Runners-up Yokohama thrashed 7-3 in goal fest

Runners-up Yokohama thrashed 7-3 in goal fest
South Korea’s Gwangju, right, and Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos during their Asian Champions League Elite stage football match. (AFP)
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Updated 18 September 2024
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Runners-up Yokohama thrashed 7-3 in goal fest

Runners-up Yokohama thrashed 7-3 in goal fest
  • Shanghai Shenhua drub South Korea’s Pohang Steelers 4-1, while Buriram United of Thailand and Vissel Kobe of Japan play out a 0-0 draw

SOUL: Asian Champions League debutants Gwangju FC scored after just 90 seconds on the way to a 7-3 home hammering of last year’s runners-up Yokohama F-Marinos on Tuesday.

Also on the second day of action in Asia’s top club competition, which has been rebranded as the Asian Champions League Elite, Shandong Taishan won 3-1 at home to Central Coast Mariners of Australia.

On a good night for Chinese teams, Shanghai Shenhua thrashed South Korea’s Pohang Steelers 4-1, while Buriram United of Thailand and Vissel Kobe of Japan played out a 0-0 stalemate.

In South Korea, Gwangju grabbed an early lead over Japan’s Yokohama when Jasir Asani’s tame effort from outside the box squirmed under the grasp of visiting goalkeeper Riku Terakado.

The hosts extended their lead at a sparsely attended Gwangju World Cup Stadium on the quarter-hour mark when Oh Hu-seong headed in unmarked at the back post.

Yokohama hit back on 34 minutes when the Brazilian Elber slammed home as the rain came down.

The game turned goal crazy in a madcap second half, with Albanian international Asani netting twice more for his hat trick and the hosts adding three more.

Elber, with his second, and Takuma Nishimura pulled goals back for the bedraggled away team, who were reduced to 10 men late on.

The J. League’s Yokohama are coached by the Australian John Hutchinson following the sacking of compatriot Harry Kewell after just six months in the job.

The former Liverpool and Leeds star Kewell took Yokohama to the two-legged Champions League final in May, where they lost to Al Ain of the UAE 6-3 on aggregate.

Kewell was axed two months later after a torrid run of form and Hutchinson was promoted from the backroom staff on a caretaker basis.

The Asian Champions League Elite begins with two leagues containing 12 teams each and split between East and West Zones.

The competition kicked off on Monday and concludes in May next year.


Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw

Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw
Updated 11 October 2024
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Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw

Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw
  • The win meant under-pressure Brazil coach Dorival Junior’s team will finish the ninth round of the round-robin competition in fourth place in South American qualifying

SAO PAULO: An 89th-minute goal by substitute Luiz Henrique gave Brazil a 2-1 away win over Chile on Thursday in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.

The win meant under-pressure Brazil coach Dorival Junior’s team will finish the ninth round of the round-robin competition in fourth place in South American qualifying.

Earlier, Lionel Messi’s Argentina drew with Venezuela 1-1 in a match that was delayed for 30 minutes due to a wet pitch at Monumental Stadium in the Venezuelan city of Maturin.

Argentina, who lead the 10-team competition, have 19 points after nine matches. Colombia, with 16 points, remain in second place after losing 1-0 at Bolivia. Uruguay are third with 15 points and have a chance to add more in a match against Peru on Friday. Brazil have 13 points.

Argentina’s lead in the competition could be reduced on Friday if Uruguay win at Peru.

Brazil in dramatic comeback

Chile, one of the worst-performing teams in South American qualifying, opened the scoring seconds after the kickoff at the National Stadium in Santiago. Veteran striker Eduardo Vargas headed past goalkeeper Ederson, with the ball gently touching the back of the net.

Brazil struggled to create clear chances, but managed to equalize in added time with a header by their new striker, Igor Jesus. The visitors kept most of the ball possession in the second half, but still failed to get clear chances.

Only in the final minutes, Henrique decided to take his chances from the edge of the box. The winning goal made several Chile players throw themselves to the ground in anguish.

Brazil’s next match will be against Peru in Brasilia. Chile will travel to Colombia.

