World Cup

TUNISIA star Ellyes Skhiri was controversially tripped up by the REFEREE just seconds before Australia’s winning goal.The Socceroos scored in the 23rd minute through striker Mitchell Duke.
Tunisian ace Ellyes Skhiri was TRIPPED UP by the refereeCredit: BBC
Skhiri was sent flying just seconds before Australia scored the winning goalCredit: AP
The Socceroos came out on top thanks to a Mitchell Duke headerCredit: AP

But Tunisian midfielder Skhiri was sent flying just moments earlier as he battled for the ball in the lead up to the goal.
Skhiri tripped over German referee Daniel Siebert’s legs as he tried to tackle Australia ace Riley McGree.
Middlesbrough man McGree was able to evade any challenge as Skhiri was sent tumbling by the ref.
McGree then immediately spread the ball wide to Craig Goodwin, who whipped in the delivery for Duke to head home.
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The goal proved to be the difference as Australia held on to win 1-0.
It’s the first World Cup game the Socceroos have won since 2010, and the first time they’ve kept a World Cup clean sheet since 1974.
Whether Skhiri would have been able to tackle McGree had he not been tripped remains unknown, but some fans weren’t happy with the decision to play on.
One wrote on Twitter: “Shambolic.”
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Another added: “Can’t do that.”
While a third joked: “Yellow card there for the ref surely.”
There were wild scenes in Melbourne when Duke scored for the Aussies.
His goal keeps their chances of reaching the knockout stages alive. More

RACHEL STUHLMANN donned the Stars and Stripes last night to get behind the USA as they played England at the World Cup in Qatar.The tennis influencer will have been delighted with her team’s efforts as they deservedly grabbed a 0-0 draw with the Three Lions.
Rachel Stuhlmann stuns in a Stars and Stripes bikiniCredit: INSTAGRAM / @rstuhlmann
Rachel is supporting the USA at the World CupCredit: INSTAGRAM / @rstuhlmann
Prior to the match, Rachel donned a bikini top decorated with the US flag.
She also wore jeans and a denim jacket as she posed for the camera.
Posting the snaps to Twitter, she wrote “I’m a soccer fan now. Go USA!”
She also uploaded them to her Instagram account, where she has nearly 250,000 followers.
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Rachel wrote on Insta: “World Cup Game✌️!⚽️ Let’s go USA!🇺🇸 What team are you cheering for?”
She then added on her story: “What a game!”
Following the end of the ATP Finals last week, Rachel revealed to her fans that she’d be taking time out to plan for next year.
She wrote: “Oh hi friends.
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“With the ATP Finals wrapping up, this is the very rare and short time of the year that the tennis season is ‘off.’
“I’m using this time to work on a variety of different projects, plan for next year, and spend time with family and friends.
“What are you looking forward to most this final month of the year?”
Rachel will be hoping to have more USA World Cup games to watch during her time off.
Gregg Berhalter’s side face Iran on Tuesday night knowing that a win will take them through to the round of 16.
And Rachel will be cheering them on every step of the way.
Rachel poses at the US OpenCredit: INSTAGRAM / @rstuhlmann
The influencer has over 200,000 Instagram followersCredit: INSTAGRAM / @rstuhlmann
Rachel is a keen tennis playerCredit: INSTAGRAM / @rstuhlmann More

ENGLAND’s World Cup stars were consoled by family members last night after they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by the USA.The Three Lions officially became the most boring team in World Cup history following Friday’s uninspiring performance.
Kane was quick to reunite with his wife Katie GoodlandCredit: PA
Maguire embraced his wife Fern Hawkins and daughter LillieCredit: World Cup News Pool (WCNP) – England vs USA
Pickford posed for a selfie with his wife Megan Davison and their sonCredit: Reuters
Ramsdale caught up with family and friendsCredit: Getty
Despite the bump in the road, Gareth Southgate’s players didn’t look too disheartened after the final whistle.
That is because they were granted the opportunity to reunite with family and friends who were supporting them from the stands at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Captain Harry Kane – who has been struggling with an ankle issue since Monday’s opening 6-2 win against Iran – was quick to catch up with his wife Katie Goodland after his post-match media duties were completed.
Meanwhile, England’s player of the match Harry Maguire embraced his wife Fern Hawkins and daughter Lillie.
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Coady reunited with his loved onesCredit: World Cup News Pool (WCNP) – England vs USA
Dier cuddled up to his girlfriend Anna ModlerCredit: Dan Charity / Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also joined his loved ones in the stands, including his partner Megan Davison and son Arlo George.
Substitute keeper Aaron Ramsdale caught up with visiting friends and family, including his girlfriend Georgina Irwin, after the final whistle as well as his Arsenal teammate and USA star Matt Turner.
And defenders Eric Dier and Conor Coady both looked thrilled as they met up with family members.
James Maddison – who is yet to feature in the England squad due to a knee injury – was also present as he embraced his partner Kennedy Alexa.
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Rashford embraced his fiancee Lucia LoiCredit: Reuters
Maddison hugged his girlfriend Kennedy AlexaCredit: Getty
And Marcus Rashford joined his family and fiancee Lucia Loi after appearing as a substitute.
The FA and England boss Southgate have set out strict guidelines surrounding contact between players and their families due to the potential threat of Covid.
Players have been allowed to contact their loved ones through phone and video calls from the team’s hotel and base camp in Al Wakrah.
But, face-to-face contact has been limited to a short space of time after each match.

