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Tag: World Cup

  • Messi and Maradona tied for two World Cup stats

    Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona in terms of World Cup appearances and goals.

    The Argentina number 10 has drawn level with his predecessor on two critical metrics that highlight their respective creative talents.

    Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Australia on Saturday, with Messi scoring the tenth goal of his World Cup career to give Lionel Scaloni’s squad a 1-0 lead in the first half.

    With those two goals, Messi moved up to 23 World Cup appearances this year, two more than the previous national team record held by his late compatriot and fellow number 10 jersey wearer Maradona, who finished his career with eight goals.

    The fact that Messi is one goal short of Gabriel Batistuta’s record of 10 World Cup goals for Argentina may be on his mind as he prepares to face the Netherlands on Friday.

    The Paris Saint-Germain forward is breaking records as he goes during this tournament, and in that match against Louis van Gaal’s club, he will undoubtedly surpass two more Maradona records.

    This is due to the fact that in terms of chances produced and opportunities presented during an open play during the World Cup, Messi and Maradona are currently exactly equal.

    According to Opta data, they have both generated 67 opportunities, 48 of which have resulted from open play for each player.

    In total, Messi produced four chances for Argentina against Australia, one of which was a fantastic opening for replacement Lautaro Martinez, who wastefully blasted it late in the game as Argentina sought to defeat their valiant opponents.

    When it comes to goal assists, Maradona tops Messi. Compared to Messi’s total of six assists since making his World Cup debut at the 2006 finals, Maradona’s eight from 1982 to 1994 are superior.

    Maradona led Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and later served as the team’s coach, most notably at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    At the age of 60, he passed away in November 2020.

    Messi played his 1,000th match for club and country on Saturday against Australia.

  • De Ligt not disturbed by World Cup selection snub

    As he is “expected to play nothing” in this World Cup, Matthijs de Ligt says he has no complaints about not being included in Louis van Gaal’s starting lineup for the Netherlands’ last three games.

    De Ligt entered the game in the 93rd minute of the Netherlands’ 3-1 victory over the United States on Saturday.

    The 23-year-old made his first appearance for the Oranje in that match after being benched by Van Gaal for the following three matches after starting in their 2-0 victory over Senegal in the World Cup opener.

    “It’s not so frustrating, honestly,” De Ligt told The Athletic. “Every player wants to play but we are a group of 26 players.

    “Honestly, I have played more than I expected to play at this World Cup. I expected to play nothing. I’m quite okay. We won together and we are in a quarter-final.”

    The defender, who has established himself at Bayern Munich since his off-season switch from Juventus, has seen Ajax 21-year-old Jurrien Timber take his place alongside Nathan Ake and Virgil van Dijk in Van Gaal’s back three.

    “No, it’s just the way of playing,” De Ligt replied when asked if injury was behind his non-selection. “Maybe the coach doesn’t put me in the team and I am okay with that. I expected it.

    “So for me it’s fine. I know my role and I train hard every day to be important for the team.”

    Van Dijk supported Cody Gakpo, a 23-year-old teammate from the Netherlands, in taking the next step in his career.

    Gakpo, who scored in each of the three victories the Netherlands had during the World Cup group stage, has been linked to both Manchester United and Real Madrid.

    “Are Manchester United and Real Madrid the same level at this moment? No disrespect, not at all,” Liverpool defender Van Dijk told The Athletic.

    “I think he definitely has a next step in him. I definitely feel like it could happen. Whether it happens in the winter or next year, time will tell.

    “But he’s a great boy. Works hard, is very talented and there’s definitely more in him. We are very pleased he’s doing so well and long may it continue.”

    Gakpo would not be drawn on his future after the win over USA, while United defender Tyrell Malacia backed him to step up should an opportunity arise.

    “He’s good enough for the top, there’s no doubt,” Malacia said.

  • Depay teases Barkley after Dutch down USA

    Following the Netherlands‘ 3-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup round of 16 on Saturday, Memphis Depay took a shot at former NBA player and American TV analyst Charles Barkley.

    Depay got things going in the triumph, which came after Barkley started yelling at teammates prior to their matchup in the elimination round.

    Barkley said on NBA on TNT: “We’re going for the Netherlands. We opening up a can of whoop-a** ’cause I guarantee the Netherlands is in trouble.”

    The official Dutch team Twitter account responded with a hype video of Barkley’s quotes shortly prior to kick-off with Barcelona attacker having the last laugh.

    “Lotta bark, no bite,” Depay posted on Twitter only a few hours after the game, with an image of a forlorn-looking Barkley under the 3-1 scoreline.

    The victory means the Netherlands will take on Argentina in the quarter-finals, while the USA’s World Cup is over.


     

  • I have a contract with Dortmund – Otto Addo cites as basis for resignation

    Otto Addo says he left his position as coach of Ghana in order to continue working for Borussia Dortmund as a talent developer.

    The 47-year-old made his resignation known after the Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup in the group stage following their 2-0 loss to Uruguay on Friday.

    After Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac was fired following a terrible performance at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, Addo took up the Ghana post in February.

    “It has not got to do with the outcome of the result [Ghana’s World Cup elimination]. It would have ended if we were world champions. I have to respect the contract. I have to respect the club I am working for.” Addo told the media in Doha.”

    “Surely maybe one day I will get the chance to work with the GFA again but for the next two and half years, I have a contract with Dortmund and I have to respect that,” he added.

    After the Black Stars defeated Nigeria in the play-off round in March, Addo led them to the 2022 World Cup.

  • World Cup: Magic Messi guides Argentina past Australia

    Argentina beat Australia 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals, and Lionel Messi scored his first goal in the World Cup elimination stage to commemorate his 1,000th career appearance.

    At Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Australia was content to delay their opponents, but as halftime drew near, Messi used his signature style to split the Socceroos open, picking out the bottom-left corner to score.

    As exquisite as Argentina’s first goal was, their second goal almost bordered on the ludicrous as Australia goalie Mathew Ryan sent the ball to Julian Alvarez, who scored the game-winning goal with ease.

    When Craig Goodwin’s shot bounced off Enzo Fernandez and past Emiliano Martinez, Australia cut the deficit in half, but Argentina never looked like they would be beaten as they set up a quarterfinal matchup with the Netherlands.

    Argentina found it difficult to advance early on due to Graham Arnold’s team’s staunch defense, but La Albiceleste can credit their seven-time Ballon d’Or winner for helping them take the lead with their first significant attack.

    After 35 minutes had passed, Messi ducked inside from the right flank to grab Nicolas Otamendi’s pass before putting a brilliant side-footed finish over Ryan’s helpless dive.

    As Argentina sought a second goal after the break, Messi had a shot ricochet into Ryan’s arms. However, Ryan was at fault when Argentina extended their lead after 57 minutes.

    When pressured by Rodrigo De Paul and Alvarez, Ryan puzzlingly attempted to dribble his way out of difficulty, and the Manchester City striker executed the easiest of finishes after seizing the ball.

    When Fernandez unintentionally deflected Goodwin’s long-range shot into the bottom right corner, Australia unexpectedly cut the lead. Lisandro Martinez then made a superb last-ditch block to stop Aziz Behich from scoring a dramatic equalizer.

    As Argentina clung on to secure their advancement, substitute Lautaro Martinez came close on three separate occasions until Emiliano Martinez stopped Garang Kuol from close range at the end.

    Messi surpasses Maradona, chases Batistuta

    On the day Messi brought up 1,000 career appearances – 169 of them for Argentina, he also inched closer to making another piece of history for his country.

    Messi’s opener saw him surpass Diego Maradona and Guillermo Stabile’s tallies of eight World Cup goals. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) has now outscored Messi when representing the country at the tournament.

    Alvarez impresses once more

    While Messi stole the headlines on Saturday, his 22-year-old strike partner also demonstrated his worth with another energetic performance.

    Alvarez’s goal may have owed much to the poor decision-making of Ryan, but it made the City striker just the sixth Argentina player to score on each of his first two World Cup starts, and the first since Hernan Crespo did so in 2006.

  • World Cup: Dede Ayew’s daughter reportedly collapsed after he missed penalty

    Reports have it that the daughter of Andre Dede Ayew, the captain of the Black Stars of Ghana, fell unconscious after her father missed a penalty against Uruguay on Friday.

    Dede Ayew missed the opportunity to put Ghana in the lead in the first half of the game.

    Apparently, the missed penalty had a more adverse effect on his daughter than many Ghanaians who hoped Ghana would beat Uruguay.

    According to GTV Sports, Dede Ayew quickly dashed off to the hospital where his daughter had been admitted to after the match ended.

    It is said that she is doing fine and not in any danger.

    Andre Ayew says the penalty miss against Uruguay in the final Group H game is difficult to accept.

    “We had the opportunity to get to the next stage, I missed the penalty. It’s difficult to take’’ Andre Ayew told the media in a post-match interview.

    Despite the defeat, Dede Ayew is hopeful of a better Black Stars ahead of future tournaments.

    ‘’We did not get it right but I am very optimistic for the future.”

    “I am sad but we will try and make it better’’ he added.

    Uruguay beat Ghana by two goals to nil, sending the Black Stars packing home.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Gakpo, Kudus and the breakout prospects of the World Cup group stage

    Once every four years players from across the globe get a chance to perform on the world stage and force their way into the football zeitgeist.

    Whether it is a young midfielder from Ghana who has been battling injuries the past couple of seasons, or a mercurial Dutch forward trying to push his way out of the Eredivisie, it is the perfect launchpad to alter the course of a player’s career.

    Stats Perform has identified four players who have lit up Qatar and, in turn, have seen their profile and transfer stock skyrocket, opening the door to a new world of possibilities come the January transfer window.

    Take a look at these young leading lights…

    Cody Gakpo, the Netherlands

    Cody Gakpo has perhaps been the breakout star of the tournament, finding the back of the net in all three of the Netherlands’ group matches.

    Having spent his entire career with PSV, the 23-year-old six-foot-four forward took a huge step forward in the 2021-22 season when he shattered his best goal return, following up his 11 goals in the 2020-21 campaign with 21 last time out.

    While those in the Netherlands set-up were waiting to see if he could replicate his terrific 12 months, he has taken another leap, with 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 combined Eredivisie and Europa League contests this term.

    There were rumours in the most recent transfer window that Leeds United were among the clubs looking to lure Gakpo away from PSV for a fee in the range of €30million, but he opted to reject their contract offer in the hope of landing at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

    That bet on himself has proven to be a masterstroke, with his performances on the Qatar stage well and truly putting him on the radar of Champions League sides including Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, per Dutch journalist Marco Timmer.

    He became the first player from any European nation since 2002 to score in each group match, while he also became only the second player to put his side 1-0 up in all three group fixtures.

    Enzo Fernandez, Argentina

    Just over six months ago, Enzo Fernandez was playing for River Plate back in Argentina, but just half a season after arriving at Benfica for a deal worth up to €18m, the attacking midfielder could be moving on to greener pastures.

    Fernandez, 21, broke into the Argentina squad while still with River Plate, but did not receive his senior debut until September 24 this year.

    His lead-up to the World Cup was strong enough to book his ticket to Qatar, and after coming off the bench in Argentina’s first group-stage loss to Saudi Arabia, he came on and scored against Mexico, forcing his way into the starting XI before contributing an assist against Poland.

    His rapid rise has not gone unnoticed, and Marca is reporting Benfica have slapped a €100m fee on their new star if any team wants to pry him away while his contract still has another four seasons locked in.

