Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

England’s football manager Gareth Southgate, Serbia’s head coach Dragan Stojkovic and Denmark’s head coach Kasper Hjulmand of Group C pose next to the trophy after the final draw for the UEFA Euro 2024 European Championship football competition in Hamburg on Dec. 2, 2023. (AFP)

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Updated 02 December 2023

AFP

December 02, 2023 21:25

Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

Much-fancied England will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia Hosts
Germany take on Scotland in the tournament’s opening game on June 14 in Munich

Updated 02 December 2023

AFP

December 02, 2023 21:25

HAMBURG, Germany: Reigning champions Italy were placed in the same group as Spain in Saturday’s draw for Euro 2024, while France will come up against the Netherlands.
Much-fancied England will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the tournament’s opening game on June 14 in Munich.
Italy, who beat England on penalties at Wembley in the final of the last European Championship in 2021, and Spain will also face Croatia and Albania in Group B.
Spain, victors over Italy in the final of Euro 2012, will take on 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia in their opening match in Berlin on June 15.
The meeting of France, the 2022 World Cup runners-up, and the Netherlands will be the other heavyweight tie of the opening phase.
They were in the same section in qualifying, with France winning both encounters. The two nations are in Group D along with Austria and a play-off winner, which will be one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
England, in contrast, will have few complaints about their opponents in Group C, although a Denmark side ranked 19th in the world were arguably the team to avoid from the second pot of seeds.
Gareth Southgate’s team, considered the favorites along with France for the tournament, will take on Serbia in their opening game in Gelsenkirchen on June 16.
Scotland, who famously lost to Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup, will again have the honor of featuring in the tournament’s curtain-raiser when they meet Germany to start in Group A.
Hungary and Switzerland complete that section, which could be one of the most evenly-matched.
Euro 2016 winners Portugal were drawn in Group F with Turkiye, the Czech Republic and a play-off winner from either Greece, Georgia, Luxembourg or Kazakhstan.
Belgium are in Group E alongside Slovakia, Romania and the winner of the other play-off path, which will be Israel, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine.
The month-long Euro will conclude with the final in Berlin on July 14.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the last 16, along with the four best third-placed sides.

Vintage Messi nets hat trick as Argentina hit Bolivia for six

Updated 16 October 2024

AFP

October 16, 2024 07:29

Vintage Messi nets hat trick as Argentina hit Bolivia for six

The 37-year-old provided an emphatic reminder of his enduring quality with three clinical finishes
Brazil continued to ease any concerns about their qualification chances with a comfortable 4-0 win over Peru in Brasilia

Updated 16 October 2024

AFP

October 16, 2024 07:29

MONTEVIDEO: Lionel Messi struck a vintage hat trick as world champions Argentina romped to a 6-0 win over Bolivia in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old provided an emphatic reminder of his enduring quality with three clinical finishes, two assists and some of his trademark creativity throughout the game as Lionel Scaloni’s side dominated.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Bolivian defender Marcelo Suarez was robbed by Lautaro Martinez, who sent Messi clear and he cleverly slotted into the bottom corner.

The home crowd at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium were on their feet again in the 43rd minute when Julian Alvarez threaded a brilliant pass through to Messi, who unselfishly squared the ball to Martinez to finish.

Three minutes later, Alvarez was on target himself when Bolivia were caught sleeping at a free-kick, Messi chipping the ball over the top and the Atletico Madrid forward slotted home.

After the break, Nicolas Otamendi had a header ruled out for offside but the home fans didn’t have long to wait for the fourth when Thiago Almada side-footed home after a superb pull-back from Nahuel Molina

A classic Messi goal made it 5-0 in the 84th — the Inter Miami forward dribbling centrally before switching from his left foot to his right and burying the ball into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later and some fans were in tears after Messi cut in from the right, played a smart wall pass off substitute Nico Paz and again put the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.

