Turkiye edge into Euros last 16 with tense win over Czechs

Turkiye’s midfielder #10 Hakan Calhanoglu (L) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with forward #19 Kenan Yildiz and midfielder #16 Ismail Yuksek during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between against the Czech Republic at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on June 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 27 June 2024
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Turkiye edge into Euros last 16 with tense win over Czechs

HAMBURG: Turkiye reached the knockout phase at a major tournament for the first time in 16 years after a bad-tempered 2-1 win over a battling 10-man Czech Republic at Euro 2024 on Wednesday.

Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye finished second in Group F behind Portugal to progress, as the Czechs were eliminated despite a brave performance on a sweltering night in Hamburg.

Georgia also went through as one of the best third-placed teams after a stunning 2-0 win over Portugal in the group’s other final game, eliminating Hungary.

Turkiye will face Austria in the last 16 in Leipzig on Tuesday, their first major tournament knockout match since the Euro 2008 semifinals when they were beaten by Germany.

The Czechs were reduced to 10 men in the 20th minute when Antonin Barak was given the earliest red card in Euros history, beating the unwanted record set by France’s Eric Abidal in 2008.

Barak’s pair of bookings were two of 18 yellow cards shown in total, with Tomas Chory also shown red after the final whistle in ugly scenes.

Hakan Calhanoglu powered Turkiye into a 51st-minute lead, but Tomas Soucek lashed in an equalizer midway through the second half.

A frantic finale to the game ensued as the Czech Republic pushed for the winner that would take them through, but Cenk Tosun ended their hopes on the counter-attack in added time.

There were ugly scenes at the final whistle as fans ran onto the pitch, with Czech forward Chory brandished a red card in the aftermath.

The Czechs started strongly despite the tens of thousands of Turkiye fans jeering their every touch, with Lukas Provod forcing Mert Gunok into an early save with a deflected shot.

They were especially dangerous from Vladimir Coufal’s long throw-ins, one of which Robin Hranac headed over when unmarked.

But Turkiye were given a huge boost as midfielder Barak caught Salih Ozcan by the halfway line and was shown a soft second yellow card.

Key Czech striker Patrik Schick could only feature among the substitutes after picking up an injury in the draw with Georgia last week.

He was given a yellow card for protesting from the bench after Provod was felled by flying challenge.

Turkiye winger Kenan Yildiz was fortunate to stay on the pitch, only receiving a yellow for a nasty tackle on Hranac before elbowing Coufal in the face without punishment as tempers threatened to boil over.

Montella’s side were struggling to break down their opponents despite the man advantage and almost fell behind when David Jurasek was denied by Gunok after a quick counter-attack.

Knowing defeat could send them home with Georgia leading Portugal, Turkiye started brightly after the break and released the pressure on themselves with a crucial opening goal.

Yildiz had an effort brilliantly saved by Jindrich Stanek, but the Czech ‘keeper suffered an arm injury in making the stop and with him struggling to get back into position, Calhanoglu drilled the ball into the bottom corner.

Stanek was immediately replaced by back-up Matej Kovar as part of a triple change.

The Czechs became increasingly stretched as they went in search of the two goals they needed to stay in the tournament and Turkiye’s teenage star Arda Guler failed to convert from barely three yards out.

But Soucek gave the Czechs hope when he fired home after Gunok spilt the ball following another Coufal hurl into the box.

The goal survived a long VAR review for a possible foul on the embarrassed ‘keeper and a handball, before being eventually awarded to set up a thrilling finish.

Ivan Hasek’s Czech Republic threw as many players forward as possible but could not find a moment of magic.

Instead, Turkiye hit them on the break and substitute Tosun struck a fine finish into the far corner, before the match ended in fiery fashion.


Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games

Updated 52 sec ago
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Stiller out, Burkardt in for Germany’s Nations League games

  • Burkardt will join the team at their training base in Herzogenaurach on Friday
  • The 24-year-old Burkardt has played three games for Germany

BERLIN: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt to his squad for upcoming Nations League games after Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller dropped out with an injury.

Burkardt will join the team at their training base in Herzogenaurach on Friday, the German soccer federation said Tuesday, in preparation for the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday, and the final or third-place playoff against either Spain or France four days later.

The 24-year-old Burkardt has played three games for Germany. He was the Bundesliga’s top-scoring German player with 18 goals for Mainz this season.

Stiller, who starred for Stuttgart as the team won the German Cup on Saturday, dropped out with a recurrence of the ankle ligament injury that had kept him out for two weeks previously.

The DFB said Stiller has “not completely healed.”

Stiller was involved in three of Stuttgart’s four goals as they defeated Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the cup final.


Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down

Updated 50 min 35 sec ago
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Newcastle losing another sporting director as Mitchell to step down

  • Mitchell was leaving “due to health reasons” and his departure was “by mutual consent,” NUFC said
  • “The club are in great hands on and off the pitch,” Mitchell said

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle are losing another sporting director after the Premier League club announced Paul Mitchell is stepping down next month.

Mitchell took the position only last July following the departure of Newcastle’s previous sporting director, Dan Ashworth, to Manchester United.

Mitchell was leaving “due to health reasons” and his departure was “by mutual consent,” Saudi-backed Newcastle said on Tuesday.

There were reports of tension between Mitchell and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe at the start of this season.

Newcastle won the English League Cup in March for their first major domestic trophy in 70 years, and finished in fifth place in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

“The club are in great hands on and off the pitch,” Mitchell said, “and are in a fantastic position to continue building.

