Page 4 - Football

ISL 2024: Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC face off in top-of-the-table clash

Early high-flyers Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC will face off in a top-of-the-table clash of the Indian Super League here on Friday, both looking to outdo each other in the battle for supremacy. BFC will have the home crowd backing them at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Last season's 10th and 8th-place finishers, respectively, these two sides have defied expectations to emerge as frontrunners in the ongoing campaign. Notably, they are the only teams yet to suffer a defeat in this edition, making this clash even more significant. Under the tactical guidance of Gerard Zaragoza, Bengaluru FC started the season in impeccable fashion, achieving defensive solidity with four consecutive clean sheets -- a record-equalling feat in ISL history. Their last season's struggles seem like a distant memory as the team has found a perfect balance in both defence and attack. They have scored 3 plus goals in their last two home games. If they manage to repeat this against Punjab FC, it will mark their .

Tuchel's appointment as England football team's coach sparks controversy

The question was inevitable. At his first news conference as England's newly appointed head coach, Thomas Tuchel a German was asked on Wednesday what message he had for fans who would have preferred an Englishman in charge of their beloved national team. I'm sorry, I just have a German passport, he said, laughing, and went on to profess his love for English football and the country itself. I will do everything to show respect to this role and to this country. The soccer rivalry between England and Germany runs deep and it's likely Tuchel's passport will be used against him if he doesn't deliver results for a nation that hasn't lifted a men's trophy since 1966. But his appointment as England's third foreign coach shows that, increasingly, even the top countries in the sport are abandoning the long-held belief that the national team must be led by one of their own. Four of the top nine teams in the FIFA world rankings now have foreign coaches. Even in Germany, a four-time World Cup

Thomas Tuchel hired as England football head coach ahead of 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel was hired as England coach on Wednesday and will take on the challenge of ending the national team's decades-long wait for a trophy. The German, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, will begin his tenure in January ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The English Football Association said Tuchel had been identified as the "preferred candidate" after what it described as an extensive search to replace Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after the European Championship in July. Tuchel won major trophies in Germany, France and England and is England's third foreign coach, after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. He succeeds one of England's most successful coaches in Southgate, who led the country to back-to-back European Championship finals and a World Cup semifinals. Southgate stepped down after eight years following defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024. The FA said it had interviewed several candidates .

FIFA president Gianni Infantino tours Seattle ahead of next year's Club WC

Seattle's Lumen Field will host six games during next year's Club World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. The Seattle Sounders, which earned a spot in the competition by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, will host all three of their group matches at their home stadium. Three other matches will also be played at Lumen Field, one of 12 stadiums that will host a total of 63 games during the tournament. The event, which is now set to be played every four years, will include an expanded field of 32 teams from FIFA's six soccer confederations. "I arrived yesterday and visited Lumen Field. Great arena, very special arena which has a special soul, a special heart inside," Infantino said on Tuesday. "You can feel it when you are in some stadiums, they don't have to be the biggest or the most special. This one is very special." The tournament is set to start on June 15 and run through July 13, with the final set for New Jersey's MetLife Stadium also the site of the 2026

Lenovo to be FIFA's technology partner for 2026 WC and 2027 Women's WC

Lenovo has signed on to be the official technology partner for FIFA, which includes the 2026 World Cup in the United States, 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 programmes 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 da

UEFA Nations League: Ronaldo held scoreless as Portugal draw with Scotland

Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless and Portugal lost its perfect record in the Nations League after a 0-0 draw at Scotland. Portugal had won its first three matches in the competition but couldn't find a breakthrough against the Scots at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday. Ronaldo, sitting on 133 international goals, had a few good chances to break the deadlock. He seemed upset with the referee after the game ended, leaving the field with a sarcastic applause, waving his arms and with thumbs down. Portugal had beaten Croatia, Scotland and Poland in Group A1, which it still leads with 10 points, three more than Croatia and six more than Poland. Last-place Scotland stayed on one point. It came into the match on a nine-match winless streak and had lost four games in a row. "There was a lot missing for Portugal tonight," midfielder Bernardo Silva said. "We lacked intensity, didn't attack at the right moments. We leave here frustrated." The top two nations in each group will advanc

Messi equals Ronaldo's record, check full list of most int'l hattricks

An all-round performance from the talisman saw him registering 2 assists along with his hattrick to complete a five-star performance on the night.

