Southern Champs vs Northern Stallions

Toyota University Cricket Championship(TUCC) 2013 6th T20 Match: Southern Champs (Jain Univ) Vs Northern Stallions (AMU) at Bengaluru, Feb 28, 2013.

Match Start at 14:00 GMT | 7:30 PM IST

Teams: Southern Champs (Jain Univ) Vs Northern Stallions (AMU)
Northern Stars (Jamia) Vs Southern Sharks (Madras Univ) - See more at: http://www.cricwaves.com/cricket/news/articles/NkP3k4uDVm_drh-sevawcirc/toyota-university-cricket-championship-2013-schedule-results-live-score.html#sthash.0KAiUWKY.dpuf

Venue: M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Match: Twenty20 (20-over match)

Time: 14:00 GMT | 07:30 PM IST

Southern Champs (Jain Univ) Squad: Kaunain Abbas(c), Abhinav Manohar, Gaurav Goel, KV Siddharth, Liyan Khan, Lokesh Rahul, Samarth Ravikumar, Shashindra, Shreyas Gopal, HS Sharath, Prabhakar Rajendra, Vamseedhar Krishnakumar, Abdul Majid, CA Karthik, Daniel Sequeira, Suchith Jagadeesh, Dinesh Borwankar, Nihal Ullal.

Northern Stallions (AMU) Squad: Imran Saleem(c), Rehan Aziz, Rohit Saini, Taha Ali, Vipin Kumar, Mansoor Ahmad, Meraj Ahmad, Ravindra Singh, Abhinav Kataria, Ahmad Kirmani, Areeb Farooqui, Danish Ali, Mirza Beg, Tahmeed Ahmad, Sanjeev Pandey, Yasir Kaleem.
- See more at: http://www.cricwaves.com/mobile/loadArtD?aid=p2WbAWuBWE_drh-sevawcirc&at=tucc-2013-southern-champs-vs-northern-stallions-score-card-feb-28-2013#sthash.141TVoM6.dpuf

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27th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards

Check out the big stars, top fashions, and best moments from the arrivals for the 27th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony direct from the beach in Santa Monica. Then be sure to tune in to IFC at 10pm ET/PT tonight to watch the awards ceremony hosted by Seth Rogen.

27th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards - Winners List

BEST FEATURE
THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann

BEST DIRECTOR
MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS - The Artist

BEST SCREENPLAY
ALEXANDER PAYNE, NAT FAXON & JIM RASH - The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE
MARGIN CALL
DIRECTOR: J.C. Chandor
PRODUCERS: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
WILL REISER - 50/50

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
PARIAH
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dee Rees
PRODUCER: Nekisa Cooper

BEST FEMALE LEAD
MICHELLE WILLIAMS - My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
JEAN DUJARDIN - The Artist

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
SHAILENE WOODLEY - The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - Beginners

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
GUILLAUME SCHIFFMAN - The Artist

BEST DOCUMENTARY
THE INTERRUPTERS
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Steve James
PRODUCER: Alex Kotlowitz

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
A SEPARATION (Iran)
DIRECTOR: Asghar Farhadi

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
MARGIN CALL
DIRECTOR: J.C. Chandor
CASTING DIRECTORS: Tiffany Little Canfield,Bernard Telsey
ENSEMBLE CAST: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci

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Oscars 2013: 85th Academy Awards Ceremony

The 85th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday 24 February, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The awards ceremony begins at 1.30amGMT.

Sky Movies will air the red carpet arrivals live from 11.30pm GMT, on Sky Movies Oscars (and HD) and Sky Living (and HD). The actual awards ceremony will air on Sky Movies Oscars (and HD) from 1.30am GMT to 4am GMT.

There are, as ever, several big names in contention for a prestigious Oscar, but the biggest among them are two films with strongly patriotic/military themes - Ben Affleck's Argo and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. Also in contention is Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, a re-telling of the US hunt for Osama Bin Laden and, on a lighter note, the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook. If Daniel Day-Lewis picks up the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Lincoln, he will become the first actor in cinema history to win the coveted award three times.

Hosts and Presenters

The event will be hosted by the comic actor Seth MacFarlane. Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman will be among this year's high-profile presenters, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron revealed on Friday 22 February.

"Between the two of them, Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman have created more iconic characters than any other pair of actors in the world," Zadan and Meron said in a statement released to Entertainment Weekly. "Their participation in this year's Oscars completes a list of presenters and performers that truly represents that great breadth and depth of acting talent in film today."

Nicholson has been nominated 12 times - more than any other actor - and has won Best Actor Oscars for One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and As Good as It Gets (1997). He also won the award for Best Supporting Actor in Terms of Endearment (1983).

Hoffman has been nominated seven times and has won awards for leading roles in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Rain Man (1988).

Other presenters at the Oscars ceremony will include Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas, Jamie Foxx, Paul Rudd, Salma Hayek, Melissa McCarthy, Liam Neeson, John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep.

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India vs Australia T20 Cricket series

Australia were also beaten 0-1 at home by South Africa but have fared better than India during that period. However, the recent retirements of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey have left their middle order bereft of experience. The last time these two teams locked horns, Australia pummeled India 4-0 at home riding on the superlative performances of their skipper Michael Clarke and the fast bowlers. But conditions in India are completely different and it will take a gargantuan effort from the visitors to outclass the hosts.

England beat India 2-1 in 2012, despite losing the first Test, and showed that the hosts are no longer unbeatable in their own backyard with a host of slow bowlers. India have had a horrid last two years in Test cricket, losing eight successive matches overseas and beating only West Indies and New Zealand at home. A series win against Australia will do a world of good to their confidence and will restore some pride. On the other hand, another defeat at home threatens to besmirch their legacy and will spell an impending doom for Indian cricket.

Harbhajan Singh confirmed in the pre-match press conference that he will play the first Test, indicating that India might go with their all three frontline spinners along with Ravindra Jadeja's left-arm spin. This isn't a rare instance as India played four spinners - Pragyan Ojha, R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla and Jadeja - in the Nagpur Test against England in December.

Interestingly, the two sides are banking on different strengths to try and outdo the other. India have a substandard and largely inexperienced fast bowling attack which has been their biggest failing over the years, and thus are counting on spin. India's second-string spinners posed problems to the Australian batsmen in the two tour matches and the inexperienced team has a task at hand to exorcise the spin demons in the first Test. Barring Clarke and Shane Watson, the other batsmen have no experience of playing Tests in India and this a prominent factor which the hosts will look to capitalize on.

What remains to be seen, however, is how much assistance Australia's battery of fast men gets from the Chepauk pitch which is renowned to be a batting paradise and help spinners from day four.

What India and Australia have in common is worries at the top of the batting. India axed Gautam Gambhir from the 15-member squad for the first two Tests and drafted in Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan while retaining an out-of-form Virender Sehwag. Vijay is most likely to get the nod over Dhawan for the first Test; Sehwag will do good to seek inspiration from his outstanding record at the venue.

David Warner is recovering from a fractured thumb and Australia have taken a gamble by including him in the playing XI for the first Test. Ed Cowan struck a fine century against South Africa last year but struggled for runs since then. Phil Hughes - set to bat at No. 3 - was ill at ease against spin in the last tour match, leaving Australia with a brittle top order. These problems on both sides leave both India and Australia reliant on their respective middle orders.

Harbhajan struggled against England last year, but with a good record against Australia - 90 wickets in 16 Tests - the latter could yet again prove a thorn in Australia's flesh. Additionally, the presence of left-arm spinner Ojha gives India a clear advantage.

Unlike England with Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, Australia don't have a quality spinner in their ranks which might prove a huge deterrent. Nathan Lyon has been preferred as the solitary slow-bowling option for the Chennai Test and the offspinner will have a big role to play if Australia want to stamp a significant impact on the series. After Lyon, Australia do not have a genuine wicket-taking spinner in their XI.

Where the tourists outrank India, however, is in the fast-bowling stakes and they are going in with a clear plan. Australia will play with four pace bowlers - Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and the debutant Moises Henriques - in Chennai while India will have Ishant Sharma as their spearhead followed by one of the uncapped Ashok Dinda and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Starc is in sparkling form of late and Siddle has been consistent for the last year; if Pattinson manages to get away without any injuries, Australia's fast bowling stock is remarkable and they'll take heart from James Anderson's superb showing in the Test series in India. Henriques was the best of the Australian seamers in the warm-up match against India A and if he gets reverse swing again he could prove a steady hand at one end with his medium pace.

Teams

Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Ed Cowan, 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 Shane Watson, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 Moises Henriques, 8 Peter Siddle, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 James Pattinson, 11 Nathan Lyon.

