All posts tagged: World Cup knockout

Congo coach shocked by news of father’s death at press conference after World Cup exit

Congo coach shocked by news of father’s death at press conference after World Cup exit

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Jul 2, 2026 07:19 AM IST DR Congo coach Sébastien Desabre’s historic journey with the team to the FIFA World Cup knockouts ended on a sombre note after their 1-2 defeat to England on Wednesday, when an abrupt announcement of his father’s death in the post-match press conference left him momentarily in shock. Having led Congo to their first World Cup qualification since 1974, Desabre had overseen their progress through a tough Group J that included Portugal and Colombia. The story was beginning to bloom further when Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute strike stunned England, who had to scramble back to victory late in the second-half thanks to twin strikes from Harry Kane. ALSO READ | Harry Kane breaks Congo resistance with sublime brace as England enter last 16 Speaking at the post-match press conference, Desabre was left in shock when the media officer interjected towards the end and announced the coach’s bereavement. Le sélectionneur de la RD Congo 🇨🇩 Sébastien Desabre a appris après le match de son équipe le décès de son …

Ancelotti on Asian giants ahead of World Cup R32 match

Ancelotti on Asian giants ahead of World Cup R32 match

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Jun 29, 2026 09:02 AM IST Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has heaped praise on Asian giants Japan ahead of their World Cup 2026 clash, calling Monday night’s Round of 32 match a virtual “final” for the five-time champions. The former Real Madrid boss said Japan could stand on level terms with Brazil in the knockout clash to be played at the Houston Stadium, calling them one of the best sides in the world. “Japan is one of the best national teams in the world, and we have the utmost respect for them – this will be like a Final. There are no disorganised teams these days; that doesn’t exist anymore. There are teams with less individual quality, but that also has to do with genetics. “But to say there’s a team that lacks difficult deployment and tactics – no, not anymore. Everyone trains, and that’s surprised me. The only difference is individual quality,” Ancelotti told reporters on Sunday. ALSO READ | Portugal coach defends Cristiano Ronaldo after Messi rest: ‘That would be …

No Hollywood end to group stage as Turkey expose USA’s depth

No Hollywood end to group stage as Turkey expose USA’s depth

Published by Webster

6 min readJun 26, 2026 11:05 AM IST The twist of the knife was cruelly saved for the last minute of the game. The contest locked at 2-2, a draw, a befitting result for a frantic and error-replete game, Kaan Ayhan stabbed the ball into the nets. A collective pause shook the stadium. For the first time in the World Cup, co-hosts USMNT lost a game. Suddenly, the sold-out crowd, among them half the Hollywood celebrities, stopped reacting. The myth and the illusion of the country as trophy contended, came falling down like a castle of dreams built in a Hollywood basement. The team lingered and applauded the crowd, consoled them not to worry. After all, this was an inconsequential game, fraught with risks rather than rewards. The manager Mauricio Pochettino is a wise man, he imperilled defeat for yellow cards that could have seen some of his regulars miss the round-of-32 game, or a senior player getting injured or fatigued. He was willing to gamble the momentum, and the glowy bounce winning streaks can …