    Real Madrid are one side said to be accepting of that figure, with Marca claiming they now view him as an alternative option to Borussia Dortmund and England prodigy Jude Bellingham.

    Mohammed Kudus, Ghana

    Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus had begun to break out at the club level this season heading into the World Cup.

    The 22-year-old central midfielder scored four goals – including one each against Liverpool and Napoli – while adding two assists in six Champions League fixtures.

    After being awarded his first senior international cap for Ghana back in 2019, he was spotted at Danish side Nordsjaelland and brought over to Ajax for a €9m fee in 2020.

    He missed extended stretches of both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns through injuries, and still has not been used as a guaranteed starter this season, but his emergence on the World Cup stage has been undeniable.

    Against South Korea, Kudus delivered Ghana their only win of the group as he found the back of the net twice in a 3-2 triumph, and it was a performance that is said to have caught the eye of European powerhouses.

    Fichajes named Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain as interested parties, and Sports Illustrated believe his price will be around £90m.

    Harry Souttar, Australia

    Australia have now qualified for five World Cups in a row, but after not winning a game at both the 2014 and 2018 editions, they had centre-back Harry Souttar to thank for finally taking three points against Tunisia.

    Souttar, 24, stands at a towering six-foot-six and showed off an impressive ability to cover ground in a hurry when he was called upon for a potentially game-saving, last-man challenge to defend Australia’s 1-0 lead.

    It was one of the most spectacular defensive efforts of the tournament so far and one that will go down in Australian football folklore, and it is even more significant when taking into account his recent history.

    Tipped as a potential £20m transfer target late in 2021, Souttar then tore his ACL and missed 12 months of action, returning to the field in time to get three games under his belt with Stoke City before jetting off to the World Cup.

    While he could be forgiven for needing time to work his way into form, he has instead started all three group games and been the Socceroos’ top performer, including his stellar efforts in a second clean sheet against Denmark to help his side through to the knockout stage.

    Clearly back to the player he was before his injury – at least – Souttar’s showings on the world stage have been the kind that can take a career to a new level.

    Source: Livescore

  • ‘We need a proper coach with technical know-how’ – Sam George reacts to Black Stars Word Cup exit

    Sam Nartey George, the representative for Ningo-Prampram, has expressed regret over Ghana’s senior men’s national team, the Black Stars, leaving the 2022 Qatar World Cup early.

    The MP claimed in a tweet that the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 proves they require a qualified coach.

    He continued by saying that GFA authorities have to stop meddling in the team’s player selecting process.

    “Four lessons learned from this defeat; We need an experienced coach.
    Parts of the MP’s tweet read, “The GFA Executives need to quit meddling in team selection.

    The MP, however, indicated that Ghanaians can find some solace in the fact that Uruguay has also exited the tournament.

    “Even if we lost, we are going home with Uruguay,” Sam George said.

    The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.

    Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.

    The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.

    However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.

  • Brazil waiting on Neymar news as Tite dismisses idea of ‘easy’ draw

    Tite advised Brazil to use extreme caution during the World Cup’s knockout round, when they would like Neymar to return from injury.

    The Selecao finished first in Group G after losing 1-0 to Cameroon on Friday. As a result, they will play South Korea rather than Portugal in the next round.

    Brazil would now play the winner of Japan’s match against Croatia in the quarterfinals after Spain’s defeat the day before appeared to further open up the draw.

    Neymar has not yet exercised with a ball after his matchday one injury, but Brazil will feel more at ease regardless of their opponents once he returns to play.

    Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar added: “With 72 hours before the next match, we have time on our side. We still have possibilities.”

    With or without his star man, coach Tite certainly will not become complacent, explaining: “Brazil lost to Cameroon. Portugal lost to South Korea. France lost to Tunisia. Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia. I think the results speak for themselves.

    “I think these are very strong, very tough matches. I don’t think we can think any prior situation makes it easy. We need to be very careful.

    “We were very careful with the match against Cameroon. We were. We had all of those cares, we took them. They had their merits, played vertically very well. They have merit for the victory like Tunisia and the others.

    “We can’t say it’s easier and we have an advantage. We can’t say that.”

    Tite had made nine changes to his Brazil team, selecting an entirely different XI to that which started their finals opener.

    But he said: “Who lost? All of us. Our preparation is joint preparation, our wins are joint wins, our losses are also joint losses.”

    The coach called on Brazil to “feel the loss”, saying: “The World Cup doesn’t give you a second chance, but this time it did.

    “We have to concentrate for 24 hours, suffer for 24 hours, and tomorrow we start getting ready.”

    Aside from Neymar’s development, there was conflicting news on his injuries, with Alex Sandro continuing to rehabilitate alongside the striker while Danilo is expected to practice regularly on Saturday.

    This is a timely boost because Alex Telles and Gabriel Jesus’ knee injuries from the match against Cameroon will soon be subject to scans.

  • World Cup: Historic Brazil win fails to save Cameroon

    Despite being the first African team to defeat Brazil during the tournament, Cameroon was eliminated from Group G, and after their first two World Cup performances, Rigobert Song voiced sadness.

    In order to have any chance of joining the pre-tournament favorites in the round of 16, Cameroon needed to defeat them on Friday.

    They did it in thrilling fashion thanks to a goal from Vincent Aboubakar in stoppage time, which he celebrated by taking off his shirt.

    However, Murat Yakin’s team finished two points ahead of Cameroon thanks to Switzerland’s stunning 3-2 victory against Serbia, sending them home after the World Cup’s group stage for the sixth time in a row.

    By breaking Brazil‘s unblemished World Cup record against African teams (previously played seven, won seven), the Indomitable Lions at least left on a good note, but Song believed Cameroon might have done better.

    “I didn’t even realise that this was such a historic victory. We are one of the African countries who have played more World Cups than most, and now we’ve beaten Brazil,” Song said.

    “My players deserve to be congratulated. They showed tonight they could have done better in the first two games [a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland and a 3-3 draw with Serbia].

    “I think we do have a feeling of regret. Now we realise we could have done better. But we need to look on the positive side as well.

    “I’m trying to get across a team spirit, that lion’s spirit, which needs to be the key to Cameroon teams.

    “We realise now we could have done better in this tournament. We’re a young team and today we’ve seen our young team getting stronger and stronger.”

    Cameroon began 2022 by finishing third at the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, and with just over a year to prepare for the next edition of that tournament – which was pushed back to January 2024 due to weather concerns in Ivory Coast, Song is backing them to improve further.

    “There’s another tournament in 2024 and we’ve built up some momentum now,” Song added.

    “I’m satisfied with tonight’s performance. I took over the national team not too long ago and I think we are progressing and improving, so I’m proud of this team.”

  • We look forward to what lies ahead – Kudus after World Cup exit

    Mohammed Kudus says the team has learnt valuable lessons from their participation in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals.

    The Ajax Amsterdam man who caught the eye of hundreds of thousands football fans across the globe scored two goals in the tournament and was also adjudged the Budweiser Player of the match against South Korea on Monday.

    ‘’It’s very disappointing but we stick together as a team and look forward to what lies ahead. This has given us a lot of lessons in this tournament but the feeling now is a big disappointment but we look forward to what lies ahead’’ he spoke the media after the game.

    ‘’Right now, it’s more about the team, we lost regardless of my performance so the disappointment is still there but we will reflect about my performance later after everything has settled down emotionally’’.

    ‘’For almost ninety percent of the guys, it’s our first World Cup and I think it’s a big lesson for myself and a lot of the guys and I know this will really make us tough and help our progress”

    ‘’I don’t think the penalty miss by Andre Ayew was the key moment in the match, the easiest thing we can do is to blame one person’’.

    ‘’In the second half I also got chances that I could have scored, it qualified as a penalty also so we all had chances to have an effect in the game so I don’t really think the penalty had an effect on the whole performance’’.

    ‘’Andre is a great leader and a great captain. After the penalty miss, he was still in the game and stood up for the team like everyone did but the result went the other way so we learn from it and stay positive’’.

    ‘’I think what happened in the past we can’t really change it, the focus was to get out of the group, that was the main thing’’ he added.

    Source: GFA COMMUNICATIONS

  • World Cup: Penalty miss difficult to accept – Dede Ayew

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew says the penalty miss against Uruguay in the final Group H game is difficult to accept.

    “We had the opportunity to get to the next stage, I missed the penalty. It’s difficult to take’’ Andre Ayew told the media in a post-match interview.

    The Al Sadd forward missed a penalty in the 21st minute as his kick was saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet following a foul on Mohammed Kudus.

    The two-time World Champions went on to win the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Giorgio de Arrascaeta in the 26th and 32nd minutes of the game.

    Despite the defeat, Dede Ayew is hopeful of a better Black Stars ahead of future tournaments.

    ‘’We did not get it right but I am very optimistic for the future.”

    “I am sad but we will try and make it better’’ he added.

  • World Cup: We are sorry for not progressing to the knockout phase – GFA to Ghanaians

    The Ghana Football Association has apologised to Ghanaians for the Black Stars’ inability to progress to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

    “We regret our inability to progress to the knockout phase of the competition and offer our profound apologies to the government, the people of Ghana and all stakeholders across the globe,” part of its statement read.

    The Authority, shortly after Ghana was dazed by Uruguay by two goals to nil on Friday, released a statement reacting to the disappointing performance exhibited by the Stars.

    According to the GFA, “valuable lessons have been learnt from our qualification and participation in the tournament and aim to continue with the positives going into the future.”

    They expressed gratitude to the government, the Ghanaian people, the football family, corporate Ghana, esteemed sponsors and supporters for their “unflinching, unwavering and unalloyed support during the Black Stars FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 campaign.”

    Meanwhile, the GFA has announced that it would in due course inform all stakeholders about any further developments concerning the Black Stars.

    This has become imperative as the Black Stars are without a coach following the resignation of Otto Addo, who will now be focusing on Borussia Dortmund.

  • How Otto Addo’s blind loyalty cost Ghana a sweet revenge and World Cup knockout dream

    Otto Addo’s devotion to underwhelming players ultimately lost Ghana a sweet retaliation and qualification for the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup.

    The warning signs had been there, and if the disastrous performance against Brazil wasn’t enough to convince Otto Addo that certain players, regardless of their pedigree and reputation, needed to be benched, then the exhibition match against Switzerland and Portugal in the first Group H match should have.

    It makes sense for a coach in charge of a young club to place his faith in the few seasoned players on the roster, but Otto Addo’s trusted players have consistently disappointed, especially when it counts the most.

    There is the excuse of leadership and inspiration to be made for Andre Ayew but the obvious truth is that when it comes to what matters most which is producing performance worthy of satisfactory remarks, Andre Ayew has failed, not once, not twice, countless times in the last three years.

    There is the curious case of Thomas Partey. Elegant at Arsenal, average in Ghana jersey.

    As far as the Black Stars and most national teams are concerned, this is not a new phenomenon but this is where a coach is expected to be bold, overlook the stardom and pick less-popular players who deliver in national colors.

    The Switzerland game should have provided the blueprint for how Otto Addo was going to deal with the Partey situation.

    To be honest it is not an easy move to make and it is one which if not handled properly could upset the dressing room but after that performance by Salis and Elisha Owusu against Switzerland and Partey’s underwhelming performance against Portugal, Otto Addo should have drawn the line. Instead he remained loyal to a global star who once again delivered the opposite of his Arsenal form against Uruguay.

    And Baba Rahman.