India (probable): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Murali Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harbhajan Singh 9 Ashok Dinda/R Ashwin, 10 Ishant Sharma 11 Pragyan Ojha

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South Africa vs Pakistan

Pakistan will resume their second innings at 100 for three against South Africa on Day Four at Cape Town on Sunday.

Resuming at 25 for the loss of two wickets, Pakistan added just 75 runs in the final session losing the wicket of senior batsman Younis Khan, a report said.

There are many people who are pre-occupied with other commitments and cannot devote time to watch the match on TV, there are many television companies that offer live telecast of cricket matches on internet.

The live streaming of cricket matches is rapidly becoming a new rage in the online media and is catching up with lot of cricket fans.

The 2nd Test between Pakistan vs South Africa is being played at Cape Town from Feb 14-18, 2013.

The Pak vs SA 2nd test live score can be seen here at 8:30 GMT onwards.

When last reports came in, after tea on the 3rd day, Pakistan were struggling at 86 runs for the loss of three wickets.

Pakistan lost the toss and batted first on day one, scoring 338 runs all-out. Two of their batsmen Younus Khan and Shafid Ali scored centuries.

In reply to Pakistan's first innings score of 338 runs, South Africa started well but lost quick wickets and were once at 164 for the loss of six wickets.

Skipper De villiers and Peterson played a good knock to take the score to 326 runs giving a lead of 12 runs to Pakistan.

Catching the live telecast of cricket matches on internet, and watching this online is a safe bet if one is not near the television.

The final eleven players are as below:

South Africa: Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Irfan.

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Real Madrid vs. Manchester United

Surprisingly, Antonio Valencia does not start for Manchester United. Danny Welbeck will get a run out on the wing for Ferguson's side.

All eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Alex Ferguson's preferred method of containing him, when Manchester United takes on Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday evening. Ferguson has been using Phil Jones in a defensive midfield role in recent weeks to prepare him for the occasion, and has selected Jones in that role. Expect Jones and Ronaldo to see a lot of each other during the game.

With Raphael Varane struggling with an injury, Mourinho has picked Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos at the back. Pepe has recently returned from injury, but Varane's form has been superb as of late. Michael Essien, who has also been in good form recently, does not start as Mourinho looks to attack.

Real Madrid starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Diego Lopez; Fabio Coentrao, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso; Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Özil, Angel di Maria; Karim Benzema

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): David De Gea; Patrice Evra, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Rafael; Phil Jones, Michael Carrick; Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney, Shinji Kagawa; Robin van Persie

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England Women vs New Zealand Women, ICC Women's World Cup 2013

Defending champions England will take on last edition finalists New Zealand in a crucial Super Six match of the ICC Women’s World Cup at Brabourne stadium today.

England lost a low-scoring tie against Australia but bounced back to win against South Africa. England skipper Charlotte Edwards needs to fire with the bat, while the combination of Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole needs to provide early breakthroughs in their quest to defend the title. While the Kiwis depend on their captain Suzie Bates, much will also hinge on their pacers Sian Ruck, Rachael Candy and Lea Tahuhu. England’s left-arm spinner Holly Colvin (23) said, “we know there is a slim chance of qualifying for the final and there have been quite a lot of upsets. We need Australia to beat the West Indies and that is completely out of our control. I am sure it’s going to be quite close. All we can do is focus on our match and win it.

“It would be absolutely gutting if we didn’t make it to the final. We obviously would have liked going into the game knowing that if you win, then you are into the final. But the results haven’t gone our way, so we just got to make sure we win well,” said Colvin.

As the use of Decision Review System in the men’s game continues to be a topic of discussion, Colvin said that it should be introduced for women’s matches as well. “DRS is used in the men’s game so why not in women’s games? But then, for that to happen, every single game would have to be televised. I think it has helped the men’s game and I am all for it,” she said.

Meanwhile, South Africa will clash with Sri Lanka in an inconsequential Super Six game at Cuttack today.

Both teams have no chance of qualifying for the final. Australia have already reached the final to be played in Mumbai on Sunday.

Their chances of qualifying for the final will depend on the result of the other Super Six tie between West Indies and Australia at the MIG Cricket Club ground. If West Indies manage to register a win over Australia, it will be curtains for England, making the England vs NZ tie a mere formality.

With Australia already in the final, there will be three teams — England, West Indies and New Zealand — vying for the one last spot.

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Australia vs West Indies Only T20

World T20 Champions West Indies will look to put on a show when they face Australia in a one-off Twenty20 International on Wednesday night. The Windies have found the going tough on the ongoing tour and will look to get their first victory in the upcoming match at the Gabba.

“We have an opportunity to finish the tour on a high. We did the job very well in Sri Lanka last year. The last time we played against Australia in this format we completely outplayed them so that is the kind of motivation we will carry into the match. I know the boys are definitely looking forward to it and I know we will dust off the One-Dayers and play like world champions.”

Sammy added: “The people over here in Australia have been very supportive of us and we have not demonstrated our very best cricket for them to see, so we want to give them something special before we head back home.”

Skipper Darren Sammy made no secret about it when he said the team is “going all out for a win”, as they look to repeat the kind of performances when they won the ICC World T20 Tournament in Sri Lanka last October. In that tournament they beat Australia in the semi-finals and went on to defeat Sri Lanka in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium.

“We have to come in and play like true champions. We are the World Champions and we want to showcase our skills and show the people of Australia what we have. We have not demonstrated that a lot on this tour so we have to look to put it together on Wednesday,” Sammy said.

“Australia played very well throughout the series and we didn’t play very at our very best and the results told us so. Tino bowled really well in the two matches he played. As he said he was on ‘six cylinders’ and got some good wickets for us.”

He said of Charles: “For a young guy who has been under pressure, to come out and score his first hundred at the MCG, that was really great and I would like to commend him on the way he played. He played well from start to finish of the innings and we hope he can continue from his point.”

Looking back at the ODI Series, Sammy noted that the West Indies failed to win the “50-50 moments” and that cost them dearly. However, he was full of praise for fast bowler Tino Best, who bowled with good pace and got fourwickets in his two matches; and opener Johnson Charles, who made 100 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground – his maiden international century.

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Nigeria vs Burkina Faso

The route to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament was different for both sides. While the Super Eagles walloped Liberia 6-1, the Stallions needed a stoppage time goal to edge out the Central African Republic 3-3 on aggregate scores.

But that is where the difference ends, and since their 1-1 draw on January 21, both sides have grown in stature and will now contest the final of the 2013 edition of the Nations Cup with a chance to represent Africa in the Fifa Confederations Cup later this year in Brazil.

But as Jonathan Akpoborie said, “The Eagles have to continue playing like they did against Cote d’Ivoire.” That is good advice, as nothing has been won yet by either team, and while they are already both commended for coming this far, history will only remember the country that wins the title.

For Burkina Faso, this is uncharted territory and for Nigeria, it is a chance to return to the high standards of previous years.

One of the things that makes the Africa Cup of Nations so compelling is its ability to deliver the unexpected.

Coming into the 2013 instalment of the continent’s most prestigious international tournament, very few prognosticators would have had Nigeria and Burkina Faso in Sunday’s final, yet after a fascinating few weeks in South Africa, that’s exactly the showcase we’ve been given.

Nigeria, who in recent years have been little more than a disorganized mix of big reputations and even bigger salaries, have found a rather different identity at this competition. And for that they have manager Stephen Keshi to thank.

The 51-year-old, who won the Cup of Nations as a player in 1994, quite intentionally broke with the past in his squad selections, omitting the likes of Obafemi Martins, Yakubu and John Utaka in favor of younger players, five of which play their domestic football in Nigeria.

The result has been a surprisingly disciplined side anchored by Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel that deservedly ousted Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals before thumping Mali in Wednesday’s semifinal. They come into Sunday’s championship match as favourites, although forwards Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike missed training on Thursday and may not be fit in time to retake their places in Keshi’s starting XI.

On the other side of the ball, Burkina Faso already know they`ll be without their first-choice striker at kickoff on Sunday.

Alain Traoré, who scored the late equalizer in the Stallions` come-from-behind draw with Nigeria in the group stage and also bagged a brace against Ethiopia, picked up a thigh injury against Zambia and has been rehabilitating in France the past week. But he`ll be in the dugout in Johannesburg on Sunday to cheer on his teammates, having been granted a leave of absence by Lorient.

On the road to the final, Nigeria scored 10 goals and conceded four while Burkina Faso have scored seven and conceded two. Both have improved but Burkina Faso will be missing in form striker Alain Traore, who equalised against Nigeria and scored three goals during the tournament before picking up an injury. The good news for the Burkinabe is that star player Jonathan Pitroipa has had his red card from their last match against Ghana rescinded after Caf decided that his booking was a mistake.

