England have drawn Wales in their qualifying group for the Euro 2012 torunament.

Full details for the draw for the qualifiers will be posted later today at http://www.throwafootballparty.com/euros.htm

Hardly know where to start. Might have to sit down in a darkened room with a cold beer to try to reduce my excitement levels!

There are big derby games in the English Premiership, the start of the six nations rugby, the draw for the qualifying stage of Euro 2012, and then the Super Bowl.

How much fun is it legal to have in one weekend?!?!

Superbowl XLIV is now only a few days away, so we're hurriedly posting lots of American recipes on the web site, ready for super bowl parties.

Given the game is between New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, we thought we'd add some recipes from Louisiana and Indiana. Now, the Louisiana thing has proved to be a rich vein, with plenty of spicy cajun recipes, as per the title (borrowed of course from the song!).

Indiana, on the other hand, has so far proved to be a bit of a culinary wasteland - so if you know any good regional recipes from that part of the world, don't hesitate to let us know!!

So, the African Cup of Nations is over for another two years, with Egypt winning the final by a single goal, meaning that they get to keep the trophy, having won it three times in a row.

Plenty of interesting food for thought in the last three weeks. Algeria's lack of discipline in the semi-final, Ghana's progress without the aid of many of their senior players....

...and Togo.  Their team bus attacked by Angolan terrorists before the tournament started, the Togolese team were forced to withdraw, under pressure from their own government. They have now been punished for this decision by CAF, who have banned them from the next two African Cup of Nations tournaments.

Adding insult to terrible injury, we feel CAF's decision to be harsh in the extreme, and wish the Togolese FA and players a safe and speedy return to international football.

And now our thoughts turn to the other side of the Atlantic, as we take our eyes off our beloved soccer ball for a week, and turn them instead onto the world of American Football, as Superbowl XLIV is upon us.

I know the web site and this blog are primarily interested in Association Football (or soccer), but once a year, the Super Bowl is a huge event that does provide us sports fans with another reason to get together and party. So we're hurriedly setting up a little micro-site at www.throwasuperbowlparty.com - feel free to contribute with your thoughts, comments and ideas!

Sunday's African Cup of Nations Final - which will be televised live by the BBC - will be between Ghana and Egypt.

Ghana continued in their new-found disciplined efficient style to overcome Nigeria 1-0. For the uninvolved, it wasn't a match of great incident or excitement...

The other semi, on the other hand, always promised to be a fiery afair, and certainly lived up to that billing! Egypt vs Algeria is always a match where passions run high, and this was no exception. Egypt won by a comfortable scoreline - 4-0 - but by the end they were only playing against 8 men, as the Algerians had three sent off. The first - Halliche  - was for a second yellow card which led to the penalty for Egypt's first goal. It was certainly a bookable offence, but the player's first yellow was totally undeserved, so by rights he should probably have stayed on the field.

The resultant penalty was farcical, with the Egyptian Rabou dummying twice before actually shooting. The Algerian goalkeeper Chaouchi was incensed by this, grabbed and then appeared to headbutt the referee, for which he too should have been sent off, but only received a yellow...

Not to worry though, as he was sent off later in the game for a challenge that would have looked more at home in a Thai boxing ring!

So, Sunday. Ghana vs Egypt.

Who do you fancy for it? Have you vote at http://.www.throwafootballparty.com/polls

Bring it on!!!

So, we're down to the final four in the African Nations Cup.

Algeria vs Egypt, and Ghana vs Nigeria.

In many people's opinion, neither Ghana nor Nigeria have really been playing at their best so far. Nigeria scraped through on penalties against Zambia, and Ghana beat hosts Angola in a performance that - while effective - was felt by many to be less than exciting.

The other semi-final, however, has plenty of spice! Egypt have been on good form, and have won all their matches so far - no other team in this year's tournament can claim that.  Algeria, on the other hand, got off to a very shaky start, losing 3-0 to Malawi, but since then have improved with every game, and knocked out favourites Ivory Coast in the quarter final.

Not to mention the small matter of scores to settle. Twenty years ago, the two met in a final qualifying match for the Italia 90 World Cup. Egypt won 1-0 and qualified, but what is remembered more were the appalling scenes of violence both on and off the pitch.

Just two months ago, history repeated itself. They met in the same qualifying group for the World Cup again, and this time finished joint top, with equal points and goal difference, and the results of the two matches played between them didn't separate them either. So there had to be a play-off, which Algeria won 1-0, despite Egypt having more of the game.