Argentina are top of the 10-team table with 22 points from 10 games — three points clear of second-place Colombia, who crushed Chile 4-0 in Barranquilla.

There was a different look to the team, wearing a special retro white kit, marking the Colombian Football Federation’s centenary, featuring the national flag’s colors in a hoop.

It was a dashing design and the performance of Nestor Lorenzo’s team was equally stylish taking apart a woeful Chile side that remain rooted last in the ten-team qualifying group.

Defender Davinson Sanchez opened the scoring in the 34th minute, nodding home after Jhon Lucumi had headed a James Rodriguez corner goalwards.

Jhon Cordoba slotted home a Diaz cross in the 45th minute but the effort was ruled out for offside against Diaz.

Chile gifted the Colombians a second, seven minutes after the interval, when Benjamin Kusevic gave the ball away to Rodriguez, who squared to Liverpool winger Luis Diaz to convert.

Substitute Jhon Duran made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute after another giveaway, this time in midfield, allowed Sinisterra to break and then feed the Aston Villa forward, who made no mistake and Sinisterra then wrapped up the win in stoppage time.

Brazil continued to ease any concerns about their qualification chances with a comfortable 4-0 win over Peru in Brasilia.

A pair of penalties converted by Barcelona winger Raphinha put the record five-time World Cup winners on their way — the first coming in the 38th minute when Carlos Zambrano handled in the box and the second in the 54th minute after the same defender brought down Savinho.

But there was more to appreciate in the third goal, in the 71st minute, with Andreas Pereira producing a superb scissor-kick volley from a Luiz Henrique cross from the right.

Luiz Henrique completed the rout in spectacular style with a brilliant left-foot drive from outside the box to make it 4-0 and leave Brazil in fourth.

Paraguay boosted their chances of grabbing one of the six automatic qualification spots after substitute Antonio Sanabria scored twice in a 2-1 win over Venezuela.

Full-back Jon Aramburu put Venezuela ahead in the 25th minute, bursting down the right and collecting a pass from Yeferson Soteldo that he buried in the bottom corner.

Torino striker Sanabria was introduced at the interval and he brought sixth-placed Paraguay level when he slid in to meet a low cross from Junior Alonso.

Sanabria then grabbed the winner in the 74th minute, leading a counter-attack before getting into the box to finish off the move with a header from close range.

Uruguay and Ecuador played out a goalless draw.

Topics: 2024 World Cup qualifiers Argentina Lionel Messi Bolivia

Lenovo will be FIFA’s technology partner for 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup

Updated 16 October 2024

October 16, 2024 03:21

Lenovo will be FIFA’s technology partner for 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup

Infantino: At FIFA, we are committed to growing the game globally and making football accessible for all — and we are excited to welcome Lenovo to our journey
Lenovo will supply ThinkPad laptops and tablets as well as Motorola mobile phones for the tournaments to the competing teams, FIFA’s staff and the various host nation organizing committees

Updated 16 October 2024

October 16, 2024 03:21

Lenovo has signed on to be the official technology partner for FIFA, which includes the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico as well as the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The announcement was made during Lenovo’s Tech World innovation event in Seattle on Tuesday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement the deal will continue to upgrade fan experiences as well as continue to make data more accessible to fans and teams.

“At FIFA, we are committed to growing the game globally and making football accessible for all — and we are excited to welcome Lenovo to our journey, and to work with them to implement technologies, innovations and programs that spread our sport. Data and technology combined helps us to know fans better,” he said.

The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 through July 19 in 16 cities throughout North America. It will also see the tournament expand from 32 to 48 teams.

The 2027 Women’s World Cup will feature 32 teams, but the dates and host cities in Brazil have not been finalized.

Jeff Shafer, Lenovo’s head of corporate marketing, said there have been been multiple meetings with FIFA about the role of artificial intelligence in helping teams and fans better understand all the data produced during a match, but that any ideas or upgrades are still in the planning stages.

