Lots to work on as Roberto Mancini suffers losing start as Saudi Arabia coach
Saudi Arabia suffered a 3-1 friendly defeat to Costa Rica on Friday night as Roberto Mancini's tenure as manager got off to a losing start.
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Lamine Yamal Makes History For Spain As Scotland Edge Closer To Euro 2024
Lamine Yamal brightened the gloom that has descended over Spanish football by becoming the country's youngest ever player and goalscorer as La Roja thrashed Georgia 7-1 on Friday to get their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign back on track. On a night of goals, Scotland beat Cyprus 3-0 and Croatia put five past Latvia while Portugal were made to work a bit harder, Bruno Fernandes on target in the 1-0 win in Slovakia. The build up to Spain's match was tarnished by the ongoing saga of federation president Luis Rubiales and his kiss on the lips of women's midfielder Jenni Hermoso in the aftermath of their World Cup triumph over England in Sydney last month.
Costa Rica beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 in friendly as keeper Navas returns
NEWCASTLE, England : Costa Rica earned a 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia at St James' Park, Newcastle on Friday in a friendly match that saw the return of captain Keylor Navas to the Ticos goal.
France maintain perfect record with Ireland win
PARIS: France took a giant stride towards the Euro 2024 finals as they maintained their perfect qualifying record with a 2-0 home victory over Ireland on Thursday (Sep 7).
Neymar says not 100 percent fit for Brazil, compares Saudi league to French
SAO PAULO: Brazil striker Neymar said he is not fully fit to play in the two opening rounds of World Cup qualifying due to the right ankle injury that has sidelined him since February.
Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy ease into World Rpwing C'ship semis
Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy powered into semi-finals of the lightweight men's double at the World Rowing Championships in Belgrade on Wednesday.
King's Cup: India Face Tough Iraq Test, Says Captain Sunil Chhetri
India will sorely miss their talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri as they return to action after two months against higher-ranked Iraq in the four-team King's Cup, on Thursday. Chhetri, who played a key role in India's title triumph in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship, has taken a break to spend time with his wife following the birth of their son. The Igor Stimac-coached side returns to action on the back of winning a hat-trick of titles that also include the Tri-Nation tournament in Imphal in March.
Spain resume Euro 2024 qualifiers without federation boss Rubiales, Italy start post-Mancini era
GENEVA: Spain return to national-team soccer this week amid turmoil since the men’s and women’s teams won international titles in the last games they played. The first two days of Spanish men’s preparation for a European Championship qualifying game Friday in Georgia started with captain Álvaro Morata reading a statement of support to the Women’s World Cup-winning players and denouncing “unacceptable behavior” by now-suspended federation boss Luis Rubiales. Off-field distractions continued Tuesday: an apology to world soccer for Rubiales’ conduct at and since the women’s final in Australia by his interim replacement Pedro Rocha, and firing beleaguered women’s team coach Jorge Vilda. Men’s team coach Luis de la Fuente — who won a UEFA Nations League title in June just months into the job — has kept that job despite also being a longtime federation ally of Rubiales. Unlike Vilda, De la Fuente did not face a walkout by his entire coaching staff and a player mutiny. Only Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias has said he won’t play for Spain until “things change.” Still, those Nations League victories over Italy then Croatia in the final, in a penalty shootout, seem a long time ago and the Group A table in Euro 2024 qualifying leaves fourth-place Spain lots to do. Group leader Scotland won two more games in June, after stunning Spain 2-0 in March, and are eight points clear ahead of playing last-place Cyprus on Friday.