List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

England face hosts Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals as the Lionesses come up against not just the Matildas but an entire nation in Sydney. The stage for the latest chapter of England and Australia’s historic rivalry could not be bigger as both teams aim to reach their first-ever Women’s World Cup final, with the hosts gripped by Matildas fever and set for their biggest sporting occasion since the 2000 Olympic Games. The Lionesses rode the wave of home support as they won the Euros last summer but will now look to spoil the party as Sarina Wiegman’s side attempt to make history of their own. England have overcome several challenges to reach the semi-finals and are now faced with their biggest yet as they take on a near-80,000 capacity crowd at Stadium Australia. A place against Spain in Sunday’s final is up for grabs, with ‘La Roja’ defeating Sweden 2-1 yesterday. Follow live updates from England vs Australia in the semi-finals and get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Read More How to watch England vs Australia: TV channel and kick-off time for Women’s World Cup semi-final England and Australia’s old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever

Watch live as supporters arrive at Stadium Australia for the Women’s World Cup semi-final between Australia and England. A place in the showpiece final is up for grabs, in what could be one of the biggest football matches of the year so far. For Australia, they will hope star striker Sam Kerr will be fit enough to feature from the start. She picked up an injury ahead of the tournament and has been limited to appearing as a substitute so far. England boss Sarina Wiegman, though, believes simply nullifying the threat posed by Kerr will not be enough to see the Lionesses through to a first-ever World Cup final. The Australia captain is her country’s leading goal-scorer of either gender but has not yet started a match in the global showpiece after injuring her calf. European champions England take on the Matildas at 11am BST in Sydney, where the majority of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts. Read More ‘Mystic meerkats’ predict winner of England vs Australia World Cup semi-final England forward Rachel Daly among six World Cup stars shortlisted for PFA award England vs Australia: Key stats ahead of crunch World Cup semi-final

Referee-turned-pundit Mike Dean says he will not have any issue in telling former colleague Simon Hooper how badly he got things wrong by not giving Wolves a penalty in their defeat at Manchester United on Monday. Hooper and VAR officials Michael Salisbury and Richard West have been stood down for this weekend by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) boss Howard Webb after they collectively failed to award Gary O’Neil’s side what looked like a blatant spot-kick in added time of the 1-0 loss at Old Trafford. Dean quit his role as a dedicated VAR and coach of up and coming officials in the summer in order to move into a role as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday. And the 55-year-old, who made his debut on the show last week, has warned his former colleagues that he “won’t be sitting on the fence” when it comes to discussing controversial decisions. “I’ve had a chat with a few of the referees and made it clear that if they make a bad decision, I won’t be sitting on the fence or defending the indefensible and they were OK with that,” he told the PA news agency. “I want to be able to do the job properly and give proper insight. “Equally, I’ll be happy to highlight good decisions as it will be good to give refs some credit.” Dean was an on-field referee for 27 years – 22 of those in the Premier League – and was undoubtedly one of the biggest characters in the game, with his antics and exaggerated facial expressions prime content for online memes. His final year for the PGMOL was spent at Stockley Park as a dedicated VAR and he admits he did not get the same satisfaction. “For me refereeing was the best job in the world, and I felt lucky to be able to be paid for basically doing my hobby,” he said. “But after 27 years of refereeing, and 22 in the Premier League, I felt like I had done my time and wanted to start the next chapter of my life. “It didn’t take long for me to realise that being on VAR wasn’t for me. Having to travel down to London to then be stuck in a room, telling on-field referees whether their decisions were right or wrong didn’t give me the same enjoyment. “I spoke to Howard about this and luckily he supported me in my move away from the role. “I only ever tried to be the best referee I could be. I don’t shy away from the fact I did the job in a different way to some others, but this just came from my enjoyment of it. “I loved my career, seeing Premier League football every weekend from the best seat in the house. I got to referee some amazing games like Man City against QPR when they won the league in the last minute, and make some great mates.” Webb has had a tough induction to the top job at the PGMOL since taking over from Mike Riley in December but has been committed to making his officials accountable for their errors and also improved communication. Dean insists the former World Cup final official is the “best man for the job”. He added: “I have no doubt that Howard is the best man for the job, he has a real presence and is respected in the game. It didn’t take long for me to realise that being on VAR wasn’t for me Mike Dean “He’ll be in contact with Premier League managers this year and will have no problems being up front and honest with them – this communication should only help this season. “Premier League football and decisions in big games will always get attention, and it is the nature of being a referee that you will get criticised when you make mistakes just like players. “The difference for referees is that you will rarely get called out for refereeing a game well, or making good decisions. That’s why I’m not a fan of the idea of refs being interviewed after games, as they’d only want to be spoken to when they’ve made an error.” :: Mike Dean has a new role as the face of the Family & Friends Railcard. Research from Railcard.co.uk reveals that fans opting to travel by train to football matches can save over £50 per adult and child just by using the Family & Friends Railcard. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England forward Rachel Daly among six World Cup stars shortlisted for PFA award Football rumours: Crystal Palace unhappy with Chelsea over bid for Michael Olise On this day 2009: Usain Bolt breaks WR for World Championship 100m gold in 9.58

