NEWS – Page 62 – Football Flame

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Mbappe shines as France, Belgium confirm places in Qatar 2022

Kylian Mbappe of France celebrating a goal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between France and Kazakhstan at Stade de France on November 13, 2021 in Paris. Belgium and France booked their places in the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals after victories on Saturday.Kylian Mbappe scored four goals to help the World Cup titleholders France to secure an 8-0 home demolition of Kazakhstan, lifting France top of the European Qualifiers Group D on 15 points from seven games, four points ahead of second-placed Finland. France and Finland will meet on November 16.Karim Benzema added two goals while Adrien Rabiot and Antoine Griezmann netted one each to cap an impressive performance at the Parc des Princes.Benzema was delighted after combining with Mbappe to devastating effect up front.Kylian ...
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Fashion Hat-trick Hands Zambia Victory

Fashion Sakala of Zambia celebrates with team mates after scoring his teams second goal during the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 Quarter Final match between Italy and Zambia at Suwon World Cup Stadium on June 5, 2017 in Suwon, South Korea. Chipolopolo have thrashed Mauritania 4-0 in the formality penultimate Group B match of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.Scotland based forward Fashion Sakala scored a hat-trick to propel Zambia to their first home win of the qualifiers at National Heroes in Lusaka on Saturday.In atonement for his earlier misses, Patson Daka put Zambia in front after 33 minutes when he chested in the net captain Lubambo Musonda’s cross.Sakala doubled the lead three minutes later after burying home Daka’s close range pass in an empty net.Zambia t...
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Libya out of World Cup qualifiers after losing match to Gabon

AUBAMEYANG of Gabon celebrates his goal during the Group A match between Gabon v Guinea-Bissau at Stade de L'Amitie on January 14, 2017 in Libreville, Gabon. Gabon's national football team won 1-0 against the Libyan national football team on Friday at the fifth round of group six matches of Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers.Arsenal's striker and Gabon player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the match at the minute 54 from the spot after an odd penalty call by the referee.Gabon has reached after the match seven points in second place behind Egypt that tops the group with 11 points and has already gone through to the second round of World Cup qualifiers. Libya is now at six points in third place, while Angola is fourth with 3 points.The refereeing of the match was clearly weak...
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Nigeria brush aside Liberia

Nigeria's coach Gernot Rohr (R) speaks with Nigeria's striker Victor Osimhen before the FIFA Qatar 2022 World Cup qualification football match between Nigeria and Liberia at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, on September 3, 2021. Nigeria brushed aside Liberia 2-0 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Group C match at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Morocco on Saturday evening.As a result, Super Eagles remain two points clear at the top of the group table with one game left, while the Lone Star remained fourth on the log with their ambitions of qualifying having ended.The Super Eagles exerted pressure in the Lone Star defence from the first whistle with Europe-based forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Osimhen causing havoc for the hosts’ deeveninThe visitors were awarded a penalty after Iheana...
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Germany boss Hansi Flick gives fitness update on Chelsea’s Kai Havertz

German national team, World Cup qualifying, final training before the match Armenia - Germany, side court of the Volkswagen Arena. Coach Hansi Flick (2nd from left) discusses with the players, including Ilkay Gündogan (r) and Kai Havertz. Kai Havertz is ‘completely fit’ and will start in Germany’s World Cup qualifier against Armenia on Sunday, Hansi Flick has confirmed.The Chelsea midfielder had previously been unable to partake in training due to a minor thigh problem, while he missed the 9-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein on Thursday due to suspension.But in a welcome boost for the Blues and Thomas Tuchel, Havertz has now returned to training and is fully fit.“Marc-André ter Stegen will play from the start and we are also assuming that Kai will be able to play,” Germany boss Flick told repor...
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Angel di Maria scores against Uruguay as Argentina close in on World Cup spot

Angel Di Maria of Argentina celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during a match between Uruguay and Argentina as part of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers at Campeón del Siglo Stadium on November 12, 2021 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Argentina closed in on a direct World Cup spot with a 1-0 win at Uruguay, despite the absence of Lionel Messi for most of the match as he recovers from a left knee injury.Veteran winger Angel di Maria scored the only goal in the seventh minute on Friday with a powerful left-foot shot from the right corner of the penalty box. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera didn't get close to stopping the ball.Second-place Argentina now has 28 points in 12 matches. The top four teams in South America earn direct entry to the World Cup. The fifth-place team goe...
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Harry Kane powers England toward WCup; Jorginho miss costs Italy

Harry Kane of England scores their side's fifth goal and his hat-trick during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between England and Albania at Wembley Stadium on November 12, 2021 in London, England.As Harry Kane's hat trick powered England toward the World Cup, Jorginho's penalty miss delayed Italy's qualification bid.Four months after Italy beat England in the European Championship final, it was a night of contrasting fortunes in the penultimate round of World Cup qualifying in Europe for the teams on Friday.While Italy overcame Jorginho’s miss in the shootout in the July final, his failure to convert a 90th-minute penalty against Switzerland could prove costly for Italy, which failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.It meant Italy drew 1-1 after Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header cance...
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Gareth Southgate ‘set to sign contract extension’ as England manager

