Category Other

SANTA CLARA, California — Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato have both been named to start for the Socceroos against Paraguay as Tony Popovic swings six changes in pursuit of a spot in the FIFA World Cup knockouts. Irankunda and Volpato enter the XI alongside Connor Metcalfe, Lucas Herrington, Aziz Behich and Jackson Irvine, with Mohamed Toure, Cameron Burgess, Nishan Velupillay and Paul Okon making way alongside the injured duo of…

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called Mikel Oyarzabal “a great among greats” on Thursday, saying the forward is “finally” getting the praise he deserves after his World Cup brace against Saudi Arabia. Oyarzabal, 29, scored twice and created the opener for Lamine Yamal in Sunday’s 4-0 victory in Atlanta to get Spain back on track in Group H, ahead of Friday’s clash with Uruguay at the…

Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni says France are on a mission to make absent coach Didier Deschamps proud by securing top spot in World Cup Group I. Deschamps will miss Friday’s clash with Norway in Foxborough after returning home following the death of his mother. Les Bleus and Norway are level on six points and have already secured progression to the knockout stages thanks to respective victories over Senegal and Iraq. “On…

José Mourinho has denied that he wants to oversee a dressing room overhaul at Real Madrid, saying he wants the team’s top players to stay and turn their form around. Madrid have already signed Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konaté for Mourinho ahead of next season, while president Florentino Pérez also made signing Denzel Dumfries one of his election promises. The LaLiga giants have gone two seasons without winning…

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Gonzalo Plata poked the ball past Manuel Neuer in the 77th minute, and Ecuador advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup by rallying for a 2-1 win over Germany on Thursday. Germany, who clinched first place in Group E with victories in their first two games, went ahead on Leroy Sané‘s second-minute goal. Nilson Angulo scored Ecuador’s first goal of the tournament in the…

Czechia forward Patrik Schick announced his retirement from international soccer on Thursday, just hours after his team was eliminated from the World Cup. “Today, my national team chapter is coming to an end,” the 30-year-old Bayer Leverkusen player said in a statement on Instagram. Schick made his debut in May 2016 against Malta in a friendly and won 56 caps, totaling 26 goals. He scored on his debut, but didn’t…

FIFA on Thursday reiterated fans will not be prohibited from bringing rainbow flags inside of Seattle’s Lumen Field for Friday’s decisive Group G World Cup match between Egypt and Iran, despite objections from each countries’ respective federations. Seattle PrideFest, which has been organized in the city since 2007 by a nonprofit, designated the June 26 game for celebration before FIFA made the World Cup draw. But leaders in each nation’s…

Winger Nico Williams said he’s ready to join teammate Lamine Yamal in Spain‘s starting 11 in their crucial Group H game with Uruguay on Friday. Spain top the group ahead of the match in Guadalajara, Mexico — after beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their last game, with back-from-injury Yamal playing a starring role — but still need a result to confirm their qualification in first place, and avoid a potential…