Football
Injury fear grips players as World Cup draws closer
The distress on Raphael Varane’s face said it all.
The Manchester United and France defender couldn’t hide his emotions as he feared his World Cup hopes were dead.
Pulling his shirt up over his face as he limped off the field at Stamford Bridge last week, he tried to wipe the tears from his eyes.
Varane was too distraught to talk to team doctors in the immediate aftermath, which left both him and United unsure of the extent of the hamstring injury he sustained in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
Earlier this month Tottenham’s Richarlison cut a similarly distressed figure when suffering a calf injury.
The Brazil striker had tears in his eyes as he spoke of his “dream” of representing his country at the World Cup potentially being over.
Both Varane and Richarlison have since been given hope they could yet make Qatar with neither injury as serious as first feared.
But their reactions underlined the pressure being felt by players as the World Cup draws closer – especially as club football will continue right up to the week before it kicks off next month.
And the potential for injury is exacerbated by the congestion of matches brought about by a mid-season international tournament.
Leading clubs have largely been playing twice a week since the start of the campaign in order to complete the first stages of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
That caused natural concern among national team coaches, who will only have a week with their players when the domestic season pauses.
“What I see is a really packed schedule now, a lot of players playing a lot of minutes, and realistically we will lose more,” said England head coach Gareth Southgate last month. “I just think it’s so intense and the players have had so much football.”
Southgate plans to name his squad just before the last round of Premier League matches, which is the weekend of November 12-13.
He has already seen Reece James almost certainly ruled out with a knee injury that will side-line the Chelsea defender for an estimated eight weeks.
Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are both trying to recover from groin and shoulder surgery, respectively, which is expected to keep them out until the World Cup.
The jeopardy heading into every game before the tournament is now clear – and was evident in the reactions of Varane and Richarlison.
But United manager Erik ten Hag has warned his players against being distracted by Qatar.
“Focus is so important because if you don’t have the right focus the risk is even more,” the Dutchman said this week. “Keep in the rhythm, keep in the right fitness and shape and then they will be ready for the World Cup. They are best prepared.
“Of course, it is not optimum. That is clear. It is a different World Cup, but that is something national managers have to deal with. That is the way it has to go.”
The fear of injury before a major tournament is nothing new, with the end of a campaign often a nervous period for players ahead of a summer competition.
But the mid-season element of this World Cup, combined with the hectic club calendar, has heightened tensions.
“I didn’t talk on this subject with them, but I’m pretty sure they have one eye and are thinking about the World Cup,” said City manager Pep Guardiola on Friday. “Unfortunately many players got injured and will miss the World Cup, it’s a big blow for them.
“It’s just two or three weeks before the end. It’s the last effort. I’d always advise them to be ready for the World Cup, don’t get injured, be focused and play your maximum in the game. When you lose your attention you are at risk.”
United and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen says he will not allow himself to be distracted.
“I think for every footballer it’s the same,” he said this week. “There’s something in six games’ time, but until then we’ll be focused on the next game. There’s five or six games before the World Cup so you need to be in good shape.”
Southgate’s prediction that he would lose more members of his squad has already come to fruition with James.
No matter how focused players are, the potential for more scenes like Varane at Stamford Bridge feels likely.
Ronaldo back in contention for Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo is back in contention for Manchester United after talks with manager Erik ten Hag.
The Portugal striker could play against FC Sheriff in the Europa League on Thursday after being cut from the 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend and being made to train away from the first-team squad.
Ronaldo was punished for refusing to come on as a substitute in last week’s 2-0 win over Tottenham, which raised fresh doubts about his future at United.
But Ten Hag said Wednesday that the issue has now been resolved after talking to the forward.
“Cristiano will be in the squad tomorrow,” the Dutchman said at his pre-match news conference. “I think we said everything and we answered all the questions, he was out for one game and is back in the squad as usual.
“It’s done, he’s back, focus on the game, that’s important that Cristiano is involved in the squad tomorrow.”
Ronaldo has been an unwanted distraction during Ten Hag’s short reign at United after failing to secure a summer transfer to a team playing in the Champions League.
