List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Fred called his time at Manchester United “a true dream” as the Brazil international prepares to complete his move to Fenerbahce. The 30-year-old midfielder moved to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has made 213 appearances for the club. Fred is now heading to Turkey to join Fenerbahce, who have agreed a deal worth an initial 10million euros (£8.6m) rising to a possible 15m euros (£12.9m). “Thanks for everything, Manchester United Football Club,” Fred said on social media. “Today ends one of the most beautiful stages of my career. I lived the dream of wearing the shirt of one of the biggest clubs in the world. “Going through ups and downs, I leave with the conviction that I always gave my best during all training sessions and games. “It was five years of a true dream for me and my family. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity. Forever a Red!” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Georgia Stanway stood on her own, isolated in a pocket of space. With her hands in the air, she saw the move before it unfolded. England had been searching for the gaps against Colombia, but going behind only sharpened their focus. After the explosion of Colombia’s goal, England could have lost their heads, but Stanway found hers and then the space. One thumping finish from Alessia Russo later and England were heading towards the semi-finals of the World Cup. Arguably, no one deserves this semi-final more than the Bayern Munich midfielder. Stanway had to be disciplined when Keira Walsh was injured, constrained when Lauren James was given the keys to England’s creative output. With James suspended, Stanway was released. With the bite in midfield to combat Colombia’s physicality, then the cool to pick holes in their defensive shape. Having to play through four games on a yellow card has meanwhile forced Stanway to do it all on a knife-edge, controlling the aggression when one wrong moment would have taken her semi-final away. The Lionesses also had to earn it, in a difficult contest that passed by in waves of England control and frantic Colombia pressure. The atmosphere fed into it: Colombia turned up in their numbers, dominating the 75,000 capacity stadium and its soundtrack; hostile when England had possession, electric when Colombia flew forward, the noise rising further when Linda Caicedo drove them on. England faced the battle they had been expecting. Then Colombia scored and a tournament that has been defined by obstacles was presented with a new one, as England trailed for the first time in the World Cup. But Stanway epitomised how England responded and took to their task. It was a different type of resilience to what England showed at the end, continuing to show, on the ball and off it. She showed her intelligence, baiting Colombia players in and waiting a moment, before releasing it. As a whole, there wasn’t a panic. Lauren Hemp’s equaliser was scrappy, arriving in a mess in the penalty box, but it had been coming. If anything, going behind sharpened England. England’s plan was clear enough: they had their control and build-up, neat passages of play as they found the gaps in Colombia’s shape, threading passes through for Stanway and Ella Toone to turn. England were sharper than against Nigeria, even if the final ball was missing. With James’ two-match ban forcing another rethink for Wiegman, the England manager combined something new with something old. The midfield three returned, with Stanway and Toone deployed as twin-eights in front of England’s back five. But Colombia reached the quarter-finals by ensuring those spells do not last for long. Between England’s passing moves, Colombia rattled them and threatened with their quality, thriving off the match being in a scrappy and disrupted state. The South Americans broke England’s passing up and tore whatever momentum they were building down, a series of fouls to pause England’s flow. Then there were the challenges: Ana Guzman barging into Hemp, then leaving an arm on Rachel Daly, Santos pulling Stanway back by the arm. And in those spells England were sloppy, five-yard passes hit straight out of play, allowing themselves to take the safe or easy option, turning down the chance to turn. When Santos’ cross drifted over the head of Mary Earps, England were faced with the worst. The response was crucial. In the six minutes of added time at the end of the first half, England stuck to how they had set up to play. The way Colombia were positioned allowed England to have those gaps in midfield and there was always a player to find. England had to be patient, to move it quickly enough and have the confidence to do more when they could turn. Hemp everywhere across the frontline, taking pressure off England with bursts downfield, Russo struggling to hold the ball up, but producing the devastating finish when it counted. England dropped deep, perhaps too early, but they did so safe in the knowledge that they had Millie Bright in this form. Bright was faultless as England defended their box, alongside the exceptional Alex Greenwood. This wasn’t perfect but this tournament has been about finding a way through. England are enjoying it, while Stanway just offers them that bit more. Read More England set up old rivalry on new stage thanks to Alessia Russo magic How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final ahead of semi-final

