, 1 pareggio e 1 sconfitta.

PROBABILI FORMAZIONI SPAGNA-ITALIA
Fortaleza, stadio Castelao, ore 16 locali (21 italiane)
SPAGNA (4-3-3) 1 Casillas; 17 Arbeloa 3 Piqué 15 Sergio Ramos 18 Jordi Alba; 8 Xavi 16 Busquet 6 Iniesta; 11 Pedro 9 Torres 10 Fabregas A disposizione: 12 Valdes, 23 Reina, 2 Albiol, 5 Azpilcueta, 19 Monreal, 4 Martinez, 20 Cazorla, 22 Navas, 7 Villa, 13 Mata, 7 Silva, 9 Torres. CT Del Bosque
ITALIA (3-4-2-1) 1 Buffon; 15 Barzagli 19 Bonucci 3 Chiellini; 2 Maggio 16 De Rossi 21 Pirlo 22 Giaccherini; 8 Marchisio 6 Candreva; 11 Gilardino A disp.: 13 Marchetti, 4 Astori, 5 De Sciglio, 7 Aquilani, 6 Candreva, 17 Cerci, 23 Diamanti, 14 El Shaarawy, 10 Giovinco. Indisponibili: Sirigu, Balotelli, Abate. CT Prandelli
ARBITRO: Webb (Ing) Guardalinee: Mullarkey-Cann Quarto uomo: Proenca (Por)
REGOLAMENTO: In caso di parità al 90’, tempi supplementari ed eventualmente calci di rigore.

Confederations Cup 2013: Brazil vs Uruguay - Semifinals June 26, 2013

Brazil team stays 2 matches far from their 3rd serial Confederations Cup champions after rumble directly Group A. Brazil's semi-final adversary is Uruguay, that overthrowed Uruguay's starter againist Spain before skipping back to forwatd.

Gossips of a Selecao renunciation were obviously exaggerated as the first time overpowering team has played some unusual play soon in the tourney. By World Cup in Brazil lesser than 1 year far, gaining the Confederations Cup would ensure a seasonable increasing of faith.

Uruguay got in the contest as a risky sluggard apart from the limelight of Spain, Italy and Brazil. While the Celeste do not state as well bottom as their equal semi-finalists, they have sufficient top-level ability to win a shocker.

When is the match:June 26 at 3PM (ET), Wednesday

Where is the match: (Brazil) Estadio Mineirao

Uruguay vs Tahiti June 23, 2013

Uruguay took a major step toward the Confederations Cup knockout stage with a victory over Nigeria. Now, the Celeste must take care of business against an overmatched Tahiti squad to join Spain as the teams coming out of Group B.

Tahiti did well simply to qualify for the tournament. Although it was clear from the outset the Toa Aito didn't have enough talent to compete, it's an experience the players won't soon forget. And they get one last outside chance to play the role of spoiler.

Uruguay can't allow for any shocking results. The favored side must take control of the match right from the outset—as Nigeria and Spain both did—and cruise to a big win. If it does that, a ticket to the semifinals and a matchup with Brazil or Italy would follow.

Knowing that, let's take a glance at all the key information for the Group B finale, followed by a closer look at some players to watch, and a match prediction

Where: Arena Pernambuco in Sao Lourenco da Mata, Brazil

When: Sunday, June 23, at 3 p.m. ET

Uruguay are not quite as good as Spain, and theoretically should beat Tahiti by fewer goals than Spain, but the Spaniards were holding back a bit despite their 10-0 margin of victory. With a potential group win and an all-time FIFA record for margin of victory in their sights, Uruguay might be a little more hesitant to let off the gas.

Tahiti are, incredibly, not mathematically eliminated from the competition. They would need Spain to beat Nigeria while beating Uruguay by eight goals to go through, but they can take comfort in the fact that they survived longer in Confederations Cup than either Mexico or Japan. Clearly, they're an emerging football power.

A win by six or seven goals should see Uruguay through to the next round, assuming that Nigeria doesn't put a beating on Spain. There is one amazing scenario where Uruguay and Nigeria could go through while Spain exits -- if Nigeria wins by four goals and Uruguay wins by eight, the defending World and European champions will be eliminated.

There's only one absence for Uruguay: central defender Diego Lugano. He's suspended for yellow card accumulation. Given how poor he's been since the 2011 Copa America, that might be a net gain for his team.

Match date/time: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET

Venue: Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

Nigeria vs Spain June 23, 2013

Spain and Nigeria help to close out the 2013 Confederations Cup group stage on Sunday.

It's no surprise that Spain have been the team of the tournament so far. While Brazil have picked up the full nine points already, La Roja have been so methodical with the way in which they've gotten the job done. You'd have to give them the edge right now.

For Nigeria, it's been downhill ever since winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. They've had to deal with problems behind the scenes, and those issues have rubbed off on the team's results on the pitch.

The Confederations Cup is an opportunity to get things back on track. The Super Eagles won't have any more time to do that, though, with the wrong result against Spain.

Here's a preview for this final match of Group B play.

When: Sunday, June 23, at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, Brazil

Japan vs Mexico June 22, 2013

Japan and Mexico were both eliminated from Confederations Cup contention with losses in their first two matches. Brazil and Italy will advance from Group A. It leaves nothing to play for but pride when the sides meet to finish group play.

The Samurai Blue were in position to pull off an upset against Italy. They scored the first two goals of the match. A Daniele De Rossi goal right before halftime turned the tide; however, and Japan let three crucial points slip away in the second half.

Mexico's biggest problem continues to be creating chances. El Tri's only goal in the tournament came on a Javier Hernandez penalty kick. They have scored just two goals in their last five matches, a worrisome issue as they seek a World Cup berth.

Both squads will want to end the tournament on a high note even though their hopes of reaching the knockout stage were dashed. With that in mind, let's take a glance at all the key viewing information for the match, followed by some players to watch and a prediction.

Where: Estadio Mineirao in Minas Gerais, Brazil

When: Saturday, June 22 at 3 p.m. ET

México.- La última y nos vamos. Hoy es el juego de la honra, no hay otra manera de llamarlo. De perder, el fracaso sería peor de lo que ya es, porque el no lograr el pase y ser humillados por Brasil e Italia, sólo son parte de esa horrible pesadilla del “Tri”.

La Selección Mexicana se juega el orgullo, es un duelo de perdedores, Japón tampoco ha ganado, aunque a los italianos sí les dio pelea de la buena, les metió un susto, pero no lograron aniquilarlos en la cancha.

En cambio, México mediante la vía del penal les metió un gol y es hasta el momento la única anotación que tienen en la Copa Confederaciones. Para los muchachos de José Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre es regresar a casa con un poco de orgullo y al menos decir que no “bailaron zumba con la más fea”.

EN DEUDA

Sabe que han quedado a deber. El técnico de la Selección Mexicana de Futbol, José Manuel de la Torre, apela al orgullo deportivo para que México logre una victoria hoy ante Japón en el último partido de la fase de grupos de la Copa Confederaciones de Brasil. “Debemos ganar por orgullo”, dijo “Chepo”.

El seleccionador del “Tri” aseguró que respeta a los nipones y destacó las aptitudes que tienen a la hora de atacar.

