Gareth Southgate will lead England towards the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship after being appointed permanent manager of the national team by &nbsp;the &nbsp;FA on Wednesday.

The 46-year-old succeeds Sam Allardyce who departed 67 days into his reign after being caught up in a newspaper sting.

In a statement released after a meeting of the Football Association board at St George`s Park, the FA said the former England defender had agreed for a four-year contract.

Southgate, who was in charge of England&#39;s under 21s for 32 games, has overseen two wins and a draw in the three World Cup qualifying games as interim manager, leaving England top of the group. He also saw his side draw with Spain.

&quot;I am extremely proud to be appointed England manager. However, I`m also conscious that getting the job is one thing, now I want to do the job successfully,&quot; the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player said.

&quot;I`ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over these past four games and I think there`s huge potential.

&quot;For me, the hard work starts now.&quot;

His first match in permanent charge will be away to Germany in a friendly in March, followed by a World Cup qualifier at home to Lithuania later that month.

(Reuters)&nbsp;

Southgate signed a four-year contract which includes England's campaigns for the 2018 World Cup and the 2020 European Championship

Gareth Southgate will lead England towards the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship after being appointed permanent manager of the national team by the FA on Wednesday. The 46-year-old succeeds Sam Allardyce who departed 67 days into his reign after being caught up in a newspaper sting. In a statement released after a meeting of the Football Association board at St George`s Park, the FA said the former England defender had agreed for a four-year contract. Southgate, who was in charge of England's under 21s for 32 games, has overseen two wins and a draw in the three World Cup qualifying games as interim manager, leaving England top of the group. He also saw his side draw with Spain. "I am extremely proud to be appointed England manager. However, I`m also conscious that getting the job is one thing, now I want to do the job successfully," the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player said. "I`ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over these past four games and I think there`s huge potential. "For me, the hard work starts now." His first match in permanent charge will be away to Germany in a friendly in March, followed by a World Cup qualifier at home to Lithuania later that month. (Reuters)

Southgate appointed England's football manager

Wales conceded an agonising late equaliser as Serbia battled to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday as former champions Italy and Spain both won 4-0.

Earlier Saturday, the Republic of Ireland has stunned Austria 1-0 in Vienna and are top of Group D on 10 points, with Serbia second on eight and Wales third on six.

Gareth Bale rocketed Wales into a 30th-minute lead in Cardiff after Hal Robson-Kanu dispossessed Matija Nastasic and fed the ball to the Real Madrid forward, who cracked home a powerful snap shot to make it 1-0.

But Aleksander Mitrovic was fastest to react with four red shirts around him when Antonio Rukavina whipped in an inviting cross to level for the visitors late in the game.

&quot;It was a disappointing result, we feel like we threw away two points. We&#39;re at home, 1-0 up after 85 minutes, it`s two points lost,&quot; Bale admitted after the game.

Just moments before Serbia had levelled, Bale had seen a snapshot come agonisingly back off the post.

Wales coach Chris Coleman was less disappointed and was looking down the road.&nbsp;

&quot;We are four points behind Ireland but we play them twice,&quot; he said. &quot;We have a massive chance. Tonight the boys deserved all three points.&quot;

It was the third game in a row the Welsh have gone ahead only to draw.

&quot;We can be proud of ourselves. We are on the right track. Today we can be happy with one point,&quot; said Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic.

The Irish top Group D thanks to a James McClean strike three minutes after half-time in Vienna.

&quot;This is going to be a very tight finish. But this has been a splendid start for us and we are delighted with the 10 points,&quot; said Ireland boss Martin O`Neill.

Spain and Italy continue to set the pace at the helm in Group G and both have 10 points.

Spain played at Granada where Macedonia`s Darko Velkovski scored a 34th minute own goal before Votolo on 63 minutes, Nacho Monreal (83) and veteran striker Aritz Aduriz (85) gave them a comfortable win.&nbsp;

Taking on minnows Liechtenstein, Italy&#39;s Anfrea Belotti scored either side of strikes from Ciro Imobile and Antonio Candreva.

Eran Zahavi converted an 18th-minute penalty to set Israel on their way with Dan Einbinder and Eliran Atar making sure they beat Albania 3-0 in Tirana.

Iceland failed to replicate their Euro 2016 heroics in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia in Group I.

Croatia grabbed the lead after 15 minutes through Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, but it was Iceland who took control after that in Zagreb, where the game was played out in front of empty stands after a FIFA stadium ban.

Despite having plenty of the ball in both halves, Iceland failed to make the crucial breakthrough.

And the home side punished them in injury time, Brozovic again doing the damage against the run of play.

Croatia, now top of the group with 10 points from four games, finished the match with 10 men after Ivan Perisic was sent off at the death.

Also in Group I, Turkey revived their slim hopes of making it to Russia in 2018 with a 2-0 home victory over Kosovo in Antalya.

Burak Yilmaz and Volkan Sen scored within four minutes of one another in the second half to leave Kosovo bottom on just a solitary point.

Georgia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in Tbilisi to remain rooted in the bottom two spots in Group D.

(AFP)

Serbia's Aleksander Mitrovic scored late in the match to push Wales down to third in the group

