Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com |
- England v Italy: World Cup 2014 live!
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Being here, its what you dream of as a kid
- Costa Ricas Marco Ureña completes fairytale of shock win over Uruguay
- England find a warm welcome in the Amazon jungle's searing heat
- Uruguay v Costa Rica: World Cup 2014 as it happened
- Sport picture of the day: some birds are on the pitch
- Hey Maracanã World Cup diary: Robben, memes and Neymars fan
- Fifa investigating Frances claims that a drone spied on training
- World Cup 2014: England v Italy in pictures
- Iker Casillas apologises to Spain team-mates after thrashing by Holland
- Raheem Sterling to start for England against Italy in World Cup opener
- World Cup Show 2014: day three video
- Brazils Neymar not fazed by threat of suspension after yellow card
- South Africas Willie Le Roux shows Wales what they are missing
- Colombia use fervent following to inflict comfortable defeat on Greece
- Germany aim to make Portugal sweat with Joachim Löws high-tempo game
- Colombia v Greece: World Cup 2014 as it happened
- World Cup 2014: Iran and Nigeria look to end 16-year wait for a win
- Brazil: Arrests and crackdowns but anti-World Cup activists get their message across
- West Bromwich Albion appoint Alan Irvine as new head coach
- Eniola Aluko hits her eighth qualifying goal as Englands women beat Belarus
- World Cup 2014: Leave the referees alone and just get on with the game
- Bosnia-Herzegovinas World Cup debut a victory for football
- World Cup 2014: a ground-hoppers day-by-day diary
- World Cup: 10 of the best headed goals in pictures
| England v Italy: World Cup 2014 live! Posted: 14 Jun 2014 03:21 PM PDT World Cup Group D updates live in Manaus
19 min: Wayne Rooney, who is supposed to be helping out Baines in defensive duties on the left flank, is struggling to make an impact. Antonio Candreva is occupying a pocket of space in the inside right and wreaking all sorts of havoc. He unleashes a viciously swerving shot from distance which Hart can only parry, but no harm done.
18 min: Pirlo and Verratti combine in the centre-circle for Italy, before Pirlo sends De Rossi on his way with a short pass. Italy seem very content to wander about, keeping possession and advancing in their own sweet time.
17 min: England go on the back foot again as Italy knock the ball about halfway inside their own half. It's played wide to Candreva on the left and he arrows in another cross. Once again, it's meat and drink to Joe Hart.
15 min: England advance, with Henderson playing the ball wide to Baines on the left. The ball wends its way back to the right toucvhline, where Glen Johnson cuts in from the left touchline and tries a shot from distance. He really puts his boot through the ball, but his low drive screams wide.
14 min: England's players are having to do a lot of chasing, hustling and harrying - one wonders how long they'll be able to keep it up in the prevailing heat and humidity.
13 min: Antonio Candreva whips a cross in from the right flank, but it bounces on the edge of the six yard box and Joe Hart claims comfortably under little or no pressure.
11 min: A sloppy pass from Gabriel Paletta just in front of his own penalty area gifts possession to Danny Welback about 22 yards out. He tries his luck, but sends the ball fizzing a few yards wide of the left upright.
9 min: Jordan Henderson is doing a decent job of trying to close down Andrea Pirlo thus far, but Italy are enjoying the lion's share of possession. Italy right-back Matteo Darmian is looking a real threat, making a lot of forward runs and giving Leighton Baines plenty to think about.
7 min: Daniele De Rossi picks out Claudio Marchisio with a fine pass to the edge of the penalty area and a sort of panic ensues in the England penalty area as defenders attempt to stay with runners as Italy pass around the edge of it. There's a loud appeal for a penalty when the ball hits Glen Johnson's arm, but no spot-kick is forthcoming. The full-back had his arm by his side and the contact was accidental.
6 min: Jordan Henderson's just gone close, forcing Salvatore Sirigu in the Italian goal to dive low and to his left and parry the ball with a fine drive from outside the penalty area. This is a promising start from England.
4 min: Raheem Sterling shoots from distance and I thought it blasted a screamer into the top corner! He hit the side-netting, but I wasn't the only one who thought it was in - the graphic said "Goal!" too. A fine effort.