Between matchdays, the Three Lions’ nearest and dearest are staying on a £1billion super yacht named MSC World Europa, which is docked in Doha.
So far, they have racked up an eyewatering £20,000 bar bill.
A source said: “They’re on a premium drinks package whilst on board the cruise liner.
“It was all paid for before they arrived in Qatar. But they were ordering bottles of champagne at £250 a pop as well as cocktails.
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“They then hit the karaoke and were belting out Three Lions and Sweet Caroline.
“They had an absolute blast and drank so much the bar was restocking the following morning.” More

FORMER Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny pulled of a stunning double save, including a penalty, to deny Saudi Arabia.The 32-year-old Poland stopper made sure his side went into the break 1-0 up in incredible fashion.
Wojciech Szczesny dived low to his right to save the penaltyCredit: Reuters
The ex-Arsenal man then superbly saved the reboundCredit: Getty
Szczesny was mobbed by his team-mates after making the stunning double saveCredit: AP

After Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski gave Poland the lead, on loan Birmingham City defender Krystian Bielik gave away a penalty for a foul on Saudi star Saleh Al-Shehri.
Salem Al-Dawsari, who scored the winner in the shock 2-1 win over Argentina, stepped up to take it.
But Szczesny guess the right way, diving low to his right to get a hand to the ball.
He was then back on his feet in a flash as Mohammed Al-Burayk got to the rebound first.
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And ex-Arsenal man Szczesny was the hero again, getting his fingertips to Al-Buyrak’s point blank effort to tip the ball over the bar.
The goalie was mobbed by his team-mates after making the outrageous double stop.
His penalty save came after Poland skipper Robert Lewandowski MISSED from the spot in the 0-0 draw against Mexico on Tuesday.
But Lewandowski made amends against Saudi Arabia, scoring his first ever World Cup goal in the second half to seal a 2-0 win.
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The result leaves both Poland and Saudi Arabia on three points, with fellow Group C sides Argentina and Mexico facing off later on Saturday evening.
In the final round of group games on Wednesday Poland take on Argentina while Saudi Arabia face Mexico.
Szczesny’s heroics came in his 69th game for Poland.
Now at Juventus after leaving Arsenal in 2017, Szczesny is appearing in his second World Cup. More

TALIBAN bosses have made a fortune helping to build stadiums in Qatar ahead of the World Cup sources have claimed.Developers are said to have paid millions to senior officials of the ruthless militant group in order to use heavy construction machinery.
Officials of the terrorist group are said to have used funds to buy heavy machineryCredit: Reuters
Taliban officials are said to have made millions in QatarCredit: AP
A source from the Taliban’s office in Doha who lived in the area during the decade before Afghanistan’s fall last year said Taliban officials invested millions from their jaw-dropping salaries into infrastructure machinery.
The source told the Telegraph: “The Taliban invested heavily in the World Cup construction and the tournament was a golden duck. They were paid millions.
“Some Taliban members had between six and ten pieces of heavy machinery each in Doha and would earn up to £10,000 per machine per month.”
A spokesperson for the terrorist group has denied the claims saying “there was no such transaction ” while Qatari officials said there was no wrongdoing in the arrangements.
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Two sources claimed officials were given large sums of money to live in the country during peace negotiations with the UN.
A former senior Afghan diplomat said: “It was an open secret in the Afghan Embassy in Doha that the Taliban negotiations team and political office were being paid well by the Qatari regime and they invested these salaries in construction equipment for the World Cup.
The outlet reports Qatari authorities have spent thousands of pounds paying Taliban officials during their stay in the country for peace talks with the West.
They were also offered other perks including luxury vehicles, free health care and food deliveries.
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The allowances were paid in cash at first and later transferred to the officials’ bank accounts with Qatari authorities claiming the payments were “monitored in coordination” with the US, “including the total amounts and how and where it was spent”.
Taliban chief Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that the claim is “far from the truth” and said “there was no such transaction.”
The Talibans’ alleged links to the World Cup raise questions over the already controversial tournament.
Qatar’s tournament has faced outrage over the country’s human rights practices amid claims thousands of migrant workers have died in the construction industry. More