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WCQ: PARAGUAY FORCE ARGENTINA TO A DRAW AS MESSI’S WINNING GOAL CANCELED OUT BY VAR.

Lionel Messi was left fuming with the referee after he had a goal harshly disallowed by VAR as Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw by Paraguay in South American World Cup qualifying.

Messi, who is playing with an ankle issue at the moment, was left dismayed when Paraguay were awarded a first-half penalty for Lucas Martinez Quarta’s challenge on Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron in the 21st minute. Argentina were denied a spot-kick for a similar challenge moments earlier.

Argentina equalised in the 41st after substitute Giovani Lo Celso of Tottenham took a corner and found Nicolas Gonzalez free in the box to head it home.

Messi appeared to give Argentina a lead in the 57th, but a video reviewed decision by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus found a foul for Paraguay 27 seconds earlier when the ball was still in Argentina’s half.

The Barcelona man celebrated his goal wildly – it capped a fabulous 15-pass move from his side but the joy was short-lived as Brazilian official Raphael Claus went over to his monitor before bringing play back.

‘You screwed us twice,’ Messi told him after the final whistle, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Messi nearly scored from a free kick 14 minutes later, but Paraguayan goalkeeper Antony Silva made the save of the match in the top left corner.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had to be creative for the match. Messi started with pain in his left ankle, and defender Nicolas Tagliafico had to be replaced by Gonzalez, who usually plays as a striker at Stuttgart.

‘I was not surprised because I played like this in Germany,’ Gonzalez said. ‘We all know what my position is, but I want to help this team as much as I can.’

Scaloni lost midfielder Exequiel Palacios after only 30 minutes to a back injury sustained in in collision with Paraguayan Angel Romero’s knee.

Palacios’ replacement Lo Celso ended as one of the best on the pitch, but Argentina’s coach believes Romero could have been sent off if there had been a VAR decision. Scaloni also said Palacios could be sidelined for months because of the injury.

There’s a lot of plays in which (VAR) could have been used today and it wasn’t. I am not talking about bad or good intentions,’ Scaloni said, adding Argentina’s disallowed goal should not have been canceled. ‘No one likes soccer like this.’

Angel Di Maria, who was initially expected to start, entered in the second half but was unable to produce a goal for Argentina’s much-needed home win.

The draw at La Bombonera stadium puts Argentina on the top of the standings with seven points from three matches, but Brazil – on six – could move ahead with a home win over 9th-place Venezuela on Friday. Paraguay are fourth with five points.

Argentina’s fourth match in qualifying will be against Peru on Tuesday, when Paraguay host Bolivia and Ecuador are at home to Colombia

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AUBAMEYANG HITS BACK AT TONI KROOS OVER MASK CELEBRATION CRITICISM.

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has defended his goal celebrations that involve him wearing the masks of different superheroes after being criticised by Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos.

Speaking on his Einfach mal Luppen podcast, Germany international Kroos said this week that he was not a fan of the former Borussia Dortmund striker’s celebrations and did not believe it was the behaviour of a good role model.

Kroos had also criticised Antoine Griezmann for performing dance moves from the video game Fortnite after scoring goals.

Aubameyang, who has in the past worn masks of superheroes like Batman, Spiderman and Black Panther after finding the net, hit back on social media saying he would continue his celebrations.

“By the way. Does this @ToniKroos have kids? Just to remember I did it for my son few times and I will do it again,” Aubameyang said in a post on Twitter that was accompanied by a picture of him in a cape, as drawn by a child.

“I wish you have kids one day and make them happy like these junior school pupils. Talk and don’t forget #maskon #staysafe.”

Aubameyang has scored two goals in the Premier League this season and will look to add to his tally when Arsenal travel to Leeds United on Nov. 22 following the international break.

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AFCON 2021 QUALIFIERS: AYEW BRACE LIFTS GHANA OVER SUDAN AS UGANDA BEAT SOUTH SUDAN.

Andre Ayew marked his 91st match in Ghanaian colours, scoring a sensational brace as the Black Stars beat Sudan 2-0 at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday to retain their 100% form in the qualifiers for the 2021 Total Africa Cup of Nations.


Ayew scored his first with an expertly taken freekick in the opening half before adding his second in the 80th minute with a well taken shot from the edge of the box.

The victory sees Ghana move to nine points from the opening three games as they also kept their third successive clean sheet, their journey to Cameroon well in line. Sudan remain third with just three points.

The Ghanaians totally dominated the opening half, bossing 64% of the possession, but only had one goal to show for it. Ayew got the Black Stars ahead after 18 minutes in sizzling fashion, striking a brilliant freekick from the edge of the box that left Sudanese keeper Ali Abdalla dazed.

Though a scrappy start, Ghana always looked dangerous and three minutes before they were ahead, Ayew had a shot trickle wide with his brother Jordan racing into the box to try and throw a boot in.

Sudan’s forays into the Ghanaian final third were limited but had one fruitful one in the 24th minute when Mohamed Abdelrahman raced onto a through ball planted behind the defense, but his final shot hit the side netting.

Ghana should have been 2-0 up on the other end after 28 minutes, but Sudanese keeper Abdalla made a save with his trailing leg to deny Samuel Owusu who had broken into the box after a defense splitting through ball from Tarique Fosu.

Six minutes to the break, Jordan Ayew tried his luck with a shot from distance but it flew over the bar while at the stroke of halftime, his brother Andre thought he had doubled the lead when he headed home from an Owusu cross, but he was adjudged to have fouled a defender on the process.

Sudan came back better structured in the second half and moved the ball around the park better. They should have drawn level in the 58th minute but Abdelrahman’s diving header with only the keeper to beat off an Ahmed Hamid cross went agonizingly wide.

They kept possession, but couldn’t show anything for it. They were made to pay 10 minutes from time when Ayew took on an individual task, dribbling his way to good scoring range at the edge of the box, before unleashing a left footed belter.

Meanwhile in Kampala, hosts Uganda remained top of Group B after leaving it late to beat a resilient South Sudan by a solitary goal to move to seven points after three matches. The Cranes also kept their third clean sheet in a row.

Substitute Halid Lwaliwa bounced the winning header home with five minutes left on the clock after rising highest in a packed box to link up with a Karim Watambala freekick from the left.

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AFCON 2021 QUALIFIERS: EQUATORIAL GUINEA SCORES LATE TO BEAT LIBYA IN CAIRO.

Substitute Salomon Obama Ondo scored the winner at the death as Equatorial Guinea overturned a 2-1 deficit in added time to beat Libya 3-2 in a Group J Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Cairo on Wednesday.


The Mediterranean Knights looked set for a 2-1 win with 90 minutes gone on the clock, but the Equatoguineans showed admirable fighting spirit to score in quick succession and pick three points that take them level with Tanzania and the Libyans.

Libya had come from two goals down, scoring twice in four minutes in the second half but couldn’t finish the job.

Jose Antonio Miranda had given Equatorial Guinea the lead, with Libya levelling through Sanad Al Warfali’s penalty and debutant Mohamed Bettamer giving them the lead. But, in added time, Pedro Obiang and Obama Ondo scored in quick succession to turn the game around.

An exciting opening few minutes saw the post being hit on either end. Alsanousi Ammar hit the upright for the Libyans in the 21st minute with a low shot after an intelligent cutback from Moftah Taktak.

On the other end, the Equatoguineans also sounded the bar, this time Jose Machin Dicombo seeing his low shot from inside the box after being put through on goal rattle the post.

But the deadlock was broken after 33 minutes, Miranda striking a brilliant low shot into the net, setting himself up with the first touch and shooting with the second off Basilio Ndong’s pass.

In the second half, Libya came back a better outfit and were inspired to fight for the win.

They were level after 53 minutes when Sanad Al Warfali scored from the penalty spot after Amar was brought down inside the area by Equatorial Guinea goal scorer Miranda.

Four minutes later, they were 2-1 up when England born debutant Bettamer stretched to tap in unmarked at the back post after Mohamed Salih’s cross from the right took a wicked deflection to take the ball off keeper Ovono, Bettamer just guiding it home.

The Libyans were more confident and played with some determination after going ahead. They had a chance to stretch their tally in the 68th minute but Salih’s shot was blocked by the keeper.

Equatorial Guinea adopted a never say die attitude and Obiang’s belter of a shot from range made it 2-2 in the first minute of added time before Ondo buried home two minutes later with a strong shot from the right.

Group leaders Tunisia will meanwhile face Tanzania in the other fixture of the group and the Carthage Eagles will retain their position with victory over the Taifa Stars.

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EDERSON TO START AHEAD OF ALLISON FOR BRAZIL IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson will start Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Venezuela ahead of Liverpool’s Alisson, while Gabriel Menino has been cut from the squad after testing positive for Covid-19.

Tite picked Weverton as his goalkeeper for the opening two qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru, with Ederson an unused substitute as Alisson missed out due to a shoulder injury.

Alisson returned to the squad for Friday’s meeting with Venezuela and Tuesday’s clash with Uruguay, but it is the Manchester City keeper who has got the nod from Tite.

“We have three great goalkeepers. Weverton played last time and comes in after a good sequence at Palmeiras. He played two very good games,” said Tite.

