Page 23 - Football

SAFF 2024: India into semifinals despite 1-3 loss against Bangladesh

India struggled to cope with Bangladesh's midfield dominance and failed to convert their key chances to suffer a 1-3 defeat to Bangladesh in 44their final Group A fixture of the SAFF Women's Championship 2024 here on Wednesday. Despite already securing a semi-final spot, India finished second with three points, while Bangladesh topped Group A with four points. Afeida Khandaker (18') and Tohura Khatun (29', 42') struck for Bangladesh before skipper Bala Devi reduced the margin with a deft header two minutes later. India also further suffered by an injury blow to midfielder Anju Tamang as her exit in the 27th minute weakened their attack. All of India's troubles were generated by dipping crosses in the box. The first goal was off a corner and Afeida Khandaker lobbed it past Panthoi Chanu. India conceded the second goal when a hopeful lob from the left saw Khatun rushing in to take advantage of the situation. Her second strike, however, was a pile-driver from just outside the box.

Calafiori injury in Champions League adds to Arsenal's mounting concerns

Arsenal's problems are mounting ahead of a huge Premier League game against Liverpool at the weekend. With key attacking players Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka and defender Jurrien Timber already on the injury list, Arsenal saw left back Riccardo Calafiori go off in the second half of the 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday after twisting his right knee. He felt something, he could not continue playing, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of the Italy defender. Bit of a worry. Center back William Saliba also is sure to miss the Liverpool game because he is suspended after a red card in the loss to Bournemouth on Saturday. While Odegaard, Arsenal's captain, is almost certain to be absent as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury sustained last month, less was known about the status of Saka after the winger appeared to hurt his hamstring on England duty last week. Saka didn't play at Bournemouth or against Shakhtar, and Arteta wasn't too positive

Premier League preview: Injury-hit Man United take on Brentford test

Brentford will be looking to take the game to United, who have not been in good form recently. The visitors will be keen to extend the 2-point advantage they hold over their opponents

Premier League preview: Arsenal look to continue winning run at Bournemouth

With Bournemouth and Arsenal 10 spots apart from each other in the league, the Cherries will be looking to end Arsenal's unbeaten run and secure those valuable 3 points on the night.

Indian footballers selected to go train at Old Trafford in Manchester

PC Lalchhuanawma (Mizoram), Shreejal Kisku (Bhubaneswar), Mohd Ayan (Lucknow), Bhakta Bahadur Pariyar (Nepal), and Chanason Chaiyatham (Bangkok) have been selected to go to Manchester.

Ancelotti says Mbappe 'not affected' by reports of investigation in Sweden

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says Kylian Mbapp is not affected by the Swedish media reports this week that said the France captain was the subject of a rape investigation. Mbapp's legal team dismissed those reports as false. I do not pay attention to speculations that come from outside the team. The player is not affected in the least, Ancelotti said Friday. The reports in Swedish media came out after the striker visited Stockholm during the international break when he was not called up by France due to a minor injury. Without citing sources, Swedish media reported Mbapp was the subject of an investigation of an alleged rape at a hotel in Stockholm. Mbapp's representatives have called the reports false and irresponsible. Swedish prosecutors issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying a rape had been reported to police but didn't name any suspect. Ancelotti defended his player's right to travel on his time off. The rest days are programmed for him and he can choose what he want

ISL 2024: Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC face off in top-of-the-table clash

Early high-flyers Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC will face off in a top-of-the-table clash of the Indian Super League here on Friday, both looking to outdo each other in the battle for supremacy. BFC will have the home crowd backing them at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Last season's 10th and 8th-place finishers, respectively, these two sides have defied expectations to emerge as frontrunners in the ongoing campaign. Notably, they are the only teams yet to suffer a defeat in this edition, making this clash even more significant. Under the tactical guidance of Gerard Zaragoza, Bengaluru FC started the season in impeccable fashion, achieving defensive solidity with four consecutive clean sheets -- a record-equalling feat in ISL history. Their last season's struggles seem like a distant memory as the team has found a perfect balance in both defence and attack. They have scored 3 plus goals in their last two home games. If they manage to repeat this against Punjab FC, it will mark their .