Ashalata to become 1st Indian woman footballer to play 100 int'l matches

Captain Ashalata Devi will become the first Indian woman footballer to play 100 international matches when she takes the field in the SAFF Championship opening match against Pakistan here on Thursday. The 31-year-old Manipuri made her India debut in the pre-Olympics tournament in Dhaka against Bangladesh in March 2011, and the star defender has come a long way since then. "When she pulled on an Indian shirt for the first time ... in the pre-Olympics in Dhaka against Bangladesh in March 2011, few would have imagined that Ashalata Devi would take Indian women's football by storm in quite the way she has," the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said while hailing Devi's feat. Devi was called up for the India U-17 team in 2008 when she was 15. Born in Imphal, she began playing football at the age of 13. She was initially with the Indian Railways football team and joined New Radiant Women's Football Club of Maldives in 2015. Later, she played for Rising Student Club (Cuttack), KRYPHS

Kylian Mbappe dismisses 'fake news' after being accused of rape in Sweden

The Real Madrid star slammed the 'fake news' and took to his social media to dismiss it as well.

Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson to step down as club ambassador

Manchester United great Alex Ferguson will step down from his role as club ambassador at the end of the season, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced. Ferguson will be 83 in December and the person said the ending of his ambassadorship was amicable and he would always be welcome at Old Trafford. Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles with United and is widely regarded as one of the finest managers in the history of soccer. He is United's most successful manager, having won 28 major trophies. He has been a club ambassador since retiring after leading United to its last league title in 2013. His imminent departure comes at a time when the club is undergoing major change following the partial buyout by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in February. United has undergone an extensive restructuring program following Ratcliffe's investment of $1.3 billio

Tests show no major injury to Lamine Yamal after leaving national squad

Tests have confirmed Lamine Yamal has only a strain in his left hamstring sustained on duty with Spain, Barcelona said Monday. The teenage star underwent the tests after leaving the national squad following the 1-0 win over Denmark in the Nations League on Saturday. Spain said the 17-year-old forward was sent back to his club to avoid the risk of injury. Barcelona did not give a timetable on his return, saying only that he will be out of action until he has fully recovered. Barcelona's next game is at home to Sevilla in the Spanish league on Sunday. Yamal should be available for the matches against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Oct. 23 and the Spanish league clasico at Real Madrid three days later. Yamal will miss the Nations League home game against Serbia on Tuesday. He was a key player in Spain's triumph at this year's European Championship. Coach Luis de la Fuente has called up Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo Riquelme in Yamal's place. Yamal has played 11 games and sco

Nigeria's football team stuck at Libya airport, boycott AFCON qualifier

Nigeria's soccer players said on Monday they will boycott their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya, after being stranded overnight at Al Abraq Airport in what the team captain described as mind games. The Super Eagles are scheduled to play the second-leg tie on Tuesday. The first leg, which Nigeria won 1-0 on Friday, involved similar accusations of sabotage from the Libya team. Team captain William Troost-Ekong said the plane had been due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq some 220 kilometers (136 miles) away. It was not immediately clear why the flight was diverted and The Associated Press could not reach the Libyan government for comment. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason," Troost-Ekong said on X. They've locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games. Pictures posted online by the players showed some of them lying on airport .

UEFA Nations League: Portugal vs Scotland, Spain vs Serbia live streaming

2016 Euro winners Portugal are entering the tie with a 100 per cent record in their three games so far. Scotland, however, have not had the best of starts in their three games so far.

UEFA Nations League Highlights: France beat Belgium, Germany win at home

The win took the Italians straight to the top of the table with 10 points in Group 2. They are followed by France and Belgium with 9 and 4 points respectively.

Spain drops Yamal from squad against Serbia amidst injury concerns

Teenage standout Lamine Yamal has left Spain's squad after he strained a muscle in his left leg. Yamal will miss Spain's Nations League home game against Serbia on Tuesday. A day after the 17-year-old forward helped Spain beat Denmark 1-0, the Spanish soccer federation said Sunday that tests indicated the Barcelona star had strained a leg muscle and was being sent back to his club to avoid the risk of injury. Yamal was a key player in Spain's triumph at this year's European Championship. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called up Atletico Madrid player Rodrigo Riquelme in Yamal's place. Barcelona's next game is at home against Sevilla on Oct. 20 in the Spanish league.