“Japón es un equipo muy ordenado. Nos tiene acostumbrados a eso por su cultura. Dejan algunos espacios que podemos aprovechar”, dijo el entrenador.

“Lo que no te gusta es perder, pero hay formas. Con Italia, no nos gustó, pero cambió el panorama contra Brasil”.

SIN CONFIANZA

Pese a que es una de las decepciones en la Copa Confederaciones 2013, el Tricolor genera respeto a la selección de Japón, cuyo entrenador no se confía del mal momento vivido por José Manuel de la Torre y sus dirigidos.

“México tiene una gran capacidad para variar su esquema, puede pasar de un estilo de juego a otro”, valora Alberto Zaccheroni, director técnico italiano de los nipones. “He visto sus dos partidos de la Confederaciones y usó diferentes estilos de juego, además de que sus jugadores tienen buena técnica”.

“México es un equipo de respeto para Japón, está arriba en el ranking de FIFA”, resalta. “Es un equipo muy técnico, que tiene buen control de balón, sobre todo de la mitad de la cancha hacia adelante”.

“Se ha desempeñado bien contra Italia y Brasil, así que debemos considerarlo en gran medida”.

El volante Makoto Hasebe, capitán de los asiáticos, no jugará debido a estar suspendido por acumulación de tarjetas amarillas.

Brazil vs Italy June 22, 2013

Salvador: With top spot up for grabs and a potentially difficult clash against Spain to avoid, both Cesare Prandelli and Luiz Felipe Scolari are unlikely to make too many changes as they seek three valuable points.

Having picked up yellow cards against Mexico and Japan, Daniele De Rossi is suspended for the Azzurri whilst Andrea Pirlo is ruled out with a calf injury.

Claudio Marchisio and Alberto Aquilani are likely to deputise in the duo`s absence whilst Prandelli must also decide who to play behind Mario Balotelli.

The 55-year-old coach could opt to rest Emanuele Giaccherini with Stephan El Shaarawy, Alessandro Diamanti and Sebastian Giovinco, who scored the winning goal against Japan, all vying for starting berths.

As for Brazil, David Luiz has been declared fit to start despite breaking his nose in the 2-0 win over Mexico and there is further good news for the Selecao as the in-form Neymar has shaken off a slight thigh injury.

However, Paulinho is unlikely to be risked by Scolari after the Corinthians midfielder suffered a minor ankle sprain and his place could be taken by Lazio`s Hernanes.

Elsewhere, Hulk has failed to impress in the opening two matches and his spot on the right wing could be taken by PSG youngster Lucas Moura as Scolari looks to give some of his younger players international experience.

STAT ATTACK

•Italy have not tasted victory against the Selecao for over 30 years. A Paolo Rossi hat-trick guided the Azzurri to a 3-2 win in the 1982 World Cup.

•A double from Luis Fabiano and an own goal from Andrea Dossena gave Brazil a 3-0 victory over Italy in the 2009 Confederations Cup - a tournament they later went on to win.

•A 2-1 victory against Mexico before Wednesday`s 4-3 thriller against Japan ensured that Italy advanced to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup for the first time in their history.

•Current holders Brazil are the most successful side in the history of the tournament, with Luiz Felipe Scolari`s team bidding for their fourth title.

•The Selecao famously defeated the Azzurri on penalties to win the World Cup in 1994.

•Brazil have only suffered one competitive defeat on home soil in the last 50 years - a 3-1 defeat to Peru in Belo Horizante at the 1975 Copa America.

Italiano:

Tutto pronto per il primo big match della Confederations Cup tra Italia e Brasile, con in palio la testa del girone A. Vittoria che non solo porterà lustro alla sfida eterna tra le due nazionali ma che di fatto regalerebbe un ticket virtuale per la finale di Rio: chi vince evita in semifinale la temutissima Spagna.
ITALIA - Attese per le decisioni di Prandelli che dovrà sciogliere i dubbi in attacco sui partner in attacco di SuperMario Balotelli: si va verso una una chance dal 1' per Giovinco mentre resta in ballottaggio il posto tra Aquilani e El Shaarawy. Bonucci in vantaggio su Barzagli per un posto accanto a Chiellini.

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PROBABILI FORMAZIONI
Italia (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Abate, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio; Marchisio, Montolivo, Candreva, Aquilani, Giovinco, Balotelli. A disp. Marchetti, Astori, Barzagli, Astori, Cerci, Diamanti, Giaccherini, Maggio, El Shaarawy, Gilardino.
Brasile (4-3-3) Julio Cesar; Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Felipe Luis; Hernanes, Luiz Gustavo; Neymar, Hulk, Oscar, Fred. A disp. Cavalieri, Jefferson, Dante, Felipe, Jean, Rever, Fernando, Paulinho, Bernard, Jadson, Jo, Lucas.

PORTUGUÊS:
O Terra, maior empresa de mídia digital da América Latina, irá acompanhar neste sábado todos os lances da terceira partida do Brasil pela Copa das Confederações. A partir das 15h30, o internauta poderá acompanhar minuto a minuto a partida entre Itália e Brasil, direto da Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador.

No jogo deste sábado, o Brasil defende invencibilidade ante Itália desde tragédia de Sarriá. A derrota por 3 a 2 para a Itália na Copa do Mundo de 1982 entrou para a história como uma das eliminações mais traumáticas da Seleção Brasileira, já que os três gols de Paolo Rossi acabaram com a trajetória de uma equipe que vinha encantando a todos. Porém, de lá para cá, o Brasil não perdeu mais para os italianos.

Desde a derrota no Mundial da Espanha, a Seleção Brasileira enfrentou os italianos seis vezes e levou vantagem. O primeiro confronto após a Copa de 1982 só foi disputado em 1989, quando André Cruz marcou o gol da vitória por 1 a 0 em amistoso em Bolonha.

Entretanto, o jogo mais importante entre os seis de invencibilidade foi o único a terminar 0 a 0 no tempo normal. No dia 17 de julho de 1994, o Brasil se sagrou tetracampeão mundial ao derrotar os italianos nos pênaltis por 3 a 2, na decisão da Copa dos Estados Unidos. O longo jejum faz a Seleção se tornar um grande obstáculo a jogadores históricos da Itália. O goleiro e capitão Gianluigi Buffon, por exemplo, nunca teve o gosto de vencer o Brasil. Dentre as 154 partidas que disputou pela Itália, o jogador enfrentou a equipe verde-amarela três vezes, mas perdeu duas vezes e empatou outra.

Neste período de invencibilidade contra a Itália, a Seleção nunca duelou com a adversária em território brasileiro. Neste sábado, às 16 horas (de Brasília), o time de Luiz Felipe Scolari tenta ampliar o tempo de vantagem contra a Itália, na Arena Fonte Nova, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Copa das Confederações.

Ataque brasileiro causa dor de cabeça a Prandelli
A Itália deve enfrentar uma variedade estonteante de atacantes talentosos no que será um difícil e exigente jogo da Copa das Confederações contra o Brasil, disse o técnico italiano, Cesare Prandelli.

Scotland vs Italy Rugby June 22, 2013

Scotland are aiming to build on a brave show against hosts South Africa when they meet Italy Saturday for third place in a four-nation tournament.

