Spain tame England to win Women's World Cup for first time

SYDNEY, Australia -- Spain won the Women's World Cup for the first time in their history with skipper Olga Carmona sweeping in the only goal for a deserved 1-0 victory over England in Sunday's final.

In front of a crowd of nearly 76,000 at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Spain were the more accomplished side and had more chances, including missing a second-half penalty.

Spain's triumph is vindication for Jorge Vilda and the Spanish football federation, who stuck with the coach even after 15 players last year said they no longer wanted to represent their country under him.

England coach Sarina Wiegman, who has now suffered back-to-back defeats in the final, and her European champions can have few complaints.

Spain are the fifth team to lift the World Cup since the tournament began in 1991, joining outgoing champions the United States, Germany, Norway and Japan.

In front of Spain's Queen Letizia, defender Carmona scored what turned out to be the winner, rampaging from left-back to thrash the ball in low and hard on 29 minutes.

Wiegman had resisted the temptation to recall Chelsea attacker Lauren James after her two-match ban and kept faith with the team that beat co-hosts Australia 3-1 in the semi-finals.

Playing in their blue second kit, England had the first sniff of a chance in the fifth minute but Lauren Hemp shot weakly at goalkeeper Cata Coll.

There was little to choose between them in the opening exchanges before both teams had golden opportunities on the quarter-hour mark.

First, Manchester City forward Hemp struck the bar with a curler that had Coll well beaten.

Spain went up the other end and should have scored but Salma Paralluelo -- in for Alexia Putellas -- missed the ball in the six-yard box.

Then Alba Redondo hit a first-time strike straight at goalkeeper Mary Earps with the England goal gaping.

Hemp then had another tame effort saved, before the game was momentarily held up in the 24th minute when a spectator darted on to the pitch before being wrestled away by security.

Five minutes later Spain, who had never won a knockout game at the Women's World Cup until this tournament and had lost 4-0 to Japan in the group phase, were ahead.

Mariona Caldentey slid in an inch-perfect pass for Carmona, who came flying unmarked down the left before lashing the ball into the bottom corner.

Vilda, who recalled three of the 15 mutineers for the World Cup, did not even raise a smile on the sidelines.

England looked uncharacteristically rattled and the 19-year-old Barcelona attacker Paralluelo, who was a constant threat, shaved the post with the last kick of the half.

- Hermoso fails from spot -

Wiegman, who suffered agony in the final four years ago when her Netherlands team lost 2-0 to the United States, made a double change at the break.

James and Chloe Kelly replaced Rachel Daly and Alessia Russo as Wiegman switched from a back-five to a flat back-four.

But it was Spain who nearly doubled their lead almost straight after half-time, Caldentey dinking inside and forcing Earps to turn the ball around the post.

Hemp was booked for clipping Laia Codina as England's frustration mounted.

Midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, who has been one of the players of the tournament and was one of the three refuseniks recalled by Vilda, fired narrowly over Earps's bar.

With 20 minutes left, Spain were awarded a penalty when VAR was called into action and, after a long review, Keira Walsh was judged to have handled the ball in the box.

Jennifer Hermoso stepped up but her penalty was weak and Earps saved comfortably to keep England just about alive.

Officials indicated 13 minutes of injury time at the end, but if anything, it was Spain who looked the more likely to score as England's dreams of a first World Cup melted away.

Agence France-Presse

History beckons with England, Spain one win from World Cup glory

Women's World Cup that has broken records on and off the pitch will reach a suitable climax on Sunday when England or Spain are crowned champions for the first time.

About 75,000 fans will pack Stadium Australia in Sydney for the final of a World Cup that began with 32 teams, compared to 24 four years ago, and saw many of the favorites fall early.

Germany bowed out in the group phase together with Brazil, Italy, and Olympic champions Canada, then holders the United States followed them out the trapdoor in the last 16 -- their earliest exit ever.

South Africa, Jamaica and Morocco all reached the last 16 for the first time, and Colombia made a maiden quarter-final appearance before a 2-1 defeat to England.

The exploits of the lower-ranked sides are evidence that the gap has closed significantly in international women's football, but in the end, it is two of the leading sides who will contest the final.

'FAIRYTALE' FOR WIEGMAN

Sarina Wiegman's England are European champions and came into the World Cup as favorites along with the United States.

But like Spain, England have never reached the World Cup final before.

The two teams met in the quarter-finals of last year's European Championship, with Wiegman's Lionesses winning 2-1 in extra time and going on to beat Germany in the final for their first major title.

On that occasion, England had the backing of fervent home support, a luxury they will not have this time. If anything, Australian fans at the final are likely to cheer for Spain.

The anticipated sell-out crowd at Stadium Australia will bookend a tournament that is the best-attended in Women's World Cup history.

Wiegman has a world-class squad to call upon, but it is the coach herself who is arguably England's biggest asset.

She is the standard-bearer for woman coaches, having won the Euros with her native Netherlands and then repeating the feat with England.

Described by her players as calm but direct, Wiegman took the Dutch to the World Cup final four years ago, where they lost 2-0 to the United States.

"Having the chance as a coach or a player to make it to two finals is really special," the 53-year-old said after her side defied a partisan crowd to defeat co-hosts Australia 3-1 in Wednesday's semi-final.

"I never take anything for granted, but it's like I'm living in a fairytale or something."

Wiegman is already hugely respected in her adopted country but now she is one victory away from joining Alf Ramsey, who took England to the men's title in 1966, in winning a World Cup for England.

TURMOIL 'MADE SPAIN STRONGER'

Spain have defied turmoil off the pitch to make their own history.

Their preparations were clouded by a dispute with 15 players who last year said they no longer wanted to be considered for selection.

Coach Jorge Vilda and his strict personality were chief among a litany of complaints, but here they are, missing 12 of the 15 but on the cusp of world domination.

England have not been perfect in reaching the final and needed penalties to see off Nigeria in the last 16, before more convincing displays in defeating Colombia and Australia.

But Spain have also had their challenges at this tournament.

They were thumped 4-0 by Japan in their final group game, the caveat being that both teams had already qualified for the knockout rounds.

