分类： sports

In a high-stakes Group B World Cup clash played at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Thursday, two late second-half substitute introductions unlocked a game that had been deadlocked for more than 70 minutes, powering Switzerland to a dominant 4-1 win over 10-man Bosnia-Herzegovina. The result lifts Switzerland to the top of the group standings with four points, putting them firmly in the driver’s seat to advance to the tournament’s knockout round as one of Group B’s top two finishers.

MORRISTOWN, U.S. – As the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage progresses, Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer Neymar will miss the Seleção’s second Group C clash against Haiti on Friday, after medical and coaching staff opted to let the star continue his rehabilitation from a right calf injury rather than travel with the squad.

The 34-year-old forward only rejoined full team training with the Brazilian national side this week, after being sidelined since late May when his calf injury was first diagnosed. Fitness issues have plagued Neymar throughout the 2024 club season with Santos, limiting him to just half of his club’s competitive matches this year. He also missed Brazil’s opening Group C fixture against Morocco last week, which ended in a 1-1 draw for the five-time world champions.

Prior to this decision, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti had expressed cautious optimism that Neymar would be available to feature at least partially in the Philadelphia match against Haiti. But local Brazilian media reports indicate the coaching hierarchy is unwilling to rush Neymar’s comeback, a move that would put his potential participation in later knockout rounds of the tournament at unnecessary risk.

In an official statement distributed to reporters on Thursday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that Neymar, who has not represented the Seleção since October 2023, will stay behind in New Jersey to complete the final phase of his recovery program. Brazil will wrap up its group stage play against Scotland in Miami on June 24, with supporters still holding out hope the star will be fit to feature by that critical final group fixture.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ahead of Thursday’s first round of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Senior and Junior Championships, the men’s 100-meter preliminary qualifying round wrapped up Wednesday at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, with University of Technology (UTech) sprinter Dominic Williams securing the top position in the overall rankings.

In a pre-championship qualifying structure designed to pare down a deep field of contenders, 26 sprinters earned automatic spots in the first round based on their entry submission times. Those pre-qualified athletes will be joined by seven top performers from the 45-man qualifying round, which was held to thin out the remaining field of competitors.

Running in the fifth heat of the qualifying round, Williams crossed the finish line first with a time of 10.31 seconds, posted against a headwind of -0.7 meters per second. That mark was enough to give him the fastest overall qualifying time heading into the first round. Right behind Williams in the overall rankings, two other sprinters matched each other for the second-fastest qualifying time: Ramone Barnswell of the elite MVP Track Club and UTech’s Jeevan Newby, who both clocked 10.33 seconds in the fourth heat, running into a stronger headwind of -2.5 meters per second. Both earned their spots in Thursday’s opening round.

Several other standout sprinters also advanced out of qualifying to join the first round field. De’jaun Strachan, another UTech representative, posted a 10.39-second run (-0.7m/s) to secure his place. Rounding out the advancing athletes are Mario Williams (MVP), Kyle Richards (MVP) and Javoy Tucker of Titans Track Club.

The men’s 100m first round is scheduled to kick off at 6:10 pm local time on Thursday, continuing the annual national championships that serve as a key selection event for Jamaica’s international track and field teams. Reporting by Paul A Reid.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A major shakeup has hit Jamaica’s top-flight football scene, as well-respected local coach Donovan Duckie has stepped into the head coaching role at Waterhouse FC. The appointment comes immediately after former Argentine manager Javier Aintein stepped down from the position unexpectedly, leaving a sudden vacancy at the club.

Fresh off his recent resignation from another Jamaican side, Chapelton Maroons, Duckie’s return to Waterhouse marks his third tenure leading the squad. The coach already held the top job at the club for the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2017/2018 seasons, giving him deep existing ties to the organization.

In his first public comments since taking the role, Duckie framed his comeback as a rare privilege. “It is a privilege to return to Waterhouse FC, a club that I have tremendous respect and affection for,” he stated. “I look forward to working with the players, staff and the entire Waterhouse family as we set our sights on achieving our goals together.”

Duckie also extended his gratitude to the club’s leadership for the opportunity, singling out chairman Bruce Bicknell and president Donovan White for entrusting him with the role.

The coach already has a proven track record of success during his previous stints with Waterhouse. In 2013, he guided the team to a second-place finish in the national league, and in 2015 he led the club to qualification for the Caribbean Club Championship.

For Duckie, the club holds far more than professional significance, calling it a second home. “Waterhouse is like a second home for me, and I am forever grateful to the people of the community for the love they have shown me in the past,” he said. He recalled one of the squad’s most memorable near-victories: a 2013 title race that came down to a penalty shootout against Portmore United, where Waterhouse fell just short of the championship but still secured qualification for Concacaf club competition.

While he acknowledges the value of past successes, Duckie emphasized that history will not drive his current work. “But what is important is for me, it’s good to reflect on history, but it counts for nothing in football,” he explained. “So, we must ensure that this club takes its rightful place in the Jamaica Premier League, which is to be champions and to be playing in Concacaf football.”

Describing the appointment as an honour to return to a club with such a deep and decorated history, Duckie said he is eager to hit the ground running. He pledged to bring full effort to every aspect of the role, noting that anything less than 100% would fall short of the expectations the Waterhouse community holds for the team. He closed by urging local fans to turn out in force to support the squad through the upcoming campaign.

HOUSTON, DALLAS — As global football powerhouses kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns in North America, the opening matchday for Portugal has turned into a burning debate over the future of one of the sport’s greatest ever players: Cristiano Ronaldo. While contemporaries Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland have all turned in electrifying early tournament performances, the 41-year-old Portuguese icon delivered a distinctly underwhelming showing in Wednesday’s 1-1 stalemate against the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving manager Roberto Martinez facing an existential selection dilemma ahead of the team’s second group stage match.

Once locked in a legendary rivalry with Messi for the title of the world’s best active footballer, Ronaldo struggled to impose himself as Portugal’s central striker against the African underdogs. He completed the full 90 minutes but managed only 25 total touches on the ball — the lowest number he has ever recorded in a full match for Portugal at a major senior tournament. The gap in form between Ronaldo and Messi could not have been starker: just 24 hours before Portugal’s opening match, 38-year-old Messi bagged a hat-trick to lead defending champions Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria.

For a Portugal side widely tipped as an outside contender for the World Cup title, a draw against the DRC marked a hugely underwhelming start. This World Cup is the DRC’s first appearance at the global tournament since 1974, when the nation competed under the name Zaire. Even as Portugal pushed desperately for a late winning goal, Ronaldo never looked likely to find the back of the net, yet Martinez opted to keep his veteran captain on the pitch for the entire match.

Martinez defended his call after the final whistle, arguing that “When you are looking for goals you need Cristiano on the pitch, it makes no sense to get the best goal-scorer in the world out in a game where you need goals. In moments like this, the experience of Cristiano in the box is important.”

The match has reignited long-simmering questions about Ronaldo’s place in the current Portugal setup as he nears the end of his legendary career. A former superstar of Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus, Ronaldo has built his legacy on unparalleled fitness and an unwavering drive to be the best. This tournament sees him tie the record for appearing at six World Cups, a testament to his decades-long commitment to physical conditioning. This season alone, he scored 30 goals in 37 appearances for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, and he holds an all-time Portugal record of 143 international goals across 229 caps.

As age has slowed his pace, Ronaldo has transitioned from a dynamic winger to a stationary central striker, but he failed to capitalize on his chances against the DRC — ranked 46th in the FIFA rankings compared to Portugal’s 5th spot. He pushed two close-range efforts wide after being teed up by winger Francisco Conceicao, and drew sharp criticism for poaching a cut-back pass that was destined for Bruno Fernandes, who was in a far better goalscoring position.

Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry, commentating for Fox Sports, called out Ronaldo’s decision as selfish, noting “The team needs to score, not you need to score.”

Ronaldo’s scoring drought at major tournaments now stretches back 10 matches, a clear indicator of his reduced impact at the highest level of international football. Back at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, former manager Fernando Santos made headlines when he dropped a out-of-form Ronaldo for the knockout stage, a decision that stunned the global football community. Four years on, critics say Martinez’s unwavering public support for the veteran is even more puzzling.

When asked after the match if the DRC had a specific gameplan to mark Ronaldo, opposing midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau offered a blunt but respectful assessment: “Not really. We know he’s no longer the same player as before and that he’s older now. At his age he can no longer put in the same effort as before, but I have tremendous respect for him.”

Mukau’s measured take was far milder than the backlash directed at both Ronaldo and Martinez from football pundits. Many analysts have accused Martinez of being unwilling to drop or substitute his captain out of fear of the backlash that would follow. Writing for the BBC after the match, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton slammed Martinez’s 83rd-minute substitution that saw him take off midfielder Vitinha rather than Ronaldo: “That’s embarrassing from Martinez. He’s scared to take him off. He’s not the manager… the game has passed him (Ronaldo) by today.”

Critics point out that Martinez has no shortage of ready alternatives to Ronaldo in his squad. Goncalo Ramos, the young Paris Saint-Germain striker who replaced Vitinha against the DRC, is a natural out-and-out number nine and a proven replacement at the international level.

Portugal’s next group stage match is against Uzbekistan, who are making their first-ever World Cup appearance this tournament. Even as mounting evidence suggests Ronaldo is no longer the right choice to start, most football observers expect the veteran captain to retain his place in Martinez’s starting eleven for the crucial second fixture.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a night of stark contrasts in Vancouver on Thursday, as Canada secured the first men’s World Cup win in its national history with a dominant 6-0 dismantling of Qatar in Group B action — but the historic achievement was overshadowed by a devastating injury to Canadian midfielder Ismael Kone that cast a pall over BC Place Stadium.

The rout was led by Jonathan David, who notched a clinical hat-trick to cement his status as Canada’s standout attacking threat. Cyle Larin opened the scoring for the side in the 16th minute, before David netted two first-half strikes to put Canada firmly in control. Qatar’s evening unraveled early, when defender Homam el-Amin was sent off in the first half, leaving the side a man down before the break. The Qatari numerical disadvantage grew worse just after halftime, when a VAR review upgraded a yellow card for Assim Madibo’s clumsy tackle from behind on Kone to a red card, cutting Qatar down to nine players.

The challenge left Kone, who plies his club trade in Italy, writhing in visible pain on the turf while clutching his left leg. Alarmed teammates immediately signaled for Canadian medical staff to rush onto the pitch, making the severity of the injury clear from the first moments. After receiving on-field treatment, Kone was stretchered off the ground, managing to wave to the packed crowd of home fans while breathing from an oxygen tube as he exited.

Canada took full advantage of their two-man numerical advantage in the second half, extending their lead with three additional goals. Nathan Saliba, the substitute brought on to replace the injured Kone, curled a precise free kick into the back of the net in the 64th minute to push the score to 4-0. In a moving show of solidarity for his injured teammate, Saliba raced straight to the touchline after scoring and held up a replica of Kone’s Canadian national team jersey. A second substitute Jacob Shaffelburg then forced Qatar defender Mohammad Manai into an own goal in the 87th minute, when his powerful strike deflected off Manai and past the Qatari goalkeeper. David closed out the historic rout, completing his hat-trick in the second minute of stoppage time to cap the 6-0 scoreline. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was in attendance at the stadium, cheering on the Canadian side, nicknamed “Les Rouges”, throughout the match.

Now after their opening win, Canada sits atop Group B in a strong position to advance. The side only needs a draw in their final group stage match against Switzerland to secure first place in the group, putting them on track for a knockout stage berth in their World Cup campaign.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The family of global football icon Lionel Messi has confirmed Thursday that the 68-year-old father of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Jorge Messi, is recovering from an undisclosed medical issue. The announcement comes amid a wave of intense public and media speculation that erupted after Lionel Messi broke down in tears mid-match earlier this week, and the family has issued a sharp call for privacy around the strictly personal matter.

Jorge Messi, who has long served as his son’s agent and most trusted advisor throughout his historic football career, is currently receiving ongoing medical care. In an official statement released Thursday, the family shared that he is recovering well and making positive progress relative to his condition, but declined to share any further details about the specific nature of his health problem.

Speculation around Jorge Messi’s health began to spread rapidly on Tuesday, after the Argentina men’s national team captain gave an unusually emotional reaction following his opening goal in a friendly World Cup warm-up match against Algeria. Argentina went on to secure a dominant 3-0 win, with Messi scoring a hat trick, but all attention quickly shifted to the star’s uncharacteristic show of emotion: he collapsed into tears after putting his side ahead, and later acknowledged the moment was tied to personal struggles unrelated to football.

“It was a matter unrelated to sports. I went through some difficult and complicated days,” Messi told reporters shortly after the match, confirming off-pitch turmoil without elaborating further.

For nearly his entire professional career, Jorge Messi has been a constant presence alongside the star. He traveled with him through his trophy-laden stints at Barcelona, his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain, his current move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, and every major international tournament with Argentina, including the 2022 World Cup victory that cemented Messi’s legacy as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history. Beyond his role as an agent, he is widely recognized as one of the most foundational sources of personal and professional support in Messi’s life.

In their statement, the Messi family expressed profound frustration over the handling of the private health issue, saying they are deeply distressed by what they called a lack of sensitivity, respect, and ethical scruples from some media outlets and public figures who have turned the confidential family matter into public fodder.

