Tag: World Cup Soccer

Khoukhi’s last minute goal stuns Switzerland in 1-1 draw in world cup group play

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Large flags are displayed on the pitch at San Francisco Stadium before the national anthems were played in the World Cup Group B opener between Switzerland and Qatar on Saturday Jun 13, 2026. (Marko Ukalovic-Sports Radio Service)

by Marko Ukalovic

SANTA CLARA–Boualem Khoukhi helped his country of Qatar do something it took four years to accomplish.

The Qatari captain’s header in the fourth minute of stoppage time went off of Miro Muheim for an own goal as Qatar shocked the world drawing 1-1 with Europe’s Switzerland in both country’s opening match in Group B play on a warm Saturday afternoon at San Francisco Stadium.

Qatar, in front of a crowd of over 68,000 spectators, recorded its first ever point in a World Cup tournament. When they hosted the tournament four years ago, they went 0-3 in group play.

The tiny Middle Eastern country wouldn’t have had the opportunity to record its first ever point if it weren’t for the excellent play of their goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who named the Man of the Match, who played the best match of his career making five outstanding saves including one from point blank range off of Dan Odoye early in the match that set the tone for Abunada’s day.

The Swiss looked like they were going to run away with the match with many quality chances in the first half. Th received a penalty kick in the 14th minute when a ball sent into the middle of box to Remo Freuler who was met by a punch to the face by Abunada while both players went up high in the air for the ball. Abunada was temporarily face down but managed to get up and finish the match with no further damage done.

Three minutes later, Breel Embolo cashed in the penalty that beat Abunada to the left side of the net for his first goal of the tournament.

Switzerland kept creating chaos inside Qatar’s side of the pitch with five big chances created but they weren’t able to put the ball into the back of the net the rest of the match. Ndoye had two chances to increase Switzerland’s lead but failed to get the ball past Abunada.

Qatar begun the second half with a quality chance from Edmilson Junior inside the box. Junior’s shot was stopped by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel who came out to cut off the angle from Junior.

Switzerland had previously won six of their last nine matches when having a lead after halftime.

UP NEX: Switzerland takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday at noon. Qatar battle with Canada also on Thursday at 3:00pm.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The World Cup -World’s Greatest Sporting Event –From My Notebook(1994)

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Univision anchor Tony Lopez (left), Considered the greatest futbol player of all time Pele’ (center), and the author and Univision anchor Amaury Pi Gonzalez (right) (photo from Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

The World Cup – World’s Greatest Sporting Event From My Notebook

By Amaury Pi-González

The 2026 World Cup in the United States begins this Thursday, June 11, and runs through the final on July 19. This is the largest tournament in FIFA history, with 48 teams across 16 host cities in the US, Canada, and México. I covered the historic first time the FIFA World Cup came to the United States of America. In my opinion, the ’94 US World Cup was crucial in raising interest among Americans in soccer/Fútbol.

It was the introduction to most Americans about why this sport is so popular worldwide. An education, including for me, since I come from a Caribbean country where baseball is the top sport, not fútbol. Cuba qualified only once for a World Cup, in 1938, which took place in France.

The First FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States was in 1994; Brazil won it, defeating Italy 3-2 in a penalty shootout. It was played at nine major stadiums in the United States, including Stanford here in the Bay Area. It was truly a spectacle, covering these athletes from all over the world.

The games I covered were at Stanford: Brazil 2, Russia 0. Brazil 3, Cameroon 0, Colombia 2, Switzerland 0; and Russia 6, Cameroon 1. The World Champion Brazil team stayed at the Villa Feliz Lodge in Los Altos, about 10 miles from downtown San José, where I also covered the celebration after they won the Cup.

Great players like Romario, Bebeto, and the great coach Bora Milutinovic were all gracious and joyful about the event. The matches for Brazil were held at Stanford Stadium, about 20 miles from San José. Telemundo CH 48, the main Bay Area station, is also located in San Jose.

I had the most fun I have ever had at this sporting event. Numerous people I met inside and outside the media from different countries and nationalities, all focused on their countries and fútbol; there is nothing really like it. At the time Telemundo was a smaller network, today it is part of NBC Universal.

