Category: Football

Kerala Blasters sacked its Swedish head coach Mikael Stahre along with assistant coaches Bjorn Wesstrom and Frederico Pereira Morais on Monday following a poor run in which it lost six of its last seven Indian Super League matches. The coaches “have left their respective roles with immediate effect,” the Blasters said in a statement on Monday evening. “The club sincerely thanks Mikael, Bjorn and Frederico for their contributions throughout their time with Kerala Blasters. We wish them nothing but success in their future endeavours,” said the Blasters. The new coach will be announced shortly. Tomasz Tchorz, the Blasters reserve team’s head coach and head of youth development, along with assistant coach T.G. Purushothaman, will take over the responsibility of managing the first team till then. With just three wins from 12 matches, the Blasters are currently down in the 10th spot in the 13-team ISL table.

Real Madrid won the Intercontinental Cup after beating Mexico’s Pachuca 3-0 in a largely one-sided final on Wednesday (December 18, 2024), with Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr all on target. Real did just enough to win comfortably and never looked likely to cede control despite allowing the CONCACAF champions to threaten occasionally from counter-attacks at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. The Champions League winners opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a fine team goal that started with Jude Bellingham passing to Vinicius Jr, who ran past the goalkeeper before putting it on a plate for Mbappe, who tapped it into the empty net. Rodrygo extended their lead with a lovely effort in the 52nd minute when he beat two defenders before cutting back inside and curling a fine strike into the top corner with his right foot. Vinicius Jr wrapped up an easy win for Real from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute after Oussama Idrissi fouled captain Lucas Vazquez inside the box. Having won three trophies in the original Intercontinental Cup, the predecessor to the current format that pitched the European and South American champions against each other, and five Club World Cups, Real have now won a combined total of nine global titles. “We are very happy for another title,” Rodrygo told Spanish television channel Telecinco. “I was a bit anxious with the goal because Jude (Bellingham) was in front of the goalkeeper but he doesn’t interfere with the play, so I’m happy to help the team. “Vinicius is great, he is playing really well right now and we are pleased to have him with us. We have a great team and we are delighted.” Pachuca threatened with early strikes by Oussama Idrissi, Luis Rodriguez and Elias Montiel denied by keeper Thibaut Courtois, yet Real slowly started to take control of proceedings with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo running the channels and Bellingham feeding both with dangerous passes into space. Rodrygo and Bellingham had two great chances to score before Mbappe gave them the lead and Pachuca were lucky to go in at the break not losing by a wider margin as Real piled on the pressure. After Rodrygo curled home Real’s second goal seven minutes into the second half, manager Carlo Ancelotti made several changes. His side then wasted several opportunities before Vazquez appealed for a foul inside the box that the referee didn’t initially spot, but awarded a penalty after checking the VAR replay. Vinicius’s spot-kick was low to the right and goalkeeper Carlos Moreno got a hand on it, but it wasn’t enough to keep it out from finding the back of the net.

Rajasthan United FC staged a stunning second-half comeback to beat hosts Namdhari FC 3-1 in the I-League here on Saturday (November 30, 2024). Namdhari took a fortunate lead in the 18th minute when Rajasthan defender Wayne Vaz, under pressure from Akashdeep Singh, scored an own goal. The hosts dominated early, with Akashdeep coming close to doubling the lead in the 34th minute, only for Rajasthan goalkeeper James Kithan to deny him with a superb save. Rajasthan grew into the game and equalised in the 51st minute after William Neihsial was fouled in the box and Alain Oyarzun converted the resultant penalty with ease. Namdhari nearly regained the lead in the 70th minute, but Cledson Dasilva’s header drifted narrowly wide. Three minutes later, Seiminmang Manchong dribbled past multiple defenders and fired in a low shot that eluded goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh, putting Rajasthan ahead. Namdhari’s hopes faded after a red card in the 80th minute, and Wayne Vaz redeemed himself in the 85th minute, tapping in from close range to seal Rajasthan’s victory. Later in the evening, Dempo SC clinched their maiden victory of the season, defeating hosts Shillong Lajong FC 2-0. Goals from Pruthvesh Pednekar (53’) and Matija Babović (90’) sealed a crucial away win for Samir Naik’s men, building on their opening draw against Aizawl FC. The match began evenly, with Lajong’s Damaitphang Lyngdoh testing Dempo goalkeeper Ashish Sibi early on. Despite creating chances, Lajong failed to convert, with Daniel Gonçalves missing a key opportunity. Dempo’s disciplined defense soaked up the pressure, keeping the first half goalless. The Goan side shifted gears after the break when Pednekar broke the deadlock, heading home a corner from Cristián Pérez. Lajong’s attempts to equalise were thwarted by Sibi’s stellar saves, including a vital stop against Phrangki Buam. Babovic sealed the win in stoppage time with a sensational long-range strike that left Lajong goalkeeper Neithovilie Chalieu rooted.

Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Wednesday (November 20, 2024) revealed that the Argentina football team, including legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit Kerala next year (2025) for an international match. Addressing a press conference here, the Minister stated that the match would be conducted under the complete supervision of the State government. “All the financial assistance for organising this high-profile football event will be provided by the traders of the State,” the Minister said, expressing confidence in Kerala’s ability to host the historic occasion. “The world’s number one football team, Argentina, comprising Lionel Messi, is coming to Kerala,” he said. The management of the Argentina team would make an official announcement in this regard. Concerned persons of the football team would come to the Kerala within one and a half months, the Minister said. “We (the Kerala government) have decided to make a joint announcement in this regard with the Argentina national team management,” he added. Responding to a question, he said the decision over the arrival of the team has been finalised and there is no change in it. Noting that the government will directly monitor the match, security, and other arrangements in this regard, he said the venue and the opponent team would be decided later. He said the match would be held next year (2025), but the date would be announced by the Argentina Football Federation as per the system. Kochi likely venue Making it clear that the match would be held in a stadium that could accommodate at least 50,000 people, he indicated that Kochi is likely to be the venue. The Minister pointed out that India has the largest support base for the Argentina football team, and one-fourth of the fans are in Kerala.

Argentina’s Victory Over Peru: Lautaro Martínez Shines A Step Closer to 2026 World Cup Qualification Lautaro Martínez’s decisive goal secured Argentina a 1-0 victory over Peru in Buenos Aires. This win places Argentina firmly at the top of the South American qualifiers with 25 points from 12 matches. They are now just one step away from clinching a spot in the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Martínez Equals Maradona’s Tally Martínez’s goal marked his 32nd for the national team, tying the record of the legendary Diego Maradona. Argentina had its best chance early when Julián Alvarez struck the post in the 21st minute. However, the breakthrough came in the 55th minute with a Messi assist, as Martínez skillfully netted the ball. Team Reflections Post-Match Despite November’s mixed results, including a 2-1 defeat to Paraguay, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez expressed pride: “We won Copa America, we lead South American World Cup qualifying. We must be proud of ourselves.” Brazil vs. Uruguay: A Draw in Salvador Impressive Goals Amid Fan Frustration Brazil and Uruguay played out a 1-1 draw at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador. Federico Valverde scored for Uruguay in the 55th minute with a curling shot after Brazilian defenders failed to clear the ball. Brazil’s Gerson responded with his first goal for the team just six minutes later. Fan Reactions and Player Responses Brazilian fans jeered their team after another lackluster display. Striker Raphinha, however, defended their efforts: “We played great. We did everything we could to leave here with a victory. We must have our heads high up.” Standings After Matchday 12 Top Four Teams In Contention and Playoff Zone Out of Qualifying Spots Other Matches and Highlights Ecuador Defeats Colombia Despite Red Card Ecuador edged out Colombia 1-0 with an early goal by Enner Valencia, who dribbled past three players before scoring. Despite losing Piero Hincapié to a red card in the 34th minute, Ecuador held their ground for a vital win. Bolivia and Paraguay Draw in Thriller Bolivia and Paraguay played out a 2-2 draw, leaving both teams vying for the playoff spot in a closely contested battle. Chile’s Comeback Victory Over Venezuela Chile delivered one of its best performances this year with a 4-2 win over Venezuela, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise poor qualifying campaign. What’s Next? The next round of South American World Cup qualifying matches will take place in March 2025, as the race for the six direct berths and one playoff spot intensifies.