3 min: Pirlo makes his first contribution of note, picking out Candreva with a wonderful pass from midfield. Jagielka clears.
2 min: Italy win a free-kick halfway inside their own half. Andrea Pirlo stands over it, plays it behind him to Chiellini and is immediately pounced on by Danny Welbeck.
1 min: Gary Cahill is the first Englishman to get a touch, clearing a long ball sent down towards Mario Balotelli up the left touchline.
And we're off: Mario Balotelli gets the ball rolling for Italy.
Next up is the Italian anthem: Their players are looking equally moist, with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu dripping with perspiration as Il Canto degli Italiani blares over the PA. It's blue shirts, blue shorts and blue socks a-go-go for the Azzurri.
National anthems: The England players are already sweating up a storm as God Save The Queen is played. They're wearing white shirts, white shorts and white socks. Joe Hart is a vision in yellow.
Not long now: The players are in the tunnel and Stevie Gerrard is looking pensive. Behind him, Joe Hart is masticating furiously - I said masticating - a piece of chewing gum while wiping sweat from his eyes with a towel. Out the come, with referee Bjorn Kuipers grabbing the match-ball from the Fifa plinth.
Just 15 minutes until kick-off: Rio Ferdinand is saying that the best way to deal with Mario Balotelli is to kick him and wind him up. Making him angry is the way to put him off his game.
Meet the England fan who cycled 8,000 miles across Brazil to watch the World Cup Meet him and marvel at his beard.
Meanwhile in Manaus: Gabby Logan is pitchside with a sweaty Danny Murphy, who seems to have it on good authority that Sterling will be playing in the No10 role, with Rooney on the left. He says that Rooney will need to be disciplined and not wander in to the centre of the pitch and let Italian right-back Matteo Darmian bomb on past him and get in behind the England defence.
In the BBC's Rio studio: Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand have joined Gary Lineker for the evening's action. They've just been talking about how it's time for Wayne Rooney to step up and have a good World Cup. Now they're talking about how good Andrea Pirlo is. Henry and Rio also sing the praises of Verratti and De Rossi. Interesting point from Thierry Henry: "We know that Welbeck can do that [hussle and harry Pirlo], but England need him to make runs in behind the Italian defence, not just running around like a lunatic tracking Pirlo. They need Henderson and Gerard to step up and help him."
An email from Paul Mitchell: "Only the smug English press found the Costa Rica v Uruguay result a surprise," he writes, doing that thing where people presume that the English press have some party line that everybody toes and no two people have the same opinion. "Time for Europe's drama queens to start giving COCACAF some respect!"
Weather report: It's 30 degrees celsius in the Arena da Amazônia, where humidity is 58%.
England: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard,
On ITV1: They've just finishing chatting about the Costa Rica 3-1 Uruguay and are discussing the England v Italy line-ups. Fabio Cannavaro warns that Claudio Marchisio could be a lethal weapon in the Italy armoury, saying that Glen Johnson will need to be wary of letting him get around his outside and in behind him.
A word of caution: England and Italy fans will probably be delighted that a fairly poor Uruguay side got beaten there, but rest assured that Costa Rica are no pushovers. Uruguay played very poorly and some of their defending was atrocious, but they were made to look very ordinary by some lightning fast Costa Rica forwards who'll give both the Italian and England defences plenty to think about. Joel Campbell, who spent the season on loan at Olympiakos from Arsenal, was a revelation.
England: Hart, Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Welbeck, Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge
This world Cup gets better and better. Costa Rica have just beaten Uruguay 3-1. Find out how it unfolded by reading Gregg Bakowski's minute-by-minute report.
There's over an hour until kick-off, so while you're waiting you could do a lot worse than tune in to the latest World Cup Daily podcast. The episode we recorded after the match between Chile 3-1 Australia features James Richardson, James Horncastle and I, with added Barney Ronay from Manaus. I'm not sure how much of that made the edit, because he was talking to us on the phone while wedged into a taxi with some drunk, abusive, homophobic Millwall fans. Actually, it's a bit unfair and judgmental of me to say that - they may not have been drunk.
