Tag: Football

Barcelona need extra time to beat third-tier Intercity in Copa del Rey

Former Barcelona junior Oriol Soldevila scored a hat trick against his old club but still ended on the losing side as third tier InterCity took the LaLiga giants to extra time before losing 4-3 in a dramatic Copa del Rey tie on Wednesday.

InterCity, promoted to the third division last season, came from behind three times to force extra time after a 3-3 draw at the end of 90 minutes, but were then knocked out when substitute Ansu Fati netted a 103rd-minute winner in Alicante to put Barca in the round of 16.

Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha were Barcelona’s other scorers while the 21-year-old Soldevila netted his three goals in a 25-minute second-half spell including a dramatic third in the 86th minute to take the tie to extra time.

Soldevila spent two years at the Barcelona academy before moving to England for two seasons at Birmingham City, where he failed to break through into the first team.

“The Copa is like this, we know it, it’s not easy,” Araújo said. “It’s important that we learn from it and correct our mistakes.”

The game was played not long after Spain’s administrative court for sports upheld a three-game suspension for Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski in the Spanish league, taking him out of the league match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday. He had not been in the squad for the Copa match against Intercity.

The suspension had been lifted by a court of disputes after an appeal by Barcelona. The Poland striker had been allowed to play in last weekend’s 1-1 league draw against Espanyol, which later challenged the result of the derby saying it was harmed by the unexpected decision by the Madrid court to temporarily lift the suspension.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia and Real Betis had not played until this round because they are part of the Spanish Super Cup that will begin next week.

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Dani Alves accused of sexual assault in Barcelona

Brazil international Dani Alves was formally accused of sexual assault at a nightclub in Barcelona last week, a Catalan police source confirmed to the news agency EFE.

A spokesman for the local police in Barcelona told ESPN a complaint was filed on Monday relating to an incident at Sutton, a popular night spot in the city, but could not confirm the identities of those implicated.

“The investigation is still ongoing,” the spokesman said.

ESPN has also contacted Alves’ camp for comment.

EFE reported that a woman has filed a police report against Alves, alleging that he touched her inappropriately under her clothes without consent during a night out on Dec. 30.

After the incident, the woman says she told security what had happened and local police were informed and took witness statements.

Alves, 39, was in Barcelona following his participation at the World Cup with Brazil in Qatar. He had spent time in the city training with Barca’s B team in the lead-up to the finals and returned following the Selecao’s elimination..

He is now back in Mexico, where he plays for Pumas UNAM following a 22-year professional career that has seen him play for Bahia, Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo.

(Story from ESPN FC)

GFF President makes donation to Albouystown youths

On January 1st, 2023, President of the Guyana Football Federation, Wayne Forde, visited Albouystown and interacted with a number of budding young footballers. During the visit, Forde handed over a quantity of Balls, Cones and Bibs to Coach Clifford Anthony aka Zebulun who is a senior member of the community and for many years has been volunteering his time as a coach and mentor to young Boys and Girls.

GFF President Wayne Forde hands over the gear to Coach Clifford “Zebulun” Anthony (GFF Photo)

During his interaction President Forde also played in a 5 V 5 Mini competition.
“I know how important football is to all of you and I can see how well you can play because of the many hours you spend in the streets playing. I want ask you a big favor – please also spend some of that time on your school work in the evening. Education is your safest bet to having a better life”.

“I will continue to provide Coach Zebulun with more equipment to do this important work and will be back here to officially launch a inter- street weekend knock out competition for Boy, Girls and adult players as well. It is my intention to visit many more inner city communities and support the work of community Coaches”.


The visit to the community was coordinated by Coach Sampson Gilbert, who is a Coach educator assigned to the GFF.

Borussia Dortmund’s Sebastien Haller back in training after cancer battle

Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller has returned to training after undergoing surgeries and chemotherapy to treat a testicular tumour that was discovered in July.

“Happy New Year to all! And it’s off to a great start for me because it means getting back on the field,” the 28-year-old Ivory Coast international wrote on Twitter, posting images of himself working out at the gym.

“2022 wasn’t the easiest year but it prepared me for all the new challenges that 2023 will bring.”

German side Dortmund signed Haller for an initial fee of €31 million during the close season after the striker scored 34 goals last season for Dutch champions Ajax.

