FIFA strips Canada of 6 points in Olympic women’s soccer, bans coaches 1 year

FIFA strips Canada of 6 points in Olympic women’s soccer, bans coaches 1 year
Canada’s head coach Bev Priestman gestures during the Women’s World Cup Group B match against Australia in Melbourne on July 31, 2023. (AP/File)
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Updated 27 July 2024
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FIFA strips Canada of 6 points in Olympic women’s soccer, bans coaches 1 year

FIFA strips Canada of 6 points in Olympic women’s soccer, bans coaches 1 year
  • FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case
  • FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play”

PARIS: FIFA deducted six points from Canada in the Paris Olympics women’s soccer tournament and banned three coaches for one year each on Saturday in a drone spying scandal.
The stunning swath of punishments include a 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) fine for the Canadian soccer federation in a case that has spiraled at the Summer Games. Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on opponent New Zealand’s practices before their opening game last Wednesday.
Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national soccer federation then removed from the Olympic tournament.
Priestman and her two assistants implicated in the case, Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander, are now banned from all soccer for one year.
FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case.
FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play.”
The Canadian federation was held responsible for not ensuring its staff complied with tournament rules.
The coaches and the Canadian federation now can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris. That tribunal is set up for urgent hearings and verdicts at the Olympics.
The 38-year-old Priestman is from England and was hired in 2020 to coach the Canada team. She is under contract through the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
She had stepped aside from the defending champion’s Olympic opener against New Zealand on Wednesday after the scandal was revealed. Canadian officials suspect the spying has been systemic over years.
Her two staffers were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on New Zealand in training. Canada won the game 2-1 with interim coach Andy Spence in charge.
The points deduction, if upheld by the CAS judges, does not eliminate Canada from the tournament. It could mean the team must win all three games in Group A and hope to advance with three points, likely as runner-up in the standings.
Canada plays group leader France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne, then faces Colombia on Thursday in Nice.


Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe

Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe
Updated 02 December 2024
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Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe

Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe
  • Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham
  • Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe made some peace with Real Madrid’s fans.

Mbappe scored in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe in the Spanish league on Sunday to help ease the pressure on the France star.

Mbappe, who has been criticized by some supporters because of his disappointing performances since joining the Spanish powerhouse this season, found the net in the 38th minute to seal Madrid’s victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Mbappe was coming off a lackluster outing — which included a missed penalty kick — against Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Jude Bellingham, also the target of some fans’ criticism for recent poor play, had put Madrid ahead at the Bernabeu by converting a 30th-minute penalty. He also assisted in Mbappe’s goal — a well-placed low shot from outside the area.

Mbappe had scored only once in the team’s last six matches across all competitions, and twice in the last nine games.

“He played very well, was active and was as dangerous as always,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “He scored and created opportunities. He was very active, it’s what we want from him.”

Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham. Another penalty — which was overturned by VAR — was also set to be taken by Rodrygo.

“The order for the penalties is Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, but without Vinicius, it was up to Bellingham and Mbappe to choose,” Ancelotti said.

The win moved Madrid within a point of league leader Barcelona, who lost 2-1 to Las Palmas on Saturday. Madrid, the defending champions, have a game in hand.

Madrid were one point ahead of city rivals Atletico Madrid, who won 5-0 at Valladolid on Saturday.

Madrid have lost three of their five Champions League matches but have won three straight in the league to cut into Barcelona’s lead. The Catalan club is winless in three consecutive league games.

“Things have been going well in La Liga since the last defeat, but we can’t get sidetracked because this is what Real Madrid demands,” Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger said. “We must continue and do better in the Champions League.”

Also Sunday, Villarreal drew 2-2 with visiting Girona after leading 2-0 and eventually conceding an equalizer seven minutes into stoppage time.

Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home.


Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win

Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win
Updated 02 December 2024
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Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win

Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win
  • City have lost four successive top-flight games for first time since 2008
  • First Premier League champions to endure such dismal run season after claiming title

LONDON: Liverpool piled on the misery for Manchester City as the Premier League leaders beat the troubled champions 2-0 at Anfield, while Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first league win with a 4-0 rout of Everton on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side moved nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal after Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener and Mohamed Salah’s late penalty dealt another blow to reeling City, who are languishing 11 points behind Liverpool in fifth place.
City have lost four successive top-flight games for the first time since 2008, making them the first Premier League champions to endure such a dismal run the season after claiming the title.
City have clawed back significant deficits to win the Premier League in the Guardiola era, but they have never managed to lift the title after being behind by more than 10 points.
City’s seven-game winless run ranks as boss Pep Guardiola’s longest barren streak in his glittering managerial career.
Just weeks after he signed a new two-year contract, Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” prompting a defiant response from the Spaniard, who held up six fingers to illustrate the number of titles he has won with City.
“The first 20 minutes Liverpool were unstoppable. We tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it,” Guardiola said.
“We’ll reset and start from zero. It is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players. We’ll see what happens by the end of the season.”
Liverpool have won 18 of their 20 games in all competitions since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.
With 11 victories from their 13 Premier League matches, Liverpool are firm favorites to win the title for the first time since 2020.
“We came close to perfection. That’s the only way to beat a quality team like City,” Slot said.
“We have to stay sharp. I don’t think anyone, including me, would have predicted this — to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already.”
City’s defense was in disarray right from the start and when Salah curled a 12th minute shot toward the far post, Gakpo pounced to poke home from virtually on the line.
Salah’s 78th-minute penalty, awarded for keeper Stefan Ortega’s foul on Luis Diaz, was a dagger in the heart of City’s title hopes.
Amorim stole the spotlight in Sunday’s early games by extending his unbeaten start with United to three matches.
United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday.
The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.
This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at ninth-placed United.
Marcus Rashford’s 34th-minute drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.
United struck again seven minutes later as Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.
Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass, before Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike.
“The result was good but we were pragmatic. It was not pretty,” Amorim said. “It is a rollercoaster. We have some moments when we are good but then we have moments when we have to suffer.”
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games with a 3-0 win against Aston Villa, whose dismal winless streak reached eight matches.
Enzo Maresca’s men look capable of securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez scored in the first half before Cole Palmer struck in the closing stages.
Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top-four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.
Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th-minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.
Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.


Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place

Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place
Updated 01 December 2024
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Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place

Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place
  • This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton

LONDON: Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first Premier League win with a 4-0 rout of Everton.

Chelsea climbed to third place with a 3-0 win against spluttering Aston Villa.

United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford in the Europa League on Thursday.

The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.

This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton.

United fans had gathered on the Old Trafford forecourt before kick-off to protest the clubs’ decision to increase ticket prices, displaying a banner with the slogan “Stop Exploiting Loyalty.”

If ninth-placed United are to justify those increases, they need a winning team and Amorim is taking steps in the right direction.

Marcus Rashford had scored the first goal of Amorim’s reign after just two minutes at Ipswich and he was on target again in the 34th minute against Everton.

Rashford’s drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.

United struck again seven minutes later as Amorim’s decision to select Zirkzee to lead the attack instead of Rasmus Hojlund.

Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.

The much-maligned Netherlands striker’s second goal since his close-season move from Bologna ended a 17-game drought dating back to August.

Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass for his seventh goal this season.

Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike from the influential Diallo’s assist after shambolic Everton defending.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games as Villa’s dismal winless streak reached eight matches.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted this week that his young team are not title contenders in the first season of his rebuilding job.

But they look capable of at least securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.

The famous Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in October feels like a distant memory for 12th placed Villa, who have won only once in the Premier League since then.

Nicolas Jackson put Chelsea in front after just seven minutes with his eighth goal this season.

The Senegal striker met Marc Cucurella’s cross with a volley from eight yards that beat Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez via the near post.

Villa appealed in vain for a foul by Cucurella on Jaden Philogene in the build-up to the goal.

Enzo Fernandez added to Villa’s frustration in the 36th minute as the midfielder took a clever touch before firing home from 12 yards.

Cole Palmer grabbed his eighth goal this season with a superb finish from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.

Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.

Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.

Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.


Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga

Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga
Updated 30 November 2024
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Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga

Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga
  • Leroy Sané fired the ball into the Dortmund wall of defenders and Michael Olize sent the loose ball back in for the unmarked Musiala
  • It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions

BERLIN: Jamal Musiala scored late to save Bayern Munich from their first Bundesliga loss of the season with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” on Saturday.
Musiala – Bayern’s best attacking threat after Harry Kane went off with a first-half injury – headed the equalizer in the 85th minute after a Bayern free kick.
Leroy Sané fired the ball into the Dortmund wall of defenders and Michael Olize sent the loose ball back in for the unmarked Musiala.
Jamie Gittens provided the highlight of the first half when he left Konrad Laimer in his wake and raced clear before blasting the ball past Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal in the 27th.
It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions.
Kane went off with an apparent right hamstring injury shortly afterward.
Bayern mounted unrelenting pressure after the break with the Dortmund defenders increasingly content just to kick the ball away. The visitors kept pushing until Musiala duly scored.
Wirtz to the rescue
Florian Wirtz again made the difference for Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-1 win at Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso initially rested his star player, but sent Wirtz on for the last half-hour with the score 1-1. Wirtz duly whipped in a brilliant cross for Patrik Schick to score the winner with his chest in the 71st minute.
It was the third straight game that Wirtz has set up a goal in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig humiliated
Leipzig, already five games without a win across all competitions, were humiliated 5-1 at home by Wolfsburg, a defeat that left coach Marco Rose in a tenuous position at the energy drink-backed club.
Wolfsburg piled on the pressure with two goals in two minutes by the fifth minute, before Algerian forward Mohammed Amoura got his second in the 16th.
There were whistles from the home fans after the goals, and again at the break after their team failed to muster a response.
It got worse after the break with Joakim Maehle heading Wolfsburg’s fourth.
Leipzig captain Willi Orban urged his teammates to fight when he pulled one back in the 82nd, but Wolfsburg substitute Kevin Behrens had the final say in stoppage time.
Demirović double
Ermedin Demirović equalized twice for Stuttgart to draw at Werder Bremen 2-2, Freiburg won against visiting Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1, and Augsburg defeated last-placed Bochum 1-0 at home.


Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose

Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose
Updated 30 November 2024
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Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose

Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose
  • Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday
  • A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League

LONDON: Inspired by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted the team into second place in the English Premier League in its bid to chase down Liverpool.
Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in its biggest league victory this season.
Since returning from the international break, Arsenal has beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League and put another five goals past West Ham. The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal’s playmaker and captain who missed two months with an ankle injury.
Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader’s home match against beleaguered Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal has been beaten to the title by City in each of the last two seasons but might be wanting Pep Guardiola ‘s team to pull off a victory at Anfield.
Saka, especially, is benefitting from Odegaard’s presence. The England winger already has 10 assists for the campaign — having played 12 of Arsenal’s 13 games — along with five goals.
All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It’s just the fourth time since the Premier League began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.
Van Nistelrooy’s task
A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.
Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 on Saturday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.
Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, which had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.
Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English soccer with Leicester in 16th place in the 20-team league and just one point above the relegation zone.
“We just had the messages last night (from Van Nistelrooy) when the appointment was made,” said Leicester first-team coach Ben Dawson, who took charge of the team against Brentford. “He wished everyone good luck and the plan is to catch up tomorrow at the training ground.”
Penalty record
Some history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties — in the third, 18th and 74th minutes — for Bournemouth in its 4-2 win at Wolverhampton. That had never been achieved before in a league game.
Kluivert said it was “amazing” to go into the history books but he was almost denied the opportunity.
“I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. “It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper.”
Evanilson won each of the three penalties converted by Kluivert — and that was also a first in the Premier League.
Double blow
Newcastle lost Sweden striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the first half and then its lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Daniel Munoz scored the late equalizer to lift Palace out of the bottom three on goal difference.
“It’s an absolutely devastating blow for us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of giving up the late goal.
On Isak, Howe added: “It was a contact injury and not a muscle pull, which is good news for us. We hope he will recover quickly.”
Chris Wood smashed a penalty down the middle for his eighth goal of the season to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich.