Benteke heading to Borussia Dortmund?

By Joe Prince-WrightMay 15, 2013, 1:30 PM EDT

Aston Villa fans, hold your nerve.

This is going to be the first of many reports of Chrisitan Benteke moving away from Villa Park this summer.

The Belgian international forward has made a sensational start to life in England, scoring 23 goals and almost single-handedly dragging Villa to Premier League safety.

However the 22-year-old striker has been attracting plenty of interest, after a campaign that saw him establish himself as one of the leading marksmen in the EPL.

Benteke’s agent, Eris Kismet, revealed that Dortmund are among plenty of interested suitors.

“I am aware of the Dortmund representation at Villa Park for the Chelsea match [on Saturday], but Christian is still a Villa player and nothing has changed on that point,” Kismet told ESPN. “It is natural for many teams to show an interest when Christian has had such a good season and scored many goals, but it is his first season in the Premier League.”

So if Benteke does leave Villa, how much would it be for? Where would he go? And why would he leave?

Okay, okay, settle down. We will get to all that.

So, the Belgian was relatively unknown before he became Paul Lambert’s big summer signing last year. But everyone knows about him now.

The towering attacker has spent time on loan with Belgian minnows Kortrijk and Mechelen, before establishing himself at parent club Genk in the 2011-12 season, which earned him the big-money move to Villa.

(More: Watch Christian Benteke’s hat trick for Aston Villa here)

And that $13 million price that Villa paid for him seems like an absolute bargain now, as Benteke’s suitors line up around the corner to try and tempt him away from a Villa side firmly in transition.

A move to Dortmund would be a great option, especially if they lose Robert Lewandowski this summer. The Belgian would be guaranteed Champions League soccer next season, instead of another relegation scrap with the Villans. But he is adored by Villa fans, Lambert has shown faith in him and the Birmingham-based club have built their whole attack around the young Belgian. So would he be daft to leave all that behind?

(More: Lambert – Benteke worth more than £25 million)

If he does leave, Villa could see a healthy profit for their star player after only one season on the books. Benteke’s value is currently believed to be around the $30 million mark. So that’s well over a 50 percent profit, which will never be frowned upon by owner Randy Lerner.

But I think it would be premature to leave so early in his EPL career. Benteke’s brute force, pace and tremendous aerial ability really suites the EPL style of play. Bigger teams in England, the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham have voiced an interest in his services.

Like I said at the very start, brace yourselves Villa fans. Stories surrounding Christian Benteke’s impending departure are set to rattle on all summer long.

Seismologists clarify Mexico fans didn’t cause earthquake

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Associated PressJun 18, 2018, 8:40 PM EDT

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s National Seismological Service says there was seismic activity around the country’s capital Sunday, but it wasn’t linked to soccer fans celebrating their country’s game-winning goal vs. Germany at the World Cup.

[ MORE: Where to watch Tuesday’s games, feat. Colombia and Egypt ]

The service says in a report that there were two small earthquakes at 10:24 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. The goal came around 11:35 a.m. local time.

A geological institute reported Sunday that seismic detectors had registered a false earthquake that may have been generated by “massive jumps” by fans.

[ MORE: Harry Kane “buzzing” after two goals | Southgate encouraged ]

Mexico’s Seismological Service explained Monday that the city’s normal bustle of traffic and other movement causes vibrations that are detected by sensitive instruments.

It says those vibrations notably quieted during the match as people gathered in front of TVs to watch, and rose after the goal.

WATCH: World Cup, Day 6 — Colombia vs. Japan; Salah’s debut?

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By Andy EdwardsJun 18, 2018, 7:59 PM EDT

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Day 6 of the 2018 World Cup is up next, on Tuesday — and would you believe it? — there’s another three games on the schedule. This whole “back-to-back-to-back games of soccer” thing isn’t so bad.

[ MORE: Latest 2018 World Cup news ]

Up first, it’s the 2018 debut of Colombia, winners of ~~tens~~ hundreds of millions of hearts in 2014, as they take on Japan. In the day’s other Group H fixture, it’ll be Robert Lewandowski and Poland facing Sadio Mane and Senegal. Star power aplenty.

Then, we swing things back around to Group A, where the hosts Russia will look to continue their hot start against Egypt with Mohamed Salah expected to make his World Cup debut.

Below is Tuesday’s schedule in full.

Click here for live and on demand coverage of the World Cup online and via the NBC Sports App.

2018 World Cup schedule – Tuesday, June 19

Group H
Colombia vs. Japan: Saransk, 8 a.m. ET – LIVE COVERAGE
Poland vs. Senegal: Moscow, 11 a.m. ET – LIVE COVERAGE

Group A
Russia vs. Egypt: St. Petersburg, 2 p.m. ET – LIVE COVERAGE

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Southgate hails ‘patient’ England, young squad’s tactical nuance

AP Photo/Alastair Grant

By Andy EdwardsJun 18, 2018, 6:52 PM EDT

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Inevitably, teams end up taking on the personality and temperament of a talented coach/manager, which in the case of the England squad competing at the 2018 World Cup, is a massive compliment to the Three Lions’ current boss, Gareth Southgate.