Spain then thrashed Switzerland 5-1 and squeezed past the Netherlands and Sweden by identical 2-1 scorelines, the victory over the Dutch coming in extra time.

Vilda says that the turmoil that once threatened to torpedo their World Cup "made all of us stronger".

"Now we can file it away and put it behind us and think about the future, and think that we deserve to be where we are," he said after Olga Carmona's sumptuous 89th-minute strike propelled them past Sweden in the semi-finals.

It is proof of Spain's depth of resources that they have hardly missed the players who refused to play under Vilda.

On top of that, reigning two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has been reduced to a bit-part role as she struggles to regain form and fitness after injury.

In her place, Barcelona playmaker Aitana Bonmati -- who had been part of the protesting 15 -- has emerged as Spain's creative force and the player England must stop.

Agence France-Presse

England, Japan sense World Cup chance as US falters, Germany flops

AUCKLAND -- Germany's shock exit and the United States' plodding performances were just two of the surprises of a wild Women's World Cup group stage, with England and Japan now leading the charge when the knockouts begin on Saturday.

It has been the story of the World Cup: the lower-ranked teams have dramatically closed the gap on the sides traditionally regarded as the best.

Last year's European finalists Germany became the highest-profile victim yet, dumped out in the group stage for the first time in their history on Thursday, with debutants Morocco progressing.

South Africa, Jamaica and Nigeria are also into the last 16; Brazil, Italy and Olympic champions Canada are all out.

The USA flew to Australia and New Zealand as the favorites to defend their title and win an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup.

But Vlatko Andonovski's side only squeezed into the knockout rounds, their performances making it hard to make a case for them reaching the final in Sydney on August 20.

They limped into the last 16 with a 0-0 draw against debutants Portugal and now play Sweden on Sunday in Melbourne.

The fixture is a World Cup classic. They have met in the last five editions, each time in the group stage, with the Americans winning three of them against one draw and one defeat.

"I feel like it wouldn't be a major tournament if we were not facing Sweden," said USA captain Lindsey Horan.

Sweden are ranked third in the world, reached the 2019 semi-finals and were silver medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, so another heavyweight will be heading home this weekend.

Under the radar 

That could present an opportunity to someone else, and the pre-tournament focus on the strong European contingent means a clinical Japan have come from under the radar.

Japan face a Norway side on Saturday whose campaign has been clouded by talk of squad disharmony and injury to Ada Hegerberg.

Japan won the World Cup in 2011 and were runners-up in 2015, but were dismissed before this tournament, even back home.

"I think we were left behind by the sudden strides that the rest of the world were making," former Japan coach Asako Takakura, who led the team in 2019, told AFP before the tournament.

But they were one of three teams to win all three group games -- England and Sweden were the others -- were top scorers with 11 goals and did not concede.

They destroyed Spain 4-0 with their direct running and clinical finishing, and Hinata Miyazawa leads the race for the golden boot with four goals.

England belatedly roar 

But it is European champions England who are now the bookies' favorites, overcoming injuries to roll into the knockout phase after demolishing China, 6-1.

England might feel the draw is opening up kindly, with surprise-package Colombia or Jamaica waiting in the quarter-finals if they beat Nigeria in Brisbane on Monday.

They have an outstanding coach in Sarina Wiegman and one of the tournament's breakout stars in Lauren James, although they will be eager to get key midfielder Keira Walsh back from a knee problem.

"I think we are growing into this tournament," warned Wiegman.

France and 2019 runners-up the Netherlands look dangerous too, and both appear to have kind draws.

Then there is Australia, with the co-hosts now playing Denmark after surviving a scare to qualify.

They have a nation behind them and will hope star striker Sam Kerr has recovered from the calf injury that ruined her group stage.

Saturday's first last-16 tie sees Spain try to bounce back from that Japan defeat against solid but unspectacular Switzerland.

Spain are waiting for reigning Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas to rediscover her best form after a serious knee injury.

'Minnows' make case 

The so-called outsiders will be aiming to continue their fairytale runs.

Morocco play France while South Africa face the Dutch.

Morocco lost, 6-0, to Germany on their World Cup debut but ended up qualifying instead of them.

Theirs is a sensational achievement, as is that of South Africa and Jamaica, two teams that had never won a World Cup game before.

Jamaica advanced for a clash with Colombia despite turbulent preparations caused by an open dispute with their federation.

"We hope that they're looking at us and taking us seriously now," said goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer.

The success of those nations has justified FIFA's decision to expand the tournament to 32 teams.

With so many surprises so far, nobody would bet against them.

Agence France-Presse

World Cup winners Argentina up to second in FIFA rankings

World Cup winners Argentina have risen to second in the FIFA rankings with quarter-finalists Brazil still top, the global governing body announced on Thursday.

Lionel Messi's side, who lifted the trophy in Qatar on Sunday, move up one place, as do runners-up France, who are now third, with Belgium dropping to fourth.

Last weekend's final was decided on penalties and if one side had won the match after 90 minutes then, according to FIFA regulations, they would have gone above Brazil.

Croatia have moved from 12th to 7th after finishing third in the tournament with fourth-placed Morocco now 11th as the highest positioned African nation.

FIFA rankings top 10:

1. Brazil 1840.77 points

2. Argentina 1838.38 

3. France 1823.39 

4. Belgium 1781.30 

5. England 1774.19 

6. Netherlands 1740.92 

7. Croatia 1727.62 

8. Italy 1723.56 

9. Portugal 1702.54 

10. Spain 1692.71 

Agence France-Presse

World Cup: Messi magic reignites Argentina; France in last 16

DOHA -- Lionel Messi reignited Argentina's World Cup challenge with a superb goal in a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe's double fired France into the last 16.

Rocked by a stunning upset defeat against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Argentina faced Mexico knowing that a defeat would send them crashing out of the tournament.

But Messi breathed fresh life into Argentina's campaign with his eighth World Cup goal in his fifth appearance in the finals.