    There is the conspiracy theory that he gets into the team because of his association with some key members within the Ghana Football Association but assuming without admitting that it is the truth, such influence, regardless of who it is coming will not be enough to get him into the starting team unless the coach himself is party to whatever scheme there is.

    So regardless of what you think, Baba Rahman presence in the team is the sole decision of coach Otto Addo and the fact that he was drafted into the team after Gideon Mensah’s telling performance against South Korea shows the loyalty and faith Otto Addo had in him.

    In return of Otto Addo’s loyalty, the Reading player has persistently displayed disastrous football which once again came alive in the game against Uruguay.

    Baba Rahman’s was exposed and the Uruguayans had a field day cooking their attacks from that side. Unfortunately for him, his wing partner Jordan Ayew after that headline-grabbing performance against South Korea went back to default settings.

    Inaki Williams came into the team with so much promise and it was understandable as the Black Stars lacked a player of his stature in the attacking area but in three games played at the World Cup where he played mainly in two positions, the Athletic Bilbao forward who switched allegiance from Spain to Ghana failed to deliver.

    In all three games, two of which he played as a striker, not once did he hit a shot that was saved by the goalkeeper. Inaki had no shot on target in three games for the Black Stars and he was Otto Addo’s lead striker. How ridiculous.

    The Ghana team showed so much promise and there is enough reason to be positive about the future but the undeniable truth is that Otto Addo’s blind loyalty led us into this ditch.

  • Now our govt officials can come back to their real jobs – Sam George reacts to Ghana’s World Cup exit

    Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has called on government officials who traveled to Qatar to make their way back to Ghana following the country’s exit from the World Cup tournament on Friday.

    Uruguay kicked Ghana out of the ongoing tournament by two goals to nil.

    Reacting to the news, Mr Nartey George provided four takeaways from the defeat which included “Now can our government officials come back home to their real jobs.”

    Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is among the government officials who flew to Qatar to support their Black Stars.

    During the debate on the 2023 budget statement presented by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, only 21 MPs on the Majority side were present. Also, the Minority was infuriated by the absence of Ministers who were to be present to defend the budget allocation to their respective ministries.

    It is unknown where the remaining Majority MPs were on November 29, when Parliament debated the budget.

    It comes as no surprise that Mr Nartey George has jabbed his colleagues who he says should return to do what they are being paid to do.

    The remaining three takeaways provided by the heartbroken MP are that Ghana needs a “proper coach with technical know-how”, and “the GFA executives need to stop interfering in team selection.”

    Despite Ghana’s defeat, he was pleased that “we are going home with Uruguay.”

    Meanwhile, Otto Addo has stepped down as the head coach of the senior national team.

  • World Cup: Otto Addo steps down after Ghana’s exit

    Otto Addo ceases to be the head coach of the Ghana Black Stars following his resignation.

    The 47-year-old stepped down after the senior national football team suffered a humiliating defeat to Uruguay today, December 2.

    Ghana lost by two goals to nil in a game many Ghanaians expected the players to seek revenge against Luis Suarez, who cost Ghana a semi-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

    Otto Addo will continue as an assistant coach at Borussia Dortmund.

    Captain Dede Ayew is currently under public scrutiny after he missed a penalty.

    Ghana has been kicked out of the ongoing World Cup happening in Qatar. Before their exit, they lost to Portugal but beat South Korea.

    South Korea has however progressed to the round of 16 after beating Portugal today.

     

  • Brazil legend Pele says hospital admission just a ‘monthly visit’

    Pele has taken action to reassure the public that his most recent hospital stay was only a “monthly visit.”

    The three-time World Cup champion, who is considered one of the best players ever, has been receiving medical attention at home in Brazil.

    Last year, Pele had surgery to remove a tumor from his colon, and ever since, he has been in and out of the hospital.

    Following his admission earlier this week, his daughter Kely Nascimento stated on Wednesday that there was “no surprise or emergency” regarding her father’s hospitalization.

    The Brazilian men’s team competing in the World Cup in Qatar delivered an encouraging message to the 82-year-old.

    Pele took to Instagram to show his gratitude for the support, sharing a picture of a building in Qatar with his image and the words “get well soon” lit up.

    “Friends, I am at the hospital making my monthly visit,” he wrote. “It’s always nice to receive positive messages like this. Thanks to Qatar for this tribute, and to everyone who sends me good vibes.”

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Pelé (@pele)

  • Alves, 39, to be Brazil’s oldest World Cup captain

    Brazil have already qualified for the last 16 with top spot in Group G guaranteed if they avoid defeat.

    Alves said: “For me, it represents the fact that I can wear the Brazil jersey. It makes me very proud to be here.”

    The former Barcelona defender has recovered from a knee injury to compete at his third World Cup.

    “I’ve been with the Brazilian squad for many years and to be able to wrap up this cycle, playing a Brazil have already qualified for the last 16 with top spot in Group G guaranteed if they avoid defeat., makes me very happy,” added Alves, who made his international debut in 2006.

    “It’s been 16 years with the national squad and I’ve tried to do my very best. Life, I think, always rewards the people who love what they do, who truly do their best in the mission.

    “I think I’m reaping what I have planted over those 16 years.”

    Tite insisted he was not yet focused on the knockout stage, despite the anticipated changes.

    “We have 26 great players and I do not have time to be focusing on the broader picture,” he said.

    “We’ll make a few changes, we’ll include keys players. In two games we used 19 players. We do not call them starting players or reserves, they are all players.”

    Cameroon, who came back from two goals down in their previous game against Serbia to draw 3-3, must win and hope Switzerland fail to beat Serbia in order to go through.

    Head coach Rigobert Song said: “With regards to what is at stake tomorrow, we know the Brazilian squad off by heart.

    “But we aren’t worrying about what they’re going to bring to the game, it’s about what we bring to the game.

    “I don’t really care about what they’re going to do, it’s about us. We are preparing as if we’re playing a final.”

     

    MATCH STATS

    • Brazil have won both previous World Cup games between themselves and Cameroon – 3-0 in 1994 and 4-1 in 2014.
    • Brazil have won all seven of their FIFA World Cup matches against African sides, scoring 20 goals and conceding just twice.
    • A defeat or draw for Cameroon will see them eliminated from the group stage of the World Cup in their sixth successive appearance at the finals, last reaching the knockout rounds in 1990. They’ve never won their final group stage game in seven previous appearances at the World Cup (D2 L5).
    • Brazil are yet to face a single shot on target at the 2022 World Cup, the first team to not face a shot on target in their first two games at a tournament since France in 1998.

    CHRIS SUTTON’S PREDICTION

    We’ve seen Serbia and Switzerland focus on keeping Brazil out and they both managed it for a while.

    The difference is Cameroon need to win this game to have a chance of staying in the tournament.

    Brazil might make a few changes now they are through, but if Cameroon open up and play expansive football against them, things are only going to go one way.

    Source: BBC

  • Ghana vs Uruguay predictions: La Celeste can earn a thrilling win

    Ghana will be seeking retribution and all three points against Uruguay, after been denied a spot in the 2010 World Cup semifinals by controversial scorer Luis Suarez’s red card 12 years ago.

    A tie would be sufficient to disqualify Uruguay from the 2022 competition and is likely to be sufficient to do so. However, the Black Stars might believe they need a win as backup in case South Korea defeats already-qualified Portugal.

    The likes of Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Diego Godin are no longer essential to La Celeste’s success, despite the fact that some of the Uruguayans from 2010 are still present. Instead, they are being propelled forward by a superb midfield trio consisting of Matias Vecino, Federico Valverde, and Rodrigo Bentancur.

    In a 2-3 loss to Portugal, Ghana’s own 2010 veteran Andre Ayew energized his previously sluggish team. Meanwhile, Jordan Ayew pulled up two assists to help his nation upset South Korea 3-2, putting them on the edge of their first knockout stage appearance since 2010.

    Team news

    Gideon Mensah of Ghana had to leave the match against South Korea in the closing minutes, but it has subsequently been revealed that the left-back was just experiencing cramp, leaving Otto Addo with a fully healthy squad.

    Mexican center back Since Ronald Araujo is still recovering from thigh surgery, he is expected to sit this one out as well. However, Diego Alonso is the only other reported absence.

    The stats

    Ghana will lean heavily on striker Andre Ayew if they are to have any chance of progressing
    Ghana will lean heavily on striker Andre Ayew if they are to have any chance of progressing

    Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea last time out was their first win at the World Cup since losing on penalties to Uruguay in 2010. They took just one point from the 2014 World Cup, did not qualify in 2018 and lost to Portugal in their opening match in Qatar.

    But the Black Stars were hugely fortunate against South Korea. Addo’s men were outperformed on almost every metric, claiming just 37% possession, completing 270 passes to Korea’s 601, taking only seven shots to South Korea’s 22 and scoring with each of their three shots on target.

    Uruguay have yet to score at Qatar 2022 but have been unlucky not to, hitting the woodwork three times across their two games against South Korea and Portugal.

    Prediction

    Uruguay will be frustrated with their one point from two games in Group H, and understandably so.

    They were the better team against South Korea but twice hit the post in a 0-0 draw. And they deserved at least a point against Portugal, again hitting the woodwork and having a harsh penalty awarded against them in a 2-0 defeat.

    By contrast, Ghana have been the great entertainers of the World Cup.

    The Black Stars have been involved in two five-goal thrillers and could be involved in another in their final group-stage outing, so over 2.5 goals looks like a wise addition to BetBuilder selections with LiveScore Bet.

    But Ghana’s fortune from their South Korea success may not follow them into this clash.

    Uruguay are more technically accomplished in midfield and have been rock-solid in defence since Diego Alonso took over, with La Celeste conceding just one goal in five competitive matches before the start of the World Cup.

    It should be a more entertaining match than their previous Group H outings, and this time Uruguay can celebrate in style. A win for La Celeste and over 2.5 goals looks the way to go and is available at 9/5 with Livescore Bet.

  • Muller suggests Germany retirement after World Cup exit

    Thomas Muller strongly hinted at his impending retirement from international competition when he called Germany’s World Cup performance in Qatar a “utter disaster.”

    While Hansi Flick’s team triumphed in their final match, defeating Costa Rica 4-2, Japan’s unexpected 2-1 victory against Spain resulted in yet another World Cup group-stage exit.

    Germany had not lost in the group stage at a World Cup since 1954 before the 2018 event in Russia, but they have now suffered an early exit in the last two competitions.

    Muller, a member of the team that triumphed in Brazil in 2014, acknowledged that he was unsure of his next steps and that this might be his last participation on the world scene.

    “It’s an absolute disaster! I don’t know what happens next,” he told ARD after the match.

    “If this was my last game, then I would like to say a few words to the German football fans.”

    He continued: “It was an enormous pleasure, dear people. We experienced great moments. I tried to keep my heart on the pitch in every game.

    “I have always delivered commitment and sometimes there were tears of joy from my actions, sometimes the spectators also had pain in their faces.

    “Even if I did not succeed in all actions, I did it with love. I’ll have to see about everything else.”

    The 33-year-old has earned 121 caps for Germany, joint-fourth all-time for his nation, netting 44 goals, putting him seventh in the scoring charts.

  • Dramatic conclusion to Group E leaves Luis Enrique on tenterhooks

    In light of Thursday’s thrilling Group E finale, Luis Enrique claims he would have “had a heart attack” if he had known Spain was momentarily on its way out of the World Cup.

    Samurai Blue defeated Spain 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium, with Japan rallying from a deficit after Alvaro Morata’s early goal.

