Injured Alli out of Swiss friendly
London: England midfielder Dele Alli will miss Tuesday's friendly in Leicester with Switzerland because of a minor muscle strain, the Football Association announced on Monday. The 22-year-old Tottenham Hotspur star suffered the injury in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Nations League. Alli may not have played for the World Cup semi-finalists in any case as England manager Gareth Southgate is believed to be set on making radical changes to the starting line-up against a side that reached the last 16 of the World Cup. Southgate — who would become the first England manager to suffer four successive defeats if the Swiss prevail — is not calling up a replacement for Alli having already bolstered his squad with uncapped young Leicester City duo, defender Ben Chilwell and winger Demerai Gray.
Schulz strikes in Germany win
Sinsheim: Nico Schulz enjoyed a dream international debut on Sunday, as the Hoffenheim defender scored a late winner in front of his home crowd to give Germany a hard-fought 2-1 friendly win over Peru in Sinsheim. Given his first cap for Germany in the stadium where he plays his club football, the 25-year-old Schulz put in a solid performance at left-back as the hosts came from behind to pick up their first win since crashing out of the World Cup in June. It was Peru who struck first, brutally exposing Loew's side on the counter-attack in the 22nd minute when Luis Advincula burst down the right wing and beat Marc Andre ter Stegen at the near post. The lead lasted all of three minutes, as Julian Brandt levelled the scores with a delicate chip over Gallese. The vital one came in the 85th minute, when Schulz pounced on a loose ball and squeezed his shot underneath Gallese.
France celebrate homecoming with win
Paris: France finally celebrated winning the World Cup with their home fans on Sunday after Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud both scored in a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in Paris. Giroud swept in the winner from a Benjamin Mendy cross in the 75th minute for his first goal in 11 games in a France shirt, after the Chelsea striker went through the entirety of his country's triumphant campaign in Russia without scoring. On their first appearance on home soil since the World Cup, Mbappe had earlier put France ahead in an explosive performance from the 19-year-old, before Ryan Babel briefly restored parity in the second half. The Stade de France exploded in celebration at Giroud's winner in a game that had a competitive edge as part of UEFA's new Nations League. Overjoiced by win French coach Didier Deschamps said, "The victory was the most important thing, so we can have a great party."
Chandimal out of Asia Cup
Colombo: Sri Lanka Test captain Dinesh Chandimal was withdrawn Monday from the 16-member squad for the Asian Cup because of an injury during a recent domestic tournament, the board said. The 28-year-old batsman had injured a finger during a domestic Twenty20 match and needed more time to recover, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement. Chandimal will be replaced by wicketkeeper and batsman Niroshan Dickwella at the six-nation Asia Cup tournament which opens in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, the SLC said. Sri Lanka squad: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga, Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Dhanajaya de Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Dilruwan Perera, Amila Aponso, Kasun Rajitha, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera and Lasith Malinga.