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The Arsenal midfielder trained with the rest of Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad on Monday ahead of the Three Lions' crunch World Cup clash against Uruguay on Thursday
By Greg Stobart in Rio de Janeiro
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has handed England a timely fitness boost after he trained with the rest of the squad ahead of Thursday's crucial World Cup clash with Uruguay.
The Arsenal midfielder joined the 23-man squad at the Three Lions’ training camp in Urca on Monday with heavy strapping around the knee injury sustained in the friendly against Ecuador on June 4.
England manager Roy Hodgson said last week he was hopeful that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be in contention to face Uruguay in Sao Paulo, and he appeared to move freely during a series of training exercises.
Back in contention | Oxlade-Chamberlain is put through his paces
There appear to be no other injury concerns for Hodgson, who held a lengthy conversation with captain Steven Gerrard at the start of the training session.
England lost their Group D opener 2-1 against Italy in Manaus on Saturday and are now preparing to face Uruguay in a game that will be pivotal to their hopes of qualifying for the second round.
"We won't panic," Hodgson said after the Italy defeat. "It was as positive performance as I have seen from us.
“It gives me great hope going forward, not just the next two games, but further than that because we have players here who will develop into very strong players."
The striker is expected to return from a knee injury for the crucial Group D fixture between England and Uruguay in Sao Paulo on Thursday
By Greg Stobart in Rio de Janeiro
Daniel Sturridge hopes Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez is passed fit to face England – and says Roy Hodgson’s men have no fear about facing Uruguay on Thursday.
Suarez is expected to return from a knee injury for the clash in Sao Paulo despite missing Uruguay’s 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica in their opening Group D fixture.
Sturridge says he has not heard from his Suarez but holds no fears about his club team-mate as England look to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat to Italy on Satuday.
“I hope he’s fit, we want to face the best Uruguay possible,” Sturridge said at England’s training base in Urca.
“It’s about our team and we will look to play the same way whether he’s fit or not.
“I’m not on texting terms with Luis at the moment. I don’t think Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson or Raheem Sterling are either. I don’t think he wants to give away how he’s feeling.
“He's not asked me for any clues, and I've not asked him for any clues. Whether they have Luis or not, we'll play the same."
Sturridge felt England deserved at least a point from the Italy game in Manaus and admits Thursday’s fixture has become make-or-break for the Three Lions’ hopes of qualifying for the second round.
“We realise it’s a big, big occasion for ourselves and our careers,” he added.
“Some people only get to play one World Cup so you don’t want to go home early. It’s the results that matter, not the performances.
“I don’t think it’s a game anyone wants to miss, whether they are a player or a supporter, from Uruguay or England.
“Nobody is going to want to miss this one, whether from Uruguay or England. Kids will be leaving school early to watch the game.”
The 42-year-old wants his side to seize the initiative on Wednesday night after the defeat to Brazil in their World Cup opener last week
Niko Kovac has promised to deliver an attacking Croatia when his nation take on Cameroon on Wednesday evening.
Croatia were beaten 3-1 by Brazil in their World Cup opener last Thursday but were unfortunate to concede a harsh penalty and have a goal of their own disallowed having troubled the Selecao throughout the 90 minutes.
Cameroon are next up in Group A at the Arena Amazon, Manaus on Wednesday evening, with both sides knowing that defeat could put them out of the tournament.
As a result, Kovac plans to set his side up in a more offensive system and take the game to the African nation in a bid to get back on track.
"Against Cameroon it will be a completely different game. It was difficult to attack Brazil, we had to look through counter-attacks, but against Cameroon we will have greater ball possession and seek dominance.
"The first goal will be an advantage, it would be good to go in to half-time with a positive result. We know all about Cameroon, we analysed them like Brazil and will set our tactics accordingly.
"Our goal is to take the three points, and this is a game with growing importance."
The coach also seemed unfazed by the testing conditions in Manaus, stating that his side have profited from more rest than their rivals: "I think a rest day is always useful. Everyone has recovered.”
After the match against Cameroon, Croatia will face Mexico in Recife on June 23 in their final group game.
Goal-line system worked perfectly for Benzema goal, insists Fifa
Jun 16, 2014 4:47:00 PM
GoalControl's newly-implemented technology correctly awarded a goal to France but caused confusion in the stadium and around the world by analysing two incidents
By Liam Twomey at Estadio Maracana
Fifa insists the goal-line system which awarded France's second goal against Honduras in Porto Alegre on Sunday performed perfectly even though they are "working to make it even clearer" in future.
