Today at the World Cup: Colombia and France progress to quarter-finals
Colombia beat Jamaica in their last-16 tie to set up a quarter-final against England, with France then brushing aside Morocco to secure a date with co-hosts Australia at the Women’s World Cup. The matches completed the last-16 fixtures, with attention next turning to the quarter-finals which get under way on Friday. Here, the PA news agency takes a look back at Tuesday. Colombia out to hunt Lionesses Colombia set up a quarter-final clash with England as they edged past Jamaica 1-0 in Melbourne thanks to Catalina Usme’s effort early in the second half. The decisive moment in the battle between two of the tournament’s surprise packages came when Usme beat Rebecca Spencer with a composed finish in the 51st minute. Jamaica, making their maiden appearance in the knockout rounds, hit the post seconds later through Jody Brown, with Colombia’s Leicy Santos then doing the same late on as the South Americans moved into the last eight of the competition for the first time in their history. James apologises to Alozie Lauren James apologised to Michelle Alozie for standing on the back of the Nigeria defender, earning the England forward a red card towards the end of normal time in the Lionesses’ last-16 victory on Monday. In response to a tweet from Alozie, James posted: “All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. “Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.” Allez Les Bleues France ended Morocco’s historic campaign by cruising to a 4-0 triumph in Adelaide against Morocco, the lowest-ranked side left in the tournament at 72nd in the world, who had been among the competition debutants this summer. The job was all but done by the interval thanks to a quickfire first-half treble from world number five-ranked France, with Kadidiatou Diani opening the scoring before providing assists for Kenza Dali and Eugenie Le Sommer. Morocco, managed by former France international Reynald Pedros, had a less torrid time of it after the break but conceded again in the 70th minute when Le Sommer headed home. Picture of the day Nigeria’s next fight Having bowed out of the tournament to England on penalties on Monday, Nigeria are now embarking on another fight in the form of a pay dispute with their federation. World players’ union FIFPRO said in a statement on their behalf: “The Super Falcons believe that it is now time for the Nigeria Football Federation to honour their commitments and pay the outstanding amounts. “The team is extremely frustrated that they have had to pursue the NFF for these payments before and during the tournament and may have to continue to do so afterwards. “It is regrettable that players needed to challenge their own federation at such an important time in their careers.” What’s next? Quarter-final: Spain v Netherlands (Friday, 0200)Quarter-final: Japan v Sweden (Friday, 0830)
2023-08-08 22:59
Georgia fires football staffer who survived fatal crash, less than a month after lawsuit
Georgia has fired the football recruiting staffer who survived a January crash that killed player Devin Willock and another recruiting staffer, less than a month after she filed a lawsuit against the university’s athletic association
2023-08-08 22:54
Man City confident over new contracts for in-demand transfer duo
Manchester City are increasingly positive that Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva will stay at the Etihad Stadium, despite interest from the European superpowers. The right-back and the midfielder have both been offered new contracts by the Premier League champions and, while neither has signed yet, the feeling is growing that they will. Walker, who has entered the last year of his current deal, has been a target for Bayern Munich and had been expected to join the German champions. The 33-year-old had told teammates on City’s pre-season tour of Asia that he was likely to sign for Bayern but has had a change of heart. City manager Pep Guardiola has done his utmost to convince the England and Portugal internationals to stay, saying on Friday they would “do everything” to persuade them both. Guardiola had dinner with Walker on Friday and has made the defender captain throughout City’s pre-season games, after the departure of former skipper Ilkay Gundogan and when vice-captain Kevin de Bruyne has begun on the bench on his comeback from injury. Silva, who has two years left on his deal in Manchester, has attracted interest from both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona but Guardiola criticised his former club on Friday for forever trying to sign the former Monaco player without submitting a bid that came close to City’s valuation of him. “If we don’t get a proper offer, he’s our player and we want him,” he said. Silva was also wanted in Saudi Arabia, although the 29-year-old has seemed to see his future in Europe. With Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez leaving this summer, his ability to play in the centre of midfield or on the right wing arguably makes him even more important to City this season while Walker is the only senior specialist right-back in Guardiola’s thinking. Silva and Walker joined in 2017 and have gone to make 307 and 255 appearances respectively, winning five Premier League titles each and the treble of the English title, the FA Cup and the Champions League last season. Read More Kevin De Bruyne ‘way ahead’ of schedule on return from hamstring injury Mikel Arteta benefits from new law changes as Arsenal clinch Community Shield Barcelona landed one Man City star for free - now Pep Guardiola won’t allow another
2023-08-08 22:46
Why Lauren James must be protected, not vilified, after World Cup red