Wales conceded an agonising late equaliser as Serbia battled to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday as former champions Italy and Spain both won 4-0. Earlier Saturday, the Republic of Ireland has stunned Austria 1-0 in Vienna and are top of Group D on 10 points, with Serbia second on eight and Wales third on six. Gareth Bale rocketed Wales into a 30th-minute lead in Cardiff after Hal Robson-Kanu dispossessed Matija Nastasic and fed the ball to the Real Madrid forward, who cracked home a powerful snap shot to make it 1-0. But Aleksander Mitrovic was fastest to react with four red shirts around him when Antonio Rukavina whipped in an inviting cross to level for the visitors late in the game. "It was a disappointing result, we feel like we threw away two points. We're at home, 1-0 up after 85 minutes, it`s two points lost," Bale admitted after the game. Just moments before Serbia had levelled, Bale had seen a snapshot come agonisingly back off the post. Wales coach Chris Coleman was less disappointed and was looking down the road. "We are four points behind Ireland but we play them twice," he said. "We have a massive chance. Tonight the boys deserved all three points." It was the third game in a row the Welsh have gone ahead only to draw. "We can be proud of ourselves. We are on the right track. Today we can be happy with one point," said Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic. The Irish top Group D thanks to a James McClean strike three minutes after half-time in Vienna. "This is going to be a very tight finish. But this has been a splendid start for us and we are delighted with the 10 points," said Ireland boss Martin O`Neill. Spain and Italy continue to set the pace at the helm in Group G and both have 10 points. Spain played at Granada where Macedonia`s Darko Velkovski scored a 34th minute own goal before Votolo on 63 minutes, Nacho Monreal (83) and veteran striker Aritz Aduriz (85) gave them a comfortable win. Taking on minnows Liechtenstein, Italy's Anfrea Belotti scored either side of strikes from Ciro Imobile and Antonio Candreva. Eran Zahavi converted an 18th-minute penalty to set Israel on their way with Dan Einbinder and Eliran Atar making sure they beat Albania 3-0 in Tirana. Iceland failed to replicate their Euro 2016 heroics in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia in Group I. Croatia grabbed the lead after 15 minutes through Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, but it was Iceland who took control after that in Zagreb, where the game was played out in front of empty stands after a FIFA stadium ban. Despite having plenty of the ball in both halves, Iceland failed to make the crucial breakthrough. And the home side punished them in injury time, Brozovic again doing the damage against the run of play. Croatia, now top of the group with 10 points from four games, finished the match with 10 men after Ivan Perisic was sent off at the death. Also in Group I, Turkey revived their slim hopes of making it to Russia in 2018 with a 2-0 home victory over Kosovo in Antalya. Burak Yilmaz and Volkan Sen scored within four minutes of one another in the second half to leave Kosovo bottom on just a solitary point. Georgia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in Tbilisi to remain rooted in the bottom two spots in Group D. (AFP)

FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Spain, Italy win big, Wales held

Brazil dealt Argentina&#39;s hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup finals a serious blow on Thursday with a resounding 3-0 win that dropped the world&#39;s top ranked side into sixth place in the 10-team South American qualifying group.

First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games.

The result means Brazil remain top of the group with 24 points from 11 games.

Argentina are sixth on 16 points, with the top four teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Russia and the fifth-placed side going into a play-off with the Oceania winners.

&quot;Today we imposed ourselves, the fans helped from the first minute and we leave here very happy,&quot; Coutinho said in a pitchside interview.

Argentina&#39;s Lionel Messi, who returned to the side after three games out injured, was anonymous in a match lit up by brilliant moments from the home side.

Brazil took the lead after 24 minutes when Neymar slipped the ball to Philippe Coutinho on the left with the deftest of touches and the Liverpool midfielder hammered an unstoppable drive into the top corner of the net.

The Barcelona striker was lucky not to concede a penalty after he handled in the box 12 minutes later but he was always dangerous at the other end and he doubled Brazil&#39;s lead just seconds before half time when he coolly slotted home after taking a defence-splitting pass from Gabriel Jesus.

Paulinho sealed it 13 minutes into the second period when the midfielder charged into the box between defenders and poked home a cross from Renato Augusto.

Brazil were dominant in a rampant second half and could have scored more with Neymar and substitute Robero Firmino both coming close.

In the evening&#39;s other games, Peru got four goals in the second half to beat Paraguay 4-1 away in Asuncion, while Josef Martinez became the first Venezuelan to score a hat trick in World Cup qualifiers in the 5-0 win over Bolivia.

Earlier, Colombia drew 0-0 at home to Chile and stay in third, while Uruguay beat Ecuador 2-1 to remain second, a point behind Brazil.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Argentina are now winless in four games and sixth in the 10-team South American qualifying group

Brazil dealt Argentina's hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup finals a serious blow on Thursday with a resounding 3-0 win that dropped the world's top ranked side into sixth place in the 10-team South American qualifying group. First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games. The result means Brazil remain top of the group with 24 points from 11 games. Argentina are sixth on 16 points, with the top four teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Russia and the fifth-placed side going into a play-off with the Oceania winners. "Today we imposed ourselves, the fans helped from the first minute and we leave here very happy," Coutinho said in a pitchside interview. Argentina's Lionel Messi, who returned to the side after three games out injured, was anonymous in a match lit up by brilliant moments from the home side. Brazil took the lead after 24 minutes when Neymar slipped the ball to Philippe Coutinho on the left with the deftest of touches and the Liverpool midfielder hammered an unstoppable drive into the top corner of the net. The Barcelona striker was lucky not to concede a penalty after he handled in the box 12 minutes later but he was always dangerous at the other end and he doubled Brazil's lead just seconds before half time when he coolly slotted home after taking a defence-splitting pass from Gabriel Jesus. Paulinho sealed it 13 minutes into the second period when the midfielder charged into the box between defenders and poked home a cross from Renato Augusto. Brazil were dominant in a rampant second half and could have scored more with Neymar and substitute Robero Firmino both coming close. In the evening's other games, Peru got four goals in the second half to beat Paraguay 4-1 away in Asuncion, while Josef Martinez became the first Venezuelan to score a hat trick in World Cup qualifiers in the 5-0 win over Bolivia. Earlier, Colombia drew 0-0 at home to Chile and stay in third, while Uruguay beat Ecuador 2-1 to remain second, a point behind Brazil. (Reuters)

Football: Brazil blitz Argentina 3-0 in World Cup qualifier

Saudi authorities said on Sunday they had foiled a plot to bomb a football stadium during a World Cup qualifying match and dismantled two &quot;terrorist&quot; cells linked to the Islamic State group.

The interior ministry said in a statement that four suspects from each cell had been arrested.

One of the cells had planned to park a bomb-laden vehicle outside Al-Jawhara stadium in the Red Sea city of Jeddah during an October 11 World Cup 2018 qualifying football match between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ministry said.

