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      Do away goals count in Champions League and Europa League? Full Uefa 2021/22 rules

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      THE 2021/22 season is already underway with Champions League and Europa League.Chelsea lifted last year’s CL trophy after seeing off Man City in an all-Premier League final – but it’s a while yet before the Blues have to begin their title defence.
      Chelsea won the Champions League after a tense clash with Man CityCredit: Getty
      And there’s changes on the way in Europe’s premier competition, with Uefa rocking the boat this term.Do away goals count in Champions League and Europa League matches?
      Away goals have been a feature of European knockout games since 1965.
      But this campaign things are going to be different.
      After years of speculation, Uefa have finally decided to scrap the away goals rule in both Champions League and Europa League knockout games over two-legs.
      As such, the aggregate score will now be the determining factor in sending a tie into extra-time.
      Should the scores be level after the extra 30 minutes, we go to penalties.
      The law previously gave a significant advantage to sides who hit the back of the net on the road, but drew criticism from many fans.
      ⚽ The away goals rule will be removed from all UEFA club competitions from the 2021/22 season.Ties in which the two teams score the same number of goals over the two legs will now have two 15-minute periods of extra time, and, if required, penalty kicks.#UCL #UWCL #UEL #UYL— UEFA (@UEFA) June 24, 2021

      Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin explained the decision: “The away goals rule has been an intrinsic part of Uefa competitions since it was introduced in 1965. However, the question of its abolition has been debated at various Uefa meetings over the last few years.
      “Although there was no unanimity of views, many coaches, fans and other football stakeholders have questioned its fairness and have expressed a preference for the rule to be abolished.
      “The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact, it now dissuades home teams – especially in first legs – from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage.
      “There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored.
      “It is fair to say that home advantage is nowadays no longer as significant as it once was.
      “Taking into consideration the consistency across Europe in terms of styles of play, and many different factors which have led to a decline in home advantage, the Uefa Executive Committee has taken the correct decision in adopting the view that it is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight than one scored at home.” More

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      Man Utd vs Brentford: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for pre-season friendly

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      MANCHESTER UNITED face Brentford as they continue their Premier League preparation.The Red Devils were stunned by QPR 4-2 last time out and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will be hoping for a better performance against the Prem newboys.
      Anthony Elanga netted against QPR and will hope to do the same against the BeesCredit: Reuters
      When is Man Utd vs Brentford?

      This friendly clash will be held on Wednesday, July 28.
      Kick-off is at 8pm BST.
      Follow all the action right here with SunSport’s live blog from 6.30pm.

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      You can catch all of the action live on MUTV.
      A monthly pass to watch the channel both online and on TV is £7.99, or you can currently bag a special annual pass for £29.99.
      MUTV is available via the official app, or on Sky and Virgin TV.

      What is the team news?
      The majority of United’s first-team squad are still unavailable after their Euro 2020 and Copa America exploits.
      That means Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Fred will all sit this one out.
      Donny van de Beek returned to training this week but it seems unlikely he will feature here.
      Expect Tom Heaton start between the sticks, while there could be starts for Jesse Lingard, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Elanga.
      New Brentford signing Kristoffer Ajer is set to feature, while Mathias Jensen and Christian Norsgaard are yet to return from international duty. More

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      Spain vs Argentina: Live stream free, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Olympic Football group game

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      SPAIN and Argentina clash in an Olympic showdown with qualification from Group C still in the balance.Neither side have been in top form so far in the tournament, with the Spanish topping the group despite being held 0-0 by Egypt in their first match.
      Pedri will be hoping to inspire Spain to Olympic gold after a slow start to the tournamentCredit: AP
      Argentina meanwhile were stunned by the Australians in their first match, but hit back with a 1-0 win over the Egyptians to keep their gold medal dream alive.
      When is Spain vs Argentina?

      This final group game will be held on Wednesday, July 28.
      Kick-off is at midday BST.
      Follow all the action with SunSport’s live blog right here from 10.30pm.

      Which TV channel is it on and can I live stream it free?
      You can catch all the action live on Eurosport 5 here in the UK.
      Streaming is also available on Discovery+ and the Eurosport Player.
      You can get a three-day FREE trial of Discovery+, which will automatically convert into a regular £29.99/year subscription if not cancelled before expiry.

      What is the team news?
      Spain have a fully hit squad to choose from as they face Argentina knowing victory will see them top the group.
      Ariel Ortega is back available for the Argentinians after missing their last game through suspension.
      Claudio Bravo played well in his place last time out however and could keep his place in the starting XI.
      Match odds

      Spain to win – 17/20
      Draw – 12/5
      Argentina victory – 14/5

      *All odds from Betfair and correct at time of publication. More

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      Why are Qatar playing in the Concacaf Gold Cup?

