List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Germany was jeered by its home crowd as it slumped to a 4-1 loss to Japan to pile yet more pressure on coach Hansi Flick

Neco Williams has backed his former Nottingham Forest team-mate Brennan Johnson to thrive at Tottenham and keep Wales in the race for Euro 2024 qualification. Johnson completed a £47.5million transfer to Spurs in the final minutes of deadline day and has not yet played for his new club. But Williams said the 22-year-old forward celebrated the move by taking several of his Wales team-mates out to dinner in London and picking up the tab. Johnson is, perhaps unfairly, considered the direct replacement for record Spurs goalscorer Harry Kane and the man to fill the boots of retired Wales great Gareth Bale at international level. “A lot fans will say that, but at the same time Brennan is not Gareth Bale or Harry Kane,” Forest full-back Williams said ahead of Wales’ vital Euro 2024 qualifier in Latvia on Monday. “He’s his own player and he has got his own style. He wouldn’t want to be compared to them or be seen as their replacements to step in. “He has got the potential to reach the highest of levels. But at the same time he’s only 22 and still very young. “He has proven it in the Premier League and now he has to prove it at what you’d say is a top-six team and do it in the Premier League again. “He’s got a move for big money and you can see that his confidence has taken him to the next level. “Hopefully he can take that with him into this Wales camp and win us some games.” Johnson met up with some of his Wales colleagues in London after joining Tottenham before arriving for international duty. “We celebrated with a little drink and some nice food,” said 22-year-old Williams. “It was a little meet up and a chance to say congratulations to Brennan on his move. To be fair, he got the bill as well. “Everyone was buzzing for him. It was last minute but we are all very pleased for him. “I’m just not looking forward to seeing him come back to the City Ground!” Johnson and Williams both started on Thursday as Wales drew 0-0 with South Korea in a Cardiff friendly. But the Latvia game represents the important part of the September double-header as Wales attempt to revive their Euro 2024 qualification bid. Defeats to Armenia and Turkey in June have left Wales playing catch-up in Group D and there is no margin for error in Riga. Williams said: “When we look back on it, the goals we conceded, we know we can do so much better than that. “As a team, that just wasn’t us. You can pinpoint so many things. “The gaps were too big from the strikers to the defenders, it just wasn’t a good performance all-round. “We’ve got top teams in our group and knew it wasn’t going to be easy from the start. “But we’ve got plenty of games to put that right and get as many points as possible to qualify.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live George Ford masterclass earns 14-man England an opening World Cup win New Italy boss Luciano Spalletti denied first win as North Macedonia fight back Talking points ahead of Republic of Ireland’s crucial clash with Netherlands

The New Orleans Saints have signed starting guard and 2020 first-round draft choice Cesar Ruiz to a four-year extension

Audric Estime ran for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play after an extended weather delay, and Sam Hartman threw for four scores to help No. 10 Notre Dame beat North Carolina State 45-24

North Macedonia fought back to draw 1-1 with Italy in their Euro 2024 Group C qualifier and deny new Azzurri boss Luciano Spalletti a win in his first match in charge. Spalletti took over following the sudden resignation of Roberto Mancini last month and inherited a side which had already lost to England in their opening fixture. Ciro Immobile broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half when he headed in a rebound after Nicolo Barella’s volley struck the crossbar. North Macedonia – who beat Italy in the 2022 World Cup play-offs – got back on level terms with nine minutes left through a fine free-kick from captain Enis Bardhi. The draw left Italy third in the group, but having played only three matches so far because of their Nations League campaign. Earlier, leaders England were held to a 1-1 draw by Ukraine in Wroclaw, Poland. Arsenal midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko opened the scoring in the 26th minute, sparking wild celebrations from the estimated 40,000 Ukraine fans at the Tarczynski Arena. England equalised just before the break when captain Harry Kane picked out Kyle Walker on the overlap down the right for the Manchester City defender to score a first international goal in his 77th appearance. Belgium won 1-0 in Azerbaijan to move top of Group F. Yannick Carrasco deflected a long-range shot from Johan Bakayoko past the wrong-footed Azerbaijan goalkeeper in the 38th minute, which proved enough for all three points to put the Red Devils above Austria on goal difference. Newcastle forward Alexander Isak was among the scorers as Sweden ran out 5-0 winners in Estonia to sit four points off the top two. Switzerland missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of Group I after Kosovo fought back to draw 2-2 in Pristina Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler put the Swiss ahead in the 14th minute, before Vedat Muriqi equalised midway through the second half. Freuler looked to have secured three points when his deflected effort went in off defender Amir Rrahmani with 11 minutes left, but Mallorca forward Muriqi struck again in added time. Romania remain second, two points off Switzerland, after Israel came from behind to draw 1-1 in Bucharest, while it finished goalless between Andorra and Belarus. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brennan Johnson has the potential to reach ‘highest of levels’ – Neco Williams George Ford masterclass earns 14-man England an opening World Cup win Talking points ahead of Republic of Ireland’s crucial clash with Netherlands

George Ford kicked everything, including three first-half drop goals, to give 14-man England a pressure-relieving 27-10 win over Argentina at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday

Jordan McCloud hit Kaelon Black with a 10-yard tuchdown pass with 55 seconds to play, capping a fourth-quarter rally and James Madison beat Virginia 36-35, spoiling the Cavaliers’ first home game since three players were fatally shot last November

Kyle Farmer went 3 for 4 with a pair of two-out RBIs, Max Kepler hit a three-run triple and the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins beat the New York Mets 8-4

Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby has apologized to manager Scott Servais for comments after Friday night’s 7-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays that he wished that he wasn’t sent back out for the seventh inning after reaching the 90-pitch mark

Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt isn't in uniform for the No. 24 Green Wave’s much-anticipated home game against 20th-ranked Mississippi

Kyle Larson gave Rick Hendrick his 299th win in the NASCAR Cup Series last week at Darlington

Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado’s defense forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime rival Nebraska 36-14 in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out Folsom Field