The Nigerians also have injury concerns for two of their better players – Emmanuel Emenike, who has scored four goals, and the chief instigator against Mali, Victor Moses, who has added two strikes. Burkina Faso will also have to make changes to their line-up, with right-back Koffi a major doubt.

Burkina Faso did get some good news, however, when Jonathan Pitroipa`s red card from Wednesday`s semifinal against Ghana was overturned on Friday. The Rennes winger had been sent off after what the referee had judged to be simulation, but on appeal, the Confederation of African Football overturned the decision.

Pitroipa`s inclusion is a massive boost to Burkina Faso`s attack, but the backbone of manager Paul Put`s team has been its defense, and if there is to be an upset on Sunday, it will likely be because the central tandem of Bakary Koné and Paul Koulibaly once again won its matchup against the opposing attack.

Projected Nigeria XI: Enyeama; Ambrose, Omeruo, Oboabona, Elderson; Mba, Mikel, Onazi; Ideye, Emenike, Moses

Projected Burkina Faso XI: D.Diakité; Koffi, Koné, Koulibaly, Panadetiguiri; D.Koné, Kaboré, Rouamba, Makoulma, Pitroipa; Bance

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Ajax vs Roda J.C.

In the 14th round of the Dutch top tier football, Roda JC Kerkrade will lock horns against Ajax Amsterdam at Parkstad Limburg Stadion on Sunday, November 25.

Roda JC Kerkrade

De Koempels are heading into the game on the back of a demoralising 5-1 defeat at the hands of Heracles Almelo on November 18.

Lerin Duarte gave the Heraclieden an early lead, which was cancelled out by Sanharib Malki in the 33rd minute. However, Duarte restored his side’s lead only four minutes later. Willy Overtoom doubled his side’s advantage in the 58th minute, before Geoffrey Castillion and Samuel Armenteros’ strike completed the rout for the home side.

De Limburgers have been struggling to compete in the highest echelons of Dutch football since the start of the 2012/13 campaign. Occupying the 16th spot on the league table, they have an overall record of 13 played, 2 won, 4 drawn and 7 lost.

Ruud Brood, Roda JC head coach, would be hoping that his side could turnaround their fortunes, and start grinding out good results in the coming weeks to finish as far away from the relegation zone as possible.

Ajax Amsterdam

The defending Dutch champions cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory in their last league encounter, but they suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund in a UEFA Champions League game on November 21.

De Joden have performed erratically since the start of the new season. Sitting at the fourth spot in the league standings, the Amsterdammers have dropped points consistently. They have an overall record of 13 played, 6 won, 6 drawn and 1 lost.

Frank de Boer, the Amsterdam giants boss, has urged his troops to put behind their abysmal showing in their mid-week Champions League encounter, and shift their focus on the upcoming league game if they are to defend their title successfully come the end of the season.

Head-to-Head statistics

Ajax have managed to claim wins in four of their last five meetings against Roda JC, while the remaining game ended in a draw.

Key Players

Sanharib Malki – Roda JC Kerkrade

The Syrian ace would be keen to help his side bag maximum points in the upcoming encounter against the reigning Eredivisie champions. With six goals already to his name, the 28-year-old would be keen to add more to his tally on Sunday.

Siem de Jong – Ajax Amsterdam

Netting five goals while setting up four more in 13 league appearances, the versatile midfielder has remained one of the most consistent players in the Amsterdammers squad. He would be keen to help his side in the upcoming encounter to secure bag maximum points.

Prediction

Both sides would be gunning to bag maximum points in this encounter. However, De Koempels’ poor performances against the Amsterdammers coupled with their abysmal showings at home put the defending Dutch champions as the favourites to claim all three points.

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2013, 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards

The GRAMMY Awards telecast is one of television's major broadcast events, ranking as one of the highest-rated and most-watched specials. Ratings for the GRAMMY Awards have continued to soar over the last several years, with the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards attracting 39.9 million viewers, the largest

GRAMMY audience since 1984 and the second largest in history. The telecast was the highest-rated awards show of the season, and the biggest social event in the history of television. The awards drew 13 million social media comments with the conversation on Twitter reaching a record high at 160,341 tweets per minute during the live telecast.

Music's Biggest Night, the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards, will return to Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013, and will air live on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The eligibility year for the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards is Oct. 1, 2011, to Sept. 30, 2012.

Additionally, "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night" — which officially kicks off GRAMMY season by revealing nominations in several categories while featuring unique performances with past GRAMMY winners and/or nominees — will air live on CBS Wednesday, Dec. 5.

GRAMMY Week — a weeklong series of cultural events culminating in Music's Biggest Night — will again feature celebrations of music, education and philanthropy, including GRAMMY Camp — Basic Training, the Entertainment Law Initiative luncheon, the Producers & Engineers Wing event, the GRAMMY Foundation's Music Preservation Project, the annual MusiCares Person of the Year tribute, the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, and Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, among other events.

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Parma vs Genoa

A 95th minute strike from Marco Rigoni sunk the Laziale, as Davide Ballardini took his first victory since taking over at the Luigi Ferraris from Gigi Delneri, and Genoa moved a place and a point outside of the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Parma succumbed to a 2-0 defeat away in Florence, meaning they stayed 10th in the table.

Parma's dangerman is unquestionably Ishak Belfodil, who aroused the attention of Juve on deadline day. He too has scored seven goals this season, and with Nicola Sansone looking ever better up front, they are a pairing which could terrorise the Genoese defence. Also, keep an eye on Sotiris Ninis -- the highly-rated creative Greek international who has only played a bit-part this season, but who could come into the midfield for this one.

Genoa only have a couple of injury woes with Antonio Floro Flores missing out and Bosko Janković is doubtful. They don't have any suspensions, so should they lose, they'll have to find a better excuse than absentees.

Unfortunately Parma aren't so fortunate. Daniele Galloppa is injured, while his fellow midfielder Marco Marchionni is suspended, leaving a gaping hole in the centre of the pitch. Defender Fabiano Santacroce and goalkeeper Antonio Mirante will both miss out hurt, while Aleandro Rosi joins Marchionni on the naughty step.

Parma haven't won in their last four, despite playing reasonably well. But, it's no use performing if there aren't any points to show for it, and coach Roberto Donadoni has already made this game's 'must win' status clear, as the crociati look to cement their place comfortably in the top half of the table.

Much like Parma in the last few games, Genoa haven't picked up many points this season. The difference is, they haven't deserved them. But, since hiring Ballardini in place of the disastrous Delneri, they've picked up four points from a possible six, despite taking on Juventus alongside the aforementioned Lazio.

They will attempt to keep that momentum going here, though with Parma having only been beaten by Napoli at home this season, attempting to breach the Tardini is an unenviable task -- especially with Genoa having won in Parma only once in the last 20 years.

Nevertheless, Marco Borriello is finally getting up to speed in attack, and has netted four times in his last five games. Given his history, that's probably enough to earn him a move to Juventus in the summer. He started up alongside Andrea Bertolacci as Ballardini shifted to a 3-5-2 against Lazio, and could well be the key again.

Parma Injuries and Suspensions

Out: Daniele Galloppa, Fabiano Santacroce, Antonio Mirante (injured) Aleandro Rosi, Marco Marchionni (suspended)

Genoa Injuries and Suspensions

Out: Antonio Floro Flores (injured) In doubt: Bosko Janković

Match Date / Time: Sunday, February 8 at 12:30 p.m. local, 6:30 a.m. ET

Venue: Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy

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FC Barcelona vs. Getafe CF

FC Barcelona host Getafe tomorrow in Sunday's early kick-off, as they look to bounce back from last week's underwhelming 1-1 draw against Valencia. Despite dropping those two points at the Mestalla, the Blaugrana still have a healthy lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga - and that lead stand at twelve points by the time Atleti kick-off in their match against in-form Rayo Vallecano. That being said, some of the Barca players are unlikely to be at 100% following the midweek internationals; will they have enough left in the tank to defeat Getafe?

Given that Getafe have never won at the Camp Nou, and that Luis Garcia's side have struggled for form on their travels thus far this season, it's hard to envisage anything other than a Barcelona win tomorrow - but what will the final result be? Predict the score by voting in our poll, and by commenting with your prediction below.

Team News

FC Barcelona

Xavi’s injury is a huge blow and the team will miss his calm orchestration of the play. Thankfully, the injury isn’t serious and he is expected to be back in two weeks’ time. This will give Thiago a chance to start, if the team opts for a direct position replacement. Villa, Alexis or Tello may feature in the game if Tito and Roura decide to drop Cesc and Iniesta to the midfield.

