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Neymar to miss Brazil’s second World Cup match due to injury
Neymar will miss Brazil’s second World Cup match but will remain with the squad undergoing treatment for his ankle injury, the team doctor said Friday.
Rodrigo Lasmar said tests conducted on his right ankle showed that Neymar has a ligament injury and will not be fit to play against Switzerland on Monday.
“It’s important to remain calm, an evaluation will be conducted daily so we can have more information and take the most appropriate decisions,” Lasmar said, adding that “the goal is to have him recover” in time to still play in the tournament.
Lasmar did not give a timetable for Neymar’s recovery. He said the situation of defender Danilo, who has a left ankle injury, was similar to Neymar’s and he would also miss the game against Switzerland.
Neymar was receiving treatment at the team’s hotel Friday after getting injured in the 2-0 win against Serbia in Brazil’s opener.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker sprained his ankle in the second half of a bruising match against Serbia on Thursday. He was in tears while sitting on the bench with ice around his ankle and limped off the field on his way to the locker room.
“Difficult game, but it was important to win,” Neymar said on his social media accounts not long after he left Lusail Stadium without talking to the media. “Congratulations team, first step taken. Six more to go.”
In an Instagram story after the match, Neymar posted a text that mentioned the need to “have faith.”
“It’s about believing that everything will be OK despite the chaos. It’s the certainty that the best is yet to come. It’s understanding that everything has its own timing,” the text said.
Brazil coach Tite had already expressed optimism about Neymar’s condition.
“You can be sure that Neymar will still play in this World Cup,” he said after the match. “I’m certain about that.”
Neymar was substituted in the 79th minute, about 10 minutes after hurting his ankle while being tackled by Serbia defender Nikola Milenković.
Neymar had already been tackled many times before during the match, and was seen grimacing and limping a few other occasions. He was fouled nine times, the most of all World Cup players after the first round of matches in the group stage.
“We’ll remain upbeat, it’s the characteristic of this team,” Brazil goalkeeper Alisson said. “These adverse circumstances will only make the group stronger.”
The five-time world champions end their group-stage campaign against Cameroon on Dec. 2. Brazil leads Group G along with Switzerland, which opened with a win against Cameroon.
If Neymar can’t play, his replacement would likely be Rodrygo, who came in as a second-half substitute against Serbia on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Neymar was also hurt at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when his tournament ended with a back injury in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, and Brazil ended up losing to Germany 7-1 in the semifinals.
Neymar’s right foot has caused him problems in the past, being among the series of injuries he suffered since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Another right ankle sprain led him to miss the 2019 Copa América that Brazil won.
Neymar has yet to win a major title with the national team. He helped the “Seleção” win the 2013 Confederations Cup and its first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games.
With 75 goals for the national team, he is two shy of Pelé’s scoring record.
Neymar undergoing treatment to ankle injured at World Cup
Brazil star Neymar underwent tests and was receiving treatment at the team’s hotel Friday after injuring his right ankle in the 2-0 defeat of Serbia in their World Cup opener. The team did not give any detail on the extent of his injury.
Neymar sprained his ankle in the second half of a bruising match against Serbia on Thursday. He was in tears while sitting on the bench and after the match limped off the field on his way to the locker room.
“Difficult game, but it was important to win,” Neymar said on his social media accounts not long after he left Lusail Stadium without talking to the media. “Congratulations team, first step taken. Six more to go.”
In an Instagram story after the match, Neymar posted a text that mentioned the need to “have faith.”
Read: Messi, Argentina under pressure for Mexico game at World Cup
“It’s about believing that everything will be OK despite the chaos. It’s the certainty that the best is yet to come. It’s understanding that everything has its own timing,” the text said.
Brazil coach Tite had already expressed optimism about Neymar’s condition.
“You can be sure that Neymar will still play in this World Cup,” he said after the match. “I’m certain about that.”
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said after the game it was too early to know the extent of the injury. He said they started treating the injury the moment Neymar left the field, and continued after the match.
Neymar was substituted in the 79th minute, about 10 minutes after hurting his ankle while being tackled by Serbia defender Nikola Milenković.
Neymar had already been tackled many times before during the match, and was seen grimacing and limping a few other occasions. He was fouled nine times, the most of all World Cup players after the first round of matches in the group stage.
“We’ll remain upbeat, it’s the characteristic of this team,” Brazil goalkeeper Alisson said. “These adverse circumstances will only make the group stronger.”
