International Football
ENGLAND TAKE COMMAND OF WORLD CUP GROUP WITH POLAND WIN
Harry Kane became England’s all-time leading penalty scorer on Wednesday (March 31) as Gareth Southgate’s side beat Poland 2-1 to make it three wins out of three and seize control of their World Cup qualifying group.
The England captain’s 10th international goal from a spot-kick was cancelled out in the second half by Jakub Moder after a defensive howler from John Stones.
But England regained the lead with five minutes left on the clock when Harry Maguire smashed home after central defensive partner Stones headed a corner back across goal.
The nervy win at an empty Wembley means England top Group I with nine points after wins earlier in the international window against San Marino and Albania.
Only the team that finishes top of the group are guaranteed a place at the World Cup finals in Qatar next year.
The visitors, who have not beaten England since 1973, were missing injured Bayern Munich sharpshooter Robert Lewandowski and were depleted following a coronavirus outbreak in the camp.
England made just one change from the side that started Sunday’s match in Tirana, with Chelsea full-back Ben Chilwell coming in for Manchester United’s Luke Shaw.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden headed over from a Chilwell cross early in the game as the hosts started on the front foot.
England took the lead their football deserved in the 19th minute after Raheem Sterling charged into the box and was upended by Barnsley defender Michal Helik.
Kane smashed the spot-kick down the middle, giving Wojciech Szczesny no chance.
The goal forced Poland to be more proactive but Sterling continued to look dangerous on the left side of the England attack, nearly setting up Foden and then going on a slaloming run into the opposition penalty area.
Szczesny made a fine save from a powerful Kane shot as England tried to turn the screw but for all their dominance, they were forced to settle for a 1-0 lead at the break.
The home side were in control at the start of the second half but failed to create clear openings and the visitors equalised against the run of play as Stones was caught in possession.
The City defender, who has been in fine form this season, was in no danger when he received the ball on the right side of the England penalty area but Brighton’s Moder robbed him and lashed home after collecting an Arkadiusz Milik return pass.
Milik headed wide when presented with a chance as England struggled to recapture their earlier rhythm against their galvanised opponents.
England huffed and puffed but Southgate stayed patient, refusing to turn to the substitutes’ bench and was rewarded by Maguire’s late goal.
-AFP
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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