France reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup as Paul Pogba's header and Joseph Yobo's own goal saw then brush past Nigeria in Brasilia. Nigeria's Emmanuel Emenike had a first-half goal ruled out for offside before Vincent Enyeama saved Pogba's volley. Victor Moses cleared Karim Benzema's shot off the line after the break whilst Yohan Cabaye volleyed against the bar. Pogba headed home after Enyeama's misjudgement before Yobo diverted Mathieu Valbuena's cross into the net. France will play Germany in the quarter-finals at the Maracana on Friday. The final scoreline was a touch harsh on Nigeria, who dominated for large parts of the second half, but late mistakes from their tiring players ensured they will have to wait for their first ever quarter-final appearance in a World Cup. France have pedigree in the knockout rounds having reached at least the semi-finals on the last five occasions they have progressed past the first round at the World Cup. Nigeria's last-sixteen preparations had been disrupted by a row over bonuses and, with their group victory over Bosnia-Hercegovina their only World Cup win in eleven matches, this tie was always going to prove a big ask. 
But, attacking with pace down the wings through both Moses and Ahmed Musa, The Super Eagles looked threatening early on. Only a flag for offside denied the powerful Emenike the opener, when he tapped home Musa's cross. Nigeria's goalkeeper Enyeama made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the group phase and had to be alert again to keep out Pogba's fierce close-range volley as the play swept from end to end in a first half that saw both sides look vulnerable defensively. Juventus's Pogba was being afforded a lot of space but, as was the case all over the pitch, the final ball was all too often wasteful with Mathieu Debuchy's shot wide the only other notable attempt in a half that promised more than it delivered. France, the 2006 runners-up, did not make it past the group stage in South Africa four years ago when they were a huge disappointment but they appear to be much more united as a squad in this tournament. That togetherness was needed as Nigeria controlled the opening stages of the second half and only a sharp stop from Hugo Lloris prevented Peter Odemwingie's low shot from giving the Africans the lead. Against the run of play Benzema almost gave France the lead. The Real Madrid striker played a neat one-two with Antoine Griezmann before seeing his shot partially blocked by Enyeama and then hacked off the line by Moses. The introduction of Griezmann for Olivier Giroud saw France emerge more as an attacking force, with Benzema playing more centrally and the breakthrough came when Pogba headed into an empty net after Enyeama had misjudged Valbuena's corner. And, as Nigeria pushed for a leveller, Joseph Yobo flicked Valbuena's low cross into his own net on the day he surpassed Jay-Jay Okocha's record of nine World Cup matches for The Super Eagles.
Germany survived a huge test of their World Cup title credentials to see off underdogs Algeria in extra time. The three-time champions lacked urgency throughout the ninety minutes and frequently looked rattled as an enterprising Algeria side wasted a succession of chances in an open, exciting encounter, before André Schürrle finished from close range early in the first additional period. Mesut Özil drilled in to double their lead and although Abdelmoumene Djabou volleyed home to ensure a frantic end, a relieved Germany held on and will take on the French in Rio on Friday. The result looked inevitable once a hugely impressive Algeria side began to tire, but Joachim Löw's men will have to improve dramatically if they are to secure a first World Cup since 1990. Germany are into the last eight for the seventeenth time in eighteen World Cup appearances, but they lacked the fluency and cutting edge that has seen them installed among the tournament favourites. This blogger can't remember the last time he watched a German side that gave the ball away anywhere near as much and looked so defensively nervous. There were times in the match when, genuinely, they looked like a group of players who barely knew each other rather than a team which included seven men from the same club side. Algeria could not mark their first experience of the knockout stage with a win, meaning Africa's representation in Brazil is over, but they depart with immense credit for a superb campaign. The build-up was dominated by talk of them seeking revenge for 1982, when West Germany's convenient 1-0 win against Austria saw them both reach the second round at Algeria's expense. With a five-one-three-one formation and five changes to their starting line-up that saw playmaker Yacine Brahimi drop to the bench, The Desert Foxes appeared to be set up defensively. But after an early spell of German pressure, they went in search of a shock lead and almost found it. Manuel Neuer made a vital challenge on Islam Slimani after Faouzi Ghoulam's ball up the left wing eluded Per Mertesacker, and it subsequently took an important tackle from The Arse centre-half to deny the same man. Sofiane Feghouli then sliced through the Germany back line only to miscue his cross from a brilliant position, Slimani's diving header was correctly disallowed for offside and Ghoulam steamed through on the left but lashed his finish across goal and wide.
