Page 5 - Football

Croatia beats Japan 3-1 in penalty round to enter World Cup quarterfinals

Croatia is going deep at another World Cup, and the team is taking the long route once again. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved three penalty kicks Monday in Croatia's 3-1 win over Japan in a shootout, securing a return to the quarterfinals for the runner-up in the 2018 tournament. On its run to the final four years ago, Croatia needed extra time in each round in the knockout stage and twice came through a penalty shootout. This time, Mario Pasalic converted the clinching penalty for Croatia after the teams were tied at 1-1 after extra time. Livakovic saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitomo and Maya Yoshida, and it was the Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper who took most of the acclaim from the jubilant Croatia team after the shootout. Japan had been looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time but fell short again, just like in 2002, 2010 and 2018. The Asian team lost to Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the round of 16 in 2010. Croatia, which also reached the semifi

Fifa World Cup, BRA vs KOR Highlights: Brazil into qf courtesy easy 4-1 win

Fifa World Cup 2022, Brazil vs South Korea, Round of 16 Highlights: Vinicious Jr, Neymar, Richarlison and Paqueta scored as Brazil thrashed South Korea 4-1 to make the last 8 where they play Croatia

Fifa World Cup, JPN vs CRO Highlights: Croatia go through, win shoot out

Fifa World Cup, Round of 16, Japan vs Croatia Highlights: Croatia once again have won in the knockouts as they have beaten Japan 3-1 in the penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation, extra time

Eye on the ball & on players, tech takes centre stage at FIFA World Cup

From video assistant referees to match ball that sends signals to FIFA officials

AIFF withdraws bid to host 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Saudi left as lone bidder

India on Monday withdrew its bid to stage the 2027 AFC Asian Cup with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) declaring that hosting big-ticket events is not among its "strategic priorities" at this juncture. India and Saudi Arabia were the only two countries left as bidders to host the 2027 continental showpiece after nations such as Iran and Uzbekistan pulled out of the race in October. India's bid was launched amid much fanfare in 2020 when Praful Patel was the AIFF president but the current dispensation under Kalyan Chaubey feels "building the foundations of football structure" through grassroots and youth development was more important than hosting big events. "As per the strategic roadmap of the federation, which will be announced later this month, the AIFF management thinks hosting of big events doesn't fit into the federation's strategic priorities," the AIFF said in a release, quoting its executive committee. "Our current focus is building the foundations of proper ...

Fifa WC, ENG vs SEN Highlights: All-round England into QF, beat Senegal 3-0

Fifa World Cup, England vs Senegal Round of 16 Highlights: It was smooth sailing for Gareth Southgate's England as Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored to give them 3-0 win over Senegal

Fifa World Cup FRA vs POL Highlights: Mbappe's brace takes France to last 8

Fifa World Cup 2022, France vs Poland, Round of 16 Highlights: Kylian Mbappe's two rocket goals plus Olivia Giroud's record 53rd international goal took France over the line as they beat Poland 3-1

Brazil waits for Neymar's return ahead of World Cup match against S Korea

Whether Neymar is in the lineup, on the bench or resting for a third consecutive game will depend on how he performs in Brazil's last training session ahead of the team's match against South Korea on Monday in the round of 16 at the World Cup. The Brazil forward missed two group matches after injuring his right ankle in the team's opening win over Serbia. He was back training with teammates on Saturday, but it remains unclear whether he's fit enough to play against South Korea. He will train this afternoon, and if he trains well, he will play, Brazil coach Tite said ahead of the team's practice session on Sunday. Tite said he planned to use Neymar from the opening whistle instead of as a substitute if he's healthy enough to play. I prefer to use my best player from the start, Tite said. It's the coach who has to make that decision and take on that responsibility. Brazil struggled without the playmaker but still won its group despite a loss to Cameroon in the last match. Obviously

Fifa World Cup: Four things to look out for on Sunday in Qatar 2022

The second day of matches in the last-16 sees England play Senegal while France play Poland. Here are some things to look out for on Sunday in Qatar

Netherlands eliminates US by 3-1 to enter Fifa World Cup quarterfinals

Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half and Denzil Dumfries added a late goal as the Netherlands eliminated the United States from the World Cup with a 3-1 victory Saturday that advanced the Dutch to the quarterfinals. Second-half subsitute Haji Wright cut the U.S. deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute when Christian Pulisic's cross hit his trailing foot and popped over goalkeeper Andries Noppert and into the net. But Dumfries, who assisted on the first two goals, scored on a volley in the 81st. Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Oranje extended their unbeaten streak to 19 games and face Argentina or Australia on Friday.

