England suffered a World Cup setback on Tuesday as Thomas Tuchel’s side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana, leaving them with work still to do as they bid to progress to the knockout stage as Group L winners.

Nico O’Reilly came closest to scoring with a late header that hit the bar, but after the promise of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, this was a performance that will raise doubts about their chances of going all the way and winning the tournament.

They dominated possession and had 19 shots to their opponents’ two, yet rarely looked like scoring past Ghana‘s stand-in goalkeeper Benjamin Asare in a match watched by 63,983 fans at Gillette Stadium near Boston.

Both teams have four points with one game still to play in Group L, with progression to the next round all but assured but their final positions still in the balance.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Kane, Bellingham and Rashford fire England past Croatia

In damp, cool conditions, England delivered a stodgy performance that echoed some of their faltering displays during Euro 2024.

However, there are no dramatic consequences, as England take a step closer to the last 32. All they need to do now is safely negotiate their final group fixture against Panama at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, and they will be able to turn their attention to the knockout rounds.

England have still never lost to African opposition at the World Cup, and that record was rarely at risk of ending here.

Ghana nevertheless battled brilliantly, as the nation ranked 73rd in the world – 69 places behind England – put up a determined defensive display.

Partey plays, Kane quiet

The late decision by the Black Stars to appoint Carlos Queiroz as coach is looking increasingly justified, with this result following their opening 1-0 win over Panama. The 2010 quarter-finalists face Croatia next in Philadelphia.

Thomas Partey returned for Ghana after missing the Panama match in Toronto because Canadian authorities denied him a visa – the former Arsenal midfielder is facing trial on rape charges in the UK.

Asare of local side Hearts of Oak started in goal for the Ghanaians after coming on for the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi against Panama.

England’s inability to regularly test him will be a source of concern, as Harry Kane was kept quiet and failed to add to his 10 World Cup goals – he remains level with Gary Lineker as England’s all-time top scorer at the tournament.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Ghana’s Partey loses bid to overturn Canadian visa refusal over rape charges

Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon were unable to make the difference on the wings and their substitutes could not, this time, have a decisive impact.

Jude Bellingham won his 50th cap as Marc Guehi and Djed Spence replaced John Stones and O’Reilly in defence.

A Declan Rice free-kick that sailed just over was about as close as England came in the opening half. In fact, it took almost an hour for Asare to make a notable save, but it was a comfortable one to deny Gordon.

Ghana may feel Jordan Pickford should have been punished for charging out of his box and crashing into Prince Adu without touching the ball – but instead the goalkeeper was awarded a free-kick.

There was also panic for England when substitute Adu ran through into the area but could not get a shot away.

Then the pressure was turned up a notch in the closing minutes, as Asare denied Bukayo Saka with a good stop low to his left before O’Reilly headed against the woodwork from close range and Kane blazed over.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Good afternoon and welcome to the Manchester Evening News’ live blog coverage of the Carabao Cup first round draw.

Manchester City won’t start their defence of the competition until later this year, with Manchester United also not involved in this afternoon’s draw.

However, there’s plenty of interest from EFL clubs. Newly promoted Rochdale and York City will have to contest a preliminary round against Tranmere Rovers and Crawley Town respectively.

Stay with us throughout the afternoon for all the key information from the draw.

Wales manager Craig Bellamy’s proposed move to take charge at Championship side Burnley has fallen through.

The Clarets approached the Football Association of Wales with a view to appointing Bellamy as Scott Parker’s successor.

The 46-year-old had talks with the Lancashire club but the move now looks to have collapsed.

The breakdown is understood to not be related to compensation for the FAW, while negotiations for Bellamy’s backroom staff to join him at Turf Moor were thought to be a point of contention.

Former Wolves head coach Rob Edwards – who was a contender to replace Bellamy with Wales – is in contention for the job at Turf Moor.

He had been in the frame after leaving Molineux earlier this month and remains an option for the Clarets.

Bellamy was a coach under Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor between 2022 and 2024 and had a brief spell in caretaker charge.

BBC Sport revealed on 30 April that Bellamy was a leading contender to replace Parker after his sacking.

The former Manchester City, Liverpool and West Ham forward was appointed Wales boss in 2024.

Wales failed to reach the 2026 World Cup, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina during a penalty shoot-out defeat in Cardiff.

Bellamy’s contract sees him through until 2028, including the European Championships being held across England, Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland.

Daniel Munoz fired ⁠Colombia into the ​World Cup Round of 32 on Tuesday, sealing a 1-0 win over DR Congo in Group ​K after goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had threatened to turn the match into a night of frustration.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Group standings

Munoz struck the winner from the right side of the penalty area in the 76th minute, finally ​beating Mpasi ‌who had repeatedly denied Colombia with an inspired performance.

