Month: November 2020

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QATAR TO HOST NEXT FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP IN FEBRUARY 2021.

The FIFA World Cup, originally slated for December, is taking place from February 1 to 11 in Doha, Qatar, the organizers said this Tuesday (17).

The championship will feature the six continental champions, including UEFA Champions League winner FC Bayern Munich, the first to qualify.

Liverpool beat Flamengo in the final match of the past edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. FIFA would not say whether fans will be able to attend the games next year.

It only said that “In line with FIFA’s International Match Protocol, FIFA and the host country will provide the required safeguards for the health and safety of all involved.”

An expanded, 24-team Cup was expected to take place next June and July in China, but the Covid-19 pandemic led to a change of plans. Tournaments including Euro 2020 and Copa America will be held a year later than planned.

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WCQ: BRAZIL BEAT URUGUAY 2-0 TO STAY TOP OF QUALIFYING GROUP.

First half goals from Arthur and Richarlison gave Brazil a 2-0 win away at Uruguay on Tuesday and maintained their 100% record in the South American World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022.

Brazil were missing a host of players through COVID-19 and injury, including talismanic striker Neymar, but they were too strong for their opponents, who have not beaten them since 2001.

Arthur got the opener after 34 minutes when his shot from outside the box was cruelly deflected past Uruguayan keeper Martin Campana and then Richarlison glanced a header into the net from a short corner seconds before half time.

Missing Luis Suarez after he tested positive for COVID-19, Uruguay hit the woodwork twice in the first half but their unlucky night was confirmed when the Video Assistant Referee convinced the officials to send off Edinson Cavani for a mistimed tackle on Richarlison at 71 minutes.

Uruguay kept battling and Martin Caceres saw his close shot hit the net with a quarter of an hour left only to be disallowed by the Chilean referee.

The win in Montevideo was Brazil’s fourth in a row in the qualifying stage and ensures they are the only side in the 10-team South American group to have won all of their opening matches.

The qualifiers will restart again in March 2021.

The top four teams in the group qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 while the fifth placed side goes into an interregional playoff.

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WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: ARGENTINA SCORE TWICE TO EASE PAST PERU.

Argentina scored twice in the first half and were unfortunate not to score more in a dominant second as they comfortably beat Peru 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Lima on Tuesday.

The win extended Argentina’s unbeaten run to 11 games under coach Lionel Scaloni and means they stay second in the 10-team South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022, two points behind leaders Brazil.

Nicolas Gonzalez put the visitors ahead with an angled shot in 17 minutes following nice work from Giovani Lo Ceslo on the left flank and then Lautaro Martinez doubled their lead 11 minutes later when he ran on to a superb pass from Leandro Paredes and rounded the keeper to tap in.

Peru’s defeat extended their winless run to seven matches under coach Ricardo Gareca, the Argentine who guided them to their first World Cup finals in 36 years last time around in Russia.

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AFCON QUALIFIERS: MALI, TUNISIA QUALIFY, NIGERIA HELD AT FREETOWN.

Mali and Tunisia added their names to the list of countries qualified for the next Africa Cup of Nations finals on Tuesday, joining holders Algeria and 2019 runners-up Senegal who had booked their berths over the last two days.

Mali made sure of a top two finish in Group A after a 2-1 win in Namibia, where Sekou Koita and Moussa Doumbia scored in the first half, while Tunisia’s 1-1 draw in Tanzania was enough to ensure they will finish in the top two in Group J.

Tunisia will go to the finals in Cameroon in 2022 for a 15th successive time.

Egypt and Morocco also moved closer to qualifying after producing positive performances on the road on Tuesday.

Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech was again a major influence as they won 2-0 away to the Central African Republic and are now a point off qualifying from Group E.

Ziyech’s 39th minute free kick sailed into the net from outside the box and, while team mate Nayef Aguerd claimed he got a faint touch, it looked as if the effort went straight in without any assistance and Ziyech was credited with the goal.

The new Chelsea signing then turned provider in a final minute breakaway, finished off by Youssef En Nesyri.

