The new tactical shape Rohr has been trialling might be key to progress in Russia, but it requires dropping one of the side’s star turns
Could formation shift save the Super Eagles?
Written by
This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/news/could-formation-shift-save-the-super-eagles/k90slmd8d3k11y0q54gms2zz4 under the title “Could formation shift save the Super Eagles?”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
VIDEO: It’s a dream come true – Javier Hernandez set for World Cup record with Mexico
The West Ham striker is already El Tri’s all-time top scorer and in Russia will set his sights on yet another historical milestone
VIDEO: It’s a dream come true – Javier Hernandez set for World Cup record with Mexico
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article. Sane’s Germany snub makes no sense, says Ballack
Manchester City’s Leroy Sane in action with West Ham United’s Declan Rice and Angelo Ogbonna during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United, at London Stadium, in London, Britain, on April 29, 2018. Photo: Reuters
BERLIN: Germany manager Joachim Loew’s decision to pick Julian Brandt over Leroy Sane in the nation’s 23-man squad for the World Cup makes no sense, former captain Michael Ballack has said.
Sane had his best season for Manchester City last campaign, scoring 10 goals to help the club seal the Premier League title and earning a PFA Young Player of the Year award in the process.
However, Loew said a “tight decision” had to be made between him and Bayer Leverkusen winger Brandt for Germany’s World Cup contingent.
“I can’t explain that. For me there is no photo finish. I can’t see it,” Ballack told British media.
“There’s 23 players in the squad, to say you only see him in the position Julian Brandt is playing – you have to have a fantasy to believe that.
“Brandt is a good, talented player… But he didn’t play on the level that Leroy Sane played. Sane was at a bigger club, with bigger expectations, with better players. Nothing against Julian Brandt, but I can’t explain why Loew compared the two.”
Holders Germany kick-off their World Cup campaign against Mexico in Group F on June 17. Sweden and South Korea are the other teams in the group.
READ ALSO:
Egypt, Nigeria continue to splutter in World Cup warm-ups
Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne in action with Egypt’s Tarek Hamed. Photo: Reuters
CAPE TOWN: Egypt and Nigeria continued their recent poor form in World Cup warm-up games on Wednesday ahead of their bids to become the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the global showpiece event.
Belgium eased past Egypt 3-0 in Brussels to extend the north African side’s winless streak since qualifying for the tournament in Russia starting next week.
Eden Hazard provided the sparkle as Belgium dominated. The Chelsea forward set up Romelu Lukalu for the first goal and netted the second himself before halftime.
Marouane Fellaini added a third in stoppage-time to complete a strong performance by the hosts, who underlined their status as one of the favourites in Russia.
Egypt were missing injured forward Mohamed Salah but their coach Hector Cuper said his talisman might be fit for the opening Group A game against Uruguay on June 15.
Nigeria turned in a disappointing performance in their final tune-up, losing 1-0 to the Czech Republic who failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Tomas Kalas gave the Czechs a deserved lead in the 25th minute in Schwechat, near the Austrian capital of Vienna, after he fired home a rebound following a corner to beat sprawling Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
Nigeria, who have lost three of their last four games and drawn the other, kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 16, but they looked disinterested during the opening half as the Czechs dominated.
The Nigerians stepped up the pace in the second half – briefly interrupted by a rain delay – and created a few chances but could not find the net against a Czech side who conceded four goals against Australia last week.
Also playing on Wednesday were Panama, whose preparations ended on a low note as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat by Norway after an early goal by Joshua King.
PHYSICAL POWER
Worryingly for the Panamanians, who face Belgium, England and Tunisia in Group G in their first World Cup finals appearance, they struggled to deal with Norway’s physical power, but they did create decent chances in the second half.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel demanded that FIFA investigate what it said were threats against Argentina players that forced them to cancel a match in Jerusalem, including Palestinian calls to burn replica shirts of Lionel Messi if he played.
But Palestinian football officials praised World Cup-bound Argentina and their captain Messi for calling off the friendly, which Israel had moved to Jerusalem from the coastal city of Haifa.
“The Israelis tried to use Messi and those stars from Argentina, and I would like to thank them and appreciate their decision,” Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub told a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israeli Sports Minister Miri Regev, who pushed for the game to be moved from Haifa to Jerusalem, dismissed accusations that her demand had caused its cancellation and said Messi, his team mates and his family had been threatened by “terror elements”.
French Open quarter-finals: Nadal beats Schwartzman and Cilic v Del Potro – live updates!
