Bellingham's two goals lead England past Norway into World Cup semi-finals
via The Namibian3 min read
Jude Bellingham scored two goals, including the winner in extra-time, to help England defeat Norway 2-1 and advance to the World Cup semi-finals. Norway initially took a shock lead through Andreas Schjelderup in their first-ever quarter-final match. Bellingham equalized for England just before half-time. Norway had a second goal disallowed after a VAR review for a foul by Erling Haaland. Bellingham scored his second goal after an error by Norway's goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. England will now face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals. The match was played in Miami in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, with intense humidity. England's manager Thomas Tuchel made tactical changes at half-time, bringing on Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze. Norway came close to scoring again when Kristoffer Ajer hit the crossbar. Nyland, who had been a key player for Norway in their previous match, made a crucial error leading to Bellingham's winning goal. Despite a late VAR intervention that overturned an England penalty, Norway's spirit was broken, with Erling Haaland watching from the bench.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Jesse Kriel scored a try in the 78th minute to secure a 42-28 victory for South Africa over Scotland in a Nations Championship match held in Pretoria. South Africa initially built a 14-point lead, but Scotland managed to tie the game by halftime. The Springboks then extended their lead to 21 points after the break, though Scotland fought back with two tries, earning a four-try bonus point. South African try scorers included Embrose Papier, Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Damian Willemse, Zach Porthen, and Kriel. Handre Pollard converted five tries, and Quan Horn added one conversion. For Scotland, Matt Fagerson, Kyle Rowe, Josh Bayliss, and Ben White scored tries, with Finn Russell converting all four. This win keeps South Africa at the top of the southern hemisphere standings, ahead of New Zealand on points difference. Springboks captain Pieter-Steph du Toit praised Scotland's performance but expressed pride in his team's adherence to their systems. Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu expressed disappointment but also pride in his team's positive rugby, acknowledging that they failed to capitalize on possession in South Africa's 22 after halftime.
Must ReadThe German Football Federation DFB announced on Saturday that it is close to an agreement with Jurgen Klopp to appoint him as the new Germany coach. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke held discussions with Klopp in New York, reaching an understanding on key contract points. However, the appointment is contingent on securing approval from Klopp's current employer, the Red Bull Group. Klopp, 59, stepped away from management after leaving Liverpool in 2024 and has since been the head of global football for Red Bull, overseeing a multi-club network. He is considered the DFB's preferred candidate to succeed Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after Germany's round-of-32 World Cup exit. Discussions are set to continue next week, with both parties confident of a successful conclusion to negotiations.
Tour de France organizers have shortened a stage for the first time in the race's history due to an intense heatwave. The decision was made after Meteo France issued a red alert for the central Correze region. Organizers cut 30km from the 185.5km ninth stage from Malemort to Ussel, removing a hilly section. This change aims to ensure the race can proceed under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert. Belgian sprint king Tim Merlier secured his second victory in the eighth stage, a 180km run from Perigueux to Bergerac. Merlier praised the organizers' decision to shorten the stage, noting the challenging conditions with temperatures consistently above 35 degrees Celsius. Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar, the current race leader, acknowledged the expected high temperatures and emphasized the team's readiness to cope. Merlier's win, his fifth stage victory in his third Tour appearance, brings him closer to Mads Pedersen in the sprinters' green jersey competition. The eighth stage, which was expected to end in a bunch sprint, saw Liam Slock caught 1.3km from the finish after a long breakaway.