When Sarina Wiegman saw Lauren James after her red card against Nigeria, the first thing the manager said to her was “it happens”. There was absolutely no castigation, a stance made easier by the player’s immediate apology and the fact England got through. It has made the squad’s World Cup that bit more complicated, though, not least because of the curious regulation that James may not even know her full punishment until after the quarter-final. It is a definite one-game ban until Fifa’s disciplinary committee review the incident, which isn’t certain to happen before Saturday. One thing we know is that, for all the obvious comparisons, this was never going to be a David Beckham 1998 or Wayne Rooney 2006. That isn’t just because England won on penalties. We are a long way from “10 Heroic Lions, One Stupid Boy”, particularly when it comes to women’s football. One of the most common responses after the game – beyond the question of what James was actually doing – was that she should be protected from the pitchforks that Rooney and Beckham faced. That is a good thing. It is just football, and she is only a 21-year-old experiencing a game of such intensity for the first time. Even a manager as experienced as Wiegman said she had never experienced a game as immersive as that, so what was it going to be like for someone so young facing such expectation? “They are in such an intense game and such an emotional game and, in a split second, she lost her emotions,” Wiegman said. That shouldn’t preclude a more constructive discussion about it all, that should serve James. Because, while it is just football, this is also elite sport. The team are going for the greatest prize in the game. Dealing with that pressure and everything the stage brings is a fundamental part of excelling; of fulfilling talent. Amid that, it is simply a pity that James might not now get to make this World Cup her own, in the manner she had been threatening. Her campaign was on one of those gloriously upward trajectories, with note-for-note perfection when it comes to the storyline of a young star going to the next level. She first got the crucial winner against Denmark, effectively announcing herself, before going to another level with her own personal highlights show against China. This ended up being part of the issue, though, that Nigeria played on and for a time so benefited from. James’ displays in that new No 10 role made her the player Randy Waldrum had to specifically plan for. Nigeria made a point of shutting her out of the game. There were constantly four players around her, isolating James and ensuring there was always a huge distance between her and other attackers. It was notable how often she began to drop back to pick up the ball. Those who know her say this was just one of many clear signs that she was getting frustrated, which is all the worse since she is one of those players who needs to feel like she is constantly in the game. James has never been one for waiting dangerously at the fringes. It says much that the England bench at least gave some consideration to taking her off before then, but Wiegman felt the game was too tight. That tightness only fed into James’ frustration, which she then took out on Michelle Alozie. It is something she is going to have to manage as she becomes one of the best players in the world. For their part, her teammates already told her that it’s something some of the best players were just as responsible for when they were younger. James pointed to how she just couldn’t get into the game. Amid the general sympathy, Wiegman offered a benign interpretation of the moment. “Absolutely she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. I haven’t seen it back. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and I think she agrees with that, too… she’s the sweetest person I know and, yeah, things happen like that. You can’t change it any more. It’s a huge lesson to learn but of course it’s not something she’s done on purpose.” It may well be true that James didn’t want to hurt Alozie given it was just a trod rather than a “stamp”, but it’s hard to say it was not on purpose. Having initially tripped over the Nigerian player, James could have easily not stepped on her. Alozie’s bemused response - which has itself already been the subject of many memes - said as much. Wiegman is good at this sort of management, though. The approach will be to bring James on. The hope is Fifa aren’t as forceful due to the more restrained nature of the contact, and that James’ teammates offer her another reprieve. They played their part in ensuring this wasn’t another national moment, although it shouldn’t have come to that anyway. It should just be a lesson, of the sort James will use to go to the next level. Read More In World Cup of revolving problems, Sarina Wiegman has another to solve England’s heroic penalty takers saved Lauren James from sporting ignominy How ‘arrogance’ and ‘complacency’ led to United States’ decline Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings? Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final
2023-08-08 21:59
Boss Julen Lopetegui reportedly holding crunch talks with Wolves ahead of season
Julen Lopetegui is reportedly holding crunch talks with Wolves which could see him leave his role as head coach just days before their Premier League opener against Manchester United on Monday. The Spaniard is said to have headed into conversations with the club’s hierarchy on Tuesday morning following rumours of his ongoing dissatisfaction over their transfer activity this summer. Former Spain and Real Madrid boss Lopetegui, 56, took over in November with Wolves bottom of the table and he guided them to safety with a 13th-placed finish. Wolves have sold a number of first-team players including Ruben Neves, Conor Coady, Nathan Collins and Raul Jimenez this summer and have only brought in two on free transfers – Matt Doherty and Tom King. Lopetegui revealed his frustration at Wolves’ situation last month, telling Guillem Balague’s Pure Football podcast: “It was bad news for me. I tried in the summer. This was plan A. We went to a plan B, trying to think about cost-effective players, but it’s true at the moment, we can’t develop this plan, too. “We lost a lot of players and we think the club want to sell more players. In this situation, we need players to balance the squad and be competitive in the Premier League. “I know the sporting director, Matt Hobbs and the recruitment – all this team – have worked very hard to have a plan A and plan B, but unfortunately we can’t develop this plan.” Wolves chairman Jeff Shi published an open letter on the club website over the weekend, detailing their battle to comply with the Premier League’s rules on profitability and sustainability. Former Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil is the early favourite to take the reins, with Wolves reported to have held talks with the 40-year-old following his own shock exit from the Vitality Stadium at the end of last season.
