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June 18 : Mexico make three changes for their World Cup Group A clash against South Korea on Thursday, with captain Edson Alvarez dropping into central defence to replace suspended Cesar Montes, while Kim Moon-hwan comes into the Korean midfield.

• Alvarez replaces suspended centre back Cesar Montes, who was sent off in Mexico’s opening 2-0 win over South Africa.

• Jorge Sanchez comes in at right back in place of Israel Reyes.

• Midfielder Luis Romo replaces Alvaro Fidalgo in Mexico’s only other change.

• Goalkeeper Raul Rangel retains his place ahead of veteran Guillermo Ochoa after keeping a clean sheet against South Africa.

• South Korea make one change, with Kim Moon-hwan replacing Lee Tae-seok while coach Hong Myung-bo otherwise keeps faith with the side that beat Czech Republic 2-1.

Mexico: Raul Rangel, Jorge Sanchez, Edson Alvarez, Johan Vasquez, Jesus Gallardo, Luis Romo, Erik Lira, Brian Gutierrez, Roberto Alvarado, Raul Jimenez, Julian Quinones.

South Korea: Kim Seung-gyu, Lee Han-beom, Kim Min-jae, Kim Moon-hwan, Lee Gi-hyuk, Seol Young-woo, Hwang In-beom, Lee Jae-sung, Lee Kang-in, Paik Seung-ho, Son Heung-min.

June 18 : Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said his side’s defending of set-pieces in their 4-2 World Cup Group L opening loss to England was the worst since he has taken charge, despite all the pre-match preparation done to combat the threat.

England’s Harry Kane scored twice in Wednesday’s first half. The opening goal came from a penalty after Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke when trying to clear a corner, and Kane was left unmarked at another corner to net his second.

“We knew everything that was going to happen, we worked on it,” Dalic told reporters on Thursday.

“I don’t remember us ever having so many tall players, but never in my tenure have we defended set pieces this poorly. In the first half they didn’t create much from open play, apart from a few situations from Madueke.

“Everything came from set pieces. Out of eight corners they had six clear chances, despite the videos and pointing out their corners and set pieces.”

Croatia responded positively to both Kane goals and went in level at the break, but their hard work was undone when Jude Bellingham put England back in front two minutes into the second half.

“That third goal killed us,” Dalic said.

“After that we couldn’t manage anything. We even tried changing the system, but it’s hard to keep coming back so many times. We lost to a faster, more aggressive and better opponent.”

Dalic, in charge since 2017, usually deploys a four-man defence, but opted to change to three at the back against England, which he had tested in recent friendlies. That decision, he said, was not the reason for their loss.

“Against an opponent of this quality, you can’t expect a good result when you gift them three goals,” Dalic said.

“The first goal came from nothing, the second the same. The problem isn’t the system. You have to defend your goal with your life.

“These were the worst-executed set pieces since I’ve been the coach. I put together a team with tall players, but it was as if they weren’t even there.”

Croatia face Panama in Toronto on Tuesday.

VANCOUVER, June 18 : Canada’s first World Cup match on the west coast delivered a resounding 6-0 victory over Qatar that brought boundless joy to long-suffering local fans in Vancouver, who witnessed their men’s national team notch their first win at a World Cup finals. 

On an otherwise jubilant afternoon at the sold-out BC Place, the only shadow that was cast was in the form of a suspected broken leg suffered by midfielder Ismael Kone after a clumsy tackle by Qatar’s Assim Madibo, but not even that could dampen the enthusiasm of the raucous home fans. 

“It’s unbelievable, it’s historic, it’s history right here. That’s a win for Vancouver, it’s the first in Canada’s history at a World Cup, and we were here to witness it,” Canada fan Mattias Cherniak told Reuters just after the final whistle as fellow supporters whooped and beamed with joy as they headed for the exits. 

Though ice hockey reigns supreme in much of Canada, diehard fans in Vancouver need little invitation to tell you that theirs is a soccer city, and if Thursday’s game was a test of that theory, the national team and their fans passed with flying colours.

