World Cup
WORLD CUP ALL-TIME TOP SCORER BRINGS WORLD CUP TROPHY TO DRAW VENUE
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
By close of next week, the complete field of 32 teams for the Russia 2018 World Cup will be completed. Attention naturally shifts to the match-ups in the group stage of the competition which opens next June.
Focus will be on the final draw ceremony holding at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on December 1. Adding glamour to the ceremony which may likely last 90 minutes, the regulation time for a football match, will be the display of the FIFA World Cup trophy – the object of the often over flowing global emotions.
FIFA has announced that World Cup winner with Germany and the top goal scorer in World Cup history, Miroslav Klose has accepted to be part of the ceremony and will bring the trophy onto the stage.
As Sports Village Square has gathered from FIFA, the World Cup trophy will be making a star appearance at the Final Draw as the first leg of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour. The trophy will be in Nigeria in March 2018
“For very obvious reasons, the World Cup holds very special memories for me,” Klose, who played in four editions of the World Cup between 2002 and 2014, told FIFA.com. He scored 16 goals – more than any other player in the history of the game.
“I feel very honoured to somehow still be a part of the World Cup, even after my retirement, and particularly to present to Russia and to the world this trophy that we fought so hard to win in Brazil in 2014.”
After carrying the FIFA World Cup Trophy on to the stage, Klose will have very good reason to follow the results of the draw closely: the 39-year-old has been a member of the German national team’s coaching staff since announcing his retirement in November 2016.
“The draw is one of those moments when you know that, for a few minutes, the eyes of the whole football world are on the same place,” he said. “The expectation it creates is simply incredible. I was in Russia for the Confederations Cup earlier this year and I have no doubt that the country will deliver another beautiful event as it prepares to host the World Cup in 2018.”
The Final Draw will split the 32 qualified teams into eight groups according to procedures approved in September. The allocation of teams to the four pots will be based on the October 2017 edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Among the eight draw assistants will be Russian football legend Nikita Simonyan, with the other seven names to be announced in the weeks to come.
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World Cup
Messi hits 10th hat-trick as Argentina hammer Bolivia 6-0
Lionel Messi scored his 10th international hat-trick and had a hand in two more goals as Argentina thrashed Bolivia 6-0 in South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in front of an adoring home crowd at the Monumental stadium on Tuesday.
Making only his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi capitalised on a mistake by defender Marcelo Suarez to open the scoring in the 19th minute.
Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra made a couple of fine saves to prevent the hosts from extending their lead but he was beaten in the 43rd minute when Lautaro Martinez scored from Messi’s quick cross.
Argentina made it 3-0 just before the break, with Messi setting up Julian Alvarez to score.
Lionel Scaloni’s side controlled the second half and looked like they had extended their lead through Nicolas Otamendi, only to see the goal disallowed for offside.
Substitute Thiago Almada did make it 4-0, however, scoring from Nahuel Molina’s pass in the 70th minute with the venue transformed into an Argentine party.
Messi, 37, gave fans more reason to celebrate in the closing moments, beating two Bolivia defenders before unleashing a fierce shot past Viscarra to score his second.
Messi needed only two more minutes to complete the hat-trick, joining Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo with the most in men’s internationals, the Argentine skipper scoring with a left-footed drive to take his tally to 112 goals for his country.
“It’s really nice to come here, to feel the affection of the people, it moves me how they shout my name,” Messi said.
“This drives me. Enjoying being happy where I am. Despite my age, when I’m here, I feel like a kid because I’m comfortable with this team. As long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, I’ll keep enjoying it.”
Argentina are top of the standings with 22 points, having returned to winning ways after losing to Colombia last month and drawing with Venezuela last week.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
-Reuters
World Cup
Last-gasp Luiz Henrique effort gives Brazil 2-1 win at Chile
Lacklustre Brazil pulled off a last-gasp 2-1 away victory over Chile in the South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, thanks to a goal by substitute Luiz Henrique in the 89th minute.
Off the back of a disappointing loss to Paraguay and losing four of their last five qualifiers with a series of poor performances, Brazil had to recover from a goal down as Eduardo Vargas put the locals in front with a fine header from a Felipe Loyola cross in the second minute.
Chile wasted chances to extend their lead, but Brazil managed to find the equaliser in added time before the break, when Savinho made a good run down the right and crossed to Igor Jesus who nodded a towering header past the goalkeeper, scoring on his first call-up for the national team.
Brazil controlled the second half and found a duly deserved winner late with a fine effort by Jesus’ teammate at Brazilian league leaders and Copa Libertadores semi-finalists Botafogo Luiz Henrique, who slotted a curling strike from the edge of the box to rescue the five-time World Cup champions three much needed points.
The victory lifted Brazil to fourth in the standings with 13 points, two behind Uruguay and eight from leaders Argentina. Chile are second from bottom on five points.
Earlier on Thursday, leaders Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela in Lionel Messi’s return to international duty from an injury.
The Argentine captain brilliantly assisted Nicolas Otamendi on a drenched pitch to open the scoring 13 minutes after kick-off, but a relentless Venezuela fought back to equalise with a Salomon Rondon’s header in the second half.
In-form Bolivia grabbed a gritty 1-0 win, their third successive victory, handing second-placed Colombia their first loss in the qualifiers.
Trying to end a 13-game winless run against their opponents, Bolivia started well but had to play most of the game with 10 men as Hector Cuellar was sent off with a straight red card for bringing striker Roger Martinez down as the last man in the 20th minute.
However, the fierce locals managed to find the winner in a stunning strike by Miguel Terceros, who dominated near the right touchline, cutting inside to beat two Colombian defenders before unleashing a fine left-footed strike that flew into the top-left corner in the 58th minute
Argentina are on top of the standings on 19 points, three ahead of Colombia and four from third-place Uruguay, who have a game in hand and will face last-placed Peru on Friday.
Brazil climbed to fourth, leapfrogging Ecuador, who are in fifth place on 12 points following a goalless draw against Paraguay.
Bolivia are behind Ecuador on goal difference in sixth, followed by Venezuela with a point behind in seventh. Only the top six are guaranteed a berth at the 2026 finals.
-Reuters
World Cup
Venezuela hold Argentina to 1-1 draw on Messi’s return
Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday in Lionel Messi’s return to international duty in the South America’s World Cup qualifiers.
Captain Messi, 37, fully recovered from an injury sustained in the Copa America final against Colombia in July, was brilliant in setting up Otamendi on a drenched pitch to open the scoring 13 minutes after kick-off, which was delayed by half an hour due to heavy rain.
Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, filling in for Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez, who is serving a two-match ban for offensive behaviour, produced a fine performance to keep out Salomon Rondon’s first-half efforts.
However, the determined Venezuelan striker equalised in the second half with an exceptional header from a Yeferson Soteldo’s cross to temporarily move his team to sixth in the standings with 11 points.
Argentina sought a winner after boss Lionel Scaloni introduced Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martinez five minutes from time, but the soggy pitch only increased the World Cup winners’ shortcomings.
“It was an ugly match. We couldn’t even make two passes in a row, the ball stopped because of the water on the pitch. It is difficult to play in these conditions, the pitch did not help,” Messi told TyC Sports after the game.
“The best conditions for us to play is that there is a good pitch, good weather, that the ball runs. We don’t ask for much, do we?” added defender Rodrigo De Paul.
Argentina remain top of the standings with 19 points and will face Bolivia on Tuesday, while Venezuela visit Paraguay.
-Reuters
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