France needed the help of the first World Cup penalty awarded after a video review and a deflected Paul Pogba goal to get their World Cup campaign underway with a 2-1 win over Australia on Saturday (June 16).

Striker Antoine Griezmann lashed home the historic spot kick in the 58th minute but Australia hit back with a penalty of their own when Samuel Umtiti inexplicably handled the ball in the box four minutes later.

Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak sent his French counterpart Hugo Lloris the wrong way to give Australia hopes of forcing a draw at the Kazan Arena but Pogba grabbed the winner in the 81st minute.

Even that goal might not have counted in the days before technology was brought into the game with Pogba’s shot looping off the shin of Aziz Behich, hitting the crossbar and bouncing down inside the goal before coming back out.

Uruguayan referee Andres Cunha checked the goal-line monitor on his watch and awarded the goal as Australia keeper Mat Ryan stood holding the ball in his hands.

Cunha had earlier watched the challenge by Josh Risdon on Griezmann on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) monitor by the side of the pitch and decided the Australia right back had brought the French striker down in the area.

Didier Deschamps’s France side will move on to their remaining Group C clashes against Denmark and Peru, who meet later on Saturday, with three points but plenty to do to justify their place among the pre-tournament favourites.

Australia and their 10,000 gold-shirted fans will be disappointed that all their hard work earned them nothing as they seek to get out of the group stage for the second time in their fifth World Cup.

Reuters

All of Africa will be rooting for Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Saturday as they take on European side Croatia in the opening game of the ‘official’ 2018 World Cup of Death, Group D.

Nigeria who will be fielding the youngest team at the World Cup have had scandal free preparations in the camp, but have been the center of all headlines, thanks to their fashionable jersey and off-the-pitch outfits.

Nigeria’s coach Gernot Rohr said on Friday that the team is ‘physically and mentally ready’ for the opening game at the Kaliningrad Stadium, adding that he hopes to get support from the hosts Russia.

Nigeria’s World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba), Francis Uzoho (Deportivo Coruna)

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes), Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion), Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag), Elderson Echiejiole (Cercle Brugge), Brian Idowu (Amkar Perm), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa), Abdullahi Shehu, William Ekong Troost (both Bursaspor)

Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Las Palmas), John Obi Mikel (Tianjin Teda), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Joel Obi (Torino), John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva), Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor)

Forwards: Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Victor Moses (Chelsea), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Simoen Nwankjwo (Crotone).

Croatia’s World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Gent), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kiev), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg)

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka)

Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Pjaca (Schalke), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Argentina vs Iceland

Lionel Messi’s Argentina will be taking on the adored European side, Iceland who were the surprise package at Euro 2016.

Argentina’s coach Jorge Sampaoli has already named his starting eleven for the game, choosing to go with the potenet attacking duo of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.

Argentina starting XI: Willy Caballero, Eduardo Salvio, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo, Nicolas Tagliafico, Lucas Biglia, Javier Mascherano, Maximiliano Meza, Lionel Messi, Angel di Maria, Sergio Aguero.

France Vs Australia

In Group C, 1998 world champions France will be taking on Australia and expectations will be weighing heavy on this generation of Frenchmen to replicate the success of their heroes, whose captain Didier Deschamps is back at the World Cup as the coach.

Featuring players like Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Athletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezman, France are not only group favorites, many fancy them to go all the way and lift the trophy.

Peru vs Denmark

Both teams will play with an unwritten script that they says they are fighting for the second spot in Group C along with Australia.

Peru have been buoyed by news that their all time scorer Paolo Guerrero is fit to start for them in the game aginst Denmark after being freed from a doping ban.

Guerrero missed the play-offs against New Zealand after he tested positive for a cocaine byproduct contained in a tea.

Source: Africa News

After a brilliant opening game by the hosts Russia who thrashed Saudi Arabia by 5 goals to nil, expectations for day 2 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup had been high, especially given the line up of games at hand.

Six time African champions Egypt would be taking on Group A favorites Uruguay and the big question was whether the ‘Egyptian Pharaoh’ Mohamed Salah would play a role in the game.

In the end, Salah didn’t play and Uruguay edged Egypt with an 89th minute winner scored by Jose Gimenez.

“In the history of football we have broken a spell. We either die or we kill, we have to keep progressing,” said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez at the end of the game.

Egypt’s coach Hector Cuper explained that it was too early to risk Salah.

“At the end of the training session we examined him and there was some doubt if he fell or was hit by another player, and we wanted to avoid a risk today,” Cuper said. “We want to have him in top form for Russia and Saudi Arabia.”

Egypt next play Russia in St Petersburg on Tuesday, giving Salah four more days to work on his fitness while Uruguay take on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in Rostov.

Moroccan hearts broken by late Iran Goal

Up next were Morocco who were taking on Iran, in the less fancied game of Group B that also has European champions Portugal and 2010 world champions Spain.

Morocco dominated the game for the bigger part of the 90 minutes, but then in stoppage time, disaster struck.

