Spanish football club signs a seven year old from Argentina

Real Madrid has signed a 7-year-old soccer prodigy from Argentina who goes by the name Leo — just like his idol Lionel Messi.

Leonel Angel Coira signed with the Spanish club and will begin training Sept. 6, Madrid spokesman Juan Tapiador told The Associated Press on Monday. (more…)

Libyan football stars defect to join rebels

Four members of Libya’s national football ( soccer) team and 13 other leading figures in the sport have defected to the rebels.

The group include the Libyan national sides goalkeeper Juma Gtat and the coach of Tripoli’s top club al-Ahly, Adel bin Issa.
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Seven killed in Kenya soccer stampede, report

Seven soccer fans were killed and dozens more were injured in a stampede at a match between two of Kenya’s top teams, an ambulance operator said on Saturday. (more…)

Uruguay reaches World Cup semifinals, beating Ghana 4-2

Uruguay reached the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1970, beating Ghana 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw Friday. (more…)

World Cup carnival under way in South Africa

The opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup has taken place in Johannesburg ahead of Friday’s first game of the world’s greatest sporting spectacle between South Africa and Mexico.

A global audience of hundreds of millions will watch the match from Soccer City stadium, which kicks off at 4 p.m. local time (2 p.m. GMT) with South Africa’s players carrying the hopes of the host nation on their shoulders.

The big kickoff was preceded by a spectacular tribal-themed ceremony inside the 94,000-capacity showpiece arena (more…)

Amid divisive politics, football unites Lebanon

The usually sleepy Lebanese mountain village of Bteghrine is bubbling with flag-fluttering football fever ahead of South Africa 2010, a welcome escape from often bitter local politics.

And the national colors of Brazil and Germany — rather than those of rival political camps in a country historically marred by internecine warfare — are everywhere in this village northeast of Beirut. (more…)

Civil War anniversary: Lebanon’s friendly football game in pictures

The days of the war will not return, Hariri told the press prior to the football match commemorating the 35th anniversary of the civil war. Hariri’s team won 2-0 and Phalange MP Sami Gemayel scored both goals

Hariri’s red team wins the friendly football match

President Michel Suleiman congratulates Minister of youth and sports Ali Abdullah following the football ( soccer game ) at Camille Chamoun Stadium between the rival politicians , to mark the 35th anniversary of the civil war . (more…)

Iran soccer girls banned from Youth Games over hijab

The Iranian girls’ soccer team have been kicked out of this year’s first Youth Olympics because of a FIFA ban on playing in Islamic head scarves.

Iran’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) had refused to let the team play at the August 14-26 Games in Singapore without the hijab and they have been replaced by Thailand, according to the Asian Football Confederation website (www.the-afc.com). (more…)

Vietnam draw 1-1 with Lebanon in Asian Cup qualifier

Nhan Dan Online – Thanh Luong’s goal in the 39th minute helped Vietnam draw with Lebanon in their fifth match of Group D at Saida empty stadium today.
Vietnam played the game without top striker Cong Vinh, the best goalkeeper Hong Son and other key players while in Lebanon’s side two famous players Roda Antar and Youssef Mohamad were absent.
Lebanon took the lead in the 20th minute when their free-kick caused chaos on the box and El Ali scored quickly from a very close range. In the 30th minute Maatouk’s strike hit keeper Duc Cuong’s post. But nine minutes later, it was Thanh Luong who leveled the score for Vietnam .
In a related development China and Syria drew 0-0 in an Asian Cup qualifier on Wednesday with both teams having already advanced to next year’s tournament in Qatar.
Sources:nhandan.com.vn, AP

Lebanon’s Mahmoud el-Ali (L) and Vietnam’s Vu Nhu Thanh fight for the ball during the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifying soccer match in Sidon, southern Lebanon, January 6, 2010. Source: Reuters