Gareth Southgate, Manager of England and Harry Kane of England talk to the media during a press conference at St George's Park on November 11, 2021 in Burton upon Trent, England. Gareth Southgate is close to signing a contract extension as England manager that will take him to the end of Euro 2024.Southgate has been in talks with the FA and, according to the Telegraph, both parties are hopeful a deal can be announced soon.The new contract will reportedly be worth around £5million which would take his salary close to the level of the best-paid England manager of all time, Fabio Capello.Southgate currently earns £3m a year. His current deal expires after the World Cup in Qatar next year.Southgate has overseen a transformation of the England team since he was appointed on a permanent bas...
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Brazil beat Colombia to qualify for 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Brazil's Lucas Paqueta (C) celebrates with teammates Vinicius Junior (L) and Neymar after scoring against Colombia during the South American qualification football match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Neo Quimica Arena, previously known as Arena Corinthians, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 11, 2021.Brazil beat Colombia 1-0 in Sao Paulo on Thursday to become the first South American team to qualify for Qatar 2022 World Cup.Lucas Paqueta got the vital goal 72 minutes into the match with a shot that goalkeeper David Ospina got a hand to but could not stop.Brazil lead the 10-team South American qualifying group with 34 points from 12 games, nine clear of second-placed Argentina.The top four teams qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-reg...
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Flick makes history as Germany hit nine past Liechtenstein

Scorer Thomas Mueller (2R) of Germany celebrates his team's eighth goal with Kevin Volland (R) and Marco Reus (L) during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Germany and Liechtenstein at Volkswagen Arena on November 11, 2021 in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony.Hansi Flick made history as the first Germany coach to win his first six games in charge, with his Covid-affected side thrashing 10-man Liechtenstein in a World Cup qualifier.Flick had to make numerous changes, with five players out because of defender Niklas Sule's Covid infection.Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane both scored twice for the hosts, who have already qualified for Qatar 2022.Liechtenstein were reduced to 10 men inside the first 10 minutes.Thomas Müller #13 of Germany celebrate with team mate Florian Neuhaus #17 after he sc...
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Wales secure at least a World Cup play-off place after Spain win

(L-R) Giorgos Tzavellas of Greece, Rodrigo of Spain during the World Cup Qualifier match between Greece v Spain at the Spyros Louis on November 11, 2021 in Athens Greece.Wales are officially guaranteed at least a place in the World Cup play-offs after Spain beat Greece 1-0.Wales started their qualifying campaign knowing they had all but secured a play-off spot having won their Nations League group.Spain's win in Athens formally seals it, even if Wales finish outside the top two in their qualifying group.Wales must finish second to have any chance of being seeded for March's play-offs.Teams who reach the play-offs via the Nations League are unseeded and will be away in their semi-final to a seeded nation.Alvaro Morata of Spain during the World Cup Qualifier match between Greece v Spain at t...
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Pepe sent off as Republic hold Portugal

Dublin , Ireland - 11 November 2021; Pepe of Portugal fouls Callum Robinson of Republic of Ireland before being shown a second yellow card and subsequently a red card during the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifying group A match between Republic of Ireland and Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.The Republic of Ireland continued their encouraging recent form as they held a sub-par Portugal to a goalless draw in Dublin.Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating night for the visitors, who ended the game with 10 men after Pepe was sent off for two bookable offences.Chiedozie Ogbene and Enda Stevens spurned the home side's best chances.With the Republic's qualifying hopes already over, Portugal are tied on 17 points with Serbia with one game left.Having looked on course for a famous win in Faro in...
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Italy eye return to World Cup as Swiss visit

Head coach Italy Roberto Mancini reacts during a Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on November 10, 2021 in Florence, Italy. Italy head into Friday's crunch visit of Switzerland with their World Cup hopes still in the balance, as the newly-crowned European champions aim to definitively banish the ghosts of their disastrous 2018 qualifying campaign.Still on a high from triumph at Euro 2020, Italy lead Group C on goal difference from the Swiss, with the pair battling for a single guaranteed place in next year's tournament in Qatar.Roberto Mancini took control of the Azzurri in the toxic aftermath of their failure to make the last World Cup in Russia, the first time they had missed out on a place in six decades, and is well aware of the significance of making...
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France boss Didier Deschamps backs Karim Benzema for Balon d’Or win

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates a goal during the UEFA Champions League, Group D, football match played between Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on November 03, 2021, in Madrid, Spain. France boss Didier Deschamps is backing Real Madrid star Karim Benzema to win the Balon d’Or.Benzema is being backed as one of the contenders to win the famous individual prize after making the list of 30.The award, which will be handed out on November 29, has traditionally gone to one of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but in recent years, we have seen some alternative winners, including Luka Modric.This year, following a covid-related hiatus last season, Messi is again favourite after finishing as top scorer in La Liga with Barcelona and helping Argentina to a C...
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Marseille held by 10-man Metz

