Rangers fans angry at Killie decision

Glasgow Rangers fans are far from happy with an incident from their match against Kilmarnock in the Premiership on Saturday.

The Gers edged the game 1-0 to go 21 points clear at the top of the table with just nine games left to play (BBC). Steven Gerrard will be delighted that his team were able to pick up the three points – right now, he knows the results are far more important than the performances.

It could have been a more comfortable win for the Gers as well. There was an incident in the penalty area, when right-back and captain James Tavernier was clearly taken out by a Killie player – it looked like a stonewall spot-kick, but referee Don Robertson decided not to give it.

A GIF of the incident was shared by Twitter account @_R_W_B_, and it angered the club’s supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say about the incident below

“100% a penalty. If the ref thinks the Killie player gets the ball, he can argue it’s a corner (Still a penalty, as he’s went through the back of Tav). He gave a goal kick. Bonkers.”

Credit: @RustyBaw72

“These just get ignored. It’s ridiculous.”

Credit: @BMCRangersRants

“That’s actually hilarious “

Credit: @AATG57

“Absolute joke and Tavs goal was onside”

Credit: @thefragglerocks

“Decisions are getting worse #wontstop55”

Credit: @richardbarber73

“Stonewall penalty. Don doing what he does best today.”

Credit: @onlyoneamoruso

In other news, Rangers fans love this injury update.

Are you not entertained?! Brazil winners, losers and ratings as Tite's team dance their way past South Korea and into the quarter-finals

The Selecao turned on the style in a 4-1 rout at Stadium 974 in Doha, with Neymar's return from injury transforming the team.

Neymar is back – and so is Joga Bonito.

Less than half an hour into Monday's 4-1 win over South Korea, and even Brazil boss Tite was dancing.

That's how much fun he and his players were having in this Qatar 2022 last-16 tie. They were already three goals to the good at that point.

Vinicius Junior had opened the scoring with their first shot on target before Neymar marked his return to action with a penalty.

Richarlison had won that spot-kick and it was he who effectively ended the game as a meaningful contest, coolly finishing off a move he had started by juggling the ball on his head.

Lucas Paqueta added a fourth shortly before the break, meaning Tite could afford to take off some of his stars during the second half.

Credit to Korea, they kept battling, and gave their fantastic fans something to cheer when Paik Seung-ho found the back of the net with a deflected strike – but this night belonged to Brazil.

Below, GOAL runs through all of the winners and losers from what was both a serious and joyous statement of intent from the Selecao…

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    The Winners

    Neymar's pursuit of Pele's record:

    Neymar couldn't have hoped for an easier return to action after missing Brazil's group games against Switzerland and Cameroon with an ankle injury sustained in their tournament opener against Serbia. South Korea's jaded players couldn't get near the men in yellow during a painfully one-sided first half, even gifting the Selecao a penalty which Neymar converted with aplomb, sitting down Kim Seung-gyu as he rolled the ball into the net for his 76th international goal. In doing so, he became just the third Brazilian to score in three World Cups, alongside Ronaldo and Pele. He's now just one goal away from matching the latter's all-time tally for Brazil (77). Given Neymar's return has reignited Tite's attack, it would not be at all surprising if the Paris Saint-Germain superstar equals Pele's record against Croatia.

    Richarlison's goal of the tournament hopes:

    Richarlison is clearly a man on a mission. We're only at the last-16 stage of Qatar 2022 but the Spurs striker already has two strong contenders for goal of the tournament. His second strike against Serbia was stunning, with Richarlison using a poor first touch to show off his volleying skills. Here, he pulled out his best 'seal dribble' at the start of an attack that ended with him slotting home his 20th goal for Brazil. Catching Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot will be difficult but Richarlison is the clear frontrunner for the goal of the tournament award.

    Pele:

    Pele is an idol not just in Brazil but throughout the world. Every football fans' thoughts are with him and his family right now. But just how much he means to this particular crop of Brazil players was hammered home here, with the entire squad taking to the field with a Pele banner just seconds after the full-time whistle had blown. "This victory is for him," Vinicius said afterwards. "I want to send a big hug to Pele. I hope that everything goes well and that he can get out of this situation." Long live The King.

    The Samba Boys:

    In the elevator up to the media tribune on the fourth floor of Stadium 974, the music emanating from outside grew louder and louder. One bemused English journalist asked "Are we going to a party?" Quick as a flash, a Brazilian colleague replied, "Brazil IS a party." On this evidence, it's difficult to disagree. The fans were singing and dancing long before the game began. The players joined in just seven minutes after kick-off. So, when even Tite started strutting his stuff, this really did feel more like the Copacabana than Qatar. A veritable carnival of football if ever there was one.

