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Trump Spewed a Mind-Blowing 100 False Claims In One Week: Report

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    #16
    England great Shilton impressed by Southgate’s measured approach

    England’s most capped player Peter Shilton believes Gareth Southgate’s grounded approach will stand the Three Lions in good stead for their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years.

    Southgate’s men beat Sweden 2-0 in Samara on Saturday to advance to the last four for just the third time in history.

    Shilton, who won 125 caps for his country, was the goalkeeper for England last World Cup semi-final appearance when West Germany beat Bobby Robson’s side on penalties.

    The 68-year-old insists it is paramount today’s team do not get carried away with the prospect of international football’s greatest prize so close, and he has been impressed by how Southgate has managed emotions.

    “Obviously you know that you’re getting very close to the final and you do obviously get a little bit excited, but you’ve got to keep focused,” Shilton told Sky Sports News HQ.

    “The one thing that’s come across with this squad is they’ve kept their feet on the floor, nobody’s getting too excited and I think that’s the right approach.”

    Saturday’s victory over Sweden was once more greeted with jubilant scenes up and down the country.

    Captain Harry Kane and his team-mates have been given an indication of the feeling back home from celebratory clips on social media, with Shilton admitting the 1990 squad were largely unaware of how the nation reacted to their progress.

    “It’s quite strange for me to witness all the hype and the crowds and how excited they are because that’s what it must have been (like) in Italia 90 when we got to the semis,” he explained.

    Comment


      #17
      Raheem Sterling thanks England fans after reaching ‘dream’ World Cup semi-final

      Raheem Sterling paid tribute to England’s fans after helping the team reach a “dream” World Cup semi-final.

      Sterling’s forceful running troubled Sweden during England’s 2-0 win on Saturday, even if his erratic finishing let them off the hook on a couple of occasions.

      But the Manchester City man justified his continued inclusion ahead of Marcus Rashford and thanked the supporters who cheered the team on in Samara and the millions doing so back home.

      He said on Twitter: “Today, I want to thank all that have and continue to support @England as a team, this has helped us achieve what can only be described as a dream!!! To reach the semi finals of a world cup…….. WOW! We go again.”

      England take on Croatia on Wednesday for a place in the World Cup final against either France or Belgium.

      Comment


        #18
        Know Your History

        More than 240 million people around the world play soccer regularly according to the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The game has evolved from the sport of kicking a rudimentary animal-hide ball around into the World Cup sport it is today.

        Records trace the history of soccer back more than 2,000 years ago to ancient China. Greece, Rome, and parts of Central America also claim to have started the sport; but it was England that transitioned soccer, or what the British and many other people around the world call “football,” into the game we know today. The English are credited with recording the first uniform rules for the sport, including forbidding tripping opponents and touching the ball with hands.

        As the sport developed, more rules were implemented and more historical landmarks were set. For example, the penalty kick was introduced in 1891. FIFA became a member of the International Football Association Board of Great Britain in 1913. Red and yellow cards were introduced during the 1970 World Cup finals. More recent major changes include goalkeepers being banned from handling deliberate back passes in 1992 and tackles from behind becoming red-card penalties in 1998.

        Some of the top players throughout history include Pele (Edson Arantes Do Nascimento) from Brazil, who scored six goals in the 1958 World Cup and helped Brazil claim its first title; Lev Yashin from Russia, who claimed to have saved more than 150 penalty shots during his outstanding goal-tending career; and Marco Van Basten from Holland, who won several very prestigious soccer awards during one year alone. There are many debates over who the greatest soccer players are of all time; but players like Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, Lionel Messi, and Roberto Baggio make almost every list.

        Comment


          #19
          The Beautiful Game

          Football (or soccer as the game is called in some parts of the world) has a long history. Football in its current form arose in England in the middle of the 19th Century. But alternative versions of the game existed much earlier and are a part of the football history.

          Early history and the precursors of football
          The first known examples of a team game involving a ball, which was made out of a rock, occurred in old Mesoamerican cultures for over 3000 years ago. According to the sources, the ball would symbolize the sun and the captain of the losing team would be sacrificed to the gods.

          The first known ball game which also involved kicking took place In China in the 3rd and 2nd century BC under the name Cuju. Cuju was played with a round ball on an area of a square. It later spread to Japan and was practiced under ceremonial forms.

          Other earlier variety of ball games had been known from Ancient Greece. The ball was made by shreds of leather filled with hair. The first documents of balls filled with air are from the 7th century. In the Ancient Rome, games with balls were not included in the entertainment on the big arenas, but could occur in exercises in the military. It was the Roman culture that would bring football to the British island (Britannica). It is, however, uncertain in which degree the British people were influenced by this variability and in which degree they had developed their own variants.

          The game of football takes its form
          The most admitted story tells that the game was developed in England in the 12th century. In this century games that resembled football were played on meadows and roads in England. Besides from kicks, the game involved also punches of the ball with the fist. This early form of football was also much more rough and more violent than the modern way of playing. An important feature of the forerunners to football was that the games involved plenty of people and took place over large areas in towns (an equivalent was played in Florence from the 16th Century where it was called Calcio). The rampage of these games would cause damage on the town and sometimes death. These would be among the reasons for the proclamations against the game that finally was forbidden for several centuries. But the football-like games would appear again in the streets of London in the 17th Century. It would be forbidden gain in 1835, but at this stage the game had been established in the public schools.

          It took, however, long time until the features of today’s football had been taken into practice. For a long time there was no clear distinction between football and rugby. There were also many variations concerning the size of the ball, the number of players and the length of a match.

          The game was often played in schools and two of the predominant schools were Rugby and Eton. At Rugby the rules included the possibility to take up the ball with the hands and the game we today know as rugby has its origin from here. At Eton on the other hand the ball was played exclusively with the feet and this game can be seen as a close predecessor to the modern football. The game in Rugby was called “the running game” while the game in Eton was called “the dribbling game”.