Read: Ronaldo controversy overshadows United's victory over Spurs
Ronaldo was criticized, along with other players, for leaving a pre-season game early — and his behavior against Spurs led to the one-game punishment.
While Ten Hag has said Ronaldo remains in his plans, there are still doubts over whether he can play a key role in the team.
United was unable to bring in a striker in the summer but, with Ronaldo out of contract at the end of the season, the club will need to fill the void if the 37-year-old Portugal international leaves.
It has traditionally been difficult to bring in major signings during the January transfer window but Ten Hag said long-term planning was underway when asked if he had the funds to recruit in the new year.
“In the background we always continue a process working on the squad,” he said. “So we want to have a top sport culture, and you see and examine how you can improve and that’s what we will do.”
FIFA World Cup 2022: Preview of African teams, key players, group phase fixtures
Can an African team eventually win the World Cup? Though making it to the quarterfinals is the best performance by an African team in the tournament's history. The competing teams' top priority at the FIFA World Cup 2022 should thus be to advance to the semifinals. Let’s have a look at the key players, group phase fixtures, and the preview of the African teams in the 22nd edition of the World Cup.
Which African nations will play in the Qatar World Cup 2022?
Five countries from CAF (Confederation of African Football) will partake in the FIFA World Cup 2022. The teams that will play in the main event are Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. Among the participating teams from Africa, Cameroon will have the most appearances with eight, followed by Morocco (6), Tunisia (6), Ghana (4), and Senegal (3).
Read: Is the FIFA Football World Cup Trophy Made of Solid Gold?
African countries' groups for the 2022 Qatar World Cup
There are eight groups in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and each of the five African countries will play in different groups. The top-ranked team from Africa, Senegal, will play in group A. Among the other teams, Tunisia will play in group D, Morocco in group F, Cameroon in group G, and Ghana in group H.
Senegal’s opponents in group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Netherlands Tunisia’s opponents in group D: France, Australia, DenmarkMorocco’s opponents in group F: Belgium, Canada, Croatia Cameroon’s opponents in group G: Brazil, Serbia, SwitzerlandGhana’s opponents in group H: Portugal, Uruguay, Korea Republic
Qatar World Cup 2022: Preview of African teams and group phase fixtures
Thirteen African countries have participated in the World Cup final events so far, and their overall record hasn’t been as impressive as expected. Besides, the only time a World Cup event was staged in Africa was back in 2010 in South Africa.
Only three African teams have reached the quarter-finals of the football World Cup and they are Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010. Will an African side finally break the jinx and become the first to advance to the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Let’s find out which teams from the CAF have the best chance to do it.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Netherlands announce preliminary squad
Senegal
FIFA Rank: 18 | Best Result in World Cup: (Quarter Finals, 2002)Head Coach: Aliou Cisse | Captain: Kalidou KoulibalyKey players to watch: Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane
The reigning Africa Cup of Nations Champions, Senegal, are the best ranked team from the continent to take part in the upcoming football World Cup. The team has some seriously talented players who play in Europe's top leagues. Senegal are early favourites to top their group. Many consider them the only realistic candidate from Africa to win the World Cup 2022. Senegal can go all the way to the finals if they find momentum from the beginning of the competition.
Senegal’s group phase fixtures: Netherlands (Nov 21), Qatar (Nov 25), Ecuador (Nov 29)
Morocco
FIFA Rank: 22 | Best Result in World Cup: (Round of 16, 1986)Head Coach: Walid Regragui | Captain: Romain SaissKey players to watch: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Hakim ZiyechMorocco’s chances of qualifying for the Round of 16 are slim as Croatia and Belgium are the two hot favourites in group F. However, Morocco have some quality players on their roster who should shoulder extra responsibility if they are to finish in the top two in the point standings.