Its members were two Pakistanis, a Syrian, and a Sudanese, the ministry said, without providing further details of the plot or arrests.

The other group had been plotting attacks against security forces and its members had received orders from an IS leader in Syria, the ministry said.

Its alleged members were based in Shaqra, northwest of Riyadh, and are all Saudis, the ministry statement said, adding that the suspects had all confessed.

Six other Saudis were detained and were being questioned over alleged links to the cell, it said.

Since late 2014, IS has claimed a series of bombings and shootings against Shiites in the Sunni-majority kingdom, as well against security forces.

In another statement, the interior ministry published a list of nine suspects -- eight Saudis and a Bahraini, wanted for their alleged involvement in &quot;terrorist&quot; acts in the eastern provinces of Qatif and Dammam, home to most of the kingdom&#39;s Shiite minority population.

The suspects were allegedly involved in attacks against civilians and members of the security forces, the statement said.

It urged the suspects to surrender and offered financial rewards for those who could provide information leading to their arrests.

Eastern areas have seen repeated security incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shiites demanding reform in the Sunni-majority kingdom.

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called for attacks against Saudi Arabia, which belongs to the US-led coalition bombing the jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

In July authorities arrested 19 people, including 12 Pakistanis, in connection with three suicide bombings on July 4 including one near the Prophet&#39;s Mosque in Medina in which four people died.

(AFP)

The World Cup 2018 qualifying football match was in the city of Jeddah

Saudi authorities said on Sunday they had foiled a plot to bomb a football stadium during a World Cup qualifying match and dismantled two "terrorist" cells linked to the Islamic State group. The interior ministry said in a statement that four suspects from each cell had been arrested. One of the cells had planned to park a bomb-laden vehicle outside Al-Jawhara stadium in the Red Sea city of Jeddah during an October 11 World Cup 2018 qualifying football match between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ministry said. Its members were two Pakistanis, a Syrian, and a Sudanese, the ministry said, without providing further details of the plot or arrests. The other group had been plotting attacks against security forces and its members had received orders from an IS leader in Syria, the ministry said. Its alleged members were based in Shaqra, northwest of Riyadh, and are all Saudis, the ministry statement said, adding that the suspects had all confessed. Six other Saudis were detained and were being questioned over alleged links to the cell, it said. Since late 2014, IS has claimed a series of bombings and shootings against Shiites in the Sunni-majority kingdom, as well against security forces. In another statement, the interior ministry published a list of nine suspects -- eight Saudis and a Bahraini, wanted for their alleged involvement in "terrorist" acts in the eastern provinces of Qatif and Dammam, home to most of the kingdom's Shiite minority population. The suspects were allegedly involved in attacks against civilians and members of the security forces, the statement said. It urged the suspects to surrender and offered financial rewards for those who could provide information leading to their arrests. Eastern areas have seen repeated security incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shiites demanding reform in the Sunni-majority kingdom. IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called for attacks against Saudi Arabia, which belongs to the US-led coalition bombing the jihadists in Syria and Iraq. In July authorities arrested 19 people, including 12 Pakistanis, in connection with three suicide bombings on July 4 including one near the Prophet's Mosque in Medina in which four people died. (AFP)

Saudi says foiled plan to bomb football stadium

Lawyers for football legend Franz Beckenbauer Wednesday rejected claims he was paid millions as chairman of Germany&#39;s World Cup organising committee and sought to hide the sum from tax authorities. 
 
News website Spiegel Online had reported that Beckenbauer drew a fee of more than five million euros ($5.6 million) and that he failed to report the payment to tax authorities.&nbsp; 
 
The report was yet another embarrassment for Beckenbauer, 71, who is being investigated by Swiss authorities in relation to corruption allegations over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany. 
 
According to Spiegel, the payment to Beckenbauer was taken from a donation of 12 million euros made by a World Cup sponsor, the gambling company Oddset. 
 
But Beckenbauer&#39;s attorneys at Nesselhauf law firm rejected the claim, saying in a statement that the earning arose from his advertising work and that he had &quot;been promptly taxed at his Austrian residence&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Separately, Theo Zwanziger, who was then boss of the German Football Federation, also told Die Welt daily that the sum was &quot;not payment for his work at the organisation committee&quot;. 
 
Rather, it was a fee for Beckenbauer&#39;s PR work with the tournament&#39;s sponsors, he said. 
 
But the Spiegel claims had sparked anger from current DFB boss Reinhard Grindel, who accused the man nicknamed &quot;the Kaiser&quot; (the emperor) of lying and misleading the public. 
 
&#39;Unaware he was paid&#39; 
 
&quot;We know that Franz Beckenbauer worked for Oddset in the context of the World Cup. But we were not aware that he drew a sum of 5.5 million euros ($6.2 million) from the budget of the organisation of World Cup 2006,&quot; Grindel said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Obviously, given these conditions, we cannot say that he had worked on an unpaid basis for the organising committee,&quot; the DFB boss added in a statement from Athens, where he was attending a UEFA congress. 
 
Beckenbauer did not declare the sum to tax authorities for four years, according to Spiegel. 
 
But following checks by tax authorities, the DFB was ordered to pay a million euros in withholding taxes on the sum in 2010. Beckenbauer subsequently repaid those taxes levied to the DFB. 
 
His lawyers Wednesday confirmed the repayment&nbsp;and said the withholding tax had been levied because Beckenbauer was not a German resident then. 
 
Beckenbauer captained Germany to the 1974 World Cup and coached the side that won the trophy in Italy in 1990. 
 
But his reputation has been badly tarnished by his role in the ongoing scandal over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup finals to Germany. 
 
Swiss authorities are investigating him, along with three other members of the organising committee over &quot;allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation&quot;. 
 
The probe came after a Spiegel report last October that a secret fund of 10 million Swiss francs was used to buy the hosting rights of the 2006 World Cup.&nbsp; 
 
The money allegedly came from the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, ex-boss of Adidas, at Beckenbauer&#39;s request, and was handed over in 2000, just before Germany were awarded the 2006 finals by a narrow vote.&nbsp; 
 
In May, an independent inquiry commissioned by the DFB said it could not rule out that Germany bought votes to secure the 2006 World Cup. 
 
