List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Everton manager Sean Dyche is confident the goalscoring problem which has affected the team for a year will be solved soon. Despite creating 19 chances against Fulham, the Toffees slipped to an opening game defeat at home – where the top-flight’s lowest scorers lost a record 10 league matches last season. Central to the issue is the continuing unavailability of injury-plagued Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose lack of minutes in pre-season means he is still possibly a couple of weeks short of being ready. However, the arrivals of on-loan Arnaut Danjuma – who made his debut as a late substitute – and young Sporting striker Youssef Chermiti, watching from the stands, will hopefully help to ease the burden as current deputy Neal Maupay wasted a host of chances as he extended his woeful record to one goal in 30 appearances for the club. “Dominic will get some football this week, amongst others,” said Dyche, who is still looking for reinforcements but knows he must get more out of the limited resources he has. “He is at the end of his rehab period, so, in the next week or two, we’re going to be stronger, just by our own group and let’s see if we can get something in to help us as well. “Arnie (Danjuma) is getting fit, properly fit – he knows he’s a bit behind the curve. “I am confident we have to rely (on players) within the squad because this is what we are at the moment. If we can affect it, we will do.” Everton had only 41 percent possession but made the most of it and with better finishing could have had the game won by half-time. While the outcome was disappointing, the manner of the performance was more encouraging than the majority of the relegation scraps they had when Dyche took over in January and guided them to safety on the final day. “Some of the breakaways, some of the moments, some of the quality of chances were excellent,” the Toffees boss added. “One of our analysts said about xG, which I’m not that big a believer in but it’s still a reference point, was around three, which is high in the Premier League. “Inevitably, it’s only a measure but we’ve got to look at where we were and where we are now – and that, I thought, was a big shift. “Now we’ve got to find those moments to go and score goals. “But there’s a real strong sign there today, a strong sign of a good outfit there that is creating lots of chances and a lot of good things, so we’ve got to maintain the belief in that.” Fulham were fortunate to leave Goodison Park with a third successive win and boss Marco Silva admits there is plenty of improvements to be made. “We need more time to work, our pre-season was not at the level that it should be so we missed a bit of energy,” he said. “But we were able to win a football match and that shows we have the quality to work.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live On this day in 2016: Mo Farah retains Olympic 10,000m title in Rio Anthony Joshua confident fight with Deontay Wilder will happen ‘soon’ Lucas Glover holds onto lead in Memphis with Tommy Fleetwood two strokes behind

