Hansi Flick intends to remain in charge for Euro 2024 on home soil, even if Germany suffer a shock early elimination from the World Cup.
Germany are bottom of Group E heading into the final round of fixtures after losing 2-1 to Japan and drawing 1-1 with Spain in their opening two games.
That makes Flick just the second Germany manager to fail to win his first two World Cup games, after Josef Herberger, with none having failed to win their first three in charge.
The four-time world champions must now beat Costa Rica and hope Spain defeat Japan to guarantee a place in the last 16.
A draw between Spain and Japan, or a victory for the latter, would take the equation down to goal difference should Germany pick up all three points against Costa Rica.
Exiting the competition at the first hurdle would raise questions over whether Flick should remain in the job, but the ex-Bayern Munich boss has no intention of stepping aside.
"I don't know what else will happen, but from my side, my contract runs to 2024 and I'm looking forward to the Euros," he said at Wednesday's pre-match press conference.
"But we have a while to go until then. We go into the Costa Rica match trying to make things clear from the start, to exert pressure – these are our intentions.
"Of course we know it'll be difficult against a team who normally defends. We need to adopt the same mentality as we showed against Spain."
Germany failed to reach the knockout round in Russia four years ago and exited Euro 2020 at the last-16 stage in last year's rescheduled tournament.
Flick, who took over on the back of those disappointments, is hoping to avoid more major competition disappointment on Thursday.
When asked to explain why Germany have underwhelmed at recent tournaments, Flick said: "Maybe you can ask me this question tomorrow, though I hope not.
"Normally I'm an optimist who thinks positively. I'm not considering anything like [exiting the tournament] for the time being.
"We know it's not entirely in our own hands and it goes without saying we didn't get the result we wanted in the first game.
"But we're here to reach the knockouts and we'll play our next match with confidence. Whatever happens, happens. Like after the Japan loss, I'm not feeling any pressure.
"We're heading in the right direction. Things are getting better in training and we're continuing to learn. We're finding solutions with the ball and that's why I think we're improving."
Germany are facing Costa Rica at the World Cup for just a second time, having previously won 4-2 in the opening match of the 2006 edition when hosting the tournament.
They have won six of their eight World Cup matches against CONCACAF nations, though their only loss in that run was in their last such match against Mexico in 2018.
Costa Rica have won just one of their past 11 World Cup games against European nations, meanwhile, with that including a 7-0 loss to Spain in their opening group match.
However, Luis Fernando Suarez's side beat Japan last time out and can themselves reach the last 16 by defeating Germany at Al Bayt Stadium.
A draw would also be enough if Spain overcome Japan, as many expect, and Flick expects Costa Rica to set out defensively in order to take a point.
"If we look at the table then Costa Rica has an opportunity to go last 16 if they draw, so I assume they'll try to defend as much as possible as they did against Japan," he said.
"It's important for us to find a solution. It's our own fault we're in this situation and now we have to do what we can. It's about giving 100 per cent and performing on the day."
Roberto Martinez insists this is Belgium's "golden generation" and does not see any similarities with England's flops of the mid-2000s.
This group of Belgium players has long been lauded, but the Red Devils' best performance of recent years saw them finish only third at the 2018 World Cup.
As pressure builds on the side at the 2022 finals, where there have been reports of veteran stars quarrelling, coach Martinez has come to their defence.
He sought to highlight the contributions of Belgium's leading men off the pitch, as well as on it, and suggested the England team given the same label under Sven-Goran Eriksson were not comparable.
"It's interesting, because when I arrived in 2016, there was talk of a 'golden generation'," Martinez said on Wednesday.
"Clearly we were not the golden generation. The golden generation of Belgian football was 1986 in Mexico. They were the ones who arrived into the semi-finals.
"Since then, these players showed incredible commitment to the national team. We're talking about players who left Belgium very young, they went into the best dressing rooms in European football, they win trophies, and they're always committed.