One of the oldest sporting rivalries will be played on a new stage, after England overcame yet another new problem. A first comeback of this Women’s World Cup will ensure Sarina Wiegman’s side return to Stadium Australia to play the hosts in Wednesday’s semi-final, in what is set to be the grandest occasion of this thrilling tournament so far. England once more avoided succumbing to a surprise exit, as they began to show the sort of quality everyone has long expected in this tenacious 2-1 victory over Colombia. The invigorating South American side deserve huge credit for bringing that out of the European champions, as they became the first side to take the lead against them at this World Cup. And there was so briefly the possibility they could put them out. Something was different with this England, though, that could well be crucial against Australia. Alessia Russo almost summed it up by offering that huge moment: a fine finish to win it. As good as Nigeria were in that last-16 game, there was a sense of England playing the occasion and letting the tension of a first knockout game get to them. Had they gone behind in that match, it was more doubtful whether they could have hauled it back. Not so here. Hugely influential to that was that so many players looked back to their best. Georgia Stanway offered her own best display of the World Cup, growing into it in the way she did at Euro 2022. Lauren Hemp was winning everything and running the game, having brought England back from defeat with her equaliser. Russo then ensured yet another massive goal and a moment that may prove transformative for her own campaign. The finish was brilliant but the touch to set it up perhaps even better. The manner in which she flicked it was sublime. There was an element of ragged desperation about England at times, but that was inevitable when an opposition side are fighting for the moment of their lives. Colombia had nothing to lose in the last few minutes but had exactly the attackers – especially in the livewire Linda Caicedo – to play like that. They just took the wrong decision too often and England’s defence got their timing just right. That brought relief, and this World Cup has taken so much out of them, but there is suddenly a sense they are in good shape going into the biggest test so far. A lot of this match actually produced England’s best football of the tournament. They were assertive but elaborate, willing to play the ball around in fine patterns. There were a few moves when it looked like they could just pass their way right through Colombia. It all looked so highly controlled… until the moment it wasn’t. That was what made this quarter-final so engaging. Colombia had an edge that constantly disrupted England just as momentum was building, as well as a willingness to try things. The great question will be whether Leicy was actually trying to beat Earps with that first goal, but one argument in favour comes from the fact she wasn’t the first Colombian to attempt such an effort from out wide. Caicedo had done it minutes before. The idea had at least been planted. Either way, the ball ended up in the back of the net from Leicy’s wide effort. It was indicative of the unpredictability of this match. It was also unprecedented. England were behind for the first time in this World Cup and the first time in any tournament match since the quarter-final against Spain in Euro 2022. They responded superbly. There was a sharpness about everything England did, with Stanway bringing real danger at the edge of the Colombian box. That defence quickly buckled. From the kind of cross-field ball that constantly brought opportunity for England, Colombian goalkeeper Catalina Perez fumbled and a deflection allowed Hemp to force the ball home. The conviction could be seen in the celebration. England had an impetus. They could have done with a longer stoppage time. It was half-time at the wrong time. But Russo ensured it didn’t matter. She got her touch absolutely right for that 63rd-minute moment of opportunism and took her chance brilliantly. The ball was drilled into the corner with no doubt or hesitation whatsoever. You couldn’t quite say the same about the last 15 minutes. Colombia went at England with everything. Earps made good for any suggestion she was poor for the goal with one brilliant save from a rasping Lorena Bedoya long shot. She then bought England time in that canny way she does, dropping onto caught balls, disrupting the opposition. It was only a mirror of what Colombia had done to England earlier. Wiegman’s team battled through it. They again showed their fight, but something more. That is going to be essential on Wednesday, because that is going to be a rivalry, a battle, but also so much more. Read More England vs Colombia LIVE: Women’s World Cup latest score and updates after Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo goals Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? Player ratings from England vs Colombia as Russo scores winning goal Who and when do England play next? Route to the World Cup final

