LIVE: Belgium vs Tunisia

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The Red Devils are looking to take another step towards the knockout stages as they take on the north African outfit – follow the action LIVE!

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/news/live-belgium-vs-tunisia/1n2fdyt436c0c1ckkdmew91rgl under the title “LIVE: Belgium vs Tunisia”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Nigeria’s ‘Lionel Musa’ warns Argentina he is not their hero

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Soccer Football – World Cup – Group D – Nigeria vs Iceland – Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia – June 22, 2018 Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa celebrates scoring their first goal. Photo: REUTERS

VOLGOGRAD: Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa became ‘Lionel Musa’ on social media in Argentina on Friday after his two goals against Iceland which not only put the Africans back on course for a last 16 place but also restored the World Cup hopes of the South Americans.

However, the Nigerian has warned his new-found hero status in Argentina is likely to end abruptly on Tuesday when the two countries meet in a decisive Group D game in St. Petersburg.

“Whenever I play against Argentina, or whenever (Lionel) Messi is playing against me, I score.

“Four years ago, in Brazil when Messi was playing against me, I scored two goals,” said Musa, referring to the 3-2 win for Argentina over Nigeria in a group game in Porto Alegre where Messi also netted twice.

“When I transferred to Leicester City and we played against Barcelona and Messi was in the pitch too, I scored another two goals, so I think in the next game anything can happen. Possibly, I’m going to score another two goals.”

Musa’s brace for Leicester came in a pre-season friendly in Stockholm shortly after he had signed for the then English champions from CSKA Moscow in 2016.

The 25-year-old is now the first Nigerian to score at different World Cups and with four goals the country’s all-time record scorer in the finals.

BREAKING RECORDS

“I’m very good at breaking records and I’m happy now to be the top scorer at the World Cup for Nigeria. It’s not easy but I have to thank my coach for his support because if he didn’t believe in me he wouldn’t put me in the pitch.”

Musa was restored to the line-up after Nigeria’s opening Group D loss to Croatia and repaid the faith with two fine individual strikes.

The opening goal just after halftime saw him pluck the ball out of the air with his first touch before blasting it home.

The second came in the 75th minute when after a break down the wing, Musa cut inside and waltzed around the goalkeeper before patiently firing the ball into the net.

It ensured Nigeria, with three points, went second in Group D, behind Croatia who have already qualified after successive victories, but ahead of Argentina and Iceland, both on one.

Nigeria’s success also ensured a renewed window of opportunity for Argentina, who were hammered 3-0 by Croatia in Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday, but now have a realistic chance to qualify if they beat the Africans on Tuesday.

“We know the importance of the last game, it’s do-or-die,” added Musa. “We have to win, we can’t afford to lose. By the 95th minute we will know who carries the day and, by the grace of God, we are going to work very hard.”

Written by Prahlad Rijal This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/nigerias-lionel-musa-warns-argentina-he-is-not-their-hero/ under the title “Nigeria’s ‘Lionel Musa’ warns Argentina he is not their hero”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Iceland must turn defence into attack to keep World Cup dream alive

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Soccer Football – World Cup – Group D – Nigeria vs Iceland – Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia – June 22, 2018 Iceland’s Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson, Alfred Finnbogason and Rurik Gislason look dejected after the match Photo: REUTERS

VOLGOGRAD – World Cup upstarts Iceland will need a new, attack-minded game-plan, and a lot more from their creative star Gylfi Sigurdsson, when they battle against the odds to keep their Russia 2018 dreams alive on Tuesday by beating in-form Croatia.

Iceland’s attempts to contain Nigeria on Friday were shattered in the second half when they struggled to cope with the Africans’ pace and went down 2-0 in their Group D game.

The World Cup debutants, who stunned twice champions Argentina last Saturday with a 1-1 draw, had gone into the interval feeling they were on track at 0-0, with Nigeria failing to register a single shot.

A point would have kept Iceland in the second qualifying spot ahead of their final group match against Croatia.

