USA and Jamaica win close contests to set up semi-final clash

Los Angeles (AFP) – Weston McKennie scored in the first half as the USA dodged a bullet by edging upstart Curacao 1-0 Sunday to reach the semi-finals of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.

The unbeaten Americans recorded their fourth straight shutout victory but the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao gave them their biggest test of the tournament so far.

The US looked sluggish in the second half at Lincoln Financial Field Stadium in Philadelphia and needed some superb goalkeeping from Zack Steffen to move on. 

They advance to face Jamaica who beat Panama by the same 1-0 score in the other quarter-final on Sunday.

“It wasn’t one of our best games but it is about moving on and that’s what we did,” McKennie.

McKennie scored in the 25th minute, finding open space near the back post and heading home a perfectly-timed cross from teammate Christian Pulisic. McKennie said the play is something they work on in training.

“He (Pulisic) likes to cut in a lot and I like to make late runs into the box,” said McKennie.

“I always tell him when he cuts in to look for me around the back post.” 

Curacao, who were the surprise second place finishers in Group B, controlled most of the play in the second half as they pressed for the equalizer.

Steffen faced more shots on Sunday than the US faced in the entire group stage. 

Curacao came close to levelling the score in the 84th minute when Leandro Bacuma weaved around a couple of defenders and aimed his shot for the top corner but Steffan made a desperate stab at the ball and managed to deflect it over the crossbar with his finger tips.

Curacao had the Americans on their heels and for awhile it looked like they might have a chance to follow Haiti, who knocked out Canada, and score a big upset.

“We fought like lions. We did everything to win,” said Curacao’s Cuco Martina. 

Elsewhere, Jamaica moved a step closer to reaching their third straight Gold Cup final as they booked their spot in the semis on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Panama.

Darren Mattocks converted a penalty in the 75th minute for Jamaica, who won their group but struggled to do so after playing to draws with El Salvador and Curacao.

The Reggae Boyz got a break Sunday when Panama’s Michael Amir Murillo was called for a controversial hand ball as he was challenging Mattocks for a header at Lincoln Financial Field.

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‘Little onion’ Everton making Brazilians cry with joy at Copa

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – When Neymar was ruled out of the Copa America with an ankle injury just over a week before the big kick-off, there was reason for hosts Brazil to dispair.

But one player more than any other has given rise to renewed optimism within the Selecao ranks, and that’s Everton — a player reportedly courted by both Manchester clubs, City and United, and Paris Saint-Germain.

The dynamic 23-year-old winger has been a revelation for Brazil since earning a starting berth in their final Copa America group game against Peru.

He had already scored the third goal in a 3-0 win over Bolivia in the tournament opener after coming on as a substitute.

After the dire 0-0 draw with Venezuela, Everton was one of two changes made by coach Tite to Brazil’s attacking triumvirate — Gabriel Jesus was also promoted to the starting XI — and rewarded his coach with another goal and swashbuckling performance down the left flank.

And in his home stadium in Porto Alegre, where he plays for Gremio, Everton was the one player who lifted the crowd onto their feet every time he got the ball in an otherwise frustrating blank against Paraguay in the quarter-finals, before Brazil won on penalties.

“He’s the one who opens up the marking, who faces up to it,” said Atletico Madrid full-back Filipe Luis, who’s linked up well with Everton down the flank.

“Those who benefit are those players playing close to him.”

That’s a move that will likely materialize once this tournament is over for the player nicknamed “Cebolinha” — little onion, a reference not to him making defenders cry but to his likeness to a cartoon character of the same name due to the tuft of hair on his otherwise shaved scalp.

His popularity amongst Brazilian fans is evident and largely because he’s one of just three of the 23-man tournament squad still plying his trade in his homeland.

The other two — reserve goalkeeper Cassio and second choice full-back Fagner — have yet to feature, meaning Everton is the only home player gracing the Copa America that local fans are able to watch at close quarters.

Although that is almost certain to change soon enough.

“He’s a player who’s ready to play in Europe,” said Felipe Luis.

– ‘Audacity’ –

After Everton’s scoring cameo against Bolivia, one of the most respected football journalists in Brazil, Juca Kfouri, wrote in the prestigious Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that “Everton must start for the Selecao.”

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Messi, Aguero will have to sweat against Brazil, says Jesus

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – Argentina forwards Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero will have to sweat if they’re going to break down Brazil’s watertight defence in their Copa America semi-final, says Selecao striker Gabriel Jesus.

Hosts Brazil have yet to concede a goal in four matches at the Copa while Argentina have improved defensively and kept clean sheets in their last two matches.

Jesus expects a tight contest in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday and says Brazil’s defence won’t give Argentina’s forward line an inch.

“It’s tough to get behind a defence that doesn’t concede goals,” the Manchester City forward said of Argentina’s backline.

“It’s also a long time since we conceded a goal. It’s very important to have a solid defence.

“But it won’t be easy for Argentina to get behind us. Obviously they have Messi who is the best player in the world, and they have Aguero, one of the best center-forwards, but they’re going to have to sweat to get in behind.”

Jesus said he was sure “Argentina will attack us” and he’s looking forward to joking around with his City team-mates Aguero and center-back Nicolas Otamendi, but only after the match.

What’s clear, though, is that this is the most keenly anticipated match on the continent, between the two regional giants.

Brazil are the most successful team in World Cup history with five titles to Argentina’s two, but at a continental level, the roles are reversed as Argentina have won the Copa 14 times compared to eight for Brazil.

Should Argentina win again, they would match Uruguay’s record of 15 titles.

“These are two giants, from countries with a lot of history,” said Jesus.

“We’re playing at home and we have more pressure to win, but it’s a ‘clasico’ against Argentina.”

These two sides’ defenses have been on top so far but given the attacking talent that will be on show, a goalless draw would be unthinkable, even though there have been three already in the knock-out stages out of four matches.

Brazil will likely line up with Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino flanked by Jesus and the exciting Gremio forward Everton, a reported target for Manchester City.

Argentina are almost certainly sure to stick to the trio that played their last two matches — 2-0 victories over Qatar and Venezuela — with Lautaro Martinez joining Messi and Aguero.

– ‘Best in the world’ –

But there is one name that most occupies the thoughts of Brazil center-back Thiago Silva, and that’s Messi.

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England look to usurp USA as women’s World Cup grande finale looms

Lyon (AFP) – England are aiming to make history as they prepare to take on the USA with a first ever women’s World Cup final squarely in their sights, as a landmark tournament moves towards a nail-biting climax.

The World Cup in France has generated record TV audiences for the women’s game and Phil Neville’s side come into Tuesday’s clash against the reigning champions in Lyon with more people than ever expected to tune in to see the Lionesses push to go one better than in the previous two editions, when they lost out in the semis.

“You get to these moments in life and you think grasp it with both hands, both feet and all your body and that’s what we’ve been saying to the players: don’t get to a semi-final and have any regrets,” Neville told reporters on Sunday.

“I want to see smiles and I want to see freedom, and I want to see us play the way that we can.”

England face an American side brimming with talent and on a high from two hard-fought 2-1 wins over Spain in the last 16 and against hosts France in the quarter-finals, both gained thanks to the attacking exploits of Megan Rapinoe.

The 33-year-old is one of the stories of this tournament, with her match-winning displays paired with intense media scrutiny after a spat with President Donald Trump over her stated refusal to visit the White House while he remains in charge.

Rapinoe hit two penalties to squeeze her side past the Spanish in an underwhelming team display and then won a thrilling clash at the Parc des Princes with another brace to win what was probably the match of the tournament so far.

