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‘It’s different, the freedom I have’: Cody Gakpo leaves behind Liverpool struggles with World Cup show
Liverpool fans must have recognised the scenario. It was the 54th minute of Netherlands’ World Cup meeting with Sweden, when Cody Gakpo received the ball on the left side of the penalty box and cut inside on to his right foot.
Liverpool’s version – Premier League Gakpo – can often be found lashing the ball into a different time zone from this particular space. But this is World Cup Gakpo, Netherlands Gakpo, lithe and balanced, ruthless and dead-eyed. He steadied himself before putting a piercing shot past Sweden goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Gakpo has now scored five goals in seven World Cup matches after a starring role in this 5-1 win. He has 23 goals in 52 international appearances, running at more than one every other game.
It would be unfair to say he has never shown that form at Liverpool. Gakpo scored 18 goals in the club’s Premier League winning campaign in 2024-25 and became a key part of Arne Slot’s title winners, a grafter without the ball as well as an attacking outlet with it.
But those telling performances have become increasingly rare. Last season he scored only nine goals in 52 games. His Liverpool record stands at 50 goals in 180 games. Not bad, but not the same player Liverpool thought they were signing after his exploits in Qatar the summer he moved from PSV to Anfield, when he scored in all three World Cup group games.
“It’s a little bit different,” Gakpo said, when asked to explain how he is able to perform to such a high level in a Dutch shirt. “How I play here, where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have at the club,” he said, before trailing off as if he’d said too much. “That’s it basically.”
He was certainly helped here in Houston by the presence of Brian Brobbey, the Sunderland striker who proved a nightmare for Sweden’s defence. Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien was bullied by Brobbey, who used his strength and rapid acceleration to devastating effect with an early double salvo.
“We knew his qualities all along, he’s very strong – very, very strong,” Gakpo laughed. “His hold-up play and coming at the right time into the box is amazing.
“We used him very well today, with two pretty quick attacks. With the first one, he even held the ball in the beginning and ran towards the goal. So we used his quality very well and I’m very happy for him that he scored two goals.”
The Dutch attack was pinpointed as their great weakness before the tournament. A defence containing Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven and Denzel Dumfries appears world class. A midfield of Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders is as good as any at the World Cup.
But where would the goals come from? Brobbey had only one in 13 caps before this game. Gakpo had struggled at times for Liverpool this season. Crysencio Summerville was relegated with West Ham. The presence of Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst in the squad only served to indicate the lack of successors.
But after replacing Crysencio with Brobbey in the starting XI following the 2-2 draw with Japan, Ronald Koeman landed upon a fluid, multi-talented attack which ripped Sweden to shreds.
Brobbey and Gakpo scored two each and Crysencio scored the fifth in this win. Gakpo, Summerville and Memphis, a substitute, all picked up assists, as did Dumfries, twice, roaming forwards from right-back. So have the Dutch been underestimated?
“We have a lot of different qualities,” said Gakpo. “Speed, strong hold-up play, we’re good in the box. Memphis showed his quality. Even on the bench we still have Justin Kluivert and Weghorst [both yet to play], so it’s good to have diversity and qualities to help the team in any moment.
“Japan were very disciplined, not big chances like today. Today there was more variation in attacking play, different positions, movement, so it was more difficult for defenders to mark us. So that was maybe the little thing we missed in the last game.”
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Davies’ stunning submission earns Cage Warriors title
Ieuan Davies joined the likes of Mason Jones and Conor McGregror as he captured the Cage Warriors lightweight title with a stunning submission over Omiel Brown in Manchester.
Davies locked in a rear-naked choke submission, taking just 61 seconds to secure the victory.
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The 28-year-old has a perfect record of eight wins and no losses, with six of those wins coming by submission.
The Wrexham-born fighter fights out of Blackledge MMA in Leigh, Wigan.
Brown, 25, moves to 13 wins and four losses following the bout.
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US Open 2026: Wyndham Clark stands firm as Scottie Scheffler makes move at Shinnecock Hills
US Open, round three leaderboard
Leader: -7 W Clark (US); -1 S Scheffler (US), S Theegala (US), T Kim (Kor), S Stevens (US)
Selected: Level X Schauffele (US); +1 T Fleetwood (Eng), C Morikawa (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); +3 R McIlroy (NI), J Parry (Eng), A Rai (Eng); +4 J Rose (Eng), T Hatton (Eng); +7 R MacIntyre (Sco)
In a third round that saw challengers rise but ultimately fall away, Wyndham Clark stood firm to position himself as the overwhelming favourite to win a second US Open title.