But Nigeria carved open Iceland after the break. Two well-taken goals by Ahmed Musa mean “Our Boys” must beat group leaders Croatia and hope the result of Argentina against Nigeria goes their way too.

A win for Nigeria, and possibly even a draw depending on goal difference, would put the Africans in the knockout round and send Iceland, and their massive army of supporters, back to Reykjavik. Argentina would also be eliminated.

Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said the soaring temperatures of Volgograd — which are likely to be a factor on Tuesday too in Rostov-on-Don — had sapped his players.

He rued his team’s lack of bite, something he must address before Tuesday.

“The tactics, the strategy was not wrong. We were perhaps a little unlike ourselves, a little toothless, but we didn’t have the wrong tactics,” he said.

The loss before the game of injured winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson didn’t help. His pace is central to Iceland’s counter-attacking game.

But even more rests on Sigurdsson, the most gifted Icelandic player of his generation. He recovered from injury just in time for the World Cup but has looked off the pace in Russia, despite his coach saying that was 100 per cent fit.

Against Nigeria, Sigurdsson had only two first-half shots, both in the opening minutes, and missed a penalty that cost Iceland their chance of getting back into the game with 10 minutes to go.

Iceland must find a way to provide him with more support in attack, something that rests in large part on the chances of Gudmundsson recovering from injury, as they focus on Croatia.

The Croats ended Iceland’s hopes of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in a playoff and they will be seeking to ensure they finish top of the group, something they can do with a draw on Tuesday.

“We only need to win (over) Croatia, but that might be easier said than done,” Hallgrimsson said.

Written by Prahlad Rijal This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/iceland-must-turn-defence-into-attack-to-keep-world-cup-dream-alive/ under the title “Iceland must turn defence into attack to keep World Cup dream alive”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

World Cup 2018: Belgium v Tunisia – live updates!

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10 min: Skhiri, quarterbacking from deep, floats a pass down the inside-left channel in the hope of releasing Badri. It’s not a bad idea, and Badri’s not a million miles away from meeting the ball, but Courtois is out quickly to claim, no sweat. Tunisia have come back at Belgium, though.

8 min: That will settle Belgium, who were very nervous and sluggish in the first half against Panama earlier in the week. Khazri tries to get something going for Tunisia by way of response, but his pass down the right isn’t anticipated by Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.

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Written by Scott Murray This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/jun/23/belgium-v-tunisia-world-cup-2018-live under the title “World Cup 2018: Belgium v Tunisia – live updates!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Australia v Ireland: rugby union international – live!

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Peter O’Mahony is handed the series trophy – he offers some gracious words as his teammates wait to raise the Lansdowne Cup. It’s a tickertape of emerald green as the players celebrate!

What a remarkable end to one of the most tightly contested June Test series we’ve seen in a while!

There’s been plenty of noise about TMOs in recent weeks; will this decision add to the rumbling discontent?

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Written by Richard Parkin This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/jun/23/australia-v-ireland-rugby-union-international-live under the title “Australia v Ireland: rugby union international – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Royal Ascot 2018: day five – live!

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John Gosden 4 wins
Aidan O’Brien 3
Sir Michael Stoute 3
Charlie Appleby 2
Mark Johnston 2
Willie Mullins 1
Marco Botti 1
Eve Johnson Houghton 1
David Marnane 1
John Quinn 1
Simon Crisford 1
Wesley Ward 1
Jessica Harrington 1
David Elsworth 1
Ed Walker 1

You’d think weight of numbers would win this for O’Brien, since he has nine final-day runners, compared to three for Gosden, and would be in front if he got just one winner, since he already has more second places than his British rival. Stoute has just one runner today and while Crystal Ocean may very well win, it won’t be enough to make him top trainer. Gosden might be light on numbers but he has the hot favourite for the Wokingham in Dreamfield.

