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. Adam Frazier Jersey . 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. Roberto Clemente Pirates Jersey .40 metres at the Drake Relays. Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . Patton told The Baltimore Sun that he took an Adderall pill four days before the season finished, trying to improve his short-term focus. "I took one because I was stupid," Patton told The Sun. http://www.pittsburghpiratesprostore.us/Lonnie-Chisenhall-pirates-jersey/ . The Tinkoff-Saxo rider was still dealing with the right shin he broke in a crash which ended his Tour de France on Stage 10. He hoped to defy his doctors and race in the home Grand Tour he won in 2008 and 2012, but he says there have been complications in his recovery.LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears middle linebacker D.J. Williams will miss the remainder of the season because of a chest injury. Williams ruptured his left pectoral muscle tendon during Thursdays win over the New York Giants. Coach Marc Trestman was not sure on Friday how the injury occurred. Williams, signed in the off-season to help replace Brian Urlacher, left in the third quarter, the latest injury for a defence thats had its share. The Bears visit Washington next week, and with Williams out, rookie Jonathan Bostic figures to start in his place. Season-ending knee injuries to defensive tackle Henry Melton and his replacement Nate Collins, not to mention a turf toe injury thats kept Stephen Paea out of the past two games, have forced Chicago to do some major shuffling in the interior. Corey Wootton had to move inside from defensive end and Julius Peppers has been seeing time there, too. Besides those issues, Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Tillman has dealt with groin and right knee problems in recent weeks. The knee issue kept him out of Thursdays game, although Trestman said he would have been able to play if the game was on Sunday. Even when the Bears were healthy, they had some issues on defence, particularly with their pass rush. They rank 30th in the league with eight sacks. Julius Peppers hasnt dominated the way he did in the past, and hes not getting much help from the rest of the line. Now, theyre trying to fill major gaps in the lineup, and the list just grew again with Williams injury. "Were not making excuses, but again, were sitting there without Charles," Trestman said. "Were sitting there without Stephen. Weve got some young guys in there working. They havent worked (with) Peppers. They havent worked with Sheea (McClellin) as much. Francisco Liriano Pirates Jersey. Corey is inside, working inside. But I do believe that just experience-wise, playing 36 minutes (against New Orleans) and the type of game we played on Sunday did have a residual effect on our defence last night." As for Williams, he started four of the six games he played and had 35 tackles and two sacks. In 10 seasons with Denver and Chicago, he has 921 tackles, 22 1/2 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He was getting sort of a second chance when he signed a one-year deal with Chicago in March after missing nine games with Denver last season while serving a pair of league-mandated suspensions. The Broncos released him on the eve of free agency, freeing them of his $6 million salary. He served a six-game punishment for violating the leagues policy on performance enhancing drugs and three games for an alcohol-related arrest in 2010 that led to a conviction in August 2012. In Chicago, he had some major shoes to fill. The Bears were moving on after parting ways with Urlacher, the eight-time Pro Bowl pick and longtime face of the franchise. Complicating matters for Williams, he did not play in the preseason because of a calf injury. That created opportunities for Bostic, who showed some promise. Now, hell have a bigger role. "Hes going to get a lot of work on Monday and during the week," Trestman said. "Its the next-man-up mentality and I think hes mentally ready to take on playing that position. The experience that he had will certainly help him down the road." The injury news wasnt all bad for the Bears. Trestman said strong side linebacker James Anderson should be OK after hurting his back against the Giants. "Theres nothing serious there," Trestman said. ' ' '