Qatar brace for Bosnia-Herzegovina test as World Cup survival hangs i…

Doha, Qatar: Qatar have stepped up preparations for their FIFA World Cup Group B clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle tomorrow, with both sides heading into the fixture knowing that the margin for error has effectively disappeared at this stage of the competition.

The match comes after setbacks for both teams in their previous outings.

Qatar were beaten by Canada 0-6 in their last group game, while Bosnia and Herzegovina also went down against Switzerland 1-4. With Canada and Switzerland now in stronger positions in the group, the equation is straightforward for Qatar and Bosnia – anything short of a positive result could bring their campaigns to a halt. sport-ipl.my

Inside the Qatar camp, attention has shifted quickly towards recovery and response.

Head coach Julen Lopetegui has placed emphasis on clearing the mental impact of the previous defeat, insisting that the team cannot afford to carry frustration into the next match.

His messaging has centred on discipline, collective responsibility and approaching the fixture with renewed focus.

Lopetegui has repeatedly reminded his squad that tournament football is defined by reaction as much as performance, and that the response in difficult moments often shapes the bigger picture.

Training sessions ahead of the must-win match have reflected that approach, with increased intensity and a clear focus on organisation, quick decision-making and maintaining compact structure across the pitch.

The squad environment has gradually shifted from disappointment to a more focused determination, with senior players taking the lead in reinforcing belief that the situation is still recoverable.

Defender Pedro Miguel captured that sentiment, saying: “We are disappointed, but no one has given up.”

At the same time, preparations have also taken into account the physical nature of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s approach, with emphasis placed on keeping the ball moving quickly, reducing unnecessary duels, and improving transitions from defence to attack.

The coaching staff have worked on maintaining shape and ensuring the team can cope with sustained pressure phases without losing organisation.

As the build-up continues, the focus remains on execution rather than emotion, with the coaching staff pushing for clarity in roles and consistency in decision-making under pressure.

The defeat to Canada has set the backdrop for Qatar’s final group challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the focus now shifts to a controlled performance and a result that keeps their campaign alive.

DOHA: To book a spot in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, England pulled off something in Miami that no defence had even come close to achieving: nullifying Erling Haaland. In a 2–1 victory after extra time, the hero was Jude Bellingham, who netted both goals to complete the turnaround.

The striker, who had terrorised four straight opponents – bagging seven goals against Iraq, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and Brazil – was kept quiet for the first time in the tournament, and the impact was immediate. That was how Norway’s challenge crumbled.

He departed the fray exhausted before the final whistle, at the end of the first period of extra time. For most elite players, after suffering defeat from a winning position, and elimination in the quarter-finals, the natural instinct might be to retreat into silent reflection. Not Haaland. He grabbed a post-match interview microphone and bade farewell to his first World Cup with a smile.

“These things are surreal; I think this has changed me as a person,” he said. “I think my profile has grown a bit, let’s put it that way, and... It’s hard to even process it all right now when I look back at the games, but it’s incredibly special to be part of an event like this – something I used to watch from the sidelines, and now I’m living it first-hand.

“I feel immense pride, and I’m genuinely moved when I think about how well we performed, the sense of unity back in Norway, and the positivity and joy we’ve felt both there and here.”

Dealing with a striker like Haaland is never (or at least shouldn’t be) a one-man job. It’s not just his physical prowess that makes him so difficult to handle, but his lethal knack for deciding matches while barely touching the ball.

It demands the full attention of the backline. You have to anticipate his movement and seal off the pockets of space where he’s so deadly. And that is exactly what the England side managed to achieve. At the heart of that collective effort, the spotlight falls squarely on Marc Guehi and John Stones. Haaland’s Manchester City teammates turned their familiarity with him into a distinct tactical advantage.

Against England, when subbed off during the interval in extra time, Haaland left the pitch drained with the following numbers: two shots on target, nine attempted passes, with seven completed. He had covered 8.9 kilometres.

Contrast that with his stats from the historic last-16 win over Brazil: four shots, 11 passes (all of them completed), and 10.1 kilometres covered.

They look fairly similar on paper, don’t they? But giving Haaland those extra two chances could well have been the difference that saw Brazil knocked out. In the quarter-final, the Norwegian giant only managed two headers. One was saved by Jordan Pickford, and the other went wide.

In addition, it’s clear he had significantly more freedom of movement across the pitch, even though he played 15 minutes less and despite his team abandoning the counter-attacking style they used for much of the first half in Miami. For Stones and Guehi, then, it was mission accomplished.

Does this mean Haaland will now be backing his two club-mates and England to go all the way? He gave a wry smile, but admitted it’s not that straightforward. “I’ve got my City teammates here, that’s true. I grew up in England, and the first shirt I ever owned was an England one. It’s a special country. But I have teammates from France and Spain too,” he pointed out.

Amidst the pleasantries and optimism, Haaland’s focus shifted to the future. Speaking like a man who has had a taste of World Cup glory and is hungry for more. “This has been my goal for a long time, and I think after this tournament, we’ve put Norway on the map, so to speak. Now it’s about maintaining those standards. I’m incredibly proud,” he affirmed.

“We proved that it’s possible to beat one of the biggest teams in the world, Brazil. We lost to England in the end, but we made them fight for it. Perhaps it could have gone differently. We’ve got more World Cups and Euros ahead of us; I think it’s time for us to really establish ourselves. We’ve got a fantastic generation.”

