WORLD CUP SHORTS

■ MORE than 170,000 people have signed a petition calling for the England v Colombia World Cup match to be replayed – claiming Colombia were cheated of a win.

The petition, which was started two days ago when Gareth Southgate’s men won a penalty shoot-out, argues England were awarded their second-half penalty for ‘a non-existent foul’. It also says that Colombian striker Carlos Bacca’s extra-time goal should have been allowed to stand. Bacca had scored after referee Mark Geiger had already halted proceedings, with England defender Harry Maguire distracted by a second ball that would have come on the pitch had the assistant not stopped it.

Meanwhile, Diego Maradona has apologised to FIFA after an outspoken attack on the referee for Colombia’s defeat in the match which saw England through to the last eight.

■ The centre of the Soviet Union’s space rocket industry will host England’s quarter-final tie against Sweden tomorrow.

Now a sprawling city of 1.2 million people along the banks of the Volga river, Samara was known as Kuibyshev between 1935 and 1991.

It was here that Soviet scientists designed and built the rockets which blasted the world’s first satellite, Sputnik 1, and first manned spaceship, carrying Yuri Gagarin, into space.

■ SUPERMARKETS are stocking their shelves for a bonanza weekend as peak summer barbecue weather combined with football fever look set to send tills ringing.

England’s quarter-final game could generate £860 million of grocery sales on Friday and Saturday, a five per cent uplift on usual figures, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

■ SNP MPs were ‘plain mean’ in preventing Commons staff from watching England’s World Cup knock-out clash with Colombia, Andrea Leadsom has said.

The Commons leader criticised the Scottish Nationalists for their speed in passing through the division lobbies after they forced five votes during the match. Mrs Leadsom said it was “entirely in order’ for the SNP to vote, but condemned them for ‘staggering’ through the lobbies – preventing MPs, doorkeepers and other Commons staff from watching the game.