          An attempt to create proper rules for the game was done at a meeting in Cambridge in 1848, but a final solution to some questions of rules was not achieved. Another important event in the history of football come about in 1863 in London when the first Football association was formed in England. It was decided that carrying the ball with the hands wasn't allowed. The meeting also resulted in a standardization of the size and weight of the ball. A consequence of the London meeting was that the game was divided into two codes: association football and rugby.

          The game would, however continue to develop for a long time and there was still much flexibility concerning the rules. For one thing, the number of players on the pitch could vary. Neither were uniforms used to distinguish the appearance of the teams. It was also common with players wearing caps – the header was yet to be a part of the game yet. Further reading: The development of football rules.

          Another important difference at this stage could be noticed between English and Scottish teams. Whereas the English teams preferred to run forward with the ball in a more rugby fashion, the Scottish chose to pass the ball between their players. It would be the Scottish approach that soon became predominant.

          The sport was at first an entertainment for the British working class. Unprecedented amounts of spectators, up to 30 000, would see big matches in the late 19th century. The game would soon expand by British peoples that traveled to other parts of the world. Especially in South America and India the interest in football would become big.

          The first football clubs
          Football clubs have existed since the 15th century, but unorganized and without official status. It is therefore hard to decide which the first football club was. Some historians suggest that it was the Foot-Ball Club formed 1824 in Edinburgh. Earlier clubs were often formed by former school students and the first of this kind was formed in Sheffield in 1855. The oldest among professional football clubs is the English club Notts County that was formed in 1862 and still exists today.

          An important step for the emergence of teams was the industrialization that led to larger groups of people meeting at places such as factories, pubs and churches. Football teams were established in the larger cities and the new railroads could bring them to other cities.

          In the beginning, football was dominated by public school teams, but later, teams consisting by workers would make up the majority of those. Another change was successively taking place when some clubs became willing to pay the best players to join their team. This would be the start of a long period of transition, not without friction, in which the game would develop to a professional level.

          The motivation behind paying players was not only to win more matches, but in the 1880s the interest in the game has moved ahead to a level that tickets were sold to the matches. And finally, in 1985 professional football was legalized and three years later the Football League was established. During the first season, 12 clubs joined the league, but soon more clubs became interested and the competition would consequently expand into more divisions.

          For a long time, the British teams would be dominant. After some decades, clubs from Prague, Budapest and Sienna would be the primarily contenders to the British dominance.

          As with many things in history, women were for a long time excluded from participating in games. It was not before the late 19th Century that women started to play football.

          Comment


            #20
            Did You Know?

            n the 1920s, soccer was big in America. Not big in the way that baseball was big (this was the era of Ruth and Gehrig) or college football was big (these were the days when Ivy League rivalries played out as violent eruptions in the mud), but at its height, the top American soccer league had tens of thousands of fans, featured some of the world's best players, and looked set to challenge the fledgling NFL in the competition to supply the nation with a post-October pastime. Along the way, this country's early soccer entrepreneurs also managed to alienate the United States from the international soccer community, lay the groundwork for America's greatest moment of World Cup glory, and generally create one of the most bizarre and fascinating might-have-beens in U.S. sports history.

            The story of American soccer in the 1920s is in large part the story of the American Soccer League, which was founded suavely, at Manhattan's Hotel Astor, in 1921. The ASL didn't cover the whole country—just a slice of the industrial Northeast—and it wasn't the only professional American soccer league. It was, however, the largest and most popular, and it was also the one that briefly threatened to disrupt the international order of the game.

            The ASL drew its teams from the metropolises (the Boston Wonder Workers, the Brooklyn Wanderers, New York Field Club) and from industrial towns (the Paterson Silk Sox, the New Bedford Whalers, the Bridgeport Bears). The team owners ranged from Charles Stoneham, a Tammany Hall character with strong ties to organized crime—his purchase of the New York Giants baseball team in 1919 was brokered by notorious World Series fixer Arnold Rothstein—to the Bethlehem Steel Corp., which absorbed its employees' recreational team in the mid-1910s and, using the same ruthless efficiency it brought to the forging of the Chrysler Building, quickly developed one of the era's outstanding dynasties.

            Steel wasn't the only industry represented in the ASL's ranks. The 1920s were a period of amazing economic expansion and, until the passage of 1924's Johnson-Reed Act, a welcoming immigration policy. Factories employed large numbers of European workers, who brought a love of soccer with them to their new country. In the ASL and elsewhere, businesses sponsored and ran their own teams, a practice that led to some fantastic box-score headings. (Indiana Flooring vs. J&P Coats!) America's soccer capital was probably Fall River, Mass., an industrial center whose factories employed large numbers of British immigrants. The Fall River Marksmen, owned by local impresario Sam Mark, attracted crowds in the five figures to Mark's Stadium, which was nestled just over the Rhode Island border to avoid Massachusetts blue laws. The Marksmen won seven ASL titles and eventually surpassed Bethlehem Steel as the period's dominant team.

            Clubs affiliated with American industry had a significant advantage over their rivals at home and abroad. With business booming in the United States, American clubs were able to pay much higher wages than their European counterparts. And at a time when almost no one made a living exclusively from playing soccer, clubs like Bethlehem Steel were also able to offer their players high-paying factory jobs. As soon as the ASL took off, American teams started luring players from some of the top clubs in Europe. Before long, there were 50 European internationals—players good enough to be included on their countries' national teams—playing in the American league.

