Tuesday’s 5-0 defeat in front of a record crowd at Windsor Park led to eye-raising comments from the hosts’ coach
Northern Ireland women’s national team boss Kenny Shiels has apologised for his comments suggesting that female players struggle with an “emotional imbalance” compared to their male counterparts.
Shiels’ side was thrashed 5-0 by England in front of a record crowd at Windsor Park, sparking controversial comments from their coach that suggested their lack of composure came down to their gender.
Shiels’ words have been widely condemned in the subsequent period and now the ex-Kilmarnock and Derry City boss has expressed his regret over what he said.
What has been said? “I wish to apologise for my comments made in the post-match press conference last night. I am sorry for the offence that they have caused,” Shiels said on Wednesday.
“Last night was a special occasion for the women’s game in Northern Ireland and I am proud to manage a group of players who are role models for so many girls, and boys, across the country.
“I am an advocate for the women’s game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish.”What happened? Shiels’ controversial words came in the wake of a humiliating defeat for his side in front of a record crowd in Belfast, as the Lionesses put their neighbours to the sword in a five-goal thrashing.
His analysis was met with an immediate backlash across the game, with former Arsenal and England star Ian Wright brandishing him as “foolish” for bringing gender into the conversation.
Former Arsenal and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne also slammed the comments, telling Off the Ball: “I’d be surprised if he is the manager for the next game to be honest.
“You can’t discriminate like that, it’s the one thing you don’t need in women’s football when it’s on the momentum, the trajectory (it is).”
Northern Ireland will face England again at this summer’s European Championship, with the pair drawn alongside Austria and Northern Ireland in the group stages.
The African nations are on Fifa’s black books following what has been termed as third party interference in internal matters of the respective Football Associations.
African football governing body Caf has set tough conditions for suspended Kenya and Zimbabwe ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.
The two nations were barred from participating in any football competition following what the Zurich-based body claimed to be ‘third party interference’ in the running of the federations.
“Reference to the suspension of Zimbabwe and Kenya by Fifa from all football activities, in case the suspension is not lifted two weeks before their first matchday of their qualifiers; both associations will be considered as losers and eliminated from the competition,” a Caf letter, read.
“Consequently, their groups will be composed of three teams. The first and the runners-up from those groups will qualify for the final tournament.
“Consequently, the two teams [Kenya and Zimbabwe] cannot be drawn in the same group in order to avoid having one group with two teams in case suspension for both associations is not limited.”
Kenya faced Fifa’s wrath following the disbandment of the Football Kenya Federation’s national executive committee by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Amina Mohamed.
The government dissolved the FA’s top hierarchy following what it termed fiscal mismanagement by the Nick Mwendwa administration.
Consequently, Mwendwa was arraigned in court and ordered to stay away from the FKF office, not speak to the press, and distance himself from any football activities in the country.
The interim body appointed to assume the FKF’s functions will cease to exist as its six-month mandate is set to expire in May. One of the duties of the Aaron Ringera committee was to formulate a new path for new elections.
Mohamed has been categorical that they will only engage Fifa when they have ‘cleared the mess’ within FKF.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe was suspended after Zifa’s board, led by Felton Kamambo, was ejected from office by the Sports and Recreation Commission in November 2021.
Fifa wants an assurance from Kamambo that they are in charge of the Zifa building before the suspension slapped on the country is considered for lifting.
For the Afcon 2023 draw procedure, Kenya are in pot two while the Cosafa nation is in pot three.
World Cup 2022: Fixtures, schedule and kick-off times for Qatar
England’s World Cup opening game with Iran will take place on Monday November 21; Three Lions’ clash with USA will be on Friday November 25; final group game against Scotland, Wales or Ukraine will be on Tuesday November 29; World Cup final is at 7pm on December 18
THE OFFICIAL MASCOT OF THE 2022 WORLD CUP
When and where is the 2022 World Cup?
The 2022 World Cup is taking place in Qatar in the winter months rather than the usual summer ones, due to the heat.
The tournament kicks off on Monday November 21 at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor with a match that will feature the host country against Ecuador.
England will also play on the opening day when they take on Iran. Gareth Southgate’s team will then finish Group B with games against the USA on Friday November 25 and versus either Scotland, Wales or Ukraine on Tuesday November 29.
The knock-out stage begins on Saturday December 3.
The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Doha a week before Christmas on Sunday December 18.
Adidas unveil the Al Rihla match ball for World Cup Qatar 2022 (pic: Adidas)
What is the World Cup format and schedule?
The 2022 World Cup will feature 32 teams in eight groups of four.