Australia to face dominant Japan next in Asian World Cup qualifiers

Australia faces the most daunting road trip in Asia on Tuesday when it faces a dominant Japan at Saitama Stadium, knowing a win would put the Socceroos back on track for a sixth successive World Cup appearance after a mixed start in the third round of qualification. The Group C meeting is also a chance for new coach Tony Popovic, appointed in September to replace Graham Arnold, to make a statement win in his second game in charge and cross swords with a former team-mate. Popovic played for Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1997 to 2001 alongside Hajime Moriyasu now coach of Japan. I know their head coach very well; he was my captain during my time in Japan. A remarkable person who has dedicated years to developing the national team, said Popovic. Japan is on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance with three wins against China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, scoring 14 goals and conceding none. This is undoubtedly a significant challenge, but it also presents a fantas

Pochettino leads US football team to 2-0 win over Panama in debut match

Mauricio Pochettino won his debut as U.S. coach, getting a 49th-minute goal from Yunus Musah off an assist from AC Milan teammate Christian Pulisic and a stoppage-time strike from Ricardo Pepi for a 2-0 win over Panama. The match on Saturday in front of a near-capacity crowd of 20,239 at Q2 Stadium was the first of two friendlies for the US in a four-day span that includes a game against Mexico on Tuesday in Guadalajara. The Americans ended a four-game winless stretch and their first four-game home winless streak since a seven-game slide in 2010-11. A 52-year-old Argentine who managed Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, Pochettino was hired last month to replace Gregg Berhalter, who was fired in July after first-round elimination at the Copa America. Pochettino was given a contract through the 2026 World Cup that the U.S. will co-host and tasked with sparking a team that has not reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002 "Little by little building something. The objectiv

Ronaldo's record goal helps Pourtgal beat Poland 3-1 in the Nations League

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his record-extending 133rd international goal to keep Portugal perfect in the Nations League with a 3-1 win over Poland, and Spain struck late to edge Denmark 1-0. The 39-year-old superstar was there to put in the rebound after Rafael Leo's shot hit the post in the 37th minute on Saturday. That made it 2-0 following Bernardo Silva's opener in Warsaw in the 26th. After failing to find the net in his five appearances at this summer's European Championship with Portugal exiting in the quarterfinals Ronaldo has scored in three straight Nations League matches, including in wins over Croatia his 900th career goal and Scotland last month. Portugal coach Roberto Martnez replaced Ronaldo with Diogo Jota with just under half an hour to play. Midfielder Piotr Zielinski halved the deficit in the 78th for the hosts, only for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek to score an own-goal with two minutes left. Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski started alongside Karol ...

Pochettino era of US soccer begins vs Panama, with eyes on 2026 World Cup

A new era for United States soccer is set to begin, led by an Argentine coach expected to deliver big results at the 2026 World Cup on American soil. Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino makes his U.S. debut in a pair of friendlies, leading the team against Panama on Saturday night in Austin and three days later against Mexico in Guadalajara. Pochettino was not around for the first 26 matches of the World Cup cycle while Gregg Berhalter and three interim coaches were in charge. These games are in the first of eight international windows Pochettino will have to evaluate players and develop tactics before the team reports ahead of the 2026 tournament. Pochettino suggested patience is in order. The coach, his staff and players have spent this week not just training but introducing themselves. Success will be measured by how well the staff and players get to know each other, being organized and sending a clear message from the staff to the players of expectations.

UEFA Nations League Highlights: Germany get 2-1 win, Dutch held by Hungary

Germany's rebuilding appears to be on the right track. Denis Undav scored twice and the four-time World Cup winners extended their unbeaten record in the Nations League to three matches after a convincing 2-1 win at Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday. Reduced to 10 men, the Netherlands managed a 1-1 draw in Hungary. Following the retirements of Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos, Germany started a new cycle and their clean and fluid display against a spirited Bosnia side bodes well for the future. The Germans top their group after also thrashing Hungary 5-0 and drawing in the Netherlands 2-2. In the absence of several stalwarts, the Germans played with confidence, developed complex attacking moves and gave the impression of enjoying themselves. They had plenty of chances to score more and had a couple of goals disallowed for offside. I knew that Bosnia and Herzegovina are good defensively but you have to keep in mind that we had many chances, said Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann. That's why B