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Olympics Soccer News: Matildas fresh faces off the bench saved the day with the 6-5 win v Zambia this morning in Nice

by Sports Benches

Looking at the half-time score, yes, the Matildas or Tillies have scored some goals which wasn’t bad to see for a start. But they are still two goals behind Zambia when it comes to the overall lead. 

It’s not looking good from here unfortunately off the back of their opening game loss v Germany the other day before Opening Ceremony Friday 3-0. So 7 goals conceded so far in this Olympic tourney and all they need to do now is hopefully turn this around to make it 4-4 all draw or a 5-4 win. 

That way, they can still be in the running to play knockout football ahead of their next game v Team USA mid-week.

Wow!! Anything can happen that quick in soccer when the game wasn’t over with one x 45 done from behind to wrapping up the other 45 mins with the 6-5 win. We thought it was game over when Zambia extended their lead to five not long after half-time thanks to a free-kick that went against them. Fortunately, a few fresh faces from the bench by coach Tony Gustavsson have made a big difference though being led by veteran forward Michelle Hayman & Arsenal women’s No.9 Caitlin Foord.

The Tillies were able to gain more control of the ball where plenty of shots were flying everywhere towards the keeper. Although another quick goal attempt was denied via the VAR, but they still mean business thanks to these winning free-kicks including a 5th straight penalty kick by Steph Catley before Heyman scored the 6th and winning goal on what has been an unreal comeback for the win.

Fair play to Zambia with their really good first half performance that gave our Matildas a hard time along the way including their extended lead for a bit longer. But a couple of defensive mistakes including from the keeper forced their hand to the Tillies where they could’ve still hold onto the lead had the ball not been mistaken into the net. And unfortunately, Zambia just couldn’t shy from the quality the Tilles had to offer before it was too late as the clock ticks down with the game-finishing loss. I’m sure they will come back stronger next time.

All the Matildas have to do now is be at their best v Team USA and as long as New Zealand lose to France at the same time mid-week, then they will get a 2nd chance in the Quarter-Finals. 

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Other Sports

OIympics Hockey News: Germany hold off Japan’s solid defense after they got away via lots of ball & scoring chances with a 2-0 win

by Sports Benches

It was a brilliant contest to wrap up one of the two morning’s Field Hockey Olympic matches in Pool A between Germany v Japan at Stade Yves-Du-Manoir (Pitch 2). Japan were brilliant defensively while they had some moments up front off the back of Germany’s endless scoring attempts. But at the end of the day, it was the Germans who got away with the two-goal win – even though things were really scrappy for the most part despite leading 1-0 until they’ve finally added the 2nd goal within the last 15 mins of play.

Well done to Germany with their dominant possession every time they put the Japanese under pressure all over the pitch including the attacking third while they weren’t bad in defense as well. Yes, their finishing has been frustratingly poor at times which is something they need to watch out in their upcoming games. But they found the net though twice where it was enough to shut Japan down for the win – one via open play in the first 15 and another off a penalty corner during the 4th and last 15. Gotta credit the experienced No.4 Nike Lorenz and No.12 Charlotte Stapenhorst whom they both love to take cruise control with the ball by scoring goals into the net; They just need to have more ball within the middle of the circle and goals will come Germany’s way as a decent 3-0 or 4-0 win will do it for Germany’s female Field Hockey Olympic team campaign.

Meanwhile, Japan wasn’t bad on the pitch for the most part thanks to their basic solid defense & that star-stopping goalkeeper to stop the Germans in its tracks that greatly benefitted the opposition’s endless missed goal attempts at their own end. It gave them several opportunities for the Japanese to try and get the job done through the break on the counter-attack but then they lacked the finishing touches in the attacking third, especially when being isolated with a lack of numbers there. We’ve seen that struggle from Japan before when they’ve played v Hockeyroos during the opening April Perth tour game earlier this year. Although they’ve tried their best to hold them back at the last attempt like it was one today, but then Japan just simply couldn’t find a way to press the German defense and their goal keeper where a draw would be enough but an outside win would be even better if their finishing came back better than Germany.