Pedro is expected to play as the team will bank on his excellent run of form. He has been in peak condition, physically and form-wise, terrorizing defenses in the last few games. His confidence will be particularly high following his scintillating performance for Spain.

With only Dos Santos, in addition to Xavi, unavailable for selection, Barça goes into the game with a plethora of options and alternatives.

Predicted starting XI: Valdes, Montoya, Puyol, Mascherano, Alba, Thiago, Busquets, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi and Fàbregas.

Full Squad: Valdés, Pinto, Dani Alves, Piqué, Fàbregas, Puyol, Villa, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Bartra, Sergio, Pedro, Jordi Alba, Montoya, Adriano, Song and Tello. (2 will be dropped from the official 18)

Getafe CF

Getafe will miss a few players owing to injuries and suspensions. They will be without the services of first choice goalkeeper, Miguel Angel Moya and defender Rafa Lopez. The likely starting lineup will be very similar to the one we played against in the 1-4 win, with the exception of Codina replacing Moya.

Predicted starting XI: Codina, Alexis, Miguel Torres, Alberto Lopo, Valera, Pedro León, Diego Castro, Michel, Xavi Torres, Adrián Colunga and Abdelaziz Barrada.

The Lineup Conundrum

This season has seen Barça players who are part of what is considered to be the team’s best starting lineup play almost four times as many minutes as any of the substitute players. According to Marca, each player of the regular starting lineup has played an average of 2,000 minutes compared to the 500 minutes played by other substitute players (yes, we can take Marca‘s word on this!). Earlier in the season no two matches had the same lineup. However, since the return of Pedro and Fàbregas from their respective injuries, the starting XI has become quite predictable.The away game against Getafe CF in the first half of the season saw Barça play with a distinctively new lineup. The team, consisting of new talent, churned out a fantastic 1-4 win. Granted, the introduction of Messi sealed the game, but that does not diminish the work of players like Montoya, Thiago and Tello who justified the opportunity given to them.

At this stage of the competition (particularly as we are in the accursed month of February) we need fresh legs. Barça’s bench is filled with enviable talent, waiting to take the load off the regular starters. Hopefully we will get to see them in action in the subsequent games.

Prediction:

Barça will hold possession of course. This is always the case, although its effectiveness has been watered down in the past couple of draws. However, with fresh legs, our possession game will be at its best, which we will need when facing Getafe’s defensive bulk at the back. With Iniesta terrorizing the left wing and running across the corner line, and Pedro doing the same on the other wing, it’s hard not to predict many midfielders breaking through the center to aid Messi there, regardless of Getafe’s attempt in bulking the defense.

Other than worries about Getafe breaking on the counter attack, Mascherano or Puyol might be able to push a bit upwards, and give Busquets a chance to be a near box playmaker, which is an option rarely tested by Tito so far, but which is gaining some credibility with his recent decisive passes.

We never take any opponent lightly, and Getafe had proven itself against bigger teams this season, but this match comes at a point that leads us to believe in our dominance breaking their lines apart. Fingers crossed that no bad luck will come to our defense, considering the many goals scored against us this season from unfortunate deflections. Let’s relax and enjoy what is likely going to be a goal fest this sunny noon.

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Mali vs Ghana, 3rd Place AFCON CUP 2013

Saturday’s encounter is a matter of motivation after disappointments in their respective semi-final matches. The Eagles of Mali were thrashed 4-1 by the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the first semi-final match on Wednesday. It was the kind of result which left many baffled, as a much tighter match was expected.

But Patrice Carteron’s men failed to live up to the expected level of the match as the Nigerians walked comfortably into the final.

On the other hand, the Black Stars of Ghana, who were seen as one of the major favourites, missed out on another attempt to make it into the final after a 3-2 defeat to Burkina Faso on penalties.

The match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes and the Stallions were the ones smiling as they booked their first appearance in the final of the Afcon following a penalty shootout victory. Ghana’s regular starting line-up will change slightly with Mohammed Rabiu suspended. The injured John Paintsil is likely to stay out as well.

Kwesi Appiah will need to spend time psyching up the four-time African champions, who are clearly downhearted after another unsuccessful attempt at winning their fifth continental title.

Football fans on the African continent will be treated to a repeat of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations third place play-off on Saturday in Port Elizabeth.

Last year in Equatorial Guinea, the Malians stood tall after beating Ghana 2-0 to clinch the bronze medal. In fact, the Black Stars had beaten Mali by the same score line earlier in the competition when they met in Group B.

Interestingly, the two west African sides were paired again at the group stage this year. Just as in the 2012 edition, Ghana won the group match 1-0 courtesy of a Mubarak Wakaso goal from the spot.

Seydou Keita will certainly be the danger man for the Malians and it will be a major achievement for him to engineer the team to a second successive third place finish.

One of the things the Malians must guard against is how they handle the Ghanaian attackers in the penalty area. Ghana have won three penalties at the tournament which reveals how slippery some of their attackers are.

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New Zealand vs England

New Zealand XI put up a better bowling performance compared to the first practice match and managed to keep the England batting in check till the 12th over when Jos Buttler joined Eoin Morgan at the crease. The two brought in their good form from the previous game, adding 87 runs in 8.2 overs before Buttler, who made an unbeaten half-century in the previous match, was dismissed for 51 off 31 balls by Neil Wagner.

The stand-out performance for the hosts came from Canterbury batsman Tom Latham, who built on the good start by the openers Hamish Rutherford and Anton Devcich, scoring a brisk 64 off 38 balls. Subsequently, at one stage it looked like New Zealand would win with a few overs to spare.

England opener Michael Lumb said his side was not too disappointed with the tight finish. "We did drag it back well. They could have run away with it easily but we showed a bit of fight and I think it's a good sign we can take away. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted but the game went to the wire and that should hold us in good stead if we get some close games in the next few days."

Latham was disappointed about his dismissal but was relieved to be back among the runs. "I have been struggling a little bit this season, but I have started timing the ball better and getting into the right place," he said.

Solid performances from the top-order batsmen helped New Zealand XI pull off a thrilling three-wicket win over England XI in the second Twenty20 tour match in Whangerei on Wednesday. Set a target of 171, New Zealand XI managed a last-ball victory after losing the first practice match on Tuesday by 46 runs.

However, England made a strong comeback, taking three wickets in seven balls to give themselves a shot at victory. Luke Ronchi and Latham were dismissed in the penultimate over by England captain Stuart Broad and Dernbach then dismissed Doug Bracewell off the first ball of the 20th over. It was left to pacers Matt Henry and Andrew Ellis to score the required runs in the final over.

England will play New Zealand in the first of three Twenty20 internationals from February 9 in Auckland.

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Los Angeles Lakers vs Charlotte Bobcats

After a crushing loss to the Boston Celtics on February 7, the Los Angeles Lakers have little time for a pity party. The team will head south to face the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena tonight, and this will be a true test as to how well they can shake off a blowout loss.

Seeing as how Charlotte has lost five games in a row, the Lakers are in a position to be part of another blowout, but on the winning side. They already narrowly defeated the Bobcats on December 18, and this is the opportunity for their new pass-first attitude to make a comeback and show that Los Angeles can make a comeback en route to a playoff spot.

Of course, that won't be easy against Charlotte. Though they do have a poor record, the Bobcats have some fine young players capable of being key difference makers down the stretch.

It's going to be up to the veteran Lakers to stop this young and feisty squad, which will be tough given the team's road struggles. Los Angeles has gone just 8-17 on the road, and a Bobcats team looking to defend its home court could prove to be troublesome.

The stage is thus set for what could be either a blowout or an incredibly close contest, and fans should definitely tune in to watch it go down.

Time: Friday, February 8th, 7 p.m. EST
TV: Time Warner Cable Sportsnet, SportSouth Charlotte
Records: Los Angeles Lakers (23-27) vs. Charlotte Bobcats (11-37)

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England Women vs Australia Women

England have played two of their three group games at Brabourne Stadium and Sthalekar admitted that gave them a slight advantage. "They have played three more matches to get an idea of the pitch and the conditions. It depends on what wicket you were on and how many times that has been played. But I still feel that our match - the warm-up - was a good enough preparation. We just trained out there which is similar conditions so the girls are getting a good grip and understanding of the wicket. They might have a slight advantage but we are coming here fresh as well, so they might be a bit over the scenery."

Brindle said England now knew the lines and lengths they needed to bowl at Brabourne Stadium and felt the surprise loss to Sri Lanka in their opening game had been an early wake-up call. "As soon as you lose a game in any competition it makes you re-evaluate and fine-tune every part," Brindle said. "We have done that in the last two games. We are looking to carry that into the Super Six. I think you sometimes learn more in defeat than you do when you go on winning every game.

"We have played the last few games with the pressure of having had to win those games. If we perform like we have had, we'll be a tough side to beat."

England are yet to beat Australia in an ODI at a neutral venue, following 13 defeats and a tie. The previous time the two sides met on neutral territory, in October 2012 in Colombo, Australia won the Women's World Twenty20 final by four runs.

While most of the spotlight was on Group A, which had the defending champions England, hosts India, exciting West Indies and surprise package Sri Lanka, Australia quietly racked up three wins out of three in Group B in Cuttack. They are the only side to have carried the maximum possible four points into the Super Six stage. If anything, they have only upped their level over the past week, as have England following the shock last-ball defeat to Sri Lanka. In Australia's final group game, against New Zealand, they chased down 228 with more than 11 overs and seven wickets to spare.

"I think we have actually been able to improve over those three games," Lisa Sthalekar, the Australia allrounder, said. "The first two games [v Pakistan and v South Africa] were against an opposition we weren't familiar with. We were faced with some difficult situations but we were able to get through and then the last game against the Kiwis we finally came out with the type of game we wanted to play in this tournament."

That was in Cuttack, though, on the eastern part of India. On the western seafront in Mumbai, Sthalekar said conditions were different. "In Cuttack there wasn't a lot of turn. The wicket was two-paced and had variable bounce, especially the game against South Africa. The wicket that we played against New Zealand was truer and that reflected in the scores.

"Here, what we had been able to see over the televised matches and in our warm-ups, there's a bit of turn that excites me as a spinner. The fast outfield and the warm-ups that we played here have given us a good insight as to what the wicket will hold."

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Paris Saint Germain Youth vs. Fluminense Youth Final Match and Alkass Cup 2013 Closing Ceremony

The French team have impressed onlookers with their well-organised and strong side, but they had to rely on a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals to overcome Boca Juniors. In contrast, Fluminense brushed aside Inter Milan 3-1 in a stunning display of samba style play thanks to their attacking verve.

The game will also see two players considered the tournament’s best playing against each other as PSG captain Franck Bambock lines up opposite Flu’s flying forward Robert Kenedy Nunes. Bambock has been hailed as a star of the future thanks to his mature displays in central midfield as he has lead his team into the final by example.

The final of the Al Kass International Cup takes place in Doha on Thursday 7th February 2013. The match will be a fascinating clash of styles as powerful Paris Saint-Germain take on the flair of Fluminense.

The game – to be played at the Aspire Academy – will kick off at 4.30pm and will be broadcast live on the Al Kass International Sports Channel. It is free for the public to attend. Defending champions PSG will start the game as slight favorites due to last year’s experience, but they will be wary of the Brazilian team’s pace and ability.

But Kenedy has caught the eye with his confidence on the ball as he has tormented defenders and contributed goals and assists to his team’s progress. The two sides played in the opening group stage of the tournament, with PSG running out 2-1 winners. But Fluminense have improved as the tournament has developed, and many now predict the final will be a close-run affair between the different styles of the European and South American teams.

A spectacular closing ceremony will follow the final, bringing to a close two weeks of outstanding international football. The tournament is hosted by The Qatar Football Association, Al Kass Sport Channels and the Aspire Zone Foundation.

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Burkina Faso vs. Ghana

With only four teams left in Africa's premier competition, all are aware of the magnitude of proceedings—Ghana have made it this far after topping their group, and then overcoming Cape Verde 2-0 in the first of the tournament's quarter finals. Burkina Faso have emerged as the tournament's surprise package, topping Group C ahead of Zambia and Nigeria, before holding their nerve to best Togo in extra time.

Burkina Faso feel they have a major advantage over Ghana because they have been based in Nelspruit throughout the tournament, emerging as the surprise winner of group and eliminating defending champions Zambia.

While Ghana enter this match as clear favourites, Burkina Faso will be imbued with confidence after their bold run to this stage. Despite the absence of their star player and the tournament's joint-top scorer Alain Traore due to injury, Jonathan Pitroipa has stepped up to take his place as the team's creative inspiration.

Wakaso Mubarak has been Ghana's star, weighing in with three crucial goals, however, the Black Stars lineup is riddled with talented players who could have a major impact on the big stage.

The pitch at the Mbombela Stadium has been a major talking point and Put feels four games’ experience on the hard and sandy surface stands his side in good stead.

“It is a psychological advantage for us because it will be our fifth game at the Mbombela Stadium. We know the pitch will be equally bad for both teams but in our heads we know we can play on it."

Burkina Faso beat Ethiopia and Togo at the venue and drew with both Nigeria and Zambia.

But if the Burkinabe coach was seeking to play mind games with his opponents, Kwesi Appiah of Ghana was having none of it.

“We need to compete whether the pitch is good or bad,” he said at a separate news conference in Nelspruit on Tuesday.

“My players are all professionals and used to different conditions. Back home in Ghana we play regularly on far worse pitches. We need to take our mind off the pitch issue,” he added.

Ghana have played all four of their previous games on a lush green turf in Port Elizabeth.

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Spain vs. Uruguay

Uruguay boss Oscar Tabarez is without midfielder Gaston Ramirez, who suffered a leg injury while on club duty for Southampton during the weekend.

La Celeste’s attacking trio of Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani may start together for the first time since the 3-0 qualifying defeat to Argentina last October.

Spain playmaker Xavi will miss Wednesday’s friendly against Uruguay at the Khalifa International Stadium with a hamstring injury.

Defender Cesar Azpilicueta and playmaker Isco are both included in the 20-man squad and could make their international debuts off the bench.

Real Madrid duo Xabi Alonso (groin) and Iker Casillas (hand) also miss out, while Javi Martinez, Roberto Soldado and Fernando Torres have all been omitted by coach Vicente del Bosque.

For Spain it's a familiar roster for the most part with the only two players looking to make name for themselves being Malaga forward Isco and Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta. Both players have been called in by Vincente Del Bosque before but have yet to earn a cap. Neither made get a chance to do so this time around either, but sometimes how you perform in training is just as important as what you do on the pitch.

Fernando Torres would probably like to try to win a place back but he won't get a chance this time around, having been skipped over. You get the sense that Del Bosque knows what he has, likes what he's been seeing and isn't in a big hurry to start tinkering unless something goes wrong.

Despite all the recent struggles, Tabarez isn't making many changes with his roster. There are only four players in camp without double-digit caps, so it appears that Tabarez is going to ride out qualifying with this group for better or worse. Given the defensive problems for Uruguay, there's a chance that Sebastián Coates or Matías Aguirregaray could make a name for themselves if given the opportunity.

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Qatar vs Malaysia

Qatar themselves are in a dire state following their below-par performance in the recent Gulf Cup, in which they failed to make it past the group stages, despite being billed as favourites to win the tournament. There has also been a change on the management side, with Fahad Thani replacing Paulo Autuori as the head coach.

They will certainly be depending on forward Sebastian Soria, who will be a big threat with his height and experience. Their Southeast Asian counterparts are relatively small in stature, meaning that any physical advantage could prove to be pivotal on Wednesday.

The time has arrvied for Datuk K. Rajagopal to finally prove a point and silence his critics. Malaysia were ousted in the semi-final of the AFF Suzuki Cup last year and since then, pressure has been growing immensely on the shoulders of King Raja.

But the man himself remained optimistic, promising to revive the team in the Asian Cup qualifiers, which begins against Qatar on Wednesday night. We have to admit that there is a significance difference in class between both sides but Malaysia should go into this one with confidence.

Rajagopal has always been under criticism for his selection policy, with many claiming that he picks the national team based on reputation instead of form. Therefore, this is not only a perfect chance for the new names to shine but also a chance for Rajagopal to justify his coaching credentials by making an impression - despite not having the best team at his disposal.

Regardless, the time has arrived for him and Malaysia to prove to their fans that not all hope is lost. Similarly, Qatar's fans have been loud about their frustrations and its time for The Maroons' to regain the the love from their faithful.

As for the Malayan Tigers, they know that this will not be an easy tie. Malaysia have not beaten Qatar in their last five meetings and Middle Eastern sides have always caused problems for them. King Raja's men were given a footballing lesson by Iraq in a 'practice match' last Saturday, in which they went down 0-3.

Injuries hasn't helped their cause either, with Malaysia missing up to 10 key players. Notable names like Safee Sali, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, Gary Steven Robbat and S. Kunanalan will all be absent, but it could also be a blessing in diguise for the new faces.

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Jordan vs Singapore

The stage is set – the first game of the Lions' 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign against Jordan.

This game is significant in so many ways for Singaporeans, there is little reminder needed on how agonisingly close the Lions came to qualifying for the last tournament in 2011.

Then, Odai Al-Saify gave the home side the lead in the first-half, but Noh Alam Shah re-ignited the Lions’ hope with an equaliser right after the break.

However, they were unable to hold on with Bani Yaseen’s header on the hour mark seeing the Jordanians qualify at the expense of the Lions.

That arguably sparked the start of the lowest ebb in Singapore football until the unexpected victorious AFF Suzuki Cup campaign late last year.

Successfully conquering the region, the onus is on V Sundrammorthy’s side to cement their place among Asia’s best.

The two teams faced off in Amman back in 2010 in their last group match, with the Lions needing only a point from the affair to qualify for the tournament proper due to a one-point advantage over their opponents.

The Lions also have a notorious record against Middle East teams, with only a 2-0 win over Iraq in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in recent history to boast of.

Furthermore, Singapore have played Bahrain in a warm-up game last week and lost 3-1 in the affair with Safuwan Baharudin scoring the solitary goal for the visitors – not the most positive of signs of things to come on Wednesday night.

Interim coach Sundram experimented with two different sides in that affair and is likely to adopt a more cautious lineup come matchday.

However, it looks like an uphill task being grouped in a tough group consisting of Jordan, Oman and Syria, thus the Lions will need to hit the ground running.

Quarter-finalists in the 2011 edition and currently ranked 95th in the world, the Jordanians are their toughest opponents in the group and look a frightening prospect. A 5-0 win over Indonesia last Thursday only serves as a reminder of the quality amongst their side.

In any case, the rock-solid partnership of Safuwan and Baihakki are set to stay as they attempt to foil the Jordanian attackers.

That should see the recalled Noh Rahman sitting in midfield alongside Isa Halim, to allow attackers Firdaus Idros, Shahril Ishak and Shahdan Sulaiman to support lone forward Fazrul Nawaz.

Otherwise Erwan Gunawan will provide good foil upfront if Sundram opts to play Fazrul in Idros' position.

At the back, the only mystery remaining is whether Daniel Bennett will get the nod over Ismail Yunos at the right-back position due to his massive international experience.

The match will kick-off on Wednesday, February 6, 10pm Singapore time.

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Mali vs Nigeria

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi believes he will have a distinct advantage when he prepares his side to meet Mali in the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.

Keshi was coach of the Mali side between 2008 and 2010 and not much has changed in the national set-up in that time, giving him extensive knowledge of the players.

But this has been denied by his opposition as the war of words hots up ahead of what is an eagerly anticipated match-up in Durban.

Mali veteran midfielder Seydou Keita believes the past will have no bearing on Wednesday’s tie though and insists the Mali of 2013 has a very different style to the one that played under Keshi.

“People keep saying that Nigeria will beat us on Wednesday because their coach Stephen Keshi knows the in and out of the Mali team, having coached us in the past, but that is not true,” Keita said.

“Ninety percent of their current players used to play for me when I was the head coach. So I know what to expect from them on Wednesday,” Keshi said.

“We are not thinking of the final now but the semi-final against Mali. My knowledge is an edge but that does not mean we are not going to work extra hard to be able to make it to the next round.”

How Mali deal with him will be telling, as well as how they handle Chelsea forward Victor Moses, who has begun to find his form after a slow start to the tournament.

History is also on Nigeria’s side: they have never lost to Mali in six previous meetings, winning three of those.

This will be the fourth time since 2002 the two teams have played at the Nations Cup finals, with Nigeria winning two of those.

“We’ve had three coaches after Keshi’s departure and that should tell you a lot of transformation has taken place. Keshi, with all the respect I have for him, will meet a different team on Wednesday and not what he left behind. So tell him we have changed.”

One of the keys to the semi-final could be Nigerian forward Emmanuel Emenike, a player who went from the lower leagues of South Africa to the big time in Europe, playing in the UEFA Champions League.

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Australia vs. West Indies

Following defeats in the first two ODIs, the tourists are already staring down the barrel of a loss in the five-match series but Sammy is adamant the West Indies will bounce back to deny Australia the chance of celebrating a series win.

“West Indians know how to set up a good party,” said Sammy. “From now on every game is a final for us, and we’ve got to play it like that. History is in the making and we love being a part of history.”

The West Indies go into the match with somewhat of a home ground advantage. It will be the first time the Australian team will play a match on the ground, whereas the West Indies played a warm-up game against the Prime Minister’s XI there a week ago when more than 640 runs were scored.

“We have already played there and the pitch is a very good one. I guess it was a very good outing and we expect the same on the match day.”

Sammy also played down the danger Australian paceman Mitchell Starc posed to his team despite the havoc wreaked by him in the first two ODIs.

West Indies are on the verge of losing the five-match ODI series against the hosts Australia. This Canberra fixture is their last chance to stage a comeback and offer some resistance. At one stage, they were on top in the second ODI but a brilliant counterattacking batting from George Bailey brought Australia back into the game and with the help of in-form bowler Mitchell Starc, West Indies were condemned to another defeat.

However, the Manuka Oval is considered a batting friendly track and will offer some hope to the West Indian batting lineup that has failed to perform so far in the series.

TEAMS

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Kieran Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Devon Thomas(w), Darren Sammy(c), Andre Russell, Kemar Roach, Sunil Narine

Australia: Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Michael Clarke(c), George Bailey, Matthew Wade(w), Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Clint McKay

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New Zealand vs England

With England hosting the Champions Trophy next summer, their ambition to win a first trophy in the 50-overs format has again been sharpened. The New Zealand itinerary, which comprises three matches in each of the three formats, offers Woakes an opportunity to press his claims in conditions that - although he does not sound convinced - will not be too dissimilar to those he would experience in England next summer.

Almost unnoticed, while England were winning a Test series in India, Woakes gained experience of New Zealand conditions in a brief spell with Wellington before Christmas. He stood out in T20 with runs and wickets in two separate fixtures against Central Districts.

"I came out here trying to get used to conditions before Christmas and get some cricket under my belt," he said. "I hope that'll stand me in good stead. The pitches here are quite bouncy and generally quite true, not so English-like in terms of seam movement."

As well as his one-day ambitions, Woakes knows that it would not take too much for him to make a Test debut in the three-match series, which concludes the tour.

Scores in a Twenty20 warm-up match between New Zealand XI and England here on Tuesday:
England
M. Lumb c Devcich b Butler 25 A. Hales c Beard b Henry 2 L. Wright st Ronchi b Beard 44 E. Morgan not out 48 J. Buttler not out 57 Extras (6lb, 3w, 1nb) 10 Total (3 wickets, 20 overs) 186

Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Hales), 2-48 (Lumb), 3-109 (Wright)

Bowling: Henry 4-0-28-1, Bates 4-0-39-0, Ellis 4-0-37-0, Beard 4-0-33-1, Butler 4-0-43-1

New Zealand XI
H. Rutherford c Lumb b Woakes 9 A. Devcich c Morgan b Woakes 5 T. Latham run out (Lumb) 22 N. Broom b Dernbach 23 C. Munro b Dernbach 55 L. Ronchi c Dernbach b Woakes 12 A. Ellis c Bairstow b Broad 8 I. Butler c Hales b Broad 0 M. Henry c Buttler b Broad 3 M. Bates c Buttler b Dernbach 1 N. Beard not out 0 Extras (1lb, 1w) 2 Total (10 wickets, 19.5 overs) 140

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Devcich), 2-17 (Rutherford), 3-45 (Latham) 4-73 (Broom), 5-109 (Ronci), 6-136 (Munro) 7-136 (Ellis), 8-136 (Butler) 9-136 (Henry) 10-140 (Bates)

Bowling: Broad 4-1-22-3, Woakes 4-0-27-3, Dernbach 3.5-0-24-3, Wright 3-0-30-0, Patel 1-0-4-0, Tredwell 4-0-32-0

Result: England win by 46 runs

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Luxembourg vs Armenia

Luxembourg vs Armenia 2013 battles in the first of two international friendly soccer matches today February 5, 2013. Luxembourg, however, is coming off of a dreadful record. In their last five games, they haven’t won a match. Can that change today?

Luxembourg last battled in a friendly against Scotland in November, only to be defeated. In fact, in four prior World Cup qualifiers, the team eleven goals in just three games, officials remind news. The team’s only draw was against Northern Ireland back in September.

Luxembourg vs Armenia 2013 (start time 7:45 am PST) kicks off from Stage Georges Pompidou stadium today. Luxembourg in its last five games, however, has four losses and one draw. As news analysts note, the team has yet to win since at least September last year.