Frankie Dettori 4 wins
William Buick 3
Ryan Moore 3
Silvestre de Sousa 2
James Doyle 2
Andrea Atzeni 2
Oisin Murphy 1
Charles Bishop 1
Billy Lee 1
James McDonald 1
Joel Rosario 1
Jim Crowley 1
Jamie Spencer 1
Colm O’Donoghue 1

It was a fruitless Friday for our two heroes and, one would imagine a particularly frustrating day for Ryan Moore, who rode three favourites and finished unplaced on all of them. Dettori had a better day, finished third in both Group One contests on horses that started at double-figure odds. The Italian still has the lead in the race to be top jockey but he’s only had one winner in the last three days and has just three rides left. Moore, on the other hand, has six rides, including an odds-on favourite in the Hardwicke and the favourite for the final race. A couple of firms are offering even money the pair, with William Buick at 10-1. The Godolphin man has four rides, of which Beyond Reason in the opener is the most obvious at around 5-1.

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Written by Tony Paley, with Chris Cook at Ascot This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/jun/23/royal-ascot-2018-day-five-live under the title “Royal Ascot 2018: day five – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

England v South Africa: women’s T20 series – live!

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3rd over: England 16-1 (Beaumont 4, Taylor 11) Great effort from Chloe Tryon, diving to her right at mid-off to a lofted from from Beaumont but she can’t take the catch. Next ball, missed stumping off Taylor! Oh that’s a shocker. Both England players fortunate but Lizelle Lee has had a nightmare there with the gloves. Her keeping on this tour has been terrible and it could cost them big time here.

2nd over: England 13-1 (Beaumont 2, Taylor 10) Taylor didn’t get a bat the other day, shuffled down the order for the boshers after the massive start. She gets a couple to fine leg after a misfield from Ntozakhe. Then a boundary from another misfield – an even worse one – from the same fielder! Urgh! She had the perfect start picking up Wyatt but has now given the danger right-hander a start. She capitalises on it, smashing the last ball of the Kapp over through midwicket to make it back to back fours.

“Are Dani Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont the shortest opening partnership in history?” asls Peter Oxenbury from “a very sunny Taunton.” Sadly, it was short in length as well as height today for the two of them. To be fair, both have ample credit in the bank.

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Written by Adam Collins at Taunton This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/jun/23/england-v-south-africa-womens-t20-series-live under the title “
England v South Africa: women’s T20 series – live!
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

England have gone from inflated egos to inflatable unicorns | Simon Burnton

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Gareth Southgate’s willingness to let England players engage has few parallels beyond 1966

These have been an unusual few days for England’s players. Since beating Tunisia in their opening game they have gone bowling and ridden inflatable unicorns, they have seen the sights in St Petersburg or spent time with their families. The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor has beaten Kieran Trippier at darts and Jamie Vardy at pool. Though the team needed a stoppage-time goal to claim victory, the English media has been full of praise for the players and management, with Gareth Southgate’s only misstep being the one taken while jogging that resulted in a dislocated shoulder.

Related: England’s Harry Maguire offers perfect antidote to Panama power | Daniel Taylor

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Written by Simon Burnton This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/23/england-world-cup-inflated-egos-inflatable-unicorns-gareth-southgate under the title “England have gone from inflated egos to inflatable unicorns | Simon Burnton”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Xander Bogaerts injury update: Red Sox shortstop unlikely to play Saturday after spraining finger

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Bogaerts suffered the injury Friday night against the Mariners on a headfirst slide into second base.

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/xander-bogaerts-injury-update-red-sox-shortstop-unlikely-play-saturday-sprained-finger-mlb-mariners/1kozicamcc2x1ontwltr443to under the title “Xander Bogaerts injury update: Red Sox shortstop unlikely to play Saturday after spraining finger”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Why did Xhaka & Shaqiri celebrate by making ‘double eagle’ signs against Serbia?

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The two players each crossed their hands into an eagle gesture after finding the net in the World Cup Group E clash on Friday

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/news/why-did-xhaka–shaqiri-celebrate-by-making-double-eagle-signs-against-serbia/1tf77grym2qzj1btqvtd3iyaz9 under the title “
Why did Xhaka & Shaqiri celebrate by making ‘double eagle’ signs against Serbia?
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.