The pre-game rendition of the national anthem was loud and passionate, only eclipsed by the ear-splitting roars of the red-clad fans for the game’s first two goals in the opening half-hour from Cyle Larin and Jonathan David.

TRADITIONAL THOBES

Forming a wedge off to the left behind one of the goals, fans dressed in traditional white Qatari thobes with maroon scarves cheered their team on, but the sending-off of Homam Ahmed in the 33rd minute ended any hopes they may have had of getting a positive result.

The second-half red card for Madibo for recklessly challenging Kone made their task impossible, and with Qatar down to nine men, the rest of the game looked like a power play from an ice hockey game as the Canadians retained possession and rained shots on goal.

The run-up to the World Cup in Vancouver has been a difficult one for the sport in the city, dominated by discussions around the future of the Whitecaps, the Major League Soccer team based there, and whether or not the franchise might be set for a move to Las Vegas.

On Thursday, all that faded into the background, and the win put Canada top of Group B on goal difference ahead of Switzerland who they will meet in the final group game. Should they emerge victorious from the group, they will stay in Vancouver for the first knockout round. 

“It’s huge for the future, it’s building the culture, it’s building the money, it’s everything,” Cherniak enthused, surrounded by equally jubilant family and friends.

“It is 100 per cent going to make the game more popular here – whoeverwasn’t watching the game here at the stadium, they watched it on their TV, and they’re loving it. It’s unbelievable,” he added.  

PHILADELPHIA, June 18 : Haiti manager Sebastien Migne knows his side face a monumental battle when they take on Brazil on Friday, but he said the Caribbean underdogs have everything to gain in their World Cup Group C clash.

Playing at their first World Cup since 1974, Haiti began with a 1-0 defeat by Scotland, John McGinn’s first-half goal proving decisive despite a late push in which Frantzdy Pierrot headed narrowly wide in the 85th minute.

Now comes Brazil, the five-times champions, and a match that would send shockwaves through Port-au-Prince and beyond if Haiti were to pull off the unthinkable.

“We’ll have to run more than we did against Scotland,” Migne told a press conference via translation on Thursday.

“Tomorrow we’ve got everything to gain in a match like this. It’s been 52 years since we last featured in a World Cup, and now we’re up against Brazil – we’ve got to live up to our fans’ expectations.

“It’s a privilege to be here, and I hope we can make the Haitian people proud of us.”

Migne said Haiti’s ambitions had not been dented by the loss to Scotland, insisting they had already shown they belonged on the game’s biggest stage.

“We didn’t beat Scotland, but we showed that we deserve to be here,” he said.

“The objective hasn’t changed… The objective is to try to qualify, to present a good image and to show that we deserve our place in the next round – perhaps as third-placed team.”

“It would be absolute madness in Haiti if we won this match,” he added.

“When you’re Haitian, you face more difficult times than easy ones. But when you step into the world of football, you dream of a moment like this – facing Brazil at a World Cup.”

SEATTLE, June 18 : Christian Pulisic’s availability for the United States’ crucial Group D clash with Australia in Seattle on Friday remains uncertain, coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Thursday.

The forward was instrumental in the opening 4-1 rout of Paraguay in the World Cup last week before leaving at halftime with a calf injury.

He has been training individually this week, and Pochettino said he could make a decision after consulting medical officials on Thursday evening.

“If he’s not available for tomorrow, he will be available for the next game. He’s doing a massive effort,” the Argentine told reporters.

“Christian is strong and with a great mentality and is doing a fantastic effort to try to be ready as soon as possible.”

The U.S. and Australia come into Friday’s match tied at the top of Group D, after the Socceroos’ 2-0 upset of Turkey, and a win for either will make them firm favourites to secure a better path in the knockout stage.

The U.S.’s dismantling of Paraguay has stoked excitement among fans, but Pochettino was wary of the threat posed by Australia. 

“They are a very strong team, really believing in what they are doing,” Pochettino said, adding that the U.S. need to match that focus to compete with them. 

Turkey and Paraguay face off at 8 p.m. local time on Friday in San Francisco.

