Five months after the shocking group stage exit at the women's World Cup last year, Germany captain Alexandra Popp criticized the behaviour of then coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. The twice world champions surprisingly went out in the group stage for the first time. Voss-Tecklenburg has since left her job as coach after a period of ill-health. "The whole thing didn't go perfectly. It was all difficult for me and the team to understand," Popp said in an interview with the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Z
a very exciting couple of hours. australia kept their women s world cup dream alive as the co hosts advanced to the last 16 stage after beating canada. the team impressed in a game they had to win to avoid elimination, winning 4 0. canada suffered their first women s world cup group stage exit since 2011. the shock exit by the canadians will be keenly felt because they are the the olympic gold medallist, so this performance will come as a surprise to many. meanwhile, nigeria s 0 0 draw with the republic of ireland means australia will go forward to face the runners up in group d who could still be england at stadium australia in sydney on the 7th of august. so it is the nigerians as well who
well and that is a great match for all of us as well. for me here, reviewing the world cup campaign looking at how we move forward and really leaving no stirring unturned. we know that there are 16 places to qualify for the european championships, and my mind is completely focused on that in how we get into that 16. more managerial news, roberto martinez has been appointed portugal head coach. martinez stood down as belgium coach after six years in charge following their group stage exit at the world cup in qatar last month. he replaces fernando santos who resigned after portugal s quarterfinal exit, and one of his first tasks will be to address the future of cristiano ronaldo. translation: he has been with the national team translation: he has been with the national team for translation: he has been with the national team for 19 translation: he has been with the national team for 19 years translation: he has been with the national team for 19 years and i translation: he has be
arsenal this evening. mikel arteta knows his side need to be prepared for a real battle. it isa it is a difficult game because they make you face things which you are probably not used to, it can be the opponent and their style of play, the fact that you do not play this every single day, so you have to get used to it. roberto martinez has been appointed as the new manager of portugal. the former everton boss left his role with belgium after the world cup. the spaniard will replace fernando santos, who stood down as manager after portugal s quarter final loss to morocco at the world cup. martinez s own contract with belgium ended after their group stage exit in qatar. he had been linked to a return to everton as the team struggles under frank lampard. wales manager gemma grainger has extended her deal to remain in charge of the national side until 2027. the new deal is reward for her efforts with wales after attracting the interest of club sides. grainger succeeded jayne ludlow
meanwhile, wales midfielder aaron ramsey has also not returned to his french club side yet but for very different reasons. his manager at nice, lucien favre, says ramsey is finding it hard to digest his team s group stage exit at the world cup. harlequins traditional christmas fixture has taken place in different albeit familiar surroundings this year. but they lost 15 12 to bristol, while in the first match of a double header at the stoop, harlequins women s team said goodbye to a stalwart. joe lynskey reports. for 1a years over christmas, harlequins have gone round to the neighbours, but this time, due to rail strikes, their date at twickenham has been pushed back. so next door, at the stoop, they welcomed bristol bears, who forced their way in to the try line. bristol are bottom of the league but still with hope of the play offs, and with a pass through the rain found gabriel ibitoye, a former harlequins player,