Dortmund said Haller would be “carefully introduced” back into the team.

The club are sixth in the Bundesliga, nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The season resumes later this month, with Dortmund taking on Augsburg on Jan. 22.

(Story from Reuters)

Regions 4 & 3 set up One Guyana President’s Cup Final encounter for Jan 1

A star studded Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) side thrashed Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) 8-1 to set up a date in the One Guyana President’s Cup Final with Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) who came out 5-2 victors over Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

In semi-final one, played at the National Track & Field Center in Leonora, Region 4 bossed the game throughout and the winner was never in doubt. Braces from Nicholas McArthur (17′, 30′) and Omari Glasgow (51′, 55′) along with strikes from Kelsey Benjamin (45′), Daniel Wilson (53′), Samuel Garnett (71′) and Jeremy Garrett (42′) condemned Region 5 to defeat. Abumchi Benjamin was the lone goalscorer for the losers, netting in the 84th minute.

Action in semi-final one between Regions 4 & 5 (One Guyana President’s Cup Photo)

Semi-final two at the same venue, saw Region 7 come up against Region 3, this match provided a more entertaining game but in the end Region 3 would persevere. Momentum swung both ways throughout the game as Region 7 took an early lead thanks to the boot of striker Whitney Welcome after just 3 minutes of play. However Region 3 tied things up in the 24th minute when Delon Lanferman struck, the eventual winners would take the lead seven minutes later through veteran Trayon Bobb. Shortly after the start of the second half, Lanferman extended his side’s lead with his second goal of the night in the 55th minute. Region 7 would then give their fans hopes of a comeback when Andrew Simmons found the back of the net in the 69th minute. However, Region 3’s Jamal Perreira put those hopes to bed when he made it 4-2 just 3 minutes later, Colwyn Adams 80th minute strike for the leaders was the proverbial nail in the coffin for Region 7.

With the semi-final win, Region 3 earned $400,000 to take their total to $1M in the tournament so far.

Region 4 also earned $400,000, putting their prize-tally to $1.2M, having played unbeaten in their four game Group-stage.

The two sides will collide on Sunday, (January 1, 2023) at the National Track & Field Center, Leonora where the winner will pocket $2M while the losers will walk away with $1M. The tournament’s MVP will receive a House Lot, compliments of the Government of Guyana, and highest goal scorer one Honda XR.

GFF & FIFA+ TO BRING LIVE GUYANESE MATCHES TO THE WORLD

Guyana Football Federation and FIFA+, the new one-stop digital destination for football fandom, have teamed up to take Guyana football to the world. As part of its mission to give fans engaging and innovative ways of interacting with the beautiful game, FIFA+ offers free access to live football action from every corner of the globe, which now includes matches from the GFF Pro-League, GFF Women’s League, GFF Men’s Super 16 Cup and the GFF Women’s Super16 Cup.

The platform, which is available on the web, as a mobile app and on select connected devices, and is now accessible in ten languages, represents a ground-breaking approach to showcasing live football from men’s, women’s and youth leagues and cups to a global audience.

“This is a monumental forward leap for the development of Guyana’s Football. More importantly however, is the level of exposure our players will enjoy throughout the football season. Displaying our football pedigree before a global audience will vastly increase the chances of our players, both males and females securing international scholarships and professional contractual opportunities. This level of exposure will also drive the GFF to lift the standards of our football infrastructure, facilities and game management protocols, so that the viewing experience would be the best we have to offer.” President Wayne Forde.


Charlotte Burr, Director of Strategy, Corporate Development and Digital FIFA, said: “For the first time ever, our MAs can seamlessly tap into a truly global football fan base and grow a direct relationship with it on a daily basis. We are proud to work side by side with the Guyana Football Federation and are excited about helping to really grow the game across Guyana, the Caribbean and beyond.”
Since its launch, FIFA+ has steadily expanded its reach and added exciting new content streams in order to deliver a truly multifaceted digital experience.
Completely free, the platform offers an extensive archive (including all men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup™ matches), thousands of live fixtures every year, interactive games and predictors, and a slate of original documentaries, docuseries, talk shows and shorts.

By the end of 2022, FIFA+ will be streaming the equivalent of 40,000 live games per year from 100 MAs across all six confederations, including 11,000 women’s matches. FIFA+ provides live coverage ranging from Europe’s top-flight leagues to previously unserved competitions from around the world in men’s, women’s and youth football. FIFA+ can be accessed worldwide at fifaplus.com and on major app stores.

