Tag: 2014 FIFA World Cup

How to watch as France vs. Brazil highlights exciting Day 10 of Women’s World Cup | CNN

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Women’s World Cup 2023: Live scores, fixtures, results, tables and top scorers

CNN
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Day 10 of the 2023 Women’s World Cup should prove to be a thriller.

Saturday’s action is highlighted by the mouth-watering clash between European giant France and South American juggernaut Brazil, with As Canarinhas knowing a win will secure passage through to the last 16.

Elsewhere, Sweden takes on Italy, before the potentially historic match up between Jamaica and Panama rounds off the day’s action.

In the US, the matches will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream the matches by signing in with your TV provider at foxsports.com or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.

Seven Network and Optus Sport are broadcasting matches in Australia and the BBC and ITV have the rights in the United Kingdom.

A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.

Sweden vs. Italy starts at 3:30 a.m. ET, France vs. Brazil kicks off at 6 a.m. ET and Panama takes on Jamaica at 8:30 a.m. ET.

With victories in their opening Group G matches, and with Argentina and South Africa drawing on Friday, both Sweden and Italy can qualify for the knockout stages with another three points.

Sweden will be the favorite going into Saturday’s first match, but the growth of women’s football in Italy has continued since the national team reached the second round of the knockout stages for the first time in its history four years ago in France.

The Swedes needed a 90th-minute winner to edge past South Africa in its opening group match, denying Banyana Banyana a first ever Women’s World Cup point, and will certainly need to improve significantly to get past Italy.

Italy’s 16-year-old sensation Giulia Dragoni – nicknamed ‘Little Messi’ – played a crucial role in the heart of the team’s midfield as Le Azzurre earned a narrow 1-0 win.

It’s not often you get a heavyweight clash such as this in the group stages of the World Cup.

There is an added layer of intrigue given France’s 0-0 draw against Jamaica in its opening match, with the pressure firmly on Les Bleues to try and avoid an early exit in Australia and New Zealand.

Brazil, conversely, was impressive in its opening match against Panama, running out a comfortable 4-0 winner. Talisman and icon Marta, playing in her sixth and final World Cup, could come back into the starting lineup against France after starting on the bench against Panama.

France, ranked fifth in the world, will be buoyed by the number of chances it created against Jamaica, but will need to be far less wasteful in front of goal to have any chance of beating Brazil.

After securing the team’s first ever point at a Women’s World Cup, Jamaica will be full of confidence that it can go one better against Panama.

The Reggae Girlz were hugely impressive against France in that goalless draw but will have to try and overcome Panama without star player Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, who was sent off for a second bookable offense late in the previous game.

With the country appearing at a Women’s World Cup for the first time, Panama’s players were reduced to tears during the national anthem ahead of the match against Brazil.

The team will certainly have more of a chance against Jamaica and will likely be eying a first ever Women’s World Cup point.

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July 28, 2023
Neymar expected to train again with Brazil at World Cup

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DOHA, Qatar — Neymar is expected to train with Brazil again on Saturday while left back Alex Telles and forward Gabriel Jesus have been ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup after getting injured in the match against Cameroon.

Neymar was expected to practice with the ball for the first time since injuring his right ankle in the team’s opener against Serbia.

Brazil doctors said they will reevaluate the injury after the training session and decide whether Neymar will be available for Monday’s match against South Korea in the round of 16.

Neymar looked fine as he accompanied his teammates at Lusail Stadium on Friday. He walked without a limp and briefly played with the ball without any visible issues. He could be seen jogging across the field on his way to the locker room after the match was over.

Neymar, seeking his first major title with Brazil, was forced out of the 2014 World Cup after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He didn’t play in the 2019 Copa America because of another right ankle injury.

Alex Telles and Gabriel Jesus injured their right knees in the 1-0 loss to Cameroon on Friday, when Brazil coach Tite used a reserve squad as the five-time champions had already reached the round of 16.

Alex Telles had made his debut in Brazil’s second game, against Switzerland, after regular starter Alex Sandro got injured. Gabriel Jesus came off the bench in the first two matches.

It wasn’t yet clear if the players would remain with the squad in Qatar despite not being able to play.

Right back Danilo, who also missed Brazil’s last two matches because of an ankle injury, was expected to train normally with the rest of the group Saturday. He was expected to be available for the match against South Korea.

Brazil was eliminated by Belgium in the quarterfinals in Russia. The team is trying to win its first World Cup title in two decades.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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December 3, 2022
Ecuador frets over Valencia ahead of Senegal at World Cup

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DOHA, Qatar — Enner Valencia has scored Ecuador’s last six World Cup goals, so there’s no understating how worried his country is after he was carried off the field on a stretcher against the Netherlands.

