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Sao Paulo: Sao Paulo, Brazil: FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Mexico team for what it has called the "improper conduct of spectators" at the World Cup.

Mexican fans taunted the opposing goalkeepers in Mexico's 1-0 victory over Cameroon last Friday and in Tuesday's 0-0 tie with Brazil with a traditional cheer that ends by shouting a word widely regarded as a derogatory term used against gays.

A complaint was lodged with FIFA, soccer's world governing body, by the London-based Fare Network, an organization that combats discrimination in the sport. Fare has also registered concerns about neo-Nazi banners displayed by Croatian and Russian fans.

"FIFA takes a firm, zero-tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and racism," the federation said in a statement. FIFA regulations prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and could result in a loss of tournament points, although first offenses generally incur a warning.

Mexicans have taken to social media and television to defend the chant.

"Why do they want to take away this cheer that identifies us, that is lovely, that is euphoric, and that is in no way homophobic?" asked Martha Figueroa, a host on "Nuestro Dia," a morning television show on the network Cadena Tres.

Piara Powar, Fare's executive director, said: "Mexicans have been arguing that this is meant as a form of calling someone a coward. But it's fairly clear that it's a homophobic chant. In the context and history that goes with it, it's being used to indicate that the goalkeeper is homosexual and thus is weak."

Homophobic slurs are nothing new to soccer stadiums around the world. During the tournament's opening ceremony, Brazilian fans directed a chant - usually reserved for opposing players and referees - against their own president, Dilma Rousseff, in an episode that caused much hand-wringing around the country.

A FIFA spokeswoman, Delia Fischer, said the organization would not comment on the proceedings. No disciplinary action has ever been taken against teams for their fans' discriminatory behavior at a World Cup tournament "to the best of our knowledge," she added.

Lina Pérez Cerqueda, the president of Cuenta Conmigo, a gay-rights group in Mexico City, said the word in question has always been "used to offend.''

Powar said he was not necessarily seeking punishment without adequate warning. Mexicans "have made the fair argument that this has never been raised with them before and is not something widely debated in Mexico," he said. "Our mission is to educate."

Brazil: Germany and Argentina will aim to unleash their firepower on Ghana and Iran respectively as they return to centre stage on Saturday after opening their World Cup campaigns with wins.

Germany, who lead Group G after their impressive 4-0 victory over Portugal, face Ghana in the tropical heat of Fortaleza (Sunday 12am PST). The African side, beaten 2-1 by the United States, need to get something from the game to revive their campaign. After comfortably winning their opening matches at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008, three-time World Cup winners Germany were beaten in their second group matches at both tournaments - a trend coach Joachim Loew is aiming to stop on Saturday.

Argentina take their quest for a third World Cup to Belo Horizonte for a match against Iran in Group F (9pm PST).They had to work hard to beat Bosnia 2-1 in their opening match but should have less trouble against unfancied Iran, who held African champions Nigeria to a 0-0 draw. Keeping Argentina´s fearsome forward line of Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, quiet will be a daunting prospect for Iran´s defence.

Nigeria, in their fifth World Cup, will aim to restore their pride against Bosnia in the other Group F match (Sunday 3am PST) in Cuiaba after a disappointing opening stalemate against Iran. (Reuters)

On Tuesday I said goodbye to the Amazon jungle & Manaus and travelled the 1,700 miles south to the concrete jungle that is São Paulo. The first thing you notice when you land is the change in temperate, the 18 degrees at the airport feels freezing compared to the stifling 38 degrees in Amazonas region. I reach for my coat. This is my first visit to Brazil's biggest city and it offers a different challenge to where I've been before. São Paulo is a monster and can be a violent one at that. I've known 3 people who have had guns pulled on them, 2 of them whilst visiting Sampa, as the city is known. 

From speaking with locals ahead of the tournament, the advice I was given is that it is better to have an average hotel in a nice district than a great hotel in an average district. I have opted for Paulista, an up market area just off the centre with plenty of bars & restaurants.