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    The Losers

    South Korea's tired legs:

    Paulo Bento complained before this 'contest' that the timing of the game had been unfair on South Korea, claiming that FIFA often favours the likes of Brazil when it comes to scheduling. However, both teams had technically played just three days previously. The truth of the matter is that the Selecao simply benefited from being able to rest 10 players in their final group fixture, against Cameroon, because they had already sealed their place in the last 16. It is a reward available to any side that wins their opening two games. South Korea simply paid a heavy price for having to battle to the very last second of their epic 2-1 win over Portugal to progress to the knockout stage.

    Brazil's rivals:

    Brazil have belatedly arrived at Qatar 2022. The tournament favourites had underwhelmed up until this point, with Richarlison's sensational scissors-kick against Serbia the one highlight of an otherwise dull campaign. Indeed, much of the media attention was focused on off-field matters, such as injuries and illness. However, the Selecao proved worth the wait. The opening 45 minutes was astounding, arguably as good as anything the great Brazil sides of the past have produced in this tournament. Indeed, this was the earliest they've ever gone 3-0 up in a World Cup game, and only the second time they've ever racked up four goals by the break. However, while it a thrilling performance for the neutrals, it was a deeply worrying display for all of their rivals, chief among them Croatia. The 2018 runners-up were fortunate to see off Japan on penalties earlier in the night. On this evidence, Brazil could tear another tired team to shreds on Friday night.

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    Brazil Ratings: Defence

    Alisson (7/10):

    Didn't have a save to make in his first two outings in Qatar before being rested against Cameroon, but he pulled off three fine stops here. Testament to both his shot-stopping skills and powers of concentration. Nothing he could have done about Paik Seung-ho's deflected strike from distance, either.

    Eder Militao (8/10):

    Brazil's best option at right-back at the moment. Defended well and also used the ball astutely.

    Marquinhos (8/10):

    An accomplished defender who is just so ridiculously comfortable on the ball. Not a surprise to see him involved in Richarlison's goal.

    Thiago Silva (8/10):

    Never looked ruffled, even when South Korea did manage to apply some pressure. His passing was fantastic and he even assisted Richarlison's sublime strike.

    Danilo (7/10):

    Not Brazil's first-choice option but needs must in light of injuries and the versatile Danilo did well here.

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    Midfield

    Casemiro (7/10):

    Another dominant display from the tournament's best defensive midfielder. His passing was sloppy at times but he got through a serious amount of work, making several key tackles.

    Lucas Paqueta (8/10):

    Allowed to get forward at will because of Casemiro's diligence and discipline, resulting in him scoring a wonderfully well-taken volley just before the break.

Senegal's Aliou Cisse, Keshi & local coaches to win Afcon since 2006

GOAL parades the local-based coaches who have won the continental title after the Teranga Lions beat Egypt on Sunday

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    Who has won the title?

    Senegal, led by coach Aliou Cisse, finally laid their hands on the Africa Cup of Nations title after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the final at Olembe Stadium in Cameroon on Sunday.

    It was Liverpool forward Sadio Mane who struck the decisive penalty to hand the Lions of Teranga the title after 16 appearances at the continental finals, against seven-time winners the Pharaohs.

    The feat saw former player Cisse, who captained the side at the 2002 World Cup, join the list of local coaches to have won the Afcon title.

    Below GOAL parades the other local coaches to have achieved the feat with their respective national teams.

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  • 2006: Hassan Shehata – Egypt

    Shehata became Egypt coach in 2004 after the sacking of Italian coach Marco Tardelli and he went on to clinch the 2006 edition held in Cairo. The Pharaohs were pooled in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Libya.

    Egypt topped their group with seven points and qualified alongside the Elephants, who had six, and in the quarter-finals, they came up against the Democratic Republic of Congo whom they beat 4-1. In the semi-finals, they floored Senegal 2-1.

    In the final, they clinched the title for the fifth time by beating Ivory Coast 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 result in regulation time.

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    2008: Hassan Shehata – Egypt

    The 72-year-old Shehata was in charge again as the Pharaohs headed for the 2008 Afcon edition in Ghana where they had been pooled in Group C alongside Cameroon, Zambia, and Sudan.

    The Pharaohs qualified as group winners alongside the Indomitable Lions and they were drawn to face Angola in the quarter-final, a game they won 2-1 to reach the semis. In the last four, they came up against Ivory Coast and won 4-1.