Not only did the American fail to budge from the top of the pile, the 32-year-old extended his lead from four to six strokes as he looks to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the tournament since Martin Kaymer in 2014.
Clark delivered a masterclass in scrambling at Shinnecock Hills before signing for a level-par 70 that gives him a commanding advantage heading into Sunday’s final round.
Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens are among a quartet at one under but ominously for Clark, so too is Scottie Scheffler, who arguably represents the biggest danger to him repeating his triumph at the Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023.
A shot further back and all but out of contention are Americans Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele, while Collin Morikawa and England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are at one over.
But it is the presence of world number one Scheffler that will concern Clark the most, even if there has only been one occasion since the first Masters in 1934 that a six-shot lead has been overturned in the final round of a major championship – when Greg Norman faded and Nick Faldo claimed his third Masters title in 1996.
“I feel good. I have got more and more comfortable every time I have got in these positions,” said Clark.
“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s probably going to play really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him.
“I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way. If I go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”
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UFC Fight Night: Kamaru Usman, Dricus Du Plessis to headline Oklahoma City event
A pivotal middleweight showdown takes center stage in the promotion’s return to the Sooner State
A pair of former UFC champions will headline the promotion’s return to Oklahoma City on July 18 in an intriguing middleweight bout for UFC Fight Night.
Dricus du Plessis (23-3), in his long-awaited return since losing his 185-pound title last August, will face former pound-for-pound king and welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (21-4) in a five-round bout inside Paycom Center. The event marks UFC’s third visit to Oklahoma’s capital city and the first since 2017.
The 39-year-old Usman, who lost his 170-pound belt in 2022 following four title defenses, will snap a 13-month layoff as he returns for the first time since securing a redeemable unanimous decision win over welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley that snapped a three-fight losing streak.
The fight was officially announced during Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas broadcast.
Du Plessis, the No. 2-ranked middleweight, dropped his middleweight title at UFC 319 in a one-sided performance dominated by Chimaev’s wrestling. The loss was the first for the 32-year-old native of South Africa since 2018 and brought an end to his 11-fight win streak, which featured a split-decision win over Sean Strickland in 2024 to win the 185-pound title.
The bout will mark Usman’s second fight at middleweight and first since he lost a majority decision on late notice against then-unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in 2023. Usman, ranked No. 9 at welterweight, won his first 15 walks to the Octagon after his 2015 UFC debut, which was one shy of the promotional record for consecutive wins shared by Anderson Silva and Islam Makhachev.
Du Plessis-Usman joins a fight card featuring former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier against a surging Christian Leroy Duncan and a key women’s strawweight bout between Fatima Kline and late replacement Tabatha Ricci.
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US Open: Wyndham Clark takes six-shot lead into final round
American Wyndham Clark will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills after an eagle and a series of up and downs on his back nine.
WATCH MORE: Clark eagle helps set up four-shot US Open lead on day one
Available to UK users only.
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IND vs AFG: Shubman Gill wins first ODI series as captain; equals Rohit Sharma’s feat | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill celebrated his first ODI series win as India’s captain after leading the team to a 3-0 clean sweep over Afghanistan. India completed the series whitewash with a dominant nine-wicket victory in the third ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.The series win is a significant milestone for Gill, whose previous ODI assignments as captain against Australia and New Zealand had ended in defeats. Gill has also enjoyed an excellent run with the bat. After leading India to an innings-and-300-run victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test, he followed it up by guiding the team to a 3-0 ODI series triumph.The 26-year-old finished as the highest run-scorer of the series with 238 runs in three matches at an average of 238.00 and a strike rate of 135.23. His tally included one century and one half-century.His performances earned him the Player of the Series award — the sixth such award of his ODI career.
