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      World Cup 2022 – Group A fixtures, results, tables and UK TV channels for Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands

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      THE World Cup gets underway in a matter of days and SunSport have been taking a look at what we can expect from each group.Group A kicks off the competition as hosts Qatar take part in their first ever World Cup match.
      This will be Qatar’s first ever appearance at a World CupCredit: Reuters
      Netherlands lost the 2010 World Cup final 1-0 in extra timeCredit: Getty
      Ecuador are Qatar’s first opponents, who will be hoping to use their previous tournament experience to progress through the group stages for only the second time in their history.
      This year’s Africa Cup of Nations winners Senegal, will be keen to continue their form in Qatar, but face a tough task against 2010 World Cup finalists Netherlands.
      Louis van Gaal’s men are looking to make up for lost time having not qualified for the 2018 tournament, and are overwhelming favourites to top the group.
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      Group A teams

      Qatar
      Ecuador
      Senegal
      Netherlands

      Group A fixtures
      Sunday November 20

      Qatar vs Ecuador (4pm)

      Monday November 21

      Senegal vs Netherlands (4pm)

      Friday November 25

      Qatar vs Senegal (1pm)
      Netherlands vs Ecuador (4pm)

      Tuesday November 29

      Ecuador vs Senegal (3pm)
      Netherlands vs Qatar (3pm)

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      What TV channel are they on?

      Qatar vs Ecuador – BBC One
      Senegal vs Netherlands – ITV
      Qatar vs Senegal – BBC One
      Netherlands vs Ecuador – ITV
      Ecuador vs Senegal – ITV
      Netherlands vs Qatar – ITV

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      Who is Eric Dier’s fiancee Anna Modler and when are they going to get married?

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      TOTTENHAM Hotspur defender Eric Dier is enduring a pretty chaotic season under Antonio Conte.However, things are a lot more settled in his private life, with the England defender ready to tie the knot with fiancee Anna Modler.
      Anna Modler shared this post on Instagram, confirming their engagementCredit: @annamodler
      The news comes just two months after the pair were reported to be datingCredit: @annamodler
      Anna previously dated former Arsenal star Alexis SanchezCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      From topping their Champions League group to losing to relegation threatened Nottingham Forest, it’s not been a smooth start to the season for Spurs.
      The World Cup looks to have come at the right time for Dier, and fiancee Anna Modler will no doubt be cheering him on from the stands.
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      Who is Eric Dier’s fiancee Anna Modler?
      Anna Modler, who turned 24 this year, is of South African and Namibian heritage.
      The model, who boasts 110,000 followers on Instagram, previously dated former Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, with the pair spending lockdown together in 2020.
      However, things didn’t work out between the two in Italy, and Modler subsequently found love with Dier.
      When are they getting married?
      The 28-year-old popped the question just two months after their relationship was made official.
      Modler confirmed the news on Instagram, posting a picture of her wearing the engagement ring.
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      Back in September, a friend told The Sun that “Eric and Anna are blissfully happy. They have been seeing a lot of each other.
      “Eric has told pals it has been a great few weeks – getting back into the England squad and landing a stunning girl who was previously on the arm of an Arsenal star.
      “He can’t stop scoring on the pitch, and has netted a cracker off of it.
      “Anna is smitten and has told friends Eric could be ‘the one’. They are getting serious, so watch this space.”
      It’s got a lot more serious now, with the pair committing to each other once and for all.
      However, a date is yet to be set for the wedding, with Dier currently playing for England in Qatar.
      Eric and Anna are said to be blissfully happyCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk More

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      How many games do players miss for a red card at the World Cup?