Brazil’s next match is Monday against Switzerland. The five-time world champions end their group-stage campaign against Cameroon on Dec. 2. Brazil leads Group G along with Switzerland, which opened with a win against Cameroon.
Read: FIFA World Cup: Neymar in tears after injury against Serbia
If Neymar can’t play, his replacement would likely be Rodrygo, who came in as a second-half substitute against Serbia on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Neymar was also hurt at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when his tournament ended with a back injury in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, and Brazil ended up losing to Germany 7-1 in the semifinals.
Neymar’s right foot has caused him problems in the past, being among the series of injuries he suffered since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Another right ankle sprain led him to miss the 2019 Copa América that Brazil won.
The 30-year-old Neymar has yet to win a major title with the national team. He helped the “Seleção” win the 2013 Confederations Cup and its first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
With 75 goals for the national team, he is two shy of Pelé’s scoring record.
Another player with a sprained right ankle on Thursday was defender Danilo, though Lasmar said his injury was not serious.
World Cup 2022: Cheshmi’s late goal sends Iran to 2-0 win over Wales
Rouzbeh Cheshmi scored in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time to break a scoreless stalemate and Iran went on to defeat Wales 2-0 at the World Cup on Friday.
Cheshmi’s strike from outside the box was just beyond the diving reach of Wales backup goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was pressed into duty when starter Wayne Hennessey was sent off in the 86th minute.
Ramin Rezaeian added a second goal moments later and Iran wildly celebrated while some of the Welsh players dropped in disbelief to the field.
Hennessy was ejected in the 86th minute for a high challenge on Mehdi Taremi.
Gareth Bale made his 110th appearance for Wales, the most all-time for the national team, but the Welsh appeared sluggish early after a 1-1 draw with the United States in their Group B opener.
Iran, which fell 6-2 to England in its opener to fall to last place in the group, fared better against Wales.
But outside Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, the ongoing protests in Iran spilled over to the World Cup with pro-government fans harassing anti-government national team supporters.
Wales was making just its second overall appearance at the World Cup and first since 1958.
Bale, who played for Major League Soccer’s LAFC this past season, remained stuck on 41 goals for the national team, despite surpassing teammate Chris Gunter (109) for most all-time appearances.
Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand was ruled out of the game after he sustained a concussion in the opener. Hossein Hosseini started in his place.
Iran, which qualified for the last two World Cups, has never advanced to the knockout round.
The Iranian team has been peppered since its arrival in Qatar with questions about unrest back home. The players, who did not sing the country’s national anthem in their opener in an apparent show of solidarity with protestors, linked arms and sang on Friday.
The two teams had never played each other at a World Cup. Wales won their only friendly match 1-0 in 1978.
Messi, Argentina under pressure for Mexico game at World Cup
A chant has been doing the rounds among Saudi Arabia supporters — and even some from Brazil — in the fan parks and streets of Doha at the World Cup.
“Where is Messi? We broke his eye!” they sing in Arabic, using a slang expression meaning to bring shame on a person.
Messi and his Argentina team are being mocked after a humbling 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia that has left their presence at the tournament in big — and completely unforeseen — danger.
Argentina needs to immediately bounce back against Mexico on Saturday, otherwise an embarrassing early exit awaits.
“We always said we were going to look to win every game,” Messi said, “and now more than ever.”
A compatriot — indeed the team’s former coach — could mastermind the fatal blow to Argentina.
Gerardo Martino led his native Argentina from 2014-16, losing the Copa America final in back-to-back years in that time before quitting. Now Martino is Mexico’s coach and looking to guide the team into the last 16 — perhaps at the expense of Argentina — and beyond. After all, Mexico has famously lost its first match of the knockout stage in each of the last seven World Cups, twice to Argentina, in 2006 and 2010.
Read more: World Cup stunner: Saudi Arabia beat Messi’s Argentina 2-1
This time, the teams’ meeting comes in the group stage but it already has the feel of a do-or-die occasion just seven days into the tournament.
Especially for Argentina.
“I don’t think the result they had (against Saudi Arabia) changes their way of playing,” said Martino, whose team tied its opening Group C game with Poland 1-1.
With Argentina, something has to change, that’s for sure.
This is Lionel Scaloni’s first crisis as Argentina coach — he hadn’t lost a game before the Saudis’ rally at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday — and it remains to be seen how he reacts. Will he give the same players a chance to make amends? Or did he see enough bad things in the opening group game to necessitate some changes to his lineup?
Center back Cristian Romero, full backs Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico, and midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes seem most at risk. Of course, Messi is going nowhere from the starting lineup, even if he could be deployed differently.
“There is no other choice but to get up and move on,” Scaloni said. “We continue to think in the same way. Before the game (against Saudi Arabia), they made us favorites, but in a World Cup these things can happen. You have to work on the aspects that didn’t go well.”
Mexico has never beaten Argentina in three attempts at the World Cup, and Martino’s worst defeat as Mexico coach was at the hands of his countrymen. That was in September 2019, when Lautaro Martínez scored a hat trick in a 4-0 win.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi seeks history with Argentina
Argentina will take a win of any kind on Saturday back at Lusail Stadium, where the World Cup final will also be played on Dec. 18. It would be folly for either team to be looking that far ahead.
Arab fan support key for Tunisia vs. Australia at World Cup
Expect “TUN-is, TUN-is, TUN-is” chants to reverberete around the Al Janoub stadium as Tunisia enjoys overwhelming home-like support when it takes on Australia in each team’s second match at the World Cup on Saturday.
One of the four Arab teams at the first World Cup in the Middle East, Tunisia had arguably the loudest set of fans in the first round of games when it held European Championship semifinalist Denmark to a 0-0 draw.
And the support isn’t just from Tunisians. Fans waving Palestinian flags have been following Tunisia, and there are also supporters of the squad from Egypt and Algeria.
Tunisia’s team bus was mobbed by red-clad fans upon arrival in Qatar last week.
“We know the value of our Tunisian supporters in Doha, and the Tunisian diaspora,” coach Jalel Kadri said. “This gives us a strong morale boost.”
Both teams will have higher expectations, after Australia was beat 4-1 by defending champion France in its Group D opener.
All four of France’s goals came from attacks down the flanks, with three of them headed in.
“Conceding three goals from wide areas is obviously a very clear lesson for us to learn,” Australia midfielder Jackson Irvine said. “We obviously have to deal with the crosses better.”
France leads the group with three points, Tunisia and Denmark are next with one point each and Australia trails with none.
Read: Qatar World Cup: Denmark, Tunisia play out goalless draw
Tunisia is seeking to advance from the group stage for the first time in its sixth World Cup appearance, while Australia has only reached the last 16 once — in 2006 — in five previous trips to soccer’s biggest event.
“There’s a bit more pressure because Australia have nothing to lose now. It’s like a final for them,” Tunisia defender Mohamed Dräger said. “We need to be ready like (Tuesday). With the same spirit and the same concentration we can achieve something.”
Tunisia’s spirit is embodied by combative midfielder Aïssa Laïdouni, who earned player of the match honors against Denmark in his first career World Cup match.
Laïdouni set the tone in the very first minute when he stripped Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen of the ball with an aggressive sliding tackle — then stood up and pumped his arms menacingly, gesturing to the crowd to get even more fired up.
“It’s important to come at the game with a lot of determination,” Laïdouni said. “This is World Cup, it’s not a small competition. … It’s also important to show (the fans) we are so determined.”
Read: Splendid Brazil destroy clueless Tunisia 5-1 in Paris
Ghana coach slams ref after Ronaldo’s record World Cup goal
Ghana coach Otto Addo criticized the American referee who awarded the penalty that resulted in Cristiano Ronaldo’s record goal at the World Cup on Thursday, calling it “a special gift.”
Ronaldo won and converted the second-half penalty, making him the first male player to score in five World Cups. Portugal went on to beat Ghana 3-2.
“If somebody scores a goal, congratulations. But this was really a gift. Really a gift,” Addo said. “What more can I say? (It was) a special gift from the referee.”
Addo’s criticism of American referee Ismail Elfath was so direct that it could put him into trouble with FIFA.
When asked what he thought was the reason for Ghana’s narrow defeat, Addo responded: “The referee.”
Addo felt Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu didn’t foul Ronaldo for the penalty, and he complained that the officials didn’t use VAR to make sure. Salisu’s thigh appeared to make slight contact with Ronaldo’s leg before the Portugal captain went sprawling to the ground.
The 37-year-old Ronaldo, who was starting what’s expected to be his last World Cup, converted the penalty for his piece of history.
Read: Portugal beat Ghana in five-goal thriller
“I think it was really the wrong decision,” Addo said. “I don’t know why VAR didn’t come up. There’s no explanation for me. And then it’s difficult against a world-class team when they are leading.”
Addo is a 47-year-old former Ghana player who is in his first international coaching job and at his first World Cup. He said he even tried to meet with Elfath after the game to ask him about the incident. Addo also complained that Elfath had missed numerous fouls on his players.
“I tried,” Addo said. “I asked some people outside with FIFA if I can talk with the referee in a calm and a quiet way but they said he’s in a meeting and it’s not possible.”
Southgate reminds England it hasn’t beaten US at World Cup
Their head-to-head record at the World Cup, England coach Gareth Southgate duly noted, is in favor of the United States.
That’s right. The Americans beat England 1-0 at the 1950 World Cup and the teams played to a 1-1 draw in 2010.
Their next match is coming Friday in Qatar, and Southgate told his players to go out and finally get one back.
“Have we ever beaten the States in a major tournament?” Southgate asked during his pre-match news conference. “No, I didn’t think so. So tomorrow we have to try to make history.”
Southgate also poked fun at England’s reputation for building up expectations as it searches for its first World Cup title since its only tournament win in 1966.
“We are good at that,” Southgate said. “We are good at talking highly of ourselves as a nation on the basis of very little evidence. So what we’ve got to do is perform on the field. We know we will play a highly motivated team.
“But we’ve got huge respect for our opponent. We know a lot of the players from our league. We’ve got to be at our best. The risk is we think because we’ve played well the other day we can just go through to the next game.”
Read: England wary of World Cup upset against US
The England team should get a boost from having striker Harry Kane available for the Group B match. Kane, who was the leading scorer at the 2018 World Cup, didn’t score in the team’s opening 6-2 rout of Iran but he did injure his left ankle.
“Harry’s good,” Southgate said. “It would be a brave decision to leave him out of the starting (lineup).”
England should also have Harry Maguire back after the defender left the opening match with blurred vision.
At the moment, he’s trying to keep his eyes focused on the World Cup and not the upheaval back at Manchester United.
“I’m here with England,” the defender said. “I’m playing at a World Cup — the greatest tournament in the world. So for me to keep distractions away has been easy. I’m fully focused on winning each game I play for my country.”
Read: Ronaldo makes history, becomes first male player to score at five World Cups
A lot has happened back at his club since Maguire flew out to Qatar with the rest of the England squad. Teammate Cristiano Ronaldo had his contract terminated following an explosive interview in which he criticized manager Erik ten Hag, the club’s owners and some players. That was quickly followed by the news that the Glazer family is prepared to put United up for sale as it seeks outside investment.
“Yeah, there’s been obviously a lot of talk going off around the club at the moment,” Maguire said, “but I’ve been fully focused on England and that’s my priority.”
Maguire, whose poor form with United led to him being dropped by Ten Hag, has been a key figure in England’s success at its last two tournaments — reaching the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of last year’s European Championship, which it lost in a penalty shootout against Italy.
“Obviously being picked for your country is a huge privilege,” said Maguire, who is set to make his 50th appearance for the national team against the United States. “It’s the pinnacle of anybody’s footballing career to play at major tournaments for your country, World Cups especially. It’s the biggest tournament in the world.”
Thuram isn’t burdened by his father’s World Cup achievements
Marcus Thuram doesn’t feel burdened by his father’s legacy for France.
Lilian Thuram was part of France’s first World Cup title in 1998 and scored twice in the semifinals to lead Les Blues into the final against Brazil. Marcus Thuram made his World Cup debut on Tuesday in France’s 4-1 victory over Australia.
“It’s no problem for me talking about him,” the 25-year-old said Thursday. “I’m proud of him.”
He was approaching his first birthday when his father scored the only two international goals of his career in the 1998 semifinals, a 2-1 win over Croatia. Lilian Thuram was also part of the defense that beat Brazil 3-0 in the final.
Read: Young Spain bring back 'tiki-taka' at World Cup
Two years later, the elder Thuram won the European Championship and also reached the 2006 World Cup final. He holds the France record with 142 national appearances.
Lilian Thuram also won two Italian league titles with Juventus, as well as the UEFA Cup with Parma, where his son was born in 1997.
It’s given Marcus Thuram huge steps to follow in, but he isn’t concerned by comparisons in his first World Cup.
“I don’t put myself under this kind of pressure. I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “Maybe when I look back over my career I’ll think about it.”
His father is not putting him under any pressure, either.
“He hasn’t told me to score twice in a (World Cup) semifinals,” Marcus Thuram joked. “But he told me to gain as much experience as I can here and to enjoy the moment.”
