Iran left a handwritten note in their dressing room at SoFi Stadium after their 0-0 draw with Belgium on Sunday, thanking the people of Los Angeles for their hospitality. The message, which was left after Iran played both of their first two World Cup games in Los Angeles, added that the team will leave the city “with dignity.” The news comes three days after Iran’s football federation said it was…
Djed Spence revealed it is not just him in the firing line of England boss Thomas Tuchel after clips of him getting told off in training went viral. The Tottenham full-back was in Tuchel’s bad books when he made a slow start to an open training session on Saturday. Tuchel was heard shouting “Djed, Djed, Djed wake up! Wake up!” after the player hesitated during a passing drill. But Spence…
Neymar completed his first full training session with Brazil on Sunday. The Santos forward is expected to feature in Wednesday’s Group C encounter against Scotland in Miami Gardens, Florida. Neymar missed Brazil’s first two games of the World Cup, including Friday’s 3-0 win over Haiti, with a right calf injury. The Santos star took to social media to express his delight at training with the rest of the group for…
Cape Verde coach Bubista said he was “upset” after a Uruguay player broke off from helping treat one of his players for cramp to join the attack that led to the South Americans’ equaliser. Cape Verde held a 1-0 lead heading towards half-time after a stunning free-kick from Kevin Pina, but entered the break behind. Uruguay’s first goal came in unusual circumstances as Federico Viñas, who had been holding up…
ARLINGTON, Texas — Argentina national team manager Lionel Scaloni said the newly implemented hydration breaks at the FIFA World Cup make for a fragmented match, sometimes giving the weaker side an advantage for the second part of the half. “There are no easy games, especially in the group stage,” Scaloni told reporters Sunday. “Historically, but now also with the 48-team format, the group stage has always been hard. Now with…
Cape Verde‘s magical start to its first World Cup isn’t over. It might just be getting started. The tiny island nation that stunned tournament favorite Spain last week did it again against Uruguay on Sunday, coming from behind for a 2-2 draw. Kevin Pina scored on a free kick for Cape Verde’s first-ever goal in the World Cup, and Hélio Varela scored the equalizer for what has become one of…
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team played a “beautiful game” under the worst possible conditions in their 0-0 draw with Belgium at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. Among the reasons Ghalenoei listed that made life difficult on his team were short travel windows, visa complications entering the United States and Mexico in recent weeks, almost no time to properly prepare the team ahead of the tournament and…
Brazil playmaker Lucas Paquetá says he has “great respect” for Scotland ahead of the decisive clash between the teams in Miami on Wednesday. The five-time world champions sit top of Group C after following up their 1-1 draw with Morocco by beating Haiti 3-0 on Friday evening. – How can teams qualify for knockout rounds of World Cup? – Key Scotland trio miss training with injuries – Brazil’s Raphinha (thigh)…
Austria defender Stefan Posch will be available to play Monday against defending champion Argentina after sustaining a broken jaw in his team’s win to open this World Cup. Coach Ralf Rangnick said Sunday that Posch, who went through full training the day before the match, had to go to Los Angeles twice to get fitted for a protective jaw brace that will allow him to play despite the injury. Posch…
BERKELEY, California – Socceroo assistant Mile Jedinak has pushed back on criticisms of the side’s approach in their 2-0 defeat to the United States, believing that a positive second-half has already laid the platform for a bounce-back against Paraguay. Jumped on by a relentless United States straight from the opening kickoff, the Socceroos fell to a 2-0 defeat against the hosts in Seattle last Friday, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side locking…