Beckenbauer has always denied any wrongdoing. 
 
(AFP)

Spiegel Online had reported that Beckenbauer drew a fee of more than $5.6 million, but failed to report the payment to the tax authorities

Lawyers for football legend Franz Beckenbauer Wednesday rejected claims he was paid millions as chairman of Germany's World Cup organising committee and sought to hide the sum from tax authorities. News website Spiegel Online had reported that Beckenbauer drew a fee of more than five million euros ($5.6 million) and that he failed to report the payment to tax authorities. The report was yet another embarrassment for Beckenbauer, 71, who is being investigated by Swiss authorities in relation to corruption allegations over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany. According to Spiegel, the payment to Beckenbauer was taken from a donation of 12 million euros made by a World Cup sponsor, the gambling company Oddset. But Beckenbauer's attorneys at Nesselhauf law firm rejected the claim, saying in a statement that the earning arose from his advertising work and that he had "been promptly taxed at his Austrian residence". Separately, Theo Zwanziger, who was then boss of the German Football Federation, also told Die Welt daily that the sum was "not payment for his work at the organisation committee". Rather, it was a fee for Beckenbauer's PR work with the tournament's sponsors, he said. But the Spiegel claims had sparked anger from current DFB boss Reinhard Grindel, who accused the man nicknamed "the Kaiser" (the emperor) of lying and misleading the public. 'Unaware he was paid' "We know that Franz Beckenbauer worked for Oddset in the context of the World Cup. But we were not aware that he drew a sum of 5.5 million euros ($6.2 million) from the budget of the organisation of World Cup 2006," Grindel said in a statement. "Obviously, given these conditions, we cannot say that he had worked on an unpaid basis for the organising committee," the DFB boss added in a statement from Athens, where he was attending a UEFA congress. Beckenbauer did not declare the sum to tax authorities for four years, according to Spiegel. But following checks by tax authorities, the DFB was ordered to pay a million euros in withholding taxes on the sum in 2010. Beckenbauer subsequently repaid those taxes levied to the DFB. His lawyers Wednesday confirmed the repayment and said the withholding tax had been levied because Beckenbauer was not a German resident then. Beckenbauer captained Germany to the 1974 World Cup and coached the side that won the trophy in Italy in 1990. But his reputation has been badly tarnished by his role in the ongoing scandal over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup finals to Germany. Swiss authorities are investigating him, along with three other members of the organising committee over "allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation". The probe came after a Spiegel report last October that a secret fund of 10 million Swiss francs was used to buy the hosting rights of the 2006 World Cup. The money allegedly came from the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, ex-boss of Adidas, at Beckenbauer's request, and was handed over in 2000, just before Germany were awarded the 2006 finals by a narrow vote. In May, an independent inquiry commissioned by the DFB said it could not rule out that Germany bought votes to secure the 2006 World Cup. Beckenbauer has always denied any wrongdoing. (AFP)

Football: Beckenbauer was 'paid millions' as WC2006 chair

Neymar scored a brilliant goal and the decisive shootout penalty as Brazil buried their World Cup demons by beating Germany in the Olympic football final on Saturday.

The 5-4 penalty win was close. Neymar and his teammates all sank to their knees, many in uncontrollable tears at the centrepiece of a day of 30 gold medals in Rio.

Park In-Bee of South Korea won the first women&#39;s Olympic golf gold for 116 years, the United States routed Spain in the women&#39;s basketball final. Even scandal-tainted Russia won four golds while losing a silver from 2012 because of another doping case.

But Brazil came to a standstill because of Neymar and football.

Supermarket checkout clerks watched the match on their mobile phones, taxi drivers gathered around any available screen to see the Selecao take on Germany,&nbsp;and seek revenge for a 7-1 humiliation by their opponents in a World Cup semi-final two years ago.

In front of 78,000 people,&nbsp;the biggest crowd of the Rio Olympics,&nbsp;Neymar twisted a free kick past German goalkeeper Timo Horn to give Brazil a first-half lead.

German captain Max Meyer swept home Jeremy Toljan&#39;s cross to equalise and then taunted the Maracana stadium crowd by kissing the number seven on his shirt.

The game went through extra time and eight penalties in deadlock until Germany&#39;s Nils Petersen missed his spot kick.

Barcelona star Neymar rifled the final penalty into the corner after a half-faint and a whole nation erupted in celebration. 
 
Victory may not get Brazil into the top 10 of the Olympic medals table at the end of competition on Sunday, but it was the one gold the country wanted. Street celebrations erupted after the final whistle.

The 17 days of competition end on Sunday with the United States, already on 40 golds and past 1,000 golds in their overall history, certain to top the table.

Britain with 26 golds were hoping to hold off China, just two behind.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Selecao buried the Maracana horror of 2014 World Cup by beating Germany 5-4 on penalties

Neymar scored a brilliant goal and the decisive shootout penalty as Brazil buried their World Cup demons by beating Germany in the Olympic football final on Saturday. The 5-4 penalty win was close. Neymar and his teammates all sank to their knees, many in uncontrollable tears at the centrepiece of a day of 30 gold medals in Rio. Park In-Bee of South Korea won the first women's Olympic golf gold for 116 years, the United States routed Spain in the women's basketball final. Even scandal-tainted Russia won four golds while losing a silver from 2012 because of another doping case. But Brazil came to a standstill because of Neymar and football. Supermarket checkout clerks watched the match on their mobile phones, taxi drivers gathered around any available screen to see the Selecao take on Germany, and seek revenge for a 7-1 humiliation by their opponents in a World Cup semi-final two years ago. In front of 78,000 people, the biggest crowd of the Rio Olympics, Neymar twisted a free kick past German goalkeeper Timo Horn to give Brazil a first-half lead. German captain Max Meyer swept home Jeremy Toljan's cross to equalise and then taunted the Maracana stadium crowd by kissing the number seven on his shirt. The game went through extra time and eight penalties in deadlock until Germany's Nils Petersen missed his spot kick. Barcelona star Neymar rifled the final penalty into the corner after a half-faint and a whole nation erupted in celebration. Victory may not get Brazil into the top 10 of the Olympic medals table at the end of competition on Sunday, but it was the one gold the country wanted. Street celebrations erupted after the final whistle. The 17 days of competition end on Sunday with the United States, already on 40 golds and past 1,000 golds in their overall history, certain to top the table. Britain with 26 golds were hoping to hold off China, just two behind. (AFP)

Rio Olympics 2016: Neymar propels Brazil to maiden football gold

Indian women&#39;s hockey team dished out a disappointing performance to suffer a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of a rampaging Australia in their third fixture at the Rio Olympics today. 
 