Fifa World Cup: Korea through to last 16; Uruguay go out even after winning

Fifa World Cup 2022 Highlights: South Korea would be the biggest story of the night as they repeated the feat of their neighbours Japan after they beat Portugal 2-1, coming from 0-1 down. Uruguay out

World Cup Group stage: A celebration of heart, grit, and the beautiful game

As football's quadrennial carnival heads into the Super-16 stage, all but 4 slots have been filled. The final four matches in Groups G and H will determine the last entrants into the knockout stage

World Cup redemption for Japan Coach Hajime Moriyasu 29 yrs later in Qatar

The "Agony of Doha" came 29 years ago, and Hajime Moriyasu experienced it first-hand as a midfielder on Japan's national soccer team. He's now the coach, and he's made amends. Japan won its World Cup group on Thursday after beating 2010 champion Spain 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium. Last week, the team defeated 2014 champion Germany by the same score at the same venue. As time was winding down against Spain, Moriyasu was thinking about that game in Qatar against Iraq in 1993 that cost the team a spot in the next year's tournament. About one minute before the end, Moriyasu said after the win over Spain, I remembered the tragedy in Doha. Leading 2-1 in the team's final qualifier and knowing one goal for the opposition would spell the end, Japan conceded in stoppage time. Their World Cup hopes were dashed, and so was Moriyasu's chances of playing at the biggest soccer tournament in the world. This time it was different. This time the defense held it together. This time the

Fifa World Cup: Giant killers Japan scalp Spain, Germany out in group stage

Fifa World Cup 2022 Highlights: Japan stunned Spain 2-1 as they once again came back from 0-1 down in the first half. Germany, even after beating Costa Rica 4-2, would have to bow out at group stage

Fifa World Cup 2022: Belgium crash out; Morocco, Croatia march to last 16

Fifa World Cup 2022 Highlights: Belgium, full of club football stars failed to translate that energy at the national level and crashed out of the World Cup in group stage after 0-0 draw with Croatia

Fifa World Cup: Why are players wearing Batman-style facemasks in Qatar?

Fifa World Cup masked men: Who are these players wearing stylish black masks and why are they wearing the masks? Find out here

FIFA World Cup: All-female referee team will script history in Qatar today

Stephanie Frappart, Neuza Back, Karen Diaz will become FIFA's first all-women refereeing team to officiate a men's match

Stephanie Frappart to make World Cup history as first woman referee

French referee Stphanie Frappart will become the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup game when she handles Germany vs. Costa Rica on Thursday in Qatar. FIFA also picked two women as assistants to Frappart Neuza Back of Brazil and Mexico's Karen Diaz Medina to complete an all-female refereeing team on the field. A fourth woman match official FIFA picked for this World Cup, Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States, will also be working at the Al Bayt Stadium as the offside specialist in the video review team. Two other women, Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, are also on the FIFA list to referee games in Qatar. FIFA made the historic appointments for the 44th of the 64 games being played in Qatar. Frappart previously was picked for fourth official duties. The 38-year-old Frenchwoman has been promoted in the men's game by European soccer body UEFA and in her home country. She was refereed men's games in World Cup qualifying and the Champions Leagu

Fifa World Cup: Australia beat Denmark reach Round of 16, Tunisia shock FRA

Fifa World Cup 2022 Highlights: Historic day for Australia as they qualified for the Round of 16 for only the second time in their World Cup history. They beat Denmark 1-0. Tunisia shocked France 1-0

Fifa World Cup: Koulibaly sends Senegal to Round of 16, Dutch through too

Fifa World Cup 2022 Qatar, Live Updates: In the last round of group games, to make sure that no team has an undue advantage over the other, all matches of one group are played at the same time