Colombia, who opened ⁠their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, commanded possession and created numerous chances.

James Rodriguez, making his 10th World Cup ‌appearance to equal the Colombian record jointly held by Freddy Rincon and ⁠Carlos Valderrama, forced Mpasi into action with a powerful strike in the 11th minute.

The goalkeeper stood firm, repelling efforts from Jhon Arias and winger Luis Diaz, who ​came close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, controlling a ‌chipped pass inside the penalty area, turning smartly, and firing a shot goalwards, only for Mpasi to save with his foot.

The African side, buoyed by their opening 1-1 draw with Portugal, threatened sporadically ‌through Edo Kayembe, Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa but lacked a clinical finish.

By halftime, Colombia had registered 15 shots, including six ​on target, with nine of their 10 outfield players attempting efforts.

In the stands, DR Congo had support from Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the team’s famous “living statue” fan, who made his World ​Cup debut after missing the opener against Portugal because of Ebola quarantine requirements.

Colombia resumed on ​the front foot after the break, Diaz forcing another fine ​save from Mpasi in the 51st minute before Arias dragged the rebound wide.

Wissa almost snatched the lead for DR Congo in the ​73rd minute when his shot from Simon Banza’s assist was blocked, but Colombia struck shortly after through Munoz.

Diaz later thought he had doubled the advantage with a finish into the top corner, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Portugal and record-breaking Ronaldo outshine Uzbekistan

Colombia moved to six points from two ⁠matches and guaranteed their progress to the knockout stage ahead of their final group game against Portugal, who beat ⁠Uzbekistan 5-0 earlier ​on Tuesday.

DR Congo remained on one point and will need a result against Uzbekistan to keep their qualification hopes alive. 

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

McDonald Jones Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 17 NRL game between Newcastle Knights and
Wests Tigers. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with Newcastle Knights heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Newcastle Knights vs.
Wests Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday June 28, 2026 at 4:05 pm

Where: McDonald Jones Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Newcastle Knights vs Wests Tigers Odds

Newcastle Knights vs Wests Tigers Preview

Newcastle will aim to continue its push towards the finals when it hosts the Wests Tigers on Sunday evening.

The Tigers receive a timely boost with Adam Doueihi returning to the side after injury. His experience and versatility have been sorely missed, particularly with injuries disrupting both edges of the defensive line in recent weeks.

Newcastle enters the match in encouraging form, built on a simple but effective formula. The Knights have defended strongly, managed games well and found consistency that was lacking earlier in the season.

Bradman Best and Fletcher Sharpe continue to provide strike power for the home side, while the Tigers will hope Doueihi can help unlock an attack that has struggled for points.

The Knights have won six of their past seven meetings with Wests and will be confident of extending that record at home.

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has fired back at his critics after Bafana Bafana secured a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history.

South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to finish second in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico, who won all three of their matches.

The African side, appearing at the World Cup for the fourth time, had been heavily criticised after losing 2-0 to Mexico in their opening game. However, they bounced back with a draw against the Czech Republic before sealing qualification with a vital win over South Korea in Monterrey.

Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal of the match in the second half to send South Africa through.

Speaking after the game, Broos said the victory was the perfect response to those who doubted his team.

“I’m very proud of the performance of my team and I think we gave an answer to all those big mouths of the last weeks that thought that we had to change something,” Broos said.

“We just did what we did. We just did what I wanted to do and this is the result.”

The 74-year-old Belgian, who has been in charge of South Africa since 2021, described the achievement as one of the most emotional moments of his coaching career.

“I said it already in the past that probably it will be one of the last games of my career and when you can end a career like I had in this way, I think every coach dreams of it,” he said.

Broos also praised the strong bond he shares with his players and revealed that he never lost faith in them despite the criticism.

“Between me as a coach and them as players is maybe something unique. I’m the coach, but I’m not only a coach,” he said.

“I think I’m a friend of theirs. So the relationship between the players and me is very good.”

South Africa will now face Canada in Los Angeles on Sunday, with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals at stake.

Broos is confident his players will be ready for the challenge.

“I just know that the players will be ready again and try to achieve the third round,” he said.

“It should be even more historic. Those players want to prove to everyone and show that they are a good team. We will see on Sunday if we can go further.”

Switzerland prevailed 2-1 over Canada on Wednesday in Vancouver to claim top spot in Group B and secure their knockout progression in this World Cup 2026. Nati made a dominant start to the second half, with Vargas striking with a low drive that bounced off the left post.

