new zealand: Rain interrupts play in second ODI against New Zealand with India on 22-0 after 4.5 overs

India were 22 for no loss in 4.5 overs against New Zealand when rain stopped play in the second one-day international at Seddon Park here on Sunday. Shubman Gill was batting on 19 and captain Shikhar Dhawan (2) was supporting him when the skies opened up.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to bowl against India. A win for New Zealand would propel the hosts to the top of the World Cup Super League standings, while India need to win to keep the series alive.

The Black Caps won the opening match on Friday by seven wickets led by a batting masterclass from Tom Latham, who scored 145 off just 104 balls. This was New Zealand’s 13th consecutive ODI win on home soil.

New Zealand have made one change with Michael Bracewell in for Adam Milne while India have brought in Deepak Chahar and Deepak Hooda for Shardul Thakur and Sanju Samson. New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

India: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Originally published at Pen 18

messi: Messi helps give Argentina peace of mind with victory over Mexico

Captain Lionel Messi said Argentina took the pressure off their World Cup opener defeat to Saudi Arabia after beating Mexico on Saturday and can now take it easy in their final group match against Poland.

Second-half goals from Messi and Enzo Fernandez helped Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 at the Lusail Stadium to move into second place in Group C, one point behind Poland.

“It’s a load off our shoulders,” Messi said. “We have peace of mind and it’s in our hands again.”

Mexico’s high press weakened Argentina’s attack in the first half before Messi’s spectacular 64th-minute strike eased the pressure on a side who would have been eliminated from the tournament had they lost. “I think the first half was difficult because of the situation and our need to win,” Messi said. “We didn’t find space. We weren’t moving the ball from side to side.

“But in the second half we started doing what we stand for. We started finding space between the lines and then the goal changed the game.

“We needed the win but the game had to be played that way. We had to win to give everyone peace of mind and to be able to look at the game for Poland in a different way.”

immense pressure

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his team were under a lot of pressure before the match and the overwhelming feeling after the win was one of relief.

“We should have more common sense. It’s just a football game,” he said. “It’s not good, the feeling that you’re playing something more than a football match. It’s not good.

“The feeling is relieved for all of us (but) we need to make some adjustments.

“We have to try to make the players feel that it’s a football game because every time we need to play a match, or go to the knockout stage, a tournament or whatever, always with Argentina. This will happen.

“Of course it’s hard to explain to people that the sun will shine tomorrow whether you win or lose. And what matters is how you did things, if you did it in the best possible way. That’s what we always try to do.” ” ,

Scaloni also appealed to his players to stay grounded after the win and focus on the task ahead. Argentina can guarantee progress with a win over Poland on Wednesday.

“Maybe you think I’m crazy, but we can say yes, we want to enjoy. Of course they enjoy the moment in the dressing room. I enjoyed the moment too.

“But that’s all. Tomorrow, we will prepare the next game, the same thing we did when we won the Copa America (last year).

“Happiness lasts only for a few minutes. We need to find that emotional balance, whether we win or lose. That’s what we need.”

“Poland will be a tough match. That’s the reality… I won’t say we’ll try, I’ll say we win the game. That’s what we all want. And if it doesn’t happen, we’ll bring our A game.” ” Like we did today.”

Originally published at Pen 18

Why big business can’t get enough of the FIFA World Cup, scandal and all

रविवार को कतर में जब विश्व कप का पहला मैच शुरू हुआ तो मोहम्मद जैदा प्रमुख स्थान पर थे। अल बेयट स्टेडियम के वीआईपी हॉस्पिटैलिटी सुइट में एक सोफे में डूब गया कतरी कार्यकारी, इसके बुफे और खुले बार के साथ (अधिकांश प्रशंसकों के लिए प्रतिबंधित होने के बावजूद शराब चुनिंदा दर्शकों के लिए शामिल है) और पिच के एक मृत दृश्य, इस तथ्य पर आश्चर्यजनक टूर्नामेंट बिल्कुल हो रहा था।

जैदा समूह के समूह कार्यकारी निदेशक जैदाह, फीफा प्रायोजक हुंडई के लिए कतर में एक वितरण भागीदार, अभी भी पुराने घाव को लाने में मदद नहीं कर सका। उन्होंने कहा, “यहां बहुत से लोग 2010 में हमारे द्वारा विश्व कप की मेजबानी के अधिकार जीतने से खुश नहीं थे।” “लेकिन इसने हमें 12 साल के मीडिया नरक से गुज़रने के लिए और भी गौरवान्वित कर दिया।”

टाइम्स और अन्य द्वारा “नरक” को अच्छी तरह से प्रलेखित किया गया है। इसमें मानवाधिकार संगठनों द्वारा लगाए गए आरोप शामिल हैं कि सात विश्व कप स्टेडियमों और अन्य परियोजनाओं के निर्माण की प्रक्रिया में हजारों प्रवासी कामगार मरुस्थलीय गर्मी में मर गए; सरकार ने काम से संबंधित तीन मौतों को स्वीकार किया है। और अभी भी सवाल हैं कि फुटबॉल के शक्तिशाली शासी निकाय, फीफा ने ग्रह पर सबसे बड़ी खेल आयोजनों में से एक को एक छोटे से देश द्वारा आयोजित करने की इजाजत दी जहां समलैंगिकता आपको जेल में डाल सकती है।

खिलाड़ी बोलना चाहते हैं। कई यूरोपीय खिलाड़ियों ने देश में एलजीबीटीक्यू समुदाय के कतर के इलाज पर चिंताओं के बीच अल्पसंख्यक समूहों का समर्थन करने के लिए इंद्रधनुषी रंग “वन लव” आर्मबैंड पहनने की योजना बनाई थी, जब तक कि फीफा ने कहा कि अगर टीमों ने ऐसा किया तो उन्हें दंडित किया जाएगा। बुधवार को होने वाले मैच से पहले जर्मनी के खिलाड़ियों ने अपना मुंह ढक कर फीफा के फैसले का विरोध किया जबकि प्रशंसक और टीवी दर्शक देखते रहे। जापान से करारी हार के बाद भी कई दिनों तक विद्रोह की खामोशी गूंजती रही। सामान्य क्षणों में, खेल का व्यवसाय अक्सर अप्रत्याशित और अव्यवस्थित होता है। कुछ संगठनों ने उस वास्तविकता को भुनाया है जैसे कि फीफा, जिसकी पेशेवर खेलों में बेजोड़ शक्ति है। देश – अगला विश्व कप संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका, कनाडा और मैक्सिको में होगा – लगभग एक महीने तक चलने वाले टूर्नामेंट की मेजबानी करने के अवसर के लिए स्वयं यात्रा करें। एशिया, दक्षिण अमेरिका और अफ्रीका में कई सरकारें, बड़े व्यापार के लिए भविष्य के विकास बाजार, पश्चिमी समाचार मीडिया कवरेज पर हावी होने वाले सामाजिक मुद्दों के बारे में बहुत कम परवाह करते हैं। जिस तरह से शहरों को अक्सर जनता के उग्र विरोध के कारण ओलंपिक की मेजबानी के लिए बोली लगाने की योजना को छोड़ना पड़ता है, यह सब उसके बिल्कुल विपरीत है। और फीफा, यह ध्यान में रखते हुए कि फ़ुटबॉल सरकारों के लिए एक विजयी कार्यक्रम है, ने अपने राष्ट्रीय संघों के लिए बड़ी धनराशि का वादा किया है – देशों को वफादार रखने का एक निश्चित तरीका।

फीफा ने 2010 में फुटबॉल की दुनिया को चौंका दिया जब इसके कार्यकारी सदस्यों ने 2022 के मेजबान के रूप में कतर के लिए मतदान किया, अमेरिका को हरा दिया। 24 साल की अवधि में विश्व कप विपणन सौदों को बंद करने के लिए भुगतान किए गए 150 मिलियन डॉलर की रिश्वत सहित “गहरी जड़ें” भ्रष्टाचार।

FBI के छापों और गिरफ्तारियों के कारण फ़ुटबॉल की शासी निकाय का लगभग पतन हो गया और इसके लंबे समय तक अध्यक्ष रहे सेप ब्लैटर ने इस्तीफा दे दिया। फिर, 2020 में, न्याय विभाग ने कहा कि फीफा के कुछ मतदान अधिकारियों ने रूस के लिए 2018 विश्व कप की मेजबानी के अधिकारों को सुरक्षित करने के लिए और चार साल बाद कतर के लिए लाखों डॉलर की रिश्वत प्राप्त की थी।

कतर ने किसी भी गलत काम से इनकार किया है, और फीफा का कहना है कि उसने बुरे अभिनेताओं के संगठन को शुद्ध कर दिया है।

फिर भी, वीज़ा, सोनी और मैकडॉनल्ड्स सहित सबसे बड़े ब्रांड, साइन अप करने के लिए तत्पर थे और विवाद के बीच जंपिंग शिप के बहुत कम संकेत दिखाई दिए। जब ब्लूमबर्ग ने इस महीने 76 फीफा प्रायोजकों और टीमों से संपर्क किया, तो किसी ने भी नहीं कहा कि वह अपनी भागीदारी पर पुनर्विचार कर रहा है। एडिडास को टूर्नामेंट से 400 मिलियन यूरो की बिक्री में वृद्धि की उम्मीद है।

फिर भी एक बार करोड़ों खर्च करने के बाद भी, नियम बदल सकते हैं और कंपनियां इसके बारे में बहुत कुछ करने में शक्तिहीन हैं। टूर्नामेंट की शुरुआत से दो दिन पहले, कतर ने आठ स्टेडियमों में शराब पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया। AB InBev, पेय समूह जो प्रत्येक चार साल के विश्व कप चक्र के लिए फीफा को 75 मिलियन डॉलर का भुगतान करता है ताकि उसका बडवाइज़र ब्रांड एक बियर प्रायोजक बन सके, को अपने उत्पादों को स्थानों से बाहर निकालना पड़ा और कई मार्केटिंग कार्यक्रमों को रद्द करना पड़ा। ट्विटर पर बडवाइज़र की अब-हटाई गई प्रतिक्रिया: “ठीक है, यह अजीब है।” कम अजीब: बडवाइजर 2026 विश्व कप में प्रायोजक के रूप में वापस आ जाएगा, हालांकि यह कथित तौर पर फीफा से छूट की मांग कर रहा है।

बाजार ने कहा है: कोई पता लगाने योग्य व्यापार बहिष्कार नहीं हुआ है और, जैसा कि फीफा ने बताया है, प्रायोजन बेचे गए हैं, कोका-कोला और एडिडास जैसे लंबे समय के भागीदारों के साथ क्रिप्टो डॉट कॉम सहित नए लोगों के साथ दिखाई दे रहे हैं।

