Wales continued their strong start to life in Group D as they edged past Latvia on the road to UEFA Euro 2024 qualification.
The path to Germany is going to be a complicated one for many teams. Some nations, of course, are going to struggle more so than others, but you can never rule out a big surprise or two along the way.
In this instance, the difference proved to be a solid header from Kieffer Moore just before half time that earned the Welsh three vital points.
Today, we ll be taking a look at a few of our big takeaways from the encounter.
The Bale transition
Prior to kick-off, Wales gave record goalscorer and former talisman Gareth Bale a big send-off as he prepares for retirement. What followed, in many ways, was the legacy that he leaves behind. …
Harry Kane s goalscoring prowess has been saluted by the striker responsible for England s finest hour.
Tottenham and England star Kane is off and running this year and his brace in Saturday s 4-0 thrashing of Everton took him past Teddy Sheringham as Spurs all-time leading Premier League scorer, following a record-breaking 2017.
Kane passed Alan Shearer s previous best mark for the most Premier League goals in a calendar year with 39 in 36 games, while he also outscored Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi for club and country over the 12-month period.
He it was his remarkable feat of netting eight hat-tricks in 2017 that drew the warmest praise from England great Sir Geoff Hurst.
Hurst famously claimed the matchball when the Three Lions defea…
Premier League giants Arsenal are making ambitious plans for life after Alexis Sanchez – and possibly Mesut Ozil.
Gunners have sanctioned Sanchez’s departure to Manchester United on Monday with Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way and putting an Arsenal shirt just a year and a half after joining the Red Devils.
Arsenal are also attempting to lure Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who is the subject of transfer negotiations these last few days and it appears that Gunners could head into the next part of the season stronger than before.
With Gunners planning for the future with the arrivals of Konstantinos Mavropanos, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and possibly Aubameyang, Wenger is looking to add more quality to his ranks.
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Returning England striker Wayne Rooney believes his country has a good opportunity to feature in the later stages of Euro 2012.
The Manchester United striker will be recalled to the English line-up on Tuesday for their Group D match against co-host Ukraine after serving a two-match suspension.
And after encouraging first-up results against France (1-1 draw) and Sweden (3-2 win), Rooney is confident they have what it takes to reach the pointy end of the competition.
Obviously you need a bit of luck as well, but we ve got a good opportunity, Rooney said.
We ve got the squad and are more organised than we have been as long as I ve been in the squad.
If England finish runner-up in their group, there s a good chance they will face Spain in the qua…
Germany coach Joachim Loew hailed his team s landmark achievement after they defeated Greece to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2012.
Loew has guided Germany to the last four of three successive international tournaments, and he served as assistant to Juergen Klinsmann when the team reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup on home soil in 2006.
They swept past Greece with a comfortable 4-2 win in Gdansk on Friday, and will now take on Italy or England for a place in the final.
It is an achievement of class by this team (to have reached a semi-final for the fourth consecutive time). I think we all can be proud of this team, Loew told ZDF.
Greece came from behind to level at 1-1 in the 55th minute of the match at the PGA Arena, before Germany scored th…
The Premier League s big-money clubs are circling for Aston Villa s Jack Grealish.
The England midfielder is drawing interest from multiple suitors keen to lure him away from Villa Park.
Could a move be on the cards after the Euros?
TOP STORY – BLUES WANT GREALISH
Chelsea are strong contenders to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, Football Insider reports.
The England international has also drawn interest from Manchester City, but the Blues involvement could change the dynamic.
Football Insider claims owner Roman Abramovich has approved the type of expenditures that would be necessary to land players like Grealish, and winning the Champions League will only loosen the reins on Chelsea s spending.
FI SOURC…
Paulo Dybala is frustrated at continuous speculation over his Juventus future, claiming the rumours pit the fans against him.
Dybala got off the mark in Serie A this season in his seventh appearance as he opened the scoring in a 3-1 win against Genoa on Sunday, with a pair of Cristiano Ronaldo penalties wrapping up the points after Stefano Sturaro s equaliser.
Former Palermo prodigy Dybala cut in from the right flank, got the better of a defender and picked out the bottom-right corner for what was just his second goal of the season across all competitions.
It has been a difficult start to the season for the 27-year-old, who received the plaudits of coach Andrea Pirlo after the final whistle.
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
Dybala s dea…
After months of counting down, stars Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Arturo Vidal and Sergio Aguero will descend on the United States for the special centenary edition of the Copa America.
For the first time in history, the showpiece tournament will take place outside of South America, with USA staging the event, christened the Copa America Centenario.
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the tournament, six countries from CONCACAF will join the 10 CONMEBOL members in vying to be crowned Copa America champions.
Title holders Chile are bidding to become the first nation since Brazil in 2007 to go back-to-back, after lifting the trophy 12 months ago, though they will have to get past heavyweights Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
that Arsenal will not be making a move to sign Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez, with their sights firmly set fellow Foxes man Jamie Vardy.
Both were stand out performers as the East Midlands’ outfit secured a shock title win last month, though it is only England international Vardy that the Gunners are interested in.
Mahrez set the Premier League alight last season with seventeen assists and eleven goals form that saw him named the PFA Player of the Season.
However, he now looks to be off Arsenal’s radar which will be music to the ears of his other potential suitors.
Since signing for Leicester from Le Harve in the January 2014, Mahrez has racked up ninety appearances in all competitions, scoring twenty-five goals.
He has been capped t…
Wales captain Aaron Ramsey and Brennan Johnson will miss next week’s vital Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia.
Both players have been omitted from Rob Page’s squad for their friendly against Gibraltar on October 11 and Group D qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium on October 15.
Ramsey damaged his right knee in training last month and there are fears the 32-year-old midfielder may need surgery after missing Cardiff’s last five games.
CARFAN CYMRU
Barod am Wrecsam a Caerdydd
— Wales
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