“Megan is someone I’ve from day one that I really admire. I remember in my first She Believes (Cup) when a ball bounced on the touchline and I went to catch the ball and her studs came right through my Apple watch,” Neville said.

“What I liked was that she didn’t even say sorry, she just got on with it, she’s a winner.

“I like the individuality both on and off the field and I think she’s a world-class footballer.”

– Expectation –

Foe the USA, the match is another on their march towards an expected fourth world crown — Neville calls them the “best team in the world without a shadow of a doubt”.

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Seedorf wants crowd-pleasing Cameroon victory over Benin

Cairo (AFP) – Cameroon coach and former Dutch star Clarence Seedorf hopes the Africa Cup of Nations trophy-holders can deliver a more crowd-pleasing performance against Benin in Egypt Tuesday. 

The Champions League winner as a player with Ajax Amsterdam, Real Madrid and AC Milan conceded that the 0-0 draw with Ghana at the weekend offered little excitement. 

“It may not have been good for the fans and we want to do better, but I saw two organised teams who created enough chances to have won,” he said.

Here, AFP Sport looks at the Group E and Group F fixtures — the last of the group stage — with all eight countries in contention for round-of-16 places. 

Cameroon v Benin

Seedorf defended his tactics after the clash with Ghana fell far short of expectations, saying he always aims to win.  

“We never start a match to draw, we start to win, but I was satisfied with a point,” he said of a result that virtually guarantees the Indomitable Lions a last-16 place.

Cameroon lead Group F with four points, two more than Benin and Ghana and three ahead of Guinea-Bissau.

Benin are seeking a first Cup of Nations victory after 11 failed attempts spanning four tournaments and a 0-0 draw with Guinea-Bissau was a huge setback. 

Ghana v Guinea-Bissau

African football legend Jay-Jay Okocha believes Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah could be fired if they lose to Guinea-Bissau and are eliminated.

The retired Nigeria midfielder says he is “disappointed with Appiah and so are Ghanaians” after draws against Benin and Cameroon have left the Black Stars unsure of qualification. 

“Kwesi has to win against Guinea-Bissau to keep his job,” said Okocha, who was part of the 1994 Nigeria Cup of Nations-winning team.

Guinea-Bissau are among four teams who failed to score in their first two group matches with former Liverpool youth team forward Toni Silva among those misfiring.   

Angola v Mali

These countries played a remarkable opening match at the 2010 Cup of Nations with Mali coming from four goals behind with 12 minutes remaining to draw 4-4 against tournament hosts Angola. 

The chances of another goal splurge in this Group E clash are slim, however, as the first 24 matches in Egypt produced a meagre 43 goals, an average of 1.7 per game.

Among those leaders Mali will look to for goals is Moussa Marega, whose six for Porto in the last Champions League was bettered only by Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.  

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Mattocks penalty lifts Jamaica into third straight Gold Cup semis

Los Angeles (AFP) – Jamaica moved a step closer to reaching their third straight CONCACAF Gold Cup final as they booked their spot in the semis on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jamaica next plays the winner of the day’s other quarter-final between the mighty Americans and the tiny Caribbean Island of Curacao.

The USA are undefeated and the favourites to win their seventh Gold Cup title.

Darren Mattocks converted a penalty in the 75th minute for Jamaica, who won their group but struggled to do so after playing to draws with El Salvador and Curacao.

The Reggae Boyz got a break Sunday when Panama’s Michael Amir Murillo was called for a controversial hand ball as he was challenging Mattocks for a header at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Jamaican players then argued over who would take the penalty kick before Mattocks won out. He made no mistake, pushing it into the open side after Panama keeper Luis Mejia guessed wrong.

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Ruiz, Olmo fire Spain past Germany to fifth European U21 title

Udine (Italy) (AFP) – Spain beat holders Germany 2-1 to win the European under-21 championship title for a record-equalling fifth time in Udine on Sunday as Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo scored in either half. 

Fabian Ruiz rifled in the first after just seven minutes at the Stadio Friuli in northeastern Italy, with Olmo adding the second on 69 minutes to avenge their 1-0 defeat to Germany in the final two years ago.

Nadiem Amiri pulled a goal back two minutes from time, but it failed to ignite a revival for the defending champions.

Spain reclaim the title they last won in 2013 and join Italy as the only nation to have won the tournament five times.

The Spanish controlled the match with top tournament scorer Luca Waldschmidt of Bundesliga club Freiburg pegged back and unable to add to his tally of seven goals to achieve a new record.

Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, already a veteran of the 2017 finals, helped power the Spaniards ahead early on in front of a 23,000 crowd.

The Germans, watched from the stands by senior head coach Joachim Loew and former international Oliver Bierhoff, struggled for the first half hour.

Ruiz, who plays for Italian club Napoli, latched onto a Mikel Oyarzabal cross to beat a stunned Alexander Nubel in the Germany goal for his second goal of the tournament.

Spain doubled their advantage after Nubel failed to close down a Ruiz goal-bound effort, clearing into the path of Olmo, who tipped in his third goal of the tournament.

Waldschmidt had a chance on 83 minutes but sent it just wide, before Amiri gave the Germans hope.

Despite a nervy finale Luis de la Fuente’s side held on to finish off a tournament which they had begun in inauspicious fashion by losing 3-1 to hosts Italy.

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Salah scores as Egypt maintain perfect Cup of Nations record

Cairo (AFP) – Mohamed Salah scored from a free-kick as host nation Egypt defeated Uganda 2-0 in Cairo Sunday to win Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations with a perfect three-win record.  

Pre-tournament favourites Egypt will remain in Cairo for the round of 16 and play one of the best four third-place finishers next Saturday.

After prolific Liverpool scorer Salah put Egypt ahead against the run of play on 36 minutes, captain Ahmed Elmohamady added a second just before half-time.

Uganda had plenty of possession in both halves and often threatened to score without managing to put the ball in the net.  

Egypt topped the final standings with nine points and Uganda came next with four to also qualify automatically for the knockout phase. 

The Democratic Republic of Congo came third with three points after trouncing Zimbabwe 4-0 in another Cairo stadium.

Uganda were more impressive than Egypt for the first 30 minutes on a hot night at a packed 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium. 

Goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy did well to push a sizzling, long-range Allan Kyambadde drive over at the expense of a corner.

Abdu Lumala was a constant threat for the Cranes and had a shot and a header saved in quick succession with the Pharaohs defence not its normal assured self.

Salah then turned the tide toward the record seven-time African champions by lifting a free-kick over a defensive wall and past goalkeeper Denis Onyango into the corner of the net. 

It was the second goal of the tournament for the Egyptian idol and Elmohamady notched his second in first-half stoppage time.

– Massive blow –

A low cross eluded two Egyptians, including Salah, but fell to Elmohamady, who unleashed a low shot that took a slight deflection en route to the far corner of the net.

It was a massive blow for the Ugandans, who did not deserve to be two goals behind as they walked to the changerooms.

The pace of Salah gave him a chance to score his second goal soon after the break, but Onyango made a superb one-hand block to foil the 2018 African Footballer of the Year.

Uganda regained their composure to cause constant problems for the home team, but lacked a clinical finisher like Salah.

At the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, the Democratic Republic of Congo put a two-loss start to the tournament behind them with a 4-0 triumph over Zimbabwe.

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Madagascar coach cherishes ‘dream’ upset of Nigeria

Alexandria (Egypt) (AFP) – Madagascar coach Nicolas Dupuis hailed his team’s shock 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations victory over continental giants Nigeria that secured a place in the knockout rounds as a “dream” for the nation.