The technology, developed by Germany-based company GoalControl and making its debut at the 2014 World Cup, was required for the first time in the 48th minute of the Group E encounter.
Karim Benzema's initial shot struck the inside of the post and bounced across the goal, where it struck Noel Valladares and rolled over the line before the Honduras goalkeeper hooked the ball back out.
The system correctly awarded a goal to France but caused confusion in the stadium and around the world by first homing in on the ball striking the woodwork and flashing up a 'NO GOAL' sign.
On Monday Fifa revealed the animations which appear on TV and stadium screens are generated automatically, but admitted they are working with GoalControl to tweak the system to remove any ambiguity in future.
"Everything worked according to plan," Fifa's head of media Delia Fischer told the press during a briefing at the Maracana.
"The animations provided additional support because the live action was not conclusive [over whether the ball had crossed the line].
"Yesterday’s situation was quite unique. As the replays are automatically triggered, you saw first the ‘no goal’ and then the ‘goal’ sign.
What we are doing is working to make it even clearer and to change it so you only see the ‘goal’ sign in situations like yesterday’s [from now on]."
A number of ticketless fans scaled an outer wall of the stadium while many others broke through a security gate, with stewards apparently powerless to stop them
By Liam Twomey at Estadio Maracana
The security breach which saw around 30 ticketless fans break into Rio de Janeiro's Estadio Maracana in an attempt to watch Argentina's clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday was a minor and isolated incident, according to Fifa and Brazil 2014's local organising committee.
During the incident, which was caught on a video subsequently posted on Youtube, a number of fans scaled an outer wall of the stadium while many more burst through a security gate, with stewards seemingly unable to stop them.
Police later made nine arrests in relation to the break-in, and Saint-Clair Milesi, the head of communications for the Brazil 2014 organising committee, insisted on Monday that all the people involved were apprehended by stewards and handed over to state authorities.
"Those who jumped the wall were led to the police and the Plan B worked well," Milesi told reporters during a Fifa press briefing at the Maracana.
"They [the supporters] have a police record and that sends a message to those who are here to make trouble.
"We had a meeting yesterday to reinforce security at the stadiums. It’s very important to us. We had a great festival [at the Maracana] last night because everyone felt safe here."
Argentina's 2-1 victory over Bosnia attracted 74,738 people to the Maracana, the largest attendance of the World Cup so far. The number of ticketless supporters arriving at stadiums is becoming a problem, though, with Fifa revealing that they are turning away on average between 20 and 30 supporters with fake tickets each game.
Further afield, some 200 more Brazilians took part in a protest which resulted in violent clashes with police around 1.5km from the stadium itself, and resulted in tear gas and stun grenades being employed to disperse the crowd.
Iran 0-0 Nigeria: Super Eagles held in drab stalemate
Jun 16, 2014 9:50:00 PM
The teams were evenly matched throughout the 90 minutes with both teams struggling to create chances in their opening game of the tournament
Iran and Nigeria were forced to settle for the first draw of the 2014 World Cup on Monday as there were no goals in Curitiba.
Nigeria dominated possession in the Group F fixture at Arena da Baixada – particularly in the first half – but a disciplined defensive performance from the Iranians ensured the spoils were shared.
After a handful of early chances, the African nation failed to make the most of their pressure, seeing attacking moves fail in the final third time and again.
And Iran, whose best chance to score came courtesy of a first-half header from Reza Ghoochannejad, saw their persistence pay off as they held on for a point.
Argentina now lead the group by two points after their 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
Nigeria named Fenerbahce frontman Emmanuel Emenike as their sole striker, but it was winger Victor Moses who got the first sight of goal, drilling a tame effort comfortably into the arms of goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions had the ball in the back of the net from a corner in the eighth minute, but the whistle had already blown as Haghighi was somewhat fortuitously awarded a free-kick after a coming together with John Obi Mikel.
Iran were struggling to get a foothold in the match, and Ogenyi Onazi was next to fire a warning signal by sending the ball dribbling wide of the left-hand upright.