Alessia Russo fired England through to their third World Cup semi-final with a second-half strike to complete a 2-1 comeback over Colombia at a sold-out Stadium Australia. Leicy Santos gave Colombia the lead when she looped an effort over Mary Earps after 44 minutes, but saw her opener cancelled out after Lauren Hemp pounced on an error by Colombian keeper Catalina Perez six minutes into first half stoppage time. Georgia Stanway set up Russo’s low finish to hand the Lionesses the lead after 63 minutes, and while Colombia pushed forward against the European champions an equaliser ultimately proved just out of reach. England will next face tournament co-hosts Australia, who beat France 7-6 on penalties in the early kick-off. Colombia, who had eliminated world number two side Germany with a 2-1 victory in the group stage, looked to complete another giant-killing here. The Lionesses, meanwhile, were without the services of Lauren James, with Ella Toone coming into Sarina Wiegman’s side while the Chelsea forward served the first game of her two-match suspension.

Jurgen Klopp accepts change at Liverpool was inevitable as he urged his “reloaded” side to find their own way ahead of the start of their Premier League campaign. Liverpool saw captain Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Fabinho leave for the Saudi Pro League for a combined £52million, while Roberto Firmino and James Milner also departed Anfield this summer. Virgil van Dijk will skipper the side this season as Liverpool try to rebound from last season’s fifth-place finish, which left them outside the Champions League places for the first time since 2015-16. The Reds have signed World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, while Klopp expects a number of youngsters to bloom following the departures of a few big personalities. Klopp said: “We don’t have to always say ‘Milner would have said that and Henderson would have said that and Firmino would have smiled here.’ We should not do it like that. That makes no sense. “We have this kind of new start with this Liverpool FC reloaded, it’s an exciting thing. Everybody was asking for changes, rightly so, because we were together for a long time. “It’s a new chance for everybody, everybody has to step up. We all share responsibility and it’s not that we should give ourselves too much time to grow into it, let’s do it. “Let’s take the responsibility and go from there and don’t try to be like somebody. Be the best version of yourself and then you have a good chance to help the team in the best possible way.” Liverpool have had a British transfer record fee in the region of £110m accepted by Brighton for Moises Caicedo but the Ecuador international’s preference for a move to Chelsea muddies the waters. Chelsea have had a longstanding interest in the 21-year-old midfielder and are reportedly ready to step up with a similar bid, adding an intriguing subplot to Liverpool’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Blues’ 12th-place finish last term – their lowest in almost 30 years – has led to a complete overhaul, with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino appointed to transform their fortunes. Ahead of both sides’ Premier League opener, Klopp said: “They will want to show up, definitely. Poch is a top manager, so they will show up. We have to be ready. We have to be absolutely ready. “The football they played (in pre-season) you can see it – Poch is there. We played against Mauricio very often when he was at Tottenham, you can see a lot of similarities from that time. “It’s the first really competitive football game for us this season. We don’t want to waste time, we really want to go for it, but we have to see how it goes.” Klopp insisted he has not felt the need to remind his charges of last season’s disappointing outcome and is satisfied by what they have done in pre-season. He added: “The desire, the concentration, the readiness, the openness. I saw a lot of things where my thought was in that moment, ‘OK, they mean business, so let’s give it a go.’ You could see it. “We are not happy. It’s not that I want to remind the boys every day and say ‘by the way, last year was like this and that.’ That makes no sense. We have a lot of targets and we are highly motivated.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester City aiming for quadruple this season, says Rico Lewis Harry Kane hints at future Tottenham return after completing Bayern Munich move Ange Postecoglou backs Richarlison as Tottenham deal with Harry Kane exit