घर वापस, इनमें से कई कंपनियां अपने पर्यावरण, सामाजिक और शासन, या ESG, क्रेडेंशियल्स का विज्ञापन करने और LGBTQ अधिकारों जैसे कारणों के प्रति अपनी प्रतिबद्धता को बाजार में लाने के लिए तत्पर हैं। फिर भी एक ऐसे युग में जहां कतर में एक कॉरपोरेट गलत कदम को सोशल मीडिया पर बढ़ाया जा सकता है, टूर्नामेंट दिखा रहा है कि कंपनियां एक प्रतिक्रिया का जोखिम उठाने को तैयार हैं कि वे शर्त लगाएंगे कि उन्हें माफ कर दिया जाएगा (या भुला दिया जाएगा) जब तक कि दुनिया ट्यूनिंग कर रही है। संभावित भुगतान बहुत बड़ा है। फ़ुटबॉल दुनिया का सबसे लोकप्रिय खेल है, और फीफा को उम्मीद है कि 5 अरब लोग टूर्नामेंट देखेंगे (सोचें कि सुपर बाउल दर्शकों की संख्या लगभग 50 है)। फीफा को इस आयोजन से करीब 4.7 अरब डॉलर मिलने की उम्मीद है। ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि संगठन ने घोटाले से किनारा कर लिया है, और पैसे और इसके साथ जाने वाली सारी शक्ति के साथ जगमगा रहा है।

स्विस फ़ुटबॉल के कार्यकारी अधिकारी, 52 वर्षीय जियानी इन्फेंटिनो ने 2016 में कार्यभार संभालने के बाद भ्रष्टाचार को जड़ से खत्म करने और फीफा की कलंकित छवि को साफ करने की कसम खाई थी। वह अभी भी उस संदेश को आगे बढ़ाते हैं। टूर्नामेंट शुरू होने से ठीक पहले, उन्होंने कतर को विश्व कप देने के फैसले का मजबूती से बचाव किया और कहा कि उनका संगठन बदल गया है। उन्होंने कहा, “फीफा में पैसा अब गायब नहीं होता है।” “पैसा वहाँ जाता है जहाँ उसे जाना होता है, और यह फुटबॉल के विकास में जाता है।” (ब्लैटर, इस बीच, अब दावा करते हैं कि कतर को नहीं जीतना चाहिए था। “यह एक ऐसा देश है जो बहुत छोटा है,” उन्होंने एक स्विस समाचार पत्र समूह को बताया।)

क़तर ने विश्व कप के लिए हाई-स्पीड रेल, सड़कों और स्टेडियमों के निर्माण पर लगभग 200 बिलियन डॉलर खर्च करने का अनुमान लगाया है। यह 2018 टूर्नामेंट की मेजबानी के लिए रूस द्वारा खर्च किए गए 15 गुना से अधिक है। कतर, जो दुनिया के सबसे बड़े प्राकृतिक गैस क्षेत्रों में से एक है, ने सरकारी आंकड़ों के अनुसार, 2022 की पहली छमाही में तेल और गैस राजस्व से लगभग 32.2 बिलियन डॉलर की कमाई की, जो पिछले साल की समान अवधि की तुलना में 67% अधिक है।

सबसे बड़े खेल मंच पर कतर का आगमन फीफा को लुभाने से कहीं आगे बढ़ गया है। “विश्व कप सब कुछ बदल रहा है – यह हमारे लिए बहुत अच्छा है,” क़तर स्पोर्ट्स इन्वेस्टमेंट्स के प्रमुख नासिर अल-खेलफ़ी ने 2013 में कहा था। “यह एक परिवर्तनकारी उपकरण है।”

टूर्नामेंट की मेजबानी का अधिकार जीतने के एक साल बाद, कतर ने पेरिस सेंट-जर्मेन का अधिग्रहण किया, जो फ्रांस की राजधानी में एक नकदी-संकटग्रस्त, कम प्रदर्शन करने वाला पेशेवर क्लब था, और इसे एक वैश्विक बिजलीघर में बदल दिया। अध्यक्ष के रूप में अल-खेलफी के साथ, पीएसजी ने खेल की सफलता हासिल की है, एक ब्रांड बनाया है और अब घरेलू लीग पर हावी है। कतर ने क्लब के लिए कई सुपरस्टार खिलाड़ियों को स्नैप करने के लिए अनुमानित $ 1.45 बिलियन खर्च किए हैं, जिनमें अर्जेंटीना के लियोनेल मेसी, ब्राजील के नेमार और 23 वर्षीय फ्रेंच फारवर्ड किलियन एम्बाप्पे शामिल हैं, जिन्होंने एक नए अनुबंध पर हस्ताक्षर किए जो कथित तौर पर उन्हें $ 250 का भुगतान करेगा। अगले तीन वर्षों में मिलियन।

जैदाह, कतरी व्यापार कार्यकारी, आरोपों का विरोध करते हैं कि दोहा ने विश्व कप के साथ वैश्विक खेलों में अपना रास्ता खरीदा और उनका कहना है कि उनका मानना ​​है कि मानवाधिकारों पर हमलों ने बैकफायर किया है और देश को एकजुट किया है। पश्चिमी लोगों के लिए, वे कहते हैं, “यह एक तरह से अशोभनीय लगता है, जैसे कि हम उस धन के लायक क्यों हैं और हम इसे क्यों रखते हैं? कतरियों को लगता है, ‘यह हमारा देश है, हमारा धन है।'”

इस बीच, मनी-मशीन जो कि फीफा है, पिच पर और बाहर जीत रही है। इन्फैनटिनो का अनुमान है कि अरबों लोग 18 दिसंबर को होने वाले फाइनल में पहुंचेंगे, जो एक न छूटने वाला मार्केटिंग अवसर है।

Originally published at Pen 18

neymar: Who can replace Neymar following injury?

With Neymar ruled out for at least one more match, Brazil coach Tite must now start thinking about a replacement – and this time he has plenty of options.

Brazil isn’t as dependent on Neymar as it used to be, and Tite could go a number of different ways to replace the Paris Saint-Germain forward for Monday’s Group G match against Switzerland.

Neymar injured his right ankle in Brazil’s opening 2-0 win against Serbia on Thursday. He has ligament damage and team doctors haven’t given a timetable for his recovery – or whether he’ll recover at all.

Tite brought nine forwards into the World Cup, and could also add a midfielder as a replacement for Neymar if desired. The most straightforward option would be to use Rodrygo in Neymar’s position, keeping Rafinha, Vinicius Junior and Richardson in attack. Rodrigo plays more as an attacker in Real Madrid, but he has trained in Neymar’s “no”. 10″ playmaking positions while in Qatar with Brazil.

Another option would be to have an extra midfielder in Neymar’s position – Manchester United’s Fred or Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães, for example – freeing up attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who played close.

For defensive midfielder Casemiro against Serbia.

Another attacking midfielder available for Tite is Everton Ribeiro, while there are other forwards in the squad.

Gabriel Jesus, Antony, Gabriel Martinelli and Pedro.

Neymar drew the most attention from the tough Serbian defence, which troubled him from the outset. He was fouled nine times during the game, the most by any player in the first round of the World Cup.

matches in the group stage.

Neymar is Brazil’s second all-time top scorer with 75 goals, two behind Pelé’s record with the national team.

The last time he was ruled out of the World Cup was due to a back injury in the quarter-finals against

Colombia in 2014 – Brazil lost 7–1 to Germany in the semi-finals.

Tite will not be able to count on right back Danilo, who also sprained his ankle against Serbia. Danilo could be replaced by veteran Daniel Alves, although Tite could also use central defender Eder Militão in that position.

Brazil, seeking their first World Cup title in two decades, will face Cameroon in their last group match. it can reach

If Cameroon does not beat Serbia in its second group match, a win on Monday will advance to the round of 16.

Originally published at Pen 18

Do or die Mannschaft

If Costa Rica does not beat Japan, a win against Germany would put Spain through to the last 16. Expectations grew around Spain’s youth team after an outstanding performance against Costa Rica, when the team reintroduced the “tiki-taka” ball-possession style and 18-year-old Gavi became the youngest world captain since Pelé in 1958. Became a cup scorer. The score against Costa Rica matched Spain’s tournament total from Russia in 2018. “The result gives us a big boost,” said Spain coach Luis Enrique.

Originally published at Pen 18

‘No country can overlook India’: Anurag Thakur on PCB chief Ramiz Raja’s 2023 World Cup warning – The Economic Times Video

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, when asked about Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Rameez Raja’s remarks during a roadshow in the national capital, said that India is a big force in the world of sports and any country Can’t ignore India. 2023 Cricket World Cup. “Wait for the right time. India is a major force in the world of sports and no country can afford to ignore India,” said Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports.

Originally published at Pen 18

vanshaj: Vishwanath, Vanshaj, Devika clinch gold medals at Youth World Boxing Championships

Indian boxers Vishwanath Suresh, Vansh and Devika Ghorpade lived up to their favorite tag as they registered commanding victories to clinch gold medals at the IBA Youth Men’s and Women’s World Championships 2022 in La Nucia, Spain. Chennai-born Vishwanath won India’s first gold at the prestigious championship by defeating Ronal Suyom of Philippines without breaking a sweat in the men’s 48kg final.

Bhavna Sharma won the silver medal in the women’s 48kg category after going down 0-5 against Uzbekistan’s Gulsevar Ganieva in the opening match of the day.

Ashish (54kg) was the other Indian to end with a silver medal. He lost 1–4 against Japanese boxer Yuta Sakai in a thrilling final.

Devika, who hails from Pune, added a second gold to India’s tally by defeating England’s Lauren Mackie in the women’s 52kg final. Youth Asian champion Vanshaj ended the day on a high note for India by winning his third gold.

The confident boxer from Sonipat comfortably outclassed Georgia’s Demur Kazia in the men’s 63.5kg final.

With 11 medals, India topped the ongoing edition of the event, followed by Uzbekistan (10), Ireland (7) and Kazakhstan (7).

Around 600 boxers from 73 countries participated in this year’s championship.

India’s eight medals in the women’s category is also the most for any country.

Already having won three gold medals, Raveena (63kg) and Kirti (plus 81kg) will look to add two more yellow metals to India’s kitty in the women’s final on the last day of competition.

Raveena and Keerthi will take on Megan Decler of the Netherlands and Elizabeth D’Arcy of Ireland respectively.

Apart from three gold and two silver on the final day, India’s tally also featured four bronze medals from Tamanna (50kg), Kunjarani Devi Thongam (60kg), Muskaan (75kg) and Lashu Yadav (70kg), who advanced to the semi-finals. I was defeated.

Originally published at Pen 18

spain: World team chess: India lose bronze medal play-off to Spain

India lost 1-3 to Spain in the tie-break after the two-round bronze medal play-off ended in a tie at the FIDE World Team Chess Championship, here on Saturday.

In both the rounds the teams played out a 2-2 draw. But Jaime Santos Latasa and David Anton Guijarro gave Spain the advantage by defeating Vidit Santosh Gujrati and Nihal Sarin respectively in the blitz tie-break.

In other games, SL Narayanan played out a draw with Alexey Shirov and Abhijit Gupta drew with Miguel Santos Ruiz. This gave Spain a 3-1 victory early on Saturday.

In the first round, Gujarát drew Santos Latasa playing black, while Sarin signed peace with Guijarro in the last game of that match. Two other games Narayanan versus Daniel Yufa and Gupta against Santos Ruiz also ended in draws. The pattern was repeated in the second round as games on all four boards with equal players ended in draws.

Spain took the tie-break for a 4–2 victory and their first medal in the team competition.

Meanwhile, China defeated Uzbekistan 4–0, winning the two rounds by identical 2.5–1.5 scorelines.

Originally published at Pen 18

FIFA World Cup: Football: Why is Italy not in the World Cup 2022?

Four-time champions Italy are not at this year’s World Cup in Qatar, marking the second time the ‘azzurri’ will miss the tournament. Here’s what you need to know about the European Champions’ failure to qualify:

How did Italy’s World Cup qualification campaign unfold?

* Italy was drawn in Group C of the UEFA World Cup qualification round, along with Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania. * The pressure on coach Roberto Mancini and the team was high after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago.

* They started with three consecutive wins against Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania before taking a break for last year’s European Championships.

* After winning the tournament, they drew twice in a row away to Bulgaria and Switzerland, before claiming a 5–0 victory at home against Lithuania.

* With two games left, Italy appeared to be in pole position to secure qualification, but drew 1–1 with Switzerland to leave both teams on equal points before the final round.

* Four months after Euro 2020 success, Italy’s 0-0 draw in Northern Ireland meant Switzerland topped their World Cup qualifying group after victory over Bulgaria, putting Mancini’s side through to the playoffs .

How did the World Cup playoffs unfold for Italy?

* Italy were on course to meet Portugal in the deciding playoff tie, but they lost the World Cup final after losing 1-0 at home to North Macedonia thanks to a last-gasp strike from Aleksandar Trajkovski.

* North Macedonia reached the final, where they were beaten 2–0 by Portugal, which secured a place in the World Cup.

Why didn’t Italy qualify for the World Cup in 2018?

* Italy qualified for the 2018 World Cup by finishing second in Group G.

* They then failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years in 2017 after being held to a 0–0 home draw, making it to the final with a 1–0 aggregate victory in Russia. ,

* The Italians, who had not missed a World Cup since the 1958 final in Sweden, saw Andrea Barzagli, Daniele De Rossi and captain Gianluigi Buffon all announce their retirements from the national team just after the game.

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: Argentina look to Messi to salvage FIFA World Cup bid

Argentina will look to save their World Cup skins in Qatar on Saturday when Lionel Messi and his men face Mexico in a match they cannot afford to lose.

A surprise 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia has left Argentina, who arrived in Doha on a 36-match unbeaten run and in a precarious position as one of the overall favourites.

Argentina said they would look to the memory of superstar Diego Maradona, the 1986 World Cup-winning captain who died two years ago this week, to inspire them against the Mexicans.

Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez said, “We keep him in mind. He was a very important figure in world football, not just for us in Argentina.” “Today is a sad day for everyone and hopefully tomorrow we can give happiness.”

Argentina know they cannot afford a repeat of their opening match in Group C.

“It was difficult but we are a united group, a strong group that knows what we want, we know about our opponents, we have already overcome many things,” said Martínez, who won two The bar goal was disallowed for offside. Saudi.

The surprising Saudis have their chance to prove they can’t shine in the pan when they face Poland and Robert Lewandowski, who is still looking for the first World Cup goal of his career.

The Barcelona forward missed a penalty in a goalless draw against Mexico.

In other games on Saturday, defending champions France can book their place in the last 16 if they beat Denmark at Stadium 974, which incorporates shipping containers in its design.

The French lost defender Lucas Hernandez to injury in their opening 4-1 win against Australia, adding to a list of absences headed by Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who was world number one before kicking a ball. were out of the cup.

Australia faced another tough ride against a strong Tunisian side.

– Hosts Qatar out – In Friday’s action, host nation Qatar crashed out of their own World Cup after suffering a second straight defeat.

Qatar lost 3–1 to Senegal and became the first team to be eliminated from this World Cup after Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1–1 in their other Group A game.

Asian champions Qatar had high hopes coming into the tournament, but became only the second home team after South Africa in 2010 to crash out in the group stage.

Goals from Boule Dia, Famara Didhiou and Bamba Dieng were enough to seal the victory for African champions Senegal.

Mohamed Muntari scored Qatar’s only World Cup goal to date in a disappointing debut on football’s biggest stage – the first time a World Cup host nation has been knocked out after just two games.

Qatar defender Tarek Salman said, “We want to say that we are very sad for the supporters, the country.”

We have made them feel bad by losing two consecutive matches in the World Cup.

Senegal will now need to beat Ecuador to progress to the knockout stage, while Qatar will face the Dutch.

An indifferent England missed the chance to qualify for the knockout stage after a 0–0 draw with the United States.

After defeating Iran 6–2 in their opening match, England rarely troubled a well organized USA unit and were booed at full-time.

England captain Harry Kane said, “A draw isn’t the end of the world for us, it puts us in a great position in the group.”

England need to avoid a four-goal defeat by neighbors Wales on Tuesday to progress and know that a win would see them progress as group winners.

Earlier, Iran scored twice deep in stoppage time to beat Wales 2-0 and breathe new life into a World Cup campaign that has been overshadowed by massive anti-government protests in the country.

Iranian players sang the national anthem ahead of their win over Wales, opting to remain silent at their opener in Qatar in an apparent gesture of support for the protesters.

They were deserved winners against a 10 man team late in the match.

Iran, who would have finished on the losing side, earned Gareth Bale’s Wales penalty in the eighth minute of injury time when substitute Roozbeh Cheshmi smashed home.

The Iranians drove thousands of their fans crazy when Ramin Rezian slotted in the second goal on the counter-attack.

Superstar forward Neymar will miss the team’s next match against Switzerland after suffering an ankle ligament injury in their opening 2-0 win against Serbia, the Brazilian squad announced.

Neymar could also be sidelined for Brazil’s final group game against Cameroon, according to a report in Brazil’s Globo Esporte.

Originally published at Pen 18

Brazil sprinkle stardust on Qatar football world cup

It is pertinent to note that no World Cup can really start until Brazil plays. The magic of this most famous tournament doesn’t really reach its peak until it is sprinkled with the stardust of the Selecao.

On this one, here in Qatar, the real tournament kicks off in five days with five-time winners – and opponents Serbia – the 31st and 32nd teams to start and run their campaigns. He had top billing. After the undercard, the main event. It was never too soon for Lusail Stadium streaming in yellow, its sight and sound and the samba becoming synonymous with this grandest of stages.

The pressure on the pitch is always on Neymar. The Talisman of Talisman is certainly still the star attraction, with the mere mention of her name ahead of enough kick-offs to deafen anyone within this raucous arena. Almost the exact same age Pele was when he won his third of three World Cups, the one he wants more than any other if Brazil are to end their 20-year wait for a trophy, you think That it would still come on the strength of another supernatural power of the greatest No. 10 of all time.

If the real Brazil will go on to reveal themselves later in this tournament, as they are expected to, signs of a higher plane were still visible here, albeit a disappointing first half. The magnificence of Casemiro’s distribution, the spark of Vinicius Junior’s change of pace, the nutmeg of Neymar. Serbia, to their credit, were in no mood for fall. His place in Qatar was barely won and he fought his heart out here. Two, three and even four were deployed to shadow Neymar’s every touch, any chink in the armour, any rogue touch. Chances came and went, Vinicius and Rafinha made mistakes when a calm head would surely have prevailed. Sandro knocked over a post from afar. Neymar, the god, proved with incredibly uncharacteristic abuse that he was ultimately human. But as nerves picked up, relief finally came. Richardson would not be the first Brazilian forward name you pull from history out of thin air. He won’t even make his debut with R. But if the first goal to break the deadlock – a tap after Vinicius’ rebound shot – was not worthy of those great No. 9s of the past, his second was well and truly.

Flicking the ball and rotating it to meet his shoulder in one movement, Richardson’s sensational overhead kick volley to double the lead and decisively seal victory was as special as any World Cup goal you can think of. can do. Pay Le, Carlos Alberto, Ronaldinho. The World Cup is often remembered for Brazil’s goal. This one, too soon, may be remembered for Richardson. This tournament may be five days old, but now the World Cup can start in true sense. Brazil has arrived.

Originally published at Pen 18

qatar: Qatar loses 3-1 to Senegal as host nearing World Cup exit

Senegal sent hosts Qatar to yet another World Cup defeat on Friday, winning 3-1 after a defensive error gave the African champions the lead.

Qatar defender Boualem Khouki tried to make a clearance under no pressure, failed to connect and fell on his back, before striker Boulaye Dia drilled in the first goal.

At the beginning of the second half, Famara Didhiu made it 2-0 with a header from a corner.

Qatar’s substitute Mohammad Muntari put the hosts 2-1 ahead with a header. But Qatar’s fightback lasted six minutes before Bamba Dieng put Senegal two goals back. Qatar has lost both its games and will be out of the World Cup in less than a week if the other Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador is drawn later on Friday.

Originally published at Pen 18

neymar: Neymar undergoing treatment to ankle injured at World Cup

Brazil star Neymar was tested and receiving treatment at the team hotel on Friday after injuring his right ankle in their 2-0 defeat of Serbia in their World Cup opener. The team did not provide any details about the extent of his injury. Neymar sprained his ankle in the second half of a tough match against Serbia on Thursday. He had tears in his eyes as he sat on the bench and limped off the field on his way to the locker room after the match.

“Difficult game, but it was important to win,” Neymar said on his social media accounts shortly after leaving the Lusail Stadium without speaking to the media.

“Congratulations team, the first step has been taken. Six more to go.”

In an Instagram story following the match, Neymar posted a text that mentioned the need to “keep the faith”. “It’s about believing that everything will be alright despite the chaos. It’s certain that the best is yet to come. It’s the understanding that everything has its time,” said the text.

Brazil coach Tite had already expressed hope about Neymar’s condition.

After the match he said, “You can be sure Neymar will still play in this World Cup.”

“I’m sure of that.”

Team doctor Rodrigo Lassmar said after the game it was too early to know the extent of the injury. He said he began treating the injury as soon as Neymar left the field and continued after the match.

Neymar was substituted in the 79th minute after nearly 10 minutes injuring his ankle while being tackled by Serbia defender Nikola Milenkovic.

Neymar had been tackled several times earlier in the match, and was seen grinning and limping on a few other occasions. He was fouled nine times, the most of all World Cup players after the first round of group stage matches.

Brazil goalkeeper Alisson said, “We will be excited, that is the specialty of this team.”

“These adverse conditions will only make the group stronger.”

