List of All Articles with Tag 'sp'

The USA are still clinging on to their defence of the World Cup, but only just. Portugal’s Ana Capeta, brought on in stoppage time, came within the width of a post from sending the two-time defending champions crashing out of the tournament. If that’s how close the USA came to a first World Cup defeat since 2015, it’s a clear indication of how fragile their dominance appears to be. After only scraping through Group E as runners-up and with Sweden, who thrashed the USA at the Olympics two years ago, likely to be next in the last-16, there is little confidence that this is the same side who entered the tournament as favourites. Had Captea’s shot caught the inside of the post then the World Cup would have staged its biggest shock yet, with the dethroning of the four-time winners. Yet, even though Capeta’s strike agonisingly rebounded out, the nerves at the end as the USA survived only confirmed what many thought ahead of the World Cup. After draws against the Netherlands and Portugal, the first time the USA have ever failed to win two games in the World Cup group stage, it is clear that the gap between the defending champions and the rest of the world has closed. The rise of the European club game, with the increased professionalism of its leagues and the development of the Champions League, has fueled that growth. It is in Europe where tactical innovation and improvements in coaching have given teams a different way to play against the USA, reducing the advantage that their superior pool of talent and resources had previously given them. Portugal, denied a place in the knockout stages by the narrowest of margins, were a demonstration of that. Even in their first ever appearance at a Women’s World Cup and a domestic league that is significantly smaller than those in England, Germany or France, their development under Francisco Neto has mirrored the changes in women’s football since the last World Cup four years ago. Portugal are tactically versatile and have been boosted by a new wave of talent who are given the platform to shine. The 20-year-old Benfica forward Francisca Nazareth provided support to Jessica Silva, who is no longer the lone star in the team. The USA were disrupted by Portugal’s approach, as well as their defensive shape and a sophisticated press. Portugal controlled the central areas as Nazareth dropped in to form a midfield diamond and their technical ability allowed spells of possession where the European side took charge of the ball and played through the USA’s more rigid shape. It was the same against the Netherlands, where the USA trailed at half time. Lindsay Horan’s second-half equaliser only grew in significance as Portugal took the USA to the depths of a Group E decider. And yes, the USA have not been been at full strength in New Zealand, losing captain Becky Sauerbrunn and star forwards Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario to injury before the tournament. They were a side who always looked caught between generations, the imbalance between selecting the 34-year-old Alex Morgan and the 37-year-old Megan Rapinoe, the veterans of the two-time defending champions, and the 14 players who were making their first appearances at the World Cup. It could just be the classic case of a team who have stuck together for a tournament too long and it did not take long for questions to be asked of the USA side after the Portugal draw. Carli Lloyd, a champion with the USA at both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, hit out at the lack of motivation and hunger of her former team-mates, accusing those who remained of tacking playing at the World Cup for “granted”. Certainly, there is negativity off the field while on it, Vlatko Andonovski’s team are desperately lacking in inspiration or ideas. It leaves the USA vulnerable ahead of the knockout stages, and a contrast to the ambition of sides like Portugal. Sweden, who dismantled the USA 3-0 in the group stages of the Olympics, bring the same tactical freshness with the added edge of major tournament experience. Sweden will have nothing to fear and after surviving Portugal, the next surprise in the knockout stages would be if the USA are able to perform another escape and reach the quarter-finals. Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

Bayern Munich are going to have to significantly improve their third bid in order to secure Harry Kane, after negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur. A delegation of Hans-Christian Dreesen and Marco Neppe flew into London for talks with Daniel Levy on Monday (31 July), as a second bid of £85million was rejected. While Bayern feel they are getting closer to a deal, separate sources insist that there is still a huge difference in price and that Levy will accept no less than £100m. The Tottenham chairman quoted Real Madrid a similar price in June, which put the Spanish club off after they paid similar for Jude Bellingham. While Bayern are hoping to bring the fee down to around £90m, the message has repeatedly been that Levy will not budge and this could yet go on for weeks. Kane is keen to join the German champions in order to finally win a trophy and have a proper chance at the Champions League. Personal terms are no issue, although it remains possible that both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United could enter if a deal gets close with Bayern Munich. While Kane has no interest in the French club, Old Trafford could be a test for Bayern. Read More Business as usual for Harry Kane amid reports Daniel Levy met Bayern officials Tottenham name Harry Kane price as Bayern Munich prepare bid Manchester United signing a ‘very good player’ in Rasmus Hojlund

Manchester United captain Katie Zelem has represented England at all five youth levels, from the under-15s to the under-23s, but has struggled to break into the senior side’s midfield, where competition for places is fierce. Now 27, Zelem grew up in Oldham, where both her father and uncle were former professional footballers. Aged just eight, she was accepted into Manchester United Girls’ Centre of Excellence in 2004 and stayed within the club’s youth setup until 2013, when she departed for Liverpool in search of fresh opportunities to advance. She played 38 times over a four-year period for the Reds, picking up two Women’s Super League titles, scoring 10 and being named the club’s Young Player of the Year for 2014 before spending the 2017/18 season with Juventus in Italy, a dream experience in which she scored four across 18 appearances in what proved to be another championship-winning year. Returning to the UK and rejoining Manchester United, Zelem has since established herself at the centre of the side’s midfield, a position she has gradually settled on after starting out as a winger, modelling herself on Fara Williams and Andres Iniesta. The Red Devils won the FA Women’s Championship in 2018/19 and, the following season, she was named captain following the departure of Alex Greenwood, leading a side that currently features fellow Lionesses Mary Earps and Ella Toone. Zelem’s talent and leadership is not in doubt but she faces a difficult task in attempting to break into Sarina Wiegman’s first team in Australia and New Zealand this summer, given that doing so would require disrupting the central partnership between Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway that proved so effective on home soil a year ago. Get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here A reputation for picking up yellow cards may also not help her case. Read More How to watch England vs Haiti: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup opener Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

Bayern Munich remain confident of landing Tottenham striker Harry Kane after club executives held a second meeting with Daniel Levy in London. The 30-year-old has just a year left on his contract in north London.

The only player from a losing team to win Super Bowl MVP is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Velez Sarsfield lost to Huracan in Diego Godin's final game on Sunday, sparking a violent incident as some of the Argentine club's own fans viciously attacked the players at gunpoint

Leaked photos from behind the scenes of 'Barbie' have revealed a scene cut from the final film that would have seen a character return.

The Netherlands scored four times in a torrid 15-minute first-half stretch to overwhelm Vietnam 7-0 in the Women’s World Cup and seal top spot in Group E

The US Women's National Team was a post width away from exiting the Women's World Cup at the group stage, but survived a late scare to earn a goalless draw against Portugal and reach the last 16.

Megan Rapinoe’s energy as a second-half substitute could not spark the United States, which slipped through to the round of 16 in the Women's World Cup with an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday

Listen to The Big Take podcast on iHeart, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Terminal. In what’s being hailed as a

Marta has been in a reflective mood in her last trip to the World Cup, contemplating her two decades of playing for Brazil and the fight to advance women’s soccer worldwide