“I’d like to wish everyone connected with Newcastle United a bright and successful future.”

Mitchell previously worked for Tottenham, Leipzig and Monaco.


Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final

Updated 59 min 59 sec ago
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Coach Michel Gonzalez readies Al-Qadsiah for King Cup final

  • Spaniard holds light training session after resting key players for league game against Al-Hilal
  • Al-Qadsiah will play Al-Ittihad in Friday’s showdown in Jeddah

JEDDAH: Spanish coach Michel Gonzalez put his Al-Qadsiah team through a light training session on Tuesday as they prepare for Friday’s King Cup final showdown against Al-Ittihad.
Al-Qadsiah qualified for the final after beating Al-Raed 1–0 in the semifinal. Al-Ittihad beat Al-Shabab 3–2 to secure their spot.
Gonzalez left several of his first team players out of Monday’s Saudi Roshn League away clash with Al-Hilal at the Kingdom Arena, which they lost 2-0.
Goalkeeper Koen Casteels, defenders Nacho, Ibrahim Mahnashi, Turki Al-Ammar, midfielder Nahitan Nandez and striker Julian Quinones were all rested ahead of final, which will be played at Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City.
Al-Qadsiah will fly to Jeddah on Thursday and have their final training session at the stadium ahead of the match.


Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli

Updated 27 May 2025
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Pope Leo XIV casts doubt on which soccer club he supports during audience with Italian champ Napoli

  • Leo cast doubt on the assumption that he’s a Roma fan during a private audience with freshly crowned Italian champion Napoli
  • “Maybe they didn’t want to applaud because in the media they say I’m a Romanista,” Leo said

VATICAN CITY: That Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago White Sox fan and likes to play tennis has already been established.

The most pressing sports question for many locals inside the Vatican and surrounding Italy concerning the first American pope remains a mystery, though.

Does Leo support an Italian soccer club?

Leo cast doubt on the assumption that he’s a Roma fan during a private audience with freshly crowned Italian champion Napoli — Roma’s rival — on Tuesday. But his comments revealed that he follows the Italian game.

When Leo entered the Clementine Hall inside the Apostolic Palace where Napoli’s players and staff were seated, there was a slight delay before the guests applauded.

“Maybe they didn’t want to applaud because in the media they say I’m a Romanista,” Leo said, referring to Roma fans. “That’s what the press says. Not everything that you read in the press is true.”

Napoli clinched its fourth Serie A title following a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Friday with goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.

Napoli president and film producer Aurelio Del Laurentiis presented Leo with a Napoli No. 10 shirt — the same number worn by the late Diego Maradona when he played for the southern Italian team — with the pope’s name on it and featuring signatures from all of the club’s players.

“You’re a No. 10,” De Laurentiis said, referring to the number often worn by a team’s most talented forward.

When De Laurentiis introduced Napoli coach Antonio Conte, the pope cut him off and said “I know him from the (TV) screen, I’ve seen him many times.”

Conte has also coached Italy’s national team, as well as Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.

“He’s profoundly Catholic,” De Laurentiis said of Conte. “He’s someone who believes in God very attentively and goes to pray often.”

Leo cited the “social aspect” of Napoli’s title.

“We know how popular soccer is in Italy and practically the entire world,” Leo said. “So, in that respect, the social value of an achievement like this, which is greater than the mere technical-sports aspect, is an example of a team that works together, in which the individual talents are sacrificed for the common good.”

The pope also warned that “when sports becomes a business, it risks losing the values that make it educational, and it can actually become un-educational.”

“I want to make an appeal to parents and sports officials: you need to pay careful attention to the moral quality of the sports experience at the competitive level, because it has an impact on the humane growth of young people,” Leo said.

The meeting with Napoli came less than two weeks after Leo held a private audience with top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner.


Werder Bremen fire coach who declined to extend his contract

Updated 27 May 2025
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Werder Bremen fire coach who declined to extend his contract

  • Werner had a contract to the end of next season, but the club said on Monday that he refused to sign a new one
  • “It’s anything but easy for me not to extend my contract,” Werner said

BREMEN: Werder Bremen fired coach Ole Werner on Tuesday after he indicated the day before he would not be extending his contract next year.

“Since we need continuity and clarity for the position of head coach in the future, we have decided to let Ole go,” Bremen’s managing director for sport Clemens Fritz said.

Werner had a contract to the end of next season, but the club said on Monday that he refused to sign a new one.

“It’s anything but easy for me not to extend my contract. But I’ve often said that my job is about developing a club. When a certain point is reached, there are usually two options — either you make changes around a coach, or you make changes to the coaching position,” Werner said in a club statement.

“From the club’s perspective, I can understand why Werder have now decided to take this step.”

The 37-year-old Werner, regarded as one of Germany’s leading young coaches, took over at Bremen when they were in the second division and oversaw promotion, then steady improvement in the Bundesliga. The team only narrowly missed out on European qualification this season.

Werner took over as Bremen coach in unusual circumstances in November 2021 after his predecessor Markus Anfang resigned while facing an investigation into his use of a fake COVID-19 vaccine document.

Bremen said their search for a new coach has their “highest priority.” Horst Steffen, the coach of second-division Elversberg, has emerged as a favorite after his team narrowly missed out on Bundesliga promotion on Monday.

Leipzig, Wolfsburg, Augsburg and promoted Cologne are also looking for new coaches, as are second-division clubs Schalke and Hannover.