Troy Parrott’s double was not enough to earn the Republic of Ireland a second straight win as Austria fought back to draw a Uefa Nations League game twice briefly interrupted by protests in the first half in Dublin. Parrott opened the scoring with a superb solo effort adding a second from the penalty spot but a second half fightback from Austria saw the spoils shared.
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Newcastle United have confirmed the appointment of Matthias Jaissle as the club’s new head coach following the departure of Eddie Howe. The 38-year-old former Al Ahli boss, who met up with the players at their preseason training camp in Spain’s La Manga over the weekend, has started work after the relevant paperwork was finally completed. Newcastle are reported to have paid significant compensation to Al Ahli, in excess of £9 million to secure Jaissle’s services on a four-year deal.
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Lionel Messi’s final World Cup wasn’t just the end of an extraordinary career on football’s biggest stage. It marked the closing chapter of the childhood many of us grew up alongside. The man who made us fall in love with the game came face to face not just with a superior Spanish side but with the sands of time.
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Spain deservedly won a desperately disappointing World Cup final as Ferran Torres’ extra-time strike finally broke the resistance of 10-man Argentina. The European title holders had created the best opportunities against the defending world champions, who mainly resorted to spoiling tactics and had Enzo Fernandez sent off just before the game went into extra-time. Torres was the hero for Spain when he collected substitute Nico Williams’ header to beat Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez with a powerful shot from close range after 106 minutes.
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The match nobody wanted to play in became the match nobody wanted to end. England’s ‘bronze final’ – formerly known as the third-place play-off – against France descended into chaos with 10 goals, six of them for the Three Lions. And there could easily have been more. And it means England achieved their highest men’s World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966 – and their best-ever result on foreign soil.
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