Most Player of the Series awards for India in ODIs
Sachin Tendulkar – 15- Virat Kohli – 11
- Sourav Ganguly – 7
- Yuvraj Singh – 7
- MS Dhoni – 7
Rohit Sharma – 6- Shubman Gill – 6
Reflecting on the series, Gill was pleased with how India executed their plans.“A lot of the boxes are ticked. We spoke about keeping the intensity in the middle overs and some of the things that we also spoke about was how can we keep creating those opportunities in the middle overs as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, how can we keep pushing for the extra runs in the middle overs and I think a lot of those boxes were ticked.”India’s victory in Chennai was set up by Prasidh Krishna, who claimed his maiden ODI five-wicket haul with figures of 5/23, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored an unbeaten 110.Gill praised Prasidh and fellow pacer Gurnoor Brar for their opening spell.“Definitely. I think the first spell bowled by Gurnoor (Brar) and Prasidh was outstanding. To see that kind of pace in those conditions was not easy. But I think they kept putting their effort and kept pushing. I mean, definitely you are tempted to give them that one extra over, but looking at the weather, I did ask them if they wanted to bowl that one extra over, but they were pretty exhausted.”India’s next challenge is a three-match ODI series in England from July 14 to 19. Gill believes the conditions there will provide useful preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. “Going to England, the conditions would be a little bit more similar to what we get in South Africa, not quite similar, but still close to that. So the kind of combination that we would be looking to play there, hopefully we have all the players fit and ready, it is going to be another great series for us.”
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Scottie Scheffler trying to chase down Wyndham Clark at U.S. Open
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Scottie Scheffler finally showed some emotion.
On the 14th hole at Shinnecock Hills on Saturday, the game’s best player roasted a drive 351 yards to the middle of the fairway but saw his approach bounce along and off the back of the green. That tends to happen here. But Scheffler hit a nifty pitch back up the slope and watched as it rolled into the cup for a birdie – the first of three in a row on his back nine – and he spent the entirety of the walk from the back of the green to the cup pumping his fist.
“At that point I’m still over par for the tournament, staring at a pretty tough up-and-down. So, to steal a shot there at least is a pretty good feeling. We’ve been battling for three days now, and yeah, at that point over par for the tournament, you can feel like it’s kind of slipping away. To steal one there was really nice,” Scheffler said.
It might be too little, too late, but we’ve got to Sunday at the U.S. Open and, perhaps, reached the intersection of divine intervention and great golf. You never know in this crazy game.
Alas, it will still be a tall mountain to climb – even for the game’s No.1-ranked golfer. He’ll be in the final pairing alongside leader Wyndham Clark who – despite a shaky 18th-hole bogey – leads by six shots.
“We’ve been battling hard for a few days, and I did a good job of keeping myself in the tournament. I’ll need a really nice round tomorrow if I’m going to try and catch Wyndham,” Scheffler admitted.
Clark’s six-shot lead on Scheffler, Sahith Theegala, Sam Stevens and Tom Kim is the fourth-largest 54-hole advantage in U.S. open history. Twenty-one times in major history, a golfer has held a lead of six shots or more heading into the final round and just once has that lead not been converted to a trophy.
“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s going to play probably really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him. But really, I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way,” said Clark, whose effort on the greens has been the difference as he sits first in strokes gained: putting for the week and made over 50 feet of just par putts on Saturday.
“If I go out and execute and go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”
This is Scheffler’s first crack at capturing the career grand slam, and he’s at least given himself a shot.
Sunday is father’s day. And it’s also his birthday.
“I think it’s appropriate to understand what’s at stake,” Scheffler said. “I’ve worked really hard for a long time to have a chance to win golf tournaments and to win major championships. I think understanding the moment and giving it your best shot is all part of the process.”

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Just play, we’ll handle the rest
Genesis delivers five years of complimentary scheduled maintenance, whether at your doorstep or beside the fairway, so every drive remains effortless.
Scheffler could not have had a more disastrous start to his moving day at Shinnecock Hills, chopping out of the rough for his approach and needing to roll in a nine-footer to save bogey on his first hole. He then missed a six-footer for par on the par-3 2nd, and his day was slipping away from him as quickly as it had begun.
“Got off to a tough start today. I hit a decent drive there on 1. I got the worst lie I’ve seen from anybody all week that you couldn’t even advance really with a wedge. Ended up making a really nice bogey. Hit a couple of decent shots there on the second. Made another bogey. Just did my best to try and stay patient,” Scheffler said.
He steadied himself after that, making seven straight pars before making the turn. Scheffler then hit one of the tidiest approaches to No. 10 that we’ve seen all week, essentially a flop shot, he said, from about 70 yards away that ended up just seven feet from the hole – one of just 12 birdies on the hole for the day.
“I made a really nice birdie there on the 10th. That was a hole where it’s really hard to hold that green, so it was really nice to kind of steal a shot there,” Scheffler said.
