Author: Barkha Roy

Argentina and Lionel Messi dominated Poland 2-0 on Wednesday at the World Cup to win Group C and advance to the last 16 at Stadium 974 in Qatar. Alexis MacAllister and Julian Alvarez scored second-half goals for La Albiceleste, who were stunned by Saudi Arabia in their group opener, to keep their quest for a first World Cup title since 1986 alive. Even though Robert Lewandowski-led Poland were outplayed for the entire 90 minutes, they advanced to the knockout round in second place thanks to a better goal difference than Mexico and will face Group D winners France on Sunday. Argentina will play Australia on Saturday for a place in the…

On November 27, Morocco have scored twice in the second half to hand the Red Devils a crushing defeat in Group F. As a result, Roberto Martinez’s side sit third in the table and face the risk of early elimination. If the reports are to be believed, Belgium superstars Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen, and Kevin De Bruyne were reportedly involved in a major brawl after the game at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. They reportedly got into a heated argument, which Romelu Lukaku had to break up. After the game, midfielder De Bruyne stated that the national team’s players are too old to win the…

Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score one goal and set up Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as the Indomitable Lions salvaged a point in their 3-3 draw with Serbia on Monday, ending the African side’s run of eight consecutive World Cup losses. Both sides have a single point from their two games and are still in contention for a round of 16 spot, though Cameroon must face Brazil in their final match on Friday, while the Serbians play Switzerland. Jean-Charles Castelletto gave Cameroon the lead just before the half-hour mark, but a quick-fire double from Strahinja Pavlovic and the hugely impressive Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at the end of…

Morocco’s 2-0 win over Belgium in the FIFA World Cup on Sunday became a cause of destruction and violence as rooting and looting began in several Belgian and Dutch cities, most notably capital Brussels and the northern city of Antwerp. Tear gas was utilised and water cannons had to be deployed to disperse crowd. The Red Devils’ loss in the group stage clash was seen as a major upset in this year’s World Cup and it quickly became a reason for enthusiastic celebration by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian and Dutch cities. Police had to be dispatched…

Brazilian centre-back Marquinhos is of the opinion that Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t limited by their nationality. Rather, they are assets to be treasured by the entire football world.  “I think what happens with these players is that Messi is not Argentine, Cristiano is not Portuguese…they go further than that. They are a privilege for football. For the people who love this sport, the tournaments, the competition, They’re a treasure. They don’t just belong to their countries.””We all enjoy their presence, watching them play. I’ve played with Neymar, with Messi, and I benefit from their presence. Life…

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez stated that if his native Spain fails to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup then he would like to see Lionel Messi and Argentina win it. La Albiceleste had a nightmare start to their campaign in Qatar. They were defeated 2-1 by Saudi Arabia in their first game. However, Lionel Scaloni’s team has since made a strong comeback, defeating Mexico 2-0 in their next match. Messi has scored a goal in both games. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner also set up Enzo Fernandez’s spectacular goal against the Mexicans. If Spain fails to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Xavi believes his former Barcelona teammate…

Wales suffered World Cup 2022 heartbreak when Iran won 2-0 in second-half stoppage time, leaving their knockout hopes hanging by a thread. Roozbeh Cheshmi’s stunning goal in the eighth minute of extra time broke Wales’ resistance after goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was shown a straight red card in the 84th minute for racing off his line and fouling Mehdi Taremi. Credit: FIFA Ramin Rezaeian finished off another quick counter-attack with a cool finish over substitute goalkeeper Danny Ward to give the Asian side a 2-0 lead with practically the last kick of the game. The Red Dragons were looking for a win to boost their chances of reaching the knockout…

Chennaiyin FC manager Thomas Brdaric claims that the Indian Super League was once a bit wild, but it is now one of the world’s most improved leagues. The tactician also stated that having a longer season with a pre-season tournament will be beneficial to Indian football in the long run. “We not only want to get good results as a team, but we also want to contribute to the growth of Indian football. I see a lot of potential for Indian football. Having a longer season is a way (of improving football in India). We also need to work together. The…

The German national team players covered their mouths with their hands, implying that they had been gagged by FIFA during the World Cup of protest and rancour. Their message was reinforced by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who sat next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino while wearing a OneLove armband, which promotes tolerance, diversity, and LGBTQ+ rights. It was a calculated act of defiance against football’s governing body, which had warned seven nations, including England and Wales, that wearing OneLove armbands during matches would result in sporting sanctions. During the team’s 2-1 defeat to Japan, six players, including captain Manuel Neuer and Ilkay Gundogan, wore Adidas boots with rainbow stitching,…

Japan came from behind to stun 2014 world champions Germany in their World Cup Group E opener on Wednesday. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, and forward Kai Havertz had the ball in the net just before halftime, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Japan responded in the final 15 minutes with goals from Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano to claim their first-ever win over Germany and cause an early tournament upset. https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1595441660015644675 Hansi Flick’s side are looking for redemption after a shock group-stage exit in the 2018 edition…