SOUTHAMPTON, New York, June 18 : College student Ryder Cowan played well beyond his 21 years to take a share of the clubhouse lead in the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday, carding a two-under par 68 to tie the record for the lowest round shot by an amateur at Shinnecock Hills.

Starting on the back nine, Cowan put up four birdies against two bogeys, holding his nerve as brutally windy conditions rattled even seasoned veterans of the majors before play was suspended due to darkness in Southampton.

“I’ve really just been trying this week to focus on each shot, especially today. One at a time, not worry about what’s going on in the crowds or everything. I’m not used to all these crowds. We don’t ever really play with a lot of crowds,” said Cowan.

“I’m just trying to take it one shot at a time.”

He finished the day sharing the clubhouse lead with fellow Americans Sam Stevens and Max McGreevy, while former champion Wyndham Clark was sitting at six-under par with two holes left to play.

No amateur has won the U.S. Open since Johnny Goodman in 1933, putting Cowan against tough odds in a talented 156-player tournament, which included 12 former U.S. Open champions.

But the University of Oklahoma student said he had put in the work to feel confident on one of golf’s biggest stages. 

“I feel like all the work I put in every single day gives me that belief that I can come out here and play with anyone,” Cowan told reporters.

VANCOUVER, Canada: Canada’s first-ever World Cup win was overshadowed on Thursday (Jun 18) when midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a broken leg after a tackle that left teammates shaken and coach Jesse Marsch lamenting an injury that turned a night of celebration into one of anguish.

The 24-year-old Kone was taken off on a stretcher at BC Place after Qatar’s Assim Madibo caught him from behind in the 54th minute of Canada’s 6-0 rout, with Marsch saying the sound of the impact was audible from the sidelines.

“It happened right in front of the bench. We could all hear it,” said Marsch, who immediately recognised the severity of the injury having seen Canada’s Tajon Buchanan suffer a broken tibia during a training session at the 2024 Copa America.

“I knew right away it was similar to when Tajon got hurt in training. Everyone could hear the bones snap,” added Marsch.

The incident sparked a furious reaction from Canada’s players and staff, with some players shoving their opponents and Marsch heard demanding to know why the tackle had not drawn an immediate red card. It was later upgraded from a yellow card.

Marsch said Madibo visited Canada’s dressing room to apologise to Kone, a gesture the manager appreciated, though he reserved his anger for the reaction of the Qatar bench.

“I don’t fault him for that,” said Marsch. “But I don’t understand a reaction from their entire bench to try to start a fight about it being a red card when a clear foul just happened that broke a player’s leg.”

Kone was taken to hospital to prepare for surgery, dealing a significant blow to a Canada side that moved top of Group B with four points from two matches and firmly in contention to reach the knockout round of the expanded 48-team tournament.

Substitute Nathan Saliba, who replaced Kone, scored moments later to make it 4-0, celebrating by holding Kone’s No. 8 jersey aloft before kissing it and making the sign of the cross.

Hat-trick hero Jonathan David said the injury made it difficult for the players to stay focused. “I think we just wanted the game to end so we could all be together,” he said.

Marsch said the absence of Ivory-Coast born Kone, who plays for Sassuolo in Italy’s Serie A, would be deeply felt.

“Everybody’s a little shaken by the whole experience. Ismael is a big part of the heart of our team. He’s a bit of an X factor for us, and we’ll miss him. But I think we have good players who can step in.”

SEATTLE, June 18 : Australia beat Turkey with a perfectly executed game plan in their World Cup opener but will need to find another level to get a result against confident co-hosts the United States, coach Tony Popovic said on Thursday.

Australia began their campaign with a superb 2-0 win over Turkey, sitting deep and springing on the counter to devastating effect to give themselves a great chance of reaching the knockout stages.

However, the U.S. are also coming into the match on a high after dismantling Paraguay 4-1, though the fitness of their influential winger Christian Pulisic is a concern.

Popovic said his side should embrace the challenge of facing the U.S. in their backyard, but was under no illusions about the difficulty of their task.

“We know it will be a different type of challenge,” he told reporters. “Playing the host nation here as well is a wonderful challenge, but also a wonderful opportunity for us.

“We know that we will need to be better than we were against Turkey to get the result we want.”

He added that Australia were confident they could cause the U.S. some problems and wanted his team to keep playing as if they belong on the big stage.

“We want to earn our respect,” Popovic said. “We know that by our performances we can put Australian football on the world map and that’s what we aim to do.”

A win for either side will ensure a place in the last-32, but defender Harry Souttar – who captained Australia against Turkey with goalkeeper Mat Ryan on the bench – refused to look beyond Friday’s game.

“We’re not thinking ahead at all,” he said. “It’s literally just about the game tomorrow and how we approach it, how we start the game.

“The lads are excited, but it’s a fine balance between using that excitement and also being calm and composed.”

SYDNEY, June 19 : Australia coach Joe Schmidt on Friday named three uncapped players, including flyhalf Declan Meredith, in his squad for July’s Nations Championship tests against Ireland, France and Italy.

• Meredith was one of three flyhalves named in the squad along with Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson. Meredith’s ACT Brumbies teammate Tane Edmed was dropped after struggling for game time in Super Rugby.

• The other uncapped players were locks Lachlan Shaw and Miles Amatosero but there was no place for in-form Queensland Reds second-rower Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.

• Prop James Slipper, Australia’s most capped player, was named despite having announced his retirement last year.

• Overseas-based centre Len Ikitau, loose forward Tom Hooper as well as props Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell were included in the squad.

• Rugby league convert Zac Lomas and flyhalf Tom Lynagh were listed as unavailable for selection along with former captain Will Skelton.

• “There have been ongoing discussions amongst the coaches for a number of months and, as always, there are some very good players who have not been selected for this first international window,” said Schmidt, who will stand down and make way for Les Kiss after the three tests.

• Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Miles Amatosero, Angus Bell, Charlie Cale, Josh Canham, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Lachlan Shaw, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.

• Backs: Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Carter Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Declan Meredith, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Kalani Thomas, Corey Toole, Tom Wright.

SANTA CLARA, California June 18 : Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro on Thursday vented his fury over criticism his players endured after their opening World Cup hammering by the United States, telling media to lay off his team and send all of the punches his way.

Alfaro took full responsibility for Paraguay’s 4-1 defeat by co-hosts the United States last week and said his players must be left alone so they can get their Group D campaign back on track on Friday against Turkey. 

“Criticise me. You can shoot at me but not at them. Protect them. You know why? Because when the World Cup is over, I will be gone, but they will stay. They will remain and they will keep on representing the country,” Alfaro said, waving his finger repeatedly during a packed press conference.   

“Please hit me. Hit me. I’m going to chin up and take all of your punches. But I’m only asking you to defend the players, they are the most valuable asset that the national team has.” 

Paraguay, known as “La Albirroja”, last played in the World Cup in 2010, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in a dramatic quarter-final that marked their best run in the tournament. 

There will be little room for error for either Paraguay or Turkey in the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday after both sides suffered opening-game defeats, with Turkey beaten 2-0 by Australia. 

The two sides will have an idea mathematically of the task ahead, with the United States taking on Australia in Seattle earlier in the day.     

‘YOU CAN DESTROY THE COACH, THAT’S FINE’

Alfaro said Paraguay had been “overwhelmed and steamrolled on all fronts” against the United States but had since regrouped and would put up a good fight against Turkey. 

But as he tried to focus on the upcoming match, he became visibly vexed by questions about his opening game selection and went into another long tirade.  

“I closed the U.S. chapter on Saturday and you’re bringing me back to this U.S. chapter. Tomorrow we have a final against Turkey,” he said. 

“They are here, representing seven million people. So I would like to see you defending that jersey … you can destroy the coach, that is fine.” 

Midfielder Matias Galarza sat beside Alfaro, looking awkward at times during a heated press conference that ran well over the allotted time.   

“Well, it’s difficult to speak now, isn’t it,” Galarza said, drawing laughter from the media. 

“Obviously that game was a shock to us… The U.S. game chapter is closed and tomorrow we have a final, and that’s how we see it.”