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      Why is there so much injury time at the 2022 World Cup?

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      STOPPAGE TIME can be one of the most nail biting experiences in football if your side is in the lead – and the 2022 World Cup has had loads of it.The unprecedented competition in Qatar has already put forward some controversial talking points for fans to discuss.
      There was 14 minutes added on to the end of England vs Iran’s first halfCredit: Getty
      And one of those is the amount stoppage time being added to the end of each match.
      But what is the reason and how much time exactly are referees adding to the clock?
      Why is there so much injury time at the 2022 World Cup?
      In the opening five World Cup fixtures, there has been a staggering total of 85 minutes added on.
      England’s match against Iran incredibly went on for 117 minutes due to the Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand’s horrific clash of heads with his own teammate.
      Alireza Beiranvand suffered a horrific head injury against EnglandCredit: Getty
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      And there was another lengthy additional time period in Argentina’s shock loss to Saudi Arabia where seven minutes was added at the end of the first half followed by 14 in the second half.
      A big chunk was also added to USA vs Wales and Senegal vs Netherlands.
      Injuries, cards, VAR, substitutions are reason for stoppage in play but fans have been left confused as to why it has been so much at the World Cup.
      What is the most amount of injury time added in World Cup history?
      Opta have stated that the five single halves with the most stoppage time have all cup at the Qatar World Cup.

      England vs Iran first half – 13.59 minutes
      Argentina vs Saudi Arabia second half – 13.53 minutes
      England vs Iran second half – 13.05 minutes
      USA vs Wales second half – 10.32 minutes
      Senegal vs Netherlands second half – 10.03 minutes

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      What has been said?
      The head of FIFA’S refereeing committee Pierluigi Collina mentioned that the fourth officials have been instructed to keep track of lost time during the game.
      Collina said: “In Russia, we tried to be more accurate in compensating for time lost during games and that’s why you saw six, seven or even eight minutes added on,” he told reporters at a pre-tournament briefing.
      “Think about it: if you have three goals in a half, you’ll probably lose four or five minutes in total to celebrations and the restart.” More

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      ‘One of best saves I’ve EVER seen’ – Watch Schmeichel’s stunning stop in Denmark’s World Cup clash against Tunisia

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      KASPER SCHMEICHEL produced “one of the best saves ever” in Denmark’s opening World Cup game against Tunisia.The veteran goalkeeper left Leicester for Nice in the summer but he proved he has not lost his touch.

      Kasper Schmeichel pulled off a remarkable save to deny Issam JebaliCredit: PA
      John Hartson called the stop “one of the best saves I have ever seen”Credit: AP
      Schmeichel was key to Denmark keeping a clean sheetCredit: Getty
      Shortly before half-time Tunisia carved open a one-on-one for Issam Jebali.
      The striker kept his composure and tried to lift the ball over Schmeichel, only for the Dane to somehow claw the ball away.
      It was a magnificent save that defied the odds and left ITV’s co-commentator John Hartson purring.
      The former Arsenal striker compared Schmeichel to his father Peter as he gushed over the stop.
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      He said: “One of the best saves I’ve ever seen in my life.
      “It’s kept Denmark in the game.”
      Fans were in agreement as they showered praise on Schmeichel.

      One supporter wrote: “Incredible save.”
      Another added: “This save from Schmeichel was monstrous.”
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      And a third said: “Ridiculous save.”
      Schmeichel’s save proved vital as Denmark kept a clean sheet despite Tunisia’s strong showing, with the game ending 0-0. More

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      Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard was sacked by CAMBRIDGE but has amazing international record before shock World Cup win