Brazil’s next match is against Switzerland on Monday. The five-time world champions ended their group-stage campaign against Cameroon on 2 December. Brazil leads Group G along with Switzerland, which opened with a win against Cameroon.

If Neymar is unable to play, he could be replaced by Rodrigo, who came on as a second-half substitute against Serbia on Thursday.

Neymar, 30, also suffered an injury at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when his tournament ended with a back injury in the quarter-finals against Colombia. He had to be carried off the field on a stretcher, and Brazil lost 7–1 to Germany in the semi-finals.

Neymar’s right foot has given him problems in the past in a series of injuries since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Another right ankle sprain ruled him out of the 2019 Copa América, which was won by Brazil.

Neymar, 30, is yet to win a major title with the national team. He helped the “Seleção” win their first Olympic gold medal at the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

With 75 goals for the national team, he is two shy of Pelé’s scoring record.

Another player with a sprained right ankle on Thursday was defender Danilo, although Lassmar said his injury was not serious.

Originally published at Pen 18

fifa world cup 2022 today match: FIFA World Cup 2022, matchday 6: Today’s match times and full schedule

The fifth match of the Football World Cup in Qatar saw thrilling action, with Portugal beating Ghana 3-2 in a close encounter, while Brazil and Switzerland kept clean sheets against Serbia and Cameroon respectively. Yesterday also saw the third goalless draw in this year’s tournament between Uruguay and South Korea.

Friday – the sixth day of matches – sees Group A and Group B back in action, having played the opening day of the last match. Hosts Qatar will face Senegal while fellow Netherlands will take on Ecuador. The top match of the day sees Group B’s USA and England face each other in what could be a cracker of a game, while Wales face Iran in their first match of the day.

wales vs iran
The Welsh are looking to make a better impression in their second game of the tournament, after drawing their first match against the United States, while Iran focuses heavily on events at home, with government crackdowns on protesters. The crackdown has been tightened. , The Iranians suffered a 6–2 defeat at the hands of England in their first game.

Wales will play Iran at 3:30 PM IST.


Qatar v Senegal

Hosts Qatar would like to take the embarrassment of their opening match defeat at the hands of Ecuador in front of the Senegalese team. The African champions came into the game with a good performance against the Netherlands, despite losing 2–0, while the hosts dealt with the infamy of becoming the first host nation in World Cup history to lose an opening match.

The Qatar vs Senegal will start at 6:30 PM IST.

Netherlands vs Ecuador
Louis van Gaal’s Dutch team and Gustavo Alfaro’s Ecuador team were involved in this match-up after close 2–0 wins against Senegal and Qatar respectively. Ecuador will hope to become the latest in a line of Davids defeating Goliaths against a formidable Dutch side.

Netherlands face Ecuador at 9:30 PM IST

england vs usa
The most anticipated match of the match day, a spirited England will face a motivated American team. The Brits head into the fray after beating Iran 6-2, while their opponents look to get their first win of the tournament after drawing their opening game against Wales.

ENG vs USA will start at 12:30 AM IST on November 26.

Originally published at Pen 18

FIFA WC 2022: Portugal beats Ghana 3-2; Ronaldo becomes first man to score at 5 World Cups

Originally published at Pen 18

neymar: Neymar injured, Richarlison scores as Brazil beat Serbia 2-1 at World Cup

With Neymar going off the field with an ankle injury, Richardson came on for the “Seleção”.

Richardson scored both goals in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Serbia at the World Cup on Friday, a brilliant acrobatic kick after a simple tap-in from close range.

After the match, the Tottenham striker became aware of Neymar’s injury.

“The most important thing for us is for him to be at 100 per cent for the next match,” said Richardson, whose first goal came after a buildup by Neymar. “When I get to the hotel I’ll go and see how he is.” Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lassmar said Neymar had sprained his right ankle. He declined to speculate on whether he would be available for the team’s next game against Switzerland on Monday.

“We iced him while he was on the bench and then in physical therapy,” Lassmer said. “No tests are scheduled for now, but we will schedule one if needed. He will remain under observation. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

Neymar was also injured in the 2014 World Cup. Playing at home to Brazil, his tournament ended with a back injury in the quarter-finals against Colombia, when he had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. Brazil lost 7–1 to Germany in the semi-finals.

Neymar was fouled nine times in the match against Serbia, four more than any player so far at this year’s World Cup. But the opposition defense could not stop Richardson, taking care of Neymar.

He turned his back to goal when he used one touch to bring the ball up in the air near the penalty spot, then turned around and ground before firing the ball into the net with his right foot in the 73rd minute. jumped from

Richardson, playing his first World Cup, said, ‘My childhood dream has come true. “We knew they would be difficult to overcome. I’m used to playing against defensive teams like this in England. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunities I had and I did.”

Brazil struggled to penetrate the Serbian defense until Richardson scored from close range in the 62nd. Vinicius Junior assisted on both goals.

Neymar, with Brazil looking for his first major title, finished with 75 goals for the national team, two shy of Pelé’s scoring record.

He struggled at times and sprained his right ankle in the second half. He was crying on the bench after being substituted in the 79th and was limping as he left the stadium.

Brazil coach Tite started with an offensive-minded squad consisting of four forwards – Neymar, Vinicius Júnior, Rafinha and Richardson. Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta played alongside Casemiro, the sole defensive midfielder.

But Serbia had many players and was able to prevent Brazil from creating many important chances. Neymar tried to control the pace but struggled to break free. He, Vinicius Junior and Rafinha missed chances early on.

Brazil’s best chance before Richardson’s opening goal was Alex Sandro’s low long-range shot that hit the post in the 60th. Neymar had the best chances with a free kick in the 50th and a shot from near the penalty spot in the 55th.

Serbia had its own injury issues for the match.

“We have three key players out injured – it’s too much for us,” said Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic. “We are not Brazil with 200 million people. We are a very small country.”

Neymar, 30, arrived at his third World Cup as Brazil’s main attraction. He helped the “Seleção” win the 2013 Confederations Cup and his first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, but has yet to win a major title with the national team.

Brazil, seeking to win its first World Cup in two decades, is unbeaten with 17 wins in its last 20 opening matches. It has finished first in its group in the last 10 World Cups.

Originally published at Pen 18

portugal: FIFA WC: Cristiano Ronaldo stars as Portugal defeat Ghana 3-2 in thrilling match

A resilient Portugal put on a fine display against Ghana to register a 3-2 win in their thrilling opening match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Stadium 974.

Cristiano Ronaldo missed some great chances in the early stages of the match in the first half but finally scored from the penalty spot to put Portugal in front.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five different World Cups in 65 minutes of play. After long protests from the Ghanaian players and Ronaldo the ball went past the goalkeeper when the box was finally cleared. Ronaldo won the penalty and made no mistake to score for his team.

However, Portugal’s joy was short lived as Andre Ayew pulled one back for Ghana in the 73rd minute of the match, but Portugal responded quickly with quick goals from João Félix (78) and substitute Rafael Leão (80). Portugal made a triple substitution and one of the players they brought on was Ronaldo. The cross came in from the left and Perera looked uncomfortable as Usman Bukhari came on to convert it.

Inaki Williams stunned Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa with a steal in the area in the 10th minute of stoppage time, giving Ghana a great chance to tie the score. However, the forward lost his footing at a crucial moment, allowing Ronaldo and his teammates to hold on for victory.

Earlier in the first half, Ghana’s defense managed to hold down Portugal’s attacks and ensure that there were no goals in the first half.

In the fifth minute, Portugal’s Otavio Edmilson da Silva Monteiro fired a right footed shot from outside the box to the left of the corner. In the very next minute, Ruben Neves’s right footed shot from outside the box was blocked.

In the 10th minute, assisted by Otavio, Cristiano Ronaldo fired a right footed shot from the center of the box which was saved in the center of the goal.

Three minutes later, a cross after a corner from Rafael Guerrero helped Ronaldo’s header miss from the right side of the six-yard box.

Joao Felix also had an attempt but his left footed shot from the center of the box went over the top. Another effort was saved by the Ghanaian when Otavio’s right footed shot from outside the box was blocked.

In the 42nd minute, Rafael Guerrero’s assist to Cristiano Ronaldo was blocked on the left side of the box. Ghana’s defense remained strong despite several attempts.

Portugal enjoyed 70 percent possession, compared to Ghana, which only had 30. Portugal had two shots on target while Ghana had none.

Originally published at Pen 18

uruguay: Stuttering Uruguay held by South Korea in goalless stalemate

Uruguay faltered against lively and energetic South Korea in their World Cup opener as they were held to a 0-0 draw on Thursday in Group H in a contest where both teams struggled to find a clinical edge. Was

Clear-cut chances were rare for either side at the Education City Stadium and although Uruguay created more scoring chances, neither team was able to register shots on target.

Uruguay captain Diego Godin was denied the woodwork, while South Korean forward Hwang Ui-jo burst onto the scene with a goal at his mercy before the two teams meet group rivals Portugal and Ghana later in the day. Missed opportunities found.

Uruguay’s first sight of goal came through Federico Valverde in the 19th minute, who connected with Jose Maria Jimenez’s pass and took a touch before firing a half-volley towards goal, but his ambitious effort went just over the bar. The South Americans were beginning to gain their footing when South Korea, who had so far been patient, disrupted their rhythm and scored on a counter-attack from a Uruguayan corner just before the half-hour mark.

Son Heung-min picked up the ball on the left flank and cut inside, past two Uruguayan defenders, before curling a right-footed effort towards goal, but left-back Mathias Oliveira was able to clear it away.

South Korea should have taken the lead in the 34th minute when Moon-Hwan Kim fired the ball into the penalty area and into the path of Hwang in front of goal, but the forward lost his composure and sent it over the crossbar.

Uruguay came close to scoring in the first half just before the break when centre-back Godin rose to head a header from Valverde’s corner but it bounced off the left post.

Jimenez pulled off a crucial tackle to deny Son five minutes after the restart following South Korea’s quick move, while Jung Woo-young held off a powerful attack from midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur at the other end.

Uruguay saw more of the ball but had few chances to break through the South Korean defense until the closing stages, when Valverde struck a volley in the final minute of regulation time that hit the top of the post.

Originally published at Pen 18

Seven Indian boxers roar into final at Youth World Boxing Championships

Young Indian boxers continued their dominance at the International Boxing Association (IBA) Youth Men’s and Women’s World Boxing Championships 2022 as seven of them advanced to the finals after their stunning victories in La Nucia, Spain.

Youth Asian champions Vanshaj and Vishwanath Suresh marched into the men’s semi-finals along with Ashish to maintain the all-win record for India, while Keerthi (+81kg), Bhavna Sharma (48kg), Devika Ghorpade (52kg) And Raveena (63kg) advanced in the women’s section.

