England 6-2 Iran: Saka and Bellingham star as Three Lions start World Cup with a bang November 21, 2022 England blew away months of growing pessimism with a free-wheeling start to the World Cup today, smashing six goals past Iran to underline their credentials as potential winners. Bukayo Saka scored twice while Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish also netted as Gareth Southgate’s team put down a marker in Qatar. Two [...]
World Cup briefing: England v Iran at 1pm November 21, 2022 Not feeling excited by the Qatar 2022 World Cup? Need a reason to watch today’s games? Let City A.M. get you in the mood. Group B: England v Iran, 1pm, BBC England begin their bid to go one better than their runner-up finish at last year’s European Championship when they play Iran this afternoon. They [...]
Fifa threats prompt England to scrap plan to wear One Love armband at World Cup November 21, 2022 England football chiefs say captain Harry Kane will not wear a One Love armband in their opening World Cup match against Iran today after Fifa threatened them with sporting sanctions. They were one of seven nations planning for their captains to wear the armband as a gesture of solidarity with minority groups in Qatar, where [...]
Qatar World Cup Group B analysed: England and their rivals’ strengths and weaknesses November 20, 2022 Will the real World Cup Group B stand up? On the one hand, England’s pool is the only one in Qatar in which all of the teams inhabit the top 20 of Fifa’s world rankings. On the other, Iran, the USA and Wales looks, on paper, like a kind draw for Gareth Southgate’s team. Today’s [...]
Comment: Criticise me not Qatar for World Cup, says Infantino. OK then, here goes November 20, 2022 In a speech riddled with crass false equivalences on the eve of the World Cup, Gianni Infantino had a message for critics of this tournament. “Don’t criticise Qatar. Don’t criticise the players” the Fifa president said. “Criticise me, because I am responsible for everything.” OK, Gianni; here goes. There is no shortage of material. Criticise [...]
Fifa president accuses West of ‘hypocrisy’ in Qatar World Cup coverage November 19, 2022 Fifa president Gianni Infantino has accused the West of “hypocrisy” in its reporting of Qatar’s human rights record. In a news conference in Doha, Infantino defended Qatar and the tournament, which is due to kick off tomorrow evening. “Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel [...]
Love match for James McDonald and Romantic Warrior at Sha Tin? November 18, 2022 LAST season’s Hong Kong Derby and Group 1 QE II Cup winner Romantic Warrior makes a belated seasonal reappearance in the Bochk Jockey Club Cup (8:40am) over 10 furlongs. The son of Acclamation suffered a slight set-back in August and didn’t have his first serious gallop until near the end of September. Two subsequent winning trials, [...]
California Sparkle Could Outshine Golden Sixty November 18, 2022 THREE Group 2 contests feature in a 10-race programme at Sha Tin on Sunday, when the crème de la crème of the Hong Kong’s finest gallopers tune-up for next month’s Hong Kong International meeting. This is the last chance for local racing enthusiasts to pass judgement on whether their home stars are capable of fending [...]
Exclusive: Powerleague chief on price rises and making the ‘tinder of grassroots football’ November 18, 2022 On the eve of the World Cup, grassroots football is the focus for Powerleague boss Christian Rose, who has dragged it out of red and through pandemic with a metaphorical Cruyff Turn. The CEO has been in post for four years after being brought in during 2018 when the company was “not in great shape.” [...]
EP: 170 Haydock, Ascot & Hong Kong November 18, 2022 The Grade 1 Betfair Chase is the feature race of the weekend, attracting a small but classy field to the Lancashire course. Irish raider A Plus Tard looks to follow up from his impressive win 12 months ago. Ascot also race on Saturday where the Ascot Hurdle is one of two Grade 2 races to [...]