Brazil 2014: 9 Days to go

The fallout from the Sunday Times bribe scandal for the hosting of the 2022 World Cup continues. Australia who also is now being investigated. A $4m grant to Oceania governing body being of concern. No statement from FIFA on these allegations.

England‘s Group D opponents Costa Rica played Japan in Tampa Bay yesterday. Costa Rica opened the scoring through Bryan Ruiz on 31 minutes, but Yasuhito Endo equalised on 60 minutes, then took the lead through a Shinji Kagawa goal on 80, and substitute Yoichiro Kakitani made the game safe in injury time.

Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto said the match had World Cup-level intensity:-

We had our World Cup rhythm. We were counter-attacking and moving the ball well, a high pressure, a World Cup feel. We played as intensely as we could.

In reply the Japan’s coach Alberto Zaccheroni said Japan’s attacking style paid off at the end by draining the Costa Ricans of energy for the vital final minutes.

We made a lot of chances. We kept making them run and pass the ball and they got tired and we dominated the game – eventually.

Costa Rica will be playing the Republic of Ireland in a friendly in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Group G members Germany have announced their squad. Surprisingly, only 2 strikers named.

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover).

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal).

A further 180,000 match tickets will go in sale from Wednesday 3rd June. They can be purchased in various locations around Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre,  Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Sao Paulo.

Group E members France have also named their final squad. Franck Ribery is included and it’s hoped that he shrug off his back injury before their friendly against Jamaica on Sunday.

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Stephane Ruffier (St Etienne), Mickael Landreau (Bastia).

Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle), Lucas Digne (Paris St-Germain) Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna (both Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye, Blaise Matuidi (both Paris St-Germain), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Loic Remy (Newastle, on loan from QPR), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich).