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Norway relish underdog role in quarterfinal match vs. England

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Norway forward Erling Haaland (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of the game during FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 match between Norway and Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ.Norway forward Erling Haaland (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of the game during FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 match between Norway and Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ.

Erling Haaland and the Norway national team are not ones to beat around the bush.

They’ve captured Americans’ attention with their blunt honesty at times during this World Cup, starting when Haaland said France will “probably beat us” ahead of their group-stage finale.

Perhaps Haaland knew at the time that, with a knockout berth sewn up, Norway would rest their starters and heavily rotate their squad against France. But after a stunning win against Brazil propelled Norway to their first-ever quarterfinals — Saturday against England in Miami Gardens, Fla. — they’re at it again.

The Vikings’ title chances are “really low, still,” Haaland said at a recent training. “I think there’s some clear favorites out there. England’s one of them. I think all of you (reporters) should put every single pressure on the English lads.”

And at his pre-match press conference Friday, coach Stale Solbakken was straight to the point: “If we are not at our very, very best, England will go through.”

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Whether humility, a bit of reverse psychology or a tactic to deflect attention to England, Norway are emphatic about their position as the underdogs.

England, though, carry the burden of a people who live and die by their football. The Three Lions have not placed better than fourth since winning their only World Cup title 60 years ago.

“We have a lot of players who have been in situations like these, in quarterfinals before,” 21-year-old defender/midfielder Nico O’Reilly told reporters on Friday. “A lot of experienced and older players. Of course, they help us out. They give us advice, tell us to stay calm and just help us wherever they can.”

As a member of Manchester City, O’Reilly is plenty familiar with his club teammate, Haaland.

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“Yeah, mind games,” O’Reilly said of Haaland’s claims.

“Erling’s Erling. We all know what he’s like. He can score goals. He’s dangerous in the box, and he’s a real threat. But they need to get him the ball in first. A lot goes into it. I think keeping Erling quiet gives us a real chance to win the game.”

Haaland has collected seven goals in the four matches he’s played this tournament, putting him one behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race. He played the hero by scoring both goals in Norway’s 2-1 stunner over Brazil.

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Sitting fourth with six goals is Harry Kane. The English captain converted the eventual game-winning penalty kick after assisting one of Jude Bellingham’s two goals in a 3-2 takedown of Mexico on Sunday in Mexico City.

“It’s Norway vs. England. But it’s not a secret that Harry Kane is the No. 1 matchwinner for England and Erling is the No. 1 matchwinner for us,” Solbakken said.

England won’t have defender Jarell Quansah for the quarterfinals or a potential semifinal after he was shown a red card for a studs-up sliding tackle against Mexico and received a two-match ban from FIFA afterward.

When coach Thomas Tuchel lost Quansah, he subbed Bukayo Saka out in favor of John Stones to get back to a four-man back line. Reece James and Djed Spence are the leading candidates to start at right back.

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Bellingham has four goals this tournament, while Saka paces England with three assists. Martin Odegaard and Andreas Schjelderup each have assisted three of Norway’s goals.

The winner will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semis Wednesday in Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

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Pochettino agrees new USA deal until 2030

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Mauricio Pochettino has agreed a new deal to remain as manager of the United States men’s national team until 2030.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss has been in charge since September 2024 and led the USA to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

The co-hosts topped their group after wins over Paraguay and Australia before beating Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the last 32.

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Their World Cup run ended with a heavy 4-1 defeat by Belgium.

Under the new agreement, Pochettino and his coaching staff will have a bigger role within US Soccer. They will also advise and support the organisation on areas including youth development, coaching education, professional league partnerships and the wider national team pathway.

“Working together with US Soccer over the past two years, it has become clear to us that there is tremendous potential to make the men’s national team programme even stronger,” Pochettino said.

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“We are excited by the opportunity to bring all our experience and knowledge to even more areas of US Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the federation.

“We want to try to have a lasting impact on the sport in the country that has welcomed us so warmly and for that impact to extend beyond results on the field.”

