Asia

Saudi Arabia Qualifies For The World Cup, Edging Australia On Goal Differential

For the first time since 2006, Saudi Arabia will be in the World Cup. The Green Falcons, having missed out on the last two tournaments, will return to the world stage after a 1-0 win over already qualified Japan on Tuesday. 

Last-Minute Equalizer Keeps Syria Somehow Alive In World Cup Qualifying

Syria needed a win or a tie Tuesday against Iran to keep its World Cup hopes alive. Down 2-1 going into stoppage time, it looked like the dream was dead.

And then it wasn't.

Qatar Eliminated From World Cup Contention, Confirm Status As Worst Host Nation Ever

Syria’s 3-1 victory over Qatar in World Cup qualifying on Thursday was remarkable for two reasons: 1.) Syria are now in third place in Group A heading into the final matchday, a finish that would see them improbably qualify for the fourth round playoff. 2.) Defeat for Qatar means that they’ve been mathematically eliminated from the 2018 World Cup, so they’ll be the first nation since Italy in 1934 to host the tournament without having ever taken part.

Japan Becomes The Fourth Nation To Qualify For The World Cup

Japan joined hosts Russia, Brazil and fellow AFC side Iran as the only countries to have booked their places at next summer’s World Cup finals after defeating Australia 2-0 in front of over 60,000 delirious supporters. This will be Japan’s sixth straight World Cup finals appearance.

Takuma Asano gave the Samurai Blue the lead in the 41st minute, and 21-year-old midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi secured the victory with this stunning goal in the 82nd. With only one matchday remaining in AFC qualifying, Australia’s road to Russia just got a lot more complicated.

After A Year Off, Dimitar Berbatov Is Set For A Huge Payday In India

The fourth season of the Indian Super League doesn’t begin until November 17th, but the quasi-big-name signings are starting to create a real buzz here within The18 office. 

Back in August, Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) announced that they’d come to terms former LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane. The 37-year-old Irishman will take the pitch for his new club after a year off.

Maradona Is Back Coaching, Reminding Us That Argentina Threw Away One Of Messi's World Cups

It never ceases to amaze me that with a 23-year-old Lionel Messi entering the height of his powers as a footballer, the Argentine Football Association decided to put Diego Maradona in charge of the national team for the 2010 World Cup. In his previous managerial experience, Maradona had collected three wins, eight draws and 12 losses, good for a win percentage of 13%.

No Debut Goal Better Encapsulated A Player Than Diego Forlan’s First In Japan

Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan rose to prominence when he joined Manchester United as a 21-year-old in 2002. He never made the mark at Old Trafford, but he found immediate success after transferring to Villarreal and then Atletico Madrid for $25 million.

Football’s Forgotten $19 Million Per Year Man Is Scoring Bangers In China

Pensar en la Super Liga china es algo como recordar el año Y2K, el año en que se cumplieron 2000 años (hecho). Las preocupaciones se acumularon ferozmente justo antes del cambio de siglo, pero la caída del balón confirmó que todo estaría bien.

La CSL, durante unos meses, pareció capaz de su propia disrupción global, y la creencia de que China simplemente compraría a cualquiera y a todos por sumas exorbitantes alcanzó su punto máximo cuando Shangong Luneng convirtió a Graziano Pelle en el quinto futbolista mejor pagado del planeta en 2016 .

Alex Morgan And Megan Rapinoe Fire Vintage USWNT Performance

The U.S. women faced off against Japan on Thursday in their last game of the Tournament of Nations. Japan-U.S. has become a particularly heated affair in recent years with the two meeting in three of the last four major finals. USWNT fans will not easily forget the heartbreaking loss to the Japanese at the 2011 FIFA World Cup nor Carli Lloyd’s rampage to win the trophy four years later.

Pages