Latest news with #internationalfootball
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Football Ferns 'nowhere near' the required level in loss to Venezuela, coach says
While Annalie Longo has signed off as Wellington Phoenix captain she played for the Football Ferns in this morning's 3-1 loss to Venezuela. Photo: Photosport Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne isn't ruling out benching his starting players for the next international match after a comprehensive 3-1 loss to Venezuela in Spain. The Ferns were behind 2-1 at halftime on Sunday morning in the first of two games against the South Americans, with Venezuela sealing the result in the 86th minute with their third strike. "There are some questions for me to answer about some individual performances and how they help the team," Mayne said. "There are some pretty motivated players and hungry players who want to have an impact in this next game. "We need to learn very quickly and the team that takes the field on Wednesday, we need to make sure that we react very positively in that game and look for the result that we need." Having been named full-time coach just last week, Mayne admits they weren't at their best, with a host of problems in defence. "To concede three goals like we did, all very similar goals, we were nowhere near the level we needed to be at in and around our box," Mayne said. Mayne is settling in after his appointment to lead the team for the Women's World Cup 2027 cycle. Looking ahead to the second game, Mayne stressed the importance of learning quickly and bouncing back. "We're a senior international team and need to perform despite being early in the cycle," Mayne said. "I felt we were one or two touches away from really opening them up. "I don't think it was all doom and gloom but we're working on a new system. "The way we tried to press, and that's where our goal came from, worked really well." Katie Kitching equalised for the Ferns after Venezuela opened the scoring in the 25th minute through Deyna Castellanos. The South Americans responded quickly, regaining the lead just before halftime with Mariana Romero finishing an attack down the right-hand side, assisted by Gabriela García. Despite the positive momentum, Venezuela extended their lead in the 86th minute with a long-range strike from Malanie Chirinos. Ferns midfielder Betsy Hassett marked a special milestone as she played again at the international level for the first time since giving birth to a daughter last September. The 34-year-old campaigner initially returned to her club in Iceland just months after becoming a mother. The Football Ferns will take on Venezuela again early on Wednesday morning. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
YouTube-taught and Malaysia-proud: Harimau Malaya newbie Palmero belts out ‘Negaraku' before Cape Verde draw (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — The latest Harimau Malaya heritage player, Gabriel Palmero, turned to YouTube to memorise the national anthem Negaraku ahead of his international debut against Cape Verde in a Tier 1 international match here last night. The 23-year-old defender, who performed impressively, said he practised hard to sing Negaraku as best as he could. 'I tried. I watched YouTube and practised a lot to sing the anthem,' he told reporters after the friendly, which saw Malaysia hold world number 72 Cape Verde to a 1-1 draw at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras. The match saw Paulo Josue get off the bench to score an equaliser in the 79th minute and deny Cape Verde victory after Sidny Lopes Cabral had given them an early eighth-minute lead. Palmero, who played for about 80 minutes before being substituted, impressed on the right side and came close to scoring himself after his long-range strike hit the post in just the seventh minute. The Spanish CD Tenerife B player said he had no issues adapting to his new teammates and that helped him perform well in the game. 'My English isn't perfect but I try to speak and communicate. Football is a universal language, so it's easy to connect with my teammates on the pitch,' he said. Malaysia will face Cape Verde a second time in a friendly played behind closed doors at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3). The friendlies against Cape Verde are part of Malaysia's preparations for the crucial games against Vietnam in their second Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium on June 10. Vietnam and Malaysia jointly top the group with three points each after winning their opening matches. — Bernama
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Players' club successes can help NI careers