What happened twenty years ago is probably better forgotten (although I suspect it isn't). What happened two months ago is certainly fresh in Egyptians' memories, and the chance for a little revenge on the pitch can't come along soon enough.

Let's just hope they let their undoubted footballing skills do the talking....

Reading continue to impress in the FA Cup far more than their league form would suggest is possible, this time putting out Burnley.  Leeds - also up against premiership opposition for the second time this year - held Spurs to a draw at White Hart Lane. Notts County drew with Wigan, and Stoke knocked out Arsenal.

Robinho seems set to leave Manchester City, while Sol Campbell has returned to the Arsenal first team.

Meanwhile in Angola, favourites Ivory Coast were knocked out by Algeria. Somewhat less surprisingly, Ghana overcame hosts Angola to also make it into the semi-finals.

Often, "independent" supporters - those whose teams are not actively involved in the matches in question - celebrate the early exits of the big clubs. But is it good for the game in the larger sense? Is it good for the FA Cup that Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are already out? Is it good for the African Cup of Nations that the host nation and the competition favourites have both been knocked out on the same day?

Or do the early exits of these teams mean half empty stadia and reduced TV audiences for those teams left in the competitions?

There's something to think about on a cold grey Monday morning!

Meanwhile, tomorrow brings us to the two remaining quarter finals in Angola, with Egypt taking on Cameroon for a chance to take their revenge on Algeria in the semis - you may remember that Algeria were the reason that Egypt failed to qualify for this year's World Cup finals, and to say they weren't happy about it would be something of an understatement!

The other remaining quarter final will be between Nigeria and unfancied Zambia, neither of whom have yet really showed their best form...

Watch this space!

With the African Cup of Nations taking a break for a couple of days before the Quarter Finals, our thoughts turn much closer to home, to the 4th Round of the FA Cup.

Some really interesting matches to look forward to this weekend, including Reading vs Burnley, Preston North End vs Chelsea, Notts County vs Wigan, West Bromwich Albion vs Newcastle United, Everton vs Birmingham City, Accrington Stanley vs Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United, Stoke vs Arsenal and Scunthorpe vs Manchester City.

Can hardly wait!!!

So, what was it I said? "All Gabon have to do is avoid defeat against Zambia." So what do they do? They go and lose to Zambia, leavng the tightest imaginable table for Group D.

Tunisia go home - they managed to draw with everyone, so got three points. No doubt that will become one of those pub trivia questions: Name the team who were knowcked out of the African Cup of Nations without losing a single game.

All the other three teams ended up on 4 points, having all drawn with Tunisia, and won one and lost one. So, because A beat B, B beat C,  and C beat A, the rule of "whoever did best in the matches between these teams" fails to resolve the problem. Furthermore, all three finished with a zero goal difference! So the only way to decide was on goals scored. Cameroon and Zambia both scored 5, whereas Gabon only scored 2, so they are eliminated.

The placings between Cameroon and Zambia were then decided on the result of the match between those two, which Cameroon won 3-2.  Or so you would think. For some reason I have yet to understand, Zambia were actually placed top of the group, and will go on to play Nigeria in the quarter finals.

Cameroon, despite finishing top based on what I thought the rules were, are officially placed second, and will therefore come up against the might of the Egyptian team in the next round.

OK,  here's your trivia question for the day: Which team in this year's competition has the nickname "The Squirrels"?

After a few surprising results to start with, the Group Stage of the African Cup of Nations seems to have ended up with a fairly predictable outcome.

Group C has continued the trend, with group favourites Egypt and Nigeria both cruising to comfortable victories over Benin and Mozambique respectively today. Egypt will be the only team to qualify for the quarter finals with maximum points for the group stage - are they now favourites to win the tournament? Have your say at http://www.throwafootballparty.com/polls.htm.

So far, all the teams that have qualified for the World Cup Finals have made it through to the next stage here in Angola. Cameroon could complete that pattern tomorrow if they avoid defeat against Tunisia in Group D.

The surprise package of this group for many has been Gabon, who currently sit top with 4 points. As long as they can avoid defeat to Zambia tomorrow, they will make it through to the last eight, meaning that whoever loses in the Cameroon vs Tunisia match will be going home. Cameroon can qualify with a draw; Tunisia need a win.

The quarter finals take place on Sunday and Monday, so I'll have to find something else to write about for a couple of days!