The 35-year-old maestro, desperate to crown his glittering career by lifting football's greatest prize, rifled home a low shot on 64 minutes to put Argentina en route to victory.

Rising star Enzo Fernandez made the game safe with a magical curling strike in the 87th minute, sparking wild celebrations amongst Argentina fans at the glittering Lusail Stadium.

An Argentinian victory on Wednesday against Poland -- who were 2-0 winners over Saudi Arabia earlier Saturday -- will carry the South American champions into the knockout rounds from Group C.

"We knew that today we had to win, that another World Cup was starting for us, and we knew how to do it," Messi said.

Mbappe double

Elsewhere on Saturday, France became the first team to reach the last 16 after two goals from star striker Mbappe secured a 2-1 victory over Denmark. 

Mbappe, one of the heroes of France's march to the 2018 World Cup title, ensured Les Bleus would be the first team into the knockout rounds after popping up with an 86th-minute winner to break Danish hearts at Stadium 974 in Doha.

The win all but guarantees France will enter the last 16 as winners of Group D heading into their final game against Tunisia on Wednesday.

"For us, it's ideal, we have six points so we're sure to qualify after two matches," France coach Didier Deschamps said.

"We'll appreciate that before the next match in four days. It brings tranquility and the assurance that we qualify."

Mbappe had fired France into the lead on 61 minutes after Denmark's defence finally buckled following wave after wave of French pressure.

However Andreas Christensen jolted France with a 68th minute equaliser before Mbappe's late show sealed all three points.

Earlier Saturday, Poland star Robert Lewandowski finally broke his World Cup scoring duck in a clinical win over Saudi Arabia.

It was a World Cup reality check for the Saudis following their stunning win over Argentina.

"The importance of the goal and how I scored it made all my dreams from childhood come true," said Lewandowski, who had missed a penalty in Poland's opening 0-0 draw with Mexico on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old was overcome with emotion having capitalised on a blunder by midfielder Abdulelah Al-Malki.

'Emotional' Lewandowski

"I think the older I get the more emotional I get," Lewandowski said. "I'm aware it might be my last World Cup and I wanted to be able to say that I've played and scored at World Cups. 

"The result is most important, but getting both is great."

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was the hero for Poland, however, producing a stunning double save in the first half.

He first denied Salem Al-Dawsari from the penalty spot, then made a stunning stop to keep out the rebound.

In other games on Saturday, Australia defeated Tunisia 1-0, recovering from a chastening opening defeat against champions France to keep their hopes alive.

Striker Mitch Duke scored the only goal of a tight game with a clever header in the first half and Australia desperately held on to silence Tunisia's vociferous fans.

The Socceroos sit second in Group D with three points from two games, with a game to come against Denmark.

With Messi throwing Argentina a lifeline on Saturday, all eyes on Sunday will now be on Germany in a must-win battle with Spain in Group E. 

Germany, beaten 2-1 by Japan in a remarkable opening upset, would be eliminated if they lose to the 2010 champions and Japan avoids defeat to Costa Rica.

Germany coach Hansi Flick described the game as his team's "first final of this World Cup."

"I am convinced of our ideas," Flick said. "We will approach the game with courage and belief in our quality."

Agence France-Presse

World Cup: Neymar suffers injury scare in Brazil win vs Serbia

DOHA -- Richarlison scored twice as tournament favorites Brazil beat Serbia, 2-0, in their World Cup opener on Thursday, but the win was soured by an ankle injury to captain Neymar.

The record five-time winners had toiled at times in the first half but improved after the break at the Lusail Stadium and were rewarded when Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison followed in to score the opener in the 62nd minute after a Vinicius Junior shot was saved.

Vinicius then set up Richarlison to score again in the 73rd minute with a stunning acrobatic effort that is surely the goal of the World Cup so far.

However, Neymar was then forced off with a sprained ankle that the Brazilian team doctor said would be assessed over the next 48 hours.

Injuries have hampered Neymar at the tournament in the past and Brazil will hope his World Cup has not ended already, although coach Tite struck a positive tone after the game.

"You can be certain that Neymar is going to play in the World Cup," said Tite.

Thursday's result continues Brazil's superb record in the World Cup group stage, in which their last defeat came in 1998 against Norway.

Tite's side are now already on top of Group G ahead of Switzerland, who beat Cameroon 1-0 earlier and who Brazil meet next.

"We played well, especially in the second half when our opponents started to tire and we took advantage of that," said Richarlison, who called it "a boyhood dream come true" to score the goals.

The scoreline was the same as when these sides met in the group stage in 2018 but Brazil are determined to do far better than four years ago, when they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

They have come to Qatar as the favorites for a sixth title, two decades after their last victory.

Other results in the opening round of matches in Qatar served as a warning, with Argentina suffering a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia at the same stadium and Germany losing to Japan.

Brazil would have known not to take Serbia lightly, but it still would have been a huge shock for them to lose at a ground where they intend to return for the final on December 18.

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic said his team "fell away physically" and added that injuries to key players, including Juventus duo Dusan Vlahovic and Filip Kostic, hindered his side.

"We came here with a lot of injuries to deal with affecting key players. That is the way it is and we have to face this fact," he said.

Acrobatic

Tite sent out a very attack-minded side, with Neymar in support of Richarlison while Raphinha and Vinicius occupied the wings and Lucas Paqueta added creativity in midfield.

Serbia did their best to frustrate Neymar, who come close to scoring direct from an early corner that would have raised the roof at the magnificent Lusail Stadium, where the stands were filled with yellow and green.

The best Brazilian moments in the first half came when Thiago Silva's defence-splitting pass found Vinicius in the box, only for goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to thwart the Real Madrid man, and when Raphinha played a one-two with Paqueta before his shot was saved.

Barcelona winger Raphinha was involved again within a minute of the restart when he hounded Nemanja Gudelj out of possession but was again denied by the goalkeeper.

However, Serbia's resistance was broken just after the hour mark.

The warning had come when Alex Sandro lashed a left-foot shot off an upright and two minutes later the goal arrived.

Neymar set up Vinicius for a shot that Milinkovic-Savic got a hand to, but the ball broke to Richarlison who followed in to score.

Serbia responded by bringing on Vlahovic, but Brazil had now found their stride and the second goal when it came was worthy of the biggest stage.

A Vinicius cross with the outside of his right boot was controlled by Richarlison who then spun around and leapt to score with an outrageous acrobatic effort.

Brazil could have scored more, with Casemiro seeing a shot come back off the crossbar, but this was a promising start, as long as Neymar's injury is nothing serious.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Ronaldo unaffected by Juventus setbacks, says Portugal coach

Criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo's performances for Juventus has had no impact on the forward's morale and he is ready to give 100% for Portugal in their World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan later on Wednesday, head coach Fernando Santos said.

Ronaldo came under fire after Juventus were knocked out in the Champions League last 16 earlier this month by 10-man Porto, who progressed on away goals.

Porto's decisive goal came from a free kick that went through the Portugal striker's legs as he turned in the defensive wall, with the front page of the Corriere dello Sport saying: "Betrayed by Ronaldo".

"When Cristiano is with the national team, he always comes with the same vision, the same passion, the same will, the same joy," Santos said.

"He always gives 100% when he comes to the national team.

"I don't think he has any problem in terms of mentality at the moment."

Ronaldo has been linked with a return to Real Madrid, who he left to join Juve in 2018, by some Spanish media outlets and Santos said he would be happy to talk to him about his future.

"I give advice to Cristiano personally. I was his head coach when he was 18, and we have a close relationship," Santos said.

"We talk a lot, but these are private conversations between friends. We don't really have a coach-player relationship, but it is different when he is in the national team. If he asks me for any advice, I will let him know what I think." (Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford )

-reuters-

Rugby: South Africa use World Cup final scoreline to raise money for feeding scheme

CAPE TOWN - South Africa's World Cup winning squad are using the score from last year's final in Japan to launch a campaign to feed people left destitute by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

A total of 100,000 raffle tickets are being sold at 32.12 South African rand ($1.76) which will pay for food parcels and soup kitchens.

The Springboks beat England 32-12 in last November's final to win the World Cup for a third time and many of their top players have already launched their own initiatives to collect food for the hungry, notably captain Siya Kolisi.

In return, those who buy tickets have a chance to win a host of memorabilia from the tournament donated by the players -- a total of 44 prizes (32 + 12).

"When I made the call for the squad to make donations, they were all in within a matter of hours – boots and all!" said coach Rassie Erasmus.

"We talked a bit last year (during the World Cup) about what pressure was – not having a job, having a family member murdered – and now this pandemic has put millions out of work and left as many struggling every day to put food on the table," he added.

South Africa has enforced one of strictest lockdowns which has taken a heavy toll on the economy, already in recession before COVID-19 struck, and increased daily hardships for millions of poor.

The country has recorded 286 coronavirus deaths, with 16,433 confirmed cases, the health ministry reported on Monday. ($1 = 18.2246 rand) (Editing by Christian Radnedge)

-reuters-

Chinese gymnasts pull out of World Cup in Australia due to coronavirus travel ban

MELBOURNE - The Chinese gymnastics team entered into next week's World Cup in Melbourne has pulled out due to Australian government travel restrictions put in place to limit the coronavirus outbreak, organizers said Saturday.

The restrictions on foreign nationals traveling from China were introduced in early February and extended for another week on Thursday.

The extension effectively rules out China's participation at the Feb. 20 to 23 World Cup, which offers qualifying points for this year's Tokyo Olympics.

"It has been a very challenging few weeks for us all, but none more so than for the Chinese gymnasts and officials who have been training and preparing to come to Melbourne," Gymnastics Australia CEO Kitty Chiller said in a statement.

"I have been in regular contact with the Chinese Gymnastics Association and its President, who informs me all of their delegation are well and have shown no sign of infection."

"Despite this, we all have to respect the Australian Government's travel restrictions."

Among the 12 Chinese entries listed on the World Cup's website are 4-time world champion Zhang Chenglong, who claimed the men's team gold at the 2012 London Olympics and bronze at the Rio Games.

Zhang's Rio teammates You Hao and Liu Yang will also miss out, along with Xiao Ruoteng, a former men's all-around world champion.

Chinese athletes in other sports have also suffered disruptions to Olympic preparations.

The entire Chinese women's soccer team and staff were confined to a Brisbane hotel for nearly 2 weeks due to quarantine restrictions after arriving in Australia in late-January for an Olympic qualifying tournament.

The coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak has killed more than 1,500 people, mostly in China's central Hubei province. Confirmed infections have risen above 66,000.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Hong Kong protesters boo Chinese anthem, as leader warns against interference

Lam regrets "interference by foreign parliaments"

Hong Kong football fans boo Chinese national anthem

Billionaire urges political leaders to offer olive branch

U.S. senators call for assessment of U.S. export controls

China warns interfering "black hands" to get out 

HONG KONG - Anti-government protests that have roiled Hong Kong for more than three months spread to the sports field on Tuesday, as many local fans defied Chinese law to boo the country's national anthem ahead of a soccer World Cup qualifier against Iran.

The latest sign of unrest in the former British colony followed another weekend of sometimes violent clashes, in which police firing tear gas engaged in cat-and-mouse skirmishes with protesters who at times smashed windows and started fires in the streets.

Earlier on Tuesday, the city's Beijing-backed leader, Carrie Lam, warned against foreign interference in Hong Kong's affairs, adding that an escalation of violence could not solve social issues in the Asian financial hub.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. But many Hong Kong residents fear Beijing is steadily eroding that autonomy.

Weeks of protests over a now withdrawn extradition bill have evolved into a broader backlash against the government and greater calls for democracy.

At Hong Kong's main stadium on Tuesday night, a sizeable contingent of the crowd of more than 10,000 football fans jeered and held up "boo" signs as China's anthem played before the game, while others chanted "Revolution of our time" and "Liberate Hong Kong". Disrespecting the national anthem is an offence in China.

