Connect with us

Sport

FIFA World Cup: France beat England to set up Morocco semi-final

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

Olivier Giroud sent France into a World Cup semi-final with Morocco as his late header after Aurelien Tchouameni’s opener clinched a gutsy 2-1 win over England on Saturday with Harry Kane blazing a penalty over the bar six minutes from time, Reuters reported.

Four years ago Giroud did not manage a shot on target in the entire tournament as France won the title but in Qatar he now has four goals and has become his country’s record goalscorer along the way.

France are now one win away from becoming the first back-to- back finalists since Brazil in 2002 and two from being the third team to retain the trophy after Brazil in 1962 and Italy in 1938.

According to Reuters, France’s manager Didier Deschamps, who captained them to their first World Cup triumph in 1998 and coached them to their second title four years ago, described the victory as fabulous.

“It was a big game, we played a superb England team who are strong technically and physically,” he said

“It’s brilliant for the players to be in the last four again. We got a bit lucky although we gave away two penalties but we kept our lead with our hearts and our guts.”

France really did have to work hard for their win as the first major tournament knockout match between the old sporting rivals maintained the excitement and edge-of the seat drama that has made it such an extraordinary quarter-final weekend.

They went ahead after 17 minutes when, after a length-of-the-field break, Antoine Griezmann rolled the ball invitingly into the path of Tchouameni, whose 25-yard low shot flew just inside the post, read the report.

England eventually got going, pushing and probing, and France keeper Hugo Lloris was quick off his line to save at the feet of Kane and then parried another drive from England’s captain.

Lloris was in action again at the start of the second half, tipping a fierce Jude Bellingham shot over the bar as England came out full of purpose and energy.

The dangerous Bukayo Saka was then tripped by Tchouameni and Kane smashed the penalty high beyond his Tottenham Hotspur team mate Lloris to draw level with Wayne Rooney as England’s record scorer on 53 goals.

England, beaten semi-finalists four years ago, were buoyed by the goal and were playing with huge confidence but although center-back Harry Maguire brushed a post with a header they could not make their dominance count.

Instead France hit back as Griezmann swung in a perfect center that Giroud did brilliantly to reach in front of Maguire, planting his header into the slimmest of gaps after 78 minutes.

The cross took the ever-elusive Griezmann beyond Thierry Henry as his country’s top assist provider with 28 and was another reminder of why he has played an extraordinary 72 internationals in a row.

England were then given another lifeline via VAR when Theo Hernandez flattened Mason Mount but this time Kane sent his spot kick wildly over the bar in a painful reminder of Chris Waddle’s effort when they lost the 1990 semi-final shootout to West Germany.

England pushed for an equalizer but when substitute Marcus Rashford’s added-time free kick fizzed just over the bar it meant a seventh defeat in 10 World Cup quarter-finals and another ‘four years of hurt’ to tack on since their solitary triumph in 1966.

“We were here to try to win the tournament and we believed we could and I think that we showed with that performance tonight against the reigning champions that we’ve got a team that could have done that,” said coach Gareth Southgate.

“It’s fine margins and things at both ends that have ended up deciding the game but I think the way they’ve progressed as a group throughout this tournament has been fantastic.”

France now face the unlikeliest of semi-final opponents in Morocco, after they beat Portugal 1-0 earlier on Saturday and Deschamps was quick to recognise their worth, Reuters reported.

“Morocco deserve praise,” he said. “Maybe they were not expected to be here (in the semis), but they conceded only one goal and seeing them here is not a surprise at all.”

Where to watch

Afghan fans need not miss out on any of the excitement of this year’s tournament which is being broadcast live and exclusively by Ariana Television in Afghanistan.

For the full broadcast schedule CLICK HERE

Sport

Cricket Ireland cancels Afghanistan series for ‘financial reasons’

However, in the same statement Cricket Ireland confirmed a line up of action-packed cricket this summer.

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

Ireland’s cricket board announced this week they have cancelled a multi-format series against Afghanistan scheduled for later this year.

Cricket Ireland said in a statement issued on Tuesday that they were cancelling the series due to “financial reasons”.

“One planned series that won’t go ahead for financial reasons is against Afghanistan.

