International Football
SPAIN DENY GERMANY, BALE FEATURES FOR WALES AS NATIONS LEAGUE KICKS OFF
Jose Luis Gaya’s late goal gave Spain a 1-1 draw away in Germany on Thursday (Sept 3) as the start of the UEFA Nations League marked the return of international football in Europe following a hiatus of 10 months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Valencia defender Gaya was on hand to score from close range in the sixth minute of added time in Stuttgart after Rodrigo Moreno had nodded down a Ferran Torres cross, in a dramatic ending to the League A, Group Four encounter.
Earlier, new Chelsea striker Timo Werner had given Germany the lead just after half-time in an entertaining contest between two of the last three World Cup winners.
It was Luis Enrique’s first game of his second spell as Spain coach, despite being re-appointed in November 2019 just after their last game in Euro 2020 qualifying.
“This team is full of faith and hunger. We didn’t deserve to lose and we kept fighting to the end,” said Spain captain Sergio Ramos, who earned his 171st cap.
These two teams will hope to feature prominently in the European Championship, which was postponed by a year because of the pandemic and will now go ahead – all going to plan – in June and July next year.
In the meantime, this second edition of the Nations League will be crammed into the next three months, with the four group winners in League A advancing to the finals later in 2021.
For now, all games are being played behind closed doors, just like the recent Champions League and Europa League ‘Final Eight’ tournaments in Lisbon and in Germany.
The stands in Stuttgart were therefore empty as Barcelona winger Ansu Fati came on for the second half to make his Spain debut.
Fati, who was born in Guinea-Bissau, does not turn 18 until October. At 17 years and 308 days, he is the second-youngest player ever to represent Spain, behind Angel Zubieta, who was a few weeks younger when he played against Czechoslovakia in 1936.
Elsewhere on Thursday in the same group, Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko scored a fine goal to give Ukraine a 2-1 win over Switzerland in Lviv.
Andriy Yarmolenko of West Ham United had put Ukraine ahead with a backheel effort, before Haris Seferovic equalised.
In League B, Artem Dzyuba netted a brace as Russia beat Serbia 3-1 in Moscow, while in the same Group 3, Hungary were surprise 1-0 winners away in Turkey.
In Group 4, out-of-favour Real Madrid star Gareth Bale started for Wales but was taken off at half-time in their 1-0 victory over Finland in Helsinki. Kieffer Moore scored the winner 10 minutes from time.
“Gareth Bale has had no football at all,” Wales coach Ryan Giggs told Sky Sports.
“It was a real juggling act, picking the team. Gareth has had the least football out of everyone and I thought, ahead of Sunday, it would be best to take him off.”
On Sunday Wales host Bulgaria, who were held to a 1-1 draw by the Republic of Ireland in Sofia.
Bozhidar Kraev put Bulgaria ahead only for recent Celtic loan signing Shane Duffy to head in a stoppage-time equaliser for Ireland in their first game under new manager Stephen Kenny.
The Nations League action continues every night until Tuesday, with Friday highlights including Italy hosting Bosnia and Herzegovina in Florence.
The Netherlands, who lost to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the inaugural Nations League final last year, entertain Poland in Amsterdam in their first game since coach Ronald Koeman quit to take the Barcelona job.
As well as the four-team finals, the Nations League features promotion and relegation and offers the two best group winners who do not qualify automatically for the 2022 World Cup a second chance to make it to Qatar via play-offs.
–AFP
French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over his national team’s head coaching duties following this summer’s FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported Monday.
Zidane, 53, reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Federation Francaise de Football to replace Didier Deschamps, who has held the role since 2012.
Zidane, who managed La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid for two stints (2016-18, 2019-21), has long been expected to eventually become the skipper for France.
As a player, the dynamic midfielder won the 1998 Ballon d’Or and was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000 and 2003). He helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and finish second in 2006. He was infamously sent off during the final of the 2006 World Cup when he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest.
-Reuters
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The ‘Finalissima’ match between Spain and Argentina that was scheduled to be held in Qatar has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, while the South American side rejected multiple alternatives, UEFA said on Sunday.
The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have affected countries throughout the Gulf, disrupting travel in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs and forcing several sporting events to be cancelled due to safety concerns.
The contest between European champions Spain and Copa America winners Argentina was scheduled for March 27 at Doha’s Lusail Stadium, where fans would have had the opportunity to watch Lionel Messi go head-to-head with Lamine Yamal.
