Japan 5 Uzbekistan 1

Vahid Halilhodzic made it two wins from two as Japan coach in some style as his much-changed side beat Uzbekistan 5-1 on Tuesday.

Japan thrashed Uzbekistan 5-1 to make it two wins from as many games for coach Vahid Halilhodzic, with Toshihiro Aoyama scoring his first international goal.
Former Algeria boss Halilhodzic took over from Javier Aguirre this month and, having got off to a winning start with a 2-0 success over Tunisia on Friday, maintained momentum at the Ajinomoto Stadium.
Aoyama's strike - the only goal of the first half - was the highlight of Tuesday's match, the 29-year-old marking his eighth cap with a superb finish past Akbar Turaev after just seven minutes in Chofu.
Halilhodzic, who named an entirely different XI to the one that beat Tunisia, saw his side up the tempo after the interval, as Shinji Okazaki headed home a second with 54 minutes gone.
Three substitutes then got in on the act amid a frantic final 11 minutes, with Gaku Shibasaki's long-range lob selflessly shepherded over the line by Okazaki, before Islom Tuhtahujaev's effort for the visitors was eclipsed by further goals for Takashi Usami and Kengo Kawamata.
In a strong start from the hosts, Aoyama made the most of a loose clearance by producing an expert strike from the edge of the area to open his international account.
A corner punched clear by Turaev fell to the Sanfrecce Hiroshima midfielder, who made no mistake to fire home from all of 30 yards.
The Japan pressure continued with the lively Shinji Kagawa threatening down the left and, when his cross was only partially cleared, Yasuyuki Konno volleyed narrowly wide.
Halilhodzic will have been concerned prior to the break when Tuhtahujaev missed the target with a header from a narrow angle following a free-kick from Sardor Rashidov, but Japan's second-half display was commanding.
Okazaki scored a diving header to put the home side in control nine minutes after the restart - his fourth goal in five games for club and country.
Then, after Vokhid Shodiev crashed a free-kick into the Japan wall and saw it rebound down the field, Shibasaki proceeded to loft the ball over the onrushing Turaev, with the help of Okazaki's presence.
Tuhtahujaev pulled a goal back, only for Usami to burst through the Uzbekistan defence and steer home.

Japan were not done there, though, as Kawamata added the gloss to a convincing home triumph.

Italy 1 England 1: Andros Townsend leveller rescues draw

After Graziano Pelle headed Italy in front, Andros Townsend's stunning strike earned England a 1-1 draw in Turin on Tuesday.

Andros Townsend netted a superb late equaliser as England and Italy played out a 1-1 friendly draw on Tuesday.
England's 2-1 defeat to Italy in their opening game of last year's World Cup set the tone for a disappointing campaign for Roy Hodgson's men, crashing out ignominiously at the group stage.
And, after Graziano Pelle scored a 29th-minute header in Turin, England looked set to be heading for another defeat at the hands of the Azzurri.
Italy coach Antonio Conte had his own point to prove having been subjected to death threats for the alleged role played by his training methods in a knee injury suffered by Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio - later found to be not as serious as first thought.
However, the match was to end in disappointment for the ex-Juve coach on his old stomping ground, as Townsend's thunderous 79th-minute strike from the edge of the area extended England's unbeaten run to nine matches.
Eder and Harry Kane were rewarded for their debut goals at the weekend with starts for Italy and England respectively, but it was Marco Parolo who got the first sight of goal after 10 minutes - forcing Joe Hart to tip over his crossbar with a dipping effort from 20 yards.
Brazil-born Eder's inclusion in the squad had been the subject of fierce debate in the build-up to Sunday's 2-2 Euro 2016 qualifying draw in Bulgaria and, while he scored a vital equaliser in that clash, his first real contribution on home soil was to nearly find the corner flag with a free-kick from a promising position.
Phil Jagielka slid in to deny the Sampdoria frontman in the six-yard box moments later, before Wayne Rooney, who struck the woodwork twice in Saturday's 4-0 demolition of Lithuania, saw an effort from the edge of the box deflected against the crossbar.
Rooney then found Theo Walcott with a sublime long-range pass, but the Arsenal winger was unable to make the most of the opportunity, as the ball wound up in the arms of Gianluigi Buffon - a starter when England last visited Turin in 2000.
However, after the visitors had shown signs of promise at one end, Giorgio Chiellini danced past a ponderous Phil Jones at the other and chipped the ball into the box for Pelle to glance home.
Chris Smalling left the field injured before half-time and the England defence came under pressure at the beginning of the second - Eder drawing a good save from Hart before Pelle drilled wide.
Kane struggled to make an impact on his full international debut and saw his best effort deflected wide, before Rooney fired straight at Buffon.

Substitutions by both coaches interrupted the flow of the match in the second half, but one of those replacements, Townsend, rifled in the equaliser from 20 yards to rescue a draw for the visitors.

Netherlands beat Spain 2-0 in Amsterdam

Netherlands put their Euro 2016 qualifying woes behind them to inflict a 2-0 defeat over European champions Spain in a friendly on Tuesday.

