Page 6 - Football

Netherlands beats host Qatar 2-0 to advance at World Cup

The Netherlands finished off the worst showing by any World Cup host nation by beating Qatar 2-0 on Tuesday. The Dutch advanced to the round of 16 while the Qataris, who were already eliminated, became the first host to lose all three of its group matches at soccer's biggest event. Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead midway through the first half with his third goal in as many matches and Frenkie de Jong doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half. The Netherlands is a three-time runner-up at the World Cup, and also finished third in 2014, while Qatar was making its tournament debut. The Dutch failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Worker deaths for Fifa world cup between 400 and 500: Qatar official

During an interview with a British journalist, a top official of Qatar involved in the courtry's World Cup organization has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament between 400 and 500

FIFA World Cup 2022: Substitute Vincent Aboubakar saves Cameroon in 3-3 tie

Substitute Vincent Aboubakar scored one goal and created another as Cameroon rallied from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Serbia at the World Cup on Monday. He lobbed goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the 64th minute and then set up striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting two minutes later. The thrilling draw was the first game at the World Cup in Qatar in which both teams gave up a lead. But the result suited neither side. They each have one point after two Group G matches and either Brazil or Switzerland can qualify with a win when they meet later Monday. Cameroon led through central defender Jean-Charles Castelletto's 29th minute tap-in but also conceded twice in quick succession. Strahinja Pavlovic scored the equalizer on a header in the first minute of first-half stoppage time and, two minutes later, midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic struck from 20 meters. Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic made it 3-1 in the 53rd at Al Janoub Stadium. Cameroon coach Rigobert Song dropped goalkeeper Andre

Kudus scores 2, Ghana beats South Korea 3-2 at FIFA World Cup 2022

Mohammed Kudus scored twice, including the go-ahead goal after South Korea evened the match in the second half, and Ghana staved off elimination at the World Cup with a 3-2 victory on Monday. Mohammed Salisu also scored for the Black Stars, who lost their opening match against Portugal and were in need of points for a chance to reach the knockout round in Qatar. Down 2-0, Cho Geu-sung scored both of South Korea's goals about three minutes apart early in the second half to even the game at 2-2. But Kudus' low left-footed goal in the 68th minute sailed out of the reach of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to give the Black Stars back the lead. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi preserved the victory with a leaping save off Cho's attempt in stoppage time. South Korea forward Son Heung-min remained without a goal in Qatar. The Tottenham forward wore a mask to protect a broken left eye socket he sustained in a Champions League game against Marseille earlier this month. South Korea coach Paulo Bento w

Fifa World Cup: Qatar fans hit back at Germany by recalling Ozil in protest

Qatari soccer fans hit back at Germany's World Cup protest by holding pictures of former Germany player Mesut zil while covering their mouths during the match against Spain. A group of fans held copies of a hand-drawn sketch of zil on Sunday, while others showed pictures of him in action for Germany. The clearly coordinated display was apparently in response to Germany players' gesture on Wednesday, when they covered their mouths to protest against FIFA following the governing body's clampdown on the "One Love" armband. That gesture was a response to FIFA's effective nixing of seven European teams' plans to wear armbands that were seen as a rebuke to host nation Qatar and its human rights record. Qatari fans appeared Sunday to reference Germany's own questionable treatment of zil, the former player who quit the national team after becoming a target of racist abuse and a scapegoat for Germany's early World Cup exit in 2018. zil, a German-born descendant of Turkish immigrants, accus

Fifa 2022: Croatia downs Canada 4-1 at World Cup on Kramaric's 2 goals

Andrej Kramaric scored a pair of goals and Croatia crushed Canada's hopes of advancing at its first World Cup in 36 years with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. Alphonso Davies scored Canada's first-ever World Cup goal seconds into the match but the team's trip to soccer's biggest tournament will end on Thursday against Morocco, the Group F leaders after a surprise 2-0 victory over Belgium earlier in the day. Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer also scored for Croatia, the runner-up to France at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Captain Luka Modric, 37, was still looking for his first goal of the tournament in what is likely his final World Cup. Morocco went to the top of Group F with its first win at a World Cup since 1998. But the victory meant that the Canadians needed a win against Croatia for a chance to reach the knockout stage.

FIFA World Cup 2022: Morocco beat Belgium to end 24-year wait

The Morocco fans gave the match a vintage World Cup feel in a boiling atmosphere at the Al Thumama Stadium and Sabiri curled a wide free kick past Thibaut Courtois

Brussels sees riots after Morocco beats Belgium at Fifa World Cup

Police had to seal off parts of the centre of Brussels, deploy water cannons and fire tear gas to disperse crowds following violence during and after Morocco's 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup. Dozens of rioters set steps on fire and pelted cars with bricks. Police moved in after one person suffered facial injuries, said Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere. Brussels mayor Philippe Close urged soccer fans to stay away from the city center and said authorities were doing their utmost to keep order in the streets. Even subway and tram traffic had to be interrupted on police orders. Morocco's victory was a major upset at the World Cup and was enthusiastically celebrated by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian cities. It was not immediately clear how many people were detained during the disturbances.

