Sports

Mexico exit World Cup despite beating Saudi Arabia

Published

2 years ago

December 1, 2022

Mexico suffered an agonising exit from the World Cup on goal difference on Wednesday despite beating Saudi Arabia 2-1 in a dramatic finale to Group C.

Second-half goals from Henry Martin and Luis Chavez secured victory for Mexico but they finished third behind Poland after Salem Al-Dawsari’s late strike.

Mexico desperately pushed for a third goal in an effort to improve their goal difference as they faced elimination on FIFA fair play rules.

Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina in their opening match was one of the World Cup’s great upsets, but they crashed back down to earth with a 2-0 loss to Poland in their second game.

Coach Herve Renard urged his players to show that was no flash in the pan and write themselves into Saudi football history by reaching knockout rounds for the first time since 1994.

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Having failed to win either of their first two group games for the first time in 44 years, Mexico knew victory was essential if they were to stand a chance of reaching the last 16 at an eighth successive World Cup.

Mexico boss Gerardo Martino ditched the back five he used in the 2-0 loss to Argentina and brought in Martin to lead the attack.

It almost reaped immediate rewards but Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais raced out to block Alexis Vega after he was slipped in behind the defence by Hirving Lozano.

Al-Owais, one of the heroes of the 2-1 win over Argentina, tentatively palmed away a bouncing cross ahead of a lunging Martin and held weak attempts by Chavez and Orbelin Pineda.

Mohamed Kanno whipped a free-kick just over for Saudi Arabia, who saw defender Ali Al-Bulayhi forced off with injury — adding to their mounting casualty list.

Mexico continued to attack without success and Ali Al-Hassan nearly sent the bulk of the largely Saudi crowd wild late in the first half with a diving header that flashed wide of the far post.

Chavez tested Al-Owais right after the interval and Martin soon broke the deadlock as he turned in from close range following Cesar Montes’ clever flick-on at a corner.

Mexico’s second goal arrived just five minutes later when Chavez sensationally curled a free-kick into the top corner from 30 metres.

Keeping an eye on the score between Argentina and Poland, Mexico pushed relentlessly for a third goal, with Lozano’s effort ruled out for a tight offside.

Martin blazed over when he had a glorious chance and Chavez had another free-kick turned away by Al-Owais, who also sprawled to his right to claw out a drive from Lozano.

Uriel Antuna then had another goal disallowed for offside before Al-Dawsari’s late strike put an end to the drama.

AFP

Sports

FIFA ranking: Super Falcons retain global position, remain 1st in Africa

Published

13 hours ago

March 6, 2025

Trends Admin

FIFA ranking: Super Falcons retain global position, remain 1st in Africa

Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, the Super Falcons, have held on to their 36th position in the latest FIFA global rankings, according to the list released on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

The Super Falcons also remain the top-ranked women’s football team in Africa, underscoring their dominance on the continent.

South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, and Ghana are the other countries in the top five.

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Sports

Liverpool survive onslaught to beat PSG

Published

18 hours ago

March 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Liverpool survive onslaught to beat PSG

Liverpool completed one of the biggest smash and grabs in Champions League history to come away from their last-16 first leg against Paris St-Germain with a win.

PSG completely dominated the game, with 27 shots, and the Reds goalkeeper Alisson had to make nine saves.

But the hosts could not find an opener – and the Reds scored with their second shot of the night in the 87th minute.

Harvey Elliott netted with his first touch, after replacing Mohamed Salah, when he was picked out by Darwin Nunez.

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Luis Enrique’s side were shell shocked – and how they failed to score will go down as a mystery. Well, an Alisson-shaped mystery.

PSG forwards Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in particular were unplayable at times.

Kvaratskhelia had a fine goal in the first half rightly disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) for offside.

The VAR again sided with Liverpool, more controversially, when Ibrahima Konate avoided a red card despite shoving Bradley Barcola over just outside the box.

Liverpool will host the second leg next Tuesday.

Liverpool survive onslaught to beat PSG

Sports

Kane scores twice as Bayern outclass Leverkusen

Published

19 hours ago

March 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Harry Kane

Kane scores twice as Bayern outclass Leverkusen

Bayern Munich have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a Harry Kane double helped them to comfortable win against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Kane gave the hosts an early breakthrough in the all-German meeting before Jamal Musiala doubled their lead by capitalising on a mistake from Leverkusen goalkeeper Matej Kovar.

The visitors went down to 10 men after a second yellow for Nordi Mukiele just past the hour mark, then Kane scored his 31st goal of the season from the penalty spot to seal the victory.

It only took Bayern nine minutes to draw first blood as Kane popped up in front of Mukiele to head home a perfectly-weighted cross from Michael Olise.

The visitors almost found a way back when Dayot Upamecano’s dreadful backpass was intercepted by Jeremie Frimpong inside the box, but Bayern captain Manuel Neuer came to his team-mate’s rescue with a brilliant save to deny Leverkusen a swift equaliser.

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Vincent Kompany’s side were denied a second as Musiala headed Joshua Kimmich’s corner against the crossbar.

After being outplayed in the first half, Leverkusen’s hopes of a comeback in the second were dashed when Kovar let a Kimmich cross slip through his gloves for Musiala to poke into an open goal.

Mukiele was then dismissed for a reckless challenge on Kingsley Coman before Kane was dragged down to the floor by substitute Edmond Tapsoba during a corner.

Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot after a video assistant referee (VAR) review and the England captain made no mistake from 12 yards to pull the Bundesliga leaders further ahead.

“This is the Champions League, this is the biggest game of all,” Kane told TNT Sports after the game.

“We’re playing against a team who have had an unbelievable couple of seasons. If we don’t carry it on, then it doesn’t mean anything.

“We’re here to send a message not just to everyone but to ourselves.”

Kane’s nine-goal haul is the most by an English player in a single Champions League campaign and the joint-most in a European Cup campaign alongside Dennis Viollet, who scored nine goals for Manchester United in 1956-57.

The 31-year-old also has nine goals in the Champions League knockout stages now, with Frank Lampard (15) and Wayne Rooney (14) the only Englishmen ahead of him in that regard.

He has now scored more goals across all competitions than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues since he joined Bayern (75).

Seventeen of them have come in the Champions League, which is also more than any other player in the competition in that time.

Former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger told BBC Match of the Day: “Kane was instrumental to the win. I have seen him when he is quiet and doesn’t score and people say has he reached a peak already. But his record speaks for itself, he is so important.”

Athletic journalist Rory Smith, added: “There is a genuine debate at times over his mobility. There was a game against Frankurt recently he missed and Bayern looked more fluid.

“But he is such a reliable goalscorer even if he detracts from the fluency of the team a bit, how do you keep him out?”

The second leg at BayArena will take place on Tuesday, 11 March (20:00 GMT).