Stefan De Vrij and Davy Klaassen eased the pressure on Guus Hiddink as Netherlands beat European champions Spain 2-0 in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
An inconsistent run since finishing third at the World Cup, with Saturday's 1-1 draw with Turkey in Euro 2016 qualifying their latest disappointment, had Dutch fans longing for last year and its 5-1 drubbing of the same opponents in Salvador.
However, two goals in the space of three first-half minutes gave Netherlands a second successive win over Spain to help restore some confidence.
De Vrij broke the deadlock after 13 minutes with a well-placed header, before Klaassen netted his first international goal at his home stadium.
Spain were denied a way back into the game when David Silva saw an effort ruled out as they slipped to third friendly defeat in a row.
Hiddink will hope his side can now take some momentum from the win as they look to fight back in Group A given they trail leaders Czech Republic by six points and second-placed Iceland by five.
Having snatched a draw in stoppage time against Turkey, Hiddink's side - which showed five changes - seemed to take momentum forward and started in superb fashion.
Memphis Depay brought the first save out of David de Gea with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area, but the Manchester United goalkeeper could do nothing about De Vrij's opener, the Lazio defender finding space in the area to guide home Wesley Sneijder's inviting cross after 13 minutes, his third international goal.
The hosts doubled their advantage three minutes later as Klaassen punished some slack Spain defending, the midfielder converting at the second attempt after good work from Depay and Jetro Willems.
Spain " who fielded nine new players from Friday's qualifying win over Ukraine " had flattered to deceive for much of the first half and they found Kenneth Vermeer in fine form when they did pose a threat.
The Feyenoord goalkeeper was alert to deny Gerard Pique after 28 minutes, and he reacted well soon after to clear before Pedro could convert after a jinking run into the penalty area.
Netherlands made another swift start after the break and should have been further ahead after 53 minutes, but Bruno Martins Indi inexplicably failed to convert Sneijder's cross from three yards out.
With both sides utilising their squads, the game lost some momentum but Spain nearly found a way back into the match as substitute Silva saw a 69th minute effort ruled out.
The Manchester City forward was penalised after an Alvaro Morata shot struck him in an offside position before he fired past Vermeer.

Late pressure from the visitors " including a Cesc Fabregas effort - failed to produce the desired effect and Netherlands clung on to what could be a crucial win for Hiddink's future.

# back to Sport.......Tunisia avoid 2017 Nations Cup ban

Tunisia have avoided a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations ban after apologising to the Confederation of African Football for accusing the governing body of bias.
                                                       
The Tunisians had made the allegations over a controversial penalty in a Nations Cup quarter-final defeat by Equatorial Guinea on 31 January.
Caf has, however, rejected Tunisia's appeal against a $50,000 fine for violent conduct by its players.
Furious Tunisia players had tried to attack the referee after the game.
The north Africans were incensed when Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn awarded the tournament hosts a penalty in the dying minutes which allowed them to take the game to extra-time and ultimately triumph 2-1.
Tunisian officials accused Caf of bias against it for the contentious decision.
Seechurn was banned for six months by Caf for his performance in the match.
And Caf threatened Tunisia with expulsion from the preliminary tournament of the next Nations Cup if it did not receive an apologise by 31 March.
Tunisia initially refused to do so and lodged a protest with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which they have now agreed to withdraw.                                          

You Must Eradicate Corruption - Obasanjo Tells Buhari

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has congratulated the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari over his victory at the Saturday presidential polls.

Obasanjo in his congratulatory message he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta shortly after Buhari was declared winner of the election, said his government must reposition some national institutions such as Military, security power among others which according to him had been damaged.

He further urged the President-elect to rid the country of corruption , saying ,youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption that had been damaged.

According to Obasanjo, “I hasten to congratulate you on your success and victory in the Presidential Elections of March 28, 2015.
Your success and victory after three previous unsuccessful attempts must be great object lessons for you and for all politicians, particularly in Nigeria.

“For me, the totality of 2015 elections hold many lessons for our democracy and democratisation process which are both maturing.

“On this occasion, the system has been unnecessarily overheated before and particularly during the campaigns when emphasis was more on trivialities and hate, divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements and comments rather than on pressing issues requiring attention.

“I know that in victory, you will be magnanimous to start binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaign and the evil disciples.

“With so much harm already done to many national institutions including the military, which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institution reform, education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption.

“Your varied and wide experience will undoubtedly stand you in good stead. I am also sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in the reform, repairs and re-direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on the fast lane of good governance, unity, cohesiveness, development and progress”, he said.

Dangote, Abdulsalam, Tambuwal, Others With Buhari In Abuja

Buhari pictured speaking with Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar. Aliko Dangote, Primate Nicholas Owoh, Tambuwal, Osinbajo, Chris Ngige and others are around Nigeria's president-elect at their APC office in Abuja this evening.


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Celebrate But No Violence Sai BABA

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate in the just-concluded elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has urged the party’s supporters to avoid molestation of opponents in their celebration.

This is contained in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by Malam Garba Shehu, Director Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.
It warned that anybody happy with the victory of the APC in the presidential election will not be involved in the molestation of opponents or the destruction of their property.

The statement quoted Buhari as saying that Nigerians have chosen him and his party through their votes, saying that they should remain calm.

The statement noted that the party declared victory after President Goodluck Jonathan called Buhari at 5:15 p.m.

”The mood of the country as well as its current state does not warrant the type of wild celebrations reportedly going on in some cities across the country.

”Anybody happy with the victory of the APC in the presidential election will not be involved in the molestation of opponents or the destruction of their property.

”He or she is not with me, whoever does that,” the statement quoted Buhari as saying.
Buhari thanked Nigerians and the party’s supporters for their massive votes for him and the party.