For all their possession, Nigeria were not working the Iran stopper hard enough and Stephen Keshi was forced to bring Joseph Yobo on for Godfrey Oboabona on the half-hour mark after the defender had earlier landed awkwardly in an aerial challenge with Ghoochannejad.
Iran – growing in confidence as the half progressed - almost punished their opponents’ profligacy four minutes later when a Ghoochannejad header from a corner forced Vincent Enyeama into a reflex save.
Keshi threw on Shola Ameobi seven minutes into the second half in a bid to give Nigeria more cutting edge in the final third, but it continued to be a tale of frustration as clear-cut chances continued to elude his side.
Iran had never previously kept a clean sheet at the World Cup finals, and their defensive approach drew whistles and heckles from fans in the green and white Nigeria.
Goalscoring chances became an increasingly rare occurrence and Nigeria will see this as a huge chance wasted with matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina to follow.
Iran’s next fixture is against group leaders Argentina on Saturday.
Clint Dempsey was on target 30 seconds into the game only to see his goal cancelled out but a header in the late stages secured the win for the United States
A late goal from defender John Brooks helped the United States to a 2-1 win over Ghana in their World Cup opener in Natal on Monday.
Supporters had barely found their seats for the Group G clash when USA captain Clint Dempsey found the back of the net after just 29 seconds at the Arena das Dunas.
But Ghana appeared to have earned a draw when Andre Ayew levelled proceedings eight minutes from time only for second-half substitute Brooks to head home the 86th-minute winner as the USA made a winning start in Group G.
The USA's win - their first against Ghana in two previous attempts at the World Cup - was just the result Jurgen Klinsmann's men needed following Portugal's drubbing at the hands of Germany.
Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah rewarded Jordan Ayew with a place in the starting XI after the young striker came off the bench to score a hat-trick against South Korea last week, while star duo Kevin-Prince Boateng and Michael Essien were among the substitutes.
There were no surprises for the USA, with Jurgen Klinsmann naming the same team that beat Nigeria in their final pre-World Cup match almost a fortnight ago.
Fans in Brazil had been treated to a goal glut since the tournament kicked off last week and it was no different on Monday as Dempsey stunned Ghana inside the opening minute.
The Seattle Sounders forward drove inside the penalty area, gliding past Ghana defender John Boye before placing the ball in the bottom far right-hand corner - the fifth fastest goal in World Cup history.
Jozy Altidore almost doubled the USA's advantage in the 19th minute after Fabian Johnson's low cross found the towering striker inside the six-yard box, but his attempt on goal was blocked.
It proved to be Altidore's last bit of action after the Sunderland player was stretchered off the pitch two minutes later with a potential World Cup-ending hamstring injury - a blow to Klinsmann, who controversially overlooked all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan for the showpiece event.
Altidore was replaced by former AZ Alkmaar team-mate Aron Johannsson.
Ghana did have chances to draw level before the break, the greatest of which came on the stroke of half-time as Christian Atsu found himself in space down the right flank and he squared the ball to Ayew but the 22-year-old completely fluffed his lines.
Asamoah Gyan - Ghana's leading scorer during qualification with six goals - was also guilty of wasting a glorious chance 10 minutes into the second half after finding himself unmarked in the area, only to fire his header over the crossbar.
Boateng was introduced on the hour-mark and his substitution was an inspired one as the Africans started to dictate possession and tempo in search of an equaliser.
For all of the Black Stars' possession, they could not find a way past goalkeeper Tim Howard, with the African nation lacking composure in the final third.
They were eventually rewarded for their sustained pressure in the 82nd minute courtesy of some lovely link-up play between Gyan and Andre Ayew.
A back-heel from Gyan inside the area paved the way for Andre Ayew to run in and slam the ball into the back of the net.
Ghana's joy was short-lived, however, as defender Brooks rose highest to score from a corner with just four minutes of regulation time remaining.
Howedes: Germany had a simple plan to stop Ronaldo
Jun 16, 2014 10:35:00 PM
The defender explained it would have been foolish to attempt to man-mark such a "perfect" player, with Joachim Low's men instead opting to work as a unit against the forward
By Mark Doyle in Salvador
Benedikt Howedes hailed Germany's "simple" but effective plan for containing Cristiano Ronaldo in Monday's 4-0 pummeling of World Cup Group G rivals Portugal in Salvador.
