How Americans learned to love football July 2, 2014 WE BRITS have long enjoyed looking down our noses at Americans when it comes to football. They call it soccer, they get the terminology wrong, and they are inexplicably obsessed with viewing it through the prism of statistics. Making fun of all this has been a favourite pastime within our favourite pastime. Or at least [...]
World Cup: Di Maria brings Hitzfeld career to a cruel end July 1, 2014 ARGENTINA 1 SWITZERLAND 0 (After extra time) ARGENTINA coach Alejandro Sabella admitted he was delighted to avoid a penalty shoot-out after Angel di Maria’s dramatic late intervention swept his team into the World Cup quarter-finals. Real Madrid winger Di Maria made amends for a sub-par display with the winning goal in the 118th minute, booking [...]
Chelsea confirm £32m Diego Costa transfer July 1, 2014 Chelsea have confirmed one of football’s worst-kept secrets when they announced a deal to sign Atletico Madrid and Spain striker Diego Costa for £32m. The 25-year-old, who scored 36 goals for the Spanish league champions last season, is Jose Mourinho’s second high-profile signing of the summer following the £27m capture of former Arsenal captain Cesc [...]
Suarez bites bullet and sets up £80m Barca switch June 30, 2014 LIVERPOOL and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez last night paved the way for a big-money transfer to Barcelona by finally issuing an apology for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. Six days after the incident that shocked the World Cup and earned him a four-month ban from all football activity, Suarez spoke of “deep regret” and promised [...]
Not cool: Millar sad at Tour axe June 30, 2014 BRITISH cyclist David Millar has been dropped by Garmin-Sharp from their team for the Tour de France just days after he let slip that he had been selected. Garmin-Sharp said they omitted the Scottish veteran, who had been due to compete in his 13th and final staging of the race this month, due to health [...]
Pistorius of sound mind when he killed Reeva, experts find June 30, 2014 PARALYMPIC superstar Oscar Pistorius was not suffering from mental illness and was therefore criminally responsible when he shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a court heard yesterday. Pistorius’s trial resumed yesterday in South Africa following a month-long assessment by doctors. That was prompted by the defence team’s claim that Pistorius had an anxiety disorder that may have [...]
World Cup: Keshi goes nuclear at referee Geiger as France leave it late June 30, 2014 FRANCE 2 NIGERIA 0 NIGERIA coach Stephen Keshi last night risked disciplinary action by blaming his team’s World Cup elimination on “biased” refereeing from American official Mark Geiger. France needed two late goals – from midfielder Paul Pogba and an own goal by Super Eagles defender Joseph Yobo – to see off the African champions [...]
I’m an honest guy, insists Robben June 30, 2014 HOLLAND winger Arjen Robben says he is “an honest guy” and insists he did not deserve retrospective punishment after admitting to diving during Sunday’s dramatic World Cup win over Mexico. Governing body Fifa yesterday opted not to take action against the former Chelsea star, since his deliberate first-half tumble did not, in its view, amount [...]
Klinsmann concern at Francophone collusion June 30, 2014 USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann has voiced fears that the Algerian referee assigned to his team’s last-16 clash with Belgium tonight may favour the French-speaking opposition. “We hope it’s not a concern. Is it a good feeling? No,” said the former Tottenham forward, who expects to have Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore back to face the Group [...]
World Cup: Robben dive row as Dutch grab late win June 29, 2014 HOLLAND 2 MEXICO 1 HOLLAND winger Arjen Robben was dragged into another diving row last night after the Dutch scored two last-ditch goals to defeat Mexico and set up a World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica. Mexico coach Miguel Herrera accused former Chelsea star Robben of cheating to win the penalty from which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar [...]