Coach Branko Ivankovic insisted China's World Cup qualifying campaign was still alive despite back-to-back losses to Saudi Arabia and Australia over the last five days leaving them bottom of Asian qualifying Group C.
The flying wingback is one of the key players in the north African outfit whose last-16 match in the Qatar World Cup against Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, gives them a chance to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Hosts France will play an Olympic men's football final for the first time in 40 years after beating Egypt 3-1 in extra-time at the Lyon stadium on Monday and will face Spain for the gold medal.
In the 21 editions of the World Cup over 92 years featuring 79 nations, there have still been only eight winners and only 13 have made it to the final. Spain were the last to join the elite group of champions in 2010 after France in 1998 and Argentina in 1978.
Hosts France reached the Olympic men's football semi-finals for the first time in 40 years with a 1-0 win over Argentina thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half goal in a grudge match in Bordeaux on Friday.
Sasikumar Mukund will aim for a winning return to the Davis Cup fold as India faces Togo in the World Group I Play-off.
European champions Portugal were let off the hook by Morocco's wasteful finishing and another Cristiano Ronaldo moment as they notched up a fortuitous victory in the World Cup on Wednesday. Yet, the reactions of the respective coaches suggested a different result.
Portugal inexplicably lost control of the game despite managing to beat Morocco 1-0 in the World Cup Group B match on Wednesday and were lucky not to get themselves in more trouble, coach Fernando Santos said.
FIFA is set to confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 men's World Cups on Wednesday, with a three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal to be awarded the former and the latter going to Saudi Arabia.
Luis Enrique was sacked as Spain's coach on Thursday after the team's elimination in the last 16 at the World Cup.
Guinea brought more drama to the African Nations Cup with a shock 3-2 win over Morocco while hosts Ghana struggled to beat rank outsiders Namibia 1-0.
Morocco and Iran's hopes of making a mark at the World Cup before a ball has been kicked, and they head into their opening match in St Petersburg on Friday knowing defeat could likely mean an early exit.
Morocco are looking for an upset win over the European champions at the Luzhniki Stadium to realistically keep alive their interest in the tournament but mindful that the genius of the Portugal captain could send them towards an early exit.
The sporting action at the Paris Olympics kicked off with two soccer matches on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo powered-home a fourth-minute header to give Portugal a 1-0 World Cup victory over Morocco that took them top of Group B on Wednesday and meant the unlucky North African side become the first to be eliminated from the tournament.
Hosts France secured a second straight victory as Kiliann Sildillia struck for a 1-0 success over Guinea, while Spain and Japan reached the quarter-finals in the second matchday of the men's Olympic soccer tournament on Saturday.
Empoli beat Juventus 4-2 on penalties to advance to their first ever Coppa Italia semi-finals on Wednesday after a resilient performance helped them to hold the defending champions to a 1-1 draw in regular time.
Sasikumar Mukund, who was banned by AITA on disciplinary grounds, is back as India's best-ranked player for the World Group I Play-off tie against Togo, starting on Saturday.
Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs defeated Mounir El Aarej and Mehdi Tahiri to ensure Australia remain in the World Group next year.
The approach Slovenia are expected to take on Monday -- a disciplined, deep back five who offer little space, and explosive counter-attacks from long balls -- to put pressure on Portugal.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr scored a hat-trick to help the LaLiga champions snap a two-game winless run in all competitions.
Scripts win with Yuki Bhambri in final tie against Morocco.
The Indo-US pair got a walkover in the semi-finals, as their opponents, Camille Pin and Milagros Sequera, pulled out because of illness.
Brazil exited the World Cup on Wednesday hoping a new generational talent will emerge as Marta's sixth and final Women's World Cup ended with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica
Having scored 10 goals in the last 12 games with Portugal and 42 in 41 matches with Al-Nassr this season, Ronaldo's relentless mentality could be the key to him making a statement with his country in Germany against all odds.
While Catalina Usme fired Colombia to a 1-0 win over Jamaica, France entered the quarters with a win over Morocco.
The World Cup pre-quarter-finals line-up.
Germany forward Deniz Undav scored two first-half goals in six minutes to guide them to a 2-1 victory over Bosnia on Friday and keep them top of their Nations League group.
Ancelotti's second-string players proved they were up to the task as they secured three points for Real and kept them on course for the inevitable LaLiga title celebrations.
The Indian Davis Cup squad will travel to Pakistan for the first time since 1964. India defeated Pakistan 4-0 in their most recent neutral site match in 2019.
Still full of running in the final minutes at 1-0 up, he provided the cross to Zakaria Aboukhlal who clipped it into the roof of the net to seal the victory as the stadium boiled over.
'To our Moroccan friends: Congratulations on this beautiful journey. You are making football history.'
Asked if the result could have been different if Ronaldo had played from the beginning of the game, Portuguese fan Filipa Ramires said "it wouldn't have mattered".
Morocco, in second place in their group but tied on 4 points with top team Croatia, play their final game of the group stage against Canada on Thursday.
Spain fans were dejected to see their team crash out of the tournament.
Hewitt cruised to victory in less than an hour and a half to leave Australia in control of the Davis Cup relegation tie at Perth's Royal Kings Park.
And to think that the 24-year-old forward had nearly missed the World Cup bus.
Despite being a model of longevity for more than two decades in an outstanding career, breaking numerous records and playing for some of the biggest clubs in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo was a shadow of his old self over the last two weeks at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Proud Morocco want to build African legacy after World Cup run, says Regragui
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