Speaking of the April tri-series tour rivalry, we got China taking on Japan once again this time at a Olympic-level match tomorrow night at 6.30pm AEST before Germany will be back in the early hours of Tuesday morning v the high-flying Netherlands team at 3.45am AEST.

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Other Sports

Olympics News: Ariarne Titmus & the Aussie Dolphins Swimming women’s relay quartet dominated Night 1 with two gold in Paris

by Sports Benches

Wow!! The Aussie Dolphins Swim Team are flying high at the Paris La Defense Arena’s Olympic built swimming pool on night one with two gold & two silver medals as we are currently first on the swimming ladder with eight days to go.

Hats off to Ariarne Titmus on what has been a stunning swim for gold in the Women’s 400m Final, having kept herself ahead for this whole time – even if her competitors aren’t far away within her reach. Now Team USA’s Katie Ledecky might have not been a threat this time around but at least Arnie did enough to hold off 17-year-old Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh towards the end of the wall. There’s no better way to celebrate other than coach Dean Boxall’s signature moves/celebrations every time he sees their swimmers collect that gold medal as Arnie once again is the defending 2 x Olympic champion in that meet.

Not only that, our women’s relay swim team also done well in the 4 x 100m Freestyle Final consisting of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris. Yes, they may have fired off slowly against the likes of China and Great Britain. However, the way Mollie O finished off her first stint has helped the Aussies take over the lead before the rest of her team stabilised it up front, which was enough to bring it home with another gold medal for the Aussies.

Wow!! Can you believe it Mollie O’Callaghan? She can finish it off from out of nowhere who is 100% established as the queen of freestyle sprints! Message sent Arnie with more to come between these two sometime next week. As said, she gave a great opportunity for her team-mates to get the job done and yet they’ve done it through the very end. Also, what a moment for Emma McKeon as well who is now the all-time Olympic gold medallist of 6 gold, 2 silver & 4 bronze for Australia!

And over in the men, another gold or two would’ve been great. However, we still have a long way to go before we can beat Team USA for the overall Olympics swimming honours like it was at the World Champs in Fukuoka, Japan last year.

Shoutout to Elijah Winnington who finished 2nd behind Germany’s Lukas Mertens the Men’s 400m Freestyle Final & so does the Men’s relay team quartet of Jack Cartwright, Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor & Kyle Chalmers in the 4 x 100m Freestyle Final. We wished they can get over these fast starts but at least the last two shifts by Taylor and Chalmers was enough to bring themselves home into silver behind the winners of this race Team USA.

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Rugby

Olympics News: Aussie Men’s Rugby 7s team fall short by Flying Fijians in the Medal semi-final at Stade De France

by Sports Benches

Ah, so gutted for the Aussie Men’s 7s team whose gold medal chances unfortunately came to an end at the hands of Fiji, 31-7.

Yes, great start by Ben Dowling who found the ball that came to him after one of the Fijian players couldn’t put the ball down first at the in-goal area. They just couldn’t build on it when Fiji levelled the scoreboard going into half-time 7-7 before being simply unstoppable throughout the 2nd x 7 minutes of play including that brilliant finish to the Medal semi-final.

Less ball didn’t help especially when going up against a seasoned gold medalist side while their attack lacked support at times including in defense & the Aussies should’ve brought some new faces a bit earlier than expected if one thing would’ve helped them get past tactically the Flying Fijians. One thing for sure though that the Aussie Men’s Rugby 7s side has made it this far having gone from a long, long way. But they still got a chance though to take home the bronze later on v South Africa. 

All the best to Fiji if they can go all the way with their three-peat for the Olympic 7s gold since the sport’s inception back in 2016. But if there’s one nation that can stop the Flying Fijians, then it’s the host nation France as well, who wants to light up Stade De France with a match-winning gold medal right in front of their home crowd, off the back of their unbelievable late turnaround when they were scoreless during first 7 minutes v South Africa, 5-19.

