GENEVA - Beating the entry deadline by hours on Thursday, Sepp Blatter formally joined a FIFA presidential contest he is widely expected to win.Blatter published a low-key message on Twitter confirming an expected bid to extend his scandal-scarred, 17-year leadership of footballs wealthy governing body by four more years.Today is a key date in the electoral calendar. Ive made my submission, now the electoral committee follow a process, wrote Blatter, who is headed to the Asian Cup final in Sydney on Saturday.Blatter could travel with confidence, knowing Asia is home to some of his most loyal supporters. A majority of FIFAs 209 member federations seem content to overlook allegations of tainted elections and World Cup hosting bids while FIFA pays increasing bonuses from tournament profits with $1.5 billion in reserve.Still, Blatter could be seated for the Australia vs. South Korea final close to two FIFA vice-presidents plotting against him.Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan has declared his intention to stand, while UEFA President Michel Platini is central to Europe-led efforts opposing Blatter, including supporting the princes campaign.Europes anti-Blatter strategy intensified on Wednesday when Portugal great Luis Figo became a surprise contender, and UEFA executive committee Michael van Praag of the Netherlands set out manifesto highlights including the clearest incentive yet for voters.Van Praags plan for expanding the 32-team World Cup — FIFAs cash cow — to include more non-European teams hinted at what footballs richest continent must do to persuade other regions about Blatter and FIFAs damaged image.Launching his progressive views in Amsterdam, the Dutch federation president also became the first contender to identify his five nominating countries as demanded by FIFA election rules. Van Praag has support from Belgium, Faeroe Islands, Romania, Scotland and Sweden.Two more European contenders — both French, and operating outside UEFAs influence — have sought nominations by the 2300 GMT deadline.Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA international relations director and longtime Blatter ally, has published the most detailed manifesto, while former player David Ginola has been discredited by being paid 250,000 pounds ($380,000) to run by a betting firm sponsor. Although Ginola insisted in a statement that he was not out of the presidential race, his website was stripped of all campaign content on Thursday and no nominations were disclosed ahead of the deadline.It could be two weeks before the official field of Blatter opponents is confirmed.FIFA has created an election oversight panel, led by its audit committee chairman Domenico Scala, which will validate nomination papers and receive vetting reports from FIFAs ethics committeeThose integrity checks could have been led by Michael Garcia, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who resigned in protest last month at the handling of his investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid contests, won by Russia and Qatar.Garcia cited FIFAs lack of leadership in a resignation statement which left no doubt he viewed Blatter as a barrier to progress. This, despite the 78-year-old Swiss making anti-corruption reforms central to his fourth presidential term since a June 2011 re-election amid a bribery scandal implicating his Qatari opponent.No independent governance committee, investigator, or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organization, Garcia wrote.Blatters last re-election — and a famous campaign promise made to European soccer leaders — is key to understanding the current contest.At the UEFA Congress in Paris in March 2011, Blatter pledged his current four-year mandate would be his last. At the same meeting, Platini was re-elected unopposed as Europes top soccer official and seemed anointed to succeed Blatter, his soccer politics mentor, in four years times.Blatter slowly shifted his position, to Platinis evident frustration, until the France great announced last August he would not seek the FIFA presidency.Now, Blatter likely faces a group of Platinis associates, though it is unclear if all will stay on the ballot paper.There is no candidate of UEFA, as a matter of fact, its general secretary Gianni Infantino said on Monday. We are very positive for any credible candidate coming forward and making the debate.Candidates will seek support at FIFA confederation meetings scheduled in Asuncion, Paraguay; Vienna; Cairo; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and the Cayman Islands.On May 29, FIFA members will return to Zurich where 186 voted for Blatter four years ago. Karl-Anthony Towns Jersey . 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Moments later, Lucas set up another goal from the right when fellow countryman Alex turned in his corner with a strikers finish.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker loves a good challenge. So when Stephen Curry started lighting it up Monday night in his homecoming game, Walker decided it was time to match him. The other eight players might as well have been on the bench watching in the final few minutes, when Walker scored Charlottes final 15 points to lead the Bobcats to a 115-111 victory over Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Walker finished with 31 points -- 27 in the second half -- while battling neck and neck with Curry, who finished with a season-high 43 points, 32 of them coming in the second half including 19 in the final quarter. When it was suggested it was like watching a pair of heavyweight champions going at it, teammate Gerald Henderson looked over at his 6-foot-1, 184-pound teammate and cracked, "Well, maybe a featherweight championship fight." Walker just smiled and shook his head, perhaps too tired to fire back a witty volley after spending the night fighting through screens and chasing Curry around the court. "It is fun," Walker said of facing Curry. "Everybody knows hes a great player, a great scorer. I love to play against the best. He made some tough shots. I thought I played some good defence, but it was better offence at times. We came out with the win. Thats all I really care about at this point." Curry, a Charlotte native who burst on the national scene while playing at nearby Davidson College, said it was fun playing well in front of his family, including his father Dell, a former NBA player and now a broadcaster with the Bobcats. Even so, taking the loss was disappointing. "This one stings worse than it has stung in a while," Curry said. Curry was impressed with Walkers effort. "Hey man, the guy made big plays down the stretch," he said. "He got to the lane and made some tough shots. He kept them just ahead of us. Im sure that is what they expect him to do, and what he expects to do every night." The Warriors (12-11) never led, but tied the game at 88-all on a pair of free throws by Curry. But Ramon Sessions scored on a pair of drives and the seldom-used Ben Gordon knocked down a 3-pointer to quickly push the lead back to seven with 6:50 left in the gamee.dddddddddddd Walker hit a 3-pointer and a fall away in the lane to help stretch the lead to 11. But Curry kept coming. He knocked down a 28-footer with Walkers hand in his face to cut the Bobcats lead to 111-109 with 11 seconds left. But the Warriors were forced to foul and Walker hit four free throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the victory. Henderson had 24 points and Josh McRoberts had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats (10-11), who won their second straight game. Walker finished 10 of 18 from the field. "Kemba is A-1 competitor and that is a well-rounded game he played because he played tenacious, I dont care how many points (Curry) had," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "... Some of Currys shots were just unguardable." Curry was 3 of 11 in the first half, but got hot late in the third quarter and finished 14 of 32 from the field against a Bobcats team that hadnt allowed 100 points in 13 straight games. He was only 5 of 16 from 3-point range, but was 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. Curry also had nine assists. The Warriors fell behind by 12 at the half after shooting 1 of 12 from 3-point range. Warriors coach Mark Jackson said before the game that Currys play has been "spectacular" this season. "Hes been playing at a whole different level," Jackson said. "Hes playing and acting like hes the best player on the floor night in and night out, carrying us down the stretch, making plays, choosing when to take over offensively and he knows when to facilitate." "You see his scoring and you fall in love with his jump shot. Hes a guy thats among the league leaders in assists also. Hes playing at a different level. Hes getting to the level of the baddest man on the planet. Its really fun to see. It takes everyone else to another level." NOTES: David Lee had 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Warriors. ... Clay Thompson was slapped with a technical foul after slamming the padding underneath the basket when he got upset over a foul that was called on him. ... Gordon had a season-high 12 points for Charlotte. He played more with Jeffery Taylor out with an injury. ... Curry has scored 20 or points 14 times this season. 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