Ecuador hopes that the 33-year-old striker’s troublesome knees are OK for a decisive final group match against Senegal on Tuesday. He hurt his right knee against the Netherlands after spraining his left knee in the first game against Qatar.

He was up and walking a little while after that stretcher ride with an ice pack strapped to his right leg and coach Gustavo Alfaro said Monday that Valencia might be ready to start against Senegal, although he could have to come off the bench.

“He has a big heart and he wants to be in every battle with our national team,” Alfaro said. “He wants to be there. He’s an extraordinary player and we’ll try and get him ready.”

Ecuador’s captain has three goals in two games in Qatar and is clearly key to its chances of reaching the knockout stage for only the second time. He scored three in three games in Ecuador’s last World Cup appearance in 2014, but that wasn’t enough to advance in Brazil.

La Tri have a slight advantage this time by needing a win or a draw to be certain of going through. Senegal has to win to be sure of advancing.

A victory by host Qatar over the Netherlands would make other permutations possible in Group A but that result is seen as unlikely given the Qataris’ struggles. They have already been eliminated.

A prolonged stay at the World Cup would put more strain on Valencia’s knees and an ongoing ankle problem but he’d take the pain for some World Cup joy after 10 years of service to the national team.

The young Ecuador team beat Qatar 2-0 in the tournament’s opening game and then stretched the favored Netherlands in a 1-1 draw. The performances were both impressive but may be forgotten if Ecuador doesn’t follow them up by sealing qualification.

“There’s such a thin line between qualifying and not,” Alfaro said. “If we don’t qualify people will say we haven’t done our job and if we do, people will be euphoric. Hopefully we will go through because we deserve it.”

While Ecuador holds out hope for Valencia’s fitness, Senegal is already two games into life without its best player.

Sadio Mane’s injury just two weeks before the World Cup forced the African champions to reconfigure their forward line and their entire game plan.

It was still a work in progress in an opening 2-0 loss to Netherlands but Senegal came closer to fully adjusting to Mane’s absence when forwards Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng all scored in a 3-1 win over Qatar to revive Senegal’s chances.

Senegal, ranked No. 18 in the world and fresh from winning the African Cup of Nations title in February, would normally be the clear favorite over the inexperienced No. 44 Ecuador, even with Valencia’s extraordinary run of scoring in four of his country’s last five World Cup games.

It’s never so simple at a World Cup and certainly not at this one after third-ranked Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia and second-ranked Belgium fell to Morocco.

Senegal has the added pressure of the last World Cup in 2018. Then, the team missed out on a place in the last 16 after losing to Colombia, another South American team, in the final set of group games when a draw would have been enough. Senegal finished level on points with Japan but was eliminated because it had more yellow cards.

“We’re dealing with the pressure and the stress. For me, it’s a good stress,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said. “We are not going to overthink it. There are no two ways about it, we have to win the game to advance.”

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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November 28, 2022
Neymar working ’24 hours a day’ to return at World Cup

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DOHA, Qatar — Neymar is working “24 hours a day” to try to recover from his ankle injury and play again at the World Cup, Brazil teammate Marquinhos said Sunday.

Neymar damaged ligaments in his right ankle in the team’s 2-0 opening win over Serbia on Thursday and will miss the match against Switzerland on Monday. He remained hopeful of recovering but team doctors still haven’t given a timetable on his return — or said if he will return at all.

“He is sleeping in physiotherapy, 24 hours a day,” Marquinhos said. “That shows how much he wants to be back with us. We don’t know when it’s going to happen, but we hope we will have him with us again as soon as possible and in good health mentally and physically.”

Brazil coach Tite said he had to “force” Neymar and right back Danilo — who is also injured — to stop their treatment on Sunday and go be with teammates at the last training before the match against Switzerland. Tite said after the match against Serbia, Neymar was in physiotherapy until five or six in the morning.

Neymar had said Saturday on Instagram that he was “sure” he would “have a chance to return.” He posted photos of his ankle still looking very swollen.

Marquinhos said Neymar had been feeling down after the injury but was getting more upbeat.

“I see him very well and confident about returning,” the defender said ahead of the match against Switzerland. “He is very focused on coming back.”

Tite remained optimistic about the return of both Neymar and Danilo, who sprained his ankle against Serbia.

“I’m not a doctor, I’m not an expert,” Tite said. “But I still believe that Neymar and Danilo will play in the World Cup. I think we will still be able to use them.”

Tite has plenty of options to fill in for Neymar but admitted it’s hard to replace the talent of a player like him.

“These great talents can show up two or three times and make the difference,” Tite said. “And that’s what Neymar can do for us.”

The coach did not say who would replace Neymar or Danilo in the starting lineup on Monday. The options to replace Danilo included Dani Alves or Éder Militão.