It took Sarina Wiegman a moment to fully realise the enormity of what England now face in Australia. If a World Cup semi-final wasn’t big enough, the Lionesses will now play the hosts in Sydney for a place in the final. Amid the excitement of a fresh new chapter in this historic sporting rivalry, Wiegman admitted that coming up against Australia at this stage of the tournament is “going to be bigger than I imagined”. But the Dutch coach was also focused on what had just come before, rather than what awaits England next. A semi-final against Australia is the dream fixture that will take this enthralling World Cup to another level, but England could not afford to take anything for granted given the way their quarter-final against Colombia unfolded. The manner of England’s victory, though, will only add to their growing confidence when they play the hosts on Wednesday. Wiegman knew the significance of what her players had to overcome; for the first time at the World Cup, the Lionesses trailed. When England came from behind, they had to survive a late spell of Colombia pressure, withstanding the hostile atmosphere that faced them in Sydney. If it was a trial run for what England will be met with against Australia, then the Lionesses showed that the way in which they deal with adversity has become their defining characteristic at this World Cup. "I think the team again showed some resilience and a lot of togetherness,” Wiegman said after the 2-1 win. As England passed another test, their comeback win was built on the collective belief that they could come through it. That spirit has grown throughout the tournament, as England and Wiegman have had to change and adapt their plans to react to each new problem. That England are now only two games away from winning the World Cup will only strengthen that resolve. Wiegman spoke about resilience, but her players have bought into it as well. After the fraught penalty shootout win over Nigeria, there was the pressure of conceding first against Colombia, and the sort of freak opening goal that could have otherwise been the latest sign of a tournament that has never quite gone to plan. “You accept that sometimes things happen that you can’t control, but in your mind you stay controlled,” Wiegman said. The manager was speaking about how her side reacted to going behind, but she also could have easily been talking about England’s whole tournament. “One of the strengths of the team is that we do stay calm,” Wiegman continued. “How do you stick together, how do you execute your plan? We conceded, but you didn’t see any panic.” England reacted by sticking to their approach. As Colombia dropped deeper, Wiegman’s team sped the game up, playing sharp passing football when they could. The goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo were the rewards for their perseverance in continuing to play their way, showing patience in the build-up and finding the passes through the Colombia shape by using Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone. Once ahead, England had to hang on, but it’s a side of their play that now suits them. England owed much of their victory to their late defensive stand, with Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood continuing their excellent performances at the World Cup. It was another illustration of how England have found ways to get through difficult moments. Wiegman’s back three became a back five, and with Bright in the centre dealing with crosses, and Greenwood and Jess Carter so alert to the danger, winning their individual duels, England managed to see the game out. Bright is a defender who almost appears most comfortable when her back is against the wall. The England captain did not play any competitive football before the World Cup but has returned from four months out to be the player that the Lionesses can rely upon when defending the edge of their box. With England’s ideal setup so compromised by injuries, and now the suspension of Lauren James taking away their player of the tournament and creative heart, a resolute defence could win England the World Cup. England now believe in that resilience, and it has become their identity. Of the four teams through to the semi-finals, in England, Australia, Spain and Sweden, the European champions were the only team that needed to come from behind to win. Wiegman naturally disagreed when it was suggested that it could give her side an edge going into the final four, but could not deny that it now plays into England’s strength ahead of the semi-finals. “We’ve had lots of challenges and we’ve got through them,” Wiegman said. “The adversity shows the resilience of the team. We do our best to change situations into our advantage.” England, though, now face a team who will be buying in their own self-fulfilling narrative. Australia have now come through their own nerve-shredding contest in defeating France on penalties, in what was the longest ever shootout at a World Cup finals. With the hosts now gripped by World Cup fever and the TV figures shattering records, in what was the most watched sporting event in Australia since Cathy Freeman’s gold-medal winning run at the 2000 Olympics, the Lionesses now need to overcome a nation who feel that this home World Cup is theirs to win. England will be the away team in Wednesday’s semi-final, but they also defeated Colombia side who may as well have been at home at Stadium Australia. The Lionesses faced a wall of noise as the Colombia fans turned up in their numbers, whistling when England had possession, jeering when they stood over a free-kick. It will be doubled against Australia, as a home crowd of 80,000 stands against the Lionesses. “We look forward to it,” Wiegman replied. After all, it’s another challenge for England to embrace. Read More Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final ahead of semi-final England set up old rivalry on new stage thanks to Alessia Russo magic Georgia Stanway brings fire and ice to show why this England are different Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest news as England set up Australia semi-final How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? 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. Follow live reaction as England reached the semi-finals Read More Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final ahead of semi-final England respond to new World Cup adversity to reach semi-finals England set up old rivalry on new stage thanks to Alessia Russo magic

The 2023 Leagues Cup quarterfinals have come and gone. A shot at the semifinals was on the line, and four teams could punch their ticket while the other four teams were sent packing their bags for the long trip home.Four matches were played in the 2023 Leagues Cup quarterfinal matches, where we ...

Jim Harbaugh won't have to deal with a suspension in 2023 but the developments with the NCAA Committee on Infractions may just drive him to the NFL.Michigan football got good news and bad news on Saturday.The good news: Jim Harbaugh won't be suspended for the first four games of th...

England international Jude Bellingham scored on his LaLiga debut as Real Madrid began their league season with a 2-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao. Bellingham, who joined Real from Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer, scored his team’s second goal eight minutes before half-time. Rodrygo had opened the scoring nine minutes earlier, and it proved a dominant display by Real, with Bellingham at the heart of it. Saturday’s other two LaLiga games finished as draws, with Real Sociedad being held 1-1 at home by Girona and Real Mallorca claiming a point by the same scoreline at Las Palmas. Takefusa Kubo put Socieded in front after just five minutes at the Reale Arena, but Artem Dovbyk’s header in the 72nd minute secured a share of the spoils. Las Palmas went in front through Jonathan Viera’s 29th-minute penalty, but the home side could not hold on to that advantage and Antonio Raillo equalised in the second half. Paris St Germain saw their Ligue 1 campaign begin in frustrating fashion as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Lorient at Parc des Princes. Despite creating numerous chances, PSG could find no way through resilient opposition and will feel it was a case of two points dropped. Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Marco Verratti, meanwhile, who have all been linked with moves away from Paris, were left out of the matchday squad by boss Luis Enrique. And Marseille claimed a comeback victory against Reims at Stade Velodrome, with Vitinha’s 73rd-minute goal securing a 2-1 win after Junya Ito had given Reims the lead and Azzedine Ounahi equalised.