“This shirt means a lot. It is a great feeling for us to wear it. We know what is happening, but we wanted to change it,” said Henrique. ”Our fans can be sure we will fight always for this team. We are the only five-time World Cup champions, we will play with passion.”

Messi returns for Argentina

Defender Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 13th minute. He pushed the ball to the empty net after a cross by Messi and a mistake by goalkeeper Rafael Romo.

Salomon Rondón equalized in the 65th minute with a header for the only South American team that has yet to play in a World Cup.

“The pitch did not help us do what we wanted to do,” said Messi, who returned to the national team after missing the two previous rounds of South American qualifying due to ligament damage in his right ankle.

Venezuela defender Jon Aramburu said his team wanted a win to show its ambition.

“The rain affected the match, we couldn’t play well,” he said. “We drew against a team that everyone knows of its potential. But this team is here to beat them, to compete.”

Venezuela’s next match will be at Paraguay on Tuesday, the same day that Argentina will host Bolivia.

Bolivia in the clouds to beat Colombia

Colombia, who had been the last unbeaten team in South American qualifying, were shocked at Bolivia in the Municipal Stadium in the city of El Alto, more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. Bolivia moved into fifth place with 12 points after its first win in 21 years against the Colombians.

Miguel Terceros, also known as Miguelito, scored the winning goal for Bolivia in the 58th minute with a powerful shot after dribbling through two defenders.

Bolivia had lost Hector Cuellar to a straight red card in the 21st minute after a gruesome tackle that forced the substitution of striker Roger Martinez, but the team remained competitive until the end of the match in its high-altitude stadium.

“We are a young team that wants to change history,” Terceros said. “Now we will travel to Argentina thinking about winning.”

Bolivia hasn’t qualified for a World Cup edition since the 1994 edition in the United States.

Also on Thursday, Ecuador and Paraguay drew 0-0.

The Ecuadorians are in fourth place with 12 points and ahead of Bolivia on goal difference. Paraguay is in eighth place and out of an automatic qualifying spot with 10 points.


Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw

Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw
Updated 11 October 2024
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Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw

Brazil snatch away win over Chile in World Cup qualifying, Messi’s Argentina draw
  • The win meant under-pressure Brazil coach Dorival Junior’s team will finish the ninth round of the round-robin competition in fourth place in South American qualifying
  • Argentina, who lead the 10-team competition, have 19 points after nine matches

SAO PAULO: An 89th-minute goal by substitute Luiz Henrique gave Brazil a 2-1 away win over Chile on Thursday in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.

The win meant under-pressure Brazil coach Dorival Junior’s team will finish the ninth round of the round-robin competition in fourth place in South American qualifying.

Earlier, Lionel Messi’s Argentina drew with Venezuela 1-1 in a match that was delayed for 30 minutes due to a wet pitch at Monumental Stadium in the Venezuelan city of Maturin.

Argentina, who lead the 10-team competition, have 19 points after nine matches. Colombia, with 16 points, remain in second place after losing 1-0 at Bolivia. Uruguay are third with 15 points and have a chance to add more in a match against Peru on Friday. Brazil have 13 points.

Argentina’s lead in the competition could be reduced on Friday if Uruguay win at Peru.

Brazil in dramatic comeback

Chile, one of the worst-performing teams in South American qualifying, opened the scoring seconds after the kickoff at the National Stadium in Santiago. Veteran striker Eduardo Vargas headed past goalkeeper Ederson, with the ball gently touching the back of the net.

Brazil struggled to create clear chances, but managed to equalize in added time with a header by their new striker, Igor Jesus. The visitors kept most of the ball possession in the second half, but still failed to get clear chances.

Only in the final minutes, Henrique decided to take his chances from the edge of the box. The winning goal made several Chile players throw themselves to the ground in anguish.

Brazil’s next match will be against Peru in Brasilia. Chile will travel to Colombia.

“This shirt means a lot. It is a great feeling for us to wear it. We know what is happening, but we wanted to change it,” said Henrique. ”Our fans can be sure we will fight always for this team. We are the only five-time World Cup champions, we will play with passion.”