[ MORE: Kane “buzzing” after brace secures late win in World Cup debut ]

Southgate, who’s 47 and only four tournaments removed from his second and final World Cup appearance for England, has changed the outside world’s perception of an institution that once seemed arrogant, elitist and entitled, opting to take one of the youngest squads (average age: 25.6 years old) to Russia, and to turn them loose.

On Monday, it was 24-year-old Harry Kane who scored twice and bailed the feel-good favorites out of jail with a 91st-minute winner (WATCH HERE) to largely erase the frustrating hour which preceded it. These growing pains are, of course, to be expected with so little major tournament experience. Southgate, as expected, was pleased with how they responded — quotes from the BBC:

“I was happy with the way we kept playing even though the clock was running down. We stayed patient, we didn’t just throw the ball in the box. We deserved the win.

“We created so many clear-cut chances, especially in the first half, and were in total control in the second half. We were strong on set plays all night. Even if we’d drawn, we‘d have been proud of the performance.

“We’ll do well to make as many chances in a game again in this tournament. The movement, pace, control from the back with the ball was pleasing. We wore them down. Good teams score late goals — if you dominate the ball like that the opposition tire.

…

“As for Harry Kane the only thing he hasn’t done now is score in August — he’s moved every other barrier. He will feel pride of leading a country to a World Cup win is the most important thing.”

…

“The way we would change the game is to have different profiles of players that would provide a different threat. You can put attacking players in different positions but lose shape and be caught on the counter-attack.

“The guys that came on had a different threat. As a team you keep working and working. The best teams in the world keep the belief in what they’re doing and in the end break teams down.”

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Kane “buzzing” after brace secures late win in World Cup debut

AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis

By Andy EdwardsJun 18, 2018, 5:33 PM EDT

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Four years ago, Harry Kane watched the 2014 World Cup, alongside Tottenham Hotspur teammates, friends and family, while on vacation in Dubai and Portugal, and during the club’s preseason tour of the United States.

[ MORE: Southgate hails “patient” England, young squad’s tactical nuance ]

Fast-forward 48 months, and Kane made his World Cup debut on Monday, scoring both goals, including the stoppage-time winner (WATCH HERE), in England’s Group G-opening 2-1 victory over Tunisia. It’s an outcome we should have seen coming, considering he’s racked up 105 goals (in the Premier League; 135 in all club competitions; another 13 for England prior to Monday) since the start of the 2014-15 season.

Kane continues to take his superstardom — no matter how unlikely or ill-fitting it looks on him — in stride, using obvious phrases like, “It’s the World Cup,” to which you might think, “Well, yes, Harry, it sure is,” and then you realize he sees himself as nothing more than a giddy child living out a lifelong dream — quotes from the BBC:

“It’s massive. I’m so proud of the lads. It’s tough. We played so well especially in the first half and we could have scored a few more. We kept going. It’s a World Cup, you go to the last second. I’m absolutely buzzing.

“We’ve done it for a while [had good resilience] since the gaffer has been here — he’s instilled it into us. We’ve got a great bond off the pitch so it’s great to see it on the pitch. We’ll get onto the plane happy tonight.

“We could have had a couple of penalties, especially when you look at theirs. A few corners, they were trying to grab, hold and stop us running. Maybe a bit of justice to score at the back post at the end. That’s football, that’s the ref. It showed good character to get on with it.

…

“We are proud of each other and in a World Cup you are not sure how it is going to go, but we have a great togetherness and are always proud to see it come off in the game. We never panicked, never looked like conceding another one and got what we deserved in the end.

“We got told there would be a lot of flies and when we went out for the match it was a lot more than we thought. We all had bug spray on and it was important as some of them went in your eyes, some in your mouth, but it is about dealing with what comes your way.”

Kane will be the first to tell you that he’s been handed nothing during his career. Early on, before breaking into Tottenham’s first team, he endured four largely unsuccessful loan spells over the course of three seasons, at which point his career path appeared destined for England’s lower leagues. Through his refuse-to-lose attitude, an insatiable appetite to continue improving, and eagerly stepping up to the moment every time a new, grander stage is laid in front of him, he’s now 24 years old and set to captain his national team for the next decade.

[ MORE: Latest 2018 World Cup news ]

It’s this kind of wide-eyed, relatable approach that endears this young Three Lions side (average age: 25.6 years old) to neutral viewers and made them a popular, if unlikely, feel-good favorite ahead of the tournament in Russia. Following Monday’s performance — no matter how belabored the result itself might have been — the bandwagon will continue to fill up, and Kane is reasons no. 1, 2, 3 and 4 for that fact.

Follow @AndyEdMLS