Latest from Taqadoum
South Wales Argus
26 minutes ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Wiegman believes 'urgency' of group stages will help in knockouts
Having lost their opening game to France, the Lionesses faced two must-win fixtures against the Netherlands and Wales as they chased qualification for the knockout stages. They passed both tests with flying colours, beating the Oranje Leeuwinnen 4-0 before strolling to 6-1 victory over Wales to finish second in Group D. 'We have built momentum also from the France game. That really brought us together because everyone really wanted to perform,' explained Wiegman. 'In the Netherlands game we created momentum by playing really well and playing to our strengths and you could see the togetherness. '[Against Wales] was a very different game because we knew we would have the ball a lot and we wanted to do well on the ball. Most of the game we did that. 'We are in a good place and we are really happy going into that but at the same time we know that Sweden is going to be a totally different game than it was tonight.' The quarter-final draw pits England against familiar foe Sweden in a showdown at Stadion Letzigrund on Thursday evening. Their opponents will want revenge having lost to the Lionesses 4-0 in the semi-finals of Euro 2022 at Bramall Lane. It means if England do progress they avoid Spain on their route to the final, but Wiegman insists she could not think about possible permutations during the group stage. 'In tournaments, it's really hard to start thinking, 'Oh [we] want to go this way [in the draw]. You are just trying to win every game and see where you finish in the group,' she said. 'If you want to be successful in the tournament then you have to win every game and that is how we approach it. 'It is just what you have in front of you. We have three days now and then we go again. We have been in this rhythm this tournament so far and it's really nice that we don't have to travel that far. 'From what I have seen, it wasn't the most intense game today so that helps of course. So we're in a good position and will look to recover well.' Sweden will enter the clash after a resounding 4-1 victory over one of the tournament favourites Germany as they topped Group C. England, meanwhile, faced an easier task against Wales but took the three points with ease as they won 6-1 with six different scorers. But Wiegman expects a much tougher task from their upcoming opponents who will play a different style again to anything England faced in their group. 'They are always a team, they are always very powerful, they have speed up front and on the counter-attack, they are really good,' she added to ITV Sport. 'It is a hard team to beat, they have done really well in the group, they have won three games. 'We'll see, we'll get ready first, recover from this one and then we go again against Sweden in Zurich.'
South Wales Argus
26 minutes ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Jack van Poortvliet: Patient England earned their reward
The Leicester Tigers scrum-half came off the bench to score a 79th-minute try at the Estadio San Juan Bicentenario to clinch a 22-17 win over Los Pumas. It came after a second half that had been played almost exclusively in Argentinian territory, with Van Poortvliet explaining how the team did not panic, even as they let chance after chance go begging. In the end though, a muscular break from Guy Pepper, in only his second cap, ended with Van Poortvliet collecting an offloading and racing over for the match-winner. He said: 'There was a lot of frustration that we couldn't score. I think the whole 25 minutes I was on it was pretty much in their half. And we were just not quite getting there. We'd have a half break and not be able to finish it off. We knew we were doing the right things but we just couldn't get that last bit. 'We just said, 'be patient, it'll come. Keep doing the basics, keep getting the ruck right, because they kept competing at the ruck; keep getting the edge right and things like that to try and expose them'. We got there eventually. We knew if we kept banging the door we'd get a chance and luckily we had one in the end.' It completes an impressive fortnight in Argentina for England, having won the first Test in La Plata 35-12 last Saturday. All that was achieved without 13 players away on Lions duty, while Jamie George was a late withdrawal for this encounter after he was called up as a replacement for Luke Cowan-Dickie, with the England co-captain watching from the stands. For Van Poortvliet, who made his England debut on a summer tour of Australia three years ago, the way this inexperienced team has stepped up can only bode well for the future. He added: 'I love touring with England. I think probably the best experience before this tour is probably my first tour in the Australia tour I had with England. 'To come here and do that and to have a moment like that at the end was really special. I've loved these last three weeks. They've been absolutely brilliant. To cap it off with another win was amazing. 