Indian erased a goal deficit to hold Malaysia 1-1 in the FIFA International Friendly match at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday (November 18, 2024). Malaysia went ahead in the 19th minute through Paulo Josue before Rahul Bheke nodded home the equalizer from a corner in the 39th minute. India suffered initially in the first half owing to a Gurpreet Singh Sandhu howler that put the host on the back foot early. It was unlikely of the country’s first-choice goalkeeper to make the amateurish mistake as he charged out of the box trying to reach a long ball but completely misjudged the flight to see the ball bouncing ahead of him and reaching the Malaysian forward Paulo Josue, who received the gift well and placed it into an open net. Looking to assert itself as the host, India kept a high line but failed to make effective penetrations in the Malaysia box. Head coach Manolo Marquez benched his regulars like Manvir Singh or Liston Colaco and preferred to try the new combination of Farukh Chaudhary and Irfan Yadwad, who made his national team debut, in the attack. The two showed adequate energy upfront but failed to find the right touch that would convert the Indian attacks into goals. The search for a quality striker who could replace Sunil Chhetri in the Indian attack thus continued for Marquez. India found the equalizer through a set-piece situation minutes before the break minute when Rahul Bheke, moving up from his position as the right back, nodded home a nicely swerved corner from Brandon Fernandez. This came as a big relief for the host, which kept struggling to find the right openings from open play. The return of seasoned centre-back Sandesh Jhingan from a prolonged injury layoff gave stability to the Indian performance, which showed a lot of improvement compared to its previous three outings. India survived some late onslaughts from Malaysia and was lucky not to concede a late goal as the Malaysian substitute saw his injury-time header coming off the upright. Marquez exhausted his quota of substitutes in the last 20 minutes of action, but that came to no avail as India continued to remain winless in the year.

Three Indian footballers, along with two others, will undergo training at Old Trafford in Manchester after winning the fourth edition of United We Play, a grassroots football initiative. The event saw the participation of over 15,000 budding Indian footballers across 18 cities, culminating in a grand finale in the presence of Manchester United legend and all-time great Gary Neville in Chandigarh. n the finale, PC Lalchhuanawma (Mizoram), Shreejal Kisku (Bhubaneswar), and Mohd Ayan (Lucknow) were selected alongside Nepal’s Bhakta Bahadur Pariyar and Chanason Chaiyatham from Bangkok. These players will be given the opportunity to visit Old Trafford to participate in activities like a match-day experience, training session with Manchester United Soccer School coaches and legend interactions. “Delighted to see the dedication and passion for football among young children in India,” Neville, whose illustrious career includes eight English Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles for Manchester United, said in a release. “Many congratulations to the young players whose hard work has paid off today. I am sure that the experience that they will have at the iconic Old Trafford, will be memories of a lifetime.” The launch of the fourth edition of United We Play took place at Kolkata in December last year, where former Manchester United and French footballer Louis Saha kicked-off the programme.

A hat trick and two assists: Lionel Messi came back in style for Argentina in its 6-0 home win in a South American World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday (October 15, 2024). The superstar, who missed the two rounds of the competition in October due to a right ankle injury, played from start to finish on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) in front of raucous fans at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium, who chanted his name after he opened the scoring in the 19th minute. The result kept the World Cup champions as leaders of the round-robin competition with 22 points after 10 matches, three points clear of second-place Colombia, who earlier beat Chile 4-0. Uruguay is in third position with 16 points after a goalless draw with Ecuador. Messi’s first goal came after a mistake by a Bolivian defender, who missed a pass and allowed the 37-year-old Messi to run freely and finish unchallenged in front of goalkeeper Billy Viscarra. Messi assisted on Lautaro Martínez’s goal in the 42th minute and gave a decisive pass once again in added time on a goal by Julián Álvarez. Argentina appeared to slow its pace after the break, but scored again with Thiago Almada in the 69th minute. The striker scored from close range after a low cross by Nahuel Molina. Messi’s show had two great finishing touches from the edge of the box, the first in the 84th and the second in the 86th minute. “We enjoyed this, we are happy to be here playing in Argentina,” said Messi, who once again refused to say whether he will play in the next World Cup in 2026. “This could be one of the last (matches in front of the Argentinian crowd).” Bolivia, which is seeking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 30 years, remains in contention with 12 points. Chile’s loss to Colombia has placed the job of coach Ricardo Gareca at risk. Davinson Sánchez, Luis Díaz, Jhon Durán and Luis Sinistierra scored the goals for Colombia. Chile is in last place in the qualifying group with only five points. Paraguay beat Venezuela 2-1 and moved into a qualifying position in the standings. Jon Aramburo opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute, but striker Antonio Sarabia came from the bench to win it for the hosts with goals in the 59th and 74th minutes. Two more rounds of South American World Cup qualifying will be played in November.

