The rest of the World Cup semi finalist field will be filled out on Saturday. England and France square off in the marquee matchup of the knockout round....
England's Raheem Sterling to Return to World Cup amid Investigation into Burglary
Dec 8, 2022
AL KHOR, QATAR - NOVEMBER 25: Raheem Stirling of England during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and USA at Al Bayt Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images)
England will reportedly have one of their marquee players available for Saturday's highly anticipated World Cup quarterfinal match against France.
James Olley of ESPN noted that Raheem Sterling will rejoin the squad Friday after returning to England because there was a robbery at his home.
"The Chelsea forward temporarily left to attend to a family matter but is now expected to rejoin the squad in Al Wakrah on Friday (9 December) ahead of the quarter-final with France," a statement from the Football Association read.
Sterling left the team ahead of its 3-0 victory over Senegal on Sunday.
"It is a private matter with him, but it's never easy to see one of your teammates and friends have to deal with something like that," England captain Harry Kane told reporters. "We will take it day by day and take the best decision for him and his family. From us as a team we send him our best and hope to see him as soon as possible."
Manager Gareth Southgate echoed those sentiments and said, "Sometimes football isn't the most important thing and family should come first."
According to Olley, police have arrested two people. However, "the men are not believed to be involved in a second incident, a reported armed break-in, which is alleged to have taken place last Saturday evening."
Police told BBC nobody was home at the time of the break-in.
Sterling started two games for England during the group stage and notched a goal and an assist during their opening 6-2 victory over Iran.
His side may need plenty of offensive firepower to keep up with France, who are the reigning World Cup champions and feature Kylian Mbappé as the centerpiece of their offensive attack. Mbappé scored twice in his team's round-of-16 win over Poland.
Sterling, who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, is joint-22nd on England's scoring charts with 20 goals in 81 appearances for his country.
England's Raheem Sterling Leaves World Cup as Police Investigate Burglary at His Home
Dec 4, 2022
England's Raheem Sterling looks down the field during the World Cup group B soccer match between England and The United States, at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor , Qatar, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Raheem Sterling didn't play for England during Sunday's 3-0 win over Senegal at the Qatar World Cup after his Surrey home was reportedly broken into on Saturday as part of an armed robbery, per ESPN's James Olley.
"A spokesperson for Sterling said the burglary was carried out by armed intruders while his family were home," according to the BBC. However, the BBC noted that "Surrey Police said no-one was at home at the time and no threats of violence were involved."
Sterling was granted permission to travel back to England, according to Olley.
A spokesperson for Sterling said that "as soon as he was alerted he wanted to get home, concerned for the well-being of his children," according to the BBC.
"We've got to give him time to try to resolve that or be there for his family," England manager Gareth Southgate told reporters after Sunday's match. "That's the most important thing at this time. So we are going to give him that space.
"It didn't impact team selection," he added. "I spent a lot of time with Raheem this morning. You know you have days where events happen, and you have to deal with them. He is on his way home, and we're obviously mindful of him being allowed space and privacy respected so we aren't going to talk in too much detail.
Per ESPN's report, many of Sterling's family and friends—including his girlfriend and two of his children—are with him in Qatar, while his mother is in London.
The Chelsea winger started England's first two games in the group stage and has posted a goal and an assist in the tournament. Phil Foden served as the team's starter on the left wing in the last two contests and had two assists on Sunday.
It's a testament to England's depth that they could replace a player of Sterling's caliber with one of Manchester City's starting attackers and star performers.
For his teammates, Sterling taking the time to focus on his family took top priority.
"Our thoughts are with him and his family," starting striker and team captain Harry Kane said of Sterling after the match. "It's a private matter, but it's never easy to see one of your teammates and friends deal with something like that. We'll have to take it day by day. I'm sure Raheem will speak to the manager and take the best decision for him and his family. That's the most important thing. We send him our best wishes and hope to see him as soon as possible."
England's 'Unbelievable' Jude Bellingham Wows Fans in World Cup 2022 Win vs. Senegal
Dec 4, 2022
England's midfielder #08 Jordan Henderson (L) celebrates with England's midfielder #22 Jude Bellingham after he scored his team's first goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between England and Senegal at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha on December 4, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Some of the most exciting young talent in football has been on display at this year's World Cup. Jude Bellingham is on the short list.
The England midfielder was transcendent during Sunday's 3-0 win over Senegal, notching an assist, playing a key role in all three goals (scored by Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka) and generally bossing the middle of the pitch.
