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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AFP) — Staging the Women’s World Cup will “wake up” New Zealand’s passion for football, the co-hosts’ coach Jitka Klimkova said on Wednesday’s eve of the tournament. Football remains well behind rugby, cricket and other sports in popularity in New Zealand, which is jointly hosting the World Cup with Australia. New Zealand have also never won a Women’s World Cup game in 15 attempts, but they hope to change that when they […]
By Allison JACKSON Agence France-Presse MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — In a country obsessed with beauty pageants, basketball and boxing, the Philippines women’s team hope to ignite interest in football when they make the nation’s World Cup debut this week. Long minnows in the sport, the Philippines have never played at a FIFA World Cup, either the men’s or women’s. All that will change on Friday when the women’s side under their Australian coach Alen Stajcic […]
By Andy SCOTT Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — The first-ever 32-team Women’s World Cup begins in Australia and New Zealand on July 20, with the United States aiming to win a third consecutive title in a landmark month for the women’s game. It has been a rapid expansion for a tournament that featured just 16 teams in 2011 in Germany and 24 sides in France four years ago, when the USA retained the trophy. […]
by Barnaby CHESTERMAN Agence France-Presse BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Millions of jubilant fans turned out Tuesday to welcome home Argentina’s World Cup winners led by Lionel Messi, but most were left disappointed when an open-top bus parade had to be abandoned due to the massive crowds, in favor of a hastily organized helicopter tour. Vast crowds of ecstatic fans cheered on their heroes along every meter of the planned 30-kilometer parade route from a […]
by Barnaby CHESTERMAN Agence France-Presse Buenos Aires, Argentina (AFP) — Argentina’s World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar in the early hours of Tuesday morning ahead of a welcome home party in the nation’s capital. Having beaten France in Sunday’s thrilling final, the players will now spend the night at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex near the Ezeiza airport where they arrived in Buenos Aires and where thousands […]
by Barnaby CHESTERMAN Agence France-Presse BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Argentines waited eagerly to welcome home their World Cup heroes on Monday as France’s beaten stars arrived back in Paris following the remarkable final drama in Qatar. The South American capital is preparing for a massive street party with the new world champions due to arrive late on Monday night. “Crowned with glory,” read a banner on a newspaper kiosk in Buenos Aires, while Clarin […]
by John WEAVER Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Lionel Messi will have the chance to crown his remarkable career by winning the World Cup after he inspired Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 win against Croatia in the semi-final on Tuesday. Messi scored a penalty before Julian Alvarez doubled the lead shortly before half-time. The little Argentine genius reserved the best for last when he twisted and turned away from his Croatian marker to set […]
by Simon EVANS Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Croatia and Argentina face each other on Tuesday at the Lusail Stadium with a place in the World Cup final at stake. AFP Sport looks at some of the keys to the game. – Messi or Modric magic? – The late-career evolution of Lionel Messi into a clever creator operating behind the front line has intensified at this World Cup. He illustrated just how effective he […]
Doha, Qatar (AFP) World Cup host Qatar is investigating the death of a migrant worker, an official said Thursday, after reports he died at a training base during the ongoing football tournament. The death of a Filipino in his 40s was first reported on Wednesday by The Athletic sports website and later confirmed by the Philippines’ Foreign Ministry. The Athletic said the man fell off a ramp while repairing lights at a resort used […]
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Portugal dismantled Switzerland 6-1 to charge into the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday as Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored the first hat-trick of the tournament. The Portuguese will face Morocco in the quarter-finals after sweeping aside the Swiss in a display that was every bit as impressive as Brazil’s demolition of South Korea 24 hours earlier. In a surprise move, 21-year-old Benfica forward Ramos replaced Ronaldo […]
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Thousands of Morocco fans descended on the streets of Doha to celebrate their country becoming the first Arab nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. Despite some minor trouble outside the stadium, the victory over Spain became a celebration of “Arab pride” for supporters from across the region. Walid Regragui’s side won 3-0 in a penalty shootout after the match finished goalless following extra-time. So many people packed Doha’s […]
by Andrew MCKIRDY Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) –Forward Ritsu Doan said Japan’s historic World Cup wins over Germany and Spain counted for nothing after the Blue Samurai were eliminated by Croatia in the last 16 on Monday. Japan missed out on a first-ever place in the quarter-finals after a 3-1 penalty shootout defeat to the Croatians, following a gruelling encounter that finished 1-1 after extra-time. Japan beat both Germany and Spain in the […]