            Some ASL owners, like Sam Mark, were out to make a fortune from soccer's rising popularity. Others were driven by philanthropy, obsession, or both. The Bethlehem Steel team was essentially the private fiefdom of a soccer-mad corporate executive named Horace Edgar Lewis, who became a company vice president in 1916. The year before, Charles M. Schwab had given the company's largely immigrant work force $25,000 to spend on sport. Lewis put many more dollars toward the task of building an elite soccer team and lured a number of top European professionals to Pennsylvania. He scouted, lobbied, and sometimes even played for Bethlehem Steel—his handball against Brooklyn Field Club knocked his team out of the 1914 National Challenge Cup. His brother Luther, also a Bethlehem executive, served as the ASL's first president.

            The American clubs' recruitment tactics frequently ran afoul of international contract protocols, provoking an outcry on the far side of the Atlantic. In 1925, the Scottish Football Association convened a special meeting in Glasgow to grumble over the "American menace." (According to the writer for the Fall River Globe, "They metaphorically grasped the Scottish equivalent to an Irish shillelagh with which to punch the heads of the rulers of the soccer game in U.S.A.") And in 1927, FIFA, then and now soccer's international governing body, compelled the secretary of the ASL to appear before its congress in Finland, where they demanded that American teams stop ignoring international contracts.

            There were great American players to go along with all the stars from Europe. Actually, what happened was what so often happens in American life: Yesterday's cultural imports were transformed into today's native culture. Archie Stark, the great striker who scored 232 goals in 205 appearances for Bethlehem Steel, was born in Glasgow, emigrated to the United States at 13, played his first organized soccer in New Jersey for a team called the Scottish-Americans, and served with the U.S. Army in France during World War I. Two of the greatest players in American history, Bert Patenaude and Billy Gonsalves ("the Babe Ruth of American soccer"), grew up in Fall River, Gonsalves the son of Portuguese parents and Patenaude of French-Canadian ancestry. Alongside a gaggle of similarly hyphenated ASL players, Patenaude and Gonsalves played for the United States in the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930. The team recorded the first shutout (and Patenaude the first hat trick) in World Cup history as Team USA finished in third place—still the best-ever finish for a team outside the South American and European confederations.

            The ASL was riding high until just before that first World Cup, when the league was done in by a bit of vicious and lavishly unnecessary political infighting. From the beginning, the league had maintained an uneasy relationship with the United States Football Association, the governing body of American soccer. The owners chafed against the restrictions the USFA imposed on rule changes and scheduling; the USFA saw the popular and profitable ASL as uncontrolled and rebellious. In the eyes of the ASL owners, the only thing keeping soccer from mainstream acceptance was a sense that it was too "foreign." They wanted to Americanize the game by introducing substitutions, determining league position by winning percentage rather than by the points system used in Europe, and adding playoffs to the end of the season. The league instituted a number of changes over USFA objections, and some of them turned out to be ahead of their time. The ASL allowed player substitutions as early as 1926; the World Cup finally came around in 1970.

            Everything fell to pieces in 1928. That's when Charles Stoneham, he of the mob ties and Tammany Hall connections, persuaded the ASL to boycott the USFA's annual Challenge Cup tournament, gate receipts from which provided a substantial chunk of the USFA's revenue. Three ASL teams entered anyway, including Bethlehem Steel. In response, the ASL banned the three teams for violating league rules. FIFA and the USFA came down on the side of the ASL's three outlaw clubs, declaring the league's actions out of bounds and excommunicating it from the order of international soccer. Disastrously, the USFA then formed a rival association, the Eastern Soccer League, to compete with the exiled ASL. There followed a period of Byzantine maneuvering, galvanic rhetoric, and brickbats. By the time the "soccer war" was resolved, the stock market had crashed, the fans were disillusioned and angry, and everyone was hideously confused. The Depression struck directly at the ASL's economic base by decimating American industry, and the dust cloud finally overwhelmed the league in 1932.


            That we know anything at all about the ASL today is largely thanks to the efforts of a few committed historians. David Wangerin's Soccer in a Football World, a history of the game in America, offers a concise and vivid portrait of the ASL years, particularly of the league's first secretary, Thomas Cahill, who spent much of his life trying to put soccer over in America and died in disappointment. But most of the credit for reviving the ASL's memory belongs to a soccer historian named Colin Jose, whose 1998 book American Soccer League: 1921-1931 is a meticulous and exhaustive reconstruction of all the league's lost records: match results, goal scorers, game rosters, league standings, player registers. The life of the league comes through in Jose's understated asides: an Egyptian-born player named Tewfik Abdallah was nicknamed "Toothpick" by the fans; ASL teams often traveled to away games not by bus or by train but by steamship, sailing up and down the East Coast.


            Well, a firm place in mainstream American culture isn't everything. The game flourished elsewhere, and—on account of the Web and satellite television—it's never been easier to follow elsewhere from America. Indeed, this could be the best time since the 1920s to be an American soccer fan. But as a new World Cup rolls around and the media prepares to make room for this curious foreign sport, it's worth remembering how easily elsewhere could have been here. In the 1920s, soccer—driven by wild economic growth, propelled by immigration, wrecked by a massive crash—might have been the most American sport of all.

            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              16 GOP candidates and look at who got through. A reality TV guy (not a star, his show was floundering ) over several much more qualified people. The primary system favors the extremes and the big $
              You would think the brightest, wisest, most charismatic human being in the USA would win the majority of votes for the most powerful position in the USA and the world. I agree that the last three candidates were a joke...a woman who could not even control her own husband, Col (Bernie) Sanders who wanted to give away the farm at any cost to feed the rest of the world, and Dumb Donald who was turning the whole political process into comedy reality show. And now most every black person, housewife, illegal immigrant, and homeless person protests weekly that they deserve more rights, free money, and respect. The people that make this country tick have to work every day so there is no time to protest. But if I did have time and I did have a say in all of this here would be the things I would preach to the masses...