The 30-year-old Neymar is second on Brazil’s scoring list with 75 goals, two behind Pelé’s record with the national team. He has yet to win a major title with Brazil.

Neymar had to leave the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He also missed the 2019 Copa América because of a right ankle injury.

Brazil, seeking its first World Cup title in two decades, faces Cameroon in its last Group G match. The team can reach the round of 16 with a win on Monday if Cameroon doesn’t defeat Serbia in the other group match.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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November 27, 2022
First win key in tough World Cup group for Swiss, Cameroon

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DOHA, Qatar — Even for their opening game at the World Cup, Switzerland against Cameroon has the look of a must-win opportunity in a tough group.

With talent-packed Brazil and robust Serbia also in Group G, taking three points in the early afternoon heat on Thursday shapes as a key step for each team to advance.

The task is harder for Cameroon based on recent World Cup form after being swept aside in three straight losses at each of its past two appearances, in 2014 and 2010.

In that period the Indomitable Lions have scored fewer goals collectively as a team on soccer’s biggest stage than a single Swiss player, Xherdan Shaqiri.

The score is 4-3 in Shaqiri’s favor since 2010 when he made his World Cup debut as a teenager. Now 31 and playing in MLS with Chicago Fire, Shaqiri returns again as playmaker equalling a Swiss record at his fourth edition of the tournament. Goals will more likely come from in-form Monaco forward Breel Embolo.

At age 33, Cameroon’s star forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting arrives at his third edition in prolific form at Bayern Munich and looking for his first career World Cup goal.

Choupo-Moting’s 11 goals in all competitions this season helped plug the gap left by Robert Lewandowski’s departure and lifted Bayern back atop the Bundesliga at the enforced mid-season break.

Both Cameroon and Switzerland come to Qatar with solid results at their continental championships in the past 18 months though each now with different coaches.

At the European Championship last year, the Swiss broke a streak of being stopped at the round of 16 in major tournaments by eliminating France on penalties after a 3-3 thriller.

After losing another shootout in the quarterfinals to Spain, coach Vladimir Petkovic parlayed his rising reputation after seven years into joining Bordeaux. He was fired within months.

Murat Yakin, a 49-times capped central defender, was hired from coaching a Swiss second-tier club. He immediately impressed by steering the team to finish top of a World Cup qualifying group ahead of European champion Italy.

Cameroon started the year reaching the semifinals at the African Cup of Nations it hosted — losing on penalties to Egypt — then fired Portuguese coach Toni Conceição.

Samuel Eto’o, Cameroon’s greatest player and now its federation president, turned to his long-time former teammate Rigobert Song who had a patchy record of results coaching within the national teams’ setup.

Song was the captain and Eto’o scored the only goal when Cameroon last won a World Cup game, 20 years ago in Japan against Saudi Arabia.

It is overdue for Africa’s first World Cup quarterfinalist, in 1990, to rediscover winning form.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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November 23, 2022
Dutch aim for World Cup statements against Mané-less Senegal

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DOHA, Qatar — The Netherlands is looking to make two statements in its opening World Cup game on Monday against a Senegal team that has to quickly get over the loss of star forward Sadio Mané.

The first is strictly about soccer and establishing the team as a contender for the title in Qatar alongside the likes of top-ranked Brazil, defending champion France and Argentina. The Dutch have gained less attention in the buildup to the tournament after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but arrive as one of the top form teams in Europe.

“We have a great chance of also becoming a world champion,” said Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who is back for a third spell in charge. “There are few coaches who dare to speak out like that, but I say this.”

The second statement the Dutch want to make at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha centers around the long-running criticism of the World Cup host country’s laws and human rights record.

The Netherlands soccer federation is the leader of the “One Love” anti-discrimination movement and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to wear an armband with a multi-colored heart-shaped logo in defiance of a FIFA order to keep politics out of the World Cup.

The “One Love” armbands are a criticism of Qatar’s laws criminalizing homosexuality. The England and Wales captains have said that they will also ignore FIFA’s directive and wear them when they open their World Cup play on Monday.

Among international coaches, Van Gaal has been one of the most outspoken critics of letting the small but wealthy emirate host the World Cup, a decision which he has called “ridiculous.” He toned down his criticism this week in his first press conference in Qatar but still made it clear he would have preferred the tournament go to a different country with more soccer “experience.”

The World Cup will likely be the last major coaching assignment for the 71-year-old van Gaal, who announced this year he has prostate cancer and has been receiving radiation treatment.

Netherlands has lost three World Cup finals — in 1974, 1978 and 2010 — and although there’s a long road ahead in Qatar, the Group A game against African champion Senegal is the biggest early challenge for the Dutch and a good indicator of how far they might go. Host nation Qatar and Ecuador are the other teams in Group A.