US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone praised the work done by Pochettino and his staff.

“Mauricio has built a culture where players trust the group, trust the process and trust each other,” she said.

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“We saw the impact of that belief in the way the team grew, competed and performed on the world’s biggest stage.

“That culture, and the staff who helped build it, are exactly what we want to continue investing in for the men’s national team now and for the future.”

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5 players who are switching states ahead of India’s 2026-27 domestic season ft. Shashank Singh

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The annual pre-season transfer window in Indian domestic cricket allows players to switch state associations as outstation or guest recruits under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations.

State teams are permitted up to three guest players to strengthen their squads ahead of the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns. These transfers are driven by players seeking more game time, specialized roles, or leadership opportunities, while developing state teams aim to recruit veteran talents to bolster their squad depth.

The upcoming 2026-27 season features several notable moves, with prominent domestic regulars and IPL players shifting allegiances. Let’s take a look at five such moves.

#1 Shashank Singh

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Shashank Singh will turn up for Puducherry in the 2026-27 season after shifting base from Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) has already issued an NOC to the player.

Singh alleged that the state association didn’t support him while he was recovering from an injury that he suffered last season. He further claimed that the association questioned his commitment, saying that the batter only wanted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 27-year-old added that CSCS officials didn’t give him any clarity over why he was left out of the Chhattisgarh Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp.

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Singh has played 21 first-class games for Chhattisgarh over the last seven years. He has also represented the state in 31 List A and 42 T20s.


#2 Yash Dayal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Yash Dayal will represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season. He has already joined the team’s pre-season camp in Alur.

Dayal has not played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, after which he faced charges relating to sexual assault. The left-arm pacer was retained by Gorakhpur Lions for the upcoming UP T20 League. However, he didn’t feature in the 18-member squad the franchise announced following the auction.

The 28-year-old has represented Uttar Pradesh in 27 first-class, 23 List A, and 71 T20s, picking up 186 wickets across formats, including two five-wicket hauls.

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Dayal will look to start fresh for Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season and make his way back to the scheme of things.


#3 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Chhattisgarh is looking to build a strong squad for the upcoming domestic season. As a result, they have roped in Saurashtra‘s veteran left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

The 35-year-old spinner has been a stalwart in the domestic circuit, picking up 423 wickets in 100 first-class matches, including seven 10-wicket hauls and 26 five-fors. Jadeja also has 121 List A and 65 T20 wickets under his belt.

Jadeja is also a very handy batter in the lower order, accumulating almost 2900 runs across formats. He also has 10 fifties under his belt.

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Jadeja’s addition will certainly boost Chhattisgarh’s squad depth as they look to put in a spirited performance next season.


#4 Prasad Pawar

Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar has signed with Puducherry to play alongside Shashank Singh as a guest player in the upcoming domestic season.

Prasad has struggled for game time in the Mumbai squad, with Hardik Tamore playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. As a result, Prasad has decided to shift base to Puducherry in search of more playing time.

Prasad made his List A debut in 2021, while his first-class and T20 debuts came in 2023. Overall, he has represented Mumbai in 27 matches, scoring 591 runs, including one hundred and fifty each.

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#5 Jayant Yadav

An offspinner from Haryana, Jayant Yadav, has decided to join Chhattisgarh for the 2026-27 domestic season. He brings truckloads of experience along with him, having represented India in six Tests and two ODIs while picking up 17 wickets in total.

Yadav has 96 first-class, 74 List A, and 95 T20s under his belt, picking up 272, 68, and 61 wickets, respectively, including two 10-wicket hauls and 15 five-fors. He is also very handy with the bat in the lower order, scoring 4781 runs, including three hundreds and 22 fifties. The 36-year-old cricketer also has one Test hundred and fifty each to his name.

Chhattisgarh will rely heavily on the spin duo of Yadav and Jadeja to bring laurels for the team in the upcoming season.