The England national football team has been targeted in a daring heist, with players' boots and training equipment stolen in transit as the squad relocated their tournament base from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Kansas City, Missouri. The Football Association is working with local police, who have made two arrests and confirmed investigations are 'ongoing'. Team staff now face a race against time to replace the gear before scheduled training sessions begin.
The theft came as the United States opened their World Cup campaign with a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in front of a jubilant home crowd at SoFi Stadium. But the match was overshadowed by a bizarre VAR intervention that left everyone scratching their heads. Veteran defender Tim Ream, at 38 years and 250 days the oldest US player in a World Cup, conceded a free-kick and was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Miguel Almiron. After the free-kick was taken, Dutch referee Danny Makkelie was sent to the screen by the VAR and overturned his decision – something officials have previously not been allowed to do. Instead of cautioning Ream, Makkelie booked former Newcastle United forward Almiron for diving. It is the first VAR intervention for mistaken identity at a World Cup, made possible by a new rule requested by Fifa’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina. The rule states that if a player is booked or sent off for a foul actually committed by the opposition, the decision can be changed. The officials allowed the game to restart before stopping, confusing fans as normally play cannot be pulled back once it resumes. Former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams told BBC Sport: 'They let them take the free-kick, which was bizarre but clearly the right decision. It's the first time we have seen it but fair play.' Former England midfielder Danny Murphy added: 'Any adaptation of the rules which means diving gets more punishment is good.'
“England's boots stolen in transit; USA beat Paraguay 4-1 with first VAR mistaken identity; Partey denied Canada entry.”
The US, managed by former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, led 3-0 at half-time after an own goal by Damian Bobadilla and two strikes from Folarin Balogun, who became just the second US player to score more than once in a World Cup match. Paraguay pulled one back through Brazilian-born Mauricio before substitute Giovanni Reyna curled a 20-yard shot home with the outside of his right foot with the final kick of the game. Donald Trump missed the match amid a packed schedule of opening fixtures.
Elsewhere, former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been denied entry into Canada ahead of Ghana's opening match against Panama in Toronto. A Fifa statement confirmed: 'Player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.' Ghana's football association could potentially lodge an appeal, but Partey remains restricted to the team's base camp in Boston.
Broadcasters are facing a wave of fan complaints over the quality of television coverage, with viewers frustrated about highlights packages provided by major networks. Meanwhile, Fox Sports pundit Alexi Lalas shocked co-hosts Thierry Henry and Rebecca Lowe by using a British swear word live on air during a segment previewing James Corden's upcoming late-night show. Canada played out a 1-1 draw against Bosnia in another highly anticipated match-up.