football
Barcelona edges Sevilla to move into 2nd in Spanish league
With a statement win against Sevilla, Barcelona showed it wasn't giving up yet in the fight for the Spanish league.
Barcelona’s revamped team under coach Xavi Hernández kept its momentum and moved into second place for the first time this season after beating Sevilla 1-0 at home on Sunday.
Pedri González broke the deadlock by scoring a beautiful goal in the 72nd minute at Camp Nou Stadium to move the Catalan club past Sevilla and keep its slim title hopes alive.
Read:Mbappe runs the show in PSG’s 5-1 win over Lorient
The result left Barcelona 12 points behind leader Real Madrid but it has a game in hand. Madrid salvaged a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo on Saturday with a couple of goals by the league scoring leader Karim Benzema.
“We will keep fighting until the math shows that we have no chance,” Xavi said. “We were hoping (Madrid) would have stumbled yesterday but it didn't happen.
Xavi has slowly turned Barcelona into a competitive squad again in his first year with the club. Barcelona has the same points as Sevilla and defending champion Atlético Madrid, which won at Alavés 4-1 on Saturday. Sevilla dropped from second to fourth because of the head-to-head tiebreakers.
Barcelona hadn’t been as high as second after a tough start to its first season without Lionel Messi. It reached the top three only a few rounds ago.
Barcelona has won eight and drawn one of its last nine matches in all competitions. It hasn’t lost in 13 consecutive games.
Sevilla had been second since the 16th round but gradually lost ground. It had drawn its last three in a row.
Barcelona was mostly in control but struggled to create significant scoring chances. Veteran defender Gerard Piqué almost opened the scoring with a header that struck the crossbar in the 69th. Pedri finally got the winner by faking his shot twice outside the area before firing in a low strike.
The match came a few hours after the club ratified an agreement with Spotify for at least 12 seasons. The agreement, initially announced in March, was approved by 89% of votes in Sunday’s general assembly.
Read:FIFA World Cup 2022: GroupWise Favourites to Advance to Round of 16
BETIS STAYS NEAR TOP
Real Betis routed Osasuna 4-1 to stay within range of the final Champions League place.
Juanmi scored twice and William Carvalho and Álex Moreno added a goal each for the hosts' second victory in the last nine matches in all competitions.
The result left Betis four points behind Sevilla, Atlético and Barcelona.
ATHLETIC WINS AGAIN
Athletic Bilbao ended a two-match winless streak with a 2-1 win over Elche to stay in eighth place, near the European spots.
It was the fourth loss in five matches for Elche, which is six points above the drop zone.
OTHER RESULTS
Mid-table Valencia was held at home by relegation-threatened Cádiz to 0-0, while 10-man Rayo Vallecano was held at Granada to 2-2 after conceding a penalty kick four minutes into stoppage time.
BPL Football: Bashundhara Kings play out 2-2 with Dhaka Abahani
The titans' battle between last two times champions Bashundhara Kings and six times champions Dhaka Abahani Ltd ended in a 2-2 draw in the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football '2021-22 at the Sylhet District Stadium Sunday evening.
Despite the day's draw, big budgeted and holders Bashundhara Kings comfortably maintained their solo lead in the league table securing 25 points from 10 matches while Dhaka Abahani went down to the 3rd slot collecting 19 points from 10 outings.
Three times champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club advanced to the 2nd place with 20 points from 10 encounters.
Also read: BPL Football: Sk Jamal beat Swadhinata KS 3-1
After a shocking defeat against newcomers Swadhinata KS in league opener, the Kings never looked behind to clinch the league crown for the 3rd time in a row after being deprived of the season's first two major trophies--Independence Cup and Federation Cup football.
In the day's crucial match, World Cup playing Costa Rica booter Daniel Colindres put Abahani ahead in the 20th minute while Eleta Kingsley restored the parity for the Kings in the 64th minute.
Also read: FIFA Int'l Friendly: Bangladesh play out goalless draw with Mongolia
Brazilian striker cum Kings captain Robson Robinson put his team ahead from behind in the 69th minute while Brazilian booter Dorielton Gomes Dori again leveled the margin for Abahani in the 84th minute
Rakib Hossain of Abahani and Sohel Rana of the Kings received red cards in the match.
BPL Football: Sk Jamal beat Swadhinata KS 3-1
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, riding on a hattrick by Matthew Chinedu, beat newcomer Swadhinata KS by 3-1 goals on the resuming day of the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football '2021-22 at the Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi on Sunday.
Country's most prestigious soccer league BPL, resumed on Sunday at four different venues after a two-week recess for national team's engagements in two FIFA International Friendlies against the Maldives and Mongolia.
With the day's feat, three times champions Sheikh Jamal DC advanced to the 2nd slot in the league table securing 20 points from 10 matches while Swadhinata KS remained at the bottom with six points from 10 encounters.
Also read: Sheikh Russel likely to leave BPL Football protesting 'controversial refereeing'
In the day's match, Nigerian attacking midfielder Matthew Chinedu made a hattrick scoring all the three goals for Sheikh Jamal DC in the 29th, 38th and 67th minutes.
Bosnian striker Nedo Turkovic scored the lone goal for Swadhinata KS in the 53rd minute.
In the day's another league match, Saif Sporting Club outplayed Uttar Baridhara Club by 3-0 goals at Bir Shreshtho Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
Sunday Udoh, Asror Gafurov and Sajjad Shakil scored for Saif SC in the 12th, 45+1 and 65th minutes respectively .
Nasirul Islam of Saif SC and Y Kochnev of Uttar Baridhara Club got marching order after receiving the red cards just three minutes before the final whistle.
Also read: FIFA Int'l Friendly: Bangladesh play out goalless draw with Mongolia
In the day's another match, Chittagong Abahani Ltd defeated lowly Muktijoddha Sangsad KC by 2-1 goals at the Shaheed Direndranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla.
Paul Ebimobowel Thankgod and Sohel Rana scored one each for Chittagang Abahani in the 27th and 66th minutes respectively while Soma Otanj scored the lone goal for the freedom fighters team in the 45th minute
FIFA World Cup 2022: GroupWise Favourites to Advance to Round of 16
Qatar will host the 22nd FIFA World Cup, which will begin on November 21 and finish on December 18. 29 teams have already qualified for the main event, and the rest of the three teams will be confirmed in June. All 32 teams will be divided into eight groups, with four teams in each group. The Doha Exhibition and Convention Center hosted the group stage draw on April 1. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16. Let's have a look at who plays with whom in the group phase in FIFA World Cup 2022.
Favourites to progress to the Round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Each team will play three matches in the group stage in order to qualify for the Round of 16. The matches will take place at eight different venues. Let's see which teams have the best chance of making it to the first knockout round.
Group A
The four teams in Group A are the Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador, and Qatar. The Netherlands are favourites to claim the top spot in the group, while Senegal and Ecuador will be eyeing the second spot. Oppositely, participating in the World Cup is a significant achievement for Qatar's national team.
Verdict: Netherlands and Senegal.
Read Qatar stages draw for World Cup amid protests
Group B
The four national teams in group B are England, Iran, the USA, and the UEFA Path A winner (Wales/Scotland/Ukraine). England are one of the favourites to win this year’s World Cup and they will aim to finish top of this group. Iran were one of the first teams to qualify from the AFC region, and they will be very competitive during the main event. The United States also has a fair chance to advance to the next round.
Verdict: England, Iran
Group C
Argentina are one of the favourites for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and they will likely finish top of Group C. Mexico and Poland will fight for the second spot in this group, while Saudi Arabia have a slim chance.
Verdict: Argentina and Mexico.
Read FIFA Int'l Friendly: Bangladesh play out goalless draw with Mongolia
Group D
The reigning champions, France, will start as hot favourites to lift the 2022 Qatar World Cup. They will be up against Denmark, Tunisia, and the AFC-CONMEBOL winner (Peru, Australia, UAE) to seal the first position in the group. Denmark will have a better chance to finish second in the group than the other participants.
Verdict: France and Denmark
Group E
Spain and Germany are the favourites to win the World Cup 2022, and they will almost certainly finish first and second in their group. Japan and the CONCACAF-OFC Winner (Costa Rica/New Zealand) are the other two teams in the group.
Verdict: Spain and Germany.
Read CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Peru, Colombia, Chile vying for playoff spot
Group F
Belgium and Croatia will start as favourites to qualify for the Round of 16 from this group. But, Canada and Morocco can also surprise everyone with their performances.
Verdict: Belgium and Croatia
Group G
Brazil are one of the hot favourites to win the Qatar World Cup 2022, and they will attempt to dominate the tournament by finishing first in their group. The other three teams in this group, Switzerland, Cameroon, and Serbia, all have an equal chance to advance to the next round.
Verdict: Brazil and Cameroon.
Read FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers: The Probable last three qualified teams
Group H
This is the most difficult group of all. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal team cannot afford to be complacent and believe they will breeze through the first round. Because their opponents in this group, Uruguay, Ghana, and South Korea, are all capable of defeating one another.
Verdict: Portugal and Uruguay
Bottom Line
It is clear from the draw that group H will be the death group. There is no obvious favourite in this group. Because Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana, and South Korea all are capable of defeating one another. Moreover, like with every edition, there may be some surprises and upsets in the group phase. However, all of the top-ranked teams are expected to proceed to the FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16. Middle Eastern country, Qatar will host the World Cup for the first time, and everyone will be paying special attention to the tournament.
Read Women's SAFF U-18s: Bangladesh bow out as runners-up with victory against India
Qatar stages draw for World Cup amid protests
Coaches and soccer officials are gathering in Qatar for Friday’s draw for the Middle East’s first World Cup.
There will be 37 nations involved in the draw ceremony but five teams will ultimately not reach the tournament, which begins on Nov. 21.
The full lineup will not be known until at least June, when the intercontinental playoffs and the final European qualifiers are completed.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers: The Probable last three qualified teams
The show at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Center starts at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT) and lasts one hour. Teams will be split into eight groups of four, with 16 advancing from the group stage.
The day began with a protest outside FIFA headquarters in Zurich. German artist Volker-Johannes Trieb used balls filled with sand to protest against the suffering of migrant workers in Qatar who have worked on the infrastructure related to the World Cup.
FIFA Int'l Friendly: Bangladesh play out goalless draw with Mongolia
Bangladesh National Football team played out a goalless draw with visiting Mongolia in the FIFA Tier -1 International Friendly Football match at the Sylhet District Stadium on Tuesday.
Bangladesh and Mongolia previously drew 2-2 in their last meeting 21 years ago.
Earlier, touring Bangladesh national side conceded a 0-2 goals defeat against the hosts Maldives in their first FIFA Int'l Friendly in Male on March 24.
In the day's match in front of a good number of home crowd, Bangladesh dominated the match all through over their upper ranked rivals Mongolia but failed to the open the goal mouth despite of repeated attempts.
Read:CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Peru, Colombia, Chile vying for playoff spot
Mongolia, which played defensive football againsr the hosts, came out successful after making a goalless draw against Bangladesh.
A good shot of Bangladesh forward Sumon Reza returned to play hitting cross bar in the 41st minute while another good attempt of Jamal Bhuiyan was brilliantly saved by Mongolian custodian at the cost of a corner in the 72nd minute
After the match, newly appointed Spanish Head Coach Jevier Fernandez Cabrera groomed Bangladesh team failed to earn any win playing two international matches.
CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Peru, Colombia, Chile vying for playoff spot
Four South American countries will qualify directly for the Qatar World Cup 2022, while the fifth-placed team will compete in an inter-confederation play-off. Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and Uruguay have qualified for the big event by confirming their place in the top four of the CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 qualifiers points standings. Peru, Colombia, and Chile are all waiting for the final matchday fixtures, thus the competition for fifth place is still wide open. Let's take a look at who have the best chance of making the playoffs.
Favourites to finish fifth in the 2022 South American World Cup qualifiers
Brazil lead the CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers with 42 points from 16 games, followed by Argentina, Ecuador, and Uruguay. Peru, Colombia, and Uruguay will compete for fifth place to earn a playoff match against the fifth-placed team from the Asian World Cup Qualifiers. Paraguay, Bolivia, and Venezuela have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Let's take a look at the CONMEBOL zone's current point standings.
Read FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers: The Probable last three qualified teams
South America World Cup Qualifiers 2022 Points Table (Updated 28th March, 2022)
Team
Match
Win
Lost
Draw
Points
GD
Brazil
16
13
0
3
42
31
Argentina
16
11
0
5
38
19
Ecuador
17
7
6
4
25
8
Uruguay
17
7
6
4
25
-2
Peru
17
6
8
3
21
-5
Colombia
17
4
5
8
20
0
Chile
17
5
8
4
19
-5
Paraguay
17
3
7
7
16
-12
Bolivia
17
4
10
3
15
-15
Venezuela
17
3
13
1
10
-19
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)
Read Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak
Peru
Peru have played 17 matches in the South American World Cup Qualifiers and have a total of 21 points. They are now at sixth position, just ahead of Colombia and Chile. If Peru defeat Paraguay in their last qualifier match at home, they will qualify for the inter-confederation play-offs. Though Peru's primary disadvantage is that they have an inferior goal differential than Colombia. Peru's goal differential is minus five, thus they can't afford to drop a point in the upcoming match.