2023-08-08 21:52
Messi's exit leaves a big hole at PSG as the club frets over Mbappe and Neymar
There’s a big hole in the Paris Saint-Germain locker room where Lionel Messi used to sit
2023-08-08 21:47
Colombia overcome Jamaica - and show why they will scare England
It only took a moment for Jamaica’s plan to unravel. After keeping three clean sheets in their historic progression from the group stages, a goal was all it took for their World Cup dream to finally appear out of reach. As Deneisha Blackwood was caught under the high ball, Colombia found the quality they had long been searching for: Catalina Usme cushioned it perfectly on her left foot and a step later, it was guided into the far corner. For the first time in four matches at this World Cup, Jamaica and goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer conceded, and if this last-16 tie desperately needed a goal, so did Colombia’s entire approach. After taking the lead, they finally began to look like the team that shocked Germany in topping Group H, and who will now look to do the same against England in the quarter-finals. Playing Jamaica didn’t suit them. Facing the Lionesses might. When Colombia stunned the World Cup and beat Germany, it was a victory built on how effectively they disrupted the two-time champions when they were in possession. Not having as much of the ball allowed Colombia to pick, press and frustrate. But in the last-16 it was Jamaica who were succeeding in frustrating them. Jamaica barely left their half when the game was goalless, sitting deep and cancelling Colombia out with their defensive shape and resilience. Colombia were faced with having to create their own impetus, they struggled for fluency in a poor game and Jamaica’s plan, for 51 minutes at least, was working. But then Usme struck and as Jamaica were forced to open up, Colombia were released. They became the side that England will not enjoy facing, as Linda Caicedo showed the glimpses that the Lionesses need to somehow control. Colombia immediately looked more threatening as Caicedo, a nimble and electric dribbler from the left, had space to weave and drive. A goal up, Colombia were able to combine their combativeness in midfield with the 18-year-old’s speed and quality in attack. It should concern England, who were disrupted by Haiti in their opening game while being stretched by Michelle Dumornay. They are likely to face a similar challenge in Colombia, yet the South American side, who reached the final of last year’s Copa America, have a much sharper and more experienced edge. Of course, England have since settled on a new formation since that ragged opening display against Haiti and Dumornay, although the future of Sarina Wiegman’s 3-5-2 could also be now under consideration due to Lauren James’ suspension. What the system has given England is greater defensive solidity and the Lionesses have yet to concede from open play at the World Cup. They came under significant spells of pressure against Nigeria, but England still did not concede as many high-quality chances than they did against Haiti. Wiegman’s side have been less open and more disciplined with Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood alongside Millie Bright. Even as Nigeria targeted the sides of England’s back three, in what was an excellent tactical performance from Randy Waldrum’s side, Carter and Greenwood’s individual defending was exceptional. It will need to be again on Saturday, with Carter facing the eye-catching Caicedo and Greenwood likely to face the unpredictable Mayra Ramírez, who has licence to roam inside from the right channel. If England do keep their 3-5-2 and look to control possession, Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly will again be asked to push high and wide, leaving Carter and Greenwood with another match of considerable defensive responsibility. Jamaica would have been a completely different test and had they defeated Colombia, Lorne Donaldson’s side would have played the same way against England. That they reached the last-16 at all was credit to their remarkable defensive organisation but it only took a moment for that to slip as Blackwood was caught under the switch to the far post. Jamaica finished the World Cup having scored once and conceded once - that they reached the last-16 at all was a remarkable achievement. Jamaica’s late assault on the Colombia goal was too little and too late. Drew Spence’s header that sneaked past the post was the closest they came, but Jamaica may regret not showing more adventure in the first half and they struggled to bring Khadija Shaw into the match. The Lionesses would have been more confident facing a low block, although it is aso fair to question whether Wiegman’s side would have been anywhere near as dangerous without James when they thrashed China 6-1 in the