Abu Dhabi, UAE – July 13, 2026: Team UAE secured an impressive fourth-place finish at the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026, held in the French capital from July 6 to 12. Competing in Group B alongside Brazil, Ecuador and Senegal, the team delivered outstanding performances throughout the tournament, with athletes and Unified partners demonstrating exceptional teamwork, determination and skill. Their … Continue reading Team UAE Concludes Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026 with Strong Fourth-Place Finish →

تُوفي لاعب الوسط الجنوب أفريقي جايدن أدامس الذي مثّل منتخب بلاده في كأس العالم 2026، عن عمر ناهز 25 عاما، بحسب ما أعلن وزير الرياضة في جنوب أفريقيا، غايتون ماكنزي، السبت.

وقال ماكنزي في بيان: “تلقيت بصدمة عميقة وحزن بالغ نبأ وفاة جايدن أدامس”.

ولم يكشف الوزير عن سبب الوفاة، مضيفا: “خسرت كرة القدم الجنوب إفريقية أحد أبرز مواهبها الشابة”.

من جانبه، نعى الاتحاد الإفريقي للعبة (الكاف) اللاعب، وكتب عبر منصة “إكس”: “لقد فقدت كرة القدم أحد أبنائها”.

وقال رئيس الاتحاد الدولي (فيفا)، جاني إنفانتينو، إنه يشعر بـ”حزن عميق” إثر وفاة أدامس، مقدما “أحرّ التعازي والمواساة، باسمي وباسم جميع أفراد الفيفا وأسرة كرة القدم العالمية، إلى عائلته وأصدقائه وزملائه في الفريق”.

وقالت الشرطة إنها فتحت تحقيقا بعد العثور على جثة رجل يبلغ من العمر 25 عاما داخل منزل في حي شوتشيكلوف، الواقع في وسط مدينة كيب تاون، صباح السبت.

وأوضح المتحدث باسم شرطة إقليم الكيب الغربي، إف سي فان فايك، لوكالة فرانس برس، أن “ملابسات هذه الحادثة لا تزال قيد التحقيق”.

وشارك أدامس في جميع مباريات جنوب إفريقيا الثلاث في دور المجموعات من كأس العالم، وأسهم في بلوغ منتخب “بافانا بافانا” دور الـ32 للمرة الأولى في تاريخه، لكنه غاب عن المباراة الأخيرة أمام كندا.

كما كان ضمن تشكيلة منتخب جنوب إفريقيا التي أحرزت المركز الثالث في كأس إفريقيا 2024 التي أقيمت في ساحل العاج.

وُلد أدامس في كيب تاون، وتدرّج في أكاديمية نادي ستيلينبوش، قبل أن يصبح أول لاعب يتخرج من أكاديمية النادي ويوقع عقدا احترافيا في آب/أغسطس 2020.

وخاض 139 مباراة بقميص ستيلينبوش، وأسهم في تتويجه بلقب كأس كارلينغ عام 2023، قبل انتقاله إلى ماميلودي صنداونز في كانون الثاني/يناير 2025.

ومع صنداونز، أضاف إلى سجله لقب الدوري الجنوب Yفريقي، إلى جانب التتويج بدوري أبطال Yفريقيا.

وتأتي وفاته بعد أقل من شهر على رحيل جدته، وذلك عشية مواجهة جنوب أفريقيا أمام تشيكيا ضمن منافسات المجموعة الأولى على ملعب أتلانتا.

وقال الاتحاد الجنوب إفريقي لكرة القدم آنذاك: “شارك جايدن أساسيا في مباراة تشيكيا، وقدم كل ما لديه رغم الألم الذي كان يحمله بعد وفاة جدته”.

The post وفاة لاعب وسط جنوب إفريقيا جايدن أدامس بعد أيام من مشاركته في مونديال 2026 appeared first on كويت نيوز.

Doha, Qatar: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has expressed his profound sorrow and deepest condolences to the Qatar royal family, the Qatar Football Association, and the people of Qatar following the demise of the Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The AFC President paid rich tribute to the monumental legacy of H H the Father Amir, hailing him as a visionary leader and the true architect of modern Qatar, whose immense love for football and sport transformed the sporting landscape of Qatar and Asia.

Shaikh Salman said: “On behalf of the AFC and the entire Asian football family, I wish to convey our heartfelt sympathies to the royal family, the Qatar Football Association, and the nation of Qatar during this time of immense grief.

“His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani was a leader of extraordinary vision and wisdom. His profound passion and love for football served as the driving force behind Qatar’s historic rise as a premier global sporting hub. It was under his inspirational leadership that Qatar secured the hosting rights for the magnificent FIFA World Cup 2022, a milestone achievement that brought the world’s biggest tournament to the Arab world for the very first time, filling our entire continent with pride.”

“The global sporting community will always remember His Highness as the driving force behind the historic 15th Asian Games Doha 2006. His reign also saw Qatar showcase its exceptional organisational capabilities to the football world by hosting a spectacular AFC Asian Cup in 2011,” Shaikh Salman noted.

Beyond football and continental games, the Father Amir ‘s era established Qatar as a permanent fixture on the international sporting calendar.

“His incredible impact on football and his enduring legacy across all sports will be cherished forever by the global sporting community,” added Shaikh Salman.