              1-If you are black (white, orange, or green!), and a cop tells you to stop and put your hands over your head, do as they say, and don't run away, or try to protest! Simple right?!
              2-If you are a woman and a guy grabs your crotch, don't wait 10 years to tell anybody! Kick the man in the crotch right then and there! Pretty darn simple, right?!
              3-If you want to come into this country as a foreigner, come through customs, not over a fence or across a river! Become a US citizen and pay the fair share of taxes! You can't claim 10 dependents on your tax form so that less taxes are taken out of your pay check...then not pay taxes at the end of the year. Sorry, but the tax reality sucks but it does help you in the long run. Again, simple stuff, right?!
              4-If you are homeless, go get a job. We can't find enough help these days! Everybody wants to lay around all day, but that's what Saturday and Sunday are for! You have to work to get something back. Just that simple, right?!


              Quit all the whining and bitching and get busy with your own lives and raising your family!Taking care of these 4 simple things above is a good start and will make America great again for everyone!

              Comment


                #22
                For a dummy, Trump sure is making a lot of great things happen in this great country.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  For a dummy, Trump sure is making a lot of great things happen in this great country.
                  Obama finally had the economy humming after Bush destroyed it. A monkey could continue that path. Now economists are predicting a recession soon, exacerbated by his inane and unwinnable trade war. The deficit is through the roof (while Kudlow gets on Fox and days its decreasing) yet he wants more tax cuts for corporations so they can do more stock buybacks and artificially inflate the stock market more. Stock market gains? 50% of Americans have zero in the stock market (not even in pensions)and 80% of stocks are owned by 10% of the US. Who benefits from that? He's destroyed relationships with decades long allies while cozying up to murderous dictators. He's destroyed our reputation in the world. He's inflamed racial tensions, attacked the free press, destroyed environmental laws. No ACA recall or replacement. No wall. No infrastructure. All he got was tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. He got nothing from North Korea other than a photo op and they're already breaking it. Winning for sure.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Sterling could be the key to England winning the World Cup

                    The above statement will surprise many, as a large number of England fans and the media seem to believe that Raheem Sterling is the anti-Christ and everybody should hate him with a passion.

                    The Manchester City star missed a good chance against Sweden in England’s World Cup quarter-final 2-0 on Saturday. Big deal, as other players have missed chances in Russia without being dragged through the coals by the media.

                    Yes, I agree that Sterling should have scored. He probably thinks he should have done better himself. However, I have not mounted a campaign for him to suffer exile from the team. It is ridiculous this campaign against him.

                    Finishing not his strong point
                    I have championed Raheem Sterling in my editorials for the last year or so. The reason is that the lad cannot seem to do right for doing wrong. Yet, last season he played in one of the best teams ever witnessed in Premier League history.

                    Not only did he play, but he also thrived, scoring 23 goals in all competitions. City boss Pep Guardiola rates him highly, that is good enough for me. His finishing needs some work, and he has admitted that in the past. However, people getting on his back is unlikely to improve his confidence or his fortunes in front of goal.

                    Sterling’s pace will frighten defences
                    Unfortunately, all of Sterling’s hard running for the team seems to go unnoticed by his critics. They seem to forget that he stretches opposition defences, so his teammates can benefit later in the game.

                    Sterling’s pace and direct running no doubt made a significant difference against a resilient Sweden team. The Swedish defence did not know what to do with the diminutive forward.

                    Looking at the defence of the next opponents Croatia, I would fancy Sterling to have joy against them. The likes of Vida and Lovren are experienced and solid, but they lack pace, so Sterling could be the key to breaking down the Croatians.

                    Zlatko Dalic’s side has some top players in the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Luke Modric and Ivan Perisic. However, their defence has not looked that convincing in Russia so far. They have also needed extra-time and penalty kicks in both knockout stages so far.

                    A strike-force of Sterling and Harry Kane has the guile and skill to cause them major problems on Wednesday night. I hope that this time around Sterling can have a positive impact on the game. If he does then, it will be one in the eye for his doubters.

                    England has an excellent chance to make the final
                    England are favourites to beat Croatia at odds of 27/20 to make the World Cup final. It would be a tremendous achievement for a highly inexperienced team at international level.

                    Gareth Southgate has kept the squad positive and seems to have reignited the belief in the Three Lions during World Cup 2018. His players have produced the goods when it has mattered, even if some have talked about an easy route to the semi-finals.

                    For an Englishman, it would be great to see the team lift the trophy next Sunday. We have two hard games to go before the possibility of that happening, though. If England does win the World Cup, then I hope that the much-maligned Raheem Sterling will have played a major part in the triumph. He can take on the best defences in the world on his day.

                    All he needs now is a bit of faith and confidence. If he has those two attributes, he could be the difference for England in Russia.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Russia (3) 2-2 (4) Croatia: Hosts ousted on penalties as Croatia set up England semi-

                      Croatia will meet England in only their second-ever World Cup final as they edged past hosts Russia 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw after extra-time on Saturday evening.

                      The hosts had the perfect start as Denis Cheryshev scored an a great goal from range, before Andrej Kramarić equalised only eight minutes later with an easy header. With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, the game went the distance and Domagoj Vida found the net with a header from a corner. Russia were not done there though as Mario Fernandes equalised with an expert header with only five minutes left on the clock.

                      Fyodor Smolov and Fernandes were unfortunate in the resultant penalty shoot-out as Ivan Rakitić netted the winning spot-kick.

                      Cheryshev cannon opens the scoring
                      Artem Dzyuba then had the opportunity of the game as he latched onto Šime Vrsaljko’s poor clearance but he was crowded out before he could get a shot off. Ante Rebić then headed straight over the bar as both sides enjoyed an attacking start. Ivan Perišić was also guilty of spurning a great opportunity as he glanced Vrsaljko’s cross wide.

