KANSAS CITY – Despite his recent struggles, Lionel Messi will continue to take Argentina‘s penalty kicks unless he decides not to, according to Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni. “First of all, Leo will take penalties if he wants to,” Scaloni said Friday in his press conference the day before Argentina’s FIFA World Cup quarterfinal matchup with Switzerland. “We have other players capable of taking them, but if he wants to…
Argentina defender Cristian Romero pointed out the ongoing defensive issues his team must fix to be successful in the quarterfinal match against Switzerland on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. The defending World Cup champions have conceded four goals in their last two games and it’s a sticking point that bother Romero. “We’re doing well, though there are certainly things to improve,” Romero told reporters on Friday. “We’ve conceded four goals in…
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Harry Kane played down comparisons with Erling Haaland on Friday and vowed England are ready to peak in the World Cup’s latter stages. The Three Lions face Norway at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday for a place in the semifinals with Kane and Haaland both in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot. France‘s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina‘s Lionel Messi lead the way on eight goals…
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Belgium manager Rudy Garcia bemoaned the fact that lady luck wasn’t on his team’s side in the Red Devils’ 2-1 World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Spain. The two teams traded first half goals at SoFi Stadium on Friday, with Fabián Ruiz netting for La Roja in the 30th minute, but Belgium striking back 11 minutes later through Charles De Ketelaere. Spain, as is its habit, had a…
EAST RUTHERFORD, N,.J. — Even the field for the World Cup final is for sale. FIFA, accused of charging high prices for this year’s tournament in the United States, is selling the grass that will be used for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at $450 per piece. – FIFA selling 1,200 WCup final tickets at $7,380 – Haaland is not just Norway’s talisman, but also…
Spain substitute Mikel Merino was left lost for words after netting a late winner for the second game running as La Roja beat Belgium 2-1 to set up a World Cup semifinal with France. Arsenal midfielder Merino came on in the 86th minute in Los Angeles and took just two minutes to fire home the decisive goal after substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens had parried Pau Cubarsí‘s drive. It was the…
Marc Guéhi and Declan Rice handed England a fitness boost as they both trained ahead of the World Cup quarterfinal with Norway in Miami. Sources told ESPN that Guéhi had picked up a hamstring injury, while Rice has been struck by a stomach bug following last weekend’s win in Mexico. However, they trained with the rest of the group at Inter Miami’s training facilities on the eve of the last-eight…
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – In an outcome that felt inevitable for most of the game, Spain beat Belgium 2-1 with a late goal from a familiar face on Friday. Mikel Merino, the matchwinner in the round of 16 against Portugal, pounced on a spilled save by Belgium backup Senne Lammens to finish into the roof of the net at SoFi Stadium and send Spain into the semifinals of the FIFA World…
The Colombia federation on Friday condemned death threats directed at midfielder Jáminton Campaz and his family following the national team’s elimination from the World Cup. Colombia‘s tournament ended Tuesday in a penalty shootout loss to Switzerland in the round of 16. During extra time, Campaz — who plays for Argentine club Rosario Central — missed a critical scoring opportunity when his shot went wide. “No athlete, nor any member of…
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken has said their opponents England have more pressure on them ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday in Miami and added the game is more than just Harry Kane vs. Erling Haaland. Norway defeated the Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout stages of the World Cup to tee up their quarterfinal with Thomas Tuchel’s side in a sweltering Miami.…