ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 16

Canada forward Jonathan David, (center), moves the ball past United States mid- fi elder Christian Roldan, (left), during the second half of a World Cup soccer qualifi er in Nashville, Tenn. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Canada hold US in WC qualifying NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept 6, (AP): Italy set unbeaten record Two games into World Cup qualify- ing, a rebuilt U.S. soccer team are in trouble. Three starters are hurt. Key mid- Germany, Spain top WC qualifying groups fielder Weston McKennie didn’t dress because he violated team COVID pro- tocols. GENEVA, Sept 6, (AP): Unable to break down a Canadian Italy set an international team that sat back with five defenders, the Americans wasted a second-half record of 36 games unbeat- lead in a 1-1 draw Sunday night that en as Germany and Spain left them with two points after two returned to the top of their games. Failure to qualify for the 2018 hangs World Cup qualifying over players and the American fan groups. base like a never-ending storm. Cana- Though European champions da, seeking their first World Cup since Italy were held 0-0 at Switzerland, 1986, opened with a 0-0 home draw against Honduras. Davies left in the Germany and Spain were joined 76th minute with a knock and possibly by England and Poland in routing cramping. low-ranked opponents. “We have to really turn it around. Top-ranked Belgium were lifted We need to start winning games,” said by Romelu Lukaku celebrating his U.S star Christian Pulisic, who re- 100th international appearance by turned after missing the 0-0 draw at El scoring his 67th goal to ease past the Salvador on Thursday while regaining Czech Republic 3-0. fitness following a positive COVID-19 Brazil lost their share of the men’s test. world record they held jointly with Spain and Italy at 35 games unbeat- SOCCER en. Brazil’s run in 1993-96 included a World Cup title, Spain’s in 2007- 09 spanned a European title and Ita- Brenden Aaronson scored in the ly’s dates to September 2018. 55th minute off a flowing passing se- A rare fail- quence capped by a cross from An- ure for Italy tonee Robinson, but an unmarked to score was Cyle Larin tied it seven minutes later after Canadian star Alphonso Davies compounded smoked past DeAndre Yedlin down by penalty spe- the left flank. cialist Jorginho Yedlin had entered in the 44th failing from the minute after right back Sergiño Dest spot again in the sprained an anke, joining midfielder 53rd minute. He Gio Reyna (strained right hamstring missed in the at El Salvador) and No, 1 goalkeeper shootout at the Zack Steffen (positive COVID test Lukaku Euro 2020 final following back spasms) on the side- against England. lines. The newly crowned UEFA men’s Coach Gregg Berhalter said it was player of the year’s signature trick of too early to announce whether McK- a slow run and jump did not deceive ennie would return for Wednesday Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer, Germany’s Timo Werner, (left), scores his side’s fourth goal during the World Cup 2022 Group J qualifying soccer match between Germany and Armenia night’s game at Honduras, another dif- who quickly stepped to his right then at Mercedes-Benz Arena stadium in Stuttgart, Germany. (AP) ficult Central American field where the dived to his left to save. Americans came away with a draw in Jorginho joined Kylian Mbappé, qualifying four years ago. Steffen and in a Euro 2020 shootout in June, and Four players accused of breaking COVID protocols; Uruguay win, Colombia draw Reyna won’t make the trip, Pulisic was Sergio Ramos, twice in a Nations dynamic, putting a shot off a post in League game in the same Basel sta- the 40th minute of his first match since dium last November, in having pen- Chelsea’s opener against Crystal Pal- alties saved by Sommer. ace on Aug. 14. The Americans had Brazil-Argentina qualifier suspended 72% possession, outshot Canada 12-6 Sommer was also captaining Swit- and little to show for it. zerland, which were missing Granit Xhaka, who tested positive for CO- SAO PAULO, Sept 6, (AP): Argen- VID-19 in midweek. tina’s World Cup qualifi er in Brazil Spain beat visiting Georgia 4-0 was interrupted after just seven min- utes Sunday when local health offi cials Guinea game ‘postponed’; to take top spot back from Sweden went onto the pitch in a wild dispute which did not play. over coronavirus concerns. The match featuring Argentina’s Salah back but Egypt draw SOCCER Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar was ultimately suspended by the referee CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept 6, with the score at 0-0. However, fi elding players who did not (AP): A World Cup qualifying game in Spain are on 10 points after five Brazilian health offi cials alleged comply with Brazilian