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FWWC: South Africa in First Knockout Stage, Edge Italy 3-2 in Group G

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The Banyana Banyana of South Africa on Wednesday stunned the Azzurre of Italy with a 3-2 victory enough to send the Italian girls back home from the Wellington Regional Stadium in the last group G games.

 

 

The Italians drew the first blood via a penalty kick through Juventus Forward, Ariano Caaruso who scored from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after Dhlamini bumped on Becccarri.

 

The equalizer came in the 32nd minute through an own goal when Benedetta Orsi’s back pass to goalkeeper Durante went out of reach for her.

 

Unmarked Hildah Magaia got assistance from Kgatlana in the 67th minute to put it over Durante for South African goal number two but Caruso completed her brace in the 74th minute when a ball came to her from a crowded box touching her on her hips and rolling into the net for the equalizer. South Africa 2 Italy 2.

 

The decider came 90+2nd minute when Racing Louisville player, Thembi Kgatlana who had scored against Argentina beat three players to just push it past helpless Durante. Africa went wild with jubilation as the Argentines wept knowing they are out of the tournament by whiskers.

 

The South Africans missed their Captain 30 year old Refiloe Jane who plays for Sassuolo of Italy as she got a knock along the line. Their dependable midfielder, Kholosa Biyana who plies her trade with Sporting de Gijon had two yellows and is suspended for this game.

 

Both teams only met once on 17th October 2007 when Italy won 2-0. Italy won their only African opponents, Nigeria 1-0 in 1991.

 

Sweden had dazed South Africa 2-1 in the first round matches and Italy won 1-0 over Argentina but in the second round matches, Argentina played 2-2 draw while Sweden ponded Italy 5-0.6 goals and conceding 6 also; Italy could only make 3 points from a win and two loses scoring 3 goals and conceding 8 while Argentina brought up the rear with only a point scoring 2 goals and conceding 5.

 

Sweden topped group G with maximum points of 9 scoring 9 goals and conceding only one; South Africa came second with 4 points from a win, a draw and a loss scoring

 

With the results today, South Africa will face Netherlands on Sunday at 0300 hours at the Allianz Stadium while Sweden that placed second will play four times champions USA at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium also on Sunday at 1000 hours in the Round of 16.

 

The Banyana Banyana team coached by Desiree Ellis is at the World Cup for the second time but they were sent out at the group stage in their last outing at France 2019. The team is in their first ever qualification for the Knockout stages.

 

We are still expecting at 1100 hours Group F matches. Panama the whipped team of the group will try to survive against former Champions, France at the Allianz Stadium while the Reggae Girlz will try to obtain another miracle with a win over the Samba Girls of Brazil at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

 

The last group games meant for Group H will be decided at 1100 hours tomorrow Thursday. African representative, Morocco will trade tackles with Columbia at the Perth Rectangular Stadium with Ref Maria Caputi of Italy in charge.

 

At the same time, South Korea that is yet to score a goal or score a point will engage the German Machine at the Lang Park Stadium also called Suncorp Stadium with New Zealand Ref Anne-Marie Keighley.

 

By Eniola Olatunji

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Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals

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Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.

 

Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.

“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.

“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”

Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.

“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.

“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”

Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.

“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”

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‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell

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Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.

 

Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.

The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.

Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.

Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.

Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.

It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.

“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.

“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.

“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”

Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.

Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.

In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.

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Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team

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Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.

 

Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.

“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.

Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.

The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.

Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.

The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.

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