Jim Harbaugh's deal with the NCAA infractions committee on a four-game suspension to start the 2023 Michigan football season is now off.Sorry ECU, UNLV, Bowling Green and Rutgers fans. That slight hope you had about facing Michigan without head coach Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines is now gon...

James Maddison has promised to fill the creative void at Tottenham after he admitted to a sense of inevitability about joining the club. The England international completed a £40million move to Spurs from Leicester in June and will make his debut in Sunday’s Premier League opener away to Brentford. It will mark the start of a new era for Tottenham with a huge sense of mixed emotions amongst the fanbase after Harry Kane’s transfer to Bayern Munich was finalised on Saturday. While Kane’s departure is a bitter pill to swallow, there remains optimism about the attacking brand of football new manager Ange Postecoglou will try to implement and excitement around signings like Maddison. Speaking at a TNT Sports event last week before Kane’s departure, Maddison said: “When I was speaking to my agent about moving clubs and you come to a place where you need to make decisions, where you want to go and what you think fits best, I could actually see myself playing for Spurs. “There’s a little window for me at Tottenham Hotspur, a creative player that they’ve always had, maybe not had in recent years. “I could definitely see myself, when making the decision, playing for Tottenham, in that kit, in that stadium and being the creative player I know I can be. “I’ve always had a strong self belief and I’ll always back myself and my own ability to succeed. It hasn’t failed me so far so I will continue to have that mindset and attitude. I just saw myself playing at Tottenham.” Maddison, 27, had been tracked by Spurs since he was a teenager at Coventry and following spells with Norwich and Leicester, he will finally wear the white of Tottenham. He appears the natural heir to Christian Eriksen, who wore the crown as the team’s chief creator until his departure in 2020. Kane has carried the creative burden alongside his goalscoring exploits in recent seasons under the pragmatic football of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, but his exit on the eve of the season will further put the onus on Maddison. “There was interest that never really fully materialised for whatever reason,” Maddison reflected on Spurs’ past interest. “When I spoke to the chairman (Daniel Levy), he shared with me that he was a fan of mine and had followed my career for a while. That was obviously nice to hear. “Sometimes things don’t always work out and you can’t just like a player and get them, it doesn’t always work like that. It is a little bit more complicated than that, but it was nice to hear and that there had been interest. “You do see sometimes hear rumours and paper talk and stuff, but when it did materialise and I ended up speaking to the manager and chairman, it was a thing I was flattered by and I’m really happy to be at Tottenham.” If Maddison buys into the notion that he fits in at Spurs, he has a similar opinion of new boss Postecoglou, who made the former Leicester playmaker one of his vice-captains on Saturday. Postecoglou will make his Premier League bow at Brentford and while his name does not carry the same weight that Mourinho and Conte did, there seems no doubt fans will quickly get on board if his bold, attacking style can translate into results. Maddison added: “I think that’s why he’s at Tottenham as well because of how he likes to play. “It kind of suits Tottenham and maybe what they lacked a little bit with managers of recent times. The club has obviously had some big name managers and the type of football I imagine Spurs fans want to see has been a little bit lacking. “But the quality is there to be an attacking team. The players are there to do it and the manager made no hesitation on the way he wants to play.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Harry Kane makes debut as Bayern Munich suffer defeat in German Super Cup Late Thomas Ramos penalty earns France victory over battling Scotland Steve Borthwick to ‘wait and see’ on England captain Owen Farrell’s suspension