However, we did have all the ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment necessary for a worldwide event. My good friend and producer Mauricio Quijano, who is Colombian and also speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and English, introduced me to the staff of the famous Globo TV of Brazil.

We went inside their remote truck, an incredible operation, because for Brazil their Fúbol is more like…well, a religion, not only a sport. Highlights of the many ‘Live Shots’ for news in the afternoon, late night with packages and interviews, plus the games highlights coverage, interviews with players and fans from all over the world, plus the pre and post games, were when FIFA brought to this World Cup the one and only Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, better known around the world as Pelé.

He was wearing a very sharp blazer with a Mastercard monogram, his sponsor as the official Worldwide Ambassador of Fútbol. My good friend Tony López, Sports Anchor for Univisión, and I, similar for Telemundo, each conducted an exclusive interview (one-on-one) with Pelé, who spoke Portuguese, English, and Spanish fluently. I remember (who passed in 2022) told me, “In 20 years, Fútbol will be a very popular sport in the United States,” and he was right.

Tony López and I always reminisce about those years, days when non-Hispanics would call our stations to ask about the scores of the Latin American and European Fútbol Leagues, which were NEVER GIVEN by the regular local ABC, CBS, and NBC in the United States, but we would always include them in our sports segments. Pelé was for Fútbol what Muhammad Ali was for boxing. A world personality that transcends sports, in many countries, even more famous than the Kings, Queens, or even Presidents.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Notebook- Pelé the World’s Best Fútbol player FIFA US ’94 World Cup

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From left to right: Tony Lopez, Univisión -The Great Pelé– Amaury Pi-González, Telemundo (Photo TV Globo, Brazil)

From My Notebook:” Pelé, the World’s Best Fútbol player, FIFA US ’94 World Cup. —

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury PI-González

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three countries Canada, México, and the United States. This marks the first time three nations have jointly hosted the tournament, which will feature 48 teams competing across 16 cities from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will host six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including five group stage games and one Round of 32 knockout match on July 1, 2026

. The Bay Area is a premier host city, welcoming teams like Australia, Switzerland, Qatar, and Algeria for a tournament running from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This will be the second time the US has hosted the FIFA World Cup. The U.S. previously hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which holds the record for the highest total attendance in World Cup history.

As the United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Bay Area welcomed the great Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. The 1994 FIFA World Cup in the Bay Area was anchored by Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, which hosted six matches, including a memorable July fourth Round of the 16th game where Brazil defeated the U.S.1-0.

The Bay Area served as a key venue for the tournament, with Brazil based in the South Bay, turning Los Gatos into a party headquarters. The Brazilians were a class act, as I remember, and I had the pleasure of interviewing many of their great players in 1994 while working for Telemundo CH 48 San José.

The 1994 FIFA World Cup-winning Brazilian team, which competed in the USA, was managed by Carlos Alberto Parreira and featured star players Romário, Bebeto, Dunga (captain), and Claudio Taffarel. They defeated Italy in the final to win their fourth title, with a strong core also including Jorginho, Aldair, Marcio Santos, Mauro Silva, and Zinho.

Among the personalities present was perhaps the best player ever, the great “Pelé,” who decades earlier played in New York for the Cosmos. He was the guy who invigorated Soccer in the US and one of the guys responsible for the US hosting the ’94 World Cup for the first time.

Pelé played in four World Cup tournaments (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) and scored 12 goals in his World Cup career. 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is the only player in history to win three World Cups. Today’s greatest Fútbol star is Lionel Mesi, who won the 2022 World Cup for Argentina. Who is the GOAT?

Although it is very subjective, I pick Pelé. who received his famous nickname as a child in school because he struggled to correctly pronounce the name of his favorite player, Bilé a goalkeeper for the team his father played on.