                      Russia did create some chances though as they were supported by a buoyant home crowd and were soon in the lead. Cheryshev played a great one-two with Artem Dzyuba before letting fly from 20 yards and seeing his shot crash into the top corner.

                      Kramaric capitalises on sloppy defending
                      Despite their historic strike, the Russians were soon let down by some slack defending as Croatia struck their equaliser. Mario Mandžukić was given too much space in the penalty area and crossed to Kramarić who nodded in from only yards out to equalise.

                      Perišić also did brilliantly as Croatia looked for a late winner. He turned on the penalty spot and aimed for the bottom corner only to see the ball strike the post. Aleksandr Erokhin, who had replaced Aleksandr Samedov, then went close for the hosts with a header but the game looked destined for extra-time.

                      Vida nets in extra-time
                      Fyodor Smolov looked to have won a penalty in extra-time as he appeared to be taken down by Dejan Lovren in the penalty area. However, the referee was unmoved and the Russian penalty appeals fell on deaf ears.

                      There was eventually a goal but it did not go the way that the Russian supporters desired with Vida heading home. Meeting an excellent Luka Modrić delivery from a corner, the Besiktas defender nodded into the back of the net, sending the Croatian fans into ecstasy.

                      Fernandes equaliser in vain as he misses from the spot
                      Although, a Russian equaliser then allowed a greater noise to cascade out of the Fisht Stadium. The hosts won a free-kick and Alan Dzagoev’s pinpoint delivery was met expertly by Fernandes. He powered the ball beyond Subašić to send the game to penalties.

                      Smolov missed his kick, with Zobnin making no mistake. Dzagoev then stepped up and slotted into the bottom corner as Mateo Kovacic then saw his effort saved.

                      Goalscorer Fernandes also saw his penalty stopped, with Modric then earning his country the advantage. Iganshevic, Vida and Kuzyayev then all scored, with the decisive penalty being bestowed to Rakitic. The Barcelona man was unfased and sent Akinfeev the wrong way to secure Croatia their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

                      Final Thoughts
                      The Russian supporters will be truly heartbroken that their team have been eliminated from the World Cup. However, they should really be proud of their country’s efforts. They went toe-to-toe with a quality Croatia side and could well have been in the semi-finals had it not been for bad luck from the spot.

                      Overall however, Croatia deserve their place and will meet England next Wednesday for a place in the final.

                      Match Report
                      Russia: Akinfeev (6); Fernandes (7), Kutepov (6), Ignashevich (6), Kudriashov (6); Cheryshev (7) (Smolov (6), 67′), Kuzyaev (6), Zobnin (6), Golovin (7) (Dzagoev (6), 102′); Samedov (5) (Erokhin (6), 54′), Dzyuba (6) (Gazinsky (6), 79′).

                      Croatia: Subasic (6); Vrsaljko (7) (Corluka (N/A), 97′), Strinic (Pivaric (6), 74′), Lovren (7), Vida (7); Rakitic (7), Modric (7), Perisic (6) (Brozovic (6), 63′); Kramaric (8) (Kovacic (6), 97′), Mandzukic (6), Rebic (6).

                      Goals: Cheryshev (31′), Kramaric (39′), Vida (100′), Fernandes (115′)

                      Referee: Sandro Meira Ricci

                      Yellow Cards: Lovren (31′), Strinic (39′), Vida (102)’, Gazinsky (109′), Pivaric (114′)

                      Red Cards: N/A

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Sweden 0-2 England: Three Lions Reach World Cup Semi-Finals For First Time In 28 Year

                        England fans have been chanting that the World Cup “it’s coming home” for quite a while. But following England’s recent performances, they have every reason to believe the team can – and actually, will – contend for the World Cup glory. This time, The Three Lions easily dispatched Sweden during the quarterfinals with a convincing performance and a comfortable 2-0 score. Strikes from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli were enough for Gareth Southgate’s men, who stream-rolled past the Scandinavian side to reach their first World Cup semi-finals since Italy 1990.

                        A dominant start results in a first-half lead
                        As it has been the trend during the entire World Cup, England got off to a fast start. The Three Lions looked active through the right flank, where the trio of Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker and Alli were constantly overlapping and causing problems to the Swede defence. The first real chance to score came in the 18th minute, when Harry Kane tested Robin Olsen from the edge of the box. However, his effort went a bit wide. It was the first real test for Sweden, who minutes earlier had a decent scoring attempt through Victor Claesson, although his shot went sailing over the bar.

                        England had to wait until the 30th minute to break the deadlock, though. And they did it using one of their prefered weapons: a set-piece situation. Following a corner kick from the left side taken by Ashley Young, Harry Maguire rose taller than everyone else to nod the ball home past Olsen. It was a sort of revenge for Maguire, as the Leicester defender was the one who lost the aerial duel against Yerry Mina in the Round of 16 match against Colombia.

                        England did not take too many risks in the remainder of the first half, although Raheem Sterling – who had a forgettable game once again – did cause some havoc in the 45th minute when he sneaked into the box, but Olsen came out of his line quick to clear the danger. England dominated the game overall, however, and returned to the locker room with a deserved 1-0 score.

                        Alli seals the deal…
                        Sweden needed to shake things up in the second half, and they certainly played with a more attacking approach. In fact, they only needed two minutes to threaten Jordan Pickford, who pulled off a stunning save following a header from Marcus Berg. It would be first notice from Sweden, but Pickford would prove to be more than ready for the challenges ahead of him. The Everton goalkeeper had a stellar performance between the posts during the second 45 minutes.

                        In the meantime, England would score the second goal… and once again it would be through a header. This time, the team’s two creative minds – Alli and Jesse Lingard – would combine for tbe strike; the Manchester United winger found the Tottenham star all alone in the far post, and Alli blasted a close-range header right into the net. Olsen couldn’t do anything, and just like that England had jumped ahead by a two-goal margin.

