Panama and Tunisia have been the fall-guys in the two top-scoring matches of World Cup 2018, but both teams will hope to show they have learnt some lessons from their efforts in Russia before they head home after their Group G match on Thursday.
I wondered how being scientist-mathematician helps one cycle better. Perhaps the self-discipline helps; perhaps it is the scientist-technologist perspective of breaking down the whole into separate pieces, identifying specifics and working on them for improved results, mulls Shyam G Menon.
Captain Aron Gunnarsson says Iceland will take inspiration from fellow underdogs Wales when they take on hosts France in the quarter-finals on Sunday -- and the tiny country even believe they can win Euro 2016 outright. Iceland, with a population of just 330,000, have produced a series of astonishing displays to reach the tournament's last eight, including a comfortable 2-1 win over England in the second round.
Iceland snatched a stoppage-time winner to continue their fairytale story at Euro 2016 by making it through to the last 16 after a deserved 2-1 victory against Austria in their final Group F match on Wednesday.
Australia came from two goals down to beat Brazil 3-2 in the women's World Cup.
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
Switzerland may tighten its anti-money laundering laws after a report by a government-appointed group found the country was still subject to financial crime.
Russians win team Figure skating gold, Valieva first woman to land Games quads
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has criticised their tactical and physical frailties after a 4-0 thrashing at Paris St Germain in the last 16 left them on the brink of their earliest Champions League exit in a decade.
France coach Didier Deschamps did not hide his bitter disappointment after finding himself on the losing end of a final for a change on Sunday.
France are favourites in the Euro 2016 semi-final against injury-hit Germany but the world champions' absences will not affect their game, with a string of youngsters ready to step up, team manager Oliver Bierhoff said on Tuesday.
Germany coach Joachim Loew and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer praised the team's less experienced players for stepping up to convert in their dramatic penalty shootout against Italy, firing the world champions into the Euro 2016 final four.
Germany are determined to snap their tournament losing streak to Italy dating back almost half a century when the two meet in a Euro 2016 quarter-final on Saturday in Bordeaux, players said on Wednesday. The world champions have lost to Italy in every single tournament knockout match they have played against them, starting from a 1970 World Cup semi-final.
The 25-year-old attacker called on other Muslims to attack 'police, journalists, public figures, prison guards and rappers,' listing around a dozen well-known figures by name.
Croatia captain Darijo Srna still feels the pain of losing on penalties to Turkey at the 2008 European Championship, but refused to talk of revenge ahead of another meeting between the teams at Euro 2016 on Sunday. Croatia exorcised some of their demons by beating Turkey 3-0 on aggregate in a playoff to reach Euro 2012. But Sunday will be the first time the sides have met at a major tournament since that quarter-final in Vienna eight years ago when Semih Senturk's 122nd-minute strike cancelled out Ivan Klasnic's opener three minutes earlier to send the tie to penalties.
England, appearing in their first semi-final since 1990, had looked on course for their first final since 1966 as they led through Kieran Trippier's fifth-minute free kick and totally dominated the opening half.
The arrests were made during raids in central Brussels, Jette and the Schaerbeek neighbourhood -- where police found a large stash of explosives and other bomb-making material.
Images from Day 3 of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros, in Paris, on Tuesday.
French club Paris St Germain have been placed under investigation by UEFA to see if their recent transfer spending spree has broken the break-even rules of European soccer's ruling body known as Financial Fair Play (FFP).
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
France may have ousted rivals Germany for the first time in 58 years but it will mean nothing if they lose Sunday's Euro 2016 final against a Portugal team that have had more recovery time, said Didier Deschamps.
Forget Italy's image of Catenaccio (or "door chain defence"). Antonio Conte's Italy showed in a 2-0 defeat of Spain at Euro 2016 on Monday that they can do unchained attacking football too. The Azzurri, who will take on world champions Germany in a fascinating quarter-final on Saturday, had promised they would not be afraid to go forward against Spain.
IMAGES from Day 8 of the French Open, at Roland Garros, on Sunday.
Four years ago in Brazil, Colombia romped to the quarter-finals for the first time on the back of four straight wins, salsa-dancing to celebrate their dozen goals and launching midfielder James Rodriguez on the road to global stardom.
Questions about staging a safe and secure Olympics in France were raised on Friday after the Paris 2024 bid suffered an untimely setback when a French soldier wounded a man armed with a machete as he tried to enter the Louvre museum.
Indian talent may soon be allowed to work in France without a degree from a French institute.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
A man who tried to rob Arsenal players Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac at knifepoint in a failed North London carjacking last July was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Friday.
The suggestion that Spain need to change their playing style is already meeting resistance even though another disappointing performance at a major soccer tournament suggests that tiki-taka has run its course. In many countries, a defeat as comprehensive as the one Spain suffered against Italy in Euro 2016 on Monday, when they were outplayed and lucky to lose only 2-0, would have led to calls to knock everything down and start again. In Spain, however, where many are proud of having such a distinctive style of play, there are plenty of voices calling for the team to continue trying to pass the ball all the way into the goal.
Here's a glimpse of all that happened around the world last month, in 20 images.
While Mahindra isn't the first person to think that building a social network out of India was a good idea, past attempts have all failed to compete with the multi-billion dollar giants Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and the like.
The suits, which depict red flowers and blue diamonds on top of enormous skulls in a homage to the Mexican holiday, at first stoked controversy among committee members.
Nadal faced no break points in a ruthless display to set up a meeting with Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
Portugal won their first Euro title after defeating France 1-0 at the Stade de France in Paris on Sunday.
Antoine Griezmann had plenty of painful memories to erase in Thursday's European Championship semi-final against Germany and he did that in style, scoring twice to lead the host nation to an historic 2-0 victory over the world champions.
France's players immediately turned their minds to a semi-final with Germany on Thursday after putting Iceland to the sword in a 5-2 win at Euro 2016.
From sharp, flying tackles and tough possession-fights, bloodied noses to scissor kicks in attempt to finding those crucial goals and the ecstatic celebrations thereafter, Rediff.com gives you a quick rewind of all the excitement that has transpired over the last five days across France...
Angel Correa saw La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid snatch a 2-1 victory away to Granada on Saturday
Missing their grandparents, not being able to go out and meet their friends.... These are just some of the things that kids, who have been confined to their homes due to the coronavirus lockdown, have revealed. From Tokyo to Buenos Aires, and New York to Kathmandu, youngsters have taken to their balconies or front lawns to display and explain the drawings they have made to Reuters photographers.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.