Blog (Page 169)

[ad_1] Ruben Neves has pleaded with Qatari authorities to take care of the pitch invader that disrupted Portugal’s 2-0 win over Uruguay at the World Cup. Midway through the second half at Lusail Stadium, a man entered the pitch carrying a rainbow pride flag and sporting a Superman shirt reading ‘Free Ukraine’ on the front and ‘Respect Iranian Women’ on the back. Qatar’s appalling human rights record has been called into question ever since they were awarded the rights to host this World Cup, while FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly stressed that he did not want the tournament to be political, eventually leading toRead More →

[ad_1] Group H at the World Cup has provided some real entertainment and, it must be said, some VAR controversy too. Portugal looked like the team to beat from the moment the draw was made and that has proven to be the case, but there could be some real final-game drama in store. Here’s what each side needs to go through. Portugal at the World Cup so far Portugal are a team that can sometimes get a little lost in a Cristiano Ronaldo side-show, and his release from Manchester United threatened to be a huge distraction to them in Qatar. They have managed the situationRead More →

[ad_1] Wales defender Joe Rodon is relishing the task of facing off against England captain Harry Kane as the two teams meet in the World Cup on Tuesday night. Rodon and his Welsh teammates have disappointed at the tournament so far in Qatar, taking only one point from two games against the United States and Iran, and face elimination from the competition if they fail to beat their British rivals. Even then, their fate would depend on the other result in the group. There has been some doubt about whether Kane should feature from the start against Wales with England comfortable in Group B andRead More →

[ad_1] Cameroon have confirmed that Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana has been suspended due to a disciplinary issue. Onana played the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Switzerland and had been expected to feature on Monday against Serbia, only for numerous reports to claim that the Inter stopper had been banished from the squad. Some reports argued that Onana had been dropped due to a difference of opinion when it comes to tactics, with Cameroon manager Rigobert Song said to prefer a ‘more traditional’ style of goalkeeping. Now, the Cameroon FA have confirmed that Onana has been suspended. “The Cameroon Football Federation hereby informsRead More →

[ad_1] Portugal were handed a late penalty in Monday’s victory over Uruguay in controversial fashion. Jose Maria Gimenez was penalised for handball as he slid to block Bruno Fernandes. The infringement was not initially called up by the referee but VAR interjected and urged the award of a penalty. Gimenez, who was falling to the ground and sticking his arm out to break his fall, did not take his arm out of an unnatural position but was still penalised, leaving many fans wondering what had happened. Former referee Peter Walton noted that the rule which used to defend players if they handled the ball whileRead More →

[ad_1] Chelsea will travel to Manchester City in the headline fixture of the 2022/23 FA Cup thid round draw. The two sides clashed recently at the same stage of the Carabao Cup, with City coming out on top 2-0 courtesy of goals from Rihad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez, and they’ll hope to replicate that in the next domestic competition. Elsewhere, Manchester United’s quest for silverware kicks off with a visit from Everton, while Liverpool have their own all-Premier League affair to contend with as they prepare to host Wolves Arsenal face a trip to League One’s Oxford United, while Tottenham are braced for a HarryRead More →

[ad_1] Gareth Bale shut down questions on whether the World Cup match against England would be his last for Wales on Tuesday, issuing a flat “no” when asked the question outright. The Welsh captain is his country’s most capped men’s international player, though speculation has been surrounding the 33-year-old’s future at both club and international level for a number of months. Bale moved to LAFC in MLS in order to prepare for the World Cup after leaving Real Madrid, and while he scored an equaliser against the United States in game one of Wales’ tournament in Qatar the team have underperformed on the whole, losingRead More →

[ad_1] St. Louis CITY SC have bolstered their defensive options with the signing of right-back Jake Nerwinski via free agency, the club announced Monday. Nerwinski joins Major League Soccer’s latest expansion club on a contract through the 2024 season with an option for an additional year. “We are pleased to have Jake join us for the inaugural season,” St. Louis sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said in a club press release. “The addition of Jake not only bolsters our back line, it gives our team another MLS-experienced player to help navigate the long season for our younger players.” Nerwinski represented the Vancouver Whitecaps for five yearsRead More →

[ad_1] The United States men’s national team will play their last Group Stage match against Iran on Tuesday, with a ticket to the knockout round on the line.  The USMNT currently sit in third place of the Group B standings with two points, after drawing with Wales and England. While Iran holds the advantage in second, beating Wales and losing to England to earn three points.  The American side must win in order to qualify for the round of 16. Any other result would see them eliminated from the tournament.  But USMNT defender Walker Zimmerman insists the team can take on the high stakes ofRead More →

[ad_1] All four Concacaf nations have now played two group games at the 2022 World Cup, with their situations and requirements clear heading into matchday three. The final round of group games is always dramatic, with teams playing at the same time and so many twists and turns meaning you can go from top and through to bottom and out in the space of a few short minutes. Prepare yourself for the drama by finding out just what each Concacaf nation needs to do to reach the knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup: The USMNT are in control of their own destiny. / JohnRead More →