In an extract from a new book, the Danish former referee recalls sending off the England midfielder for his infamous kick on Diego SimeoneAt half-time on 30 June 1998, Kim Milton Nielsen stepped into the changing room at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne. The air reeked of wet towels. He hugged his assistants. They’d just taken charge of the best half of football they’d ever officiated.Argentina v England. World Cup round of 16. Michael Owen had terrorised Argentina with blistering runs and his breakout goal. A clever free-kick had outsmarted the English defence. Nielsen had awarded two penalties. He couldn’t wait for the second half, but he didn’t know what was coming. Continue reading...
After the 2-1 win against Al Nassr in the 26-27 Saudi Pro League, Al Ittihad sent a sharp message to star Cristiano Ronaldo: "Cheating and still losing." Cristiano Ronaldo suffered his first setback of the 2026-27 campaign as Al Ittihad asserted their dominance on Matchday 4 of the Saudi Pro League. Following the final whistle, the victorious hosts seized the moment to fire a pointed message at the Al Nassr star on social media: “Cheating and still losing.“ Playing at Alinma Stadium, Al Ittihad surged to a fast start behind George Ilenikhena, who struck twice in the opening 22 minutes to build an early 2-0 cushion. Angelo managed to cut into the deficit in the 36th minute, but with a disciplined home defense sitting deep, Al Nassr were unable to break through for an equalizer in the second half. For Ronaldo, the fixture marked his third start of the 2026-27 season and his first full 90-minute appearance after appearing as a late substitute in the previous two matches. However, the Portuguese icon struggled to influence proceedings, managing just two shots on target across 16 total touches as Al Ittihad restricted his impact. One of the match’s lighter moments occurred when Al Ittihad captain Danilo Pereira received tactical instructions written on a slip of paper from manager Jens Wissing. Ronaldo approached his former international teammate to sneak a glance at the note, prompting Pereira to laugh and jokingly hold the paper out to the Al Nassr captain in a friendly exchange. كريستيانو رونالدو يحاول قراءة ورقة التوجيهات الخاصة بمدرب الاتحاد 🔥🎥#الاتحاد_النصر | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/5x5rZYxsdQ— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 5, 2026 However, after securing the 2-1 victory to preserve their unbeaten start to the season, Al Ittihad took a direct shot at Al Nassr and their marquee superstar online. “Cheating and still losing,” posted Al Ittihad’s official English X account, producing a viral response that generated millions of impressions across soccer fanbases. Cheating and still losing! 🔥🤷🏻♂️#Alittihad_Alnassr pic.twitter.com/58nU2o0EhG— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) September 5, 2026 Tough day in the office for Al Nassr The early two-goal cushion allowed Al Ittihad to concede possession and protect their lead behind a compact defensive block. In the second half, Al Nassr held 62 percent of the ball and earned 11 corner kicks, but despite firing 13 total shots, Ronaldo’s side failed to unlock the equalizer. When asked about the team’s fight in his post-match press conference, head coach Ange Postecoglou stood firm: “I think it depends on how you evaluate the match. From what I saw, after the opening 15 minutes, there was only one team creating clear opportunities, and that was us. If you want to discuss character, this group proved last year and continues to demonstrate this season that they possess tremendous character.“ The mounting frustration was equally apparent in forward Joao Felix, who will be suspended for Al Nassr’s upcoming SPL fixture against Abha on Wednesday. Visibly incensed by officiating decisions during the match, the Portuguese international bypassed reporters in the mixed zone with a brief parting comment. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix stated as he was heading to the team bus.
Manager praises team’s resilience after late equaliser‘Everyone has to find a way of making it work’David Moyes praised Everton’s resilient response to a troubled week after his side twice came from behind to salvage a point against Manchester United through Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s long-range strike.The deadline-day signing, who was introduced in the 77th minute after James Garner pulled up with cramp, preserved Everton’s unbeaten start to the season with a 25-yard effort in the 96th minute. Continue reading...
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