Messi magic sends Argentina to World Cup final

Lionel Messi put on a sensational display as he helped Argentina secure a spot in the World Cup final with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday.

Messi opened the scoring with a powerfully hit penalty on 34 minutes — becoming Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer at World Cup finals — and shortly after Alvarez completed a direct solo run through the heart of the Croatia defence before tapping home to double Argentina’s lead before half-time.

Alvarez added the side’s third, thanks in part to a signature run from Messi who used his change of speed to guide past Josko Gvardiol before sliding the ball back to Alvarez for an easy finish.

Argentina, who have twice won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, advance to Sunday’s final where they will face either France or Morocco, who play on Wednesday.

Croatia, who finished runners up in Russia four years ago, exit the competition after putting together another shock run to the semifinals.

“Throughout the World Cup it has been incredible what we have experienced. We are going to play the final which is what we wanted,” Messi said.

“I don’t know if it’s my best World Cup, it’s been a long time I’ve been enjoying. This team is crazy. We are going to play one more final, we are going to enjoy all of this.”

Messi’s inclusion in the starting lineup meant he drew level with Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus as joint record holder for most World Cup appearances with his 25th game.

Croatia wanted possession at the start, as they had done against Brazil in their quarterfinal, and circulated the ball well but struggled to find a way into the Argentina box.

Argentina enjoyed a prime chance to take the lead when Alvarez was brought down by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic in the box for a penalty, with Messi on hand to convert.

But the best was yet to come and it was Alvarez again involved as he picked up a Messi pass in his own half, sprinted 50 metres and weaved his way into the Croatia box, thanks to two lucky bounces and some sloppy defending, before tucking in the second goal.

Livakovic, who had carried Croatia into the semifinals with saves in their penalty shootout wins against Japan and Brazil, did well to stop an Alexis Mac Allister header on the stroke of half-time that could have killed off the game after 45 minutes.

However, unlike their extra-time comeback heroics against tournament favourites Brazil, there was no way back this time for Croatia.

Argentina were in no mood to squander their two-goal advantage as they had done against the Netherlands in the last eight, and they conceded no space.

Alvarez dashed any lingering Croatia hopes in the 69th, tapping in a cutback after Messi tricked his way past defender Gvardiol on the right to pick out his teammate in the box who sealed Croatia’s tournament exit.

“We have gone through some tough situations, some very good ones,” Messi added. “Today we are experiencing something spectacular.

“I’m enjoying it with all these people and with all the Argentinians who are in our country. I imagine it must be crazy.”

(Story from ESPN FC/Photos: FIFA)

ONE GUYANA PRESIDENT’S CUP GROUP STAGE MATCH-UP ANNOUNCED

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Tuesday announced the draw for the championship round of the prestigious One Guyana President’s Cup during a live press conference at the National Cultural Centre, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
The 10 regional teams now know who they will face in the round-robin group stage, before advancing to the knockout phase of the tournament, to have a chance to become the first One Guyana President’s Cup champions on January 1, 2023.
The teams were first seeded and then placed into two groups of five at the end of the draw conducted by the GFF.


The tournament focuses on expanding the reach of football across Guyana and increasing the player’s population, while at the same time creating opportunities to scout new talent within communities that were traditionally off the formal football grid.


“To have so many young talents take centre stage during the prestigious FIFA 2022 World Cup Season is without a doubt a great source of pride for my administration. Therefore, on behalf of the entire football fraternity of Guyana, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Ali and his Government for their investment in the development of football,” shared GFF President Wayne Forde.

The first leg of the tournament kicked off on November 13 and only the top clubs advanced to the December championship round.
“We are happy to see that the players and coaches have committed themselves to this tournament. We are taking notice of the emerging talent on display and our national team players pool will be extremely competitive and full of talent. We now await the decisions of the individual regional scouting teams and look forward to how they manage the selection process inclusive of the minimum requirements of six U20 players. There is now a real pathway into the SMNT and we are excited. Over 3,000 players have auditioned thus
far and now we are full of anticipation of what the Regional Playoffs will reveal,” explained GFF Technical Director Acting Bryan Joseph.
The ten qualified teams will battle in front of crowds at grounds across Guyana, including Leonora National Stadium, West Demerara & GFC.