Four matches will be played each day during the group stage, which will run over a 12-day period and see winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16.
Matches will only be assigned to particular venues after the finals draw, so organisers can choose optimal kick-off times to suit television audiences in different countries, as well as supporters out in Qatar.
Unlike at Euro 2020, there will be a third-place play-off game on December 17.
Group stage
Monday November 21
Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al-Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick off 10am) Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands Group B: England vs Iran Group B: USA vs Scotland/Wales/Ukraine
Tuesday November 22
Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia Group C: Mexico vs Poland Group D: France vs UAE/Australia/Peru Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia
Wednesday November 23
Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica/New Zealand Group E: Germany vs Japan Group F: Belgium vs Canada Group F: Morocco vs Croatia
Thursday November 24
Group G: Brazil vs Serbia Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon Group H: Portugal vs Ghana Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea
Friday November 25
Group A: Qatar vs Senegal Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador Group B: England vs USA Group B: Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs Iran
Saturday November 26
Group C: Argentina vs Mexico Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia Group D: France vs Denmark Group D: Tunisia vs UAE/Australia/Peru
Sunday November 27
Group E: Spain vs Germany Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica/New Zealand Group F: Belgium vs Morocco Group F: Croatia vs Canada
Monday November 28
Group G: Brazil vs Switzerland Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay Group H: South Korea vs Ghana
Tuesday November 29
Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal Group B: Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs England Group B: Iran vs USA
Wednesday November 30
Group C: Poland vs Argentina Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico Group D: Tunisia vs France Group D: UAE/Australia/Peru vs Denmark
Thursday December 1
Group E: Japan vs Spain Group E: Costa Rica/New Zealand vs Germany Group F: Croatia vs Belgium Group F: Canada vs Morocco
Friday, December 2
Group G: Cameroon vs Brazil Group G: Serbia vs Switzerland Group H: South Korea vs Portugal Group H: Ghana vs Uruguay
Round of 16
Saturday December 3 49 – Winners of Group A vs. Runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) 50 – Winners of Group C vs. Runners-up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday December 4 52 – Winners of Group D vs. Runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm) 51 – Winners of Group B vs. Runners-up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Monday December 5 53 – Winners of Group E vs. Runners-up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm) 54 – Winners of Group G vs. Runners-up of Group H (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Tuesday December 6 55 – Winners of Group F vs. Runners-up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) 56 – Winners of Group H vs. Runners-up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Quarter-finals
Friday December 9 58 – Winners of 53 vs. Winners of 54 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) 57 – Winners of 49 vs. Winners of 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 3pm)
Saturday December 10 60 – Winners of 55 vs. Winners of 56 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm) 59 – Winners of 51 vs. Winners of 52 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Semi-finals
Tuesday December 13 61 – Winners of 57 vs. Winners of 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday December 14 62 – Winners of 59 vs. Winners of 60 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Third-place play-off
Saturday December 17 63 – Losers of 61 vs. Losers of 62 (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Final
Sunday December 18 64 – Winners of 61 vs. Winners of 62 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Sergi Canos wrote himself into the history books with a hat-trick of firsts when he scored the opening goal of the 2021/22 Premier League season for Brentford in their 2-0 win over Arsenal.
The Spanish midfielder’s 22nd-minute strike ensured that the Bees became the first promoted club to open the scoring in a top-flight campaign since Hull City in 2016/17.
Canos with the first Brentford goal in the Premier League campaign
Canos’s effort – Brentford’s first ever Premier League goal – was also the first time that a new club in the competition have netted first in a PL season since the inaugural 1992/93 campaign.
The last Spaniard to net the first goal of a Premier League season was Swansea City’s Michu in 2012/13.
Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette missed the trip to Brentford and was denied the opportunity to extend a Premier League record, having become the first player to score the opening goal of a campaign for two PL seasons in succession.
The Frenchman had previously achieved the feat on his Arsenal debut at home to Leicester City in 2017/18, before striking at Fulham in 2018/19
With three titles each, Spain and Germany are the most successful teams at the Euros.
The Italian International Team for the UEFA EURO 2020
The Italy national football team defeated England 1-1 (3-2 pen) in the UEFA Euro 2020 final at the Wembley Stadium to secure their second European Championship and extend their unbeaten streak to 34 matches.
The Italians celebrating the highly coveted EUROS trophy.
This was the 16th edition of the intra-continental UEFA European Championships that was first held in 1960.
First organised in France under the European Nations’ Cup banner, the inaugural elite pan-European football competition fielded 17 teams. The Soviet Union won the title by beating Yugoslavia 2–1 in the final in Paris.