England’s Rachel Daly is one of six World Cup stars who have been shortlisted for the Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Player of the Year award. Forward Daly hit 22 goals in the Women’s Super League for Aston Villa last season – a remarkable achievement for a player who featured at left-back in the Lionesses’ successful Euros campaign last summer. Her form last season has made her a first choice up front at the World Cup for England manager Sarina Wiegman. The 31-year-old from Harrogate is joined by five other illustrious WSL names on the nominees list, including Australia striker Sam Kerr, Norwegian duo Frida Maanum and Guro Reiten, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and Spain’s Ona Batlle. Kerr and Reiten were key components of a Chelsea team which secured a sixth WSL title last season, with Kerr scoring the winner as the Blues claimed the domestic double with victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final. Reiten’s international team-mate Maanum was a major asset to Arsenal last term. Her versatility in midfield has made her a vital part of Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners team since her arrival from Linkoping in July 2021. Full-back Batlle was part of a Manchester United squad which pushed Chelsea close in the league all season and helped the team qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history. She returned to Barcelona earlier this summer when her United contract expired. Shaw was a shining light in what was a disappointing season on the whole for Manchester City, scoring 31 goals in 30 games in all competitions. Her performances earned her a contract extension through to 2026 earlier this summer. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

What the papers say Crystal Palace are reportedly unhappy with Chelsea over “tapping up” concerns during their pursuit of Michael Olise, according to the Daily Mail. Chelsea are looking to sign the 21-year-old attacking midfielder for £35million after activating a release clause but the Mail report that the Eagles are concerned over the way the approach for their player has been handled. West Ham’s deal to sign former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has reportedly fallen through after the club became tired of waiting for the defender to agree on the move to the club, the Guardian reports. The Daily Mail says Liverpool are widening their hunt for a defensive midfielder with the club identifying six players including Joao Palhinha and Cheick Doucoure. Social media round-up Players to watch Mohammed Salah: Football365 says the Liverpool forward has given permission for a Saudi Pro League team to negotiate with the club. Lucas Paqueta: A new offer from Manchester City is imminent for the West Ham midfielder, according to Football Insider.