The Indians, who were playing in the Olympics after a gap of 36 years, were simply outplayed by the higher-ranked Australians who exposed the defensive frailties of their opponents with a comprehensive win in a lop-sided match. Jodie Kenny struck twice (43rd and 46th minute) while Kathryn Slattery (5th), Georgina Morgan (9th), Jane Claxton (35th), Georgina Parker (36th) scored once each to route the Indians. 
 
For India, Thokchom Anuradha scored the lone goal with just 8.3 seconds left on the clock.&nbsp;The Australians, who were the 2014 World Cup losing finalists, laid seize of the Indian 25-yard with waves of attacking runs and forced seven penalty corners from which they scored four times. 
 
India, on the other hand, got just one penalty corner which they failed to convert. They could barely string a goal-bound attack in the whole match as they suffered their second consecutive match.&nbsp;The Indian forwards could not make any opening and Rani Rampal was fielded for very less time. The margin of loss would have been bigger for India had goalkeeper Savita Punia not come up with some fine saves in the match. 
 
With today&#39;s loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B with just one point which they earned from the drawn match against Japan in their opening match. They had lost to Great Britain 0-3 in their previous match. 
 
India has two matches to play in the six-team Pool B, against higher ranked Argentina and United States. Only the top four finishers will advance to the quarterfinals. 
 
Australia took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of 15 minutes before the Indians denied them any goal in the second quarter. They scored three goals in the third quarter before pumping in another one in the final quarter to win the one-sided match. The Hockeyroos went into the attacking mode as soon as the match began and with better trapping and faster movement, they surged ahead in the fifth minute itself with Kathryan sounding the board from the first penalty corner they got. 
 
Two minutes later, Preeti Dubey earned the only penalty corner for India in the match. However, her deflected shot from a penalty corner variation went wide. 
 
Australia scored their second goal in the ninth minute with Georgina Morgan sounding the board from the second penalty corner they earned. Indian goalkeeper could have saved that low shot to her right, but she failed to do that. 
 
In the 20th minute, Anuradha got a rare chance to shoot at the Australian goal but her effort went over the bar. Next minute, Australia got a penalty corner but the Indian was up to the task. The Indians put up a better performance in the second quarter and denied them a goal. 
 
The Indian resistance in the second quarter did not last long as Australia scored in the fifth minute of the third quarter with Jane Claxton scoring a field goal. Georgina Parker than scored another field goal barely one minute later to make it 4-0 for Australia. 
 
Jodie Kenny struck her double late into the match, one from a penalty stroke after Indian captain Sushila Chanu was hit on her foot just in front of the goal following a penalty corner. 
 
In the final quarter, Kenny got the sixth goal for Australia from the penalty corner to complete the route. 
 
India scored the consolation goal through Anuradha with barely nine second left in the match as she volleyed a high ball into the Australian goal. 
 
(PTI)

With today's loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B and has two matches to play against higher ranked Argentina and US

Indian women's hockey team dished out a disappointing performance to suffer a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of a rampaging Australia in their third fixture at the Rio Olympics today. The Indians, who were playing in the Olympics after a gap of 36 years, were simply outplayed by the higher-ranked Australians who exposed the defensive frailties of their opponents with a comprehensive win in a lop-sided match. Jodie Kenny struck twice (43rd and 46th minute) while Kathryn Slattery (5th), Georgina Morgan (9th), Jane Claxton (35th), Georgina Parker (36th) scored once each to route the Indians. For India, Thokchom Anuradha scored the lone goal with just 8.3 seconds left on the clock. The Australians, who were the 2014 World Cup losing finalists, laid seize of the Indian 25-yard with waves of attacking runs and forced seven penalty corners from which they scored four times. India, on the other hand, got just one penalty corner which they failed to convert. They could barely string a goal-bound attack in the whole match as they suffered their second consecutive match. The Indian forwards could not make any opening and Rani Rampal was fielded for very less time. The margin of loss would have been bigger for India had goalkeeper Savita Punia not come up with some fine saves in the match. With today's loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B with just one point which they earned from the drawn match against Japan in their opening match. They had lost to Great Britain 0-3 in their previous match. India has two matches to play in the six-team Pool B, against higher ranked Argentina and United States. Only the top four finishers will advance to the quarterfinals. Australia took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of 15 minutes before the Indians denied them any goal in the second quarter. They scored three goals in the third quarter before pumping in another one in the final quarter to win the one-sided match. The Hockeyroos went into the attacking mode as soon as the match began and with better trapping and faster movement, they surged ahead in the fifth minute itself with Kathryan sounding the board from the first penalty corner they got. Two minutes later, Preeti Dubey earned the only penalty corner for India in the match. However, her deflected shot from a penalty corner variation went wide. Australia scored their second goal in the ninth minute with Georgina Morgan sounding the board from the second penalty corner they earned. Indian goalkeeper could have saved that low shot to her right, but she failed to do that. In the 20th minute, Anuradha got a rare chance to shoot at the Australian goal but her effort went over the bar. Next minute, Australia got a penalty corner but the Indian was up to the task. The Indians put up a better performance in the second quarter and denied them a goal. The Indian resistance in the second quarter did not last long as Australia scored in the fifth minute of the third quarter with Jane Claxton scoring a field goal. Georgina Parker than scored another field goal barely one minute later to make it 4-0 for Australia. Jodie Kenny struck her double late into the match, one from a penalty stroke after Indian captain Sushila Chanu was hit on her foot just in front of the goal following a penalty corner. In the final quarter, Kenny got the sixth goal for Australia from the penalty corner to complete the route. India scored the consolation goal through Anuradha with barely nine second left in the match as she volleyed a high ball into the Australian goal. (PTI)

Rio Olympics 2016: Indian women's hockey team lose 1-6 to Australia

<div style="text-align: justify;">An ambitious project to awaken a sleeping giant of Asian soccer looks like confirming Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen&#39;s famous remark that India pricks up its ears only when comparisons with China are made. 
 