“I spoke with the three of them personally, together with [goalkeeper coach Claudio] Taffarel. Alisson is an excellent goalkeeper. We have Ederson, who is experiencing a great technical and physical moment.”

Tite also confirmed there will be starts for Allan, Everton Ribeiro and Gabriel Jesus, with Casemiro and Philippe Coutinho not in the squad due to coronavirus and injury respectively. Neymar, meanwhile, is being rested in the hope he can recover from a left leg issue to feature in Uruguay.

The Brazil boss is set to have one fewer option at right-back, however, after Menino was found to have contracted Covid-19, despite testing negative upon his arrival at the Granja Comary base on Monday.

“In the tests carried out yesterday, Gabriel Menino tested positive for Covid-19. All other players in the group tested negative,” Brazil doctor Rodrigo Lasmar explained.

“It is important to note that, on Monday, when the players arrived, all members of the delegation were tested and the results were negative.

“We have already informed the medical department of Palmeiras. The player is asymptomatic, is already isolated and has been cut from the squad.

“All protective measures are being taken. We will perform a new round of tests before our trip to Uruguay, after the game [against Venezuela].”

Menino has played the bulk of the 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro season as a central midfielder and leads Palmeiras in terms of assists (three), duels won (91) and touches (920).

The 20-year-old has made 286 successful passes in the opposition half – the second most among his team-mates – and ranks third at Palmeiras in terms of dribbles completed (22) and tackles (34) this term.

Head coach Tite insisted there is no barrier to Brazil taking the field to face Venezuela and he is unsure whether a replacement for Menino will be drafted in.

Tite said: “The doctor will speed up the other tests. In the meantime there is no problem for us to play. Roughly speaking, the information given to us – for all players and coaching staff – was that.

“These are challenges that all national teams have faced. The selection had a greater number than are actually here, either due to injury or to the Covid-19 problem.

“But opportunities arise. Pedro was called up … but there are also other opportunities for high-level players to come and show themselves.

“The first reaction was to say: ‘Man, what a pity for Gabriel Menino, and we are all at risk.’ The pandemic is not over. That is not an opinion, it is fact. We have to be very careful.”

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JOE GOMEZ UNDERGOES SURGERY ON SERIOUS KNEE INJURY.

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has undergone surgery on his left knee tendon after suffering a serious injury during England training on Wednesday, report Simon Hughes and Caoimhe O’Neill.

Liverpool have said there is no timescale on the 23-year-old’s return although the nature of the injury is likely to rule Gomez out for a considerable period of the season.

Gomez injured his knee while jumping for a header as England prepared for Thursday night’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland. “What was upsetting was to see he was in a fair bit of pain,” England manager Gareth Southgate later said.

Gomez collapsed in considerable pain after his knee gave way under no challenge in England training on Wednesday morning.

He immediately went for scans to determine the severity of the damage.

Fortunately for Liverpool, the scans indicated that Gomez had suffered no ligament damage. He still underwent surgery on his knee tendon, however, with Liverpool confirming on Thursday that “the issue is likely to rule him out for a significant part of the remainder of 2020-21.”

Liverpool have provided no timescale for his return, although the club are hopeful he can still play some part in the 2020-21 campaign.

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PREMIER LEAGUE TO SCRAP PAY PER VIEW PLANS.

The Premier League will scrap its controversial pay-per-view scheme imminently, chief executive Richard Masters confirmed to a government committee recently.

Fans, who are currently prevented from attending stadiums because of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been asked to pay out 14.95 pounds ($19.80) to watch games not already selected for broadcast by Premier League rights holders Sky Sports and BT Sport.

It provoked a backlash from fans who already have to pay subscriptions for sports channels, and Masters said the Premier League would be changing direction.

“We needed to come up with a different commercial solution,” Masters told MPs. “We took the decision to move to pay-per-view, now we’re reviewing that decision.

“We have listened to feedback and we will be changing direction and moving away from it and taking another step that will see us through lockdown, the Christmas period and into January, but I cannot say what it is.”

The Football Supporters’ Association had urged the Premier League to reconsider the pricing and some fans opted to donate to a charity as part of a protest against the scheme.

Masters also said he does not expect the reintroduction of five substitutes for the “foreseeable future”.

Clubs were allowed to increase the number of substitutes to five per match in the 2019-20 campaign when the league restarted in June, after a three-month hiatus due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The teams reverted to three substitutes this season but Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp and Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola have both said the decision is partly responsible for a spate of muscle injuries across the top flight.

“We have had two votes on it at club level and both have been relatively supportive of three subs,” Masters said.

“That has created some frustration, alongside discussions of fixture scheduling, which is related to the pandemic.