Harry Kane made his debut for Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup, but missed out on his first trophy as Leipzig won 3-0 at the Allianz Arena. The England captain stepped off the bench as a 63rd-minute replacement for Mathys Tel but made little impact, with DFB-Pokal holders Leipzig running out convincing winners thanks to Dani Olmo’s hat-trick. Kane, who wore the number nine shirt after training with his new team-mates for the first time on Saturday morning, has yet to win any silverware in his 14-year senior playing career. Kane, who has signed a deal until June 2027 after Tottenham agreed an £86.4million deal plus add-ons with the German champions, was given a rapturous reception by the Bayern fans after stepping out of the dug-out. The striker had earlier taken to social media to announce his departure from Spurs, which chairman Daniel Levy said the club “reluctantly” agreed to as Kane, who had entered into the last 12 months of his contract in north London, had made it clear he was seeking a fresh challenge. Kane said: “It’s not a goodbye because you never know how things pan out in the future, but it’s a thank you and I’ll see you soon.” He told his new club’s website: “I’m very happy to be a part of FC Bayern now. “Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world and I’ve always said that I want to compete and prove myself at the highest level during my career. This club is defined by its winning mentality – it feels very good to be here. “I feel like it was the right step in my career to really push myself and test myself on the highest level so that’s why I’m here and I look forward to that challenge.” Shortly before the deal was officially confirmed, Kane posted a message on social media in which he thanked the fans and said he had not wanted to start the season with his future unresolved. “From the moment I’ve been playing I’ve been one of your own and I’ve given everything that I possibly could to make you proud and give you as many special moments and memories to hopefully last forever,” Kane said. “This is a message to all you fans around the world, every single Tottenham fan that’s supported me and been with me throughout my journey. “Me and my family will cherish it forever, we’ll never forget all the moments we’ve had together so thank you. “I felt like it was the time to leave. I didn’t want to go into the season with a lot of unresolved future talk. “I think it’s important for the new manager and the players to concentrate on trying to get Tottenham back to around the top of the table and fighting for trophies, so I wish Ange (Postecoglou) and all the boys all the very best of luck. “I’ll be watching from a fan point of view now and really hope the team can be successful.” Postecoglou had revealed on Friday that Kane’s move was “imminent” after a breakthrough in negotiations between the clubs was reached on Wednesday night. It left the ball in Kane’s court and he decided on Thursday to leave his boyhood club for Bayern. Kane leaves Tottenham as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 280 goals but without a trophy. Bayern had seen their previous bids for Kane turned down, but refused to give up their pursuit of the 30-year-old, who remains 47 goals shy of equalling Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of 260. Levy told the club’s website: “We sought over a long period of time to engage Harry and his representatives in several forms of contract extension, both short and long term. “Harry was clear, however, that he wanted a fresh challenge and would not be signing a new contract this summer. We have reluctantly, therefore, agreed to his transfer. “We have seen a product of our academy system become one of the best players to ever pull on a Spurs shirt and become one of world football’s elite strikers. It has been a truly remarkable journey.” Kane’s strike partner at Spurs, Son Heung-min, paid tribute to his departing colleague in a post on Instagram and was later confirmed by the club to have been appointed as their new captain. Son, who holds the Premier League record for goal combinations with Kane, wrote: “Leader, brother, legend. “Since day one it has been a joy to play by your side. So many memories, amazing games and incredible goals together. “Harry, thank you for everything you have given to me, to our club, and to our fans. Wish you nothing but the best in your new chapter. Good luck brother.” Tottenham said of Son’s appointment as skipper on their website: “Heung-Min Son has been named club captain. “Sonny, 31, takes over the captain’s armband from Hugo Lloris, who first captained the team in 2014-15 and was named skipper for the start of 2015-16 – Sonny’s first season at Spurs. “James Maddison and Cristian Romero have been appointed vice-captains.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Late Thomas Ramos penalty earns France victory over battling Scotland Steve Borthwick to ‘wait and see’ on England captain Owen Farrell’s suspension Eddie Howe reveals his admiration for Newcastle star Sandro Tonali

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has revealed he signed £52million midfielder Sandro Tonali after he “fell in love” watching his play for AC Milan last season. The 23-year-old Italy international made a stunning Premier League debut in the Magpies’ 5-1 rout of Aston Villa on Saturday evening, announcing himself in English football in style with the opening goal and a commanding engine room display. Asked if Tonali had exceeded his expectations, head coach Howe said: “I don’t know. I wouldn’t say so because that would be disrespectful to his ability. “We pursued him for a long, long time, paid a big fee for him because I fell in love watching him play the game last year. “He’s an outstanding talent. He can do a little bit of everything. Very similar to our other midfielders, he’s got a combination of a lot of attributes that I think will suit the Premier League. “This is one game. I don’t want to go over the top and put more pressure on him, but it’s a really good start and I’m just pleased that he looked confident in the shirt, and the fans have certainly taken to him. That’s a great thing to see.” Tonali set the ball rolling with the opener just six minutes into his first competitive appearance in a black and white shirt only for equally impressive Villa debutant Moussa Diaby to level in short order. However, Alexander Isak struck either side of half-time to put the home side in control and late goals from substitutes Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes rounded off a thrilling performance. The romp left Newcastle top of the fledgling table, although Howe admitted that was of little significance to him. He said: “It’s nice, but it’s not important at this stage for me. The most important thing today was our performance, our attitude to the game, how we tried to deliver what we asked the players to do. “There’s a long season ahead and we know we come back to earth quickly because we have Manchester City away next week and that’s going to be a huge challenge, so my mind is already turning to that.” Villa’s disappointment at the way the game unravelled was compounded by what looked like a serious injury to England defender Tyrone Mings which saw him carried from the field on a stretcher before the break. Head coach Unai Emery said: “We don’t know what’s happened with this injury, but it doesn’t look good. Tomorrow we will scan him and hopefully it is not important. We have to wait for the scan, but it doesn’t look good.” Howe, who saw Mings suffer an anterior cruciate ligament in 2015 shortly after he had signed him for Bournemouth, said: “I have to say he faced that period out with incredible courage and resilience, and what he’s done since that moment, to go on and play for his country and be outstanding in the Premier League, is testament to that resilience. “We certainly wish him well and I send him all my love.” Asked if he had been shocked by his team’s performance, Emery said: “At the end, 5-1 is a little bit more than we deserved. “They [Newcastle] deserved to win, but not like that and that with the impact of injuries this week is very, very tough. We have lost two very, very important players for today in the match and for the next weeks.”