Other fans sang "Glory to Hong Kong," a song that has become a rallying cry for more democratic freedoms in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

"We hope we can unite Hong Kong," said one of those booing, Ah Wing, wearing a red Hong Kong team shirt and glasses. "Even if we lose, we'll keep going. That's what we do against strong teams, against strong enemies."

Some local fans continued to chant protest slogans during the match, which saw Iran beat Hong Kong 2-0.

"BLACK HANDS"

During a rally at the U.S. consulate on Sunday, thousands of demonstrators, some waving the American flag, called for help in bringing democracy to Hong Kong.

The protesters urged the U.S. Congress to pass proposed legislation that would require Washington to make an annual assessment of whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from mainland China to retain special U.S. trade and economic benefits.

A bipartisan group of senior U.S. senators stepped up the pressure on Tuesday by writing to the U.S. State and Commerce Departments asking them to assess U.S. export rules for Hong Kong and expressing concern about China's potential acquisition of sensitive U.S. technologies via the special treatment Hong Kong is allowed.

The lawmakers also expressed concern about whether current export control laws allowed U.S. persons to "inappropriately" export police equipment to Hong Kong that could be used to suppress dissent.

Lam, Hong Kong's chief executive, responded to those calls at a news conference on Tuesday.

"It's extremely inappropriate for foreign parliaments to interfere in HKSAR internal affairs in any way, and (we) will not allow (the United States) to become a stakeholder in HKSAR matters," she said, referring to Hong Kong by its status as a special administrative region of China.

China denies meddling in the city and Chinese officials have accused foreign forces of trying to hurt Beijing by creating chaos in Hong Kong. They have also warned outsiders to keep out of what they call an internal matter.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, asked about the protests in front of the U.S. Consulate and Lam's comments, said Beijing was resolutely opposed to any foreign government interfering in China's affairs.

"We hope they can withdraw their black hands in Hong Kong as soon as possible," she said.

The sometimes violent demonstrations have taken a toll on Hong Kong's economy, which is on the verge of its first recession in a decade. Hong Kong visitor arrivals plunged nearly 40% in August from a year earlier.

Stephen Schwarz, head of sovereign ratings for the Asia-Pacific region at Fitch Ratings, said the agency's downgrade of Hong Kong last week reflected damage to the city's reputation as a place to do business.

"The downgrade reflects months of ongoing conflict environment which are testing the 'one country, two systems' framework and which have inflicted damage to the international perception of the quality and effectiveness of Hong Kong's governance and rule of law as well as the stability of its business environment," Schwarz said.

TYCOON'S CALL

China expressed anger on Tuesday after German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, reiterating that no foreign country had a right to interfere in its internal affairs.

On Monday, former U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the anti-government protests were not an internal Chinese matter and the United States should offer at least moral support to the demonstrators.

Lam last week withdrew the controversial extradition bill that had triggered the unrest, but the gesture failed to appease many demonstrators.

Anger over the now-shelved bill has rekindled opposition to Beijing that had waned after 2014, when authorities faced down 79 days of pro-democracy protests in the city's central business district.

Lam called for dialogue on Tuesday.

"Escalation and continuation of violence cannot solve the issues faced by our society now," she said. "It will only deepen the conflict, contradiction, splits, and even hatred in society."

The protests, beamed live to the world since June, have also prompted some of the city's powerful tycoons to appeal for calm.

In his first speech mentioning the unrest, billionaire Li Ka-shing urged political leaders to offer young people an olive branch, calling them "masters of our future", according to an online video of remarks to a small crowd during a monastery visit on Sunday.

Lam said her administration's actions, including the bill's formal withdrawal, were "not directly to stop these protests and violence".

"It is really to express my sincerity to start a dialogue with the people," she said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Sweden set up World Cup semi-final clash with Netherlands

PARIS -- Stina Blackstenius scored the winner as Sweden came from behind to stun old rivals Germany on Saturday and set up a women's World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands, who reached the last four for the first time.

Sweden had not beaten Germany at a major women's tournament since the 1995 World Cup, failing to win any of their subsequent meetings at World Cups, European Championships and Olympics in almost quarter of a century.

That run included defeats in the 2003 World Cup final and the gold medal match at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but they gained revenge in Rennes, coming from behind to win their quarter-final 2-1.

Lina Magull had given Germany a 16th-minute lead with a fine finish from a Sara Daebritz assist, but the excellent Sofia Jakobsson equalised soon after on a hot evening in Brittany.

The winner arrived three minutes after half-time, with Blackstenius prodding home the rebound after Almuth Schult had saved a Fridolina Rolfo header.

Despite bringing on star player Dszenifer Marozsan, who had missed the previous three games with a broken toe, Germany remained blunt as the clock ticked down.

Blackstenius had scored Sweden's winner against Canada in the last round and also netted against the Germans in that Olympic final defeat in 2016.

"We have talked about the possibilities here for us to go far and win every game," said a bullish Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson.

"There's not a single mitochondria in us that's content. We're going to go for it."

The Germans will now be deprived of the chance to defend their Olympic title, with defeat here meaning they fail to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Sweden will join the Netherlands and Great Britain -- who have qualified thanks to England's World Cup run -- at the Games instead.

"We are now qualified for the Olympics. That is one thing that has been hanging over our heads for a while," said Gerhardsson.

Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg told ARD: "The defeat hurts, but we are in a process. We will grow from this experience."

Sweden go on to a semi-final encounter with the Dutch in Lyon on Wednesday, and they will have a score to settle there too, having lost to the Netherlands at Euro 2017.

The 'Oranje' went on to win that tournament and have coped well in France with their status as reigning European champions.

- 'Dream come true' -

On Saturday they sank Italy 2-0 in Valenciennes as headed goals from Vivianne Miedema and Stefanie van der Gragt in the second half taking them through to their first ever World Cup semi-final in just their second appearance at the tournament.

"I am very proud of the team. We have very good players. Since our victory at Euro 2017 we have gained a lot of confidence and we have improved enough to do well at this World Cup," said Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman. She said qualifying for the Olympics was "a dream come true".

Miedema's goal means the Arsenal striker -- her country's record goal-scorer -- now has 61 in 80 international matches.

Surprise quarter-finalists Italy wilted towards the finish on a hot day and their players were in tears at the end.

"We are really upset because we got this far and had the chance to qualify for the Olympics. That's what we dreamed of," said Barbara Bonansea. 

"No-one expected all this from us so we can't be anything but happy."

The tournament now switches for the closing stages to Lyon -- home to Europe's top women's club side -- with holders the United States and England facing off in the first semi-final on Tuesday.

Megan Rapinoe's double strike gave the USA a 2-1 win over France on Friday, ending the hosts' dream of winning the trophy on home soil.

England reached their second successive World Cup semi-final with a straightforward 3-0 win over Norway on Thursday.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Women's World Cup fans party in New York's Times Square as US tops France

A throng of soccer fans, office workers and curious tourists crowded into New York's Times Square on Friday afternoon to watch a giant screen show the United States defeat France in one of the hottest matches in the history of the women's World Cup.

The quarter-final game, pitting the No. 1 seeded Americans against the host of this year's World Cup, was considered the best matchup yet in a tournament that has generated unprecedented excitement and TV ratings for the women's game.

The crowd that filled the square, best known for its annual New Year's Eve celebration, watched the Fox Sports broadcast on the largest TV display in the world, mounted on a skyscraper at the head of the so-called Crossroads of the World.

Most of the fans in Times Square were rooting for the powerful U.S. national team, and they were not disappointed by the 2-1 final.

Sitting on one of the improvised seating areas clad in a red, white and blue jersey, Alex Schnur followed the U.S. team's every move.

"I am a huge soccer fan," said the 20-year-old student from Connecticut. "The talent that the women's team has displayed - everything they do both on and off the field - is what a lot of Americans want to see; it's inspiring."

Cheers erupted when Megan Rapinoe, the violet-haired star of the U.S. squad, fired a shot into the goal in the first five minutes of the match, giving the Americans an early advantage over their opponent.

But Sophie Jimenez, 41, a nurse from France’s Brittany region who was visiting New York with her children, was unfazed when her home country fell behind in the match broadcast from Paris.

"I want to see France win! In the United States!” Jimenez chirped cheerfully.

Television ratings for this year's broadcast have been strong in the United States and abroad, with a record-breaking 1.5 million supporters expected to attend the matches in France, underscoring the growing popularity of the women's game.

"We want to give it absolute big-game treatment," said David Neal, executive producer of Fox Sport's FIFA World Cup broadcast.

Neal said that a possible France-U.S. bout had been on his team's radar since December as a potential marquee event and that once the match was set his team decided to "pull out all the stops."

Through the round of 16, ratings for this year's women's World Cup were up 21% compared with 2015 - the year of the previous women's World Cup - Fox Sports said, with France's victory over Brazil earning the highest-ever ratings for a non-U.S. women's World Cup match.

"Coming into this event, we knew that the bar that we all collectively set was very high," said Neal. "It's extremely gratifying the numbers exceeding even our lofty goals."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Neymar reveals double injury blow hit World Cup hopes

Brazilian football superstar Neymar revealed Friday that he suffered two major injuries last season with a previously undisclosed ankle ligament strain accompanying the broken foot which badly affected his role at the World Cup.

The fragile Paris Saint German star picked up another foot injury in January this year which will sideline him until April.

Last year, the first injury kept him out of action for three months and he returned just in time for the World Cup in Russia, where Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Belgium.

"My injury before the World Cup was different, I also broke an ankle ligament and had a hard time getting better because of it," Neymar told TV Globo in an excerpt from an interview to be broadcast in full on Sunday. 

"The ankle is always annoying as it takes longer to get back to normal."

According to the Globoesporte.com website, part of the same media group as TV Globo, the first examinations carried out after the injury of February 26, 2018 had already revealed the rupture of an ankle ligament. 

He was then operated on March 3, in Brazil, by the doctor of the Brazilian national team. 

After his latest injury suffered on Jan. 23 this year, the medical chiefs favored "conservative treatment" rather than another operation. 

In another excerpt from the TV Globo interview, Neymar said he had "cried for two days" after his latest injury setback. 

PSG hope to have him for a possible quarter-final Champions League in April, where they are favorites to reach as they have a 2-0 first leg lead over Manchester United in their last-16 clash.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Anti-Kremlin protesters invade pitch during World Cup final

MOSCOW -- The World Cup final between France and Croatia in Moscow was briefly interrupted when three intruders affiliated to anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot ran onto the pitch before being hauled off by stewards.

The pitch invaders, who were dressed in police-style outfits, were later detained by police, one of them told Reuters by telephone from a police station near Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, venue for the match.

Three of Pussy Riot's original members were jailed in 2012 for staging a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a church, and since then have become a symbol of anti-Kremlin direct action.

In the second half of the match, three people wearing white shirts with police-style epaulettes, black trousers and police hats ran out onto the pitch from the area behind the French goal. A fourth person tried to run onto the pitch but was tackled on the sidelines.

The three people were able to run about 50 meters, dispersing in different directions, before stewards wearing high-visibility jackets tackled them to the ground and then dragged them off the pitch.

The match was halted, but resumed about 25 seconds later. A witness at the stadium said he had seen police escorting the pitch invaders out of the stadium grounds.

Olga Kurachyova, a member of Pussy Riot, told Reuters by telephone she was one of the pitch invaders, and was being held at Luzhniki police station, near the stadium. She said she could not talk further because police were trying to take her mobile phone away from her.

The pitch invasion was the first significant security lapse in the five-week tournament that has won hosts Russia widespread praise for their good organisation and efficiency.

In a post on the Pussy Riot Facebook page, the group said the pitch invasion was intended to bring attention to what they said were human rights abuses in Russia.

They alluded to Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker jailed for 20 years in 2015 after being found guilty of setting fire to two offices in Crimea, including one belonging to Russia’s ruling party, after Moscow annexed the territory from Ukraine.