Egypt, who are seeking a record-extending 25th appearance at a Cup of Nations finals, are also on the cusp of qualifying in Group G after a 3-1 away win over Togo.

Ghana could have qualified but came unstuck against Sudan in Khartoum where Mohamed Abdelrahman scored in stoppage time for a 1-0 win to put the hosts back in contention for a top two place.

Ghana have nine points and share top spot in Group C with South Africa, while Sudan are only three points behind.

Nigeria were held for the second time in five days by Sierra Leone, this time a tepid 0-0 stalemate in Freetown in contrast to Sierra Leone’s thrilling comeback in last Friday’s 4-4 draw.

Nigeria top Group L by one point ahead of Benin, who drew 0-0 away to Lesotho earlier on Tuesday, while the other two countries have two points each.

Pacesetters Madagascar and Ivory Coast have seven points in Group K after their 1-1 draw in Antananarivo but Ethiopia are only one point behind having hammered visitors Niger 3-0.

Democratic Republic of Congo won 1-0 away to neighbours Angola in Luanda after Neeskens Kebano’s mazy run and accurate finish from outside the penalty area in the 63rd minute.

The result revived the Congolese chances of qualifying as they are now just a point behind Gambia and Gabon in Group D.

The last two rounds of preliminaries will be played in March. The top two in each group advance to the finals except in Group F where only the highest placed team besides Cameroon, qualified as hosts but playing in the preliminaries, qualifies.

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SPAIN INFLICT HISTORIC DEFEAT ON GERMANY TO QUALIFY FOR UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE SEMIS.

Spain dealt Germany their worst defeat in 89 years on Tuesday as a stunning 6-0 victory in Seville sent them through to the Nations League semi-finals. Germany have not been beaten so heavily since losing to Austria by the same scoreline in a friendly in 1931.

“That hurt,” said German midfielder Toni Kroos. “The Spanish team showed us at every turn how it’s done — with and without the ball.” Serge Gnabry added: “There are no excuses. Now we know where we stand.”

Spain were as sublime as Germany were abysmal in Seville, where Ferran Torres scored a brilliant hat-trick to justify his reputation as one of football’s most exciting prospects.

Alvaro Morata and Rodri were also on target to make it 3-0 even before half-time and while Sergio Ramos went off with a hamstring strain, Germany failed to stem the tide.

Instead, Torres grabbed two more and Mikel Oyarzabal added a sixth late on to put the finishing touches to Germany’s second heaviest ever defeat, the only one worse being a 9-0 loss at the hands of England Amateurs in 1909.

Joachim Loew oversaw Germany winning the World Cup in 2014 but, after 14 years in charge, even he will be under serious pressure after a humiliation like this.

“It was a night where we did nothing well,” said Loew. “We lost every important battle.”

Asked if his job was under threat, Loew said: “I trust the players. They are a young team. I am not worried about my job.”

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UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE: OLIVIER GIROUD SCORES AS FRANCE SENDS SWEDEN TO NATIONS LEAGUE RELEGATION.

Olivier Giroud continued his remarkable scoring record for France with a brace as the World Cup holders came from behind to beat Sweden 4-2 in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday.

Viktor Claesson’s deflected early strike gave the away side the lead behind closed doors at the Stade de France, but Giroud soon equalised and Benjamin Pavard put France ahead before half-time. Giroud then headed in a Kylian Mbappe cross to make it 3-1 before the hour mark, taking him to 44 goals in 105 appearances for his country. Kingsley Coman scored France’s final goal after Robin Quaison netted Sweden’s second of the night.

Having recently overtaken Michel Platini’s tally of 41 goals for Les Bleus, Giroud is now closing in on Thierry Henry’s overall record mark of 51.

The 34-year-old has not always been a popular member of the France side but remains a key player for coach Didier Deschamps despite being on the periphery with his club Chelsea, for whom he has started just one game this season, in the League Cup.

“I am used to being heckled and jeered. That has just been part of my experience, of my career, but it only makes me stronger,” Giroud told television station M6.