With the top two teams in the pool meeting in Vancouver, both knew that a victory would ensure first place in the group and, in theory, a kinder draw in the knockout stages.

Vargas and Manzambi’s second-half strikes were enough to ensure the Swiss finished on seven points, while Promise David pulled a goal back in the final 15 minutes for Canada but they finished up three points behind their opponent but reach the last 32 for the first time in their history.

“I know our team has heart. We have a group that will give everything at every moment,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said.

Prior to the 2026 edition, the North Americans had never won a match at a finals but with their second-placed finish in the pool they will play the runner-up from Group A on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Colombia battle past DR Congo to reach round of 32

Switzerland will return to Vancouver to meet one of the best third-placed sides next week.

“We just wanted to continue the energy that’s taken place here in Canada. That’s the disappointment: building on one big win is so important,” Marsch added.

“I’m so thankful for the energy and the country. But we’re going to go to LA and we still want to electrify our country. We’re exactly where we wanted to be — in the knockout phase.”

Bosnia-Herzegovina wrapped up third in Group B thanks to a 3-1 win over Qatar and will face an anxious wait to see if their four points are enough to extend their stay at the World Cup.

Prior to kick-off, Canada midfielder Ismael Kone entered the pitch in a wheelchair after suffering a leg break in Canada’s 6-0 demolition of Qatar last week and was treated to a standing ovation by the spectators at BC Place Vancouver.

Manzambi’s revelation

Breel Embolo was presented with a golden chance to open the scoring for the Swiss after 10 minutes but could only fire straight at the goalkeeper before Manzambi struck the rebound into the chest of a defender.

Canada had two chances going into half-time but Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel repelled them on both occasions.

After an entertaining first half, the match sparked into life seconds after the interval as Vargas gave Switzerland lift-off.

A simple ball down the line released Manzambi, whose cross from the right evaded everyone until the 27-year-old popped up in acres of space at the back post and took an excellent first touch before rifling past Maxime Crepeau.

Read moreAll guns blazing as Messi, Mbappé and Haaland lead World Cup Golden Boot race

Manzambi then put the cherry on a fine performance as the 20-year-old netted his third of the tournament on 57 minutes, profiting from some poor goalkeeping to squeeze in a right-footed shot after decent hold-up play on the edge of the box by Embolo.

Jonathan David, who scored a hat-trick in Canada’s last outing, turned sharply in the Swiss box and fired an effort at goal as the co-hosts tried to get a foot back in the match before the second hydration break, but Nico Elvedi flung himself in the ball’s path.

But moments after the three-minute break, Promise David, who had just entered the field, gave Canada hope as he stretched to turn in a sublime ball from Nathan Saliba.

The goal set up a grandstand finish with a leveller for Canada certain to send them through as group winners.

The Canadians came close from a couple of set-pieces at the match’s climax but Switzerland held on to claim top spot.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Devdutt Padikkal enjoyed a stellar IPL 2026 season as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted a second successive title. Batting at No. 3, Padikkal smashed 464 runs in 15 innings at a strike-rate of 168.72, powering RCB in the powerplay and middle overs. After a few difficult seasons, Padikkal has been at home again in Bengaluru, the city in which he has played most of his cricket. Reflecting on his campaign, RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat heaped praise on Padikkal, even touting him as a potential future captain.

Mo Bobat praised Padikkal for continuing the intent at the top of the order, following on from the momentum set by openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli.

“We wanted him to really push the boundaries of his intent, and to really deliver an impact. We had Salty (Salt) and Virat going pretty hard at the top, and we wanted Dev (Padikkal) to continue that momentum when he came to the crease. And to his credit, he’s totally bought into that and embraced that. And he’s batted very selflessly, and I think that’s huge credit to Dev,” Bobat said, speaking on the ‘RCB’s Trophy Quest’ documentary on the team’s official YouTube channel.

Bobat then went on to explain why Padikkal could be a leadership option in the future for the franchise.

“I’ve also been really impressed with him as a character. I think he’s very leaderful, actually. I think he’s a potential captain of the future,” Bobat further added.

While Rajat Patidar has led RCB admirable to its first two IPL titles in history, he is eight years older to Padikkal.

Still only 25, Padikkal is yet to hit the peak of his cricket career. Having already spent five IPL seasons with RCB, he could be a natural fit for captaincy in the years to come.

“He’s been an extraordinary performer. First, he’s the only one in this team having the pleasure of being a local. He represents Bengaluru. And he’s a thorough Bengaluru man. He embodies it. He’s able to assess and understand game situations exceedingly well for a man of his age,” said RCB mentor and batting coach Karthik on Padikkal.

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