“Technology and football will absolutely enhance the experience for viewers at a specific level. That’s stuff that we’re working on right now. But we already, I think, have some really amazing and interesting ideas brewing,” Shafer said.

Lenovo will supply ThinkPad laptops and tablets as well as Motorola mobile phones for the tournaments to the competing teams, FIFA’s staff and the various host nation organizing committees.

FIFA had a significant amount of data during the recent World Cup tournaments, including detailed match reports breaking down all facets of play. Data used to be limited to possession percentages and shots, but with players wearing devices tracking movement as well as chips in soccer balls, data is available to analyze a team’s offensive formation shape or to help referee’s on offsides calls.

The available data can also be used during the game for graphics used on television or to relay statistics inside the stadium. FIFA has a six member technical study group which helps analyze data during tournaments as well as give insights and observations.

Shafer noted most of the upgrades to the fan experience will mostly begin with helping teams and players in analyzing data.

“Technology can level the playing field. The data is already there, but you’ve got some disparity between the haves and have nots within global football,” he said. “If we can provide technology that gives one or two people the ability to analyze date with some sort of competitive equality to those countries that have 10 or 15 people able to do that, it really brings a lot to the table.”

Lenovo’s addition as a FIFA partner also joins recent sponsorship announcements from Bank of America, Lays and Verizon.

“Lenovo is proud to support FIFA’s vision of leveraging technology to elevate the game, enhance the fan experience worldwide, and foster innovation that levels the playing field. We’re excited that our cutting-edge technology and AI innovation will take center stage in the upcoming tournaments, demonstrating to the world the transformative power of smarter technology,” Lenovo chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang said in a statement.

Topics: FIFA FIFA World Cup 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027

Ronaldo frustrated as Scotland hold Portugal

Updated 16 October 2024

AFP

October 16, 2024 00:03

Ronaldo frustrated as Scotland hold Portugal

Updated 16 October 2024

AFP

October 16, 2024 00:03

GLASGOW: Scotland frustrated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in a 0-0 draw at Hampden on Tuesday to avoid losing five consecutive competitive games for the first time ever.
The home side needed a wonder save from Craig Gordon to deny Bruno Fernandes a winner in the closing stages, but held out to secure their first point in the top tier of the Nations League.
Portugal remain on top of Group A1 but were made to wait to book their place in March’s quarter-finals.
On his 216th international appearance, Ronaldo made his 200th start for his country, more than 21 years on from his first.
However, the 39-year-old failed to add to his 133 Portugal goals and stormed off the field at full-time ranting at the officials.
Scotland have won just one of their last 16 games — a 2-0 friendly victory over Gibraltar in June — and remain without a victory in a competitive match for over a year.
But Steve Clarke’s men battled hard to stop the rot in Glasgow.
Scotland even had the best chance of the first half inside the opening five minutes when Scott McTominay headed too close to Diogo Costa from point-blank range.
Portugal quickly took control of possession without creating clear-cut chances.
Francisco Conceicao spooned over early in the second period from Ronaldo’s lay-off.
Ronaldo then fired inches wide after making himself room for a shot amid a flurry of desperate challenges from Scottish defenders.
But it was Fernandes who had the best chance to claim all three points when the Manchester United captain’s powerful low strike was brilliantly parried by Gordon and collected at the second attempt by the 41-year-old goalkeeper.
Scotland are still on course for relegation from the top tier of the Nations League as they trail Poland, who drew 3-3 with Croatia, by three points with two games remaining.
Croatia sit second, three points behind the Portuguese, who they host next month.

