Son Heung-min hits brace as South Korea win again in World Cup qualifying
Son Heung-min scored two goals and set up another to help South Korea win its second straight game in World Cup qualifying, a 3-0 victory over China on Tuesday. The Tottenham striker got his first from the penalty spot in the 11th minute at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre after Hwang Hee-chan was fouled in the area. Son scored his second just before halftime with a header near the post. Jung Seung-hyun added the third with a header off a free kick from Son.“China also had scoring opportunities,” said South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was appointed in February. “If we had conceded in front of 40,000 fans, it would have been really difficult. Scoring a goal lifted the atmosphere for us.” South Korea is looking to qualify for the World Cup for the 11th straight time, while China is aiming to reach the tournament for only the second time. The South Koreans lead Group C in Asian qualifying with six points, while China and Thailand have three points each. The Thais beat Singapore 3-1. Singapore has zero points. The top two teams in each of the nine groups of four progress to the final group stage. Asia has eight automatic places at the expanded 2026 World Cup tournament, an increase of four from 2022. Iran was held to a 2-2 draw by Uzbekistan in Tashkent, giving both teams four points in Group E.Iran, which has appeared at six World Cups, led 2-0 on goals from Mehdi Taremi and Ramin Rezaeian. But Oston Urunov and Igor Sergeev earned a point for Uzbekistan. Qatar, the host of last year’s World Cup, won its second game by beating India 3-0 in Group A. Also, North Korea beat Myanmar 6-1, the Philippines drew 1-1 with Indonesia, and Iraq defeated Vietnam 1-0. Read More Man Utd takeover reaches one-year mark with Ratcliffe set for stake Can Brazil turn turmoil into opportunity as Argentina visit the Maracana? Lionel Messi World Cup shirt collection set to smash sports auction record
2023-11-22 00:52
Boyhood Man Utd fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe poised to secure 25 per cent stake
The Glazer family’s search for new investors in Manchester United reaches the one-year mark on Wednesday, with boyhood fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe still poised to take a 25 per cent stake in the club in the coming days. The United owners announced on November 22 last year – during the Premier League’s World Cup recess – that they were “exploring strategic options” including a full sale of the club. One year on, Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of chemicals company Ineos, is understood to be on the verge of a £1.25billion deal to secure a 25 per cent stake in United, but sources have indicated that an announcement may not come now until next week. If, as is anticipated, no deal is announced on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Monday would be the next earliest date that anything could be confirmed, with the Thanksgiving holiday period in the United States starting on Thursday. Ratcliffe is set to acquire significant control of football operations at United as part of his investment when it is ultimately confirmed, while it has also been reported that he would provide an additional £245million to upgrade club infrastructure. A takeover had been on the cards at one stage, with Ratcliffe and Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim the two publicly announced figures in contention to complete a buyout of the Glazers. Sheikh Jassim’s interest was first confirmed in February, but he withdrew from the process last month. The Sheikh Jassim bid was understood to have eventually reached around double the 3.2billion dollar (£2.6bn) market valuation of the Premier League club as it stood in October. The Qatari was believed to have also been prepared to pledge an additional 1.7bn dollars (£1.4bn) for infrastructure projects. The Glazers took over at United with a £790m leveraged buy-out in 2005, but throughout their tenure have faced significant opposition from supporters, which has only grown in recent years at a club that have not won the Premier League since 2013. Tensions rose noticeably in 2021 when the owners were heavily involved in plans to launch a European Super League, which were swiftly abandoned amid fan protests and opposition from football’s domestic and international governing bodies. United announced last week that Richard Arnold was stepping down as chief executive after less than two years in the job. Sources close to Ineos indicated they were not involved in Arnold’s departure, but it seems likely that further changes would be afoot once the deal is signed. Read More Saracens issue Ben Earl Six Nations injury update Gareth Southgate reveals what he learned from England’s November double-header Kyle Walker urges England to get mentality right in bid for Euro 2024 glory Phil Taylor to retire at the end of World Senior Darts Tour in 2024 On this day in 2007: England fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after Croatia defeat Jalen Hurts grabs double as Philadelphia Eagles avenge Super Bowl loss
2023-11-22 00:25
Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic pleads not guilty to assaulting wife
Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic has been released on personal recognizance bail after pleading not guilty to assaulting his wife
2023-11-22 00:19
Inspired by high schooler, Jalen Carter nearly picked Patrick Mahomes' spike late in the first half
Inspired by video of a high school player picking off a quarterback’s spike, Eagles rookie Jalen Carter nearly did it to Patrick Mahomes before the end of the first half of Monday night’s game
2023-11-21 23:55
World Series champion Rangers' full share $506,263, MLB postseason pool a record $107.8 million
A full postseason share for the World Series champion Texas Rangers totaled $506,263, just down from the record set when the Houston Astros won in 2022, but the total pool increased to the most in Major League Baseball history
2023-11-21 23:49
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles continue to find ways to win in latest victory over the Chiefs
By their own standards, the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the Kansas City Chiefs wasn’t a masterpiece performance
2023-11-21 22:58
Steelers fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada after 2-plus seasons of largely ineffective play
The Pittsburgh Steelers have fired embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada
2023-11-21 22:45
Sarina Wiegman feels Beth Mead has ‘shown enough’ to earn her England recall