Messi returns for Argentina

Defender Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 13th minute. He pushed the ball to the empty net after a cross by Messi and a mistake by goalkeeper Rafael Romo.

Salomon Rondón equalized in the 65th minute with a header for the only South American team that has yet to play in a World Cup.

“The pitch did not help us do what we wanted to do,” said Messi, who returned to the national team after missing the two previous rounds of South American qualifying due to ligament damage in his right ankle.

Venezuela defender Jon Aramburu said his team wanted a win to show its ambition.

“The rain affected the match, we couldn’t play well,” he said. “We drew against a team that everyone knows of its potential. But this team is here to beat them, to compete.”

Venezuela’s next match will be at Paraguay on Tuesday, the same day that Argentina will host Bolivia.

Bolivia in the clouds to beat Colombia

Colombia, who had been the last unbeaten team in South American qualifying, were shocked at Bolivia in the Municipal Stadium in the city of El Alto, more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. Bolivia moved into fifth place with 12 points after its first win in 21 years against the Colombians.

Miguel Terceros, also known as Miguelito, scored the winning goal for Bolivia in the 58th minute with a powerful shot after dribbling through two defenders.

Bolivia had lost Hector Cuellar to a straight red card in the 21st minute after a gruesome tackle that forced the substitution of striker Roger Martinez, but the team remained competitive until the end of the match in its high-altitude stadium.

“We are a young team that wants to change history,” Terceros said. “Now we will travel to Argentina thinking about winning.”

Bolivia hasn’t qualified for a World Cup edition since the 1994 edition in the United States.

Also on Thursday, Ecuador and Paraguay drew 0-0.

The Ecuadorians are in fourth place with 12 points and ahead of Bolivia on goal difference. Paraguay is in eighth place and out of an automatic qualifying spot with 10 points.


England lose to Greece as Carsley experiment backfires and France win without Mbappe

England lose to Greece as Carsley experiment backfires and France win without Mbappe
Updated 11 October 2024
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England lose to Greece as Carsley experiment backfires and France win without Mbappe

England lose to Greece as Carsley experiment backfires and France win without Mbappe
  • It was England’s first loss to Greece, who are ranked No. 48 in the world ranking, in 10 matches between the teams
  • Erling Haaland became Norway’s record scorer at the age of 24 with a double in his country’s 3-0 win over Slovakia

Lee Carsley ran into the first problems of his tenure as England’s interim coach after a bold team selection backfired in a 2-1 home loss to Greece in the Nations League on Thursday.

Erling Haaland became Norway’s record scorer at the age of 24 with a double in his country’s 3-0 win over Slovakia, while France — playing without Kylian Mbappé and the retired Antoine Griezmann — still had far too much for Israel in a 4-1 victory.

After leading England to back-to-back victories since becoming temporary coach after the European Championship, Carsley felt emboldened enough to field a team without a recognized striker in the absence of injured captain Harry Kane.

The lineup looked interesting and exciting on paper but resembled a mess on the field as Greece repeatedly picked off England and got in behind a stretched defense.

Vangelis Pavlidis scored the opener for the visitors at Wembley Stadium in the 49th, Jude Bellingham equalized in the 87th, only for Pavlidis to take advantage of more sloppy defending to grab Greece’s winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Greece’s players, who also had three goals disallowed in the game, celebrated one of their most famous wins by gathering together and holding up the No. 2 jersey of George Baldock, the Panathinaikos defender who was found dead in his Athens home on Wednesday at age 31. Baldock played 12 matches for Greece and there was a period of silence in tribute to the right back ahead of the game, with players wearing black armbands.

“We gave everything for him,” Pavlidis said in a tribute to Baldock, who he described as a “special guy.”

It was England’s first loss to Greece, who are ranked No. 48 in the world ranking, in 10 matches between the teams and deals a major blow to Carsley’s hopes of becoming coach of the national team on a permanent basis.

It was meant to be fluid set-up, with in-form Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer starting a competitive international for the first time for England and deployed in central midfield, with Phil Foden and Bellingham splitting time as the furthest player forward in an attack filled with midfielders.