06 Junior SAMBIA (mhsc) - 02 Arnaud SOUQUET (mhsc) - 25 Florent MOLLET (mhsc) during the Ligue 1 match between Nice and Montpellier at Allianz Riviera on November 7, 2021 in Nice, France.Nice wasted a chance to move into second place in the French league when it lost 1-0 at home to Montpellier on Sunday.Nice needed only a draw to overtake Lens on goal difference but remains third and leads fourth-place Marseille, also on goal difference.The defeat means runaway league leader Paris Saint-Germain stays 10 points clear.Andy Delort started up front for Nice against the club that sold him this summer in a move that angered Montpellier fans.His former teammate, Florent Mollet, who used to set up Delort for goals, netted the winner for sixth-place Montpellier in the 80th minute.Earlier, Marseille...
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Genoa Confirm Appointment of Andriy Shevchenko as Head Coach

Andriy Shevchenko the head coach / manager of Ukraine during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Quarter-final match between Ukraine and England at Olimpico Stadium on July 3, 2021 in Rome, Italy.Serie A side Genoa have appointed Andriy Shevchenko as the club’s new head coach.Andriy Shevchenko Appointed as Genoa Head Coach   Andriy #Shevchenko è il nuovo allenatore del Genoa. Benvenuto, mister!   @jksheva7 is the new Genoa head coach.  #Шевченко  https://t.co/dYPIG2X5fp pic.twitter.com/oxYMb2kcLc— Genoa CFC (@GenoaCFC) November 7, 2021The 45-year-old, who guided Ukraine to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, returns to Italy, where he spent much of his playing career.The former AC Milan and Chelsea forward had been in charge of the Ukrainian national team for five ye...
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Clauss shines as rampant Lens rout Troyes

Jonathan CLAUSS of Rc Lens during the Ligue 1 match between Lens and Troyes at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on November 5, 2021 in Lens, France.Midfielder Jonathan Clauss scored one goal and set up another two as Lens romped to a 4-0 home win over Troyes in Ligue 1.The resounding victory on Friday moved them up two places to second behind leaders Paris St Germain.The result left Lens on 24 points from 13 games, seven behind PSG who visit 16th-placed Bordeaux in Saturday's standout fixture, while Troyes slipped to 15th on 13 points.Striker Arnaud Kalimuendo-Muinga fired Lens ahead in the 14th minute after a fine low cross by Clauss, while Wesley Said made it 2-0 in the 30th after the midfielder floated in another superb delivery from the right flank.Jonathan CLAUSS of Rc Lens celebrates with his ...
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Italy squad to face Switzerland and Northern Ireland: Pobega’s first call-up

Head coach Italy Roberto Mancini and Federico Chiesa of Italy speak during a Italy training session on October 09, 2021 in Florence, Italy.Italy coach Roberto Mancini has announced the squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against Switzerland and Northern Ireland, with Nicolò Zaniolo back in the team and Tommaso Pobega’s first call-up.The Azzurri have released the squad list for the qualifiers this month, as Mancini’s men are preparing to play Switzerland on November 12 and Northern Ireland three days later.There are some surprises in the squad, as Zaniolo returns after missing out on the UEFA Nations League games last month.Milan duo Sandro Tonali and Tommaso Pobega are on the list, with the latter impressing on loan at Torino this term.Head coach Italy Roberto Mancini and Federico Chiesa of...
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Luis Enrique confirms Spain squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers as Ansu Fati returns

Spain head coach Luis Enrique looks on during the Spain training session ahead of the UEFA Nations League Final match between Spain and France at San Siro Stadium on October 09, 2021 in Milan, Italy.Spain boss Luis Enrique has announced his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.La Roja are back in action next week when they take on Greece and Sweden in two defining fixtures in their qualifying campaign.As things stand, Spain are in second place, two points behind leaders Sweden and four ahead of Greece in second.These two games are the final two of the campaign, and if Spain win both, they will automatically qualify for the 2022 World Cup.Failure to do so will likely send them into the qualifying play-offs, which will take place in March.And so the pressure is on for Spain as they pr...
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Vardy misses penalty as Leicester held

Spartak Moscow goalkeeper Aleksandr Selikhov saves a penalty from Jamie Vardy of Leicester City during the UEFA Europa League group C match between Leicester City and Spartak Moskva at The King Power Stadium on November 4, 2021 in Leicester, United Kingdom.Substitute Jamie Vardy had a penalty saved as Leicester were held by Spartak Moscow in a draw that leaves their hopes of qualifying from Europa League Group C in the balance.The Foxes are third in a tight group with two games remaining and Brendan Rodgers' side will rue a failure to take three points on Thursday.The hosts had been completely dominant but it was the visitors who took a surprise lead when former Chelsea winger Victor Moses headed in unmarked following a swift attack.That sparked more urgency in the Foxes and they hit back ...
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