Fixture
Match: Peru vs Paraguay | Date: March 30 | Time: 5.30 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time)
Colombia
Colombia are presently in sixth place with 20 points. They will go to Venezuela to play the home team in their last South American World Cup qualifier. Venezuela are at the bottom of the standings and will remain there at the end of the qualifiers. Therefore, Colombia are anticipated to defeat Venezuela. Furthermore, they have no choice but to defeat Venezuela in order to have a shot at a top-five finish.
Match: Venezuela vs Colombia | Date: March 30 | Time: 5.30 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time)
Read Messi ruled out of PSG match at Monaco
Chile
Chile are also in contention for the playoffs, behind Peru by only two points. Chile will face Uruguay in their final World Cup qualifier. They can finish fifth in the standings if Peru and Colombia lose points in their respective matches. If Peru draw against Paraguay and Chile beat Uruguay, both teams will have the same number of points. However, Chile will overtake Peru for fifth place thanks to a better goal difference.
Match: Chile vs Uruguay | Date: March 30 | Time: 5.30 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Read UEFA Champions League 2022: Quarter-Finals Draw and Fixtures
Bottom Line
The fifth-placed team from the CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers will face the fifth-placed team from the AFC qualifiers in June in Qatar. The winner of the match will play the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
According to the current South American qualifier standings, Peru are in a better position to finish fifth in the points standings. Peru's last qualification match will be played at home, giving them an advantage going into the contest.
Oppositely, Colombia and Chile have a chance to finish fifth if they win their respective matches and if Peru lose against Paraguay. There would certainly be some spectacular contests on the last matchdays.
Read Juventus fails in Champions League ahead of Italy playoff
FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers: The Probable last three qualified teams
Thirteen European teams will compete in the next World Cup. Ten countries have already qualified for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar. The remaining three spots will be confirmed in March and June of this year. Wales, Scotland, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden, Portugal, and North Macedonia are the remaining national teams in the race. Let's have a look at these seven teams from the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers that have the best chance of qualifying for the main event.
Second Round Results of the UEFA Qualifiers for 2022 FIFA World Cup
Four matches left in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers. These four games will determine the last three qualifying teams for the 2018 World Cup. Those fixtures include the finals of Path A, Path B, and Path C, as well as a semifinal of Path A. Wales have qualified for the Path A final, in which they will face either Scotland or Ukraine in a do-or-die match. In the Path B final, Poland will meet Sweden, while Portugal will face giant-killer North Macedonia in the Path C final. Let's assess who the favorites are to qualify for the main event of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Read Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak
Path A Final
Wales vs Scotland/Ukraine
Wales have qualified for the final thanks to two decisive goals from Real Madrid's Gareth Bale. They met Austria in the semifinal on Friday (March 25) and defeated them 2-1. Bale has struggled to find a place in Real Madrid's starting lineup this season, and his performance has been widely criticized. However, he proved everyone wrong on Friday by scoring two important goals for his country. One of the goals was a spectacular free-kick, probably his finest free-kick goal ever. Wales have a genuine chance of qualifying for the Qatar World Cup if the best version of Gareth Bale arrives in the final. Either Scotland or Ukraine will play the final as their scheduled semi-final match was postponed. They will meet in the semifinals in June, with the winner facing Wales later that month. This Path A final will be extremely difficult due to the same strengths of all three teams.
Verdict: Wales to win
Read Women's SAFF U-18s: Bangladesh bow out as runners-up with victory against India
Path B Final
Poland vs Sweden
Sweden defeated the Czech Republic 1-0 in the semifinal courtesy of a goal by Robin Quaison in extra time. Both teams attempted to break the deadlock in the first 90 minutes but were unable to defeat the goalkeepers. Finally, Quaison scored in the 110th minute to send his team to the Path B final. Sweden will face Poland in the final. The semifinal match between Poland and Russia was canceled because of FIFA's recent suspension on the Russian Football Federation. All eyes will be on the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year from Poland, Robert Lewandowski in the final. He has the potential to be decisive, but both Poland and Sweden are difficult to beat, and there is no clear winner in this match.
