MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on Tuesday at the World Cup (all times local):
1:20 p.m.
American Mark Geiger has been selected to referee Wednesday’s World Cup match between Portugal and Morocco.
Geiger becomes the second American to referee at two World Cups after David Socha in 1982 and 1986.
A 43-year-old from Beachwood, New Jersey, Geiger worked three games in Brazil four years ago, becoming the first American to referee a knockout stage match when he officiated France’s 2-0 win over Nigeria in the round of 16.
Geiger was the Video Assistant Referee for last weekend’s game between Argentina and Iceland.
The U.S. is the only nation with two referees at the World Cup. Jair Murrufo has not yet been assigned a match.
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11:45 a.m.
Officials say an engine of a Russian plane carrying the Saudi Arabia team to a World Cup host city caught fire during landing.
Russia’s federal agency for air traffic says in a statement that the Airbus airplane flying from St. Petersburg to the southern city of Rostov-on-Don landed safely Monday night and did not require any emergency procedures.
Tuesday’s statement says the passenger plane landed with both of its engines working and the passengers disembarked normally. An investigation into the incident has begun.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation posted pictures of the players exiting the plan on Monday night and a statement on Twitter saying it “would like to reassure everyone that all the Saudi national team players are safe, after a technical failure in one of the airplane engines that has just landed in Rostov-on-Don airport, and now they’re heading to their residence safely.”
The Saudis were beaten 5-0 by Russia in the World Cup opener in Moscow last week and play Uruguay in Rostov-on-Don on Wednesday.
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11:30 a.m.
Brazil’s jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made his debut as a football pundit.
Behind bars, he wrote a column for Worker’s Party TV on Monday criticizing Brazil’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Switzerland at the World Cup
“Qualifying is one thing. The World Cup is different,” da Silva wrote. “Switzerland was strong in defense, playing rough, and didn’t allow Brazil to perform. They also stopped Neymar by fouling him again and again.”
Da Silva, who started serving a 12-year sentence for corruption in April, can still appeal his conviction, which he calls politically fabricated.
Da Silva also said “the first week of the World Cup proves Germany is not unbeatable and, among the top players, only Cristiano Ronaldo proved his value.”
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10:40 a.m.
Senegal President Macky Sall is in Russia and will attend his country’s World Cup game against Poland in Moscow.
Senegal is returning to the World Cup for the first time since a thrilling run to the quarterfinals on its tournament debut in Japan and South Korea in 2002.
The president’s office says Sall will watch Senegal play Poland at Spartak Stadium on Tuesday during a three-day visit to Russia . He’ll also hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sall was invited to the World Cup by FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura, who is from Senegal.
Senegal is Africa’s last chance of getting a win in the first volley of games at the World Cup. Egypt (1-0 to Uruguay), Morocco (1-0 to Iran), Nigeria (2-0 to Croatia) and Tunsia (2-1 to England) all lost their group openers.
