COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil - France was perhaps the biggest beneficiary when FIFA decided on its procedure for the World Cup draw Tuesday, as the team now has better odds of avoiding Brazil and Argentina. Sven Bender Jersey . As the lowest-ranked of nine unseeded European qualifiers, France was expected to go in the Africa-dominated draw pot — meaning it could not be placed in the same group as a top-seeded European team. But instead of following its format from the 2006 World Cup, FIFA decided that all nine European teams enter an open ballot which starts the draw ceremony on Friday. That team selected will effectively enter Pot 2 alongside the five African teams, plus Chile and Ecuador. France could yet face the top South Americans but now also has the unexpected chance of drawing seeded Switzerland or Belgium. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the decision followed talks with confederation presidents, including UEFAs French president Michel Platini. However, he sidestepped a question asking him to explain a procedure that seemingly ignored FIFAs own precedent and favoured France. "Let us (hold the) draw and not let us speak of teams," Blatter said. FIFA traditionally tries to create pots based on geography, so that groups will include teams from up to four different continents and avoiding scenarios where three European teams get grouped together. For the 2006 tournament — the last time there were nine unseeded European teams — Serbia and Montenegro was the lowest-ranked team from the continent. That time, FIFA put it in a separate pot, and Serbia and Montenegro found itself in the toughest group: with Argentina, Netherlands and Ivory Coast. The eight top-ranked teams in Pot 1 also include Colombia, Uruguay, Germany and Spain. The five African teams in Pot 2 are Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, while Pot 3 includes the teams from the Asian and CONCACAF regions — Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States. In other decisions Tuesday, FIFAs World Cup organizing committee declined to switch early kickoff times in tropical cities despite concerns by the international players union over the heat and humidity. Blatter had suggested in Rome last month that seven 1 p.m. kickoff times in Fortaleza, Natal, Recife and Salvador could be re-evaluated. FIFPro, the international players union, had formally asked FIFA to consider moving the matches to later in the day. "We were perfectly aware of the weather conditions when this match schedule was organized," FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said of the October 2011 agreement. "It was done in a professional way." Valcke confirmed FIFAs budgeted commitment to increase World Cup prize money by around one-third, but the exact breakdown will be decided later this week. FIFA shared $348 million among the 32 national federations in 2010, including $30 million to Spain for winning and a minimum of $8 million to each team. FIFA has previously said the prize fund will be $454 million next year. Lukasz Piszczek Jersey . Rodgers was ruled out on Friday by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Matt Flynn will make his second consecutive start for the Packers. Julian Weigl Jersey . Johan Franzen had two goals and two assists, Gustav Nyquist a goal and three assists and David Legwand a goal and two assists in the Red Wings 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. http://www.dortmundfcshop.com/c-3-roman-weidenfeller-fc-borussia-dortmund-jersey.aspx . 25 against Miami. Hillis left Browns Stadium about two hours before kickoff, a decision that has led to speculation he was upset over ongoing negotiations with the club on a contract extension.KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didnt realize he had broken the rules. When Andy Murray walked to the net and challenged him about it, Djokovic responded with a shrug and a sheepish smile. Murray lost the dispute, and the match. The pivotal ruling against the defending champion helped Djokovic win 7-5, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Sony Open. Roger Federer was up a service break twice in the second set but lost to No. 20-seeded Kei Nishikori 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. Nishikori will play Djokovic on Friday. The point that aggravated Murray occurred at the start of the 12th game, when he was serving at 5-6. Djokovic charged forward to volley a short ball and hit it for a winner. Murray argued -- and TV replays confirmed -- he should have been awarded the point because Djokovics racket was on the far side of the net when he hit the ball. Chair umpire Damian Steiner declined to change his call, and such rulings cant be appealed for video review. Murray briefly discussed the matter with Djokovic. "I went and asked Novak, and he told me he was over the net," Murray said. "Look, it might be my mistake," Djokovic said. "I think I crossed the net with the racket. I didnt touch the net. Maybe the rule is that you are not allowed to pass on his side with the racket. Im not sure. You tell me." That is indeed the rule. Djokovic said that if he had understood it correctly, he would have conceded the point. A flustered Murray committed unforced backhand errors on the next three points to lose the game and the set. "Obviously, that distracted him mentally, and after that he gave the set away," Djokovic said. Murray took a lead in the second set but lost the final four games and the last 12 points. Afterward, he downplayed the bad call. "Im not angry," he said. "It maybe had a slight bearing on that game, but I was still up a break in the second set." Nishikori will be playing in only his second ATP Masters 1000 semifinal, and his first in 2 1/2 years. "I thought I really played well, especially in the third set," Nishikori said. "I was hitting balls deep and striking well. Everything was going well.. Marco Reus Jersey. " Federer was the runner-up to Djokovic at Indian Wells two weeks ago, and said hes pleased with his start to the year despite the latest loss. "I just couldnt find my rhythm on the serve today, which was surprising," Federer said. "Its a bit frustrating, but Kei did well to stay with me. He was more consistent in the second and third, and in the end its to his credit." Li Na became the first Chinese woman to reach the Key Biscayne semifinals when she beat Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 7-5. Lis opponent Thursday night will be Dominika Cibulkova, who erased three match points in the second set -- one when a call was overturned via replay -- and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Six-time champion Serena Williams will play five-time runner-up Maria Sharapova in the other womens semifinal. Williams has beaten Sharapova 14 consecutive times. Murray won the Key Biscayne title in 2009 and 2013 but wasnt at his best against Djokovic. The Scotsman committed five double-faults and 32 unforced errors, including a flurry down the stretch. He took a 3-2 lead in the second set with his only service break, then double-faulted twice to give it right back. But it all might have been different if not for the call that made one point stand out from the other 125. Djokovic had won praise for his sportsmanship when he conceded a point following an erroneous call in his match Tuesday, but against good friend Murray, he left the verdict to the umpire. A sideline reporter told Murray that TV replays showed he was correct about the call, and during the ensuing changeover he questioned Steiner. "His racket was over the net," Murray said. "Its quite clear. You can see it on the replay." "I have to make a decision at the moment," Steiner replied. Any hard feelings on Murrays part didnt carry over after the match, when he shook hands with Djokovic and Steiner. "Its a hard one for the umpire to call," Murray said. "Just frustrating." And Djokovic said the call was the umpires to make. "Its not my fault," he said. "I mean, I was never lying on the court. I always try to be fair to whoever I play against." China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys China Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Online ' ' '