List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s joust with China over one of Italy’s corporate crown jewels has produced a clear

England’s Rachel Daly says happiness has been a key factor in her form as she prepares for this summer’s World Cup on the back of a superb 2022-23 season. Following a move from the Houston Dash to Aston Villa last summer shortly after helping England win the Euros, Daly went on to score 30 goals in all competitions for her new club. That included a haul of 22 in the Women’s Super League which gave her the Golden Boot as Villa achieved a fifth-placed finish, while she also netted five times for her country across the season. The 31-year-old said: “I’ve had a pretty good year, it’s been a good year for me. “I think I can put it down to my happiness, the way Carla (Ward, the Villa boss) has given me freedom at the club to play my own sort of game, the team around me has been brilliant and Sarina (Wiegman, the England manager) again at international level. I’d say it’s probably the best season I’ve had in my career.” Daly joined Villa having spent a decade playing for teams in the United States, apart from a loan spell in the WSL with West Ham in 2020-21. She added: “A lot has changed for me personally since the last tournament. I'd say it's probably the best season I've had in my career Rachel Daly “Moving home – I’ve been away for 10 years, so I think mentally I’m in a way better place. I needed to be home and playing in this league was something I wanted to do and revisit again. “A different position for me in terms of internationally to club level. A lot has changed for me, but I think you can all tell that I’m playing with a smile on my face and enjoying my football, so long may that continue.” Daly, Wiegman’s starting left-back throughout the triumphant Euros campaign but recently used in attack by the Dutchwoman, was listed as a forward when England’s 23-player squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which gets under way on July 20, was announced last month. Regarding positions, Daly said: “That’s Sarina’s decision, and I’ll respect whatever she chooses and I’m ready to play wherever I’m needed.” Daly said there was a “complete healthy competition” between her and fellow England strikers Alessia Russo and Bethany England, adding: “There’s no ‘I’m the best’, we’re all great friends. The competition is we’re pushing each other and we’ll continue to push each other.” Asked if she felt the England number nine position was up for grabs, Daly said: “I think every position is. Nothing’s set until July 22 (when England play their opening group game against Haiti in Brisbane). “But I don’t think anyone is really focusing on that, it’s just, ‘How can we push each other to be the best?’ And whatever Sarina chooses is what she chooses and we all support it.” Daly was speaking at St George’s Park after England trained in front of the media for the first time in their pre-World Cup camp, which got started on Monday, three weeks after the conclusion of the WSL season. Daly said: “For me, it’s perfect and I think the girls agreed on that. We’ve had enough time to have a rest and a holiday and completely switch off mentally and physically. I feel like we’re in a great spot.” Defender Millie Bright, skipper for the World Cup in the absence of ruled-out ACL injury victim Leah Williamson, trained separately from the group on Tuesday, working on an individual programme, as did midfielder Jordan Nobbs. The Lionesses face Portugal in a warm-up match at Milton Keynes on July 1 before flying to Australia four days later.

The path to the Women’s World Cup has been vastly uneven for the teams headed to Australia and New Zealand next month

Jack Grealish is well aware that Manchester City achieved something special this year by winning the treble, but he’s not aware of exactly when Manchester United managed the same thing back in the 90s. The England midfielder has been enjoying himself since City won the Champions League earlier this month – with his drinking inspiring a new chant – and he’s faced some criticism for the levels of celebration he’s been involved in. When asked about the criticism he received after drinking during the victory lap through Manchester on an open-top bus parade, he brought up the United treble from 1999. Only, he couldn’t remember the year it happened – instead saying it was a “very long time ago”. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter When asked if the criticism bothered him in an interview with talkSPORT, the 27-year-old said: “Not really. I’d done something that comes around once in a lifetime. The last time it was done… I don’t know when Man United did it, but it hasn’t been done for ages.” As most football fans will remember, Sir Alex Ferguson managed United to a historic treble in 1999 which concluded with the dramatic 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in injury time at the Camp Nou. Grealish admitted to staying up for 72 hours at one point before joining up with the England squad last week. “Why not celebrate like that?” he added. “Everyone was with me. I wasn’t on my own, going out with my friends. I was with the whole team. We enjoyed ourselves on the Saturday, Sunday, Monday. I had the best weekend of my life. I’d just won the Champions League and I was so emotional after it.” Asked whether he’d recovered from the partying, he answered: “Yeah, of course! I probably had one of the most enjoyable seasons of my life. “The second half of the season, I played a big part in something that will go down in Man City history. Last weekend was the best weekend I’ve ever had. I’m still trying to come to terms with it. I’ve been on such a high the last week. “I feel good. I trained on Wednesday and Thursday, and felt alright. Obviously, Saturday and Sunday, I felt good.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Rory McIlroy is going on nine years without winning a major and the questions won't stop

Swansea City are close to appointing Barnsley’s Michael Duff as new manager. Although the Swans will have to activate a £500,000 release clause to secure the signing. The move would likely see Duff replace Russell Martin, who has been strongly linked with a move away to Southampton. Duff, 45, is seen as a highly progressive upcoming manager who the Welsh club feel completely fits their profile. Duff took Barnsley to the brink of promotion last season, narrowly missing out after defeat to a much wealthier Sheffield Wednesday in the last minute of the League One play-off final at Wembley. The move is seen as at an “advanced stage” with Swansea just needing to activate the release clause.