This is the line-up everybody reckons Italy will be sending out to face England: Sirigu, Darmian, Paletta, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Rossi, Pirlo, Verratti, Marchisio, Candreva, Balotelli.
In other news: Costa Rica currently lead Uruguay 2-1, with 20 minutes to go. You can follow the action from that particular thriller with Greg Bakowski by clicking on this link. Don't forget to come back when it's over, mind.
Team news. The line-ups haven't been made official yet, but according to reports coming from various English journalists in Manaus, this is exactly what they're expecting. England: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Welbeck, Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge.
Three of England's starting XI have played a World Cup match before. Three of Italy's starting XI have won the World Cup.
Something else you might like: Here's a piece on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini, who Inter manager Walter Mazzarri once described as "A force of nature, from another planet, able to mark three players himself".
Some early team news: Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffoon has already let it be known that he'll be missing this match with a twisted ankle and chances are he'll be replaced by Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. Paul Doyle has written this profile of the big man.
The Guardian's Hadley Freeman is at the World Cup, in a state of affairs that prompted much outrage Among mouth-foaming angry people who take everything far too seriously (see many of the comments below this article) If she does nothing else over there apart from (a) annoying those people by her very presence at the tournament and (b) sending back this photograph of some England fans arriving in Manaus, her passage to the World Cup will have been money well spent. England fans arrive at Manaus airport. No comment. @guardian_sport @barryglendenning pic.twitter.com/YCYlIXcMR5
Italy tactics corner: Here's what Michael had to say about Italy.
England tactics corner: Prior to the tournament, Zonal Marking's Michael Cox wrote his idea of the various strengths and weaknesses of assorted teams at the World Cup. Here's what he had to say about Roy's boys.
Italy's national anthem: Many people consider this to be their favourite. Over to you, Joe "Shaddup You Face" Dolce.
English national anthem: Prior to the tournament, my colleague Simon Burnton enlisted 32 pop stars to review the 32 national anthems of the teams participating in this World Cup. Here's Whigfield, of aptly named Saturday Night fame on God Save The Queen.
Good evening everybody. Welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of England's eagerly-awaited World Cup opener against Italy in Manaus, a city  |
| Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Being here, its what you dream of as a kid Posted: 14 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT Despite an unfortunately timed injury the England midfielder has remained positive he can make a difference in the World Cup Continue reading...  |
| Costa Ricas Marco Ureña completes fairytale of shock win over Uruguay Posted: 14 Jun 2014 02:11 PM PDT The sense of history might have been stifling for Costa Rica. Thrust into Group D alongside three former world champions, the Central Americans have been considered the small fry. This is only their fourth World Cup appearance. Every statistic has attacked them. They had never previously beaten Uruguay, for example. But Jorge Luis Pinto had stressed that famous jerseys meant nothing and the present was all that mattered. On a marvellous night for the Costa Rica manager and his players, they wrote a glorious new chapter, surely one of the finest of their history. Continue reading... |
| England find a warm welcome in the Amazon jungle's searing heat Posted: 14 Jun 2014 02:02 PM PDT Manaus was a controversial choice for England's first match but 5,000 fans made the trip to the 'Paris of the Tropics' where samba rhythms pounded out in the streets. As police praised supporters, the clock ticked down to kick-off Continue reading...  |
| Uruguay v Costa Rica: World Cup 2014 as it happened Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:58 PM PDT Costa Rica came from behind to leave a Luis Suárez-less Uruguay stunned in Fortaleza. Now follow England v Italy live!  |
| Sport picture of the day: some birds are on the pitch Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:53 PM PDT The World Cup in Brazil has been a colourful affair so far though it's a close call as to which is more lurid, the birds or the Uruguayan player's boots Continue reading...  |
| Hey Maracanã World Cup diary: Robben, memes and Neymars fan Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:30 PM PDT Also featuring: Bruno Martins Indis eyeballs, Sepp Blatters headline spree, and Lionel Messi keeping frugal Continue reading...  |