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

Rico Lewis says winning the treble once “isn’t good enough” as Manchester City look to repeat the feat and eye an unprecedented quadruple. Pep Guardiola’s perennial Premier League champions added the FA Cup in June before beating Inter Milan to win the club’s first ever Champions League crown. City joined Manchester United’s 1999 side as the only English teams in history to complete the treble, but there appears little chance of them stopping there. Erling Haaland’s brace saw them open up their league campaign with a 3-0 win at promoted Burnley on Friday, after which teenage star Lewis outlined his ambitions. “The objective is to win the treble again, to win the quadruple,” the homegrown 18-year-old talent said. “You know, winning it once isn’t good enough, so we have to keep on going and try and win it again.” You would not back against City winning the European crown on top of claiming the three main domestic trophies given their quality, cohesion and strength. However, Guardiola’s men have already missed out on one piece of silverware this season having lost the Community Shield to Arsenal on penalties. This week, though, offers another chance at a trophy as City seek to win the UEFA Super Cup for the first time against Sevilla in Athens. “Obviously it’s a new competition for us,” Lewis said. “We’ve never won it, the club’s never won it, so, again, it’s another trophy that we want to go and win. “It’s another competition and an important thing we need to go and take on.” City make the trip buoyed by a solid start to the Premier League season, with Rodri adding to Haaland’s double on a night that also saw Lewis struck by an object. Burnley quickly confirmed the individual responsible for the first-half incident had been identified, removed from the ground by police and now faces a banning order. “Obviously when you’re in the game you can’t really focus on that,” Lewis said. “But it was just something I had to deal with at the time. “It’s just an incident that’s unfortunate it’s happened to me but, you know, it happens to a lot of players, which is not a good thing. “But there’s nothing really much you can do about it. You’ve just got to ignore it and then it’ll get sorted at the end of the game.” Another issue City’s players could not let distract them was the injury to skipper Kevin De Bruyne. The 32-year-old has only recently returned from a hamstring issue and Guardiola says he faces weeks on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of the issue. “Well, you know, injuries happen to everyone,” Lewis said. “Every team suffers with injuries and it’s something that you’ve just got to deal with. “There’s enough quality in the squad where if someone gets injured someone can slot in and just carry on playing in the same way that the last person did. “Obviously there’s going to be certain positions where we’ll be more hurt than others just because of squad depth, but it’s something that happens to everyone and everyone has to deal with it.” While City return to action on Wednesday, the Clarets have an extended wait until they play again. Next weekend’s trip to Luton was postponed due to ongoing stadium works at Kenilworth Road, meaning Vincent Kompany’s side are next in action at home to Aston Villa on August 27. That fortnight will give promoted Burnley an invaluable opportunity to work with their new-look squad after showing signs of promise against City. Summer signing Luca Koleosho, 18, said after making his debut: “I think we had our moments in the game but obviously we were playing against the best team in the world right now. “So, I just think that every game we’re going to get better and just improve. “The mentality is just to win, there’s 37 games (to go), it’s a long season but just take it one at a time and just go out there and try and win.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Harry Kane hints at future Tottenham return after completing Bayern Munich move Ange Postecoglou backs Richarlison as Tottenham deal with Harry Kane exit Harry Kane’s highs and lows at Tottenham as he signs with Bayern Munich

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

Watch live as England and Colombia fans arrive at Stadium Australia for the Women’s World Cup quarter-final on Saturday 12 August. The Lionesses have had to dig deep for three of their four wins at the tournament, but goalkeeper Mary Earps insisted there are “so many more levels” for the team to reach ahead of the last eight meeting. After finishing goalless in normal time against Nigeria in their last 16 fixture, England advanced with a penalty shoot-out win. It was a tricky test for Sarina Wiegman’s side, who were reduced to 10 when Lauren James was sent off for a stamp on Michelle Alozie, but Earps believes “the best is yet to come”. “I think it’s an exciting time to be an England player for sure, but we have to earn that right every day,” the goalkeeper said. Colombia, meanwhile, knocked Jamaica out in the last 16 after a famous win against Germany in their group. Read More Harry Kane hints at future Tottenham return after completing Bayern Munich move Ange Postecoglou backs Richarlison as Tottenham deal with Harry Kane exit Harry Kane’s highs and lows at Tottenham as he signs with Bayern Munich