Vishwanath from Chennai registered a 4-1 win over Puerto Rico’s Juanma Lopez, Vanshaj (63.5kg) and Ashish (54kg), who are from Haryana, won 3-1 against Deshawn Croklem of the United States and Khujnazar of Uzbekistan. 2 and won 4-3. Nortojiev respectively in their thrilling semi-final bouts, read a statement issued by the Boxing Federation of India. ,

Women boxers, on the other hand, registered comfortable wins apart from Keerthi’s 3-2 win against Kazakhstan’s Asel Toktasyn. Raveena and Bhavna defeated their Kazakh opponents Asem Tanatar and Gulnaz Burbayeva by unanimous decision. Devika of Maharashtra defeated America’s Amida Joy 4-1.

Meanwhile, four other Indian women – Tamannaah (50kg), Kunjaradevi Thongam (60kg), Muskaan (75kg) and Lashu Yadav (70kg) signed off with bronze medals after their respective semi-final losses.

Indian boxers have reasserted their dominance at the prestigious championship as 11 out of 17 quarter-finalists have confirmed medals – the most for any country in the ongoing edition, which has seen close to 600 boxers from 73 nations participate .

Uzbekistan are second with 10 assured medals while Ireland and Kazakhstan are joint third with seven medals each.

India’s dominance in the women’s section is another highlight of the tournament as eight boxers have won medals, the most for any country, followed by Kazakhstan (5) and Uzbekistan (4).

Bhawna and Devika along with all three male boxers will fight for the gold on Friday while the others will play the finals on Saturday.

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: FIFA World Cup 2022 matchday 5: Today’s games and schedule

November 24, 2022 The fifth day of the Qatar World Cup sees World Cup powerhouse Brazil in action, at a time when both Argentina and Germany have lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia and Japan in their last two matches. Today’s matches and match timings are as follows:

Switzerland v Cameroon
In today’s first kick-off, Granit Xhaka-led Switzerland will face five-time AFCON winners Cameroon. The Europeans introduce a new coach and remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying. The Cameroonians, on the other hand, are a bit shaky and come into the tournament as the fourth lowest ranked side.

Switzerland vs Cameroon begins at 3:30 PM IST.

Uruguay vs South Korea
An uneven matchup, today’s second game could prove to be another surprise result as South Korea have confirmed talisman Hyung-min Son is fit to play against Uruguay today. The South American came into the game in uncertainty with new coach Diego Alonso – who takes over at the end of 2021 – leaving the team in disarray.

Uruguay vs South Korea will start at 6:30 PM IST.


portugal v ghana
Cristiano Ronaldo-led Euro winners Portugal will face four-time AFCON champions Ghana in what is predicted to be a spicy fixture as the African nation returns to the World Cup having been absent for the 2018 edition. This is his fourth World Cup appearance since 2006.

Portugal vs Ghana will start at 9:30 PM IST.


brazil vs serbia
Technically a November 25 match, the Brazil v Serbia game takes place on matchday five in Qatar, with the South Americans projected as favorites to win this year’s tournament. Their first test comes in the form of a dark horse Serbian team, who topped their group in qualifying after beating eventual Euro winners Portugal 2–1.

The Brazil vs Serbia match will begin at 12:30 PM IST on November 25.

Originally published at Pen 18

japan: Qatar FIFA World Cup: Japan stuns Germany with late strike; wins 2-1

Japan’s Ritsu Doon and Takuma Asano struck the final blow in the last 15 minutes to give Japan a stunning 2-1 victory over four-time champions Germany in their World Cup Group E opener on Wednesday.

The Germans dominated the contest at the Khalifa International Stadium and took the lead in the 33rd minute with a penalty from Ilkay Guendogen after wing-back David Raum was fouled by Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda.

Germany came closest to scoring in the 16th minute with a superb corner kick from Joshua-Walter Kimmich, who was headed in by Rudiger.

Germany were awarded a free-kick as Thomas Müller was brought down by Takefusa Kubo in the 18th minute but the Germans failed to convert. Gundogan troubled the Japan team with his superb footballing skills as he constantly managed to find spaces in the field.

However, the second goal never came, and Japan’s raids into the German half became more and more frequent, culminating in Daun’s equalizer and Asano’s superb finish eight minutes later.

The defeat in the opening match of a major championship was the third in a row for Germany after losing to Mexico at the 2018 World Cup, when they lost to France in the first round as reigning champions, and to France at Euro 2020.

(with inputs from agencies)

Originally published at Pen 18

Takuma Asano: A Precision Katana Cut: Takuma Asano, 83’ Against Germany

It could be a German who first showed 25 years before the World Cup that light bends under the influence of gravity. But Japan’s Takuma Asano finished 83rd.
^third Minutes in their first match against Germany on Wednesday that really demonstrated ‘how it’s done’.

Kou Itakura’s long ball was caught by Asano from a free kick. He makes a run to the German box with Borussia Dortmund’s 6ft 3in defender Nico Schlotterbeck, the 5ft 8in Bochum forward moving like a ship against a speed-boat. This is an impossible angle for the Japanese, made more difficult as the attacker and defender – Manuel Neuer not yet visible in the picture – push each other as if in a fast-paced James Bond sequence. on the roof of the train.

Remarkably, Asano not only keeps his ground, but he also finds a slit between Neuer and the still-looming Scholterbeck to smash the ball soaring into the roof of the German net. This physics-defying goal that sealed Germany’s fate remains the most difficult – and best – goal ever scored in a tournament that has already overturned established laws, awaiting re-evaluation.

Originally published at Pen 18

Harbhajan Singh: Someone like Ashish Nehra more suited to T20 coaching job than Dravid: Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh feels someone like Ashish Nehra should be a part of India’s T20 coaching setup as he knows the shortest format better than current head coach Rahul Dravid.

Nehra had retired from the game in 2017 and led Gujarat Titans to the title on his IPL debut earlier this year.

“In T20 format you can have someone like Ashish Nehra who recently retired from the game. He knows it better, with all due respect to Rahul, we have played together for so many years, he has a huge Knowledge is there but it is a difficult format.

Harbhajan said, “Whoever has played the game recently is better for coaching job in T20. I am not saying that you should drop Rahul from T20. Ashish and Rahul will make this team for 2024 World Cup.” can work together for.” The spin mahan is part of the Delhi Bulls team that features in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.

England’s T20 World Cup triumph has sparked debate over split coaching and picking different players for different formats.

“Such an arrangement also makes it easier for Rahul who can take a break like the New Zealand tour and Ashish can work in his absence,” he added.

Asked about different players for different formats, Bhajan said, “It’s fine. It works for me.”

The 42-year-old feels the Indian team’s approach will have to change whether the current top three – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli – extend their careers till the 2024 World Cup or not.

“The approach has to change in the T20 format. The first six overs are crucial. If that doesn’t happen you will be depending on Hardik or Surya to get you 50 in 20 balls. If they don’t fire, you will be finished. ” One down par total.

The veteran, who played 103 Tests, said, “England changed their attitude and they have won two World Cups. T20 should be played like T20 and not like ODI.”

In the absence of seniors, India fielded a young top-three in New Zealand.

“All the top-three (Rohit, Virat, KL) need to raise their strike rate. When you are batting at 110 or 120 strike and trying to make 180 it is difficult. Have to score at least 9 runs. First 10-12 overs.”

Does he see Kohli and Rohit playing in the shortest format?

“I am not going to comment whether they want to play or not. They are quality players if they can stay fit then why not, provided the approach is different. Players cannot be changed overnight, the approach has to be changed.”

Harbhajan said that Hardik Pandya should captain India in T20 after Rohit Sharma.

If that happens then Hardik is the right choice.

Talking about the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, Harbhajan said that he is excited to be a part of the league.

“I’m really excited. Don’t know how many games I’ll play. It’s a good format and a shorter format than T20. It’s a faster format and good for the fans. Going forward, it could grow into something huge. ” ,

Originally published at Pen 18

FIFA World Cup 2022: Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1

Originally published at Pen 18

Suryakumar Yadav ODI ranking: ICC ODI Rankings: Suryakumar Yadav continues to stay at top, Hardik Pandya 50th among batters

Star India batsman Suryakumar Yadav retained his top spot while all-rounder Hardik Pandya moved up to joint-50th in the ICC Men’s T20 International batting rankings released here on Wednesday. Suryakumar consolidated his position at the top of the rankings after scoring an unbeaten 111 in the second T20I against New Zealand.

Suryakumar has gained 31 rating points from the series and his 890 points puts him 54th ahead of Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, who is second.

On the other hand, Hardik, who led India in the series against New Zealand, reached the joint 50th position among batsmen after scoring an unbeaten 30 in the final match.

In the bowlers’ list, veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has moved up two places to 11th while left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh has moved up one place to 21st. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has jumped eight places to reach the 40th position.

Kohli ranked sixth in ODI rankings

The talismanic Virat Kohli has moved up to sixth in the ODI rankings while skipper Rohit Sharma remains at number eight.

Injured Jasprit Bumrah, who is ranked 11th, is the top-ranked Indian in the bowlers’ list.

Australia openers David Warner and Travis Head have made remarkable gains in the ODI player rankings after a stupendous 269-run stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), while Steve Smith’s consistent performances in the home series against England have earned him a career-best 100 runs. Helped to find the best match. Seventh place

Warner, formerly the top-ranked batsman, gained a spot to reach fifth position in the list after his score of 106 in the final match helped him score 240 runs and win the Player of the Series award.

Head, who scored 208 runs after his player-of-the-match effort of 152 at the MCG, has moved up 12 places to 30th position.

Smith finished third in the run-scorers’ list, his 195 runs good enough to move him up three places to seventh, a position he had gained in January 2017. positions, respectively.

Pacer Mitchell Starc, who was adjudged player of the match for his figures of four for 47 in the second ODI in Sydney, has moved up four places to fourth, while leg-spinner Adam Zampa (up eight places) Gained seventh) and Pat Cummins (up one place to 17th) have also moved up the rankings for bowlers.

For England, Phil Salt and Dawid Malan have entered the top 100. Salt has moved up six places to be ranked 97th, while Malan has moved up 56 places to be ranked 100th.

Originally published at Pen 18

fifa: FIFA charges Ecuador over fan chants at World Cup opener

FIFA on Tuesday opened the tournament’s first disciplinary case following alleged discriminatory chants by Ecuadorian fans in their World Cup opening match.

FIFA said the charge was made “due to chants” in Sunday’s game against Qatar and cited the section of its disciplinary code dealing with discrimination.

The chants were reportedly directed at Chile, which brought a legal case before the World Cup to try to replace Ecuador.

FIFA gave no timetable for handling the case against the Ecuadorian Football Federation, which is held responsible for the behavior of fans at games. Ecuadorian fans attracted global attention for their chants of “We want beer” in Spanish during the team’s 2–0 victory at El Bayt Stadium. This was in reference to FIFA and Qatari organizers banning the sale of beer alongside alcohol in stadiums.

Originally published at Pen 18

India vs New Zealand: Rain-hit 3rd T20I ends in a tie, Indian team win the series 1-0

Originally published at Pen 18

cristiano ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United after criticism of club

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will leave with immediate effect, the Premier League team said on Tuesday, a bitter end to the Portugal captain’s second spell at Old Trafford after he said he had been betrayed by the club.

An explosive interview with TalkTV this month – in which Ronaldo also said he did not respect manager Erik ten Haag – left him in a shaky position at the club, after winning eight major trophies with them from 2003-2009. They reunited in August 2021.

United said last week they would address Ronaldo’s comments only after establishing the full facts and last Friday said they had initiated “appropriate steps” in response.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement with immediate effect. The club thank him for his immense contribution over two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wish him and his family all the best for the future ” United said in a statement. “Everyone at United is focused on continuing the team’s progress under Ten Haag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”

Last month, Ten Haag said Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur with minutes remaining in the game after the forward was put on the bench.

The 37-year-old was then not part of the squad that made its return before facing Chelsea the following Saturday.

Ronaldo later said in interviews that he regretted leaving early against Spurs, but that his decision to leave as well came about because he felt “provoked” by Ten Haag.

Ronaldo said in a statement on Tuesday that he loved the club and the fans.

“… that will never change,” he said. “However, it seems like the right time for me to seek a new challenge. I wish the team every success for the rest of the season and for the future.”

Originally published at Pen 18

india vs new zealand 3rd t20 match: Siraj, Arshdeep take four-wicket hauls, New Zealand all out for 160

Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj took eight wickets together as India bowled out New Zealand for 160 in the third and final T20 International in Napier on Tuesday.

Batting first, New Zealand were reeling at 130 for two in the 16th over, but the pair of Arshdeep (4/37) and Siraj (4/17) made a brilliant comeback to end the Kiwi innings with two balls to spare. Gave.

The hosts lost eight wickets for just 30 runs after Devon Conway (59 off 49 balls) and Glenn Phillips (54 off 33 balls) propelled their innings.

India got their first breakthrough when Arshdeep trapped Finn Allen in front of the wicket with a full delivery that spun through mid on. Allen thought of a review before deciding to walk back as the ball was clearly going to hit the stumps.

Experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a tight third over before Conway decided to take on left-arm seamer Arshdeep, smashing him for a boundary through mid-wicket before lofting the bowler over extra cover for a six.

He then hit a boundary over the fast bowler’s head.

19 runs in the fourth over and it looked like New Zealand were on their way. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 14 runs in the next over as the Kiwis looked to finish off the powerplay, their weak spot in recent times, on a strong note.

However, a change in bowling dashed all such hopes as Siraj dismissed Mark Chapman for 12 with a run-a-ball. fiasco, ending a brief but sharp partnership.

After conceding 33 runs in two overs, the Indian bowlers put up a mighty fight, conceding only 17 runs in the next four overs.

Conway broke the shackles with a four off Yuzvendra Chahal as New Zealand were 74 for two at the halfway stage of their innings.

After a slow start, the quick-hitting Phillips hit a couple of fours before hitting a four and a big six off consecutive balls to help his team cross 100 in the 13th over.

Phillips launched him at Bhubaneswar, hitting a four and a monstrous six over the roof at McLean Park.

31 runs came from overs 12 and 13, before Phillips smashed Harshal Patel over deep square leg for another maximum.

However, Phillips got a top edge against Siraj and Bhuvneshwar took a catch in the deep as a big breakthrough for the tourists.

The dismissal of Phillips triggered a collapse as the hosts lost their remaining wickets in short order.

Originally published at Pen 18

india vs new zealand 3rd t20 match: New Zealand wins toss, opts to bat first against India in third T20I

New Zealand captain Tim Southee won the toss and elected to bat in the final T20 match of the three-match series against India in Napier on Tuesday.

India currently has a 1-0 lead in the series.

New Zealand captain Tim Southee said, “We will bat. It looks like a pitch where we can get runs on the board. We can’t really control the weather, but this ground has a history of good batting conditions.” suggests. Our bowling was poor the other night. Not the best but credit goes to Skye (Suryakumar Yadav). Mark Chapman comes straight through. You look back at the places where we can improve as a team Can.”

Indian captain Hardik Pandya also said at the toss, “We wanted to bowl first anyway, so we got what we wanted. I think the pitch will be the same for the full 40 overs, but something has to happen with the grass on it.” could.” Lateral movement for our pacers. We keep in mind the dimensions but also the skill-set in our bowling line-up. We can’t think too much about the conditions – one change, Herschel comes in for Washington Sundar”. New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway (W), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (c), Lockie Ferguson

India (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya(c), Deepak Hooda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Originally published at Pen 18

2024 T20 World Cup will not be same as the earlier one. Here are the changes

The T20 World Cup to be played in 2024 which will see the participation of 20 nations will be played in a different format. There will be four groups of five teams each.

Instead of the Super 12 stage in the 2021 and 2022 World Cups, the 2024 World Cup will have a Super 8 stage featuring the top two teams from four groups. The Super 8 stage will have two groups of four teams each.

Then, the top two sides in each of the two Super Eight groups will advance to the semi-finals, which will be followed by the final.

Twelve teams have already secured their berths in the next edition of the tournament to be played in the West Indies and the United States. As hosts, the West Indies and the United States take the first two spots.

The top eight teams (top four in each Super 12 group) at the recent T20 World Cup in Australia, including defending champions England and runners-up Pakistan, have already secured places for the 2024 tournament, with Afghanistan next. And Bangladesh. The best teams are also securing their places in the ICC Men’s T20I Rankings.

The final eight places for the 2024 tournament will be decided in regional play, the ICC said in a press release.

“While South Africa claimed 2024 qualification by virtue of their top eight finish, Zimbabwe were unable to capitalize on their strong start to the campaign, finishing last in the Super 12 group and relegated to regional qualification,” the ICC said in the release. was sent.” ,

There will be two qualification spots each in Africa, Asia and Europe, with one spot each for the Americas and East-Asia Pacific.

In the previous two editions of the T20 World Cup, the first round saw two groups of four teams each, consisting of the countries that entered the competition through the qualifying stage and the ninth and 12th-placed teams in the previous tournament.

The top two sides from each group in the first round were then joined by the remaining eight teams that had already qualified for the Super 12 stage.

(With inputs from PTI)

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: Messi seeks history with Argentina in likely last World Cup appearance

Lionel Messi finally returns to the World Cup for a fifth attempt at winning football’s biggest prize. He will also be hoping to make history with Argentina.

The Argentine is one of the favorites to win in Qatar and a win would fill a void on his resume. But a win or a draw on Tuesday against Saudi Arabia, one of the tournament’s weakest teams, would give Argentina a record-tying result.

Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-match unbeaten streak, one shy of breaking Italy’s record in international men’s football, set from 2018–21.

Argentina have not lost since their 2-0 loss to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America. Argentina first won the World Cup in 1978, and again in 1986 – a year before Messi was born. The team reached the final in 2014 and lost to Germany, and four years later were eliminated in the round of 16 in Russia. Meanwhile, Messi is one of the four players who are playing in their fifth World Cup. He is joined by Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico teammates Guillermo Ochoa and Andrés Guardado.

Saudi Arabia were eliminated in the first round in 2018, starting with a 5–0 defeat to hosts Russia. In a tough Group C that includes Mexico and Poland, the Saudis will be seeking a group stage exit for only the second time since 1994. The team has won two of its last 10 matches.

defending champion

Defending champions France will play against Australia on Tuesday in a rematch from four years ago.

France won 2-1 in Russia when Paul Pogba’s shot in the 81st minute was deflected off a defender for an own goal. Pogba is out after knee surgery, and France are also down two other stars with N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema sidelined.

France expect defender Raphael Varane to play after suffering a hamstring injury in October.

Kylian Mbappe is set to lead France to consecutive titles. He was only 19 when he scored in the final and helped France win the World Cup four years earlier. With 28 international goals, Embappé will be looking to add to his tally in the Group D opener.

However, France arrived in Qatar with only one win in their last six matches.

Australia barely made the World Cup field and needed a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Peru in the playoffs. The Socceroos have been knocked out of the group stage in four of their last five matches.

other sports

Mexico faces Poland, while Denmark plays Tunisia on 11 consecutive days with four games played each day.

Poland entered the World Cup behind striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored nine goals with four assists in qualification. His 13 direct-goal partnerships were twice as many as any teammate.

However, he never scored at the World Cup as Poland finished last in their group in 2018. The Barcelona striker is eager to score in Qatar.

“I definitely think about the last World Cup,” Lewandowski said. “Scoring in the World Cup would be a huge dream and I am going to do everything for this dream. I hope it happens in this World Cup. Whatever I have achieved and these memories for the World Cup Happy to have.” So now is the time to enjoy.”

Poland was last eliminated from the group stage in 1986.

Meanwhile, Mexico has been eliminated from group play in each of its last eight appearances, last failing to advance in 1978. The national team has also won its first match in five of its last six World Cups.

Christian Eriksen comes on to play for Denmark against Tunisia, 17 months after being revived on the field during the European Championship.

The Manchester United midfielder’s presence will be inspirational for Denmark, who sailed through their World Cup qualifying group winning their first nine games – with clean sheets through the first eight.

Tunisia has been strong in keeping games tight, but its World Cup record is not good: Tunisia has lost 60% of its World Cup games (nine out of 15), trailing only Saudi Arabia and Australia.

chaos outside

The first few days of the World Cup have been marred by logistical problems, the latest on Monday when fans complained that tickets for the England-Iran match had gone missing from their mobile FIFA applications.

Long queues formed outside the Khalifa International Stadium about an hour before the start of the match and fans went berserk lest they could get inside.

The night before, the official fan area became increasingly congested during the opening match between host nations Qatar and Ecuador. Tens of thousands of fans pushed against a police line to enter the venue, making it one of the few places where fans could buy beer and watch the game.

Davis Update

Canada coach John Herdman is expected to give a medical update on Tuesday about Alphonso Davies, who arrived in Qatar last week after receiving treatment on a hamstring strain he picked up this month while playing for Bayern Munich.

Bayern have said Davies’ participation in Qatar was “not at risk”, but he has not played since the November 5 injury.

“My mission is to make sure he plays in this World Cup, it’s a childhood dream for him,” Herdmann said. “And he shouldn’t be put in a position where he’s vulnerable.”

Read about all 32 teams playing in the World Cup.

Originally published at Pen 18

messi: FIFA Qatar: Messi centre stage as Argentina, France begin World Cup title bids

Lionel Messi will surely have his last chance to win the World Cup on Tuesday, with both Argentina and holders France in action in Qatar.

After England showed their title credentials by thrashing Iran 6-2, the third day of the most controversial World Cup in history will see four matches.

Messi and his ardent supporter Argentina top Group C when they face Saudi Arabia, followed by Denmark versus Tunisia in Group D.

The evening matches are Robert Lewandowski’s Poland against Mexico in Group C and the last game of the day is Kylian Mbappe-led defending champions France versus Australia in Group D. Much of the focus will be on forward Messi.

The 35-year-old has won it all and is one of the greatest footballers of all time, but World Cup glory has eluded him and it surely is past time to rectify that glaring blunder.

“This is probably my last World Cup, my last chance to make this great dream come true,” Messi told reporters in Doha on Monday.

“I don’t know if it’s my happiest moment, but I feel great.

“I’m older, more mature, I want to make the most of everything, live it with maximum intensity and enjoy every moment I have.”

In recent days, Messi has twice trained apart from the rest of the squad, but he went on to quell any concerns among Argentines that he might not be fit for Saudi Arabia.

“I trained separately because I had a knock, it was precautionary, but nothing unusual,” he said.

Argentina entered the tournament as the Copa América holders and as of 2019 are unbeaten in 36 matches.

mbappe difference
If Messi is inching towards the end of one of football’s greatest careers, his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Mbappe is yet to make his debut.

And the 23-year-old could be in for a field day against Australia, which lack the stars of the past and need one more qualification to reach Qatar.

As for when Argentina face Saudi Arabia, anything other than a victory for holders France would be a huge blow.

Didier Deschamps is missing Paul Pogba and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, both ruled out of the tournament through injury, and the French coach said it puts even more pressure on Mbappe.

“He has always had the ability to make a difference and we will need that,” Deschamps said.

“Unlike many other players, he has the ability to be decisive at any moment.”

Mbappe, who will turn 24 next month, will spearhead a French attack in which Olivier Giroud is now expected to start in Benzema’s absence.

Lewandowski is the third of three world-class attackers to feature on Tuesday, but for all his goalscoring exploits over the years, the 34-year-old has yet to score at the World Cup.

The Barcelona predator has struck 25 times in the last two World Cup qualifying campaigns, but is yet to open his account in the finals.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczecny believes Lewandowski will break his duck in Qatar as Poland aim to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 1986.

“I think it’s definitely important for him (to score),” Szczecny told reporters on the eve of Poland’s opening game against Mexico.

“He is very motivated ahead of the World Cup. There is no doubt that Robert is one of the best players in the world at the moment.”

Originally published at Pen 18

iran: Iran make a statement

England made a spectacular start to their World Cup challenge with a 6-2 thrashing of Iran after Iranian players decided not to sing their national anthem in apparent support of anti-government protests in the country. Ahead of their opening match of the tournament in Qatar’s capital Doha. More than two months of protests in Iran, sparked by the death of a young woman in police custody, are one of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical leaders since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iranian state television, during its live broadcast, censored footage of players lining up before the match as the national anthem was played. On the eve of the match, captain Ehsan Hajjafi, who plays in Greece, became the first member of the Iranian team to speak out on the situation from the World Cup at home, “We are with them. And we support them. And we sympathize with them.” Despite a build-up to a game dominated by questions about protests in their homeland, Iran gave England the lead after 35 minutes before 19-year-old rising star Jude Bellingham scored. Gareth Southgate’s side took a 4-0 lead thanks to two goals from player of the match Bukayo Saka and a fine strike from Raheem Sterling, before Iran came back late on through Mehdi Taremi.

England put the result beyond doubt as Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish each netted before Taremi scored a consolation penalty. “We haven’t had our best in the tournament. There was a lot of talk and speculation about our form but we showed everyone what quality we have and what we can do.

Originally published at Pen 18

FIFA World Cup 2022: Saka, Rashford help England rout Iran 6-2 – The Economic Times Video

When Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford walked off the field at a major international football tournament for the last time, they were showered with racist abuse. His immediate response was three goals for England in the team’s opening match at this year’s World Cup. Saka scored two goals before giving way to Rashford, who added another in the second half of England’s 6-2 defeat on Monday.

Originally published at Pen 18

India football: Alleged match fixing in football matches: CBI seeks cooperation of Indian football clubs

The CBI has registered a preliminary inquiry into alleged match-fixing in football matches in the country, officials said on Monday. During the investigation that began about 15 days ago, the CBI sought and collected documents from the Delhi-based All India Football Federation on several Indian football clubs.

He said the role of an alleged Singapore-based match-fixer in rigging the results of the matches was under investigation. Officials declined to give any details about the suspects named in the preliminary investigation and details of the charges as it could hamper the investigation which is still in its initial stages.

He said the agency has received some documents while some are still awaited.

The agency has also sought cooperation from several Indian football clubs to join the probe. Citing the law, he said that the CBI cannot inquire through search, arrest or summons as part of the preliminary inquiry.

He said the central probe agency depends on the cooperation of the stakeholders during the preliminary investigation and registers the FIR when it has prima facie material indicating offence.

Originally published at Pen 18

fifa: Qatar FIFA World Cup: Revenue expected to surpass all previous records

With the official launch of the once in four year and much awaited FIFA World Cup, football fever has engulfed the whole world.

Football’s biggest event began in Qatar on 20 November and will go on till 18 December. Eight stadiums in Qatar will host 64 matches of this showpiece event.

Global audiences set the stage for memorable sporting achievements on and off the field, as well as commercial and prestigious opportunities in the technology, media and telecommunications sectors, according to a new analysis by global financial information and analytics services provider S&P Global Market Intelligence. Huh. ,

Based on its analysis, it is estimated that Qatar is expected to generate US$6.5 billion, more than all previous tournaments combined and four times the figure seen in Korea and Japan in 2002. Federation FIFA acts as the custodian of the game, with all income distributed back. In play. Expenses include event-related costs, development payments to member states, governance and other administrative costs.

During the 2018 Football World Cup in Russia, a revenue of USD 5.2 billion was generated, it said in its analysis report.

“An analysis of the last four-year World Cup cycle leading up to Russia 2018 shows that half of FIFA’s revenue came from broadcasting rights fees,” the report said.

“An additional 26 percent came from marketing rights, with sponsors signing contracts to be associated with the event. Hospitality and ticket sales increased by 11 percent, indicating that media exposure and a global relationship with the sport are driving overall revenue.” increases,” it said.

Notably, the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held during the fourth quarter of a calendar year for the first time. The scheduling was reported to be due to extreme weather conditions in Qatar during June and July, the months in which the tournament is normally held.

“This delayed scheduling means the matches will take place within the most lucrative TV advertising period of the year,” said an S&P Global Market Intelligence report.

Talking about the FIFA World Cup 2022, a total of 32 teams from five confederations are competing in Qatar. 64 matches will be played during 29 days.

Teams hosts are Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands, England, Iran, USA, Wales, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland, France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia, Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Canada. , Morocco and Croatia, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea.

Notably, the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament is the last with 32 participating teams, as Canada, Mexico and the United States will host the 2026 tournament, when the field will increase to 48 teams.

France is the defending champion, having won their second title in 2018 after defeating Croatia in the final.

Most notably, this is likely the last World Cup tournament for Argentina striker Lionel Messi – widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. It is also highly likely that 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo will don the Portuguese colors for one last time.

This is the first time the Middle East is hosting the event. It is the first time the World Cup is being held outside the normal June-July window to escape the desert heat during the summer in Qatar.

Originally published at Pen 18

England launch bid for World Cup glory after Qatar slump to defeat

European heavyweights England and the Netherlands began their World Cup campaigns on Monday as the tournament in Qatar shifted into a higher gear following a disappointing defeat for the hosts.

Asian champions Qatar became the first home nation to lose their opening World Cup match as Ecuador won 2-0 on Sunday, with veteran forward Enner Valencia scoring twice.

England, who meet Iran in Group B, will be desperate to start strongly as they aim to end their decades-long trophy drought after two near misses in recent years.

Gareth Southgate’s men made a stunning run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia before reaching their first major final for 55 years at last year’s European Championships. Despite his success as England boss, Southgate faced criticism for his perceived negative tactics and increased pressure after a string of poor results.

“The first thing for a coach is to enable (the team) win,” he said. “Then of course you want to play football that excites people, that the players enjoy.

“Our challenge is to give the supporters a tournament to remember. We have given them a great ride in the last two tournaments.”

With tough matches against the United States and Wales coming up, England can’t afford to get off to a slow start against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium.

England’s opening comes against a backdrop of deadly demonstrations in the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s clerical leadership has been rocked by more than two months of women-led protests over the custodial death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman of Kurdish origin who was arrested by morality police in Tehran.

Defender Ehsan Hajsafi said: “They should know that we sympathize with them,” adding that “the conditions at home are not good”.

In the second game in Group B, the United States face Gareth Bale’s Wales, playing in their first World Cup since 1958.

Captain Bell said he hoped to inspire a new generation of Welsh footballers.

“Everyone dreamed of it for so long,” said the former Real Madrid forward. “We’ve had so many close calls. For us to be a team to get over the line was incredible.

“But more importantly, it is to inspire another generation, to develop football in our country. Hopefully, by doing so, we are going to have a stronger national team in the future.”

The Netherlands will take on Senegal in Group A, with the African champions missing their talisman Sadio Mane to injury.

The Dutch failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but the three-time runners-up have bounced back under experienced manager Louis van Gaal, who led the team to the semi-finals in 2014.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk said, “We have to believe in our ability and ourselves and be confident.”

“We have a fantastic manager, an experienced manager. We have players who play at the highest level, the biggest clubs in the world.”

Despite Mane’s absence, Senegal coach Aliu Cisse was upbeat about his team’s prospects.

“Of course we will not hide the importance of Sadio Mane to the Senegalese team – he is very important, a coach builds his team around his best players.

“But there’s also a group of experienced players with young players ready to step up. We’ve got to play the first game without Sadio Mane.”

Originally published at Pen 18

formula one: Formula One champion Max Verstappen ends season with record 15th win

Max Verstappen capped off one of the most impressive seasons in Formula One history by winning a record-extending 15th race of the year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

A year after Verstappen’s tense and controversial victory over Lewis Hamilton to seal his maiden title, there was little drama at the Yas Marina circuit.

Verstappen stayed ahead of teammate Sergio Pérez at the start and was never seriously challenged on his way to victory thereafter.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc kept his drivers first and second, fending off Pérez’s challenge for second on the old tires and Red Bull’s bid to take second place in the championship standings. Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel finished 10th for Aston Martin as he retired from F1 after 16 years. A hydraulic problem ended Lewis Hamilton’s race for Mercedes as the seven-time champion ended the F1 season without a win for the first time in his career.

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: FIFA World Cup 2022: Fans pour into Doha for the opening ceremony and match – The Economic Times Video

International football fans started flying into Doha as the FIFA World Cup 2022 fever gripped fans across the globe. The much-awaited FIFA World Cup 2022 begins today in Qatar. To be held once every four years, 32 teams will be eyeing this Mahakumbh. This is the first time the Middle East is hosting the event. It is the first time the World Cup is being held outside the normal June-July window to escape the desert heat during the summer in Qatar.

Originally published at Pen 18

valencia: Valencia leads Ecuador to 2-0 win over hosts Qatar in World Cup opener

Ener Valencia’s two first-half goals helped Ecuador record a stunning 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday as the home nation solidified their big night with an error-strewn performance that earned them their first World Cup berth. I had to face defeat.