France had already secured top spot in League A, Group 3 ahead of holders Portugal, thereby qualifying for the Nations League finals in October next year.

Sweden, meanwhile, finish bottom of the group behind Croatia and will be relegated to the second-tier League B for the next edition.

They came to Paris without coach Janne Andersson, who was self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, but they took the lead in the fourth minute when Claesson’s poked shot went in via a big deflection off Raphael Varane.

However, Marcus Thuram, the Borussia Moenchengladbach forward who made his full France debut last week against Finland, set up Giroud to sweep in the equaliser in the 16th minute.

Thuram was again involved as France took the lead in the 36th minute as it was after his slaloming run into the area that the ball broke to Pavard to score his second international goal with a volley into the far corner.

Unused in France’s previous two outings after being called up despite suffering a hamstring injury playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe replaced Thuram just before the hour and within a minute he crossed for Giroud to make it 3-1.

Substitute Quaison gave Sweden hope when he pulled it back to 3-2 in the 88th minute, and the visitors knew that, with Croatia losing to Portugal, an equaliser could keep them in League A.

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INJURY SCARE FOR REAL MADRID AS SERGIO RAMOS LIMPS OUT OF GERMANY CLASH.

Real Madrid have been dealt a potential injury blow as Sergio Ramos walked out of Spain’s Nations League clash with Germany on Tuesday.

The defender went off before half-time and appeared to gesture to the back of his right thigh as he reached the touchline.

Spain were already 3-0 up when Ramos went off after goals from Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres and Rodri.

Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane will be hoping Ramos’ withdrawal was precautionary with his team enjoying a healthy lead, as the Spanish champions have a number of important fixtures coming up.

They return from the international break with a trip to second-placed Villarreal on Saturday, knowing a win could take them to within a point of early leaders Real Sociedad at the top of the table.

League clashes with Deportivo Alaves and Sevilla are also coming up, while Madrid have work to do in the Champions League.

At the halfway point of the group stage, they are third in Group B, though only a point behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach. Madrid play Inter and Shakhtar Donetsk away from home before finishing the group stage against Gladbach at their temporary European home, the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Immediately after that game is a derby clash with Atletico Madrid.

Ramos has been in the headlines in recent weeks, with some personal milestones reached and plenty of paper talk about his future at Madrid.

He recently scored his 100th goal for Real Madrid, before becoming the most-capped player in European international history as he passed the benchmark previously set by Gianluigi Buffon.

There has also been speculation that Ramos’ time at Madrid could be coming to an end. Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a move but Goal understands PSG’s priority is to tie down star duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to new contracts.

Ramos is out of contract at the end of the season but Zidane has said he has no doubt the defender will sign a new deal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“I have no doubt that he will stay,” Zidane said in a press conference. “He is our leader and of course we love him forever.”

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LIVERPOOL OFFER WIJNALDUM NEW CONTRACT TO WARD OFF BARCELONA INTEREST.

Liverpool have reportedly tabled a new three-year contract for Georginio Wijnaldum to fend off interest from Barcelona.

The Dutchman was closely linked with a move to the Spanish giants during the summer.

Barca manager Ronald Koeman is a big fan of the player and has managed him through the national team.

It involves a three-year contract extension and a big increase in wages.

They’re willing to improve his weekly wage from £75,000 to around £115,000 in a bid to keep him at Anfield.

The midfielder is yet to respond to the offer but he is expected to do so in the coming days.

The news is a big revelation in the ongoing Wijnaldum transfer saga.

He was thought to have begun negotiations with Barca officials during the summer.

Those talks never materialised into a transfer which is why he remains in England.

The signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich was widely seen as manager Jurgen Klopp preparing for life without the 30-year-old.

Due to the current injury crisis at Liverpool, Klopp will now need to keep hold of the player.

He is missing Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk. Teammates Fabinho and Andy Robertson are also out through injury.

Liverpool face a new threat from continental Europe to keep Wijnaldum. Apparently Inter Milan have enquired about the player’s availability.

They’re now set to challenge Barca for the player’s signature, as he is seen as a great all-round midfielder.