Germany eventually managed to exert an influence - Özil's misdirected cross was tipped over the bar, Thomas Müller headed wide and keeper Rais Mbolhi spilled an Özil drive - but Algeria refused to sit back and Mehdi Mostefa was the latest to come close with a strike that was deflected wide. Mbolhi made a magnificent double save from Toni Kroos and Mario Götze as Germany finished the half well, but it was no surprise when Götze was replaced by Schürrle at the break. The big question was whether Algeria would maintain their intensity or be punished for their missed chances and the answer nearly arrived when Schürrle's first effort was deflected narrowly off target, before Shkodran Mustafi headed at Mbolhi and the goalkeeper pulled off a fine save from Philipp Lahm's shot. Algeria responded by tightening up at the back and attempting to pounce on the counter-attack. Neuer was forced to operate as an auxiliary sweeper as Slimani escaped the German centre-backs, while Feghouli drilled wide and then Slimani lashed powerfully at Neuer. At the other end, Mbolhi made another stunning stop from Müller's header while Esseid Belkalem and Ghoulam cleared off the line from Schurrle and Benedikt Höwedes respectively. Algeria were visibly tiring and after Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger threatened a winner late in the ninety minutes, Schürrle finally broke the deadlock in the opening moments of extra time. Müller crossed low from the left for the Moscow Chelski forward to dispatch with an improvised finish. It was the fourteenth of Germany's last twenty four World Cup goals that Müller has been directly involved it. Özil rammed in a second before substitute Djabou converted from Feghouli's cross, but there was no time to find another goal for the plucky North Africans.
Liverpool Alabama Yee-Haws striker Luis Suarez has - finally - apologised to Giorgio Chiellini for the bite that earned him a nine-match and four-month ban from football. The Uruguayan was suspended from all football for biting Italy's Chiellini. 'The truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me,' said Suarez in a statement. Suarez had previously claimed that he lost his balance and did not bite Chiellini. So, that appears to have been nothing but a lie, then. It is his third career ban for biting after incidents with Moscow Chelski's Branislav Ivanovic while at Liverpool in April 2013, and PSV's Otman Bakkal while at Ajax in 2010. 'I deeply regret what occurred,' added Suarez.
'I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family. I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like this.' Chiellini had himself called the ban 'excessive', while, in his written submission to FIFA, Suarez had claimed: 'I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent.' Suarez will miss the first nine games of the Premier League season and return to football on 26 October. He will have missed a total of thirty nine matches because of biting offences by the time he serves his latest suspension, having been banned for ten games after the Ivanovic incident. Despite the incident in Brazil, Barcelona remain keen to sign the forward. Uruguay's President Jose Mujica has called football's world governing body FIFA 'a bunch of old sons of bitches' over Suarez's four-month ban. The seventy nine-year-old described the punishment as 'a fascist ban.' The president covered his mouth to feign shock at what he had said, but told journalists to 'publish it' when asked if he wanted to rectify his remarks. Mujica admitted that Suarez deserved to be disciplined, but said that his suspension was too harsh. 'They could have punished him, but not given him this fascist ban,' he said.
Brazil press officer Rodrigo Paiva has been provisionally suspended by FIFA following an incident with Chile player Mauricio Pinilla during Saturday's World Cup last-sixteen match. The communications officer will miss Friday's game with Colombia pending the outcome of FIFA's investigation into an alleged punch he threw at Pinilla at half-time. 'I defended myself when he came near me. I reacted by shoving him,' he said.
But, attacking with pace down the wings through both Moses and Ahmed Musa, The Super Eagles looked threatening early on. Only a flag for offside denied the powerful Emenike the opener, when he tapped home Musa's cross. Nigeria's goalkeeper Enyeama made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the group phase and had to be alert again to keep out Pogba's fierce close-range volley as the play swept from end to end in a first half that saw both sides look vulnerable defensively. Juventus's Pogba was being afforded a lot of space but, as was the case all over the pitch, the final ball was all too often wasteful with Mathieu Debuchy's shot wide the only other notable attempt in a half that promised more than it delivered. France, the 2006 runners-up, did not make it past the group stage in South Africa four years ago when they were a huge disappointment but they appear to be much more united as a squad in this tournament. That togetherness was needed as Nigeria controlled the opening stages of the second half and only a sharp stop from Hugo Lloris prevented Peter Odemwingie's low shot from giving the Africans the lead. Against the run of play Benzema almost gave France the lead. The Real Madrid striker played a neat one-two with Antoine Griezmann before seeing his shot partially blocked by Enyeama and then hacked off the line by Moses. The introduction of Griezmann for Olivier Giroud saw France emerge more as an attacking force, with Benzema playing more centrally and the breakthrough came when Pogba headed into an empty net after Enyeama had misjudged Valbuena's corner. And, as Nigeria pushed for a leveller, Joseph Yobo flicked Valbuena's low cross into his own net on the day he surpassed Jay-Jay Okocha's record of nine World Cup matches for The Super Eagles. Germany survived a huge test of their World Cup title credentials to see off underdogs Algeria in extra time. The three-time champions lacked urgency throughout the ninety minutes and frequently looked rattled as an enterprising Algeria side wasted a succession of chances in an open, exciting encounter, before