DOHA — On the outskirts of Doha, low-rise apartment blocks are starting to take shape that will house many of the soccer fans due to descend on the Qatari capital next year for the World Cup 2022.
Qatar, which has been in the spotlight for its treatment of migrant workers on construction sites, hopes the tournament will attract 1.2 million visitors, roughly a third of its population.
The U.S. has had its share of misfortune in Concacaf World Cup qualifying matches. For once, the nonsense that goes on during Concacaf games went the USMNT’s way.
The USMNT grabbed a point in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday after a tame performance and 1-1 draw in World Cup qualifying against the Reggae Boyz. The real defeat of the day happened to anyone watching the game on Paramount+ that was forced to listen to 90 minutes of horns.
The Jamaica horns from the few hundred fans in attendance were relentless. A limited number of spectators were allowed into National Stadium Independence Park due to Covid protocols.
On Friday night, I was out of my element.
Usually when the USMNT is playing a big match, I’m in front of a TV with a laptop and maybe a third screen for other matches, watching every possible second of pregame and checking lineups and the latest from social media. For USA-Mexico on Friday, I was out of town for a wedding, completely unfettered from requirements of covering the match for my job. I wound up at a sports bar in Austin (the Black Sheep Lodge) that promised to show the big game, but I wasn’t quite sure what that meant.
On Sunday in front of 65,000 faithful at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal — needing only a draw to qualify for the World Cup — threw it all away in the 90th minute by allowing Aleksandar Mitrović to convert a back post header that sent Serbia to Qatar instead.
AMSTERDAM — Veteran Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal suffered a hip injury when he fell off his bicycle on Sunday but will be able to coach his team in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Norway in Rotterdam.
Van Gaal, who was cycling near the team hotel when he fell and was taken to hospital for tests, used a golf cart to conduct Monday's training before the Group G decider, where the Dutch need a draw to seal a place at next year's finals in Qatar.
England defender Harry Maguire defended his goal celebration during Friday's World Cup qualifying victory over Albania which former players described as over the top and unnecessary following his poor performances for Manchester United.
England thrashed Albania 5-0 to all but qualify for the World Cup after Maguire opened the scoring with a ninth-minute header, celebrating with a knee slide while putting his fingers to his ears as if to shut out his critics.
Reece James to Harry Maguire!
Santos defeated Red Bull Bragantino 2-0 in Brazil’s top flight on Wednesday for an upset victory. Santos scored its second goal in the final minute of the game from the penalty spot. The call for the penalty came after an immaculate Marinho flop.
The Premier League has refused a request from clubs to wear their away kits at home matches on Boxing Day in support of homeless charity Shelter, British media reported.
Shelter tweeted on Tuesday it is launching the '#NoHomeKit' campaign, which urges clubs and fans to "ditch their home colours for their away or third kit, showing support for people who don't have a safe home."