Armenia, in contrast, has struggled as well. Armenia has only two wins in their last five starts, news analysts report. The team last impressed news in November with an international friendly win over Lithuania. Previously, the team’s only other win last fall was against Malta in a World Cup qualified. The team has been defeated by Bulgaria, Italy and Belarus, since August last year. For live results this morning,

Last Three Matches Second State:
Luxembourg
Oct. 12, 2012 Luxembourg 0 - Israel 6 WCQ
September 11, 2012 N. Ireland 1 - Luxembourg 1 WCQ
September 7, 2012 Luxembourg 1 - Portugal 2 WCQ

Armenia
September 11, 2012 Bulgaria 1 - Armenia 0 WCQ
September 7, 2012 Malta 0 - Armenia 1 WCQ
Aug 15, 2012 Armenia 1 - Belarus 2 FR

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India vs Sri Lanka, ICC Women’s World Cup 2013

India: Mithali Raj(c), Karu Jain(w), Jhulan Goswami, Thirush Kamini, Reema Malhotra, Sulakshana Naik, Rasanara Parwin, Amita Sharma, Gouher Sultana, Ekta Bisht, Harmanpreet Kaur, Mona Meshram, Nagarajan Niranjana, Poonam Raut, Shubhlakshmi Sharma

Sri Lanka: Shashikala Siriwardene(c), Dilani Manodara(w), Chamari Atapattu, Lasanthi Madushani, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sharina Ravikumar, Sripali Weerakkody, Sandamali Dolawatte, Eshani Kaushalya, Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Deepika Rasangika, Chamani Seneviratna, Prasadani Weerakkody

After suffering a 32-run loss against defending champions England, Mithali Raj led Indian team would have to pull up their socks before locking horns with Sri Lanka in a must-win game for both the teams in ICC Women`s World Cup at the Brabourne Stadium here on Tuesday.

With all the teams in Group A having won a match each, the hosts would try to keep their dreams afloat in the series, by winning the crucial league game on Tuesday, if they want to qualify for the knock out stages.

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Manchester City vs Liverpool FC

Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium as titleholders Manchester City bid to narrow the 10-point shortfall on leaders Manchester United and visitors Liverpool strive to reduce their own 10 point gap separating the Merseyside club from the Champions League places.

The points handicap has widened for both clubs this weekend after Manchester United beat Fulham yesterday and Tottenham Hotspur reinforced their grip on fourth place with a victory over West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.

Mario Balotelli's departure for AC Milan this week will mean fewer off-the-pitch headlines for Manchester City players but some analysts think his exit leaves manager Roberto Mancini with inadequate strike options.

Liverpool stalwart Stephen Gerrard says their main aim will be to restrict Manchester City's strikers, adding: "We know we have the players to cause them problems on the counter attack."

Manchester City's Carlos Tevez (right) takes on Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny at the Emirates last month. Welcome to AFP's Live Report on the Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium as titleholders Manchester City take on Liverpool.

Teams: Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Suarez, Sturridge. Subs: Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Allen, Shelvey, Sterling, Borini.

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta (C), Nastasic, Lescott, Clichy, Milner, Garcia, Barry, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero. Subs: Pantilimon, Rodwell, Kolarov, Sinclair, Nasri, Tevez, Maicon.

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Málaga CF v Real Zaragoza

Filed: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 10:30 UK
Last Updated: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 10:38 UK
Good morning and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Malaga and Real Zaragoza at the Estadio La Rosaleda.

Malaga regained fourth position in the table with a 3-2 win over Real Mallorca last weekend, but that was their only victory in their last five matches in all competitions.

Zaragoza, meanwhile, have been on a torrid run of form in recent weeks, failing to win any of their last five matches in all competitions to occupy 14th spot in the table.

The reverse fixture earlier in the season ended in a 1-0 win for Malaga, while the home side were 5-1 winners the last time they welcomed Zaragoza to this stadium in February 2012.

They have also impressed down the other end with 33 goals in their 21 matches thus far. Perhaps not too surprisingly, Barcelona top the goals scored table with 71 strikes. Incredible. Right, the team news is just filtering through, I will bring you the ins and outs in the next couple of minutes.

Malaga’s home form has been impressive with six wins, two draws and three defeats from their 11 matches. Meanwhile, they have also been in good form on the road with four wins from their 10 matches, taking 15 points in the process. Their impressive league position has been built on their defence, however, as they currently hold the best defensive record in the division, conceding just 19 times.

Let’s take a closer look at how both sides have fared in the league this season, starting with Malaga. As mentioned, they regained fourth position from Real Betis last week with an away win over Real Mallorca. They have been in disappointing form in recent weeks, but three of their last five matches have been against Barcelona (twice in the Copa del Rey).

In terms of the recent meetings between the two sides, Malaga have certainly enjoyed the best of it. They have scored six goals in their last two matches against Zaragoza, winning on each occasion. Zaragoza have enjoyed recent success in this stadium, however, with a 2-1 win in January 2011. But much has changed at both clubs since then.

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Burkina Faso vs Togo

Before this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations started, few would have put money on either Burkina Faso or Togo reaching the semi-finals..

But one of these sides will advance to the Last Four following their quarter-final meeting in Nelspruit on Sunday. And if it's Togo, they will make more history.

Talismanic striker Emmanuel Adebayor was not originally going to be part of the campaign, but smoothed things over with the Togolese FA at the eleventh hour. He has been instrumental to his side getting this far, and will be crucial again against the Burkinabe.

"I'm very happy - I'm part of the history. It's a good thing for the country and a good thing for me. We can even go beyond what we think we can do, and I hope now we have a chance to win the cup. We just have to go for it," Adebayor said.

By reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, the Sparrow Hawks have already completed their most successful ever Nations Cup campaign, so it would be an astonishing achievement for them to progress even further.

Burkina Faso, whose best result in eight editions of the competition was a fourth-placed finish on home soil in 1998, rounded off their Group C campaign with a 0-0 draw against Zambia which saw the defending champions drop out of the tournament with a whimper.

Coach Paul Put said: "We have got to the quarter-finals but we must keep our feet on the ground. "It will be a tough game but we've played three tough matches already.

"Togo are a very strong team physically and have a player who can make the difference at any time in Emmanuel Adebayor. But I think they have already shown they also have a great team."

Burkina Faso will have to do without Lorient striker Alain Traore for the rest of the competition, but Put has backed his remaining players to fill the void.

"Alain is a major player," the Belgian added. "We know his qualities, including from free-kicks and corners, but we have enough quality to replace him.

"Tomorrow we must play without him and I trust the other players."

Africa Cup of Nations

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Date: Sunday 3 February
Kick-off: 18:30 GMT

Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website, TV coverage on Eurosport and ITV

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Ivory Coast vs Nigeria

It is an exciting quarter-finals! The great team of Ivory Coast meets the fragile one of Nigeria.

Manchester City's middle fielder, African double Ballon d'Or knows that his country is the favorite of this Afcon

Ivory Coast wants to take revenge on his lost final last year against Zambia.

Yaya Touré, one of Ivory Coast's stars just entrust his collegues of Footafrica365.fr that only God will decide ...

"It will be a very difficult match. We will focus on that. Nigeria is full of great and good players. We believe in ourselves. If this will be our year? I do not know. Only God knows. We pray, and we did our best on the field.

"There are 3 more games to play, we hope that everything will be all right. It would be a great opportunity for us, who have won many times with our clubs. We were expecting this for nearly ten years; it would be a fantastic achievement. But everything is in the hands of God, and we hope that this time will be the right one "

Elephants are treating their Afcon quarter-final against fellow heavyweights Nigeria like a title match as the tournament favourites bid to end a decade of disappointment.

The West African giants set up Sunday's clash in Rustenburg after the Ivorians topped Group D, while Nigeria finished second in Group C.

"This match against Nigeria will be like another final," defender Kolo Toure said after Ivory Coast drew 2-2 in their last group match against Algeria on Wednesday.

"Nigeria is a top team, they have great players. We know it's going to be a very, very tough game. We need to concentrate, try not to make too many mistakes."

"If we believe in ourselves, I think we can do it."

For a fifth successive tournament, the Elephants are favourites to win the title but Africa's top-ranked team have failed to live up to expectations on the four previous occasions.

"Winning this tournament would be massive for us. We've been waiting some 10 years to do this, so this would be a huge achievement," Toure added.

"We are just praying and doing our best on the pitch like we did for the first three games. But everything is in the hands of God and we just hope that this time will be our time."

Older members of the nation's exalted generation like Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora and Emmanuel Eboue are making one last realistic attempt to win the trophy that has eluded the country since 1992.

