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France struggles in Iceland warmup
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 29 - 05 - 2012

Franck Ribery scored his first international goal for more than three years and Adil Rami grabbed a late winner as France rallied to beat Iceland 3-2 at home Sunday in a European Championship warmup match.
Coach Laurent Blanc picked an experimental and attacking lineup, featuring several fringe players. The move soon backfired as Iceland went 2-0 up at halftime thanks to goals from Birkir Bjarnason and Ajax striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.
Right back Mathieu Debuchy pulled one back early in the second half but France struggled until Ribery and striker Olivier Giroud came off the bench.
Giroud set up Ribery's 85th-minute goal with an exquisite chip over the defense, and then showed great composure a minute later to head a cross down to Rami, who blasted the ball home.
Mexico blanks Wales
In New Jersey, Aldo de Nigris scored a goal late in each half as Mexico beat Wales 2-0 Sunday in an international friendly.
De Nigris put Mexico ahead with a header, and the Monterrey striker sealed it in the 89th by converting a pass from Edgar Andrade. A crowd of over 35,000 saw Mexico open a three-match tour that includes games against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Chicago Thursday and Brazil next Sunday in Arlington, Texas. Mexico will host Guyana in a World Cup qualifier on June 8. Wales plays its first qualifier for the 2014 World Cup by hosting Belgium in September.
Serbia suspends Ljajic
Serbia's football association has said midfielder Adem Ljajic has been suspended from the Serbian team for failing to sing the national anthem before a friendly against Spain.
The association said in a statement that Serbia's new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic “sent Ljajic home” because he did not comply with his rules that stipulate players have to sing the anthem before matches.
The statement said Ljajic, who is a Muslim, did not sing the anthem “because of his personal reasons.” Serbia lost 2-0 against Spain in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Saturday. “The player will only be allowed to return to the national team if he changes his attitude and officially notifies Mihajlovic that he has done so,” it added.
Ljajic was involved in an incident earlier this month with his former Fiorentina coach Delio Rossi who slapped him as he returned to the bench after being substituted in a Serie A game. Ljajic had stuck his thumb up ironically. Campbell warns Euro fans
Former England defender Sol Campbell has warned fans against traveling to Poland and Ukraine to watch the European Championship, claiming authorities have failed to tackle entrenched racism and violence in the countries.
Campbell, who is black, told the BBC: “Stay at home, watch it on TV. Don't even risk it ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin.”
The families of two of England's black players, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, have indicated they are unlikely to travel to the Euros because of fears of racist abuse.
After witnessing footage of fans from the host countries giving the Nazi salute and taunting black players with monkey noises, Campbell said UEFA was wrong to award the tournament to Poland and Ukraine.


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