Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said it was “madness” for his team to play their World Cup last-16 stage game against Australia with just two rest days after their last group match. “I think it’s absolute madness to play in nearly two days and a bit when we are top of the group. I can’t understand it,” Scaloni said, talking to the media after the game at Doha’s 974 Stadium ended just before midnight. “What time is it? Nearly one o’clock in the morning … Thursday, the next day is for preparation and then we play. Those aren’t good conditions but it’s the same for everyone. We’re first in the group. We could have had more rest.”
Ronaldo is 50-50 to play against S Korea
Portugal coach Fernando Santos said that Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability is still in question for their closing Group H match against South Korea. The 37-year-old Portugal captain missed Wednesday’s practice and stayed at the gym to do recovery and specific exercises.
‘El Diablo’ Suarez not apologising to Ghana
Uruguay’s Luis Suarez refused to apologise to Ghanaians for his role 12 years ago in their biggest World Cup setback, arguing it wasn’t his handball that denied Ghana a quarterfinal winner but their missed penalty that followed.
A win for Ghana against Uruguay in Friday’s final Group H match could avenge their acrimonious defeat by the South Americans in 2010, when Suarez used his hand to block an extra-time winner for Ghana, who missed the resulting spot-kick and lost the penalty shootout that followed
Pulisic feels better, hopes to face Dutch
US attacker Christian Pulisic said he was recovering from an injury sustained scoring a crucial goal against Iran and aspired to be fit enough to face the Netherlands in Saturday’s last-16 clash. “I’m taking it day-by-day for now and I will do everything in my power to work with this medical team and make sure I can play,” Pulisic said, adding that his pelvic contusion was painful but improving.
Brazil coach sends message to Pele
Brazil coach Tite sent a message of support to Pele from the World Cup. Pele was hospitalised on Tuesday in Sao Paulo to regulate the medication in his fight against a colon tumor, his daughter Kely Nascimento said. She added that there was “no emergency” concerning her 82-year-old father’s health. “We all want to wish good health to Pele,” Tite said in Qatar a day before Brazil’s next match against Cameroon.
Stray cats giving Dembele headache
France’s players have generally been happy at the World Cup in Qatar although one, Ousmane Dembele, has found it hard to adjust to one feature on the streets of Doha — stray cats. “Ousmane is scared of cats. There are cats strolling around and he’s scared of them. It makes everyone laugh,” his teammate Randal Kolo Muani said. Agencies
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