Morocco’s group phase fixtures: Croatia (Nov 23), Belgium (Nov 27), Canada (Dec 1)
Tunisia
FIFA Rank: 30 | Best Result in World Cup: (Group Stage, 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018)Head Coach: Jalel Kadri | Captain: Youssef MsakniKey players to watch: Montassar Talbi, Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Youssef MsakniLike Morocco, Tunisia will also face tough battles in their group in order to finish second in the points table. From this group, Denmark and France are the two strongest candidates to reach the next stage. Most likely, the Tunisian side will battle it out against Australia for the third spot.
Tunisia’s group phase fixtures: Denmark (Nov 22), Australia (Nov 26), France (Nov 30)
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Participating countries, venues, full group phase fixtures
Cameroon
FIFA Rank: 43 | Best Result in World Cup: (Quarter Finals, 1990)Head Coach: Rigobert Song | Captain: Vincent AboubakarKey players to watch: Nicolas Nkoulou, Karl Toko Ekambi, Vincent AboubakarCameroon have some quality players who can put up a great fight against their group stage opponents for a second-placed finish. But it will be a really tough battle as both Switzerland and Serbia will be tough opponents, while Brazil are favourites to finish top of the points table. Cameroon’s group phase fixtures: Switzerland (Nov 24), Serbia (Nov 28), Brazil (Dec 2)
Ghana
FIFA Rank: 61 | Best Result in World Cup: (Quarter Finals, 2010)Head Coach: Otto Addo | Captain: Andre AyewKey players to watch: Daniel Amartey, Thomas Partey, Jordan AyewGhana is in what is arguably the group of death, alongside Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea, all vying for a spot in the Round of 16. Ghana have some experienced and talented players who have the ability to fight hard in tough situations. They must work hard in order to advance to the next round.
Ghana’s group phase fixtures: Portugal (Nov 24), South Korea (Nov 28), Uruguay (Dec 2)
Way Forward
Senegal have the best probability of advancing to the Round of 16 given the quality of the African teams and their group-stage fixtures for the FIFA World Cup 2022. The Senegalese team has the opportunity to get to the semifinals as the first nation from Africa. Cameroon and Ghana have a decent chance of moving on to the next round, whereas Morocco and Tunisia have a slim chance of doing well in the World Cup. However, the performances of each team's key players will be crucial in the main event.
Read: Technologies set to amaze at Qatar Football World Cup 2022
Is the FIFA Football World Cup Trophy Made of Solid Gold?
As the biggest event in international football, the FIFA World Cup captivates millions of fans around the globe every four years. And at the heart of it all is one highly coveted prize: the golden trophy. It was designed by Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga and made by the Stabilimento Artistico Bertoni company. It was first presented to Germany after they won the 1974 World Cup. But have you ever wondered just how much gold is actually in that shiny trophy of the FIFA World Cup Football Tournament?
Value of FIFA World Cup Trophy
Well, it may surprise you to learn that the FIFA World Cup trophy is not solid gold and it is hollow inside. In fact, it stands at a mere 36.5 centimeters tall and is made of 18 karats (75%) gold, weighing a total of 6.175 kilograms. It has bands of malachite on its base, which is 13 centimeters in diameter.
While this may not seem like a lot, the current market value for this amount of gold is a whopping $161,000 (around 1 crore and 70 lacs taka).
Read Technologies set to amaze at Qatar Football World Cup 2022
History of FIFA Football World Cup Trophy
What makes this trophy even more valuable is its history and significance. First introduced in 1974, it has been awarded to World Cup winning teams for over 40 years now. Only six countries have managed to claim it multiple times: Brazil (5 times), Germany (3 times), Italy (2 times), Argentina (2 times), Uruguay (2 times) and Spain (1 time).
In the past, the winning team would keep possession of the trophy until the final draw of the next tournament. However, that is no longer the case. Now, each winner of the World Cup receives a gold plated bronze replica than solid gold. The original trophy remains in FIFA’s possession and is brought out for display at each subsequent World Cup tournament.
So, while it may not be solid gold, there's no doubt that the FIFA's Football World Cup Trophy holds immense value both monetarily and sentimentally.
