IN FIFA WORLD CUP

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Switzerland star Johan Manzambi scored twice as the team beat Bosnia-Herzegovina four-one in a chaotic final twenty minutes to edge towards a place in the World Cup round of 32.

With Bosnia down to ten men following Tarik Muharemovic’s straight red card for bringing down Breel Embolo when clean through on goal, Ruben Vargas doubled Switzerland’s advantage with a precise curling finish into the bottom corner.

Vargas turned provider in the 90th minute when he set up Manzambi to score his second of the night from close range, before Granit Xhaka converted an injury-time penalty after Djibril Sow was tripped by Amar Memic.

Ermin Mahmic scored a late consolation for Bosnia with a spectacular volley following a corner.

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South Africa star Teboho Mokoena scored an 83rd-minute penalty to earn the team a one-all draw against the Czech Republic at the World Cup.

South Africa trailed after five minutes and seven seconds when Michal Sadilek latched on to a clever lay-off and rifled home the earliest goal of the tournament so far.

A point does little to help either side and their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages remain in the balance, with Mexico and South Korea above them in the Group A table.

South Africa face South Korea on Thursday, 25th June, while the Czechs will take on co-hosts Mexico in the Azteca at the same time.

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South Africa head coach Hugo Broos praised his side’s resilience and overall performance after they battled to a draw with Czechia.

Broos was delighted with his side’s display in the hard-fought contest

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Former Nigerian internationals Ifeanyi Udeze and Brown Ideye have commended South Africa’s impressive one-all draw against Czechia in the second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Udeze stated that he was delighted with the way the South Africans fought back to earn a draw.

On the other hand, Ideye, who praised the Bafana Bafana never-say-die spirit, faulted the team’s inability to get the maximum three points after leveling the score via a penalty.

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Former England star Gary Lineker says Harry Kane is the greatest English striker he has ever had after the England captain equalled his record of ten World Cup goals.

Kane scored twice as England opened their tournament campaign in Dallas with a four-two victory against Croatia in Group L.

Former Three Lions striker Lineker, reached his tally between the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and Italia 90, while Kane is playing at his third tournament after featuring in Russia in 2018 and Qatar four years ago.

Kane now has eighty-one goals in one hundred and fifteen international appearances and leads the list of England’s record goalscorers.

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England star Declan Rice is expected to be available for the team’s World Cup match against Ghana after suffering from lower back pain during the win over Croatia.

The midfielder was substituted midway through the second half, raising concerns about his fitness.

The complaint is one that the Arsenal midfielder, has been carrying for a while and will require managing during the tournament.

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England head coach, Thomas Tuchel has won a battle with Fifa to get photographers moved away from the bench during the national anthems.

Tuchel said he could not see his team before the team’s four-two win over Croatia, with a wall of photographers blocking his view to the pitch.

Fifa has now changed its policy and agreeing to a compromise for all affected games.

Photographers will now be grouped in a huddle closer to the halfway line, llowing an unobstructed view for the coaching staff.

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Ivory Coast international Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada for his country’s World Cup group game against Germany on Saturday.

The Nice forward was reportedly, arrested last month before the World Cup over alleged involvement in spot-fixing in Ligue 1.

Wahi who started Sunday’s World Cup win over Ecuador has been accused of deliberately earning a yellow card while playing for Nice against Metz in May.

A statement from the public prosecutor’s office in Marseille confirmed a 23-year-old football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested, without naming Wahi.

The Ivory Coast’s football federation said they had not been told of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi, but confirmed he had not been able to obtain authorisation to enter Canada.

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Germany’s veteran keeper Manuel Neuer will go back into international retirement after the end of the World ?Cup, having returned to the team just for the tournament.

Neuer, a 2014 World Cup winner who is 40 years old and playing his fifth consecutive World Cup as Germany’s starting keeper, had retired after their Euro 2024 quarter-final exit on home soil.

He was a surprise selection in coach Julian Nagelsmann’s squad after a strong second half of the season with club Bayern Munich.

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Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi’s father Jorge Messi is currently dealing with a health-related situation.

The family addressed the speculation around Jorge Messi’s health following Argentina’s three-nil victory over Algeria in their opening World Cup match.

The family added that Jorge was under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within the condition he was experiencing.

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Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has apologised after saying that Japan players all look alike during their two-all draw with the Netherlands.

Van der Vaart was working as a pundit when he made the remark after Micky van de Ven lost Koki Ogawa’s run for Japan’s late equaliser.

Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out criticised Van der Vaart and called for broadcasters to be more careful.

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Tottenham have completed the fifty-two million pounds signing of Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.

The 26-year-old, who had a year left on his contract with the Seagulls, has signed what Spurs have called a long-term deal.

The transfer also contains a significant sell-on fee for Brighton should the defender be sold in the future.

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange said the club had been tracking Van Hecke for a number of years.

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Liverpool have confirmed the signing of winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna after triggering his thirty-four point five million pounds release clause.

The 22-year-old is part of Spain’s World Cup squad and his medical took place on Wednesday, with Liverpool sending staff to the United States.

Munoz, who made his international debut in March, can play on both wings and will sign a six-year deal at Anfield.