It took the Springboks the full 80 minutes to clinch a flattering 30-17 win in Nelspruit over opponents displaying far greater spirit than in a timid 27-17 surrender to Samoa the previous weekend.

The Scots collected no points from two rounds of mini-league action ahead of the classification matches at Loftus Versfeld stadium, and Italy fared worse with no points either and much heavier beatings.

A good first 20 minutes of the second half could not prevent Italy slumping 44-10 to South Africa in Durban and they conceded a further five tries when going down 39-10 against Samoa.

Australia-born Scotland interim coach Scott Johnson, whose team selections have twice been delayed 48 hours because of huge casualty lists, wants more of the fire that rattled two-time world champions South Africa.

"I was encouraged by our performance against the Springboks last weekend, but having set that standard we have to ensure that we build upwards from it against Italy.

"This Test marks the end of a long season for both northern hemisphere teams in the tournament and we want no rocks under our beach towels after the Italy game.

"When we gathered in camp last month I said this tour would be about broadening our base and discovering whether certain players were ready to play international rugby.

"That has happened and we will take a lot from the tournament, but we also want to end the tour on a high against an Italian team we know well and respect greatly," said Johnson.

It will be the second time the countries meet within five months with Scotland 34-10 winners of a Six Nations championship match at Murrayfield -- their second biggest victory margin in a 20-Test rivalry.

Only five Scots and five Italians survive from the Edinburgh starting line-ups, when the home team ran in four tries and scrum-half Greig Laidlaw was voted man of the match.

Left-wing Sean Lamont, inside centre Matt Scott, Laidlaw, tight-head prop Euan Murray and No.8 Johnnie Beattie remain in a Scottish side hit by an injury plague and British and Irish Lions call-ups.

The five Italians are full-back Andrea Masi, left-wing Giovanbattista Venditti, South Africa-born scrum-half Tobias Botes, tight-head prop Martin Castrogiovanni and outstanding No. 8 and captain Sergio Parisse.

Jacques Brunel has rung the changes -- seven against South Africa, seven against Samoa, 10 against Scotland -- without success so far and the France-born coach seems particularly unsure who his best half-back partnership is.

He paired Alberto Di Bernardo and Edoardo Gori against the Springboks, Luciano Orquero and Gori against the Samoans, and now it is the turn of Di Bernardo and Botes to prove their worth.

The play-off is the first half of a Test double-header, preceding the final between South Africa and Samoa, and the organisers have cut some ticket prices by $10 (7.5 euros) to try and fill the 52,000 Loftus seats.

Match Official
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WAL)

Teams

Italy

Andrea Masi; Leonardo Sarto, Luca Morisi, Alberto Sgarbi, Giovanbattista Venditti; Alberto Di Bernardo, Tobias Botes; Sergio Parisse (capt), Robert Barbieri, Joshua Furno; Marco Bortolami, Leandro Cedaro; Martin Castrogiovanni, Davide Giazzon, Matias Aguero

Replacements: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Alberto De Marchi, Lorenzo Cittadini, Antonio Pavanello, Alessandro Zanni, Alberto Chillon, Gonzalo Canale, Luke McLean

Scotland

Peter Murchie; Tommy Seymour, Alex Dunbar, Matt Scott, Sean Lamont; Tom Heathcote, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Johnnie Beattie, Alasdair Strokosch, David Denton; Alastair Kellock, Tim Swinson; Euan Murray, Scott Lawson, Alasdair Dickinson

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Moray Low, Jon Welsh, Grant Gilchrist, Robert Harley, Henry Pyrgos, Duncan Taylor, Tim Visser

USA vs South Korea June 20, 2013

The United States take on South Korea for the second time in quick succession on Thursday, less than a week after defeating them in a friendly, 4-1.

A sensational trio rose to new heights after last week's victory in Massachusetts. Kristie Mewis got the fans on their feet in the third minute after scoring on a rebound. Lauren Cheney followed with a goal in the seventh minute while Carli Lloyd pressed the South Koreans throughout the match and found the back of the net in the 57th minute. It would not be a surprise if Sermanni does not play all three tonight. Mewis may be replaced by Kelley O'Hara and Cheney might make way for Megan Rapinoe.

The roster for Thursdays game will be unconventional as Sermanni should take into consideration that 12 NT players will be required to suit up for their clubs over the weekend. Therefore, it is possible that the European club players that were left off the starting roster last week will get their more field time on Thursday.

With that said, Christen Press, Whitney Engen, Yael Averbuch and Meghan Kingenberg could make appearances. If this is the case then Sermanni's best option to start up front with Christen Press would be Sydney Leroux, considering that her club is not playing this week. This gives star strikers Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach time to rest.

Match Date/Time: Thursday June 20 2013 at 7: 30 pm ET

Venue: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

San Antonio Spurs vs Miami Heat: NBA Finals Game

Though the San Antonio Spurs would beg to differ, there's nothing better than a Game 7.
Trailing the Spurs 3-2 and facing elimination, the Miami Heat came storming back from behind in Game 6 to force a series-deciding Game 7.

Leveling the playing field has changed things for both teams.

It's still championship or bust for the Heat, but they're at home, clad with the knowledge that they didn't put their best foot forward by any means in Game 6 and still won. Momentum has shifted.

Could the NBA season really end like this, with the Miami Heat, who looked absolutely invincible for most of the regular season, vanquished at home by the ancient San Antonio Spurs? In Game Five, San Antonio's Manu Ginobili returned from the dead and Danny Green broke Ray Allen's NBA Finals record for made three-pointers while Allen was right there on the opposing bench. The Spurs took a 3-2 series lead and now have two games at Miami's American Airlines Arena to close out the series, clinching their 5th title in franchise history and improving their perfect record in NBA Finals to 5-0.

Well, if the Spurs are going to win a title tonight that means they will have to defeat the Miami Heat two games in a row, something which hasn't happened in a long long time. Not at all during the postseason (granted, the Heat have been having a problem winning two games in a row for the last month).

Being back at home should also give Miami an advantage tonight. The scary thing about Sunday night's loss for Miami is that it didn't seem like an effort/attention/psychological issue, which is how the Heat's losses during this series have mostly been explained away. The Heat were in the game right up until the final minute, the Spurs' lead was down to one point in the game's third quarter. The Spurs just totally and utterly outplayed the Heat, there's no "we outplayed ourselves" excuse available for Miami's Game Five performance. The San Antonio Spurs were a better team, in fact they looked like the exact kind of team capable of handing the Heat their first back-to-back loss in months.

For the first time all postseason, they are facing a win-or-go-home situation. And for the second time in the last eight years, they've been pushed to Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Will the Spurs be able to steal another win on the road and lay claim to their fourth title in the last decade, or will the Heat hand San Antonio's Big Three their first ever Finals loss en route to a second straight title?

There really isn't anything better than a Game 7.

Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami

Series: Tied 3-3

Nigeria vs Uruguay June 20, 2013

Nigeria may have opened their tournament with a thumping 6-1 win over minnows Tahiti, but they have not been in the best of form going into the tournament, and will certainly need to improve if they are to overcome Uruguay in their 11pm kickoff tonight.

Despite their big win, they conceded a surprise goal to the small nation, and came in for some criticism for their display.

Where: Arena Fonte Nova

When: 23.00 BST

Their opponents were beaten in a close game by tournament favourites Spain, and have plenty of attacking potential with their world class duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani upfront, who should make Uruguay favourites to win tonight and qualify as group runners-up behind Spain.

Uruguay were disappointing in their first game, and could head for an early exit if they don’t improve tonight, as another win would take Nigeria through to the semi-finals. They will be hoping for more inspiration from hat-trick hero Nnamdi Oduamadi, a promising young player coming through at AC Milan.

Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez is expected to name an unchanged side for tonight’s game, and will expect his team to enjoy more possession than they managed against Spain, who were dominant as expected in terms of keeping the ball.

Spain vs Tahiti June 20, 2013

Expect Spain to change their entire team or close to it against Tahiti on Thursday afternoon. While the Tahitians put up a decent showing for most of their 6-1 defeat to Nigeria, there's obviously a bit of a different between Nigeria and Spain, as good as the Super Eagles are. A team of Segunda players would be favored over Tahiti, so Spain's senior B team should fare just fine.

Tahiti gets its big moment

Tahiti doesn't have a professional league and their captain lives in his mother's basement. Good luck trying to find a more unlikely qualifier for a major international tournament.

If you're expecting a record win for Spain ... well, don't expect them to be that mean. La Roja's biggest ever win is a 13-0 thumping of Bulgaria in a friendly back in 1933. Between Spain's fetish for passing in circles for minutes on end and Tahiti's reasonably competent showing against Nigeria, double-digit goals don't seem terribly likely.

Also, they have a guy who's better than Lionel Messi.

Match date/time: Thursday, 3 p.m. ET

We all know who is going to win today's game between Spain and Tahiti. But the odds for Tahiti are the longest I have ever seen for a match and may not come around for years.

Make no mistake, there will be no Tahiti treat today or on any other day in this tournament. However, you need to see the incredibly wild offerings for today's game. The spectrum is so wide, you may never see them at a major international tournament for years.

Every bookmaker understands how lopsided this game will be, and as a result they have dropped their total amount of bet options considerably. For example, there are only 17 betting offerings for this game, whereas the Nigeria-Uruguay tilt three hours later offers 192.

The real entertainment here is seeing that Spain is paying out 1.01 to win the match. That's right. For every $10 you wager on Spain, you will net a grand total of ten cents. Of course, if you are wagering on this game you will have no legitimate options but to look at either following: handicap, correct score, or amount of goals that specific players will score.

William Hill expects the final score to be 7-0, and that is paying out 6.00 right now. But with Nigeria beating the islanders 6-1 on opening day, I fully expect the much more talented and skilled Spaniards to hit the double digit mark. If they don't, it is only because they will give mercy and take the foot off the pedal. It is hard to say how many will be scored, but as a measuring stick the 10-0 is at 9.00.

The match handicaps alone start at the -6 mark and it's at 1.33, something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. The Spain -8 is at 2.10 while the -9 is at 3.00. Worth a ten dollar bet just for the entertainment value alone.

Just to score in the game Tahiti are paying 5.00. To take a point, Tahiti is listed at an unbelievable 17.00. For the win you ask? Try the astronimical 51.00!

The first line to hit over evens (2.00) in the over total goals section is the over 9.5.

Who will score for Spain? Likely a lot of players. But for the first time ever, the entire Spanish starting 11 are all paying under 1.50 to score anytime during the match. David Villa, Fernando Torres, and Roberto Soldado are all being issued at 3.00 to score a hat-trick.

Although the odds are absolutely unheard of, try out a total goals or handicap pick to at least make it worth watching.

Venue: Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Italia-Giappone 19-06-2013

L'Italia gioca col Giappone la seconda partita del girone dopo la vittoria per 2-1 con il Messico grazie ai gol di Pirlo e Balotelli. Gli azzurri affrontano i nipponici per la terza volta nella storia. La prima nel 1936 terminò con una vittoria per 8-0 e l'ultima con un pareggio per 1-1, in un'amichevole del 2001. Il Giappone si è recentemente qualificato ai Mondiali del prossimo anno ed è guidato da Alberto Zaccheroni. La prima partita gli occhi a mandorla guidati dal tecnico di Cesenatico, l'hanno persa 3-0 contro il Brasile. Lo spirito di rivalsa quindi sarà forte con l'Italia. "Abbiamo analizzato pregi e difetti dei nostri avversari - ha spiegato Zaccheroni - il problema è che questa Italia di difetti ne ha pochi. Cercheremo di togliere gli spazi e chiudere le linee di passaggio, l'importante sarà dimostrare di avere personalità".

Italia (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Maggio, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Sciglio; Montolivo, De Rossi, Pirlo; Aquilani, Giaccherini; Balotelli. Allenatore: Cesare Prandelli.

Giappone (4-2-3-1): Kawashima; Uchida, Yoshida, Konno, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Endo; Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa; Maeda. Allenatore: Alberto Zaccheroni.

Il Giappone è allenato dal 2010 dall’italiano Alberto Zaccheroni, ed è stata la prima nazionale a qualificarsi ai mondiali del 2014, grazie a un pareggio contro l’Australia di pochi giorni fa. Negli scorsi tre anni in Giappone, Zaccheroni ha confermato di essere un grande allenatore (in Italia ha allenato Milan, Juventus, Inter, Lazio e Udinese, e prima del 2010 non aveva mai allenato all’estero) e ha provato ad abituare la squadra al calcio internazionale con una serie di amichevoli di alto livello.

Nel 2011 il Giappone ha vinto la Coppa d’Asia in Qatar, vittoria con cui ha ottenuto l’accesso alla Confederations. Attualmente la nazionale giapponese è al 32esimo posto nel ranking FIFA (la classifica delle nazionali di calcio), subito sotto la Nigeria (l’Italia è all’ottavo).

La squadra ha alcuni giocatori di esperienza europea, come il centrocampista del Manchester United Shinji Kagawa, il centrocampista Keisuke Honda e l’esterno dell’Inter Yuto Nagotomo. Un fatto curioso, come ricordavamo nella guida al torneo, è che in Brasile c’è la comunità giapponese all’estero più numerosa del mondo, circa 1,5 milioni di persone, e quindi la nazionale avrà probabilmente un certo sostegno di tifo.

Viceversa, anche i brasiliani sono la comunità straniera più numerosa del Giappone, un paese estremamente chiuso all’emigrazione, con circa 320 mila persone.

Del Giappone attenzione a Kagawa del Manchester United, Honda del Cska Mosca e l'interista Nagatomo. In generale è la velocità l'arma principale dei giapponesi. Prandelli ha già deciso invece di far rifiatare Abate e Marchisio, schierando al loro posto Maggio e Aquilani. Per il resto è la stessa formazione scesa in campo col Messico. L'Italia se dovesse vincere sarebbe qualificata automaticamente alle semifinali della Confederations (leggi il programma) e potrebbe giocarsi l'ultima sfida con il Brasile con un altro spirito. La partita si disputerà nel clima umido di Recife, in uno stadio da 44mila posti nuovo di zecca. La sfida sarà

Brazil 2-0 Mexico June 19, 2013

90+ JO Brazil 2-0 Mexico June 19, 2013 Final
Mexico has raised their game against a top opponent again but, just like in their game against Italy,it has yet to result in them taking a lead. Mexico has kept Brazil at bay for the most part and even looked lively in attack during the first half, but one moment of brilliance from Neymar has the hosts up 1-0 at halftime of this Confederations Cup tilt.