laws and health Guinea was postponed as an apparent games, just one ahead of the Swedes, three Argentine players did not reveal norms, and also offered false informa- coup d’etat unfolded in the West Af- who have played two games fewer. on arrival last Friday that they had tion to authorities did require the agen- rican nation on Sunday, and the visit- They meet in Seville in the final recently been in England, and should cy to act, at its time and its way,” the ing Moroccan team reportedly left the round on Nov. 14. have been in quarantine rather than Brazilian agency said. country safely after being confi ned to Third-place Kosovo are another playing in the match. On a day overshadowed by the their hotel as gunshots rang out nearby. five points back after scoring in stop- The Argentina team responded by shocking suspension of the super- Guinea were due to host Morocco page-time to draw 1-1 with visiting walking off the fi eld at NeoQuimica clasico between Brazil and Argentina in a Group I game on Monday in the Greece. Arena in Sao Paulo. because of COVID-19 protocols, Uru- capital, Conakry. Italy missed a chance to take tight- Argentina tweeted that the game guay and Colombia added key points But President Alpha Conde was de- would not resume. South American in South American qualifying for the tained by soldiers the day before the er control of the five-team group by Brazil and Argentina’s players talk as the soccer game is interrupted by World Cup. drawing again three days after being soccer’s governing body, CONME- game and hours BOL, said the match had been sus- health authorities during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup The Uruguayans thrashed eighth- after heavy gun- held 1-1 at home to Bulgaria. pended. FIFA, the sport’s world gov- Qatar 2022 at Neo Quimica Arena stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AP) place Bolivia 4-2 at home to move into fi re was heard Italy have 11 points from five erning body, also confi rmed the game fourth place with 12 points after eight near the presi- games and lead by four from had been suspended and said it was yet to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel on regular situation since their arrival in matches. Colombia had a 1-1 draw dential palace in the Swiss, who have played two to decide what to do next. their return. Now they have been caught Brazil. It had prompted a meeting Sat- at Paraguay. It was Colombia’s third Conakry. Sol- games fewer. Bulgaria beat Lithu- Antonio Barra Torres, the president up in Brazilian quarantine restrictions. urday involving representatives from consecutive draw, but enough for Re- diers then an- ania 1-0 earlier and trail Italy by of Brazil’s health agency, Anvisa, said CONMEBOL, Brazilian football con- inaldo Rueda’s lineup to stop Paraguay nounced on state six points. four Argentina players would be fi ned SOCCER federation and Argentina’s squad. moving into fi fth spot in the standings. television that the Italy will host the Nations League and deported for not following Brazil’s “At that meeting, Anvisa and local The top four teams in South Ameri- government had Finals four-team mini-tournament in COVID-19 protocols. health authorities determined the play- can qualifi ers get direct spots at next been dissolved. October before Switzerland come to The four - all players from the Brazil’s health agency said all four ers should quarantine,” it said. “How- year’s World Cup in Qatar. The fi fth- “The political Rome on Nov. 12 for a potentially England-based Premier League - had allegedly told immigration offi cers that ever, even after the meeting and the place team will go into an interconti- and security situ- Salah decisive qualifier. been ordered to quarantine by Brazil’s in the previous 14 days they hadn’t report to authorities, the players took nental playoff. ation in Guinea is Belgium and Czech Republic health agency ahead of the match. De- been to Britain or anywhere else that part of Saturday evening’s training Uruguay’s veteran strike duo of quite volatile,” the Confederation of were both eliminated in the Euro spite that order, three of the four start- Brazil puts on its own red list for CO- session.” The agency added that all at- Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez African Football said in a statement ed for Argentina. VID-19 risks. Those who have been in tempts to remove the players and take were out for the encounter, but Ós- announcing the qualifi er had been 2020 quarterfinals though looked in countries on the red list face a 14-day a separate class. Aston Villa players Emiliano Mar- them to the airport were frustrated on car Tabárez’s team had little trouble postponed “to ensure safety” of play- tinez and Emiliano Buendia, and Tot- quarantine in Brazil. Sunday “since the squad left the hotel against a weak Bolivia lineup. ers and match offi