| Fifa investigating Frances claims that a drone spied on training Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:01 PM PDT Didier Deschamps alleges aircraft flew over team base We dont want any intrusion into our privacy, says coach Didier Deschamps has expressed concerns that Frances preparations for Sundays opening game against Honduras have been compromised by a possible spying mission after a drone hovered over their training camp in Brazil. The France manager said that Fifa was carrying out an investigation into the bizarre incident, which took place during a training session at the teams base in Ribeirão Preto before their departure for Porto Alegre. Continue reading... |
| World Cup 2014: England v Italy in pictures Posted: 14 Jun 2014 12:43 PM PDT All the best images from the Arena Amazônia in Manaus as England take on the Azzurri in their opening match of the tournament. Follow the game live with Barry Glendenning's MBM... Continue reading...  |
| Iker Casillas apologises to Spain team-mates after thrashing by Holland Posted: 14 Jun 2014 12:38 PM PDT Vicente del Bosque praised Spain captains leadership Manager admits he may change team for Chile match Iker Casillas broke the silence of the Spain dressing room to apologise for his part in their downfall and to encourage his team to put the Holland defeat behind them and win the remaining group games, against Chile and Australia, to give the world champions the chance of defending their title. That is according to Vicente del Bosque, who on Saturday night praised his captains leadership and revealed that he fell asleep in front of the Australia game and woke up the following morning with the television still on. The Spain coach also admitted that there may be changes for the game against Chile but said they would not equate to pointing the finger at guilty parties following the 5-1 hammering by Holland. Continue reading... |
| Raheem Sterling to start for England against Italy in World Cup opener Posted: 14 Jun 2014 12:08 PM PDT Teenager expected to play in central role behind Sturridge Adam Lallana on the bench for game in Manaus Gianluigi Buffon to miss game for Italy through injury Continue reading...  |
| World Cup Show 2014: day three video Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:39 AM PDT Nat Coombs is joined by former Spain, Valencia and Middlesbrough midfielder Gaizka Mendieta to dissect the second day of the World Cup in Brazil, as well as looking ahead to Saturday's fixtures including Colombia v Greece, Uruguay v Costa Rica, England v Italy and Ivory Coast v Japan Continue reading...  |
| Brazils Neymar not fazed by threat of suspension after yellow card Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:13 AM PDT Forward was booked in opening match against Croatia Its not what I wanted but thats the way it is The Brazil striker Neymar has played down suggestions that a yellow card in the World Cup opener against Croatia will force him into a less aggressive style of play, with fans and backroom staff worrying that a second caution could see him banned from a vital knock-out match. Neymar was lucky to escape with only a caution after elbowing Luka Modric in the throat midway through the first half of the 3-1 opening-day win over Croatia. Continue reading... |
| South Africas Willie Le Roux shows Wales what they are missing Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:09 AM PDT South Africa 38-16 Wales Waless poor record against the might of the southern hemisphere continued in Durban, where they were not so much overrun as exposed for a lack of creativity. If they are to achieve their stated aim of emulating their achievement of 2011 and reaching the last four of the World Cup, they will need more than character to get them there. The Six Nations showed Wales needed a stimulus and, while they spoke afterwards about not conceding a point in the final 29 minutes and not falling apart at 38-9 down, their inability to finish promising moves contrasted with South Africas potency out wide, where the Springbok full-back Willie le Roux had the instinct and daring Wales lacked. Continue reading... |
| Colombia use fervent following to inflict comfortable defeat on Greece Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:08 AM PDT The World Cup will miss Radamel Falcao but Colombia have started just fine without him. Confident, composed and in control against ineffective Greece, José Pékermans team reaffirmed their dark-horse credentials in emphatic style as they recorded the biggest victory in Colombias turbulent World Cup history in the absence of their leading striker. Pékerman had insisted life would go on without Falcao and was thoroughly vindicated. Fernando Santos, the Greece coach, had claimed there was far more to the 2004 European champions than a defensive strategy but his team were found wanting. Greece had half-chances but no coherent strategy after falling behind to the former West Ham defender Pablo Armeros fifth-minute goal. Santos had the temerity to insist it was a close-fought game separated only by Colombias precision in front of goal. The divide was deeper than that. Continue reading... |