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      QATAR are two games away from becoming champions of North America. Yes, you read that correctly.The 2022 World Cup hosts are taking on the United States in the semi-final of the Concacaf Gold Cup.
      Qatar are looking to become champions of North AmericaCredit: Reuters
      But what are they doing in the tournament in the first place?
      Why are Qatar in the Concacaf Gold Cup?
      Qatar have been doing everything possible to play games against the world’s best teams in order to prepare for hosting the 2022 World Cup.
      To this end, they played as guests at the 2019 Copa America and were scheduled to do so again in the 2020 tournament, before it was postponed due to Covid.
      The Qataris were also drawn as a “shadow team” in Uefa World Cup qualifying Group A, meaning they will play Portugal, Serbia, Ireland, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg in friendlies.
      Qatar had been set to play in the Copa America again this summer but opted for the Concacaf Gold Cup with Covid rife in South America.
      Asia’s AFC and North America’s Concacaf formed a working strategic partnership in 2018 to support the growth of football in both parts of the world.
      This has since been supported by refereeing exchanges and as part of the agreement it was announced in September 2020 that Qatar would appear as guests in both the 2021 and 2023 Gold Cups.
      Has the Gold Cup had guests before?
      Yes. Guest appearances at the Gold Cup were regular occurrences in the 90s and 2000s, but there has not been a guest side competing in the tournament since 2005.
      Previous guest appearances were as follows:

      1996: Brazil
      1998: Brazil
      2000: Colombia, Peru, South Korea
      2002: Ecuador, South Korea
      2003: Brazil, Colombia
      2005: South Africa, Colombia

      Has a team ever won a tournament outside its continent?
      Only the United States, Mexico and Canada have ever won the Concacaf Gold Cup.
      However, Brazil reached the final in 1996 and 2003 as did Colombia in 2000.
      The only country that can be considered to have won another continent’s competition is Australia, who won the Asian Cup in 2015.
      However, Australia are permanent members of the Asian Football Confederation after moving from Oceania in 2005.
      Israel, a country that is in Asia, won the Asian Cup in 1964 but were then expelled from AFC in 1974 before joining Uefa. More

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      in Soccer

      Why is there no Team GB men’s football team when a women’s team are playing at Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

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      THE TOKYO OLYMPICS sees Great Britain field a women’s football team this summer, but there’s NO men’s side.Hege Riise, the Team GB head coach, named an 18-person squad for the games and they have already qualified for the quarter-finals.
      Team GB’s women were the first Brits to compete at the Tokyo Olympics as they beat Chile 2-0 in their football opener
      Why is there no Great Britain men’s football team at the Olympics?
      When London won the rights to hold the Olympics in 2012, Great Britain immediately began plans to enter a men’s team for the games.
      The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FA, however, expressed doubts over taking part over fears they would lose their Home Nations status which had been established by Fifa.

      Fifa president at the time Sepp Blatter assured all four nations that their individuality would not be lost, despite combining to create Team GB for the Olympics.
      A compromise was reached and only English and Welsh players took part for Team GB in London.
      Plans were put forward for a team to be created for the Rio Olympics in 2016, but they were once again rejected by the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations.
      And subsequently, no efforts were made for a men’s team to enter the Tokyo games.

      Ryan Giggs captained the men’s Team GB side at the 2012 OlympicsCredit: PA:Press Association
      🥇 TOKYO OLYMPICS LIVE: All the latest from the Games with our live blog
      🥇 WHAT’S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
      But Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England says that potential success from the women’s team may spark up a revival for the men’s side.
      He said: “I would absolutely love to take a men’s football team to the Olympic Games.
      “I think the experiences that the women have had through the home country FAs hopefully will be that positive step and impetus for an open dialogue on men’s teams in the future.
      “Obviously the strength now that we can see in women’s football (means) we’d be very disappointed if, in France in Paris in 2024 and on to Los Angeles in 2028, we weren’t fielding competitive teams across all sports but in particular competitive teams in football as well.”
      However, even if the four football associations had agreed to a Team GB men’s side, they would not have qualified for the Olympics this year.
      The women qualified for the Olympic Games by virtue of England’s run to the semi-final of the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
      However, qualification for the men’s tournament was decided by performance in the 2019 Under-21 European Championship.
      And in that tournament, England failed to get out of the group stage after being beaten by France and Romania.
      As a result of their runs to the semi-finals of that competition, France, Romania, Germany and Spain are Uefa’s representatives at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. More

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      Egypt vs Argentina FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Olympic Games football

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      ARGENTINA are staring down the barrel at elimination as they take on Egypt in Olympic football.The Albiceleste were beaten 2-0 by Australia in their first match and will be desperate to win today with a strong Spain side to come in their final game.
      Argentina will be out of the Olympic Games if they lose to EgyptCredit: Alamy
      Egypt are in a slightly better position, having held Spain to a goalless draw in their opener.
      🥇 TOKYO OLYMPICS LIVE: All the latest from the Games with our live blog
      🥇 WHAT’S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
      What time does Egypt vs Argentina kick off?

