Tag Archives: 2018

Paris, France | AFP | This summer’s World Cup will feature no English referees for the first time in post-war history, nor assistants, after FIFA confirmed its official list of 99 match officials for Russia 2018 on Thursday. England whistler Mark Clattenburg, who retired from Premier League duty last summer, …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Liverpool goal machine Mohamed Salah sat on the bench as Egypt barely created a chance when losing 1-0 to Greece Tuesday on a mixed night for African World Cup hopefuls. Tunisia and Morocco won for the second time during the FIFA international window, but Senegal …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | Gabriel Jesus struck the winner as Brazil put memories of their 2014 World Cup mauling by Germany behind them with a 1-0 friendly win in Berlin on Tuesday. Jesus’ first-half goal at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, packed with a 72,717-strong crowd, saw Brazil end Germany’s unbeaten …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | England manager Gareth Southgate believes a lack of clarity over the video assistant referee (VAR) system could blight the 2018 World Cup. Southgate’s side were denied another impressive World Cup warm-up friendly result as Lorenzo Insigne’s penalty three minutes from time salvaged a 1-1 …

Paris, France | AFP | Isco scored a hat-trick as Spain hammered an Argentina side without Lionel Messi 6-1 in a friendly on Tuesday, while Brazil defeated Germany 1-0 in their first meeting since the 2014 World Cup. Gareth Southgate’s England were denied victory over Italy at Wembley after the …

Buenos Aires, Argentina | AFP | Argentina captain Lionel Messi admitted Monday that his generation has a score to settle at the World Cup in Russia after a series of agonising near misses in major tournaments. “The debt we owe is to ourselves, not to the people. We always give …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Ronald Koeman claimed his first win in charge of the Netherlands national team as the Dutch cruised to a comfortable 3-0 friendly victory over an uninspired Portugal in Geneva on Monday. The three-time World Cup runners-up have failed to qualify for this year’s finals in …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Raheem Sterling has vowed to finally emulate his blistering Manchester City form in an England shirt as the electric winger eyes redemption at the World Cup. Sterling’s last taste of a major international tournament was a bitter one, but the forthcoming World Cup in …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Chelsea winger Victor Moses won and converted a harshly awarded penalty to give Nigeria a surprise 1-0 win in Poland on Friday in a World Cup warm-up. Moses fell after the merest of touches before calmly stroking the ball into the corner of the net …

Amsterdam, Netherlands | AFP | Jesse Lingard scored his first England goal as a reshaped side beat the Netherlands 1-0 in an Amsterdam friendly on Friday. This was England’s last away match before they travel to Russia for this year’s World Cup finals and they were rewarded with a well-deserved win …