With China embarked on a multi-billion dollar mission to become a soccer superpower by 2050, India looks set to follow suit with its own plan to raise its status in the game to match its burgeoning economic power. 
 
Come&nbsp;October, India,&nbsp;most famously described as soccer&#39;s sleeping giant by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in soccer-related activities. 
 
All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials will not share details of the FIFA-backed programme yet, but according to a government statement, &quot;Mission 11 Million&quot; will be launched in about 30 cities across the country. 
 
As in China, where the soccer revolution was inspired by President Xi Jinping, the desire to improve India&#39;s standing in the world game goes to the very top. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March lamented India&#39;s decline from one of Asia&#39;s top soccer nations in the 1960s to its current position at 163rd in the FIFA rankings, sandwiched between the Comoros and Tajikistan. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Unfortunately, over the decades we have slipped to the lowest rungs,&quot; Modi said in his weekly radio talk. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Today our ranking in FIFA is so low that I feel reluctant even to mention it.&quot; 
 
With India hosting the under-17 World Cup next year, states have been asked to promote football in a pattern similar to the trend across the border in China. 
 
The world&#39;s most populous nation plans to engage 30 million school children by 2020 as the first step towards achieving Xi&#39;s &quot;three wishes&quot; for China - to qualify for a second World Cup finals, to host a World Cup and to eventually win one. 
 
TARGETING DIASPORA 
 
And while the AIFF are looking to engage as many of the country&#39;s 1.3 billion people as possible, they have also cast their net wider with a global scouting programme to identify talent in the Indian diaspora. 
 
&quot;The idea is to increase the talent pool,&quot; former India captain and head of the scouting programme Abhishek Yadav told Reuters. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;We can&#39;t guarantee that we can unearth 20 players overnight. It&#39;s an attempt, which we believe might work. There&#39;s no harm in trying.&quot; 
 
The programme encourages anyone under 16 with an Indian passport to post, on a soon-to-be-launched portal, a two-minute video from a competitive match. 
 
&quot;We wanted to give the message that if you&#39;re talented, location should not be a problem. All you need is a passport and potential,&quot; said the former forward, who played 67 matches for India between 2002-2011. 
 
Yadav and his team are now focusing on the Gulf States, where a large number of expatriates still hold Indian passports. 
 
&quot;Maybe we can then expand it to U.S. and Australia, where we have many Indian students as well as parents who recently migrated there. We will also look at South Africa and Germany.&quot; 
 
While this has added to the buzz in the country around the hosting of the under-17 World Cup, not everyone believes India is standing on the cusp of a soccer resurgence. 
 
&quot;The fundamental difference between the neighbours is that China woke up long ago and played in World Cup finals before veering slightly off-track,&quot; soccer writer Jaydeep Basu told Reuters. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;With state support, they are now trying to get back on track. In contrast, India, I&#39;m afraid, is still in deep slumber,&quot; added Basu, who has written an anecdotal history of Indian soccer. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;&#39;Mission 11 Million&#39; has a nice ring to it but with only 3,000-odd certified coaches around, who&#39;ll teach these kids to play soccer?&quot; 
 
&nbsp;As well as the lack of qualified coaches, Basu cites a fast-shrinking number of pitches - China plans to build 70,000 around the country by 2020 - and paucity of infrastructure as the major handicaps for Indian soccer. 
 
MESSY MERGER OF LEAGUES 
 
The AIFF is also preoccupied with a messy merger of two Indian leagues, which jeopardises the future of several sides, including a couple of century-old clubs in Kolkata. 
 
The franchise-based India Super League (ISL), which is promoted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani&#39;s Reliance Industries and Rupert Murdoch&#39;s Star India TV, looks set to supplant the I-League. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m afraid the ISL franchises have no soccer pedigree and I doubt if they have any long-term commitment to the game either,&quot; Basu said. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Who can guarantee they won&#39;t switch to another business if they suffer losses in ISL?&quot; 
 
&nbsp;There is, however, no denying the ISL&#39;s spectacular success in gaining a foothold in India&#39;s cricket-dominated sporting landscape since the 2014 launch of the league with celebrity owners. 
 
&nbsp;The ISL debuted as the fourth biggest soccer league with an average attendance lower only than Germany&#39;s Bundesliga, the English Premier League and Spain&#39;s La Liga. 
 
&nbsp;The government hopes next year&#39;s under-17 World Cup will further consolidate football&#39;s popularity in India, attracting kids who would otherwise be picking up bats and heading to the neighbourhood cricket academy. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;Our youth, the children in our schools, should be drenched in sweat just playing football,&quot; Modi said in his radio talk. 
 
