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Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)

Mexico and Portugal played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in a warm-up match that marked the reopening of the Azteca Stadium after nearly two years of renovations for the 2026 World Cup.

Goncalo Ramos had the best scoring chance in the match when he rattled the goalpost in the 26th minute.

The iconic Azteca stadium, which hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup tournaments, has been closed since May 2024 for renovations for the upcoming World Cup, where it will host five matches: three first-round matches and two for the knockout stages.

On Saturday, the Mexicans were without 12 players through injury, including six starters that helped the team win the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup last year.

The Portuguese also faced the match with absences, most notably those of forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leão.

Mexico opens its tournament June 11 in Mexico City against South Africa in the opening match of the tournament.

The Mexicans will play against Belgium next Tuesday at Soldier Field in Chicago, while Portugal face the United States at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Portugal will make its debut in the World Cup on June 17 against the winner of the intercontinental playoffs match between Jamaica and Congo.

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Romania Great Gheorghe Hagi Returns for Second Stint as National Team Coach After Lucescu’s Death

Gheorghe Hagi attends a press conference after being appointed as the new manager of the Romanian national team, in Bucharest, Romania, April 20, 2026. (EPA)
Gheorghe Hagi attends a press conference after being appointed as the new manager of the Romanian national team, in Bucharest, Romania, April 20, 2026. (EPA)
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Romania Great Gheorghe Hagi Returns for Second Stint as National Team Coach After Lucescu’s Death

Gheorghe Hagi attends a press conference after being appointed as the new manager of the Romanian national team, in Bucharest, Romania, April 20, 2026. (EPA)
Gheorghe Hagi attends a press conference after being appointed as the new manager of the Romanian national team, in Bucharest, Romania, April 20, 2026. (EPA)

Romania great Gheorghe Hagi has been hired as national team coach for the second time. He was appointed to replace Mircea Lucescu, who died two weeks ago.

The 61-year-old Hagi is widely regarded as Romania’s greatest ever football player, having led the country to the World Cup quarterfinals in 1994. He also played for Barcelona and Real Madrid as a creative attacking midfielder.

His first stint as Romania coach was in 2001 and lasted three months, ending after failing to get the team through the playoffs for the 2002 World Cup.

Hagi has since coached clubs in Romania and Türkiye, including Galatasaray and Steaua Bucharest, but is back in charge of the No. 56-ranked national team, which will not be at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Romanians lost to Türkiye in the playoffs, after which Lucescu fell ill and stepped down as coach. He died April 7, at the age of 80.

“It is an honor and a great responsibility to represent Romania once again, as I did as a player,” Hagi said in a statement released by Romania’s football federation.

“I am convinced,” he added, “that we can achieve beautiful things. I hope that the performances I had as a player, I will also have as a coach. I am convinced that we can become the best.”

Romania last played at the World Cup in 1998. It reached the round of 16 at the European Championship in 2024, losing to the Netherlands.

Hagi’s first games in charge will be friendlies against Georgia and Wales in June. Romania is in a Nations League group with Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Poland starting in September.

He has signed a contract through to the 2030 World Cup, with the task of “bringing the national team back into the elite of world football,” the federation said.

Federation president Răzvan Burleanu said his organization has made “several attempts over time” to get Hagi to become coach again.

Sports

Di Matteo Says ‘Vital’ for Faltering Chelsea to Add Experience

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
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Di Matteo Says ‘Vital’ for Faltering Chelsea to Add Experience

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)

Chelsea great Roberto Di Matteo told AFP on Tuesday it was "vital" that the faltering Premier League side add experienced players and backed Liam Rosenior to still be in charge next season.

The London club are in the midst of an alarming slump, sixth in the table after four defeats in a row and in serious danger of missing out on Champions League football.

Boos greeted the full-time whistle following Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge after some supporters staged a street protest against owners BlueCo ahead of kick-off.

Former midfielder Di Matteo, who guided Chelsea to Champions League glory as manager in 2012, said "inconsistency" was understandable given the young age of the squad.

"I think the owner just said it last week. On the weekend he said that they're probably going to look at changing the transfer policy a little bit," Di Matteo said at the launch of the "Hong Kong Football Festival" featuring Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus in August.

"I think it's vital. If you want to have a little bit more consistency, if you want to be able to challenge, maybe for the Premier League, you need to have a good balance.

"You need very good, young, talented players, but you also need a little bit of experience within the team."

The 55-year-old Italian, who was a mainstay of the Chelsea team from 1996 to 2002, said allowances needed to be made for under-pressure Rosenior given he only replaced Enzo Maresca in January.

"You take over a team that was built for a different coach, with a different system," he said.

"It's always hard to be able to put your print on the team during mid-season. Everybody expects you to get it going straight away.

He added: "I guess next season we'll be able to see his team make some adjustments to the way the team (plays) or (bring in) the players to play his system."

Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali last week said the club were still behind Rosenior and remained optimistic about long-term success under his management.

Sports

Alcaraz Awaiting Test Results with French Open Defense at Risk

Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
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Alcaraz Awaiting Test Results with French Open Defense at Risk

Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)

Carlos Alcaraz ‌is awaiting the results of tests on his injured wrist before making a decision about defending his French Open title next month, the world number two said.

The seven-times Grand Slam champion picked up the injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open earlier this month ‌before withdrawing from ‌the tournament.

Scans showed the ‌issue ⁠was more serious ⁠than initially thought and he then skipped the Madrid Open.

"The next test will be crucial," Alcaraz told Spanish television channel TVE.

"We've been trying to do everything we can ⁠do to make sure that ‌this test ‌goes well. I'm trying to be very ‌patient. But we are good, we ‌are just waiting a little bit.

"We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will ‌see how the injury is, and what the next steps ⁠will ⁠be," the 22-year-old added.

Alcaraz, who was crowned Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus Awards on Monday, surrendered the world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner after losing to the Italian in the Monte Carlo Masters final days before his Barcelona opener.

The French Open will start from May 24 in Paris.