Tuchel's appointment as England football team's coach sparks controversy

The question was inevitable. At his first news conference as England's newly appointed head coach, Thomas Tuchel a German was asked on Wednesday what message he had for fans who would have preferred an Englishman in charge of their beloved national team. I'm sorry, I just have a German passport, he said, laughing, and went on to profess his love for English football and the country itself. I will do everything to show respect to this role and to this country. The soccer rivalry between England and Germany runs deep and it's likely Tuchel's passport will be used against him if he doesn't deliver results for a nation that hasn't lifted a men's trophy since 1966. But his appointment as England's third foreign coach shows that, increasingly, even the top countries in the sport are abandoning the long-held belief that the national team must be led by one of their own. Four of the top nine teams in the FIFA world rankings now have foreign coaches. Even in Germany, a four-time World Cup

Thomas Tuchel hired as England football head coach ahead of 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel was hired as England coach on Wednesday and will take on the challenge of ending the national team's decades-long wait for a trophy. The German, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, will begin his tenure in January ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The English Football Association said Tuchel had been identified as the "preferred candidate" after what it described as an extensive search to replace Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after the European Championship in July. Tuchel won major trophies in Germany, France and England and is England's third foreign coach, after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. He succeeds one of England's most successful coaches in Southgate, who led the country to back-to-back European Championship finals and a World Cup semifinals. Southgate stepped down after eight years following defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024. The FA said it had interviewed several candidates .

FIFA president Gianni Infantino tours Seattle ahead of next year's Club WC

Seattle's Lumen Field will host six games during next year's Club World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. The Seattle Sounders, which earned a spot in the competition by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, will host all three of their group matches at their home stadium. Three other matches will also be played at Lumen Field, one of 12 stadiums that will host a total of 63 games during the tournament. The event, which is now set to be played every four years, will include an expanded field of 32 teams from FIFA's six soccer confederations. "I arrived yesterday and visited Lumen Field. Great arena, very special arena which has a special soul, a special heart inside," Infantino said on Tuesday. "You can feel it when you are in some stadiums, they don't have to be the biggest or the most special. This one is very special." The tournament is set to start on June 15 and run through July 13, with the final set for New Jersey's MetLife Stadium also the site of the 2026

Lenovo to be FIFA's technology partner for 2026 WC and 2027 Women's WC

Lenovo has signed on to be the official technology partner for FIFA, which includes the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as well as the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. The announcement was made during Lenovo's Tech World innovation event in Seattle on Tuesday. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement the deal will continue to upgrade fan experiences as well as continue to make data more accessible to fans and teams. "At FIFA, we are committed to growing the game globally and making football accessible for all and we are excited to welcome Lenovo to our journey, and to work with them to implement technologies, innovations and programmes that spread our sport. Data and technology combined helps us to know fans better," he said. The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 through July 19 in 16 cities throughout North America. It will also see the tournament expand from 32 to 48 teams. The 2027 Women's World Cup will feature 32 teams, but the da

UEFA Nations League: Ronaldo held scoreless as Portugal draw with Scotland

Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless and Portugal lost its perfect record in the Nations League after a 0-0 draw at Scotland. Portugal had won its first three matches in the competition but couldn't find a breakthrough against the Scots at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday. Ronaldo, sitting on 133 international goals, had a few good chances to break the deadlock. He seemed upset with the referee after the game ended, leaving the field with a sarcastic applause, waving his arms and with thumbs down. Portugal had beaten Croatia, Scotland and Poland in Group A1, which it still leads with 10 points, three more than Croatia and six more than Poland. Last-place Scotland stayed on one point. It came into the match on a nine-match winless streak and had lost four games in a row. "There was a lot missing for Portugal tonight," midfielder Bernardo Silva said. "We lacked intensity, didn't attack at the right moments. We leave here frustrated." The top two nations in each group will advanc

Messi equals Ronaldo's record, check full list of most int'l hattricks

An all-round performance from the talisman saw him registering 2 assists along with his hattrick to complete a five-star performance on the night.