Read 8 Stadiums of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
FIFA World Cup 2022: Netherlands announce preliminary squad
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is fast approaching, and all the participating nations are busy preparing their squads. On October 21, Louis van Gaal, the head coach of the Netherlands, revealed a preliminary squad of 39 players. Let's look at the players who were named to the Dutch roster.
Netherlands preliminary squad for Qatar World Cup 2022
All the participating teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022 have to name their final 26-man squads by November 14. Before that, teams can announce their provisional squad to construct their final roster for the mega event.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Participating countries, venues, full group phase fixtures
The Netherlands team’s head coach, Louis van Gaal, declared a preliminary squad where he called up 39 players. There were some surprises in the squad as Mitchel Bakker, Xavi Simons and Micky van de Ven were called up for the first time. Sven Botman, Jeremie Frimpong, and Pascal Struijk, who were previously called up but yet to make a debut for the national side, were also called up. Apart from that, all the expected names found a place in the roster.
Netherlands 39-man provisional squad Goalkeepers: Andries Noppert, Remko Pasveer, Justin Bijlow, Jasper Cillessen, Mark Flekken Defenders: Jeremie Frimpong, Tyrell Malacia, Devyne Rensch, Pascal Struijk, Jurrien Timber, Nathan Ake, Mitchel Bakker, Daley Blind, Sven Botman, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij, Denzel Dumfries, Micky van de Ven, Virgil van Dijk Midfielders: Teun Koopmeiners, Xavi Simons, Kenneth Taylor, Guus Til, Steven Berghuis, Jordy Clasie, Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Ryan Gravenberch, Davy Klaassen Forwards: Steven Bergwijn, Brian Brobbey, Luuk de Jong, Vincent Janssen, Noa Lang, Donyell Malen, Wout Weghorst, Arnaut Danjuma, Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo
Read: Technologies set to amaze at Qatar Football World Cup 2022
The Netherlands have long been recognized as one of the best footballing nations in the world and the World Cup's unluckiest team. Despite participating in the finals of the 1974, 1978, and 2010 World Cups, the Dutch national men's football team has never taken home the trophy.
The current Dutch team is not considered one of the strong favourites to win the FIFA World Cup 2022. However, as the competition goes on, they might become a dangerous force. One of the most seasoned and well-respected coaches in the world is their head coach, Louis van Gaal. He has a big job on hand to make a strong team from the preliminary squad for the upcoming football World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Participating countries, venues, full group phase fixtures
The football World Cup is set to begin on November 20 in Qatar. For the first time, a middle-east country will host football's biggest event, and it will arguably be the costliest one ever. Let’s have a look at the participating countries, groups, venues, and complete fixtures of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Participating Countries and Groups
Through qualifying competitions, 31 of 211 countries from six continental confederations secured a place in the main event of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Qatar automatically qualified to take part in the main event as a host country.
Read: Technologies set to amaze at Qatar Football World Cup 2022
Among the 32 participating teams, 13 are from Europe, 6 from the AFC, 5 from the CAF, and 4 each from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. No team qualified from the OFC region. Here are the teams who have qualified for the 2022 World Cup football main event.
Europe: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, WalesAFC: Qatar (host), Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, AustraliaCAF: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, TunisiaCONCACAF: Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, United StatesCONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay
There are eight groups for the 32-nation tournament, with each containing four teams. The top two teams from each of the eight groups will advance to the Round of 16 phase. Here are the eight groups of the Qatar World Cup 2022.
Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands Group B: England, IR Iran, USA and Wales Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland Group D: France, Australia, Denmark and Tunisia Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and Korea Republic
Qatar World Cup 2022: Venues
One of the main attractions of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is the venues. The organizer has built some eye-catching stadiums for the mega tournament where all the modern facilities are installed. A total of eight stadiums have been built in five major cities in Qatar and the interesting thing is that all the venues are air-conditioned where cooling systems have been installed to reduce temperatures within the stadium up to 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Qatar is a tiny country, so the distance between one city and another is very short. Due to the short distance traveled, fatigue will be less among the players. The five cities where the matches of the tournament will take place are Lusail, Al Khor, Doha, Al Rayyan, and Al Wakrah. Here are the eight stadiums for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Read: World Cup Football 2022 jerseys: Where to buy online in Bangladesh
Ground: Lusail Iconic Stadium | Capacity: 80,000 | City: LusailGround: Al Bayt Stadium | Capacity: 60,000 | City: Al KhorGround: Stadium 974 | Capacity: 40,000 | City: DohaGround: Al Thumama Stadium | Capacity: 40,000 | City: DohaGround: Khalifa International Stadium | Capacity: 45,416 | City: Al RayyanGround: Education City Stadium | Capacity: 45,350 | City: Al RayyanGround: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium | Capacity: 44,740 | City: Al WakrahGround: Al Janoub Stadium | Capacity: 40,000 | City: Al Wakrah
Football World Cup Qatar 2022: Full Group Phase Fixtures
The tournament’s group phase will start on November 20 with a match between Qatar and Ecuador. The group stage will end on December 2. The Round of 16 phase will be held from December 3 to December 6. After that, the quarter-finals will take place on December 9 and 10, followed by the two semifinals on December 13 and 14. The final match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be held on December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium. Here are the complete 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage fixtures. The match schedule is given in Bangladesh Standard Time.
Match 1: Qatar vs Ecuador | Date: November 20 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 2: England vs Iran | Date: November 21 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 3: Senegal vs Netherlands | Date: November 21 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 4: United States vs Wales | Date: November 22 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 5: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia | Date: November 22 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 6: Denmark vs Tunisia | Date: November 22 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 7: Mexico vs Poland | Date: November 22 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 8: France vs Australia | Date: November 23 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 9: Morocco vs Croatia | Date: November 23 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 10: Germany vs Japan | Date: November 23 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 11: Spain vs Costa Rica | Date: November 23 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 12: Belgium vs Canada | Date: November 24 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 13: Switzerland vs Cameroon | Date: November 24 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 14: Uruguay vs Korea Republic | Date: November 24 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 15: Portugal vs Ghana | Date: November 24 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 16: Brazil vs Serbia | Date: November 25 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 17: Wales vs Iran | Date: November 25 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 18: Qatar vs Senegal | Date: November 25 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 19: Netherlands vs Ecuador | Date: November 25 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 20: United States vs England | Date: November 26 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 21: Australia vs Tunisia | Date: November 26 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 22: Poland vs Saudi Arabia | Date: November 26 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 23: France vs Denmark | Date: November 26 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 24: Argentina vs Mexico | Date: November 27 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 25: Japan vs Costa Rica | Date: November 27 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 26: Belgium vs Morocco | Date: November 27 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 27: Croatia vs Canada | Date: November 27 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 28: Spain vs Germany | Date: November 28 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 29: Cameroon vs Serbia | Date: November 28 | Time: 4 p.m. (BST)
Match 30: Korea Republic vs Ghana | Date: November 28 | Time: 7 p.m. (BST)
Match 31: Brazil vs Switzerland | Date: November 28 | Time: 10 p.m. (BST)
Match 32: Portugal vs Uruguay | Date: November 29 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 33: Netherlands vs Qatar | Date: November 29 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 34: Ecuador vs Senegal | Date: November 29 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 35: Wales vs England | Date: November 30 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 36: Iran vs United States | Date: November 30 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 37: Australia vs Denmark | Date: November 30 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 38: Tunisia vs France | Date: November 30 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 39: Poland vs Argentina | Date: December 1 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 40: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico | Date: December 1 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 41: Croatia vs Belgium | Date: December 1 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 42: Canada vs Morocco | Date: December 1 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 43: Japan vs Spain | Date: December 2 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 44: Costa Rica vs Germany | Date: December 2 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 45: Ghana vs Uruguay | Date: December 2 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 46: Korea Republic vs Portugal | Date: December 2 | Time: 9 p.m. (BST)
Match 47: Serbia vs Switzerland | Date: December 3 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Match 48: Cameroon vs Brazil | Date: December 3 | Time: 1 a.m. (BST)
Read: Brilliant Benzema and His Road to Ballon d’Or Glory
Aftermath
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is drawing a lot of attention from football enthusiasts worldwide, especially with regard to how the host country will organize the competition. The schedule indicates that the eight groups of 32 participating nations won't have to travel much further to play their matches because of the close proximity of the venues. Overall, Qatar's preparations for the World Cup promise to be a memorable event.