    La Roja entered the match at the top of the standings but needed a point to ensure progression without a doubt.

    Even though they failed to accomplish that, Germany’s 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in another match meant Luis Enrique’s team would continue to compete, placing Die Nationalelf in second place behind Japan.

    Spain, though, entirely dropped out of the top two for a brief period while Costa Rica took the lead in Germany.

    Luis Enrique stated that he was ignorant and that he was appreciative of his ignorance.

    “We were knocked out for three minutes? Why do you say this? I was not paying attention,” Luis Enrique said with a look of bemusement. “When did that happen?

    “Okay, fantastic. I didn’t know this. Why? Because I was paying attention to my match. If I’d have found out, I’d have had a heart-attack.”

    Of course, the defeat ultimately cost Spain little because many will argue their immediate path in the knockout stages is now kinder than it would have been if they won the group.

    Topping Group E would have put them on track to face Croatia next and potentially Brazil in the quarter-finals.

    Finishing as runners-up means they are now likely to come up against Portugal in the last eight, assuming La Roja get beyond Morocco.

    Avoid talking about manipulating results. Prior to this game, Brazil dominated the news cycle, but Luis Enrique was not in the mood to celebrate advancement given how close Spain came to packing their bags.

    “In football there are no good or bad sides,” he added. “In football you deserve or not and today I’m not happy at all.

    “Yes, we qualified, I’d have liked to be top by winning this game, but this was not possible because in five minutes they got two goals, and in 10 minutes we were completely out.

    “We were dismantled. We tried to close the game, but it wasn’t possible. But we didn’t have any danger in the first half, then in the second… I told them in half-time [Japan] will push us, they had nothing to lose.

    “We didn’t have good game management, we collapsed. I’m not happy, I never celebrate defeats.

    “I have nothing to celebrate. Of course, the bracket changes and many things are different, but I have nothing to celebrate.”

    Japan’s winning goal by Ao Tanaka was somewhat controversial in nature, as replays showed the ball was agonisingly close to going out of play before Kaoru Mitoma’s cut-back to the match-winner.

    Luis Enrique was shown an image of the situation and was left concluding it to be fake.

    “I saw the images, they must be wrong or fabricated,” he said. “I saw an image and said that can’t be true.

    “I have nothing else to say. I have full respect. I knew something going on as VAR took so long.”

  • Busquets denies Spain will benefit from kind World Cup draw

    Sergio Busquets refuted claims that Spain was happy to avoid playing Brazil in a potential World Cup quarterfinal after La Roja came through a major scare to advance from Group E.

    Alvaro Morata handed Spain an early lead against Japan at the Khalifa International Stadium on Thursday, putting them on track to win the group. However, Ao Tanaka responded to Ritsu Doan’s equalizer within 142 seconds to propel the Samurai Blue to the top spot.

    As Germany defeated Costa Rica 4-2 in the group’s second match, Spain’s loss allowed them to advance on goal differential. La Roja was briefly on the verge of an astonishing group-stage elimination when Los Ticos lead Hansi Flick’s squad with 20 minutes remaining.

    However, Busquets was dismissive when asked if that represented a positive outcome, saying: “It has nothing to do with it.

    “We wanted to win and be first. We go to the other side of the bracket, but that does not guarantee that it will be easier or more difficult.

    “We didn’t want this to happen, our intention was to win. To continue, we have the round of 16 against Morocco, which is going to be a very difficult match.

    “We were not comfortable. They closed the pass between the lines very well and it was very difficult for us to connect and create danger.

    “We knew it was going to be like that, it’s a shame about the goals. We have to continue, try to correct the mistakes, and go through the knockouts.”

    Spain dropped to third place when Manuel Neuer’s own goal put Costa Rica 2-1 up against Germany at Al Bayt Stadium, before the four-time winners levelled the scores through Kai Havertz three minutes later.

    Busquets’ midfield partner Pedri revealed Spain were made aware of their perilous situation during that brief period, as he emphasised the need to improve against Morocco.

  • Bierhoff ‘angry’ after Germany crash out of World Cup

    Oliver Bierhoff is aware that Germany‘s failure to advance past the group stage of the World Cup on Thursday was entirely their own fault.

    At Al Bayt Stadium, Hansi Flick’s team defeated Costa Rica 4-2 in their final Group E encounter, but it wasn’t enough to advance them to the round of 16.

    The Samurai Blue took first spot because to Japan’s unexpected 2-1 victory over Spain, while Luis Enrique’s team came in second thanks to a better goal differential than Germany.

    Germany was left speechless after falling short once more in Qatar, four years after failing to advance from their group in Russia.

    Germany suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss to Japan in their initial game, but they held Spain to a draw before winning their first match of the competition against Japan in what turned out to be their final match.

    Bierhoff, Germany’s national team managing director, said: “We’re extremely disappointed. We’re angry too because we had things in our own hands in all three games.

    “Ultimately, football is a simple game. You have to score lots of goals and concede as few goals as you can, which we didn’t manage to do.

    “We could have put more pressure on Spain tonight if we had taken our chances and scored more goals. A trend of the last few years has been us throwing away games we’ve controlled.”

    Japan will face Croatia for a place in the quarter-final next Monday, with Spain taking on Morocco 24 hours later.

  • World Cup exit ‘the most difficult day of my career’ – Kimmich

    After a thrilling Group E final on Thursday, Japan and Spain advanced, and Joshua Kimmich referred to Germany’s devastating World Cup departure as the worst moment of his career.

    Hansi Flick’s team kept their half of the deal with a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in their penultimate match, knowing that a victory would likely advance them to the round of 16 if Japan were to lose to Spain.

    However, Japan mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat La Roja, ensuring they emerged as a surprise group winner and ruining Germany’s hopes of winning a sixth World Cup. Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka scored in the process.

    Kimmich is devastated because Germany has now failed to go past the group stage at two World Cups in a row after doing so on each of their previous 16 visits at the competition.

    “For me personally, this is the worst day of my career. I’m afraid I’ll fall into a hole,” Kimmich told reporters. “It makes you think these failures are connected to my person.

    “This is definitely the most difficult day of my career for me. The second time being eliminated at a World Cup, in between we had the Euros, where we were eliminated early.

    “That is bitter and there have been many missed opportunities within the last four years.”

    Germany reached the semi-finals of Kimmich’s first major tournament at Euro 2016, but they have since fallen at the first hurdle at two World Cups and suffered a last-16 defeat to England at Euro 2020.

    Costa Rica briefly took a surprise lead when Manuel Neuer put through his own net with 20 minutes remaining on Thursday, and Germany have now gone 12 major tournament games without a clean sheet (World Cup/Euros) – their longest ever streak.

    Kimmich’s fellow midfielder Ilkay Gundogan hit out at Die Nationalmannschaft’s defending as he called on his team-mates to reflect on their shortcomings.

    “We concede goals too easily, we lose balls too easily and up front we miss goalscoring chances too easily,” Gundogan said.

    “Of course, as Germany, we have to have different aspirations, so we have to take a good look at ourselves.

    “We just didn’t manage to do our best as a group, or maybe individually. We have to question what the reasons were and everyone has to look in the mirror and tell themselves that it wasn’t enough.”


  • Ghana vs Uruguay game a ‘revenge match’ – KiDi

    Today’s highly anticipated encounter between Ghana and Uruguay is a game with a special significance for Ghana’s Afropop singer KiDi.

    It’s a “revenge match!” he declared on Twitter.

    “Go Black Stars, go,” he also cheered.

    He once more used the emoji for crossed swords to criticize Uruguay.

    The tweet was posted on Monday, November 28, in the jubilation of Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    Ghana had lost 3-2 to Portugal in their Qatar 2022 Group H debut, but this victory gave them reason for optimism.

    The West African nation faces off against Uruguay, their bitter rivals who prevented them from achieving history at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, on Friday, December 2.

    Ghana was on the verge of becoming the first nation from Africa to advance to the World Cup semifinal round.

    However, Luis Suarez parried the ball with his hand, denying Ghana the victory in the frantic match’s closing seconds.

    Asamoah Gyan’s subsequent penalty, which was similarly unsuccessful, broke the hearts of many supporters throughout Africa, but especially in Ghana.

    To advance to the round of 16, the Otto Addo-led Ghana Black Stars must defeat Uruguay tomorrow.

    Luis Suarez has emphasized that tomorrow’s game is a must-win while noting that Portugal and Ghana are leading Group H with 3 and 6 points, respectively.

    “We have one point and the final match against Ghana is do and die. We have no option than to win to make our fans happy,” he has noted to the press.

    “We are going to put our lives and soul in this last match,” he emphasised, adding confidently that: “Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.”

  • Kudus shining bright for Black Stars

    One of the star athletes at the World Cup in Qatar has been Mohammed Kudus.

    Anyone who has watched the 22-year-development old’s at Ajax and his Eredivisie season will not have been surprised by his performances for Ghana.

    Kudus has established himself as one of football’s most sought-after attackers after excelling for both club and nation.

    We put the Black Stars’ talented prodigy in the limelight as they attempt to secure their spot in the tournament’s last-16 in a crucial match against Uruguay.

    World Cup versatility

    Kudus’ performances in Ghana’s first two World Cup games served as ideal illustrations of his versatility.

    He played central midfield in the 3-2 loss against Portugal and sent a risky ball into the penalty area, where Andre Ayew was able to score.

    Kudus was then utilized on the right side of Ghana’s attack in the triumph over South Korea when manager Otto Addo changed to a 4-2-3-1 system and scored twice.

    He gave his team an early 2-0 lead with a superb header before giving them the lead back with a composed left-footed effort after the Koreans had rallied for an equalizer.

    Those goals took his tally at international level to seven in 20 appearances, which suggests that as good as Kudus is in a deeper position, his future with Ghana is likely to be further forward.

    Mohammed Kudus' touch map shows his versatility in Ghana's World Cup campaign
    Mohammed Kudus’ touch map shows his versatility in Ghana’s World Cup campaign

    Striking performances

    Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder certainly seems to think that the talents of Kudus are best used in attacking areas.

    Schreuder has been using him as a false nine after two injury-plagued seasons under former manager Erik ten Hag, and he has responded with 10 goals in 21 appearances.

    Six matches from the Champions League account for four of those. His goal against Liverpool at Anfield in particular stood out, with Kudus unleashing a powerful finish that rebounded off the crossbar.

    The rising star is accustomed to this position because he filled it during his final year with Danish club Nordsjaelland, where he scored 11 Superliga goals and caught the eye of the Dutch powerhouses.

    However, the 5-foot-9 player is rumored to like playing in the middle of the field, and Thiago Alcantara was his childhood hero.

    Transfer talk

    Europe’s biggest clubs do not seem put off by the debate over his positional future.

    Before transforming his options with his performances for club and country, Kudus came close to making a summer transfer to Everton, even refusing to train to try and force through a move.

    With no disrespect to the Merseysiders, it would appear that any chance that they had of signing him has come and gone.

    Just about every major Premier League club have been linked with a move for Kudus since the World Cup started.

    So too have the cream of Europe. With Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid all said to be monitoring the player, Kudus truly has the world at his feet.

    Ajax ace Mohammed Kudus is a wanted man
    Ajax ace Mohammed Kudus is a wanted man

    Future roles

    The fact that Kudus has already proved his ability to play in deep or attacking midfield roles, along with on the wing and as a striker just makes an eventual transfer more inevitable.