Goals from Lalaina Nomenjanahary and Charles Andriamatsinoro in Alexandria earned the Indian Ocean islanders a famous victory and saw Madagascar pip three-time winners Nigeria to top spot in Group B.

“I have to thank the players who made me proud and the people of Madagascar proud. It’s a real achievement for us,” said Frenchman Dupuis, who combines his role with a job at a lower-league club in his homeland.

“When I saw the group we were given we all put Nigeria as favourites. Nigeria are still a strong favourite for the tournament.”

Madagascar will face one of four best third-place finishers in the last 16 after becoming the first newcomers since Cape Verde in 2013 to survive the group stage.

“I find that the players are more and more concentrated,” said Dupuis. “But I have always played the same players and that’s going to be a major problem now. 

“We’re going to have 10 of them resting at training. The main problem is that Marco (Ilaimaharitra) received a second yellow card and won’t be able to play in the next match.”

He added: “I really wanted to make the Madagascar people dream and we did but it came at a bit of a cost with all the effort we put in.”

Nigeria counterpart Gernot Rohr said he believed Madagascar were capable of creating further surprises, remarkable for a team that needed to come through a preliminary round just to reach the qualifying competition.

“You (Madagascar) can go very far now. You beat us, you beat Burundi, a team that’s not easy to beat. Anything can happen in knockout games. I think you’re capable of doing this again.” 

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Rabiot arrives in Turin ahead of Juventus move

Milan (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot arrived in Turin on Sunday ahead of his move to Juventus, the Italian champions have confirmed.

“Adrien Rabiot has arrived in Turin ahead of a proposed move to Juventus,” the Serie A club posted on Twitter along with a video and photos of the French player arriving at the northern Italian city’s airport by private jet.

The 24-year-old is reported to have agreed a four-year deal worth seven million euros ($7.9 million) a year plus another 10 million euro ($11.3m) bonus on signing.

Rabiot has fallen out of favour with the French champions since December as he refused to renew his contract which expired on Sunday.

From Monday he will be free to choose the club he wants to play for, with reports he will undergo a medical with Juventus immediately.

Rabiot was also suspended by PSG last March after partying in a nightclub hours after PSG’s Champions League exit to Manchester United.

In Turin he will play alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in a Juventus side now coached by former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri.

Rabiot has played his entire senior career with PSG since 2012 apart from a brief loan spell with Toulouse, and has won five Ligue 1 titles and four French Cup trophies with the capital side.

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Madagascar shock Nigeria to extend Cup of Nations fairytale

Alexandria (Egypt) (AFP) – Africa Cup of Nations newcomers Madagascar pulled off a stunning upset of Nigeria on Sunday with a 2-0 win over the three-time former champions to clinch a place in the last 16.

Lalaina Nomenjanahary gave Madagascar a shock 12th-minute lead in Alexandria after pouncing on ponderous defending, jolting a side ranked 63 places above them in the world.

Charles Andriamatsinoro sealed the victory in front of CAF president and Madagascar native Ahmad Ahmad with a heavily deflected free-kick on 53 minutes for his second goal in three games in Egypt.

The Indian Ocean islanders had to come through a preliminary round just to reach the qualifying competition but will advance as winners of Group B ahead of Nigeria, with Guinea hoping to progress as one of four best third-place finishers following a 2-0 win over Burundi in Cairo.

Defeat for Nigeria likely sets up an eye-catching clash with either holders Cameroon or four-time winners Ghana in the next round, while Madagascar will take on a team that finishes third from either Group A, C or D.

Having already qualified after back-to-back 1-0 victories, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr made five changes to the side that overcame Guinea in their second game with Samuel Kalu handed his first start of the tournament following last week’s collapse in training due to severe hydration.

Yet after a comfortable start Nigeria gifted their opponents a goal completely against the run of play when a poor pass from John Ogu put Leon Balogun in trouble, with Nomenjanahary pinching the ball on the edge of the area and coolly dancing round Ikechukwu Ezenwa to slot home.

Kalu bent a shot wide of the far post in response for Nigeria, whose penalty appeals were ignored when Ahmed Musa tumbled to the ground after trying to skip past goalkeeper Melvin Adrien on the half-hour.

French coach Nicolas Dupuis, who combines the role with his job at a lower-league club in his homeland, has worked wonders with a Madagascar side that qualified for a first Cup of Nations by finishing above Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.

– Guinea face anxious wait –

They doubled their lead early in the second half here when Andriamatsinoro’s set-piece flicked off substitute Wilfred Ndidi and left Ezenwa stranded as the ball sailed into the net.

Ndidi belatedly registered Nigeria’s first shot on target just before the hour with a curling effort straight at Adrien, although Anicet Andrianantenaina nearly bagged a third as Ezenwa smothered on the line after an inviting Andriamatsinoro cross.

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France hoping for England World Cup victory against USA – Neville

Lyon (AFP) – Phil Neville said on Sunday that England will have backing from the unlikely source of France as they prepare for face the all-conquering United States in the women’s World Cup semi-finals.

England are gunning for their first ever final in the competition after making the last four for the third time in a row, and Neville says he expects the crowd at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon to get behind the Lionesses when they take on the team that dumped the French out in the quarter-finals on Friday.

“I think we are the French people’s second team now, the support from France has been incredible down in Nice and in Valenciennes, so I think we’ll have the crowd on our side tomorrow night,” Neville told reporters at a press conference ahead of the match.

“I think the whole of the French people have got behind our story, our football and I do believe that we are now the team that the French public wants us to win the World Cup.”

England come into Tuesday’s clash keen to lay to rest the ghost of 2015, when they were eliminated by Japan at the semi-final stage following a crushing 92nd minute own goal from Laura Bassett, and Neville says he has tried emulate the Americans’ winning mentality.

“No-one cares who loses in the semi-final… If we don’t get the right result we will be disappointed. We will see it as a failure, and that’s not me being negative but just our expectations,” he added.

“Elite sport is about winning, no-one cares about getting silver or bronze, it’s the gold medal that everybody wants. I’ve got to say that America has the ruthless streak of wanting to win.”

England captain Steph Houghton was playing alongside Bassett in central defence when that own goal crashed in off the bar in Edmonton, and she says that England come to the semis a stronger team than the one that suffered heartache four years ago.

“For those players who were involved in 2015 I think we never really expected to get to the semi-final mark and I thought back then that it was one of our best games of the tournament and we were unluckly not to win,” said the 31-year-old Manchester City player.

“Obviously when that goal goes in you’re devastated but … we’re in a better position now.”

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Disgraced footballer kickstarts fresh #MeToo debate in Egypt

Cairo (AFP) – After getting kicked off the national squad, Egyptian footballer Amr Warda, accused of rampant sexual harassment, has been reinstated for the African Cup of Nations amid a heated debate about women’s rights.

In a scandal that emerged online last week, social media became the vehicle for driving the vexing issue which has taken on more prominence in the #MeToo era.

The midfielder was sidelined by the Egyptian football federation last week but in a stunning reversal, that took less than 48 hours, he was on the pitch Saturday with a beaming smile and waving a peace victory sign.

Multiple women had posted screenshots and testimonies of Warda’s alleged lewd comments, as well as explicit videos attributed to the player.

A day after the initial ban last Wednesday, Warda apologised publicly to his family and teammates in a brief, 16-second Facebook video, but pointedly did not mention his victims.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, continues to be one of the worst offenders for sexual harassment. Reactions have ranged from the pious to the political, with many celebrities coming out to defend Warda and others pointing out his lurid history of sexual misconduct.

A 2013 United Nations survey noted that 99 percent of all women in Egypt have been sexually abused, either physically or verbally.

