Football

Fifa to investigate alleged rule breaches by Israel Football Association

Published

10 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Fifa to investigate alleged rule breaches by Israel Football Association

Fifa’s disciplinary committee will investigate alleged breaches of its rules by the Israel Football Association (IFA).

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) submitted a proposal to have Israel suspended from international football in May over the war in Gaza.

“The Fifa Disciplinary Committee will be mandated to initiate an investigation into the alleged offence of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association,” Fifa said.

The PFA believes Israel’s federation has committed “violations of Fifa regulations” and called for sanctions against the country’s national teams and clubs.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said: “The Fifa Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts.

“The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations, and as stated at the 74th Fifa Congress, we need peace.

“As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”

Two investigations have been mandated by the Fifa Council into the IFA, with the first into allegations of discrimination within its national league, to be conducted by Fifa’s disciplinary committee.

The governing body said that the second, led by Fifa’s governance, audit and compliance committee, will consider “the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine”.

Israel are playing their Nations League home matches in Hungary, where an away game against Belgium last month was also moved because of security concerns.

They are scheduled to host France and play in Italy during the international break in October.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October by Hamas gunmen, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since the attack, a military campaign in Gaza has killed a total of 41,689 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The Fifa Council met on Thursday with Israel launching a ground invasion in southern Lebanon against the armed group Hezbollah, while Iran has fired more than 180 missiles towards Israel.

Shino Moshe Zuares, the president of the IFA, previously said: “We are facing a cynical political and hostile attempt by the Palestinian association to harm Israeli football.”

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Football

FPL tips & team of the week: Brennan Johnson, Evanilson and Bryan Mbeumo are great value for Gameweek 7

Published

16 mins ago

October 4, 2024

NewsAdmin

FPL tips & team of the week: Brennan Johnson, Evanilson and Bryan Mbeumo are great value for Gameweek 7

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.6m – home to Southampton

This is the second of Arsenal’s plum home games in a row and, despite last week’s disappointment, they are the team most likely to keep a clean sheet in gameweek seven.

Taking Raya is a hefty investment, but he has been worth it this season with three clean sheets and also six bonus points.

Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal, defender, £5.8m – home to Southampton

Doubling up on Arsenal’s defence feels like a safe bet.

It’s a small sample size, but in Calafiori’s two starts for Arsenal, he has a higher expected goals number (xG) than goal machine Gabriel (0.26 to 0.21).

The Italian scored a cracker at Manchester City and is averaging a couple of shots per game he starts. He’s also had more touches in the box than any other Gunners defender in the past two games.

Rico Lewis, Manchester City, defender, £4.7m – home to Fulham

Speaking of touches in the box, Lewis leads that statistic for City and for just £4.7m he feels like an FPL cheat code, with a decent chance of an attacking return.

The flip side is you never know who Pep Guardiola is going to play on any given week in defence, but Rodri’s absence makes Lewis’ involvement against Fulham feel a bit more likely.

At the price, Lewis owners can make sure they have a decent fourth defender in case he stays on the bench.

Max Kilman, West Ham, defender, £4.5m – home to Ipswich

A budget defender at home to the team with the lowest xG so far this season – makes sense, right?

Kilman is a threat from corners – he scored twice last season for Wolves and has had two headers on target so far this term.

Team-mate Konstantinos Mavropanos has been more threatening from set-pieces this season, but he didn’t start the last game.

New signing Jean-Clair Todibo should eventually become Kilman’s defensive partner and he will make West Ham’s defence better.

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Republic of Ireland: McGuinness earns first call-up with Doherty among absentees

Published

1 hour ago

October 4, 2024

NewsAdmin

Republic of Ireland: McGuinness earns first call-up with Doherty among absentees

Smallbone and Coleman have not played for their clubs since featuring for the Republic of Ireland last month.

Coleman hobbled off with a leg injury in the 2-0 defeat by England.

Smallbone started in both home losses against England and Greece but a hamstring issue has prevented him from playing for Southampton since then.