It remains to be seen whether a new contract is enough to keep Wijnaldum at Anfield.

Liverpool’s next fixture is against Leicester City on Sunday 22nd November.

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LUIS SUAREZ TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; URUGUAYAN TO MISS CLASH AGAINST BARCELONA.

Luis Suarez has tested positive for coronavirus, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) confirmed on Monday (local time).

The association has also confirmed that the Atletico Madrid striker is currently following self-isolation guidelines. As a result of this positive result, Suarez will miss Uruguay’s World World Cup qualifying match against Brazil later today.

The striker will also miss Atletico Madrid’s match against Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday.

The AUF has also notified that goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz and backroom staff member Matias Faral have also tested positive for coronavirus.

“The Uruguayan Football Association reports that swabs have been carried out on all the members of the senior team, resulting in the players Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Munoz and the official Matias Faral having tested positive for Covid-19, while all other tests are negative,” the AUF said in an official release.

“The three members mentioned are in good health and the corresponding measures have already been implemented,” it added.

Suarez had registered a goal in Uruguay’s last World Cup qualifying match against Colombia on Friday. The side ended up winning the match 3-0.

The striker has also been in good form for Atletico Madrid as he has registered five goals in six games for the club.

Atletico Madrid is currently in the third spot in the La Liga 2020-21 standings.

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AFCON QUALIFIERS: ETHIOPIA DEFEAT NIGER TO REVIVE TICKET HOPES, MADAGASCAR, COTE D’ IVOIRE PLAYS DRAW.

Ethiopia’s Walia Ibex revived their hopes of qualification to the 2021 Total Africa Cup of Nations with an assured 3-0 victory over Niger at the Addis Ababa National Stadium on Tuesday.


Amanuel Gebremichael and Mesud Mohammed gave the home side a 2-0 lead at halftime before the ever reliable Getaneh Kebede sealed the victory for Ethiopia in the second half.

The result sees Ethiopia move to six points and onto third spot in the group while Côte d’Ivoire and Madagascar retained first and second place after playing to a 1-1 draw in Antananarivo.

Ethiopia got into the lead in the 13th minute when Gebremichael got the opener with a fantastic shot from inside the box after some quick interchange of passes with Shemeles Bekele.

Mohamed made it 2-0 for the hosts two minutes to the break when a quickly taken corner saw Bekele provide his second assist of the evening, teeing up his teammate who struck a brilliant curling effort beyond the keeper.

The Ethiopians kept the hunt in the second half and were rewarded with 20 minutes left for their hard work, partly thanks to some shambolic defending by Niger. Trying to play out from the back, Yusif Douda attempted a short pass back and Kebede pounced inside the box before unleashing a ferocious shot past the keeper.

Madagascar 1-1 Côte d’Ivoire
In Antananarivo, Madagascar found themselves trailing in the fourth minute when Franck Kessie converted from the penalty spot after Jeremy Morel handled as he tried to clear away a cross.

Despite trailing 1-0, Madagascar proved a match for the Ivorians. However, they couldn’t create many chances to trouble the visitors’ backline.

Côte d’Ivoire had a chance in the 42nd minute when Kessie released Nicolas Pepe through into the area but his shot was blocked. A minute to the break, Pepe curled in a beautiful cross inside the box, but Ibrahim Sangare miscued the shot a few yards from goal.

The intensity went up in the second half and within five minutes of the restart, Madagascar were back on level terms with a peach of a goal from skipper Ibrahim Amada who was brought in to start after coming off the bench in the first leg.

The midfielder struck a beautiful shot into the far left after being teed up by Morel, who made amends for the earlier penalty.

The match blew into a full contest, each trying to get into the final third for a goal. Kessie had a brilliant chance in the 63rd minute, but his shot after a beautiful half turn inside the box went inches high.

With quarter of an hour left, Kessie had another go at goal, this time his rasping shot from range finger-tipped onto the bar by the Madagascar keeper.

None of the two sides could get a goal as they settled for a point each, the final round of matches next year set to hold all the drama.

Source: cafonline.com