The Real Madrid superstar started brightly at Arena Fonte Nova but his influence faded after the Seleccao were reduced to 10 men when Pepe was dismissed for a headbutt on Thomas Muller just before the break.
Ronaldo tried to rally his side after the interval but was restricted to pot-shots from distance as Portugal slumped to a 4-0 defeat.
Howedes was, therefore, understandably enthused by the way in which he and his fellow defenders had combined to cope with the threat posed by the Ballon d'Or holder.
"We had a simple plan," Howedes told Goal after the game.
"You have 11 players on the pitch and you have to rely on all of them to stop these kind of perfect individual players.
"But, also, the whole back four kept an eye on him and defended him well today."
While a clearly frustrated Ronaldo floundered, Thomas Muller flourished, scoring a hat-trick.
The versatile Bayern Munich attacker claimed the Golden Boot at World Cup 2010 and Howedes feels his team-mate is entirely capable of again finishing as the tournament's top scorer.
"He's awesome," the Schalke player enthused. "The way he thinks on the pitch is amazing.
"He can score goals when there doesn't seem to be any chance to do so. He's truly incredible."
Howedes was also pleased with his own performance, having been asked by coach Joachim Low to take on the unfamiliar role of left-back on his World Cup debut.
"It's not my first-choice position as I'm a natural central defender but in a tournament like this it's even more necessary than normal to be versatile," the 26-year-old mused.
"We all just wanted to defend well - this was what the coach asked of us - and I think I had a good performance that helped the team in this battle against Portugal.
"I'm proud to have made my first appearance in the World Cup and I'm happy that we had such a good result."
Begovic: We put three men on 'special' Messi and he still scored
Jun 16, 2014 10:30:00 PM
The Bosnia goalkeeper hailed Messi as the best player in the world after the Argentina star's superb solo goal in the Albiceleste's 2-1 victory at the Maracana on Sunday
By Greg Stobart in Rio de Janeiro
Asmir Begovic says Bosnia-Herzegovina tried to put three men on Lionel Messi but they still could not stop the "best player in the world" from scoring a superb solo goal for Argentina on Sunday.
Messi scored the decisive strike in the second half of Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Bosnia in the Group F opener at the Maracana – and Begovic felt the Barcelona striker was the main difference between the teams.
“We lost but the difference was the best player in the world,” the Stoke goalkeeper told Goal.
“Every time he got the ball, he made a difference. You can feel the pace of his play, the power he has. We tried to get three people around him every time he got the ball, but he shook everyone off.
“He makes that kind of difference. They have match-winners all around the pitch but Messi was special. Unfortunately we couldn’t keep him out.”
Asked whether Argentina should be considered favourite to win the World Cup, Begovic added: “You can see the difference in quality. Especially up front, they come at you from all different angles.
“I see them as one of the favourites. They can go a long way but they’ve got a lot of pressure and expectation so they have got to live with it.”
Bosnia were loudly backed by the locals in Rio de Janeiro and Begovic hopes the World Cup debutants can become supporters’ second team during the tournament.
“The atmosphere was pretty electric, getting to play at the Maracana was pretty special. It’s what the World Cup is all about,” Begovic added.
“The more support we can get, the better. If we keep playing well, we will attract more fans too. If we can be their second team, that would be nice.”
The defender left the field on a stretcher in the second half of his side's World Cup opener, and was ruled out for the remainder of the group stages
Fabio Coentrao was devastated by the news that his World Cup may already be over after sustaining an injury during Portugal’s 4-0 loss to Germany on Monday.
When chasing a ball in the second half, the Real Madrid defender pulled up clutching his adductor, and had to be stretchered from the field, holding his face in pain.
And after an assessment by the Portugal medical staff after the match that ruled him out for the rest of the group stage, Coentrao revealed that his worst fears were all but realised.
"I honestly think the World Cup is over for me," he lamented to AS.
"I’m sure it’s a serious injury, although I hope I’m wrong. Sadly, these things happen in this job.
"It’s a sad day, one of the saddest of my life but it’s only the first game and despite the result, we could still get through to the next round,"
Forward Hugo Almeida was also forced from the pitch, and Portugal’s head of medical services Henrique Jones confirmed that both players would be unavailable for "between 10 days and three weeks".
The prognosis rules the pair out of Portugal’s remaining group games against Ghana and USA, which will effectively end their participation in the World Cup should the Seleccao fail to qualify.