Taylor, 26, has been in previous Republic squads but the Ipswich midfielder, who made seven appearances for the Irish Under-21 in 2019 and 2020, is yet to earn a full cap.

The Irish will face Finland in Helsinki on 10 October before taking on Greece in Athens three days later.

Hallgrimsson began his Republic of Ireland reign with last month’s two defeats and will be seeking significant improvement both in terms of performances and results in the Helsinki and Athens contests.

Republic of Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Max O’Leary (Bristol City).

Defenders: Festy Ebosele (Watford, on loan from Udinese), Mark McGuinness (Luton), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Liam Scales (Celtic), Callum O’Dowda (Cardiff City), Robbie Brady (Preston North End).

Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Jack Taylor (Ipswich), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen).

Forwards: Adam Idah (Celtic), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Sammie Szmodics (Ipswich Town), Chiedozie Ogbene (Ipswich Town), Mikey Johnston (West Brom), Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Kasey McAteer (Leicester City).

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'Rangers outclassed and outplayed as Hearts stop rot'

Published

2 hours ago

October 4, 2024

NewsAdmin

Reaction as Rangers lose to Lyon and we hear from Liam Fox after Hearts beat Dinamo Minsk

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Football

Porto 3-3 Man Utd: How Harry Maguire became United’s unlikely super sub

Published

3 hours ago

October 4, 2024

NewsAdmin

Porto 3-3 Man Utd: How Harry Maguire became United's unlikely super sub

“We said, ‘why was he bringing on Maguire and Evans?’ That’s why.”

Those were the words of Robinson moments after England defender Maguire met Christian Eriksen’s 91st-minute corner to send a thumping header beyond Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

It was 3-3. Relief for Ten Hag and United’s supporters.

David: Has Harry Maguire just saved Erik ten (man’s) Hag’s job?

Scott: Ten Hag saved by the man he stripped the captaincy from and has tried to sell for two years!

Seb: I think Maguire has just kept Ten Hag in a job. Another questionable performance from Manchester United.

Maguire himself admitted that, despite his late rescue act, there were parts of United’s display that were indeed questionable.

“When you get 2-0 away from home you have to be a little bit more solid and there were far too many gaps,” the England international told TNT Sport.

“Too many crosses were coming into the box for sure and they ultimately punished us for it.

“It’s something we need to improve. If we want to be successful this season we can’t keep conceding two goals.”

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Manchester United: Erik ten Hag still defiant but is the manager still on brink?

Published

5 hours ago

October 4, 2024

NewsAdmin

Manchester United: Erik ten Hag still defiant but is the manager still on brink?

Even having avoided defeat in Portugal, Ten Hag remains under intense scrutiny before Sunday’s return to league action at Aston Villa.

He stayed on in the summer, after the disappointment of an eighth-place finish was offset somewhat by winning the FA Cup.

But while a poor start to this campaign has seen the pressure on the 54-year-old ramped up again, Mark Ogden, senior writer for ESPN, does not expect Ten Hag to be sacked even if United lose at Villa Park.

“I’ll be surprised if he lost his job,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “On the basis that the money is an issue.

“Manchester United are hoping he turns it round. He is obviously walking a tightrope.”

But how long he remains if results do not significantly improve is another matter.

“The demeanour from the players is it’s like they’ve just had a maths lesson with a teacher they don’t like and they’re all coming out confused,” Ogden added.

“There’s not really any kind of warmth from Erik ten Hag to the players. Ten Hag doesn’t have the charisma to manage at a top club.”

To overcome a Villa side buoyed by a famous win over Bayern Munich, Ten Hag will have to find a way to inspire his players or face succumbing to a fourth league defeat in seven games.

“Erik’s resilient, he’s shown that but Villa Park is going to be so tough,” former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves told TNT Sports.

“It’s a big test and he needs to find a way to bounce back.

“Before the game, we’re highlighting they’ve got goalscoring issues. Today they had defensive issues. At times it looks like they get something sorted and then something else goes.

“There are a lot of issues, he’s [Erik ten Hag] been there for quite a while. There’ll be a lot of questions.”

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