Iran left back Ehsan Hajsafi whipped in a free kick five minutes into added time and Bouhaddouz launched himself at the ball, flashing a header past his own keeper Munir Mohamedi.

The Iranians, who had not won a World Cup game since their victory over the United States in 1998, celebrated as if they had won the tournament, leaving the field only reluctantly after lengthy and emotional embraces.

“Our strategy was from the first minute to create a mental collapse in the Moroccan players. We tried to do that by creating frustration and blocking all their creative players,” said Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz, the former assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and ex-Real Madrid coach.

“My players are down, but we can only blame ourselves,” was all Morocco coach Herve Renard could say.

In a group where Spain and Portugal are strong favourites to qualify for the knockout stage, the outcome gives Iran an outside chance of an upset but was a bitter blow for an enterprising Moroccan side.

Ronaldo reigns supreme in 3-3 Portugal vs Spain thriller

The much anticipated match of the day didn’t disappoint as five time World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo scored an early goal from the penalty spot in the 4th minute to give Portugal the lead.

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa equalised in the 24th minute, before Ronaldo restored Portugal’s lead in the 44th minute, thanks to a goalkeeping blunder from Span’s David De Gea.

Costa scored yet another equaliser in the 55th minute, which was quickly followed by a stunner from Nacho to give Spain the lead for the first time.

But it was Ronaldo who had the last word when he scored a spectacular free-kick in the 88th minute to tie the game and score a career 51st hat trick.

Argentina, Nigeria in action on Saturday

Day 3 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will see Ronaldo’s nemesis Lionel Messi step up as his team plays against Iceland in the opening game of Group D. Nigeria will play against Croatia in the other game of the group.

There will also be action in Group C as 1998 world champions play against Australia while Peru will play against Denmark.

Source: Africa News

Morocco’s national football team held their final training session at the St. Petersburg Stadium on Thursday, before their first World Cup match against Iran.

Morocco are drawn in Group B, alongside Portugal, Spain and Iran.

The FIFA 2018 World Cup kicked off on June 14 with Russia securing a 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the tournament’s opening game.

(Source: AFP)

The Russia’s national football team has started its home campaign at the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup with a crushing victory over Saudi Arabia.

The Russian sportsmen outclassed their feeble Saudi Arabian rivals 5-0 in the tournament’s opening match at the Luzhniki Stadium in the Russian capital city of Moscow on Thursday evening to put an end to their nine-month winless run, and boost the morale of the host nation’s team and fans.

The spectators were sent into raptures after only 12 minutes, when 28-year-old Russian midfielder Yury Gazinsky headed home for the opener.

Denis Cheryshev showed great skill of his own later on, and unleashed a left-footed piledriver that doubled the hosts’ lead just before half time.

Artem Dzyuba got Russia’s third only seconds after coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute.

After that, Cheryshev cleverly steered home the fourth with the outside of his foot just a minute into injury time.

Aleksandr Golovin completed the visitors’ misery by curling his free kick beyond the wall in the the 94th minute to make it 5-0.

On Friday, Egypt will play Uruguay in a Group A fixture at the Central Stadium of Ekaterinburg. Morocco will take on Iran in a Group B match at Saint Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium.

Portugal will face Spain in a Group B encounter at Fisht Olympic Stadium of Sochi.

During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1 last year, the host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay were put in Group A in the preliminary round of the tournament.

The Iran men’s national football team, nicknamed Team Melli, has joined Portugal’s A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco.

France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.

Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.

Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

Culled from Presstv

During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1 last year, the host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay were put in Group A in the preliminary round of the tournament.

The Iran men’s national football team, nicknamed Team Melli, has joined Portugal’s A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco.

France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.

Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.

Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

2018 FIFA World Cup schedule: Dates, fixtures, groups, venues and kick off times

Group Stage

Kick-offs are shown in British Summer Time (BST).

Thursday 14 June

Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 4 p.m.

Friday 15 June

Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) – Ekaterinburg – 1 p.m.

Morocco vs Iran (Group B) – St Petersburg – 4 p.m.

Portugal vs Spain (Group B) – Sochi – 7 p.m.

Saturday 16 June

France vs Australia (Group C) – Kazan – 11 a.m.

Argentina vs Iceland (Group D) – Moscow (Spartak) – 2 p.m.

Peru vs Denmark (Group C) – Saransk – 5 p.m.

Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) – Kaliningrad – 8 p.m.

Sunday 17 June

Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E) – Samara – 1 p.m.

Germany vs Mexico (Group F) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 4 p.m.

Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E) – Rostov-on-Don – 7 p.m.

Monday 18 June

Sweden vs South Korea (Group F) – Nizhny Novgorod – 1 p.m.

Belgium vs Panama (Group G) – Sochi – 4 p.m.

Tunisia vs England (Group G) – Volgograd – 7 p.m.

Tuesday 19 June

Colombia vs Japan (Group H) – Saransk – 1 p.m.

Poland vs Senegal (Group H) – Moscow (Spartak) – 4 p.m.

Russia vs Egypt (Group A) – St Petersburg – 7 p.m.