BFF U-18 Football: Dhaka Mohammedan beat Police 3-1
Coming from behind, Dhaka Mohammedan SC outplayed Bangladesh Police FC by 3-1 goals in the BFF U-18 Football League here on Sunday.
Ali Akbar scored first for Police FC in the 20th minute (1-0) while Saifullah Bin Hasan leveled the margin for Mohammedan SC in the 61st minute from a penalty (1-1)
Nurul Islam scored two more goals for the traditional black and whites team in 63rd and 90+2 minutes respectively (3-1).
In the day's other U-18 League match, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, riding on a hattrick by Naimul, defeated Chittagong Abahani Limited by 4-3 goals.
Naimul completed the hattrick scoring all the four goals in the 20th, 35th, 49th and 60th minutes while Shahadat, Saikat and Sajjad scored one each for the port city team Abahani.
In the Bashundhara Group Senior Division Football League, Jatrabari KC earned 2-0 goals victory over Koshaituli Samaj Kallyan Parishad here on Sunday.
Irfan Hossain scored both the goals for Jatrabari KC in the 60th and 90+1 minutes.
In the day's another league match, PWD Sporting Club beat East End Club by 1-0 goal scored by Ariful Islam in the very 5th minute.
The day's other league match between Victoria Sporting Club and Friends Social Welfare Organisation ended in a goalless draw.
Spanish league: Madrid beats Sevilla 3-1 to extend lead
Karim Benzema proudly showed his Ballon d’Or award to fans at the Santiago Bernabéu and then sat back as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-1 and increased its lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.
Benzema was ruled out of the match when the club said he had muscle fatigue. It appears that the striker, who won soccer’s prestigious individual prize on Monday, is being extra cautious to avoid the risk of any injury that might jeopardize his participation with France at the World Cup in Qatar starting in less than a month.
Vinícius Júnior set up two goals for Madrid as the Brazil winger continues to excel both with, and without, Benzema playing by his side.
Madrid extended its unbeaten streak to 16 games since starting the season across all competitions and increased its lead at the top to six points over Barcelona, which plays Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Luka Modric and former Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, both former Ballon d’Or winners, handed Benzema his award in a ceremony before kickoff. The Madrid striker hoisted it high to receive the applause of fans, who turned out for the celebration and the match amid steady rain in Spain’s capital.
Modric then proceeded to ensure that Madrid did not miss Benzema’s goals, scoring from an assist by Vinícius to give Madrid the lead five minutes into the game. Vinícius pounced on a poor pass by Gonzalo Montiel near Sevilla’s own area, took on the backtracking defenders, and found Modric all alone at the far post to tap in.
While Vinícius squandered an opportunity to add to the lead in the 44th — when he tried to round goalkeeper Yassine Bounou instead of shooting from point-blank range — Sevilla was toothless with midfielder Isco Alarcón up front as a “false nine.”
Sevilla had its share of possession but had no strikers in the box to feed. In the 45th Jesús Navas drew the first save from Thibaut Courtois, who was back after missing six matches due to sciatic pain.
Jorge Sampaoli’s plan, however, started to click in the second half when Sevilla’s greater number of midfielders, including Óliver Torres and Ivan Rakitic, and playmakers like Isco took control for half an hour.
Montiel made up for his mistake by gaining possession and using the exterior of his boot to slip a ball through Madrid’s well-positioned defensive line to meet Erik Lamela's nice run. Lamela also showed his skill by sending a ball around Courtois from a tight angle with the tip of his boot to equalize in the 54th.
Isco then hit the side netting and Montiel set up Lamela for him to curl a ball just wide in the 60th.