The 52-year-old was not happy with his side's performance in their opening game, insisting they must do better when they face Bosnia
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has criticised his players for being "nervous and unsettled" as they kicked off their World Cup with a 0-0 draw with Iran.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions dominated the game against the Asian side but failed to make their possession count as they came up against a disciplined defence and were forced to settle for a point.
And Keshi believes his players were not in the right frame of mind as their hopes of reaching the second round were dealt a significant blow.
"The boys were too nervous and unsettled," he told Optima Live. "You don't do that at this stage.
"It happens in football. We really didn't perform as expected but we have to move on.
"I wanted a win but must take a draw. We must do better to get a win against Bosnia."
Nigeria face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their next Group F fixture on Saturday.
Suarez: If I play against England it's because I'm at 100%
By Sam Lee
Jun 16, 2014 9:15:00 PM
The Liverpool forward has been recovering from a knee injury for the past three weeks and insists that if he does feature on Thursday it is because he is fully fit
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez says he will only play against England on Thursday if he is 100 per cent fit, but admitted he did not want to risk coming off the bench during the defeat to Costa Rica.
Suarez has been building up his fitness since having knee surgery at the end of May, and was forced to watch from the sidelines on Saturday as his side were humbled 3-1 by los Ticos.
Oscar Tabarez's men now face a crucial second-round match with the Three Lions, who also suffered defeat in their first outing, and Suarez insists that if he features it is only because he is ready for action.
"I wanted to go on and help out [against Costa Rica], but it was better to stay off. I could've gone on and my knee could've played up," he told the press on Monday.
"At no point did I think I would miss the World Cup. I have not missed one day of recovery work, and if I am going to play it's because I am at 100%."
Following an interview in the British press last week, the Liverpool striker once again stated that he knows the weaknesses of the English defence, but would still not reveal his exact plans.
"I know all the players in the England team, either as team-mates or rivals," he added. "They have defensive weaknesses that we can take advantage of, but I am not going to say in front of the press how to play against them.
"I still have faith in the team, we are the first ones who want to improve the situation that we are in."
The coach was thrilled with the Bayern Munich man's performance and eased concerns over the fitness of Mats Hummels
Joachim Low had nothing but praise for Thomas Muller after his hat-trick in Germany's 4-0 win over Portugal on Monday.
The Bayern Munich man opened the scoring from the penalty spot before adding a goal in either half to see Germany open their World Cup campaign with a strong statement of intent.
And Low felt that Muller’s work rate and unpredictability were key for Die Mannschaft, telling reporters: "He is a very unconventional player. Even as a coach you don't know which way he will go sometimes.
"Thomas played very well up front. He kept Pepe and [Bruno] Alves busy the whole time. With his running paths he ripped the defence apart for other players – and he scored three goals. That's Thomas Muller."
The Germany coach also allayed fears over a potential layoff to goalscorer Mats Hummels, who had to be helped from the pitch in the second half with a visible gash on his leg.
"He suffered a blow on his thigh. I don't think it's that dramatic," he revealed.
Low also took time to celebrate Jerome Boateng’s defensive performance on Cristiano Ronaldo, who cut a frustrated figure for most of the game after failing to get on the scoresheet.
"When Ronaldo can start to run, it is going to get difficult because he can score with both feet. If he enters the box it is very dangerous," he explained.
"It was our goal to hassle him when he got the ball. Boateng did that very well. And when Boateng wasn't around, somebody else did."
With Germany a man up and three goals to the good by half time, the 54-year-old was also keen for his side not to over exert themselves during a humid second half in Salvador.
"The team was extremely compact, we did not give away counter attacks. When we had the ball we went up the pitch well. Especially in the first half we played a fast and offensive game and we converted our chances.
"It was a different game in the second half. With this heat and against an opponent with a man down and leading 3-0 it was important to keep the ball and to be energy-efficient."
The Selecao are in for a difficult encounter, according to the coach, who insists they can cover for the loss of Hulk should the striker be unavailable for the match
By Robin Bairner in Fortaleza
Brazil head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has warned that his side are unlikely to find life easy against Mexico when they continue their World Cup campaign on Tuesday afternoon in Fortaleza.
