Sports
Hosts Germany Hammer Scotland 5-1 In Euro 2024 Opener
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Germany thrashed 10-man Scotland 5-1 as the Euro 2024 hosts kicked off the tournament in style in Munich on Friday, the start of a journey they hope culminates in a record fourth continental title.
Florian Wirtz struck the opening goal 10 minutes in and Jamal Musiala soon doubled Germany’s lead with an emphatic finish.
A greatly awaited night for Scotland went from bad to worse before half-time when Ryan Porteous was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Ilkay Gundogan, with Kai Havertz tucking away the resulting penalty.
Niclas Fuellkrug powered in a fourth midway through the second half after coming on as a substitute and not even a late own goal from Antonio Ruediger could spoil an otherwise perfect start to the campaign for Germany.
There was even time for Emre Can to add a fifth goal with the final kick of the game.
Scotland could surely not have envisioned such a disastrous beginning, but they must regroup quickly with games to come in Group A against Switzerland and Hungary.
After three successive failures at major tournaments, including back-to-back group stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, this was a strong statement of intent from an experienced Germany side.
It is Germany’s first men’s major tournament as hosts since the 2006 World Cup, and they are looking to recreate the magic that helped rekindle the passion for the national team after a spell in the international doldrums.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann had spoken of his players’ hunger to atone for the failures of recent times, with the outlook improving and optimism gradually increasing since his appointment in September.
His counterpart Steve Clarke on the other hand urged Scotland to “fear no one” going into the country’s second straight Euros after more than two decades in the international wilderness.
Almost right away Germany took the game to a Scotland side who arrived in Munich with only one win from their past nine matches — an unimpressive 2-0 victory over lowly Gibraltar last week.
Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn alertly blocked from an offside Wirtz, but Germany did not wait long in grasping the match by the scruff of the neck.
Toni Kroos, coaxed out of his Germany retirement earlier this year, pinged a ball out to Joshua Kimmich, who teed up Wirtz to sweep in from the edge of the area as Gunn could only help the shot in via the post.
Kroos will hang up his boots for good after the tournament, but with him and Gundogan running the Germany midfield they bring a level of knowledge and maturity few can match.
Gundogan threaded a pass through the Scotland defence to Havertz, who worked it back towards Musiala, the Bayern Munich attacker created himself space to crash a strike into the roof of the net.
Germany were initially awarded a penalty as Musiala went down in a heap after getting caught between Ryan Christie and Kieran Tierney, but referee Clement Turpin deemed the foul occurred outside the area after consulting the touchline monitor.
That merely delayed Germany’s third goal, which did eventually come from the spot following another VAR review that led to Porteous being sent off for a crude challenge on Gundogan, who was chopped down attempting to convert the rebound from his own header.
Havertz calmly sent Gunn the wrong way and drained any remaining optimism from Scotland’s once boisterous and sizeable travelling contingent of supporters.
Scotland tried to limit the damage in the second half, but there was no stopping Fuellkrug’s thumping drive into the top corner within a few minutes of his introduction as a replacement for Havertz.
Fuellkrug had the ball in the net a second time, but fortunately for Scotland they were spared further misery when he was ruled offside.
The only bright spot for Scotland came three minutes from time as Ruediger inadvertently diverted Scott McKenna’s header past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
But there was still more punishment to come as substitute Can curled home from 20 yards right at the death to cap a glorious night for the Germans.
AFP
Argentina comeback to overturn a two-goal lead and wallop Egypt 3-2 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter on Tuesday, booking their place in the quarter-finals.Soccer
The South American giants looked destined for a shock exit after Egypt raced into a two-goal lead through Youssef Ibrahim El Hanafi and Mohamed Zaki Abdelraouf.
El Hanafi opened the scoring in the 15th minute, giving the Pharaohs an early advantage before Abdelraouf doubled the lead in the 67th minute, leaving Lionel Messi and his teammates with a mountain to climb.
However, Argentina mounted a remarkable fightback in the closing stages of the contest.
Cristian Romero sparked the revival in the 79th minute, heading home to halve the deficit and breathe life into Argentina’s hopes.
Just four minutes later, captain Lionel Messi restored parity with a clinical finish in the 83rd minute, sending the Mercedes-Benz Stadium into celebration as Argentina drew level at 2-2.