England boss Sarina Wiegman believes simply nullifying the threat posed by Australia striker Sam Kerr will not be enough to see the Lionesses through to a first-ever World Cup final. The European champions take on the Matildas in their semi-final tonight at 11 am BST at Sydney’s sold-out Stadium Australia, where the majority of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts. Captain Kerr is her country’s leading goal-scorer of either gender, but has not yet started a match in the global showpiece after injuring her calf pre-tournament, making her much-anticipated return as a substitute in Australia’s 2-0 last-16 victory over Denmark. Though the Chelsea forward is, at least in Australia, the poster-woman for this tournament, Wiegman insisted: “Australia is not just Sam Kerr. Yes, we have a plan [if she starts]. She can play and she can start on the bench, so that’s the situation. Of course she is a threat, she’s a very good player, so a lot of respect [to her]. “But there is more than Sam Kerr, because at the end it is always a team performance. When the team does really well an individual can do even better. That’s the same for Australia and it’s the same for England. “There is a lot of pressure on her because everyone expects things from her. I think Australia have grown in the tournament too, they had some difficult situations they had to come back from and they did really well. We expect a very strong Australia tomorrow.” The winner of Wednesday night’s contest will take on Spain for the trophy, after they beat Sweden 2-1 on Tuesday to book their trip to the final. Kerr’s calf was arguably the most talked-about calf in Australian history when it was announced she would miss the first two matches of the Matildas’ World Cup campaign, and speculation has swirled about her fitness ever since. The 29-year-old declared she would be available for Australia’s final group stage contest against Canada but remained on the bench, before appearing to a raucous reception for the first time in the 80th minute against Denmark. She featured more in her side’s quarter-final against France, coming on for Emily van Egmond in the 55th minute and scoring one of the penalties that would see Australia win a 7-6 shootout and advance to the final four for the first time. England captain Millie Bright, Kerr’s club team-mate at Women’s Super League champions Chelsea, echoed her manager’s assessment, adding: “I think everyone knows [Sam] pretty well. On the worldwide stage, I think she’s made a name for herself. “It’s pretty hard not to know Sam and her abilities, but like Sarina said there’s other players in the team. I think we’re prepared to play against Australia as a team.” Those other players have stepped up considerably in their skipper’s absence. Mary Fowler and Hayley Raso – who has netted three times this tournament – are emerging alongside Kerr as new household names Down Under. It remains to be seen if Kerr will make her first World Cup start against England, or if Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson will once again use her as a talismanic threat off the bench – either way, Wiegman insists England have a plan. Gustavsson perhaps hinted at the latter in his press conference on the eve of their historic encounter, where one side will become a World Cup finalist for the first time, The Swedish boss said: “We’ll look at all of this trying to start as strong as possible, but finish even stronger. Meaning, what kind of starting line-up do we want to have, what finishing 11 do we want to have? “What kind of tools and game-changing do we think we need in a game like this? Type of players, whether it’s speed or aerial presence. There will be some tough decisions to be made because a lot of players deserve to start, but a lot of players also deserve to finish the game and win it for us.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ben Stokes tipped to make one-day U-turn and make England squad for World Cup Harry Maguire looking set to remain with Manchester United Impressive win for Gateshead on the road at Dagenham

England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals as the Lionesses look to take down the hosts in Sydney. Both teams are aiming to reach their first-ever Women’s World Cup final and the stage could not be bigger for the latest chapter of England and Australia’s sporting rivalry. Australia has been gripped by World Cup fever with the Matildas’ dramatic penalty shootout victory against France in the quarter-finals becoming the most-watched sporting event in the country since the 2000 Olympic Games. Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest England vs Australia news and build-up But England will be out to spoil the party as the Lionesses look to make history of their own. The European champions defeated Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals and are set to face another hostile atmosphere as they take on Australia and a near-80,000 capacity crowd in Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. The winner will play Spain in Sunday’s showpiece in Sydney, after La Roja defeated Sweden 2-1 in the other semi-final. Here’s everything you need to know as England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals. When is England vs Australia? The Women’s World Cup semi-final will kick off at 11am UK time (BST) on Wednesday 16 August, and will be played at the Stadium Australia, Sydney. How can I watch it? England vs Australia will be shown live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with coverage getting underway from 10am. What is the England team news? Lauren James remains unavailable, with the forward serving the second match of her two-game ban, although she will now be free to play either the final or the third-place place playoff, depending on England’s result against Australia. The Lionesses have a fully fit squad elsewhere. Sarina Wiegman kept her 3-5-2 formation against Colombia and is unlikely to make any changes given how well certain areas of the team are performing. The back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood has excelled in front of goalkeeper Mary Earps, with Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly set to continue as wing-backs. Keira Walsh will start at the base of the midfield, with Georgia Stanway alongside her. The one area of the team Wiegman may decide to change is in Ella Toone’s position given the midfielder’s form, with her Manchester United teammate Katie Zelem an option. Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp both scored against Colombia and are set to lead the line, with Chloe Kelly and Beth England the other attacking options from the bench. What is the Australia team news? Sam Kerr played 66 minutes in the penalty shootout victory over Australia and is close to being fully fit, with Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson facing another big decision as to whether or not to start his captain and star striker. Gustavsson may decide to stick by his starting attack, with a front two of Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler leading the line and Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso providing threat from the wings. Predicted line-ups England: Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; Toone; Hemp, Russo Australia: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Catley; Fowler, Van Egmond How did both teams reach the semi-finals? England (Winners Group D) 1-0 vs Haiti 1-0 vs Denmark 6-1 vs China 0-0 vs Nigeria (Won 4-2 on penalties) 2-1 vs Colombia Australia (Winners Group B) 1-0 vs Ireland 2-3 vs Nigeria 4-0 vs Canada 2-0 vs Denmark 0-0 vs France (Won 7-6 on penalties) If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch England vs Australia then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Read More England and Australia’s old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment Australia is having a moment — will Sam Kerr finally get hers against England? The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever How England’s Lionesses are preparing for Women’s World Cup semi-final England vs Australia team news and predicted line-ups FA ‘disappointed’ after Australia fans secure tickets in allocated England section

Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire will not be moving to West Ham as it stands, the PA news agency understands. The 30-year-old centre-back became the most expensive defender in history when joining the Old Trafford giants from Leicester for £80million in 2019. Maguire was swiftly handed the captain’s armband, but a lack of form and game time led Erik ten Hag to last month name Bruno Fernandes as United’s new skipper. West Ham’s initial £20m bid for the England international was rejected before an improved offer in the region of £30m was accepted by the Red Devils last week. But the Hammers began looking at other potential options after the move stalled and it is now believed Maguire will be staying put. A source close to the player said he feels settled at United, remains confident of game time this season and did not speak to West Ham boss David Moyes during the process. Maguire was an unused substitute on Monday as United beat Wolves 1-0 – ahead of which Ten Hag indicated he had a future at the club if he fought for it. The fact United would have to find a replacement centre-back at this stage of the window is another consideration.

Gateshead picked up their first win of the season with a 4-2 victory over Dagenham at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. The visitors took the lead 35 minutes in through Luke Hannant’s first goal of the season. They doubled their advantage six minutes after the break when Marcus Dinanga smashed across goal and into the back of the net to make it 2-0. The home side pulled one back 18 minutes from time when the Daggers attack forced a mistake from the defence and Inih Effiong slotted home to cut their deficit to just one. But Gateshead restored their two-goal advantage three minutes later when Hannant cut inside on the right and finished for his second of the night. Dinanga also added another (83) to make it four and Charley Kendall’s late consolation for Dagenham could not stop Gateshead from sealing the three points. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

The preseason AP Top 25 Poll reflected how much the Associated Press is shorting Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide program this season.There were 63 first-place votes cast out in the initial AP Top 25 Poll, but not a single one of them went Alabama's way.This was the first time sin...

Neymar is the latest star name to take his talents to the Saudi Arabian Pro League after completing a move to Al Hilal. The 31-year-old has joined from Paris St Germain in a deal that could go up to 100 million euros (£86.3m). The Brazil forward add to the list of stars of world football to turn his back on a major European club, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane and N’Golo Kante to the Middle East. The move ends a six-year stay at PSG, who he joined from Barcelona for a world-record £200m fee in 2017. He leaves the Parc Des Princes having scored 118 goals in 173 matches and won five Ligue 1 titles. Neymar was left out of Luis Enrique’s squad for the opening league game of the season and did not feature in the Spaniard’s plans. PSG chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi told the club’s official website: “It is always difficult to say goodbye to an amazing player like Neymar, one of the best players in the world “I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris St Germain, and what he has contributed to our club and our project over the last six years. We had a great moment and Neymar will always be a big part of our history. “I would like to thank Neymar and his family. We wish Neymar all the very best for the future and his next adventure.” Neymar joins former Wolves captain Neves and ex-Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly at Al Hilal. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

The team's never-say-die attitude has captured a nation long known for its love of an underdog story.