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PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Algerias players are being left to decide whether or not they observe the Ramadan fast during Mondays World Cup game against Germany, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic saying its not a divisive issue. Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. Halilhodzic, who has testy relations with sections of the Algerian media and its football association, threatened to leave a news conference Sunday if questions persisted on the topic. He said critics were using the issue to "try and raise hatred of me and my family. This is really disgusting." The national football association released a statement denying a report in Algerias leading football newspaper suggesting that Halilhodzic, a Muslim, had ordered players not to fast. Its a potentially sensitive allegation in the mostly Muslim country. The federation said Halilhodzic had been "very respectful" of the religion in his three years at the helm of the national team. The veteran coach, a French-Bosnian, said fasting was a "private issue and players will do exactly as they wish." "When you ask this question you lack respect and ethics. I would like this to stop. Stop this controversy. Talk about football," he said, in response to repeated questions at the official pre-match news conference. "And stop asking me about Ramadan, otherwise I will get up and leave." The match Monday kicks less than an hour before sunset in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. The Algeria lineup has been impressive in its three group games, and had its best attacking display so far in a 4-2 win over South Korea. Halilhodzic started that match with five new players following its opening 2-1 defeat to Belgium. They followed that up with a 1-0 win over Russia to reach the knockout rounds for the first time. "We will do everything we can to try and win this match, but (the Germans) are of a higher quality, more experienced and basically better than us," Halilhodzic said. "We shall prepare for this game as the most important in our career. We will give it our all." Algeria shocked West Germany 2-1 in the group stages of the 1982 World Cup, in what was a colossal upset at the time. But the team didnt make it through to the qualifying rounds after the Germans and Austria played out a mutually advantageous result in their last group match in one of the most infamous World Cup episodes. The build up to Mondays match has focused on whether this is now the opportunity for Algeria to avenge what has become known as the "Disgrace of Gijon." But Halilhodzic and Germany coach Joachim Loew downplayed that Sunday, noting that the vast majority of players were not born when it occurred. "This is history. There are many things that occur in football. I would like this wonderful championship to finish in a different way," Halilhodzic said. San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey . Messis 75th-minute goal answered some of the criticism the clubs all-time leading scorer had received for his lacklustre performances in the teams recent losses in the league, Champions League and Copa del Rey final. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-Frank-Gore-49ers-Jersey/ .Y. - Terry and Kim Pegula have no immediate plans to tinker with their new NFL team. Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . Returning to Davis Cup tennis, Federer cruised past Ilija Bozoljac, winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in less than two hours. Federer faced little challenge from Bozoljac, who served well but still was no match for his Swiss opponent. Tarvarius Moore 49ers Jersey TORONTO -- Bradley Orr said that every kids dream growing up playing soccer in England was to hoist a cup. So he and his Toronto FC teammates say they will have no problem getting up for their Amway Canadian Championship final against rival Montreal Impact, even if the result doesnt count toward Major League Soccer standings. "No, not at all. I love cup games. Theres a prize at the end of it," the Toronto defender said after practice Tuesday. "Back in England it was the FA Cup, now that were here its the Canadian Cup, and its just as important for me as any league game, because theres pride at stake and theres a lot to play for. Its a big game, no doubt about it, and one were looking forward to." Toronto hosts Montreal for the first of two legs Wednesday at BMO Field. The second leg is June 4 at Saputo Stadium in Montreal. The team with the higher aggregate score after the two matches also represents Canada in the 2014-2015 CONCACAF Champions League. "Very very important," captain Steven Caldwell said. "We want to win the Cup. We obviously want to get a good lead if we can from the first leg, its going to be tough, were playing our rivals, a very good side, who are . . . far better than theyve been showing." Toronto is hoping to reclaim the title they relinquished to Montreal last season. TFC won the championship four straight years -- from 2009 through 2012 -- while the Impact won the inaugural competition in 2008 and again last year. "Its Canadian pride here," Toronto-born defender Ashtone Morgan said on the importance of the matches. "I think last year we had a sour taste in our mouth and were looking to bounce back this year, and looking to get the trophy." Dwayne De Rosario is tied for the tournament all-time lead in goals with four, and won back-to-back tournament MVP honours, in 2009 and 10. The 2009 victory was De Rosarios first playing with his hometown team in Toronto, after holding MLS jobs with the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo. "For me it was a first championship coming back home, a championship for my city, a championship for TFC, and it was a special moment," De Rosario said. "And hopefully I can create another special moment tomorrow and win back that trophy for this club." Toronto is 7-1-2 all-time against the Impact in Canadian Championship action and are the favourites this season against a Montreal team that is struggling through a horrendous start to the season. TFC has four wins, four losses and one draw in MLS games, while Montreal is 1-6-4 and last in the league. Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen warned though that not only is Montreal a better team than this seasons results indicate, but standings and recent results dont mean much when a championship trophy is on the line. "Very dangerous team, very good team," Nelsen said of the Impact. "Theyre just having a little bit of a bad run at the moment. When you come to this competition, form doesnt really matter, it kind of goes out the window. Ive watched a lot of theiir games, and they have been unlucky in quite a few of them; theyve had opportunities to win the games, but it hasnt fallen their way.dddddddddddd You know the quality they have, theyll get it right." Toronto defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 at home and then 5-3 on penalty kicks in Vancouver to reach the final. The Impact battled back to beat second-division side FC Edmonton to earn their spot in the final. It was a confident TFC team that practised Wednesday morning at their training ground north of the city, after salvaging a 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City -- the defending league champions -- last Friday. Toronto managed a draw despite losing Caldwell to a red card in the 63rd minute. "Were very pleased with the result, not the performance particularly but at the end of the day were judged on points. . . Well take that in a very tough place to play," Caldwell said. "They were obviously a better team and we couldnt get anything going all night, and then with the sending off, and the penalty (awarded to Kansas City in the 84th minute for a Doneil Henry foul in the box). . . we felt even the 50-50 decisions were going against us. But well take the draw and move on. Excited for (Wednesday) night." Caldwells red card will keep him out of Saturdays MLS game against the visiting Columbus Crew, but hell be available Wednesday to a Toronto lineup that wont differ much from last Friday. Nelsen said midfielders Jonathan Osorio (hamstring) and Jackson Goncalves (concussion) wont play, while Luke Moore (groin) is questionable. Collen Warner, recently acquired in a trade with Montreal, is ineligible to play because hes cup-tied to the Impact. Nelsen was already in good spirits Wednesday but the coach brightened considerably when asked his thoughts on Queens Park Rangers promotion to the Premier League. "Brilliant. Absolutely fantastic," said Nelsen, who ended his playing career with QPR. The squad that Nelsen played two seasons for defeated Derby 1-0 last weekend to earn promotion. Bobby Zamora scored the decisive goal, pouncing on a defensive miscue by Derby in the 90th minute. "Football is a funny game . . . when youre down to 10 men, as long as you stay in the game, you generally get that one chance. It couldnt have been more obvious than that QPR game," Nelsen said. "Bobby took it brilliantly like he has for his whole career. I can imagine there were a few celebrations that night." Nelsen said he is still emotionally tied to QPR, as he is to every team hes played for, saying he still has good friends not only with that club but DC United, Blackburn, and Tottenham. "You get so emotionally involved because you go through so many highs and lows and people dont really understand how low the lows are and how high the highs are, that you become friends and you make friends," he said. "And when you do things for other people and they do things for you, that are unforgettable things that imprint on your life, and your memories, you obviously stay friends." 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