With extra time looming, Enzo Fernández completed the stunning turnaround in stoppage time, firing home the decisive goal in the 90+2nd minute to seal an unforgettable 3-2 victory.
The dramatic win ensured Argentina progressed to the quarter-finals after one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament, while Egypt bowed out despite producing a spirited display and coming within minutes of a famous upset.
Argentina will now shift their attention to the quarter-finals as they continue their quest for another FIFA World Cup title.
Belgium dumped the United States out of their own World Cup on Tuesday, as Charles De Ketelaere’s brace secured a 4-1 win that was eclipsed by the bitter row over Folarin Balogun’s ban.
Victory means the Belgians face Spain in the quarter-finals, while the US follow co-hosts Canada and Mexico out of the tournament with elimination in the round of 16 after a thoroughly flat performance.
All attention pre-game had been on Balogun’s place in the US starting lineup, after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA to review the striker’s one-game suspension for a red card, and the governing body controversially obliged.
But Belgium’s XI had a few surprises of its own, with Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku among the heavyweights benched. And coach Rudi Garcia’s gambit proved inspired, with De Ketelaere grabbing an early goal to puncture the feelgood vibes in Seattle.
Malik Tillman grabbed one back from a free kick, but De Ketelaere swiftly restored Belgium’s lead. A catastrophic piece of goalkeeping by Matt Freese and a late Romelu Lukaku goal left the Americans dead and buried.
FIFA’s move to suspend Balogun’s ban after he was sent off in the previous round against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been slammed by football fans, pundits and players around the world, but there were no such misgivings among the Seattle crowd.
A colossal roar greeted the stadium announcement of Balogun’s name in the starting XI, vastly dwarfing the cheers even for US talisman Christian Pulisic.
The “USA” thunderclap then echoed around the stadium, utterly drowning out a small corner of chanting Belgium fans in the opening minutes.
But the American party was swiftly silenced. The majority of 67,000 fans fell silent in the ninth minute as De Ketelaere scored, easily tapping home from close range after Nicolas Raskin’s cross evaded some lax defending.
It was the first time the Americans had conceded the opener all World Cup. With the atmosphere deflated, no immediate fightback was visible on the pitch either. The midfield was outgunned and the defense looked nervous.
On the half-hour mark, Balogun drew a foul on the edge of the area and whipped the crowd back to life. He waved his arms frantically as Malik Tillman — fresh from scoring a free kick against Bosnia — lined up the ball.
Tillman’s shot deflected off the Belgian wall and span into the net, and the stadium shook.
– Dream over –
But the joy was again short-lived. In the 33rd minute, De Ketelaere leapt up to meet Leandro Trossard’s cross and comfortably out-jumped an off-balance Tim Ream to score his second.
The US inched back into the game as the first half closed out, with Balogun blasting over from a long Tillman throw, then narrowly failing to catch a long ball, again from the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino switched formation at half-time, sending Gio Reyna into the number 10 role and pushing Weston McKennie out to the right. The Americans resumed play with more intensity, pushing higher up the pitch.
But self-inflicted disaster struck in the 57th minute. Freese came out to collect a Belgium long ball, turned to evade the charging De Ketelaere, but then hesitated with his pass.
De Ketelaere jabbed the ball to Hans Vanaken, who made no mistake with an open goal from long range.
Pulisic limped off with an injury minutes later, and with him went the US dreams of reaching a first World Cup quarter-final since 2002.
His replacement, Sebastian Berhalter, flashed an ambitious shot narrowly wide in the 79th minute, and Balogun had a close-range effort saved soon after.
But Chris Richards handed the ball to Lukaku in stoppage time, and the veteran striker did not hestitate to seal the rout.
Sports
Heartbreaking Moment Cristiano Ronaldo Cries Profusely As His #FIFAWorldCup Career Ends After Spain Loss
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream ended in heartbreak as Portugal crashed out to Spain in the Round of 16.
The veteran forward fought back tears after what is expected to be his final World Cup, with football’s biggest prize set to remain beyond his reach.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of winning the FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end after Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday.
The 41-year-old forward was visibly emotional after the final whistle, fighting back tears as Portugal’s campaign ended. Widely expected to be Ronaldo’s final World Cup, the tournament represented his last realistic chance to lift the one major trophy that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career.
Spain’s victory ended Portugal’s hopes, while Ronaldo walked off the pitch knowing his long pursuit of World Cup glory was finally over.
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