Sandro Tonali paid off the first instalment of his £52million transfer fee as he marked a fine debut with his first goal and inspired Newcastle to a 5-1 drubbing of Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Italy international opened the scoring just six minutes into his first competitive appearance for the Magpies and had a hand in two more of their goals as Alexander Isak helped himself to a double and substitutes Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes struck late on after Moussa Diaby, also making his bow in England’s top flight, had levelled. However, a hugely entertaining game win was overshadowed by a potentially serious injury to Villa’s England defender Tyrone Mings, who was carried from the pitch on a stretcher to warm applause from a crowd of 52,207 at St James’ Park after going down following a clash with Isak. Neither Tonali nor Diaby wasted any time in making a significant impact for their new employers. Less than six minutes had elapsed when the Italian timed his arrival into the six-yard box perfectly to volley home Anthony Gordon’s cross after Emiliano Martinez had parried Bruno Guimaraes strike, and he might have doubled his tally two minutes later but for the goalkeeper’s block. However, Newcastle’s advantage lasted only fleetingly when Diaby, who had seen an earlier attempt from a tight angle saved by Nick Pope, was similarly well placed to equalise after Ollie Watkins had flicked on Lucas Digne’s left-wing cross. But the impressive Tonali was not finished and it was his deep 16th-minute cross which was turned acrobatically across goal by the stretching Sven Botman for Alexander Isak to open his account for the season from close range. Pope was relieved to see Watkins’ scuffed first-time effort from livewire Diaby’s pull-back after another menacing run slide just wide as an end-to-end encounter unfolded at frantic pace. Villa’s fortunes took a further turn for the worse when Mings, just days after midfielder Emiliano Buendia suffered a serious knee injury, was carried from the field following a tangle of legs with Isak. The visitors nevertheless refused to take a backwards step in a breathless contest and Watkins might have done better after meeting Digne’s corner unopposed, while Diaby fired into the side-netting from Luiz’s intelligent pass three minutes before the break. Martinez picked up a stoppage-time booking for hauling back Miguel Almiron outside his penalty area with the home crowd calling for a red card and making their feelings towards referee Andy Madley abundantly clear when he did not produce one. Another Villa new boy, Youri Tielemans, entered the fray as a half-time replacement for Leon Bailey, but Gordon saw a 51st-minute attempt deflected wide after Almiron had led a pacy counter-attack. Tielemans helped to drive the visitors forward once again, but that allowed the Magpies to exploit the space they left behind, and they went further ahead with 58 minutes gone when Isak pounced on a slip by Ezri Konsa before chipping the ball over the advancing Martinez. The Villa keeper had to race from his line once again to deny Joelinton, but recovered in time to field Almiron’s follow-up, although it was Pope who was called upon to repel Watkins’ 64th-minute drive before Matty Cash blazed over from the rebound. Martinez was beaten once again 13 minutes from time when Barnes collected Tonali’s pass and crossed for Wilson to score, and although the Argentina international denied Wilson a second with an instinctive save, he was beaten again by Barnes in added time. Read More Rob Edwards admits Luton must make a rapid improvement after Brighton defeat Roy Hodgson brushes off Max Lowe spat as Crystal Palace beat Sheffield United West Ham boss David Moyes considering using Jarrod Bowen as striker Neal Maupay exposes Everton’s damning void as season starts in defeat Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra hit debut goals as Brighton stroll past Luton Mikel Arteta says Eddie Nketiah forced his way into Arsenal team in training

Damar Hamlin competed in the Buffalo Bills' preseason opener on Saturday, marking the safety's first taste of competitive