Liverpool will pay the fee in two instalments.

He will become Liverpool’s first signing since Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot as head coach earlier this month.

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The Premier League fixtures for the 2026-27 season will be released on Friday.

Both the start and end dates of the 2026-27 season are later than usual as a result of World Cup 2026.

The new campaign will start on Saturday, 22nd August, 2026, thirty-four days on from the World Cup final in the United States.

The Premier League season will end on Sunday, 30th May, 2027, with the Champions League final six days later.

There will be 33 rounds of weekend fixtures next term, with the remaining five taking place midweek.

The Premier League has said next season’s schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with Uefa competition dates, wherever possible.

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England women have been drawn to play Greece in round one of the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-offs.

The Lionesses must get through two rounds of home and away ties to qualify for the tournament in Brazil.

Should England beat Greece, they will face the winners of Slovakia and Ukraine with the away fixture played first.

Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland also found out who they will be playing for a place at the World Cup.

In round one, Wales face Albania, Scotland play the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland take on Portugal.

Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland will play Kazakhstan.

Fixture dates are to be confirmed, but matches will take place in October, November and December.

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IN NIGERIA

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Benin Under-seventeen Women’s head coach Idah Azonsou has expressed confidence that the Young Amazons can overcome Nigeria’s Flamingos and secure a place at the 2026 FIFA Under-seventeen Women’s World Cup.

The Young Amazons will face the Flamingos in a decisive qualifying tie next month, with a spot at the global tournament at stake.

Azonsou’s side began preparations for the crucial encounter at the Missérété Excellence Centre on Sunday, and will continue their training camp in Lomé from this weekend.

While acknowledging Nigeria’s pedigree and status as favourites, the Benin coach believes they are capable of springing a surprise and booking their place at the World Cup.

Nigeria will host the first leg at the Remo Stars Sports Complex, Ikenne on Saturday, 4th July, with the reverse fixture scheduled to take place a week later at the Stade de Kégué.

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OTHER LEAGUES

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Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Ibrahima Konate on a four-year contract when the France centre-back leaves Liverpool.

The 27-year-old is leaving the Reds on a free transfer at the end of June after the two parties failed to agree a new deal because of a gap between the defender and club over his value and wages.

Real Madrid said they have reached an agreement with Konate for him to become a Real Madrid player for the next four seasons, until 30 June, 2030.

Konate, who is part of his country’s squad at the 2026 World Cup, joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 for thirty-five million pounds on a five-year contract.

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OTHER SPORTS

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In Tennis, British teenager Hannah Klugman says she feels very different after a week practising with some great players following her second-round Nottingham Open defeat.

The 17-year-old beat compatriot Harriet Dart on Tuesday for her first WTA Tour win, having reached the main draw as a lucky loser.

She made an impressive start against world number 27 Marie Bouzkova on Thursday but ultimately faded to a 7-5, 6-2 loss.

World number 509 Klugman will rise 97 places in the rankings and is already assured of a place in the Wimbledon main draw, having received a wildcard earlier this week.

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In Cricket, Ben Stokes could return as England captain as early as next week for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson are under investigation for their part in an incident in a London nightclub, when they broke England’s midnight curfew.

It is understood the process is progressing to a point where a path for the pair to come back is cleared, although an official announcement may not arrive until the conclusion of the ongoing second Test at The Oval.

While all outcomes remain possible, there is a growing likelihood Stokes is back to lead England in Nottingham, with the match starting on Thursday, 25 June.

Stokes and Atkinson have been made unavailable for the second Test, pending the investigation.

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In Rugby, Captain George Furbank is targeting a fairytale finish with Northampton as his decade at the club ends on Saturday at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.

Saints legend Furbank will leave his boyhood team to join Harlequins next season after failing to agree a new deal at Franklin’s Gardens.

The 29-year-old full-back will lead the side out in the Prem final against Exeter, and says there are no hard feelings despite the tough conversations around the contract stand-off.

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In Cycling, Slovenian rider Urska Zigart broke her jaw in a heavy crash at the start of the final kilometre of stage two of the Tour de Suisse Femmes in Locarno on Thursday.

Zigart lost control riding at high speed over a speedbump and crashed hard on to the ground, rolling and sliding a number of metres before coming to a halt on the tarmac.

Several other riders then crashed as they tried to avoid Zigart, as she lay motionless in the road.

Zigart’s team, AG Insurance-Soudal, confirmed she had been taken to hospital.

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In Athletics, Olympic medallist Jenny Simpson is making encouraging improvement in hospital after collapsing at an event in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The 39-year-old American was pacing a mile group at a Sir Walter Miler pop-up event on Tuesday when she reportedly collapsed and needed CPR.

Her employer Fleet Feet said she was recovering well.

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TODAY’S FIXTURE

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IN FIFA WORLD CUP

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United States vs Australia

Scotland vs Morocco

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

CONSISTENCY IS HARDER WHEN NO ONE IS CLAPPING FOR YOU. YOU MUST CLAP FOR YOURSELF DURING THOSE TIMES, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR BIGGEST FAN…WORDS FROM LUIS GARCIA.