Valencia, who already had a third-minute header ruled out for offside by VAR, slotted in the opening goal of the tournament from the penalty spot in the 16th minute after being brought down by a nervous-looking goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb to be done.

He netted a 31st-minute header for the second and the South Americans then cruised home as Qatar struggled to mount any meaningful attack and had only a full header by Almoez Ali to show for their limited efforts.

The other teams in Group A, Senegal and the Netherlands, meet on Monday in one of three games.

Originally published at Pen 18

Qatar world cup: The numbers behind hosting a football world cup

The 2022 FIFA Football World Cup begins in Qatar on Sunday, with the host country facing Ecuador in what is the costliest World Cup ever and the biggest sporting event ever staged in the Middle East. This is the first time that the World Cup has been organized in an Arab and Muslim-majority country.

Qatar has spent more than $200 billion preparing for the tournament, which has been dogged by controversy and criticism since day one. The 2018 edition of the tournament was the costliest ever when Russia paid close to $14 billion. Brazil spent around $12 billion when it hosted the World Cup in 2014.

It is important to note that previous hosts of the tournament had a strong football culture and infrastructure, something that did not appeal to Qatar. This meant that the country had to go the extra mile to accommodate the demands of the tournament, which is one of the most watched sporting events in the world.

Despite hosting a winter season for the first time in its history, experts say players are at risk of heat stroke in Qatar during the World Cup. To assist the players, Doha has built in air conditioners in seven stadiums. Popular football nations, including but not limited to European nations, have been critical of the way Qatar has prepared for the tournament. Corruption, human rights abuses, hostility towards gays, and for some, a lack of beer at stadium sites. The Qataris could hardly have furthered their cause when their World Cup ambassador (and former national player) Khalid Salman described homosexuality as “haram” (forbidden) and “mind damage”.

Despite the criticisms and criticisms, the tournament is expected to garner record viewership in Qatar and elsewhere.

number

Since winning the bid to host the World Cup in 2010, Qatar has spent over $250 billion on football-related development, a figure comparable to the estimated $42 billion spent by China on the 2008 Beijing Olympics and $55 billion by Russia. is more than Winter Olympics in 2014.

Ten billion have gone to eight football stadiums. The rest of the country was dedicated to wholesale transformation: a complete remodeling of Downtown Doha; the construction of nearly a hundred new hotels; port and airport expansion; a modified road system; construction of three metro lines; and a new city with homes for over a million people.

It’s no surprise that a country with a population of less than three million people has spent huge sums of money over the last decade to host the biggest sporting event. The tournament is expected to see around 1.2 million fans in the country, and while many can live in neighboring countries, housing in Qatar itself has been a major challenge for organisers.

It is from here that the neighboring countries of Qatar are sure to benefit. Qatar will have more than 90 new daily flights, 40 from the United Arab Emirates, and Dubai, 45 minutes from Doha, will be the tournament’s main gateway. Saudi Arabia and Oman are counting on a spillover of tourists: if your team gets eliminated in the first round, what easier place to console yourself than on a beach by the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean?

Last month, officials began releasing thousands of rooms that were previously closed to the public. In October, a government spokesman said it was on its way to providing 130,000 rooms for the tournament, with more than 117,000 rooms currently available.

Reports suggest that the one-month tournament is on top of the roughly $5.4 billion in revenue that the 2018 World Cup in Russia generated for FIFA, the governing body of soccer.

FIFA has reportedly pre-sold broadcast rights, around 240,000 hospitality packages and around three million tickets for the event. The World Cup is sponsored by major brands including Adidas AG and The Coca-Cola Company.

Tournament chiefs say 2.9 million of the 3.1 million tickets sold have been sold, with fans waiting outside ticket centers hoping to see top games.

Originally published at Pen 18

FIFA World Cup 2022: Many historic firsts and a few historic lasts at store in Qatar

Originally published at Pen 18

athletes commission: PT Usha, Yogeshwar Dutt among eight SOMs picked by IOA Athletes Commission

Former sprint queen PT Usha and Olympic bronze-medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt were among the eight sportspersons on Saturday selected by the newly elected Athletes’ Commission to vote during the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) elections to be held on December 10. The other six SOMs are MM Somaya (hockey), Rohit Rajpal (tennis), Akhil Kumar (boxing), Suma Shirur (shooting), Aparna Popat (badminton) and Dola Banerjee (archery).

However, the names of the eight SOMs were yet to be officially notified by Justice (Retd) L Nageswara Rao, who was tasked by the Supreme Court to frame the IOA constitution and conduct elections.

Under the new constitution of the IOA drafted by Justice Rao, the eight SOMs, which will be part of the General Body with voting rights, have four male and four female members. The IOA has already approved the constitution under the mandatory direction of the Supreme Court.

“Yes, eight SOMs have been selected by the Athletes’ Commission and Justice LN Rao will notify the same,” a source in the know of the selection process told PTI on condition of anonymity. It (selection) was good. Over 70 former athletes applied for the eight SOM roles and the Athletes’ Commission of the IOA formed a five-member sub-committee to shortlist the candidates.

It is learned that some members of the Athletes’ Commission had insisted that the entire selection process – like criteria, points system – be made public.

The 10-member Athletes’ Commission was elected on 14 November. A day later, boxing legend MC Mary Kom was appointed its president, while table tennis ace Achanta Sharath Kamal was made its vice-president. Other members of the Athletes Commission are PV Sindhu, Shiva Keshavan, Mirabai Chanu, Gagan Narang, Rani Rampal, Bhavani Devi, Bajrang Lal and OP Karhana.

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: Six possible breakout stars of the World Cup

The World Cup always provides a platform for young players to make a name for themselves and the younger generation will be eagerly waiting for the 2022 edition to begin on Sunday.

AFP Sport takes a look at six of the tournament’s potential breakout stars in Qatar hoping to follow in the footsteps of Pele and Kylian Mbappe.

Moises Caicedo (Ecuador) – Much of the focus in the opening match will be on hosts Qatar but Caedo will aim to run the game from Ecuador’s midfield. The 21-year-old has been a key player for Brighton in the Premier League since breaking into the first team last season. He has been linked with a possible move to several big clubs, most notably Liverpool. Caicedo has already made 25 international appearances, including 15 starts in Ecuador’s successful World Cup qualifying campaign. He is part of the Brighton trio in the Ecuadorian team along with Parvis Estupinen and Jeremy Sarmiento.

Jude Bellingham (England) – The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is fast becoming a global star and is still only 19 years old. He was a member of the England team that reached the final of last year’s European Championships but was behind Declan Rice and Calvin Phillips in the pecking order. Bellingham is now a surefire start for Gareth Southgate after a fine 12 months, capped by four goals in this season’s Champions League group stage. Real Madrid and Liverpool are reportedly among the teams chasing his signature and he could further boost any potential transfer fee by helping end England’s 56-year wait for a second World Cup title.

Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) — The 23-year-old winger made only a brief substitute appearance at Euro 2020 but is expected to feature far more heavily in Qatar. Gakpo has already scored 13 goals for PSV Eindhoven in all competitions this season, just seven less than his previous stint. With Memphis Depay out through September due to injury, Gakpo could start the Netherlands’ first half against Senegal on Monday.


Geo Reyna (United States) – Despite battling injuries in his short career so far, Reyna has always drawn praise for his performances for Dortmund. He made his league debut for Dortmund in January 2020 at the age of 17, becoming the youngest American to play in the Bundesliga, now holding international teammate Christian Pulisic’s record. Reyna, now 20, is likely to compete with Lille forward Timothy Weah and Leeds’ Brendan Aaronson for a spot in United’s starting line-up.

Jamal Musiala (Germany) — The 19-year-old made an impressive start to the campaign with Bayern Munich, scoring 12 goals and setting up a further nine goals. Musiala, who also played for England’s youth teams before declaring for Germany, could also start for Hansi Flick’s men at the expense of the experienced Thomas Müller. Germany may need to fire Musiala if they want to seal a record-equalling fifth World Cup, with Flick likely to play without the out-and-out striker following an injury to Timo Werner.

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana) — Kudus was still playing for Ajax’s youth team as of last year before making an impact on the big stage with four goals in this season’s Champions League. The 22-year-old from Accra has already made his mark for Ghana with five goals in 18 appearances. Kudus, along with the more experienced Andre Ayew and his brother Jordan, will be a key figure for the last African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Originally published at Pen 18

world cup: World Cup opens with host country Qatar facing Ecuador

Given the level of attention paid to the Qatari regime, its attitude towards human rights, migrant workers, the LGBTQ community – and beer – the World Cup host’s soccer team has slipped under the radar. Qatar opens the tournament against Ecuador on Sunday, but the build-up to that match has also been overshadowed by Friday’s announcement that the sale of beer will be banned inside the stadium grounds.

The World Cup is a source of immense national pride for Qatar in its effort to raise its profile on the global stage and move towards modernization. But what about the team? Qatar have never appeared in a World Cup before and face a formidable challenge to emerge from Group A, which also includes Senegal and the Netherlands. South Africa are the only host nation in 2010 to have failed to get past the group stage, so to avoid sharing that distinction would be success in itself.

Qatar’s best hope for a win on Sunday could be against an Ecuadorian team that is only five places above them at No. 44 in the FIFA rankings.

Qatar’s preparations for the tournament have been ongoing for several years, including participation in the 2019 Copa América and the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. But it was the win in the 2019 Asian Cup that gave evidence of the country’s ability to shock over the next few weeks. That continental title was masterminded by coach Felix Sanchez, who has been in the position since 2017 and was earlier in charge of the U-19 team.

The 46-year-old Spaniard learned his trade at Barcelona’s famed academy and his impact has been remarkable, with the Asian Cup success his standout moment. But the World Cup is another level altogether. “We try to maintain normalcy,” Sanchez told Spanish sports newspaper Marca. “We already know that there is pressure, and we don’t need to add to it. We have our own routines. We try to isolate ourselves from the noise around us and focus on doing our best.” .

“It’s difficult because then you go on the pitch, you see 60,000 people. It’s the first match of the World Cup and there are so many expectations it’s tough, but this experience will help them. Ecuador will hope to spoil the party – and has been talked about as a possible surprise package. But the team went into the World Cup in doubt over whether it would be allowed to compete after claims it fielded an ineligible player during qualifying Chile and Peru argued that defender Biron Castillo was in fact Colombian and had played in qualifying matches illegally. The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected that claim.

Ecuador retained their place in the World Cup, but would be deducted three points before the start of qualifying for the 2026 tournament because Castillo’s use of incorrect information on his birthday and birthplace resulted in his passport being processed. Castillo was then left out of coach Gustavo Alfaro’s 26-man squad for Qatar. With so much attention being diverted off the field for both teams, Sunday’s opener will bring the conversation back to football.

Originally published at Pen 18