Arkema Première Ligue : Antoine Ponroy, nouvel entraîneur du FC Fleury

Le FC Fleury a officiellement depuis ce lundi, un nouvel entraîneur pour son équipe féminine, Antoine Ponroy. freshyourfeel.org

Le FC Fleury 91 a officialisé, ce lundi, la nomination d’Antoine Ponroy comme entraîneur principal de l’équipe féminine d’Arkema Première Ligue. Ancien joueur du club entre 2018 et 2022 en National 2 pour 44 matchs disputé (1 but), l’ancien défenseur était depuis 2023 entraîneur adjoint de l’équipe première féminine. L’an dernier, Fleury avait terminé à la cinquième place du championnat.

« Présent au club depuis trois saisons en qualité d’entraîneur adjoint, il prend désormais la tête des Lionnes pour poursuivre le développement du projet sportif floriacumois », a salué le club de l’Essonne. Entraîneur des U17, mais aussi des U19 d’Orléans lors de la saison 2022-2023, il avait rejoint l’Essonne en août 2023.

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USA vs Belgium prediction.Co-hosts USA face Belgium in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field, Seattle on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 (02:00 SAST (Tuesday, 7 July 2026)). Balogun’s one-match ban was suspended by FIFA — he is available. Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 AET; Lukaku expected to start over De Ketelaere. Our prediction: both teams to score.Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.

Match details

Field	Detail
Competition	2026 FIFA World Cup — Round of 16
Date & kick-off	Tuesday, 7 July 2026 at 02:00 SAST (Tuesday, 7 July 2026)
Venue	Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington, USA
How they got here	USA: beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in R32. Belgium: beat Senegal 3-2 AET (Tielemans 120’ penalty) in R32.
Format	Single elimination. If level after 90 mins: 30 mins extra time, then penalty shoot-out.
Where to watch	DSTV/GOTV

Home comforts vs Belgium’s dominance

The United States arrive in Seattle for a match they were built to reach. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been one of the tournament’s most entertaining attacking sides, scoring in every match and averaging at least two goals per game. Their 2-0 win over Bosnia in the R32 was comfortable. The Stars and Stripes are bidding for their first-ever World Cup quarter-final appearance since 2002, and playing at Lumen Field adds a home dimension to a game they will treat as the most important in the programme’s history.

The biggest pre-match development arrived late: a linked KE article confirms FIFA suspended Balogun’s one-match ban. The USA’s top scorer with three tournament goals — initially facing a suspension after his red card vs Bosnia — is cleared to start. Christian Pulisic continues to captain and orchestrate. Sergino Dest and Malik Tillman retain their places in the XI.

Belgium have never lost to the United States in modern football history. Their only defeat across the full head-to-head came at the 1930 World Cup. Since then, Belgium have won six consecutive meetings, including a 5-2 victory in a March 2026 friendly — just months before this tournament. Rudi Garcia’s side were pushed to extra time by Senegal before Youri Tielemans’ 120th-minute penalty sealed a 3-2 win. Romelu Lukaku has come off the bench to score in two consecutive matches and that form earns him a first start of the tournament, with Charles De Ketelaere dropping to the bench. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Leandro Trossard complete a formidable attacking unit.

Team news and expected line-ups

USA: Balogun AVAILABLE — ban suspended by FIFA (5 July ruling). Expected to start. Pulisic captains. Dest and Tillman retain places. Adams anchors midfield.

Belgium: Lukaku STARTS — replaces De Ketelaere after bench goals in two straight matches. De Bruyne orchestrates. Doku and Trossard wide. Tielemans and Onana in midfield.

USA (4-3-3 expected)	Belgium (4-3-3 expected)
Freese (GK)	Courtois (GK)
Freeman (RB)	Castagne (RB)
Ream (CB)	Mechélé (CB)
Richards (CB)	Theate (CB)
Robinson (LB)	De Cuyper (LB)
Adams (DM)	Tielemans (CM)
Tillman (CM)	Onana (DM)
Dest (RW)	Doku (RW)
McKennie (CM)	De Bruyne (AM)
Pulisic (LW)	Trossard (LW)
Balogun (ST)	Lukaku (ST)

