Milan’s Giroud Sent off after Forgetting First Yellow in Win over Spezia

05 November 2022, Italy, Milan: AC Milan's Olivier Giroud (2nd L) scores his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan and Spezia Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza. (dpa)
05 November 2022, Italy, Milan: AC Milan's Olivier Giroud (2nd L) scores his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan and Spezia Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza. (dpa)
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Milan’s Giroud Sent off after Forgetting First Yellow in Win over Spezia

05 November 2022, Italy, Milan: AC Milan's Olivier Giroud (2nd L) scores his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan and Spezia Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza. (dpa)
05 November 2022, Italy, Milan: AC Milan's Olivier Giroud (2nd L) scores his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan and Spezia Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza. (dpa)

AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud said he had forgotten about his earlier yellow card when he took off his shirt to celebrate scoring a late goal in Saturday's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Spezia in Serie A and was dismissed.

Milan took advantage of Atalanta's stumble in their 2-1 home defeat by league leaders Napoli earlier on Saturday as the champions moved up to second place on 29 points after 13 games by beating relegation-threatened Spezia.

"The important thing is to have three more points in the table, but I'm very angry because I forgot about my first yellow card," Milan's France striker Giroud told Sky Sport.

"The adrenaline and happiness for giving the win to the team played a role, after a tough game. In my head I am still a kid, but I have great faith in my team."

Milan boss Stefano Pioli said he understood that Giroud lost control after scoring the goal which earned the win.

"The fact that we believe in (a victory) so much made us rejoice a lot and you lose control, it means he will sit out Tuesday's game," Pioli told MilanTV.

Milan, who trail leaders Napoli by six points, travel to second-bottom Cremonese on Tuesday.



Coach Ivankovic Fired by Chinese Following World Cup Elimination

Referee Rustam Lutfullin (R) talks with China’s head coach Branko Ivankovic (C) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification match between Indonesia and China in Jakarta, Indonesia, 05 June 2025. EPA/BAGUS INDAHONO
Referee Rustam Lutfullin (R) talks with China’s head coach Branko Ivankovic (C) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification match between Indonesia and China in Jakarta, Indonesia, 05 June 2025. EPA/BAGUS INDAHONO
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Coach Ivankovic Fired by Chinese Following World Cup Elimination

Referee Rustam Lutfullin (R) talks with China’s head coach Branko Ivankovic (C) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification match between Indonesia and China in Jakarta, Indonesia, 05 June 2025. EPA/BAGUS INDAHONO
Referee Rustam Lutfullin (R) talks with China’s head coach Branko Ivankovic (C) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification match between Indonesia and China in Jakarta, Indonesia, 05 June 2025. EPA/BAGUS INDAHONO

Branko Ivankovic has been fired as China's national team coach following his side's elimination from the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup this month, the Chinese Football Association announced on Friday.

The 71-year-old Croatian coach was removed from the post as a result of China finishing fifth in Group C of the continent's preliminaries for next year's 48-team finals, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

"The Chinese Football Association expresses gratitude to Mr. Branko Ivankovic and his coaching staff for their dedicated efforts during their tenure with the men's national team and their contributions to Chinese football," Reuters quoted a CFA statement as saying.

"We wish Mr. Ivankovic all the best in his future work and life."

Ivankovic, who led Iran at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006, was appointed China's coach in February 2024, replacing Aleksandar Jankovic. He steered the country into the third phase of Asia's World Cup qualifying.

His team recovered from a poor start, which included a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Japan, to maintain their hopes of a place at their first World Cup since the nation's debut appearance at the finals in 2002.

Wins over Indonesia and Bahrain kept China in contention for a berth in the fourth round of qualifying, but losses to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia were followed by a defeat against Indonesia on June 5 that ended any prospect of progressing.

The Chinese association said Dejan Djurdjevic, who led China to the quarter-finals of the Under 20 Asian Cup in Shenzhen in February, will take over on a caretaker basis for next month's East Asian Championship in South Korea.