                        …while Pickford proves his worth (again)
                        As mentioned above, Pickford would end up playing a huge role on England’s presence in the semi-finals. Considering Sweden had to adapt an all-out attack strategy in the second half – including the entrances of John Guidetti and Pontus Jansson – Pickford turned out to be at his best when required often. He would once again deny Claesson in the 62nd minute, and later would come up big on a big shot from Berg. The towering striker was Sweden’s biggest attacking threat, but he simply couldn’t beat Pickford.

                        England didn’t do much during the remainder of the game. Knowing they had a healthy two-goal lead, The Three Lions simply moved the ball around waiting for Björn Kuipers’ final whistle. Maguire had a chance to add a third goal (66′) but his effort went over the bar, though. England didn’t really needed another strike. They closed things out comfortably, and rounded out another stellar performance on their way to the semi-finals.

                        With the win, England have now found themselves in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since Italy 1990. And they have every right to dream about winning the title considering Croatia or Russia will meet them in the next stage. These 23 lads have given England every right to think about the title with their recent performances. And while “it hasn’t come home” yet, there is no denying that the title is getting closer and closer for The Three Lions.

                        Match Report
                        Sweden: Olsen (5); Krafth (4) (Jansson (-), 85′), Lindelof (5), Granqvist (6), Augustinsson (4); Claesson (6), Larsson (5), Ekdal (5), Forsberg (4) (M. Olsson (5), 65′); Berg (6), Toivonen (5) (Guidetti (5), 65′)

                        England: Pickford (8); Walker (6), Stones (6), Maguire (7); Trippier (6), Henderson (7) (Dier (-), 85′), Young (6); Alli (7) (Delph (-), 77′), Lingard (7); Kane (6), Sterling (4) (Rashford (-), 90+1′)

                        Goals: Maguire (1-0, 30′), Alli (2-0, 59′)

                        Referee: Björn Kuipers (NED)

                        Yellow Cards: Guidetti, S. Larsson (SWE); Maguire (ENG)

                        Red Cards: None

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Roberto Martinez found his place in the international game

                          n Friday night, Belgium under Spanish boss Roberto Martinez reached the World Cup semi-final by beating favourites Brazil 2-1. The performance was an outstanding one and boss Martinez deserves immense credit for getting the best out of a previously underperforming group of players.

                          Struggled at Everton
                          For a long time, Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has come across as a highly intelligent, tactically shrewd boss. However, for a couple of seasons as Everton boss, he looked like he couldn’t work a light switch.

                          The fact that Martinez was such an affable man made it hard to dislike him, even when the Blues were struggling. However, he did not help himself by some ridiculously positive interviews, especially using the word ‘Phenomenal’ seeming after every game, win, lose or draw.

                          It was a shame that the Spaniard left the Toffees in such miserable circumstances. However, in reality, the tactical errors he made and the things he could not spot that the rest of the world could made his position untenable on Merseyside.

                          His appointment as Belgium boss certainly raised a few eyebrows on the blue half of Merseyside. The Spaniard has surprised many people as Belgian boss, but his success should not be a major shock.

                          Martinez is a shrewd tactician
                          During his time at Wigan and his first season at Everton, Martinez showed that he is a very shrewd tactician. He is not clueless and knows the game very well.

                          In his first season at Everton, he looked set to return the Toffees to the top table of English football. He had an exciting young team at his disposal with the likes of John Stones, Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu all starring for the Blues.

                          Martinez is a boss who knows how he wants his players to play and when his players follow his instructions to the T, his teams can play some brilliant football.

                          The problem that Martinez had at Wigan, and to a certain extent at Everton was the quality of players at his disposal. The Toffees did have a decent number of talented young players, but they were always suspect to the more affluent clubs coming in and signing their stars. At Everton, his team also conceded an alarming amount of goals.

                          With Belgium, he has the quality of players needed to play his style of football. One significant factor is that Martinez has some top defenders and a quality goalkeeper to keep the opposition from scoring goals.

                          The defensive solidity means that the forward-thinking players can rely on the defence not to concede heaps of goals. The likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and of course Lukaku can concentrate on causing havoc at the other end of the pitch.

                          Now second favourites to win World Cup 2018
                          It is crazy to think that Everton sacked Martinez just over two years ago. The 44-year-old is now in the World Cup semi-finals, with his team Belgium now second favourites at odds of 5/2 to win the competition. Only last-four opponents France are shorter odds to lift the trophy in just over a week’s time.

                          Roberto Martinez winning the World Cup would be just rewards for a man who has found his level. Martinez is a nice guy, who with the right players can become a genuinely top boss.

                          The 44-year-old will no doubt return to club management one day. If he does, the players have to be top players, or he may well be unsuccessful once again. I have a feeling he may stick around as an international boss for the foreseeable future, though.

                          The international game suits the Spaniard. If he wins the World Cup with Belgium, he will become a hero and write his name in the history of football. Not bad for a guy who signed Antolin Alcaraz and Arouna Kone, twice!

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Brazil 1-2 Belgium: Brilliant Belgium edge past tournament favourites with impressive

                            Belgium booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with an eye-catching 2-1 victory over Brazil on Friday evening.

                            Roberto Martinez’s men turned in a wonderful first-half showing and headed into the break deservedly two goals to the good as Fernandinho’s own goal in the 13th minute and De Bruyne’s wonderful strike after half an hour put them in control. Brazil were much better after the break and found a lifeline as Renauto Augusto headed home with 15 minutes remaining. However, the Belgians were able to hold on and organise a last-four tie with France.

                            Chances for both sides in the early stages
                            Kevin De Bruyne had the first sight of goal after starting the game in a more advanced position. His low effort fizzed just wide of the post.