France and Germany had stand-in forwards to thank for wins over fierce rivals in the Nations League on Monday. With Kylian Mbappé again absent, Randal Kolo Muani started up front for France and scored in each half in a 2-1 victory away to neighbour Belgium. The Belgians must be sick of the sight of Kolo Muani, who also netted in a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture in Lyon last month. It was also the Paris Saint-Germain striker’s shot that deflected into the net when France beat Belgium 1-0 in the last 16 at the European Championship during the summer. On his debut for Germany, Jamie Leweling had a second-minute strike ruled out after a video review but had more luck with a rasping drive in the 64th to seal a 1-0 triumph over the Netherlands in Munich. Leweling, a forward for Stuttgart, was one of four players making their first starts for Germany on a night fans paid tribute to four players — Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Ilkay Gundogan — who recently retired from national-team duty. Neuer, Muller and Gundogan were at Allianz Arena to receive the acclaim of Germany fans. There were also victories for Italy, which beat Israel 4-1, and Hungary, a 2-0 winner in Bosnia, in the top-tier League A. With two group games remaining in November, France, Italy and Germany all stand on the verge of clinching a top-two finish and spots in the quarterfinals. France was forced to hang on to preserve its third win in four group matches after Aurélien Tchouaméni, its captain in the absence of Mbappé, was shown a second yellow card in the 76th for tripping Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans. Tielemans had earlier lifted a penalty kick over the bar in the 23rd, only for Kolo Muani to convert his own spot kick after Wout Faes was penalized for handball after falling to the ground attempting to challenge Bradley Barcola. Loïs Openda headed in the equalizer from Timothy Castagne’s cross, with the goal initially ruled out for offside but awarded after VAR check. Kolo Muani, who has started only two games for PSG this season, grabbed the winner in the 62nd in Brussels by heading in Lucas Digne’s left-wing cross. It felt like a new era for Germany, with Neuer, Muller and Gundogan all given a fond farewell before the game. Together with Kroos, who wasn’t there in person due to commitments at his youth academy, the four players won more than 450 caps for Germany. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is bringing through younger players, with Aleksandar Pavlovic, 20, and Angelo Stiller, 23, handed first starts and the 23-year-old Leweling making his debut in place of the injured Deniz Undav. At the other end of the age scale, goalkeeper Oliver Baumann became the third oldest debutant for Germany — at 34 years, 134 days — having been on the bench 26 times. Baumann produced a brilliant flying save to deny Netherlands substitute Donyell Malen and keep a clean sheet, ensuring the Oranje’s 13-match unbeaten streak in the group stage of the Nations League came to an end. Germany is on 10 points from four games, five more than both the Dutch and Hungary. Stringent security measures, including armed military personnel on the roof of the 25,000-seater stadium in Udine, were in place as Italy hosted an Israel team playing its first match outside neutral Hungary this year. It came amid Israel’s ongoing conflict in the Middle East which has spread to Lebanon after more than a year-long war with Hamas in Gaza. Mateo Retegui — from the penalty spot — scored the opener for Italy, which had further goals by Giovanni Di Lorenzo (2) and Davide Frattesi as well as a debut for Daniel Maldini, the son of AC Milan great Paolo Maldini. Around 1,000 people took part in a pro-Palestine demonstration in the city center before the match. Areas around the stadium were blocked off 48 hours before kickoff and declared a “red zone,” while hundreds of extra police officers were called up from surrounding areas. Italy is in the same group as France and leads by one point. Belgium is third, five points behind France, while Israel has lost all four games.