African outsiders face European giants

MATCHDAY PREVIEW - Africa's two remaining teams return to the fray on Monday in a pair of Round of 16 showdowns against European powers. For Algeria, through to the knockout phase for the first time in their history, that means a daunting tie against three-time winners Germany, who have looked in excellent form so far at Brazil 2014. Les Fennecs(Desert Foxes) fear no one, though, and particularly not their upcoming opponents, having edged both of their previous meetings: a 2-0 friendly win in 1964 and a 2-1 success during the group stage at Spain 1982.

Nigeria can point to a similar record against their last-16 rivals France, with the only match between the teams ending in a 1-0 triumph for the Super Eagles in June 2009. Despite that,Les Bleus have emerged as a genuine force at this FIFA World Cup™, scoring eight goals in their first two games ahead of a goalless draw with Ecuador.

Depay seizes the day

The second day of last-16 ties at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ proved a productive one for the Netherlands’ Memphis Depay, as he advanced his claims to the Hyundai Young Player Award.

Sunday’s two matches featured only three candidates for the Hyundai Young Player Award, with the Netherlands’ Terence Kongolo and Memphis Depay starting their tie with Mexico on the bench and looking on helplessly as El Tri took the lead in Fortaleza. With time against the Dutch, Louis Van Gaal sent Depay on in a bid to exert more pressure on the Mexican back-line.

Memory serves nerveless Navas well

Celso Borges set the ball rolling, putting Costa Rica ahead in the penalty shootout that followed their 1-1 draw with Greece in the last 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ on Sunday. Next up to the spot was Konstantinos Mitroglou, who held his nerve to put the Greeks level.

By the time Theofanis Gekas stepped up to take his kick, Los Ticos led 4-3, with every player having converted. Facing him was a former team-mate in Keylor Navas.

Taking up the story in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, Navas said: “We played together at Levante and I remembered what he used to do in training. I was confident he wasn’t going to change the way he takes his penalties, and in the end I was able to keep it out.”

A cool first and a historic triumph

the second day of Round of 16 action at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ served up another feast for spectators around the globe. After hosts Brazil squeezed into the quarter-finals following a penalty shoot-out in the opening match of the knockout stages, the games on day two were equally dramatic and likewise only decided late on. 

2014 FIFA World Cup™

2014 FIFA World Cup™

1. Matches
2. Groups
3. 2nd Stage

Group A

#	Country	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Brazil	3	2	1	0	7	2	5	7
2	Mexico	3	2	1	0	4	1	3	7
3	Croatia	3	1	0	2	6	6	0	3
4	Cameroon	3	0	0	3	1	9	-8	0

IMF says Pakistan's macroeconomic conditions improving

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said Pakistan's macroeconomic conditions are improving as executive directors concluded a review of the country's economic performance.

On the occasion of the Executive Board's approval of the 555.9 million tranche for Pakistan David Lipton First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair noted that fiscal consolidation remains broadly on track. Macroeconomic conditions are improving but downside risks remain.

The government has taken measures to address short-term macroeconomic vulnerabilities and advance structural reforms including the energy sector reform but continued efforts to safeguard the fragile economic recovery are needed he said according to a Fund statement.

He also acknowledged that Islamabad's efforts to boost foreign reserves are bearing fruit and should continue including through spot purchases greater exchange rate flexibility and a prudent monetary policy.

In other areas the Lipton noted the banking sector remains financially stable and profitable and also welcomed continued energy policy reforms.

Reforming the election system

There are a number of reasons to be suspicious about Tahirul Qadri and his talk of a peaceful revolution to empower the people. He is a Canadian national who lives abroad and descends on the Pakistani political scene occasionally for short but extravagantly funded performances whose main purpose is to put himself at the centre of the political stage and to attract the maximum public and media attention to himself. He is no doubt very adept at it and at rattling the government in power but he achieves little beyond generating some political heat.