World Cup as it happened: Portugal beats Uruguay 2-0 as Bruno Fernandes stars; pitch invader carries rainbow flag across pitch

Brazil, Portugal through to knockouts as Ghana triumph in thriller

Souttar blocking out transfer noise as EPL clubs circle Socceroos stopper

We will see you again early on Wednesday morning. Bye for now.

“This was a very demanding group for us,” Sanchez added. “We’ve competed with our ups and downs. We’d have preferred to be in a better situation.”

For the Netherlands a draw will suffice to advance and put the team into contention again in a World Cup after failing to qualify four years ago. The Dutch could even get through with a loss if Ecuador beats Senegal in the other Group A match.

In the round of 16, the Netherlands would face one of the top two teams from Group B, where England is the favorite with Iran, Wales, and the United States scrambling for a spot.

Van Gaal said before the World Cup that the Netherlands can win it all, although few see this as one of the country’s best teams. He repeated it on the eve of the Qatar game.

“I think you always have to identify the goal, the purpose for which you are here, and then you can work your way toward that purpose. If you say ‘well, the round of 16 is enough, the quarterfinals are enough’, that isn’t the right way to do things,” Van Gaal said.

“The right way to do things is to think you will become champions,” Van Gaal added. “I never said that we’re going to become world champions, but that we can become this.”

He has reason to be optimistic. The Netherlands is on a 17-game unbeaten run since Van Gaal returned to lead the team for the third time.

No powerful soccer nation has come up short at the World Cup as often as the Dutch, who have been the runners-up three times: in 1974 against West Germany, in 1978 facing Argentina, and in 2010 vs. Spain.

The Dutch also finished third in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after losing a shootout against Argentina in the semifinals.

After being out of the game for several years, Van Gaal came out of retirement and replaced Frank de Boer in August of 2021. He said he did it out of duty.

“Because, simply, no one else was available at that time,” Van Gaal said.

Van Gaal’s matter-of-fact courage has to be a motivator for the Dutch. But he might also stir up Qatar.

Earlier this year the outspoken Van Gaal said it was “ridiculous” holding the World Cup in Qatar, a tiny country of three million. Qatar’s vast wealth is fueled by natural gas and oil.

“It’s ridiculous that we’re going to play in a country to — what does FIFA say? — to develop football there,” Van Gaal said, adding that Qatar is too small and lacks a soccer culture.

“But it doesn’t matter. It’s about money, commercial interests. That’s what matters to FIFA,” Van Gaal added.

AP

In the first week of the tournament in Qatar, seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-coloured “One Love” armbands during World Cup matches.

Fans also complained they weren’t allowed to bring items with rainbow colours, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.

AP

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“What matters is that we’re going through to the next round after playing a very tough opponent.”

Portugal have won their opening two games at the World Cup in Qatar, beating Ghana 3-2 last week before Monday’s win over Uruguay, the team that knocked them out of the tournament held in Russia in 2018.

Fernandes, who was a teammate of Ronaldo’s at Manchester United until last week when the five-times Ballon d’Or winner and the club parted ways acrimoniously, got his second goal in added time. With Ronaldo already substituted, Fernandes took over penalty-taking duties and scored from the spot.

Coach Fernando Santos brushed aside suggestions from the media that, having already ensured qualification for the knockout phase, he might field a weakened Portugal side against South Korea to give key players a rest.

“First place isn’t guaranteed,” Santos said. “We will go for top spot, and not just because of Brazil.”

Brazil are likely to win Group G which would mean they would then play the runners-up in Group H which is currently topped by Portugal.

Santos’ men are due to play their third and final group match against South Korea on Friday.

Asked about the severity of an injury to left-back Nuno Mendes, who was substituted early in the first half, Santos said he would wait and see the result of medical tests.

Portugal centre-half Danilo Pereira missed the Uruguay game after breaking three ribs in training and midfielder Otavio, who was an injury concern before Monday’s game, was also left out.

Reuters

Juventus said it had called a shareholder meeting on January 18 to appoint a new board.

Andrea Agnelli, who has chaired Juventus since 2010, will not seek a reappointment, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

In a letter to Juventus staff seen by Reuters, Andrea Agnelli described the company situation as “delicate.”

“When the team is not cohesive it becomes vulnerable and that can be fatal,” he wrote.

“This is when you need to keep calm and contain damages: the company is going through a delicate phase and we’re no longer cohesive. Better to quit all together, giving the chance to a new team to turn the game around.”

Reuters

“In the first 25 minutes, we were able to control the game with ball possession which was very good. We made good passes and fulfilled our strategy for the match. After the first goal, things changed until the end of the first half,” Costa said.

“At that moment, we lost control. The second half was totally different -- we had control, ball possession and created opportunities to score.

“The result is totally unfair. Not even a tie would have been fair. We clearly deserved a win... count on us for the next match.”

South Korea players looked dejected after the game as they fell to the ground, while captain and key player Son Heung-min was in tears.

Asked about their reaction, Costa said: “The reaction is of a group that felt a lack of fairness at the end. It is normal for someone (to react that way when) they did all they could to win but weren’t able to do so.

“I think we should be sad and have a feeling of lack of justice but we also have to be very proud that we gave our all on the pitch.”

Bento’s red card means the Portuguese will not be on the touchline when South Korea take on his native country, who are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He won’t be present on the day of the game and that will be a loss for us because he is a great manager... but that will make us get better, be united and bring together all our energies,” the assistant coach added.

Reuters