    His many talents mean that any suitors do not have to worry too much about where they will utilise him, as he can seemingly play anywhere.

    The player himself is likely to be more discerning and choose a club where he will be used in a settled role, rather than as a solution to multiple problems.

    Ajax have a rich history of using creative midfielders as a No9 and it makes sense for Ghana to use him in a position where he can provide a cutting edge.

    With his finishing ability, pace, skill and strength, Kudus has everything needed to be a top forward but his ability off the ball, both going forward and back, are also perfect for a midfielder.

    For all the speculation regarding where Kudus will end up playing, it appears certain that it will be at an extremely high level.

  • Roberto Martinez leaves Belgium coach position after World Cup exit

    Roberto Martinez stated he would resign as the nation’s head coach after Belgium‘s 2022 World Cup group stage elimination on Thursday.

    The Red Devils were eliminated from the World Cup after a scoreless tie with Croatia at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, despite the fact that they were in need of a victory.

    In his post-game interview, the Spaniard made an official announcement of his departure.

    “This was my last game as national coach. I said goodbye to the players and staff,” Martinez said.

    The third-placed team from the 2018 World Cup began their campaign with a valiant 1-0 victory against Canada before falling to Morocco. They needed a victory over the winners of the 2018 Russian Cup to advance, but they blew their chances.

    “Today we were ourselves again. It is never easy to win a match at a World Cup. In that first match against Canada, we won, but we weren’t ourselves. We deservedly lost the second match against Morocco. We weren’t ready,” the 49-year-old added.

    Despite 15 shots at goal, Belgium was unable to break through against the Croats. Notably, Lukaku blew three good opportunities.

    Martinez stated that despite being one of the favorites to win the championship, they are leaving the international competition proud with what they have accomplished.

    “Today we created a lot of chances, so no, I have no regrets. We can leave the World Cup with our heads held high.”

  • 2022 World Cup: Ghana’s qualification hinged on beating Uruguay

    Ghana will today play Uruguay in the ongoing 2022 World Cup tournament happening in Qatar.

    At exactly 3pm GMT, Otto Addo’s side will ensure they do not break the hearts of Ghanaians by qualifying to the next stage, as well as beat Uruguay to atone for sins of the former team led by Asamoah Gyan.

    The two teams have history. For Ghana, it is a bad memory as Luis Suarez, who at the eleventh hour, decided to become a goalkeeper, robbed Ghana of a semi-final slot in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

    Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, failed to capitalize on the penalty awarded to Ghana.

    On the other hand, coach Otto Addo says he is not in search of revenge.

    In his interactions with the media, he has stated that their match against Uruguay is just ‘normal’ and is optimistic that Black Stars will progress from Group H.

    “For me, it’s a normal game, but like everyone, I was really sad in 2010 when that incident [of Luis Suarez denying Ghana a certain goal] happened and we missed our chance to proceed to the semis. But it is 12 years ago and Friday will be a different match with a different approach,” Addo said as quoted by the Ghana FA website.

    “We are confident enough to know that we can beat them and make it to the next round. We are gradually picking up and I know the boys will show a lot of fight and a lot of passion.

    “I am sure our efforts will be rewarded and we will go to the next stage.”

    On his part, Uruguay forward, Luis Suarez, says he owes Ghanaians no apology for the  Black Stars’ quarter final exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    “The first time, I don’t apologise about that,” he told the media at a press conference ahead of Uruguay’s final group game against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.

    “I take the handball – but the Ghana player missed a penalty, not me. Maybe I apologise if I injure a player but in this situation, I take a red card, the referee says penalty, it’s not my fault.”

    In Group H, Ghana are second with three points following a 3-2 win over South Korea, while Portugal have already advanced with two wins over the Black Stars and Uruguay.

    Uruguay drew with South Korea and are at the bottom of the group with a point, the same as the latter who have a superior goal difference.

     

  • 2022 World Cup: Popular Ghanaian photographer narrates how she was nearly raped in Qatar

    A Ghanaian female photographer, Senyuiedzorm Awusi Adadevoh, has disclosed that she was nearly raped in Qatar.

    According to Awusi, the incident happened on one of the days when she was walking home alone since her usual companion had left early.

    She added that she is only sharing her ordeal to ensure that no visitor who has travelled to witness the World Cup goes through what she experienced.

    “I always travel with somebody, but with this particular tournament, I have had to come alone. But I have been working with a friend. Yesterday, she did not have two matches; I had two matches, and she was tired, and so she left.

    “So, I was getting back home at about 2 a.m., and I saw a young man from afar, an Arabic young man in white, maybe between 17 to 20 years. And I saw him smile, and he went back into a house … and by the time I reached his house, he had come out and greeted me.

    “He extended his hands, and I shook (him) – he was a young guy, but he was way taller and bigger than me. And then he just said ‘I want to do the sex’. So, I tried to pull my hand and he just grabbed me and said ‘I say I want to do the sex’,” she narrated in a Facebook live post which was monitored by GhanaWeb.

    Awusi said that despite all her efforts to free herself, the Qatari man was still holding on to her, saying, “don’t worry, don’t worry, I will pay you, I will pay you good.”

    She said that the incident left her shocked and confused because she was afraid of being raped and losing her equipment, which was worth over €30,000, but she eventually managed to free herself.

    The journalist urged Ghanaians and other nationals who are visiting Qatar for the World Cup to make sure that they are always travelling in pairs.

    She also urged the Qatari authorities to warn their citizens against engaging in such acts.

  • Neymar’s father predicts star to ‘back to his best’ in time for World Cup final

    According to Neymar’s father, the Brazilian superstar will be “back to his best” in time for the World Cup championship game.

    After defeating Switzerland and Serbia in their opening two games in Qatar, the Selecao has already advanced to the round of 16 and only needs a point to take top place in their group.

    Neymar was forced to sit out until the knockout rounds due to an ankle injury he sustained during the matchday one triumph over Serbia.

    Despite Neymar’s uncertain return date, Brazil are still among the favorites to win the competition.

    The forward, though, will reportedly return in plenty of time for the World Cup final, provided Brazil advances that far. He is just two goals shy from tying Pele’s record total of 77 goals for Brazil.

    The most crucial factor is that he can return to the field and perform at his top, Neymar Sr remarked in an interview with talkSPORT through an interpreter.

    “When he was injured before and he came back again he was at his best. He will do his best.

    “Everyone knows Neymar is very important, a great influence on the field and [on] all his colleagues. When Neymar is on the field it’s totally different because he’s number one. We know Neymar’s importance to the group.

    “I believe Neymar will be in the field again in the final match and he’ll do his best to win the World Cup together with his colleagues in the Brazilian team.

    “He’ll do his best to help them and together win the competition.”

    Brazil face Cameroon in their final group game. They will meet the still undecided Group H runners-up if they do finish top.

    The Selecao are aiming to win the tournament for the first time since 2002.

  • 2022 World Cup: Maradona would be ‘super happy’ I broke his record – Messi

    Argentine forward Lionel Messi claims that Diego Maradona would be very thrilled following his victory as Argentina’s most capped player at a World Cup.

    Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland on Wednesday earned them first place in Group C and a matchup with Australia in the round of 16. Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi was heavily involved in the victory.

    “I only learned about this record recently,” Messi said when told about his latest achievement. 

    “It’s a pleasure to be able to continue achieving these kinds of records. I think Diego would be super happy for me because he’s always shown me a lot of affection. He was always happy when things went well for me.”

    With the score tied, Wojciech Szczesny stopped a penalty shot from Messi, who was playing in the competition for the 22nd time overall—one more than his old mentor Maradona.

    Messi could yet take another record from Maradona, as the 63 chances he has created at World Cups in recorded history is second only to his compatriot, who created 67.

    The 35-year-old scored in Argentina’s opening two games in Qatar, a 2-0 victory over Mexico and a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, before going scoreless against Poland.

    His seven shots against Poland were his most for Argentina without a goal since a 1-1 draw with Iceland at the 2018 World Cup (11).

    However, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez in the second half, Argentina got the victory they needed and are now the heavy favorites to beat Australia.

    “After the first goal, everything went our way,” said Messi, who was part of the Argentina squad that finished runners-up to Germany at the 2014 World Cup.

    “We started doing again what we had been trying to do since the start of the World Cup, but which we hadn’t been able to achieve for various reasons.

    “Having been able to do it today, it gives us confidence for the future.”

    On Saturday, Messi will try to score in the World Cup’s knockout rounds for the first time because all eight of his previous goals came in the group stage.

    In 23 attempts, he has failed to score after the opening round, although in the final 16 in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 competitions, he did contribute.

  • Ghana, Uruguay meet again at World Cup after 2010 drama

    In a rematch of one of the most contentious games of the World Cup, Ghana and Uruguay face off on Friday, and Luis Suarez has yet to apologize for his pivotal role in the controversy from 12 years ago.

    Uruguay striker Suarez’s deliberate handball on the goal line at the end of extra time in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa denied Ghana a certain goal and a place in history as the first African team to reach the semis.

    Suarez was sent off for the handball but celebrated wildly on the sidelines when Asamoah Gyan hit the penalty off the crossbar. Uruguay won the ensuing penalty shootout.

    To make it worse, Suarez boasted after the 2010 game: “Truth is, it was worth it.”

     

    On Thursday, he remained unrepentant.

    “I don’t apologize because I take the handball and the red card but the Ghana player missed the penalty. It’s not my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty,” Suarez said.

    Ghana can now go some way toward settling the score. By beating Uruguay in their final Group H match, Ghana would advance to the round of 16, while knocking Uruguay out of the tournament.

    Though the match in Al Wakrah has been circled as one to watch ever since the World Cup draw was made, Ghana coach Otto Addo tried his best to cast it as a “normal game” despite 2010 remaining a raw and painful memory for many Ghanaians, who are demanding revenge for the handball.

    “For me, it’s not a big topic,” Addo said, adding he wouldn’t criticize one of his own players if they did the same as Suarez. “I would expect every player to do all he can to make sure his team goes through. Even sacrificing himself with a red card.”

    “What happened in 2010 is very sad but we can’t change it. We want to look forward and we want to win this game,” he said. “No matter how.”

    Ghana, which squeezed out a thrilling 3-2 win over South Korea in its last game, must win again in Al Wakrah to be certain of going past the group stage for the first time since 2010. A draw could also be enough depending on the result of South Korea vs. Portugal.

    Captain Andre Ayew is the only Black Stars player in Qatar who was on the 2010 squad.

    Uruguay has a handful, including the 35-year-old Suarez, who is playing what’s likely his farewell World Cup before winding down a career that saw him celebrated as one of the best forwards in the world at one point.

    He won the Copa America with Uruguay and Spanish league titles and a Champions League trophy with Barcelona.

    Suarez also carved out a reputation as one of the game’s most controversial characters and has been punished three times for biting opponents, including a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Suarez started Uruguay’s 0-0 draw with South Korea in Qatar but was on the bench for the 2-0 loss to Portugal, which left Uruguay bottom of the group.

    Uruguay must now beat Ghana and hope South Korea doesn’t beat Portugal to extend its stay at the World Cup and Suarez’s international career for at least one more game. The goal difference will decide if Uruguay and South Korea both win.

    Stoking it just a little bit more, Suarez said the 2010 game against Ghana does still mean anything to Uruguay.

    “We are going to put our lives and soul into this match,” Suarez said. “Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.”

