Croatia progressed to the semi-finals of the World Cup after a second successive penalty shootout on Saturday but their inability to put away another unimpressive team over 90 minutes and extra time is a major worry for the Balkan side.
Olympic officials have showered praise on South Korea's Winter Games organisers for staging a successful event against the odds, but they have also left it with a warning: don't leave any white elephants behind.
The last time Stanislav Cherchesov walked out at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium to face Fernando Hierro's side, the Spaniards were heavy favourites but the Russians reached the next round.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday said it had documented cases where workers building venues for Russia's 2018 soccer World Cup had been left unpaid, made to work in dangerously cold conditions, or suffered reprisals for raising concerns.
Belgium's credentials as a genuine outside bet for World Cup success face a tougher examination against Tunisia on Saturday after a relatively sedate opening against Panama.
Russia is the lowest FIFA ranked side at the event, but two games in they are top of their group with six points and are poised to qualify for the next stage.
Spain's strong show of unity after the sacking of coach Julen Lopetegui was almost enough to secure victory in their World Cup opener against Portugal on Friday, but Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal took some gloss off a superb performance.
The 30-year-old, who could clinch his third world title within a matter of weeks, told British reporters at the Russian Grand Prix that he would always owe an immense debt to his former McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
Sporting Director of Spain's Football Federation (RFEF) Fernando Hierro has been named the national team's new coach for the duration of the World Cup in Russia, the Federation said in a tweet on Wednesday.
The original document, brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last Tuesday during his Moscow visit and approved by EU foreign ministers in Brussels the next day, has already been signed by separatist leaders of the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
The International Olympic Committee will consider taking action against pole vault world champion Yelena Isinbayeva, a Youth Olympics ambassador, after her comments in favour of Russia's new gay law triggered a major controversy last month.
The International Judo Federation -- which lists Russian President Vladimir Putin as its honorary president -- will allow the sport's Russian squad to participate in the Olympics, its head told Reuters on Tuesday.
As the threat of a showdown between Russia and the West over Ukraine loomed large, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has deplored Moscow's military build up on the Crimean peninsula and called on President Vladimir Putin to respect the country's territorial integrity.
Having endured a "strange" feeling while walking under the IOC flag in the opening ceremony of Sochi Winter Olympics, Himanshu Thakur is a relieved man now as he will be able to take part in the closing ceremony under the tri-colour after the world body lifted the ban on the country.
The International Olympic Committee told the United States on Thursday it should get its own house in order in the fight against doping before putting athletes from other countries under threat of punishment for breaking US law.
It seems to be the correct course for an economy which is officially slated to contract by over 2 per cent this year (though some economists are predicting a much harsher contraction of 10 per cent) with a budget deficit of 8 per cent.
Modric and Co will face England in Moscow on Wednesday!
Putin said the tournament and its coverage on social media had 'helped break many stereotypes about Russia'.
'I really do believe this weekend we will be in a better position than we were last year'
German fans responded with shock and dismay after the national team suffered their first elimination in the first round of the World Cup for 80 years.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup Group B match played between Portugal and Iran in Saransk on Monday
Sweden scout Roger Sandberg is not expecting Germany to make many changes for their World Cup game on Saturday, despite the world champions' flat performance in a 1-0 defeat by Mexico in their opening match.
The Manchester United keeper let a tame shot from Cristiano Ronaldo through his arms for Portugal's second goal on Friday and has been criticised in Spain for his badly positioned defensive wall when Ronaldo struck the late equaliser.
Defensive injury concerns for veteran squad leader Vincent Kompany and Barcelona's Thomas Vermaelen have eased and coach Roberto Martinez has sent standby defender Laurent Ciman home.
"We are not going to deviate one iota from our footballing concepts," the distinguished former Spain defender Hierro said.
New Spain coach Fernando Hierro plans to carry on Julen Lopetegui's good work as he prepares to lead his country into their World Cup opener against Portugal on Friday.
Monkeys may become the first earthlings to set foot on Mars. A troop of 40 macaque monkeys are being groomed at the Sochi Institute of Medical Primatology, at Vesyoloye near the Black Sea, to undertake a journey to the red planet, ahead of a human mission.
'We should give (Mueller) credit. In general, he conducted an objective probe and confirmed the absence of any traces and collusion between Russia and the current administration'
Elated after tri-colour was hoisted at the Sochi Games Village, Indian luger Shiva Keshavan hoped for a new beginning in sports governance in the country.
And while the mercury hits its lowest, South Korea's Jang Hye-Ji launched the Games on Thursday by sliding the first mixed doubles curling stone in Olympic history down the ice, before about 2,500 spectators at Gangneung Curling Centre, AFP reported.
Factbox on 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova.
Brutally cold conditions in Pyeongchang are warping skis and forcing some athletes to toss them out after training runs, an Alpine skiing course worker told Reuters on Wednesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Lewis Hamilton has one big fight on his hands already this season and he is not spoiling for another, not even for charity and against the man with the broadest smile in Formula One.
Croatia made heavy weather of beating Denmark in their worst performance of the tournament, but will seek to rediscover their fluency in a weekend showdown against Russia for a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
A restaurant in St Petersburg has struck a chord with the hordes of soccer fans in town for the World Cup by serving up pizzas featuring the faces of some of the tournament's biggest stars.
India's soft power diplomacy came into play during this cataclysm affecting the world as the pandemic defies barriers and borders, notes Rup Narayan Das.
The financial troubles that have forced the Marussia and Caterham Formula One teams into administration emphasise the need for cost-cutting measures, the sport's governing body said on Thursday.