      Egypt take on Argentina on Sunday, July 25.
      The match kicks off at 8.30am UK time – 4.30pm in Tokyo.
      It will be played at the Sapporo Dome – a venue that already holds some bad memories for the Argentines as they were beaten there 1-0 by England in the 2002 World Cup.

      What TV channel is Egypt vs Argentina on and can I live stream it?

      Egypt vs Argentina will be an online-only event in the UK.
      You can find it on the EuroSport Player or discovery+.

      Can I watch Egypt vs Argentina for free?

      Team news
      Left-back Francisco Ortega is suspended for this game after his sending off against Australia.
      Marcelo Herrera is set to come in in his place.
      Manager Sergio Baptista may opt to bring in Ezequiel Ponce or Pedro de la Vega ahead of under pressure Adolfo Gaich.
      Egypt are likely to continue with a five-man defence that has Ahmed Hegazi at its heart.
      Ahmed Yasser Rayan should start up front.
      Latest odds
      Egypt 4/1
      Draw 5/2
      Argentina 7/10
      *Odds from Betfair correct as of Saturday, July 24 More

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      QPR vs Man Utd: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time, team news for pre-season clash

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      MANCHESTER UNITED continue their preparations for the new season with a pre-season clash against QPR. United beat Wayne Rooney’s Derby last weekend as the build up to the 2021/22 campaign began.
      Jesse Lingard in action for Man Utd last weekend
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      When is QPR vs Man Utd?

      QPR vs Man Utd takes place on Saturday, July 24.
      The match kicks off at 3pm.
      QPR’s Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium plays host.

      What TV channel and live stream is
      QPR vs Man Utd will be broadcast live on MUTV.
      SunSport will also be bringing you all of the updates from with our live blog.
      What is the team news?
      Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek have joined up with the United squad following their Euro 2020 excursions and could feature.
      While Amad Diallo and Eric Bailly are with the Ivory Coast at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
      United’s other Euro 2020 stars Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Paul Pogba – and the incoming Jadon Sancho – are not set to join up with the squad until August.
      England’s Marcus Rashford is due to have a shoulder operation which could rule him out for the start of the season.
      Jesse Lingard – who spent last season in successful loan spell at West Ham – is back with United and could feature again.
      Man Utd’s biggest transfers ever, both in and out, including Ronaldo
      What have they said?
      United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: “It’s an important week for us.
      “The intensity of training will be good.
      “It’s always great when you get through a hard week of training and then maybe the weather cools down a little bit and you feel so much stronger as a player and you feel you can run more.” More

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      in Athletics

      Why isn’t Usain Bolt competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and who is favourite for the men’s 100m?

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      THE Tokyo Olympics is getting underway and no event will be more eagerly anticipated than the men’s 100m sprint.However, it won’t feel quite the same without Usain Bolt competing.
      Usain Bolt will be playing no part in this summer’s OlympicsCredit: Reuters
      Why isn’t Usain Bolt at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
      Usain Bolt will not be at the Tokyo Olympic Games because he has retired.
      The Jamaican, who would be competing in Tokyo at the age of 34 if he had continued, last raced at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London.
      There, he picked up a bronze medal after being beaten by American duo Christian Coleman and Justin Gatlin.
      That marked the first time he had been beaten in a sprint final since the 4x100m relay at the 2007 World Championships.
      And in the 4x100m in London, Bolt pulled his hamstring and was carried over the line in agony by his Jamaican team-mates in his final ever race.
      Trayvon Bromell is favourite to win the men’s 100m in TokyoCredit: AFP
      A year later, Bolt attempted to live a lifelong dream of pursuing a career in football as he signed for Australia’s Central Coast Mariners.
      However, after eight weeks he was unable to agree a contract extension and said: “My sports life is over.”
      He added that it was “fun while it lasted,” saying he “really enjoyed just being in a team and it was [much] different from track and field.”
      Bolt concluded: “I’m just doing many different things … the sports life is over, so I’m now moving into different businesses.
      “I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I’m just dabbling in everything and trying to be a businessman now.”
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      Who will win the 100m in Tokyo?
      American Trayvon Bromell is the favourite to take up Usain Bolt’s mantle as the fastest man on the planet.
      As of Monday, July 19 the latest odds from Paddy Power are as follows:

      Trayvon Bromell (USA) Evens
      Ronnie Baker (USA) 7/2
      Akani Simbine (RSA) 9/2
      Andre De Graase (CAN) 5/1
      Fred Kerley (USA) 12/1
      Yohan Blake (JAM) 17/1
      Marcell Jacobs (ITA) 17/1
      Zharnel Hughes (GBR) 22/1 More