     

    Source: African News

  • Tunisian fans celebrate win over France

    Tunisian fans celebrate their surprise 1-0 win over France, but it isn’t enough to prevent them leaving the World Cup without progressing from Group D.

    Wahbi Khazi’s goal was the difference between the two sides, but with Australia beating Denmark 1-0 in the other game, it is France and Australia who progress.

    But in stoppage time, the Tunisians on the sidelines were more interested in the other Group D game, crowding around a TV screen on the bench hoping Denmark would be able to score against Australia — a circumstance that would have lifted Tunisia into second place and also into the round of 16 in Qatar.

    “We were praying for a Denmark goal but it never game,” Khazri said. “But that’s the thing with soccer, you should only count on yourself. We didn’t do enough in the first two games, otherwise we’d be through.”

    France ended up winning the group with six points, ahead of Australia on goal difference. Tunisia finished with four points in third place. Denmark, which lost to Australia 1-0, ended up in last place with one point.

    Meanwhile, the French soccer federation is filing a complaint with FIFA over Antoine Griezmann’s disallowed goal at the end of their loss to Tunisia.

    Griezmann was in an offside position when a cross came over but then retreated and appeared to be played back despite the referee having blown the whistle to terminate the game.

     

    Source: Africa News

     

  • Martino confirms Mexico departure after ‘huge failure’ at World Cup

    Tata Martino acknowledged that Mexico’s World Cup performance was a “major failure” and that his contract had expired, with little chance of him taking over again.

    Martino has not been a very well-liked El Tri coach, and his reputation took a hit on Wednesday when his team was eliminated from Qatar 2022’s group stage.

    Mexico came agonizingly close to advancing through the round of 16 for the eighth consecutive World Cup before being eliminated on goal differential behind Poland in Group C.

    Mexico and Poland are level on points, goal differential, and goals scored after Mexico and Saudi Arabia drew their head-to-head match at Lusail Stadium. Henry Martin and Luis Chavez scored goals in the second half against Saudi Arabia.

    Salem Al Dawsari of Saudi Arabia scored a goal in stoppage time to prevent Mexico from being eliminated when Poland’s game versus Argentina was over due to a poor fair play record.

    Ultimately, Martino’s team was too late to mount a comeback, and much of the criticism was leveled at the coach, whose name had been booed before to the game.

    Told of his status as a “villain” in Mexico, Martino replied: “I can’t tell you anything abut people’s opinions.

    “I am the main [person] responsible for the frustrations we have. I’m responsible and it’s a source of great sadness.

    “I assume all the responsibility of this huge failure. It’s been eight World Cups this hasn’t happened.”

    Martino’s contract was to expire after the World Cup, and he continued: “I have no reasons at the moment to think the future should be different. The contract expired with the final whistle and there is nothing else to do.”

    Chavez was asked for his opinion later in the news conference and added: “We are the players, we assume full responsibility.

    “I would say in the second match [against Argentina] we didn’t fully understand what he [Martino] wanted to see on the pitch.

    “We defended well for some time but didn’t create enough chances.”

    Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard accepted his side did not deserve to advance with their performance against Mexico.

    However, he sought instead to focus on their campaign as a whole – including the shock opening win over Argentina.

    “Congratulations to the players. We did our best,” he said. “Today it was more difficult for us, but we don’t have to forget what we did together. I will always protect them. I’m proud of their World Cup.”

  • Szczesny made penalty bet with Messi during Argentina clash against Poland

    During Poland’s World Cup match against Argentina, Wojciech Szczesny and Lionel Messi wagered that the referee would not give a penalty, the goalkeeper has said.

    In the opening period of Poland’s 2-0 defeat in Group C, the Juventus goalkeeper denied Messi from the penalty spot after a contentious call in which Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot after studying the event and acting on VAR instructions.

    Szczesny was one of many who believed that there shouldn’t have been a penalty, even going so far as to wager against Messi during the game’s delay, but he has no plans to fulfill his end of the bargain.

    “We spoke before the penalty. I told him I can bet him €100 that he [the referee] wasn’t going to give it. So, I’ve lost a bet against Messi,” he said after the match.

    “I don’t know if that’s allowed at the World Cup and I’m probably going to get banned for it but I don’t care right now. And I’m not going to pay him either! He doesn’t care about €100, come on.”

    After stopping Salem Al Dawsari of Saudi Arabia in the previous round of matches, Szczesny’s denial of Messi from the penalty spot became the Polish goalie just the third goalkeeper to save two penalties at a single World Cup tournament, excluding shoot-outs.

    However, the close race in Group C to qualify to the knockout stage, with Poland barely winning on goal differential over Mexico, kept his celebrations in check.

    “Yeah it was nice, I didn’t know at the time it was going to help us get through so I tried not to celebrate,” he added.

    “But I’ve had some bad luck at the big tournaments so far, the World Cup four years ago was awful for me and I owed this much to the team and in the last two games I managed to help them a little bit.”

    Poland will face defending champions France at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday in the nation’s first appearance in the knockout stage since 1986.

  • Argentina ‘strengthened’ after penalty miss to seal last-16 spot – Messi

    Lionel Messi praised Argentina’s spirit and willpower, saying they “strengthened” after he missed a critical penalty to secure their 2-0 World Cup victory over Poland.

    After Wojciech Szczesny saved Messi’s penalty kick, Lionel Scaloni’s team advanced as the Group C champions thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez in the second half.

    La Albiceleste, who lost their opening game 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, have advanced to the World Cup knockout rounds for the 13th time in their last 14 outings. On Sunday, they will face Group D runners-up Australia.

    “The team came out strengthened after that mistake of mine,” said Messi, who surpassed Diego Maradona in playing the most World Cup games for Argentina (22).

    “We knew that once the first goal went in it was going to change the game. The previous game gave us a lot of peace of mind and we went out on the pitch thinking we should win.

    “The game with Australia is going to be very difficult. Anyone beats anyone, everything is very even. We have to prepare for the game in the best way we always do.

    “We must be calm and go game by game. Now, another World Cup starts, and hopefully we can continue to maintain what we did today.”

    Nicolas Otamendi concurred: “This is a team that strengthens under pressure, it was demonstrated. Today we had a final, and we never lost focus.”

    Rodrigo De Paul praised the team’s “personality,” but Mac Allister thinks the performance will give them more confidence going into the knockout rounds.

    “I think today was a great team game, and that gives us a lot of confidence for what’s coming,” he said.

    “It was a convincing performance. We look for the goal at all times. I think we went back to being the team we used to be. We handled the ball more, we had peace of mind, and we didn’t despair. We played well collectively. It fills us with confidence.”

     

  • “He will score hattrick”: Kudus’ grandma dances joyously; celebrates him in video

    The family of trending Black Stars star man, Mohammed Kudus, have expressed excitement about the success of their son.

    In an interview with Citi TV, the lovely family spoke about Kudus’ grass-to-grace story and how he lived in a single room with them at their Nima residence.

    The Ajax and Black Stars winger/midfielder made his family happy when he bagged a brace vs South Korea. Hajia Khadija, the young man’s grandmother, was the most excited among Kudus’ family members.

    She danced in celebration of her grandson and said Ghana was going to defeat Uruguay.

    One of Kudus’ family members, who were equally excited, said Kudus was going to score a hattrick vs Uruguay and mentioned that she had no doubts about Ghana winning the World Cup.

    The video of the affable family pleased many Ghanaians, who also expressed positive thoughts ahead of the Uruguay cracker.

     

    Ghanaians React To Kudus’ Family’s Comments

    Oduma1992 said:

    Indeed God is wonderful

    Hajar Abdul karim commented:

    Why I’m I crying watching this

    makanziequeen also said:

    I know my son will also be a big Star for Ghana in Jesus mighty name Amen , I will not stop him from playing football again…

    YesAm TooSweet also commented:

    Our grandparents are one of a kind, my father got to know how good I was in the goal post when he watched me play a major tournament

    @citinewsroom Mohammed Kudus’ relatives share their joy on Black Stars player’s stunning World Cup peformances #citinewsroom #citisports #viral ♬ original sound – Citinewsroom

  • World Cup 2022: England to face Senegal in last 16

    England’s 3-0 victory over Wales on Tuesday guaranteed them a spot in the World Cup’s round of 16. They will play African champions Senegal there.

    The following information about their opponents will help you understand the path that Gareth Southgate’s team may need to take to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

    Who do England play next?

    After winning Group B to advance to the knockout rounds, England will take on Senegal.

    After defeating Ecuador 2-1 earlier on Tuesday, Senegal advanced from the group stage for just the second time, finishing second to Netherlands in Group A.

    When do England play next?

    That match will take place on Sunday, 4 December at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar.

    What time do England play on Sunday?

    England’s last-16 tie kicks off at 19:00 GMT – 22:00 local time in Doha.

    How good are the Senegal football team?

    Senegal, which is ranked 18th globally and first among African countries, won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021 after losing in the finals in 2019 and 2002.

    In 2002, they made it to the World Cup quarterfinals, but they didn’t qualify again until 2018, when they lost in the group stage with just one victory in three games.

    However, they will be without a number of important players against England on Sunday as Bayern Munich striker Sadio Mane was forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury and Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye is serving a one-match suspension.

    Have England and Senegal met before?

    This will be the first time the two sides have played each other.

    Where is Senegal?

    Senegal is in West Africa, next to the Atlantic Ocean.

    Who will England play if they beat Senegal?

     

    The winner of Group D, presently France, or the runner-up of Group C, currently Argentina, await England in the quarterfinals, making their path to the championship game possibly difficult.

    On Saturday, December 10, that game will be played, and a semi-final will follow on Wednesday, December 14, four days later.

    England might play Croatia, who finished second in 2018, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

    On December 18, the championship game will be held in Qatar at the Lusail Stadium. The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, or Brazil are possible rivals because they are all on the opposite side of the draw.

  • World Cup 2022: Flick hopes to stay in charge even if Germany suffer early exit

    Even if Germany is unexpectedly eliminated early from the World Cup, Hansi Flick plans to stay in charge for the Euro 2024 on home soil.

    After losing 2-1 to Japan and tying 1-1 with Spain in their first two games, Germany is currently last in Group E going into the final round of games.

    Following Josef Herberger, Flick is the only manager of Germany to have lost his first two World Cup games; no other manager has lost their first three games in charge.

    To ensure a spot in the round of 16, the four-time world champions must now defeat Costa Rica and hope Spain defeats Japan.

    If Spain and Japan play to a tie or a win for the latter, the outcome would come down to goal differential if Germany wins all three of its games against Costa Rica.

    Flick’s decision to stay in the position would be called into doubt if he dropped out of the race at the first hurdle, but he has no plans to do so.

    “I don’t know what else will happen, but from my side, my contract runs to 2024 and I’m looking forward to the Euros,” he said at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.

    “But we have a while to go until then. We go into the Costa Rica match trying to make things clear from the start, to exert pressure – these are our intentions.

    “Of course we know it’ll be difficult against a team who normally defends. We need to adopt the same mentality as we showed against Spain.”

    Germany failed to reach the knockout round in Russia four years ago and exited Euro 2020 at the last-16 stage in last year’s rescheduled tournament.

    Flick, who took over on the back of those disappointments, is hoping to avoid more major competition disappointment on Thursday.

    When asked to explain why Germany have underwhelmed at recent tournaments, Flick said: “Maybe you can ask me this question tomorrow, though I hope not.

    “Normally I’m an optimist who thinks positively. I’m not considering anything like [exiting the tournament] for the time being.