&quot;If that happens, we shall have real fun playing the host. So, all of us should make the effort to ensure football reaches every village, street and alley.&quot; 
(Reuters)</div>

The country will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in activities related to the sport

An ambitious project to awaken a sleeping giant of Asian soccer looks like confirming Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen's famous remark that India pricks up its ears only when comparisons with China are made. With China embarked on a multi-billion dollar mission to become a soccer superpower by 2050, India looks set to follow suit with its own plan to raise its status in the game to match its burgeoning economic power. Come October, India, most famously described as soccer's sleeping giant by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will launch a programme to engage more than 11 million children in soccer-related activities. All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials will not share details of the FIFA-backed programme yet, but according to a government statement, "Mission 11 Million" will be launched in about 30 cities across the country. As in China, where the soccer revolution was inspired by President Xi Jinping, the desire to improve India's standing in the world game goes to the very top. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March lamented India's decline from one of Asia's top soccer nations in the 1960s to its current position at 163rd in the FIFA rankings, sandwiched between the Comoros and Tajikistan. "Unfortunately, over the decades we have slipped to the lowest rungs," Modi said in his weekly radio talk. "Today our ranking in FIFA is so low that I feel reluctant even to mention it." With India hosting the under-17 World Cup next year, states have been asked to promote football in a pattern similar to the trend across the border in China. The world's most populous nation plans to engage 30 million school children by 2020 as the first step towards achieving Xi's "three wishes" for China - to qualify for a second World Cup finals, to host a World Cup and to eventually win one. TARGETING DIASPORA And while the AIFF are looking to engage as many of the country's 1.3 billion people as possible, they have also cast their net wider with a global scouting programme to identify talent in the Indian diaspora. "The idea is to increase the talent pool," former India captain and head of the scouting programme Abhishek Yadav told Reuters. "We can't guarantee that we can unearth 20 players overnight. It's an attempt, which we believe might work. There's no harm in trying." The programme encourages anyone under 16 with an Indian passport to post, on a soon-to-be-launched portal, a two-minute video from a competitive match. "We wanted to give the message that if you're talented, location should not be a problem. All you need is a passport and potential," said the former forward, who played 67 matches for India between 2002-2011. Yadav and his team are now focusing on the Gulf States, where a large number of expatriates still hold Indian passports. "Maybe we can then expand it to U.S. and Australia, where we have many Indian students as well as parents who recently migrated there. We will also look at South Africa and Germany." While this has added to the buzz in the country around the hosting of the under-17 World Cup, not everyone believes India is standing on the cusp of a soccer resurgence. "The fundamental difference between the neighbours is that China woke up long ago and played in World Cup finals before veering slightly off-track," soccer writer Jaydeep Basu told Reuters. "With state support, they are now trying to get back on track. In contrast, India, I'm afraid, is still in deep slumber," added Basu, who has written an anecdotal history of Indian soccer. "'Mission 11 Million' has a nice ring to it but with only 3,000-odd certified coaches around, who'll teach these kids to play soccer?" As well as the lack of qualified coaches, Basu cites a fast-shrinking number of pitches - China plans to build 70,000 around the country by 2020 - and paucity of infrastructure as the major handicaps for Indian soccer. MESSY MERGER OF LEAGUES The AIFF is also preoccupied with a messy merger of two Indian leagues, which jeopardises the future of several sides, including a couple of century-old clubs in Kolkata. The franchise-based India Super League (ISL), which is promoted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries and Rupert Murdoch's Star India TV, looks set to supplant the I-League. "I'm afraid the ISL franchises have no soccer pedigree and I doubt if they have any long-term commitment to the game either," Basu said. "Who can guarantee they won't switch to another business if they suffer losses in ISL?" There is, however, no denying the ISL's spectacular success in gaining a foothold in India's cricket-dominated sporting landscape since the 2014 launch of the league with celebrity owners. The ISL debuted as the fourth biggest soccer league with an average attendance lower only than Germany's Bundesliga, the English Premier League and Spain's La Liga. The government hopes next year's under-17 World Cup will further consolidate football's popularity in India, attracting kids who would otherwise be picking up bats and heading to the neighbourhood cricket academy. "Our youth, the children in our schools, should be drenched in sweat just playing football," Modi said in his radio talk. "If that happens, we shall have real fun playing the host. So, all of us should make the effort to ensure football reaches every village, street and alley." (Reuters)

'Mission 11 Million' to kickoff as India follows China's lead

Guatemala&#39;s former football chief pleaded guilty in New York on Friday to racketeering and wire fraud conspiracies in connection with the unprecedented FIFA corruption scandal rocking world soccer. 
 
Brayan Jimenez, 62, negotiated and accepted bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in awarding media and marketing rights for his country&#39;s qualifier matches for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, prosecutors said. 
 
Jimenez, a former member of FIFA&#39;s Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, agreed to forfeit $35,000. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count when sentenced, US officials said. 
 
Jimenez, who was detained in January in a disheveled and intoxicated state in a posh suburb of Guatemala City, was extradited to the United States in March. 
 
He initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included corruption, money laundering, fraud and embezzlement, and was placed under house arrest after posting a $1.5 million bond, $75,000 of it in cash. 
 
US prosecutors in New York have indicted 40 football and sports marketing executives, including Jimenez, over allegedly receiving tens of millions of bribes and kickbacks in the largest corruption scandal in the history of soccer. 
 
More than a third have since pleaded guilty. None have yet been formally sentenced and a date is still pending to put the rest on trial. 
 
(AFP)

Brayan Jimenez agreed to forfeit $35,000 and faces a maximum sentence for 20 years for each count. He had initially pleaded not guilty

Guatemala's former football chief pleaded guilty in New York on Friday to racketeering and wire fraud conspiracies in connection with the unprecedented FIFA corruption scandal rocking world soccer. Brayan Jimenez, 62, negotiated and accepted bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in awarding media and marketing rights for his country's qualifier matches for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, prosecutors said. Jimenez, a former member of FIFA's Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, agreed to forfeit $35,000. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count when sentenced, US officials said. Jimenez, who was detained in January in a disheveled and intoxicated state in a posh suburb of Guatemala City, was extradited to the United States in March. He initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included corruption, money laundering, fraud and embezzlement, and was placed under house arrest after posting a $1.5 million bond, $75,000 of it in cash. US prosecutors in New York have indicted 40 football and sports marketing executives, including Jimenez, over allegedly receiving tens of millions of bribes and kickbacks in the largest corruption scandal in the history of soccer. More than a third have since pleaded guilty. None have yet been formally sentenced and a date is still pending to put the rest on trial. (AFP)

Former Guatemalan football chief pleads guilty to FIFA corruption charges

Serbian Milovan Rajevac has been appointed the new coach of Algeria, the country&#39;s football federation has confirmed. 
 
