Croatia beat Colombia 2-1 in World Cup warm-up
Croatia secured a 2-1 win over Colombia in a World Cup warm-up match on ‌Thursday, overturning an early deficit with goals from Luka Vuskovic and Igor Matanovic, Reuters reported.
Jhon Arias put Colombia ahead in the third minute, his deflected shot beating Croatian goalkeeper Ivica Ivusic after a smart back heel from Luis Suarez.
Croatia responded three minutes later when Vuskovic scored a brilliant equaliser from outside the box, his shot bouncing off the post and into the net, according to Reuters.
Sabalenka to face Rybakina in blockbuster Miami Open semi-final
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, the two top women's players in the world, will battle it out in a Miami Open semi-final on Thursday after coming through their quarter-final matches, Reuters reported.
World number one Sabalenka took down American Hailey Baptiste 6-4 6-4 on Wednesday and is looking to complete the coveted 'Sunshine Double' after her triumph in the Indian Wells final over fellow big-hitter Rybakina.
"It's definitely going to be a battle," Sabalenka said in an on-court interview. "It's always a battle, always a fight, always a challenge."
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Congo officials over financial misconduct
FIFA's ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct, Reuters reported.
Mayolas, his wife and his son were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after a criminal court in Congolese capital Brazzaville convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said their whereabouts were not known and they were tried in absentia.
FECOFOOT general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. Badji and Kanda were sentenced to five years each in prison by the court in Brazzaville for related charges, according to Reuters.
Final World Cup ticketing phase is first-come, first-served
Fans looking for one last opportunity to get tickets to this summer's FIFA World Cup in North America will get their chance on April 1.
And that's no joke.
FIFA announced Wednesday that a fourth and final phase of ticket sales will take place starting at 11 a.m. ET on April 1 and will remain open through the end of the tournament, Reuters reported.
Tickets in the "Last-Minute Sales Phase" will be available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis through FIFA's official ticketing website, where fans will be able to select specific seats for various available matches or use a "book the best seat" feature.