In the Facebook post, Pussy Riot said their demands included freeing political prisoners, freedom of speech on the internet, freedom to protest, and allowing political competition. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Pogba dedicates France win to Thai cave survivors

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia -- Paul Pogba dedicated France's World Cup semi-final win against Belgium to the 12 boys who survived a harrowing ordeal trapped underground in Thailand.

The final five members of a young football team were rescued from a flooded Thai cave on Tuesday after spending 18 harrowing days trapped deep inside, completing an astonishing against-the-odds rescue mission that captivated the world. 

Elite foreign divers and Thai Navy SEALs extracted the final batch of four boys, plus the 25-year-old coach, via a treacherous escape route that required them to squeeze through narrow, water-filled tunnels in darkness. 

Following the 1-0 win in Saint Petersburg, Manchester United midfielder Pogba tweeted: "This victory goes to the heroes of the day, well done boys, you are so strong." 

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had invited the boys' Wild Boars football team to Sunday's World Cup final last week. 

But FIFA said it had been informed "that due to medical reasons, the boys will not be in a position to travel to Moscow". 

"FIFA's priority remains the health of everyone involved in the operation and we will look into finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event to share with them a moment of communion and celebration," a spokesman said. 

The Thai footballers, aged from 11 to 16, had been stuck deep underground after setting off to explore the cave with their coach after training on June 23. 

FIFA also expressed condolences to the family of a Thai Navy SEAL who died after running out of oxygen during the rescue operation on Friday. "Our thoughts are with his family," FIFA said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIFA World Cup: Umtiti header sends France into final

ST. PETERSBURG - Samuel Umtiti's 51st-minute header sent an impressive France into the World Cup final with a 1-0 win over Belgium in an absorbing first semi-final on Tuesday.

Didier Deschamps' side will face England or Croatia in Moscow on Sunday as the French look to lift the trophy for the second time following their triumph on home soil in 1998.

In an enthralling tactical match, it was once again a set-piece that proved decisive with Umtiti's near-post header from an Antoine Griezmann corner settling matters.

Belgium took early control of midfield with France content to sit deep and eliminate the threat of counter-attacks from Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne.

But it was by no means a purely negative approach as the French offered their own danger on the break, perfectly illustrated when Paul Pogba’s delivery sent Kylian Mbappe racing towards goal and Belgium were thankful their keeper Thibaut Courtois was alert to snuff out the danger.

The first real opening came in the 16th minute when De Bruyne hooked the ball into the path of Hazard whose shot was just wide of Huge Lloris’s far post.

Hazard was dangerous again moments later when he cut in from the left and unleashed a rasping drive which clipped off the back of Raphael Varane and just over the bar.

From a Belgium corner, Toby Alderweireld tested Lloris with a smart shot on the turn but as the half progressed France began to create more.

Olivier Giroud flashed a header just wide and Mbappe set up Benjamin Pavard whose low shot was kept out by the outstretched leg of Courtois.

It was a fascinating first half and all that was missing was a goal but one came soon after the break.

From Griezmann's corner, Umtiti beat Marouane Fellaini at the near post and powered a header home to put France ahead.

Fellaini flashed a header just wide and Axel Witsel forced a good save out of Lloris as Belgium pushed forward for an equaliser and France hung on in six minutes of stoppage time to book their place in the final. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Hoops-mad Pinoys finally catch case of World Cup fever

MANILA -- Shirts are selling briskly, crowds pack sports bars to watch matches and football is front-page news. Whisper it quietly, but basketball-crazy Philippines has finally been afflicted by World Cup fever.

For decades, the nation of more than 100 million was on a very short list of global locations that had failed to fall for the beautiful game.

That is beginning to change as football's narrow, but passionate, Filipino following grows fuelled by success of the national team whose new coach is former England great Terry Butcher -- a World Cup semi-finalist with the Three Lions in 1990. 

"Definitely, we do have... World Cup fever," television sportscaster Bob Guerrero told AFP outside a Manila bar where he was watching France knock Argentina out of the global tournament.

"We're hoping that it's going to be a snowball effect and football will really start to grow here in the Philippines," said Guerrero, who works for top TV network ABS-CBN which is airing World Cup matches live.

Grow it may, but at the moment there are only an estimated 1.5 million football-playing Filipinos compared to figures claiming that some 40 million regularly flock to the basketball courts that populate every barangay across the archipelago.

It's a love affair that goes back to the 1900s when basketball was introduced to the archipelago by the Americans. Rather than reject the pastime of their colonial masters, Filipinos made it their own.

Elegance and stray dogs

It became part of the curriculum in schools and since then Philippine squads have played respectably on an international level. Basketball's governing body FIBA has them ranked 30th out of 159 nations, just behind China.

But, until recently Philippine love and prowess in hoops was missing from their football team, a gap evident even in the nicknames of the respective squads.

The Philippines basketball team are dubbed the Gilas, the local word for elegance, while the football team are called the Azkals, which is a slang term for stray dogs.

"When I arrived, the football community was very small," said Azkals captain Phil Younghusband, who made his debut in 2009. "You can probably count in the hundreds the people who were aware of football and playing football."

The former youth player with English Premier League club Chelsea is one of a wave of photogenic foreign-based players of part-Filipino parentage recruited by the Azkals.

In a few short years they have vaulted the team to qualification for the Asian Cup for the first time, and in May they hit their highest ever FIFA ranking of 111th in the world.

That success comes on the heels of the launching last year of the country's first pro-league, the Philippines Football League, which added to the momentum.

Experts say the Azkals' steady rise, which has given fans hope of international success, has been key to the game's growth spurt of popularity in recent years.

"We're small (people). Let's face it we can't be world champions in basketball," said Edwin Gastanes, general secretary of the Philippines Football Federation.

"Our physique, our skill, moves and agility are really very good for football. That's why we have a chance there," he added.

Global goal

The Azkals have never qualified for the World Cup, but Butcher last month made that his goal for the side after they make their Asian Cup debut in the UAE in January.

"There is a hype now," said Francis Castilla from sport marketing firm MMC Sportz. "Everybody wants to jump in on the (Azkals') achievement. "It's the bandwagon. The problem will be how to sustain it."