After beating Croatia 3-1 in their opening match, the Selecao head into their next encounter as heavy favourites against opponents who needed to win a playoff against New Zealand to book their place in the finals, yet the coach is wary of the North Americans.
"The [Mexico] team are warriors," he told the press. "They are strong, skilful and well organised and they play a type football we should respect.”
Brazil have history on their side, having recorded a 2-0 in the Confederations Cup almost exactly a year ago, but Scolari still has a great deal of respect for their opponents.
"We are sure that every time we play against Mexico we have difficulties," he said. "I don’t have the statistics, but I think our records are very similar. So the match is very balanced.
"Both teams play good quality football, they pass the ball. We need to know that victory places us in a comfortable situation."
Scolari would not be drawn on the fitness of Hulk, who did not train at the Castelao, indicating instead that the forward will have a late fitness test after suffering a thigh problem in training on Sunday.
"Hulk wasn’t going to do anything here. He wasn’t going to run, he wasn’t going to participate. He’s stayed [at base] for treatment."
If the Zenit St Petersburg star does miss out, the coach is confident of replacing him with a strong option.
"The players I have have different characteristics – they have more speed, or greater marking, or different positioning.
"I’ve got 23 players, and there will be no problem if Hulk cannot play."
Anything is possible against Belgium, says Algeria coach
Jun 16, 2014 10:25:00 PM
Vahid Halilhodzic says the North Africans have prepared as well as they possibly can and claims his side are confident of success in their Group H opener on Tuesday
By Ben Hayward in Belo Horizonte
Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic says "anything is possible" for the North African side as they kick-off their World Cup campaign against much-fancied Belgium on Tuesday.
The Desert Foxes beat both Armenia and Romania in the build-up to this competition and their Bosnian boss believes they are well prepared to face Marc Wilmots' side in Belo Horizonte.
"Today Belgium have one of the finest teams in their history," he said in the pre-match press conference at the Estadio Mineirao on Monday. "It will take audacity and courage. Success never happens by chance.
"We have prepared as well as we possibly can. We are the only Arab team in the competition and we want to make absolutely sure we represent the country well and make them proud of us."
Halilhodzic admitted he still sees some weaknesses in his side, but was full of optimimism ahead of the Group H clash.
"We have still some shortcomings that are bothering me," he said. "But we have to believe that we can do some damage against the Belgians. Everything is possible. Yes we can!"
Capello: Lampard controversy in 2010 helped force goal line technology
Jun 16, 2014 11:36:00 PM
The former England coach remembered the events of the Three Lions' elimination four years ago, where he feels the midfielder's controversy advanced the adoption of technology
By Peter Staunton in Cuiaba
Russia coach Fabio Capello ruefully recalled England’s 4-1 defeat to Germany in the 2010 World Cup as helping to advance the implementation of goal line technology for the first time in this year’s tournament.
The new technology came into the spotlight this summer during France’s 3-0 win over Honduras, where Les Bleus' second goal was awarded after the ball was correctly adjudged to have rebounded over the line, moments before Noel Valladares clawed it back.
And Capello could not help but remember events four years prior when he coached the Three Lions in their Round of 16 match against Germany.
With England trailing 2-1, Frank Lampard’s shot rebounded off the crossbar into the goal – only for the officials to rule that the ball never crossed the line.
"I didn't change it [goal-line technology]. Fifa changed it," said Capello to reporters.
"Did you see the [France] result yesterday? I was with my team, England [in 2010], and was penalised. Experts know that going from 2-0 down to 2-2 makes a big difference.
"This actually helped the case of technology but we paid the price."
Capello chose Vasili Berezutski to replace Roman Shirokov as the Russia captain ahead of Igor Denisov, and revealed that the CSKA Moscow defender’s command of English swayed his decision.
"Igor Denisov is a leader on the pitch but Berezutski speaks English and communication with referees is very important," he continued.
Upon taking the armband, Berezutski expressed his determination to lead his side past the loss of Shirokov, who was ruled out of the World Cup with a lingering back injury.
"Shirokov is a big loss for us. However, the Russian team is strong as a team," he said.
"It's a collective effort. This is why we should not be fixated on the fact that his absence will disrupt our team too much."
Russia open their Group H campaign against South Korea on Tuesday at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba.
The midfielder admitted his side should have created more on Monday, but felt the negative approach of the opposition was an influential factor behind the result
John Obi Mikel has accused Iran of parking the bus after Nigeria drew 0-0 with the World Cup minnows in their World Cup opener on Monday.