    “We know it’s not entirely in our own hands and it goes without saying we didn’t get the result we wanted in the first game.

    “But we’re here to reach the knockouts and we’ll play our next match with confidence. Whatever happens, happens. Like after the Japan loss, I’m not feeling any pressure.

    “We’re heading in the right direction. Things are getting better in training and we’re continuing to learn. We’re finding solutions with the ball and that’s why I think we’re improving.”

    Germany are facing Costa Rica at the World Cup for just a second time, having previously won 4-2 in the opening match of the 2006 edition when hosting the tournament.

    They have won six of their eight World Cup matches against CONCACAF nations, though their only loss in that run was in their last such match against Mexico in 2018.

    Costa Rica have won just one of their past 11 World Cup games against European nations, meanwhile, with that including a 7-0 loss to Spain in their opening group match.

    However, Luis Fernando Suarez’s side beat Japan last time out and can themselves reach the last 16 by defeating Germany at Al Bayt Stadium.

    A draw would also be enough if Spain overcome Japan, as many expect, and Flick expects Costa Rica to set out defensively in order to take a point.

    “If we look at the table then Costa Rica has an opportunity to go last 16 if they draw, so I assume they’ll try to defend as much as possible as they did against Japan,” he said.

    “It’s important for us to find a solution. It’s our own fault we’re in this situation and now we have to do what we can. It’s about giving 100 per cent and performing on the day.”

  • Luis Enrique prepared should Spain end up facing Brazil

    Luis Enrique insists that Spain won’t take any dangers by attempting to orchestrate a certain outcome against Japan in order to avoid playing Brazil in the World Cup quarterfinals.

    La Roja takes on Samurai Blue on Thursday knowing that a win will guarantee the group’s top rank and set up a matchup with the Group F runners-up in the round of 16.

    However, it would also put them in position to face the Selecao in the round of eight.

    Attempting to avoid Brazil has been a hot issue throughout Spain’s recent media appearances, and Luis Enrique even acknowledged talking about it with his team.

    “Great question, we’ve wondered about this and reflected on it. From a professional point of view, we are only thinking of winning because the four teams can qualify,” he said.

    “We want to be first, we cannot and should not speculate. It’s very human to talk about it, we have done it, but it’s useless to choose.

    “Imagine, we reach minute 95, we are drawing 0-0, we are winners of the group. But then just before full-time, Costa Rica and Japan score. You’ve speculated the entire game and then in the last 15 seconds you concede. That’s it, you’re out.

    “If you’re convinced your team is a good one [you try to win]. We’re here to win seven games.

    “Your theory is Brazil [in the quarter-finals]. Let’s play Brazil. We can’t start with these estimations.

    “We try to put up a fight – it doesn’t matter who we’re playing in the round of 16 or quarter-finals.

    “If we play Brazil in the quarters, well so be it… We must beat Japan – elite sport and speculation don’t compute, or we don’t understand it that way. Being first would mean that we have been better.

    “To win a World Cup you have to win against everyone who comes your way. That’s our goal.”

    In fact, Luis Enrique continued by saying he would enjoy playing Brazil in the quarterfinals, even if it meant La Roja had a more difficult path to the championship game.

    “I hope to play against Brazil. It will mean that we have both reached the quarter-finals,” he continued.

    “Brazil is always a clear favourite [for the World Cup], regardless of the year. They have so much talent and quality, both individually and collectively.

    “As for everyone else [the favourites], there aren’t big surprises. I always stick to the FIFA rankings, you can see which are the favourites. You look at the top 10, some aren’t here but generally those are the favourites. Brazil, France won [their groups] easily, so there’s no surprises.”

    Spain have generally impressed across their first two games with their vibrant and attack-minded style of play, with many considering them early favourites despite possessing one of the youngest squads.

    But one of their young talents who is yet to make an appearance is Ansu Fati, who some felt was fortunate to even be named in the squad after only playing bit-part role for Barcelona this season on his return from injury.

    Luis Enrique acknowledged Fati was the most uncertain selection in the group, but he stressed he was thrilled with the training level of all of his forwards.

    “He was the last player to enter the list. He wasn’t even in the squad in the previous two international breaks. It might be the position where I had the most doubts, regarding bringing Ansu or another player.

    “I have to base my decisions on training. We have eight forwards training so well, I am delighted with them, they are flying. It’s a shame they’ve not all had minutes, they all deserve to play and it hurts me, but there’s no space for everyone – some will not play.

    “There’s five substitutes allowed, and some players will end the competition without playing a minute. I’m sorry about that, so sorry, but they have to keep training at a top level and I make decisions based on what I see. I am sorry, but also happy with what I see from those eight players.”

  • Martinez defends Belgium’s ‘golden generation’

    Insisting that this is Belgium’s “golden generation,” Roberto Martinez denies any similarity to England‘s mid-2000s disasters.

    Although the Red Devils’ 2018 World Cup finish was their best in recent years, this collection of Belgian players has long been praised.

    Coach Martinez has defended the players as pressure mounts on the team heading into the 2022 finals, where there have been rumors of veteran stars fighting.

    He aimed to draw attention to the leaders of Belgium’s squad’s contributions off the field as well as on it and made the argument that the England team that received the same moniker under Sven-Goran Eriksson was not comparable.

    “It’s interesting, because when I arrived in 2016, there was talk of a ‘golden generation’,” Martinez said on Wednesday.

    “Clearly we were not the golden generation. The golden generation of Belgian football was 1986 in Mexico. They were the ones who arrived into the semi-finals.

    “Since then, these players showed incredible commitment to the national team. We’re talking about players who left Belgium very young, they went into the best dressing rooms in European football, they win trophies, and they’re always committed.

    “We have eight players with over 100 caps; we have Thibaut Courtois reaching his 100th cap against Croatia. You’ve got players who gave their career for the national team.

    “This generation is the golden generation of Belgian football, there is no doubt.

    “They got the bronze medal in 2018, they kept the national team for four years at the number one spot in the world rankings, a population of 11,000,000.

    “Twenty-one of them got their A [coaching] licences. This generation is going to carry on impacting Belgian football from a coaching point of view for the next 20 years.

    “They were able to build a new training facility, state of the art, that is going to change Belgian football for the next generations.

    “What you can say is this generation haven’t won a major tournament. But leaving a legacy goes a lot further than winning a tournament. I’m sure you can find national teams who win tournaments and they don’t leave a legacy.

    “This group of players deserve respect, deserve admiration for what they’ve done.

    “From here, we can win, draw, lose, but with the legacy of this generation, I am the proudest person because I’ve been able to work with them, to see day to day how much they care.

    “The next 20 years in Belgian football will not be the same because of this generation.

    “You cannot compare it to England. England was a group of players that were sensational, outstanding at a group level, and they never found the way to do that with the international team. Comparisons are totally, totally impossible.”

     

  • Barca claims Messi deserves one last dance at Camp Nou

    Lionel Messi will eventually return to Barcelona because the player and team “deserve one last dance together,” according to Jordi Cruyff, sporting director of the Catalan giants.

    Messi’s 21-year affiliation with Barcelona ended in August 2021 due to the club’s inability to pay a new contract in accordance with LaLiga’s financial fair play regulations. Messi now plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

    Messi is currently in his second season with PSG, but his deal expires at the end of the current campaign, and he has been linked to a transfer to Inter Miami of the Major League Soccer.

    Next year, when the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner turns 36, Cruyff expects to see him return to Camp Nou, albeit he acknowledges it might not be in a playing role.

    “It’s clear Barcelona and Messi have to be together again one day,” Cruyff told RAC1. “It may be after his career, but they deserve a final hug, one last dance together.”

    Asked about the possibility of Guardiola managing the Blaugrana again further down the line, Cruyff said: “He’s reached the level of being able to choose his own destiny.

    “Not many have reached that point; it’s the dream of every professional. Whether he returns or not, I have no idea. I think he’s happy at City.”

  • World Cup 2022: Uruguay star Luis Suarez identifies Black Stars deficiency ahead of epic clash

    Uruguay forward Luiz Suarez says his side will capitalize on Black Stars porous defence to defeat Ghana in the final Group H encounter in the World Cup on Friday.

    After two games in Group H, Uruguay have managed just a point after suffering defeat against Portugal on Monday afternoon.

    Meanwhile, Ghana earned an important win to boost their chances of progressing to the round of 16.

    The Black Stars inflicted a 3-2 win over the Asian giants to boost their chances of qualifying to the knockout phase.

    The four-time African champions must avoid defeat against Uruguay to book a spot in the Round of 16.

    Ahead of the clash, Suarez, who has tagged Ghana’s game as a do or die says he and his teammates will put their lives and soul on the line to secure qualification.

    “We have one point and the final match against Ghana is do and die. We have no option than to win to make our fans happy”

    “We are going to put our lives and soul in this last match, Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again”

     

    “We have watched their video clips and they have porous defence, we will utilize on that to beat them” he said.

    Ghana were denied a semifinal berth at the World Cup courtesy of a Luis Suarez handball incident in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward prevent a goal-bound header from Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah in the final minute of extra time at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

    Suarez essentially produced a save on the line worthy of a goalkeeper and he was shown a straight red card as a result.

    Ghana were also awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan’s attempt from 12 yards crashed into the crossbar, which resulted in Suarez going mental on the touchline and sent the game to a shootout.

    Uruguay won the penalty shoot-out to progress to the semifinals with Luis Suarez celebrated for his demonic act.

  • Ream salutes USA captain after Iran win

    During Tuesday’s important 1-0 World Cup victory over Iran, United States captain Tyler Adams praised his team’s cohesion, and defender Tim Ream praised the captain’s influence.

    At Al Thumama Stadium, Christian Pulisic scored the game-winning goal for the USA just before halftime, advancing them to the round of 16.

    Due to the two countries’ tense relationship, geopolitical issues dominated the build-up to the match. This was their first World Cup meeting since a match in France in 1998 that was labeled the “most politically charged game” in tournament history.

    Iran won the match 2-1 in Lyon, but this time, the USA crossed the finish line first. Gregg Berhalter’s team was significantly less effective after Pulisic was forced to leave the game at halftime due to a pelvic contusion that will be treated “day-to-day,” despite how much better they had been in the first half.

    Iran increased its pressure at the finish and twice in stoppage time came very close to winning, but the USA held out to schedule a match with the Netherlands.

    Their development highlights how far the USA have come in recent years given that they did not even make it to the last World Cup, and Adams’ remarks captured the positive energy surrounding the team.

    “For me, I have obviously dreamed of playing in a World Cup, and I didn’t know when that time would come,” he told reporters. “Obviously that has come now. I am very proud to be representing the US and this team.

    “The group we have in this locker room is superb, every day we show up and try and get better, and focus on getting better.

    “Tonight was one of those nights where you knew you could look to your left and look to your right and there was someone battling for you.”

    The USA have only ever been beyond the last 16 at a men’s World Cup once in its current format, back in 2002 when a Landon Donovan-inspired side reached the quarter-finals.

    Standing in the way of matching that accomplishment are the Netherlands, and the size of the task facing the USA is not lost on Adams, who rates the Oranje among the best in Qatar.

    “Obviously it is a big opportunity for us; an amazing game,” he said. “We have obviously played against good teams here already like England; the Netherlands could be another favourite to win the World Cup and they have done really well to navigate their way through the tournament so far.

    “They’ve some amazing players, we are going to have to be ready. For now, we will try to have some downtime and relax to regain our focus. Our coaches will obviously come up with a game plan to get us ready.”