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      WHEN Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina in their World Cup opener on Tuesday, it was the latest international accolade of Herve Renard’s incredible coaching career. But it is a far cry from his struggling days at Cambridge United, when he was sacked with the club second-bottom of the Football League.
      Herve Renard led Saudi Arabia to a landmark win against Argentina in QatarCredit: Getty
      The Frenchman had a rough time in his short sting at CambridgeCredit: Alamy
      His miserable spell in East Anglia back in 2004 included a defeat to Boston United, one of 14 from 26 matches in the dugout.
      Now he is celebrating beating one of the tournament favourites at Qatar 2022.
      In fairness to Renard, the brief stint at the Abbey Stadium was a blip in his distinguished time as a manager – spanning 13 teams and nine countries across 23 years.
      The 54-year-old former defender started his coaching career in his homeland France with SC Draguignan in 1999.
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      After his Cambridge collapse, he led sides in Vietnam and then back in France before taking his first job as a national team boss with Zambia.
      He led them to their first Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final for 14 years in 2010 but resigned to take over at neighbours Angola.
      Within 18 months, Renard was back with Zambia – via USM Alger in Algeria – and stunned the footballing world by leading the Copper Bullets to their first Afcon glory in 2012.
      They beat a star-studded Ivory Coast side which included the Toure brothers and Didier Drogba on penalties in the final.
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      Fast forward three years, though, and the Ivorians were celebrating their own Afcon success, led by that man Renard.
      Again it was 0-0 after extra-time, again his side prevailed in the shootout, and Renard became the first manager to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries.
      A failed spell with Lille prompted another return to lead a new African team on the international stage, leading Morocco back to the World Cup in 2018 – their first qualification for 20 years.

      Bernard took over as Saudi Arabia boss in 2019 with the task of securing qualification for Qatar 2022.
      And the Green Falcons did so in style, topping Group B ahead of Japan and Australia.
      When they made the short journey across the border into Qatar, the manager declared: “We are competitors. We haven’t come to the World Cup for a jolly.”
      Renard led the Ivory Coast to Afcon glory in 2015, three years after winning it with ZambiaCredit: Rex

      And so it proved in their Group C opener as the 51st-ranked side stunned Argentina, who boasted arguably the greatest player of all time in their side.
      Despite going behind to Lionel Messi’s early penalty, they survived three VAR offside calls to rule out South Ameircan strikes – then hit them with a double-whammy straight after half-time and held on for a famous win.
      Renard said: “All the stars in the sky were aligned for us, but don’t forget Argentina are still a fantastic team.
      “This is football, sometimes totally crazy things can happen.
      “We can just have a good celebration for 20 minutes and that’s all, there are still two more games.
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      “When you come to the World Cup, you need to believe in yourself, anything can happen in football.”
      Indeed, anything can happen in football – especially when the team is managed by Herve Renard.
      The famous win sparked wild celebrations at full-timeCredit: Reuters
      Renard was a defender in his playing days in FranceCredit: AFP
      He has been in management for 23 years and led teams in nine different countriesCredit: AFP More

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      Denmark 0 Tunisia 0: Dark horse Danes struggle as African rivals battle to well deserved World Cup draw

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      KASPER SCHMEICHEL saved Denmark from a nightmare start to their World Cup with a stunning first-half save.The former Leicester keeper spread himself to deny Issam Jubali a certain goal – an intervention his dad Peter would have been proud of.
      Denmark and Tunisia played out a drab draw in Al RayyanCredit: GETTY
      The Danes had Kasper Schmeichel to thank for stopping them from going behind early doorsCredit: GETTY
      Issam Jebali thought he’d broken the deadlock in the first half but saw his goal ruled outCredit: REUTERS
      Andreas Skov Olsen also had a goal ruled out for offsideCredit: EPA
      The Danes could have had no complaints if they had ended up empty-handed against a spirited and energetic Tunisia.
      It meant a low-key return to the big international stage for Christian Eriksen, 18 months after his cardiac arrest in the Euros.
      The Manchester United star did produce his team’s best moments and how Andreas Cornelius did not nick an undeserved win for the Danes is something only he knows.
      Thousands of Tunisia fans have descended on Doha for the tournament to join the many who already live here.
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      They made such a racket in the Education City Stadium that it must have felt like a home game for Jalel Kadri’s team.
      The Carthage Eagles responded too with their dynamo midfielder Aissa Laidouni flying into a challenge on Eriksen in the first minute.
      He got the ball perfectly but the United star’s big comeback would have been short-lived had he connected.
      It set the tone for the first half though with Jebali racing clear to score only to be denied by a marginal offside.
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      The best chance came shortly before the break when Jebali went through again and lifted the ball over Schmeichel – only for the former Leicester keeper to stick out an arm and push the ball wide.
      After the break, Lassouni played a clever one-two to go clean through on goal but surprisingly seemed to lack the belief to finish it off.
      Tunisia failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 of their 15 world cup matches – last time they did it was in 1978 – but they were doing so quite comfortably here.
      Christian Eriksen failed to lead his Denmark team-mates to a crucial three pointsCredit: REX
      Eriksen had their best opening when he thumped a 20-yard shot which Aymen Dahmen did superbly to push round the post.
      He took the resulting corner and former Chelsea man Andreas Christiansen headed back across goal.
      Andreas Cornelius could not get the connection he wanted and could only bundle his untidy effort against the post.
      Tunisia were appealing for a penalty when Abdi’s flick seemed to be handled by Joachim Andersen but nothing was given.
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      And they were almost robbed right at the end when a Cornelius flick from Eriksen’s corner hit the arm of Yassine Meriah.
      The VAR recommended a review and everyone expected a spot-kick but the Mexican ref Cesar Arturo Ramos stood by his initial decision and over-ruled it. More