                            Thiago Silva then spurned an excellent opportunity for Brazil from a corner. Escaping Vincent Kompany, the Paris Saint Germain man volleyed against the post. Belgium then created their own chance from the resultant count-attack. Romelu Lukaku powered down the left-wing and cut the ball back. Eden Hazard latched onto it with his shot being charged down before Nacer Chadli let fly from distance, sending the ball wide.

                            Paulinho could not go one better from another corner as he got free from his marker but could not make a telling connection with the ball.

                            Fernandinho own goal gives Belgium perfect start
                            Brazil eventually did score from a corner, however it was in the wrong net. Chadli’s corner caused trouble for Tite’s men and Fernandinho rose to clear. Instead, the ball spun off of his forehead and flew past Alisson to give Belgium the lead.

                            The Brazilians almost responded immediately as Neymar crossed to Gabriel Jesus. The ball was slightly behind the Manchester City man though and he was not able to turn it home. Phillipe Coutinho then tested Thibaut Courtois with a powerful, low effort but the Chelsea man collected comfortably.

                            De Bruyne dynamite doubles the lead
                            A stunning counter-attack saw Roberto Martinez’s men extend the lead even further through De Bruyne. Romelu Lukaku picked the ball up in his own half and powered towards the Brazilian goal. Fighting off numerous challenges, he then played in the Manchester City man whose low shot arrowed into the bottom corner.

                            Gabriel Jesus should have given the Selecao a lifeline but his header drifted wide. Coutinho then looked to curl into the far corner from outside of the penalty area but a great stop from Courtois preserved Belgium’s lead.

                            Belgium continued to create the majority of the chances, though. De Bruyne went close from a free-kick that Alisson had to palm over the bar. Kompany also threatened a third from the resultant corner as he flicked towards goal with a backheel but the Brazilian stopper held firm yet again.

                            Brazilian improvement after the break
                            Brazil were much-improved after half-time. Marcelo produced a great, low cross towards substitute Firmino but the Liverpool man was just inches away from making a connection. Neymar then went down in the box but a penalty was not forthcoming for the Brazilians following a VAR review.

                            Jesus then showed great skill to get past Vertonghen and then was also brought down in the penalty area by Kompany but again a spot-kick was not awarded.

                            Belgium spurn the chance to finish Brazil off as Augusto gives hope
                            Martinez’s men continued to use their most dangerous weapon – the counter-attack. De Bruyne fed Eden Hazard, who in turn could have crossed to Lukaku. Instead, he looked for goal himself and sent his effort whistling just wide.

                            An excellent header gave Tite’s troops some hope of a semi-final berth with 15 minutes left on the clock. Coutinho crossed to substitute Renauto Augusto, and with a powerful header, the latter nodded into the bottom corner to cut Belgium’s advantage to one.

                            The game was really starting to swing in Brazil’s favour and Firmino did have the chance to equalise but blazed his shot just inches over the crossbar. Augusto should also have struck as he was played through by Coutinho. With no pressure on him, he should have scored but clipped the base of the post. Another chance fell to Coutinho after great play from Neymar but the Barcelona man somehow put his effort well wide of goal.

                            Neymar did have one last chance as his tremendous, curling effort from the edge of the area was somehow tipped over by Courtois. As a result, Brazil were simply not able to find an answer and exited the competition in the quarter-finals.

                            Final Thoughts
                            It would be fair to say that Belgium’s progression to the semi-finals could mostly be down to their brilliant first-half performance. They fought harder than Brazil, created more chances and simply out-classed the tournament champions. Their counter-attacking style of play was exhilarating to watch and was very well summed-up by their wonderful second goal. They deservedly take their place in the semi-finals.

                            Match Report
                            Brazil: Alisson (6); Marcelo (7), Miranda (6), Silva (6), Fagner (6); Paulinho (7) (Augusto (7), 73′), Fernandinho (6), Coutinho (7); Willian (6) (Firmino (6), 46′), Jesus (6) (Costa (6), 61′), Neymar (6).

                            Belgium: Courtois (7); Vertonghen (7), Kompany (8), Alderweireld (7); Chadli (7) (Vermaelen (N/A), 83′), Fellaini (8), Witsel (7), Meunier (7); Hazard (8), Lukaku (8) (Tielemens (N/A), 87′), De Bruyne (8).

                            Goals: Fernandinho OG (13′), De Bruyne (31′), Augusto (76′)

                            Referee: Milroad Mazic

                            Yellow Cards: Alderweireld (47′), Meunier (71′), Fernandinho (85′), Fagner (90′)

                            Red Cards: N/A

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Uruguay 0-2 France: Varane, Griezmann Send Les Bleus Into FIFA World Cup Semi-finals

                              France remain alive on their quest to win the FIFA World Cup title after 20 years, while Uruguay’s dream has abruptly come to an end.

                              Despite the fact that Uruguay looked intense and pacey during most of the contest, they didn’t pose much of a threat and France took advantage of that. A first-half header from Raphael Varane and a long-range shot from Antoine Griezmann in the second half – with direct responsibility of Fernando Muslera – lifted France to a much-deserved 2-0 win. With the result, France became the first team to qualify to the tournament’s semi-finals, while Uruguay have become the latest South American side to get eliminated in the knockout phase.

                              Varane breaks the deadlock in the first half
                              Neither side looked on top early on, but both generated some interesting attacking movements. Christian Stuani – who replaced the injured Edinson Cavani -looked quite active, but the best chances came for the European side. Kylian Mbappe gave Uruguay the first notice with a header in the 15th minute, but his effort went above the crossbar.