group stages. But that performance and Wiegman’s deployment of 3-5-2 came with China in mind. The England manager needed a response after two uninspiring 1-0 wins against Haiti and Denmark, and so found the formation that unlocked something new and unpredictable from England while exploiting China’s obdurate system. Now James’ suspension has given Wiegman a reason to go on the front foot again, and to make the changes that will cover for the absence of their star forward, but to pick holes in Colombia as well. And with their quarter-final opponent set, Wiegman and England can get to work. Read More 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 Lauren James apologises after World Cup red card Lauren James apologises after World Cup red card Trump goes on unhinged rant blaming Biden and ‘wokeness’ for USWNT’s World Cup loss A timeline of Donald Trump’s spat with Megan Rapinoe
2023-08-08 21:27
France ends Morocco's run and advances to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup
France has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup by beating Morocco 4-0
2023-08-08 21:24
Roy Keane ends long standing feud with Man Utd with intense kit launch video
Roy Keane looks to have patched up his issues with the Manchester United hierarchy after taking part in the intense new kit launch with the club. The former player and United captain stars in the new promotional clip for the side, which references his infamous “prawn sandwich brigade” comments which took aim at elements of the fans inside Old Trafford. In fact, his relationship with United has been a little uneasy after his acrimonious exit as a player in 2005, but it looks like things have been somewhat resolved. The new clip sees him ponder the “deal” that players and supporters sign ‘before they’re even born’, considering what it really means to be a United fan. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The new white third kit features a red devil emblem on the jersey, with Keane walking out onto the playing surface at Old Trafford and telling fans to sign the deal “on the dotted line”. “So you’re a devil are you? Well let’s remind you of the terms,” Keane says in the clip. “The devil isn’t something you wear. It’s more like a pact, a deal, shall we say. “It’s not for everyone. We expect a lot. And as sure as the sun will rise, we will know if you mean it. So have a good long think. “What do you get in return? What’s on offer? It’s Manchester United. “So there it is. No small print. Sign on the dotted line. But you already signed, didn’t you? Before you were even born.” The clip also features players Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacha and Casemiro and sparked a big reaction among United fans. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-08-08 20:59
Barcelona and Madrid face uncertainty ahead of Spanish league season. Atletico could take advantage
The Spanish league begins this week with the title favorites facing a transition year and squad changes that might open the door for other challengers
2023-08-08 20:51
Lauren James apologises to Michelle Alozie and vows to learn from incident
Lauren James has apologised to Michelle Alozie for the incident which led to her being sent off during England’s last-16 World Cup win over Nigeria and vowed to learn from the experience. The forward was dismissed for deliberately standing on the back of Nigeria defender Alozie with three minutes of normal time remaining in Brisbane. England survived the dismissal to advance to the quarter-finals 4-2 on penalties after the game finished goalless following extra time. In response to a tweet from Alozie, James posted: “All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. “Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.” James became the fourth England player to be sent off in a World Cup knockout match after David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and current Lionesses captain Millie Bright. England boss Sarina Wiegman admitted James had “lost her emotions” during a moment of indiscretion which could see the 21-year-old miss the remainder of the World Cup through suspension. Opponent Alozie had earlier tweeted in defence of James. She posted: “Abeg, rest. We are playing on the world’s stage. This game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments. All respect for Lauren James.” James faces an automatic one-match ban, which could be extended to three games by FIFA’s disciplinary committee. England take on Colombia in the last eight on Saturday in Sydney. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-08-08 19:59
Newcastle buys England U21 defender Tino Livramento from Southampton for reported $38M
Newcastle has bought England under-21 defender Tino Livramento from Southampton for a fee reported to be worth at least $38 million
2023-08-08 19:52