El Tri started very slow, dropping deep and giving Brazil plenty of space in midfield. That backfired, however, and led to numerous early chances for Brazil. Their goal came in the 23rd minute on a great strike from Brazil's biggest star. Dani Alves set up the goal with a dangerous cross into the box that 'Maza' Francisco Rodriguez got a touch to, but couldn't clear completely away from danger. That set up Neymar stepping up and drilling a volley past Jose Corona from the edge of the box to give his team the lead.

Mexico was much better after the goal and perhaps even the better side in the last 20 minutes of the first half. They let Hulk and Neymar break away from them on a couple of dangerous-looking counters, but always recovered well and didn't allow Brazil to do much in the way of building sustained attacks at the end of the half.

Brazil could qualify for the destructive leg with a victory. They have collected 3 points, therefore another 3 would guarantee Brazil is going to complete leastways 2nd in Group A. Selecao looked excellent to Japan, and Luiz Felipe Scolari is going to want to maintain this drive to Mexico.

That is the best Brazil have just seen under Scolari, and that tourney can go a long way to get the team prepare for the World Cup.

Mexico just requires to win, leg. They have won only one time in 6 World Cup qualifying games. El Tri looked very monotonous in their 2-1 loss againist Italy in their 1st game of the tourney.

A loss would not accuse Mexico to sifting. However they would require many things to go right to make it to the destructive leg.

Mexico have sufficient capability to have achieve at the World Cup. Currently, Mexico players look non-sure of themselves and irregular on the field.

Despite their valiant effort, Mexico kicked off their Confederations Cup campaign with a loss against Italy on Sunday. While a repeat performance would be mildly encouraging, it could also mean their exit from Confederations Cup. Brazil, who comfortably defeated Japan 3-0 in their opener, will like their chances to sink El Tri and potentially dump them out of the tournament, pending the result of Italy-Japan.

Brazil played with Neymar underneath Fred in their first match and the results were encouraging, with Fred setting up Brazil's biggest star for a fantastic 20-yard opening goal. The hosts never looked back after that and never looked to be under too much of a threat from Japan. Mexico entertained in their 2-1 loss to Italy, but were ultimately outclassed.

El Tri tend to bring their best against the world's top sides, but it's tough to see them having much of an answer for Brazil. There simply isn't a single aspect of the game in which they match up well, and it will probably take numerous bad mistakes from the home side for Mexico to avoid defeat.

Match date/time: Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET

Venue: Casteao, Fortaleza, Brazil

Spurs vs Heat Final 2013 June 18, 2013

The Miami Heat need a win in Game 6 to keep their hopes of a repeat NBA championship alive. But if Danny Green keeps playing out of his mind, and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili repeat their Game 5 performances, the title could be decided Tuesday.

The back-and-forth, win-one, lose-one nature of the NBA Finals thus far would seem to indicate the Miami Heat pull off a Game 6 win.

Miami won eight of its first nine playoff games after closing the season with wins in 37 of 39 games. Since then, it has traded wins and losses, besting the Indiana Pacers in seven games and falling behind quickly, then rebounding, then falling behind quickly, then rebounding against the San Antonio Spurs. Now, for the second time this year, it sets out to play a game that could end its season, as the Spurs look to close out the NBA Finals and win their fifth championship in Tim Duncan's tenure with the franchise.

The Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in last season's NBA Finals 4 games to 1. As they return home to the friendly confines of American Airlines Arena in South Beach after dropping 2 of 3 games in San Antonio, the defending champs have their backs against the wall. Trailing 3-2 in the championship series against a Spurs team looking to win a fifth title in 15 seasons, Miami needs to get back to the dominant play that helped them win 66 regular-season games this year.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade did all they could to send the Heat home with the ever-important 3-2 advantage but with the continued hot shooting of the Spurs - who had all 5 starters finish in double figures in the 114-104 Game 6 win - Miami is now faced with the challenge of winning two-straight to claim back-to-back titles for the first time in franchise history. The good news for the Heat is that the final 2 title matches will be on their home floor.

The Heat's bounce-back nature foretells a Miami win, but this series has also shown that things that are foretold generally don't pan out. Dwyane Wade and Manu Ginobili have each been written off as passe, no longer the brilliant wing scorers they once were. And they've each responded with unreal showings, guiding their squads to wins. LeBron James, the world's best player, has alternated between his usual self and tepidness. Enormous runs have come from nowhere and although the series record has stayed relatively even, four of five games thus far have ended as blowouts. Even Tim Duncan hasn't been his usual, ho-hum perfectionist self. And the only constant has been Danny Green. Danny Green!

USA vs Honduras June 17, 2013

On the surface, it seems that Honduras is more than just depleted for its game against the USA Tuesday, it's decimated.

It isn't just the number of players missing, it's the quality. Vital performers Boniek Garcia and Maynor Figueroa are injured, while hulking defender Victor Bernardez and defensive midfielder Luis Garrido are suspended.

If the forced absences weren't enough, forward Jerry Bengtson has left the team after a spat with manager Luis Fernando Suárez, following the coach's decision to bench the New England Revolution forward in the team's last qualifier against Jamaica.

While the U.S. may be quietly doing fist pumps and celebrating its good fortune, the team is understandably taking a more muted approach in public.

"It won't impact how we approach it at all," U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley told reporters before training Monday. "It's still Honduras and it's still 90 minutes to go out and try to win the game. As far as who plays for them, who doesn't, who's injured, who ends up being able to play, it doesn't change anything for us."

With the key absences, the Catrachos will be heavily reliant on some familiar faces to many U.S. national team members. Defender Matt Besler was a teammate of Roger Espinoza at Sporting Kansas City for four seasons before Espinoza was sold to Wigan.

"I have great things to say about Roger, I think he's a really good player," Besler said. "I think he's got a terrific engine and he's a valuable member of that team. He's a guy we're going to have to keep an eye on and make sure that we match his intensity."

Another vital player for Honduras on Tuesday will be winger Mario Martinez, who could be directly matched up against his club teammate in Seattle, Brad Evans, who has started the USA's last three games at right back.

"I've seen the things that he can do day in and day out in Seattle and there are some things that are just world class," Evans told a media roundtable Sunday. "He's a very, very good player with his left foot, he's extremely tricky, and you never know if he's going to cut it back.

"He's one of those guys that doesn't really have a right foot but when he does cut it back, he's skilled enough to hit it with the outside of his left boot."

In addition to Espinoza and Martinez, San Jose Earthquakes winger Marvin Chavez could be in line for a start on Tuesday, adding another well-known opponent for many of the U.S. players.

Coming off a 2-1 loss in Honduras in February, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann is aware of the challenge the Central Americans will pose, regardless of the 11 players on the field.

"We have a lot of respect for Honduras because that's just the way it has to be. We had that experience in February and we expect them to be very physical," Klinsmann said.

"There will be a lot of battles on the field all over the place but we want to play our game, we want to be dominant hopefully on the field and take care of things the sooner the better. But we know it's going to be a hell of a lot of work."

Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs June 16, 2013

The 2013 NBA Finals are approaching their end, as the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are tied at 2-2. With the series reaching a momentous Game 5, both squads are in must-win mode as their dreams of winning the NBA championship are in danger of withering away.

No matter how impressive they've looked on their best nights, both teams have burning questions entering Sunday night's 8 p.m. ET tipoff. Game 5 is one of the most important times of all in a playoff series, as the numbers indicate.

Winning Game 5 takes more than just walking into the building and having passion. Instead, both the Heat and Spurs have concerns about what will and will not go in their favor when the game rolls around.

The team that answers its share of questions will win Game 5.

During the 2012-13 NBA regular season, the Heat were 37-4 at home. Yet they are 6-3 during their past nine home games in the postseason, dropping one in each of their past three series.

The Spurs, meanwhile, were 23-18 on the road during the regular season. During the postseason, however, the Spurs are 7-2 on the road, owning at least one road victory in every series they've played.

Does home-court advantage actually matter?

Regardless of who wins Game 5, neither team is in true control of this series. For that reason, these next four questions are maximized in value.

WWE Payback 2013 June 16, 2013

Payback represents a return to normalcy for the WWE. Brock Lesnar's victory over Triple H marked the end of the final WrestleMania storyline involving a part-time superstar. Now the company moves into the summer with its full-time roster.

John Cena will once again take on Ryback for the WWE title and World heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler is fit to defend against Alberto Del Rio. In fact, every championship is scheduled to be on the line at the pay-per-view.

Perhaps the biggest story of all, however, is the advertised return of CM Punk. He's been away since shortly after WrestleMania. Whether he'll actually return or be a storyline no-show is up for debate, but there's no doubt the WWE could use him right now.

The show also features the first PPV opportunity for Curtis Axel and the continued rise of The Shield. It should be a pretty stacked card for a mid-tier show. Let's take a look at all the key information for Sunday, followed by a preview.

Where: Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.

When: Sunday, June 16 at 8 p.m. ET

Spain vs Uruguay June 16, 2013

In the absence of Xabi Alonso, Vicente Del Bosque has opted to recreate the Barcelona midfield instead of starting Javi Martinez. He's also picked Iker Casillas to start in goal despite his status as Real Madrid's No.

2 keeper at the end of Jose Mourinho's reign. It's not obvious which of Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta will play in the midfield and which will play in attack, though they should interchange regularly. Roberto Soldado starts up top ahead of David Villa.

Uruguay have left Diego Forlan on the bench while picking a team that looks like it will line up with a back four instead of their occasional back three. Maxi Pereira can play in either, while Martin Caceres can play fullback or central defense, so don't be surprised to see either setup. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani are partnered in attack.

Spain lineup (4-3-3): Iker Casillas; Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas; Andres Iniesta, Roberto Soldado, Pedro Rodriguez

Uruguay lineup (4-4-2): Fernando Muslera; Martin Caceres, Diego Lugano, Diego Godin, Maxi Pereira; Cristian Rodriguez, Walter Gargano, Diego Perez, Gaston Ramirez; Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez

Kickoff is at 6 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ESPN in the United States.

Evans vs Henderson June 15, 2013

The main event of UFC 161 goes down this Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) when Rashad Evans tangles with Dan Henderson.

The card is not the most superstar one in the archives of the organization. However with struggles like Dan Henderson vs Rashad Evans, Shawn Jordan vs Pat Barry and Stipe Miocic vs Roy Nelson set to go down on 15th of June night, that's not a fight you would like to pass.

Henderson vs Evans should allow us a fine opinion of who is going to left in the title image at 205 pounds. Nelson will once reattempt to show that he is suitable in the heavyweight title image and Pat Barry, He just puts on excelent games.

Most fans and pundits seem to be leaning toward Evans to get back in the win column over Henderson, a fighter who is a decade Evans' senior.

Both men have wrestling bases and strong punching power. Should be interesting.

Here's a round-by-round recap of the action, updated as the fight unfolds.

Brazil vs Japan June 15, 2013

Despite some experimentation with Neymar at center forward earlier in the year, he'll play in his normal wide forward spot for Brazil in their Confederations Cup opener against Japan. The Japanese have decided to pick no true center forwards in an attempt to get their best team on the field, opting to play regular wide forward Shinji Okazaki -- who has plenty of experience at striker and 33 goals for his country -- up top.

Luiz Gustavo gets a bit of a surprise nod in the center over Fernando. Sandro, Romulo and Ralf are all absent from Brazil's roster for the competition for various reasons. Japan's team contains no other surprises.

Brazil starting lineup (4-3-3): Julio Cesar; Marcelo, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Dani Alves; Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Oscar; Neymar, Fred, Hulk

Japan starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Eiji Kawashima; Yuto Nagatomo, Yasuyuki Konno, Maya Yoshida, Atsuto Uchida; Makoto Hasebe, Yasuhito Endo; Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, Hiroski Kiyotake; Shinji Okazaki

Kickoff is at 3 p.m, ET from the Mane Garrincha national stadium in Brasilia.

USA vs Panama June 11, 2013

The USA takes on Panama on Tuesday night June 11, 2013 on U.S. soil with wishes to increase firepower to its World Cup qualifying bid. Last time out the Americans won an extra-time thriller in Kingston, to give the nation its first World Cup qualifying win ever on Jamaican land. After taking points from 2 direct road Hexagonal qualifiers, the US Mens team turns back to familiar coasts to struggle Panama at Seattle's CenturyLink Field, the first of 2 significant home games that can put the USA in the driver's seat heading into the final stages of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

That 2 perfect wins gained the team 6 of the 7 points they accumulated over the past 3 games after dropping their first qualifying competition to Honduras back in February.

Therewithal unlike most international team sports, the U.S. sustains a decided aggrieved team once it steps outside the fordable waters of CONCACAF, creating a bit of a paradox.

When: June 11 at 22:00 (ET), Tuesday

Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington

Mexico vs Costa Rica June 11, 2013

Following two straight games this summer in which his site struggled to create chances -- not to mention the spring 0-0 draw against the United States -- Jose Manuel de la Torre has made sweeping changes to his Mexico side. Hector Herrera and Gerardo Flores have been brought into the side while Giovani dos Santos has been moved back to the bench. Flores has been an impact sub on the right wing, but will start at right back.

Costa Rica look set to start Joel Campbell up top after dropping Jairo Arrieta. Alvaro Saborio is recovering from an injury and is on the bench. They've made a number of changes and their formation is anyone's guess, but it looks like they're packing the center of midfield.

Mexico lineup (4-4-2): Jose Corona; Carlos Salcido, Hector Moreno, 'Maza' Francisco Rodriguez, Gerardo Flores; Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Jesus Zavala, Pablo Barrera; Aldo de Nigris, 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez

Costa Rica lineup (4-3-3): Keylor Navas; Jhonny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Michael Umaña, Cristian Gamboa; Michael Barrantes, Junior Diaz, Yeltsin Tejada, Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz, Cristian Bolaños

Kickoff is at 8:10 p.m. ET, delayed 10 minutes due to Costa Rica arriving late at the Azteca. You can catch the game on ESPN or Univision Deportes in the United States.