Pelé gave two television exclusive interviews in Spanish during the ’94 USA World Cup,one to my friend and colleague Tony López ,Sports Anchor for Univisión CH 14,San Francsico,  the other one to this reporter,Telemundo Sports Anchor for CH 48 San José. Pelé was proficient in three languages, his native Portuguese plus English and Spanish, born in 1940 he died in 2022, recognized as a worldwide sports icon, just like Muhammad Ali, Pelé was a once in a lifetime sports icon with a great  personality and vision for his sport.

At the time the sport (Soccer in the US) was not as popular as today and I truly believe our coverages on Spanish television between Tony at Univisión and me at Telmundo was much comprehensive than all the English format TV stations in the Bay Area, they truly could not compete with us because we were the only two TV station in Northern California that covered this sport year ’round not only during the World Cup.

The ABC,CBS,NBC affilaited stations here in the Bay Area really never covered this sport, unitl the 1994 World Cup took place here. It was like the US media just discovered Soccer.

The FIFA World Cup is widely considered the greatest team sporting event in the world, boasting the highest viewership and global popularity due to soccer’s immense reach. Held every four years, it attracts over 3.5 billion viewers and offers unparalleled intensity, cultural spectacle, and passion. 

  Quote:  “The World Cup is a very important way to measure the good players, and the great ones. It is a test of a great player,”  -Pelé

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Women’s US Soccer team prepares for Sweden; Brazil gets 1-0 World Cup win; plus more

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USA Today photo: June 18: Brazil forward Ludmila shoots against Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani. Alexis Reau, Presse Sports-USA TODAY Sports.

On the Headlines Sports podcast with London:

#1 Abby Dahlkemper said that it’s in the USA women’s soccer DNA to “win and do really well.” The women’s US team, who are the defending champs, are preparing for their game against Sweden. Both teams have clinched for berths in the top 16.

#2 World Cup soccer Brazil team got a 1-0 victory over Italy in Valenciennes, France, the win advanced Brazil for the sixth time to the knockout rounds. Brazil got their goal from Marta, who is playing in her fifth World Cup at 33 years old.

#3 The US Men’s team gets the gold with a win over Guyana. The US’s Tyler Boyd scored two goals as the US got a convincing 4-0 win over the Guyana team on Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

#4 There was relief when former XFL player Rod Smart, who was famously known for his football jersey when he played for the Las Vegas Outlaws in 2001 that read “He Hate Me” came up missing for six days. His family expressed concern. The Smart family are happy to announce that Smart was found safe and sound and no reason given for his absence. Smart played a season with Philadelphia and four with Carolina in the NFL.

#5 The San Jose Earthquakes are on a good run. They have gone undefeated in their last four games, and if you include their US Open Cup run against Sacramento, five undefeated games. The Quakes play LAFC on Thursday night to try to keep it going.

London Marq does Headline Sports podcasting each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: World Cup–US Women no match for Thailand in 13-0 blowout; Kings to host Summer League at Golden 1; plus more

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Photo credit: @BostonGlobe

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 In the World Cup, US Women downed Thailand 13-0, Alex Morgan scored five goals and there was no mercy rule as the US Women kept pouring it on in Reims, France. The US took it to Thailand right from the kickoff.

#2 The win by the US topped the old record when Germany took it to Argentina in an 11-0 win in the 2007 World Cup.

#3 The Sacramento Kings will be hosting a California Classic Summer League at Golden 1 Center from July 1st through 3rd. Fans will get to take a look at the following teams: the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.

#4 With the Summer League coming up, where does Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton stand? He has been accused of sexual assault. His accuser is also holding the Warriors and Lakers legally responsible for the attacks. Is the Luke Walton case going to be a distraction or can Luke guide the Kings and get past it?

#5 The San Jose Earthquakes won a friendly 4-3 over Sacramento Republic FC on Tuesday night at Avaya Stadium. Earthquakes star Chris Wondolowski said that the team is in a zone a winning mental state right now, and even though it was like a preseason game, the Quakes are pushing to win and won’t take any prisoners right now.

#6 Former San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence hit another one off the fence for the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night against the Red Sox. Pence chalked up his 14th home run for an inside-the-park home run against the Boston Red Sox. Pence has been in the zone this season. He’s also got the Rangers clubhouse pretty loose right now.

London Marq does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com