Ashalata to become 1st Indian woman footballer to play 100 int'l matches

Captain Ashalata Devi will become the first Indian woman footballer to play 100 international matches when she takes the field in the SAFF Championship opening match against Pakistan here on Thursday. The 31-year-old Manipuri made her India debut in the pre-Olympics tournament in Dhaka against Bangladesh in March 2011, and the star defender has come a long way since then. "When she pulled on an Indian shirt for the first time ... in the pre-Olympics in Dhaka against Bangladesh in March 2011, few would have imagined that Ashalata Devi would take Indian women's football by storm in quite the way she has," the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said while hailing Devi's feat. Devi was called up for the India U-17 team in 2008 when she was 15. Born in Imphal, she began playing football at the age of 13. She was initially with the Indian Railways football team and joined New Radiant Women's Football Club of Maldives in 2015. Later, she played for Rising Student Club (Cuttack), KRYPHS

Kylian Mbappe dismisses 'fake news' after being accused of rape in Sweden

The Real Madrid star slammed the 'fake news' and took to his social media to dismiss it as well.

Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson to step down as club ambassador

Manchester United great Alex Ferguson will step down from his role as club ambassador at the end of the season, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced. Ferguson will be 83 in December and the person said the ending of his ambassadorship was amicable and he would always be welcome at Old Trafford. Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles with United and is widely regarded as one of the finest managers in the history of soccer. He is United's most successful manager, having won 28 major trophies. He has been a club ambassador since retiring after leading United to its last league title in 2013. His imminent departure comes at a time when the club is undergoing major change following the partial buyout by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in February. United has undergone an extensive restructuring program following Ratcliffe's investment of $1.3 billio

Tests show no major injury to Lamine Yamal after leaving national squad

Tests have confirmed Lamine Yamal has only a strain in his left hamstring sustained on duty with Spain, Barcelona said Monday. The teenage star underwent the tests after leaving the national squad following the 1-0 win over Denmark in the Nations League on Saturday. Spain said the 17-year-old forward was sent back to his club to avoid the risk of injury. Barcelona did not give a timetable on his return, saying only that he will be out of action until he has fully recovered. Barcelona's next game is at home to Sevilla in the Spanish league on Sunday. Yamal should be available for the matches against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Oct. 23 and the Spanish league clasico at Real Madrid three days later. Yamal will miss the Nations League home game against Serbia on Tuesday. He was a key player in Spain's triumph at this year's European Championship. Coach Luis de la Fuente has called up Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo Riquelme in Yamal's place. Yamal has played 11 games and sco

Nigeria's football team stuck at Libya airport, boycott AFCON qualifier

Nigeria's soccer players said on Monday they will boycott their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya, after being stranded overnight at Al Abraq Airport in what the team captain described as mind games. The Super Eagles are scheduled to play the second-leg tie on Tuesday. The first leg, which Nigeria won 1-0 on Friday, involved similar accusations of sabotage from the Libya team. Team captain William Troost-Ekong said the plane had been due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq some 220 kilometers (136 miles) away. It was not immediately clear why the flight was diverted and The Associated Press could not reach the Libyan government for comment. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason," Troost-Ekong said on X. They've locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games. Pictures posted online by the players showed some of them lying on airport .

UEFA Nations League: Portugal vs Scotland, Spain vs Serbia live streaming

2016 Euro winners Portugal are entering the tie with a 100 per cent record in their three games so far. Scotland, however, have not had the best of starts in their three games so far.

UEFA Nations League Highlights: France beat Belgium, Germany win at home

The win took the Italians straight to the top of the table with 10 points in Group 2. They are followed by France and Belgium with 9 and 4 points respectively.