UPDATE: Fiji unable to get through France in the gold medal match on what has been their first ever loss at the Olympics as congratulations to the host nation with the 28-7 win while the Aussies unfortunately got left out of the 3rd and final podium spot for bronze by South Africa who got away from them unscathed 26-19. Again, our men’s sevens team made it as far as they can which was unbelievable – let’s hope they can continue to dominate the yearly 7s circuit that would mean everything.

Now over to you the Aussie women’s 7s team as their bid to bring back their Olympic crown from 2016 will begin later tonight at the same venue.

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Other Sports

Olympics News: Defending gold medallists Belgium off to a good start in Group B with so much possession after a 2-0 win v Ireland

by Sports Benches

Great start by Belgium who kickstarted their Group B campaign over Ireland 2-0 at Yves-Du-Manoir Stadium (Pitch 2) off the back of an excellent 2nd and 3rd quarter play with one goal each coming from open play as well as a penalty corner. Ireland now will take on the Kookaburras (whose campaign will begin shortly v Argentina) on Monday night at 6.15 pm AEST while Belgium will be straight back for their 2nd game tomorrow in the early hours of Monday AM at 1.30 our time v New Zealand.

For Ireland, you gotta hail David Harte as the keeper having saved so many attempts towards goal from the dominant Belgium side including penalty corners. He’d be great for any top-quality Field Hockey team any day as sure he won’t be short of suitors thanks to his sharp-stopping performances today. It’s just a shame that the rest couldn’t capitalise on the counter-attack on top of their basic defensive structure where things eventually fall into pieces every time Belgium added a lot of ball as the game goes on before it was too late, even a late goal wouldn’t be enough to remedy the start they wanted to keep them quiet. That next game won’t be easy as always when going up against one of the Top 3 sides in the world but all Ireland needs to do is push, push, push & goals may be there, even if some small improvements would mean a big difference.

And congratulations to defending Olympic champions Belgium with the 2-0 win who has been unstoppable all along, especially when they had so much possession all over the pitch before the goals were there to bring it home. It’s no easy contest as always at the highest of levels with the Ireland goal keeper giving them a tough time for the most part until Belgium finally made a breakthrough off the back of many winning penalties and attacking opportunities via open play. Plus, their defense wasn’t bad either where Belgium were able to get away from a series of missed Ireland opportunities up front that gave them the chance to get the job done at the other end and yet they’ve showed them how it’s done. Now Belgium will not want to down their tools with New Zealand next up before an all-important contest v Kookaburras mid-week Wednesday.

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Other Sports

Olympics News: The Paris 2024 games now open with the first lot of sports set to start later tonight over the next two weeks across Paris and even Tahiti for Surfing

by Sports Benches

It might be full of pouring and showering rain last night but what a show it was nonetheless to officially launch the 33rd Summer Olympics edition across Paris’s iconic landmarks including the Louvre and the river seine rather than the Olympic Stadium (which would be Stade De France but will still host the closing ceremonies though) itself as usual.

Gotta love the arts and culture they’ve got including a bit of Despicable Me before you throw in the fashion, the athletes parade of each nation through the river where they’ve made it in front of the Eiffel Tower, and last but not least the Olympic flame being lit as the cauldron has already taken lift off like a hot air balloon. 

Now let the games begin with two weeks of action as it’s up to these athletes competing there to make a name for themselves that would wow the entire world when it comes to chasing gold.

First up tonight is Swimming, Field Hockey,  Diving, Basketball and of course Rugby 7s Men’s semi final between Australia v Fiji alongside. many other sports being held across Paris. Although Olympic surfing surfing will be held many miles away over in Tahiti that will begin first thing tomorrow morning at 3am AEST. Let’s see what the Australian Olympic Team has got including our Aussie Dolphins Swim Team in the hope of dominating this pool v Team USA like it was at the World Champs last year.