Chile vs Bolivia June 11, 2013

Chile will look to solidify its position amongst the top four in the CONMEBOL when its takes on Bolivia in the World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.

Chile currently sits in fourth place with 18 points in 12 matches; the team trails second place Colombia by only two points and leads fifth place Venezuela by two points. The top four teams in the standings earn automatic passage to the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil next summer.
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La Roja is coming off a huge 2-1 win against Paraguay. The win was the team's second win after a four-game losing streak against Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Peru.

Chile will take on a Bolivian side that is slowly dropping out of the race. With 10 points in 12 games, La Verde can earn a maximum of 28 points if it manages to win its final six games. 25 points have been needed to qualify for the World Cup in the last two tournaments; if this year's format follows the last two years than 22 points might be the magic number. That would mean that Bolivia would need to win four of its final six games; the team would only be able to lose two games to keep its qualifying hopes alive. Bolivia has only earned two victories up to this point. Marcelo Moreno Martins and Carlos Saucedo lead the team with three goals in the qualifiers.

Prediction: Chile will dominate Bolivia at home in a 3-1 victory.
Start Time: 8:30 PM EST

Venezuela vs Uruguay June 11, 2013

Venezuala is just one win away from having a real good shot at making their first World Cup appearance. Currently, they sit in fifth place which would earn them a playoff berth, but they host a Uruguay squad that has not been able to come in to Puerto Ordaz and notch a win since the mid-1990s. With history on their side, Venezuala has a real shot to take over this game and take one step closer towards accomplishing something they have never done.

For Uruguay, a loss would be a huge setback, while a win puts them back in the mix. Don’t be surprised to see this team approach the game with a do or die mentality.

This should be a fun one.

Here is all of the information you will need to know about the Venezuela vs. Uruguay World Cup qualifier, including where to catch it online and the official start time:

Date: Tuesday, June 11
Start Time: 7:50pm EST
Location: Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar State, Venezuela
Venue: Polideportivo Cachamay

Spain vs Ireland June 11, 2013

In a match that will be just as much a show for the fans as it is a useful match for both teams, Spain will take on Ireland in Yankee Stadium.

This will be Spain's second match in a row in the United States after defeating Haiti 2-1 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida on Saturday. This friendly will be the final tune-up before beginning the Confederations Cup.

Ireland has no scheduled matches for the next few months after winning its only World Cup qualifying match in June by a score of 3-0 over Faroe Islands. Still, this would be a great opportunity for the squad to test itself against one of the best teams in the world.

However, the match will also serve as a way to generate interest in the sport for New York fans. Major League Soccer recently announced that it will add a second professional team in the city, and these types of contests are certain to get people excited.

Chelsea and Manchester City played at Yankee Stadium in a friendly following the EPL season last month.

Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

When: Tuesday, June 11

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Ecuador vs Argentina June 11, 2013

Argentina comes in to this afternoon’s game as the favorite to win the World Cup qualifier and punch their ticket to Brazil, but it has been a 12 year drought in Quito against Ecuador since they have come away with a win. Argentina does have the star power of Lionel Messi, but he will likely be serving a reserve role.

Conventional wisdom wants you to believe that the better squad should come away with the win, but you can never underestimate the struggle it is to play in front of the Ecuadorian crowd at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa.

This game will likely be much closer than we all believe, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Ecuador at least come away with a point.

Here is all of the information you will need to know about the Ecuador vs. Argentina World Cup qualifier, including where to catch it online and the official start time:

Date: Tuesday, June 11
Start Time: 4:50pm EST
Location: Quito Canton, Ecuador
Venue: Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa

Colombia vs Peru June 11, 2013

Colombia vs Peru takes place in a World Cup 2014 qualifier on Tuesday night, with both teams looking to respond to the increasing pressure as the qualifying campaign moves towards its climax. Tonight's match kicks off at 4.30 p.m. ET and can be watched online through free live stream (details below).

Colombia currently lies second in the South American qualifying positions after their important away draw to Argentina last week. They will realize that if they get anything other than a home win tonight against Peru then it will completely undermine the good work they achieved last week.

Expect Colombia to come out fiercely and with intensity as they look to build on last week's good result and claim maximum points tonight.

The Colombia team has been efficient both in attack and defense and is currently the second highest scoring team of the nine nations in their qualifying group. Defensively they have also only conceded seven goals in their 11 games to date, which is the most efficient out of all the teams they are competing against.
Their home record is enough to frighten Peru too – they have won their last three games by a cumulative score of 11-0. Peru will also remember losing to Colombia in the fall 1-0 in Lima.

Peru meanwhile are coming into this game off the back of a solid 1-0 win against Ecuador on Friday. But Peru are yet to win on the road in this qualifying campaign and are amazingly winless in their last 20 away qualifiers. They must change that record – preferably starting today – if they are to move up the table.

Colombia vs Peru is scheduled to kick off at 4.30 p.m. ET

Denmark vs Armenia June 11, 2013

Denmark will look to solidify its position in Group B of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers when it takes on Armenia on Tuesday.
Denmark currently sits in fourth place with six points in five games; all of the other clubs above them have played six matches. The Danish are currently three points behind third place Czech Republic and four behind second place Bulgaria. First place Italy has 14 points and is curently out of reach for Denmark.

The first place club automatically books passage to the World Cup finals in Brazil next summer. The second place team gets a chance to play against other runner-ups in a two legged matchup. The winner heads to the World Cup next summer.

Denmark started its tournament with a 0-0 draw against Czech Republic. In its second game, the team tied 1-1 against Bulgaria. The Danish then lost 3-1 against Italy but garnered three points with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic. In its most recent game, Denmark drew 1-1 against Bulgaria.

The Danes will host an Armenian side that can only garner a total of 18 points if it manages to win its final five matches. Unfortunately, the Armenians have had a poor showing throughout the tournament with one win and four losses. The team won its first and only match in the opener against Malta. Since then, Armenia has lost every single game it has played by a combined score of 8-1.

Prediction: Look for the Danes to pull off a 2-1 win at home and grab third place in the group.
Start Time: 2:15 PM EST

Haiti vs Italy June 11, 2013

Italy takes on Haiti in the team's final tune-up match before the Confederations Cup. The Azzurri are currently on track to earn a spot in next year's World Cup, so the extra matches in Brazil will help the squad get accustomed to the surroundings.

They are coming off an acceptable, albeit frustrating, draw with the Czech Republic in qualifying. Italy remains atop UEFA Group B with four matches left to play. They can't afford to overlook Haiti as Spain appeared to do over the weekend.

The defending World Cup champions were expected to cruise past the Grenadiers. Instead, Haiti held tough against a very strong Spanish squad and lost by just a single goal, 2-1. Italy should be seeking a far more comfortable result.

Where: Estadio Sao Januario in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When: Tuesday, June 11 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Estonia vs Kyrgyzstan June 11, 2013

Estonia will be ending there three match international friendlies after playing against Kyrgyzstan this evening. They lost 2-0 to Belarus and won narrow 1-0 against Trinidad and Tobacco. They want to finish there series in high note as they will be playing against the comparatively weak team.

National team of Estonia who are ranked 89th by FIFA will be playing international friendly match against Kyrgyzstan who are currently located in 143rd position.