'I just think it shows the talent and depth that there is in this country. You've seen the quality of the under-20s teams there's been in the last few years. They're now all coming through. Tours like these are brilliant for people to take their opportunity and keep piling on pressure. 'It's amazing to see the boys away with Lions doing so well, but they go away and it's your opportunity to try and put your hand up. So many people have done that. It only increases competition for when everyone's back in the autumn. It shows what a good place English rugby is in at the minute. 'Coming off the back of a strong end to the Six Nations and then to build to this with a new group and to keep pushing forward is promising. It shows the depth we have in this country. 'We think we've got so much further to go. We're excited where we are right now, but we can take it so much further and we know that as a group. We're excited to try and do that.' Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Houthis Demonstrate New Tactics in Red Sea Vessel Attacks
Videos released by Yemen's Houthi rebels showed what it said was the sinking of two Greek-owned ships. WSJ's Benoit Faucon explains how the attacks show that the militant group remains a potent threat. Sign in to access your portfolio
Daily Record
26 minutes ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers players true feelings on Celtic escape Ibrox dressing room as 49ers 'marker' goes beyond £40m gauntlet
Colin Hendry is a big fan of the new Ibrox boss and reckons he will be a hit this season Former Rangers defender Colin Hendry insists the Ibrox dressing room are "fed up" watching Celtic dominate Scottish football. And he insists the new owners 49ers Enterprises will know Russell Martin 's real task is to dethrone the Hoops - not the Champions League clash with Panathinaikos. Back in 2021, Hendry was left impressed by Martin during his time at MK Dons as he discussed a move for his son Callum from St Johnstone to the English Football League side. The transfer didn't materialise but the ex-Scotland international has continued to track the progress of Martin - and is delighted to see him in the Ibrox hot seat. But he reckons that the route to Europe's elite competition and a £40million league phase jackpot doesn't matter as much to Martin and the Rangers' support as catching Brendan Rodgers' men. And he reckons he knows exactly how James Tavernier and Co will feel about watching Callum McGregor regularly bring silverware to Celtic Park. Hendry told The Sunday Post: "Russell would have been 34 or 35 at the time and it was his first few weeks in the job at MK Dons. "We met for an hour and I was impressed. He was young, he was enthusiastic and he was honest. Russell showed me that he had something about him. I left the meeting thinking that I was going to follow his career. "There is no doubt Russell will have learned so much from those four or five months in the EPL (with Southampton). Rangers will get the benefit of that. "It is not going to be easy for him, that's for sure. It's a massive ask to go to Rangers and turn them into title winners. But that's what he has signed up for. "He knows the level of expectation and he knows that he will need to deliver. Rangers is a massive football club and they want success. They are fed up seeing Celtic being so dominant. "The Champions League tie against Panathinaikos will be important, of course it is. But the true marker is what the club does in the Premiership. "Winning the league is what truly matters. Last season, the team showed that they could beat Celtic. But the true marker is what the club does in the Premiership. "But it was going to Motherwell, St Mirren and Hibernian. They are the fixtures where they faltered. They need to get that right. "I found it tough psychologically, with the demands of having to win but not just by one goal. No, the fans wanted us to win by three or four. "That's what Rangers is about. But that kind of pressure isn't for everyone. Whether a manager or a player, you need to have something special about you to cope with that every week. "It's been clear in the past decade or so that too many people at Rangers haven't been up to the task and it needs to change."
Daily Mirror
27 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Drake's rapper pal stabbed in London hours after Wireless Festival set
A rapper was stabbed hours after Drake's last set at Wireless Festival. The injured musician from Canada named Top5 was stabbed in the leg by a gang as they surrounded his vehicle in North London. The star, whose real name is Hassan Ali, had earlier took in the Drake set. Shocking footage shows a group climbing on top of a white Mercedes before stamping on its windscreen. The clip showed thugs kicking the vehicle and person inside as others try to record the incident on their phones. Another parked vehicle also appeared to be targeted. Moments later, the driver of the Mercedes was able to make a swift getaway while the boot was still open and windscreen damaged. The incident came shortly after Top5 had shared clips of himself on his Instagram. In the uploads, Top5 was seen enjoying Drake's set from a VIP section near the stage.