Scheffler was the first golfer to get into the house in red figures through 54 holes after shooting a 1-under 69. He added an 11-foot birdie on the par-4 15th and then hit an incredible approach from 272 yards away to just 13 feet for an eagle on No. 16.
His day could have been better had he not missed a six-footer for par on his penultimate hole. But overall, and especially considering how he started, Scheffler was happy with his round – one of just two under-par efforts for the day.
“Proud of how we played on the back nine, and going into tomorrow, just continue to do what I need to do and try and execute,” Scheffler said.
So, history figures to be at stake one way or another on Sunday in the Hamptons.
Either Clark will have one of the largest collapses in major championship history or Scheffler, who leads the PGA Tour in final-round scoring average, will pull off his latest magic trick – and complete the career grand slam in his first attempt on a day he’s already being celebrated.
“This is why we practise and play, to have an opportunity to win golf tournaments,” Scheffler said. “And that’s what tomorrow is.”
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Japan vs. Tunisia prediction, odds, line, start time: 2026 World Cup picks
Group F play continues on Sunday as Japan and Tunisia meet in a matchup of two teams looking to right different wrongs from Matchday 1. Japan twice rallied from a goal down to salvage a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, while Tunisia was routed 5-1 by Sweden in a result that cost manager Sabri Lamouchi his job and brought in Herve Renard on short notice.
Kickoff is at 12 a.m. ET in Monterrey. The latest Japan vs. Tunisia odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list Japan at -230 (risk $230 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line, with Tunisia at +650 and a draw at +360. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Japan vs. Tunisia picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the Japan vs. Tunisia predictions from SportsLine’s Jon Eimer.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He’s been red-hot on his soccer betting picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. He also enters Saturday on a 19-9-2 run on World Cup picks, returning +460. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Now, Eimer has studied Japan vs. Tunisia and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for Japan vs. Tunisia:
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Japan vs. Tunisia 90-minute money line |
Japan -230, Tunisia +650, Draw +360 |
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Japan vs. Tunisia over/under: |
2.5 goals |
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Japan vs. Tunisia spread: |
Japan -1.5 (+122) |
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Japan vs. Tunisia picks: |
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Japan vs. Tunisia streaming: |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Top Japan vs. Tunisia Coast predictions
After examining Tunisia vs. Japan from every angle, Eimer is going Over 2.5 total goals (+104). Eimer can’t say enough good things about Japan, calling them one of the teams he’s most excited to watch in this tournament and one he thinks will exceed expectations. Down a goal twice against the Netherlands, Japan answered both times, a response Eimer says “showed more fight and resilience in 45 minutes than we’ll see other teams play” anywhere else in this competition. He sees a roster full of attacking talent working together as well as any team in the field.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are a team in crisis, according to Eimer. The 5-1 loss to Sweden was historically bad, and the fallout off the pitch, including the non-mutual dismissal of Lamouchi, has left the squad trying to stabilize against the strongest team in the group. Eimer isn’t finding much to like on that side right now, and expects Japan to control this match and the Over to hit. See Eimer’s best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Japan vs. Tunisia Coast at FanDuel here:
How to make Japan vs. Tunisia picks
After studying this matchup from every angle, Eimer has found some critical x-factors and locked in two other best bets that you absolutely need to see. You can head to SportsLine to see them.
So what are the best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia, all from expert on a 19-9 roll on WC picks, and find out.
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USMNT-Australia delivers strong viewership across Fox, Telemundo
Even on a Friday afternoon, the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match between the United States and Australia brought in another impressive audience for Fox and Telemundo.
Fox revealed preliminary numbers on Saturday showing that the USMNT-Australia match averaged 14.781 million viewers, making it the most-watched Friday afternoon telecast on any network since the USMNT-England World Cup match on Black Friday in 2022 (15.38 million viewers).
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The USMNT’s 2-0 win over Australia made for the third-most-watched men’s World Cup group stage match. One of those matches was the USMNT’s first game of this World Cup vs. Paraguay, which averaged a record 18.037 million viewers (the preliminary number was 15.986 million).
Additionally, the USMNT-Australia telecast peaked at 19.169 million viewers (4:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET), which is even higher than the preliminary peak audience of 18.86 million reported for the USMNT-Paraguay match.
Telemundo’s preliminary numbers revealed an average audience of 5.9 million viewers for the USMNT-Australia match on the Spanish-language broadcast. The USMNT-Paraguay match had a preliminary number of 8.9 million viewers.
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Interestingly, the Brazil-Haiti match actually had a higher preliminary audience, averaging 6.3 million viewers.
In total, the Fox and Telemundo telecasts combined to average roughly 20.7 million viewers per the preliminary numbers. And as was the case with the USMNT-Paraguay data, the viewership total should rise once the final numbers are released.
The viewership numbers declined from the USMNT-Paraguay match, but that’s no surprise due to the time slot, even on a national holiday with Juneteenth. A Friday afternoon is not going to lead to better viewership numbers than a primetime audience would (USMNT-Paraguay began at 9 p.m. ET on the previous Friday, for example). As Awful Announcing’s Matt Yoder wrote, the USMNT’s schedule in this World Cup could’ve been more optimized for an American viewing audience.
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It’s also important to note that this is the first World Cup under the Big Data+ methodology, which has generally boosted live viewership of sporting events by roughly 15%.
USMNT’s final match in the group stage will be against Turkey on Thursday, June 25, at 10 p.m. ET. The USMNT has already clinched the top spot in Group D, while Turkey has already been eliminated. So, neither team has anything to play for but pride, and it will be interesting to see if that’s detrimental to the television ratings. And even if that happens, the viewership numbers for the USMNT’s to-be-determined match in the knockout stage on July 1 (8 p.m. ET) should more than make up for it.
The post USMNT-Australia delivers strong viewership across Fox, Telemundo appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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Match 1,000: Japan and Tunisia handed World Cup honour no two nations have ever received before | Football News
Nearly a century after the first World Cup games in Uruguay, Japan and Tunisia add their names to football history in landmark Monterrey clashWhen Japan and Tunisia walk onto the pitch at Monterrey Stadium on June 21, they will contest the 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history, a landmark moment in a tournament that has spanned almost a century.From the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 to Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022, the competition’s first 999 matches have produced some of the most memorable moments in sporting history. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, the theft of the Jules Rimet Trophy before the 1966 tournament, Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt in his final professional match and countless other moments have all contributed to the World Cup’s enduring legacy.Now, Japan and Tunisia have been handed the unique distinction of contesting match number 1,000.The Group F fixture arrives at an important moment in both nations’ campaigns. Japan enter the match after a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in Dallas, while Tunisia are looking to recover from a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in Monterrey. Beyond the points at stake, however, the occasion itself has become one of the defining storylines of the tournament.
A milestone nearly 100 years in the making
The journey to match 1,000 began 96 years ago in Uruguay when the FIFA World Cup opened with two games played simultaneously.One of those contests saw the United States defeat Belgium 3-0, helping launch a tournament that has since grown from a 13-team competition into a global spectacle featuring 48 nations and audiences stretching across every continent.As the tournament expanded, landmark matches became part of its own historical timeline.Match number 200 took place during the 1966 World Cup final, where England secured the only World Cup title in the nation’s history. Match number 900 arrived at the 2018 World Cup final, where France defeated Croatia to claim their second world championship.Several previous milestones have shared the spotlight with another fixture. The first World Cup match, as well as matches numbered 300 and 500, occurred simultaneously with another game taking place at the same time.Match 1,000 stands apart from those occasions.Japan and Tunisia will occupy the stage alone in Monterrey, ensuring the milestone belongs exclusively to one fixture and one occasion.
FIFA creates special celebration for historic occasion
FIFA has chosen to mark the landmark event with a series of special tributes, most notably through the match officials selected to oversee the contest.Romanian referee István Kovács has been appointed to take charge of the match, assisted by compatriots Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica. Costa Rican officials Juan Calderón and Juan Carlos Mora will serve as fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively.All four on-field officials will wear commemorative patches displaying the words “Match 1000”, while FIFA has also commissioned a unique adidas referee kit specifically for the occasion.The shirt features gold detailing, gold sleeve stripes and a special patch incorporating both the FIFA World Cup trophy and the number 1,000. The commemorative shirt was formally presented to Kovács in front of his fellow officials before the match and will also be worn by assistant referees Tunyogi and Marica at Monterrey Stadium.