“This decision is part of our management of short-term budgetary constraints, as well as our requirement to comply with the Board’s mandate to deliver balanced investment across the organisation’s strategic objectives,” said Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland.

However, in the same statement Cricket Ireland confirmed a line up of action-packed cricket this summer.

West Indies will play six limited-overs matches in Ireland in May and June before England arrive in September for a three-match Twenty20 series.

In addition, Zimbabwe Women and Pakistan Women will tour Ireland in July and August respectively; and Ireland Women will compete in two ICC World Cup qualifier tournaments.

In addition to this, Ireland Wolves will head to the UAE to play Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A as part of a multi-format tour.

Cricket Ireland added that “further fixtures and tours in 2025 will be announced in due course”.
Deutrom meanwhile said Cricket Ireland will also invest to upgrade infrastructure and facilities across the country.

The Irish government announced last August it would build a stadium at the national sports campus in Blanchardstown, which will also stage matches of the T20 World Cup in 2030, which Ireland will co-host with England and Scotland.

“All in all, on and off the pitch, in time this will be recognised as one of the more consequential years in Irish cricket history,” Deutrom added.

In response to this news, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has clarified that the matches have not been canceled and that efforts are underway to reschedule them at a more suitable time.

Continue Reading

Sport

Asian Cup: Afghanistan’s beach soccer team arrives in Thailand

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

Afghanistan’s national beach soccer team arrived in Thailand on Tuesday to participate in a training camp ahead of the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025.

Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) said in a post on Facebook that a 10-day training camp has been organized for the national beach soccer team in order for the players to enhance their skills ahead of the tournament.

The Afghan national beach soccer team is placed in Group C of the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2025 alongside the beach soccer teams of Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.

AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025 will kick off on March 20 and run through to March 30. Thailand is the official host.

Continue Reading

Sport

India upbeat over Champions Trophy win against New Zealand

The final on Sunday in Dubai will decide the winner of the eight-nation tournament played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Published

on

champions trophy
(Last Updated On: )

India’s Shubman Gill on Saturday said the team will look to win the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand to get over their 2023 ODI World Cup title defeat.

The final on Sunday in Dubai will decide the winner of the eight-nation tournament played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

“I am quite excited,” vice-captain Gill told reporters. “My second ICC event for team India and second final. The last time which we couldn’t do, we will try to do it this time.”

India went down to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final in November 2023 on home soil in Ahmedabad in a heartbreaking defeat for the team, which had come into the title clash unbeaten, AFP reported.

However, Rohit Sharma’s team eased the heartache of fans a few months later when they lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup title — India’s first victory in a major global event since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Gill, who was not part of the T20 triumph, said the ICC title in Barbados allows the team to go into Sunday’s final without any baggage.

“It’s also about once you get one title that kind of breaks the jinx and then it gives you the momentum and also you are not desperate about getting the title,” said Gill.

“Winning the title in 2024 doesn’t mean that we are less hungry, but it kind of gives us more balance that we have won an ICC title and we will try to do our best to win this one.”

India come into the title clash unbeaten in four matches after they went past Australia in the semi-final to eye a third Champions Trophy crown, AFP reported.

India have played all their matches in Dubai after they refused to tour hosts Pakistan due to political tensions.

Gill said the importance of a final does come into the equation when they walk out but a champion team knows how to handle pressure.

“The big-match pressure is always there,” said Gill.

“This is the reason why we talk about big teams of previous years, including West Indies and Australia. Those teams played their best cricket in knock-outs. Easier said than done, but good teams play their best cricket under pressure.”

Virat Kohli has been in top form as he hit an unbeaten 100 against arch-rivals Pakistan in a group game and hit 84 in another successful chase in the semi-final.

Rohit has been slammed for not converting his starts into bigger scores, but his quick cameos have nonetheless allowed the team to build totals.

Gill, who opens with Rohit, said India’s batting depth has allowed the top-order to bat freely.

“I think this is the best batting line-up that I have been part of,” said Gill. “Rohit, Virat, I think all-time one-day greats. Rohit one of the best openers in white-ball and Virat one of the best ODI batsman ever,” he said.

Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to watch the final live and exclusively in the country on Ariana Television. The final gets underway at 1:30pm Kabul time.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Ariana News. All rights reserved!