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Argentina beat France on penalties to win World Cup after stunning final

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BY THE GUARDIAN

It was a consecration, the spiritual overtones entirely appropriate. Lionel Messi not only emulated the deity of Argentinian football, Diego Maradona, by leading the nation to World Cup glory; he finally plugged the burning gap on his CV, winning the one title that has eluded him – at the fifth time of asking, surely the last time. In the process he gilded his claim to being recognised as the greatest player of them all.

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Argentina had to win this final three times, France refusing to accept it was Messi’s destiny to get his hands on the iconic gold trophy, that it was somehow preordained. It will go down as surely the finest World Cup final of all time, the most pulsating, one of the greatest games in history because of how Kylian Mbappé hauled France up off the canvas towards the end of normal time.It had been billed as Messi v Mbappe, the Argentinian hero opening the scoring from the penalty spot and having a hand in Ángel Di María’s goal for 2-0. But then came Mbappé, shattering the notion that Argentina would close out the win with the minimum of fuss. This Argentina team do not really operate like that.

They love to trade in late drama. Think of their wins over Australia and the Netherlands in the knockout rounds.A part of the story was France’s champion courage, the 2018 winners being revived by a clutch of Didier Deschamps substitutions. That and Mbappé, who was unplayable from the 80th minute. He scored twice in 97 seconds to force extra-time; the first a penalty, the second a sublime side-on volley and there was a point towards the end of regulation time when he appeared hell-bent on making sure that the additional period would not be needed.

Back came Argentina in extra-time, Messi scoring his second for 3-2. But back came France, Mbappé equalising with a second penalty on 118 minutes for his hat-trick and the Golden Boot. He finished the tournament with eight – one more than Messi. He joined Sir Geoff Hurst as a hat-trick scorer in the men’s final.

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At this point it is worth delving into the mayhem that gripped at the very end of extra-time.

Neither team were ready to accept that a penalty shootout was inevitable. Not a bit of it. Randal Kolo Muani, on as a substitute for the game of his life, could not stretch to head home a cross byMbappé and will have nightmares about the one-on-one that he failed to convert, the Argentina goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, coming out on top.

At the other end the Argentina substitute Lautaro Martínez blew a gilt-edged header and then Mbappé beat two men on yet another explosive burst but not a third. Never has so much been crammed into an extra-time finale.

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So to penalties and, after Mbappé and Messi had scored, it was over to Emiliano Martínez and some of his dark arts to make the difference. After he had saved from the substitute Kingsley Coman, Martínez threw the ball away before the next France kick, forcing the 22-year-old Aurélien Tchouaméni to go and fetch it, further heightening his anxiety. Tchouaméni dragged his kick past the post.Martínez had to be physically restrained by the referee, Szymon Marciniak, from confronting France’s next taker, Kolo Muani. Martínez was booked; Kolo Muani lashed home. But the scene was set for the substitute Gonzalo Montiel to win it – to crown Messi and Argentina.

When Montiel scored, Messi sank to his knees in the centre circle, engulfed by teammates. Argentina’s third World Cup will go down as Messi’s World Cup, just as the second in 1986 had belonged to Maradona. Both men came to transcend their teams and the tournaments, with Messi collecting the Golden Ball here as the competition’s star player. It has long felt as if he has had a celestial scriptwriter at work, guiding him to his destiny. The image of him and the trophy was what so many fans – and not just those from Argentina – had craved.

The start of the game came to feel like an awfully long time ago. It was when Messi located his passing rhythms straight away and Di María dazzled. Di María won the opening penalty, exploding away from Ousmane Dembélé before being caught and Messi did the rest.The first half was all Argentina, a scintillating period for them, Messi seemingly playing his own game. He fizzed or curled his passes, wowed with his changes of direction. He even threw himself into challenges.

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Di María had lifted high early on and it said everything about France’s struggles that Deschamps made a double substitution in the 41st minute. He moved Mbappé from the left into the centre and Olivier Giroud was the furious fall guy. Dembélé was also withdrawn. On came Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram. By then it was 2-0. Messi fired a flowing move with a flick to Julián Álvarez, who immediately got Alexis Mac Allister running. Di María took off, too, on the other side and Mac Allister’s low crossfield ball was made to measure. Di María was overcome after his emphatic finish.

