Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been released from the national team squad after picking up a one-game suspension following their 2-1 victory over Ireland on Wednesday, the country's football federation said in a statement.
My Spanish is a little rusty, but here is a snippet from a conversation overheard between a few El Salvadorian fans shortly before the country's World Cup Qualifier against the USMNT on Thursday:
Guy No. 1: "OK, here's the plan: step one — get a ladder. Step two — carry the ladder into the stadium."
*Pause*
Guy No. 2: "What's step three?"
Guy No. 1: "What do you mean step three? That's the whole plan, we take the ladder and bring it into the game. That's it."
England bounced back from a disheartening loss in the Euro 2020 final with a resounding 4-0 win over Hungary in 2022 World Cup qualifying on Thursday in Budapest. On the pitch, England was superior. Off the pitch, England was superior. After fans hurled projectiles and racist abuse toward England players, the Three Lions’ mockery of Hungary fans was the best moment of the week.
Win at home; draw on the road — that’s long been said to be the formula for success in Concacaf World Cup qualifying. If true, the U.S. is at least on track to book a trip to Qatar, but it wasn’t exactly the barnstorming start to World Cup qualifying many U.S. fans were hoping for after a summer full of trophies.
A Lionel Messi le han pegado todo tipo de patadas durante su carrera, pero quizás pocas tan criminales como la que le aplicó Luis Adrián Martínez, en la visita de Argentina a Venezuela, en las eliminatorias mundialistas de la CONMEBOL.
En un enfrentamiento duro, sin muchos espacios, la Albiceleste trataba de lucir su chapa de campeón de América. Messi era el principal agente ofensivo, pero sin la chispa suficiente como para doblar la resistencia vinotinto.
El cambio, curiosamente, vino tras el violento foul que recibió Messi.
Poco duró la aventura de Robbie Robinson en la selección de Chile. A horas de enfrentar a Brasil por las Clasificatorias a Catar 2022, el jugador del Inter Miami decidió abandonar la concentración de La Roja para tomarse un tiempo antes de decidir a qué país quiere defender a nivel internacional.
HONG KONG - Issam Al Sabhi's goal two minutes from time gave Oman a 1-0 shock win over Japan in their opening clash in the final round of Asia's World Cup preliminaries for Qatar 2022 as South Korea and Iraq played out a scoreless draw in Seoul.
Al Sabhi swept home Salah Al Yahyaei's cross from the right to stun the home side to take all three points in the nations' Group B meeting and heap the pressure on Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu.
CLUTCH FINISH.
Concacaf may be home to the most unusual of shenanigans in World Cup qualifying, but it definitely doesn’t have a monopoly. On Wednesday, the kickoff of a UEFA World Cup qualifier was delayed because of a drone buzzing around above the pitch.
Austria’s visit to Moldova began about 15 minutes late because of the drone, but it didn’t stop the Austrians from securing a 2-0 victory over one of two Group F minnows.
It’s been a particularly hellish period for supporters of Ireland. The search for a more progressive style of football yielded one goal in eight matches throughout 2020, and then Luxembourg recorded a famous 1-0 World Cup qualifying win in Dublin back in March.
After a summer spent playing the role of bridesmaid, Tata Martino’s Mexico begins World Cup qualifying by putting on a brave face and getting back out there, but September’s trifecta of matches each pose their own particular challenges for El Tri.
A couple big names miss out entirely through injury — Chucky Lozano, Héctor Herrera, Diego Lainez and Héctor Moreno — although Andrés Guardado returns after recovering from his own ailments. Meanwhile Covid continues to change, disrupt and alter plans by the minute, so don't be surprised if this preview is already entirely worthless.