"We have eight players with over 100 caps; we have Thibaut Courtois reaching his 100th cap against Croatia. You've got players who gave their career for the national team.
"This generation is the golden generation of Belgian football, there is no doubt.
"They got the bronze medal in 2018, they kept the national team for four years at the number one spot in the world rankings, a population of 11,000,000.
"Twenty-one of them got their A [coaching] licences. This generation is going to carry on impacting Belgian football from a coaching point of view for the next 20 years.
"They were able to build a new training facility, state of the art, that is going to change Belgian football for the next generations.
"What you can say is this generation haven't won a major tournament. But leaving a legacy goes a lot further than winning a tournament. I'm sure you can find national teams who win tournaments and they don't leave a legacy.
"This group of players deserve respect, deserve admiration for what they've done.
"From here, we can win, draw, lose, but with the legacy of this generation, I am the proudest person because I've been able to work with them, to see day to day how much they care.
"The next 20 years in Belgian football will not be the same because of this generation.
"You cannot compare it to England. England was a group of players that were sensational, outstanding at a group level, and they never found the way to do that with the international team. Comparisons are totally, totally impossible."
Lionel Messi is destined to return to Barcelona one day as the player and club "deserve one last dance together", according to the Catalan giants' sporting director Jordi Cruyff.
Paris Saint-Germain star Messi's 21-year association with Barca came to an end in August 2021 as the club could not afford a new deal under LaLiga's financial fair play rules.
Messi is now into his second season with PSG, but he is out of contract at the end of the campaign and has been linked with a move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner turns 36 next year and Cruyff hopes to see him back at Camp Nou in the future, though accepts that it may not be in a playing capacity.
"It's clear Barcelona and Messi have to be together again one day," Cruyff told RAC1. "It may be after his career, but they deserve a final hug, one last dance together."
Messi scored 672 goals across 778 appearances for Barcelona and provided a further 265 assists, amounting to 937 goal involvements across that trophy-laden spell.
He featured more times (219) and scored more goals (211) under Pep Guardiola than any other head coach, with the Catalan winning 14 trophies in four seasons at the helm.
Guardiola has since spent three seasons with Bayern Munich and is into his seventh season with Manchester City, where he remains under contract until July 2025.
Speaking this week, Guardiola said he would return to Barcelona one day if the club needed him, adding that "nothing is comparable" to managing a club so close to your heart.
Asked about the possibility of Guardiola managing the Blaugrana again further down the line, Cruyff said: "He's reached the level of being able to choose his own destiny.
"Not many have reached that point; it's the dream of every professional. Whether he returns or not, I have no idea. I think he's happy at City."
Roberto Martinez has blasted the Belgian media for coverage of a "genius" French-based report detailing supposed unrest in the Belgium camp ahead of a huge World Cup match against Croatia.
Belgium lost 2-0 to Morocco in their second Group F game and must now defeat the 2018 finalists to be sure of advancing to the knockout stage.
The Red Devils' preparation for that fixture has been hampered this week by discussion of a rift within the team, first reported by RTL and L'Equipe.
Belgium's players subsequently came together for a meeting – "it wasn't a crisis meeting, as we might have heard from some quarters," insisted Timothy Castagne – as they aim to "show more solidarity" against Croatia.
Castagne added the reports had "exaggerated a lot" and he had "seen worse", before Martinez, appearing after the defender at a pre-match news conference, suggested his team now knew they were in Qatar "on our own".
"For us, nothing changes. The standards come from within," the coach said.
"We were not happy with our two performances. We got the result in the first game, but we were not happy with our performance.
"The second game was the first time we lost a game by two goals in a major tournament. You can imagine we were not happy with it. We had to react.
"Then you see the storm on the outside and realise maybe we were listening too much to the noise on the outside before the tournament.
"You have some outlets in Belgium who are quite happy to jump on fake news. That's quite astonishing. It's made the group quite aware that the least you listen to the noise from outside the better.
