Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina are tied 0-0 at half-time.
Bosnia picked up the pace towards the end of that half, getting their first shot on target in the 38th minute from Amar Memic. They also looked more threatening in the 44th minute when Sead Kolasinac drove up the left side of the pitch but tried to make a cross too late and won a corner instead. The opportunity was wasted when they took it short.
There were three minutes of additional time added to this half but it wasn’t enough for either side in what has largely been a disappointing first half for both teams.
San Francisco: The Socceroos arrive at Seattle’s Lumen Field for their crunch Group D clash against a US national team which is unbeaten at the venue – thanks in large part to a not-so-secret weapon.
Lumen, the home of current Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks and temporarily renamed Seattle Stadium for the World Cup, is known worldwide as one of the noisiest stadiums in sport. For a time, it held the Guinness World Record for the loudest noise recorded at an outdoor stadium, when the roar of the crowd measured 137 decibels.
That is about the level you’d get from standing near a jet as it took off, louder than an ambulance siren and well above the level that is comfortable for a human ear. And the ground, built in 2002, was specifically designed that way.
It is best known for the “Beast Quake” in January 2011, when Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch scored a 67-yard touchdown, breaking nine tackles along the way in an iconic NFL moment. The crowd’s reaction to the fourth quarter play was so loud and intense it triggered local seismic sensors near the stadium, which was recorded by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
We’re 0-0 at the first hydration break in the match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Switzerland are certainly dominating in possession (74 per cent) and can claim the only shot on target of the match so far. It comes from Dan Ndoye in the 20th minute, but it’s comfortably saved by Bosnian keeper Nikola Vasilj.
Dallas: Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and his family asked the media for “humanity” on Thursday amid rumours about Jorge Messi’s health while his son competes at the World Cup.
The family did not specify the illness that the 68-year-old Jorge Messi is suffering from.
“Jorge is going through a health situation,” the Messi family said in a statement. “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favourably within his current condition.”
The 39-year-old Messi said after Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in the team’s opening World Cup match that he was going through a difficult personal situation. He was very emotional after scoring the first of his three goals, which allowed him to equal Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.
We’re tuning in now to Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina in Los Angeles, which kicks-off in under 10 minutes.
All teams playing today are taking part in an International Day for Countering Hate Speech commemoration, with a pre-match exchange of pennants that read, “We Play Together. We Stand Against Hate” with the wording in English on one side and the teams’ native language on the other.
FIFA says it has deleted more than 30 million abusive posts and comments since its social media protection service was created before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA says it deleted nearly 400,000 negative or abusive posts in the first few days of this World Cup — more than it did in the entirety of the 2022 event.
The teams are walking out for to sing anthems now.
With AP
Atlanta: Teboho Mokoena started the game with tears in his eyes and finished it with a smile on his face after converting a second-half penalty in South Africa’s 1-1 draw with Czechia on Friday morning (AEST) at the World Cup.
Thapelo Maseko’s long-range shot late in the match caught the hand of Pavel Sulc in the area.
Mokoena, who was caught on camera with tears rolling down his cheeks during the pre-game national anthem, stepped up to the penalty spot and sent his shot low past Czechia’s goalkeeper Matej Kovar in the 83rd minute.
Michal Sadilek had given the Czechs the lead in the sixth minute at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alexandr Sojka played in Sadilek and he slid a shot past goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Good morning and welcome to another day of World Cup coverage. It’s little more than 24 hours before the Socceroos meet the US in Seattle for what could be their most challenging match of the group stage.
Until then, we’ll keep fanning your World Cup fever with the best stories and all the matches from today. We’ll start with Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina (5am AEST) before watching Canada v Qatar (8am AEST) and finally Mexico v South Korea (11am AEST).
My name is Frances Howe and while we catch you up to speed with South Africa’s 1-1 draw with Czechia in Atlanta, here are some more stories for you to check out:
