Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset is confident having “destiny in our hands” will help his side secure qualification for the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Defeat to Nigeria last time out has left the hosts third in Group A and while that could be good enough to secure their progress as the four third-best finishes also get through, Gasset wants to make sure against Equatorial Guinea.
The 2015 AFCON champions play the Group A leaders in Abidjan on Monday.
“Like all matches, we will attack to win. Today we are third but we have our destiny in hand. We know that if we win we will qualify,” Gasset told a press conference.
“We have to have confidence, we are playing in front of our public, you have to believe in it.”
Ivory…
Leicester City defender Ricardo Pereira will miss the rest of the season and most likely Euro 2020 after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament.
The Portugal international hurt his knee during Leicester s 4-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Monday.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed the right-back will be unavailable for selection for the rest of the campaign.
We ve got Ricardo Pereira who will be out for the rest of the season. He had a challenge and has hurt his ACL, Rodgers said on Thursday.
He s not had an operation. He s just with the medical team. It s a blow for us. It s an opportunity for someone else. It s a shame.
You ve just got to see how the player reacts. You re looking between four to six months.
That will be t…
Pep Guardiola is unsure on the severity of Erling Haaland s injury ahead of Manchester City s crucial clash with Arsenal.
City got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
With Arsenal having dropped points against Brentford on Saturday, a win at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday would see City move top of the Premier League, albeit the Gunners would still have a game in hand.
Yet Haaland s status for that game is unclear after the striker, who assisted Ilkay Gundogan for City s second goal, went off at half-time against Villa with a knock.
I don t know, he had a big knock, he was uncomfortable, Guardiola, who was managing his 250th Premier League game, told Sky Sports when asked about Haaland.
At 3-0…
Andrea Pirlo expects to have Paulo Dybala available again as Juventus bring the curtain down on 2020 at home to Fiorentina on Tuesday.
Dybala, who has been the subject of transfer speculation amid tricky contract negotiations, missed Saturday s big 4-0 win at Parma due to a thigh injury.
The Argentina international has started only five games in Serie A this term, making eight appearances in the competition in total.
His production when on the pitch has also been underwhelming, with one goal from 23 shots while failing to register an assist despite creating 14 chances.
But Pirlo talked up the forward s talents at the weekend and was optimistic he would return against Fiorentina, with encouraging news following on Monday.
Someone is better: Paulo …
If a statement win was what Manchester City were after against Arsenal on Wednesday, then they got it.
City thrashed the Premier League leaders 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium to close the gap to the Gunners to two points, and Pep Guardiola s side still have two games in hand.
The reigning champions play again on Sunday, with a trip to Fulham on the cards. Arsenal, meanwhile, are next in action on Tuesday, when they host struggling Chelsea, who have lost every game under interim boss Frank Lampard.
At the other end of the table, Leicester City face Everton in a relegation six-pointer. In the race for Europe, Tottenham travel to Liverpool.
Fulham v Manchester City
City have won their last 13 meetings with Fulham in all competitions, only winning more con…
Competition: Euro 2016
Market: France to win against Iceland
Odds:
France welcome Iceland to the Stade de France for tonight’s Euro 2016 quarter-final clash, and are big favourites to come out on top to book their place in the semi-finals.
Les Blues are unbeaten in the European Championships, and will fancy their chances of progressing given home advantage this evening.
France made it this far after topping Group A with seven points from a possible nine, conceding just one goal. Didier Deschamps beat Albania and Romania in the group stages, and dispatched of the Republic of Ireland in the last-16.
Victory at the Stade de France tonight would see them into the semi-finals of the competition against World champions Germany, but their oppone…
England manager Roy Hodgson admits Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker is a doubt for Euro 2012.
The tireless Parker has become an integral part of the England team over the past few seasons but could be a huge miss as the tournament edges closer.
Hodgson, who named his squad on Wednesday, is unsure whether Parker will be available, but remains optimistic.
Scott s had an injection which will probably take a week for us to see if it s been successful or not, Hodgson told reporters.
He could still miss out, although from what I m hearing, it won t be a problem. He s very confident.
We ve got until the 29 May to finalise the squad and I may still have a call to make on that one if it s looking dubious, if there is a doubt.
I ll have that …
On the 2018 World Cup s longest day, the fan park where it never goes dark felt like the most appropriate place to watch the late kick-off.
St. Petersburg s big-screen bonanza resides in a picturesque city-center location, in the shadow of the beautiful Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Croatia s 2-0 win over Nigeria was not quick to live up to the setting.
Following Iceland s latest precision slingshot to the eye of a footballing Goliath, fans from around the world rubbed shoulders and got into a party atmosphere reaching fever pitch as Peru laid fruitless siege to Denmark and Kasper Schmeichel s goal.
It had been a sun-soaked day spent aboard a giddying carousel of the best the international game had to offer, but Croatia and Nigeria got underway in Kali…
Germany midfielder Torsten Frings insists his side are capable of winning Euro 2008 in June to be crowned European champions for the fourth time.
We have what it is takes to be champions, said Frings on the German Football League (DFL) website after Germany won the European Championships in 1972, 1980 and 1996.
But we belong to a group of favorites which includes France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
Frings has missed most of the season after suffering three knee injuries and has only played eight matches for Werder Bremen this season.
His last appearance for the Germany team was in October 2007, but national coach Joachim Loew is set to name him on May 16 when he unveils his 23-man squad for Euro 2008.
Torsten is a player who can raise…
Liverpool are interested in signing Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. The well-known and well-respected journalist has claimed that Premier League club Liverpool are planning to hold talks with La Liga outfit Sociedad as well as with defensive midfielder Zubimendi.
Romano wrote on : “ Liverpool are exploring move for Martin Zubimendi as new midfielder, as there’s €60m release clause into his contract. Talks will follow between clubs and on player side.”
Zubimendi has been on the books of Sociedad since 2011 and has established himself in the first team after coming through the Spanish club’s youth system. The 25-year-old Spain international defensive midfielder scored four goals and gave one assist…