But Carlo Ancelotti sent on fresh legs in attack and a counterattack cued by substitute Marco Asensio led to Vinícius drawing in Bounou before he laid off for substitute Luas Vázquez to fire into an empty net in the 79th.
“Today I want to highlight the work of Vinícius,” Ancelotti said. “He gave two assists for teammates to score practically in empty nets. He should be pleased. Those assists are worth more than scoring goals. He showed a lot of generosity.”
Federico Valverde added a blistering third goal from long range two minutes later to put the result beyond doubt with the midfielder's seventh goal in all competitions this campaign. His powerful shot sailed over Bounou and hit the net just inside the top of the post.
It was the first loss for Sevilla in four games since Sampaoli replaced the fired Julen Lopetegui. Sevilla fell into 14th place.
“We played against a rival that makes you pay for even the smallest error," Lamela said. "We had a stretch when we played well, but it wasn't enough. We are still adapting to a new coach, to adjust to his new ideas, and we need time.”
END OF THE RUN
Real Sociedad missed a chance to pull level with Barcelona on points after its eight-game unbeaten streak across all competitions came to an end in Valladolid.
Sergio León’s goal in the 16th and some staunch defending under heavy rain at the José Zorrilla Stadium gave Valladolid the 1-0 victory.
MALLORCA RALLY
Mallorca fought back 2-1 at Valencia after Edinson Cavani had put the hosts ahead with a penalty for his fourth goal in three games.
Vedat Muriqi, who had missed two matches serving a suspension, scored his fifth goal of the campaign when he equalized from the spot. Former Valencia forward Lee Kang-In completed the comeback in the 83rd.
RAYO ROUT
Rayo Vallecano central defender Florian Lejeune scored twice to lead its 5-1 rout of 10-man Cádiz, with all five goals coming after Iza Carcelen was sent off with a direct red near the end of the first half.
Crowd unrest: Marseille fan faces attempted murder charge
A supporter of French club Marseille has been handed preliminary charges, including attempted murder, for allegedly firing a flare that seriously injured a visiting German fan during crowd violence at Stade Velodrome last month.
The Marseille public prosecutor's office Friday indicted the 26-year-old Marseille supporter, who allegedly launched the flare in the parking lot when Eintracht Frankfurt visited for a Champions League match on September 13. The supporter was not publicly identified.
The German fan sustained a serious neck injury after being hit by the flare and is still receiving medical care. German agency DPA has reported that a 64-year-old woman was injured when she tried to remove the flare.
Seventeen police officers were also injured during the crowd violence. Riot police intervened when opposing fans launched flares and fireworks at each other from close range for several minutes inside the stadium.
Seventeen people had been detained.
The night before the match, opposing groups of ultras and hooligans from Marseille and Frankfurt – numbering more than 100 on each side – were on the verge of fighting in the street before riot police stepped in.
The violence at Stade Velodrome came days after 32 people were injured in a mass brawl between ultras from Nice and German club Cologne before a Europa Conference League match.
Marseille will play at Frankfurt Wednesday in another Champions League game.
BFF U-18 Football: Champions Sheikh Jamal DC finish with winning note beating Swadhinata KC 5-2
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club completed their BFF U-18 Football League engagements with winning note outplaying Swadhinata KS by 5-2 goal at the Mohammedan Physical Education College ground here on Saturday.
The match was locked in 2-2 goal in the first half.
Asif struck twice, Swapon, Mohin and Tanim netted one each for champions Sheikh Jamal DC while Anam and Nahid scored one each for the Swadhinata KS.
Sheikh Jamal DC, which earlier assured the league title with match to spare, today (Saturday) further sounded their points tally to 25 points from all the ten league matches.
After the day's match, Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Football Federation Abdus Salam Murshedy MP handed over the champions trophy and medals to Sheikh Jamal SC. BFF vice present M Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan Manik was also present on the occasion.
They also handed over the "fair play trophy" of recently concluded TVS Premier League to Swadhinata KS at the same function.