Netherlands is on a 15-match unbeaten run under Van Gaal, who also coached his country to the semifinals at the 2014 World Cup in one of his previous spells.

Striker Memphis Depay said he has recovered from a hamstring injury, alleviating the most serious concern for Van Gaal, who said he’ll still likely keep the Barcelona forward on the bench against Senegal.

Senegal coach Aliou Cissé doesn’t have that option for talisman Mané, who was ruled out of the World Cup on Thursday with injury. Mané, 30, underwent surgery for the right lower leg injury he sustained in a league game for Bayern Munich two weeks ago, removing Senegal’s most potent attacking threat and the heart of the team.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup

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November 20, 2022
World Cup organizers to ban alcoholic beer sales at stadiums

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DOHA, Qatar — World Cup organizers will ban the sale of all beer with alcohol at the eight stadiums used for the soccer tournament, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The decision comes only two days before games start in Qatar.

Non-alcoholic beer will still be available for fans at the 64 matches, the person said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because organizers have not yet announced the decision.

Budweiser’s parent company, AB InBev, pays tens of millions of dollars at each World Cup for exclusive rights to sell beer. The company’s partnership with FIFA started at the 1986 tournament.

When Qatar launched its bid to host the World Cup, the country agreed to respect FIFA’s commercial partners, and again when signing contracts after winning the vote in 2010.

At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the host country was forced to change a law to allow alcohol sales in stadiums.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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November 18, 2022
Germany taking Moukoko, 17, to World Cup; Reus misses out

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BERLIN — Germany is taking 17-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko to the World Cup though Borussia Dortmund teammates Marco Reus and Mats Hummels have missed out.

Coach Hansi Flick named his 26-man squad for Qatar on Thursday, rewarding Moukoko for scoring six goals and setting up four more in 13 Bundesliga appearances this season. Moukoko is the youngest player to clock 10 career Bundesliga goals. Last season, he became the youngest player to appear in the league.

“Youssoufa gives the team a lot. He’s fast, he’s lively. We’re looking forward to him,” Flick said.

Werder Bremen forward Nicklas Füllkrug was another surprise callup, filling a gap left by Timo Werner’s injury. Füllkrug has 10 goals in 13 Bundesliga games this season.

Before Flick named his squad, he referred to the human rights situation in Qatar and recent homophobic comments made by former Qatar player Khalid Salman, a World Cup ambassador.

“It leaves us speechless, stunned,” Flick said of the comments. “It just happened in the last few days. It’s extremely important on one hand that we as the DFB (German soccer federation) and the players clearly focus on the sports, yes, but of course we also have to address what the human rights situation is like in Qatar. We’ll have to keep our eyes and ears open there.”

Flick said there was no question of just concentrating on the soccer and ignoring all the other issues, that it was the team’s “job” to address them.

“We don’t want to duck away, but we want to draw attention to the abuses when they happen,” Flick said. “We still have leverage when we’re there and that’s why I think it’s quite clear that we do that, too. That’s what the DFB stands for and that’s what the team stands for. A few players have already addressed it, so I think we’re on the right track.”

Reus is missing out on a major tournament yet again. The Dortmund captain has struggled to recover from an ankle injury in September during the Ruhr derby win over Schalke. Reus made two brief appearances since but complained of increased pain last weekend.

Reus missed Germany’s World Cup win in 2014 with an ankle injury sustained in a warmup game, and a groin injury ruled him out of the 2016 European Championship. He played in Germany’s unsuccessful World Cup defense in 2018 but skipped the next European Championship to recover after his season with Dortmund.

“It hurts us all,” Flick said of Reus’ absence.

Hummels has played well this season, but he is also susceptible to injury and Flick evidently had doubts about whether the center back could deal with the rigors of a month-long tournament.

“We decided to give a younger player a chance,” Flick said.

Bayern Munich players again have prominent roles within the squad – goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Thomas Müller will be expected to bring their experience to bear.

Mario Götze, who scored the World Cup-winning goal in the final against Argentina in 2014, is back in the squad after a long absence. Götze has returned to top form since his Bundesliga return at Eintracht Frankfurt.

“If you look at his last games, they were at a high level,” Flick said. “He’s a brilliant footballer and a great person.”

Germany has a final World Cup warmup on Tuesday against Oman in Muscat. Its tournament begins against Japan in Doha on Nov. 23. Four days later, it faces Spain in Al Khor, where it also plays its last game in Group E against Costa Rica on Dec. 1.

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Germany:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Defenders: Thilo Kehrer (West Ham), David Raum (Leipzig), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), Christian Günter (Freiburg), Armell Bella Kotchap (Southampton)

Midfielders: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Mario Götze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Chelsea)

Forwards: Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Füllkrug (Werder Bremen), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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November 10, 2022