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Other Sports

Olympics News: Germany too good to kickstart the group stage in Marseille 3-0 as the Matildas now need to regroup against Zambia and Team USA over the next week

by Sports Benches

It wasn’t been the start our Matildas team wanted yesterday with the 3-0 loss v Germany but we do need to move on with Zambia up next on 3am Monday AM followed by Team USA also 3am Thursday morning. A 2nd placed finish would be nice considering how much the Tillies improved over these past few years including the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but scoring more goals from here including a possible draw or a close loss v Team USA might be enough to play depending on how good they are for the best of third like it was in Tokyo four years ago. That way, they can come from behind to play Finals again.

Credit to Germany who played really well with their dominant possession-based & expansive attack, having made good use of their corners by Giulia Gwinn that landed into the net twice (1 goal in the opening 45 & another goal later in the 2nd half) followed by a third goal via 1-2 touch from Jule Brand. One thing they need to watch though is their discipline that gave the opposition the opportunity to cash in where Germany overstepped the mark at times that could’ve been an extra 1-2 goals had the referee/VAR not ruled it as offside, etc. But so far, so good as the Germany women’s team need their full support all over France like they had at the 2016 Olympics in Rio across Brazil where they won the gold medal there v Sweden 2-1.

And for the Matildas, they tried their best to get the job done at times on the counter-attack both through open play and free-kicks as well as corners. However, they were nowhere near closer towards goal in an effort to strike one back past the keeper when it comes to the executions unfortunately. Plus, their defence has been sloppy at times including lost corners where Germany had a great sniff at them for the most part – no matter how many times Germany tries to shoot towards goal, which was too good for them to walk away with the win. This is a display the Matildas should’ve done better as if it’s their Final but getting over Zambia and hopefully a new-look Team USA side would hopefully give them a 2nd chance to play for an extended run in the knockout finals. Who knows? But they better avoid elimination first going into this weekend & next week.

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Rugby

Olympics News: The Aussie Men’s Rugby 7s team on a roll to the medal semis after their wins v Argentina to top the group stage followed by an easy last eight win v USA

by Sports Benches

Can you believe it? The Aussie Men’s 7s team had another excellent field day on the road towards gold in the Men’s Olympic program. Not only they topped their Group stage undefeated off the back of a decent win v Argentina but they were also too good v Team USA in the last 8 with the medal semis to pick up tomorrow v Fiji. Now we need our Aussie supporters and for those currently in Paris to go to Stade De France this Saturday by cheering them up for the green & gold!!

Now that last group stage game was a bit challenging with the fast starts which is something they need to improve on, especially when going up against the top notch teams as always. But they’ve still done it though where they’ve bossed the pitch by expanding their attack through the wide areas on what has been a team-led effort against Argentina, 14-22.

Then as said above during the medal Quarter-Finals, we saw another team-led effort off the back of some amazing finishing tries from several players this time v Team USA 18-0.

No doubt they will be coming back hungry with a point to prove v gold medallists Fiji this weekend such as Henry Hutchinson, James Turner & ACT Brumbies regular Corey Toole. Then we can dream in order for the Aussies to get over the line should they make it for the Gold Medal match v either France or South Africa. They’ve came from a long way so far & hope they can replicate the success that the women’s team has done in this 7s format.  

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Rugby

Olympics News 2024: Australian Men’s Rugby 7s team off to a flying start overnight with back-to-back wins against Samoa and Kenya

by Sports Benches

The Australian Men’s Rugby 7s team were off to a brilliant start to the Olympics campaign with back-to-back wins v Samoa (21-14) and Kenya (21-7) last night. Now they’ve got Argentina next up tonight before they will turn their attention to the Medal Quarter-Finals later on during the day regardless of this final group stage result at Stade De France.

Yes, the only weaknesses they need to work on is the strong starts where the Aussies have been disadvantaged or have been levelled earlier on, especially when things may eventually go out of hand by the time they take on the other top-notch Olympic nations as it progresses. That next match v Argentina is the first real acid test where correcting this weakness could change everything so they can hopefully go all the way rather than being dropped out & not being able to win a medal.

However, they too have dominated for the majority though when it comes to the possession on this fast-paced format of Rugby off the back of a few brilliant tries and also a couple of opposition handling errors through the gate that sums up their perfect start of their Olympic campaign as still a long way to go towards chasing that gold medal come Saturday.