                              Uruguay kept working hard looking to threaten the opposing defence, but lacked creativity to pose much of a threat in the final third. France finally broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. A cross from Griezmann found Varane who, aside from winning above all of his rivals, placed the ball into the far post out of Fernando Muslera’s reach. It was a great goal, and the second one that Uruguay conceded in the tournament. Strange enough, it was the second time they allowed a goal following a set-piece situation, and the second time a centre-back scored against them (Pepe did it in the Round of 16).

                              Los Celestes had a clear chance to equalise only three minutes later, though. Martin Caceres nodded the ball home following a cross into the box, but Hugo Lloris made a spectacular one-handed save to deny the veteran defender. It was one of the best saves of the World Cup so far. Despite Uruguay’s attacking intentions, the first half ended with a 1-0 lead for France. Les Bleus were in front quite deservedly based on how things happened.

                              Griezmann kills Uruguay’s dream… with a lot of help from Muslera
                              Uruguay tried to play with more pace and intensity in the second half, and it showed. Suarez became the team’s focal point of reference on the attacking end, but La Celeste could not create many chances. Oscar Tabarez even sent Maxi Gomez and Cristian “Cebolla” Rodriguez looking to spark things up. But at the same time, Uruguay knew they were taking too many risks. One mistake on defence and they could pay a steep price… and that is exactly what happened.

                              Following a lost ball in midfield, Paul Pogba charged towards the opposing goal, passed it to Corentin Tolisso and then Griezmann found himself in a decent shooting position. The Atletico Madrid star blasted a 25-yard effort straight to Muslera, but the goalkeeper could not punch it away and instead, sent it towards his own goal. Uruguay came close to equalise to be down by two goals in a 10-second span. Unbelieveable, huh?

                              Griezmann’s goal essentially killed Uruguay’s chances of any potential comeback.

                              Final Minutes
                              Uruguay kept pushing the lines forward hoping to find the back of the net, but desperately so. The entrance of Jonathan Urretaviscaya in place of Nahitan Nandez did not have much of an impact, and La Celeste could not become a threat to Lloris, who responded every time he was required.

                              France did not take too many risks. Didier Deschamps’ men moved the ball around comfortably trying to find spaces in the final meters, and they came close to add the third goal more than a few times. However, Tolisso and Olivier Giroud both were largely inaccurate with their shooting attempts. The same goes for Griezmann, who sent a free kick over the bar in the 89th minute.

                              Pitana blew the final whistle after five minutes of stoppage time and France ended winning deservedly, as they wanted it more and looked far more accurate. Les Bleus have become the first team to reach the semi-finals and continue to look as a contender, while Uruguay will return home empty handed, but with their heads held high because they never gave up.

                              Match Report
                              Uruguay: Muslera (4); Caceres (5), Gimenez (6), Godin (5), Laxalt (5); Nandez (6) (Urreta (-), 73′), Torreira (5), Vecino (6), Betancur (5) (Rodriguez (5), 59′); Suarez (6), Stuani (5) (Gomez (4), 59′)

                              France: Lloris (6); Pavard (5), Varane (7), Umtiti (5), Lucas (5); Pogba (7), Kante (6); Mbappe (6) (Dembele (-), 88′), Griezmann (7) (Fekir (-), 93′), Tolisso (5) (N’Zonzi (-), 80′); Giroud (4)

                              Goals: Varane (0-1, 40′), Griezmann (0-2, 61′)

                              Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG)

                              Yellow cards: Betancur, Rodriguez (URU); Lucas, Mbappe (FRA)

                              Red cards: None

                              Comment


                                #30
                                England – It’s So Much More Than the Game

                                I was merely a child when England beat Spain at Wembley in Euro 96. Being a Nottingham Forest supporter, the moment Stuart Pearce thrashed his penalty past Andoni Zubizarreta held special pertinence and is one that I have replayed in my mind pretty much daily since it happened.

                                The euphoria around England during that summer is something that I have never quite escaped. Actually – its something I’ve had to escape but have certainly never wanted to let go of.

                                As a wide (and cross) eyed eleven-year-old it was so, so exciting to see the national team playing so well and thrills were multiplied by the mood of the nation. Britain was cool, and football was coming home.

                                Understandably, I tend to not play the following shoot-out’s involving England back in my mind – nor the following four and for that reason, I was one of the millions with their head in their hands as extra-time drew to a close in Tuesday evening’s quarter-final with Colombia.

                                Sinking feeling
                                The tension was genuinely too much for some, a close friend of mine was one of several who opted to leave the premises as opposed to endure the drama and now as far as I am concerned, he can do that whenever we find ourselves in that situation again – heaven forbid.

                                What a feeling. And even though admittedly I am far more hyperbolic than most I would go as far as to say that that evening has not just ended twenty-two years of penalty hurt, but that this team and their spirit is doing wonders for banishing too many years of national nihilism.

                                Six weeks ago, there weren’t too many banging the drum for Gareth Southgate and his squad of players, but the mood began to improve when firstly, all the players became so accessible and more importantly they proved to be so united.

                                Turning the corner
                                It has often been stated that three decades ago the media had a relationship with the squads that could not be replicated these days, and why not?

                                Partly because everybody has a platform to state their opinion now and that low mood, that continued disappointment has led to frustration and self-deprecation where even someone as optimistic as myself would admit that I had somewhat lost my faith.

                                We have waited so long for this and it feels incredible to be in a situation where anything beyond what we have achieved here would be a bonus. Not just in terms of our placing at the tournament because defeat to Sweden would still leave a bad taste but with the way that this nation has been lifted.

                                Rallying cry
                                During the group stages, Southgate proclaimed that this group of players, with their diversity and energy, represent modern England and while he will “ultimately be judged on football results” they have the chance to affect something bigger.

                                They do have that chance, and they are taking it with both hands.

                                This is my story, and every single one has a story to tell. Whatever happens with England and the other seven nations we have been lifted. Saying that, please don’t take me home.

                                Comment

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