"It's the biggest sporting event in the world, and you can see there are many World Cups being played. Maybe a country like France did a very good job with a story that became the main talking point of some outlets.
"There is more desire to find negative news around this team, rather than getting the nation together, supporting this team, enjoying the talent of the best generation we ever had in Belgian football.
"Probably that was a lesson for all of us: we are here on our own. We are here to fight for what we believe. Hopefully the fans, the real fans of the Red Devils, can enjoy the process."
Pressed on his suggestion the story had come out of France and been intended to hurt Belgium, Martinez replied: "I've got too many things to do in camp to think about where this story comes.
"What is clear is whoever came up with it, whoever has done it has scored a great goal, an own goal for Belgium.
"If I'm an opposition and I can weaken another side and get them out of the World Cup, I would do that as a journalist, I would love to win my own World Cup. Whoever's done it is genius."
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said his side would not be "fooled" by the reports around the Belgium team, adding: "I don't have an opinion on them and what's happening there.
"They are the second-best team in the world. That's all I care about. We are not focusing on any other aspects. We are focusing on Belgium, their quality.
"They cannot forget overnight how to play football. They are a top-notch team. They're number two, and we're number 12."
Norman Powell's late rally came as no surprise to Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue, after he helped seal a 118-112 wn over the Portland Trail Blazers.
The shooting guard was traded from the Oregon outfit down the West Coast in February, just months after signing a mammoth new five-year deal to stay with them.
Facing off against his former side, Powell posted a 32-point performance off the bench, with 22 coming in the final quarter alone, to take the team to 13-9 for the season.
Lue acknowledged the 29-year-old was likely to be fired up by the chance to impress against the Trail Blazers, and was more than happy to reap the rewards.
"When you get traded from somewhere, you want to play well against them," Lue stated after Powell connected on four of his five three-point attempts.
"I thought he was a little too excited in the first half - we are always going to stay with our guys and he had 24 points in the second half, really attacking the basket.
"He was getting to the paint and getting to the free-throw line.
"He's been playing great for about the last three to four weeks."
Powell, a former NBA champion during his time with the Toronto Raptors, is looking to help the Clippers bounce back after the team missed the playoffs by coming up short in the play-in tournament last term.
The Clippers are fifth in the Western Conference, two places above Portland, who dropped to 11-10.
Marnus Labuschagne struck an unbeaten 154 to help Australia reach 293-2 on day one of their first Test with West Indies on Wednesday.
West Indies struggled to find answers at Optus Stadium in Perth, taking only the wickets of openers David Warner (5) and Usman Khawaja (65).
Australia, who have lost just one of their past eight Test series, were in trouble early on as Warner's lean streak in the longest format continued when he chopped on from Jayden Seales' wide delivery.
The home side were 9-1 when Labuschagne arrived at the crease, but he and Khawaja set about advancing their side to 72-1 by lunch and then kicked on.
Kyle Mayers gave West Indies a much-needed breakthrough when delivering a perfect ball that caught the edge of Khawaja's bat and was gathered by Joshua Da Silva.
The Khawaja-Labuschagne partnership may have ended at 142 runs, but the latter was not finished there as he struck 16 fours and a six en route to another huge score.
Steve Smith also chipped in with an unbeaten 59 while producing a 142-run stand of his own with Labuschagne, which they will look to build on when play resumes on Thursday.
Magical Marnus
Australia are undefeated in their past 11 Test series against West Indies, winning 10 of those and each of the past eight, and they already look great value to extend that streak.
Labuschagne was undoubtedly the star of the day with his eighth Test ton and he will now look to build on his unbeaten 154, which is the fourth-highest tally of his career.
Weak Warner
West Indies have won their past two Test series and they started well in Perth when sending Warner packing in the fourth over.
That was the Australia opener's fourth successive single figure dismissal in a home Test innings, and he will be grateful that Labuschagne in particular was able to bail him out.
Tiger Woods has hailed Rory McIlroy's leadership on the PGA Tour, after a busy year that saw the Northern Irishman impress on and off the course.