It's important to remember that Bellingham is just 19, and on Sunday he was the best player on the pitch—an impressive feat considering the staggering talent on display for England.
Suffice to say, football Twitter was more than a little smitten with the youngster:
The result was perhaps a bit harsh on Senegal, which played well for much of the first half and had a number of chances to take the early lead.
But England held on, broke the dam and have now outscored their opponents 12-2 at this World Cup in four games with an impressive display of attacking efficiency. (While United States men's national team fans will be disappointed with Saturday's 3-1 loss against the Netherlands, they'll take some consolation from the fact that their young team held England to a scoreless draw.)
That attacking prowess will be tested in the quarterfinals, however, against a France squad that has outscored its opponents 9-4 in four games and features the otherworldly Kylian Mbappe, who is already on five goals by himself.
It's set up to be a brilliant showdown between two European rivals, as the Euro 2020 runners-up look to unseat the defending World Cup champions. The Three Lions haven't won the World Cup since 1966—it's only fitting that they'll have to go through the current holders to end that streak.
It's a tall task, but having one of the world's most exciting young players in Bellingham leaves England with a real shot.
World Cup 2022 Scores: Sunday's Results and Monday's Round of 16 Schedule
Dec 4, 2022
DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 04: Olivier Giroud of France celebrates with team mate Kylian Mbappe on becoming the all-time leading goalscorer for the France National team after scoring to give the side a 1-0 lead during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between France and Poland at Al Thumama Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Youssef Loulidi/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Two of Europe’s most successful men’s soccer teams landed spots in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on Sunday.
France used a 3-1 win to eliminate Poland and continue their title defense.
England benefited from a pair of first-half goals to start the scoring against Senegal and set up a final-eight clash with Les Bleus.
The two sides have had plenty of meetings in their history, but the quarterfinal showdown between the two sides will be their first World Cup match since 1982.
France 3, Poland 1
France’s top two goal scorers carried it into the final eight.
Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the 44th minute. Giroud surpassed Thierry Henry on the top of France’s all-time men's scoring chart with the first-half tally.
GIROUD 🇫🇷
Take another look at the goal that made him the all-time leading scorer for the France men's national team pic.twitter.com/ud7UqwZKP4
Robert Lewandowski missed his initial penalty, but it was ordered to be retaken after Hugo Lloris was off his line when he saved the Barcelona forward's first attempt. Lewandowski did not waste his second chance, as he deposited his second World Cup goal into the net past the French captain.
The goal might have been the last for Lewandowski at the World Cup. He will be 37 in 2026 when the tournament comes to North America.
England 3, Senegal 0.
England followed a similar pattern of play as France to get ahead of Senegal.
The Three Lions waited until the end of the first half to break into the lead, but they took it one step further than France by scoring twice before halftime.
Jordan Henderson put the Three Lions in front in the 38th minute. Jude Bellingham set up the goal with a run down the left side of the box.
England has scored at least three goals in three of its four games in Qatar. The Three Lions may need that attacking firepower to keep up with Mbappé and Co. on Saturday afternoon.
Senegal departed the tournament without a goal in the knockout round. The Lions of Teranga put together a fantastic effort throughout their four games even without the injured Sadio Mané.
England has been a fixture in the knockout round of major tournaments for the last decade. The Three Lions were the UEFA Euro 2020 runner-up, a semifinalist at...
Marcus Rashford Draws Rave Reviews from Twitter as England Tops Wales at World Cup
Nov 29, 2022
England's Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup group B soccer match between England and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Gareth Southgate decided to give Marcus Rashford his first start at this year's World Cup on Tuesday against Wales. The Manchester United man made the most of the opportunity.
Rashford's brace led England to a 3-0 win over Wales that clinched the top spot in Group B for the country at seven points.
Southgate taking the chance to use his squad now. Again, wise decision. He's changed this up perfectly so far tonight. First half was awful but he's reacted.
But the day belonged to Rashford, who more than earned his plaudits from football Twitter:
Marcus Rashford is the first #MUFC player to score three goals at a major tournament for England since Sir Bobby Charlton at the 1966 World Cup.👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/TnlQpxcSQ2
Brilliant hit by Rashford. Should’ve taken the one in the first-half as the goalie was Ward, who was so poor there. Southgate right to start Rashford and Foden and those calls look even better now. Wales utterly forlorn
Rashford's three goals at the tournament tie him atop the Golden Boot standings with France's Kylian Mbappé, the Netherland's Cody Gapko and Ecuador's Enner Valencia.
He has presented an interesting choice for Southgate, who opted to start Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka on the wings in the first two matches. That decision wasn't controversial in a 6-2 win over Iran—Saka notched a brace, and Sterling added a goal—but it was called into question after a scoreless draw against the United States.
It's a good problem for a manager. England has a wealth of options in the attack around Harry Kane, a fixture at the No. 9, and all offer their own benefits. Rashford, for one, offers direct running and excellent finishing, as he showed Tuesday.
Getting the equation right will be a big key for Southgate as Senegal looms in the round of 16. Rashford has made his case, but we'll find out if he locked down a starting spot.
World Cup 2022 Scores: Tuesday's Results and Wednesday's Schedule
Nov 29, 2022
DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 29: Christian Pulisic of USA gestures during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between IR Iran and USA at Al Thumama Stadium on November 29, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Mohammad Karamali/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
The United States men's national team advanced to the knockout round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a 1-0 win over Iran on Tuesday afternoon.
Christian Pulisic's 38th-minute goal was the difference between the Americans finishing in second place in Group B and going home from Qatar.
The Americans took second behind England, who had a much more comfortable day in Qatar by winning 3-0 over Wales.
The wins by the USMNT and England confirmed the first two matches of the knockout round. The Americans take on Group A winner Netherlands on Saturday, while England and Group A runner-up Senegal square off on Sunday.
Netherlands and Senegal had similar experiences on Monday as the two teams in the same positions as them in Group B. The Dutch finished off a miserable home World Cup for Qatar with two goals, while Senegal battled to a 2-1 win over Ecuador.
Group B
1. England - 7 points
2. United States - 5
3. Iran - 3
4. Wales - 1
Tuesday Results
United States 1, Iran 0
England 3, Wales 0
The United States relied on its highest-profile player to advance into the knockout round.
Christian Pulisic connected with a Sergiño Dest cross in the 38th minute to give the Americans the three points required to advance to the round of 16.
Dest and Antonee Robinson challenged the Iranian defense down the flanks for most of the first half, but they were unable to play a perfect ball into the box until Dest's assist on Pulisic's goal.
The Americans appeared to have a second goal in the back of the net right before halftime, but Timothy Weah was ruled narrowly offside.
Iran played much better in the second half, as it had to secure at least a draw to make it out of Group B.
Iran came close on a few occasions, but none of its shots significantly challenged USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner.
The American win set up a round-of-16 clash with the Netherlands. That will be the first of eight round-of-16 matches to be played in Qatar.
England became the fourth European nation to secure safe passage into the round of 16, and the Three Lions confirmed that UEFA had the first two group winners in Qatar.
Marcus Rashford brought the English attack to life five minutes into the second half with a stunning free-kick goal.
The Manchester United forward has three goals in Qatar. He added to his World Cup tally with a goal in the 68th minute.
Phil Foden became the sixth player to find the back of the net for England just a minute after Rashford opened the scoring. Foden knocked in a brilliant cross from the right wing off Harry Kane's boot.
England advanced to the knockout round without Kane, who is the reigning Golden Boot winner at the World Cup, finding the back of the net.
The well-rounded English attack will take on Senegal in the round of 16. The Three Lions are trying to reach the semifinals of their third straight major tournament. They finished in fourth place at the 2018 World Cup and were the runner-up at UEFA Euro 2020.
Group A
1. Netherlands - 7 points
2. Senegal - 6
3. Ecuador - 4
4. Qatar - 0
Tuesday Results
Netherlands 2, Qatar 0
Senegal 2, Ecuador 1
A three-minute stretch in the second half was the turning point in the fight for second place in Group A.
Senegal came out of that stretch on top through Kalidou Koulibaly's 70th-minute strike, which was his first-ever international goal.
Caicedo's strike appeared to give Ecuador the result it needed to go through with the Netherlands, but Senegal came up huge in a must-win spot to answer the goal from the Brighton and Hove Albion player.
Senegal is through to the knockout round for the second time in national team history. The Lions of Teranga made it to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
The Netherlands cruised into the knockout round as the Group A winner with a 2-0 win over Qatar.
Cody Gakpo continued to make his case as the breakout player of the tournament. as he netted his third goal of the competition in the first half.
The 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven player scored three of the five Dutch goals in the group stage. He will likely will not remain at PSV much longer after the World Cup. He was already on the radars of Europe's top clubs and his transfer value may be at its highest in January.
Qatar finished the group stage with zero points and a single goal. Qatar became the first host nation to lose all three games at the World Cup.