“There is a real issue and I don’t see it changing in the foreseeable future.”

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ENGLISH FA OUTSOURCE HIRE OF GREG CLARKE’S SUCCESSOR.

The English Football Association are expected to outsource their recruitment of Greg Clarke’s successor as chairperson and will finalise their hiring process in the coming days with the aim of making a relatively quick appointment, sources have confirmed

Clarke’s sudden resignation on Tuesday evening following his use of a racist term when giving evidence to a Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee earlier in the day has left the English football’s governing body without a figurehead at a key time.

The 63-year-old referred to “coloured footballers,” stereotyped south Asians and Afro-Carribean people as possessing “different career interests” and described homosexuality as a “life choice” during a hearing designed to examine why the game had collectively failed to agree a financial rescue package for the lower leagues.

A statement from FA chief-executive Mark Bullingham released on Wednesday read: “We are committed to playing a lead role in actively enhancing equality and diversity across English football, whilst steadfastly challenging and tackling all forms of discrimination.”

Although Peter McCormick has been named as interim chairperson, the Harrogate lawyer is not considered a candidate for the role on a permanent basis and the FA are keen to make an appointment that will be able to robustly represent the organisation in key discussions around the restructuring of English football in the short and long term.

According to reports, the FA are in the midst of finalising the best process to identify the best candidates while following their own code of conduct recommendations. There is a sense of urgency around making an appointment, according to sources, but also a recognition the process must not be rushed.

The FA also outsourced the recruitment process for Martin Glenn’s replacement as chief executive, firstly using head-hunter agency Odgers before engaging Spencer Stuart — only to later decide to promote internal candidate Bullingham at the end of the 2018-19 season.

Bullingham was expected to make a statement on Clarke’s departure later on Wednesday afternoon and the FA are set to clarify their hiring procedures in another public statement once finalised.

No shortlist has yet been drawn up but several high-profile figures are believed to be interested in the position including Baroness Sue Campbell, the director of women’s football at the FA, and the organisation’s Inclusion Advisory Board chairman Paul Elliott.

Elliott is also thought to be a leading contender to replace Clarke as England’s vice-president representative at FIFA.

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CHRISTIAN PULISIC DEPARTS USMNT CAMP TO COMPLETE HIS INJURY REHAB AT CHELSEA.

United States Men’s National Team Gregg Berhalter announced today that Christian Pulisic will depart their training camp in Wales to return to Chelsea to continue his injury rehab. The 22-year-old winger injured his hamstring during warmups before Chelsea’s match against Burnley on October 31st.

He has not featured for Chelsea since, and he was a long shot to appear for the USMNT in friendlies against Wales tomorrow and Panama on Monday. Still, Pulisic wanted to show up at camp to work with the rest of his American teammates and get to know some of the new faces that are in this camp.

“Christian is a big part of our group. He has been working through an injury, but it really says a lot that he wanted to come into camp, be around the guys and continue to be a leader with this team,” Berhalter said in a statement released by U.S. Soccer.

U.S. Soccer did not indicate that Pulisic will be replaced on the USMNT roster, so the current roster stands at 23 players:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge), Chituru Odunze (Leicester City), Zack Steffen (Manchester City)

DEFENDERS (7): John Brooks (Wolfsburg), Reggie Cannon (Boavista FC), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht), Tim Ream (Fulham), Chris Richards (Bayern Munich), Antonee Robinson (Fulham)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional), Richard Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton)

FORWARDS (7): Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Uly Llanez (Heerenveen), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Soto (Telstar), Tim Weah (Lille)

We hope Christian recovers well and we see him back on the field for Chelsea very soon.

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football Sports News

ENGLAND CONFIRM JOE GOMEZ INJURY AS DEFENDER ADDS TO LIVERPOOL INJURY LIST.

England have announced Joe Gomez has withdrawn from the squad for their forthcoming internationals after sustaining a knee injury in training.

The defender will undergo further diagnosis on the issue with Liverpool’s medical team.

Gomez will therefore miss the Three Lions’ fixtures with Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Iceland during the current international break.

Joe Gomez adds to the list of players who have been out injured for Liverpool this season.

The reds have had more than four different pairings in a season that is yet to enter Week 10. Since the injury of Virgil Van Dijk at the Merseyside derby, the likes of Fabinho Tavares, Rhys Williams, Nathan Philips have paired with Joe Gomez at the Centre Back before the arrival of Joel Matip who also just returned from injury.

Sad to note that Alexander Arnold picked up an injury in the same game that ushered in Joel Matip to the game back from Injury.

Jurgen Klopp faces a very frustrating situation as the German is being monitored on his quest to attack the title again and not defend it.