Hats off to Henry Hutchinson, who scored two tries in the first game v Samoa. So does an excellent group of backs on what has been a team-led brilliance v Kenya with James Turner, Nathan Lawson (also scored the team’s other try from the opening game) & Brumbies regular Corey Toole sharing the pie of tries being scored.

Plus, hats off to Dietrich Roache on his spotless conversion kicks through the two sticks. Keep an eye on him as their main man when the Aussie Men’s 7s team is set to get tested a bit tougher on the speedometer but we’ve got some of our experienced backline that can cause the opposition trouble starting with Argentina tonight.

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Miscellaneous

Top 5 Easy Homemade Recipes For The Upcoming Olympics Paris 2024 Watch Party

by Admin

Photo by Jessica_Ruscello from Freerange Stock

The Olympics is not just about incredible athletic achievements; it’s also a celebration of global cultures, bringing people together through shared experiences.

As we gear up for the Paris 2024 Olympics (which are on from July 26 to August 11, 2024), if you weren’t able to go to Paris to watch the games, what better way to enjoy the events than by hosting a watch party at home with delicious homemade meals?

Here are five easy recipes that will inspire your Olympic spirit and satisfy your taste buds, all from the comfort of your home.

Chicken Empanadas – Argentina

Do you support Team Argentina or Team Chile? Prepare a batch of empanadas, the national dish of both nations. Empanadas can be made in a variety of forms and with various fillings. This version has soft chicken thighs, peppers, olives, tomato paste, and paprika to boost the flavors. If you’d rather have ground beef, you can use that instead.  

Get the recipe here: Chicken Empanadas

Mac and Cheese – America 

A classic comfort food in American cuisine, mac & cheese is loved by both adults and children for its creamy texture and delicious cheesiness. This classic dish consists of cooked macaroni pasta coated in a creamy cheese sauce, made with a variety of cheeses such as Parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar. It makes for a hearty and delicious dinner. 

Get the recipe here: Baked Mac and Cheese

Greek Chicken Chili – Greek

This Greek-inspired chili is the perfect dinner for serving a crowd at an Olympics watch party, as it is both filling and light. It is made up of tender dark meat chicken, creamy white beans, and tender vegetables. The stew is flavored with a bouquet of hearty herbs and can be easily prepared in a single pot, resulting in minimal mess and maximum flavor.

Get the recipe here: One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili

Photo by Pixabay

Quesadilla – Mexican

The quesadilla is a popular Mexican dish made with a maize tortilla toasted on a griddle, stuffed with cheese and other contents (meat, veggies), and folded over for eating. A perfect game-day recipe!

Get the recipe here: Quesadilla

Panzanella – Italy

Panzanella is an Italian salad, prepared from soaked stale bread, along with tomatoes, onions, basil, and an olive oil and vinegar dressing. This is a typical summertime Tuscan salad that is made using seasonal, fresh summer veggies.

Other ingredients, including cheese, cucumbers, and olives, can occasionally be added to Panzanella. Panzanella is thought to have been created out of necessity as a way to use undesired ingredients, such as stale bread.  

The dish’s name is a combination of the terms pane, which means bread, and zanella, which means soup bowl.

Get the recipe here: Classic Panzanella Salad

Kibbeh – Lebanon/ Syria

These delectable kibbehs, a national dish in both Lebanon and Syria, can be served as a main course with rice or as an easy starter at the Olympics cocktail party. The grated onions make the kebab juicy, while the use of different spices brings a surprising flavor profile that seasoned meat to perfection.

Get the recipe here: Kibbeh Recipe

The Wrap-Up!

Hosting an Olympics watch party is an excellent way to enjoy great food while celebrating international unity and athletic prowess. These easy homemade recipes offer a diverse range of flavors and cuisines, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re savoring a Mexican quesadilla or enjoying comforting mac & cheese, your watch party will be a big hit. Enjoy the games and bon appétit!

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