Rajevac came close to helping Ghana, who became the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2010 and takes over from Christian Gourcuff, who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. 
 
Rajevac, 62, will be expected to lead Algeria to the World Cup in Russia but faces a difficult qualification group that also contains Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia. Only the top team advances to the finals. 
 
Algeria have already qualified for the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon starting next January. 
 
(Reuters)

He takes over from Christian Gourcuff who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais

Serbian Milovan Rajevac has been appointed the new coach of Algeria, the country's football federation has confirmed. Rajevac came close to helping Ghana, who became the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2010 and takes over from Christian Gourcuff, who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. Rajevac, 62, will be expected to lead Algeria to the World Cup in Russia but faces a difficult qualification group that also contains Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia. Only the top team advances to the finals. Algeria have already qualified for the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon starting next January. (Reuters)

Milovan Rajevac confirmed as new coach of Algeria

Belgium sacked national coach Marc Wilmots today after their highly fancied team of talents failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals at Euro 2016 this month, Belgian Football Association president Francois De Keersmaecker said. 
 
&quot;The objectives set for the Euros were not achieved. We need a new momentum,&quot; he told a news conference. 
 
A search was under way for a coach with international experience to take over before a friendly against Spain on September 1 ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. 
 
He thanked Wilmots for his achievements over the past four years and said an understanding had been reached over Wilmots contract, which had a compensation clause if he were sacked. 
 
The former Schalke midfielder, 47, took the Red Devils to the quarter-finals of the last World Cup and top of FIFAs world ranking chart with a team built around Chelseas Eden Hazard and Manchester City pair Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne. 
 
But a clueless and disjointed 3-1 defeat to Wales in the Euro 2016 quarters left critics calling for Wilmotshead and Belgian fans wondering what happened to the team that many had hoped would deliver the countrys first major trophy. 
 
(Reuters)

A search is under way for a coach with international experience to take over on September 1 ahead of the World Cup qualifiers

Belgium sacked national coach Marc Wilmots today after their highly fancied team of talents failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals at Euro 2016 this month, Belgian Football Association president Francois De Keersmaecker said. "The objectives set for the Euros were not achieved. We need a new momentum," he told a news conference. A search was under way for a coach with international experience to take over before a friendly against Spain on September 1 ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. He thanked Wilmots for his achievements over the past four years and said an understanding had been reached over Wilmots contract, which had a compensation clause if he were sacked. The former Schalke midfielder, 47, took the Red Devils to the quarter-finals of the last World Cup and top of FIFAs world ranking chart with a team built around Chelseas Eden Hazard and Manchester City pair Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne. But a clueless and disjointed 3-1 defeat to Wales in the Euro 2016 quarters left critics calling for Wilmotshead and Belgian fans wondering what happened to the team that many had hoped would deliver the countrys first major trophy. (Reuters)

Belgium sack coach Wilmots after Euro disappointment

Rugby League World Cup chief executive Michael Brown said he has resigned, admitting he &quot;stepped across the line&quot; when he left an angry voicemail for the Penrith Panthers chief. 
 
Brown reportedly left an abusive message for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne after Payne complained his team was snubbed for a World Cup game following Tuesday&#39;s draw for the 2017 tournament. 
 
The recording was reportedly sent to National Rugby League (NRL) executives for review. 
 
&quot;I left a voice message that I&#39;m really disappointed and pissed off and I&#39;m going to go for you and I was going to tell the world about the lies,&quot; Brown told Sydney&#39;s Daily Telegraph newspaper on Friday. 
 
&quot;I didn&#39;t respond like I should have and I&#39;ve got to take responsibility for my action. It&#39;s not the normal way I behave,&quot; the former AFC Asian Cup chief added. 
 
&quot;I stepped across the line. I&#39;ve loved the game and this has made me cry but I&#39;ve made the right decision.&quot; 
 
Australia&#39;s National Rugby League said on Saturday that Brown was stepping down for family reasons, without providing details. 
 
Brown, who also quit his role as chief commercial officer for the NRL, said he was reluctant to move on, especially with the World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea 15 months away. 
 
&quot;However, the task of taking on two such senior roles, especially away from my hometown of Melbourne, has been particularly stressful,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
&quot;The World Cup preparations are well advanced and I am very confident the foundations are in place for a successful tournament.&quot; 
 
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and World Cup chairman George Peponis said they understood Brown&#39;s position and had accepted his resignation. 
 
The board of the 2017 World Cup will consider plans to replace Brown, the NRL said. 
 
The World Cup is scheduled to kick off in October 2017. 
 
(AFP)

'I stepped across the line,' Michael Brown said about leaving the abusive voicemail for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne

Rugby League World Cup chief executive Michael Brown said he has resigned, admitting he "stepped across the line" when he left an angry voicemail for the Penrith Panthers chief. Brown reportedly left an abusive message for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne after Payne complained his team was snubbed for a World Cup game following Tuesday's draw for the 2017 tournament. The recording was reportedly sent to National Rugby League (NRL) executives for review. "I left a voice message that I'm really disappointed and pissed off and I'm going to go for you and I was going to tell the world about the lies," Brown told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper on Friday. "I didn't respond like I should have and I've got to take responsibility for my action. It's not the normal way I behave," the former AFC Asian Cup chief added. "I stepped across the line. I've loved the game and this has made me cry but I've made the right decision." Australia's National Rugby League said on Saturday that Brown was stepping down for family reasons, without providing details. Brown, who also quit his role as chief commercial officer for the NRL, said he was reluctant to move on, especially with the World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea 15 months away. "However, the task of taking on two such senior roles, especially away from my hometown of Melbourne, has been particularly stressful," he said in a statement. "The World Cup preparations are well advanced and I am very confident the foundations are in place for a successful tournament." NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and World Cup chairman George Peponis said they understood Brown's position and had accepted his resignation. The board of the 2017 World Cup will consider plans to replace Brown, the NRL said. The World Cup is scheduled to kick off in October 2017. (AFP)

Rugby League chief resigns after abusive voicemail

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