“We ask for responsibility, prudence, and humanity. A person’s health and the peace of mind of those around them should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media attention,” the statement concluded.

ATLANTA, U.S. – A confident late penalty from Teboho Mokoena has preserved South Africa’s hopes of making history by advancing to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time, after the African side forced a 1-1 Group A draw against the Czech Republic on Thursday.

The Czechs got off to a flying start in the match, with Michal Sadilek notching an early opener that put the European nation on track to claim just its second World Cup victory as an independent country. However, a handball in the box late in the second half opened the door for South Africa, and Mokoena converted the chance to level the scoreline, leaving both sides still in contention for a spot in the round of 16.

Following the draw, both nations sit on one point apiece, two points adrift of co-hosts Mexico and South Korea, who were scheduled to face each other later the same day in the group’s other fixture. For either side to advance to the knockout rounds, a win in their final group stage match is now a near-certain requirement. South Africa will wrap up its group play against South Korea, while the Czech Republic faces a daunting test against Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca.

Both teams entered Thursday’s fixture on the back of underwhelming opening-day defeats, but the Czech side moved quickly to reverse their poor early-tournament form. Bayer Leverkusen star Patrik Schick, the most high-profile player in a Czech squad that lacks the star power of past generations, missed a clear opening in the match’s first 60 seconds, sending a header wide of the target. It took just five more minutes for the side, managed by Miroslav Koubek, to break the deadlock nonetheless: Adam Hlozek delivered a cross into the box, Alexandr Sojka deftly cushioned the pass into Sadilek’s path, and the midfielder slid a calm shot past South African keeper Ronwen Williams to open the scoring.

South Africa is making its fourth World Cup appearance, but has never advanced past the group stage in its previous tournament runs. Head coach Hugo Broos has overseen a clear turnaround in the fortunes of Bafana Bafana since taking the helm five years ago: the 2010 tournament hosts had not qualified for a World Cup since 2002, but claimed a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to book their return to the global stage. Still, their comeback tournament has exposed gaps in quality across the squad, especially in attacking positions.

The Czech Republic failed to capitalize on its first-half advantage, wasting multiple chances to put the game out of reach early in the second half. Vladimir Darida hesitated too long on a clear shooting opportunity, while a long-range strike from Lukas Cerv was tipped over the crossbar by a flying Williams.

The match, held at the Atlanta Falcons’ cutting-edge NFL stadium, drew thousands of empty seats despite being a World Cup group stage fixture. Fans in attendance did not hold back their displeasure with mid-half hydration breaks, even though the enclosed stadium was fully air-conditioned, greeting the pause with loud boos. The majority of the crowd in attendance were supporting South Africa, and their support finally paid off with seven minutes left in regulation time.

A shot from Thapelo Maseko struck the arm of Czech defender Pavel Sulc, and referee Tori Penso – a member of the match’s all-female officiating team – awarded the penalty. Mokoena stepped up and drilled his spot-kick home, scoring South Africa’s first World Cup goal in 16 years and leveled the match. Five minutes later, the African side nearly claimed a full three points, but Czech keeper Matej Kovar made a key save to deny Relebohile Mofokeng, locking in the 1-1 final score.

In the end, both teams left the pitch with a single point that could prove critical when Group A wraps up its final round of fixtures. The result leaves knockout stage hopes alive for both sides ahead of their final group matches.

On the opening day of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Championships, held Thursday at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, Racers Track Club’s Jeremy Bembridge put on a dominant opening performance to secure the top spot among all advancing athletes in the men’s 400-meter event. Crossing the finish line in 45.84 seconds to claim victory in his first-round heat, Bembridge outpaced runner-up Kimar Farquharson, an athlete representing Texas A&M University, who clocked a solid 46.06 seconds to also move forward in the competition.

Reigning 2023 world 400m champion Antonio Watson also delivered a strong showing to advance, winning his own heat with a time of 45.91 seconds. Watson finished ahead of Shaemar Uter of Texas Tech University, who recorded a 46.14 second finish, and Emil Gordon of the University of Technology, Jamaica, who crossed in 46.66 seconds.

Additional heat winners advanced to Friday’s scheduled semifinal round as well, including Bovel McPherson, who took his heat in 46.83 seconds. Zandrion Barnes also booked his spot in the next round with a 46.04 second finish, joining other qualifying athletes Reheem Hayles (46.09 seconds), Demar Francis (47.32 seconds), Delano Kennedy (47.39 seconds), and veteran Javon Francis (47.64 seconds). All advancing athletes will return to the National Stadium on Friday to compete for a spot in the event’s final round.