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      Darwin Nunez forced to leave Uruguay training as he hands nation World Cup 2022 injury scare

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      DARWIN NUNEZ briefly gave Uruguay a World Cup scare by leaving training. The Liverpool forward competes with Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani for a place in Diego Alonso’s side.
      Darwin Nunez of Uruguay ahead of the World CupCredit: Getty
      But according to Uruguay newspaper El Pais, Nunez suffered an ankle knock and had to be withdrawn from training.
      Although the striker is believed to have returned to his team-mates after receiving medical treatment.
      He now remains in line to play against South Korea in Uruguay’s opening game on Thursday.
      The two-time World Cup winners made it to the quarter-final stages in Russia in 2018, beating Portugal on the way.
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      And Nunez wants to lead his nation to success on the field after watching the last World Cup from his sofa.
      He said: “We come here and we know that we’re not favourites, but we’re going to fight.
      “Four years ago I watched the tournament on TV and now I’m here with all the beasts. This has only just begun.
      “The first game is the first objective and South Korea are a strong team, they’re in the World Cup for a reason.
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      “Everyone is strong, but so are we. We want to go far, our goal is to win the World Cup.”
      Nunez, 23, is following in the footsteps of ex-Liverpool star Suarez, who praised Liverpool’s new hitman.
      Suarez, 35, said: “Nunez is now playing for Liverpool like I knew he would.
      “He has exploded and I am sure there will be many goals and trophies for him there.
      “I speak with him regularly. I want him to help him, for him to learn from my mistakes.”
      Darwin Nunez celebrates with Luis SuarezCredit: Getty More

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      Fans all say the same thing about Lionel Messi as he’s brutally ridiculed after Argentina’s shock World Cup loss

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      FOOTBALL fans have brutally trolled Lionel Messi after his Argentina side were stunned 2-1 by Saudi Arabia.Am embarrassing defeat was not in the script for Messi, 35, who has admitted this is his last ever World Cup.
      Lionel Messi’s Argentina were beaten 2-1 by Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
      Saudi Arabia’s win is one of the biggest World Cup shocks in historyCredit: Getty
      After giving Argentina the lead from the spot, Messi saw his side have THREE first-half goals disallowed for offside.
      They were made to pay for it by Saudi Arabia, who are ranked 51st in the world.
      Two goals in five minutes saw Messi and Co throw away their lead and suffer a shock 2-1 defeat in their first group outing.
      And fans were quick to ridicule Messi after the game for another “choke” at the World Cup.
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      One ribbed on social media: “Another World Cup, another Messi choke”
      Another wrote: “Damn well it looks like Messi is not winning the World Cup. What a time to choke lol.”
      A third quipped: “Messi and Argentina do like to choke away World Cup games.”
      And a fourth slammed: “Total disasterclass from Messi.”
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      This year’s tournament in Qatar is the FIFTH World Cup of Messi’s incredible career.
      But is yet to capture football’s biggest prize.
      The furthest Messi got was the final in 2014, where they were beaten in extra-time by Germany.
      His Argentina side went into their opening game against Saudi Arabia on a 36-game unbeaten run stretching back three years, but were beaten in one of the biggest World Cup shocks of all time.
      Messi and Co still have games against Mexico and Poland to come, but performances similar to the one against Saudi Arabia could see them sent packing early.
      It was a frustrating day for MessiCredit: Getty More