McIlroy has led the fight against the LIV Golf breakaway across 2022, while he has also returned to number one in the world rankings.
Woods echoed McIlroy's calls for LIV chief Greg Norman to step down earlier this week, in order to help heal golf's bitter civil war.
Now though, the 15-time major winner has expressed his wholehearted admiration for his fellow tour favourite, highlighting the respect he commands among his fellow players.
"What Rory has said and done are what leaders do," Woods said.
"Rory is a true leader out here on tour.
"The fact he's able to get things in the public eye, be so clear-minded and eloquent with it, [and then] go out there and win tournaments on top of that, people have no idea how hard that is, to be able to separate those two things.
"He's been fantastic. He's a great leader in our calls we make, and he's a great leader with all the players out here.
"Everyone respects him, and they respect him because not just his ball-striking, his driving, but the person he is."
Woods also assuaged McIlroy's earlier fears that he had given him COVID-19 on the eve of the Open Championship earlier this year, after the latter made the disclosure in an interview.
"I got tested," he added. "I was always negative. I was feeling under the weather, yes, but I never got a positive test."
Woods and McIlroy are set to partner each other in The Match later this month, with the former hoping to be fit after his withdrawal from the Hero World Challenge this week with a foot problem.
Pakistan are in discussions with England over postponing the opening Test between the pair following illness in the tourists' camp.
The two are set to meet in their first red-ball match in Pakistan since 2005 this week, beginning a three-match series in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
But an infection has swept through England's party, disrupting their preparations, with only a handful of the squad training on Wednesday.
Now, the Pakistan Cricket Board is in dialogue with the England and Wales Cricket Board over delaying the fixture.
"The PCB and ECB are in discussions regarding the commencement of the first Test as some England players are down with [a] viral infection," said the PCB.
"The PCB continues to monitor the situation, is in contact with the ECB and will provide further updates in due course."
England batsman Joe Root, one of a handful of players who trained on Wednesday, suggested a postponement was the right decision to make, stating the tourists did not wish to shortchange the occasion.
"It's such a monumental tour and important series for so many reasons," he told BBC Sport. "We've waited 17 years to come to Pakistan to play a Test match.
"If it means waiting another day, is that the worst thing in the world? We're all desperate to play this game, and we know how important it is to the fans of Pakistan and their team as well."
Root was succeeded by Ben Stokes as captain earlier this year and ruled out leading the side if the latter was indisposed, suggesting Ollie Pope should instead deputise.
"I don't think that's going to be the case," he added when asked if he would skipper England. "Last week Popey did a great job in the warm-up game. I think that might be a better way for the group moving forward."
New Zealand won their ODI series against India after the sides' third and final match saw no result as rain stopped play once more in Christchurch.
The two teams had been hopeful of ensuring the decider would produce an outcome, with the tourists 219 all out at Hagley Oval as Washington Sundar posted 51 and Daryl Mitchell took 3-25.
But with just two more overs needed for the Black Caps to reach the DLS threshold of 20 overs in response, the heavens opened to ensure yet another washout and a 1-0 series win for Kane Williamson's side.
Finn Allen's 57 had helped New Zealand to 104-1, putting them in a strong position to go on and win the match regardless.
Across six limited-overs matches, it marks the fourth instance of rain significantly impacting proceedings, with three no results and a fourth decided by DLS.
India had benefited in the Twenty20 International series, themselves winning 1-0.
Babar Azam has put his success as Pakistan captain down to his attempts to replicate South Africa great AB de Villiers.
Azam will lead Pakistan in a three-match Test series against England, starting this week in Rawalpindi. It is the tourists' first red-ball match in the country since 2005.
The form of the skipper will be key to Pakistan's hopes of marking the occasion with a victory following another impressive year with the bat.
Azam is averaging 73.44 in Tests in 2022 after two centuries and four fifties in nine innings, and ahead of facing England, he revealed his inspiration in an interview with Sky Sports.