Key stats

• USA: R32 result — beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0.
• USA: scored at least 2 goals in every World Cup match. Averaging 2+ goals per game.
• Folarin Balogun: 3 tournament goals. Red card vs Bosnia. BAN SUSPENDED by FIFA on 5 July — available to start.
• Christian Pulisic: captain and creative leader.
• USA: bidding for first World Cup quarter-final since 2002.
• USA form: W L W W W.
• Belgium: R32 result — beat Senegal 3-2 AET (Tielemans 120’ penalty).
• Belgium: unbeaten in over a year (last defeat: Ukraine, March 2025).
• Romelu Lukaku: scored from bench in two consecutive matches. STARTS vs USA.
• Kevin De Bruyne: Belgium’s creative fulcrum. Central to everything.
• Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard: direct, dangerous wide options.
• Belgium: beat USA 5-2 in a March 2026 friendly. Beaten USA in all 6 of the last meetings.
• Belgium’s only defeat to USA: 1930 World Cup.
• Belgium form: W W D D W.
• H2H: Belgium W6 USA W1 (1930) in 7 meetings. USA last beat Belgium 93 years ago.

Head-to-head

Belgium have dominated the recent head-to-head utterly. USA’s only ever win came at the 1930 World Cup. Since then, Belgium have won six consecutive meetings, with the most recent being a 5-2 victory in a March 2026 friendly — played just before this tournament.

Date	Result
28 March 2026	USA 2–5 Belgium (International Friendly)
1 July 2014	Belgium 2–1 USA (2014 World Cup R16, AET)
30 May 2013	USA 2–4 Belgium (Friendly)
6 September 2011	Belgium 1–0 USA (Friendly)
25 February 1998	Belgium 2–0 USA (Friendly)
1930	USA 3–0 Belgium (1930 World Cup)

Current form

Team	Last 5 (inc. WC)
USA	W L W W W — 2-0 vs Bosnia in R32; scoring in every match
Belgium	W W D D W — unbeaten 12+ months; Lukaku scoring from bench

Our prediction

USA have the home support, the scoring threat — especially with Balogun reinstated — and the momentum of co-host advantage. Pulisic and McKennie will press Belgium from the first whistle.

Belgium’s H2H record is, however, emphatic. The 5-2 March 2026 friendly result is recent, directly relevant form. De Bruyne, Doku, Trossard and now Lukaku starting makes this a dangerous Belgian attack. Both sides have conceded just four goals in the tournament and both have consistently scored. A match with goals at both ends reflects the analytical middle ground between USA’s attacking home ambition and Belgium’s proven quality.

Our prediction: both teams to score.

Odds and market

Odds correct at 0200Hrs UTC on Tuesday,7^th July 2026.

How to bet on SportPesa

1. Open the USA vs Belgium event page on SportPesa (link above).
2. Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
3. Enter your stake and place your bet.

Frequently asked questions

What time does USA vs Belgium kick off?

Kick-off is at 02:00 SAST (Tuesday, 7 July 2026) on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Is Folarin Balogun playing for the USA?

Yes. Balogun received a red card in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina but FIFA subsequently suspended his one-match ban, clearing him to play. He is expected to start against Belgium.

Is Romelu Lukaku starting for Belgium?

Yes. Lukaku has scored from the bench in two consecutive matches and has earned a starting place for this fixture. Charles De Ketelaere, who started the Senegal match, is expected to drop to the bench.

What is Belgium’s record against the USA?

Belgium have won six consecutive meetings against the USA, including a 5-2 friendly victory in March 2026. The USA’s only win in the history of the fixture came at the 1930 World Cup. Belgium also beat the USA 2-1 in the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 after extra time.

Have USA ever beaten Belgium?

Only once — a 3-0 win at the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay. Belgium have won every meeting between the two nations since then, across six consecutive encounters spanning 1998 to 2026.

READ ALSO: Switzerland vs Colombia prediction.

Le gardien polonais Miłosz Piekutowski rejoint le RC Strasbourg pour la saison prochaine.

Le Racing Club de Strasbourg alsace a officialisé, lundi, la signature de Miłosz Piekutowski. Le gardien polonais de 20 ans, qui arrive en provenance du Jagiellonia Białystok, s’est engagé avec le racing jusqu’en 2031.