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      Graeme Souness slams Argentina for shock Saudi Arabia loss & says England have ‘nothing to fear’ against them

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      GRAEME SOUNESS has insisted that England have nothing to fear should they come up against a “dreadful” Argentina.The Scottish pundit hammered Lionel Messi’s team after their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener.
      Lionel Messi was unable to inspire Argentina to victory over Saudi ArabiaCredit: AFP
      Graeme Souness was left unimpressed with ArgentinaCredit: Rex
      Messi gave Argentina the lead with a 10th-minute penalty, but goals from Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari in the space of five second-half minutes were enough to give the underdogs the victory.
      Souness was left “gobsmacked” by the performance from the Copa America champions.
      He also admitted that it would be “good news” for England should they come up against them in the tournament.
      He said on ITV: “I am gobsmacked, I have never witnessed an Argentina team not be up for a cup in terms of a physical encounter. They were wishy-washy.
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      “The referee was obviously going to be lenient, Saudi Arabia were super aggressive, the referee let it go.
      “At that point Argentina had to say to themselves ‘We have to match this or we will be in trouble’. And that’s what happened.
      “I thought Argentina had another gear but they didn’t. Unless they find a yard of aggression from somewhere, they can be rolled over.
      “Really good news for England, if they have to meet them in the competition.”
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      Souness went on to suggest that the Argentina team was a “shadow” of itself from previous World Cups.
      He added: “Argentina historically are a team that don’t get intimidated, they got intimidated today by Saudi Arabia.
      “They got rolled over from a very enthusiastic and well-organised Saudi Arabia team.

      “I am so disappointed in Argentina, not because they lost but the manner of the way they lost. You have to match the aggression and they never did.
      “That was a shadow of any Argentina team I have seen. They were a shadow today.”
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      Harry Kane was threatened with one-match World Cup BAN if England captain wore One Love armband against Iran

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      HARRY Kane and the other European captains were threatened with one game BANS if they wore the OneLove armband.England skipper Kane and fellow captains including Gareth Bale and Virgil van Dijk backed down in the face of FIFA threats they faced potential bookings.
      Harry Kane had intended to wear a One Love armband in Qatar supporting LGBT rights but the FA backed down when the England captain was threatened with a one-match banCredit: Alamy
      But former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, now a senior executive with the country’s FA, claimed Denmark’s skipper had faced a one-match ban if he had worn the rainbow armband.
      She said: “We could have defied FIFA but that would have risked an entire game ban.
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      “This is what I understand FIFA has threatened, among other sanctions.
      “FIFA has been a little tight-lipped about what sanctions could be envisage but I think it was a valid consideration for us.”
      All seven nations – the group was completed by Germany, Belgium and Switzerland – back down under the threats.
      Kane would instead wear FIFA’s official ‘No Discrimination’ armband against IranCredit: Reuters
      Denmark’s former Prime Minister claims she was told that captain Simon Kjaer (pictured) would receive a ban if he wore the rainbow armbandCredit: EPA
      Thorning-Schmidt added: “Now we’re going to play football. 
      “I am happy for the seven nations who have worked together for this, but maybe it is also time to say now we are playing football. 
      “This does not mean that any of us are giving up the fight for LGBTQ+ rights to have a place in football in general.”
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      Her comments came as America’s most senior diplomat, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, slammed world football chiefs over the issue.
      Blinken, speaking in Doha, said: “It is always concerning when we see any restrictions on freedom of expression.
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      “It’s especially so when the expression is for diversity and for inclusion.
      “In my judgment, no one on a football pitch should be forced to choose between supporting these values and playing for their team.” More