UEFA said they held discussions with the organising authorities in Qatar and concluded that the match could not take place due to the “current political situation” in the region.
“It is a source of great disappointment to UEFA and the organisers that circumstances and timing have denied the teams of the chance to compete for this prestigious prize in Qatar,” UEFA said in a statement.
Qatar’s Local Organising Committee said airspace disruption and travel restrictions led to the cancellation of its Qatar Football Festival, where the host country, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Serbia were also set to play friendly games this month.
The Football Association of Serbia later announced they would play away in Spain on March 27 and host Saudi Arabia four days later.
OTHER ALTERNATIVES REJECTED BY ARGENTINA
The Finalissima’s cancellation was not just about Qatar’s security concerns, however, with UEFA saying they explored other feasible alternatives, but they proved to be ‘unacceptable’ to the Argentinian Football Association (AFA).
UEFA first offered to stage the match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid with a 50:50 split of supporters in the stadium.
A second option was to stage the Finalissima over two legs — at the Bernabeu on March 27 and the second leg in Buenos Aires during an international window before the next Euros and Copa America in 2028.
However, the AFA rejected both options. UEFA said Argentina made a counter offer to play the game after the World Cup but Spain had no available dates.
“Ultimately, UEFA sought a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue in Europe could be found, the game could go ahead on 27 March… or on the alternative date of 30 March. This proposal was also rejected,” UEFA added.
SPAIN WERE READY TO PLAY
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said they had offered Argentina “all possible options” in collaboration with UEFA to ensure the match went ahead, adding that they had the organisational capacity to stage the clash on short notice.
“From the very outset, the Federation has expressed its absolute commitment to ensuring this match goes ahead, as it believes it brings prestige and international reputation at a crucial time in a World Cup year,” the RFEF said.
“Furthermore, it has worked tirelessly to achieve this. Spain was prepared to play, as has always been stated.”
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada kicks off on June 11.
The 2022 edition of the Finalissima was held at Wembley Stadium in London where Argentina beat Italy 3-0.
-Reuters
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Soccer chiefs from Europe and South America will hold a final meeting before a Thursday deadline to decide whether and where this month’s “Finalissima” between Spain and Argentina will be played, with London emerging as the leading candidate after doubts over Doha, multiple sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
The match between European champions Spain and Copa America holders Argentina had been scheduled for March 27 at Lusail Stadium in Doha.
However, it has become increasingly unlikely that Qatar will host the fixture after the Qatar Football Association suspended soccer tournaments indefinitely following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory missiles fired at the Arabian Peninsula.
The Spanish FA (RFEF) has been pushing for a swift resolution, mindful that the March international break is viewed as vital preparation ahead of the June-July World Cup in North America.
“I know that negotiations are underway,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told Spanish Public Radio (RNE) on Monday. “The first thing, as a society, is to stop the conflict, but once you are immersed in it and you don’t know how long it will last, the solution would be, as long as you can’t play there, to find another venue as soon as possible.
Wembley Stadium staged the previous edition in 2022, when Argentina beat Italy, but it is set to host England v Uruguay on March 27. London, however, has other stadiums capable of staging the showpiece, leaving the English capital as the most likely alternative should Doha be ruled out, sources confirmed.
ALTERNATIVE OPPONENTS CONSIDERED
While keen to face Argentina and high-profile players such as Lionel Messi, sources told Reuters that Spain had made clear their priority was not to waste the last window of international fixtures before the World Cup and they were already contemplating alternative opponents.
With Spain also due to face Egypt three days later, any change would require agreement between the RFEF and European soccer body UEFA, South American confederation CONMEBOL, global governing body FIFA and the Argentine FA (AFA).
The RFEF, AFA and UEFA did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
A spokesperson for South American confederation CONMEBOL told Reuters that several meetings between the parties had taken place in recent days but did not confirm Thursday’s deadline or London as the preferred venue.
Madrid was initially proposed by the RFEF but rejected by the AFA, who preferred a neutral venue rather than giving Spain home advantage.
Morocco offered to stage the game, but the RFEF was unwilling to back their Mediterranean neighbours amid tensions behind the scenes over the 2030 World Cup, which Spain, Morocco and Portugal will co-host. Both Spain and Morocco are campaigning to stage the final.
Miami was also considered, with Messi based there at Inter Miami, but Hard Rock Stadium is hosting the Miami Open tennis tournament at the same time.
-Reuters
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