CARDIFF — Wales manager Rob Page believes his team’s talisman Gareth Bale will be ready for Sunday’s World Cup playoff against Ukraine after sitting out last Wednesday’s Nations League clash in Poland.
The Welsh have the chance to make their first World Cup finals appearance in 64 years when they take on Ukraine, who won 3-1 in their playoff semifinal against Scotland in Glasgow on Wednesday.
The animosity between Argentina and Brazil is reaching a fever pitch at the perfect moment: right before the 2022 World Cup. Their only possible clash course in Qatar would see the bitter rivals meet in the semifinals, but that world-stopping event is plausible because La Albiceleste and the Seleção are as good as they've been in a long time.
The two have split the past two Copa Américas, playing out a bad-blooded semifinal in 2019 that Brazil won en route to the title while Argentina had its vengeance in the 2021 final at the Maracanã.
After helping the USMNT beat Morocco 3-0 in a friendly on Wednesday night, Pulisic was asked how he felt being back in America. He responded by calling out the small crowd size at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
Neymar scored a pair of penalties to move to within four goals of Pelé at the top of the country's all-time scoring list as Brazil cruised to a 5-1 win over fellow World Cup qualifiers South Korea at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Thursday.
The Paris St Germain striker netted either side of halftime to move onto 73 goals in 118 appearances for his country and close in on the three-time World Cup winner's record in a comfortable win for Tite's side.
In the buildup to the USMNT's friendly against Morocco, with the countdown to the World Cup now well and truly on, one of the most intriguing eye tests was the American midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah and Brenden Aaronson against fellow World Cup contender Morocco.
The three will be linchpins of the squad over the next decade, but the 21-year-old Aaronson was playing a new central role for the United States after previously being stationed on the left or right wing of Gregg Berhalter's 4-3-3 formation.
Ukraine advanced in the UEFA World Cup playoffs on Wednesday at the expense of Scotland with a 3-1 victory. Ukraine looked comfortable for a majority of the game, but a late push from Scotland made for an exhilarating finish. This John McGinn miss vs. Ukraine could have changed everything.
It's been 97 days since Russian forces stormed into Ukraine with a siege of Chernihiv, efforts to capture Kyiv, an assault on Kharkiv and the opening of a southern front.
Soccer, football, calcio, whatever you call it, it is one of the most uniting sports on the planet. That was as evident as ever on Wednesday before the World Cup qualifying game between Scotland and Ukraine. As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, there was an extraordinary moment of solidarity before the game. Watch as Scotland fans sing Ukraine’s national anthem.
In Wednesday's Finalissima vs. Argentina, the Italian national team will debut its new and last jersey in partnership with Puma. The kit is part of the latest international collection from the German brand, which includes the shirts for five countries playing in the next 2022 World Cup: Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Switzerland and Uruguay.
The USMNT only has six more games before the 2022 World Cup, beginning Wednesday with a friendly against Morocco at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. How to watch USA vs Morocco has never been more important — every single chapter is now leading directly to the final act. It's time to nail down our cast of characters.