It didn’t work.

“We never really gave ourselves a chance to see whether it was the right decision or wrong,” said Carsley, who insisted it was not an “experiment.”

“With the players we’ve got, we’ve got to be courageous at times with our systems and be creative. I thought it was important to try something different. I never at any point thought I’ve got it cracked. It was a case of, let’s try something different.”

Haaland’s record

Haaland scored twice to move onto 34 goals for Norway, one more than the previous record-holder Jorgen Juve from the 1930s.

Haaland, who has already scored 11 goals for Manchester City this season in all competitions, was captaining Norway for the first time in his 36th international appearance.

Alexander Sorloth also scored for Norway.

Coping without Mbappe

Mbappe wasn’t called up by France because of a minor injury, even though he has since played for Real Madrid, while the surprise retirement of Griezmann — a stalwart for coach Didier Deschamps for the past decade — gave it the feel of a new era for Les Bleus.

Goals by Matteo Guendouzi in the 87th and Bradley Barcola in the 89th wrapped up France’s win against Israel, after Eduardo Camavinga and Christopher Nkunku netted in the first half.

The game was played in Budapest, with Israeli teams having played home matches in neutral countries such as Hungary and Cyprus for security reasons since the Hamas attacks one year ago.

Red card

Italy forward Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card proved decisive as his team squandered a two-goal lead and drew with Belgium 2-2 in Rome.

Italy went in front after barely 60 seconds, through right wing back Andrea Cambiaso, and striker Mateo Retegui made it 2-0 in the 24th.

Pellegrini was sent off for a foul on Arthur Theate that initially earned him a booking but was upgraded to a red card in the 40th after a VAR review.

From the resulting free kick, Maxim De Cuyper tucked away a fine finish from a well-worked move and Leandro Trossard equalized in the 61st.


South Korea down Jordan to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying

South Korea down Jordan to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying
Updated 10 October 2024
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South Korea down Jordan to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying

South Korea down Jordan to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying
  • Goals from Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyeong-gu gave underfire coach Hong Myung-bo his second win in a row

HONG KONG: South Korea beat Jordan 2-0 in Amman on Thursday to move top of Group B in the third round of Asia’s World Cup preliminaries as Australia won their first match under new coach Tony Popovic.
Goals from Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyeong-gu gave underfire coach Hong Myung-bo his second win in a row and lifted the Koreans on to seven points from three matches.
Hong had been booed after Korea’s opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in Seoul but back-to-back wins mean the Taeguk Warriors are in a strong position to continue their record of qualifying for every World Cup since 1986.


Australia revive World Cup hopes with 3-1 win over China

Australia revive World Cup hopes with 3-1 win over China
Updated 10 October 2024
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Australia revive World Cup hopes with 3-1 win over China

Australia revive World Cup hopes with 3-1 win over China
  • The Socceroos had picked up just one point from their opening two Group C games in September
  • Popovic was hired last month after the resignation of Graham Arnold as head coach

ADELAIDE: Australia got their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign back on track by beating China 3-1 on Thursday in coach Tony Popovic’s first game in charge.
The Socceroos had picked up just one point from their opening two Group C games in September, and they feared the worst after 19 minutes at the Adelaide Oval.
Xie Wenneng ran onto a Zhang Yuning header to shoot powerfully into the net and silence the majority of the 46,000 crowd.
Australia, going for a sixth straight World Cup appearance, struggled to turn possession into clear chances but just before the break, Lewis Miller headed Craig Goodwin’s free kick into the net for his first international goal.
Goodwin fired home a spectacular second from outside the area eight minutes after the restart to put Australia ahead 2-1. Nishan Velupillay added a third in stoppage time in his debut international appearance to seal the win and condemn China to a third loss in three games.
Popovic was hired last month after the resignation of Graham Arnold as head coach.
Australia are second in the group above Saudi Arabia, which takes on leader Japan later Thursday in Jeddah.
The top two from each of the three six-team groups qualify directly for the World Cup while the third- and fourth-place finishers advance to a fourth stage of qualification to compete for Asia’s two remaining automatic berths.