Formé au sein du club polonais, il a participé à 8 rencontres toutes compétitions confondues l’an dernier dont 4 matchs de championnat, le jeune portier a disputé deux matchs de Ligue Conference, dont un contre Strasbourg à la Meinau en octobre 2025 (1-1). Après la rencontre, le coach alsacien Liam Rosenior avait encensé le gardien. « Piekutowski ? Un héros. Quelle performance ! Il s’en souviendra certainement ; il a été brillant, et grâce à lui, nous n’avons plus marqué. », avait indiqué le technicien anglais en conférence de presse.

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DAY ONE – Craven Week 2026 Results

Craven Week 2026 has finally arrived, with the best young schoolboy rugby talent in the country looking to showcase their skills and stake a claim for one of the two coveted SA Schools sides. Here is a recap of every match, the standout performances and the full Day One results.

Boland finish strongly to overcome Leopards

The opening game of Craven Week saw the Leopards take on Boland. As the first fixture of the tournament, both teams made a few early mistakes, showing some understandable nerves. However, it was the Leopards who opened the scoring through a burst of pace from Ayden Willemse of Rustenburg High School, who dotted down for the first try of the day. The Leopards kept Boland under pressure throughout the opening half, while two penalties from flyhalf Enos helped his side carry a 13-3 advantage into the break.

The second half began with an early Boland try after their left winger read the play perfectly to snatch an intercept. From there, Boland shifted through the gears. Tries from Lotriet and Jacobs turned the contest on its head, giving Boland a commanding 29-13 lead. The Leopards refused to fade away, responding with five minutes remaining through a hard-fought try as they searched for a late comeback. Their ill-discipline, however, proved costly, allowing Boland to add another penalty before Jacobs completed his hat-trick to wrap up an impressive 39-20 victory in the opening match of Craven Week.

Free State power past spirited Limpopo Blue Bulls

The second encounter of Craven Week featured a Free State side packed with Grey College players against the Limpopo Blue Bulls. What followed was a schoolboy rugby spectacle, with the two sides combining for more than 100 points. Free State eventually ran in 10 tries to secure a dominant 66-41 victory.

After a shock start that saw Free State trail 14-0 after 20 minutes, Eddie Mabena finally got his side on the scoreboard and settled the nerves. From there, the floodgates opened as Free State piled on 28 points in the final 15 minutes of the first half.

It took just three minutes after the restart for Free State to strike again as Andrew Wessels powered over for another try. The Limpopo Blue Bulls continued to battle, but every score was matched by another Free State response as the game developed into an entertaining end-to-end contest. In the end, the Bulls simply couldn’t contain the relentless Free State attack, going down 66-41.

Sharks Schools impress against SWD

The third game of Craven Week was one many had been anticipating, as Sharks Schools and SWD met for the first time in several years. It was SWD who landed the opening blow after poor discipline from the Sharks as the opening scrum gifted them an easy penalty to touch. From the resulting lineout, Bernard Barednhorst crossed for the opening try.

The Sharks thought they had responded immediately, but the TMO ruled out the effort, leaving them trailing 5-0. They continued to challenge the defensive line and were eventually rewarded when Kuzonyei finished out wide to edge the Sharks into a 7-5 lead. SWD threatened to answer after camping inside the Sharks’ 22 through a 14-phase attack, but they were unable to crack the defence and eventually handed the Sharks an easy exit. The remainder of the half saw Sharks Schools combine innovation with physicality as they searched for gaps in a resilient SWD defence.

Early in the second half, disaster struck for the Sharks when flanker Zion Smith took a heavy blow to the head while going into an upright tackle, bringing an early end to his afternoon. Moments later, SWD’s No. 19 was shown a yellow card for a high tackle, and the Sharks capitalised immediately. They kicked deep into the opposition half before driving over from the maul, with Bruiner dotting down for his first try.

SWD failed to learn their lesson and were soon reduced to 13 men after a second yellow card, once again conceding a penalty. Sharks Schools punished them again, making full use of the extra space to extend their lead beyond 10 points.

The Sharks were then given a taste of their own medicine when they received a yellow card for taking a player out in the air, allowing Adrian Smith to cross and keep SWD within touching distance. Even in the closing stages, SWD continued searching for one more score, and it came through Hendriks, whose late try added some respectability to the scoreboard at 29-19.

There was still time for one final play. Sharks Schools looked set to see the game out, but Sonkonokono had other ideas. Reading the pass perfectly, he raced away to cross the whitewash and put the finishing touch on an outstanding performance, sealing a 36-19 victory for Sharks Schools.