In a dire affair that produced the first goalless draw of the competition, the Super Eagles struggled for any sort of attacking fluency, as their star men all endured anonymous evenings.
Mikel, who operated in an unfamiliar No.10 role, in stark contrast to his deep-lying midfield position at Chelsea, was handed the man-of-the-match award for attempting to at least stamp some authority on proceedings.
After the game, the Chelsea man admitted his side had come up short in the final third and said they will need to be sharper in front of goal if they are to reach the knockout stages.
He said: "We are very disappointed because the opening match is very important.
"We looked for the win, but Iran knew what we wanted to do and put 11 men behind the ball. They managed to stop us from playing our game.
"We’ll have to create more chances in our next match and be sharp in front of goal."
Next up for Nigeria are Bosnia in Cuiaba on Saturday night.
Altidore injury raises more Landon Donovan questions for USA
Jun 17, 2014 6:00:00 AM
COMMENT: Jurgen Klinsmann now faces the prospect of playing the rest of the World Cup with Aron Johansson or Chris Wondolowski as Clint Dempsey’s strike partner
By Luis Herrera in Natal
The opening moments of the 2014 World Cup couldn’t have gone better for the USA.
Clint Dempsey’s opener after 35 seconds put his team in a fantastic situation, defending a lead as they are comfortable doing and, to top that, against a side that doesn’t distinguish itself coming from behind.
But 20 minutes later Jozy Altidore grabbed his left leg while chasing a long ball and it was over for him. A hamstring strain put an end to his participation in the game and likely for the rest of the World Cup. And at that moment, the dissenters raised above the parapet. Landon Donovan, they shouted. The perfect replacement. But he isn't here. In his place, Jurgen Klinsmann sent Aron Johansson to the field.
In may have ended 2-1 for the Concacaf champions, who managed to escape with the victory thanks to a header by defender John Brooks with four minutes remaining, but it was probably the most unfair outcome we have had in this World Cup.
The decision to leave the iconic Donovan out of the squad could come back to haunt Klinsmann. Even if he is no longer at his prime, the LA Galaxy star would still be a better partner for Dempsey than either Johansson or Wondolowski.
Donovan was very clear in his statement after getting notice of his omission: he felt he was not only one of the 23 best American players, but could challenge for a starting spot. In the next games, Klinsmann may regret the day he took that option out of the picture.
From that moment Ghana totally controlled the game and descended time and again on Tim Howard’s goal. The USA, usually very dangerous on the counterattack, struggled to create chances on their own and Johansson, a 23-year old striker from AZ Alkmaar with less than 10 international games on his resume, barely touched the ball during the game.
Jurgen Klinsmann has reasons to be worried about his attack. USA survived Ghana's onslaughts because they missed chance after chance to score. Against Portugal – even after their awful World Cup debut – and Germany, they need to do more to disturb the opposing defences than they did in Natal.
Three points are on the board, but it was far from convincing. The decision that Klinsmann has taken may ultimately define this World Cup for his team.
Changes could be afoot as Spain look to bounce back from their shock defeat to Netherlands in their World Cup opener
Vicente del Bosque says he already knows which 11 players will start Spain's World Cup clash with Chile on Wednesday.
The reigning world and European champions were stunned by Netherlands as they fell to a 5-1 defeat in their opening game on Friday.
Iker Casillas was at fault for several of the goals, while defender Sergio Ramos also came in for criticism after the game, which could see changes made.
That said, Del Bosque is convinced that his players are now over the hangover that ensued in the aftermath of that defeat and says they are very much alive in the competition.
"I was worried at first, but their heads are no longer down," he told reporters.
"Clearly the frustration will not go immediately, overnight. But we need people to know that we are aware of what is at stake here.
"Until their goal I thought we controlled the game. And then through [Arjen] Robben and [Robin]Van Persie they had a stream of optimism.
"I have profiled an eleven to face Chile, but I will not let them know in advance. If I do, that could alter the mood of the players before the game."
The 63-year-old was also quick to defend his players following the avalanche of criticism that has come their way and said they remain wonderful ambassadors for the country.
"There are many people who love us. This group has led us very far. When we were winning titles we were the saviours of Spain and now we're trampling the flag?