André Schürrle finished from close range early in the first additional period. Mesut Özil drilled in to double their lead and although Abdelmoumene Djabou volleyed home to ensure a frantic end, a relieved Germany held on and will take on the French in Rio on Friday. The result looked inevitable once a hugely impressive Algeria side began to tire, but Joachim Löw's men will have to improve dramatically if they are to secure a first World Cup since 1990. Germany are into the last eight for the seventeenth time in eighteen World Cup appearances, but they lacked the fluency and cutting edge that has seen them installed among the tournament favourites. This blogger can't remember the last time he watched a German side that gave the ball away anywhere near as much and looked so defensively nervous. There were times in the match when, genuinely, they looked like a group of players who barely knew each other rather than a team which included seven men from the same club side. Algeria could not mark their first experience of the knockout stage with a win, meaning Africa's representation in Brazil is over, but they depart with immense credit for a superb campaign. The build-up was dominated by talk of them seeking revenge for 1982, when West Germany's convenient 1-0 win against Austria saw them both reach the second round at Algeria's expense. With a five-one-three-one formation and five changes to their starting line-up that saw playmaker Yacine Brahimi drop to the bench, The Desert Foxes appeared to be set up defensively. But after an early spell of German pressure, they went in search of a shock lead and almost found it. Manuel Neuer made a vital challenge on Islam Slimani after Faouzi Ghoulam's ball up the left wing eluded Per Mertesacker, and it subsequently took an important tackle from The Arse centre-half to deny the same man. Sofiane Feghouli then sliced through the Germany back line only to miscue his cross from a brilliant position, Slimani's diving header was correctly disallowed for offside and Ghoulam steamed through on the left but lashed his finish across goal and wide.
Germany eventually managed to exert an influence - Özil's misdirected cross was tipped over the bar, Thomas Müller headed wide and keeper Rais Mbolhi spilled an Özil drive - but Algeria refused to sit back and Mehdi Mostefa was the latest to come close with a strike that was deflected wide. Mbolhi made a magnificent double save from Toni Kroos and Mario Götze as Germany finished the half well, but it was no surprise when Götze was replaced by Schürrle at the break. The big question was whether Algeria would maintain their intensity or be punished for their missed chances and the answer nearly arrived when Schürrle's first effort was deflected narrowly off target, before Shkodran Mustafi headed at Mbolhi and the goalkeeper pulled off a fine save from Philipp Lahm's shot. Algeria responded by tightening up at the back and attempting to pounce on the counter-attack. Neuer was forced to operate as an auxiliary sweeper as Slimani escaped the German centre-backs, while Feghouli drilled wide and then Slimani lashed powerfully at Neuer. At the other end, Mbolhi made another stunning stop from Müller's header while Esseid Belkalem and Ghoulam cleared off the line from Schurrle and Benedikt Höwedes respectively. Algeria were visibly tiring and after Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger threatened a winner late in the ninety minutes, Schürrle finally broke the deadlock in the opening moments of extra time. Müller crossed low from the left for the Moscow Chelski forward to dispatch with an improvised finish. It was the fourteenth of Germany's last twenty four World Cup goals that Müller has been directly involved it. Özil rammed in a second before substitute Djabou converted from Feghouli's cross, but there was no time to find another goal for the plucky North Africans. Liverpool Alabama Yee-Haws striker Luis Suarez has - finally - apologised to Giorgio Chiellini for the bite that earned him a nine-match and four-month ban from football. The Uruguayan was suspended from all football for biting Italy's Chiellini. 'The truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me,' said Suarez in a statement. Suarez had previously claimed that he lost his balance and did not bite Chiellini. So, that appears to have been nothing but a lie, then. It is his third career ban for biting after incidents with Moscow Chelski's Branislav Ivanovic while at Liverpool in April 2013, and PSV's Otman Bakkal while at Ajax in 2010. 'I deeply regret what occurred,' added Suarez.
'I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family. I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like this.' Chiellini had himself called the ban 'excessive', while, in his written submission to FIFA, Suarez had claimed: 'I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent.' Suarez will miss the first nine games of the Premier League season and return to football on 26 October. He will have missed a total of thirty nine matches because of biting offences by the time he serves his latest suspension, having been banned for ten games after the Ivanovic incident. Despite the incident in Brazil, Barcelona remain keen to sign the forward. Uruguay's President Jose Mujica has called football's world governing body FIFA 'a bunch of old sons of bitches' over Suarez's four-month ban. The seventy nine-year-old described the punishment as 'a fascist ban.' The president covered his mouth to feign shock at what he had said, but told journalists to 'publish it' when asked if he wanted to rectify his remarks. Mujica admitted that Suarez deserved to be disciplined, but said that his suspension was too harsh. 'They could have punished him, but not given him this fascist ban,' he said. Brazil press officer Rodrigo Paiva has been provisionally suspended by FIFA following an incident with Chile player Mauricio Pinilla during Saturday's World Cup last-sixteen match. The communications officer will miss Friday's game with Colombia pending the outcome of FIFA's investigation into an alleged punch he threw at Pinilla at half-time. 'I defended myself when he came near me. I reacted by shoving him,' he said.