– ‘Socially devastating’ –

Several of the national team’s players, including star player Mohamed Salah, called on the EFA to reinstate Warda in the team’s lineup in the wake of the scandal. The association, riddled with many administrative issues, duly responded with a statement on Friday confirming that his return comes “amid a spirit of solidarity… to delight the fans on the field”.

Warda was “punished for his personal conduct in the first round of the competition,” EFA spokesman Osama Ismail explained to AFP.

He pointed the finger at social media for highlighting Warda’s previous indiscretions.

“Whose interests are being served that the video is making the rounds if the facts are old or the clip has been doctored?” he said.

In 2017, Portuguese club CD Feirense terminated Warda’s contract over claims that he sexually harassed the wives of two of his team-mates.

His tenure lasted only three days and he was transferred to Greek club PAOK. He now plays for another Greek club, Atromitos.

Tarek Talaat, a sport s journalist with local football site Yalla Kora, said the EFA’s decision had been weak.

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Brazil focusing on positives ahead of Argentina semi at traumatic venue

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazil center-back Thiago Silva says the hosts are concentrating on positive thoughts ahead of their Copa America semi-final against Argentina, at the scene of one of their most disastrous experiences on a football field.

The Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, where the two South American giants will face off on Tuesday for a place in the Copa America final, was where Brazil collapsed spectacularly in the World Cup semi-final against Germany in 2014.

They lost 7-1 in a match that went down in history as a defeat at least as, if not more, painful than their infamous Maracanazo — the 2-1 loss to Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium that denied Brazil a first World Cup success in 1950.

“No-one here has amnesia, nor will they forget what happened, but that’s life, we can’t get stuck in the bad things from the past. We have to think about good things,” said Silva.

Brazil have to a certain extent already overcome their Mineirao demons by beating Argentina 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier in that stadium in 2016, but this will be their first return to the theatre of horrors in a major competition.

“We played well in the last match against Argentina here, and most of all for the upcoming match we need to focus on that positive aspect.”

The stadium and painful memories are less significant than the task of playing against fierce rivals boasting the best player in the world in Lionel Messi, according to Silva.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender said Brazil are “more aware that we’re up against an Argentina that is on a par with us technically and tactically.”

While three of the four Copa quarter-finals finished goalless — and were decided on penalties — Silva insists the semi-final against Argentina will provide better attacking entertainment.

“You can expect dedication, force of will, responsibility but with joyful football, attacking players with sufficient qualities to ensure a great game,” he said.

“The fans will see a great spectacle.”

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Most-watched soccer games on US TV for June 17-23, 2019

The United States Women’s final group stage match at the Women’s World Cup averaged combined 4.145 million viewers resulting in an average audience of 4.428 million for US matches during the group stage. Overall, the Women’s World Cup group stage averaged 1.342 million viewers across FOX, FS1, Telemundo and Universo, with over 86% of viewers watching in English.

Telemundo’s coverage of the 2019 Copa América is averaging 969,429 viewers through the first 14 matches of the competition. Viewership reached its peak Wednesday night with 1.8 million people tuning in to watch Argentina and Paraguay play to a 1-1 draw.

Finally, Univision’s coverage of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup is not far behind, averaging 876,722 viewers through their first 18 broadcasts. Mexico’s match against Canada was the most watched match of the group stage so far drawing nearly 3 million viewers primarily on Univision. Mexico’s three group stage matches have averaged 2.624 million viewers across all networks.

Rank	Date	Competition	Teams	Network	Total
1	6/20	Women’s World Cup	Sweden / USWNT	FOX: 3741000 / Telemundo: 404000	4,145,000
2	6/19	Gold Cup	Mexico / Canada	FS1: 275000 / Univision: 2700000	2,975,000
3	6/23	Women’s World Cup	France / Brazil	FOX: 2839000	2,839,000
4	6/23	Gold Cup	Martinique / Mexico	FS1: 313000 / Univision: 2500000	2,813,000
5	6/22	Women’s World Cup	Norway / Australia	FOX: 1915000	1,915,000
6	6/19	Copa America	Argentina / Paraguay	Telemundo: 1800000	1,800,000
7	6/22	Gold Cup	USMNT / Trinidad and Tobago	FS1: 895000 / Univision: 811000	1,706,000
8	6/18	Gold Cup	USMNT / Guyana	FS1: 744000 / UniMás: 878000	1,622,000
9	6/18	Copa America	Brazil / Venezuela	Telemundo: 1400000	1,400,000
10	6/22	Women’s World Cup	Germany / Nigeria	FS1: 957000 / Telemundo: 409000	1,366,000
11	6/23	Women’s World Cup	England / Cameroon	FS1: 1264000	1,264,000
12	6/17	Women’s World Cup	Nigeria / France	FOX: 1132000 / Unvso: 69000	1,201,000
13	6/20	Women’s World Cup	Netherlands / Canada	FOX: 1032000 / Unvso: 35000	1,067,000
14	6/20	Copa America	Uruguay / Japan	Telemundo: 1000000	1,000,000
15	6/21	Gold Cup	Honduras / Curaçao	FS1: 153000 / UniMás: 826000	979,000
16	6/17	Gold Cup	Jamaica / Honduras	FS1: 207000 / UniMás: 736000	943,000
17	6/17	Women’s World Cup	South Africa / Germany	FOX: 878000	878,000
18	6/19	Copa America	Colombia / Qatar	Telemundo: 874000	874,000
19	6/18	Women’s World Cup	Italy / Brazil	FS1: 747000 / Unvso: 102000	849,000
20	6/17	Copa America	Japan / Chile	Telemundo: 847000	847,000
21	6/21	Copa America	Ecuador / Chile	Telemundo: 845000	845,000
22	6/18	Copa America	Bolivia / Peru	Telemundo: 788000	788,000
23	6/22	Copa America	Peru / Brazil	Telemundo: 767000	767,000
24	6/23	Gold Cup	Canada / Cuba	Univision: 757000	757,000
25	6/20	Gold Cup	Costa Rica / Bermuda	FS1: 136000 / UniMás: 578000	714,000
26	6/19	Women’s World Cup	Japan / England	FS1: 696000	696,000
27	6/21	Gold Cup	El Salvador / Jamaica	FS1: 146000 / UniMás: 518000	664,000
28	6/18	Gold Cup	Panama / Trinidad and Tobago	FS1: 211000 / UniMás: 382000	593,000
29	6/22	Gold Cup	Guyana / Panama	Univision: 480000	480,000
30	6/17	Women’s World Cup	China / Spain	FS1: 365000 / Unvso: 73000	438,000
31	6/17	Women’s World Cup	Korea Republic / Norway	FS1: 375000	375,000
32	6/17	Gold Cup	Curaçao / El Salvador	FS1: 138000 / UDN: 229000	367,000
33	6/19	Gold Cup	Cuba / Martinique	FS1: 103000 / UDN: 207000	310,000
34	6/20	Gold Cup	Nicaragua / Haiti	UniMás: 250000	250,000
35	6/19	Women’s World Cup	Scotland / Argentina	FS2: 129000 / Unvso: 78000	207,000
36	6/20	Women’s World Cup	Chile / Thailand	FS1: 155000 / Unvso: 45000	200,000
37	6/20	Women’s World Cup	Cameroon / New Zealand	FS1: 183000	183,000
38	6/22	Copa America	Bolivia / Venezuela	Unvso: 73000	73,000
39	6/21	U21 EURO	France U21 / Croatia U21	UDN: 58000	58,000

SEE MORE: Access our archives of US TV ratings for soccer.

HT ShowBuzz Daily

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Morgan happy to sacrifice Golden Boot for team glory ahead of England semi

Lyon (AFP) – Alex Morgan says she would be happy to forgo the Golden Boot for top scorer at the women’s World Cup if it meant the United States retained their title in France, as she prepares for Tuesday’s semi-final showdown with England.

Striker Morgan is the tournament’s joint leading scorer alongside in-form teammate Megan Rapinoe, England’s Ellen White and the already-eliminated Australia’s Sam Kerr with five goals, but has not found the net since hitting five in the Americans’ record 13-0 thrashing of Thailand.

“I’d like someone on our team to win the Golden Boot,” Morgan said at Sunday’s pre-match press conference.

“It would be a great accolade but that’s not my goal, my goal is to help this team win a World Cup, so as long as the goals continue to come then I’m happy. And that’s not goals continuing to come for me, but this team.”

Rapinoe has joined Morgan at the top of the charts after carrying the USA to the last-four meeting with Phil Neville’s side, scoring all four goals in their tense 2-1 wins over Spain and France in the previous rounds.

Morgan was substituted at half-time of the USA’s final group game with Sweden and has not looked on top form, although she played a key role in Rapinoe’s brace at the Parc des Princes on Friday.

She won the free-kick from which Rapinoe gave her side a fifth minute lead, and set Tobin Heath through to lay on the 33-year-old for her decisive second.

“Megan Rapinoe has put this team on her back from Spain to France and it’s going to take players like that and a couple of individuals to step up and help carry this team,” Morgan added.

USA coach Jill Ellis insisted that her team is not an arrogant one after her staff were seen checking out England’s team hotel in Lyon to use for the final should they win on Tuesday.

Reminded of defender Ali Krieger saying the USA had such a deep squad they had the best and second best team in the world, she said: “I don’t think it’s in any way an arrogant team.

“They know they have to earn everything,” she added. “(They know) that we’ve got tough opponents as we did the other night and we have to earn every right to win this tournament.”

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Bullish Cisse confident Senegal will come good

Cairo (AFP) – Coach Aliou Cisse believes Senegal will back up their status as the continent’s top-ranked side after a stuttering start to their bid for a first Africa Cup of Nations title.

Senegal began their campaign in Egypt with an easy 2-0 win over Tanzania but were far from their best in a 1-0 loss to Group C rivals Algeria.

A draw against Kenya in their final match in Cairo would send the Teranga Lions through to the last 16 where they would face the runners-up from Egypt’s group, in which all four teams are in still contention.

“I’m not the type to call everything into question in four days, I’m someone who is very balanced. There are things which haven’t worked but that’s no reason to start a revolution in the space of four days,” Cisse told reporters Sunday.

“We’ve been number one in Africa for three years and we went to the 2018 World Cup. It’s our first defeat in four years on the continental stage. I don’t think a team that lacked mental strength would have achieved such a run.”

Cisse, the captain of the side that lost the 2002 final to Cameroon on penalties, snapped back at comments from Kenya coach Sebastien Migne suggesting Senegal had a tradition of buckling under pressure when the stakes are high.  

“I think my counterparts have a tendency to speak about us. Take care of themselves, take care of their own teams. What does he know about the Senegalese mentality? What does he know about our people? How can he say we don’t have the mental strength?” Cisse countered.

He also slammed the performance of Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe in the wake of the Algeria defeat, in which Sadio Mane had a strong penalty appeal dismissed.

“I don’t want to come back to the refereeing which I found, today I will say it, really catastrophic and unacceptable,” said Cisse. “There are things I don’t want to say about the refereeing because I would be suspended, but there comes a point when you have to protect the integrity of our players.”

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Swiss women’s football team player missing after swimming accident

Geneva (AFP) – A player on Switzerland’s national women’s football team, Florijana Ismaili, has been declared missing after a swimming accident on Lake Como in northern Italy, her professional club announced Sunday.

The BSC Young Boys club said in a statement that they had “been informed that our player Florijana Ismaili has been missing since Saturday afternoon on Lake Como after a swimming accident”.

“Searches by the police continue,” the statement said, adding that “we are very concerned and have not given up the hope that everything will turn out well”.

The club said it was “in close contact with family members”.

Ismaili, who is captain of the Young Boys team, has been on Switzerland’s national team since 2014.

According to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Ismaili had decided to spend a relaxing day at the lake with a teammate, and they had rented an inflatable boat near Musso.

“She jumped in to the water, but never surfaced again,” the paper said.

The alarm was reportedly sounded at 4:30 pm (1430 GMT), and divers began searching the area, with no results.

The search was suspended overnight, but reportedly resumed Sunday morning.

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Mexico advances to Gold Cup semis, Haiti shock Canada

Los Angeles (AFP) – Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa saved a sudden death penalty as Mexico edged Costa Rica 5-4 on penalties to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals in Houston, Texas on Saturday.

Ochoa stopped Costa Rica’s Keysher Fuller after the teams played to a 1-1 draw following extra time in front of 70,788 fans at NRG Stadium.

Mexico will now face Haiti in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Glendale, Arizona.

Costa Rica goalkeeper Leonel Moreira saved Raul Jimenez’s first penalty in the shoot-out, but Randall Leal smashed Costa Rica’s third penalty wide, setting the stage for Ochoa to send Mexico through by stopping Fuller.

Jimenez handed Mexico the lead in the 44th minute, with Bryan Ruiz levelling from the spot for Costa Rica eight minutes later after Joel Campbell was judged to have been brought down by Luis Rodriguez inside the area.

Television replays later showed that the foul was outside the box.

Mexico manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino will be suspended from the touchlines for the semis against Haiti after he was slapped with his second yellow card of the tournament.

In the other fixture, Haiti — one of the biggest surprises of the tournament after winning all its games in the group stage — scored three second-half goals to stun former champions Canada 3-2 and advance to the last four for the first time.

Duckens Nazon got the comeback started by scoring in the 50th minute and Herve Bazile brought the sides level from the penalty spot in the 70th, with both goals coming courtesy of some sloppy defensive play by Canadian defender Marcus Godinho.

And six minutes later Wilde-Donald Guerrier sealed victory for Haiti with a spectacular individual effort, sneaking past the Canadian defence then bouncing the ball twice in the air before tapping it past goalkeeper Milan Borjan.

Jonathan David and Lucas Cavallini scored for Canada, who were guilty of complacency once they had built up their lead. 

It was a gut-wrenching loss for the Canadians who won this tournament in 2000 but haven’t made it to the semis since 2007.

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Argentina waiting for Messi magic to make an appearance

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – For the last dozen years, Argentina has been waiting for global superstar Lionel Messi to lead their football team to a major international trophy.

But when the the country needed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner most, Messi failed to emulate the feats of Diego Maradona in 1986 — when for some he almost single-handedly won the World Cup.

Four times Messi has lined up with Argentina in a major final — the 2014 World Cup and Copa America in 2007, 2015 and 2016 — but every time they have lost.

He has often come under criticism for failing to reproduce his Barcelona form when wearing the sky blue and white jersey of the national team.

Now, ahead of a mouth-watering Copa semi-final against hosts Brazil in Belo Horizonte, Argentines are simply waiting for Messi to turn up.

“This is the match for Messi to appear,” screamed Ole newspaper’s online edition after Argentina beat Venezuela 2-0 to secure the Brazil semi-final.

Ironically, at this tournament, while Argentina’s performances have been improving steadily, Messi has, if anything, become less influential.

Argentina were all at sea in their opening 2-0 defeat to Colombia and needed a Messi penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw with Paraguay.

But in the 2-0 win over Qatar that qualified Argentina for the knock-out rounds, and the quarter-final victory over Venezuela by the same score, Messi became an increasingly peripheral figure.

– ‘Not at my best’ –

He admitted as much after the Venezuela match, saying: “I’m not at my best level, I’m not playing how I hoped I would. I’m not having my best Copa America.”

Brazil center-back Thiago Silva is not so convinced, though.

“For me, Messi is the best player in history, the best I’ve ever seen play. It’s a privilege to play against him,” said a player who hails from the country that produced Pele, Garincha, Socrates, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

Messi turned 32 during the tournament and while he doesn’t appear close to retirement, it cannot be too many years away.

His game has changed over the years and he no longer produces the same kind of, or quantity of, darting runs at the heart of opposition defences. 

He plays deeper than he used to, passes more and is more selective with his runs.

He also rests more than he used to and took an eight-month break from the national team following the World Cup in Russia, only returning in March in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Venezuela.

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Haiti rallies to oust Canada and reach first Gold Cup semi

Los Angeles (AFP) – Haiti advanced to their first CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, coming from behind with three second-half goals to stun former champions Canada 3-2 on Saturday.  

Wilde-Donald Guerrier scored the game winner with a spectacular individual effort in the 76th minute for Haiti, who were already one of the biggest surprises of the 2019 Gold Cup after going 3-0 in the group stage.

Haiti has fluctuated between being cannon fodder and a thorn in the side for opponents over the years, but on Saturday they played the role of spoiler by upsetting a defensively-challenged Canadian side in Houston, Texas.

Guerrier capped the comeback by sneaking behind the Canadian defence then bouncing the ball twice in the air to get in perfect position to one-tap it past goalkeeper Milan Borjan.

Duckens Nazon got the comeback started by scoring in the 50th minute and Herve Bazile, off a penalty kick, tied it in the 70th minute. Both times Haiti took advantage of some sloppy defensive play by Canadian defender Marcus Godinho. 

Jonathan David, in the 18th minute, and Lucas Cavallini, in the 28th, scored goals for Canada, who were guilty of getting too complacent once they compiled a two-goal lead. 

It was a gut-wrenching loss for the Canadians who won this tournament in 2000 but haven’t made it to the semis since 2007.

Haiti next faces the winner of a later contest between Mexico and Costa Rica.

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Renard expects ‘tough game’ against struggling South Africa

Cairo (AFP) – Morocco coach Herve Renard is anticipating a “tough game” against South Africa Monday at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt despite the contrasting fortunes of the teams.

While Morocco were deserved 1-0 winners over the Ivory Coast in Group D — considered the hardest of the six — South Africa were lucky to lose only 1-0 to the west Africans.

“South Africa have a lot of very good players,” said Renard, the only coach to win the African title with two countries. “They also have a good coach in Stuart Baxter so it will be a tough game.”

Here, AFP Sport previews the final Group C and Group D matches in Cairo with Morocco and Algeria already assured of last-16 places.

Morocco v South Africa

Although Morocco won by only one-goal margins against Namibia and the Ivory Coast, they have exhibited class and appear to be keeping plenty in reserve for the knockout phase.

The goal that sunk the Ivorians demonstrated why the Atlas Lions are considered one of the biggest threats to hosts and bookmakers’ favourites Egypt.

Nordin Amrabat displayed dribbling skills rarely seen in this tournament and his clever pass freed scorer Youssef En-Nesyri, who had timed his dart forward perfectly.

South Africa have been poor both when losing to the Ivory Coast and scraping a win over Namibia with Baxter lamenting the “slowness of transitions from defence to attack”.

Ivory Coast v Namibia

After outplaying South Africa, the Ivorians came off second best against Morocco, but should recover to defeat spirited but limited Namibia and secure a last-16 place.

It will concern coach Ibrahim Kamara, though, that with so many talented forwards like Nicolas Pepe at his disposal the Elephants have managed just one goal in 180 minutes.

Against South Africa, Kamara could afford the luxury of keeping Crystal Palace flier Wilfried Zaha on the bench until late in the second half.

Namibia are craving a first Cup of Nations win after eight failed attempts, including a 4-3 loss to the Ivory Coast in Burkina Faso 21 years ago.

Algeria v Tanzania

Happy Algeria face depressed Tanzania in a Group C match the north Africans will expect to win and maintain a perfect record at the tournament.

Coach Djamel Belmadi has been hailed after victories over Kenya and Senegal, whose line-up included Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.

“Our preparations included time in Qatar getting used to intense heat,” said veteran midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, referring to temperatures that have reached 38 celsius (100 fahrenheit) in Egypt.

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Gareca praises Peru ‘character’ in Uruguay win

Salvador (Brazil) (AFP) – Peru coach Ricardo Gareca praised his team’s character on Saturday after they beat highly-fancied Uruguay on penalties to reach the Copa America semi-finals.

Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made the crucial spot-kick save to deny Luis Suarez before Edison Flores netted the decisive penalty following a 0-0 draw in which Uruguay had three goals ruled out for offside.

Peru will now face Chile in the semi-finals in Porto Alegre on Wednesday.

“It was a tightly fought match against really tough opponents,” said Gareca.

“I stress that we showed a lot of character to take them on.

“It was important to work hard, we did that and I think we’ll play better against Chile.”

Gareca reserved special praise for Gallese, who had come under fire for a woeful performance in the 5-0 defeat to Brazil in Peru’s previous match.

“Gallese made a difference,” he said. “Gallese is a goalkeeper who has given us much satisfaction and he’s always been there in the important moments.”

On that Brazil defeat Gareca added: “We all had an afternoon that wasn’t ideal, without losing sight of who we were up against.

“Today, Gallese demonstrated how good he is and why he’s first choice in our team.”

Captain Paolo Guerrero said Peru would simply enjoy the ride following an unexpected run to the last four.

“We look at it on a game-by-game basis, not on what we hope to achieve.

“Now we’ll play a classic match with Chile. It will be a hard matchup, but we are in a good position to come up with the win.”

– ‘Inexplicable result’ –

Uruguay’s veteran coach Oscar Tabarez was making no excuses for the defeat.

“You can’t explain the result, it was due to many things,” said the 72-year-old.

“We were wasteful in the 90 minutes, you could see that throughout the match and Peru were better in the penalties.

“We have to accept defeat and know how to lose.”

But he said Uruguay had been “totally superior” but had “taken the wrong options in attack,” allowing a Peru that “didn’t have a single shot on our goal in the entire match” to hold on for penalties.

“Let’s be sure, no-one remains unbeaten in football, that would be boring, and likewise there are no teams that always lose because they’re not good enough. That’s football,” said the man who’s overseen 196 matches during a 13-year stint as Uruguay coach.

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USA vs. Curacao preview: USMNT dreaming of a semifinal against Panama or Jamaica

It wasn’t always pretty, but the USMNT got the job done on Wednesday against Panama to secure the top spot in Group D. Games against Panama at the Gold Cup tend to be ugly rock fights and this last game was no different as the US got out with a 1-0 and advances to the quarterfinals in Philadelphia on Sunday. Their opponent is a team that has made waves at this tournament after making their debut in it two years ago. That team is Curacao.

As far as USA/Panama games at the Gold Cup go, Wednesday night’s game was pretty much par for the course. A very physical game with a number of horror tackles by the Panamanians that went totally unpunished by the referee, with a goal that seemed to come out of nothing. Joy Altidore got back onto the scoresheet for the US for the first time since 2017 (funnily enough that game was also against Panama). Perhaps most surprising about Altidore getting the goal, was not the fact that it was a bicycle kick (which was epic) but the fact that it was a goal that mattered in a game that mattered (ie a goal in a game that wasn’t a friendly and one where the score wasn’t already lopsided). Gregg Berhalter opted to change the starting XI entirely (as well as giving the captain’s armband to the third different player through the three group stage games), and despite getting the only goal of the game there is some doubt about whether Altidore will be able to unseat Gyasi Zardes as the new manager’s favorite up top. Nobody else really made much of an impression on the game, outside of Matt Miazga distributing the ball brilliantly on a few occasions. Sean Johnson had little to do in goal and there’s no reason to think that Zack Steffen won’t be back in there for the quarter-final game against Curacao.

This may be Curacao’s second Gold Cup appearance ever, but they have given a good account of themselves and surprised a number of people. Two years ago they were in a group with Mexico, Jamaica, and El Salvador. They finished bottom of the group and lost all three games by a score of 2-0. This time around however it’s been a very different story. They qualified for this edition of the Gold Cup based on very good form in the CONCACAF Nations League (finishing 4th behind Haiti, Canada, and Martinique). They were drawn into Group C with Jamaica, El Salvador, and Honduras. One thing they will have to overcome is the enormous distance they have had to travel so far. They played their first game in Kingston, Jamaica where they fell 1-0 to El Salvador. Then they travelled all the way to Houston to get a 1-0 win over Honduras and then on to LA where they battled to a 1-1 draw with Jamaica (getting the equalizer in the 93rd minute). They finished as runners-up in the group with 4 points (ahead of El Salavador on the goal difference tie-breaker). Their roster features just one player who plays professionally in the US: Michael Maria of the Charlotte Independence in the USL. It does however, feature many more players featuring for European clubs than the US. Of the 23 players on the roster, 17 of them are based and European clubs and of those 17, 10 of them play in the Netherlands (which makes sense given that Curacao was once a Dutch colony). Players to keep an eye on are the goalkpper Eloy Room of PSV Eindhoven, Leonardo Bacuna of Cardiff City in the midfield (who leads all players with 11 goals in his 25 caps) and up front Gevaro Nepomuceno of Oldham Athletic in England has 8 goals in 39 appearances.

When and where to find the game on US TV and streaming

Sunday, June 30, 2019
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, PA
8pm ET
Live on FS1, Univision, Univision Deportes Network, Sling Blue, PlayStation Vue, Hulu Live and fuboTV (free trial)

All-Time Series

First Meeting

Current FIFA Ranking

USA: 30
Curacao: 79

Next Game

TBD

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Sweden end German hoodoo to set up World Cup semi-final clash with Netherlands

Paris (AFP) – Stina Blackstenius scored the winner as Sweden came from behind to stun old rivals Germany on Saturday and set up a women’s World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands, who reached the last four for the first time.

Sweden had not beaten Germany at a major women’s tournament since the 1995 World Cup, failing to win any of their subsequent meetings at World Cups, European Championships and Olympics in almost quarter of a century.

That run included defeats in the 2003 World Cup final and the gold medal match at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but they gained revenge in Rennes, coming from behind to win their quarter-final 2-1.

Lina Magull had given Germany a 16th-minute lead with a fine finish from a Sara Daebritz assist, but the excellent Sofia Jakobsson equalised soon after on a hot evening in Brittany.

The winner arrived three minutes after half-time, with Blackstenius prodding home the rebound after Almuth Schult had saved a Fridolina Rolfo header.

Despite bringing on star player Dszenifer Marozsan, who had missed the previous three games with a broken toe, Germany remained blunt as the clock ticked down.

Blackstenius had scored Sweden’s winner against Canada in the last round and also netted against the Germans in that Olympic final defeat in 2016.

“We have talked about the possibilities here for us to go far and win every game,” said a bullish Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson.

“There’s not a single mitochondria in us that’s content. We’re going to go for it.”

The Germans will now be deprived of the chance to defend their Olympic title, with defeat here meaning they fail to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Sweden will join the Netherlands and Great Britain — who have qualified thanks to England’s World Cup run — at the Games instead.

“We are now qualified for the Olympics. That is one thing that has been hanging over our heads for a while,” said Gerhardsson.

Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg told ARD: “The defeat hurts, but we are in a process. We will grow from this experience.”

Sweden go on to a semi-final encounter with the Dutch in Lyon on Wednesday, and they will have a score to settle there too, having lost to the Netherlands at Euro 2017.

The ‘Oranje’ went on to win that tournament and have coped well in France with their status as reigning European champions.

– ‘Dream come true’ –

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‘Bitter’ World Cup exit for Germany as Blackstenius fires Sweden into semis

Rennes (France) (AFP) – Germany were left “bitterly disappointed” after Stina Blackstenius’s winner knocked them out of the World Cup and sent Sweden into the last four of the women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory in Rennes on Saturday.

The Swedes had last claimed a tournament win over Germany at the 1995 World Cup but here they came from behind to triumph in an enthralling game played in ferocious heat. 

Lina Magull gave Germany the lead, but the Swedes ran the German back line ragged for much of the match. Sofia Jakobsson got their equaliser before the front three of Fridolina Rolfo, Jakobsson and Blackstenius combined for the winning goal just after half-time. 

“We are bitterly disappointed. We started well, but we just couldn’t deal with their long balls,” Germany goalkeeper Almuth Schult told ARD.

Once the dominant force in European women’s football, two-time world champions Germany have now failed to reach the semi-finals in two of their last three World Cups. 

Defeat also robs them of the chance to defend their gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. 

Germany won the title at the Rio Olympics three years ago, beating Sweden in the final, but still needed to finish among the top three European teams at this World Cup to book their ticket to Tokyo. Sweden will join the Netherlands and Great Britain at the Games instead.

“The defeat hurts, but we are in a process. We will grow from this experience,” coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg told ARD, and suggested that the setback may spark a generational shift in the national team. 

“I know that some players are considering (ending their international careers). We have young players coming up, and we will use the next two years before the European Championships,” said Voss-Tecklenburg.

The Germans looked the sharper side in the opening exchanges, and they took the lead on 15 minutes through Magull.

A darting run and a neat through ball from Sara Daebritz unleashed Magull in the box, and she swept in from point-blank range after a deft first touch.   

Sweden took just seven minutes to respond, though, Jakobsson leaving the German centre-backs in the dust as she chased down a long ball and slotted it past goalkeeper Almuth Schult.

The German goalkeeper kept her side in the game with several more saves in the first half, but could do nothing to stop Sweden’s winner just after the break. 

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Benin wait goes on after Guinea-Bissau stalemate

Ismailia (Egypt) (AFP) – Benin’s long wait for a first win at the Africa Cup of Nations was extended Saturday by Guinea-Bissau following an attritional goalless draw in Ismailia, the tournament’s third in a row.

After a creditable 2-2 draw with Ghana in their first game in Egypt, Benin have now gone 11 matches without a victory in the competition dating back to their debut in 2004.

Only Mozambique, with 12, have played more games in the competition without recording a win.

Guinea-Bissau, who appeared for the first time in this competition in 2017, picked up their first point in Group F as both sides remained in contention for a place in the last 16. Holders Cameroon top the section on four points, with Benin and four-time champions Ghana level on two.

Angola and Mauritania started the day with a 0-0 draw in Suez after the previous 21 matches produced 43 goals. Cameroon and Ghana then played out a goalless stalemate in the first game of the doubleheader in the northern city of Ismailia.

Sori Mane rifled wide from distance in a rare opportunity for a Guinea-Bissau side ranked 118th in the world, 30 places behind their opponents.