Western Province finish strongly against Eastern Province

The final game of Craven Week saw neighbouring provinces battle it out for local bragging rights as Western Province took on Eastern Province. Eastern Province made the perfect start, crashing over in just the third minute. Although Western Province were convinced they had held the ball up, the TMO confirmed the try had been grounded.

It didn’t take long for Western Province to respond, manufacturing a try of their own with Van Biljon adding the extras. The next 10 minutes were packed with physical schoolboy rugby as Province controlled possession. Once they worked their way into the Eastern Province 22, they shifted the ball wide to Dirk Farmer, who crossed to hand Province the lead. Another accurate conversion stretched the advantage to seven points. However, poor discipline from Province allowed Eastern Province a late penalty, leaving them trailing by just a single point at the break (14-13).

The second half began with Eastern Province reclaiming the lead through a try from Doyle, moving six points clear. Their advantage proved short-lived as Western Province moved the ball from touchline to touchline before Caleb Bell dived over to pull his side back within a point. From there, Province’s forwards gradually asserted themselves, driving Eastern Province backwards and creating more room for their backs to exploit. That dominance sparked a flurry of tries as Western Province built a comfortable 15-point cushion.

Eastern Province threatened to mount a late comeback, but with just one unconverted try in the second half, it summed up their afternoon—they were there, but never quite close enough. The final try of Day One came through Behardien, capping off an outstanding performance from both himself and his side as Western Province secured an impressive 45-25 victory.

To watch the first days highlights, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SCHOOLOFSPORTS

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WASHINGTON D.C, United States, Juyly 6, 2026 – President Donald Trump has confirmed he asked Fifa to review United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension at the World Cup.

Balogun, 25, was set to miss his side’s last-16 tie against Belgium after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.

But Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism, including from Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Fifa’s decision frees US forward Balogan, who has scored three goals at this summer’s tournament, to be selected for the match in Seattle, which kicks off at 17:00 local time (01:00 BST on Tuesday).

Trump said football’s world governing body “made the right decision”, adding it would have left a “big stain” on the tournament had the ban been implemented.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he had asked Fifa to review the decision because he “didn’t think it was a foul”.

He confirmed he had spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino but said “all” he did was ask for a review and added he did not tell the Swiss he had to suspend Balogun’s ban.

Trump added: “I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can’t tell them what to do. I don’t believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision.”

Trump said referee Raphael Claus’ decision to send off Balogun was “horrible” and called the Brazilian “a little bit suspect”.

In response, the Brazilian football conferdation (CBF) defended Claus’ integrity, stating: “There is nothing in his record that discredits him or gives grounds for any suspicion. He is an exemplary professional.”

In a statement on X, Infantino said that on receiving a call from Trump, he told the US President there was “an ongoing legal process involving Fifa’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies”.

Earlier on Monday, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by Fifa’s decision, while European football governing body Uefa said on Tuesday it left the integrity of football at stake.

Belgium’s appeal against the decision has been dismissed.

The Fifa appeal committee deemed Belgium are not an interested party as they were not involved in the original decision and are merely the United States’ next opponents.

“The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the Belgian FA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision,” said Fifa in a statement.

This means Balogun will be free to play against Belgium because there is no party who would appeal against the decision.

When asked by BBC Sport about Trump’s comments and his view on Claus, Fifa said it had “nothing more” to add.

Infantino later stated Fifa’s judicial bodies were “independent” and rulings “must always be respected”.

He added: “I read the decisions of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant.

“Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of Fifa at all times.”

In raising its concerns, the RBFA said: “Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole.”

England head coach Thomas Tuchel said the ruling set a dangerous precedent.

Tuchel had defender Jarell Quansah sent off in a dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico.

“Where to draw the line is the question that I ask,” he said. “I have no answer to that.

“Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It’s my question. I don’t have an answer.”

Uefa said intervening to effectively cancel a suspension at a tournament “crossed a red line”.

Of the 189 other red cards at the World Cup, only once has a player escaped a suspension.

That was Brazil’s Garrincha in 1962 – before automatic bans were in place, and the failure to impose a sanction was shrouded in allegations of political interference.

Fifa cited article 27 of its disciplinary code, which gives authority to partially suspended disciplinary measures, in announcing Balogun’s one-match ban would be suspended for a probationary period of one year. However, Fifa has not provided a specific explanation for its decision in the Balogun case.