He did need his father’s advice last season when Marcus Thuram lost his form and scored only three goals in 21 games for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Bundesliga.
“I had to make sure that my dreams didn’t fade away. I spoke a lot to my dad then,” the striker said. “I’ve worked very hard on the mental aspect of my game. I’m playing in a more central role now as a number nine, and that’s made things easier for me.”
Read: England wary of World Cup upset against US
He’s scored 10 league goals in 13 games this season and is eager for his first international goal.
“I know I have a responsibility to score goals and I like that,” he said.
France plays Denmark on Saturday.
Japan’s Doan savors answering Germany jibes at World Cup
Just wait, thought Ritsu Doan. Just wait.
The Japan midfielder, who plays for German team Freiburg, had to grit his teeth when he heard people saying his team would be an easy opponent for Germany at the World Cup.
“I listened to their talks with a fake smile on my face and in my heart,” the 24-year-old Doan said Thursday after sparking a remarkable comeback and arguably the biggest result in Japan’s World Cup history the night before.
After entering in the 71st minute, Doan only needed four minutes to cancel Ilkay Gündogan’s first-half penalty with the equalizer, then he watched as fellow substitute Takuma Asano bagged the winner in the 83rd for Japan’s 2-1 win.
“I thought it was the coolest thing I could do as a man to shut them up by winning, so I’m glad I won and so could do that,” Doan said.
The surprise win over the four-time champion set off wild celebrations from the sizeable contingent of Japanese fans at the Khalifa International Stadium and prompted outpourings of joy from fans watching the goals on large screens at home.
Read: Ronaldo makes history, becomes first male player to score at five World Cups
“I think that the whole of Japan was very excited,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. “I was able to watch the game on TV and it was a great victory.”
Kishida paid tribute to the “team power, individual power and the direction of the coach.”
Japan forward Daizen Maeda said it was “the happiest moment I have ever had in my football career.”
While Japan celebrated what coach Hajime Moriyasu called a “a historic moment, a historic victory” immediately after the game, the former midfielder struck a more cautious note the next day as he attempted to refocus the side for the next match against Costa Rica on Sunday.
“I keep saying that we should not be too happy or sad about the results,” the coach said Thursday. “The result against Germany is already in the past, so we will do our best to prepare ourselves to win the next match. We will do what we have always been doing and be ready for the next game.”
Costa Rica’s campaign at the World Cup started with a 7-0 thrashing from Spain.
Japan can theoretically even book its place in the second round with a win on Sunday, depending on a favor from Spain against Germany.
Japan is playing in its seventh straight World Cup and Moriyasu previously said the team’s aim is to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
Even Doan has toned down his excitement as he looks forward to the challenges ahead.
Read: England wary of World Cup upset against US
“We haven’t changed history yet, but I think it was a historic match, so I celebrated with all my teammates yesterday,” Doan said. “But from today, I really changed my mind and am preparing for the Costa Rica game, so I will be careful not to be big-headed.”
Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo received a flood of calls and emails from friends and family after the game.
“So I really feel that this was a historic victory,” Nagatomo said. “I will be happy if this will help liven up football again and improve the popularity of the sport. We have only won one game, so I want to focus on the next game.”
Whatever happens for the rest of the tournament, Nagatomo said the win over Germany was “one of the best experiences in my football career.”
World Cup logs more than half the record of scoreless draws
The 0-0 draw between Uruguay and South Korea on Thursday was the fourth scoreless game of this year’s World Cup — already more than half the tournament record through the first set of matches.
The record for scoreless draws in the World Cup is seven, done four times, in 1982, 2006, 2010 and 2014. The 2018 tournament in Russia had only one 0-0 draw, between Denmark and France.
Through the 16 games completed Thursday, the Mexico-Poland, Denmark-Tunisia, Croatia-Morocco and South Korea-Uruguay matches all went scoreless.
Read more: FIFA World Cup: Neymar in tears after injury against Serbia
There were no scoreless draws in 1930, 1934, 1938, 1950 or 1954. Before the start in Qatar, the World Cup averaged more than two goals per game. The highest average came in 1954, when 140 goals were scored in 26 games at 5.38 per game.
The least prolific scoring World Cup was the 1990 tournament when 115 goals were scored at only 2.21 goals per game.
Read more: FIFA World Cup: Richarlison's second-half brace give Brazil 2-0 win over Serbia