"To be honest, my role model is AB de Villiers because I love him and the way he is playing and the way he is playing all the shots," Azam said.
"When I see him on the TV, the next day I am trying every shot in the nets. I try to copy De Villiers and try to look and play like De Villiers because my ideal is everything he is."
De Villiers, who retired from all forms of international cricket in 2018, had a Test batting average of 50.66 and scored 22 hundreds in the longest format.
Meanwhile, Babar is relishing the chance to take on England on home soil, adding: "We are looking forward to a historic series, and first of all, welcome to the England team.
"I know a few of the boys already in T20 format and a few new faces, so I think they will enjoy it a lot. We are looking forward to the series and everyone is ready."
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll wants his team to relish the opportunity to end their playoff drought ahead of a crucial December, despite back-to-back losses.
The rookie boss has taken his unfancied side to a 7-4 record this term, winning six of his first seven matches in charge after arriving from the Buffalo Bills backroom to succeed Joe Judge.
However, consecutive defeats to the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have checked momentum to stall hopes of both a first regular-season winning record and a playoff spot since 2016.
But Daboll believes his side can turn things around ahead of a vital four-game run that will see them pitted against key rivals the Washington Commanders twice over the next month.
"When you play meaningful games in December, I think that's why we all do this," he said.
"I've been on teams that have played meaningful games in December, and I've been part of teams that haven't.
"It's not a lot of fun when you're not playing meaningful games. So, let's come to work with a great attitude, a positive mindset [and] keep getting better."
The Giants' sterling start to the campaign has been slowed in recent weeks, with Daboll's side off the pace of their earlier exploits, while a torn ACL looks to have ended wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson's season.
But their coach feels they are showing a steady approach, win or lose, adding: "I think the way they're handling winning [is how they handle losing]. They're consistent.
"We've all been in this league a long time. The last time that you haven't faced adversity will be the first time. You're going to face it. Week 1, Week 5, Week 10. The approach is to be consistent."
Luka Doncic's dazzling NBA feats are "getting boring", joked Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, after the point guard posted his third 40-point triple-double of the season.
The Slovenian scored 41 points alongside 12 rebounds and 12 assists to help his side snap a four-game losing run in spectacular style, as they edged a 116-113 win over the Golden State Warriors.
It takes Doncic to three for the number of 40-point triple-doubles in the NBA this season, while no other player has yet managed one.
Kidd jested that it was not enough for a player of his calibre and stressed the 23-year-old remains a generational talent.
"It's getting boring," he quipped. "I mean, let's see something different. Maybe [he can] do it with his left hand. I'm just joking.
"Look, he's one of the best in the world, and that's what he does. Some of us can take him for granted. The man is special."
Doncic, who leads the NBA scoring charts this season, was exhausted but delighted to help the Mavericks turn matters around after a tough end to November.
"I just participated, giving everything I got," he added. "I was really tired at the end, but we needed this game. I think we deserved this win, and we for sure needed this win."
The Warriors came close to forcing overtime, with Klay Thompson missing a late three-point opportunity after the ball rimmed out, to Doncic's relief.
"I was scared, I'm not going to lie," he added. "It's Klay. He's not going to miss many open shots. I was really happy when it didn't go in."
The NBA's leading scorer Luka Doncic increased his average with a stunning 42-point triple-double to defeat the Golden State Warriors 116-113 at home on Tuesday.
Averaging 33.1 points per game this season, Doncic eclipsed 40 points for the fifth time in 19 outings, hitting 14-of-27 from the field while adding 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals.
He finished with a plus/minus of plus 22 in 39 minutes, meaning his team was outscored by 19 in the nine minutes he was on the bench.
Doncic received strong support from Tim Hardaway Jr, hitting five-of-11 from long range for his 22 points, while their 2020 first-round draft pick Josh Green showed signs of life with three three-pointers and impressive defense off the bench.