    They eventually won their second straight title, but their sixth overall, after beating Cameroon 1-0 in the final at Accra Sports Stadium.

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    2010: Hassan Shehata – Egypt

    The 2010 edition was held in Angola and Egypt found themselves in Group C alongside Nigeria, Benin, and Mozambique. Under Shehata, the Pharaohs once again emerged as winners of the group followed by the Super Eagles.

    They were drawn to face Cameroon in the quarter-finals and they won the game 3-1 after extra time. In the semis, they came up against Algeria whom they thumped 4-0.

    In the final, they beat Ghana’s Black Stars 1-0 courtesy of Mohamed Nagy’s effort to clinch the tournament, their seventh Afcon title, and an unprecedented third in a row.

From the horror of Eriksen's collapse to a Wembley semi-final: Denmark's incredible Euro 2020 journey

The Danes showed outstanding levels of commitment, drive and resolve as they came close to reaching the final of the competition

The winners of Euro 2020 will be either Italy or England, with the two nations contending Sunday's final at Wembley – however, for most neutrals, the true champions of the tournament are Denmark.

The Danish side had to overcome horrendous circumstances after talismanic midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during their opening game with Finland, which sent shockwaves across the world of football.

Kasper Hjulmand's team showed remarkable team spirit to come together and recover both mentally and in football terms as they made it all the way to the semi-final of the competition. Goal looks back at their incredible journey…

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    1A proud nation

    Denmark's Euros journey ended with tired legs on the Wembley pitch, but they can depart with their heads held high.

    Having started the competition with near-tragedy, they came close to unimaginable glory and thrilled fans and neutrals alike along the way.

    While the celebrations in Copenhagen were eventually cut short, Danish fans will have plenty to remember from their incredible Euro 2020.

    With an exciting and talented squad of players, and the remarkable Kasper Hjulmand at the helm, there's likely to be plenty to look forward to in the future as well.

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    2Schmeichel's Wembley heroics

    England responded, and eventually won the game after extra time – but credit must be given to goalkeeper Schmeichel, who for long periods looked as if he might deny the Three Lions all on his own.

    The son of Euro 92 winner Peter, Schmeichel denied Raheem Sterling superbly in a one-on-one situation in the first half, acrobatically kept out a Harry Maguire header in the second, and saved Harry Kane's penalty in added time – only for the England captain to net the rebound.

    The Leicester City keeper had starred at Wembley in last season's FA Cup final, and he was just as good on Wednesday night.

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    3Damsgaard's wow moment

    One of the strangest ironies of the Euros is that had Eriksen not been ruled out of the tournament, Sampdoria winger Mikkel Damsgaard would have been unlikely to have seen as much game time.

    The youngest member of the Danish squad – he turned 21 four days before the semi – stunned the Wembley crowd in the first half as he fired an exceptional dipping free-kick past Jordan Pickford.

    It was the first goal England conceded at the Euros, and it could hardly have been a better one. An incredible moment for a player who has a bright future ahead of him.

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    4Maehle comes of age

    Joakim Maehle was only a player well-known to Denmark fans and Serie A afficionados before the tournament – but his magnificent performances at the Euros have made him one to watch for all football fans.

    Having scored in the last 16, the Atalanta wing-back produced a moment of genius against Czech Republic in the quarter-final, with his stunning cross with the outside of his right foot setting up Dolberg to slot home.

    Denmark had to hold off a resurgent Czech side in the second half, but won 2-1 to book a semi-final showdown with England at Wembley.

Premier League Team of the Week: Chelsea youngsters shine alongside Liverpool four

Blues young guns Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori starred but the Reds feature the most players in this week's team

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    Hugo Lloris | Tottenham

    Lloris kept a clean sheet in Spurs' 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, while also making six saves.

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    Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool

    Alexander-Arnold created more goalscoring chances than any other Liverpool player against Newcastle (7).

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    Fikayo Tomori | Chelsea

    Tomori scored with his only shot of the game, and had the most touches (87) and interceptions (7) of any Chelsea player.

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    Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool

    Van Dijk attempted more passes than any Liverpool player at the weekend (126), won 80% of his duels, and regained possession nine times.

Mbappe, Bentancur and 10 young stars to watch out for at World Cup 2018

Goal takes a look at some of the young players who could be about to light up the tournament in Russia…

The 2018 World Cup is now very much on its way, with the final squads for Russia now having been finalised by the 32 national team managers.

Of the 736 players chosen to participate, there are a fair number of those aged 21 and under who will be looking to grab the opportunity to make a name for themselves on the national stage.