Former Sunderland and West Brom midfielder Stephane Sessegnon returned to the Benin line-up after suspension but it was Huddersfield forward Steve Mounie who had his team’s best chances, drawing a sharp save from Jonas Mendes and then heading over unmarked from a Sessegnon free-kick. 

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Gallese denies Suarez as Peru beat Uruguay on penalties to reach Copa semis

Salvador (Brazil) (AFP) – Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese saved Luis Suarez’s spot-kick as Peru beat Uruguay on penalties on Saturday to reach the Copa America semi-finals, where they will play Chile.

Edison Flores scored the decisive penalty as Peru, who were thrashed 5-0 by Brazil in their previous match, qualified for the semi-finals for the third time in the last four editions of the Copa.

And it was a remarkable turnaround for Gallese, who was the villain of that thumping by the hosts, gifting Brazil their second goal by clearing the ball straight to Roberto Firmino, while he was also partially at fault for the first and third scores.

But in Salvador he guessed the right way for the first shoot-out penalty to deny Barcelona forward Suarez, after which Peru’s own penalty-takers were faultless.

It was the third Copa quarter-final to finish goalless and head to penalties after Uruguay had three goals ruled out for offside during normal time.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Edinson Cavani and Suarez had all put the ball in the net, only to be denied by a linesman’s flag.

Brazil beat Paraguay on spot-kicks on Thursday and champions Chile did likewise to knock-out Colombia on Friday.

In the only match to feature any goals, Argentina defeated Venezuela 2-0 on Friday.

Peru will face Chile in the second semi-final in Porto Alegre on Wednesday, a day after hosts Brazil take on Argentina in Belo Horizonte.

Copa winners in 1939 and 1975, Peru lost to Chile in the semi-finals four years ago.

– Incredible miss –

After a slow opening, Uruguay burst into life on 15 minutes when Federico Valverde surged onto a loose Peru pass in their own half and picked out an unmarked Luis Suarez on the penalty spot, but the Barcelona forward couldn’t keep down his header.

Two minutes later Nahitan Nandez broke into the box from the flank but his shot was blocked by a sliding defender.

In pouring rain, Uruguay should have taken the lead on 24 minutes with a rapier counter-attack.

Suarez bundled past two defenders on the left of the box and while Gallese saved his shot, he succeeded only in pushing it out to Cavani on the edge off the six-yard box.

Incredibly the Paris Saint-Germain marksman ballooned his shot over the bar although it wouldn’t have counted as Suarez was retroactively deemed offside when he received the ball.

Moments later Nandez headed over from six yards.

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US forward Timothy Weah leaves PSG for Lille

Paris (AFP) – US international forward Timothy Weah has left Paris Saint-Germain to join their Ligue 1 rivals Lille, the clubs said Saturday.

Weah, the 19-year-old son of former African footballer of the year and current Liberian President George Weah, has signed a five-year contract with the northern French club.

The deal is reportedly worth around 10 million euros ($11.4 million).

Having struggled to break into PSG’s star-studded first team, Weah spent last season on loan to Celtic, where he won the Scottish title.

His sale to Lille is widely seen as part of Qatar-owned PSG’s attempts to conform with UEFA’s Financial Fairplay regulations designed to prevent clubs from overspending.

PSG have already sold 19-year-old Moussa Diaby to German club Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

Lille finished runners-up to PSG last season.

New York-born Weah, who joined PSG from New York Red Bulls in 2014, has made eight appearances for the US national team, scoring once.

His father made 138 appearances for PSG from 1992 to 1995.

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Frightening form: German goal king Waldschmidt targets record in Euro U21 final

Udine (Italy) (AFP) – Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos insisted Spain were not afraid of German goal-scoring machine Luca Waldschmidt ahead of Sunday’s final showdown in the European under-21 championships in Udine.

Waldschmidt has scored seven goals — half of Germany’s total — and one more in the Stadio Friuli would see him overtake Swede Marcus Berg’s 2009 record for the most scored at the continental championships.

“We know he’s a very good player. His stats could be frightening, but we have to focus on ourselves,” said Ceballos. 

“We have studied individual players, but this is a team effort. And I’m sure they have done the same with us.”

Walschmidt has emerged as one of the stars of the tournament which also doubled as a qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.

It is estimated that the 23-year-old’s value has tripled from the five million euros ($5.7 million) that Freiburg paid Hamburg for his signature. He scored nine goals in his first Bundesliga season.

“What matters more is the title,” insisted the Vespa-loving vegan whose full name is actually the Italian ‘Gian Luca’.

Waldschmidt has flourished in Italy, scoring a hat-trick against Serbia in the group stage and two more against Romania in the semi-finals.

“Luca is riding a wave right now,” said Germany coach Stefan Kuntz. 

“I’m happy that he’s having this spell with us right now, but if he’s doing well, it’s also thanks to his team-mates.

“It’s the group that’s important, even those who didn’t play a minute are also important for the team spirit.”

– Final step –

Waldschmidt conceded he was feeling more at ease ahead of the match, a repeat of the title showdown two years ago which the Germans won 1-0 to claim their second title.

“When you come from behind in a semi-final against such a good side (as Romania) it gives you confidence,” he said.

Ceballos was among the stand-out players in Spain’s run to the final, as he was in Poland two years ago.

The 22-year-old has scored two goals and provided two assists so far and was instrumental as Spain swept past France 4-1 in the semi-finals.

Spain, bidding to match Italy’s record of five European titles, last lifted the trophy in 2013.

The Spanish have the edge in previous meetings with four wins to two for the Germans and a draw in their past seven games.

“We’ve gained in confidence after the (3-1 opening match) defeat to Italy, and we’ll show tomorrow how we can play,” said Spanish defender Jesús Vallejo.

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Sweden eye World Cup glory after ending Germany curse to reach last four

Rennes (France) (AFP) – Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said his team were not content with a place in the last four after they beat Germany 2-1 in the women’s World Cup quarter-finals in Rennes on Saturday, ending a 24-year winless streak against their rivals at major tournaments.

“We’ve talked about the possibilities here to go far and win every game,” said Gerhardsson.

“There’s not a single mitochondria in us that’s content. We’re going to go for it.”

The Swedes had last claimed a tournament win over Germany at the 1995 World Cup but here they came from behind to triumph in an enthralling game played in ferocious heat.

Lina Magull gave Germany the lead, but the Swedes ran the German back line ragged for much of the match. Sofia Jakobsson got their equaliser before the front three of Fridolina Rolfo, Jakobsson and Blackstenius combined for the winning goal just after half-time. 

“We looked at Germany and we knew there would be a bit more space behind their back line to exploit,” said Gerhardsson.

Once the dominant force in European women’s football, two-time world champions Germany have now failed to reach the semi-finals in two of their last three World Cups. 

Defeat also robs them of the chance to defend their gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. 

Germany won the title at the Rio Olympics three years ago, beating Sweden in the final, but still needed to finish among the top three European teams at this World Cup to book their ticket to Tokyo. Sweden will join the Netherlands and Great Britain at the Games instead.

“The defeat hurts, but we are in a process. We will grow from this experience,” coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg told ARD, and suggested that the setback may spark a generational shift in the national team. 

“I know that some players are considering (ending their international careers). We have young players coming up, and we will use the next two years before the European Championship,” said Voss-Tecklenburg.

The Germans looked the sharper side in the opening exchanges, and they took the lead on 15 minutes through Magull.

A darting run and a neat through ball from Sara Daebritz unleashed Magull in the box, and she swept in from point-blank range after a deft first touch.   

Sweden took just six minutes to respond, though, Jakobsson leaving the German centre-backs in the dust as she chased down a long ball and slotted it past goalkeeper Almuth Schult.

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