Other similarly less football-minded nations have seen their love for the game grow via increased television coverage, which marketers say stimulates attendance at stadiums.

It was key in bringing cricket-mad India into the football fold, yet air time is still scarce for the game in the Philippines. Basketball and boxing dominate.

The next steps for Philippine football will be strongly influenced by the nation's youth -- and there are more and more enthralled by the beautiful game.

Kevin Raymond Sales, 15, has been in love with football for years and has been trying to stay up to watch late-night World Cup matches.

He's hooked on the dramatic personal stories of players who rose from poverty or teams from tiny nations taking out powerhouses 10 times their size.

"It's something inspirational and it's inspired me personally to carry on with football, to play the sport with all my heart," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIFA World Cup: Belgium stuns Brazil to reach semifinals

KAZAN, Russia - Belgium struck early and held off a late Brazil fightback to send the five-times champions tumbling out of the World Cup with a 2-1 victory in an end-to-end thriller on Friday that earned them a semifinal against France.

A Fernandinho own goal and a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne strike gave Belgium a spot in the last four for the second time after 1986 and sent Brazil home at the quarter-final stage for the third time in the last four World Cups.

Brazil dominated possession and carved out chance after chance but could not score until substitute Renato Augusto headed home Philippe Coutinho's cross 14 minutes from time.

Roared on by the vast majority of the crowd at the Kazan Arena, the Brazilians poured forward to try and save the game but Roberto Firmino, Augusto and Coutinho spurned gilt-edged opportunities to level the scores.

If Belgium's first goal in the 13th minute had an element of luck, the ball going into the net off Fernandinho's shoulder from a corner, the second in the 31st minute was a shining example of counter-attacking football.

Romelu Lukaku took the ball with his back to goal, turned into space and stormed past Fernandinho up the pitch before releasing De Bruyne on his right for the playmaker to rifle the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

De Bruyne, playing in a more advanced role than he had in Belgium's previous four matches, was at the heart of his team's best work, managing the transition from rearguard defence to attack with vision, pace and accuracy.

This was no repeat of Belo Horizonte four years ago, when Brazil were thrashed 7-1 by Germany in the semi-finals on home soil, and Tite's side kept their shape and composure.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, though, made a fine saves from Coutinho and Serbian referee Milorad Mazic waved away penalty appeals from Neymar and Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilians finally got some reward for their efforts with Augusto's header and Belgium needed a brilliant fingertip Courtois save from Neymar in the last seconds to secure a date with neighbours France in St Petersburg on Tuesday. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIFA World Cup: Messi and Ronaldo gear up for knockout phase

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi take center stage as the World Cup shifts into high gear at the weekend with the start of the knockout matches in the loaded top half of the draw.

Football heavyweights France, Argentina, Portugal and Brazil are all clustered in one section of the competition, with only Spain among recent winners in the other half.

The unbalanced nature of the knockout phase increases the chances of an unlikely team reaching the semi-finals -- and of the big guns cancelling each other out.

That scenario sparked debate ahead of Thursday's England-Belgium group match -- was it better to win and enter the tougher side of the draw or lose and face potentially easier fixtures down the line?

In the event, third-ranked Belgium won 1-0, adding even more firepower to the top half, while if England can get past Colombia they will fancy their chances of reaching a potential semi-final against 2010 winners Spain.

The first phase in Russia featured just one goalless draw and already a record number of penalties, with the video assistant referee (VAR) often in the spotlight.

Of the half-dozen winners of the trophy since 1970, Germany have gone home in the biggest shock of the tournament by far while Italy never even qualified for Russia. 

- French firepower -

The standout last-16 tie on paper pits France against Messi and Argentina, two teams who labored through the group stage.

France are packed with firepower, boasting Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, but they have failed to click so far, finding the net just three times in three matches -- one was a penalty and another an own goal.

"It's make or break. We don't have any choice. We have to do everything possible to make sure it goes well for us," said France coach Didier Deschamps.

Five-time world player of the year Messi underlined his importance to Argentina with a sublimely taken opening goal against Nigeria but that came after his penalty miss against Iceland in a lackluster 1-1 draw that set the tone for a disappointing campaign so far.

Ronaldo on the other hand started his tournament with a hat-trick against Spain but has slipped behind England's Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot after seeing his penalty saved in Portugal's 1-1 draw with Iran.

The Real Madrid star, who has four goals in Russia and looks certain to be crowned world player of the year for a sixth time, will come up against a tight Uruguay defense that did not concede a single goal in the group phase.

Aside from their watertight defense, two-time winners Uruguay boast two of the greatest goal-scorers of their generation in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.

The Uruguayans are aware that Ronaldo is not the only threat for the European champions -- he is supported by younger talents such as Bernardo Silva and Goncalo Guedes.

"We will mark him with the same respect we mark everyone, despite him being a superstar," said Uruguay's Sebastian Coates of Ronaldo. "You don't prepare a match just looking at one player."


- Video boost for referees -


Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of FIFA's referees committee, said on Friday he was pleased with the impact of VAR at the tournament but that it did not mean all decisions would be perfect.

FIFA said VAR crews conducted checks on 335 incidents during the group stage, helping achieve a 99.3 percent rate of correct decisions.

"VAR doesn't mean perfection," Collina said. "There could still be some wrong interpretation or even mistakes, so it's a not a perfection that can be reached having implemented VAR."

Debate was still raging over Japan's approach to their final group game against Poland after the Asian side sneaked into the last 16 on the back of their superior disciplinary record.

The Asian side faced an angry backlash for running down the clock at walking pace in the last 15 minutes even though they were losing 1-0 on Thursday, gambling that Senegal would not equalize against Colombia in the other Group H game.

Kozo Tashima, president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), insisted the team deserved a place in the knockout stage in Russia, won at the expense of the west African team by virtue of having picked up fewer yellow cards.

FIFA said it had no plans to change its fair play criteria.

"This is the first time (the fair play rule) has been used in a senior World Cup in this way. Obviously what we want to avoid is the drawing of lots," said Colin Smith, FIFA's chief competitions and events officer.

source: news.abs-cbn.com