They struggled in their first match of the tournament when they edged Togo 2-1 but have since shown all the qualities of a title-winning team, beating Tunisia 3-0 and drawing against Africa's second-ranked team, Algeria.

Even captain Drogba displayed glimpses of his old powerful self in the final group match, his perseverance paying off as he steered home a header.

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Super bowl Extravaganza 2013

ENJOY THIS PARTY HERE!!!
Some Super Bowls are blowouts, some nail-biters, some coaching challenges of field position and strategy, some just straight ahead smash mouth free-for-alls where winning depends on who has final possession of the football, or a last minute mistake on the part of the opposing team.

This year's game could be viewed as a contest between the old guard and the upstarts as Colin Kaepernick and his turbocharged San Francisco 49ers offense go up against Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the physical and savvy defense of the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams have had a couple of weeks to prepare and I'm thinking it's going to be a great game with emotions running high, the hitting hard and the battle in the trenches hard fought and relentless.

After the game is over, I'm sure the losing team will reflect on opportunities missed, mistakes made, broken plays, dropped passes and missed tackles, but not for long. They'll be too busy thinking about getting back to next year's Super Bowl.

Some of the players we will see in the Super Bowl have come back from injuries, surgeries requiring the kind of rehabilitation that only a driven man with a consuming desire to play the game could come back from, painful hours of repetitious exercise and physical therapy under the watchful eye of trainers whose sole motivation is to get you back on the field in shape to play your position better than anybody else on the roster.

The sixteen game regular season schedule has one focal point for every team that takes the field, getting to the Super Bowl; it's every NFL player, coach and owner's ultimate dream. It means there are no unimportant games, no game days when you can coast because any team in the league is capable of bearing any other team in the league on any given Sunday afternoon and if you want to make it to the Super Bowl you've got to play them all hard and serious.

So many great and even legendary players never got to compete in a Super Bowl, players who will have their busts enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH but were never quite able to pull off the ultimate feat.

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Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar

In the main event of UFC 156, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will take on former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar.

This could be the most exciting featherweight championship fight in MMA history.
It could also be one of the closest.

While some may believe Aldo's striking alone is enough to give him the edge, Edgar has never been stopped in his MMA career and may be faster than any opponent that Aldo has ever faced.
This fight could go down to the judges.

Here are the reasons why they could have a very difficult decision to make.

These two men will go to war in the Octagon Saturday night.
On paper these two fighters are very similar—using their superior striking to get their opponent on his heels and not being afraid to use the takedown when the opportunity arises—but the aggressive nature of each will have strategies changing.

Both fighters love to push the tempo of the fight with their striking, but something will eventually have to give as both Aldo and Edgar can’t always be attacking simultaneously.

Add in the fact that both veterans can win fighting defensively using counterpunches and takedowns, and this is a brawl that can go either way.

Aldo gets the nod as my predicted winner of this fight by the slimmest of margins. This main event could be an instant classic.

Prediction: Jose Aldo retains UFC Featherweight Championship

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India Women vs England Women

India Women vs England Women 6th Match, Group A of ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 Played at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on 3rd February 2013.

India Women vs England Women 6th Match Scorecard 2013. India Women vs England Women 6th Match Scorecard 3rd February 2013, Cricket Scores Live Scorecard. India Women vs England Women Scorecard 3rd Feb 2013.

We’ll bring you the live scores of the action throughout the match from Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, starting on February 3rd 2013.

	India Women squad
	E Bisht, J Goswami, KV Jain†, MDT Kamini, H Kaur, R Malhotra, MR Meshram, S Naik, N Niranjana, RK Parwin, M Raj*, PG Raut, A Sharma, S Sharma, G Sultana

	England Women squad
	TT Beaumont, A Brindle, KH Brunt, HL Colvin, CM Edwards*, GA Elwiss, LS Greenway, JL Gunn, D Hazell, A Jones†, HC Knight, LA Marsh, A Shrubsole, SJ Taylor, DN Wyatt

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Fulham vs. Manchester United

There are plenty of ways to watch the match, one of which we have right here:

When: Feb. 2 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Where: Craven Cottage

Watch: Fox Soccer

Fulham is in desperate need of a win, as they have won only three times in their last 16 matches. However, getting a win against the Red Devils will not be easy.

Out of their last 36 possible points, Manchester has 32.

They've been completely dominant and are the favorites right now in the EPL.

Fulham will have to find a way to stop Robin Van Persie, who has 18 goals this season and has scored in 10 of his last 11 games.

Fulham takes on Manchester United for the second time in a week in what will be a great EPL clash.

Manchester United won that matchup by a score of 4-1.

Fulham is reeling a bit, losing two of their last three, while Manchester United sits at the top of Premier League standings.

Fulham's Dimitar Berbatov will be out with a hamstring injury, while Ashley Young will be out for Manchester.

Manchester United has won six of their last seven against Fulham and are the heavy favorites to win again.

If they can do that, they'll have a good shot at winning.

But the Red Devils have won eight matches on the road, and their dominance against Fulham in the last meeting suggests that this should be a cakewalk.

The odds favor Manchester, but with Fulham so desperate, anything can happen.

Be sure to check into the live stream for what should be a terrific match.

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Ghana vs Cape Verde

Ghana and Cape Verde face off Saturday in one of the most anticipated matches of the Africa Cup of Nations 2013.

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah knows that the match ahead is difficult and stated that "Cape Verde are a side similar to Mali, which was our toughest group game. They are disciplined and good defensively."

Cape Verde finished in second place in Group A with one win and two draws. In its opener, the team drew 0-0 with South Africa. In the ensuing match, they drew 1-1 against Morocco before defeating Angola 2-1 in their third match.

Cape Verde captain Nando stated that "I really believe that we could beat Ghana. They are a very, very strong team, but when the referee blows his whistle to start the match, we have a chance."

Ghana won group B with seven points. In its first match, Ghana jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Congo DR thanks to goals from Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Kwadwo Asamoah. However, Congo DR scored two goals in 15 minutes to draw the score level. In the ensuing match Ghana defeated Mali 1-1 of a penalty goal from Wakaso. The team finished off its group play with a resounding 3-0 victory over Niger. Gyan, Atsu, and Boye scored for Ghana.

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Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves

"Tonight was a big setback for us especially," said guard Steve Nash, who had 11 points in his return to Phoenix. "We were in control of the game and couldn't close it out. That's disappointing."

One of the reasons the Lakers lost their eighth straight road game was Howard leaving with 6:57 remaining after aggravating a shoulder injury that will keep him out Friday.

That means a return to the starting lineup for Pau Gasol, who hasn't hidden his disappointment with coach Mike D'Antoni's decision to bring him off the bench. Gasol, though, has fared well in his seven games as a reserve, averaging 13.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in a little more than 28 minutes a game.

Bryant's 48 assists are his most in any four-game span of his career, and him sharing the ball often provides the Lakers their best chance for a victory. They are 3-15 when Bryant records fewer than five assists and 5-20 when he attempts 22 or more shots. When he takes fewer than 20, Los Angeles is 14-4.

When facing the Timberwolves, Bryant and the Lakers have always found the proper balance for victories since a double-overtime loss March 6, 2007. Los Angeles has won 19 straight over Minnesota (17-25), the longest active streak for one team over another.

The Wolves have dropped five straight after a 96-90 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday that spoiled the return of coach Rick Adelman, who missed 11 games to be with his wife as she dealt with seizures. Nikola Pekovic had 17 points and 12 rebounds but Minnesota was outscored 12-4 over the final four minutes.

"Teams are playing aggressive and they want to win," guard Ricky Rubio said. "We have to come back and don't step back and try to push them."

That lack of aggressiveness has been most apparent on defense. The Timberwolves have allowed an average of 51.0 percent shooting -- 7.9 above their season average -- and 101.4 points during their losing streak while being outscored in the paint by 9.6 per game.

Adelman is hoping Pekovic and Alexey Shved having a game under their belts after each missed the previous five will help. Shved had 12 points and three assists off the bench Thursday, while Pekovic posted his seventh double-double in 15 home games with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

During its three-game homestand, all finally seemed right for Los Angeles (20-26) in a season plagued by inconsistency and a lack of chemistry despite its star power. The Lakers averaged 106.0 points and shot 52.8 percent while totaling 89 assists in those victories, and Bryant -- third in the league with 28.1 points per game -- had more assists (39) than shots (34) in that span.

Bryant seemed well on his way to another double-digit assist total Thursday at Phoenix, racking up nine over the first two-plus quarters in helping the Lakers grab the lead. However, he had none over the final 21 minutes and went 2 for 7 with two turnovers in the last 7:57 as Los Angeles squandered a 13-point lead in the final 10 minutes of a 92-86 defeat.

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