Having not been able to see any of the group games since Saturday I want my World Cup fix. Finding a place to watch the first of the games involving Belgium is easy, it seems like everybody in São Paulo is football mad, TV's showing the game are in every shop, every cafe and every bar. It is also evident how many fans from all around the world are here, either using the city as a base to see games or a quick stop over. For me, I'm here as England's next game versus Uruguay is in the 60k seater Arena Corinthians later this week. Tickets are scarce, this was one of the first games in the World Cup to sell out. At the airport when I landed there were plenty of England fans on the search for a ticket and willing to part with big money. The contingency for those unable to get into the game is to go to the fan zone, it provides a decent atmosphere as tens of thousands will be there to watch the game. Today, you can't even get into the fan zone, the second game involves the home nation and the country will stop for the game.

The country literally does stop for the game. The infamous traffic congestion of the city is non existent, mysteriously the airport has a power failure and no planes are able to take off the whole time the game is on. Yellow is visible everywhere, children, mums and office workers alike. The bars over flow into the roads with people transfixed on the screens. I find a bar around the corner from my hotel to eat, drink, watch the game and even better than that, watch the expressive locals head & kick every ball. It's noticeable the number of females watching the game, over 50%. Compare that to your local pub back in England and I'd imagine that there would be three times less women watching. The Brazilians are a passionate nation, I don't need to be able to understand Portuguese to see their frustration with Fred, their love for Neymar and their complete bewilderment at the performance of the Mexico keeper Ochoa. At the end of the 0-0 draw the bar falls flat for 15 seconds, samba music comes on and suddenly everybody is up dancing & chatting. I've not seen a bed since Saturday night, today has been the perfect reintegration back into civilisation.

The Copacabana felt flat on Tuesday evening as the World Cup hosts were held to a draw by Mexico in their second group game.

The famous beach in Rio de Janeiro felt a world away from the mixture of euphoria and relief last Thursday when the Brazilians overcame the Croatians in the opening match of the tournament.

Talk of the town and star of the first match, Neymar, could not score against Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who frustrated the hosts, and the Mexicans could easily have delivered only Brazil’s second group stage defeat in 44 years.

Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari told Brazilians newspaper O Globo: "In the end, 0-0 is not a good result, but it mirrors what the game was. The team has been good, but we are also facing selections of good quality.

"It is not a good result but you have to respect your opponent, who are very good."

Red Bull Salzburg take the slight upper hand into their Europa League last-16 second-leg clash at home with Basel.

The Austrian outfit settled for a 0-0 stalemate in their away leg in Switzerland and hold a perfect record at home in the Europa League this season.

The draw at Basel halted Salzburg's 16-match winning streak in all competitions, although Roger Schmidt's men bounced back with a 5-0 win over Wolfsberger AC in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Similarly, Basel enjoyed a 5-0 league win over Aarau to find their feet after the home stalemate.

Salzburg's form at home extends beyond their five wins in the tournament this season, as they have been beaten just once at their Red Bull Arena fortress since August 2012.

They have won 14 in succession at home, including European wins over Zalgiris (5-0), Elfsborg (4-0), Standard Liege (2-1), Esbjerg (3-0) and Ajax (3-1).

Conversely, Basel have not won an away fixture in the Europa League in their past 10 outings in the second-tier continental competition, but they travel to Austria in the knowledge a score draw would see them progress to the quarter-finals.

Murat Yakin's Basel have had success away from home in the Champions League, chalking up wins at Ludogorets and Chelsea earlier this season, before they bowed out in the group stage to join the Europa League knockout rounds.

They began their journey in the last-32, dispatching of Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 on aggregate, as they look to at least emulate their semi-final appearance from the previous campaign.

It will be a tough task against home-town favourites Salzburg, though, who have been the highest scoring side in the competition this term with 21 goals.

Firing in a third of those has been tournament top-scorer Jonatan Soriano, who has recently had to refute suggestions he was Salzburg's equivalent of Lionel Messi.

Salzburg's Kevin Kampl and Alan are tied for the most assists, with four apiece.

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