Neymar shows swollen ankle, plans to return to Qatar Fifa World Cup

Neymar is planning a World Cup comeback despite posting a photo of his ankle still looking very swollen. Neymar is undergoing treatment for damaged ligaments in his right ankle after getting hurt in Brazil's 2-0 opening win over Serbia on Thursday. Team doctors said Neymar will miss Monday's match against Switzerland but did not elaborate on a timetable for his return or say whether he will be able to return at all. Neymar wrote on Instagram he was enduring "one of the most difficult moments" of his career, but seemed optimistic about his chances of returning. He showed two photos of his swollen ankle in an Instagram story. "I'm injured, yes, and it's a pain, and it will hurt," he said. "But I'm sure that I'll have the chance to return, because I'll do anything possible to help my country, my teammates and myself." He said he's been waiting too long for this World Cup to go out like this. "Nothing in my life was easy or given to me," Neymar said. "I've had always had to go after

Biggest World Cup crowd in 28 years sees Messi play against Mexico

Lionel Messi played in front of 88,966 spectators on Sunday when Argentina beat Mexico 2-0, the largest attendance at a World Cup match in 28 years. The Lusail Stadium north of Doha, which will stage the final on December 18, hosted the most people at the World Cup since the 1994 final in the United States, according to FIFA. There were 91,194 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to see Brazil beat Italy in that penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. Saturday's attendance was several hundred more than the figure for the two previous games at Lusail Stadium, when Brazil beat Serbia and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia. Qatar's attendance figures do not rank in the top 30 of all-time World Cup matches. The largest crowd was 173,850 inside the Maracan Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 for Uruguay's 2-1 victory over host Brazil in the final game of that tournament. Other stadiums figuring in the top-30 list are the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Wembley Stadium in London and the

FIFA World Cup 2022: Kylian Mbappe nets brace as France defeat Denmark

France became the first team to qualify for the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 as Kylian Mbappe's brace fired them to a 2-1 victory against Denmark in Group D

FIFA World Cup 2022: Rouzbeh Cheshmi's late goal sends Iran to 2-0 win

Cheshmi's strike from outside the box was just beyond the diving reach of Wales backup goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was pressed into duty when starter Wayne Hennessey was sent off in the 86th minute

The game is lost

Over the past two decades, sport in India has been through a peculiar transformation. The collective interest in games holds only as long as Indians are participating in major tournaments

Neymar to play on in Fifa World Cup despite injury: Brazil coach Tite

Brazil manager Tite said star forward Neymar would fight through the pain barrier to continue playing in the FIFA World Cup despite an ankle injury.

FIFA World Cup 2022 logs more than half the record of scoreless draws

The 0-0 draw between Uruguay and South Korea was the fourth scoreless game of this year's World Cup already more than half the tournament record through the first set of matches. The record for scoreless draws in the World Cup is seven, done four times, in 1982, 2006, 2010 and 2014. The 2018 tournament in Russia had only one 0-0 draw, between Denmark and France. Through the 16 games completed Thursday, the Mexico-Poland, Denmark-Tunisia, Croatia-Morocco and South Korea-Uruguay matches all went scoreless. There were no scoreless draws in 1930, 1934, 1938, 1950 or 1954. Before the start in Qatar, the World Cup averaged more than two goals per game. The highest average came in 1954, when 140 goals were scored in 26 games at 5.38 per game. The least prolific scoring World Cup was the 1990 tournament when 115 goals were scored at only 2.21 goals per game.

Brazil misses out on Fifa world cup betting. What's India's wager?

Will President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva end the country's decades-long ban on games of chance?

Fifa World Cup Highlights: Portugal, Brazil win as Uruguay draw vs Korea

Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 Live Updates: Yet another Asian side shone as South Korea forced a draw out of fancied Uruguay. Portugal beat Ghana 3-2 while Brazil didn't have to sweat hard for 2-0 win

FIFA World Cup 2022: England wary of upset against United States

England scored six goals in its opening World Cup game against Iran, but it was the two it conceded that concern coach Gareth Southgate and provide hope for the United States. By the end we looked sloppy, said Southgate of the 6-2 win over Iran on Monday. He also warned the U.S. would be coming full-throttle in Friday's Group B match. The tournament has already produced some shocking results, including Saudi Arabia's win against Argentina and Japan's upset over Germany. A win for the U.S. over England would not be on the scale of Saudi Arabia's win - but Gregg Berhalter's team is undoubtedly the underdog against one of the tournament favorites. The two goals conceded against Iran gave Southgate something to focus on in an otherwise encouraging performance. His message to the players has been clear: They will need to be better against the U.S. team that tied 1-1 with Wales in its opening group game. They're a top nation with a lot of top players who have played in the Premier Leag

Cristiano Ronaldo fined, suspended for two games for incident with fan

Star striker and former Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed over a two-match ban and a fine of £50,000 for hitting mobile phone out of a fan's hand in Everton earlier this year

We were exceptional, says Spain head coach after win over Costa Rica

Following his team's thumping 7-0 win over Costa Rica, Spain head coach Luis Enrique said that his team was exceptional in their ball handling and finishing