Ten different countries have won the UEFA Euros. The most successful teams in the quadrennial competition have been Spain and Germany, both have won the tournament three times each.
While Germany were European football champions in 1972, 1980 and 1996 (the first two as West Germany), Spain won it 1964, 2008 and 2012. Spain are also the only team to have won the championship on two consecutive editions.
Spain’s victory in 2012 saw the most number of goals scored in a UEFA European Championship final. They won 4-0 against Italy.
Germany, meanwhile, has contested a record six Euro finals.
The other European heavyweights to have won the title are Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, the Soviet Union, Greece and Czechoslovakia.
While the UEFA European Championship is always hosted by a single or two nations, the 2020 edition was an exception with the tournament spread across 11 European cities.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) had taken this move to celebrate the tournament’s 60th anniversary. It is a one-off move as the next edition will again see a single country (Germany for Euro 2024) hosting all the games.
France was the last football team to win a UEFA European Championship title at home in 1984.
Messi dazzles for Argentina with stunning Copa America quarter-final free kick against Ecuador
LIONEL MESSI CELEBRATING HIS GOAL
The South American star, newly out of contract at Barcelona, contributed to all three goals in the 3-0 win on Saturday. Lionel Messi scored a free kick to cap Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Ecuador in the Copa America quarter-finals, with his performance drawing effusive praise from his team-mates. The forward also assisted the other two goals – once without looking at his target as he made the pass – in a man of the match effort that prompted Nico Gonzalez to say the entire squad draws “confidence and joy” from his play.
Argentina will face Colombia in the final four on Tuesday, and Messi will try to build on his output of four goals and four assists so far in the tournament.
First undroppable, now unstoppable: Kane can lead England to Euro 2020 glory.
Harry Kane in action against Ukraine on Saturday evening.
Gareth Southgate never doubted his No.9, and after a double in the 4-0 victory over Ukraine, the Three Lions’ captain has hit form at the perfect time. Less than five minutes after the game had started, the Three Lions’ captain delivered a massive blow to Shevchenko’s hopes of an unlikely Euro 2020 quarter-final upset.
At a similar stage of the second half, he obliterated them for good.
After the destruction of Ukraine in Rome, England are now coming home, and it is Kane who is ready to put an end to the 55-year wait for a major senior trophy.
If Southgate’s side were to have any chance of success at Euro 2020, it always seemed unlikely they would be able to achieve it without the help of Kane.
But less than a fortnight ago, people were beginning to question the striker after a lacklustre start to the tournament.
The 31-year-old was released by the Championship club after the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
Andre Ayew celebrates scoring a goal for Swansea City
Ghana star Andre Ayew has sent an emotional message to Swansea City’s players, coaches and fans following his departure from the club.
Earlier this month, the Swans announced Ayew’s exit as a free agent after the club’s unsuccessful bid to return to the Premier League.
The Black Stars captain was an outstanding figure in Steve Cooper’s squad, having finished the last two seasons as the club’s top scorer, with 33 goals in 92 Championship appearances in total.
In his farewell message, Ayew stated that it was “difficult” for him and his teammates after they lost the play-off final 2-0 to Brentford, but he went further to thank the club faithful and the management for the love shown to him during his stay.
Ayew donning the no.10 Ghanaian kit
“Hi Jack Army, this is your boy Andre. I’m here to say goodbye. Since the final, it was a difficult period for us, the players and for me personally and the team as a whole, I decided to stay quite a little bit,” Ayew said in an Instagram video.
“Just wanted to let you guys know that I am so grateful for what you guys have done for me. Thank you so much for the support, thank you so much for the love.
“I came to the club three times at different periods, I’ve always succeeded, thanks to you guys it is something I will never forget. I’m very proud to have won this shirt with dignity, I am going to miss everyone. I want to thank the staff, the coach Steve Cooper, the players, the physios, the cooks but it’s time to say goodbye.
“It is not easy for me, I wish I could have played again in the Premier League with Swansea but that’s football.”
Ayew had two spells at the Liberty Stadium – when he was first signed from Marseille in June 2015 but he left the club after an impressive debut campaign to join West Ham United.
After a year-and-a-half at West Ham, Ayew returned to Swansea, where he has been since January 2018 but he was sent out on loan to Fenerbahce for the 2018-19 season.
While his next destination remains unknown, the 31-year-old assured that he will return to the club in the future.
“I will be back, I don’t know if as a player again or as something but to just come and see you guys, I will be back. It is a club I have in my heart and I will never forget what you guys have done for me. Thanks so much and God bless,” he added.
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