- Quarter-finals resume before women’s semi-finals
- Muguruza savours Halep duel after routing Sharapova
- And feel free to email Katy or tweet: @KatyMurrells
So that was a match of two Rafas. After a subdued performance before yesterday’s rain, he was transformed into the player who has won 10 titles at Roland Garros. He can thank the rain gods. There again he is the God in this realm. He probably made it rain yesterday.
Nadal’s more likely opponent is Del Potro, who’s taken a two sets to one lead over Cilic on Lenglen. Relatively straightforward the third set was too, after the way the first and second sets went. They’ve been going at each other for three hours now.
Continue reading…Brad Shields on the bench for England Test match against South Africa
• Uncapped Kiwi fast-tracked after handful of training sessions
• Mike Brown named on wing as Jones makes surprise calls
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jun/07/brad-shields-bench-england-rugby-union-squad-test-match-south-africa under the title “Brad Shields on the bench for England Test match against South Africa”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article. • Mike Brown named on wing as Jones makes surprise calls
England have fast-tracked the New Zealand-reared Brad Shields straight into their matchday squad for the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday. The 27-year-old Hurricanes captain, who is qualified though his English parents, has been named on the bench after only a handful of training sessions with his new team-mates.
Only last Friday the uncapped Shields was playing Super Rugby against the Highlanders in Dunedin and, having grown up in Wellington, has yet to play rugby in England. Normally a back-row forward, he has been invited to provide second-row cover after Joe Launchbury, as expected, failed to recover in time from a calf problem.
Continue reading…Premier League big six win battle for larger share of overseas TV rights
• Some money paid according to league position from 2019-20
• Compromise voted in at Premier League meeting on Thursday
Written by David Conn
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/07/premier-league-big-six-win-battle-overseas-television-rights under the title “Premier League big six win battle for larger share of overseas TV rights”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article. • Compromise voted in at Premier League meeting on Thursday
The so-called “big six” Premier League clubs have won their persistent battle to be paid a greater share of the league’s burgeoning international TV rights, which have for 26 years been shared equally between all the league’s clubs.
Led by Manchester City and Liverpool, supported by Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, the six clubs have pressed the case that as they are the prime attractions for global audiences and money paid by international broadcasters, they should receive more of the money.
Continue reading…Paulo Futre picks his all-time Portugal XI
The former Portugal legend selects an incredibly strong side with a decent front pairing of Eusébio and Ronaldo
I’m going to stick with the team of the century chosen by the Portuguese people in 2015 in a poll created by the national football association.
I played with Manuel Bento and Vítor Damas in the national team, and now we have Rui Patrício, a European champion, but my keeper is Vítor Baía. I saw him when he first started to train with Porto’s squad, and I later played with him in the national team. He was good at every aspect: one to one, high balls or playing the game with his feet. He conveyed enormous serenity.
Continue reading…F1 rules give Daniel Ricciardo no chance in Canada despite Monaco victory
Sport made to look stupid as Australian with two victories this season may be demoted to the back of the grid in Montreal
Written by Giles Richards
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/jun/07/rules-daniel-ricciardo-no-chance-canada-monaco-f1 under the title “F1 rules give Daniel Ricciardo no chance in Canada despite Monaco victory”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article. The unadulterated delight Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo displayed after winning in Monaco was entirely understandable. After finally claiming the Monte Carlo victory he so desperately wanted, riding a wave of ecstatic emotion was wholly deserved. This week at the Canadian Grand Prix, however, the Australian will be brought back to earth with a painful reminder of the realities of Formula One. He will doubtless still be grinning but likely through gritted teeth in Montreal.
Ricciardo’s joy in Monaco came in the redemption he had sought after a pit‑stop error by the team cost him a win in 2016. He also did it against the odds. When his MGU-K gave out he was leading but spent the remaining 65% of the race 161bhp down on the pursuing Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. The race was no thriller but Ricciardo’s achievement in managing a partly crippled car and this most demanding of tracks with flawless precision could only be admired.
Continue reading…Switzerland World Cup 2018 team guide: tactics, key players and expert predictions
Everyone is pulling in the right direction in a multi-cultural squad but Vladimir Petkovic is aware of his team’s limits
This article is part of the Guardian’s 2018 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who have qualified for Russia. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 14 June.
This is a team very similar to the one at Euro 2016 but they have come together as a squad in the past three years and may benefit from that in Russia.
Continue reading…