Topics: Portugal Scotland UEFA Nations League Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe’s representatives say reports footballer faces rape probe are ‘false’ and a ‘slanderous rumor’

Updated 15 October 2024

Reuters

October 15, 2024 20:34

Kylian Mbappe’s representatives say reports footballer faces rape probe are ‘false’ and a ‘slanderous rumor’

Swedish public broadcaster SVT and dailies Expressen and Aftonbladet, citing unnamed sources, reported that Mbappe, 25, was a suspect in the case
Mbappe’s representatives at PR firm Patricia Goldman said: “These accusations are totally false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable”

Updated 15 October 2024

Reuters

October 15, 2024 20:34

STOCKHOLM/PARIS: Allegations of rape against French footballer Kylian Mbappe are “totally false” and “a slanderous rumor,” his representatives said on Tuesday, following media reports that he was the subject of an investigation over an incident in a Stockholm hotel on Oct. 10.
Swedish prosecutors confirmed in a statement in response to the media coverage that a probe into an alleged rape at a hotel in central Stockholm had been opened, but did not identify a suspect.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT and dailies Expressen and Aftonbladet, citing unnamed sources, reported that Mbappe, 25, was a suspect in the case.
“A new slanderous rumor is starting to ignite the web,” a statement sent to Reuters by Mbappe’s representatives at PR firm Patricia Goldman said. “These accusations are totally false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable.
“Kylian Mbappe will under no circumstances tolerate his integrity, reputation and honor being sullied by unfounded insinuations.”
Mbappe posted a link to a French media story on the matter on X and wrote: “Fake News!!!!“
The France national team captain and Real Madrid forward had been on a private trip to the Nordic country’s capital last week with a group of friends, Swedish media reported.
Mbappe and his friends left Sweden on Friday Oct. 11. A report of the allegations against Mbappe was made to police by an unidentified victim the following day, Expressen and daily Aftonbladet reported.
“In response to media reports about a suspected rape in Stockholm, the prosecutor can confirm that a criminal report has been submitted to the police,” the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
Reuters could not independently confirm the identity of the alleged victim or the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
Senior Prosecutor Marina Chirakova declined to comment further when reached by Reuters.
SVT and tabloid Expressen, citing unnamed sources, reported that the level of suspicion directed at Mbappe by investigators was “reasonable” — the lower of the two levels in the Swedish legal system. The higher level, “probable suspicion,” is usually required to have a suspect remanded in custody.
Mbappe trained with his Real Madrid teammates on Tuesday. The club did not immediately respond when asked if they were aware of the investigation and whether it had been contacted by the Swedish authorities.

Topics: Kylian Mbappé France Sweden rape

France will host Israel in the Nations League ‘under usual conditions,’ French authorities say

Updated 15 October 2024

October 15, 2024 16:58

France will host Israel in the Nations League ‘under usual conditions,’ French authorities say

The match at the Stade de France on Nov. 14 will be played “under the usual conditions for a Nations League match and will of course be open to the public”
Italy beat Israel 4-1 in the Nations League on Monday

Updated 15 October 2024

October 15, 2024 16:58

PARIS: Israel’s Nations League soccer match against host France next month will take place in “usual conditions,” French authorities said Tuesday, a day after Italy hosted Israel in the same competition without incident despite security concerns.
Laurent Nuñez, the Paris police prefect, said in a statement that the match at the Stade de France on Nov. 14 will be played “under the usual conditions for a Nations League match and will of course be open to the public.”
Italy beat Israel 4-1 in the Nations League on Monday, with the game being played against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which has spread to Lebanon after more than a year-long war in Gaza.
It was the first match Israel have played outside neutral Hungary this year. After the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7 last year, the national soccer team played in Kosovo and Andorra last November.
All Israel matches since then have been in Hungary, including last month’s game against Belgium in the Nations League after the Belgian Football Association refused to host the game for security reasons.

Topics: War on Gaza Israel France Nations League

Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

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Vintage Messi nets hat trick as Argentina hit Bolivia for six

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Lenovo will be FIFA’s technology partner for 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup

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Kylian Mbappe’s representatives say reports footballer faces rape probe are ‘false’ and a ‘slanderous rumor’

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Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

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Vintage Messi nets hat trick as Argentina hit Bolivia for six

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