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      A single moment of madness could see a player cost their nation the chance of success by receiving a red card at the World Cup. Watching the referee reach into his back pocket has become one of football’s most frustrating clichés.
      Zinedine Zidane receiving a red card during the 2006 World Cup final vs Italy after headbutting Marco MaterazziCredit: Reuters
      No player ever wants to be met with the infamous red card, however there is definitely no worse occasion to receive one whilst representing your nation at a major tournament.
      But for every Gary Lineker, who never received a single booking, there’s always a Sergio Ramos who has seen red 27 times in his career.
      How many games do players miss for a red card at the world cup?
      In club competitions, a second bookable offence will see a one-game ban whilst a straight red card can see a player suspended for three to four games depending on the severity of the situation.
      The World Cup will see little difference to these rules with a red card leading to a single game suspension, unless FIFA feel it necessary to add further sanctions.
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      Coming into the tournament, any yellow cards from the preliminary group stages will be wiped from the record, meaning every player will begin on a clean slate.
      However any pending red card suspensions from the previous qualification stage will have to be served during the competition.
      Anyone who racks up two bookings in the run up from the group stage to the quarter-final will also be faced with a single game suspension, with the yellow card count resetting before the start of the semi-final.
      This rule is a relatively new one to the competition, with yellow cards being wiped after the group stage up until 2010.
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      For any player who receives a red card in their last game of the competition like Wayne Rooney vs Portugal in 2006 or Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt vs Italy in the final of 2006, their suspensions will carry over into their next international game.
      Zidane’s red card in the final of 2006 was his second in a World Cup match, a record he shares with Rigobert Song, the now manager of Cameroon. More

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      Who is Ben White’s fiancee Milly Adams and when did she get engaged to the Arsenal defender?

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      BEN White could not have wished for a much better end to 2022, with the 24-year-old receiving a World Cup call-up while Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table.However, before all of that, the 24-year-old sealed the deal on his relationship with girlfriend Milly Adams, proposing in June.
      Ben White proposed to Milly Adams on holidayCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      The pair made their relationship official in February this yearCredit: Instagram @milly_adams
      White has put in some stellar performances at right-back this season, establishing himself as a regular under Mikel Arteta.
      The former Brighton man will be hoping to take his club form into Qatar.
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      Who is Milly Adams?
      Milly Adams, who turned 25 this year, was born in Hertfordshire.
      The model, who boasts 14,000 followers on Instagram, also graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2019.
      Adams hinted at a relationship with the Arsenal ace after posting pictures holding a hand displaying the defender’s distinctive tattoos.
      Milly Adams posted this on social mediaCredit: Instagram @ milly_adams
      When did they get engaged?
      The pair are thought to have started dating earlier this year.
      And they confirmed their relationship in February, only a month after the Three Lions star was snapped kissing a mystery woman in Dubai.
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      White wasted very little time before popping the question on a luxury holiday in May.
      The happy couple shared pictures of their engagement on social media, including one of their matching ‘I love you’ wrist tattoos. More

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      What is the offside rule and how does it work?

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      THE offside rule is one of the most fundamental laws of football.But many are still confused about how it actually works. Here SunSport takes a look at the rule and how it works.
      The assistant referee will raise their flag to make the referee, players and the fans aware a player is in an offside positionCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      What is the offside rule?
      If you have always been confused by offsides, don’t worry, the law has become more vague and confusing in recent years.
      The interpretation of the offside rule has changed over the decades to help the attacking team, however the essential body of the ruling has never changed.
      The offside law dates back to football rules made by English public schools in the nineteenth century.
      The rule states that an attacking player is in an offside position if any part of their body – except hands and arms – is in the opposing team’s half and there’s no opposing player between them and the goalkeeper before the ball is played forward.
      Video Assistant Referee or VAR has changed the way offsides are officiated
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      Being in an offside position is not an offence in itself, the moment the player in the offside position plays the ball or attempts to play the ball, then they will be seen as “actively involved in play” and that is when the offence occurs.
      A player can also be flagged offside if the ball is played to them from their own half and the player is standing in the opposing half the moment the ball is played.
      What happens after offside is called?
      Being ruled offside on a football pitch is an offence.
      When a player is flagged the only sanction is that the ball is given to your opponents to restart play in the form of a free kick in their own half of the pitch.
      A player can only be judged to be in an offside position if they are in the opponents half when the ball is played forward.
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      So has the offside law changed over the years?
      The old rule stated no attacking player should be in front of the ball when it was kicked forward.
      But the law has changed and adapted over time to make it more entertaining, understanding for fans and to allow attacking players more opportunities to score goals.
      The game law makers IFAB (International Football Association Board) have adjusted the rule saying a player will be considered to be offside when they make a clear attempt to play the ball, be close to the ball and have an impact on the opponent, or to make an obvious action to have an impact of the opponents.
      In other words if you are offside you have to stay still and allow play to continue while you move back into an onside position.
      And now with VAR in play, offside is more clear-cut than it used to be.
      What are semi-automatic offsides?
      A new technology known as Semi-Automatic Offside Technology (SOAT) was trialled in the Champions League for the first time on Tuesday November, 16, 2022.
      The technology has been brought in to make offside decisions quicker and more accurate.
      It uses several cameras to track the movement of the players, as well as the ball.
      The semi-automated offside technology is going to be used at the Qatar World Cup.
      The UEFA chief refereeing officer, Roberto Rosetti, said it will “enhance the flow of the game and the consistency of the decisions”. More

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      Who is Kieran Trippier’s wife Charlotte, how long has she been married to the England defender, do they have children?