cials. CAF and FIFA Lukaku finished with a smart, Martinez, Romero and Lo Celso and also much before the match began, powerful shot in the eighth min- tenham duo Giovanni Lo Celso and Giorgian de Arrascaeta opened the were closely monitoring the situation, Cristian Romero, traveled to play for started the match. Buendia was not in- when Anvisa had its action blocked” at scoring in the 17th minute from close CAF said. ute, another established star Eden Argentina despite the Premier League cluded in the match squad. the NeoQuimica Arena. range. Federico Valverde doubled the Hazard added to it in the 41st not wanting players to be released for Anvisa said in a statement that it “The decision to interrupt the match lead in the 31st with a free kick from and emerging prospect Alexis international duty because of the need realized the four players were in an ir- was never within Anvisa’s reach. the left edge of the box. Agustin Al- SOCCER Saelemaekers of AC Milan got a vares added a third, his fi rst for the na- third in the 65th. tional team, in the 47th. Guinea’s borders were closed but Belgium are six points clear of the ward Adam Buksa’s second-half hat trick was completed by two goals in Bolivia responded with a goal by the Moroccan squad were given per- Czechs after each have played five Marcelo Martins in the 59th after a mission to leave, according to local of their eight games. Wales trail the stoppage-time. mistake by the Uruguayan defense. news reports. Czechs by one point with two games Albania closed to within a point of But Uruguay responded eight minutes “We’re at the hotel, gunshots can be in hand. Poland by beating Hungary 1-0. later from the spot with de Arrascaeta. heard nearby,” Morocco coach Vahid On Sunday, the scoring went Bale, Germany routed Group J leaders Martins reduced the margin in the Halilhodzic told French newspaper Belarus, Belarus, Bale, Bale. In that Armenia 6-0 to take back the top 84th, also from the spot. L’Equipe earlier in the day when the order. Gareth Bale completed his hat spot surrendered in March when Cavani missed the match because of team were stranded while an aircraft trick in stoppage time, after two ear- they lost at home to North Mace- travel restrictions imposed by Manches- waited at the airport. lier penalties, to secure a 3-2 win for donia. ter United, and Suárez was injured. Match offi cials were also eventually the Welsh. Serge Gnabry scored twice and Uruguay’s next match is against allowed to leave Guinea, the reports Belarus hosted the game in Kazan, Karim Adeyemi, the Salzburg for- Ecuador in Montevideo on Thursday. said. Russia, because of European Union ward, completed the scoring on his Bolivia will next play in Argentina. It was not immediately clear when travel restrictions to punish the au- debut as a substitute. Colombia entered the game determined Guinea’s Europe-based players includ- Coach Hansi Flick’s team lead the to improve on their poor performance in a ing Liverpool’s Naby Keita and So- thoritarian government in Minsk. 1-1 draw at Bolivia, but Paraguay opened England got a fifth straight win in group by two points, with Romania chaux’s Florentin Pogba, the brother a point further back after beating the scoring in the 40th minute. of Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, the group by beating Andorra 4-0. It Ángel Romero nutmegged defender would be able to return to their clubs. was England’s first game at Wem- Liechtenstein 2-0. Davinson Sanchez and set up a simple CAF gave no new date for the game to bley Stadium since crowd disorder The standings would have been fi nish for Antonio Sanabria. be played. marred the Euro 2020 final against even tighter but North Macedonia Switzerland’s Renato Steffen, (left), fights for the ball against Italy’s Emerson Colombia rallied in the second half There were three matches in the Italy. wasted a two-goal lead late in the during the World Cup 2022 Group C qualifying soccer match between Swit- and put Juan Guillermo Cuadrado on the African qualifying competition with Poland are five points back after game at Iceland who hit back for a zerland and Italy at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland. (AP) spot in the 53rd after a handball awarded Egypt only managing a 1-1 draw in winning 7-1 in San Marino. Robert 2-2 draw. by the video referee. The Colombians Gabon in Group F despite the return of Lewandowski scored twice early on All the teams have played five Only group winners advance direct Runners-up go to a 12-team, two- had more possession late in the game but Mohamed Salah, who also took back and New England Revolution for- rounds with five more each to play. to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. round playoffs bracket in March. weren’t able to convert that into goals. the captain’s armband.

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