Central defender Rafael Marquez will miss Mexico’s two remaining Group A matches at the Copa America through injury, the Mexican Football Federation said.
The 36-year-old suffered an injury to his left thigh during Mexico’s 0-0 draw with Bolivia on Friday and misses tonight’s clash with hosts Chile and the match against Ecuador on Friday.
Marquez, Mexico’s captain at four World Cups including Brazil last year, is leading a second-string team in Chile without leading players Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez and Giovani Dos Santos.
New-look Nigeria back to winning ways
Nigeria returned to winning ways in African Nations Cup qualification but former champions South Africa and Zambia suffered embarrassing home draws in their opening matches of the preliminary competition for the 2017 finals.
A new-look Nigeria overcame a slow start to beat Chad 2-0 in Kaduna but 2012 champions Zambia were held to a goalless draw by Guinea Bissau in Ndola.
Gambia, who had been banned for two years from international competition for age cheating, returned with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at 1996 winners South Africa in Durban, a match delayed four hours because the match officials from Madagascar arrived late.
Ireland FA shred match programmes
Ireland shredded 18,000 match programmes containing comments about FIFA by Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland in Dublin.
In the original programme, Delaney offered his thoughts on the crisis at world football’s governing body but the FAI decided to pull them at a reported reprinting cost of £7,000.
“John Delaney was entirely unaware of this change to the programme,” the FAI said in a statement reported by The Daily Telegraph.
“The decision to delete his comments where they related to FIFA was an editorial one that was taken by the communications department.”
Keeper Burki agrees Dortmund move
Borussia Dortmund have bolstered their goalkeeping ranks ahead of next season with the signing of Swiss international Roman Burki from relegated Freiburg.
The 24-year-old joins the club after featuring in all 34 games of Freiburg’s doomed Bundesliga campaign.
Dortmund described their new recruit, who will provide stiff competition to regular custodian Roman Weidenfeller, as “one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Bundesliga last season.
Burki is Dortmund’s third signing , with midfield duo Julian Weigl and Gonzalo Castro having already joined the club.
Van der Sar urges De Gea to stay
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has urged David de Gea to resist the temptation of joining Real Madrid and stay at Old Trafford.
De Gea currently has one year left on his contract and Real are expected to submit a bid in the coming weeks.
Van der Sar advised the Spaniard not to underestimate the status he has earned at Old Trafford.
“He’s from Spain and he is from Madrid himself of course with Atletico so it would be a great challenge for him,” Van der Sar told Sky Sports News.
“But he has massive support here after his performances over the last two years. He has been player of the year twice so he knows what he has here.”
Lallana: Reds right to keep Rodgers
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is delighted the club have kept faith with Brendan Rodgers and was surprised there was even any talk about the manager being forced out.
“Of course I am delighted he’s still here,” Lallana said of Rodgers.
“In my eyes, there wasn’t really any doubt in him being here for next season.
“It’s been an up and down season but we’ve got a lot of new players and, off the back of such a promising year last year, when they nearly won the league, the expectation was always going to be really high.
“He’s a great coach. He’s very good tactically and I am always going to learn – players are always going to get better when he is coaching.”
Warburton set to land Rangers job
Mark Warburton is set to be named as the new manager of Rangers on a three-year contract today, Sky Sport reported.
The former Brentford boss will have Davie Weir as his assistant at Ibrox – the former Rangers skipper also worked alongside Warburton at Griffin Park.
Warburton will replace Stuart McCall, who only took charge on a short-term deal in March, replacing caretaker boss Kenny McDowall. McCall failed to lead the team to promotion back to the Premiership after Rangers were soundly beaten by Motherwell in the play-off final.