“The K&S organisation is pleased to collaborate once again with the GFF in staging this prestigious tournament. We believe that our extensive event management expertise compliments very well the disciplined, professional and structured approach President Forde has instituted in the management of football from the inception of his tenure,” K&S Co-Founder Kashif Muhammad stated, adding:
“We are here to play our role in ensuring the success of the inaugural One Guyana President’s Cup.”

Fixtures for the One Guyana President’s Cup

Neymar returns as Brazil cruise past South Korea into World Cup quarterfinals

Brazil turned on the style, dancing their way to a one-sided 4-1 win over South Korea in their World Cup round-of-16 match at Qatar’s Stadium 974 on Monday.

Vinicius Junior, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta were all on the scoresheet in a dominant first half as Brazil cruised into a quarterfinal matchup against 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia on Dec. 9.

Neymar, who had missed Brazil’s final two group games after picking up an ankle injury against Cameroon, and Danilo returned to the starting XI for Tite with the Selecao continuing their quest for a sixth World Cup title.

With 82-year-old Brazil legend Pele cheering the team from hospital while recovering from a respiratory illness, Vinicius wasted no time putting his side ahead, settling a cross from Raphinha that found him unmarked at the back post and calmly curling a shot into the side netting.

South Korea’s Jung Woo-Young fouled Richarlison in the area minutes after the opener to give Neymar a chance to double the lead. The Paris Saint-Germain star made no mistake from the spot, sending goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu the wrong way to make it 2-0 inside of 15 minutes.

Richarlison made it 3-0 before the half-hour mark, sliding the easiest of finishes into the South Korean goal following some brilliant individual skill and clever interplay with Thiago Silva at the top of the penalty area.

For their fourth goal of the first half, Brazil hit a helpless South Korea with a counter-attack that saw Neymar feed Vinicius, who in turned scooped a cross for the onrushing Paqueta to sidefoot home with his first touch.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-Min forced a great save from Alisson just after the restart and Raphinha was twice denied at the other end as he looked to add to Brazil’s tally.

Despite holding Brazil goalless in the second half and scoring a stunning late consolation goal through Paik Seung-Ho, the damage was already done as South Korea’s World Cup came to an end against the high-flying tournament favourites.

(Story from ESPN FC, Photos from FIFA)

GFF’s Forde promises Waramadong an Academy Training Centre

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has pledged to establish an Academy Training Centre (ATC) in Waramadong to boost hinterland football development, during a visit to the Region 7 community this week.
The President also donated football equipment to the village sports council and offered to organise GFF training for coaches, referees and club administrators for the Region where, because of its difficult terrain and logistical challenges, some areas are not adequately served.


The Federation regularly undertakes outreach, equipment donations, and capacity building activities in hinterland communities that are not covered within the boundaries of the GFF’s nine Regional Associations, and Forde underscored the reason for this, “It is vital for the GFF – and for me, personally – to ensure that all corners of Guyana have access to football development resources and support, as our nine Regional Associations do not cover the entire geography of the country,” Forde said.

“My meetings this week with Waramadong village leaders and the sports council were extremely positive, and we look forward to working together to develop football and to give young people in the community the opportunities they deserve to reach their full potential,” he said.

Forde said the GFF Technical Department will begin work immediately on planning for the creation of a special Academy Training Centre in the village, which boasts one of the most successful school football teams in Guyana.

The GFF’s ATC programme is an elite youth development initiative for boys and girls, which provides professional-standard sessions delivered by trained GFF-affiliated coaches. The programme, which currently only covers the GFF’s Regional Associations, has been hailed by FIFA and Concacaf as a pioneering template for football development in the Caribbean region.

“We are determined to give all talent in Guyana a chance to reach our national teams, no matter where it is based,” said Forde, who also undertook an outreach to Mabaruma in Region 1 earlier this year. “We want to reward proactive and committed football communities. No Guyanese should have to miss out on the GFF’s national football pathway just because of the limitations of the regional association structure we inherited.”

“We know the past year has been challenging for all footballers across Guyana,” he said, “but, thanks to the national vaccination programme, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. We continue to urge the football community to fully support the vaccination drive, so that we can move out of this pandemic, protect our loved ones, and return to play very soon.”