Path B Final Fixture: Sweden vs Poland | Date: March 29 (Tuesday) | Venue: Silesian Stadium, Poland
Verdict: Poland to win
Read Disaster again as Italy fails to qualify for World Cup
Path C Final
Portugal vs North Macedonia
North Macedonia astonished the football world by upsetting four-time World Cup champion Italy 1-0 in the semifinals. Italy will miss two World Cup competitions in a row as a result of this surprise defeat, which is a big disappointment. North Macedonia will likely be more aggressive and give it their all in order to defeat Portugal in the final, as they have nothing to lose. Portugal will start as favorites against North Macedonia in the final after a dominant 3-1 victory over Turkey in the semifinal. However, this North Macedonian side is set to stun the football world again in a few days. If they do, Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of appearing in another World Cup would be dashed.
Path C Final Fixture: Portugal vs North Macedonia | Date: March 29 (Tuesday) | Venue: Estadio do Dragao, Portugal
Verdict: Portugal to win
Read Sheikh Russel likely to leave BPL Football protesting 'controversial refereeing'
Aftermath
Following the second round semi-final outcomes of the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers, it is evident that neither team is a clear favorite to win their respective final matches. No team from the UEFA zone should be reluctant in their pursuit of the remaining three slots in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, especially following Italy's shocking loss to North Macedonia. Therefore, Portugal should be prepared to face a jubilant North Macedonian side in the final, while the match between Poland and Sweden promises to be exciting. Besides, Wales will have to wait until June to play Scotland or Ukraine in the final. Neutral supporters want to see a match between Wales and Scotland because both countries are part of the United Kingdom, which promises to be a fierce contest.
Read Messi ruled out of PSG match at Monaco
Women's SAFF U-18s: Bangladesh bow out as runners-up with victory against India
Defending champions Bangladesh finished runners-up in the three-nation SAFF U-18 Women's Championship 2022 despite beating hosts India 1-0 in the last match at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in the Indian town of Jamshedpur Friday evening.
In the day's title-deciding match, Aklima Khatun scored the match-winner for Bangladesh in the 74th minute by a brilliant left-footer outside from the danger zone (1-0).
Bangladesh, who conceded a 1-0 defeat to India in their first leg match last Saturday, needed to win today's finale by at least a two-goal margin, in order to finish with a better head to head record and clinch the title for the 2nd time in a row.
However, India held on for a tie on the head to head, and clinched the title for the first time by virtue of a better goal difference - the next measure to separate teams tied on points and head to head.
Both India and Bangladesh secured nine points each from four matches with three wins and a defeat. But India emerged champions with a +11 goal difference, against Bangladesh's +3.
The other team Nepal completed their assignment with empty hands losing all the matches.
Bangladesh women emerged champions in the U-18 meet in Bhutan in 2018 beating Nepal in the final and Bangladesh also clinched the SAFF U-19 title beating India 1-0 in the final in Dhaka last December.
Disaster again as Italy fails to qualify for World Cup
When Italy missed out on the last World Cup, it was a disaster for soccer in the country.
Missing another? There are really no words to accurately describe it.
“NOOOOOOOOO!” screamed the headline on Friday in the Tuttosport newspaper, with all nine of those Os stretching all the way across the front page.
The Italians, who won the European Championship only eight months ago, can really only blame themselves for missing out on this year’s World Cup in Qatar. The team failed to convert dozens of chances in the 1-0 semifinal playoff loss to North Macedonia on Thursday, with Aleksandar Trajkovski scoring in injury time to secure a shocking victory for a country ranked 67th in the world.
“Into hell,” Corriere dello Sport blared on its front page.
Gazzetta dello Sport called it “Out of this world.”
Read: Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak
The loss in Palermo certainly came as a surprise to many, but it was also predictable for a team that has been in rapid decline since beating England on penalties to win the Euro 2020 title last July.
The team that set records for winning last year had won only two of its eight matches since, including losing its first match in more than three years to Spain in the Nations League.
“Our triumph at the Euros was fully deserved. But then some of the fortune we had in the tournament transformed into total and complete bad luck,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said. “It almost feels like conceding a last-minute goal was fitting.
“I don’t know what to say. Maybe we shouldn’t even have got to this point.”
Here’s a look at where it went wrong for Italy this time:
MISSED CHANCES