Goal has picked out 10 possible stars from that age group, some of whom you will know but others of whom you may know little…

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    10. Wilfred Ndidi – Nigeria (21)

    It can’t have been easy arriving at Leicester City as the man to fill the gap left behind by N’Golo Kante, but Ndidi has fitted in superbly at the King Power Stadium over the last 18 months and continues to be a key part of Nigeria’s senior setup.

    Not only does he break up play well in midfield but he also has a rangy attacking style to his play and should not be counted out for the odd key goal.

  • 9. Youri Tielemans – Belgium (21)

    A real ‘box of tricks’ player, Tielemans has the weight of pass and perceptive footballing brain which could make him one of the game’s great stars in the years to come.

    Having first made his name at Anderlecht playing largely from a deep midfield role, he has adapted superbly to the right side of Monaco’s midfield since his move last summer. And he could well prove to be one of Roberto Martinez’s go-to players for Belgium this month.

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    8. Albert Gudmundsson – Iceland (20)

    Iceland are not done pulling up trees if Albert Gudmundsson is anything to go by. With great movement and the desire to play instinctively, the left winger has come on a huge amount as he’s risen through the ranks at PSV. He also happens to be a cool finisher when the opportunity arises.

    There’s every chance he could play a part against Argentina in his side’s first Group D game just one day after he turns 21.

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    7. Goncalo Guedes – Portugal (21)

    With an ability to keep the ball under his spell thanks to his short-stepping style and being able to deliver the killer ball that can split a defence apart, it is easy to see that Goncalo Guedes takes his inspiration from national skipper Cristiano Ronaldo.

    The Portuguese wide man has spent the past season collecting admirers on loan at Valencia from Paris Saint-Germain and the World Cup could be a significant shop window for the 21-year-old.

Leicester: Marc Albrighton was weak link in Man United draw

Leicester City keep up with the pack at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a hard-fought draw against Manchester United. The two battled out a 2-2 performance, sharing the spoils which sees them both secure themselves inside the top four.

United have made a dramatic comeback after struggling at the start of the season. They put Leicester to the sword with goals from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, but an own goal in the dying moments would prove to be their demise and the Foxes managed to bag a point.

The likes of Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans were a thorn in the side of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but a couple of players also let their side down. Marc Albrighton was one man who was a weak link for Leicester, struggling to make an impact down the right-hand side.

Marc Albrighton vs Man United

According to Sofascore, the midfielder made just 19 accurate passes, which was less than Kasper Schmeichel’s 21. Albrighton also lost possession a worrying 20 times and failed to win 59% of his attempted duels.

Additionally, he wasn’t much help tracking back either. The 31-year-old was dribbled past twice and he failed to put in a single interception, block or clearance.

Whilst Leicester come away with what must be viewed as a positive result against an in-form Man United side, they will be disappointed with performances from the likes of the £45,000 per week playmaker. Brendan Rodgers will have wanted to see much more creativity down the flanks to feed Jamie Vardy, who was unable to get involved in any of the goalscoring action this afternoon.

Focus now shifts to their fixture which is just two days away. Leicester will take on Crystal Palace in what they hope will be a win to keep them in the running for this season’s title.

In other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer waxes lyrical about Leicester’s transfer policy…

Time to shine: Steven Gerrard must put his faith in Glasgow Rangers left-back Calvin Bassey

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson has revealed that Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard “loves” Calvin Bassey in a Q&A with the club’s official website.

Bassey is showing signs of early promise in his club career so far this season since he first arrived at Ibrox from Leicester City in the summer.

For many relatively unknown players, the first move away from their boyhood club is often the biggest tests of their careers, but he is already pushing Borna Barisic for a place in the starting line-up.

In fact, it’s fair to say that Bassey is turning out to be quite a shrewd bit of business at the back. The 20-year-old left-back made his first-team debut for Rangers in the 3-0 win over St Mirren back in August, and has come on leaps and bounds since then.

Gerrard favours an aggressive, possession-based style of play, which is precisely why Bassey is the perfect fit for his preferred playing style. Despite his young age, he has already clocked up eight appearances for the Gers in all competitions this season so far. However, the majority of his appearances have come from the bench, which is to be expected at this moment in time.

Barisic has nailed down the left-back birth over the past few years but Gerrard should put his faith in the youngster – if anything, the sooner the better. Whilst much of the focus was on Bongani Zungu’s long-awaited debut during the 8-0 win over Hamilton Academical before the international break, Bassey’s performance shouldn’t be ignored.