France had been a grisly second best in the first half of normal time and, although they dug out footholds in the second half, they struggled to create. Argentina – with Di María outstanding until his withdrawal – continued to look the more dangerousThen everything changed. Deschamps’ substitutions were acts of alchemy. He introduced Coman for the disappointing Antoine Griezmann and went to 4-4-2, Kolo Muani moving up alongside Mbappe.

It was Kolo Muani who won France’s first penalty from Nicolás Otamendi and suddenly Argentina were overtaken by nerves. The equaliser for 2-2 followed Coman robbing Messi and Mbappé finessing a give-and-go with Thuram before finishing spectacularly. The France substitutes streamed across the pitch towards Mbappé and France went close to a winner in regulation time, with Mbappé now rampant. At the other end, though, they needed Hugo Lloris to tip over a Messi blast to force extra-time.Argentina shook their heads clear in extra-time. Lautaro Martínez made a difference. Twice he was denied by last-ditch Dayot Upamecano interventions and, when he unloaded for goal and Lloris could only parry, there was Messi to get the ball over the line.

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There would be further twists, including Mbappé’s second penalty for a Montiel handball before Messi and Argentina could celebrate

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Cabinet approves review of tourism levies, licenses and fees

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BY STAFF REPORTER

The Cabinet has approved a review of levies, licences, fees, and permits of tourism sector , aimed at streamlining the regulatory environment and enhancing competitiveness.

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The announcement was made during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing, attended by Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi.

The review, conducted through a consultative process, covered various subsectors, including accommodation, hospitality and catering, tour guides and operators, boating services, and vehicle rental services.

Previously, these subsectors were constrained by a complex regulatory environment, which the review aims to simplify by removing unjustifiable licences and permits, streamlining duplicative requirements, and reducing excessively high fees and levies.

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Significantly, the review introduces a range of reductions, with some fees being cut by 25-50% and others scrapped off completely.

The reviewed instruments will undergo further refinement to ensure they fully support a competitive and thriving tourism industry.

This reform is part of the broader ease-of-doing-business agenda, designed to lower operational costs, enhance competitiveness, and drive sustainable growth in Zimbabwe’s economy.

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The tourism sector is one of Zimbabwe’s key drivers of economic growth, and this development is expected to provide a significant boost to the industry.

Source: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

 

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In the community

Hwange duo sentenced to 26 months for wildlife crimes

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Two Hwange men have been sentenced to 26 months imprisonment for setting 49 wire snares, including 48 class one snares, in Sinamatela Game Park, resulting in the killing of one impala and two female kudus, with a total value of US$6 000 worth of dried game meat.

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Lungisani Moyo (38) and Joel Nyathi (27), both from Madumabisa Village, were convicted of contravening the Trapping of Animal Control Act.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the state presented a case that the two unlawfully set the snares this month, resulting in the illegal killing of one impala and two female kudus.

The matter came to light after a joint patrol by police and Zim-Parks officers intercepted a man in the Lwendulu area carrying a suspicious black bag. Upon searching him, authorities recovered 12 bundles of dried game meat.

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Upon probe, the man led officers to Moyo’s residence, where further illegal game products were discovered.

Subsequent searches at both Moyo and Nyathi’s homes yielded a total of 22 bundles of dried game meat, kudu hooves, intestines, and other animal parts.

Police investigations confirmed the use of wire snares to hunt the animals within protected parkland.

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The total value of the poached wildlife is US$6 000.

Of the 26-month sentence, 10 months were suspended for five years, leaving the two to serve an effective 16 months imprisonment.

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In the community

Hwange man fined US$1 100 for illegal kudu meat sales

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BY STAFF REPORTER

A 62-year-old man from Hwange has been fined to pay US$1 100 for selling dried kudu meat without a permit.

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This was heard at the Hwange Regional Court when Samson Ncube appeared before a magistrate for selling meat without a license.

The state alleges that Ncube was found with 12kg of dried kudu meat valued at US$480, which he was selling without a permit.

He was arrested by CID Minerals Flora and Fauna and ZimParks during patrols in Lwendulu Village.

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The magistrate sentenced Ncube to pay a fine of US$1 100 by September 19, next month, or face 3 months in jail.

The recovered meat was forfeited.

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