Romanian referee István Kovács poses alongside assistant referees Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica, and fourth official Juan Calderón, with the special Match 1000 shirt/ FIFA
FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, explained the thinking behind the initiative.“We decided to create a special match kit to celebrate this match,” Collina said. “It’s a nice one with some golden details, stripes and a patch with the trophy and the number 1,000 on it.”Collina also addressed Kovács’ appointment to the landmark fixture, stressing that the selection was based on the same criteria used for every World Cup match.“We selected the referee that we think is the best referee for this match. And of course, by coincidence, he is also appointed for the 1,000th match. So, for him, it is something extra – something special on top. Refereeing a FIFA World Cup match is always a huge privilege, it’s a great honour,” said the Italian, who officiated the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany during an illustrious refereeing career.“Certainly, becoming part of the history of football – part of the history of the FIFA World Cup, being appointed to and being on the field of play to officiate the match number 1,000 is definitely something extra.”
Kovács takes centre stage on a historic night
For Kovács, the appointment represents another major milestone in a career that has established him among Europe’s most respected referees.The 41-year-old Romanian was part of the officiating team at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, serving as fourth official across eight matches. Although he gained significant World Cup experience during that tournament, the Japan-Tunisia clash will be his first assignment as the main referee at a FIFA World Cup.His selection for such a significant occasion reflects the trust FIFA has placed in him after years of officiating at the highest levels of European football.Collina stressed that the appointment was based on merit rather than symbolism, but acknowledged the additional historical significance attached to the fixture.For Kovács, becoming the referee of match number 1,000 ensures his name will permanently occupy a place within World Cup history.
Players and dignitaries embrace the occasion
The significance of the milestone has not been lost on those directly involved, Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri reflected on the historical weight carried by the fixture and the generations of players who have contributed to the tournament’s story.“Being able to take part in the 1,000th (FIFA) World Cup match is truly symbolic,” Skhiri said. “It makes you appreciate all the history of this competition – the greatest matches, the greatest players who wrote the most incredible chapters in (FIFA) World Cup history.”Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu also spoke about the honour of participating in such a landmark occasion.“It is such an honor to be able to play the 1000th game in World Cup history,” Moriyasu said. “We want to make sure that it is going to be a brilliant game which is going to be worthy of the 1000th game.”The occasion has also attracted several high-profile guests.Japanese Princess Takamado is scheduled to attend the match, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to be present in Monterrey as the World Cup reaches one of its most significant numerical milestones.As Japan and Tunisia prepare to add their own chapter to the tournament’s story, they will do so with the knowledge that their match sits alongside some of the most famous moments the sport has ever produced. Nearly a century after the first World Cup kicked off in Uruguay, the competition’s 1,000th match offers another reminder of how far football’s greatest tournament has travelled and how much history continues to be written every four years.
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Gear change to better suit Nitro in 2026
The notion that one should approach information with a degree of skepticism is often valid, and this applies to the recent stewards’ report regarding Nitro.
While the report suggested that the colt’s ‘manners’ were the reason for his last-start defeat as favourite, trainer Peter Snowden has provided a different explanation for his fourth placing at Randwick over 1400m on June 6.
“There is nothing wrong with his manners, he’s a perfect gentleman,” Snowden confirmed.
“He had head gear and he pulled. All the talk was that we had him up close, we tried that and all he did was pull the whole way. That is not like him and there was a lot of merit in the run.”
The promising three-year-old is set to race in the Schweppes Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, where he is the $3 favourite with bookmakers. Tommy Berry will be riding the son of Deep Field for the first time on race day, having partnered him in two barrier trials leading up to his winning debut.
“The visors have come off him and we’ve put the winkers on just to make him focus,” Snowden explained.
“He’s a lazy horse at home so just so he doesn’t switch off too much but certainly not to be pulling like last time. On the day he just pulled a bit, that’s all.”
Snowden also has Xidaki, a five-year-old gelding, returning from a lengthy spell for the Cactus Imaging Handicap (1200m). The horse is being considered for the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Sunshine Coast on July 4.
The blinkers are being removed from the five-year-old gelding, who is racing for the first time since January 10.
“He’s a very consistent horse but just last few preps have been just below that he normally does,” Snowden stated.
“So, I thought a good long spell might just bring back to his straps. I’ve been happy with his two trials but it does take a while to get them up to peak fitness after a long break. Unfortunately he has drawn a really bad gate (15) but I just want him to show us that eagerness and keenness that he had.”
Those interested in betting on Nitro’s upcoming race can check the latest racing odds at betting sites.
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