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry continued his MVP-calibre season with another 32 points (11-of-24 shooting), five rebounds and five assists, while last year's seventh overall draft pick Jonathan Kuminga had 14 points (six-of-eight), 10 rebounds and two blocks.
The Mavericks came into the contest on a four-game losing streak, but pulled their record even at 10-10, while the Warriors are in the same boat at 11-11.
Powell shines in revenge game
Norman Powell enjoyed his most productive game of the season to deliver the Los Angeles Clippers a 118-112 comeback win on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Playing on the road against his former club, Powell scored a team-high 32 points off the bench in just 26 minutes, going 10-of-16 from the field, four-of-five from deep and eight-of-10 from the free throw line.
He had 22 of his points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 95-82 deficit at three-quarter time, with the Clippers winning the final period 36-17.
Anfernee Simons was at his sharpshooting best for the Blazers, finishing 13-of-24 from the field and nine-of-16 from three-point range for his 37 points, marking the fourth time in the 23-year-old's career that he has hit nine threes in a game.
Randle has a birthday to remember
Julius Randle turned 28 on Tuesday, and he celebrated with a season-high 36 points in a one-sided 140-110 New York Knicks blowout of the Detroit Pistons.
Randle shot 14-of-24 from the field and six-of-13 from deep, raising his true shooting percentage – which accounts for and weights three-pointers and free throws – to 58.4 per cent.
That figure is more efficient than his 2020-21 season (56.7 per cent true shooting), where he became an All-Star and second-team All-NBA selection, after struggling mightily this past campaign (50.9 per cent).
The Knicks are now one game below .500 at 10-11, and boast the league's 10th-best offense.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was unfazed by his side's narrow 113-116 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, instead choosing to focus on what he called Jonathan Kuminga's best game as a professional.
There were warning signs early that this was not going to be the Warriors' night as they quickly fell down 23-6 after eight minutes of action, and despite fighting back well, they were unable to overcome the brilliance of Luka Doncic.
The 23-year-old MVP favourite scored 41 points on 14-of-27 shooting with 12 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals – posting a game-high plus/minus of plus 22 in his 39 minutes.
That means in the nine minutes he was on the bench, the Mavericks were outscored by 19 points, and Kerr acknowledged after the game that there was nothing they could do about the Slovenian when he is playing like that.
"Luka is Luka, he is just a tremendous shot-creator and shot-maker, and we just couldn't get the ball to go down tonight," he said.
"I love the effort, and I told the guys we're in a really good spot. We have kind of rounded into form, our bench has an identity, and we very easily could've won that game – but the ball has to go in the hoop, and sometimes it doesn't.
"Just an off night, you could see right away we fell down 23-6. We had plenty of good looks, it's just part of the season. This happens, no big deal."
A big part of the Warriors' fightback was Kuminga's play when both teams had their second-units on the floor, with the former lottery pick hitting six-of-eight from the field for 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in his 26 minutes.
"It was the best game I've ever seen 'JK' play," he said. "Everything he did contributed towards making an impact on winning.
"His defense on Luka was fantastic, he was disciplined, he stayed down, he challenged shots, and I think he had a couple blocks.
"He stayed patient offensively, he took the shots that were there, he knocked down a big three. JK has been fantastic, he's really coming into his own and that's exciting.
"It's exciting, because it's not easy. It's not easy for him to be thrown into a high-pressure environment, and to have to be counted on to win.
"A lot of guys, a lot of his colleagues, guys who were drafted near him are being given 30 minutes every night and there's not nearly as much pressure to win, because they're not on championship teams.
"He's handled everything really well, I think the way he is playing is a direct reflection of his attitude and approach these last few weeks."
Kuminga's sophomore season has got off to a rocky start, with the 20-year-old's minutes, points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage and three-point percentage all lower than his marks as a rookie.
The seventh overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft is beginning to figure it out, now posting back-to-back games with at least 20 minutes played while shooting over 60 per cent from the floor, and his status as the Warriors' most athletic wing gives him the upside to be a factor as they attempt to defend their title.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