Luis Arraez went 5 for 5 again to raise his batting average to

The Community Shield kick-off time has been brought forward by 90 minutes following fan complaints. The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that the match between treble winners Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday, August 6 would now kick off at 4pm instead of 5.30pm. Yet this change does not go far enough for some City supporters, who would like to see the fixture, which is due to be broadcast live by ITV, moved even further to 3pm. Calls for this change have been led by the City fans’ group 1894, which had initially urged supporters to boycott the match when it was scheduled for 5.30pm, encouraging people to donate to foodbanks instead. An updated statement from 1894 read: “We would like to see the kick off time for the Community Shield brought forward to 3pm if it has to be on the Sunday. “4pm will still mean significant travel challenges for supporters. Whilst some fans will now feel they can attend the game, the best way to ensure an excellent turnout would be to move the game to 3pm and there is no reason why ITV, with its numerous free-to-air channels, cannot make this happen. “This is not just a Manchester City issue. Next year this could be two other northern clubs being asked to kick off at 5.30pm – or later still. “Fans of many other clubs can see this could apply to them in the future and we thank them for their support. “Finally, thousands of pounds has been raised for the MCFC Foodbank in three days, so thanks to all City fans for their generosity.” Travel arrangements for Wembley fixtures have been a recurring source of frustration for north west teams in recent years. Last year the FA Cup semi-final between City and Liverpool fell on a weekend when there were no direct trains from the region to London due to engineering works. There were then strikes by rail staff on the day of this year’s FA Cup final between City and Manchester United. Late kick-offs also leave supporters limited time to get back to stations before the final trains north. On August 6, the last service to Manchester from the capital is due to leave Euston at 9.48pm. A statement from the FA read: “The new earlier kick-off time for the traditional ‘curtain raiser’ of the domestic season has been agreed following consultation with our broadcast partners, the local authorities, police, and the competing clubs. “The decision to move the kick-off time was taken following full consideration of the transport challenges for fans returning to Manchester after the match.” The PA news agency has contacted ITV for comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Northern Ireland must expect ‘hiccups’ during transitional time – Ali McCann Final day of first Ashes Test under way after morning rain at Edgbaston French anti-corruption police raid HQ of Paris 2024 Olympic organising committee

The PGA Tour goes from one $20 million purse to another, with one big exception

Northern Ireland must accept there will be setbacks along the way as they nurture a new generation of players, according to midfielder Ali McCann. Michael O’Neill’s players left Windsor Park dejected on Monday night after Abat Aimbetov hit an 88th-minute breakaway goal to give Kazakhstan a 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying victory that was greeted with boos by sections of the home support. Northern Ireland had far more of the ball and created more chances but were punished for their inability to take them as they fell to a third straight 1-0 defeat in Group H. It was another night where the long list of senior players missing through injury told, but the youngsters once again pressed into action largely impressed, with 19-year-old Shea Charles named player of the match. The 23-year-old McCann counted among the more experienced players available as he earned his 18th cap and, although this result might be enough to already put qualification for Euro 2024 out of reach, he said the squad should not get too downhearted. “Obviously the manner of the goal, it’s not ideal and the result is really disappointing obviously, but there are lots of positives, we always look at the positives,” the Preston midfielder said. “I thought we were the better side for the majority of the game, but we’ve got to be a bit more clinical and cut out mistakes at the other end. “There’s lots of transition and there’s still a few of the older lads who have loads of experience and that’s great for the group, and the quality of the younger lads coming through. “There are always going to be hiccups in the road, we’ve just got to take it. The signs are bright going forward and some of the lads you can see playing, it’s brilliant.” There are always going to be hiccups in the road, we've just got to take it Ali McCann McCann said the defeat was the biggest low of his still young international career. Northern Ireland must now regroup and hope some big players return in time for September’s fixtures, when they are away to Slovenia and Kazakhstan. “These types of losses at home are really hard to take, everyone is hurting in there,” McCann added. “It’s a case of not dwelling on it, come back in September, wipe it clean and go from there. “We’ve got two hard games away from home, but if we can pick up two good results then we’ll see where we are after that. “In the main we can’t be too down, things like this happen in football so really we’ve just got to forget about it and try to put it right next time.” After the match, O’Neill said qualifying would now be “extremely difficult”, having taken only three points from four games, but McCann is not writing off Northern Ireland’s chances yet. “I wouldn’t say it ends, there’s still plenty of games, we’ve got six left,” he said. “If we start September with two good results we’ll see how we are. “It’s an open group with teams taking points off each other. We’re going into September with two tough away games, we’ll go there trying to get three points in both games and then we’ll see where we are.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Final day of first Ashes Test under way after morning rain at Edgbaston French anti-corruption police raid HQ of Paris 2024 Olympic organising committee Community Shield kick-off brought forward by 90 minutes following fan complaints

Football fans on social media have discovered a favourite new meme, and it features Jamie Carragher as you’ve never seen him before – as a broadband salesman. Users have been having a little fun on photoshop after a picture of the former Liverpool star holding an ipad and wearing a lanyard around his neck went viral. He was presumably snapped outside a media centre somewhere preparing for commentary on a game, but people couldn’t help but compare him to a salesman looking to stop people on the street and flog them a new deal on their internet provider. In one of those wonderfully organic trends that still happen from time to time on Twitter, people shared their own versions of the pic. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Carragher seemed to like the trend too, and even retweeted a selection of them. It’s hardly the first time Carragher has been making us laugh this year, after the former Liverpool player cracked people up in the BT Sport studio attempting to pronounce Inter Milan’s full name. Micah Richards was left with tears streaming down his face after a hilarious interview following a Champions League game, when Inter Milan player Rafael Leao had a little difficulty understanding Carragher’s accent. At the time, he appeared to do what many of us have done in a foreign country and speak more slowly and in a different accent in a bid to make ourselves understood. Carragher tried his best, but it was his pronunciation of the Italian club name “Internazionale” which tipped his co-hosts over the edge. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A leading anti-discrimination group in soccer says there is an “urgent crisis” in the game because of racial and offensive abuse