The World Cup returns with a bang today, as Uruguay take on France and Brazil play Belgium in the competition's first two quarter-finals, following two days of no action. Emmet Malone is in Kazan where Belgium's 'golden generation' will face their defining test: "Belgium's current crop of players have never beaten top class opponents in a competitive game. And so, for all the endless talk about the nation's "golden generation", they must break new ground together in Kazan or head home early and empty handed again." That's at 7pm, but beforehand (3pm) Luis Suárez will assume centre stage once again as Uruguay will look to their record goal scorer with Cavani's fitness in doubt; "With or without Cavani, Uruguay will need a huge performance from their number nine. For Suárez, who will be 35 by the time the next World Cup comes around, there will be no shortage of motivation as he seeks to bury the memories of all the chaos and controversy that has gone before."
Jackie Tyrrell believes the always analytical Brian Cody will devise a new plan to beat Galway in this weekend's Leinster hurling final replay. In his column this morning he explains: "Brian and the lads are very good at analysing games, breaking down facets of it into the good parts and bad parts and working from there. Above all, they know their players inside out and they're not afraid to make changes. They almost never go back with the same team in a replay that they had in a drawn game." As a result of Donegal's meeting with senior GAA officials, Central Council will later this year review the situation whereby all the first round games in the Super 8s All-Ireland football quarter-finals are played at Croke Park (including Dublin's), as is the case next weekend.
Rory McIlroy finished only three shots behind leader Ryan Fox, whose opening five-under-par 67 gave him sole possession of the lead, at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open title in Donegal yesterday. Philip Reid explains that, "for all of his good work in getting to the green, his putter was not co-operative in a round that featured 32 putts. No fewer than eight of those putts were misses from inside 12 feet." Meanwhile Pádraig Harrington adventurously discovered parts of Glashedy Links that for others would have required a GPS to navigate a way to safety, during an impressive opening 68.
The defending women's champion Garbiñe Muguruza lost in the second round at Wimbledon yesterday, after being beaten 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 by the unseeded Belgian Alison van Uytvanck. The No 3 men's seed Marin Cilic fell to a shock second-round defeat, that was largely of his own making, to Argentinian Guido Pella 3-6 1-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5. Today, Roger Federer and Serena Williams are both in round of 32 action.
For extensive coverage of this summer's World Cup, check out the Irish Times' World Cup subsite right here.