Full line up of

Estonia: Pavel Londak, Dmitriy Kruglov, Enar Jaager, Igor Morozov, Taavi Rahn, Aleksandr Dmitrijev, Konstantin Vassiljev, Sim Luts, Sander Puri, Henri Anier, Kristen Viikmae, Rimo Hunt, Andrei Sidorenkov, Martin Vunk, Vladimir Voskoboinikov, Tihhon Sisov, Alo Barengrub

Sweden vs Faroe Islands June 11, 2013

Sweden will look to jump back into second place when it takes on the Faroe Islands in the UEFA World Cup 2014 Qualifiers.
The Swedes are currently locked in a three-way battle with the Republic of Ireland and Austria for the second spot in the group. Ireland and Austria both have 11 points while Sweden only has eight; the Swedes have played one game less than their immediate rivals and could jump ahead with a huge victory.

The first place team in the group earns an automatic passage to the World Cup next summer. The second place team moves on to a second round where it will take on another group runner-up. The winner of the two-legged matchup moves on to the World Cup finals.
Sweden started its tournament with a 2-0 win over Kazakhstan and another 2-1 victory over the Faroe Islands. In its third match, the Swedish side showcased its weaknesses and strengths in a 4-4 draw against the mighty Germans. The team fell behind 4-0 55 minutes into the contest but managed to make a heroic comeback with the final goal coming in the third minute of stoppage time. After that the Swedes drew 0-0 against Ireland and fell 2-1 against Austria on Friday.

The team needs to not only defeat Faroe Islands but blow them out. Austria sits comfortably in second place with a +10 goal differential; Sweden only has a +2 goal difference. The Austrians managed 6-0 win against Faroe Islands and a 4-0 drubbing of Kazakhstan. The feat is not insurmountable for the Swedes. Aside from the 6-0 loss to Austria, Faroe Islands has also been victim to 4-1 and 3-0 losses against Ireland and a 3-0 defeat against Germany.
Prediction: Sweden pulls off a 5-0 win at home.

Start Time: 1:15 PM EST

Belarus vs Finland June 11, 2013

Belarus will look to stave off elimination when it takes on Finland for the second time in four days in the UEFA World Cup 2014 qualifiers.

Belarus currently sits in last place in Group I with three games remaining. The team will be eliminated from World Cup contention if it loses to Finland. If Belarus fails to win the game and only manages a draw, then the team will be unable to qualify directly. The first place team in the group automatically books passage to the competition in Brazil next summer. The runner-up will have to take on another second place team in a two-legged playoff to determine which side competes for the top prize. With a tie, Belarus would have to settle for the second option.

The team lost its opening game 1-0 against Georgia before being dominated 3-1 by France. However, the Belarusians suffered their greatest embarrassment in a 4-0 loss against Spain in Minsk. The squad eventually earned its only three points by defeating Georgia 3-0 at home but lost 1-0 on Friday against Finland thanks to an own goal by Igor Shitov.
Finland has five points and sits in third place. The team has played fewer matches than any other squad in the competition, but faces a tough road to qualification. The Finns lost 1-0 to France in their opening match and drew 1-1 with Georgia in the follow up. The team's greatest moment came in a 1-1 draw against Spain. Finland then defeated Belarus on Friday in its most recent game.

Prediction: Look for Belarus to pay Finland back for the loss on Friday. Belarus wins 2-1.
Start Time: 1 PM EST

Norway vs Macedonia June 11, 2013

Macedonia look to bounce back from their poor run followed by almost ended up their world cup journey. Macedonia lie beneath in their group in world cup qualifiers however they look to enhance the team morale with a friendly match.

Norway has 8 points in their group with 8 points which is two points sort of second placed Albania which means they are trying hard to proceed to the next round.

Norway ranks 29th in World rank while Macedonia are 78th.

With the absence of some key Macedonian players, manager is set to experiment with couple of new players on this friendly match.

E3 PlayStation 4 press conference June 10, 2013

Gamers can get a first look at the upcoming PlayStation 4 video game console during Sony’s media briefing this evening at 6 p.m. PDT.

Months after revealing the existence of the PlayStation 4, Sony is expected to offer the first look at hardware during their press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

Sony is also expected to discuss the future of the PlayStation 3 and the PS Vita handheld console at the event, which comes before the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, the largest video game trade show in the world.

Although E3′s doors at the Los Angeles Convention Center won’t open until early Tuesday, heavy hitters such as Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft were holding arena-sized conferences Monday to get ahead of – and control — the media cycle.

WWDC 2013 June 10, 2013

It’s that time again! This morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook will take the stage at the company’s own Worldwide Developers Conference to unveil everything they’ve worked so hard to keep secret for the past many months.

We’ll be seeing iOS 7 for the first time — thats pretty much certain. But what else? Will we see a new version of OS X? New MacBooks? Apple’s fabled Pandora competitor, perhaps?

You’ll have to tune in to find out. We’re live at the keynote, and we’ll be bringing you all of the news as it breaks with our up-to-the-second live blog.

The keynote is scheduled to begin at 10 AM PT (12PM Central, 1 PM Eastern, 6 PM London), but we’ll be bringing you photos and commentary from the scene beginning at about 9 AM — so get here early!

Apple's iPad mini event back in October, and at the time the event was also available for streaming for Mac users through Safari. Although Apple hasn't announced any plans to broadcast the keynote over the web, we wouldn't be surprised if it adds a live video stream to its event page soon. The keynote will kick off at 1PM ET, and we're expecting Apple to detail its new desktop and mobile OSes, as well as some refreshed hardware.

Update: As expected, Apple's event page is showing the WWDC 2013 keynote address. According to Apple, the stream will only be viewable through Safari on OS X, or Safari on iOS 4.2 onwards.

Tony Awards 2013 June 9, 2013

The Tony Awards race is on between two of the year's most celebrated musicals: "Matilda: The Musical" and "Kinky Boots."

The Cyndi Lauper-scored "Kinky Boots" is up for a leading 13 Tony Award nominations, while the British import, "Matilda: The Musical," is close behind with 12. So, a lot of the evening will be guessing which of these two newcomers will pick up honors.

The 67th annual Tony Awards ceremony will be broadcast Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBS. That's the same on both coasts, with the show airing live on the East Coast and three hours later on the West Coast.

This year's Broadway season featured big musical blockbusters ("Matilda," "Kinky Boots"), critically acclaimed playwrights (Richard Greenberg, Chistopher Durang) and a handful of celebrities (Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver, Scarlett Johansson).

Tony Awards 2013 nominees: Complete list

Sunday's program will feature an impressive list of presenters that will include the aformentioned stars as well as: Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sally Field, Zachary Quinto, Jon Cryer and Anna Kendrick. Neil Patrick Harris returns as host.

Boxing champion Mike Tyson will also put in appearance at Sunday's ceremony. The former athlete brought his one-man show to Broadway this season, but he didn't receive a nomination.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Hal Prince will be part of a tribute to "The Phantom of the Opera," which is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Broadway this year.

Culture Monster will be covering Broadway's biggest night live, with reporters on the ground at Radio City Musical Hall in New York. We'll also have a steady stream of online updates of the winners as well as a running commentary on the telecast.

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