Northern Ireland first team coach Steven Davis says recent successes enjoyed by members of Michael O'Neill's squad at club level should help their progression in the international game.A number of players were part of crucial occasions for their teams in recent weeks ahead of Northern Ireland's forthcoming friendlies away to Denmark on 7 June and home to Iceland on 10 June."You just have to look at some of the individual seasons the players have had, obviously Conor [Bradley] winning the Premier League [with Liverpool], Justin Devenny winning the FA Cup [with Crystal Palace] and Trai Hume and Dan Ballard being promoted to the Premier League with Sunderland," said Davis in an interview with BBC Sport NI."It's vital that the players continue to progress at their clubs and that's what they're doing, they just have to continue to develop. "Ultimately they come in better placed into the international set-up if that's the case."The 140-times capped international reflected that there had been "a lot of progression within the group over the last 12 or 18 months" with a series of positive results and the team topping their Nations League upcoming friendly double-header will act as preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying in September."These games are vital because the time you get with the players is so limited in international football so whenever you do get together it's important you maximise that time, reinforce your ideas and add layers to them. "The level of opposition in the two games will test us too."We're coming up against stiff opposition [in World Cup qualifying] in Germany, Slovakia and Luxembourg, it's a difficult group but these two games coming up are great preparation for us." 'Seeing a different side of O'Neill' Davis says he is enjoying working under O'Neill as part of his backroom team."He's demanding, which he should be and you have to be. He's very detailed. I thought that as a player too. "Obviously you get to see a little bit of a different side as part of the coaching staff and we spend a lot of time together analysing things."He's very open to our opinions as coaching staff, which is great for me, you can give your opinions, and ultimately he makes the decisions."The former Rangers midfielder is currently working towards his Uefa Pro Licence qualification and explains that he harbours ambitions of being a manager one day."You only get it [coaching ability] by getting experience, by being in and around it. That's the best learning curve you can get - real life situations, and more time on the grass as well. That's how you develop."We'll see where it takes us. I do eventually have ambitions to be a manager but at this moment in time it's important I continue to learn."
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Mane to miss Senegal matches against Ireland and England
Sadio Mane will not play for Senegal in next month's internationals against the Republic of Ireland and England after asking to be excused for the two friendly matches. Mane is the only major absentee from a 26-man squad unveiled by coach Pape Thiaw on Tuesday. Advertisement "It's a personal decision that is his private business, and I respect that as a coach," Thiaw told a press conference. The 33-year-old Mane, who has won 111 caps for the west Africa country, has been subjected to criticism for his last performances for Senegal in March, where they drew with Sudan but beat Togo in World Cup qualifiers. Thiaw named one newcomer in midfielder Mamadou Lamine Camara, who won the African Confederation Cup on Sunday with his Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane. There are returns to the squad after missing the March qualifiers for seven players, including Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye from Everton. Senegal take on Ireland in the Aviva Stadium on June 6th and England in Nottingham on June 10th.
CNA
5 days ago
- General
- CNA
Mane to miss Senegal matches against Ireland, England
Sadio Mane will not play for Senegal in next month's internationals against Ireland and England after asking to be excused for the two friendly matches. Mane is the only major absentee from a 26-man squad unveiled by coach Pape Thiaw on Tuesday. "It's a personal decision that is his private business, and I respect that as a coach," Thiaw told a press conference. The 33-year-old Mane, who has won 111 caps for the west Africa country, has been subjected to criticism for his last performances for Senegal in March, where they drew with Sudan but beat Togo in World Cup qualifiers. Thiaw named one newcomer in midfielder Mamadou Lamine Camara, who won the African Confederation Cup on Sunday with his Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane. There are returns to the squad after missing the March qualifiers for seven players, including Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye from Everton. Senegal take on Ireland in Dublin on June 6 and England in Nottingham on June 10. Squad: Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Rodez), Yevhann Diouf (Stade Reims), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli) Defenders: Abdou Diallo (Al Arabi), El Hadj Malick Diouf (Slavia Prague), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Moussa Niakhate (Olympique Lyonnais), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa) Midfielders: Lamine Camara (Monaco), Mamadou Lamine Camara (Renaissance Berkane), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Habib Diarra (Racing Strasbourg), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur) Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Lazio), Idrissa Gueye (Metz), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Cherif Ndiaye (Red Star Belgrade), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Abdallah Sima (Stade Brest).
