Football

Some say it was only the increased format of the World Cup which brought Curacao to the big stage, but whatever the reason, this small country in the Caribbean arrived to the USA for its maiden debut in the biggest FIFA competition. And all pre-tournament talk was fairytale like and Curacao finally got into the history books tonight. They debuted at the World Cup in the country’s history, they scored their debut goal after just 21 minutes, and they allowed a record seven goals. To dream is one thing, but to make a debut appearance on the biggest stage against mighty Germany is totally different. “Die Mannschaft” didn’t want their name to be dragged in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons. So unlike Switzerland and Turkey, they proved their ‘favorites’ tag and crushed the small Cuaracao 7-1.Unlike Brazil, who had to face Morocco in the first game, Germany did have a much easier option and this win will be good for a self-confidence boost and will keep the German journalists at bay, ..

Harambee Stars will be back to action this afternoon against Lesotho at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in South Africa.The friendly match will see the two sides clash again, having settled for a 1-1 draw on Thursday at the same venue.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe result appeared not to sit well with majority of Kenyans, who heavily criticised coach Benni McCarthy and his boys for letting their slip away to share spoils with the lowly-ranked side.The match saw some of the new faces, included in the team for the very first time, make their debut.##NAJAVA_MECA_9787904##McCarthy will hope to guide his charges to a win before packing his bags to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he is among the BBC’s punditry team.Greetings and welcome to this live blog where we will be bringing you live updates from South Africa as they unfold.

During the whole history of the World Cup, no African nation has ever won the trophy. The closest anyone got to the final was Morocco, who lost in the semi-final and then finished as fourth at the World Cup 2022, held in Qatar. One of the reasons for this was certainly a lack of quality for some African teams. And yet, if they were better in recruitment, maybe they would be much, much better placed at the FIFA‘s biggest competition. We already stated that there are around 73 players (numbers may vary as not all teams have the final lists) with African origin who play for other national teams (Mainly France and England). And if all of them (or at least majority) played for their countries of origin (or countries of their parents), nations like Nigeria, Dr Congo or Ghana would be among the favorites!WC Countdown: How many Africans are in other teams?Can you imagine a team in which, alongside Lookman and Osimhen there are players like Eze, Madueke, Saka, Musiala, Olise, Akanji and Alaba? ..

As both prepare for their World Cup campaigns, Norway and Sweden have the opportunity to assess their squads when they clash in a friendly at the Ullevaal Stadion on Monday.Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsThe two nations both have two friendlies left to play before the 2026 tournament kicks off next month.Monday’s meeting will be used to address any remaining issues on the pitch if they are to be in the best shape possible for this summer’s tournament.##NAJAVA_MECA_9776860##Norway enter this clash in strong form, winning three, drawing two, and losing one of their last six matches.During that period, they scored 15 goals and conceded only five, averaging 2.5 goals scored per game.Their most notable results include a 4-1 victory over Italy, a 5-0 triumph against Israel, and a 4-1 success over Estonia.Main highlight of the UCL final: Marquinhos’ lesson in sportsmanshipWhile recent friendlies brought a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands and a goalless draw against Switzerland, Stale S..

Kevin De Bruyne has aimed criticism at former Napoli boss Antonio Conte only a few days after the Italian’s exit from the club.Conte enjoyed an immediate impact in Naples, guiding the team to their fourth Scudetto in his first season in charge. However, things unravelled in his second year, with Napoli falling short in the Serie A title race as they finished runners-up, a full 11 points behind Inter Milan. Their Champions League run was also underwhelming, as they exited during the league phase.##LINKED_NEWS_65686##Although they still managed to lift the Supercoppa Italiana and avoid ending the season empty-handed, Conte ultimately departed by mutual agreement at the end of the campaign.De Bruyne’s first season in Naples, meanwhile, was far from smooth. The Belgian midfielder suffered a serious thigh injury in October that kept him sidelined for four months, restricting him to 21 appearances in which he contributed five goals and four assists.Now 34, De Bruyne has openly spoken about h..

Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly blasted “boring” Arsenal while sending congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.The Gunners spent much of Saturday’s Champions League final camped in their own half, focused on defending, yet still came agonizingly close to lifting the trophy before falling in a tense penalty shootout that swung PSG’s way. French outlet L’Equipe claims Ferguson was far from impressed with Arsenal’s approach and made his feelings clear in a message to Al-Khelaifi after the final whistle.##LINKED_NEWS_65885##It read: “Nasser, this is Alex Ferguson. Well done, it was a tough night for you, but you played against a boring team that did nothing but defend. Enjoy your holidays, you deserve it.”Arsenal recorded just 28 per cent possession, managed five attempts in total, and only one effort on target – Kai Havertz’s early strike in the sixth minute – across 120 minutes.After taking the lead, they dropped deep with all 11 players behind the ball and remai..

Nairobi United midfielder Enock Machaka has refused to be drawn into discussions about his future and said he will only decide after Sunday’s season-ending clash against FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsMachaka, who was named Nairobi United’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for a second consecutive season has, once again, found himself at the center of transfer speculation following another outstanding campaign for the club.##NAJAVA_MECA_9775036##The midfielder walked away with a Ksh 800,000 cash award during the club’s end-of-season gala, where players and members of the technical bench were recognized for their contributions this campaign.The celebrations were further boosted after the club’s patron, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, announced that he would honor a previous promise to award each player a house in Nairobi.Sakaja also pledged continued support to strengthen the squad as the club prepares for next season.Enock Machaka is Nairo..

There’s a famous football saying – according to some sources, coined by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson – that claims that “attack wins games and defence wins titles”. It has been proven true many times, but going to extremes is the wrong path, as it can only be counterproductive.Mikel Arteta felt it firsthand last night in the Champions League final.No humans can beat Saints! PSG defend Champions League crown after shocking penalty dramaIronically, Arsenal may have been the victim of their own early opener. With an early lead in hand, the Londoners, and especially their manager, opted for an ultra-defensive approach that could have paid off.However, since it didn’t, now the focus is on some incredible stats.Arsenal had the lowest possession in the UCL final since 2004, made only one attempt on target, had only seven shots, had a 0.44 xG, and completed only 285 passes.PLAYER RATINGS: Enrique’s unstoppable machinery; Mosquera will live in Gunners’ nightmaresOn the other hand, Paris Sain..

Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has revealed the message she delivered to her players before their crucial FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Uganda.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKenya advanced to the third and final round of qualification after holding Uganda Teens to a goalless draw at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.##NAJAVA_MECA_9775362##The result was enough to send the Kenyan girls through the third and final qualifying round on the away goals rule following a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Uganda on 22 May.Ahead of the return leg, the Ugandans had made it clear that they intended to score early and take control of the tie. However, Kenya successfully neutralized that threat to secure progression.Speaking after the match, Cheche disclosed that her instructions to the players were centered on making full use of their home advantage while ensuring they protected the advantage earned away from home.”We told the girls that we have a home adva..

Stepping up their preparations for World Cup 2026, Cape Verde will face off against Serbia at Estadio do Restelo in a friendly on Sunday.Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsThe Blue Sharks are looking for their first outright win in five games this weekend, while the Eagles are hoping to put the disappointment of missing out on this summer’s tournament firmly in the past.##NAJAVA_MECA_9775330##Cape Verde head into the match with mixed but encouraging form.The Blue Sharks have recorded one win, four draws and one defeat in their last six matches. During that period they scored 10 goals and conceded nine, averaging 1.67 goals scored and 1.5 goals conceded per game.PSG to honor it’s African players, ex Gunner leaves BudapestTheir most recent outings produced a 1-1 draw against Finland and a thrilling 4-2 defeat to Chile. Prior to that, they drew with Egypt and Iran before defeating Eswatini 3-0 in World Cup qualifying and sharing a six-goal thriller with Libya.Notably, each of thei..