Wednesday 20 June

Portugal vs Morocco (Group B) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 1 p.m.

Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Rostov-on-Don – 4 p.m.

Iran vs Spain (Group B) – Kazan – 7 p.m.

Thursday 21 June

Denmark vs Australia (Group C) – Samara – 1 p.m.

France vs Peru (Group C) – Ekaterinburg – 4 p.m.

Argentina vs Croatia (Group D) – Nizhny Novgorod – 7 p.m.

Friday 22 June

Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E) – St Petersburg – 1 p.m.

Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D) – Volgograd – 4 p.m.

Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E) – Kaliningrad – 7 p.m.

Saturday 23 June

Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G) – Moscow (Spartak) – 1 p.m.

South Korea vs Mexico (Group F) – Rostov-on-Don – 4 p.m.

Germany v Sweden (Group F) – Sochi – 7 p.m.

Sunday 24 June

England vs Panama (Group G) – Nizhny Novgorod – 1 p.m.

Japan vs Senegal (Group H) – Ekaterinburg – 4 p.m.

Poland vs Colombia (Group H) – Kazan – 7 p.m.

Monday 25 June

Uruguay vs Russia (Group A) – Samara – 3 p.m.

Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A) – Volgograd – 3 p.m.

Spain vs Morocco (Group B) – Kaliningrad – 7 p.m.

Iran vs Portugal (Group B) – Saransk – 7 p.m.

Tuesday 26 June

Denmark vs France (Group C) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 3 p.m.

Australia vs Peru (Group C) – Sochi – 3 p.m.

Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D) – St Petersburg – 7 p.m.

Iceland vs Croatia (Group D) – Rostov-on-Don – 7 p.m.

Wednesday 27 June

South Korea vs Germany (Group F) – Kazan – 3 p.m.

Mexico vs Sweden (Group F) – Ekaterinburg – 3 p.m.

Serbia vs Brazil (Group E) – Moscow (Spartak) – 7 p.m.

Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E) – Nizhny Novgorod – 7 p.m.

Thursday 28 June

Japan vs Poland (Group H) – Volgograd – 3 p.m.

Senegal vs Colombia (Group H) – Samara – 3 p.m.

England vs Belgium (Group G) – Kaliningrad – 7 p.m.

Panama vs Tunisia (Group G) – Saransk – 7 p.m.

Source: Presstv

Moroccans believe it was Saudi Arabia that ruined the North African country’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

Local press in Morocco said on Wednesday that it was Saudi Arabia that “led an all-out campaign” in favor of an opposite bid to host the 2026 World Cup by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The joint North American bid won 134 votes, compared to 65 for Morocco, at a FIFA Congress in Moscow earlier in the day to gain the rights for hosting the prestigious football tournament in 2026.

Moroccan officials said Saudi Arabia, a long-time ally of their country, was very influential in nixing the success of their bid to host the tournament.

“God protect me from my friends, my enemies I can deal with,” said Moncef Belkhayat, a member of Morocco’s bid committee and ex-sports minister, before the vote opened in Moscow.

Saudi Arabia apparently led other Arab countries, especially those wealthy states in the Persian Gulf region, to support the North American bid. The move came despite a promise in April by the Arab League to back Morocco’s bid.

Senior media figures in Morocco lamented the Saudi decision. Samira Sitail, head of public broadcaster M2, said the vote showed that Saudis were no more than a vassal state for the United States.

“The United States has a new state. It is Arab and Muslim, easily exploitable, and it loves to put knives in friends’ backs,” said Sitail, making an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia.

Morocco’s national football team is also present in Russia. The team is grouped with Iran, Spain and Portugal in the World Cup games while there is a very slim chance that it meets Saudi Arabia in the second stage of the tournament.

Source: Presstv

Senegal’s team has arrived in Russia ahead of their World Cup campaign which begins in Group H with matches against Poland, Colombia and Japan.

The team that features a potent attack led by Liverpool forward Sadio Mane flew in wearing traditional African attire, with dark blue tunics and matching pants.

The fashionable team follows the head turning Nigeria team that arrived in Russia on Monday wearing green and white traditional African attire, with matching hats and shoes.

Senegal won their last warm up game on Monday against South Korea, with goals from Pape Moussa Konate and Kim Young-gwon (OG).

Culled from Africa News

Football governing body FIFA has confirmed that the US, Mexico and Canada’s United Bid has won the right to host the 2026 World Cup.

According to English publication The Guardian, the United Bid received 134 votes, while Morocco received 65 votes, and one country voted for neither.

The North Americans rode to victory on a wave of support from the Americas, Europe and Asia, plus a few votes from Africa.

The 2026 edition of the global showpiece will be the first time three countries host the World Cup, but a vast majority of the tournament will be played on US soil.

Of the 80 matches, 10 will be held in Canada, 10 in Mexico and the other 60 in the US, including the final, which will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The last time the men’s World Cup was held in North America was when the US hosted it in 1994, and before then it was also held in Mexico in 1970 and 1986.

Source: Soccerladuna