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      KIERAN TRIPPIER is set to feature for England at his second World Cup.But who’s his wife Charlotte and how long and the couple been married? Here’s everything you need to know…
      Charlotte and Kieran Trippier celebrate at the FIFA World CupCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Who is Kieran Trippier’s wife Charlotte?
      Charlotte Trippier is one of the more private World Cup WAGs, stating in her Instagram bio “fam and friends”.
      While she keeps her life away from the public eye, she does also state that she’s “a princess who has found her prince.”
      The striking brunette is often seen on the sidelines cheering on her husband.

      How long has she been married to the Newcastle star?
      It is thought that the pair met when they were younger.
      Kieran proposed to Charlotte in Cyprus on June 6, 2015.
      The couple then married in June the following year.
      Charlotte gave birth to their first child Jacob in December 2016Credit: Getty – Contributor
      Do they have any children?
      The pair have two children together.
      They welcomed their adorable son Jacob in December 2016. Daughter Esme Rose was born in February 2020.
      Jacob has also been spotted on the sidelines of the pitch, watching his dad play and both his kids could be in attendance in Qatar. More

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      Are the World Cup stadiums in Qatar air-conditioned?

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      THE 2022 Qatar World Cup is a one-of-a-kind with it being the first in the competition’s history to take place in the winter. With the tournament usually being a highlight of the summer for many, football fans around the globe have been made to wait an extra six months before watching their national side embark on their World Cup journey.
      England training in the Qatari heatCredit: Reuters
      This is due to the extreme heat that the host nation experiences during the depths of summer when the competition is usually set to take place.
      Qatar will often reach high’s of 45 degrees Celsius between June and July, five degrees more than UK’s hottest day on record. Even during winter, the Middle Eastern nation will average a warm 24 degrees.
      Are the World Cup stadiums in Qatar air-conditioned?
      All 65 games during the World Cup will be played in eight stadiums across eastern Qatar.
      Players and spectators will be pleased to know that all eight of these stadiums have fully functioning air-conditioning, protecting them from the blazing heat.
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      The cool air will be produced through grills within the stands as well as nozzles on the pitch to accommodate the players.
      The brains behind the technology are with Dr. Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani. The Sudan-born doctor began working with Qatar in 2009 whilst they were preparing their bid to host the competition, looking for ways to make their bid unique.
      Speaking to fifa.com, he said “We are not just cooling the air, we’re cleaning it. We’re purifying the air for spectators.
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      “For example, people who have allergies won’t have problems inside our stadiums. We have the cleanest and purest air there is.”
      Nicknamed Dr. Cool due to his research within the field, Dr. Ghani stated that the cooling systems has seen temperatures within the stadium drop to between 18-24 degrees, ensuring fans would have “thermal comfort during games” More

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      Who is World Cup star Raheem Sterling’s fiancee Paige Milian and do they have children together?

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      PAIGE MILIAN is the fiancee of Chelsea star Raheem Sterling.And she’ll no doubt be in Qatar cheering on her long-term partner as he represents England at the World Cup.
      Paige regularly posts photos of herself on Instagram.
      Who is Paige Milian?
      Paige met Sterling during his spell with Queens Park Rangers.
      She gave up her job in JD Sports to live with him in Liverpool after he left QPR.
      They now live together in London after the England superstar signed for Chelsea last summer in a £47.5million transfer deal.
      She has racked up over 100,000 Instagram followers from uploading pictures of herself and their children to her page alongside giving fans an insight to her lifestyle.
      When are they getting married and do they have children together?
      Sterling proposed to the beauty in March 2018 with a HUGE diamond ring.
      They had hoped to tie the knot in 2020 but wedding plans were put on hold due to the Covid pandemic.
      Paige gave birth to their son Thiago on January 16, 2017, and Sterling has a daughter, Melody Rose, from a previous relationship.
      And in 2019, the couple had a second son – Thai Sterling.
      Sterling and Milian have been together since teenagers More