England manager Sarina Wiegman believes Beth Mead has “shown enough” to earn her recall to the squad for the Lionesses’ final Nations League fixtures. It is a welcome return to the international fold for the 28-year-old Arsenal forward, who resumed club action last month after suffering an ACL injury last November and has now earned an England call-up for the first time in over a year. Tottenham midfielder Grace Clinton and Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating retain their places in the Lionesses’ 23-player squad, having received their first senior call-ups in October. England play their final two games of the year, starting with the Netherlands at Wembley on December 1 before facing Scotland at Hampden Park four days later and Wiegman is delighted to have Mead’s experience for those games. “It’s really nice, she’s played minutes, she’s in a good place and still building too, but that was a very nice phone call, she was very happy,” Wiegman told a press conference. “We’ve had conversations all the time, we had conversations before September camp and during and in October too because she was already fully training and getting some minutes but I just wanted to see a little more and that’s what we’ve seen now. “Her health is really good so she can just go and she’s showed of course in games that she’s in a good place and we want her to keep growing and improving. “She’s shown enough to me and for my technical staff to bring her in. “She is a character that brings positive energy off the pitch and on the pitch and it’s good to have her back. Her experience, the way she plays, she’s different than other players on the wing, she brings different things so that’s good we have different opportunities again. Off pitch gives us some extra energy.” England are currently third in Group A1 of the Nations League following a disappointing 3-2 loss to Belgium last month, their second defeat in four group matches. Plenty is at stake in the competition as the winners of League A will reach the finals, which act as Europe’s 2024 Olympic qualifiers, meaning that hopes of a qualification spot in Paris are in danger for Team GB. With two games remaining to try and turn things around, Wiegman insists England’s preparations will remain the same and has called on her side to be “more ruthless” in the final third. “I think the Belgium game, the difference of us to them was so big,” she said. “That last result was not a reflection of how we were in camp. Yes we’re in a situation where we absolutely need wins, we know that, we’re aware of that. “When we go into a camp we want to win games. We haven’t done that lately in all our games and that’s what we want to do. “Our approach will not all of a sudden change, we just review our last game, we prepare for the Netherlands first and the process we do will not be a lot different because I think we still do good things, we have to do better in moments of the game. “In the final third we create a lot of chances but have to be more ruthless and we have to be aware of the counter-attack, be better and tighter on the ball.” Wiegman also took time to congratulate Chelsea manager Emma Hayes on her appointment as new head coach of the United States women’s team, a role she will take up at the end of the season. “She’s done a tremendous job, incredible results she’s had over a decade,” Wiegman added. “I think for her it’s good to move on and I congratulated her of course with the new job, it’s very exciting for her. For her it’s really good and overall in the bigger picture it’s good for the women’s game too.” Read More Gareth Southgate reveals what he learned from England’s November double-header Kyle Walker urges England to get mentality right in bid for Euro 2024 glory Phil Taylor to retire at the end of World Senior Darts Tour in 2024 On this day in 2007: England fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after Croatia defeat Jalen Hurts grabs double as Philadelphia Eagles avenge Super Bowl loss Gareth Southgate hails Rico Lewis after strong England debut in North Macedonia
2023-11-21 21:25
Column: From Lubbock to sudden stardom, Swedish star Aberg not easily distracted. Even by LIV
Lubbock, Texas can seem like a lifetime ago for Ludvig Aberg
2023-11-21 21:21
Dinners, drones and apps: Spalletti's plan for improving Italy after securing spot at Euro 2024
The “real work” starts now for Italy and coach Luciano Spalletti after the Azzurri qualified for the European Championship
2023-11-21 20:19
Beth Mead returns to Lionesses squad for first time since suffering ACL injury
Beth Mead has returned to the England squad for the first time in over a year ahead of the Lionesses’ crunch Women’s Nations League double-header against the Netherlands and Scotland. The news comes 364 days after Mead confirmed she had ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) playing for Arsenal, an injury which subsequently ruled the Euro 2022 golden boot winner out of this summer’s World Cup. The 28-year-old recently revealed she went through some “very dark moments” as she dealt with not only missing the World Cup due to a long-term injury but also the loss of her mum, who died in January after a battle with cancer. Mead returned to action with Arsenal last month but England manager Sarina Wiegman said she was not ready for international selection. However, the forward has since picked up more minutes for the Gunners and made her first start of the season in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brighton in the Women’s Super League. Mead’s last appearance for the Lionesses came in a 4-0 victory over Japan last November and her return comes at a key time ahead of must-win fixtures against the Netherlands at Wembley on Friday 1 December and Scotland at Hampden Park the following Tuesday. The Lionesses’ hopes of earning Team GB a spot at next summer’s Olympics Games were dealt a significant blow following a shock defeat in Belgium last month, just the fourth suffered since Wiegman took charge. It means England trail both the Netherlands and Belgium in Nations League Group A, with three points separating the three sides, leaving the Lionesses requiring victories against the Dutch and Scotland while hoping other results also go their way. Wiegman has named a 23-player for the clashes against her former side Netherlands and rivals Scotland, with no place for Manchester City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck or Manchester City forward Jess Park, who is replaced by Mead. Uncapped City goalkeeper Khiara Keating, 19, and Tottenham’s on-loan midfielder Grace Clinton, 20, retain their places after receiving their first call-ups in October’s squad, as does Euros winner Fran Kirby, who marked her return from a year-long injury absence in the home win against Belgium. England squad for Netherlands and Scotland Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City) Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal) Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Tottenham Hotspur, loan from Manchester United), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United) Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal) Read More England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane and who has work to do? Kyle Walker urges England to get mentality right in bid for Euro 2024 glory Gareth Southgate reveals what he learned from England’s November double-header England’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane and who has work to do? Kyle Walker urges England to get mentality right in bid for Euro 2024 glory Gareth Southgate reveals what he learned from England’s November double-header
2023-11-21 19:56
Analysis: The NBA In-Season Tournament is doing what it intended. Now things should heat up more
Everyone knows that the NBA In-Season Tournament was put together to give the league an early ratings boost, particularly when the Final Four games get played at Las Vegas on the second weekend of December
2023-11-21 19:29