Kylian Mbappé leads French frenzy after Didier Deschamps rolls the dice | Jacob Steinberg

Striker exploded into life to drag his side back into the contest – but the madcap game was proof that France’s plan had failed It was never part of the plan for Didier Deschamps to unveil a gambler’s instinct. France’s manager reads from a pragmatic playbook. When he was putting the finishing touches to his tactical preparations for this contest, Deschamps never could have imagined that Kylian Mbappé would have been standing over a penalty with two minutes of extra-time remaining, readying himself to rescue France for a second time and become the first player to score a hat-trick in a men’s World Cup final since Geoff Hurst in 1966. Everything had spiralled out of control, Argentina’s emotion trumping French cool. Caution? Organisation? Waiting for moments to strike on the break? Forget it. Lionel Messi had given Argentina a 3-2 lead and France needed something extraordinary. Continue reading...

Komentar

Posting Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

‘Emotional’ Leah Williamson to make first England start in almost a year

Gambar
* Euro 2022-winning captain missed World Cup with ACL injury * Defender brings ‘flexibility in defence’, says Sarina Wiegman Sarina Wiegman has confirmed Leah Williamson will start for England against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday night in their second Euro 2025 qualifying group game. Williamson, the Euro 2022-winning captain, said she would be emotional at the Aviva Stadium when she steps out with England for the first time in almost a year, after she was sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury last April. Continue reading...
Baca selengkapnya

Guardiola and Maresca back players as they consider strike action over workload – video

Gambar
Manchester City's manager, Pep Guardiola, and his Chelsea counterpart, Enzo Maresca, have backed players considering strike action over workload, with Guardiola saying 'only the players have the power to do it'. Maresca said the industry doesn't 'protect' players and that the amount of games they are made to play in a season is 'too much'. The comments come in the context of players considering taking strike action over their workload. On Tuesday, the City midfielder Rodri said players are close to striking over the increased number of games, with the Spaniard believing that 40-50 matches a season is the optimum amount. Players face at least an extra two matches in this season’s Champions League and the campaign is set to end for 12 European clubs with Fifa’s new 32-team Club World Cup in the United States. * La Liga chief Tebas hopes a players’ strike would kill Fifa’s Club World Cup * Manchester City’s Rodri warns players close to striking ...
Baca selengkapnya

Underdogs no more: Central Coast Mariners’ resurgence close to remarkable conclusion | Martin Pegan

Gambar
After a disastrous start to the A-League Men season, Mark Jackson’s side are now just three games away from an unlikely treble Central Coast Mariners are done with flying under the radar. The reigning A-League Men champions have floated through a whirlwind week that started with sealing the premier’s plate with victory in the final match of the regular season, and ended with clinching the AFC Cup in Oman. The Mariners will next take the first of three remaining steps towards a historic treble when they face Sydney FC in the first leg of their A-League semi-final on Friday night. The unprecedented haul of titles that is now within reach would rubber stamp the Mariners’ remarkable resurgence that could just as easily have hit its peak when stunning Melbourne City 6-1 in last year’s grand final. Continue reading...
Baca selengkapnya