Per SofaScore, he received a high rating of 7.1 for his efforts – he took 46 touches of the ball in 45′ minutes, completed 27 out of 29 passes (93%), produced two key passes, and created one big chance, whilst he made two tackles and won two out of three aerial duels, which shows that he put in a defensive shift as well.

Once lauded as a “fantastic” talent by the Ibrox boss, Bassey has played six games in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, whilst he is averaging 1.5 tackles per game, via WhoScored. To put that into context, even Barisic is only managing fewer than one tackle per league game this term, as per WhoScored.

It won’t be long before the Gers are bracing themselves for offers, that’s for sure. Now Gerrard must return the favour by putting his faith in the prospect. Obviously Barisic is the undisputed first-choice but it’d be good for his development if he is given a cup run or a couple of games in the Europa League. He has made a promising start to the season so far – here’s hoping he can repeat his performances after the international break.

AND in other news, Rangers stalwart Steven Davis struggled as Northern Ireland missed out on Euros…

Spurs could sign ideal Eriksen replacement in Jack Grealish

With Dele Alli out of favour at Spurs, now is the perfect time for Jose Mourinho to reinvent his midfield. The club are still yet to replace clinical creator Christian Eriksen after he left for Inter Milan at the start of the year.

The Dane enjoyed seven years in north London and produced some stunning performances for the Lilywhites. His first season after joining from Ajax saw him bag 12 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, a tally he would go on to smash with a 23-assist campaign in 2016/17 (via Transfermarkt).

A player Spurs would do well to poach is previously-linked target Jack Grealish. The Englishman’s performances for Aston Villa have attracted a lot of attention from top clubs and he currently has an £80million price tag to warrant his exceptional influence. Ex-Lilywhite Paul Robinson recently admitted that he would love his former club to snap up the rising talent as he tips him to soon leave Aston Villa in search of silverware (via Football Insider).

Should Spurs sign Jack Grealish?

Despite playing primarily on the wing, Grealish’s versatility has seen him perform well in the heart of the midfield as well. Not only would he fill a gap in Tottenham’s engine room, but he could be deployed out wide in order to cover injury as well.

The 25-year-old has contributed to ten goals in just seven appearances this season, making up more than half of Villa’s entire goal tally so far. Grealish is already on track to bettering last campaign’s stats, where he finished the term with eight goals and six assists in the Premier League.

He has also shone during the international break, already rapidly establishing himself as a vital part of Gareth Southgate’s team. The Villa captain bagged an assist for England against the Republic of Ireland and was awarded Man of the Match in their Nations League fixture against Iceland. His influential performances have sparked a lot of conversation, with Jamie Redknapp recently branding Grealish as the “real deal”.

It’s to be expected that the Midlands outfit will lose their beloved skipper and goalscorer, hence the mammoth asking price they have put out there. However, Daniel Levy has shown that he isn’t afraid to put his hand in his pocket when required. The signing of Tanguy Ndombele broke the club’s record transfer fee after they forked out a handsome £53million. Whilst Grealish would command a lot more, the longevity of his career and blistering form speaks for itself.

Selling Alli would also put a large wedge of the transfer money in the pot too. The midfielder is currently valued at £46million, but Spurs would be able to charge much higher than this, considering the fact he still has four years left on his current contract.

However they find the money, signing Grealish would be a massive move for Spurs who are looking to assert their dominance in the Premier League. Bringing a natural goalscorer and leader like the Villa icon would be the perfect successor to Eriksen.

In other news, Marlon Harewood highlights this Chelsea ace as ideal Tottenham signing…

Man City: Fans react as City near Stevanovic signing %%page%% %%sep%% %%sitename%%

According to a report by TUTTOmercatoWEB, Man City have completed a deal for Partizan Belgrade attacker Filip Stevanovic – with the ‘amazing’ talent signing on a four and a half year contract in January worth £7.2 million. 

Stevanovic, who has been tipped to join City’s cross-town rivals Man United by the media, has now done a full u-turn and reportedly opted for a Sky Blue switch instead.

Serbian outlet Republika claimed back in August that Man United had completed a deal for Stevanovic, but it now looks as if City chief Txiki Begiristain has beaten them to the punch.

The 18-year-old winger will remain at Partizan on loan for the rest of the season until officially swapping Serbia for Manchester, with Sky Blues reacting to their proposed new signing on Twitter.

Flocking to this update, many City supporters have expressed a mixed range of opinions on the development – find all of their best verdicts from Twitter here.

Fan reaction to the Stevanovic signing:

In other news: City fans are flocking to this update on another reported target, find out more here and don’t forget to comment below.

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