    Adams’ performance was vital to the USA prevailing, with the Leeds United midfielder’s poise key to their first-half control and his tenacity important in disrupting an improved Iran after the break.

    His 84 touches, 62 completed passes and 12 recoveries were all highs for the match, while Adams also tallied the second-most tackle attempts (three) on the USA team, successfully taking back possession on each occasion.

    Ream, playing behind Adams at centre-back, saw his captain’s performance at close quarters and was grateful for his protection.

    “[Adams] makes everyone’s job a little bit easier. The amount of ground he covers, his energy, tenacity, work rate; it’s just incredible what he does on a football pitch.

    “As he grows the team grows, you could see that. It’s a pleasure to play behind him.”

    Of course, it was not the first time this week Adams has been under the spotlight.

    He faced up to some awkward questions in Monday’s pre-match press conference, with an Iranian journalist calling him out over his pronunciation of Iran.

    Suffice to say, Ream joined the chorus of praise for how Adams handled that particular situation.

    “I thought it was brilliant,” Ream said. “It is what it is, that’s the world we’re living in right now.

    “For him to handle it with the poise that he did, and the sincerity that he showed, I think was fantastic.”

     

  • Frappart to become first female referee for men’s World Cup game

    The pivotal World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica will be officiated by Stephanie Frappart, who will make history as the first woman to ever officiate a match at the men’s event in its 92-year history.

    Frappart will be in the middle for the Group E match on Thursday at Al Bayt Stadium, where both clubs still have a chance to advance to the next round in Qatar.

    Along with Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, she was one of three female referees chosen for the World Cup pool in May.

    In March 2021, when officiating a match between the Netherlands and Latvia for the men’s World Cup qualification, Frappart became the first woman to officiate a match in the history of the international game.

    The French official has previously officiated high-profile male club matches, like as the 2019 UEFA Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool. A year later, she officiated Juventus’ match against Dynamo Kyiv to become the first female referee of a Champions League group game.

    “The men’s World Cup is the most important competition in the world, not only football,” she told The Athletic in May when she was selected for the tournament. “But I was the first female referee in France, the first in Europe, every time the first. I know how to deal with that… You’re there because you deserve it.”

    The entire on-field officiating team for the game will be female, with Frappart joined by assistants Neuza Back and Karen Diaz.

  • Ronaldo receives $225m offer to play for Saudi Arabian club

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a once-in-a-lifetime contract to play for a Saudi Arabian club following his departure from Manchester United.

    At the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the forward, who is now 37 years old, is now playing for Portugal.

    As Ronaldo prepares to make history by becoming the first male footballer to score in five straight World Cups, CBS Sports reports that Al Nassr FC of Saudi Arabia has made him a whopping $225 million three-year offer. The agreement is said to go into effect following the World Cup.

    Al Nassr and other Middle Eastern football clubs have long had an interest in Ronaldo, who is presently a free agent.

    Ronaldo has shown a strong desire to play solely at the top level available in Europe. Ronaldo was given a contract that will essentially pay him $75 million a year. According to reports, discussions started in the summer, and the team is now waiting for Ronaldo to make up his mind.

    One of the most prosperous clubs in Asia and Saudi Arabia is Al Nassr FC.

    The club has a total of nine league championships. According to reports, Ronaldo has also being pursued by their rival Al Hilal.

    The football player’s post-World Cup plans are still unknown. Cristiano Ronaldo has not yet offered any commentary.

  • ‘Unplayable’ Rashford must deliver every time he plays – Shaw claims

    Marcus Rashford was tasked by Luke Shaw with replicating his “unplayable” performance against Wales for the remainder of England‘s World Cup run.

    In Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over their British counterparts at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Rashford scored both of England’s goals.

    With the win, England won Group B and advanced to the round of 16, where they will play Senegal for a spot in the quarterfinals.

    One of Gareth Southgate’s four new players, Rashford opened the scoring with a beautiful free-kick early in the second half. Then, following a frantic run, he doubled his tally with a low drive as Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward let the ball slip through his legs.

    According to Shaw, Rashford must continue to produce at the same level after being the first member of Manchester United to score three goals at a World Cup since Bobby Charlton in 1966, when England won the cup.

    When asked by Stats Perform what he thought of Rashford’s display, Shaw replied: “He’s so good, the talent he’s got, he can be unplayable.

    “I think he needs to deliver that every single game he plays. He’s got the quality that can make a difference, he’s an unbelievable player and one that can make the difference for us.

    “Hopefully he can keep those standards high and keep doing it.”

    Rashford, who finished with six shots, only one fewer than the entire Wales team managed combined, had scored eight times in 19 appearances for United this season heading into the World Cup, and Shaw has full faith the 25-year-old will keep up his form.

    “Very confident. I see it day in, day out – what he’s doing, how he’s training,” Shaw added. “He took his chance, I think it was his time to start and for me he took his chance.

    “He needs to keep the standards high now, because he’s a really important player.”

    Phil Foden was a star of the show along with Rashford.

    Southgate picked Foden in place of Bukayo Saka after receiving criticism from some quarters for not using the Manchester City player against the United States last week.

    While Foden took some time to get going, he picked up speed as the first half went on and scored a fantastic goal just 98 seconds after Rashford had given the game its first goal.

    “Not just the ones that started today, you look at the bench and the quality we have, we have World Class players who if they’re not starting can come on and change a game,” Shaw said when asked if Foden could be decisive in pushing England deep into the tournament.

    “Phil didn’t get a chance against the USA but he came in and was the wonderful player we all know, getting on the ball, making things happen, scoring a very important goal at a crucial time and that’s what we want from all of them. We need them to be like that.”

    Rashford revealed after the match that he had recently suffered the loss of a friend, and Shaw – whose grandmother passed away shortly before the World Cup – explained the unique unity of the England camp had been crucial in helping him overcome the loss.

    “One million per cent,” Shaw said. “The togetherness is not something I’ve witnessed in a team before.

    “Everyone is so close together, we get on so well and push each other every day to get better and keep the standards high. It brings everyone closer together.”

  • World Cup 2022: Ghana can beat Uruguay – Otto Addo

    The coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo, is quite certain that his team will defeat Uruguay in their final group match on Friday in order to advance to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The Black Stars will play Uruguay in their final group game, where they are currently ranked second in Group H.

    Ghana will advance to the round of 16 whether they win or draw.

    “It was really, really long time ago that this incident happened and I am a strong believer that if you don’t seek too much revenge on these kind of things, sometimes you get the blessings,” coach Otto Addo said.

    “It will be very difficult but I am confident to know that we can win this game.”

    Following their 3-2 victory over South Korea, Ghana became the third African nation, after Senegal and Morocco, to achieve a win in the tournament’s second round of fixtures.

    The four-time African champions’ World Cup run got off to a bad start as they fell to Portugal, who advanced to the round of 16.

  • Gakpo grabs another goal as Netherlands top Group A

    With a 2-0 victory over Qatar to finish first in Group A, Cody Gakpo netted in his third straight World Cup game as the Netherlands easily advanced to the knockout round.

    Gakpo, a PSV attacker who has been one of the tournament’s breakout stars, once again dazzled at Al Bayt Stadium, setting the Oranje up for victory with a precise goal in the 26th minute.

    A second goal from Frenkie de Jong ensured a straightforward victory to clinch first place in the pool as Senegal defeated Ecuador in another match.

    Memphis Depay’s hamstring injury likely would not have allowed Gakpo to have played such a significant part thus far, but the two started together on Tuesday and will now look to team up once more in the round of 16 against the Group B runners-up.

    With Depay in the lineup, the Netherlands immediately appeared more dangerous, even though he was unable to capitalize on a bustle in the box early on, which forced Daley Blind to aim blandly at Meshaal Barsham and promptly miss.

    Instead, Gakpo once again came through after a great play, passing the ball to Davy Klaassen and taking it back to hammer a solid finish into the bottom-right corner.

    Four minutes into the second half, poor defending by Qatar allowed Louis van Gaal’s team to extend their lead when Depay’s shot was blocked by Barsham and De Jong was able to race past two defenders to the rebound just in front of the goal.

    The Netherlands’ place was never in jeopardy despite Steven Berghuis’ third goal being disallowed for a handball by Gakpo during the build-up and the substitute also hitting the crossbar in stoppage time.

    What does it mean? Oranje go on the offensive

    The Netherlands had attempted only 12 shots worth a combined 0.8 expected goals across their first two matches, outperforming only Costa Rica in each metric.

    Qatar made for accommodating opponents on Tuesday, but Depay’s return alongside Gakpo led to a far more dangerous display. The Oranje produced 13 attempts worth 1.6 xG in this game alone.

    Another crucial Gakpo goal

    Any Netherlands nerves were eased by another opening goal from Gakpo, who had broken the deadlock against both Senegal and Ecuador.

    He is the fourth Oranje player to net in three straight World Cup appearances and only the second player from any nation to open the scoring three times in the same group stage at a finals, along with Italy’s Alessandro Altobelli in the first round in 1986.

    Unwanted records for hosts

    In conceding seven goals in the group stage and losing three matches, Qatar set new records for hosts at a World Cup finals. This was not the sort of history they set out to make 10 days ago.

    Key Opta Stats:

    – Netherlands have progressed from their first-round group in all nine attempts at the World Cup; this is the best 100 per cent opening group record by any nation at the finals.
    – The Oranje have won eight of their last nine group-stage games at the World Cup, while in all rounds, they are now unbeaten in their last 10 at the tournament (W7 D3).
    – Gakpo became the first player to score in all three matches in a single group at a World Cup for the Netherlands, and first to do so for any European nation since 2002 (Tomasson, Klose and Wilmots).
    – De Jong scored only his second ever goal for the Netherlands, and first since September 2019 in a European Championship qualifier against Germany.
    – Netherlands had more shots (13) and as many shots on target (4) in this match against Qatar as they attempted in their first two 2022 World Cup games against Senegal and Ecuador combined (12 shots, 4 on target).

    What’s next?

    The Netherlands will learn the identity of their last-16 opponents later on Tuesday, as Qatar reflect on a gruelling first World Cup experience.

  • Kolo Touré: Championship side Wigan Athletic appoint Ivory Coast great as manager

    English Championship outfit, Wigan Athletic, have announced the appointment of Ivory Coast great, Kolo Touré, as their new manager.

    The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winner takes over the Manchester-based club on a three-and-a-half-year deal following a spell with Premier League club Leicester City as one of Brendan Rodgers’ assistant coaches.

    He replaces Leam Richardson, who was sacked after only seven games in charge.

    Wigan Athletic confirmed the 44-year-old’s appointment in a statement on their website on Tuesday in what is his first head coaching role.

    “Wigan Athletic Football Club is delighted to confirm the appointment of Kolo Touré as the Club’s new First Team Manager,” the statement said.

    “Also arriving at Latics will be Kevin Betsy and Ashvir Johal, with both joining the backroom coaching staff at the Football Club that includes Rob Kelly – who has agreed to continue in his role as Assistant Manager.”

    Wigan are currently third from bottom on the Championship table after 21 games into the 2022/23 season.

    The club adds that Kolo Touré will travel to Turkey to join Wigan in their mid-season training camp as they look to turn things around when the season resumes from the World Cup break.

    Touré made more than 500 senior appearances over a 15-year period, with an honours list that includes two Premier League titles – one as an Arsenal ‘Invincible’, two FA Cups, and two Scottish Premiership titles.