| Germany aim to make Portugal sweat with Joachim Löws high-tempo game Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:04 AM PDT Germany have beaten Portugal three times since 2006 Cristiano Ronaldo trained normally following injury worries Continue reading...  |
| Colombia v Greece: World Cup 2014 as it happened Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:55 AM PDT Pablo Armero, Teo Gutierrez and James Rodriguez scored as Colombia impressed against limited opponents Continue reading... |
| World Cup 2014: Iran and Nigeria look to end 16-year wait for a win Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:29 AM PDT Group F opponents both winless since France 1998 Chelseas Mikel John Obi given creative licence for Nigeria Iran and Nigeria have something in common going into their World Cup clash. When they meet on Monday at the Arena da Baixada, both teams will be attempting to win their first match in the World Cup finals since France 1998. With Argentina the clear favourites in Group F, Iran and Nigeria are expected to compete with Bosnia-Herzegovina for second spot. Though Nigeria are often considered a powerhouse of African football, the Super Eagles have not won at the World Cup since defeating Bulgaria in a group match 16 years ago. Since then, they have endured two fairly dismal World Cup campaigns, including in South Africa in 2010, notching up a grand total of two points. Continue reading... |
| Brazil: Arrests and crackdowns but anti-World Cup activists get their message across Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:22 AM PDT Despite police raids on activists' homes, protesters are gaining wide audiences with their calls for change in Brazil and beyond Continue reading...  |
| West Bromwich Albion appoint Alan Irvine as new head coach Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:10 AM PDT Evertons academy manager signs 12-month rolling contract Rob Kelly to join as joint-assistant head coach Alan Irvine has been appointed as West Bromwich Albions new head coach. The 55-year-old former Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday manager has agreed a 12-month rolling contract and will complete his move to The Hawthorns once he has officially signed off from his current role as Evertons academy manager. He will bring with him Rob Kelly to work as joint-assistant head coach alongside Keith Downing, while Dean Kiely will remain as goalkeeping coach. Continue reading... |
| Eniola Aluko hits her eighth qualifying goal as Englands women beat Belarus Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:07 AM PDT Belarus Women 0-3 England Women Aluko 30 Houghton 36 Bronze 90 The Chelsea striker Eniola Aluko scored her eighth goal of Englands World Cup qualifying campaign to set Mark Sampsons team on the road to maintaining their 100% group record and putting themselves well within sight of reaching next years finals in Canada. Six hours before Roy Hodgsons mens team face Italy in their World Cup opener in Manaus, the England women eased to a comfortable victory against Belarus in Minsk and now need only four points from their final three qualifiers to ensure a place in what would be their third successive world finals. Continue reading... |
| World Cup 2014: Leave the referees alone and just get on with the game Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:06 AM PDT It is difficult enough to control a game without having to make spot decisions on players integrity Continue reading...  |
| Bosnia-Herzegovinas World Cup debut a victory for football Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:00 AM PDT Muhamed Konjic, the captain when Bosnia-Herzegovina played their first game 19 years ago, says qualifying for the World Cup makes the current squad winners before a ball is kicked The capital of Croatia was still sleeping tight, while the cold November darkness was fading, turning into the new day. But for one man it was just another long and sleepless night. Fuad Muzurovic was pacing up and down the long, thin lobby in Zagrebs Hotel Astoria. The man was chosen to lead his Bosnia-Herzegovina side out at the Qemal Stafa Stadium in Tirana, 540 miles down the Adriatic coast, for their first official match. But, hours before the trip, he still had little idea of what form his team would take. Continue reading... |
| World Cup 2014: a ground-hoppers day-by-day diary Posted: 14 Jun 2014 09:33 AM PDT Brazil in brief, from bugles at close quarters to impromptu English lessons, and huge displays of South American solidarity There were no vuvuzelas this time but Observer writer Andy Hunter has encountered plenty of car horns and bugles in his first week in Brazil Continue reading... |
| World Cup: 10 of the best headed goals in pictures Posted: 14 Jun 2014 09:27 AM PDT In the wake of Robin van Persie's spectacular goal in Holland's 5-1 dismantling of Spain, we take a look through the photographic archives to round up 10 of the very best headed goals scored at the World Cup finals Continue reading... |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Football | The Guardian To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment